a large country of Asia, lying between the rivers Don and Wolga; bounded on the north by Russia, on the east by Astrachan and the Caspian sea, on the south by Georgia and Dagistan, and on the west by the sea of Zabach. It is full of mountains and forests, and has no other city but Terky, which is situated on the Caspian sea. It is a kind of republic; for the people put themselves under the protection of Persia, Russia, and the Turks: however, the last are in possession of Terky, the capital town. They are Tartars of a middle stature, well-set, with coarse black hair and broad flat faces. They wear a vest of coarse grey cloth, and over it a sheep's skin, which they turn to the side from which the wind or rain comes. They have boots of horse leather, and wear on their heads round bonnets of coarse felt or black cloth. The women pass among the Turks for very great beauties, their complexion being extremely fine. The men are not jealous; for they allow their wives all imaginable liberties. These, in the summer, wear nothing but a shift open down to the navel; but in the winter they have furred gowns, like the Russians. They are very fond of necklaces, which consist of strings of pearls, or coloured glass. It is not a little surprising that the men should be so ugly, and the women so extremely handsome. Their religion is a mixture of Christianity and Mahometanism; and, like the Jews, they marry their brother's wives, if they have no children. The men are good horsemen, and subsist chiefly by hunting and robbing, though some are addicted to huckstering. In winter they live in fusty huts, and in the summer in tents. Their female children are generally bought by the Turks and Persians, who bring them up for their seraglios.