OF THE CRIMEAN PENINSULA.

3 1

The large orchard being fituated on a rifing ground, isdivided into four terraces, inclofed with free-ftone ; and whichare mounted by a progreflive flight of ftone-fteps placed fide-ways for fuch purpofe. The lower terrace is entirely coveredwith arbours of the vine; but the upper ones, with fruit-treesof every kind, grafted from the beft forts, and efpecially withpears of an exquifite flavour.

The grand metfhet in front of the palace is one of the moftelegant temples, and alfo the moft fpacious editice of the kindin Bakhtfhifarai. In the interior there is a fuperftru&ure, orbox, furnifhed with Windows, formerly appropriated to thefamily of the Khan; and the afcent to which is from without,by a feparate ftair-cafe. At prefent, only ftrangers, and parti-cularly females, are admitted to this box, when they aredefirous to witnefs the religious ceremonies of the Tartars; andefpecially the noify and whimfical dances of their dervifes onFridays, or on the evenings of their feftivals, without inter-rupting their devotion.

Behind this metfhet is the commencement of a large burying-ground, which progreflively rifes in a line with the buildingsand gardens. Here are interred all the defcendants of the Khanfamily, together with the principal murfas, or nobles, and priefts;fo that it abounds with funeral columns hewn of ftone; amongwhich thofe erected to the memory of males are diftinguifhedby the form of a turban. In the fame place, at a fhort diftancefrom the church, we met with two elegant modern fepulchralvaults, contiguous to each other, and a third of an earlier date.The former are filled with coffins of the Khans, depofited onthe ground, and covered with black and green ftuffs. One ofthefe vaults was built by Hadfhi-ghirei. A little farther up-

ward