The Poke, together with the Russians, Inhabit the governments described under Poteen, those of Vollsynle and Podolia, and almost exclusively that of Grodno. Their numbers amount to about six or sloven millions. The Poi...re said to be of more refined manners than the Russians ; but in the arts of civilised life, especially in manufao turee, and all branches of industry, they are behind the Russian& The Lithuanians inhabit the governments of Vilna and Minsk. Their number does not exceed one million and • half. Their language I. very different from the common Slavonic dialects In its material and forms, but is intermixed with many Rundan term& They are agricul turists, but otherwise they have not made much progress in civilisation. North of the Lithusoians, in Couriand and Livonia, are the Lettes, whose number probably does not much exceed half a million. They speak a language different from that of the Ruosiana and the Lithu anian,. They are exclusively occupied with the cultivation of the ground. Those who live in Courland are frequently distinguished by the name of Koors. Both nations, the Lithuanians and Letter, were bonds men to the German nobility established in their country, till the reign of the emperor Alexander, who partially effected their emancipation.
The Vlachs., or Wallachians, live in the government of Bessarabia, between the riven Dniester and Froth. Their number does not exceed half a million. They speak a language which is mainly com posed of Latin, Greek, Italian, and Turkish. They are industrious cultivators of the lend. They were formerly slaves to the boyars, or nobility, but they ceased to be so nearly 100 years ago. Among tho Vlaches there are a few families of Servians or Raizes, and a few more are settled in the government of Ekatarinoslaf.
The Tshudes, or Fins, were formerly considered to belong to the Mongol race ; but their light hair and their blue eyes have of late procured them a place among the Caucasian race, iu spite of their fiat noses and flattened countenances. They inhabit two separate portions of Russia. The majority of them are settled on both sides of the Gulf of Finland. Two of these nations, the Fine and the Laplanders, occupy the country north of the gulf. The Fins, who inhabit FINLAND, are agriculturists and breeders of cattie. The Laplanders live north of 65' N. lat., and are mostly occupied with their reindeer. Their number does not exceed a few thousands. On the south of the Gulf of Finland are the Esthete or Esthoniens, whose number is above half a million. Their language is similar to that of the Fins. They are almost exclusively occupied with the cultivation of the ground, and were serfs to the nobles until 1818, when the emperor Alexander effected their emancipation. South of the F.sthonians, in the country
lying on both sides of the small river Selig (near 58° N. lat.), is the small tribe of the Livia or Livoniane, who have given their name to Livonia. They speak a dialect of the Finnish language, and are exclu sively agrioulturista The eastern members of the Talludio family are separated from the western by an immense tract of country upwards of 500 miles in width, which is now inhabited by Russians. When and how the sepa ration took place is not on record. The eastern Tshudic tribes live on the western declivity of the Ural Mountains, and on the banks of the middle Volga, and are eight in number :-Syrianes, Permians, Vogules, Votiakes, Chuv ashes, Cheremisees, Mordvines or Mordwi, and Teptiares.
The Syrians', the most northern of these tribes, inhabit the woody country between the upper course of the Kama and the Vychegda, an affluent of the Dwina, and particularly both banks of the Vychegda, ea far west as the mouth of the Smola. Their principal occupation is the chase of the wild animals with which their country abounds. Their language differs very little from that of the Permian, which has • great affinity to the Finnish.
The Permian.. occupy the couutry south of the Syrians'', between the rivers Kam. and Viatica. Though agriculture has made more progress among them than among the Syrians& they derive their principal sub sistence from the chase, and more especially from the fisheries in the Kama and Viatka. Both of these tribes generally speak also the Russian language.
The Vogul," (who resemble the Kalmuck') occupy both declivities of the Ural Mountains between 58' and 60° N. lat. They are short in stature, have round faces with projecting cheek-bones, and very little beard. Their language shows that they belong to the Tahudes; it exhibits also a great affinity to the Magyar. The Vogules live entirely on the produce of the chase. They livo in small societies, consisting only of five or six hots, and lead a wandering life. A small number have been converted to the Greek Church; thu remainder are heathens.
The Votiakee are settled west of the Permian', on both sides of the upper course of the river Viatka, and in the country about the source of the Kama. In language and bodily formation they resemble the proper Fins more than any other of these eastern Tahudio tribes They are diligent agriculturists, and also rear cattle and bee'. They are allowed to chose their own magistrates. They pay only a capitation tax. Most of them have embraced Christianity.