THE MENNONITE BROTHERHOOD IN RUSSIA (1789 - 1910), P. M. Friesen, 1911

shion. Many other settlers escaped a similar fate only by making a hasty Documentary Supplement 189 escape, through presence of mind or a lucky turn of events. Nevertheless, the danger threatening the settlers from these barbarians is diminishin g from year to year since the government is doing everything in its power to civilize them. They have now been forced to give up their nomadic life style, settle down and cultivate the land. To give up their old, free way of life, however, is very difficult for them. Since the murder of the four Mennonites, the Tatars have also been forced to give up their traditional custom whereby every man constantly carries a weapon on his person. This was an iron hammer attached to a long wooden handle! They used these hammers especially to kill wolves after they had been tired in the chase by their very swift horses. [Later they had to use a short, thick leather whip for this purpose, called a “Kantscherg,” “Malachai,” or even “Nogaika,” for which purpose a lead bullet was braided into the end of it: also a wicked toy!] In spite of all these measures, the rustling of cattle continues. [Later the Mennonites and Tatars became good friends; in 1860 the latter all emigrated to Turkey.] Their former localities 102 were turned into Bulgarian colonies or Russian farm villages. [A second group of neighbors, located for a long time on the right bank of the Molotschna below the Molotschna Colony, were the Doukhobors, living in the village of Terpeniie among others. Later they were resettled in the region of the Caucasus. Our traveller has high praise for their ethical and industrious characteristics.] g) As far as the climate is concerned, in the region surrounding the Chortitza and Molotschna colonies, there were [and still are] particularly severe blizzards [in Low German: “de Stuem,” in Russian: “Viuga”], usually lasting from two to four days during the winter season, a season itself subject to variation as to duration and great temperature fluctuations. At such times it was especially dangerous to travel on the steppes because they were very sparsely populated and points of orientation were few. Large numbers of cattle are lost during these blizzards, especially when they suddenly appear early in the fall and the herds cannot be brought into the bams, enclosures, or at least into protective valleys in time. The animals, especially the sheep, run irresistibly before the wind until they find shelter or a cover. Sleet is perhaps even worse if it strikes the herds unexpectedly out in the open and continues for several days. Summers are mostly long and very warm, up to 30° Reaumur in the shade; by August the steppes have turned predominantly grey; in September or October the fall rains usually set in and a new growth, even new flowers, give the steppes the appearance of a new spring. The spring is probably richer in grass and flowers, but often very fickle in regard to its be