Note 4 — Chapter III · THE URALS TO TIUMEN.
Reading edition
That is, men, or at least males; for I am told that male children are called “souls,” but female children never. An English lady of my acquaintance informs me that she was told scores of times in Russia that she was not a doash, or soul, but only a woman; and when her son was born she was congratulated on being the mother of a soul!