BOUNDARIES AND DIVISION OF TRIBES

NEITHER RULERS NOR SUBJECTS

DEB

ISLAM

CHANGE INTRODUCED BY THE LATTER ONLY EXTERNAL

INFLUENCE OF MOLLAHS

CONSTRUCTION OF NOMAD TENTS

ALAMAN, HOW CONDUCTED

PERSIAN COWARDICE

TURKOMAN POETS

TROUBADOURS

SIMPLE MARRIAGE CEREMONIES

HORSES

MOUNDS, HOW AND WHEN FORMED

MOURNING FOR DEAD

TURKOMAN DESCENT

GENERAL POINTS CONNECTED WITH THE HISTORY OF THE TURKOMANS

THEIR PRESENT POLITICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL IMPORTANCE.

Non se urbibus tenent et ne statis quidem sedibus. Ut invitavere pabula, ut cedens et sequens hostis exigit, its res opesque secum trahens, semper castra habitant; bellatrix, libera, indomita. --Pomp. Mela, de Situ Orbis, 1. ii. c. 4.

THE TURKOMANS IN THEIR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RELATIONS.

Boundaries and Divisions.

The Turkomans or TÜrkmen, [Footnote 95] as they style themselves, inhabit for the most part that tract of desert land which extends on this side of the river Oxus, from the shore of the Caspian Sea to Belkh, and from the {302} same river to the south as far as Herat and Astrabad. Besides the partially productive soil which they possess along the Oxus, Murgab Tedjend, GÖrghen, and Etrek, where they actually busy themselves a little with agriculture, the country of the Turkomans comprises that immense awful desert where the traveller may wander about for weeks and weeks without finding a drop of sweet water or the shade of a single tree. In winter the extreme cold and the thick snow, in summer the scorching heat and the deep sand, present equal dangers; and storms only so far differ from each other in these different seasons, as the graves that they prepare for the karavans are dry or moist.

[Footnote 95: This word is compounded of the proper name TÜrk, and the suffix men (corresponding with the English suffix ship, dom); it is applied to the whole race, conveying the sense that the nomads style themselves pre-eminently TÜrks. The word in use with us, Turkoman, is a corruption of the Turkish original.]

To describe with more exactitude the divisions of the Turkomans, we will make use of their own expressions. According to our European ideas, we name their main divisions, stocks or tribes, because we start from the assumption of one entire nationality. But the Turkomans, who, as far as history records, never appear united in any single body, mark their principal races by the name Khalk (in Arabic people), and designate them as follows:--

I. Tchaudor.
II. Ersari.
III. Alieli.
IV. Kara.
V. Salor.
VI. Sarik.
VII. Tekke.
VIII. GÖklen.
IX. Yomut.

Employing, then, the expression adopted by these nomads themselves, and annexing the corresponding words and significations, we have--

Turkoman words.	Primitive sense.	Secondary sense.
Khalk.	People.	Stock or tribe.
Taife.	People.	Branch.
Tire.	Fragment.	Lines or clans.

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The Khalks are divided into Taife, and these again into Tire. We proceed to touch briefly upon all these main stocks, devoting, however, our particular attention to the Tekke, GÖklen, and Yomuts, who are settled to the south, as occasion permitted me to visit and to become more acquainted with these from personal contact.

I. TCHAUDOR.

These inhabit the southern part of the district between the Caspian Sea and the Aral Sea, counting about 12,000 tents; their principal Tire, or branches, extending from the former sea as far as KÖhne Urgendj, Buldumsaz, Porszu, and KÖktcheg in Khiva, are--

Abdal.
Bozadji.
Igdyr.
Burundjuk.
Essenlu.
Sheikh.
Karatchaudor.

II. ERSARI.

These dwell on the left bank of the Oxus, from Tschihardschuj as far as Belkh. They are divided into twenty Taife, and still more numerous Tire. The number of their tents is said to amount to from fifty to sixty thousand. As they inhabit for the most part the bank of the Oxus, and are tributary to the Emir of Bokhara, they are often alluded to as the Lebab-TÜrkmen, or Bank-Turkomans.

III. ALIELI.

These, who have their principal seat at Andkhoy, form only three little Tire, not counting more than three thousand tents.

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IV. KARA.

A small but exceedingly savage tribe of Turkomans, who, for the most part, are found loitering about in the vicinity of certain wells in the great sandy desert between Andkhoy and Merv. They are pitiless robbers, and are warred against as such by all the surrounding tribes.

V. SALOR.

This is the oldest Turkoman tribe recorded in history. It was already renowned for its bravery at the time of the Arabian occupation. Its numbers were then probably greater, for they have suffered very much from incessant wars. They number only eight thousand tents, although it is not ten years since they were in possession of the important point of Merve. They are now-a-days supplanted by the Tekke in Martschah and its vicinity. They consist of the following Taife and Tire:--

	Taife.	Tire.
1.	Yalavadj	Yasz, Tiszi, Sakar, Ordukhodja.
2.	Karaman	Alam, GÖrdjikli, BeybÖlegi.
3.	Ana bÖlegi	Yadschi, Bokkara, BakaschtlÖre, Timur.

VI. SARIK.

These do not stand in less repute for bravery than the tribe of Salor. Their numbers, too, are less than they were formerly. At present the Sariks [Footnote 96] inhabit {305} the regions about Pendschdeh, on the bank of the Murgab. With the exception of their neighbours the Djemshidi, they are in hostile relations with all the Turkomans. They are separated into the following Taife and Tire:--

	Taife.	Tire.
1.	Khorasanli	Bedeng, Khodjali, Kizil, HuszeÏnali.
2.	Biradj	Kanlibash, Kultcha, Szudjan.
3.	Sokhti	Tapyr, Mumatag, Kurd, Kadyr.
4.	Alascha	Kodjeck, Bogadja, Huszein Kara, Szaad, Okensziz.
5.	Herzegi	Yerki, Djanibeg, Kurama, Jatan, Japagy.

The number of their tents, I was told, amounts to ten thousand.

[Footnote 96: The women of this tribe, Sarik, have a peculiar renown as manufacturers of a tissue called Agary. It is formed of the hair of the young camel (three or four days old), which, after being boiled in milk, during four or five days acquires an elasticity and consistence as of a silk pulp; this substance they afterwards draw out and weave into the material so called. It is of particular beauty and strength, and is in high esteem, and of great value as a material for forming the overdress of men. It is to be met with in Persia, and always fetches high prices.]

VII. TEKKE.

These form at this day the greatest and most powerful tribe of the Turkomans. They are separated into two principal encampments--the first at Akhal (to the east of Tedjend), and the second at Merv. According to the best accounts, they have sixty thousand tents. Possessing less land that is capable of being cultivated than the other Turkoman tribes, they are, so to say, almost forced by nature itself to commit acts of robbery, and are a real scourge in the hand of God to the north-easterly portions of Persia, to Herat and its neighbourhood. I have only been able to ascertain the following subdivisions; there are probably many others:--{306}

	Taife.	Tire.
1.	Ötemiscli	Kelletscho, Sultansiz, Szitschmaz Kara Ahmed.
2.	Bakhshi	Perreng, Topaz, KÖrszagry, AladjagÖz, Tashajak Aksefi Goh, Marsi, Zakir, Kazilar.
3.	Toktamish	Bokburun Amanshah, GÖktche Beg, Kara, Khar, Kongor, Yussuf, Jazi, Arik Karadja.

VIII. GÖKLEN.

Judging by the position and the relations in which I found these, I am justified in characterising them as belonging to the most peaceable and most civilised Turkomans. Willingly occupying themselves with the pursuits of agriculture, they are subject, most of them, to the King of Persia. They dwell in the lovely region so famed in history, that of the ancient Gurgan (now the ruins of Shehri Djordjan). Their branches and clans are as follows:--

	Taife.	Tire.
1.	Tshakir	GÖkdish, Alamet, Toramen, Khorta, Karavul, KÖsze, Kulkara, Baynal.
2.	Begdlli	Pank, Amankhodja, Boran, Karishmaz.
3.	Kayi	Djankurbanli, Erkekli, Kizil Akindjik, Tckendji Bok Khodja Kodana Lemek Kaniasz, Dari.
4.	Karabalkan	Tshotur, Kapan, Szigirsiki, Pashej, AdjibÉg
5.	Kyryk	Giyinlik Szufian, Dehene Karakuzu, Tcheke, GÖkese Kabaszakal, OngÜt, Kongor.
6.	Bajindir	Kalaydji, KÖrÜk, Yapagi Yadji Keszir Yasagalik TÖreng.
7.	Gerkesz	Mollalar, KÖsze Ataniyaz Mehrem BÖrre.
8.	Jangak	KorsÜt Madjiman, KÖtÜ, Dizegri, Szaridsche, Ekiz.
9.	Szengrik	Karashur, Akshur, Kutchi, Khar, SheikhbÉgi.
10.	Aj Dervisch	Otschu, Kodjamaz, Dehli, Tchikszari, Arab, Adschem, Kandjik.

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These ten branches are said to contain ten thousand tents, a number, perhaps, not exaggerated.

IX. YOMUT.

The Yomuts inhabit the East shore of the Caspian Sea and some of its islands. Their original appellation is GÖrghen Yomudu (Yomuts of the GÖrghen). Besides these there are the Khiva-Yomudu (Yomuts of Khiva), who have chosen for their abode the other end of the desert, close upon the Oxus.

The particular places in the desert where the Yomuts first above mentioned are wont to encamp, beginning to reckon them from the Persian frontier upward, are as follows:--

1. Khodja Nefes., at the lower mouth of the GÖrghen, an encampment of from forty to sixty tents, furnishes a strong contingent to the audacious pirates that render the Persian coast so insecure.

2. GÖmÜshtepe, more particularly a winter quarter, not habitable in summer on account of the prevalence of virulent fevers. It extends, as already mentioned, in the upper mouth of the GÖrghen, which is here tolerably deep, and which, from the wonderful number of fish that it yields, is of great service to this tribe.

3. Hasankuli, on the shore of the gulf of this sea, having the same name. This place is densely peopled in summer, and produces tolerably good melons.{308}

4. Etrek lies to the left of Hasankuli, on the banks of the river of like appellation, which, at a distance of six miles from this place, precipitates itself into the sea.

5. Tchekishlar, also a Yaylak (summer abode), near to the hill on the sea-shore, named Ak Tepe.

6. Tcheleken, [Footnote 97] an island only distant a few miles from the continent. The inhabitants are peaceful traders.

[Footnote 97: Better written Tchereken from the Persian Tchar-ken, the four mines, so called on account of the four principal productions of the island.]

The Yomuts are divided into the following branches and clans:--

	Taife.	Tire.
1.	Atabay	Sehene, DÜngirtchi, Tana Kisarka, Kesze, Temek.
2.	Djafer bay, having again two divisions,
	a. Yarali	Iri Tomatch, Kizil Sakalli, ArigkÖseli, Tchokkan borkan, Onuk Tomatch.
	b. Nurali	Kelte, Karindjik, Gazili KÖr, Hasankululu kÖr PankÖtek.
3.	Sheref Djuni, of whom one part dwells in GÖrghen, and the other in Khiva,
	a. GÖrghen	KarabÖlke, Tevedji, Telgay Djafer.
	b. Khiva	OkÜz, Salak, Ushak, Kodjuk, Meshrik, Imreli.
4.	Ogurdjali	Semedin, Ghiray Terekme, Nedin.

The Ogurdjali, hardly ever busying themselves with marauding and robbery, refuse to recognise the Yomuts as of their tribe, and dealing themselves peaceably with Persia, with which they have great activity of commerce, they have become subjects of {309} the Shah, to whom they pay a yearly tribute of 1000 ducats. The Persians, however, do not interfere in their internal government.

The Yomuts themselves are accustomed to count the number of their tents in the aggregate at from forty to fifty thousand. Their calculations are as little to be guaranteed as the statements of the other tribes, for the greatness of their numbers always constitutes, with these nomads, a question of national pride.

Let us now add together the different tribes:--

	Tribes.	No. of Tents.
1.	Tchaudor	12,000
2.	Ersari	50,000
3.	Alieli	3,000
4.	Kara	1,500
5.	Salor	8,000
6.	Sarik	10,000
7.	Tekke	60,000
8.	GÖklen	12,000
9.	Yomut	40,000
	Total	196,500

Reckoning to each tent five persons, we have a sum-total of 982,500 souls; and as I have myself diminished the Turkoman statements by at least a third, we may regard this as the lowest possible estimate of the whole population.