210 On the Yamud and Gokldn Tribes of Turkomama, 



Turkomans broke up their tents and retired to Khiva. But 

 if we feel shocked at the barbarous act above related, how 

 much more shall we have to deplore the atrocious means to 

 which the injured party had recourse in retaliation for the 

 deed? 



Mirza-Naghi-Khan made believe that he was sorry for what 

 had happened, acknowledged himself in the wrong for not 

 having respected their prejudices, and pledged his word that 

 no harm should be done to them, if they would only return. 

 The Turkomans believed him ; but they were not reinstated 

 long in their former encampments, when Mirza-Naghi-Khan 

 seized an opportunity to fall on them unawares, and carry 

 away about 50 women of their tribe, whom he put to death 

 in cold blood, in order to avenge the death of his wife, and 

 slake his thirst for vengeance. The decrees of Providence 

 are ever just, — a few years later the chief of Fenderiss him- 

 self fell by the hands of the Turkomans. 



The Turkomans observe a difference between their children 

 from Turkoman mothers, and those from the Persian female 

 captives whom they take as wives, and the Kazakh women 

 whom they purchase from the Uzbeks of Khiva. The Tur- 

 komans of pure race enjoy full privileges, while the others are 

 not allowed to contract marriages with Turkoman women of 

 pure blood, but must choose themselves wives among the 

 half-castes and Kazakh captives. 



As there exists a great animosity between the Yamtids and 

 Goklans they do not intermarry, although they reckon them- 

 selves of equally noble lineage. The same hatred is extended 

 to the Tekke Turkomans, whom the Goklans and Yamuds, 

 moreover, look upon as their inferiors, being, according to their 

 genealogies, the descendants of a slave- woman, whilst they are 

 the posterity of a free-woman. 



All subjects are better understood when explained by com- 

 parison ; faithful to this principle, I shall endeavour to delineate 

 the physical features of the Turkomans, by likening them to^ 

 or distinguishing them from, the Mogol race, as a term of com- 

 parison, because their exists some affinity between them. 

 The eye of the Turkoman is formed on the same principle 

 as that of the Mogol, and appears to constitute a remarkable 



