214 On the Yamud and Gokldn Tribes of Turkotnania. 



vinces of Ghilan, of Shirvan, or even attained Asia-Minor 

 and Brusa.* 



We read in the Arab writers, that in the flourishing days of 

 Jurjan the revenue of the province was collected in raw silk. 



The Turkomans marry their children at an early age — the 

 lads from fourteen to fifteen, and the girls from ten to twelve. 

 But in cases of early marriages a singular custom exists among 

 them. After the ceremony is over, the young spouse tarries 

 only two or three days with her youthful mate, and then 

 returns to her parents, where she remains two, and sometimes 

 three, years. During this interval she prepares her dowry 

 consisting in her apparels, and the necessary articles for adorn- 

 ing the interior of their future tent. When the two or three 

 years are completed she is conducted to the tents of her father- 

 in-law, and lives there with her husband during a twelve- 

 month. At the expiration of the year, the father allows his 

 children to have a separate household, especially if a child be 

 born unto them. Separate tents are then allotted to the young 

 couple, and the young man receives his share of his father's 

 property, consisting in camels, horses, flocks of sheep, &c. But 

 notwithstanding the separation has taken place, the father still 

 continues to provide for their maintenance the first six months ; 

 after which the young man becomes free from the control and 

 guardianship of his parent, who till then had exercised an 

 unlimited power over him — possessing the right even of life 

 and death, without being liable to give any account of his 

 actions to the society of which he is a member. 



As hard work generally falls to the lot of the women, while 

 the men saunter away their time, when not engaged in a foray, 

 the Turkomans prefer young widows to young girls for their 

 wives, as the former are more accustomed to hard labour, and 

 more experienced in household concerns. The Turkoman 

 widows fetch a double price in comparison to spinsters. Thus, 

 if a girl be worth the value of five camels, a widow cannot be 

 had under the rate of ten camels. But justice must be given 

 to these women for their industrious habits ; they have always 

 some work in hand, and are seldom seen idle or loitering 



* See in Professor Ritter's geographical work, entitled 

 an interesting historical account of the culture of the Silk- worm. 



