216 On the Yamud and Gokldn Tribes of Turkomania, 



there are individuals who possess upwards of 1500 sheep, 200 

 camels, from 20 to 30 mares, and as many captives. The 

 Goklans are not so rich in herds. I have mentioned that the 

 Turkomans are fond of horse-racing. It is quite a passion 

 with them. To a Turkoman a horse is everything. On its 

 strength and power of endurance depends materially the suc- 

 cess of his predatory excursions into the enemies' country ; on 

 its fleetness — ^his means of escape. It is to develope these 

 essential qualities that the Turkoman consecrates to his horse 

 all his leisure hours. To say that he attends more to the care 

 of his horse than to his own child, would not be saying 

 much ; because the latter is left completely at the mercy of 

 chance, to grow up as he can, while the favourite horse receives 

 all the attentions, not only of its master but of the whole 

 family. It would take us too far were we to enter into the 

 details of training Turkoman horses ; moreover, other travellers 

 have already given descriptions about it ; we shall only ob- 

 serve that the Tekke are reckoned the best horses for a long 

 and protracted journey and forced marches ; the Goklan and 

 Yamud are more slender, and swifter horses. 



The Tekke are preferred even to the pure Arab blood-horse, 

 by the Persians at the Court of the Shah, and among the great 

 men. As the encampments of the Tekke Turkomans are 

 among the ruins of Nissa, it is very probable that the Tekke 

 horses belong to the same Nissean race of horses which 

 Strabo, and other ancient writers, mentioned as being mostly 

 prized by the Persians. It is equally to be supposed, that it 

 was on the same Turkoman breed of horses that the Scythians, 

 and, later, the Parthians, waged war against their enemies ; 

 and the plains of Turkomania was the seat of their dominions. 



When not engaged in plundering expeditions, nor exercis- 

 ing their horses, the wandering Turkomans lead an idle life, 

 spending the day in sauntering from one tent to the next. 

 They assemble in groups, and find great pleasure in talking 

 over their deeds of prowess, and cunning manoeuvres in sur- 

 prising their enemies. Among other recreations, we must 

 not omit to mention that the Turkomans are very fond of the 

 game of chess, and are reckoned to be great proficients in 

 it : even their enemies, the Persians themselves, who are good 



