FEUDALISM IN PERSIA DE MOEGAN. 591 



ferent conversation on the subject of taxes. Moreover, on the least 

 alarm they prepared to withdraw toward the Atrek River, so as not 

 to pay the Adjemis (Persians). Then they talked about one of 

 their young men who recently had been accused of stealing three 

 horses from a Persian camp and commended his valor. 



Thinking that I had stayed long enough in this dirty, infected 

 place to pay honor to my hosts, I entered the tent prepared for my 

 use. Late in the evening, a great Turkoman brought a large copper 

 tray covered with a cloth not too dirty. It is my dinner that my host 

 offers me, some curd and cheese, a ragout of chicken with saffron, 

 some rice, some bread, and a roast goose. Unfortunately, they had 

 neglected to dress the goose. 



Of the same race as the Turkomans,^ the vShah-Se vends- are the 

 Tartars inhabiting the valley of Kara Su, tributary to the Araxes. 

 Their territory lies between the Russian frontier of Lenkoran and 

 Kara Dagh.^ Many years ago they revolted against Persian au- 

 thority, pillaged the neighboring villages and the valley, and were 

 obedient only to their chiefs. During the 25 years that I traveled in 

 Persia, it had not been possible for me to enter their country and 

 the only time that I had had the privilege of meeting any of their 

 chiefs was in the streets of Ardebil, when they passed by in chains. 

 But since that time the chiefs have settled their difficulties by mak- 

 ing some presents to the authorities at Taurus, principally to the 

 crown prince, who later occupied the throne under the name of 

 Mehmet Shah, and to-day, returned home, they have resumed their 

 life of brigands and wage war only the more fiercely against Persian 

 troops. 



Although of nomad origin, like all the Tartars of Transcaucasia 

 and Azerbijan, they have followed the example of their congeners 

 and built a number of villages in their valley, living in them in 

 winter, and as spring opens seeking the pastures of the mountains 

 with their herds. They are very contented seigniors, for they levy 

 on the royal authorities, rob their neighbors, and lire as largely as 

 possible under the feudal system of their ancestors. 



Among them there are many tribes and consequentl}^ many chiefs; 

 while each of the tribes is divided into clans which, as in early times, 

 furnish the chiefs with subsidies and men, so that they may be able to 



^ These Turks have lived in the country since the invasions of the Middle Ages. It 

 is probable that they came from the north through Derbend, Baku, and the Magan 

 steppe, and that they belonged to the same immigration as the Tartars of Kazan and 

 the Crimea, when the population of Azerbijan seems to have come by Chah-Toud and 

 Teheran skirting along by Turkomania the southern foot of Elburz on the plateau. 



" Shah-Sevends ; from Shah, King ; and Sermek-Aimer, friends of the King. 



3 This valley of Kara Su is the only way open in the north of Persia by which in 

 vasions coming from the north by the defiles of Derbend could have been introduced on 

 the Iranian plateau. To the west are the high mountains of Kara Dagh. to the east the 

 peaks of Talish, extensions of Elburz, Only the valley of the Kara Su is open. 



