A Nomad Weddino- Party. 



dressed in the height of fashion as it obtains in the heart of Asia. 

 They wore loose robes heavily embroidered, with top boots 

 reaching to the knees. The majority had round fox skin caps, 

 whilst a few affected the quaint square turban of white cloth 

 trimmed with gold braid. The leader of this party of Amazons 

 was an old dame well the far side of sixty summers. Her head- 

 dress was unique inasmuch as it consisted of a huge sugar-loaf hat 

 adorned with coral and numerous ornaments. She bestrode her 

 mustang with the skill of an accomplished equestrienne, riding 



A KAZAK ^.o^•. 



ahead like a Napoleon on the warpath. They were on the way 

 to attend a wedding in the neighbourhood, a great event 

 amongst the Kazaks, and a day of general rejoicing and merry- 

 making, the whole countryside turning out. 



Down in the valley of the Jirgalan there were a great many 

 wild apple and apricot trees, the former being sweet and juicy. 

 I camped hard by one of these natural orchards that night, 

 and spent the evening in collecting some of the fruit. A few 

 Kazaks were encamped in a ravine to the south and from 



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