JOURNEY FROM HERAT TO ORENBURG. 261 



as heroes returning from victory ; or if they have 

 hopes of more plunder, they make one or two forced 

 marches in search of travellers equally helpless. But 

 they never attack a formidable party, nor have they 

 ever been known to make a second assault when 

 foiled in their first ; and it stands to reason that so 

 puny a race so sunk in vice can have no chance 

 against anything like an equality of numbers, where 

 brave and determined men are the parties attacked. 

 What they depend upon is the first surprise, and if 

 they fail in this, they scatter like the sand of their 

 desert from the slightest breeze. It is generally 

 believed that the Turkomans are a race of miserable 

 creatures, without wealth. I am of opinion, on the 

 contrary, that there are few nations amongst whom 

 abundance is so generally diffused. They have all 

 very large flocks of cattle and numerous slaves ; the 

 latter cultivate as much land as will produce grain 

 sufficient for the family, or as much as there is any 

 hope of selling. Thirty tillahs, or 21 sterling, is a 

 common price in the market here for a stout man of 

 middle age. Five tillahs, or 4, is the price of a 

 tolerable pony ; a good camel fetches seven tillahs, 

 or 5, 12s.; and sheep are sold for one tillali, or 14s. 

 each. A great deal of jowari (which here is the only 

 food of the horses) is sold at about 40 Ib. for one 

 shilling, and the only tax levied by the Government 

 is one-fortieth of the grain produced. Each family 

 is bound, if called on, to find one horseman. The 



