292 Manners and Habits of the Torkoman Tribes. [No. 112. 



The country of the Torkomans may be considered, generally speak- 

 ing, bounded on the north by the river Ammoo, and on the south 

 by the river Tedjen ; but these rivers wind very much, and perhaps 

 it may be better to state the southern boundary of the country to 

 be the Parapamisan range, and from thence north it extends as 

 far as the Ammoo river. On the east, it approaches the confines of 

 Balk and the towns of Aukooree, Seripool, Shiberghan, on the bor- 

 ders of the Desert. On the west the limit is distinct, it is the Cas- 

 pian sea. 



Khiva is the capital of a portion of this extensive country ; but the 

 more distant Torkoman tribes hold themselves, generally speaking, 

 separate and independent of its rulers. Orgunge is the general appella- 

 tion of this state on the north of Khorassan, and among the Torko- 

 mans of Shurraks. In ancient times this wild, desert, and inhospita- 

 ble country would appear to have been inhabited by the tribes or 

 races denominated the Dahce, the Getes, and Massagetes, and the 

 Mimunceni. 



They have always been noted for their turbulent character and 

 predatory habits, and for rearing that superb horse, which enables 

 them to perform the most extraordinary journeys. The Sultans of 

 Kharizm are famous in history. Malek Shah is represented as a noble, 

 high-minded, and liberal sovereign ; and the bearing and courage of 

 Jiilaladeen, the last sovereign of the Seljukan race, excited the enthusi- 

 astic praises even of Genjhis Khan, while he viewed him swimming 

 his horse across the rapid current of the Indus, still continuing to let 

 fly his arrows at him whilst landing on the bank of the stream, ad- 

 miring his intrepidity. A king of Kharizm is mentioned by the histo- 

 rian Arrian, but he makes his residence west of the Caspian, next the 

 country of the Amazons : this locality seems in my opinion evidently a 

 mistake of the copyist. 



The brave resistance and the frequent revolts of this people are 

 mentioned by Arrian and Quintus Curtius. 



The people of these countries, together with the Sogdians and Scythi- 

 ans, appear to have been the first who checked Alexander's career. 

 The above-quoted historians allow that his detachments were* often 

 surprised and defeated ; his campaign in this country would seem to 

 have been very harassing, the labour and sufferings of his soldiers 



