1841.] Manners and Habits of the Torkoman Tribes. 297 



who are too weak or too poor to have separate establishments, submit 

 themselves to his authority, and live under his protection. These de- 

 pendents are frequently relations, or somehow connected by near 

 or more distant ties of blood. The orphans and relations of 

 other chiefs, who have died without leaving any heir of sufficient 

 years to provide for their families, are also united to them by a re- 

 membrance of the friendship which subsisted between the two chiefs 

 before one of them died ; and so long as they are treated with con- 

 sideration, they seldom think of separating from the chief who has 

 shewn them kindness and assisted them in their difficulties. Several 

 heads of families form an owl, who unite themselves, and in conjunction 

 make their annual peregrinations for the sake of pasturing their flocks, 

 or for the purpose of proceeding to a distant spot near some river or 

 stream, to rear their crops to supply them with grain. These migra- 

 tions generally commence about the beginning of spring, upon the 

 breaking up of the winter, when the snow melts and the weather 

 becomes warmer ; at this period of the year, pasturage for the cattle 

 is plentiful every where, and water is abundant. This is a season 

 in which the Torkoman delights, and his flocks and beasts sympathise 

 with him. They yield him their young, and a vast quantity of milk ; 

 they become fat and sleek, and travel with alacrity to new pastures. 

 It is at this time that parties are made up to go on forays; one of 

 these gangs generally consists of from twenty to sixty horsemen, 

 well mounted and armed with swords and spears, and not seldom 

 with matchlocks and pistols. Before hand, the object of their expedi- 

 tion is settled, which is generally to way-lay a kajila, or body of 

 travellers; on some occasions very large bodies are united to make 

 expeditions on particular points of attack — such as on the frontier of 

 Persia. Meshid was an instance of this a short time before my arrival 

 in 1828. The Torkomans on this occasion joined several bodies of 

 Hazerahs and Jumshidies, to ensure the success of the expedition ; a 

 quantity of booty was obtained, such as horses, mules, and slaves of 

 different sexes. The attack having been made shortly after sunrise, 

 when the cattle of the city had left it for the purpose of grazing, they 

 found no opposition in driving them away, together with the captives. 



The dress of the Torkomans in general consists of a pair of pijam- 

 mahs or shelwars, which are fastened at the ancle ; over these they wear 



