298 Manners and Habits of 'the Torkoman Tribes. [No. 112. 



a pair of high boots, which reach to the knee, commonly made of red 

 Russian leather ; for a shirt they wear next their skin a perahan, 

 (tunic) ; over the pijammahs and perahan, they wear a chogha or cloak 

 with sleeves, which is fastened by a slender kummarbund made of 

 cloth or leather, to which is attached two knives in a case and a 

 small purse. Above the under chogha they often put on a second, 

 which is allowed to remain loose pending from the shoulders. On 

 their head they have a black lamb-skin cap, with the wool of a jet 

 colour and naturally curled. 



The shape of this cap is not of a conical form as that of the Persians. 

 Its diameter is the same at the top as at the part which immediately 

 encircles the head. 



They always wear a sword, (shumsheerj which is either carried 

 in the hand or fastened to the waist. They seldom wear a peshkubz. 

 Their choghas are made of some blue cloth in the warm months, and 

 of coarse woollen cloth in the cold season ; the latter are either grey 

 camel hair, coloured or black. The women are remarkable for wear- 

 ing lofty turbans ; they are fond of silks and splendid colours for 

 their dresses. When young, their hair is allowed to grow long and 

 unconfined, divided into plaits, to which are fastened behind small 

 pieces of silver ; some tribes wear their hair loose and exposed, others 

 conceal it by turbans having loose locks hanging down. Their appear- 

 ance has a certain rudeness, but not without something striking and 

 interesting. The occupations of the men are predatory attacks ; 

 the chase ; the breeding and the care, exercise, and instruction of 

 their horses ; tending their cattle ; supervision of their slaves and 

 their women, who are employed in making carpets, musnuds, (or 

 felts,) loose furniture ; overlooking their fields, and directing agri- 

 cultural employments, and ploughing, sowing, and reaping; the setting 

 up, taking down, and loading their tents. They are more accustomed 

 to command than to obey. They exact implicit obedience from 

 their wives, children, and dependents of all kinds. Their amuse- 

 ments are few. They like music, warlike anecdotes, breaking 

 in their horses, exercising themselves in the use of the sword and 

 the lance, and sometimes in using the matchlock. They delight in 

 feasts and the pleasures of the table. They chace deer with an ex- 

 cellent breed of grey-hounds. Their women are employed in house- 



