AN ETHNOLOGIC STUDY OF THE YURUKS. 189 



tices it with disinterestedness and pleasure. His tent, whether 

 in his presence or absence, is always opened to the traveler, 

 and food and drink in abundance are given him. The tents of 

 the Yuruks are square, and made of a sort of thick black woolen 

 cloth. 



Aside from the information I have given here, nothing precise 

 is known of their private life. For instance, nobody ever knew 

 what became of their dead, as no one has ever seen a cemetery. All 

 I am able to say is that the body of the deceased is placed on a black 

 mule, destined exclusively for that use, and thus carried to a 

 mountain. There, I am not aware whether it is cremated or bur- 

 ied ; but, as I was told that they also take a sheaf of firewood, it 

 is safe to believe that cremation takes place. 



No traveler has ever seen a Yuruk pray according to any rite. 

 Yet it seems that they are not left without religious instruction, 

 as a venerable old man, his hair dressed as a Persian dervish, comes 

 once a year from Syria and remains awhile among them. The 

 pilgrim becomes the object of their respect and devotion, and they 

 give him the name of father. 



Now, who is this man ? What affinity between him and these 

 Turkomans ? What does he teach them ? Why do they call him 

 father ? All these questions involve as many mysteries. 



Men are often absent in the woods or on the mountains, and 

 their wives remain alone in the tents, but they are secure from 

 all danger, as they have weapons and know how to use them. 

 Among the women they select one in each tribe whose age and 

 personal merits render her deserving of distinction, and they in- 

 vest her with a superior authority. All the women show her a 

 profound veneration and blindly obey her orders. Even men kiss 

 her hand, and it is customary that every stranger who arrives in 

 the tribe should do the same. 



All people agree in acknowledging the good morality of the 

 Yuruk, also his peaceful character, his sober habits and honesty. 

 The very thought of stealing is a crime in his mind, and the weap- 

 ons he carries he only uses for personal defense. 



Here are a few interesting details about the way their mar- 

 riages are contracted : First of all, I must say that no religious 

 ceremony is performed, as they have neither mosques nor priest, 

 and no person among them is invested with a sacred character. 

 Marriages among young people of different races are strictly pro- 

 hibited. Therefore, when a young man has remarked among the 

 girls of his tribe the one whom he would like to marry, he dele- 

 gates a third person, who is usually a friend, to the father of the 

 girl, to announce his intention. If the father sees no objection' 

 the delegate presents him a small sum of money, and that gift in 

 their dialect is called aghirlik — that is, weight. Afterward the 



