Overland Journey to Indict. 
349 
183I-] — — 
desart. Those on tlie contrary who settle near fine grass lands, keep but few 
camels, and have large herds of cattle, besides their flocks. They both rear 
a fine race of horse, which when crossed with the Arab is very superior. The 
extraordinary marches that these animals make, when their masters are on a foiay, 
prove their mettle— The food of the Turkmans is wlieaten or barley bread, baked 
in epibers 5 , curds, frequently rice (or Yarma 6 ) and sour-milk, and occasionally 
mutton, or camel’s flesh; their drink is butter-milk. The 1 urkmans who love 
towards Balkan are dependent upon Persia for supplies ; those beyond, get 
theirs from Khiva, as they can raise no grain in the desart. All have a share in 
the cultivated lands, parties of the rovers coming in at sowing and reaping times. 
Their luxuries are articles of gayer clothing than they can manufacture themselves, 
a few spices, coarse sugar and tobacco : these things they get chiefly from petty 
merchants, who come among them with a “sauf conduit from Peisia. 
Every great tribe is divided and subdivided into smaller clans which, retaining the 
common name, have each a distinguishing one ; that probably of a patriarch who 
went out from a large society to form a new one : as for instance, 
y im6t [head of the tribe.] 
Chuni, SherrufF, Bairam Challi, Cowjuk Tatar, . . [4 main .branches.] 
Jaffer Bi, Yelgoi, Auk, Otaboi, D^vecM, &c. [to 20 divisions of these.] 
The divisions of tribes have their understood ranges : within them are many sta- 
tions ; places where forage is most plentiful, and water best . and they rove from 
one to another as the herbage becomes exhausted, not staying more (wit t o 
exception of winter time, when snow is on the ground) than fiom six to ten c ays 
at each. 
Our host introduced us to an elderly man named Pirvvali, owuei of four camels, 
who engaged to take us and our merchandize safely to Khiva. One camel came 
a pair of cajdvas*, for the Syed and myself; two others were laden with our 
merchandize, (the 4tli was to be got at the Attruk,) and a Persian servant Me- 
shed! Nouroz, a Tabriz! who spoke Turkish, and who took the alias of AbdfiU 
lab, as better sounding in Suni ears, stationed himself upon t ie spice * 
our guide, led the march on foot ; and a young Khivian, who had a 
Kalmuck Tartar girl for sale to our hostess, being about o re uin i , < 
panied us on his own horse. .. At 
We quitted Orauz Kouli’s tent °“ (not to affront her with the 
mr" receiving in Tetuni “ Khosh geidin, Allah Yarin”-you are 
Welcome, God be with you, — we commenced oui journey . , . ^ 
We crossed the Gdrgdn, where the water was , aTd enter^ 
took a northerly direction. After six mi es we ^ of g0Q(1 gra8S) greiv only 
upon a light, dry soil, where save « “ J ellin g from half past 5 till 8, to 
»mall thorns and weedy hashes. * ' and a half hours more, halted 
graze the camels ; then continuing our march t\v 
till four in the morning. 27% miles from 
™.-At half past 5, forded the Attruk WRS up to 
Gurgdn : it is 40 yards broad, and when we ould not wash with, 
the middle of a man’s thigh. It was so muddy, that and it 
much less drink it: the Turkmans however seemed to think ! 
i ,im in its ashes till baked. 
5 Wood is burnt to a red heat, and the dough is covered up 
6 Bruised wheat. a f ee t by 2, open to all 
• Wooden cribs slung like panniers on a camel’s side, 4 
weathers, on which we sat or lay on our bedding. 
