1831.] 
Overland Journey to India. 
353 
tribe nine days, marched with them, and saw much of their mode of life. They 
marched with great regularity: the women had the chief share of the labour, in 
striking and packing the tents, &c. and during the march they led the camels on 
foot. The sheep were driven ahead by themselves, and the men on horses, 
patrolled on all sides, at a great distance. In the course of the march, we made 
a few acquaintances in the new “Oubeli,” and should have been inclined to 
think them very pleasant people, had we not feared that they would assist to 
sfllus. The Syed professed himself a rigid Suni, fresh from Mecca Sheriff; 
M l such was his tact, that he began to establish an influence over these supersti- 
tions Tartars. He talked much of the dignity of the Prophet, as violated in the 
person of his descendant, and of the sure vengeance that would follow; and 
00 ( ' ie odier hand, he uttered hard Arabic sentences, and used an entire 
M’ 1 s skin, in writing charms for the prosperous increase of man and beast* 
■I ' iilla and I practised a little physic ; but though they began to look kindly 
"pou us, they were shy of taking our part, as Turkmans are bound not to 
interfere in each other’s affairs. A quarrel which they had with Pirwali’s tribe, 
m] their having no share in us, led them gradually to think us ill-used persons ; 
Ut lrc o " e( l° u i' escape to the providential arrival in camp of two merchants from 
lr aWd with goods for sale. These men knew us, and told us that we were report- 
t0 ' lfne ^ een mur( lered, (a trick of our captors, to try the effect of announcing 
^nuth, that they might, it our friends appeared resigned to our loss, sell us.) 
mians who possessed a considerable influence in the oubeh, at once em- 
Sve,} 6 .,° U [ Cd ‘ lse ( tlianks t0 tl ‘eir being Sheahs), and at the suggestion of the 
had hi 6C | are • tmt . they bad started from Astrabad some days sooner than 
return^ 1 T* 1 mtention at tlle s °licitation of our friends, who were anxious for our 
Darti * Ant Ul ’ t0 t0lCe t0 tb * s which was pretty well understood by all 
pertv ^ Ti° Urted * Ue lead ‘ ng men with P vesents frora wb at remained of our pro- 
Miffeml X SmBg tl,at 11 WaS m ° re t0 their P rofit to assist than injure us, 
and t ieuise ' e8 !it hist to be convinced that we were by right free agents 
^trib? 6 H 0Und , Ul, ° n IinVa!1, ' vhoin the J ? dislik ed for the grudge they bore 
f wced to • ) ^ a! ’ Ie §ing,y t0 raake head a g ainst the whole camp, was 
than the had n ° bettCl ' reason to P revent our choosing our road, 
S V ed in ,a rt might he thought he had not kept his agreement with us. The 
declare/' X d bim l ° dlsil,iss such an erroneous idea from his mind, and 
•pot engaged frL 1 ' Ht h/ 0 had Le a % her esteem; he then on the 
frontier \\ W t , X ° f ^ aSSembled company, horses to carry us back to the 
Per.il , " 1 "' gl,t ™ der eSCOrlof a dolie '‘ Tiirk “*“ mercenaries, and 
'"•id outsell-” 11C " dS ’ ," nd TOde 160 miles - t0 AstraMd i ■“ which town we 
Tl.ec" , °” 6 ‘ 9th ° £ Ma - V > 8afe ' but "' ithout money. 
^ difficult fol haSbeen descrlbed - We satisfied ourselves that it would not 
- » ZZ'Z ZTu \ th : t0 a cons ' dera ble portion 
Gur S a n and Attrll- ) a * * ° f 16 S0ll » ( tUat especially between the rivers 
Mirface. ‘ V * ^ g ° 0t * and water is found at very little depth below the 
I 6 ""' ab ' e,oforma i»«t estimate, 
°l>'"ions of many who lived near.., 77 J “”‘ -umate. 
he other wand*'--”- ’ fr ° m ° Ur ° Wn 
inclined to forego their 
TheT firkm4 Mjln ,| 5tn ucartllem ) and fro 
incline.! r er ™ n,ie ™S tribes, fond of the name of some virtues, 
ie y Profess the Suni mX X" ° Wn lnterests b y following the spirit of them’ 
£*** «*« than supers™!™" S !° n ’ but if tbe 5 r erer bad « real regard f or 
• ts guided more by ^ cu ’ 1 bas superseded it. They are in many 
than by the ordinances of the Mohainedan law, 
