1831.] 
Overland Journey to India . 
355 
as the Turkmans are to old customs, this one will probably become yearly less influ- 
ential, as the Kouls form already a large majority among the tribes. 
The Turkmans capture many beautiful women in Persia, but prefer making money, 
by selling them in the markets of Bokhara, and Khiva, to taking them to wife! 
The women of pure Tartar blood are proud of it, and ill disposed to share their 
lords with a stranger ; so that a man will for the sake of peace content himself 
with a wife or two of his own race. Of the passion of love, as civilized beings 
imagine it, they have but a faint idea, and indeed if they valued personal above 
other attractions they would soon be disappointed in their wives ; for the hard 
labour that the latter perform soon causes them to lose the little beauty that can 
he found in a Tartar girl’s face, and to appear aged : a really old Turkman woman 
looks as if she was made of leather. The women are very seldom idle, and talk 
little ; when men are conversing near them, they draw up a small piece of cloth from 
their bosoms over their mouths, to signify that they take concern only in their own 
occupation. They are assisted in their labours by slaves, who live very much 
like dogs. 
The tents in which the Turkimins live the year round, are made of stick frame- 
work, covered with thick felts. They are light and roomy, and are a defence 
against all weathers. The accompanying sketch designed from recollection, may help 
the description. Four pieces of frame work are set up in a circle, place being left 
in it tor the lintels of a wooden door. To the top of this frame are fastened the ends 
of long pliant sticks, which bend up in the shape of a dome, and are fixed in a 
circular hoop of wood, which forms the top and the chimney of the tent. 
They are a dirty set the Turkmans, and subject to much disease. Water is but 
sparingly used, and they wear the same clothes for a shockingly long time. In the 
Oubeh of 45 tents, we saw few whose eyes were not partially affected : there were 
some bad cases of ophthalmia, a stone-blind old woman, and a raving madman. 
Cutaneous disorders and rheumatism seemed to be common, and we saw cases of 
leprosy, and elephantiasis 1 *. Taking into consideration all things connected with 
the Turkmans’ mode of life, their exposure to the extremes of climate, their bad food 
and their total ignorance of medicine, &c. a conjecture maybe hazarded, that the 
Population of these nomade tribes is not on the increase, and that as many now 
inhabit the desartas could be supported in it. 
We were on the road towards Khiva, (not I imagine the u-mal on °> l*-'- 
l l ours, of which we marched 844, and halted 434. I think we \un j u^tifu 1 -> 
down as a rule, that caravans march nearly two hours foi om that ' * 
an d loaded camels do not advance at the rate of more than 2^ miles an h mr, 
that, if the number of days march to any place can be ascertained, the distance may 
bn nearly guessed. , , , nnn 
From the 26th of April to 19tli May, the thermometer in the shade a 
ra nged from 76 to 80 Farn. there was usually a light wind stirring, an t e mg J 
We recool. ... 
At AstraMd, we were so fortunate as to get 50 tomauns cash, a lull on 
Tehran, which bought us horses, &c. and paid our expenses to ^ es ’ 
^ our friend, requesting that money might be sent to us at that ci >, • 
11 One child was brought to us who was a mostextraordin. ^ other bones 
arms - la, g e excrescences of bone had formed : the) wer ® ealth aud spirit* did uot 
""h flesh, and the veins were carried over them j thee i 
* te ‘" to be affected. 
