RETURN TO THE KING’S CAMP. 
381 
The Turcomans are great cultivators of corn; their territory yields 
immensely; and when a scarcity exists in Khorassan, they supply the 
deficiency. They are very rich in all sorts of cattle, and rear a superb 
race of horses, which perhaps are in more estimation among the Per¬ 
sians than those of Arabia. The most famous breed is that of Tekeh; 
for some of which Persian noblemen have been known to give to the 
amount of three or four hundred tomans. The forces of the Tur¬ 
comans consist entirely of cavalry, which, if their tribes were united, 
and led on by an able chief, would be numerous enough to overrun the 
present empire of Persia, and to repeat the horrors of a Scythian irrup¬ 
tion. They seem to possess a great many of the qualities of the Cos¬ 
sacks. When they are least expected they make their appearance in 
the most distant parts of Persia, and carry away captives from the very 
interior of towns. Their perseverance, their patience under privations, 
and their fortitude, are unrivalled: these qualities, if exercised in a 
more noble calling, would render them an invincible enemy. As they 
never appear but in small numbers at a time, the Persians despise them, 
and treat them with great rigour and cruelty; but the instances related 
of their individual courage and hardihood, their fidelity to each other, 
and their independent spirit, would do credit to the best ages of Greece 
and Rome. 
On the 29th we returned to Sawer by our former road, and having 
had an audience of the King we got our leave, and travelled back to 
Cheshmeh Ali. Thence we descended into a hotter region, and went 
to Damgan. 
We passed by the pretty village of Astanek, after leaving Chesmeh 
Ali, and then saw two ancient ruined castles, situated on the very 
top of hills close to the road. We could get no further account 
of their antiquity, than that they were Giaour nishins, or the residence 
of infidels, a common name to all very ancient remains. They con¬ 
sisted of round towers and walls, built of rude stones; and before the 
use of cannon must have been strong-holds. 
Our road was on a gradual descent from the mountains into the 
plain of Damgan, which spread itself to an immense extent to the 
