Travels in Central Asia Part 22

4. Karabalkan-- Tshotur, Kapan, Szigirsiki, Pashej, Adjibeg 5. Kyryk-- Giyinlik Szufian, Dehene Karakuzu, Tcheke, Gokese Kabaszakal, Ongut, Kongor.

6. Bajindir-- Kalaydji, Koruk, Yapagi Yadji Keszir Yasagalik Toreng.

7. Gerkesz-- Mollalar, Kosze Ataniyaz Mehrem Borre.

8. Jangak-- Korsut Madjiman, Kotu, Dizegri, Szaridsche, Ekiz.

9. Szengrik-- Karashur, Akshur, Kutchi, Khar, Sheikhbegi.

10. Aj Dervisch-- Otschu, Kodjamaz, Dehli, Tchikszari, Arab, Adschem, Kandjik.

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These ten branches are said to contain ten thousand tents, a number, perhaps, not exaggerated.

IX. YOMUT.

The Yomuts inhabit the East sh.o.r.e of the Caspian Sea and some of its islands. Their original appellation is Gorghen Yomudu (Yomuts of the Gorghen). Besides these there are the Khiva-Yomudu (Yomuts of Khiva), who have chosen for their abode the other end of the desert, close upon the Oxus.

The particular places in the desert where the Yomuts first above mentioned are wont to encamp, beginning to reckon them from the Persian frontier upward, are as follows:--

1. _Khodja Nefes_., at the lower mouth of the Gorghen, an encampment of from forty to sixty tents, furnishes a strong contingent to the audacious pirates that render the Persian coast so insecure.

2. _Gomushtepe_, more particularly a winter quarter, not habitable in summer on account of the prevalence of virulent fevers. It extends, as already mentioned, in the upper mouth of the Gorghen, which is here tolerably deep, and which, from the wonderful number of fish that it yields, is of great service to this tribe.

3. _Hasankuli_, on the sh.o.r.e of the gulf of this sea, having the same name. This place is densely peopled in summer, and produces tolerably good melons.

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4. _Etrek_ lies to the left of Hasankuli, on the banks of the river of like appellation, which, at a distance of six miles from this place, precipitates itself into the sea.

5. _Tchekishlar_, also a Yaylak (summer abode), near to the hill on the sea-sh.o.r.e, named Ak Tepe.

6. _Tcheleken_, [Footnote 97] an island only distant a few miles from the continent. The inhabitants are peaceful traders.

[Footnote 97: Better written Tchereken from the Persian Tchar-ken, the four mines, so called on account of the four princ.i.p.al productions of the island.]

The Yomuts are divided into the following branches and clans:--

_Taife._ _Tire._

1. Atabay-- Sehene, Dungirtchi, Tana Kisarka, Kesze, Temek.

2. Djafer bay, having again two divisions,

a. Yarali-- Iri Tomatch, Kizil Sakalli, Arigkoseli, Tchokkan borkan, Onuk Tomatch.

b. Nurali-- Kelte, Karindjik, Gazili Kor, Hasankululu kor Pankotek.

3. Sheref Djuni, of whom one part dwells in Gorghen, and the other in Khiva,

a. Gorghen-- Karabolke, Tevedji, Telgay Djafer.

b. Khiva-- Okuz, Salak, Ushak, Kodjuk, Meshrik, Imreli.

4. Ogurdjali-- Semedin, Ghiray Terekme, Nedin.

The Ogurdjali, hardly ever busying themselves with marauding and robbery, refuse to recognise the Yomuts as of their tribe, and dealing themselves peaceably with Persia, with which they have great activity of commerce, they have become subjects of {309} the Shah, to whom they pay a yearly tribute of 1000 ducats. The Persians, however, do not interfere in their internal government.

The Yomuts themselves are accustomed to count the number of their tents in the aggregate at from forty to fifty thousand. Their calculations are as little to be guaranteed as the statements of the other tribes, for the greatness of their numbers always const.i.tutes, with these nomads, a question of national pride.

Let us now add together the different tribes:--

_Tribes._ _No. of Tents._

1. Tchaudor-- 12,000

2. Ersari-- 50,000

3. Alieli-- 3,000

4. Kara-- 1,500

5. Salor-- 8,000

6. Sarik-- 10,000

7. Tekke-- 60,000

8. Goklen-- 12,000

9. Yomut-- 40,000

Total 196,500

Reckoning to each tent five persons, we have a sum-total of 982,500 souls; and as I have myself diminished the Turkoman statements by at least a third, we may regard this as the lowest possible estimate of the whole population.

POLITICAL CONDITION OF THE TURKOMANS.

What surprised me most during my sojourn amongst this people, was my inability to discover any single man among them desirous of commanding, or any individual inclined to obey. The Turkoman himself {310} is wont to say, 'Biz bibash khalk bolamiz (We are a people without a head), and we will not have one. We are all equal, with us everyone is king.' In the political inst.i.tutions of all the other nomads, we occasionally discover some sign, more or less defined --some shadow of a government, such as the Aksakal amongst the Turks, the Rish Sefid amongst the Persians, or the Sheikh amongst the Arabs.

Amongst the Turkomans we find no trace of any such character. The tribes have, it is true, their Aksakals; but these are, in effect, merely ministers to each particular circle, standing, to a certain degree, in a position of honourable distraction. They are liked and tolerated so long only as they do not make their supremacy felt by unusual commands or extravagant pretensions.

'How, then,' the reader will enquire, 'can these notorious robbers'--and the savageness of their nature is really unbounded--'live together without devouring each other?' The position in which they stand is really surprising; but what shall we say to the fact that, in spite of all this seeming anarchy, in spite of all their barbarism, so long as enmity is not openly declared, _less robbery and murder, fewer breaches of justice and of morality_, take place amongst them than amongst the other nations of Asia whose social relations rest on the basis of Islam civilisation? The inhabitants of the desert are ruled, often tyrannised over, by a mighty sovereign, invisible indeed to themselves, but whose presence is plainly discerned in the word 'Deb'--_custom, usage_. [Footnote 98: ]

[Footnote 98: 'Deb' is a word of Arabian origin, derived from 'Edeb'

(morality).]

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Among the Turkomans the 'Deb' is obeyed; everything is practised or abominated according to its injunctions. Next to the 'Deb' we may refer also, in exceptional cases, to the influence of religion. The latter, however, which came to them from Bokhara, where so much fanaticism prevails, is far from being so influential as has been said. It is generally supposed that the Turkoman plunders the Persian because the latter belongs to the detested sect of the Shiites. It is a gross error: I am firmly convinced that the Turkoman would still cling to his plundering habits, which the 'Deb' sanctions, even if he had for his neighbours the Sunnite Turks instead of the Persians. What I advance derives the strongest confirmation from other considerations--from the frequency of the attacks made by the Turkomans upon the countries belonging to Sunnites, upon Afghanistan, Maymene, Khiva, and even Bokhara. Later experience, too, convinced me that the greater number of the slaves in Central Asia belong to the religious sect of the Sunnites. I once put the question to a robber, renowned for his piety, how he could make up his mind to sell his Sunnite brothers as slaves, when the Prophet's words were, 'Kulli Iszlam hurre (Every Musselman is free)'? 'Behey!' said the Turkoman, with, supreme indifference; 'the Koran, G.o.d's book, is certainly more precious than man, and yet it is bought or sold for a few krans. What more can you say? Yes, Joseph, the son of Jacob, was a prophet, and was himself sold. Was he, in any respect, the worse for that?'

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