Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-05-07
AMONG THE TURCOMANS.
Their Chief amusement Daring Horse
711UUsLiD.


nsdnship.
The adventurous correspondent OF the
London Nee0s, who was captured by one
of the wandering tribes in Central Asia,
gives an interesting account of his ex-
periences at Merv. The letter was writ
ten during his captivity:
Returning from my visit to the ruined
cities of the plain, had good oppor-
tunlty OF seeing how Turcomans amuse
themselves when abroad. The ground
over which we we've riding, owing to
deep trenches, slippery mud, and occa-
sionally deep flooding, required all the
horseman's vigilance to keep himself
and his beast from coming to grief; but
it was only over such spaces, disagree
able as they were, that 1 had any peace
OF quietness. The moment anything
like firm ground was reached, some one
of the party suddenly uttered wild
whoop, and put his horse to the top of
its speed. All the others were, it seems,
bound in honor to follow suit, myself
among the number, and then a scene of
wild, headlong racing was commenced,
varied by different performances. Each
person was bound to unsling his rife,
and, going at full speed, to take delib-
crate aim at some object and fire. Then,
resting on his piece, he would draw his
sword, and, racing up to the person next
him, exchange passes and fourishes.
This was all very well on unbroken
ground, but the sudden occurrence Of a
deep trench or mud-hole became seri-
Gus matter while one was engaged II
displaying his martial accomplishments,
his horse going twenty miles an hour;
and, as it was sore against my will that
I engaged in such antics, it was with
unfeigned satisfaction that [ witnessed
occasional catastrophes in the shape of
some gallant Kahn, horse, armament
and all, come down with q crash in at
tempting to clear an unusually wide
mud patch, and get up the reverse of
pleased with himself. But these people
take pride in showing their stoicism,
like North American Indians; and
the man who had come to grief
was the first to initiate fresh STAN
pede. A great source of amuse-
ment was to dash full speed at a
party OF villagers returning on foot from
some market with their asses laden with
goods, and send men, women and asses
flying right and left, often dashing some
of them to the earth. AS the parties
thus assaulted were invariably armed, I
had fears Of the consequences, but we
went at such a speed that, before the
victims could pick themselves up and
unsling their guns, we were far beyond
the chance OF being hit. We entered
each hamlet in the same style, sending
goats and sheep flying, women and chill
dren madly rushing to the first place of
refuge, under the belief that we were q
party of Ersari raiders executing foray,
for this is exactly the way in which an
azenan is carried out The raiders APP
proach quietly, but when within ga
measurable distance" of the village they
are bent on plundering they put their
horses to the top Of their speed, and,
sword in hand, dash like lightning into
the place, cutting down everyone before
he can run to his house for arms, and
then, Selling on everything movable,
including children, are away again before
resistance can be organized. Entering
one village in this fashion, a group Of
old men were seen talking together in
the middle of the thoroughfare. The
brother of Khan, whose name [ won't
mention, charged them at racing speed.
The men, fully believing that we were
Esari horsemen, rushed right and left.
There was one who couldn't get out of
the way quickly enough. The rider,
moullah or priest to boot, directed his
steed straight at him and dashed him
senseless to the ground. I was obliged
to keep up with the rest of the party,
for if held back I ran imminent danger
of being massacred by the enraged vii
layers when came up. As long as no
actual harm was done beyond soaring
the villagers, and as saw it was one OF
the customs of the country, didn't
mind these simulated forays but, after
the incident referred to, my face wore
such grave expression of disapproval
that Makdumkull himself felt called upon
to say something. Riding to my side he
asked whether in FRANCISCAN we did such
things. replied rather CURLY that we
did not, and relapsed into silence. After
this the Khan forbade such exhibitions
during the remainder of the ride. One
can scarce understand treating even ones
enemies in this fruitlessly reckless fash
ion and yet there the aggrieved people
were not only Turcomans but even fei-
low-tribesmen of the aggressors. have
Id 81