The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-05-29
THE TuRcoMAM.
How the Asiatie Rover Appears en- Bb
Native Stsppes.

How The Asiatie Rover Appears en- Bis
Native stsppes.
ANY traveller who has crossed the wild
upland region lately occupied by Rus
,ia on the border Of Afghanistan. and
has seen the Turcoman camps and
Afghan villages with which it is stud
ded. has surveyed at one glance the
past AMI the present Ceatral Asia The
iortress-like Afghan hamlet. with its
huge gray r,ud wall and narrow, sinis-
ter loop-holes, behini which tie low.
tlat-roofed earthen novels huddle SC
coseiy together as barely to leave pas.
sage room between them, represents
the marauding shepherd of the East IN
his more advanced Stage OF fixed resi-.
dence in one spot, but still retaining
enough of his guerilla nature 10 regard
every stranger as an enemy and to build
every house like fort. The light Tur-
conan tent OF felt and saplings, set up
or pulled down in few moments, typi-
lies the same man In his original char
acter as wandering herdsman. flying
from his enemy or bouncing upon him
with equal suddenness, swooping OF
with his booty into the desert like one
OF its own vultures, ever occupied with
the duties Of finding grass and water
for the fiOcks and herds that formed his
whole possessions, and of anticipating
any foe who wished to cut his throat BY
cutting the lalter's throat first.
But despite all these bandit qualities
the Turcoman at home is not bad fel-
low by any means. Drawing bride on
the crest of one of those long, low swells
that break at times the gray amending
sameness OF the vast plains of Central
Asia. you see below You tiny stream.
sharply outlined against the surrounding
desert by the dark belt of underground
fringing it. On the bank stand a dozen
or more huge. pointed, dark gray OBJ
jects very much like gigantic "dunce-
caps" around which number of sheep
and cattle are feeding. A shrill cry
from tall figure among them brings
out of the tents halt score Of gaunt,
sinewy fellows in soilel. white tunics
and high caps of black sheepskin. hand
ling menacingly the spears and guns
which they have snatched up.
The Turcoman BEG" or Chief Gor
such he is), grects you with o cultural
..Kosh amedeid'' (you are welcome)
more reaSsuring than the short curved
saber within reach of his hand. which
shows by its notches that it has once
done a thrifty business. But its
master is now a tolerably peaceable
sub Get of Russia, converted by THAI
persuasive strategy which might give q
hint to the invaders of the Soudan:
I'VE never wasted time in pursuing
them. but bcset the water-courses
whittier they must repair sooner OF
later. and then we had them at our
mercy" He kindly offers You n seat
on a newly tlayed and still bloody
sheepskin and hands you an earthen iar
of milk and wooden spoon, licking
the latter clean rs special compli-
ment Should YOU arrive on the day OF
unwonted plenty, which results from q
cancels death by are or disease, you
may preface with the blUe, stlingy mea;
4 bowl of .'br!ck-tea" with salt for sugar
and rancid fat for cream. The Chief s
little brown girls. who crowd around
you to play with your sash tassels and
the fringe Of your turban. wear small
brass coin imbedded in the skin of the
forehead, Turcoman lady's traditional
ornament ever since Isai ali denounced
its Hebrew counterpart. But with al
this hospitality you will do wisely not
to prolong your call. as every Tur'
conan tent swarms with indigenous
creepers" no, classified by any bo;an:st.
N, y, Times