The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1885-10-01

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kAl1lpE Is ~ T1kKll q
HANS - CT q nj. Oh.
qaste1s e1biss1s S1f - Rusliaal sS sss
~ correspondent Iof 1Ae Loi1tjoN Nlssp1
writes q follows under date Of July
IS: Askabad. or Ashkabad. @ Il q
called ~ the Persians and Turcomans,
whom compared with other villages
and hAlting. places in the Tekke tori
tory, deserves to I certain extent ito
poetloal appellation, Tho Abode 81
Love, for such Is the meaning fthe
name. The place was formerly aimere
village situated in an. extensive but
only half.cultivated valley lying be-
tween two ranges OF hills, whloh sup
ply 1t with water. It was here that
the merchants from Persia. chiefly of
Yomut and the Goklan Turcomans, met
the Tekkes for the purpose Of barter
ing their goods. The Russians, after
the capture of Geok-Tepe, the Tekke
stronghold, which cost them 50 much
blood. deeming the place unit for the
new province. left there garrison Of
fiiteon hundred men, and took them
selves to Askabad, which they made
the chief town Of their newly.acquired
territory. Here they began to build,
and have continued since to erect
many edifices necessary for the ao-
commodation of the administrative
body, the military. and other officials.
In addition they built 4 church, .
small hotel, and two .caravansarais.
They encouraged also people Of every
country to come and settle in the new
town, Moreover, to make sure of
their conquest and to prevent future
rebellion or sedition. they tried and
partially succeeded in disarming the
Tekkes. ! They took tho fleet and
choice horses from the conquered peo-
pie, and compelled many of the chiefs,
notables, and heads of families to
have fixed dwellings, at Askabad. or at
other villages. and to engage in
agriculture. ...,. :.
Askabad has now besides the mill
tary, numbering about 5000, a popu~
lation of more than 5000 inhabitants.
About 5000 are Persians and Persian
Turks, 2,400 are Turcomans, 500
Kurds, $50 Russians and 80 Armen.
lans. Under the Russian influence
and by tho influx of foreign settlers,
chiefly from Persia and Caucasia, q
new mode OF life was introduced in
tho Tekke villages, and especially in
Askabad. The simple and patriarchal
Turcoman, who lived exclusively on
coarse bread and camel's milk, who
scarcely ever tasted flesh, and knew
no drink but water, has now been
brought by the new civilization to
have numerous wants and to feel the
loss of Injuries of which until lately
he had no idea. The town-dwelllng
Turcoman now takes tea and vodka"
as habitually as any Russian; but he
swallows them while cursing those
who introduce them into his country,
and by ascribing the cause of his trans.
gression of the ancient laws and Gus.
toms to the fate which allowed Tur-
comania to be conquered by foreigners.
This change of the popular habits, to-
gether with the construction of the
railway, has added to the consolidation
of Russia's dominion in that country.
Her hold is sure on those Turcomans
who live in villages. have fixed dwell
ings, or are dependent on her for their
substance But the Turcomans with
fixed residence form but small por-
ton of the inhabitants of the country.
The bulk of the Tekkes have stuck TO-
their old habits and customs. Child
rem of the desert, the desert belongs:
to them; there they lead a semi.inde-
pendent life; there they are safe as
long as they have camels, on whose
backs they can travel and on whose
milk they can feed. The Russian
troops cannot without great efforts
and extensive and costly preparations
pursue on a sandy desert almost de-
void of water refractory parties who,
ever on the move, leave behind them
neither possessions nor trail.
The only thin g which might compel
the wandering Tekkes to submit to
Russia is the fact that they have to
buy once year supply of wheat for
their own use. But as this supply is
obtained from Persia through the
Yomut and Goklan Turcomars, CO.
religionlsts and brother tribes, and on
frontier which is more than four
hundred versts in length, it will be
easy to elu.!e the preventive measures
which could be taken by tho Russian
government, unless indeed the latter
kept strong detachments on the whole
length of the frontier. The feelings
of the Tekkes toward their masters
are not those of affection. The bazaar
gossip, us we'll as tho evening gather
ing talk among them, turns rincipally
on the prospects of the war considered
by them inevitable. The elders re-
present with some ~complacency to
their Younger listeners that some co.
0O Afghans are encamping outside
the walls of Herat, and more than
200, 900 English on the Indian frontier
waiting orders to march against the
Russians! This exaggeration: of the
strength Of Russia's antagonists is in
dicative of the Tekkcs' inward desire.
They hope that in a struggle between
Rnasia md Enolan1 tho czar's army