the attention of the officers. Among other things I heard one say, "See how white this hadji is."*

This allusion was probably made to me, whose complexion had not yet assumed the hue of uncivilized life. If so, it was the only observation they made upon me; for they had soon done with Yakoub, and in a moment we were far away from the side of the Russian vessel.

I now raised myself from my stooping and halfsleeping position, and took a long breath, for my anxiety was at an end. Soon afterward the wind began to blow strongly from the west. Now was the time to get up our sails and make all haste for Gömüshtepe, which was but three leagues off; but Yakoub kept his eye fixed on a white point in the distance, and held a council with his crew; nor was it until this dreaded object had entirely vanished that our large sail was unfurled, and we darted with the swiftness of an arrow toward the east.

At about half a league distance from Ashourada we passed several sea-marks, consisting of long painted poles. I was told by Yakoub that they had been placed there by the "Inghiliz" to mark the limits of the Russian waters, the other side belonging to the Turkomans, whom the "Inghiliz" would always protect against the attack of the Russians. It was always a riddle to me to discover who had instilled into these wild sons of the desert such far-reaching ideas of policy. It is not for me to discriminate these sea-marks, still less to weigh the amount of sympathy felt by England for the Turkomans.

*"Smotrite kakoi bieloï etot hadji."

CHAP. IV. ARRIVAL AT THE MOUTH OF THE GÖRGHEN. 65

In less than an hour the Turkoman coast lay well defined before us, appearing as a long tract of land with elevated ground here and there. We followed the direction indicated by other craft which were running in before us: the sails were soon lowered, for we had reached the end of the navigable waters, and lay off about a mile and a half from the mouth. of the Görghen. On both of its banks we saw the encampment of Gömüshtepe, in form like a hundred beehives lying close together.

As it had been at Karatepe, so was it also here on account of the shallowness: even boats that draw little water can not approach the shore, or run into the River Görghen, which is itself tolerably deep, and never wants water. We were therefore obliged to wait at a considerable distance off shore until Yakoub should have disembarked, reported his arrival, and sent back to us several teimils to aid us in our disembarkation. After some delay, three of these very original transports came; they were to perform their little voyages as often as our numbers rendered it necessary, until all should be landed.

Hadji Bilal and I were the last to land, and I was really delighted when, on touching shore, I heard that Khandjan, informed of my arrival by my honest friend Yakoub, had hastened down to receive me. There I found him on landing, a few paces behind, in the attitude necessitated by the repetition of the afternoon prayer (Aszr-Namazi).

E

CHAP. V.

ARRIVAL AT GÖMÜSHTEPE.

67

CHAPTER V.

ARRIVAL AT GÖMÜSHTEPE; HOSPITABLE RECEPTION OF THE HADJIS.-KHANDJAN.-ANCIENT GREEK WALL.-INFLUENCE OF THE ULEMAS.-FIRST BRICK MOSQUE OF THE NOMADS.-TARTAR RAIDS. PERSIAN SLAVES.-EXCURSION TO THE NORTHEAST OF GÖMÜSHTEPE.-TARTAR FIANCÉE AND BANQUET, ETC. -PREPARATION OF THE KHAN OF KHIVA'S KERVANBASHI FOR THE JOURNEY THROUGH THE DESERT.-LINE OF CAMELS.-ILIAS BEG, THE HIRER OF CAMELS. ARRANGEMENTS WITH KHULKHAN. — TURKOMAN EXPEDITION TO STEAL HORSES IN PERSIA.-ITS RETURN.

"Ad introeuntium dextram Scythæ nomades, freti litoribus, insident."-Pompon. Mela, De Situ Orbis, 1. iii., c. v.

AFTER his prayer was ended, Khandjan arose, and as I perceived him standing before me, he was a handsome, tall, and slender man, about forty years of age, dressed in extremely modest attire, with a long beard descending to his breast. He at once approached me, hastily embraced, and gave me a hearty welcome; in doing so he greeted me by my name. He received the Hadjis Bilal and Salih in a similar manner; and after the caravan had stowed away their sacks, and was once more afoot, we closed the procession, all taking the road toward the tents. The report of our arrival had spread every where; our numbers were exaggerated; women, children, and dogs all hastened in strange confusion out of the tents to gaze upon the approaching pilgrims, and by an embrace (as the mollahs pretend) to ac

quire, in obedience to the divine command respecting pilgrimage, a participation in the merit and rewards of pilgrims. This first picture of Central Asiatic life had so taken me by surprise that I was puzzled whether I should pause first to admire the singular construction of the tents, formed of felt, and the women with their silk shifts extending to the ankles, or at once gratify the wish implied by their outstretched hands and arms. Strange! young and old, without distinction of sex or family, all wished to touch the hadjis on whom the holy dust of Mecca and Medina still rested. Judge, too, of my amazement when women of the greatest beauty, some girls even, hurried up to embrace me. We were tired, worn out by these demonstrations of respect arising from blended feelings of religion and hospitality, when we arrived before the tent of the chief ishan (priest), where our little caravan was concentrated: then began one of the most interesting spectacles that my eyes have ever witnessed. Here were to begin the arrangements for quartering the guests that had just arrived. The passion and warmth with which all disputed the honor and right of harboring one or more of these poor strangers astounded me. I had heard, it is true, the hospitality of these nomads spoken of, but never dreamed that it could have risen to such a point.

Khandjan quieted the quarrels which had commenced among the women; he restored order, and assigned the different guests to each, retaining as his own peculiar guests Hadji Bilal and myself, with all that belonged to us: he took us with him to his ova