A Pretended Dervish in Turkestan, Parts I-III [pp. 198-215]

A Pretended Dervish in Turkcestan.
undertaken a trip to Atabeg and the
Gbklen, our traveller seized the occa sion to examine the Greek ruins which
perpetuate among these savage peo ple the remembrance of the conquests
of Alexander. He recognized the
wall built by the Macedonian hero to
oppose a barrier to the menacing
stream of the desert tribes. The
legend of the Turkomen shows how
the oriental imagination clothes the
events of history with poetic and
religious fiction. Alexander, they
say, was a profoundly religious Mus sulman; and as the saints exercise
all power over the invisible world, he
commanded the spirits of darkness,
and it was by his order that the genii
built the sacred wall
Notwithstanding the generous hos pitality of Khanifdjan, Vamb6ry be gan to get tired of his residence at
Gomushtepe. The continual raids of
the Turkomen peopled their tents with
a crowd of Persian slaves, whose tor tures revolted any one who had a
spark of humanity. These unhappy
beings, surprised for the most part in
a nocturnal attack, were dragged from
their families, and loaded with heavy
chains which betrayed the slightest
movement and hindered every attempt
at flight. Khandjan himself possessed two young Iranians of eighteen
and twenty years, and, singularly
enough, this man, so good and so
hospitable, overwhelmed these young
men with injuries and insults on the
slightest pretext. Our traveller could
not, without betraying himself, manifest the least compassion for these poor
slaves. Notwithstanding, the pity
which they sometimes surprised in his
looks induced them to address him.
They begged him to write to their relatives, imploring them to sell cattle,
gardens, and dwellings in order to release them from this frightful captivity; for the Turkomen often maltreat
their prisoners merely in the hope of
obtaining a great ransom for them.
Vambeiry then learned with joy
that the khan of Khiva, for whom the
physicians had prescribed the use of
buffalo's milk, had sent his chief of
caravans to Gomushtepe to buy two
pair of these animals, in order to have
them acclimated in his own country.
To join an officer who knew the invis ible paths of the desert better than
the most experienced guides, was an
unexpected good fortune for the pil grims, and Vamb6ry urged Hadji
Bilal to improve so good an opportu nity; but Hadji Bilal was surprised
at the impatience of his friend, and re marked that it wis extremely childish.
"It is of no use to be in a hurry,"
said he; "you will remain on the banks
of the Gorghen until destiny shall
decree that you quench your thirst
at another river, and it is impossible
to tell when the will of Allah will be
manifested." This answer was not
particularly satisfactory to Vamb6ry;
but he could not attempt the desert
alone; la was forced then to submit
to the oriental slowness of his com panions.
The little caravan was to return to
Etrek, the capital of a tribe of warriors, to wait until the chief of caravans should join it. One of the most
renowned chiefs of this tribe came
just at this time to Gomushtepe. His
name was Kulkhan-le-Pir (chief).
His sombre and wild physiognomy,
little calculated to inspire confidence,
never brightened at the sight of the
pious pilgrims; nevertheless, out of regard for Khandjan, he consented to
take the hadjis under his protection,
recommending to them to be ready to
start with him in two days, for he
awaited in order to return to his tent
at Etrek only the arrival of his son, who
had gone on a raid. Kulkhan spoke
of this expedition with the paternal
pride which makes the heart of a
European beat in learning that his
son has covered himself with glory on
the field of battle. Some hours later,
the young man, followed by seven
Turkomen, appeared on the banks of
the Gorghen. A great crowd had
gathered, and admiration was painted
upon every face when the proud
cavaliers threw themselves with their
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