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Bokhara, who encouraged them every year by their Fetwa. Others remarked, that if it was sin, God would not permit it; and as long as they were capable of making Foray, it was an indication of its being the will of God.

One of the Hazarah besought me to make him a present of my Guzl-Bash servant; for he had bought a horse from a Turkomaun for two slaves; one slave he had already given, so that he is still in debt for one more.

OLD COINS.

The Turkomauns of Sarakhs and Mowr excavate from the ground a great many coins, which they call Poole Guebre, i. e. Money of Guebres; but before they sell it, they melt it. I however got a few by means of the Jews, and found that they were coins from the time of Sultan Sanjaar.

MARRIAGES AMONG THE TURKOMAUNS.

As the Turkomaun women go about unveiled, the men marry by choice. This is carried on in the following manner; the lover and the beloved make an appointment to escape together to the house of an Aga Sakal, where they send for a Mullah, who marries them. The parents of the girl look about for their daughter, and after having found her, they demand her of the Aga Sakal; the Aga Sakal protests against betraying his Mehmoon, i. e. Guest; the seducer is obliged to pay a sum of money, and the girl remains his wife.

MODE OF WORSHIP AMONG THE TURKOMAUNS.

The Turkomauns of Sarakhs have no mosque; every one of them prays alone, either in the field or in his tent; they assemble twice every year in the desert, and perform their prayer; once on the first day of Ramasaun, and again on the first day of Bayraum.

MULLAH TATSH

Is the Cadi of the Turkomauns at Sarakhs; a very good Arabic scholar, who has made his studies at Bokhara. On the day of my arrival at Sarakhs, he sent for me, letting me know, that the Turkomaun Sayd Neyas, of the Teere (or tribe) Yatshe, one of the Aga Sakals at Sarakhs, to whom I, on meeting him at Torbad Hydarea, had given an Arabic Testament, had sent it here; and that he, Mullah Tatsh, had read it with great delight and pleasure. I called on him immediately, and he shewed me the New Testament. He asked me the meaning of many passages, and the object of my travels; many Turkomauns were just then with him. I stated openly that I was travelling about to find the lost Ten Tribes of Israel, to preach the Gospel to the Jews, and to tell the Turkomauns that plunder and making slaves of free people was sin. He turned to the Turkomauns, and said, "In our Hadees is a prophecy, that shortly before the arrival of Mohde, a man shall appear, who shall exhort the nations to repentance: Joseph Wolff is the forerunner of Mohde."

At the moment I was with him, his wife died at the birth of a child.

SAHER BEYK, AND BEYK NASAR,

Both Aga Sakals of the Turkomauns, called on me. I shewed them my firmaun from the Sultan of Constantinople; both of them kissed the seal of it, saying, "This is our Khaleefa, of the same religion as we are; whosoever can shew such a paper, has nothing to fear among the Turkomauns."

One of the Turkomauns called on me immediately after, and told me that he had dreamt last night, that I had arrived safely at Bokhara, and was sitting upon a throne near the King of Bokhara, and the throne was adorned with burning candles; and that he saw me walking in the streets of Bokhara, accompanied by four of the King's servants. Many Turkomauns came to me, and desired me to pray over their sick relations and their barren wives, which I did in the Persian tongue.

I called again on Mullah Tatsh, Cadi of the Turkomauns, and read with him Matthew xxiv. and Revelations xiv. and as his wife had died, I prayed according to the custom of the Turkomauns; which prayer they call in Arabic Fatha, i. e. opening of the Koran; but I prayed the Lord's prayer.

Feb. 7.-Mullah Tatsh called on me, in company with another Mullah from Bokhara; after taking his beard between his teeth, and pondering over something very gravely, he addressed me in the following manner: "Youssuf Wolff, you are a Mullah, and I am a Mullah; and every one likes to be with his equal. I know that you have experience in every science: I want therefore a great favour of you; that is, to make by witchcraft, that some woman may fall in love with me, and be disposed to become my wife; for you know, that my wife died at the moment you were with me." I replied, "I cannot procure you a wife by witchcraft; for in the first instance, I do not understand that art; and secondly, my religion does not permit me to practise it; but you will do well to marry the woman who was seduced by Ballee, that you may become a protector to her child." He said that he would do so. Such advice will sound awkward in the ear of an English reader; but he must take into consideration the difference between a civilized nation, and the barbarians in the desert; then he will find such advice not only excusable, but proper.

Many Turkomauns called again, and desired me to pray over them; which I did. They even go sometimes to the Jew, Joseph of Talkhtoon, and desire him to pray over them; for, as there are Protestants who sometimes have more confidence in the prayer of some Roman Catholic Priest, or Capuchin Friar, in the same manner the Turkomauns confide more in the prayer of a devout Jew or Christian; especially as I had been declared to be the forerunner of Mohde by their Mullahs.

OSBEK.

I met to-day several Osbeks from Bokhara; they have very small eyes, and are the proper inhabitants of Bokhara and Khiva. They

say, that the meaning of Osbekis is this: Os, self, and Bek, a Lord; for they were the Lords of the kingdoms of Khiva and Bokhara.

In order to give my readers a complete idea of my operations during my journey through Toorkestaun, and to substantiate my assertion, that I always professed myself to be a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, I insert herewith a letter which I wrote to Mirza Baba, when at Sarakhs. Mirza Baba is well known in England; he is Chief Physician (Hakeem Bashee) of Abbas Mirza, and writes and reads English.

My dear Mirza Baba,

Sarakhs, February 3, 1832.

Though I have already written to you a letter by Ballee, I write to you another by the Jew Murad, mentioning to you, that I am well treated in the houses of the Jews at Sarakhs, and have preached to them the Gospel whole nights. They wish me to recommend them to the protection of Abbas Mirza. The Turkomauns and Hazarah visit me frequently; and I exhort them to repentance for having carried on slavery; I had a long conversation with the chief Mullah about the Gospel.

I beg you to petition His Royal Highness in my name, to order Goolitsh Mohammed Khan to send me on soon to Bokhara, and to recommend me to Mirza Husseyn Khan Sabzaware. The chief Mullah of the Turkomauns gives me letters for Bokhara, and he advised me to request Abbas Mirza to give me letters for the King of Bokhara. If Abbas Mirza does not order Goolitsh Mohammed Khan to send me on soon, he will keep me a long time to obtain a large present: I gave him six ducats, and he was not satisfied. I beg that you will get me recommended to the merchants of Meshed, who trade to Bokhara, in order that they may recommend me to the caravans which go to Bokhara. Mirza Askeree can arrange this. The Turkomauns pay great attention to my preaching. Salam to Mirza Baker and Ali Beyk. You will do me a great favour to give notice of my operations in my letters to Tabreez, and write to Lady Georgiana Wolff, Malta, about me. I learn that Goolitsh Mohammed Khan will take money from the Jews of Sarakhs, which would render not only him, but likewise the Prince unpopular with the Jews and Turkomauns of Sarakhs. Write to Yours truly, JOSEPH WOLFF.

me soon.

P. S. Get a Rakum for the Jews at Sarakhs; for the Jews at Sarakhs have no houses there, but have their wives and children at Meshed. J. W.

CARAVANS AT SARAKHS.

Caravans, consisting mostly of Turkomauns with slaves, travel to Khiva through an immense tract of desert for 12 days, finding water only every four days, till they arrived at Orgauntsh. In the

*This word signifies 'Salutations.'

day time, the wind is their guide, by night they are guided by the stars of heaven. It is quite a mistake, that the way to Khiva, and the staying either there or at Orgauntsh is dangerous: as soon as one is upon the territory of Allah Kolle Khan, the pious King of Orgauntsh, nothing is to be feared. The Russians perhaps may now be in danger; for the rumour is current in Khiva, that the Russians would have taken that place long ago, had the English permitted it.

Caravans also travel from Sarakhs to Maimona and Heraut; to both which places they go in five days.

Feb. 8.—The Turkomauns assembled in the Bazaur, and had the following conversation. One began: "We ought to be watchful, for Abbas Mirza at Meshed does not sleep; Youssuf Wolff, who is now here, does not sleep; many say, that he is the son of the King of England; others say, that he is the foreruner of Mohde: whoever he is, he does not sleep; therefore we ought to be watchful." My Jewish servant, whom I had taken at Sarakhs, reported to me this conversation.

CHARACTER OF ALLAH KOLLE KHAN, KING of Khiva.

Allah Kolle Khan, King of Khiva, is a warrior and a divine, (Mullah.) When he is marching towards the enemy, 14 Dervishes accompany him, who exclaim continually, "Be not neglectful of the remembrance of God!" He marched several times against the King of Bokhara, whose great enemy he is, and had always the advantage over him.

The Turkomauns of Mowr, Tekka and Tajan, who had paid tribute to the King of Bokhara, pay it now to the King of Khiva; for the people of Khiva, or, as they are called, the Orgauntshi, are a warlike people; but the man of Bokhara is effeminate. The people of Mowr had been obliged to receive a Governor from Khiva: but one day, when the Governor sent from Khiva, ordered one of the Turkomauns to be flogged, he was instantly killed: after this they sent an Elje, i. e. Ambassador to Khiva, begged pardon, and sent double tribute, swearing strict obedience in future, under condition that no other Governor should be sent; to which Allah Kolle Khan consented.

An Orgauntshi, i. e. Turkomaun from Khiva, called on me, and said that Allah Kolle Khan of Orgauntsh would be delighted to have a letter from me, stating my views on religion. I wrote to him a letter in Persian, informing His Majesty, that I was a Jew from England, who believes that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, that he died for our sins, rose again, and went to heaven, whence he will come again and establish his throne at Jerusalem; that I was now going to Bokhara, to see whether the Jews there are of the Ten Tribes of Israel, and to preach to them the tidings of salvation; and that I hoped to come to Khiva, and to argue with His Majesty. I sent the letter by a Turkomaun from Orgauntsh.

DEPARTURE FROM SARAKHS.

Having taken a Jew from Sarakhs in my service, I desired him

to make arrangements for my departure. He went to the respectable Jew, Baba Khan, who spoke with the Aga Sakals, or Lords of the beards, of the different tribes. The Aga Sakals assembled, and agreed to send me with Awaz, one of the Aga Sakals: he stroked his beard, I did the same, and we put our hands into each other's; and after having promised him a present upon my arrival at Bokhara, I set out with him on February 13. Two Osbeks from Karakol, near Bokhara, who had bought six slaves, joined us on the road. Saher Beyk,* the most respectable Aga of Sarakhs, who wishes to go to England, to get a present from the Padishah, (i. e. King,) and the principal Jews accompanied me the distance of two miles from Sarakhs. Before they returned to Sarakhs, they desired me to bless them, which I did. We stroked our beards. Saher Beyk and Baba Khan, the Jew, returned; and I continued my journey, accompanied by Ishak, my Jew servant, and one Guzl-Bash servant from Meshed, and the six Guzl-Bash slaves, three of whom were chained together. We passed through the barren desert covered with snow. The caravans generally stop the first day near a well; but Awaz, having secret instructions from the Turkomauns, did not go with me near it; for they are very jealous of showing their wells to strangers; we were therefore taken another road. We observed at a distance thirty Al-Aman on horseback, coming from Mowr on a plundering expedition to Khorossaun; for since those of Sarakhs had promised Abbas Mirza to desist from Foray, those of Mowr continued it. Awaz said to me, "Now stop here, for the Turkomauns are Adam-Khoor, (Men eaters;) I must now go and speak with the Turkomauns." He went to his brethren, and said to them, "I have under my protection a Jewish Peer, i. e. an old man, from Jerusalem, with his two servants; he was the guest of the Aga Sakals of Sarakhs, and of Goosh-Bekee, (i. e. Prime Minister of the King,) of Bokhara; do not come near him, lest you frighten the man; for he knows that the Turkomauns are Adam-Khoor." Without saying one word, they took another direction, and we proceeded on our journey. The first night we stretched ourselves upon a straw mat, after we had cleared the ground a little from the snow; we burnt some trees, by means of which we were enabled to make tea, and warm ourselves, and smoke comfortably our galyoon. Late in the night, an Osbek, in the service of the Prime Minister of the King of Bokhara, came on horseback from Meshed, to which place he was sent by his master, for the purpose of enquiring into the

* When Saher Beyk learnt that I had given six Tomauns to Goolitsh Mohammed Khan, as a present for having accompanied me from Meshed to Sarakhs, he observed: "My heart burns that you should squander away your money on such a rascal as Goolitsh Mohammed Khan; the next time I shall accompany you to Bokhara." When I asked how much I should have to give him, he replied, "My dear brother, you must know that I am not such a mean man as Goolitsh Mohammed Khan, and therefore you ought to give me twice as much as you gave to that scoundrel."

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