DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15174#0032
16 OUR TOORKMUN SIRDAR. chap. xii.
an undulating and uneven country of sand, partially
covered with shrubs. The soil in some places was
salt; but the water of the well was good enough
after it was some time drawn. Our Toorkmun
Sirdar made his appearance shortly after our arrival,
to claim his cup of tea; and never was a schoolboy
more fond of sugar than this hoary-headed Toork-
mun. I used to give it to him to have the pleasure
of seeing him grind it, though some of the merchants
wondered at our wasting it on such a person. I
always felt the happier in the company of this man,
for I looked upon him as the only bond between us
and the barbarians we had to encounter. He used
also to tell us the news of the caravan, and all the par-
ticulars of the country, which he even knew that we
noted down. Ernuzzer did not deceive us, and the
tea and the sugar which he consumed were but a
small tax for his service. In return for these favours,
he promised to give me a bonne bouche, when we
reached the first camp of the Toorkmuns ; and when
I expected nothing else than "kimmiz" or "boozu"
mare's milk or fermented liquor, he brought me
camel's milk, which is the only drink of the Toork-
muns. The milk is mixed with water, and the cream
is then drawn off. It is called " dial" and has an
acid but not unpleasant taste. The thinner part of
the milk is considered a grateful draught by the
people, but to me it tasted sour and acrid. I believed
that the Uzbeks and Toorkmuns drank mare's milk
and fermented liquors; but these are unknown in
Bokhara, and only peculiar to the Kuzzaks and
Kirgizzes, between that city and Russia.
an undulating and uneven country of sand, partially
covered with shrubs. The soil in some places was
salt; but the water of the well was good enough
after it was some time drawn. Our Toorkmun
Sirdar made his appearance shortly after our arrival,
to claim his cup of tea; and never was a schoolboy
more fond of sugar than this hoary-headed Toork-
mun. I used to give it to him to have the pleasure
of seeing him grind it, though some of the merchants
wondered at our wasting it on such a person. I
always felt the happier in the company of this man,
for I looked upon him as the only bond between us
and the barbarians we had to encounter. He used
also to tell us the news of the caravan, and all the par-
ticulars of the country, which he even knew that we
noted down. Ernuzzer did not deceive us, and the
tea and the sugar which he consumed were but a
small tax for his service. In return for these favours,
he promised to give me a bonne bouche, when we
reached the first camp of the Toorkmuns ; and when
I expected nothing else than "kimmiz" or "boozu"
mare's milk or fermented liquor, he brought me
camel's milk, which is the only drink of the Toork-
muns. The milk is mixed with water, and the cream
is then drawn off. It is called " dial" and has an
acid but not unpleasant taste. The thinner part of
the milk is considered a grateful draught by the
people, but to me it tasted sour and acrid. I believed
that the Uzbeks and Toorkmuns drank mare's milk
and fermented liquors; but these are unknown in
Bokhara, and only peculiar to the Kuzzaks and
Kirgizzes, between that city and Russia.