DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15174#0060
SHURUKHS.- ALARMS. chap. xiii.
gunje and Persia; but it is only an impending force
that leads to their submission. When we were at
Shurukhs they had a Persian ambassador in chains,
and refused to grant a share of the transit duties to
the Khan of Orgunje, which they had promised in
the preceding month, when that chief was near
them. These are commentaries on their allegiance.
The Salore Toorkmuns are ruled by twelve ahsukals,
the heads of the different families; but they ac-
knowledge no particular allegiance to any individual
person. The country around Shurukhs is well
watered by aqueducts from the rivulet of Tejend,
which is a little brackish; but its waters are usefully
employed in fertilising its fields. The soil is ex-
ceedingly rich, and possesses great aptness for
agriculture: the seed is scattered, and vegetates
almost without labour. The harvest is rich, and
they reap it, like true republicans, without a tax.
The inhabitants repeat a tradition, that the first of
men tilled in Shurukhs, which was his garden, while
Serendib, or Ceylon, was his house ! There is not a
tree or a bush to enliven the landscape, for the
Toorkmuns despise gardening. The crops of wheat
and juwaree are here most abundant, and the melons
are only inferior to those of Bokhara.
Two days after our arrival at Shurukhs, and when
I venture to say we had often congratulated our-
selves at the near prospect of successfully termin-
ating our journey, we experienced an alarm that at
least showed our congratulations to be premature.
One of the Toorkmun chiefs of the place appeared
in our part of the encampment, and summoned the
gunje and Persia; but it is only an impending force
that leads to their submission. When we were at
Shurukhs they had a Persian ambassador in chains,
and refused to grant a share of the transit duties to
the Khan of Orgunje, which they had promised in
the preceding month, when that chief was near
them. These are commentaries on their allegiance.
The Salore Toorkmuns are ruled by twelve ahsukals,
the heads of the different families; but they ac-
knowledge no particular allegiance to any individual
person. The country around Shurukhs is well
watered by aqueducts from the rivulet of Tejend,
which is a little brackish; but its waters are usefully
employed in fertilising its fields. The soil is ex-
ceedingly rich, and possesses great aptness for
agriculture: the seed is scattered, and vegetates
almost without labour. The harvest is rich, and
they reap it, like true republicans, without a tax.
The inhabitants repeat a tradition, that the first of
men tilled in Shurukhs, which was his garden, while
Serendib, or Ceylon, was his house ! There is not a
tree or a bush to enliven the landscape, for the
Toorkmuns despise gardening. The crops of wheat
and juwaree are here most abundant, and the melons
are only inferior to those of Bokhara.
Two days after our arrival at Shurukhs, and when
I venture to say we had often congratulated our-
selves at the near prospect of successfully termin-
ating our journey, we experienced an alarm that at
least showed our congratulations to be premature.
One of the Toorkmun chiefs of the place appeared
in our part of the encampment, and summoned the