DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5542#0245
234
TURCOMANS.
[Chap, xhv,
masters. These, however, are not very agreeable to the
stranger, as, for want of firewood, the only fuel is cow-dung
mixed with clay.
The Turcomans of this plain belong to a large tribe who
inhabit the country between Ak Serai and Kodj Hissar, and
between the latter place and Nemb Sheher ; and although
they also go by the name of the village where they live, as
Adjem Turcomans, and Sarai Turcomans, &c, they are ge-
nerally designated as Peroglu Assirete Turcomans. They
are said to be eight or ten thousand in number ; the chief
resides at Sari Karaman, twenty or thirty miles to the north,
on the road from Kodj Hissar to Nemb Sheher. They
were formerly governed by Beys, but now by a Waiwoda
appointed by the Porte ; the present chief is a Turcoman
of their own tribe. Their principal duty or occupation is
to convey lead and copper to Constantinople from the mines
in the eastern part of Asia Minor : for this they are nomi-
nally paid at the rate of one hundred piastres per load, but
only receive twenty-five, the rest being deducted in the
shape of taxes and other charges. They are under the im-
mediate protection of the Harem Emin, or Head of the
Harem, to whom they pay their contributions. They stated
that the money so obtained goes towards defraying the ex-
penses of the Sur Emm's journey to Mecca.
Besides these Turcomans, the neighbouring mountains
are sometimes occupied by a large tribe of Kurds, who
pass the winter on Pacha Dagh, a mountainous district to
the north of Kodj Hissar, and in the summer spread them-
selves over the mountains north of Ak Serai, and some-
times at the foot of Hassan Dagh, which they make their
yaila, or summer residence.
Wednesday, July 12.- We were in the saddle by six this
morning, having before us a long journey of twelve hours
to Kodj Hissar, without the possibility of obtaining any
fresh water on the way. Our direction was nearly N.N.W.,
and about five miles from the tents, in consequence of the
surijis mistaking their way, we suddenly found ourselves
TURCOMANS.
[Chap, xhv,
masters. These, however, are not very agreeable to the
stranger, as, for want of firewood, the only fuel is cow-dung
mixed with clay.
The Turcomans of this plain belong to a large tribe who
inhabit the country between Ak Serai and Kodj Hissar, and
between the latter place and Nemb Sheher ; and although
they also go by the name of the village where they live, as
Adjem Turcomans, and Sarai Turcomans, &c, they are ge-
nerally designated as Peroglu Assirete Turcomans. They
are said to be eight or ten thousand in number ; the chief
resides at Sari Karaman, twenty or thirty miles to the north,
on the road from Kodj Hissar to Nemb Sheher. They
were formerly governed by Beys, but now by a Waiwoda
appointed by the Porte ; the present chief is a Turcoman
of their own tribe. Their principal duty or occupation is
to convey lead and copper to Constantinople from the mines
in the eastern part of Asia Minor : for this they are nomi-
nally paid at the rate of one hundred piastres per load, but
only receive twenty-five, the rest being deducted in the
shape of taxes and other charges. They are under the im-
mediate protection of the Harem Emin, or Head of the
Harem, to whom they pay their contributions. They stated
that the money so obtained goes towards defraying the ex-
penses of the Sur Emm's journey to Mecca.
Besides these Turcomans, the neighbouring mountains
are sometimes occupied by a large tribe of Kurds, who
pass the winter on Pacha Dagh, a mountainous district to
the north of Kodj Hissar, and in the summer spread them-
selves over the mountains north of Ak Serai, and some-
times at the foot of Hassan Dagh, which they make their
yaila, or summer residence.
Wednesday, July 12.- We were in the saddle by six this
morning, having before us a long journey of twelve hours
to Kodj Hissar, without the possibility of obtaining any
fresh water on the way. Our direction was nearly N.N.W.,
and about five miles from the tents, in consequence of the
surijis mistaking their way, we suddenly found ourselves