Sketches of Central Asia; additional chapters on my travels, adventures, and on the ethnology of Central Asia

Preface

In the revieAVS of my " Travels in " Central Asia," which have issued from the European and American press, I have generally been reproached with scantiness of details and scrappiness of treatment; — in a word, with havmg said much less than I could have said about my journey from the Bosphorus to Samarkand, — so rich in varied adventures and experiences.

Now, I will not deny that such a charge has not been quite unfairly levelled against me.

While I was writing my memoirs, during the first three months of my stay in London, after my yearlong wanderings in Asia, 1 had very great trouble in accustommg myself to the idea of being firmly settled down. I always kept fancying myself bound on the morrow to pack up and extend my travels with the caravan: hence my irresolution and hasty procedure. Moreover, I was quite a stranger in the douiain of travelling, and deemed it my duty now to keep some-

VI PEEFACE.

thing back for mere decency ; anon to leave out something else, as of inferior interest. Hence many an episode was left mitouched, many a picture remained but a feeble sketch.

To make up for this defect — if sparingness in words be really a defect — I have written the following pages. They contam only supplementary papers, partly about my own adventures, partly on the manners and rare characteristics of the Central Asiatic peoples, linked together in no particular connection. It would naturally have been better to offer these pages m the place of the former volume ; and yet the slightest notice of a country so little known to us as Turkestan, which poHtical questions will soon bring into the front of passing questions, will always have its uses; and

Pesth,

2nd December, 1867.

A. V.

Contents

FAOE

CHAPTEE I.

Dervislies and Hadjis ........ 1

Chapter I. Dervishes And Hadjis

The dervish is the veritable personification of Eastern life. Idleness, fanaticism, and slovenliness, are the features which in him are regarded as virtues, and which everywhere are represented by him as such. Idleness is excused by allusion to human impotence ; fanaticism explained as enthusiasm in religion; and slovenliness justified by the uselessness of poor mortals in struggling against fate. If the superiority of European civilization over that of the East was not so clearly established, I should almost be tempted to envy a dervish, who, clad in tatters and conversing in a corner of some ruined building, shows, by the twinkling in his eye, the happiness he enjoys. What a serenity is depicted in that face ; what a placidity in all his actions ; what a complete contrast there is between this picture and that presented by our European civilization! In my disguise as a dervish it was chiefly this unnatural composure which made me nervous, and in the imitation of which I made, of course, the greatest mistakes. I shall never forget one day at Herat, when, after reflecting on the happiness of the early termination of the painful mask I had been wearing for so many months, I suddenly jumped up from my seat, and in a somewhat excited state began to pace up and down the old ruin which gave me shelter. A few minutes afterwards I perceived that a crowd of passers by had collected at the door, and that I was the object of general astonishment. Seeing my mistake, I blushingly resumed my seat. Soon afterwards several people came up to ask me what was the matter with me, whether I was well, &c. The good people thought I was deranged; for, to oriental notions, a man must be out of his senses if, without necessity or a special object in view, he suddenly leaves his seat to pace up and down a room.

As the dervish represents the general character, so he does the different peoples of the East. It is true, Mahomedanism enforces the dogma : "El Islam milleti wahidun " — all Islamites are one nation ; but the origin and home of the different sects are easily recognised. Bektashi, Mewlewi, and Rufai, are principally natives of Turkey; because Bektash, the enthusiastic founder of the Janissaries, Moola Djelaleddm Rumi, the great poet of the Mesnevi, lived, and are buried in Turkey ; the Kadrie and Djelali are most frequently met with in Arabia; the Oveisy, and Nurbakhshi NimetuUah in Persia; the Khilali and Zahibi m India; and the Nakishbendi and Sofi Islam in Central Asia.* The members of the different fraternities are bound together by very close ties; apprentices (Murid) and assistants (Khalfa) have to yield imphcit obedience to the chief (Pir), who has an unlimited power over the life and property of his brethren. But these fraternities do not m the least trouble themselves about secret political or social objects, as is sometimes asserted in Europe by enthusiastic travellers, who have even discovered Freemasons amongst the Bedouin tribes of the Great Desert. The dervishes are the monks of Islamism; and the spirit which created and sustains them is that of religious fanaticism, and they differ from each other only by the manner in which they demonstrate their enthusiasm. For instance; whilst one of these rehgious orders commands constant pilgrimages to the tombs of saints, the other lays do"svn stringent rules for reflection on divine infinity and the insignificance of our existence. A third compels his votaries to occupy themselves day and night with repeating the name of of God (Zikr) and hjmans (Telkin); and it cannot surprise us to learn that the greater number of a company which has continually been calling out with all its

* Sofi Islam is a sect which originated about thirty years ago. Its founder, a Tadjik from Belkh, was desirous of opposing the ever-increasing influence of the Nakishbendi. In this fraternity prevails the principle of communism and blood relationship. The Sofi Islamites wear a cap trimmed with fur, and are most frequently met with this side of the Oxus, as far as Herat, and also amongst the Turkomans.

might : " Ja hn ! Ja hakk ! La illahi ilia hu ! are seized with delirium tremens. The orthodox call this condition Medjzub; z.e., carried away by divme love, or to be in ecstacy. A person to whom such a fortunate event happens, for as such it is regarded, is envied by everybody; and as long as it lasts, the sick and the maimed, and barren women,, try to get in his immediate presence, taking hold of his dress, — as touching it is supposed to have healing powers.

What the dervishes are able to do during the ecstacy caused by Zikr^ I had once an opportunity of witnessing in Samarkand. In Dehbid, close to the tomb of the Makhdun Aazam, one of these howhng companies had grouped themselves around the Pir (chief) of that district. At first they contented themselves with repeating the formula in a natural tone of voice, and almost in measured time. The chief was lost in the deepest thought; all eyes and ears were fixed upon him. ; and every motion of his hand, and every breath he drew, was audible, and encouraged his followers to utter wilder and louder ejaculations. At last he seemed to awake from his sleep-like reflections, and as soon as he raised his head all the dervishes jumped up from their seats like possessed beings. The circle was broken, and the different members began to dance in undulating motions ; but hardly did the chief stand upon his feet than the enthusiastic dancers became so terribly excited that I, who had to imitate all then' wild antics, became almost frightened. They were flying about.

DEEVISHES AND HADJIS. 5

constantly dancing, right and left, hither and thither, some leaving the soft meadow and gettmg upon the rough stones, constantly dancing, till the blood began to run freely from their feet. Still they kept on their mad excitement, till most of them fell fainting to the ground.

In a country like the East, where such social relations exist, and where we meet with such amusing extremes, the dervish or beggar, though placed at the very bottom of the social scale, often enjoys as much consideration as the prince who reigns over millions and disposes of immense treasures. Man, an unresisting plaything in the powerful hand of Fate, can, if Destuiy wills it, be transported from one extreme to the other, of which history furnishes us with numerous instances ; and as in fiction we see with pleasure the two antipodes — the king. Shah-it Keda, and the beggar, brought into close propinquity — even so we often find a ragged and dirty dervish, covered with vermin, sitting on the same carpet with a magnificently-dressed prince, and engaged with him in famihar conversation, nay, often drinking with him out of the same cup. European travellers view such a tete-a-tete with surprise, and even sometimes with a feehng of amusement; but in the East it is considered as quite natural. For, says the oriental moralist, the king must see in the glaring contrast between him and his neighbour the vanity of earthly splendour, and banish from his mind all feehng of pride; while the dervish discovers beneath the pompous dress of the prince a mere mortal man, and muidful of the vanity of sublunary things, laughs at the farce of life.

Though perfectly conscious of theu" relative position, these two extremes exhibit, when they meet, an admirable degree of toleration and indulgence. The dervish, who, when received in private, behaves with the freedom and unconstraint of an intimate friend, never forgets on public occasions that he is the poorest of the poor. The man of rank suffers from him what to any other person would appear insupportable. At Kerki, the governor of the province had a dervish in his palace, who, in conformity with a precept of his order, had the agreeable office of crying aloud unmterruptedly, from sunset till break of day: Ya hu! ya hakk! La ilia hu!* and that with the voice of a Stentor. As soon as darkness prevailed, and the busy hum of public life had become silent, the melancholy and monotonous exclamations became more and more audible, not only in the palace itself, but to a considerable extent around it. That his devotions disturbed many in their sleep, may be easily imaguied. Nevertheless, the governor, notwithstanding the entreaties of his own family, did not venture to make any objection to this proceeding, and the dervish continued his vociferations every night as long as he sojourned in Kerki. As I lodged in the vicinity of the palace, I

* Yes, it is he ! it is the righteous one ! there is no Q-od but he j are the usual forms of prayer which occur in the Zikr.

enjoyed my share of this nightly concert; and as the voice of the enthusiastic bawler became towards the approach of dawn weaker and weaker, I was enabled to calculate from it the distance of daybreak without stepping out of the dark cell in. which I lay.

We may say, however, that we nowadays very seldom meet with a dervish in. the strict sense of the word; that is, a man who, renouncing from inward conviction earthly goods and worldly comforts, is desirous only of obtaining experience of life and devoting himself to the practice of religious duties : such a man, in a word, as the poet Saadi is represented to have been. Those who embrace this vocation are either unprincipled and lazy fellows, or professed beggars, who, under the cloak of poverty, collect treasures, and when they are sufficiently enriched often adopt some lucrative trade. This is particularly the case in Persia. So long as Fortune is favourable to them they lead a life of ostentatious magnificence, and forget how transitory all is in this world. But should he be overtaken by adversity, then he retires to some modest corner, rails at the vain pursuits of men, and, inflated with pride, cries out : Men dervish em ; I am a dervish.

The dervishes of India, and particularly those of Cashmere, are throughout the East pre-eniinent among their Mahometan brethren for cunning, secret arts, forms of exorcism, &c. These fellows impose most impudently on the credulity of the people in Persia and Central Asia, and even men of wit and understanding sometimes fall into their snares ; for, wherever such a Cashmere dervish appears, gifted as he generally is with a noble figure, striking features, bright eloquent eyes, and long dark flo^vmg hair, he is sure of success. The Mahometans of India and the adjoining eastern countries have always been celebrated in the Islamite world for their supernatural gifts. As soon as such a travelling saint arrives in a Mahometan country, he is entreated to cure dangerous maladies, to exorcise ghosts, or to pomt out where hidden treasures are buried ; for, although those arts are forbidden by the Koran, they appear everywhere as the most zealous Mahometans. Count Gobineau, in his work, " Trois Ans dans 1' Asie," tells us of an excellent trick, which an alchemist from Cashmere played a gold-seeking prince in Teheran. A similar trick was played on the brother of the reigning Khan of Khiva, who, wanting to have all his saddles and bridles converted into gold, was cheated in a most ridiculous manner. But they are sometimes so devoid of conscience as to rob the poorest man of his last penny. In Teheran, a Hadji, lately arrived from Central Asia, told me, with tears in his eyes, the following story. As, said he, I had heard much in Meshed of the fr'equent robberies that occurred on the road to Teheran, I and my companion were anxious to know what would be the best way to conceal our httle capital, which was to defray our expenses to the holy grave of the Prophet. This money was the savings of five hard years, and thou knowest how difficult it is to travel without money

DEKVISHES AND HADJIS. 9

in this land of heretics. Next to us in the caravanserai at Meshed there lodged a pious Ishan (sheikh) from Cashmere; to him we communicated our fears, and were delighted when he offered, by means of a certain form of prayer, to secure our money against all attacks of robbers. He invited us to follow him to the mosque of Iman Riza : there he bade us perform the usual ablutions. We then placed our money in his lap, and after he had breathed on it several times he put it with his own hands into our purses, wrapped them up m seven sheets of paper, and then strictly enjoined us not to open them till, on our arrival at Teheran, we had performed our devotions three times in the mosque. It is now six weeks smce we left Meshed ; and imagme our fright, when yesterday, after the thh-d prayer, we opened our purses and found in them, instead of our dear ducats, nothing but heavy reddish sand. The poor fellows uttered bitter complaints and seemed almost to have lost their wits. The cunning rogue from Cashmere had, while pronouncing the blessing, changed the money without being perceived by the simple Tartars, who continued then' journey to Teheran m the perfect persuasion of the efficacy of the ceremony, — a persuasion which they now found had cost them dear.

It is the same with dervishism as with all the other oriental institutions, customs and manners; the more we penetrate towards the East, the greater is the purity with which they have been preserved. In Persia the dervishes play a much more important part than ui Turkey; and in Central Asia, isolated as it has been from the rest of the world for centuries, this fraternity is still in full vigour, and exercises a great influence upon society. In my " Travels," I have frequently alluded to the position occupied by the Ishan or secular priests in Central Asia. Their influence may be called a fortunate one, contrasted with the fearful tyranny existing iu those countries. This is the reason why every one occupies hunself with religion; every one tries to pass himself ofi" as a worker of miracles (Ehh Keramet) ; or, if he fails in. that, he endeavours to be recognised as a sauit (veli ullah . . .) Those who make the interpretation of the sacred writings their busmess are great rivals of the Ishans^ who, by the mysticism by which they surround themselves, enjoy a large share of popular esteem. The native of Central Asia, like the wildest child of Arabia, is more easily imposed upon by magic formulas and similar hocus-pocus than by books. He may dispense with the services of a Mollah, but he cannot do without a Ishan^ whose blessing {fatiha) or breath (nefes) is required when he sets out on one of his predatory expeditions, and upon which he looks as a talismanic power, when moving about his herds, his tent, or the wilds of the desert. After the Ishans, the most interesting class are the mendicant dervishes {Kalenter)^* which the Kirguese

* Kalentor is a corruption of the old Persian Kelanterrrthe greater. In eastern Persia the title is stUI given to the judges of villages.

DEEVISHES AND HADJIS. 11

and Turkomans call Kucldush* or Divani (insane). In the whole of the great deserts which stretch from the eastern bomidaries of China to the Caspian Sea, it is only these people, in their ragged dress, who are able to move unmolested. They do not take any notice of the differences of tribe or family, and the mighty Avords, Yaghi or II (friend or enemy) have to them no meaning. In travelhng along they join whomsoever they meet, be it a peaceful caravan or band of robbers. The dervishes who travel through Kirguese or Turkoman steppes are generally this class of people, who form a strong inclmation to do nothmg, follow a trade which throughout the East is considered respectable, viz., that of a mendicant. All they have to acquire is a few prayers and a certain power of mimicry, with which the chiromantic feats are performed ; and I have never seen a nomad who has not been moved when he fomid himself in the close presence of one of those long-hau'ed, bare-headed, and bare -footed dervishes, who, with his fiery eyes, stared hard at the son of the desert, and whilst shaking his Keshkul f howled a wild

The arrival of one of these fakirs in a lonely group of tents is regarded as a joyful event, or almost a festi-

* Kuddus 13 derived from Eud, to become mad. Thus, the Arabs call the dervishes Medjaun, i.e., insane.

t Keshkul is a vessel formed of half a cocoa nut, — the vade mecum of the dervishes, — in which he plunges all the food he has collected by begging, whether dry or fluid, sweet or sour. Such a dish of tuUi frutti would but ill sviit our gastronomers ; and yet how delicious it tasted to me after a long day's march.

val; it is of especial importance in the eyes of the women ; and the time of his arrival is differently interpreted. Early in the morning signifies the happy birth of a camel or a horse ; at noon a quarrel between husband and wife ; and in the evening a good prospect of marriage to the marriageable daughters. The dervish is generally taken in hand by the women, and is well supphed with the best things the tent contains, in hopes that he may be tempted to produce from beneath his battered dress some glass beads, or other tahsman. Alms, which amongst the nomads seldom consist of money, are rarely denied him; and he often receives an old carpet, a few handfuls of camel hair or wool, or an old garment. He may also stop with the family for days, and move about -with it without his presence becoming a burden. If the dervish possesses musical talent, i.e.^ able to sing a few songs and accompany himself on the two stringed instrument called dutara, he is made much of, and has the greatest difficulty in getting away fi:om the hospitable host.

It is very seldom that dervishes are insulted or illtreated ; this, however, is said to be the case amongst the Turkomans, whose rapacity knows no bounds, and prompts them to commit incredible acts of cruelty. A dervish from Bokhara, of robust figure and dark curly hair, whom I met at Majrmene, told me that a Tekke- Turkoman, prompted by the thirty ducats which his athletic figure promised to fetch in the slave market, made him a prisoner to sell him a few days afterwards.

" I pretended," my colleague continued, "to be quite unconcerned, and repeated the Zikr whilst shaking my iron chains. The time was fast approachin'g when I was to be taken to the market, when suddenly the wife of the robber of my hberty and person was taken ill, and prevented him from starting. He seemed to see in this the finger of God, and began to be pensive, when his favourite horse, refusing to eat his food, showed signs of iUness." This was enough. The robber was so frightened that he removed the chains of his prisoner, and returned to him the thmgs he had robbed him of, begging him to leave his tent as soon as possible. Whilst a Turkoman impatiently awaited the departure of the ominous beggar, the latter fumbled about his dress, and pretended that he had lost a comb which his chief had given him as a tahsman on the road, and without which he could not go a single step. The nomad returned in great haste to the place where the plunder had been kept, and as the comb did not turn up he became still more frightened, and promised the dervish the price of twenty combs if he would only take a single step beyond the boundary of his tent. The cunning bush-rite saw he was master of the situation ; he pretended to be inconsolable about the lost property, and declared that he now would have to remain for years in the tent. Imagine the confusion of the deceived and superstitious robber! Like a madman he ran about asking his neighbour for advice. Formal negotiations were now commenced with the dervish, to whom, finally, a horse, a dress, and ten ducats were presented, to make up for the loss of the comb, and on condition that he should leave a tent whose proprietor will probably think twice before he ventures again upon molesting a travelling dervish.

Besides the dervishes who, as physicians, miracleworking saints, or harmless vagabonds, are wandering about in Central Asia, there is a class called " Khanka neshin" or convent dwellers, who always wish to aj)pear as the poorest, and are without doubt the most contemptible fellows in the world. Generally speaking they are opium eaters, who by their excessive filth, skeleton-like body, and frightfully distorted features, present a most repulsive appearance. The worst is that they do not confine themselves to practising this fearful vice themselves, but with a singular persistency endeavour to make converts amongst all classes; and, supported by the want of spirituous drinks, they succeed but too frequently m their wicked attempts. What surprised me most was that these wretched people were regarded as eminently religious, of whom it was thought that from their love to God and the Prophet they had become mad, and stupefied themselves in order that in their excited state they might be nearer the Bemgs whom they loved so well.

Speakmg of dervishes we may mention a class of hypocrites who, under the pretence of carrying out sacred vows, indulge in their desire to travel, and after

DEEVISHES AND HADJIS. 15

their return assume, under the title of Hadji (Pilgrims)

authority and a good social position. The Koran says,

my house (Kaaba) if circumstances permit. These

" circumstances " are reduced to the folio whig seven

conditions by the commentators. The pilgrimage

must be undertaken, 1st, — With sufficient money for

travelling expenses; 2nd, — In bodily health; 3rd, —

In an unmarried state; 4th, — Without leaving debts

behind ; 5th, — In times of peace ; 6th, — Overland and

without danger; and, 7th, — By persons who have

reached the age of puberty. That our good Tartars

ill-observe these conditions wiU be evident to all who

have some idea about the comitries situated between

Oxus and Yaxartes. In Persia people go to Kerbela,

Meshed or Mekka, only when sufficient funds enable

them to do it comfortably. In Central Asia, on the

contrary, it is always the poorest class who undertakes

pilgrimages. A certain taste for adventure, coupled

with rehgious enthusiasm, are the two motives which

prompt the mhabitants of Central Asia to start from

the remote east for the tomb of their Prophet. True,

they do not suffer any material losses, for a beggar's

bag is a money bag ; but they frequently lose what is

most precious to them — their life; as every year at

least one-third of the pilgrims from Turkestan die

from exposure to the climate.

This sacred or profane desire to travel braves all danger; this vague thought of tearing himself aAvay from his family, and friends, and countrymen, to see the wide world, surrounds the Hadji mth a certain poetry. I have lived weeks with my companions, and yet it always interested me to behold them, palm staff in hand, as a sacred memento of Arabia, vigorously making their way through the deep sand or mud. They were returning happily to their homes ; but how many did I meet who only conunenced their long and tedious journey? and yet they were equally happy. On my road from Samarkand to Teheran I had as a companion a native of Chinese Tartary, who, in total ignorance of the route he had to take, asked me every evening, even when we were yet at Meshed, whether we should see to-morrow, or at the farthest after to-morrow, the minarets of Mekka. The poor fellow had no idea how much he would have to endure before he reached his destination. However, this should not surprise us when we remember that during the time of the crusades so many honest Teutons undertook a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and after two or' three days' journey hoped to behold the walls of Jerusalem.* The routes to Arabia adopted by the pious Tartars are the followmg, viz. : — 1. Yarkend, Kilian, Tibet, Kashmir, f 2. Through Southern Siberia, Kazan and

* See Noesselt's " Gescliichte fur Tochter schulen," who also states that many pilgrims, ignorant of the road, allowed themselves to be led by a frightened goose which ran before them.

t From Yarkend to Kilian on the boundary line are three days' journey, from there, by way of Tagarma and Kadun, to Tibet, twenty days, and thence to Kashmir fifteen days.

Constantinople. 3. Through Afghanistan and India to Djedda. 4. Through Persia, Bagdad, and Damascus. ISTone of these routes is a comfortable one, and the amount of danger to be incurred is very much dependent upon the season of the year and the pohtical state of the countries through which they pass. The travellers form themselves in larger or smaller companies, and elect a chief (Tchaush) from amongst themselves, who also fills amongst them the office of Imam, (the person who first says the prayers to be repeated by the rest,) and who enjoys a considerable superiority over his companions. A visit to the Kaaba and the tomb of the Prophet (which may be paid at any season) is not so much the culminatmg point of the whole pilgrimage as the ascent of Mount Arafat. This can be made only once a year, viz., on the Kurban festival, (10th Zil Hidje,) which is nothing more or less than the sacrifice of Abraham and Isaac dramatized. AU those who have taken part in this festival and have joined in the cry, "Lebeik AUah ! " — Command, Oh God," (in allusion to Abraham's imphcit obedience,) are regarded as genuine Hadjis. This cry of " Lebeik ! Lebeik ! " uttered at the most solemn moment of the whole pilgrimage, seems also to have the deepest impression upon the pilgrim himself. My travelling companions, whenever they became excited or were m a happy mood of mind, always alluded to it; and the stiUness of the Tartar deserts was often broken by this memento of the stony districts of Arabia.

However painful and heartrending separation from home may be when so long and dangerous a journey has to be undertaken, the joy which the Hadjis experienced on their return fully counterbalances it. Friends and relations, informed of his near arrival, go out to meet them several days in advance. Hymns are sung, and tears of joy are shed when the Hadji makes his entry into his native place. Every one wants to embrace him, to touch him, for the atmosphere of holy places still surrounds him, the dust of Mekka and Medina still covers his garments. In Central Asia the Hadji is held in much greater esteem than in any other Mohammedan country. It has cost him much to obtain his dignity, but he is amply repaid. Respected and supported by his feUow citizens he is better protected against the tyraim^y of the Government than any other citizen. The title of a " Hadji " is a patent of nobility, which, dm'ing his lifetime, he parades on his seal, after death on his tombstone.

The Hadjis, of course such as are not mere beggars, often transact, during their pious pilgrimage, a little commercial business. "5em tidjared hem ziaret^ — " Commerce and pilgrimage together " are not allowed by their rehgion; but nobody seems to suffer any pricks of conscience in taking to his co-religionist in