 |
 20. OOSBEGS OF KOONDOOZ, TOORKISTAUN.
IN August 1841, I was introduced to the subjects of this sketch at a conference in the fort Lughmaunee in the Coistaun. Their names were Meerza Abdooluq, and Roostum Beg, of the great Oosbeg tribe of Kuttaghun, the most powerful family in Toorkistaun, whose chief, Mooraud Beg, is Meer or Prince of Koondooz. His dominions lie between Bokhara and Caubul, north of Hindoo Coosh or Coh, the Mountains of the Moon, and south of the Oxus or Ammu. The Meer, acknowledging no allegiance to Bokhara, which is too distant to enforce obedience, has, from independence in the first instance, become at last the most powerful enemy of its king, who styles himself Ameer ool Momuneen, the commander of the faithful.
According to some travelers, these Toorks, Oosbegs, or Torkmauns are a mild and gentle race; and, from their small eyes, which are often blue (an indication of their Gotic or Getic origin), fair complexions, and an effeminate look, which their want of beard or whisker frequently imparts, any casual observer might draw the same inference. They have all a strong Tartar expression, broad, round, but retiring foreheads, deep-set eyes placed obliquely in their heads, and a scanty allowance of hair on their faces, two or three single ones comprising the whole of that usually magnificent ornament of the Mahommedan countenance, the beard. They wear cloak upon cloak, “Chuppun,” of silk and cotton mixture. The favourite and fashionable style is a broad dotted pattern of the most gaudy colouring, called “Udrus,” bearing a close resemblance to the description in holy writ of Joseph’s “coat of many colours.” The national head-dress, of white muslin, wound round a high pointed skull-cap, “Kalpauk,” of coloured silk, is tied in a fold under the left ear. This tie is the distinguishing badge of these tribes. In place of socks, the Toorkmauns twist cloth or linen round their legs, over which their “Moohusees” (long thin leather boots of shagreen) are worn. Out of doors, shoes of a thicker material, with turned-up toe, and three-inch sharp-pointed iron heels, are pulled over the “Moohusees.” They rush to the battle with a shout, and carry long knives, matchlocks, swords, axes, and heavy wooden lances fifteen to twenty feet long, which they hurl from behind them when hard pressed by their pursuers, and so fight as they fly, like Parthians of old. Their national and favourite style of warfare is a “Chuppao;” that is to say, a body of horse is sent forth to pounce upon a passing caravan, a village, or an encampment, sweeping away into miserable bondage their unfortunate prey. They are (in the opinion of those who have mixed with them) the veriest villains in the world, and by profession robbers, assassins, and slave-drivers. The last is considered a highly-respectable calling, the two first all condemn, but all more or less follow sub rosá. This human traffic is so openly carried on, that if you ask an Oosbeg what tax his village pays to the Meer, he tells you two horses, three cows, five men, and twelve women. A too-ready market is found for these unhappy wretches at Bokhara Shureef, the Holy, or Balk, the Mother of Cities. A chief who cannot conveniently pay his revenue tax in money, drives off without compunction the inhabitants of the nearest village (probably of his own tribe) to the slave market. As a mark of respect, the Oosbegs hide their hands in their wide sleeves when addressing a superior. These same receptacles, too, they scruple not to convert into spittoons in the course of conversation. In addition to this, these “Audam farosh” (man-sellers), as the Afghauns call them by way of reproach, commit other enormities; and one practice, which scare deserves a milder name, is their novel way of taking snuff. Instead of indulging, honest men, their noses with that pungent delicacy, they open their mouths wide, and turning up the upper lip with one hand, they rub in the titillating powder between the gums with the other. After so disgusting a habit, which is in vogue among Bameeaunchees also, and many other inhabitants of Toorkistaun (Tartary), what can be wondered at in such a people?
The black tent of the Toorkmaun is called “Khirgah,” and is made of dark felts, or “Numdahs,” stretched tightly and fastened by a leathern centre strap over a latticework of split rods, plaited in a wooden frame. It has a domed roof of like material, and in the middle is a hole for the escape of smoke. The whole is pitched without the aid of tent-peg, rope, or pole. The interior is also hung with woollen felts of lighter colours, and ornamented in every part, from wall to roof, with numberless gay cords and tassels. The whole forms a habitation impervious to heat, cold, or wet. An encampment of these tents, or beehives, which they more resemble, is styled “Obeh.” The usual beverage of these foray and plunder-loving wanderers is tea, of which they are excessively fond. They drink it at all hours, mixing with it the fat of the “Doomba’s” tail (a sheep peculiar to these countries, with a caudal appendage half as large as itself), and they afterwards hand round the sodden tea-leaves with salt, which they esteem a great luxury. They drink mares’ milk, and make from it an intoxicating liquor, and eat horse-flesh, which they prefer to beef. As their horses are not only their constant and faithful companions in danger and fatigue, but also the primary means of success in their predatory expeditions, the Toork loves his fleet and hardy steed, and cherishes it “as a daughter.”
As a specimen of their mode of warfare, of which we had many opportunities of judging, I select the following from the letter of an officer who bore a prominent part in our intercourse with this people. In 1839 we beat the Oosbegs at their own game, the “Chuppao.” Having taken possession of the fort of Syghaun, they sent a messenger to Baumeeaun with a threat that they would ere long pay us a visit there. Having sent him back with twenty hours’ start, that they might have timely warning to take themselves off, at night we commenced our march over most distressing ground. Two hundred infantry, mounted on “Yaboos,” baggage ponies, were left behind, their beasts being completely done up; but the rest of the force pushed on, consisting of sixty horse artillerymen mounted as cavalry, and three hundred Afghaun horse. Instead of reaching the fort in the grey of the morning, as was intended, owing to the almost inaccessible and dangerous roads we had been traversing, added to the darkness of the night, our progress had been so impeded that it was nine o’clock A.M. when we came in sight of it. As we entered the valley, we dashed forward at the black “Obeh” of the Oosbegs, whose numbers amounted to seven hundred men, chiefly horse. They saw us approaching from afar, and the people from the walls of the fort gave them notice by loud cries and yells. The Oosbeg host crowded to the centre of their camp, and mounting their horses, turned out in good order, apparently intending to show fight. However, when we got near them they changed their minds, and, turning their horses’ heads, they fled separately, and so precipitately, that they looked as if they never meant to pull up. It was a beautiful sight to see them go slap at the high hills, (their horses climb like cats,) some clashing down the valley, intersected as it was with walls, brooks, bogs, and ditches, which proved stumbling-blocks to many. However, they re-formed on the height some distance down the valley, and again fired at us, but were dispersed handsomely by the troopers and Rattray’s Afghauns. Two hundred horses were taken, with the standing camp (at which the greater number of the “Hakim’s” cavalry had pulled up during the heat of the pursuit to plunder, the invariable custom of these gentry, who consider it the orthodox way of proving their victory) and other property, alone worth ten thousand roopees. We returned to Baumeeaun by eight P.M. the same night, having been in our saddles twenty-seven hours. The effect of this cowardly fight was good, and we nearly succeeded in capturing the Oosbeg leader, Gholaum Beg, the eldest son of the Meer Wallee of Koolloom, who, it was ascertained, blockaded the fort of Syghaun for the benefit of Dost Mahommed, who then resided in high favour at his father’s court. So great was his surprise at our sudden appearance, that he fled, leaving the whole of his camp equipage behind him. We did not even give him time to break his fast, as we found his pillao cooking on the fire, and the fellows afterwards confessed we came upon them too soon―that they took us for elephants who moved slowly―nor did they think for a moment the unbelievers were up to anything half so knowing as a Chuppao.
[Keywords]
chapan/ adras/ qalpaq/ chapawl/ adamforush/ khargah/ oba/ Uzbek/ Qunduz/ Turkistan/ Laghmani/ Kohestan/ Kattaghan/ Morad Beg/ Amir al-Mu’minin/ Turkman/ namad/ Sayghan/ Bamiyan/ yabu/ Ghulam Beg
|
NEXT |
|
|
BACK |
|
|