Historical Reference

Merv Oasis Vol. II Page 54

The Merv Oasis: Travels and Adventures East of the Caspian During the Years 1879-80-81,
Including Five Months' Residence Among the Tekkes of Merv
By Edmund O'Donovan
Published by G. P. Putnam's sons, 1883 Volume II

Page 54

54 FAVORABLE PROSPECTS.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
THE ATTOCK. FALL OF GEOK TEPE.
Fresh hindrances to departure — Russian intrigues — Communications with Makdum Kuli Khan — Topography of Deregez — Ethnology of the frontier provinces— Deserted cities — An excursion with the Khan of Deregez — Curious ceremony of Guebre origin — A cavalry review — Turkmen horses — Ornaments on horses and men — A varied assortment of guns — Curious divination rites — The plate of destiny — Lotfabad — Vineyards and wines — Arrack — Persian ideas on wine drinking — Intoxicating powder — Intemperance in Persia — Opium smoking — Major Stewart -Crops in the Attock — Primitive harrows and ploughs — Armed cultivators — Plowing with one hand and fighting with the other — A people of robbers — Want of roads — Awlili and Makdum tribes — Bringing in prisoners — A ghastly sight — Butchering wounded prisoners — Permission to leave Deregez — Fighting at Geok Tepe — A Persian raid — Kalta chenar — Between two fires — In sight of Geok Tepe — Description of the stronghold — Incidents of the siege — The final assault — Fall of the Tekke capital — Flight of the defenders.

On leaving Meshed all obstacles to my penetrating into the Turkmen country seemed to have been removed. I was in communication with Makdum Kuli Khan, the Akhal Tekke commander, and felt little doubt about overcoming any scruples he might still entertain about receiving me into his fortress. The Prince Governor of Meshed had given me a formal passport to proceed, and I fully expected to find myself, in a very few weeks at furthest, in Geok Tepe. Persian diplomacy, however, is hard to fathom, and Russian agents, who thought I intended to take an active share in the defense of the beleaguered fortress, raised up Obstacles which kept me over two months in the- Deregez. The Governor of that province, Mehemet Ali Khan, while treating

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These are my notes on some important historical works. I have edited and where possible standardized spellings. The subject of the works has not and will not change but they are not word for for word identical with the originals. For instance in the case of General Mikhail_Dmitrievich Skobelev I adopted the more common use of Skobelev rather than Skoboloff. If this presents a problem then find another source. Barry O'Connell

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