Chapter VI

The humble tent and murmuring breeze,
That whistles through its fluttering walls,
My unaspiring fancy please,
Better than towers and splendid halls.

MAISUNA.

“The best thing we can now do for a while,” said Seirami, “until this storm shall blow over, will be to go and live with Kazim in his cottage on the Ilamish. Perhaps, before the winter sets in, and the valleys and plains are filled with snow, you may succeed in collecting some of your scattered troops, and strike a decisive blow against Karaman.”

“Be it as you say,” replied Suleiman, “we shall turn goat-herds for a while, and wait for the return of those smiles of which fortune has been so sparing of late.”

“My hut, is in truth, a small one,” observed Kazim; “but Mangeli will be delighted to give you up her chamber.”

“That she shall not do, my good friend,” rejoined Suleiman; “if your hut be not large enough to hold us all, we shall soon build an addition to it. It is not the first time that Seirami and I have turned architects, and if occasion should require it, we are ready to do so again. In the meanwhile, methinks that is the tomb of a saint, which I see beyond those pastures in the distance. We shall not fail to find a well somewhere near it, which will be refreshing both to ourselves and to our horses.”

Cantering over the green turf, the travellers reached a hillock, planted with stately palm-trees, the silver larch, the mulberry, and some willows. In the middle of the shady circle, formed of the trees, was a marble tomb of a saint, surmounted by a small temple, with a portico, that ran all round the edifice. Seats for pilgrims were placed in the portico, and disposed among the willows; the former affording shelter from the rain or storm; the latter a cool retreat from the beams of the noontide sun, to those who wished to enjoy the fragrant zephyrs, which sported through the surrounding grove. The grateful breath of the heathy blossoms and wild flowers, growing in the neighbouring hills and vallies, imparted to the breezes that swept over them a delicious odour, while the pure stream that flowed from the fountain, at the foot of the tomb, charmed the senses with a soft murmur--the music of solitude, awakening in the memory images of departed friends, and filling the soul with a tender melancholy much more congenial to its nature, than any happiness it can enjoy amongst crowds.

The horses rushed gladly to the stream, that sparkled like silver in the light, and drank, until they were sated, of its refreshing waters. Suleiman and his companions plunged into a small lake, where the pilgrims were accustomed to bathe, and in a few moments lost all sense of the fatigue which they had recently endured. New strength and health appeared to brace their manly limbs, as they rose from the transparent wave. Then, permitting their animals to browse at will, they ate a few dates, and mulberries, which they gathered in the sacred grove, and throwing themselves on the grass, they slept until the shadows of the trees lengthened far over the valley.

And here, perhaps, they might have continued to slumber until morning, had not the tinkling of many sheep and camel bells, the neighing of horses, the voices of shepherds, the loud laughter of children, mingled with the incessant barking of dogs, disturbed them from their repose. Suleiman, who, though a sound sleeper, was capable of being startled by the slightest noise, rose instantly on his feet, and hastening to the brow of the hillock, beheld, at a distance, an immense moving mass, evidently directing its course towards the tomb of the saint. Calling his companions to witness this spectacle, which Kazim, though he had often heard of it, had never seen before, they observed the crowd with intense interest, as the procession gradually developed the various objects of which it was composed.

In front, were seen groups of men, dressed in gay attire, armed with bows and spears, attended by minor groups of boys and girls, all mounted on spirited horses; the young folk occasionally riding races with each other over the plains, and shouting in bursts of merriment that rent the air. Here two juvenile troopers were seen fencing with each other, as they rode at full gallop; here a fox or a hare was started, and chased by dogs and horsemen; while others were capering about, as if to show off the mettle of their favourite steeds, which sometimes stood upon the hinder legs as straight as an arrow, the rider, nevertheless, holding his place as if he were a part of the steed itself.

Behind these groups, which formed only the van-guards of the horde, came their matrons, decked out in holiday finery, seated on beautiful coursers, worthy of the best blood of Arabia. A few of these women bore in one arm infants still at the breast, while in the other they held the bridles of the foremost camels in each train, which moved in single columns, laden with tents, household goods, merchandize, and packages of every description, covered with rich Turkey or Persia carpets, that reached the ground. The camels were ornamented with red ribbons, and added not a little to the gaiety of the scene. Then followed large flocks of sheep, and herds of mares, tended by shepherds who were armed with long staffs and crooks, clothed in the Calmuc costume. The march seemed to be made the most of by every body, with a view to display the riches of each family, as well in the usual articles of dress and ornament, as in the agility and vigour of the young men, and the beauty of the maidens.

Suleiman, mounting his horse, rode forward to meet the procession, and to congratulate the foremost of the horde upon their arrival at the tomb of the saint. When he came back, with a few of the chieftains to the well, it would have seemed as if he had been one of their tribe himself, so perfectly cordial were their greetings with each other. With Seirami and Kazim they were all speedily upon equally friendly terms. The multitude, after having refreshed themselves and their different animals, in the running stream, set about erecting their tents. A frame-work of willow laths, formed in separate parts, and rising to nearly the height of a man, was, in the first instance fixed upright in the ground, the compartments being tied together by woollen bands, and disposed round the circumference of a circle, leaving an aperture for a wooden door-frame, which stood by itself, containing two small folding doors. From this foundation sprung a number of poles, raised in a slanting direction, towards a common centre, where they were prevented from meeting by a wooden hoop, in which they were all inserted. The poles were also bound firmly together by woollen girths, and the whole skeleton of a hut, thus composed, was closely covered over with large pieces of felt. Over the circular aperture, formed by the central hoop at the top, was suspended a sheet of the same material, one end of which was always raised on the side least exposed to the wind, as well for the purpose of affording an outlet to the smoke, as for admitting sufficient light into the domicile below. The door-way being protected from the external cold by another piece of felt, which was hung over it, and lifted by those who passed in or out, and the whole of the covering of the hut being made fast by woollen thongs, the residence was in a very short time complete in every respect. The air was soon after filled with columns of smoke, ascending from the fires, on which pans well stored with mutton were placed. In some of the tents, cakes simply made, without any leaven, were laid on stones heated by embers, and baked with great rapidity; while, in others, tea and coffee were seen in an active course of preparation.

Suleiman and his companions were invited by the chieftains to live with them as long as they pleased--a hospitable proposal, which he accepted as frankly as it was made. He found the interior of the principal huts roomy, and well furnished, especially that of the prince of the horde, an intelligent looking, elderly person, dressed in a short Calmuc coat of blue cloth, white trowsers, a mottled silk waistcoat, and a thick velvet cap trimmed with sable, decorated by a red tassel and a gold loop. Seated on the same cushion with the prince was his consort, a young and agreeable woman, whose blue frock dress, over a silk petticoat, ornamented with gold flowers, high square Calmuc cap of Persian gold muslin, (trimmed also with sable and tassels), gold ear-rings with pendants of large pearls, and red morrocco boots, betrayed her desire to appear before the strangers in a garb not altogether unworthy of her station. On a chest, near her, was an open trinket-box, a beautiful rosary, made of smooth black kernels, with coral and round onyx-stones interposed between them at regular intervals, and also a guitar elegantly inlaid with a variety of precious stones.

The tent was abundantly furnished with rich carpets, for the accommodation of visitors. Images of gods were suspended here and there, together with those celebrated astrological circles, which afford a protection against evil. Chests, covered with Persian cloth, containing the riches of the family, were piled in one part of the tent one above another; in the centre was the hearth, where a clear fire of ambrosial wood was burning; and near the door stood a few cans, ornamented with polished brass hoops, filled with mares’ milk.

The guests no sooner entered the tent, than they were followed by numerous attendants, bearing on silver dishes roast game, mutton stewed in every form, with and without rice, and cakes hot from the fire. After this plentiful and well-cooked meal, an exquisite wine was brought, in small bags, which was poured out into gold cups by the attendants, and placed before the prince and his guests. The princess only drank mares’ milk.

After the banquet was over, the tent was crowded with a number of young men and girls, the handsomest the horde could furnish, who, dressed out in their graceful costume, danced before the prince, the princess, and their guests, to the sound of the pipe, guitar, dulcimer, and tambourine. Sometimes the dance was rapid and lively, indicating great joy: sometimes it assumed the solemnity of a religious ceremony, when hymns were sung by the whole party in chorus. They then performed a dramatic entertainment--a favourite amusement of the princess--in which the chieftains of other hordes were satirised and ridiculed, in a vein of drollery that shook the tent with laughter, echoed by the crowds, who, not being able to gain admission, were gathered outside, listening to the actors within.

The guests upon taking leave, when these sports were over, were prevailed upon to enter several of the other huts in succession. In some, parties were engaged playing at chess; in some, at dice or cards; while story-tellers were occupied in others, amusing the family, and their more intimate friends, with tales of genii, and spirits of the land and deep, warlike adventures, and all sorts of narratives of the wild and wondrous world of enchantment.

Seirami, from all he had hitherto observed of the hordes, by whom he and his companions were so hospitably received, imagined that their habits were entirely pastoral, and that, with the exception of a few men, armed for their protection, while moving about from place to place, there were scarcely any warriors amongst them.

But in one of the tents which he last visited, he found a group of finely formed, active, and robust youths, girt with sabres, their bows and quivers suspended round the walls of the hut, listening to some martial songs, which appeared to agitate them to a violent degree. In those songs, the vicissitudes of a battle were boldly depicted; and as the hero in whose fate they felt an interest was borne onward, or repelled, on the tide of war, they half drew their sabres from their sides, burning with a desire to share in the fortunes of the field.

With these young warriors Seirami remained for some time, and being called upon in his turn to contribute to the general amusement, he gave them an animated description of the contest with Mirtas, in which Suleiman had been recently defeated--suppressing, of course, every incident that might warrant the charge of treachery, made by that prince against his chieftain. When to this narrative, which, told in the fluent and graceful style of one of the most accomplished masters of language in his day, easily captivated the passions of those to whom it was addressed, he added the history of Suleiman’s escape from the garden, and of the heroic constancy and courage he had shown in rescuing his friends from the cruel and ignominious death to which they had been doomed, the warriors rose by unanimous impulse, and touching their sabres together, swore that they would follow Suleiman, if he would lead them to attack the town of Karaman, and destroy the monster, whose deeds promised that he would rule it with a mace of iron.

Suleiman, upon being made acquainted with the offers of these men, accepted them for his allies, with the consent of their prince; but said that, as their numbers were not sufficient for an assault upon such a town as Karaman, he must wait until he could collect a larger force for the purpose. In the mean time they would be eminently useful to him as emissaries, to collect those of his scattered army, who had not been captured, and he had no doubt that with such brave auxiliaries he would soon be enabled to avenge the insult he had sustained from Mirtas.

The song, the dance, the laugh, the voice of the story-tellers, the sound of drum and mandolin gradually ceased throughout the tents as the night advanced. The signs of animation died away one after another; and when Kazim looked out from the door of the hut, occupied by himself and his companions, to gaze once more on the well-known star, which he and Mangeli had often remarked shining over their own dear cottage, he wondered at the profound repose into which the whole tribe was hushed, together with their camels, horses, sheep, and other animals.

With the exception of the occasional bark of a dog, heard at the confines of the encampment, all was as still as the blue heavens above; the sweet murmur of the sacred fountain seeming only to soothe into a deeper silence, the solemn tranquillity that reigned every where around.