Page:From Constantinople to the home of Omar Khayyam.djvu/490

 298 AU RE VOIR TO PERSIA

though his reticence was great. The Turkomans plundered his native village while he was still a boy, and carried him oif as one of the prizes of their raid. Sold into servitude, he was reared as a Turkoman and lived for years among them, until the day when the Persians turned the tables against their old foes, and paid them a punitive visit. Riza was among the human chattels recovered ; and his uncle chanced to recognize him, paid for his ransom, and brought him to Mashad. Though well on in years, Riza retained his Turkoman garb, the furry cap and belted dress that had been forced upon him in his youth, so that he looked the veritable son of the northern deserts, and I took him at first for one of the tribe of Turan. Like his Turanian captors, he was a superb horseman; and it was a delight to watch him gallop ahead, after the manner of an Indian scout on the prairies, to point out the best track for our horses to take, and then dash back to see if we were following the lead aright. It was he who knew the one and only place where the torrent stream of Ab-kat could be forded with safety, so that without mishap we reached our encampment, whose white tents we had for some time been watching in the dis- tance, dotting the hillside not far from Danah.

The Khan of the village, whose local dignity was the greater because he was a Said, or descendant of Muhammad, came to the camp directly after our arrival, in order to make a formal call of welcome. One of his retinue carried a black lamb in his arms, the sacrifice of which, alas, formed part of the proffered hospitality. The Khan, though well informed on local matters, knew nothing about any ancient legends connected with the territory; but he told of a rock-hewn cave, with eighteen chambers, that could be found excavated in the steep slope of a hill near Nauzad, a village about two farsakhs distant. Some later traveler may perhaps visit the spot, and may possibly find something of interest. We ourselves were unfortunately pre- vented from making the trip because of the excursion which we had planned to a different site on the morrow.

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