C H A P T E R L X X V .
THE R U S S IA N A D V A N C E TO MER V
Russo-Turkoman relations from 1713.— Russian forts on the Caspian
seaboard.— Opposition from Kirghese and Turkomans.—Russian
advance to Kizil Arvat andChikishliar.— Failures under Markozoff.—
Pacification of Yomud Turkomans by Lomakin.—Lomakin’s defeats
by the Akhal Tekkes.—Skobeleff’s campaign and capture of Geok
Tepe.—Turkmenia visited by political agents, private adventurers,
and a journalist.—Journeys of Marsh, Napier, Macgregor, Butler,
and Petrusevitch.— O’Donovan’s ride to Merv, and extracts from
his private correspondence.— Journeys in disguise of Stewart to
Khorassan and Alikhanoff to Merv.—Benoist-M6chin’s journey
from Khiva to Merv.
I P U R P O S E to give in this chapter a brief account
of the Russian approach to Merv, and of recent
travel thither. The Russians first entered into
relations with the Turkomans during the reign of
Peter the Great, when, in 1713, these nomads offered
to aid the Russians in occupying the lands along the
Oxus, where the Tsar expected to find gold. Two
years later the Kalmuk Khan, Ayuk, after coercing
the Turkomans into obedience, acknowledged himself
a vassal of Russia ; but it was not till 1803 that the
Abdal tribe of Turkomans were granted a document
taking them under Russian protection. In 1811 two
deputations, representing 6,000 families, repaired to
Astrakhan, seeking Russian protection. Similar overtures
were repeated in 1813, 1820, 1 S3 7, and 1840,
and, 16 years later, the Turkomans of Alexander Bai
asked the Russians to establish a fortress on their
coast, offering even to build it themselves. More
recently, however, says M. Veniukoff, the Turkomans
endeavoured to frustrate all attempts of the
Russians to establish themselves on the east coast of
the Caspian.
The first Russian forts erected in Turkmenia were
on Cape Karagan, in the Bekhtyv Bay, and on the
Krasnovodsk spit, in 1715-16-17, but they were all
abandoned after the failure of Bekovitch’s expedition
to Khiva. Officers were sent, in 1819 and 1821, to
choose a site for a fort, but the next Russian military
settlement was not founded until 1833, in Mertvy
Kultuk (now Tsarevitch Bay), and called Novo
Alexandrovsk. It was to this spot Abbott and Shake-
spear travelled in 1840, but the fort was abandoned
6 years later, and a new one erected on the Mangyshlak
peninsula.
In 1859 a large reconnoitring force was sent to the
east coast under Dandevil, but was attacked by
Turkomans, so that the survey of the Balkhans could
not be carried out. A site was selected, however, at
Krasnovodsk for a new fort, after which Dandevil
proceeded south by vessel to Ashurada and to Hassan
Kuli Bay, where he bombarded a Turkoman settlement.
He also stormed and took Chikishliar, but
made no lodgment on that part of the coast.
Ten years later a Russian expedition laid the
foundation of the stone fort in Krasnovodsk Bay,
and in the following year established 3 military positions
somewhat further south. The invaders were
then able to push an expedition 130 miles inland to