Kazaks are chiefly nomades, with great flocks of sheep. They speak a corrupt form of Turkish.
Kazaks roam over the desert steppes that lie between Siberia, China, Turkestan, and the Caspian Sea. Russia, China, Khokaud, Bokhara, and Khiva leVy tribute on portions of this race ; but they are true nomades, and cannot be said to be subjects of any particular power. They subsist on the milk and flesh of their flocks and herds. At the commencement of winter, when forage fails, the Kazak kills the old horses, camels, etc., and salts their flesh for winter food. They are Sunni Muhammadans.
In manner of life and language the Kazak is hardly to be distinguished from the Burnt. In colour, the Kazak women and young men have white, almost a European complexion, which darkens by exposure. The Kazak have the short neck of the Turanian race, so different from the long-necked Iranians ; and they have thick-set, powerful frames, with large hones ; head not very large, crown round, and more pointed than flat ; eyes less almond-shaped, but awry and sparkling ; prominent cheek-bones, pug noses, a broad flat forehead, and a larger chin than the Burut ; beard on chin thin, only hairs on both ands of upper lip. They deem a Kalmuk woman more beautiful than their own. The men in summer wear the Kalpak head-dress, and in winter the Tumak cap of fur, covered with cloth and flaps. They are almost all Muhammadans, but, like all nomade tribes, are lax in their observances, for they retain much of the Shamanist belief which they held prior to their conversion some centuries before. Cheiromancy, astrology, casting out devils, are common to all Muhammadans, but the Kazak draw omens from the burnt sacrifice of the shoulder-blade and the twisting of the entrails.
From the Vendidad opening chapters there seems in ancient times to have been a great kingdom in Central Asia,—an eastern branch, with 10111 primeval seats on the Oxus. The Iranian people, 4.1110 were settled between the Oxus and the Jax artes as early as the times of the Judges of Israel, still, however, hold their ground in the country, iiiider the names of Tat, Tajak, Sart, Galsha, and Parsivan. A primitive and not impure Iranian population might still be found in almost every district, from the Indus to the Jaxartes, and throughout the valleys of the Oxus. And l'ersian,
Kurd, Armenian, Osset, and Tajak are dwelling in the countries to the W. and N.W. of India.
Iranian races have always been known for their refinement and high civilisation, from which Europe borrowed through the Byzantine and Greek culture, and the Persians have long and faithfully retained the features of its national characteristics. Though overrun by the Semitic and Turanian races, the Iranian has borrowed little or nothing from them, but has exerted over them powerful influence. According to Khanikoff (Sur l'Ethnographie de la Perse), the Iranian of Persia came from the east of modern Persia, about Segestan and Khorasan, and moved to the west in pre-historic ages; and, though altered by the attacks of the Turk tribes from the north, or from contact on the west and south with Turanian and Semitic elements, the Mede is everywhere recognisable as the same as described by Herodotus and later Greek writers. The arrow-headed writing at Persepolis enumerates the Iranian people of that day. The form of the Iranian is spare but elegant, even noble, but there have always been differences between the Eastern and Western Iranians.
The East Iranians are—(a) the Segestani or Khali, (b) Char Aimak, (c) Tajak and Sart ; each of which counts many subdivisions. The principal number of the Segestan people occupy Khaf and its neighbourhood, Huy, Tebbes, and Birjan.
The people of Khorasan are greatly intermixed with Turk elements. The language of modern Iran is laden with Arabic and Turkish words ; but in the east the language is much like that in which Fardusi wrote his poem, free from words of Arabic origin.
The Char Aimak consist of four peoples, the Taemuri, Taemuni, Firoz Kohi, and Jamshidi, all of them of Iranian origin, and all speaking Persian. The Aimak, who graze their flocks in the Paropa. misus, are brave and relentless; and Afghans, when travelling, whether proceeding from Balkh, Kabul, Kandahar, or Herat, never enter into the mountain districts of these intrepid nomade tribes.