The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-12

ues greatly increased. IL was the worst season In
the year for travelling; the Winter was unusually
late and the horses having eaten all their stock Of
provender, had nothing but snow or sand to sub
sist on, and were lean and feeble IN the extreme.
Even the camels were almost worthless. Up TO the
province OF Turkestan-that is for threefourths OF
the rouse-the stations were kept by kirgheezes,
who were negligent, improvIdent, and uncvil,
and on whom no dependence could be placed.
The station houses, II any, were wretched and
hthy and were usually mere Eibitbas-Kirgheez
felt tents-or underground novels, called zenalan-
kdS. These latter were often warm and c0mforta-
BILE. They are dug out OF the EARTH with long
descent to reach them. and have nat roof made
OF mud and reeds, almost on a level with the
ground This 10 the last year, I believe, Of the
contract made by the postal authorities with the
Kirgneezes, and hereafter the route Is to be con-
trolled by Russians It il probably in the III
natured spirit OF bad servant who has had notice
to quit that the Kirgheez station masters are now
80 particularly negligent. Everywhere the Cossacks
on the route complained OF them, and OF the neg
lect OF the postal authorities IN not Furnishing
them. One poor fellow, employed as writer, and
living in most wretched underground hut, had
received no pay for three months, and, his wife
informed me with tears in her eyes, they were
almost starving. Several times we were begged
to give, If we could, little tea sugar bread to
these poor COssacks who were so badly looked
after By he acknowledgements we were only too
glad to comply with. Al sson as we entered the
province OF Turkestan, though II was in the worst
part OF the steppe-the desert Of Kara-Kum-a
great change was manifest. Owing to the praise
worthy exertions Of the District Inspector OF
kazala the road Is kept in order; the station
houses are neat, substantial buildings, made OF
snn-dried brick. with broad iivans covered with
rugs, where one can sleep comfortably and every
things seems Clean This part OF the route is
under contract TO Russian company, and
the horses are better and the service ex-
cellent. So far as the roads are concerned
we were very lucky. We had expected
mud aud all sorts Of horrors. We found
nrst the snow road hard and nrm, and then the
road over the steppe still frozen and practicable,
and our vehicles did not even sink much In the
sand. Really bad bits Of road were very rare, and
our greatest difficulty was In crossing the river Or
about two O'Clock one morning. when We found the
ice too weak TO bear u.s. We wandered about the
banks for two hours, vainy seeking for better
crossing plsc e. At last We succeeded In persuad-
ing one ofour Krgheez drivers to Co. at the risk Of
drowning, to village on the other side, wake up
the inhabitants, and find out the ford for u.s. He
came back with the news that We could 60 straight
on; and, though our unshod horses hated to break
through the Ice and cut their feet, we found the
water hardly more than foot deep.
NOT so BAD AS 1T is PAINTED
In another respect we were also iavorably dis
overwhelmingly. In the dangerous character OF
our journey. Both OF us had been assured, even
by persons who should have known, that there
were bands Of marauders infesting the road that
stations had been attacked; that the nails were
not considered safe, &C. IN consequence OF which
we provided ourselves with liberal supply OF ps-
tolls and took every precauton to ensure our
safety. All these rumors and reports seem to be
pure inven tons calculated for the English market.
In order to excite hopes IN certain party there
that Russia is finding her Asatic possessions too
much for her, and will have difficuty III crushing
Khva. How people In the frontier forts smile d
when we told them OF these rumors OF the reported
attacks by Khvans on the Emba AMI Irghiz forts
and especially ut the Intelligence thought had
had rom sure source that the Kirghiz Sadyk was
spreading terror and devastation through the
steppei Why, the steppe was never so tranquil.
No hostile Kirghiz are known TO exist, no bands OF
Khlvans have been seen, Sadyk has not been
heard OF, and we have arrived here safe aud sound
without q breath OF opposition or a dream OF dan
ger, and without having had single article stolen
though opportunities were apundant. Even ladies
travel here alone or with single servant
To insure the tranquility OF the steppe various
forts nave been constructed where small garrisons
are now maintained. The nrst OF these our
road was 0rsk. when is now OF no practical I'M
portance. About one hundred and thirty miles
south or this is Kara Butak on the little river OF
the same name, a small but secure fortress amid
the hills which form the southern continuation Of
the Ural Mountains IT is garrisoned BY about one
hundred men and mounts one good rifled gun,
yvh iphi ynn
natural strength OF the place would enable 1t sue
cessuy to resist any force OF Kirgnzes that could
be brought against IL. The fort itsell
is mere earthwork. and about are grouped
q dozen small houses. Fort lrghiz, for
merly called Fort Uralsk, Is 10 miles fur
Their south, on the low bank OF the River
IrghlA and q small village has grown up about the
Notifications. To the west two forts on the Emba
complete the line to Fort AlexandrofIsky. on the
Caspian, and to the east there Is Fort Orenburg.
Kara Butak and Irghiz we looked on as welcome
hating places In our disagreeable journey, and
cannot sufficiently express my thanks to the COM
mandants OF those forts for the kindness and assist
ance they showed us. At kara-Butak We arrived
late In the evening. In q small sedge with two
wretched horses, having found 1t Impossible to get
our npedimeatd further than the last station. The
commandant, Colonel Senukoviich, to whom Mr..
schuyler nau lctter, received us most kindly,
Toasted US and gave us quarters in his own house,
and sent on horses for our vehicles and luggage,
otherwise they might be still waiting in that little
hole OF station.
THE STEPpE.
II Is little difficult to describe the stcppe
except by saying that for the first half Of my way
I saw nothing bnt snow. and the other naf nothing
but sand. In general appearance the steppc re-
minds me OF the plains of Colorado. or rather those
OF Arizona. Unlike the steppes Of Southern Rus
STA, the land here Is not perfectly nat but slightly
rolling and swelling, and until We reached the
Aral sea there was always a line OF low hills on
our right the Mugodjarsky Mountains, the lower
end OF the Ura. In general the steppe is covered
with grass and various small plants, including
multitudes Of tulips and numerous low bushes,
which help to furnish fuel. But at this season the
grass was dry, ana 1t was only near the Syr Darla