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

surrounded by myrlaus OF them, Dut all were 700
shy for us TO shoot.
RAILWAY ROUTE.
Because at this particular season OF the year the
postal communications are bad and was four
teen days In getting TO Fort No. from orenburg,
1t must not be supposed that the steppe is crossed
with very great difnculty. or that there Is any
fnsuperable obstacle TO the movement OF large
bodies OF troops. In Summer they can easily
march across IL during the night and morning,
hating during the day to ayeid the heat
AS to Winter marches, few weeks ago two
battalions OF sharpshooters and three sotnias OF
Cossacks were sent down to the Khivan
expedition. The men were well clad In the usual
sheepskns, with hoods, felt boots and warm nit
tens, and were taken in sedges along the post
road, finding warm kfbitfas, food and little Uodka
soon ready for them At the stations, and In this
way easily made nfty and sixty miles day. Pc
rofsky's disastrous expedition to Khiva was In
Winter, but the Winter was unusually severe, the
routes unknown, and Perorsky's men were I'm
properly clothed and without the practice and ex.
perence that enable the Russian soldier Of the
present day to face the coolest weather success
fully. With the construction OF q railway every
thing win be easy. and Russia will ne as secure
on the Yaxartes as on the Neva There no
enormous difficulties in the way none 80 great
az were successfully overcome In the con-
struction OF the Pacific Railroad. The ground
rises and falls In easy gradients, and will necessl
tate few curves cuttings or entertainments. Wood
for ties can be had in the Ural mountains and can
be brought to the spot as easily as 1t was to our
Western plains; iron for rails Is abundant In the
ural, and fuel can be obtained from the rich coal
fields lately discovered on the upper course OF the
Syr-Daria. This railway to Central Asia Is no mere
dream, for explorations have already been begun
for II, and General Beznosikon has just arrived
here on business connected with II. railway
nom Orenburg TO Tashkend, from the volga to the
Yaxartes means the civilization and enlighten-
ment OF Central Asia the restoration or peace and
security where peace and security have been
for centuries unknown, the development OF o
rich commerce, the reclamation OF the desert by
Irrigation, and the return OF Transoxania to the
state OF prosperity in which it was left by Tanner.
lane. IL means the fall OF the greatest strong
hold Of Islamism, the spread OF intelligence and
culture, the daily HERALD the on reading room
tables Of the clubs OF Samarcand. Bokhara Khlva
and Herat. railway to Tashkend means the
spread OF Russian influence and authority to the
summit OF the Hndoo Koosh. 1t means that Cabul
Is nearer to st. Petersburg than to London.
LIFE ON THE ROAD.
As there was little variety in the scenery OF
the steppc. and 1t was not always that we could
see anything to shoot at, the incidents Of our
that occasionally passed at the stations. Some
times however, we amused ourselves on the
road. IT the horses camcls went very
slowly were ablc when 1t was not too cold,
to read In the carriage and we got through in this
way 'Middlemarch,n a couple Of French novels and
most Of the Koran. The last, OF course, we read
with interest in this Mussuman region. Very ire
qucntly indeed there horses to be had, or
only very bad ones. and were obliged to take
camels. At first we were much amused Mt seeing
these numbering, unwieldy beasts harnessed TO
carriage; but they went SO slowy-rarely more
than two miles an hour-that we conceived the
greatest aversion TO them. II one OF them was in
the slightest degree dissatisfied he would begin to
howl with most dscordant nosc and would keep
1t mp for hours at time until we arrived at the
next station. The camel seemed to me monde
script animal, far more resembling a bird than q
BEAST and classed him In my fancy as a sort of
cross between q cow and cassowary, partaking
more OF the nature OF the latter.
KIRGuEEz HOME LIFE.
At Tokan, the first station after leaving Orsk
the Cossack told us, after we had waited a long
! while, that though the Ktrgheez who kept the sta
ton had twelve horses. he refused to give US any.
and had driven away with blows the men sent to
! fetch them lie told u.s. further. that nothing
would do him much good ~ a severe drubbing,
and advised us TO go ourselves and administer 1t.
We accordingly, under the guidance OF the Cossack,
with revolvers in hand. set out for the neighborng
dui, or Kirgheez village where this tyrant lived, de-
termined to have the horses by fair means or foul
The old kirghecz seemed astonshed at this unusual
appariton, and, after lie had been well beaten by
the faithful AK Mametef fell down at full length at
our feet aud sued .or pardon. With many tears and
groans he furnished US with the horses We demand
ed in the space OF about two hours Faster not
our weapons could make him work. In the mean-
time we had an opportunity OF observing Kirghee
| Winter dwelling. Under sheds covered with straw
and earth. hlled with cattle and sheep, we passed
into crooked underground passage and emerged
| into sort OF den big enough for TWO people. but
| filed to the uttermost by three men, four women.
| three children several sheep and II sick horse. A
| hole answered for q window. and In one corner
was . mud stove, with the huge pot. which Is the
chief piece OF furniture In all Kirgheez dwellings.
| The children, who were sitting In a picturesque
group on the top OF the stove. fair with dark
| eyes ami very pretty faces. 'rs a pity they get
ugly so sooni At another time on rainy night we
got lost In the steppe, and had to wait TIL morning
at q Kirgheez and. This was much further SOUTH
| and the Kir family already in their sum
mer habitaton, the kibitca. This is round
tent made Of very light wooden framework and
covered with felt. The whole Is so light that IT
be carried on the back Of camel and simple
that 1t can be put in place In ten or fifteen min
| utes. Here we found family OF two men and
| their wives and children sitting on their launches
on pieces OF felt, while their tea was boiling over
| an open lire Of camel dung In the middle, the
smoke OF which escaped through hole IN the roof.
They received us Hospitality. spread the best quilt
for US to sit on, and looked on with great inter-
est, cracking jokes with our servants. while we
made and drank tea and eat our supper OF
bread, sardines and cod wild goose. Having In
return FOR our shelter RECALLED our host with our
tea aud presented him with knife and fork, IN
the use OF which he had seemed so profoundly in
terestcd We retired to our ta5dh,aS to sleep till
daylight.
The Kirghccze are a singular people, appearing