The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-10-04

len, and that the sentiment was recipro-
cal. Mr.. Merton, as was very natural,
had other views for his daughters es-
tablishment in life.
81 like you, Richards" the merchant
had said to me, not unkindlJ; "and if
you, and Ellen, too, will be but reason-
able and promise to forget this folly
All we'll, then, there is no help for it,
I see."
And thereupon we parted.
On the fourth day after the outbreak
OF hostilities there arrived in Kiachta a
group of Englishmen, engineers and
Cornish miners, from valuable mine
on the further bank of the Amoor, the
whole plant of which had been wantonly
destroyed by the Mongol raiders. They
reported the station of Cherinsk, with
all its factories and dwellings,, to be in
flames, while the European residents.
with such of their property as they
could contrive to save, were slowly re-
treating, under the protection of q mill.
tary escort, toward Irkutsk.
9 Toward Irkutsk |" l exclaimed, in
creaulously "you mean, surely, to-
ward kiachta. It would be running
into the lions mouth to attempt the
long march over the open. plains that
lie between the northern end of Lake
Bakal and the mountains at tho head
waters OF the Amour. No one in his
senses would give such an advantage to
the fleet footed enemy"
But my informant was positive as to
the route which the caravan of refugees
from Cherinsk had adopted. A Cornish
miner, dispatched thither to purchase
powder for blasting purposes, imme j.
ately before the inroad, had reloined
his comrades with the news. It an
pears that the decision, perilously un-
wise as it seemed to me, to select the
longer and more northerly line of
march, had been formed by Count An
nenkotf, who commanded the troops,
and who was young man, new to the
country, and confident in his own
Judgment.
Hitherto, it was added, the Mongol
horsemen had contented themselves
will. lowering, like hawks on the wing,
around the destined prey, keeping at
respectful distance from the rifled
muskets of the soldiery but there could
be no doubt that they we're waiting the
opportunity, in some unguarded mo-
mont, of swooping down upon the camp,
while the movem Its of the fugitives,
incumberel as til y were by heavy
poSS"S liuius sil-u
several ladies and children, were OF
necessity slow That Ellen and Der
father were of tllo company was all but
certain.
could no longer endure the safe in
action of life Mt Kiachta, and accordingly
1 formed a resolve which to many of my
friends appeared rash and willful. This
was to make my way, as best might,
to the caravan, the tardy pace of which
would readily be overtaken by a we'll
mounted rider, and to persuade Ellen
and her father rather to trust them
selves to my guidance back to Kiachta,
than to persevero in the arduous march
that otherwise lay before them.
I was excellently mounted, and felt
that, should l fall in with the enemy,
their shaggy ponies would not easily
come up with my fine Turcoman steed.
The first long days march brought
me to cluster of black felt tents, conf
cal in shape, pitched on the bank of
shallow brook, while hard by grazed the
sheep and buffaloes that made up tie
only wealth of the horde. 1 rode up to
thom without fear-for these ramblers
through the plains of eastern Siberia
have little harm i'll the m-and recognized
in the headman of the camp an old ac-
quaintance, who spoke little Russian,
and often brought in lambskins, yaourt,
and wild Strawberries to the market at
Kiacbta.
would not push on were 1 you,
Gnspodin," said the white bearded pa
triarch, as he set before me the simple
fare-milk, cheese and mutton kabaubs,
skewered on a twig of the arbutus--that
he had to offer. "They were here with
II Inv
light fingered rogues from across the
frontier, and it cost mo ten fat sheep,
and many fair words, to coax them into
good behavior. They had two white
mems heads, set on spear points, for
their standards, and their leader swore
not to go back to Mongolia without sill
yer enough to plate the shrines of his
joss-house. They're after the poor folks
from Cherinsk by this time; not that
they've any more fancy for the whistle
of leaden bullet than other people
have"
The gift OF golden eagle, and the
promise of two more coins of the same
mintage, induced the headman to send
with me a barefooted lad of his tribe,
who would, l was assured, prove quite
competent to conduct me to place
whence could easily overtake the cara.
van, and also to keep up with my horse
at any pace short of gallop. And
young KAHN ran gallantly beside my
stirrup over weary leagues of grazing
grounds, and stretches of stony barren
ness, till mt length he stopped, pointing
triumphantly to a number of footprints,
Of horses, oxen, camels and men, stamp
ed into the half dried mud of shallow
watercourse, and with wave of his
hand toward a distant wreath of blue
smoke, sure sign of bivouac fire, he
received from me the glittering eagles,