Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-04


ance back to Kiachta, rather than perse-
we're in the arduous march that otherwise
lay before them. Thanks to my love of
field sports, and to Il certain restless spirit
of adventure, | had IN acquaintance with
the country for many league around,
having frequently accompanied Tartar
hunters on their expeditions in quest of
the elk, the bustard, and the antelope of
the plains. was eXcelently mounted,
and felt that, should fall in with the en-
emy, their shaggy ponies could not easily
come up with my fine Turcoman steed
from the distant deserts of Khva. And of
hunger, and thirst more terrible than
hunger, those gaunt guardians of the
Steppe, there was not much risk. | was
to traverse country waLered by many
streams, aflluents of the Amour, and
where the provident care of the Russians
had caused wells to be dug in the dryer
portions Of the plain. The nomad tribes
with whom even the Mongols would not
interfere, on the principle of dog not eat.
ing dog, were friendly enough to give me
food for silver roubles, and the weather
was us yet fine and mellow, although the
season was winter.
The first long days march brought me
to cluster of black felt tents, conicnl in
shape, pitched on the banks of shallow
brook, while hard by grazed the sheep and
the butfaloes that made up the only wealth
of the horde. rode up TO them without
fear-for these ramblers of Eastern Sibe-
ria have little or no harm in them-and |
recognized in the headman of the camp
an old acquaintance, who spoke little
Russian, and often brought in lambskins,
yacurt and wild Strawberries to the mar
ket at Kiachta.
II would not push on were | you, Cos
podin," said the white-bearded patriarch,
us he set before me the simple flre-milk,
cheese and mutton kabaubs, skewered on
II twig of the arb itus-that be had to offer.
"They were here with us yesterday, some
hundred of the light fingered rogues from
across the frontier, and ii cost me 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 by the
Holy Tooth not to 20 back to Mongolia
without silver enough to plate the shrine
of his josshousp. They're after the poor
folks from Cherinsk by this time; not that
they've any more fancy for the whistle Of
II leaden bullet than other people have"
The gift of golden eagle, and the
promise Of two more coins of the same
mntage, induced the headnan to send with
me u barelooted lad of his tribe. who
would, was assured, prove quite compe-
tent TO conduct me 10 II place whence
could easily overtake the caravan, and also
to keep up with my horse at any pace
short of II gallop. And the young KAHN
(how he came by his Moslem name l can
not tell, for all these tribes of the border
are Budhists like the Mongols beyond it)
ran gallantlY beside my stirrup over Wea-
ry leagues of grazing grounds and stretch
es of stony barrenness, till at length he
stopped, pointing trumphantly to II num-
Der of footprints of horses, oxen, camels
and men stamped into the half-dried mud
Of shallow watercourse, and with u wave
of his hand toward distant wreath OF
blue smoke, sure sign of n bivouac fire, he
received from me the glittering eagles
wrapped the gold in Il scrap of rtw sheep
skin, and thurst it into the salt-gourd that
dangled by thong from his waist, and
then, with II grin of leave-taking, trotted
off homeward.
had not ridden half mile toward the
camp fire before ] saw approaching me,
at II laundering amble, ungainly enough,
but swift and silent, some two score ol
laden camels, urged on by four horsemen
whose lances and the black Tartar cape
they wore suggested their nationality as
Mongolian. Two of them, us soon us they
espied me, dashed ut me with loud execra
tions and cries of Feringhee! Russky.
kill! killn
My revolver was out in II moment, and
the sight Of it produced some effect on the
wild riders, for they wheeled off to righI
and left, galloping around me in circles
brandishing their spears until II thirt
horseman came forward, calling out some
thing which seemed rs if by magic to sns
pend their murderous intentions, and thcr
rode quietly up TO my side, and held ouI
+ his bony hand for me to shake.
" Brother!" he said, in strange jargor
of mingled Turkish and Russian; "verl
good friend, Batuschkal Has Engisl
Lord forgotten poor Sing-Si?'
looked at the man $ broad iF't race
and did indeed recognize II Tartar of the
name above mentioned, whom had Il
year before bought oil, at an expenditure
OF some SIX shIIllngS sterling from Il Cos
sack patrol Fbout to hang MN on Il dwarf
oak for beng captured redhahdeo' rs
sheepstealer. He had since then worked
I9r us us II porter lor some moh'lls' II
Kiachta' but the vagrant instinct was TOO i,o.t
strong IN omS-ol; ana nc lI ia' lnrowh i,' up hs
employment, and He'd to the s'eppe.
The other three Turlms became amica
Bile enough when they found that their
companion hailed me us friend, and
gathered from the rasrals' talk that they
had been acting as guides to the Chcrinsk
caravan, and had seized IN opportunity Of
making off with forty camels and then
loads, with which, ms made out, they in
tended to Join their cousins, the robbcl
Mongols. All this SinS.Si, whose mora
fibre was of the coarsest re lated us an eX,
celIent joke; but when ne learned That
, was on my way to join those whom he nae
| just deserted, his counlenancc assumed
graver expression.
" Hark yc, English Lord he sald' eau
, tiously, as the others began to goad or
their camels with blows and lanceSllcks
I'VE of steppe love friend as we hate
foe. Sing-Si does not want his former
protector to leave his bones 10 olcaGh Oh "