The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-02-17
New Years Day Eight Thousand
Miles from New York.
Across the Steppes and Past
the Aral Sea.
THE KlRGIS' PILLAR OF FIRE.
DesOlation and Loneliness
Of the Desert.
A SOUVENIR OF MACGAHAN.
rAsnKrsn, rurkestan, Jan. 1. ls7,

TAsHKEND. Turkestan, Jan. I. 1879.
My last letter dated, believe. December IA.
This is written the first day of the new year. At
5000 miles distance from New York, IL l count
rightly am far removed from the movement and
gayety with which you in the habit of celebrating
the commencement of every year. am all the moro
distant from it from the fact that the Russians hav
ing respected the old calendar, which makes differ
ence of twelve days. shall only hail the year
here in 800 hours. 1t is than I shall re-
quire to relate rapidly to your readers all
that 1 have witnessed the curious jour-
ncy that 1 have just accomplished. Afterward
shall dwell more in detail the important facts
which have already referred to in my Geographic
dispatches. III passing through Orsk. Irgis, Kaza-
link, Pcroski. Djoulek, Turkestan and Tchemken I
travelled the 1000 verstes 200 miles, which sepa
rate Tashkend the capital Of Russian Turkestan from
Orcnbourg. the last station of the European rail-
roads, The journey-one Of the most difficult that
know offs accomplished in large vehicle OF cnlecho
form, which is called tarentass. The people Of
Orcnbourg do not let out these vehicles to travellers
They will only sell them 1t follows a matter Of
course. that when it leaks out that stranger has
need Of one of these eqnipages the price increases
instantly had fortunately taken the prccautioh to
In advance through agent The tarentass
that purchased sufficiently wide to permit
bottom Of the carriage. and to thus beds
myself and my travelling companion. who acted q
sort Of interpreter. It would have i'll become us
complain of it, seeing that the people who sold it to
us--a jewish family-nformed us in parting with
It that the vehicle had accommodated four of them
In making the journey from samarcand.
The carriage instead of being suspended, was sup.
ported by two wooden shafts, which extended suffi-
cienty Tar behind the body OF the vehicle to carry
tho baggage and the provisions. Their weight was
heavy, for. being unable anticipate the duration
OF the journey, compelled to take with mo
tho requisite changes Of clothing for all seasons
! was also obliged to provide myself with case
Of preserved provisions. for there was little
or nothing to be procured in that way
along the route. and when quilted Tashkcnd I
knew that my difficulties regards food would. if
possible, be increased. must not omit to mention
that included among my boxes special one,
which baptized the botts cddcnuz, inasmuch rs
II contained specimens of all tho newest toys. Ihad
been appraised that the te0s and eirs would not
ceve me we'll unless took them something. In the
box to which refer had therefore. curious med
ley Of musical toys telephones, swimming dolls
volvers and aluminium watches. It seems that to
shcse people watch is Of the most acceptable
presents you make them. When all this baggage
was packed in front and behind tho vehicle there
N.
As regards the interior tho arrangement was of o
somewhat similar crowded character. In the
hrs place the bottom Of the vehicle covered with
fclt. which laid thick bed of hay, on
which stretched our two mattresses. For COW
erng we had our fur pelesses and two blankets and
had. in addition, thrre European overcoats All this
not too much, for. well provided as may be.
the least current of air that ponorates the vehicle
Immediately expels the heat and freezes him from
head to foot. To complete these prepara against
the cold we had the leather upon the vehicle which
was open, and which, of course, protected US
effectively against rhe blasts I had bitter ex-
percnce Of the fact the first night. for my face
literally burned by the wind say burned. for I
can find no other expression to describe what en-
durcd. My eyes also swollen. but that
this did not again, for always afterward COW
cred my head just carefully the rest of my body
EQUIpAGE JOURNEY.
When everything ready for departure our
next care was to look after post horses. Tho
Russian government has established from Orcnbourg
TO Tashkend ninety relays which vary from ten
to thirty vcrsts six to eighteen miles, according
the character OF the road. The number of horses in
these relays s limited according TO the subvention
which tho State gives the contractor to carry the
mail. which must pass before travellers. matter
what may be their rank, the consequence being that
the latter are compelled wait whole days in the
desert fortunately escaped this annoyance. Trav-
elling In the very cold season. during which only
the fnctionarcs compelled by their duties tn travel
this way three or four times year. had only to
wait few hours. Tho horses were only delivered to
us on the exhibition Of podorochnaa IA tcuiuc de
vou,e) delivered by the authorities. who. must
acknowledge, have up to the present timo
correspondent of the HEnALp. They gave me Ave
horses for my vehicle, three leaders held we'll in
hand by tho yemchik tdriver) and two in the shafts,
drivers, who were Russians st our departure were
changed for Krgis. then for Tartsrs They
Of the stage by cries and excited their teams
which were composed Of small kirgis horses. These
animals. which are wrctched in appearancc. and
which look as IL they had not q breath OF wind in
them, of incredible strength. They travel daily
from sixty to eighty. and sometimes ono hundred
that with r,okne sufficiently light and strong not to
break down the road and team Of three OF these
small horses he would undertake 70 travel from
The distance is 2.400 miles. Tho horses
wcrc harncsscd en- fro'kd--thnt In 70 say.
In the Russian manncr-thc middle ono In tho two
shafN, and under tho wooden bow which carried the
bells and which IL called the dougo. When eli was
ready tho driver uttered the usual cry Of "hada."
tho cqupagc started and we were rvste for Jour-
ncy OF twenty days. II to believe those about
me It only occupied fourteen Fortunately the FIRST
us through. tho Cossack country. There were
many relays there werc villages. and all the vii
lagos rcscnbicd cach othcr--cay cabins, matched
roofs, irregular streets and plentiful provision Of
hay. While We were waiting for our horses tho
wivcs and daughters of the chief of tho station tried
try. These shaws made of wool, Of very rnc
tissue. and woven in tho loom AZ every station tho
same goods wcro offered to us. The feature which
most attracts tho attention OF the traveller In this part
OF tho country Is the gymnasium established at the
entrance to each village. Those Of the Inhabitants
Who have nothing better TO do arnsc themselves
IN those places while at tho time they exercise
their limbs. During tho hrst day OF the journey
We crossed the uoubarla hills which, however. are
not OF remarkable elevation. We arrived at Orsk
che day OF the fetc Of ST. Nicholas. II is scarcely
necessary FOR me to say that tho inhabitants were
all on foot and cnjoying themselves We made no
delay IN this place. and passed 10 the Asiatc
stcppc. whether 1t be situated in Europe or else
where. the steppc always exhibits the same charac-
lcr--that Of tho monotony and sadness created by
Hat md uncutivated surface, extending far tho
horizon; that OF the without the movement and
The sparkling reflection Of tho waves. The camel.
with his slow pace alone imparts little movement
10 the socnc The bell of dotga cxcrtcd itself to
break the mortal silence that pervaded II. but
ceedcd only IN rcndcrng II still moro monotonous.
HARDslifPs oF THE noAD.
We met occasionally small bodies OF Russian col
eiers, but thcy were suffering much from cold
Mat thoy completely dcnlorxlised and had the
appearance OF fugitivcs after defeat They had nm
NJ xr.xt- Al~~.. ~