The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-01-09
SHOOTING FOR LIFE:
A oossAcK's ADVENTURE IN BoKHARA.

When the Turkomaps captured me on
the Syr-Daria (said Captain Kosta-
renko, handing me tumbler of tea and
lemon Juice, with the air of a man who
knew that I would need some refresh
ment before his story ended, they car
ried me south and sold me at Khiva.
But l didn't stay there long-for in
Central Asia q slave changes hands as
often as horse does among us-and
before had time to see more of Khiva
than that it was little cobweb of dirty
streets, with q big palace in the middle
and mud wall ten feet high all round
it, found myself handed over to mer-
chant from Bokhara, who was just start
ing home again across the Kizil-Kou
(Red Sand) desert.
I was strapping young fellow in
those days, and could manage horse or
saber with any man. Moreover, l
knew the native language we'll, which
was rare thing with Russian in those
days; 30 my new master counted upon
getting good price for me in Bokhara,
and took all possible care of me on the
road.
I needn't tell you about the desert
journey, for you've seen it all for your
self-th thirst, and the scorohing, and
the hot, prickly sand, and the prayer at
sunset, and the halts beside the wells,
and the camels strung out in single file,
nose and tail together. But we had one
adventure on the way that was to have
consequences which little dreamed of.
There were three or four Afghans in
our company, all noted marksmen, who
one day amused themselves by having a
shooting match. I got leave to join
them, and beat the whole lot, to the
great delight OF my master, who had
let high on me, and the amazement
OF the men themselves. / heard one of
them whisper to another, "This will be
news for Seid Ali, if he is still in Box
hara;" but thought nothing of it at
the time.
The evening that we reached Bokhara,
after we had got ourselves settled in one
of the great caravansaries. the four
Afghans and sat down at the door to
have a game of "pasha wuzeeree." l
described it once to an Englishman, and
he told me that they have game some
thing like it, called "forfeits," which
they play at Rojdestvo (Christmas). It's
played with dice, and has four throws,
three of which are called shah (king),
wuzeer (vizier) and ghornmsaug (rob-
ber). The fourth (farmer) counts for
nothing. When any two players have
thrown king and yizier, the first who
throws robber, is seized by the vizier,
who leads him up to the king. saying,
"I've caught robber." The king asks,
"What has he done?" and the vizier
answers, "He's stolen his sisters trous.
ers, or, "He's pulled horses feathers
off," or some such nonsense. Then the
king orders him to stand on his head, or
throw down his turban and pick it up
with his teeth, or anything else he may
think of and so the game goes on till
every one has had his turn.
While we were playing, tall, land
some man in a rich dress, who looked
like a Persian, came staggering by.
Just as he got close to lis, I happened to
throw "robber."
One of the Afghans gave the others
look, as much as to say: "Now you'll
see some fun |" and, catching hold OF
me, called out: "I've caught a rob.
ber."
"What has he done, then ?"
"He has shown himself better shot
than Seid ALI" answered the other, at
the top of his voice.
The Persian's face grew black as
night, and with one stride he was
among us, looking at me as if he could
eat me raw.
"Are you he who can shoot better
than can, then? They have taken you
too soon from your mother, child you
are no match for man !"
"Men fight with weapons women
and Persians with their tongues. Try
me-"
Like lightning the fellow whipped
out pistol, and let fly at me. I sprang
aside Just in time; but he was drawing
his second pistol, when my master, see
ing what was going on, came rushing up
as if he were mad.
Help, brothers p he yelled; "this
slave is present for Hazret (his males.
ty). Let no one dare to harm him P3
"What is all this p asked a sharn
voice; and through the crowd came q
tall, thin, Matched face fellow, so grand.
ly-dressed that I made sure he must be
some great man, especially as every