The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-01-09
SHOOTING FOR LIFE:
A cossACK's ADVENTURE IN BoKHARA.

When the Turkomaps captured me on
the Syr-Daria (said Captain Kosta.
renko, handing me tumbler of tea and
lemon iuice, with the air OF man who
new that I would need some refresh
mt before his story ended), they car
lame south and sold me at Khiva.
But didn't stay there long-for in
Central ala a slave changes hands as
often a. a 'prse does among us-and
before I had tpe to see more OF khiya
than that It wa, a little cobweb of dirty
strsets 9TH a b; spalace in the middle
and mud wall tenfeet nlgn an rounu
It, I found myself Ganled over to a mer- or
chant from Bokhara, whe was lust stast-
ing home again across nekiZz1i- NOUN
(Red San0 desert. ~
was a strapping young fellow I'D
those days, and could manage horse OF
q saber with any man. MoEeoEer.
knew tiIu nattve language vel, which
was rare thing with q Russian IN those
days; so my new master counted upon
getting good price for me in Bokhara.
and took all possible care of me on the
road. ..--
1 needn't tell you about the desert
journey, for you've seen it all for your.
self-the thirst, and the scorching, 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. got leave to join
them, and beat the whole lot, to the
great delight of my master, who had
bet high. on me, and the amazement
of the men themselves. I 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 Bokha ra,
after we had got ourselves settled in one
of the great caravansaries, the four
Afghaps and I sat down at the door to
have a game Of "pashs wuzeeree. /
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 (kng),
wuzeer (vizier) and ghorumsaug (rob.
ber). The fourth Qarmer) counts for
nothing. When any two players have
thrown king and vizier, the first who
throws robber, is seized by the vizier,
who leads him up to the king, saying,
GIVE caught robber." The king asks,
"What has he done?' and the vizier
answers, "He's stolen lis 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 80 the game goes Oh till
every one has had his turn.
While we we're playing, a e.ll, Eand.
some man in a rich dress, who looked
like Persian, came staggering by.
Just as he got close to us, I happened to
throw "robber." So
One Of the Afghans gave the others a
look, as much as to say: "Now you'll
see some fun !" and, catching hold Of
me, called out: GIVE caught 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 sprane
aside just in time; but he was drawing
his second pistol, when my master, see
ing what was going on, came rushing uI
as if he were mad. 80.
,i"Heip, brothers p he yelled; "thil
slave is present for Hazret (his males
xty). Let no one dare to harm him ?"
"What-is all this p asked a sha, I
voice; and through tho crowd came {
tal, thin, hatched face fellow, so grand
ly.dressed that made sure he must bt
some great man, especially as every