Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1881-08-20
THE ROAD TO MERV.
Letters From the Captured Correspondent o
the London News Describing His Journey
From the Tejend River.
Taken for a Russian Spy by the Excited Turco-
mans-At the Tekke-Turconlan
Headquarters.

the DeSt Dlt or speclal correspondence that has
seen the light for many year." says the Pail
Mall Gazette. Gas mere exhibition of
courage, resource and patience the ST. James
attaches the highest Importance to the nara
live. In the first letter the correspondent de-
scribes his journey from Meneh westward of
the Tejend river to Merv. The Journey which
" was made on horseback at the rate of about six
and a half miles an hour, in intense heat, was
over q dusty, argillaceous plain, some parts of
which were covered with shrub called odjar,
which grows in great luxuriance, and in places
attained quite forest growth. Such spot the
correspondent passed through in utter dark
ness: Gas We crept along,, stumb
ling, in the glGom over 9 fallen tree
from our path. Some new by their grunting
to be boars which abound here in incredible
numbers; others recognized by their patter-
ing trot to be jackals; and few that bounded
away lightly were either lynxes or leopards.
We halted several times to take our bearing
from the few visible stars. Often VIC were
completely at fault, but these Turcomans, like
North American savages have an unerring in
stnct which invariably sets them right in the
end. After midnight dense blackness came
on, and the atmosphere became sitting.
had been riding continuously for one whole
day and two nights, and I must admit I
was very tired, especially as our only refresh
ment had been a crust OF bread washed down
with weak, sugarless tea. On a couple of oc-
caslons l suggested halt, but in whispered
language told there was no knowing when
osrl (robbers) might turn up. This thought
rather good, considering that I was in the
company OF a select party of thieves, as
subsequently learned on my arrival here. At
last even the Turcomans seemed to get tired,
and we refined in our horses for consulta-
ton. X p AS we dismounted bright
flash of sheet lightning lit up the ground and
some heavy raindrops fell splashingv Under
other circumstances I might have guessed that
heavy shower was coming on. As it was, all
asked was somewhere to stretch my weary
limbs. horsecloth, a leopard skin and an
OLA ulster, which has seen great deaf
of service constituted bed and bedding
with my saddle for pillow did prop my
weary, head and in half minute slept as
only the weary can sleep, 1t was still dark
when voices around me told that a fresh move
was being started l found myself half ahoat
and torrent Of rain falling. was thoroughly
saturated-leopard skin and all. My limbs
were stiff with rheumatism, and I was COW
cred with mutt tude and variety of insects
which would have made the heart of a
naturalist glad. Seeking refuge from the wet
mari around they had sought my bed as
maven OF refuge. Our horses were standing
around, tails and ears dropping piteously, and
as I mounted my animal fell to his knees with
utter Wretchedness. Then we were off again.
RUSSIAN OR ENGLISH?
I'm a couple of hours we halted amid
waste of brick and broken tiles. Close by
was a domed structure the ruin of an old car
AVIAN sary dating back to the time of Timur
Lenk, a remnant of the better days of Merry.
The place is called Dashterabad. We halted
among the ruins to wiring our dripping gar
ments and Snaw at our remaining crusts
took the occasion of walking round the build
Ing to examine Its nature and extent The
ground plan and general architecture bespoke
an amount of science and intelligence lamenta-
bly, absent at present In these now wastes
There is a quadrangle space some hundred
VIZ oh hroo
rldor, on either side Of which are apartments
one outer, for summer and one
inner. for winter, furnished with fireplace, as
one generally sees in eastern caravansaries at
the present day. Above the main entrance,
which has southeaster]y aspect is ruinous
dome OF flat yellowish red brick such as that
which composes the entire structure. Be-
meath its center are the remains of what was
once fountain. Ample stabling exists to tie
northward. 1t is difficult to guess how the
ruin has been wrought, for there are no evil
dences Of earthquake shocks I suppose that
the mere vertical pressure, coupled with the
storms OF ages. have brought about the wreck
which l saw" On arriving at the outskirts of
Merv, a difficulty as to the correspondents ma
tlonaNty, which at one time threatened to be
serious, arose, as he suspected to be
RUSSIAN, though the first impression
was that he was prisoner OF importance taken
ny raldlng party and brought IN for ransom.
The correspondent says: Il could see by the |
thinning OF the audience that I was losing
ground, aud angry voices reaching me from a
nut near by, told me in hall heard words that !
public opinion was not IN my favor. who |
knows but he is Russian and come to survey
the road, and we will have an aleman on our
backs in forty eight hours?' Then great, fat
man. with q mingled expression of ruffianism
and humor, came in, and asked me plainly who
and what was l told him as we'll as I could |
that could set matters right in few days by
dlspatchlnS letter to the British native !
asent, Alias Khan at Meshed, dispatch
ing it by the aravan which was just
about starting. This proposition was met |
bya genera! shout of warning not to write a |
single word or my throat would be Immediate
ly cut" The correspondent produced his |
notebook to jot down a few items concerning
the mornings journey. SAT once an excited
Turcoman uarted out of the hut with the news
that the Ferenghi was writing, and such is the
dread of these unlettered people of the mighty
effect of litera scripta that thereupon a regular
storm arose, and could hear the recommends
ton to finish me off at once repeated by many
i!p.' At length toward evening the cor
respondent met "the celebrated Tekme Serlar,
the chief military leader of the Akhal-T ekkes /
and the man by whose energy and ability the
defence OF the Turcoman territory and 70 :tress
had been so prolonged"
AT HEADQUARTERS
The Serdar was at length convinced that the
correspondent was not Russian. Then he
went on to say, what had so often heard be-
fore from the lips of the Tekkes, how disap-
pointed they were that the English troops had
stopped short and not come on via Herat to
the Turcoman country. Then he proceeded to
review the general situation and its bearing on
the Turcoman question. He showed knowl-
edge of geography that surprised me- On the
sandy floor he traced with his finger rough
map of the ground from Candahar to the Cas-
pian "Here," he said, ''are the English;
here is Merry, and here are the Russians In
one case the distance to be traversed is large.
in the other small. In case of the sudden
outbreak of hostilities, we know. which
party would arrive first at Me!v The Akhal-
Tekkes have seen that when the Russians as
sailed them the f nnlish trnnns didn't come To |