Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-11-07
Into Persia ON q Bicycle.

Into Persia On . Bicycle.
Thomas Stevens the American, who started
from San Francisco to go around the world on
bicycle, has reached Tabreez, Persia. The fol-
lowing interesting letter, which THE STAR u al
lowed to use In advance of its publication In
Outing, details some of the riders experiences
In passing through the almost trackless wastes
Of Asia:
Fl reached Tabreez yesterday, September 1S,
AFTER journey of 3S9 miles, as registered Dy
cy Sioh from Erzeroum, the point ron m
MnIcn last wrote. Thus far my experience IN
Persia has proved even more novel and inter-
essting than In Asiatic Turkey; and leaving out,
no hesitation In saying that the series of papers,
descriptive OF this part of the journey, will
prove real treat to the readers Of the mage
ss ast the American portion published
LAST spring or those on the European
the route tine tour now CLOSE
and entertained BY Khans and have slept in
.'black tents Of wild Kurds, against which these
same same knans had warned me TO beware. No
Douy tn1nks Of travelling without guards In this
ano everywhere, and have so far escaped Sc
t ho4 moiestation, though have several times
excessively inquisitiveNwo ; H than NE anything
slieged against the Americans-and it is an
everyday occurrence for me to race away from
tanning me until the Khan of the village and
every Individual of them has seen me ride, and
ninsPecteo the bicycle. 1t is great wonder the
am literally compelled to mount and, at least,
attempt to ride in all sorts of impossible places
and often the only way can convince them of
the imPossibility of complying with their
demands, is to convince them with the re-
voiver; however, haven't had occasion, SO far,
10 SO much as tighten a spoke in the wheel,
rything about it being in perfect order, ex-
cept that the rubber tire of the small wheel is
getting worn down. Everybody goes armed
mere, but have so far managed to avoid
serious trouble-the mere sight of the six
many sheep. These people do not mean harm,
simply wishing to satisfy their curiosity, but
frequently it is impossible to ride at the place,
and they will not take mo- for an answer. On
the other hand they are very kind and hospita-
BILE, sometimes refusing to accept any payment
whatever for such accommodation as they can
afford. have found the country less noun.
famous in Persia than in Asia Minor, but there
is total absence Of wheeled vehicles, and con-
sequently of wagon roads. The great camel cara
van routes afford greater proportion of rida-
pie pathway, however, than anticipated, ena-
bling me to do so miles a day between Hoi and
1aDreeZ, besides going at least 10 miles out
OF my direct course to reach village for the
night. The distance traversed from Ismidt to
Tabreez is 1902 miles 300 Of which is Turkish
measurement by post hours between Bel Bazaar,
where my cyclometer pin was broken, and Sivas,
where had it repaired again; and the remainder
where near 400 miles from here to Teheran,
where shall have to remain for the winter and
as is mo shall
consul here, and MesSrs. Oldfather and w nipple,
the American missionaries, to remain Tor a
couple Of days. The journey to Teheran will
according as find the roads. On the way
pass through Mana, the place celebrated Tor
fever. I understand that these insects are only
In the houses, consequently shall either con-
t trive to pass through the district during the
daytime or sleep out in the open.
Through Asia Minor, from Sivas to ErZeroum
there are well-defned caravan routes from one
important town to another, but the mountain
trails are the most abrupt ever traverSed; in
this respect they are much more difficult to
overcome with the bicycle than anything I ex-
comparatively gradual. Often these mountain
trails are churned up by the feet of the pack
animals that have traversed them all through
the rainless summer months until several
inches of loose material covers the surface, and
this, in addition to the steepness makes it i'm
p6sd y, 70 ascend save oy pushing the bicycle
pair of stairs; sometimes 1 have this highly
interesting task to accomplish for miles at a
stretch; but in the valleys there Is invariably
found a good average proportion of ridable
road, and the last forty miles of my road to
Erzeroum, traversed in halt day, was mac
adam road, part OF the great Trebizond and
Persian caravan route. From Sivas to ErZeroum
the cyclOmeter registered 3OS miles, and in spite
of mountains and bridgeless streams I aver
aged over forty miles a day. Perhaps should
not average quite so much, but it is only at
these distant points where one can experience
the luxury OF listening TO and conversing In his
own mother tongue. and what is perhaps quite
as important, where anything like what Ameri-
cans call square meal is obtainable; hence
the inducement to worry along as rapidly
possible. The ordinary mode of travelling in
this country, by people in anything like COM
Portable circumstances, is to 60 ON horseback,
with a guard of zoptiehs, and extra horses and
attendants carrying bedding, tent cases of pro-
visions, etc; for the villagers are the most pow
erty-stricken people imaginable, and the &C
commodatiOn obtainable from them is some
thing to shrink from, SO that it is not easy for
an inexperienced person to imagine what
fellow carrying none OF these things, but trust
ing entirely to whatever may turn up from one
hour to another, has to endure.
Sincerely yours, THOMAS STEVENS"