The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-23

Stevens's Tour Around the World-Difficul-
ties He Has Encountered.

Stevens's Tour Around the world-Dificul-
ties He Has Encountered.
Boston Special.
Writing from Meshed, Persia, April 5, 1885,
Thomas Stevens, the tourist, who is traversing
the world on a bicycle and is now under arrest
In Russia, says:
~ arrived in Meshed on March 30, after a
twenty-days struggle with the worst weather
encountered on the whole journey. made the
mistake OF starting from Teheran a month too
early in the season. and have paid the penalty in
having had task to reach Meshed. by the side
Of which every other part of the journey
has been child's play in comparison.
1t was summerlike weather when /
left Teheran. but I have found the
climate of Khorassan altogether different and
reached Meshed through two feet of snow.
Khorassan is fearful country to bicycle
through in March After rainstorm streams
of liquid mud come down from the mountains
and spread over the plain. making areas well
than in Wyoming or Nebraska and the climatic
changes sudden and severe. The second day
before reaching Meshed got caught in bliz-
zard that would do credit to Minnesota. Ar
rayed in a summer suit, with sun-helmet
cycling stockings and gear. had to ford through
snow drifts when the cold was sufficient to form
icicles on eyeashes, and transform the mustache
into cake of ice.
at was really a desperate case at one junct
ure. l fell into mountain stream when the
blizzard was at its worst, dropped the bicycle,
and wetted everything. With clothes frozen
stiff hands numbed. and one finger slightly
frost-bitten had to force a way through the
snow over the desolate mountains for miles and
ford other streams ere shelter was reached.
And then such accommodation! The day /
reached Meshed l trundled the bicycle ahead
along single pack animal trail, through the
deep snow, the rear wheel aloft. for fourteen
miles. 1t had suddenly turned hot and it was
ankle deep in mud and sush the whole distance.
This exharating programme would be varied
occasionally by fording stream of uncertain
depth. 1t has been tough 600 miles, but it is
entirely owing to my mistake in leaving Teheran
too early. With good weather the trip Dould be
done with bicycle in twelve days, for the
country is chiefly plain, and there is much ex-
cellent wheeling.
"After being spoken fair, oh so fair and polite
and promiseful by the Russian minister in Te-
heran, and going to the trouble and expense of
procuring sufficient Russian money to carry me
clear through to Japan via Merv, Samaritan, and
southern Siberia, l received notice when half
way to Meshed that wouldn't be permitted TO
go through Turkestan on any account Upon
reaching Meshed | am confronted by the com
forting assurance that it would be equally i'm
possible to go through Afghanistan. A telegram
arrives from the British legation at Teheran
with the strict orders: You must not attempt
to cross the Afghan frontier at any point You
must go some other route
Still hopeful / awaited the arrival of the
courier from the camp of the boundary commits
sion, to which letter ofinquirv had been kindly
forwarded by Mr. Gray, the telegrapher of the
commission, from Meshed. Yesterday the cour-
Ter arrived with the word 1t is useless to raise
the question of Stevens coming through Afghan
istan, for the Afghans would on no account
allow him to cross the frontier. much less to
come through to India. The consequence of all
this is that find myself in the northeast corner
of Persia hopelessly blocked from the only two
routes that [ have so far been considering.
What is 10 be done2 Try Siberial SAYS the let
ter from the camp of the boundary commission.
THE exclamation point belongs to the writer
of the letter. 1t might, perhaps, be advisable
for you to go to Astrakhan and try and get
through Siberia. kindly but automatically sug
gests the message from Teheran By taking
this doubtless we'll meant advice should have
to retrace my road some 300 miles, thence cross
the Elburz mountains to Asterabad, and take a
Russian steamer across the Caspian to Astrak
han, 1000 miles from Meshed Arriving at
Astrakhan. there remains the following unsatis
factory state of affairs: First and foremost,
and, as / find, not by any means to be under
rated, the unreliability of Russian promise to
give the road. and secondly. 4, 500 miles of coun-
try that am afraid would prove rather monot-
onous journey, with comparatively little of in
terest for my note book.
''On the other hand, I can get down the east
ern frontier OF Persia some 500 or 600 miles to
Seistan, whence it is 500 or 800 more to the En-
glsh camp at Quetta, Beloochistan. Between
Seistan. however, and Quetta, intervenes a re-
gion marked on the maps with the omnibus name
'Dasht-i marg desert of death), and all around
to the south and west other deserts marked
sand UNEMPLOYED DESERT ETC., and it seems
like vertable fororn hope to start off down
there There is one opening out of this region,
however; the Helmond river leads up toward
Candanar, and it may be barely practical to fol
low 1t along. But them again, it leads through
Afghan territory. These explanations will suf
fee to give some idea of the difficulties of my
present situation they look well nigh insur-
mountable. [ am going through though, in
some sort of way. in spite of the devil, and,
perhaps ought to add, the diplomates. After de-
lioerate consideration l have concluded to at
tempt the route through Seistan. TO that end
l have obtained from the Governor general
of Khorassan a letter to the Governor
Of Seistan, and another to 'whomever it
may concern, asking and ordering them
to render US every assistance in getting
through to India. | have hopes that the
Afghans down toward Candahar will prove more
reasonable and allow me road through to
Quetta. Anyhow, armed with these letters and
the belief that even the dread 'dasht-i-marg will
present no more unsympathzing front than civ
ilized Russia and fanatical Afghanistau, and that
under any circumstances my experiences will be
more varied and interesting I start southwark
tomorrow. From what 1 can see, the fear of
my bicycle failing me in these wild countries is
likely to prove the least Of what any one need
apprehend concerning the journey"