Morning journal and courier., 1886-09-22
Vereschagin as an Author.

The eminent Russian artist, M. Verescha- gin, has lately come before the public in the new capacity of literateur. He has con- tributed in French to the Nouville Revue and in German to the Kolnische Zeitung, his subjects in the latter case being remi- niscences from journeys and battlefelds. In the course of string of anecdotes he tells of the following incidents which oc- cured while the artist was travelling in Central Asia:
 After tour of some forty miles along the Chinese frontier I came to 8 derach- ment of Cossacks. The district was over run with hares and after some sport I sat down for a nights rest under the open sky. Tired as was I was prevented from going to sleep By the terrific barking of the dogs. Can't you get these brutes to be quiet2 I called out to the Cossaek on watch. That is impossible he answered; mo human being can prevent them from barking, because they are after the beast What kind of a beasta' "A tiger But there tigers in this districta Certainly, and great num- every night and they do not come singly.' And do they come close to this placeP Yes, right up to the barracks. They come out just at the place where you are lying and begin to sniff the air for food.' Tn that case it was rather daring for me to lie down here and have perhaps my nose bitten off, 'Oh, bless you, no; why should it be daringa Do not disturb yourself in the least If they come closer the dogs will see them and let us know that the beasts are here.' And trust ing to the dogs, fell asleep and did not wake till next morning."
 An incident of different kind M. Yer eschagin relates thus: 'When Samarkand ba5 haan ooOouarad for the sacoDd time O0r artillery officers were bent upon destroying the Temple Shaderi, which is covered with china, because shots had been fired from it upon our hospitals. At the last moment l was told that the soldiers were about to tear down the valuable frieze work, and it was only after the greatest efforts that I could persuade our officers to abstain from their intention. In this same temple an old schol- arly mullah was living, and while the bull lets were raining down upon it wondered more than once whether it was he who had prepared this welcome for us. My suspicion was grounded on the fact that once before had seen him at bazaar, where he melted the populace to insurrection and bade them annihilate the Russians, who belonged not to the faithful. He became extremely confused when on that occasion I came up and shook hands with him. When General Kauf- mann's regiment relieved us and the be- siegers had entered into the fortress which we, with five hundred men, had hardly been able to hold, went to bed for the first time after week of intense excitement. I had just turned in when my friend, Colonel Mas aroff, by whose side I had fought during the last week, rushed in to me shouting, Vas sili Vasulivith, I have fresh battalion. Come along; we will burn down the bazaar I can't come; am too tired Very well, then must go alone and it will be said that Nasaroff has burned down Samarkand' He ran away and soon the town was enveloped in 8 cloud of smoke I remembered my friend the mullah-was he dead or had he fled2 Afterward Nasarof told me what had become of him. We went right into the cursed temple.' 'Well,' I asked, almost afraid of the answer, and how did you find it? Was anybody in itp Only a few; the rascals had all run away breathed more freely. Only one mullah we caught-a reg ularly furious old fellow. He ran up the