Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-11-04
ONE NIGHT OF TERROR.
EXPERIENCE OF A TRAVELLER IN
An uNcNlLlzep LAND.


/. Halt Among n Very strange Tribe.
Awakened from Sound sleep lie 1.
Robbed aud ten Naked and Hound.
Talk about experiences that turn
ones hair gray in a night" said gen.
tleman whose curling locks were "a
black a. tho traditional ravens wings
IL had one once which. according to the
authorities, ought to have made me not
only gray. but baldhcadcd. II tho ira.
ditions arc right which don't believe
they are
ut was in Kurdistan that my experi.
ence occurred wAs travelling through
that forsaken country merely for the
purpose Of seeing II, aud was accom-.
panied by but two msn-Jcan. French
servant. combining in his own personal.
iiy all the excellencies Of cook and valet,
aud a Prusian guide named Multi
whom had engaged FOR the trip. We
had two horses and an ass. which Jean
rode and on which he carried the utun
silR necessary 20 tho cuisine. We had
boon Ia Kurdish territory for four days,
had passed through several villages, and
was Just beginning TO think the Kurds
were pretty decent sort for q half saw.
age people, whom one night we came 70 a
little town that I never succeeded In
finding on any map. and | decided TO
put up for the night
81 saw the head man Of tho village.
and despite the TACT that he was as VII.
famous ruiilan ~ had ever mot. his
words were those Of welcome and huspi.
tality. Now ! had never heard Of actual
brigandago among the kurds, who, while
they aro semibarharic and fierce. are e.
soutially n race Of shepherds and small
farrnefa SO when the head man AS
signed me "a hut folt remarkably secure
and rather thankful. despite the fact that
know should have to pay literally for
my accommodations. ! bought n sheep.
aud jean soon transformed IL into a
savory stow. Supper over. smoked u
few pipes. and rolling mysslf in trav-
cling rug lay down on a CO. Of III smell.
ing ehecpsldns 10 sleep.
AWAKENED FROM sLEEr
II did sleep, and soundly. too. Tho
first awakening hsd was when a shr.ll
Shrek rang In my ears, and jumped up
10 find myso.f surrounded by burly run.
hns, armed with fsrocious looking
knives. aud 10 sec one OF their number
Withdraw his onsanguinsd blade from
tho breast Of my Persian guide, who lay
as he had fallen on awakening, across
his pallet, jean was IN the grasp Of two
moro Of the party, aud 30 frightened
that be could no, speak | was sure at
first that they intended nothing les than
10 instantly dispatch both OF Us. but ~ 1
heard thom piTleyinF and diepu,ing |
gathered hopos They ransaoked the
place, took everything We had except
our trousers, tied us tightly and departed
"Tho hut was entirely cleaned out rs
far A our effects were o9ncemed-port-
mantoaus, rovolyeri. rugs, coats; even
Jeans cooking utensils were gone. In
agony ! lay TIL daybrcak. aud then.
hearing some ono passing. ! shouted at
tho top Of my voice, A kurd entered,
and he was not Of tho visiting party OF
the night before Now didn't know u
word Of Kurdish. and poor Mutt was
dead. finally made him to understand
that | wanted 70 be released. but hs
only grinnod aud shook his head Then,
remembering the name OF tho chief. |
repeated IL several times He finally
shuiled on, leaving me In an agony of
husponso IA 10 whether he intended going
10 that parsonage or not. After half an
hours wait, however. the chief appeared
He gave some order. and we were iinme.
diatoly cut loose.
"Onee my banda were free, succeed.
ed IN explaining 10 him finally By panto.
mime what had occurred Io seemed
10 understand, aud sent for some one
else.
uTIr FROM rRnNDs
"rho party sent for appeared event
ually. lie wasn't Kurd. but Persian,
and he spoke little French. told
him OF the outrage and ho told the chief.
Then he replied to the that the chief said
he could do nothing, as tho robbers must
10 Of another band OF village. This
greatly doubted. as whs surc had seen
two AT least Of my assailan,s lettering
around when VIZ arrived. but OF that
deemed II best not TO speak; implored
the chief 10 give me an escort back 70
the last town had left aud where two
Englishmen aud their retinue We're stop.
ping. know one Of the Eng,ishncn.
and promised 10 amply reward him II he
would do 10 he finally consented "a
that and furnished me with guide and
two asses upon my swearing to him tina,
would pay the man. he also agreeing
II he could get track OF our assailants "a
visit summary punishment on them.
80 Jean aud finally set out, and thu
next day. hatloss, coatless, pennies and
nearly starved arrived nj tho head town
OF the section. where | borrowed soma
supplies from my friend, paid the Kurd
who had accompanied Us about ten dol
lars OF American money in Persian sill
Yer, and whence, rolihbilitated In Dor
fowed rainent, we ret on for the Persian
frontier. | afierward learned that oul
friends o. the Kurdish village were no
torious robbers ind murdercn, aud thai
tho chief himself had been seen iatol
wearing my coat and riding my horse
III toll you mover crossed the KurdiSl
border again. and | don't ever inlon,
20. like travel, but In tho future In
going 20 keep under tho flag VI soml
civilized or scmiciyilized nation. CHI
eago Times
Aiumma'a Mlstuk-.