Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-10-08
FACING THE AMEER.
A Cool Head and a Clear Brain
Win in a Bold Enterprise.

THE thing that earned me my first
promotion" said Col. b, OF the
Seventy-eighth Russian infantry, as
we sat in the balcony of the little post
house at Tchinaz lin one of the drear-
lest parts of central Asia watching
the red glow of sunset fading over the
broad, shining curves of the Syr-Daria
and the great plain beyond, was
rather a queer affair altogether"
give this story, which is perfectly
true, as nearly as possible in the words
of the hero himself:
at was certainly one of those things
which are a good deal pleasanter to
talk about afterwards than to go
through at the time, and 1 don't much
think that I should care to try it again,
anyhow.
This was how it happened: When
first came out here the khOllandesc
still held all the country that we Rus
slams have taken since, and it would
have been no easy matter to get even
as far as this.
''As for the country on the other side
of the river we knew no more about it
Now, this tract beyond the river
(Which belonged to the amecr of Box
hara in those days. was just the very
place that our colonel, Tchernaicff,
particularly wanted to know about
eve were pretty certain to have to
invade BOkhara sooner or later, and it
was specially important to know if we
should find any water and forage on
the way and what sort of country we
should have to cross.
$50 when got down here with one
of our flying columns, which was max
ing raid through the Khokandese ter
ritory to give the 'coffee-faces' a lesson,
1 bethought myself that it might be
long enough before was so close to the
border again, and that, as 1 knew the
native language pretty well and wasn't
afraid OF rough ride, I'd just go over
into Bokhara and see what it was
like
Didn't the old colonel look pleased
when volunteered? And I hadn't to
ask twice for leave to go, can promise
you.
~ don't think you'll ever come back,
my boy said he, but if you do you'll
see that I know how to reward good
service
"With this consolation I set off, &C
companied only by two Cossacks.
81 remember well how queer felt
when l stood for the first time on the
opposite bank and looked back at the
campfrcs of our soldiers and then for
ward at the great wide waste of des-
ert; but the bright sunshine kept my
spirits up-it's wonderful what differ
ence it makes sometimes whether the
days fine or gloomy-and away I went
merrily enough.
AS for my two CosSacl1s, they looked
as comfortable as if they were going to
a picnic.
I'VE kept n bright lookout as we
went along; and well we might, in a
country where we might all have our
Threats cut at any moment. But for
the first two hours we didn't see a liv-
ing thing. However, ! had already
made up my mind what to do in case
we did fall in with any of the Bokha-
riOteS; and it was well had, for all at |
once ! caught sight of a cloud of dust |
far in the distance, with sort of gilt |
ter running through it every now and |
then, coming right down upon us
Il saw my COSSaclls looking at me to |
see how took it, and so, of course. |
had to put on as bold face as l could; |
but don't mind confessing now that I
would have given all my chances of
promotion to find myself safe across the
border again.
However, it was too late to think |
Of that, for by this time we were so
near that we could see we had in front
Of us a body of at least fifty horsemen,
every man with n gun at his back and
a sword at his side.
Il tied my white handkerchief to the
point of my sword, by way of a flag of
truce, and, bidding the Cossacks stay
where they were, rode forward to
meet the Bokhariotes, who slackened
speed as / came up and looked at each
other in puzzled kind of way, as if
they didn't quite know what to make
of me.
" Peace be with you, brothers, said
|. You have doubtless been sent to
meet me by the great ameer, under the
shadow of whose throne the whole
earth rests May he live hundred and
twenty years! / bring him gifts from
the car of the Oorooss (Russians). Let
our horses be swift to reach Samarcand,
that may make the dust upon the
threshold of IIazret This majesty into
ointment for my eyelids.'
THE fellows looked more puzzled
than ever, but no one thought of doubt
ing what said; for, indeed, it could
never have entered into their heads that
any Russian could be riding through
their deserts with only two men at his
back. unless he had really some busi-
ness there.
$50 the leader of the band saluted
me very politely, and said that he laid
his forehead in the dust before the
OF the great car with a