The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-16
INTO A CHOLERA CAMP.
Distressing Scenes Witnessed b
Travellers In tho Far East.


Edwin Lord Weeks. In Harper.
:. To-day we are to reach Tahresz which
iies somewhere between the dark olive
tinted srss line Of it's surrounding gardens.
point OF the plateau. The last night OF
I me journey I twenty-nine days from Trebi-
There had been much loss Of time On ~:
road. and at twilight there was still no
sign OF the carayansary, although both
n n1in,,s. protested that II was but twenty
nlthy and untruthful old reprobate, who
mad intrigued al every village to rass
chased. and whose brain was forever weav-
ing plots 10 extract from Us the balance
I'll Ta me une contract money before arriving Ct
IL was impossible to ascertain the nature
or his malady. Some of the men believed
II 10 be cholera, others the result OF ex-
there he lay. an unsightiy, writing heap
or rags, on our baggage under the can
to stow him. and his compatriots had re-
FUSED 10 take him In at any OF the villages
along tne road. so that We could only hope
contagious. And he seemed to be at the
point OF death. and darkness was rapidly
coming on, we gave the order. TO halt by
the roadside. The Persian ARABIA Kept on,
deserving US for the first time. and in the
morning could see that they were
of r1 naa IN M ssa
steep and muddy, and the water, decidedly
brackish in flavor. was neither clear nor in
viting. but other water was TO be hadI
30 we inferred enough TO MI the samovsr;;
Even filtered and boned, 1t was st.l
the cool Juice OF the melon. We had reason
TO repent Of our intemperance before morn
When we mounted our horses at sunrise.
Tabreez was but two hours further on
We forded river crossed by a bridge
which was unsafe for the ARABIA, ana were
soon among the outlying villages and gar
denS. From this point the custom house
is an hour further on, and when we halt In
that the ARABIA shall be driven into the
courtyard. This are inclined TO oppose,
but Artemis, as usual. fails to show the
necessary decision, and while We are still
discussing the matter the driver whips up
his horses and drives through the gate.
Once inside we are informed that Il Is
Friday, that the headmen have gone to the
mosque, and that we cannot have our bag
gage until the following day. We then de-
eide to find the consul and appeal 10 his au-
thority. The European quarter Is a long way
of, and when we reach IL we find only mud
walls. dusty hollows strewn with ruins. ana
streets full of holes and pitfalls. A rev
well-built gateways open here and there
into gardens half hidden by brick walls.
above which tower pale-green poplars This
melancholy than the rest Of the town. The
consular residence Is closed; So too, are
the houses of other Europeans 70 whom we
have letters. We begin TO regret our tent,
and the prospect of finding shelter is not
promising. The midday sun is getting hot
ter, and the dry wind raises clouds OF dust
With O feeling of relief we met Euro
pean standing at the gate OF his house; ne
is clad all in white, helmet and duck suit
He proves to be young Austrian. and in
few words of French he explains the mys-
terry Of the situation. The cholera is rag-
ing; there have been many thousand
deaths; and, although II. is rumored that
the worst is over, and that the numbers
have BEGUN to diminish, ii Is still impossi-
BILE to obtain any reliable figures. Tho
1oru
ton Of few individuals. has left the city,
and has taken refuge in the villages on the
slopes of the Sahend mountains. The great
bazars, the most extensive and populous
In all Persia, are almost empty. and the
few European shops are closed. This. then,
was the reason of the empty streets ana
the hurried funeral professions which We
had encountered on the road. Although
we had made this long detour to avoid the
infected Russian provinces, We have ridden
straight into a cholera trap. The life in
the open country has been joyous enough.
but In every town We have had some un-
pleasant experiences; and this bids fair TO
can the climax.