The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-11-30

TRAVELLING ON THE DESERT
PLATEAUS OF PERSIA.
An Early Breakfast, Followed by n
Long Ride Over the Desert
The Halt for the Night
on a Plowed Field.
1THIs caravan life has a subtle

c0tIm OI 1tS OWL Wutu Que 10
in perfect health and things
20 smoothly; and even when
uoey do not, the minor dlscomforts of
a nomsd existence do not weigh heavily
on nerves blunted by the open air and
q certain amount of healthy fatigue
When one journeys by vestibule train
or Wagner sleeping-car the short
like an interim, an eptr'acte, during
which ones daily routine is suspend
ed, TO he resumed again only when he
leaves the train st his destination. But
here, where the distances are 80 vast,
the real existence is on the road, and
the brief stay IN each city, full of few
erish, agitated movement and unrest.
becomes the interim, and the traveller
looks forward to the calm and pure air
of the desert plateau beyond and the
comfort of his tent. The routine of
daily life is little trying at first, but
Easily learned. Each twenty-four
hours is divided into four parts--the
,eriod of hurry and activity in the
larly morning, longer one of com
parstive tranquility on the march, the
brief hour of hustle on arriving at our
destination, and then "nirvans," the
dreamless sleep of the night At
half-past 3 or at a. IN. it is
time 10 get up and dress by candle
light, TO call for the 'samovar" and hot
tea, to see that the men in the kitchc
tent are astir, and that the chavadar
are feeding their horses. Then the
small articles are packed, Abdullah
brings in breakfast, and while we are
eating the chsvsdars come in to take
out the baggage, the first red light
from the rising sun shines through the
transparent walls, and then the tent
itself is pulled down, end we are shiv-
ering in the frosty 81 bracing morn
ing mir. Sometimes ,ealIfastis is finished
on one of the camp-chests while the
table is packed away. When the last
load has been secured and the ground,
now strewn with egg sh lis and loose
straw, has been searched for lost ar
ticles, we mount our horses or walk
on ahead. Then comes the long day
of comparative rest, and when the
brief morning chill has passed away,
made drowsy by the growing heat OF
the sun, we nod and sway in our sad
dies, lulled by the monotony of the
slow march and the ceaseless tinkling
of the bells. Over desserts of white
salt, like new-fallen snow or frozen
,leet, where the horizon swims and
luivers in the mirage, and over plains
ioored with black volcanic deposit, We
tide on and on, over passes, across
.ivers aud marshy plains, until it ia
time to hurry on ahead OF the caravan
and despatch hasty lunch on some
shelterless hillside, or deep il
gully if the wind blows,
and where there is brook in
which to cool bottle of wine. Thi'
caravan, unlike the former one, never
hslts at noon, but keeps on at the sam,
unvarying pace until its allotted tasl
is done At last the lengthening shad
ows and the sight of the distant muo
walls of the village where we are tt
halt warn MS that it is time to spur on
with the chavador t. select our camp
ing ground before the baggage animals
COmt up IL WIS usuullN Oul iHtt "
encamp on plowed field, and it wa'
no small piece of work to clear tn,
ground of stones and briers; often il
high wind it required the combined
strength of all of us to hold the flap
ping canvas while the pegs were beinl
driven in, and we were fortunate in
deed if there were no wet sketches
lying about when the dust drove III
clouds under the tent. When the cord'
are well secured the baggage ii
brought in, carpets are spread out
beds are unfolded, and the ebonite fill
ers are put in working order, SO tina
ea or the refreshing peg" may b'
forthcoming, There is often leisure
hour in which to JOB down impressions
of color before Abdullah comes in t.
set the table, and after dinner We 81
under the canvas awning which pro
iects above the tent door, and smoke
in the crimson after-glow, grand an'
solemn, in this land of vast horizons
-Harper's Magazine.