Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-01-09
AoRoss AsIA ON eIoYclEs.
A PefIlous but Successful Ride by Two Ameri.
can Wheeimen.


Two St. Louis wheelmcn, inexperienced in
foreign riding, have done without serious
difficulty what stephens, the expert Aincri-
can, recently attempted and failed to nc
Compiish-tho crossing of Central Asia on
bicycles The heroes Of this exploit areAi-
len and Sachlebeu who began their long jour
ney on the day after their graduation from
college. In letter from the North China
Dnily News written by It's Paoting Fu cor
respondent. under date of Oct. SO.the story
OF the remarkable ride is told rs follows.
We were surprised yesterday by the sud
den apparltlon OF two American travellers ON
bicycles overland 10 Tashkend Russian
Transcaspia. Leaving tonstantinOple last
autumn they proceeded by way OF reheran
ana Askabad 10 Merry, Bokhara and Tnsh-
kend where. by the kindness Of the Rus
sian authorities. they were allowed TO win
ter. Leaving raghkend in May they cross
I'd to Kuldja In IN. where they were delay.
ed seven weeks for supplies 10y Russian post
FROM siberia.
They were strongly dissuaded at this
point from attempting the journey across
China. and were repeatedly assured that the
attempt would cost them their lives They
left. however, in midsummer, knowing no
Chinese, aud carrying only such supplies OF
money and clothes as could be strapped TO
the handle bars Of their machines. Their
route was by way Of Urumsu TO the border
OF the Cobb az Haml. They were twelve
days In crossing the desert, the sand being
firm enough for them 20 ride the most OF
the way. At Suhchau they struck the Yves.
tern end OF the Great Wall. the line OF
which they followed nearly four hum
bred miles to LanchOw From this point
they were obliged TO strike southeast to
Singan I'm ShcnsM whence they have come
By way Of Pinpyan aud I1iyuan to poating
l'u. Continuing TO Pekln aud Iientsin their
journey across Asia was completed. he
entire distance. with the exception Of the
short stage across the Trnnscaspian desert
was made on theic wheels.
They have been sinmlurly free from accl-
dents. Their bicycles which are OF the
safety pattern and cuahlOn.tired, would
have held out almost without breakage had
not the hind wheel OF one Of them been
en- I'M this way. Others followed. until the
rim Itself succumbed, and when the ma.
chimes were led into paOting Fu the injured
wheel was useless Il is now undergoing re-
pairs
They have been followed By mobs. chiefly
goOd-humored over since leaving kuldJa but
have on only two or three occasions hcen IN
actual danger. AZ these times, the flooring
Of their chief opponcnts and once or twice
the showing OF reyOlyers which they ear
rled, but never used were sufficient 20
bring them out CnfCly. The officials
showed them the greatest Kindness, and
through the eastern provinces detailed a
squad Of cavalry. as q rule, for their es-
cert, APPARENTLY rather as gn honor than for
The magistrate OF sunchau, through the
Kind Offices Of the resident Belgium customs
officials furnished them with Officially
stnmped s1unres OF cloth 90 hang before the
machine haldlcs bearing the words, IN IL
wen travelling scholIrs-and telling TO
all ANA sundry their nationality ana desuna-
tlun, somewhat as a person tnstens a Tag
upln child consigned 10 distant friends;
Their plans FOR the future include the
crossing OF Japan. whittier they proceed NJ
once VIA Shanghai. uud OF Souih Amerlci
or N the route iH practicable, tue southern
said that they are travelling merely Tor
plenRurp