Asheville daily citizen., 1893-12-16
-. BY CARAVAN.
Routine OF IA Day of HTarching IN som,
Great Desert.

Routine OF n Day of Marching IN Some
Great Desert.
This caravan life has subtle charm
of it's own when one is in perfect health
and things go smoothly; and even if
they do not, the minor discomforts of
nomad existence do not weigh heav-
lily on nerves blunted by the open air
and certain amount of healthy
fatigue. When one Journeys by vesti-
bule train or Wagner slceping-car the
short space of time between two cities
is like an interim, an entr'acte, during
which ones daily routine is suspended,
to be resumed again only when he
leaves the train at his destination. But
here, where the distances are so vast,
the real existence is on the road, and
the brief stay in each city, full of fever
ish, agitated movement and unrest, be-
comes 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 a little trying at first but
easily learned. Each twenty-four
hours is divided into four parts-tho
period of hurry and activity in tho
early morning, a longer one of cOmpar-
ativc tranquility on the march, the
brief hour of hustle on arriving at our
destination, and then "nirvana,' the
dreamless sleep of the night. At half
past three or four o'clock in the morn
ing it is time to get up and dress by
candle-light, to call for the ''sam-
ovar" and hot tea, to see that tnI men
in the kitchen tent are astir, and
that the chavadars are feeding their
horses Then the small articles are
packed, Abdull>h brings in breakfast,
and while we are eating the chavadars
come in to take ont the baggage, the
first red light from the rising sun
shines through the transparent walls,
and then the tent itself is pulled down,
and we are shivering in the frosty and
bracing morning air. Sometimes break
fast is finished on one of the camp,
chests while the table is being packed
away. When the last load has been
secured, and the ground, now strewr
with Cggshells and loose straw, has
been searched for lost articles, we
mount our horses or walk on ahead
Then comes the long day of compare
tive rest, and when the brief morning
| chill has passed away, made drOwsy 10y
| the growing heat of the sun, we nos
| and sway III our saddles, lullcu 10y tn
| nlunOionY Cf the slow march and TIL
| ceaSrlcSS tiukling of the bells Owe
| deserts of white salt, like now fallen
snow or frozen slcct, where the horizon
swims and quivers in the mirage, ant
over plains iloored with black volcani
| deposit, we ride on ami ON, over passes
across rivers and marshy plains, unit
it is time to hurry on ahead of the car
avan and dispatch Il hasty lunch ol
| some sheltcrlcss hillside. or deep in
| gully if the wind blows, and best o
| all, where there is a brook in WhicI
| to cool bottle OF wine. This caravan
| unlike some, never haltS at noon
| but keeps on at the same uuvurvin!
| pace until its allotted task j. done. \
| last the leugthCniug shadows ANA tn
| sight of the mud walls of the villdr
where we are to halt warn us that it i
time to spur ON with the chaNadIr t
select our camping ground before th'
| baggage animals como up. 1t was uSu
| ally our fate to cncamp on p,OWc,
field, and it was no small piece Of worI
to clear the ground of stones and bricr,
| often in Il high wind it required tn
com binCd strength of all of us to hOl
| the Tapping canvas while the pegs wcr
being driven in, and we were ,Drtunat
indeed if there We're no wet NkctchG
lying about when the dust drove i
clouds under the tent. When the cord
are we'll secured the baggage Is brough
in, carpets are spread out, beds unfold
ed and the chouitc filters are put il
working order 50 that the tea or til
refreshing peg may be Forthcoming
There is often leisure hour in whic
to jot down Impressions of color bcfor
Abdullah comes in to set the table. an
after dinner we sit under the canva
awning which projects above the ten
door, and smoke, in the crimson after
glow, grand and solemn, in this land G