The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1894-09-19
RIDING o Il CHINESE.
Two American Bicyclers in Asia
Give Exhibitions
T,or Zero Compelled to D2sh int tie
cries and Lock Up Their "lte.'.7 /"
Is.sDe the Crowds OF Cu-io"" "a
tivcs warming After Them.

III SElI14 LIB
uaae il q rule TO run rapidly through
until we came to an inn, and then lock-
our wheels before the crowd could
collect. write Thomas Ct. Allen, jr., and
william L. Sachtleben in the Century,
continuing their narrative OF Across
Asia on a Bicycle." Urumtsi, however,
was too large and intricate for such a
We were obliged to dis
mount in the principal thoroughfare.
The excited throng pressed IN upon us.
Among them was a Chinaman who
could talk a little Russian, and who
undertook to direct US to a comfort
able inn at the far end of the city.
This street parade gathered TO the Inn
ward an overwhelming mob. and an
bounced to the whole community that
.'fOreign horses had come. 1t had
been posted, we were told, a month be-
fore, that 1.-The new people OF the
world" were coming through on
strange iron horses and every one
was requested not to modest them. by
this, public curiosity was raised to the
highest pitch. When we returned from
supper at a neighboring restaurant,
we We're treated to a novel scene. The
doors and windows of our apartments
had been blocked with boxes, bales OF
cotton, and huge cartwheels to keep
out the irrepressible throng. Our host
was agitated to tears; he came out ring
ing his hands, and urging upon us that
any attempt on our part to enter
would cause a rush hat would break
| his house down. We listened to his
| e~ntreaties on the condition that we
= l. @1o,- 10 Mount 10 4hn
| roof with a ladder, to get away from
| the annoying curiosity of the crowd.
There we sat through the evening tWi-
| light, while the crowd below, some
what baked, but not discouraged,
stood taking in every move. Nightfau
| and a dizzling rain came at last to our
relief.
The next morning a squad Of soldiers
was dispatched to raise the siege, and
at the same time presents began to ar
rive from the various officials, from the
Tsongtu, or viceroy, down to the au-
p~erintendent of the local prisons. The
matter of how much to accept of a Chi
nese present and how much to pay Tor
it in the way of a tip to the bearer is
one of the finest points Of that finest OF
fine arts, Chinese etiquette; and yet in
the midst of such an abundance and va
riety we were hoRelessly at sea. Fruits
and teas were brought, together with
meats and chickens, and even a live
sheep. Our Chinese visiting-cards-
with the Chinese the great insignia Of
rank-were nov returned for those sen
with the presents, and the hour APP
pointed for the exhibition Of our BIZ
cycles as requested.
Long before the time, the streets and
housetops leading from the inn to the
vicerov's palace at the far end of the
city began to fill with people, and sol
diers were detailed at our request to
make an opening for us to ride through
abreast. This, however, did not pre-
vent the crowd from pushing US against
each other, or sticking sticks in the
wheels, or throwing their hats and
shoes in front of us, as we rode by.
When in sight of the v%iceroy's palace,
they closed in on us entirely. 1t was
the worst jam we had ever been in. BY
no possibility could we mount our ma
chimes, although the mob was growing
more and more impatient. They kept
shouting for us to ride, but would give
US no room. Those on the outside
: pushed the inner ones against us. Will
:, the greatest difficulty could we pre-
serve our equilibrium and prevent the
\ wheels from being crushed as W.
5 surged along toward the palace gate
while all the time our Russian inter
prefer, Mafoo, on horseback in front
continued to shout and g~esticulate IL
the widest manner above their heads
Ut La 140- ~1ao0I n 4 4h,
r palace gate to keep back the moi witt
cudgels. When we reached them the.
pulled us and our wheels qulckl.
=. through into the Enclosure, and thel
: tried to stem the tide by belabOring tn
! heads and shoulders in reach, includ
= inp those of cur unfortunate inter
: prefer. Mafoo. But it was no use
h Everything was swept away befor
! this surging wave of humanity.
The viceroy himself, who now cam
4 out to receive US, was powerless. Al
he could do was to request them t
make room around the palace court
ward for the coming exhibition. Thou
sands of thumbs were uplifted tina
afternoon in praise of the
l. twee-tah-cheh, or twO-wheeled cart:
e as they witnessed our d attemE
< at trick riding and special maneuvel
ii ing. After refreshments in the palace
T. to which we were invited by the vice
IL row, we were counseled to leave by
- rear door and return by a ~rOund-abou
n way to the inn, leaving the mob to wa
% till dark for our exit from the front.
Razor CLAIMS.
Mollusks are not supposed to b