New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-10
RUSSIAN HOSPITALITY.


Things were different across the Russian border
above Corea Not far from the Chinese town
Of Hunchun there was Russian outpost. with a
little band Of Cossacss busy building barracks
and getting ready for winter These men were
paid about cent day. after deducting the
cost Of their equipment The officers received
meagre salaries compared with English officers
Of equal rank But they all as CHEEKY as
possible Captain Younghusband was surprised
at the bountiful dinner TO which he was invited,
and more than surprised at the amount Of beer,
claret, sherry. port and vodka which he was
expected 10 dispose of in the most promiscuous
fashion. Life at this little post was monotonous
enough but everybody looked healthy compared
with Eng1ishmen in the enervating climate OF
India Things were somewhat more lively at
Navo-Kievsk. with Its battalion OF infantry,
battery Of artillery and a hundred Cossack cav
airy. The Russians were doing their best to en-
courage colonists from Corea the soil Is prohis-
ing but the opening OF the country was a $40"
process The commanding officer SAID lrahki!
that the English were much wiser than Russians
about settling UP a new country Ihere was
little talk about English aggression. but mat diu
not interfere with the hospitality accorded 10 the
visitors Though Captain Younghusband had no
passport the courtesy Of a visit to VladivostocK'
the Russian stronghold on the Pacific coast, was
offered TO him. 1t prudent In him not 10 &C
cept this His later experience, when ne was
turned out of so-called Russian territory might
have been anticipated In even ruder fashloh
Putting aside the temptation to take an extra
hazardous lool; into Russian affairs, he turned
rather reluctantly toward Picking with the inten-
ton of making his way to India across the Desert
Of Cobb and through the passes Of the Hmalayas
In
camel routes on the Desert of Cobb are not
favorlte thoroughfares even yet. But the Hima-
layan passes and glaciers are getting to be al
most as familiar by name at least. as those Of
the Alps. One can read not only the big book on
Sir William Conway's triumphant expedition, but
every month or so somebody gives the world in
nr,nt a record Of frontier marching and fight
ing In the vast mountain labyrinth north Of
India But when Captain Yourghusband began
threading those passes nobody who read English
knew much more than the names If he knew as
much as that, Of the Baltis the Hunzas. the
Kanjutis and all the rest OF the warning noun
teineers The Desert Of Cobb from Kwei-hwa-
cheng to Ham consumed seventy days OF monot-
orous travel In those days and nights, upon a
sea of sand. the author had an opportunity for
meditation, which resulted In an essay on the
manifestation Of nature which comes In near the
close of this volume. Captain Youn: husband can
hardly be called a success mystic; but he
has very practical views as 10 the utility OF
Christianity and Christian civilization In Asia.
He found good reason TO praise the missionaries
whom he found in the remotest places TO which
he 1ourneyed. His judgment was based not on
the number Of conversions to Christianity re-
corded but on the influence which these men ex-
ercised In the ordinary way over their neighbors.
Another class Of men for whom he acquired a
high admiration were the Asiatic merchants. To
these men all Asia was familiar. He found them
numerous in Keshgar. Their habit was to hire
a place In each city. remain until they had sold
their stock and bought new for another journey
Thus they wandered hither and thither. making
gains perhaps. but at all events gathering ex-
perience and topics for endless conversation
/ After reading what the author has to say about
them. one ceases to wonder at the prominence
Of the migratory trader In almost ell Eastern
/ tales.
| In course Of time. Captain Younghrseand had
! explored most OF the Himalayan passes. But
! there came a day when he had TO find new
! one He spent the winter of 1890 In kashgar
while making general exploration of the
! PaYnirs. Here he had good deal to do witt
| Chinese officials and also with Russians. II
| was not till ne took his departure that he found
himself in trouble A Russian force took pos
session OF the Pamirs. and he fell in with II
on the headyaters OF the River Oxus. As usual