The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-06-13
or so without water as the wild ones

VI SO "ieuOut water oS tiiS wiz VA1So
sometimes do.
My correspondent remarks that Dr.
Hedin stiH wears those boots and that
they are good yet. In writing to the
King of Sweden he mentioned the i'm
portant part which they played, and now
the shoemaker who made them IS
made man. having a great run Of Gus
tom
The most remarkable "find" In this
desert was city buried in the sand. As
1t is eight days from water. il is not
likely 10 be visited very often. The
sand moves on slowly in great waves.
some of them forty feet high. The city
is not wholly covered. They excavated
and carried away fresco paintings, pieces
of wood from the houses, curiousfy
changed to brittle glass-like substance.
pictures of Buddha and Of kneeling
women. hands clasped in prayer. and,
most important Of all. manuscripts in
an unknown language and writing that
is. suppose. unlike any with which
DR.. Hedin has any acquaintance. In
the January. 1893. Century. there IS
figured an inscription in an unknown
language and character. carved on the
rock in the Kin-yung-kwan. or Nan-kon
Pass. and 1t is surmised that this may
be the same From the pictures OF
Buddha 1t is inferred that the city was
buried before Mohammedanism became
the dominant religion of Central Asia,
and that these manuscripts are some
thousands of years old. He sent the
best on TO the King" says my cores
pondent, "but these were found after
wards A few are tattered and broken.
and I didn't dare examine them closely.
They looked a little like Chinese rapid
writing, but Chinese scholars say that
il is not Chinese. and Moneols and Thk
betans that 1t is not Mongol nor Thib-
etan. One. a long slip OF paper. seemed
from left to right. It had q
small circle drawn near the end Of the
paper and a hole in the middle. looking
as If they had strung it With other pa
pers. THIS seemed to be like parchment
paper, and II glittered with mica and
fine sand. Dr. Hedin says the charac-
.ers seem more like Sanscript 70 him
than anything else, and he is going to
get Max Miller to examine them"
Dr. Hedin preceded his baggage and
surviving Turk by some days. and from
Kalgan went to Peking for his mail,
which he had not seen for thirteen
months. He now telegraphed his safe
arrival to King Oscar. and received a
message in a half day.
To his father he sent the message, "AH
splendid" thinking this more reassur-
ing than "All right" "All splendid"
surely. 1t was. remembering his perils.
his sufferings, and his courage, which
are the price OF a distinct widening OF
our knowledge OF the earth and the
probable addition OF a new and absorb
ing chapter TO its history.
DR.. Hedin Is a good example OF the
hardy. earnest Morse
man. the energy and directness Of his
Viking blood being turned to more
peaceable but not less difficult and dam
gerous pursuits He is described as be-
ing about five feet ten, with a well-knit
figure. handsome. vivacious face. red
seemingly all the healthier for
his hardships. at least for his simple fare
and out of-door life. He is only thirty
two. and mas a great future before him.
Il there is anything left to explore" He
delights to travel where no white man
lives. His conversation Is interesting
and humorous. He spoke of his map OF
Mongolia as SPLENDID but cumbersome.
Why" he said, ''it is almost natural
size" He has the freshness and en-
thusiasm of youth.
Almost as interesting in another way,
Is the surviving Turk. On the last day
before reaching Kalgan the cart carry
ing the baggage upset. throwing him out.
and the wheel passed over his leg.
breaking II. He insisted on booking after
everything, counting every piece Of silv-
er before he would receive any assis-
tance. He was taken 70 the mission
hospital for treatment, but knowing no
and, Of course, no English. he
had to converse in signs. which were
ingenious. When the hospital cook in
CURED by gestures what he would eat.
he put his thumb and foref1nger togeth-
er TO indicate that ne would have oat-
meal vows" which are of a compli
Gated shape which could only te shown
by a cut. He picked some threads out
OF his own bedquilt and rubbed them In
his hands. meaning that he would like
to have the quilt ripped and washed.
This. n fact. proved imprarcticable. for
while 1t was easy to rip. /, was too old
TO get together again. He was we'll
cared for. nevertheless. The ahfhun or
principle Of one of the mosques invited
him 10 his house gave him clothing and
A new quilt. He also sent him food
every day. not allowing him 70 eat the
hospital food. In spite Of the "un-
Of the Turk in general.
,ne cannot help admiring the fidelity OF
the one and the appreciation of II by the
J.her. IT this country We should call
/ Christian. which would make II all
right
The arrangements for the return jour
ney are interesting in Their unlikeIess
to anything with which We are acquaint-
cd. II takes the caravans thirty days
10 go from Kaigsn 10 Urga. In Mongolia.
a distance of about six hundred miles.
DR.. Hedin viii make Il in eight. The
carts are drawn by four horses. each
with rider. and they go at a gallop
night and day. The horses are con-
nected with the bar OF the carr by ropes
and travel abreast. Other horsemen
ride az the side, ready to relieve the
post-riders when their rhorses are tired.
There are sixteen stations or relays.
Strangely as il sounds. the carts are said
10 be comfortable 10 slesp in-comfor.-
sbie 70 Swedish explorers. probably.
While at Kaigan DR.. Hedin gave an
address. through an interpreter. in the
u-ssion chapel The Chinese we're in
.eres:ed In the story OF his wanderings