Washington sentinel., 1899-06-03
Lost in the Desert.
vide Woyld Magazine.

high. l can compare the sight to
nothing so much as a swelling sea
suddenly petrihed. The hillocks
were all wave-shaped, with ripples
of sand all over them. On every
hand ot a shrub or bush was to
be seen-nothing but this binding
white sand, scorching hot, and
into which one sank over the
knees. 1t was difficult, too, tor
our guides to find their way, and
one used to go forward in advance
OF the caravan and pilot US along
by his shouts. He was very ire.
quently at fault himself, however,
and on several occasions we made
long detO71yS before the right direc-
ton could be ascertained. On that
day, too, an incident occurred
which might have terminated IN
far more tragic manner than 1t die.
had got ahead, not only oil the
caravan, but of Bekel, and, wearied
with my exertions, lay down on
the sand. / think l must have
fallen asleep, but l certainly do re-
member picking from my face
what looked like an enormous
spider. l thought nothing OF it
until l began to feel pain under
meath my LETT eye similar to that
left by a mosquito sting. In ten
minutes nv cheek had become
enormously swollen. and it was
clear to me that l had been stung
BY some reptile or other. BY the
time Bekel came up my face was
swollen so much that i could not
even see out OF the left eye. AS
soon as Bekel saw me and noticed
my face he seemed stricken with
terror. He leapt from his horse,
knocked rather than pushed me
down, and with the fingers of both
hands commenced pressing the
protuberance which had grown
under my eye. The pain was ter
rible, and l yelled in my agony,
until l think ! must have tainted,
although l well remember one OF
the Khirghiz coming with a long
knife, when at once the idea en-
tered my brain that they intended
to "do" for me. The knife, how
ever, was only used to extract the
sting OF a tarantulY which had Bit
ten me. 1t was not until reached
Petro-AleXandrovsk, and related
the incident to the doctor Of the
lazaret there, that I understood it
was tothe promptitude ofBekel and
the Khirghiz that owed my life.
Another hour, and it was too late,
Our first encounter with the
Turcomans occurred on the fourth
day from Bia Murat. was now
in such a weak condition that
bicycling was completely out of
the question, especially as we were
passing oyer sand so deep and hot
that TO venture the foot upon Ii
meant raising blisters all over the
skin. 1t is well known fact that
in this particular part Of the desert
the sand gets so hot that eggs can
be roasted IN it in less than two
minutes. How the horses and the
camels stood il is beyond my
comprehension; but stand it they
did, with never a whimper. Our
halts became much too frequent
| Tor my liking. Inc slightest ex
cuse was taken advantage Of for
tea drinking on the part of my
escort, and, considering the heat,
this was not to be wondered at.
Nevertheless, it was a dull, monot.
onous plod, plod, Plod, every man
Of US realizing that our only hope
lay in getting forward, and that
every step made was one nearer
to the goal. 1t was about midday
and ] was sitting in the little tent
drinking some wine-for had now
abandoned tea entirely-when one
OF the Khirghiz came in with a
shout, "Turkmen! TurkmenW Up
jumped Bekel, and l after him.
heard shouts and cries and the loud
cracking OF whips, but Tor a mo-
ment could see nothing but blind
ing cloud Of sand. In few Sec
onds, however, perceived a band
OF hoTsemen swooping down upon
us, and before l knew exactly what
was the matter we were sur
rounded. Bekel and his men we're
already on horseback, and a lively
time then set in. The Turcomans,
attired in the Bokharan costume
Of huge turbans and long cloaks,
were armed to the teeth, and the
chief Of them-a black, Villainous-
looking iellow-rode straight for
the tent. Bekel, however Cplucky
old man), went for him without
any ado. He slashed his whip in
the air, and at the same time
caught hold of the chain around
his neck which supported his
breastplate. The Turcomans drew
near and inspected the plate; there
was a hurried consultation, and
then, with a shout and a confused
scattering Of sand, they careered
out Of sight. The all-poweriul
influence ofNicholas H., Emperor
of All the Russias, then came home
to me; that these saVages should
respect and bow to the brazen
emblem OF his authority was to me
an object lesson not easily to be
T.