Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-03
ON THE BLACK SEA
At Batoum, Gle Leading Port
of Oriental Russia.
BIT
PROBLEM s nUNSOLVED
~
A RAILROAD JOURNEY THAT WAS
FAR FROM PLEASANT.
The Diligence Conductor Is Much More
Gorgeous Than the Horses
He Drives.

Batoum on the Black sea, Is the princi-
pal port Of oriental Russia. and although
it's situation surrounded by the thick,y
wooded Adiara mountains. is very pictur-
esoue. as a town 1t contains little of in
terest. However, 1t possesses two objects
which any town might be proud of. A very
fine promenade. called the "Boulevarde,
which runs along the edge of the bay, be-
tween two rows of large trees; and
mosque with a lovely minaret, which look
ed to our western eyes, unaccustomed to
SUCH like the tower of dream, so high
and slim and white 1t was, no tinge of col
or except its ieaf-green candle-snuffer roof.
We hastily ate our dinner at the Hotel I'm
perial and then went quickly to the Boule-
varde to see the sunset
The sky was deep, glowing crimson as
we approached. which turned the bay to
the color Of an AQUA marine When I ex-
claimed with delight my ardor was crush
ed by the practical g., who said that the
same effect could be- 2aen almost any even
Ing in autumn on Lake Michigan, that by
half-shuttins the syes one could easily
shore. Chicago II all placesr' 1 ex-
claimed. and deIcared that with my eyes
entirely closed it would be an impossibility
| mine was not SO unenthusiastic a nature,
whereupon the subject was changed and
we stood apart for a time.
Our train. which we were told impress
sively was an express, started that night
at 1910 and stopped at every station be-
tween Batoum and Tifiis making more
noise and confusion in its comings and 60
ings than is possible to describe.
In Georgia the starting of train Is
serious business and you have one but
yourself to blame If you are left, for there
are three warnings sounded; the first, one
loud peal Of the station bell; the second,
| fae Hn t,n ir,I
and the third, five peals, which can be heard
for miles. Then comes a very shrill whistle
from the engine, and, lastly, the guard
whistle. Then at last the train begins to
move very slowly and keeps on moving
slowly! 1 regret to say.
We expected to get very little sleep that
night, and our expectations were fulfilled,
for, although we wrapped our rugs about
US and lay down az tfito pleasant dreams,
the flea was rampant and the smell Of the
petroleum with which the train was run
filed the room. We hoped that one might
drive out the other, at least. the last the
first, but alasl no ,such thing took place.
In the early dawn we found 1t possible to
get glasses of hot-tea and were put into a
slightly better humor with life
Disappointing at First.
The first glimpse Of Tifiis as you drive
from the station to thu hotel is disappoint-
ing. for the Russian part is modern, and
upon the River Kouva just one has de-
cided that it Is hardly worth coming all
this distance to see modern a town and
the view up and down It's muddy length en-
tireIy changes ones ideas. The river runs
between high cliffs, along which are the
houses of the Asiatic quarter, with latt!ced
verandas overhanging the water, and In al
most every veranda Persian or Caucasian
with fish net hanging to the end of
thick cord.
Where the cliffs break away and the
shore is f1atter. tall Caucasus in hoods
drive their long nosed oxen into the stream,
what for we never could find out, for when
ever Leon asked about a common everyday
occurrence such as that, or as to the kind
of fish to be found in the Kouva such
like he was answered by a shrug of the
shoulders or a glance of curiosity even
contempt, as who should say, rs this man
daft that he should not know so common
thing? The oxen never appeared to drink;
they were certainly never washed; and we
saw no skins of wine to be diluted by the
dreadful water. so what could be the OBJ
ject? I found my mind dwelling unduly on
the subject and so decided to give it up, so
the mystery remains unsolved. although
every little while one of us exclaims even
now. Possibly 1t was for the feet Of the
oxen.' or Gould 1t be that there were
seeds in the carts to be moistened?" only
to be met with silence by the others. AS
our time was limited we had to start If pos
sible that same afternoon on the drive
across the mountains. So we at once made
inquiries as to a private diligence, which
We had been told was the best mode of
travel.
Nothing. we found, was farther from the
mind of a Caucasian or, in fact, of any Rus
sian, than the idea of hurry, so, although
We arrived at 10 o'clock in the morning. 1t
was 3 30 before We could get our carriages
and be off. When asked why If we
were willing to pay extra for that diligence
we could not get one at once, we were re-
garded with wonder almost amounting to
awe, Tor might not matter of five hours
and half be considered "at once" bath
and a very good lunch helped to allay our
annoyance over the delay and also the fact
that a rain had set in which seemed to be
nothing less than deluge
Three Modes Here.
There are three modes of crossing the