The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-11

never risk their skin unless there is some
thing doing They know as well as you
and l that our train is good as empty,
hence, you see them homeward bound.
hence, also, their disguised faces"
still, they might reconsider their deci-
sion if they suspected an American girl
aboard added the head waiter. '"These
people have idea that America is full
of money and that splendid ransom can be
exacted for every American woman
caught
was Miss Stone taken from the train?"
1 asked.
NO" replied the conductor, "she was
captured during fool-hardy excursion into
the Interior
The Pomacks are Mohammedans, and
closely resemble the real Turkish article.
Those L saw were mounted on well-fed
ponies and every little while one or more
would come within hailing distance to 'in-
vestigate'' for themselves whether the train
was worth derailing or not. 1 am bound
to add, though, that in outward appearance
at least the peaceful citizens of the prin-
cipality do not vary much from its pro-
fessional 5rigands. The everyday costume
of peasants and herdsmen is black kaptan
reaching below the knees, under which
long shirt of coarse linen is worn. On their
head sits a sort of turban. Their hair is
very long, and as combs and brushes are
unknown in the Bulgarian interior, this
fashion adds to the uncouth appearance Of
both males and females.
You need not trouble about making
up the bed for me-" 1 said to the porter,
who came to receive orders for the night.
In this environment sleep would be impos-
sible, besides, we expected to reach the
Turkish frontier at 2:30 a. M, and there
would have to give an account of my be-
longings to the Sultan's custom house on
Gals.
Until then the train had kept excellent
time-no wonder, since there were no pas
sengers to get on and off, and no goods
trains to cause delay. We entered the
Padisha's dominions at go o'clock, over
a wooden bridge, but at the very mo-
ment that the last car had touched terra
firma, there was a tremendous crash, jar
and uproar. Though not knowing what had
happened-I did not notice our passing over
a bridget felt instinctively that such, or
a similar structure must have fallen. That
1 surmised rightly, 1 learned at the Legal
tlOl dltcT ItdCiiiiS Iuc
insurgents had intended to blow up the
Oriental express the instant the train
touched Turkish territory, and to that end
had undermined the bridge in approved
military fashion. 1t happened, however,
that train-time was ahead of the insur-
gents time twenty or thirty seconds. To
that narrow margin we owe our escape.
Observing what had happened, the en-
gineer ran the train past the station and
did not stop until locomotive,
dispatched by the authorities, caught
up with US. The engine in pur-
suit brought dozen or more
custom-house officials, one of whom was as
signed to look after my goods and chat
tells, while the rest investigated the freight
and mail.
LOOKING FOR DYNAMITE.
The Turks first question was: ,"Can you
swear, upon your faith, that you carry no
dynamite or other explosives
/ made oath to that, and he promptly
emptied the contents of my suit case, trav-
cling bag, hat boxes and trunk on the
floor. He must have turned over my
dresses, toilet articles, bottle and things
at least a dozen times-my medicine chest
PLANTATION: likewise he robbed me of all the
newspapers. magazines, and books I car
ried-they might or might not, contain
something against the Sublime Porte.
i was angry, and trying to be sarcastic,
said in French: Perhaps you would like
to take few railway guides. too"
"Of course he replied. with a bland
smile, and packed up the volumes belonging
to the Oriental express, that 1 had bor-
rowed for my information.
When at last We were on the road again
/ stepped to window and looked out AS
far as / could see, front and rear and sides,
the Turks country is an armed camp
watchfires everywhere and around them
troops of soldiers. Mounted troopers pa
trolled both sides of the railway line; they
carried electric lights at the head of their
lances that may be started or extinguished
by pushing a button.
Nov, We are comparatively SAFE" said
| the conductor, pointing to the soldiers, "for
dare say the provincial governors answer
| for us with their heads
When it was light l noticed that very few
! of the soldiery wore uniforms; the great
| majority were in civilian dress. GOOD
enough to kill Christians in,'' said my
waiter at breakfast.
| Adrianople, the ancient capital of the
| Moslem empire, was passed during the
night. 1t was there, according to rumor
| that our locomotive cut i'm two the fuse
| intended to ignite pile of dynamite placed
near the tracks, while the cowcatcher threw
several barrels of powder out of harms
way. AS before mentioned, the railway
officials were uncommunicative on this
| point; they will not even admit the Mus
tapha Pasha affair, though the latter is al.
disputed.
A DESOLATE COUNTRY.
For a hundred miles behind Adrianoplt
| all is prairie, low hillocks, sparsely grown
with trees. Not five per cent. of the area
| is under cultivation and very few human
| beings or cattle are visible. The inhabit
| ants, l was told, are hiding i'm the noun
tains TO escape army duty and carried of
their animals unless they had been pre-
viously stolen by the Sultans soldiers.
"Tscherkesakoi.' called out the conduc
tor. l knew L had heard that name befor,
and asked him to explain.
Twelve years ago the Oriental EXPIRES.
was derailed near this point; passenger.
were relieved of their belongings and tn,
brigands invited four gentlemen belonging
to Cooks" party to accompany them I,
the mountains. At that time the Sultar
himself had to pay the piper. Under pres
sure of the British Cabinet Abdul Hamit
put his hand in his pocket and paid tn,