Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-03-23

good soldier, and many regiments in
the czar's service are recruited in
Circassia.
The population of Turkestan is
composed Of different races so
blended as to produce a type differ.
ing from the primary stocks. There
are many tribes, the principal ones
being the Kirghiz, or the Turkomans,
and the Usbegs. The Kirghiz men
are great riders, being able to travel
hundreds of miles apparently without
fatigue. Spending most Of their time
on horseback, they acquire and in
innate familiarity with all the aspects
of plains and hills. Thsy can find
their way at night without the aid
Of the stars. They readily enlist in
the cars army and make dashing
cavalry men.
The Usbegs and Talks inhabit,
Bokhara, one OF the Asiatie provinces
of the Russian empire. Few states
Of so small a size contain the popu.
lation so heterogeneous. for besides
the Usbegs and Talks there are
Arabs, Persians, Turkomans, and
Jews.
Most Of the Usbegs in Bokhara are
engaged in agriculture and inhabit
towns. Their manners are bold and
straightforward They are warlke
in tendency, and as soldiers they are
brave and dashing. They cultivate
the music and poetry identified with
their race, and arrange mock battles
to celebrate great occasions.
Siberia is yet the land of mystery.
Popularity It is supposed 10 be a coun-
try clad In ice of drcary wastes Of
snow, barren plain. and jagged noun
tains. This popular idea Is not alto
gether correct True, there are noun
tains and barren deserts; but there
arc vast plateaus and immense
stretches of fertile, wen watered
plains. The climate is extremely cold
in winter and excessively hot in sum
mer.
In Siberia there is room for 200,
900 900 Industrious people. AT pres
ent there are scarce 5000, 900. The
natives OF this strange and hardly
understood country n ignorant, un.
oouth people, scarcely above the In
~tellectual capacity OF the savage.
Naturally, however, they are Of rug
ged and hardy disposition. Probably
there are twenty-five separate rae
OF people In Siberia. OF these the
principal ones are the samOyedes. re-
presenting the Finnish stock, the
Kalmuks Of Mongolians. ana the Tun-
guses, Of Manch stock,
Where Everyone 10 Honest.
The samoyedos are the most prim,
tive and untaught OF all the Siberians
Their domain lies within the arctic
cirlce, The dwell IN the lands border
ing on the Arctic ocean In physiog-
nomy they are strongly MohgoHan;
the expression is pleasing, though
rather sad One OF their most marked
characteristics IL honesty. The mer-
chants Of Toboisk leave -four and hsh
in summer stations. unprotected. The
samoyedcs take what they need. and
when the msrcahnt CONES again they
pay him.
The Samoyede Is a p~eaceable be
ing and eminendy sociabie. He win
travel a long way out Of bis ordinary
course 70 visit a tent where follow
tribesmen live. He Is fond Of gossip
aud treats women with great respect
Much different are tho Kalmuks
rhey are described As ugly IN appear
ance. cunning, dishonest. and drunk.
5n.
The Tungueses commend them
.elves much more fagOrabiy 70 tray
slera They hold an enormous do
main. stretching from the Yenesei
liver b the Paciac oceun and washed
q two points By tbe waters of the
Arctic, they form BY far the most