The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1905-06-07
The Special Correspondent

he will be put under guard at the next
station, and 1t will be useless for Made.
moiselle Nnca Klork to expect him in
the capital OF the Chinese empire.
1t would he better for me TO relieve
his anxiety this very night. That Is i'm
possible, for the train will soon stop
at Check Tepe, and then at Askhabad.
which 1t will leave in the first hour OF
daylight can no longer trust to Pop
OFFS going TO sleep.
l am absorbed in these reflections
when the locomotive stops In Check Tepe
station at l o'clock in the morning. ihe
train starts Mt 2 o'clock. after having
been Joined by few passengers whom
Popof tells me are Turkomans.
! envied the sleep Of my companions.
The dawn was appearing In the east.
Here and there were the ruins OF an
ancient city. citadel girdled with high
ramparts and a succession OF long pOrtf-
Goes extending over fifteen hundred
yards. Running over few embank-
ments necessitated by the inequalities
Of the sandy ground. the train again
reaches the horizontal steppe.
We are running at II speed OF thirty
miles an hour in southwesterly direc-
'ipH hiUhk tht tISIuu IiohtSi' - 80
only beyond Douchak that the line be-
ton at o'clock in the morning.
We stop here two hours. am of to
look at Douchak, with Major NOltitz as
my cicerone. was led to question the
major regarding the safety Of the Grand
Transasiatic across the provinces OF Cen
trail Asia.
In Turkestan. he told me. the safety
il well assured. During the years the
Transcaspian has been ut work there has
been no attack to hinder the train SER
vice.
That il another matter" said the
major. 1.-The Grand Transasiatic is I'M
der Chinese control, and l have not
much confidence in that"
Are there not lot OF scoundrels
proving about Mongolia and Northern
China" | asked. My sole anxiety is
that our journey may not be devoid of
incident"
Really, Mr.. Special Correspondent.
admire you. Well, am afraid you will
be disappointed, as | have heard that
the company has treated with several
chiefs of the robber bands. But there
is one Of these highwaymen who has
retained his independence and liberty Of
action. a certain ki-Tsang."
"Who il hep
"A bold bandit chief, half Chinaman,
half Mongol Having for some time been
a terror to Yunan, he was being too
closely pursued. and has now moved into
the northern provinces. His presence has
even been reported in that part OF Mon
golia served by the Grand Transasiatic.'
well, he ought to furnish a few
paragraphs"
We returned toward the station. The
stoppage at Douchak had another half
hour to last. As | walked on the quay,
observed something going on which
would change the makeup of our train.
Another van had arrived from Teher-
an by the branch line of Mesched, which
puts the Persian capital In communica-
ton with the Transcaspian.
This van was bOlted and barred, and
accompanied by squad Of Persian po-
lice. whose orders seemed to be not to
lose sight OF it.
l don't know what made me think 80,
but it seemed as though this van had
something about it, and "a the jor
had left me, | went and spoke to Popof,
won was watching over tne proceedings.
"Uopof. where Is that van going?
TO Pekin.'
And what has 1t got in itF'
IAN exalted parsonage"
well. Popof, when this exalted per-
sonage gets out perhaps you will let
me know"
HE will not get out"
"Why notT'
Because he Is dead. 1t is his body
they are taking to Pekin, where he will
be inferred with all the honors due to
him.
While l was looking at this van a
new passenger came up and examined
il with no less curiosity than ! did. He
was hne looking man OF about 40,
wearing gracefully the costume OF the
richer Mongols. tall fellow with rather
gloomy look, military mustache, taw-
ny complexion ana eyes that never shut.
hyseii' ooh kho" II lie VIII tur1,
out the nero Oh tne urama am III
,earch o. put ahyhow, VIII NUMBER
nm Twelve IN my traVelluk troupe.