The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-05-27
The Special Correspondent
CHAPTER l.

snondent Twentieth Century, Tiflis.
Transcaucasia.'
Such is the address of the telegram
found on the 18th Of May when | arrived
ut Tifis.
This is what the telegram said:
LAS the matters in hand will terminate
on the 18th instant. Claudius Bombarnac
will repair to Uzun Ada. port on the
east coast Of the Caspian. Ihere ne
will take the train by the direct urahu
Transasiatic, between the European IRON
tier and the capital Of the Celesual EN-
pire. He will transmit his impressions
in the way Of news, Intervening reina
able people on the road, and report the
most trivial incidents by letter or teie-
gram as necessity dictates. The IWentf
eth Century trusts to the zeal, lntelil-
gence. activity and tact of its correspond
ent who can draw on its bankers 10 any
extent he may deem necessary.
II WAS the very morning | had arrived
at Tihis. with the intention of spending
three weeks there in visit 10 the
Georgian provinces for the beneht OF my
uewspaper. and also l hoped for that OF
its readers
Here WAS the unexpected, indeed; the
uncertainty of a special correspondent
life. had hardly arrived before 1 was
Obliged to be off again without unstrap-
ping my portmanteau.
1t was hard, but there was no way out
of it. And to begin with, at what o'clock
did the train for Tifis start from the
Caspian? | went to the railway station
at n run. and rushed into the departure
office.
when is there train for Baku! l
asked
six o'clock tonight
"And when does it get thereY
"Seven o'clock in the morning"
is that in time to catch the boat Tor
Uzun Ada"
The man at the trap door replied to
nv salute by salute of mechanical pre-
cison. The question of passport did not
trouble me. The French consul would
know how to give me all the references
required by the Russian administration.
At 5 O'Clock, having secured my pass
port, | hurry to the railway station
There there is crowd OF Armenians
Georgians, Mingrelians, Tartars, kurds.
Israelites, Russians, from the shores Of
the Caspian, some taking their tickets
direct for Baku. some for intermediate
stations
take a ticket for Baku, first class. l
go down Oh the platform to the carriages.
According to my custom, install myself
In comfortable corner. A few travel
ers follow me, while the cosmopolitan
populace invade the second and third
class carriages. The doors are shut af-
r.,,k ~ &.aIya
last scream of the whistle announces that
the train is about to start. Suddenly
there is shout-a shout in which anger
Is mingled with despair-and l catch
these words in German:
stop! StOp!'
| put down the window and look out.
A fat man, bag in hand, travelling cap on
head, his legs embarrassed in the skirts
of a huge overcoat, short and GREATNESS.
He is late. The porters try to stop him.
Try to stop bomb in the middle of its
trajectory! Once again has right to give
place to might.
The Teuton bomb describes well-cal-
culated curve, and has just fallen into the
compartment next to ours, through the
door a traveller had obligingly left open.
The train begins to move at the same in
slant, the engine wheels begin to slip on
the rails, then the speed increases. We
are off,
1t is still daylight at o'clock in the
evening in this latitude. l have bought
a time table and l consult it. Then
began to examine my travelling compan-
Ions. There were four of us, and l need
scarcely say that we occupied the four
corners Of the compartment. had taken
the furthest corner, facing the engine
At the two opposite angles two travellers
were seated facing each other As soon
rs they got in they pulled their caps
down on their eyes and wrapped them
selves up in their cloaks-evidently they
were GeOrgians, as far as | could see.
In front Of me was quite different
type, with nothing Of the oriental about
1t; thirty-two to thirty-five years old, face
with reddish beard, very much alive in
look, nose like that Of dog standing at
point, mouth only too glad to talk, hands
free and easy. ready for shake with
anybody; tall, vigorous, broad-shoul-
dered, powerful man. BY the way in
which he settled himself and put down
his bag, and unrolled his travelling rug
OF bright-hued tartan, l had recognized
the Anglo-SaxOn traveller, more accus-
toned to long journeys by land and sea
than to the comforts of his home, il he
had home. He looked like a CONNER
cial traveller. l noticed that his iewelrv
was in profusion; rings on his fingers. min
In his scarf, studs on his cuffs with nho-
tographic views in them, snowy trinkets
hanging from the watch chain across his
waist coat. l. should not have been sur-
prised if he turned out to be an Amar;.
can.
Ii l am not mistaken, he will ha ;,.t
rs glad to speak to me as am to snsoL
to him-and reciprocally. l will see Rn.
fear restraints me. Suppose this An,ar-
lean should also be a special corresnond-
ent, and suppose he has also heep ~.
dered to do this Grand Asiatir III.
would be most annoying. He won,d ha =
rival! NC !"
CHAPTER III.
At last was about to open INV n,o,th
when my companion prevented me.
You are a Frenchmanr be so;a -
my native tongue. ~
Yes. sir" replied in his.