Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1905-07-29
thousand feet high. and the peak of tn.

thousand feet high, and the peak of Ia
garma, which is twenty thousand
feet; we know that it sends off to the
west the Oxus and the Amou-Radia, and
to the east the Tarim; we know that it
chiefly consists of primary rocks, In
which are patches of schist and quartz,
red sands of secondary age, and the
clayey, sandy loess of the quaternary
period which is SO abundant in Central
Asia
The difficulties the Grand Transasiatic
had in crossing this plateau were ex-
traordinary. 1t was q challenge from
the genius of man to nature, and the
victory remained with genius. Through
the gently sloping passes which the Kirk
hizes call bells" viaducts, bridges, EN-
bankments, cuttings. tunnels had to be
made to carry the line. Here are sharp
curves gradients, which require the most
powerful locomotives, here and there sta
tionary engines to haul up the train with
cables; in word, herculean labor, SUI
| perior to the works of the American en-
gineers in the defiles of the Sierra Ne
vada and the Rocky mountains.
The desolate aspect of these terri
tories makes a deep impression on the
imagination. AS the train gains the high
er attitudes this impression is all the
more vivid. There are no towns, no
understanding but a few scattered
huts, in which the Pamrian lives a soli-
tary existence with his family, his herds
of yaks, or "koutars," which are cattle
with horses tails, his diminutive sheep,
his thick-haired goats. The Noting of
| these animals, If we may so phrase it, Is
natural consequence of the climate, and
| they change the dressing gown of winter
| for the white fur coat of summer. 1t is
the same with the dog, whose coat be-
| comes whittier in the hot season.
AS the passes are assembled, wide
| breaks in the ranges yield frequent
glimpses of the more distant portions of
the plateau. In many places are clumps
| of birches and jumpers, which are the
principal trees of the Pamir, and on the
undulating plains grow tamarisks and
sedges and mugwort, and a sort of reed
very abundant by the sides of the saline
pools, and dwarf labiate called tiers
kenne" by the kirghizes.
The major mentioned certain animals
which constitute a somewhat varied
fauna OH the heights of tile Pamir. 1t
is even necessary to keep an eye on the
platforms of the cars in case q stray pan
Their or bear might seek a ride without
any right to travel either first or second
class. During the day our companions
were on the lookout from both ends of
the cars. What shouts arose when plan
tigrades or felines capered along the line
with intentions that certainly seemed
suspicious! \ few revolver shots were
discharged, without much necessity per-
haps, but they amused as well as reas-
sured the travellers. In the afternoon we
were witnesses of a magnificent shot,
which killed instantly an enormous pam
Their just as he was landing on the side
step of the third carriage.
1t was our superb Mongol to whom
we were indebted for this marksmans
masterpiece.
What hand and what an eye" said
to the major who continued to look on
| Faruskiar with suspicion.
Among the other animals of the Pa
miriam fauna appeared wolves and foxes,
and focks of those large wild sheep with
gnarled and gracefully curved horns,
| which are known to the natives as ar
kars High in the sky few the vultures,
| bearded and unbearded, and amid the
clouds of white vapor we left behind us
were ,many crows and pigeons and turtle
doves and wagtnls.
The day passed without adventure. At
q o'clock in the evening we crossed the
| frontier, after run of nearly two thou
sand three hundred kilometers. accom-
| plished in four days since leaving Uzun
Ada. Two hundred and fifty kilometers
beyond we shall be at Kachgar. Al
| though we are now in Chinese Turkes-
tan, it will not be till we reach that town
that we shall have our first experience
Of Chinese administration.
Dinner over about nine o'clock, we
| stretched ourselves on our beds, in the
| hope, or rather the conviction. that the
| night will be as calm as the preceding
| one.
1t was not to be so. At first the train
was running down the slopes of the Pa
mir at great speed. Then it resumed its
normal rate along the level.
1t was about one in the morning when
was suddenly awakened. At the same
time Major Noltitz and most of our
companions jumped up. There were loud
shouts in the rear of the train. What
had happened?
Anxiety seized upon the travelers-that
confused. unreasonable anxiety caused
by the slightest incident on a railroad
"What is the matter? What is the
matter?'
These words were uttered in alarm
from all sides, and in different languages.
My first thought was that we were at
tackled. l thought of the famous XII
Tsang, the Mongol pirate. In a moment
the train began to slow, evidently pre-
pairing to stop. Popof came into the van.
and l asked him what had happened.
"An accident" he replied. "a coupling
has broken, and the two last vans are