The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1905-05-24
The Special correspondent


quarters in the car, and do not care to
alight.
Here am I on the platform. This is
rather an important station, and from
the engine house comes n more powerful
locomotive than those which have
brought the train along since we left
Uzun Ada. These early engines We're all
very well as long as the line lay over
an almost horizontal plain. but now we
are among the gorges of the Pamir pla-
teau. there are gradients of such steep
ness as to require more engine power.
| watch the proceedings, and when the
locomotive has been detached with its
tender, the baggage van-with kinko in
it's at the head of the train.
The idea occurs TO me that the young
Itoumanian may perhaps venture out
on the platform. 1t would be an inn
prudence, for he run the risk Of being
seen by the police, who move about TAX
ing n good look ut the passengers. What
my No. II had better do is to remain
in his box, or, at least, in his van. l
will go and get a few provisions, liquid
and solid, and take them. to him, even
before the departure Of the train, if it is
possible to do so without fear of being
noticed.
The refreshmcnt room at the station is
open, and Popof is not there. If he was
TO see me making purchases he would
be astonished, as the dining car contains
everything we might want.
Al the bar | get a little cold meat and
some bread. The station is not well
lighted. A few lamps give only a feeble
lisht. Popof is busy with one of the
railway men. The new engine has not
yet been attached to the train. The mo-
ment seems favorable. 1t is useless to
wait until we have left Kokhan. If |
can reach Kinko | shall be able to sleep
through the highland that will be well
come, / admit.
/ step on to the train, and after as
surfing myself that no one is watching
me, l enter the baggage van, saying as
/ do so:
1T is l."
In fact, it is as we'll to warn Kinko
in case he is out of his box. But he had
not thought Of getting out, and l advise
him TO be very careful. He is very
pleased at the provisions, for they are
a change to his usual diet.
Il do not know how to thank you,
Monsieur Bombarnac," he says to me.
when shall we be at the frontier?'
Tomorrow, about one in the after
noon"
and at Gachgar?"
Fifteen hours afterward, on the night
of the nineteenth"
There the danger is, Monsieur Bonn
barnac."
stNaS V[ipln. for if ~ ic 1ifHau1t m
enter the Russian possessions, it is no
less difficult TO get out of them. when
the Chinese are at the gates. Their Off
Gals will give us n good look over before
they will let us pass. At the same time
they examine the passengers much more
closely than they do their baggage. And
as this van is reserved for the luggage
going through to Pekin, l do not think
YOU have much to fear. SO, good night.
AS n matter Of precaution, l would rath-
er not prolong my visit"
/ have come out; l nave regained my
couch. and | really did not near the
starting signal when the train began to
move.
The only station of any Importance
which the railway passed before sunrise
was that of Marghehan, where the stop
page was a short one.
Beyond this station the road reaches
the frontier which divides Russian Tur-
kestan from the Pamir plateau and the
vast territory of the Kara hirghizes.
This part of Central Asia is continual
ly being troubled by plutonian disturb
ances beneath its surface. Northern
Turkestan has frequently suffered from
earthQuake-the terrible experience of
1887 will not have been forgotten-and
at Tashkend, as at Samarkand, l saw
the traces of these connections. In fact,
minor oscillations are continually being
observed. and this volcanic action takes
place all along the coast, where lay the
stores of petroleum and naphtha, from
the Caspian Sea to the Pamir plateau.
In short, this region is one of the most
interesting parts of Central Asia that a
tourist can visit.
CHAPTER XIV.