Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-06-16

Roumapian may perhaps venture out
on the platform. 1t would be an i'm
prudence for he runs the risk of being
seen by the police, who move about tax
ing good look at the passengers. What
my No. II had better dc is to remain
in his box, or, at least, in his van. l
will go and get 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 refreshment 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.
At the bar I get little cold meat and
some bread. The station is not well
lighted. A few lamps give only feeble
| light. 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 wei
come, 1 admit.
1 step on to the train, and after as
suring myself that no one is watching
me, 1 enter the baggage van, saying as
do so:
'It is I.''
In fact, it is as we'll to warn Kinke
in case he is out of his box. But he had
not thought of getting out, and I advise
him to be very careful. He is very
pleased at the provisions, for they are
a change to his usual diet.
| ID haxr 10 f1oy
Monsieur Bombarnac," he says to me
when shall we be at the frontier"
Tomorrow, about one in the after
noon"
"And at Gachgarw
Fifteen hours afterward, on the nigh
of the nineteenth
'There the danger is, Monsieur Bonn
barnac."
.'Yes, Kinko; for if it is difficult t.
enter the Russian possessions, it is nt
less difficult to get out of them, wheI
the Chinese are at the gates. Their Oh
cials will give us good look over befor'
they will let us pass. At the same tim,
they examine the passengers much NOR
closely than they do their baggage. An,
as this van is reserved for the luggag
gcing through to Pekin, 1 do not thinl
you have much to fear. So, good night
AS matter of precaution, I would rath
er not prolong my visit"
I have come out; have regained m,
couch. and 1 really did not hear tn
starting signal when the train began t
move.
J The only station of any importanc
, which the railway passed before sunris
J was that of Marghehan, where the stop
page was a short one.
Beyond this station the road reache
| the frontier which divides Russian Tul
kestan from the Pamir plateau and tn
J vast territory of the Kara-Khirghizes
: This part of Central Asia is continua
ly being troubled by piutonian disturb
, ances beneath it's surface. Norther
Turkestan has frequently suffered frol
earthquake-the terrible experience {
; 1887 will not have been forgotten-an
at Tashkend, as at Samarkand, I sa'
l the traces of these connections. In fac
minor oscillations are continually bein
observed, and this volcanic action take
place all along the coast, where lay th
j stores of petroleum and naphtha, frol
0 the Caspian Sea to the Pamir platca'
: In short, this region is one of the mo-
:, interesting parts of Central Asia that
s tourist can visit.