Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-31
THE FERTILE OASIS OF B0KHARA
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.
lence of The Star and the Chicago Record Herald
Special Correspondence of TIL,


BOKHARA, Turkestan, June %, 1910.
never saw q more glowing picture OF
human kind than appeared on the plat
form as our train upon
Glowing the Central Asia railroad
p:.A drew up at kagan, the
station of Bokhara, the
famous old city which was a center of
learning and wealth and power 1OOO
years ago. but today is chiefly known for
the beautiful red rugs that are manu-
featured here and in this vicinity.
The background of the picture was an
Arabesque building: perfect example of
that school of architecture, in alternate
layers OF light and dark gray stone. with
pinnacles at the corners and cornice of
square, even notches in stone. The sta
tions all along the Central Asia railroad,
from the Caspian sea to the Chinese
boundary. are substantial buildings of
stone and of admirable design. The archi-
tects have shown a sense of what is ap-
propriate to the individuality of each
town in which they are placed, and none
Of them is more commendable than that
at Kagan.
Scattered along the platform was a
crowd OF three or four hundred human
beings of all ages, representing a dozen
different races and nearly all of them
clad in fantastic garb. The Turkomans
could be identified by their enormous
shakos Of sheep or lambs skin, some as
big as beer keg, notwithstanding the in
tense heat Some of the wool was long,
shaggy and curly. which gave the wearer
wore closely curled lambs skin. like that
which is SO fashionable for ladies'
wraps in the United States.
There were many dark-eyed, serious
looking Persians, who always wear feZes
of black felt or lambs skin, with long
chin, the skirts being gathered at the
waist and hanging full over the hips.
There were many Jews, who can also
be identified by the distinctive features of
their race. The old men wore patriarchal
boards under their snowy white turbans.
They looked like men of intellect and
learning, and of all the people in the east
none carry themselves with more dignl-
fed and serene air. The young Jews are
alert and active. and the children have
most interesting faces.
There was scene in the shadow of
the train that 1 shall never forget. A
Jewish patriarch, with
typical long, snowy beard, a
c.. noble forehead, a promi-
nent nose and large,
thoughtful brown eyes, was leaving. He
might have been a rabbi. and a large
number Of his friends. perhaps forty
or fifty, had come to the station to
see him Off On the Central Asia rail-
way the conductor gives the passengers
plenty of notice before the cars start.
A bell attached to a bracket over the
door of the station rings three times;
first, to give a general warning; after
five or six minutes again to get on
board, and then, after two or three
minutes more. single stroke is fol-
lowed by the whistle OF the locomotive
After the first bell the Jews gather
ed In a circle apart from the rest of
the crowd, with half a dozen little
children in the center. and the patrl-
arch. who was going away. folded his
prayer, while the rest reverently bow
ed their heads. Then, one after an
other. young and old. passed before him
and he kissed them on both cheeks.
The children came last and he blessed
them with his fingers resting upon
their heads; then lifted each one in
his arms and kissed him affectionately.
Every one in the party was weeping:
one Of the children became hysterlcal
and would not be comforted. He was
carried away crying just as the third
bell struck, when the patriarch mount
ed the platform of his car and extend
ed his hands as IL pronouncing bene-
diction.
The Usbegs. as the inhabitants OF
the khanate of Bokhara are called, are
quite as dignified and stately in their
movements as the Jews and wear the
same serene expression upon their
faces They are unusually handsome
mon. I have never seen so many men
at a railway station anywhere in the
world of such impressive appearance,
and the young men and boys are as
handsome as their fathers.
The population of Bokhara is about
3o5, 600 including perhaps $50 Europeans,
chiefly Russians, Ger