Semi-weekly herald., 1910-09-05
rome Of them is more commendable

than that of Kagan.
| Scattered along the platform was
crowd of 300 or 400 human beings oil
all ages. representing dozen different
races, and nearly all of them clad In
| fantastic garb. The Turcomans could
be identified by their enormous shakos
OF sheep or lamb 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 fierce and barbaric aspect.
Others wore closely curled lambskin
like that which is SO fashionable for
ladies' wraps in the United States.
There were many dark-eyed. serious
looking Persians who always wear fez'
es of black felt or lambs skin with
long. clerical frock coats buttoned up
to the 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 a more dignified and
serene air. The young Jews are alert
and active. and the children have most
interesting faces.
There was a scene in the shadow OF
the train that | shall never forget. A
Jewish patriarch, with a long, snowy
beard, noble forehead, prominent
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 railway the con
ductor gives the passenger 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, a single stroke is followed by
the whistle of the locomotive and the
start,
| After the first bell the Jews gath
cred in circle apart from the rest OF
the crowd, with half dozen little
children in the center, and the patri
arch. who was going away, folded his
hands upon his heart and offered a
prayer, while the rest reverently bow
ed their heads Then, one after an
ether, young and old, passed before
him and he kissed them on both
cheeks. The children came last, and
he blessed them with his finger rest
ing upon their heads; then lifted each
one up in his arms and kissed him
affectionately. Every one in the party
was weeping; one of the children be
came hysterical and would not be com
| forted. He was carried away crying
just as the third bell struck, when the
patriarch mounted the platform of his
l
nouncing benediction.
| The Usbegs, as the inhabitants oi
the khanate of Bokhara are called, are
quite as dignified and stately in theii
| movements as the Jews and wear the
same serene expression upon theil
| faces. They are unusually handsome
| men. ! have never seen so many meI
at a railway station anywhere in the
world, of such impressive appearance
and the young men and boys are a.
| handsome as their fathers.
The population of Bokhara is about
$4,000, including perhaps $50 Euro
peans, chiefly Russians, Germans OIL
Poles. There are many Persians, de
scendants of slaves captured in war
and large number of Hindus who
come here to seek their fortunes. The
| Usbegs, who constitute the native pop
ulation, belong to the aboriginal Iran
ian stock, and many of them are oi
light complexion, with blonde hair and
boards. Every man wears a beard, a
large turban of forty folds of spot
less muslin, and long khalat or coat
OF SILK or cotton, of radiant colors
which gives him graceful as well as
picturesque appearance The ori
entail fancy for bright colors is de.
veloped here to the highest degree
The most conservative and respecta,
| BILE will wear robe of alternate
stripes of crimson, purple, orange and
scarlet as gracefully as an angel wears
its wings
We saw nothing of the women
strangers are not admitted to the
homes, and the Bokharalts are very
strict in maintaining the old-fashioned
IDEAS of seclusion. Women neve,
leave their houses except when con
cealed behind heavy black wells OF
horsehair falling from the forehead
to the bosom, and loosely wrapped in
| shawls of silk or cotton, which cover
their heads as well as the bodies. A