The Washington herald., 1911-09-10
A Wonderful Ride
COPYRIGHT BY JAMES ELVBRsoE


ND ways be spoken Of by his country
men. Upwards of twenty-five years
ago he rode on horseback through
Asia Minor, alone and with no protection save
his own good arm. There were perils and
dangers at every step. He had to ford riv-
ers, scale mountains and cross almost track
less plains Fierce tribes Of Asiatics were
constantly met with; the Russians, who were
fast acquiring the territory through which ne
passed. looked suspiciously upon him, and he
may be said to have carried his hfe IN his
hands. But he completed his task unscath-
ed, and IN the year 1885 fell in battle, IN
the Soudan.
Burnabys great undertaking has. how.
ever. been exceeded by Prince Galitzin, OF
Russia, a one-armed man. In September
nearly ali travelled On on horseback. through
the wild regions Of Russia, Turkestan, CASH
mere. Northern Thibet and other trans-Cau-
casian countries, some parts Of which no one
had ever traversed before.
Other parts. even although known, were so
isolated from Russia, that the inhabitants
knew little of Russia and Russia knew little
of them.
The princes journey was for two purposes
scientific and dplomatic-and for the can
rying out Of these he was specially commits
stoned by the Gar.
On May 2, 1890. he set out from st. Peteru-
burg, with twelve horses and men enough to
take care Of them. provisions and camp
eduipage. He proceeded to the Ural Noun
tains, and thence down by the Caspian Sea.
From there he went TO Turkestan; but somc
OF his horses died. others gave out. and he
had to be equipped again.
When this was done his party consisted Of
hve Russians, two Turkestans and enough
people OF different nations to make up a total
OF twenty four. He also had seventy horses.
After getting safely through that country,
he made his way over the Caucasus and on
to karakorum Pass, so as 70 20 through Thib-
ct to Southern Siberia. To do this several
frfghtful mountain chains had TO be crossed,
including the main range of the Himalayas.
There were deep SHOWS and treacherous gla-
ciers to be bsttied with. but the party finally
midst OF vast ranges of mountains and on
the way to the Karakorum Pass.
The grass was growing everywhere. It was
more than two feet high and seemed to be
Just the food that the horses needed, so camD
was pitched and the animals were turned out
to Craze.
Next morning twelve Of them were found
Ga,;, dsaa and many Others were sckL Prince
was unusually sagacious. Although hungry,
1t had not touched the grass, evidently. know
ing what it was. II turned out that II was
the natives to prevent travel through Kara.
korum Pass. No one had ever gone that
way. and they were determined that no one
ever should.
! The disaster to the horses crippled the ex-
, pedition. but il moved on and entered the
pass There was no trail and the men
: bindly honndered through canyons, at length
: reaching the plateau Of I4indzitane in Thibet.
which is nineteen hundred feet high.
The altitude was SO great that there was
much difficulty experienced in breathing. It
was dangerous TO sleep on the ground be-
cause of the possibility Of the heart ceasing
to beat. When lying down the lungs grew
too cramped to allow free breathing. the
sleeper grew black in the face and his heart
futtered like q frightened bird The. only
way in which the men could sleep at all was
in sitting posture. and thoSe who feIl over
! came near losing their lives
1t grew worse as they went higher for
they had TO climb thousand feet more hr-
| fore they reached the Chang Lang Lo Pass
in the Himalayas
No one had ever travelled through that
pass. There was a tradition that over CEN
tury ago two caravans had attempted it, and
I that all had perished But Prince Galitzin
was not dannted. He pushed on. and at
} length reached the summit of the crest.
In that thin air and with the rapid pump
ing Of the blood, the men were the victims
: ed only TO be a thousand feet away were
! really ten times that distance. and they had
stories to tell of having seen strange men
: clothed in white, who they said were ghosts.
For seven days the men were at this alti.
! tude. They found that to eat meat OF drink
coffee. increased the beating of the heart.
4 and that the only safe diet was sugar. but
= ter and eggs.
They moved along slowly on the hard
snow and tottered on their feet The horses
We're affected lust as the men were but the
donkeys and dogs which they had as also a
couple OF monkeys, suffered no inconyeni-
ence.
At last Prince Galitzin reached Southern
: Siberia and disbanded his expedition at
D Nladivostock, in the province Of Amoor Then
9 he went to Japan, caught the steamer for
Vancouver. and made visit TO San Fran