Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-03-29

BY Sven Hedin, the Famous Swedish
ExpIorer

BY Sven Hedin, the Famous Swedish
Explorer.
Shah Sevar, 1.-The riding king" chief
of a warlike tribe in western Balu-
chistan, is sitting one evening smok-
ing his pipe at the campfire In front
of his black tent, which has been
pitched near a tamarisk. The tale
teller has grown silent.
From out Of the darkness of the
night appear two men dressed in white
with white turbans. They tie the
dromedaries and PROSTATE themselves
in front of Shah Sevar, who bids
them rise and help themselves to tea
from the big iron pot. In a moment
everything is full Of life. More men
come up to the fire. all carrying long
muskets, lances. swords and poniards.
Several Of them are leading drome-
daries.
Now fourteen men are seated
around the flaming fire. 1t is strangely
silent in this circle and Shah Sevar's
face is stern and inscrutable. At last
he asks:
"Is everything ready?"
Yes" comes the answer from
everywhere.
"Is the powderhorn full, and lead
in the bags?"
Yes"
Have the waterskins been filled ?"
YES"
Have you provisions in your pock-
ets?"
"Yes. Dates. sour cheese and bread
for four days"
"I told you the day before yester-
day our goal this time is BAN. BAN
is a very populous village. If we are
discovered too early. the fight will be
hot. We must sneak up to 1t like the
jackals Of the desert. The distance is
five hundred kilometres, four days
ride"
Shah Sevar sits for a while staring
into the flames, then he asks:
Are the dschambas fresh?"
YES"
"And have we ten extra drome-
daries for the booty?"
Yes"
He arises and all the men follow
his example. Their fierce faces are
glowing, red like copper, in the fire.
light. They are not thieves; theft is
contemptible, but plunder and robbery
are manly occupations and a mans
fame grows the more slaves he takes.
'Sit up" the chief commands in a
low voice. Muskets are thrown across
the shoulders and clash against the
belt with its powderhorn, leather
pouch with bullets, flint, steel and tin
der.
"In the name Of Allah," Shah Seyar
cries, and the little crowd trots away
into the night. They follow a well
known trail. gained by the stars.
Dawn comes, the sun rises and the
shadows of the dromedaries fall on
the firm yellow sand in which moth
ing grows. Not word was spoken
during the night. When the first 120
kilometres have been covered the
chief says: I'VE will stop at the hot
springs"
When they reach there they fill the
waterskins and let the dromedaries
drink. Then they withdraw into the
hills close by and rest during the hot
hours Of the day. They never rest at
springs where they might meet other
people.
At dusk they are once more in the
saddles. They are riding faster now
than the night before and in the
morning they stop at a salt spring.
During the third night the drome-
daries begin to breathe more heavily
and. when the sun rises, their lips are
covered with white foam. They are
not tired, only angry and out of
breath, but onward they have to trot
always toward the west, raising great
clouds of gray dust.
At last they are out of the desert
and, with furious speed, they race
across the ground that is white with
alkali No living being is to be seen
here. not even a lonely raven or vul-
ture, which might warn the inhabi-
tants of BAN Of the approaching dan
ger. Without a moments rest they
travel all day. The riders are as ST.
lent as the desert itself; the only
noise is the labored breathing Of the
dromedaries and the sound Of their
feet against the hard ground. When
the sun sets they still have twenty
kilometres to cover.
Then Shah Sevar stops his drome-
daries, and. as If he feared that his
voice might be heard in Bam, he
whispers: Halt" A soft whistling
and the animals bend their knees and
lay down. The men jump from their
saddles and tie the front legs OF the
beasts together with short ropes that
they may not run away and betray
the plan. All are dead tired and
stretch themselves out on the ground.