Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-29

ii i -
ton, my trip on horseback, by
sleigh and by carriage through all
i of western Asia with three Cos
sacks.
We travelled northward with our lit
tie caravan Of pack horses. The way
took us through narrow valleys IN
biting cold We crossed rivers that
were only partly frozen
There the CoSSackS proved invalu-
able. They rode out on the ice near
the shore till II broke and the horses
plunged like dolphins among the Ice
cakes The water reached TO the mid
die of our saddles and We had to bal
ance ourselves crosSlegged in order to
keep our felt boots dry.
Higher UP the water courses were
frozen solid. The horses slid along and
danced like maniacs on the crystal
like surface of the ice. We crossed the
Chinese border, rode through the lass
of Turugart u3,74o feet). across the
frozen and snow-covered Lake OF
Chatyrkul and over the pass of FASH
rabat u29oo feet).
We were in a labyrinth OF valleys. in
an ENHANCEMENT Of grand. wild noun
tains belonging to the TianShkan
Range, or the Celestial Mountains" as
the Chinese call them.
It showed frequently and the fakes
fell like o closely woven white veil. At
NarinSk the caravan dispersed and ]
drove for 1000 miles to Samarkand.
We journeyed westward. along the
northern base Of the Alexander Range.
TO the little town Of Aulie Alta. At the
ford across the Asa River travellers and
fragile baggage were taken through
water 3i2 feet deep in an ARABIA. cart
k.s -t~ .tHHA ttSn
pulled the empty sled across, floating
like o boat.
It showed necessarily. The three
horse team jumped through drifts sew
eral feet high, the snow flying round
the sled like foam. But as I approach
ed Chimkent and Tashkent the drifts
grew smaller; and west Of the capital.
where the ground was bare. the sled
was abandoned, and continued the
journey in a tarantass.
At Chinas. I reached the shore Of the
Sir-daria- The ferries could not be
operated in the drift-ice. A small,
frail boat had to be used instead: and
9 young lieutenant from Courland and
were poled across the river by three
sturdy men, with iron-shod poles, amid
drifting. cracking ice-fioes.
After We had crossed, we each took q
three-horse tarantaSs and went on.
Hallway to the station Of MirSa-rabat
the rear axletree Of my vehicle broke
One wheel got loose, the body Of the
carriage scraped the ground, the horses
became frightened and ran wildly to-
wards the steppe.
The carriage jumped. bumped. and
was knocked about among the hillocks.
I had TO hold on for dear life. The
horses, exhausted. stopped at last. The
driver and salvaged our scattered be-
longings and loaded everything onto
one Of the horses. Then, riding bare
back on the other two. and abandoning
the wrecked tarantass. We proceeded
to Mirsa-rabat, where the young lieu
tenant was awaiting our arrival
OUR next misadventure occurred at
" the Jisak River. The lieutenant
from Cowland entered the ice-strewn
water first. His carriage had not pro-
eeeded more than . few lengths be-
fore IL was stuck In the broken ice.
The cakes piled up on the carriage. and
the horses could not bulge 1t.
After several vain attempts, the
lander tock his belongings, and, TO-
gether with his driver, rode safely back
70 shore. The carriage had 70 be adams
doned- II probably remained there till
the following Spring, unless It was
crushed TO pieces when the ice broke
Up.
The drivers knew Of another florida
bic place, where the river branched into
two arms. Two Of the CourlandeTis
horses were accordingly harnessed to
my tToika. and his things slowed with
mine. He himself sat on the drivers
seat, his back TO the horses. steadying
himself by the fore edge Of the hood.
When everything was ready We set
out 10 cross the first branch. The ice
bore Us spiendidiy, while the heavy We
hicle rumbled across. Powdered ice
new about the horses hoofs. One OF
them slipped, but recovered himself In
time. All went web until we got TO the
other branch, where the bank sioped
steeoiy down toward the water and
turned Shzrpiv toward the right