Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-19

prisoners ne learned IQdC IIleTe were
three fords within a short distance, but
after looking at one he gave command
to swim the river elsewhere, at the point
where the army had halted-going over
himself with the advance and penetrat-
ing at once into the scattered woods.
For days they pushed westward
through the shallow valleys of the
Urals, forcing their way through
marshes. Out in the open again they
made forced marches, until the day
when all the bands broke into frenzied
tumult and the warrie-~ rode forward
singing.
The scouts had CONS up with the
rear-guard of Toktamish. But not with
Toktamish himself. The master of the
Golden Horde had the fresher horses
and the better stock of provisions, and
a last trick in his culver.
While his rear-guard skirmished daily
with Thurs scouts, the Golden Horde
turned north again. 1t could not shake
off the Tatars now, but it could keep
ahead of them, clearing the country of
game as 1t rode farther beyond civiliza-
ton, deeper into the land Of shadows.
The tree growth through which the
armies passed was no longer beech and
oak, but birch and dark evergreenS.
And the forests began to yield to the
damp tundras.
Ile1 were REdWeU Dy I1uIlSeI
and depressed by the Staying OF three
chieftains and many men who had been
cut off by the riders of the Horde. They
knew the issue now was one of extermi-
nation, either way. But they had ever
lasting faith in Timur.
X X X
l. 1t was the middle Of June. For
civ dave tho hnStc held IN their
tents. Timur was first afield. Omar
Shaikhs 10000 riding ahead and
sweeping away the outpoStS OF the
Horde, he made a forced march and
at the end of the seventh day saw for
the first time the horned standards.
the massed herds, the domed tents and
the throngs of his enemy. His divisions
being already in battle formation, it
was only necessary to give one order.
And the order he gave was to dismount,
set up the tents and cook all remaining
food for a hearty meal.
His march of 10 weeks and nearly
1900 miles was ended. Half a mile dis
tant the Horde maSsed for battle, its
wagons moving to the rear. Neither
army could diSengage now-one or two
SWordSmen who had crossed blades
could not turn and run. Toktamish's
men were amazed when the Tatars
went into camp as indifferently as if
they had all the northern tundras to
themselves: but Timur was resting his
horses and strengthening his men.
His outposts were vigilant enough,
and he allowed no lights to show after
darkness set in: but he held no last
hour council. The lords of his per-
sonal following slept on the carpets
around him, the couriers stood by their
horses with the entrance guard. Timur
sat by an oil lamp in his armor, doing
at times, passing the hours with his
miniature warriors of the chessboard.
All arrangements had been made
the army was drawn up in seven divi-
sions, as 1t had been so often on the
march. The left wing had its advance
and main bodies, likewise the center:
behind the center Timur held aloof
with the regiments of his guards and
picket veterans. The worst Of the
army held the center, but on the right
wing, under nominal command of
Thurs young son. Miriam Shah. were
the distinguished amirs, leaders Of the
heavy cavalry. Here, too, were the ber-
serks. the fellowship of the death-seek-
ers, Shaikh Ali Bahatur, and the rest OF
the tulu bahatur, the "madly valiant"
And here, upon Thurs strong right
flank, he had directed the first attack
to be made at dawn. Gray-haired Saif
ad-Din led 5000 riders forward in a
headlong charge, to the cry of Oar u
gar!'-"Hold and slay!"
Toktamish's line extended In a half
circle, its wings overlapping the Tatar
TANKS. And the extreme left of the
Horde swung in and drove at Saif ad-
Din. Even the seven-foot horns and
the great kettle-drum of Thurs head
quarters could not penetrate through
the tumult to those two-mile- distant
TANKS. The battle, except where Timur
could appear in person, was in the
hands of the amirs, the lords of divi- |
sions.
Another corps charged in to support
Saif ad-Din, and the whole right flank |
moved forward at a gallop behind |
flights of arrows. The Horde gave way |
before the impact Of the heavy cavalry. |
Timur ordered his center forward to |
support Miriam Shah.
What happened at the center Is I'M |
certain. Over the whole plain masses |
of horsemen were locked, swirling and |
meeting with a rending impact of steel |
and smitten flesh, under the deadly |
flashing Of arrows. Wounded men chung |
grimly to the saddle: the dying still |
welded their weapons. No mercy was
looked for-rnen struggled until the
blood drained out Of them and their
bodies were tossed at last from the
saddle, to be trampled into the soft
earth.
On the left the Tatars, outnumbered,
drew back under successive charges;
the Selduz clan was scattered and
broken: Omar Shaikh stu defended his