Year: 1879

The badger is the terror of hunters who have dogs
to lose. 1t attacks them with claw that cannot be
withdrawn from the wound without dragging out the
flesh. Nothing resist this powerful weapon with
which badger shut into a room has been known to
dig his way through the floor, thence into the foun
dation of the house and so escape. Morning had
scarcely broken when met solitary horseman
dragging huge lance behind him. Over his arm
was slung cord, end OF which. tied to the up
per extremity of the lance. held the point at the
level of the horseman's waist, while the other. fast
ened at the lower extremity allowed the handle to
trail through the dust The man was a Djougane-
one of of terrible warriors Both Russians
and Chinese know their wsrike qualities and the
former have been exceedingly generous in their
proffers of alliance; but the Djouganes have weak
ness for assassination. which brings them into daily
conflict with Western laws and some OF them had to
be sent to Siberia whereupon the rest retired from
the path Of civilization, and it is rarely that
meets the solitary horseman that encountered
But if the Djouganes have a for cutting off
heads the Russian passion for looping down trees
is not whit less remarkable. Wherever the Cars
troops pass they leave their mark in the forest All
the noblest trees have served to kndle Muscovite
watch fires. The Chinese houses. built Of earth,
differ very little from those constructed by other
people Of Central Asia but instead Of being made
Of one piece the walls series of blocks set end





badly that you easily through the inerstices
all that is happening within. The houses Of brick.
the other hand built as almost to defy the
elements. Every building that the Russians have
up in New Kudja is made with bricks found amid
the ruins Of the ancient city. tweves miles away.
AMONG THE OPIUM GATHERERs.


Thus was jogging along. when my eyes were sud-
denly dazzled with geam or bright colors-red and
white and mauve. 1t was the first field of poppies.
and chance had brought there just at the moment
of the harvest. Already in neighboring field, the
petals had begun to fall and that is signal for the
work begin. The harvesters form pairs. each pair
being generally composed of a man and woman.
The is armed with sickle half foot long. in
cluding the handle circular and with the iron
sharpened to a nicely. Then. holding the sickle in
his right hand, he seizes the head of stalk in his
left and with the iron point makes in it horizon
tai and semi-circular incision. which Immediately
exudes infnitesimal quantity of liquid not
unlike starch. tinted saffron color but very much
more dirty. Then the woman seizes the poppy head
in her left hand, and with the thumb of the right
squeezes out the exuding matter into o receptacle
made of horn. This matter is opium. When the
two harvesers have worked all their part of the
field they begin again. making incision. still
horizontally. in the poppy head and SO continue
till all the juice ia exhausted Meanwhile the pro-
prietor of the feid smoking his pipe, walks up and
down among the aborers his eyes shielded from the
by pair of enormous spectaces. cut from blocks
Of topaz and sold at more than s10oesch This eul-
tivation Of the poppy was about the only sign of
| agricultural life that in the country.
Opium is the Chinaman's one absorbing. inexhaust-
| ible delight. When he makes it he would pay
attention if his neighbour head of. Nothing
seems to be growing here that grows in other cmes.
not the potato. Indeed, l have remarked
Asfa w he tel
wires come to an end the potato to an end as
well. Thrice l left electricity behind the
road to Bokhara; again. on the way to Mazar-i-
Sheriff, and now for the third time. at Kuldja and
thrice the potato suddenly disappeared. Here,
elsewhere the traveller must be prepared to bring
with him all the necessares OF ife water About
twenty miles from Vernoe, in post station filled with
prisoners their way to the Siberian mines, l
had occasion to ask for some water. 1T is excel
lent, said OF the officials. but had better
be careful" He led me to spring fastened with
lock- in neat wooden house. there stream
of water not very deep. with quantity Of little fish
swimming near the surface. zone day." said my
guide, "a woman came to this spring to wash her
kettle She let the kettle sink to this sandy bottom
which 1T once closed over it, On another occasion
Cossack bathed here Immediately swallowed
up. Then sounded the depth with line. and
the lead touched bottom. Since then you will
readily understand why we have kept the spring
under lock and key"


ARRIVAL AT xUIpJA.


The first Chinese town meets Is Sardouin.
The traveller experiences the pleasant surprise
the in theatre when the curtain rises on
unexpected bit OF scenery. Hitherto all had
OF China was . pile OF ruins and field Of
poppies. Here the true chnotserre. the story
books and pictures have portrayed 1t to minds.
Here in the streets were two-winged dragons cut in
blue stone. Here were Chinese pigtals aud Chinese
fat hats and Chinese women with Chinese CHG
mons. by side rides a magnificent youth,
mounted upon an equally magnificent steed. who
recalls vividly the Chinese prince in Auber's
Bronze Horse" that begin to hum these sparkling
melodies and have them dancing in my head when 1
reach kuldja. The shades of a summer night have
already begun to fall. and the outlines of dwelling
houses and paeodas are vaguely mncd Ia the gloain-
ing. Hotels there are none. aght ut big Chinese
mansion owned by a NJ. kamenski, u rich Russian
merchant. who trades with China. The house, where
there is nobody staying ut present but few SER
wants, had been placed at my disposal As. however
1 not expected by the household who knew
nothing of my coming till actually alig htcd might
just well have camped in the desert. Luckily
had my own provisions. aud being in
the country of tea, called for kettle.
A few minutes later woman presented herself and
asked me TO lend her one of my boots. Being quite
hardened to surprises OF all kinds received the
ques, in the same spirit that might have received
q demand for my penknife, held .out an accommo-
dating ley, had the boot whisked OIL in twinkling,
aud was left to my own reflections What on earth
can she want with my boot = thought l. Moved by
sudden curiosity. hobblcd down to the kitchen
and there found the good lady using my boot
as substitute for bellows. and with II forcing
little spasmodic lite INTO the fire that to boil tho
water Tor my tea. Next morning paid visit to
Lieutenant Colonel Popon. to whom General Kolia-
kowsk had given me letters OF introduction. 1t was
the noment To learn what was officially thought of
this ques tion of Kuldja which the Chinese claim
theirs and the Russians unwilling to restore and
where to many experienced ears the rumble OF COM
ing may be distinctly heard. went to ask qucs-
tIons: stayed to answer them. ''I am here said
the Colonel eat two days distance from the tcc-
graph office. by which alone keep my chiefs
informed OF the rumors that reach have not
received single answer to my dispatches What is
tho of afiairsf restore Kuldja or are
we notS Are we to go to war-yes or nor These
problems which 1 am myself wholly powerless to
solve All 1 know that my ready, and
that they already handle with dextcrity the new
rifles which thoy have just received from st.
Petersburg. Colonel popoif was right. and
found that nobody a, Kaldja had any intimate
knowledge OF the matter. further than that all
waiting in uneasy expectation. so tor the moment
/ am forced to dismiss the political question and
take up my pen simple traveller being content to
note tor the readers se that the Russian troops at
kuldja are composed of q battalion CT rifles, tour
pieces OF Cossack artillery, two mountain howitzers
and three detachments of Cossacks. Colonel Popof
gave me the services of young Russian officer.
whose devotion 10 the actresses of st. Petersburg
/ l.-I - l--l-