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ACROSS THE DESERT 
 OF GOBI. 
 
 A Nari'ativc of an Escape during the 
 
 Boxer Uprising, 
 
 JiDic to September, igoo 
 
 By MARK WILLIAMS 
 
 Copyright, 1901. 
 
 PRESS OF 
 
 RBPHBUCAN PUBLISHING CO., 
 
 HAMII^TON, OHIO. 
 
 1901, 
 
 
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ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 
 
 The out-burst of the Chinese against all foreigners in 
 June, 1900, was so sudden, that many of our missionaries 
 in the interior were unable to escape, and were murdered. 
 Many others were saved in ways almost miraculous. The 
 story of the siege of Peking is still fresh in our minds. The 
 following letters from the Rev. Mark Williams to his chil- 
 dren describe the escape of one company of missionaries 
 across the Desert of Gobi into Siberia. 
 
 Kai<GAN, May 19, 1900. 
 Dear Home Friends: 
 
 I have just returned from a week's 
 journey into Mongolia with Prof. G. F. Wright and son 
 of Oberlin, Ohio. Crossing ranges of mountains, there was 
 grand scenery. Were entertained at the Roman Catholic 
 Village of Hsi Wan Tzu, where we met several Belgian 
 priests and the bishop. A building 300 ft. long was being 
 erected. The village has 1600 inhabitants — all Catholics. 
 There are 400 girls in school, most of whom had been cast 
 out at birth, but were rescued by the Catholics. When 
 they reach the proper age, they are married to native 
 Christians. Prof. W. is much interested in the mountain 
 of loess here. There are four tiers of cave houses in its 
 side, inhabited by the poor. 
 
 We hear that placards have been posted in Kalgan by 
 the Boxers, who have come from Peking. But we don't 
 think the people here will heed them. 
 
6 ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 
 
 TuNGCHO, May 25. 
 
 I came from Kalgan with Prof. W. who got a brick 
 from the Great Wall to take to the United States. Fred 
 has taken many photos of scenerj^. 
 
 They went on to Peking, and intend going on to Tien- 
 tsin tomorrow. I am told that 70 Catholics have been killed 
 near Pao Ting Fu. 
 
 We hear that refugees are coming into Peking, and the 
 Boxers threaten to destroy the Chapels there. 
 
 May 30. 
 Boxers have destroyed a station on the railroad. Miss 
 Gould was expecting to come to Annual meeting, but 
 tracks are torn up. At dinner, we all hear the telegram 
 Mr. Charles Ewing sends from Peking. News is excit- 
 ing now. The Ministers told the Tsung Li Yamen that 
 they will send to Tientsin for Marines to guard the Lega- 
 tions. 
 
 Peking, June 6. 
 I came up from Tungcho, as Annual meeting had ended. 
 On June 2, two English missionaries, near Tientsin, were 
 killed. The Christians fear an attack, and are planning to 
 come to our Chapel for protection. Mr. Pitkin has sent a 
 messenger, and Dr. Taylor several telegrams telling of 
 their danger at Pao Ting Fu. Trains have ceased running 
 to Tientsin, and tlie mail cannot be carried to Tungcho. I 
 fear this letter cannot reach you. Fortunately, we have 
 two mule litters to take us to Kalgan without any delay. 
 
 Kalgan, June 11, igoo. 
 Traveling early and late, we made the journey from 
 Peking to Kalgan in five days. Fearing harm, we 
 journeyed in closed litters until out of Peking, although the 
 heat was intense. We heard rumors of robbers in the 
 mountainous, coal-mining districts through which we 
 passed, and unplowed fields on every hand showed how Boxer 
 discontent had infected even the plodding farmer classes. I 
 remember, as we passed through a village, to have heard a 
 
ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOIU. 7 
 
 bystander mutter to his companion, "Those foreigners will 
 be dead men in a few days." Yet we received nothing but 
 kind treatment at the inns along the way. 
 
 Reaching Kalgan on Sunday, the tenth of June, we saw 
 great throngs of people streaming toward our mission com- 
 pound. With difficulty we made our way through the 
 crowd at the gate, and felt that we had come at an oppor- 
 tune time to protect our property. We held council at 
 once with our Cliiiiese pastors and teachers, who were seri- 
 ously alarmed at the tidings we had brought from Peking. 
 
 At dusk, there arose a hubbub and pounding of stones 
 at our gate. The servants and helpers rushed in, crying, 
 "Bring your guns! The Boxers are upon us!" We had a 
 breech-loader, a magazine rifle, and a revolver. The fire- 
 extinguisher was filled with sulphuric acid to shower on 
 the crowd. We all felt cool enough, although we realized 
 that an angry mob might be rushing in upon us at any 
 moment, if the gates were broken down. At length, Mr. 
 Sprague climbed the wall, and shouting to the crowd to 
 disperse, fired a few blank cartridges into the air. This 
 terrified the ignorant mob, and in a short time all were 
 gone. We took council again, and decided that we ought 
 to go to the Yamen, the official residence of the magistrate, 
 and place ourselves under its protection. So we made 
 hurried preparations. The schoolgirls and Christian 
 women on the place were sent away to Gardener Jen's, on 
 the other side of the river, whence they could escape 
 unnoticed to their homes. The teacher would care for the 
 schoolboys. The servants all bade us goodbye, and a guard 
 of soldiers stood ready to watch the place. None of tis 
 slept, between packing and planning. We put a few nec- 
 essary articles in trunks, collected bedding and clothing, 
 and at 3 a. m. stole silently out, Mr and Mrs, Sprague, Dr. 
 Murdock, Miss Engh, Mr. Roberts and I. We found our 
 way across the fields, and reached the Yamen before light. 
 After some time, the gates were opened for us, and we 
 waited until nine o'clock for the official to come, Mr. 
 
8 ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 
 
 Sprague used this leisure time to go back to our homes. 
 He found the coast clear, and brought back three carts 
 loaded with boxes, bedding and food. We spent the day 
 waiting. The mandarin was kind, sending in tea, and giv- 
 ing us a chance to bu}' food at the restaurants. He sent, 
 too, for our banker, from whom we drew money for our 
 journey. The mandarin told us that he could not protect 
 us, and we must leave that night for Mongolia. We 
 received a telegram that Tung Cho was abandoned, prem- 
 ises looted and college buildings burned, and that the 
 missionaries and pupils were refugees at the Methodist 
 compound in Peking. Many Christians killed, telegraph 
 cut between Tientsin and Peking, and reinforcements of 
 foreign soldiers delayed. All this was depressing. But a 
 gong was beaten all day at Kalgan, warning any against 
 disturbing our chapels, which was encouraging to us. 
 
 Before evening, the mandarin wanted us removed to a 
 less public room, where our carts could be loaded without 
 exciting so much notice. We were fearful that leaving on 
 the evening of the Feast Day, the mob might attack us. 
 We had a prayer-meeting together, and prayed as those 
 who knew not but their end had come. We repeated verses 
 and I the Traveler's Psalm, which we have so often used 
 together: 
 
 "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills. 
 From whence cometh my help, 
 My help cometh from the Lord, 
 Which made heaven and earth." 
 
 The night grew late. But we knew that the danger 
 was growing less with the lateness of the hour. At last, 
 after midnight, the soldiers came, and our boxes and pro- 
 visions were rapidly placed on the three carts. It was a 
 mild, moonlight night, and the streets were clear. We 
 had twelve mounted soldiers as escort. As we neared the 
 
ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 9 
 
 Great Gate, we saw about fifty armed men. We thought 
 of Boxers, but found that they were an extra guard of sol- 
 diers to see us safely out of China. The city gate of Kal- 
 gan is a northern gate of the Great Wall, and opens out 
 into Mongolia. The night grew cool, but we travelled rap- 
 idly. The ladies rode horseback part of the time. At 
 seven o'clock, on the morning of June twelfth, we reached 
 a village, and dropped on the kang at an inn to sleep, as we 
 had been under excitement, and had had no sleep for two 
 nights. 
 
 All through the day of June twelfth, I kept thinking of 
 Commencement at the Western, and of my daughters' 
 graduation. I was glad you did not know what we were 
 going through then, to make the day less bright. 
 
 We went on to the Mongol plains, and halted at the 
 encampment of the Lama Brothers. They entertained us, 
 but seemed unfriendly, and wanted us to leave the next 
 day. We began to fear that we would not be allowed to 
 stay even in Mongolia, as they told us that the Bo.xers 
 were all around. So we passed another troubled night. 1 
 could hear Roberts and Sprague whisper in the night as to 
 their plans. It would be risky getting things from our 
 houses in Kalgan, and traveling to and fro. If the Lama 
 would not let us sta^^, we must plan to move on to Urga, 
 first getting all'the money we had in the Kalgan bank, to 
 buy provisions for the long journey. After reaching Urga, 
 we could telegraph to the United States for mone}', and 
 perhaps go home. We saw that if we had fled without 
 putting ourselves under the care of the Yamen, we could 
 have had no protection whatever. Again and again that 
 night, I thought of m}' wife's escape from the Indians in 
 the outbreak of 1S62. 
 
 June 15, Friday. 
 I have a chance to send a letter by Russian mail, as I 
 fear you cannot receive my letters via Peking. We are 
 waiting for a telegram from Kalgan which will throw light 
 
lO ACROSS THK DESERT OF GOBI. 
 
 on our future. We are not ready to decide to go to Urga, 
 and hope that the situation will grow more favorable, so 
 that we need not go, 
 
 Hara Osa, June 25. 
 This is a station of the Christian Alliance Mission. 
 The Lama Brothers would not keep us, so we have joined 
 a party of Swedish missionaries, and expect to go with 
 them to Urga. For nine days we have waited in suspense, 
 not knowing whether we were to go or stay. But the Man- 
 darin tells us that we must lea\'e at once, as Boxers are re- 
 ported near. ;Mr. Roberts and Mr. Sprague have twice re- 
 turned to Kalgan for needed mone3' and provisions for the 
 desert journey. The3' dared not go through the citv gate, 
 but climbing the mountains, crossed the Great Wall at 
 dark, and so escaped notice. The Mandarin is still piro- 
 tecting our mission compound, but how long he will be 
 able to do this, is uncertain. Our Yi.i Cho and Ching Ke 
 Ta Christians are in terror, and hiding, but we have no \va3' 
 to help them. 
 
 B5' a wonderful providence, we have a caravan ready 
 for us, one which was ordered for a Mr. Campbell, of the 
 British Legation, who had planned to take a trip into Mon- 
 golia this summer. We realize how difficult, indeed, al- 
 most impossible, it would have been to secure enough 
 camels and horses for the desert journey, and are verN' 
 thankful. The sentiment against foreigners is rapidlj' 
 growing more and more hostile, and we have to pay 
 roundly when we do buy. 
 
 We had planned to start earl3', on the morning ot June 
 twenty-third, but horses were lost, and it was noon before 
 they could be found. Then it took time to get the camels 
 harnessed to the carts, and loads adjusted, so that the 
 caravan did not finally set on its wa3' until six o'clock in 
 the evening. Imagine the sight! We had five camel carts, 
 twelve horses, and ten baggage camels. The baby carriage 
 trailed after a cart. Mr. Larson rode a bicycle, and Mr. 
 
ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. II 
 
 Sprague and I drove two unruly sheep. The big dog 
 trotted along patiently, bringing up the rear. At night we 
 pitched our tents on the grass, lighted a fire, spread oil- 
 cloths on the ground, with each his share of bedding, and 
 slept the "sleep of the just." 
 
 "Lost Camel Camp." 
 
 June 27. 
 For two days we have been delayed by a stray camel, 
 and realize the truth of Kipling's warning, " 'E'll lose 
 'imself forever if you let 'itn stray a mile." But our delay 
 has turned out to be most fortunate, since today, messen- 
 gers came galloping up, asking us to wait for Messrs. Jacob- 
 son, Sandberg, Oberg and wife of Feng Cheng. They are 
 two days distant, and expect to join us. On Sunday, the 
 seventeenth, they were mobbed. Their gates were burst 
 open, and they were beaten with clubs. They ran to the 
 Yamen, but the lady was struck down several times. 
 
 "MjVrble Camp." 
 
 June 28. 
 This is a vast unworked marble quarry. We are halt- 
 ing here for the refugee part^'. We have made slow pro- 
 gress thus far with our straying animals, and camels not 
 accustomed to drawing carts. But soon the caravan will 
 get mto working order. 
 
 Fridaj', June 29. 
 If you could look in on us this evening, you would see 
 a lively gathering. Our carts and tents are arranged in the 
 shape of a horse shoe, and the camels eighteen in number, 
 are tied to a rope near by. You would hear Mongol, 
 Swedish and English — Chinese is a language of the past. 
 The Mongols are busy roping boxes to be put on camels 
 tomorrow; the argol fire is blazing, heating pots of water 
 for tea. Mongols often call on us and we give them tea, as 
 hospitality requires. Whenever we eat, Mongols crowd 
 around the tent door to watch us. The nineteen people in 
 our party fill the tent, and it is hard to get food cooked for 
 
12 ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 
 
 SO many. The little babies crj^, and the older ones run 
 around in danger of being scalded, or stepped on. Often 
 the babies are rolled up and laid on a bed, and run great 
 danger of being sat upon. 
 
 June 30. 
 At two p. m. Mr. and Mrs. Oberg, Mr. Jacobson and 
 Mr. Sandberg came. They were welcomed as alive from 
 the dead, after their narrow escape. We fear for the scat- 
 tered missionaries all over the country. We feel that we 
 did not leave a moment too soon, and fear that missionary 
 work cannot be resumed for a year or two. It seems a 
 long time since June tenth, when we reached Kalgan. We 
 have been pilgrims, driven from one place to another, like 
 Noah's dove. It all seems like a dream. 
 
 We now number thirty persons, (counting our seven 
 Mongols) ; nineteen camels and fourteen horses, with six 
 camel carts. I have no regular way of convej'ance, but 
 ride cart, horse, or walk. I am supposed to be sheep 
 driver, fuel gatherer, and chaplain in turn. Mr. Larson 
 rides a bicycle, and attracts much attention. When we 
 reach a Mongol encampment, women come out of the tents, 
 gay with their head ornaments of beads and silver, and gaze 
 with loud laughter. We see Mongol women dressed like 
 men. in heavy hide boots, galloping over the plains. They 
 wear hats with two bands of ribbon streaming out behind. 
 A Mongol woman's hair is arranged in two braids which 
 are spread out on sticks, in a fan shape. It makes me 
 think of a turkey gobbler with his wings extended. 
 
 Mongols often call upon us, and offer us a snuff bottle 
 in place of handshaking. We politely put it to our noses 
 and hand it back. In buying camels, Mongols put their 
 hands in one another's sleeves, feeling the fingers to know 
 the price offered. When a Mongol sells a horse or cow, he 
 plucks a few hairs from the mane or tail, for good luck. It 
 is picturesque to see a Mongol galloping over the plains, 
 standing in his stirrups as if he were riding on the horse's 
 
ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 13 
 
 neck. It is usual to see a Mongol riding, and leading six 
 horses, goingat full speed. A Mongol walks as awkwardly 
 as a goose, but on horseback is as graceful as the latter in 
 the water. 
 
 Saturday night we stopped at the encampment of an old 
 Mongol teacher, who remembered seeing us thirty years 
 ago. He gave us milk for the children, and treated us to 
 Mongol tea and cheese. Mongol tea is a queer beverage, a 
 mixture of fat, salt, flour and roasted millet, with a flavor 
 of very poor tea. Oatmeal cakes and meat form the bulk 
 of a Mongol's meal. 
 
 We are wondering if our food will hold out. Our rice 
 and millet, the two standbys, are fast disappearing. We 
 kill a sheep almost daily, for thirty people eat a good 
 deal. Oi:r axle tree oil has leaked, so now we melt sheep's 
 tail for oil. 
 
 Desert of Gobi, July 6, 1900. 
 Here we are in this famous region. The Chinese call 
 this desert the "Sea of Sand," because the sand dunes are 
 constantly moving from southwest to northeast. We cele- 
 brated the Fourth of July by passing over from the Chahar 
 to the Sunet region, which is less under the Chinese 
 influence. As we came into the desert we saw some very 
 singular stone hills. The desert looks like the sea at a 
 distance. The sun rises and sets in a haze, and is blood- 
 red. A cloud may make a bank across the middle. We 
 heard thunder, but no rain fell. A gust of wind blew sand 
 like hail; I thought of sand storms in the Sahara. 
 
 We find scarcely any vegetation, yet this has been a 
 caravan route forages. Wells have been frequent thus far, 
 and we camp near them. We traveled from ten-thirty a. m. 
 until nine-thirty p. m. to reach a telegraph station. All 
 were faint and hungry, and were glad to hear lyarson's 
 whistle as, in the dark, we neared the camp. It did not 
 take long to hobble the horses and pitch the tents, and 
 
14 ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 
 
 soon we were standing around the bright fire, looking like 
 g5'psies as we watched the pots boiling. It was eleven 
 o'clock before we had anything to eat. 
 
 We are glad that the telegraph poles along the way are 
 numbered. It takes twenty-four poles for a mile, so we 
 can reckon how far we are from Kalgan. Yesterday we 
 traveled until midnight. The moon went down and the 
 baggage camels got ahead, and we lost the way. We could 
 .see the Pole Star and the telegraph poles, but feared we 
 might have passed the camp, so three pistol shots were 
 fired, and we kept shouting. It is a strange sensation to 
 feel that you are lost in a desert, where whitened bones of 
 animals are strewn about. To our relief, we heara a horse 
 galloping, and a Mongol led us to the camp where a bright 
 fire was blazing. At three in the morning, we slept. On 
 rising, we saw a graceful white temple of Thibetan style. 
 It looked like a fair3' palace m the desert. We often see 
 an antelope speeding over the plain. We are now feeling 
 the oven-like air which comes from the sun heating the 
 sand. It is so sultry that the work of cooking is very diffi- 
 cult. We have appointed a committee of two men and one 
 lady, dail}' to get the meals, they appointing their successors. 
 Cooking for twenty-three is no light matter. 
 
 July 9, 1900. 
 We are now travelling at night as the Chinese do. It 
 is cool for the animals, and gives them a chance to eat in 
 the day time. Our dog barks no more ! At the fairy 
 palace he left us, tired out, although we had gone but a 
 fourth of the waj'. He had barked so much th^t I told 
 Mr. Larson that I, at least, wouldn't wear a hat band if the 
 dog should die! But he was too tired to bark toward the 
 last, so I retained no hard feelings against him. We 
 bought two large sheep, and poor Mr. Sandberg had a hard 
 time driving them. 
 
 Mr. Yook, the Chinese telegraph operator at Kalgan, 
 who is just learning English, used, in his letters, to give 
 
■««•? 
 
 ■*A 
 
 *-! f 
 
ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 1 5 
 
 his regards to "the combination" .meaning the company. 
 So we laugh about our "Combination" which looks like an 
 animal show and circus combined. Lundquist's cart door 
 has bars, and the little boys howl inside like hyenas; the 
 babies scream, and the camels growl. A camel, when it is 
 angry, expresses its displeasure by sneezing on a person. 
 All of us have a good laugh seeing Mr. Sandberg tumble off 
 his camel. We think a Barnum might make his fortune 
 showing off our "Combination" in the United States. 
 
 We have come to the trying part of our journey. The 
 heat is intease and the wind hot Now is the time to show 
 patience and unseliishness. I am hardy, and stand the 
 journey well, but I don't walk unless I have to, as 1 find 
 that I must save my strength. Mrs. Ivarson is always 
 patient with her children, who are often crying, and have the 
 whooping-cough. As it is God's providence which has led 
 us here, and it is His way of saving our lives, it seems un- 
 grateful to repine at our having to go, or to endure 
 troubles. But the hot weather and little sleep are trying. 
 We hail a Sunday or day of rest, when we can get "slep 
 up and et up" (as the Kentucky darkies say.) 
 
 We made an all night journey to reach a well. We 
 find that we are followed by soldiers, who watch us when 
 we are drawing water, lest we should put poison in the 
 wells. It gives one an idea of the value of water to see the 
 crowding of men and animals around a well. We passed a 
 long train of oxcarts laden with hides and wood. Extra 
 oxen were led to be used should any give out, which, from 
 the number of skeletons seen, must be a common occur- 
 rence. 
 
 July 15. 
 After a ride of fourteen hours, we reached the tele- 
 graph station, Oude, one half of the way to Urga. We 
 came in a rain with a strong wind. One of our camels took 
 fright, and ran at a great rate, frightening the whole cara- 
 van. It was a ludicrous sight to watch the awkward crea- 
 ture, throwing out his crooked legs, with the saddle flying 
 
1 6 ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 
 
 to pieces. It was the leanest one in the drove, and one 
 which we had feared would never be able to cross the des- 
 ert. But it seemed to have a reservoir of vitality upon 
 which we had not reckoned; for it ran for miles before 
 stopping, and the Mongol on horseback soon fell behind in 
 the unequal race. 
 
 Oude station is at the base of a mountain which is com- 
 posed of laj'ers of granite-like masonry. We saw three or 
 four trees, the first we have seen since leaving Kalgan. 
 Most of us called at the station. While we were there, a 
 storm came up, which seemed about to blow down the frail 
 building. The air was yellow with dust, and the rain beat 
 on the iron roof, so that we found conversation difficult. 
 The operators told us astounding news fjom Peking. They 
 had heard that all the ministers, and legation officials, and 
 the emperor himself, had been killed, but that the mi.ssion- 
 aries were safe at Shanghai. 
 
 On returning to the camp, we found that our tents had 
 almost blown awa)', and that our clothes, dishes, and bed- 
 ding were covered with sand. We had been in the rain all 
 da5' long, and were cold and hungry. But our thank- 
 fulness for the safety of the missionaries made us notice 
 these things little, and we sang songs for an hour, after we 
 had had our supper. The singing, both in English and 
 Swedish was very enthusiastic. We often tell stories and 
 have hearty laughs. When the Swedes talk, we miss the 
 fun, unless they translate. We shall long remember that 
 night. 
 
 Monday, July i6. 
 We travelled until two a. m. We are taking long stages 
 in order to reach wells of good water. But sometimes we 
 camp where there is pasture, and "Morning Star," our 
 Mongol servant, must go a mile or two for water. Our 
 daily routine varies little. Mr. L,arson sees that a fire is 
 started, and rouses all; sets the food committee at work, 
 cooking oatmeal, or millet; and after breakfast, has the 
 dishes washed and packed away. It takes a long time to 
 
ACROSS THE CESERT OF GOBI. I7 
 
 load the camels, and drive the horses up to saddle them. 
 As we start, I always repeat the Traveler's Psalm. Then 
 the long march begins. It is a joyful sight, after a long 
 day, to notice the carts turning in from the road to the spot 
 where we are to camp. The driver runs along the line of 
 camels, shouting, "Sook, Sook," and jerking their no.se- 
 ropes, which brings them all down on their knees. Then 
 the boxes come down with a thud, and I select my mattress 
 and oil cloth, spread them down in the tent, and am ready 
 for supper, or bed. Each has his place, and even in the 
 dark we can locate our own corners. At meals we spread 
 the table cloth on the ground, and each hands the ibod to 
 his neighbor. Sometimes we even imagine that we are on 
 a picnic. We shall have many delightful recollections of 
 our journey, notwithstanding its drawbacks. Just now, 
 wells are not many, and the water bad, so we must travel 
 from dark to dawn, and sleep little. When the halt is 
 made, I drop to sleep, unless I belong to the cooking com- 
 mittee, or unless the "honorable gentlemen of the argol 
 committee" are called on. Getting but two meals a day, 
 and those at irregular hours, we learn how to be hungry 
 and thirsty. 
 
 The camels' feet wear out, and we must patch them by 
 sewing on a piece of leather, fastened b\ a thong which is 
 drawn under the thick skin of the sole. Our horses are 
 unshod, and stumble along, which makes it misery to ride 
 them. The coarse sand cuts hoofs and shoe-soles. Three 
 of our men ride camels. I think of the Magi when I see 
 them ride by. It is so funny to see the trouble they have 
 in making their camels kneel. They jerk the nose-rope, 
 and cry "Sook, Sook !" uatil the complaining beast comes 
 tardily down. Then they must hastily jump on, lest he 
 should rise again before they are ready. The light men 
 ride the horses, and in spite of care, we have to lead sev- 
 eral which are "hors de combat" from tender feet. The 
 camels eat onions, and their breath is disagreeable. These 
 
iS ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 
 
 are wild onions; and more plentiful than grass. Our cam- 
 els have good appetites, and will eat an oilcloth as readil}' 
 as choice grass. 
 
 I enclose a few verses, which I have composed as we 
 journe3-ed along. 
 
 vSONG OF THE URGA PILGRIM. 
 
 Farewell to the plains of the Flowery Land! 
 
 We flee from the rage of the fierce Boxer Baiiil. 
 
 Both Yanlcees and Swedes form our .strange Gypsy throng. 
 
 Our caravan moves, we are ini^bing along. 
 
 Chorns: 
 Inching along, we are inching along, 
 At the pace of a snail we are inching along. 
 Our horses are hardy, our camels are strong, 
 We shall all reach Urga by inching along. 
 
 That all "lend a hand," this is well understood. 
 So some pick the argol, while some cook the food. 
 Our leader is Larson, to whom we belong. 
 At word of command, we keep incliing along. 
 
 Constantly breathing- Mongolian air. 
 Hunger is sauce for our plain, wholesome fare. 
 The cooks are the ladies, whose praises we sing. 
 Their mutton and millet are tit for a king. 
 
 Weary, we stretch out our linilis on the ground. 
 Our dreams are delightful, our slumbers profound. 
 But the voice of the Captain rings out clear and strong, 
 "Stoj) snoring', get up! and be inching along!" 
 
 In the Desert of Gobi ai-e rare, preciotas stones. 
 In the Desert of Gobi are strewn camels' bones. 
 The sprightly chameleon glides swift from our feet. 
 And far in the haze bounds the antelope fleet. 
 
 At midnight, the caravan halts at the camp, 
 The bright blazing fire is both candle and lamp 
 Tired and hun.gry we take the late njeal. 
 Then silently off to our couches we steal. 
 
 The things that are common all men will despise, 
 But these, in the desert, we most highlj- prize, 
 For water is worth more than hu.ge bags of gold. 
 And argol than diamonds of value untold. 
 
ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. I9 
 
 Traveling by day, or traveling by night, 
 
 Our "Great Combination" is no mean sight, 
 
 And funnier far than circus or clown, 
 
 When the camel rolls up, and Sandberg rolls down. 
 
 The "Ship of the Desert" is oft in a calm. 
 For slowness all vessels must yield it the palm. 
 With eye on the Pole Star, we cannot steer wrong. 
 But safe reach the harbor, by inching along. 
 
 Our horses are stolen, the camels will stray. 
 To mend broken (-art-wheels the train must delay, 
 Cheered by the moonbeam's struggling light 
 We journey through the weary night. 
 
 The big dog is lost and the sheep are eat, 
 We have to patch the camels' feet, 
 The cocoa is out, and rice there is none. 
 And soon the sugar will be done. 
 
 When fainting for a drink of tea. 
 To quench our thirst, what joj' to see 
 Rising above the horizon far. 
 The water pails, and "Morning Star'" 
 
 Daily fighting the dust and the dirt. 
 Yet where is the man who can keep a white shirt. 
 Scorched by the wind, and burnt by the sun, 
 Mongols we'll be when the journey is done. 
 
 Chorus : 
 Inching along, we are inching along, 
 At the pace of a snail we are inching along. 
 Our horses are hardy, our camels are strong, 
 We shall all reach Urga by inching along. 
 
 "Chalcedony Camp," July 23, 1900. 
 We have found agates before, but are now coming into 
 the parts where the ground is thickly sprinkled with them. 
 Picking has been the rage for the last day or two. It is 
 easy to fill our pockets witlr stones which we should have 
 prized at Kalgan, but of course we must be content with a 
 few only. We have named this place "Chalcedony Camp" 
 because the ground is white with them. 
 
20 ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 
 
 Several times our horses have been without water for 
 twentj^-four and even thirty hours. Fortunately we have 
 found pools made by recent rains, where we could camp, 
 and forget the bad wells we had passed. Traveling one 
 night, I had a stumbling horse. I feared to lose the cara- 
 van in the dark, and whipping did no good. Adam fell 
 once, I fell several times, but fortunately received no 
 harm. 
 
 July 24. 
 
 Today we saw the mountains at whose base, Cherin, the 
 last telegraph station is situated. We had not been told 
 that any people lived at Cherin. As we journeyed on, sud- 
 denly a picture so startling met our eyes that we all ex- 
 claimed, "How wonderful!" About half a dozen lama- 
 series, four stories high, with gilded spires, were seen. 
 They were surrounded by a multitude of one story houses. 
 All about was barrenness, and this monastery town with 
 its red doors and white walls rose, a vivid contrast to its 
 back ground. For miles the rocks were piled one above 
 another in a most grotesque fashion. Buddhists choose for 
 their temples places where there is some natural wonder as 
 indicating Divinity. Two thousand Lamas live here. 
 
 We crossed the crater of an extinct volcano. It was a 
 circular depression about a mile in diameter, the ledges of 
 rock showing where the rim was. 
 
 We often shoot duck and prairie dogs. The latter are 
 fat and chubby, like half-grown pups. They stand bark- 
 ing at the mouths of their holes. Lately we have killed 
 prairie dogs to get oil for our carts. Two stray dogs 
 joined us, and finding that they were well fed, kept with 
 us to Urga. 
 
 Reaching camp, the alarm was given that a dog, not 
 belonging to our "Combination," had run away with a 
 prairie dog. 
 
 Our Mongol driver went galloping after, and soon re- 
 turned with the prize. 
 
!^ 
 
 'J 
 
ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 21 
 
 After supper we found that our adopted dogs had caught 
 up, and had made a supper of the prairie dog, which had 
 been rescued with such difficulty. 
 
 The weather is now hot and then cold, as if it had 
 the ague. 
 
 Ukga Consueate, Urga, Mongolia. 
 
 July 30, 1900. 
 
 At last we have reached our destination, after thirty- 
 eight days of travel. We sent a telegram from the last 
 station, and the Ru.ssian Consul invited all to the Consul- 
 ate. So with our nineteen horses, twenty camels, twenty- 
 three foreigners and seven Mongols, we took possession of 
 the court and the fourteen rooms assigned us. We were 
 treated with great hospitality. 
 
 I am sitting on the piazza, listening to the bell chiming 
 for vespers. Before me is the broad valley of the Tola 
 River covered with herds cropping the luxuriant grass. 
 Beyond are mountains, mist-covered with deep green pine 
 forests stretching down into the valleys. It is like Japan, 
 with the deep green at the summit, and the light green of 
 the grass beneath. 
 
 Urga itself does not make such a pleasing impression. 
 There are no streets, and pools of water and piles of refuse 
 show how different barbarism is from civilization. The 
 Mongol city of Urga is inhabited by 10,000 Lamas. I passed 
 the meat and horse markets. Small sheds were to be seen 
 everywhere, under which were large prayer wheels, each 
 revolving on an axis. People pass through these sheds in 
 succession, each giving the wheel a whirl. Prayers are 
 written on slips of paper wrapped around the wheel, so each 
 revolution counts as a prayer. On almost every hill by 
 the road side, we saw piles of stone thrown up by the Mon- 
 gols as prayers to the god of the mountain. On the piles 
 are little flags of silk, fluttering. Kach flutter signifies a 
 prayer. 
 
 We are disappointed in not receiving reliable news of 
 affairs at Peking. All tidings are contradictory. We have 
 
22 ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 
 
 had news from Kalgati which has confirmed our fears. On 
 Friday, the twent3'-seventh, a Mongol servant of the Kal- 
 gan Russians overtook us. He said that he had left Kal- 
 gan sixteen days before. On July ii, the Boxers had de- 
 stroyed all the foreign houses. The magistrate kept a 
 guard at our premises, and had imprisoned seven persons, 
 because they had stolen some of our goods. He had sent to 
 Peking for five hundred soldiers, but these proved to be 
 Boxers themselves. After freeing the prisoners, they broke 
 into the mission compound, looted at will, and finallj' 
 burned everything to the ground. The Lama's house in the 
 Upper City where Mr. Larson lived; the Russian houses 
 and church; our large premises, with dwelling houses, 
 schools, church and hospital; even the firms that sold for- 
 eign goods, all were destroyed. The cathedral at Hsuen 
 Hua shared the same fate, and three hundred Christians 
 are reported killed. Our Christians escaped so far as we 
 know. We have all lost many valuable articles which can- 
 not be replaced. But we are thankful that our lives are 
 spared. We hear that the missionaries at Moukden, 
 Manchuria, are killed, and fear that man\' in the interior 
 cannot escape. The uncertain future of our mission, and of 
 ourselves is often in mj' mind. It seems very improbable 
 that we can return to Kalgan in a month. How unlooked 
 for are our condition and prospects ! All that is left for us 
 now is simpL' to do our duty, as it is unfolded day by day. 
 
 July 3r , 1900. 
 
 A gentleman handed me a letter sent from you on June 
 7. How fortunate that it was sent via Russia, since it 
 stopped here because it could go no further, and so caught 
 me. 
 
 In a few days a great Mongol festival is to be held near 
 Urga. Several hundred thousand Mongols will be gathered 
 here, and the Chinese official declares that he cannot be 
 responsible for the safetj' of the missionaries. Five hun- 
 dred Cossack soldiers are coming, and will need the rooms 
 in the Consulate which we now occupy. So theie is no rest 
 
ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 23 
 
 for the "sole of the foot." We mu.st go on to Kiachta, two 
 hundred and fifty miles further. It will be a journe}' of 
 two weeks more. We cannot stay in Russia. Nothing is 
 left for us now but to go home. We have no houses now, 
 and the troubles will not soon end. We are sending a 
 cablegram to Boston for approval and funds. As we go, 
 each step gives us more light. 
 
 Mr. Nestigorde, the Norwegian missionary to the Urga 
 Mongols will go with us to St. Petersburg. He speaks 
 Russian, and will be invaluable to us as interpreter, as Mr. 
 L,arson has been in the Mongol lands. We are to leave 
 Urga on August second, and go by stages of twenty miles 
 daily. We are hurried oft" by the officials. 
 
 On the Way to Kiachta. 
 August 3, 1900. 
 
 We started from the Consulate, with our baggage follow- 
 ing on ox carts. As we passed through Urga, we saw the 
 Russian stores and Mongol markets. A company of Lamas 
 with high yellow hats rode by, blowing long horns. A 
 Cos.'iack escorted us to the outskirts of the town. The 
 Russian Consul has shown us the greatest kindness, and 
 we are to have the privileges of officials on our journey. 
 
 Mr, Nestigorde is an interesting man. He has been 
 telling me some of the experiences of his six 5'ears in Urga. 
 He has spoken with Bogda, the Living Buddha, who dwells 
 here. Tire people of Urga regard Mr. Nestigorde as a great 
 man, for the Lamas come and argue with him, and men of 
 rank from afar call on him. Dressed as a Lama, and know- 
 ing Mongol well, he has gone into the secret places of their 
 temples. Being a very shrewd man, he knows how to deal 
 with the Mongols. At one time he was with a company of 
 friends, fishing. Suddenly they saw Bogda, the Living 
 Buddha, approaching with his retinue. Mr. Nestigorde 
 commenced throwing the fish back into the river, saying in 
 Mongol, "These stupid foreigners! They don't know any 
 better." Thus Bogda thought him a worthy man. 
 
24 ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 
 
 But lately suspicions were aroused against him, and 
 Bogda decided to test him. So he sent three men to Mr. 
 Nestigorde at midnight to provoke him to a quarrel. Mr. 
 Nestigorde received them kindly, and placed three cups of 
 mare's milk before them. These they threw in his face. 
 But instead of growing angry, he poured out more milk and 
 took no notice of the affront. So they departed, foiled in 
 their attempt. Bogda is a man of thirt}? four years, a 
 drunkard and cruel, but sacred in the eyes of his followers. 
 He struck a man eighty five j'ears old with his whip, and 
 the old man thought it an honor to receive attention from 
 a god. One hundred and twenty men are employed by 
 this living Buddha to find and buy curios, which he soon 
 casts aside. If within a week no new article is brought, 
 the men are all punished. We passed an electric motor 
 which was going to him. A Russian once sold him a mag- 
 netic battery, and began giving him instructions as to its 
 use. Bogda replied, "I am a god, and know all about it." 
 But one daj' a horseman galloped furiously to the Russian, 
 begging him to come at once and release the unfortunate 
 god, who had experimented too rashly with the new toy. 
 The Russians reap a rich harvest by selling him all kinds 
 of rubbish at high prices. 
 
 We passed the place where the great Mongol Festival is 
 soon to be held. Tens of thousands will gather here for 
 wrestling, horse-racing and worship. Bogda presides over 
 the Festival. 
 
 Monday, August 6, 1900. 
 We camped by a stream. Opposite us were wooded 
 hills. The trees are pine, birch and aspen. Flowers are 
 abundant. It is a pleasure to see pinks, asters, mourning- 
 brides, larkspur and idelweiss again. Rhubarb we found 
 growing wild, and we gathered it for sauce. We have seen 
 many birds; larks, swans, geese, ducks, eagles, vultures, 
 crows and bustards. The wooded valleys remind us of the 
 Alleghenies. "Green pastures and still waters" are com- 
 mon, and delight our desert-weary souls. 
 
ACROSS THK DESERT OF GOBI. 25 
 
 Three hundred and fifty Cossacks passed us on their way 
 to Urga. The General and his staff came up and spoke to 
 us. We gave them three cheers, to which they responded. 
 After the mounted soldiers, came wagons laden with food 
 and ammunition. Two Red Cro.ss wagons brought up the 
 rear. One of our camels took fright, and nearly stampeded 
 the Russian army. 
 
 Between Urga and Kiachta the road is hilly, but lies 
 through fertile valleys. We crossed two ranges of the 
 Altai mountains, and saw Chinese cultivating wheat and 
 oats on the hill slopes. We find that the Chinese cash 
 is not used in this country. Instead, bricks of tea count 
 as money, four bricks being equivalent to a Russian rouble, 
 or Hhy cents. Half brick.s of tea, and small pieces of silk 
 constitute the smaller currency. 
 
 Saturday, August 11. 
 We crossed the Black and Euro Rivers, and today 
 passed through a dense pine forest The telegraph line 
 had cut a wide swath, leaving valuable timber rotting on 
 the ground. At midnight we halted on the edge of the 
 forest and built a bonfire, throwing on pine branches which 
 burnt like shavings. We enjoyed being among the lofty 
 trees, and hearing the echoes. 
 
 Monday, August 13. 
 Yesterday was our last day of camp life, for this morn- 
 ing we crossed over from the Chinese into the Russian 
 empire, and saw before us the church spires of Kiachta. 
 We felt that we indeed had reached a "City of Refuge," 
 and need ffee from Boxers no longer. For two months we 
 had slept on the ground and dwelt in tabernacles like the 
 patriarchs of old. It has been forty-nine days since we 
 commenced journeying from Hara Osa, through the wide 
 and terrible wilderness, but the pillar of cloud has preceded 
 us, and we have come safely to our Canaan, We have 
 been on the edge of a typhoon all the time from Tung Cho 
 to Kiachta, but through the goodness of God have escaped. 
 
26 ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 
 
 Mr. Nestigorde and Mr. Roberts went on before the 
 caravan to make arrangements for our accommodation. 
 They found a hotel which would take the wliole part}' for 
 $12.50 per daj'. They were detained for five hours by 
 Russian scouts on the frontier line. Special surveillance 
 was made because of the state of war existing between 
 Russia and China. Again, the Chinese officials would 
 have detained us, because of our lack of Chinese passports, 
 but the Governor of Kiachta sent and demanded us, on the 
 ground that we had Russian passports from the Consul at 
 Urga. 
 
 We found a telegram waiting for us giving orders for 
 ^300 to take us home. So we are really to come home, — 
 a thing which three months ago would have seemed a wild 
 idea. Indeed there is no alternative for us now, with 
 our mission houses burned, our converts scattered and 
 China in anarchy. 
 
 As we entered Kiachta, our passing created a sensation, 
 the more so, as our coming had been heralded a month 
 before. Ladies in fine carriages, and peasant women with 
 shawls over their heads gazed at us, and tried to talk, but we 
 could only reply in Chinese. We could see that we had 
 come into a country new to us. Peasants were riding in 
 tarantasses, — Russian vehicles made with an immense bow 
 going fronr the shafts, and no seats. Thej' drive three 
 horses abreast, and go at full speed. The peasants wear 
 cloth caps, calico smock frocks with belts, and trousers 
 stuffed in their boots; while their unkempt hair and beards, 
 coarse features and stolid expressions, show utter lack of 
 education and refinement. The higher classes are refined, 
 graceful and obliging. Houses are for the most part built 
 of logs, 5'et hot-house plants and lace curtains in the win- 
 dows show the presence of wealth. Business is flourishing, 
 as the Czar has established stores in every town, where a 
 great variety of things may be bought at reasonable prices. 
 We are not yet adepts in shopping by means of signs, and 
 
X 
 
 w 
 en 
 
 O 
 m 
 
 O 
 
 •J) 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 27 
 
 Mr. Nestigorde is besieged for words. This morning Mr. 
 Roberts went to the market place and cackled, so being 
 able to get some eggs. 
 
 Our menu at the hotel here is as follows: At seven or 
 eight in the morning we have brought us the samovar, 
 which contains boiling water for tea-making, and some dry 
 bread. The bread, both black and white, is sour, as the 
 Russians seem to prefer it so. At noon comes soup and 
 bread with the merest morsel of vegetable added at our 
 recjuest. At four o'clock in the afternoon, the samovar 
 and tea-cakes make their appearance, and at nine in tiie 
 evening we have a meat dinner. We petitioned that din- 
 ner might come at seven, but no, habits are as fixed as the 
 laws of the Medes and Persians. 
 
 August 20, I goo. 
 
 Thirty-tour years ago today, I landed at Tientsin, and 
 now I leave China for home. We are at Troitskosafsky, 
 about two miles north of Kiachta, and expect to remain 
 about two weeks, while our caravan is being sold off, and 
 preparations are made for our journey to St. Petersburg. 
 
 This morning I went to the market and saw carts filled 
 with potatoes, onions, cabbage, parsnips and huckleberries. 
 John Chinaman was there, selling odds and ends. I was 
 glad to find some one to whom I cotild speak. It seems 
 that all the Chinese from Siberia are flocking homeward. 
 The market women wore bright handkerchie's on their 
 heads, and dresses fastened with suspenders over the 
 shoulders. Some wore boots. The men look as though 
 the barber could improve their appearance. We saw the 
 huge loaves of dark, sour, rye bread, and tubs of Ijoiled 
 milk out for sale. The milk-tubs are small cylindrical pails 
 of birch bark. 
 
 A detachment of Cossacks, clad in white, rode through 
 the streets, singing and carrying different parts. It was 
 inspiring. At night the band performed in the park, and 
 soldiers sang and danced. The officers had a table with 
 liquors and the ladies (?) sat drinking and smoking with 
 
28 ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 
 
 them. I have seen drunken men, a sight which we never 
 see in China, showing that we have come to Russian civili- 
 zation! Yet oc the other hand, we see many scliool houses 
 and churches. I notice fire-engines in the streets and 
 ladders by every house, for as the buildings are mostly of 
 wood, great care must be taken. The costumes of the 
 peasants are peculiar. The women wear furniture calico 
 dresses, with heavy shoes, and shawls over their heads. 
 The boys invariably have their trousers tucked in their 
 boots and wear the shirt, belt and cloth cap. I remember 
 fility or sixty years ago, bo^^s had the same style of caps, 
 and wore their trousers tucked in their boots. So Russia 
 may be only a half century behind the times. 
 
 We heard telegrams, two days old, saying that the 
 Chinese had been defeated near Peking, and that foreigners 
 are still besieged in the city. I hope they maj' be soon 
 delivered. Our way of escape was easier than their impris- 
 onment. We hear that forty thousand German and Russian 
 soldiers have passed through Irkoutsk. There, the Chinese 
 stores are plundered, and Chinese are fleeing for their lives 
 homeward. It seems strange that we are fleeing for our 
 lives in the opposite direction. Each famil}? of Ru.ssians 
 here has several Cossacks quartered in the house. This is 
 one of the inconveniences of living under a despotic govern- 
 ment. 
 
 August 24. 
 I went to the Greek church services, and was capti- 
 vated by the choir. The priest who read the service had a 
 voice like a "Bull of Bashan." There were grand bass 
 voices among the singers. As I listened to the harmonies, 
 I thought of the music ot heaven. 
 
 Mrs. Soderbom's baby died, and was buried in the ceme- 
 tery here, I offered prayer and read from the Bible, and 
 we all helped to get a little stone for the grave. The baby 
 had a hard time in the desert, being sick with the whoop- 
 ing-cough and lacking good milk. 
 
ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 29 
 
 The Russians here have been very kind to lis. The 
 wife of the banlver, on hearing that the Swedes were penni- 
 less, offered theni free passage to Irkoutsk, but their money 
 has finally come, so the3' will not be obliged to avail them- 
 selves of the offer. She has invited the whole partj' to din- 
 ner, given them the use of her luxurious Russian bath, and 
 sent carriages to take the ladies to church. Truly Russian 
 hospitality is unbounded. 
 
 August 27. 
 
 We read tlie papers eagerly to find news about China. 
 All seems to be in confusion there. We have eight taran- 
 tasses engaged to take us the five days journey to Lake 
 Biikal, where we may get steamer to Irkoutsk. From 
 there we go via the Trans-Siberian Railwaj^ We started 
 late in the afternoon. 
 
 The three horses abreast of each tarantass galloped 
 along at a furious pace. I had a feeling of exhilaration 
 in the thought that I was on mj' way home, and would 
 soon be there, now that the time of rapid travel had begun, 
 by tarantass, steamer, and car. Late at night, we came to 
 the post station. The agent told us we could not be enter- 
 tained, but a letter of permit, shown by Mr. Nestigorde, 
 silenced him. We were admitted, and given two rooms, 
 where we slept on the floor. Our mixed company made 
 the rooms look like Castle Garden, where the emigrants 
 sit and jabber as they land from the ships. 
 
 Coming to the Selinga River, we crossed on a ferry. 
 About seventy five miles from here are the graves of the 
 wives of Stallybrass and Swan, missionaries to the Buriats 
 from 1817 to 1841, when they were expelled by the Rus 
 sians. Mr. Gilmour visited here in 1870. Nothing re- 
 mains of their work except their translation of the Bible 
 into Mongol. The Greek church claims the Buriats, but 
 many are heathen, for we see temples, and pieces of cloth 
 tied, as prayers, to the branches of trees. We stopped at 
 a Buriat house. Although made of wcod, it was like a 
 Mongol tent in that the fire was built in the center of the 
 room, and let out its smoke through a hole in the roof. 
 
30 ACROSS THE DHSERT OF GOBI. 
 
 We came to a station situated in a romantic spot on tlie 
 banks of a stream, surrounded bj' an amphitheater of pine- 
 clad hills. Our drivers have the horses gallop up hills and 
 down. We climbed a mountain range covered with dense 
 forests. The saplings made a jungle where berries and 
 flowers could be found in plenty". At the summit of the 
 mountain, we found a signal station, where the Customs 
 officers examined our baggage. Thej' were puzzled over 
 our Gobi agates. We were now eight thousand feet above 
 sea level, and it took us five hours to make the steep descent 
 to Lake Baikal. It was beautiful to look down the ravines 
 and see the dark pines and the scarlet berries of the moun- 
 tain ash. We could see snow on distant mountains, 
 although it was still August. We had trouble with our 
 knavish tarautass driver, and had to appl\' to the police, 
 but with such an interpreter as Mr. Nestigorde, who is as 
 readj' for fight as an}' of his Viking ancestors, we easily 
 came out victorious. 
 
 September i, 1900. 
 We have now been almost three months on the go, and 
 have finished the stage of quadruped transportation. We 
 bid farewell to horse and camel, and welcome the more 
 rapid service of steam. As we took passage on Lake Baikal 
 we saw the landing of thirteen hundred young and hardy- 
 looking conscripts, the flower of the Russian people, who 
 are on their way East. They seemed to be conscripts, hast- 
 ily collected, as many had no uniforms or guns, and some 
 wore common straw hats. 
 
 Our passage by steamer over Lake Baikal took onl}' a 
 few hours. Finding at Barachig that there was no train for 
 Irkoutsk and no hotel in the place, our whole party 
 renewed its desert experience b}' camping out on the station 
 platform. 
 
 Our stay in Irkoutsk was busied with arrangements for 
 our journey over the Trans-Siberian Railway to St. Peters- 
 burg. By the so-called Diminution System, a certain reduc- 
 
ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 3 1 
 
 tion of fare is given proportionate to the distance traveled. 
 So we found that for twenty dollar,s each we could get second- 
 clas.s tickets for the whole distance of over five thousand 
 miles. Our party occupies an entire car. This is di\-ided 
 into sections, each of which has four berths The third 
 class is as crowded as the steerage of a vessel, and many are 
 without berths. As second-class passengers, we are entitled 
 to forty pounds of baggage free, but all excess must be paid 
 for at the rate of seven roubles for forty pounds. 
 
 The train moves ver)' slowly, and stops at stations to 
 let the passengers get boiling water at the tea houses. The 
 Russian word for "hurry," is "scurry," which is very 
 expressive, and takes the place of the familiar "All aboard !" 
 of America. 
 
 Pine wood is so plentiful as to be burnt by the locomo- 
 tives, and we are not troubled by cinders. Log-pens along 
 the road are heaped with loo.se brush, so that sparks may 
 not set the woods on fire. Moveable fences are stacked 
 together for use when snowdrifts come. We passed through 
 mining districts where gnats abounded, and the workmen 
 had their laces covered with veils. Workmen lack the 
 ambition they have in America. Convicts are brought out 
 in great numbers, but many work their way back along the 
 railroad. Drunkenness brings almost universal povert}'. 
 Although many a village may get ten thousand rubles a year 
 simply through the sale of sable skins, yet people remain 
 poor. Men smoke and let the women do the hard work. 
 
 We passed over steppes perfectlj' level, with woods and 
 broad fields. On the twelfth of September, we crossed the 
 Ural mountains, and saw the monument that marks the 
 boundary line between Europe and Asia. A vast bridge 
 stretches across the Volga, which is said to be the largest 
 river in Europe. We are interested in seeing the life of 
 the people in these various districts. At Ofa, there have 
 been famines for the last few years. So, both on account 
 of the scarcity of food, and because of the cold, the people 
 hibernate in the winter, sleeping on their stoves, and wak- 
 
32 ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. 
 
 ing up to drink hot water, or eat a little from time to time. 
 
 It is impos.sible to speak too highly of the kindness of 
 the Russian officials all along the way. Although the 
 Trans-Siberian road was at this time closed to civilians, 
 and choked with troops bound for the East, j^et a special 
 car was always reserved for us bj' the authorities. In Mos- 
 cow and St. Petersburg the greatest consideration and hos- 
 pitality were shown us. At Moscow, a party of young 
 American tourists took up a sub.scription to enable us to 
 take a special car on the fast train to St. Petersburg. 
 Reaching that citjr on the eighteenth of September, we 
 were most cordially received by the Hon. Mr. Pearce, 
 in the absence of our American ambassador, Char- 
 lemagne Tower. Proceeding thence to Berlin and 
 London, we sailed from Glasgow on the "City of Rome," 
 and landed in New York on the eighth of October. Reach- 
 ing St. Ivouis on the loth, in time to attend the annual 
 meeting of the American Board, we met our Peking friends, 
 from whom we had parted four months before, little 
 dreaming of the thrilling experiences we were to pass 
 through. They told us of their miraculous preservation 
 during the siege. Hanging on the wall was the roll of 
 martyred missionaries. ^ 
 
 We remembered that our names might have appeared 
 with theirs, bat for the special providence of God. 
 
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