BURNABY’S RIDE TO KHIVA

Hokitika Guardian, 10 November 1927, Page 1

BURNABY’S RIDE TO KHIVA

Colonel .Frederick Burnaby was one of the most popular men of his day, and his untimely death at the battle of Abu Idea in 1885 robbed the British Empire of a gallant soldier, .an intrepid traveller and a brilliant wr* er. His life was crowded with adventures and daring exploits in many lands, hut his ride to Khiva, which made a special appeal to tho imagination of the British people, is generally regarded as the outstanding achievement of his eventful career. The country known ns Khiva is situated in the south of Turkestan and was mice an important Asiatic kingdom. but it is now one. of the seven States which form the Union of Rpssinn Soviet Republics'. Burnaby had intended to visit Khiva in 1873. when the Russians invaded the country and made its Khan a vassal of the Czar, hut lie was prevented from doing so hv an attack of typhoid fever. Two years later his daredevil spirit was roused into ac-

tion by a newspaper announcement that the Russian Govcnirment would permit no foreigner to travel in Asiatic Russia, and he at once deteimined to visit Khiva during his next leave of absence. He read numerous hooks regarding the country through which he would have to travel to reach his goal, and lie speedily realised the very hazardous, if not almost impossible, nature of his task, more especially as the period of his furlough would necessitate the journey being made in midwinter. He, however, allowed no

diflietillios or dangers to deter him from his project, and on November 30, 1875, he left London for fit. Petersburg. which he reached by means of a five-von r-ok! passport. In the Russian capital lie secured permission to travel in Asiatic Russia, but was told lie must not extend his journey outside Russian territory, a

stipulation which, if obeyed, would have barred him from reaching Khiva. He was able to travel by railroad ns far as Sizernn. hut when lie arrived there he was faced with the necessity of providing his own conveyance for Liie remainder of the trip. A series of thrilling sleigh rides carried him across the snow-hound country to Kasiila, where lie secured horses and camel.- for himself and the servants l*e had engaged for tho final stages ol his journey. In orded to frustrate any attempt which the Government might make to prevent him I rum reaching Khiva, he announced that il was his intention to travel to PetroAlexandrovsk. a Russian foil on the Khivaii frontier, but on route ho beguiled his guide to make a detour, which enabled him to avoid the fort and reach the eitv of Khiva, the capital of the Kliivnn State and the residence of tlie Khan.

It was solely owing to Burnaby’s indomitable courage and lii.s remarkable powers of endurance that lie was able to complete his journey, despite ihc many hardships and physical discomforts of a lengthy ride through a wilderness of snow and ice. The winds an'd cold in winter oil the Russian steppes and in the Khirgiz Desert, both of which lie had to cross, are of greater severity than anywhere else in the world, the tommo-d •••■ usually ranging forty lo fifty degrees'below zero. Contrary to his expectations. Burnaby was most graciously received by the Khan, who (rented him as an honoured guest and permitted him to see everything he desired. On leaving Khiva. Burnaby made his way to Pet-ro-Aloxnmlrovsk. whor ho found <awaiting him a telegram which had arrived there several days earlier. This was from the Duke of Cambridge the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army, wlm ordered Burnaby to return immediately to European Russia, so that if he had gone to the Tint on ids outward joimrney lie would have beer, unable to visit Khiva, even it tin* Russian conimnmlant had been inclined to allow him to do so.