A TERRIBLE MASSACRE RECALLED.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1739, 18 July 1884, Page 2

A TERRIBLE MASSACRE RECALLED.

Tho Soudan campaign, from first to v lust, has boon a comment on the vast value of water iu the East. One of the worst episodes ever recorded in history is .he of the Torgote Tartors from the Russian Iron lien to those of China; about ft century ago, Throughout this awful journey across the pathless waterless desert the Bashkirs and Khirghises followed on the heels of the flying Kal 7 -, mucks, and the continuous trail of ,t"ld a fearful story of unceasing confliiw..' and perpetual massacre. The desperate persistence of the escaping hosts in pushing on was equalled-by the frenzied cruelty of those who pursued them, until the scenes of carnage and brutality that eusued were such that it seemed as "if a nation of madmen was flying f rom a nation of fiends." Butthe horrible climax was only reached at the end of their 2000 miky, of disastrous pilgrimage, when affufik loss of 400,000 of their number Kalmucks, mad from thirst came in'sight of the Lake of Tengia. Hundreds of the pursued and pursuers had already lost their reason from their dreadful sufferings Thousands were being borne along upon camels helplessly exhausted by two days' want of water. .But as soon as the lake '» came in view the Bashkirs and Kalmucks J ahko seemed to forget their pitiless", hatreds, and tho vast hosts, reduced now to about 200,000 rushed in a body with frantic eagerness to anticipated solace. Ini De Qumcey's terrific pages the story is told with cotisiimmata tragic force. The Chinese Emperor, happening with a force of cavalry to be at tho very spot, saw what was happening, and sent out his soldiers to protect his returning subjects. But there was time enough before his horsemen reaoued them for ono of the ffiOEt ferocious conflicts ever recorded against man. In the general rush towards the savin, water ,U1 discipline and command were lost, all attempts to preserve a rear guard neglaoiei The wild Bashkirs rode in among the incumbered people and sK«htered them by wholesale/ 3 ■ mthont resistance. Scream's ' and tumultuous shouts proclaimed tho prM «cm of ho massacre; but none heeoW none hated;' all &]ike , with fa" blackened by 11m heat and with tongues droop.ng from their mouths, continued _, wth maniacal haste towards the lake. > The Bashkirs were affected with the same \ misery as the Kalmucks, and into the lake he woe vast body of enemies rushed orgetful of all things but one almghtv I—. Theabsorpiionof theirffiK m maddening appetite lasted for a smsehalfhour.butin the next arose a fanal scene of parting vengeance. Far and wide the waters of the 'solitary lake were instantly died red with Wood, Here rode a party 0 f savage Bashkirs, hewing off heads as fast as the swathes fell before a mower's scythe; there stood unarmed Kalmucks in the death grapple with their detested foes, both up to the middle in water. Every moment the lake grew more polluted, and yet every moment fresh hosts came up to he water and rushed m, not able to resist their frantic thirst, and swallowing largo draughts, visibly contaminated with slaughter Wherever the lake was shal«w enough to allowtho men raising their heads above the surface, there, for scores o acres, weie tu ho seen all forms Jk «has.ly fear, 0 f a( , unisin „ Btru „ , » spasm and death, and the fear of deatr revenge, and the lunacy of revenge, until tlio martial spectators, of whom there % were not a few, averted .their eyes with horror, as they rode down to the lako to the rescue of the hapless fugitives,