The Great Trek of the Russian Mennonites to Central Asia, 1880-1884, Fred Richard Belk, 1976

preparations, new improvements to their wagons to equip them both for desert and winter travel were most important. New hoops were attached to the wagon bed; over these was placed a layer of felt blanket, a linen cover, and then a waxed cloth to make them dustproof, waterproof, and warm. These were large box wagons, some having a door with a window in the rear and in some cases even a nursery inside. Other wagons had the door at one side, the window at the other. The largest wagons had no rear door but a small compartment where articles used frequently were easily accessible. Usually a bundle of hay was stored on top of this compartment in case the travelers could not buy feed along the route. ' All but one family of the original 35 of the Bride Community would eventually desert Hahnsau to join the trek, but at first only 16 families were prepared to leave. Though Epp had aroused their enthusiasm to a fever pitch at the communion service of June 25, Beginning the Trek 87 six of the 16 families elected to delay their departure pending further preparations.° . i eye Se First Wagon Train ~**"’7 Thus only ten families formed the vanguard of a migration that would eventually involve some 600 people. The families of this van- guard group had to postpone their departure briefly when the young daughter of Franz Bartsch, a future Turkestan leader, died, and Epp, out of sympathy for the grieving father, delayed the train for two days for the burial.‘ After the funeral, on July 3. 1880, this wagon train, composed of_]Z.wagons, some_2Q adults, 29 children, and 40 horses left Hahnsau for a promised place of refuge in Turkestan.° Claas Epp, Jr., the chief inspirer of this adventuresome trip, ac- companied the group for several days but returned to his home in Hahnsau after preaching a farewell sermon. He continued his custom of going part way with each group until he finally left with the fifth wagon train. Epp appointed two competent brethren, Jonas Quiring and Wilhelm Penner, to care for the temporal and spiritual needs of this first group until he could join them. Quiring was to be their minister and Penner the community teacher. ° Hardships of the Journey This modest caravan, composed of more children than adults, be- gan their trek into the unknown territory that lay to the east. Trav- eling along the mail road past the city of Uralsk, they forded the Ural River. Then driving along its left bank, they slowly approached Orenburg, the end of the railway and gateway to Asia. As they paralleled the river they noticed the change from Russian to Oriental civilization. On the narrow rutted roads they saw nomadic Kirghiz vendors bringing their goods to the Orenburg market on the backs of camels. Franz Bartsch, who spoke some Tartar, conversed with these vendors, and the young people learned many Kirghiz words, which later proved most helpful. In the city of Orenburg, they rested and were met by several