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

Mennonite families who had come to bid them a last farewell. With each successive wagon train Mennonite friends exhibited their loyalty by at least coming to Orenburg to see the millennialists on their way. Unlike the caravans to follow, this first group then turned south to the small town of Motzkaya Sashchita, where they bought 88 The Great Trek of the Russian Mennonites supplies of rock salt which was produced there.’ Turning eastward toward Aktube and Fort Karabutak, they rejoined the mail road running from Orsk to Kasalinsk, the route subsequent wagon trains would take. Here two infant sons of Henry Wiebe became seriously ill, died, and were buried together in one coffin at the military cemetery. Two simple crosses were left to mark their grave.* As the journey progressed across the silent steppe, the only re- lief from the creaking wagons, jingling of harnesses, and an occa- sional whinnying of horses was the large handbell in the lead wagon. This bell was used for everything from a clock striker to a church bell. In the morning it was rung as an alarm clock, it called the pilgrims together for meals, and for morning and evening devotions. On Sundays, when the caravan rested, the bell summoned them for two worship services — one in the morning and one in the evening. After the bell sounded, either Wilhelm Penner or Jonas Quiring, the appointed leaders, generally led the service. Often, when the wagon train would stop at night, the landowner would ride up and ask them what they were seeking. The answer inevitably was, “We are Germans from the Volga. In faith we are going to Turkestan where freedom has been promised us. ® Until they reached the city of Irgis, sometimes by way of the mail road and partly using the caravan road running parallel to it, they had an uneventful trip ff Now a challenge faced them in the form of a 135-mile stretch of the Kara Kum Desert, which they had to cross. To prepare for the upcoming desert ordeal, they purchased food, feed for the animals, and hired camel drivers and camels to help carry the extra load. As the caravan proceeded, it presented a colorful sight. The Kirghiz drivers, clothed in multicolored robes and lofty turbans, were mounted on small mountain camels. With an air of dignity and solemnity, each led a column of ten camels in a slow but steady pace across the steppe. The Mennonites were impressed not only by the bearing of their guides, but also by their generosity and will- ingness to share their modest provisions. Soon after leaving, the Kirghiz milked their camels, prepared mutton with rice, and gave it to their employers. The camel drivers pointed out many Kir- ghiz tent villages (au-uls) as they continued into the desert. In the desert, the caravan had to cut its own road through the sand dunes; the deep sand gave the horses much difficulty in pulling the wagons. Therefore, a relay system which would be Beginning the Trek 89 used rep