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

eted, the unified wagon train, composed of not only the main faction but also the dissidents from Ebenezer and the draftees, departed for their final refuge on August 30, 1882. More than 60 families — about 150 people, some 50 wa- gons, 80 horses, 10 carts and about 140 camels began the trip.° After stopping in Katakurgan for supplies, the camels were loaded with everything they could not get into the wagons. They then pro- ceeded to the Bukharan border, which they crossed on September 1, and continued to Shirinchatin, a small Sart village, where they were met by an escort of 50 uniformed soldiers whose duty would be to assist them through Bukharan territory. These soldiers helped repair bridges and roads along the route, arranged for food to sustain every- one across the desert, and saw to it that the party paid only reason- able prices for their supplies.'° A uniformed bek led the troop of men, and his elegant horse, dress, and equipment much impressed the Mennonites." Tearing down fences in their path and crossing cultivated fields, the escort helped the group cross the dangerous Zaravshan River and its tributaries several times. The steep banks, rocky bed, deep holes, and quicksand caused delay even with their help. One camel dis- appeared beneath the quicksand with a load of goods, but surfaced again and reached shore; a wagon went over a steep incline and almost turned over. The driver, Johann Jantzen, was especially ter- rified because Michael Klaassen lay ill with typhus inside. Later this same wagon and one other sank into quicksand up to their boxes and had to be dug out.” The Kara Kul Desert Finally, on September 11, after over 150 miles of travel, the wagon train camped at the village of Kara Kul, on the edge of the desert of the same name. Even with the escort, the journey from Katakurgan had been extremely difficult; wheels and axles broke time and time again. Remaining in Kara Kul a week, they prepared for the three- day desert crossing. Unfortunately, however, a young girl, Maria Al- The Khivan Refuge 155 brecht, died, and their plans for departure were interrupted. The fu- neral was a particularly gloomy occasion because the Mennonites saw the death as a bad omen. The soliders showed themselves to be very understanding at the sorrow of the Mennonites and told the curious natives not to bother them during this two-day period. After this brief period of mourning the Mennonites unpacked their wagons, took them apart, and loaded them piece by piece onto camels. This had to be done because the deep sand dunes of the Kara Kul Desert would never support the heavy, cumbersome wagons. Kirghiz and Turkomen inhabitants of Kara Kul graciously helped load the camels. In the midst of the bedlam of packing, the snorting of camels, and the haste of preparation, the women and children began to be- come fearful. To reassure them a device was invented which would comfortably and safely carry