Doctor Tio-King offers his services, but
they seem to prefer the Russian army surgeon, and that I understand. As
to those who have fallen it is best for us to take them on to the next
station and there render them the last services.
The thieves had abandoned their dead. We covered them over with a
little sand, and that is all we need say.
The place where we had been stopped was halfway between Tcharkalyk and
Tchertchen, the only two stations from which we could procure help.
Unfortunately they were no longer in telegraphic communication,
Ki-Tsang having knocked down the posts at the same time as he lifted
the rails.
Hence a discussion as to what was the best thing to be done, which was
not of long duration.
As the engine had run off the rails, the very first thing to do was
evidently to get it onto them again; then as there was a gap in the
line, the simplest thing to do was to run back to Tchertchen, and wait
there until the company's workmen had repaired the damage, which they
could easily do in a couple of days.
We set to work without losing a moment. The passengers were only too
glad to help Popof and the officials who had at their disposal a few
tools, including jacks, levers and hammers, and in three hours the
engine and tender were again on the line.
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