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Travelling to remote places was already dangerous in the 19th century, but Anne and Ann had to deal with an added bonus: faulty Kibitkas.
Here's a series of passages about dangerous roads and Kibitkas breaking down.
#AnneListerCodeBreaker
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Here's a series of passages about dangerous roads and Kibitkas breaking down.
#AnneListerCodeBreaker
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08/04/1840: While en route from Vladikavkas to Lars:
"2 wheels of the servants Kibitka so broken obliged to tie them up as well as one could – the road here close upon the precipice of the rapidy river, and here, on the other side close upon the stream"
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"2 wheels of the servants Kibitka so broken obliged to tie them up as well as one could – the road here close upon the precipice of the rapidy river, and here, on the other side close upon the stream"
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These faulty wheels are fixed in Kasbek:
"the Mareschal employed for Government (a soldier of course) engages to find 3 good new wheels for 14 S.[Silver] R.[Roubles] = 49/- to be ready by 12 tomorrow –"
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"the Mareschal employed for Government (a soldier of course) engages to find 3 good new wheels for 14 S.[Silver] R.[Roubles] = 49/- to be ready by 12 tomorrow –"
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09/04/1840: En route to Kobi, Anne comments on the ravines:
"and now at 4 Terek 200 ft.[feet] in steep ravine close below us (right) – no guard – we might easily slip off the side of the narrow road into the river, a blueish, whitish, rapidy, 8 or 10 yards broad stream –"
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"and now at 4 Terek 200 ft.[feet] in steep ravine close below us (right) – no guard – we might easily slip off the side of the narrow road into the river, a blueish, whitish, rapidy, 8 or 10 yards broad stream –"
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...and it's also snowing.
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10/04/1840: Anne and Ann leave Kobi with a large escort.
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In the narrow roads of the mountains, they have to pass other people.
Their Courier (Nikolai) decides to push down the mountain two bales of silk.
Poor Domna is not having a good time.
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Their Courier (Nikolai) decides to push down the mountain two bales of silk.
Poor Domna is not having a good time.
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Later that day, when they're approaching Pasanoor, Anne walks but the steep descent frightens Ann.
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Despite the dangerous roads, Anne finds the landscape beautiful.
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11/04/1840: They almost lose a wheel of the Kibitka
"our near fore wheel-tire coming off – this (at 8 20/’’) the 2d.[2nd] time of stopping 5 minutes to hammer it on –"
A little while later, there's more trouble with the wheel. So Anne and Ann walk for a bit.
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![11/04/1840: They almost lose a wheel of the Kibitka"our near fore wheel-tire coming off – this (at 8 20/’’) the 2d.[2nd] time of stopping 5 minutes to hammer it on –"A little while later, there's more trouble with the wheel. So Anne and Ann walk for a bit.11/](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EbtmnCsXYA0crVT.png "11/04/1840: They almost lose a wheel of the Kibitka\"our near fore wheel-tire coming off – this (at 8 20/’’) the 2d.[2nd] time of stopping 5 minutes to hammer it on –\"A little while later, there's more trouble with the wheel. So Anne and Ann walk for a bit.11/")
"our near fore wheel-tire coming off – this (at 8 20/’’) the 2d.[2nd] time of stopping 5 minutes to hammer it on –"
A little while later, there's more trouble with the wheel. So Anne and Ann walk for a bit.
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Later that day, Anne arranges a way to retrieve their Kibitka and then negotiates the price of a loaned wheel that should take them to the next Station.
The state of their Kibitka's wheels is dire.
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The state of their Kibitka's wheels is dire.
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Anne also comments about another victim of the trouble with the Kibitka: her French watch.
"In the break down this morning broke my French watch glass –"
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"In the break down this morning broke my French watch glass –"
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12/04/1840: At Tertiskar, Anne learns that there are no horses that they can take forwards and they must patch hup the Kibitka's wheels:
"No horses at Tertiskar – one wheel to send back and to our own 3 ‘il faut mettre des bracelets’! –"
#AnneListerCodeBreaker
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"No horses at Tertiskar – one wheel to send back and to our own 3 ‘il faut mettre des bracelets’! –"
#AnneListerCodeBreaker
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Later that day, just as they have Tiflis in sight, a broken axle of the Kibitka ensures that Anne and Ann have to walk to the Inn.
When the Kibitka is dumped at the Inn, a door is also broken.
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When the Kibitka is dumped at the Inn, a door is also broken.
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Given all the trouble with Kibitkas, it's not even surprising anymore when, during the return trip to Baku, Anne notes:
"at the little river – broad bedded 2 streamy water –
at 12 25/’’ and just in the mud when our off fore wheel came off –"
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"at the little river – broad bedded 2 streamy water –
at 12 25/’’ and just in the mud when our off fore wheel came off –"
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29/05/1840: Yet more trouble with the Kibitka.
Quick fixes and bad drivers definitely don't help matters.
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Quick fixes and bad drivers definitely don't help matters.
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31/05/1840: ...and there goes another bit of the Kibitka.
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