Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-01-10
JELLALABAD.
The Wintering Place Of the Main Body
of the English Army In Afghanistau.
London News

river, and the town stands not quite
1000 feet above sen level. Westward
the country rises suddenly to an elava-
tion OF 5000 feet; SO that the upper
portion OF the valley has rather rigor-
Gus European climate, whilo the lower
half enjoys an almost tropical luxur.
lance in the warmer months of sum.
mer. Even the hot simeon is not TN
known, The numerous rils which
flow down from the surrounding hills
supply il abundantly with that great
necessity of rainless India, water for
irrigation; and accordingly, even when
famine is pressing with foverish sever
lty ON the thirsty plains of the Pun
laub and the desert reaches of Raipeot-
ana, the Atghans of the Jellalabad Val
ley are harvesting large crops of rice,
and wheat, and millet, not only suf-
ticient for their own wants, but also for
expectation to tho starving cities in tho
level below. Fruits are likewise large
ly cultivated, and mulborrios in par
ucular form staple article of food,
being dried and then ground down into
n sort Of meal, largely consumed by
the poorer classes, and often making up
the staple of their diet. Among the
rich rico-telds and millet-piesos of the
glen our commissarat should bo able
III part 70 recruit itself, unless tho
amoer's forces have already reouisi-
toned all the available supplies. The
central portion OF the glen is, in fact,
one continuous garden, thickly dotted
with little villages Of Hindoos and
Atghans, and studded with tho castles Of
ancient Or modern feudal chioftains.
The Hindoo element, everywhere II
considerable component of Afghan So
clety, ls here particularly numerous
and conspicuous, for the whole valley
OF the Cabul river was once regarded
ms forming u part Of India, to which rs
tributary basin of tho Indus water
shed it naturally belongs, and il still re-
tains many traces of this carly connec-
ton. The followers of the ancien,
faith, who elsewhere arn found only III
Afghanistan NJ the traders and bankers
among the feudal Pathan nristoomoy
and peasantry, the Jews MEDIEVAL
Europe, here muster strong as cult
vators and artisans, whlo IN Jellalnbad
itself they actually possess temple Of
their own creed. Some of these ont
lying lllndou communities belong to
the same high caste ms the Raipoots of
India, but others rank with the Jals of
tho Punjnuh, that fine race Of hardy
cultvators and sturdy soldiers, who
have often fought bravely for their M
tive princes, and who now under
peaceable rulo form the manstay OF
agriculture III all the driest and most
unpromising districts of the northwest.
In tho Jellalabad Valley, rs elsewhere,
their industry and hardihood insure
the1hSpaG,Inhnd lansm6h" %lf9sg baye
real talent Is that of robbery and ven
delta; but WHO, Of course, look down
with tho lordly contempt Of al proda-
tory classes upon the humble followers
of tho pillow.
Jellalahad itself, though stratcgetically
Ms the central fortress of the |
valley between the Khyber Oh the ono
hand and the Jugdulluck and khoord
Cabul Passes on the other, is by no
means n large town, Judged even by nm
Indian standard. When cur army last
occupied il, in 1912, il contained only
5000 houses and 1000 inhabitants.
Walls then surrounded tho place, but
they were battered down by Gen Pol |
lock after his relief of Sales garrison.
Since that date, however, there il little
doubt that they have been repaired,
though tho slight nature Of our nc
quantance with Afghanistan in times
of peace does not allow of any certain
~ on the point nj present. II is place
~ some antiquity, having been first
lald out rs y royal residence by the
Mogul conqneror Of Baber, the founder
OF the Delhi dynasty Of emperors, com
monty known in Europe Ms tho Great
Moguls. Driven from his ancestral
home in Kokand ut the age Of 81, the
young barbarian swept down the passes
oi the Hindoo Koosh. The Cabul Val
Icy was the first part Of the Indian En-
plro which he succeeded in obtaining,
md, strangely enough, was one of the
irst TO slip from the feeble grasp of his
descendants. l,aber's grandson, Akbar,
.hc great organizer Of the great Mogul
lominlons,-t the Darius OF the Delhi
tynasty, rs Baber was It's Cyrus,-built
he existing town, and called il Jalala-
BAD Tor, rs we write it., Jellalabad, J that
= TO say, the city Of Jalal, after his own
original name Of Jalnl-ud-din. In
more modern times the town has been
'endered famous for its gallant defence
~ Gen. Sale on tho occasion of our
ast unwarrantod interference with the
lfiairs Of Afghanistan. Sale had fallen
Jack from Cabu on the first outbreak
II the native resistance, and was en-
Ibled to hold out until relieved by Pol
ock in the spring Of 1912. II was here,
90, that DR. Brydone, the solitary sur
'iyor Of the retreat from the capital,
taggered in, wounded and weary, to
ell the tale Of that terrible retribution
or an act Of unrighteous aggression, Of {
which our soldiers had been made the {
innocent victims. Pollock advanced !
rom Jcllalabad to Cabul, yindicated
British power, and retired at the close !;
i the year, after demolishiDg the for
ifications which had projected Sales
orce. But the history Of the valley /
tretches many hundred years further
'ack in time than that 81 its central
arlrpgg A long 400 M Tho aavonfh .