The New York herald., 1879-08-04
CENTRAL ASIA.
Journey from the Land Of the
Turcomans to Cabul.
AN INTERESTING ITINERARY.
Glimpse of the Palace of
YakOOb Khan.


have been received. and the northern frontier OF
Afghanistan is closed to the Mussulmans
making pilgrimage to Mecca. To-day, by agreement
with tho English, or by express stipulation in the
articles OF peace. the frontier marked by the ANU
Darya is for an indefinite season, impossible The
correspondent of the New YORK HERALD was the last
foreigner to penetrate sixty miles into the country
which. sooner or later. will necessarily become the
battle field whereon the Lion of Great Britain and the
Bear OF the North will measure their strength he
was the last European who reached Mazar-i-Sherlf
justas General Rosgonoffs Russian Mission was the
last to make the entire journey to Cabul. He there
fore believes himself to be doing well in supple
menting his narrative with details forwarded from
the members of this embassy. Besides the escort
of twenty-five Cossacks. it composed of seven
persons-two generals, doctor, topograpner,
a clerk and two interpreters. All OF them. except
the interpreters took notes of the journey. the
most curious, whether regarded from strategic or
scientific point of view, being those of the topogra-
pher. who was armed with simple pocket COM
pass shaped like watch. which counted the PAGES
OF his horse night and day, now walking, now trot-
ting so marked the distance trayersed so accu-
ratey be less than two miles out OF its reckon
ing when verified at the Imperial Observatory OF ST.
Petersburg Valuable they are, however. they
lack entirely the attractiyeness of a picturesque
dryness by gathering numerous points Of detail
from the other members, that the reader might
have an absolutely complets itinerary of the last
journey from Tashkend to Cabui. 1t will be long.
very long. before another is made for the Moham-
under the ban less than the Christians
and explorers OF the latter persuasion de-
prived Of their well resource OF assuming
Mussuman disguise. So now take up my pen and
listen to my traveller The writing is mine; the
story his
ROUND ABOUT MAzAR-IsHERIFF.
We stayed three days at Mazar-iSherif. less by
choice than for politeness sake, the duration OF
every halt being measured by the importance of the
person who is there in command. On the morning
after arrival set out to visit the Governor.
We labyrinth Of little streets, shaded by
cradle palm trees and odorous with apricots and
other fruit. The bazaar is hlthy anything else
at Mazar-i-Sherif. Dervishes carrying baskets of
toaconut fibre upon their stand at the street.
corners solicit aims with loud cries of distress.
Many Of the inhabitants the long. flowing dress
ing gown called the khalat. We hasten past the
sNualor of the city, past fields of verdure past long
walls through innumerable doors, across garden
garnished with palm trees. more apricots and
with two buildings in the rear. Here. upon the
usual platform the Governor receives on rich
carpets, beneath tent of Calico He offers us tea.
shows us two elephants presented by the Emir-they
this part Of the country-makes every
body, from the General to the lowest of his officers
fash their snufboxes before eyes and load their
nostrls with the contents OF them inquiries after
health, assures that his own is perfect tells us
that everything III tho town is at our service and
graciously disinisscs u.s. waving bengnantly a white
cotton glove. which has two fingers black with snuff
We take our departure with infinite delight. know
ing that now for many days all ceremonies are at
end. We had still miles OF habitations to pass
before got clear ot MazarSherif and came to the
suburb Gale Apadjan, where the roads cut up
with trenches carrying water to the well titled fields
We travel along endless wall, fanked by trees a
bridge spanning a rustic brook and charming little
cottage in garden. which is the Governors sum-
residence. road leads to the ancient ruins Of
Gale Celte Midzarjan, but there is little to see
whether ancient modern. till we arrive at the
fortress of Gourimar Rocky mountains rise to
right and left. green fields stretch around u.s. stony
road lies at feet and thus We leave Mazar Sheriff
behind.
FROM GouRIMAR TO SALAD
The road continued as stony ever. the fields
green the landscape dull till we arrived at
Nababad. having taken three hours to travel twelve
miles The dehles OF Tel and Adbou lead down to q
deep ravine four miles from Gourmar. and in their
depths is the solitary well OF the journey. From
the heart of them flows all the water OK this part of
the country. and at every poin. along the road
light on mountain springs, so sulphurous that the
natives have to boil them before drinking Naibabad
has little garrison and also what in India would
be called a dawk bungalow. built of bricks. and
adordi1g tolerable nights shelter From this
point the road becomes almost the seppes
leading through trenches that take their water
from the River khulm to little fortress girt with
gardens. The reader should understand that these
fortresses encountered all along the march, the
Afghans giving the martial name to any mud
wall that has ever Afforded insecure shelter to hle
soldiers We pass the ruins OF ancient Khulm,
the stream at our right sweep under bridge and
pass TO left. stop to admire fresh trees, fresh
gardens. fresh cottages. and at length reach the
citadel OF Tashkourgan, built diminutivc slope.
with broad plateau and cemetery at
its feet. Between cemetery and citadel begins
tho dehle OF Khun, traversed by the river of that
Before entering the town visit the park
in whose palace Abdur Akman Khan took rel upe
when. deposed by Shers ALL he held the cou try with
his partisans. afterward flying TO Samarcand and
living there nine years OH pension from the
Russian government TIL an imperial ukase removed
him from Afghan iroIJers 10 Tashkend where he
lives to-day desparrg Of restoration 10 the throne
and covetng nothing SO much as the epaulets of a
general i'll the ar,nies OF the Car The palace is
two stories high and comm ands a magnificent view;
and here. in its solitary, Ininhabied splcndors
pass the night, sending our grooms into the town
for purchases of cords nails orseshces and candles
Tho battiemcnted citadel has a mock Inediieyal arr
growing and more Gothic. more and more
romantic as the gradually declines; and as the
garrison marches cut behind the molah TO prayer,
each soldier copying the movements OF the priest
they I'LL the quiet evening air with quaint. fantas-
tic melody haf military. half religious. Morning
finds the road again. aud we notice the ruined
battleInents starting up in unexpected places along
the slope. We make our way tho hills,
through gorge and crevasse, spying over our heads
a herd Of little orostdrcs like rabbits that suddenly
develop horns come and grow some
thing like chaniois. and then climbing downward
and downward. trees. stones vcrdure disappearing 9
little by little. having traverscd thirty miles
since leaving Gourimar. come. at the bottom OF
the cuIcb, to Salad