The New York herald., 1879-03-07
The Lookout on the Afghan
Border.
GENERAL KAUFMANN'S AILMENTS.
Russian Explorers in Asia Central Asiatic Etiquette Gossip
an the Natural History Of TuIksstan
KAUFMANNS ESTIMATE OF THE ENGLISH.


graph. which brings us no news from London. OF. I
rather should say, from India. From st. Petersburg
however, We have received two pieces OF informa-
tion. The first. that the plague had broken out at
Tiis, received here with military indifference
the other. the contrary. infused little hope in
the hearts Of those among the officers of the aarr-
who wish for nothing better than wounds. for it
announces that peace between Russia and Turkey
seems again to be compromised. fresh quarrel
with Constantinople is to bellicose dispositions
war with England, and to the army Of Turkestan the
signal for advance on India. However this may
be. these warlike spirits will have time to get
cooled down again. for during the next two months
the roads will be impracticablc. am assured
that train of artillery proceeding to Kuldja tho
town claimed by the Chinese Ambassador, who is at
present at St. Petersburg has been for several days
buried in the mud and the authorities have been
obliged to send on provisions to the escort. And
sGsould the troops even succeed in making slow
marches through the mud they would be brought to
q halt by the mountain SHOWS Of Afghanistan. The
inquiries that made of the natives who have per-
formed the courier service between Tashkend and
Cabul have led me to the conclusion that even
caravan composed Of merely five or six persons can
not attempt this journey for six weeks to come.
ENFORCED IDLzNEss.
Everything and everybody here are. therefore. as
have said, in state of expectation. The army is
looking for war; which will probably not arrive
General Kaufman is looking out for the Ameer of
Afghanistan and am waiting for the melting OF the
SHOWS. He who seems the farthest from his aims is
General Kaufman. Therefore. he is nervous. This
malady rather maLaise. to French term. pro-
ceeds from boils the Leg and manifests itself every
time that the system Of the illustrous sol
er irrtated at least such is the result Of
the observations Of celebrated specialist.
q
will preserve that name until the Russian Envoy
arrives. And the one which makes him suffer
most has been baptized by name which the Gen
eral keeps to himself. 10 guess at it
will have to search among the diplomats for him
who has most contributed to arrest the march of
the Russian batalons. pushed up they were to the
Afghan frontiers. Poor General! certain that if
tomorrow he were to receive the order to march
toward the southeast all his suppleness would return
Is il by enchanment. and the sixtyone years which
he will reckon on the 18th of February would be
numbered by one-half. Qui vicro uerra. General
Kaufmann is therefore waiting for the spring.
am following his example, and in the meanwhile
am informing myself to the difficulties of the
road. have already learned that the most formid-
able enemy will have to encounter is the Afghan
who shows himself at the passage Of the boat which
takes one across the Amou-Dara. tho line of the
the passengers where they going He is satisfied
by any sort which the Mussulmans choose to
make him. and who generally pretend that they are
going on pilgrimaGe to certain sacred places Of
repute. What answer shall glve' him? 1t is prob
able that shall make him none. and that shall nd
means to avoid this conversation.
THE WILD ANIMALS THE WAX.
But in that case 1 shall have to be equally ON my
guard against other noxious animals Of the coun-
try. shall not dwell on its two principal insects
the scorpion and the tarantula. These two arach-
nida give painful aud sometimes q mortal bite.
Neither shall waste time the birds OF prey-the
eagle and the falcon. Tho eformer attacks the gazee
the fox and even the wolf. the latter OF which is
often dangerous in these regions. Then there are
tigers and bears. I will mention one story told
by the Cossacks. The latter were only two in num-
bcr when they encountered the tiger and they
armed only with old muskets. 1he youngest fred
Mt the animal which bounded toward them The
other Cossack old soldier. reserved his ire until
the animal got close to them, when he poured the
whole charge into it and the boast fell dead at their
feet. When he examined at the camp 1t was
found that the two balls had wounded him mortaly
which was surprising seeing the poor quality Of the
guns. and which says much for the GOODNESS of the
Cossacks. The following anecdote proves. how
ever. that the tiger is not always 30 easily dis
posed Of One OF them entered one day the
courtyard OF house and had killed and was devour
ins child wheS, the father having closed the door,
gave the alarm. The soldiers of the garrison got
the roofs of the adjoining houses-the houses here
arc very high. they consist only of story
and the animal received thirty-six balls in its body.
II bounded on TO the roof and had already sue
ceoded in wounding several OF its assailants when
the commandant OF the garrison finally killed it
with ball from his carbine Were to tell you
stories of adventure your readers would probably
imagine that the tiger is to be encountered at every
turn of the road, while the truth Is that he avoids
the public haunts and is made object Of sport.
Among the wild animals of tho country must not
S to tSs fsa sG the i of sr
feet in length. which beats the air with
Its tail. and, lastly. the elephant. The
TO the Emperor Of Russia. They LETT in
charge of veterinary surgeon, and gave great
trouble along the road from their love Of roaming
On arriving at Orcnburg, where they were TO take
the railroad. they started OF through the town TO
the great alarm of the inhaGitants aud this was not
Tashkcnd and Orenburg. 1t Kasainsk, just tho
veterinary surgeon in order to spare them any fur
Daria one OF them entirely disappeared. Search
made for him everywhere in the neighborhood, but
surgeon was in despair. and felt halt disposed to
drown himself in the river when, casting look
the water he observed In the distance, protruding
There the creature had been disporting and refresh
ing himself while search was being everywhere made
tor him. As soon, however, as he heard the call he
DARING OF RUSSIAN ExpLoREns.
Speaking OF ANIMALS, may we'll say few words
Of the discoyery made last year In uins by Colonel
Projevolski. On tho shores OF lake situated 40
degrees north and 30 degrees east OF st. Petersburg
two OF them and brought away their skins. Colonel
Prcjevolski is OF the bravcst of men. Escorted
merely by Cossacks he has made ncursions into
the midst OF the inhosptable populations of the
Celestial Empire. Ii was hard work at the outset.
but now that the Chinese know him and fear him. on
account of his unerrng aim at tho longest ruigcs,
the llussian Colonel may about without having
much TO fcar lie Ia at present in ST. Petcrsburg but
he Will return in the spring, when hc intends
going over the totally unknown country or the
ksrs the most bcnighscd of all the populations OF
the Old World. Isolated a they are In the midst OF
their lofty mountains they live there in most
primitive state, even to that degree that they still
ignore Accommodation. such being the case IL
would be sheer waste OF time to add that these tribes
are any thing but hospitabe. Tho last traveller who
made the attempt to pass through them met his
Heath Mt their hands, II is true that the Mongos who
accompanied him. and who brought the news OF his
lcath. added that the traveller had struck tho
rhicisa fact which goes 10 prove that IT, on the ono
hand. Hey was hasty, he had not. the other.
been received with much courtesy. After Colouel
Prejcvolski must say few words of Colonel Mat