Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-04-01
Key to Afghanfstan.

| The city of Herat stands on the Herr
river, on the slope of the HindoO kOosh,
in the northwest corner of Afghanistan.
Due north. at distance of about 230
miles, is Mery; due east, at distance
of nearly 400 miles, is Cabul, consider.
ably to the southeast, and almost equi-
distant from Cabul and Herat, is Can
dahar. The main route, and, so far as
is known, the only road by which a
large force could be moved from Cabul
to Herat, runs through Candahar.
From Candahar to Herat is about 800
miles in direct line; the road, however,
is not very direct, and for military pur-
poses the distance NAV be called $50
miles. The road from Merv is so near
| ly straight as to be less than $50 miles
long; it is good one, being at its worst
part, where it crosses the HaZrai- Bahia
Pass, about thirty miles north OF Herat.
practicable for all arms of the service.
1t traverses fertile country, and runs
for great part of its length along the
valley of the river Kushk, so that sup
plies and water are everywhere sbund-
ant. Whenever the race for Herat be-
gins, if there is fair start, the Rus
slams should get down the perpendicu-
lar l. from Merv before the English
can get up the thick side of the V from
Candahar. 1t is not probable, however,
as shown below, that the Russian ad-
vance will be from the Merv quarter.
The position occupied by Herat, on
the high road between India and Persia,
the centre spot of an extensive and fer
tile valley, well watered by channels
made from perennial stream, marks
her out as the natural garden and gran
airy of Central Asia. 1t is situated in a
plain about $500 feet above the sea,
and is fortified with mud walls, pre-
senting the form of a square, each side
of which is something under a mile in
length. The streets are ill-buIlt, mar
row and dirty. 'Only man is vile" at
Herat, however, for nature has done
everything for the city and itsenvirons.
The climate is the finest in Asia; only
two months of the twelve are hot, and
even then the mercury rarely rises
abOee 50 deg in the shade. The nights
are always cool, often cold, The
Heratis have proverb, ''If the soil of
Ispahan, the cool breezes of Herat, and
the waters of KhwariZan were in the
same place, there would be no such
thing as death" The waters of the
Herr, COnolly described in 1881 as the
best he ever tasted, and the fruits as
the most delicious in flavor. The soil
is extraordinarily fertile, and the or
chards, gardens, corn-fields and vine
yards stretch to the mountains, four
miles away on the north and twelve on
the south, and along the valley as far
as the eye can reach. There are extern
sive mines of iron and lead, only work
ed at the surface, and the sclmitars of
Herat are as famous in Central Asia as
its horses. Silk is spun there largely,
and carpets of wool and silk are manu-
factured. The other articles of export
are mamma, assafetida, gum, saffron,
and plstachiO nuts. Half century ago
it paid an annual revenue of S450, 900
and Malleson declares that under Brit
lsh rule the income from the Govern
ment to thedistriet would suffice to pay
the expenses of garrisoning the chief
cities of Afghanistan. Foster, who WIS.,
tied Herat In 1888, described the city as
far surprising Candahar in the extent of
its markets and the volume of its trade.
Christie, who spent month there indis-
guise IN 1910, is as loud as Connolly in
his praise of its delightful situation,
brisk business and phenomenal fertility.