The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-07-31
AFGHANrsTAE.
Description OF the Country thai Nay Soon
Become the Theatre Of War BetwesK
England and Russia.

From the Hartford Times.
Afghanistan, the Asiatic country
which is now attracting attention
through England and Russia's belli-
gerent attitude over It, occupies an ex-
tensive area between Persia ON the west
and Russia India on the east, Beloo-
chistan on the south and the Hindoo
Koosh mountains on tine north. It lies
between north ATTITUDES IS degrees and
36 degrees, and embraces q great va
riety of climate, the heat in the eastern
part being intense in summer, the Their
mometer rising as high as. 40 de
grees in the shade, while In the noun
tain regions the snow lies all the
year. The difference in the eIe-
vasion of different regions is so
great hat it has been said of Gabool, its
capitol, that at a days journey from ii the
snow never falls, and at two hours
journey from it snow never melts. At
Candahar and Girihsk the summer
heats and the simoons render life al
most intolerable. It's agricultural re-
sources are naturally fine, but the peo-
pie being more given to war than the
peaceful pursuits of agriculture, have
failed 10 develop all its resources in that
line. Though a large part of the
country is mountainous and rocky,
with large areas ofsand deserts, there
are we'll watered, fertile valleys, dotted
with v~ielets, thyme and clover, and re-
markabie for picturesque beauty. Inthe
arabic regions grain grows in abund-
ance, and frnits of all kinds.
The most extensive of these valleys
aud plains are Cabool and P~eshawer,
besides a rich plain in the vicinity of
Herat. Al large portion of the southern
and southwestern part of the country
for a space of 800 by 100 miles is a
desert waste. The winds are generally
from the west, and cold. and the east
winds are hess, but the climate, on an
average, is cooler than that of India.
There are nota great many diseases,
the chief being %ophthalmia and fever
and ague with an occasional Invasion
Of smallpox. The country IS about 600
miles long, from east to west, and 400
broad, Iom north to south. The
plateau averages 1000 feet in height,
and there are<nany mountain ranges of
great height. Herat, in west Afghan
san, is one of the chief cities, is strong
" fortified, and isthe key to the present
situation. 1t is nearly 400 miles west
of CabooI, and before the Persian siege,
In 1888, its population was estimated at
$4,000. but it IS now supposed to be
about 80, 900. Herat has been a grand
central mart for the products of India,
China, Tartary, Afghanistan and
Persia. 1t manufactures carpets, caps,
cloaks, shoes, etc. For a long
time it was capital of the Empire
founded by Tamerlane In the
fourteenth century. In the south
ern part of the countTy the sugar.
q end cotton are grown and In the
GASES of the regions the date palm
abrndantly, and forms an i'm
portant part OF the food Of the people.
Wheat is the staple. and rice, corn,
barley, millet, lentils and tobacco are
grown for hame consumption. The
mulberry tree grows In the cool valleys.
The sides of the mountains are covered
with great forests, which lumbermen
have not disturbed Jet. Wild animals
wolves, bears, leopards, tigers, lions
are found in the warmer parts OF the
country. The great chain of the Hindoc
Koosh mounsainsS on the north, rises
from the lower regions in four distinc'
ranges. Thick forests of pine and vile
olive, with aprofusion Of flowers, cover
the lowest range The second range Is
still more densely wooded, nearly Il
the top. The. third Is almost bare
The fourth forras a range Of the stu
pendous Hiimalaya system, and rises-ir
bold, spGe-like peaks, which arc
crowned with perpetual snow. Ihs
clearness OF. the atmosphere IS remarka-
BILE. and it is claimed that the ridges
and hollows OF these mountains maj
be seen al a distance of $50 miles
The government is monarchy. Tn
Kingdom is divided into provinces, Z
each Of which IS an officer who collect
taxes. Thstribes are ruled by sirdah
tchiefs); and in the towns, Justice Is ad
ministeredb by the eadis, when the Aighal
! does not take the law into his own hands
which he generally does. Estimates 9
the population vary from 2;5O0,0OO T
5000. COO, the most recent estimate
placing it little over 4,O0es000- Q
these, nearly two-thirds are Afghan
and Pathans, who are Mohammedans
They are idle, vicious, violent, and hav
= deplorable tendency to, commit rob
berry. The Afghans arc very ancieni
and believe themselves descended fror
the Ancient Hebrews. In Persian his
tory they are said to date their name I
Afghan. son Of Eremia, son of San
King Of Israel, whose posterity, carries
away at the sine of the captivity, was SCI
tied by the conqueqor in the mountain
ofGhori, Cabool, Candahar and Ghizn
The country was suceessively a part {
the Persian and Greek empires. Th
name afghan is not recognized by tn
-,at;voo Int IL ans,1ind To them by the