Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-04-09
IN THE AUPGHAB VALLEY.
seme Dtscriptios OF the Countrr-Extensive
afOuuds.

Murghab is wide, and the inequalities
in it are so light that it may be de-
scribed as level. Abbott estimated its
breadth as nine miles, but to get this he
must have taken a line which included
the kushk Valley at its junction with
the Murghab. where there is very
broad open space; but the Murghab
itself may be about the half Of that
distance at Penjdeh. At Bala Murg-
hab, where we are now, it is over a
mile wide. The hills bulge inward. in
many places narrowing the space. but
that is only at points; where this is the
case it does not continue for any dis
lance. so that the valley presents gene
rally q broad plain capable OF cultiya-
ton. The hills on each side are not
high in many places they look like
heaps Of sand which have been accumu-
lated by the wind; but there is some
qualification Of rock under them, and
it appears hers and there. About eleven
miles abeJs Penjdeh there is remark
able projection Of rock on the top Of one
Of the hills an the eastern side. When
seen first, on coming up the valley. it
has all the appearance Of being a tapa,
or artificial mound, but it is a rock, and
is called Daldul Akhor. The first of
these words is the name Of Ais horse,
and the second may be translated
stall" On the top Of this projection
are two marks, believed to be the foot
prints of Ais horse, and hence the
name. In the carly spring these marks
arc said to become green before the rest
Of the ground, and at that season all
who are i'll visit the spot in hopes of
being cured. These hills cannot be
cultivated, but flOcks find grazing on
all the higher ground. 1t is only
where the water Of the Murghab
can be led by canals that crops
can be raised. For this purpose there
is large and ample space; there are
the fifty miles of the valley from here
to Penjdeh, and it is about 100 from
Penjdeh to Merv. where there is a small
delta formed by the spreading out Of
the water by means Of canals. Above
Bala Murghab, Judging from the noun
tains, the valley is probably narrow,
but in other directions. Judging from
what we have seen, the Murghab valley
is capable of supporting large popula-
ton; the Kushk valley is much mar
rover. but the two, together with the
water to fertiliye them. will explain how
the district may have had the celebrity
in the days Of YIN for its myriad town.
and cities.
We have certainly found the remains
Of towns very close upon each other
From Ak Tapa to Penjdeh the mounds
were so extensive and continuous that
it must at one time have been az least
a succession of towns or villages nearly
all the way. Al Tapa was in all pro-
liability large place. and the same
has TO be repeated Of Pcnjdeh. There
is a mistake i'll my last letter regarding
the latitude aud longitude of PenIdch.
rts Position ought to te moved about
twelve miles TO the east from where IL
Is now represented on the maps. and
about five miles to the north. This
IS altogether opposite what ! gave
in a former letter. On our way up
the valley we passed other mounds
and remains. but the next place
of importance is Maruchak it is on the
east bank Of the river. Here, although
the walls are in a very ruined state.
yet there is something standing which
makes more appearance. merely as re-
mains, than what We have previously
seen. The wall is Of mud or sun-dried
bricks, which is almost the same thing,
with great gaps in it. The wall is
quite quarter OF a mile on each side,
forming a square in plan. Except the
ruins Of some mud walls, there is no
town. Within is large mound, which
is supposed to have been the citadel Of
the place in ancient days. and circular
embankment of earth goes round to the
north and east, thus forming All
inner enclosure. The AighanS have
built barracks within this circle, and
are restoring some ruined walls on the
top Of the mound. Their object is to
keep garrison here, probably in con-
ncction with the new frontier, and also
on account of the return Of popula-
ton to the Valley. learned that Ma
ruchak was believed to have been first
founded by Afrasiab, a Turan legendary |
king or hero. Sir Henry RawlinSon
says that BaghShur was his strong |
hold. Now. we we're told that Bagh- |
shur was the old name of Kala-i-
Maur. on the KuShk, another large and
important place Of the past. All that
can be evolved from these legends is
that a Turanian population most pro-
badly predominated here at some early
date. In the Shah Namch it is told
that Rustem came to the Shahd Rud.
or the Murghab. on a hunting expedi-
ton. with his seven hero friends. While
there they were attacked by Afrasiab;
A battle eusued. in which Rustem was
the victor. and Akoos, great hero Of
luran, was killed. Here we have the
great contest between Iran and Turan
carried back even to the era when all was
legendary. for Rustem is probably quite
H. mythical as Afrasiab. This shows
1t least how old the struggle has been.
There are the remains Of bridge over
he River Msruchak the piers only in
. very fragmentary condition remain.
Judging by what is left of
t. must have been inhabited at a later
late than most Of the other towns
whose vestiges we have seen.
Maruchak is about twenty-five miles
outh from Penjdeh, and eleven miles
urther on we camped at karaoul Kha-
leh; our tents were here on the
mounds of an old town Of ssme size.
The next march brought us to Bsla
lurghab, and OH the way we passed a
Tapa in the valley;
sc were on the eastern bank of the
iyer, and the Tapa was on the
anne side. IL was not so large
s some we have seen; still II had 4
ommanding appearance standing on
he flat ground Of the valley. There
re some smaller Tapas nearer to Bala
iurehab, and at many places there are
4 -. /