Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-04-30
AFGHANISTAN.

Afghanistan, the Asiatic country which
is now attracting attention through Eng
land and Russia's belligerent attitude over
it, occupies an extensive area between Per-
sia on the west and British India on the
east, Beloochistan on the south and the
Hindoo Koosh mountains on the north.
1t lies between north latitudes % degrees
and 36 degrees, and'embraces a great va
rety of climate, the heat in the eastern
part being intense in summer, the ther-
mometer .rising as high as 120 degrees
in the shade, while in the mountain regions
the snow lies all the year. The difference
in the elevation of different regions is so
great that it has been said of Cabool, it's cap
ital, that at days journey from it the
snow never falls; and at two hours journey
from it snow never melts. At kandahar
and Girihsk, the summer heats and the ST.
moons render life almost intOlerable. Its
agricultural resources are naturally fine, but
the people being more given to war than
to the peaceful pursuits of agriculture,
have failed to develop all its resources in
that line. Though large part of the coun-
try is mountainous and rocky, with large
areas of arid deserts, there are well-watered,
fertile valleys, dotted with violets, thyme
and clover, and remarkable for picturesque
beauty. In the arabic regions, grain grows
in abundance, and fruits of all kinds.
The most extensive Of these valleys and
plains are Cabool and Peshawer, besides q
rich plain in the vicinity of Herat. A large
portion Of the southern and southwestern
part of the country for space of 300 by 100
miles is a desert waste. The winds are
generally from the west, and cold, and the
east winds are hot, but the climate, on an
average, is cooler than that of India. There
are not great many diseases, the chief be-
ing ophthalmia and fever and ague, with an
occasional invasion of small poX. The coun-
west, and 400 broad, from north to south.
The plateau averages 1000 feet in height,
and there are many mountain ranges of
great height. Herat, in west Afghanistan,
is one of the chief cities, is strongly fortified
and is the key to the present situation. 1t
is nearly 400 miles west of Cabool, and be-
fore the Persian siege, in 1888, its pOpula-
ton was estimated at $1,000, but it is now
supposed to he about 3O,O 600. Herat has been
a grand central mart for the products of In
dia, China, Tartary, Afghanistan and Per
sia. 1t manufactures carpets, caps, cloaks,
shoes, etc. For long time it was the capi-
tai of the Empire founded by Tamerlane
in the fourteenth century. In the southern
ton are grown; and in the GASES Of the SAN
dy regions the date palm grows abundantly,
and forms an important part of the food of
the people. Wheat is the staple, and rice,
corn, barley, millet, lentils and tobacco are
grown for home consumption. The null
berry tree grows in the cool valleys. The
sides of the mountains are covered with
great forests which lumbermen have not
disturbed yet. Wild animals bears, leop-
ards, wolves, tigers, lions-are found in the
warmer parts of the country. The great
chain of the Hindoo Koosh Mountains on
the north, rises from the lower regions of
four distinct ranges. Thick forests OF pine
and wild olive, with profusiOn Of flowers,
cover the lowest range. The second range
is still more densely wooded, nearly to the
top. The third is almost bare. The fourth
forms a range of the stupendOus Himalaya
system, and rises in bold, spire-like peaks,
which are crowned with perpetual snow.
The clearness of the atmosphere is remarka-
BILE, and it is claimed that the ridges and
holloWs of these mountains may be seen at
distance of $50 miles.
The Government is Il monarchy. The
kingdom is divided into provinces, in each
of which is an officer who collects taxes.
The tribes are ruled by sirdas (chieis); and
in the towns, Justice is administered by the
cadis, when the Afghan does not take the
law into his own hands, which he generally
does. Estimates of the population vary
from two and a-half millions to five mil
lions, the most recent estimates placing it
at a little over four millions. Of these,
nearly two-thirds are Afghans and Pathans,
who are Mohammedans. They are idle,
vicious, violent, and have a deplorabe ten
dency to commit robbery. The Afghans
are very ancient, and believe themselves
descended from the Ancient Hebrews. In
Persian history they are said to date their
name to Afghan, son of Eremis, SON of Saul,
King of Israel, whose posterity, carried
away at the time of the captivity, was set
tied by the conqueror in the mountains of
Ghori, Cabool, Candahar and Ghizni the
country was successively part of the Per-
sian and Greek Empires. The name "Af-
CHAN" is not recognized by the natives,
but is applied to them by their Persian
neighbors. Their proper name is Pooshtana,
plural Pashtanneh. The Hindoos call them
Paitans, Patans, or Pactans. They are gen.