Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-03-13
ACROSS
Notes From the Orient--Hera
n Its Inhabitants.

ACROSS AfGHANIS AN
Interesting Notes From the Orient--Hera
and Its Inhabitants.
A correspondent with the Afghal
frontier commission, speaking of thei
march across Afghanistan, says that j
was a very creditable feat, made as ]
was under very trying circumstances
IA party of over twelve hundred men
with a following of between two thou
sand and three thousand animals, haW
been carried across nearly eight hun
'dred miles of country, generally water
less stone and sand, amid great vicissi
|tudes of climate, the thermometer il
the course of our journey falling iron
one hundred and three degrees tt
jeleven degrees below freezing point
Yet we have onlyt to deplore two deaths
one a trooper of the escort and tn
other a follower; neither, of which
however, a be fairly attributed to tn
march. Our losses among horses an,
camels can be counted or the finger
of nv hand, and one camel whicl
walked off in the dark with his mas
ter's load represents our entire loss il
property. The average rate of march
ing over the two hundred an,
ten miles from Nushki t.
Khwaja Ali was about fifteen miles /;
day, and over the five hundred mile
from Khwaia Ali to Kuhsau it was, ex
GLIDING halts, over eighteen miles, ant
including haults over fifteen mile
daily. Among the interesting thing.
observed on the way was the karez
which was explained as the favorit'
mode of irrigation in Persia and AT
ghanistan. A spring is found, gen
orally by the professional water
tinder-and then it is tapped by a serie'
of wells, each deeper than the other
connected by an underground passage
Some of the karezes are of grea
length; they have been known to eX
tend forty miles.
The most noteworthy city visited by
the commission was Herat, described
as follows: 1.-The city is situated a,
four miles distance from hills on the
north, and twelve miles from those
which run south of it. The space be.
tween the hills is one beautiful extent
of little fortified villages, gardens,
vineyards and corn-fields, and this rich
scene is frightened by many small
streams of shining water, which cut
the plain in all directions. A dam is
thrown across the Herr Rud, and its
waters, being turned into many canals,
are so conducted over the vale OF
Herat that every part of it is watered.
Varieties of the most delicious fruits
are grown in the valley, and they are
sold cheaper than at Mashad. The
necessaries of life are plentiful and
cheap. and the bread and water OF
Herat 7 a proverb for their excel
lence. OF the inhabitants of the place
Vambrery gives the following descrip.
ton: 1.-The eye is %bewildered by the
diversity of races-Afghans, Indians,
Tartars, Turcomans, Persians and
Jews. The Afghan parades about
either in his national costume, consist
ing of a long shirt, drawers, and dirty
linen clothes, or in his military un.
dress; and here his favorite garment is
the red English coat, from which even
in his sleep he will not part. He throws
it on over his shirt while he sets on his
head the picturesque Indo-Afghan tur.
ban. Others again-and these are the
beau m0nde-are want to assume a
half-Persian costume. Weapons are
borne by all. Rarely does any one.
whether civil OF military, enter the
.bazar without his sword and shield.
To be quite a la mode one must carry
about quite an arsenal, consisting Of
two pistols, a sword, pointed handyar,
gun and shield. With the wild, mar
tial-looking Afghan, WI ear only com.
pare the Turcoman-like Jamshidi. The
wretchedly dressed Herati, the naked
Hazara, the Timuri of the vicinity are
overlooked when the Afghan is present.
He encounters around him nothing but
abject humility, but never vas ruler or
c%onquerer so detested as is the Afghan
by the Heratis."
Of the tribes with whom the commits.
sioners were thrown in contact the least
friendly were the Nurzai, of whose dis.
position the Times correspondent gives
an amusing illustration. He said:
was rather amused at a conversation ]
heard between a Nurzai who had been
impressed by the Ameer's officials as a
guide and nj of our officials who was
thirsting for information wherewith to
clothe the dry bones of his official re.
port. In most suave and conciliatory
tones did he accost our sulky guide.
"What may be yonr name, my friend?'
Gruff and disappointing was the reply.
'My father knows" But our enthusi.
astic inquirer, notebook in hand, wa.
not to be defeated so easily. Swallow.
ing for the moment his irritation he
again clothed his words in silken attire
and mildly asked: "But what is your
fathers name?' my mother knows
was the annoying reply. Alas for poor
human nature! My friend closed his
pocket-book with an ugly snap, and
snarlingg Possibly" retired and left
the surly Nurzai master of the field
the hide of his sulky stupidity, 1 hope,
quite %impervious to the vindictive Par.
THAN shot. Altogether it did not seem
very desirable to encourage contact be.
tween the Nurzais and ourselves
London Times.
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