Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-14
THE BATTLE GROUND.
A Description of the valley and River OF
the Murghab.

A Description of the Valley and River of
the Murehab.
The following from the PHILADELPHIA
Neus is description of the location Of
the late battle between the Russians and
Afghans:
The Valley of the Murghab is vide. and
the inequalities in it are so slight that it
may he described as level. Abbott psti-
mated 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 a very
broad open space; but the Murghab itself
may he about the half Of that distance at
Pendjeh.
At Bala Murghab it is over mile wide.
The hills bulge inward, in many places
narrowing the space, hut that is only at
points. Where this is the case it does
not continue for any distance, so that the
valley presents generally a broad plain
capable Of cultivation.
The bills on each side are not high. In
many places they look like heaps Of sand
which have been accumulated by the
wind; but there Is some qualification Of
rock under them. and it appears here and
there. About II miles above Pendiph
there is a remarkable projection of rock
on the top IF one OF the hills on the eastern
side.
When seen first, on coming up the
valley, it has all the appearance Of being
a tapa. or artificial mound, but 1t ia q
rock and is call d Daldul Akhor. The first
OF these words is the name Of ALPS horse
a d the second may be translated ''stall."
On the top Of this projection are two
marks, believed to he the footprints of
Airs horse. and hence the name.
In the early spring these marks are
said to become green before the rest of
the ground, and at t1at season all who
are i'll visit the spot in hopes Of being
cured. These hills cannot he cultivated,
hut tiOcks find grazing on all the higher
ground. It is only where the water
of the Murghab can be led by canals that
crops can be raised For this purpose
there is large AMI amDle space. There
are fifty miles of the valley from here
to Pendieh, and it is about 120 fr' m
Pendjeh 10 Merv. where there is a small
delta f0t med by the spreading out Of the
water by means of canals. Above Bala
Murghah, judging from the mountains,
tho valley is probably narrow, but in
other dire ctiOns the Murghab valley is ca
pablo ~ supporting large population.
The Kusbk valley is much narrower, but
the TIVE. log Their with TIE water IT, fer
Ii r2p them. will explain how the district
IN have had The G ehIty in The days If
YIN I'm its mlr rad towns and citi S.
th.rp S u tort al = fla MUIR nab gar
r'e ma With Af.han troops; there ave
also four guns here and the artillery
men. ON SIR Peer Lumsdeu's arrival
they fred a salute Of seventeen guns.
/ The fort is on mound. which is in all
I likelihood one OF the Old Tapas. 1t stands
\ where the river forms a great loop. and
/ its position commands the narrow neck,
] thus making the y ninsula 70 med by tn
! loop secure piece OF ground, for the
river is TOO deep for any attack to be
made across it. A little above the IA {
! the lower part of the piers Of the bridge
are still visible. This would be, no doubt,
on the direct road from Herat to Balkh
! and Eastern Turkestan.