The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-07-28
SIR PETER lUMSOEN.
How He Gained Valuable Information Dis.
guised As Holy Man.
7 NIT

guised AS Holy Man.
Washington Letter
One of the members of the English
legation at Washington furnishes some
interesting gossip regarding Gen. Sir
Peter Lumsden, Of whom the papers
speak daily by reason of his relations to
the Anglo-Russian boundary question
in central Asia.
From his youth said this gentle
man, 'Lumsden has been man of war.
He first saw it in the service of the East
India company, and distinguished him
self as youngster in the terrible meet
ing of 1857. Having talent for Hin
dustani dialects he studied them pa
tiently and carefully. In this way Gen.
Lumsden acquired knowledge Of the
sentiments and character of the rank
and file of the Indian army, so that his
service to the country has been simply
invaluable When Sir Frederick Roberts
was on his way to Candahara few years
ago it was of the utmost consequence
that he should ha some accurate
knowledge of the route, and the forces
likely to oppose him in the mountain
passes. This information Sir Peter
Lumsden, in his own time and way, vol
unteered to obtain. Three days elapsed
and he had not returned, and Gen.
Roberts began to be seriously con-
cerned for the safety of his daring staff
officer, and finally thought he had been
murdered.
The general was sitting in his tent
late on the afternoon of the fourth day
when fakir, or holy man, suddenly
appeared, riding furiously down the
mountain side, and wanted to pass the
sentinel, who was a grim old Highlander
The sacred man was an extraordinary
looking creature, and the reverse of
sanity, as he appeared to European
eyes, He was almost naked, the only
garment he wore being a pair of dirty
trousers made of goat-skin. His hair
nearly reached to his waist as it hung
down his shoulders and back and the
lean, brawny arms were covered with
paste made of sandalwood ashes mixed
with castor oil, decoration of peculiar
sanctity and powerful smell. A nose
gay of sandalwood, consisting of ninety
nine beans, completed the equipment OF
this wonderful object
The man dismounted from his beast,
whose heaving tanks told of hard rid
ing. and in dialect of Pushtoo or AZ
CHAN, asked to see the head sahib. The
Highlander did not understand, and
motoned him back. Just then Gen.
Roberts came out, and, keeping wary
eye on his visitor, asked him in Hin
dustani what he wanted. The visitor,
in barbarous jargon. made the general
understand that he desired an inter-
view. When they were alone, the fakir
said Don't you know me'' 1t was
Lumsden, whose disguise, dirt, wig,
and all had been SO complete as to be
even unsupported to man whose in
innate friend he had been for ten years.
knowing how superstitious the
Afghans are, Lumsden had selected a
disguise they would not readily ques-
ton, for they are dreadly afraid Of Of
Tending those holy men whose superior
sanctity is indicated by a degree of
dirtiness that is appalling to the civil.
lied mind. He knew the dialect of the
class he represented perfectly, and its
religious stock in trade in quotations
from the Koran, so whenever he ap.
preached an Afghan encampment he
dashed fearlessly up to it, yelling: Fab
allah Mahomued resoul allah,' the
mystic words of the faithful, and,
though questioned pretty sharply once
or twice, his identity was never sus
pected.
"The information he obtained enabled
Candahar to be captured, and made the
campaign the most successful one evel
made amid those bleak mountains, 81
often fatal to England arms. For thi
distinguished service Gen. Lumsden was
in July, 1881, commissioned a majo
general of the Bengal staff, and given |
large grant Of money, amounting tt
about 800, 900. This is the man OF
whose report and Judgment, above al
others, rest the chances of a war tina
may change the entire map of centra
Asia"