, 1886-11-11
ECROSS 6FGHANISTAN.
Interesting Notes From the OrIsne-Herat
anS Its Inhabitants.

Interesting Notes From the Orlsn@-HeTat
anS Its Inhabitants.
A correspondent with the Afghan
frontier commission, speaking of their
march across Afghanistan, says that it
was very creditable feat. made as it
was under very trying circumstances.
A party of over twelve hundred men,
with following of between two thou
sand and three thousand animals, have
been carried across nearly eight hun
dred miles Of country, generally water
less stone and sand, amid gre 1t vicisSi-
tudes of climate, the thermometer in
the course of our Journey falling from
one hundred and three deg. ees to
eleven degrees below freezing point.
Yet we have only to deplore two deaths.
one 4 trooper of the escort and the
other a follower; neither. of which,
however, can be fairly attributed to the
march. Our losses among horses and
camclS can be counted on the fingers
of nv hand, and one camel which
walked off in the dark with his mas
ter's load represents our entire loss in
property. The average rate of march
ing over the two hundred and
ten miles from Nushki to
Il
day, and over the five hundred miles
from Khwaia Ali to kuhsau it was, eX-
cIudinr haltS, over eighteen miles, and
including haults over fifteen miles
daily. Among the interesting things
observed on the way was the karez.
which was explained as the favorite
mode of irrigation in Persia and Al
ghanistan. a spring is found, gen.
20.
finder-and then it is tapped by series
OF wells. each deeper than the other,
connected by an underground passage.
Some of the kaTeZeS are of great
| length; they have been known to cx-
tend forty miles.
| The most noteworthy city visited by
the commission was Herat described
as follows: The city is situated at
| 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. 4 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 are proverb for their excel
| lcnce. Of the inhabitants of the place
Vambrery gives the following descrip-
| ton: 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 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 nonde-are want TO assume q
half-Persian costume. Weapons are
borne by all. Rarely does any one,
whether civil or military, enter the
| baZar without his sword and shield.
| To be quite q la mode one must carry
about quite an arsenal. consisting of
| two pistols, a sword, pointed handyar,
| gun and shield. With the wild, mar
| tiai-looking Afghan, we can 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 was ruler or
| conquerer 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: l
was rather amused at a conversation
| heard between Nurzai who had been
| impressed by the Amecr's officials as a
| guide and one of our officials who was
| thirsting for information wherewith to
| clothe the dry bones of his official re-
! port. In most suaye 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, was
not TO be defeated so easily. Swallow
| ing for the moment his irritation be
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 naturei My friend closed his
pocket-book with an ugly snap, and
snarling Possibly" retired and left
the surly NurZai master of the field
the hide of his sulky stupidity, 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.