New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-08
AMONG THE PATHANS.

The Pathan type is distinctly different from
that of any other IIndoo nationality You can
pick Pathan out in q HindOo crowd. unheslt2@
ngly and unerringly. lie is big and bony "a
walks with long, easy stride that seems t1c"'
but covers the ground swiftly His cheek bones
are prominent, his lips full, his nose aquillhc.
His skin is swarthy. but not brown. like that CT
the Hndoos further south AS the men gro"
old. especially among the well-todo classes. they
dye their boards bright red, in order that the
grayness of age may not be visible. Many OK
them have naturally fair hair and boards ana
light blue eyes In their clothing blue ana
white are the most common coors. and both are
mingled in the turban. Long Jackets and o!oaks
are worn, and in cold weather sheeps<n robe
covers both. the wool being inside and the
leather outside. adorned with elaborate silk en-
broidery. At such times leather skull cap CT
sometimes a leather helmet coming down over
the ears is worn instead Of the turban
The women commonly dress in red ard blue.
wearing trousers and d long cloak with when
they cover their faces when meeting strangers
The men are universally armed with ione'
straight Afghan knives. with ivory handles
Another common weapon is the jezai, which IS
an enormously long musket with carved anu
ornate stock. and a slender rod to support the
/
is the common tulwar or Turkish scntar. IN
addition TO these a great variety Of weapons CT
all kinds Of European makes are to be fouho
among them
The Pathans Of the hills are chiefly an agri-
cultural and pastoral people. They cultivate
wheat. rice and sugar-cane in the valleys de-
pending almost exclusively upon irrigation
though perhaps once in five years it is possible
! Ia nd =
gated. Sheep, goats and oxen make up the bulk
Of their live stock, though they also use caneis
and donkeys as beasts of burden. Their trade
With India and Afghanistan Is conducted by
means of caravans made up of canes, oxen ana
donkevs. Sometimes a single caravan VIII con-
tain from a hundred to a hundred and nifty
camoIs laden with skins grain and other mer-
chandise. These trains have to be guarded ~
nurnerous armed men TO assure them protection
against the countless outlaws that infest the
region.
THE ROOF OF THE WORLD.
Inst over the mountain wall from Chitra lies
the vast lone and desolate plain Of the falhirs.
| "Going northeastward from Wakhan, Whefe
dwell stout warriors and good hunters anu
travelling by road which asoends Tor three
| whole days together YOU come to an exceeding
high mountain, than which there is SAID TO De
none higher in the world Here also between
| two mountains is a great lake, and running over
the plain is very fine river The plain is twelve
DAYS Journey in length. and is called Pamere.
| onward the road leads to kashgar, Whlch 10
tributary to the Great Khan Such was Marco
Polo's account of the Roof of the World, ana
it tallies we'll with all men know to-day OF that
forbiddng region. Captain Younghus0ahu' pre-
| yiously mentioned has described II as ABOUT
100 miles by 80 miles in extent 1t Is region
Of broad valleys, each three or four miles VIDE.
Most Of the country is bare but parts OF II III
| the summer yield good grass, on Whlch Una
Kirghis nomads pasture their flocks, the wan
dering Kirghizzes, who come on shaggy ponies
from Pamere" Besides the valleys there are
huge bare mountains rising more than 2oSoJ
foe, above the sea. while the bottoms Of the
vallevs are at an altitude Of from 1900 to 1JO00
feet Winter begins in August and ends IN
Nav and the temperature is often from 10 10 ~
degrees below zero The latter half OF June
and the first two weeks Of july contain Tie only
really warm weather Heavy frosts begin with
the first of August
The only resident population Of the Pamirs are
the wandering Kirghis. Of these there are IN thI
whole region not more than hundred lamlIes
with five or six persons in a family They live
in tents and for THEN living depend entirely upon
their nocks They come down from the noun
taius to the nearest towns occasionally to buy
-four and grain and to sell their cattle ana hides
AS a rule they are well clad and robust pros
porous looking men. \ few of tht IN carry me-
arms. which they use for shooting game Tor !oon
They are a friendly. amiable people. well as
posed toward the British. but regard inc IN