Rock Island Argus., 1898-06-11

The English speaking world has recently
been furnished with vivid picture of the
uilhcuities attendant upon a campaign in
Afghanistnn, where the troops, In the face
Of determined enemy, have TO make their
way through prrcipiteus dcfiles and over
almost Inaccessible crags. Lieutenant W.
u. Spencer Churchill, scion Of the great
Marlborough family, has Just published a
book whish has taken London by storm
He details his experience with the Mala-
kand cxpcditionary force, and the picture
which he draws is by no means n rcassur-
ing one tor the British taxpayer who will
eventually havo to foot India's little bill
for campaign warfare.
1t il really "A holy war, Islam against
the crsss, and ranged under their sacred
banner t1ic Afridhs commit deeds of fanat-
ical hcrosm which excite the admiration
even Of their enemies. Churchill tells US
how In the midst OF hot engagement a
mollnh, or priest, would suddenly appcar
ON the pinnacle Of some bcctling cray, his
long white hair flowing behind him. the
holy Tag Eraspcd in his hand encourag-
ing his followers both by gesture and
voice. To renew their heroic efforts. The
appearance of the mollah always acted like
y,
and he seemed indeed to bear "a charmed
life, for, though tho bullets whistled
around him, he was never touched
The impossib!ity of abandoning the
wounded makes fighting for the English
troops "A very difficult matter. The A.
ghals give no quarter. They have their
own codc of honor. but it is not the code
OF tho civilized world. To the ferocity of
Zulu they add the craft of n rcdshin and
tho craftsmanship of "a Boer The world
Is presented with the grim spectacle, "the
Strength Of civilization without its mercy"
II seems strange to read of such barbaric
warfare in these advanced daysSwrites Nj.
ROse-SOlCy in the San Francisco Call;
but ms n matter Of fact, the strife is al
ways going on IL Is one of the lccacies of
trouble which Great Britain's magnificent
Toss cssloEs in India have brought her
Afghanistan itself, which now forms tho
only boundary between Russia in Asia
and England in India, is merely q collec-
tion of unruly hill tribes, wild mountain
GERS whom no government can tame Even
the amccr of AfghaniStan has no power
10 Keep them in check, though his rule is
absolutely dcspOtic, and he enforces order
by the sword only. The country has never
been suhducd by any monarch. The hardy
hill trihcs that inhabit the fastncsscs of
the iIindoo kush and the IIimalaya ranges
will pay tribute TO no one, though they
are always ready to rob and murder when
ever opportunity occurs.
The very name of the state is of quite
modern origin md is due to the Persians,
who made show of conquering the land
in l13S. The Persian rule, however did
not last long, and the country returned 10
its own unsettled condition, .nominally
ruled by whoever could seize the throne
might being always right and law and
justice nowhere.
This constant state of activity and I'M
rest has made the Afghans one of the
finest fighting races in the world. as the
British have time and again found out to
their cost Despite the large force which
was sent against tho Afridis last autumn
the tribes arr still unsu,ducd. and the task
VIII all have 10 tc done over again as soon
a. the return 81 spring renders renewed
fighting possible.
Tho mountainous nature of the country
gives is defenders every advantage. 1t is
but SUCCESSION OF prccipitous panges,
each one forming an impregnahle position.
whirh few determined men can hold
against thousands And when. as az
DarIai, one mountain is captured with
great gallantry and loss of life the victops
arc only confronted with another and
equally strong position, which must like
wisc hc stormcd. Tho difficulty Of obtain
ing supplies and keeping open the line of
communication renders the movement of
any very Large force impossible, and the
only way in which victory can eventually
bc secured is by hemming the tribes up on
some mountain top and literally starving
them into submission.
This style OF border warfare is no new
thing to the guides and other regiments
which constantly patrol the northwest
frontier of India. The only difference is
that f size. The expedition against the