Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-09-19
FRONTIERS OF INDIA.
POSSIBLE THEATER OF WAR IN
MOUNTAIN SYSTEM.
auetta, Kabul, Chitral Named as
Outposts for Protection OF
British India.

London letter: OF the great dan
gers which attend the exploration and
mapping of the mountainous frontiers
which, in Central Asia, delimit the
Russian and British empires, respect
lively. many thrilling accounts are Civ
en- by returning soldiers and engineers
actually engaged in such enterprises
Occasional paragraphs in the newspa-
pers Of Great Britain and the continent
intimate that in the wild regions to the
northwest OF Afghanistan, and on the
Pamirs, Russia is busy spying out the
land, generally under the pretext OF
scientific exploration; and no less ac-
tivity marks Englishmen's desire to
know what lies beyond Great Britain 8
horizon Of farthest advance.
Sometimes advantage is taken of
punitive exploration--as in Roberts
historic Afghan campaign; at other
times adventurous men, In disguise,
risk their lives among fierce and jeal-
Gus nil tribes. BY these methods. and
in other ways, the surveyor extends his
acquaintance with the topography of
the frontier. its rugged hills and the
almost inaccessible valleys-except by
secret naths-where the fierce border
tourists outirg Not seldom the dar-
ing explorer loses HIS life; but some
other as daring Is ready to take adj
vantage of the punitive expedition
sent out to chastise his murderers. So
the work goes perilously on.
In one of the Afghan expeditions. as
n member OF ii tells the story, there
was a terrible march in which the
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faced the cholera or the pant-up straits
of narrow VALLEY, flooded with the
fierce heat os June When the non
military casualties were reckoned UP
one Of the surveying party was dead
with typhoid; another was so invaded
rs to be unfit for duty during the rest
Of his life A third was In the HOSPITAL
with broken arm. One had been
carried back from IN attempt to carry
his survey into Kaiiirstan, more dead
than alive. Only two OF the survey
leaders had got through whole One
Of these had found out what became o,
the Kahul river and rns greatly dis
tinguished himself In fighting his way
back from the Mohmand Hills to TIE
Khaibar; the other. though wounded
had survived q long chapter of expert
euces
However. the survey and triangula-
ton had been carried up the Kuram
and IN the Khalbar, as far as the Mill
tary forces penetrated The work OF
science was ceuto"ed on the great snow
peak Of Sikaram the giant OF the Sated-
Koh range. whose Is goo foot sides had
boon eurmountad from two directions
FROM tho same Informant we learn
that the attachment OF the Afghan to
his home and family Is much deeper
than that of the plains-bred native OF
India to his Tho Afghan has MANY
vices but is true to his engagements Of
hospitality, even to his own disadvan-
tage
Irrigation plays very important
part In Afghan agriculture. and rivers
at certain seasons are run dry by the
cultvators. Indeed. Afghanistan has
an appearance OF wealth and prosperity
which close observation does not make
good.
The survey party were in one agricul-
tural district In late spring time. The
first blossoms were blowing across the
fields In pink and white showers. The
hodgerows We're full OF Wild roses and
clematis, the borders Of every little ir-
rigntion ditch were deep In grass and
lilies. The smell of the sweetscented
willow was all through the air. Beds
OF lucerne and pulse were thick with
the knee-deep pile OF summer-carpet-
ing The warm. moist-scented breath
OF the slow breeze was eneryating and
one looked lazlly across the wide,
shimmering field of growing wheat TO
the white piles OF country villages
tlecked with sharp little blue shadows.
and backed by more distant line OF
red-browp hills with faint remins-
cenceS of Egyptian Delta scenery.
The hills looked far of and sleepy,
with lazy outlines, whilst at ones feet
ana beyond, almost as far as the eye
could reach, was nothing but vista
of peaceful loyeluess, But the exigen-
cies of survey duty compelled weary
climb up the htll-sides (which. IL beau
tilted by new-fouud grass and flowers.
were still steep and afforded a rugged
morning Walk I'VE stood at last on