The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1905-04-08

globe, not excepting Tibet, which are
more inhospitable to foreigners than
Afghanistan. Placed by nature as a
buffer between two powerful rivals,
>Afghanistan is country where every
one is suspected as spy of either
Russia or the British. In Kubal there
are no foreigners. The last one was a
Mr.. Freischer, German gunmaker
who was murdered in mysterious
manner few months ago. A woman
physician, an Englishwoman, has been
in Kabul for three years, and declares
that living in the; capital is like be-
ing on a different planet. "The uni
versal atmosphere of suspicion, the
ever-present knowledge that keen Al
CHAN eyes are watching every move
ment, combined with the knowledge
of isolation from the civilized world,
have not a beneficial effect upon ones
nerves, and after prolonged stay one
comes perilously near breakdown"
A British agent, Mohammedan Of
icer of the Indian army, resides in
Kabul, but he might as we'll reside at
the North Pole for all he is allowed to
do. He seldom goes out, no one dares
visit him and the only opportunity
he has for displaying himself is to be
present once in a while at durbar or
levee of the Amir. 1t is admitted that
he is entirely without influence. The
Russians, however, have not even a
igurehead for an agent, and two Rus
sian spies were only recently caught
and sent to prison-and disappeared.
Habibullah Khan, the present Amir,
has seen something of the world He
and his brother visited London in 1896,
far as may be, in country without
single mile Of railway, the Amir may
be said to be progressive and up-to-
date. He has surrounded himself
with the latest inventions in lamps,
stoves, monographs and bicycles. He
is also to be seen driving out at times
in an English automobile, while
sewing machine has been introduced
into his harem.
Habibullah Khan is a very busy
monarch, and while he loves sport,
weakness which endears him to the
British, he never permits his private
pleasures to interfere with public
business, a virtue which he might i'm
press upon his more civilized friends
He takes a commendable pride in his
gun factory at Kabul, which daily pro-
duce 10000 cartridges, fifteen rifles
and two guns. For nearly two years
little work has been done in this fac
from this enforced stoppage the fac
tory has been in constant operation
since 1886.
It is the Amir's custom on Nav Roz
the Mussulman's new year-to ex-
anime all the guns, rifles and appurte-
nances turned out Of the workshops
during the year. The guns, etc., are
laid out for inspection at Shahrara, "A
summer palace, which lies about
mile from the city.
Among the sports held in high favor
by the Amir are hawking and cricket
He usually has his falcons with him
when out shooting, to fly at wounded
birds; but on some days he will mount
horse and, go away to the neighboring
hills. He seems insensible to fatigue
on these occasions, but his suite usu-
ally returns with him in the evening,
hanging Imply in the saddle.
The Amir two years ago divorced
all his wives but four, and ordered
that his subjects content themselves
with a like number. One of these
four wives is of royal birth and lives
in a separate house. She is said to be
an ambitious woman, who wears Eng
lish dresses, although woman who
saw them declares they are of styles
fashionable thirty years ago.