Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-16

previously ascertained that supply OF
water can be obtained. other vertical shafts
are sunk and the bottoms OF All connectea
by slightly sloping tunnels Tne depths VI
the shafts increase with their distance from
the original one according to the slope OF
the around. Great labor 10 required 70 olg
these subterranean aqueducts put they
serve to make fnhabitable large tracts OF
country that would otherwise De Without
water. -..,t IN.
water buffalo are used for blowing. Inc
plow Ii very primitive ana IN many u' 80 70
a native forged iron point. On snah p,ots
on hiIisides women are hitched to the pio"
instead Of oxen. Horses are one OF the
staple exports Of the country. inc norge
nous species Is the hardy luggage pony.
but horses for export are mainly the so
called Kabui horses. a mixed breed OF the
Turkman, Persian and kabui. some pure
bred Arabian and Persian horses are aiso
exported The native sheep belong to the
fat-tail variety. The fat in the tail and
along the back Of a well-fed sheep is over
ne-third of its total weight Inc people
are all flesh eaters, and especially prefer
mutton large amount of this rat Tor
merly thrown away is now used to make
soap and candles by the new process the
amir has introduced. In the smaller towns
this is done by hand. but in the larger
towns It is carried on by improved for
eign machinery.
Camel Caravans.
1.-The transportation question of Afghan
istan is still in its infancy. Camel caravan
trails have been the only highways. but
the present government has built military
roads between all the important towns and
Is pushing them out to the Indian, Persian
and Russian borders. The country Is very
mountainous. however, so that wheeled
conveyances of any kind are as yet little
used. The camel the luggage pony and
donkeys take the place of the train in civ
ilzed countries in handling the entire
transit trade. Some of these kafilas,' or
of miles from India. through Afghanstan
and on to the little-known marts of CEN
trail Asia Most camels used in India are
the single hump camel, the fast,ridlng spe,
cies of which is known as the 'dromedary.
but in Afghanistan the larger portion
seems to be the short double-humped Box
hara' camel.
There are in Afghanistan a good many
Persian and Hindu merchants. though both
are looked down upon and oppressed by the
Afghans The Hndus are called 'Hindkis'
by the Afghans me shops mo h ,or eyes aye ana ana
also act in small way as bankers The
Persians are hated as being Of the Shias
instead Of the Sunnis sect of Mohamme-
dams.
Clothing Of the People.
LAS in the case with practically all nom
manufacturing nations, the largest import
is cotton piece goods. and the largest Item
of this is white shifting. The Afghan and
other Participating races on the border
dress differently from the races in India.
The main feature Of the Afghan, Beiuchi
and Afridi costume is the loose baggy trou
sers or 'bloomers' which are made OF
white shifting. These are cut SO as to hang
down in festoons to Just above the bare
ankles Above these 'bloomers there is a
long tunic, or loose shirt, also of white
shifting. nearly to the knees and then very
often armless waistcoat. The headgear
Is either a large turban or q c!Ose-fitting
skull cap. The rough native-made slippers,
with upturned point. complete the picture.
The ankles are bare, as socks and stockings
are purely q western invention and nowhere
worn IN the east. In cold weather long
sheepskin cloak is worn, with the hair in
side. The more remote tribes are clothed in
native-made fabrics Of camels and goats
hair. skeepskins and furs.
1.-The women. being Mohammedans. wear
trousers of striped 'susi,' a short upper
vest and a long sheet that is wrapped
around the upper part of the body and
used to envelop the head. A good many
go entirely clothed in white gown that
falls from the top of the head. with
couple Of holes left for the eyes. Other
border women wear a single long white
wooden gown with piece Of cloth around
their heads.
Cotton Is grown in parts Of Afghanistan,
and lungis' for turbans, 'susis for women's
trousers. and coarse cotton cloth for wear
and for wheat sacks are woven by hand.
but foreign cloth is much preferred. and
the native woven Is only used by the poor
est people and by those Off the beaten
tracks.
1.-The habitations Of the pastoral tribes
are black sheepskin tents. or rude shelters
built of sticks. grass and bark. The set
tied Afghans live in mud-built villages. or
rather clusters of houses, with loop-holed
walls and a high mud tower. Even the
cities have only mud houses and walls of
sun-dried brick. The new amir Is establish
ing brickmaking but brick or stone houses
as yet are practically unknown"