Roanoke Rapids herald., 1924-02-01

these paths which Russian dreamers
hoped would some day lead their EN-.
pire still farther south.
The Russians even defied the gen.
eral belief that permanent habitations
could not be established in the Pamirs.
especially by people of the lowlands.
In one of the mountain hemmed val
leys, in the very heart of the Pamirs,
and along their military road, they
built the fort of Murghabi and gar
risoned it with several hundred SOL
dlers. mostly Cossacks During the
last twenty years of the Russian en-
plre this highest of Russian military
posts was maintained without a break,
whether it constituted practical
threat at British India Is problemati-
cal in view of the roadless gorges and
peaks to the south; but it served at
least to keep alive enmity and intrigue
between the two great empires until
they ranged themselves side by side
in the World war Soviet Russia has
not stripped off the veil of mystery
from the Pnmrs, and whether they
still garrison this far southeastern
outpost of Russia is not known to the
outside world.
Divide the Waters of Asia.
Though strictly on basis of aver
age altitude and highest peaks the
Pamir region may not reserve its pic
turesque second name, Roof of the
World" to the extent that Tibet
would, from one point of view it fits
well. For just as pointed roof-peak
sends the waters that fall on 1t flow
ing off on every side, so the Pamirs
divide important waters of Asia From
the same group of glaciers at the
meeting point of India, Afghanistan
and China begin headstreams that
flow through the famous Oxus west
ward to the Aral sea, the Indus south
ward to the Indian ocean, and the
Tarim eastward toward China to the
Lop Nor.
While the southern end of Fer
CANA Is a country of rugged mountains
and plateaus, the fertile valleys of its
northern end constitute central
Asian Eden. Snow-fed rills and rivers,
always fullest in the warm growing
season, were led out over fertile
plains until they died in the sands ;
but in the dying they made northern
Fergana garden spot of grains and
fruits, and afte the Russians came,
of precious cotton. The cotton pro-
duced In these and neighboring Tur-
kestan oases before the World war,
was greater than that of India or
Egypt and second only to that of the
United States.
In Fergana and its neighboring
countries of central Asia there was
undoubtedly very early development
of civilization, even though they may
not have been, as some students have
asserted, the cradle of the human
race. And probably there the art of
irrigation was practiced as early as
anywhere In the world.
Like all other regions of central
Asia Fergana felt the heel of Ghengis
Kahn and Tamerlane. 1t was overrun,
too, from the Chinese Turkestan which
lies against 1t to the east. When
Mohammedanism rose to power 1t was
conquered by the Arabs and its people
have since been followers of The
prophet.
Russian dominion came slowly to
Fergana, then the Khanate of Kokan.
After the more western portions Of
the Transcaspian region and Turkestan
had fallen, Russian arms finally con-
quered the warlike Tekke Turkomans
VINO blocked the way to Fergana's fer
tile valleys. 1t was not until 1893
that the slow-moving Slavic glacier
had engulfed the southern territory Of
the old Khanate.
With the Russians came organizing
ability, development, railroads, pros
perity, and a smattAring at least of
western civilization. To the rail head
at Andijan, aimed at the Neart Of
Asia, ran the modern expresses from
Petrograd, with their sleeping cars
and spotless diners. And few miles
south began the military roads that
lost themselves In the mysterious
Pamirs.
The Bolshevists at first lost control
Of Fergana as Of many of Its neigh
boring regions. But by force Of arms
and diplomacy they have won 1t back
after fashion.
II Russian power has a renascence
In Asia either by domination or
leadership Fergana can hard
iy escape assuming its old Importance
as source of raw material for Mos
cows cotton factories and as watch
tower and listening post over against
the Indissp and Chinese frontiers.