The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-07-31
CPrepared by the National Geographic
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ago, the IranS-ASla eXpeQlIlOn
has Iust crossed isolated Afghanistan
from west to east. The expedition,
with which the National Geographic
society is cooperating, found the car
AVIAN tracks in poor condition for
wheeled vehicles in many places; but
even the worst stretches were traversed
with relative ease by the special cars
equipped with a tanklike band drive
in place of rear wheels.
The three major stops in Afghani-
stan were made at Herat, metropolis
of the western part Of the kingdom;
Kandahar, in the south; and kabul,
the capital, in the east.
To locate distant Herat on the world
map an American may start in known
territory at Knoxville, Tenn. A line
drawn due east will almost bisect
Herat, seventy miles from the west
ern Afghan border.
No one knows how long Herat has
been dominating the broad plain in
which it is situated. Remains of
buildings strewns over the plain near
by were ancient to the ancients. Al
exander the Great is credited with the
building of the Herat walls. If that
is fact, Herat is at least two thou
sand two hundred and fifty years old.
A sort of hub for caravan routes
leading to many parts Of central Asia,
and one Of the so-called dOorways to
India by land, Herat has been tempt
ing plum" for rulers of nearby coun-
tries and imperial strategists Of the
eastern hemisphere bent upon annex
ing portions of southern Asia to their
domains.
Herat Often Besieged and Taken.
As result it's 25-foot walls sur
mounted by 80 towers, have withstood
many sieges, but it also has often fall
en- before attack. In the Thirteenth
century Genghis Khan and his horde
Of Mongols swept down upon the city,
leaving only half hundred of its hum
dreds of Thousands of inhabitants
alive; and these survived only because
they feigned death. One hundred and
fifty years later Tamerlane, no less
merciless, nearly duplicated the an
Inhalation.
The Persians frequently took Herat
and remained in control for many
years at a time. Today Persian blood
flows in the veins of about one-half of
the Heratis. In 1887, some $4,000
Persians set out to take Herat. After
a siege Of ten months, the Heratis,
with the help Of British forces, defeat
ed the Persians. Herat then became
an Independent city, but in 1861 a
quarrel between the rulers of Herat
and Afghanistan resulted in the city's
passing Of the latter.
Despite frequent revolts and attacks,
Herat continues to rank with the
greet cities Of central Asia. Frequent
rebuilding of the city within the walls
has brought little change to its peo-
pie and daily life. No railroad ap-
proaches nearer than so miles; the
telegraph key has never clicked with
in the city's walls. Unsightly ancient
graveyards outside the walls have
been put in order, new defense works
have been built, and new extension
Of the city with broad streets flanked
by modern shops is rising outside of
the north wall; but the original moat,
As feet wide and 16 feet deep, still is
there today as it was centuries ago.
Inside the walls Heratis live in low
mud and sun-dried brick buildings as
did their ancestors. The streets are
mere passag eways. They are play
grounds for children and stages for
debate by bewhiskered, beturbaned
men. Some of the streets are covered
to keep out the sun. One chronicler
was not far wrong when he compared
them with rabbit warrens.
Hard Route to Kandahar.
South and east Of Herat the expe-
dition encountered difficult terrain
over which few motor cars have
passed. Many swift streams had to be
forded and three mountain ranges
crossed. The only major river encoun-
tered, the Helmand, had to be crossed
by means of an ancient ferry. The
transfer Of the q cars, trailers and
trucks across the Helmand consumed
two days.
To Kandahar, important trade CEN
ter of southern Afghanistan, caravan
roads converge from several gateways
into Persia from Turkestan. from
Herat and Kabul in Afghanistan, and
Dbl, icfa
raphy has given it trade value for two
millenniums.
The town lies on a level plain be-
tween two rivers, the Tarnak and Ar
ghandib. To the north and northeast
lie barren hills. but south and west
of the city the plain is irrigated by nu-
merous canals and is highly productive
and thickly settled. This irrigated
land about Kandahar is one Of the
best fruit growing regions of the Mid
die East. Peaches. apricots, grapes,
figs. melons, and pomegranates grow
TO perfection Fruits, both fresh and
dried. make up prominent items in
the city's exports.
A ditch and a mud-brick wall ex-
tending for more than three miles sur
round Kandahar. Outside the east
gate is large carayansary where are
often to be found huge stores Of wool
and other products destined for India.
Kandahar shows its trade impor-
lance and the cosmopolitan character
Of its 81 600 inhabitants In its bazaars.
Hindu. Afghan. Persian. and Baluchi
merchants handle goods from Europe,
Central Asia. Turkestan. and India.
The Hindu merchants predominant and
axe shipping agents AZ well Their