HERAT AND CENTRAL ASIA.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1528, 30 March 1885, Page 2

HERAT AND CENTRAL ASIA.

» The war cloud rising upon th* north-western boundary of Afghanistan has attracted the at en tion of the world to those imalayan regions of which so little is generally known. The in hospitable nature of the country and the fierce warrior horde, of the Turcomans have presented an almost insurmountable barrier to their explorationA few adventurous Europeans, however, have traversed them in company with the caravans of traders, and left records of their observations as to tbe resource** of the country and opportunities it affords for the passage of armies unencui ubered with the appliances of modern civilisations. From the times of Alexander the Greatseveral powerful invaders have crossed its deserts and entered tbe fertile ▼alleys of the rivers flowing from t_K> mountain ranges on the sooth, through which the roads towards the rich pUmaof India lay. Starting /rom Charjui, upon th* Amu Daria, known as the Oxus in ancient times, three routes converge upon Merv. about 150 miles in length -, for far the greater portion of this tbo country is a sandy desert, with titer at distant intervals and of indifferent quality, but notwithstanding these difficulties the Russian troops have established themselves iv force at Merv This town is at present a place of noimportance, bat under Russian dominion the reconstruction of the dams and irrigation works of the Murghab will j soon restore their pristine fertility to the vast level plains around, and enable them to yield large supplies of fo*d and forage for the support of their atmies. From this place start tho well-worn caravan routes, leading to Persia, to the West, aud to India, via. Herat, ta the South. By this 1 1 latter route the Russian troops are to* advancing, followiug the valley of the ( ! Margbab upwards, which here is a deep steam of about 60ft in width, | flowing swiftly along a channel cut t deep into its clay banks. The surrounding district was formerly Well ( cultivated, but is now deserted save I y . wandering bands of Turcomans, who hud abundance of pasture for their t flocks all aloug the valley At a dU- , tauce of about 120 miles from Merv tho 7 road enters the valley ef the Kush, «. % tributary of the Murghab, where rained vineyards and deserted fields tell their c sad tale of an industrious population driven from their homes by the ruths i»3s hand of marauders, bat only needing protection to life and property to s be agaiu reclaimed from the wilderness and brought under cultivation aud ' fruitfulne**. Ail long the valley there t! is tiue pasturage, npon which tlm y uotuad tribes of Jatnshidis feed r large flocks' of sheep and goats j and rear great numbers of horses. , Following tliis stream up to its source, I the route crosses the mountain ridged I ; of Kaitu by gradients perfectly pra«> , I ticable for wheeled carriages of every , ' description to Parwana, whence a ' i gentle .descent between low wooded I ; hills leads to Herat. The Busaai> t ! troops have advanced by this road as r i far as Pendjeh, where the two streams | join, and are therefore quite half-way ; on their march towards Herat, which ' 1 { they could easily reach in six marche*, as it is unlikely that the Afghans alon* • ' would be able to interpose aay effectual ! opposition to their advance. ' i Returning to Merv, an alternative 1 j route, about equal in point of distance ' { above described, starts ta the south- . t westward to Sarrakhs, distant about 7t> | miles. The country is thus described 1 by But nes. — "The tract is entii-ely 1 different to that upon the opposite bauk of the Murghab, and towards the middle ef the journey the desert changed iuto a level, hard, flat sarfftoe. The countty is destitute of water ; bat ' there are many remains of cisterns and ' caravansera is that had been built by the | philanthropic Abdullah Khan, ot 1 i Bokhara. For the last 13 miles before I reaching Sarrakhs the character of the * ! county changea, the dead level of the ! desert giviug place to a gentle ascent, while a more luxuriant vegetation speaks of a fertile soil and proximity of water. This is found in abundance at a depth of 20 feet, and the wells afford ' the means of irrigation , which alone is requisite for tbe growth of corps of every kind of grain. The desert route has been safely traversed by caravans from the earliest ages, and pnserits no insuperable obstacle to the inarch of , an enemy led by a competeut general. From Sarrakhs a good level road leads along the left bank of the Tejend River for aboat 80 miles, where the stream separates into two 'ranches, the oue turning towards Mashad to the westward, while the, present river (from tbis point known as the Herivod) flows down the wide valley from tbe bills away to the south. Here the road crosses te the right bank, and gradually ascends the hills that overhang its course. Windingalongthespnra tbe range is crossed by the Ts akhehil Pass, which is perfectly practicable for guns and wheeled transport, audtbence an easy descent leads to the valley of tbe river, which is again crossed. Here a wide level plain ia entered upon, abounding in game, with wood and forage in ph?*7» and --leading for 125 miles to Keshan, whence 8 days* 1 easy journey through a fertile tract of couutry everywhere watered by tilt Herivud, where spreading trees aflsrd a welcome shade, lead the travaljsr r* Herat" The eld eastern pranerb mm Sbon asan is the oyetmbatf of ta»w*dd, and Herat is its pearl. Situate* at aa elvation of 2600 ft above the sea, on tb* slopes of the mountains, which nse at a distance of about 4 miles a tits back, while ta the sr-nth ihii valley opensout to a ivid*A A 'AU' 1. rail^s, h occupies a ?■'- - - -'■ v■' ■:• . Ar ; i ? *::1n- ...... ■.;.... / . . . ;- v