Volume I Part 68 (2/2)

[The ruby mines are really in the Gharan country, which extends along both banks of the Oxus. Barshar is one of the deserted villages; the boundary between Gharan and s.h.i.+gnan is the Kuguz Parin (in s.h.i.+ghai dialect means ”holes in the rock”); the Persian equivalent is ”Rafak-i-Somakh.” (Cf.

Captain Trotter, _Forsyth's Mission_, p. 277.)--H. C.]

NOTE 3.--The mines of _Lajwurd_ (whence _l'Azur_ and _Lazuli_) have been, like the Ruby mines, celebrated for ages. They lie in the Upper Valley of the Kokcha, called Koran, within the Tract called _Yamgan_, of which the popular etymology is _Hamah-Kan_, or ”All-Mines,” and were visited by Wood in 1838. The produce now is said to be of very inferior quality, and in quant.i.ty from 30 to 60 _poods_ (36 lbs each) annually. The best quality sells at Bokhara at 30 to 60 tillas, or 12_l._ to 24_l._ the pood (_Manphul_). Surely it is ominous when a British agent writing of Badakhshan products finds it natural to express weights in Russian poods!

The Yamgan Tract also contains mines of iron, lead, alum, salammoniac, sulphur, ochre, and copper. The last are not worked. But I do not learn of any silver mines nearer than those of Paryan in the Valley of Panjs.h.i.+r, south of the crest of the Hindu-Kush, much worked in the early Middle Ages. (See _Cathay_, p. 595.)

NOTE 4.--The Kataghan breed of horses from Badakhshan and Kunduz has still a high reputation. They do not often reach India, as the breed is a favourite one among the Afghan chiefs, and the horses are likely to be appropriated in transit. (_Lumsden, Mission to Kandahar_, p. 20.)

[The Kirghiz between the Yangi Hissar River and Sirikol are the only people using the horse generally in the plough, oxen being employed in the plains, and yaks in Sirikol. (Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon, p. 222, _Forsyth's Mission_.)--H. C.]

What Polo heard of the Bucephalid strain was perhaps but another form of a story told by the Chinese, many centuries earlier, when speaking of this same region. A certain cave was frequented by a wonderful stallion of supernatural origin. Hither the people yearly brought their mares, and a famous breed was derived from the foals. (_Rem. N. Mel. As._ I. 245.)

NOTE 5.--The huskless barley of the text is thus mentioned by Burnes in the vicinity of the Hindu-Kush: ”They rear a barley in this elevated country which has no husk, and grows like wheat; but it is barley.” It is not properly _huskless_, but when ripe it bursts the husk and remains so loosely attached as to be dislodged from it by a slight shake. It is grown abundantly in Ladak and the adjoining Hill States. Moorcroft details six varieties of it cultivated there. The kind mentioned by Marco and Burnes is probably that named by Royle _Hordeum Aegiceras_, and which has been sent to England under the name of Tartarian Wheat, though it is a genuine barley. _Naked barley_ is mentioned by Galen as grown in Cappadocia; and Matthioli speaks of it as grown in France in his day (middle of 16th century). It is also known to the Arabs, for they have a name for it-- _Sult_. (_Burnes_, III. 205; _Moorc._ II. 148 seqq.; _Galen, de Aliment.

Facult._ Lat. ed. 13; _Matthioli_, Ven. 1585, p. 420; _Eng. Cyc._, art.

Hordeum.)

Sesame is mentioned by P. Manphul as one of the products of Badakhshan; linseed is another, which is also used for oil. Walnut-trees abound, but neither he nor Wood mention the oil. We know that walnut oil is largely manufactured in Kashmir. (_Moorcroft_, II. 148.)

[See on Saker and Lanner Falcons (_F. Sakar_, Briss.; _F. lanarius_, Schlegel) the valuable paper by Edouard Blanc, _Sur l'utilisation des Oiseaux de proie en Asie centrale_ _in Rev. des Sciences natur.

appliquees_, 20th June, 1895.

”Hawking is the favourite sport of Central Asian Lords,” says G. Capus.

(_A travers le royaume de Tamerlan_, p. 132. See pp. 132-134.)

The Mirza says (l.c. p. 157) that the mountains of Wakhan ”are only noted for producing a breed of hawks or falcons which the hardy Wakhanis manage to catch among the cliffs. These hawks are much esteemed by the chiefs of Badakhshan, Bokhara, etc. They are celebrated for their swiftness, and known by their white colour.”--H. C.]

NOTE 6.--These wild sheep are probably the kind called _Kachkar_, mentioned by Baber, and described by Mr. Blyth in his Monograph of Wild Sheep, under the name of _Ovis Vignei_. It is extensively diffused over all the ramifications of Hindu-Kush, and westward perhaps to the Persian Elburz. ”It is gregarious,” says Wood, ”congregating in herds of _several hundreds_.” In a later chapter Polo speaks of a wild sheep apparently different and greater. (See _J. A. S. B._, X. 858 seqq.)

NOTE 7.--This pleasant pa.s.sage is only in Ramusio, but it would be heresy to doubt its genuine character. Marco's recollection of the delight of convalescence in such a climate seems to lend an unusual enthusiasm and felicity to his description of the scenery. Such a region as he speaks of is probably the cool Plateau of Shewa, of which we are told as extending about 25 miles eastward from near Faizabad, and forming one of the finest pastures in Badakhshan. It contains a large lake called by the frequent name Sar-i-Kol. No European traveller in modern times (unless Mr. Gardner) has been on those glorious table-lands. Burnes says that at Kunduz both natives and foreigners spoke rapturously of the vales of Badakhshan, its rivulets, romantic scenes and glens, its fruits, flowers, and nightingales. Wood is reticent on scenery, naturally, since nearly all his journey was made in winter. When approaching Faizabad on his return from the Upper Oxus, however, he says: ”On entering the beautiful lawn at the gorge of its valley I was enchanted at the quiet loveliness of the scene.

Up to this time, from the day we left Talikan, we had been moving in snow; but now it had nearly vanished from the valley, and the fine sward was enamelled with crocuses, daffodils, and snowdrops.” (_P. Manphul; Burnes_, III. 176; _Wood_, 252.)

NOTE 8.--Yet scarcely any country in the world has suffered so terribly and repeatedly from invasion. ”Enduring decay probably commenced with the wars of Chinghiz, for many an instance in Eastern history shows the permanent effect of such devastations.... Century after century saw only progress in decay. Even to our own time the progress of depopulation and deterioration has continued.” In 1759, two of the Khojas of Kashgar, escaping from the dominant Chinese, took refuge in Badakhshan; one died of his wounds, the other was treacherously slain by Sultan Shah, who then ruled the country. The holy man is said in his dying moments to have invoked curses on Badakhshan, and prayed that it might be three times depopulated; a malediction which found ample accomplishment. The misery of the country came to a climax about 1830, when the Uzbek chief of Kunduz, Murad Beg Kataghan, swept away the bulk of the inhabitants, and set them down to die in the marshy plains of Kunduz. (_Cathay_, p. 542; _Faiz Bakhsh_, etc.)

NOTE 9.--This ”bombasticall dissimulation of their garments,” as the author of _Anthropometamorphosis_ calls such a fas.h.i.+on, is no longer affected by the ladies of Badakhshan. But a friend in the Panjab observes that it still survives _there_. ”There are ladies' trousers here which might almost justify Marco's very liberal estimate of the quant.i.ty of stuff required to make them;” and among the Afghan ladies, Dr. Bellew says, the silken trousers almost surpa.s.s crinoline in amplitude. It is curious to find the same characteristic attaching to female figures on coins of ancient kings of these regions, such as Agathocles and Pantaleon.

(The last name is appropriate!)

CHAPTER x.x.x.

OF THE PROVINCE OF PASHAI

You must know that ten days' journey to the south of Badashan there is a Province called PASHAI, the people of which have a peculiar language, and are Idolaters, of a brown complexion. They are great adepts in sorceries and the diabolic arts. The men wear earrings and brooches of gold and silver set with stones and pearls. They are a pestilent people and a crafty; and they live upon flesh and rice. Their country is very hot.[NOTE 1]

Now let us proceed and speak of another country which is seven days'

journey from this one towards the south-east, and the name of which is KEs.h.i.+MUR.

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