Afghanistan; Asia, Central -- Description and travel; Eastern question (Central Asia)
The trials of the mission in Seistan were of a distinctly unpleasant
order. During the winter 1904-05 the jackals with which the district
abounds, for some unknown cause went mad, attacking men and animals.
Four members of the Mission were bitten, one of whom died of
hydrophobia. The disease also spread to the wolves, who played great
havoc. One wild night, March 25, 1905, during a blizzard blowing at a
velocity of 88 miles an hour, two mad wolves raided the lines of the
Camel Corps and worried seventy-eight camels and one horse. Forty-eight
of the camels and the horse died of hydrophobia. On another occasion a
horde of these creatures tried unsuccessfully to rush the main camp.
The Seistanis themselves were so overcome by terror that they actually
killed off all but a few of their dogs on whom they depend for safety
and security at night.
[Illustration:
1 2 3
BALUCHI CHIEFS WHO ACCOMPANIED COLONEL MCMAHON
1. Jalal Khan.
2. Bungle Khan of Zhob.
3. Merab Khan, son of Chief of the Buchtie tribe.]
One of the most tragic experiences was the death of an Indian surveyor
while on duty in the waterless Dasht-i-Margo. He ventured too far from
water and, owing to the intense heat, was unable either to move forward
or to retrace his steps. He and seven of his followers paid the penalty
with their lives. This incident was marked by the heroism of one of
his men who, seeing the surveyor die, determined to rescue the map,
to secure which so many lives had been given. He cut it off from the
board of the plane table and, knowing that he could not long retain
consciousness, wound it under his waistcloth round his body. Then he
blindly started northward in the hope of reaching water. The four men
who commenced this journey with him collapsed, he himself remembers
no more than regaining consciousness at night-time lying by a pool in
the Krash river. Here he was found by a wandering Afghan, who carried
him on his back to a native village where, after receiving careful
attention, his life was saved. The bodies of his unfortunate companions
were subsequently discovered in a completely mummified condition.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account