Celebrated Travels and Travellers, Part 3.: The Great Explorers of the Nineteenth CenturyVerne, Jules
History
Celebrated Travels and Travellers, Part 3.: The Great Explorers of the Nineteenth Century
Verne, Jules
Discoveries in geography; Explorers; Voyages and travels
The Brahouis carry their wandering habits still farther. Few men are
more active and strong; they endure the glacial cold of the mountains
equally with the burning heat of the plains. They are of small stature,
but as brave, as skilful in shooting, as faithful to their promises, as
the Belutchis, and have not so pronounced a taste for plunder.
Pottinger says, "I have seen no Asiatic people whom they resemble, for
a large number have brown hair and beards."
After a short stay at Kelat, the two travellers, who still passed as
horse-dealers, resolved to continue their journey, but instead of
following the high road to Kandahar, they crossed a dreary and barren
country, ill-populated, watered by the Caisser, a river which dries up
during the summer; and they reached a little town, called Noschky or
Nouchky, on the frontier of Afghanistan.
At this place, the Belutchis, who appeared friendly, represented to
them the great difficulty of reaching Khorassan and its capital, Herat,
by way of Sedjistan. They advised the travellers to try to reach Kerman
by way of Kedje and Benpor, or by Serhed, a village on the western
frontier of Beluchistan, and from thence to enter Nermanchir. At the
same moment the idea of following two distinct routes presented itself
to both Christie and Pottinger. This course was contrary to their
instructions; "but," said Pottinger, "we found a ready excuse in the
unquestionable advantage which would result from our procuring more
extensive geographical and statistical knowledge of the country we were
sent to explore than we could hope to do by travelling together."
Christie set out first, by way of Douchak. We shall follow his fortunes
hereafter.
A few days later, while still at Noutch, Pottinger received letters
from his correspondent at Kelat, telling him that the emirs of Scinde
were searching for them, as they had been recognized, and that his best
plan for safety was to set out immediately.
Upon the 25th of March Pottinger started for Serawan, a very small town
near the Afghan frontier. Upon his way thither Pottinger met with some
singular altars, or tombs, the construction of which was attributed to
the Ghebers, or fire-worshippers, who are known in our day as Parsees.
Serawan is six miles from the Serawani mountains, in a sterile and bare
district. This town owes its existence to the constant supply of water
it derives from the Beli, an inestimable advantage in a country
constantly exposed to drought, scarcity, and famine.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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