THE KHYBER PASS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 284, 27 August 1919, Page 7

THE KHYBER PASS

A RISKY PLACE FOR A WALK SKETCH OF A FAMOUS ' TERRITORY The Khyber Pass is one of tho historic spots of tho world, one of those ■unhappy places which, like Belgium, have had too much history. From the of man's era ivpon earth it ' -vis heen the main avenue of inrush oon India; it has seen so much of \iightei; that, the very stones which Mkle its arid , hillsides might-be the ones of dead men. There are many men to whom India has meant just the Kkyher, and Khyber and nil its puzzling perploxities, and there are men, servants of the Empire, living hard and perilous lives', to whom it is eo even yet. writes Arthur. W. Howlett, in the "Manchester Guardian." One of the problems of India has bee* to , find a "scientific" frontier—that is to say, a frontier consistent with all the complexities of strategy, ethnography, and polity. In part it has solved itself along natural lines; in part it has evolved itself along the lines of a definite policy. It is best, perhaps, that it should always retain some degree of elasticity, for, naturally, the demands made upon It,vary very considerably. Akbnr the Great was no'more free , from it than is the British Raj of to-day, and it cost him twenty years of his bloodiest fighting before he could reduce it to a semblance of order. When ono speaks of the Indian frontier one has to understand that it is not everywhere a clearly, defined line. There js a boundary where British territory begins or ends, but beyond that it is not immediately Afghanistan. There intervenes a belt of neutral territory inhabited by wild tribes who own absolute allegiance neither to the Ameer nor to Great Britain. Having been subsidised by the latter now for many years these tribesmen have learned on which sido their bread is buttered, and are to all/ intents our allies; also, from their ranks we-have drawn recruifa to filter into. kouib of the finest Indian regiments, where their martial proclivities can find an outlet. Others are converted into 'levies," receiving a monthly a,llo\yance and a gift, of arms and ammunition. These still dwell in their own country, but undertake to keep open the roads, protect telegraphs, arrest marauders, and , , "■hat is perhaps most to the point, refrain from marauding themselves. This neutral belt may be as much as ono hundred, miles broad. In other parts, ns in'the south, the boundaries are clearly demarcated, by lines of stones; but this is desert, uninhabited country, where there is no call to go raiding for any ono. ' .':'■'■ \ , This country was difficult to subdue or to hold in the old days, entailing a ereat multiplication'of troops to keep watch in tho numerous valleys. With aeroplanes and wireless the task of intelligence work will be much simplified, and mechanical transport will facilitate the movements'of troopseven over' thess trackless wastes. , ' ■ f A Beautiful City. Peshawar itself, standing some few miles'- from tho entrance to tho Khyber, is a beautiful and .striking city. I came to it first one mid-November, when tho days were hot and sunny, with tho enticing warmth of the winter daytime, and tho nights were foggy and chill. The cantonment, with its long, smooth Toads, bordered and almost/overarched by magnificent trees, its stretches, of greensward, and its gardens retreating back to the white and blue walls of fhe bungalows, putting ono in mind : of Kew, is a sort of garden city of .the tropics where the feast to the eye alono was ai pure delight. Snd,: as ever in these, Indian places, there was tho,vociferation of bird and , insect voices everywhere and tho . subtle flash and glint of wings in and out the shubberics. By nightfall the air grew heavy with perfuniea of the roses which bloomed in profusion evcrywhoro, and mingled with it there came from tho native city and from the servants' quarters behind tho bungalows tho pungent odours' of native tobacco a-nd wood fires. The stars glittered keenly above the fog, for it was but a ground mist, and their epangled masses.were broken by-the triangle of blackness which- showed where the mountains walled in the dark, mysterious Khyber. Presently there camo tapping, an old man with a stick, ami I saw it was the chokedar. Then I saw that, unlike other parts of India, the stick ho held in his hand was a spear, and I remembered that hero in this city tlib night was apt to run , ' wild suddenly with heavy terrors. 'It is not tin unusual matter for the outlying parts of thfc city ■to bo' raided of a night. The sileueo is suddenly broken by shots and shouts, there'is the red glare of a' few burning huts, and nest mornjng (i much-gashed corpse or two in the city, hospital.-, Safe Days for Walks. I was young and inexperienced in those days, and an amusing incident hei'el me. I iiad hired a bicycle from the bazaar, and was proposing' to myself to go out for a ride to see the famous pass. By good luck the hotel manager came out, and 1 airily mentioned my design. The good man looked very much astonished, as well he might, and, having explained the unpleasant habits of some of the gentry I might expect to meet on the road, had no difficulty in dissuading mo from my plan. They open the Khyber twice a. week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, and on these days the friendly tribesmen arrange to picket the heights. An escort travels up and takes with it any caravan which may bo proceeding to Afghanistan. It also takes over'at the other end of tho pass, any that may be coming down. The only times that travellers bent on sightseeing can satisfy themselves are on these occasions. Ordinarily the road is sacrosanct, and it is a recognised , thing that no one may bo shot upon it, not even if he be a, man whose great-uncla killed your aunt's eecond cousin, and who by the polite usages of frontier society must, therefore, 1 he hunted down by you until the vendetta is satisfied. But there are always, budniashes who do not respect these established traditions, and'in the local cemetery you can find more than one grave occupied by poor English -lommies" who have strayed a little beyond tho ordinary boundaries and been found later hacked to ribbons. From tho Afridi dwellings oft the road deep trenches lead on to the road itself, so that the inhabitants can reach this sanctuary without exposing themselves to the shots- of their neighbours. Life Jieed never be dull for most of them, since they are always either waiting to shoot or be shot a.t. Beyond the boundaries of the cantonment the smiling fertility of green lawns and clambering roses abruptly ceases, ■ mid oue conies on all the stark aridity of the frontier land. The. road runs through it all straight to Janmid, at the door of the pass, but either side is waste country, brown and dusty, shimmering witli -he sun, broken up by dry nullahs and empty water channels, with only a tower dwelling here and there, standing like a lighthouse at sea. Naturally, cultivation does not flourish, as it is impossible to live comfortably with your, neighbour taking not shots at you from his window -From this wild region, you can ride back again, and in ten minutes pass the great »reen in front of the club where Englishmen m white flannels are playing ci;icket and tennis or .thundering up and down on their polo, ponies, while English women in cool frocks sit ' in the verandahs watching them and drinking tea. Major-Gencral C. C. Williams, Chief of Ordnance of tho United States Army, states Hint the money expended by the United States on ordnance the ,war would rebuild New York twice! Merely apply "Pluvol" to your boots uppers and soles, and they will become absolutely waterproof. Let it hail, rain, or snow—you can say. "Why worry!" "Pluvol" penetrates Hie leather in just a few minutes, striking right into and attaching itself to the fibres, thus becoming an actual part of the leather. It immediately changes to a viscous paste and nothing can wash it away. "Pluvol" is a leather preservative, May be used upon either black or tan. Get "Pluvol" 10-day. Sold by all good' bootmakers, saddlers, and general stores—ls, 6d. for half-pints, 2s. 6d. for pinta. If your dealer does not etock, order from us, adding 4d. postage for small and 6d, for large. Wholesale Agents: Harold Lightband, Ltd., 70A Li tchfield Street, Christchurch.—Advt