Herat

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 117, 19 March 1885, Page 3

Herat

Frora Pahri we obtained our first view of Herat, and it was with mingled feelings that we gazed upon its iiiiharets arid battlements rising out of gardens and vineyards.- I cannot tresMss uponyour space in order to this once splendid city ; if aiiy of yqiir'readers wish for a graphic hccV»unt of Herat^strategical, political, autl topographical- — I would refer them t*» MaUesoa's '.* Herat." Here I conttmt myself with quoting Conolly's doif!riptipH-p-" The city is situated at ifour miles* distance frqm bills on the worth, and' l2 from those which run south of; it.. ,. , The space . between the hills is one beautiful extent of h'ttle fortified villages, gardens, vineyards, a'ni' cornfields, and this rich scene is brightened by many small streams of shmitte water, which cut ihe plain in all dtrectufns 1 . A" dam is thrown across the Hen Rud^ and. its .waters, being turne^Jiiito n^any canals, are so 6v«r \f^ irate of Herat that every part of His watered. Varieties of the juiosjt.dejicious fruits are >grown in the valley, and they are sold cheaper Mashad; the necessaries ■oli life Are plentiful and cheap, and, tibkexbtfe«d<and water of: Herat are ,a .ffovfirft.for tfeir exeellenoev I >really i never, in England even, tasted, more -deKetous water than that of the Heri liud ; it &_y clea^ as'iears/ and, the, natives say, only eofuallad by the waters of Cashmerer, whieh make- those who beautiful." * : - A i£t * s - ; The origitial r inhabitants of the Jlerat n ; yaUe j seen . tp ..have been 'P^l^sianj,^btit since^ .'tfye invasions pf '^/Gj^engi^. and, "Timour there has been an infusion of Turco-Tartanc bloQd,^ and the .people, under the collective name of-. Char Eimak, are now divided into the four tribes Jamsbidi, Firazkuki, Taimani, and .UnAtu I The following is Vambery's description of the population of Herat tylj&iA.il,.: .-I ;; ■- ..1.-.-'' :• n "The eve is bewildered, by the 'diversity 'or races, Afgharis, Indians, ; .Turcomans, Persians, and Jews.'" The' Afghan parades about .'either -injbis natioual costume, consisting of a long shirt, drawers, and dirty (fiueh-olothesy or in his military undress, and here his favourite garment is the i»6d -English obat; from 'which even in his sleep he will nof part. He throws it qn" over his shirt while he , sets' on 'liis' neaj the picturesque Indo^ Afghan turban. OtheiiSfa^a^a, and these are tiwrb^ftftmoftcUt are wont tQ assume a rlu^frPexsian; costume ; weapons i are borne by all. Barely . does any one, 1 wfce4fcep'!eivil or 'military, enter the bazaar without his sword and shield. '^To bWqtiite'tt la mode bhe must carry quite, an arsenal, consisting c of two'pUtbls, a sword, pointed handyr, 8M n '*&$ *^©W- [With- th^ wild, >;fn^rtWU>okin>c Afghan, we, can ;onh compare the Turcoman-like Jamshidi £ aiiiwr wrateb;edly ' 'dressed i ■ Herati, the naked Hazara, the Timuri of the ■"vfcitrityi J 'ftrW JlJ «V«rloolc6d when tht Afghan is present. H^ Encounter! nothing , u -but. ."abject humility, bui never m ruleP or conqueror sit •mtStea^ai is' ihe f 'Afghan 'by th< "He^fc^^abn times, '

- A- curious case of domestio-infeHoity (says the Wairarapa Star) came before MrWardell,B.M.,at.Featherstonrecently. Mary. Ann ShiiL'y summoned John Webber -for assault. She complained that ' she "had acted as a wife to Webber for the last ten years, but lately she got more kicks than ha'pence, and sits wanted to : get rid of him. Webber, bein > a«ked 'the reason why, stated the woman wus his property ; he had bought her from Jier husband for five shillings, and he claimed the right to do with her as he thought proper. , , Mr Wardell refused to recognise the sale, and much to Webber's disgust ordered him to pay the cost of the proceedings* seven shillings, and to abstain from molesting Mrs Shirley for the future under the pain of imprisonment.