1941-02-24 — Page 39

THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 24, 1941

Page '7

CHINA MAIL A Trip To Kabul

-WINDSOR HOUSE

THE TIME FOR WINNING

Afghanistan.

The few travellers that from time to time make their way into Alghanistan, generally go by way of the Khyber Pass, and it was by this famous Pass that I went up Hitler's spoken threats to Kabul to join the staff there first British Embassy to by this time cannot add of the greatly to the world's fears, but his promises to the German people are so concentrated upon 1941 that he faces himself the major challenge of Now or Never.

men

at Detraming

of the

bc

fell

wind sprang up, which penetrated the fur coat I wore.

protect the pass. are collectively patch here and there where the, the right. The temperature responsible for the safety of the snow had melted and laid bare considerably, and a keen Pass itself, and fifty yards on the mountain side. each side of it. The frequen

Seven miles from Torkham is blood-feuds between the various hill tribes, are not allowed to be Ducca, a small village in a wide

Round and round the mountain fought out is this area. Violence valley, surrounded by a mud wall,

have now

become from which he children scamper- paths the car zigzagged, and at

forth and sniping

and shouted their moments it seemed as if we must extremely rare, and the Khyber ed

at the present time

salaams ns the may

car sped past. be shot over the precipice into traversed with greater security What was particularly noticeable

Thick ice was than some of the London or Paris were the features of the young the gorge below.

ol the slopes, the Peshawar,

on some by day, for the girls, which strikingly reseinbled lying thoroughfares

biblical types North Western man who would venture in the the

of the okl

while a blinding dust, driven by railhead

Pass at night, would Israelites. lending colour to the Indian Railway, and the most Khyber

ecurt almost certain death. After claim of the Afghans to be one the wind, considerably impeded progress, as it was difficult to see either in advance ortherly British military canton-nightfall, even the Afridis then- of the ten lost tribes of Israel.

many steps belated, avoid the ment station in the North-Wesi selves, when

man or beast. We frequently ran Frontier Province of India, I pro-Pass, and reach their villages by

into the tail end of a caravan be. devious side paths. corded by motor car onwards at

The caravan stations of Basa-fore either was aware of the pre- wal, ten miles from Dacca, and sence of the other. When there two c'eleck in the afternoon,

of Balticot, ten miles further on, would be a shouting and a scam-

successively passed, were

oni pering, the camels in their fright Jellaabad, ten miles from the last dashing now to one side of the

seemed path, stage, was reached at 4 p.m, where | narrow a halt was to be made for the moment to hang perilously over ledge, and then in terror night at the Bagh-i-Shahi (Gar- the den of the King).

scampered to the other side, where their drivers would try to hold The last stage was over a con- their heads towards the mountain we motored by, in im- paratively wide valley, dominated slope as by the Safed Koh on the left, and minent risk of the camels back- the Laghman Ridge on the right.ing and pushing us over the pre- Heavy stretches cf sand here and cipice. there considerably inpeded pro-

Hitler has set his own goal, and the time is near

For Jamrud, which guards the] when he must deliver Indian side of the Khyber Pass, This fast-approaching ten miles distant from Peshawar, and entering crisis is not only a deadly was soon reached. stress, one of the most ap- the Pass, followed a narrow, zig- palling that

andzag track, running between bleakt women have been called rocks and overhanging crags. to bear in all history, but On all sides there were signs of it brings with it a flaming the ceaseless watch kept in this hope. If Britain holds, key to India, both to protect the him off, Hitler will have Pass, and to prevent suffered disaster on the most bitter and undeni- able scale.

Proceeding on the journey, Fort Ah Masjid was reached at 4.50 ridge Islated, on a small p.m. above the fort. overlooked by grin and rugged mountains, was

By W. Rees Harriss,

M. 1. J. Lond

the fierea small British cemetery where a few young officers and men, Pathum tribes that dwell in the

who were killed in action against adjoming mountams, from sweep- | the Afridis in 1919, are buried.

marauding ex- ing down on

Panorama Of Wild pedition 201802 the fertile plums

Although Berlin Was below, aflutter last summer with| There was but little movement,

Wes zuch ridge

dotted gay speculations whether though England would in with picquets of soldiers, and on positions could July or August, Hitler commanding

bluckhouses himself was too cagey to". commit himself to a time-cutting into the skyline.

fall

merely

sech

forts and

-Pass

table. In June, right after Guardians Of Khyber

he Dunkirk, promised destruction,' without dates, of the enemy in London and Paris.

On September 4 he re- assured his people: "When the British

say: 'He doesn't come,' my an- swer is: 'Keep your shirts on he is coming.'

ན་

Scenery

Terrific Heat

for

1

gress. It is said that in July, World's Weirdest Place

from

under the influence of the terrine heat which prevalis, this sand in

Jagdallak, Afty miles places becomes so hot that it is Jelalabad, was reached at 6 o'clock possible to cook an egg in it.

in the evening. Of

weird all places in the world, it is difficult Jelalabad, famous for the de-

to imagine one more weird then fence by Sir George Sale in 1839, this A single, solitary hill rose is situated on the Kabul river, ! up from a narrow valley, on one almost midway between the! side if which was the bed of a The route from Al Masjid lay

Peshawar valley and Kabul, It river, almost dry, except for a through a narrow gorge, hemmed has a permanent population of

few rills coursing erratically over UD all sides by overhanging 3,000 souls, which is largely in-

the plain, which uniting a little rocks. The road

creased in the winter by an in- farther on, disappeared into tuous, winding course, changing flux of tribesmen from the sur- its direction with kaleidoscopie Sounding hills. who come down rapidity, and presenting RN to enjoy the milder climute.

1

í

was one

tor-

endless panorama of wild scenery, whose ruggedness and grimness alled one with a feeling of awe. Profound stillness reigned, unly broken by the movement of the rushed over Overhead, along the line of the automobile, which

the narrow, ledge-like road, now frack, ran the tireless aerial repe-taking a sharp turn to the right. way, used for transporting ma-

then an abrunt turn to the leti, ny ascending, then descending, terial for the Khyber

100d anwhile the track left in the rear also to convoy

to seemed and stores to the troops watching in streaks, one above the other, m

Railway.

resemble

the rocky slopes.

Landi Kotal,

parrow

Beautiful Gardens

Passed

Begh-i-Shah! was entered a beautiful Ravenue of through

which led into a cypress trees, spacious garden, in the centre of which were the palace buildings and guest-houses.

narrow

gorge. All round this plain rose up bleak and grim hills, devoid of all vegetation, some of them of the niost grotesque shapes, cutting off all view of the country beyoud. A place of sin- ister memory, for it was at Jag- dallak that the fierce tribes that inhabit this district fell on the disorganised and demoralised Bri- fish force that had retreated from Kabut in the winter of 1839, and literally exterminated them, only one man out of twelve thousand These grounds, enclosed by a scaping to tell the news of the most tragic disaster that ever mud wall about twelve feet high.

befell British arms. the farther outposts.

inid out with were beautifully

ornamental ten miles from flowers arranged in

Nightfall was already approach- The present guardians of Khyber Pass, called Khussadars, All Majid, was reached at 6 p.m. beds, and plots of fruit trees, ning, and the dark-giay clouds paths tastefully looked heavy with snow, as the is a fort situated 11 the terspersed with an irregular force "fmiddle of the Pass in a large eir-adorned with pams and ferna.

car zigzagged round the conspicuous, nascent and finally reached the tribal sys-cular plain, shut in on all sides Orange trees were Afridis, raised un

(chiefs) of each by lofty hills, at present garrison- und many had fruit ripening on summit of the hill, which formed tem, the maliks

ed by Eughsh and Gurka troops.them. There are said to be five a small, quadrangular plateau, -hundred tree: In the grounds, flanked by a low balustrade of tribe furnishing reliable quotas of

London Street In which were planted in a single stone, in the centre of which was men for this purpose.

day, ten each by fifty of the a rest-house of the Amir. Hera, Wilderness

courtiers of the then Amir, at his at an altitude of 7,000 feet, the order. Marble channels irrigated night was passed, and notwith- the grounds, drawing their water standing the huge log fires that from several

artificial tanks, burned on the open hearth of my room, the cold and pitiless winds which fountains played.

that prevail at this time of the year made rest impossible.

consist of

the

His New Year's greet-Į ings to the army promis- ed: "The year 1941 will bring consummation of the greatest victory in our of the Khyber, the several tribes history."

His anniversary speech tolls on all passengers and cara-

this

Before the British occupation that occupiezí this region levied

This

As I motored into the precincts of the fortress, where I was to spend the night, a team of Bri- soldiers was seen playing football un the plain. The sol-

vans passing through their res

on an average tish month predicted:ctive sections,

cach five miles of the Pass re- "The year 1941 will be a presenting a kind of independent diers in this far-flung outposi historic year for the new kingdom, with fiscal autonomy. European Order." He

Pass Now Quite Safe spoke of "definite bases,"

Finally, these tribes were given and "when the time comes an anuual subsidy equal to the we will launch a decisive amount of their yearly revenue the from the tolls. At present blow. These gentlemen body of Khossadars enrolled to will realise in this historic year that we used time

Hitler must win, well." He saw 1941 as the 'cess. year in which his armies and if the assault fails, he has been defeated. No "will wrest victory."

Time, after Seizure of England and excuses! ending of the war are that, runs swiftly against Hitler's pledges under the him, and the spirit of his contract, to be delivered followers may drop to 1918 this year.

His victory levels.

a

Fiercert Tribe In Afghanistan

steep the

seemed lo know how 10 make

Captivating Scene themselves al home. Another

Resuming the journey next evidence of the was forthcoming

Leaving Jagdallak the next when a little later on

the morning at 10 o'clock, we pro- 2 evening 1 took a stroll along the ceeded through a narrow valley, morning at 9.30 a.m. we followed military lines. Looking at a sign over a metalled road, pas: the a winding path over the moun- observed that I was in walled villages of Bowali, Sultan-tains, on all the slopes and sum- and Fatehabad, each mits of which lay deep snow. Im- post, I "Bond Street." Somewhat fur- pore

**Whitehall," on were

the situated ten miles from one an-mediately in front was the Lata- ther "Embankment," and to crown all other, to Nimlah, where these is hand Range, which dominated the rest-house. of the Amir. A scene, and stood out against the "L'avenue de la Grande Armee,"

horizon as a huge barrier. As we .was made here. It which was given to one of the short halt

was quite an idyllic spot. The approached nearer, the Half Kotal Pass opened up. Soon a captivat- Gurka lines.

rest-house was situated in the

ing panorama came into view. midst of a charming old garden The journey was continued next of the Moghul type, said to have All around was one vast expanse morning to the frontier over the heen planted in 1610 by Shah Nichni Kandao summit, and then Jchen, father of Aurangzeb, the down a descent of some 3,000

contains some fine pecimens of teet, a precipitous drop down the last Moghul emperor of India, and into valleys which alternately are over a hundred years old. side of steep mountain slope, the chenar tree, sere:ut of which broadened and contracted, and su

which snowclad

of white, from summits sprang up, forming an nicles, which stretched out row undulating series of white pin- upon row

until they merged in the horizon beyond. Higher and higher we ascended, tintil we

to Landi Khana, the last British Nimiah is silucien in the Khug- seemed to have reached the level outpost, and the Afghan bound-gants country, whose inhabitants of the summits around. We were cannot be deferred. Not It is a desperate chance ary at Torkham, which was reach are reputed to be the wildest and now on the highest point of the ed at noon. A line of white farcest in the Amir's dominions. pass, Balutok. 8,250 feet above sea. stones separated British and When the journey was resumed level. From here the descent to occupy and destroy the on which the world's free-

commenced, and zigzagging down curious to

narrow, precipitous power of England, even to dom depends - this deci-Afghan territory, and a few yards at 12.30 p.m., I was

in front of where my motor car get a glimpse of the people, but through the the eyes of the propagan- sion whether Britain now came to a dead standstill, as beyond a few children who gam-paths, from where the snow had been cleared and piled against barred further boiled and shouted sulagms, and da-saturated Nazi zealots, can defend her island Afghan sentries

into the Kabul would be a failure beside against the gamble of was a large signboard a few women who took a coy look against the mountain side we

on which

was written in bold at the motor from beneath their hally emerged which Italy's debacle 1941's Genghis Khan, who characters in English:"Il is ab-burklias, no one was to be seen. Forge.

Lolutely forbidden to cross the The men folk seemed to be all would look almost like must sweep onward or border into Afghan territory." winning.

perish.

The

After inspection of passports,

absent.

Leaving the gorge we entered a wide plain between low-lying hills, and came to Butháls, where The road soon became very And so Hitler must It is inescapable. And the Journey was resumed. much obstructed by camel car there is a small rest-house, After throw into this boasted it is not hopeless.

avans, which seemed to form con-making a brief halt at this place, I was now in the Independent tinuous streams moving in op- the journey was continued over a offort all the strength he hope of the world is back-Kingdom of Afghanistan. There posite directions, and the car had broad plain for about six miles to the left bank has.

His 'planes must ed by a courage which has was no sudden change in the continually to slow up, as the Baghrami, a shooting-lodge of the

landscape. To the right the camels reared and jumped about Amir, situated on

of the Logar river, Ave inlles blacken the sky, all of accomplished miracles al- Mohmand Hills stood out sharp in evident distress.

from Kabul City, which had been and majestic, with their vanow- them. Millions of his sol-ready Grant survival to clad peaks glistening in the mid- Nearing Jagdallak, the next appointed by the Afghan Govern. narrowed perment as the temporary, residence diers must push into the Britain in the months just day sun, while to the left was the stop, the rood

Safed Koh (White Mountains), ceptibly, and steadily ascended a of the British Legation, and whielr

moat of the channel, ahead, and the long lane overtoworing all the hills in the winding track. Runge upon range was duly reached at six o'clock spending lives without of Hitler's conquest has foreground, and forming as far as of hills rose up before us, bound-in the evening as the setting sun the eye could see one long, un-Jed by the Safed Koh on the left, dropped behind the snowy, panics count in order to buy suc- reached its turning.

broken line of white, save for a nnd the majestic Hindu Kush in for the mighty Hisdu Kush.”

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