Page:England & Russia in Central Asia,Vol-I.djvu/147

Rh that quarter, it would be the first occasion of which any historical record is preserved. It would be an experiment. By closing Baroghil, and by carefully watching any approach to Faizabad, all danger now, or at any future period, is removed from this direction. Of the various routes which might be followed in an advance on either Khulm or Balkh much more certain information is obtainable. The direct road to Khulm is that from Karatagh and Hissar, crossing the Oxus at Iwachik ferry. The communication between Karatagh and Hissar is defective, and in other ways Hissar is a base of much less value than Karshi, further to the west. The distances are from Samarcand to Hissar one hundred and fifty miles, Hissar to Oxus one handred and twenty miles, and Khulm forty more. Khulm is the key to the main road to Bamian via Heibak—the most northern point to which British troops went in 1841—and is only two hundred and forty miles from Cabul. At Heibak a road also branches to the left, which at Khindjan turns off to the Salalang pass leading to Istalif, and beyond Inderaub to the Khawak pass, which debouches into the Panjkir valley. It was in this region that Dost Mahomed strove for many months to out-manoeuvre our troops, and to some extent made up for the inferiority of his army by rapidity of motion and superior knowledge of the country. A road to Kundus from Hissar, crossing the Oxus at Hazrat-Imam, is still more direct for Inderaub and the Khawak. Kundus is, however, a very unhealthy place, and does not possess the same advantages in position that Khulm does.