AFFINITY-AFGHANISTAN.

41

Affin'ity, in Law, the relation contracted by marriage be- There are two crops in a season in these valleys, and fruit, tween a husband and his wife's kindred, and between a wife grain, cotton, tobacco, and silk are produced in large quantiand her husband's kindred, in contradistinction from con- ties. Besides the Amu-Darya and the Indus, the Helmund, sanguinity, or relation by blood; but the kin of the husband Cabul, and Harut are the principal rivers. It has gold, sulphur, are in no way related to the kin of the wife. lead, and iron, in the mountains. The wild animals are lions, Affirma'tion, a solemn declaration which, in the case of tigers, bears, wolves, foxes, and wild camels. The Afghans certain persons, is admitted in lieu of an oath, are generally powerfully made; and, though the features of the men may be styled harsh, the cheek-bones being high and the nose very large, they are often expressive of candor, earnestness, and deliberation. The position of the Afghar language among those of the Indo-Germanic branch has been

Affla'tus originally signified the inspiration received by the Delphic oracles; now applied to inspiration in any department.

Affre, (DENIS AUGUSTE,) Archbishop of Paris, who fell in the insurrection of June, 1848; b. 1793. He was the author of several theological writings and of a work on Egyptian hieroglyphics.

Amoo

TURCOMANIA

(RUSSIAN) Merv

Meshed

Saraks

Samarcand

BOKHAR

Daria R

Balkh

• Khulm

A Penjaeh Malmene
Zulficar Pass

S

Herat

CABUL

Jellallabad

(RUSSIA

Khyber Puss

Gruzni Peshawar

AFGHANISTA

Afghan Frontier Question, The. In 1884-85 the question of boundaries between Russia and Afghanistan came to the front. The Russian advance on the Merv Oasis in Feb., 1884, aroused fears in England for the safety of Herat, the cap. of Afghanistan, and Russia was suspected of designs on that place and of a farther advance to the frontier of India. When Russia began her eastward march from the Caspian Sea it was suspected that she would not stop until she reached the Gate of India. Khiva, Bokhara, Balkh, and Merv fell into her hands, and her troops went southward from Merv toward Herat. Herat was admittedly Afghan, and therefore under British protection. But just to the N. of Herat, in the valley of the rivers Murghab and Heri-Rud, there were many places which, as some said, belonged to Afghanistan, and, as others said, belonged to Turkestan. If they belonged to Afghanistan, then England claimed their protectorate. If they belonged to Turkestan, then Russia claimed their possession. All along the N. edge of India, like a much discussed. A learned writer on the subject, Dr. E. wall of defense, runs the gigantic chain of the Himalayas, Trump, says it is Indian, rather than Iranian. In religion the greatest mountains in the world. At the N.-W. corner they are Mohammedans according to the version of the of India this range of mountains splits up, and, turning Sunites, and are opposed to the Persians and the Sikhs, who toward the S.-E., spreads out into a number of diverging belong to other sects. History. The Afghans have been ranges which cover Afghanistan, the backbone of the system identified with the inhabitants of a hilly country on the westbeing the colossal Hindu Koosh Mountains. This rugged ern slope of the Soliman Mountains mentioned by Herodcountry of Afghanistan, therefore, forms a sort of natural otus. In the 11th c. they are referred to as a small clan in the breastwork for India toward the N.-W., the direction from same district, who, since that period, seem to have assimilated which an invasion by Russia would come, and so England and absorbed populations surrounding them. They first for years kept a sharp oversight of things in Afghanistan. appeared as an independent power during the internal disIn the N.-W. corner of Afghanistan lies the fortified town of cords of Persia after the death of Nadir Shah. Ahmed Herat, which, on account of its commanding position, has Khan, of the race of Abdalli, (1747–1773,) took advantage long been known as the key or gate of India. Right over of these feuds, and liberated A. from Persian rule. His against Herat on the N., and only some 200 m. away, was the success founded the Douranee dynasty. When his son post of the Russians at Merv. After the Russians had got con- Timur d., in 1793, a contest for the throne took place trol of the country thus bordering on Afghanistan the ques- between the brothers Zemaun Mahmud and Shah Sujah, tion immediately came up as to where the exact boundaries which ended in the success of Mahmud, who, however, was of the latter country were. England was anxious to keep compelled to abdicate the throne in 1823, and d. in 1829. the Russians from advancing farther, and so fearful that The empire now fell into the hands of three brothers, of their next step would carry them to Herat that she lost no whom the eldest, Dost Mohammed, ruled at Cabul, the most time in demanding that these boundaries be definitely settled, important of the three divisions of the country, where he had and a joint commission of Russians and Englishmen was a revenue of $1,400,000, and an army of 18,000 men. Still appointed to deal with the question on the spot. The Rus- the country was in an unsettled state, for Dost Mohammed sians claimed a piece of territory between the rivers was at war with Lahore in the E., and in the W. the Persians Murghab and Heri-Rud, issuing from the Afghan mountains, had invaded Herat. On the 1st of Oct., 1838, the Governorthe control of which, it was alleged, would give them com- Gen. of India (Lord Auckland) declared war against A. The mand of the road to Herat. The town of Penjdeh lies upon British forces advanced through the Bolan Pass to Candahar, this road, and, according to English claims, within the edge when Shah Sujah formally claimed possession of the of the Afghan territory. The negotiations between England country. On the 21st of July the army encamped before and Russia related to the question as to where the line Ghiznee, and after some hard fighting that fortress was should be run, and what should be regarded as debatable taken. On the 7th of Aug. Shah Sujah, with the British ground for the purpose. The negotiations were suspended forces, entered Cabul, and the conquest was regarded as during the English ministerial crisis in the summer of 1885. complete. It was a gross misconception of the nature of the Ultimately, however, an amicable settlement was arrived at, country and the character of the people. The land had been the essential principles in dispute being settled by arbitra- invaded, but was by no means conquered. Dost Mohammed tion, and the labors of the Boundary Commission were vir- had surrendered to the English, but his son, Akbar Khan, tually ended in 1886. See the map of Afghanistan, infra. was actively engaged in a conspiracy of which Sir Alexander Afghanistan", "the land of the Afghans," formerly Burnes and the envoy Macnaghten were not aware until it known by the names of Drangiana and Ariana. Afghan is was too late. At the beginning of winter, when help from a Persian name; the inhabitants style themselves Pushtaneh, India was impossible, the outbreak took place at Cabul, (pl. of Pushtu.) Their country is bounded on the N. by when Burnes, Macnaghten, and several British officers were Turkestan, on the E. by Peshawar and Sinde, on the S. by slain. It was then agreed that the invaders should leave the Beloochistan, and on the W. by the Persian highlands of country, while, on the other hand, Akbar Khan and his conKhorassan. The pop. is from 4,000,000 to 5,000,000; area federates stipulated to provide an escort, and make other over 250,000 sq. m. There are only two passes leading necessary arrangements for the retreat. Depending on these through the highlands of A. to the Indus; that in the N., promises, the British army left Cabul on the 6th of Jan., formed by the deep valley of the Cabul River, has strong 1842, in order to return by the Khyber Pass into India; but positions of defense at Jelalabad and Peshawar, not far from neither escort nor provisions were supplied by the Afghan the Khyber Pass; while that in the S., the Bolan Pass, leader, and the severity of the season increased the misery of forms a way of communication with Sinde. The climate the retreat. The fanatical tribes of the districts harassed embraces the extremes of the arctic and torrid zones. The the flanks and rear of the army, and slew women and mountains are cold and barren, the valleys hot, but fertile. I children as well as men. Out of a host of 16,000-or, if