A LIFE OF PROMISE ABRUPTLY ENDED.--It was with feelings of deep sorrow
that we read in _The Pioneer_ of Friday last the death notice of Mr.
William McNair, the Kafiristan explorer. A man singularly frank and
genial, he was 33 years of age when he undertook the venture that won
for him the medal and fellowship of the Royal Geographical Society
which were conferred in 1884. In that year he had the satisfaction of
lecturing before British audiences on the results of his travels, and
as it was the first time he had visited the land of his fathers the
pleasure of seeing the old country under circumstances so honourable to
himself was doubly keen.

The story of his adventures may be briefly told. Every one knows that
the Government of India issued strict injunctions against allowing any
European to cross the Afghan frontier. Nevertheless that restless
spirit Sir Charles McGregor, Quartermaster-General, was naturally
anxious to know something of the debateable land that lies north of the
Kabul river and south of the Hindoo Koosh, and which tradition alleges
to have been colonised by the soldiers of the Great Alexander himself.
We have no doubt, that McGregor prompted the enterprise, though McNair
never distinctly said that he had been urged by so high an officer to
break the orders of his official superiors. The affair was arranged in
this way. McNair took furlough, and ceased for the moment to be a
servant of Government. He disappeared across the frontier and was not
heard of again till his safe return was assured. Of course he had
confederates; one in particular, a tribal chief whose friendship he had
secured in the Afghan campaigns of 1878-79. His disguise was, however,
pretty complete, walnut juice being, we believe, the material that
converted a florid complexion into the tan so natural to Afghan
mountaineers. He had the wisdom to confine his words to a language he