European ever having done so. Major Biddulph had visited Chitral, but
Mr. McNair had not only reached that town by way of the Swat river and
Dir, but crossed the mountains to the west, which divide the valley of
the Kashkar or Chitral river from that of the Arnawai. He reported that
he was kindly received by the villagers of the Lut-dih district, who
belong to the Bashgal tribe of Kafirs. The valley is important, for
along it there runs a direct and comparatively easy route from
Badakshan to Jelalabad. No doubt he would have explored the country
more fully, but owing to the conduct of a native, who maliciously
spread about the report of his being a British spy, Mr. McNair was
forced to abandon further attempts. He ascended, however, to the Dora
Pass over the Hindu Kush Mountains, which he found to be a little over
14,000 feet in height, with an easy ascent, quite practicable for laden
animals. This pass had been previously explored by the "Havildar" on
his return journey to India in 1870-71. Mr. McNair returned by way of
Mastuj, Yasin, Gilghit, and Srinagar. The account of his adventurous
and important journey was read by him before the Royal Geographical
Seciety on the 10th December, 1883, but official permission to publish
the map could not be obtained.




_From the "Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society," November,_
1889.

Obituary.

The late Mr. W.W. McNair.--Colonel T. H. Holdich, R.E., sends us from
India the following additional details regarding the career of Mr.