are extremely complicated. The Ameer of the neighbouring country of
Afghanistan claims the sovereignty over the khanates Shugnan and Roshan,
which form the larger portion of the Pamirs. Moreover, he likewise
raises pretensions to the province of Seistan, which is also claimed by
Persia. Now this province is of peculiar importance, because the English
could seize it from Baluchistan without much difficulty, and, if so,
they would obtain a strong flank position to the south of our line of
march, Merv-Herat, by way of Kandahar-Quetta."

"The conditions are, certainly, very complicated."

"So complicated, indeed, that for many years past we have had
differences with the English touching the frontier question. Our British
friends have over and over again forced the Ameer of Afghanistan to
send troops thither; an English expedition for the purpose of frontier
delimitation has been frequently camped on the Pamir Mountains. Of
course, in this respect, we have not been behindhand either. I myself
have before now taken part in such a scientific expedition."

"And it really was merely a scientific expedition?"

"Let us call it a military scientific excursion!" replied the Prince,
smiling. "We had 2,000 Cossacks with us, and got as far as the
Hindu-Kush--the Baragil Pass and another, unnamed, which we called,
in honour of our colonel, the Yonov Pass. There we were confronted by
Afghan troops, and defeated them at Somatash. By order of the English,
who were paying him subsidies, Ameer Abdur-Rahman was obliged to resent
this and petition their assistance. An English envoy arrived in Cabul,
and negotiations were entered into, which we contrived to spin out
sufficiently to gain time for the erection of small forts in the Pamirs.