ELD 112 — Kani in the Baluch Desert

• Owen, Charles (1884-86): Transcript of diary and letters, pp. 89-90: “5 Oct. [1884] 1st Echelon marched last night at 5.30 pm for Camp Kani, a distance of 18 miles, reaching the latter place at 12.30 am. We encamped amongst some sand hills below some high rocks. […] There was a complete eclipse of the moon commencing at 12.30 am and lasting till 2.30 am. […] I suppose it was quite 3 am before we got our tent up, and the pitching of them was no easy matter, as in heavy sand the iron pegs would not hold. […]”
• Griesbach, C. L. (1885): Afghan Field Notes, p. 58: “[…] As will even be clear from a view of the old map of Afghanistan the country lying between Nushki and the Helmund, with much of the area to the north of it, is nothing but a desert now, though water may be found in most localities by digging wells. The features of the whole area are similar to those described between Kandahar and Quetta, consisting of more or less parallel ranges, which run between east–west and north-east–south-west, separated by wide stretches of dash-deposits, which reach an enormous thickness in the Lower Helmund valley. […]”
• Holdich, T.H. (1885): Afghan Boundary Commission; Geographical Notes, p. 42: “[…] From Band (25 miles from Nushki) the next four halting-places are Umarshah (10 miles), Zaro (8 miles), Kahni (19 miles) and Gazchah (14½ miles), in all of which there was a fair supply of well water found a few feet only below the surface. The physical aspect of this part of the desert is much the same as that already described, a flat, hard surface of put, bearing indications of occasional heavy rainfall and flood, and occasionally unmistakable signs of snow; the same somewhat scanty growth of shrub (chiefly a low species of tamarisk), and the same sudden occurrence of sand waves of dunes always suggesting the same query, Why are they not blown away by the strong prevailing wind? […]”
• Yate, A.C. (1887): Travels with the Afghan Boundary Commission, p. 39: “As described to me, the Kani route to the Helmund runs for some 160 miles over hard put (alluvial clay), winding in and out among scattered sandhills. To the right and left the road is bounded by the Registan – i.e., sandy desert – more especially to the right, in which direction the Registan stretches away to Shorawak, Kandahar, and Girishk. Year by year this vast mass of loose sand is moved steadily, presumably by the action of wind alone, […].”; pp. 59-60: “[…] As far as Kani the hard put (alluvial clay) affords splendid going for all arms; but around Kani and between Kani and Gazeh Chah the plain is either ankle-deep in sand or formed of that crisp friable saltpetre-impregnated soil known in Sind as kullur. Marching in such soil is most fatiguing. Kani camp lies in a hollow among rolling sandhills. […]”
• The Graphic, Vol. 64 (1901/2), October 26, p. 544, engraving based on this sketch: “Khani, in the Biluch desert, near Quetta.”
• Adamec, L.W. (1980): Kandahar and south-central Afghanistan, p. 271: Kani, “A halting-place on the Nushki-Helmand road, close to the Lora Hamun and the Baluch border. There is an abundant supply of water here and good camel-grazing. (S.M. Wanliss, 1903.)”

You know more about this picture?

Write to us!