ELD 006 — The Malik Dokand Mountains
Sepia-toned photo-lithograph of a wash sketch, showing the faded image of a lonely Bengal Lancer walking beside his horse on top of a sand-hill, casting a long shadow at sunset. In the valley below are some other horsemen. In the background to the west two dominant mountains.Strangely this lithograph shows a two-colour toning from sepia to violet in its upper part.
Enlargement of the left part, showing a Bengal Lancer leading his horse through the dunes of the Baluch Desert.
Sepia-toned photo-lithograph of a wash sketch, showing the faded image of a lonely Bengal Lancer walking beside his horse on top of a sand-hill, casting a long shadow at sunset. In the valley below are some other horsemen. In the background to the west two dominant mountains.
Strangely this lithograph shows a two-colour toning from sepia to violet in its upper part.
[Sketch, recto:] E D / 86.
[Sketch, verso:] (7) / Biluch desert.
[Loose BL Lithograph, verso, handwriting:] Malila Dohman near Galuchah / Biluch Desert.
[Lumsden Album:] MALIKH DO KAND // The peaks of Arbu and Samuli, which are best seen from the Shah Ismaili-Mamu road; of Ainak and Malik do Kand, which are situated a few miles south of Galacha, a range of hills to the west of these, towards the Helmund. Some 30 Miles above Khwaja Ali; were all distinctly visible the distance of the first-named being at least 70 miles across the desert. [text copied from A.C. Yate’s description]
[List:] –
[Sketch, verso:] (7) / Biluch desert.
[Loose BL Lithograph, verso, handwriting:] Malila Dohman near Galuchah / Biluch Desert.
[Lumsden Album:] MALIKH DO KAND // The peaks of Arbu and Samuli, which are best seen from the Shah Ismaili-Mamu road; of Ainak and Malik do Kand, which are situated a few miles south of Galacha, a range of hills to the west of these, towards the Helmund. Some 30 Miles above Khwaja Ali; were all distinctly visible the distance of the first-named being at least 70 miles across the desert. [text copied from A.C. Yate’s description]
[List:] –
- Peacocke, W (1887): Records of Intelligence Party ABC, Vol. 3, pp. 10-11 (Oct. 11, 1884): “[…] There are said to be mines of rock salt in Malik Dokand and the change in the quality of the water between the Rabat halting-places (see 9th October), and this point appears to support the statement.”
- Maitland, P.J. (1888): Records of Intelligence Party ABC, Vol. 1, p. 33 (Sept. 24, 1884): “There are said to be three mines here, 2 or 3 miles off, near the base of Ainak, which, by the way, completely shuts out Dokand from sight of the camping place. One is a salt mine, one a sulphur mine, and the third of rock crystal or marble. The Amir has been conveying a quantity of the latter to Kabul. Many specimens of a semi-transparent fine crystalline stone are laying about near the Ziarat, and some of marble with red veins.”
- Balsan, F. (1972): Au Registan inexploré, p. 203, the French traveller describes the mines of marble and aragonite in the area of Galacha. He also mentions the violet toning of the sky in the crepuscular light at sunset: “Des reliefs violacés par le crepuscule à l’horizon : – Le Koh i Arbou, me dit Hamza : le premier mont, à 90 kilomètres de Benader.”
- Adamec, L.W. (1973): Farah and south-western Afghanistan, p. 82: Galichah, “A halting stage at the Nushki-Helmand road. There is a ziarat here, water, and camel grazing and firewood can be procured.”
Image No.
ELD 006
Collection
Afghan Boundary Commission 1884-86
Series
ABC 4, ELD Sketches 001 to 053
Format
Original wash sketch, British Library WD 380, size 240/660 mmLithograph in the Lumsden Album 102/263 mm(41% of original size)
Place, date
Near Galichah, October 12 to 14, 1884
Descriptors
Latitude / Longitude29.650273 / 63.682865
Google Earth29°43ʹ N / 64°37 E / 1200 m
Google Mapshttps://maps.google.com
Zoom Earthhttps://zoom.earth
Survey of India MapSheet 34, Quetta (1922), not mentioned.
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