hat their discoveries beyond the frontiers of India had been
made vicariously, but in this case it was an Englishman who had performed
the journey. He believed he was right in saying that no Englishman before
Mr. McNair had ever visited the Swat Valley. It was now inhabited by a
most inhospitable race, who had become Afghanised, but rumours had often
been heard about the Buddhist there. Eighteen or twenty centuries ago it
was one of the most sacred spots of Buddhism, filled with Buddhist
monasteries and temples, but, as far as he knew, no European except Mr.
McNair had ever seen those remains. If further explorations were carried
out there probably most interesting discoveries would result. Passing on
to the Panjkhora river and to Dir, there was very little doubt that those
valleys were the scene of some of Alexander's exploits on his way to
India. Many scholars supposed that Dir was one of the fortresses which
Alexander took, and incidentally the place was mentioned by Marco Polo as
the route of a Mongol horde from Badakshan into Kashmir. He believed that
the earliest distinct notice of the Kafirs was the account of the country
being invaded by Timour on his march to India. When he arrived at Andarab
he received complaints by the Mussulman villagers of the manner in which
they were harassed by the infidels, and a description was given of how
the great Ameer himself was slid down snow slopes in a sort of toboggin
of wickerwork. He captured some of the Kafir forts, but could not
penetrate into the country. After that very little mention was made of
them in history, till Major Rennell referred to them in his great memoir
on the map of Hindostan, and Mountstuart Elphinstone, who, the Afghans
used to say, could see on the other side of a hill. He always seemed able
to collect items of knowledge which further research proved to be
correct. He (Colonel Yule) rejoiced that had lived to see Kafiristan
partially revealed by an Englishman and not by a Russian.

Dr. Leitner said it was well that travellers, however naturally
accurate in their observations, should submit their results to the
criticism of learned societies, for, after all it was in such centres
that information from various quarters could be best collected, sifted,
and compared. The task of a pioneer is proverbially ungrateful, but he
is sufficiently rewarded if he collects facts for the examination of
scholars, and if some of these facts stand that test. On the other