wuvewUfa/ s*y 
 
THB 
 
 LIFE AND CAREER 
 
 OF 
 
 MAJOE SIB LOUIS CAYAGNAKI, c.s.i.,K.c,B. r 
 
 BRITISH ENVOY AT CABUL, 
 
 TOGETHER WITH A JSRIEF OUTLINE- 
 
 OF THE 
 
 SECOND AFGHAN WAR. 
 
 eOMPILED BY 
 
 KALLY PROSONO DEY. 
 
 PRINTED & PUBLISHED BY J. N. GHOSE & CO., PRESIDENCY PRESS, 
 8, CHITPORE ROAD, CORNER OF LALL BAZAR. 
 
 i 88 i. 
 
 (All rights reserved.) 
 
T>S 
 
 5 
 
 MORSZ STEPHEMt 
 
THE FOLLOWING PAGES 
 
 A&E 
 
 Respectfully Dedicated to His Excellency 
 
 SIR SALAR JUNG, BAHADOOR, a. c, s. L 
 
 IS WELL-KNOWN TO THE PEOPLE OF INDIA ; 
 
 AND 
 
 W80SE PATRIOTISM TO INDIA, 
 
 AND 
 
 PEVOTIOIS^TO THE ^NGLISH 
 
 Have on many Occasions been Exhibited. 
 
 512241 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 'I I 7 HEN the terrible news of the massacre of the British Em- 
 bassy at Cabul was flashed through the country, there 
 was a feeling of universal grief throughout India. Whatever may 
 have been the differences of opinion in men's minds about the 
 policy of the Afghan war, those differences were forgotten in the 
 general lamentation for the loss of the lives of those gallant 
 British officers, who, in the performance of their duty, fell victims 
 to the treachery of a fanatical nation, destitute of all sense of 
 truth and honor. Of the three brave officers who, together with 
 their small escort of fifty men, were so treacherously and ruth- 
 lessly butchered by the Afghans, SIR Louis CAVAGNARI was the 
 Chief, and it is my purpose to give in these pages a brief sketch 
 of the life and career of that distinguished officer. In placing 
 this book before the public, I need scarcely say, I claim no higher 
 title than that of a compiler, as almost all my materials have 
 been collected from the public prints of the day. 
 
 RALLY PROSONO DEY. 
 Uth July, 1880. 
 
a : -a 
 
 NOTE TO PREFACE. 
 
 I REGRET very much, that this short Biography has been so 
 long delayed, by circumstances over which I had no control. 
 Domestic bereavement, and other causes, have conspired to pre- 
 vent its appearance at as early a period as I could have wished. 
 
 My best thanks are due to Lady Cavagnari, who has kindly 
 supplied me with information which, otherwise, I could not easily, 
 if at all, have obtained, and who has taken a deep interest in this 
 little volume. 
 
 The following letter, in answer to enquiries made of Madame 
 Cavagnari will interest the reader : 
 
 THE PRECINCTS, 
 
 ROCHESTER, 
 
 Kent England, Dec. llth 1879. 
 SIR, 
 
 I received your letter by last mail enclosing one addressed to 
 Madame Cavagnari, which I forwarded to her. She has returned it to me, 
 and begs me to answer the questions you ask in it, which being of a similar 
 character to those you ask of me, my letter will be sufficient. 
 
 Major Sir Pierre Louis Napoleon Cavagnari, K.C.B.,C.s.l., was born at 
 Stenay, Department of the Meuse, France, on the 4th of July, 1841. His 
 Father the Count, Major Adolph Cavagnari served in the French Army 
 under the Emperor Napoleon, and afterwards became equerry to Prince 
 Lucien Bonaparte. He was descended from the ancient Kalian family of 
 Panea, and married Caroline, third daughter of Mr. Hugh Lyons Montgo- 
 mery of Laurenstown Co Down, Ireland. 
 
 In 1851, Major Sir Louis Cavagaari entered Christs' Hospital, where he 
 was educated; and after studying there for six years, he passed the necessary 
 examinations at Addiscombe; and passed direct as a Cadet into the service 
 of the Honorable East Indian Company, in April 1858, and joined the 1st 
 Bengal Fusiliers (now 101 Bengal Fusiliers) served with that Regiment 
 through the OadeCampagni of 1858 (Indian Mutiny Medal) appointed to 
 the Staff Corps in July 1861, and gazetted an Assistant Commissioner in the 
 Punjab, He held political charge of the Kohat District from April 1866 to 
 
II 
 
 6th May 1877, when he was appointed as Deputy Commissioner of Peshawar; 
 and served as Chief Political Officer in the following Hill expeditions. 
 
 1. Bizote expedition and capture of Gara, February, 1869. 
 
 2. Expedition against Kabul Khel Waziris, April, 1869. 
 
 3. Blockade of Kohat Pass, Afridis, 1875-1877. 
 
 4. Jawaki Expedition, 1877-78. 
 
 5. Sapri Expedition, February, 1878. 
 
 6. Shakote Epedition, March, 1878. 
 
 7. Utonaukhel Expedition, March, 1878. 
 
 In September, 1878, he was appointed to accompany Sir Neville Chamber- 
 lain's Mission to Kohat, &c., &c. 
 
 I hope these details may be of use to you ; and that your work may be a 
 success. Sir L. Cavagnari married in November, 1871, Mercy Emma, 
 second daughter of Henry Graves, Esq., M. B,, p. B. s., of Cookstown Co., 
 Tyrone, Ireland. 
 
 Your faithfully, 
 
 MERCY EMMA CAVAGNARI. 
 
 I take the present opportunity of thanking the Government of 
 India, and the following gentlemen : 
 
 The late lamented Sir George Pomeroy Colley, K.C.B., Captain 
 Sawyer, Assistant Secretary in the Military Department, Nawab 
 Abdul Luttif Khan, Bahadoor, Baboo A. T. Banerjee, Baboo 
 Debendra Dutt, and others I might name, without whose en- 
 couragement and assistance, this brief record of a very noble life, 
 would not have been undertaken and completed. 
 
 KALLY PROSONO DEY. 
 
 NO. 32, KALLY DASS SINGHEE's LANE, 
 
 Calcutta, 18th August, 1881. 
 

 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K,C,B,,C,S,I, 
 
 Major Sir Pierre Louis Napoleon Cavagnari, K.C.B, 
 c.s.i, was born at Stenay, Department of the Meuse, 
 France, on the 4th of July, 1841. His grand-father 
 was Private Secretary to Napoleon the First, his 
 grand-mother was a French lady. His father, General 
 Adolphe Cavagnari served in the French Army under 
 the Emperor Napoleon, and afterwards became equerry 
 to Prince Luciene Bonaparte. General Adolphe 
 Cavagnari married Caroline, the third daughter of 
 Mr. Hugh Lyons Montgomery, of Laurenstown, 
 county Down, Ireland, and Louis Cavagnari was 
 the issue of this match. In 1851, at the age of ten, 
 Louis Cavagnari entered Christ's Hospital, London, 
 and, after studying there for six years, he passed the 
 necessary examinations at Addiscombe and became a 
 direct cadet of the Honorable East India Company 
 in April 1858. He arrived in India on 12th July 
 1858, and joined the 1st Bengal Fusiliers. 
 
 It was a terrible time for India then. The great 
 sepoy mutiny was raging in all its fury, and the British 
 Empire in the East was shaken to its foundations. 
 Thus before he was out of his teens, Louis Cavagnari 
 had to experience all the untold hardship of a soldier's 
 
a 
 
 LIFE OF 
 
 life, and had had the opportunity of winning laurels 
 on the field of battle or falling a martyr to the cause 
 of his country. He served with his regiment through- 
 out the Oudh campaign of 1858-59 ; and, like the 
 other memorable heroes of that period whose com- 
 bined efforts prevented the overthrow of the British 
 Empire in India, Louis Cavagnari, boy as he was? 
 had also his share of the great work. He was present 
 with a detachment of his regiment, under the com- 
 mand of Major T. Wheeler on the 30th of October 
 1858, when five guns were captured from the Nussira- 
 bad Brigade, and the intrepidity he had shown 
 throughout, did not go unrewarded, for, when the 
 distribution of honors came, the breast of the boy 
 Cavagnari was emblazoned with the Indian Mutiny 
 Medal. 
 
 In July 1861, Cavagnari was appointed to the Staff 
 Corps, and gazetted an Assistant Commissioner in 
 the Punjab. Possessed of remarkable energy, indo- 
 mitable courage, and a genial character, he soon 
 acquired distinction in the Frontier service, and was 
 ultimately appointed Deputy Commissioner of Kohat, 
 in which capacity he had to conduct numerous nego- 
 tiations between the British Government and the 
 Frontier tribes ; a duty which he discharged with 
 great ability and tact. He held political charge of 
 the Kohat District from April 1866 to May 1877 
 when he was appointed as Deputy Commissioner of 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNART, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 5 
 
 Peshawar. He served as Chief Political Officer in 
 the following Hill Expeditions : 
 
 1. Bizole Expedition and Capture of Gara, February, 1869. 
 
 2. Expedition against Cabal Khel Waziris, April, 1869. 
 
 3. Afridi Expedition, 1875-77, (Blockade of Kohat Pass). 
 
 4. Jawaki Expedition, 1877-78. 
 
 5. Sapri Expedition, February, 1878. 
 
 6. Shahkote Expedition, March, 1878. 
 
 7. Utmankhel Expedition, March, 1878. 
 
 When the despatch of a British mission to the 
 Amir Shere AH under Sir Neville Chamberlain, the 
 Commander-in-chief of the Madras army, was decided 
 upon, Major Cavagnari was attached to the staff, and 
 he was, from first to last, the most prominent figure 
 in the Afghan negotiations, from the time when he 
 
 knocked at the gate of Ali Musjid, in September 
 
 to the date of his massacre on the 3rd September 
 1879. Here it will not be amiss to quote a passage 
 from the letter of the Times correspondent with the 
 Khyber Force. " It is difficult," wrote the Times 
 correspondent," to do full justice to the way the nego- 
 tiations have been conducted by Major Cavagnari, 
 and the mingled firmness and conciliation which he 
 has displayed. The Government has, indeed, been 
 excellently served by him in this difficult and deli- 
 cate affair. The Amir shows unmistakable feelings 
 of attachment to Major Cavagnari." But the most 
 interesting sketch of Sir Louis Cavagnari is supplied 
 by the special correspondent of the Times of India, 
 
a 
 
 LIFE OF 
 
 in the course of an account of an adventurous ride 
 they took together through the Khyber Pass just 
 before the war was declared. " Let me," said the 
 correspondent, " describe to you Major Cavagnari, 
 who has already played a prominent part, and will 
 play a still more prominent part in our Frontier 
 policy. He is about five feet nine inches in height, 
 and slimly but powerfully built. Broad shoulders, 
 set on a powerful chest, small and well-knit limbs, 
 and an elastic, buoyant step betoken the utmost 
 strength united with intense activity and powers 
 of enduran3e. At first sight Major Cavagnari might 
 be thought to be a learned professor ; his countenance 
 wears a thoughtful and abstracted expression, which 
 is intensified by the use of spectacles. But the 
 placidity of expression on a closer scrutiny is lost in 
 the resolute firmness of the lower face. He has a 
 singularly pleasing and mild tone of address and 
 conversation, and is a most agreeable host. Major 
 Cavagnari is one of that school of frontier warriors 
 and administrators of whom Nicholson and Edwards 
 were the grand representatives in a past generation. 
 We have had few more heroic arid wiser chiefs than 
 the custodian of our Khyber Frontier, who, by the 
 influence of his character and strength of will keeps 
 in awe, and quells the fierce turbulence of these 
 savage mountaineers." Of the personal courage of 
 Major Cavagnari, the following is an exemplary 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 7 
 
 instance. " Cavagnari," wrote a correspondent, 
 u although he never loses his temper, can on occasion 
 hit wonderfully straight from the shoulder, I re- 
 member once riding with him to an appointment he 
 had with some Afridis to settle some vexed land 
 question. I remained on the road, while he alone, 
 in the centre of about a dozen stalwart ruffians, 
 armed to the eyebrows, walked round the field. 
 Presently the loud angry accents of a dispute reached 
 my ears. The Afridis were surrounding Cavagnari, 
 gesticulating with passionate vehemence, some with 
 hands on their daggers. Cavagnari stood quiet, per- 
 fectly fearless, utterly impassive. Suddenly I saw 
 the biggest of the Afridis go down like a bullock, and 
 Cavagnari, with unruffled composure, returning his 
 hand into his pocket. He had knocked the ruffian 
 down, and the swift thoroughness of the act cowed 
 the fierce hillmen. About halfway on the return 
 journey, Cavagnari remarked apologetically, ' It was 
 absolutely necessary. Please don't think I lost my 
 temper. I was perfectly cool, but I was forced to 
 maintain my ascendency,' and then he added medi- 
 tatively, ' and I wanted also to save my life.' ' 
 
 The courage with which Major Cavagnari faced 
 the dangers that surrounded him on all sides in an 
 enemy's country, immersed in barbarism, marks. him 
 out as no mean hero, while the tact and judgment 
 he displayed in carrying on the negotiations with 
 
LIFE OF 
 
 the savage tribes inhabiting the mountainous tracts 
 of Afghanistan, make him conspicuous as a diplo- 
 matist of the highest order. The Mission which Sir 
 Louis Cavagnari led to Cabul, constitutes the last 
 chapter of that eminent man's life. And as this last 
 chapter of his life is also the brightest, and at the 
 same time the most important one, it is my purpose 
 to record the details of it, collected from the ephe- 
 meral writings of the day, in this permanent shape. 
 
 Since the time of Peter the Great projects for 
 establishing commercial relations with India at the 
 expense of England, for replacing the English rulers 
 of India, and finally for destroying the power of 
 England by depriving her of her possessions in Asia, 
 have been unquestionably entertained by the Rus- 
 sians. The Emperor Paul devised various projects 
 for invading India. It was he who first formed the 
 idea of attacking India by two different routes one 
 by way of Persia, Herat, and Candahar, the other 
 by way of Khiva, Bokhara, and Balk. Every suc- 
 cessive Emperor since the days of Paul has devised 
 or considered plans for invading India. Alexander I, 
 when allied to Napoleon in 1807 ; Nicholas, when 
 the British Government sent the first mission to 
 Cabul under Burnes, in 1837, and again at the time of 
 the Crimean war, and lastly Alexandar II. at a recent 
 period ; all these Emperors have had plans sub- 
 mitted to them for the invasion of India. Moreover, 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 9 
 
 as an English journal pointed out sometime ago, on 
 the authority of a well-known Russian journal, 
 " every General, every staff Commander, who has 
 gone into the steppes from Khruleff to Tchernaief, 
 has sent home to the war office some plan for the 
 invasion of India ;" and though many of these pro- 
 jects may have been mere fantastic schemes elabo- 
 rated for the sake of wiling away the time, the pro- 
 gress of the Russians in Central Asia, must itself be 
 looked upon as little else than an advance against 
 India. 
 
 Khiva is regarded as an important station on 
 the road to India. The first expedition that Russia 
 sent against this place was in 1 707. The object of this 
 expedition was to proceed still farther than Khiva. 
 After occupying Khiva, Prince Bakovitch-Cher- 
 kasski, the chief of the expedition was instructed to 
 "send a merchant on thence to Amou-Daryer 
 (Oxus) : ordering the same to ascend the river as 
 far as vessels can go, and from thence to proceed to 
 India, remarking the rivers and the lakes and des- 
 cribing the way by land and water, but particularly 
 the water way to India by lake or river, returning 
 from India the same way ; or, should the merchant 
 hear in India of a still better road to the Caspian 
 Sea, to come back by that and to describe it in 
 writing." Besides the real merchant, a naval officer, 
 Lieutenant Kojar, with five or more " navigators 
 
a 
 
 10 LIFE OF 
 
 were to be sent to India in merchants' s attire. 
 The expedition had been announced to the Khan as 
 an embassy of a friendly character. But neverthe- 
 less, the Prince and nearly the whole of his troops 
 were cruelly murdered. This expedition, the Russian 
 historian tells us, " threatened Khiva with final ex- 
 tinction, and accidental circumstances alone pre- 
 vented this result." 
 
 It was Peter's desire to send out a second expedi- 
 tion, and preparations were made with that end in 
 view, but events in Europe compelled him to change 
 his mind. 
 
 In 1800, Emperor Paul sent out a hastily and 
 somewhat " wildly organized" force against Khiva 
 with instructions to continue the march to India. 
 
 Paul entertained the idea of invading India from 
 Astrabad, by the road through Herat and Candahar. 
 In a communication to Napoleon on the subject he 
 proposed that, with a combined army of 70,000 men, 
 France and Russia should "chase the English from 
 India, liberate that rich and beautiful country from 
 the English yoke, and open new roads to England's 
 commercial rivals, and especially to France." "The 
 country," said Paul in answer to some objections by 
 Napoleon, " is not savage ; it is not barren. The 
 soil is not like that of Arabia and Libya, covered 
 with dry sand ; rivers water it at almost every step. 
 There is no want of grass for fodder. Rice grows in 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C,B.,C.S.I. 11 
 
 abundance, and forms the principal food of the 
 inhabitants." 
 
 The Russo-French alliance, however, broke up, 
 and the project of a Russo-French expedition to 
 India came to the ground. But Paul did not lose 
 heart nor did he abandon his long cherished idea, 
 and in 1801 he sent General Orloff with an army 
 composed of Cossacks and horse artillery, from the 
 Don to Orenburg, and from Orenburg towards 
 Khiva, on arrival in which place he was to have 
 arranged for himself an expedition to India. The 
 General, in less than a month, traversed upwards of 
 450 miles, but when he had just reached the 
 heights of the Irgiz, to the north of the Aral Lake, 
 Paul's life came to an untimely end, and Alexander I. 
 having ascended the throne, commanded him to 
 abandon the enterprise. 
 
 From the reign of Peter the Great down to the 
 present day, throughout her career of conquest in 
 Central Asia, the eye of Russia has been resolutely 
 fixed upon India. Thus for nearly two centuries the 
 Russian Frontier in Asia is advancing towards India, 
 slowly but surely. At the beginning of the eighteenth 
 century it was 2,500 miles from the English. In the 
 hundred years following the distance was reduced by 
 500 miles, and in the early years of the present cen- 
 tury it was shortened 1,000 miles. Since the Crimean 
 war the inter vening territory has been narrowed about 
 
12 LfFE OF 
 
 400 miles. It is, then, evident that England and 
 Russia must come into direct contact in Central Asia 
 sooner or later. The two nations are entering into 
 a long course of rivalry like that which existed for up- 
 wards of a century between England and France, and 
 which finally came to an end in the field of Waterloo. 
 It is the gradual advance of Russia towards India 
 that has induced the British Government to endea- 
 vour to consolidate the Western Frontier of India. 
 Whether or not Cabul is really to be the Waterloo 
 that shall put an end to the long-existing rivalry 
 "between Russia and England, is yet to be seen. 
 It is plain, however, that circumstances are gradually 
 driving the two rival nations towards that end. 
 
 The circumstances under which the fatal Mission 
 to Cabul was sent are fully explained in the Secre- 
 tary of State for India's Despatch to the Govern- 
 ment of India. It is as follows : 
 
 THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA'S DESPATCH 
 
 TO THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ON THE 
 
 AFGHAN QUESTION. 
 
 " India Office, London, Nov. 1878. 
 " Secret, No. 49. 
 
 To His EXCELLENCY THE RIGHT HON'BLE THE GOVERNOR- 
 GENERAL OF INDIA IN COUNCIL. 
 
 "My Lord, 1. The letters* and telegraphic despatches 
 which your Government has transmitted to -me, reporting 
 
 "* No. 53 secret, August 5, 1878; No. 61, secret, August 19, 1878; 
 No. 67, secret August 27, 1878 ; No. 79, secret, September 9, 1S78 ; No. 86, 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.O.B.,C.S.I. 13 
 
 the circumstances connected with the reception of a Russian 
 mission to Cabul in July last and the subsequent rejection by 
 the Amir Shere Ali Khan of the special Embassy accredited to 
 his Court by your Excellency, have been considered by Her 
 Majesty's Government with the care due to their importance. 
 
 " 2. The various communications which have from time to time 
 passed between the Government at home and that of India, 
 ending with Lord Salisbury's despatch of the 4th of October last 
 year, contain a complete exposition of the general policy of the 
 British Government towards Afghanistan, and set forth, more- 
 over, the considerations which lately induced Her Majesty's 
 Government to endeavour to place their relations with the Amir 
 on a more satisfactory footing. In order, however, that no mis- 
 apprehension may exist on this subject, I deem it advisable to 
 recapitulate some of the leading features of that policy, and to 
 trace the course of events which have led to the present condi- 
 tion of affairs on the Frontier. 
 
 " 3. Although much difference of opinion has existed, and 
 still exists among eminent authorities on the subject of the 
 Frontier policy to be pursued by the Indian Government, that 
 difference has reference rather to the methods to be followed 
 than to the objects in view. The consistent aim of the British 
 Government during a series of years had been to establish on its 
 north-western border a strong, friendly, and independent State* 
 with interests in unison with those of the Indian Government, 
 and ready to act in certain eventualities as an auxiliary in the 
 protection of the Frontier from foreign intrigue or aggression. 
 The Treaty of 1855t negotiated by Lord Dalhousie, with the 
 
 secret, September 16, 1878 ; No. 93, secret, September 26, 1878 ; No. 95, 
 secret, October 3, 1878. 
 
 "f Article 1. Between the Honorable East India Company and His 
 Highness Amir Dost Mahomed Khan Wallee of Cabul and of those 
 countries now in his possession, and the heirs of the said Amir, there shall 
 be perpetual peace and friendship. Article II. The Hon'ble East Indian 
 
U LIFE OF 
 
 approval of Lord Aberdeen's Government, and still in force* 
 bears witness to the importance then attached to friendly relations 
 with Afghanistan : It was described by the Governor-General (J) 
 in words which fully explain its intended effect : >The treaty 
 gives to the Government of India on its Western Frontier as 
 complete security against a foreign and distant enemy as it is 
 possible for us in the nature of things to compass. 
 
 " 4. The question, however, has assumed special prominence 
 since the period of the transfer to the Crown of the direct ad- 
 ministration of India. The growing interest in the subject has 
 been the result partly of the increased responsibilities assumed by 
 the Government of Her Majesty in maintaining her Indian Em- 
 pire, and partly of the intestine disorders to which Afghanistan 
 became a prey after the accession of the present Amir to the 
 throne in 1863. Upon Lord Lawrence devolved the direction of 
 the policy to be adopted in the new state of affairs, and that 
 statesman considered that the objects of the British Government 
 would be best obtained by abstaining from active interference in 
 the internal affairs of Afghanistan, and by the friendly recogni- 
 tion of the de facto rulers of that country, or of portions of it, 
 without undertaking inconvenient liabilities on behalf. On this 
 basis Lord Lawrence thought that the British Government 
 would have the greatest chance of gaining the permanent friend- 
 ship alliance of the Afghan people. The outposts of Russia 
 were then distant from the borders of Afghanistan, and His 
 Lordship's Government attached no special importance to the 
 
 Company engages to respect those territories of Afghanistan now in His 
 Highuess' possession, and never to interfere therein. Article III. His 
 Highness Amir Dost Mahomed Khan, Wallee of Cabul and of those 
 countries of Afghanistan now in his possession, engages on his part and on 
 the part of his heirs to respect the territories of the Honorable East 
 India Company and never to interfere therein, and to be the friend of the 
 friends and enemy of the enemies of Honorable East India Company. 
 
 " J Minute, 30th April, 1855, in Secret Letter, No. 3, of the 10th 
 May 1855." 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 15 
 
 probability and danger of the growth of the former Power in 
 the direction of India, which, they considered, would in any case 
 best be restrained or rendered innocuous by a friendly understand- 
 ing on the subject between the English and Russian Cabinets. 
 
 "5. The views of Her Majesty's Government of that day on 
 the subject of their relations with Afghanistan were in com- 
 plete harmony with those of Lord Lawrence. They did not 
 desire to exercise active influence at Cabul, not to interfere in 
 the conflicts then rife between contending parties in Afghanistan 
 long as those conflicts did not jeopardise the peace of the Frontier. 
 This policy was, therefore, adhered to, although not without some 
 inconvenient results, duiing the civil war which raged for so 
 many years after Shere All's accession, and might not unreason- 
 ably be thought suited to the circumstances of the time. But 
 the final and unaided success of the Amir in regaining his throne 
 in the autumn of 1868 in some measure changed the position of 
 affairs, and in the opinion both of Lord Lawrence and of Her 
 Majesty's Government, justified some intervention in Highness 
 favor and the grant to him of such assistance in money and arms 
 as appeared conductive to the maintenance of his authority. 
 
 " 6. The policy followed by Lord Mayo's administration in its 
 dealings with Afghanistan was to a considerable extent in accord 
 with the course of action thus finally adopted in the autum of 
 1868 by his predecessor. While, however, Lord Mayo did not 
 deviate in any material degree from the attitude of non-interference 
 in the internal affairs of Afghanistan which had been so long 
 maintained, he recognised Shere Ali as the de jure as well as the 
 de facto ruler of that country, and, in a letter addressed to that 
 prince, engaged to view with severe displeasure any attempt on 
 the part of his rivals to disturb his position. This step, added 
 to the marked personal influence obtained by Lord Mayo over 
 the Amir, was sufficient at the moment to remove a certain 
 feeling of resentment which had been generated in his mind 
 
< a 
 
 16 LIFE OF 
 
 by the apparent indifference shown by the Bribish Government 
 to the result of his struggle for power, and at the same time, 
 rendered His Highness' position at Cabul more assured than that 
 of any previous ruler. 
 
 " 7. The advances of Russia in Central Asia had not up to 
 this period assumed dimensions such as to cause uneasiness to 
 the Indian Government. Lord Mayo agreed, therefore, in the 
 views of his predecessor that the best means of averting inter- 
 ference on the part of the Turkistan authorities in the affairs of 
 Afghanistan would be by a frank interchange of views on that 
 subject between the Government of Her Majesty and that of the 
 Czar. Her Majesty's Government had independently arrived at 
 the same conclusion, and early in 1869 initiated friendly negotia- 
 tions at St, Petersburg, which terminated in a very distinct 
 understanding on the subject, and in the recognition by a Czar's 
 Government of the limits of the Amir's territories in complete 
 accord with the wishes of Shere AH and of the British Govern- 
 ment. 
 
 " 8. The policy of his predecessors was that substantially fol- 
 lowed by Lord Northbrook, although the rapid development of 
 events in Central Asia was gradually increasing the difficulty 
 of abstaining from closer relations with the ruler of Cabul. The 
 Capture of Khiva by the forces of the Czar in the spring of 
 1873 and the total subordination of the khanate to Russia, 
 caused Shere All considerable alarm, and led him to question 
 the value of the pledges with reference to Afghanistan which 
 had been given by His Imperial Majesty to England, and which 
 had been communicated to His Highness by the British Govern- 
 ment. Actuated by his fears on this score His Highness sent a 
 special Envoy to Simla in the summer of that year charged with 
 the duty of expressing them to the Government of India. 
 
 " 9. Finding that the objection of the Amir was to ascertain 
 definitely how far he might rely on the help of the British Gov- 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 17 
 
 eminent if his territories were threatened by Russia, Lord 
 Northbrook's Government was prepared* to assure him that 
 under certain conditions the Government of India would assist 
 him to repel unprovoked aggression. But Her Majesty's Govern- 
 ment at home did not sharef His Highness' apprehension, and 
 the Viceroy ultimately informed the Amir that the discussion of 
 the question would be best postponed to a more convenient 
 season.}; The effect of this announcement on His Highness, 
 although conveyed in conciliatory language, was not favorable ; the 
 policy which dictated it was unintelligible to his mind, and he 
 received it with feelings of chagrin and disappointment. His 
 reply to Lord Northbrook's communication was couched in terms 
 of ill-disguised sarcasm ; he took no notice of the Viceroy's 
 proposal to depute a British officer to examine the northern fron- 
 tier of Afghanistan ; he subsequently refused permission to Sir 
 Douglas Forsyth to return from Kashgar to India through Cabul ; 
 he left untouched a gift of money lodged to his credit by the 
 Indian Government, and generally assumed towards it an attitude 
 of sullen reserve. 
 
 " 10. Such was the position of affairs when Her Majesty's 
 present advisers assumed office in 1874. The maintenance of 
 Afghanistan as strong and friendly Power had at all times been 
 the object of British policy. The method adopted in attaining 
 that object had not met with the success that was desirable. Its 
 accomplishment was nevertheless a matter of grave importance, 
 and it had now to be considered with reference to the rapid 
 march of events in Turkestan. Her Majesty's Government 
 could not view with indifference the probable influence of these 
 events upon the character of an Asiatic Prince whose dominions 
 
 " * Telegram from Viceroy, July 24, 1873. 
 " t Telegram to Viceroy, July 26, 1873. 
 
 " J Letters from Viceroy, 6th September, 1873, in Secret Letter, No. 75 
 dated 15th September, 1863. 
 
18 LIFE OF 
 
 were thereby brought within a steadily narrowing circle between 
 two great military empires, and although no immediate danger 
 appeared to threaten British interests on the Frontier of Afghan- 
 istan, the situation in Central Asia had become sufficiently grave 
 to suggest the necessity of timely precaution. Her Majesty's 
 Government considered that the first step necessary was the im- 
 provement of their relations with the Amir himself. With this 
 object in view they deemed it expedient that His Highness 
 should be invited to receive a temporary mission at Cabul, in order 
 that an accredited British Envoy might confer with him per- 
 sonally upon what was taking place, might assure him of the 
 desire of the Queen's Government, that his territories should 
 remain safe from external attack, and at the same time might 
 point out to him the extreme difficulty of attaining this object, 
 unless it were permitted by him to place its own officers on 
 his Frontier to watch the course of events beyond it. It was 
 true that the Amir's relations with the Russian Governor-General 
 of Turkestan had of late become more intimate, and that a cor- 
 respondence which that official had commenced with the Cabul 
 Durbar in 1871, and which at one time had caused serious disquiet 
 to the Amir was being carried on with increased activity, 
 while His Highness* original practice of consulting the Indian 
 Government as to the replies to be sent to General Kaufmann's com- 
 munications had been discontinued. Nevertheless, Her Majesty's 
 Government were willing to believe that Shere Ali, if his intentions 
 were friendly, would be ready to join them in measures advan- 
 tageous to himself, and essential for the protection of common 
 interests. 
 
 " 11. In view of these interests and of the responsibilities 
 which had morally devolved upon the British Government on 
 behalf of Afghanistan j looking also to the imperfect information 
 available in regard to the country in respect to which those res- 
 ponsibilities had been incurred, Lord Northbrook's Government 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIB LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B,,C.S.l. 19 
 
 had in 1 873 expressed the opinion that the temporary presence in 
 Afghanistan of a British officer, as then proposed by them, might 
 do much to allay any feelings of mistrust lingering in the minds 
 of the Afghan people, and might at the same time prepare the 
 way for eventually placing permanent British representatives at 
 Cabul, Herat, and elsewhere. Encouraged by this opinion, Her 
 Majesty's Government came to the conclusion that, although 
 Lord Northbrook's efforts to attain the desired object had not 
 met with success, the time had come when the measure, thus 
 indicated could no longer with safety be postponed. Your pre- 
 decessor in council had, indeed, while appreciating all the advan- 
 tages to be anticipated from it, frankly represented to Her Ma- 
 jesty's present advisers the difficulties attending the initiation of 
 it ; he believed the time and circumstances of the moment to 
 be inopportune for placing British agents on the Afghan 
 borders, and was of opinion that such a step should be deferred 
 till the progress of events justified more specific assurances to 
 Shere Ali, which might then be given in the shape of a treaty, 
 followed by the establishment of agencies at Herat and other 
 suitable places. Her Majesty's Government, however, were 
 unable to agree in this view ; they deemed it probable that if 
 events were thus allowed to march without measures of precau- 
 tion on the part of the British Government, the time would have 
 passed when representations to the Amir could be made with any 
 probability of a favorable result ; and they considered it impor- 
 tant that the actual sentiments of His Highness in reference to 
 which different opinions were held by different authorities, should 
 be tested in good time. 
 
 " 12. Accordingly, on your Excellency's departure from 
 England to assume the Viceroy alty, Her Majesty's Government 
 instructed you to offer to Shere Ali that some active countenance 
 and protection which he had previously solicited at the hands of 
 the Indian Government. It was clearly impossible, however, to 
 
20 LIFE OF 
 
 enter into any formal engagement in this sense without requiring 
 from the Amir some substantial proof of his unity of interests 
 with the British Government. While Her Majesty's Government, 
 therefore, authorised your Excellency to concede to His Highness 
 substantial pecuniary aid, a formal recognition of his dynasty, so 
 far as it would not involve active interference in the internal 
 affairs of Afghanistan, and an explicit pledge of material support 
 in case of unprovoked foreign aggression, you were directed not to 
 incur these heavy responsibilities unless Shere Ali, on his part, 
 were prepared to allow a British agent or agents access to posi- 
 tions in his territories (other than at Cabul itself) where, 
 without prejudicing the personal authority of the ruler, they would 
 acquire trustworthy information of events likely to threaten the 
 tranquility or independence of Afghanistan. 
 
 '* 13. The measures which your Excellency adopted on your 
 arrival in India to give effect to the instruction of Her Majesty's 
 Government were framed with discretion and in a spirit of con- 
 sideration towards Shere Ali. You sent your Native Aide-de- 
 Camp, E-essaldar-Major Khanan Khan, to that Prince, charged 
 with the duty of informing him of your desire to depute tempo- 
 rarily to his capital, or to any other point in Afghan territory 
 agreeable to His Highness, a special Envoy, whose mission was 
 not merely to be one of compliment, but one for the discussion 
 of matters of common interest to the two Governments ; and 
 you took care to convey to His Highness verbal assurances of the 
 friendly character of your advances to him, but Shere Ali rejected 
 your overtures and declined to receive your Envoy. 
 
 " 14. Your Excellency exhorted the Amir to consider serious- 
 ly the consequence of an attitude which might end in compelling 
 the British Government to look upon him thenceforth as a 
 Prince who voluntarily desired to isolate his interests from 
 those of the British Government. In a conciliatory spirit you 
 abstained from pressing upon him the reception of your Envoy, 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 21 
 
 and you acceded to a suggestion of His Highness that your Vakil 
 at Cabul should make personal representations to you on the 
 Amir's behalf. These representations proved to be a recapitulation 
 of grievances, dating from 1872, and were briefly as follows : 
 
 " 1. The communication which he had received from the 
 late Viceroy in 1874 on behalf of his rebellious son, Yakub Khan, 
 whom he had imprisoned. 
 
 " 2. The decision on the question of the Seistan boundary. 
 
 " 3. The gifts sent by the late Viceroy direct to the chief of 
 Wakhan, who is a tributary to the Amir. 
 
 " 4. The repeated rejection of his previous requests for an 
 alliance and a formal recognition of the order of succession as 
 established by him in the person of his son, Abdullah Jan. 
 
 " 16. These grievances appear to weigh heavily on His High- 
 ness' mind, and you, therefore, lost no time in assuring Shere Ali, 
 through the Vakil, of the friendly feeling of the British Govern- 
 ment towards him, of your desire to remove, by a frank 
 exchange of views, all causes of irritation on his mind, and of your 
 willingness to accede to his proposal that, in lieu of Sir L. Pelly 
 proceeding to Cabul, an Afghan Envoy should be deputed to 
 meet one from your Fxcellency at Peshawur. 
 
 "16. Your Vakil thereupon returned to Cabul charged with 
 the duty of explaining to the Amir, with the assistance of a 
 clearly-worded aide memoire the favorable treaty which the 
 British Government was prepared upon certain conditions to 
 negotiate with him and its desire to clear up past misunder- 
 standing. His Highness evinced no cordiality in his reception of 
 him ; but after some delay he deputed to Peshawur his minister 
 Syud Nur Mahomed Shah there to carry on with Sir Lewis Pelly 
 the negotiations which Her Majesty's Government had consi- 
 dered of sufficient importance to have taken place on Afghan soil 
 with the Amir himself. Although the Amir had been informed 
 in writing both of the concessions which the British Government 
 
22 LIFE OF 
 
 was ready to grant to him and the conditions attached to them, 
 and although, at the same time, it was signified to him that it 
 would be of no avail for him to send his Envoy to Peshawur 
 unless His Highness were prepared to agree to those conditions 
 as the bases of the proposed treaty, it became apparent in the 
 course of the conference that the Minister r had received no spe- 
 cific authority to accept them. As, moreover, the language and 
 conduct of Shere Ali, which had so long been dubious, became 
 openly inimical, you judiciously took advantage of the sudden 
 death of His Highness' Envoy to discontinue negotiations, the 
 bases of which had been practically rejected. 
 
 "17. This step in your part, as well as all proceedings 
 throughout the year preceding the conference, met with the 
 entire approval of Her Majesty's Government. As observed by 
 my predecessor in his despatch of October 4, 1877, Her Majesty's 
 Government had felt justified in hoping that the advantages 
 which they were ready to tender to the Amir, would have been 
 accepted in the spirit in which they were offered. At the same 
 time the attitude of His Highness for some years past had been 
 so ambiguous as to prepare them for a different result. Far, 
 however, from regarding" the possibility of failure as affording 
 sufficient grounds for total inaction and continued acquiescence 
 in the existing state of relations with the Amir, they had 
 arrived at the conclusion that while the prevailing uncertainty as 
 to His Highness' disposition rendered caution necessary in their 
 advances, it was in itself a reason for adopting steps which 
 would elicit the truth. From this point of view Her Majesty's 
 Government cjuld not regard the result of the Peshawur Con- 
 ference as altogether unsatisfactory in as much as they were no 
 longer left in doubt as to the reality of the Amir's alienation 
 which has previously been a matter of speculation. On the other 
 hand, the proceedings at the Conference and the previous negotia- 
 tions had placed before the Amir in a clear light the views of Her 
 
fl 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.O.B,,C.S.I. 23 
 
 Majesty's Government as to their existing obligations towards 
 him, and had at the same time informed him of the terms so 
 favorable to his interests, on which they were willing to draw 
 closer the bonds of union between the two countries, and to place 
 their mutual relations on a footing more advantageous to both. 
 
 "18. Their overtures having been thus treated, Her Majesty's 
 Government were of opinion that no course was open to them 
 but to maintain an attitude of vigilant reserve until such time as 
 the Amir might better realise his own position and interests. 
 This view has been anticipated by you in the final assurances 
 conveyed to the Afghan envoy by Sir Lewis Felly, and your 
 policy since the close of the Peshawur Conference has been in 
 accordance with it. While carefully watching the course of 
 affairs in Afghanistan, so far as the imperfect means of obtaining 
 information has admitted, you abstained from all interference in 
 them, in the hope that time would enable His Highness to realise 
 the dangers accruing to himself by the rejection of the friendly 
 advances of the British Government. That hope, however, has 
 not been realised. The Amir has persisted in his unfriendly iso- 
 lation and ultimately having two years ago declined to receive a 
 British Envoy, even temporarily, within his territory, on the 
 ground that he could not guarantee his safety, nor thereafter be 
 left with any excuse for declining to receive a Russian Mission, 
 he welcomed with every appearance of ostentation an Embassy 
 from the Czar, despatched to his Court at a time when there 
 were indications that an interruption of friendly relations between 
 this country and Russia might be imminent, 
 
 " 19. In these circumstances your Excellency represented to 
 Her Majesty's Government I/hat a policy of inaction could no 
 longer be persisted in, and that the Amir's reception of the 
 Russian mission at such a time and under such circumstances left 
 him no further excuse for declining to receive at his capital an 
 Envoy from the British Government. Your Excellency proposed, 
 
24 LIFE OF 
 
 therefore, to demand the reception of a mission to Cabul, headed 
 by an officer of rank, in the person of Sir Neville Chamberlain, 
 whose name and family were held in high esteem by the Amir. 
 
 "20. This proposal was approved by Her Majesty's Govern- 
 ment. It was evident that a potentate who willingly admitted 
 to his capital, at a critical period, Envoys of a Power which at 
 the moment might be regardifl as making its advances with 
 object not friendly to the British Government, could not rea- 
 sonably refuse to receive a mission from a Power with which he 
 had continuously been in alliance. Your Excellency in Council 
 did not anticipate any such refusal, and Her Majesty's Govern- 
 ment saw no reason to question the soundness of your opinion on 
 this point, based as it must have been, on the best information at 
 your command. 
 
 " 21. The anticipations both of your Excellency and of Her 
 Majesty's Government were, however, disappointed by the event. 
 In a friendly letter carried to Cabul by the Nawab Golam Hussein 
 Khan, you informed the Amir of the date on which Sir Neville 
 Chamberlain was to leave Peshawur, and you give His Highness 
 adequate time in which to issue orders to his local officials for the 
 reception of the mission. You caused it, moreover, to be intima- 
 ted to His Highness and his officials that a refusal of free passage 
 to the mission would be regarded by you as an act of hostility. The 
 orders sent to the Afghan officers at Ali Musjid were nevertheless 
 the reverse of what you had a right to expect, and Major Cavag- 
 nari who went in advance of your Envoy was distinctly informed 
 that any attempt to enter Afghan territory would be resisted by 
 force, of which an ostentatious display was at once made. 
 
 " 22. This conduct on the part of the Amir was wholly without 
 justifications. He was aware from various communications address- 
 ed to him by your Excellency's predecessors that the Russian 
 Government had given assurances to the Government of Her 
 Majesty to regard his territories as completely beyond its sphere 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 25 
 
 of action ; he was equally aware that the whole policy^ of the 
 British Government since his accession to the throne had been 
 to strengthen his power and authority and to protect him from 
 foreign aggression, although the methods adopted for doing so 
 may not have at all times accorded with His Highness' own views : 
 he had received from the British Government evidence of goodwill 
 manifested by large gifts of money and arms, as well as by its 
 successful efforts in obtaining from the Czar's Government its 
 formal recognition of a fixed boundary agreeable to himself, 
 between his Kingdom and the neighbouring khanates ; his subjects 
 had been allowed to pass freely throughout India to the great 
 benefit of the trade and commerce of his country, and in no single 
 instance has the Amir himself or any of his people been treated 
 unjustly or inhospitably within British jurisdiction. By every 
 bond of international courtesy as well as by the treaty engage- 
 ment of 1855, existing between the two countries binding him to 
 be the friend of our friends and the enemy of our enemies, the 
 Amir was bound to a line of conduct the reverse of that which 
 he adopted. 
 
 " 23. In reporting to Her Majesty's Government the forcible 
 rejection of your friendly mission, your Excellency expressed the 
 conviction of the Government of India that this act deprived the 
 Anair of all further claim upon the forbearance of the British 
 Government, and necessitated instant action. Her Majesty's 
 Government were, however, unwilling to accept the evasive letter 
 brought from Cabul by the Nawab Gholam Hussein Khan as 
 Shere Ali's final^answer to your Government, and determined to 
 give him a short time for reconsideration. While, therefore, Her 
 Majesty's Government acknowledged fully as binding on them 
 the pledges given by Sir N. Chamberlain to the friendly Chiefs 
 and people who undertook the safe conduct of his mission, they 
 decided to make an effort to avert the calamities of war, and with 
 this object instructed your Excellency to address to His Highness 
 
26 LIFE OP 
 
 a demand, in temperate language, requiring a full and suitable 
 apology within a given time for the affront which he had offered 
 to the British Government, the reception of a permanent British 
 Mission within his territories, and reparation for any injury inflict- 
 ed by him on the tribes who attended Sir N. Chamberlain and 
 Major Cavagnari, as well as an undertaking not to molest them 
 hereafter. These instructions were promptly carried into effect 
 by your Excellency's Government, and the Amir has been inform- 
 ed that unless a clear and satisfactory reply be received from him 
 by Nov. 20, you will be compelled to consider his intentions as 
 hostile, and to treat him as a declared enemy. 
 
 "24. It only remains for me to assure your Excellency of 
 the cordial support of Her Majesty's Government in the onerous 
 circumstances in which you are placed, and to state that I have 
 received the commands of Her Majesty to publish this despatch 
 for the general information of the public, in anticipation of the 
 papers connected with the important question with which it deals. 
 Those papers are in course of preparation, but as they cover a 
 period of not less than fifteen years they must necessarily be 
 voluminous. 
 
 " I have the honor to be, my Lord, your lordship's most obe- 
 dient humble servant." 
 
 " CRANBROOK." 
 
 It will not be out of place to insert here the letters 
 which Lord Lytton wrote to the Amir Shere Ali 
 immediately before the despatch of the British 
 Mission to Cabul. I should mention here that the 
 tone of the Viceroy's first letter was considered 
 objectionable by many when the correspondence with 
 the Amir was published, and Lord Lytton was found 
 fault with. It has been remarked that the letter 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 27 
 
 was not so courteous as it ought to have been. One 
 gentleman, writing from the Traveller's Club, London, 
 went the length of characterising the letter in 
 question as u one of the most bullying, discourteous 
 letters ever addressed to an independent Eastern 
 Chief from our Indian Foreign Office." But I may 
 mention here, upon the authority of a well-informed 
 English journal that the letter was not Lord Lytton's 
 composition. It bore his signature, but had none of 
 the marks of his literary composition. The follow- 
 ing are the letters alluded to : 
 
 No. I. 
 
 From His Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General of India, 
 
 to His Highness Amir Shere Ali Khan, Wali of Cdbul 
 
 and its Dependencies, Dated Simla, 
 
 Uth August, 1878. 
 
 The authentic intelligence which I have lately received of 
 the course of recent events at Cabul and in the countries border- 
 ing on Afghanistan, has rendered it necessary that I should com- 
 municate fully and without reserve with Your Highnesss upon 
 matters of importance which concern the interest of India and 
 of Afghanistan. For this reason, I have considered it expedient 
 to depute a special and confidential British Envoy of high rank, 
 who is known to Your Highness, His Excellency General Sir 
 Neville Bowles Chamberlain, Knight Grand Cross of the Most 
 Honorable Order of the Bath, Knight Grand Commander of the 
 Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, Commander-in-Chief of 
 the Madras Army, to visit Your Highness immediately at Cabul, 
 in order that he may converse personally with Your Highness 
 regarding these urgent affairs. It appears certain that they can 
 
a 
 
 LIFE OP 
 
 be best arranged for the welfare and tranquillity of both States, 
 and for the preservation of friendship between the two Govern- 
 ments by a full and frank statement of the present position. 
 This letter is therefore sent in advance to Your Highness, by the 
 hand of Navvab Gholam Hussein Khan, o. s. i., a faithful and 
 honored Sirdar of my Government, who will explain all necessary 
 details as to the time and manner of the Envoy's visit. It is 
 asked that Your Highness may be pleased to issue commands to 
 your Sirdars and to all other authorities in Afghanistan upon the 
 route between Peshawur and Cabul, that they shall make, without 
 any delay, whatever arrangements are necessary and proper for 
 effectively securing to my Envoy, the representative of a friendly 
 Power, due safe conduct and suitable accommodation according 
 to his dignity, while passing with his retinue through the domi- 
 nions of Your Highness. 
 
 I beg to express the high consideration I entertain for Your 
 Highness. 
 
 No. II. 
 
 Letter to His Highness the Amir of Cabul, dated Simla, 23rd 
 August, 1878. 
 
 After the despatch from Simla of my letter, dated 14th 
 August, 1878, which Nawab Gholam Hussien Khan will deliver 
 with this letter to Your Highness, I received from Peshawur the 
 melancholy news, that Your Highness has suffered a great affliction 
 in the untimely death of Sirdar Abdullah, Khan, the Heir-Aopa- 
 rent to Cabul, and its dependencies. I desire to express to Your 
 Highness personally the sincere regret which this intelligence has 
 caused to me ; but life and death are in the hands of God, and 
 resignation to His will is unavoidable. In consequence of this 
 calamity, I have directed my Envoy to postpone for a short time 
 his departure, in order that Your Highness may not be troubled 
 
as 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B..C.S.I. 29 
 
 by any public business, however important and urgent, until the 
 usual period of mourning shall have elapsed. 
 
 Nawab Gholam Hossein Khan was the bearer of 
 the Viceroy's letters to the Amir. This gentleman 
 was the British Envoy in Cabul for many years 
 before Ata Mahomed Khan's appointment, and was 
 thoroughly well liked and appreciated by most of 
 the Afghan Sirdars. He arrived at Cabul with the 
 Viceroy's letters on the 10th September 1878, and 
 was received with marked honor and hospitality 
 at the Court of the Amir. He had a private inter- 
 view with the Amir on the 12th, when he delivered 
 the letters of which he was the bearer. In the mean- 
 time preparations were in progress at Peshawur for 
 the despatch of the mission to Cabul. Suitable 
 tents, stores, and horses were being purchased, 
 servants hired, and other details arranged by Major 
 Waterfield, the energetic Commissioner of the 
 Peshawur Division. Sir Neville Chamberlain left 
 Simla on the 8th September 1878, and reached 
 Peshawuro n the 12th. Immediately on his arrival 
 at Peshawur, Sir Neville placed himself in commu- 
 nication with Major Waterfield, and also with Major 
 Cavagnari, who was then specially charged with the 
 conduct of the British intercourse with Cabul and 
 the Afridi tribes. 
 
 The position of affairs, as described by Sir Neville 
 Chamberlain himself, was as follows : 
 
30: LIFE OF 
 
 The Mission was directed to leave Peshawur on 
 the 16th September, or as soon after as possible, so 
 as to reach Cabul about the end of the month, by 
 which time the fall period of mourning and of the 
 Past (Ramzan) would have ended. This was also 
 the time named by the Amir's Minister as the period 
 when His Highness the Amir would be able to 
 attend to state affairs. Major Cavagnari, in obe- 
 dience to instructions, previously communicated to 
 him by His Excellency the Viceroy, was then in 
 course of arranging with the independent Khyberi 
 tribes for the safe conduct of the mission through 
 the pass as far as Ali Musjid, at which place it 
 would come into contact with, and under the 
 protection of, the officers of the Amir. All the 
 necessary arrangements with the independent tribes 
 were going on satisfactorily, when, all of a sudden, 
 on the morning of the 14th, information was brought 
 to Major Cavagnari that Faiz Mahomed Khan, the 
 Commandant of the Amir's troops, stationed at Ali 
 Musjid, had sent in to Peshawur to call back to the 
 Pass all the Khyberi inaliks, or head men, who were 
 then carrying on negotiations with Major Cavagnari. 
 The maliks applied to Major Cavagnari to know what 
 course they should adopt, as they felt that if they 
 disobeyed, the allowance they were in receipt from 
 the Amir might be stopped. This action on the 
 part of the Amir's officials was considered discour- 
 
a a 
 
 MA JOE SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.c.B.,c.8.i. 31 
 
 teous, if not hostile ; for the occupation of Ali 
 Musjid by the Amir's troops had been of no long 
 duration, whilst, indeed, it could at no time have 
 been carried out had the measure been objected to 
 by the Government of India. It was, however, 
 thought to be impossible that such occupation could, 
 under any circumstances, be accepted by the British 
 Government as being allowed to interfere with, or 
 to become a bar to the right of the British Govern- 
 ment to hold independent relations with these tribes, 
 or to interfere in any manner with the previously 
 existing relations with them. 
 
 Deeming it unreasonable to accept the position 
 assumed by Faiz Mahomed, and at the same time being 
 unwilling to give the Amir any plausible ground of 
 complaint, Sir Neville Chamberlain addressed the 
 following courteous and friendly letter to Faiz Maho- 
 med, explaining to him the object of the Mission and 
 the motive of the British Government for arranging 
 with the Pass men for its safe conduct as far as the 
 Ali Musjid : 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 From His Excellency Sir Neville Chamberlain, G. c. B. G. c. s. i. 
 To Faiz Mahomed Khan, Commandant of H. H., the Amir's 
 Troops at Ali Musjid Dated, Peshawur, 15th September 1S7S. 
 
 A. C. I write to inform you that, by command of His Excel- 
 lency the Viceroy and Governor-General of India a friendly 
 Mission of British officers, with a suitable escort is about to 
 
32 LIFE OF 
 
 proceed to Cabul through the Khyber Pass, and intimation of 
 the despatch of this Mission has been duly communicated to His 
 Highness the Amir by the hand of the Nawab Gholam Hossein 
 Khan. 
 
 I hear that an official from Cabul has recently visited you 
 at Ali Musjid, and he has doubtless instructed you in accord- 
 ance with His Highness the Amir's commands. As, however, 
 information has now been received that you have summoned from 
 Peshawur the Khybari headman with whom we were making 
 arrangements for the safe conduct of the British Mission through 
 the Khyber Pass, I therefore write to enquire from you whether, 
 in accordance with the instructions you have received, you are 
 prepared to guarantee the safety of the British mission to 
 Dhakka or not, and I request that a clear reply to this enquiry 
 may be speedily communicated by the hand of the bearer of 
 this letter, as I cannot delay my departure from Peshawur. It 
 is well known that the Khyber tribes are in receipt of allowances 
 from the Cabul Government, and also, like other independent 
 tribes on this Frontier, have relations with the British Government. 
 It may be well to let you know that, when the present nego- 
 tiations were opened with the Khyber tribes, it was solely with the 
 object of arranging with them for the safe conduct of the British 
 Mission through the Khyber Pass, in the same manner as was 
 done in regard to despatch of our Agent, the Nawab Gholam 
 Hossein Khan ; and the tribes were given clearly to understand 
 that these negotiations were in no way intended to prejudice their 
 relations with His Highness the Amir, as it was well-known that 
 the object of the British mission was altogether of a friendly 
 character to His Highness the Amir and the people of Afgha- 
 nistan. 
 
 I trust, that in accordance with the instructions you have 
 received from His Highness the Amir, your reply to this letter 
 will be satisfactory, and that it will contain the required assurances 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 33 
 
 that the Mission will be safely conducted to Dhakka. I shall 
 expect to receive your reply to this letter not later than the 18th 
 instant, so please understand that the matter is most urgent. 
 But at the same time, it is my duty to inform you, in a frank and 
 friendly manner, that if your answer is not what I trust it will be, 
 or if you delay to send an early reply, I shall have no alter- 
 native but to make whatever arrangement may seem to me best 
 for carrying out the instructions I have received from my own 
 Government. 
 
 The purport of the above letter was explained 
 by Major Cavagnari to the maliks, who fully under- 
 stood and approved of its conciliatory nature, and 
 expressed themselves willing to abide by the 
 result. They were further told that up to that time 
 it was considered that their previous arrangements 
 with the Amir were held to be in force ; that 
 nothing had occurred to put an end to them ; but 
 that if the Amir, because of their relations with the 
 British, stopped their allowance, it would then be 
 continued to them by the British Government. At 
 this period, Sir Neville Chamberlain wrote to His 
 Excellency the Viceroy that he was not sanguine of 
 receiving a satisfactory answer, for he felt that a 
 man in a subordinate position like that held by 
 Faiz Mahomed Khan, would never dare assume the 
 responsibility of acting as he had done without orders, 
 ancl that, therefore, he had most probably carried 
 out the instructions he had received from Cabul. 
 But, so far from Faiz Mahomed feeling any embar- 
 
34 
 
 LIFE OF 
 
 rassment in replying to Sir Neville Chamberlain's 
 letter, he did so at once, and his answer was received 
 on the afternoon of the 16th. The following is the 
 reply in question : 
 
 No. 2. 
 
 Translation of a letter from Faiz Mahomed Khan, to His Ex- 
 cellency Sir Neville Chamberlain (letter not dated.) 
 
 A. C. Your friendly letter which you sent me by the hands 
 of Arbab Fateh Mahomed Khan has reached me to-day, the 1 7th 
 Ramzan (16th September). I was gratified by the perusal 
 thereof and feel obliged. 
 
 Kind (Sir), you mention therein that you have been ordered 
 to proceed on a friendly Mission to Oabul, and that you are 
 negotiating with the Afridis for an escort to Dhakka. But the 
 Afridis are a faithless (literally, " fearless") and covetous race. 
 No confidence can be reposed in their engagements. Their head- 
 men and chiefs are all with us, and in receipt of allowances from 
 His Highness the Amir. The letter which my kind friend Major 
 Waterfield, Commissioner of Peshawur, wrote on the subject of 
 the advance of a friendly Mission to Cabul, I have forwarded by 
 the hands of my servant to the Mir Akhor, our superior and 
 chief at Jellalabad ; but as yet we have received no orders from 
 Cabul or Jellalabad which we might communicate to you, 
 whether to let the British Mission proceed or to stop it. "When 
 we hear that the Amir has no objection (to your going), we shall 
 do you good service and escort you to Dhakka, whether there 
 be any Afridis or not ; for the friendship between you and the 
 late Amir Sahib is clearer than the sun. When we receive orders 
 from the Capital (Cabul) to invite you, we shall be bound to 
 serve you well. But as yet we have received no orders to let you 
 go. We are servants to carry out the orders of (our master ). 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 35 
 
 Should you come without His Highness' permission or orders, it 
 will lead to a collision between us and the Afridis on one side 
 and you on the other ; all hopes of friendship will be lost. 
 
 While I was writing this letter, a man arrived from Dhakka 
 with news that the Mir Akhor would shortly be here with two 
 sowars. As he is a great man, he may have brought some orders 
 which he, by way of friendship, will communicate to you. He 
 will also learn your views, (" jawab-o-sowal"). What I have 
 stated above is all that I have to communicate. Further, you 
 are at liberty to do what you like. Whether you stop at 
 Peshawur until the Mir Akhor arrives, and has a friendly com- 
 munication with you, or you proceed at once by force ; you can 
 do what you choose. 
 
 There could be no room for misunderstanding 
 Faiz Mahomed's meaning. He was a soldier in 
 command of an out-post ; had no orders to allow 
 the Mission to pass, and would stop it by force of 
 arms if need be. The position thus assumed was in 
 fact to imply that the relations then existing 
 between the Amir and the British Government were 
 tantamount to a state of war : and thus all doubt 
 was removed as to the nature of the orders given to 
 Faiz Mahomed, or the source from which they ema- 
 nated. Just one ray of hope might, however, be 
 extracted from his last paragraph. The Mir Akhor 
 was, he said, just about to arrive at Ali Musjid 
 from Dhakka : he might be the bearer of fresh 
 instructions from Cabul; and he recommended Sir 
 Neville to delay the advance of the Mission. 
 
 News of the Mir Akhor's arrival duly reached 
 
36 LIFE OF 
 
 Sir Neville Chamberlain. This official has been very 
 aptly described as the " sourest old fanatic in 
 Afghanistan and the bitterest enemy of the Kafir, 
 English or Russ." It was reported that the Mir 
 Akhor's object, far from being of a friendly character, 
 was to see that Faiz Mahomed did not flinch from the 
 execution of his orders. It soon became apparent 
 that both Faiz Mahomed and the Mir Akhor were 
 endeavouring their utmost to make the Afridis close 
 the Pass to the advance of the Mission. All reserve 
 was thrown aside now, and, with the sanction of the 
 Viceroy, the Afridi Maliks were told (on the 19th) that 
 British Government was ready to deal with them 
 independently of all other considerations, and the 
 promise of indemnifying them for any loss they 
 might sustain from the Amir withdrawing his 
 allowance, was repeated to them. 
 
 On the 20th September, the Maliks announced the 
 willingness of their clansmen to escort the Mission 
 to Ali Musjid, or to any nearer point until the Mission 
 should come into contact with the Amir's officials ; 
 and that they would, if necessary, give it safe con- 
 duct back to Jamrud. They asked for one day's 
 time to enable them to make the necessary arrange- 
 ments for the security of the Pass. 
 
 On the 21st September, the Mission moved to 
 Jamrud. For the first three or four miles, the road 
 from Peshawur to Jamrud lies due west through rich 
 
a a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 37 
 
 cultivation and groves of young sisoo trees to 
 JBurj-i-Hari Singh, a tower where a picket under 
 ordinary circumstances warns peaceful travellers 
 that if they venture further west, it is at the risk of 
 their lives. Beyond Burj-i-Hari Singh a bare 
 gravelly desert stretches to the foot of the Khyber 
 Hills, some seven or eight miles off. Three miles 
 from the mouth of the Pass lies the half-ruined 
 Eort of Jamrud, a somewhat picturesque structure, 
 lying just inside British territory, and held for the 
 British by the chief of a village in the neighbouring 
 plain. Just to the east of its crumbling towers, 
 the British camp was pitched. 
 
 The Mission was composed as follows : Envoy, 
 General Sir Neville Chamberlain, a. c. B., G. c. s. i. ; 
 second in command Major Cavagnari, c.s.i. ; attached 
 -Surgeon Major Belle w, c.s.i. ; Major St. John, 
 Royal Engineers ; Maharaj Pertab Singh Bahadur 
 of Jodhpore ; Nawab Obaidullah Khan, Shahibzadah 
 of Tonk ; personal staff of the Envoy Military 
 Secretary, Captain Hamick ; Aides-de-camp, captain 
 Onslow, Madras Cavalry ; Lieutenant Chamberlain, 
 Central India Horse ; Rassuldar- Major Mahomed 
 Aslam Khan, 5th Bengal Cavalry ; Interpreter, Kazi 
 Seyud Ahmad, Foreign Office Attache. With the 
 escort were Colonel Jenkins, the Guides, command- 
 ing; Major Prinsep, llth Bengal Lancers ; Major 
 Stewart and captain Battye, the Guides, with a total 
 
38 LIFE OF 
 
 of 234 fighting men, Natives of the escort. The 
 rest were camp-followers, including over 200 people, 
 camel-drivers and others, belonging to the Commis- 
 sariat, which carried nine days' rations for man and 
 beast. The carriage consisted of 315 camels, about 
 250 mules, and 40 horses. The whole would have 
 formed a cortege considerably over a mile in length. 
 Major Cavagnari was ordered by His Excel- 
 lency Sir Neville Chamberlain to ride on towards 
 Ali Musjid as soon as possible after the arrival of 
 the camp at Jamrud, taking with him only a small 
 escort of the Guides, and the headmen of the British 
 Frontier villages and of the friendly Khyberis, to 
 demand from the Amir's officials permission for the 
 advance of the Mission. The tact and temper dis- 
 played by Major Cavagnari on this very delicate 
 and perilous errand have been j ustly considered on 
 all hands as " admirable. " The following report 
 of his interview with Faiz Mahomed Khan will be 
 read with interest : 
 
 From Major N. Cavagnari, C. S. I., on Special Duty, Cabul 
 Mission To His Excellency General Sir Neville Chamber- 
 lain, G. C. B., G. C. S. /., Envoy Extraordinary, Cabul 
 Mission Dated 22nd September 1878. 
 
 In obedience to your Excellency's instructions, I left Peshawur 
 early yesterday morning, with the view of proceeding to the fort 
 of Ali Musjid in the Khyber Pass, in order to ascertain from the 
 Amir's officials in charge of this post, whether they would permit 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,c.s.I. 39 
 
 a 
 
 the British Mission to pass through the Khyber, and be respon- 
 sible for its safety and proper treatment during its journey to 
 Cabul or not. 
 
 2. On arrival at Jamrud, where the camp of the Mission was 
 pitched, I communicated with Colonel Jenkins, Commanding the 
 escort, and it was arranged that he and Captain W. Battye, with 
 a small escort of cavalry, should accompany me on my mission. 
 
 3. Negotiations had been concluded on the previous day with 
 the Khyber headmen present at Peshawur to escort the British 
 Mission from Jumrud to Ali Musjid, or to any other point 
 within the Khyber at which the Amir's officials might be 
 stationed, and back to the British Frontier, if it was necessary to 
 return. I, therefore, sent off the Khyberis, who had preceded me 
 to the camp at Jumrud, to make arrangements through the Pass ; 
 and I deputed messengers to Ali Musjid to inform the Mir 
 Akhor and Faiz Mahomed Khan, the Commandant of the fort, 
 that I with two other British Officers, were leaving Jumrud for 
 Ali Musjid, in order to have a personal interview with them. 
 
 4. After waiting a sufficient time at Jamrud to enable the 
 Khyberis and my messengers to get well ahead, I left camp and 
 entered the Pass. On reaching Mackeson's bridge, I was met by 
 one of my messengers, who was returning from Ali Musjid, and 
 who informed me that Faiz Mahomed Khan had desired him to 
 return and request the officers to halt at whatever place the 
 messenger should meet them, and that he would come to inter- 
 view them. As this was palpably an attempt to gain time 
 a line of conduct the Amir's officials are specially proficient in 
 and as it was my object to get as near Ali Musjid as possible, 
 so that there should be no question as to the responsibility of 
 the Amir's officials for any obstruction I might meet with, I 
 directed the messenger to return and inform the Khan that I 
 intended to proceed onward until I met him. 
 
 5. When we reached the heights above Lala China, which 
 
LIFE OF 
 
 are about a mile from All Musjid, and within sight of the fort, 
 some of the Khyber headmen met us, and informed me that the 
 ridges in front of us, which completely commanded the remainder 
 of the road to AH Musjid, were held by the Amir's levies 
 fKhasadar,) who would not let our party pass. We also 
 observed large numbers of men descending from AH Musjid to 
 strengthen these positions, indicating beyond doubt that there 
 was every intention to oppose us if we attempted to proceed. 
 As these pickets were within the limits of that portion of the 
 Pass the Khyberis who accompanied me were responsible for, 
 I sent a party of them to parley with the levies ; but the latter 
 threatened to fire if any one approached. I, therefore, sent 
 another messenger to Faiz Mahomed Khan, inviting him to come 
 and meet me, or to arrange for my safe passage to Ali Musjid, 
 as his men held command of the road and refused to allow my 
 party to advance. As some time passed and no definite answer 
 was received, I sent one of the Kalil Khans who had accompanied 
 me, to ascertain the position of affairs ; but shortly afterwards 
 I received a report that the Khan had been stopped, and was not 
 permitted to advance. 
 
 6. I then prepared to write a letter to the address of the 
 Mir Akhor and Faiz Mahomed Khan, informing them that I 
 had been stopped by the advance pickets of the AH Musjid post 
 under their command, but that I intended to proceed until fired 
 upon, and that, if this occurred, the responsibility would be theirs, 
 and that the act would be held to indicate that as the Amir of 
 Cabal's representatives absolutely declined to allow the British 
 Mission to advance. I intended to let a reasonable interval pass, 
 and then, if no satisfactory reply was received, Colonel Jenkins 
 and I, with a few men were to advance towards Ali Musjid until 
 fired upon, when we would have retired under cover of the 
 remainder of the escort which was to be left with Captain Battye 
 on the heights where we had halted. 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 41 
 
 7. Before this letter was ready for despatch, a message was 
 brought me from Faiz Mahomed Khan to the effect that he was 
 about to come to a ruined tower in the bed of the stream just 
 below where we halted, and that, on his arrival there he would 
 send for myself and three others and would hear anything we 
 had to communicate. 
 
 8. As it appeared to me that it would have been an indignity 
 to have remained and waited until Faiz Mahomed Khan should 
 send for me, as well as to be dictated to as to the number of 
 men that should accompany me ( it would have been different had I 
 been permitted to proceed with my escort to the fort of AH Musjid, 
 when, of course, I would only have entered the post with as 
 many men as the officers in command chose to admit), I deter- 
 mined to advance at once with as many men as I thought fit 
 to take, and endeavour to meet Faiz Mahomed Khan before 
 he should reach the spot named by him. 
 
 9. Accordingly, Colonel Jenkins, myself, and one or two of 
 the Guide Cavalry, with some of the Khyber headmen and the 
 Native gentlemen, (Nawab Bahadur Shere Khan, Arbab Sarfaraz 
 Khan, Arbab Fateh Mahomed Khan, Afridi Khan, Munshi 
 Bakhtiar Khan, Abbas Khan, and several others) descended 
 without delay into the bed of the stream, and advanced to meet 
 Faiz Mahomed Khan. A party of Afridis, headed by Abdulla 
 Nur, a Kuki Khel Afridi Malik in receipt of special allowances 
 from the Amir, attempted to stop me, saying that only four per- 
 sons should advance. I rode past him, telling him that my 
 Mission concerned the Cabul officials, and that I desired to have 
 no discussion with the Afridis. The Malik made no further 
 opposition in fact, he knew that most of his tribe were with me, 
 and he himself was only acting a part to save his allowances. 
 
 10. After meeting Faiz Mahomed Khan and exchanging salu- 
 tations, I pointed to what I considered a suitable place for an 
 interview it was a water-mill with some trees close by it, and 
 
a a 
 
 42 LIFE OF 
 
 on the opposite side of the stream to the spot originally named 
 for the place of meeting. Faiz Mahomed Khan was accompanied 
 by the Naib, or Deputy of the Mir Akhor, a considerable num- 
 ber of the AH Musjid levies, and some of the Afridi headmen 
 of the upper villages of the Khyber, and their respective 
 followers. 
 
 11. When we had seated ourselves, I commenced the inter- 
 view by pointing out to Faiz Mahomed Khan that he and myself 
 were servants of our respective Governments, and had met to 
 carry out whatever orders we had received ; so that, whatever 
 the result of our meeting might be, there need be nothing per- 
 sonal between him and myself. After the Khan had fully 
 reciprocated this friendly sentiment, I proceeded to state that 
 he was well aware that the British Government had decided on 
 sending a friendly Mission of European British officers, accompanied 
 by a suitable escort, to His Highness the Amir of Cabul ; that 
 the Mission was encamped at Jumrud, and intended to proceed 
 through the Khyber on the following day ; that, in consequence 
 of various reports received, I had been deputed by my Govern- 
 ment to ascertain from the Amir's officials at Ali Musjid whether 
 they had received instructions, or were prepared to guarantee the 
 safe passage and proper treatment of the Mission during its 
 journey to Cabul, or not ; and I hoped that, if there was any 
 latitude for independent action in the orders he had received from 
 Cabul, he would do all he could towards an amicable adjustment 
 of affairs between the two Governments. Faiz Mahomed Khan 
 replied that he had every desire to act in a friendly manner, and 
 that actuated by such motives, he had allowed Nawab Gholam 
 Hussein Khan to proceed without any detention, but that his action 
 in this respect had met with disapproval from the Cabul Durbar ; 
 that if he had not been friendly disposed, he would not have con- 
 sented to the present interview, or have restrained his levies from 
 firing on my party ; that he had received no orders from the Amir 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 43 
 
 to let the Mission pass his post ; and that, without such orders, he 
 could not let it proceed ; but that, if the Mission would only wait 
 for a fe ,v days, he would communicate with Cabul and ask for 
 orders. I replied that my orders were distinct, and that I was 
 instructed to say that the Mission would advance on the next 
 day, unless I received a reply from the Amir's officials that its 
 advance would be opposed ; and I begged the Khan not to take 
 upon himself such a heavy responsibility as to say he would 
 oppose the advance of the British Mission, unless his orders were 
 clear and distinct in the matter ; for whatever his reply was, it 
 would be considered as that of the Amir of Cabul. Faiz Mahomed 
 Khan replied that he was only a sentry, and had no regular 
 troops, but only a few levies ; but that such as his orders were, 
 he would carry out to the best of his ability, and that unless he 
 received orders from Cabul, he could not let the Mission pass his 
 post. I rejoined, to this, that it did not signify what the actual 
 strength of his post was, as the Mission was a friendly one and 
 bent on peaceful objects, and again urged him not to take such a 
 grave responsibility if he had any option in the matter. He 
 replied that it was a very heavy matter for him to decide upon ; 
 as on the one hand, he could not act without orders from Cabul, 
 while, on the other hand, he was told that his reply would be 
 considered as that of the Amir of Cabul. He then began with 
 much warmth to question the friendly intention of- the 
 British Government by stating that it was not a sign of friend- 
 ship for the British authorities to negotiate direct with the 
 Khyber tribes, who were subjects of the Amir of Cabul, and in 
 receipt of allowances from that ruler, and induce them to 
 escort Nawab Gholam Hussein, and also some British officers 
 (meaning my party) without the Amir's permission. I replied 
 that there vras no cause for dissatisfaction in what had been done 
 in the matter. It was never anticipated that a friendly Mission 
 would have met with any opposition, as such Missions are never 
 
a a 
 
 44 LIFE OF 
 
 opposed in any civilized country ; and that the arrangements 
 made with the Afridis were merely to induce them to undertake 
 the safe conduct (" badragga") of a peaceably-disposed Mission, 
 which every independent Pathan tribe has a right to undertake 
 in its own country. Faiz Mahomed Khan continued with 
 increasing warmth to allude to the subject, and there was an 
 uneasy sort of murmuring commencing amongst the people 
 around, which appeared to me (and, as I afterwards ascertained, 
 the same idea occurred to Colonel Jenkins and to some of the 
 Native gentlemen with me) to indicate that, if the discussion 
 was any longer prolonged, the movement alluded to might 
 assume a more decided form, which might possibly be one which 
 our small party could not deal within a suitable manner. I, there- 
 fore, interrupted the Khan by saying that the subject was one 
 which it did not behove subordinates to discuss, and that, if the 
 Amir considered what had been done as a grievance, I had no 
 doubt that the British Government would give him a suitable 
 answer. I then asked the Khan for the last time if I correctly 
 understood him to say that, if the British Mission advanced as 
 intended on the following day, he would oppose it by force \ and 
 he replied that such would be the case. I then got up and 
 shook Faiz Mahomed Khan by the hand and assured him that I 
 had no unfriendly feelings against him personally, and that I 
 hoped to meet him again on some future occasion. I then turned 
 to the Native gentlemen who were with me, and asked them if 
 they did not consider a clear and decisive answer had been given ; 
 and they replied that it was so. 
 
 12. In fact, there was scarcely any necessity for an interview 
 to settle this point, as the hostile preparations made by the Ali 
 Musjid garrison on seeing my party approach, notwithstanding 
 that my object in coming, and the small strength of my escort, had 
 been communicated to, and received by, the Commandant of the 
 fort, and the Amir's representative, the Mir Akhor, would ordi- 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 45 
 
 narily have been quite sufficient to indicate pre-determined affront, 
 and insult ; and I believe that, with any other of the Amir's 
 officials, but Faiz Mahomed Khan, who, from first to last, has 
 behaved in a most courteous manner, and very favorably impressed 
 both Colonel Jenkins and myself, a collision of some kind would 
 have taken place. The general belief is that Faiz Mahomed 
 Khan was acting under the direct orders of the Mir Akhor, who 
 had been purposely deputed by the Amir to supervise Faiz 
 Mahomed Khan's management of Khyber affairs, and to see that, 
 without orders to the contrary, he checked the advance of the 
 British Mission. I have no doubt that Faiz Mahomed Khan 
 softened down a great deal of the insult that was intended, 
 though, short of actual collision, it is possible to imagine what 
 more could be done to effect the Amir's object. 
 
 13. The Khyberis, as far as their conduct was tested, acted 
 faithfully to their engagements, and but for their assistance, we 
 should not have been able to bring matters to a definite issue 
 with the Amir's officials without a great deal of trouble, expense, 
 and delay. 
 
 14. The interview with Faiz Mahomed Khan being concluded, 
 we returned to Jumrud, and I returned to Peshawur and per- 
 sonally reported to your Excellency all that had taken place. 
 
 15. In conclusion, I would desire to bring to your Excellency's 
 favorable notice the ready and courteous assistance I received 
 from Colonel Jenkins. 
 
 The Khyber arrangements were managed by Arbab Fateh 
 Mahomed Khan, and I purpose bringing his services to notice 
 in due course, 
 
 The conduct of Major Cavagnari on this occasion 
 cannot be too highly praised. He had thoroughly 
 studied the oriental character, and it was his perfect 
 knowledge of the peculiarities of that character, 
 
a 
 
 46 LIFE OF 
 
 added to his own natural courage, great presence of 
 mind, and sound common sense that helped him 
 to perform so admirably the difficult task with 
 which he was entrusted. In allusion to this inter- 
 view, Sir Neville Chamberlain records it as his 
 opinion that, " but for the tact displayed by Major 
 Cavagnari at one period of the interview, even the 
 lives of the British officers and of their small escort 
 were endangered. " The following letter from Lieut- 
 tenant Colonel Jenkins, who was with Major 
 Cavagnari, and was present at the interview, will give 
 a better idea of what transpired on the occasion. 
 
 From Lieutenant-Colonel F. G. Jenkins, Commandant, Corps 
 
 of Guides (Q. 0.,) to Captain St. V. Hammick, Military 
 
 Secretary to Sir Neville Chamberlain Dated, Camp 
 
 Peshawur, 22nd September 1878. 
 
 I have the honor to make the following report for the informa- 
 tion of His Excellency General Sir Neville Chamberlain, G. c. B. 
 
 2. According to his orders, I marched from Peshawur early on 
 the 21st September, with the camp of the Cabul Mission, and 
 reached Jumrud soon after 7 o'clock. 
 
 3. About 8 o'clock, Major Cavagnari arrived in camp, and told 
 me that he was going up to Ali Musjid to get an answer from 
 the Officer Commanding, regarding the passage of the Mission 
 through Ali Musjid, and its safe conduct to Cabul. 
 
 4. After a short delay, to allow the headmen of the Kuki 
 Khel Afridis to send some of their people ahead of us up the 
 Khyber Pass, to tell Faiz Mahomed Khan that Major Cavagnari 
 was coming to talk to him, and that he had only a small escort 
 with him, Major Cavagnari and I started from Jumrud, having 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 47 
 
 with us Captain Wigram Battye and twenty-four men of the 
 Cavalry of the Corps of Guides. 
 
 5. We marched by the gun-road made by Colonel Mackeson 
 in 1840, which we found in very good order, and, before noon, 
 reached a hill, from which we could plainly see AH Musjid, about 
 three-quarters of a mile distant from the fort. 
 
 6. When the people in Ali Musjid saw our uniform on the 
 hill, they immediately made preparations to resist us. Some 
 manned the walls of the fort, and some occupied a ridge, along 
 the foot of which the road between us and Ali Musjid ran. At 
 the same time, one or two signal shots were fired. 
 
 7. If we had advanced then I am sure that we should have 
 been at once engaged with 300 or 400 hundred men under 
 circumstances of great disadvantage, for we should have been 
 fighting on the lower ground with the enemy strongly posted on 
 our front and right flank. Besides this I am persuaded that the 
 Amir's officers would have excused themselves from all blame for 
 what might have happened by saying that we had rashly come 
 into collision with their troops without giving time for explanation. 
 
 8. Under these circumstances, Major Cavagnari wisely, I think, 
 decided to remain on the hill, where we were for a short time ; 
 but it was agreed that if Faiz Mahomed could not be induced to 
 come and meet us, Major Cavagnari and I with a couple of men 
 were to go towards the fort and get an answer to the question he 
 had come to ask. 
 
 9. After waiting on the hill for about two hours, during 
 which more than one message was sent to Faiz Mahomed Khan, 
 Afridi Khan, Arbab of Malazai, came back to say that the Sirdar 
 was coming to meet us in the valley below where we were standing. 
 Shortly after this, we saw Faiz Mahomed coming with fifty or 
 sixty followers, aud Major Cavagnari and 1, with two men of the 
 Guides, went down and met him. Major Cavagnari had also 
 with him Fateh Mahomed Khan, Arbab Afridi Khan, and a few 
 
 ff 
 
f}-. ; 
 
 48 LIFE OF 
 
 of the Kuki Khel Afridis who held come with us up the Pass ; 
 also Bahadur Shere Khan, the Bangash Chief. 
 
 10. After shaking hands with the Sirdar, we crossed the 
 stream, and sat down under a tree close to the village of Lala 
 China. Directly we sat down, several more of the Sirdars 's 
 followers turned up, and we had 150 or 200 of them close round 
 us while we sat and talked. 
 
 11. Major Cavagnari began by saying that the British 
 Government was sending a peaceful Mission to the Amir Shere 
 Ali Khan, of which due notice had been given to the Amir, that 
 the camp of the Mission was at Jumrud, and that he came to 
 ask for a passage through Ali Musjid, and a safe conduct to 
 Cabul. 
 
 12. The Sirdar replied that he had already written more than 
 once to say that the Mission could not pass Ali Musjid without 
 the Amir's sanction, which had not been received, and that- we 
 must wait, and that he would again, refer to the Amir for orders 
 on the subject. 
 
 13. Major Cavagnari said that the Sirdar's letters had been 
 received, but that the British Government would not believe that 
 a peaceful Mission going to the Amir on business of importance 
 would be refused a passage, and had, therefore, sent one of its 
 own officers to ascertain how matters stood. Major Cavagnari 
 added that, as the Amir knew that the Mission was on its way 
 to him, if it was stopped at AU Musjid the British Government 
 would consider that the Amir had himself stopped it. 
 
 1 4. The Sirdar owned that this was true. 
 
 15. Major Cavagnari then asked whether, under these cir- 
 cumstances, the Sirdar would oppose the passage of the Mission ; 
 and the Sirdar said that he would most certainly do so. In fact, 
 the Sirdar never flinched from fiist to last, but gave us distinctly 
 to understand that he would oppose the passage of the Mission 
 by force, and that it was waste of time to argue with him. 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 49 
 
 16. Major Cavagnari then said to the Sirdar 
 
 " You are a servant of the Amir, and you take upon yourself 
 to stop a Mission going to him from the British Government, 
 with which he has long been on friendly terms. How do you 
 know that the Amir himself will not be very angry with you for 
 doing this ?" 
 
 17. The Sirdar replied " What friendship is there in what 
 you are doing now ? If the Amir had given me orders, I would have 
 gone down to Jumrud to meet you, and bring you up the Pass ; 
 but now you have come here on your own account and bribed 
 the Amir's servants to give you a passage. You are setting 
 Afridis against Afridis and will cause strife and bloodshed in this 
 country and call yourself friends !" 
 
 18. The Afridis who were standing round us applauded this 
 speech ; and it would nob have been prudent to have continued 
 to converse in this tone. Therefore Major Cavagnari said to the 
 Sirdar "We are both servants you of the Amir of Cabul, I 
 of the British Government. It is no use for us to discuss these 
 matters. I only came to get a straight answer from you. Will 
 you oppose the passage of the Mission by force ?" 
 
 19. The Sirdar said" Yes, I will ; and you may take it as 
 kindness, and because I remember friendship, that I do not fire 
 upon you for what you have done already." After this we shook 
 hands and mounted our horses : and the Sirdar said again: " You 
 have had a straight answer." 
 
 20. We returned to Jumrud by the road we came, and reached 
 camp about 5 o'clock in the evening. 
 
 21. I was very much struck with the behaviour of the Kuki 
 Khel Afridis who went with us up the Pass. Their conduct was 
 excellent throughout the day. 
 
 22. I enclose a slight sketch of the ground about Ali Musjid 
 to explain this report. 
 
 Thus the Mission failed. The result of Major 
 
60 LIFE OF 
 
 Cavagnari's interview with Faiz Mahomed Khan 
 having been telegraphed to the Viceroy, Sir Neville 
 Chamberlain received His Excellency's order to 
 return with the Mission to Peshawur. Before 
 doing so, Sir Neville Chamberlain addressed the 
 following letter to Faiz Mahomed Khan : 
 
 From HisExcellency Sir Neville Chamberlain, G.O.B., G.C.B.I., 
 
 To Faiz Mahomed Khan, Commanding H. H. the Amir's 
 
 Troops at A li Musjid. Dated Camp Jumrud, 
 
 22nd /September, 1878. 
 
 A.C. You are aware that the camp of the British Mission 
 arrived at Jumrud yesterday, with the object of proceeding to-day 
 through the Khyber Pass on a friendly Mission to His Highness 
 the Amir of Cabul. Major Cavagnari and two other British officers 
 were deputed yesterday afternoon, under my orders, to hold an 
 interview with you, in order to obtain from you, as His Highness' 
 Commandant at Ali Musjid, the necessary assurances of safe 
 conduct to enable the Mission to proceed on its journey. 
 
 The said officers were prevented from approaching the fort of 
 Ali Musjid, as your pickets were posted commanding the road, 
 and refused to allow them (the officers) to advance. After these 
 British officers had sought and obtained an interview with you at 
 a place (Lala China) some short distance this side of Ali Musjid, 
 and after you l;ad been warned by them that your reply would 
 be regarded as that of His Highness the Amir of Cabul, you 
 declared that you had received no instructions to permit the 
 British Mission to pass your post, and stated that you would 
 certainly oppose it by force if it advanced. I am, thei-efore, 
 commanded by His Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General 
 of India to inform you that your reply is considered as being 
 that of His Highness the Amir of Cabul, and the British Mission 
 
 fe-- 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 51 
 
 is now returning from Jumrud to Peshawur. I again assure you 
 that the British Government entertains nothing but friendly 
 feelings and intentions towards the Chiefs and people of 
 Afghanistan. 
 
 Sir Neville Chamberlain also wrote a letter to 
 Nawab Gholam Khan, under the orders of the 
 Viceroy, directing him to immediately take leave of 
 the Amir, and to return forthwith to Pesliawur. 
 As the concluding portion of Sir Neville Chamber- 
 lain's report to the Government of India, is of deep 
 interest, I need not make any apology for inserting 
 it here. It runs thus : 
 
 The Mission had failed it had been turned back at the 
 threshold of the Amir's dominions with an affront delivered 
 before all the world. It failed because of the Amir's indifference 
 to any indignity imposed by him on the British Government ; 
 whilst he himself would not tolerate anything which could be 
 strained to bear the appearance of even a slight to his kingly 
 privileges. 
 
 It seems to me that a reasonable way of judging of our 
 position is to suppose the conditions inverted. Let it be supposed 
 that the Amir had considered that his interests and his honor 
 called for the immediate despatch of an Envoy to the Government 
 of India to discuss pressing differences in a friendly manner j 
 that he had deputed a confidential Agent of rank to the Viceroy 
 to announce the approaching departure and early arrival of a 
 Mission ; that the Government of India thereupon had sent no 
 direct answer to the Amir, but had endeavoured to bar the pas- 
 sage of the Mission through neighbouring friendly tribes ; and 
 that, on its succeeding in reaching our most distant oufcposfc, it 
 had been met and turned back by the threat of a resort to force 
 
52 LIFE OF 
 
 if it ventured to continue on its errand. There can, I think, be 
 no room for two opinions, unless the relations between neigh- 
 bouring States are to relapse into the worst form of barbarism, 
 and to be controlled only by brute instincts and by brute force. 
 
 It may be said with certainty that a Mission despatched 
 under such conditions would have met with no success had it been 
 allowed to advance, and that it was better to fail at starting 
 through a direct insult, than to reach Cabul to arrive at no 
 result. 
 
 Before concluding this report, I desire to correct a misap- 
 prehension which has prevailed as to the strength of the military 
 escort attached to the Mission. It consisted of 150 cavalry and 50 
 infantry, or a total of 200 men ; and, considering the description 
 of country to be traversed, and the habits of the tribes to be 
 passed through, this number was not in excess of requirements. 
 
 My Mission was not of the nature of a surprise, and to 
 be conducted secretly and expeditiously : it had therefore, according 
 to custom, to be accompanied by a proportionate amount of camp- 
 equipage, baggage, and transport animals ; whilst in addition to 
 our own requirements was added the charge of valuable gifts to 
 be presented to the Amir. I had, in fact, to go in the most open 
 and formal manner, to represent the dignity of my Sovereign and 
 the claims of my country ; and to do this suitably, a certain 
 amount of outward state was customary and necessary. 
 
 No exception is ever taken by this Government to the 
 amount of escort which accompanies any foreign Prince visiting 
 India ; and whenever the Amir of Cabul, or one of the Princess 
 of that house, has come to India, he has invariably been accom- 
 panied by an escort far in excess of that which I was to take ; 
 although, be it added, any individual of any nationality may 
 traverse the length and breadth of India, unarmed, with perfect 
 security and without let or hindrance. 
 
 Finally, I would observe that so great was my desire to 
 
 -ff 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 63 
 
 prevent, if possible, any false rumours of armed preparations pre- 
 ceding me to Cabul, that I even requested the Brigadier-General 
 commanding the Peshawur garrison to suspend the movement of 
 troops ordinarily carried out at that period for the preservation of 
 the men's health, consequent upon the setting-in of the sickly 
 season. 
 
 Sir Neville Chamberlain ordered back the Mission 
 to Peshawur on the morning of the 22nd. Before 
 leaving he summoned the headmen of the friendly 
 Khyber tribes, and thanked them for their assistance. 
 One of them said, " What are we to do, if the Amir 
 attacks us ? . "Sir Neville replied, " I promise you 
 this, not from myself only, but from the Government, 
 which, as you know, always keeps its promises, that 
 as long a soldier remains in the ranks, and a rupee 
 in the Treasury, you shall suffer no harm for the 
 good service you have done." 
 
 The Mission reached Peshawur long before noon, 
 and the next morning orders were received to dis- 
 solve it. Thus ended the first act of the drama. 
 
 THE CAMPAIGN. 
 
 THE ill-fated Amir Shere Ali had no chance of 
 escape from the consequences which his wrong- 
 headedness had brought about. He had not only 
 declined the proffered friendship of the British 
 Government, but had openly offered insult to that 
 
a- 
 
 64 LIFE OP 
 
 Government by obstructing the passage of the 
 British Mission, while he had honored a Russian 
 Mission with a pompous reception at his capital. 
 The repulse which Sir Neville Chamberlain's 
 embassy had met with at All Musjid, must be 
 avenged now. But with that considerateness and 
 sense of justice which characterise the British 
 Government in all its dealings with the allied States, 
 the Viceroy before declaring the Amir an enemy of 
 the British Government, addressed a friendly letter to 
 him, demanding an apology and reparation within a 
 prescribed time. The Viceroy's letter runs thus : 
 
 From His Excellency the Viceroy and Governor- General of India, 
 
 To His Highness Amir Shere Ali Khan, of Cdbul 
 
 Dated 29^ October 1878. 
 
 A. C. I have received and read the letters which your High- 
 ness has sent to me by the handa of my Sirdar Gholam Hossein 
 Khan. 
 
 2. It will be in the recollection of Your Highness that imme- 
 diately on my arrival in India, I proposed to send you a friendly 
 mission for the purpose of assuring you of the goodwill of the 
 British Government, and of removing those past misunder- 
 standings, to which Your Highness has frequently alluded. 
 
 After leaving this proposal long unanswered, Your Highness 
 rejected it on the ground that you could not answer for the safety 
 of any European Envoy in your country, and that the reception 
 of a British Mission might afford Russia a pretext for farcing 
 you to receive a Russian Mission. 
 
 3. Although such refusal to receive a friendly mission was con- 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 65 
 
 trary to the practice of allied States, yet the British Government, 
 unwilling to embarrass your Highness, accepted your excuses. 
 
 4. Nevertheless, your Highness has now received a Russian 
 Envoy at your capital at a time when a war was believed to be 
 imminent in which England and Russia would be arrayed on 
 opposite sides ; thereby not only acting in contradiction to the 
 reasons asserted by your Highness for not receiving a British 
 mission but giving to your conduct the appearance of being 
 actuated by motives inimical to the British Government. 
 
 5. In these circumstances the British Government, remem- 
 bering its former friendship with the father of your Highness and 
 still desiring to maintain with you amicable relations, determined 
 to send, after such delay as the domestic affliction you had 
 suffered rendered fit, a Mission to your Highness in charge of Sir 
 Neville Chamberlain, a trusted and distinguished officer of the 
 Government, who is personally known to you. The escort 
 attached to his Mission, not exceeding 200 men, was much less 
 numerous than that which accompanied your Highness into 
 British territory, and not more than necessary for the dignity of 
 my Envoy. Such Missions are customary between friendly 
 neighbouring States ; and are never refused except when hostility 
 is intended. I despatched by a trusted messenger a letter 
 informing your Highness that the Mission accredited to your 
 Highness was of a friendly character, that the business was 
 urgent and that it must proceed without delay. 
 
 6. Nevertheless, your Highness having received my letter, did 
 not hesitate to instruct your authorities on the frontier to repel 
 the Mission by force. For this act of enmity and indignity to 
 the Empress of India in the person of her Envoy, the letter 
 from your Highness affords no explanation or apology, nor con- 
 tains any answer to my proposal for a full and frank under- 
 standing between our two Governments j nor even an acknow- 
 ledgment of my letter of condolence. 
 
a 
 
 56 LIFE OF 
 
 7. In consequence of this hostile action, I have assembled Her 
 Majesty's forces on your frontier. But I desire to give your 
 Highness a last opportunity of averting the calamities of war. 
 For this it is necessary that a full and suitable apology be offered 
 by you in writing, and tendered in British territory by an officer 
 of sufficient rank. 
 
 8. Furthermore, as it has been found impossible to maintain 
 satisfactory relations between the two States unless the British 
 Government is adequately represented in Afghanistan, it will be 
 necessary that your Highness should consent to receive a perma- 
 nent British Mission within your territory. It is further essen- 
 tial that your Highness should undertake that no injury shall 
 be done by you to the tribes who acted as guides to my Mission, 
 and that reparation shall be made for any damage they have 
 suffered from you, and if any injury be done by your Highness to 
 them, the British Government will at once take steps to protect 
 them. Unless these conditions are accepted fully and plainly by 
 your Highness and your acceptance received by me not later than 
 the 20th November, I shall be compelled to consider your inten- 
 tions as hostile, and treat you as a declared enemy of the British 
 Government. 
 
 I beg to express the high consideration I entertain for your 
 Highness. 
 
 When no answer was received within the period 
 prescribed, the Amir was declared an enemy of the 
 British Government, and the British forces entered 
 his kingdom on the 21st of November, 1878. 
 
 When military operations against Amir Shere 
 Ali were necessitated by the circumstances already 
 mentioned, our Government determined to direct 
 them, not only to the punishment of an unprovoked 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B,,C.S.I. 67 
 
 affront, but also to the prompt and complete attain- 
 ment of the following objects : 
 
 Firstly The exclusion of all foreign influence 
 from Afghanistan ; and secondly, such a rectification 
 of the Afghan Frontier as would suffice to render 
 impossible for the future the exclusion of British 
 influence from that State. These, at least, were the 
 results, which it was the object of the British Govern- 
 ment to secure. 
 
 The known strength of the Amir's army was 
 about 60,000 men. Its artillery was believed to be 
 good. With this army, it was anticipated, the 
 Amir would have to garrison all his outlying pro- 
 vinces, protect his Persian flank, defend his capital 
 and central districts, and at the same time resist the 
 British advance. It was therefore not difficult to 
 calculate approximately the maximum force he could 
 oppose to the British at any given point. Our 
 Government consequently determined to attack him 
 on three different lines, thus obliging him to dis- 
 tribute his force, or else to leave one or other of 
 these lines undisputed. 
 
 The three lines selected were those of the Khojak, 
 the Khyber Pass, and the Kurrum Valley. Special 
 importance was attached, to the Kurrum Valley force 
 the command of which was entrusted to General 
 Roberts. The force operating on the Khyber 
 line was commanded by General Sir Samuel Browne, 
 
58 LIFE OF 
 
 whose instructions were to capture Ali Musjid. 
 expel the Amir's garrison from the Khyber, and 
 occupy Lundi Kotal, Dhakka, or such other point 
 as might be found most convenient at the head of 
 the pass, thus threatening Jellalabad, but not 
 advancing further. 
 
 The longest line of operations lay in the direction 
 of Candahar. The command of the Candahar 
 force was entrusted to General Stewart. 
 
 The Generals commanding the forces employed on 
 the above-mentioned lines of advance were invested 
 with the chief political authority beyond the 
 frontier. 
 
 The campaign was opened on the 21st November 
 1878. On that date General Sir Samuel Browne 
 entered the Khyber Pass and attacked the Fort of Ali 
 Musjid. " The fire of the fort was well sustained and 
 directed, and the defence made by the garrison of 
 Ali Musjid for several hours was creditable to its 
 spirit. But the position having been turned during 
 the night, was precipitately abandoned by the enemy 
 with the loss of all his guns, stores and camp 
 equipage." After the capture of Ali Musjid Sir 
 Samuel Browne marched to Dhakka without meeting 
 with any resistance. In the month of December the 
 General was ordered to advance beyond Dhakka and 
 to occupy Jellalabad, which he did without resist- 
 ance. 
 
 fe 
 
-Hi 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 59 
 
 On the same day General Roberts entered the 
 Lower Kurrum Valley, and soon after occupied the 
 head-quarters of the district, without opposition. 
 Continuing his advance into the Upper Kurrum 
 Valley, General Roberts encountered a large Afghan 
 force on the ridge of the Peiwar Kotal. This force 
 he immediately attacked. " The attack resulted in 
 the sharpest and most important engagement that 
 has occurred during the whole campaign. The 
 strategic strength of the enemy's position was very 
 great ; but it was quickly turned by our troops who, 
 under the skilful command of General Roberts, com- 
 pletely defeated and routed those of the Amir." 
 
 On the 26th of November General Biddulph 
 entered Pishin, and found it already evacuated by 
 the Amir's Troops. The small but unimportant dis- 
 trict of Sibi, lying upon the British line of commu- 
 nication close to the Beluch border, had in the 
 meantime been occupied by a British detachment on 
 the 23rd of the same month. 
 
 General Stewart reached Pishin in December and 
 assuming command of the Candahar Expeditionary 
 Force, crossed the Khojak Range. On the 29th of 
 January, after a skirmish with the Amir's out-posts 
 he entered Candahar. The occupation of Candahar 
 was effected without much resistance. 
 
 " Thus," to quote the Viceroy's despatch (dated 
 Simla, 7th July 1879) to the Secretary of State, 
 
e 
 
 60 LIFE OF 
 
 <c within two days after the declaration of hostilities, 
 the affront received by Sir Neville Chamberlain's 
 Mission at Ali Musjid was appropriately avenged 
 on the post where it had been offered. Within 
 two weeks after the same date, the passes of the 
 Khyber and the Kurrum were completely in our 
 hands, and the Amir's troops swept clean beyond 
 the range of our operations. Not long afterwards, 
 Jellalabad and Candahar were occupied without 
 resistance ; and, before the end of January (that is 
 to say, in less than three months from the com- 
 mencement of the campaign) the greater part of 
 Southern Afghanistan, from the Helmund to Khelati- 
 Ghilzai, had passed into the possession of the British 
 Government. The rapid success of our military 
 operations completely confirmed the calculations on 
 which they had been based. The Amir's standing 
 army was defeated and dispersed beyond all possi- 
 bility of recovery ; yet his Sirdars had not risen to 
 the rescue of his power. His towns opened their 
 gates without remonstrance to our summons ; their 
 authorities readily responded to our requirements ; 
 and their inhabitants evinced no disposition to 
 forfeit the pecuniary advantages they derived from 
 the presence of our troops." 
 
 The victory of General Roberts at the Peiwar, 
 Kotal, on the 2nd December, following so shortly 
 after the capture of Ali Musjid and the expulsion of 
 
-a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.c.B.,c.g.l. 61 
 
 the Afghan garrisons from the Khyber Pass, com- 
 pleted the destruction of Shere Ali's power. The 
 Amir's troops were seized with a panic ; their 
 discomfiture was contagious ; it infected the garri- 
 sions at the capital ; and wholesale desertions 
 followed. The Amir's standing army ceased to 
 exist, and with it disappeared his authority which 
 had no other support. On the 19th December the 
 Viceroy received from Major Cavagnari, by tele- 
 graph, authentic intelligence that the Amir Shere 
 AH Khan had fled from Cabul, accompanied in his 
 flight by the remaining officers of the Russian 
 mission ; and that in the last moment of his hurried 
 departure, he had released from prison, and invested 
 with the regency his long incarcerated son, Yakub 
 Khan. The Amir announced his departure by a 
 letter addressed to the British authorities. In this 
 letter His Highness informed the British Govern- 
 ment that he had abandoned ] his dominions, with 
 the intention of proceeding to St. Petersburg for 
 the purpose of there laying his case before the 
 European powers. 
 
 THE DURBAR AT JELLALAB ADMAJOR 
 CAVAGNARI'S SPEECH. 
 
 IN the afternoon of the 1st January, a Durbarat 
 which Sir Samuel Browne received a number of chiefs 
 
a 
 
 62 LIFE OF 
 
 of the district who had come in and tendered offers 
 of services, was held in the tent of Major Cavagnari, 
 the Political Officer with the Division. The majority 
 of the European and Native officers were present, 
 and one end of the tent being thrown open, a mixed 
 crowd of Natives assembled to see their Chiefs do 
 due homage to the Sircar's representatives. The 
 chief object in view was that the intentions of the 
 British Government as conveyed to the Natives of 
 Afghanistan in the Viceroy's Proclamation, might 
 be explained in simple terms, and Major Cavagnari 
 had prepared an address based on these lines. On 
 Sir Samuel Browne taking his seat the various chiefs 
 came forward in turn ; their names and generally their 
 relations to the British Government or their standing 
 in the country being explained by the Political Officer. 
 They presented nuzzurs in the shape of rupees, tied 
 in handkerchiefs, which the General just touched 
 and then returned their salutation. About thirty- 
 six Chiefs were thus received, and Major Cavagnari 
 then said that, with Sir Samuel Browne's permission 
 he would address the Durbar. He accordingly spoke 
 in English as follows : 
 
 SIRDARS AND CHIEFS This Durbar has been assembled in 
 honor of the anniversary of the assumption of the title of 
 Empress of India by Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria. 
 We have received the melancholy intelligence of the death of 
 Her Imperial Majesty's daughter, H. E. H. Princess Alice of 
 Hesse, and I feel assured that this announcement will be received 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 63 
 
 with profound sorrow by Her Imperial Majesty's well-wishers 
 amongst whom I number the members of this Durbar. His Excel- 
 lency the Viceroy of India's proclamation announcing the com- 
 mencement of hostilities with the Amir Shere AH Khan has been 
 circulated throughout India and Afghanistan. Nevertheless, the 
 present occasion affords a fitting opportunity for explaining to 
 you the intention of the British Government. You have all 
 heard of the favors conferred on the Amir Shere Ali Khan by 
 the British Government, owing to which he was enabled to con- 
 solidate his authority and unite into one kingdom several 
 provinces which previously had never recognized the Government 
 of the ruler of Cabul. Lacs of rupees of treasure, thousands of 
 stands of arms were granted by the British Government to the 
 Amir Shere Ali Khan. 
 
 You are aware that about two years ago endeavours were made 
 at the Peshawur Conference to effect a satisfactory understand- 
 ing with the Amir ; the terms proposed by the Government were 
 rejected and the Amir lapsed into a sullen state of unfriendliness, 
 even if it might not rightly be termed one of direct hostility. 
 Attempts were made to incite the independent tribes along the 
 British Frontier to a religious war, but these failed, because of the 
 friendly relations existing between the Government and those 
 tribes, and also because the principles enunciated were directly 
 opposed to those of Mahomedanism. The late Akhund of Swat 
 replied to the Amir that there were no grounds for a holy war 
 against the English, as the Amir's object was a worldly and 
 not a religious one. Every orthodox Mahomedan is aware that 
 one of the principal conditions necessary to justify a holy war 
 is intolerance against the Mahomedan religion, whereas you 
 all know that the tolerance of the English nation in this respect 
 is universally admitted, and that the learned men of Mecca 
 (Ulama), when applied to for a "fativa" (decision) on this point, 
 declared that India was " Darul Islam" and not "Darul Harb." 
 
64 - LIFE OF 
 
 It is only uneducated mullahs and Talib-ul-ilm (religious stu- 
 dents) that work upon the feelings of the ignorant, and lead 
 them to suppose that such attempts at sedition are right. It is 
 for you to correct such erroneous impression. 
 
 The Amir further indicated the state of his feelings towards 
 the British Government by putting to death, mutilating, im- 
 prisoning, or fining all parties suspected of being news-agents 
 and several persons, peaceful British traders, were so treated. 
 The Government forebore to mark its resentment of this con- 
 duct, until the ostentatious reception by the Amir of a Russian 
 Mission at Cabul, after he had refused to receive a British one, 
 rendered it necessary that some step should be taken by the 
 British Government to assert the position it has hitherto main- 
 tained towards Afghanistan. Of the manner in which the 
 British Mission was turned back by the Amir's authorities at 
 Ali Musjid, it is unnecessary for me to dilate further than 
 to remark, that although some of you may not be aware of the 
 customs prevailing amongst European States, still you all know 
 that the most petty Pathan tribe would consider it an irfsult for 
 its " Jirga," or deputation, to be turned back without its being 
 accorded an interview, and even during a state of hostility, 
 it is not usual to refuse " Jirga" permission to pass. 
 
 Regarding the collapse of the Amir's army at Ali Musjid and 
 the Piewar, you have heard full particulars, and have doubtless 
 perceived that it is utterly hopeless for such troops to stand against 
 the British forces ; and by his flight from Cabul, the Amir has 
 shown his recognition of this fact. A portion of the arms granted 
 to the Amir by the British Government has been recovered, and I 
 need only remark that the use made of them was scarcely to be 
 expected from the Amir Shere Ali Khan's speech at the 
 Umballa Durbar, when he stated that the sword then presented 
 to him should be used against the enemies of the British Govern- 
 ment. You have heard the assurances of the Viceroy of India 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K,C.B.,c.s.l. 65 
 
 that the quarrel of the British Government is entirely with 
 Shere Ali Khan and not with the people of Afghanistan. During 
 the past six weeks the British forces have been marching through 
 Afghanistan, and such is the high discipline of these troops that 
 not a single complaint has been received from any of you as to 
 any injuries or even annoyances committed by them. This will 
 contrast favorably with your late experience of other troops. 
 
 It has been necessary in some few instances to inflict punish- 
 ment upon evil-doers, but the Government is satisfied that the 
 acts were committed by only a small proportion of the tribes we 
 have come into contact with, and were repudiated by the majority 
 who desire to live in peace with the British Government. 
 
 I further draw your attention to the concluding portion of 
 the Viceroy's proclamation, in which it is stated that interference, 
 by other Powers in the affairs of Afghanistan will not be 
 tolerated by the British Government, and I have already informed 
 most of you that the Uussian Government has recently repeated 
 its former assurances that it has no desire to interfere in 
 Afghanistan, nor will it assist the Amir either wiijh troops or 
 money during his hostility with the British Government. 
 
 It has been my pleasing task to report to the Viceroy of 
 India the hearty manner in which the leading Sirdars and Chiefs 
 of this district came forward to tender services to the British 
 Government, and it is hoped that others will speedily follow the 
 good example you have set them. I should have been glad to 
 have taken the opportunity of this Durbar to have presented to 
 some of you with dresses of honor (khilats), bub the light march- 
 ing order necessary for campaigning prevented it being possible 
 to carry about such presents. I hope ou a future occasion to be 
 able to mark in a suitable manner the appreciation of the 
 Government of the services you have rendered. 
 
 A Persian translation of the address was then 
 read by Mr. Jenkins, Assistant Commissioner, and 
 
 Et 1 
 
66 LIFE OF 
 
 was attentively listened to by the Chiefs present. 
 At its conclusion the principal Chief present, Sirdar 
 Abdul Khalik, Khan of Besul, stepped forward and 
 spoke as follows : 
 
 On behalf of myself and the other Chiefs present, I wish to 
 express our gratification at the arrival of the British troops iu 
 Jellalabad. We have been oppressed and ground clown but 
 now look forward to the prospect of even-handed justice and 
 kindness at the hands of the British Government. We all 
 know that the British Government scrupulously respects the 
 religion and the honor of its subjects, where as the Russian 
 Government, from all we hear, does not always do so. We are 
 glad that the British Government has now taken Afghanistan 
 under its protection. We beg to offer our services to the 
 British Government and again to express our great thankfulness 
 at your arrival in the district. 
 
 THE GUNDAMUCK TREATY, 
 
 EARLY in February 1879, Major Cavagnari received 
 a communication from Sirdar Yakub Khan, which 
 contained overtures for a reconciliation with the 
 British Government, and an offer of his good offices, 
 as an intermediary between the British Government 
 and his father, the Amir, for the removal of differ- 
 ences which he regarded as susceptible of adjust- 
 ment. A few days later Major Cavagnari received 
 another letter from the Sirdar, communicating the 
 death of the Amir, and his own accession to the 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNAPJ, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 67 
 
 throne. The Viceroy authorised Major Cavagnari 
 to respond the second letter by a suitable expression 
 of His Excellency's condolences, and to the first by 
 a plain statement of the terms on which His Excel- 
 lency in Council was prepared to entertain negotia- 
 tions for peace. Soon after this Major Cavagnari was 
 deputed to have a personal intercourse with the 
 Amir Yakub Khan, and the reasons which induced 
 the Government of India to take this step are clearly 
 set forth in the following extract from the Viceroy's 
 despatch : <c So many and such mischievous misre- 
 presentations of our Afghan policy, more especially 
 in reference to territorial questions, had been propa- 
 gated after the rupture of our relations with Shere 
 Ali, that the Amir's reluctance to entertain any 
 territorial basis of negotiations appeared to us very 
 probably attributable to exaggerated and erroneous 
 apprehensions as to the real character of the arrange- 
 ments we deemed essential to the future security of 
 our Frontier. We felt, however, that their modera- 
 tion must be admitted, if they were compared with 
 the conditions of a similar character' hitherto dic- 
 tated, at the close of victorious wars by conquering 
 to conquered Powers ; and we believed that, if the 
 object and scope of them were thoroughly under- 
 stood by the Amir, the last obstacle would be re- 
 moved from the conclusion of a mutually honorable 
 and advantageous treaty of peace between His 
 
68 LIFE OF 
 
 Highness and the British Government. For this it 
 was necessary that there should be between us a 
 frank interchange of views and wishes on the subject 
 of our relative positions. Such interchange of 
 views could not be satisfactorily carried on by formal 
 correspondence, or without personal intercourse ; but 
 long and varied experience had convinced us that 
 the policy of a European Government cannot be 
 adequately interpreted, or represented by Asiatic 
 Agents, however loyal and intelligent they may be. 
 Many of our minor troubles on the Frontier have 
 been caused by the employment of Asiatics as medi- 
 ums of communication between the British authori- 
 ties and the border tribes ; and whatever improve- 
 ments have been effected during the last three years 
 in our relations with those tribes and the neighbour- 
 ing tribal States, such as, Beluchistan, are due to the 
 personal influence of British officers. Warned by 
 this knowledge, we felt that to entrust the detailed 
 explanation and discussion of our views to any 
 Native agent, would insure misconception and resist- 
 ance on the part of the Amir. On the other hand, 
 we reposed complete confidence in the discretion and 
 ability of Major Cavagnari ; and for all these reasons, 
 we were anxious to bring about, if possible, early 
 and unreserved personal intercourse between him 
 and the Amir of Cabul. Having regard to the 
 Amir's position at that time, we did not feel justified 
 
MAJt)R SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 69 
 
 in proposing that His Highness should leave his 
 capital for this purpose ; and, having regard to our 
 own position, we were fully conscious that our motives 
 in proposing to Yakub Khan a personal conference 
 with Major Cavagnari at Cabul, would, probably, 
 be misconstrued by the public, and possibly misre- 
 presented to the Amir. We considered, however, 
 that we ought not to be deterred by this considera^ 
 tion from taking the course which we had good reason 
 to regard as most conducive to the early re-establish- 
 ment of peaceful relations with His Highness upon 
 a thoroughly sound and honorable footing. We, 
 therefore, authorised Major Cavagnari to address to 
 the Amir proposals for a personal conference at Cabul 
 on the subject of our territorial conditions. These 
 proposals having been accepted, the Native bearer of 
 them was instructed to arrange with Yakub Khan 
 for the proper reception of Major Cavagnari at the 
 Court of His Highness." 
 
 In the meanwhile the inactivity of the British 
 Troops on the Khyber line encouraged the people of 
 Cabul and the intervening tribes to attribute their 
 freedom from molestation on the part of the British 
 their concealed inability to advance any further. 
 The Amir assumed towards the British Government 
 a more reserved and ambiguous attitude. The sur- 
 rounding tribes, at the instigation of the fanatical 
 mollahs, renewed their vexatious and harassing 
 
70 LIFE OF 
 
 attacks. " These attacks gave rise to two actions, in 
 which severe loss was inflicted on the Shenwari tribe 
 by Brigadier General Tytler and at Deh Sarrak, and 
 on the Khugianis by Brigadier-General Gough, at 
 Futtebad. The complete discomfiture of these tribes 
 contributed to the encouragement of pacific influence 
 in the councils of the Amir. At the same time, owing 
 to the increasing heat of the weather, and the defect- 
 ive sanitary conditions of Jellalabad, General Sir 
 Samuel Browne was authorised to advance a portion 
 of his force as far as Gund amuck." 
 
 Within a few days after the occupation, of Gunda- 
 muck, a letter from the Amir, announced his inten- 
 tion of proceeding to that place, for the purpose of 
 their entering into personal conference with Major 
 CavagnarL This was, clearly, a more satisfactory 
 arrangement than the deputation of a British Envoy 
 to CabuL Major Cavagnari was, therefore, instructed 
 to arrange with General Sir Samuel Browne for the 
 honorable reception of His Highness, and was 
 invested with full powers to represent the British 
 Government in negotiations respecting which he had 
 previously been furnished with detailed oral instruc- 
 tions by the Viceroy at Lahore. The Amir reached 
 Gundamuck on the 8th of May, and was received there 
 by the British authorities with all possible honor and 
 hospitality. After the formal ceremonies of his re- 
 ception, negotiations were opened by His Highness, 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 71 
 
 and continued without interruption till the 26th of 
 May, when the Treaty of that date was signed in the 
 British camp by the Amir on behalf of Afghanistan, 
 and by Major Cavagnari on behalf of the British 
 Government. 
 
 THE TREATY WITH THE AMIR YAKUB KHAN, 
 DATED THE 26TH, MAY 1879. 
 
 FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. 
 NOTIFICATION, 
 
 POLITICAL. 
 
 No. 1497 E. P. 
 
 Simla, the 30th May 1879. 
 
 His HIGHNESS Muhammad Yakub Khan, Amir of Afgha- 
 nistan, and its Dependencies, having proceeded in person to 
 Gundamuck to confer with the British Authorities for the cessa- 
 tion of hostilities in Afghanistan, and having there signed a 
 Treaty of Peace with the British Government, the Treaty, as 
 ratified this day by His Excellency the Yiceroy and Governor- 
 General, is hereby published for general information, together 
 with the telegrams subjoined: 
 
 Treaty between the British Government and His Highness 
 Muhammad Yakub Khan, Amir of Afghanistan, and its Depen- 
 dencies concluded at Gundamuck on the 26th, May 1879, by His 
 Highness the Amir Mahammad Yakub Khan on his own part, and 
 the part of the British Government by Major P. L. N. Cavagnari 
 C. S. I., Political Officer, on Special Duty in virtue of full powers 
 vested in him by the Eight Honorable Edward Robert Lytton, 
 
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 72 LIFE OF 
 
 Bulwer Lytton, Baron Lytton of Knebworth, and a Baronet, 
 Grand Master of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, 
 Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath, 
 Grand Master of the Order of the Indian Empress, Viceroy and 
 Governor- General of India. 
 
 The following Articles of a Treaty for the restoration of 
 peace and amicable relations have been agreed upon between the 
 British Government and His Highness Muhammad Yakub Khan, 
 Amir of Afghanistan, and its Dependencies : 
 
 ABTICLE 1. 
 
 From the day of the exchange of the ratifications of the 
 present Treaty, there shall be perpetual peace and friendship be- 
 tween the British Government on the one part, and His Highness 
 the Amir of Afghanistan, and its Dependencies, and his successors, 
 on the other. 
 
 ARTICLE 2. 
 
 His Highness the Amir of Afghanistan, and its Dependen- 
 cies, engages, on the exchange of the ratifications of this Treaty, 
 to publish a full and complete amnesty, absolving all his subjects 
 from any responsibility for intercourse with the British Forces 
 during the war, and to guarantee and protect all persons of 
 whatever degree from any punishment, or molestation on that 
 account. 
 
 ARTICLE 3. 
 
 His Highness the Amir of Afghanistan, and its Dependencies, 
 agrees to conduct his relations with Foreign States in accordance 
 with the advice and wishes of the British Government. His 
 Highness the Amir will enter into no engagements with Foreign 
 States, and will not take up arms against any Foreign State, ex- 
 cept with the concurrence of the British Government. On these 
 conditions, the British Government will support the Amir against 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B,,C.S.I. 73 
 
 any foreign aggression with money, arms, or troops, to be 
 employed in whatsoever manner the British Government may 
 judge best for this purpose. Should British troops at any time 
 enter Afghanistan for the purpose of repelling foreign aggression, 
 they will return to their stations in British territory as soon as 
 the object for which they entered has been accomplished. 
 
 ARTICLE 4. 
 
 With a view to the maintenance of the direct and intimate 
 relations now established between the British Government and 
 His Highness the Amir of Afghanistan, and for the better protec- 
 tion of the frontiers of His Highness' dominions, it is agreed that 
 a British Representative shall reside at Cabul, with a suitable 
 escort, in a place of residence appropriate to his rank and dignity. 
 It is also agreed that the British Government shall have the right 
 to depute British Agents with suitable escorts to the Afghan 
 frontiers, whensoever this may be considered necessary by the 
 British Government in the interests of both States on the occur- 
 rence of any important external fact. His Highness the Amir of 
 Afghanistan may on his part, depute an Agent to reside at the 
 Court of His Excellency the Viceroy and Govern or- General of 
 India, and at such other places in British India as may be similarly 
 agreed upon. 
 
 ARTICLE 5. 
 
 His Highness the Amir of Afghanistan, and its Dependencies, 
 guarantees the personal safety and honorable treatment of British 
 Agents within his jurisdiction ; and the British Government, on 
 its part, undertakes that its Agents shall never, in any way, inter- 
 fere with the internal administration of His Highness' dominions. 
 
 ARTICLE 6. 
 
 His Highness the Amir of Afghanistan, and its Dependencies 
 undertakes, on behalf of himself and his successors, to offer no 
 impediment to British subjects peacefully trading within his 
 
74 LIFE OF 
 
 dominions, so long as they do so with the permission of the British 
 Government, and in accordance with sueh arrangements as may 
 be mutually agreed upon from time to time between the two 
 Governments. 
 
 ARTICLE 7. 
 
 In order that the passage of trade between the territories 
 of the British Government and of His Highness the Amir of Af- 
 ghanistan may be open and uninterrupted, His Highness the Amir 
 f Afghanistan agrees to use his best endeavours to ensure the 
 protection of traders and to facilitate the transit of goods along 
 the well-known customary Toads of Afghanistan. These roads 
 shall be improved and maintained in such manner as the two 
 Governments may decide to be most expedient for the general 
 convenience of traffic, and under such financial arrangements as 
 may be mutually determined upon between them. The arrange- 
 ments made for the maintenance and security of the aforesaid 
 roads, for the settlement of the duties to be levied upon merchan- 
 dize carried over these roads, and for the general protection and 
 development of trade with, and through, the dominions of His 
 Highness, will be stated in a separate Commercial Treaty, to be 
 concluded within one year, due regard being given to the state of 
 the country. 
 
 ARTICLE 8. 
 
 With a view to facilitate communications between the allied 
 Governments, and to aid and develope intercourse and commer- 
 cial relations between the two countries, it is hereby agreed that 
 a line of telegraph from Kurrum to Cabul shall be constructed 
 by, at the cost of, the British Government : and the Amir of 
 Afghanistan hereby undertakes to provide for the proper protection 
 of this telegraph line. 
 
 ARTICLE 9. 
 
 In consideration of the renewal of a friendly alliance between 
 the two States, which has been attested and secured by the fore- 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 7-5 
 
 going Articles, the British Government restores to His Highness 
 the Amir of Afghanistan, and its Dependencies, the towns of 
 Candahar and Jellalabad, with all the territory now in possession 
 of the British armies,, excepting the districts of Kurrum, Pishin, 
 and Sibi. His Highness the Amir of Afghanistan, and its De- 
 pendencies, agrees on his part that the districts of Kurrum and 
 and Pishin and Sibi, according to the limits denned in the sche- 
 dule annexed, shall remain under the protection and administra- 
 tive control of the British Government : that is to say, the afore- 
 said districts shall be treated as assigned districts, and shall not 
 be considered as permanently severed from the limits of the 
 Afghan kingdom. The revenues of these districts, after deduct- 
 ing the charges of civil administration, shall be paid to His 
 Highness the Amir. 
 
 The British Government wiU retain in its own hands the con- 
 trol of the Khyber and Miohni Passes, which lie between the 
 Peshawur and Jellalabad districts, and of all relations with the 
 independent tribes of the territory directly connected with these 
 Passes. 
 
 ARTICLE 10. 
 
 For the furthur support of His Highness the Amir, in the 
 recovery and maintenance of his legitimate authority, and in con- 
 sideration of the efficient fulfilment in their entirety of the en- 
 gagements stipulated by the foregoing Articles, the British 
 Government agrees to pay to His Highness the Amir, and to his 
 successors, an annual subsidy of six lacs of rupees. 
 
 Done at Gundamuck this 26th day of May 1879, corres- 
 ponding with the 4>th day of the month of JamacTi-us-sani, 
 1196, A. H. 
 
 (Sd.) AMIR MUHAMMAD YAKUB KHAN. 
 
 (Seal) (Sd.) N. CAVAGNARI, MAJOR, 
 
 Political Officer on Special Duty. 
 
 (Sd.) LYTTON. (Seal.) 
 
76 LIFE OF 
 
 This Treaty was ratified by His Excellency the Viceroy and 
 Governor-General of India, at Simla, on Friday, this 30th day of 
 May 1879. 
 
 (Sd.) A. C. LYALL, 
 Secy to the Govt. of India, Foreign Dept. 
 
 TELEGRAM, Dated 26^ May 1873. 
 
 From Muhammad Yakub Khan, Amir of Afghanistan, 
 To VICEROY OF INDIA, SIMLA. 
 
 Now that the Treaty of Peace has been concluded, it only 
 remains for me to express to your Excellency as the Representa- 
 tive of Her Imperial Majesty my sincere hope that the friendly 
 relations now established between the two States may day by 
 day increase. 
 
 TELEGRAM, Dated 27th May 1879, 
 From VICEROY OF INDIA, SIMLA. 
 
 To His Highness the Amir of Afghanistan. 
 I have received with sincere pleasure the news of the conclu- 
 sion of peace between our two Governments, and your Highness' 
 friendly telegram. I feel confident that the Treaty now signed 
 will conduce to the mutual advantage of the two States, and to 
 the consolidation of your Highness' authority; and I shall 
 always earnestly co-operate towards the fulfilment of the good 
 wishes expressed by your Highness, which I cordially reciprocate. 
 
 By Order of His Excellency tlie Viceroy and Governor- General 
 of India in Council 
 
 A. C. LYALL, 
 
 Secy, to tlie Govt. India, Foreign Dept. 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 77 
 
 In his despatch to the Secretary of State, Lord 
 Lytton makes the following remarks on the several 
 articles of the foregoing Treaty : 
 
 " The several articles of this Treaty were framed 
 in the belief, that they fully secure all the objects 
 of the war, which have already been explained. 
 The 3rd Article establishes our paramount posi- 
 tion in Afganistan, and our adequate control over 
 the Amir's external relations. Our obligation to 
 assist His Highness against foreign agression is the 
 legitimate consequence of this condition ; and it is 
 required of us not less imparatively for the security 
 of India than for the independence of Afghanistan. 
 But the British Government could not have under- 
 taken such an obligation, if the means of fulfilling 
 it had not been secured by the 4th Article of the 
 Treaty, which provides for the residence at Cabul of a 
 a British representative, and for the right to depute 
 British Agents, as occasion may require, to all parts 
 of the Afghan Frontier. The Amir himself had re- 
 quested that our permanent representative should 
 reside at his capital ; and, from the opening of the 
 negotiations, he has evinced no disinclination to the 
 admission of British officers within his dominions. 
 Such disinclination would, indeed, have been incom- 
 patible with any sincere desire for the advantages 
 of British friendship and support ; and the Amir's 
 appreciation of these advantages has been manifested, 
 
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 not only by his conduct during the negotiations^ but 
 still more effectually by the alacrity and loyalty 
 with which he is already carrying out his treaty obli- 
 gations in reference to the Amnesty clause, ancl other 
 minor matters, 
 
 . "Under the 6th and 7th Articles of the Treaty, 
 His Highness engages to take measures for the pro- 
 tection and encouragement of commerce between 
 India and Afghanistan. This engagement will re- 
 ceive practical development in a special Commercial 
 Convention to be concluded within twelve months 
 from the ratification of the Treaty of Gundamuck. 
 Some such interval was required for the arrangement 
 of details connected with the selection and improve- 
 ment of roads, and for the examination of the nature 
 and circumstances of the trade between the two 
 countries, as well as for the reciprocal adjustment of 
 duties. It is premature to forecast the ultimate re- 
 sults of arrangements, now for the first time possible, 
 in reference to the security and expansion of the 
 overland commerce of India with other Asiatic coun- 
 tries. But on our western Frontier access to and 
 from India, although far from easy, is not impeded 
 by such great natural barriers as elsewhere interpose 
 almost insuperable obstacles to regular and frequent 
 intercourse, by land, with the rest of Asia. On this 
 part of our border the main hindrances to commerce 
 have always been political ; and of late years such 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 79 
 
 hindrances were increased both by the chronic mis- 
 rule and jealous isolation of the Afghan Govern- 
 ment, and also by the inadequacy of internal res- 
 traints upon the marauding tribes who hold the 
 Passes. When these impediments disappear, we may 
 look for a considerable expansion of the landborne 
 commerce of Northern India. Afghanistan itself is 
 a country of no great productive resources ; but it 
 commands the routes which penetrate into Central 
 and Western Asia, and the commercial classes, not 
 only of the country, but also of those immediately 
 beyond the Upper Oxus, are largely Indian, or of 
 Indian descent. The trade of Afghanistan is princi- 
 pally in Indian hands ; and the Russian Governor 
 at Taskhend recently promulgated a severe edict 
 against the Hindu bankers of Turkestan, who are 
 mostly emigrants from the western districts of India. 
 The route by Herat and Candahar runs through the 
 more open and fertile parts of Afghanistan, connect- 
 ing the important towns of Herat and Candahar. 
 The Treaty signed with His Highness the Khan of 
 Khelat towards the close of the year 1876, effected 
 the pacification of Biluchistan, and re-opened the 
 great trade route through the Bolan Pass, which has 
 not since been interrupted. By that arrangement 
 the commerce of Central Asia, after reaching Can- 
 dahar, is placed in safe connection with the railway 
 system of India, and the rising seaport of Kurrachi. 
 
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 80 LIFE OF 
 
 There is already a noticeable tendency to increase in 
 the number of caravans now annually passing the 
 Bolan ; and the merchants of Sind have always been 
 among the most industrious and enterprising of our 
 foreign traders. With proper management, there- 
 fore, and under a judicious system of transit duties, 
 considerable expansion may be reasonably expected 
 in the external commerce of India upon this impor- 
 tant line. All such considerations will receive our 
 careful attention in the negotiation of the Commer- 
 cial Convention which remains to be concluded with 
 the Amir of Cabul. 
 
 (i It may be here mentioned that our political 
 officers, who accompanied the columns withdrawn 
 from Candahar in the spring of this year, have ex- 
 plored much of the country, hitherto almost unknown, 
 which lies on the direct lines between Pishin and 
 the Indian Frontier below Dera Ghazi Khan. They 
 have ascertained that the routes through this country 
 traverse elevated valleys and high plateaux, where 
 the climate is at no season of the year very unfavor- 
 able, and where supplies and water are comparatively 
 abundant. The tribes who inhabit this region are 
 less unfriendly to strangers than the northern Pathans ; 
 and the construction and maintenance of good fair- 
 weather roads present no serious difficulties. There 
 is little doubt that this was the direction taken by 
 the earlier trade routes into India from Persia and 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNAUI, K.C.B.,c.g.l. 81 
 
 Southern Afghanistan ; and on commercial, as well 
 as on military, grounds the possibility of restoring 
 those channels of communication deserves further 
 examination. 
 
 " The Treaty of Gundamuck provides for the 
 immediate commencement of telegraphic communi- 
 cation between Cabul and India. The advantages 
 of such communication are obvious ; and the esta- 
 blishment of it will both illustrate and confirm the 
 character of the change now effected in our relations 
 with Afghanistan. 
 
 " The territorial concessions imposed upon the 
 Amir, are light, and involve no permanent alienation 
 of any part of the dominions claimed by his Govern- 
 ment. The Khyber Pass has never formed part of 
 those dominions ; while the districts of Pishin, Sibi, 
 and Kurrum are obtained by the British Government 
 under an assignment. For the better protection and 
 security for our Frontier and for the proper mainte- 
 nance of communication with our advanced garrisons 
 which will observe and command the three principal 
 Passes into India, it was essential that these three 
 districts should remain in our hands. But we have 
 entertained no projects for establishing ourselves 
 permanently in the interior of the country, or for 
 occupying any posts not absolutely required for the 
 defensive purposes explained in the llth paragraph 
 of this despatch. Accordingly, the towns of Can- 
 
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 82 LIFE OF 
 
 dahar and Jellalabad are restored by the Treaty of 
 Gundamuck to the Amir of Cabul. The Passes of 
 the Kojak Mountains will be carefully kept under our 
 own control ; and it is probable that the hill skirts 
 of the Pishiri country, like the upper districts of the 
 Kurr um Valley, will provide fresh and valuable sani- 
 taria for our troops. But the local experience recently 
 acquired by our expedition into Western Afghanistan, 
 has fully confirmed our previous impression that the 
 strategic value of Candahar exists only in connection 
 with a system of Frontier defence much more exten- 
 sive than any we now require, or have ever contem- 
 plated. Candahar is now easily accessible from our 
 advanced position in Pishin, and can, at any time, 
 be occupied without difficulty ; but the permanent 
 occupation of it ( involving the maintenance of long 
 lines of communication) would have considerably 
 increased our military expenditure, without strength- 
 ening our military position. It is, however, mainly 
 on political grounds that the retention of Candahar 
 was excluded from the conditions of the Treaty of 
 Gundamuck. Such a condition would have been 
 extremely painful to the Amir, and detrimental to 
 the strength and credit of his Government. With- 
 out Candahar it would be difficult for the central 
 authority at Cabul to maintain any effective hold 
 upon Herat ; and the foreign occupation of so im- 
 portant a city, in the interior of his dominions, would 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C,S.I. 83 
 
 have been inconsistent with those relations of friend- 
 ship and mutual confidence which the Treaty was 
 designed to establish between the British Govern- 
 ment and the Amir of Afghanistan. 
 
 " Similar objections applied to the retention of 
 Jellalabad. As a military position that town offers 
 no advantages not better secured by a garrison on 
 the Luitdi Kotal ridge. It can, at any moment, be 
 seized by a rapid advance from the Khyber ; and to 
 hold it as a permanent frontier garrison would require 
 the prolongation, as far as Gundamuck, of a trouble- 
 some line of military communications. Such an 
 extension of our Frontier, though necessarily increas- 
 ing our permanent military expenditure, would also, 
 no doubt, increase our permanent political influence 
 over the adjacent tribes and pretty Chiefships to the 
 north-east of the Frontier thus extended. But the 
 only political advantage thereby acquired would be 
 the means of utilising those tribes and chiefships as 
 a barrier, in case of need, against the action of any 
 hostile power at Cabul ; and for the control or 
 punishment of such action material guarantees, far 
 more effectual, are provided by the Treaty, which 
 secures to us the permanent military command of 
 Cabul from the crest of the Chutar Gurdan. In 
 short, we have framed this Treaty with an earnest 
 desire to render all the conditions of it, not only 
 consistent with, but also conducive to, the mainte- 
 
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 84 LIFE OF 
 
 nance of that friendly and mutual advantageous 
 footing, on which it re-establishes our relations with 
 Afghanistan : and from those relations we have 
 labored to eliminate every appreciate cause of irri- 
 tation and disunion." 
 
 "The engagements thus concluded, at Gunda- 
 muck, with the Amir Yakub Khan, represent and 
 attest an important change in the whole condition 
 of Central Asian affairs. The magnitude of this 
 change will be best appreciated when our present 
 position and influence beyond the frontier are com- 
 posed with what they were during the greater portion 
 of the preceding period between the Umballa differ- 
 ences and the recent Afghan War. We do not, 
 however, profess to ascribe any talismanic virtue to 
 written engagements on the part of Afghan Princes. 
 The late Amir Shere Ali throughout the whole period 
 of his reign, was under a formal Treaty obligation 
 to be the friend of the friends, and the enemy of the 
 enemies, of the British Government ; but that en- 
 gagement in no wise prevented his adoption of a 
 course which led him into inevitable rupture and 
 open hostility with this Government. We regard 
 the present Treaty rather as the commencement, 
 than as the confirmation, of a new and better era in 
 our relations with Afghanistan. It provides for, and 
 facilitates, the attainment of results incalculably 
 beneficial to the two countries concerned. The 
 
-Hi 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 86 
 
 character of those results, however, will, to a great 
 extent, be determined by the steadiness with which 
 the British Government maintains, and the intelli- 
 gence with which its local agents carry out, the policy 
 that has dictated this Treaty : a policy which has 
 for its object to substitute co-operation for isolation, 
 and to replace mutual mistrust by mutual confidence. 
 Nor do we disguise from ourselves that the practical 
 value of the Treaty mainly depends upon the cha- 
 racter and disposition of the Amir and his successors. 
 Relations established with Afghanistan under the 
 most favorable conditions, and with the most promis- 
 ing prospects, may, of course, be again impaired 
 either by the disloyalty of Afghan Princes, or by 
 the alienation of their unrequited confidence. In 
 either case, complications may arise, against which 
 no present precautions on our part can completely 
 guarantee our successors in the Government of India. 
 But, though anxious to deal considerately with the 
 Amir's susceptibilities, and to take into the fullest 
 account all the reasonable requirements and legiti- 
 mate interests of his Government, we deem it abso- 
 lutely requisite that, in countries like Afghanistan, 
 the power of the British Government to punish its 
 enemies and protect its friends should be so generally 
 recognised as to render unnecessary the frequent 
 assertion of it. We have, therefore, been careful to 
 secure, for British interests and influence in Afghan- 
 
86 LIFE OF 
 
 istan, a position substantially independent of the 
 personal caprices of any Afghan ruler ; and for the 
 effectual maintenance of that position the Treaty 
 provides strong material guarantees, by the territo- 
 rial conditions which place the British Power in 
 permanent command of the main avenues from India 
 to Cabul. 
 
 " Your Lordship will, of course, understand that, 
 in thus speaking of British interests and influence 
 in Afghanistan, we mean the interests, only of 
 our alliance with that State in reference to external 
 affairs ; and the influence, only, which is necessary 
 to maintain and direct a common policy on behalf 
 of those interests. We, in no wise, contemplate 
 any system of interference in the internal affairs of 
 Afghanistan ; and the British Envoy at Cabul will 
 be strictly required to abstain from such interference. 
 The small subsidy which we grant to the Amir will, 
 we hope, strengthen his hands in maintaining his 
 authority. 
 
 " Notwithstanding the conditions it imposes, the 
 Treaty of Gundamuck, so far as we can judge, 
 is regarded with satisfaction by the Amir, to whose 
 possession it restores important tracts of territory 
 which His Highness could not have recovered by 
 the sword and to the peaceful consolidation of whose 
 authority it will, we trust, powerfully contribute. 
 We desire to record our high appreciation of the 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 87 
 
 signal ability with which Major Cavagnari conducted 
 the negotiations to this successful conclusion ; and 
 it is, we think, difficult to overestimate the value of 
 his political services throughout the campaign. The 
 political officers, generally, had difficult duties to 
 perform, and they discharged them with great tact 
 and efficiency, 
 
 " We have also much pleasure in mentioning to 
 your Lordship that not only the justice of the 
 war, and the humanity with which it has been waged 
 by the British Government, but also the fair and 
 generous terms on which we have concluded it, are 
 now recriving unreserved recognition in numerous 
 communications spontaneously addressed to the 
 Viceroy by Her Majesty's feudatories and Native 
 subject in all parts of India. 
 
 " By the Khan of Khelat (with whom our rela- 
 tion, four years ago, had been very unsatisfactory) 
 the cause of the British Government throughout 
 this war, has been well supported beyond the Fron- 
 tiers of India. It cannot be doubted that the 
 conditions of the Treaty signed with the Amir of 
 Cabul it Gundamuck in 1879, have been greatly 
 facilitated by the results of. the Treaty, signed with 
 the Khan of Khelat at Jacobabad in 1876. Certain 
 it is, that the military difficulties of the war, and 
 the political impediments to the peace, now happily 
 concluded, would have been seriously aggravated by 
 
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 88 LIFE OF 
 
 hostile, or untrustworthy conduct on that part of 
 the Sovereign and Sirdars of Khelat. For the fide- 
 lity with which the Khan has observed his treaty 
 obligations, and for the uninterrupted sympathy 
 and good-will of the Biluch tribes and Sirdars, we 
 are largely indebted to the personal influence of 
 Major Sandeman, and to the ability with which he 
 has discharged his important duties as the Governor- 
 General's Agent in Khelat. We shall take an early 
 opportunity of submitting your Lordship the mea- 
 sures whereby we propose to mark our appreciation 
 of the friendly and l^yal attitude maintained by His 
 Highness Khodadad Khan, of Khelat, throughout 
 the progress and settlement of our disputes with 
 that late Amir of Cabul. 
 
 " It now only remains to notice those condi- 
 tions of the Treaty which have reference to the in- 
 dependent tribes of the Khyber and Michni Passes. 
 We do not, of course, anticipate the immediate or 
 habitual good behaviour of all these wild hill men, 
 whose tribal organisation is infinitely various, and 
 whose management will doubtless require much skill 
 and patience on the part of the political officers 
 intrusted with that task. But it is a task which 
 presents no difficulties insurmountable by the steady 
 exercise of such qualities. At no time since the 
 annexation of the Punjab has the mountain border 
 of that province been wholly free from depredation 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,c.s.l. 89 
 
 and insult on the part of the surrounding tribes ; 
 nor can it be reasonably expected that what succes- 
 sive Governments of India have failed to accomplish 
 in the course of thirty years will now be accom- 
 plished all at once. We must be prepared for occas- 
 sional misconduct (especially during the first two or 
 three years of the new arrangements) requiring from 
 us recourse to punitive measures. But, apart from 
 the indirect advantage of such increased respect as 
 our authority has acquired from our military suc- 
 cesses during the war, our practical power of con- 
 trolling the border tribes has been greatly strength- 
 ened by the Treaty. The Amir of Cabul has now 
 neither the motive, nor the means to incite these 
 tribes to acts of hostility against us. The policy 
 applied during the last three years to the past tribes 
 of Biluchistan has already effected the complete 
 pacification of even their most turbulent section ; 
 and the Bolan Pass, though unguarded by British 
 troops, has been remarkably safe and quiet. These 
 facts justify us in anticipating the most satisfactory 
 results from the judicious and patient application of 
 a similar system to the management of the Khyber 
 and Michni Passes. 
 
 " We cannot close this narrative of the second 
 Afghan war without bringing prominently to your 
 Lordship's notice the high character maintained by 
 Her Majesty's troops both English and Native, and 
 
90 LIFE OP 
 
 their admirable conduct throughout the campaign. 
 The enemy's positions in the Khyber and Kurrum 
 Passes were of great natural strength ; but, though 
 powerfully armed and vigorously defended, they 
 were rapidly captured. His forces, dislodged from 
 these positions with the loss of their guns and stores, 
 were not merely defeated, but dispersed. In the 
 advance to Candahar, the superiority of the British 
 cavalry was established as soon as tested at the out- 
 set of the campaign. Against the valour and 
 steadiness of the British soldier the fiercest assaults 
 of the most warlike mountain tribes were as inffec- 
 tual as the organized resistance of the Amir's regular 
 troops. Under conditions more trying than those of 
 actual combat, the strictest discipline has been 
 maintained throughout all ranks of the field forces, 
 and the life and property of non-combatants effec- 
 tually protected. It would be out of place in this 
 report to specify particular services of particular 
 regiments ; but the Viceroy desires to record his 
 high appreciation , in which we cordially concur, of 
 the good service performed by the Native, as well as 
 the European, regiments of the Army of India in 
 Afghanistan ; where their discipline and courage 
 were attested, not only by the uniform success 
 of their arms, but also by the steadiness of their 
 conduct under those trials and privations which 
 are incidental to periods of inaction on the part 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 91 
 
 of an invading army in a wild and inhospitable 
 country. 
 
 " We have also to acknowledge with sincere satis- 
 faction the thoroughly creditable efficency and patrio- 
 tic spirit with which the contingents of the Native 
 States have sustained their honorable part in labors 
 of the late campaign. 
 
 We have the honor to be, 
 
 My Lord, 
 
 Your most obedient and humble servants, 
 (Signed) LYTTON. 
 F. P. HAINES. 
 
 A. J. ARBUTHNOT. 
 
 A. CL/RKE. 
 
 J. STBACHEY. 
 
 E. B. JOHNSON. 
 
 W. STOKES. 
 
 A. R. THOMPSON." 
 
 THE CABUL EMBASSY. 
 
 THE Treaty of Gundamuck was signed towards 
 the end of May 1879, and the Amir Yakub Khan 
 and the Viceroy exchanged congratulatory telegrams 
 the following day. By the middle of July, Sir 
 Louis Cavagnari as British resident at Cabul, accom- 
 
92 LIFE OF 
 
 panied by a small escort, was on Ms way to take up 
 his residence and duties at that city, and the Times of 
 India s Correspondent thus writes from the Kurum 
 Field force on the 22nd July : 
 
 The Mission left Alikhyel and halted on the 
 18th at Karatiga, where to spend the night. I 
 have just heard that .Major Cavagnari has been 
 made a K. C. B. a title well earned, and which 
 will give its holder a fitting position as our Envoy. 
 Mr. Jenkins, Major Cavagnari's assistant, Lieut. 
 Hamilton, V. C.,, and Dr. Kelly, were the only 
 Europeans, and an escort of the Guides is the 
 only force that accompanies the mission. I believe 
 it was thought wise to excite as little jealousy as may 
 be by restricting the numbers of the party as much 
 as possible. About 8 A. M. on the 19th, Khushyal 
 Khan, accompanied by a squadron of dragoons, came 
 to the embassy camp ; and after the necessay diplo- 
 matic delays, was admitted to an audience. When 
 Major Cavagnari was ready to start, a guard of 
 honor of one hundred men of the 67th Regiment 
 was drawn up to grace his departure, and a salute 
 of fifteen guns was fired by the Mountain battery. 
 Matters were so arranged that there could be no doubt 
 that the honor was intended for our Envoy. 
 Khushyal Khan is a fine looking man, of a determined 
 appearance, and his moustachios, which are of an 
 unusual size, given him an appearance of fierceness. 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B,,C.S.I. 93 , , 
 
 He has with him as escort a regiment of Hirati horse. 
 They are very fairly mounted, and are dressed in 
 imitation of English dragoons-red tunics, blue 
 breeches, jack boots, pipe clayed cross-belts, &c. 
 The head-piece is a brownish felt helmet, which is 
 so large that it falls over the eyes, and the chin 
 straps, which are of brass chain, are so long that 
 they reach almost to the breast. They are armed 
 with carbine pistols and sword, the latter of Russian 
 pattern with brass hilts. The men are small but 
 wiry, and when galloping look as if they gathered 
 themselves into a bundle, and yet they ride well, and 
 go over the roughest ground at full speed with 
 apparent ease and safety. Under European leader- 
 ship they should make good irregular cavalry. At 
 present, their want of discipline is painfully manifest. 
 They keep together or not just as the fit takes them. 
 The dress of the officers forms a marked contrast to 
 that of their men : it consisted of a dark frock-coat 
 and plants and Astrakan lambskin caps. Both 
 officers and men answered questions clearly ; and, on 
 the whole, received the mission as well as could be 
 expected. The inhabitants of Karatiga were rather 
 more inclined to stand off, and refused to hold the 
 officers' horses. We are building a fortified post 
 here, which it is proposed to place in charge of the 
 head man of one of the neighbouring tribes, present- 
 ly in our pay. 
 
a 83 
 
 94 LIFE OP 
 
 The Mission after starting proceeded over the 
 Turki Kotal, or red hill, so called from the color of 
 the soil : about fifty officers who had permission to 
 accompany it to the summit of the Shutae Gurdan, 
 were of the party. On reaching the Afghan Durbar 
 tent, which was pitched the other side of the kotal, 
 the whole party entered to partake of tea, and that 
 the usual formal compliments might be exchanged. 
 The tent was a fine one, of English manufacture, 
 with spacious verandahs. In one of these a tank 
 had been cut, and a rill of sparkling water had been 
 introduced so as to run through it. The floor of the 
 tent was covered with handsome Persian carpets. 
 There were but a few chairs, and these were occu- 
 pied by General Roberts, Major Cavagnari, Khusyal 
 Khan, &c. The remainder squatted on the floor, 
 with what grace they might, none succeeding in look- 
 ing comfortable, or at home. Two armed attendants, 
 carrying trays covered with cloths of red and blue 
 satin, fringed with gold, and richly embroidered with 
 silk, entered the tent, and placed the trays on the 
 floor ; another, supposed to be a person of some 
 importance, his belt full of knives and pistols and a 
 handsome gun slung over his back, followed and knelt 
 down near the trays. In a remarkable solemn 
 manner he removed the cloth from one of the trays 
 and folded it. We beheld about ten Russian cups 
 on a tray, they were of a blue and red color, and were 
 
-a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S,I. 95 
 
 ornamented with raised medallions on which were 
 painted various flowers. There was also a sugar 
 bowl of the same pattern, but of a peculiar shape. 
 Next he removed the cover from the other tray ; on 
 it were four teapots ensuite with the cups, the tea 
 ( Eussian) they contained was highly aromatic, and 
 is supposed to have been prepared with cardamoms. 
 The cups were next filled ; but, to the horror of all 
 the dispenser of the tea in the most innocent manner 
 used his fingers in placing the sugar in the cups. 
 The oriental grace and solemnity was disturbed by 
 whispers and growls, " the best using his dirty claws 
 of all work. I won't touch the stuff, &c." How- 
 ever, all had drunk, and as the number of cups were 
 limited, they had to be filled several times before all 
 were served. The cups were not washed between 
 either; some did not like this. We are becoming 
 rather fastidious since peace has been declared. The 
 trays were then removed, but soon reappeared. This 
 time we were helped to warm milk and sugar. Tea 
 d la Afghan is decidedly novel, and the idea of ad- 
 ministering the milk afterwards did not meet with 
 much approval. 
 
 A move was now made ; and, after a short ride, 
 we reached the summit of the Shutar Gurdan. Away 
 beneath us stretched the Logar Vally, the streams 
 running through it seeming like bands of silver, and 
 the dark patches of cultivation and foliage standing 
 
96 LIFE OP 
 
 out in marked relief to the general plain surface. A 
 softened aspect was thrown over everything by the 
 summer haze which shimmered around. Behind a 
 bend in the mountain, and within view but for it, lay 
 Cabul. Major Cavagnari says that next year officers 
 will be able to visit it in safety. Of the present 
 party, most would have given a good deal to go there 
 now, as they may never have an opportunity of 
 seeing it again. Wishing the Mission every success, 
 our last adieux were made, and we turn our horses' 
 head homewards. At the foots of the mountain 
 there is a halt, and halsters and havresacks overhau- 
 led to obtain the wherewithal to refresh the inner 
 man The announcement that the Amir had dinner 
 prepared for the party was joyfully received, and all 
 again proceeded to the Durbar tent, and seated them- 
 selves in a circle. Attendants entered, and laid down 
 a splendid Duster khana (table-cloth) of Russian 
 leather. This was covered by a white cloth. A 
 procession now appeared, coming from the boberchee- 
 kana, about a dozen men carrying on their heads 
 huge trays, about six feet long by three feet wide, 
 made of papier mache, and tastefully ornamented. 
 The contents of the trays were hidden by new white 
 cloths. The trays were placed on the table cloth 
 and the cloths removed. Then the domeshaped 
 leaden colored covers with which each dish was 
 covered were removed, and a most varied array of 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B ,c.s.I. 97 
 
 viands met liis eye. Kabobs, curries, game, fish, 
 pillaus, fowls, kids roasted whole, and a number of 
 Native dishes, whose names were unknown, but 
 whose toothsome properties were admitted. Forks, 
 spoons, or knives, were waited for in vain. At last 
 it was made known that these articles de luxe were 
 not the fashion in Afghanistan, chupattis serving as 
 plates. The attempts made to do the correct thing 
 was really ridiculous. Some poured the contents of 
 a dish on to their chupatti, and raising the whole 
 thing to the mouth tried to eat ; others, shielding 
 their fingers with pieces of chupatti, tried to fish out 
 some dainty morsel ; others boldly plunged their 
 hands into a pillau ; and manfully gnawed at the 
 treasure in their greasy fingers, some one or two put 
 their fingers in the dishes, arid sucked them. It was 
 a thing to be remembered this dinner, a le main, in 
 contrast. The imperturbable gravity of our Afghan 
 host was a contrast with laughter and gaucherie: 
 not a muscle showed their appreciation of the situa- 
 tion and whether indifference, amusement, or 
 contempt were their feelings. One might pretty 
 safely assert that they gave vent to a fine volley of 
 maledictions on our departure. Water in peculiar 
 looking vessels was bought and poured over our hands 
 and the wash was very decidedly needed. Tea was 
 again served, and the usual compliments having been 
 got through the party, were soon in the saddle, and 
 
98 LIFE OF 
 
 en route for Waykula, which we reached safely. On 
 the arrival of the Mission at Cabul, Yakub, who is 
 only waiting for it, will start north to try and estab- 
 lish his authority in the rebellious districts. Should 
 he fail in this, the Oandahar force may have a chance 
 of seeing some service : still in any case, they are 
 not likely to be removed till matters are more settled 
 than they are at present. The Mullahs, it appears, 
 are preaching against the English, and the hatred 
 which Shere AH so assiduously fostered is now re- 
 bounding on his son. However, we are in for it now, 
 and will have to stick to our bargain. 
 
 General Roberts in temporarily leaving the force, 
 addressed an order complimentary to its discipline 
 and efficiency ; and expressed his desire, that should 
 occasion again require, he might be so fortunate as 
 to command such a fine body of men. 
 
 The force fully reciprocates the compliment, and 
 if their services were called for, all would long to be 
 under their old chief. In addition to personal popu- 
 larity, General Roberts had obtained the confidence 
 of the men, who would have followed him to any 
 place. No one in the force worked harder than the 
 General, and his care for the well-being of the men 
 was incessant, and extended to every detail affecting 
 their health and comfort. 
 
 General Massy commands in his absence. A 
 court-martial on the men of the 8th implicated in the 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNA1U, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 99 
 
 Kotal Dadel is to take place in a few days. The 
 general health of the force is fair, but the 72nd 
 Highlanders have a big sick list : they went through 
 a good deal of exposure last cold weather. The 
 heat in the single fly tents at midday is very trying. 
 The men have to wear their helmets in the tents a 
 fact which needs no comment, and the results of 
 which will appear sooner, or later. Some ripe fruit 
 is now being brought in for sale to tke men this 
 should be found to benefit their health very much. 
 Is it not funny all telegrams for the Press, of what- 
 ever nature arc refused, unless they bear the signa- 
 ture of the General commanding. Why ? one may 
 well ask the question. Postal communication with 
 Major Cavagnari is kept up by means of runners to 
 the Shutar Gurdan, thence to Cabul by sowars. 
 
 TUB Civil and Military Gazette s own correspon- 
 dent of July 21st, gives the following graphic pic- 
 ture of Major Cavagnari on the Afghan Frontier : 
 Major Cavagnari, with Mr. Jenkyns and an escort of 
 the Guides, have passed through AH Kheyl. On the 
 18th they started for Karatiga, which is on the 
 frontier line, as it is propos d to be marked out, but 
 the actual delimitation of frontier has not yet been 
 laid down. We are building a fortified post here, 
 which will be held for us by one of the headmen of 
 a neighbouring tribe for a consideration. The Mis- 
 sion rested at Karartiga on the 18th about 8 A, M. On 
 
100 LIFE OF 
 
 the 19th Khusyal Khan, who has been deputed to 
 escort the Mission to Cabul, arrived to pay a visit 
 to Major Cavagnari, he was accompanied by a troop 
 of cavalry ; after some diplomatic delays by which 
 he was made to dance attendance for a little, he was 
 admitted to an audience when the usual eastern con- 
 venances were strictly observed. When Major 
 Cavagnari was ready to make a start, a guard of 
 honor of one hundred men of the 67 the was drawn 
 up, and a salute of fifteen guns was fired. Matters 
 were very cleverly arranged, so that Khusyal Khan 
 should see that it was our Envoy, and not him for 
 whom these arrangements were made, and our politi- 
 cals are quite satisfied at the result. The escort to 
 accompany the Mission to Cubul consists of a regi- 
 ment of Cavalry which met it at Karatiga, and some 
 Artillery and Infantry which will join it at Kushi. 
 The Cavalry, a Herati regiment and mounted on 
 Herat horses, were brought up at the close of the 
 war, but were too late to join in it. They were 
 dressed in red tunics, blue pants and jack boots, and 
 were armed with carbine, pistol and sword, the latter, 
 of a Russian pattern with brass hilts. They had 
 white cross belts, and were got up in imitation of an 
 English Dragoon regiment. Their heads were 
 adorned with brown felt helmets some sizes too large, 
 with brass chin straps, several inches too long, the 
 men were small and wiry, and when galloping had a 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 101 
 
 huddled up appearance ; this taken with tlieir inde- 
 pendent and irregular movements, their grinning and 
 chattering, caused them to strongly resemble a lot of 
 mounted monkeys in a circus. With training and 
 under European leaders, doubtless they could be made 
 into serviceable irregular cavalry. They fell out to 
 water their horses, to have a look round, or a smoke, 
 as the humour took them, and then rejoined the main 
 body, at a breakneck pace over very rough ground. 
 The officers were a great contrast to the men, they 
 were dressed in dark semi-frock coats, dark pants, 
 and lambskin caps, and did not look the soldier at all. 
 Khusyal Khan was similary dressed. He is a striking 
 looking man of a rather determined appearance, and 
 rejoices in a most ferocious suit of moustachios, as 
 the Yankis would say. The Mission, its ranks 
 swollen by about fifty officers, who had obtained 
 leave to accompany it as far as the Shuter Gurdan, 
 soon passed the limits to our territory, and crossing 
 the Turki Kotal, red hill, so called from the color of 
 the soil, reached the Durbar tent. This was a very 
 fine English built tent with specious verandahs, in 
 one of which a tank had been made, and a rill of 
 crystal clear water ran through it, which had a pleas- 
 ing effect. The floor of the tent was covered with 
 rich carpets, and there were a few chairs and which 
 were occupied by General Roberts, Major Cavagnari, 
 Khusyal Khan, &c. The remainder of the party 
 
ifl 
 
 102 LIFE OF 
 
 squatted on the carpets, with as near an approach to 
 Oriental ease as they could assume. Tea was now 
 served, it was brought in on two trays by armed 
 attendants. The trays were covered with red and 
 blue satin, cloths fringed with gold and richly worked 
 in silk, with red and yellow patterns, they were 
 deposited on the ground in the middle, and a man 
 very much armed, his belt full of knives and pistols, 
 and a gun on his back entered, and solemnly knelt 
 near the trays, then he reverently raised the cover 
 from one, and exposed to our curious gaze about ten 
 Russian tea cups. They were about the size and 
 shape of ordinary cotfee cups, and were half of a blue, 
 half of a red pattern and with raised medallions on 
 which were painted roses and other flowers ; this 
 tray also contained peculiar looking bowls of similar 
 pattern to the cups which contained sugar. The 
 knight of the tea tray then removed the cloth from 
 the other tray, on it were four tea-pots of the same 
 design as the cups, he then filled the cups with a 
 very highly flavoured tea. I believe that the tea 
 used is Russian, flavoured with cardamoms. The 
 above proceedings were conducted and observed in 
 solemn silence, but when the operator proceeded to 
 pick up a lump of sugar with his fingers and drop it 
 into each oup, the feelings, not quite blunted by a 
 campaign, got vent. " The fellow, with his dirty 
 fingures" and similar expressions of a very decided 
 
* fl- 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,c.s.i. 103 
 
 character were whispered about ; " I won't drink the 
 stuff," &c. However, all had to take it, and as there 
 were over fifty the cups had to be used several times 
 (without being washed). The trays were now 
 removed, but soon appeared again, this time we were 
 all treated to warm milk and sugar. The partakers 
 of afternoon tea at home should give it a la Afghan, 
 if they want a new sensation. After the usual salu- 
 tations, &c., the party proceeded en route ; and, after 
 a short ride up the slope of the mountain, reached 
 the summit. To those who had not previously been 
 here, the scene must have been very interesting ; 
 below and away into the far distance stretched the 
 Logar valley, its surface of mottled green and brown 
 relieved here and there by silver streaks of water, 
 the distant objects softened, and their outline 
 deadened, by the summer haze that hung over every- 
 thing. Behind a mountain and clearly discemable, 
 was Cabul, the promised land which many of 
 us, like the old Isrealites, are destined only to see 
 from a distance. Major Cavagnari says that officers 
 will be able to visit it in safety next year, but by 
 that time, the present party will be pretty well scat- 
 tered. All wished the Mission a hearty God-speed, 
 and after another round of tea, which was served 
 to us here, the party turned and retraced their steps 
 down the mountain ; at the bottom there was a halt 
 and a general emptying of holsters to find comforts 
 
 -ff 
 
104 LIFE OP 
 
 for the inner man. These were speedily discarded, 
 on the welcome intelligence that the Amir had pre- 
 pared a dinner which all were expected to partake ; 
 very cheerfully the invitation was accepted, and soon 
 all were squatted in a circle in the Darbar tent. An 
 attendant now entered, and placed a splendid Duster 
 Khana table-cloth on the floor. It was of very fine 
 Russian leather, this was covered with a white cloth. 
 Then there appeared a procession of ten or twelve 
 huge trays each about six feet long by three feet 
 wide, they were of papier mache, and were very taste- 
 fully ornamented ; each was carried on a man's head, 
 and the contents were hidden by a white cloth. At 
 the door of the tent two attendants removed them 
 from the heads of the bearers, and placed them on 
 the Duster Khana. When all were arranged, the 
 cloths were taken off, and the dome-shaped covers, 
 with which all the dishes were covered, were removed. 
 To our hungry gaze was exposed a goodly array of 
 kabobs, pillaus, curries, fowls, fish, dried fish, sweet- 
 meat and game. Kids roasted whole, Native dishes 
 of unknown names and mountains of huge chupatties, 
 but knives, forks, or spoons, there were none. There 
 was a pause, no one knew how to commence, at last 
 some one said use the chupatties for plates, accor- 
 dingly some made use of a whole chupattie, and 
 poured some of the contents of a dish on to it, others 
 covering their hands with chupattie essayed to scoop 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B..C.S.I. H)5 
 
 out of the dishes what they wanted, others would 
 introduce a finger carefully into a dish, and then 
 suck it meditatively. The cooking was unanimous- 
 ly voted good, and the food far superior in quality 
 to what most of us have been enjoying for some time 
 past. Our host sat stolidly gazing at the scene, and 
 shewed not a sign a& to whether he was indifferent, 
 amused, or disgusted, at our behaviour, which must 
 have appeared to him very gauche indeed. Doubtless, 
 he, and his grim attendant of the double barrelled 
 rifle were bottling up any amount of curses of the 
 Kaffir, of which they relieved themselves on our 
 departure. Tea was again served, the youngest of 
 the party relaxed to the extent of slyly pelting each 
 other with sweetmeats when unobserved ; and young 
 and old enjoyed the affair as much as schoolboys out 
 for a treat. We now, after the usual greetings, 
 mounted our gallant steeds, and made tracks for 
 Dray Kula, where our escort was waiting, and the 
 next day returned to Alikhey. The whole affair 
 went off very smoothly, and every body appeared to 
 be pleased. On the whole, the Mission was received 
 with as much cordiality as could be expected. The 
 officers and men of the Afghan escort were cheerful 
 in their replies; but the Natives about Karatiga rather 
 reserved in their manner, would not hold officers' 
 horses, &c. Yakub is said to be anxiously awaiting 
 the arrival of Mission as he is then to start on a 
 
106 LIFE OP 
 
 tour to endeavour to restore obedience to his autho- 
 rity in the northern portions of Afghanistan. Should 
 Herat offer a successful resistance, very likely the 
 Candahar force will be given a chance of seeing 
 some fighting ; in any case they are not likely to be 
 removed from there till Yakub feels himself more 
 secure thin he is at present. The Mullahs are preach- 
 ing a crusade against the English, and the hatred 
 of us which Shere Ali fostered is now rebounding on 
 his son on account of his alliance. General Roberts, 
 who is temporarily leaving the force, has issued a 
 farewell order in which he hoped that if called on 
 again to fight for the Empress, he hoped to have as 
 fine a force as the one he at present commands. The 
 members of the column will only wish to have him 
 as a commander, if they are again actively engaged. 
 He had gained the affection arid confidence of the 
 troops, and they would have cheerfully followed him 
 to any place ; no one in the force worked harder than 
 General Roberts ; and his efforts for the well-being 
 of the men were untiring. A court-martial on the 
 men engaged in the races at the Kotal will take place 
 in a few days. Major Cavagnari has communications 
 established with us by means of runners as far as 
 the Shurter Gurdan, and from thence to Cabul by 
 means of sowars. Can any one explain why Press 
 telegrams of whatever nature will not be despatched 
 without countersignature ; it sounds funny that, in 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 107 
 
 time of peace a telegram will not be received for 
 the Press without the Major-General's countersig- 
 nature. The general health of the force is fair, and 
 the sale of fruit which has now commenced, should be 
 found to benefit the men. The heat at midday is 
 still very great ; the men have to wear their helmets 
 within their tents. I don't think that this will benefit 
 them much. Double fly tents are needed here. 
 
 The Embassy entered Cabul on the morning of 
 24th July, and received a brilliant reception. 
 The Arnir's demeanour was most friendly and 
 the British resident and his escort took up their 
 residence in the Bala Hissar, the citadel and the 
 residence of the Amirs. There has been consider- 
 able discussion regarding the wisdom or unwisdom 
 of sending a British Resident to Cabul, and it may 
 not be unappropriate to state that Sir Louis Cavagnari 
 was the third British envoy to Cabul. Before des- 
 cribing these missions, it may be stated that our duty 
 to our Envoys renders it incumbent upon us to take 
 as many precautions as possible to keep them out of 
 unnecessary danger, and for that reason alone the 
 condition of Cabul must undergo a very considerable 
 change, before it would be prudent for us to risk the 
 life of another Envoy among its fanatical people. 
 It is this consideration which gives a practical value 
 to the suggestion made in the columns of the Times 
 that the capital of the State should be transferred 
 
& 
 
 108 LIFE OF 
 
 back to the old Durani city of Candahar. Not only 
 are the Oandaharis much less turbulent and with 
 fewer antipathies towards foreigners than the Cabulese, 
 but they have lately given unquestionable demons- 
 tration of their friendly feeling towards England. 
 The welcome which the troops returning from Pishin, 
 received the other day proves conclusively that the 
 sentiment of the Candaharis is a friendly one. This 
 has more or less always been the case. The resi- 
 dence of the Lumsden Mission at this town during 
 the worst portion of the Indian Mutiny will be 
 remembered, and it may be asserted with some con- 
 fidence that, had it been stationed at Cabul, its fate, 
 despite Dost Mahomed's firmness, would have been 
 the same as that of Burnes and Cavagnari. The 
 question of principle is, that a British Envoy should 
 reside at the Court of the Amir ; it is a matter of 
 detail that must be decided by local causes where 
 that Court shall be. 
 
 The first British Mission to Cabul was that of 
 Mr. Mountstuart Elphinstone in 1808 ; but as it 
 only proceeded to Peshawur, we can but simply refer 
 to it. The journey of Mr. Forster to the Court of 
 Timur Shah in 1783, had given Englishmen a clearer 
 knowledge of the Durani Monarchy, and when it 
 appeared probable that the influence of France was 
 obtaining the upper hand in the Councils of Teheran, 
 it suggested itself to Lord Minto that it would be 
 
--a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 109 
 
 well to repair the check received in Persia by a great 
 success at Cabul. Mr. Mountstuart Elphinstone 
 was, accordingly, despatched to Cabul to negotiate 
 a treaty with the King against France and Persia. 
 That the British Government " would not hesitate 
 to adopt any plan of hostillity against Persia conso- 
 nant to the views of the King of Cabul" formed the 
 chief part of Mr. Elphinstone's instructions. These 
 were, however, altered in consequence of the pro- 
 gress of events in Europe and the failure of the 
 French schemes in Persia. The reception given to 
 our representative at Peshawur, then in the hands 
 of the Afghans, was magnificent. The King's 
 " hospitality was profuse." Shuja-ul-Mulk, who, for 
 a brief space, had established his authority, was most 
 gracious. The least fanciful of his expressions was 
 that " the Creator had designed England and Cabul 
 to be united by bonds of everlasting friendship." 
 On the other hand, it is necessary to remember that 
 much of this friendship was due to the fact that this 
 Embassy was conducted on a grand scale. The pre- 
 sents it brought were most costly. The expense was 
 characterized by Lord Minto some time afterwards 
 in an official minute as "enormous." But it had 
 come at an unfortunate moment. Afghanistan was 
 on the eve of a civil war which was to cost Shuja 
 his crown ; and the best advice the Shah could 
 give Mr. Elphinstone, after the signature of a 
 
 --ff 
 
110 LIFE OF 
 
 treaty of friendship, was to leave Peshawur without 
 delay. 
 
 We have to pass on for nearly 30 years before we 
 come to the second British Mission to the Afghan 
 Court, and the first to reach the city of Cabul. 
 This time, instead of being a move of high politics, 
 it was ostensibly one produced by trade considera- 
 tions alone. Its very title proclaimed its character. 
 It was the Commercial Mission to Cabul. Towards 
 the close of the year 1835, Lord Auckland became 
 Governor-General of India, and in the spring of the 
 following year he received a letter of congratulation 
 from Dost Mahomed, at that time the predominant 
 chief in Cabul, Jellalabad, and Ghuzni. The Dost 
 was hard pressed by the Sikhs in one quarter, and 
 the rivalry of the members of his house was a cons- 
 tant source of trouble to him. Moreover, there hung 
 over him the great cloud of the pretensions of the 
 Sudosyes, the pensioners of Ludiana. He was eager 
 to participate in the security afforded by British 
 protection. He asked Lord Auckland for suggestions 
 as to the settlement of his affairs, and, in truly 
 Oriental language, told him to consider him and his 
 country "as your own." The result of that letter 
 was that the Governor-General resolved to " depute 
 some gentlemen" to Cabul to discuss commercial and 
 other kindred questions. There was a darker cloud 
 on the horizon beyond the border-lands of India, and 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. Ill 
 
 the rumours of Russian intrigues at Teheran and Rus- 
 sian activity against the Khirgiz beyond the steppe had 
 served to give additional interest, and importance to a 
 scheme, that had suggested itself some years before to 
 Lord William Bentinck and Sir John Malcolm, and 
 which had given rise to the second Mission into Afgha- 
 nistan. The gentleman Lord Auckland selected for 
 the delicate mission was Alexander Burnes, who, by 
 his proficiency in Native languages and his skill as 
 a draftsman, had distanced all his contemporaries in 
 the service. In 1830, when he was 25 years of age, 
 he had visited in an official capacity Runjit Singh at 
 Lahore, and had seen Shuja-ul-Mulk at Ludiana. It 
 was this journey that brought Burnes under the 
 immediate notice of Lord William Bentinck, who 
 saw in this traveller full of enthusiasm and eager 
 to explore the countries of Central Asia, the very 
 man for " opening up fresh fields of geographical 
 and commercial inquiry." In December 183 1, Burnes 
 left British territory, ostensibly as a private traveller, 
 but with special passports from the Government. 
 Travelling with three companions through the Punjab, 
 he entered Afghanistan by the Khyber, and met with 
 a most flattering reception at the hands of Dost 
 Mahomed. He arrived at Cabul on the 1st of May 
 1832,* and remained there until the 18th of the 
 month, when he resumed his journey, and travelling 
 over the Hindu Kush, reached Bokhara, where he 
 
112 LIFE OF 
 
 resided two months. Returning by way of the Kara 
 Kum desert and Meshed to Bushire, he was back in 
 India early in 1833, having accomplished what was 
 certainly the most remarkable journey that had at 
 that time been achieved by an Englishman. During 
 his residence at Cabul he had ingratiated himself 
 with Dost Mahomed and many of his principal 
 Sirdars, and was made the most welcome of guests. 
 He had succeeded, because he had acted with the 
 most remarkable tact, and the same quality which 
 carried him safely through the dangers of fanatical 
 Cabul helped him among the still more fanatical 
 people of Bokhara. 
 
 No man then appeared to Lord Auckland to be 
 better fitted for the task he had in hand than Burnes, 
 who was spoken of as " the friend of Dost Mahomed." 
 A mission of amity to Cabul would have an aspect 
 of sincerity, if it were intrusted to that ruler's old 
 guest. While performing a delicate task at the 
 Court of the Amirs of Sind, Burnes received orders, 
 therefore, to hold himself in readiness to undertake 
 the charge of the Embassy to Afghanistan. On the 
 26th November 1836, he set out on his second 
 mission to Cabul. Travelling through Sind and 
 Bhawulpore, he, with four companions, reached 
 Peshwur shortly after the battle of Jumrud between 
 the Sikhs and the Afghans ; and pushing on from 
 that place they traversed the Khyber without accident, 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B,,C.S.I. 113 
 
 although the deputation of the pass tribes to conduct 
 them had not arrived. On the 20th of September 
 1837, they entered Cabul. They were received 
 a with great pomp and splendour." Akbar Khan 
 came out in person at the head of a fine body of 
 Afghan cavalry, and Burnes entered the capital 
 seated on an elephant beside the heir to the throne. 
 Special quarters were provided within the Bala 
 Hissar, and the Mission lived as " the guests of the 
 King." On the following day, Dost Mahomed re- 
 ceived Burnes in state, and expressed to him ; " his 
 high sense of the great honor conferred upon him/' 
 but the real interview was held on the 4th of the 
 following month, when other schemes than the ex- 
 tension of trade by an improvement in the naviga- 
 tion of the Indus were discussed. Dost Mahomed's 
 great grievance was the loss of Peshawur. For the 
 recovery of that he would do anything. Burnes 
 could hold out very small hope that Runjit Singh 
 would relax his hold on that possession. The month 
 of October was passed in repeated negotiations on 
 this and similar topics, and while the Candahar 
 Sirdars were gravitating more and more towards the 
 Shah and his Russian advisers, the Cabul ruler's 
 alliance with the English was becoming firmer and 
 more patent in the eyes of the neighbouring peoples. 
 The problem became more invovled with the arrival 
 of the Russian Envoy, Vickovitch, who reached 
 
a 
 
 114 LIFE OP 
 
 Cabul in December. At that conjuncture Cabul had as 
 its guests at the same moment, for the first and per- 
 haps the last time an ambassador from Calcutta and 
 another from St. Petersburg. For two months 
 Vickovitch received but cool treatment ; but then, it 
 having become known that the English Government 
 would not concern itself in the question of Peshawur, 
 a change occurred, and the Russian officer was placed 
 on a better footing Numerous other abortive "inter- 
 views were held, and at last Burnes took his depar- 
 ture from Cabul on the 26th of April, seven months 
 after his entry into the city. So far as the objects of 
 the Mission went,it had been a failure. Neither com- 
 merce nor policy was benefited by Burnes' long resi- 
 dence at Cabul,and when he set out, on his return jour- 
 ney ,he left Vickovitch apparently master of the field. 
 History shows us, therefore, that there have been 
 three English Missions to Afghanistan, two of which 
 have resided at Cabul. They were successful in that 
 respect which persons would now assume it was im- 
 possible for them to be. They returned in safety. 
 Several English travellers, both before and about the 
 same time, performed the same feat without any un- 
 pleasant consequences, and, on the principle that 
 what has been should occur again, it may be asserted 
 that there is nothing insuperable in the way of de- 
 puting resident British officers even to Cabul. Tact 
 and judgment on the part of the Envoy would avoid 
 
a- 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 115 
 
 petty annoyances, and it cannot be doubted that our 
 measures on the present occasion will have the effect 
 of impressing upon the Afghans that the murder of 
 British Envoys is too dangerous an amusement to be 
 indulged in. 
 
 The TIMES OF INDIA'S correspondent writing from 
 Ali Kheyl on the 31st August, thus describes the 
 state of affairs during this month : I find that the 
 disturbed state of affairs in Cabul noted in my last 
 letter, has not improved. According to the latest 
 accounts they are even more formidable than was 
 supposed. In Badakshan Yakub's authority is set 
 at naught. In Herat, it is almost nominal. Some 
 Herati regiments that had come to Cabul, suffered 
 from a severe attack of cholera of a very malignant 
 type. A great number died. Of the remainder, the 
 principal part bolted for their homes, and the few 
 who did not desert, received permission from the 
 Amir to visit their homes. This is an unfortunate 
 occurrence, as every effort was being made to get 
 together as large a force as possible, so as to overawe 
 resistance when the Amir goes to pay his recalcitrant 
 subjects in the north a visit. New regiments are 
 being raised for the Amir's service ; but time is now 
 pressing, and if Yakub means to do anything this 
 year, it is time he were moving. The winter season 
 sets in early, and might very seriously interfere with 
 his operations. 
 
116 LIFE OF 
 
 On the Khyber route, there has been considerable 
 disturbance, several caravans have been plundered, 
 and Ayoub Khan appears quite unable to maintain 
 order. On the Shutar Gurdan Road, nearly all the 
 fruit-traders, who have passed, have been, more or 
 less looted. Not satisfied with robbing them of any 
 valuables, a considerable portion of their fruit was 
 seized ( levying duty in kind.) Padisha Khan could 
 make the road perfectly safe by a mere expression 
 of his will, but he is playing a waiting game. By 
 no overt act will he offend the Amir, but assist him 
 he will ; not, till he receives a quid pro quo. 
 
 Religious fanaticism, which has always played 
 such an important part in the politics of Afghanis- 
 tan, is being excited to the highest pitch by the 
 preaching of the Mullahs, and Yakub must use some 
 means to win them to his side, or he may find him- 
 self deserted by his troops upon the first emergency. 
 Loyalty to the Amir does not exist in Afghan- 
 istan. The power of the Amirs and obedience 
 to their rule has been established, and must be 
 maintained by force. Any clannish feeling of the 
 Afghan is merged in his more immediate chief. The 
 chiefs are so inflated with pride that they would 
 acknowledge no superior, had they the power to 
 maintain their independence. The English are more 
 disliked and dreaded than the Russians, or any other 
 "infidel." It was to appease this feeling that Yakub 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 117 
 
 begged so hard for an immediate withdrawal of the 
 troops on the Khyber side. Our complacency has 
 cost us the lives of hundreds of brave soldiers. This 
 feeling of aversion towards us and the blind bigotry 
 of religious intolerance are being used by Yakub's 
 enemies as levers to upset his rule. The chiefs with- 
 in his reach have many of them assumed a passive 
 attitude, which is more embarrassing than actual 
 resistance. But the conflict cannot be long deferred 
 which will decide the establishment, or destruction 
 of the present ruling power. Indirect help we will 
 afford Yakub as far as we can. Should we eventu- 
 ally have to assist him with men, the assumption of 
 the actual rule of the country will be forced upon us. 
 Foreseeing this, we are now endeavouring to with- 
 draw all our troops from the territories of the Amir. 
 The course that events will take during next winter, 
 will be a guide as to what may be expected from 
 Yakub's reign. Already attempts are being made 
 to shake his determination to adhere the English 
 alliance. He is unable to fulfil the conditions for 
 the protection of traders ; but a Ghilzai merchant 
 can travel through any part of Afghanistan. One 
 of the tribe, who came from Cabul the other day, 
 was unmolested on the way ; and, when asked, if he 
 did not fear being robbed, or murdered, said, " Oh 
 no, if I were killed, four men would be killed for 
 me." This fact is so well understood by the other 
 
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 118 LIFE OP 
 
 tribes, that they allow the Ghilzais to travel unmo- 
 lested. An injury to one of them would be resented 
 by whole tribe. Robbery of them is, therefore, too 
 dangerous a business for most tribes to indulge in. 
 The man I speak of, had, in addition to some coun- 
 try manufactured cloth, &c., a large bag of Cabul 
 rupees with which he did a good trade by exchang- 
 ing them for English ones. The Cabul rupee is 
 roughly manufactured. It is made of very pure 
 silver, and is equal in value to about fourteen annas 
 of our money. Would that we took a lesson from 
 the Ghilzais, and taught the tribes that molestation 
 of any one under our protection would entail on 
 them far more terrible consequences than they would 
 expect to suffer from injuring a Ghilzai. We reward 
 the tribes that plunder us, and murder our followers 
 and soldiers. The lungi and a lecture are adminis- 
 tered, and they are dismissed with a request not to 
 do it again. I do hope that a rumour which has 
 reached here, and, apparently, has some foundation 
 in fact, is not true. It is that the Zaimukhts have 
 been squared by a money payment. If it be a fact, 
 we shall undoubtedly receive compound interest in 
 lead. 
 
 On our main line of communications, murders and 
 robberies have been sufficiently numerous. The 
 Duffedar at the Kotal must have met with a pretty 
 painless death. The wound which nearly severed 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 119 
 
 the head from the body must have been the first re- 
 ceived, as though there were several other wounds 
 on the body, the ground did not show any traces of 
 a struggle. There is a mystery about this murder, 
 which has yet to be explained. Then, there was the 
 murderous affray on the road to Chinack, ending in 
 the death of two of our men, and the wounding of 
 two so severely that they are not expected to recover. 
 Of the enemy, one killed (body bagged), and some 
 wounded, but uncaptured was the result. The 67th, 
 you will remember, had been moved to a new camp- 
 ing-ground, owing to an attack of typhoid, from which 
 they were suffering. There were several small camps 
 established. This .breaking up of them into small 
 parties, together with the very broken nature of the 
 ground, on which they were encamped, favored the 
 operations of thieves. Four mules were stolen, and 
 have not been recovered ; a lot of cloth, ditto ditto. 
 Next a fine mare, the property of Major Cardew, was 
 stolen. The loss was known almost immediately the 
 theft had taken place, and pursuit was made by several 
 parties of men ; but as it was night-time, without 
 success. A sergeant returning at daybreak came on 
 the tracks of the animal, and after tracing them very 
 cleverly for over three miles, ran her to earth in a 
 village. The Mullick of the village and the Pathan 
 orderly did not want him to enter ; but the sergeant 
 would not be denied ; and, after a search, found the 
 
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 120 LIFE OP 
 
 animal in the country-yard of one of the houses. 
 He returned to camp with the mare, and the two 
 Mullicks of tho village as prisoners. Three camels 
 have been stolen from the 92nd, and a detachment 
 of the 72nd had some of their cooking things stolen. 
 Captain Connolly, our political, appears to under- 
 stand these people. He has a number of them now 
 in prison, and he succeeded in recovering the value ot 
 some of the things stolen. I expect that he will not 
 be allowed to inflict any severe punishment, and for 
 mere fines they do not appear to care much. 
 
 The telegrams sent by Cavagnari to the Viceroy, 
 by him to the English ministers in London, give no 
 hint of the dangers which ultimately overwhelmed 
 the British Envoy this gallant companions. Here 
 are the closing telegrams : 
 
 30th July, 1879." Cavagnari telegraphs : < Cabul, 27th July. 
 All well, Had interview with Amir and delivered presents.' " 
 
 6th August, 1879. "All continues well at Cabul, Envoy and 
 Staff rode through city bazar on 30th July. People orderly. 
 Officers of Embassy more freely about city environs. Amir very 
 friendly, and shows every disposition to act up to treaty. Has 
 sent horses and specimens of country produce to Embassy." 
 
 13th August, 1879." Reports from Cabul state that turbu- 
 lence of some regiments recently arrived from Herat had caused 
 some excitement ; now subsiding." 
 
 21st August, 1879." Cabul reports all well." 
 28th August, 1879. "All well with Cabul Embassy." 
 3rd September, 1879. " All well in the Cabul Embassy, 
 outbreak of cholera reported." 
 
 ..[ji 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B ,c.s.i. 121 
 
 Dr. Kelley bad opened a dispensary and daily 
 treated patients who came to it. It is quite apparent 
 now, that Cavagnari and the gallant Lieutenant 
 Hamilton, as well as Dr. Kelley realised the danger of 
 their position; and met their oath like true men. 
 On the morning of Sunday the 7th September all 
 England and India were startled, and moved pro- 
 foundly by the following telegrams : 
 
 FROM THE PRESS COMMISSIONER. 
 
 AN OUTBREAK AT CABUL THE BRITISH RESIDENCY 
 ATTACKED BRITISH TROOPS ORDERED TO ADVANCE 
 ON CABUL. 
 
 SIMLA, 6TH SEPTEMBER 1879* 
 
 Late at night, on 4th September, a Ghilzai messenger reached 
 Alikheyl, having come at full speed from Cabul, and reported to 
 Captain Conolly, the Political Officer at Alikheyl, that the British 
 Residency at Cabul had been attacked by several Afghan Regi- 
 ments, who had mutinied for their pay. He said that the Em- 
 bassy and Escort were defending themselves. The intelligence 
 reached the Government at Simla, early on the morning of 5th 
 September, when orders were at once issued to General Massey at 
 Alikheyl, for an immediate movement upon Shutur Gurdan, while 
 General Roberts was instructed to start for Peshawur, to take 
 command of troops for immediate advance on Cabul. General 
 Stewart was ordered by telegram to hold Candahar. All troops 
 on that line, now under orders for return to India, have been 
 directed to concentrate again on Candahar. The British forces 
 in the Khyber to prepare for operations, by Jellalabad when re. 
 inforced. On the night of the 5th, Captain Conolly telegraphed 
 the substance of letters received at Alikheyl, from the Amir him- 
 self. These letters state that certain Afghan Regiments, which 
 
122 LIFE OP 
 
 had already shown strong symptoms of mutiny against the Amir, 
 had been assembled in the Bala Hissar to receive arrears of pay 
 which they had demanded. They suddenly broke out into violent 
 mutiny and stoned their officers. They next made an attack on 
 the British Residency which is inside the Bala Hissar ; but were 
 received by a heavy and effective fire from the British Escort. 
 The city mob then poured into the Bala Hisssar, plundered and 
 destroyed the Amir's Arsenal, Magazine and stores and joined the 
 mutiniers, in attacking the Residency in overwhelming numbers. 
 The Amir was taken entirely by surprise ; but appears to have 
 used every endeavour to control the tumult. He sent to the 
 Envoy's assistance General Daud Shah, who, on approaching the 
 Residency, was attacked and unhorsed ; and is said by the Amir to 
 be dying of his injuries. The Amir next sent his son and the 
 Governor-General of Cabal, and also some influential personages 
 of the Town; but the mob was completely beyond control. The 
 attack and defence appear to have continued all Wednesday until 
 evening, when the Residency took fire. On Thursday morning 
 the Amir, writing in a tone of the greatest distress and anxiety, 
 said that he was himself beseiged, and had no certain news of the 
 fate of the British Officers of the Mission, nor is it yet known 
 what has become of them. General Roberts leaves Simla this 
 afternoon to assume command of the force, which will be imme- 
 diately directed on Cabul, and which will be speedily reinforced 
 and supported. 
 
 The following is from the Pioneer : -A sudden 
 and most lamentable misfortune has again befallen 
 the English nation. On Wednesday last, our Resi- 
 dency in the Bala Hissar of Cabul was attacked by 
 Afghan Mutineers ; and messengers from the Amir 
 Yakub, himself besieged in his place hard by, have 
 come in haste to the English outposts to say that, 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 123 
 
 having tried in vain to send help to our officers, he 
 knows nothing for certain of their fate. But there 
 is little room for uncertainty. The dwelling given 
 over to the Embassy, was a large building on the 
 south-east wall of the Bala Hissar, enclosing a spa- 
 cious courtyard on two sides of which were the 
 houses our officers lived in one of two stories, the 
 other of four. Here were the four Englishmen, Sir 
 Louis Cavagnari, Mr. William Jenkyns, Lieute- 
 nant W. P. Hamilton, V. C., and Surgeon A. H. 
 Kelley, with their little escort of 50 infantry and 
 25th cavalry of the Guides. On the morning of 
 Wednesday last, several Herati regiments of the 
 Amir's army, in which signs of disaffection had, for 
 some little while past, been visible, broke out into a 
 sudden mutiny, stoned their officers, and attacked 
 both the English in the Residency, it would seem, 
 and the Amir in his palace. The infuriated soldiery 
 were soon joined by a mob, swarming out from 
 every street and bye way in the city. The regular 
 population of Cabul, it should be noted, numbers 
 very few Afghans. Nearly half the people are Persian 
 Kizzil Bash ; there is also a large Usbeg section : and 
 allowing for Jews, Armenians, Hindus, &c., there 
 would remain but few Afghans proper in the city, 
 apart from the regiments quartered there. But the 
 mixed mob was animated, no doubt, by the same 
 cruel thirst for blood. The Rainzan, the Mahome- 
 
 E3-, 
 
124 LIFE OF 
 
 dan fast, had begun on the 20th of August, and re- 
 ligious hatred may have added to the general fury 
 and excitement. The mutineers and rioters burst 
 into the Amir's arsenal ; they surged round the 
 walls of the Residency. Our men, as we might 
 know, even without the assurance given in the tele- 
 gram, fought bravely. Less than a hundred fight- 
 ing men, they kept up a heavy fire all day. The 
 Amir tried to send help : he sent Daud Shah, his 
 Commander-in- Chief, who was driven back wound- 
 ed, and barely escaped with his life. Yakub then 
 sent his own son, together with the Governor of 
 Cabul and other chief men ; but the infuriated mob 
 ceased not from the attack till Wednesday evening, 
 when they fired the Residency. Writing the next 
 day " in the greatest distress and anxiety" Yakub 
 could give no news of the fate of the British oifi- 
 cers. It is too early to inquire now, why the Amir 
 never went himself to the help of his friends ; the 
 sad question to be asked is about the probable fate 
 of our countrymen. And the answer, as we have 
 said, seems unfortunately too certain. Their house 
 was fired, and there is but a very slight chance that 
 one or two of the party might have escaped in the 
 confusion, to some refuge in the city. There is no- 
 thing to show that the attack was organized, or that 
 the mutineers obeyed any leaders. Their own offi- 
 cers they had stoned. Otherwise, there might be 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 125 
 
 some faint hope that the members of the mission 
 had been taken prisoners ; though even this would 
 seem too improbable as we write, telegrams come 
 which say unmistakably, that the Embassy has pe~ 
 rished. The accursed knives of the Afghan have 
 once more done us irreparable harm. Once more 
 have Englishmen, distinguished for wisdom and 
 courage, fallen fighting at their posts ; and our only 
 consolation for this great and national disaster is 
 that the duty they were engaged in was noble, that 
 their end was valiant and true. There is no after 
 thought here, that the livesso valuable to us were 
 lost in a fight which may have been unjust. The 
 British Embassy to Cabul was sent on no mission of 
 intrigue ; its objects were neither to enlarge our 
 boundaries, nor to spread discontent amongst the 
 lawful subjects of a neighbouring nation. Its errand 
 was of peace ; the outcome of a policy conspicuous 
 alike for the justice of its aims and the success, till 
 now, of its operations. That this sudden misfor- 
 tune should dim for a moment, and indeed, for ever 
 the history of those operations, is, of course, in- 
 evitable ; and it may, perhaps, seem that the Go- 
 vernment ran too great a risk of an accident. The 
 escort, even at first, was thought small ; and that 
 Sir Louis Cavagnari had so few men to defend him 
 will now be most deeply regretted. But there were 
 risks of many kinds, which no escort could have re- 
 
126 LIFE OF 
 
 moved. Candahar was occupied by an army, yet 
 Major St. John escaped assassination almost by a 
 miracle. Again, it was at one time far more likely 
 that the Embassy would be attacked by cholera than 
 by rebel Afghans. This is not the time, however, 
 to wonder, if an escort of two or three hundred men 
 would have saved our Envoy ; it will be well for us 
 to look forward. It is vain, also, to call up memo- 
 ries of an even larger disaster the massacre of an 
 English army in Cabul. The attack on the Resi- 
 dency last week bears no relation to the outbreak of 
 November 1841. Our misfortunes then, werethe di- 
 rect result of our own negligence, and of a reckless- 
 ness in every direction which to-day seems incre- 
 dible. This time we shall mete out punishment for 
 an outrage utterly unprovoked, and only imagined 
 as possible in idle, or morbid fancy. It is retribu- 
 tion and a vindication of the national honor that we 
 must think of now ; stimulated by the deepest sor- 
 row for the fate of Cavagnari and of those who, we 
 fear, have perished with him. The telegraph shows 
 how swiftly will this outrage be avenged ; fools 
 were the Afghans to lay hand on our Envoy when 
 armies able to avenge were still so near. The orders 
 have gone forth, and Candahar is as much ours as 
 Lahore. The place was to be evacuated by to-day, 
 but the telegram from Candahar and a letter just 
 received and published elsewhere show how strongly 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 127 
 
 it will be re-occupied. Whilst General Stewart 
 at Candahar keeps Southern Afghanistan quiet, si- 
 multaneously movements on the capital will be made 
 from Kurrum and by Jellalabad. There will be no 
 political reasons for delay this time. General 
 Roberts should be in Cabul soon enough almost to 
 rescue the Amir, though whether Yakub can ever 
 again be Amir of Cabul seems very doubtful. But 
 the political aspect of affairs will be plainer when 
 further information is received. There is only one 
 point that will be suggested to nearly every one. 
 India has been condemned to spend vast sums on a 
 long and wearisome war ; to lose many valuable 
 lives in battle and by disease ; and lastly, the Mis- 
 sion, representing in itself, the highest qualities of 
 which Englishmen are capable, is brought to an end 
 by treachery and bloodshed. To whom do we owe 
 such constant and at last such grievous trouble ? 
 There seems no reason, as yet to suspect Russian 
 intrigue in combination once more with the villainy 
 of the Afghans ; but this is certain, that, as being 
 the accident of our Afghan policy, the outrage on 
 the Embassy may be traced, by no means indirectly, 
 to the unceasing ambition, and the unscrupulous 
 dishonor which forced that policy on our rulers 
 to the only nation which will be base enough 
 not to deplore our misfortune. The debt we owe 
 Russia is growing still larger, but big though it 
 
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128 LIFE OF 
 
 is a time will surely come when England will 
 pay it 
 
 The following appeared in the Times : Our special 
 correspondent with the force under General Roberts 
 sends us the following description of the attack 
 upon the Residency at Cabul, and the events pre- 
 ceding it, written by a Native who had formerly 
 served in a high position in the army of India : 
 
 " Some two or three days after the arrival of Sir 
 L. Cavagnari and the Mission, six regiments of 
 infantry arrived at Cabul from Herat. They en- 
 camped for three days at Debori, about one kos 
 distant from Cabul. On the morning of the fourth 
 day they marched in order through the streets of 
 Cabul, headed by their officers and with bands 
 playing. While marching along they shouted out, 
 abusing the Envoy by name, asking why he had 
 come there, &c. They also abused all the Kzil- 
 Bashis, saying that they were not men and that 
 they (the Herati soldiers) would show them how 
 to act ; that they would soon put an end to Cavag- 
 nari. They then marched out of the city to their 
 camp at Shirpore. The residents of the city said 
 nothing to them ; they appeared neither pleased 
 at what was going forward nor the reverse. I was 
 present when this took place, and at once took the 
 news to the Envoy, who said, ' Never fear, keep up 
 your heart ; dogs that bark don't bite !' I said, 
 
 
a a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B,,C.S.I. 129 
 
 c These dogs do bite, and there is real danger/ 
 The Envoy said, ' They can only kill the three or 
 four of us here, and our deaths will be well 
 avenged/ I then went to Mr. Jenkyns and told 
 him what I had heard and seen. He asked me 
 if I had been to the Envoy, and, if so, what he had 
 said about it. I told him what had passed, and 
 Mr. Jenkyns said, ' what the Envoy says is very 
 true ; the British Government will not suffer from 
 losing the three or four of us here/ A day or two 
 after this, these Herat regiments were all paid up 
 most of their arrears of pay ; and were given 
 40 days' leave to revisit their homes. At this time 
 cholera was raging violently. About 150 men out 
 of their number died in one day; and the men 
 dispersed to their homes in a fright. Placing* their 
 arms in the Bala Hissar, they did not even wait 
 for their leave certificates. Up till date none of 
 these troops have returned. In my opinion, the 
 greater part of them will not rejoin, though some 
 of them may do so. The Commander-in- Chief 
 (Sipah Salar), Daoud Shah, was present when the 
 troops marched through the city as above men- 
 tioned, and was also abused by them. He did not 
 reply at all. Some of my own countrymen were 
 serving in these regiments ; on my asking them 
 what the meaning of all this was, they answered, 
 ' Do you think soldiers would have acted thus 
 
a a 
 
 130 LIFE OP 
 
 without orders. We were ordered to act as we did by 
 our officers, and to shout out as we marched alone." 
 " I called upon a well-to-do Hindu, whose son is 
 a servant of Sirdar Ibrahim Khan (the elder brother 
 of Yakub Khan). He knows the ins and outs, of 
 what goes on in the house of the great men. He 
 had been to see the Envoy twice before. I called 
 him up and sent him to report to the Envoy ; he 
 went towards the Residency for that purpose ; he 
 came back to me and told me that the Amir's sentry 
 would not let him pass, and stoned him. I report- 
 ed this to the Envoy, who said, ' it is untrue, the 
 man lies.' The next morning another man endea- 
 voured to get speech of the Envoy ; this man was 
 also stopped by the sentry. I don't know who this 
 man was, but I reported this also to the Envoy and 
 asked him, l What is the use of being kept like a 
 prisoner, and no one allowed to come near you V 
 He answered, < I will have that sentry removed.' 
 A day or two after this the sentry was removed by 
 the Envoy's order. Lieutenant Hamilton was sent 
 to order the sentry's removal, which was according- 
 ly done. I heard that the Amir was very angry at 
 the removal of this sentry. A day or two after 
 this the Envoy asked me whether I knew what the 
 Amir's intention was to travel with him to the 
 frontier as he had engaged to do at Gundamuk, or 
 whether he intended not to go. 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 181 
 
 " I have omitted to mention one thing. Before 
 the arrival of the six regiments from Herat, men- 
 tioned above, the Envoy, agreeably to a suggestion 
 of mine, wished to pay Wulli Mahomed Khan a 
 visit, to condole with him on the death of his 
 mother. The Envoy said that he wished first of all 
 to ask permission from the Amir before going, He 
 did so, and the Amir answered, * Go/ The Envoy 
 then told me what he had done, and said that he in- 
 tended to visit Wulli Mahomed Khan the next day, 
 ordering me to go and prepare Wulli Mahomed 
 Khan for the visit. I went to Wulli Mahomed 
 Khan's house and told him this, and the Sirdar 
 made every preparation to receive him. The next 
 day, however, the Envoy told me that he had asked 
 Ghyas the Mehmandar whether the Amir would real- 
 ly like his paying this visit, and that Ghyas had an- 
 swered, i No, the Ameer will not like you geing/ I 
 then said, * I warned the Sirdar that you were com- 
 ing ; and every one expected that you would have 
 paid this visit, and all the Sirdars, hearing that you 
 have put it off, have begun to tremble in their hearts ; 
 saying u We wonder what our fate will be if the 
 Sahib is afraid of going, or is unable to go and visit 
 our chief Sirdar." ' When the Envoy asked me 
 about the Amir's intentions, as to his proposed 
 journey with him round his frontier, I replied, * He 
 will not go ; he has made no preparations for it at 
 
132 LIFE OF 
 
 all ; if you wish to make further inquiries call the 
 Mustaufi Hubibulla Khan.' The Envoy ordered me 
 to call him. I went to the Mustafi, who said, * I am 
 not well to-day ; I will go to-morrow. Give the 
 Sahib my salaam.' I went to the Mustaufi the 
 next day at 10 A.M. to call him, as he had promis- 
 ed to be with the Envoy at 8 A. M. The Mus- 
 taufi went to the Amir and stated that the Envoy 
 had called him. The Amir gave him permis- 
 sion to go, but said, ' Don't go alone ; take Shah 
 Mahomed, $ie Vazir, with you. 1 They both ac- 
 companied me to the presence of the Envoy, 
 who made the three of us sit down, and entered 
 into conversation. He then said to them that he 
 had heard that the Amir was not treating well the 
 Sirdars, who had accompanied him (the Envoy) ; 
 that he had stopped giving them the income they 
 were entitled to, and which the Amir's father had 
 given them regularly ; that they had nothing to 
 live upon, and would suffer in consequence ; that 
 the British Government would not let them be the 
 losers, and would pay their allowances, if the Amir 
 refused to do so ; and that the Amir would not be 
 pleased at this. The Mustaufi said he was unaware 
 that this was the case ; that he would mention it 
 to the Amir : and say that if this was the case it was 
 not proper. The Envoy then asked the Mustaufi 
 whether it was the Amir's intention to travel with 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 133 . 
 
 him, as promised, or not. Both the Mustaufi and 
 the Vazir said, 4 He cannot go this year, because 
 the country is unsettled ; but he will go next year/ 
 The Envoy said, * Very well/ He then asked 
 them, whether the Amir intended to go to meet the 
 Viceroy in India. The Mustaufi said, * Yes, he 
 will go about December/ The Envoy said to them 
 * Ask the Amir again about this.' They said, 4 We 
 will ask him/ They Envoy then dismissed them 
 and asked me my opinion as to whether the Amir 
 intended to go to India or not. I answered, ' No, 
 he has thrown up the idea of going on this tour 
 with you, and he does not intend going to the 
 Durbar/ I heard shortly afterwards from a friend 
 of mine that he heard from a friend of his, who was 
 present at the time, that on the Mustaufi and Shah 
 Mahomed leaving the Envoy, they went straight to 
 the Amir and mentioned what had taken place at 
 the interview. The Amir was very angry. The 
 Mustaufi said, ' Why are you angry ? If you do not 
 give these men anything, and the British Govern- 
 ment gives nothing to them either, they will suffer 
 from actual want/ * The Amir then asked Daoud 
 Shah what he thought of it. Daoud Shah answer- 
 ed, ' I am a soldier ; I don't understand this sort of 
 thing. I think that the promise with the British 
 at Gundamuck ought to be carried out/ The Amir 
 answered, ' This country is Afghanistan ; we cannot 
 
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 134 LIFE OF 
 
 get on here without practising deceit/ On this the 
 Naib Lall Mahomed (Farasbanni) said, ' If this is 
 true, what you say, that Afghanistan cannot be 
 managed without practising deceits, then we may 
 look upon Afghanistan as on the way to ruin ; it 
 will go out of our hands/ The Amir made no reply. 
 On hearing all, I reported it to Cavagnari, who 
 said ' The Amir can do as he likes/ (This took 
 place some eight or ten days before the 3rd of 
 September.) 
 
 u About three days after this, the Envoy said, ' I 
 will go and call on the Amir to-morrow/ When I 
 went to the Amir's Durbar the next day I saw the 
 Envoy sitting alone with the Amir. When he re- 
 turned to the Residency, I came and spoke to him. 
 He told me that he had a private interview with the 
 Amir, that lasted two hours ; that the expression of 
 the Amir's face was a pleased one ; that it was the 
 same expression that he had seen him wearing at 
 Gundamuck. On the 2nd Septemper, the Envoy 
 told me that he had asked Shah Mahomed to secure 
 a house for Nawab Gholam Hassan Khan, somewhere 
 in the Bala Hissar, but away from the Residency, 
 This Shah Mahomed had refused to do. The Envoy 
 asked me to look out for one for him either in the 
 City or Kzilbash quarter, or some other place than 
 the Residency ground. I had selected one, and was 
 coming towards the Residency the next morning at 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 135 
 
 7 o'clock to report having done so. On arriving at 
 the gate of the Bala Hissar, I heard a report that 
 Daoud Shah had been killed by some men of a regi- 
 ment. I went on and saw three regiments, and a 
 few bazaar people going towards the Envoy's quar- 
 ters. I followed them with two of my own retain- 
 ers. Some of the men of one of the regiments re- 
 cognized me, and said, ' Kill him ; he is Cavag- 
 nari's father. They were unarmed as a rule ; some 
 of them had side arms. Two men attacked me 
 with sticks. One struck me on the shoulder and 
 another struck my horse, which reared and turned 
 round. I found that I could not get to .the Envoy's, 
 so I went up a by-street to Sirdar Wulli Mahomed 
 Khan's house, and leaving my horse in his stable, I 
 went inside the house, where I found Wulli Maho- 
 med, who was taking his bath (ha mam). I called 
 out to him to come out ; he did so, and said, ' What 
 is the matter T I said, ' Men have gone up to kill 
 Cavagnari.' He said, ' Don't stay below ; go up- 
 stairs,' and from there, 200 yards off, through a 
 window I saw all these people go up to the Envoy's 
 stables, and begin stoning the syces, and undoing 
 the horses and plundering. Some went on to where 
 the sowars' horses were, and began to stone them, 
 and began to plunder and unfasten the horses. The 
 sowars armed immediately, and I then heard two or 
 three shots evidently fired by the sowars. I cannot 
 
136 LIFE OF 
 
 tell whether any damage was done by these shots > 
 but they all retired at once, and some 200 of them 
 went to the upper part of the Bala Hassar to fetch 
 their comrades, the rest of the soldiers going out by 
 the Shah Shahir gate of the Bala Hassar to fetch 
 their arms from their camp. 
 
 " I heard that when the men had gone to fetch 
 their arms, the Envoy wrote a letter to the Amir 
 and sent it to him by a Chuprassy. I heard that 
 this letter reached the Amir, but did not hear 
 whether he sent any reply or not. 
 
 "In about half an hour's time, at about 7-30 or 8 
 A. M., the soldiers returned with their arms, and a 
 regular fight began. Firing went on without inter- 
 mission on both sides. The Afghan soldiers had capi- 
 tal cover, and surrounded the Residency on all sides. 
 The officers of the Afghans directed their men. 
 They had looted the magazine of the upper Bala 
 Hissar, and had plenty of ammunition with them. 
 All the clothing stores, Treasury and other store- 
 houses are near the Residency. The storehouses were 
 looted. They attacked the Treasury, but were stop- 
 ped by the regiment on guard there. This regiment 
 was I suppose about 500 strong and remained at the 
 Treasury all the day. The Amir's house is about 
 250 yards from that of the Envoy. Besides the re- 
 giment on duty at the Treasury, I suppose there were 
 some 2,000 followers of the Amir who had come in- 
 
 -EP 
 
s 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 137 
 
 to the Bala Hissar early that morning who were all 
 round the Amir's house. They were all armed. 
 None of those joined the attacking party, though 
 some of them did so at about 2 P. M. I hear that 
 the Amir several times said, " Some of you 
 go to the Envoy's assistance," but whenever any 
 did go towards where the fighting was going on 
 they only shouted out 'kill, kill.' This is only 
 hearsay. 
 
 " At about 9 A. M., when the fighting was going 
 on, I myself saw the four European officers of the 
 Embassy charge out at the head of some 25 of the 
 garrison. They drove away a party that were hold- 
 ing some broken ground. When charged, the Afghan 
 soldiers ran like sheep before a wolf. About a quar- 
 ter of an hour after this, another sally was made by 
 a party with three officers at their head (Cavagnari 
 was not with them this time) with the same result. 
 A third sally was made with two British officers 
 (Jenkyns and Hamilton) leading. A fourth sally was 
 made with a Sikh Jamader leading. No more sal- 
 lies were made after this. They all appeared to go 
 up to the upper part of the house, and fired from 
 above. At about half-past 11 o'clock, part of the 
 building, in which the Embassy was, I noticed to be 
 on fire. I do not know who fired it. I think it pro- 
 bable that the defenders, finding themselves so few, 
 fired part so as to have a less space to defend. The 
 
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 138 LIFE OF 
 
 firing went on continually all day. Perhaps it was 
 hottest from 10 A. M. to 3 P. M., after which time 
 it slackened ; and the last shots were fired ahout 
 8-30 or 9 A. M., after which, all was quiet and every 
 one dispersed. The next morning I heard shots be- 
 ing fired. I asked an old woman, to whose house I 
 had been sent for safety by Sirdar Wulli Mahomed 
 Khan, what was going on. She sent her son to find 
 out. He said. They are shooting the people found 
 still alive in the Residency. The whole of the day 
 the dead bodies, stripped, remained in the Resi- 
 dency. On the next day, I heard that the bodies of 
 all Mahomedans, Hindus, and the two British officers, 
 Hamilton and Dr. Kelly, were all thrown together 
 into a place dug for the purpose. I heard that the 
 body of Mr. Jenkyns was taken to the Amir. I 
 know nothing more about it. Cavagnari's body was 
 not found. I am of the opinion that it must have 
 been burnt in the house. I heard that, on the 4th, 
 the soldiers found some money in the Residency. 
 On hearing this, the Amir posted sentries over the 
 house ; and on the 5th caused the bodies to be buried; 
 and from other money he found there, he paid each 
 Sepoy of the regiment, that had guarded the Trea- 
 sury, a present of seven rupees each man. I asked 
 Wulli Mahomed Khan to send me to some safe 
 place. He gave me three ponies. I dressed as a 
 grass-cutter, and with one grasscutter riding one pony 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 139 
 
 in front, and the second behind me, with the other 
 pony, we got safely to Aoshaho, where I remained in 
 hiding about nine days, when, hearing that the Bri- 
 tish Force was at the Shutar Gurdan, I travelled by 
 night and reached that place in safety and reported 
 myself to the Brigadier- General commanding there. 
 On about the 13th or 14th of September, the man 
 in whose house I was concealed came to his house, 
 and stated the ftx lowing facts. He said: 'The 
 Amir called up the Sirdars of every clan the Ghil- 
 zais, Khostanie, Cabulis, Kizlbashis, Taj is, <fec., and 
 asked them whether they intended to join in a 
 "ghaza" (religious war) to fight the British, and if so, 
 he requested that he would send their families to 
 Kohistan and the Ghilzais' country or some other 
 place of the way. They answered, "We are not go- 
 being to send away our families. Let the Ghilzais 
 bring their families to Cabul, and we will then fight. " 
 The Amir at this reply was very angry, and abused 
 Tainullabudin, the man who had collected all the 
 Sirdars together, and had said that they would agree 
 to fight. Abdul Karim Khan Safi, the most power- 
 ful man ia Kohistau and a friend of the late Envoy's, 
 was cut into small pieces by order of the Amir 
 about ten days ago, the Amir fearing that he 
 would, probably, seize him (the Amir) and make 
 him over to the British, in case he wished to fly to 
 Balkh or Kohistan." 
 
140 LIFE OF 
 
 Further details regarding the massacre are thus 
 summarized by the 'Pioneer : The following account 
 of the circumstances under which the Cabul massacre 
 took place, is forwarded to us by a correspondent in 
 the Kurrum, who has collected its details from such 
 evidence as he has been able to procure. The story 
 differs in various ways from that previously told. 
 The final conclusions on the subject will have to be 
 formed by piecing together and comparing the vari- 
 ous narratives : 
 
 "On the morning of Wednesday, the 3rd instant, 
 some of the Amir's troops were paraded without 
 arms, as is usual on such occasions to receive their 
 pay. They demanded two months arrears, but were 
 only offered one, whereupon they refused to receive 
 it, and said they would go and appeal to the English 
 Elchi (Ambassador) for justice. A number of them 
 crowded into the courtyard of Sir Louis Cavagnari's 
 residence in the Bala Hissar, clamouring for his 
 assistance in having their grievances redressed. He 
 became angry at their thus invading him, said the 
 the matter was not one in which he could interfere, 
 and ordered his escort to turn the intruders out of 
 his courtyard. On this being done, the rioters rush- 
 ed for their arms, came back, and opened fire on the 
 premises occupied by the Embassy. Sir Louis Ca- 
 vagnari, his officers and escort, went to the upper 
 part of the house, and returned the fire from the 
 
a a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 141 
 
 windows, killing and wounding a great many of the 
 assailants. At last it occurred to the latter, whose 
 numbers by this time had been swelled by portions 
 of twelve regiments and by a great number of bud- 
 mashes from the city, to set fire to the doors and 
 wooden verandah at one side of the house occupied 
 by the Embassy. This they did at about 1 P. M., 
 at which time the ammunition of the inmates 
 is believed to have been almost, if not quite, exhaust- 
 ed. Under cover of the smoke the assailants rush- 
 ed upstairs, and entering the room where Sir Louis 
 Cavagnari was, they spilt his head open with a blow. 
 He fell back against the wall, and just about the 
 same time the burning roof fell in, and his body 
 must have been immersed in the flames. It is said 
 that Lieutenant Hamilton and Mr. Jenkyns had pre- 
 viously been either killed, or badly wounded ; and 
 that their bodies were also buried in the burning 
 ruins. Dr. Kelly is believed to have been wounded, 
 and to have survived till the following morning 
 when some of the murderers returned and cut him 
 to pieces, cutting and hacking at the same time the 
 bodies of any of the Embassy escort they could 
 find, and in some of which life was not then 
 extinct. The defence was of the most stubborn and 
 heroic character, and the numbers slain by Sir 
 Louis Cavagnari and his gallant followers (British 
 and Native) are estimated, by some, at over 
 
a 
 
 142 LIFE OP 
 
 four hundred, and by others at less than three 
 hundred." 
 
 The following statement of Rassul, Sepoy 7th 
 Company Corps of Guides, of Mainsai, Yusafzai, was 
 taken at Lundi Kotal on the 16th September 1879 : 
 
 " About 14th days before the attack on the Resi- 
 dency, four sowars of the Guides were attacked in 
 the Cabal bazaar, but escaped. On the 14th day 
 after this, in the early morning, some regiments I 
 don't know how many were drawn up below the 
 Bala Hissar, but inside the walls, to receive their pay. 
 I do not know the names of the regiments ; but they 
 were unarmed. They suddenly broke into open mutiny 
 with cries of, 'kill the Kaffirs.' I was then in the 
 Residency in a building beside the house in which 
 the British officers were. The troops came running 
 up from the north, and entering our enclosure, began 
 throwing stones at us, and plundered our things 
 which were in the yard. Mr. Hamilton came up, 
 and shut the gate leading from the courtyard into 
 the road. We ascended the roofs of the houses on 
 each side of the courtyard. The troops attacked us 
 then with stones only, and were warned. Major 
 Cavagnari ascended the roof of the Residency, when 
 a high officer of the Amir, whom I do not know, 
 came from the parade-ground, and entered the Ar- 
 senal, which is a good stone's throw to the west of 
 the Residency buildings. The troops threw the stones 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 143 
 
 down out of their hands, and followed the Amir's 
 officer into the courtyard. We had not fired upon 
 the troops ; they went back without our firing at 
 them. In fact, Mr. Hamilton told us not to act on 
 the offensive, but to keep quiet. The sowars of our 
 party also came inside the outer courtyard of the 
 Residency, leaving their horses in their lines, which 
 were between the Residency and the Arsenal Then 
 the troops began to fire at us from the Arsenal ; and I 
 heard, that at the same time, they attacked their 
 General ; but this I did not see. Four shots were 
 fired at us from the Arsenal ; and then Major Cavag- 
 nari, who was on the south-western cornor of the 
 roof of the Residency, fired, and killed a man stand- 
 ing at the gate of the Arsenal. We were then on 
 the roof of the Sikhs' quarters, Mr. Hamilton with 
 us. After this the firing became general from the 
 Arsenal. There is a parapet on the roof of the Sikhs' 
 quarters ; but none on that of the cavalry quarters. 
 The Afghans stood at, and near, the Arsenal Gate. 
 The Arsenal stands on higher ground than the Resi- 
 dency and commands its roof and that of the Sikhs' 
 quarters, clearing the houses of the cavalry lines. 
 Major Cavagnari fired four shots lying on his face on 
 the roof of the Residency, when Mr. Hamilton, who 
 was with us, said he had been wounded ; but I don't 
 know where he was^hit. Up to this point, none of us 
 except Major Cavagnari had fired ; but at this time 
 
144 LIFE OF 
 
 we got orders to fire, and did so. Shortly after I and 
 a few others descended into the courtyard, and 
 went thence into the Residency courtyard, in order 
 to prevent a small door leading from it to the east 
 heing forced. I and four other sepoys 2 Sikhs and 
 2 Mahomedans sat there, when a Cabuli, who was 
 a servant of the Mission, came up and said, he had 
 been sent by Major Cavagnari with a letter to the 
 Amir. We let him out by the little door we were 
 guarding, Mehtab Sing, Jemadar, giving the order. 
 The door between the two courtyards was always 
 open. Then the Afghans broke through the wall 
 south of the door where we were, and four of them 
 came into the courtyard though we fired. One of 
 them was shot. Major Cavagnari was wounded at 
 about 8 A. M., when we went to the small door. Mr. 
 Hamilton and Dr. Kelly also came into the Resi- 
 dency, the roof of which, to the north of the court- 
 yard, is one storey higher than the roof of the part 
 to the south. I don't know where Major Cavagnari 
 was. Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Jenkyns, and Dr. Kelly 
 were all in the Residency with us after the wall was 
 broken in. Mr. Jenkyns and six or eight sepoys 
 went on the roof, and fired from its north-western 
 corner on the Afghans. The troops then placed 
 ladders on the roof of a house at the north-eastern 
 corner of the Residency, and came on to its roof. 
 This was about noon. Many of us were killed and 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. U5 
 
 wounded there. Mehtab Singh, Karak Singh Havil- 
 dar, a Duffadar, and others were dead. About this 
 time the Afghans brought up two guns, and planted 
 them to the north-west of the Residency. They had 
 also made holes in the thin courtyard wall. When 
 the Afghans had seized the roof of the Residency, we 
 went below into the building. Mr. Jenkyns took post 
 in the rooms at the west corner ; Mr. Hamilton, Dr. 
 Kelly, myself, and other sepoys also went to the west 
 of the same building. The Afghans entered after us, 
 and began to plunder and set fire to the Residency 
 from below ; then they left the building by the roof 
 and the ladder. At about 2 P. M., the fire began to 
 make the house untenable,and we leaped from its roof 
 on to a narrow wall, and thence on to the roof of the 
 Sikhs' quarters. But I was the last, and was driven 
 back by the flames. At that moment, I saw at the 
 east end of the roof a Cabuli, whom I knew. His 
 name is Dost Mahomed, and he was among a lot of 
 men who rushed up to kill me. Seeing me he call- 
 ed out loudly in Pushtu don't kill him ; he is my 
 Ustad. He then caught me in his arms, and dragged 
 me to one side, another Afghan snatching my rifle 
 from me. Dost Mahomed took me away to his house 
 in the Bala Hissar. We were all in plain clothes, 
 not having had time to put on our uniforms. I told 
 Dost Mahomed to run, and bring me news of what 
 was happening, and he went at once. His house is 
 
146 LIFE OF 
 
 close by. He told me the Afghans had brought up 
 ten guns close to the gate, of the outer courtyard, 
 and had blown in the gate and fired the buildings. 
 They had killed some of our sowars' horses, and 
 carried off the rest. He said that when the gate 
 was blown open at about 3 P. M. Mr. Hamilton 
 charged out of the gate at the Afghans, and was 
 killed in the gateway with Dr. Kelly and Jenkyns, 
 who also charged out at the head of the sepoys who 
 remained alive. All were killed. Some others, how- 
 ever, have escaped. Six sowars were out on grass- 
 cutting guard : four were killed, and two are said to 
 have escaped ; so I hear. 1 did not see any corpses 
 of British officers, nor did I go to see for fear of my 
 life. Dost Mahomed told me, that next morning they 
 put all the bodies in one place below the wall of Bala 
 Hissar. It was a waste plot of ground not far from 
 the latrines. They dug a trench, and put all the 
 bodies in it -British, Sikhs, and Mahomedans 
 with a little earth over them. Next day I left 
 Cabul to go down to Peshawur. About four kos 
 from Cabul I came to a village, the name of which 
 I do not know : there were some troops of the 
 Amir's there. They beat me for being 'a Kaffir/ 
 and were about to cut my throat, saying, ' let us kill 
 this Cavagnari-ite,' when a soldier whom, I told I 
 was a Mahomedan, begged me off, and took me away 
 to the village called Sarasia, when they were again 
 
a- a, 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C,S.I. 147 
 
 about to kill me, when I fell at the feet of a Miah, 
 who protected me ; and I spent three days there 
 with one Shamshudin. I left on the fourth dayy 
 but was again arrested at a village three kos this 
 side of Sarasia ; the people beat me, but let me go. 
 Some officers of the Afghan army heard that I had 
 escaped, and again I was arrested, and taken back* 
 But after stripping me, they let me go. After that 
 I came along by night, and in the hills. I left 
 Jellalabad on the evening of the 14th. There was 
 no force in Jellalabad, nor in Dhakka, nor are any 
 coming, so far as I know, or have heard. Every- 
 body along the road is afraid ; but they are not pre- 
 paring for resistance, though I have heard that 
 some Mullahs are inciting the people to resist. The 
 regiments were paraded for their pay in the open 
 ground inside the Bala Hissar when they mutinied. 
 I have heard that Daud Shah is wounded ; that 
 Wali Mahomed has fled to Kurrum ; and that the 
 Amir is in deep distress at what has happened." 
 
 The Bala Hissar and the Residency are described 
 in the following terms by the Times of India. It is 
 somewhat difficult, from the meagre material at hand, 
 to from an accurate idea as to the nature of the 
 building behind which, Sir Louis Cavagnari and 
 three other English officers, with a handful of Native 
 troops, defended themselves so gallantly against the 
 oldiery and populace of Cabul. We know, how- 
 
148 LIFE OF 
 
 ever, something about the Bala Hissar in which the 
 English Residency was situated. The city of Cabul 
 is triangular in shape, and the south-east angle is 
 completely filled by the Bala Hissar, the Citadel or 
 Acropolis, which is built on the slopes of a ridge 
 150 feet high, having the rest of the city hidden 
 away behind it, and only connected with the citadel 
 by a narrow neck of houses. At once the citadel 
 and the residence of the Amirs, the Bala Hissar is a 
 little town in itself, with a population of more than 
 thousand. It is about half a mile long and a quarter 
 of a mile broad. The walls are of stone, differing 
 from the city- walls which are only of mud ; they 
 are strengthened, here and there, by towers, and are 
 surrounded by a broad stagnant moat. But Shere 
 Ali, who was building another stronghold in the 
 midst of his large barracks, allowed the fortifications 
 of the Bala Hissar to fall out of repair ; and a recent 
 letter from Cabul says, that the general appearance 
 of the inside of the Bala Hissar was that of dilapi- 
 dation and decay. The walls, however, such as they 
 are, embrace an area large enough to contain the 
 royal palaces and gardens, and the various public 
 offices, which, like the narrow entrance from the city, 
 are supposed to be commanded by the guns in the 
 fort, on the highest point of the ridge. The Resi- 
 dency appointed for the reception of the Embassy 
 was a large building "on the south-east wall of the 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 149 
 
 Bala Hissar/' close to the royal palace. The Resi- 
 dency, according to a correspondent writing to the 
 Pioneer, enclosed a spacious courtyard, on two sides 
 of which are, he adds, u the houses in which we live 
 one of two stories, the other of four." It was this 
 building then, a quadrangle round a court-yard, part- 
 ly two stories high, and partly four stories, that 
 Sir Louis Cavagnari with the three English officers 
 of his Embassy, and some sixty-six men of his escort, 
 defended with a heavy and effective fire all day long 
 on Wednesday. The Amir must have lost every 
 vestige of authority, before the troops ventured to 
 attack his guests under his very eyes. Having once 
 gained access to the Bala Hissar, under some pre- 
 tence connected with their pay, they seem to have 
 at once become the complete masters of the situation. 
 This sudden and overwhelming success may not be 
 unconnected with the arrival of six fresh regiments 
 from Herat, where, as our Military correspondent 
 has insisted, all along, peace has never been properly 
 accepted. There was, at all events, no opposition 
 save from the little body of our troops. The guns 
 in the fort, which gives its name to the whole en- 
 closure, never appear to have opened fire ; and the 
 gates were entered without resistance by the city 
 mob. Everything that passed within these four 
 walls were, probably, visible to the Amir ; and few 
 monarchs, even in the East, ever looked out more 
 
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 150 LIFE OF 
 
 helplessly on a more terrible scene. He could do 
 little to assist in the gallant defence made by our 
 Embassy, for he had no troops to send. But if the 
 telegrams are accurate, he despatched his son to 
 reason with the mob, but only to be stoned to death ; 
 he sent General Daud Shah, who was unhorsed and 
 met a similar fate. Finally, when the Afghan troops 
 and the Cabul mob could not silence the English fire 
 otherwise, they burned the Embassy to the ground. 
 The city, like the citadel, seems to have been in the 
 hands of the insurgents, for though Cabul is built in 
 six mokalas or divisions, each one of which is planned 
 as a separate fortress against the rest, we hear no- 
 thing of fighting in any one of them. Cabul, it may 
 be as well to recollect here, contains an average po- 
 pulation, slightly increased in the summer, of 60,000 
 souls. The bulk of the population are not of 
 Afghan descent, the more influential section, some 
 12,000 in number,being Kuzzilbashes, who are Shiahs 
 and not Sunis like the Afghans, and are more skilled 
 in the art of intrigue than in war. 
 
 The following are the terms of the Viceroy's tele- 
 gram to Lady Cavagnari apprising her of the death 
 of her husband : 
 
 " It is with much unspeakable sorrow that I con- 
 vey to you the intelligence of the death of your noble 
 husband, who has perished in heroically defending 
 the British Embassy at Cabul, against overwhelming 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 151 
 
 numbers. Words cannot express the depth of my 
 sympathy with your bereavement, nor my grief for 
 the loss of my beloved friend, nor my sense of the 
 irreparable calamity sustained by this country. 
 Every English heart in India feels for you." 
 
 The following extract from a letter, dated Edin- 
 burgh, Tuesday, the 9th ultimo, may interest our 
 readers. It shews how Lady Cavagnari received the 
 sad news of the massacre of her husband. Her Lady- 
 ship was paying a visit from Edinburgh to friends 
 in North Berwick at the time, and not in Ireland, 
 as has been stated : 
 
 " On arrival of the terrible news from Cabul, spe- 
 cial interest has been felt therein in this neighbour- 
 hood, from the circumstance that Lady Cavagnari, 
 wife of the murdered Envoy, is, at present residing 
 here. She has, for a short time, been a guest at 
 u Parson's Green," once the property of the wealthy 
 family of Mitchell Innes, but now possessed by Mr. 
 Nicolson of the Palace Brewary. On Friday, Lady 
 Cavagnari had gone to North Berwick ; and while 
 there, the news had to be broken to her, that her 
 husband had fallen a victim to the Afghan people, 
 in whose possible assent to his residence at Cabul he 
 had so much faith. The preliminary news, that trou- 
 ble had broken out, reached the unhappy widow 
 shortly before the Viceroy's confirmatory telegram 
 addressed to her came forward. All that the sym- 
 
a 
 
 162 LIFE OF 
 
 pathy of a sovereign and a nation can do has 
 been offered to Lady Cavagnari; but the news has, 
 nevertheless, come on her with great severity. Yes- 
 terday, by the Queen's Command, Lord Provost 
 Boyd, as Lord Lieutenant, called on her ladyship 
 on her return to Parson's Green, to make inquiries 
 as to her condition, and offer what sympathy words 
 might express. But there is reason to believe that 
 the Queen has not been satisfied with official and vica- 
 rious expressions, but has herself shown how deeply 
 she feels for the widowed lady. 
 
 "Her Majesty the Queen sent from Balmoral on 
 Sunday a gracious message to Lady Cavagnari ex- 
 pressing deep sympathy with her in the terrible be- 
 reavement she has sustained. 
 
 Lady Cavagnari came home from India about 18 
 months ago. It seems that a Grand Durbar was to 
 have been held at Cabul in February, and it was the 
 intention of Lady Cavagnari to leave this country, 
 and join her husband in time to be present at this 
 ceremonial." 
 
 Mr. W. Palliser writes to the Editor of the Times 
 from the Army and Navy Club respecting the above 
 lady as follows : 
 
 I should feel obliged, if you would have the good- 
 ness to help me in bringing the claims of my friend 
 and neighbour, Madame Cavagnari before the public. 
 All Irishmen will join with me in a feeling of pride 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 153 
 
 at learning that the gallant Cavagnari was the 
 son of an Irish lady. She is the daughter of 
 the late Mr. Hugh Lyons Montgomery, of Launce- 
 town House, County Down; and her mother was 
 the daughter of the very Rev. Suart Blacker, Dean 
 of Raphoe. She married Adoph Cavagnari, a Major 
 in the French army, and a member of an old Pur- 
 mese family, who, until his death, was Secretary 
 and Aide-de-Cainp to Prince Louis Lucien Bona- 
 parte. It is only a few weeks since, that I met 
 Madame Cavagnari full of a mother's joy and pride, 
 on receiving my congratulations upon the honours 
 bestowed upon her son. It is only a few hours since 
 I met her at the very same spot, bowed down and 
 broken-hearted by her terrible bereavement. Her 
 grief, although unknown beyond the circle of her im- 
 mediate friends, has not escaped that vigilance, which 
 ever seeks to soothe the woes of those who mourn 
 for the death of a distinguished public servant; and 
 the following gracious allusion to her son in a mes- 
 sage from Balmoral, has afforded the greatest con- 
 solation to the widowed mother : " The Queen com- 
 mands me to convey the expression of her deep 
 sympathy with you on the death of your gallant 
 son." It is remarkable that the very death of Sir 
 Louis Cavagnari has been the means of affording the 
 strongest proof of the great value of the public ser- 
 vices which he has rendered to the State. For the 
 
164= LIFE OP 
 
 immediate and unopposed advance in Afghanistan, 
 converging as it does from three separate points, 
 demonstrates the great value of the new strategical 
 frontier which he had obtained for our Indian Em- 
 pire, and in the consolidation of which he lost his 
 life. Some years ago, owing to unforeseen circum- 
 stances, Madame Cavagnari, on the death of her 
 husband, lost all she possessed. 
 
 Her son since then gave her an annuity, but of 
 this she is now deprived by his death. It is right 
 that the public should know these facts, in order 
 that the hands may be strengthened, of those whose 
 duty it may be to consider the claims of the widow- 
 ed mother of the man, who has sacrificed his life, in 
 the performance of the most brilliant and valuable 
 services to a great and wealthy empire." 
 
 It forms no part of the purpose of this brief re- 
 cord of events, to detail the history of the Third 
 Afghan War. The insult to British Arms and 
 British honour has been wiped out ; and the 
 memory of the devoted men who gave their lives 
 to duty, and the honour of England will not rea- 
 dily die. The following may fitly close this brief 
 sketch. 
 
 KOHAT DISTRICT MEMORIAL To the late Sir Louis CAVAGNARI, 
 K.C.B., C.S.I., Envoy and Minister, Plenipotentiary to the 
 Court of His Highness the Amir of Kabul. 
 
 At a meeting held at Kohat, on the 17th October, 1879, it 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 155 
 
 was resolved that a Committee, composed as below detailed, with 
 power to add to their numbers, should ascertain and report on 
 the best form of Public Memorial to be erected, by voluntary 
 subscriptions from the Nawabs and Chiefs, and others of the 
 district in the city of Kohat, to the memory of His Excellency 
 the late Sir Louis Cavagnari, K. c. B., c.s.i , Envoy and 
 Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of His Highness the 
 Amir of Afghanistan, who had, for eleven years, administered 
 the District as Deputy Commissioner, and who, with his Personal 
 and Military Escort, fell on the 3rd September, 1879, in the 
 gallant, though desperate, defence of the Residency of Kabul, 
 against overwhelming numbers of mutinous Afghan troops. 
 
 President : Major T. C. Plowden, Deputy Commissioner. 
 Members: Sir Khwaja Muhammad Khan, K. C.B.I, t Nawab 
 of Teri, Khan Bahadar Bahadar Sher Khan, Nawab of Bangash 
 (since deceased) ; MuzafFar Khan, Khan of Miranzai ; Gholam 
 Muhammad Khan, Khan of Shakardara ; Ghulam HaldarKhan, 
 Kiyani ; Muhammad Amin Khan, of Upper Miranzai, (since 
 deceased) ; Lala Wera Mai, Shikarpuriya ; Shahzada Sultan 
 Ibrahim, Saddozai, Extra Assistant Commissioner (since left the 
 District) ; Sahib Ram Tehsildar, of Kohat ; Sayid Muhammad 
 Amir, Inspector of Police. 
 
 Honorary Secretary : Captain E. B. Nixon, District Super- 
 intendent of Police. 
 
 Major Ross Commanding 1st Sikhs, and at Kohat, together 
 with the British and Native Officers of his Regiment, were also 
 present. 
 
 The Committee subsequently decided that a clock-tower, to be 
 erected in the Garden of the Kohat Municipality a spot central 
 for the City, Cantonments and District Courts would be the 
 form for the Memorial to take ; and a design prepared by Mr. 
 B. C. Bonsley, Assistant Engineer, Kohat, has been approved. 
 The estimated cost of the Memorial, including the clock and a 
 
a a 
 
 J 156 LIFE OF 
 
 peal of bells (from J. W. Benson & Co., Ludgate Hill, London,) 
 will be some 1,200 (Rs. 12,000), towards which the Kohat 
 Municipality are prepared to assist, on the terms noted in 
 Minute No. 9 of a Meeting held at Kohat, on the 27th Septem- 
 ber, 1880, and herein below given : 
 
 " Proposed by the President, that Rs. 5,000 be voted towards 
 the erection of a Municipal clock tower to be erected in the 
 Municipal Garden (as per design submitted), in memory of the 
 late Sir Louis Cavagnari, Envoy at Kabul, who was for many 
 years Deputy Commissioner of this District, provided the balance 
 necessary is made up by private subscriptions. Carried nem. con" 
 
 The following is a brief description by Mr. Bensley, Assistant 
 Engineer, of the proposed Memorial Tower : 
 
 " The building will be erected on a conspicuous site in the 
 Municipal Garden, facing the Kohat and Thull Road. It will 
 stand 70 feet in height, exclusive of the platform which will 
 form its base. 
 
 " It is proposed to construct the tower of the very finest 
 description of brick-work, with dressings, &c., of blue limestone 
 and white marble. The brick-work in cornices and other 
 traceries will be coated with fine and durable stucco. 
 
 " The dial of the clock will be sufficiently elevated to be 
 visible from the City and Cantonments. The dial of the clock 
 is to be four feet in diameter, and to be of opal, so that the 
 clock may be illuminated at night. The clock will work five 
 bells ( placed in the open cupola above) which will chime the 
 quarters and strike the hours, so as to be heard at night for a 
 mile round. The clock and bells will be obtained from Messrs. 
 Benson & Co., London. As a finish to the design round the 
 terraced base will be a space enclosed by iron railings, and laid 
 out as a garden. The building will cost probably from Rs. 7,000 
 to Rs. 10,000. The architecture of the building may be termed 
 a modified Arabesque, i,e., semi-oriental, inasmuch as it is to be 
 
a - 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 157 
 
 built by voluntary contributions, and a large number of the 
 subscribers will be natives of India and of this district." 
 
 The Political services of the late Sir Louis Cavagnari, on the 
 North-Western Frontier of Punjab in the Kohat and Peshawar 
 Districts from 1866 78, and latterly in the First Afghan war 
 of 1878-79, were so numerous and conspicuous, and are so well 
 known, that an elaborate account of them here is not called for. 
 His name will to the last be associated, in the history of this 
 war and of his country, with his heroic defence of the Residency 
 at Kabul : whilst the people of the Kohat District will ever feel 
 proud that one, for so many years their Deputy Commissioner, 
 .was chosen, at so early an age, for the high and important duties 
 in the discharge of which he gave his life for his Queen and 
 country. 
 
 Eg 
 
158 LIFE OF 
 
 APPENDIX, 
 
 THE BRITISH MISSION TO CABUL. 
 
 THE following are extracts from a letter, received by his father 
 from Dr. Kelly, the medical officer in charge of the British Mis- 
 sion to Cabul : 
 
 " British Embassy, Cabul, Aug. 16. 
 
 " Our quarters in the Bala Hissar, or upper fortress, are rather 
 picturesque. Tbey are built in true Oriental style, and, although 
 the best in the whole of Cabul, are not quite up to our ideas of 
 a house. To guard against earthquakes, which are of frequent 
 occurrence here, the walls all contain wooden supports, upon 
 which the roof and floors rest. Between these the walls are built 
 up with the ordinary sun-dried bricks. The fronts of the rooms 
 are altogether wooden, something like a shop front. In lieu of 
 glass, the windows are closed with wooden shutters. The quar- 
 ters all look into a central courtyard. The backs of the houses 
 from the outside wall, which, for defence, has no openings or 
 windows in it. 
 
 " We are treated with every consideration by the Amir, who 
 insists upon our being his guests. We, our servants, horses, and 
 the men of its escort are all fed at his expense. The people are 
 however, rather fanatical, not yet quite accustomed to our pre- 
 sence, so we always go about with a troop of cavalry on our rides* 
 The people have not shown any hostility or disrespect j but still 
 there might be a fanatic among them who would, if he could, do 
 us damage. 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 159 
 
 " Some names in Russian are written up in my dressing-room, 
 probably, the General's, or one of his staff j I mean the fellows 
 who were here this time last year. 
 
 " I have absolutely nothing to do save looking after any little 
 work there is to be done about our messing arrangements, which 
 is not much ; but in a short time, I will have a dispensary and 
 something to amuse me in it. 
 
 " Our movements are not at all certain. The Amir wishes 
 to visit Turkestan and Herat, which are not in a very settled 
 state. On the other hand, Sir Louis Cavagnari is anxious that 
 Amir should attend at a big Darbar which it is proposed the 
 Viceroy should hold in Agra about the middle of January. This 
 would prevent Yakub Khan going to Turkestan. I do not know 
 which I would like myself best a six months' trip to Turkestan 
 and fishing in the Oxus, or the Durbar. 
 
 " The city of Cabul is a miserable place indeed, and surpasses 
 any I ever saw in dirt. The houses are all jumbled together ; the 
 best streets only allow two horsemen to ride abreast. The prin- 
 cipal shops are the fruit-sellers and the leather-workers. 
 
 " We always heard a great lot about the Turkestan and Herati 
 horses. Since our arrival here I have have seen many of them, 
 but none to compare in any respect to the two Whalers I have. 
 Hamilton, since our arrival here, brought two horses, but very 
 quickly get rid of them both. The ponies, or small Galloways, 
 are the best. Anything above 14> hands runs to legs. They are 
 all nasty, squealing brutes with heavy shoulders and coarse, short, 
 thick necks. The Amir gave us all presents of horses, but not 
 one of them is worth anything. 
 
 "The climate of Cabul is delightful. We arrived at the 
 hottest time of the year, and even then it was not warmer in the 
 house than you have it often during the dog-days at home. Now 
 it is getting much pleasanter, and the nights are fresh and nice. 
 In the winter, there is usually 4ft. or more of snow, and the oold 
 
160 LIFE OP 
 
 is described as intense, but of course, dry, and none of the wet 
 and slop you have. 
 
 " I do not expect to get very much variety in the shooting 
 line. Quail and snipe, with some wild fowl, will be the only things 
 to be got ; but, then, I am the only one among us who cares 
 about this sort of sport, so I ought to have a little of it, should 
 we remain here during a part of the cold weather. Four miles 
 from this there is a big lake about three miles long by three quar- 
 ters broad ; along the edges of this, the long bills are sure to 
 abound, when the time comes for their visits from colder regions. 
 The Natives say that, by and by, the water will be alive with all 
 sorts of duck and geese, 
 
 " Cavagnari is an awfully good fellow a nicer could not be 
 found. Three of us arc Irish, namely, Cavagnari, Hamilton, 
 and myself, The fourth is a Scotchman. Hamilton got his 
 V. C., I am glad to say, for the action at Futtehabad, where 
 Battye was killed, Hamilton is an awfully nice fellow, and only 
 23 years of age. 
 
 " August 25th. 
 
 " Something has gone wrong with the post this week for we 
 are behind with the English mail. You need not trouble your- 
 self to send me any newspapers, for we have a very good collec- 
 tion of all the English papers, besides a fair supply of the monthly 
 magazines. 
 
 " Nothing very striking has occurred here lately. We 
 generally go out for a ride in the mornings, and now are familiar 
 with all .the surrounding places of interest. This morning we 
 paid a visit to the Amir. He is always very gracious. This is 
 the time of the Mahomedan chief fast of the year. Between 
 sunrise and sunset, they neither eat nor drink ; but old Yakub 
 gave us tea this morning. 
 
 " By all accounts, the Russians will be obliged to cross a very 
 difficult country before they reach Merv. There is one desert of 
 
tS f 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 161 
 
 12 marches, ia which there are only a few springs of saltish 
 water to be met here and there nothing for a large body of 
 men and baggage animals. 
 
 " The mails are carried by the ordinary post up to* Alikhel, 
 where there are British troops ; after that by runners on here. 
 The latter get good pay ; and to show you there is no difficulty 
 about it, one tribe on the road, of whom none were employed, 
 petitioned that through their country the mails ought to be 
 carried by some of their men ; four of them were accordingly 
 put on the duty. On the 23rd what appeared to u a curious 
 circumstance occurred by which a man was rescued from what 
 appeared a certain death. According to the Mahomedan law, a 
 man who kills another, when caught and the case is proved 
 against him, is made over to the deceased's relatives for them- to 
 do what they like with him. Some days ago a- soldier of the 
 Amir's artillery killed a man in a, row. It was a clear case of 
 homicide. He was caught, and after some investigation was 
 handed over to the relatives, who determined that he should be 
 put to death by having his throat eut. The 23rd was fixed for 
 it to come off; and when they were just in the act of putting 
 their determination into effect, the man's colonal came forward, 
 and ransomed him for 1,000 rupees. A similar case again 
 occurred this morning. 
 
 " Cavagnari has just told me, that the Viceroy has settled 
 upon the end of next February to hold the Durbar. We shall 
 probably take Yakub Khan down, a month before hand ; and shew 
 him Bombay, very likely taking him by sea to Madras and 
 Calcutta, and then up by train to Agra. It would be a very nice 
 trip ; and I should like it immensely. I only hope we shall be 
 able to carry it out, for Cabul, at present, is not in a very quiet 
 state; and it is just possible that Yakub may not like to be 
 absent from it on such a long journey." 
 
 -ff 
 
162 LIFE OP 
 
 YAKTJB KHAN'S PALACE AT CABUL. 
 
 [FROM THE " PIONEER'S" CABUL CORRESPONDENT.] 
 
 THE dismantlement of the Bala Hissar has made such rapid 
 progress, that within the walls, the houses now are in ruins, all 
 the beams and wooden supports, as well as every scrap of timber 
 of every kind, being in course of removal to Sherpore. We are 
 looking forward to a severe winter ; and, however sung our 
 quarters may be, in the long ranges of barracks built here by 
 Shere Ali, there will be much discomfort, not to say sickness, 
 if firewood runs short. There are no large forests, from which 
 large supplies can be drawn ; the hill-sides all around being 
 bare rocks or shingly deposits, on which no vegetation can grow. 
 Some of the large houses in the Bala Hissar, though now desert- 
 ed and partially demolished, show signs of luxury and comfort 
 which speaks highly for the pains taken by rich Sirdars to enjoy 
 life in their own rude way. The palace in which Yakub Khan 
 lived was furnished luxuriously, no doubt in his estimation ; thick 
 Persian carpets, bright colored rugs and durries covering the 
 floors ; while English-made tables, side-boards, and chairs were 
 ranged side by side with the usual eastern pillows, cushions, and 
 rezais, which are the delight of indolent loungers. One small 
 room had the ceiling so closely hung with glass-chandeliers that 
 to move about was to risk a small shower of pendants falling ; 
 while the shades for the candles were of such brilliancy, in light- 
 green and pink, that the effect in the brilliant sunshine was quite 
 dazzling. " Pearls and babaric gold" there were none to be seen, 
 they had been removed, for safekeeping, to his father-in-law's 
 house in the city, where the ladies of the harem were also 
 lodged, but such gimcracks as usually light up the houses of 
 the poorest classes in England were not wanting. Cheap 
 pictures in common gilded frames, the kind turned out by the 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 163 
 
 thousand in Germany, all gaudy colors and painfully real were 
 hanging on the walls, while a few well-executed portraits of 
 Russian officers, in full uniform and bedecked with orders, were 
 found scattered about. These were all neatly framed in wood ; 
 and were so well got up, that most probably they had been 
 presents to Shere Ali from the Embassy, whose stay in Cabul 
 gave rise to such serious results. One small picture was come 
 across, which is certainly a great curiosity. It is plainly the 
 work of an Afghan artist, and carries us back to the disasters of 
 1841-42, when, for a time, our arms suffered so serious a reverse. 
 The subject of the drawing is an Afghan on horseback, in his 
 full splendour of gold-braided coat of many colors, enormous 
 black Astrakan hat with its characteristic cone shape, small 
 black boots peeping out of the white drapery of his wide^flowing 
 trouser, and the silver scabbard of his sword dangling at his side. 
 His saddle is gorgeous in red and gold, while the trappings of 
 his charger are bright with elaborate gilding. The horse is, in 
 the language of heraldry, rampant, while his rider sits proudly in 
 the saddle, staring out over the wide wide world, with an ex- 
 pression of haughty contempt, which is extremely awe-inspiring. 
 On the green foreground, which represents the grassy sward of 
 the Cabul plain, a dog, abnormally developed in some particulars, 
 gambols along, barking joyously (if the protrusion of a crimson 
 tongue as big as his head means anything), and thoroughly 
 enjoys his master's triumph. What that triumph is, has yet to 
 be told : on the flank of the horse, and so close as to be in 
 danger of its heels, is the figure of a British officer, clad in the 
 old Pandy uniform, with a musket at the trail in his hand, and 
 crouching in the most abject fear. Hia face, that of a boy-subal- 
 tern, is turned upwards ; while his eye, full of fear and respect, 
 is watching his Afghan conqueror with great intentness. He is 
 at the double to keep up with the horse, and the artist has 
 cleverly depicted in figure and expression the humiliation he is 
 
a a 
 
 1 164 LIFE OF 
 
 undergoing. Nothing could be iiner than the contrast between 
 the black-bearded Afghan, with his enormous pouting lips, of a 
 purple tinge, aud staring eyes, and the smooth, boyish face, full 
 of timidity, of the unlucky Briton he is leading captive. He 
 can afford to laugh at the picture now, for " the wheel has come 
 full circle," and the subject now for an artist to draw would be 
 an English Lancer, beautiful in his array as a lily of the field, 
 leading captive at his stirrup a typical Afghan (say Yakub Khan 
 for example) with a halter round his neck and clad in all the 
 simplicity of a dhotie. The picture I have described is a stand- 
 ing curiosity in camp, and is to be the nucleus of a future Cabul 
 Picture Gallery. 
 
 A LETTER FROM MAJOR CAVAGNARI, C.S.I. TO 
 SIRDAR MAHOMED YAKUB KHAN. 
 
 THE following is a letter from Major Cavagnari, O.S.I., to 
 Sirdar Mahomed Yakub Khan, dated the 5th March, 1879, of 
 which the official translation is : 
 
 After the expression of sympathy and sorrow, which is the 
 customary mode of racers of the straight path of this transient 
 world, I beg to inform you that, at this unfortunate moment, I 
 have received your mournful letter, intimating an event, in 
 recording which, the pen sheds the tears of sorrow ; and the 
 paper utters the sounds of pain, viz., the departure of His 
 Highness the Amir Sahib Bahadur from this transient world (to 
 which every one must bid adieu) to the everlasting one, which 
 is the real abode of all (human) beings. This sad news has 
 caused an indescribable sorrow and pain to sincere friends. 
 
 Since " every being on the face of the earth must respond to 
 the call of death," and quit this fleeting world, it behoves all 
 survivors and the lonely travellers of this world to recline 
 against the cushion of patience and submission to the will of 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 165 
 
 Providence, since no good can result from the opposite course, 
 as Urfi has said " Were a meeting with a beloved one to be 
 procured by weeping, one might weep for a number of years in 
 the hope of obtaining the desired meeting." 
 
 I can suggest no other course than to have patience. May 
 the most High and Glorious God, through His mercy and grace, 
 assign the deceased Amir an abode in the highest heaven, and 
 bestow on his heirs patience and comfort. 
 
 On the 6th of March last, the following telegram was sent to 
 Major Cavagnari, Jellalabad : 
 
 Your telegram to Viceroy, 26th February. Following reply 
 should be sent to Yakub Khan. Letter begins : 
 
 I have received the letter, dated 20th February which your 
 Highness has sent me ; and it has been laid before His Ex- 
 cellency the Viceroy aad Governor-General in Council. 
 
 His Excellency has instructed me to reply to your Highness 
 that it has always been the desire of the British Government to 
 maintain peace and friendship with the Government, the Sirdars, 
 and the people of Afghanistan. The events which caused the 
 rupture of friendly relations between the two Governments, and 
 which compelled the British Government to declare war against 
 the late Amir Shere Ali Khan, had been publicly proclaimed, 
 and are well known to your Highness. 
 
 His Excellency the Viceroy has now received with satisfaction 
 the expression of your Highness* anxiety for the renewal of 
 friendship between the two Governments, and the assurance of 
 your desire to make every exertion for that purpose. I am con- 
 sequently authorized to communicate to you the preliminary con- 
 ditions upon which, if they are agreed to, the Viceroy is prepared 
 to entertain negotiations for the conclusion of peace, and for the 
 restoration of a friendly alliance between the two Governments. 
 
 In the first place, the following arrangements respecting the 
 territories now in possession of the British forces, are necessary 
 
a 
 
 160 LIFE OF 
 
 for the protection and permanent tranquillity of the north-west 
 frontier of India : 
 
 1. The Amir of Cabul must renounce all claim to authority 
 over the Khyber and Michni Passes leading from Jellalabad into 
 the Peshawur district, and over the independent tribes inhabiting 
 the territory directly connected with these Passes. 
 
 2. The District of Kurrum, from Thull to the crest of the 
 Shutar Gurden Pass, and the districts of Pishin and Sibi will 
 remain under the protection and control of the British Govern- 
 ment. 
 
 In the next place the foreign relations of the Cabul Govern- 
 ment, must be henceforth conducted in accordance with the 
 advice and wishes of the British Government ; and European 
 British officers accredited to the Cabul Government must be 
 permitted to reside with suitable personal guards, at such places 
 in Afghanistan as may hereafter be determined upon. 
 
 It is necessary for the conclusion of any friendly settlement of 
 affairs between the two countries, that the Government at Cabul 
 shall agree to these preliminary conditions : the Viceroy will, 
 thereupon, be prepared to enter into negotiations for peace, and a 
 cordial alliance, on a basis conducive to the common advantage 
 of the two countries, and to the stability and prosperity of the 
 Cabul ruler. The letter ends." 
 
 Bukhtiyar Khan can take this reply to Yakub, with any 
 subsidiary instructions. 
 
 Acknowledge receipt of this message. 
 
 THE TURKISH THEORY REGARDING THE 
 MASSACRE AT CABUL. 
 
 [FROM THE " TIMES' " CORRESPONDENT.] 
 
 CONSTANTINOPLE, OCT. 10. 
 
 THE Turkish public here hold a theory regarding the massacre 
 of our Embassy at Cabul, which will, probably, be new to the 
 
FH 1 
 
 MAJOE SIR LOUIS CAVAGNAEI, K.C.B..C.S.I. 167 
 
 majority of the British public. It originated some weeks ago, 
 in a small Afghan colony in Stamboul, some of whom professed 
 to have received intelligence direct from their native country. Ife 
 being then physically impossible that letters from Afghanistan 
 could have come here so quickly, I concluded that the story was 
 one of those thousand and one rumours which have no value except 
 as harmless amusements for the longers in the cafes and bazaars. 
 The Turkish Press, however, have taken up the matter seriously, 
 and use it as a text, on which to preach a political sermon, to the 
 British Government. The people of Cabul, so the story runs, 
 noticed that large boxes were being forwarded to the unwelcome 
 foreign guest, and, on surreptitiously making examination, found 
 to their horror that the boxes contained Bibles and Korans, print- 
 ed by infidels on infidels' paper. At once it was assumed, that 
 the text of the sacred, uncreated revelation confided to the 
 Prophet had been tampered with ; and that the false texts, in con- 
 junction with the Bibles, were intended for Christian propaganda. 
 The discovery, and its interpretation, caused great excitement 
 among the fanatical Cabuls ; and the attack on the British 
 Embassy was the result. Accepting this stupid story as 
 authentic, one of the Turkish papers points out that though re- 
 ligious books may be safely introduced into civilized countries, it 
 was a grave mistake to do so, under diplomatic protection, among 
 a half-savage people ; and that in view of the hostile attitude of 
 Russia, British statemen ought to have carefully refrained from 
 interfering with the religion, the customs, and the liberties of 
 the Afghan nation. Even in Turkey, it is thought, that religi- 
 ous propaganda ought not to be encouraged ; and in this respect, 
 the organ, in question, quotes an incident which has just occurr- 
 ed in Constantinople. It seems that an agent of an English 
 missionary society had made a Turkish translation of the Book 
 of Common Prayer, and also of some religious tracts, and had 
 employed a khodja, or Mussulman schoolmaster, to correct the 
 
168 LIFE OF 
 
 manuscript. When this was reported to the ecclesiastical 
 authorities, the khodja was at once arrested and placed in con- 
 finement by order of the Sheik-ul-Islam. The comments made 
 on the incident show, that even among those young Turks, who 
 profess to have adopted modern Liberal ideas, there is still a 
 considerable amount of old Mussulman fanaticism. The poor 
 khodja is called an abject, miserable creature, who has been in- 
 duced by his own wicked heart, and by the instigations of the 
 Evil One, to commit an act of sacrilege, for which he is condemned 
 by the curse of heaven to eternal torture. In reply to the 
 khodja's defence that he had accepted the work in order to save 
 himself from starvation, the writer declares that this is no excuse ; 
 and that the miserable creature should receive an overwhelming 
 punishment, so that the example may deter others from selling 
 their religion for a few pence. So much for religious toleration 
 among the educated Mussulmans of Constantinople. Those who 
 hold, that there is at present, a recrudescence of fanaticism 
 throughout the Mussulman world can point to such facts as this, 
 in support of their opinion. It is, however, only fair to add, that 
 though the Turks have always shown a certain contemptuous 
 tolerance towards those who have the humiliating misfortune to 
 be born Giaours, they have always acted with great severity 
 towards Mussulmans, who endeavoured to lead their fellow- 
 believers away from the Mahomed an fold. 
 
 OPINIONS OF THE CONTINENTAL PRESS ON THE 
 CABUL DISASTER. 
 
 (Za Itepublique Francaise, Paris, Sept. 9.) 
 
 WITH whom does the responsibility rest, for the murder of the 
 English Envoy ? In the dearth of details which we share with 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 169 
 
 the English Grove rnment, it is very hard to form an opinion. 
 To suspect Russian emissaries of being the instigators of this 
 crime as the Standard does, seems a very hazardous opinion. It 
 is a grave accusation to bring forward, without proofs in support 
 of it. To pretend that the Amir Yakub Khan has lent himself 
 to that atrocious violation of the law of nations is, until further 
 information reaches us, a flagarant injustice, The authority of 
 Yakub Khan was set at defiance ; it is gravely menaced ; and 
 the Prince who, on ascending the throne, understood that all re- 
 sistance to the English army had become hopeless, cannot have 
 madly launched into so bloody an adventure. The Afghans are 
 a barbarous race, fanatical, and untameable. Foreigners, 
 especially Christians, are hateful to them. Is it to be wondered 
 at that the sight of Envoys of the Anglo-Indian Government in- 
 stalling themselves in the capital, and loaded with honors by the 
 Prince and his courtiers, should have exasperated a ferocious 
 population ? On the other hand, regiments, or rather bands, of 
 proud and covetous warriors-, took the initiative of the emeute, 
 which has ended so deplorably. These people, no doubt, imagin- 
 ed that, on the arrival of the Feringhis, they would roll in gold. 
 They were disappointed, demanded their pay, and did not get it 
 at once. In those countries that i& quite enough to cause a re- 
 volution. The like has occurred often enough at Constantinople, 
 even since the commencement of this century. For the present, 
 then, we are bound to regard the massacre of the English Mission 
 as an appalling accident, but one which the known temperament 
 and manners of the Afghans can account for. Cabul had witness- 
 ed another drama of the same kind. In 1842, the English and 
 the Prince they had installed on the Throne were cut to pieces. 
 England wrought a terrible revenge for these crimes ; but her 
 Government had the wisdom not to occupy the country. The 
 same course will, probably, be pursued now. When the culprits 
 shall have been punished, England will, probably, keep within 
 
170 LIFE OP 
 
 the clauses of the Treaty of Gundamuck, and will be right to do 
 so. Any other course would earn for the policy of the present 
 Government the appellation of politique de oassecou et de coup de 
 theatre. 
 
 (Journal das Debats, Paris, Sept. 8.) 
 
 We can well understand that England has no desire to rush 
 into an adventure, the perils of which are manifest, but the 
 advantages of which are less so. If, however, she does not 
 annex Afghanistan, what will she do ? It is now seen how her 
 agents are treated, and the Sovereigns, who are to be her more or 
 less disguised vassals. She cannot, therefore, continue to use 
 the method which, when scarcely tried, has produced such 
 sanguinary results. If she abondons direct action by the pre- 
 sence of an English Resident at Cabul, her influence will, pro- 
 bably, not survive what will be regarded as an enforced retreat. 
 Will she be content with retaining and strongly occupying the 
 Passes of her North- West Frontier ? It would assuredly have 
 been more prudent to have been satisfied with deriving this already 
 considerable advantage from the war. But what would have 
 been politic and adequate, three months ago, is no longer so. 
 The question is really very delicate. The necessity of inflicting 
 exemplary chastisement on Major Cavagnari's assassins is the 
 first necessity, for without signal reparation England's prestige 
 and influence would be for ever forfeited in those countries where 
 force alone commands respect ; but the real difficulties will arise 
 afterwards, when means will have to be found of imposing English 
 influence on the Afghans without the obligation of occupying 
 their territory. This problem, which could not be solved in 
 1844, and which, it is now too evident, was not solved by the 
 Treaty of Gundamuck, will still, doubtless, long perplex English 
 statesmen. 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNAIU, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 171 
 
 (Le Temps, Paris, Sept. 8.) 
 
 The misfortune which has overtaken England obliges her to 
 undertake another war, which will have to he carried on to 
 Cabul, and probably farther ; and when this campaign, which will 
 be long and difficult, shall have been happily ended, what fruits 
 can England expect to reap from victory ? She cannot return to 
 the policy formulated in the Treaty of Gurdamuck. After the 
 check she has received, there will only be one of three courses 
 to choose. Either the Amir must be reduced to a state of 
 vassalage, and his subjection guaranteed by a military occupation, 
 or Afghanistan must be annexed, or that State must be aban- 
 doned, and a military force concentrated on a scientific frontier 
 for its protection. 
 
 {Le National, Paris, Sept. 8.) 
 
 The brilliant reception of Major Cavagnari was but superficial, 
 and must, if anything, have still further exasperated the feelings 
 of the multitude, humbled in its patriotic pride and wounded in 
 its religious faith. Their coarse and ignorant minds were only 
 too prone to account for the disasters that had overtaken them by 
 imputing them to treachery, and the presence of the handful of 
 Englishmen who represented the conquering power in their 
 midst must have lashed their passions and religious fanaticism 
 into frenzy. After the Afghans are defeated, will they be 
 conquered ? The geographical conformation of their country, 
 which is favorable to revolt, and religious fanaticism as well as 
 wounded national pride, will make each inhabitant the personal 
 enemy of every invader. Wherever warfare is regular, victory 
 will be on the English made ; but the resistance will be made by 
 merillas. The Afghans would not have minded being stripped 
 of a scientific frontier ; but they presented a fixed sojourn of 
 Cavagnari at Cabul, it being too flagrant a sign of British 
 
a 
 
 172 LIFE OF 
 
 domination. This condition imposed by Lord Lytton spoiled 
 everything. The revolt is the ironical answer destiny gives to 
 the boastful speeches of Lord Beaconsfield. The English 
 Premier, perhaps, will have to go a great deal farther than he 
 intended, when he first plunged into the question of scientific 
 frontiers. 
 
 (Le Soir, Paris, Sept. 8.) 
 
 Yakub Khan is suspected of complicity in the tragic event at 
 Cabul ; but it is not improbable that he had not sufficient influ- 
 ence to prevent it. In this case, the Amir would be compelled to 
 place himself under the protection of England, if he would 
 preserve his throne ; but the English are not, at present, very 
 sure of becoming so powerful in Afghanistan that Yakub Khan 
 could without danger be turned into a simole British Governor, 
 when they have avenged themselves upon the assassins of their 
 Envoy. Much will remain to be done in order to prevent a 
 repetition of similar occurrences. 
 
 (T)ix Neuvieme Sieck, Paris, September 10.) 
 
 It becomes Russia less than any other Power to address a 
 remonstrance to England through her official journals. For all 
 that has taken place, and all that is still taking place in 
 Afghanistan, the Russian Chancellary is responsible. It is the 
 fault of Russia that England has been obliged to enter into an 
 adventurous expedition in Afghanistan, for, if they had not 
 undertaken it, they would have lost all their authority in India. 
 The Russian journalists, therefore, must not now assume towards 
 England the tone of the moralist, and say " it is a misfortune ; 
 but we warned you of it, and now you see what it is to wish to 
 establish a resident at Cabul." We leave it to our readers to 
 imagine what kind of sentiments such language is likely to arouse 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 173 
 
 in England. As for us, we wish our neighbours may prudently 
 carry out and bring to a rapid and successful issue the new 
 campaign which the murder of their Embassy has necessitated. 
 
 (Le Nord, Brussels, Sept. 8.) 
 
 The explanation given by the telegram as to the cause of the 
 rising seems on a prima facie view somewhat strange. One 
 cannot but feel surprise at the English Embassy being held 
 responsible for the arrears of pay due to a few Afghan regiments, 
 and if this question of pay has really been the chief cause of the 
 outbreak, it would seem only natural that rioters should appeal 
 to the Amir and his Ministers rather than to Major Cavagnari. 
 The eagerness with which the population of Cabul joined the 
 insurgent soldiery would alone lead to the belief that the move- 
 ment must have been due to more general causes, and we think, 
 we are not far wrong in attributing it to the antipathy which the 
 Afghans have always felt and shown against the installation of 
 English Resident Ministers in their country. It is known that 
 the refusal of Shere Ali to consent to the establishment of a 
 British Embassy in his capital was one of the causes of the last 
 war. It will also be recollected that the predecessors of Lord 
 Lytton in the Yiceroyalty of India, Lord Lawrence, Lord Mayo, 
 and Lord Northbrook, have all expressed themselves most 
 categorically against the establishment of permanent missions in 
 Afghanistan regarding them as more prejudicial than beneficial in 
 promoting the good relations between the two countries. In a 
 speech delivered as long ago as last November, Lord Lawrence 
 quoted on this very point an interesting letter he had received 
 from Mr. Seton Karr, who was Indian Secretary for Foreign 
 Affairs ia 1869. In this letter, the Amir said that he personally 
 had no great objection to an English Envoy residing permanently 
 at Cabul. But he urged that the Afghan chiefs and nobles would 
 
Ifi- 
 
 1 174 LIFE OF 
 
 regard it as an insult, and on that ground he could not assent to it. 
 Yakub Khan had to assent to the arrangement which his father 
 had always rejected. The question arises whether the English 
 Government was wise in imposing upon him a condition so re- 
 pugnant to the feeling of the Afghans. This will be ascertained 
 when full details of the events at Cabul shall have come to hand ; 
 but, without any intention of prejudging the conclusions to 
 which fuller information must lead, it has appeared to us in- 
 teresting to note that the opinion of Lord Lytton's predecessors 
 was adverse to the design which he and Lord Beaconsfield laid 
 themselves out to realise. In any case the emeute at Cabul 
 threatens to render necessary a new campaign, which is likely to 
 be as long and as arduous as the last. 
 
 (Tagblatt, Vienna, Sept. 8.) 
 
 The disorder in Cabul will demand the most peremptory satis- 
 faction ; for both the Ambassador himself and all the members 
 of his Embassy are acknowledged to be inviolable by the law of 
 nations. At Cabul, the lives of all of them have been sacrificed. 
 Everybody who knows how jealously England, under her present 
 rulers, protects, against attack, all her subjects, even persons who 
 do not hold nearly such dignified positions as her Ambassadors, 
 must feel convinced that she will not suffer any delay to take 
 place in demanding, even if necessary, by the sword, that full 
 atonement shall be made for the consequences of this attack on 
 her Embassy, so recently established in Cabul. No body would, 
 at present, venture to contemplate what may be the final out- 
 come of this event, but the general disquietude which has been 
 caused by the events of the past week has been greatly increased 
 by what has since become known. 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNAEI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 175 
 
 (Golos, St. Petersburg, Sept. 8.) 
 
 All the money expended on the Afghan expedition is thrown 
 away. The Treaty of Gundamuck is torn into shreds, and the 
 conquest of Afghanistan becomes as fatal a necessity as the rout- 
 ing of Cetewayo's army after the disaster of Isandhlana. 
 
 The conduct of Yakub Khan during the 3rd September does 
 not prove that the attack on the Embassy was made against his 
 will and without his cognisance. 
 
 (St. Petersburg Gazette, Sept. 9.) 
 
 The massacre of the English Mission in Gabul obliterates the 
 scientific frontier, and necessitates the occupation of the whole of 
 Afghanistan by British troops ; but this is incompatible with 
 England's assurance to the St. Petersburg Cabinet, with whom 
 there must be an understanding regarding England's measures 
 of satisfaction, an understanding which may finally put an end to 
 the independence of Afghanistan. The impossibility of Eng- 
 land's predominating by peaceful means affords an opportunity 
 for a direct junction of English and Russian dominions in 
 Central Asia by dividing Afghanistan between the two Powers, 
 thus destroying, by mutual arrangement, the present intermediate 
 zone, the cause of continual trouble between the two countries. 
 
 MAJOR CAVAGNARI ON BRITISH AGENTS IN 
 AFGHANISTAN. 
 
 A correspondent writes : " The lamented but heroic death of 
 our Envoy at Cabul has imparted a peculiar, if somewhat painful, 
 interest to the opinion expressed by him as to the appointment of 
 British officers in Afghanistan (see Blue Book, page 14<2). Major 
 Cavagnari then (April 1875) considered that the Amir 'would, 
 probably, declare that the unsettled state of his kingdom pre- 
 
176 LIFE OF 
 
 vented his being able to guarantee the safety of the officer 
 appointed' ; and after pointing out the advantages which would 
 result from the presence of English Residents in Afghanistan 
 advantages which must be patent to all careful observers he 
 says * But should the Amir refuse, or unwillingly assent to the 
 measure, it would possibly be productive of very evil results. 
 Everything would be done to thwart the action of the Resident ; 
 and not unlikely some insult would be offered, which would either 
 result in his having to be withdrawn or supported in his position 
 by force of arms.* Some light may be thrown on the primary 
 causes of the recent calamitous outbreak at Cabul by the follow- 
 ing observation of our Envoy's. " The Sirdars, who, probably, 
 hope to become governors in the different Afghan provinces 
 would, like the Amir, be adverse to the appointment of European 
 British officers. They, probably, fear that the appointment of 
 such Residents would be merely a preliminary to annexation.' 
 The foregoing extracts are a remarkable proof of the sagacity 
 and political foresight of that brave and skilful officer, whose 
 loss all parties must so deeply deplore." 
 
 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF THE LATE SIR 
 LOUIS CAVAGNARI. 
 
 THE following account of personal recollections of the late Sir 
 Louis Cavagnari is from the pen of Mr. William Simpson, the 
 well-known Special Artist of the Illustrated London News : 
 
 During the first part of the Afghan campaign I was attached 
 to the Peshawur Field Force, which acted on the line of the 
 Khyber, Jellalabad, and Gundamuck. It was to this force that 
 the late Sir Louis Cavagnari was attached in a political capacity ; 
 and as I saw a good deal of him during the six months, which 
 was about the time the campaign lasted, the Editor of the Illus- 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNAKI, K.C.B..C.S.I. 177 
 
 trated London News has asked me to relate any recollections I 
 have of the man, thinking that they would be of interest just now 
 to the public. My first introduction to him, at that time Major 
 Cavagnari, was at Ali Musjid on November 21, last year. The 
 guns of the Afghan fort had opened fire, and were continuing it 
 against our artillery, which had begun to reply from the Shagai 
 heights, and while the usual civilities which such engines send to 
 each other, were knocking about, Major Cavagnari, seeing that 
 I was sketching the ground, introduced himself to me, to point 
 out the village of Lala Cheena and all the spots connected with 
 the stoppage of Sir Neville Chamberlain's Mission, which had 
 occurred in the September previously, and to which Mission, it 
 may be remembered, he was attached. When we advanced to 
 Dhakka, my tent chanced to be placed next to Major Cavagaari's, 
 and although our stay at this place was short, it gave me some 
 experience of the man. It was here I made the sketch of him 
 holding a Jirgah, held just behind our tents, with the Shinwarries 
 an illustration of which appeared at the time in the Illustrated 
 London News. I began also at this place to see evidence of his 
 activity and devotion to the functions of his appointment. I 
 found at times in the morning that Cavagnari was gone, his tent 
 was empty, and he was reported to have started during the night 
 on some expedition, or another. It might be a raid, or an attempt 
 to capture the Mir Akhor, or a rush off with a small escort to 
 arrange with some Afghan Chief about guarding the roads. 
 
 Sir Samuel Browne's head-quarters reached Jellalabad on 
 December 20. On the morning of our entry I started off early 
 with Major Cavagnari, Major Sanford, and one or two more of 
 the head-quarter staff. I dropped behind before we reached the 
 town, so that I entered by myself a few minutes later than the 
 others. Up to that time we had had no experience of Ghazis; 
 those who hope to reach Paradise by killing Kaffirs or Infidels ; 
 but their attempts a few days later upon the lives of our soldiers 
 
-a 
 
 178 LIFE OP 
 
 led to the order given afterwards that no one was to enter Jellala- 
 bad without a sufficient escort. So I rode in that morning at 
 the Peshawur Gate and through the bazar, all alone, thoughtless 
 of danger, returning the salute of " Salaam Alaikoom" to the 
 Mahomedans, and saying " Ram, Ram" to the Hindus, who 
 seemed delighted, for to them our occupation of the place was a 
 gratifying event. The same day Major Cavagnari received a 
 letter from Shere Ali, announcing his departure from Cabul. On 
 my expressing a desire to see and sketch the seal of the Amir, 
 Major Cavagnari at once submitted the letter to me for inspection. 
 The document was written in Persian, on the usual brownish 
 Oriental paper. The seal was in the TorgJia character, and about 
 the^ize of a six pence. 
 
 Buring our long stay at Jellalabad, my intercourse with Major 
 Cavagnari became more intimate, and when he learned that I was 
 desirous of making explorations in some of the Buddhist remains 
 on that region, he at once provided a working party for such 
 operations, on the condition that all sculptures -and coins were to 
 be the property of Government. He rode out with me one 
 morning, shortly after the digging had been commenced to the 
 Ahin Posh Tope, where the men were at work ; and on seeing 
 remains of architecture beginning to appear which had been 
 buried for at least a thousand years, he desired me to have more 
 men put on, and gave orders to double the number. The final 
 result of all this, after about two months' work, was that I 
 brought to light important details of the ancient Buddhist 
 architecture, all being quite new to students of that subject, and 
 I was fortunate enough to come upon a deposit of twenty gold 
 coins, every one dating from about the first or second centuries 
 of the Christian era, and a gold relic-holder, all of which I handed 
 over to Major Cavagnari, who sent them on to Lord Lytton at 
 Calcutta. The Natives hearing of these explorations came and 
 reported the existence of other remains, regarding which they 
 
a -a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 179 
 
 told their own traditionary belief, and offered to show the places 
 to Major Cavagnari. Instead of going himself he asked me to 
 do so, and I went on more than one of these inquests. One was 
 a cave at Hada, which, according to the Native who reported it, 
 went under ground to an unlimited distance. I had experience 
 of tales of this kind before, and consequently knew what to 
 expect ; but, being anxious not to allow anything which might 
 be important to escape notice, I went and found, as I anticipated, 
 that the cave had nothing remarkable about it. Another excur- 
 sion of this kind I made, was across the Cabul River, and up the 
 Kunar Valley, about fourteen miles, to see some Buddhist 
 remains in that quarter. At Kona-deh, there is an old tope which 
 the Khan said we might explore ; but I judged it useless to go 
 such a distance to work when we had better ground nearer at 
 hand in the Jellalabad Valley. This was a very pleasant visit, 
 for Major Cavagnari had arranged that Major Stewart, of the 
 Guide Corps, should go with me, and his familiarity with the 
 language was most useful in getting information ; and Ahmed 
 Khan, of Shewa, one of the chiefs, went about with us, and 
 treated Major Stewart and myself to a repast in the Afghan 
 style of hospitality, sitting under the mulberry-trees oiose to the 
 door of his village. 
 
 A day or so after the advance to Gimdamuck, General Gough 
 made a reconnoissance as far as the Surkpul, on the Surkhab. 
 I went out with this party, and Major Cavagnari also accom- 
 panied it. We had General Maunsell and a number of the 
 head-quarter staff with us : and Sirdar Wall Mahomed Khan 
 was also in the party. On our return we came by Isphan, and 
 visited the Ziaret of Shaik Ra'jim Dad, known as the Dabad 
 Ziaret, from its having the reputation that cases of rheumatism 
 can be cured at it. A sketch of this shrine appeared in the 
 Illustrated London News two weeks ago. Seeing me making a 
 sketch, Major Cavagaari called my attention to a chuprassi, his 
 
180 LIFE OF 
 
 constant attendant, who was circumambulating the grave with 
 the most serious aspect, at the same time beating his limbs, with 
 a bunch of dried seeds. He said " put him in, I never saw him 
 before saying his prayers, but I suppose the bare possibility of a 
 cure for his rheumatism is too good a chance to be lost." As I 
 saw a good deal of this man, I have been watching the late news 
 from Cabul to see if it might contain any news of his fate. I am 
 inclined to fear that the poor fellow's rheumatism will not now 
 trouble him. The people in the district about Gund amuck, 
 hearing of our explorations at Jellalabad, brought in objects 
 which, they said, had been discovered in topes ; one of these was 
 an old brass lamp which, they affirmed, had been got in a tope 
 near Nickar Kheyl. From the ornament on it I was inclined to 
 doubt that its antiquity could possibly be so far back as the 
 Buddhist period. It was some time before we managed to get 
 any one able to make out what appeared to be letters, but, at 
 last, Major Lovett was able to decipher on it Allah il Allah, and 
 its post Buddhist character was settled. Before this had been 
 made out, Major Cavagnari had determined to present it to the 
 Royal Asiatic Society in London, and for that purpose he sent it 
 home to the care of Colonel Yule, and this interesting relic will 
 now be preserved. This lamp led to an excursion. It became 
 important, while the date of the object was under discussion, to 
 see the tope in which it was said to have been found. For this 
 purpose Major Cavagnari made the arrangement for me to go 
 and see the place, and he also made one of the party himself, 
 taking with him Haider Khan, one of the principal chiefs of 
 Gundamuk. The occasion was considered favorable for giving 
 the survey officers a chance of fixing some of their points ; so we 
 had them and Colonel Jenkyns, commanding the Corps of Guides 
 and one or two officers of the 10th Hussars also accompanied us. 
 Thus we formed a large party. We ascended the Suffaid Koh, 
 on the eastern side of the guoge, from which the Muikhi Khyel 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.c.B.,C.S.I. 181 
 
 steam flows out of the hills. At about 8,000 feet, I stopped to 
 make a sketch of the country, looking across the Isphan plain to 
 Jugdulluk, which gave a very fine view, with glimpses of the 
 Hindu Kush in the far distant beyond. The surveying officers 
 and most of the others went up about 1,000 feet higher, and 
 reached the snow ; but Major Cavagnari remained with me while 
 I sketched, and his faithful chuprassi kindled a fire of wood, for 
 it was cold at that height. We had an old man with us, named 
 Mullik Mir Alum, a Khugiani, belonging to Murkn Kheyl, who 
 remembered all about the former war ; and while Cavagnari 
 was sitting here, he kept up a conversation with him about the 
 details of the retreat from Cabul in 1842. This old fellow told 
 how the few stragglers made their last fight on the hill near 
 Gundamuck, and that they fought like devils. No one would go 
 near them while their ammunition lasted, but when that was 
 done, the attack was made. The position on Sept. 3 of the 
 Residency at Cabul was so similar, as a life or death contest, to 
 what was described to us sitting on the sides of the Suffaid Koh 
 on that day, I cannot help thinking that it must have come back 
 to the mind of Cavagnari even in the midst of the tumult and 
 excitement of the last dreadful struggle. When our party came 
 down the hill, Haider Khan led us to one of the villages, where 
 we all sat down to an ample feast. It was in Afghan fashion ; 
 we used our fingers as forks ; and a thick cJiupatie, or cake, 
 served as a plate, while a large thin chupatie did duty as a table 
 napkin, or could be eaten as bread, according to taste. On the 
 day that the Treaty of Gundamuck was signed, I went in the 
 morning to Major Cavagnari's tent, and found that he had been 
 up till two o'clock in the morning writing out himself the 
 English version on the two copies of the treaty ; and on my 
 entrance I found Bakhtiyar Khan busy on one of them, writing 
 the Persian translation, while Mirza Mahoflimed Nabi Khan, the 
 Private Secretary of Yakub Khan, was flat on the ground with 
 
182 LIFE OF 
 
 the other copy beneath hin^ to which he was adding the Persian 
 version. Habibullah Khan, the Mastaufi, was on his knees 
 carefully watching that no mistakes were being made by this 
 writer, while Cavagnari and Mr. Jenkyns were on the other side 
 keeping a look out for the same purpose on Bakhtiyar Khan. 
 That same afternoon the Treaty of Gundamuck was signed by 
 Yakub Khan, on the one hand, and by Major Cavagnari, for the 
 Government of India, on the other ; and Mr. Jenkyns, during 
 the night, started with them for Simla riding back to Peshawur 
 in an incredibly short space of time for ratification by the 
 Viceroy. One copy would be retained by our Government, 
 and the other handed over to Yakub Khan. (Our Special 
 Artist's Sketches, engraved for this week's publication, show the 
 scene in Major Cavagnari' & tent, when the Secretaries were 
 writing out ' the Treaty, and the subsequent act of signing the 
 Treaty at Gundamuck, on May 26, by the Amir and Major 
 Cavagnari.) This ended the Second Afghan war. As I had 
 entertained hopes of visiting the colossal figures and city of 
 caverns at Bamian before I came home again, I felt anxious to 
 know what Major Cavagnari's movements were likely to be, and 
 in this I found him with his usual frankness as to giving inform- 
 ation. He was to return to India, and then, after a month, 
 or perhaps two, he was to proceed to Cabul. Had his orders 
 been to return to Cabul with Yakub Khan, I should have asked 
 to go with him, and I have no doubt but I should have accom- 
 panied him, my desire being strong. I also offered to go with 
 Yakub Khan, or with any of his people, but this could not be 
 arranged. What my fate might have been had I gone, who can 
 tell ? I can only repeat what a Native of India would say, 
 Ehuda Jana or " God alone knows." 
 
 These notes of my contact with Sir Louis Cavagnari will show 
 that he was a man with sympathies beyond his own particular 
 duties ; for they tell that while he was busy carrying on a com- 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 183 
 
 plicated and important political campaign, he found time to 
 interest himself in other matters. I have seen it lately stated 
 in one of our leading journals that he was a over-sanguine man. 
 From what I saw of him, I would not indorse the statement. 
 To be sanguine is one of the necessary conditions of success. At 
 least, a couple of months before the treaty of Qundamuck was 
 arrived at, he told me, that he would bring the whole matter to a 
 peaceful solution. This he accomplished. He was sanguine ; 
 but when a man realizes his intentions the words " over 
 sanguine" do not apply. If any one thinks that Sir Louis 
 Cavagnari went to Cabul and was unconscious of danger, I should 
 say he was mistaken. He went there perfectly well aware of the 
 risk ; but he was a brave man, and ran the risk. I always found 
 him quiet and collected, and never seeming as if there was any- 
 thing of the slightest importance going on. Always open in 
 giving information, when he could do so ; and if he could not 
 equally frank in saying that he must be silent. The campaign 
 became a political one ; there was no real army to fight with, so 
 the generals had no chance of distinguishing themselves. The 
 whole onus of the campaign centred at last in Major Cavagnari ; 
 and by the able manner in which he managed the duties cut out 
 for him, he won for himself the only reputation of note which 
 was made during the late war. The ability and judgment which 
 he manifested was honored at last by Knighthood, and it is 
 deeply to be regretted that the ability and judgment have not 
 been spared for the use of his country in a region where such 
 high qualifications are likely to be much needed in the future. 
 
 The other officers, who have nobly fallen along with Sir Louis 
 Cavagnari, had also become familiar friends during the late 
 campaign. Mr. Jenkyns was a master of the Persian language, 
 and interested in all the dialects of Central Asia. He caught a 
 nimchoi at Jellalabad, and made an effort through him to get down 
 some of the 8iah-Posh Kaffirs, so as to get details of their 
 
184 
 
 LIFE OF 
 
 language. These Kaffirs were long supposed to be the descend- 
 ants of Alexander's Macedonians, but the study of the language 
 seem to be destroying this theory. This nimcha, as the name 
 implies, had been born a Kaffir, but had been converted to 
 Mahomedanism. I was indebted to Mr. Jenkyns for getting a 
 sketch of this man's physiognomy, which lately appeared in the 
 Illustrated London News. Mr. Jenkyns was a man, who, had he 
 lived, would have made his mark in the profession to which he 
 belonged. Lieutenant Hamilton might have been described, with 
 his fair, almost beardless face, as a mere boy, but he was a lion at 
 heart. He was already a V. 0., from his gallantry at Futtehabad, 
 and his charging the mob of assailants in Cabul three times, 
 carrying death with his own hand as he dashed among the enemy, 
 is enough to show the kind of stuff he was made of. Dr. Kelly, 
 of the Guides, was also well known to me. Returning evil for 
 good is not a happy sentence to be recorded. But it must be 
 written in this case. Dr. Kelly had opened a dispensary in 
 Cabul, and was doing all he could for the good of those who 
 required his services. At Gundamuck he attended to many of 
 the men, who had been wounded in the Futtehabad engagement j 
 in some cases I know he performed operations. And after all 
 these humane services he has been murdered as his reward. 
 
 With regard to the question which has been raised as to the 
 dates at which the telegrams from the Viceroy published by the 
 Home Government were forwarded to Lord Lytton from Cabul, 
 it is no doubt the fact that the telegram of September 3rd was 
 forwarded from the Viceroy on that day. Several previous tele- 
 grams bore the dates of their despatch from Cabul, and to this 
 fact is due the misconception under which this particular commu- 
 nication has been regarded as coming from Sir Louis Cavagnari 
 on that date. For this misconception, however, the Government 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.L 185 
 
 can, in no way, be blamed. We believe that they have given to 
 the public, fully and frankly, all the information which they were 
 in a position to make known ; and the fact that there are four 
 other telegrams, which bear no date from Cabul is of itself suffi- 
 cient proof that they have published the Viceroy's communications 
 as they were received. 
 
 THE INDIAN COUNCIL AND THE DISASTER. 
 
 Lord Cranbrook arrived at the India Office from Hughenden 
 shortly after noon on September 10, and presided over a meeting 
 of the Indian Council at which there were present, in addition 
 to His Lordship, Mr. Yule, Mr. Dalzell, Sir R. Montgomery, and 
 General Foster. Another Council was held on September 11, but 
 the meeting was chiefly occupied with the routine business of the 
 department. Sir Louis Mallet, the Permanent Under-Secretary 
 for India, was among those present in attendance at the office 
 during the day. Constant communication was held by telegraph 
 with the Indian Government, and a lengthy message from the 
 Viceroy, giving full particulars of the military situation, was re- 
 ceived during the evening after Lord Cranbrook had left the 
 office. Viscount Cranbrook was to leave town on (Sept. 12) on 
 his return to Mr. Cunliffe Brooks 1 ' shooting quarters in Aber- 
 deenshire. 
 
 SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE ON THE CABUL 
 MASSACRE. 
 
 In a speech at Topsham on the 8th ult., the Chancellor of the 
 Exchequer said : Allusion has been made to one, and we speak 
 of it necessarily with pain and sorrow. No one can help feeling 
 the deepest sympathy and the deepest grief for the fate of the 
 gallant men of whose loss in Afghanistan I fear we have received 
 
e 
 
 186 VLIFE OP 
 
 tidings which -cannot be doubted. -(Hear, hear.) It is a matter 
 which must fill every one's heart with the greatest sorrow. ( Hear, 
 hear.) They were men who have been sacrificed, we do not pre- 
 cisely know under what circumstances, to an outbreak of fanati- 
 cal fury, against which, as far as the accounts enable us to judge, 
 they contended with a courage and determination, worthy of 
 Englishmen, and worthy of those gallant men themselves who have 
 rendered such service to the Empire. ( Cheers. ) They contend- 
 ed, as I understand, to the last in defence of the building which 
 they occupied. The mutineers, though far exceeding them in 
 number, were unable to storm the Residency, until, at last, they 
 succeeded in setting fire to the door ; and even then, when they 
 broke in, our gallant countrymen sold their lives dearly for 
 fear we must admit that their lives have been sacrificed. It is 
 impossible that England can fully appreciate the very serious loss 
 which we 'have sustained by the death of one so eminent, so 
 worthy of our gratitude, as that distinguished man, Sir Louis 
 Cavagnari. (Cheers.) We cannot but deeply feel that loss, but 
 it is ^premature, at present to say anything more about it. We 
 know not what -the circumstances were. So far as we can judge, 
 it appears to have been an unpremeditated outbreak, on the part 
 of a certain number of mutinous regiments. So far as we can 
 judge, the Amir has been entirely true to us, and the last message 
 represents him as imploring our assistance. Of one thing we 
 may be quite sure that assistance will not be withheld. (Cheers.) 
 We may be sure that Englishmen will be prompt to go to succour 
 those who have fallen on their behalf, and those who are holding 
 out in consequence of attacks directed against them ; and we do 
 not doubt that our gallant troops are far on the way to the city 
 of Cabul ; and that we shall soon hear of their having restored 
 peace to that place. (Cheers.) But we cannot, as I said, under- 
 take to speak as to the circumstances which have occurred, and 
 I am sure that you will all feel, and England will feel, that it is 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,O.S.I. 187 
 
 but right that for the moment we should abstain from mere 
 jeoture, or mere haaty judgment of any sort. (Hear, hear. ) 
 
 THK COMMISSION SITTING AT CABIJL TO ENQUIRE 
 INTO THE LATE MASSACRE. 
 
 [FROM THE " PIONEER'S" CORRESPONDENT.]' 
 
 CAMP, SlAHSUNQ, 30TH OCTOBEE. 
 
 SINCE the issue of the proclamation, and the close confinement 
 of Yakub Khan to his tent two days ago, there has been no 
 further development of th& situation ; and: it seems as if we should 
 quietly wait here for the winter ;. in -order to allow events to 
 develop themselves, without further demonstration of our force. 
 We have Cabul city and its guilt to deal with j and though, there 
 are few outward signs of the investigation into the circumstances 
 surrounding the massacre of our Embassy, there is a steady 
 under-current of werk running on, the results of which have yet 
 to be declared. This has been done chiefly by Colonel Macgregor, 
 aided hitherto by Hyat Khan, Assistant Political Officer, who 
 has done good service in searching out persons likely to give 
 evidence ; and now that Dr. Bellew has arrived, still further 
 progress is being made in unravelling the complicated web of 
 falsehood, which- has been drawn about the occurrence. Sixty 
 witnesses have been examined privately ; and, as each one is 
 quite in ignorance of what has been said before, the truth of the 
 various stories told can be tested, by the comparisons drawn 
 between the testimony of the friends and enemies of Yakab 
 Khan. Such of his late confidential advisers and adherents, as 
 have come under cross-examination have generally injured his 
 cause by affirming too much j and plausible stories had been 
 
188 LIFE OF 
 
 concocted, to divert attention from his shortcoming, in not aff ^rd- 
 ing material aid to Sir Louis Cavagnari. Much, for instance, has 
 been made of the little flash of energy he shewed in sending 
 Daud Shah and 30 men to remonstrate with the mutineers ; and 
 it has been asserted that the determined attitude of the rabble was 
 proved by Daud Shah being bayoneted, and all his escort killed. 
 But when this episode is looked closely into, and a little inde- 
 pendent evidence is taken, it becomes apparent that Daud Shah 
 had merely a few attendants with him, and none of these were 
 killed ; while he himself was by no means so maltreated as he 
 would have us believe. There is another incident, too, which 
 assumes a new complexion when carefully examined. Soon after 
 the massacre, Yakub Khan put to death Abdul Karim, a power- 
 ful Kohistani chief, whose English proclivities were very pro- 
 nounced. The explanation of this act, as given by Abdullah 
 Gyaz (a confidential adviser of the ex- Amir arrested yesterday) 
 is that Yakub Khan sent that chief from his palace to remonstrate 
 with the troops, and that, instead of carrying out his orders, he 
 gave direct encouragement to the mutineers, and urged them to 
 continue their attack upon the Residency. Upon Abdul Karim's 
 return to the palace, Abdullah Gyaz affirms, Yakub Khan was 
 informed of his treacherous disobedience, and, after the massacre 
 had taken place, ordered that he should be executed. This story 
 is so utterly improbable that it is scarcely worth consideration ;' 
 but its falsity has been proved very directly, as the name of every 
 man of importance, who went near the mutinous troops, has been 
 obtained from various sources, friendly and otherwise, and 
 Abdullah Karim has never before been mentioned in the list. 
 The inference that suggests itself is, that the wirepullers about 
 Yakub Khan, were distrustful of Abdul Karim, whose honesty 
 of purpose and known sympathy with the English, rendered him a 
 dangerous personage in their eyes, and on the principle, that dead 
 men tell no tales, they worked upon, the then Amir to sanction 
 
MAJOR SIB LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.c.B.,C.S.l. 189 
 
 his execution. He probably knew too much, and was put out of 
 the way before he had an opportunity of using his knowledge. 
 In an investigation such as that now going on, it is only possible 
 to shape out conclusions by inference, for even such witnesses as 
 profess unbounded friendship towards us, lie so circumstantially 
 to serve their own ends, that very little reliance can be placed 
 on them. It is not as if a long period had elapsed since the 
 events took place : the occurrence must still be fresh In the 
 minds of everybody : but there is such a tendency to intrigue, 
 now that our power is established beyond a doubt in Cabul, that 
 distrust is bred in our minds in an increasing ratio as the evidence 
 accumulates. There is no bottom to the well in which Afghan 
 truth was sunk ages ago, and it is disheartening to sound it now. 
 The ex-Amir's partizans have lied honestly enough to shield their 
 master, while he was still protected by us ; but now that he is a 
 nonentity and all semblance of power has passed from him, there 
 may be a change in their attitude. They have a certain rude idea 
 of faithfulness to their salt ; but when they see that the chief 
 among them is arrested without a word of warning, after being 
 allowed to move freely among us for weeks, their fortitude may 
 not be equal to the emergency, and they may seek to purchase 
 their own safety by voluntary disclosures. For these we must 
 
 wait. 
 
 ****** 
 
 To-day two men were marched off to execution, and they rich- 
 ly deserved their fate. The one was the jemadar of the rascally 
 hotwal of Cabul, himself hanged on the 20th j and inasmuch as 
 he had carried the head of Sir Louis Cavagnari, or one of the 
 other British officers into the city, there was not much chance of 
 his escaping. Like the kotwal, he was most servile in offering 
 aid to us after our arrival, and, on the night of the 8th, acted as 
 a guide to some troops marching up the Bala Hissar ridge, in 
 connection with the action against the rebels on that day. The 
 
iff 
 
 190 LIFE OF 
 
 second* prisoner was a Mahomedan resident of Cabul, in whose 
 house a- box, marked " Oabul Embassy," was found by a search- 
 party of the 28th Regiment. He could give no explanation of 
 hew he came by the box, except the colorless one that it had been 
 placed in his rooms by an enemy, Several guns and swords were 
 also found in his house ; and nothing in his favor being forth- 
 coming; he was sent to execution with very little delay. The 
 guilt or innocence of the confidential friends of Yakub Khan, 
 who- are now prisoners, is still a question of doubt ; but none are 
 arrested without justification, and their cases will undergo the 
 usual scrutiny. 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF CABUL, 
 
 " The climate is extremely delightful, and there is no such place 
 in tht known world, for its verdure and flowers, which render 
 Cabul, in spring, a heaven. Drink wine in the citadel of Cabul 
 and send round the cup without stopping ;. for there are at once 
 mountains and streams, town and desert." 
 
 It is pertinent to observe here, while talking of the climate, 
 that snow generally covers the hills round Cabul about the 
 beginning of October ; but that in the plains it seldom snows 
 before December. Then it remains on the ground, until middle 
 of February. After the cessation of the snowy season, the wet 
 ensues, and generally continues until April. The remaining 
 months of the year are dry. It may ba as well to state that 
 Cabul is 6,247 feet above the sea. 
 
 The founding of Cabul is lost in the mists of antiquity. It has 
 its traditions, and there is a common belief, that it is a most 
 ancient city. Its age is even given at 6,000 years ! But it is 
 not 100 years, since it became a capital for the first time. It is 
 affirmed that ten centuries ago, it, together with Ghuzni, was 
 tributary to Bamian, that destroyed city, the gigantic idols and 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 19-1 
 
 sculptured caves of which still exist to testify to its past magni- 
 ficence ; but before Bamian had fallen under the destroying 
 scourge of the Monguls, Cabul had been severed from it ; and in 
 common with most of the adjoining countries, had passed into 
 the hands of that far-famed conqueror Mahmud of Ghuzni, When 
 the Ghaznivide dynasty fell, it became a possession of the House 
 of Ghor. For more that two centuries after Baber's conquest, 
 it was an appanage of the rulers of Delhi, and then it passed into 
 the hands of the Persian conqueror Nadir. The Afghan Chief, 
 Ahmed, who established himself in the possessions of that great 
 ruler to the east of Persia, acquired Cabul shortly after 
 Candahar ; but being a, wise man as well as a skilful General, he 
 refused to make any other place his capital than that Candahar 
 which was reverenced by every Durani as the centre of their 
 power. In 1776, Timur Shah, not equally wise, transferred his 
 seat of power to Cabul. When the Siadosye dynasty fell, the 
 Barakzais were not astute enough to see what a favorable oppor- 
 tunity they had for winning over public opinion to their side by 
 restoring the ancient capital. Dost Mahomed perpetuated the 
 plunder of Timur Shah. It remains, perhaps, for some future 
 Afghan chief to repair the mistake past rulers have made on this 
 point. Apart from its historical associations, Cabul is a place 
 entitled to considerable attention on account of its trade. Burnes 
 called it a most bustling city, and told us that the noise in the 
 streets in the afternoon was so great that it was impossible to 
 make an attendant hear. The principal articles of commerce are 
 fruit and merchandise from India. An active trade is also carried 
 on with Bokhara and with Candahar. There are separate bazars 
 for each trade, and there was a great bazar, called " Chouchut" 
 or " Char Chouk," for the whole city. This had been styled an 
 elegant arcade, being about 200 yards long and ten yards across. 
 It was blown up by Pollock's orders in 1842, but Dost Mahomed 
 took steps for repairing the damage that was then done, The 
 
192 LIFE OF 
 
 present edifice is said to have no claim to architectural beauty. 
 One of the most remarkable sights is the public cooking shops, 
 which are very numerous, as few people cook at home. The 
 kababs, or cooked meats of Cabul, are famed far and wide. To 
 these must be added a list of delicacies in the shape of fruits, 
 sweets, and cooling drinks, that have earned for Cabul an 
 imperishable name, as a place where good quarters and good 
 living can be obtained at a very moderate cost. The population 
 of the city is generally estimated at 60,000 people, and the 
 number does not appear too great. The gardens of Cabul are 
 well known for their beauty, arid those in particular may be 
 mentioned which are called the Garden of the King Timur and 
 that round the tomb of the Emperor Baber. The latter of these 
 is considered to be the favorite promenade of the townspeople. 
 Burnes and other travellers have discoursed of the beautiful view 
 that is to be obtained from the towers and hills of the city for 
 20 miles round, and those who have approached it from Jellalabad 
 have told us of the favorable impression it has made upon them 
 after traversing the barren and rugged country of the Khurd 
 Cabul and Jagdalak passes. Cabul improves, also, on acquain- 
 tance, for except in the wet weather, it is a clean town, and the 
 air is at all times salubrious. It is particularly well suited for 
 Europeans. 
 
 Cabul is enclosed on the south and west by rocky hills of con- 
 siderable altitude. There are walls round the city, but these are 
 in the most dilapidated condition. The defences of Cabul are 
 contained and summed up in the capacity of the Bala Hissar to 
 resist attack ; and that is very meagre indeed. The founding of 
 the Bala Hissar is attributed to Baber, but his successors added 
 greatly to what he commenced. So late as the regin of Aurang- 
 zebe extensive vaults were constructed under it in which that 
 monarch intended placing his treasure. These are to be seen. 
 Situated on the eastern extremity of the town, and on the summit 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 193 
 
 of a hill, the Bala Hissar, with its great walls and lofty build- 
 ings, is a conspicuous object enough ; and it commands the town 
 as completely as the castle dominates Edinburgh. The Bala 
 Hissar is divided into two portions, a citadel within a fortress. 
 The former is small, and could only hold a limited number of men. 
 It is probably here, that Yakub Khan has taken refuge. The 
 main portion of the fortress is large and commodious, and could 
 hold 5,000 men. Despite, however, its imposing appearance and 
 its elevation above the town it stands 150ft. above the plains 
 the Bala Hissar is in too dilapidated a state to be held for any 
 length of time against an English army. The only occasion on 
 which the B.ila Hissar has undergone an assault in modern time 
 was when Dost Mahomed besieged it 50 years ago, and captured 
 it, by blowing up one of the towers. In fact, the Bala Hissar has 
 been always held as the royal palace, because it was a place suffi- 
 ciently strong to resist the seditious rising on the part of the 
 populace ; and because it afforded place of scrutiny against any 
 sudden outburst of rebellion. It was also very convenient as a 
 prison-house for rivals or refractory vassals. But as a fortress, 
 against the attack of disciplined troops, the Bala Hissar is prac- 
 tically incapable of defence. It will, probably, surrender to us 
 without any attempt being made to defend it. The Afghans, as 
 they have always done before, both in their wars with us and 
 among themselves will evacuate it on the approach of an Eng- 
 lish army. The Cabul river is crossed by three or four bridges, 
 and one of these is in the heart of the Kizilbash quarter of the 
 city. 
 
 The Kizilbashes are of Persian descent. They are supposed to 
 have settled in Cabul in the time of Nadir, although some records 
 date their residence further back. They occupy a quarter of the 
 town separated from the rest of city ; and have always been con- 
 sidered an industrious portion of the community. We had many 
 friends among them during the old occupation ; and the house, 
 
194 LIFE OP 
 
 which Sir Alexander Burnes occupied, was situated close to their 
 quarter. At one time they used to form the body-guard of the 
 Kings, but Barakzais have curtailed their privileges. There is 
 also a large Hindu element in the population ; but the most 
 numerous and the most aggressive class is that of the Afghan 
 nationality, who are termed Cabulese. Cabul is, after Bokhara, 
 probably, the city in Asia, where the fanatical zeal of the Mus- 
 sulmans runs highest. The Mullahs are a numerous and all- 
 powerful class ; and darvishes are met with in great numbers. 
 Cabul is, therefore, a true metropolis. In its bazars are to be 
 seen the numerous tribes of northern Afghanistan, as well as 
 travellers and merchants from Turkestan, Bokhara, Khiva, C&sh- 
 mere, and India. It has nourished on the trade which has been 
 brought to it by these numerous wayfarers. But singular as it 
 may appear, these cosmopolitan advantages have, by no means, 
 modified the natural character of its inhabitants. They are still, 
 as they have ever been, the turbulent Cabulese. It is a matter 
 for regret, that the future of a spot so favoured in every way as 
 this city should have been placed in danger by the fury of its 
 mob ; and that the barbarous act, which has just sullied for a 
 second time its streets, should quite possibly entail upon it the loss 
 of those privileges which it has only possessed for the purpose of 
 abusing them. The greatest punishment that could be inflicted 
 on the Cabulese would be to remove the capital of the State back 
 to the old Durani city of Candahar. 
 
 THE CALCUTTA CORRESPONDENT OF THE TIMES 
 ON INDIA AND AFGHANISTAN. 
 
 THE MISSION STOPPED. 
 
 CALCUTTA, SEPT. 22, 1878. 10-22 P. M. 
 
 OUR relations with the Amir have assumed a very critical 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIB LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 195 
 
 character. The Gabul ruler has at last thrown off every sem- 
 blance even of outward friendliness and courtesy, and has chosen 
 to adopt in preference, an attitude of marked and open hostility. 
 Our special correspondent with the Mission telegraphs, that it 
 left Peshawur yesterday, and proceeded as far as Jumrud, a place 
 on the actual Frontier, though within British territory. Thence 
 it was recalled by a telegram from the Viceroy, and accordingly 
 it marched back to Peshawur. This morning private advices 
 from Simla, upon which absolute reliance can be placed, state 
 that on the Mission being ordered to march to Jumrud, Major 
 Cavagnari rode forward to AH Musjid, escorted by Khyberries 
 in order to ask for a safe passage. The Amir's officer, however, 
 at Ali Musjid positively refused to the Mission to advance. He 
 threatened resistance, and crowned the surrounding heights com- 
 manding the route with armed men in order to dispute the 
 passage. The interview between the Chief and Major Cavagnari 
 lasted three hours ; and though the former was warned over and 
 over again, that the Amir would be deemed responsible for his 
 conduct, he expressed an unflinching determination to resist the 
 passage of the Mission by force. Not the faintest shadow of a 
 doubt is entertained that this officer was acting under full ins- 
 tructions from the Amir, inasmuch as Nufti Shah and Akhor, 
 two responsible officers of the Amir, have been despatched from 
 Cabul to Ali Musjid within the last few days. Both of these 
 officers have been mentioned in Cabul news-letters as favorably 
 disposed towards, and engaged in direct communication with the 
 Russian Embassy. Two important facts require to be noted 
 the first that this insolent rebuff occurred in presence of the two 
 Indian Princes attached to the Mission, who were personal wit- 
 nesses of the interview between Major Cavagnari and the Amir's 
 officer ; the second is that the Russian Envoy is still residing at 
 Cabul. The Mission will be now withdrawn. In view of the 
 long-continued ungracious and hostile conduct of the existing 
 
s a 
 
 196 LIFE OF 
 
 ruler of Afghanistan, aggravated as it is by the present con- 
 temptuous slight offered to our national dignity, all possibility 
 of renewing friendly relations with this uncompromising and 
 morose barbarian is utterly hopeless ; and even if the prospects 
 were still hopeful, their realization could only be accomplished 
 at the complete sacrifice of proper self-respect ; and at the grave 
 risk of very considerable loss of prestige in the eyes of our Indian 
 subjects and of our feudatory Princes. In consequence, there- 
 fore, of the present conduct of Russia, and the future policy for us 
 which this conduct now decisively indicates, and against which 
 fortunately for India, the Government and the English people 
 are most fully and completely warned, this important question of 
 Frontier policy will henceforward cease to be treated from a 
 merely Indian standpoint. It at once travels out of the domain 
 of provincial into that of imperial considerations, and those of 
 the very highest magnitude. No one is more keenly alive than 
 the Viceroy to this new development of the question ; and he clear- 
 ly discerns that it is only by the united efforts and energetic 
 co-operation of the English and Indian Foreign Office, that this 
 dangerously complex state of matter can be finally brought to a 
 satisfactory conclusion. The Indian Government are backed by 
 ample military resources to enable them promptly and severely 
 to punish the Amir for his insulting attitude of disrespect; but the 
 significant fact is fully recognized, that the Ameer is but the 
 puppet, while Russia stands behind as the deus ex maokina. The 
 measures, therefore, to be adopted in view of the Amir's conduct 
 cease to be a question of Indian policy, but are at once resolved 
 into a very serious problem of English foreign politics, which can 
 only be dealt with in strict accordance with the settled principles 
 of the English Cabinet. Meanwhile, the immediate object of 
 the Viceroy is to endeavour to make it clearly understand that 
 we have no cause of quarrel with the Afghan people, and to en- 
 deavour to win over and secure all the border tribes. The 
 
a 
 
 MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.c.B.,C.S.l. 197 
 
 Khyberries have, on the present occasion, behaved well, and have 
 shown every disposition to remain friendly. 
 
 THE LATE LORD MAYO AND SHERE ALL 
 
 THE following conversation between Lord Mayo and the Amir 
 Shere All, took place at the Umballa Darbar in 1869 : 
 
 The Governor- General. " In the name of Her Majesty the 
 Queen of England and Sovereign of India I heartily welcome 
 your Highness." 
 
 The Amir. " I am overpowered by this reception, and will 
 love the British Government all my life." 
 
 G. " I trust that your Highness received proper attention 
 from all Her Majesty's officers j and that the journey was not 
 uncomfortable." 
 
 A. " I have been astonished at the kindness which I have 
 received." 
 
 G." What does your Highness think of the Railway ? It 
 has just conveyed me from Calcutta in forty-four hours." 
 
 A. " The Railway and all that I have seen is wonderful; but 
 the most wonderful thing is your Army." 
 
 G. So renowned a soldier as yourself, will appreciate the 
 Army. His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief will give you 
 every opportunity for further inspecting the troops. I have 
 asked several renowned soldiers to meet you. What do yon 
 think of the Highlanders." 
 
 A." The dress of the Scotch is beautiful, and indeed terrific, 
 but is it decent ?" 
 
198 LIFE OF 
 
 O. " The people from whom these soldiers are recruited, are 
 divided into clans similar to these in Afghanistan 5 and each clans 
 is distinguished by the colors of its tartan." 
 
 A. " In my country the same division exists, but the clans 
 are known by the cut, not the color, of the cloth. 
 
 G. " Your Highness is fond of armies.'* 
 
 A " I should think so. I was born a soldier, and have done 
 nothing but fight for forty -five years." 
 
 G.." Is your Highness fond of hunting ?" 
 
 A. " I have been too busy as a soldier. I leave hunting to 
 others. But my eldest son, Yakub Khan, is a good sportsman." 
 
 O. " You are interested in guns ; you have seen the Snider 
 the Enfield and the Armstrong guns." 
 
 A. " Yes, and we could make them in our country quite as 
 well as you ; but the cartridges are the difficulty. We could not 
 make them." 
 
 G. " You do wrong to depend on England for your supply. 
 How are they made ?" 
 
 If Captain Grey hesitated for a moment in his Persian it was 
 on this occasion, when he evidently found it difficult to find in 
 that language words to express certain of the processes, but the 
 explanation was given to the Amir's satisfaction. 
 
 G. " Your Highness is fond of horses, I have procured 
 some for your acceptance. They are the best I can obtain, but 
 they do not satisfy me." 
 
 A. "That is not wonderful. I never saw a perfect horse. 
 A Turkoman csts from Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 10,000." 
 
 G. We breed good horses occasionally. I have paid atten- 
 tion to the subject." 
 
MAJOR SIR LOUIS CAVAGNARI, K.C.B.,C.S.I. 199 
 
 The Amir replied as if he doubted the possibility of breeding 
 good horses at all, or out of Arabia ; -and asked why Indian 
 officers do not use Arabs as they used to do. The difficulties 
 placed in the way of exportation were explained. 
 
 G. " I hope your boy has been amused ; he is a pretty 
 fellow," (translated by Captain Grew, He has eyes out of which 
 the man shines.'*) 
 
 A. " He is the true stamp of a man (Sikka murdana. He 
 comes of a family of men, 
 
 On this, the presents of fifty-one trays, valued at upwards of 
 half a lac of rupees, were brought in ; and the Earl of Mayo, 
 taking a sword, with jewelled scabbard, presented it to the Amir 
 with his own hands, remarking : " May you be victorious over 
 your enemies and with this defend your just rights I" The Amir 
 replied that he would use it also against the enemies of the 
 Queen of England." 
 
 JHE 
 
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