under charge of Moollah Peer Mahomed, the Qazee of Jawan Sher, and Dost Mahomed of Jawan Sher, to Sirdar Dost Mahomed Khan. (60)

1824.-27. The whole of the country of Cabool was, now, divided into five unequal portions, and possessed by each brother, according to his means and pretensions, viz. 1st. The territory of the Ghiljies was held by Jubbar Khan.

2nd. The Kohistan and Koh-i-Damun, together with one half of Cabool, by Dost Mahomed Khan.

3rd. Sukar, Loghur, and the other half of Cabool by Sooltan Mahomed Khan, and Yar Mahomed Khan.

4th. Jellalabad, by Mahomed Zeman Khan.

5th. Ghuznee, by Ameer Mahomed Khan. For two years this arrangement lasted.

1826. At this time Dost Mahomed Khan, combining with Habeeb Oollah Khan, compelled Sooltan Mahomed Khan to retire from Cabool; and made himself sole master of that place.

He also deprived his brother, Jubbar Khan, of the Ghiljie country, and Mahomed Zeman Khan of Jellalabad.

At the request of Habeeb Oollah Khan, Dost Mahomed conferred Sukar on him; he held it only for six months, was deprived of it, and turned out of Cabool.

Habeeb Oollah Khan proceeded to Peshawer, where Yar Mahomed Khan settled on him an annual allowance of 50,000 Rs. (£5,000), which he held till the death of Yar Mahomed Khan. (61) Habeeb Oollah Khan quitted Peshawer, and went to Mahomed Zeman Khan, the Ruler of Jellalabad; where he incited the Bujor tribe to espouse his cause; and prepared to take vengeance upon Sooltan Maho

(60) Yar Mahomed Khan despatched all his troops commanded by his younger brother, Peer Mahomed Khan, to Peshawer; while he himself and Sooltan Mahomed Khan, remained at Cabool.

(61) Slain in the action with Syud Ahmed (the fanatic) with the Sikhs in 1831; when Sooltan Mahomed Khan ceased to pay the allowance.

med Khan. (62) Being deserted on all sides, on account of his crimes, Habeeb Oollah went towards Candahar to join, it is said, Shah Shoojah; on his arrival at Dera Ismael Khan, Habeeb Oollah became insane and murdered some of his slave girls.

1829.-28. This year Shah Mahmood died at Herat (63) and was succeeded by his son, Shah Kamran, who now reigns there.

1830. This year Syud Ahmed, the fanatic made his appearance in Cabool, and was treated by Dost Mahomed with the respect he thought his avocations (64) ought to secure for him. He retired to Peshawer where he was joined by Sultan Mahomed Khan, (65) Yar Mahomed Khan also joined him, and several engagements took place with the Sikhs.

1831. This year Syud Ahmed was killed in an action with the Sikhs; and thus terminated the religious warfare. 1832. This year Sir A. Burnes went to Cabool (in the progress of his travels into Bokhara) and for the first time became acquainted with Dost Mahomed Khan, and his brother Jubbar Khan.

1833. On the 17th Feb. 1833, Shah Shoojah left Loodianah on his second expedition to endeavour to recover his throne. In the month of May he obtained possession of Shikarpoor, with the consent of the Ameers of Sindh.

1834. Shah Shoojah (66) fought a very severe action

(62) In the mean time, Habeeb Oollah fell in love with his brother's wife. In order to become possessed of the object of his heart, he took the life of his brother, by poison; which atrocious crime roused the indignation of the people who had joined his party; and they refused supporting his cause any longer.

(63) I thought he had been blinded; but it is said that he never lost his sight.

(64) A religious war against the Sikhs as infidels. He had proclaimed a religious war before in India.

(65) Who had been ejected from Cabool by Dost Mahomed.

(66) Having been refused money (he had already sold many of his jewels) by the Ameers, he threatened to plunder Shikarpoor and Larkhana.

with the Sindhians, on the 9th January, 1834, seven kos from Rohree. The Sindhians lost 1,370 horse and foot soldiers. On the Shah's side a considerable number were killed and wounded. The army of the Talpoorians fairly fled from the field of battle, and the Shah got possession of Shikarpoor. (67)

The Shah, then, marched to Candahar, where he was defeated on the 2nd July, by Dost Mahomed Khan, (68) and was obliged to fly, and take refuge at Khelat.

About the end of this year (69) Dost Mahomed Khan assumed the title of "Ameer Shah Ghazee," and offered the viziership to Nuwab Jubbar Khan. (70)

1835. The Shah was expected to go to Bombay, and that Government was authorized, in such case, to give a Zeafut of 100 Rs. a day. (71)

(67) They consented to a pecuniary aid of five or seven lakhs rupees in preference to hazarding another battle; and to farm Shikarpoor from the Shah. See Shikarpoor, Chapter II. Before going to Sindh it is said that Shah Shoojah threatened the Ameers (privately, through Meer Ismael Khan) that if they did not immediately accede to his request (demand of Shikarpoor) it was his intention to transfer his undoubted sovereignty over Sindh to his faithful allies the British! Dr. Burnes's visit to Sindh, p. 151. Sindh paid to Cabool a tribute of fifteen lakhs Rupees (£150,000).

(68) Who came from Cabool to the assistance of his brothers. Had not Mr. Campbell, the Commander of the Shah's Hindostanee troops been wounded, the king would have won the battle: but this event threw all into confusion. The Shah lost all hope, and fled, and the army dispersed. The Dost said that the Shah lost 4,000, and that the Affghans lost 7 or 800 men only; but, that had the Shah remained on field he (the Dost) must have lost the battle. See the account in Chapter V.

(69) Reported on the 17th January, 1835.

(70) Which I believe he declined. See the account of his arrival at Ghuznee in July, 1839. Chapter IX.

(71) Equal to three-fourths of the allowance he received at Loodianah. The Govt. of India reported to the Court of Directors the failure of the expedition as quite unexpected; "As the army of the Shah was known to be superior, both in numbers and in discipline, to the Barukzye troops, the most confident expectations were entertained of his success."

This year Dost Mahomed Khan sent a mission to Persia, the object of which has since been made manifest. Had it been to seek protection, he had, in 1837, an opportunity of seeking it from the British, instead of from the Persian Government. This year, also, Abdool Ghias Khan, son of Nuwab Jubbar Khan came to Loodianah, under the sanction of the Government of India; and the Home authorities approved of his hospitable reception. (72) Such a measure was a proof of the desire of the British Government to cultivate terms of friendship with the ruler of Affghanistan; free from all distrust arising from the residence of his nephew at our frontier post. (73)

1837.-29. This year Sir A. Burnes was sent on a mission of a purely commercial nature to Cabool, (74) but affairs took a political turn, the result of which proved that Dost Mahomed Khan was determined to adhere to his Persian alliance; and which caused the mission to leave his court.

1838.-Lt. Leech had in 1837 been sent to Canhadar on a commercial mission which, like that to Cabool and from the same cause, was converted into one of a Political cast. In 1838, he was sent to Khelat.

This year the Persian army was before Herat, but owing to the remonstrances of the British Govt., the king withdrew from the siege of that fortress on the 9th Sept., though the event was not known to the Govt. of India till the 22nd of October. On the 1st of October the Govr. Genl. of India published his Proclamation, declaratory of the object of the expedition into Affghanistan.

When Dost Mahomed Khan heard of the retreat of the Persians, he was absorbed in thought and speculation; always engaged in holding consultations. He was engaged with the chief Koondooz. At one time he stopped the march of his troops to Jellalabad; and then he recalled his son and party from Balkh.

(72) A village was, I believe, assigned for his support.

(73) Whence he, or his instructor, might have conveyed intelligence, which the jealousy of many Govts. desires to conceal. (74) Major Leech and Dr. Lord accompanied him.

On the 10th Dec. 1838, the " Army of the Indus" marched from Ferozpoor.

1839. On the 26th of April, 1839, Shah Shoojah arrived at Candahar. On the 8th of May he was installed in that city. On the 23rd July the fortress of Ghuznee was carried by assault; on the 6th he arrived at Cabool, which he entered in triumph, on the 7th of August, 1839. (75)

Thus, after having been the ruler of Cabool for 13 years, Dost Mahomed Khan's ambition lost him the power, to attain which had occupied as many years; and which he might have retained, had he possessed the prudence of his brother Nuwab Jubbar Khan, who advised him "to cultivate friendly relations with the British Govt." (76)

Affghanistan was governed by the kings for about 62 out of the 92 years since the foundation of the empire by Ahmed Shah in 1747; (77) so that there have been 30 years of anarchy; a longer period than falls to the fate of other empires. It is now but the shadow of its former greatness. But time and good Govt. will, I hope, restore it to tranquillity and prosperity.

30. Character of Dost Mahomed Khan.-Dost Mahomed Khan came to power in troubled times, when each man's hand was raised up against his neighbour. He tried to propitiate the soldier more than the citizen,—a course which can never last beyond a time of warfare. Though liberal in his commercial policy, his exigencies made him

(75) The first time on the 13th July, 1803.

(76) Azeez Khan (brother-in-law of the Dost) a Ghiljie chief, wrote in October, 1838, that Dost Mahomed repented of having dismissed Capt. Burnes. He preferred the policy of Capt. Vikovitch. I am very incredulous as to this gentleman having committed suicide, because his acts were renounced by his Govt. My belief is that his was only a civil and diplomatic death; and that he enjoys a pension under some other cognomen. I am no politician; but the corps diplomatique is anti-suicidal ; and one of its members can enjoy a pension under a change of name.

(77) Ahmed Shah 1747 to 1773. Timoor Shah 1773 to 1793. Shah Zeman from 1793 to 1801. 1801 to 1803, disputed succession. Shah Shoojah 1803 to 1809. 1809 to 1839 anarchy, rebellion and confusion.