In accordance with the golden rule of restricting our baggage to the
least possible weight and compass, we allowed ourselves but one pony a
piece for our necessaries, in addition to what were required for our
small tent and cooking utensils, Sturt's surveying instruments being
all carried by Affgh[=a]n porters whom he hired at Cabul for that
purpose.
On the 13th of June we commenced our ramble, intending to proceed
to Balkh by the road through Bamee[=a]n, as we should then have to
traverse the principal passes of the Hindoo Khosh, and our route would
be that most likely to be selected by an army either advancing from
Bokh[=a]r[=a] on Cabul or moving in the opposite direction. The
plundering propensities of the peasantry rendered an escort absolutely
necessary, and ours consisted of thirty Affghans belonging to one of
Shah Soojah's regiments, under the command of Captain Hopkins. As
Government took this opportunity of sending a lac[*] of rupees for the
use of the native troop of Horse-Artillery stationed at Bamee[=a]n,
our military force was much increased by the treasure-guard of eighty
Sipahis and some remount horses; so that altogether we considered our
appearance quite imposing enough to secure us from any insult from
the predatory tribes through whose haunts we proposed travelling. Our
first day's march was merely to make a fair start, for we encamped two
miles north-west of the city in a grove of mulberry-trees, and the
wind, as usual in summer, blowing strong in the day-time, laid the
produce at our feet; so that by merely stretching out our hands, we
picked up the fruit in abundance; for although the sun was powerful,
we preferred the open air under the deep foliage to the closeness of
a tent. During the early part of the night an alarm was raised
throughout our small camp, and as we knew the vicinity of Cabul to
be infested with the most persevering thieves, we naturally enough
attributed the disturbance to their unwelcome visit, but it turned out
to be only one of the remount horses, which having broken away from
his picket was scampering furiously round our tents, knocking over
the chairs, tables, and boxes which had been placed in readiness for
packing outside the tent door. The neighing of the other horses,
and their struggles to get loose and have a fight with their more
fortunate companion, added to the braying of donkeys, barking of dogs,
and groaning of the camels, gave me the notion of a menagerie in a
state of insurrection. The affair looked serious when the animal began
to caper amongst Sturt's instruments, but luckily we secured him
before any damage was done, though for some time theodolites,
sextants, artificial horizons, telescopes, and compasses were in
imminent danger. The worst of an occurrence of this kind is, that your
servants once disturbed never think of returning to rest when quiet is
restored, but sit up for the remainder of the night, chatting over the
event with such warmth and animation, as effectually to keep their
master awake as well as each other. We started next morning at four,
and marched about six miles and a half, the distances being always
measured with a perambulator, the superintending of which gave Sturt
considerable trouble, as it was necessary to have an eye perpetually
on the men who guided it, lest they should have recourse to the usual
practice of _carrying_ the machine, whenever the nature of the ground
made that mode of transportation more convenient than _wheeling_.
This, together with taking bearings, and the other details of
surveying, gave my companion plenty of occupation, not only during the
march, but for the rest of the day when halted.
We were now encamped close to a village called Kulla Kazee, a place of
no very good repute as regarding honesty; indeed, we were well aware
of the predatory propensities of our neighbours; but we seemed
destined to experience more annoyance from the great apprehension of
being attacked which existed amongst our followers, than from any
well-founded anticipation of it; their fears were not totally
groundless, as it must be confessed that to a needy and disorganized
population the bait of a lac of rupees was very tempting.
[*Note: lac, lakh (-k), n. (Anglo-Ind.). A hundred thousand
(usu._ of rupees)_.]
We had chosen a picturesque little garden for our resting place, the
treasure and remount horses with the Sipahi guard being encamped about
half a mile off to our rear. At about eleven at night the European
sergeant in charge of the horses burst into our tent in some
consternation, stating that a large band of robbers were descending
from the adjacent hills to attack the treasure. Sturt immediately
jumped up, and mounting his horse gallopped off to the supposed scene
of action. All was quiet _without_ the camp; _within_ there was a
terrible bustle, which Sturt at last succeeded in allaying by sending
out patrols in various direction, who reported that nothing could be
either heard or seen of the dreaded robbers. Being rather averse to
these nocturnal diversions, especially as they promised to be of
frequent occurrence, I made careful inquiries to ascertain if there
were any real foundation for the alarm, but all I could learn was,
that the neighbourhood had always been noted for robbers, who hasten
towards the point upon the report of any party worth plundering
passing near any of their forts. Possibly some robbers had gained
intelligence of our treasure, and had actually appeared on the hills,
but on discovering the strength of our party had retired.
The next day our route lay through delicious fields of ripening
clover, in such profusion that the air was impregnated with its
agreeable perfume, to a small fort called Oorghundee, remarkable
chiefly for being the head-quarters of the oft-mentioned thieves, of
whom I daresay the reader is as tired as we were after the mere dread
they inspired had caused us to pass two sleepless nights. But we were
now determined to assume a high tone, and summoning the chief of the
fort, or, in other words, the biggest villain, into our presence,
we declared that in the event of our losing a single article of our
property or being annoyed by a night attack, we would retaliate in the
morning by cutting the surrounding crops and setting fire to the fort!
The military reader, especially if conversant with some of the
peculiarities of eastern discipline, will question how far we should
have been justified in carrying our threats into execution. I can
assure him we had no such intention; but be that as it may, our
threats had the desired effect, and at length we enjoyed an
uninterrupted night's rest.
On the morning of the 16th we proceeded to Koteah Shroof, the whole
distance being about ten miles: but the first three brought us to the
extremity of the beautiful valley through which we had been travelling
ever since we left Cabul. The aspect of the country in the immediate
vicinity of our path has been well described by one of the most
lamented victims to Affghan ingratitude and treachery. "If the reader
can imagine," writes Sir Alexander Burnes, "a plain about twenty
miles in circumference, laid out with gardens and fields in pleasing
irregularity, intersected by three rivulets which wind through it by
a serpentine course, and dotted with innumerable little forts and
villages, he will have before him one of the meadows of Cabul." To
complete the picture the reader must conceive the grey barren hills,
which, contrasting strongly with the fertility of the plains they
encompass, are themselves overlooked by the eternal snows of the
Indian Caucasus. To the English exile these valleys have another
attraction, for in the hot plains of Hindoostan artificial grasses are
rarely to be found, and the rich scent of luxuriant clover forcibly
reminds the wanderer of the sweet-smelling fields of his native land.
But these pleasing associations were soon dispelled by the steep and
rugged features of the pass through which we ascended on leaving the
plain. It is called the Suffaed K[=a]k or White Earth, and we found by
the barometer, that the gorge of the ravine was about a thousand feet
above our last encamping ground. The hills on either side were ragged
and abrupt, but of insignificant height: the length of the pass itself
was about two miles, and from its head to Koteah Shroof the road was
stony and difficult; but, as we had been careful at starting not to
overload our baggage animals, they got through their work without
being much distressed.