On the 13th of July we bade adieu to our friend Shah Pursund Kh[=a]n,
who accompanied us a short distance on our way, after in vain
endeavouring to induce us to remain with him for some time longer,
this we could not accede to, but promised, if our time permitted, to
pay him a lengthened visit on our return. We had a long march this
day, the distance being nearly eighteen miles; but our beasts of
burden were much the better for their day's halt, and, the greater
part of the road being a descent, we reached Rhoeh, where we pitched
our tents, in very good time. The first few miles were along the
delightful valley of the Doaub, which we reluctantly quitted, and
after crossing a low ridge descended through broken country till we
reached the foot of the hills, where I observed for the first time
a genuine Tartar krail, composed of a number of small black blanket
tents fastened to a kind of wattle. In the plain of Rhoeh is a small
mud fort in a dilapidated state, and uninhabited; the village itself
was not of any importance, the habits of the people being evidently
migratory.
The Jerboa is a native of this country as well as the steppes of
Tartary, where it is most commonly found in the shrubless plains;
in form it is a miniature of the kangaroo, to which in some of its
peculiarities it bears a close resemblance, though in size it is very
little larger than our common English rat. The name of the "Vaulting
Rat," by which it is known among naturalists, is very applicable.
These little animals burrow deeply in the ground, and the method of
dislodging them adopted by us was the pouring a quantity of water into
their holes, which causes them to rush out at another aperture, when
they commence leaping about in a surprising manner until they observe
another burrow and instantly disappear. If chased, they spring from
the hind quarters, darting about here and there, and affording great
amusement to the pursuers. It is difficult to hold them, as they are
rarely grasped without losing a portion of their long and beautiful
tails. The forelegs are much shorter than the hind ones, the ears are
very large and silky, and the eye surpassingly black and brilliant.
It is a harmless animal, and no doubt when tamed would be perfectly
domesticated.
Nothing of interest occurred either this day or the next, which
brought us, after another dreary march of seventeen miles, to the fort
and village of Koorrum. For nearly the whole distance between Rhoeh
and Koorrum not a drop of water is procurable; as we had not provided
against this contingency, we suffered in proportion. Altogether this
part of the road offers considerable obstacles to the progress of an
army, from its numerous ravines and steep though short ascents and
descents, which would be very difficult for artillery; I should, from
a cursory glance at the country, imagine that these steep pitches
might be avoided by a more circuitous route, though the one we pursued
was the beaten track for the caravans, and they generally find out the
most convenient passage. The approach to Koorrum was pretty, but the
scenery was of a character with which we were now so familiar that
its peculiar beauties did not perhaps impress us as much as when they
afforded the additional charm of novelty. A succession of walnut,
apricot, mulberry, and apple trees shaded our path, which lay through
extensive orchards, carpeted with beautiful turf. The vines clung to
the sycamore trees; and where the spade had been at work, corn and
artificial grasses grew in abundance. Our next halting place was
Sarbagh, where we arrived on the 15th, after marching through a
pleasant and fruitful valley, flanked by parallel belts of mountain
land, the agreeable verdure relieving the eye from the barrenness of
this, I may call it, parietal range. The ornamental trees which fringe
the banks of the Koollum river, as it gracefully pursues its course to
the Oxus, had altogether a very picturesque appearance.
The son of Baber Beg, the chief of Heibuk, was at this time residing
at Sarbagh, and shewed us every possible attention, sending us sheep,
fowls, corn, flour, fruit, and every article required for about
seventy people. It was very gratifying to us to find that we were
treated by the Uzbeg chiefs in so friendly a manner, as we had some
misgivings lest our being unprovided with any letters from influential
men in C[=a]bul, might create unfavourable surmises amongst a
half-savage and naturally suspicious race. Doubtless we gained a large
portion of attention and civility from the idea which pervaded all our
hosts that we were great hakeems, _physicians_, and if we chose,
could relieve the human body from every illness whether real or
imaginary--and I was glad to remark that the latter class of ailment
was by far the most common. Still, some diseases were very prevalent,
particularly those which may be considered as induced by a total
absence of cleanliness. Sore eyes were very common here, as in
Affghanist[=a]n, and our powers and medicine chest were sometimes
rather too severely taxed by importunate applicants, who never would
apply the remedy in the manner described, unless it was administered
upon principles which they understood, and which was in accordance
with their own reasoning. In C[=a]bul, the medical officers were the
only class of Europeans allowed an entrance to the harems of the rich,
when they were expected after feeling the pulse of some Cashmerian
beauty to pronounce her malady, and effect her cure forthwith. The
lords of the creation too, debilitated from early dissipation or a
life of debauchery, sued for remedies and charms, which, alas! are
only to be found in the hundredth edition of a work known by its
mysterious advertisement in the columns of a London newspaper.
On the 16th, after a long march of twenty-two miles, we approached
Heibuk through the same kind of scenery as the preceding day; on
rounding a projecting ledge of rock we saw that fortress in the
distance, on an insulated eminence adjacent to a low range of hills.
Meer Baber Beg has placed his fortress in a very respectable state
of defence, quite adequate to repel the desultory inroads of his
predatory neighbours; but commanded by and exposed to enfilade from
the hills about it, on one of these hills he has built a tower as a
kind of outwork, but it is very weak and of insignificant size.
The only thing worth seeing near Heibuk is the Tukt-i-Rustum or Throne
of Hercules, which we accordingly visited, and found it to be a
fortification of no very great extent on a most uncommon principle,
and of unknown date. The best idea I can convey to the reader of its
shape, is by begging him to cut an orange in half, and place its
flat surface in a saucer; he will then have a tolerable model of the
Tukt-i-Rustum. We entered by a narrow gallery piercing through the
solid mass of rock which forms the outer wall or saucer, and leading
by an irregular flight of steps to the summit of the orange. I
instituted many enquiries concerning the origin of this place, but
I could obtain no information; not even a legend beyond that it was
holy. We were accompanied by one of the chief's sons, a fat jolly
youth of about four-and-twenty, with a countenance that was a type of
his good humour--he sat with us for some time whilst we were at our
toilette, but affected to be somewhat shocked at the very scanty
clothing which we considered sufficient while our Bheesties poured the
contents of their mussocks[*] over us. It was rather amusing to hear
the remarks of the bystanders, who seemed to view cleanliness as
a consideration very secondary to etiquette. It would have been
fortunate for us if I could have persuaded our criticising friends to
try on their own persons the advantage of a dash of fresh water, for
they were without exception the most filthy race it has ever been my
misfortune to meet; their garments teem with life, and sometimes,
after merely sitting on the same rug placed to receive visitors, I
have been under the necessity of making a fresh toilette.
[* Note: Skins of water.]
Meer Baber Beg was a great man in these parts, and kindly sent us
three sheep, with fowls, flour, fruits, and grain in abundance,
intimating, at the same time, his intention to pay us a visit in the
evening. He came accordingly, and favoured us with his presence for a
considerable time. He seemed an intelligent man, but in a very infirm
state of health, and quite crippled from rheumatism. One would hardly
have supposed, while admiring his pleasing features, which expressed
so much benignity, that when on the throne of Koollum he had been such
a bloody tyrant; yet such was the case;--though the hereditary ruler
of Koollum and its dependencies, he had by his brutality made himself
so obnoxious, that he was deposed by his own subjects headed by his
younger brother, and dare not now shew his face on his paternal
estate.
This corpulent son whom I have before mentioned brought a
double-barrelled percussion gun for my inspection, and requested that
I would test its qualities on some pigeons that were flying about;
I was fortunate enough to bring down a couple on the wing, but was
somewhat mortified to find that the burst of admiration which followed
my feat was entirely confined to the weapon, which, together with the
donor, Dr. Lord, was praised to the skies, whilst no kind of credit
was given to my skill in using it.
We halted at Heibuk on the 17th, as the Meer requested we would stay a
day with him before putting ourselves in the power of the dreaded Meer
Walli of Koollum. At first he endeavoured to persuade us to abandon
our project of proceeding further, but, finding us determined, he
contented himself with relating every possible story he could remember
or invent concerning the many acts of cruel treachery which the
Meer Walli had perpetrated, and concluded by an eulogium on his own
manifold virtues.
During the course of the day a Hindoo from Peshawur peeped cautiously
into my tent, and, on my inquiring his business, he approached, and
with many salaams, laid a bag of money at my feet; rather astonished
at so unusual an offering, I requested to know the cause of this act
of generosity, and I was informed that it was a "first offering," or,
in other words, a bribe to propitiate me, in the hope that I would use
my influence to get the Hindoo out of the clutches of Meer Baber Beg.
The story he told me was, that some years back he came to Heibuk to
trade, and having made a little money was packing up his property
preparatory to his departure, when he was suddenly ordered into the
Meer's presence. "Friend," said this benign ruler, "stay here a
little longer; it is not right that, having made a sum of money in my
country, you should spend it in your own." Since then, he added, he
had been ill-treated and robbed several times to satisfy the rapacity
of this wicked monster; and then, as if frightened at his own
expressions, he peered cautiously round the tent, apparently fancying
the Meer himself would start from behind the screen to punish him for
his audacity. I returned him his 250 rupees, but told him if his story
were true I would use what little influence I possessed to procure his
release. When Baber Beg came to pay us his evening visit I broached
the subject, and requested as a favour that the Hindoo might be
permitted to accompany our party as a guide and interpreter. "If you
will take my advice," said he, "you will have nothing to say to the
scoundrel, who will come to a bad end: he has been deceiving you; but
if, after my warning, you still wish to have him as a guide, take him
by all means."
Accordingly I took him, but in justice to the Meer's discrimination of
character it must be owned that my protegé, as soon as he considered
himself safe from the Meer's indignation, proved himself to the
full as great a scoundrel as he had been represented. The following
morning, before taking our departure, Sturt presented to the Meer's
youngest son a handsome pair of percussion pistols, for which the
father seemed so very grateful that I could not help suspecting he
intended to appropriate them to his own use as soon as we were well
away.
On leaving the fortress of Heibuk we passed through a very extensive
cultivated district, the principal produce being the grain which in
Hindoostan is called jow[=a]r. The remaining portion of our journey to
Hazree Soolt[=a]n, which was a distance of eighteen miles, was nothing
but a barren waste with occasional patches of low jungle. We were now
evidently on the farthest spur of the Hindoo Khoosh; the hills were
low and detached, gradually uniting into the endless plain which
bounded the horizon to the north and west. On the road we met a
messenger who was on his way to Sir Alexander Burnes at K[=a]bul,
having come from Bokhara, bearing a letter from the _Vakeel_, or
native ambassador, whom Sir Alexander had sent some time back to
endeavour, by persuasion or stratagem, to effect the release of our
unfortunate countryman, Col. Stoddart. The courier, who had received
the account from the Vakeel, whether true or false he could not
inform us, stated "that Col. Stoddart accompanied the Persian army to
Her[=a]t, and finding they could not make the desired impression
on the walls, raised the siege, and the Colonel left the army and
proceeded across to Bokhara, whether to endeavour to effect the
release of the Russian slaves, (there being many in the dominions of
the Bokhara King,) or merely for amusement, he could not say; but that
the latter was the generally received opinion. On approaching the city
of the tyrant king he met a man riding furiously away with a woman,
and as she passed, called out to the Colonel Amaun, Amaun! mercy,
mercy! whereupon he immediately galloped up to the ravisher, and
securing the deliverance of the woman, told her to keep under his
protection until he entered the city. On the first day after
his arrival the King passed as the Colonel was riding on
horseback, and although the latter gave the salute usual
in his own country, it did not satisfy the ruler; moreover, he, the
Feringhi, was on horseback without permission, and therefore the Khan
ordered him the following day into his presence. Messengers the next
morning were sent, who abruptly entered the Colonel's house, and
finding he would not willingly submit, dragged him before their chief.
He was asked, why he had infringed the customs of the country by
riding on horseback in the city, and why he did not pay the recognised
submission to the ruler of a free country? The reply was, that the
same compliment had been paid to the King of Bokhara as was customary
in Europe to a crowned head. And why have you presumed to ride on
horseback within the city walls, where no Feringhi is allowed? Because
I was ignorant of the custom. It's a lie; my messengers ordered you
to dismount and you would not. 'Tis true, they did order me and I did
not, but I thought they were doing more than their duty. After this
the King ordered him into confinement, where he now is."
The courier, after giving us this information, remarked that he
was penniless, and that as his business concerned the safety of a
countryman, he hoped we would assist him. Though we were not quite
satisfied with the man's story, we stood the chance of its being true,
and furnished him with funds for the prosecution of his journey,
for which, on our return to Cabul, we were kindly thanked by Sir
Alexander, who informed us that the note from the Vakeel conveyed the
intelligence of the failure of his endeavours, and that he had himself
been put in confinement.
At the time of which I am writing both Dost Mahommed Kh[=a]n and his
notorious son Akbar were prisoners at Bokhara; but the means taken
by _their_ friends to release them were more successful than those
adopted by our politicals at Cabul. It appears that the chief at Shere
Subz had for some time been at enmity with his Bokhara neighbour, and,
wishing to do Dost Mahommed a good turn, he picked out fifty of the
most expert thieves in his dominions--a difficult selection where the
claims of all to this bad preeminence were so strong--but the Shere
Subz chief was from experience a tolerable judge of the qualifications
of an expert rogue, and having pitched upon his men, he promised them
valuable presents, provided they effected, by whatever means they
might choose to adopt, the release of the Dost; hinting at the same
time that if they failed he should be under the necessity of seizing
and selling their families. The thieves were successful, and at the
expiration of a month the Dost was free.
If we could have interested the chief of Shere Subz in our favour by
presents and fair words, might not the same means have been employed
for the rescue of poor Stoddart? The only way to deal with a ruffian
like him of Bokhara would have been by pitting against him some of his
own stamp.
The King of Bokhara has several times endeavoured to coerce the
Shere Subz's chief, but the instant a hostile force appears on his
frontiers, the latter causes the whole of his country to be inundated,
so that the invader is obliged to retire, and is by this stratagem
kept at a respectful distance.
Another traveller came across us this day, who had resided for some
years at Kok[=a]n, and furnished us with some account of the nature of
the Chinese garrison of that fort. It is situated on an isolated rock,
and every five years relieved with men, provisions, and ammunition;
the flanks of the bastions are armed with ponderous wall pieces,
requiring three men to work them. Chambers are also bored in the live
rock, from whence enormous masses of stone might be discharged on an
assailing foe. The Kok[=a]nese have often attempted to dislodge the
intruders, but owing to the good state of defence in which the fort
is kept, and the strong escorts under which the reliefs are regularly
forwarded, they have been always repulsed with severe loss. My
informant had been in the service of the Kok[=a]nese, and was now on
his way to Hindoostan; in military notions he must have been of the
famous Captain Dugald Dalgetty's school, for I afterwards met him as a
non-commissioned officer in Shah Seujah's Goorkah battalion.