The Sun. — London, England, 1842-04-18 00:00:00

r +- ' A FFGHANISTAN. _ .1 0 O U*NII.III4XES OF APFGHAPTISTAIV. 1 . The boundari es are difficult to be fi x ed : no d e fi n it e ll* of d emarcat i on ex i st i ng , e i t h er po li t i ca ll y or na !orally, and constant warfare between the frontier tribes eal lsing a continual fluctuation. Affghanistan, in the era of its greatest prosperity, extended to sixteen degrees of longitude from Sirhind, about 150 miles from Delhi to A feslied, an d a b out t h e same di stance f rom t h e C asp i an s In breadth it extended from the Oxus to the Per -51411 Gulf, a space of 910 miles ; but its territories have S overeign greatly reduced by war, and the authority of the . • ° vereign irregularly acknowledged. In defining the ; ) r e r egttlar limits of this diminished 'kingdom it should t Pl)einised th a t, from the east of Bengal, in lon. 90 deg. 2,lierat in lat. 62 deg., a vast chain of mountains, w hich tower above the level of perpetual snow, extends 44 (litr_the n ame s o f the'Himalaya, Hindoo Coosh, and o a ropamisus. The country of the Affghans is bounded the north by this great mountain-wall, which, from C ashmere, th e eas t ern li m it o f Aff g h an i s t an , t a k es a sou th-. w e st direction as far ag the snowy peak of Hindoo r"osh, nearly north of Caubul,- from which the whole tnge derives it s name. From this peak, the same r 'ultin, with a lower declination, extends westward, under the name of the Paropamisan Mountains, 350 miles to Herat, and - thus completes the northern boun ,rY to Afikhanistan. On the east, the Indus is the bo undary g so log as the riper continues near the hills, whi c h is as far as lat. 32 deg. 20 min. The plain on the western bank of the river to the south of this is inha bited, not by the Affghans, but by the Belooehees, an in . "Pendent t r ibe, a nd i n t erv ene s bet w een th e Aff g h an rrritory and the river. The Soliman Mountains, there 2re, whi c h area b ranc h f rom th e Hi n d oo C oos h, runn i ng th-south-ea s t along the course of the Indus, with their Z_Nordinate ranges, and the plain immediately at their r ° s e, 4re included in the country of the Affghans, and tp,l4:here its eastern boundary. In lat. 29 deg. north, "ere the Soliman Mountains terminate, this plain : t ends westward, and has new boundaries. On the :tends it has hills which stretch east and west, atlls right angles to the Solilnan range, and those term the southern boundary of Affghanistan, sepa rating it from the low and hot plain of Cutch Gundawa Seweestan, on the south. The southern frontier of tea Affghan country is extremely irregular. Before ; 4 ehing the table-land of Khelat, in long. 66 deg. east, it t e : . l ,edes towards the north, and extends west as far as the IZert, which separates it on the north-west from Persia. -4 Affghans have no general name for their country ;It that of Affghanistan, which was probably first ern tlied in Persia. It is frequently used in books, and is „AUnknown to the inhabitants. It is sometimes known tiler the appellation of the kingdom of Caubul. 1 MOUNTAINS AND ASPECT or APPGHANISTAN. Offghanistan, to the west of the Soliman Mountains, t '', ich form an eastern barrier, may be described gene ' t a `, l Y as a table-land, lying higher than most of the 4 i ghbouring countries. The title of table-land, how , ,er, applied to Affghanistan, must not be understood in pin other sense than that it is raised above the level of h bi n surrounding. regions ; for so far from its being a Vin, it is of the most diversified surface, being every heretlth ainntde"heicgtheedstwirtahngeleliinsscooif-emreodli w nt i a th ins s , no w w hic a h t di rge 4 i ls ge in different directions from the main ridge of ito 'Woo Coosh. This grand mountainous chain is a 1 4 n tiouation of the great Himalaya ridge, which it rivals t a e grandeur and elevation ; from the elevated plains f g o eY are seen on the north in four distinct ranges. The f 3°ll B, and souse of its peaks rise to the height of 20,493 litit i : f et, being conspicuous from Bactria, from the borders i i. ladia,_ and from placesn "TeaTrtary, at the amazing ti l , st4 nce V . 250 miles. stupendous heights of 1 4 : . ,5e mountains," says Elphinstone, " the magnificence !I,,i'iovariety of their lofty summits, the various nations by ti t to they are seen, and who seem to be brought toge- 1 4 ,.7 I) / this common object, and the awful and undis 14r,e solitude which reigns amid their eternal snows. :1 1 „ the mind with an admiration and astonishment which k;„ l4 oguage can express." Of this complicated mass of li 4 ll ntains, the ridges branch off southward, in irregular t o ", to the distance of 60 or 70 miles, when they decline i ve a. lower l eve l, an d th ese r id ges are s e p ara t e d by inter 10ing valleys, each of which is watered by a river flow 'kg down the southern declivity of the Hindoo Coosh ki:nntiiins into Caubul, which, after an easterly course L,..• ng th e b ase o f th e moun t a i ns , o f a b ou t 350 m il es , IQ'S the grea t In*. These valleys, or glens, all open 14 0 t ri the south into the great Valley of Caubul ; the n atry lower down is fertile and delicious. The narrow Ft:d alluvial plain at the bottom, through which the river 4 3, is highly productive. The valley of the river o,,nt, which may be taken as a sample of all the others, ,V,gs two harvests, and produces most sorts of grain, I ltn mulberries, fruits, and planes. 14 4restward from the Indus, about 150 miles, an im ittlise curve or angle projects southward from the ' mom -4 barrier of the country into the interior, to the dis tkl,Lee of 70 miles, when the snowy mountain abruptly c'eads into the ow and hot plain of Jellalabad. The rthen resumes its westerly course, forming the °!ttstan, or high lands of Caubul, a well-watered and i t : t rill country. The Paropamisan chain bounds this 4 ; 4 , 4 7 on the west, and forms a range of mountains, ' 1 ... en afford a habitation to some wandering and preda p:lY tribes. This description applies to that portion of Il i ti o ti trY from east to west, which extends southward at 100 or 150 m il es f rom the Hindoo Coosh monn -111,4,* rage this the aspect of the country is varied il l e of the Soliman mountains, which, coin to/I,'cing with Suffaid Coh, or the White Mountains, so led ..-- iN trom the snow with which they are covered at all i t ,'nns, extends south south-west, almost parallel to the o i Ne of the Indus. These mountains decline towards (i t west by l ow e r r id g es, w hich run n e ar ly i n th e same ec , tion as the main ridge ; while other ridges branch off iiiward toward the Indus. The height of these mountains ',really inferior to that of the Hindoo Coosh, but it is still Sh,• 4 t,, as they are covered with snow to the end of spring, ;k e n, in the latitude of 31 degrees, gives a considerable t ot tade. Pe fond the Soliman ridges on the west, the 4hntitry consists, for the moit part, of high and bleak tk st. s, interspersed with moderate hills : in some places ht st r t and ill-cultivated, bare and open, better fitted for kid than the plough, and inhabited by migratory 1 10, 8 of shepherds. The tract, however, watered by the round about Candahar it is fruitful and cultivated; to the It n "' nevertheless, where it recedes from Helmund, it is ' ro plete desert. 1 1 , 11 It OVINCES OF APPONANISTAN. hie, country is divided into 27 provinces, in 18 of ofef , the ro) al authority prevails, and the King's ,11 1 „ 41 ' 8 , the haukims and sirdars, constantly reside. 1 4; 4 '. are Herat, Furrah, Candahar, Ghuznee, Caubul, h r il nean and Ghorebund, Jellalabad, Lughman, Pesha k, ser a I smae l Kh an , D era Ghauzi Khan, Shikar kL,,,C.gewee, Scinde, Cashmere, Chuch Hazareh, Leia, 1 144 40 ultan. Several of these provinces, owing to the k h eetion of the country, have since aspired to inde- Nrc e nee ; and in the other nine the royal authority pr i es little weight. titlO' European name of Affghan, signifying " loud 1, 1 1 th 4 g," is a nick-name given to the people of Caubul ;liL ti i," surrounding tribes. The native name is Pusht ,qie ;.„ .Dialects of the Pushtoo language are spoken by i llii , . l 'toes which are the most numerous, viz. the Cankers, % h 4e ,,' , , and Kheibers ; the people of Caubul speak ''' Persian and Pushtoo. ()1, RIVERS OF ATTGANHISTAN. t l ikti t ,..sidering the extent of the country, and its inter t;" by so many mountains, Affghanistan has few rivers in comparison. For the greater part of t4 ‘ ~ear th ere i s no t one b u t is fordable, except the Indus, qlk,Zlibut its course, and the majority partake of the N4rl4ter of mountain torrents, swelling rapidly and 91 e off, or they are sometimes all drained away for N4,,, l :igation of the fields. The greatest of the Which run - through the west of Affghanistan If ers Helmund or Etymander. This river, liei between the Soliman and Pampa- S . " mountains, rises in the latter, and, running a 1 4 ' - west course of four hundred miles, terminates Sl it lake Seestan. The Urghundaub rises eighty kiles north-east of Candahar, and after passing 4 4 a fey miles of that city, joins the' Helmund. ! r i,, l lever more than 150 yards broad The Turnuk is t4 t i t.s 9 ta ry o f t h e Urghundaub, which it joins about 75 k l i ve West of Candahar : it is a rapid torrent, and re -I.tkriql. the Urgliessaun, %1 and other small rivers : notwith -4X these additions, its stream rather decreases, tl 4 6 oOnstwaccl in the irrigation of the country, or in '4 4. l)4 N:bed and barren sands through which it passes. hrood, which is a larger river than the Urghun lke I.Pies the Helmund after a course of 150 miles. .:,.iirraltrood is a still larger stream ; it has a course l ~kmiles and it is uncertain whether it reaches the ; t i tt s l &Natio, or is lost in the sands. The Lora, which the the sout h of Affghanistan, has a western course k 1 1 ;, 4 1 . 0 e Soliman mountains of 200 miles, where it Is * !r before it reaches the liehnund. -1 117 41 I'D/DITS AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. Indus, which forms the eastern boundary of Aff is.'tan, may be accounted, from its volume of water , b b pi o e length of its course, which has been traced 4!iles from its mouth, and which has its source th t„.i } iglier, ()pup of the greatest rivers in the world. rivers of Affghanistan it alone is navigable, little use is made of it for this purpose. All the 1 4 ( 1 ( )f this country which take their rise in the Coosh mountains are tributary to this great i ,,` 1 1 • The Caubul is the drain of all the waters which '4l 4h " .the southern declivity of the Hindoo Coosh IO tit N I ne• The most important river which i t re ( 1 4 4 15 the Kaushkaur, which has its rise beyond the Coosh range, in the same snowy peak which t F the sources of the Oxus ;it rushes with violence into the valley of the Cau bul t r . X., l l ,'hich it j o i ns a bout 100 miles west of the Indus. „..`jkt ti ,down, the Indus is joined by the Koorum, i i ;,e west. The only river south of this which its WI the Indus is the Gomul, which, however, iiatl t . ' 4 'hen it is swollen by the rains, never reaches 4, 4 4 ,,, eati0n, being generally consumed in the irriga- A t oe country. The Indus is navigable, according 1 p,,„ 4 4 . - Burnes, from Attock to the sea ; this com e • ia distance of about 1,600 miles : the river at this 3 0 miles broad, and the current three and a half 04,7 hou r . Th e w idth at Bukkur, where a bridge h : ,,t;. 111 '‘ l e across the stream, is 1,800 feet : the depth 30 Current three miles and 72 yards per hour. It is it i t•it tki to very sudden rises, and has been known to 2 4 Ni k ,, fall again three feet in a day and a half : the kikii:,Progress of sailing vessels against the stream is Per day. During the dry season, the Indus is N ' 5 feet.deep below the Punjab, and half a mile , tr l , - (0 . -4.w.ATIKENT OT THE ATTGRANS. %Vill t _°P ACTION IN EMERGENCIES. — The rude and materials of a free constitution are presented 1 1, 1, 11 4.4T i w by the political institutions of the Affghans. ‘41,1 in its form of Government, the nation is sup -110 h derive its origin from four tribes, which are di 'l'o t n dsubdivided into inferior clans, until no more ew - families are included in the last subdivision. a ns, who are the chiefs of these tribes, aro elected •in general by the King, while the choice of the people elects the head of one of the inferior divisions. The collection cf the royal revenue, and the raising of the militia are, by the aristocratic tribes, committed to the Khan, and owing to the exercise of these duties, and the emoluments of his office, especially in cases where he presides over a numerous tribe, he derives extensive power and influence. Each inferior division of the tribe has its respective head, and in cases of emergency all the tribes meet together and form a general assembly, called a Jeerga, which, with the Khan presiding over it, deliberates and decides in all matters of public impel tance. The heads of the inferior branches of the tribes hold similar assemblies, which decideon minor matters, and are guided by the same rules as the greater convention. When wars arise among the different tribes, it is the business of the assemblies to provide the means of car rying them on, to concert the plan of operations, or settle the terms of peace. They have the power, along ' with the Khan, to call out the fighting men of the tribe, or they may levy taxes for any purpose of public utility. POWERS OF THE SOVEREIGN AND TaE ZHANS. The Affghan nation, consisting of numerous rude democracies, is formed into one State by the su preme authority of the Sovereign. He is the natural head of the tribe of Dooraunee, the greatQst, bravest, and most civilised in the nation, He has, besides, a general superintendence over the whole kingdom, and may levy troops or money from each tribe for the common defence. But his authority is not equally re ,pected by all the tribes. In the plains around the towns, thioughout a considerable portion of the country, and in all the foreign provinces, he rules with full power, and collects a revenue, and maintains an army, without the aid of the Khans or the popular assemblies. He employs for this purpose officers of his own appoint ment, viz. : 1. A Haukim, who collects the revenue, and commands the mi'itia. 2. A Sirdar, Irho commands the regular troops,. and whose duty it is to enforce submission to the Haukim. 3. The Cauzy, who presides over the administration of justice. 4. The heads of tribes, and under them the heads of the divisions of tribes, act in the revenue and police de partments, under the Haukim and the Sirdar. Where the royal authority is strong, the Khans have comparatively little influence ; but, on the other hand, where it is weak, it is frequently resisted by the power ful influence of the Khans, who form the aristocracy of the land, as their authority is also resisted by the infe rior assemblies ; and it sometimes happens that these assemblies differ with each other about the limits of their own powers ; and hence the democra tic tribes are often involved in dissension by this complicated collision of rival . authorities. In the concerns of some of the tribes the King never inter feres ; he merely levies supplies of money for the public service, which, notwithstanding the presence of one of the royal Sirdars, are frequently withheld or granted ac cording to the discretion of the Khan; and in like manner the Khan and the Cauzy contend with more or less suc cess, according to the state of the King's authority, for the exercise of the judicial power. One or two tribes, such as the Eusofyes, in the eastern corner of the country, set the King at defiance, and boast of their independence. SPIRIT OF CLAtisinr.—The nation being divided into tribes, which continue much unmixed, each under its own peculiar government, and with little interference from the royal power, undergoes, in the spirit of clan ship which prevails, and which is eminently exclusive a continued series of feuds. These clans appear to be but :little attached to their chiefs, but very strongly to their tribe : they ar e j ea l ous o f i n t er f erence , an d their republican _spirit . ha s p reserve d th e coun t r y . from de generating into the ordinary oriental despotism. The reply made to an English traveller, who expatiated on the freedom from alarm, blood, and discord which must ensue from a more steady • government was, " We are content with discord, we are content with alarms, we are content with blood, but we will never be content with a master." AGRICULTURAL CONLIViUNXTY. The agricultural community is divided to five classes of cultivators :,=-• 1. The proprietors, who culti'vate their own lands. 2. Tenants, who pay a rent in money, or in part of ,e produce. 3. Buzgurs, who, like the metayers, are supplied with seed, cattle, the implements of husbandry, and furnish only their labour. 4. Hired labourers; and 5. Villeins, who are the property of the landlord. Landed property . , from the influence of various causes, is more equally divided in Affghanistan than in most other countries. By the operation of the Mahomedan law, which divides the father's property equally among his children, the largest landed estates are soon broken down ; and it also has the effect of rendering these por tions too small for the support of their proprietors, they are consequently sold to thoge who have acquired wealth in public employments, oe : by agriculture or commerce. Hence small proprietors, who cultivate their own lands, either With the aid of their families orlabourers, are nume rous. The number of tenants is not great : some of these subset it to others, who let it to metayers. The common term of a lease is one or two years: the longest is for five. The rent varies from one-tenth to two-thirds of the produce, the latter being the rent of the fertile lands around caubul. The value of land is from nine to twelve years' produce. Labourers. in husbandry are paid by the season, which is about nine montha. They receive besides food and clothing, 30' rupees, equivalent to 31. 10s. In towns the price of labour is 4d. a day with food : in Candahar it is between 6id. and 7d. The price of provisions is moderate. In Candahar, coin of the value of tenpenCe, would purchase five pounds of wheat flour : and at Peshawur, the price of flour to the British mission was 16. pounds for a single rupee of the ♦alue of 2s. 4d. , FEUDALISM OF AFFGISA.NISTA.N. BOld and independent, the Affghan people, for the . most part, spurn the restraints of law, and their govern ment, though it contains in it the elements of. freedom, fails entirely in the great end of securing to the coin-- munity the blessings of good order and peace. Among so great a variety of independent communities, imper fectly controlled by the royal authority, wars arise which are waged with great fierceness, and in which the tumultuary militia of the tribes frequently come to blows, and waste each others territories. Private re venge also, though prohibited by the laws, is sanctioned by practice ; it is accordingly resorted to by all classes, and is accounted the inalienable right of every freeman. Hence family feuds arise, which are not only carried on with bitterness at the time, but being transmitted from generation to generation, produce a long-continued course of violence and bloodshed. Affghanistan, with its bold and turbulent aristocracy, and the rude inde pendence of its . people, presents a lively picture of the state of society in Europe under the feudal system, when every potent baron could defy the authority of the Crown, and when, owing to the private feuds of the nobles, the whole country was frequently one general scene of rude commotion. But the liberty of the Aff ghans, notwithstanding all its disadvantages, is prefer able to a state of despotism. The rude and stormy in dependence which they enjoy gives to the national cha racter a manly and heroic cast, inspires the Affghan with proud and elevated sentiments, and raises him, in point of courage and intelligence. far above the wretched slaves of Asiatic despotism. The Affghan himself, far from desiring to exchange his disorderly independence fur the peace of tyranny, glories in the freedom of his institutions ; and it is well observed by Elphinstone, that a European visiting the country, however he might lament that the inhabitants were trained by their un happy situation to fraud and malice, to rapine, deceit, and revenge, could yet scarce fitil to admire their martial and lofty spirit, their hospitality, and their bold and simple manners, equally. removed from the suppleness of the citizen, and the awkward rusticity of the clown ; and he would probably discover before long, among so many qualities that excited his disgust, the rudiments of many virtues." JUDICIAL INST/ rLT IIONS. The judicial institutions of the Affhans, more espe cially where the royal authority is superseded, as it fre quently is, by that of the Khans, are rude and imperfect. There are no regular tribunals of justice. nor any orga nized system of police. The ,popular assemblies of the tribes, composed of Khans, mulliks, or elders, assisted by moollahs, and even by grave and experienced persons of inferior rank, discharge the functions of judges in crimi nal cases. Petty offences are settled by the elders of the villages in which they occur ; and in loosely governed tribes, every village or subdivision acts for itself. . When the members are assembled, they -hear the accuser's story, and after examining witnesses and other evidence, they proceed to give judgment. The right of private revenge, which is congenial to the habits of a barbarous nation, is but feebly restrained by the judicial tribunals. Among several of the tribes the adjustment of is attempted by mediation and persuasion, to which the chiefs and the elders lend their influence. But if, not withstanding this mediation, the aggressor-refuses com pensation, and the injured party to forgive, the latter is no longer restrained from pursuing his revenge. Among some tribes, the obstinate party is compelled to yield obedience to the award of the Court. The general law of the country is that of Mahomet ; but there is the code of Poosh toon-Wallee, or the peculiar usages of the Affghans, which has all the force .of law. In towns justice is ad ministered by the Cauzy, whd decides both in civil and•criminal cases, aided by the moofties. There is an officer named Ameeni Mehkemeh, who takes charge of all deposits ; and the Darogha of the Adatiut superin tends the whole proceedings. There are also three officers who superintend - the police of the towns. But in the judicial as well as the police departments, the greateSt abuses are said to prevail, and justice is frequently sold to the highest bidder. THE BIOOLMILTIS, o PRIESTS OP ArraHANISTAINT. The Moollahs, or Mahomedan priests, are a most in fluential body, and are regarded by the Affghins with extraordinary reverence. They are most powerful in Peshawur and some other parts. These priests are gene rally taught to read the Persian classics and the Arabic grammar ; after which they repair to Buliharia or Peshawur, or some other seat of Mahomedan learning, where they are initiated in logic, law, theology, and the system of physics in vogue in the East, as well as history, poetry, and medicine, which last is a favourite study. The Moollahs are not so intolerant as Mahome dans generally are; and the people, when they are not in stigated by ti win, are still less disposed to religious perseeu don. Yet they frequently gratify their private enmities by raising a charge of heresy against obnoxious individuals, and exposing them to persecution. In the remote dis tricts of the country an insult to any of these person ages would of itself be sufficient to raise a tumult.. The Hindoos in Affghanistan are allowed the free use of their religlon t though they are prohibited from all reli gious processions or public exppsure of their idols. But among so rude a people, dissenters fvpin th e popular creed can have little security - for their freedom ; anti, among the Afghans, accordingly, there not wanting some cruel examples of religious tyranny. Yet the Hindoos, though they are held to be impure, and though no strict man would consent to eat meat of their dressing, are em ployed in situations of public .trust and emolument, and appear to et - 0y as much' security as the other inhabi tants. There is scarcely a petty community throughout the nation which does not make its own arrangements for the support of the Moollahs, the order of Mahomedan priests, and for the maintenance and reception of stran gers into the tribe, whom it is always reckoned a duty to treat with peculiar attention. POWER OF THE IVIOOLLAYLS. Being entrusted with the education of youth, the prac tice of the law, and the administration of justice, and in possession of all the learning and science which are to be found in the country, the Moollahs take the lead in all the popular assemblies, or in judicial proceedings, and are frequently of use in moderating the violence of an ignorant pe3ple. In s ome c i rcumstances t h ey are enabled, by their superior knowledge and habits of business, to exercise an almost unlimited influence over individuals, and even over bodies of men ; to check and control the governors and other civil officers, 'and sometimes even to control and overawe the power of the Crown itself. But the most powerful sway possessed by them is the hold and auth or i ty which thri possess in the edu cation of the youth of the country. All the Aff glans are sent in their infancy to a Moollah for edu cation, by whom they are frequently taught' nothing more than some prayers and passages of the Koran, and the ceremonies of their religion. A great portion of them consequently remain in a state of great ignorance, and even often unable to read their own language. Mool lahs are retained by the rich in their own houses for the education of their children, by whom they are taught Persian and Arabic. The Ai - khans have no literature of their own, beyond a few patriotic songs or tales of love, of which passion they speak in the most romantic strain. The Mahomedan religion exercises, as usual, its injurious influence on the character and condition of the women, who, especially among the higher classes, are shrouded in concealment. Polygamy is allowed, and any woman may be divorced at the caprice of her hus band. Among the lower classes the women do all the house-drudgery, and, among ruder tribes, the work of the men out-of-doors. SLAVERY.—SIavery is permitted, as in all Mahcmedan countries. The greater part of the slaves are born at home ; but supplies are received of Abyssinians, and negroesfrom Arabia, and of Persians from the inhabi _ tants of Beloochistan, who seize them in their forays. Caufirs are purchased from their own nation, or carried off by some of their own border tribes. These last are generally women esteemed for their beauty. 11.1ANNEn3 OF TUE PEOPLE.—The low state of know ledge among the Affghans is evinced by some of their favourite studies and amusements. They are greatly addicted to alchemy and magic : they place implicit faith in.ghosts, dreams, arts of divination, talismans, genii, and demons. Grown up men play at marbles; prisoners -base,' quoits, and a game like hunt the slipper, are also common, as are wrestling and other trials of strength and skill. Fighting-quails, dogs, rams, and even camels, are much admired. Some of their sports, however, are more manly. The chase is the favourite amusement of all classes, for which abundance of game in, the country affords ample scope. Horse-'racing is common. An amusement of the better classes is to tilt with their lances, or to shoot at a mark with carbines or matchlocks on horseback ; or with guns, or bows and arrows on foot. They also practise a complicated sort of dance, which gives them great delight. THE INDIAN SUN, LONDON, 1842 TRADE AND COMMERCE. Destitute of proper roads or navigable rivers, the trade of Affghanistan, by reason of its being an inland country, and mountainous, is carried on entirely by beasts of burden. Wh ee l e d carriages not being known, camels are the animals Chiefly employed. The principal trade is with India, Periia, and Chinese and Independent Tartan-. The caravans which set out for Tartary con sist of horses or ponies, which are alone able to traverse roads that lie in one part over the mountainous ridges of the Hindoo Coosh. They set off from Cashmere and PeShawur. Caubul is the great mart of Independent Tartary; Candahar and Herat that of Persia. Merchants ordinarily travel at the rate of about eight or ten miles a day in large caravans, the roads often lying through close and craggy defiles and narrow stony valleys, among bare mountains, or along the beds of torrents, or over waste plains, where there is neither water nor provisions. The trade of the north of India centres in Peshawur. That which crosses the desert, from .Typore and other countries still further south, comes to Shikarpoor, Bahawulpoor, and Moultan ; and that which is carried on by sea comes to Koratchee, and thence to Shikarpoor and Candahar. The exports to Hindostan, which form the most considerable trade car ried on by the Affghans, consist of horses and ponies, which chiefly come from Balk, on the northern side of the Hindoo Coosh mountains : furs, shawls, made at Cashmere, and fruits. The imports are coarse cotton cloths, which are worn by all the common people of the country: muslins, silken cloth, brocade, indigo in great quantities, ivory, chalk, bamboos, wax, tin, sandal-wood, sugar, musk, coral, drugs, and spices of all kinds. To Independent Tartary the exports are chiefly white cloth, shawls, India turbans, chintz, and indigo previously ex ported from India. The imports are horses, gold, and silver; the latter consist of the gold coin of Bukharia, Dutch ducats, Venetian sequins, and ingotsof silver from China: cochineal, cloth, British hardware, looking glasses, Russian leather from Bukharia, to which place they come from Russia ; also a fine cloth, made from camel's wool. The exports to Persia are shawls and shawl goods, indigo, carpets of Herat, chintz, Indian_ brocades, muslins, and other cotton cloths. The imports are raw silk. silken stuffs, a coloured cotton manufacture, and silken manufactures, which are used in quantities by all ranks; embroidered satin, velvet, and Persian bro cade. which are confined to the rich. Indian chintz, manufactured at Masulipatam, on the Coromandel coast, comes by sea to .Bushire, in the Persian Gulf, and is thence brought by land to Affghanistan, where it is much used. The . exports to Chinese Tartary are the sante. - --aa 'to "Bnlcharta. The imports are woollens, Chinese silk and sz.tin, tea in small boxes of thin lead, _ _ china, porcelain, raw silk, cochineal, crystal, gold dust, and ingots of gold and silver, with the Chinese stamp. The inhabitants of the towns differ in their origin and character from -the cultivators and peasantry. The greater part of them in the western country consists of a race called Tanjiks, originally descended from the Arabs and Persians ; and in the east of Hindikies, who are of Indian origin. No Affghan ever keeps a shop, or exercises.any handicraft trade. Those employments are chiefly left to the classes mentioned above, and to the Persians, some of whom have acquired great wealth. The banking business is chiefly prosecuted by the Ilin doos. They lend money at an enormous interest by negotiating bills of exchange ; and they occasionally ac commodate Government with loans, for which they re ceive bills on the revenues of the provinces. Many of them are rich, and they conceal their wealth. Mr. Elphinstone relates that one of them who gave him cash for bills-on India, would only make his payments in the dead of night, when he dug up the money, and paid it with the utmost secrecy. The food of the common people is leavened bread, rice, flesh, vegetables, sometimes cheese, and a l wa y s d r i e d cur d s , o f which all classes aro fond. Provisions lire cheap, and there is a prodi gious abundance of fruit. POLICE AND MILITARY. There is a very strict police in the towns, which being exercised by the Mahomedan priests,_ often affords pretexts for extortion ; but thi s body of men is gene rally defective : watchmen are appointed in all large towns, paid by the inhabitants of the different wards. Parties are stationed in dangerous places for the protec tion of travellers, who find, however, the purchase of security from the clans a more efficient guard. The military of Affghanistan may be estimated at 30,000. One-third of these are Gholaums, or military adventurers, who enlist for life; about 10,000 are fur• nished by landholders at a stated rate ; and a large con tingent is supplied by the llooraunee clan, as the condi tion on which they hold their lands. Th e i r so ldi ers are chiefly horsemen, and their arms are swords and match locks. CLANS OF A.IOIOGIZANIST.A.N. . - It would be diffi cu lt t o enumera t e t h e variety of clans into which the Affkhan nation is divided ; nor does it appear necessary, as a list of names would throw no light on the different tribes. One important distinction however divides the community into two great classes— namely, the pastoral tribes, who live in tents, and who migrate with the season in quest of subsistence for their flocks and herds ; and those, again, who follovi , agricul ture, and have fixed .habitations. The country of Aff ghanistan which is near the hills, consists of flat and low lying-plains, or of strongly-marked ranges of mountains. Western Affghanisten has an entirely opposite character, conskting of extensive and open plains, inhabited chiefly by •pastoral tribes. The wandering hordes select the grassy valleys among the mountains ,for their summer habitation ; but the approach of winter warns them to go in quest of more genial regions ; and they accord ingly migrate, some to the lower valleys at the foot of the Paropamisan mountains, some to the low countries in the south, and others of the more purely pastoral tribes, wandering from the mountain-valleys of Khorassan, along the course of the Gomul, and across the Soliman hills, fix their winter habitations in the plains of Damaun. along the western shores of the Indus. THE DOORA uNEEs.--The Dooraunees, who occupy a tract in the plain of Khorassan, 400 miles in length by about 148 in breadth, form one of the greatest pastoral tribes. It consists of many subordinate tribes, all of whom are more or less addicted to the wandering life ; though a considerable proportion combine agriculture with pasturage, and have fixed residences. The pastoral part of the Doorannee people are mostly to be found in the eastern hilly tracts near the frontiers of Persia, between Herat and Seeitan, and in the waste lands to the south. TRIBES IN TIIE VICINITY OF CANDAHAR.—To the south-east of Candahar the inhabitants are shepherds ; in other parts of the country the husbandmen and shep herds are intermixed. North of Canclahar, the mi grating tribes seek the plains in winter, and the hills in summer. Those to the south retire from the summer• heat to the northern hills. The numerous tribes still farther south beyond the Helmond, also quit the plains, which are thus left without a single inhabitant before the middle of spring. THE NAussEits.- - -- - These people, in especial, with some others, are purely pastoral in their habits, living in tents, having no fixed dwelling-place, and regularly wandering with the change of season from their winter to their sum mer habitation. At the appointed time they assemble and march in a body, amounting to 30,000 people, with their numerous flocks and camels; and their whole possessions, and are encamped in about 200 tents. These shepherds are all phinderers, and no single travellers, if they are rich, are safe in any part of the country. They are fierce and warlike in their actions, and enterprising in their habits. ,Their camps usually consist of from 10 to 50 tents : 100 is an unusually large number ; their tent is generally formed of coarse black camlet, imper yiQtp to rainy HISTORY OX' THE .S.TTGRELN NATION. By an historical, but unfounded tradition, the Affghans claim a descent from Irmia or Birkia, son of King Saul of Israel, but the first authentic accounts to be found of them is in the ninth century,when they were established in the mountains of Affghanistan, and when a Tartar officer, named Sebuctaghi, conquered them, and made Ghuznee, or Ghizni, . his capital. Ilis son Mahmood greatly enlarged the limits of his empire, which ex tended over the present kingdom of Caubul, India, Balk,'Baduksban, and a great part of Kherassan. His dynasty lasted till the year 1159, from which period till the invasiop of Baber in 1506, different dynasties reigned in Affghanistan without interruption. Genghis Khan and Tamerlane successively subdued the country. Baber conquered Caubul, and made it his capital ; but his sons, who extended his conquests to India, made Delhi their capital, and the two empires of Persia and Flindostan then divided the plains of Affghanistan. be tween them, while those who refused this yoke, retired to the mountains. In 1720, however, allegiance to Per sia was thrown off by the Affghan tribes, who advanced against Ispahan, and took it, but Nadir Shah repulsed them in 1728, and this celebrated usurper, following up his successes, had, by the year 1737, subdued the whole of Atfghanistan, and extended his power to the Indus, which continued subject to Persia till his assassination in 1747. -On this event an Affghan officer of the Dooraunee tribe, Ahme.l Shah, who had risen to high command in Nadir's army, took possession of Candahar, and having united all the AfFghans under his authority, founded the present kingdom. This Prince was wise and politic, and lie combined courage and activity with great military talents. He invaded Hindostan at different times, and in the memorable battle of Paniput, fought in 1761, on the 7th of January, he gave a decisive blow to the Mah ratta power. His successor was Timour Shah, • who, after a despotic and indolent reign, was succeeded by his two sons, Homayon and Zemaun Shah. Between these brothers war ensued, and, after defeating his elder bro ther, Zemaun in 1796 invaded Hindostom with a large army, and advanced to Lahore ; but an insurrection at home obliged him to return. The whole kingdom had acknowledged his authority after his former con test with his brother, but in 1800 Mahmood again rose in arms, and dethroned and . deprived him of sight. Another brother, Soojah, 'expelled Mah mood in turn in 1803, who was- himself again ex pelled by the, latter in 1809, and had a pension as signed the Sheik erupeeschief of per annum. Meantime Lahore, profiti ng by the confusion, conquered Pesh awur , t h e mo d ern cap i tal of Affghanistan. 1818, Sh a h Soojah, i m p at i ent o f Runjeet him Singh,of retirement, attempted to regain his former dignity ; but failing in this; he was, with a lenity not common among Asiatic conquerors, allowed to retire with his pension ; and at the acme time a pension was assigned to his blind brother Zemaun Shah. The *two rival competitors, in 1826, Mahmood and Soojah, quietly resided, thelatter within the British territories, and the former with his son Kamram, at Herat. The country was then parti tioned among the sons of Futteh Khan ; and Yar Maho med Khan -was ruler over Peshawur. PLACES MADE REMARKABLE BY LATE EVENTS. THE KHYBER PASS. The Khyber Pass is about thirteen miles in length : the hills on either side rise abruptly to the height of 1,000 to 1,500 feet ; the opening between them varies from 50 to 500 feet in width. Along this the road as cends, crossing a mountain stream of considerable mag nitude a number of times. At One point the road is cut out of solid rock : it stretches along the face of the cliff for abOut a mile, dung which you ascend nearly 2,000 feet ; but it is no more in many places than twelve feet wide. The fort of Ali Alusjid coin viands the most difficult portion of the Pass ; it_ is built on the summit of a precipitous hill overh inging the road ; the fort is about 150 feet lon g , by 60 wide : the post is so unhealthy during the h o t and rainy season, that it cannot be occupied by our troops, who are able to remain in it only daring the winter. The rulers of Affghanistan have been in the habit, up till now, of pay ing the Khybcrries 12,000/. a.year for permission to use their passes for travellers, merchandise, and troops. In 1739 Nadir Shah gave 100,000/. for leave to march his army through. • THE PUNJAB. This is the general name of the country. lying between the Indus, or Attock, and Sutledge rivers. It is naturally divided into four Dooabs, or districts, by rivers descend ing from the mountains of Cashmere. FIRST Do°An.—The first of these districts lies be tween the Indus and the Jailum, and has a breadth of 147 miles. It is, however, the most barren portion of the Punjab, cut up in every direction by ravines ; fer tile spots, nevertheless, occur here a n d th ere, with fine streams. The road, as it approaches Jailum, drops into a narrow valley, on one side of which stands the gigantic fort of Rotas. Jailum river is a broad, clear stream ; its breadth from 350 to 400 yards, depth from six to ten feet, and current of two miles an hour. A considerable town, called also Jailum, is situated on its right bank. The population of this Dooab is scanty, and consists chiefly of Musselmans. SECOND DooAn.—Situated between the Jailum and Chenab rivers ; 46 miles broad ; this Dooab forms an extensive flat plain, varied by jungle, Indian villages, and cultivated tracts ; one or two good sized towns occur ono the line of road ; this plain has many large wells, some of which in the centre are 50 feet deep ; by these the country is irrigated ; wheat, grain, sugar-cane, and cotton are the chief crops : the Chenab river is a clear, smooth stream, about 100 yards broad, and 100 feet deep. THIRD DOOAB.—This Dooab lies between the Chenab and Ravee rivers, and is 761 miles wide. It is a hard, dry, level plain, two-thirds of which are uncultivated. Several considerable towns run along the line of road, and there are some populous villages with tracts of good cultivation. The great want of rain for the last three years (1840) has thrown much land out of cultivation. The Ravee is the smallest of all the rivers which form the Punjab : its breadth being 9 00 feet: it is fordable. • FOURTH DooAn.—The last Dooab lies between the Ravee and Sutledge rivers, and is 441 miles broad ; its villages are few and ' miserable ; the wells are deeper than in the other districts ; it has a large town, or rather group of towns, called Russ oor, about 16 miles from the Sutledge ; this river is the largest of all the rivers in the Punjab, which does not include the Indus ; it is not fordable, but the current is very gentle. POPULATION OP TEE PUNJAB. Its present capital, Amritsir, has a population of 100,000 souls ; Lahore, on the Ravee, 80,000 inhabitants : Moultan, on the Chenaub, 60,000 inhabitants : Hydera bad, on the Indus, the capital of Scinde, 20,000: Tatta containing 15,000, and Curachee about the same num ber. In the Thurr, or desert of Scinde, are several large towns, as Jessulmeer, with 20,000 inhabitants : Jhoud poor, the capital of Marwar, with 60,000: Palli, a com mercial town, with 50,000: Mairta with 20,000, and Nagore with 40,000 inhabitants. PLAIN AND TOWN OP PESHAWUR. With the exception of a slip fifteen miles wide to the East, Peshawur is surrounded by mountains on every side; and the plain in which it is situated is nearly circular, and about fifteen miles in diameter. This plain is well watered; and always green ; and is remarkable fur its . high cultivation. The city is about five miles round, and contains . 100,000 inhabitants ; part of the town is flooded during the spring rains, at which period it is rendered an un wholesome residence. The houses are built of brick, and are three stories high : the streets are paved, and have a gutter in the centre, but they are nevertheless narrow and slippery. Peshawur plain lies between the Khyber pass and the town of Peshawur, and has a de scent of GOO feet from the. former to the tt,wn, and about as much more to the Indus. The Caubul river flows down the plain about eight miles north of the city, where it has a fine broad stream of nearly 2070 yards in breadth. The town of Peshawur is 15 miles from the Khyber hills, and 44 from the Indus : its height is 106 feet above the sea. ZELLA.I.A.ZIAD TO PESHAWUR. The road distance between these two places is ninety miles ; that portion from Jellalabad to within fifteen miles of reshawur is very, strong, consisting of barren and stony plains, with cross ranges of hills ; the rive► runs some distance along their northern margin, and then passes through narrow gorges, among the rocks, while the road clambers over the high hills, called the Landi Khana pass, in performing which an elevation of 3,400 feet is gained. A steep descent from the height leads into a narrow valley, extending from east to west for about nine miles, and on the east 91 which is the top or entrance to the 'Khyber pass, or narrow ravine, between steep hills, and twelve miles in length. The elevation at its head or top is about 3,000 feet, and at its foot 1,670, and four miles from the top, on a conical hill, which ties up in the centre of the pass, is the tort of Ali Musjid. A fine stream gushes out of the sand and rocks at the head of the pass;- and rushes down its bed. Gundamuk, which may be considered as considerablethe height,the next ten miles 4,6000 t. thefeevta;llaenydof. for within Jellalabad a very rough and stony road leads over an undulating hilly country, which is cut by deep ravines, having a descent of 2,400 feet, before reaching the plain in which Jellalabad stands. Here the change is agreeable : rocks are converted into a fertile plain, with villages and forts. arELLATAABAz. Jellalabad is a very small town, poor, dirty, and with about 400 houses, surrounded by a mud wall ; it is si tuated 2,000 feet above sea - level. It stands nearly in the centre of_ a plain, having a breadth of ten or twelve miles, and extending from west to east for about twenty. The river banks have numerous i e m g e i s g a f n e t r i t c i e and at others range of the Safeid , Koh many villages are clustered or p erc h e d up i ts s T t i o li n a y g . es ' A a t nd the ar f e oot so o m f t e h t slopes ; the Caubul river is here broad an d rap id ; i t can be forded in several tilaces, and travellers cross it on bullocks' hides stuffed with straw. CAUZITZ TO yExiLax..a ltim , The distance between these two places is 105 miles, and the line of road on leaving Caubul, descends for the first ten miles. The next ten lead through a long and nar row defile, down which runs a brawling stream ; the whole breadth of the pass is covered with a mass of peb bles and boulders : its top is higher than Caubul, being 7,500 feet above the sea. Ten miles beyond this defile stands Tuzeen, the elevation of Which is 8,200 feet, which slopes into a valley : the road through th' last twenty miles is as steep and dreadful as can well be passed. The sole inhabitants of this miserable region, are a few starved wretches living in places excavated out of the rocks. GHITZNEE. This city, in north latitude 30 deg. 11 sec., and 68 deg., 57 lain, east longitude, was once the capi ta l o f an emp i re reaching from the Tigris to the Gan ges , an d t h e most sriad adorned it. I ts former gran uced to 15,000 mean dwell ings.dsnld however, bttiidi buildings now i e Some remains of its magnificence are still to be seen in the neighbourhood.; among the rest, and about three miles from the city, the tomb of Sultan Alahmood, the conqueror of India ; it is spacious, but not sump tuous ; the large doors are of sandal wood, and it is covered with a cupola. Report affirms it to have been brought as a trophy from the temple of Somnaut, in GUzzerat. On a tombstone of white marble lies the mace of Mahmood, of such a weight that few can wield it. The Koran is constantly read over the grave, by Mahomedan priests, who are still retained. VALLEY OF THE TURNUK.—This valley extends from Candahar up to Ghuznee, a distance of 225 miles : it is bounded on each side by ranges of barren mountains, with sharp and precipitous sides : its greatest breadth, which is at its lowest extremity, at the town of Canda• liar, is about 30 miles, the height of its peaks is 500 feet above the plain : the lower_ part of the valley is a stony anc barren waste. CiLNDANI.II.7Z. The city of Candahar, which unlike any other city, is chiefly inhabited by Affghans, who have conformed externally to the habits of the Persians, is situated in 32 deg. 10 min., north latitude, 66 deg. 30 min., east longitude. Its form is oblong, and its plan perfectly re gular ; four streets meet in the centre, in a circular place, fifty yards in diameter, surmounted by a dome. This is denominated the Chawrsoo (sharshee), and is a public market-place, surrounded by shops. The four principal streets are fifty yards in width, lined with shops, and extending to the gates of the city. The smaller streets are narrow but straight, and all cross at right angles. The present city is quite modern, and was founded by Ahmed Shah in 1754. That King made it the capital of his dominions ; but on the accession of Timour Shah, in 1774, the seat of government was re moved to Caubul. It is built on the site of the ancient city, conjectured to have been one of those founded by Alex ander the Great. The town is well watered by canalS from lirghundaub, a tributary of the Helmund, and a small stream runs through almost every street. The tomb' of Ahmed Shah, covered by a gilt cupola, stands near the King's Palace, and is held as a sacred asylum, the King himself not daring to take criminal from it. Canda har is• large and populous, and is supposed to contain 100,000 inhabitants. THE KHOJER AMMAN HILLS, AND THE KOJUK KOTUL PAss.—These hills lie on the line of road between the valleys of Kuch-ak, Pisheen, and Candahar. The height of the pass is about 7,500 feet above the sea level, and the ascent, fOr the two last miles, is very steep : vege tation is luxuriant. VALLEY OF KOJUK AND PISIIEEN.—These valleys lie between Kwettah and the foot of the Khojeh Amran hills. The valley of Pisheen is the most fertile • but grain is scarce an d d ear . I t i s studded with villages, gardens, and waters. Wells are sunk at. the distance of every fifteen or twenty yards. ILWEITAN. This town is small. It is the capital of the district of Shawl, and within a few miles distance of the Bolan pass. Its height above sea level is 5,500 feet. It is poor and miserable, consisting of a mud fort on a mound, with about 400 wretched mud hovels at its foot. The district of Shawl is situated between 29 deg. 50 min. and 30 deg. 50 min. of north latitude, and 66 deg. 4 min. and 67 deg. 20 min. of east longitude. It is bounded on the north by the Zakatoo mountains, on the south by the Bolan range, and on the west by Chuhaltan. BOLAN PASS. This pass commences near the town of Dadur : it is 50 miles long, and runs through mountains about 1,200 feet high : the road is only the bed of a river: at its opening this pass is three miles wide ; but in some parts is contracted to 150 yards wide. At the outlets towards Kwettah the passage is not more than 30 feet wide: and is between two perpendicular walls of rock. The ascent is very gradual: at Dadur, it is 740 feet above the sea, and at the highest part it is 7,090 feet : the average rise is therefore 125 feet per mile : but the ascent is much less in the lower part, and conside rably greater during the last thirty miles. The Bolan river runs through a part of the pass, and is a consider able stream, sometimes impassable for the floods ; but as you approach Kwettah water becomes scarce, and is found only at certain seasons. The cold in the pass is intense at Dusht-i-be-Dowlat, which is a barren place 6,700 feet above the level of the sea. The column under the command of Sir Willoughby Cotton entered the pass on the 24th of June, 1839, and occupied eight days In passing through it. HISTORY OF ASIATIC CONQUERORS. On the decline of the Empire of the Caliphs the Tur comans.ereated great changes among the dynasties of Asia. Seljuk hoisted a standard which led to many victories, and his followers embraced Mahomedanism. Togrol Bee, his grandson, continued the career of his predecessor. Alp Arslan his nephew, was both a conqueror and encourager of learning. The suc ceeding reign of Mfilek Shah is an epoch in the annals of Asia. Such was the vastness of his power, that from the Caspian Sea to'Damascus, from the bor ders of China to the Persian Gulf, his will was law. Zenghis Khan next changed the geography of Asia ; the irruption of his Moguls was second to a deluge : he ravaged vast parts of China. The four hundred thou sand soldiers of Korasur, in Persia, he numbered with the dead ; and from the Caspian Sea to the Indus his violations were unremittingly pursued. His descendants stormed arid sacked Bagdad ; China they subjugated, and Rome was threatened at its gates. In the century suc ceeding his death, Timour Bek, or Tamerlane, having made himself master of the city of Balk, began an un exampled career. In Southern Asia, he trampled upon ill opposition, and sueli was his power, that from Rus sia, India, Egypt, and Arabia, messengers were sent to supplicate his friendship or deprecate his wrath. In spite of his exclamation to the citizens of Damas cus, " You behold me here, a poor, lame, de crepid mortal. I am not a man of blood, and God knows that in all my wars I have never been the aggressor," the population of the East was fright fully diminished : and his great amusement was to pile in a pyramid the skulls of the thousands he had slain. At Delhi he massacred a hundred thousand in his camp. He took the metropolis of India, and millions of Ilindoos were sacrificed. At length the ruin of China was determined, but on the field of Otrar, three hun dred miles from that city, a fever closed the life of Timour, and saved China from destruc tion. Sultan Baber, a descendant of Tamerlane, received submission of India, and the title of Emperor of Hindos tan. Ackbar, his grandson, by his liberality and poli c y, established the Indian empire, and his grandson, Shah Jehan, restored to Delhi the magnificence and splendour of a great metropolis. Under Aurungzebe, who usurped the throne, the empire of the Great Moguls, as the sove reigns of India were called, was elevated to the zenith of its prDsperity and power. His death was the virtual disso lution of the empire. This was in 1707. The governors of provinces rebelled, the officers of state xuled the country, and the descendants of Timour were mere pageants of monarchy. The conquests, cruelties, and extortions of Nadir Shah, the Persian usurper, accelerated the decline of this debilitated power ; until, in the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Great Mogul became dependent upon the British East India Company, and many of the pro vinces which formerly constituted the strength of his empire, became subject to their dominion. PUTTER KHAN. Futteh Khan, the active Vizier of the King Muhmood, was singular of character in many respects, and strange accounts are found to attach to his name : among them the following:—A rival of his, a Dooraunee nobleman, of the name of Meer Alum, who aspired to the office of Vizier, insulted him, and even went so far as to knock out one of his front teeth. The injury was to all appearance forgiven; for Meer Alum subsequently married the sister of Futteh Khan, but the alliance was only formed that the latter might the more easily be. revenged upon Meer Alum. The night before the battle of Ispahan, (a village that marks one of Soojah's defeats, but before he was King,) Futteh Khan seized upon his unfortunate brother-in law, and put him to d 'ath. The Vizier's sister threw herself at her brother's feet, and asked why he murdered her husband. " What!" said he in surprise, " have you more regard for your husband than for your brother's honour 1 Look at my broken teeth, and know that the insult is now avenged ! If you are in grief at the loss of a husband, I'll marry you to a mule-driver." This incident, says Sir Alexan der Burnes, is not a bad illustration of the boisterous manners and feelings of the Affghans. A saying among them bids one fear the more, when an apparent recon ciliation has taken place by an intermarriage. The end of Futteh Khan was a remarkable illustration of the inconstancy of power in the East, as well as a striking instance of the ingratitude of the princes whom he served so faithfully. After restoring Mahmood to his kingdom, - Fiitteh Khan managed the whole affairs of the Affghan nation with wi tdom and vigour, while the monarch abandOned himself to indolence and debauchery. Futteh Khan profited by his master's weakness, and distributed the different governments• of the kingdom among his numerous brothers. The King's son, Prince Caumran, betrayed the strongest discontent and displeasure at the Vizier's proceedings, and being opposed to some ambitious designs which be entertained, he resolved to ridlimself of such a powerful and formidable par sonage ; and succeeded in convincing his father that he might govern the country,. now that it was consolidated, without the assistance of his Vizier. Having obtained his father's permission to the step, Caumran embraced an opportunity which presented itself at Herat, where he seized Futteh Khan, and immediately ordered that his eyes should be put out. The Vizier's death took place in the year 1818, and an act so merciless, imme diately drove the whole of Futteh Khan's brothers into rebellion. The tragedy which terminated the life of Futteh Khan Barukzye, is, perhaps unparalleled in the modern history of the East, Blind and bound he was led into the Court _ of Mahmood, whom he had made King, and whom he had recently go verned with absolute power. The King taunted and mocked him, and desired him to use his influence with his brothers to return to their allegiance. Futteh Khan replied without fear, and with great fortitude, that he was now but a poor blind man, and had no concern with affairs of state. Mahmood, irritated at his obsti- nacy, gave the last orders for his death • and this high minded, but unfortunate man, was deliberately cut to pieces by the sycophants of the Court. Joint was sepa rated from joint, limb from limb ; his nose and ears were lopped off: nor had the vital spark fled, till the head was separated from the mangled trunk. Putteh Khan endured these tortures without a groan. lie stretched out his limbs to his cruel executioners, and exhibited the same careless indifference, the same reckless contempt for his own life, as he had so often shown for that of others. The bloody remnants of this ill-fated chief were gathered in a cloth and sent to Ghuznee, where they were interred. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. SHAH SOOZ.A.II-001.-MOOLIE. This, the present King of Affghanistan, is of the Doo raunee tribe. He is a handsome man, of good height, with a large, thi c k b ear d ; hi s complexion is dark, and the expression of his countenance benevolent to many of the English he is much attached. Shah Soojah lost his kingdom in 1809, at Meemln, in a battle against Futteli Khan, and to th e army o f t h e In d us he is indebted for its recovery, after thirty years' exile in a province of British India. On the breaking up of the camp after the stormin g of Ghuznee, Shah Soojah accompanied the army on march to Ca u b u l. Whil st en route, intelli gence was received that • Dost Mohamed had advanced from Caub u l to lirghmide e B a l a , b ut fi n di ng his Kuzzilbashes u n f a ithf u l , he fled to Koondooz, leaving his artillery behind. On the 27th of August his Ma jesty, Shah Soojah, made his solemn entrance into his capital, under British protection, and accompanied by Sir John Keane. In the early part of 1840 Dost Ma homed again collected a force of about 4,000 men, and gave battle. He was defeated at Perwan Durra, when, having fled from the field of battle, he the next day surrendered himself at Caubul to the British Envoy, Sir William Macnaghten, at the Court of Shah Soojah. He was then sent with his son, Mahomed Hyder, under escort to British India. NVWAB TUZIBAR Nuwab (a corruption for Nabob) Jubbar Khan is brother of the Ameer Dost Mohamed, and was once Governor of Cablimeer ; he arrived at Ghuznee during its occupation by the B-itish forces, with offers of submission from Dost Mohamed to Shah Soojah, ex pressive of his willingness to cede to him all right to the city of Caubul, on condition that he should not be compelled to remain in a British province under surveil lance, maintaining at the same time his indefeasible right to the hereditary office of Wuzeer as head of the Barru kyes. At rejection of his proposition the old man ex pressed great indignation in his bluntness. His house lies within a mile of Caubul. .A..131)00X. 114LXIMI7N WEAN. This was one of the refractory Ghiljee chiefs, and was formally deposed by his Majesty Shah Soojah. His fort was at Killa-i-Murgha. On the approach of the Bri tish force, being deceived by one of his allies, he mounted his horse, with his three wives and sister, dashed through the pickets of his fort, and escaped. The next morning, this fort, which had withstood two sieges by Shah Soojah during his former sovereignty, was undermined and demolished. NITSSEER KHAN. This lad, about fifteen years of age, and son of the late chief of the same name, showed much bravery at the storming of the fortress of Khelat, which he at tempted to recapture, and was successful, On the 4th Nov., 1840, he attacked the British force at Dadur, and sacked the town. He was then repulsed under Major Boscawen, and compelled to flee into Lheree ; he next entrenched himself at Koika in the Hill country, but was driven out by the attack of Lieutenant-Colonel Mar shall, and escaped with two followers cnly by climbing over a lofty hill. 2ZUNZEET BINGE. RUNJEET SINGH'S POWER —The death of the old Lion of the Punjab placed that fine dominion under the rule of his son Kurruck Singh. So long as the old chief held the reins of government, the turbulent and power ful Sirdars or chiefs remained in wilful subjection to him. Unable to read, yet his vigorous mind in early youth grasped the real position of himself and his neighbours. Although so diminutive as to be scarce above a dwarf's stature, he possessed indomitable bravery. His Court was filled with chiefs of higher family, sighing for inde pendence, but not daring to emancipate themselves from servile attendance on him. He passed his leisure in orgies and vices, and yet his servants were ever faithful and respectful. He had not attained manhood when he led his troops to battle. He wrested the rich and valuable territories around Peshawur and up to the foot of the Khyber-pass from the Affghans. The Mussulmans of the valley of Cashmere paid unwil ling tribute to the infidel Sikh, and nothing but our de sire to save the Ameers of Hyderabad, protected them also from the grasp of their powerful neighbour ; all these haughty followers of the Arabian Prophet trembled at the war-cry of the Sikh. The north, including Ladok, up to the borders of Thibet, and the south to Mittun Khote, trembled at his nod, and acknowledged his power ; and though he left that power in its full vigour, and his treasury heaped up with wealth, in two short years this vast fabric has crumbled, and the reign ing Prince is struggling to maintain his diminished do minion. RUNJEET SING'S GARDENS.—He had a fancy for gar dens, of which he possessed many, all around Lahore, same few miles apart : in each was a small single-roomed villa, with a verandah all round, and on the flat roofs of these he often reared a small tent, in which he slept. His habit was to gallop from one to the ether of these in the cool season, suddenly ordering the light camp equi page (always ready) to meet him, and sometimes appoint ing his Court to wait on him, at other times with no more than his necessary attendants. his " Immoimu.s."—Runjeet's favourite regiment of Suwaurs, he called his " Immortals." Their uniform is a tunic of yellow silk, quilted ; the nether-man is clad in tight scarlet silk trousers ; and on the head a light steel helmet, round which is twisted a red silk turban, and altogether they glittered brightly. The shield of tough bull-hide, with its bright bosses, is usually slung behind each horseman's back ; and their picturesque arms are the curved scymitar, spear, or matchlock. The looks of pride and seat of grace of these dusky warriors, the gorgeous trappings of their steeds, which were the pride of Runjeet's stud, called forth the admi ration of all who saw them : and the interest was in creased, by knowing that this entire regiment, of 600 men, was of the same tribe, and ready to follow their beloved chief to death. THE BROTHER RAJA.HB.—Dhian Singh (the Prime Minister), and Suchait Singh, are both singularly hand some men. Dhian Singh, an Asiatic Mars, under a panoply of polished steel plate armour, moves as lightly as if clad in silk alone. Ms brother, the taller, is of a softer cast of beauty ; he dresses in keencaub and silk, and is on parade days one blaze of jewels. KURRITCX SINGH, and his Son, N.S.O Kurruck Singh, the son and successor of Runjeet, was of weak intellect, and his scn, a fierce, dissolute boy, by name Nao Nihil Singh, soon put aside his father's authority, and for a time ruled in his name. Kurruck Singh, ere long, however, died, not without suspicion of being poisoned. Even before this, so open had been the young man's feelings of hostility t o th e B r i t i s h , f urt h er proved by the discovery of a treaty entered into with Nepaul against us, • that Lord Auckland had no resource but to prepare to `meet the coming storm. Orders for the march were issued, and a noble force of 20,000 men were put in motion towards the Sutledge. The campaign was contemplated by the troops in India with delight, but no sooner were they on the march, than the necessity for their movement vanished. When returning from the very funeral of the father he was suspected of having hurried to the grave, the young Prince was struck from the throne he had that same day ascended—a beam of wood falling on him as he passed through an archway, and killing him on the spot. KURRITAT SINGH'S GARDENS AT PXNJORE. These gardens were laid out , on the natural slope of the ground in six separate and successive terraces. A canal of the clearest water, 10 feet wide, ran through the centre. In this was a line of fountains, supplied with water from the hills above, and falling in chuddurs or broad cascades from terrace to terrace ; ar.d behind these apparent crystal curtains, were recesses for lamps, lit during nights of festivity. A profusion of roses, with flowers, shrubs, and handsome trees, ornament this fair spot, not surpassed by the.gardens of Shalimar, Secundra, or Sirhind. A thickly wooded valley skirts its sides, richly diversified by the tall, broken banks of the Kosilla, which runs through it and clothes it in smiles ; nothing is want ing to perfect its beauty. SHERE SINGH. At the death of Nao Nihil Singh, - there remained of Runjeet's supposed family only the Prince Shere Singh— we say "supposed," for Runjeet had not implicit faith in the Queen Mother, who declared herself pregnant after Runjeetwent out upon one of his expeditions, and had the child ready born to greet his father on his return. Others also have thought Shere Singh supposititious ; still, although the Maharajah never formally acknow ledged him as his son, he gave him superior rank, and allowed him to be called Koonwur (Prince), all which were quite sufficient to make his claim to the vacant throne far superior to that of any other pretender—in deed, but one other claimant appeared, and that was a party who declared that the wife of Nao Nihil Singh had prospects of giving an heir to the throne, but on inquiry it was found that, this little royal matron was only seven years old, and had never seen her betrothed ! Shere Singh, therefore, ascended the throne. His was not the character to curb or overawe the turbulent and powerful Sikh chiefs. He is what we should call a good-natured jolly fellow : a mind to rule the Punjab must be made of sterner stuff than this. Anarchy and confusion at once arose : a vast army of 30;000 soldiers assembled together, without even advancing any reason or object for their taking up arms, openly de claring their readiness to support him who bade highest for their service, and roamed in disorder through the devoted country. Nothing less than the entire treasure of the new monarch would satisfy them, and he had not the meqns to coerce them. Matters are at this minute in an unpromising state. Shore Singh's power is broken, and his treasury empty. DOST MAUOMED HHAN. Dost Mahomed Khan is said txt have distinguished him self on various occasions by acts of personal intrepidity. He is remarkably plain in attire. and would scarcely be noticed from his appearance : his white linen raiments afford a strange contrast to the gaudy exhibitions of some of his chiefs, especially of the young Habib Ulah Khan, who glitters with gold. Akhbar Khan, who has performed such a conspicuous part in the dismal tragedy at Caubul, is his second and favourite son. SIR ALEXANDER EURNES. This eminent officer, who was slaughtered at the recent insurrection at Caubul on the 3d of last November, was born at Montrose, in Scotland, May 16th, 1805. His first appointment abroad was a cadet for the Bombay army, and he arrived at that Presidency on the 31st of October, 1821. I n 1825 h e j o i ned his regiment at Bhooj, and, during the various disturbances at Cutch, in that year, was appointed Quartermaster of Brigade. In 1826 he was confirmed :on the general staff as a Deputy- Assistant Quartermaster General. At this period, the talented manner in which he drew up some statistical Asiatic papers called down encomiums upon him from the Indian Government. In 1830 he was despatched with a present of horses to Runjeet Singh, and was no minated to proceed with them to Lahore. This journey gave him an opportunity of visiting the sites of the ancient cities which lay in his track, and of marking the course of the Indus. His work upon this subject forms an almost unprecedented book of travels. Lieutenant Burnes, in 1834, visited England for eighteen months, and, shortly after his return to India was, in acknow ledgment of his diplomatic and other services, knighted, and advanced to the rank of Lieutenant -Colonel in the army. His brother, Lieutenant Charles Burnes, served in the 17th regiment of . Native Infantry in India. SIR ROBERT SALE. ----- Sir Robert Sale was born on the 19th of September, 1782, and as early as his fourteenth year carried the Royal colours. He proceeded to India in 1797, and served under General, afterwards Lord Harris, at the battle cf Mallavelly in 1799, as also at the siege of Se ringapatam. In 1806, when only twenty-four years of age, he was made a Captain. In 1824 he was at the capture of Rangoon, under General Macbean, his achievements were the object of especial approbation, and several brilliant actions at this period were performed by him, so that in the course of one month, he might be said to have performed four victories. On the 2d of June, 1825, he obtained his Lieutenant-Colonelcy, and repulsed the Shauns and Burmese at Prorne : his distinguished services also at the storming of Malown in 1826, ob tained for him the rank of Colonel by Brevet, and he was also created a Companion of the Bath. The storm ing of Ghuznee in 1838 brought him fresh honours both from the British Government and Shah Soojah. In 1840, he assaulted and captured the town and fort of Tootum Durrali : took the fort of Shoolghur on the 4th of September : destroyed the post of Babao-Koosh- Ghuz, and in four more days the fort of Kar-Durrah. On the 3d of October he drove the enemy, under the command of Dost Mahomed, from the forts and town of Perwan, and had upon this occasion bestowed upon him by Shah Soojah, the first class of the order of the Dooraunee empire. CHRONOLOGY OP !VENTS. 1837-1842. In consequence of the position assumed and persevered in by Persia, at this period, the British Government in India now began to adopt very active measures. The Shah of Persia, who was raised to the throne mainly by British assistance, had within the two last years been under Russian influence, and Persia could no longer be looked upon as a barrier against the progress of Russia, whose dominion, extending over the greater part of the extreme North of Asia, reached in a southerly direction to the borders of the Caspian sea, and the northern frontier of Persia. Stimulated by Russia, the Persians undertook an expedition against Herat. In consequence, Lord Auckland determined upon sending 30,000 men, composed of native and British forces, towards the northern frontier. It was composed as follows :—Two troops of Horse Artillery ; Major Pew's Camel battery ; two companies of European Foot Artillery ; two companies of Sappers ; her Majesty's 11th Lancers ; 2d, 3d, and 4th Regiments of Bengal Light Cavalry ; her Majesty's 3d and 13th Regi ments of Foot. ; the Honourable East India Com pany's European Regiment • 2d, sth, 16th, 27 t h , 28th, 31st., 35th, 37th, 42d, 43d, 48th, and 53d Regiments of Bengal Native Infantry. This force assembled at Kurnaul on the 31st of October, and thence was ordered to proceed, via Bhutneer, Bhawnpoor, and Mithenkate, to Candahar, Caubul, and Herat. This force also was joined by from 45,000 to 50,000 men, furnished by Run jeet Singh, the sovereign of the Punjab. News soon after arrives of the total discomfiture of the Shah of Persia at Herat, his army utterly broken up, and him self obliged to yield. He had made an assault on the town, and was repulsed with great slaughter, and the loss of all his guns. The Russian Ambassador and Eu ropean Aide-de-camp were killed, the former having re ceived three balls in the body. 1838, Oct. 1. The Governor-General of India issues a manifesto, declaring that the purpose of his late military mevement is to restore the deposed sovereign of Affghau: istan, Soojah-001-Moolk, to the throne which he has been excluded from by Persian influence, and in order to serve Russian purposes. • Dec. 1. First grand interview between Lord Auck land and Runjeet Singh, in the camp of the latter at Ferozepore. On the next clay there was a review. of .British troops ; and on the 3d Dec. Runjeet Singh re turned. the visit. 1839, Feb. 14. The Ameers of Scinde refuse the ulti ni-atum forwarded to them at Hyderabad, and announce their intention of attacking the force under Sir John Keane, and arrest its progress. For this purpose they collect from 10,000 to 12,000 men. April 21. The British army enter Candahar, and were received with open arms. Shah Soojah was crowned with acclamation ; all the chiefs, with the ex ception of the Barukzye brothers, having signified their adherence to him. The army was to proceed forthwith to Caubul, a march of twenty-two days. This intelli gence was received nt Peshawur with great rejoicings. The city was illuminated fur three days, and prepara tions made for the immediate advance of the contingent army of Bunjeet Singh, accompanied by the Shah Zadah Timoor. and Colonel Wade upon Caubul. Much toil and misery was endured on the march to Candahar, as may be formed from the fact, that out of 6,000 native troops, comprising the division of th e Sh a h, on l y 1 , 5 0(1 reached Candahar. 1839, July 1. The British army, under the command of Sir John Keane, arrives before Ghuznee, a place of great strength, from the natural position of its citadel, on au immense height, and so fortified by art as to be deemed impregnable—the works having received constant additions during the last thirty years, and being garrisoned by 3,500 Affghan soldiers, under Mahomed Hyder Khan, a younger son of Dost Mahomed Khan, and amply fur nished with guns, stores, and provisions. July 23. The British army, haring bivouacked under the walls of the fortress early on the morning of this day, began its operations. The Caubul gate was blown in; the tremendous fire of our artillery paralysed the enemy. and the English advanced guard, after a short but des 'perate struggle, won their way into the place. Prince Mahomed Hyder, after having made subrnission to the Shah, who spared his life at the intercession of the Commander-in-Chief, was retained prisoner of war in the British camp. The British lost in this engagement only 200 men, 18 being killed, whilst 500 dead of the enemy were buried by them two hours after the capture. TAXING or ONITZNZIE. In the above month this fortress, one of the strongest in Western Asia, and whose capture was undoubtedly one of the most brilliant that British troops could achieve, was in possession of Mahomed Hyder Khan, son of the Ameer of Caubul, and the garrison which he com manded amounted to the nu►nber of between 3,000 or 4,000, about 1,500 of which were well-mounted cavalry. Lord Keane's plan of attack was brilliant, and its execu tion daring. The attack at the gates was 'Vehemently severe, and the resistance of the Affghans great. In two hours it fell ; the whole of the British troops em ployed on the service amounted to about 4,400. Of the enemy upwards of 800 were slain, and near 1,500 made prisoners. Numerous horses, camels, and mules were captured, but no valuable booty obtained. The great gun of Ghuznee, which was captured, was an unwieldy piece of ordnance, to which the Affghans attached much importance, but which was very disproportionate to the injury it was capable of inflicting. Its great weight, and the badness of the roads to the Indus have prevented its being sent to England. Sept. 21, 1839. The fort of Joudpore, in Rajpootanß, surrenders to the British. Oct. 6. Surrender of the fort of Kurnaul, in the Deccan, without a shot being fired. A few days after General Wiltshire attacked the camp of the Rajah, at about three miles distance ; the attack ended in -the total rout of the enemy, but the Rajah escaped. 'Very large military stores were found in Kurnaul, and' trea, sure amounting to 1,000,000/. sterling. In the camp was captured au imme nse quant i ty o f j ewels and 150,000/. in specie. The British lost several officers, among whom were Colonel Wright and Lieutenant Yates, of the 34th Regiment, and Lieutenant White, of the Queen's 39th Foot. - The Shah of Persia consents to acknowledge Shah Soojah as King of Affghanistan. CAPTURE Or S.IIMX.A.T. Nov. 13. Capture of Khelat by General Willshire. Mehrab Khan, the chief, slain in the conflict; and-all his principal Sirdars killed or taken with hundreds of other prisoners. The attack was accomplished-11y a weak brigade of infantry, and six light guns, at mid-day,' by storming the place in the teeth of 2,000 Beloocfeo s , th e elite of the nation. The British loss was severe--140 killed and wounded—about one-fifth of the number -ac tually engaged. Khelat is a town and fortress of the same relation to Persia which Dover :or Plymouth is to England. The attack on the citadel of Khelat was disputed, every inch of ground, -gt, ,its base, and when an entry was wit h some difficulty made by columns under the command of Li l litenatit-Genera} Willshire, Lieutenants Creed and Pennycuick, and Brigadier Baumgardt, Mehrab Khan' was found /sur rounded by many of his c hi e f s , an d at 'the ' ; head'of the bravest of his followers. In the terrific struggle which took place, Mehrat Khan fell, sword in hand, defending his fortress and home, and the British flag soon flo a ted over the noble citad e l of Khelat. The garrison was estimated to have consisted of about 2,000 fighting men ; of these 400 were killed, and above 200 taken prisoners ; the British loss not exceeding 32 killCd andlo7 ! vended, the force employed having been about 1,000. The booty secured is believed to have been considerable. • - 1840, Jan. 18. Sir Willoughby Cotton orders a ml. litary force to attack the fortress of Peshoot, about forty miles N.N.E. of Candahar, in which the chief Koonoor had entrenched himself. Koonoor, after the attack, ova. cuatod the fortress, and fled to the hills, and the detach. went took possession. The loss of the British was sixty five killed and wounded. Recapture of Khelat, and defeat of Major Clibborne, ,• by the Murrees and Beloochees in the defile of Poolajee, when four officers and 250 sepoys of the British detach• ment are killed. The British authorities at Bombay order a force of 10,000 men to march upon Khelat, . and revenge the insult offered to British arms. • Sept. 18. Defeat of Dost Mahomed on the northern frontier by a small force, under Brigadier Donnie. The enemy, 10,000 strong, left 500 men dead on the field, • together with all their baggage, and Dost Mahomed fled, seriously wounded. Captain Brown evacuates the fort of liahun, by treaty with the Murrees. Nov. 2. Dost Mahomed suffers a second and total de feat at Perwan, in Kohistan, and having fled from the contest, rode a di sta n ce of nearly 100 miles from the field of battle, and surrendered himself to Sir W. Macnaghten. Nov. 4. The fortress of Khelat surrenders without the least resistance to General Nott, Nusseer Khan and his troops being then at Dadur. Tho following day, how ever, Nusseer Khan was defeated in a severe engagement. Shere Singh, having succeeded in driving out the widow of Kurruck Singh, takes possession of Lahore. Application is made by Nao Nihil to the Britiskto re. store her to the throne. The bill tribes at Scinde enter. into treaties with the English, and Nusseer Khan &li vers himself up to Colonel Stacy, of the Bengal army. Nusseer Khan, the young chieftain of Khelat, cornea to terms with the British agents, and surrenders himself widow of Nao Nihil brings forth a c hild to their protection. still- i born, ur sT; that the Sikh districts were likely to eo n . tinue comparatively tranquil under the government of Shere Singh. :~ ,l \ ;J ;~/ r , 1 01 : l bw/ ' ,oir ..!-- i , . of )0 1. 2> '4.**