The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-06-14 00:00:00

lAKOOB KHAN AT GANDAMAK.
Under date Camp, Gsndamak, May 9, The Times of Tues-
day published a most interesting letter from their Special
Correspondent, from which we make the following ex-

tracts
The night of the 7th was so stormy and wet that at
one time it seemed doubtful if the programme
arranged for the reception of Ameer Yakoob Khan in
this camp could be carried out. However, the weather
moderated before daybreak, and a bright though cold
morning enabled everything to go forward exactly as
Intended. The first to be in motion from the camp
was the Guard of Honour intended to meet the Ameer
and render him the first courtesies. The Guard of
Honour consisted of 50 men 10th Hussars and 50
Guides Cavalry, the whole under Major Wood, of the
former regiment. . . . This portion of the Cabal
road is always interesting, no less from the
associations connected with it than from the
striking character of the scenery, The road for the
first three miles from the camp lies through the
open and fairly pleasing valley of Gandamak,
with its wheatfields now almost ready for the sickle,
and its clumps of dark mulberry trees now in all the
beauty of their spring foliage. The glorious snow'
clad peaks of Sufed-koh bound the view to the south,
and a bold dark range, known, locally at least, as the
Siyah-koh, or black mountain, which runs transversely
from north-east to south-west across the Jellalabad
valley, marks the course of the Surkhab river and
shuts the traveller out from the view of the rich Lugh-
man valley and Cabal river to the north. In front
are the dreary mountains through which the onward
road to Cabul lies, and which are pierced at different
points by the Jagdalak, the Tezin, and the Khurd
Cabal passes. Apart from the striking ch trader of the
scenery, the road traversed yesterday morning passes
at four miles from camp, close under the memorable
hill where the last stand of the retreating Cabul force
was made in January, 1842, and where the seventy
brave men who had fought their way under every priva-
tion and difficulty up to that point were finally ove r
powered by their pitiless enemies. It is easy in pass-
ing this sacred spot to conjure up the scene again, and
to picture the diminished band, as, dauntless to the
last, it resisted the attempt of the Afghans to possess
themselves of its arms under the guise of friendly
offere of bread and milk, which the exhausted soldiers
were gladly purchasing with their last rupees. The
treacherous attempt was repelled with the same re-
solution which had carried our brave countrymen
so far. The last remaining rounds of ammunition
however, were soon expended, and the stones with
which the hill is covered were soon the only defence
left, Then the assailants, whom these supreme
volleys had driven to a safe distance, perceived that
their time had ceme, and rushing In with their
cruel knives put an end to the dreadful scene. The
colours of the British regiment, which Captain Sonter,
with a devotion perhsps, hardly remembered, had
wrapped round his body, were saved by him, as they,
in tura, are said to have saved his life. The rnue
Ghilzais, struck by the strange envelopment, and
fancying that the bearer of a covering so rich and un-
usual must be an officer of high rank, spared his life
and also the lives of three or four of his humbler corn.
rades, and eventually sent them to join the other cap-
tives in the hands of Akbar Khan. It has
recently been told how, when this memo-
rable hill was first visited by
still whitened n
y sotfficewrhs
itof
eSiir
Samuel Brownf3's force, it as found
places by the hones of this gallant band. The hasty
sepulture afforded to the sacred remains by Pollock's
force had bee', unavailing, the stones piled upon them
having become disturbed in the lapse of years. Once
more they have had to receive at the hands of sym-
pathetic comrades respectful care and a solid cairn of
stones now covers them, let it be hoped, until the grave
finally gives up its dead. There are Ghilzais still living
and now present in this camp who own to having been
present and taken part in the last fatal struggle. It is
pleasing to relate that they all bear witness to the
bravery with which our countrymen died, and speak
of them in terms of respect and admiration, quite
free from triumph or boastfulnass.
It was about one mile beyond this interesting hill
that the escort halted to await the Ameer. He was
not long in coming, only just long enough to enable
the enterprising photographer, Mr. Burke, who has
accompanied the Khyber column from the first, and
photographed many memorable scenes of localities, to
get his apparatus in order for exercising his art at the
interesting inement when the Ameer and the Viceroy's
representative should exchange their first salutations.
The Ameer rode in front of his party, with Mustaufi
Habiballah, his finance Minister, and General Daoud
Shah Khan, the commander of the troops stationed in
Cabal, immediately behind him. As he shook hands
with Major Cavagnari the guard of honour gave the
customary salute, and after a few minutes devoted to
compliments on each side the return march to camp
commenced. The detachraentof Guides Cavalry led the
way; then followed the Ameer with Major Cavagnari
and Major Wood on his left and right, but a little in
rear, as respect demanded. Almost in a line with the
two last-named officers followed the Mustaufi and the
General; and at a few paces' distance several of the
near members of the Ameer's family, in particular the
two sons of Mahomed Shereef Khan, the only sur-
viving full brothel of the late Ameer. One of these,
Hashum Khan, is married, it may be remembered, tt
the sister of the late heir designate, Abdullah Jan, and
was put forward by the "mother of the latter, on the
Ameer's death at gazer. i-Sharif, as a candidate for
the throne in opposition to Yakoob. Hash= Khan
is unprepossessing in face and figure, and very far
inferior to Yakoob Khan, whose appearance I will en-
deavonr briefly to describe.
His appearance, I ehould say, is decidedly aristo-
cratic. He is of midile height, straight, and well
built. His complexioa is that of an Italian, and
infinitely fairer than that of many of the bronzed
warriors one sees in the British camps. His features
are of the usual coareely aquiline Afghan type.
His expression is somewhat stern and careworn,
but indicates character and resolution. His beard
is short and crisp, and at his age, thirty-four, is
doubtless of its natural black colour, undisguised by
the cosmetics so freely used by Afghans when gray
hairs appear. The Ameer rode a well-bitted, light
chestnut Turcoman charger, equipped with European
military saddle and bride. He was dressed in an
Afghan cloak of the firust material of the country,
made with evident attenion to a becoming fit, and
wore European trouseri fastened under a neat
polished-leather boot by chain straps. His headdress
was a close-fitting cap of .istrakhan wool. He eat his
horse erect and well, and it was easy to fancy him the
gallant soldier and skilfu: general which in his earlier
years he no often proved himself to be.
The Mustaufi, or Finance Minister, is an ordinary'
looking man, who might pus for an Indian Tuheeeliar.
tl ihgihs t
cboluunet
rAyf. glas ne
nc
el or
as kl ,
Do ra `olucdh osg hh aa
h"ls as
is
int
eciewlloerdeina
f penormousairofvesrtya twuirdee, ataroduns oe
rt
se
wv nthaoulto ose
straps, a Afghanand
cmsololadankieo,r's ankle boots innocent of blacking, could con-
ceal a certain soldierly air and look. He has been
generally supposed to 'se hostile to the tnglish alli-
ance. The Mustaufi, 3n the other hand, passes for our
decided well-wisher. The relatives of the Ameer, whom
I have described as rieing in second line, call for no
particular remark. They were all young men, dressed
like all Afghans of rant, plainly, and were mounted
on indifferent horses; slill thoy showed evident signs
of birth and breeding.
After proceeding a couple of miles s smart shower of
rain came on and there was a general call for cloaks
and waterproofs, A mounted retainer of the Ameer's
galloped up with a heavy
iovercoat for the Ameer,
which he struggled lab with some difficulty, owing
to the fidgettiness of Ms horse. At the edge of the
Gandamak plain and Mont to miles from camp, the
outermost flank of tin British troops was reached,
and the Ameer was j,ined by Sir Samuel Browne
and entered the street elech extended up ra hie tents.
The troops were drawl up in extended files at open
order and were made b cover as much eroteed as pos-
sible. . . • Each le faitry regiment, as the AntePr
paseed through its ()paled ranks, presented arms, the
band playing the Natonal Anthem, followed by the
regimental quick step. The two first native infantry