The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-09-27 00:00:00

THE LATE SECRETARY TO THE
CABUL MISSION.

--
The following letter from Mr. Jenkyns, the secretary to
the Cabal Mission, written on the 10th of last month, to Pro-
fessor Geddes, of the Aberdeen University, will be read with
melancholy interest at the present time. It is a short and
modest narrative addressed to one of his old teachers, giving
an outline of his caceer and an account of his linguistic
studies. Coming so immediately before the appalling catas-
trophe of the 3rd, it has all the value of an autobiography
articulo and forms a record of importance for after-
time (says the Evening Standard):—
" Cabal, August 10, 1879.

"My dear Professor,—You will, no doubt, be much
surprised at receiving a letter from one whom, in the
never-ending procession of new faces that pass before
you year after year, you will have entirely fotgotten.
But I was once a student in dear old King's College,
and besides Bitting under your teaching for two-years. I
had the additional honour of attending your Hoinsrio
readings in the dark winter nights long ago. Alter ome
hesitation. I have ventured to write to you announolag
the despatch to your address of a small book of which
lam tee author. Being the first fruits of my pen, I
have thought it proper that my alma matcr should
have the offer of it through you. lam sure that you,
in common with the other prcfessors, are glad to hear
of any old student &hag anything worthy in the world,
and if you du not think me long-winded I would like
to give you a very short account of my history since I
left Aberdeen in 1870. Shortly after I arrived in India
I was sent on to the trans-Indus frontier, and there
the whole of my service (nearly) I remained. I
set. myself to acquire the language of the frontier
—Pushto, the Afghan language, 4nd Biluchi, the
Biluch language. In both of these languages I passed
distinguished examinations and received handsome re-
wards. I am the only British officer who has yet
passed in both the frontier languages. I then set my-
self to Persian, and I passed a high examination in
that language in Calcutta and received a prize of
£2OO. In Arabic, too, I was prepared to pass a similar
examination, but Public duty prevented my getting
leave to go to Calcutta. Having passed all these
linguistic teats brought me somewhat into notice,
and when Sir Lewis Pelly was pent to the
Peshawur conference (with the Afghans) in
1876, I was appointed his interpreter and secretary.
After that I was appointed Political Agent in Lacliko
which is a distant province of the Kashmir Govern-
ment, bordering upon Yarkund. I need not now
enumerate other minor positions I held. When the
Afghan war broke out, I was appointed a political
officer with Sir Samuel Browne's column. I remained
with that force up till the conclusion of the peacts) at
Gandaimak, with which I had a great deal to do. I
had the honour of carrying the treaty of peace from
Gandamak to Simla for the Viceroy's ratification-1u
the course of which journey I had to ride in one day
from Gandaraak to Peshawur, in the month of May,
120 miles, and the same back, in one day, from
Peshawur to Gandamak, I did this in 13 hours con.
thing riding, For this act I received the decoration