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

lAN SUN, LONDON, 1842.

Irisro27 or `r'. n. fa,ZYGIIILN 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
Cililanee, or Ghizni, his capital. His son Mahmood
greatly enlarged the limits
.of his empire, which ex-
tended over the present kingdom- of Caubul,
Balk, Baduksban, and a great part of Khorassan. Ili
dynasty lasted till the year 1159, from which period till,
the invasion of Baber in 1506, different dynasties
reigned in Affghanistan without interruption. Genghis
Khan and Tamerlane successively subdued the country.
Haber conquered Canbul, 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
Hindostan then divided the plains of Affghanistan be-
tween them, while•those who refused this yoke, retired
to the mountains In 1720, however, allegiance to Persia was thrown off by the Affghan tribes, who advanced
extendedp
against Ispahan, and took it, but Nadir Shah repulsed
them in 1728, and this celebrated" usurper, following up
hfis subdued the whole
o hispower - to the Indus,
which continued sulject to Persia till his assassination
isagelcl as sn'iss' ta hn', 'd,
andb
the )tea 79
in 1747.

On this event an Affghari officer of the Dooraunee
tribe, Ahmed Shah, who had risen to high command in
Nadir's army, took possession of Candahar, and having
united all the Atrglians under his authority, founded the
present kingdom. This Prince was wise and politic, and
he 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 de.cisive blow to the Mah-
ratta power. His successor was Timour Shah, who,
after a despotic and indolent reign, was succeeded by his
two sons, Homayoti and Zeman') Shah. Between these
brothers war ensued, and, after defeating his elder bro-
ther, Zemaun in 1796 invaded Hindostan 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 hiniself again- ex-
pelled by the latter in 1809, and had a pension as-
signed him of 50,000 rupees per annum. Meantime
leunjeet Singh, the Sheik chief of Lahore, profiting by
the confusion, conquered Peshawar, the modern capital
of Affghanistan. In 1818, Shah Soojah, impatient of
retirement,•attemptted 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 same time a pension was assigned to his blind
brother Zemaun Shah. The two rival competitors, in
1826, Mahmood and Soojah, quietly resided, the latter
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 Bir
LATE EVENTS.
THE =HYBEN, 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
fpom 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, duri►:g which you ascend nearly
2,000 feet ; but it is no more in many places than
twelve feet wide. The fort of Ali Musjid corn
islands the most difficult portimn of the Pass ; it is
built on the summit of a precipitous hill overhanging
the road ; the fort is about 150 feet long, by 60 wide :
the post is so unhealthy during the hot and rainy season,
that it cannot be occupied by our troops, who are able to
rema;n in it only during the winter. The rulers of
Afighanistan have been in the habit, up till now, of pay-
ing the Khyberries 12,000/. a year for permission to use
their passes for travellers, merchandise, and troops. In
1739 Nadir Shah gaire 100,0001. for leave to march his
army through.

seen in the neighbourhood • among the rest, and about
three miles from the city, the tomb onSultan Mahmood,
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 Aveight that few- .can wield it. The
Koran is constantly read over the grave, by Mahemedan
priests, who are still retained.

VALLEY OF THE TURNUK.—This Palley extends from
Canclahar up to Ghuznee, a distance ,)f 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 tl to town of Canda-
har, is about 30 miles, the height of its peaks is 500 feet
above the plain : the lower part of the -valley is a stony
am barren waste.