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

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, profiting by
the confusion, conquered Peshawur, the modern capital
of Affghanistan. 1818, Shah Soojah, impatient of
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 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
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.
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