Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-12-14
SHERE ALI.
His Personal Traits and Arauire.
nemtSs
RI etter from Anglo Indian in a Ionaor yo,r,,., ,

Letter from Anglo Indian in London yournsll
first met Shere Ali, the present Ameer of
years OF age, OF middle stature with marked
aquiiine features, and with fine, soldierly
bearing; Shere Ali struck me as man of re-
marka0iy good common sense, and his powers
Of conversation were very great During his
stay at PeShawur both On his way to Umballa,
and on his return to Cabul. he held daily levees
and spent most OF his time in friendly inter-
views with the Europeans and natives who Wis
tied him. In his heightened conversation wish
European visitors with whom he always took
teal, he evinced very correct acquaintance
with the leading facts of European history
This was all the more notable because he was
unable TO read or write, and had acquired his
his attendants who were able to read; and a
special clerk acquainted with English has al
ways been kept at Cabul to translate articles
and kilograms from the Indian newspapers. l
found he knew much of the history of Napoleo On
the First, Peter the Great, Alexander, and even
Alfred the Great. His favOrite character was
Napoleon, and On no account would he yield
the palm to our Wellington.
His sense OF humor was very great. 81 know
am savage he said one day, .'but you Eng
llSh were Just as bad 800 years ago, " once when
ne was unusually talkative, he said, How
dreadfully afraid you English are Of the Rus
sians." Not in the least" replied; ''we Shall
be excellent neighbors some day" All" he
SAID III you We're not afraid of the Russians,
You would not make SO much OF me-" He
affected not to be impressed with the beauty Of
English ladies' and Several times remarked as
he passed them. . All. see you keep all your
pretty women at hOme." He frequently eV-
pressed his adherence of lOw-necked dresses
and short tailed coats, and said such advances
IN the scale OF civilization were contrary to his
religion, for they were forbidden by the
plOphet. He prOfeSsed to be a devout and piouS
Moelem, but numerous empty bottles told OF
frequent departures from the strict iniunctionS
OF his religion, and when at Jalandar. where he
was received in the most friendly manner by Sir
ID. Forsyth, he did moi hesitate to suggest that
cherry brandy was much more suited to his
taste when served in tulHberS than in small
liquor glasses.
The ameer's youngest son. Abdullah Jan, was
with him. and appeared TO be youth of some
p1OmiSe-he was then about 12 years of age He
could read and write Persian. and was then
learning English. The amcer often spoke OF his
eldest son, NahOOb, In terms Of admiration, and
told me he was very fair English scholar and
me soldier. The ameer generally spoke Per-
Stan but to the Afghan villager and hill-men he
spoke PuShtu; he could also make himself
understood in HindlStani, and could give the
military words OF command in English. He has
mad the reputation Of being an author, for q
DOCK against WahhabyiSln bears his name. but
II was written By Motllvte in the name OF the
tefeSted In the manner and customs OF the
English people, and conyerSed for hours on sub
tectS connected with our national and domestic
life. When ill India, he bought up all the second
hand uniforms OF European officers he could lay
his hands on, for the OF his staff, and he also
purchased rather an extensive English ward
robe for himself. He said the European dress
was tie dress for soldiers, and the oriental
dress for women and priests. When asked by
Lord Mayo how he liked the dress Of the High
land regiments, he said it was ''territic," but