The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-03-31
RESIDENCE IN THE AFGHAN CAPITAL
Shere Ais Last Journey and
It's Incidents.
THE MONEY CHESTS.
Did the Ameer Die a Nat
ural Death {?
TAsnKEsp, Turkestan, Feb. Is. 1879.


The interval of ten days which has elapsed since
the date of my last letter has been marked by two
important events The first of these has reference to
the return of General Rasgonof from Afghanistan.
after Journey which has lasted eight months.
The General with his friend Staleew the real
chef of the mission, and who shortly returned to
make his report to the Emperor General Rasgonof
remained behind to await the course of events which
were to be the counterpart Of those occurring in
Europe. The month of August had then been
tered upon, and few dark spots noticeable on
the political horizon especially in the direction of
Turkey. The English fleet still holding
threatening position in the Bosphorus. and it was
indispensable that the first hostile movement there
should be responded to. blow for blow. in India.
Therefore it was that General Rasgonof came to
be the advanced sentinel there-too advanced
perhaps from the sentnels point of view,
who no doubt found the life he had to
lead at Cabul little suited to his tastes.
The mission was composed Of seven persons.
inclusive of emp'oye dc ctanceuere draughtsman
and a translator-and about twenty Cossacks. All
these men. with General--he then only Colonel
Rasgonof at their head, kept confined in the
former palace of Yakoob Khan, the actual heir but
who then. and had been for four years, close
prisoner in obedience to his fathers will. not say
caprce-for had not the latter already chosen
was soon destined to die?
DWELLING IN cABUL.
This palace OF Yakoob Khan as dwelling place
had nothing whatever to recommend it. 1t is fur
nshed in accordance with the customs of the coun-
try which is good saying that you must sit on
your thumb in the absence Of chairs; the only open
air space throughout the building is very small
courtyard, without even the shadow Of tree. The
General felt much annoyed at this absence OF YER
dure; he appears to me to be Of those soldiers
who belong to what may be called the contemplative
order He represents the dreaming Class of soldiers
although his life has been passed in the midst of
camps in the Caucasus or in Central Asia. speak Of
his active career, for this preceded by q long
period of study. 1t after receiving his CON-
mission that he completed his studies by attending
ut St. Petersburg the classes of the Academie Eat
Major. When he had gone through these lie went to
the Academic d'Etat- Artllerie and began another
He had then learned all that could be taught
in the military art. and began studying medicine
or this he acquired sufficient knowledge to entitle
him to practice in general way Thus IL that
in principle he the MUSICIAN of the mission and
It accounts for the he gave when asked
him how he whicd away his time at Cabui. "I
spent" said he. "a great part of my nights in
tending of Cossacks who was laid up
with typhus." Moreover, General Kaufman told
the residence OF the mission there sulphste Of
quinine that which General Rasgonof valued
the most He used il to relieve the Afghans
ut the court of the fevers which FRUSTRATED them,
and in this way pound upon pound of it was con-
sumed. But notwithstanding the jealous endcavors
of the soldier DOCTOR the presence Of real physi.
clan deemed necessary; it was the Ameer him
self who asked for him. He sent to him. and is
the who forwarded the dispatches relative to
the precarious state Of shere Ais health This man
Of science has already supplied material for several
squibs. II is limited that he went to Cabul to be
present at the death of the heir whom the Amer
had selected and that IL his provisions have proved
true he must have witnessed the death Of Shere Ali
ut Tashkourgan. It is added that General Rasyonor
who killed nobody. evidently no doctor 1T all.
INCIDENTS OF LIFE IN cABUL.
The mission lived therefore in Cabul in strict
confinement, and General Rasgonof willingly re-
ates the smallest details OF his clostered life.
for when he begins q narrative nothing can stop
him. While Staletew seemed to have acquired the
diplomatic habit of keeping close tongue. ct any
rate Of replying without Affirming anything. his
friend the contrary. took especial pains to leave
detail untold and the information he tells IL in
undergo the torture spoke of the other day. The
reader will remember the fancful freak of the Aneer
of Bokhara who kept his Grand Master of the Artillery
for three days within four red hot walls until he
baked to DEATH had forgotten TO say that this high
official happened to be foster brother of the Ameer.
Well the members of the mission. shut up in va
koob's palace. had to endure temperature Of io4
degrees Fahrenheit. which decreased only three or
fonr degrees during the night. with
lousy served up twice day. Besides. feeling
sat,sed with such ss,n proiusion Of rice:
food by hint from the Ameer. who had warned
them to be ON their guard in the matter Of edibles,
Mussulman might take it into his head to poison
them. out Of pure hatred Of the Christians. In the
ers found relief in attending cossst stricken
with typhus. But even this mode OF killing time.
when do not kill the patient does not suit
every ones humor. The Cossacks. moreover. how
strictly disciplined they may be. would not have
gone the length OF contracting typhus for the simple
qualification OF the members Of the mission.
ESCORT.
word must be said en- passon in regard to this es
cort of Cossacks who have travelled through these
sccurscd regions with their habitual stolid indif-
ference. They were the same there you
them in the Caucasus and in Bulgaria. The
nothing TO do with them: for them ell
interest centres in one point-militsry conscrip-
them. Thus those belonging to the escort. after
having learned the names or the country and tho
town they in, Immediately Russianized them,
ard dated their letters--mostly addressed TO the
nursery maids of Tashkend-from ''Cabouls, prov
thing else. that not seeing their chiefs leave the
palace, they naturally concluded that they we're In
custody and thought it but fair that they should
share their fate
ENGLISH NEWSPAPERS IN cABur.
One OF the most pleasant pastmcs OF the mission
was the reading OF the English papers published in
India. These allowed free circulation in Cabul,
and from them may be gathered an idea OF how far
the war may I've prolonged. This considered on the
ne hand, and the other the system of warfare of
she Indian army, a. reduced 90 its just proportions
and results, an idea may be formed
how tho scale would be turned by the in
PREVENTION Of exceptional troops. like those
now lying in idleness at Tashkcnd The English
newspapers, as | have said, circulate in Cabul,
where strong British party Is known to exist. Al
first the people were divided into three political
factions. There the rartisans of the Aneer.
those OF Yakoob and those of England. Yakoob hav.
ing regsned favor with the Aneer. the first two of
these coalcsccd. They number more sdhcrcnts than
the other party. but lack that amount Of energy
which English gold imparts TO those who favor Brit
fish interests. These men continually agiating
the public mind by every means In their power,
which means first espionage second defamation Of
the Russians; lastly, money People go about say
ing that wherever Englishmen show themselves they
distribute gold at much per head. the price being
fixed beforehand. When therefore, they appear IN
the distance those OF the pauper element whisper 70
othcr that rupees In he nd without haviuu