The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-10-17
CAPTAINS OF
n
Copyright By pebbshern Company
BY ROGER POCOCK

column were mown down there was a
second brief and bloody struggle, and
the upper fausse-braye was carried,
while a few OF the most daring of the
ASSISTANTS, pushing on In OF
their comrades, gained the head OF the
breach. Blu now Deem Mahomed came
down with the Afghan reserve, and
thus recruited the defenders gathered
new heart, so that the Persians in the
breach were driven back. Again and
again, with desperate courage, hey
struggled to effect a Judgment, only to
be repulsed.
startled by the noise of h assault
Var Mahomed (the y~izier)- had risen
up. left his quarters and ridden down
to the works. Pottinger went forth at
the same time and on the same errand.
Giving Instructions TO his dependents
to be carried out in the event of his
falling in the defense, he fastened to
Join the yizier. As they neared
the point of the attack the garrison
were seen retreating by twos and
threes others were quitting the works
on the pretext Of carrying off the
wounded. =. Pottinger was eager to
| push on TO the breach Var Mahomed
sat himself down. The vizier had lost
heart his wonted high courage and
collectedness had deserted him. As
tonished and Indignant, the English Of
ficer called upon the yizier again and
again TO rouse himself. The Afghan
chief rose up and advanced further In
to the works, and neared the breach
where the conflict was raging. Yar
Mahomed called upon his men In Gods
name to fight; but they wavered and
stood still. Then his heart failed him
again. He turned back, said he would
90 for aid. Alarmed by the backward
ness of their chief the men were now
%retreating in every direction" Pottin-
ger swore.
Var reused himself, again advanced,
but again wavered, and a third time
Pottinger by word and deed put him to
shame. He .%reviled, he threatened, he
seized him by the arm and dragged him
forward to the breach" Now
the fun, and we can forsake the tedi-
Gus language of the official version.
Var, bounded to desperation by Pottin-
ger, seized a staff, rushed like a wild
cat ON the retreating soldiers, and so
Mortified them that they bolted back
over the breach down the outside into
the face of the Persians. And the Per-
s~lansAs-5l Herat was saved.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of siege, with
famine, mutiny and all the usual wor-
ries of beleaguered towns finished Pot
fingers work, the saving of Herat.
Now we take up the life of another
spy, also an army officer, old Alexan-
der Burnes. At eighteen he had been
adjutant of his regiment and rose very
steadily from rank to rank until he
was gel as an envoy TO Runjeet Singh,
the ruler of Punjab, and to the ameers
Of Sclnde.
In 1892 he set out on his second mis-
sion through A~fghanlstan, Bokhara and
Persia. See how he wrote from Cabul:
II do not despair Of reaching 1stam-
boul (Constantinople) In safety. They
may seize me and sell me for a slave,
but no one will attack me fos my
riches. l have no tent, nc chair or
table, no bed, and my clothes altOgeth-
er amount TO the value of n pound
sterling. You would disown your son
IL you saw him. My dress is purely Ash
oFI. onl agp.n 7 - into Calm hae
been changed to that of the lowest or
ders Of the people. Ny head is shaved
of its brown locks, and my beard dyed
black grleves for the departed
beauty of youth. l now eat my meals
With my hands, and greasy digits they
are, though | must say in justification,
that l wash before and after meals.
| frequently sleep under a tree, but II
a yillager viii take compassion on me
| enter his house. l never conceal
that l am a European, and l have as
yet found the character advantageous
to my comfort. The people know me
by the name OF Sekunder, which is the
Persian for Alexander. . With all
my assumed poverty | have a bag OF
ducats round my waist, and bills for as
much money as l choose to draw.
When l 60 into company | put my hand
on my heart and say, with all humility,
to the master of the house, Peace be
unto thee, according to the custom.
and then 1 squat myself down on the
ground. This familiarity has given me
an insight into the character Of the
people =. kind-hearted and h%ospitable,
they have no prejudices against a
Christian and non against our nation.
When they ask me if L eat pork, l, Of
course, shudder, Inc say that 1t is only
outcasts that commit such outrages.
God forgive me for | am very fond OF
bacon. | am well mounted on a
good horse in case | should ind II
necessary to take to my heels. My
whole baggage IN earth goes on one
mule, which my servant sits supercar-
go. | never was in better spirits.
After his wonderful journey Burnes
was sent 10 England to make his re-
port to the government, and King VIII
liam " must needs hear the whole OF
the story at Brighton pavilion.
The third journey Of this great spy
was called the commercial mission to
Cabul. There he learned that the Per
sian siege Of Herat was being more OF
penciled over lightly with the second