miles from the city. This is certainly a delightful part of the world to one fond of excitement. A fortnight ago, I was thinking of putting coloured glass in my windows, and making other alterations in my quarters, as there appeared every prospect of my remaining at Heraut for many a day; it was then decided that I should go with despatches to Cabool, and, just as my arrangements were completed for this trip, I received instructions to move towards Khyva! If I fail in getting to Khyva before the Russians drive the Khan Huzarut from that city, I have every chance of being carried away in the uproar; the whole country will be in confusion, and, though my party is a respectable one, it is any thing but invincible; the chances, however, are in my favour, as all the chiefs through whose country I pass are in friendly correspondence with us, and each of them knows that civility to me is sure to be profitable to him. In short, the chances of distinction are so great, and the hazard so slight, that the heart of even a wren would be gladdened by the prospect. I halted until the evening of the 14th to take leave of all my native friends, and the party of Englishmen with whom I have been so long and so intimately associated. The farewell of the Affghans is full of ceremony; prayer follows prayer, and one unacquainted with their character could not believe that the man who in the most solemn manner calls upon God to bless you—to take you into his keeping-who prays that your journey may be propitious-it is difficult for an Englishman to believe that, while so doing, a native of this country, if he does not mean any thing worse, means only the performance of a mere ceremony. But such is the custom of the country, and in sooth, on every occasion they have the name of God on their lips, though their hearts are far from him. How different was the parting with my English friends and companions! Ah, well! good-luck to them, and may I again fall amongst such worthy and gentlemanly men. An old Persian gentleman was, I think, sincere in his good wishes, an old Hajee, who, one way or another, has received some favours at my hands. He appeared much distressed, and talked about the dangers of the road, &c. Wishing to cheer my

old friend, I told him I should study the art of mule-driving on the journey, so that, when sold to the Incomans, I might be able to make myself useful. He was much horrified, and when he had finished his hurried exclamations of "God forbid!" &c., he said he hoped better things, though he confessed that the hour of my departure was far from favourable, and much similar to the one on which Colonel Stoddart started for Bokhara! Iurged, that though there was much sense in his remark, still I hoped we had outwitted the evil fates by leaving the city by the Maleck, instead of the Kootubchak gate, which would have been the direct road. His reply was made in a solemn voice, "Colonel Stoddart, though going in the same direction as yourself, made a much greater circuit than you, for he left the city by the Candahar gate, and yet you see the result." This was a very pleasing and gratifying remark of the old gentleman; but not wishing for any more such consolation, I turned the subject on his own affairs, and then bade him good-by.

My party consists of the Cazee, Moollah Mahomed Hassan, who, from his being somewhat of a conspirator, we have been in the habit of calling "Brutus"-his son, Mahomed Daood, an active young fellow, who is so fond of adventure that he cheerfully leaves his young wife to come with us Khoda Woordee Khan, a man of old but ruined family, who ought to be faithful, if there is such a thing as gratitude in this part of the world ;and lastly, Fazil Khan, a fine specimen of the troopers of the irregular horse of India, true as steel, fearing neither man nor devil, and obeying the orders of his immediate superior to the very letter. Brutus, I should say, is about 60 years old; he is a man of considerable rank, a Moollah and Cazee, whose family in former years possessed great influence and wealth in the valley of Heraut; he is passionate and violent, but of unflinching courage, and has much influence with the tribes I shall have to pass through; his opinion of his own rank and consequence is very great. His son is invaluable; he looks after the horses, loads the mules, ties my turban, helps to cook the dinner, and appears at that meal in a good dress, humour, and appetite. Khoda Woordee pro

ceeds more leisurely about his work; he is a quiet gentlemanly man, blessed with a most luxuriant beard, and whether doctoring a mule or eating his food, he is always sedate, and seems to think a good deal, but never speaks if he can help it. Fazil Khan is, simply, the most faithful, singlehearted creature I have ever met with. With the above party I am to dine, breakfast and associate for an unknown time, and I would not change any of them. In addition to the above, I have seven Demauk Kipchag troopers from the Vuzeer, who look as if they were good men for work. One of them is called "the Wolf," from a curious habit which he is said to possess of rushing into danger. I dare say we shall have occasion to put his vaunted courage to the test.

I am writing this at 9 A. M., on the 15th May, not having had time, in the multiplicity of arrangements previous to my departure, to keep a journal. I took leave at sunset yesterday of my brother officers, at about five miles from the city. All the mules had passed us, and the only absentees were Mahomed Daood and Khoda Woordee. Brutus explained the absence of the former, by saying he had sent him on duty to the city; but Khoda Woordee's absence could only be imagined by supposing he was thinking of something which every body else had forgotten. The march was to Purwaunah, about six and a half miles through the range of hills north of Heraut; a capital road, fine moonlight, and only one false alarm on the route. Just as I had taken off my boots and called for a pipe, Khoda Woordee galloped into the court, saying, that when close to the halting-place he had been chased; that a poor wretch, who was on foot in his company, had been seized, he feared, by the seven horsemen from whom he had thought it judicious to flee. He begged that I would allow him to take some of the Kipchag troopers and go to the rescue of his companion. I consented, and had some idea of going myself; but I am glad I did not, for while Brutus was groaning and praying for his son Mahomed Daood, who, he feared, must have fallen into the hands of Khoda Woordee's pursuers, in came young Daood in convulsions of laughter, saying, that seeing some one riding a-head of him, and wishing to have a

chat, he put his horse to a canter, and that the person a-head of him increasing his pace, he (Mahomed Daood) called lustily to him, in the name of the Prophet, to pull in his horse, but the louder he cried the quicker fled the leading horseman, who, I need hardly say, was Khoda Woordee, who for once thought too much, in as much as he mistook a young stripling for "seven Turcomans on a chupas." Some time afterwards, when my convulsions of laughter had somewhat subsided, I saw Khoda Woordee sneaking about the door of the ruin, which was my halting-place, and asked why he had remained behind the party? But I could not find it in me to quiz him, particularly as he gave an excellent reason for stopping behind. Brutus and I had a good cup of tea, and sweetmeats, before going to bed, and the "lovely moon smiled on our slumbers." We have just eaten a capital breakfast, without feeling the want of knives and forks, or tables and chairs. I have been advised to adopt the Affghan dress on this trip, and find it far from an unpleasant costume, and

Old

shall I confess it?-becoming. The most objectionable part is the nether garment, which, in direct opposition to an

Englishman's ideas of fashion, is so preposterously wide as to be inconvenient; those made for me (I begged for small ones) have nearly a circumferance of six feet for each leg; in fact, as a facetious friend of mine observes, "the thing is not a pair of breeches, but a divided petticoat." Mine are of a bright red colour, and my shirt is of the same blushing hue; my coat is something like a long surtout, without a collar. It is made of a light blue chintz, and trimmed with cashmere shawl. The cloak is made very full, with long sleeves, and of a light brown colour. The turban is of white muslin, and arranged with great skill by Mahomed Daood, in large folds. The wristband is a light striped shawl, and the boots much like those of the Horse Guards, but with pointed toes. At Heraut I always found, when conversing with a native of the country who had never before seen the European costume, that he was so absorbed by astonishment at the difference of dress that he could think of nothing else, and that instead of listening to my arguments he was counting my buttons. I have nearly 300 ducats tied