are often three hundred feet deep, and one was three hundred and forty five feet. In the midst of so arid a country, the water melon, the most juicy of fruits, is found in profusion. The desert from Pooggul to Bahawulpoor, was a flat of hard clay, which sounded under our horses' feet like a board; the clay was destitute of all vegetation, and in this tract, excepting the fort and pool of Moojgur, and two wells about sixteen miles from Bahawulpoor, there is neither water nor inhabitants to be found.'

The party had to sustain great privations in their journey through this dreary tract; the fatigue was excessive on account of the heavy sand, and the path so narrow, that when in the closest order, the line extended two miles in length. They endured the greatest inconveniences from the scarcity and the bad quality of the water; while the tempting juice of the water melon produced injurious effects on the health. From all these circumstances, together with the astonishing variation of temperature in the days and nights, sickness was so dreadfully prevalent, that thirty sepoys, without reckoning followers, were taken ill in the course of one day at Nuttoosir, and forty persons of all descriptions expired during the first week of our halt at • Bikaneer.' The first appearance of this last named city, amid the horrors of the surrounding desolation, was remarkably striking; but it was appearance only. The walls indeed rose lofty and majestic, with their towers and battlements; above them towered the still loftier citadel, and beyond them were distinguished high buildings and temples; but within the gates nothing was to be seen, but mud huts and corresponding poverty. A striking illustration of human ambition is to be found in the fact, that this dreary waste, from the whole of which, if offered to him in fee simple, the poorest English farmer would turn away in utter and unhesitating disdain, was the scene of warfare and the object of strife between contending rajahs. Bikaneer was at this time in a state of siege, and five different armies were braving the miseries of the desert in hostility against its prince, who trusted to the strength of his walls, and still more to the invincibility of his ocean of sand. His person and character are described as follows.

Rajah Soorut Sing is a man of a good height, and a fair complexion for an Indian. He has black whiskers and a beard (except on the middle of his chin), a long nose, and Raujpoot features; he has a good face, and a smiling countenance. He is reckoned an oppressive prince. It is strongly suspected that he poisoned his elder brother, whom he succeeded; and it is certain that he murdered an agent sent from the vizier of Hindostan to the king of Caubul. Yet, as he is very strict in his devotions, and particular in the diet prescribed by his religion, his subjects allow him the character of a saint.'

VOL. II. N. S.

This saintly monarch, in his interview with Mr. E. displayed great personal magnificence; his many-coloured turban was richly adorned with jewels, and he sat resting his arms on a shield of steel, the bosses and rim of which were set with dia'monds and rubies.' Pooggul, which was the next town, is thus described.

If I could present to my reader the fore ground of high sand hills, the village of straw huts, the clay walls of the little fort going to ruins, as the ground which supported them was blown away by the wind, and the sea of sand, without a sign of vegetation, which formed the rest of the prospect, he probably would feel as I did, a sort of wonder at the people who could reside in so dismal a wilderness, and of horror at the life to which they seemed to be condemned.'

Soon after leaving this dreary spot, our countrymen entered. on the frontier territory of Afghaunistan, and were met by a detachment sent with water and refreshments by Bahawul Khaun, governor of the province. At Moujgur they were deceived by a mirage, called by the Persians sirraub. The little tufts of grass and low shrubs were minutely reflected in this fairy lake. Mr. E. offers no speculations on the cause of this phenomenon ; but he remarks that it is only to be found in level, smooth, and dry places that no vapour was to be perceived; that it did not seem to be in any way affected by the position of the sun 'with respect to the spectator;' and that its appearance was not always accompanied with great heat. At Bahawulpore they met the governor in person; a plain, open, pleasant man, about forty-five or fifty years of age.' He was in the highest degree courteous and hospitable; liberal even to an embarrassing extent; and in his delicacy respecting presents to himself, a perfect contrast to the rapacious rulers of Eastern countries. They were now in a land of verdure and plenty, and went forward in high spirits. On the 11th of December, they reached Moultan, a town of magnificent appearance' and considerable trade; situated in a rich, but imperfectly cultivated country. Their reception at this place was of a very different kind, Serafrauz Khaun being fearful and suspicious. Their first interview with him was hurried and tumultuous; and it would appear that both parties were equally gratified when the Mission left the neighbourhood. We regret that we must decline attending Mr. E. in his visit to the Indus, and Messrs. Frazer and Harris in their 'attempt to ascend the peak, called Tukhte Soli'maun, or Soliman's Throne, where the people of the country believe the ark to have rested after the deluge.' One passage, however, is too illustrative to be omitted.

6

• The notions entertained of us by the people were not a little extraordinary. They had often no conception of our nation or religion. We have been taken for Synds, Moguls, Afghauns, and even for

Hindoos. They believed we carried great guns packed up in trunks, and that we had certain small boxes so contrived as to explode, and kill half a dozen men each, without hurting us. Some thought we could raise the dead; and there was a story current, that we had made and animated a wooden ram at Mooltaun; that we had sold him as a ram, and that it was not till the purchaser began to eat him, that the material of which he was made, was discovered.'

In their course along the Indus, our travellers came to Callabaugh, a scene of a singular nature. We shall give the description of it in their own words.

Calla-baugh, where we left the plain, well deserves a minute description. The Indus is here compressed by mountains into a deep channel, only three hundred and fifty yards broad. The mountains on each side have an abrupt descent into the river, and a road is cut along their base, for upwards of two miles. It had been widened for us, but was still so narrow, and the rock over it so steep, that no camel with a bulky load could pass: to obviate this inconvenience, twentyeight boats had been prepared, to convey our largest packages up the river. The first part of this pass is actually overhung by the town of Calla-baugh, which is built in a singular manner upon the face of the hill, every street rising above its neighbour; and, I imagine, only accessible by means of the flat roofs of the houses below it. As we passed beneath, we perceived windows and balconies at a great height, crowded with women and children. The road beyond was cut out of solid salt, at the foot of cliffs of that mineral, in some places more than one hundred feet high above the river. The salt is hard, clear, and almost pure. It would be like chrystal, were it not in some parts streaked and tinged with red. In some places salt springs issue from the foot of the rocks, and leave the ground covered with a crust of the most brilliant whiteness. All the earth, particularly near the town, is almost blood red, and this, with the strange and beautiful spectacle of the salt rocks, and the Indus flowing in a deep and clear stream through lofty mountains, past this extraordinary town, presented such a scene of wonders as is seldom to be witnessed. Our camp was pitched beyond the pass, in the mouth of a narrow valley, and in the dry bed of a torrent; near it were piles of salt in large blocks (like stones at a quarry) lying ready for exportation, either to India or Khorassaun. It would have taken a week to satisfy us with the sight of Calla-baugh, but it threatened rain, and had the torrent filled while we were there, our whole camp must have been swept into the Indus.'

After what we have already stated respecting the political and unsettled condition of the kingdom of Caubul, our readers will not be surprised to hear that the Embassy, on their reaching Peshawer, at that time the residence of the Afghaun court, found affairs in a suspicious and doubtful state. It required both skill and management to conduct the negotiation amid the difficulties which from various quarters, both foreign and domestic, were thrown in its way. The Rajah of the Punjaub, the gover

nors of petty frontier states, and the 'great Dooraunee lords,' were all jealous of the supposed objects of the mission. But as Mr. Elphinstone abstains from all subjects connected with the Embassy, and as it was ultimately without any important result, in consequence of the misfortunes of Shuja, we shall not pursue this part of the subject. When the train entered Peshawer,

• There was a great croud all the way. The banks on each side of the road were covered with people, and many climbed up trees to see us pass. The croud increased as we approached the city, but we were put to no inconvenience by it, as the king's horse, that had come out to meet us, charged the mob vigorously, and used their whips without the least compunction. One man attracted particular notice; he wore a high red cap, of a conical shape, with some folds of cloth round the bottom, and a white plume; he had a short jacket of skin, black pantaloons, and brown boots; he was an uncommonly fine figure, tall and thin, with swelling muscles, a high nose, and an animated countenance; he was mounted on a very fine grey horse, and rode with long stirrups and very well. He carried a long spear without a head, with which he charged the mob at speed, shouting with a loud and deep voice. He not only dispersed the mob, but rode at grave people sitting on terraces with the greatest fury, and kept all clear wherever he went. His name was Russool Dewauneh, or Russool the mad. He was known for a brave and good soldier, but an irregular and unsettled person. He afterwards was in great favour with most of the mission, and was equipped in an English helmet and cavalry uniform, which well became him.'

It was a circumstance strikingly illustrative of the agitated and unsettled state of the Afghaun nation, that the house assigned for their accommodation, had been built by one of the principal officers of Shah Shuja, not long before he went into rebellion,' and was quite unfinished.' This house was commodious, and well adapted to the climate. In the construction of the buildings and the arrangement of the whole establishment within its double enclosure, there was nothing very peculiar, excepting that the summer apartments were subterranean, and, in general, precisely the same in plan and dimensions with those above ground. For the first month the Embassy were provisioned at the expense of the Shah; but at the urgent and repeated solicitation of Mr. Elphinstone, this practice was discontinued.

The first week after our arrival past without our being introduced to the king, in consequence of a dispute about the forms of our presentation. The common forms of the court, though the ministers alleged that they had been conformed to by ambassadors from Persia, and Uzbek Tartary, and even by the brother of the latter monarch, appeared to us a little unreasonable. The ambassador to be introduced, is brought into a court by two officers, who hold him firmly by the arms; on coming in sight of the king, who appears at a high

window, the ambassador is made to run forward for a certain distance, when he stops for a moment and prays for the king. He is then made to run forward again, and prays once more; and after another run, the king calls out Khellut,' (a dress) which is followed by the Turkish word 'Getsheen,' (begone) from an officer of state, and the unfortunate ambassador is made to run out of the court, and sees no more of the King, unless he is summoned to a private audience in his Majesty's closet.'

It seems that our Ambassador yielded compliance with the praying part of this ridiculous ceremonial, but he strongly and decidedly protested against submitting to the pinioning and running part of the performance. In the end he prevailed, and was admitted to the presence on his own terms. On their arrival at the Balla Hissaur, or citadel, the residence of the king, the principal persons of the Embassy were admitted, and after walking about one hundred yards, ascended a flight of steps, and entered the Kishik Khauneh, or guard room, where they were courteously received by the king's imaun, the 'primate of all Afghaun'istaun.' While in this apartment they were visited by the Chaous Baushee,' master of the ceremonies,' who had been making a strenuous but ineffectual effort to commit their names to memory. He managed the business, however, with the dexterity of a man experienced in such high and mysterious matters, for he requested, that on his touching them successively, they would whisper their names, and by the help of this prompting he succeeded to admiration. The audience too was well contrived; the gen tlemen of the Mission were conducted through a sloping passage, and after entering a gate and passing behind a sort of screen,' the whole scene burst at once upon their view. On every side of an oblong court, with lofty walls, on which cypresses were paired, the king's guards were drawn up three deep, and at various distances stood the officers of the crown. In the midst of the court was a pond with fountains; and at the end,

Was a high building, the lower story of which was a solid wall, ornamented with false arches, but without doors or windows; over this was another story, the roof of which was supported by pillars and Moorish arches, highly ornamented. In the centre arch sat the king, on a very large throne of gold or gilding. His appearance was magnificent and royal; his crown and all his dress were one blaze of jewels. He was elevated above the heads of the eunuchs who surrounded his throne, and who were the only persons in the large hall where he sat: all was silent and motionless.'

The Embassy advanced to the fountain and prayed, or seemed to pray, for the king; they were then announced by the Chaous Baushee, and welcomed by the Shah. After this, the guards went off by divisions and on the run, their iron heeled boots clattering on the pavement like a charge of cavalry. When the