Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

come and stolen his country from him in India, and they were extending themselves to all parts of the world." But the Khan, by a bribe, silenced this man, and brought him over to be one of our strongest partisans! In this particular, I know of no one who studies and knows character so well as the Khan, adapting himself to each in their peculiar way; always ready to meet their arguments; flattering, coaxing, threatening, in turn. I am convinced that no one else could have extricated us from the numerous difficulties with which we were surrounded.

The Agha, still considering us as his prisoners, we had to obtain his permission to go to our camp, just outside the walls. This we did at six o'clock, and found the caravan formed as usual, and our tent in the middle. The refreshment derived from food and sleep, after all the toil and danger of long anxious days, I leave you to guess at. Yours.

278

MY DEAR G.

LETTER IV.

The Fortress of Maliz-Ghird,

July 18.

The next morning, whilst preparing breakfast, the cry went through the camp, "the Koordsthe Koords!" and then, for the first time, I learnt that we had enemies to fear as well from without as within. Immediately we barricadoed ourselves as well as we could, with some great stones planted around the camp, and the enemy kept their distance; we then went into the fortress to pay our respects to the Agha-this courtesy being politic even to a robber, to propitiate him as much as possible, since we were so completely in his power. Again we found the Koords in full divan, the hall of audience being crowded with

such a motley group as is perhaps seldom congregated together elsewhere. Osmond Agha was much more polite than he had hitherto been, and promised to return our visit on the following day.

In the morning we had numerous visitors, amongst whom were our two best friends, the good moolah, Hadji Osman Millah Hussein, and Hadji Mahomed. The former seemed to take me under his particular protection, saying, "We both proceeded from the same God, and I consider you as my brother." This was a wonderful stretch of liberality from "a true believer" (as they call themselves) to an infidel; and I felt not a little thankful to him for such proofs of a generous heart. The day thus passed on very pleasantly, and I was perfectly at ease, and, I may say, happy, even in our then ticklish position.

On the Tuesday we had numerous visitors again, so much did our camp excite the attention of those within and without the fortress. Amongst others, was Osmond Agha and his suite, which quite filled our tent. My friend kept up the utmost attention and politeness towards them, although we had reason to apprehend that they might plunder us the next hour. Indeed, I have

heard since my being here, that he had then invited two of the neighbouring chiefs to come down and assist him. He seems to have been afraid to take the odium upon himself of robbing us whilst we were under his protection; yet he would not allow us to move backwards or forwards, but held us as his prisoners.

Whilst these visitors were taking coffee with us, the alarm was again given-" the Koords! the Koords!" Up jumped the Agha, more frightened seemingly than any of us, and ran into the fortress, and the rest all dispersed in a moment. I leave you to judge of the state of this country, when the Koords within are afraid of the Koords without. The roofs of the huts within the walls were immediately covered with musqueteers, and small parties of them sallied out, but not to a great distance, to meet the threatening foe, against whom we were obliged to provide every night by a strong guard, lest they might pounce upon us. Still they kept at a distance, and allowed us another night's quiet repose. I scarcely ever permit myself to be disturbed in this particular, and I never slept more soundly than amidst all our alarms and dangers.

This brings me up to Wednesday morning, when

there was another

cry of "the Koords!" but I had

been so accustomed to it, that it now failed to move me off my mat. We had many troop visitors this day, bringing in our plundered effects by degrees. We thought it better to give out that we would purchase what they had, rather than leave them behind. Thus I recovered my powder-horn, coat, flask, &c. You would have been amused to see these savages grinning through their leather countenances, as they handled our coin in exchange for our own things. One of them in particular excited my attention, as in his curious survey of my dress, he enquired if my shirt-collar was made of paper!

The Agha was not idle this day; he seemed to long to pounce upon us; but shame or fear, or some other restraining motive, made him delicate in his roguery, so he did it by negotiation,--sending down a message by his trusty squire (who was worthy of his master, and whom we well plied with bribes to keep him quiet) to say, that the troops had applied to him for leave to plunder the caravan, that he had great difficulty to restrain them, and would not be answerable for our safety, if there was not immediately sent to him thirty-five purses of piastres (a purse contains five hundred piastres, or five

« AnteriorContinuar »