to interfere with the progress of the negotiations
with Russia. When these were completed, Stolietoff inquired from Sher
Ali whether he meant to receive the English Mission, whereupon the
Amir asked for the General's advice in the matter. Stolietoff, while
replying somewhat evasively, gave Sher Ali to understand that the
simultaneous presence of Embassies from two countries in almost
hostile relations with each other would not be quite convenient, upon
which His Highness decided not to allow the British Mission to enter
Afghanistan. This decision, however, was not communicated to the
Viceroy, and on the 21st September the Mission[3] marched out of
Peshawar and encamped at Jamrud, three miles short of the Kyber Pass.

In consequence of the extremely hostile attitude of the Amir, and the
very unsatisfactory reply received from General Faiz Mahomed Khan,
commanding the Afghan troops in the Kyber Pass, to a letter[4] he had
written a few days before, Sir Neville Chamberlain suspected that the
advance of the Mission would be opposed, and, in order 'to reduce to
a minimum any indignity that might be offered to our Government,' he
deputed Major Cavagnari to ride on with a few sowars to Ali Masjid, a
fort ten miles beyond the mouth of the Pass, and demand leave for the
Mission to proceed.

When within a mile of the fort, Cavagnari was met by a body of
Afridis, who warned him that the road ahead was blocked by Afghans,
and that if he ventured further he would be fired upon. On this
Cavagnari halted, and while in the act of writing a letter to Faiz
Mahomed, complaining of the treatment he had met with, and informing
him that he and his companions intended to proceed until fired upon,
an act the responsibility for which would rest with the Amir's
representatives, a message was brought him from Faiz Mahomed to the
effect that he was coming to meet him, and would hear anything he had
to communicate.

The interview took place near a water-mill on the right bank of the
stream which flows under Ali Masjid. I have several times since ridden
past the spot and pictured to myself the meeting between the British
political officer and the Afghan General. It was a meeting of most
portentous moment, for its result would mean peace or war.

Faiz Mahomed's bearing was perfectly courteous, but he made it clear
that he did not intend to permit the Mission to pass, explaining that
he was only acting as a sentry under instructions from Kabul, a