to do then? Are we to stand by and laugh at our dupe, telling him that
though our advice got him into the scrape, he must find his own way
out of it? or are we to set to work to check his opponents? and if we
undertake the latter task, how far will it lead us?

It is quite impossible in these affairs, and with people of this
description, to say what an hour may bring forth. A shower of rain may
convert a victorious army into a baffled one, and an advance into a
retreat. The death of a man of eighty years of age will probably throw
all Afghanistan into confusion, convert friends into foes and _vice
versa_. Instructions framed in Calcutta to meet one set of
circumstances may arrive in Afghanistan when the whole scene has
changed. I own that I am strongly of opinion that our true policy is
to leave these kinds of neighbours as much as possible alone; to mix
ourselves up as little as may be in their miserable intrigues, which
generally entail obligations which bind us and not them, and not
unfrequently lead to most unexpected issues. We should only speak when
we have a case of self-interest so clear that we can speak with
determination, and follow up our talk if necessary with a blow.

* * * * *

_To Sir Charles Wood._

August 9th, 1862.

[Sidenote: Withdrawal of vakeel.]

After a good deal of consideration as to how I can, with least risk of
getting this Government into trouble, put a spoke into the Dost's
wheel in his progress towards Herat, I have despatched to Sir R.
Montgomery the telegram of which I enclose a copy. The order sent to
our vakeel, desiring him to leave the Ameer's camp, and return to
India, if the Dost proceeds to extremities against Herat, will
sufficiently show that we discountenance any such proceeding; while at
the same time the measure commits us to nothing, gives the Dost no
such claim upon us as he would naturally have if we tendered advice to
him, and induced him to abandon his own projects in order to follow
it, and leaves us free to shape our policy as the shifting current of
events may prescribe. I pointed out to you in my letter of July 16,
that we are awkwardly situated for interfering with the Ameer. He is
our friend, and we said nothing when he was attacked. He has set to
work to redress his own injuries, asking us for