an unrecognized cause in
supporting Yakoob Beg against all comers, and in the press of more
urgent matters our relations with the Athalik Ghazi became lost sight
of.

The effect of this treatment upon the Ameer was not unapparent, and
during the last twelve months of his rule he had become more Russian and
less English in his policy. But we preserved "the even-tenor of our
way." Yakoob Beg had no hold over us such as must always be possessed by
the ruler of Afghanistan. Practically speaking, his state was more
inaccessible to us than Tibet, and the Russians at Yarkand would be a
source of far less danger to us than warlike and hostile Chinese might
become at Lhasa. To sum up, England and Kashgar were friends because
they had no reason to be foes; but they were indifferent friends. The
tear might be shed for mutual misfortunes, and condolences might be
uttered when cause for grief arose; but that was all. There was no
alliance in the true sense, nor was there firm and unswerving
friendship. There was a brief space occupied by sympathy and goodwill;
then ensued an unbroken period of unvarying indifference. Before 1877,
the spark that had been kindled by Mr. Shaw, and fanned to the
dimensions of a flame by Sir Douglas Forsyth, had gone out, and with its
extinction passed away the solid fabric that many had hoped to rear upon
the base which the enterprise of a few intrepid men had diligently
prepared. Whether we were prudent or imprudent, true or false, kind or
unkind, Yakoob Beg leaned on a broken reed when he bade defiance to
Russia, trusting on our support. This chapter of our policy in Central
Asia may be closed as speedily as possible; if we do not come out of it
with much glory, it is to be hoped that a lenient posterity may judge
our demerits with a merciful consideration for the preservation of a
strict and irresponsible neutrality.

CHAPTER XII.

YAKOOB BEG'S LAST WAR WITH CHINA, AND DEATH.

Until the close of the autumn of 1876 Yakoob Beg had not devoted much
personal attention to his eastern frontier. After the first Tungan war
and the capture of Kucha he had confided to his son and his lieutenants,
the charge of maintaining order in the annexed districts, and of
protecting his dominions against any hostile attempt on the part of the
Chinese. About the month of September in that year couriers arrived with
strange tidings in Kashgar. The message, we can well imagine, was
terrible in its brevity. The C