mind at the time with the
result that has since happened.

The majority of the prisoners who fell into our hands were released on
condition of their serving in the Shah's army, but there remained about
thirty who refused to accept of their liberty on such terms. They
consisted for the most part of the immediate followers of Dost
Mahommed's father-in-law, and were devotedly attached to that prince.
The Shah, on learning the circumstance ordered them to be brought before
him, and expostulated with them on the folly of their conduct. A Chief
of haughty bearing stepped from amongst the prisoners, and after
overwhelming his Majesty with reproaches, told him that nothing should
induce him to enter the service of a man who had brought the horrors of
foreign invasion on his country. Then suddenly snatching a dagger from
one of the attendants, he rushed with uplifted arm towards the Shah, and
would have pierced him to the heart had not one of his Majesty's
servants interposed his person, and received the blow intended for his
master. The faithful domestic fell dead at the feet of the Shah, and the
officers and attendants instantly rushed towards the assassin with drawn
swords; but he had already anticipated their intention by plunging the
poniard in his breast. The Shah, alarmed and exasperated, ordered the
whole of the prisoners to be immediately executed, and in a few minutes
their heads were rolling in the dust. This terrible scene created great
alarm in the camp, it being at first reported that his Majesty had been
assassinated, but the apprehensions to which it gave rise were soon
dispelled, by his publicly making his appearance amongst us.

A Chief, named Walla Mahommed, who had persisted in firing on the troops
several hours after the taking of the fort, and in spite of repeated
summonses to surrender, was brought to a court martial by order of the
Commander-in-Chief, and sentenced to be shot within the walls of the
fortress. He had killed three or four of our men, and wounded one of the
Native officers by his obstinate folly. He met his fate with the most
perfect indifference, for the fear of death cannot be said to be one of
the weaknesses of the Affghan character.

I one day paid a visit, with some of my comrades, to the hospital where
the wounded Affghans had been carried by their friends. It was situated
in the old town, and consisted of a mud hut, whose thatched roof was
broken in several places, and afforded litt