y, and tractable, and
though they may be considered in some respects inferior to the European
troops, they are in my opinion, equal if not superior, to the Sepoys. A
detachment consisting of the 4th Light Dragoons, the 16th Lancers, and
her Majesty's Queen's Royals, under the command of Major-General Sir
Thomas Wiltshire, was despatched to receive the Prince with fitting
honors. He was met at a short distance from the town by the British
escort, and conducted to the palace amid salvoes of Artillery. The
Prince was a fine youth about one or two and twenty, with a frank
expression of countenance and affable manners. The meeting between him
and his royal father was said to be extremely affecting, and the Prince
was unceasing in his expressions of gratitude to the British for
bringing about this happy reunion.

Large supplies of arrack, biscuits, and rice, together with money to pay
the troops, having been promised from the Upper Provinces, their arrival
was looked forward to with some anxiety in the camp, as we could not
leave Cabul without them. Information was at length received that
Colonel Herring was on his way through the Punjaub, and after a tedious
and harassing journey, in which he had to encounter frequent opposition
to his progress from the mountain tribes, he at length reached Hyder
Khail within one day's march of Cabul. Riding out alone next morning,
for the purpose of inspecting the country, the Colonel was set upon by a
body of Affghans and barbarously murdered, his body being plundered of
every article of value he had about him, and his horse carried off. His
mutilated remains were found in the course of the day by some troopers,
who had been sent out in search of him, and brought to Cabul along with
the stores, which reached that place in safety the same night. He was
interred with military honours in the Armenian burial-ground, on the
following day. The deceased had been long in the service, and was a
gallant and experienced officer. We heard that his murderers were
captured shortly after we left Cabul, and put to a dreadful death, by
order of the Shah.

CHAPTER XI.

Institution of the Order of the Doorannee Empire.--Murder of a Private
of the 13th Light Infantry.--Departure from Cabul.--Return to
Ghuznee.--Accident to the Revd. Mr. Pigot.--Discovery of the Skeletons
of British Soldiers.--Horse-steaks.--Treachery of some Ghiljie Chiefs
and destruction of their Fort.--Adventure of a Dragoon.--Loss