These are the ordinary everyday incidents of a march. As a rule one does not find the opportunity to write them down, and they are forgotten the next day. I, however, happened to write a letter home that evening and I have just copied it.
There was no meat to be obtained in the bazaar, and I gave the Armenian four shillings to buy a sheep; for although my meals came from His Highness’s kitchen, those of the servants and the Armenian did not.
CHAPTER XXI.
The Arrival in Kabul.
The Durbar in Haibuk. “Rustom’s throne.” The ancient caves. The wounded Governor: Kabul dentistry. The Amîr and the sketches: His Highness’ joke. Another Durbar: the Amîr’s prescription. The erring Hakim. Courtesy of His Highness. “Microbes.” Illness. Elephant riding. A grateful peasant. Dangerous passes. The Durbar at Shush-Bûrjah: the hot river. Accidents on the “Tooth-Breaker.” Akrab-Abad. The quarrel of the cooks: the result. The camp of the camels. A pet dog. Pushed over the edge. Evil results of “temper.” Kindness of Amîr. A cheap banquet. Coal. Arrival of Englishmen. Durbar at Kalai Kasi. The Amîr again as a physician. Approach to Kabul. Reception by the Princes. The “High garden.” The Pavilion. Malek the Page. Arrival of the Amîr: greeting of the Princes. The Reception. Arrival at the Workshops. Hospitality.
We remained in Haibuk for nearly a fortnight, the army being camped on the mountain. I sat all day in the stifling tent drinking iced water and reading Shakespeare. At intervals during the day, sick and injured people were brought and I attended to them. But those wretched “microbes” that I had swallowed in my fever on the plains began to work their wicked will on me, and I became ill.
Durbar in Haibuk.
Four days after we arrived His Highness held a Durbar. After I had seen my patients I mounted the bay and rode through the town to where His Highness was sitting. This was in a rather large garden attached to a house. There were some big trees and a good many flowers in the garden. Among the latter, I remember noticing the “Fleur de Lys,” or French lily. A pond or tank, supplied by an irrigation channel, was in the garden, and near it sat His Highness on a couch covered with silk and cloth of gold. The couch was shaded by a large red and white awning. The Courtiers and Pages stood near, and all around were cornfields. I had taken with me a catalogue of revolvers from a London firm (Colt’s) that His Highness had asked me, with the help of the Armenian, to translate. When he had examined the translation he spoke of the city of Haibuk, and explained how he intended to fortify it, and how the water supply would be ensured. He told me there was a remarkable ancient monument near Haibuk, and some ancient caves of considerable interest. He advised my riding out to see them, as they were not very far from the town. Lunch was brought, and afterwards His Highness gave me a plateful of nectarines as big as peaches.
I rode out the next day with the Armenian and some others, to see the ancient monument.