Scenes and Adventures in Affghanistan

by William Taylor

CHAPTER VI.

Installation of Shah Soojah.—Attack on the camel guards.—Heroism of an Affghan Youth.—Murder of Cornet Inverarity of the 16th Lancers.—Departure from Candahar.—The Ghiljie Hills.—Locusts.—Arrival of new Auxiliaries.—Camel Batteries.—Hyder Khail.—Arrival at Ghuznee.—Tomb of Mahommed.—Remains of the Old Town of Ghuznee.

In order to give a sort of political eclat to the steps taken to reinstate Shah Soojah on the throne of his ancestors, it was resolved that he should be solemnly inaugurated at Candahar, and nothing was omitted that could possibly tend to render the ceremony imposing. On the morning fixed for its celebration, the whole of the British forces were paraded in review order on a large plain to the north of the city, whilst the Shah's troops were drawn up at a little distance. In the centre of the field stood a platform canopied with crimson silk, and ornamented with numerous banners and devices, the seat reserved for the Shah being ascended by a broad flight of tapestried steps, and covered with cushions of crimson and gold. The other accessories of the pageant were got up in similar costly style, but the effect, on the whole, conveyed to the mind rather the unsatisfied feeling which attends the hollow show and glitter of the theatre, than the idea of substantial power. The weather was beautiful, the sun shedding its gorgeous rays full upon us, and finding innumerable reflections in the military panoply beneath. The heat was however excessive, and the majority of us would have willingly exchanged our places in the ceremonial for the shade and repose of our tents.

As early as six o'clock the Commander-in-Chief took up his position in front of the line, and was received with a general salute. The Shah was soon after observed leaving the gates of the city on an elephant, the howdah of which was of solid silver. His Majesty appeared to me to be between fifty and sixty years of age; of middle stature, and somewhat inclined to corpulency. His features were large, but regular, and the expression which played about them was not calculated to leave a favourable impression on the physiognomist. It had a mingled character of vaccillation and cruelty about it, which impressed one with the notion that the possessor could sink with ease from the extreme of tyrannical self-will to the abject and fawning humility of the slave. His Majesty was accompanied by his Vizier, a tall, spare looking man of a thoughtful and rather melancholy cast of features, and somewhat older than his master. Immediately behind the Shah rode Sir William McNaghten, in full court dress, such as is usually worn by officials at her Majesty's levees in England, and he was followed by Sir Alexander Burnes, in a plain suit, and surrounded by the Affghan chiefs, with whom he appeared to be in close and friendly converse. The winning smile and frank and courteous manner of the latter gentleman appeared to have gained for him a degree of consideration amongst the natives, which no other European could boast of, and which was principally attributable to the talismanic influence of qualities that have a never failing effect in softening down and subduing even the most rugged and intractable natures. Nothing could exceed the splendour of the costumes in which these chiefs were clad, their turbans and weapons being studded with diamonds and other precious stones; whilst the horses on which they were mounted were perfect models of animal beauty.

As soon as the Shah arrived on the ground the bands of the different regiments struck up "God save the King," and his Majesty was conducted to his throne by the Politicals. The troops then marched past the platform in slow and quick time each regiment lowering its colors as it arrived before it. A proclamation was afterwards read, declaring and confirming the Shah's title to the throne, and all persons subject to his authority having been required to yield him fealty, the Affghan Chiefs present tendered their homage. The troops were marched back to their lines immediately after, and a Durbar concluded the ceremonies of the day.

It must not be imagined that during all this time our ever watchful enemies had abated their vigilance or lost any opportunity of annoying us. They did not dare to attack the camp, itself, precautionary measures having been adopted to prevent their near approach, by stationing inlying and outlying pickets round it. We were compelled, however, to send our camels to graze at some distance from the encampment, and the soldiers in charge of them were frequently surprised and driven in. On one occasion a party of the 13th Light Infantry, consisting of a serjeant and six privates, who had been entrusted with the care of from fifteen to eighteen camels, fell asleep on their posts, being overcome by the excessive heat, and the Affghans, stealing upon them whilst in this state, put one man to death, and severely wounded two others, the whole of the camels of course falling into their hands. The serjeant escaped but was broken for neglect of duty.

Shortly after this occurrence, two of the marauders fell into our hands. In order to put an end to, or diminish these vexatious losses it was determined to make a terrible example of the prisoners, in the hope that it would have some effect upon their companions. They were accordingly tried by a court martial, composed of native officers, and sentenced to be blown from the mouth of a gun. Having been led into the market-place at Candahar, they were ordered to draw lots as to who should first undergo this dreadful doom. The younger of the prisoners, a stripling of about nineteen years of age, whose firm and gallant bearing excited universal sympathy and admiration, responded to this command by at once embracing the mouth of the gun from which he was instantly blown to atoms. His companion, a grey-headed man, upwards of sixty years of age, sat looking on, unmoved at this terrible scene, and coolly smoking his hookah. On being ordered to take his place at the gun he did not exhibit the least appearance of fear, and just as the match was about being applied, the officer in command arrested it and directed the prisoner to be taken away, the Shah influenced, it is said, by the entreaties of Sir Alexander Burnes, having granted his pardon. This unexpected release from the very jaws of death produced as little emotion on the part of this stout old man, as its near approach or the fate of his youthful companion had elicited.

The mysterious and premature death of Cornet Inverarity, of the 16th Lancers, formed, whilst here, the universal topic of discussion in the military circles. The circumstances, as far as I could collect them, were these:—A pic-nic party had been given by the officers of the regiment at a pleasant rural retreat, within a few miles of Candahar, and the Cornet, being fond of fishing, took his rod and strayed a short distance from his companions in search of sport. His prolonged absence having given rise to remark, some of the party went in search of him, and found the unfortunate gentleman lying dead on the banks of a neighbouring stream. The wounds he had received were of such a nature as to preclude the idea that they were self-inflicted, and there can be but little doubt that he was murdered by the Affghans. The deceased was an officer of considerable acquirements, and was regretted by all who had the honour of his acquaintance. He was only in his 26th year, and had been about five in the service.

I gladly avail myself of the opportunity which presents itself of paying a tribute to the good conduct and friendly feeling of the native troops, who testified on all occasions the utmost willingness, and indeed the most anxious desire to render all the aid and service in their power to their European comrades. Their knowledge of the language of the country, and their acquaintance with the value of its produce, proved of no small advantage to us in our daily traffic with the cunning and thievish traders of the bazaar. Let me add that the general feeling amongst us was that, in privation or danger, we might always count with certainty on the generosity and bravery of the Sepoy.