t of the
King of Afghanistan, in Central Asia, a person with whose name and
country he had not then the slightest acquaintance.

The youngest son of Shah Shooja, whom I have mentioned, is described as
a beautiful boy, under twelve years of age, ruddy and fair as an English
child. He is a great favourite with his father at present, and usually
accompanies the Shah wherever he goes. His childhood probably protects
him from suspicion of treachery or intrigue.

My son appeared to have mixed occasionally with the inhabitants of
Cabool, and, through the introduction of the Persian interpreter, to
have become personally acquainted with some of the leading persons of
the city. They are described by him as being particularly affable and
civil to the officers of our army, with, some of whom he paid a visit to
a man of rank, at his country-house, and with whom they dined. Nothing
could exceed the attention of their host. He shewed them his stud
consisting of more than fifty horses, and every other thing that he
possessed, (except his women,) and the hospitality and good fare was
unbounded. Neither was the curiosity of these persons less in inquiring
minutely into everything they saw when they visited the officers in the
camp, than their desire to please in their own houses; and he appeared
to have left the place with a most favourable impression of the upper
ranks of the city.

Of the city itself, its magnificent bazaar, filled with the richest
manufactures of the East, its gardens abounding with the finest fruits
in the world, and the fertile country that surrounds it, his
description is the same as that which will be found much more at length
in the Travels of Lieut. Burnes, in 1832.

Cricket and horse-racing appeared to be the chief recreation of the army
during the time it remained inactive; and the two divisions having
fortunately come from different Presidencies, the same spirit of rivalry
amongst the officers, in the sports of the camp, was as naturally
excited at Cabool as in any of the counties or garrisons of their native
land.

The evening before they left their ground, two miles from Cabool, he was
sent with a subaltern's party to search through all the worst parts of
the city for men who were missing from the camp, but after spending many
hours, he returned without finding any. They had been paid the day
before, and had got away to the liquor-shops; but all turned up in the
morning except one, whose body was fou