f the filthy
multitude. Our own intentions were to get away from Koollum in order
to be able to reach Balkh and return to C[=a]bul before the cold
weather should set in; but alas! our wishes were not destined to be
fulfilled. Our uneasiness concerning the real intentions of the Meer
was again excited towards the evening, for one of our followers came
to us almost frantic with terror, stammering out as soon as his
nervous state permitted him to speak, that he had heard it stated as a
notorious fact that we were all to be detained at Koollum--that such
was the pleasure of the Meer. The reader will believe that this
intelligence was any thing but satisfactory; I could not help
conjuring up visions of a long and wearisome captivity--of hope
deferred and expectations disappointed--with Stoddart's melancholy
situation as a near precedent. I managed to make myself for a short
time as thoroughly uncomfortable as if I were already a prisoner, but
soon a sense of the great foolishness of indulging in this tone of
thought came over me, and making a strong effort to shake off the
gloomy shadows of an imaginary future, I betook myself to consider the
best means of ascertaining, in the first instance, the truth of the
report, which if I had done so at once would have saved me a good deal
of painful thought. As a preliminary step I desired a couple of our
Affgh[=a]n escort to proceed, so as not to excite suspicion, to the
bourj or _watch tower_ in the centre of the defile by which we had
approached Koollum, and through which our only retreat must have been,
to ascertain if the post was occupied by any of the Meer's people.
They soon brought us the satisfactory intelligence that not a man
was to be seen; but the Affgh[=a]ns qualified their information by
persisting in their opinion that some treachery was intended. So
strong was this feeling amongst our men that it became imperatively
necessary that our doubts should be resolved into certainty one way
or the other, and Sturt and I, after a short consultation, determined
that at the interview which was to take place next morning we should
put the question to the chief categorically. Having come to this
conclusion, we were obliged to smoke the "pipe of patience" on the
"couch of uncertainty" till the Meer Walli arrived.

The Meer made his appearance the following morning, and, after the
usual compliments, to our great astonishment himself touched on the
subject. "I have heard," said he,