THIRTY-FrVE YEARS IN THE EAST. 63; 



■ had given us ; but they frififhtened us, by saying that there- 

 were robbers in the environs, and on our road. Yet they 

 promised to give us an escort, on account of which we were 

 detained until the next day, as the equipment of our escort 

 required some delay. Meanwhile, orders were given in the 

 fortress of Akrabad to surprise aud rob us in the moun- 

 tains. It was fortunate for us that a part of the garrison ot 

 the fortress was absent, and those soldiers who were present 

 had not their muskets in order, consequently, they were 

 unable to contend with us. Neither would it have been 

 an easy matter for them to defeat us, provided as we were 

 with good arms, and deterniined to oppose any attack. 

 The soldiers themselves were aware of this cricumstance, 

 consequently, they thought it more advisable to allure us 

 into the fortress, and plunder us during the night, and 

 1 there experienced the truth of the saying, "Man must 

 not despair in misfortune, neither be proud when in pros- 

 perity." I patiently allowed my bands to be secured,, whilst 

 I kept a small double-barrelled pistol loaded, in one of my 

 high boots. At a favorable moment, my guide, Kafileh 

 Bashi Kheiat, tried to liberate me, for which he received a 

 sabre-stroke on his thick fur, happily, however, without 

 being wounded. The robbers thought we had a great 

 quantity of gold and silver concealed, and demanded 1,000 

 rupees for my ransom ; but a man of the Nawaub's, to 

 whose care I was committed, effected my release for four 

 pounds of rice, which was weighed in. their presence. The 

 fact was, that this set of robbers were urged on by their 

 hunger as well as by their want of money. After having 

 given them all I had in my possession, their chief was re- 

 conciled. Laying one hand on the Koran, he produced 

 with the other the order that had been issued for having 

 me plundered, which was from the Governor of Bamian ; 

 all the things which were taken from me were enumerated. 

 On my arrival on the other side of the mountain, I 

 immediately dispatched a man with letters to the Nawaub, 

 in which I described the ill-treatment I had sustained. I 

 was afterwards ioformed that the Nawaub had reprimanded 



