134 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



We were anxious to see all we could, and our time 

 was limited, so, after taking possession, we started 

 again for the main bazaar and the Charsoo. The city 

 is very nearly a mile square, and the bazaar intersects 

 it from north to south, and from east to west. Thus 

 two main thoroughfares cross about the centre of the 

 city at the Charsoo a sort of central domed arcade. 

 The bazaar is roofed in from end to end, consequently 

 it is rather dark. It is also very narrow only 

 about 12 feet wide, in parts extending perhaps to 18 

 or 20 at the utmost. These great covered streets 

 were thronged with people ; Heratis, Kabulis, Turco- 

 mans, Avith men of Scind and Hindustan, were there. 

 And at every 100 or 150 yards was the inevitable 

 guard (always on duty, we were told, and not at all 

 there on our special behoof), whose attempts to pre- 

 sent arms at the various words of command, given in 

 English (amongst which I distinctly heard " Stand 

 at ease "), resulted in a flourish of their weapons to 

 the front, which still further narrowed the way. It 

 was difficult to ride along two abreast. 



I was not struck with the magnificence of the 

 bazaar. There was none of the pretty colours and 

 display of attractive goods in the shop-fronts that 

 make Kabul picturesque, and the long uneven row of 

 shops themselves, was an unbroken monotony of the 

 commonest -looking little bazaar -shops that one can 

 see in any second-rate town in India. Nevertheless 

 our servants pronounced it a most magnificent place. 



