1831 .] 
Overland Journey to India. 
393 
visit from the kotw&l of Herat, who, with 20 armed attendants got into our 
residence at midnight, from the roof of an adjoining house, and took us asleep. I 
believe it was thought that I was a wealthy Russian merchant, travelling to spy the 
land, and as an excuse for their outrage, they brought a rascal who deposed that we 
had robbed him of 800 tomans at Damghan, in Persia, a place which we had not 
seen. Our effects were most rigorously searched, but had we been thieves, we 
could hardly have been proved such by our property ; for except (in his estima- 
tion) a rather superfluous quantity of camlzes, the kotwal found nothing to call 
forth an exclamation, and we had an opportunity of shewing our civility by letting 
him out at the door. 
As the outrage was committed in the house of a nobleman, high in favor with 
Kamr&n, we guessed who had ordered it, and sat down under the affront : indeed, 
we were congratulated upon it the next day by some friends, who assured us, that 
we might now travel where we would, since no one would suppose us possessed of 
any thing valuable, if the kotwM did not find it. I forwarded a letter, which Sir 
J. Macdonald had given me to Shah Kamrb, and was told that I should have an 
audience, and be presented with a dress of honor ; but as these distinctions were 
being bestowed upon those whom the Shah had engaged in his projected attempt 
upon Kandahar, I feared lest he should represent me as an ambassador extraor- 
dinary from the British Court, and so civilly declined the honor. 
Our residence at this beautiful place would have been delightful, had we not 
been exposed to the many evils attendant upon poverty. The money which we 
had obtained at Meshid, only paid our debts there, and a “ commander of ten,” of 
Kamran’s horse, who with great shew of good nature, had forced a loan of 15 
ducats upon the Syed, during the march, having acquired considerable doubts of our 
solvency in consequence of the kotw&l’s unprofitable visit, used to walk upstairs 
daily, to know if we meant to pay him when his cash became due- The Yezd 
merchant too pressed us unfairly for his money, and set a host of relations upon 
us, who scrupled not to hint that they considered us little short of swindlers. We 
pawned every thing that would be taken in pledge ; no news of our messenger came, 
and our prospects were so gloomy that we did not like to think upon them. ^ e 
were relieved however from our difficulties, in a mannei which I have piide in 
relating, as it shews how fair a character my countrymen have acquired abroad ; 
and I am happy to have an opportunity of making known the man to whom I am 
so especially indebted. .... 
Syed Muhin Sligh is the plr-khdneh, or elder of a family of Syeds, who ive in 
the valley pf Pishin, three marches south of Kandahar, and who are suppose >y 
the superstitious Afgluinsto inherit the power of healing diseases, charming the ele- 
ments, &c. and of blessing or cursing their neighbours with sure effect. 
Syed Muhin had come to Herat to recover a debt, and hearing that a foreigner 
was there in distress, he called upon me. He had been in India, and by using the 
names of Mr. Elphinstone, Sir John Malcolm, and other gentlemen high in office 
there, I satisfied him that I was an Englishman. On learning our difficulties, le at 
once engaged to assist us : he had often, he said, been brought in contact wit i my 
tribe when trading in India, and had assured himself that they never gave their 
words falsely ; and though he had expended all his money in purchasing horses for 
the Indian market, “Inshallah” 3 his word was good for any sum, and he won d e 
security for us. We found many who would accept our friend s bond, m ey 
would only give us merchandise for it : still, we determined to proceed on our 
journey at any sacrifice, and so, after spending a few days m useless a emp s o 
procure cash, I bought Cashmere shawls to the amount of 910 ducats, or 4o00 
3 Please God. 
