394 
Overland Journey to India. 
[Dec. 
rupees. These we sold in the baz£r for about 1900 rupees, with which we paid 
our debts. Syed Muhin became security for me, and we prepared to journey on 
to India under his escort. 
With Syed Muhin Shah we travelled safely from Herat to Dehli. Words 
would not enable me to express the kindness and delicacy of this man’s conduct 
towards me during the whole of the journey. All his friends laboured to convince 
him that I was an impostor, and he was exposed to extreme vexation and danger 
on my account : yet he never relaxed in his endeavours to promote my safety 
and comfort ; he paid all our expenses, and never alluded to my debt to him. 
Me quitted Herat on the 19th of October, in company with our patron and 
a dozen of his friends, and rode in eleven marches 365 miles to Kandahar. We chose 
what was stated to be the worst road of three : it led us through a hilly, but not 
difficult country, well watered, but uncultivated. The tribes who inhabit it lire a 
pastoral life, and, residing in lelt tents, wander with their flocks among the vallies 
away from the road. We generally commenced our inarch late in the afternoon, 
and riding till certain stars were down, halted to sleep ; and again continuing our 
journey at dawn, we rested during the heat of the day. We met but few people on 
the way, and were only aware of the number of the inhabitants, when at night the 
lights shone out all round us from k hails* t or sheep-folds. At some of the 
stations we were able to procure flour, and also grain for our horses : those who 
might have been inclined to molest us, when they found who headed the party, 
seemed to think that they could not shew him sufficient respect. When we halted 
near a khail, the sick were brought, that Syed Muhin might lay his hands upon 
them, and many who saw us from a distance, would hasten to beg a blessing from 
the Syeds of Pishin. 
Oui fifth day s halt was upon the bank of the Feri-rud ; a quick, ci 
stream, then (at its lowest) 50 yards across, flowing through a fine valley, in a 
bioad bed of soft pebbles. On the 8th March, we crossed the Bramjoe and Kash- 
iiul livers, both at that time shallow streams in broad beds, which are filled in 
spring, when the melted snows run from the mountains. At Washir, (224 
miles on the load,) we crossed the frontier of Kamran’s province. Thirty 
miles beyond this place we quitted the hills, and the country was plain before 
us 110 miles to Kandahar. We halted two days at Girishk, upon the bank of the 
elmund, which was then at its lowest. The stream of this river when we forded 
it, w as stiriup deep, flowing smoothly but with force, in a clearstreani of 300 yards 
breadth ; 60 miles beyond it we crossed the Arghandab, still a quick stream, though 
so much of its water had been drawn off for the fields of cultivation which marked 
its couise fioni a great distance. From this point we rode by many villages, and 
o' 01 we ^ cultivated lands, across the country to a small fort 16 miles south of 
Kandahar, where some of Muhin Shah’s relations resided. 
^ I had fallen sick on the road, and during the nine days that we remained at 
Syed Muhin’s fort, I was confined to my bed with jaundice. My companion 
howevei, Syed Keramat Ali, went to the city, and gave the following, I am sure, 
correct description of it. 
“ The city of Kandahar is a third larger than Henit. In shape it is alongsquare: 
a astioned mud wall surrounds it, and the sirdars have added a ditch to its defences, 
mt it is not a place of strength. There is a citadel, but not a strong one ; water 
1S conducted, by three canals, through the town into the ditch ; this water might 
, * 10m hhe outside, but there are many wells in the town. There is 3 
cheaj eie ^ hazar like the one at Her&t, and supplies seemed plentiful and 
* Camps, 
