lery, camp followers, and beasts of burden-surmounting difficulties by obdurate endurance, defying the pitiless pelting of the snow or rain, as these phenomena alternately and capriciously coquetted with our ever changing climate-we pressed onward, scaling those stony girdles of the earth, dim shades, as children of the mists far above the nether world, toiling amidst the clouds like restless spirits of another sphere, thus accomplishing the passage over a mountain district, 300 miles in extent from Cabul to Bulkh." The journal of this route minutely records the geography, topography, resources, and military capabilities of the Paropamisus, and forms a valuable work upon that highly interesting portion of Central Asia.

We have been permitted to extract from this journal, the following interesting notice of an interview with the independent princes of the Paropamisus or Hazarah Jaut, known in history by the name of Ghoree. It will be perceived that our distinguished fellow-citizen is in fact the, “Prince of Ghoree," although we are perfectly well aware the General looks upon kingdoms and principalities as of frivolous import, when set in opposition to the more honourable and estimable title of American citizen: "When at Kaumerd on my expedition to Bulkh, my camp was visited by the Princes of the Hazarah Jaut'h, or Ghoree, viz.,-Mahommed Reffee Beg Yenghoreah of Soorkh-jooe Dye Zungee. His possessions are the capital of Ghoree. Meer Mahommed Allee Khan of Bolagh, his brother Yacoob Beg of Lall, and Meer Mohib of Takhannah near Yakaolang. These princes were accompanied by several of their most faithful retainers, to the amount of about 300 cavalry. They were men of noble bearing and athletic forms. They were decorated in very good taste with Cashmere shawl turbans and girdles, scarlet broadcloth Tchogas, (Toga) embroidered with gold, and their persons were garnished with Persian swords, daggers and pistols stuck round their waists, in their belt, like the bristling small arms arranged around the mizzen mast of a sloop of war. Every man was a human frigate freighted with portentous belligerent impulses, and this imposing tout ensemble was intended to make a corresponding impresssion upon the weak minds of the Avghans; but they had to astonish men no way inferior to themselves, and in their turn were overwhelmed with amazement to witness the display of power; the unanimity of tactical science, the combined facility and precision so indicative of military force in the manœuvres of regular troops; the grasp of authority in

the invincible command, so strangely differing from the feudal irregularity with which they were familiar; the order of discipline, and the general aspect of soul-subduing grandeur in a military review, upon the minds of semi-barbarians, acquainted only with the circumscribed experience acquired among their crags and dells. These princes invited me, collectively and individually, to visit them in their native fastnesses, where their mountains are known to contain useless wealth in unwrought ores of valuable metals. Mahommed Reffee Beg, the Chief of Ghoree, now Yengoreah, secretly arranged a treaty with me, by which he proposed a conquest of the Hazarah tribes. He transferred his principality to me in feudal service, binding himself and tribe to pay tribute for ever, stipulating that he should be made Vizier. The absolute and complete possession of his government was legally conveyed according to official form, by a treaty which I have still preserved. There was an article of the treaty by which I was bound to raise, organize, discipline and command, a regular corps of infantry and artillery, for the pay and maintenance of which the revenues of the country were an adequate appropriation, and he, the Prince of Ghoree, pledged the fidelity of himself, his heirs and tribe, in feudal tenure, to serve, obey, and pay tribute for ever.

"The sovereignty was secured to me and my heirs, and the Vizarat to himself and his heirs. I reviewed my division in their presence, and the display of military pomp and concentrated power of discipline, now practically exhibited to them, and the reputation of having taken the fortress of Sykaun, (the rock of Aornus of Alexander,) heretofore acknowledged the impregnable defence of the Uzbeck frontier, made a strong impression on Mahommed Reffee Beg, and set before his ambition a splendid perspective of conquest, dominion, and glory." The political convulsions that suddenly ensued in consequence of the invasion of Avghanistaun by the English, the deposition of Dost Mahomed, who fled into Tartary and fruitlessly endeavoured to excite a religious war amongst the Uzbecks against the English; the restoration of the old regime, in the person of Shah Shujah who had been thirty years in exile, were events which left General Harlan at liberty to revisit his native country. Previous to the flight of Dost Mahomed, that Prince constituted General Harlan generalissimo of his forces, and himself assumed a subordinate station in the contemplated arrangements for meeting, and opposing Shujah ul Moolk and the English.

The fall of Ghiznee produced a moral impression which could not be withstood by the resources and military array of Dost Mahomed, and he precipitately retreated.

"It was

about the time of afternoon prayer the prince started from his disturbed couch, where unslumbering and fearful forebodings fruitlessly solicited a hopeless rest, a trusty servant of Khan Shireen Khan, the hereditary feudal lord, who commanded the Royal Guard of Kizilbash, or Persian Mercenary Cavalry, appeared. Saheb,' said the messenger abruptly entering the presence, the Khan sends me to your Highness with this advice. Still are you here? Quick, arise, for my followers have betrayed a mutinous spirit; another moment's delay may be fatal to your chance of escape. I can no longer be responsible for your personal safety.'

"The prince, more wounded by the threatening language of a feudatory than scathed by the fearful prospect of utter ruin, mildly, though with a countenance full of fire, called for his attendant, whose duty the stated period of prayer should have brought into his presence. But a fallen prince has not even a faithful slave: a stranger handed the vessel for his highness's ablution, and he mournfully performed, for the last time within his tent, the ceremonials of his religion. His prayers finished, he commenced putting up his turban-his horse ready caparisoned at the tent door. He called for the keeper of the powder magazine-he presented himself with an inventory of his charge. The prince silently glanced at its contents, and sighing deeply-Go,' said he, to Mahomed Ufzell,' (his son,) he has my orders.'

"A crowd of noisy disorganized troops insolently pressed close up to the royal pavilion-the guards had disappearedthe groom holding the Prince's horse was unceremoniously pushed to and fro-a servant audaciously pulled away the pillow which sustained the Prince's arm-another commenced cutting a piece of the splendid Persian carpet-the beautiful praying rug of the Prince was seized on by a third.

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'Hold!' said his Highness, will ye not give me time to tie on my head-dress?'

"A dark scowl of desperation met his eye from those who were wont to fawn upon his kindness and flatter the once potent chief. Truly, as the dark gathering of murky clouds forebode the storm that follows-the frowning visages of audacious disrespect no longer dimly obscured the motives of cupidity. As the Prince sallied from his tent, Take all,' said he,

6

addressing Golham Mahomed, that you find within, together with the tent.' In an instant, the unruly crowd rushed upon the pavilion-swords gleamed in the air and descended upon the tent-the canvass, the ropes, the carpets, pillows, screens, &c., were seized and dispensed among the plunderers.

"The Prince placed his foot in the stirrup, as his loaded mules passed in a line, bearing the furniture of his cuisine. Quick glances were interchanged betwixt the followers of Khan Shereen and Mahomed Khan, formerly the nearest friends to a prosperous prince, but now the rifest enemies of a fallen friend. These monitory signals escaped not the penetrating glance of Dost Mahomed. Suddenly he sprang into the saddle. As the turbulent host pressed upon the fugitive Prince, and whilst they were engaged in strife with each other for a division of the spoil of his kitchen furniture in the mules burthen, now thrown off, the first report of an explosion concentrated the interrupted attention of the disorganizedarmy, which was seen divided into immense swarms and hordes -each suspiciously regarding the other with inquiring looks. Another and another explosion followed: the magazine had been fired. Not a breath of air disturbed the clear atmosphere; a dense cloud of white smoke ascended by jets far into the upper space, in a circumscribed pillar, as each concussion of ignited powder drove up a herald to announce in other worlds the crash of empires on the earth beneath. An immense column rose into the still, clear air, like a genius conjured up by the magic of war.

"The Prince turned his horse towards that dense cloud, which seemed like a shadow, enshrining his glory-plunged into the screening veil that obscured his fallen fortunes, and protected him from pursuit, as he lost himself from the view of those who wistfully contemplated an act of treachery in the seizure of his Highness's person." 29.