CHAPTER XVI.

Ghuznee; Chuppa Jung; Description of the Fortress; Interesting letters; The vicinity of Ghuznee; Orchards; Fruit; Preparations for destroying the Citadel; A general havoc; The Somnauth Gates; Mahmood's tomb; March towards Cabool; Futteh Khan's fort; Young Evans again; Strange discovery; Captain Woodburn's will; His dreadful death, and massacre of his force; Night dangerous; Prospect of a night attack; Short but harrassing march; Valley of Midan; An impudent Chief; Suspicious arrival; Approach near Cabool; Entrance into Cabool; Lieut. Shakespeare; The prisoners; Sir Robert Sale's Brigade sent to rescue them.

GHUZNEE being now ours, all hands made a point of visiting this impregnable fortress; and on entering, a road leading to the right brought us into the spot where lay all the disabled guns, and our friend "Chuppa Jung." The gun was of brass, and mounted on a large wooden carriage, and was surmounted at the centre by two brass lions and rings; its length was thirteen feet four inches; and two feet from the muzzle, five feet two inches in circumference; it had evidently been much used, as it bore the appearance of having been repaired. It was a most unwieldy instrument to move, but most certainly did great damage, and was well situated where it was. In this space was fine

stabling, and barracks which were erected and used by Palmer's Brigade. On retracing our steps, we came to a long passage, the end of which was the magazine, well stored with every kind of ordnance, fuzes, shells, rockets, ammunition of every description, being that left by Palmer on his evacuation.

Close to this place was a well, which, although dry, led us to believe that there was a possibility of procuring water, had it been tried, and I must confess my surprise that Palmer had not made some effort to have procured water in the fort; which, with his force, from the very commanding position afforded in the citadel, it would have been almost impossible to have lost.

Close by was an arch-way leading to the citadel; two large copper cased gates, studded with huge nails, formed the entrance, and on winding round to the left, led to an inner square; the buildings were of fine eastern construction, being ornamented with most delicate, perforated work, so joined with ingenuity together as to form a net-work, introducing most tasteful figures and designs. The walls plastered white and enamelled, ornamented and corniced; the houses were of two stories, and the lower ones were used as kitchens; in one of the upper landings I discovered two oblong, dark, narrow rooms, which, on examination, I found to have been occupied by our unfortunate countrymen, when prisoners here for

several months; they were in a very filthy state, and the stench exceedingly disagreeable. On closer examination, which of course curiosity would lead to, several portions of writing were found on the walls, some written with burnt stick, a nail, or some other cutting substance, and one was in pencil. I took a literal copy of every portion of the writing, and it will of course be interesting to my readers, as well as corroborative and illustrative of the feelings of the unfortunate fellows; it will also fully bear out the brief detail given by me of the affair, which is taken from an account I had from one of the prisoners' own lips.

The following are true copies :

First, (written with a blunt pencil.)

"Col. Palmer, Capt. Olston, Lt. Powett, Lt. Harris, Ensigns Williams, Nicholson, and Davis, and Dr. Thompson, 27th N. I, Capt. Lee Burnett, 54th, and Lt. Crawford, S. S. F., prisoners in the fort of Ghuznee, through the treachery of Sirdar Shoomsood-Dien Khan, his brothers Gool Mahomed, Nahib Ravoolish Khan, and Sirdar Mullok Mahomed, in having broken every article of two treaties solemnly sworn to. If on the arrival of any British force, the prisoners are not forthcoming, avenge them on the abovementioned, and on Khan Mahomed or Killa Madoof (a cousin of the Sirdar's) his brother Taj Mahomed, and Nizar Mahomed-they had charge of the prisoners, and treated them most infamously, having once tortured the Colonel, and taken every opportunity of being insolent and oppressive.

(Signed,)

"C. HARRIS." "P.S.-26th May, 1842.-Khan Mahomed Khan is said to have a wife and two children in the power of Captain Mackeson, in Khanzez."

Second, (written with a nail or hard substance.)

“If we are killed, let our blood be avenged on Sirdar Shoomsood-Dien Khan, Nizar Mullok Mahomed, and Gool Mahomed Khan."

"Let Sirdar Shooms-ood-Dien, and all his brothers, be blown away; Khan Mahomed Khan, and his brother Taj Mahomed, be hanged; and their followers, and as many of our jailors as can be caught."

Fourth, (written with a burnt stick or charcoal.)
"27th May, '42.

"An Affghan, by name Fattullok, a Shikaree, and an infernal scoundrel, must be hanged without the least mercy.

(Signed,)

Fifth, (scratched on the wall.)

"T. D."

"Colonel Palmer, Capt. Burnett, 54th, Olston, 27th, Powett,

Lts. Crawford (Christie's Horse,) Harris, Williams, Nicholson, Davis, Dr. Thompson-confined in the Bala Hissar, as prisoners, since the 10th March, 1842."

66

Sixth, (written with burnt wood.)

'Shooja was killed on the 6th April, 1842." Seventh, (written with burnt wood.)

Mrs. Lumsden's room opposite, in which was written,— "Thomas Persey,"—" Teague,”. Rathfarnam,"-"23 Rupees,

13th June."

Initials, &c. &c., were written in every part of the rooms, evidently having been the occupation of the poor, miserable, incarcerated creatures, expressive of their inward sentiments, when thinking of their home and friends, who knew not of their condition, and perchance should never meet again. It is needless to comment on this, as it will convey sufficient to the mind of the reader, to enable him to enter into

the feelings of those who were so long oppressed by an insolent and treacherous foe.

On reading the portion of writing, stating that "Mrs Lumsden's room was opposite," I of course went thither, and a sorry hole it was; a small room in which were several broken bottles, an old tin clothes box, and the head of a human being! I believe it was that of a native. I proceeded up a staircase leading from the four sides of the square to the turret of the place, which was high, and afforded a beautiful view; this formed also a nice promenade, and at each corner was a bastion, in which was a small room, most elaborately ornamented, and was used by the chiefs as a lounging room. A small window to each, under which was a couch of marble, enabled them to see for a vast extent round the beautiful country, the whole of which, for miles, was richly thronged with orchards filled with trees, bending with the choicest fruits, apples, plums, peaches, grapes, &c., in abundance. Of such a variety of flavors were those fruits, that it now became a matter of taste and difficulty to suit oneself. The grapes in particular, varied in size from a currant to that of a pullet's egg. I weighed several that exceeded half an ounce, and it was common to see bunches so large that two men would carry them on the centre of a pole, to prevent destroying them; nay so plentiful were the fruits, both apples and grapes, that we used to feed upwards of 35,000 head of cattle with them, during our stay.