The life of Edmund Musgrave Barttelot, captain and brevet-major Royal fusiliers, commander of the rear column of the Emin Pasha relief expedition : being an account of his services for the relief of Kandahar, of Gordon, and of Emin, from his letters and diary

Front matter

tr\

3NTO cr <d-

1 J£IH=III1t—

Chapter II. < We Did Work, But Fusiliers Always Do.'

1882-1887.

Home on Leave— The Royal Irish — Egypt — Mounted Infantry— Kassassin — Tel-el-Kebir — Belbeis — Surrender of Cairo and Arabi — Home — Egypt again — Acting D.A.A.G. — Kenneh to Kosseir — A Wonderful March — A Dangerous Encounter — Wolseley and Buller — With the Boats — Corti — Gakdul — Abu Klea — Gordon's Death — Sheik of Hannek — Letter of Thanks—England — Cairo — Cyprus — Captain and Brevet-Major — Home once More — Emin — Interview with Stanley - 28 — 46

Chapter III

FROM LONDON TO BANANA POINT AND THE MOUTH OF THE CONGO RIVER: 1887.

I 'AGE

The Contract — The Start — Egypt — Aden — Zanzibar — Soudanese troublesome — Territory acquired for Mackinnon — An Extraordinary Compact — On Board the Madura — Can get no. Information from Stanley — Simon's Bay- — Banana Point ----- 49 — 71

Chapter IV

ON THE CONGO, FROM BANANA POINT TO BOLOBO : A/ARCH 18— MAY 14, 1887.

Start up the Congo — Matadi — On the March to Leopoldville — Soudanese Mutiny — American Mission at Palabella — Soudanese clamour for Provisions — Stanley threatens to ruin Major Barttelot's Military Reputation — Stanley's Revenge — Kindness of the Missionaries — Mr. Casement — Leopoldville — Difficulty about Steamers — Stanley's Sharp Practice — On the Stanley — March to Mswata — Barttelot hears of Intention to leave him behind at Bolobo— The Holy Fathers of St. Esprit, Kwarmouth — Bolobo - 72 — 92

Chapter V. On The Congo: May 15- June 17, 1887

On ss. Stanley — Scarcity of Provisions — Disgraceful Scenes — Equatorville — Letter from Stanley — Orders to Escort Tippu-Tib to Stanley Falls — On ss. Henry Reid with Tippu-Tib — Endless Cutting of Wood — Peace Brother-

CONTENTS.

hood — Fight between Natives and Tippu-Tib's men — Estrangement with Tippu— Blood Brotherhood Slaves — Arrival at Falls Station —Tippu angry at Stanley's Breach of Contract «.'... 93 — 109

Chapter VI. At Yambuya: June 19- August 16, 1887

Arrival at Yambuya — Ordered to remain there and await Stanley's return— Asks permission to Advance — Letter of Instructions — Supposed Conversation between Major Barttelot and Stanley — Wretched Lot of Men and Supplies left at Yambuya— Departure of Mr. Stanley — His Last Words — Alone with Jameson at Yambuya — Letters Home— Arrival of Bolobo Contingent — The Arabs appear— Report to Mr. W. Mackinnon — Stanley's Letter of Instructions ----- no — 142

Chapter VII. Yambuya Camp

mr. Stanley's suggestion to the rear column to advance by marches of six miles four times over, i.e., to make a march of 4,2 00 miles ! ! !

August 17 — December 31, 1887.

Mr. Stanley's Accusations — Impossible to move — Total Force at Yambuya with Loads — Jameson and Ward go to the Falls — Their Return — Reports of Men coming in — Report of Stanley's Return — Barttelot and Troup go to the Falls — Singatini — No Chance of getting Men — Return to Yambuya— Much Sickness in Camp —They determine never to partake of Stanley's Hospitality — Christmas Festivities — A Year of Disappointment 143 — 173

CONTENTS.

Chapter VIII. Ya Mb U Ya Ca Mp ( Re Tr Ospe Ct)

PAGE

Gloom within and Danger without — Anxiety respecting Stanley — Two Letters stated by Mr. Stanley to have been sent to Major Barttelot, but which he never received, and which were sent Home by Mr. Stanley himself immediately after Major Barttelot's death - 174 — 194

Chapter IX. Yambuya Camp: January 1— March 17, 1888

Bad News of Stanley — Arabs attack the Natives — Burgari shot — Barttelot and Jameson go to the Falls— Shooting Expedition — Letter of Instructions to Mr. Jameson on going to find Tippu-Tib at Kasongo — Letters Home — Mortality in the Camp from Want of Food - 195 — 210

Chapter X. Yambuya Camp: March 18— May 5, 1888

Jameson starts for Kasongo — Barttelot returns to Yambuya — 111 with Fever — Ward goes to Banana with Letters and Cablegram to Mackinnon — Death-rate — In the Hands of Tippu-Tib — Surrounded by Arabs — Letter to Major Sclater — Alone with Bonny — The Arabs mean Mischief—Instructions to Bonny on Barttelot's Departure to the Falls — Return to Yambuya — Proceeds to Yambu — Instructions to Bonny — Sala-Sala's Camp — Report of Stanley - - - - - - 2 1 1 — 233

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XL YAMBUYA CAMP: MAY 6— JUNE 8, 1888.

PAGE

Report of Stanley's Approach — Arrival of the A J. A. — Insolence of Natives — An Awkward Moment — Natives told to take Barttelot's Life — Instructions to Bonny — To the Falls — Meeting with Jameson and Tippu-Tib — Four Hundred Carriers — They guarantee ^1,000 to Muni Somai — Van Kerkhoven and Tippu — The River Ubangi — -Kapeppo — Mikalee — Yambuya — Troup ill — Arrival of Tippu — Terms — Mr. Werner's Visit to Yambuya — Stanley's Baggage — List of Stores — Loads refused — Tippu-Tib gives Orders to shoot Major Barttelot — Loads to be re-adjusted — What Mr. Troup said - 234 — 256

Chapter XII. Yambuya Camp: June 9 And 10

Worthlessness of Mr. Stanley's Stores — Caps — A Short Review— Barttelot's Last Report to Mackinnon — Agreements with Muni Somai— Business Letters — Instructions to Mr. Ward — Reasons for sending Cablegram to the Committee - 257 — 289

CHAPTER XVI. LAS T DAYS.—'FAl THFUL UNTO DEA J H. '

June 24 — July 5, t888. End of Diary.

March to the Falls Station — 111 and Footsore — Interview with Tippu-Tib — Last Letters to his Father and Major Sclater — A Comparison of the Losses of the Advance and Rear Columns — An Examination of Events — Major Barttelot's Last March — Banalya, July 17 — Mr. Bonny and Major Barttelot fired at in their House — July 18 — July 19 — Major Barttelot is shot by the Manyuema Sanga — Letter from Mr. Jameson to Sir Walter Barttelot — Mr. Jameson's Sorrow — His Death - - 338 — 359

APPENDIX I.

Letter from Mr. Stanley to Sir Walter Barttelot, Bart. 363—371

CONTENTS.

APPENDIX II.

PAGE

Copy of Letter to Mr. Stanley from Major Walter G.

APPENDIX III.

COPIES OF LETTERS FROM MR. JAMESON BELONGING

TO MAJOR BARTTELOT AND SENT HOME BY

MR. JAMESON IN HIS WRITING-CASE TO

SIR WALTER BARTTELOT

Letter from Mr. Jameson at l-vibonge — News of Stanley — Letter to Mr. Stanley from Jameson — Outline of Events at Yambuya since June, 1887 — Copy of Letter found in Major Barttelot's Writing-case to Mr. Mackinnon 385 — 401

APPENDIX IV.

Agreement between Mr. Stanley and Tippu-Tib - 402 — 403

APPENDIX V.

Extracts from Correspondence respecting the Expedition for the Relief of Emin Pasha, 1886, 1887. Presented to both Houses of Parliament, by command of Her Majesty, December, 1888, in a Paper, 'Africa,' No. 8 (1888) ------ 404—413

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

i. Portrait of Major Barttelot - - Frontispiece

2. Badge of the 7TH Royal Fusiliers - u

3. Facsimile of Christmas Card drawn by

Mr. Jameson - - - - To face p. 172

4. Memorial Brass in Stopham Church to

Major Barttelot, erected by Officers who served with him in the Royal Fusiliers ------- 361

5. Map showing Position of Arab Camps - At end of book

6. Map of Tippu-Tib's Country and East Africa

Company's Empire - At end of book

LIST OF NAMES REQUIRING EXPLANATION.

Maniapara

Manioc

Chimbeck -

1 Bulla- Matari ' -

Metako - Manyucma

Melafor Swahili

Washengies

A head-man over some ten or twelve

porters.

A root (of poisonous nature) from which

sago is prepared.

A native hut.

'Stone-breaker,' a name given by the natives on the Congo to Mr. Stanley.

A metal wire used for money purposes.

Natives of the region between the Congo and Lake Tanganyika (north), slaves to Tippu-Tib, and cannibals.

Palm wine.

The name of a race (a mixture of Arab and Negro blood) with a language of its own spoken by the Zanzibaris.

Zanzibari term for all natives.

LIFE OF EDMUND MUSGRAVE BARTTELOT.

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

Not a line of this book would ever have been written, not a word of its contents would have been published, if justice, even partially, had been done, or any kindness shown by the leader of the Expedition for the relief of Emin Pasha to the officers left at Yambuya with his impedimenta, his stores, and his sick.

The story of Major Barttelot's life represents to us a brave English officer and gentleman, who loved his profession, gloried in the work it gave him to do, and highly prized the only reward he coveted, and sometimes gained, namely, the appreciation and the thanks of those under whom he served. He is only an example of the true English nature, and there could be no need to place his actions before the public but for the manner in which his name has been treated by Mr. Stanley since his life was taken by Sanga, a Manyuema porter of Tippu-Tib's, Governor of the Falls Station.

When the news first came home in September, 1888, announcing the death of Major Barttelot on August 17, the shock was great; but when Mr. Stanley's letters arrived, almost devoid of even the usual expressions of regret, and hardly noticing the event at all, we were more than astonished. We hoped that one of the family might hear from Mr. Stanley ; he had written to geographical societies — would not he send a line to us ? No, not a word. And then came the great blow : my brother lying dead, murdered far away in the great forest of Central Africa, the bright hopes of his future career crushed out ; and then the cruel tongue speaks words that wround and a pen traces sentences that, if not disproved, will blast a reputation.

Mr. Stanley writes that the rear-column was wrecked ' by the irresolution of its officers, neglect of their promises, and indifference to their written orders.'

To a soldier of the Queen and a gentleman this is a serious accusation, and should not be allowed to pass. I have already written to the papers to point out that the instructions had been carried out ; but Mr. Stanley took no notice of this. If on his return to Cairo, or when he arrived in England, he had retracted in some degree what he had said, or if in his book he had been able to explain his accusations, I would gladly have held my hand, and told his officers so.

In April, 1890, Mr. Stanley, knowing possibly

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

through his officers, some of whom I had seen, that we considered his silence to us something more than remarkable, pens a letter to my father, in which he emphasizes his accusations in such language as to arouse our indignation, and to raise a suspicion that there must be some motive for casting blame, in a manner apparently so unnecessary, upon one who was dead, and upon his comrades of the rear-column.

I went carefully into the matter, and wrote a reply for my father to Mr. Stanley (see Appendix), going fully into all points. Mr. Stanley acknowledged this through his secretary, saying he was too much engaged to reply to so lengthy a letter.

Mr. Stanley's book, ' In Darkest Africa,' proved misleading on so many points that it became necessary to warn the public of its character, and in a letter to the press I gave instances of the ' suppressio veri ' and the ' suggestio falsi ' which characterize the work. These accusations still remain unanswered.

I felt it, therefore, my duty to collect and arrange the material necessary to place my brother's memory in a true light, and to lay before the public an outline of the charges made against Major Barttelot, for which, if he had lived, he would have demanded redress from the proper authorities at home as well as for the conduct of Mr. Stanley towards himself while on the expedition, and would have claimed a searching inquiry into Mr. Stanley's reasons for leaving the rear-column without proper food, deserted for fourteen months, without carriers, and in the power of Tippu-Tib.

As an example of Mr. Stanley's manner of writing, the following is almost incredible. In ' Darkest Africa,' vol. ii., p. 220, he ridicules Emin Pasha for not having explored the Albert Lake :

4 There are some things I have wondered at in Emin ; he was earnest and industrious in making observations upon plants, insects, birds, manners and customs, but I was somewhat staggered when I learned that he had not explored Lake Albert. He possessed two steamers and two lifeboats, yet he had never visited the southern end of the lake ' (or) 'examined the affluent at the south side,' etc., etc.

There happens, however, to be a book, called ' Emin Pasha in Central Africa,' edited by Professor Schweinfurth and others, published in 1888, in which is a map showing by a red line Emin Pasha's many journeys through his large province ; this red line passes to the south end of Lake Albert, and up the affluent Mr. Stanley lays claim to have discovered, which flows from the mountains Mr. Stanley also claims to have discovered.

Emin Pasha wrote a letter to Dr. Felkin from Wadelai, October 26, 1886 (before Mr. Stanley had ever seen Lake Albert at all), p. 507, same book, as follows :

' I send you an account of a tour to the Albert Nyanza. Since I wrote it, I have made two other excursions to the lake ; the chief result of my work is

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

the discovery of a new river flowing from the Usongora Mountains. It is of considerable size, and flows into the lake at the south. The river is called Kakibi by the Wasongora, and Dueru by the Wamboga. On account of numerous cataracts it is difficult to navigate ; it pours into the lake throughout the whole year a large volume of water.'

So Mr. Stanley's Mountains of the Moon are Emin Pasha's already-discovered Usongora Mountains, and Mr. Stanley's Semliki River is Emin Pasha's already-discovered Kakibi or Dueru River. Surely Emin should not lose the credit for his discoveries, as well as his province and his wealth, as the result of the Expedition for his relief.

It will be remembered that Emin Pasha, whom Gordon had made Governor of the equatorial province of Egypt, was in distress for want of ammunition, and his communication with the coast and Zanzibar had been cut off by the Kings of Uganda and Unyoro, while the Mahdists held Khartoum and the Nile. England was set aglow with articles written to fan the flames of generous enthusiasm in an effort so noble as the relief of Emin Pasha. Money was freely subscribed ; officers, burning to distinguish themselves in the cause of honour, volunteered their services, and the Expedition was quickly got ready to start.

#Mr. Stanley was selected as leader by the gentle-

* Copies of the papers presented to Parliament on this subject are in the Appendix.

men who had formed themselves into a committee to manage the relief. All England was proud of the thought of this gallant Expedition, of the singleness of its aim, and of the integrity and purity of motive displayed by the committee in organizing so chivalrous an enterprise. Yet it was considered necessary by the committee, and by Mr. Stanley, that all the officers should sign an agreement to publish nothing until six months after the official report of the leader of the Expedition — a circumstance of a very unusual character !

Careless of what the consequences might be, they signed away their freedom, and placed themselves in the hands of Mr. Stanley.

I bitterly regret the necessity, which has been forced upon me by Mr. Stanley, to undeceive the public, and to remove the mask which has so well concealed the true features of the Expedition for the relief of Emin Pasha, of which they had formed so lofty an ideal.

In the following pages will be found clear proofs of the many objects for which the Expedition, and the money subscribed to it, were made use of by Mr. Stanley, other than the actual quest or relief of Emin.

The conduct and management of the Expedition, which was essentially military in character in every respect, except in that of its leader, was conspicuous for its total want of that prudent foresight which would have contributed so greatly to the comfort and well-being of officers and men, by a sufficient

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

provision of food and transport, and which would have utilized the rear column by a proper disposition of his forces.

I would particularly draw the attention of the reader to the threats of Mr. Stanley to ruin Major Barttelot's reputation, and to the arrangements and understanding existing between Mr. Stanley and Tippu-Tib ; to the leaving Major Barttelot in Tippu-Tib's power ; and to the terrible consequences —in the death of Major Barttelot and Mr. Jameson, and the increase and impetus given to the slave-trade in the regions west and north of the Falls Station.

There is one feature of the camp-life at Yambuya on which it is pleasant to dwell — I refer to the touching friendship which existed between my brother and Mr. Jameson.

Of the character of these two men, of their loyal devotion to one another and to the interests committed to their charge, of their sufferings and sacrifices, and of their splendid maintenance of the camp in peace with natives and Arabs, notwithstanding every temptation to war, ample proof is given in the following letters of Major Barttelot, and in his diary, which was so fortunately sent home by Mr. Jameson to my father from the Falls Station, in August, 1888, shortly before his own sad death.

When the box containing them was opened, we found the contents — clothes, Bible, everything — falling to a damp dust. The diary, and some letters in a writing-case, although much injured by damp, and in some places illegible, were mercifully preserved. The box seemed to have been in water for months.

It may be well that I should state that, by permission, I have read Mr. Jameson's diaries, and find they corroborate my brother's in every way, especially in reference to Mr. Stanley's conduct to his officers. It is sincerely to be hoped that they will be published, as a matter of justice to the two friends. If they had lived to come home Mr. Stanley would not have dared to write a word against them. But he knows the law cannot defend the dead, that against the dead he can make accusations and the law cannot touch him. By the law there is no libel against the dead.

References in my brother's diary to Mr. Stanley's conduct towards himself and the officers of the expedition on the journey up the Congo have also been confirmed and corroborated by the statements made to me by nearly every officer of the Expedition.

But the diaries and letters direct from the hands of the dead form evidence of supreme value. ' Litera scripta manet.' They have not been able to alter or to add a tittle to what was written at the time, and the words of these two brave men call aloud for justice.

My brother's life was short and eventful ; born in 1859, he was murdered in 1888, being twenty-

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

nine years of age. He had served as an officer in the Royal Fusiliers in three campaigns, and his experiences, prior to the Emin Relief Expedition, are given from his diary in the first two chapters.

Before closing this introductory chapter, I would take the opportunity to add a word of very sincere thanks to the press and the public for the marked kindness and courtesy with which they have uniformly treated the name of Major Barttelot, and for the fairness shown in reserving judgment on Mr. Stanley's statements concerning him, until the gag upon the mouths of his representatives is removed by the expiration of the six months (since reduced to fou7;) of silence imposed by the agreement with Mr. Stanley.

Mr. Stanley's statements concerning Major Barttelot are answered in the order of sequence of events in the narrative.

I must ask the reader kindly to remember that it is not my aim to write only what will please or interest, but to do a duty to the dead by writing what I have been able to gather of the truth. If the facts recorded in the diary are at times somewhat startling from the manner or brevity of their narration, or from their nature, it will be recollected they were not written down for publication, but for reference for personal use only, and that it was not the intention of my family to publish a word of this pathetic story.

But the painful necessity to do so is rudely thrust io LIFE OF EDMUND MUSGRAVE BARTTELOT.

upon us, and may, perhaps, be urged as an additional plea in this appeal to the English people, with whom the love of fair play forms a court of honour whose judgment is unimpeachable, and whose justice is world-famed.

&ecor&s of an Officer of tjje 7t|) BRoyai fwilitxs

[ 13 1

Chapter I

life from 1859- 1882 (previous to the relief expedition).

Birth — Education — Enters Sandhurst — Gazetted to 7th Royal Fusiliers — Joins at Bombay — Siege of Kandahar — Deh Kojah — Letters.

Edmund Musgrave Barttelot, the second son of Sir Walter B. Barttelot, Bart, C.B., M.P., of Stopham, Sussex, and Harriet, daughter of Sir Christopher Musgrave, Bart., of Edenhall, Cumberland, was born on March 28, 1859, at Hilliers, near Petworth, Sussex. The morning of his birth has always remained clearly impressed on my mind from the vivid recollection of an amusing incident, typical of Sussex wit. We children — myself and two little sisters — had, after breakfast, carefully locked the door to keep out the nursery-maid who was coming to remove the breakfast things. After vainly trying the door, in desperation she shouted out : ' Well, then, I won't tell you your little brother's just been born.'

At this we chuckled tremendously, and, having got the information, let her remain outside some while longer. Our mother died in 1863, and about 1868 we all went to live at Stopham.

Edmund was educated at Mrs. Cook's, 23, Montpellier Crescent, Brighton, and then at Rugby under Jex Blake. Thence he went to Mr. Fowler's, Tunbridge Wells, and then to the Rev. G. Faithfull's, Storrington, Sussex, where he prepared for his army examination. Having gone up for the line in November, 1877, he failed to pass by twenty-two places, was admitted in March, 1878, owing to the Russian War scare, and entered Sandhurst College on May 1, General Napier being governor, and Colonel Middleton commandant. He was of a bright and cheerful disposition, full of light and life, daring, impetuous, and of extremely active habits. He never could remain at home for a day without being off some long distance. He was a keen sportsman and a warm friend, quick-tempered but forgiving ; anything mean, untruthful, unmanly, or low he despised, and was apt to show his dislikes perhaps too much. From his childhood there was a certain reserve of power about him which compelled acknowledgment, and shadowed the outlines of a true and noble character.

The summer vacation of 1878 he spent at Honnef on the Rhine, Prussia, with Frau Hauptmann Moritz, a highly-cultured friend who receives pupils to prepare for the army and other examinations. My

THE ROYAL FUSILIERS. 15

brother was of very abstemious habits ; he never smoked, and seldom took stimulants.

He now entered his twentieth year, and on Friday, January 22, 1879, was gazetted to the 2nd Battalion 7th Royal Fusiliers, vice Conolly, promoted to be Captain. The battalion was in India, and on March 4 we went to Southampton to see him off on the Poona. For companions he had three brother cadets, Spencer 44th, Corbett (Crow) 13th, Mockler (Ferryman) 14th. On April 4, having landed at Bombay the day before, he reported himself to the adjutant, C. D. M. Gall. Tommy Marsh, who was gazetted with him, joined on April 6.

In the February following the regiment embarked for active service in Afghanistan, going by sea to Kurrachee, and then by rail to Sibi, where he had good sport, shooting and riding with Drummond Wolff, Marsh, and De Trafford. The regiment then marched to Kandahar, via the Bolan Pass and Quetta, and were quartered in the cantonments with the 66th.

k On July 27 the siege of Kandahar began. By evening all the stragglers had come in, poor Hector Maclean being taken prisoner. Ayoub Khan regularly invested the city, firing shell at us daily, and attacking our working parties. De Trafford was shot in the leg.

'On August 16 a sortie was made against the village of Deh Kojah, as Ayoub's regulars held this in force, and annoyed us greatly ; so it was determined to drive them out. We started at 4 a.m., and it was all over by 10 a.m. We drove them out, but could not hold the village. My regiment lost 1 70 killed and wounded, and three officers killed, viz., Lieutenants Marsh and Wood, and Major Vandeleur, and Captain Conolly wounded.

' On September 3 Roberts arrived with the relieving force, and the battle was fought, in which the Fusiliers again took part. For this we received the Afghan medal and clasp for Kandahar. The Fusiliers then went up to Maiwand in brigade to bury the dead there, and returned after six wTeeks. Colonel Daubeny died of small-pox, and Major Butler now took command.'

Copy of a Letter from E. M. Barttelot, Lieutenant Royal Fusiliers, to his Sister.

'Kandahar, May 16, 1880. ' Dear E.,

' I got all your letters of April 1 5 last Friday,

14th inst., so you see they just about take a month.

There has been a good deal of excitement prevailing

during the last week here. On Sunday evening

last, 9th inst., four men of the transport — of whom

Captain Garrett was one — were out riding, paying

a visit to a native chief. As they were returning

they were fired upon by seven natives, and Garrett

had his arm broken just above the elbow, and

one of the sirdars (they had two for an escort) was shot in the wrist. They had some difficulty in getting them back to camp ; however, they are doing well now. It was at first thought that Garrett would lose his arm. They never caught the men, because I think they never took any trouble about it. They sent out a party twelve hours after it had happened, and all they did was to find out the number of men, five of whom had guns and two swords only ; this information they derived from a peasant boy who saw the outrage committed.

4 On Wednesday last the Wali Shere Ali was proclaimed Governor of Kandahar, and on the same day received several handsome presents from the Viceroy of India, as a token of respect from the English Government. These presents were given to him by the political Colonel St. John, R.E., and General Primrose, who went down to the Wali's house for that purpose. Amongst the presents were a very handsome presentation sword, a gold watch set with diamonds worth 2,000 rupees, and a silver basin. On receiving the sword he said that before God he would never draw it against the English.

4 To make it a day of general rejoicing he remitted two taxes, one on copper and the other on silver, which had before been rather irksome to the natives. After having received all the native chiefs, muliks, sirdars, etc., he gave everyone something to eat and drink, and the meeting broke up.

On the next day the Wall paid a return visit to General Primrose and Colonel St. John at the former's houses in the cantonments. To celebrate this visit all the troops were turned out to line the road from the Shikapore gate of the city, from which he came, to the General's house, a distance of some two miles. We paraded in tunics, white helmets, spikes and grenades at 4.15 p.m., and did not get back to barracks till 6.45 p.m. The Wali rode through us, accompanied by his two sons, his brother and his interpreter, who is a Persian. He wore the sword and watch given to him on the previous day. Each company presented arms to him by turn as he came past, and the colours were shouldered. He stopped before the colours and saluted them most religiously. He is a very fine, handsome-looking man.

' The fruit here now is getting rapidly ripe, and very good it is, apricots and peaches growing like apples do at home. I always eat them in the morning, as they say then they do you no harm, and they certainly are much fresher ; but the chief fruits are grapes and mulberries.

4 I have been buying a lot of curious things, and shall send them home at the earliest opportunity, whenever that may be. They manufacture capital knives and first-rate gunpowder here, while the boots that come from Herat are simply splendid. All trade between Kandahar and Herat is stopped now, however, as the road is closed ; it is a great nuisance,

KANDAHAR. J 9 as you cannot get any horses here now, because they all come from Heratwards, as there is scarcely any breeding here at all, but nearly all crop-farming. The horses that come from Herat and Cabul are splendid animals, especially those of the Turcoman breed. We have picked out a beautiful pologround, a grass one ; before that we played on bare ground without a vestige of grass to it, and in appearance something similar to the Aldershot parade grounds. We are all playing on transport tats now, and capital ponies they make. I rode through the city the other day ; it is a most wonderful place : part of it is covered in and like an arcade, and there are some very pretty things displayed for sale ; but I did not buy any, as I had no escort, and it is dangerous to loiter.' Whenever we ride through a village we always gallop through as hard as possible, so as to make being hit harder. I forgot to tell you what our field service kit is like. It is simply our white clothing dyed brown, and covers to the helmets worn over the spike, and a puggaree. It looks rather a neat kit, I think. Last Friday we were inspected by General Primrose, who found no fault with anything. They are going to send some of the troops away, I believe, for the hot weather, to a place some five or six miles from here called the Argendab Valley, but only two or three companies out of each regiment, so as to make more room in barracks, and not crowd up the men so much. The flies here are a perfect pest. . . .