Burnes, Alexander: Travels into Bokhara: containing the narrative of a voyage on the Indus from the sea to Lahore, ... and an account of a journey from India to Cabool, Tartary and Persia ; performed by order of the supreme government of India, in the years 1831, 32, and 33 (Band 2) (London, 1835)

82

ARRANGEMENTS.

CHAIN III.

children of the chief and his brothers were again
present: they rioted among the confectionery, and
four of them had a pitched battle with the blossom
of the trees, which they threw at each other like
snow. I do not remember to have seen any place
more delightful than Peshawur at this season : the
climate, garden, and landscape, delight the senses,
and to all we had been so fortunate as to add the
hospitality of the people. I had brought no pre-
sents to conciliate these men, and I therefore would
receive none at their hands; but, on the present
occasion, our host produced a small horse, of a hill
breed, and insisted on my receiving it. " Mr.
" Moorcroft," said he, " accepted one of these
" same horses, which availed him in his difficulties;
" and I cannot, therefore, take a refusal, since you
" are entering such dangerous countries." The
horse was forcibly sent to my house. The sequel
will show the strange Providence which is some-
times to be traced in the acts of man.

But our residence at the house of the chief was
not without inconvenience, and it required some
consideration to devise a plan for our extrication
with credit. The chief of Peshawur was at en-
mity with his brother of Cabool, and wished to
persuade us to pass through that city by stealth,
and without seeing him. He offered, indeed, to
send a Persian gentleman as our conductor beyond
Afghanistan ; and, had I believed the arrangement
practicable, I would have rejoiced: but it was ob-
viously difficult to pass through the city of Cabool
and the country of its chief without his knowledge ;