'Journal of a Journey from Persia to India through Herat and Candahar. Also Report of a Journey to the Wahebee Capital of Riyadh in Central Arabia' [‎8v] (16/268)

9
good Ghulam, one Hashem Beg,* who got into a scrape last win
ter when accompanying Mr. Doria. But I like the cut of the man,
and have little doubt of his accompanying me to Herat without
any difficulty. The horses of the above named two attendants
make, wnth my own, three horses; besides which I have a horse
for the carriage of some presents which I am conveying to the
Governor of Herat from the Queen's Government. Another
horse carries my own saddle-bags, and on a last and sixth horse
rides the post-guide with my small leathern saddle-bags contain
ing things I require to use daily. I carry a letter for the Governor
of Herat expressing the desire of the Queen's Government for
the independence of His Highness' territory ; also a letter for
the Ameer Dost Mahomed Khan from the Queen's Minister in
Persia, commending me to the Ameer's friendly offices. For
myself I have a firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’). from the Shah's Foreign Minister,
requiring all men to aid me to the Persian Frontier; and an
order for post-horses, with authority to receive them from the
villagers, in the contingency of the post-horses not affording the
required number.
Away wo go. But I see my loads are very heavy; and the
animals canter with difficulty. Our road lies up the slope to the
northward of the hill of Beebee Shirabanon. I remember to have
looked over the city to this road as it appeared scratched over
the side of the hill, from the slope whence we saw it on the day
of our official entry into Teheran on the 8th or 9th December
last. Even then I could not forbear casting a glance into the
future; and thinking I should one day travel up that scratch en
route to Afghanistan.
The sun set as wo reached the hill top; and the clouds of
the past few days’ stormy weather cleared away. Night closed
in; and I saw the most beautiful meteor I ever beheld, drop over
the Elburz its large and brilliant ball. When it burst, its
stars equalled those of the largest rocket: so like, and how
different.
* This man did very well; and I sent him back from Herat.