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27. TEMPLE OF AHMED SHAUH, AT CANDAHAR.
THIS temple, in which rest the remains of Ahmed Shauh, Douraunee, founder of this tribe, stands near the palace, or citadel (of which a bastion is here given), on a raised platform, with steps leading up to it from the city, of which it composes the principal architectural feature. It has a handsome dome and high minarets, is built of white stone, in an hexagonal form, composed of Turkish arches of various sizes, decorated with coloured tiles, and painted with considerable taste. Although, to an eye conversant with all the gorgeous designs and fairy-like splendour of Eastern tombs and temples, there is nothing uncommon in its structure, or even impressive in its style, still the ensemble produced by this chaste simple building, thrown out by the dark tints of the extraordinary Bullock’s Hump mountain, rising in quaint and jagged outline behind it, and viewed through the peculiarly transparent atmosphere, was charming in the extreme. No artist, or lover of the beautiful, could have passed without being attracted by the marvellous effect lent to the whole scene by the long strings of camels passing and re-passing, laden with stores of garden-stuff and forage; the picturesque groupings of the wood and fruit merchants, who crowded the foreground, and were occupied in unloading their kneeling animals, or intent on the sale and barter of their wares with the bazār people, or inhabitants of the city. The traders, too, were to be seen sitting under their striped awnings, and smoking their morning pipe, ready to learn the last “Gup” or gossip from the country, pit a favourite fighting quail against a neighbour’s, or dispose of their fresh melons and peaches, grapes and other luscious fruits, heaped up around them in gigantic pyramids, and hanging cool and tempting from the framework of their little store-tents.
But a word on quails. At a certain season of the year, every one, whatever his station or condition, is jerk, jerk, jerking in a small bag an unhappy quail. The proud chieftain, during a visit of ceremony, jerks his quail. The groom holds your horse, but at the same time jerks his quail. The white-bearded octogenarian, staff in hand to support his tottering steps, can spare a finger to jerk his quail, and little rosy lisping children, in the heat of their gambols, doubly and trebly jerk their quails. This perpetual motion of course frets the little creature, thus pent up the live-long day, and is supposed to endue it with courage. On a fitting antagonist being met with, the two are placed opposite each other, with a few grains of millet spread on the ground between them; a ring is then formed, and heavy bets are made by the crowd, who are as much interested in the result as in a matter of life and death. The first dip of the little beak in the provand is equivalent to a challenge, and the battle commences. They fight with great fierceness, and often till one or the other is killed.
The Bullock’s Hump is again introduced in this picture. While the army lay encamped at Candahar, on our first occupation of Afghaunistaun, my cousin, Captain Wilmer, of the 16th Queen’s Lancers, narrowly escaped being assassinated in returning through the pass (to the left of this mountain) from fishing in the valley beyond. He was accompanied by his friend and brother officer, Inverarity, who entered the defile a short time before him, followed by a small wire-haired terrier of Wilmer’s. On hastening to join his unhappy fellow-sportsman, the latter was surprised at the speedy re-appearance of his dog, which rushed from the mouth of the pass to meet him in a state of extraordinary uneasiness, and whining piteously. This led him to conclude all was not right. However, he proceeded, and on climbing through the rocky passage he was suddenly attacked by armed Douraunees, who had already hacked to pieces his friend. The mangled and lifeless body, over which he vaulted, formed a barrier across his path. The assassins were some eight in number, his footing insecure, and his only weapon of defence a short cherry-stick, which, though cut through to the bark in parrying the blows aimed at him, saved his life; for with it he struck down several of his assailants, and succeeded, by his great presence of mind and a desperate defence, in escaping unwounded into camp, together with his sagacious favorite. Poor Inverarity’s body was afterwards recovered, and was buried between the cantonments and the spot where his murder took place. It is satisfactory to know that the perpetrators of it were in due time captured and executed.
But I must return to the Temple of Ahmed Shauh. The sovereign who sleeps there, called by the Afghauns “the faultless King,” was the greatest monarch their country ever produced. The people of every Eastern nation, whether friend or foe, speak still in terms of the greatest admiration of his military skill, his nobleness of heart, clemency, and decision of character. His virtues were as numberless as his victories. Among the latter was the conquest of Delhi. Ahmed Shauh, with his son Timoor, crossed the Jumna, and after a severe battle with the Mahrattas took that city in 1759. The latter having regained the capital, entrenched themselves at Pauneeput, and prepared to meet the Douraunee monarch, who, with an inferior force and a few guns, destroyed nearly their whole army, consisting of a hundred thousand men and two hundred pieces of cannon. Thus Hindoostaun was at the mercy of the Afghaun; but policy and forbearance forbad him to extend his victories further in so remote a region, while his enemies the Seiks, whose star was in the ascendant, lay between his own mountains and the scene of his mighty conquests, and insurrection at home was rife in his absence. So, making over posts of importance to chiefs of Hindoostaun who had fought under him, he returned in 1761 to Candahar, the seat of government. Afterwards he returned to the Punjaub, to punish the insolent and gradually-aspiring Seiks; and having signally defeated them, he again retired to his capital, where he died of cancer in the face in 1773. In addition to his science and military skill, he was fond of study, and patronised men of learning and piety. In his latter years he was anxious to obtain the character of a saint: in this his Majesty’s wishes have been fulfilled, for his temple is regarded as the very perfection of sanctity, and is resorted to as a place of retirement by nobles or chiefs, who, discontented or tired with the world, profess to meditate and pray there. It is also frequented as an asylum by murderers and malefactors of every degree, and neither justice, nor power, nor rank, nor even the hand of royalty itself, dares to molest or touch them there. I believe that no European has ever been permitted to cross the threshold of this holy edifice; and though I, among others, often essayed it, no sooner did we show our unbelieving heads at the outer court yard than it was the signal for the Moollahs and Hadjees (pilgrims), who abounded there, to drive us away with boots and cries of disgust. Ahmed Shauh was succeeded by his son Timoor (father of Shujau ool Moolk), who was born at Meshed, and made Caubul the capital of his dominions, where he died.
The Douraunees are celebrated for the excellence of their irregular cavalry, which are capable of bearing great fatigue and of making immensely long marches. In the Candahar districts they harassed and annoyed us incessantly by the boldness and suddenness of their attacks, which increased as they became more fully aware of our deficiency in this arm of the service. Unfortunately, too, for us, the country around was peculiarly adapted, from its flatness, for the movements and disposition of cavalry, innumerable bodies of which they brought into the field on all occasions. While thus acknowledging the advantage they possessed over us numerically, I cannot refrain from giving to our own little body of regular and irregular horse the full praise they so nobly won, and which was almost universally accorded to them. Few in numbers, throughout the whole campaign they were exposed to interminable hardships, whether in the field or in the camp; and though much was expected of them when they were suffering from physical weakness in consequence of continual over-fatigue and scarcity of provender, none did their devoirs more effectually, or with greater zeal and cheerfulness.
A Ghoole, or body of fully-equipped Douraunee horse, is a fair sight to behold. How nobly they look moving on in a compact mass, with their military air, long flowing beards and handsome faces, their stalwart figures loosely clad in many-tinted robes, and their turbans of every shape and tie! Handsomely-wrought arms dangle at thigh and back; and while some don steel cuirasses, shirts of mail, and plumed casques, others wear the Persian lambskin or golden skull cap, from under which escape their long raven love-locks in the richest profusion. Now flourishing their spears and scimitars, and holding high their crested and embroidered pennons, they rein in and caracole their gaudily-clad horses, or dashing out they fire their rifles at the wheel with screams of delight. Each cavalier speaks much, and is full of fire and gesture; while their silver-bossed and metal-plated housings jingle merrily, and their kettle-drums beat time to the tramp of the martial company.
[Keywords]
ghol/ Ahmad Shah/ Qandahar/ Durrani/ Timur/ Maratha/ Panipat/ Hindustan/ Sikh/ Panjab/ Mulla/ Hajji/ Kabul/ Shuja‘ al-Mulk
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