chain of hills of the same character, the Tukt-i-Shah being the highest part. On the west of this hill lies the plain of Chahar Deh, ten or twelve miles wide and more in length, traversed by the Cabul river. Mr. Vigne appears to have been smitten with the love of etymology, and is, like most etymologists, rather fanciful in his derivations; he supposes the name of Cabul to be a corruption of rov Kavxácov móλis, 'the city of the Caucasus.' He has hazarded another conjecture, more ingenious if not more probable, that the Greek word "nomade," applied to wandering tribes, was derived from numud, a "felt tent."

He started, in company with Mr. Masson, for the Kohistan of Cabul, in order to visit the plain of Baghram, whence so many Bactrian coins were procured by that enterprising person. The term Kohistan (which signifies 'a mountainous place') is, however, applied more particularly to the large tract of flat country at the foot of the Hindu Kosh, about thirty miles from Cabul. On their journey they had abundant evidence of the social condition of Afghanistan, in the innumerable quadrangular fortresses scattered over the meadows, their neatly-finished curtains and round towers, rising with peculiar effect from the deep green of the groves and vineyards with which they are surrounded. Every man's house is, in truth," he observes, "his castle here." The plains of Lombardy, as seen from the Apennines, do not exceed the Kohistan of Cabul in richness or brilliancy of verdure, whilst the latter far surpasses them in situation, being backed by an amphitheatre of enormous mountains. There is no better description of Cabul and its environs, at the present day, Mr. Vigne says, than that of the emperor Baber; the places he mentions are generally known by the same names. The mountains which bound the Kohistain are the nests of marauders, who plunder the travellers in the plain. On a detached hill, a whitish streak was observed, extending from the summit to the foot. This is the RegRuwan, or running sand, mentioned by Baber, and since described by Sir A. Burnes. It does not appear that Mr. Vigne visited this curious object, which is in the territories of the lawless tribes of the hills. Their host at Baghram told them that, if he had occasion to dispatch a message to the mountains, "the man was obliged to divest himself of his clothes, for fear of being stripped and plundered." The aspect and behaviour of these hill-men, however, exhibited a larger portion of the ludicrous than of the terrible. Mr. Vigne saw a party of them, armed with matchlocks, who appeared frightened, and were hurrying off as fast as they could; one of them "a young savage, with a round red face and goggle eyes," who had lagged behind, with two matchlocks on his shoulders, was "in the greatest possible fright." Mr. Vigne tells us little more about the plain of Baghram.

He quitted Cabul for Peshawur in October 1836. His narrative of the journey is a mere itinerary. Some account of Kaffiristan is given from the reports of persons whom our author met with in his travels; but the circumstances related of the inhabitants of that region are neither very interesting nor very credible. Mr. Vigne saw three Kaffir slaves, whom he

describes as having grey eyes, light brown hair, and a complexion that would be deemed fair in Europe. Of one he says, "his features were highly intellectual, and there was a natural freedom and elegance in his manners." They were learning to read and write Persian, and "their abilities were said to be extraordinary." Mr. Vigne collected from them a vocabulary of Kaffir words, which clearly shew that the language is an Asiatic dialect, and has no affinity to Greek.

The journey to Peshawur occupied twelve days. He says nothing of this place, which he left for Cashmere, and proceeded thence to Lahore, in order to be present at Sir Henry Fane's visit to Runjeet Sing, in March 1837.

Here we may bring our notice of Mr. Vigne's "travels" to a close, for the rest of the work is devoted to an account of Lahore, of Runjeet Sing and his court, of the Sikh nation, and of the court and people of Cabul. What relates to Runjeet personally has been robbed of its interest by the death of that redoubtable old debauché, who seems to have combined the skill of a general and the craft of an Oriental statesman with the manners of a vulgar drunkard and ribald jester. The account of the court of Cabul adds little or nothing to what has been said by Sir A. Burnes.

Mr. Vigne has given a short sketch of the history of the notorious Haji Khan Kakur, from information supplied by Mr. Masson, which, though it differs in some respects from that which we abridged in our notice of Major Outram's work* (and which was furnished by Lieut. Conolly), represents him in the same colours, as a treacherous adventurer, who betrayed every one that trusted him. He has likewise introduced some traits of Dost Mahomed Khan, but they do not afford the distinct idea of this extraordinary man which is furnished by Burnes' description. Mr. Vigne has prefixed to his volume a portrait of the Dost, who sat very quietly when it was being drawn, and condescended to point out where the drawing was defective; we may conclude, therefore, that the likeness must be faithful. Our own impression is, that we have seen the very person in the streets of London, bending under a bag of old apparel.

It seems certain from Mr. Vigne's remarks, that the late Ameer of Cabul was extremely desirous of an alliance with the British Government. Mr. Vigne, however, approves entirely of our policy with respect to this chief. "I have never doubted for an instant," he says, "the correctness of that line of policy which it eventually became necessary to pursue, by sending the late expedition to Afghanistan. I have never doubted for an instant that it would succeed, or that Shah Shuja would be well received by the Afghans." According to his information, the leading men at Cabul were always ready to intrigue with the Shah. He justifies Dost Mahomed, however, in seeking to connect himself with Russia or Persia, when we repelled his offers. The volume concludes with some remarks upon Central Asia, the policy of England with respect to it, the objects of Russia there, and speculations on the result of Russian success.

Last vol. p. 260.

MEMOIRS OF A GRIFFIN.

CHAPTER II.

Our little world, the image of the great,
Like that amidst the boundless ocean set.

Waller.

THE first scene of this eventful drama closed with my embarkation on board the Rottenbeam Castle, bound for Bengal. Saving an Irish packet, this was the first ship on which I had ever sat foot, and it presented a new world to my observation-a variety of sights and sounds which, by giving fresh occupation to my thoughts and feelings, served in some measure to banish the tristful remembrance of home. All, at first, was a chaos to me; but when the confusion incidental to embarkation and departure (the preliminary shake of this living kaleidoscope), a general clearing out of visitors, custom-house officers, bum-boat women, et hoc genus omne, had subsided, things speedily fell into that regular order characteristic of vessels of this description-eachindividual took up his proper position, and entered in an orderly manner on his prescribed and regular routine of duty; and I began to distinguish officers from passengers, and to learn the rank and importance of each respectively. Before proceeding further with ship-board scenes, a slight sketch of a few of the dramatis persone may not be unacceptable. And first, our commander, the autocrat of this little empire. Capt. McGuffin was a raw-boned Caledonian, of some six-foot three; a huge red-headed man, of great physical powers, of which, however, his whole demeanour, singularly mild, evinced a pleasing unconsciousness; bating the latter quality, he was just such a man of nerves and sinews as in the olden time, at Falkirk or Bannockburn, one could fancy standing like a tower of strength, amidst the din and clash of arms, “slaughing" off heads and arms, "muckle broad-sword in hand," with fearful energy and effect. He had a sombre and fanatical expression of visage; and I never looked at his "rueful countenance" but I thought I saw the genuine descendant of one of those stern covenanters of yore, of whom I had read-one of those "crop-eared whigs" who, on lonely moor and mountain had struggled for the rights of conscience, and fought with indomitable obstinacy the glorious fight of freedom. With his speculative opinions this history has nothing to do; suffice it to say that, practically, he was a worthy, conscientious, benevolent man, though cautious and calculating, like his countrymen in general. He was no friend to dancing and such light amusements, and consequently was not the most agreeable of commanders for young people to sail with,-light-hearted juveniles of the "dum vivimus vivamus school of philosophy: frequently, in the course of the voyage, when heads were seen bobbing above the hammock-nettings of the sister ship, and the enlivening scrape of a fiddle came wafted across the waters, the ladies would plead hard for a hop-" Capt. McGuffin, do pray let us have a dance;" but no, he was immoveable: "He would be varra happy to obleege them in ony thing else, but dauncing he naver allooed in his ship."

I soon discovered I was not "alone in my glory," and that another cadet was destined to share with me the honours of the "Griffinage." He was a gawky wide-mouthed fellow, with locks like a pound of candles, and trowsers half-way up his calves; one who, from his appearance, it was fair to infer had never before been ten miles from his native village. It was a standing source Asiat.Journ.N.S.VOL.33.No. 130.

of wonder to all on board (and to my knowledge the enigma was never satisfactorily solved), by what strange concurrence of circumstances, what odd twist of Dame Fortune's wheel, this Gaspar Hauserish specimen of rusticity had attained to the distinguished honour of being allowed to sign himself gentleman cadet," in any "warrant, bill, or quittance;" but so it was. “Fronti nulla fides,” however; he turned out eventually to be much less of a fool than he looked. His mother, a comely farmer's dame, brought him on board, bag and baggage. Upon coming on deck, she eagerly inquired for the captain, to whom she presented her son, with earnest entreaties, expressed in a rich Somersetshire dialect, that he would “be pleased to take care of her Tom." But the most amusing scene was to come: after an affectionate leave-taking of Tom, and strict injunctions "to write home as soon as ever he got to Hingee," she turned her tearful countenance (poor woman!) towards the captain, dropped a hasty curtsey, as if anxious to conceal her emotion, and was hurrying off as she came; when suddenly, stopping short and turning round, she exclaimed, "Lawk a mercy on my poor head! I had well nigh forgot the ducks!" Upon which, diving her hands into a couple of capacions pockets, and after a slight preliminary jingle, she produced therefrom, to the extreme wonder and amusement of the standers-by, a couple of those unctuous and savoury bipeds, ready-picked and in high order. "Captain," said she, holding a duck in each hand, just as dealers in that sort of commodity ascertain their specific gravity, "they tell me you seafaring gentlemen are not overstocked with fresh provisions on board, so I thought I'd make bold to bring you a couple of our young ducks, which I hope you'll be pleased to accept.” A smile rarely visited Capt. McGuffin's face; when it did, it was cold and transient, as a wintry gleam of sunshine, and to indulge in a hearty guffaw was utterly foreign to his nature; nevertheless, the unexpected apparition of the ducks-the good dame's extreme simplicity-and the ludicrous idea of this vast accession to his sea-stock-pitching plump and unexpectedly upon that part of the cerebrum where lies the sense of the ridiculous, before he could brace up the yards and prepare it for the shock, the result was, that Capt. McG. was betrayed into a rusty sepulchral chuckle, which, like the laugh of a moody madman in a fit, it was no easy matter to control. The merriment was contagious, and all joined in the roar, which some, from good feeling, struggled to restrain. The good woman, the cause of all this hilarity, looked utterly astonished, unable to divine the cause of it, whilst Tom, the picture of sheepishness, but evidently not insensible of the ludicrous position in which his unsophisticated parent had placed them both, looked down on the deck, fumbled with his hat, and longed evidently to have the scene brought to a close. At length Capt. McGuffin, by a strong effort, recovering his ordinary stolidity of aspect, made some sort of apology; thanked the lady courteously for her ducks, which he gravely delivered into the charge of the steward, and handing her over the side, safely consigned her to her boat.

Our first officer, Mr. Gillans, was a thorough seaman, and a no less thorough John Bull; he had the then common detestation of the French and their imputed vices of insincerity, &c., and, in endeavouring to avoid the Scylla of Gallic deceit, went plump into the Charybdis of English rudeness. He was, in truth, a blunt, gruff fellow, who evidently thought that civility and poltroonery were convertible terms. The captain was the only person whom his respect for discipline ever allowed him to address without a growl; in short, the vulgar but expressive phrase, as "sulky as a bear with a sore head," seemed made for him expressly, for in no case could it have been more

justly applied. The second mate, Grinnerson, was a gentlemauly fellow as the whole, but a most eternal wag and joker. Cadets had plainly, for many a voyage, furnished him with subjects for the exercise of his facetious vein, and "Tom," ie. Mr. Thomas Grundy, and myself, received diurnal roastings at his hands. If I expressed an opinion, "Pardon me, my dear Sir," he would say, with mock gravity, "but it strikes me that, being only a cadet, you can know nothing about it;" or, "in about ten years hence, when you get your commission, your opinion on things in general' may be valuable." If I flew out, or the peaceable Grundy evinced a disposition to "hog his back," he would advise us to keep our temper, to be cool, assuring us, with dry composure, that the "cadets on the last voyage were never permitted to get into a passion." In a word, he so disturbed my self-complacency, that I long gravely debated the question with myself, whether I ought not to summon him to the lists when I got to India, there to answer for his misdeeds. As the voyage drew towards a close, however, he let off the steam of his raillery considerably, and treated us with more deference and respect; thereby showing that he had studied human nature, and knew how to restore the equilibrium of a young man's temper, by adding to the weight in the scale of self-esteem. Our doctor and purser are the only two more connected with the ship whom I shall notice. The first, Cackleton by name, was a delicate, consumptive, superfine person, who often reminded me of the injunction, "physician heal thyself." He ladled out the soup with infinite grace, and was quite the ladies' man. His manners, indeed, would have been gentlemanly and unexceptionable had they not been for ever pervaded by an obvious, smirking consciousness on his part that they were so. As for Cheesepare, the purser, all I shall record of him is, that by a happy fortune he had dropped into the exact place for which nature and his stars appeared to have designed him. He looked like a purser-spoke like a purser-ate and drank like a purser-and locked himself up for three or four hours per diem with his books and ledgers like a very praiseworthy purser. Moreover, he carved for a table of thirty or forty, with exemplary patience, and possessed the happy knack of disposing of the largest quantity of meat in the smallest given quantity of time of any man I ever met with, in order to be ready for a renewed round at the mutton.

Of passengers we had the usual number and variety: civilians, returning with wholesale stocks of English and continental experiences and recollections of aristocratic association, &c. for Mofussil consumption; old officers, going back to ensure their "off-reckonings" preparatory to their final "off-reckoning;" junior partners in mercantile houses; sixteenth cousins from Forres and Invernesshire obeying the spell of kindred attraction (would that we had a little more of its influence south of the Tweed !); officers to supply the wear and tear of cholera and dysentery in his (then) Majesty's regiments; matrons returning to expectant husbands, and bright-eyed spinsters to get a peep at the country-nothing more;-then we had an assistant-surgeon or two, more au fait at whist than Galenicals, and the two raw unfledged griffins-to wit, Grundy and myself,-completed the list. But of the afore-mentioned variety, I shall only select half a dozen for particular description, and as characteristic of the mass.

First, there was Colonel Kilbaugh, a colonel of cavalry and ex-resident of Paugulabad, who, in spite of his high-heeled Hobys, was a diminutive figure, pompous, as little men generally are, and so anxious, apparently, to convince the world that he had a soul above his inches, that, egad, sir, it was dangerous