1 apparent for mifirepresenting the. truth, one may genmdly rely on the
2 Afghaum both far ttvnctnen'aiid fidelity.
3 JLll the AfghaniM are remarlcably hardy and.aotm From die iiji^
4 twe of. dieir. oountry, they are exposed to the neoesuty of enduring
5 oold and heat, and accustomed to the ezertion of clhnfauig mountainat
6 making long jouniiea on foot and on horsebadfi and swimmmg luoad
7 and rapid torrents. Nor u.this confined to.the ]0iner,orden» 'oc to
8 men.ln the vigour .of youth. As diere is no. easier ooDveyance m the
9 country than a horsey all. ranks .acqoire these habita: so that old
10 Meeraas (or secretaries)) who seem .kanUy.able.to .sit on horaehackt
11 will ride. at .a good pace jnp.aod down the steepest. and .rau^jbest
12 passes^ bf akmg the edge of precqpioesi where one is almoat^afinid to
13 walk. .Ahnost all of them.ane, hosrerer, impatient of hotdimatos;
14 aad» when on campaignB in India, the approach .of summer used to
15 dun .their armi^ by desertions, even in the vigoiouB reign.of Ahmed
16 Shauh. This is the more mrprising, when . it is resnembeeed how.
17 much of the Afghaun country is in a hot dimate.
18 They are industrious and laborioas, when pursuing any object of
19 business or pleasure. No people are more diligent in hmthandryj and
20 many of them are indefirtigabie in the chaoe; but. when not so ex-
21 cited, th^ are indolent.
22 Hie love of gain seems to be their .ruling passion ; most^of the
23 Dooramiee chi^ prefer hoarding their great but.useless.tveaaHies,
24 to. the .power, reputation, and esteem, which the circumstances of the
25 times would enable .them to command by a moderate liberality. The
26 influence of money on the whole nation, is spoken of by those who
27 know them best, as boundle.ss, and it is not denied by themselves.
28 Their love of independence ha.s already been noticed a55 influencing
29 their p-c^ ernment, it appears in some shape in most of their opinion.^
30 aiul transactions. Their hi<;hcsf praise, in speaking ot a well governed
31 country, is, that " every man eata the produce of his own field," and
32 that nobody has any concern with his nei^bour." *
33 * Khood mcdoMiniiul, Uiood medthoorund. KuMbMi Inwee f^uirns aedaufiA-
34 Digitized by Google