1 GARDENS OF ASTALIF. 487
2 joined Prince Taimur on his expedition, were
3 received as coldly as the other chiefs. Al-
4 though they had been recommended very
5 strongly for their loyalty by both the Shah
6 Zada and Colonel Wade, they complained that
7 no consideration was shown to them, and many
8 of them, wearied out and tired of waiting,
9 returned in disgust to their homes. Europeans
10 and natives even then observed the change,
11 which clearly foreboded some misfortune, yet it
12 did not appear to make any serious impression
13 on those in authority.*
14 I am sorry to say, that owing to the un-
15 settled state of the country, we had not an
16 opportunity of making any distant excursions,
17 and seeing the celebrated gardens of Astalif,
18 in the kohdaman, or skirts of the hills, which
19 are spoken of in high terms of praise by the
20 natives. Kabul mostly depends for its supplies
21 of fruit on these gardens. I had, however, the
22 satisfaction of making some rambles into the
23 gardens to the north-west of the city. They
24 * The account of every writer on the -sybject has
25 sadly confirmed the truth of these early observations.