"مجلد I مذكرات بخصوص بلاد فارس والمنطقة الحدودية الشمالية الغربية. ١٩٠٥." [ظ‎‎٨‎١] (٣١٠/١٦٧)

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near Kila Nao was seized and taken to the
Customs posts at Khwaja Ahmad, notwith
standing the fact that the men in charge stated
that they belonged to the Mission. Colonel
McMahon has written to Mons. Molitor,
protesting against this sort of interference.
AFGHANISTAN.
Herat .—The Customs officials at Kushk,
on hearing that a caravan was proceeding to
Panjdeh by forced marches from Herat, via
Chah-i-Kaldari and Bak-i-Ilaki, avoiding the
high road, sent a party of ten sowars in pur
suit. On the sowars overtaking the caravan,
the men sent word to the Russian post that
they were being pursued by Afghans into
Russian territory. The Russians turned out
and the sowars took to flight, leaving behind
them a horse, a rifle, and a couple of swords.
The officer in charge of the Herat Customs,
to whom the matter w r as reported, has sent a
man to follow up the caravan and to enquire
into the case.
A Russian Interpreter visited Chahil
Dukhteran with a letter from the Governor
of Sheikh Junaid, addressed to Sarhang
Mahmud Khan, requesting the latter to recover
two Government rifles which had been stolen
by Afghans. It is believed that the real
object of the Interpreter’s visit was to ascertain
particulars concerning Muhammad Sarwar
Khan, the newly-appointed Governor of Herat.
The Russians have promulgated a report in
Sheikh Junaid that cholera has broken out in
Herat, and that the disease is also prevalent
among horses, camels, and sheep. In conse
quence, travellers from Herat are made to
leave their horses behind on the frontier.
The new Governor informed the military
officers that, as far as Herat was concerned, the
Amir was anxious that its frontier should be
protected; that its inhabitants should abstain
from. emigrating . to Panjdeh and Sheikh
Junaid; that Russian spies should be appre
hended ; and that no tyranny should be prac
tised on the people.
Kandahar .—With reference to the entry
in last month’s Journal, it is reported that the
Hazaras, who had come to Kandahar in the
hope of obtaining lands for cultivation, in
accordance with the Amir’s promise, are
returning to their homes, as the officers in
charge of the distribution of the lands give
only to those who can afford to pay substantial
bribes. Many are said to be preparing to
move into British territory.
A vein of gold is said to have been dis
covered in the range of hills above old
Kandahar, near Shah Husain’s Port.
The Governor has dismissed many of the
old officials, and new men have been sworn on