out of Herát. After some futile intrigues with Persia, the two rogues now paid their court to Sháh Shujá and his English patrons. In the middle of June Macnaghten despatched a friendly mission to Herát, for the purpose of bribing Kámrán into closer union with the British power. Its leader, Major D'Arcy Todd of the Bengal Artillery, carried with him two lakhs of rupees and a battery of guns for Kámrán's special behoof. The officers of the Mission were to aid Yár Muhammad in repairing and strengthening the defences of Herát. English money, in fact, was showered about for a time in all directions; but when Macnaghten found his treasury running dry, not a banker at Kandahár would help him with a temporary loan[1].
Of Dost Muhammad's movements nothing was known for certain, except that he had sent a force under his favourte son, Muhammad Akbar Khán, towards Jalálábád, to hinder the advance of Prince Timúr and his Sikh contingent upon Kábul. Another of his sons, Haidar Khán, was sent off with 3,000 Afgháns to hold the ancient fortress of Ghazní; while the Amír himself was trying to collect an army for the defence of his own capital. The long halt at Kandahár seems to have puzzled him as to Keane's ulterior purpose. If Keane was preparing to march upon Herát, Kábul would be safe for that year. He was still unaware that the march upon Herát had been laid aside. Keane, on the other hand, trusted to Macnaghten for the information which he ought to
- ↑ Kaye; Durand.
