THE AMEER AT HOME.

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 89, 28 February 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE AMEER AT HOME.

The Times of India says: — "In marked contrast to popular opinion •;in this country about the Ameer is the account of his Highness brought from Cabul by Messrs. O'ifeara and Pyne. We are apt to imagine that Abdur Rahman is a morose, covetous, cruel and despotic savage ; but nothing, according to the only two ■ Englishmen who have seen him at home, could be more unlike the real man. His government is no doubt severe ; for only a rod of iron could keep the Afghans under control. Nevertheless, although the Ameer is undoubtedly respected, and perhaps admired by the mass of his people, the weight of his hand is felt chiefly by the Sirdars. He is essentially a friend of the common people. What (principally attracted the attention of both Messrs. O'Meara and Pyne Was his enormous capacity for work. Most trivial details come to him for

decision day after day. He sits plodding at wort in durbar from 10 in the morning till 12 at night. The durbar is* open to all, and the humblest approach him with their complaints. "As he marched back recently from Pagman to Cabul, attended by some 3000 troops, many poor people along the route did not hesitate to present their petitions to him personally. He invariably received them, and after glancing at them, scribbled some' words and handed them to an officer near. He seems to trust no one, but endeavours to do everything himself. Affairs the most insignificant from all parts of the country are reported* to him direct. "Thirty or forty reports," he remarked, " come to me about an event They all give different versions of it, and they are all mostly lies. I examine and compare them, and extract the true version myself." There can be no doubt that he is far in advance of his people, and he seems conscious of this. The favourite observation of hia was, "When a ship is in a stormy sea and the crew are turbulent and will not work, the captain must call to his assistance passengers who are temporarily on board ship. Afghanistan is that ship. The world is the sea, the Afghans are the crew ; lam the captain, you are the passengers." He would probably go far towards Europeanising the country could he rely more thoroughly on his people. He is keenly alive to the advantages likely to follow from its material development. In his personal manner he is quiet, but hearty and genial ; he cares nothing for ostentation and display; he has adopted to a great extent European habits of life, has his meals in the European style.and has discarded the hookah for a cigar.