Adventure Magazine Cover — page 90: what you’re looking at

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76 Shirzad Mir talked with Said Afzel through the night. There was no chance for me to sleep, but I think Sir Weyand slept a little during his watch over the Pathans. Before dawn I had spoken with the mahout of Most Alast and given hima handful of gold from the treasure bags. He—one master being as good as another— consented to serve us. At dawn I had finished my task. The loads were all recovered and placed on the camels and the slaves’ backs. All had eaten. The women were put back on their camels, and the eunuchs herded in front. At first ‘break of light in the sky we set out, my lord and Said Afzel mounted on the elephant, who was now quiet, the in- jured in litters borne by the slaves, the Pathans on their own horses, and the sheep. boy on another. ~ We struck away from the Shyr Pass into the hills. Then, for the first time in two days and nights, I slept a little in the saddle, being weary, but only a little. Il ascendant, so that for a space we were given strength to trick our enemies? Later, evil fortune came upon us again, but not then. Three courses were open to my lord. He could slay Said Afzel, to strike terror into the Uzbeks; he could exchange the prince and the women for his own family, and perhaps a strip of Badakshan; or he could ransom our prisoners for gold with which to pay an army. I urged the first plan, Sir Weyand the second, and the Pathans, who had now cast their fortunes with us, the third. Our danger was great, for when news of what had happened in the pass reached Khanjut by way of some escaped bearers, the whole army of Jani Beg was sent to hunt us down. As yet we had no followers other than the four uninjured Pathans and - the speep boy, whom Shirzad Mir appointed head of the camelmen and gave a sword, to his great satisfaction. The bearers, the slaves and the camel-drivers were useless to us and would have been glad to fall again into the hands of Jani Beg, who would not drive them through the by-paths of the hills, as we did. : EOE SAID I not our star was in the Fg . Adventure It is written in the annals of India, the curious thing that my master did in this difficulty. : ‘“‘We will keep the prisoners and the. treasure,” he said, ‘“‘and we will regain the foot-hills of Badakshan from Jani Beg; also we will gather together a small army. And this thing we did, by the will of God. How was it done? We held a durbar— that is, a crowning ceremony. The people of Badakshan had been told my lord was dead. The durbar showed them he was not. Verily, not before or since has such a durbar been held in Hindustan or Badak- shan or Turkestan. We traveled with the caravan through the villages of the hills. At each village Shirzad Mir would dismount from Most Alast and spend money—from the bags of Said Afzel—for a feast. —. - Wine he bought freely, and food, and scattered silver among the people. So that all might see, he held his durbar. Said Afzel, the opium-eating prince, he forced to do homage in public to him; fat Kasim Kirlas, the professional courtier, Shirzad Mir made pay him extravagant com- pliments; ef ghias, the buffoon of the caravan, performed his tricks; the musi- cians of Said Afzel sang—at the sword points of the Pathans—and the dancing girls danced. It wasa great feast. Shirzad Mir, looking the proud king he was by birth, sat on cushions under a cloth-of-gold tent which we found in the baggage, and watched idly, saying nothing. Sir Weyand cleaned his soiled garments and sat at the right hand of Shirzad Muir, as the ambassador from England. Only I did not attend, for at every feast I was out in the lookout places, with certain men of the hills who rallied to our standard, keeping watch. The men of Jani Beg pressed us close. We moved each day, marching in the night to a new village. I kept a good watch and at each new place more of our men came in to see and hear, for rumors of what had happened spread through the hills. them gold and weapons from the store we had taken. In the plain of Badakshan we could not have avoided being overtaken by the cavalry of the Uzbeks. But in the hills they were at a loss—and the people aided us. It was a mad scheme, yet its very mad- ness protected us. Shirzad Mir gave to - GEomicbooks.co