THE AMEER AND INDIA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1715, 11 January 1905, Page 75 (Supplement)

THE AMEER AND INDIA.

ENGLISHWOMAN’S LIFE IN KABUL.

REMARKABLE EXPERIENCES

Reuter’s representative had an interview lust month with Mrs K. Daly, who has been engaged uninterruptedly for over eight years in medical work in Afghanistan. By the Ameer’s Firman she held the post of medical officer to the Afghan Government, and was appointed by the Ameer Abdu Rahman to the office of Physician to the Queen. In the past three years she has been the only European lady in Aghanistan, the only Englishman in Kabul being Mr Frank Martin, Engineer-in-Chief of the Ameer, and she had exceptional opportunities for studying Afghan affairs, as, unlike any other foreigner in Kabul, she was able quite openly to visit any Afghan houses, and was in constant and intimate touch with the Court and the Harem. Speaking of life in the Afghan capital Mrs Daly said: —“It is always a life of great anxiety, for we are practically shut off from the outer world. At the time of the death of the late Ameer and during the Tirah campaign, we were especially anxious, as the wildest reports came into Kabul. The Europeans were warned that they were in danger, but no harm came to us. It is difficult to describe hoAv one feels in a place like Cabul, and it is quite impossible for those avlio have not lived there to appreciate the feelings of those who have. Although only 180 miles from the Indian frontier, and three days by jjost from Peshawur it is like being on a different planet. The universal atmosphere of suspicion, the ever present knowledge that keen Afghan eyes are watching every movement, combined with the knowledge of an isolation from the civilised world have not a beneficial effect on one’s nerves, and after a prolonged stay one comes poriously near a breakdown. It is true that I had not much opportunity to brood over these matters, tor my hands 'were very full. “The greater part of my med’cal work was done at my own house, which was always open to Afghans of all classes. There I had on an average between 300 and 500 medical and surgical cases daily. The present Ameer and Prince Nazrulla built a hospital for me in Kabul to contain 100 beds. This has now been sold, and with the money secured it is intended to erect four hospitals, one in each quarter of the town.

“During the cholera epidemics—there have been two since I have been there —• Kabul was like a besieged city. These epidemics were times of great anxiety. The ignorance of the hakims and the partial medical knowledge of the Afghans often made one’s work very difficult. I well remember an Afghan bringing his little girl to me because thought she was suffering from indigestion. I found her to be dying from cholera, to which she succumbed in a few hours. On another occasion I discovered a man writhing in the street dying of cholera. I had him removed to a house, gave him medicine, and in the evening called to see. how he was. To my surprise his bed was empty. He had recovered so quickly that at the very time I expected to find him in extremis he was in the. mosque thanking Allah for his recovery. “ But what told on one’s nerves most was the knowledge that one’s every movement was watched. Every day a report was sent in of our doings. Another time of great anxiety was when an attack was made on Mi Martin in the workshops. It was a miracle that he escaped death, for his assailant hurled at him a heavy shell, which fortunately just missed the spine. [ was well guarded, and never ivent out without a mounted escort. The system of espionage is truly marvellous. Take the case of the British Agent in Kabul. There have been three since I have lived in the city. They must be Mohammedans and are mostly officers in the Indian army. But to all intents ana purposes they are prisoners. I believe tney are received in durbar, but they dare not visit anyone, and all tne years I have been in Kabul I never saw our Agent in the street. I have occasionally met some of his staff, but to be seen speaking to them would certainly entail being packed off to the frontier next day. No Afghan is allowed to visit the British Agency and no Englishman has visited the British Agent since tt'ir Salter Pyne was in Kabul. It is well known that if you wish to keep out of trouble you must avoid the Agency. Even to be seen near the building causes suspicion, as many Afghans have found to their cost. In many cases punishment has not ended merely with imprisonment.”

Asked about the political situation, Mrs Daly said:—“Of course, politics are not my business, but ray close relations at Court, and with the people, enabled me to see as clearly as was possible for a foreigner what was going on. The forthcoming mission to Kabul should prove of the utmost value. In any case it is necessary, for since Abdu Rahman’s death and the determination of the agreement with him there has been no written understanding between Afglians.tan and India. The Ameer, in the absence of any binding documents, has demonstrated his loyalty in despatching to the Viceroy assurances of his devotion to the British. Yet there are several matters that need discussion. The Ameer has never drawn any of his subsidy, as he ben lieved that it would not be paid in the absence of a definite agreement with the Viceroy.

“Last year everything was in readiness for Habibullah to visit India, the whole camp was prepared, and the military escort assembled, when a sudden internal disturbance compelled him to abandon the project. Personally the Ameer is quite willing to visit India, but he feels now that it would be unwise to leave his country. Besides, he is a very hard worker, and is engaged on Government business for many hours every day. Frontier questions, too, have given rise to a good deal of uneasy feeling of late. Some time ago a bold attempt was made to alienate a portion of Afghan territory on the Helmund. This resulted m the despatch of Major MacMahon’s mission to Seistan, the Afghan government being in agreement with the Indian Gnvern-

ment that no Afghan territory should be alienated in this direction.

“As regards Russian influence, there is no doubt that the common people are against Russia, and in favour of closer connection with the British, and even in Court circles it may be said that the feeling is distinctly not in favoiir of Russia. One heard a good deal in Kabul of Russian intrigue, but there was certainly not much visible evidence of such. Last year two so-called Russian orderlies —supposed to be spies—were taken prisoners at Herat, and brought into Kabul. One died of fever in prison, the other disappeared, no one knows where. Last year, too, it was generally believed that there was a Russian emissary in Kabul, although the utmost secrecy was observed on the point. There can be no question that Russian agents have made determined efforts to get into closer touch with the Ameer, and soon after the present Ameer came to the throne presents o-f Russian guns and ammunition were refused by the Afghan Government. From my own knowledge and observation E should say that Russian advances meet with no favourable response on the part of the Ameer or his advisers.” Asked to give some details of tho Afghan harem, and of the Court life, Mrs Daly said:—“l may begin by assuring you that the ordinary idea of life in the harem as pourtrayed in popular novels, or in the pictures of the day, is absolutely erroneous. What will be said of the statement that sewing-machines have taken the place of Turkish delight and English costumes that of the diaphanous attire usually attributed to ladies of the li-arem ? Next to the Ameer himself, the chief political factor in the country is the Queen, by which title the Royal wife of the late Ameer and the mother of Prince Umar is known. Although she is practically a prisoner in her palace, her influence is still great. She is a woman of considerable beauty, about forty years of age, and particularly intelligent and well-informed. Her sympathies are distinctly British, so much so that her palace is regarded with almost as much suspicion as the British Agency. “The chief or favourite wife of the present Ameer lives in the Harem Serai of the Palace at Arak, where a number of the Roval concubines are also housed. But they "do not live in the voluptuous and idle state usually associated with the harem. They are all busy, and take great interest in knitting, embroidery, and other feminine pursuits. The chief wife has a sewing-machine, and with it makes the clothes for her children. The Ameer has one wife who is of royal birth, and who lives in a separate house. She is an ambitious woman, and wears English dresses, although it should be said that they are costumes of the style of thirty years ago. Each of the Ameer’s married wives—as distinct from his slave women — has a separate house, wlieijp she lives with her children.”