The news from Herat is so contradictory, that we hesitate
even to form an opinion on its drift. Rejecting, however, all rumours not received via Caudahar, but accepting Candahar rumour as substantially true, we believe this theory will be found at least to fit the facts reported :—Ayoub Khan decided to march on Caudahar. The majority of his soldiers, however, warned of the intention to rise at Cabul, objected, and finding him obstinate, imprisoned him, and raised Abdoollah Khau, a " low-born " officer, to the command, with orders to lead them to Cabul. In suggesting this explanation, we, of course, take " Cabulees " and " Heratees " to be used by the native news-writers as names of parties in the army, and not as geographical designations. If this idea is correct—and we offer it only as a probable hypothesis—Mahommed Jan will, in the first week of January, be reinforced by 11,000 of Shere Ali's regulars, and any amount of inferior cannon. Sir D. Stewart will, however, be comparatively safe, and if he can organise transport, may do something great. We doubt his having trans- port, however, and in spite of some experienced opinion which we greatly respect, we do not believe in the "friendliness" of Candahar. The bonds of Islam are too strong.
