All kinds of rumours continue to come in from Afghanistan,
including one, which has its source in Taahkend, and is trans- mitted rid St. Petersburg, that the Ameer himself is dead. This is denied from Simla, and is improbable, though Abdurrahman is suffering from a dangerous form of gout. If he died, Ishak Khan's victory would be nearly certain, as the Ameer's son is still a boy, and his rival is in Mussulman opinion the natural heir. As it is, however, nothing has yet been decided, and the only incident of importance has gone against the pretender,—Kamard, his most southerly fortress, commanding the gorges through which he must advance on Cahill, having been carried by the Ameer's troops. In- formation is gradually oozing out as to the character of Ishak Khan, who appears a sensible man of business, not particularly anti-English, and filled with the sentiment of his own claim to be Royal. Should he succeed, which is only probable in the event of treachery in Cabul itself, where, no doubt, the Ameer's cruelty has made bitter foes, he may make an acceptable Ameer, able to feel that an arrangement with the great Southern Empire, whose shadow _must always dim his throne, is the necessity of his safety. He can admit neither Russian nor Englishman; but he will need help, and he must take it from the Power which asks of him in return only that he should be independent.
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