The Ameer of Afghanistan has made his formal entry into
Caudahar, without opposition. He had previously found it necessary, however, to impress on Candaharees that he was not a safe person to oppose. He had entered the great mosque, and found there a proclamation, signed by eleven Moollahs, call- ing on all good Mussulmans to wage a religious war against him, as an ally of the Infidel British. He sent for the Moollahs who had taken sanctuary, and questioned them ; and as two of them gave insolent answers, cut down one with his own hand, ordered the other to be bayoneted on the spot, and fined the remainder. Western men would for that act think Abdurrah- man a violent barbarian ; Eastern men will think him a strong ruler, who knows how to maintain his dignity even against priests, and does not carry the sword of the Lord in vain. Just the same feeling was shown in Spain, in favour of King Ferdi- nand; and if Abdul Hamid executed instead of exiling, he would increase, not diminish, his popularity. Eothen was wrong when he said that an Asiatic only respects the man who has done him a violent wrong. He hates that man, but respects him immensely if he has done violent wrong to other people in the interest of his own dignity.
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