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202 202 ENGLAND AND RUSSIA IN CENTRAL ASIA.

and she had assisted him in undertaking at least one expedition into Afghanistan for the recovery of his rights, and was in this year (1838) preparing for a more declared and a more important step. Shah Kamran, Shnja's nephew, had also been supported in his possession of Herat ; and the Barucksye chiefs of Cabul and Candahar, Dost Mahomed and Kohundil Khans, were neglected, and regarded in the light of usurpers. The key-note to our policy was to be found in the belief that it was the highest wisdom to assist in the aggrandisement of Eunjeet Sing and the Sikhs ; but even at Lahore, where the rule of its astute prince was drawing to a close, there was a strong party hostile to the interests of England. The Russians saw their chance in the internal divisions of Afghanistan and in the growing distrust between Lahore and Calcutta ; and they were not slow to avail themselves of it. A Eussian officer. Captain Vickovitch, was sent to Candahar in the first place, where his efforts to conclude a treaty with Kohundil were crowned with complete success. That treaty undoubtedly precipitated the war in Afghanistan, for any movement on the part of Kohundil must have decided the fate of Herat. Captain Yickovitch went on to Cabul, where the good sense of Dost Mahomed for a time prevented his attaining any great success ; but unfortunately we had chosen our course, and that able ruler was compelled to fall in with the proposed Perso-Eussian alliance. He was never as hearty in it, however, as his brother Kohundil ; but, although his sympathies were not with the Cause, Vickovitch had