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Rh had seen evidence enough of their madness to sharpen his own anxieties for the future. But the English, or at least their military leaders, had not yet come to their right mind; and Macnaghten, once more bowing to their decision, began to look kindly on Elphinstone's proposal to seek by negotiation the deliverance which our arms had failed to win. For a fortnight past, indeed, his agents in Kábul and the Bálá Hissár had been scattering gold and promises among those Afgháns whose patriotism had not yet overcome their prudence or their greed. One of these agents, Mohan Lál, had offered a large reward for the heads of the leaders concerned in the outbreak of the 2nd of November. This appears to have been done against the wishes of Macnaghten himself, who had always declared his abhorrence of such 'unlawful means' for destroying malefactors whom he would gladly have consigned to the lawful hangman.

In reply to overtures received from Kábul, where the fiery Muhammad Akbar now took the lead among his fellows-chiefs, the Envoy began to treat for terms consistent with the national honour. Nothing came of the conference held by him on the 27th with two deputies from the hostile chiefs. The chiefs would accept nothing short of a surrender at discretion, and they repeated their demands with added emphasis in a letter received by the Envoy next morning. He could only reply that 'we preferred death to dishonour, and that it would remain for a higher power to decide between us.' Once more Macnaghten urged