Candabar, feated in Lat. 33' o 'N . Long. 67“ 15'E. is the
capital o f a recent kingdom, formed by the convulfion given
to this part o f the eaftern world. It was founded by Ahmed
Abdalla, an Afghan prince, compelled by Kouli Khan to join
his army in 1739. On the aiTaflination of the tyrant, he appeared
again among his fubjedts, and added to his dominions
Candabar, Cafbmere, and fome other fmall diftridts. His
fuccelfors refide at Cabul; he has an army o f two hundred
thoufand men, once clothed with Britifh manufactures, which
were fent up the Indies, and thence to Cabul by the leffer river.
Candabar is a city of vañ ftréngth, by nature as well as art,
being feated amidft fens and rocks. The Governor, Hoffein Khan,
defended it eighteen months againft all the attacks o f Kouli
Khan. At length, reduced to extremity, he fallied out at the head
o f his men, and fell, bravely fighting in defence o f his country!
Candabar and Cabul were confidered o f high importance in
a political light. The firft was efteemed the gate of India in
refpedt to Perjia, and Cabul that in refpedt to Tartary, and
both were in the middleages the great emporio for Indian goods,
which were tranfported into Weitern 'Tartary, and from thence
by the Cafpian. and Euxine feas to Conftantinople, and from
that city to all parts of Europe. Candabar was the magazine o f
the Indian and Perjian goods, and Cabul o f the fpices. They
were conveyed in caravans, north-weft wards, to the famous city
of Samarkand, in Lat. 40“ N. and from thence the goods were
put in boats, and Tent down into the Oxus or Amu,, which falls
into the Cafpian íes, as I have before related, and there fhrpped
for their different deftinationsi thofe for Ruffia, up the Volga',
thofe for Conftantinople, up the river Cyrus, the modern Kur,
w h i c h
which defcends a great and rapid river from mount Caucafus,
and is navigable very far up, fifas to form an eafy communication
with the Euxine fea. Venice and Genoa received the
Indian luxuries from Conftantinople, and their own port of
Caffa, and difperfed them over the other parts of Europe.
Both thefe cities continue the emporia o f Perfta, India, Tartary,
and all the circumjacent nations. T he commerce is Hill
confiderable, notwithftanding it has been leffened by that o f
the European nations, who have eftabliihed fadfories in almoft
every part o f the Indian empire.
Cabul is feated in Lat. 34' 3^ %. ■ Long. 68° 58 E. at the foot of Cabuc.
the Indian Caucafus, and in fo happy a climate, as to produce
the fruits of both the temperate and torrid zones, notwithftanding
it is bordered by mountains capped with eternal fnow. The
Indian hiftorians fpeak o f it in the moft rapturous terms. It
ftands on the river Kameh, which falls into the Indus aXAttock, but
poflibly is interrupted by rapids, as it is only navigable by rafts.
Cabul is the refidence o f the Kings o f Candabar, and the
prefent capital. The Nubian Geographer (p. 66.) fpeaks of
Cabul as a noble city that its mountains abounded with the
fineft aromatic woods, Neregil' and Myrobalans; the firft may
be Nellila Pbylanthus emblica\ the others the Spondias purpurea,
8cc. All the Myrobalans hadpnee a name in our iliops as gentle
purgatives; among other purpofes they are ufed in the tanning
bufinefs.
Of late days, Cabul has been noted for its vaft fairs of horfes
and cattle; the firft brought there by the Vfbec Tartars. Slaves
are alfo a confiderable article of, commerce. Merchants refort
to thefe markets from Perfia, China, and Tartary. It was taken
C j hy