8. _Kala-i-Vali_ (24 miles--146 miles).--Villages and supplies. 9. _Char Shamba_ (11 miles--157 miles).--Meadows; villages of 380 houses, and supplies. 10. _Kaisar_ (11 miles--168 miles).--The road goes through a well-cultivated plain; fine villages; Kapchaks. 11. _Maimana_ (28 miles--196 miles). CHAPTER XIV KABUL: ITS PALACES AND COURT LIFE [Illustration: MISS BROWN, PHYSICIAN TO THE AMIR’S HAREM] The road from Kandahar to Kabul in its present condition is one of those permanent improvements with which the late Abdur Rahman endowed Afghanistan. Under the ægis of that energetic ruler the old caravan routes between Kandahar and Kabul, and Kabul and Herat, were replaced by first-class military communications, the elders of the villages in the several districts traversed being held responsible for their security. The road to Kabul runs north-east from Kandahar and the distance is 315 miles. The two points of importance are Kelat-i-Ghilzai, on the right bank of the Tarnak river and 85 miles north-east of Kandahar, and Ghazni, 225 miles north-east of Kandahar and 78 miles south-west of Kabul. There is no town at Kelat-i-Ghilzai; but there are two small walled villages not far from the fort to the north-west and a few nomadic encampments upon the surrounding plain. The fort stands upon an isolated plateau, which in places is very steep. There are two gateways, respectively situated upon the northern and southern faces of the work. The quarters of the garrison are arranged along the eastern and western faces and a battery of four guns is posted upon a neighbouring height. The garrison is not large and the defences have suffered from neglect. There is good water from springs within the perimeter of the fort; but the position is endangered by the existence of certain features in the immediate vicinity which command the walls, and also by the facilities for cover offered by the character of the approaches. The bazaar is small, containing fifty shops: in addition there are several Government granaries and a residence for the Governor.