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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:34:47 -0700 |
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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:34:47 -0700 |
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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/10603-0.txt b/10603-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..31242d2 --- /dev/null +++ b/10603-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2953 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10603 *** + +[Illustration: Chitral Bridge and Fort.] + + + + +WITH KELLY TO CHITRAL + +By + +LIEUTENANT W.G.L. BEYNON, D.S.O. +1st BATTALLION 3rd GOORKA RIFLES + +STAFF OFFICER TO COLONEL KELLY'S RELIEF FORCE + +1896 + + + + +GILGIT, + +_21st October 1895_ + +MY DEAR MOTHER, + +Before you read this short history of a few brief weeks, I must warn you +that it is no record of exciting adventure or heroic deeds, but simply +an account of the daily life of British officers and Indian troops on a +frontier expedition. + +How we lived and marched, what we ate and drank, our small jokes and +trials, our marches through snow or rain, hot valleys or pleasant +fields, in short, all that contributed to fill the twenty-four hours of +the day is what I have to tell. + +I write it for you, and that it may please you is all I ask.--Your son, + +W.B. + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTORY + +CHAPTER II - THE MARCH BEGINS + +CHAPTER III - THE SHANDUR PASS + +CHAPTER IV - FROM LASPUR TO GASHT + +CHAPTER V - CHOKALWAT + +CHAPTER VI - THE RECONNAISSANCE FROM MASTUJ + +CHAPTER VII - THE FIGHT AT NISA GOL + +CHAPTER VIII - THE MARCH RESUMED THROUGH KILLA DRASAN + +CHAPTER IX - NEARING CHITRAL + +CHAPTER X - WE REACH THE GOAL + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + +_Those marked with a * are from Sketches by the Author_. + +*CHITRAL BRIDGE AND FORT + +NIZAM-UL-MULK, MEHTER OF CHITRAL + +*A "PARI" ON THE ROAD TO GUPIS + +*THE SHANDUR PASS + +*RECONNAISSANCE SKETCH OF THE POSITION AT CHOKALWAT + +*MASTUJ FORT + +LOOKING UP THE NISA GOL NULLAH + +*RECONNAISSANCE SKETCH OF THE POSITION AT NISA GOL + +MAP SHOWING ROUTE OF COLONEL KELLY'S FORCES + + * * * * * + +*** Thanks are due to the Publishers of Mr. Thomson's _The Chitral +Campaign_ for the loan of two blocks illustrating "Chokalwat" and "Nisa +Gol" from Lieut. Beynon's sketches. + + + + +[Illustration: MAP OF NORTH WEST FRONTIER OF INDIA*] + + + + +WITH KELLY TO CHITRAL + + + + +CHAPTER I + + +INTRODUCTORY + +"Would you like to go up to Gilgit?" + +"Rather." + +I was down in the military offices at Simla, hunting for a book and some +maps, when I was asked the above question. No idea of Gilgit had before +entered my head, but with the question came the answer, and I have since +wondered why I never before thought of applying for the billet. + +This was at the end of June 1894, and on the 24th August I was crossing +the Burzil pass into the Gilgit district. As day broke on the 31st +August, I dropped down several thousand feet from Doyen to Ramghat in +the Indus valley, and it suddenly struck me I must have come down too +low, and got into Dante's Inferno. As I passed under the crossbeam of +the suspension bridge, I looked to find the motto, "All hope relinquish, +ye who enter here." It wasn't there, but instead there was a sentry on +the bridge, who, on being questioned, assured me that though there was +not much to choose in the matter of temperature between the two places, +I was still on the surface of the earth. He seemed an authority on the +subject, so I felt happier, and accepted the cup of tea offered me by +the commander of the guard. + +Two hours later I was in Bunji, where I found I was to stay, and two +days after that, an officer on his way down to Kashmir passed through, +and almost the first question he asked me was, why on earth I had come +up to Gilgit. "Gilgit's played out," said he. Well, I had been asked +that question several times on my march up, so I may as well explain +that there are officially two chief causes which send men up to +Gilgit--one is debts, and the other, the Intelligence Branch. These, I +say, are the official reasons, but the real reason is the chance of a +"frontier row." In Simla they call them military expeditions. This +accounts for the last part of that young officer's speech. There seemed +no chance of a row to him, so he was going to other fields, and wondered +at my coming up. At first, the result seemed to bear him out, as within +two months he was on the war-path in Waziristan, while I was still +kicking my heels at Bunji; but luck changed later, and I laughed last. + +Well, to continue, my official reason for coming to Gilgit being the +Intelligence Branch, I was ordered up to Chitral early in November for +some survey work, and thus obtained the knowledge of the route and +country that was to stand me in such good stead later on. I finished my +work in Chitral in ten days, starting back for Gilgit on the 1st +December, arriving there on the 19th. I spent Christmas in Gilgit, and +started on the 2nd January 1895 for Hunza, where I expected to remain +for the rest of the winter. + +News of the murder of Nizam-ul-mulk, Mehter of Chitral, reached Gilgit +on the 7th January, and Dr. Robertson, Political Agent at Gilgit, at +once made preparations for a visit to Chitral. + +Captain Townshend, who was at Gupis with Gough of the 2nd Gurkhas, +received orders to march with two hundred and fifty rifles of the 4th +Kashmir Infantry. The first detachment started under Gough, the second +following under Townshend The British Agent, Captain Campbell, and +Surgeon Captain Whitchurch, joined the second party at Ghizr, and they +all crossed the pass together. At Mastuj they picked up the remainder of +the 14th Sikhs, under Harley, who had not gone down to Gurdon at +Chitral, and then started for Chitral, arriving there on the 31st +January. Lieutenant Moberly went from Gilgit with a detachment of the +4th Kashmir Infantry and took command of Mastuj. Gough returning to +Ghizr, Baird took over command of Gupis, which was garrisoned by the 6th +Kashmir Infantry, and I was brought down from Hunza to take over Baird's +billet as staff officer. Shortly after, Fowler, R.E., was ordered to +Chitral with his Bengal Sappers, and Edwardes, 2nd Bombay Infantry, to +the same place, to take command of the Hunza Nagar Levies, which were +now called out. Baird was next ordered up to Chitral and relieved by +Stewart, R.A. On 21st February, Ross and Jones and the detachment of +14th Sikhs left Gilgit _en route_ for Mastuj. The Hunza and Nagar Levies +came in to Gilgit on the 7th March. I issued Snider carbines and twenty +rounds ammunition to each man, and they left the next day. These Levies +were splendid men, hardy, thick-set mountaineers, incapable of fatigue; +and, as a distinguishing badge, each man was provided with a strip of +red cloth which they wore in their caps, but which, we afterwards found +by practical experience at Nisa Gol, was inadequate. + +[Illustration: Nizam-ul-Mulk, Mehter of Chitral.] + +As news from Chitral had ceased for some days, Captain Stewart, +Assistant British Agent in Gilgit, determined to call up the 32nd +Pioneers, who were working on the Chilas road, so as to be ready for an +advance in case any forward movement was necessary. In consequence of +this order, Colonel Kelly marched into Gilgit on the 20th March with two +hundred men, Borradaile following on the 22nd with a like party. + +On the 21st we heard from Mastuj that Ross's party of 14th Sikhs had +been cut up, Ross himself and some forty-six Sepoys being killed, Jones +and fourteen men alone managing to cut their way back; he and nine of +the survivors being wounded. There was no news of Edwardes and Fowler. +This news upset the apple-cart, and telegrams began to fly around, with +the result that Colonel Kelly was put in command of the troops in the +Gilgit district, with full civil powers on his line of operations. This +telegram arrived on the evening of the 22nd. The day before, Colonel +Kelly had offered me the position of staff officer to the force, and I +naturally jumped at the chance. Dew of the Guides, who was on the +sick-list, was sufficiently well to take over my work, so there was no +difficulty on that score; and as I had long had my kit ready for any +emergency, I merely bundled my remaining possessions into boxes, which I +locked up and left to look after themselves till my return. + +Here I may as well describe what the force consisted of. First, there +were four hundred men of the 32nd Pioneers, commanded by Borradaile, +Colonel Kelly having taken command of the column. Bar these two, we were +all subalterns. Peterson was the senior, and commanded the second +detachment, as we were marching to Ghizr in two parties. Then there was +Bethune the adjutant, and Cobbe, and Browning-Smith the doctor--these +were all 32nd Pioneers. Captain de Vismes, 10th Bombay Infantry, came +along with us as far as Gupis, where he relieved Stewart, R.A., who, of +course, was in command of the two guns of No. 1 Kashmir Mountain +Battery. Stewart is an Irishman and the most bloodthirsty individual I +have come across. He used to complain bitterly because the Chitralis +wouldn't give us a fight every day. Then there was Luard, the Agency +Surgeon; we used to chaff him considerably during the march to Gupis, as +he turned up in a Norfolk jacket and a celluloid collar. I think he had +sent his kit on to Gupis; at any rate, after that place he dressed in +Khaki uniform like the rest of us. These were all who started from +Gilgit, so I'll introduce the others as we pick them up. + + + + +CHAPTER II + + +THE MARCH BEGINS + +Colonel Kelly assumed command on the 22nd March, and the next morning +the first detachment of two hundred Pioneers, under Borradaile, marched +off. The local Bible, commonly known as the Gazetteer, states that it +never rains in Gilgit; this being so, it naturally started to rain on +the morning of the 23rd, and kept it up for two days. We were marching +without tents, so the first night the men had to run up their waterproof +sheets into shelters. + +Colonel Kelly, Luard, and myself started about 2 P.M. to catch up the +troops, who had started about 9 A.M. Luard had a beast of a pulling +pony, and as his double bridle hadn't got a curb chain, it was about as +much use as a headache, so I suggested he should let the pony rip, and +promised to bury his remains if he came a cropper. He took my advice and +ripped; you couldn't see his pony's heels for dust as he disappeared +across the plain. We found him all right in camp when we got there. + +The men were already in camp, and pretty comfortable, in spite of the +rain. Colonel Kelly had a small tent, and the rest of us turned into +convenient cow-sheds. We were not troubled with much baggage, bedding, +greatcoats, and a change of clothing; the men had poshteens (sheepskin +coats), and everybody pleased themselves in the matter of boots, most of +us preferring chuplies--a native kind of sandal with a leather sock, a +very good article in snow, as you can put on any number of socks without +stopping the circulation of blood in your feet. Officers and men were +all provided with goggles, and very necessary they were. + +We had a very jolly mess. The force being so small, the 32nd Pioneers +kindly asked the remaining officers to mess with them, every man of +course providing his own plate, knife, fork, and spoon, the cooking pots +being collected for the general good. We had breakfast before starting, +the hour for marching being 7 A.M. as a rule. The Pioneers had some +most excellent bacon; good eggs and bacon will carry a man through a +long day most successfully. I remember that when that bacon gave out, +there was more mourning than over all the first-born of Egypt. Mutton we +never ran out of; like the poor, it was always with us. + +We got into camp as a rule some time in the afternoon, and then indulged +in tea and chupatties; whisky was precious, and kept for dinner, which +took place at dusk. Sometimes, when we got into camp late, dinner and +tea were merged into one; however, it made no odds, we were always ready +to eat when anything eatable came along. The mess provided some camp +tables, and most of us managed to bring a camp stool, so we were in the +height of luxury. After dinner a pipe or two, and then we turned in; we +generally managed to get some grass to put under our blankets, but if we +didn't, I don't think it made much difference; we were all young, and +used to sleeping out on the hillside after game, frequently above the +snow line, so it was no new experience. If it rained or was cold, we +generally managed to get into a hut; these are remarkably strongly +built, good stone walls, and thick, flat, wooden roofs with a mud +covering, a hole in the middle of the floor for the fire, and a hole in +the roof for the smoke--at least that was what we supposed was the idea, +but the smoke generally preferred to remain inside. + +There were also other discomforts of a minor nature. For instance, the +cows and goats used to take it as a personal matter if you objected to +their sharing the room with you; they were big enough, however, to catch +and turn out, but there were other occupants of a more agile nature, +armies of them, whom it was hopeless to try and eject; we suffered so +much from their pleasing attentions that we generally preferred to sleep +outside, weather permitting. + +Our second march was to a village called Suigal in the Punyal district, +governed by Raja Akbar Khan, a jolly old chap who came out to meet us on +the road; he lives in a castle on the left bank of the river, which is +here crossed by one of the highest and longest rope bridges in the +country. In spite of his size, he is a very good polo player, as are all +his family, some of whom were shut up in the Chitral Fort with Dr. +Robertson. He now offered his services and those of his people to +Government, which Colonel Kelly accepted, and the old man retired very +pleased, to rejoin us later on. At Suigal we managed to get all the +troops under shelter, as it was still raining, and it was now the second +day that they had been wet through. + +The next day the rain had luckily stopped, and towards noon the sun came +out, and everybody's dampened spirits cheered up. We marched that day to +Hoopar Pari, making a double march instead of halting at Gurkuch. Pari +means a cliff--and the camping ground is a horrid little place shut in +by high cliffs close to the bed of the river. There is no village near. +It is a desolate place at the best of times, and when there is any wind +blowing, it is like camping in a draught-pipe. + +From Hoopar Pari we marched to Gupis. Gupis is a fort built by the +Kashmir troops last year, on the most scientific principle, the only +drawback being that it is commanded on all sides, and would be perfectly +untenable if attacked by three men and a boy armed with accurate +long-range rifles. Here we picked up Stewart, who was turning catherine +wheels at the thought of taking his beloved guns into action. He +expressed a desire to try a few shells on the neighbouring villages, to +practise his men in ranging; but as there were objections to this plan, +the idea was allowed to drop. At Gupis we made a raid on the stores in +the officers' quarters and pretty well cleared them out. De Vismes, who +took command, had to get a fresh supply up from Gilgit. + +[Illustration: A "Pari" on the road to Gupis.] + +We had a merry dinner that night, provided, I think, by Stewart, who +used to get up at intervals and dance a jig at the idea of seeing his +guns the next morning--they were coming on with the second detachment +under Peterson. From Gupis I sent my pony back to Gilgit, as it was +useless taking it any farther, as we doubted being able to take animals +over the pass, which eventually proved to be impossible. From Gupis +onwards we had to be content with the usual hill track of these +countries, good enough for a country pony, but still nothing to be proud +of; here we discarded our Government mules, and took coolie transport +instead. The march from Gupis to Dahimal is a long, trying one, up and +down all the way. Cobbe, who was on rearguard, didn't get in till long +after dark. + +The village of Dahimal lies on the opposite bank of the river, so we did +not cross, but bivouacked on the right bank, where there was some scrub +jungle that provided us with wood. The Pioneers had brought four ducks; +they were carried in a basket along with the mess-stores. +Browning-Smith, who ran the messing, got quite pally with these ducks, +and as soon as they were let out of their basket, he used to call them, +and off they would waddle after him in search of a convenient puddle. I +forget when those ducks were eaten, but I don't remember them at Ghizr, +and am sure they didn't cross the pass. + +Our next march was a short one to Pingal, only about nine miles. Here we +were met by Mihrbhan Shah, the Hakim or governor of the upper part of +the valley. Mihrbhan Shah is a bit of an authority in the murder line, +having been employed by the late lamented Nizam-ul-mulk as chief +murderer. Mihrbhan Shah is particularly proud of one of his little jobs, +which he flatters himself he accomplished in a very neat and artistic +manner. I forget the details, but it resulted in the death of five men. +I asked him in to afternoon tea, Shah Mirza acting as interpreter. We +had a long chat, from which I gained some very useful details about the +state of the parties in Chitral, who was likely to help, and who wasn't, +also a description of the road to Killa Drasan, which I did not know. +This latter information seemed so important that I reported it that +night to Colonel Kelly, and it was then and there decided to march _viâ_ +Killa Drasan instead of by the usual road through Buni. + +I don't, think I have mentioned Shah Mirza before, so I will introduce +him now, as he was one of our most useful allies, and is now one of my +greatest friends. He belongs to the Punyal family, and is Wazir or +governor of Sai and Gor. He lives at Damot, a village in the Sai valley, +opposite Bunji, and it was during my stay there that I first got to know +him. He has an interesting history, and, among other adventures, has +travelled through the Pamirs and Chitral in disguise. He was our chief +interpreter, and he, or one of his followers, of whom he had five, +always kept near us. His followers were enlisted Levies, and one of them +had formerly been my shikaree; in fact, he only left me as he was +called out as a levy. + +It is the custom of the country for the headmen of districts to come and +pay their respects to any Sahib who may travel through their country, +and the proper etiquette is to supply your visitors with tea and +sweetmeats--biscuits will do just as well, and they like plenty of +sugar. They then pay you the most barefaced compliments, and make the +startling assertion that you are their father and mother; upon which you +reply that all you have is at their disposal. If they have any +petition,--and they generally have,--they insinuate it gently in the +general conversation, so you have to be looking out for traps of this +sort. When you have suffered sufficient evil for the day, you mildly +suggest that they are probably fatigued, and would like to rest. They +take the hint, and the remainder of the biscuits, and depart. We used to +have lots of these visits, which went by the name of "political teas." + +Mihrbhan Shah proved very useful to us, I fancy he knew he would get +small mercy if he fell into the hands of the opposition, and therefore +did all he could to place our force between them and himself. Both at +Pingal and our next halting place, Cheshi, he managed to billet all our +small force in the villages, and no doubt our men were very thankful as +we were getting pretty high up, and the nights were decidedly cold. +Although it was a friendly district, we had regular pickets and +sentries, and a British officer on duty to see everything was correct. + + + + +CHAPTER III + + +THE SHANDUR PASS + +Shortly after leaving Pingal, the character of the country changed +considerably, and instead of a continual alternation of cliff and river +bed, the valley became more open and level; we were, in fact, nearing +the upper end of the valley. Beyond Cheshi the road leads up a bluff and +down the other side on to the bed of the Pandur Lake. This lake had, at +the beginning of 1894, been a sheet of water some four and a half miles +long, but, the dam at its end having given way in July, it had drained +off rapidly; and when I had crossed it in November of the same year, the +mud of its bed was only just becoming firm and was cracked and fissured +in every direction. It was now covered with a sheet of snow, through +which the river twined dark and muddy. + +We had now reached the snow line, and our green goggles were taken into +use. The march of our column churned the snow and mud into a greasy +slime, and the going was very tiring. However, we came in sight of the +Ghizr post by 2 P.M., and Gough, of the 2nd Gurkhas, who was in command, +came out to meet us. From him we learned that none of his messengers +that had been sent to Mastuj with letters had returned, and it was now +some ten days since the last communication had reached him; so it became +evident that the enemy were between Laspur and Mastuj. We knew that they +had not crossed the pass, or we should have seen them before this, so we +were pretty hopeful of a fight soon after crossing the pass, and we were +not disappointed. At Ghizr we also found Oldham, a Sapper subaltern, who +had preceded us by a few days. He had with him a party of Kashmir +Sappers and Miners, who were now armed with Snider carbines. The post, +which consisted of a block of isolated houses, had been fortified and +surrounded with a thorn zareba, and was only sufficiently large for the +garrison of Kashmir troops then holding it, so our men were billeted in +the neighbouring houses, one of which we turned into a mess and quarters +for ourselves. + +We halted on the 30th March, in order to allow the second detachment of +the Pioneers and the guns to come up, as from here Colonel Kelly +intended to march in one column. Here also we picked up the Hunza and +Nagar Levies, numbering a hundred men, under their own leaders. They +were posted in the village of Teru, some four miles up the valley, and +from there could give timely warning if any hostile force crossed the +pass. Wazir Humayun led the Hunza crowd, and Wazir Taifu the Nagar. I +got to know Humayun very well indeed, and a right good sort he is. He +had formerly lived for some five years in Chitral, when Raja Safdar Ali +Khan of Hunza had made things too hot for him, but when Safdar Ali fled +when we took the country in 1891-92, he was reinstated. Wazir Taifu I +did not get to know so well, as the Nagar Levies were left behind at +Mastuj, when we went on from there to Chitral. The second detachment +under Peterson, and the guns with Stewart, got into camp some time +after midday on the 31st March. + +In the meantime, every available coolie and pony had been collected, and +we calculated on being able to start the next morning, with ten days' +rations for the whole force. By 6 A.M. on the 1st April the troops had +fallen in and were ready to start, and a nice handy little lot we had. +Four hundred Pioneers, two mountain guns, forty Kashmir Sappers and a +hundred Levies. Then the coolies were told to load up, and the trouble +began. It now appeared that some hundred coolies and ponies from Yasin +had bolted during the night. We had put too much faith in Mihrbhan +Shah's influence, and all those villagers who were not directly under +his government had gone. Those hundred coolies meant the transport of +our supplies, and without them we should only have the food actually +carried in the men's haversacks. We had cut down our baggage to the +vanishing point, and the men were carrying all they could, and we did +not dare leave our reserve ammunition behind. + +The column had just moved off when this state of things became known and +was reported to me. Colonel Kelly was at the head of the column, so I +snatched the nearest pony, tumbled its load on to the ground, and went +scrambling through the snow after the troops. Of course there was +nothing to be done except halt the column until the coolies could be +collared and brought back, so Stewart, who had a battery pony with him, +was sent off down the road after the absconding coolies. They must have +started the evening before, as he only caught a few of them up fifteen +miles back, and had great difficulty in bringing them along with him. We +met him as we were returning to Ghizr at seven o'clock that evening. +Stewart had scarcely gone ten minutes before some fifty coolies were +found hiding in a village; they were soon driven out and made to lift +their loads. This gave us some six days' rations, and with it we moved +off, our great object being to get across the pass and open +communications with Mastuj. After that we could see about getting on to +Chitral. Our transport consisted of country ponies and coolies, and I +remained behind to see the last off and rearguard moving before I +started myself. + +About two miles from Ghizr post there was a steep ascent where the road +twisted and curled among a mass of débris fallen from the cliffs above, +and in one place the ponies had to be helped through a narrow passage +between two fallen boulders. About midday I caught up the tail of the +troops, who were already past the village of Teru, the highest inhabited +spot in the valley; there are only a few houses, and these are scattered +about in clumps a few hundred yards apart. Passing on, I caught up the +battery, and reached the leading infantry, when suddenly the word to +halt was passed down the long line. + +We were now on a narrow plain, and the snow on either hand of the track +which the troops were following in single file was over my waist, as I +soon found whenever I left the path in order to reach more quickly the +head of the column. On arriving there, I found the track had suddenly +ended, and before us was the level expanse of snow-covered valley. +Attempts were being made to get the gun mules of the battery through +this, but at every step they sank up to their girths, even then not +finding firm foothold. Trials were then made of the ground at the sides +of the valley, but the snow was found equally deep and soft there; and +after spending an hour or so in futile attempts to get forward, it +became evident to all that no animal could possibly pass over the +snowfield in its present condition. We had only gone some eight miles +out of the thirteen to Langar, and it was already three o'clock. There +was nothing, therefore, for it but to return, and the word to retire was +reluctantly passed along the line, and each man, turning where he stood, +moved slowly back towards Ghizr. + +But though laden or unladen animals could not cross the pass, we saw no +reason to suppose that men could not, and therefore, at Teru, which we +reached by four o'clock, a halt was made, and two hundred Pioneers, with +Borradaile and Cobbe, and the Sappers under Oldham, were detailed to +remain there with the Hunza Levies, and to try and force their way +across the pass the next day. Borradaile was to receive all the coolie +transport, which he was to send back as soon as he got across the pass, +in order that we might follow with the remainder of the troops. His +orders were to entrench himself at Laspur, which was the first village +across the pass, and if possible open communications with Mastuj. + +The guns were immediately sent back to Ghizr, and we set to work to +sort out the kits of Borradaile's party from the remainder. The +unavoidable confusion at first was something dreadful. First of all, the +kits had to be unloaded, then those of Borradaile's party separated and +put on one side; the remaining kits were then loaded on the ponies and +sent off, as fast as the ponies could be loaded up, back to Ghizr. The +ammunition had to be divided, and as much as possible given over in the +way of supplies. All this time we had to have a ring of sentries round +to stop the coolies from bolting, but as soon as we had got the ponies +off, the coolies were collected, and sat down in the snow under a guard. +Borradaile's party were then told off into the different houses, and the +coolies likewise, still under guard, the ammunition and supplies +stacked, and the job was done. + +By this time it was about seven o'clock, getting dark, and also +beginning to snow. All of us, officers and men, were covered with slush +and mud from head to foot, and dripping wet. Smith, who was going with +Borradaile's party, had, however, managed to get a fire going in one of +the houses, and had got some tea ready, bless him! We had a cup all +round, and wished Borradaile and his party good luck. The remainder of +us plunged out into the darkness and snow and splashed back to Ghizr. +The men, who had started some time before us, were comfortably in their +former quarters when we reached Ghizr. + +On the way we met Stewart, who had just returned from his coolie hunt, +and was seated on a rock, like Rachel mourning for her children, only in +his case he was murmuring, not because the guns were not, but because +they were back in Ghizr. "His guns were going over that pass even if he +had to carry them himself, you may bet your boots on that! and begad, +I'll set the gunners to cut a road; and d'ye think now the snow would +bear the mules at night when it was frozen at all?" + +We got back to the huts we had left in the morning by 8.30 P.M., and +there was a general demand for something hot. Our servants, luckily, had +been sent back straight, so it was not long before we had something to +eat; that was our first meal since 5.30 A.M., and it was now about 9 +P.M. We had marched some sixteen miles through snow, and been on foot +for some fifteen hours, and here we were back in the same place we had +started from. Since midday we had been pretty well wet through, and the +wind and cold had peeled the skin off our faces till it hung in flakes; +still we were lucky in having a roof over our heads, as it had now +started to snow in earnest. After dinner we weren't long before turning +in. + +We were up early the next morning, but Stewart and Gough were up still +earlier, and were making sledges and trying experiments with loads. They +came in flushed with success, swearing that they had dragged the whole +ammunition of the guns by themselves across half a mile of snow, and +that they would have the guns over the pass in no time. Unluckily, the +snow was still falling, and as Borradaile had all the available coolie +transport, we were forced to wait till he could send it back. By noon he +sent in a letter by one of the levies, saying he had been unable to +start, as heavy snow was still falling, but would try the next day. + +Shah Mirza now came up to me and said that there was a mullah in the +village who had an infallible charm for stopping the snow, and a present +of a few rupees would no doubt set it in motion. I promptly inquired +how it was the mullah was not carrying a load, but was told he was too +old to help in that way, but would be only too delighted to overcome the +elements; so I gave the Mirza to understand that if the mullah would +stop the snow-storm the Sirkar would make him, the mullah, a great man; +in the meantime, I would give him a couple of rupees on account. Shah +Mirza went off joyfully, evidently having implicit faith in the mullah. + +Shortly after this, Gough came up, saying that the Kashmir troops in the +post had volunteered to make a road through the snow, and if he could +take fifty of them with four days' rations to Teru, a sufficient track +might be made to Langar, our next camping ground, just this side of the +pass, to enable the guns to be carried there without much difficulty. +Colonel Kelly's permission having been obtained, we set about collecting +all the shovels and spades we could find in the village. Among others I +got hold of the mullah's, who became very indignant; but I pointed out +to him that as his prayers seemed to have no effect on the snow, perhaps +his shovel would make up for their deficiencies. We managed, by +instituting a house-to-house visitation, to collect some twenty spades +of sorts, and with those supplied by the troops, we got altogether some +forty, which were handed over to Gough. He and Stewart and fifty Kashmir +Sepoys started off that day to Teru, taking with them half a dozen +sledges that had been made out of ghi boxes. + +Later in the day we had to send out foraging parties for wood and bhoosa +(chopped straw) as the commissariat reported their supply as running +out; in fact, these parties had to go out every day during our stay in +Ghizr. + +Early the next morning I got a note from Stewart, asking that the +battery might be sent up to Teru, as there was enough fodder there for +the mules, and experiments could be made for getting the guns along. I +got the battery off sharp, but it was nearly noon before they got to +Teru. The snow had ceased falling, and, the clouds clearing off, the sun +made a blinding glare off the freshly fallen snow. + +After breakfast I started off for Teru myself, to see how Borradaile was +getting along, and, finding he had started, I left my borrowed pony at +the village, and, pushing on, caught up the rearguard a short way +beyond where we had been forced to turn back on the 1st April. Here I +found Stewart, Gough, and Oldham with the fifty Kashmir troops, two +Sappers and Miners, and rearguard of the Pioneers, staggering along +under the guns and ammunition in a track that had been beaten out by the +troops marching in front. For some reason or other the sledges did not +seem to act, partly, I think, because the track, being made by men +marching in single file, was too narrow and uneven; at anyrate, when I +arrived, the guns, wheels, carriages, and ammunition had been told off +to different squads, about four men carrying the load at a time, and +being relieved by a fresh lot every fifty yards or so. Even thus the +rate of progression was fearfully slow, about one mile an hour, and the +men were continually sinking up to their waists in snow. Added to this, +there was a bitter wind, and a blinding glare, while the men were +streaming with perspiration. + +I know my own face felt as if it had been dipped in boiling water, and +during the next few days the whole skin came off in flakes. + +I may as well here describe the tribulations of the advanced party, +prefacing my remarks by saying that they are founded on reports and +hearsay, and therefore I beg any slight inaccuracy may be forgiven me. +When I turned back to return to Ghizr, the party carrying the guns were +just arriving at a stream called the Shamalkhand, which flows from a +high pass of the same name, which is often used as a summer route to +Mastuj, but at that time of year is impassable. From this stream to +Langar, the camping ground on the eastern side of the Shandur Pass, is +some four miles, the valley being open and fairly level, but covered +with thick dwarf willow on the banks of the stream flowing down the +centre which confines the road to the western side of the valley. The +main body of the party I could see about one and a half miles ahead; +they had already crossed the stream. That was about 4 P.M., and the +rearguard did not get into camp till 11 P.M., and even then the guns had +to be left about a mile from camp. + +At Langar there is only one little wretched hut about six feet square, +which was used as a shelter by the officers and one or two sick men, the +remainder huddling round fires in the snow. Luckily, as I have already +said, there was a plentiful supply of wood to be had for the cutting. +Many of the men, I hear, were too tired to cook their food, but simply +lay down exhausted near the fires, the officers getting something to eat +about midnight. Very little sleep was there for either officers or men +that night, most of them passed it huddled up round the fires, or +stamping up and down to keep warm. + +Early the next morning the Pioneers and Levies started to cross the +pass, while the remainder brought the guns into camp, which work, I +believe, took the best part of the day. + +On leaving the camping ground, the track leads sharply to the right, +following the course of the Shandur stream, which is now merely a +rushing brook. The ascent is fairly precipitous for about a mile, and is +followed by a very gradual ascent,--so gradual, in fact, that it is +difficult to say when the top of the pass is actually reached. This +slope constitutes the pass, and is some five miles long, and twelve +thousand three hundred and twenty feet above the sea; absolutely bare of +trees, and with two fair-sized lakes upon its surface, it is easy to +imagine the deadly cold winds that sweep across it. The lakes were +now frozen over, and the valley was one even sheet of spotless snow +lying dazzling under the sun. It is this combination of sun and snow +which causes so much discomfort and snow blindness; I had before crossed +this same pass in December on a cloudy day, and although the whole of it +was covered with freshly fallen snow, I did not even find it necessary +to wear the goggles I had in my pocket ready for use. + +[Illustration: The Shandur Pass.] + +The distance from Langar on the east to the village of Laspur on the +west of the pass is not more than ten miles, yet Borradaile's party, +leaving Langar at daybreak, did not reach Laspur till seven o'clock at +night. + +Strange as it may seem, the men suffered greatly from thirst, and from +some mistaken idea of becoming violently ill if they did so, they +refused to eat the snow through which they were floundering. Towards +evening, as they reached the western end of the pass, three men, +evidently an outpost of the enemy, were seen to bolt from behind some +rocks and make good their escape, in spite of an attempt by the Levies +to catch them. + +The descent from the pass to the village of Laspur is some two miles +long, and down a steep and rather narrow ravine. The Hunza Levies +covered the spurs on each side, while the Pioneers descended down the +centre. So sudden and unexpected was their arrival that the inhabitants +were caught in the village, and naturally expressed their extreme +delight at this unexpected visit--so polite of them, wasn't it? They +also said that they would be glad to help us in any way we desired. They +were taken at their word, and sent back next day to bring on the guns, +while that night they were politely requested to clear out of some of +their houses, which were quickly put into a state of defence and +occupied by our troops. Supplies were also required of the village. + +The next day was spent by the detachment in completing the defences, and +collecting supplies and coolies. Towards evening a report was brought in +that the enemy had collected to the number of about a hundred some three +miles away. So Borradaile took out some of the men to reconnoitre. Some +men were seen in the distance, but these the Levies declared to be only +villagers, and as it was getting dusk, the party returned to camp, only +then learning that a levy had been taken prisoner. The man had gone some +distance ahead of his fellows, and had been captured by two men who +jumped out on him from behind a rock. That evening the guns were brought +in by the Kashmir troops and the coolies, amid cheers from the Pioneers. + +Nothing, I think, can be said too highly in praise of this splendid +achievement. Here were some two hundred and fifty men, Hindus and +Mussulmans, who, working shoulder to shoulder, had brought two mountain +guns, with their carriages and supply of ammunition, across some twenty +miles of deep, soft snow, across a pass some twelve thousand three +hundred and twenty feet high, at the beginning of April, the worst time +of the year. It must also be remembered that these men were carrying +also their own rifles, greatcoats, and eighty rounds of ammunition, and +wearing heavy sheepskin coats; they had slept for two nights in the +snow, and struggled from dawn till dark, sinking at every step up to +their waists, and suffering acutely from a blinding glare and a bitter +wind. So much for the rank and file; but in their officers they had had +splendid examples to follow, especially Stewart and Gough, if one may +select when all did so nobly. Both these officers took their turns with +the men, Stewart with his gunners, and Gough with his Gurkhas, in +carrying the guns, and both, with utter unselfishness and with complete +disregard for their own personal comfort, gave their snow glasses to +sepoys who, not having any, were suffering from the glare experienced on +the first day. It is by these small acts that officers can endear +themselves to their men, who, knowing that their officers have their +welfare at heart, will follow wherever they may lead. + +Thus was the Shandur Pass first crossed, and a position established from +whence the force could work down to Mastuj and thence to Chitral. + +I may here mention that so little did the Chitralis imagine that we +could cross the pass, that letters were found in Laspur stating that the +British force was lying in Ghizr, the men unable to move from frostbite, +and the officers from snow blindness; also that since then fresh snow +had fallen, and no forces would now be able to cross for several weeks. +In fact, the Chitralis looked upon the game as entirely in their own +hands; the surprise of our arrival was therefore all the more complete. + +Having brought the guns and Borradaile's party safely across the pass, I +return and relate Colonel Kelly's and my own experiences. + +After leaving the guns being dragged through the snow to Langar on the +3rd April, I walked back to Teru. On the way I saw the mullah's shovel +sticking up in the snow, with one half of the blade snapped off. Alas, +poor mullah! At Teru I found the battery mules and drivers; these were +ordered back to Ghizr, as they could be more easily fed there, and would +be protected by the garrison of the post. I eventually got back to Ghizr +before dark and reported events, and, just my luck, got a bad go of +fever the next day. Great Scott! I did feel a worm! I was shivering with +ague and my face was like a furnace. I hadn't a bit of skin on it +either, and it was painful to eat or laugh from the cracked state of my +lips. I managed to struggle through some necessary official letters, but +as a staff officer that day I was not much use. + +Colonel Kelly determined to start himself the next morning, with the +Nagar Levies and Shah Mirza, as we had managed to collect half a dozen +coolies to carry our kits. I went with Colonel Kelly, the remainder of +the Pioneers coming on as soon as the coolies from Borradaile's party +arrived; we were expecting them the next day, the 5th April. + +I turned in early that night, after having covered my raw face with some +Vinolia powder that Colonel Kelly happened to have. I had not before +known that these powders were supposed to be of any use. I had a vague +sort of idea that they were used for sprinkling babies, but was unaware +of the reason of this strange rite; however, I will now give the Vinolia +Company what I believe is called an unsolicited testimonial. I stuck to +that powder till I got to Mastuj, by which time my face had become human +again. Colonel Kelly had a beard, so he didn't suffer so much. The next +morning I felt much better, had no fever, and, thanks to the Vinolia, my +face was much less painful. + +We got the Levies and our kits off early, and about noon Colonel Kelly +and I started on some borrowed ponies, which we rode as far as we could +and then sent back. Having caught up the Levies, we tramped forward +along the track made by the first column, occasionally finding deserted +sledges and bits of broken spades. The snow was now somewhat firmer than +when the first party had crossed, owing to the top of the snow thawing +slightly in the sun every day and being frozen hard again every night; +all the same, the slightest divergence from the track plunged us up to +our waists in snow. + +The only one of our party who could walk on the snow without difficulty +was my bull-terrier "Bill," a spotted dog of doubtful ancestry. He had +been given to me as a bull-terrier when he was only a little white rat +of a thing, and I had raised him at Bunji on tinned milk. He was a most +uncanny dog (the joke is unintentional), and it was commonly believed in +the force that his father was a tom cat. Poor Bill! Before he got to +Laspur he was so snow blind that until we got to Mastuj I had to open +his eyes for him every morning and bathe them with hot water before he +could see, and he was hardly well again a month later. + +We got into camp that night before dusk, pretty well fagged and wet, and +as soon as the coolies came in with our kits, we scraped a hole in the +snow and pitched the colonel's small tent. In camp we found a few men +who had been placed in charge of some ammunition that had been left +behind for want of transport. This guard were mostly suffering a bit +from snow blindness, but were otherwise all right, as they had run up +shelters and had plenty of wood and their bedding. When I got at my kit, +I took out a bottle of quinine and dosed our servants and orderlies all +round, so that they should not have any excuse for getting fever, and +then took some myself for the same reason. We then laid out our bedding +in the tent, while the servants went into the hut, and turned in +immediately after dinner, and had a very comfortable night. + +We were up before dawn the next morning, and, as we had slept in our +clothes, it was not long before we had had breakfast and struck camp. By +6 A.M. we were climbing the ascent to the pass. There was a wind +whistling straight in our faces, and I had no idea anything could be so +cold; it simply went clean through you, and I quite expected to hear my +ribs sing like an Aeolian harp. When we got on to the pass, the sun rose +and the wind dropped quite suddenly, and presently we had taken off our +greatcoats on account of the heat. After going about an hour, I began to +suffer from mountain sickness, a curious and distinctly unpleasant +sensation, very much like having a rope tied tightly round one's chest +and back, and the shortness of breath necessitating a halt every hundred +yards or so. Colonel Kelly did not suffer from it at all, but trudged +along without a halt the whole way. That is the only time I have ever +suffered from mountain sickness, and I have crossed the Shandur both +before and since, as also other passes, without feeling any +inconvenience. + +By noon we had almost reached the highest point of the pass, and were +skirting the larger lake, when we met the coolies of Borradaile's party +returning with an escort of some of the Kashmir troops. They all seemed +pretty lively in spite of the poor time they had been having; but as +they are used to crossing the Shandur at all times of the year, I +daresay our sympathy was a good deal wasted. + +We were soon descending into the Laspur valley, and we had hardly +dropped three hundred feet before all sense of sickness left me, and I +felt as fit as possible. A short way out of the village we were met by a +patrol which Borradaile had sent out to meet us, and by two o'clock we +were in camp, where we found Oldham in command, Borradaile having gone +on a reconnaissance down the valley. The previous day news had been +brought in that the enemy were assembled in the valley, and a small +party had gone out, as I have already related. On the morning of the 6th +April, Borradaile accordingly determined on another reconnaissance, this +time taking the guns with him, they being carried by Laspuri villagers, +who no doubt thought the game very poor fun. Gough went with the party, +Oldham remaining in command of the post, which was garrisoned with the +maimed, the halt, and the blind--in other words, with men suffering from +frostbite and snow blindness, of whom there were some twenty-six of the +former and thirty of the latter; those men of the Kashmir troops who +were fit to march being sent back across the pass as escort to the +coolies. + +When the reconnoitring party had gone some three miles down the valley, +they came across the old camp fires of the enemy. At Rahman, two miles +farther on, they left the snow behind, much to everybody's delight, and +by one o'clock entered the village of Gasht, some eleven miles from +Laspur, and about half-way to Mastuj, the Levies crowning a small knoll +in the middle of the valley at the lower end of the village. From here +they reported they could see the enemy some three miles farther down the +valley, who were evidently engaged in building sangars and entrenching +themselves. A short council of war was held as to the advisability of +attacking them, but, considering that the force consisted of only a +little over a hundred men and some fifty Levies, besides the two guns, +and also the time of day, it was decided to return to camp, which was +reached by dark. The day's work was highly creditable to all concerned; +the march to Gasht and back had been some twenty-two miles, and +information had been obtained of the position in which we might expect +opposition from the enemy. On getting into camp, Borradaile's party +found Colonel Kelly and myself waiting their arrival, eager to hear +their news. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + + +FROM LASPUR TO GASHT + +That night we had beef for dinner. This may appear a trivial fact, but +it meant a great and blessed change from the eternal mutton we had been +living on, none of us having tasted beef for quite six months, except in +its condensed or tinned state, which does not count. Gilgit is a +dependency of Kashmir, whose ruling family, being Hindus, strongly +object to cow-killing, and therefore the law runs that no cows are to be +slaughtered; hence none of us since crossing the bridge at Kohalla had +tasted fresh beef. But now we were in Chitral territory, and a Mussulman +country, so we were free to kill cows, but did so unostentatiously, as +nearly all our force were Hindus. The dark deed was accomplished thus: +on the houses being searched on the arrival of the first party at +Laspur, an innocent little calf was found in one of the houses, and +quick as thought then and there despatched. I will not reveal the +murderer's name, because I do not know it. All traces were removed, and +for the next few days we enjoyed hot roast beef. + +We were a merry party, but what a set of ruffians we looked! Stewart and +Gough were both suffering from snow blindness, owing to their generous +action in giving their goggles to sepoys, and passed most of their spare +time with their heads over a basin of hot water, dabbing their aching +eyes; none of us had much skin on our faces, and what little remained +was of a patchwork description; none of us had shaved for days--we +couldn't have stood the torture; and our clothes, too, were showing +signs of wear and tear. We all now slept in our clothes, partly for the +sake of warmth, and also to be in readiness in case of emergency. There +we were, sitting or lying on our bedding, which was spread on the floor +round the room, the latter divided, like all Chitrali houses, into loose +stalls by low partitions, a small fire burning in the centre of the +room, from which a thick pillar of smoke rose and hung like a cloud from +the roof, through a hole in which part of it escaped. Our swords and +revolvers were hanging on the walls or from pegs in the beams, the whole +scene dimly lit by one or two candles. It might look very picturesque, +but I always consider the best hotel is good enough for me. + +As there was not space enough in the stalls for all of us, Colonel Kelly +and I, as the last comers, slept in a little room off the main one; here +was evidently the winter store of fodder for the cattle as it was half +full of bhoosa (chopped straw). This we spread evenly over the floor to +the depth of some two feet, and then laid our blankets on top. There was +just room enough for us to lie out straight, the Colonel taking one side +and I the other, and a softer or more luxurious bed could hardly be +imagined. We had to be careful, though, not to drop matches about, and +to put out our pipes before going to sleep. A halt had been ordered for +the following day, to give the men suffering from snow blindness and +frostbite a chance to recover, so we turned in with the blissful +consciousness of not having to turn out at dawn, and slept like the +dead. + +The next day, April 7, was spent in hurrying forward all arrangements +for an advance on the morrow. We also sent round messengers to all the +villagers to come in and make their submission, on pain of having their +villages burned; and seeing that we now had the upper hand, at any rate +in their valley, the inhabitants came in without much hesitation, and +also brought in a certain amount of supplies; consequently by night we +had sufficient local coolies to carry all our baggage, supplies, +ammunition, and, most important of all, the two guns. About noon on this +day, Raja Akbar Khan of Punyal, whom I have before mentioned as meeting +us on the march from Shoroh to Suigal, came into camp with fifty Levies, +bringing in a convoy of ninety Balti coolies with supplies. We were +getting along famously now, so Colonel Kelly decided to advance the next +day without waiting for Peterson's detachment, as our first object was +to open communication with Mastuj. + +We had a political tea that afternoon: all the leaders of the Levies, +old Raja Akbar Khan, Humayun, Taifu, the Nagar Wazir, Shah Mirza, and +one or two princelings who had come up to see some fighting, all +squatted round our little room on the straw, swigging sweet tea and +munching biscuits, quite a friendly gathering; in fact, so much tea was +consumed that the mess president swore he would send in a bill. + +We always got our earliest and most reliable information from the +Levies, as most of them had blood relations among the Chitralis. They +also knew just where to look for hidden grain and supplies of all sorts. +As a rule there was generally a cache under or near the fireplace in the +main room, but I have also seen the Levies find them in the most +unlikely places, and very queer odds and ends they sometimes pulled out +of these under-ground storerooms. + +On the morning of April 8th the column was formed up and ready to start +by 9 A.M. Poor Gough was being left behind at Laspur in command of the +garrison, which consisted of some twenty-five Kashmir troops, and the +Nagar and Punyal Levies, in all about a hundred. The Levies were to come +on as soon as the second party arrived. Our force, therefore, consisted +of two hundred Pioneers, two guns, forty Kashmir Sappers, and fifty +Hunza Levies. Our order of march was as follows: first of all went the +Levies; then, with an interval of some five hundred yards, came the +advance guard of a half company of Pioneers; the main body consisted of +Kashmir Sappers, guns, one company of Pioneers, ammunition, hospital +baggage, and rearguard of half company Pioneers. Both advance and +rear-guards were commanded by British officers. It was a lovely, fine +morning, and we were all in the best of spirits, and looking forward to +leaving behind the detestable snow, and therewith our chief source of +discomfort. + +Poor old Gough looked awfully dismal at being left behind, but it was +the fortune of war. At Gurkuch, at Gupis, at Ghizr, there was only one +cry from officers and men--British and Native--"For Heaven's sake take +us on with you!" The natives always added that they would never be able +to face their womenfolk again if there had been fighting and they not in +it. The Britisher expressed his disgust at what he called "his bally +luck" in more forcible terms, but it meant the same thing, and we are +all the same colour under the skin. + +Off we went, through the village and across the stream by a rickety +bridge, then down the left bank for about a mile, when we came to a +small hamlet,--I forget its name,--and here I fell out and paid a visit +to the house of Mahomed Rafi, the Hakim of the Laspur district. This +hoary-headed old rascal had been playing fast and loose for a long time, +but had at last cast in his lot openly with the enemy; he had a long +list of offences to answer for, and is believed to be one of the actual +murderers of Hayward about 1872. + +Hayward was globe-trotting up Yasin way when these ruffians rushed his +camp, seized him, and carried him into a wood with the intention of +killing him. He asked them to defer the performance until daylight, as +he should like to look on the world once more. This they agreed to, and +soon after dawn made him kneel down and hacked off his head. Such is the +story. Poor Hayward's body was brought into Gilgit, and he lies in an +orchard close to the British Agency. I can quite imagine Hayward, or any +man who has any appreciation of the grandeur of Nature in her wilder +moods, wishing to see the sun rise once again over these tumbled masses +of snow peaks and bare cliffs. The startling sensation of the immensity +of these hills in comparison with man's minuteness strikes home with +almost the stunning effect of a sudden blow. + +It is said that the calm pluck of Hayward touched even his murderers, +callous as they are to bloodshed It makes a sensational picture: a +solitary figure in the foreground standing alone on the edge of a pine +wood high up in the lonely grandeur of the everlasting hills, the first +flush of dawn reddening the snow on peak after peak, changing the pure +white to pink, the cold blue to purple, the tumbled sea of mountain +summits gradually growing in distinctness, the soft mist rising from the +valleys, and the group of wild figures standing within the shade of the +pines. Hayward takes one long look on all this loveliness, and turns +towards his executioners--men say that even they hesitated. + +Mahomed Rafi, who was supposed to have actually killed Hayward, was now +Hakim of Laspur, and, as I have said, had joined the enemy. + +When I had travelled through Laspur in November last, the old ruffian +had come to pay his respects, and accompanied me part of the way to +Mastuj, and while doing so, had stopped at a house to give some orders, +and had informed me that this was one of his houses. On passing it now, +I thought a visit might be useful, so, getting Shah Mirza and his +Levies, I got permission to search the house. It had evidently only +recently been occupied for on bursting in the door we found the cooking +pots in the fireplace and fresh meat hanging in one of the rooms. After +a short search we found the grain store, with several mounds of grain, +which was afterwards taken into Laspur. There was nothing much more that +we could find in our hasty search, but I picked up an empty +spectacle-case, astonished at finding it in such a place, as Mahomed +Rafi never wore spectacles in his life. I showed it to Colonel Kelly, +who promptly annexed it, as he was in want of one, having mislaid his +own. Shah Mirza also collared a fowl, which no doubt formed his next +meal. + +I caught up the column before they had gone much more than a mile, just +as they were crossing a stream. After that we had some level marching +into the village of Rahman, and by this time the snow was only lying in +patches. Here we made a short halt. From Rahman there is a path across +the hills to Chitral, by means of a nullah called the Goland Gol, of +which mention will be made hereafter but at this time of year it was +impossible to use this path, owing to the snow. + +During the halt, the headman of the village came up to make his salaams, +and also told me that a man of Ghizr had passed through that morning, +escaping from the enemy. He was reported to be one of Gough's +messengers, captured when taking letters to Moberly at Mastuj. I told +the headman that he had better show his goodwill by bringing in the man, +which he promised to do, and sent him in that night to our camp at +Gasht. We learned little from him, except that the enemy were going to +fight us between Gasht and Mastuj, and that the latter place was all +right. This man had no idea of numbers, and when asked the strength of +the enemy, replied invariably that there were very many men, but seemed +equally uncertain if there were five hundred or five thousand collected +in the sangar before us, and yet he had been a prisoner in their camp +for some fifteen days. + +I found the best way of getting information out of the prisoners was to +set Shah Mirza or Humayun on the job. They used to squat down over the +fire with the prisoners and engage them in conversation gradually +getting what they knew out of them by simple-looking questions. Of +course I couldn't do this as I didn't know their language, and the +presence of a British officer put them on their guard at once. + +Between Rahman and Mastuj the country is pretty much the same, a narrow +valley running between high, stony hills, their tops covered with snow +and their feet with boulders; then the bed of the valley more or less +rocky, and the river winding from side to side, and below the main level +of the valley, at depths varying from fifty to two hundred feet, the +sides nearly always sheer cliff; at intervals were nullahs, down which +ran streams of snow water from the hills to the river, or fans of +alluvial deposit brought down by floods in previous years. On the flank +of one such fan we found the village of Gasht, which we reached by 3.30 +P.M. The Levies had already occupied the knoll at the lower end of the +village from whence the enemy had before been seen; so, after fixing on +a camping ground and giving the necessary orders, the officers all went +forward to have a look. + +From the top of the knoll there was an extended view of the valley, and +I was able to point out the position of Mastuj, which was hidden by some +rising ground, and also the general direction of the road. About three +miles ahead we could distinctly see a sangar filled with men on the left +bank of the river. That sangar was, as far as we could judge, on the +right flank of the enemy's line. A few men could also be seen climbing a +steep stone shoot on the right bank of the river, so evidently the enemy +were going to try the effect of a stone avalanche as we went underneath. +A good deal of discussion went on as to whether the enemy's main defence +was on the left bank, in which case we should have to attack across the +river, or on the right bank, in which case the present visible sangar +was a flanking bastion. + +At last someone suggested tea, so the meeting broke up. Colonel Kelly +and I stayed behind. I asked Colonel Kelly for permission to take some +of the Levies and have a cast forward. I took the Hunza men and my +shikaree, Faquir, as he could translate my orders to the Levies. Off we +trotted, and by the time the other officers were having tea, I was well +up the hillside. It was impossible to be rushed, as the ground was +pretty bad, so I extended my men,--when it comes to sniping, one man is +a smaller target than two,--and we skirmished up and forward, so as to +bring us well above the enemy's line. In half an hour we were high +enough to see all the valley below, and the enemy's position was spread +out like a map. I sent the Levies on about a hundred yards, and then +made them line a ridge, while I sat myself comfortably down and sketched +the whole show. + +With my glasses I could count the men in each sangar. They were +evidently cooking their evening meal, as thin columns of smoke rose from +each sangar in the still evening air. I could also make out the paths +leading up the cliffs from the river, and saw men going down to fetch +water. I sat and watched long after I had got all the information I +wanted, as I might perhaps get some useful tips that I had overlooked. +It was very peaceful sitting there, but presently the sun dropped behind +the hills, and it got too chilly for comfort. A whistle to the Levies +and a wave of the hand brought them back, and we scrambled down the hill +again, and were back in camp before dark. Here I heard that the Punyal +Levies had been sent for from Laspur to come along at once. + +As soon as I had explained the enemy's position to Colonel Kelly, orders +were issued for the attack next day. They were short and simple. On the +arrival of the Punyal Levies, they were to start, with a guide we had +procured, to turn out the men above the stone shoot on the right bank of +the river. I, with the Hunza Levies, was to start at 6 A.M. and work +through the hills to the right rear of the enemy's position. The main +body would start at 9 A.M. and attack in front. The baggage to remain in +camp under a guard commanded by Sergt. Reeves, Commissariat. Then we had +dinner and went to bed. + + + + +CHAPTER V + + +CHOKALWAT + +At 5 A.M. the next morning, my orderly, Gammer Sing Gurung, woke me. It +was still dark, and I dressed as quickly as possible, so as not to +disturb the others, who were snoring peacefully around me. Dressing +consisted of putting on my coat, putties, and some canvas shoes with +rope soles. I knew the ground I should be going over would be pretty +bad, and with rope soles you can skip about rocks like a young lamb, +whereas shooting boots would send you flying over the cliffs. By the +time I had had some poached eggs and a cup of tea, the Hunza Levies were +waiting outside, so I got into my sword and trappings and went. As I +passed out, Colonel Kelly wished me good luck, and I said, "_Au revoir_ +till twelve o'clock." The others snored peacefully. + +Gammer Sing and the fifty Hunza Levies were ready, and I had put some +chupatties into my haversack overnight, so off we went. By the time we +were clear of the village, it was getting light, so, keeping close to +the edge of the hills, we struck up a side nullah, took a slant across +it, and then began the climb. By this time it was broad daylight. We +kept climbing and gradually working round the face of the hill to the +right, until we struck the snow line, and I calculated we were pretty +well as high as any sangar the enemy might have on the hill. My idea was +to get above them, and I didn't want my party swept into space by a +stone avalanche. Still, to make matters secure, I detached ten men to go +higher up still, and I had five minutes' halt to give them a start. + +It was now about 7.30 A.M., and I wanted to push on, so as to be well on +the right rear of the enemy by nine o'clock. Once there, we could time +our attack at our leisure. Events, however, worked out somewhat +differently. The ground now got very bad, and presently we came to a +stone shoot which extended high up above us, while ending in a cliff a +little below. This we crossed carefully, one man going at a time. Each +step set the whole slide in motion and brought stones bounding down from +above. The best way was to take it at a rush. We got safely across that, +and the ground got worse and worse, and finally we were brought to a +halt. I sent men to find a path above and below, the remainder sat down +under cover, while I examined the ground in front with my glasses. It +was eight o'clock now, and I was congratulating myself in having got so +far, as another half-mile would bring us on to a spur which ran down on +the right flank of the enemy's line. + +As I was looking at this spur, I noticed that there was a nice grassy +slope just about level with us, and below that the cliffs went almost +sheer down into the river. Once on that slope, we could pretty well play +skittles with the sangars below, as we could even now see clearly into +them. Unfortunately, the ground between looked frightful, a series of +ridges like the teeth of a saw, the northern faces being covered with +snow, which made the going particularly treacherous. I had hardly +noticed this when there was a puff of smoke and a report, and I saw to +my disgust that on the edge of my nice grassy slope were a few clusters +of innocent-looking rocks, which I now saw to be sangars, evidently +occupied. Just at this moment a man ran across the slope and began +waving his coat to someone below, and more men showed themselves among +the rocks. + +The Levies were still looking for a path, and Humayun wanted to return +the enemy's fire; but as the Levies were armed only with carbines, and I +hadn't heard the whistle of the enemy's shot, I judged it would be a +waste of ammunition. To get the distance, I told Gammer Sing, who had +his Martini, to try a shot at the man waving his choga, with his sights +at eight hundred yards. I saw the bullet kick the dust to the right of +the man, who jumped for a rock, so I knew carbines were no good at that +distance. + +A path was now found a little lower down, so I ordered an advance and on +we went. Our appearance was the signal for the enemy to open fire, but +as only one or two bullets sang over us, I knew they couldn't have many +rifles. We worked on steadily forward to about five hundred yards, when +shots began to drop among us, so under cover of a ridge I divided the +men into two groups, and sent the first group forward under cover of the +fire of the second, until the first group reached the next ridge, when +they covered the advance of the second group. + +The ground was shocking bad, and what made it more annoying was that, as +we were attacking towards the north, and the snow lay on the northern +slopes, we had to test our way every step, and keep in single file just +when our advance was most exposed. I had to have a man in places to help +me along. I don't mind bad ground when after mahkor, as you can take +your own time, but I strongly object to taking the place of the mahkor. +Our advance never stopped, but by ten o'clock we had only gone some two +hundred yards, and I could see our force crossing the river on to the +plain below. + +The enemy in our front now began to get excited, and we saw several of +them run back and make signals to those below. There was now only one +ridge between us and the enemy, and we made for it. As we rose, the +enemy's fire became pretty warm, but we were soon under cover again, and +as our advanced men gained the ridge, they began firing and yelling as +hard as they could go. I thought something was up, so made a rush, a +slip, and a scramble, and I could see over the ridge as the rear party +came scrambling along. I soon saw the cause of the yelling. About a +hundred yards in front of us was the grassy ridge, and across this the +last of the enemy was bolting, and in a few minutes had disappeared amid +the most appalling yells from the Levies. That was the last our party +saw of them, for we now found our path again blocked up by a precipice +and again I had to send men above and below to find a practicable way. I +then called for a return of casualties, and found we had escaped scot +free (I expect the enemy had too). So thus ended our bloodless battle. + +While a path was being looked for, Humayun and I sat down in a quiet +corner and shared chupatties, and watched the fight below, which was +just beginning. First we saw the advance guard get on to the plain and +extend, and presently they were joined by the main body, and the whole +formed up for attack; then the firing line extended and the advance +commenced. Presently we saw the sangars open fire, answered by volleys +from our men. Then came a larger puff of smoke and a murmur from the men +round me, as a shell pitched across the river and burst over a sangar. +It was as pretty a sight as one could wish for, and I felt as if I +should have been in a stall at Drury Lane. I could have stopped and +watched the show with pleasure. It was quite a treat to see how steadily +the 32nd Pioneers worked across the plain; but just then the men below +shouted that they had found a path, while I could see those above +working their way on to the grassy slope. These latter now shouted that +there were no enemy left on the hill, so we chose the lower road, and +gradually worked our way down, joining the grassy spur lower down--only +it wasn't grassy here at all, but chiefly precipice. We got down +somehow, chiefly on all fours, but by the time we had reached the +sangars, the enemy had bolted, and they were occupied by our men. It had +taken us nearly an hour to get down. Here I came across Colonel Kelly, +and after shaking hands, I looked at my watch and found it was just +twelve, so I had made a good shot at the time of our meeting when we +parted in the morning. + +Now I will give you an account of the attack carried out by the main +body. It is the official account, so I can back its correctness. + +The action at Chokalwat on the 9th April is thus described: "On the +morning of the ninth April I advanced to the attack of the enemy. In the +early morning Lieutenant Beynon, with the Hunza Levies, ascended the +high hills on the left bank of the river to turn the right of the +position and attack in rear. The Punyal Levies were sent up the hills on +the right bank to turn out the men above the stone shoots. + +"I advanced in the following manner:-- + +Half Coy. 32nd Pioneers, advanced guard. +Kashmir Sappers and Miners -- +Half Company 32nd Pioneers | +Two guns 1st Kashmir Mountain |= Main Body +Battery, carried by coolies | +One Company 32nd Pioneers -- + +"The baggage, under escort of the rearguard, remained in Gasht till +ordered forward after the action. + +"An advance was made to the river, where the bridge had been broken, but +sufficiently repaired by the Sappers and Miners for the passage of the +infantry. The guns forded the river, and the force ascended to the fan +facing the right sangars of the enemy's position. + +"The configuration of the ground was as follows: The road from the river +after leaving Gasht brought us on to an alluvial fan, the ascent to +which was short and steep; it was covered with boulders and intersected +with nullahs; the road led across this fan and then along the foot of +steep shale slopes and shoots, within five hundred yards of the line of +sangars crowning the opposite side of the river bank, and totally devoid +of any sort or description of cover for some two miles; it could also be +swept by avalanches of stones set in motion by a few men placed on the +heights above for that purpose. + +"The enemy's position consisted of a line of sangars blocking the roads +from the river up to the alluvial fan on which they were placed. The +right of the position was protected by a snow glacier, which +descended into the river bed, and furthermore by sangars, which extended +into the snow line up the spur of the hills. + +"The course of the action was as follows: The advanced guard formed up +at about eight hundred yards from the position and the main body in +rear. The 32nd Pioneers then advanced to the attack. One section, 'C' +Company, extended (left of line). One section, 'C' Company, extended in +support. Two sections, 'C' Company, 'A' Company, in reserve. The guns +now took up position on the right and opened on 'A' sangar at a range of +eight hundred and twenty-five yards. As the action progressed, the +supporting section of 'C' Company advanced and reinforced. The remaining +half of 'C' Company advanced, and, leaving sufficient space for the +guns, took up their position in the firing line on the extreme right. +Volley firing at first was opened at eight hundred yards, but the firing +line advanced one hundred and fifty to two hundred yards as the action +progressed. At a later stage, one section of 'A' Company was pushed up +to fill a gap on the right of the guns in action in the centre of the +line. The enemy, after receiving some well-directed volleys and +correctly played shells, were seen to vacate 'A' sangar by twos and +threes until it was finally emptied. During our advance to the fan, +shots were heard in the direction of the hills, Lieutenant Beynon having +come into contact with the enemy in their sangars up the hillside, who +were driven from ridge to ridge. When 'A' sangar was vacated, attention +was directed on 'B' sangar, and the same course adopted, with the same +result; at the same time those driven down from the hills above streamed +into the plain, and there was then a general flight. Six shrapnel were +fired into the flying enemy at ranges of a thousand, twelve hundred, and +thirteen hundred and fifty yards (three rounds per gun). + +"A general advance was then made down precipitous banks to the bed of +the river, covered by the fire of the reserves, the river forded, and +sangars 'A' and 'B' occupied. The guns were then carried across, and, +the whole line of sangars having been vacated, the column was re-formed +on the fan; the line taken in crossing enabled the enemy to get well on +their way to Mastuj; the advance was then continued to a village a mile +and a half farther along the river, where a halt was made. The +casualties consisted of one man of the 32nd Pioneers severely wounded, +and three Kashmir Sappers slightly. The action commenced at 10.30 A.M. +and lasted one hour. The position was of unusual natural strength, and +the disposition of the sangars showed considerable tactical ability, +being placed on the edge of high cliffs on the left bank of the river. +The enemy were computed at four to five hundred, and were armed with +Martini-Henry and Snider rifles. Several dead were found in the sangars, +and the losses I estimate to have been from fifty to sixty." + +By the time I had joined Colonel Kelly, the Pioneers had re-formed and +were advancing, so I had very little time to take a look at the sangars. +I saw one or two bodies lying around, and the shells seemed to have +knocked sparks pretty successfully out of the stone breastworks. I also +noticed the neat little cooking places the enemy had made behind their +sangars, showing that they had been there for some time. + +The advance was carried on without a check for about one and a half +miles, when we came to a cluster of huts near the termination of the +plain, the river here making a slight sweep towards the left side of the +valley. An advance guard was thrown out well to the front, and under +their protection the column halted and the men fell out. I had a +first-class thirst by this time, and Gammer Sing made several trips to +the river before it was quenched. Gammer Sing and I always share the +same tin mug on the march. It is his mug, but he always gives me first +go. In return I supply Gammer Sing with tobacco, so it is a fair +division of labour. Here I finished my chupatties, and some kind man--I +think it was Borradaile--gave me a stick of chocolate, my own store +having run out, but I managed to get it replenished at Mastuj. + +Good old Stewart came up as pleased as Punch at having had his first +fight. Said he, "And d'ye think now that me shells killed many of the +beggars? sure and their corpses ought to be just thick." He was pained +to hear that in all probability we should not catch up the enemy again +that day, I really think nothing less than twelve hours' hard fighting +every day, with short intervals for refreshments, would satisfy him. + +One of the guns, when being brought up the cliff, had slipped off the +coolies and fallen down to the bottom again, breaking off the foresight, +but Stewart mended it during the halt. + +At the same time, the Sappers were hard at work pulling down a house for +materials to build a bridge, but before it was actually begun, we heard +that the river could be forded again lower down, so the bridge was not +built. By this time the men were sufficiently rested, the whole column +had closed up, and orders sent back for the baggage to come on. + +Off we started, the Punyal Levies working down the right bank, the +Hunzas on the left, the main column following the left bank of the +stream. By 4 P.M. we reached the ford and crossed to the right bank, the +water not being much above our knees. And almost immediately after, we +saw some men drawn up on the spur we were approaching; they turned out +to be the Mastuj garrison, who, on finding the besieging force halting, +had come out to find out the reason. If they had only heard our guns and +turned out at once, they would have cut the line of retreat of our +opponents, and the whole crew must have been wiped out. Unfortunately +the fort of Mastuj is built far down the reverse slope of a fan, and +although some of the sentries reported they heard firing, it was thought +they must be mistaken. + +By 5 P.M. we had got on to the spur, and found Moberly, with part of the +garrison, all looking very fat and fit; evidently the siege had not +worried them much so far. A detachment of the 14th Sikhs (the remains of +Ross's company) were left on the spur to cover the baggage coming in, +while our column trotted down to the fort, getting there by 5.30 P.M. +Here we found Jones with his arm in a sling. Our force bivouacked in a +garden attached to the fort, the trees of which had been lopped to +deprive the enemy of shelter, and the farther wall destroyed. This we +precious soon built up again, and within an hour our force was +comfortably entrenched and cooking its dinner. + +What a blessing it was to be down again in a decent climate! Fires were +still pleasant at night, but in the daytime the bright, cool weather was +splendid. + +Moberly's servant soon had some tea and chupatties ready, and while we +were eating them, Bretherton, who had been out clearing some village on +the other side of the fort, came in. + +There was lots of news, both to hear and relate, and we were hard at it +when there came the sound of a volley from the direction in which we +were expecting the baggage. + +Somebody said, "Cuss those niggers! why can't they let us have our tea +in peace?"--it wasn't Stewart,--and there was a general scramble for +swords and belts. A company of the Pioneers was soon doubling off, while +the rest of us strolled up the road to see what the row was. We met the +baggage coming in, and heard that the 14th Sikh picket had heard some +people moving in the river bed, and had let drive a volley at +them--result unknown. As soon as the last of the baggage had passed, we +followed it, and the picket was withdrawn. Later that night we sent back +a messenger with an account of the day's fighting and the relief of +Mastuj to Gilgit, but the messenger--a levy--shortly returned, having +been fired on, and returned the fire, so it was evident that a good +many of the enemy were still sneaking about. + +We officers slept in the fort that night, four or five of us in a room. +Mastuj is of the ordinary type of country fort, square, with a tower at +each end and one over the gateway, curtains between each tower about +eighteen to twenty feet high, and the towers another fifteen feet higher +still. The whole place is built of layers of stones and wood plastered +together with mud, while there is generally a keep or citadel inside +which commands the rest of the fort, and in which are the governor's and +women's quarters. In Mastuj, of course, we used these as officers' +quarters. The whole fort is a horribly dirty and tumble-down old place; +the roof of the officers' quarters had to be propped up, as it was +considered unsafe, and I quite believe it. The rooms had the usual hole +in the roof for the smoke to get out at, but Moberly had erected a stove +in his room, which was a great improvement. + + + +CHAPTER VI + + +THE RECONNAISSANCE FROM MASTUJ + +While at Mastuj we heard from Jones the story of the disaster at +Koragh--which I will give. + +Ross, with Jones and about ninety-three Sikhs, left Mastuj on the 7th +March, with the intention of helping Edwardes and Fowler, who were +believed to be in danger at Reshun, and marched to Buni; leaving a +detachment there of thirty-three sepoys under a native officer, he +marched with Jones and sixty men for Reshun, hoping to arrive there that +day. + +After leaving Buni, the road runs for some distance along flat ground +until the junction of the Turikho and Yarkhun rivers is reached. At this +point the road leads up along the face of a cliff and then down on to a +small plain, where are a few houses and some patches of cultivation. +This is known as the village of Koragh, and immediately after, the river +runs between the cliffs, which draw together and make the mouth of the +defile. The path which follows the left bank crosses the débris fallen +from the cliffs above and then runs along the edge of the river at the +foot of another and smaller cliff, or in summer, when the river is full, +the path runs over this smaller cliff. Ross's party took the lower road. +After the second cliff the paths lead on to a small plain about two +hundred yards wide at its greatest width, and perhaps half a mile long, +and then runs up and across the face of a third cliff which drops sheer +down into the river. This cliff forms the end of the trap. It would be +hard to find a better place for an ambuscade. + +Ross's advance guard was on this plain, approaching the spur which +closes the trap, when they were fired on. Ross went forward to +reconnoitre the ground, and at once saw the impossibility of driving the +enemy out with his small force, and therefore ordered Jones to go back +and hold the entrance of the defile to enable them to escape. On the +first shot being fired, the coolies had chucked their loads and bolted, +as likely as not helping to man the sangars enclosing the party. Jones, +taking ten men, made an attempt to reach the mouth of the defile, but +found it already occupied by the enemy, who had run up stone sangars, +and by the time he had got within a hundred yards of it, eight of his +ten men were wounded. He therefore fell back on the main party, who had +taken refuge in some caves at the foot of the cliff. + +The caves, now half full of water, owing to the rising of the river, can +be seen in the photograph. The party remained in these caves till 9 +P.M., when they made another attempt to cut their way out, but were +driven back by avalanches of stones. They then had to scale the +mountainside, but were stopped by an impossible cliff, and one sepoy, +falling over, was killed, so they came back to the caves dead tired. +Here they remained the whole of the next day, the enemy trying an +occasional shot from across the river, where they had erected sangars; +but the Sikhs had, in their turn, built sangars across the mouth of +their cave, which sheltered them. + +Then the enemy tried rolling stones over the top of the cliff, but this +only had the effect of strengthening the sangars, so they shut that up. + +During that day, Ross and Jones came to the conclusion that there was +nothing to be done but cut their way out; everyone must take his chance, +the rush to be made about 2 A.M. On the morning of the 10th, +accordingly, at the time fixed, they made their sortie. + +A heavy fire was at once opened on them from both sides of the river, +while avalanches of stones were sent hurtling down the cliffs. A number +of sepoys were killed or knocked senseless by stones, but the remainder +reached the sangars, and cleared out the defenders at the point of the +bayonet. Here poor Ross was killed by a bullet through the head, after +having, so the natives say, pistolled some four of the enemy. The +latter, after being driven out of the sangars, bolted up the hillside, +and again opened fire from among the rocks. By the time the small band +reached the maidan, there were only some seventeen men, headed by Jones: +of these, Jones and nine others were wounded. + +Here the little party formed up, and tried to help any more of their +friends who might be struggling through, by heavy volley-firing into the +sangars on both sides of the river. After some ten minutes of thus +waiting, during which they twice drove off attacks of the enemy's +swordsmen, who tried to close with them, and losing three more men, +Jones, noticing an attempt of the enemy to cut the line of retreat, and +despairing of any more of the detachment escaping, gave the order to +retire. This was carried out slowly and leisurely till they reached +Buni, at about 6 A.M., when they joined the detachment they had left +behind. Jones and his party remained in Buni till the 17th, the enemy +not daring to attack them, and they were unable to move, having no +transport for their wounded. + +After Ross had left Mastuj, Moberly remained in command of the fort, and +on the 10th March was joined by Captain Bretherton of the Commissariat +who came in with two sepoys from Ghizr. + +Moberly heard that Ross had left a small party at Buni, and though he +sent messengers to this party, he never received any reply, the +messengers probably being captured. + +On the 13th, hearing that the enemy were occupying the Nisa Gol, a +position some six miles from Mastuj, he reconnoitred up to it, and found +some sangars, which he destroyed, but no enemy. + +A reinforcement of sixty sepoys came in that day from Ghizr. The next +two days were spent in trying to collect coolies for transport, and on +the 16th, in spite of the non-arrival of any coolies, he set out to Buni +with a hundred and fifty sepoys, each man carrying a sheepskin coat, two +blankets, a hundred and twenty rounds of ammunition, and three days' +cooked rations. + +He halted that night at Sanoghar, where he collected some fifty coolies, +and learned by signal from Mastuj that Bretherton was sending some fifty +Yarkhun coolies the next day--fifty Punyal Levies also joined him that +evening. Starting the next morning, he reached Buni by 5 P.M., when he +found Jones and the remains of the Sikhs. The return journey was begun +two hours later, at 7 P.M., and carried on steadily all night, a small +body of the enemy following, but not daring to attack. Mastuj was +reached between 10 and 11 A.M. the next day, 18th March. + +By the 22nd March the enemy had surrounded the fort, and the siege +began. Nothing of any event happened, the enemy contenting themselves +with long-range firing, only one man being slightly wounded and two +ponies killed. On the 9th of April "up we came with our little lot," and +the siege was raised. + +Early the next morning we were up and going through the state of the +supplies and available amount of transport. + +Transport and supplies were an everlasting source of worry, as it +generally is with every army, great or small. + +We soon got a return of the supplies in Mastuj. I forget how many days +it was, but none too much for our force and the Mastuj garrison. +Bretherton was sent back to bring up supplies from the rear, and +messengers were sent to order in the villagers. We wanted their grain to +eat, and men to carry it. The villagers began to come in after a bit, +and brought a small amount of grain with them. + +Stewart was hard at work getting ponies for his guns in place of the +mules left behind; the gun wheel and carriage saddles were sent for, and +shortly arrived. + +The Levies were billeted in the houses which had lately been occupied by +the enemy, and we soon had pickets out round the fort. In showing the +Levies the houses they were to occupy, I examined the enemy's system of +loopholes and sangars, and found they were very well made indeed. In the +house which had lately been occupied by Mahomed Issar, their +commander-in-chief we found the trunk of a tree which the enemy were +converting into a cannon. It didn't require cannon to bring the walls of +Mastuj down,--a good strong kick would have been quite sufficient. +Shortly after we had reached Chitral, Moberly reported that part of the +wall had fallen on a sleeping sepoy, who was luckily saved by some beams +catching and protecting him from being crushed by the débris. There was +no apparent cause for the collapse, but the man is supposed to have +sneezed. + +The next day a fatigue party was sent out to Chokalwat to destroy the +enemy's sangars, and bury any dead bodies that might be lying about. +This party would also act as a covering party to Peterson, who was +expected to arrive that day. With Peterson came Bethune and Luard, all +very sick at having missed a fight. This detachment brought the strength +of the Pioneers up to four hundred rifles. + +The Hunza and fifty Punyal Levies were sent to reconnoitre towards Nisa +Gol that day, and fifty more Punyals up the Yarkhun valley to forage. +The rest of the day was spent in writing reports, making out official +returns, and other necessary nuisances. + +Colonel Kelly and I were writing in a tent pitched on the roof, and I +had pretty well got through my work by 5 P.M.; and then Colonel Kelly +had out the maps and returns of supplies, etc., and, Borradaile being +called, there was a small council of war. + +As I have before said, Colonel Kelly had practically settled at Pingal +to advance by Killa Drasan, but the question was, when should we be in a +position to do so? Here came in that everlasting transport and supply +question. We could now, of course, cut down our baggage by leaving +behind warm clothes and poshteens, as the weather would be getting +hotter every day as we descended to lower latitudes; but this only meant +that the men would have to carry less themselves, and, try as we would, +it seemed as if we could only raise enough transport for seven days' +supplies, five on coolies and two days in the men's haversacks. It was +seven days' march to Chitral by the direct route, and though our +intelligence pointed to the fact that supplies in the Chitral fort were +probably plentiful, it was yet only summer. Then, again, we might, or we +might not, get supplies on the road. We worried the question up and down +and inside out, but we couldn't increase the transport by one coolie. +Borradaile was for going on. I said, "The first man in Chitral gets a +C.B." + +Just then Raja Akbar Khan and Humayun came back, so we went out to hear +their report. Old Akbar smiled a fat smile all over his face, and +Humayun twirled his long moustache,--he has a fine black beard and +moustache and a deep bass voice. Akbar Khan curls his beard like an +Assyrian king, and smiles good-naturedly at everything. + +They reported that they had seen the enemy building sangars, and that +there were many men, also cavalry. Their report was clear enough, and +from their description I could pretty well place the position of the +different sangars, as I had been over the ground with Harley on my +previous visit to Chitral. To make matters certain, I suggested that I +should reconnoitre the position next day. This was agreed to, and it was +also determined to attack the enemy on the 13th April, as it was no use +giving them time to entrench themselves more than we could help. + +I started off about 9 A.M. on the morning of the 12th April, mounted on +a transport pony. I had about fifty Hunza and Punyal Levies, under +Humayun and Akbar Khan, with me; these two also had ponies, Akbar Khan +having managed to get two over the pass with great difficulty. It was a +lovely morning, and we were all very cheerful except Gammer Sing, who +wanted to come along with me; but as he had to get my kit sorted and put +right for the next day's march, I left him behind, but took his rifle +and ammunition. + +We dropped over the bluff and forded the Laspur stream, which was +hardly over the men's knees, and then kept along the bed of the river, +with a few scouts well up the hills on our left, the Mastuj or Yarkhun +river protecting our right. After about two miles we came to a small +homestead and Humayun told me there was a wounded man inside; so in I +went, and found the poor beggar with his right leg smashed by a bullet +just above the knee. There were a lot of women and children and two men +in the house, his brothers, so I gave them a note to Luard, and told +them to carry the man into Mastuj, which they did. Luard set his leg, +and by this time he is no doubt well and happy. + +Shortly after that, we climbed up from the bed of the river on to a +narrow ledge which ran along the foot of the hills about two hundred +feet above the river. Here we left our horses, and went scrambling along +among the fallen débris for about half a mile, when we came to the foot +of a stone slope, and I noticed our advanced guard had halted on the +top, and on asking the reason, Humayun said that the enemy were +occupying the next spurs. So up we went, and found the fact true enough, +but the next spur was some thousand yards away; so on we went across +that slope, and on to the next, eventually reaching a very nice little +place some eight hundred yards from the spur occupied by the enemy. + +From here I could see pretty well the whole of the position occupied by +the enemy, except the end of the Nisa Gol nullah where it debouches on +to the river. I tried going up the hill, but that only made matters +worse, so I determined to sketch what I could see from here, and then +try across the river. In order not to be interrupted, I sent five men +well up the hill on to a spur, from whence they could see any man who +tried to sneak up for a shot, and spread out the rest in skirmishing +order to my front. Humayun and Akbar got behind a rock and went to +sleep, and I got out my telescope and set to work. + +The enemy seemed rather interested in our proceedings--we could see +their heads bobbing up and down behind the sangars; but after we had +settled down, they gradually took courage, and, coming outside, sat down +to watch us. This was very nice of them, for very soon I had a complete +list of the garrison of each sangar, and from where I was could see the +sort of gun they were armed with,--a few rifles among the lower sangars, +and nearly all matchlocks among the higher and more inaccessible ones. +It was a calm, peaceful scene: the enemy sitting outside their sangars +sunning themselves; and my men lying down, a few watching, the rest +sleeping, one or two enjoying a friendly pipe. + +Shortly after, we saw two gallant young sparks come riding along the +plain on the opposite side of the river, evidently having been sent by +the general to report on our proceedings. They pulled up opposite us and +watched us for a short time, and then one slipped off his horse, which +was led by the other behind a big boulder. Thinking they would merely +watch us, I shouted to my men to keep an eye on them, and went on +sketching. Presently there was a bang, and ping came a bullet over our +heads. The beggar was potting at us at about a thousand yards, +unpardonable waste of ammunition! I put a rock between us, and went on +sketching, everyone else did ditto, and presently our friend shut up, +but after a time, finding things slow, I suppose, he began again. This +seemed to annoy Humayun, who asked for the loan of my rifle, and he and +Akbar went dodging down the hill. They disappeared behind a dip in the +ground, and presently I saw them come out lower down among some bushes, +and gradually they worked their way down to the edge of the river about +eight hundred yards from our friend, who was calmly sitting in the open, +having occasional pot shots at us, while his friend had come out and was +evidently criticising the performance. + +Presently there was a bang from our side of the river, and a spurt of +dust on the opposite maidan where the bullet struck. Humayun had +over-judged the distance. By the time he was ready for another shot, +our two friends were legging it across the plain as fast as their ponies +could gallop. He got in a couple of shots more, but they did not hurt +anybody. + +As soon as Humayun commenced firing, the sangars in our front began +humming like a beehive and presently shot after shot came dropping among +us; the enemy evidently had plenty of ammunition, and for some minutes +things were quite lively; but, finding we made no response, they calmed +down gradually, and peace once more reigned supreme. + +I chaffed old Humayun, when he came back, on his shooting powers, and he +grinned in response. + +I now noticed rather a commotion among the garrison of the sangars +across the Nisa Gol nullah; the men began turning out, and one or two +ran towards the higher sangars, evidently passing on some news. +Presently I saw a crowd of men, mostly mounted, with others on foot +carrying flags. Then came a fat man in white, with a standard-bearer all +to himself. All the garrisons of the sangars turned out, and I counted +them--there were over a hundred in each. + +The commander-in-chief rode up the whole length of the nullah, and then +walked up the spur on which are shown sangars Nos. 16 and 17 in the +sketch. Here he sat down, and, I have no doubt, calculated the odds on +his winning when the action came off. After a time he came down the +hill, and the procession moved down along the nullah and out of sight. + +When I had finished my sketch, I shut up my telescope and said-- + +"Now we'll go across the river." + +"Why do you want to cross the river?" said Humayun. + +"I want to see the end of the nullah," said I. + +"Their cavalry will get you," said he. + +"What cavalry?" said I. + +"You've just seen two of them," said he. + +"Get out!" said I; "you're pulling my leg." + +"Don't go," said he. + +"I'm going," said I. + +"Where the Sahib goes, I follow," said he. + +"Come on, Ruth," said I. "'Whither thou goest, I will go!' I've heard +that remark before." + +These hillmen have an extraordinarily exaggerated idea of cavalry. Any +young buck on a long-tailed screw is a Chevalier Bayard to them. Why, +you've only to move ten yards to your right or left in any part of the +country, and no cavalry could reach you, while you could sit and chuck +stones at them. + +Down we dropped again into the river bed, leaving a few men to signal +any movement of the enemy while we were crossing. We had our ponies +brought up and rode across the stream, the men fording, then we +scrambled up the high slope of the opposite bank and shouted for the +remainder to follow. + +A short distance up the hill, and I could see the end of the nullah, +with a large sangar covering the road. This was what I wished to know, +so, after a careful look, having seen all I wanted, we started homewards +by the opposite bank to that by which we had come, crossing the river +again by a bridge which Oldham had been employed the day before in +mending, and reached Mastuj by 1 P.M. + +I gave in my report to Colonel Kelly, and then got out orders for the +next day's march. + +I also suggested that some light scaling ladders should be made, as I +expected we should find them very useful in crossing the Nisa Gol. +Accordingly, Oldham set his Sappers to work, and by evening had ten +light scaling ladders ready, each about ten feet long, and light enough +to be carried by one man. + +A certain amount of supplies and some coolies had been collected. The +guns had been mounted on ponies, and could now march along faster than +when carried by coolies. + +Everything was ready for an early advance the next morning, so as a +little diversion we were photographed by Moberly. Moberly was coming out +the next day in command of a company of Kashmir troops; after the +expected fight, he would return to Mastuj to resume command, and the +Kashmir troops would be put under my charge. + +The orders for next day were to march at 7 A.M., baggage to remain in +Mastuj till sent for, and then to come out under escort of part of the +garrison, who would escort back any wounded we might have, Luard coming +out in charge of the field hospital and returning with the wounded to +form a base hospital at Mastuj. + +I managed to get a bottle of whiskey out of Moberly. It belonged, I +believe, to Fowler, but as he was either a prisoner or dead, he wouldn't +require the whiskey. I also replenished my store of chocolate. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + + +THE FIGHT AT NISA GOL + +Next morning, 13th April, we were all having a good square breakfast by +6 A.M., and punctually at seven o'clock the column moved off, headed by +the Levies. + +Our force consisted of-- + +400 Pioneers, +100 Kashmir Infantry, + 40 Kashmir Sappers, + 2 Mountain guns, +100 Hunza and Punyal Levies; + +rather less than a single battalion, and not much with which to force +our way through seventy miles of bad country, but still we were +determined to get to Chitral before the Peshawur force. + +It was a perfect morning, nice bright sunshine, and a jolly fresh +feeling in the air, sort of day that makes you want to take a gun and go +shooting; in fact, just the very day for a fight. + +The Levies were across Oldham's bridge in no time, but the Pioneers had +to cross it slowly, as it was very jumpy, and only four men could be +allowed on it at a time. The guns were sent up to a ford some three +hundred yards up the stream. After crossing the main stream there was +still a creek to be forded, but this was not much above the men's knees. +This gave the Levies time to get ahead and send some scouts up the hills +to the right, in order to give timely warning if the enemy should try on +the rolling stone dodge, but the hills just here did not lend themselves +very readily to this mode of warfare. When our little army got across +the river, the advance guard was halted and the column formed up, and +then on we went. Peterson was in command of the advance guard, with +orders to halt when he reached the edge of the plain to allow the column +to close up for the attack. On the order to advance he was to hug the +hill on his right. + +Just before the maidan the road drops down on to the river bed, and then +runs up on to the maidan itself, which gradually slopes up to the +centre, where it is divided by a deep nullah that I think they call in +America a cañon. The sides of this nullah are in most places +perpendicular, varying from two hundred and fifty to three hundred feet +in depth, with a small stream running along the bottom, the amount of +water depending on the melting of the snow in the hills above. There are +two places to cross it, one the regular road to Chitral, which zig-zags +down the nullah near the mouth, and the other a goat track about +half-way between the road and the hills. Both of these had sangars +covering their approach on the enemy's side of the nullah, and any +attempt to rush them would have led to great loss of life. + +To the casual observer the plain looks perfectly flat, but as a matter +of fact the slope is rather more pronounced at the foot than at the top +near the hills, with the result that from the sangar covering the main +road, the upper end of the plain is partially hidden from fire. + +The plain also is really a succession of what may be described as waves +running parallel with the nullah, which afford very excellent shelter to +any attacking force. In fact, the only obstacle is the nullah; but, +as you may see from the photos, this obstacle is no small one, and could +only be crossed by two paths as far as we knew. Our object was to find +another path, and to get to close quarters with the enemy. + +[Illustration: Looking up the Nisa Gol Nullah.] + +So much for the ground: now for the fight. Peterson and the Levies got +on to the maidan and extended, while the main body formed up for attack. +Then the order to advance was given, and off we went. + +Peterson and the Levies were in the firing line and extended, the Levies +on the right. + +As the remaining companies reached the level plain, they first formed +into line and went forward in the regular everyday style. The ground was +very nice for parade movements, a gentle, grassy slope with plenty of +room. The Levies, however, were not keeping close enough to the +hillside, and were gradually pushing Peterson's company off to the left, +where they would have been exposed to the fire of the big sangar plus +the flanking fire from the sangars up the spur on the left bank of the +river. + +Colonel Kelly accordingly sent me off to change their direction more to +the right, and to close the Levies until they were wanted. I found +Humayun's pony taking shelter under a rock, so, mounting it, I galloped +after Peterson, gave him the order, and then closed the Levies on their +right. This made a gap into which we of the supporting companies pushed, +so now we had two companies in the firing line, two in support, and the +Kashmir Company in reserve. In this formation we pushed on till we came +under fire of the sangars, and had reached the valley running up into +the hills, about four hundred yards from the nullah, thus again giving +room for the Levies to form line on the right of the Pioneers. + +The fun now began as the enemy started plugging away at us from the +sangars on the spur, but not much at present from the lower ones, as +only the flank of Peterson's company could be seen. + +Stewart had got his guns into action and was shelling sangar No. 16. +After a time Peterson engaged the sangars on the maidan, and they gave +him a pretty warm time of it. + +The Levies opened fire at three hundred yards, rather close range to +begin an action, and it was very amusing watching them; their +instruction in volley-firing had only just been begun, but they had +entire faith in its efficiency. + +The section commanders used to give the word to load in their own +language, but the order to fire was "fira vollee," and they were +supposed to fire on the word "vollee." If any man fired before the +order,--and they frequently did,--the section commander used to rush at +the culprit and slap him severely on the nearest part of him. As the +Levies were lying down, the slaps were--on the usual place. + +After a time the fire from the sangar slackened, and as things seemed to +be going all right, I stopped the Levies firing, and, taking two of +them, went forward up to the edge of the nullah to see if there was any +sign of a road. We followed the edge upwards for some two hundred yards, +and then I told the two levies to go on until they found a place, and +then went back. + +The fire from the sangar had recommenced, as Stewart's attention had +been turned towards others, so Colonel Kelly sent orders to Stewart to +send in one or two more shells, which had the desired effect. + +I now sent Gammer Sing to get a fresh supply of ammunition for the +Levies, which he brought, and I then followed Colonel Kelly down the +line to the Pioneers. In the meantime the guns had changed their +position, and were engaged with the lower sangars, as was also Peterson, +who, I think, was under the hottest fire the whole time, as he had the +attention of two big sangars entirely paid to him. The guns also got hit +a bit, and among others two of the drivers were killed; they were the +owners of the gun ponies, and remained with the ponies under a guard of +four Kashmir sepoys, who had commands to shoot any man trying to bolt. +They and their ponies of course made a large target, but the ponies also +acted as a protection. One more of the Pioneer companies now came into +the firing line, and these three companies devoted their entire +attention to one sangar, whose fire was now very intermittent. + +I now got Colonel Kelly's leave to go and look for a path, and hailed +Oldham to come and help me work forward therefore in front of the firing +line, to do which we had to ask Borradaile to stop one company firing, +which he very kindly did. We struck the nullah close opposite the +empty sangar No. 15, and from there followed the edge till we were well +within sight of the sangars in the middle of the maidan, without having +found a place where we could get down, but we noticed a track which led +up the opposite bank. We therefore turned back and retraced our steps +till we came to a spot which we had examined before, but had thought +impossible. Where we stood the drop was sheer for some seventy feet, but +then there came a ledge, from which we thought we could scramble down on +to the bed of the stream and up the opposite side, where we had noticed +the track. We therefore hurried back; Oldham for his Sappers, and I to +report to Colonel Kelly. I likewise asked for the reserve company of +Kashmir troops to cross over as soon as a path could be made under cover +of the fire of the already extended companies of the Pioneers. Colonel +Kelly assented, and I sent off a note to Moberly to bring up his +company. When I got back to the nullah, I found the Pioneers extended +along the edge, and Oldham's Sappers already at work. + +[Illustration: Reconnaissance Sketch of the position at Nisa Gol.] + +The Levies in the meantime had heard of a path higher up in the hills, +and were sent off to cross as best they could. Having nothing more to +do, I sat down where Oldham's men were at work, and watched the +proceedings. The men in No. 16 sangar had evidently had enough of it, +their sangar having been pretty well knocked about their ears, and when +any of the survivors tried a shot, it called down a volley on him. +Presently they began to bolt, and then the laugh was on our side. + +That sangar was a death-trap to its garrison--their only line of escape +was across some open, shaley slopes within four hundred yards of our +firing line, and the Levies were now working along the hill, and would +catch them in the sangar if they didn't clear out. The result was like +rabbit shooting You'd see a man jump from the sangar and bolt across the +shale slope, slipping and scrambling as he went; then there would be a +volley, and you'd see the dust fly all round him--perhaps he'd drop, +perhaps he wouldn't; then there would be another volley, and you'd see +him chuck forward amid a laugh from the sepoys, and he'd roll over and +over till he'd fetch up against a rock and lie still. Sometimes two or +three would bolt at once; one or two would drop at each volley, and go +rolling, limp and shapeless down the slope, until they were all down, +and there would be a wait for the next lot. An old sepoy lying near me +declared as each man dropped that it was his particular rifle whose aim +had been so accurate, until Borradaile called him sharply to order, and +told him to attend to business. Presently a crowd of men appeared higher +up on the same spur, and someone called out that they were Levies. Just +then one of them dropped on his knee and fired in our direction, there +was a volley back, and the men disappeared again. + +Oldham had now managed, with ropes and the scaling ladders, to get down +on to the ledge below, so calling to Moberly to bring along his company, +I dived down, followed by Gammer Sing and then Moberly, and one or two +men of the Sappers followed him, and we, thinking the whole company was +coming, went scrambling down to the bottom. We slid down the ropes on to +the ladders, and from them on to the ledge, followed it a bit along the +cliff, and then down a shale and débris slope to the stream, across that +and up the other side. Scrambling on all fours up the opposite side, I +heard Oldham, who was ahead of me, shout back that the company wasn't +following. I yelled, "Run up a sangar, and we can hold on till they +come," and finished my scramble up to the top. + +Then we took a look round to see how things stood. + +Devil a sign of the company coming down the rope was there, and the +Pioneers seemed to have disappeared too. + +Then we numbered our party--three British officers, my orderly, and +eleven Sappers, the latter armed with Snider carbines only; my orderly +was the only one with a bayonet. There was a low ridge in front of us +hiding the enemy's sangars, so we lined this with the Sappers, till we +could see what the game was. We now saw the Pioneers moving down the +nullah towards the river, while at the same time the Levies showed on +the ridge and took possession of the sangar. We were all right, I saw, +so I gave the order to advance--keeping along the edge of the nullah so +as to get at the sangars. Of course just my luck that as we started to +advance, the buckle of my chuplie broke; there was no time to mend it, +so I shoved it into my haversack, and went along with one bare foot; +luckily the ground was not very stony. + +As soon as we topped the swell of the ground, we saw the enemy bolting +in twos and threes from the nearest sangar, now about two hundred yards +off, and presently there came a rush right across our front. We opened +fire, trying volleys at first, but the Sappers were useless at that, +never having had any training, so independent firing was ordered. During +the halt Moberly had a narrow shave, a bullet passing between his left +hand and thigh, as he was standing superintending the firing. His hand +was almost touching his thigh, and the bullet raised the skin of the +palm just below the little finger. + +The nearest sangar was now pretty well empty, and the Pioneers from the +other side of the nullah were firing obliquely across our front, rather +too close to be pleasant; so we altered our advance half right, so as to +cut into the line of retreat of the enemy, and made for a jumble of +stones out in the open; by the time we reached it, there was a stream of +men flying right across our front, horse and foot, at about five hundred +yards, so again we opened fire. Moberly and I both took carbines from +the men, as they were firing wildly; the sepoy whose carbine I took +invariably managed to jam the cartridge, partly his fault, and partly +the fault of the worn state of the extractor. Gammer Sing was plugging +in bullets quietly on my right, and gave me the distance as five hundred +yards. I knew he was pretty correct, as I watched his bullets pitch. I +sang out the distance, and we got merrily to work. Oh, if I had only had +a company of my regiment, I think even Stewart would have been +satisfied. Precious soon the rush had passed us, and we had to begin +putting up our sights, and of course then the cream of the business was +over. + +About this time Shah Mirza came along, and, seeing me with only one +chuplie, offered me his, which I accepted, as it was a matter of +indifference to him whether he went barefooted or not. I sent him off to +bring up the Levies, who were looting the arms and securing the +prisoners from the sangars. + +Cobbe now appeared with some few Pioneers, and shortly after, a whole +company, but the enemy were now quite out of sight; however, a company +was sent in pursuit. Colonel Kelly came up, and we congratulated him, +and there was a general demand for cigarettes, Moberly, I believe, being +the happy possessor of some. As we were grouped round Colonel Kelly, +"whit" came a bullet over us, some idiot up the hill leaving his P.P.C. +card, I presume. + +One of the first questions I asked was, what had become of the Kashmir +Company, and then first heard the following curious incident. + +It appears that after the first few of us had gone down the cliff, and +the rest were preparing to follow, a bullet struck some cakes of +gun-cotton lying on the ground by the head of the path, where they had +been placed while the Sappers were at work. The bullet, striking these +cakes, ignited them, and they blazed up, and Borradaile, fearing an +explosion, ordered a retirement of those troops nearest it to cover some +thirty yards in rear, where they were protected by a wave of the ground. +The enemy, seeing our men bolting, as they thought, rushed out of their +sangars, but were promptly fired into by the Pioneers. Just then the +Levies on the ridge and our small party showed across the nullah, +threatening their line of retreat; this was apparently more than they +had bargained for, so they began to bolt, as I have said. Then the +Pioneers moved down the nullah and crossed by the goat track. + +Peterson's company had found a box full of Snider ammunition in one of +the sangars, so the Kashmir Company was sent back to look for any more, +and also to demolish the sangars. I took the opportunity to have a look +at them too. I was surprised at the magnificent way in which they were +built, partly sunk into the ground, and made of huge boulders that +required many men to move, and with head cover constructed of logs in +the most approved fashion, evidently made by men who had been properly +instructed. As I neared the largest sangar, I saw a native clothed in a +red dressing-gown, sitting on the ground with a long native jezail. +Rather surprised at seeing one of the enemy thus armed, I went up to +him, and as I did so, he picked up his gun. I had my revolver on him in +a second, and told him to drop the gun, which he did. I then asked him +who he was, and found he was our long-lost child--I mean levy--who had +been captured at Laspur. The enemy had not treated him badly, but had +taken his carbine and his choga, hence the dressing-gown; in return he +had sneaked a gun when the enemy were flying. I set the Kashmir troops +to work, and then went back, meeting Humayun and his captives on the +way. + +"Humayun," I said, "your levy is over there." + +"Is he alive?" said Humayun, looking in a most bloodthirsty way at his +prisoners. + +I assured him he was. Thereupon Humayun gave a jump, caught hold of both +my hands, and kissed them violently. I was afraid he was going to kiss +my ruby lips, but he didn't. He and Akbar Khan then went scuttling +across country to the sangar, followed by a crowd of his men, whooping +and yelling with joy. + +The guns were now coming across the nullah, and the column was being +formed up with the intention of crossing the river to Sanoghar, where it +was proposed to camp for the night. Part of the Levies and a company of +the Pioneers were sent ahead to clear the village of any evilly disposed +persons; arrangements were made for bringing up the sick and wounded; +and a signal message was flashed back to Mastuj for the baggage to come +out. + +The fight was over by 12.30 P.M., so we had only been about two hours +from start to finish. Our losses were six killed and sixteen wounded, +two of whom died next day. Three of the battery ponies were also killed. + +The path down to the river was so steep and the rickety bridge over it +so unsafe that it was determined to camp on the side of the river on +which we were, especially as we should have to recross the next day. + +A camping ground was soon found, pickets thrown out, and the wounded +brought in. + +A deputation from Sanoghar village was now seen coming across from the +opposite bank. Most of the deputation on arrival seemed half naked; we +thought this was a sign of humility on their part, but I heard +afterwards that the Levies had come across them, and taken their chogas +in exchange for that of their man in the red dressing-gown. + +This deputation gave the usual yarn about being compelled to fight +against us, and how glad they were that we had won. + +We made our usual reply, that they could and must show their gladness +by providing coolies and supplies, all of which would be paid for. We +also made them send over charpoys (beds) for the wounded. + +We had taken some twelve prisoners, who came in useful as transport; in +fact, until we got to Chitral every man we caught was turned into a +beast of burden and given a load; and if he was an Adamzada, or +nobleman, he was given the heaviest load that we could find for him, +oftentimes much to the delight of the poorer coolies, as an Adamzada is +exempt from coolie labour in ordinary times. + +The coolies used to bolt at every opportunity, which was only natural, +and there was not much difficulty in doing so. As often as not, we got +into camp after dark, when the coolie simply put down his load and +walked off; but as our supplies diminished, we naturally required fewer +coolies--at any rate, we managed to get all our baggage into Chitral. + +Moberly now handed over the company of Kashmir troops to my tender +charge and departed back to Mastuj, so now I had the command of the +Levies and one company added to my numerous other duties, so generally +I was pretty well on the hop. + +By dark the baggage had come in, the dead either buried or burnt +according to their religion, and the wounded attended to and made as +comfortable as we could make them under the circumstances. + +Oldham and some fifty Levies who had been reconnoitring down the left +bank of the river had returned, and by nine we got some dinner. + +Just as we were turning in, the picket on the road over the nullah first +let drive a volley, and Oldham, who was on duty, took some men and +doubled out to see what was the matter. On his return, he reported the +picket had heard someone moving in the nullah, and as the sentry's +challenge had not been answered, they had let drive at it. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +THE MARCH RESUMED THROUGH KILLA DRASAN + +We were up by daylight the next morning, had breakfast, and were ready +to march by 7 A.M. The wounded were sent back under Luard and the escort +who had brought out the baggage, and we moved off in the opposite +direction. Our order of march was always the same, each company taking +it in turn to act as advance or rear guard, and every British officer, +with the exception of Colonel Kelly and Borradaile, taking his turn on +duty. + +When my company of Kashmir troops was on rear or advance guard, I went +with it; at other times I went with the Levies or Colonel Kelly, +whichever seemed most useful. + +Our march for this day led for some miles along a flat, grassy plain, a +continuation of the Nisa Gol Maidan, then up and over a fairly high +spur, and gradually down to the river bed opposite the village of Awi or +Avi. Here we had a halt for the men to drink, as it was pretty thirsty +work marching in these hot valleys. We passed a village or two on the +opposite bank, but our side of the river was a desert of rocks and +stones. There was a small bridge at Awi, so Cobbe, with fifty men and +Shah Mirza as interpreter, was sent across to collect supplies from +Buni, the village in which Jones had remained for a week after the +Koragh affair. The main body continued along the right bank parallel +with Cobbe's party. + +During our halt two men had come in, bringing two ponies, which were +much appreciated by Colonel Kelly and Borradaile. + +When we got opposite Buni, there was a halt at the head of the column, +and Colonel Kelly sent me on to find out the reason. + +I forgot to mention that when we were encamped at Sanoghar, a +man--Chitrali--had come in, having escaped from the enemy. His brothers +were followers of Suji-ul-mulk, the little boy whom Surgeon-Major +Robertson, as he then was, had made Mehter, and who was besieged in +Chitral with our troops. The opposition party, represented by Mahomed +Issar, Sher Afzul's foster-brother, had therefore, on capturing this +man, put him in quod at Killa Drasan. He had managed to escape the day +of the fight, and joined us that evening, and we promptly made use of +him as a guide. + +This guide now informed us that the road ahead was destroyed, and would +take two days to repair, but, by turning up a spur on the right, we +could get past the broken part of the road. + +In consequence of this there was a halt while the Levies ascended the +spur and reconnoitred the top, and very soon we saw them signalling back +that all was clear. Sending back the news to Colonel Kelly, I remained +with the Levies, who now turned sharp to the right and began the ascent. +Humayun offered me a pony, which I thankfully accepted, and noticed that +there were now two or three ponies where before there had been none. I +didn't say anything at the time, but shortly after there appeared an +order to say all captured ponies were to be given up to the +Commissariat after the battery had had first pick. It was an awful pull +up that spur. I suppose we went up at least two thousand feet. I was all +right, as I had a pony, but it must have been agony for the laden +coolies. Once up, the going was easy enough; open, grassy downs, +gradually sloping down from where we stood to the junction of the +Yarkhun and Turikho valleys, though the actual sides of the tableland +dropped steeply down to the rivers. By our present divergence we had +turned the flank of any position the enemy could take up between Mastuj +and Killa Drasan, and had also got the higher ground, our road from here +onwards being down hill. + +I went ahead now with the Levies, as I wanted to find out if the fort +was held at Drasan. + +We got to the edge of the downs by 2 P.M., looking straight down on the +fort, which was the other side of the river, but from our position we +could see right down into the interior. + +The place was evidently deserted, for as we were watching, I saw a man +go up and try the door, but, finding it closed, he went away again. The +villages all round seemed deserted, and I could only see two men driving +some cattle high up in the hills. + +Before I had finished my sketch, the advance guard came up, and, shortly +after, Colonel Kelly. There was a short halt to let the tail of the +column close up, and then we commenced the descent. We were down on the +river bank in twenty minutes, and the Levies waded across, I on my pony. +We found the remains of a bridge which had evidently only just been +destroyed, and the material, I fancy, thrown into the river. The Levies +were soon up to the fort, and we had the main gate down in a jiffy by +using a tree as a battering-ram, and then the Levies went through the +place like professional burglars. Before I had hardly got into the +courtyard they had found the grain store, and were looting it. I put +Gammer Sing on sentry duty over the entrance, and, Borradaile coming up, +we inspected it, and found enough grain to last us some months. We now +set the Levies to work to get beams for repairing the bridge; at first +we could not find any long enough, until the Levies noticed the roof +poles of the verandah. We had them out and ran them down to the river +bank, opposite to where the Pioneers had drawn up on the farther bank. + +It took some time to build the bridge, and it was pretty rickety when +done, but it saved the men having to ford. Only one man fell into the +river, but he was pulled out all right. The baggage did not arrive at +the bridge till dark, and most of the coolies waded across, as there was +not time for them to cross in single file on the bridge. The battery +also forded, but the donkeys had to be unladen and the loads carried +across by hand, and the donkeys were then driven in and made to swim. It +was night before the rearguard began to cross, Cobbe, who was in +command, not getting in till close on nine o'clock. A couple of shots +were fired after dark, and there seemed no satisfactory explanation as +to why they were fired, but nobody was hit. The coolies were all put +into the courtyard of the fort and a guard on the gate, and they soon +had fires going, round which they huddled. + +As it was impossible to carry away all the grain we had found, I got +permission to issue a ration to all the coolies, who had most of them +no supplies of any description, and, telling the guard who had replaced +Gammer Sing to let the coolies in in single file, I then sent some +Levies to drive them up like sheep. The news soon spread that food was +going cheap, and they didn't require much driving. The flour was in a +bin about six feet square, by four feet high, and only a small round +hole at the top. We soon enlarged that so that a man could get in. I +furnished him with a wooden shovel evidently meant for the job, and gave +the order for the men to file in. As each man came in he received a +shovelful, into his skirt tail, and then had to march round a box and +out of the door. It took some two hours to finish the job, and even then +the flour was not expended, while the grain, of which there was some in +more bins, had not been touched. I left the guard over the door, and got +back in time to get orders out for the next day's march, by which time +Cobbe and the rearguard had come in, dinner was ready, and it had begun +to rain. + +We were camped in front of the fort, the men in a field, ourselves +alongside on a praying place overlooking the river. The Levies were on +the right, the ammunition and stores piled by the quarter-guard, the +coolies locked up in the fort, and the pickets all right, so we turned +in. Towards morning the rain began to fall heavily, so I pulled my +bedding under the fort gateway, where I found Stewart and Oldham had +already got the best places; however, I found a spot between two levies, +and finished the night comfortably enough. We had not done a bad day's +work on the whole. Marched from seven in the morning till six at night, +covering some twenty miles of hilly country, made a bridge, and occupied +one of the chief forts of the country. Cobbe, with the rearguard, had +had the poorest time, but he had had the satisfaction of raiding into +Buni. + +We woke up next morning to find a dull grey sky and the rain pouring +down, everything damp and miserable, and the cook having a fight with +the wood to make it burn. Our proposed march for the day being only a +short one, we did not start till eight A.M. As we were moving off, a +Kashmir sepoy turned up who had been one of Edwardes' party, and whose +life had been saved by a friendly villager who gave him some Chitrali +clothes. I told him to fall in with the company, and he came down with +us to Chitral. The remainder of the flour was distributed among the +sepoys, and we took as much grain as we could find carriage for, but it +was very little. + +A small convoy of Punyal Levies joined us that day; they had been +foraging up the Yarkhun valley, and had been sent after us by Moberly. +Our road led along the valley through cornfields and orchards, which, in +spite of the rain, looked very pretty and green. The trees were just in +their first foliage and the corn about a foot high, while all the peach +and apricot trees were covered with bloom. We did not see a soul on our +march, but the officer in charge of the rear-guard reported that as +soon as we left Killa Drasan, the villagers came hurrying down the hill +in crowds. + +At one place we had a short halt on account of a battery pony, which was +amusing itself by rolling down a slope with a gun on its back; it was +brought back nothing the worse for its escapade, and we resumed our +march. + +Before getting into camp, our road led up from the lower valley on to +some gentle, undulating spurs of the main range of hills; here there was +a cluster of villages, and every available spot was cultivated. + +On one of these spurs we camped, where three small villages or clusters +of houses formed a triangle, the centre of which was a cornfield. This +formed an excellent halting-place, as the men were billeted in the +houses, each giving the other mutual protection. We formed our mess in +part of the rooms of the headman's house, one Russool of Khusht; he was +foster-father to the late Nizam-ul-mulk, but had acknowledged the +opposition and joined Sher Afzul. (In the photograph he is sitting half +hidden behind the Mehter's left arm, with his head rather raised.) + +As we had been great friends during my first visit to Chitral,--(he was +awfully fond of whisky),--I've no doubt he was pleased to hear I had +been his guest in his own house, but I never had an opportunity to +thank him, as he left Chitral hurriedly just before our arrival. The +house is the best I have seen in Chitral, a fine stone-paved courtyard, +surrounded on three sides with rooms and a verandah, a fine old chinar +tree near the gateway on the fourth side. The principal rooms are high +and larger than usual, but of the usual pattern. I think we got two +companies of the Pioneers and ourselves into this house alone. + +By three o'clock we had settled down, and were getting dry. The Levies +were sent out foraging, and brought in several ponies. As our stores +decreased, and more ponies were brought in, we had spare ponies for +riding, and we were nearly all mounted by the time we reached Chitral. +However, we had not been there ten days before the owners began turning +up, and we were ordered to give them back, much to our disgust. It was +quite a treat to be in camp and settled before dark, and I've no doubt +the coolies were as thankful as we were. The only drawback to our food +was the flour of which the chupatties were made; it was coarse to a +degree, and seemed to consist chiefly of minute speckly pieces of husk, +which used to tickle our throats up in the most unpleasant manner, and +had a nasty habit of choking the swallower, in addition to being highly +indigestible. We used at last to sift the flour through linen, and the +residuum was a surprise and revelation. + +We had intended to march the next morning by 7 A.M., with the intention +of getting to a village called Parpish, but as it was still pelting with +rain, the march was deferred, to give the weather a chance of clearing +up, which it very kindly did about 10 A.M., when we started. The Kashmir +Company was on advance guard that day, so I went with them, two levies +leading, as usual, about a quarter of a mile ahead. We struck up country +for about two miles, till we got to a kotal, or saddle, from whence we +had a splendid view of the surrounding country. During a halt, Colonel +Kelly came up, and I was able to point out to him the different +places--Koragh Defile, where Ross's party had been cut up, Reshun, where +Edwardes and Fowler had held out for a week, and Barnas, a village we +reached the next day. All these places were on the opposite bank of the +river and several thousand feet below us. We had, by taking our present +route, avoided a very difficult and dangerous part of the country, and +no doubt much disgusted the inhabitants, who, on the old route, would +have had all things their own way. + +By two o'clock we had reached the village of Gurka, where we were met by +a deputation, from whom we demanded certain supplies to be brought to +our camp on pain of severe punishment if not complied with, and by 4 +P.M. we got to the hamlet of Lun, and as there was a good camping +ground, good water and firewood, Colonel Kelly decided to halt there. +Here also supplies were demanded, the amount depending a good deal on +the number of houses and the knowledge of the locality possessed by +Humayun. The Lunites paid up smartly enough, as we were too close +neighbours to allow of any hesitation; but the Gurka contribution had +only partly come in the next morning, so that a party of the Levies was +sent back, and the Gurka villagers had the trouble of bringing the loads +along to Barnas, instead of only two miles into Lun, while the headman +was made to carry a box of ammunition all the way to Chitral. + +Before evening the sun came out, and it was very jolly in camp. We had +some nice short turf to lie on, and the night was not too cold for +comfort. There were good places for the pickets, and the camp was +compact and handy. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + + +NEARING CHITRAL + +The next morning, April 17th, we started sharp at 7 A.M. Two prisoners +had been brought in the night before, one of whom had a Snider and +twenty rounds of ammunition, the other a matchlock. They confessed that +they had fought us at Nisa Gol, and stated they were now going home. We +thought differently, and requested them to carry boxes of ammunition; +one of them, the owner of the Snider, objected, on the ground that he +was a mullah, but the objection was overruled as frivolous, and he +accompanied us to Chitral. We always gave the ammunition to doubtful +characters, as they were then under the direct supervision of the guard, +and the loads were also more awkward and heavier than skins of flour. + +We dropped down the hills now to the river bank. I was on rearguard, a +nuisance at the best of times, as any check at the head of the column +acts on the rearguard in increasing ratio to the length of the column, +so a good deal of time is spent in wondering why the dickens they don't +get on in front. That was a particularly bad day for halts: the first +one was caused by the column having to cross the Perpish Gol, a very +similar place to the Nisa Gol, but undefended. About two miles farther +on, the road ran across the face of a cliff, and had been destroyed; it +took some three hours to repair it, and then the baggage could only get +along slowly. + +We had some five unladen donkeys that were kept at the end of the +baggage column in case of need, and, one of them trying to push past +another, they both rolled over the cliff and went down about a hundred +feet on to the road below, which here made a zigzag. The first donkey +who came down landed on his head and broke his silly neck; but the +second donkey had better luck, and landed on the first donkey in a +sitting position. He got up, sniffed contemptuously at his late friend, +and resumed his journey. We rolled the remains of the elect over the +cliff into the river, and also resumed our course. + +During this march and following ones we frequently saw the bodies of men +floating down the river or stranded in shoals. They were probably the +Sikhs killed with Ross, or perhaps some of Edwardes' party. By 4.30 P.M. +the rearguard had crossed the cliff, and, rounding the shoulder of a +spur, descended to a plain, bare of vegetation, with the exception of +the inevitable wormwood. We crossed this for about a mile, and then +struck down to the river, and saw the Pioneers and guns drawn up on the +farther bank, and just moving off. + +The road on the right hand having been again destroyed a few miles +beyond, the direction of the column had been changed, and, a ford having +been found, the troops had waded across, with the intention of camping +that night at the village of Barnas, the rearguard arriving just in time +to see the main body move off towards the village. The Levies had been +left behind to help the baggage across, and rendered invaluable +assistance, saving many a man from drowning. + +I found most of the coolies with their loads still on the right bank of +the river, leisurely proceeding to strip before wading across; the loads +had to be carried on their heads, the water being well above their +waists. Those loads that could be divided were carried over piecemeal, +the coolie returning for the second part after taking the first across. +This idea was all very fine in theory, but we found that most of the +coolies, having made the first trip, sat down on the bank and proceeded +to dress, leaving the remainder of their load to find its way across as +best it could. Luckily Sergeant Reeves was on the farther bank, and I +having also crossed over, we proceeded to drive every coolie back into +the river, until there was not a load left on the opposite bank. + +Rudyard Kipling, in his story of the taking of the Lungtungpen, tells +how, after the scrimmage in the village, "We halted and formed up, and +Liftinant Brazenose blushin' pink in the light of the mornin' sun. 'Twas +the most ondacent parade I iver tuk a hand in--four-and-twenty privates +an' a officer av the line in review ordher, an' not as much as wud dust +a fife between 'em all in the way of clothin'." As I stood on that +bank, with the evening sun lighting up the river, I thought of +"Liftinant Brazenose," and also blushed. True, I was clothed myself, but +instead of twenty-five, I had two hundred coolies in the same condition +as that bashful officer's army. + +It took us some three hours before all those loads were over, during +which we had some exciting moments. Most of the coolies found the stream +too strong to stem alone, and so they crossed in parties of a dozen or +more, holding hands; but now and then a man would try by himself, +generally with the result that half-way across he would get swept off +his feet, and go floating down the stream, vainly endeavouring to regain +his footing. Then there would be a rush of two or three of the levies, +the man would be swung on to his feet, and his load fished for. One man +I thought was bound to be drowned; he had somehow tied his load on to +his head, and, being washed off his feet, his head was kept down below +the water, while his legs remained waving frantically in the air. The +load, being light, floated, and in this manner he was washed down +stream, till two levies reached him, and, swinging him right side up, +brought him spluttering ashore. + +I often noticed, when sending an old man back for the remainder of his +load, that some youngster who had brought his whole load across would +volunteer to bring the remainder of the old man's, and, of course, I was +only too glad to let him. We found the young men easy to manage, and the +old men were let down lightly; it was the middle-aged man, full of +strength and his own importance, who sometimes tried to raise +objections, but it was getting late, and no time for fooling, so we +drove our arguments home with a gun butt, and the man obeyed. The +rearguard crossed in the dark, and by nine o'clock I was able to report +to Colonel Kelly that everybody had arrived in camp, just as dinner was +ready. + +I didn't turn in till late that night, as I was on duty, and had to go +scrambling round the pickets; even at that late hour I saw many men +still cooking, probably preparing food for the next day. + +As our supplies were now reduced to less than three days, our march the +next morning was ordered for 10 A.M., in order to allow foraging +parties to go out at daybreak to scoop in anything they could find. + +In the meantime, I sent some levies forward to the next village to +reconnoitre. + +The foraging parties did not bring in much, but in our case every little +was of importance, and by 10 A.M. we started. Our front in camp had been +protected by a deep nullah; it took some time getting across this. By +the time we cleared the village, we met our returning scouts, who +reported having seen the enemy in the village of Mori, and reported +their strength as some one hundred men on foot, and about twenty +horsemen. So we all cheered up at the chance of a fight. + +The road now dropped down to the river bed, and ran along the foot of +some cliffs three or four hundred feet sheer above the roadway; there +was about a mile of this, and then two miles of narrow path along the +face of steep shale slopes and cliff face high above the river. Any +force once caught in this place could be cut off to a man. The path was +so narrow that in many places the gun ponies could not have turned +round. + +Colonel Kelly, however, was not to be caught in this way, so the +advance guard was ordered to go right through this part of the road till +they reached the maidan on the farther side, to hold that, and send back +word that they had done so, the main body halting in the meantime till a +clear road was announced. Half-way through, the advance guard found the +road broken, but it was soon mended, and the end of the road under the +cliff reached. Here there was a flattish bit of maidan for about fifty +yards before the path ascended, and crossed the face of slope and cliff. +The officer in command of the advance guard, thinking this was the +maidan mentioned in his orders, sent back word that he was through the +defile, and the road clear. Accordingly the main body advanced with a +flanking picket on the cliff above. I was with Colonel Kelly at the head +of the column, when, turning a corner, we came slap on top of the halted +advance guard. There was no time to stop now, and the advance guard was +hurried on to allow the main body to, at least, get clear of the cliffs +and on the slopes. We got at last on to the slopes, but found the road +broken in several places, which delayed the column considerably; +luckily, I knew the Levies were on ahead, but I was glad when we +reached the end of the bad track. + +When we were once more on the move, I went ahead to join the Levies, and +find out about the reported enemy. I found the Levies on the maidan that +our advance guard should have occupied in the first place, and with them +two men who had come out from the village of Mori, now only some two +miles away. + +These men reported that Mahomed Issar had left about 7 A.M. for Khogazi, +taking all his following with him, and that he would defend a position +known as the Goland Gol, just in front of that village. + +I now went ahead with the Levies, and we swept through the village till +we saw clear open country ahead, and satisfied ourselves that there were +none of the enemy left. + +I then ordered the Levies to ransack every nook and cranny for supplies, +and went myself in search of a camping ground. That was not a very +difficult job, and I soon came upon a nice garden and orchard, with big +shady mulberry trees, and a stream flowing down the centre. On one side +was the house that Mahomed Issar had occupied, and belonged to one of +Sher Afzul's leading men. It was a well-built house, and inside we found +some thirty sacks of caraway seeds, the stuff they put in what are +called "wholesome cakes for children." + +The Pioneer native officers told us that each sack was worth at least +one hundred rupees in Peshawur, but we would gladly have exchanged the +whole amount for half the amount of flour. One of the sacks was emptied +out and the men allowed to help themselves; each man took away a handful +or so, as natives are very fond of it for cooking purposes, especially +for curry, a little going a long way. The whole camp smelt of caraway +seed, and not an unpleasant smell either. The house was pulled down for +firewood. Everyone was delighted with the camp, and it was as +picturesque as could be desired. The weather was first-class for +bivouacking, the trees were in full leaf, and gave a delightful shade, +while the ground was covered with a good sound turf. + +Foraging parties were sent out immediately, and the villagers who had +met us promised to go and induce their friends to return. In fact, they +did collect some ten men, each of whom brought a small sack of flour, +and with that and what the foraging parties brought in, we had enough +for ourselves and the coolies for three days, by which time we hoped to +arrive in Chitral. A good deal of the grain brought in consisted of +unhusked rice and millet, what canary birds are fed on in England,--good +enough for the coolies, at any rate, most of them having been used to it +from childhood. We tried to get the village water-mills going, but all +the ironwork had been carried away, and we had no means of quickly +refitting them, so the unthreshed rice and millet seed was issued as it +was, and the men had to grind it as best they could, with stones. We +still had some goats and sheep, and the men used to get a meat ration +whenever there was enough to go round. + +The rearguard was in by 5 P.M. that day, the first time since we had +left Mastuj that it had come in before dark. Things were looking up. + +The bridge at Mori had been burned, but we heard of another some two +miles farther down, which, if destroyed, could be more easily mended, +and as the reputed position taken up by the enemy could be turned from +the right bank of the river, it was determined to repair it. + +Consequently, early the next morning, Oldham and his Sappers, with a +covering party of one company of Pioneers under Bethune, and the Hunza +Levies, started to repair the bridge, and be ready to cross and turn the +enemy's flank, should he be found awaiting us. + +An hour later the main body started over a road leading along a high +cliff. Here and there the enemy had evidently made attempts to destroy +the road, but so ineffectually that the advance guard hardly delayed its +advance for five minutes to repair it, and by 10 A.M. we had reached the +broken bridge, and found Oldham and his party hard at work mending it. + +The great difficulty was want of beams to stretch across from pier to +pier, but attempts were being made to get these from an adjacent village +on the opposite bank of the river. + +The bridge would not be ready for some two hours at earliest, so +Colonel Kelly sent me on to reconnoitre the Goland Gol, which we +expected the enemy to hold. I kicked my pony into a gallop and hurried +forward. + +About a quarter of a mile farther on, I saw one of the road-bearing +beams of the destroyed bridge which had stranded on the opposite bank, +and sent back a note describing where it could be found. + +Another quarter of a mile brought me up to the Punyal Levies, who were +already reconnoitring the spurs where the army were supposed to be; but +after a careful look through my glasses, we came to the conclusion that +there was no enemy, and again advanced. We reached the Goland Gol, which +is a narrow nullah running up into the hills on the left bank of the +river, the sides being impracticable for several miles, and down the +centre of which rushes a mountain torrent, the road to Chitral crossing +this latter, just before it flows into the Yarkhun river, by means of a +bridge. This bridge we found destroyed, but I sent half the Levies +across by fording the stream a hundred yards higher up, and made them +occupy the ridge on the far side, and put the remainder on to repair +the bridge. I also gave my pony and a note to one of the levies, whom I +sent back with a report to Colonel Kelly, who, on receiving it, had work +on the other bridge knocked off, as it was no longer wanted. + +We hunted for the beams of the Goland Gol bridge, which we found jammed +in the stream a short way down, only one out of the four being smashed, +and soon had them back in their places. Then we laid a roadway of boards +from a hut near, and filled up the holes with branches, and had the +bridge ready before the advance guard arrived. I sent back word, and +then crossed the stream and joined the remainder of the Levies on the +farther side. Here I found several sangars which covered the approaches +to the bridge, and soon had them down, and then went on to the village +of Khogazi, which was about a mile ahead. + +We swept through that village in the usual manner from end to end, +finding only one man who turned out to be a Gilgiti; he had been carried +into slavery several years previously, but had married and settled +down. From him we learned that Mohamed Issar, with a following of about +one hundred men, had arrived the day before about noon; shortly after, a +messenger came in from Sher Afzul, telling him to come into Chitral +without delay, and consequently the whole party had set off about 4 P.M. +All the villagers, he said, had fled up the Goland Gol to the higher +hills, but he would try and bring in any he could find. He did not think +the enemy would try and fight again, though there was a place called +Baitali, just before the opening into the Chitral valley, where, if any +opposition was offered, it would be made. The position could be turned +from both flanks, and ponies could go, but it was not a good road. He +professed himself as willing to go and find out if the Baitali Pari was +occupied, so I sent him off. I knew the place as one of the worst bits +in the whole road between Mastuj and Chitral, but I also knew it could +be passed by crossing the river at Khogazi and climbing the hills on the +right hand, and down on to the Chitral river above its junction with the +Yarkhun river. This would be convenient if the Chitral bridge was +destroyed, as it would take us along the right bank, on which stands +the fort; but I knew also of a ford about two miles above the Chitral +bridge, where we could cover our passage, as the ground was level and +open. + + + + +CHAPTER X + + +WE REACH THE GOAL + +I picked out a camping ground even better than we had enjoyed at Mori, +and then shared some chupatties and chocolate with Rajah Akbar Khan. + +The main body came in by two o'clock, and the baggage shortly after. +Foraging parties were sent out, and Oldham sent to report on the bridge +in case we decided to cross. He reported it as practicable, so a guard +was put on it to keep it so. + +Stewart came into camp that day like a bear with a sore head. "Here had +he been hauling his guns over condemned precipices in pursuit of an +invisible enemy. Call this war! it was only a route march. For a +promenade he preferred the Empire Theatre." + +We tried to console him with hopes of a fight before Chitral, but he +declared the Chitralis had grievously disappointed him, and went off to +see about fodder for his ponies. Alas, poor Stewart! he didn't get his +desire. + +As soon as we had settled down in camp, Colonel Kelly told me to try and +find some man who would carry a letter into Chitral, to warn the +garrison of our approach. I got hold of Shah Mirza, and asked him if he +knew anyone who would go. First, we tried the man who had escaped from +Killa Drasan, but he refused; then Shah Mirza volunteered to go himself, +but he was too useful to be spared. Just as we were wondering who we +could get to go, Humayun and Akbar Khan turned up, evidently excited, +and escorting a man who was bearing letters from Chitral. He handed over +a letter addressed to "The officer commanding troops advancing from +Gilgit." Inside was a letter from Surgeon-Major Robertson, saying that +Sher Afzul had fled on the night of the 18th April, and the siege of +Chitral was raised. He enclosed a return of the killed and wounded, +which, he requested, might be forwarded to India. Then we went through +the list, and came across poor Baird's name among the killed. This was +the first we had heard of it, the natives all declaring that it was +Gurdon who had been killed. Among the wounded we came across +Surgeon-Major Robertson severely and Captain Campbell severely. Poor old +General Baj Singh and Major Bicham Singh were killed, and all together +the casualties amounted to one hundred and four killed and wounded out +of three hundred and seventy combatants. So the garrison had evidently +had a lively time of it. Then we set to work and pumped the messenger +dry of all the news he could tell, the details of which are now too well +known for me to relate. The man had a passport from Surgeon-Major +Robertson, sending him to Killa Drasan, so he was allowed to go. We also +found out from him that there was no enemy between us and Chitral, at +which Stewart swore openly. My spy returned on meeting the Chitral +messenger. + +There was no difficulty now in getting a man to go to Chitral, so we +sent off one with a note, saying we should arrive next day by noon, the +20th April. + +The news had spread quickly through camp, and the native officers came +round to hear about it. We sent back a post to Mastuj by some Nagar +Levies who had just brought in a post, and then had a good discussion as +to the causes that led to the raising of the siege. + +I don't know if any of the other officers felt it, but I know, speaking +for myself, that with the departure of any uncertainty about our arrival +in Chitral in time to save the garrison, a good deal of interest also +departed. + +I felt inclined to agree with Stewart, that the enemy had given us a +just cause for complaint by not playing the game. At any rate, they +might have given us a run for our money in front of Chitral, and this +seemed to be the general idea throughout the column, consequently our +opinion of the Chitrali pluck sank considerably. + +We marched at 6 A.M. the next morning punctually, and by noon the +advance guard was in the Chitral valley. A halt was ordered to allow the +main body to form up, as the guns had had a bad time getting through the +Baitali Pari, and had to be unloaded and carried by hand for some +distance. + +After about two miles we came in sight of the Chitral bridge, which had +not been destroyed, and, soon after, of the fort, with the Union Jack +still floating on one of the towers. + +We crossed the bridge, closed up the column on the other side, the +buglers were sent to the front, and we marched on to the fort with as +much swagger as we could put on. + +We found the garrison in front of the main gate, and were very glad to +shake hands again with all our old friends and congratulate them on +their splendid defence. + +We had a short halt, and then moved on, and took up a position covering +the fort, with our front on a nullah and pickets facing south. Our +bivouac was in a nice shady garden, with plenty of good water and wood. + +When the men had settled down in camp, the officers went back to the +fort, where the garrison gave us breakfast, or rather lunch. There was a +great deal to hear and tell, and for the first time we began to realise +what a touch-and-go time the garrison had been having. There was only +one pause in the conversation, and good old Stewart chipped in with +"D'ye think, now, there's any chance of another fight?" + +After tiffin, we went round and saw all the sights of interest, and +generally interviewed the lions. We saw Harley's mine, the gun tower, +the enemy's sangars, the hospital, and we did not forget poor Baird's +grave, which was just outside the main gate. Then we went back to camp, +and most of us took the opportunity to write home. I also took a +photograph when everyone was assembled over the homely cup of tea. The +bottles on the table look like whisky, but they only contain treacle +made by melting down country goor, the extract of sugar-cane. It was our +substitute for butter or jam, luxuries we had not seen for weeks. Whisky +was a dream of the past, and rum a scarcity. In fact, there was no +difference between what we and the sepoys ate, except in the manner of +cooking. + +We went to sleep that night with the blissful consciousness that the +next day was a halt at any rate, and I think we needed the rest. We had +put on our least ragged coats to march in and make as brave a show as +possible, but our kit generally was in a pretty disreputable state, and +there was a good deal of work wanted in the laundry line. Most of us, +also, had misgivings about our boots. I was reduced to choosing between +boots with large holes in the soles or chuplies mended with string; the +boots I kept for show days, as the holes didn't show, and the chuplies +for ordinary work. Most of the other officers were much in the same +plight. + +So ended the march of Colonel Kelly's column to Chitral. Our record, on +the whole, was not bad, though, of course, judging by actual distance, +we had not done much; it was more the difficult nature of the ground and +the altitude at which some of it was done that lent interest to the +march, and I am unfeignedly glad my luck caused me to participate in it. + +The next day the Kashmir troops of the garrison came out and camped with +us, and revelled in the fresh air after the poisonous atmosphere of the +fort. Poor chaps! they were walking skeletons, bloodless, and as quiet +as the ghosts they resembled, most of them reduced to jerseys and +garments of any description, but still plucky and of good heart. They +cheered up wonderfully in a few days with good fresh air and sleep, and +marched from Chitral quite briskly when they left. + +The next day I again went round the fort and got some photos, which +follow. One of the British officers of the garrison beneath the gun +tower, which was set on fire, and during the extinguishing of which +Surgeon-Major Robertson, the British agent, was wounded by a Snider +bullet. There is also the loophole, afterwards made, from which a sentry +inside the tower could fire at anyone within a few feet. Then I got +Harley to show me the site of his sortie, and pretty grisly the place +looked, but unfortunately the photograph I took, showing the mine lying +open like a ditch to the foot of the tower, was a "wrong un." But I +succeeded in getting one showing the mouth of the mine, with the +excavated earth. + +Then I took one of the sangars from the interior, with the little +shelters used by the Pathans when not amusing themselves with rifle +practice. The water tower is just visible through the foliage. + +Then I took a photo of the fort from the corner by the gun tower looking +towards the musjid, which is shown in a photo at the beginning of the +book, but taken in more peaceful times. It shows the bridge in the +distance, which the fire of the Sikhs made too hot for the Chitralis, +who had to cross over the hills in the daytime. + +Then I took Harley and the two native officers of the 14th Sikhs, +Subadar Gurmuskh Singh and Jemadar Atta Singh. Atta Singh put on white +gloves to grace the occasion, but evidently trembled violently during +the exposure. + +I got a shot at Borradaile sitting in a shelter Oldham had run up for +himself; the hawk and spear were looted at Sanoghar, I think. Borradaile +looks very like Diogenes in his tub. I also took some Kafirs who +strolled into camp. We used to buy their daggers, but they got to asking +as much as twenty rupees for a good one after a time. Every Kaffir has a +dagger, some of them very good ones, but roughly finished. + +After we had been some days in Chitral, some of the 3rd Brigade under +General Gatacre arrived, followed by General Low and the headquarter +staff. + +There was a parade of all the troops in Chitral, with the usual tomasha +of salutes and inspection. We were then formed up in a square, and +General Low made a speech, in which he said that the honour of raising +the siege of Chitral belonged to Colonel Kelly's force; whereat we of +that force threw out our chest and patted ourselves on the back. We also +winked the other eye. + +Little Suji-ul-mulk, the Mehter elect, was present at the review with +his following, and personally conducted by the B.A., resplendent in +political uniform, we soldiers being in khaki. The parade was dismissed, +and, headed by the pipes of the general's escort and of the 4th Gurkhas, +we marched back to our camp. + +A few days afterwards, I was ordered back to Gilgit, to take up Baird's +duties, and the Pioneers followed shortly after. + +The Kashmir troops have gone back to Sudin on relief, and the Pioneers +have followed. There are only one or two of us now left in Gilgit who +took part in the march; but, black or white, it is a bond between us +which will, I hope, last our lifetime. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of With Kelly to Chitral +by William George Laurence Beynon + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10603 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..830610c --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #10603 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10603) diff --git a/old/10603-8.txt b/old/10603-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..75a6bc7 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10603-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3375 @@ +Project Gutenberg's With Kelly to Chitral, by William George Laurence Beynon + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: With Kelly to Chitral + +Author: William George Laurence Beynon + +Release Date: January 5, 2004 [EBook #10603] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WITH KELLY TO CHITRAL *** + + + + +Produced by Gail J. Loveman, David Starner, Dave Morgan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + + +[Illustration: Chitral Bridge and Fort.] + + + + +WITH KELLY TO CHITRAL + +By + +LIEUTENANT W.G.L. BEYNON, D.S.O. +1st BATTALLION 3rd GOORKA RIFLES + +STAFF OFFICER TO COLONEL KELLY'S RELIEF FORCE + +1896 + + + + +GILGIT, + +_21st October 1895_ + +MY DEAR MOTHER, + +Before you read this short history of a few brief weeks, I must warn you +that it is no record of exciting adventure or heroic deeds, but simply +an account of the daily life of British officers and Indian troops on a +frontier expedition. + +How we lived and marched, what we ate and drank, our small jokes and +trials, our marches through snow or rain, hot valleys or pleasant +fields, in short, all that contributed to fill the twenty-four hours of +the day is what I have to tell. + +I write it for you, and that it may please you is all I ask.--Your son, + +W.B. + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTORY + +CHAPTER II - THE MARCH BEGINS + +CHAPTER III - THE SHANDUR PASS + +CHAPTER IV - FROM LASPUR TO GASHT + +CHAPTER V - CHOKALWAT + +CHAPTER VI - THE RECONNAISSANCE FROM MASTUJ + +CHAPTER VII - THE FIGHT AT NISA GOL + +CHAPTER VIII - THE MARCH RESUMED THROUGH KILLA DRASAN + +CHAPTER IX - NEARING CHITRAL + +CHAPTER X - WE REACH THE GOAL + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + +_Those marked with a * are from Sketches by the Author_. + +*CHITRAL BRIDGE AND FORT + +NIZAM-UL-MULK, MEHTER OF CHITRAL + +*A "PARI" ON THE ROAD TO GUPIS + +*THE SHANDUR PASS + +*RECONNAISSANCE SKETCH OF THE POSITION AT CHOKALWAT + +*MASTUJ FORT + +LOOKING UP THE NISA GOL NULLAH + +*RECONNAISSANCE SKETCH OF THE POSITION AT NISA GOL + +MAP SHOWING ROUTE OF COLONEL KELLY'S FORCES + + * * * * * + +*** Thanks are due to the Publishers of Mr. Thomson's _The Chitral +Campaign_ for the loan of two blocks illustrating "Chokalwat" and "Nisa +Gol" from Lieut. Beynon's sketches. + + + + +[Illustration: MAP OF NORTH WEST FRONTIER OF INDIA*] + + + + +WITH KELLY TO CHITRAL + + + + +CHAPTER I + + +INTRODUCTORY + +"Would you like to go up to Gilgit?" + +"Rather." + +I was down in the military offices at Simla, hunting for a book and some +maps, when I was asked the above question. No idea of Gilgit had before +entered my head, but with the question came the answer, and I have since +wondered why I never before thought of applying for the billet. + +This was at the end of June 1894, and on the 24th August I was crossing +the Burzil pass into the Gilgit district. As day broke on the 31st +August, I dropped down several thousand feet from Doyen to Ramghat in +the Indus valley, and it suddenly struck me I must have come down too +low, and got into Dante's Inferno. As I passed under the crossbeam of +the suspension bridge, I looked to find the motto, "All hope relinquish, +ye who enter here." It wasn't there, but instead there was a sentry on +the bridge, who, on being questioned, assured me that though there was +not much to choose in the matter of temperature between the two places, +I was still on the surface of the earth. He seemed an authority on the +subject, so I felt happier, and accepted the cup of tea offered me by +the commander of the guard. + +Two hours later I was in Bunji, where I found I was to stay, and two +days after that, an officer on his way down to Kashmir passed through, +and almost the first question he asked me was, why on earth I had come +up to Gilgit. "Gilgit's played out," said he. Well, I had been asked +that question several times on my march up, so I may as well explain +that there are officially two chief causes which send men up to +Gilgit--one is debts, and the other, the Intelligence Branch. These, I +say, are the official reasons, but the real reason is the chance of a +"frontier row." In Simla they call them military expeditions. This +accounts for the last part of that young officer's speech. There seemed +no chance of a row to him, so he was going to other fields, and wondered +at my coming up. At first, the result seemed to bear him out, as within +two months he was on the war-path in Waziristan, while I was still +kicking my heels at Bunji; but luck changed later, and I laughed last. + +Well, to continue, my official reason for coming to Gilgit being the +Intelligence Branch, I was ordered up to Chitral early in November for +some survey work, and thus obtained the knowledge of the route and +country that was to stand me in such good stead later on. I finished my +work in Chitral in ten days, starting back for Gilgit on the 1st +December, arriving there on the 19th. I spent Christmas in Gilgit, and +started on the 2nd January 1895 for Hunza, where I expected to remain +for the rest of the winter. + +News of the murder of Nizam-ul-mulk, Mehter of Chitral, reached Gilgit +on the 7th January, and Dr. Robertson, Political Agent at Gilgit, at +once made preparations for a visit to Chitral. + +Captain Townshend, who was at Gupis with Gough of the 2nd Gurkhas, +received orders to march with two hundred and fifty rifles of the 4th +Kashmir Infantry. The first detachment started under Gough, the second +following under Townshend The British Agent, Captain Campbell, and +Surgeon Captain Whitchurch, joined the second party at Ghizr, and they +all crossed the pass together. At Mastuj they picked up the remainder of +the 14th Sikhs, under Harley, who had not gone down to Gurdon at +Chitral, and then started for Chitral, arriving there on the 31st +January. Lieutenant Moberly went from Gilgit with a detachment of the +4th Kashmir Infantry and took command of Mastuj. Gough returning to +Ghizr, Baird took over command of Gupis, which was garrisoned by the 6th +Kashmir Infantry, and I was brought down from Hunza to take over Baird's +billet as staff officer. Shortly after, Fowler, R.E., was ordered to +Chitral with his Bengal Sappers, and Edwardes, 2nd Bombay Infantry, to +the same place, to take command of the Hunza Nagar Levies, which were +now called out. Baird was next ordered up to Chitral and relieved by +Stewart, R.A. On 21st February, Ross and Jones and the detachment of +14th Sikhs left Gilgit _en route_ for Mastuj. The Hunza and Nagar Levies +came in to Gilgit on the 7th March. I issued Snider carbines and twenty +rounds ammunition to each man, and they left the next day. These Levies +were splendid men, hardy, thick-set mountaineers, incapable of fatigue; +and, as a distinguishing badge, each man was provided with a strip of +red cloth which they wore in their caps, but which, we afterwards found +by practical experience at Nisa Gol, was inadequate. + +[Illustration: Nizam-ul-Mulk, Mehter of Chitral.] + +As news from Chitral had ceased for some days, Captain Stewart, +Assistant British Agent in Gilgit, determined to call up the 32nd +Pioneers, who were working on the Chilas road, so as to be ready for an +advance in case any forward movement was necessary. In consequence of +this order, Colonel Kelly marched into Gilgit on the 20th March with two +hundred men, Borradaile following on the 22nd with a like party. + +On the 21st we heard from Mastuj that Ross's party of 14th Sikhs had +been cut up, Ross himself and some forty-six Sepoys being killed, Jones +and fourteen men alone managing to cut their way back; he and nine of +the survivors being wounded. There was no news of Edwardes and Fowler. +This news upset the apple-cart, and telegrams began to fly around, with +the result that Colonel Kelly was put in command of the troops in the +Gilgit district, with full civil powers on his line of operations. This +telegram arrived on the evening of the 22nd. The day before, Colonel +Kelly had offered me the position of staff officer to the force, and I +naturally jumped at the chance. Dew of the Guides, who was on the +sick-list, was sufficiently well to take over my work, so there was no +difficulty on that score; and as I had long had my kit ready for any +emergency, I merely bundled my remaining possessions into boxes, which I +locked up and left to look after themselves till my return. + +Here I may as well describe what the force consisted of. First, there +were four hundred men of the 32nd Pioneers, commanded by Borradaile, +Colonel Kelly having taken command of the column. Bar these two, we were +all subalterns. Peterson was the senior, and commanded the second +detachment, as we were marching to Ghizr in two parties. Then there was +Bethune the adjutant, and Cobbe, and Browning-Smith the doctor--these +were all 32nd Pioneers. Captain de Vismes, 10th Bombay Infantry, came +along with us as far as Gupis, where he relieved Stewart, R.A., who, of +course, was in command of the two guns of No. 1 Kashmir Mountain +Battery. Stewart is an Irishman and the most bloodthirsty individual I +have come across. He used to complain bitterly because the Chitralis +wouldn't give us a fight every day. Then there was Luard, the Agency +Surgeon; we used to chaff him considerably during the march to Gupis, as +he turned up in a Norfolk jacket and a celluloid collar. I think he had +sent his kit on to Gupis; at any rate, after that place he dressed in +Khaki uniform like the rest of us. These were all who started from +Gilgit, so I'll introduce the others as we pick them up. + + + + +CHAPTER II + + +THE MARCH BEGINS + +Colonel Kelly assumed command on the 22nd March, and the next morning +the first detachment of two hundred Pioneers, under Borradaile, marched +off. The local Bible, commonly known as the Gazetteer, states that it +never rains in Gilgit; this being so, it naturally started to rain on +the morning of the 23rd, and kept it up for two days. We were marching +without tents, so the first night the men had to run up their waterproof +sheets into shelters. + +Colonel Kelly, Luard, and myself started about 2 P.M. to catch up the +troops, who had started about 9 A.M. Luard had a beast of a pulling +pony, and as his double bridle hadn't got a curb chain, it was about as +much use as a headache, so I suggested he should let the pony rip, and +promised to bury his remains if he came a cropper. He took my advice and +ripped; you couldn't see his pony's heels for dust as he disappeared +across the plain. We found him all right in camp when we got there. + +The men were already in camp, and pretty comfortable, in spite of the +rain. Colonel Kelly had a small tent, and the rest of us turned into +convenient cow-sheds. We were not troubled with much baggage, bedding, +greatcoats, and a change of clothing; the men had poshteens (sheepskin +coats), and everybody pleased themselves in the matter of boots, most of +us preferring chuplies--a native kind of sandal with a leather sock, a +very good article in snow, as you can put on any number of socks without +stopping the circulation of blood in your feet. Officers and men were +all provided with goggles, and very necessary they were. + +We had a very jolly mess. The force being so small, the 32nd Pioneers +kindly asked the remaining officers to mess with them, every man of +course providing his own plate, knife, fork, and spoon, the cooking pots +being collected for the general good. We had breakfast before starting, +the hour for marching being 7 A.M. as a rule. The Pioneers had some +most excellent bacon; good eggs and bacon will carry a man through a +long day most successfully. I remember that when that bacon gave out, +there was more mourning than over all the first-born of Egypt. Mutton we +never ran out of; like the poor, it was always with us. + +We got into camp as a rule some time in the afternoon, and then indulged +in tea and chupatties; whisky was precious, and kept for dinner, which +took place at dusk. Sometimes, when we got into camp late, dinner and +tea were merged into one; however, it made no odds, we were always ready +to eat when anything eatable came along. The mess provided some camp +tables, and most of us managed to bring a camp stool, so we were in the +height of luxury. After dinner a pipe or two, and then we turned in; we +generally managed to get some grass to put under our blankets, but if we +didn't, I don't think it made much difference; we were all young, and +used to sleeping out on the hillside after game, frequently above the +snow line, so it was no new experience. If it rained or was cold, we +generally managed to get into a hut; these are remarkably strongly +built, good stone walls, and thick, flat, wooden roofs with a mud +covering, a hole in the middle of the floor for the fire, and a hole in +the roof for the smoke--at least that was what we supposed was the idea, +but the smoke generally preferred to remain inside. + +There were also other discomforts of a minor nature. For instance, the +cows and goats used to take it as a personal matter if you objected to +their sharing the room with you; they were big enough, however, to catch +and turn out, but there were other occupants of a more agile nature, +armies of them, whom it was hopeless to try and eject; we suffered so +much from their pleasing attentions that we generally preferred to sleep +outside, weather permitting. + +Our second march was to a village called Suigal in the Punyal district, +governed by Raja Akbar Khan, a jolly old chap who came out to meet us on +the road; he lives in a castle on the left bank of the river, which is +here crossed by one of the highest and longest rope bridges in the +country. In spite of his size, he is a very good polo player, as are all +his family, some of whom were shut up in the Chitral Fort with Dr. +Robertson. He now offered his services and those of his people to +Government, which Colonel Kelly accepted, and the old man retired very +pleased, to rejoin us later on. At Suigal we managed to get all the +troops under shelter, as it was still raining, and it was now the second +day that they had been wet through. + +The next day the rain had luckily stopped, and towards noon the sun came +out, and everybody's dampened spirits cheered up. We marched that day to +Hoopar Pari, making a double march instead of halting at Gurkuch. Pari +means a cliff--and the camping ground is a horrid little place shut in +by high cliffs close to the bed of the river. There is no village near. +It is a desolate place at the best of times, and when there is any wind +blowing, it is like camping in a draught-pipe. + +From Hoopar Pari we marched to Gupis. Gupis is a fort built by the +Kashmir troops last year, on the most scientific principle, the only +drawback being that it is commanded on all sides, and would be perfectly +untenable if attacked by three men and a boy armed with accurate +long-range rifles. Here we picked up Stewart, who was turning catherine +wheels at the thought of taking his beloved guns into action. He +expressed a desire to try a few shells on the neighbouring villages, to +practise his men in ranging; but as there were objections to this plan, +the idea was allowed to drop. At Gupis we made a raid on the stores in +the officers' quarters and pretty well cleared them out. De Vismes, who +took command, had to get a fresh supply up from Gilgit. + +[Illustration: A "Pari" on the road to Gupis.] + +We had a merry dinner that night, provided, I think, by Stewart, who +used to get up at intervals and dance a jig at the idea of seeing his +guns the next morning--they were coming on with the second detachment +under Peterson. From Gupis I sent my pony back to Gilgit, as it was +useless taking it any farther, as we doubted being able to take animals +over the pass, which eventually proved to be impossible. From Gupis +onwards we had to be content with the usual hill track of these +countries, good enough for a country pony, but still nothing to be proud +of; here we discarded our Government mules, and took coolie transport +instead. The march from Gupis to Dahimal is a long, trying one, up and +down all the way. Cobbe, who was on rearguard, didn't get in till long +after dark. + +The village of Dahimal lies on the opposite bank of the river, so we did +not cross, but bivouacked on the right bank, where there was some scrub +jungle that provided us with wood. The Pioneers had brought four ducks; +they were carried in a basket along with the mess-stores. +Browning-Smith, who ran the messing, got quite pally with these ducks, +and as soon as they were let out of their basket, he used to call them, +and off they would waddle after him in search of a convenient puddle. I +forget when those ducks were eaten, but I don't remember them at Ghizr, +and am sure they didn't cross the pass. + +Our next march was a short one to Pingal, only about nine miles. Here we +were met by Mihrbhan Shah, the Hakim or governor of the upper part of +the valley. Mihrbhan Shah is a bit of an authority in the murder line, +having been employed by the late lamented Nizam-ul-mulk as chief +murderer. Mihrbhan Shah is particularly proud of one of his little jobs, +which he flatters himself he accomplished in a very neat and artistic +manner. I forget the details, but it resulted in the death of five men. +I asked him in to afternoon tea, Shah Mirza acting as interpreter. We +had a long chat, from which I gained some very useful details about the +state of the parties in Chitral, who was likely to help, and who wasn't, +also a description of the road to Killa Drasan, which I did not know. +This latter information seemed so important that I reported it that +night to Colonel Kelly, and it was then and there decided to march _viâ_ +Killa Drasan instead of by the usual road through Buni. + +I don't, think I have mentioned Shah Mirza before, so I will introduce +him now, as he was one of our most useful allies, and is now one of my +greatest friends. He belongs to the Punyal family, and is Wazir or +governor of Sai and Gor. He lives at Damot, a village in the Sai valley, +opposite Bunji, and it was during my stay there that I first got to know +him. He has an interesting history, and, among other adventures, has +travelled through the Pamirs and Chitral in disguise. He was our chief +interpreter, and he, or one of his followers, of whom he had five, +always kept near us. His followers were enlisted Levies, and one of them +had formerly been my shikaree; in fact, he only left me as he was +called out as a levy. + +It is the custom of the country for the headmen of districts to come and +pay their respects to any Sahib who may travel through their country, +and the proper etiquette is to supply your visitors with tea and +sweetmeats--biscuits will do just as well, and they like plenty of +sugar. They then pay you the most barefaced compliments, and make the +startling assertion that you are their father and mother; upon which you +reply that all you have is at their disposal. If they have any +petition,--and they generally have,--they insinuate it gently in the +general conversation, so you have to be looking out for traps of this +sort. When you have suffered sufficient evil for the day, you mildly +suggest that they are probably fatigued, and would like to rest. They +take the hint, and the remainder of the biscuits, and depart. We used to +have lots of these visits, which went by the name of "political teas." + +Mihrbhan Shah proved very useful to us, I fancy he knew he would get +small mercy if he fell into the hands of the opposition, and therefore +did all he could to place our force between them and himself. Both at +Pingal and our next halting place, Cheshi, he managed to billet all our +small force in the villages, and no doubt our men were very thankful as +we were getting pretty high up, and the nights were decidedly cold. +Although it was a friendly district, we had regular pickets and +sentries, and a British officer on duty to see everything was correct. + + + + +CHAPTER III + + +THE SHANDUR PASS + +Shortly after leaving Pingal, the character of the country changed +considerably, and instead of a continual alternation of cliff and river +bed, the valley became more open and level; we were, in fact, nearing +the upper end of the valley. Beyond Cheshi the road leads up a bluff and +down the other side on to the bed of the Pandur Lake. This lake had, at +the beginning of 1894, been a sheet of water some four and a half miles +long, but, the dam at its end having given way in July, it had drained +off rapidly; and when I had crossed it in November of the same year, the +mud of its bed was only just becoming firm and was cracked and fissured +in every direction. It was now covered with a sheet of snow, through +which the river twined dark and muddy. + +We had now reached the snow line, and our green goggles were taken into +use. The march of our column churned the snow and mud into a greasy +slime, and the going was very tiring. However, we came in sight of the +Ghizr post by 2 P.M., and Gough, of the 2nd Gurkhas, who was in command, +came out to meet us. From him we learned that none of his messengers +that had been sent to Mastuj with letters had returned, and it was now +some ten days since the last communication had reached him; so it became +evident that the enemy were between Laspur and Mastuj. We knew that they +had not crossed the pass, or we should have seen them before this, so we +were pretty hopeful of a fight soon after crossing the pass, and we were +not disappointed. At Ghizr we also found Oldham, a Sapper subaltern, who +had preceded us by a few days. He had with him a party of Kashmir +Sappers and Miners, who were now armed with Snider carbines. The post, +which consisted of a block of isolated houses, had been fortified and +surrounded with a thorn zareba, and was only sufficiently large for the +garrison of Kashmir troops then holding it, so our men were billeted in +the neighbouring houses, one of which we turned into a mess and quarters +for ourselves. + +We halted on the 30th March, in order to allow the second detachment of +the Pioneers and the guns to come up, as from here Colonel Kelly +intended to march in one column. Here also we picked up the Hunza and +Nagar Levies, numbering a hundred men, under their own leaders. They +were posted in the village of Teru, some four miles up the valley, and +from there could give timely warning if any hostile force crossed the +pass. Wazir Humayun led the Hunza crowd, and Wazir Taifu the Nagar. I +got to know Humayun very well indeed, and a right good sort he is. He +had formerly lived for some five years in Chitral, when Raja Safdar Ali +Khan of Hunza had made things too hot for him, but when Safdar Ali fled +when we took the country in 1891-92, he was reinstated. Wazir Taifu I +did not get to know so well, as the Nagar Levies were left behind at +Mastuj, when we went on from there to Chitral. The second detachment +under Peterson, and the guns with Stewart, got into camp some time +after midday on the 31st March. + +In the meantime, every available coolie and pony had been collected, and +we calculated on being able to start the next morning, with ten days' +rations for the whole force. By 6 A.M. on the 1st April the troops had +fallen in and were ready to start, and a nice handy little lot we had. +Four hundred Pioneers, two mountain guns, forty Kashmir Sappers and a +hundred Levies. Then the coolies were told to load up, and the trouble +began. It now appeared that some hundred coolies and ponies from Yasin +had bolted during the night. We had put too much faith in Mihrbhan +Shah's influence, and all those villagers who were not directly under +his government had gone. Those hundred coolies meant the transport of +our supplies, and without them we should only have the food actually +carried in the men's haversacks. We had cut down our baggage to the +vanishing point, and the men were carrying all they could, and we did +not dare leave our reserve ammunition behind. + +The column had just moved off when this state of things became known and +was reported to me. Colonel Kelly was at the head of the column, so I +snatched the nearest pony, tumbled its load on to the ground, and went +scrambling through the snow after the troops. Of course there was +nothing to be done except halt the column until the coolies could be +collared and brought back, so Stewart, who had a battery pony with him, +was sent off down the road after the absconding coolies. They must have +started the evening before, as he only caught a few of them up fifteen +miles back, and had great difficulty in bringing them along with him. We +met him as we were returning to Ghizr at seven o'clock that evening. +Stewart had scarcely gone ten minutes before some fifty coolies were +found hiding in a village; they were soon driven out and made to lift +their loads. This gave us some six days' rations, and with it we moved +off, our great object being to get across the pass and open +communications with Mastuj. After that we could see about getting on to +Chitral. Our transport consisted of country ponies and coolies, and I +remained behind to see the last off and rearguard moving before I +started myself. + +About two miles from Ghizr post there was a steep ascent where the road +twisted and curled among a mass of débris fallen from the cliffs above, +and in one place the ponies had to be helped through a narrow passage +between two fallen boulders. About midday I caught up the tail of the +troops, who were already past the village of Teru, the highest inhabited +spot in the valley; there are only a few houses, and these are scattered +about in clumps a few hundred yards apart. Passing on, I caught up the +battery, and reached the leading infantry, when suddenly the word to +halt was passed down the long line. + +We were now on a narrow plain, and the snow on either hand of the track +which the troops were following in single file was over my waist, as I +soon found whenever I left the path in order to reach more quickly the +head of the column. On arriving there, I found the track had suddenly +ended, and before us was the level expanse of snow-covered valley. +Attempts were being made to get the gun mules of the battery through +this, but at every step they sank up to their girths, even then not +finding firm foothold. Trials were then made of the ground at the sides +of the valley, but the snow was found equally deep and soft there; and +after spending an hour or so in futile attempts to get forward, it +became evident to all that no animal could possibly pass over the +snowfield in its present condition. We had only gone some eight miles +out of the thirteen to Langar, and it was already three o'clock. There +was nothing, therefore, for it but to return, and the word to retire was +reluctantly passed along the line, and each man, turning where he stood, +moved slowly back towards Ghizr. + +But though laden or unladen animals could not cross the pass, we saw no +reason to suppose that men could not, and therefore, at Teru, which we +reached by four o'clock, a halt was made, and two hundred Pioneers, with +Borradaile and Cobbe, and the Sappers under Oldham, were detailed to +remain there with the Hunza Levies, and to try and force their way +across the pass the next day. Borradaile was to receive all the coolie +transport, which he was to send back as soon as he got across the pass, +in order that we might follow with the remainder of the troops. His +orders were to entrench himself at Laspur, which was the first village +across the pass, and if possible open communications with Mastuj. + +The guns were immediately sent back to Ghizr, and we set to work to +sort out the kits of Borradaile's party from the remainder. The +unavoidable confusion at first was something dreadful. First of all, the +kits had to be unloaded, then those of Borradaile's party separated and +put on one side; the remaining kits were then loaded on the ponies and +sent off, as fast as the ponies could be loaded up, back to Ghizr. The +ammunition had to be divided, and as much as possible given over in the +way of supplies. All this time we had to have a ring of sentries round +to stop the coolies from bolting, but as soon as we had got the ponies +off, the coolies were collected, and sat down in the snow under a guard. +Borradaile's party were then told off into the different houses, and the +coolies likewise, still under guard, the ammunition and supplies +stacked, and the job was done. + +By this time it was about seven o'clock, getting dark, and also +beginning to snow. All of us, officers and men, were covered with slush +and mud from head to foot, and dripping wet. Smith, who was going with +Borradaile's party, had, however, managed to get a fire going in one of +the houses, and had got some tea ready, bless him! We had a cup all +round, and wished Borradaile and his party good luck. The remainder of +us plunged out into the darkness and snow and splashed back to Ghizr. +The men, who had started some time before us, were comfortably in their +former quarters when we reached Ghizr. + +On the way we met Stewart, who had just returned from his coolie hunt, +and was seated on a rock, like Rachel mourning for her children, only in +his case he was murmuring, not because the guns were not, but because +they were back in Ghizr. "His guns were going over that pass even if he +had to carry them himself, you may bet your boots on that! and begad, +I'll set the gunners to cut a road; and d'ye think now the snow would +bear the mules at night when it was frozen at all?" + +We got back to the huts we had left in the morning by 8.30 P.M., and +there was a general demand for something hot. Our servants, luckily, had +been sent back straight, so it was not long before we had something to +eat; that was our first meal since 5.30 A.M., and it was now about 9 +P.M. We had marched some sixteen miles through snow, and been on foot +for some fifteen hours, and here we were back in the same place we had +started from. Since midday we had been pretty well wet through, and the +wind and cold had peeled the skin off our faces till it hung in flakes; +still we were lucky in having a roof over our heads, as it had now +started to snow in earnest. After dinner we weren't long before turning +in. + +We were up early the next morning, but Stewart and Gough were up still +earlier, and were making sledges and trying experiments with loads. They +came in flushed with success, swearing that they had dragged the whole +ammunition of the guns by themselves across half a mile of snow, and +that they would have the guns over the pass in no time. Unluckily, the +snow was still falling, and as Borradaile had all the available coolie +transport, we were forced to wait till he could send it back. By noon he +sent in a letter by one of the levies, saying he had been unable to +start, as heavy snow was still falling, but would try the next day. + +Shah Mirza now came up to me and said that there was a mullah in the +village who had an infallible charm for stopping the snow, and a present +of a few rupees would no doubt set it in motion. I promptly inquired +how it was the mullah was not carrying a load, but was told he was too +old to help in that way, but would be only too delighted to overcome the +elements; so I gave the Mirza to understand that if the mullah would +stop the snow-storm the Sirkar would make him, the mullah, a great man; +in the meantime, I would give him a couple of rupees on account. Shah +Mirza went off joyfully, evidently having implicit faith in the mullah. + +Shortly after this, Gough came up, saying that the Kashmir troops in the +post had volunteered to make a road through the snow, and if he could +take fifty of them with four days' rations to Teru, a sufficient track +might be made to Langar, our next camping ground, just this side of the +pass, to enable the guns to be carried there without much difficulty. +Colonel Kelly's permission having been obtained, we set about collecting +all the shovels and spades we could find in the village. Among others I +got hold of the mullah's, who became very indignant; but I pointed out +to him that as his prayers seemed to have no effect on the snow, perhaps +his shovel would make up for their deficiencies. We managed, by +instituting a house-to-house visitation, to collect some twenty spades +of sorts, and with those supplied by the troops, we got altogether some +forty, which were handed over to Gough. He and Stewart and fifty Kashmir +Sepoys started off that day to Teru, taking with them half a dozen +sledges that had been made out of ghi boxes. + +Later in the day we had to send out foraging parties for wood and bhoosa +(chopped straw) as the commissariat reported their supply as running +out; in fact, these parties had to go out every day during our stay in +Ghizr. + +Early the next morning I got a note from Stewart, asking that the +battery might be sent up to Teru, as there was enough fodder there for +the mules, and experiments could be made for getting the guns along. I +got the battery off sharp, but it was nearly noon before they got to +Teru. The snow had ceased falling, and, the clouds clearing off, the sun +made a blinding glare off the freshly fallen snow. + +After breakfast I started off for Teru myself, to see how Borradaile was +getting along, and, finding he had started, I left my borrowed pony at +the village, and, pushing on, caught up the rearguard a short way +beyond where we had been forced to turn back on the 1st April. Here I +found Stewart, Gough, and Oldham with the fifty Kashmir troops, two +Sappers and Miners, and rearguard of the Pioneers, staggering along +under the guns and ammunition in a track that had been beaten out by the +troops marching in front. For some reason or other the sledges did not +seem to act, partly, I think, because the track, being made by men +marching in single file, was too narrow and uneven; at anyrate, when I +arrived, the guns, wheels, carriages, and ammunition had been told off +to different squads, about four men carrying the load at a time, and +being relieved by a fresh lot every fifty yards or so. Even thus the +rate of progression was fearfully slow, about one mile an hour, and the +men were continually sinking up to their waists in snow. Added to this, +there was a bitter wind, and a blinding glare, while the men were +streaming with perspiration. + +I know my own face felt as if it had been dipped in boiling water, and +during the next few days the whole skin came off in flakes. + +I may as well here describe the tribulations of the advanced party, +prefacing my remarks by saying that they are founded on reports and +hearsay, and therefore I beg any slight inaccuracy may be forgiven me. +When I turned back to return to Ghizr, the party carrying the guns were +just arriving at a stream called the Shamalkhand, which flows from a +high pass of the same name, which is often used as a summer route to +Mastuj, but at that time of year is impassable. From this stream to +Langar, the camping ground on the eastern side of the Shandur Pass, is +some four miles, the valley being open and fairly level, but covered +with thick dwarf willow on the banks of the stream flowing down the +centre which confines the road to the western side of the valley. The +main body of the party I could see about one and a half miles ahead; +they had already crossed the stream. That was about 4 P.M., and the +rearguard did not get into camp till 11 P.M., and even then the guns had +to be left about a mile from camp. + +At Langar there is only one little wretched hut about six feet square, +which was used as a shelter by the officers and one or two sick men, the +remainder huddling round fires in the snow. Luckily, as I have already +said, there was a plentiful supply of wood to be had for the cutting. +Many of the men, I hear, were too tired to cook their food, but simply +lay down exhausted near the fires, the officers getting something to eat +about midnight. Very little sleep was there for either officers or men +that night, most of them passed it huddled up round the fires, or +stamping up and down to keep warm. + +Early the next morning the Pioneers and Levies started to cross the +pass, while the remainder brought the guns into camp, which work, I +believe, took the best part of the day. + +On leaving the camping ground, the track leads sharply to the right, +following the course of the Shandur stream, which is now merely a +rushing brook. The ascent is fairly precipitous for about a mile, and is +followed by a very gradual ascent,--so gradual, in fact, that it is +difficult to say when the top of the pass is actually reached. This +slope constitutes the pass, and is some five miles long, and twelve +thousand three hundred and twenty feet above the sea; absolutely bare of +trees, and with two fair-sized lakes upon its surface, it is easy to +imagine the deadly cold winds that sweep across it. The lakes were +now frozen over, and the valley was one even sheet of spotless snow +lying dazzling under the sun. It is this combination of sun and snow +which causes so much discomfort and snow blindness; I had before crossed +this same pass in December on a cloudy day, and although the whole of it +was covered with freshly fallen snow, I did not even find it necessary +to wear the goggles I had in my pocket ready for use. + +[Illustration: The Shandur Pass.] + +The distance from Langar on the east to the village of Laspur on the +west of the pass is not more than ten miles, yet Borradaile's party, +leaving Langar at daybreak, did not reach Laspur till seven o'clock at +night. + +Strange as it may seem, the men suffered greatly from thirst, and from +some mistaken idea of becoming violently ill if they did so, they +refused to eat the snow through which they were floundering. Towards +evening, as they reached the western end of the pass, three men, +evidently an outpost of the enemy, were seen to bolt from behind some +rocks and make good their escape, in spite of an attempt by the Levies +to catch them. + +The descent from the pass to the village of Laspur is some two miles +long, and down a steep and rather narrow ravine. The Hunza Levies +covered the spurs on each side, while the Pioneers descended down the +centre. So sudden and unexpected was their arrival that the inhabitants +were caught in the village, and naturally expressed their extreme +delight at this unexpected visit--so polite of them, wasn't it? They +also said that they would be glad to help us in any way we desired. They +were taken at their word, and sent back next day to bring on the guns, +while that night they were politely requested to clear out of some of +their houses, which were quickly put into a state of defence and +occupied by our troops. Supplies were also required of the village. + +The next day was spent by the detachment in completing the defences, and +collecting supplies and coolies. Towards evening a report was brought in +that the enemy had collected to the number of about a hundred some three +miles away. So Borradaile took out some of the men to reconnoitre. Some +men were seen in the distance, but these the Levies declared to be only +villagers, and as it was getting dusk, the party returned to camp, only +then learning that a levy had been taken prisoner. The man had gone some +distance ahead of his fellows, and had been captured by two men who +jumped out on him from behind a rock. That evening the guns were brought +in by the Kashmir troops and the coolies, amid cheers from the Pioneers. + +Nothing, I think, can be said too highly in praise of this splendid +achievement. Here were some two hundred and fifty men, Hindus and +Mussulmans, who, working shoulder to shoulder, had brought two mountain +guns, with their carriages and supply of ammunition, across some twenty +miles of deep, soft snow, across a pass some twelve thousand three +hundred and twenty feet high, at the beginning of April, the worst time +of the year. It must also be remembered that these men were carrying +also their own rifles, greatcoats, and eighty rounds of ammunition, and +wearing heavy sheepskin coats; they had slept for two nights in the +snow, and struggled from dawn till dark, sinking at every step up to +their waists, and suffering acutely from a blinding glare and a bitter +wind. So much for the rank and file; but in their officers they had had +splendid examples to follow, especially Stewart and Gough, if one may +select when all did so nobly. Both these officers took their turns with +the men, Stewart with his gunners, and Gough with his Gurkhas, in +carrying the guns, and both, with utter unselfishness and with complete +disregard for their own personal comfort, gave their snow glasses to +sepoys who, not having any, were suffering from the glare experienced on +the first day. It is by these small acts that officers can endear +themselves to their men, who, knowing that their officers have their +welfare at heart, will follow wherever they may lead. + +Thus was the Shandur Pass first crossed, and a position established from +whence the force could work down to Mastuj and thence to Chitral. + +I may here mention that so little did the Chitralis imagine that we +could cross the pass, that letters were found in Laspur stating that the +British force was lying in Ghizr, the men unable to move from frostbite, +and the officers from snow blindness; also that since then fresh snow +had fallen, and no forces would now be able to cross for several weeks. +In fact, the Chitralis looked upon the game as entirely in their own +hands; the surprise of our arrival was therefore all the more complete. + +Having brought the guns and Borradaile's party safely across the pass, I +return and relate Colonel Kelly's and my own experiences. + +After leaving the guns being dragged through the snow to Langar on the +3rd April, I walked back to Teru. On the way I saw the mullah's shovel +sticking up in the snow, with one half of the blade snapped off. Alas, +poor mullah! At Teru I found the battery mules and drivers; these were +ordered back to Ghizr, as they could be more easily fed there, and would +be protected by the garrison of the post. I eventually got back to Ghizr +before dark and reported events, and, just my luck, got a bad go of +fever the next day. Great Scott! I did feel a worm! I was shivering with +ague and my face was like a furnace. I hadn't a bit of skin on it +either, and it was painful to eat or laugh from the cracked state of my +lips. I managed to struggle through some necessary official letters, but +as a staff officer that day I was not much use. + +Colonel Kelly determined to start himself the next morning, with the +Nagar Levies and Shah Mirza, as we had managed to collect half a dozen +coolies to carry our kits. I went with Colonel Kelly, the remainder of +the Pioneers coming on as soon as the coolies from Borradaile's party +arrived; we were expecting them the next day, the 5th April. + +I turned in early that night, after having covered my raw face with some +Vinolia powder that Colonel Kelly happened to have. I had not before +known that these powders were supposed to be of any use. I had a vague +sort of idea that they were used for sprinkling babies, but was unaware +of the reason of this strange rite; however, I will now give the Vinolia +Company what I believe is called an unsolicited testimonial. I stuck to +that powder till I got to Mastuj, by which time my face had become human +again. Colonel Kelly had a beard, so he didn't suffer so much. The next +morning I felt much better, had no fever, and, thanks to the Vinolia, my +face was much less painful. + +We got the Levies and our kits off early, and about noon Colonel Kelly +and I started on some borrowed ponies, which we rode as far as we could +and then sent back. Having caught up the Levies, we tramped forward +along the track made by the first column, occasionally finding deserted +sledges and bits of broken spades. The snow was now somewhat firmer than +when the first party had crossed, owing to the top of the snow thawing +slightly in the sun every day and being frozen hard again every night; +all the same, the slightest divergence from the track plunged us up to +our waists in snow. + +The only one of our party who could walk on the snow without difficulty +was my bull-terrier "Bill," a spotted dog of doubtful ancestry. He had +been given to me as a bull-terrier when he was only a little white rat +of a thing, and I had raised him at Bunji on tinned milk. He was a most +uncanny dog (the joke is unintentional), and it was commonly believed in +the force that his father was a tom cat. Poor Bill! Before he got to +Laspur he was so snow blind that until we got to Mastuj I had to open +his eyes for him every morning and bathe them with hot water before he +could see, and he was hardly well again a month later. + +We got into camp that night before dusk, pretty well fagged and wet, and +as soon as the coolies came in with our kits, we scraped a hole in the +snow and pitched the colonel's small tent. In camp we found a few men +who had been placed in charge of some ammunition that had been left +behind for want of transport. This guard were mostly suffering a bit +from snow blindness, but were otherwise all right, as they had run up +shelters and had plenty of wood and their bedding. When I got at my kit, +I took out a bottle of quinine and dosed our servants and orderlies all +round, so that they should not have any excuse for getting fever, and +then took some myself for the same reason. We then laid out our bedding +in the tent, while the servants went into the hut, and turned in +immediately after dinner, and had a very comfortable night. + +We were up before dawn the next morning, and, as we had slept in our +clothes, it was not long before we had had breakfast and struck camp. By +6 A.M. we were climbing the ascent to the pass. There was a wind +whistling straight in our faces, and I had no idea anything could be so +cold; it simply went clean through you, and I quite expected to hear my +ribs sing like an Aeolian harp. When we got on to the pass, the sun rose +and the wind dropped quite suddenly, and presently we had taken off our +greatcoats on account of the heat. After going about an hour, I began to +suffer from mountain sickness, a curious and distinctly unpleasant +sensation, very much like having a rope tied tightly round one's chest +and back, and the shortness of breath necessitating a halt every hundred +yards or so. Colonel Kelly did not suffer from it at all, but trudged +along without a halt the whole way. That is the only time I have ever +suffered from mountain sickness, and I have crossed the Shandur both +before and since, as also other passes, without feeling any +inconvenience. + +By noon we had almost reached the highest point of the pass, and were +skirting the larger lake, when we met the coolies of Borradaile's party +returning with an escort of some of the Kashmir troops. They all seemed +pretty lively in spite of the poor time they had been having; but as +they are used to crossing the Shandur at all times of the year, I +daresay our sympathy was a good deal wasted. + +We were soon descending into the Laspur valley, and we had hardly +dropped three hundred feet before all sense of sickness left me, and I +felt as fit as possible. A short way out of the village we were met by a +patrol which Borradaile had sent out to meet us, and by two o'clock we +were in camp, where we found Oldham in command, Borradaile having gone +on a reconnaissance down the valley. The previous day news had been +brought in that the enemy were assembled in the valley, and a small +party had gone out, as I have already related. On the morning of the 6th +April, Borradaile accordingly determined on another reconnaissance, this +time taking the guns with him, they being carried by Laspuri villagers, +who no doubt thought the game very poor fun. Gough went with the party, +Oldham remaining in command of the post, which was garrisoned with the +maimed, the halt, and the blind--in other words, with men suffering from +frostbite and snow blindness, of whom there were some twenty-six of the +former and thirty of the latter; those men of the Kashmir troops who +were fit to march being sent back across the pass as escort to the +coolies. + +When the reconnoitring party had gone some three miles down the valley, +they came across the old camp fires of the enemy. At Rahman, two miles +farther on, they left the snow behind, much to everybody's delight, and +by one o'clock entered the village of Gasht, some eleven miles from +Laspur, and about half-way to Mastuj, the Levies crowning a small knoll +in the middle of the valley at the lower end of the village. From here +they reported they could see the enemy some three miles farther down the +valley, who were evidently engaged in building sangars and entrenching +themselves. A short council of war was held as to the advisability of +attacking them, but, considering that the force consisted of only a +little over a hundred men and some fifty Levies, besides the two guns, +and also the time of day, it was decided to return to camp, which was +reached by dark. The day's work was highly creditable to all concerned; +the march to Gasht and back had been some twenty-two miles, and +information had been obtained of the position in which we might expect +opposition from the enemy. On getting into camp, Borradaile's party +found Colonel Kelly and myself waiting their arrival, eager to hear +their news. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + + +FROM LASPUR TO GASHT + +That night we had beef for dinner. This may appear a trivial fact, but +it meant a great and blessed change from the eternal mutton we had been +living on, none of us having tasted beef for quite six months, except in +its condensed or tinned state, which does not count. Gilgit is a +dependency of Kashmir, whose ruling family, being Hindus, strongly +object to cow-killing, and therefore the law runs that no cows are to be +slaughtered; hence none of us since crossing the bridge at Kohalla had +tasted fresh beef. But now we were in Chitral territory, and a Mussulman +country, so we were free to kill cows, but did so unostentatiously, as +nearly all our force were Hindus. The dark deed was accomplished thus: +on the houses being searched on the arrival of the first party at +Laspur, an innocent little calf was found in one of the houses, and +quick as thought then and there despatched. I will not reveal the +murderer's name, because I do not know it. All traces were removed, and +for the next few days we enjoyed hot roast beef. + +We were a merry party, but what a set of ruffians we looked! Stewart and +Gough were both suffering from snow blindness, owing to their generous +action in giving their goggles to sepoys, and passed most of their spare +time with their heads over a basin of hot water, dabbing their aching +eyes; none of us had much skin on our faces, and what little remained +was of a patchwork description; none of us had shaved for days--we +couldn't have stood the torture; and our clothes, too, were showing +signs of wear and tear. We all now slept in our clothes, partly for the +sake of warmth, and also to be in readiness in case of emergency. There +we were, sitting or lying on our bedding, which was spread on the floor +round the room, the latter divided, like all Chitrali houses, into loose +stalls by low partitions, a small fire burning in the centre of the +room, from which a thick pillar of smoke rose and hung like a cloud from +the roof, through a hole in which part of it escaped. Our swords and +revolvers were hanging on the walls or from pegs in the beams, the whole +scene dimly lit by one or two candles. It might look very picturesque, +but I always consider the best hotel is good enough for me. + +As there was not space enough in the stalls for all of us, Colonel Kelly +and I, as the last comers, slept in a little room off the main one; here +was evidently the winter store of fodder for the cattle as it was half +full of bhoosa (chopped straw). This we spread evenly over the floor to +the depth of some two feet, and then laid our blankets on top. There was +just room enough for us to lie out straight, the Colonel taking one side +and I the other, and a softer or more luxurious bed could hardly be +imagined. We had to be careful, though, not to drop matches about, and +to put out our pipes before going to sleep. A halt had been ordered for +the following day, to give the men suffering from snow blindness and +frostbite a chance to recover, so we turned in with the blissful +consciousness of not having to turn out at dawn, and slept like the +dead. + +The next day, April 7, was spent in hurrying forward all arrangements +for an advance on the morrow. We also sent round messengers to all the +villagers to come in and make their submission, on pain of having their +villages burned; and seeing that we now had the upper hand, at any rate +in their valley, the inhabitants came in without much hesitation, and +also brought in a certain amount of supplies; consequently by night we +had sufficient local coolies to carry all our baggage, supplies, +ammunition, and, most important of all, the two guns. About noon on this +day, Raja Akbar Khan of Punyal, whom I have before mentioned as meeting +us on the march from Shoroh to Suigal, came into camp with fifty Levies, +bringing in a convoy of ninety Balti coolies with supplies. We were +getting along famously now, so Colonel Kelly decided to advance the next +day without waiting for Peterson's detachment, as our first object was +to open communication with Mastuj. + +We had a political tea that afternoon: all the leaders of the Levies, +old Raja Akbar Khan, Humayun, Taifu, the Nagar Wazir, Shah Mirza, and +one or two princelings who had come up to see some fighting, all +squatted round our little room on the straw, swigging sweet tea and +munching biscuits, quite a friendly gathering; in fact, so much tea was +consumed that the mess president swore he would send in a bill. + +We always got our earliest and most reliable information from the +Levies, as most of them had blood relations among the Chitralis. They +also knew just where to look for hidden grain and supplies of all sorts. +As a rule there was generally a cache under or near the fireplace in the +main room, but I have also seen the Levies find them in the most +unlikely places, and very queer odds and ends they sometimes pulled out +of these under-ground storerooms. + +On the morning of April 8th the column was formed up and ready to start +by 9 A.M. Poor Gough was being left behind at Laspur in command of the +garrison, which consisted of some twenty-five Kashmir troops, and the +Nagar and Punyal Levies, in all about a hundred. The Levies were to come +on as soon as the second party arrived. Our force, therefore, consisted +of two hundred Pioneers, two guns, forty Kashmir Sappers, and fifty +Hunza Levies. Our order of march was as follows: first of all went the +Levies; then, with an interval of some five hundred yards, came the +advance guard of a half company of Pioneers; the main body consisted of +Kashmir Sappers, guns, one company of Pioneers, ammunition, hospital +baggage, and rearguard of half company Pioneers. Both advance and +rear-guards were commanded by British officers. It was a lovely, fine +morning, and we were all in the best of spirits, and looking forward to +leaving behind the detestable snow, and therewith our chief source of +discomfort. + +Poor old Gough looked awfully dismal at being left behind, but it was +the fortune of war. At Gurkuch, at Gupis, at Ghizr, there was only one +cry from officers and men--British and Native--"For Heaven's sake take +us on with you!" The natives always added that they would never be able +to face their womenfolk again if there had been fighting and they not in +it. The Britisher expressed his disgust at what he called "his bally +luck" in more forcible terms, but it meant the same thing, and we are +all the same colour under the skin. + +Off we went, through the village and across the stream by a rickety +bridge, then down the left bank for about a mile, when we came to a +small hamlet,--I forget its name,--and here I fell out and paid a visit +to the house of Mahomed Rafi, the Hakim of the Laspur district. This +hoary-headed old rascal had been playing fast and loose for a long time, +but had at last cast in his lot openly with the enemy; he had a long +list of offences to answer for, and is believed to be one of the actual +murderers of Hayward about 1872. + +Hayward was globe-trotting up Yasin way when these ruffians rushed his +camp, seized him, and carried him into a wood with the intention of +killing him. He asked them to defer the performance until daylight, as +he should like to look on the world once more. This they agreed to, and +soon after dawn made him kneel down and hacked off his head. Such is the +story. Poor Hayward's body was brought into Gilgit, and he lies in an +orchard close to the British Agency. I can quite imagine Hayward, or any +man who has any appreciation of the grandeur of Nature in her wilder +moods, wishing to see the sun rise once again over these tumbled masses +of snow peaks and bare cliffs. The startling sensation of the immensity +of these hills in comparison with man's minuteness strikes home with +almost the stunning effect of a sudden blow. + +It is said that the calm pluck of Hayward touched even his murderers, +callous as they are to bloodshed It makes a sensational picture: a +solitary figure in the foreground standing alone on the edge of a pine +wood high up in the lonely grandeur of the everlasting hills, the first +flush of dawn reddening the snow on peak after peak, changing the pure +white to pink, the cold blue to purple, the tumbled sea of mountain +summits gradually growing in distinctness, the soft mist rising from the +valleys, and the group of wild figures standing within the shade of the +pines. Hayward takes one long look on all this loveliness, and turns +towards his executioners--men say that even they hesitated. + +Mahomed Rafi, who was supposed to have actually killed Hayward, was now +Hakim of Laspur, and, as I have said, had joined the enemy. + +When I had travelled through Laspur in November last, the old ruffian +had come to pay his respects, and accompanied me part of the way to +Mastuj, and while doing so, had stopped at a house to give some orders, +and had informed me that this was one of his houses. On passing it now, +I thought a visit might be useful, so, getting Shah Mirza and his +Levies, I got permission to search the house. It had evidently only +recently been occupied for on bursting in the door we found the cooking +pots in the fireplace and fresh meat hanging in one of the rooms. After +a short search we found the grain store, with several mounds of grain, +which was afterwards taken into Laspur. There was nothing much more that +we could find in our hasty search, but I picked up an empty +spectacle-case, astonished at finding it in such a place, as Mahomed +Rafi never wore spectacles in his life. I showed it to Colonel Kelly, +who promptly annexed it, as he was in want of one, having mislaid his +own. Shah Mirza also collared a fowl, which no doubt formed his next +meal. + +I caught up the column before they had gone much more than a mile, just +as they were crossing a stream. After that we had some level marching +into the village of Rahman, and by this time the snow was only lying in +patches. Here we made a short halt. From Rahman there is a path across +the hills to Chitral, by means of a nullah called the Goland Gol, of +which mention will be made hereafter but at this time of year it was +impossible to use this path, owing to the snow. + +During the halt, the headman of the village came up to make his salaams, +and also told me that a man of Ghizr had passed through that morning, +escaping from the enemy. He was reported to be one of Gough's +messengers, captured when taking letters to Moberly at Mastuj. I told +the headman that he had better show his goodwill by bringing in the man, +which he promised to do, and sent him in that night to our camp at +Gasht. We learned little from him, except that the enemy were going to +fight us between Gasht and Mastuj, and that the latter place was all +right. This man had no idea of numbers, and when asked the strength of +the enemy, replied invariably that there were very many men, but seemed +equally uncertain if there were five hundred or five thousand collected +in the sangar before us, and yet he had been a prisoner in their camp +for some fifteen days. + +I found the best way of getting information out of the prisoners was to +set Shah Mirza or Humayun on the job. They used to squat down over the +fire with the prisoners and engage them in conversation gradually +getting what they knew out of them by simple-looking questions. Of +course I couldn't do this as I didn't know their language, and the +presence of a British officer put them on their guard at once. + +Between Rahman and Mastuj the country is pretty much the same, a narrow +valley running between high, stony hills, their tops covered with snow +and their feet with boulders; then the bed of the valley more or less +rocky, and the river winding from side to side, and below the main level +of the valley, at depths varying from fifty to two hundred feet, the +sides nearly always sheer cliff; at intervals were nullahs, down which +ran streams of snow water from the hills to the river, or fans of +alluvial deposit brought down by floods in previous years. On the flank +of one such fan we found the village of Gasht, which we reached by 3.30 +P.M. The Levies had already occupied the knoll at the lower end of the +village from whence the enemy had before been seen; so, after fixing on +a camping ground and giving the necessary orders, the officers all went +forward to have a look. + +From the top of the knoll there was an extended view of the valley, and +I was able to point out the position of Mastuj, which was hidden by some +rising ground, and also the general direction of the road. About three +miles ahead we could distinctly see a sangar filled with men on the left +bank of the river. That sangar was, as far as we could judge, on the +right flank of the enemy's line. A few men could also be seen climbing a +steep stone shoot on the right bank of the river, so evidently the enemy +were going to try the effect of a stone avalanche as we went underneath. +A good deal of discussion went on as to whether the enemy's main defence +was on the left bank, in which case we should have to attack across the +river, or on the right bank, in which case the present visible sangar +was a flanking bastion. + +At last someone suggested tea, so the meeting broke up. Colonel Kelly +and I stayed behind. I asked Colonel Kelly for permission to take some +of the Levies and have a cast forward. I took the Hunza men and my +shikaree, Faquir, as he could translate my orders to the Levies. Off we +trotted, and by the time the other officers were having tea, I was well +up the hillside. It was impossible to be rushed, as the ground was +pretty bad, so I extended my men,--when it comes to sniping, one man is +a smaller target than two,--and we skirmished up and forward, so as to +bring us well above the enemy's line. In half an hour we were high +enough to see all the valley below, and the enemy's position was spread +out like a map. I sent the Levies on about a hundred yards, and then +made them line a ridge, while I sat myself comfortably down and sketched +the whole show. + +With my glasses I could count the men in each sangar. They were +evidently cooking their evening meal, as thin columns of smoke rose from +each sangar in the still evening air. I could also make out the paths +leading up the cliffs from the river, and saw men going down to fetch +water. I sat and watched long after I had got all the information I +wanted, as I might perhaps get some useful tips that I had overlooked. +It was very peaceful sitting there, but presently the sun dropped behind +the hills, and it got too chilly for comfort. A whistle to the Levies +and a wave of the hand brought them back, and we scrambled down the hill +again, and were back in camp before dark. Here I heard that the Punyal +Levies had been sent for from Laspur to come along at once. + +As soon as I had explained the enemy's position to Colonel Kelly, orders +were issued for the attack next day. They were short and simple. On the +arrival of the Punyal Levies, they were to start, with a guide we had +procured, to turn out the men above the stone shoot on the right bank of +the river. I, with the Hunza Levies, was to start at 6 A.M. and work +through the hills to the right rear of the enemy's position. The main +body would start at 9 A.M. and attack in front. The baggage to remain in +camp under a guard commanded by Sergt. Reeves, Commissariat. Then we had +dinner and went to bed. + + + + +CHAPTER V + + +CHOKALWAT + +At 5 A.M. the next morning, my orderly, Gammer Sing Gurung, woke me. It +was still dark, and I dressed as quickly as possible, so as not to +disturb the others, who were snoring peacefully around me. Dressing +consisted of putting on my coat, putties, and some canvas shoes with +rope soles. I knew the ground I should be going over would be pretty +bad, and with rope soles you can skip about rocks like a young lamb, +whereas shooting boots would send you flying over the cliffs. By the +time I had had some poached eggs and a cup of tea, the Hunza Levies were +waiting outside, so I got into my sword and trappings and went. As I +passed out, Colonel Kelly wished me good luck, and I said, "_Au revoir_ +till twelve o'clock." The others snored peacefully. + +Gammer Sing and the fifty Hunza Levies were ready, and I had put some +chupatties into my haversack overnight, so off we went. By the time we +were clear of the village, it was getting light, so, keeping close to +the edge of the hills, we struck up a side nullah, took a slant across +it, and then began the climb. By this time it was broad daylight. We +kept climbing and gradually working round the face of the hill to the +right, until we struck the snow line, and I calculated we were pretty +well as high as any sangar the enemy might have on the hill. My idea was +to get above them, and I didn't want my party swept into space by a +stone avalanche. Still, to make matters secure, I detached ten men to go +higher up still, and I had five minutes' halt to give them a start. + +It was now about 7.30 A.M., and I wanted to push on, so as to be well on +the right rear of the enemy by nine o'clock. Once there, we could time +our attack at our leisure. Events, however, worked out somewhat +differently. The ground now got very bad, and presently we came to a +stone shoot which extended high up above us, while ending in a cliff a +little below. This we crossed carefully, one man going at a time. Each +step set the whole slide in motion and brought stones bounding down from +above. The best way was to take it at a rush. We got safely across that, +and the ground got worse and worse, and finally we were brought to a +halt. I sent men to find a path above and below, the remainder sat down +under cover, while I examined the ground in front with my glasses. It +was eight o'clock now, and I was congratulating myself in having got so +far, as another half-mile would bring us on to a spur which ran down on +the right flank of the enemy's line. + +As I was looking at this spur, I noticed that there was a nice grassy +slope just about level with us, and below that the cliffs went almost +sheer down into the river. Once on that slope, we could pretty well play +skittles with the sangars below, as we could even now see clearly into +them. Unfortunately, the ground between looked frightful, a series of +ridges like the teeth of a saw, the northern faces being covered with +snow, which made the going particularly treacherous. I had hardly +noticed this when there was a puff of smoke and a report, and I saw to +my disgust that on the edge of my nice grassy slope were a few clusters +of innocent-looking rocks, which I now saw to be sangars, evidently +occupied. Just at this moment a man ran across the slope and began +waving his coat to someone below, and more men showed themselves among +the rocks. + +The Levies were still looking for a path, and Humayun wanted to return +the enemy's fire; but as the Levies were armed only with carbines, and I +hadn't heard the whistle of the enemy's shot, I judged it would be a +waste of ammunition. To get the distance, I told Gammer Sing, who had +his Martini, to try a shot at the man waving his choga, with his sights +at eight hundred yards. I saw the bullet kick the dust to the right of +the man, who jumped for a rock, so I knew carbines were no good at that +distance. + +A path was now found a little lower down, so I ordered an advance and on +we went. Our appearance was the signal for the enemy to open fire, but +as only one or two bullets sang over us, I knew they couldn't have many +rifles. We worked on steadily forward to about five hundred yards, when +shots began to drop among us, so under cover of a ridge I divided the +men into two groups, and sent the first group forward under cover of the +fire of the second, until the first group reached the next ridge, when +they covered the advance of the second group. + +The ground was shocking bad, and what made it more annoying was that, as +we were attacking towards the north, and the snow lay on the northern +slopes, we had to test our way every step, and keep in single file just +when our advance was most exposed. I had to have a man in places to help +me along. I don't mind bad ground when after mahkor, as you can take +your own time, but I strongly object to taking the place of the mahkor. +Our advance never stopped, but by ten o'clock we had only gone some two +hundred yards, and I could see our force crossing the river on to the +plain below. + +The enemy in our front now began to get excited, and we saw several of +them run back and make signals to those below. There was now only one +ridge between us and the enemy, and we made for it. As we rose, the +enemy's fire became pretty warm, but we were soon under cover again, and +as our advanced men gained the ridge, they began firing and yelling as +hard as they could go. I thought something was up, so made a rush, a +slip, and a scramble, and I could see over the ridge as the rear party +came scrambling along. I soon saw the cause of the yelling. About a +hundred yards in front of us was the grassy ridge, and across this the +last of the enemy was bolting, and in a few minutes had disappeared amid +the most appalling yells from the Levies. That was the last our party +saw of them, for we now found our path again blocked up by a precipice +and again I had to send men above and below to find a practicable way. I +then called for a return of casualties, and found we had escaped scot +free (I expect the enemy had too). So thus ended our bloodless battle. + +While a path was being looked for, Humayun and I sat down in a quiet +corner and shared chupatties, and watched the fight below, which was +just beginning. First we saw the advance guard get on to the plain and +extend, and presently they were joined by the main body, and the whole +formed up for attack; then the firing line extended and the advance +commenced. Presently we saw the sangars open fire, answered by volleys +from our men. Then came a larger puff of smoke and a murmur from the men +round me, as a shell pitched across the river and burst over a sangar. +It was as pretty a sight as one could wish for, and I felt as if I +should have been in a stall at Drury Lane. I could have stopped and +watched the show with pleasure. It was quite a treat to see how steadily +the 32nd Pioneers worked across the plain; but just then the men below +shouted that they had found a path, while I could see those above +working their way on to the grassy slope. These latter now shouted that +there were no enemy left on the hill, so we chose the lower road, and +gradually worked our way down, joining the grassy spur lower down--only +it wasn't grassy here at all, but chiefly precipice. We got down +somehow, chiefly on all fours, but by the time we had reached the +sangars, the enemy had bolted, and they were occupied by our men. It had +taken us nearly an hour to get down. Here I came across Colonel Kelly, +and after shaking hands, I looked at my watch and found it was just +twelve, so I had made a good shot at the time of our meeting when we +parted in the morning. + +Now I will give you an account of the attack carried out by the main +body. It is the official account, so I can back its correctness. + +The action at Chokalwat on the 9th April is thus described: "On the +morning of the ninth April I advanced to the attack of the enemy. In the +early morning Lieutenant Beynon, with the Hunza Levies, ascended the +high hills on the left bank of the river to turn the right of the +position and attack in rear. The Punyal Levies were sent up the hills on +the right bank to turn out the men above the stone shoots. + +"I advanced in the following manner:-- + +Half Coy. 32nd Pioneers, advanced guard. +Kashmir Sappers and Miners -- +Half Company 32nd Pioneers | +Two guns 1st Kashmir Mountain |= Main Body +Battery, carried by coolies | +One Company 32nd Pioneers -- + +"The baggage, under escort of the rearguard, remained in Gasht till +ordered forward after the action. + +"An advance was made to the river, where the bridge had been broken, but +sufficiently repaired by the Sappers and Miners for the passage of the +infantry. The guns forded the river, and the force ascended to the fan +facing the right sangars of the enemy's position. + +"The configuration of the ground was as follows: The road from the river +after leaving Gasht brought us on to an alluvial fan, the ascent to +which was short and steep; it was covered with boulders and intersected +with nullahs; the road led across this fan and then along the foot of +steep shale slopes and shoots, within five hundred yards of the line of +sangars crowning the opposite side of the river bank, and totally devoid +of any sort or description of cover for some two miles; it could also be +swept by avalanches of stones set in motion by a few men placed on the +heights above for that purpose. + +"The enemy's position consisted of a line of sangars blocking the roads +from the river up to the alluvial fan on which they were placed. The +right of the position was protected by a snow glacier, which +descended into the river bed, and furthermore by sangars, which extended +into the snow line up the spur of the hills. + +"The course of the action was as follows: The advanced guard formed up +at about eight hundred yards from the position and the main body in +rear. The 32nd Pioneers then advanced to the attack. One section, 'C' +Company, extended (left of line). One section, 'C' Company, extended in +support. Two sections, 'C' Company, 'A' Company, in reserve. The guns +now took up position on the right and opened on 'A' sangar at a range of +eight hundred and twenty-five yards. As the action progressed, the +supporting section of 'C' Company advanced and reinforced. The remaining +half of 'C' Company advanced, and, leaving sufficient space for the +guns, took up their position in the firing line on the extreme right. +Volley firing at first was opened at eight hundred yards, but the firing +line advanced one hundred and fifty to two hundred yards as the action +progressed. At a later stage, one section of 'A' Company was pushed up +to fill a gap on the right of the guns in action in the centre of the +line. The enemy, after receiving some well-directed volleys and +correctly played shells, were seen to vacate 'A' sangar by twos and +threes until it was finally emptied. During our advance to the fan, +shots were heard in the direction of the hills, Lieutenant Beynon having +come into contact with the enemy in their sangars up the hillside, who +were driven from ridge to ridge. When 'A' sangar was vacated, attention +was directed on 'B' sangar, and the same course adopted, with the same +result; at the same time those driven down from the hills above streamed +into the plain, and there was then a general flight. Six shrapnel were +fired into the flying enemy at ranges of a thousand, twelve hundred, and +thirteen hundred and fifty yards (three rounds per gun). + +"A general advance was then made down precipitous banks to the bed of +the river, covered by the fire of the reserves, the river forded, and +sangars 'A' and 'B' occupied. The guns were then carried across, and, +the whole line of sangars having been vacated, the column was re-formed +on the fan; the line taken in crossing enabled the enemy to get well on +their way to Mastuj; the advance was then continued to a village a mile +and a half farther along the river, where a halt was made. The +casualties consisted of one man of the 32nd Pioneers severely wounded, +and three Kashmir Sappers slightly. The action commenced at 10.30 A.M. +and lasted one hour. The position was of unusual natural strength, and +the disposition of the sangars showed considerable tactical ability, +being placed on the edge of high cliffs on the left bank of the river. +The enemy were computed at four to five hundred, and were armed with +Martini-Henry and Snider rifles. Several dead were found in the sangars, +and the losses I estimate to have been from fifty to sixty." + +By the time I had joined Colonel Kelly, the Pioneers had re-formed and +were advancing, so I had very little time to take a look at the sangars. +I saw one or two bodies lying around, and the shells seemed to have +knocked sparks pretty successfully out of the stone breastworks. I also +noticed the neat little cooking places the enemy had made behind their +sangars, showing that they had been there for some time. + +The advance was carried on without a check for about one and a half +miles, when we came to a cluster of huts near the termination of the +plain, the river here making a slight sweep towards the left side of the +valley. An advance guard was thrown out well to the front, and under +their protection the column halted and the men fell out. I had a +first-class thirst by this time, and Gammer Sing made several trips to +the river before it was quenched. Gammer Sing and I always share the +same tin mug on the march. It is his mug, but he always gives me first +go. In return I supply Gammer Sing with tobacco, so it is a fair +division of labour. Here I finished my chupatties, and some kind man--I +think it was Borradaile--gave me a stick of chocolate, my own store +having run out, but I managed to get it replenished at Mastuj. + +Good old Stewart came up as pleased as Punch at having had his first +fight. Said he, "And d'ye think now that me shells killed many of the +beggars? sure and their corpses ought to be just thick." He was pained +to hear that in all probability we should not catch up the enemy again +that day, I really think nothing less than twelve hours' hard fighting +every day, with short intervals for refreshments, would satisfy him. + +One of the guns, when being brought up the cliff, had slipped off the +coolies and fallen down to the bottom again, breaking off the foresight, +but Stewart mended it during the halt. + +At the same time, the Sappers were hard at work pulling down a house for +materials to build a bridge, but before it was actually begun, we heard +that the river could be forded again lower down, so the bridge was not +built. By this time the men were sufficiently rested, the whole column +had closed up, and orders sent back for the baggage to come on. + +Off we started, the Punyal Levies working down the right bank, the +Hunzas on the left, the main column following the left bank of the +stream. By 4 P.M. we reached the ford and crossed to the right bank, the +water not being much above our knees. And almost immediately after, we +saw some men drawn up on the spur we were approaching; they turned out +to be the Mastuj garrison, who, on finding the besieging force halting, +had come out to find out the reason. If they had only heard our guns and +turned out at once, they would have cut the line of retreat of our +opponents, and the whole crew must have been wiped out. Unfortunately +the fort of Mastuj is built far down the reverse slope of a fan, and +although some of the sentries reported they heard firing, it was thought +they must be mistaken. + +By 5 P.M. we had got on to the spur, and found Moberly, with part of the +garrison, all looking very fat and fit; evidently the siege had not +worried them much so far. A detachment of the 14th Sikhs (the remains of +Ross's company) were left on the spur to cover the baggage coming in, +while our column trotted down to the fort, getting there by 5.30 P.M. +Here we found Jones with his arm in a sling. Our force bivouacked in a +garden attached to the fort, the trees of which had been lopped to +deprive the enemy of shelter, and the farther wall destroyed. This we +precious soon built up again, and within an hour our force was +comfortably entrenched and cooking its dinner. + +What a blessing it was to be down again in a decent climate! Fires were +still pleasant at night, but in the daytime the bright, cool weather was +splendid. + +Moberly's servant soon had some tea and chupatties ready, and while we +were eating them, Bretherton, who had been out clearing some village on +the other side of the fort, came in. + +There was lots of news, both to hear and relate, and we were hard at it +when there came the sound of a volley from the direction in which we +were expecting the baggage. + +Somebody said, "Cuss those niggers! why can't they let us have our tea +in peace?"--it wasn't Stewart,--and there was a general scramble for +swords and belts. A company of the Pioneers was soon doubling off, while +the rest of us strolled up the road to see what the row was. We met the +baggage coming in, and heard that the 14th Sikh picket had heard some +people moving in the river bed, and had let drive a volley at +them--result unknown. As soon as the last of the baggage had passed, we +followed it, and the picket was withdrawn. Later that night we sent back +a messenger with an account of the day's fighting and the relief of +Mastuj to Gilgit, but the messenger--a levy--shortly returned, having +been fired on, and returned the fire, so it was evident that a good +many of the enemy were still sneaking about. + +We officers slept in the fort that night, four or five of us in a room. +Mastuj is of the ordinary type of country fort, square, with a tower at +each end and one over the gateway, curtains between each tower about +eighteen to twenty feet high, and the towers another fifteen feet higher +still. The whole place is built of layers of stones and wood plastered +together with mud, while there is generally a keep or citadel inside +which commands the rest of the fort, and in which are the governor's and +women's quarters. In Mastuj, of course, we used these as officers' +quarters. The whole fort is a horribly dirty and tumble-down old place; +the roof of the officers' quarters had to be propped up, as it was +considered unsafe, and I quite believe it. The rooms had the usual hole +in the roof for the smoke to get out at, but Moberly had erected a stove +in his room, which was a great improvement. + + + +CHAPTER VI + + +THE RECONNAISSANCE FROM MASTUJ + +While at Mastuj we heard from Jones the story of the disaster at +Koragh--which I will give. + +Ross, with Jones and about ninety-three Sikhs, left Mastuj on the 7th +March, with the intention of helping Edwardes and Fowler, who were +believed to be in danger at Reshun, and marched to Buni; leaving a +detachment there of thirty-three sepoys under a native officer, he +marched with Jones and sixty men for Reshun, hoping to arrive there that +day. + +After leaving Buni, the road runs for some distance along flat ground +until the junction of the Turikho and Yarkhun rivers is reached. At this +point the road leads up along the face of a cliff and then down on to a +small plain, where are a few houses and some patches of cultivation. +This is known as the village of Koragh, and immediately after, the river +runs between the cliffs, which draw together and make the mouth of the +defile. The path which follows the left bank crosses the débris fallen +from the cliffs above and then runs along the edge of the river at the +foot of another and smaller cliff, or in summer, when the river is full, +the path runs over this smaller cliff. Ross's party took the lower road. +After the second cliff the paths lead on to a small plain about two +hundred yards wide at its greatest width, and perhaps half a mile long, +and then runs up and across the face of a third cliff which drops sheer +down into the river. This cliff forms the end of the trap. It would be +hard to find a better place for an ambuscade. + +Ross's advance guard was on this plain, approaching the spur which +closes the trap, when they were fired on. Ross went forward to +reconnoitre the ground, and at once saw the impossibility of driving the +enemy out with his small force, and therefore ordered Jones to go back +and hold the entrance of the defile to enable them to escape. On the +first shot being fired, the coolies had chucked their loads and bolted, +as likely as not helping to man the sangars enclosing the party. Jones, +taking ten men, made an attempt to reach the mouth of the defile, but +found it already occupied by the enemy, who had run up stone sangars, +and by the time he had got within a hundred yards of it, eight of his +ten men were wounded. He therefore fell back on the main party, who had +taken refuge in some caves at the foot of the cliff. + +The caves, now half full of water, owing to the rising of the river, can +be seen in the photograph. The party remained in these caves till 9 +P.M., when they made another attempt to cut their way out, but were +driven back by avalanches of stones. They then had to scale the +mountainside, but were stopped by an impossible cliff, and one sepoy, +falling over, was killed, so they came back to the caves dead tired. +Here they remained the whole of the next day, the enemy trying an +occasional shot from across the river, where they had erected sangars; +but the Sikhs had, in their turn, built sangars across the mouth of +their cave, which sheltered them. + +Then the enemy tried rolling stones over the top of the cliff, but this +only had the effect of strengthening the sangars, so they shut that up. + +During that day, Ross and Jones came to the conclusion that there was +nothing to be done but cut their way out; everyone must take his chance, +the rush to be made about 2 A.M. On the morning of the 10th, +accordingly, at the time fixed, they made their sortie. + +A heavy fire was at once opened on them from both sides of the river, +while avalanches of stones were sent hurtling down the cliffs. A number +of sepoys were killed or knocked senseless by stones, but the remainder +reached the sangars, and cleared out the defenders at the point of the +bayonet. Here poor Ross was killed by a bullet through the head, after +having, so the natives say, pistolled some four of the enemy. The +latter, after being driven out of the sangars, bolted up the hillside, +and again opened fire from among the rocks. By the time the small band +reached the maidan, there were only some seventeen men, headed by Jones: +of these, Jones and nine others were wounded. + +Here the little party formed up, and tried to help any more of their +friends who might be struggling through, by heavy volley-firing into the +sangars on both sides of the river. After some ten minutes of thus +waiting, during which they twice drove off attacks of the enemy's +swordsmen, who tried to close with them, and losing three more men, +Jones, noticing an attempt of the enemy to cut the line of retreat, and +despairing of any more of the detachment escaping, gave the order to +retire. This was carried out slowly and leisurely till they reached +Buni, at about 6 A.M., when they joined the detachment they had left +behind. Jones and his party remained in Buni till the 17th, the enemy +not daring to attack them, and they were unable to move, having no +transport for their wounded. + +After Ross had left Mastuj, Moberly remained in command of the fort, and +on the 10th March was joined by Captain Bretherton of the Commissariat +who came in with two sepoys from Ghizr. + +Moberly heard that Ross had left a small party at Buni, and though he +sent messengers to this party, he never received any reply, the +messengers probably being captured. + +On the 13th, hearing that the enemy were occupying the Nisa Gol, a +position some six miles from Mastuj, he reconnoitred up to it, and found +some sangars, which he destroyed, but no enemy. + +A reinforcement of sixty sepoys came in that day from Ghizr. The next +two days were spent in trying to collect coolies for transport, and on +the 16th, in spite of the non-arrival of any coolies, he set out to Buni +with a hundred and fifty sepoys, each man carrying a sheepskin coat, two +blankets, a hundred and twenty rounds of ammunition, and three days' +cooked rations. + +He halted that night at Sanoghar, where he collected some fifty coolies, +and learned by signal from Mastuj that Bretherton was sending some fifty +Yarkhun coolies the next day--fifty Punyal Levies also joined him that +evening. Starting the next morning, he reached Buni by 5 P.M., when he +found Jones and the remains of the Sikhs. The return journey was begun +two hours later, at 7 P.M., and carried on steadily all night, a small +body of the enemy following, but not daring to attack. Mastuj was +reached between 10 and 11 A.M. the next day, 18th March. + +By the 22nd March the enemy had surrounded the fort, and the siege +began. Nothing of any event happened, the enemy contenting themselves +with long-range firing, only one man being slightly wounded and two +ponies killed. On the 9th of April "up we came with our little lot," and +the siege was raised. + +Early the next morning we were up and going through the state of the +supplies and available amount of transport. + +Transport and supplies were an everlasting source of worry, as it +generally is with every army, great or small. + +We soon got a return of the supplies in Mastuj. I forget how many days +it was, but none too much for our force and the Mastuj garrison. +Bretherton was sent back to bring up supplies from the rear, and +messengers were sent to order in the villagers. We wanted their grain to +eat, and men to carry it. The villagers began to come in after a bit, +and brought a small amount of grain with them. + +Stewart was hard at work getting ponies for his guns in place of the +mules left behind; the gun wheel and carriage saddles were sent for, and +shortly arrived. + +The Levies were billeted in the houses which had lately been occupied by +the enemy, and we soon had pickets out round the fort. In showing the +Levies the houses they were to occupy, I examined the enemy's system of +loopholes and sangars, and found they were very well made indeed. In the +house which had lately been occupied by Mahomed Issar, their +commander-in-chief we found the trunk of a tree which the enemy were +converting into a cannon. It didn't require cannon to bring the walls of +Mastuj down,--a good strong kick would have been quite sufficient. +Shortly after we had reached Chitral, Moberly reported that part of the +wall had fallen on a sleeping sepoy, who was luckily saved by some beams +catching and protecting him from being crushed by the débris. There was +no apparent cause for the collapse, but the man is supposed to have +sneezed. + +The next day a fatigue party was sent out to Chokalwat to destroy the +enemy's sangars, and bury any dead bodies that might be lying about. +This party would also act as a covering party to Peterson, who was +expected to arrive that day. With Peterson came Bethune and Luard, all +very sick at having missed a fight. This detachment brought the strength +of the Pioneers up to four hundred rifles. + +The Hunza and fifty Punyal Levies were sent to reconnoitre towards Nisa +Gol that day, and fifty more Punyals up the Yarkhun valley to forage. +The rest of the day was spent in writing reports, making out official +returns, and other necessary nuisances. + +Colonel Kelly and I were writing in a tent pitched on the roof, and I +had pretty well got through my work by 5 P.M.; and then Colonel Kelly +had out the maps and returns of supplies, etc., and, Borradaile being +called, there was a small council of war. + +As I have before said, Colonel Kelly had practically settled at Pingal +to advance by Killa Drasan, but the question was, when should we be in a +position to do so? Here came in that everlasting transport and supply +question. We could now, of course, cut down our baggage by leaving +behind warm clothes and poshteens, as the weather would be getting +hotter every day as we descended to lower latitudes; but this only meant +that the men would have to carry less themselves, and, try as we would, +it seemed as if we could only raise enough transport for seven days' +supplies, five on coolies and two days in the men's haversacks. It was +seven days' march to Chitral by the direct route, and though our +intelligence pointed to the fact that supplies in the Chitral fort were +probably plentiful, it was yet only summer. Then, again, we might, or we +might not, get supplies on the road. We worried the question up and down +and inside out, but we couldn't increase the transport by one coolie. +Borradaile was for going on. I said, "The first man in Chitral gets a +C.B." + +Just then Raja Akbar Khan and Humayun came back, so we went out to hear +their report. Old Akbar smiled a fat smile all over his face, and +Humayun twirled his long moustache,--he has a fine black beard and +moustache and a deep bass voice. Akbar Khan curls his beard like an +Assyrian king, and smiles good-naturedly at everything. + +They reported that they had seen the enemy building sangars, and that +there were many men, also cavalry. Their report was clear enough, and +from their description I could pretty well place the position of the +different sangars, as I had been over the ground with Harley on my +previous visit to Chitral. To make matters certain, I suggested that I +should reconnoitre the position next day. This was agreed to, and it was +also determined to attack the enemy on the 13th April, as it was no use +giving them time to entrench themselves more than we could help. + +I started off about 9 A.M. on the morning of the 12th April, mounted on +a transport pony. I had about fifty Hunza and Punyal Levies, under +Humayun and Akbar Khan, with me; these two also had ponies, Akbar Khan +having managed to get two over the pass with great difficulty. It was a +lovely morning, and we were all very cheerful except Gammer Sing, who +wanted to come along with me; but as he had to get my kit sorted and put +right for the next day's march, I left him behind, but took his rifle +and ammunition. + +We dropped over the bluff and forded the Laspur stream, which was +hardly over the men's knees, and then kept along the bed of the river, +with a few scouts well up the hills on our left, the Mastuj or Yarkhun +river protecting our right. After about two miles we came to a small +homestead and Humayun told me there was a wounded man inside; so in I +went, and found the poor beggar with his right leg smashed by a bullet +just above the knee. There were a lot of women and children and two men +in the house, his brothers, so I gave them a note to Luard, and told +them to carry the man into Mastuj, which they did. Luard set his leg, +and by this time he is no doubt well and happy. + +Shortly after that, we climbed up from the bed of the river on to a +narrow ledge which ran along the foot of the hills about two hundred +feet above the river. Here we left our horses, and went scrambling along +among the fallen débris for about half a mile, when we came to the foot +of a stone slope, and I noticed our advanced guard had halted on the +top, and on asking the reason, Humayun said that the enemy were +occupying the next spurs. So up we went, and found the fact true enough, +but the next spur was some thousand yards away; so on we went across +that slope, and on to the next, eventually reaching a very nice little +place some eight hundred yards from the spur occupied by the enemy. + +From here I could see pretty well the whole of the position occupied by +the enemy, except the end of the Nisa Gol nullah where it debouches on +to the river. I tried going up the hill, but that only made matters +worse, so I determined to sketch what I could see from here, and then +try across the river. In order not to be interrupted, I sent five men +well up the hill on to a spur, from whence they could see any man who +tried to sneak up for a shot, and spread out the rest in skirmishing +order to my front. Humayun and Akbar got behind a rock and went to +sleep, and I got out my telescope and set to work. + +The enemy seemed rather interested in our proceedings--we could see +their heads bobbing up and down behind the sangars; but after we had +settled down, they gradually took courage, and, coming outside, sat down +to watch us. This was very nice of them, for very soon I had a complete +list of the garrison of each sangar, and from where I was could see the +sort of gun they were armed with,--a few rifles among the lower sangars, +and nearly all matchlocks among the higher and more inaccessible ones. +It was a calm, peaceful scene: the enemy sitting outside their sangars +sunning themselves; and my men lying down, a few watching, the rest +sleeping, one or two enjoying a friendly pipe. + +Shortly after, we saw two gallant young sparks come riding along the +plain on the opposite side of the river, evidently having been sent by +the general to report on our proceedings. They pulled up opposite us and +watched us for a short time, and then one slipped off his horse, which +was led by the other behind a big boulder. Thinking they would merely +watch us, I shouted to my men to keep an eye on them, and went on +sketching. Presently there was a bang, and ping came a bullet over our +heads. The beggar was potting at us at about a thousand yards, +unpardonable waste of ammunition! I put a rock between us, and went on +sketching, everyone else did ditto, and presently our friend shut up, +but after a time, finding things slow, I suppose, he began again. This +seemed to annoy Humayun, who asked for the loan of my rifle, and he and +Akbar went dodging down the hill. They disappeared behind a dip in the +ground, and presently I saw them come out lower down among some bushes, +and gradually they worked their way down to the edge of the river about +eight hundred yards from our friend, who was calmly sitting in the open, +having occasional pot shots at us, while his friend had come out and was +evidently criticising the performance. + +Presently there was a bang from our side of the river, and a spurt of +dust on the opposite maidan where the bullet struck. Humayun had +over-judged the distance. By the time he was ready for another shot, +our two friends were legging it across the plain as fast as their ponies +could gallop. He got in a couple of shots more, but they did not hurt +anybody. + +As soon as Humayun commenced firing, the sangars in our front began +humming like a beehive and presently shot after shot came dropping among +us; the enemy evidently had plenty of ammunition, and for some minutes +things were quite lively; but, finding we made no response, they calmed +down gradually, and peace once more reigned supreme. + +I chaffed old Humayun, when he came back, on his shooting powers, and he +grinned in response. + +I now noticed rather a commotion among the garrison of the sangars +across the Nisa Gol nullah; the men began turning out, and one or two +ran towards the higher sangars, evidently passing on some news. +Presently I saw a crowd of men, mostly mounted, with others on foot +carrying flags. Then came a fat man in white, with a standard-bearer all +to himself. All the garrisons of the sangars turned out, and I counted +them--there were over a hundred in each. + +The commander-in-chief rode up the whole length of the nullah, and then +walked up the spur on which are shown sangars Nos. 16 and 17 in the +sketch. Here he sat down, and, I have no doubt, calculated the odds on +his winning when the action came off. After a time he came down the +hill, and the procession moved down along the nullah and out of sight. + +When I had finished my sketch, I shut up my telescope and said-- + +"Now we'll go across the river." + +"Why do you want to cross the river?" said Humayun. + +"I want to see the end of the nullah," said I. + +"Their cavalry will get you," said he. + +"What cavalry?" said I. + +"You've just seen two of them," said he. + +"Get out!" said I; "you're pulling my leg." + +"Don't go," said he. + +"I'm going," said I. + +"Where the Sahib goes, I follow," said he. + +"Come on, Ruth," said I. "'Whither thou goest, I will go!' I've heard +that remark before." + +These hillmen have an extraordinarily exaggerated idea of cavalry. Any +young buck on a long-tailed screw is a Chevalier Bayard to them. Why, +you've only to move ten yards to your right or left in any part of the +country, and no cavalry could reach you, while you could sit and chuck +stones at them. + +Down we dropped again into the river bed, leaving a few men to signal +any movement of the enemy while we were crossing. We had our ponies +brought up and rode across the stream, the men fording, then we +scrambled up the high slope of the opposite bank and shouted for the +remainder to follow. + +A short distance up the hill, and I could see the end of the nullah, +with a large sangar covering the road. This was what I wished to know, +so, after a careful look, having seen all I wanted, we started homewards +by the opposite bank to that by which we had come, crossing the river +again by a bridge which Oldham had been employed the day before in +mending, and reached Mastuj by 1 P.M. + +I gave in my report to Colonel Kelly, and then got out orders for the +next day's march. + +I also suggested that some light scaling ladders should be made, as I +expected we should find them very useful in crossing the Nisa Gol. +Accordingly, Oldham set his Sappers to work, and by evening had ten +light scaling ladders ready, each about ten feet long, and light enough +to be carried by one man. + +A certain amount of supplies and some coolies had been collected. The +guns had been mounted on ponies, and could now march along faster than +when carried by coolies. + +Everything was ready for an early advance the next morning, so as a +little diversion we were photographed by Moberly. Moberly was coming out +the next day in command of a company of Kashmir troops; after the +expected fight, he would return to Mastuj to resume command, and the +Kashmir troops would be put under my charge. + +The orders for next day were to march at 7 A.M., baggage to remain in +Mastuj till sent for, and then to come out under escort of part of the +garrison, who would escort back any wounded we might have, Luard coming +out in charge of the field hospital and returning with the wounded to +form a base hospital at Mastuj. + +I managed to get a bottle of whiskey out of Moberly. It belonged, I +believe, to Fowler, but as he was either a prisoner or dead, he wouldn't +require the whiskey. I also replenished my store of chocolate. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + + +THE FIGHT AT NISA GOL + +Next morning, 13th April, we were all having a good square breakfast by +6 A.M., and punctually at seven o'clock the column moved off, headed by +the Levies. + +Our force consisted of-- + +400 Pioneers, +100 Kashmir Infantry, + 40 Kashmir Sappers, + 2 Mountain guns, +100 Hunza and Punyal Levies; + +rather less than a single battalion, and not much with which to force +our way through seventy miles of bad country, but still we were +determined to get to Chitral before the Peshawur force. + +It was a perfect morning, nice bright sunshine, and a jolly fresh +feeling in the air, sort of day that makes you want to take a gun and go +shooting; in fact, just the very day for a fight. + +The Levies were across Oldham's bridge in no time, but the Pioneers had +to cross it slowly, as it was very jumpy, and only four men could be +allowed on it at a time. The guns were sent up to a ford some three +hundred yards up the stream. After crossing the main stream there was +still a creek to be forded, but this was not much above the men's knees. +This gave the Levies time to get ahead and send some scouts up the hills +to the right, in order to give timely warning if the enemy should try on +the rolling stone dodge, but the hills just here did not lend themselves +very readily to this mode of warfare. When our little army got across +the river, the advance guard was halted and the column formed up, and +then on we went. Peterson was in command of the advance guard, with +orders to halt when he reached the edge of the plain to allow the column +to close up for the attack. On the order to advance he was to hug the +hill on his right. + +Just before the maidan the road drops down on to the river bed, and then +runs up on to the maidan itself, which gradually slopes up to the +centre, where it is divided by a deep nullah that I think they call in +America a cañon. The sides of this nullah are in most places +perpendicular, varying from two hundred and fifty to three hundred feet +in depth, with a small stream running along the bottom, the amount of +water depending on the melting of the snow in the hills above. There are +two places to cross it, one the regular road to Chitral, which zig-zags +down the nullah near the mouth, and the other a goat track about +half-way between the road and the hills. Both of these had sangars +covering their approach on the enemy's side of the nullah, and any +attempt to rush them would have led to great loss of life. + +To the casual observer the plain looks perfectly flat, but as a matter +of fact the slope is rather more pronounced at the foot than at the top +near the hills, with the result that from the sangar covering the main +road, the upper end of the plain is partially hidden from fire. + +The plain also is really a succession of what may be described as waves +running parallel with the nullah, which afford very excellent shelter to +any attacking force. In fact, the only obstacle is the nullah; but, +as you may see from the photos, this obstacle is no small one, and could +only be crossed by two paths as far as we knew. Our object was to find +another path, and to get to close quarters with the enemy. + +[Illustration: Looking up the Nisa Gol Nullah.] + +So much for the ground: now for the fight. Peterson and the Levies got +on to the maidan and extended, while the main body formed up for attack. +Then the order to advance was given, and off we went. + +Peterson and the Levies were in the firing line and extended, the Levies +on the right. + +As the remaining companies reached the level plain, they first formed +into line and went forward in the regular everyday style. The ground was +very nice for parade movements, a gentle, grassy slope with plenty of +room. The Levies, however, were not keeping close enough to the +hillside, and were gradually pushing Peterson's company off to the left, +where they would have been exposed to the fire of the big sangar plus +the flanking fire from the sangars up the spur on the left bank of the +river. + +Colonel Kelly accordingly sent me off to change their direction more to +the right, and to close the Levies until they were wanted. I found +Humayun's pony taking shelter under a rock, so, mounting it, I galloped +after Peterson, gave him the order, and then closed the Levies on their +right. This made a gap into which we of the supporting companies pushed, +so now we had two companies in the firing line, two in support, and the +Kashmir Company in reserve. In this formation we pushed on till we came +under fire of the sangars, and had reached the valley running up into +the hills, about four hundred yards from the nullah, thus again giving +room for the Levies to form line on the right of the Pioneers. + +The fun now began as the enemy started plugging away at us from the +sangars on the spur, but not much at present from the lower ones, as +only the flank of Peterson's company could be seen. + +Stewart had got his guns into action and was shelling sangar No. 16. +After a time Peterson engaged the sangars on the maidan, and they gave +him a pretty warm time of it. + +The Levies opened fire at three hundred yards, rather close range to +begin an action, and it was very amusing watching them; their +instruction in volley-firing had only just been begun, but they had +entire faith in its efficiency. + +The section commanders used to give the word to load in their own +language, but the order to fire was "fira vollee," and they were +supposed to fire on the word "vollee." If any man fired before the +order,--and they frequently did,--the section commander used to rush at +the culprit and slap him severely on the nearest part of him. As the +Levies were lying down, the slaps were--on the usual place. + +After a time the fire from the sangar slackened, and as things seemed to +be going all right, I stopped the Levies firing, and, taking two of +them, went forward up to the edge of the nullah to see if there was any +sign of a road. We followed the edge upwards for some two hundred yards, +and then I told the two levies to go on until they found a place, and +then went back. + +The fire from the sangar had recommenced, as Stewart's attention had +been turned towards others, so Colonel Kelly sent orders to Stewart to +send in one or two more shells, which had the desired effect. + +I now sent Gammer Sing to get a fresh supply of ammunition for the +Levies, which he brought, and I then followed Colonel Kelly down the +line to the Pioneers. In the meantime the guns had changed their +position, and were engaged with the lower sangars, as was also Peterson, +who, I think, was under the hottest fire the whole time, as he had the +attention of two big sangars entirely paid to him. The guns also got hit +a bit, and among others two of the drivers were killed; they were the +owners of the gun ponies, and remained with the ponies under a guard of +four Kashmir sepoys, who had commands to shoot any man trying to bolt. +They and their ponies of course made a large target, but the ponies also +acted as a protection. One more of the Pioneer companies now came into +the firing line, and these three companies devoted their entire +attention to one sangar, whose fire was now very intermittent. + +I now got Colonel Kelly's leave to go and look for a path, and hailed +Oldham to come and help me work forward therefore in front of the firing +line, to do which we had to ask Borradaile to stop one company firing, +which he very kindly did. We struck the nullah close opposite the +empty sangar No. 15, and from there followed the edge till we were well +within sight of the sangars in the middle of the maidan, without having +found a place where we could get down, but we noticed a track which led +up the opposite bank. We therefore turned back and retraced our steps +till we came to a spot which we had examined before, but had thought +impossible. Where we stood the drop was sheer for some seventy feet, but +then there came a ledge, from which we thought we could scramble down on +to the bed of the stream and up the opposite side, where we had noticed +the track. We therefore hurried back; Oldham for his Sappers, and I to +report to Colonel Kelly. I likewise asked for the reserve company of +Kashmir troops to cross over as soon as a path could be made under cover +of the fire of the already extended companies of the Pioneers. Colonel +Kelly assented, and I sent off a note to Moberly to bring up his +company. When I got back to the nullah, I found the Pioneers extended +along the edge, and Oldham's Sappers already at work. + +[Illustration: Reconnaissance Sketch of the position at Nisa Gol.] + +The Levies in the meantime had heard of a path higher up in the hills, +and were sent off to cross as best they could. Having nothing more to +do, I sat down where Oldham's men were at work, and watched the +proceedings. The men in No. 16 sangar had evidently had enough of it, +their sangar having been pretty well knocked about their ears, and when +any of the survivors tried a shot, it called down a volley on him. +Presently they began to bolt, and then the laugh was on our side. + +That sangar was a death-trap to its garrison--their only line of escape +was across some open, shaley slopes within four hundred yards of our +firing line, and the Levies were now working along the hill, and would +catch them in the sangar if they didn't clear out. The result was like +rabbit shooting You'd see a man jump from the sangar and bolt across the +shale slope, slipping and scrambling as he went; then there would be a +volley, and you'd see the dust fly all round him--perhaps he'd drop, +perhaps he wouldn't; then there would be another volley, and you'd see +him chuck forward amid a laugh from the sepoys, and he'd roll over and +over till he'd fetch up against a rock and lie still. Sometimes two or +three would bolt at once; one or two would drop at each volley, and go +rolling, limp and shapeless down the slope, until they were all down, +and there would be a wait for the next lot. An old sepoy lying near me +declared as each man dropped that it was his particular rifle whose aim +had been so accurate, until Borradaile called him sharply to order, and +told him to attend to business. Presently a crowd of men appeared higher +up on the same spur, and someone called out that they were Levies. Just +then one of them dropped on his knee and fired in our direction, there +was a volley back, and the men disappeared again. + +Oldham had now managed, with ropes and the scaling ladders, to get down +on to the ledge below, so calling to Moberly to bring along his company, +I dived down, followed by Gammer Sing and then Moberly, and one or two +men of the Sappers followed him, and we, thinking the whole company was +coming, went scrambling down to the bottom. We slid down the ropes on to +the ladders, and from them on to the ledge, followed it a bit along the +cliff, and then down a shale and débris slope to the stream, across that +and up the other side. Scrambling on all fours up the opposite side, I +heard Oldham, who was ahead of me, shout back that the company wasn't +following. I yelled, "Run up a sangar, and we can hold on till they +come," and finished my scramble up to the top. + +Then we took a look round to see how things stood. + +Devil a sign of the company coming down the rope was there, and the +Pioneers seemed to have disappeared too. + +Then we numbered our party--three British officers, my orderly, and +eleven Sappers, the latter armed with Snider carbines only; my orderly +was the only one with a bayonet. There was a low ridge in front of us +hiding the enemy's sangars, so we lined this with the Sappers, till we +could see what the game was. We now saw the Pioneers moving down the +nullah towards the river, while at the same time the Levies showed on +the ridge and took possession of the sangar. We were all right, I saw, +so I gave the order to advance--keeping along the edge of the nullah so +as to get at the sangars. Of course just my luck that as we started to +advance, the buckle of my chuplie broke; there was no time to mend it, +so I shoved it into my haversack, and went along with one bare foot; +luckily the ground was not very stony. + +As soon as we topped the swell of the ground, we saw the enemy bolting +in twos and threes from the nearest sangar, now about two hundred yards +off, and presently there came a rush right across our front. We opened +fire, trying volleys at first, but the Sappers were useless at that, +never having had any training, so independent firing was ordered. During +the halt Moberly had a narrow shave, a bullet passing between his left +hand and thigh, as he was standing superintending the firing. His hand +was almost touching his thigh, and the bullet raised the skin of the +palm just below the little finger. + +The nearest sangar was now pretty well empty, and the Pioneers from the +other side of the nullah were firing obliquely across our front, rather +too close to be pleasant; so we altered our advance half right, so as to +cut into the line of retreat of the enemy, and made for a jumble of +stones out in the open; by the time we reached it, there was a stream of +men flying right across our front, horse and foot, at about five hundred +yards, so again we opened fire. Moberly and I both took carbines from +the men, as they were firing wildly; the sepoy whose carbine I took +invariably managed to jam the cartridge, partly his fault, and partly +the fault of the worn state of the extractor. Gammer Sing was plugging +in bullets quietly on my right, and gave me the distance as five hundred +yards. I knew he was pretty correct, as I watched his bullets pitch. I +sang out the distance, and we got merrily to work. Oh, if I had only had +a company of my regiment, I think even Stewart would have been +satisfied. Precious soon the rush had passed us, and we had to begin +putting up our sights, and of course then the cream of the business was +over. + +About this time Shah Mirza came along, and, seeing me with only one +chuplie, offered me his, which I accepted, as it was a matter of +indifference to him whether he went barefooted or not. I sent him off to +bring up the Levies, who were looting the arms and securing the +prisoners from the sangars. + +Cobbe now appeared with some few Pioneers, and shortly after, a whole +company, but the enemy were now quite out of sight; however, a company +was sent in pursuit. Colonel Kelly came up, and we congratulated him, +and there was a general demand for cigarettes, Moberly, I believe, being +the happy possessor of some. As we were grouped round Colonel Kelly, +"whit" came a bullet over us, some idiot up the hill leaving his P.P.C. +card, I presume. + +One of the first questions I asked was, what had become of the Kashmir +Company, and then first heard the following curious incident. + +It appears that after the first few of us had gone down the cliff, and +the rest were preparing to follow, a bullet struck some cakes of +gun-cotton lying on the ground by the head of the path, where they had +been placed while the Sappers were at work. The bullet, striking these +cakes, ignited them, and they blazed up, and Borradaile, fearing an +explosion, ordered a retirement of those troops nearest it to cover some +thirty yards in rear, where they were protected by a wave of the ground. +The enemy, seeing our men bolting, as they thought, rushed out of their +sangars, but were promptly fired into by the Pioneers. Just then the +Levies on the ridge and our small party showed across the nullah, +threatening their line of retreat; this was apparently more than they +had bargained for, so they began to bolt, as I have said. Then the +Pioneers moved down the nullah and crossed by the goat track. + +Peterson's company had found a box full of Snider ammunition in one of +the sangars, so the Kashmir Company was sent back to look for any more, +and also to demolish the sangars. I took the opportunity to have a look +at them too. I was surprised at the magnificent way in which they were +built, partly sunk into the ground, and made of huge boulders that +required many men to move, and with head cover constructed of logs in +the most approved fashion, evidently made by men who had been properly +instructed. As I neared the largest sangar, I saw a native clothed in a +red dressing-gown, sitting on the ground with a long native jezail. +Rather surprised at seeing one of the enemy thus armed, I went up to +him, and as I did so, he picked up his gun. I had my revolver on him in +a second, and told him to drop the gun, which he did. I then asked him +who he was, and found he was our long-lost child--I mean levy--who had +been captured at Laspur. The enemy had not treated him badly, but had +taken his carbine and his choga, hence the dressing-gown; in return he +had sneaked a gun when the enemy were flying. I set the Kashmir troops +to work, and then went back, meeting Humayun and his captives on the +way. + +"Humayun," I said, "your levy is over there." + +"Is he alive?" said Humayun, looking in a most bloodthirsty way at his +prisoners. + +I assured him he was. Thereupon Humayun gave a jump, caught hold of both +my hands, and kissed them violently. I was afraid he was going to kiss +my ruby lips, but he didn't. He and Akbar Khan then went scuttling +across country to the sangar, followed by a crowd of his men, whooping +and yelling with joy. + +The guns were now coming across the nullah, and the column was being +formed up with the intention of crossing the river to Sanoghar, where it +was proposed to camp for the night. Part of the Levies and a company of +the Pioneers were sent ahead to clear the village of any evilly disposed +persons; arrangements were made for bringing up the sick and wounded; +and a signal message was flashed back to Mastuj for the baggage to come +out. + +The fight was over by 12.30 P.M., so we had only been about two hours +from start to finish. Our losses were six killed and sixteen wounded, +two of whom died next day. Three of the battery ponies were also killed. + +The path down to the river was so steep and the rickety bridge over it +so unsafe that it was determined to camp on the side of the river on +which we were, especially as we should have to recross the next day. + +A camping ground was soon found, pickets thrown out, and the wounded +brought in. + +A deputation from Sanoghar village was now seen coming across from the +opposite bank. Most of the deputation on arrival seemed half naked; we +thought this was a sign of humility on their part, but I heard +afterwards that the Levies had come across them, and taken their chogas +in exchange for that of their man in the red dressing-gown. + +This deputation gave the usual yarn about being compelled to fight +against us, and how glad they were that we had won. + +We made our usual reply, that they could and must show their gladness +by providing coolies and supplies, all of which would be paid for. We +also made them send over charpoys (beds) for the wounded. + +We had taken some twelve prisoners, who came in useful as transport; in +fact, until we got to Chitral every man we caught was turned into a +beast of burden and given a load; and if he was an Adamzada, or +nobleman, he was given the heaviest load that we could find for him, +oftentimes much to the delight of the poorer coolies, as an Adamzada is +exempt from coolie labour in ordinary times. + +The coolies used to bolt at every opportunity, which was only natural, +and there was not much difficulty in doing so. As often as not, we got +into camp after dark, when the coolie simply put down his load and +walked off; but as our supplies diminished, we naturally required fewer +coolies--at any rate, we managed to get all our baggage into Chitral. + +Moberly now handed over the company of Kashmir troops to my tender +charge and departed back to Mastuj, so now I had the command of the +Levies and one company added to my numerous other duties, so generally +I was pretty well on the hop. + +By dark the baggage had come in, the dead either buried or burnt +according to their religion, and the wounded attended to and made as +comfortable as we could make them under the circumstances. + +Oldham and some fifty Levies who had been reconnoitring down the left +bank of the river had returned, and by nine we got some dinner. + +Just as we were turning in, the picket on the road over the nullah first +let drive a volley, and Oldham, who was on duty, took some men and +doubled out to see what was the matter. On his return, he reported the +picket had heard someone moving in the nullah, and as the sentry's +challenge had not been answered, they had let drive at it. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +THE MARCH RESUMED THROUGH KILLA DRASAN + +We were up by daylight the next morning, had breakfast, and were ready +to march by 7 A.M. The wounded were sent back under Luard and the escort +who had brought out the baggage, and we moved off in the opposite +direction. Our order of march was always the same, each company taking +it in turn to act as advance or rear guard, and every British officer, +with the exception of Colonel Kelly and Borradaile, taking his turn on +duty. + +When my company of Kashmir troops was on rear or advance guard, I went +with it; at other times I went with the Levies or Colonel Kelly, +whichever seemed most useful. + +Our march for this day led for some miles along a flat, grassy plain, a +continuation of the Nisa Gol Maidan, then up and over a fairly high +spur, and gradually down to the river bed opposite the village of Awi or +Avi. Here we had a halt for the men to drink, as it was pretty thirsty +work marching in these hot valleys. We passed a village or two on the +opposite bank, but our side of the river was a desert of rocks and +stones. There was a small bridge at Awi, so Cobbe, with fifty men and +Shah Mirza as interpreter, was sent across to collect supplies from +Buni, the village in which Jones had remained for a week after the +Koragh affair. The main body continued along the right bank parallel +with Cobbe's party. + +During our halt two men had come in, bringing two ponies, which were +much appreciated by Colonel Kelly and Borradaile. + +When we got opposite Buni, there was a halt at the head of the column, +and Colonel Kelly sent me on to find out the reason. + +I forgot to mention that when we were encamped at Sanoghar, a +man--Chitrali--had come in, having escaped from the enemy. His brothers +were followers of Suji-ul-mulk, the little boy whom Surgeon-Major +Robertson, as he then was, had made Mehter, and who was besieged in +Chitral with our troops. The opposition party, represented by Mahomed +Issar, Sher Afzul's foster-brother, had therefore, on capturing this +man, put him in quod at Killa Drasan. He had managed to escape the day +of the fight, and joined us that evening, and we promptly made use of +him as a guide. + +This guide now informed us that the road ahead was destroyed, and would +take two days to repair, but, by turning up a spur on the right, we +could get past the broken part of the road. + +In consequence of this there was a halt while the Levies ascended the +spur and reconnoitred the top, and very soon we saw them signalling back +that all was clear. Sending back the news to Colonel Kelly, I remained +with the Levies, who now turned sharp to the right and began the ascent. +Humayun offered me a pony, which I thankfully accepted, and noticed that +there were now two or three ponies where before there had been none. I +didn't say anything at the time, but shortly after there appeared an +order to say all captured ponies were to be given up to the +Commissariat after the battery had had first pick. It was an awful pull +up that spur. I suppose we went up at least two thousand feet. I was all +right, as I had a pony, but it must have been agony for the laden +coolies. Once up, the going was easy enough; open, grassy downs, +gradually sloping down from where we stood to the junction of the +Yarkhun and Turikho valleys, though the actual sides of the tableland +dropped steeply down to the rivers. By our present divergence we had +turned the flank of any position the enemy could take up between Mastuj +and Killa Drasan, and had also got the higher ground, our road from here +onwards being down hill. + +I went ahead now with the Levies, as I wanted to find out if the fort +was held at Drasan. + +We got to the edge of the downs by 2 P.M., looking straight down on the +fort, which was the other side of the river, but from our position we +could see right down into the interior. + +The place was evidently deserted, for as we were watching, I saw a man +go up and try the door, but, finding it closed, he went away again. The +villages all round seemed deserted, and I could only see two men driving +some cattle high up in the hills. + +Before I had finished my sketch, the advance guard came up, and, shortly +after, Colonel Kelly. There was a short halt to let the tail of the +column close up, and then we commenced the descent. We were down on the +river bank in twenty minutes, and the Levies waded across, I on my pony. +We found the remains of a bridge which had evidently only just been +destroyed, and the material, I fancy, thrown into the river. The Levies +were soon up to the fort, and we had the main gate down in a jiffy by +using a tree as a battering-ram, and then the Levies went through the +place like professional burglars. Before I had hardly got into the +courtyard they had found the grain store, and were looting it. I put +Gammer Sing on sentry duty over the entrance, and, Borradaile coming up, +we inspected it, and found enough grain to last us some months. We now +set the Levies to work to get beams for repairing the bridge; at first +we could not find any long enough, until the Levies noticed the roof +poles of the verandah. We had them out and ran them down to the river +bank, opposite to where the Pioneers had drawn up on the farther bank. + +It took some time to build the bridge, and it was pretty rickety when +done, but it saved the men having to ford. Only one man fell into the +river, but he was pulled out all right. The baggage did not arrive at +the bridge till dark, and most of the coolies waded across, as there was +not time for them to cross in single file on the bridge. The battery +also forded, but the donkeys had to be unladen and the loads carried +across by hand, and the donkeys were then driven in and made to swim. It +was night before the rearguard began to cross, Cobbe, who was in +command, not getting in till close on nine o'clock. A couple of shots +were fired after dark, and there seemed no satisfactory explanation as +to why they were fired, but nobody was hit. The coolies were all put +into the courtyard of the fort and a guard on the gate, and they soon +had fires going, round which they huddled. + +As it was impossible to carry away all the grain we had found, I got +permission to issue a ration to all the coolies, who had most of them +no supplies of any description, and, telling the guard who had replaced +Gammer Sing to let the coolies in in single file, I then sent some +Levies to drive them up like sheep. The news soon spread that food was +going cheap, and they didn't require much driving. The flour was in a +bin about six feet square, by four feet high, and only a small round +hole at the top. We soon enlarged that so that a man could get in. I +furnished him with a wooden shovel evidently meant for the job, and gave +the order for the men to file in. As each man came in he received a +shovelful, into his skirt tail, and then had to march round a box and +out of the door. It took some two hours to finish the job, and even then +the flour was not expended, while the grain, of which there was some in +more bins, had not been touched. I left the guard over the door, and got +back in time to get orders out for the next day's march, by which time +Cobbe and the rearguard had come in, dinner was ready, and it had begun +to rain. + +We were camped in front of the fort, the men in a field, ourselves +alongside on a praying place overlooking the river. The Levies were on +the right, the ammunition and stores piled by the quarter-guard, the +coolies locked up in the fort, and the pickets all right, so we turned +in. Towards morning the rain began to fall heavily, so I pulled my +bedding under the fort gateway, where I found Stewart and Oldham had +already got the best places; however, I found a spot between two levies, +and finished the night comfortably enough. We had not done a bad day's +work on the whole. Marched from seven in the morning till six at night, +covering some twenty miles of hilly country, made a bridge, and occupied +one of the chief forts of the country. Cobbe, with the rearguard, had +had the poorest time, but he had had the satisfaction of raiding into +Buni. + +We woke up next morning to find a dull grey sky and the rain pouring +down, everything damp and miserable, and the cook having a fight with +the wood to make it burn. Our proposed march for the day being only a +short one, we did not start till eight A.M. As we were moving off, a +Kashmir sepoy turned up who had been one of Edwardes' party, and whose +life had been saved by a friendly villager who gave him some Chitrali +clothes. I told him to fall in with the company, and he came down with +us to Chitral. The remainder of the flour was distributed among the +sepoys, and we took as much grain as we could find carriage for, but it +was very little. + +A small convoy of Punyal Levies joined us that day; they had been +foraging up the Yarkhun valley, and had been sent after us by Moberly. +Our road led along the valley through cornfields and orchards, which, in +spite of the rain, looked very pretty and green. The trees were just in +their first foliage and the corn about a foot high, while all the peach +and apricot trees were covered with bloom. We did not see a soul on our +march, but the officer in charge of the rear-guard reported that as +soon as we left Killa Drasan, the villagers came hurrying down the hill +in crowds. + +At one place we had a short halt on account of a battery pony, which was +amusing itself by rolling down a slope with a gun on its back; it was +brought back nothing the worse for its escapade, and we resumed our +march. + +Before getting into camp, our road led up from the lower valley on to +some gentle, undulating spurs of the main range of hills; here there was +a cluster of villages, and every available spot was cultivated. + +On one of these spurs we camped, where three small villages or clusters +of houses formed a triangle, the centre of which was a cornfield. This +formed an excellent halting-place, as the men were billeted in the +houses, each giving the other mutual protection. We formed our mess in +part of the rooms of the headman's house, one Russool of Khusht; he was +foster-father to the late Nizam-ul-mulk, but had acknowledged the +opposition and joined Sher Afzul. (In the photograph he is sitting half +hidden behind the Mehter's left arm, with his head rather raised.) + +As we had been great friends during my first visit to Chitral,--(he was +awfully fond of whisky),--I've no doubt he was pleased to hear I had +been his guest in his own house, but I never had an opportunity to +thank him, as he left Chitral hurriedly just before our arrival. The +house is the best I have seen in Chitral, a fine stone-paved courtyard, +surrounded on three sides with rooms and a verandah, a fine old chinar +tree near the gateway on the fourth side. The principal rooms are high +and larger than usual, but of the usual pattern. I think we got two +companies of the Pioneers and ourselves into this house alone. + +By three o'clock we had settled down, and were getting dry. The Levies +were sent out foraging, and brought in several ponies. As our stores +decreased, and more ponies were brought in, we had spare ponies for +riding, and we were nearly all mounted by the time we reached Chitral. +However, we had not been there ten days before the owners began turning +up, and we were ordered to give them back, much to our disgust. It was +quite a treat to be in camp and settled before dark, and I've no doubt +the coolies were as thankful as we were. The only drawback to our food +was the flour of which the chupatties were made; it was coarse to a +degree, and seemed to consist chiefly of minute speckly pieces of husk, +which used to tickle our throats up in the most unpleasant manner, and +had a nasty habit of choking the swallower, in addition to being highly +indigestible. We used at last to sift the flour through linen, and the +residuum was a surprise and revelation. + +We had intended to march the next morning by 7 A.M., with the intention +of getting to a village called Parpish, but as it was still pelting with +rain, the march was deferred, to give the weather a chance of clearing +up, which it very kindly did about 10 A.M., when we started. The Kashmir +Company was on advance guard that day, so I went with them, two levies +leading, as usual, about a quarter of a mile ahead. We struck up country +for about two miles, till we got to a kotal, or saddle, from whence we +had a splendid view of the surrounding country. During a halt, Colonel +Kelly came up, and I was able to point out to him the different +places--Koragh Defile, where Ross's party had been cut up, Reshun, where +Edwardes and Fowler had held out for a week, and Barnas, a village we +reached the next day. All these places were on the opposite bank of the +river and several thousand feet below us. We had, by taking our present +route, avoided a very difficult and dangerous part of the country, and +no doubt much disgusted the inhabitants, who, on the old route, would +have had all things their own way. + +By two o'clock we had reached the village of Gurka, where we were met by +a deputation, from whom we demanded certain supplies to be brought to +our camp on pain of severe punishment if not complied with, and by 4 +P.M. we got to the hamlet of Lun, and as there was a good camping +ground, good water and firewood, Colonel Kelly decided to halt there. +Here also supplies were demanded, the amount depending a good deal on +the number of houses and the knowledge of the locality possessed by +Humayun. The Lunites paid up smartly enough, as we were too close +neighbours to allow of any hesitation; but the Gurka contribution had +only partly come in the next morning, so that a party of the Levies was +sent back, and the Gurka villagers had the trouble of bringing the loads +along to Barnas, instead of only two miles into Lun, while the headman +was made to carry a box of ammunition all the way to Chitral. + +Before evening the sun came out, and it was very jolly in camp. We had +some nice short turf to lie on, and the night was not too cold for +comfort. There were good places for the pickets, and the camp was +compact and handy. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + + +NEARING CHITRAL + +The next morning, April 17th, we started sharp at 7 A.M. Two prisoners +had been brought in the night before, one of whom had a Snider and +twenty rounds of ammunition, the other a matchlock. They confessed that +they had fought us at Nisa Gol, and stated they were now going home. We +thought differently, and requested them to carry boxes of ammunition; +one of them, the owner of the Snider, objected, on the ground that he +was a mullah, but the objection was overruled as frivolous, and he +accompanied us to Chitral. We always gave the ammunition to doubtful +characters, as they were then under the direct supervision of the guard, +and the loads were also more awkward and heavier than skins of flour. + +We dropped down the hills now to the river bank. I was on rearguard, a +nuisance at the best of times, as any check at the head of the column +acts on the rearguard in increasing ratio to the length of the column, +so a good deal of time is spent in wondering why the dickens they don't +get on in front. That was a particularly bad day for halts: the first +one was caused by the column having to cross the Perpish Gol, a very +similar place to the Nisa Gol, but undefended. About two miles farther +on, the road ran across the face of a cliff, and had been destroyed; it +took some three hours to repair it, and then the baggage could only get +along slowly. + +We had some five unladen donkeys that were kept at the end of the +baggage column in case of need, and, one of them trying to push past +another, they both rolled over the cliff and went down about a hundred +feet on to the road below, which here made a zigzag. The first donkey +who came down landed on his head and broke his silly neck; but the +second donkey had better luck, and landed on the first donkey in a +sitting position. He got up, sniffed contemptuously at his late friend, +and resumed his journey. We rolled the remains of the elect over the +cliff into the river, and also resumed our course. + +During this march and following ones we frequently saw the bodies of men +floating down the river or stranded in shoals. They were probably the +Sikhs killed with Ross, or perhaps some of Edwardes' party. By 4.30 P.M. +the rearguard had crossed the cliff, and, rounding the shoulder of a +spur, descended to a plain, bare of vegetation, with the exception of +the inevitable wormwood. We crossed this for about a mile, and then +struck down to the river, and saw the Pioneers and guns drawn up on the +farther bank, and just moving off. + +The road on the right hand having been again destroyed a few miles +beyond, the direction of the column had been changed, and, a ford having +been found, the troops had waded across, with the intention of camping +that night at the village of Barnas, the rearguard arriving just in time +to see the main body move off towards the village. The Levies had been +left behind to help the baggage across, and rendered invaluable +assistance, saving many a man from drowning. + +I found most of the coolies with their loads still on the right bank of +the river, leisurely proceeding to strip before wading across; the loads +had to be carried on their heads, the water being well above their +waists. Those loads that could be divided were carried over piecemeal, +the coolie returning for the second part after taking the first across. +This idea was all very fine in theory, but we found that most of the +coolies, having made the first trip, sat down on the bank and proceeded +to dress, leaving the remainder of their load to find its way across as +best it could. Luckily Sergeant Reeves was on the farther bank, and I +having also crossed over, we proceeded to drive every coolie back into +the river, until there was not a load left on the opposite bank. + +Rudyard Kipling, in his story of the taking of the Lungtungpen, tells +how, after the scrimmage in the village, "We halted and formed up, and +Liftinant Brazenose blushin' pink in the light of the mornin' sun. 'Twas +the most ondacent parade I iver tuk a hand in--four-and-twenty privates +an' a officer av the line in review ordher, an' not as much as wud dust +a fife between 'em all in the way of clothin'." As I stood on that +bank, with the evening sun lighting up the river, I thought of +"Liftinant Brazenose," and also blushed. True, I was clothed myself, but +instead of twenty-five, I had two hundred coolies in the same condition +as that bashful officer's army. + +It took us some three hours before all those loads were over, during +which we had some exciting moments. Most of the coolies found the stream +too strong to stem alone, and so they crossed in parties of a dozen or +more, holding hands; but now and then a man would try by himself, +generally with the result that half-way across he would get swept off +his feet, and go floating down the stream, vainly endeavouring to regain +his footing. Then there would be a rush of two or three of the levies, +the man would be swung on to his feet, and his load fished for. One man +I thought was bound to be drowned; he had somehow tied his load on to +his head, and, being washed off his feet, his head was kept down below +the water, while his legs remained waving frantically in the air. The +load, being light, floated, and in this manner he was washed down +stream, till two levies reached him, and, swinging him right side up, +brought him spluttering ashore. + +I often noticed, when sending an old man back for the remainder of his +load, that some youngster who had brought his whole load across would +volunteer to bring the remainder of the old man's, and, of course, I was +only too glad to let him. We found the young men easy to manage, and the +old men were let down lightly; it was the middle-aged man, full of +strength and his own importance, who sometimes tried to raise +objections, but it was getting late, and no time for fooling, so we +drove our arguments home with a gun butt, and the man obeyed. The +rearguard crossed in the dark, and by nine o'clock I was able to report +to Colonel Kelly that everybody had arrived in camp, just as dinner was +ready. + +I didn't turn in till late that night, as I was on duty, and had to go +scrambling round the pickets; even at that late hour I saw many men +still cooking, probably preparing food for the next day. + +As our supplies were now reduced to less than three days, our march the +next morning was ordered for 10 A.M., in order to allow foraging +parties to go out at daybreak to scoop in anything they could find. + +In the meantime, I sent some levies forward to the next village to +reconnoitre. + +The foraging parties did not bring in much, but in our case every little +was of importance, and by 10 A.M. we started. Our front in camp had been +protected by a deep nullah; it took some time getting across this. By +the time we cleared the village, we met our returning scouts, who +reported having seen the enemy in the village of Mori, and reported +their strength as some one hundred men on foot, and about twenty +horsemen. So we all cheered up at the chance of a fight. + +The road now dropped down to the river bed, and ran along the foot of +some cliffs three or four hundred feet sheer above the roadway; there +was about a mile of this, and then two miles of narrow path along the +face of steep shale slopes and cliff face high above the river. Any +force once caught in this place could be cut off to a man. The path was +so narrow that in many places the gun ponies could not have turned +round. + +Colonel Kelly, however, was not to be caught in this way, so the +advance guard was ordered to go right through this part of the road till +they reached the maidan on the farther side, to hold that, and send back +word that they had done so, the main body halting in the meantime till a +clear road was announced. Half-way through, the advance guard found the +road broken, but it was soon mended, and the end of the road under the +cliff reached. Here there was a flattish bit of maidan for about fifty +yards before the path ascended, and crossed the face of slope and cliff. +The officer in command of the advance guard, thinking this was the +maidan mentioned in his orders, sent back word that he was through the +defile, and the road clear. Accordingly the main body advanced with a +flanking picket on the cliff above. I was with Colonel Kelly at the head +of the column, when, turning a corner, we came slap on top of the halted +advance guard. There was no time to stop now, and the advance guard was +hurried on to allow the main body to, at least, get clear of the cliffs +and on the slopes. We got at last on to the slopes, but found the road +broken in several places, which delayed the column considerably; +luckily, I knew the Levies were on ahead, but I was glad when we +reached the end of the bad track. + +When we were once more on the move, I went ahead to join the Levies, and +find out about the reported enemy. I found the Levies on the maidan that +our advance guard should have occupied in the first place, and with them +two men who had come out from the village of Mori, now only some two +miles away. + +These men reported that Mahomed Issar had left about 7 A.M. for Khogazi, +taking all his following with him, and that he would defend a position +known as the Goland Gol, just in front of that village. + +I now went ahead with the Levies, and we swept through the village till +we saw clear open country ahead, and satisfied ourselves that there were +none of the enemy left. + +I then ordered the Levies to ransack every nook and cranny for supplies, +and went myself in search of a camping ground. That was not a very +difficult job, and I soon came upon a nice garden and orchard, with big +shady mulberry trees, and a stream flowing down the centre. On one side +was the house that Mahomed Issar had occupied, and belonged to one of +Sher Afzul's leading men. It was a well-built house, and inside we found +some thirty sacks of caraway seeds, the stuff they put in what are +called "wholesome cakes for children." + +The Pioneer native officers told us that each sack was worth at least +one hundred rupees in Peshawur, but we would gladly have exchanged the +whole amount for half the amount of flour. One of the sacks was emptied +out and the men allowed to help themselves; each man took away a handful +or so, as natives are very fond of it for cooking purposes, especially +for curry, a little going a long way. The whole camp smelt of caraway +seed, and not an unpleasant smell either. The house was pulled down for +firewood. Everyone was delighted with the camp, and it was as +picturesque as could be desired. The weather was first-class for +bivouacking, the trees were in full leaf, and gave a delightful shade, +while the ground was covered with a good sound turf. + +Foraging parties were sent out immediately, and the villagers who had +met us promised to go and induce their friends to return. In fact, they +did collect some ten men, each of whom brought a small sack of flour, +and with that and what the foraging parties brought in, we had enough +for ourselves and the coolies for three days, by which time we hoped to +arrive in Chitral. A good deal of the grain brought in consisted of +unhusked rice and millet, what canary birds are fed on in England,--good +enough for the coolies, at any rate, most of them having been used to it +from childhood. We tried to get the village water-mills going, but all +the ironwork had been carried away, and we had no means of quickly +refitting them, so the unthreshed rice and millet seed was issued as it +was, and the men had to grind it as best they could, with stones. We +still had some goats and sheep, and the men used to get a meat ration +whenever there was enough to go round. + +The rearguard was in by 5 P.M. that day, the first time since we had +left Mastuj that it had come in before dark. Things were looking up. + +The bridge at Mori had been burned, but we heard of another some two +miles farther down, which, if destroyed, could be more easily mended, +and as the reputed position taken up by the enemy could be turned from +the right bank of the river, it was determined to repair it. + +Consequently, early the next morning, Oldham and his Sappers, with a +covering party of one company of Pioneers under Bethune, and the Hunza +Levies, started to repair the bridge, and be ready to cross and turn the +enemy's flank, should he be found awaiting us. + +An hour later the main body started over a road leading along a high +cliff. Here and there the enemy had evidently made attempts to destroy +the road, but so ineffectually that the advance guard hardly delayed its +advance for five minutes to repair it, and by 10 A.M. we had reached the +broken bridge, and found Oldham and his party hard at work mending it. + +The great difficulty was want of beams to stretch across from pier to +pier, but attempts were being made to get these from an adjacent village +on the opposite bank of the river. + +The bridge would not be ready for some two hours at earliest, so +Colonel Kelly sent me on to reconnoitre the Goland Gol, which we +expected the enemy to hold. I kicked my pony into a gallop and hurried +forward. + +About a quarter of a mile farther on, I saw one of the road-bearing +beams of the destroyed bridge which had stranded on the opposite bank, +and sent back a note describing where it could be found. + +Another quarter of a mile brought me up to the Punyal Levies, who were +already reconnoitring the spurs where the army were supposed to be; but +after a careful look through my glasses, we came to the conclusion that +there was no enemy, and again advanced. We reached the Goland Gol, which +is a narrow nullah running up into the hills on the left bank of the +river, the sides being impracticable for several miles, and down the +centre of which rushes a mountain torrent, the road to Chitral crossing +this latter, just before it flows into the Yarkhun river, by means of a +bridge. This bridge we found destroyed, but I sent half the Levies +across by fording the stream a hundred yards higher up, and made them +occupy the ridge on the far side, and put the remainder on to repair +the bridge. I also gave my pony and a note to one of the levies, whom I +sent back with a report to Colonel Kelly, who, on receiving it, had work +on the other bridge knocked off, as it was no longer wanted. + +We hunted for the beams of the Goland Gol bridge, which we found jammed +in the stream a short way down, only one out of the four being smashed, +and soon had them back in their places. Then we laid a roadway of boards +from a hut near, and filled up the holes with branches, and had the +bridge ready before the advance guard arrived. I sent back word, and +then crossed the stream and joined the remainder of the Levies on the +farther side. Here I found several sangars which covered the approaches +to the bridge, and soon had them down, and then went on to the village +of Khogazi, which was about a mile ahead. + +We swept through that village in the usual manner from end to end, +finding only one man who turned out to be a Gilgiti; he had been carried +into slavery several years previously, but had married and settled +down. From him we learned that Mohamed Issar, with a following of about +one hundred men, had arrived the day before about noon; shortly after, a +messenger came in from Sher Afzul, telling him to come into Chitral +without delay, and consequently the whole party had set off about 4 P.M. +All the villagers, he said, had fled up the Goland Gol to the higher +hills, but he would try and bring in any he could find. He did not think +the enemy would try and fight again, though there was a place called +Baitali, just before the opening into the Chitral valley, where, if any +opposition was offered, it would be made. The position could be turned +from both flanks, and ponies could go, but it was not a good road. He +professed himself as willing to go and find out if the Baitali Pari was +occupied, so I sent him off. I knew the place as one of the worst bits +in the whole road between Mastuj and Chitral, but I also knew it could +be passed by crossing the river at Khogazi and climbing the hills on the +right hand, and down on to the Chitral river above its junction with the +Yarkhun river. This would be convenient if the Chitral bridge was +destroyed, as it would take us along the right bank, on which stands +the fort; but I knew also of a ford about two miles above the Chitral +bridge, where we could cover our passage, as the ground was level and +open. + + + + +CHAPTER X + + +WE REACH THE GOAL + +I picked out a camping ground even better than we had enjoyed at Mori, +and then shared some chupatties and chocolate with Rajah Akbar Khan. + +The main body came in by two o'clock, and the baggage shortly after. +Foraging parties were sent out, and Oldham sent to report on the bridge +in case we decided to cross. He reported it as practicable, so a guard +was put on it to keep it so. + +Stewart came into camp that day like a bear with a sore head. "Here had +he been hauling his guns over condemned precipices in pursuit of an +invisible enemy. Call this war! it was only a route march. For a +promenade he preferred the Empire Theatre." + +We tried to console him with hopes of a fight before Chitral, but he +declared the Chitralis had grievously disappointed him, and went off to +see about fodder for his ponies. Alas, poor Stewart! he didn't get his +desire. + +As soon as we had settled down in camp, Colonel Kelly told me to try and +find some man who would carry a letter into Chitral, to warn the +garrison of our approach. I got hold of Shah Mirza, and asked him if he +knew anyone who would go. First, we tried the man who had escaped from +Killa Drasan, but he refused; then Shah Mirza volunteered to go himself, +but he was too useful to be spared. Just as we were wondering who we +could get to go, Humayun and Akbar Khan turned up, evidently excited, +and escorting a man who was bearing letters from Chitral. He handed over +a letter addressed to "The officer commanding troops advancing from +Gilgit." Inside was a letter from Surgeon-Major Robertson, saying that +Sher Afzul had fled on the night of the 18th April, and the siege of +Chitral was raised. He enclosed a return of the killed and wounded, +which, he requested, might be forwarded to India. Then we went through +the list, and came across poor Baird's name among the killed. This was +the first we had heard of it, the natives all declaring that it was +Gurdon who had been killed. Among the wounded we came across +Surgeon-Major Robertson severely and Captain Campbell severely. Poor old +General Baj Singh and Major Bicham Singh were killed, and all together +the casualties amounted to one hundred and four killed and wounded out +of three hundred and seventy combatants. So the garrison had evidently +had a lively time of it. Then we set to work and pumped the messenger +dry of all the news he could tell, the details of which are now too well +known for me to relate. The man had a passport from Surgeon-Major +Robertson, sending him to Killa Drasan, so he was allowed to go. We also +found out from him that there was no enemy between us and Chitral, at +which Stewart swore openly. My spy returned on meeting the Chitral +messenger. + +There was no difficulty now in getting a man to go to Chitral, so we +sent off one with a note, saying we should arrive next day by noon, the +20th April. + +The news had spread quickly through camp, and the native officers came +round to hear about it. We sent back a post to Mastuj by some Nagar +Levies who had just brought in a post, and then had a good discussion as +to the causes that led to the raising of the siege. + +I don't know if any of the other officers felt it, but I know, speaking +for myself, that with the departure of any uncertainty about our arrival +in Chitral in time to save the garrison, a good deal of interest also +departed. + +I felt inclined to agree with Stewart, that the enemy had given us a +just cause for complaint by not playing the game. At any rate, they +might have given us a run for our money in front of Chitral, and this +seemed to be the general idea throughout the column, consequently our +opinion of the Chitrali pluck sank considerably. + +We marched at 6 A.M. the next morning punctually, and by noon the +advance guard was in the Chitral valley. A halt was ordered to allow the +main body to form up, as the guns had had a bad time getting through the +Baitali Pari, and had to be unloaded and carried by hand for some +distance. + +After about two miles we came in sight of the Chitral bridge, which had +not been destroyed, and, soon after, of the fort, with the Union Jack +still floating on one of the towers. + +We crossed the bridge, closed up the column on the other side, the +buglers were sent to the front, and we marched on to the fort with as +much swagger as we could put on. + +We found the garrison in front of the main gate, and were very glad to +shake hands again with all our old friends and congratulate them on +their splendid defence. + +We had a short halt, and then moved on, and took up a position covering +the fort, with our front on a nullah and pickets facing south. Our +bivouac was in a nice shady garden, with plenty of good water and wood. + +When the men had settled down in camp, the officers went back to the +fort, where the garrison gave us breakfast, or rather lunch. There was a +great deal to hear and tell, and for the first time we began to realise +what a touch-and-go time the garrison had been having. There was only +one pause in the conversation, and good old Stewart chipped in with +"D'ye think, now, there's any chance of another fight?" + +After tiffin, we went round and saw all the sights of interest, and +generally interviewed the lions. We saw Harley's mine, the gun tower, +the enemy's sangars, the hospital, and we did not forget poor Baird's +grave, which was just outside the main gate. Then we went back to camp, +and most of us took the opportunity to write home. I also took a +photograph when everyone was assembled over the homely cup of tea. The +bottles on the table look like whisky, but they only contain treacle +made by melting down country goor, the extract of sugar-cane. It was our +substitute for butter or jam, luxuries we had not seen for weeks. Whisky +was a dream of the past, and rum a scarcity. In fact, there was no +difference between what we and the sepoys ate, except in the manner of +cooking. + +We went to sleep that night with the blissful consciousness that the +next day was a halt at any rate, and I think we needed the rest. We had +put on our least ragged coats to march in and make as brave a show as +possible, but our kit generally was in a pretty disreputable state, and +there was a good deal of work wanted in the laundry line. Most of us, +also, had misgivings about our boots. I was reduced to choosing between +boots with large holes in the soles or chuplies mended with string; the +boots I kept for show days, as the holes didn't show, and the chuplies +for ordinary work. Most of the other officers were much in the same +plight. + +So ended the march of Colonel Kelly's column to Chitral. Our record, on +the whole, was not bad, though, of course, judging by actual distance, +we had not done much; it was more the difficult nature of the ground and +the altitude at which some of it was done that lent interest to the +march, and I am unfeignedly glad my luck caused me to participate in it. + +The next day the Kashmir troops of the garrison came out and camped with +us, and revelled in the fresh air after the poisonous atmosphere of the +fort. Poor chaps! they were walking skeletons, bloodless, and as quiet +as the ghosts they resembled, most of them reduced to jerseys and +garments of any description, but still plucky and of good heart. They +cheered up wonderfully in a few days with good fresh air and sleep, and +marched from Chitral quite briskly when they left. + +The next day I again went round the fort and got some photos, which +follow. One of the British officers of the garrison beneath the gun +tower, which was set on fire, and during the extinguishing of which +Surgeon-Major Robertson, the British agent, was wounded by a Snider +bullet. There is also the loophole, afterwards made, from which a sentry +inside the tower could fire at anyone within a few feet. Then I got +Harley to show me the site of his sortie, and pretty grisly the place +looked, but unfortunately the photograph I took, showing the mine lying +open like a ditch to the foot of the tower, was a "wrong un." But I +succeeded in getting one showing the mouth of the mine, with the +excavated earth. + +Then I took one of the sangars from the interior, with the little +shelters used by the Pathans when not amusing themselves with rifle +practice. The water tower is just visible through the foliage. + +Then I took a photo of the fort from the corner by the gun tower looking +towards the musjid, which is shown in a photo at the beginning of the +book, but taken in more peaceful times. It shows the bridge in the +distance, which the fire of the Sikhs made too hot for the Chitralis, +who had to cross over the hills in the daytime. + +Then I took Harley and the two native officers of the 14th Sikhs, +Subadar Gurmuskh Singh and Jemadar Atta Singh. Atta Singh put on white +gloves to grace the occasion, but evidently trembled violently during +the exposure. + +I got a shot at Borradaile sitting in a shelter Oldham had run up for +himself; the hawk and spear were looted at Sanoghar, I think. Borradaile +looks very like Diogenes in his tub. I also took some Kafirs who +strolled into camp. We used to buy their daggers, but they got to asking +as much as twenty rupees for a good one after a time. Every Kaffir has a +dagger, some of them very good ones, but roughly finished. + +After we had been some days in Chitral, some of the 3rd Brigade under +General Gatacre arrived, followed by General Low and the headquarter +staff. + +There was a parade of all the troops in Chitral, with the usual tomasha +of salutes and inspection. We were then formed up in a square, and +General Low made a speech, in which he said that the honour of raising +the siege of Chitral belonged to Colonel Kelly's force; whereat we of +that force threw out our chest and patted ourselves on the back. We also +winked the other eye. + +Little Suji-ul-mulk, the Mehter elect, was present at the review with +his following, and personally conducted by the B.A., resplendent in +political uniform, we soldiers being in khaki. The parade was dismissed, +and, headed by the pipes of the general's escort and of the 4th Gurkhas, +we marched back to our camp. + +A few days afterwards, I was ordered back to Gilgit, to take up Baird's +duties, and the Pioneers followed shortly after. + +The Kashmir troops have gone back to Sudin on relief, and the Pioneers +have followed. There are only one or two of us now left in Gilgit who +took part in the march; but, black or white, it is a bond between us +which will, I hope, last our lifetime. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of With Kelly to Chitral +by William George Laurence Beynon + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WITH KELLY TO CHITRAL *** + +***** This file should be named 10603-8.txt or 10603-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/6/0/10603/ + +Produced by Gail J. 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For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: + https://www.gutenberg.org/GUTINDEX.ALL + + diff --git a/old/10603-8.zip b/old/10603-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..95aa00b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10603-8.zip diff --git a/old/10603.txt b/old/10603.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..83887b1 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10603.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3375 @@ +Project Gutenberg's With Kelly to Chitral, by William George Laurence Beynon + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: With Kelly to Chitral + +Author: William George Laurence Beynon + +Release Date: January 5, 2004 [EBook #10603] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WITH KELLY TO CHITRAL *** + + + + +Produced by Gail J. Loveman, David Starner, Dave Morgan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + + +[Illustration: Chitral Bridge and Fort.] + + + + +WITH KELLY TO CHITRAL + +By + +LIEUTENANT W.G.L. BEYNON, D.S.O. +1st BATTALLION 3rd GOORKA RIFLES + +STAFF OFFICER TO COLONEL KELLY'S RELIEF FORCE + +1896 + + + + +GILGIT, + +_21st October 1895_ + +MY DEAR MOTHER, + +Before you read this short history of a few brief weeks, I must warn you +that it is no record of exciting adventure or heroic deeds, but simply +an account of the daily life of British officers and Indian troops on a +frontier expedition. + +How we lived and marched, what we ate and drank, our small jokes and +trials, our marches through snow or rain, hot valleys or pleasant +fields, in short, all that contributed to fill the twenty-four hours of +the day is what I have to tell. + +I write it for you, and that it may please you is all I ask.--Your son, + +W.B. + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTORY + +CHAPTER II - THE MARCH BEGINS + +CHAPTER III - THE SHANDUR PASS + +CHAPTER IV - FROM LASPUR TO GASHT + +CHAPTER V - CHOKALWAT + +CHAPTER VI - THE RECONNAISSANCE FROM MASTUJ + +CHAPTER VII - THE FIGHT AT NISA GOL + +CHAPTER VIII - THE MARCH RESUMED THROUGH KILLA DRASAN + +CHAPTER IX - NEARING CHITRAL + +CHAPTER X - WE REACH THE GOAL + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + +_Those marked with a * are from Sketches by the Author_. + +*CHITRAL BRIDGE AND FORT + +NIZAM-UL-MULK, MEHTER OF CHITRAL + +*A "PARI" ON THE ROAD TO GUPIS + +*THE SHANDUR PASS + +*RECONNAISSANCE SKETCH OF THE POSITION AT CHOKALWAT + +*MASTUJ FORT + +LOOKING UP THE NISA GOL NULLAH + +*RECONNAISSANCE SKETCH OF THE POSITION AT NISA GOL + +MAP SHOWING ROUTE OF COLONEL KELLY'S FORCES + + * * * * * + +*** Thanks are due to the Publishers of Mr. Thomson's _The Chitral +Campaign_ for the loan of two blocks illustrating "Chokalwat" and "Nisa +Gol" from Lieut. Beynon's sketches. + + + + +[Illustration: MAP OF NORTH WEST FRONTIER OF INDIA*] + + + + +WITH KELLY TO CHITRAL + + + + +CHAPTER I + + +INTRODUCTORY + +"Would you like to go up to Gilgit?" + +"Rather." + +I was down in the military offices at Simla, hunting for a book and some +maps, when I was asked the above question. No idea of Gilgit had before +entered my head, but with the question came the answer, and I have since +wondered why I never before thought of applying for the billet. + +This was at the end of June 1894, and on the 24th August I was crossing +the Burzil pass into the Gilgit district. As day broke on the 31st +August, I dropped down several thousand feet from Doyen to Ramghat in +the Indus valley, and it suddenly struck me I must have come down too +low, and got into Dante's Inferno. As I passed under the crossbeam of +the suspension bridge, I looked to find the motto, "All hope relinquish, +ye who enter here." It wasn't there, but instead there was a sentry on +the bridge, who, on being questioned, assured me that though there was +not much to choose in the matter of temperature between the two places, +I was still on the surface of the earth. He seemed an authority on the +subject, so I felt happier, and accepted the cup of tea offered me by +the commander of the guard. + +Two hours later I was in Bunji, where I found I was to stay, and two +days after that, an officer on his way down to Kashmir passed through, +and almost the first question he asked me was, why on earth I had come +up to Gilgit. "Gilgit's played out," said he. Well, I had been asked +that question several times on my march up, so I may as well explain +that there are officially two chief causes which send men up to +Gilgit--one is debts, and the other, the Intelligence Branch. These, I +say, are the official reasons, but the real reason is the chance of a +"frontier row." In Simla they call them military expeditions. This +accounts for the last part of that young officer's speech. There seemed +no chance of a row to him, so he was going to other fields, and wondered +at my coming up. At first, the result seemed to bear him out, as within +two months he was on the war-path in Waziristan, while I was still +kicking my heels at Bunji; but luck changed later, and I laughed last. + +Well, to continue, my official reason for coming to Gilgit being the +Intelligence Branch, I was ordered up to Chitral early in November for +some survey work, and thus obtained the knowledge of the route and +country that was to stand me in such good stead later on. I finished my +work in Chitral in ten days, starting back for Gilgit on the 1st +December, arriving there on the 19th. I spent Christmas in Gilgit, and +started on the 2nd January 1895 for Hunza, where I expected to remain +for the rest of the winter. + +News of the murder of Nizam-ul-mulk, Mehter of Chitral, reached Gilgit +on the 7th January, and Dr. Robertson, Political Agent at Gilgit, at +once made preparations for a visit to Chitral. + +Captain Townshend, who was at Gupis with Gough of the 2nd Gurkhas, +received orders to march with two hundred and fifty rifles of the 4th +Kashmir Infantry. The first detachment started under Gough, the second +following under Townshend The British Agent, Captain Campbell, and +Surgeon Captain Whitchurch, joined the second party at Ghizr, and they +all crossed the pass together. At Mastuj they picked up the remainder of +the 14th Sikhs, under Harley, who had not gone down to Gurdon at +Chitral, and then started for Chitral, arriving there on the 31st +January. Lieutenant Moberly went from Gilgit with a detachment of the +4th Kashmir Infantry and took command of Mastuj. Gough returning to +Ghizr, Baird took over command of Gupis, which was garrisoned by the 6th +Kashmir Infantry, and I was brought down from Hunza to take over Baird's +billet as staff officer. Shortly after, Fowler, R.E., was ordered to +Chitral with his Bengal Sappers, and Edwardes, 2nd Bombay Infantry, to +the same place, to take command of the Hunza Nagar Levies, which were +now called out. Baird was next ordered up to Chitral and relieved by +Stewart, R.A. On 21st February, Ross and Jones and the detachment of +14th Sikhs left Gilgit _en route_ for Mastuj. The Hunza and Nagar Levies +came in to Gilgit on the 7th March. I issued Snider carbines and twenty +rounds ammunition to each man, and they left the next day. These Levies +were splendid men, hardy, thick-set mountaineers, incapable of fatigue; +and, as a distinguishing badge, each man was provided with a strip of +red cloth which they wore in their caps, but which, we afterwards found +by practical experience at Nisa Gol, was inadequate. + +[Illustration: Nizam-ul-Mulk, Mehter of Chitral.] + +As news from Chitral had ceased for some days, Captain Stewart, +Assistant British Agent in Gilgit, determined to call up the 32nd +Pioneers, who were working on the Chilas road, so as to be ready for an +advance in case any forward movement was necessary. In consequence of +this order, Colonel Kelly marched into Gilgit on the 20th March with two +hundred men, Borradaile following on the 22nd with a like party. + +On the 21st we heard from Mastuj that Ross's party of 14th Sikhs had +been cut up, Ross himself and some forty-six Sepoys being killed, Jones +and fourteen men alone managing to cut their way back; he and nine of +the survivors being wounded. There was no news of Edwardes and Fowler. +This news upset the apple-cart, and telegrams began to fly around, with +the result that Colonel Kelly was put in command of the troops in the +Gilgit district, with full civil powers on his line of operations. This +telegram arrived on the evening of the 22nd. The day before, Colonel +Kelly had offered me the position of staff officer to the force, and I +naturally jumped at the chance. Dew of the Guides, who was on the +sick-list, was sufficiently well to take over my work, so there was no +difficulty on that score; and as I had long had my kit ready for any +emergency, I merely bundled my remaining possessions into boxes, which I +locked up and left to look after themselves till my return. + +Here I may as well describe what the force consisted of. First, there +were four hundred men of the 32nd Pioneers, commanded by Borradaile, +Colonel Kelly having taken command of the column. Bar these two, we were +all subalterns. Peterson was the senior, and commanded the second +detachment, as we were marching to Ghizr in two parties. Then there was +Bethune the adjutant, and Cobbe, and Browning-Smith the doctor--these +were all 32nd Pioneers. Captain de Vismes, 10th Bombay Infantry, came +along with us as far as Gupis, where he relieved Stewart, R.A., who, of +course, was in command of the two guns of No. 1 Kashmir Mountain +Battery. Stewart is an Irishman and the most bloodthirsty individual I +have come across. He used to complain bitterly because the Chitralis +wouldn't give us a fight every day. Then there was Luard, the Agency +Surgeon; we used to chaff him considerably during the march to Gupis, as +he turned up in a Norfolk jacket and a celluloid collar. I think he had +sent his kit on to Gupis; at any rate, after that place he dressed in +Khaki uniform like the rest of us. These were all who started from +Gilgit, so I'll introduce the others as we pick them up. + + + + +CHAPTER II + + +THE MARCH BEGINS + +Colonel Kelly assumed command on the 22nd March, and the next morning +the first detachment of two hundred Pioneers, under Borradaile, marched +off. The local Bible, commonly known as the Gazetteer, states that it +never rains in Gilgit; this being so, it naturally started to rain on +the morning of the 23rd, and kept it up for two days. We were marching +without tents, so the first night the men had to run up their waterproof +sheets into shelters. + +Colonel Kelly, Luard, and myself started about 2 P.M. to catch up the +troops, who had started about 9 A.M. Luard had a beast of a pulling +pony, and as his double bridle hadn't got a curb chain, it was about as +much use as a headache, so I suggested he should let the pony rip, and +promised to bury his remains if he came a cropper. He took my advice and +ripped; you couldn't see his pony's heels for dust as he disappeared +across the plain. We found him all right in camp when we got there. + +The men were already in camp, and pretty comfortable, in spite of the +rain. Colonel Kelly had a small tent, and the rest of us turned into +convenient cow-sheds. We were not troubled with much baggage, bedding, +greatcoats, and a change of clothing; the men had poshteens (sheepskin +coats), and everybody pleased themselves in the matter of boots, most of +us preferring chuplies--a native kind of sandal with a leather sock, a +very good article in snow, as you can put on any number of socks without +stopping the circulation of blood in your feet. Officers and men were +all provided with goggles, and very necessary they were. + +We had a very jolly mess. The force being so small, the 32nd Pioneers +kindly asked the remaining officers to mess with them, every man of +course providing his own plate, knife, fork, and spoon, the cooking pots +being collected for the general good. We had breakfast before starting, +the hour for marching being 7 A.M. as a rule. The Pioneers had some +most excellent bacon; good eggs and bacon will carry a man through a +long day most successfully. I remember that when that bacon gave out, +there was more mourning than over all the first-born of Egypt. Mutton we +never ran out of; like the poor, it was always with us. + +We got into camp as a rule some time in the afternoon, and then indulged +in tea and chupatties; whisky was precious, and kept for dinner, which +took place at dusk. Sometimes, when we got into camp late, dinner and +tea were merged into one; however, it made no odds, we were always ready +to eat when anything eatable came along. The mess provided some camp +tables, and most of us managed to bring a camp stool, so we were in the +height of luxury. After dinner a pipe or two, and then we turned in; we +generally managed to get some grass to put under our blankets, but if we +didn't, I don't think it made much difference; we were all young, and +used to sleeping out on the hillside after game, frequently above the +snow line, so it was no new experience. If it rained or was cold, we +generally managed to get into a hut; these are remarkably strongly +built, good stone walls, and thick, flat, wooden roofs with a mud +covering, a hole in the middle of the floor for the fire, and a hole in +the roof for the smoke--at least that was what we supposed was the idea, +but the smoke generally preferred to remain inside. + +There were also other discomforts of a minor nature. For instance, the +cows and goats used to take it as a personal matter if you objected to +their sharing the room with you; they were big enough, however, to catch +and turn out, but there were other occupants of a more agile nature, +armies of them, whom it was hopeless to try and eject; we suffered so +much from their pleasing attentions that we generally preferred to sleep +outside, weather permitting. + +Our second march was to a village called Suigal in the Punyal district, +governed by Raja Akbar Khan, a jolly old chap who came out to meet us on +the road; he lives in a castle on the left bank of the river, which is +here crossed by one of the highest and longest rope bridges in the +country. In spite of his size, he is a very good polo player, as are all +his family, some of whom were shut up in the Chitral Fort with Dr. +Robertson. He now offered his services and those of his people to +Government, which Colonel Kelly accepted, and the old man retired very +pleased, to rejoin us later on. At Suigal we managed to get all the +troops under shelter, as it was still raining, and it was now the second +day that they had been wet through. + +The next day the rain had luckily stopped, and towards noon the sun came +out, and everybody's dampened spirits cheered up. We marched that day to +Hoopar Pari, making a double march instead of halting at Gurkuch. Pari +means a cliff--and the camping ground is a horrid little place shut in +by high cliffs close to the bed of the river. There is no village near. +It is a desolate place at the best of times, and when there is any wind +blowing, it is like camping in a draught-pipe. + +From Hoopar Pari we marched to Gupis. Gupis is a fort built by the +Kashmir troops last year, on the most scientific principle, the only +drawback being that it is commanded on all sides, and would be perfectly +untenable if attacked by three men and a boy armed with accurate +long-range rifles. Here we picked up Stewart, who was turning catherine +wheels at the thought of taking his beloved guns into action. He +expressed a desire to try a few shells on the neighbouring villages, to +practise his men in ranging; but as there were objections to this plan, +the idea was allowed to drop. At Gupis we made a raid on the stores in +the officers' quarters and pretty well cleared them out. De Vismes, who +took command, had to get a fresh supply up from Gilgit. + +[Illustration: A "Pari" on the road to Gupis.] + +We had a merry dinner that night, provided, I think, by Stewart, who +used to get up at intervals and dance a jig at the idea of seeing his +guns the next morning--they were coming on with the second detachment +under Peterson. From Gupis I sent my pony back to Gilgit, as it was +useless taking it any farther, as we doubted being able to take animals +over the pass, which eventually proved to be impossible. From Gupis +onwards we had to be content with the usual hill track of these +countries, good enough for a country pony, but still nothing to be proud +of; here we discarded our Government mules, and took coolie transport +instead. The march from Gupis to Dahimal is a long, trying one, up and +down all the way. Cobbe, who was on rearguard, didn't get in till long +after dark. + +The village of Dahimal lies on the opposite bank of the river, so we did +not cross, but bivouacked on the right bank, where there was some scrub +jungle that provided us with wood. The Pioneers had brought four ducks; +they were carried in a basket along with the mess-stores. +Browning-Smith, who ran the messing, got quite pally with these ducks, +and as soon as they were let out of their basket, he used to call them, +and off they would waddle after him in search of a convenient puddle. I +forget when those ducks were eaten, but I don't remember them at Ghizr, +and am sure they didn't cross the pass. + +Our next march was a short one to Pingal, only about nine miles. Here we +were met by Mihrbhan Shah, the Hakim or governor of the upper part of +the valley. Mihrbhan Shah is a bit of an authority in the murder line, +having been employed by the late lamented Nizam-ul-mulk as chief +murderer. Mihrbhan Shah is particularly proud of one of his little jobs, +which he flatters himself he accomplished in a very neat and artistic +manner. I forget the details, but it resulted in the death of five men. +I asked him in to afternoon tea, Shah Mirza acting as interpreter. We +had a long chat, from which I gained some very useful details about the +state of the parties in Chitral, who was likely to help, and who wasn't, +also a description of the road to Killa Drasan, which I did not know. +This latter information seemed so important that I reported it that +night to Colonel Kelly, and it was then and there decided to march _via_ +Killa Drasan instead of by the usual road through Buni. + +I don't, think I have mentioned Shah Mirza before, so I will introduce +him now, as he was one of our most useful allies, and is now one of my +greatest friends. He belongs to the Punyal family, and is Wazir or +governor of Sai and Gor. He lives at Damot, a village in the Sai valley, +opposite Bunji, and it was during my stay there that I first got to know +him. He has an interesting history, and, among other adventures, has +travelled through the Pamirs and Chitral in disguise. He was our chief +interpreter, and he, or one of his followers, of whom he had five, +always kept near us. His followers were enlisted Levies, and one of them +had formerly been my shikaree; in fact, he only left me as he was +called out as a levy. + +It is the custom of the country for the headmen of districts to come and +pay their respects to any Sahib who may travel through their country, +and the proper etiquette is to supply your visitors with tea and +sweetmeats--biscuits will do just as well, and they like plenty of +sugar. They then pay you the most barefaced compliments, and make the +startling assertion that you are their father and mother; upon which you +reply that all you have is at their disposal. If they have any +petition,--and they generally have,--they insinuate it gently in the +general conversation, so you have to be looking out for traps of this +sort. When you have suffered sufficient evil for the day, you mildly +suggest that they are probably fatigued, and would like to rest. They +take the hint, and the remainder of the biscuits, and depart. We used to +have lots of these visits, which went by the name of "political teas." + +Mihrbhan Shah proved very useful to us, I fancy he knew he would get +small mercy if he fell into the hands of the opposition, and therefore +did all he could to place our force between them and himself. Both at +Pingal and our next halting place, Cheshi, he managed to billet all our +small force in the villages, and no doubt our men were very thankful as +we were getting pretty high up, and the nights were decidedly cold. +Although it was a friendly district, we had regular pickets and +sentries, and a British officer on duty to see everything was correct. + + + + +CHAPTER III + + +THE SHANDUR PASS + +Shortly after leaving Pingal, the character of the country changed +considerably, and instead of a continual alternation of cliff and river +bed, the valley became more open and level; we were, in fact, nearing +the upper end of the valley. Beyond Cheshi the road leads up a bluff and +down the other side on to the bed of the Pandur Lake. This lake had, at +the beginning of 1894, been a sheet of water some four and a half miles +long, but, the dam at its end having given way in July, it had drained +off rapidly; and when I had crossed it in November of the same year, the +mud of its bed was only just becoming firm and was cracked and fissured +in every direction. It was now covered with a sheet of snow, through +which the river twined dark and muddy. + +We had now reached the snow line, and our green goggles were taken into +use. The march of our column churned the snow and mud into a greasy +slime, and the going was very tiring. However, we came in sight of the +Ghizr post by 2 P.M., and Gough, of the 2nd Gurkhas, who was in command, +came out to meet us. From him we learned that none of his messengers +that had been sent to Mastuj with letters had returned, and it was now +some ten days since the last communication had reached him; so it became +evident that the enemy were between Laspur and Mastuj. We knew that they +had not crossed the pass, or we should have seen them before this, so we +were pretty hopeful of a fight soon after crossing the pass, and we were +not disappointed. At Ghizr we also found Oldham, a Sapper subaltern, who +had preceded us by a few days. He had with him a party of Kashmir +Sappers and Miners, who were now armed with Snider carbines. The post, +which consisted of a block of isolated houses, had been fortified and +surrounded with a thorn zareba, and was only sufficiently large for the +garrison of Kashmir troops then holding it, so our men were billeted in +the neighbouring houses, one of which we turned into a mess and quarters +for ourselves. + +We halted on the 30th March, in order to allow the second detachment of +the Pioneers and the guns to come up, as from here Colonel Kelly +intended to march in one column. Here also we picked up the Hunza and +Nagar Levies, numbering a hundred men, under their own leaders. They +were posted in the village of Teru, some four miles up the valley, and +from there could give timely warning if any hostile force crossed the +pass. Wazir Humayun led the Hunza crowd, and Wazir Taifu the Nagar. I +got to know Humayun very well indeed, and a right good sort he is. He +had formerly lived for some five years in Chitral, when Raja Safdar Ali +Khan of Hunza had made things too hot for him, but when Safdar Ali fled +when we took the country in 1891-92, he was reinstated. Wazir Taifu I +did not get to know so well, as the Nagar Levies were left behind at +Mastuj, when we went on from there to Chitral. The second detachment +under Peterson, and the guns with Stewart, got into camp some time +after midday on the 31st March. + +In the meantime, every available coolie and pony had been collected, and +we calculated on being able to start the next morning, with ten days' +rations for the whole force. By 6 A.M. on the 1st April the troops had +fallen in and were ready to start, and a nice handy little lot we had. +Four hundred Pioneers, two mountain guns, forty Kashmir Sappers and a +hundred Levies. Then the coolies were told to load up, and the trouble +began. It now appeared that some hundred coolies and ponies from Yasin +had bolted during the night. We had put too much faith in Mihrbhan +Shah's influence, and all those villagers who were not directly under +his government had gone. Those hundred coolies meant the transport of +our supplies, and without them we should only have the food actually +carried in the men's haversacks. We had cut down our baggage to the +vanishing point, and the men were carrying all they could, and we did +not dare leave our reserve ammunition behind. + +The column had just moved off when this state of things became known and +was reported to me. Colonel Kelly was at the head of the column, so I +snatched the nearest pony, tumbled its load on to the ground, and went +scrambling through the snow after the troops. Of course there was +nothing to be done except halt the column until the coolies could be +collared and brought back, so Stewart, who had a battery pony with him, +was sent off down the road after the absconding coolies. They must have +started the evening before, as he only caught a few of them up fifteen +miles back, and had great difficulty in bringing them along with him. We +met him as we were returning to Ghizr at seven o'clock that evening. +Stewart had scarcely gone ten minutes before some fifty coolies were +found hiding in a village; they were soon driven out and made to lift +their loads. This gave us some six days' rations, and with it we moved +off, our great object being to get across the pass and open +communications with Mastuj. After that we could see about getting on to +Chitral. Our transport consisted of country ponies and coolies, and I +remained behind to see the last off and rearguard moving before I +started myself. + +About two miles from Ghizr post there was a steep ascent where the road +twisted and curled among a mass of debris fallen from the cliffs above, +and in one place the ponies had to be helped through a narrow passage +between two fallen boulders. About midday I caught up the tail of the +troops, who were already past the village of Teru, the highest inhabited +spot in the valley; there are only a few houses, and these are scattered +about in clumps a few hundred yards apart. Passing on, I caught up the +battery, and reached the leading infantry, when suddenly the word to +halt was passed down the long line. + +We were now on a narrow plain, and the snow on either hand of the track +which the troops were following in single file was over my waist, as I +soon found whenever I left the path in order to reach more quickly the +head of the column. On arriving there, I found the track had suddenly +ended, and before us was the level expanse of snow-covered valley. +Attempts were being made to get the gun mules of the battery through +this, but at every step they sank up to their girths, even then not +finding firm foothold. Trials were then made of the ground at the sides +of the valley, but the snow was found equally deep and soft there; and +after spending an hour or so in futile attempts to get forward, it +became evident to all that no animal could possibly pass over the +snowfield in its present condition. We had only gone some eight miles +out of the thirteen to Langar, and it was already three o'clock. There +was nothing, therefore, for it but to return, and the word to retire was +reluctantly passed along the line, and each man, turning where he stood, +moved slowly back towards Ghizr. + +But though laden or unladen animals could not cross the pass, we saw no +reason to suppose that men could not, and therefore, at Teru, which we +reached by four o'clock, a halt was made, and two hundred Pioneers, with +Borradaile and Cobbe, and the Sappers under Oldham, were detailed to +remain there with the Hunza Levies, and to try and force their way +across the pass the next day. Borradaile was to receive all the coolie +transport, which he was to send back as soon as he got across the pass, +in order that we might follow with the remainder of the troops. His +orders were to entrench himself at Laspur, which was the first village +across the pass, and if possible open communications with Mastuj. + +The guns were immediately sent back to Ghizr, and we set to work to +sort out the kits of Borradaile's party from the remainder. The +unavoidable confusion at first was something dreadful. First of all, the +kits had to be unloaded, then those of Borradaile's party separated and +put on one side; the remaining kits were then loaded on the ponies and +sent off, as fast as the ponies could be loaded up, back to Ghizr. The +ammunition had to be divided, and as much as possible given over in the +way of supplies. All this time we had to have a ring of sentries round +to stop the coolies from bolting, but as soon as we had got the ponies +off, the coolies were collected, and sat down in the snow under a guard. +Borradaile's party were then told off into the different houses, and the +coolies likewise, still under guard, the ammunition and supplies +stacked, and the job was done. + +By this time it was about seven o'clock, getting dark, and also +beginning to snow. All of us, officers and men, were covered with slush +and mud from head to foot, and dripping wet. Smith, who was going with +Borradaile's party, had, however, managed to get a fire going in one of +the houses, and had got some tea ready, bless him! We had a cup all +round, and wished Borradaile and his party good luck. The remainder of +us plunged out into the darkness and snow and splashed back to Ghizr. +The men, who had started some time before us, were comfortably in their +former quarters when we reached Ghizr. + +On the way we met Stewart, who had just returned from his coolie hunt, +and was seated on a rock, like Rachel mourning for her children, only in +his case he was murmuring, not because the guns were not, but because +they were back in Ghizr. "His guns were going over that pass even if he +had to carry them himself, you may bet your boots on that! and begad, +I'll set the gunners to cut a road; and d'ye think now the snow would +bear the mules at night when it was frozen at all?" + +We got back to the huts we had left in the morning by 8.30 P.M., and +there was a general demand for something hot. Our servants, luckily, had +been sent back straight, so it was not long before we had something to +eat; that was our first meal since 5.30 A.M., and it was now about 9 +P.M. We had marched some sixteen miles through snow, and been on foot +for some fifteen hours, and here we were back in the same place we had +started from. Since midday we had been pretty well wet through, and the +wind and cold had peeled the skin off our faces till it hung in flakes; +still we were lucky in having a roof over our heads, as it had now +started to snow in earnest. After dinner we weren't long before turning +in. + +We were up early the next morning, but Stewart and Gough were up still +earlier, and were making sledges and trying experiments with loads. They +came in flushed with success, swearing that they had dragged the whole +ammunition of the guns by themselves across half a mile of snow, and +that they would have the guns over the pass in no time. Unluckily, the +snow was still falling, and as Borradaile had all the available coolie +transport, we were forced to wait till he could send it back. By noon he +sent in a letter by one of the levies, saying he had been unable to +start, as heavy snow was still falling, but would try the next day. + +Shah Mirza now came up to me and said that there was a mullah in the +village who had an infallible charm for stopping the snow, and a present +of a few rupees would no doubt set it in motion. I promptly inquired +how it was the mullah was not carrying a load, but was told he was too +old to help in that way, but would be only too delighted to overcome the +elements; so I gave the Mirza to understand that if the mullah would +stop the snow-storm the Sirkar would make him, the mullah, a great man; +in the meantime, I would give him a couple of rupees on account. Shah +Mirza went off joyfully, evidently having implicit faith in the mullah. + +Shortly after this, Gough came up, saying that the Kashmir troops in the +post had volunteered to make a road through the snow, and if he could +take fifty of them with four days' rations to Teru, a sufficient track +might be made to Langar, our next camping ground, just this side of the +pass, to enable the guns to be carried there without much difficulty. +Colonel Kelly's permission having been obtained, we set about collecting +all the shovels and spades we could find in the village. Among others I +got hold of the mullah's, who became very indignant; but I pointed out +to him that as his prayers seemed to have no effect on the snow, perhaps +his shovel would make up for their deficiencies. We managed, by +instituting a house-to-house visitation, to collect some twenty spades +of sorts, and with those supplied by the troops, we got altogether some +forty, which were handed over to Gough. He and Stewart and fifty Kashmir +Sepoys started off that day to Teru, taking with them half a dozen +sledges that had been made out of ghi boxes. + +Later in the day we had to send out foraging parties for wood and bhoosa +(chopped straw) as the commissariat reported their supply as running +out; in fact, these parties had to go out every day during our stay in +Ghizr. + +Early the next morning I got a note from Stewart, asking that the +battery might be sent up to Teru, as there was enough fodder there for +the mules, and experiments could be made for getting the guns along. I +got the battery off sharp, but it was nearly noon before they got to +Teru. The snow had ceased falling, and, the clouds clearing off, the sun +made a blinding glare off the freshly fallen snow. + +After breakfast I started off for Teru myself, to see how Borradaile was +getting along, and, finding he had started, I left my borrowed pony at +the village, and, pushing on, caught up the rearguard a short way +beyond where we had been forced to turn back on the 1st April. Here I +found Stewart, Gough, and Oldham with the fifty Kashmir troops, two +Sappers and Miners, and rearguard of the Pioneers, staggering along +under the guns and ammunition in a track that had been beaten out by the +troops marching in front. For some reason or other the sledges did not +seem to act, partly, I think, because the track, being made by men +marching in single file, was too narrow and uneven; at anyrate, when I +arrived, the guns, wheels, carriages, and ammunition had been told off +to different squads, about four men carrying the load at a time, and +being relieved by a fresh lot every fifty yards or so. Even thus the +rate of progression was fearfully slow, about one mile an hour, and the +men were continually sinking up to their waists in snow. Added to this, +there was a bitter wind, and a blinding glare, while the men were +streaming with perspiration. + +I know my own face felt as if it had been dipped in boiling water, and +during the next few days the whole skin came off in flakes. + +I may as well here describe the tribulations of the advanced party, +prefacing my remarks by saying that they are founded on reports and +hearsay, and therefore I beg any slight inaccuracy may be forgiven me. +When I turned back to return to Ghizr, the party carrying the guns were +just arriving at a stream called the Shamalkhand, which flows from a +high pass of the same name, which is often used as a summer route to +Mastuj, but at that time of year is impassable. From this stream to +Langar, the camping ground on the eastern side of the Shandur Pass, is +some four miles, the valley being open and fairly level, but covered +with thick dwarf willow on the banks of the stream flowing down the +centre which confines the road to the western side of the valley. The +main body of the party I could see about one and a half miles ahead; +they had already crossed the stream. That was about 4 P.M., and the +rearguard did not get into camp till 11 P.M., and even then the guns had +to be left about a mile from camp. + +At Langar there is only one little wretched hut about six feet square, +which was used as a shelter by the officers and one or two sick men, the +remainder huddling round fires in the snow. Luckily, as I have already +said, there was a plentiful supply of wood to be had for the cutting. +Many of the men, I hear, were too tired to cook their food, but simply +lay down exhausted near the fires, the officers getting something to eat +about midnight. Very little sleep was there for either officers or men +that night, most of them passed it huddled up round the fires, or +stamping up and down to keep warm. + +Early the next morning the Pioneers and Levies started to cross the +pass, while the remainder brought the guns into camp, which work, I +believe, took the best part of the day. + +On leaving the camping ground, the track leads sharply to the right, +following the course of the Shandur stream, which is now merely a +rushing brook. The ascent is fairly precipitous for about a mile, and is +followed by a very gradual ascent,--so gradual, in fact, that it is +difficult to say when the top of the pass is actually reached. This +slope constitutes the pass, and is some five miles long, and twelve +thousand three hundred and twenty feet above the sea; absolutely bare of +trees, and with two fair-sized lakes upon its surface, it is easy to +imagine the deadly cold winds that sweep across it. The lakes were +now frozen over, and the valley was one even sheet of spotless snow +lying dazzling under the sun. It is this combination of sun and snow +which causes so much discomfort and snow blindness; I had before crossed +this same pass in December on a cloudy day, and although the whole of it +was covered with freshly fallen snow, I did not even find it necessary +to wear the goggles I had in my pocket ready for use. + +[Illustration: The Shandur Pass.] + +The distance from Langar on the east to the village of Laspur on the +west of the pass is not more than ten miles, yet Borradaile's party, +leaving Langar at daybreak, did not reach Laspur till seven o'clock at +night. + +Strange as it may seem, the men suffered greatly from thirst, and from +some mistaken idea of becoming violently ill if they did so, they +refused to eat the snow through which they were floundering. Towards +evening, as they reached the western end of the pass, three men, +evidently an outpost of the enemy, were seen to bolt from behind some +rocks and make good their escape, in spite of an attempt by the Levies +to catch them. + +The descent from the pass to the village of Laspur is some two miles +long, and down a steep and rather narrow ravine. The Hunza Levies +covered the spurs on each side, while the Pioneers descended down the +centre. So sudden and unexpected was their arrival that the inhabitants +were caught in the village, and naturally expressed their extreme +delight at this unexpected visit--so polite of them, wasn't it? They +also said that they would be glad to help us in any way we desired. They +were taken at their word, and sent back next day to bring on the guns, +while that night they were politely requested to clear out of some of +their houses, which were quickly put into a state of defence and +occupied by our troops. Supplies were also required of the village. + +The next day was spent by the detachment in completing the defences, and +collecting supplies and coolies. Towards evening a report was brought in +that the enemy had collected to the number of about a hundred some three +miles away. So Borradaile took out some of the men to reconnoitre. Some +men were seen in the distance, but these the Levies declared to be only +villagers, and as it was getting dusk, the party returned to camp, only +then learning that a levy had been taken prisoner. The man had gone some +distance ahead of his fellows, and had been captured by two men who +jumped out on him from behind a rock. That evening the guns were brought +in by the Kashmir troops and the coolies, amid cheers from the Pioneers. + +Nothing, I think, can be said too highly in praise of this splendid +achievement. Here were some two hundred and fifty men, Hindus and +Mussulmans, who, working shoulder to shoulder, had brought two mountain +guns, with their carriages and supply of ammunition, across some twenty +miles of deep, soft snow, across a pass some twelve thousand three +hundred and twenty feet high, at the beginning of April, the worst time +of the year. It must also be remembered that these men were carrying +also their own rifles, greatcoats, and eighty rounds of ammunition, and +wearing heavy sheepskin coats; they had slept for two nights in the +snow, and struggled from dawn till dark, sinking at every step up to +their waists, and suffering acutely from a blinding glare and a bitter +wind. So much for the rank and file; but in their officers they had had +splendid examples to follow, especially Stewart and Gough, if one may +select when all did so nobly. Both these officers took their turns with +the men, Stewart with his gunners, and Gough with his Gurkhas, in +carrying the guns, and both, with utter unselfishness and with complete +disregard for their own personal comfort, gave their snow glasses to +sepoys who, not having any, were suffering from the glare experienced on +the first day. It is by these small acts that officers can endear +themselves to their men, who, knowing that their officers have their +welfare at heart, will follow wherever they may lead. + +Thus was the Shandur Pass first crossed, and a position established from +whence the force could work down to Mastuj and thence to Chitral. + +I may here mention that so little did the Chitralis imagine that we +could cross the pass, that letters were found in Laspur stating that the +British force was lying in Ghizr, the men unable to move from frostbite, +and the officers from snow blindness; also that since then fresh snow +had fallen, and no forces would now be able to cross for several weeks. +In fact, the Chitralis looked upon the game as entirely in their own +hands; the surprise of our arrival was therefore all the more complete. + +Having brought the guns and Borradaile's party safely across the pass, I +return and relate Colonel Kelly's and my own experiences. + +After leaving the guns being dragged through the snow to Langar on the +3rd April, I walked back to Teru. On the way I saw the mullah's shovel +sticking up in the snow, with one half of the blade snapped off. Alas, +poor mullah! At Teru I found the battery mules and drivers; these were +ordered back to Ghizr, as they could be more easily fed there, and would +be protected by the garrison of the post. I eventually got back to Ghizr +before dark and reported events, and, just my luck, got a bad go of +fever the next day. Great Scott! I did feel a worm! I was shivering with +ague and my face was like a furnace. I hadn't a bit of skin on it +either, and it was painful to eat or laugh from the cracked state of my +lips. I managed to struggle through some necessary official letters, but +as a staff officer that day I was not much use. + +Colonel Kelly determined to start himself the next morning, with the +Nagar Levies and Shah Mirza, as we had managed to collect half a dozen +coolies to carry our kits. I went with Colonel Kelly, the remainder of +the Pioneers coming on as soon as the coolies from Borradaile's party +arrived; we were expecting them the next day, the 5th April. + +I turned in early that night, after having covered my raw face with some +Vinolia powder that Colonel Kelly happened to have. I had not before +known that these powders were supposed to be of any use. I had a vague +sort of idea that they were used for sprinkling babies, but was unaware +of the reason of this strange rite; however, I will now give the Vinolia +Company what I believe is called an unsolicited testimonial. I stuck to +that powder till I got to Mastuj, by which time my face had become human +again. Colonel Kelly had a beard, so he didn't suffer so much. The next +morning I felt much better, had no fever, and, thanks to the Vinolia, my +face was much less painful. + +We got the Levies and our kits off early, and about noon Colonel Kelly +and I started on some borrowed ponies, which we rode as far as we could +and then sent back. Having caught up the Levies, we tramped forward +along the track made by the first column, occasionally finding deserted +sledges and bits of broken spades. The snow was now somewhat firmer than +when the first party had crossed, owing to the top of the snow thawing +slightly in the sun every day and being frozen hard again every night; +all the same, the slightest divergence from the track plunged us up to +our waists in snow. + +The only one of our party who could walk on the snow without difficulty +was my bull-terrier "Bill," a spotted dog of doubtful ancestry. He had +been given to me as a bull-terrier when he was only a little white rat +of a thing, and I had raised him at Bunji on tinned milk. He was a most +uncanny dog (the joke is unintentional), and it was commonly believed in +the force that his father was a tom cat. Poor Bill! Before he got to +Laspur he was so snow blind that until we got to Mastuj I had to open +his eyes for him every morning and bathe them with hot water before he +could see, and he was hardly well again a month later. + +We got into camp that night before dusk, pretty well fagged and wet, and +as soon as the coolies came in with our kits, we scraped a hole in the +snow and pitched the colonel's small tent. In camp we found a few men +who had been placed in charge of some ammunition that had been left +behind for want of transport. This guard were mostly suffering a bit +from snow blindness, but were otherwise all right, as they had run up +shelters and had plenty of wood and their bedding. When I got at my kit, +I took out a bottle of quinine and dosed our servants and orderlies all +round, so that they should not have any excuse for getting fever, and +then took some myself for the same reason. We then laid out our bedding +in the tent, while the servants went into the hut, and turned in +immediately after dinner, and had a very comfortable night. + +We were up before dawn the next morning, and, as we had slept in our +clothes, it was not long before we had had breakfast and struck camp. By +6 A.M. we were climbing the ascent to the pass. There was a wind +whistling straight in our faces, and I had no idea anything could be so +cold; it simply went clean through you, and I quite expected to hear my +ribs sing like an Aeolian harp. When we got on to the pass, the sun rose +and the wind dropped quite suddenly, and presently we had taken off our +greatcoats on account of the heat. After going about an hour, I began to +suffer from mountain sickness, a curious and distinctly unpleasant +sensation, very much like having a rope tied tightly round one's chest +and back, and the shortness of breath necessitating a halt every hundred +yards or so. Colonel Kelly did not suffer from it at all, but trudged +along without a halt the whole way. That is the only time I have ever +suffered from mountain sickness, and I have crossed the Shandur both +before and since, as also other passes, without feeling any +inconvenience. + +By noon we had almost reached the highest point of the pass, and were +skirting the larger lake, when we met the coolies of Borradaile's party +returning with an escort of some of the Kashmir troops. They all seemed +pretty lively in spite of the poor time they had been having; but as +they are used to crossing the Shandur at all times of the year, I +daresay our sympathy was a good deal wasted. + +We were soon descending into the Laspur valley, and we had hardly +dropped three hundred feet before all sense of sickness left me, and I +felt as fit as possible. A short way out of the village we were met by a +patrol which Borradaile had sent out to meet us, and by two o'clock we +were in camp, where we found Oldham in command, Borradaile having gone +on a reconnaissance down the valley. The previous day news had been +brought in that the enemy were assembled in the valley, and a small +party had gone out, as I have already related. On the morning of the 6th +April, Borradaile accordingly determined on another reconnaissance, this +time taking the guns with him, they being carried by Laspuri villagers, +who no doubt thought the game very poor fun. Gough went with the party, +Oldham remaining in command of the post, which was garrisoned with the +maimed, the halt, and the blind--in other words, with men suffering from +frostbite and snow blindness, of whom there were some twenty-six of the +former and thirty of the latter; those men of the Kashmir troops who +were fit to march being sent back across the pass as escort to the +coolies. + +When the reconnoitring party had gone some three miles down the valley, +they came across the old camp fires of the enemy. At Rahman, two miles +farther on, they left the snow behind, much to everybody's delight, and +by one o'clock entered the village of Gasht, some eleven miles from +Laspur, and about half-way to Mastuj, the Levies crowning a small knoll +in the middle of the valley at the lower end of the village. From here +they reported they could see the enemy some three miles farther down the +valley, who were evidently engaged in building sangars and entrenching +themselves. A short council of war was held as to the advisability of +attacking them, but, considering that the force consisted of only a +little over a hundred men and some fifty Levies, besides the two guns, +and also the time of day, it was decided to return to camp, which was +reached by dark. The day's work was highly creditable to all concerned; +the march to Gasht and back had been some twenty-two miles, and +information had been obtained of the position in which we might expect +opposition from the enemy. On getting into camp, Borradaile's party +found Colonel Kelly and myself waiting their arrival, eager to hear +their news. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + + +FROM LASPUR TO GASHT + +That night we had beef for dinner. This may appear a trivial fact, but +it meant a great and blessed change from the eternal mutton we had been +living on, none of us having tasted beef for quite six months, except in +its condensed or tinned state, which does not count. Gilgit is a +dependency of Kashmir, whose ruling family, being Hindus, strongly +object to cow-killing, and therefore the law runs that no cows are to be +slaughtered; hence none of us since crossing the bridge at Kohalla had +tasted fresh beef. But now we were in Chitral territory, and a Mussulman +country, so we were free to kill cows, but did so unostentatiously, as +nearly all our force were Hindus. The dark deed was accomplished thus: +on the houses being searched on the arrival of the first party at +Laspur, an innocent little calf was found in one of the houses, and +quick as thought then and there despatched. I will not reveal the +murderer's name, because I do not know it. All traces were removed, and +for the next few days we enjoyed hot roast beef. + +We were a merry party, but what a set of ruffians we looked! Stewart and +Gough were both suffering from snow blindness, owing to their generous +action in giving their goggles to sepoys, and passed most of their spare +time with their heads over a basin of hot water, dabbing their aching +eyes; none of us had much skin on our faces, and what little remained +was of a patchwork description; none of us had shaved for days--we +couldn't have stood the torture; and our clothes, too, were showing +signs of wear and tear. We all now slept in our clothes, partly for the +sake of warmth, and also to be in readiness in case of emergency. There +we were, sitting or lying on our bedding, which was spread on the floor +round the room, the latter divided, like all Chitrali houses, into loose +stalls by low partitions, a small fire burning in the centre of the +room, from which a thick pillar of smoke rose and hung like a cloud from +the roof, through a hole in which part of it escaped. Our swords and +revolvers were hanging on the walls or from pegs in the beams, the whole +scene dimly lit by one or two candles. It might look very picturesque, +but I always consider the best hotel is good enough for me. + +As there was not space enough in the stalls for all of us, Colonel Kelly +and I, as the last comers, slept in a little room off the main one; here +was evidently the winter store of fodder for the cattle as it was half +full of bhoosa (chopped straw). This we spread evenly over the floor to +the depth of some two feet, and then laid our blankets on top. There was +just room enough for us to lie out straight, the Colonel taking one side +and I the other, and a softer or more luxurious bed could hardly be +imagined. We had to be careful, though, not to drop matches about, and +to put out our pipes before going to sleep. A halt had been ordered for +the following day, to give the men suffering from snow blindness and +frostbite a chance to recover, so we turned in with the blissful +consciousness of not having to turn out at dawn, and slept like the +dead. + +The next day, April 7, was spent in hurrying forward all arrangements +for an advance on the morrow. We also sent round messengers to all the +villagers to come in and make their submission, on pain of having their +villages burned; and seeing that we now had the upper hand, at any rate +in their valley, the inhabitants came in without much hesitation, and +also brought in a certain amount of supplies; consequently by night we +had sufficient local coolies to carry all our baggage, supplies, +ammunition, and, most important of all, the two guns. About noon on this +day, Raja Akbar Khan of Punyal, whom I have before mentioned as meeting +us on the march from Shoroh to Suigal, came into camp with fifty Levies, +bringing in a convoy of ninety Balti coolies with supplies. We were +getting along famously now, so Colonel Kelly decided to advance the next +day without waiting for Peterson's detachment, as our first object was +to open communication with Mastuj. + +We had a political tea that afternoon: all the leaders of the Levies, +old Raja Akbar Khan, Humayun, Taifu, the Nagar Wazir, Shah Mirza, and +one or two princelings who had come up to see some fighting, all +squatted round our little room on the straw, swigging sweet tea and +munching biscuits, quite a friendly gathering; in fact, so much tea was +consumed that the mess president swore he would send in a bill. + +We always got our earliest and most reliable information from the +Levies, as most of them had blood relations among the Chitralis. They +also knew just where to look for hidden grain and supplies of all sorts. +As a rule there was generally a cache under or near the fireplace in the +main room, but I have also seen the Levies find them in the most +unlikely places, and very queer odds and ends they sometimes pulled out +of these under-ground storerooms. + +On the morning of April 8th the column was formed up and ready to start +by 9 A.M. Poor Gough was being left behind at Laspur in command of the +garrison, which consisted of some twenty-five Kashmir troops, and the +Nagar and Punyal Levies, in all about a hundred. The Levies were to come +on as soon as the second party arrived. Our force, therefore, consisted +of two hundred Pioneers, two guns, forty Kashmir Sappers, and fifty +Hunza Levies. Our order of march was as follows: first of all went the +Levies; then, with an interval of some five hundred yards, came the +advance guard of a half company of Pioneers; the main body consisted of +Kashmir Sappers, guns, one company of Pioneers, ammunition, hospital +baggage, and rearguard of half company Pioneers. Both advance and +rear-guards were commanded by British officers. It was a lovely, fine +morning, and we were all in the best of spirits, and looking forward to +leaving behind the detestable snow, and therewith our chief source of +discomfort. + +Poor old Gough looked awfully dismal at being left behind, but it was +the fortune of war. At Gurkuch, at Gupis, at Ghizr, there was only one +cry from officers and men--British and Native--"For Heaven's sake take +us on with you!" The natives always added that they would never be able +to face their womenfolk again if there had been fighting and they not in +it. The Britisher expressed his disgust at what he called "his bally +luck" in more forcible terms, but it meant the same thing, and we are +all the same colour under the skin. + +Off we went, through the village and across the stream by a rickety +bridge, then down the left bank for about a mile, when we came to a +small hamlet,--I forget its name,--and here I fell out and paid a visit +to the house of Mahomed Rafi, the Hakim of the Laspur district. This +hoary-headed old rascal had been playing fast and loose for a long time, +but had at last cast in his lot openly with the enemy; he had a long +list of offences to answer for, and is believed to be one of the actual +murderers of Hayward about 1872. + +Hayward was globe-trotting up Yasin way when these ruffians rushed his +camp, seized him, and carried him into a wood with the intention of +killing him. He asked them to defer the performance until daylight, as +he should like to look on the world once more. This they agreed to, and +soon after dawn made him kneel down and hacked off his head. Such is the +story. Poor Hayward's body was brought into Gilgit, and he lies in an +orchard close to the British Agency. I can quite imagine Hayward, or any +man who has any appreciation of the grandeur of Nature in her wilder +moods, wishing to see the sun rise once again over these tumbled masses +of snow peaks and bare cliffs. The startling sensation of the immensity +of these hills in comparison with man's minuteness strikes home with +almost the stunning effect of a sudden blow. + +It is said that the calm pluck of Hayward touched even his murderers, +callous as they are to bloodshed It makes a sensational picture: a +solitary figure in the foreground standing alone on the edge of a pine +wood high up in the lonely grandeur of the everlasting hills, the first +flush of dawn reddening the snow on peak after peak, changing the pure +white to pink, the cold blue to purple, the tumbled sea of mountain +summits gradually growing in distinctness, the soft mist rising from the +valleys, and the group of wild figures standing within the shade of the +pines. Hayward takes one long look on all this loveliness, and turns +towards his executioners--men say that even they hesitated. + +Mahomed Rafi, who was supposed to have actually killed Hayward, was now +Hakim of Laspur, and, as I have said, had joined the enemy. + +When I had travelled through Laspur in November last, the old ruffian +had come to pay his respects, and accompanied me part of the way to +Mastuj, and while doing so, had stopped at a house to give some orders, +and had informed me that this was one of his houses. On passing it now, +I thought a visit might be useful, so, getting Shah Mirza and his +Levies, I got permission to search the house. It had evidently only +recently been occupied for on bursting in the door we found the cooking +pots in the fireplace and fresh meat hanging in one of the rooms. After +a short search we found the grain store, with several mounds of grain, +which was afterwards taken into Laspur. There was nothing much more that +we could find in our hasty search, but I picked up an empty +spectacle-case, astonished at finding it in such a place, as Mahomed +Rafi never wore spectacles in his life. I showed it to Colonel Kelly, +who promptly annexed it, as he was in want of one, having mislaid his +own. Shah Mirza also collared a fowl, which no doubt formed his next +meal. + +I caught up the column before they had gone much more than a mile, just +as they were crossing a stream. After that we had some level marching +into the village of Rahman, and by this time the snow was only lying in +patches. Here we made a short halt. From Rahman there is a path across +the hills to Chitral, by means of a nullah called the Goland Gol, of +which mention will be made hereafter but at this time of year it was +impossible to use this path, owing to the snow. + +During the halt, the headman of the village came up to make his salaams, +and also told me that a man of Ghizr had passed through that morning, +escaping from the enemy. He was reported to be one of Gough's +messengers, captured when taking letters to Moberly at Mastuj. I told +the headman that he had better show his goodwill by bringing in the man, +which he promised to do, and sent him in that night to our camp at +Gasht. We learned little from him, except that the enemy were going to +fight us between Gasht and Mastuj, and that the latter place was all +right. This man had no idea of numbers, and when asked the strength of +the enemy, replied invariably that there were very many men, but seemed +equally uncertain if there were five hundred or five thousand collected +in the sangar before us, and yet he had been a prisoner in their camp +for some fifteen days. + +I found the best way of getting information out of the prisoners was to +set Shah Mirza or Humayun on the job. They used to squat down over the +fire with the prisoners and engage them in conversation gradually +getting what they knew out of them by simple-looking questions. Of +course I couldn't do this as I didn't know their language, and the +presence of a British officer put them on their guard at once. + +Between Rahman and Mastuj the country is pretty much the same, a narrow +valley running between high, stony hills, their tops covered with snow +and their feet with boulders; then the bed of the valley more or less +rocky, and the river winding from side to side, and below the main level +of the valley, at depths varying from fifty to two hundred feet, the +sides nearly always sheer cliff; at intervals were nullahs, down which +ran streams of snow water from the hills to the river, or fans of +alluvial deposit brought down by floods in previous years. On the flank +of one such fan we found the village of Gasht, which we reached by 3.30 +P.M. The Levies had already occupied the knoll at the lower end of the +village from whence the enemy had before been seen; so, after fixing on +a camping ground and giving the necessary orders, the officers all went +forward to have a look. + +From the top of the knoll there was an extended view of the valley, and +I was able to point out the position of Mastuj, which was hidden by some +rising ground, and also the general direction of the road. About three +miles ahead we could distinctly see a sangar filled with men on the left +bank of the river. That sangar was, as far as we could judge, on the +right flank of the enemy's line. A few men could also be seen climbing a +steep stone shoot on the right bank of the river, so evidently the enemy +were going to try the effect of a stone avalanche as we went underneath. +A good deal of discussion went on as to whether the enemy's main defence +was on the left bank, in which case we should have to attack across the +river, or on the right bank, in which case the present visible sangar +was a flanking bastion. + +At last someone suggested tea, so the meeting broke up. Colonel Kelly +and I stayed behind. I asked Colonel Kelly for permission to take some +of the Levies and have a cast forward. I took the Hunza men and my +shikaree, Faquir, as he could translate my orders to the Levies. Off we +trotted, and by the time the other officers were having tea, I was well +up the hillside. It was impossible to be rushed, as the ground was +pretty bad, so I extended my men,--when it comes to sniping, one man is +a smaller target than two,--and we skirmished up and forward, so as to +bring us well above the enemy's line. In half an hour we were high +enough to see all the valley below, and the enemy's position was spread +out like a map. I sent the Levies on about a hundred yards, and then +made them line a ridge, while I sat myself comfortably down and sketched +the whole show. + +With my glasses I could count the men in each sangar. They were +evidently cooking their evening meal, as thin columns of smoke rose from +each sangar in the still evening air. I could also make out the paths +leading up the cliffs from the river, and saw men going down to fetch +water. I sat and watched long after I had got all the information I +wanted, as I might perhaps get some useful tips that I had overlooked. +It was very peaceful sitting there, but presently the sun dropped behind +the hills, and it got too chilly for comfort. A whistle to the Levies +and a wave of the hand brought them back, and we scrambled down the hill +again, and were back in camp before dark. Here I heard that the Punyal +Levies had been sent for from Laspur to come along at once. + +As soon as I had explained the enemy's position to Colonel Kelly, orders +were issued for the attack next day. They were short and simple. On the +arrival of the Punyal Levies, they were to start, with a guide we had +procured, to turn out the men above the stone shoot on the right bank of +the river. I, with the Hunza Levies, was to start at 6 A.M. and work +through the hills to the right rear of the enemy's position. The main +body would start at 9 A.M. and attack in front. The baggage to remain in +camp under a guard commanded by Sergt. Reeves, Commissariat. Then we had +dinner and went to bed. + + + + +CHAPTER V + + +CHOKALWAT + +At 5 A.M. the next morning, my orderly, Gammer Sing Gurung, woke me. It +was still dark, and I dressed as quickly as possible, so as not to +disturb the others, who were snoring peacefully around me. Dressing +consisted of putting on my coat, putties, and some canvas shoes with +rope soles. I knew the ground I should be going over would be pretty +bad, and with rope soles you can skip about rocks like a young lamb, +whereas shooting boots would send you flying over the cliffs. By the +time I had had some poached eggs and a cup of tea, the Hunza Levies were +waiting outside, so I got into my sword and trappings and went. As I +passed out, Colonel Kelly wished me good luck, and I said, "_Au revoir_ +till twelve o'clock." The others snored peacefully. + +Gammer Sing and the fifty Hunza Levies were ready, and I had put some +chupatties into my haversack overnight, so off we went. By the time we +were clear of the village, it was getting light, so, keeping close to +the edge of the hills, we struck up a side nullah, took a slant across +it, and then began the climb. By this time it was broad daylight. We +kept climbing and gradually working round the face of the hill to the +right, until we struck the snow line, and I calculated we were pretty +well as high as any sangar the enemy might have on the hill. My idea was +to get above them, and I didn't want my party swept into space by a +stone avalanche. Still, to make matters secure, I detached ten men to go +higher up still, and I had five minutes' halt to give them a start. + +It was now about 7.30 A.M., and I wanted to push on, so as to be well on +the right rear of the enemy by nine o'clock. Once there, we could time +our attack at our leisure. Events, however, worked out somewhat +differently. The ground now got very bad, and presently we came to a +stone shoot which extended high up above us, while ending in a cliff a +little below. This we crossed carefully, one man going at a time. Each +step set the whole slide in motion and brought stones bounding down from +above. The best way was to take it at a rush. We got safely across that, +and the ground got worse and worse, and finally we were brought to a +halt. I sent men to find a path above and below, the remainder sat down +under cover, while I examined the ground in front with my glasses. It +was eight o'clock now, and I was congratulating myself in having got so +far, as another half-mile would bring us on to a spur which ran down on +the right flank of the enemy's line. + +As I was looking at this spur, I noticed that there was a nice grassy +slope just about level with us, and below that the cliffs went almost +sheer down into the river. Once on that slope, we could pretty well play +skittles with the sangars below, as we could even now see clearly into +them. Unfortunately, the ground between looked frightful, a series of +ridges like the teeth of a saw, the northern faces being covered with +snow, which made the going particularly treacherous. I had hardly +noticed this when there was a puff of smoke and a report, and I saw to +my disgust that on the edge of my nice grassy slope were a few clusters +of innocent-looking rocks, which I now saw to be sangars, evidently +occupied. Just at this moment a man ran across the slope and began +waving his coat to someone below, and more men showed themselves among +the rocks. + +The Levies were still looking for a path, and Humayun wanted to return +the enemy's fire; but as the Levies were armed only with carbines, and I +hadn't heard the whistle of the enemy's shot, I judged it would be a +waste of ammunition. To get the distance, I told Gammer Sing, who had +his Martini, to try a shot at the man waving his choga, with his sights +at eight hundred yards. I saw the bullet kick the dust to the right of +the man, who jumped for a rock, so I knew carbines were no good at that +distance. + +A path was now found a little lower down, so I ordered an advance and on +we went. Our appearance was the signal for the enemy to open fire, but +as only one or two bullets sang over us, I knew they couldn't have many +rifles. We worked on steadily forward to about five hundred yards, when +shots began to drop among us, so under cover of a ridge I divided the +men into two groups, and sent the first group forward under cover of the +fire of the second, until the first group reached the next ridge, when +they covered the advance of the second group. + +The ground was shocking bad, and what made it more annoying was that, as +we were attacking towards the north, and the snow lay on the northern +slopes, we had to test our way every step, and keep in single file just +when our advance was most exposed. I had to have a man in places to help +me along. I don't mind bad ground when after mahkor, as you can take +your own time, but I strongly object to taking the place of the mahkor. +Our advance never stopped, but by ten o'clock we had only gone some two +hundred yards, and I could see our force crossing the river on to the +plain below. + +The enemy in our front now began to get excited, and we saw several of +them run back and make signals to those below. There was now only one +ridge between us and the enemy, and we made for it. As we rose, the +enemy's fire became pretty warm, but we were soon under cover again, and +as our advanced men gained the ridge, they began firing and yelling as +hard as they could go. I thought something was up, so made a rush, a +slip, and a scramble, and I could see over the ridge as the rear party +came scrambling along. I soon saw the cause of the yelling. About a +hundred yards in front of us was the grassy ridge, and across this the +last of the enemy was bolting, and in a few minutes had disappeared amid +the most appalling yells from the Levies. That was the last our party +saw of them, for we now found our path again blocked up by a precipice +and again I had to send men above and below to find a practicable way. I +then called for a return of casualties, and found we had escaped scot +free (I expect the enemy had too). So thus ended our bloodless battle. + +While a path was being looked for, Humayun and I sat down in a quiet +corner and shared chupatties, and watched the fight below, which was +just beginning. First we saw the advance guard get on to the plain and +extend, and presently they were joined by the main body, and the whole +formed up for attack; then the firing line extended and the advance +commenced. Presently we saw the sangars open fire, answered by volleys +from our men. Then came a larger puff of smoke and a murmur from the men +round me, as a shell pitched across the river and burst over a sangar. +It was as pretty a sight as one could wish for, and I felt as if I +should have been in a stall at Drury Lane. I could have stopped and +watched the show with pleasure. It was quite a treat to see how steadily +the 32nd Pioneers worked across the plain; but just then the men below +shouted that they had found a path, while I could see those above +working their way on to the grassy slope. These latter now shouted that +there were no enemy left on the hill, so we chose the lower road, and +gradually worked our way down, joining the grassy spur lower down--only +it wasn't grassy here at all, but chiefly precipice. We got down +somehow, chiefly on all fours, but by the time we had reached the +sangars, the enemy had bolted, and they were occupied by our men. It had +taken us nearly an hour to get down. Here I came across Colonel Kelly, +and after shaking hands, I looked at my watch and found it was just +twelve, so I had made a good shot at the time of our meeting when we +parted in the morning. + +Now I will give you an account of the attack carried out by the main +body. It is the official account, so I can back its correctness. + +The action at Chokalwat on the 9th April is thus described: "On the +morning of the ninth April I advanced to the attack of the enemy. In the +early morning Lieutenant Beynon, with the Hunza Levies, ascended the +high hills on the left bank of the river to turn the right of the +position and attack in rear. The Punyal Levies were sent up the hills on +the right bank to turn out the men above the stone shoots. + +"I advanced in the following manner:-- + +Half Coy. 32nd Pioneers, advanced guard. +Kashmir Sappers and Miners -- +Half Company 32nd Pioneers | +Two guns 1st Kashmir Mountain |= Main Body +Battery, carried by coolies | +One Company 32nd Pioneers -- + +"The baggage, under escort of the rearguard, remained in Gasht till +ordered forward after the action. + +"An advance was made to the river, where the bridge had been broken, but +sufficiently repaired by the Sappers and Miners for the passage of the +infantry. The guns forded the river, and the force ascended to the fan +facing the right sangars of the enemy's position. + +"The configuration of the ground was as follows: The road from the river +after leaving Gasht brought us on to an alluvial fan, the ascent to +which was short and steep; it was covered with boulders and intersected +with nullahs; the road led across this fan and then along the foot of +steep shale slopes and shoots, within five hundred yards of the line of +sangars crowning the opposite side of the river bank, and totally devoid +of any sort or description of cover for some two miles; it could also be +swept by avalanches of stones set in motion by a few men placed on the +heights above for that purpose. + +"The enemy's position consisted of a line of sangars blocking the roads +from the river up to the alluvial fan on which they were placed. The +right of the position was protected by a snow glacier, which +descended into the river bed, and furthermore by sangars, which extended +into the snow line up the spur of the hills. + +"The course of the action was as follows: The advanced guard formed up +at about eight hundred yards from the position and the main body in +rear. The 32nd Pioneers then advanced to the attack. One section, 'C' +Company, extended (left of line). One section, 'C' Company, extended in +support. Two sections, 'C' Company, 'A' Company, in reserve. The guns +now took up position on the right and opened on 'A' sangar at a range of +eight hundred and twenty-five yards. As the action progressed, the +supporting section of 'C' Company advanced and reinforced. The remaining +half of 'C' Company advanced, and, leaving sufficient space for the +guns, took up their position in the firing line on the extreme right. +Volley firing at first was opened at eight hundred yards, but the firing +line advanced one hundred and fifty to two hundred yards as the action +progressed. At a later stage, one section of 'A' Company was pushed up +to fill a gap on the right of the guns in action in the centre of the +line. The enemy, after receiving some well-directed volleys and +correctly played shells, were seen to vacate 'A' sangar by twos and +threes until it was finally emptied. During our advance to the fan, +shots were heard in the direction of the hills, Lieutenant Beynon having +come into contact with the enemy in their sangars up the hillside, who +were driven from ridge to ridge. When 'A' sangar was vacated, attention +was directed on 'B' sangar, and the same course adopted, with the same +result; at the same time those driven down from the hills above streamed +into the plain, and there was then a general flight. Six shrapnel were +fired into the flying enemy at ranges of a thousand, twelve hundred, and +thirteen hundred and fifty yards (three rounds per gun). + +"A general advance was then made down precipitous banks to the bed of +the river, covered by the fire of the reserves, the river forded, and +sangars 'A' and 'B' occupied. The guns were then carried across, and, +the whole line of sangars having been vacated, the column was re-formed +on the fan; the line taken in crossing enabled the enemy to get well on +their way to Mastuj; the advance was then continued to a village a mile +and a half farther along the river, where a halt was made. The +casualties consisted of one man of the 32nd Pioneers severely wounded, +and three Kashmir Sappers slightly. The action commenced at 10.30 A.M. +and lasted one hour. The position was of unusual natural strength, and +the disposition of the sangars showed considerable tactical ability, +being placed on the edge of high cliffs on the left bank of the river. +The enemy were computed at four to five hundred, and were armed with +Martini-Henry and Snider rifles. Several dead were found in the sangars, +and the losses I estimate to have been from fifty to sixty." + +By the time I had joined Colonel Kelly, the Pioneers had re-formed and +were advancing, so I had very little time to take a look at the sangars. +I saw one or two bodies lying around, and the shells seemed to have +knocked sparks pretty successfully out of the stone breastworks. I also +noticed the neat little cooking places the enemy had made behind their +sangars, showing that they had been there for some time. + +The advance was carried on without a check for about one and a half +miles, when we came to a cluster of huts near the termination of the +plain, the river here making a slight sweep towards the left side of the +valley. An advance guard was thrown out well to the front, and under +their protection the column halted and the men fell out. I had a +first-class thirst by this time, and Gammer Sing made several trips to +the river before it was quenched. Gammer Sing and I always share the +same tin mug on the march. It is his mug, but he always gives me first +go. In return I supply Gammer Sing with tobacco, so it is a fair +division of labour. Here I finished my chupatties, and some kind man--I +think it was Borradaile--gave me a stick of chocolate, my own store +having run out, but I managed to get it replenished at Mastuj. + +Good old Stewart came up as pleased as Punch at having had his first +fight. Said he, "And d'ye think now that me shells killed many of the +beggars? sure and their corpses ought to be just thick." He was pained +to hear that in all probability we should not catch up the enemy again +that day, I really think nothing less than twelve hours' hard fighting +every day, with short intervals for refreshments, would satisfy him. + +One of the guns, when being brought up the cliff, had slipped off the +coolies and fallen down to the bottom again, breaking off the foresight, +but Stewart mended it during the halt. + +At the same time, the Sappers were hard at work pulling down a house for +materials to build a bridge, but before it was actually begun, we heard +that the river could be forded again lower down, so the bridge was not +built. By this time the men were sufficiently rested, the whole column +had closed up, and orders sent back for the baggage to come on. + +Off we started, the Punyal Levies working down the right bank, the +Hunzas on the left, the main column following the left bank of the +stream. By 4 P.M. we reached the ford and crossed to the right bank, the +water not being much above our knees. And almost immediately after, we +saw some men drawn up on the spur we were approaching; they turned out +to be the Mastuj garrison, who, on finding the besieging force halting, +had come out to find out the reason. If they had only heard our guns and +turned out at once, they would have cut the line of retreat of our +opponents, and the whole crew must have been wiped out. Unfortunately +the fort of Mastuj is built far down the reverse slope of a fan, and +although some of the sentries reported they heard firing, it was thought +they must be mistaken. + +By 5 P.M. we had got on to the spur, and found Moberly, with part of the +garrison, all looking very fat and fit; evidently the siege had not +worried them much so far. A detachment of the 14th Sikhs (the remains of +Ross's company) were left on the spur to cover the baggage coming in, +while our column trotted down to the fort, getting there by 5.30 P.M. +Here we found Jones with his arm in a sling. Our force bivouacked in a +garden attached to the fort, the trees of which had been lopped to +deprive the enemy of shelter, and the farther wall destroyed. This we +precious soon built up again, and within an hour our force was +comfortably entrenched and cooking its dinner. + +What a blessing it was to be down again in a decent climate! Fires were +still pleasant at night, but in the daytime the bright, cool weather was +splendid. + +Moberly's servant soon had some tea and chupatties ready, and while we +were eating them, Bretherton, who had been out clearing some village on +the other side of the fort, came in. + +There was lots of news, both to hear and relate, and we were hard at it +when there came the sound of a volley from the direction in which we +were expecting the baggage. + +Somebody said, "Cuss those niggers! why can't they let us have our tea +in peace?"--it wasn't Stewart,--and there was a general scramble for +swords and belts. A company of the Pioneers was soon doubling off, while +the rest of us strolled up the road to see what the row was. We met the +baggage coming in, and heard that the 14th Sikh picket had heard some +people moving in the river bed, and had let drive a volley at +them--result unknown. As soon as the last of the baggage had passed, we +followed it, and the picket was withdrawn. Later that night we sent back +a messenger with an account of the day's fighting and the relief of +Mastuj to Gilgit, but the messenger--a levy--shortly returned, having +been fired on, and returned the fire, so it was evident that a good +many of the enemy were still sneaking about. + +We officers slept in the fort that night, four or five of us in a room. +Mastuj is of the ordinary type of country fort, square, with a tower at +each end and one over the gateway, curtains between each tower about +eighteen to twenty feet high, and the towers another fifteen feet higher +still. The whole place is built of layers of stones and wood plastered +together with mud, while there is generally a keep or citadel inside +which commands the rest of the fort, and in which are the governor's and +women's quarters. In Mastuj, of course, we used these as officers' +quarters. The whole fort is a horribly dirty and tumble-down old place; +the roof of the officers' quarters had to be propped up, as it was +considered unsafe, and I quite believe it. The rooms had the usual hole +in the roof for the smoke to get out at, but Moberly had erected a stove +in his room, which was a great improvement. + + + +CHAPTER VI + + +THE RECONNAISSANCE FROM MASTUJ + +While at Mastuj we heard from Jones the story of the disaster at +Koragh--which I will give. + +Ross, with Jones and about ninety-three Sikhs, left Mastuj on the 7th +March, with the intention of helping Edwardes and Fowler, who were +believed to be in danger at Reshun, and marched to Buni; leaving a +detachment there of thirty-three sepoys under a native officer, he +marched with Jones and sixty men for Reshun, hoping to arrive there that +day. + +After leaving Buni, the road runs for some distance along flat ground +until the junction of the Turikho and Yarkhun rivers is reached. At this +point the road leads up along the face of a cliff and then down on to a +small plain, where are a few houses and some patches of cultivation. +This is known as the village of Koragh, and immediately after, the river +runs between the cliffs, which draw together and make the mouth of the +defile. The path which follows the left bank crosses the debris fallen +from the cliffs above and then runs along the edge of the river at the +foot of another and smaller cliff, or in summer, when the river is full, +the path runs over this smaller cliff. Ross's party took the lower road. +After the second cliff the paths lead on to a small plain about two +hundred yards wide at its greatest width, and perhaps half a mile long, +and then runs up and across the face of a third cliff which drops sheer +down into the river. This cliff forms the end of the trap. It would be +hard to find a better place for an ambuscade. + +Ross's advance guard was on this plain, approaching the spur which +closes the trap, when they were fired on. Ross went forward to +reconnoitre the ground, and at once saw the impossibility of driving the +enemy out with his small force, and therefore ordered Jones to go back +and hold the entrance of the defile to enable them to escape. On the +first shot being fired, the coolies had chucked their loads and bolted, +as likely as not helping to man the sangars enclosing the party. Jones, +taking ten men, made an attempt to reach the mouth of the defile, but +found it already occupied by the enemy, who had run up stone sangars, +and by the time he had got within a hundred yards of it, eight of his +ten men were wounded. He therefore fell back on the main party, who had +taken refuge in some caves at the foot of the cliff. + +The caves, now half full of water, owing to the rising of the river, can +be seen in the photograph. The party remained in these caves till 9 +P.M., when they made another attempt to cut their way out, but were +driven back by avalanches of stones. They then had to scale the +mountainside, but were stopped by an impossible cliff, and one sepoy, +falling over, was killed, so they came back to the caves dead tired. +Here they remained the whole of the next day, the enemy trying an +occasional shot from across the river, where they had erected sangars; +but the Sikhs had, in their turn, built sangars across the mouth of +their cave, which sheltered them. + +Then the enemy tried rolling stones over the top of the cliff, but this +only had the effect of strengthening the sangars, so they shut that up. + +During that day, Ross and Jones came to the conclusion that there was +nothing to be done but cut their way out; everyone must take his chance, +the rush to be made about 2 A.M. On the morning of the 10th, +accordingly, at the time fixed, they made their sortie. + +A heavy fire was at once opened on them from both sides of the river, +while avalanches of stones were sent hurtling down the cliffs. A number +of sepoys were killed or knocked senseless by stones, but the remainder +reached the sangars, and cleared out the defenders at the point of the +bayonet. Here poor Ross was killed by a bullet through the head, after +having, so the natives say, pistolled some four of the enemy. The +latter, after being driven out of the sangars, bolted up the hillside, +and again opened fire from among the rocks. By the time the small band +reached the maidan, there were only some seventeen men, headed by Jones: +of these, Jones and nine others were wounded. + +Here the little party formed up, and tried to help any more of their +friends who might be struggling through, by heavy volley-firing into the +sangars on both sides of the river. After some ten minutes of thus +waiting, during which they twice drove off attacks of the enemy's +swordsmen, who tried to close with them, and losing three more men, +Jones, noticing an attempt of the enemy to cut the line of retreat, and +despairing of any more of the detachment escaping, gave the order to +retire. This was carried out slowly and leisurely till they reached +Buni, at about 6 A.M., when they joined the detachment they had left +behind. Jones and his party remained in Buni till the 17th, the enemy +not daring to attack them, and they were unable to move, having no +transport for their wounded. + +After Ross had left Mastuj, Moberly remained in command of the fort, and +on the 10th March was joined by Captain Bretherton of the Commissariat +who came in with two sepoys from Ghizr. + +Moberly heard that Ross had left a small party at Buni, and though he +sent messengers to this party, he never received any reply, the +messengers probably being captured. + +On the 13th, hearing that the enemy were occupying the Nisa Gol, a +position some six miles from Mastuj, he reconnoitred up to it, and found +some sangars, which he destroyed, but no enemy. + +A reinforcement of sixty sepoys came in that day from Ghizr. The next +two days were spent in trying to collect coolies for transport, and on +the 16th, in spite of the non-arrival of any coolies, he set out to Buni +with a hundred and fifty sepoys, each man carrying a sheepskin coat, two +blankets, a hundred and twenty rounds of ammunition, and three days' +cooked rations. + +He halted that night at Sanoghar, where he collected some fifty coolies, +and learned by signal from Mastuj that Bretherton was sending some fifty +Yarkhun coolies the next day--fifty Punyal Levies also joined him that +evening. Starting the next morning, he reached Buni by 5 P.M., when he +found Jones and the remains of the Sikhs. The return journey was begun +two hours later, at 7 P.M., and carried on steadily all night, a small +body of the enemy following, but not daring to attack. Mastuj was +reached between 10 and 11 A.M. the next day, 18th March. + +By the 22nd March the enemy had surrounded the fort, and the siege +began. Nothing of any event happened, the enemy contenting themselves +with long-range firing, only one man being slightly wounded and two +ponies killed. On the 9th of April "up we came with our little lot," and +the siege was raised. + +Early the next morning we were up and going through the state of the +supplies and available amount of transport. + +Transport and supplies were an everlasting source of worry, as it +generally is with every army, great or small. + +We soon got a return of the supplies in Mastuj. I forget how many days +it was, but none too much for our force and the Mastuj garrison. +Bretherton was sent back to bring up supplies from the rear, and +messengers were sent to order in the villagers. We wanted their grain to +eat, and men to carry it. The villagers began to come in after a bit, +and brought a small amount of grain with them. + +Stewart was hard at work getting ponies for his guns in place of the +mules left behind; the gun wheel and carriage saddles were sent for, and +shortly arrived. + +The Levies were billeted in the houses which had lately been occupied by +the enemy, and we soon had pickets out round the fort. In showing the +Levies the houses they were to occupy, I examined the enemy's system of +loopholes and sangars, and found they were very well made indeed. In the +house which had lately been occupied by Mahomed Issar, their +commander-in-chief we found the trunk of a tree which the enemy were +converting into a cannon. It didn't require cannon to bring the walls of +Mastuj down,--a good strong kick would have been quite sufficient. +Shortly after we had reached Chitral, Moberly reported that part of the +wall had fallen on a sleeping sepoy, who was luckily saved by some beams +catching and protecting him from being crushed by the debris. There was +no apparent cause for the collapse, but the man is supposed to have +sneezed. + +The next day a fatigue party was sent out to Chokalwat to destroy the +enemy's sangars, and bury any dead bodies that might be lying about. +This party would also act as a covering party to Peterson, who was +expected to arrive that day. With Peterson came Bethune and Luard, all +very sick at having missed a fight. This detachment brought the strength +of the Pioneers up to four hundred rifles. + +The Hunza and fifty Punyal Levies were sent to reconnoitre towards Nisa +Gol that day, and fifty more Punyals up the Yarkhun valley to forage. +The rest of the day was spent in writing reports, making out official +returns, and other necessary nuisances. + +Colonel Kelly and I were writing in a tent pitched on the roof, and I +had pretty well got through my work by 5 P.M.; and then Colonel Kelly +had out the maps and returns of supplies, etc., and, Borradaile being +called, there was a small council of war. + +As I have before said, Colonel Kelly had practically settled at Pingal +to advance by Killa Drasan, but the question was, when should we be in a +position to do so? Here came in that everlasting transport and supply +question. We could now, of course, cut down our baggage by leaving +behind warm clothes and poshteens, as the weather would be getting +hotter every day as we descended to lower latitudes; but this only meant +that the men would have to carry less themselves, and, try as we would, +it seemed as if we could only raise enough transport for seven days' +supplies, five on coolies and two days in the men's haversacks. It was +seven days' march to Chitral by the direct route, and though our +intelligence pointed to the fact that supplies in the Chitral fort were +probably plentiful, it was yet only summer. Then, again, we might, or we +might not, get supplies on the road. We worried the question up and down +and inside out, but we couldn't increase the transport by one coolie. +Borradaile was for going on. I said, "The first man in Chitral gets a +C.B." + +Just then Raja Akbar Khan and Humayun came back, so we went out to hear +their report. Old Akbar smiled a fat smile all over his face, and +Humayun twirled his long moustache,--he has a fine black beard and +moustache and a deep bass voice. Akbar Khan curls his beard like an +Assyrian king, and smiles good-naturedly at everything. + +They reported that they had seen the enemy building sangars, and that +there were many men, also cavalry. Their report was clear enough, and +from their description I could pretty well place the position of the +different sangars, as I had been over the ground with Harley on my +previous visit to Chitral. To make matters certain, I suggested that I +should reconnoitre the position next day. This was agreed to, and it was +also determined to attack the enemy on the 13th April, as it was no use +giving them time to entrench themselves more than we could help. + +I started off about 9 A.M. on the morning of the 12th April, mounted on +a transport pony. I had about fifty Hunza and Punyal Levies, under +Humayun and Akbar Khan, with me; these two also had ponies, Akbar Khan +having managed to get two over the pass with great difficulty. It was a +lovely morning, and we were all very cheerful except Gammer Sing, who +wanted to come along with me; but as he had to get my kit sorted and put +right for the next day's march, I left him behind, but took his rifle +and ammunition. + +We dropped over the bluff and forded the Laspur stream, which was +hardly over the men's knees, and then kept along the bed of the river, +with a few scouts well up the hills on our left, the Mastuj or Yarkhun +river protecting our right. After about two miles we came to a small +homestead and Humayun told me there was a wounded man inside; so in I +went, and found the poor beggar with his right leg smashed by a bullet +just above the knee. There were a lot of women and children and two men +in the house, his brothers, so I gave them a note to Luard, and told +them to carry the man into Mastuj, which they did. Luard set his leg, +and by this time he is no doubt well and happy. + +Shortly after that, we climbed up from the bed of the river on to a +narrow ledge which ran along the foot of the hills about two hundred +feet above the river. Here we left our horses, and went scrambling along +among the fallen debris for about half a mile, when we came to the foot +of a stone slope, and I noticed our advanced guard had halted on the +top, and on asking the reason, Humayun said that the enemy were +occupying the next spurs. So up we went, and found the fact true enough, +but the next spur was some thousand yards away; so on we went across +that slope, and on to the next, eventually reaching a very nice little +place some eight hundred yards from the spur occupied by the enemy. + +From here I could see pretty well the whole of the position occupied by +the enemy, except the end of the Nisa Gol nullah where it debouches on +to the river. I tried going up the hill, but that only made matters +worse, so I determined to sketch what I could see from here, and then +try across the river. In order not to be interrupted, I sent five men +well up the hill on to a spur, from whence they could see any man who +tried to sneak up for a shot, and spread out the rest in skirmishing +order to my front. Humayun and Akbar got behind a rock and went to +sleep, and I got out my telescope and set to work. + +The enemy seemed rather interested in our proceedings--we could see +their heads bobbing up and down behind the sangars; but after we had +settled down, they gradually took courage, and, coming outside, sat down +to watch us. This was very nice of them, for very soon I had a complete +list of the garrison of each sangar, and from where I was could see the +sort of gun they were armed with,--a few rifles among the lower sangars, +and nearly all matchlocks among the higher and more inaccessible ones. +It was a calm, peaceful scene: the enemy sitting outside their sangars +sunning themselves; and my men lying down, a few watching, the rest +sleeping, one or two enjoying a friendly pipe. + +Shortly after, we saw two gallant young sparks come riding along the +plain on the opposite side of the river, evidently having been sent by +the general to report on our proceedings. They pulled up opposite us and +watched us for a short time, and then one slipped off his horse, which +was led by the other behind a big boulder. Thinking they would merely +watch us, I shouted to my men to keep an eye on them, and went on +sketching. Presently there was a bang, and ping came a bullet over our +heads. The beggar was potting at us at about a thousand yards, +unpardonable waste of ammunition! I put a rock between us, and went on +sketching, everyone else did ditto, and presently our friend shut up, +but after a time, finding things slow, I suppose, he began again. This +seemed to annoy Humayun, who asked for the loan of my rifle, and he and +Akbar went dodging down the hill. They disappeared behind a dip in the +ground, and presently I saw them come out lower down among some bushes, +and gradually they worked their way down to the edge of the river about +eight hundred yards from our friend, who was calmly sitting in the open, +having occasional pot shots at us, while his friend had come out and was +evidently criticising the performance. + +Presently there was a bang from our side of the river, and a spurt of +dust on the opposite maidan where the bullet struck. Humayun had +over-judged the distance. By the time he was ready for another shot, +our two friends were legging it across the plain as fast as their ponies +could gallop. He got in a couple of shots more, but they did not hurt +anybody. + +As soon as Humayun commenced firing, the sangars in our front began +humming like a beehive and presently shot after shot came dropping among +us; the enemy evidently had plenty of ammunition, and for some minutes +things were quite lively; but, finding we made no response, they calmed +down gradually, and peace once more reigned supreme. + +I chaffed old Humayun, when he came back, on his shooting powers, and he +grinned in response. + +I now noticed rather a commotion among the garrison of the sangars +across the Nisa Gol nullah; the men began turning out, and one or two +ran towards the higher sangars, evidently passing on some news. +Presently I saw a crowd of men, mostly mounted, with others on foot +carrying flags. Then came a fat man in white, with a standard-bearer all +to himself. All the garrisons of the sangars turned out, and I counted +them--there were over a hundred in each. + +The commander-in-chief rode up the whole length of the nullah, and then +walked up the spur on which are shown sangars Nos. 16 and 17 in the +sketch. Here he sat down, and, I have no doubt, calculated the odds on +his winning when the action came off. After a time he came down the +hill, and the procession moved down along the nullah and out of sight. + +When I had finished my sketch, I shut up my telescope and said-- + +"Now we'll go across the river." + +"Why do you want to cross the river?" said Humayun. + +"I want to see the end of the nullah," said I. + +"Their cavalry will get you," said he. + +"What cavalry?" said I. + +"You've just seen two of them," said he. + +"Get out!" said I; "you're pulling my leg." + +"Don't go," said he. + +"I'm going," said I. + +"Where the Sahib goes, I follow," said he. + +"Come on, Ruth," said I. "'Whither thou goest, I will go!' I've heard +that remark before." + +These hillmen have an extraordinarily exaggerated idea of cavalry. Any +young buck on a long-tailed screw is a Chevalier Bayard to them. Why, +you've only to move ten yards to your right or left in any part of the +country, and no cavalry could reach you, while you could sit and chuck +stones at them. + +Down we dropped again into the river bed, leaving a few men to signal +any movement of the enemy while we were crossing. We had our ponies +brought up and rode across the stream, the men fording, then we +scrambled up the high slope of the opposite bank and shouted for the +remainder to follow. + +A short distance up the hill, and I could see the end of the nullah, +with a large sangar covering the road. This was what I wished to know, +so, after a careful look, having seen all I wanted, we started homewards +by the opposite bank to that by which we had come, crossing the river +again by a bridge which Oldham had been employed the day before in +mending, and reached Mastuj by 1 P.M. + +I gave in my report to Colonel Kelly, and then got out orders for the +next day's march. + +I also suggested that some light scaling ladders should be made, as I +expected we should find them very useful in crossing the Nisa Gol. +Accordingly, Oldham set his Sappers to work, and by evening had ten +light scaling ladders ready, each about ten feet long, and light enough +to be carried by one man. + +A certain amount of supplies and some coolies had been collected. The +guns had been mounted on ponies, and could now march along faster than +when carried by coolies. + +Everything was ready for an early advance the next morning, so as a +little diversion we were photographed by Moberly. Moberly was coming out +the next day in command of a company of Kashmir troops; after the +expected fight, he would return to Mastuj to resume command, and the +Kashmir troops would be put under my charge. + +The orders for next day were to march at 7 A.M., baggage to remain in +Mastuj till sent for, and then to come out under escort of part of the +garrison, who would escort back any wounded we might have, Luard coming +out in charge of the field hospital and returning with the wounded to +form a base hospital at Mastuj. + +I managed to get a bottle of whiskey out of Moberly. It belonged, I +believe, to Fowler, but as he was either a prisoner or dead, he wouldn't +require the whiskey. I also replenished my store of chocolate. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + + +THE FIGHT AT NISA GOL + +Next morning, 13th April, we were all having a good square breakfast by +6 A.M., and punctually at seven o'clock the column moved off, headed by +the Levies. + +Our force consisted of-- + +400 Pioneers, +100 Kashmir Infantry, + 40 Kashmir Sappers, + 2 Mountain guns, +100 Hunza and Punyal Levies; + +rather less than a single battalion, and not much with which to force +our way through seventy miles of bad country, but still we were +determined to get to Chitral before the Peshawur force. + +It was a perfect morning, nice bright sunshine, and a jolly fresh +feeling in the air, sort of day that makes you want to take a gun and go +shooting; in fact, just the very day for a fight. + +The Levies were across Oldham's bridge in no time, but the Pioneers had +to cross it slowly, as it was very jumpy, and only four men could be +allowed on it at a time. The guns were sent up to a ford some three +hundred yards up the stream. After crossing the main stream there was +still a creek to be forded, but this was not much above the men's knees. +This gave the Levies time to get ahead and send some scouts up the hills +to the right, in order to give timely warning if the enemy should try on +the rolling stone dodge, but the hills just here did not lend themselves +very readily to this mode of warfare. When our little army got across +the river, the advance guard was halted and the column formed up, and +then on we went. Peterson was in command of the advance guard, with +orders to halt when he reached the edge of the plain to allow the column +to close up for the attack. On the order to advance he was to hug the +hill on his right. + +Just before the maidan the road drops down on to the river bed, and then +runs up on to the maidan itself, which gradually slopes up to the +centre, where it is divided by a deep nullah that I think they call in +America a canon. The sides of this nullah are in most places +perpendicular, varying from two hundred and fifty to three hundred feet +in depth, with a small stream running along the bottom, the amount of +water depending on the melting of the snow in the hills above. There are +two places to cross it, one the regular road to Chitral, which zig-zags +down the nullah near the mouth, and the other a goat track about +half-way between the road and the hills. Both of these had sangars +covering their approach on the enemy's side of the nullah, and any +attempt to rush them would have led to great loss of life. + +To the casual observer the plain looks perfectly flat, but as a matter +of fact the slope is rather more pronounced at the foot than at the top +near the hills, with the result that from the sangar covering the main +road, the upper end of the plain is partially hidden from fire. + +The plain also is really a succession of what may be described as waves +running parallel with the nullah, which afford very excellent shelter to +any attacking force. In fact, the only obstacle is the nullah; but, +as you may see from the photos, this obstacle is no small one, and could +only be crossed by two paths as far as we knew. Our object was to find +another path, and to get to close quarters with the enemy. + +[Illustration: Looking up the Nisa Gol Nullah.] + +So much for the ground: now for the fight. Peterson and the Levies got +on to the maidan and extended, while the main body formed up for attack. +Then the order to advance was given, and off we went. + +Peterson and the Levies were in the firing line and extended, the Levies +on the right. + +As the remaining companies reached the level plain, they first formed +into line and went forward in the regular everyday style. The ground was +very nice for parade movements, a gentle, grassy slope with plenty of +room. The Levies, however, were not keeping close enough to the +hillside, and were gradually pushing Peterson's company off to the left, +where they would have been exposed to the fire of the big sangar plus +the flanking fire from the sangars up the spur on the left bank of the +river. + +Colonel Kelly accordingly sent me off to change their direction more to +the right, and to close the Levies until they were wanted. I found +Humayun's pony taking shelter under a rock, so, mounting it, I galloped +after Peterson, gave him the order, and then closed the Levies on their +right. This made a gap into which we of the supporting companies pushed, +so now we had two companies in the firing line, two in support, and the +Kashmir Company in reserve. In this formation we pushed on till we came +under fire of the sangars, and had reached the valley running up into +the hills, about four hundred yards from the nullah, thus again giving +room for the Levies to form line on the right of the Pioneers. + +The fun now began as the enemy started plugging away at us from the +sangars on the spur, but not much at present from the lower ones, as +only the flank of Peterson's company could be seen. + +Stewart had got his guns into action and was shelling sangar No. 16. +After a time Peterson engaged the sangars on the maidan, and they gave +him a pretty warm time of it. + +The Levies opened fire at three hundred yards, rather close range to +begin an action, and it was very amusing watching them; their +instruction in volley-firing had only just been begun, but they had +entire faith in its efficiency. + +The section commanders used to give the word to load in their own +language, but the order to fire was "fira vollee," and they were +supposed to fire on the word "vollee." If any man fired before the +order,--and they frequently did,--the section commander used to rush at +the culprit and slap him severely on the nearest part of him. As the +Levies were lying down, the slaps were--on the usual place. + +After a time the fire from the sangar slackened, and as things seemed to +be going all right, I stopped the Levies firing, and, taking two of +them, went forward up to the edge of the nullah to see if there was any +sign of a road. We followed the edge upwards for some two hundred yards, +and then I told the two levies to go on until they found a place, and +then went back. + +The fire from the sangar had recommenced, as Stewart's attention had +been turned towards others, so Colonel Kelly sent orders to Stewart to +send in one or two more shells, which had the desired effect. + +I now sent Gammer Sing to get a fresh supply of ammunition for the +Levies, which he brought, and I then followed Colonel Kelly down the +line to the Pioneers. In the meantime the guns had changed their +position, and were engaged with the lower sangars, as was also Peterson, +who, I think, was under the hottest fire the whole time, as he had the +attention of two big sangars entirely paid to him. The guns also got hit +a bit, and among others two of the drivers were killed; they were the +owners of the gun ponies, and remained with the ponies under a guard of +four Kashmir sepoys, who had commands to shoot any man trying to bolt. +They and their ponies of course made a large target, but the ponies also +acted as a protection. One more of the Pioneer companies now came into +the firing line, and these three companies devoted their entire +attention to one sangar, whose fire was now very intermittent. + +I now got Colonel Kelly's leave to go and look for a path, and hailed +Oldham to come and help me work forward therefore in front of the firing +line, to do which we had to ask Borradaile to stop one company firing, +which he very kindly did. We struck the nullah close opposite the +empty sangar No. 15, and from there followed the edge till we were well +within sight of the sangars in the middle of the maidan, without having +found a place where we could get down, but we noticed a track which led +up the opposite bank. We therefore turned back and retraced our steps +till we came to a spot which we had examined before, but had thought +impossible. Where we stood the drop was sheer for some seventy feet, but +then there came a ledge, from which we thought we could scramble down on +to the bed of the stream and up the opposite side, where we had noticed +the track. We therefore hurried back; Oldham for his Sappers, and I to +report to Colonel Kelly. I likewise asked for the reserve company of +Kashmir troops to cross over as soon as a path could be made under cover +of the fire of the already extended companies of the Pioneers. Colonel +Kelly assented, and I sent off a note to Moberly to bring up his +company. When I got back to the nullah, I found the Pioneers extended +along the edge, and Oldham's Sappers already at work. + +[Illustration: Reconnaissance Sketch of the position at Nisa Gol.] + +The Levies in the meantime had heard of a path higher up in the hills, +and were sent off to cross as best they could. Having nothing more to +do, I sat down where Oldham's men were at work, and watched the +proceedings. The men in No. 16 sangar had evidently had enough of it, +their sangar having been pretty well knocked about their ears, and when +any of the survivors tried a shot, it called down a volley on him. +Presently they began to bolt, and then the laugh was on our side. + +That sangar was a death-trap to its garrison--their only line of escape +was across some open, shaley slopes within four hundred yards of our +firing line, and the Levies were now working along the hill, and would +catch them in the sangar if they didn't clear out. The result was like +rabbit shooting You'd see a man jump from the sangar and bolt across the +shale slope, slipping and scrambling as he went; then there would be a +volley, and you'd see the dust fly all round him--perhaps he'd drop, +perhaps he wouldn't; then there would be another volley, and you'd see +him chuck forward amid a laugh from the sepoys, and he'd roll over and +over till he'd fetch up against a rock and lie still. Sometimes two or +three would bolt at once; one or two would drop at each volley, and go +rolling, limp and shapeless down the slope, until they were all down, +and there would be a wait for the next lot. An old sepoy lying near me +declared as each man dropped that it was his particular rifle whose aim +had been so accurate, until Borradaile called him sharply to order, and +told him to attend to business. Presently a crowd of men appeared higher +up on the same spur, and someone called out that they were Levies. Just +then one of them dropped on his knee and fired in our direction, there +was a volley back, and the men disappeared again. + +Oldham had now managed, with ropes and the scaling ladders, to get down +on to the ledge below, so calling to Moberly to bring along his company, +I dived down, followed by Gammer Sing and then Moberly, and one or two +men of the Sappers followed him, and we, thinking the whole company was +coming, went scrambling down to the bottom. We slid down the ropes on to +the ladders, and from them on to the ledge, followed it a bit along the +cliff, and then down a shale and debris slope to the stream, across that +and up the other side. Scrambling on all fours up the opposite side, I +heard Oldham, who was ahead of me, shout back that the company wasn't +following. I yelled, "Run up a sangar, and we can hold on till they +come," and finished my scramble up to the top. + +Then we took a look round to see how things stood. + +Devil a sign of the company coming down the rope was there, and the +Pioneers seemed to have disappeared too. + +Then we numbered our party--three British officers, my orderly, and +eleven Sappers, the latter armed with Snider carbines only; my orderly +was the only one with a bayonet. There was a low ridge in front of us +hiding the enemy's sangars, so we lined this with the Sappers, till we +could see what the game was. We now saw the Pioneers moving down the +nullah towards the river, while at the same time the Levies showed on +the ridge and took possession of the sangar. We were all right, I saw, +so I gave the order to advance--keeping along the edge of the nullah so +as to get at the sangars. Of course just my luck that as we started to +advance, the buckle of my chuplie broke; there was no time to mend it, +so I shoved it into my haversack, and went along with one bare foot; +luckily the ground was not very stony. + +As soon as we topped the swell of the ground, we saw the enemy bolting +in twos and threes from the nearest sangar, now about two hundred yards +off, and presently there came a rush right across our front. We opened +fire, trying volleys at first, but the Sappers were useless at that, +never having had any training, so independent firing was ordered. During +the halt Moberly had a narrow shave, a bullet passing between his left +hand and thigh, as he was standing superintending the firing. His hand +was almost touching his thigh, and the bullet raised the skin of the +palm just below the little finger. + +The nearest sangar was now pretty well empty, and the Pioneers from the +other side of the nullah were firing obliquely across our front, rather +too close to be pleasant; so we altered our advance half right, so as to +cut into the line of retreat of the enemy, and made for a jumble of +stones out in the open; by the time we reached it, there was a stream of +men flying right across our front, horse and foot, at about five hundred +yards, so again we opened fire. Moberly and I both took carbines from +the men, as they were firing wildly; the sepoy whose carbine I took +invariably managed to jam the cartridge, partly his fault, and partly +the fault of the worn state of the extractor. Gammer Sing was plugging +in bullets quietly on my right, and gave me the distance as five hundred +yards. I knew he was pretty correct, as I watched his bullets pitch. I +sang out the distance, and we got merrily to work. Oh, if I had only had +a company of my regiment, I think even Stewart would have been +satisfied. Precious soon the rush had passed us, and we had to begin +putting up our sights, and of course then the cream of the business was +over. + +About this time Shah Mirza came along, and, seeing me with only one +chuplie, offered me his, which I accepted, as it was a matter of +indifference to him whether he went barefooted or not. I sent him off to +bring up the Levies, who were looting the arms and securing the +prisoners from the sangars. + +Cobbe now appeared with some few Pioneers, and shortly after, a whole +company, but the enemy were now quite out of sight; however, a company +was sent in pursuit. Colonel Kelly came up, and we congratulated him, +and there was a general demand for cigarettes, Moberly, I believe, being +the happy possessor of some. As we were grouped round Colonel Kelly, +"whit" came a bullet over us, some idiot up the hill leaving his P.P.C. +card, I presume. + +One of the first questions I asked was, what had become of the Kashmir +Company, and then first heard the following curious incident. + +It appears that after the first few of us had gone down the cliff, and +the rest were preparing to follow, a bullet struck some cakes of +gun-cotton lying on the ground by the head of the path, where they had +been placed while the Sappers were at work. The bullet, striking these +cakes, ignited them, and they blazed up, and Borradaile, fearing an +explosion, ordered a retirement of those troops nearest it to cover some +thirty yards in rear, where they were protected by a wave of the ground. +The enemy, seeing our men bolting, as they thought, rushed out of their +sangars, but were promptly fired into by the Pioneers. Just then the +Levies on the ridge and our small party showed across the nullah, +threatening their line of retreat; this was apparently more than they +had bargained for, so they began to bolt, as I have said. Then the +Pioneers moved down the nullah and crossed by the goat track. + +Peterson's company had found a box full of Snider ammunition in one of +the sangars, so the Kashmir Company was sent back to look for any more, +and also to demolish the sangars. I took the opportunity to have a look +at them too. I was surprised at the magnificent way in which they were +built, partly sunk into the ground, and made of huge boulders that +required many men to move, and with head cover constructed of logs in +the most approved fashion, evidently made by men who had been properly +instructed. As I neared the largest sangar, I saw a native clothed in a +red dressing-gown, sitting on the ground with a long native jezail. +Rather surprised at seeing one of the enemy thus armed, I went up to +him, and as I did so, he picked up his gun. I had my revolver on him in +a second, and told him to drop the gun, which he did. I then asked him +who he was, and found he was our long-lost child--I mean levy--who had +been captured at Laspur. The enemy had not treated him badly, but had +taken his carbine and his choga, hence the dressing-gown; in return he +had sneaked a gun when the enemy were flying. I set the Kashmir troops +to work, and then went back, meeting Humayun and his captives on the +way. + +"Humayun," I said, "your levy is over there." + +"Is he alive?" said Humayun, looking in a most bloodthirsty way at his +prisoners. + +I assured him he was. Thereupon Humayun gave a jump, caught hold of both +my hands, and kissed them violently. I was afraid he was going to kiss +my ruby lips, but he didn't. He and Akbar Khan then went scuttling +across country to the sangar, followed by a crowd of his men, whooping +and yelling with joy. + +The guns were now coming across the nullah, and the column was being +formed up with the intention of crossing the river to Sanoghar, where it +was proposed to camp for the night. Part of the Levies and a company of +the Pioneers were sent ahead to clear the village of any evilly disposed +persons; arrangements were made for bringing up the sick and wounded; +and a signal message was flashed back to Mastuj for the baggage to come +out. + +The fight was over by 12.30 P.M., so we had only been about two hours +from start to finish. Our losses were six killed and sixteen wounded, +two of whom died next day. Three of the battery ponies were also killed. + +The path down to the river was so steep and the rickety bridge over it +so unsafe that it was determined to camp on the side of the river on +which we were, especially as we should have to recross the next day. + +A camping ground was soon found, pickets thrown out, and the wounded +brought in. + +A deputation from Sanoghar village was now seen coming across from the +opposite bank. Most of the deputation on arrival seemed half naked; we +thought this was a sign of humility on their part, but I heard +afterwards that the Levies had come across them, and taken their chogas +in exchange for that of their man in the red dressing-gown. + +This deputation gave the usual yarn about being compelled to fight +against us, and how glad they were that we had won. + +We made our usual reply, that they could and must show their gladness +by providing coolies and supplies, all of which would be paid for. We +also made them send over charpoys (beds) for the wounded. + +We had taken some twelve prisoners, who came in useful as transport; in +fact, until we got to Chitral every man we caught was turned into a +beast of burden and given a load; and if he was an Adamzada, or +nobleman, he was given the heaviest load that we could find for him, +oftentimes much to the delight of the poorer coolies, as an Adamzada is +exempt from coolie labour in ordinary times. + +The coolies used to bolt at every opportunity, which was only natural, +and there was not much difficulty in doing so. As often as not, we got +into camp after dark, when the coolie simply put down his load and +walked off; but as our supplies diminished, we naturally required fewer +coolies--at any rate, we managed to get all our baggage into Chitral. + +Moberly now handed over the company of Kashmir troops to my tender +charge and departed back to Mastuj, so now I had the command of the +Levies and one company added to my numerous other duties, so generally +I was pretty well on the hop. + +By dark the baggage had come in, the dead either buried or burnt +according to their religion, and the wounded attended to and made as +comfortable as we could make them under the circumstances. + +Oldham and some fifty Levies who had been reconnoitring down the left +bank of the river had returned, and by nine we got some dinner. + +Just as we were turning in, the picket on the road over the nullah first +let drive a volley, and Oldham, who was on duty, took some men and +doubled out to see what was the matter. On his return, he reported the +picket had heard someone moving in the nullah, and as the sentry's +challenge had not been answered, they had let drive at it. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +THE MARCH RESUMED THROUGH KILLA DRASAN + +We were up by daylight the next morning, had breakfast, and were ready +to march by 7 A.M. The wounded were sent back under Luard and the escort +who had brought out the baggage, and we moved off in the opposite +direction. Our order of march was always the same, each company taking +it in turn to act as advance or rear guard, and every British officer, +with the exception of Colonel Kelly and Borradaile, taking his turn on +duty. + +When my company of Kashmir troops was on rear or advance guard, I went +with it; at other times I went with the Levies or Colonel Kelly, +whichever seemed most useful. + +Our march for this day led for some miles along a flat, grassy plain, a +continuation of the Nisa Gol Maidan, then up and over a fairly high +spur, and gradually down to the river bed opposite the village of Awi or +Avi. Here we had a halt for the men to drink, as it was pretty thirsty +work marching in these hot valleys. We passed a village or two on the +opposite bank, but our side of the river was a desert of rocks and +stones. There was a small bridge at Awi, so Cobbe, with fifty men and +Shah Mirza as interpreter, was sent across to collect supplies from +Buni, the village in which Jones had remained for a week after the +Koragh affair. The main body continued along the right bank parallel +with Cobbe's party. + +During our halt two men had come in, bringing two ponies, which were +much appreciated by Colonel Kelly and Borradaile. + +When we got opposite Buni, there was a halt at the head of the column, +and Colonel Kelly sent me on to find out the reason. + +I forgot to mention that when we were encamped at Sanoghar, a +man--Chitrali--had come in, having escaped from the enemy. His brothers +were followers of Suji-ul-mulk, the little boy whom Surgeon-Major +Robertson, as he then was, had made Mehter, and who was besieged in +Chitral with our troops. The opposition party, represented by Mahomed +Issar, Sher Afzul's foster-brother, had therefore, on capturing this +man, put him in quod at Killa Drasan. He had managed to escape the day +of the fight, and joined us that evening, and we promptly made use of +him as a guide. + +This guide now informed us that the road ahead was destroyed, and would +take two days to repair, but, by turning up a spur on the right, we +could get past the broken part of the road. + +In consequence of this there was a halt while the Levies ascended the +spur and reconnoitred the top, and very soon we saw them signalling back +that all was clear. Sending back the news to Colonel Kelly, I remained +with the Levies, who now turned sharp to the right and began the ascent. +Humayun offered me a pony, which I thankfully accepted, and noticed that +there were now two or three ponies where before there had been none. I +didn't say anything at the time, but shortly after there appeared an +order to say all captured ponies were to be given up to the +Commissariat after the battery had had first pick. It was an awful pull +up that spur. I suppose we went up at least two thousand feet. I was all +right, as I had a pony, but it must have been agony for the laden +coolies. Once up, the going was easy enough; open, grassy downs, +gradually sloping down from where we stood to the junction of the +Yarkhun and Turikho valleys, though the actual sides of the tableland +dropped steeply down to the rivers. By our present divergence we had +turned the flank of any position the enemy could take up between Mastuj +and Killa Drasan, and had also got the higher ground, our road from here +onwards being down hill. + +I went ahead now with the Levies, as I wanted to find out if the fort +was held at Drasan. + +We got to the edge of the downs by 2 P.M., looking straight down on the +fort, which was the other side of the river, but from our position we +could see right down into the interior. + +The place was evidently deserted, for as we were watching, I saw a man +go up and try the door, but, finding it closed, he went away again. The +villages all round seemed deserted, and I could only see two men driving +some cattle high up in the hills. + +Before I had finished my sketch, the advance guard came up, and, shortly +after, Colonel Kelly. There was a short halt to let the tail of the +column close up, and then we commenced the descent. We were down on the +river bank in twenty minutes, and the Levies waded across, I on my pony. +We found the remains of a bridge which had evidently only just been +destroyed, and the material, I fancy, thrown into the river. The Levies +were soon up to the fort, and we had the main gate down in a jiffy by +using a tree as a battering-ram, and then the Levies went through the +place like professional burglars. Before I had hardly got into the +courtyard they had found the grain store, and were looting it. I put +Gammer Sing on sentry duty over the entrance, and, Borradaile coming up, +we inspected it, and found enough grain to last us some months. We now +set the Levies to work to get beams for repairing the bridge; at first +we could not find any long enough, until the Levies noticed the roof +poles of the verandah. We had them out and ran them down to the river +bank, opposite to where the Pioneers had drawn up on the farther bank. + +It took some time to build the bridge, and it was pretty rickety when +done, but it saved the men having to ford. Only one man fell into the +river, but he was pulled out all right. The baggage did not arrive at +the bridge till dark, and most of the coolies waded across, as there was +not time for them to cross in single file on the bridge. The battery +also forded, but the donkeys had to be unladen and the loads carried +across by hand, and the donkeys were then driven in and made to swim. It +was night before the rearguard began to cross, Cobbe, who was in +command, not getting in till close on nine o'clock. A couple of shots +were fired after dark, and there seemed no satisfactory explanation as +to why they were fired, but nobody was hit. The coolies were all put +into the courtyard of the fort and a guard on the gate, and they soon +had fires going, round which they huddled. + +As it was impossible to carry away all the grain we had found, I got +permission to issue a ration to all the coolies, who had most of them +no supplies of any description, and, telling the guard who had replaced +Gammer Sing to let the coolies in in single file, I then sent some +Levies to drive them up like sheep. The news soon spread that food was +going cheap, and they didn't require much driving. The flour was in a +bin about six feet square, by four feet high, and only a small round +hole at the top. We soon enlarged that so that a man could get in. I +furnished him with a wooden shovel evidently meant for the job, and gave +the order for the men to file in. As each man came in he received a +shovelful, into his skirt tail, and then had to march round a box and +out of the door. It took some two hours to finish the job, and even then +the flour was not expended, while the grain, of which there was some in +more bins, had not been touched. I left the guard over the door, and got +back in time to get orders out for the next day's march, by which time +Cobbe and the rearguard had come in, dinner was ready, and it had begun +to rain. + +We were camped in front of the fort, the men in a field, ourselves +alongside on a praying place overlooking the river. The Levies were on +the right, the ammunition and stores piled by the quarter-guard, the +coolies locked up in the fort, and the pickets all right, so we turned +in. Towards morning the rain began to fall heavily, so I pulled my +bedding under the fort gateway, where I found Stewart and Oldham had +already got the best places; however, I found a spot between two levies, +and finished the night comfortably enough. We had not done a bad day's +work on the whole. Marched from seven in the morning till six at night, +covering some twenty miles of hilly country, made a bridge, and occupied +one of the chief forts of the country. Cobbe, with the rearguard, had +had the poorest time, but he had had the satisfaction of raiding into +Buni. + +We woke up next morning to find a dull grey sky and the rain pouring +down, everything damp and miserable, and the cook having a fight with +the wood to make it burn. Our proposed march for the day being only a +short one, we did not start till eight A.M. As we were moving off, a +Kashmir sepoy turned up who had been one of Edwardes' party, and whose +life had been saved by a friendly villager who gave him some Chitrali +clothes. I told him to fall in with the company, and he came down with +us to Chitral. The remainder of the flour was distributed among the +sepoys, and we took as much grain as we could find carriage for, but it +was very little. + +A small convoy of Punyal Levies joined us that day; they had been +foraging up the Yarkhun valley, and had been sent after us by Moberly. +Our road led along the valley through cornfields and orchards, which, in +spite of the rain, looked very pretty and green. The trees were just in +their first foliage and the corn about a foot high, while all the peach +and apricot trees were covered with bloom. We did not see a soul on our +march, but the officer in charge of the rear-guard reported that as +soon as we left Killa Drasan, the villagers came hurrying down the hill +in crowds. + +At one place we had a short halt on account of a battery pony, which was +amusing itself by rolling down a slope with a gun on its back; it was +brought back nothing the worse for its escapade, and we resumed our +march. + +Before getting into camp, our road led up from the lower valley on to +some gentle, undulating spurs of the main range of hills; here there was +a cluster of villages, and every available spot was cultivated. + +On one of these spurs we camped, where three small villages or clusters +of houses formed a triangle, the centre of which was a cornfield. This +formed an excellent halting-place, as the men were billeted in the +houses, each giving the other mutual protection. We formed our mess in +part of the rooms of the headman's house, one Russool of Khusht; he was +foster-father to the late Nizam-ul-mulk, but had acknowledged the +opposition and joined Sher Afzul. (In the photograph he is sitting half +hidden behind the Mehter's left arm, with his head rather raised.) + +As we had been great friends during my first visit to Chitral,--(he was +awfully fond of whisky),--I've no doubt he was pleased to hear I had +been his guest in his own house, but I never had an opportunity to +thank him, as he left Chitral hurriedly just before our arrival. The +house is the best I have seen in Chitral, a fine stone-paved courtyard, +surrounded on three sides with rooms and a verandah, a fine old chinar +tree near the gateway on the fourth side. The principal rooms are high +and larger than usual, but of the usual pattern. I think we got two +companies of the Pioneers and ourselves into this house alone. + +By three o'clock we had settled down, and were getting dry. The Levies +were sent out foraging, and brought in several ponies. As our stores +decreased, and more ponies were brought in, we had spare ponies for +riding, and we were nearly all mounted by the time we reached Chitral. +However, we had not been there ten days before the owners began turning +up, and we were ordered to give them back, much to our disgust. It was +quite a treat to be in camp and settled before dark, and I've no doubt +the coolies were as thankful as we were. The only drawback to our food +was the flour of which the chupatties were made; it was coarse to a +degree, and seemed to consist chiefly of minute speckly pieces of husk, +which used to tickle our throats up in the most unpleasant manner, and +had a nasty habit of choking the swallower, in addition to being highly +indigestible. We used at last to sift the flour through linen, and the +residuum was a surprise and revelation. + +We had intended to march the next morning by 7 A.M., with the intention +of getting to a village called Parpish, but as it was still pelting with +rain, the march was deferred, to give the weather a chance of clearing +up, which it very kindly did about 10 A.M., when we started. The Kashmir +Company was on advance guard that day, so I went with them, two levies +leading, as usual, about a quarter of a mile ahead. We struck up country +for about two miles, till we got to a kotal, or saddle, from whence we +had a splendid view of the surrounding country. During a halt, Colonel +Kelly came up, and I was able to point out to him the different +places--Koragh Defile, where Ross's party had been cut up, Reshun, where +Edwardes and Fowler had held out for a week, and Barnas, a village we +reached the next day. All these places were on the opposite bank of the +river and several thousand feet below us. We had, by taking our present +route, avoided a very difficult and dangerous part of the country, and +no doubt much disgusted the inhabitants, who, on the old route, would +have had all things their own way. + +By two o'clock we had reached the village of Gurka, where we were met by +a deputation, from whom we demanded certain supplies to be brought to +our camp on pain of severe punishment if not complied with, and by 4 +P.M. we got to the hamlet of Lun, and as there was a good camping +ground, good water and firewood, Colonel Kelly decided to halt there. +Here also supplies were demanded, the amount depending a good deal on +the number of houses and the knowledge of the locality possessed by +Humayun. The Lunites paid up smartly enough, as we were too close +neighbours to allow of any hesitation; but the Gurka contribution had +only partly come in the next morning, so that a party of the Levies was +sent back, and the Gurka villagers had the trouble of bringing the loads +along to Barnas, instead of only two miles into Lun, while the headman +was made to carry a box of ammunition all the way to Chitral. + +Before evening the sun came out, and it was very jolly in camp. We had +some nice short turf to lie on, and the night was not too cold for +comfort. There were good places for the pickets, and the camp was +compact and handy. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + + +NEARING CHITRAL + +The next morning, April 17th, we started sharp at 7 A.M. Two prisoners +had been brought in the night before, one of whom had a Snider and +twenty rounds of ammunition, the other a matchlock. They confessed that +they had fought us at Nisa Gol, and stated they were now going home. We +thought differently, and requested them to carry boxes of ammunition; +one of them, the owner of the Snider, objected, on the ground that he +was a mullah, but the objection was overruled as frivolous, and he +accompanied us to Chitral. We always gave the ammunition to doubtful +characters, as they were then under the direct supervision of the guard, +and the loads were also more awkward and heavier than skins of flour. + +We dropped down the hills now to the river bank. I was on rearguard, a +nuisance at the best of times, as any check at the head of the column +acts on the rearguard in increasing ratio to the length of the column, +so a good deal of time is spent in wondering why the dickens they don't +get on in front. That was a particularly bad day for halts: the first +one was caused by the column having to cross the Perpish Gol, a very +similar place to the Nisa Gol, but undefended. About two miles farther +on, the road ran across the face of a cliff, and had been destroyed; it +took some three hours to repair it, and then the baggage could only get +along slowly. + +We had some five unladen donkeys that were kept at the end of the +baggage column in case of need, and, one of them trying to push past +another, they both rolled over the cliff and went down about a hundred +feet on to the road below, which here made a zigzag. The first donkey +who came down landed on his head and broke his silly neck; but the +second donkey had better luck, and landed on the first donkey in a +sitting position. He got up, sniffed contemptuously at his late friend, +and resumed his journey. We rolled the remains of the elect over the +cliff into the river, and also resumed our course. + +During this march and following ones we frequently saw the bodies of men +floating down the river or stranded in shoals. They were probably the +Sikhs killed with Ross, or perhaps some of Edwardes' party. By 4.30 P.M. +the rearguard had crossed the cliff, and, rounding the shoulder of a +spur, descended to a plain, bare of vegetation, with the exception of +the inevitable wormwood. We crossed this for about a mile, and then +struck down to the river, and saw the Pioneers and guns drawn up on the +farther bank, and just moving off. + +The road on the right hand having been again destroyed a few miles +beyond, the direction of the column had been changed, and, a ford having +been found, the troops had waded across, with the intention of camping +that night at the village of Barnas, the rearguard arriving just in time +to see the main body move off towards the village. The Levies had been +left behind to help the baggage across, and rendered invaluable +assistance, saving many a man from drowning. + +I found most of the coolies with their loads still on the right bank of +the river, leisurely proceeding to strip before wading across; the loads +had to be carried on their heads, the water being well above their +waists. Those loads that could be divided were carried over piecemeal, +the coolie returning for the second part after taking the first across. +This idea was all very fine in theory, but we found that most of the +coolies, having made the first trip, sat down on the bank and proceeded +to dress, leaving the remainder of their load to find its way across as +best it could. Luckily Sergeant Reeves was on the farther bank, and I +having also crossed over, we proceeded to drive every coolie back into +the river, until there was not a load left on the opposite bank. + +Rudyard Kipling, in his story of the taking of the Lungtungpen, tells +how, after the scrimmage in the village, "We halted and formed up, and +Liftinant Brazenose blushin' pink in the light of the mornin' sun. 'Twas +the most ondacent parade I iver tuk a hand in--four-and-twenty privates +an' a officer av the line in review ordher, an' not as much as wud dust +a fife between 'em all in the way of clothin'." As I stood on that +bank, with the evening sun lighting up the river, I thought of +"Liftinant Brazenose," and also blushed. True, I was clothed myself, but +instead of twenty-five, I had two hundred coolies in the same condition +as that bashful officer's army. + +It took us some three hours before all those loads were over, during +which we had some exciting moments. Most of the coolies found the stream +too strong to stem alone, and so they crossed in parties of a dozen or +more, holding hands; but now and then a man would try by himself, +generally with the result that half-way across he would get swept off +his feet, and go floating down the stream, vainly endeavouring to regain +his footing. Then there would be a rush of two or three of the levies, +the man would be swung on to his feet, and his load fished for. One man +I thought was bound to be drowned; he had somehow tied his load on to +his head, and, being washed off his feet, his head was kept down below +the water, while his legs remained waving frantically in the air. The +load, being light, floated, and in this manner he was washed down +stream, till two levies reached him, and, swinging him right side up, +brought him spluttering ashore. + +I often noticed, when sending an old man back for the remainder of his +load, that some youngster who had brought his whole load across would +volunteer to bring the remainder of the old man's, and, of course, I was +only too glad to let him. We found the young men easy to manage, and the +old men were let down lightly; it was the middle-aged man, full of +strength and his own importance, who sometimes tried to raise +objections, but it was getting late, and no time for fooling, so we +drove our arguments home with a gun butt, and the man obeyed. The +rearguard crossed in the dark, and by nine o'clock I was able to report +to Colonel Kelly that everybody had arrived in camp, just as dinner was +ready. + +I didn't turn in till late that night, as I was on duty, and had to go +scrambling round the pickets; even at that late hour I saw many men +still cooking, probably preparing food for the next day. + +As our supplies were now reduced to less than three days, our march the +next morning was ordered for 10 A.M., in order to allow foraging +parties to go out at daybreak to scoop in anything they could find. + +In the meantime, I sent some levies forward to the next village to +reconnoitre. + +The foraging parties did not bring in much, but in our case every little +was of importance, and by 10 A.M. we started. Our front in camp had been +protected by a deep nullah; it took some time getting across this. By +the time we cleared the village, we met our returning scouts, who +reported having seen the enemy in the village of Mori, and reported +their strength as some one hundred men on foot, and about twenty +horsemen. So we all cheered up at the chance of a fight. + +The road now dropped down to the river bed, and ran along the foot of +some cliffs three or four hundred feet sheer above the roadway; there +was about a mile of this, and then two miles of narrow path along the +face of steep shale slopes and cliff face high above the river. Any +force once caught in this place could be cut off to a man. The path was +so narrow that in many places the gun ponies could not have turned +round. + +Colonel Kelly, however, was not to be caught in this way, so the +advance guard was ordered to go right through this part of the road till +they reached the maidan on the farther side, to hold that, and send back +word that they had done so, the main body halting in the meantime till a +clear road was announced. Half-way through, the advance guard found the +road broken, but it was soon mended, and the end of the road under the +cliff reached. Here there was a flattish bit of maidan for about fifty +yards before the path ascended, and crossed the face of slope and cliff. +The officer in command of the advance guard, thinking this was the +maidan mentioned in his orders, sent back word that he was through the +defile, and the road clear. Accordingly the main body advanced with a +flanking picket on the cliff above. I was with Colonel Kelly at the head +of the column, when, turning a corner, we came slap on top of the halted +advance guard. There was no time to stop now, and the advance guard was +hurried on to allow the main body to, at least, get clear of the cliffs +and on the slopes. We got at last on to the slopes, but found the road +broken in several places, which delayed the column considerably; +luckily, I knew the Levies were on ahead, but I was glad when we +reached the end of the bad track. + +When we were once more on the move, I went ahead to join the Levies, and +find out about the reported enemy. I found the Levies on the maidan that +our advance guard should have occupied in the first place, and with them +two men who had come out from the village of Mori, now only some two +miles away. + +These men reported that Mahomed Issar had left about 7 A.M. for Khogazi, +taking all his following with him, and that he would defend a position +known as the Goland Gol, just in front of that village. + +I now went ahead with the Levies, and we swept through the village till +we saw clear open country ahead, and satisfied ourselves that there were +none of the enemy left. + +I then ordered the Levies to ransack every nook and cranny for supplies, +and went myself in search of a camping ground. That was not a very +difficult job, and I soon came upon a nice garden and orchard, with big +shady mulberry trees, and a stream flowing down the centre. On one side +was the house that Mahomed Issar had occupied, and belonged to one of +Sher Afzul's leading men. It was a well-built house, and inside we found +some thirty sacks of caraway seeds, the stuff they put in what are +called "wholesome cakes for children." + +The Pioneer native officers told us that each sack was worth at least +one hundred rupees in Peshawur, but we would gladly have exchanged the +whole amount for half the amount of flour. One of the sacks was emptied +out and the men allowed to help themselves; each man took away a handful +or so, as natives are very fond of it for cooking purposes, especially +for curry, a little going a long way. The whole camp smelt of caraway +seed, and not an unpleasant smell either. The house was pulled down for +firewood. Everyone was delighted with the camp, and it was as +picturesque as could be desired. The weather was first-class for +bivouacking, the trees were in full leaf, and gave a delightful shade, +while the ground was covered with a good sound turf. + +Foraging parties were sent out immediately, and the villagers who had +met us promised to go and induce their friends to return. In fact, they +did collect some ten men, each of whom brought a small sack of flour, +and with that and what the foraging parties brought in, we had enough +for ourselves and the coolies for three days, by which time we hoped to +arrive in Chitral. A good deal of the grain brought in consisted of +unhusked rice and millet, what canary birds are fed on in England,--good +enough for the coolies, at any rate, most of them having been used to it +from childhood. We tried to get the village water-mills going, but all +the ironwork had been carried away, and we had no means of quickly +refitting them, so the unthreshed rice and millet seed was issued as it +was, and the men had to grind it as best they could, with stones. We +still had some goats and sheep, and the men used to get a meat ration +whenever there was enough to go round. + +The rearguard was in by 5 P.M. that day, the first time since we had +left Mastuj that it had come in before dark. Things were looking up. + +The bridge at Mori had been burned, but we heard of another some two +miles farther down, which, if destroyed, could be more easily mended, +and as the reputed position taken up by the enemy could be turned from +the right bank of the river, it was determined to repair it. + +Consequently, early the next morning, Oldham and his Sappers, with a +covering party of one company of Pioneers under Bethune, and the Hunza +Levies, started to repair the bridge, and be ready to cross and turn the +enemy's flank, should he be found awaiting us. + +An hour later the main body started over a road leading along a high +cliff. Here and there the enemy had evidently made attempts to destroy +the road, but so ineffectually that the advance guard hardly delayed its +advance for five minutes to repair it, and by 10 A.M. we had reached the +broken bridge, and found Oldham and his party hard at work mending it. + +The great difficulty was want of beams to stretch across from pier to +pier, but attempts were being made to get these from an adjacent village +on the opposite bank of the river. + +The bridge would not be ready for some two hours at earliest, so +Colonel Kelly sent me on to reconnoitre the Goland Gol, which we +expected the enemy to hold. I kicked my pony into a gallop and hurried +forward. + +About a quarter of a mile farther on, I saw one of the road-bearing +beams of the destroyed bridge which had stranded on the opposite bank, +and sent back a note describing where it could be found. + +Another quarter of a mile brought me up to the Punyal Levies, who were +already reconnoitring the spurs where the army were supposed to be; but +after a careful look through my glasses, we came to the conclusion that +there was no enemy, and again advanced. We reached the Goland Gol, which +is a narrow nullah running up into the hills on the left bank of the +river, the sides being impracticable for several miles, and down the +centre of which rushes a mountain torrent, the road to Chitral crossing +this latter, just before it flows into the Yarkhun river, by means of a +bridge. This bridge we found destroyed, but I sent half the Levies +across by fording the stream a hundred yards higher up, and made them +occupy the ridge on the far side, and put the remainder on to repair +the bridge. I also gave my pony and a note to one of the levies, whom I +sent back with a report to Colonel Kelly, who, on receiving it, had work +on the other bridge knocked off, as it was no longer wanted. + +We hunted for the beams of the Goland Gol bridge, which we found jammed +in the stream a short way down, only one out of the four being smashed, +and soon had them back in their places. Then we laid a roadway of boards +from a hut near, and filled up the holes with branches, and had the +bridge ready before the advance guard arrived. I sent back word, and +then crossed the stream and joined the remainder of the Levies on the +farther side. Here I found several sangars which covered the approaches +to the bridge, and soon had them down, and then went on to the village +of Khogazi, which was about a mile ahead. + +We swept through that village in the usual manner from end to end, +finding only one man who turned out to be a Gilgiti; he had been carried +into slavery several years previously, but had married and settled +down. From him we learned that Mohamed Issar, with a following of about +one hundred men, had arrived the day before about noon; shortly after, a +messenger came in from Sher Afzul, telling him to come into Chitral +without delay, and consequently the whole party had set off about 4 P.M. +All the villagers, he said, had fled up the Goland Gol to the higher +hills, but he would try and bring in any he could find. He did not think +the enemy would try and fight again, though there was a place called +Baitali, just before the opening into the Chitral valley, where, if any +opposition was offered, it would be made. The position could be turned +from both flanks, and ponies could go, but it was not a good road. He +professed himself as willing to go and find out if the Baitali Pari was +occupied, so I sent him off. I knew the place as one of the worst bits +in the whole road between Mastuj and Chitral, but I also knew it could +be passed by crossing the river at Khogazi and climbing the hills on the +right hand, and down on to the Chitral river above its junction with the +Yarkhun river. This would be convenient if the Chitral bridge was +destroyed, as it would take us along the right bank, on which stands +the fort; but I knew also of a ford about two miles above the Chitral +bridge, where we could cover our passage, as the ground was level and +open. + + + + +CHAPTER X + + +WE REACH THE GOAL + +I picked out a camping ground even better than we had enjoyed at Mori, +and then shared some chupatties and chocolate with Rajah Akbar Khan. + +The main body came in by two o'clock, and the baggage shortly after. +Foraging parties were sent out, and Oldham sent to report on the bridge +in case we decided to cross. He reported it as practicable, so a guard +was put on it to keep it so. + +Stewart came into camp that day like a bear with a sore head. "Here had +he been hauling his guns over condemned precipices in pursuit of an +invisible enemy. Call this war! it was only a route march. For a +promenade he preferred the Empire Theatre." + +We tried to console him with hopes of a fight before Chitral, but he +declared the Chitralis had grievously disappointed him, and went off to +see about fodder for his ponies. Alas, poor Stewart! he didn't get his +desire. + +As soon as we had settled down in camp, Colonel Kelly told me to try and +find some man who would carry a letter into Chitral, to warn the +garrison of our approach. I got hold of Shah Mirza, and asked him if he +knew anyone who would go. First, we tried the man who had escaped from +Killa Drasan, but he refused; then Shah Mirza volunteered to go himself, +but he was too useful to be spared. Just as we were wondering who we +could get to go, Humayun and Akbar Khan turned up, evidently excited, +and escorting a man who was bearing letters from Chitral. He handed over +a letter addressed to "The officer commanding troops advancing from +Gilgit." Inside was a letter from Surgeon-Major Robertson, saying that +Sher Afzul had fled on the night of the 18th April, and the siege of +Chitral was raised. He enclosed a return of the killed and wounded, +which, he requested, might be forwarded to India. Then we went through +the list, and came across poor Baird's name among the killed. This was +the first we had heard of it, the natives all declaring that it was +Gurdon who had been killed. Among the wounded we came across +Surgeon-Major Robertson severely and Captain Campbell severely. Poor old +General Baj Singh and Major Bicham Singh were killed, and all together +the casualties amounted to one hundred and four killed and wounded out +of three hundred and seventy combatants. So the garrison had evidently +had a lively time of it. Then we set to work and pumped the messenger +dry of all the news he could tell, the details of which are now too well +known for me to relate. The man had a passport from Surgeon-Major +Robertson, sending him to Killa Drasan, so he was allowed to go. We also +found out from him that there was no enemy between us and Chitral, at +which Stewart swore openly. My spy returned on meeting the Chitral +messenger. + +There was no difficulty now in getting a man to go to Chitral, so we +sent off one with a note, saying we should arrive next day by noon, the +20th April. + +The news had spread quickly through camp, and the native officers came +round to hear about it. We sent back a post to Mastuj by some Nagar +Levies who had just brought in a post, and then had a good discussion as +to the causes that led to the raising of the siege. + +I don't know if any of the other officers felt it, but I know, speaking +for myself, that with the departure of any uncertainty about our arrival +in Chitral in time to save the garrison, a good deal of interest also +departed. + +I felt inclined to agree with Stewart, that the enemy had given us a +just cause for complaint by not playing the game. At any rate, they +might have given us a run for our money in front of Chitral, and this +seemed to be the general idea throughout the column, consequently our +opinion of the Chitrali pluck sank considerably. + +We marched at 6 A.M. the next morning punctually, and by noon the +advance guard was in the Chitral valley. A halt was ordered to allow the +main body to form up, as the guns had had a bad time getting through the +Baitali Pari, and had to be unloaded and carried by hand for some +distance. + +After about two miles we came in sight of the Chitral bridge, which had +not been destroyed, and, soon after, of the fort, with the Union Jack +still floating on one of the towers. + +We crossed the bridge, closed up the column on the other side, the +buglers were sent to the front, and we marched on to the fort with as +much swagger as we could put on. + +We found the garrison in front of the main gate, and were very glad to +shake hands again with all our old friends and congratulate them on +their splendid defence. + +We had a short halt, and then moved on, and took up a position covering +the fort, with our front on a nullah and pickets facing south. Our +bivouac was in a nice shady garden, with plenty of good water and wood. + +When the men had settled down in camp, the officers went back to the +fort, where the garrison gave us breakfast, or rather lunch. There was a +great deal to hear and tell, and for the first time we began to realise +what a touch-and-go time the garrison had been having. There was only +one pause in the conversation, and good old Stewart chipped in with +"D'ye think, now, there's any chance of another fight?" + +After tiffin, we went round and saw all the sights of interest, and +generally interviewed the lions. We saw Harley's mine, the gun tower, +the enemy's sangars, the hospital, and we did not forget poor Baird's +grave, which was just outside the main gate. Then we went back to camp, +and most of us took the opportunity to write home. I also took a +photograph when everyone was assembled over the homely cup of tea. The +bottles on the table look like whisky, but they only contain treacle +made by melting down country goor, the extract of sugar-cane. It was our +substitute for butter or jam, luxuries we had not seen for weeks. Whisky +was a dream of the past, and rum a scarcity. In fact, there was no +difference between what we and the sepoys ate, except in the manner of +cooking. + +We went to sleep that night with the blissful consciousness that the +next day was a halt at any rate, and I think we needed the rest. We had +put on our least ragged coats to march in and make as brave a show as +possible, but our kit generally was in a pretty disreputable state, and +there was a good deal of work wanted in the laundry line. Most of us, +also, had misgivings about our boots. I was reduced to choosing between +boots with large holes in the soles or chuplies mended with string; the +boots I kept for show days, as the holes didn't show, and the chuplies +for ordinary work. Most of the other officers were much in the same +plight. + +So ended the march of Colonel Kelly's column to Chitral. Our record, on +the whole, was not bad, though, of course, judging by actual distance, +we had not done much; it was more the difficult nature of the ground and +the altitude at which some of it was done that lent interest to the +march, and I am unfeignedly glad my luck caused me to participate in it. + +The next day the Kashmir troops of the garrison came out and camped with +us, and revelled in the fresh air after the poisonous atmosphere of the +fort. Poor chaps! they were walking skeletons, bloodless, and as quiet +as the ghosts they resembled, most of them reduced to jerseys and +garments of any description, but still plucky and of good heart. They +cheered up wonderfully in a few days with good fresh air and sleep, and +marched from Chitral quite briskly when they left. + +The next day I again went round the fort and got some photos, which +follow. One of the British officers of the garrison beneath the gun +tower, which was set on fire, and during the extinguishing of which +Surgeon-Major Robertson, the British agent, was wounded by a Snider +bullet. There is also the loophole, afterwards made, from which a sentry +inside the tower could fire at anyone within a few feet. Then I got +Harley to show me the site of his sortie, and pretty grisly the place +looked, but unfortunately the photograph I took, showing the mine lying +open like a ditch to the foot of the tower, was a "wrong un." But I +succeeded in getting one showing the mouth of the mine, with the +excavated earth. + +Then I took one of the sangars from the interior, with the little +shelters used by the Pathans when not amusing themselves with rifle +practice. The water tower is just visible through the foliage. + +Then I took a photo of the fort from the corner by the gun tower looking +towards the musjid, which is shown in a photo at the beginning of the +book, but taken in more peaceful times. It shows the bridge in the +distance, which the fire of the Sikhs made too hot for the Chitralis, +who had to cross over the hills in the daytime. + +Then I took Harley and the two native officers of the 14th Sikhs, +Subadar Gurmuskh Singh and Jemadar Atta Singh. Atta Singh put on white +gloves to grace the occasion, but evidently trembled violently during +the exposure. + +I got a shot at Borradaile sitting in a shelter Oldham had run up for +himself; the hawk and spear were looted at Sanoghar, I think. Borradaile +looks very like Diogenes in his tub. I also took some Kafirs who +strolled into camp. We used to buy their daggers, but they got to asking +as much as twenty rupees for a good one after a time. Every Kaffir has a +dagger, some of them very good ones, but roughly finished. + +After we had been some days in Chitral, some of the 3rd Brigade under +General Gatacre arrived, followed by General Low and the headquarter +staff. + +There was a parade of all the troops in Chitral, with the usual tomasha +of salutes and inspection. We were then formed up in a square, and +General Low made a speech, in which he said that the honour of raising +the siege of Chitral belonged to Colonel Kelly's force; whereat we of +that force threw out our chest and patted ourselves on the back. We also +winked the other eye. + +Little Suji-ul-mulk, the Mehter elect, was present at the review with +his following, and personally conducted by the B.A., resplendent in +political uniform, we soldiers being in khaki. The parade was dismissed, +and, headed by the pipes of the general's escort and of the 4th Gurkhas, +we marched back to our camp. + +A few days afterwards, I was ordered back to Gilgit, to take up Baird's +duties, and the Pioneers followed shortly after. + +The Kashmir troops have gone back to Sudin on relief, and the Pioneers +have followed. There are only one or two of us now left in Gilgit who +took part in the march; but, black or white, it is a bond between us +which will, I hope, last our lifetime. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of With Kelly to Chitral +by William George Laurence Beynon + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WITH KELLY TO CHITRAL *** + +***** This file should be named 10603.txt or 10603.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/6/0/10603/ + +Produced by Gail J. 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