Continuing our progress towards the Khojuck heights, where we expected to meet with determined opposition, we lost a number of men on the route from their own imprudence in venturing at a distance from the camp after dusk. One of them, a Portuguese cook, belonging to my own regiment, lost his way in proceeding to the bazaar for necessaries, and fell into the hands of the Belochees, who were always hanging on our rear. His cries being heard by some soldiers returning from the bazaar, they ran towards the spot from whence the noise proceeded, and were received with a volley of bullets. They did not of course venture farther, being ignorant of the number of the enemy, but on procuring assistance from the camp, they discovered the cook with his throat cut, the head being nearly severed from the shoulders.
Sickness now increased alarmingly amongst us, owing to the bad quality of the attar or flour, as well as the reduction in our usual quantity of rations. The cattle were little better off, and the difficulties of the route increased at almost every step. Water continued as scarce as ever, for the natives filled up or concealed part of the wells and poisoned the remainder. Of the latter fact, we received intimation in time to prevent accidents, and chance befriended us as regarded the former. After a harassing day's march some soldiers of the 17th Infantry, who had set out in search of water, were unsuccessful and were bewailing their hard fate, when the unusual moistness of the place where they had pitched their tent attracted their notice. They sounded the ground and finding it hollow, immediately arrived at the conclusion that it was a well that had been freshly covered over. Further examination confirmed this supposition, and about half an hour's work revealed a deep hole to their sight, in which they found a spring of excellent water. This discovery created such joy and frantic eagerness in the camp that the authorities were obliged to place a strong guard with loaded muskets over it in order to keep back the pressure of the crowds who flocked to it.
In the course of the next day's march we came upon a part of the road which was literally strewn with human skeletons and broken matchlocks. Of the various surmises current amongst us as to the occasion of this wholesale butchery, the most probable was, that one of the caravans travelling to Candahar had been attacked and overpowered by one of the marauding tribes of the district.
CHAPTER V.
The Khojuck Pass.—Descent of the Troops.—Shocking Death of a Camel Driver.—Detection and Escape of an Affghan Thief.—Loss of Cavalry Horses.—Candahar.—Arrival of Shah Soojah.—Condition of the Troops.—Attempt of the Natives to cut off a Convoy of Provisions.—Asiatic Mendicants.—The Mosque at Candahar.—Arrival of Affghan Auxiliaries.
We reached the Khojuck Pass in the expectation of finding it occupied by the forces of Dost Mahommed, but contrary to general anticipation it was abandoned. We learned that the Dost had visited the place a few days before, in company with several of his chiefs, when the prudence of disputing our passage was discussed. Owing to some violent differences of opinion amongst the subordinate chiefs, the idea was abandoned, and the enemy fell back towards Candahar. How different might have been the fate of the expedition but for this impolitic and cowardly step. To enable the reader to judge of its importance a brief description of the Pass will be necessary.
Ascending an eminence of no great height a platform of rock is gained, from which a glorious view bursts upon the sight. Immediately beneath is a steep declivity, along whose rugged sides winds the narrow road, while a chasm of immense depth yawns beneath, and threatens to engulph the luckless passenger should he chance to slip as he treads his way down the difficult and dangerous descent. Receding into the far distance lie long ranges of blue mountains broken at intervals into open plains and valleys, whose calm and smiling aspect contrasts well with the frowning majesty of the neighbouring heights.
Nothing could be finer than the view which presented itself as our troops wound round the brow of this tremendous precipice, their arms glittering in the sun, and their uniforms imparting a gay and dazzling variety to the sober hues of the stunted herbage with which its sides were clad. The Infantry, consisting of several companies of the Queen's Royals and a party of the 17th regiment were ordered to line the heights in order to protect the descent of the Artillery and Cavalry, together with the heavy baggage. So steep was the road (if road it could be called) that the Cavalry were obliged to dismount and lead their horses, bridle in hand, and the Artillery to unlimber their guns and drag them down the precipice, a task, as the reader may conceive, of no small labour and difficulty. About half way down, a camel, laden with camp equipage, missed its footing and was precipitated into the abyss with its conductor, and both were of course, immediately dashed to pieces. We reached the plain without any further mishap about six o'clock the same evening, and had every reason to congratulate ourselves that the cowardice or negligence of the enemy had prevented them from disputing our passage.
Having halted at the bottom of the Pass two days so as to enable the remainder of the heavy ordnance and baggage to descend we proceeded towards Candahar. The enemy occasionally made their appearance, and though not caring to face us in the field, continued to harass us severely by hanging on our rear, and cutting off the stragglers. Nor did they abate in the least in their love of thieving, robberies being just as frequent, and characterised by as much ingenuity and daring as ever. Late one night I was on sentry before the tent of Lieutenant Kemp when a rustling noise attracted my notice; on looking attentively towards the spot from whence it proceeded, I perceived an Affghan crawling towards the tent on his hands and knees, and suffering him to enter, in order the more easily to secure him, I surprised him as he was in the act of plundering it. The fellow was completely naked, and on my attempting to lay hold of him he slipped through my fingers like an eel, owing to the quantity of grease with which his person was smeared, and succeeded in clearing the lines in safety. I did not shoot him because positive orders had been issued against shots being fired in camp, which had before given rise to many groundless alarms.