Horse Artillery were still behind;
but as the guns were being transported on elephants, I knew the
progress of this part of the force must be slow, and thinking it
unwise to allow the Afghans time to recover from their defeat, I
determined to push on with the troops at hand.

A field hospital was formed on the _murg_, and placed under a guard,
ammunition-pouches were re-filled, and off we started again, choosing
as our route the left of two hog-backed, thickly-wooded heights
running almost longitudinally in the direction of the Peiwar Kotal, in
the hope that from this route communication might be established with
our camp below. I was not disappointed, for very soon Captain Wynne,
in charge of the signalling, was able to inform Brigadier-General
Cobbe of our progress, and convey to him the order to co-operate with
me so far as his very limited numbers would permit.

Our advance was at first unopposed, but very slow, owing to the
density of the forest, which prevented our seeing any distance, and
made it difficult to keep the troops together.

At the end of two hours we arrived at the edge of a deep hollow, on
the further side of which, 150 yards off, the enemy were strongly
posted, and they at once opened fire upon us.

Fancy my dismay at this critical moment on discovering that the
Highlanders, Gurkhas, and the Mountain battery, had not come up! They
had evidently taken a wrong turn in the almost impenetrable forest,
and I found myself alone with the 29th Punjab Infantry. Knowing that
the missing troops could not be far off, I hoped that they would hear
the firing, which was each moment becoming heavier; but some time
passed, and there were no signs of their approach. I sent staff
officer after staff officer to search for them, until one only
remained, the Rev. J.W. Adams, who had begged to be allowed to
accompany me as Aide-de-camp for this occasion, and him I also
despatched in quest of the missing troops. After some time, which
seemed to me an age, he returned to report that no trace could he find
of them; so again I started him off in another direction. Feeling
the situation was becoming serious, and expecting that the Afghans,
encouraged by our inaction, would certainly attack us, I thought it
advisable to make a forward movement; but the attitude of the 29th
was not encouraging. I addressed them, and expressed a hope that they
would now by their behaviour wipe out the slur of disloyalty which
the firing of