8-1879

Alikhel--Treachery of the tribesmen--Transport difficulties
--Sher Ali looks to Russia for aid--Khost--An attack on our camp
--An unsuccessful experiment--An unpleasant incident
--Punjab Chiefs' Contingent

Perceiving that further pursuit of the enemy would be useless, I
decided to halt a few days to admit of our overtaxed transport
bringing up supplies and tents, and to arrange for the occupation of
the Peiwar position during the winter months. But I considered that my
work would be incomplete if we stopped short of the Shutargardan Pass.
Moreover, it was very desirable that we should investigate this route,
and, if possible, get into friendly communication with some of the
sections of the Ghilzai tribe. The Jajis, through whose territory
the first part of the road ran, now showed themselves to be as
well disposed as the Turis; they readily brought in supplies, and
volunteered to labour for us, and from the information obtained by
the political officers, the inhabitants of the Hariab valley seemed
equally anxious to be friendly. The dislodgment of the Afghan army by
a much smaller force, from a position they had themselves chosen, had
evidently had a salutary effect.

As soon as I had leisure, I inquired from Colonel Gordon whether he
had been able to discover the men who had fired the signal shots on
the night of the 2nd, and whether he did not think that the Pathan
Native officers ought to be able to point out the offenders. Gordon
replied that he suspected the Jemadar of the Pathan company knew who
the culprits were, and that one soldier had confessed to firing the
second shot; moreover, he told me that eighteen Pathans had left the
regiment during the fight. On receiving this unpleasant information,
I assembled a Court of Inquiry, with orders to have the proceedings
ready for my consideration by the time I returned from the
Shutargardan.

[Illustration: ONE OF MY PATHAN ORDERLIES.
_From a water-colour sketch by Colonel Woodthorpe, C.B., R.E._]

Having despatched the sick and wounded to Kuram and made all necessary
arrangements, I marched on the 6th December to Alikhel, twelve miles
on the road to the Shutargardan. Before starting, I issued an order
thanking the troops for the efforts they had made to ensure success,
and I had the honour of communicating to them at the same time a
congratulatory message from the Queen.[1]

We reached the foot of the Shutargardan on the 8th, and reconnoitr