were occupying the hills in the Kohistan direction. I therefore
signalled to Baker to leave the 67th in charge of the Asmai heights,
and himself return to the lower ridge, giving him my reasons.

Baker at once despatched a detachment of the 5th Punjab Infantry,
under Captain Hall, to reinforce Clarke, who I could see might soon be
hard pressed, and I sent 200 rifles of the 3rd Sikhs (the only troops
available at the moment) to his assistance.

I watched what was taking place on the conical hill through my
telescope, and was startled to perceive that the enemy were, unnoticed
by him, creeping close up to Clarke's position. I could just see a
long Afghan knife appear above the ridge, steadily mounting higher and
higher, the bearer of which was being concealed by the contour of the
hill, and I knew it was only one of the many weapons which were being
carried by our enemies to the attack. The reinforcements were still
some distance off, and my heart sank within me, for I felt convinced
that after our recent victories the Afghans would never venture to
cross the open and attack British soldiers unless an overwhelming
superiority of numbers made success appear to them a certainty. Next I
heard the boom of guns and the rattle of musketry, and a minute or two
later (which, in my anxiety, seemed an eternity to me), I only too
plainly saw our men retreating down the hill, closely followed by the
enemy. The retirement was being conducted steadily and slowly, but
from that moment I realized, what is hard for a British soldier,
how much harder for a British commander, to realize, that we were
over-matched, and that we could not hold our ground.

Clarke,[5] as well as every man with him, fought splendidly; the
Afghans by force of numbers alone made themselves masters of the
position and captured two guns.[6]

While all that I have described was going on, the enemy began to
collect again on Siah Sang, and to make their way round the eastern
flank of the cantonment towards Kohistan.

I had sent orders in the morning to Lieutenant-Colonel Williams, who
was quartered with his regiment (the 5th Punjab Cavalry) in the King's
Garden, between Sherpur and the city, to be on the look-out, and not
to allow any of the enemy to pass in that direction. About 1 p.m. some
400 Afghans were observed moving along the left bank of the river:
these were met by Captain Vousden of the same regiment, who with one
troop was employed in reconnoitring; he