e to send them food. The
difficulty as to how to get supplies to Lataband was solved by
some Hazaras, who had been working in our camp for several weeks,
volunteering to convey what was necessary, and it was arranged that
the provisions should be sent with two parties, one on the 19th, the
other on the 20th. The first got through safely, but the second almost
entirely fell into the hands of the enemy.

On the 21st a heliogram from Hudson informed me that Gough's brigade
was expected the next day; but as it had been found necessary to drop
his Cavalry at the several posts he passed on the way for their better
protection, I deemed it expedient to send him the 12th Bengal Cavalry,
for he had to pass through some fairly open country near Butkhak,
where they might possibly be of use to him. Accordingly, they started
at 3 a.m. on the 22nd, with instructions to halt at Butkhak should
that post be unoccupied, otherwise to push on to Lataband.

Finding the former place in possession of the Afghans, Major Green,
who was in command of the regiment, made for the further post, where
he arrived with the loss of only three men killed and three wounded.

It was not easy to get reliable information as to the movements or
intentions of the enemy while we were surrounded in Sherpur; but from
spies who managed to pass to and from the city under cover of night, I
gathered that plans were being made to attack us.

It was not, however, until the 21st that there were any very great
signs of activity. On that and the following day the several posts to
the east of the cantonment were occupied preparatory to an attack from
that quarter; and I was told that numbers of scaling-ladders were
being constructed. This looked like business. Next, information was
brought in that, in all the mosques, mullas were making frantic
appeals to the people to unite in one final effort to exterminate the
infidel; and that the aged Mushk-i-Alam was doing all in his power to
fan the flame of fanaticism, promising to light with his own hand
at dawn on the 23rd (the last day of the _Moharram_, when religious
exaltation amongst Mahomedans is at its height) the beacon-fire which
was to be the signal for assault.

The night of the 22nd was undisturbed, save by the songs and cries of
the Afghans outside the walls, but just before day the flames of the
signal-fire, shooting upwards from the topmost crag of the Asmai
range, were plainly to be seen, followed on the insta