emy moved busily about preparing for the attack. A dropping fire from
the sharpshooters added an appropriate accompaniment. In the middle, at
the bottom of the cup, was the "crater" camp and the main enclosure with
the smoke of the evening meal rising in the air. The troops moved to
their stations, and, as the shadows grew, the firing swelled into a
loud, incessant roar.

The disposition of the troops on the night of the 27th was as follows:--

1. On the right Colonel McRae, with 45th Sikhs and two guns supported
by 100 men of the Guides Infantry, held almost the same position astride
the Buddhist road as before.

2. In the centre the enclosure and Graded road were defended by--

31st Punjaub Infantry.
No.5 Company Q.O. Sappers and Miners.
The Guides.
Two Guns.

3. On the left the 24th Punjaub Infantry, with the two remaining guns
under Lieutenant Climo, held the approaches from the abandoned north
camp and the fort.

Most of this extended line, which occupied a great part of the rim, was
formed by a chain of pickets, detached from one another, and fortified
by stone breastworks, with supports in rear. But in the centre the old
line of the "Sappers' and Miners' enclosure" was adhered to. The bazaar
was left to the enemy, but the serai, about a hundred yards in front of
the main entrenchment, was held by a picket of twenty-four men of the
31st Punjaub Infantry, under Subadar Syed Ahmed Shah. Here it was that
the tragedy of the night occurred.

At eight o'clock, the tribesmen attacked in tremendous force all
along the line. The firing at once became intense and continuous.
The expenditure of ammunition by the troops was very great, and many
thousands of rounds were discharged. On the right Colonel McRae and his
Sikhs were repeatedly charged by the swordsmen, many of whom succeeded
in forcing their way into the pickets and perished by the bayonet.
Others reached the two guns and were cut down while attacking the
gunners. All assaults were however beaten off. The tribesmen suffered
terrible losses. The casualties among the Sikhs were also severe. In the
morning Colonel McRae advanced from his defences, and, covered by the
fire of his two guns, cleared the ground in his front of the enemy.

The centre was again the scene of severe fighting. The tribesmen poured
into the bazaar and attacked the serai on all sides. This post was a
mud-walled enclosure about fifty yards square. It was loopholed for