am from Army Headquarters informing
him, that Chakdara Fort was hard pressed, and directing him to hurry on
to Malakand, and attempt its relief at all costs. The great numbers of
the enemy, and the shortness of ammunition and supplies from which the
garrison were suffering, made the task difficult and the urgency great.
Indeed I have been told, that at Simla on the 1st of August it was
feared, that Chakdara was doomed, and that sufficient troops to fight
their way to its relief could not be concentrated in time. The greatest
anxiety prevailed. Sir Bindon Blood replied telegraphically that
"knowing the ground" as he did, he "felt serenely confident." He hurried
on at once, and, in spite of the disturbed state of the country, reached
the Malakand about noon on the 1st of August.

The desperate position of the garrison of Chaldara was fully appreciated
by their comrades at the Malakand. As the night of the 31st had been
comparatively quiet, Brigadier-General Meiklejohn determined to attempt
to force his way to their relief the next day. He accordingly formed a
column as follows:--

45th Sikhs.
24th Punjaub Infantry.
No.5 Company Sappers and Miners.
4 Guns of No.8 Mountain Battery.

At 11 A.M. he sent the cavalry, under Lieutenant-Colonel Adams of the
Guides, to make a dash for the Amandara Pass, and if it were unoccupied
to seize it. The three squadrons started by the short road to the north
camp. As soon as the enemy saw what was going on, they assembled in
great numbers to oppose the advance. The ground was most unsuitable
for cavalry. Great boulders strewed the surface. Frequent nullahs
intersected the plain, and cramped the action of the horsemen. The
squadrons soon became hotly engaged. The Guides made several charges.
The broken nature of the ground favoured the enemy. Many of them were,
however, speared or cut down. In one of these charges Lieutenant Keyes
was wounded. While he was attacking one tribesman, another came up from
behind, and struck him a heavy blow on the shoulder with a sword. Though
these Swatis keep their swords at razor edge, and though the blow was
sufficiently severe to render the officer's arm useless for some days,
it raised only a thin weal, as if from a cut of a whip. It was a strange
and almost an inexplicable escape.

The enemy in increasing numbers pressed upon the cavalry, who began to
get seriously involved. The tribesmen displayed the greatest boldness
and dete