en country beyond. The whole of the powerful artillery was to come
into action at once.

The troops then advanced. The Royal West Kent Regiment began the fight,
by driving some of the enemy from the Buddhist ruins on a small spur in
advance of the main position. The 10th Field Battery had been left
in rear in case the guns might stick in the narrow roads near Thana
village. It had, however, arrived safely, and now trotted up, and at
8.50 A.M. opened fire on the enemy's position and at a stone fort, which
they occupied strongly. A few minutes later No.7 Mountain Battery came
into action from the spur, which the Royal West Kent had taken. A heavy
artillery fire thus prepared the way for the attack. The great shells
of the Field Artillery astounded the tribesmen, who had never before
witnessed the explosion of a twelve-pound projectile. The two mountain
batteries added to their discomfiture. Many fled during the first
quarter of an hour of the bombardment. All the rest took cover on the
reverse slope and behind their sungars.

Meanwhile the flank attack was developing. General Meiklejohn and
his infantry were climbing up the steep hillside, and moving steadily
towards the junction of the ridge with the main hill. At length the
tribesmen on the spur perceived the danger that was threatening them.
They felt the grip on their line of retreat. They had imagined that the
white troops would try and force their path along the causeway, and had
massed considerable reserves at the lower end of the ridge. All these
now realised that they were in great danger of being cut off. They
were on a peninsula, as it were, while the soldiers were securing the
isthmus. They accordingly began streaming along the ridge towards the
left, at first with an idea of meeting the flank attack, but afterwards,
as the shell fire grew hotter, and the musketry increased, only in the
hope of retreat. Owing to the great speed with which the mountaineers
move about the hills, most of them were able to escape before the flank
attack could cut them off. Many however, were shot down as they fled,
or were killed by the artillery fire. A few brave men charged the 31st
Punjaub Infantry, but were all destroyed.

Seeing the enemy in full flight, Sir Bindon Blood ordered the Royal West
Kent to advance against the front of the now almost deserted ridge. The
British infantry hurrying forward climbed the steep hill and captured
the stone sungars. From this position the