swiftly. The smoke
puffs became fire flashes. Great black clouds overspread the valley
and thunder began to roll. The daylight died away. The picture became
obscured, and presently it was pitch dark. All communication, all mutual
support, all general control now ceased. Each body of troops closed up
and made the best of their way to the camp, which was about seven miles
off. A severe thunderstorm broke overhead. The vivid lightning displayed
the marching columns and enabled the enemy to aim. Individual tribesmen
ran up, shouting insults, to within fifty yards of the Buffs and
discharged their rifles. They were answered with such taunts as the
limited Pushtu of the British soldier allows and careful volleys. The
troops displayed the greatest steadiness. The men were determined, the
officers cheery, the shooting accurate. At half-past eight the enemy
ceased to worry us. We thought we had driven them off, but they had
found a better quarry.

The last two miles to camp were painful. After the cessation of the
firing the fatigue of the soldiers asserted itself. The Buffs had been
marching and fighting continuously for thirteen hours. They had had no
food, except their early morning biscuit, since the preceding night.
The older and more seasoned amongst them laughed at their troubles,
declaring they would have breakfast, dinner and tea together when they
got home. The younger ones collapsed in all directions.

The officers carried their rifles. Such ponies and mules as were
available were laden with exhausted soldiers. Nor was this all. Other
troops had passed before us, and more than a dozen Sepoys of different
regiments were lying senseless by the roadside. All these were
eventually carried in by the rear-guard, and the Buffs reached camp at
nine o'clock.

Meanwhile, the Guides had performed a brilliant feat of arms, and had
rescued the remnants of the isolated company from the clutches of the
enemy. After a hurried march they arrived at the foot of the hill down
which Ryder's men were retiring. The Sikhs, utterly exhausted by the
exertions of the day, were in disorder, and in many cases unable from
extreme fatigue even to use their weapons. The tribesmen hung in a crowd
on the flanks and rear of the struggling company, firing incessantly and
even dashing in and cutting down individual soldiers. Both officers were
wounded. Lieutenant Gunning staggered down the hill unaided, struck in
three places by bullets and with two