s was forcibly demonstrated. On the 29th
over a dozen villages in the plains were destroyed without the loss of a
single life. On the 30th the tale ran somewhat differently. The village
of Agrah adjoins the village of Zagai, the capture of which has already
been recorded. It stood in a broad re-entrant of the mountains, and amid
ground so tangled and broken, that to move over it is difficult, and to
describe it impossible. On the steep face of the mountain great rocks,
sometimes thirty feet high, lay tossed about: interspersed with these
were huts or narrow terraces, covered with crops, and rising one above
the other by great steps of ten or twelve feet each. The attack on such
a place was further complicated by the fact that the same re-entrant
contained another village called Gat, which had to be occupied at the
same time. This compelled the brigade to attack on a broader front than
their numbers allowed. It was evident, as the Guides Cavalry approached
the hills, that resistance was contemplated. Several red standards
were visible to the naked eye, and the field-glasses disclosed numerous
figures lining the ridges and spurs. The squadrons, advancing as far as
the scrub would allow them, soon drew the fire of isolated skirmishers.
Several troops dismounted, and returned the salute with their carbines,
and at 8.45 a dropping fire began. The brigade now came into action in
the following formation. The cavalry, on the extreme left, covered the
head of a considerable valley, from which the flank was threatened; the
Guides Infantry and the Royal West Kent Regiment prolonged the line to
the centre of the attack; the 31st Punjaub Infantry moved against the
spurs to the right of the village, and the 38th Dogras were in reserve.
The action was begun by the Guides Infantry storming the ridges to the
left of the enemy's position. These were strongly held and fortified by
sungars, behind which the defenders were sheltered. The Guides advanced
at a brisk pace, and without much firing, across the open ground to
the foot of the hills. The tribesmen, shooting from excellent cover,
maintained a hot fire. The bullets kicked up the dust in all directions,
or whistled viciously through the air; but the distance was short, and
it was soon apparent that the enemy did not mean to abide the assault.
When the troops got within 100 yards and fixed bayonets, a dozen
determined men were still firing from the sungars. The Afridi and
Pathan companie