gher up the hill. About
fifteen men were inside the work, and perhaps thirty more just below it.
The whole place was commanded by the higher ground. The enemy's fire was
accurate and intense.

Of those inside, four or five were instantly killed or wounded. The
sungar was a regular trap, and the company were ordered to retire.
Lieutenant Browne-Clayton remained till the last, to watch the
withdrawal, and in so doing was shot dead, the bullet severing the
blood-vessels near the heart. The two or three men who remained were
handing down his body over the rock wall, when they were charged by
about thirty Ghazis and driven down the hill. A hundred and fifty yards
away, Major Western had three companies of the West Kents in support. He
immediately ordered Captain Styles to retake the sungar, and recover
the body. The company charged. Captain Styles was the first to reach the
stone wall, and with Lieutenant Jackson cleared it of such of the enemy
as remained. Five or six men were wounded in the charge, and others fell
in the sungar. The advanced position of this company was soon seen to
be untenable, and they were ordered to fall back to the edge of the
village, where the whole regiment was hotly engaged.

Meanwhile the 31st Punjaub Infantry, who had advanced under Colonel
O'Bryen on the right, were exposed to a severe fire from a rocky ridge
on their flank. Their attack was directed against a great mass of
boulders, some of them of enormous size, which were tenaciously held by
the enemy. The fighting soon became close. The two advanced companies
were engaged at a distance of under 100 yards. Besides this the cross
fire from their right flank added to their difficulties. In such a
position the presence of Colonel O'Bryen was invaluable. Moving swiftly
from point to point, he directed the fire and animated the spirit of
the men, who were devoted to him. It was not long before the enemy's
marksmen began to take aim at this prominent figure. But for a
considerable period, although bullets struck the ground everywhere
around him, he remained unhurt. At last, however, he was shot through
the body, and carried mortally wounded from the action.

I pause to consider for a moment the conditions, and circumstances,
by which the pursuit of a military career differs from all others. In
political life, in art, in engineering, the man with talents who behaves
with wisdom may steadily improve his position in the world. If he makes
no mist