our advanced guard had halted on the
top, and on asking the reason, Humayun said that the enemy were
occupying the next spurs. So up we went, and found the fact true enough,
but the next spur was some thousand yards away; so on we went across
that slope, and on to the next, eventually reaching a very nice little
place some eight hundred yards from the spur occupied by the enemy.

From here I could see pretty well the whole of the position occupied by
the enemy, except the end of the Nisa Gol nullah where it debouches on
to the river. I tried going up the hill, but that only made matters
worse, so I determined to sketch what I could see from here, and then
try across the river. In order not to be interrupted, I sent five men
well up the hill on to a spur, from whence they could see any man who
tried to sneak up for a shot, and spread out the rest in skirmishing
order to my front. Humayun and Akbar got behind a rock and went to
sleep, and I got out my telescope and set to work.

The enemy seemed rather interested in our proceedings--we could see
their heads bobbing up and down behind the sangars; but after we had
settled down, they gradually took courage, and, coming outside, sat down
to watch us. This was very nice of them, for very soon I had a complete
list of the garrison of each sangar, and from where I was could see the
sort of gun they were armed with,--a few rifles among the lower sangars,
and nearly all matchlocks among the higher and more inaccessible ones.
It was a calm, peaceful scene: the enemy sitting outside their sangars
sunning themselves; and my men lying down, a few watching, the rest
sleeping, one or two enjoying a friendly pipe.

Shortly after, we saw two gallant young sparks come riding along the
plain on the opposite side of the river, evidently having been sent by
the general to report on our proceedings. They pulled up opposite us and
watched us for a short time, and then one slipped off his horse, which
was led by the other behind a big boulder. Thinking they would merely
watch us, I shouted to my men to keep an eye on them, and went on
sketching. Presently there was a bang, and ping came a bullet over our
heads. The beggar was potting at us at about a thousand yards,
unpardonable waste of ammunition! I put a rock between us, and went on
sketching, everyone else did ditto, and presently our friend shut up,
but after a time, finding things slow, I suppose, he began again. This
seemed to annoy Hu