w, fires were lit, and the 8th encamped for the night.

In the morning, communication was established between the two camps
and, it having been ascertained that the enemy had fled, in the
greatest disorder, towards the Shatur-Gardan Pass leading down to
Cabul, there was no prospect of further fighting. The Afghans had
abandoned all their guns, and even thrown away a great quantity of
muskets, in their rapid retreats. Great stores of flour and other
provisions were discovered, in the various villages, and were
divided among the troops.

The winter was now setting in, and the Shatur-Gardan Pass might,
any moment, be closed by deep snow. There was, therefore, no
prospect of a renewal of hostilities before the spring.
Preparations were made for putting a regiment on the top of the
Khotal. The rest of the force were to winter at Khuram. General
Roberts, with an escort of cavalry, rode to the Shatur-Gardan Pass,
and assured himself that the whole of the Afghan army had fled
beyond this point.

The troops were, for some time, kept hard at work lowering the
captured guns and ammunition down to the valley. A portion of the
troops advanced as far as Ali-Kheyl, the principal town of the
plateau. The Jajis--the inhabitants of the country--had hitherto
been extremely hostile but, cowed by the defeat of the Afghans,
they submitted without resistance.

On the 12th, all the preparations for the return were complete. It
was known that there was another pass from Ali-Kheyl into the
Khuram valley, by the south. This had never been explored by any
European; but General Roberts determined to return by it, with a
portion of his force, as the pass might be found valuable in future
operations. The force detailed for the march through the Sappir
defile was composed of the 8th Ghoorkas, a wing of the 72nd
Highlanders, a company of the Norfolk Rangers, the 23rd Punjaub
Pioneers, and a mountain battery.

The country through which the march was to be made was inhabited by
the Mongals, a turbulent robber tribe. The column marched at nine
in the morning and, after their down march, arrived at the village
of Sappir at midday. The road lay down the Hurriab river, till the
Khuram river was reached; and then along the right bank, passing
through the village of Kermana; after which it turned up a narrow
road, for two miles, till an open plateau was reached, at the
farther end of which stood the village of Sappir. It was reported,
here, that the Mo