icious--if
not in a most treacherous--manner, at the time of the massacre; and
that if he possessed any authority, whatever, over the troops, he
had not attempted to exercise it, no attention was paid to his
letters.

The advanced party of the invading force moved down from the
Shatur-Gardan Pass. It consisted of the 12th and 14th Bengal
Cavalry, two guns of the Royal Horse Artillery, two companies of
the 72nd Highlanders, and the 5th Punjaub Native Infantry. The road
was found to be extremely steep and difficult, and much labor was
necessary before it could be made practicable for guns and wheeled
carriages. No enemy was encountered, and the little force encamped
at night in the Logan valley; over which the cavalry skirmished,
far ahead, but found no foes awaiting them.

On the following day they made another march forward, the brigades
of Generals Baker and Macpherson from the pass into the valley. The
advance force halted at Zerghun-Shah and, soon after they had done
so, some of the cavalry rode in, with the surprising news that the
Ameer was close at hand.

Half an hour later Yakoob Khan, attended by some of his principal
nobles, rode into camp. He was received with the honor due to his
rank but, personally, General Roberts greeted him with great
coldness. The Ameer stated that he came into camp because he could
not control the soldiery of Cabul; and that, therefore, he had left
the place and come in, to show his friendship for the English.
Whatever may have been the motives for his coming, they were never
fully explained. Circumstances which afterwards occurred strongly
confirmed the suspicion that he meditated treachery.

He was treated honorably; but the guard of honor which was assigned
to him was, in fact, a guard over him and, from that time, he was
virtually a prisoner. General Roberts declined, altogether, to
discuss with him the events of the massacre of Cabul; saying that
this was a matter which could not now be entered into, but would be
fully investigated on the arrival at the Afghan capital.

The following day, the brigades of Generals Baker and Macpherson
joined the advance at Zerghun-Shah. The amount of transport
available was only sufficient for half the baggage of the army; and
it was necessary, therefore, to move forward in two divisions--the
one advancing a day's march, and then halting; while the animals
went back to bring up the baggage of the second division, on the
following day.

A