proclamation was now issued by the general, and sent forward
among the people of the valley; saying that the object of the
expedition was only to punish those concerned in the massacre at
Cabul, and that all loyal subjects of the Ameer would be well
treated.

On the 3rd of October Macpherson's brigade, with the cavalry,
reached Suffed-Sang. Here they halted, while the baggage animals
went back to bring up General Baker's brigade. The attitude of the
people of the valley had now become very threatening. Great numbers
of hill tribesmen had come down; and on this day an attack was made
upon the rear guard, but was beaten off with loss.

That the natives were bitterly hostile was undoubted; but they
were, for the most part, waiting to see the result of the
approaching fight. The Heratee and Cabul regiments were confident
that they would defeat the approaching column. They had a great
advantage in numbers, had been drilled in European fashion, were
armed with Enfields, and had an enormous park of artillery at their
disposal. They were able to choose their own fighting ground, and
had selected a spot which gave them an immense advantage. They
were, therefore, confident of victory.

Had the British troops been beaten, the inhabitants of the Logan
valley were prepared to rise, to a man. The Ghilzais and other hill
tribes would have swept down upon the line of retreat; and few, if
any, of the British force would have returned to tell the tale.

The next day Baker's division had the post of honor, and made a
short march to Chaurasia. Beyond this village, the enemy had taken
up their position. Three miles beyond the village the valley
ends--a mass of hills shutting it in, with only a narrow defile
leading, through them, to the plain of Cabul beyond. Upon both
sides of the defile the enemy had placed guns in position, and
lined the whole circle of the hills commanding the approach to it.

Mountaineers from their birth, they believed that--although the
British infantry might possess a superiority in the plain--they
could be no match for them on the steep hillside; and they no doubt
thought that no attempt would be made to storm so strong a
position, but that the British column would march straight up the
valley into the defile, where they would be helplessly slaughtered
by the guns and matchlock men on the heights.

Judging from their own tactics, they had reason for the belief that
their position was an impregnable one. In