ing the Afridis who guarded it, approached
the long beleaguered city, an exploit second to none in the annals of
warfare; and thus was accomplished the successful defence of Jellalabad.

FORCING THE KHYBER PASS--5TH APRIL 1842.

Meanwhile, when the news reached India that a British army had been
destroyed in Afghanistan, and that General Sale, with another, was
closely besieged in Jellalabad, a strong force was despatched under
General Pollock to his relief. General Pollock had to encounter many
difficulties in his march, but the greatest was forcing the Khyber Pass,
which was known to be guarded by a numerous, active, and daring enemy.
The troops had arrived at Jumrood, on the east end of the pass--on the
west end was Ali-Musjid. The hills on either side of the pass were
rocky and precipitous, presenting great obstacles to troops, guarded as
they were by numerous bodies of Afridis, long accustomed to warfare.
The difficulties were great, but they were known, and General Pollock
prepared to surmount them. Brigadier Wild was in command of the advance
guard, and General McCaskill of the rear.

Before dawn on the 5th of April Pollock's force set out from Jumrood to
the entrance of the Khyber Pass. It was formed of eight regiments of
infantry, among whom were the 9th Queen's Regiment, three cavalry corps,
including two squadrons of the 3rd Dragoons, artillery, and sappers, in
all some 8000 men. Brigadier Wild was in command of the advance guard
and General McCaskill of the rear. The arrangement of the march was
that the heights on either side should be occupied by infantry, the
right being under the command of Colonel Taylor, and the left of Colonel
Morley; and while these advanced along the heights the main column was
to advance through the pass.

At three o'clock in the morning the army commenced its march. It moved
off in the dim twilight without beat of drum or sound of bugle. The
crowning columns moved off to the right and left, and commenced in
silence to climb the heights, which were covered with the enemy; but so
little did they expect that mode of attack, that the flankers had
ascended a considerable distance before the Khyberees were aware of
their advance. Daylight soon revealed the respective positions of the
contending forces, and the struggle commenced.

The hillmen had thrown up across the pass a formidable barricade,
composed of stones, mud, and branches of trees. Behind this barrier the
enemy