r how many of the enemy might be hiding in the
sedge, Ottley took his twenty men splashing through the river. Nearly
300 Tibetans bolted out in all directions like rabbits from a cover. The
mounted infantry, shooting and smiting, chased them to the very edge of
the plain. On reaching hilly ground the enemy, who must have lost about
fifty of their number, began to turn, having doubtless realized that
they were running before a handful of men. At the same time shots were
fired from villages, previously thought unoccupied, on Ottley's left,
and a body of matchlock men were seen running up to reinforce from a
large village on the Lhasa road. Under these conditions it would have
been madness to continue the fight, and Ottley cleverly and skilfully
withdrew without having lost a single man. In the meanwhile a company of
Pioneers had brought in the men wounded in the attack on the postal
riders.

This affair was even more significant than the occupation by the enemy
of the position taken by the Gurkhas in the early morning. It showed
that the Tibetan General had at last conceived a plan for cutting off
our line of communications. This was a rude shock. It implied that the
enemy had received reinforcements which were to be utilized for
offensive warfare of the kind most to be feared by an invader. We knew
that so long as our ammunition lasted there was absolutely no danger of
the post being captured. But an enemy on the lines would certainly
cause the greatest annoyance to, and might even cut off, our convoys. As
it would be very difficult to get messages through, apprehensions as to
our safety would be excited in the outer world. Further, General
Macdonald's arrangements for the relief of the mission would have to be
considerably modified if he were obliged to fight his way through to us.

With the same prompt decision that marked his action with regard to the
gathering on the Karo la, Colonel Brander determined on the very next
day to clear the villages found occupied by the mounted infantry. As far
as could be discovered, the villages were five in number, all on the
right bank of the river, and occupying a position which could be roughly
outlined as an equilateral triangle. Captain Ottley was sent round to
the rear of the villages to cut off the retreat of the enemy; Captain
Luke took his two mountain-guns, under cover of the right bank of the
river, to a position whence he could support the infantry attack, if
necessary, b