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te of some poor horse, who, having been broken down by fatigue and privation, and rendered incapable of further exertion, was mercifully put out of pain by its rider. There were nearly fifty head of cattle disposed of in this way between the Pass and Candahar, a pretty item in the expenses of the campaign, when it is borne in mind that each of them had cost from fifty to sixty pounds in India. Had we come in contact with the enemy at Candahar as we expected, I have no doubt the Cavalry would have been found wholly ineffective from the jaded and worn-out condition of their horses. We arrived at Candahar on the 4th. of May, and effected a junction with the remainder of the Bengal forces under Sir Willoughby Cotton. Here we were also joined by Shah Soojah in company with Sir William McNaghten and Sir Alexander Burnes. The dethroned monarch immediately took possession of his ancestral palace, which had just been evacuated by the enemy. The reverses of fortune to which these Asiatic sovereigns are subject have so steeled them against adversity, that I doubt if his Majesty was agitated, even by a passing emotion, at this important event. If he felt at all, it was perhaps more a sensation of fear than joy, for he could not conceal from himself the fact, that the opinions of his subjects were arraigned to a man against him, and that under such circumstances his tenure of sovereignty would in all probability be terminated by a bloody death. Tired as we were of the harassing mountain warfare in which we had been engaged, and anxious to strike a blow which would decide the fate of the Campaign, we were yet agreeably disappointed at the evacuation of Candahar by the enemy. We were greatly in need of rest after the long and fatiguing marches, which we had made; and the deplorable condition in which we found ourselves, as regarded supplies, rendered it highly impolitic to bring us just then in face of the enemy. Sickness had increased alarmingly amongst us, but in this respect we did not find our position improved, for the excessive heat which prevailed during our stay here carried off great numbers of the men. Although the bazaar was plentifully supplied with meat and fruit, flour was difficult to be obtained, the stock on hand having been eagerly bought up by the troops on their arrival. The traders turned the scarcity of this necessary article to profitable account, for they only gave 2lb. to the rupee instead of 40lb., the
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