deep sword cuts besides. Weary,
outnumbered, surrounded on three sides, without unwounded officers or
cartridges, the end was only a matter of moments. All must have been cut
to pieces. But help was now at hand.

The Guides formed line, fixed bayonets and advanced at the double
towards the hill. At a short distance from its foot they halted and
opened a terrible and crushing fire upon the exulting enemy. The loud
detonations of their company volleys were heard and the smoke seen all
over the field, and on the left we wondered what was happening. The
tribesmen, sharply checked, wavered. The company continued its retreat.
Many brave deeds were done as the night closed in. Havildar Ali Gul, of
the Afridi Company of the Guides, seized a canvas cartridge carrier, a
sort of loose jacket with large pockets, filled it with ammunition
from his men's pouches, and rushing across the fire-swept space, which
separated the regiment from the Sikhs, distributed the precious packets
to the struggling men. Returning he carried a wounded native officer
on his back. Seeing this several Afridis in the Guides ran forward,
shouting and cheering, to the rescue, and other wounded Sikhs were saved
by their gallantry from a fearful fate. At last Ryder's company reached
the bottom of the hill and the survivors re-formed under cover of the
Guides.

These, thrown on their own resources, separated from the rest of the
brigade by darkness and distance and assailed on three sides by
the enemy, calmly proceeded to fight their way back to camp. Though
encumbered with many wounded and amid broken ground, they repulsed
every attack, and bore down all the efforts which the tribesmen made to
intercept their line of retreat. They reached camp at 9.30 in safety,
and not without honour. The skill and experience of their officers, the
endurance and spirit of the men, had enabled them to accomplish a task
which many had believed impossible, and their conduct in the action of
the Mamund Valley fills a brilliant page in the history of the finest
and most famous frontier regiment. [The gallantry of the two officers,
Captain Hodson and Lieut. Codrington, who commanded the two most exposed
companies, was the subject of a special mention in despatches, and
the whole regiment were afterwards complimented by Brigadier-General
Jeffreys on their fine performance.]

As the Buffs reached the camp the rain which had hitherto held off came
down. It poured. The darkness was