inner an hour earlier, and had just
finished, when, at about 8.30, firing began. The position of the camp
was commanded, though at long ranges, by the surrounding heights. From
these a searching rifle fire was now opened. All the tents were struck.
The officers and men not employed in the trenches were directed to
lie down. The majority of the bullets, clearing the parapets of the
entrenchment on one side, whizzed across without doing any harm to the
prostrate figures; but all walking about was perilous, and besides this
the plunging fire from the heights was galling to every one.

Determined and vigorous sword charges were now delivered on all sides
of the camp. The enemy, who numbered about 4000, displayed the greatest
valour. They rushed right up to the trenches and fell dead and dying,
under the very bayonets of the troops. The brunt of the attack fell upon
the British Infantry Regiment, the Queen's. This was fortunate, as many
who were in camp that night say, that such was the determination of the
enemy in their charges, that had they not been confronted with magazine
rifles, they might have got into the entrenchments.

The fire of the British was, however, crushing. Their discipline was
admirable, and the terrible weapon with which they were armed, with its
more terrible bullet, stopped every rush. The soldiers, confident in
their power, were under perfect control. When the enemy charged, the
order to employ magazine fire was passed along the ranks. The guns fired
star shell. These great rockets, bursting into stars in the air, slowly
fell to the ground shedding a pale and ghastly light on the swarming
figures of the tribesmen as they ran swiftly forward. Then the popping
of the musketry became one intense roar as the ten cartridges, which
the magazine of the rifle holds, were discharged almost instantaneously.
Nothing could live in front of such a fire. Valour, ferocity,
fanaticism, availed nothing. All were swept away. The whistles sounded.
The independent firing stopped, with machine-like precision, and the
steady section volleys were resumed. This happened not once, but a dozen
times during the six hours that the attack was maintained. The 20th
Punjaub Infantry, and the cavalry also, sustained and repulsed the
attacks delivered against their fronts with steadiness. At length the
tribesmen sickened of the slaughter, and retired to their hills in gloom
and disorder.

The experience of all in the camp that nigh