water
supply was at an end, and the Afghans threatened to renew the siege in
a more determined manner than before. Very reluctantly, therefore, he
yielded, having first bargained that the garrison should be permitted
to march out with the honours of war and should be escorted in due time
to Peshawur.

To this course the enemy's leaders agreed. But an oath counts for
little in the Afghan mind, and Nicholson quickly learned of what depths
of treachery this people were capable. No sooner had the sepoys of the
27th marched out to the quarters assigned them in the city than a crowd
of _ghazis_ fell upon them, massacring many of the poor fellows in cold
blood. Nicholson himself, with Lieutenants Crawford and Burnett, was
on the roof of a house near by and saw the terrible deed. In the
building were two companies of sepoys. Joining these without delay,
the officers prepared to make a bold stand.

The attack on the house was not long in coming. Storming the door in
their furious desire to get at the hated infidels, the Afghans
endeavoured to effect an entrance. When it was seen that this could
not be done, the place was set on fire, and soon the flames and smoke
drove the inmates from room to room. Before very long the position
became untenable. With the few men remaining Nicholson and his brother
officers cut a hole with their bayonets in the back wall of the house,
and one by one dropped through into the narrow street below.
Fortunately, the two other buildings in which Colonel Palmer and his
sepoys had taken refuge, were close by. In a few moments the fugitives
had joined forces with their comrades.

[Illustration: "One by one dropped through into the narrow street
below."]

But though safety for a time had been gained, the chances of ultimate
escape seemed hopeless. The houses were filled to overflowing with
sepoy soldiers and camp followers, men, women, and children, and when
by and by the large guns of the fortress were trained upon them the
slaughter was very great. The British officers, it is stated, expected
nothing less than death. They even began to burn the regimental
colours to prevent them falling into the enemy's hands.

In this extremity the Afghan leaders made fresh proposals of honourable
treatment on surrender, and Colonel Palmer at last consented to yield.
How Nicholson regarded this move was very clear. In his anger at the
base treachery he had witnessed he would have fought to the last