.

_July 31st_.--Here we are, our first day's march to Cabool. Reports
still flying about as to whether Dost means to fight. I wore the pistols
you gave me in London at the storming,--they are a capital pair! The
post goes directly, so I must conclude, with best love to all, your very
affectionate son,

T.W.E. HOLDSWORTH.

P.S.--They say Shah Shooja will give us all medals when everything is
settled; those for the officers to be a small gold one, with an
impression of the Fort of Ghuzni; those for the soldiers to be silver,
and the same pattern. If you look into the military papers when this
reaches you, I dare say you will find further accounts of the business.

NOTE.--"It was arranged that an explosion party, consisting of
three officers of engineers (Capt. Peat, Lieuts. Durand and
M'Leod), three Serjeants and eighteen men of the sappers in
working dresses, carrying three hundred pounds of powder in
twelve sand bags, with a hose seventy-two feet long, should be
ready to move down to the gateway at break of day.

"So quickly was the operation performed, and so little was the
enemy aware of the nature of it, that not a man of the party
was hurt."--_From Memoranda of Capt. Thompson, R.E., Chief
Engineer, Army of Indus_.

LETTER IX.

MEMORANDUM.--I have lost this letter, which I regret the more, because
it gave a very full account both, of Cabool and its environs, as well as
of many interesting circumstances which took place during the time the
Bombay division of the army remained there.

As far as I remember its contents, it began with the march of the army
from Ghuzni to Cabool, the desertion of the troops of Dost Mahomed, and
his flight from the capital. It described his pursuit by a party of
officers and cavalry, volunteers from the British army, commanded by
Captain Outram, who accompanied Hadjee Khan Kauker, the principal chief
of the country, with a body of 2000 Afghans, who had joined Shah Shooja
at Ghuzni.

It stated, that after a few days had expired, the party had nearly
reached the fugitive, when Hadjee Khan refused to proceed, stating,
amongst other excuses, that his men had dispersed to plunder, and that
he had not any means of preventing it; and Captain Outram was obliged to
proceed without him. It had been supposed by Shah Shooja, that Hadjee
Khan had been so committed with Dost Mahomed that he might be safely
trusted upon this occasion;