ases without resistance, under the sabre of the pursuing
enemy. Had these fought properly, it is probable that not a single
man, except the cowardly cavalry, would have reached Kandahar to
tell the tale."

"Thank you, Major. You were also, I believe, in two or three
dashing affairs before Maiwand?"

"Yes, Colonel. Certainly one of the most successful was that which
Cavagnari, who was afterwards murdered at Kabul, made. It was not
much of an affair, but it shows what can be done with dash.

"In 1877 we were making a canal, to tap the Swat river at a point
where it enters British territory. Naturally, the Swat villagers on
the other side of the frontier considered that the operation was a
deep-laid plot for injuring them; and it was at the village of
Sappri that the chief went down, with a number of desperate men,
and murdered all the coolies engaged in the work. Cavagnari issued
orders that the chief must pay a heavy fine, in money and cattle;
and that the actual murderers must be tried for their crime. The
Khan, however, took no notice of the demand.

"Forty miles southeast of Sappri was the British cantonment of
Murdan, where the corps of Guides is permanently quartered. The
greater portion of these were, however, absent on another
expedition; and there remained available a few squadrons of
cavalry, and eleven companies of infantry.

"Cavagnari kept his plans a profound secret. He did not even give
the slightest hint of his intentions to their commanding officer,
Captain Wigram Battye. So well, indeed, was the secret kept, that
the officers were playing a game at racket when they were called
upon to start. The first intimation that the men had of the
movement was the serving out of ball cartridge, when the gates of
the fort were closed in the evening. The old soldiers were well
aware that this meant that fighting was at hand; and they gave a
great shout, which was the first intimation to the officers that
something was on foot. We were as glad as the men.

"Mules had been got in readiness, and the small detachment set off
on its long night march. The mules were picked animals and in good
condition, and were able to keep up with the men. After covering
thirty-two miles in seven hours, we halted at the frontier fort of
Abazai, seven miles south of Sappri.

"Beyond this point the country was impracticable for cavalry; and
the force, now consisting of two hundred and twelve men, dismounted
and marched forward on