, fortunately, a half company of that regiment with
some ammunition had already reached them, and the party could be
seen fighting their way up a steep rocky spur.

The tribesmen, confident that they could cut off the small band
from the main force, rushed at them with their swords. Both the
officers were severely wounded. When, however, the rest of the
Guides arrived on the hill, they poured several volleys into the
enemy, and so checked their advance. A Havildar then volunteered to
mount the hill with ammunition. He reached the party with seventy
cartridges, and carried back a wounded native officer. Other Guides
followed his example, and all reached the valley as evening was
closing in.

The Ghazis crept up the ravine, and maintained a hot fire upon
them. It soon became pitch dark, and the difficulty of the march
was increased by a heavy storm. The force lost the line of retreat
and, but for the vivid lightning, would have found it impossible to
make their way across the deep ravine. At ten o'clock they reached
the camp.

Here they found that General Jeffreys, with part of his brigade,
had not yet returned. At dawn, however, the general appeared, with
his mountain battery and a small escort. They had become separated
from the remainder of the brigade, and the general decided to
bivouac in a village. Defences were at once formed. The trenching
tools were with the main body, but the sappers used their bayonets
to make a hasty shelter.

The enemy took possession of the unoccupied part of the village,
and opened fire on the trenches. This grew so hot that it became
absolutely necessary to clear the village. Three attempts were
made, but failed; the handful of available men being altogether
insufficient for the purpose.

The enemy now tried to rush the troops, and a continuous fire was
poured into a small enclosure, packed with men and mules. The
casualties were frequent, but the men now threw up a fresh
defensive work, with mule saddles and ammunition boxes. The fury of
the storm, which came on at nine o'clock, somewhat checked the
ardour of the assailants; and the water was invaluable to the
wounded.

At midnight four companies, who had gone out in search of the
general, arrived and cleared the enemy out of the village. The
casualties had been heavy, two officers and thirty-six men having
been killed, and five officers and a hundred and two men wounded.

Next day the force started on their way up the valley.