, who commanded them, told off half his company to
sweep the sangar, and then the remainder dashed at it.

The Chamkannis stood more firmly than any of the tribesmen had
hitherto done. They met the charge with a volley, and then drew
their knives to receive it. The fire of the covering party
destroyed their composure and, when the scouts were within thirty
yards, they bolted for the next sangar.

Lucas carried three of these defences, one after another, and drove
the enemy off the hill. The Ghoorkhas scouts, who had been engaged
thirty-six times during the campaign, had killed more than their
own strength of the enemy, and had lost but one man killed and two
wounded; and this without taking count of the many nights they had
spent in driving off prowlers round the camp.

The work of destruction now began. Over sixty villages were
destroyed in the valley and, on the following day, the expedition
started to withdraw. The lesson had been so severe that no attempt
was made, by the tribesmen, to harass the movement.

The column marched down to the camp in the Maidan--the Adam Khels,
through whose country they passed, paying the fine, and so
picketing many of the adjacent heights as to guard the camp from
the attacks of hostile tribesmen. When they reached Bara they
decided to rejoin the Peshawar column, without delay, as the
outlook was not promising. The evacuation began on the 7th of
December, but the rear guard did not leave till the 9th. It was
divided into two divisions in order, as much as possible, to avoid
the delay caused by the large baggage column. The 1st Division was
to march down on the Mastura Valley, while General Lockhart's 2nd
Division would again face the Dwatoi defile. Both the forces were
due to join the Peshawar column, on or about the 14th.

General Symonds, with the 1st Division, was unmolested by the way.
It was very different, however, with Lockhart.

The movement was not made a day too soon. Clouds were gathering,
the wind was blowing from the north, and there was every prospect
of a fall of snow, which would have rendered the passage of the
Bara Pass impossible. The 3rd Ghoorkhas led the way, followed by
the Borderers, with the half battalion of the Scottish Regiment and
the Dorsets. Behind them came the baggage of the brigade and
headquarters, the rear of the leading column being brought up by
the 36th Sikhs. General Kempster's Brigade followed, in as close
order as possible; having detach