Khotal, to attack
the 8th in the rear. A squadron of the 18th Bengal Cavalry charged
up the valley, and the enemy retired up the hill again and, seeing
that they could not cross the road, without the chance of being cut
up by the cavalry, they did not try to repeat the experiment.

At eleven o'clock Brigadier General Cobbe was wounded in the leg,
and Colonel Barry-Drew succeeded him in the command; receiving the
orders which had been given to General Cobbe--that the Khotal was
not to be attacked, till there was some evidence that the flank
attack had shaken the enemy's defense, in front.

At twelve o'clock the guns, with the 2nd Punjaub Infantry, alarmed
the Afghans by their fire upon the camp and, although the Afghan
guns in front kept up their fire, the musketry fire decreased
considerably. Seeing this, Colonel Drew ordered the artillery to be
brought up nearer. When--after advancing 300 yards--they came to a
ravine crossing the road, the Afghans--who had come down the hill
to meet them--opened a heavy fire and, the road being narrow, only
the leading gun could come into action. However, the two companies
of the 8th--which were acting as an escort to the guns--advanced in
skirmishing order, and drove the Afghans up the hill.

The panic among the Afghans on the plateau having now spread to the
troops at the Khotal, their fire entirely ceased; and the 8th
Regiment descended the defile, and began to climb the path to the
Khotal. Not a hostile shot was fired and, at half-past two, they
reached the enemy's camp, which they found deserted.

Chapter 11: A Prisoner.

The panic which had seized the Afghans, when they found their
retreat menaced, had been thorough and complete and, when the 8th
Regiment entered the camp, they found that the tents were standing.
Food had been left, ready cooked, and every possession had been
abandoned. In the artillery camp, the gunners had left their
silver-mounted brass helmets and caps, as well as their guns and
carriages. A body of friendly Turis had accompanied the column,
making a demonstration on its flank; and these, arriving upon the
spot, plundered the Afghan camp of everything of the smallest
value.

No one knew what had become of the main body, under General
Roberts. The Bengal Cavalry scouted for some distance in advance,
but found no signs of the enemy. Strong pickets were set, in case
the Afghans should rally and return. The tents were brought up from
the camp belo