ill, the halt was welcome, for there
was not a man but felt that his strength was at an end, and that it
would have been an impossibility to reach the city.

Captain Fletcher picked out a few of the least exhausted men, and
placed them in the outskirts of the village to call the rest to
arms in case the Afghans--numbers of whom were hovering
round--should venture upon an attack. For the first hour after
reaching the village, not a man moved from the spot where he had
thrown himself down. The officers had searched the houses, and
found some jars of water. These they carried round, and doled out a
few mouthfuls to each man. Small though the amount was, the relief
afforded was immense and, as soon as their first exhaustion had
subsided, the men scattered through the gardens; plucking the vine
leaves and chewing them and, fortunately, discovering a few gourds,
which were cut up into small fragments, and divided.

The day wore on; and at one o'clock there was a shout of joy, for a
body of cavalry were seen approaching, at a rapid trot, from the
town. Soon they rode up, and proved to be a regiment which had been
despatched, from the town, for the relief of the stragglers. At
daybreak the cavalry, riding in many miles ahead of the infantry,
brought the news to the city of the defeat; and something very like
a panic at first ensued. It was some time before anything was done
to succor the exhausted fugitives, who were pressing forward to the
city. But at last a force was sent out with wagons, and bullocks
with water-skins; and thus hundreds of lives, which would otherwise
have been sacrificed, were saved. The cavalry had come out with
full water bottles, and relief was soon afforded to the worn-out
rear guard, who at once fell into rank, and resumed their march
towards Candahar; the cavalry, who had brought a few light carts
with them, pursuing their journey for some distance further, to
succor and collect those who had fallen on the road.

The sun was just setting as the rear guard of General Burrows'
brigade reached Candahar; after having marched, since the previous
morning, sixty miles without food, and with only a few mouthfuls of
water; and having fought for nearly twenty-four hours of that time.

Every preparation was made, in the city, for the expected attack.
The defenses were strengthened; the lower portion of the
populace--who would be likely to declare against them--were turned
out of the town; and provisions wer