he
first page was inscribed in bold, clear characters, evidently of later
date than the rest: "Journal of Lieutenant J. B. Heatherstone in the
Thull Valley during the autumn of 1841," and then underneath:

This extract contains some account of the events of the first week of
October of that year, including the skirmish of the Terada ravine and
the death of the man Ghoolab Shah.

I have the narrative lying before me now, and I copy it verbatim. If it
contains some matter which has no direct bearing upon the question
at issue, I can only say that I thought it better to publish what is
irrelevant than by cutting and clipping to lay the whole statement open
to the charge of having been tampered with.

CHAPTER XV. THE DAY-BOOK OF JOHN BERTHIER HEATHERSTONE

Thull Valley, Oct. 1, 1841.--The Fifth Bengal and Thirty-third Queen's
passed through this morning on their way to the Front. Had tiffin with
the Bengalese. Latest news from home that two attempts had been made on
the Queen's life by semi-maniacs named Francis and Bean.

It promises to be a hard winter. The snow-line has descended a thousand
feet upon the peaks, but the passes will be open for weeks to come, and,
even if they were blocked, we have established so many depots in the
country that Pollock and Nott will have no difficulty in holding their
own. They shall not meet with the fate of Elphinstone's army. One such
tragedy is enough for a century.

Elliott of the Artillery, and I, are answerable for the safety of the
communications for a distance of twenty miles or more, from the mouth of
the valley to this side of the wooden bridge over the Lotar. Goodenough,
of the Rifles, is responsible on the other side, and Lieutenant-Colonel
Sidney Herbert of the Engineers, has a general supervision over both
sections.

Our force is not strong enough for the work which has to be done. I have
a company and a half of our own regiment, and a squadron of Sowars,
who are of no use at all among the rocks. Elliott has three guns, but
several of his men are down with cholera, and I doubt if he has enough
to serve more than two.

(Note: capsicum for cholera--tried it)

On the other hand, each convoy is usually provided with some guard of
its own, though it is often absurdly inefficient. These valleys and
ravines which branch out of the main pass are alive with Afridis and
Pathans, who are keen robbers as well as religious fanatics. I wonder
they don't swoop down on some o