carried
out without a hitch. The Guides by a seventy-eight mile circuit now
found themselves south-east, instead of north, of the objective, and the
enemy were consequently taken from a totally unexpected quarter.

Another of Cavignari's _coups_ may perhaps be given as illustrating not
only his policy of smiting hard, instead of palavering, but also the
necessity for strict secrecy. In 1878 when the Swat River Canal, which
has turned the desert plain of Yusufzai into one great wheat-field, was
under construction, the more pestilential class of mullah, always on the
look-out for a cause to inflame Mahomedan fanaticism against the English
unbeliever, stirred up the tribesmen to interfere with the work. A raid
was consequently made by them, and a lot of harmless coolies murdered.
The village of Sapri, just across the border, was chiefly implicated in
this outrage, and Cavignari immediately demanded the surrender of the
murderers, as well as a heavy fine in money wherewith to pension the
families of the victims. Secure in their fastness the men of Sapri sent
replies, varying from the evasive to the impertinent.

Cavignari said nothing more, but secretly warned the Guides, who lay
forty-three miles away, to be ready to act. So carefully was the news
kept that a movement was on foot, that some of the officers were playing
racquets up to the last moment, and were called from the court to march
at once. Captain Wigram Battye was in command, and took with him the
Guides' cavalry and a detachment of Guides' infantry mounted on mules.
Marching all night, the force arrived three miles beyond Abazai and
within eight miles of its objective, when it was found impossible, owing
to the difficult nature of the country, to proceed further on horseback.
All the horses were consequently sent back to Fort Abazai, and the
dismounted cavalry and infantry went on in the darkness over a most
stony precipitous country. By strenuous effort the village of Sapri was
reached and surrounded by daybreak. The villagers immediately rushed to
arms and prepared for a desperate resistance, but the Guides were not to
be denied; they carried the place, killing many and capturing the
ringleaders, and nine others of those implicated in the murders. Our own
losses were eight men wounded; while two received the Order of Merit for
conspicuous bravery in action.

Such were a few of the adventures of the Guides during the twenty years
which elapsed between the Mu