destruction. Some, of enormous size, the least touch would have
precipitated upon our heads, and they seemed to have been rolled to the
brink for that purpose. There were stockades upon stockades, all looking
on and commanding this little and narrow excavated pathway. Had we once
entered, as I have before mentioned was suggested by some rash-brained
young officers, not a soul could have escaped destruction. I should
think that, in the middle of this ghaut, the perpendicular rock on each
side must have been five hundred feet high; and therefore, had there
been no other weapons of destruction than the ponderous masses of rock
and stone which they could have hurled upon us, our annihilation must
have been inevitable, for escape was impossible.

When we reached the other side, the eye was met by stockades, fortified
hills in all directions, and strong breastworks thrown across the
roadway, which was here somewhat wider; though our road all along was,
in fact, nothing more than the bed of a river, surrounded and commanded
by numberless little fortified sugar-loaf hills. These the foe had been
obliged to ascend by means of ladders. To complete the destruction these
hills must have dealt upon us, they had poisoned a stream of water,
either previous to our march from the ravine some ten days before, or
since the treaty of peace was signed; but this was timely detected. The
poisonous grass I have before alluded to, had been sunk in a kind of
basin, which was constantly replenished by water that fell from the
rocks behind it. This might be about twenty yards round, and two deep.
On the morning of our return, an elephant, belonging to
Lieutenant-Colonel Rose, of the Company's army, as also a horse
belonging to that officer, had preceded the army, and even the baggage.
The elephant got his fore feet in the water, of which he drank a little,
but seemed not to relish it. The horse could not be induced to drink
much, nor would the elephant again touch it. When urged by his keeper,
such was his perverseness, that the driver descended, and, on looking at
the water, he saw a yellowish colour rising to the surface, which was
caused by the pressure of the elephant's feet on the grass. The keeper
immediately introduced his hand, and pulled out the poisonous herb. This
occurrence was without delay communicated to our gallant commander; and,
never shall I forget his indignation and displeasure at this
intelligence. The fact being ascertained b