etans the reputation of cowardice, which they have since shown to be
totally undeserved.

On April 8, owing to the delay in reconnoitring the wall, we made only
about eight miles, and camped. The next morning we had marched about
two miles, when we found the high ridge on the left flank occupied by
the enemy, and the mounted infantry reported them in the gorge beyond.
Two companies of the 8th Gurkhas under Major Row were sent up to the
hill on the left to turn the enemy's right flank, and the mountain
battery (No. 7) came into action on the right at over 3,000 yards. The
enemy kept up a continuous but ineffectual fire from the ridge, none of
their jingal bullets falling anywhere near us. The Gurkhas had a very
difficult climb. The hill was quite 2,000 feet above the valley; the
lower and a good deal of the other slopes were of coarse sand mixed with
shale, and the rest nothing but slippery rock. The summit of the hill
was approached by a number of step-like shale terraces covered with
snow. When only a short way up, a snowstorm came on and obscured the
Gurkhas from view. The cold was intense, and the troops in the valley
began to collect the sparse brushwood, and made fires to keep themselves
warm.

On account of the nature of the hillside and the high altitude, the
progress of the Gurkhas was very slow, and it took them nearly three
hours to reach the ridge held by the enemy. When about two-thirds of the
way up, they came under fire from the ridge, but all the shots went
high. The jingals carried well over them at about 1,200 yards. The enemy
also sent a detachment to meet them on the top, but these did not fire
long, and retired as the Gurkhas advanced. When the 8th reached the
summit, the Tibetans were in full flight down the opposite slope, which
was also snow-covered. Thirty were shot down in the rout, and fifty-four
who were hiding in the caves were made prisoners.

In the meanwhile the battery had been making very good practice at 3,000
yards. Seven men were found dead on the summit, and four wounded,
evidently by their fire.

But to return to the main action in the gorge. The Tibetans held a very
strong position among some loose boulders on the right, two miles beyond
the gully which the Gurkhas had ascended to make their flank attack. The
rocks extended from the bluff cliff to the path which skirted the
stream. No one could ask for better cover; it was most difficult to
distinguish the drab-coated Tibetans