tack from the left, having dismounted his
troopers, who, together with the 40th Pathans, were soon very hotly
engaged. The troops came under a heavy fire both from the monastery and
from a ruined tower above it, but advanced most gallantly. When under
the walls of the monastery, they were checked for some time by the
difficulty of finding a way in. In the meanwhile, hearing the heavy
firing, the General and his Staff, followed by Major Fuller's battery
and the rest of the 40th, had hastened up. The battery came into action
against the tower, and the 40th rushed up in support of their comrades.
Colonel Brander's guns and Maxim on the top of the hill were also
brought into play. For nearly an hour a furious cannonade and fusillade
raged. Then the Pathans and Peterson's troopers, circling round the
walls of the monastery, found a ramp up which they could climb. They
swarmed up, and were quickly inside the building. But the Tibetans had
realized that their retreat was cut off, and, instead of making a clean
bolt for it, only retired slowly from room to room and passage to
passage. Two companies of the 23rd were sent up to assist in clearing
the monastery. It proved a perfect warren of dark cells and rooms. The
Tibetan resistance lasted for over two hours. Bands of desperate
swordsmen were found in knots under trap-doors and behind sharp
turnings. They would not surrender, and had to be killed by rifle shots
fired at a distance of a few feet.

While the monastery was being cleared, another fight had developed in
the cluster of dwellings outside it to the right. From this spot Tibetan
riflemen were enfilading our troops held in reserve. The remaining
companies of the 23rd were sent to clear away the enemy. They took three
houses, but could not effect an entrance into the fourth, which was very
strongly barricaded. Lieutenant Turnbull, walking up to a window with a
section, had three men hit in a few seconds. One man fell directly under
the window. Turnbull carried him into safety in the most gallant
fashion. Then the General ordered up the guns, which fired into the
house at a range of a few hundred yards. But not till it was riddled
with great gaping holes made by common shell did the fire from the house
cease.

At about three o'clock the Tibetan resistance had completely died away,
and the column resumed its march towards Gyantse, which was not reached
till dark. But as the transport was making its slow way past Naini,
ab