tly wounded. Captain Thompson however had a very
narrow escape, having been thrown down by a rush of some swordsmen into
the gateway, and nearly sabred while upon the ground."

CHAPTER VIII.

An Affghan Heroine.--Capture of Hyder Khan the Commandant of
Ghuznee.--Escape of Ghool Mahommed Khan.--Discovery of a Map on the
person of an Affghan Chief.--Description of the Affghan Women.--The
Ruling Passion.--Treasuretrove.--The Golden Shield.--Chase of the
Enemy.--Just Retribution.

The Cavalry taking no part in these operations I was an idle, but not
the less an anxious spectator of the scene. I had never before witnessed
effects so awfully grand, or so intensely exciting in their nature as
those which immediately preceded and followed the explosion at the
gates. The atmosphere was illuminated by sudden and powerful flashes of
various coloured light which exposed the walls and bastions of the
fortress to view, and revealed the dusky figures of the garrison, in the
act of pointing their guns, or endeavouring to penetrate the denseness
of the obscurity beneath, in order to assure themselves of the position
of their assailants. Then followed the din and roar of artillery--the
terrific explosion of the gates--the crash of woodwork and masonry--the
hollow rumbling of the old towers as they came in huge masses to the
ground--the rush of the storming party through the breach, and the
deafening cheers and shouts of besiegers and besieged. It seemed as if
all the elements of destruction had been let loose at once, and yet I
panted to be in the midst of them. I hardly dared to breathe from the
very intenseness of my anxiety, and it was not till I saw the British
flag floating from the citadel, that I could respire freely. To the
soldier there is nothing more trying or chafing than to be condemned to
a state of inaction during the progress of such spirit-stirring events
as these.

While the Affghans were disputing our entrance into the citadel an
incident occurred, which for a moment diverted the attention of the
combatants and turned their fury into pity. Amongst the foremost of the
party who signalised themselves by their desperate gallantry was an aged
Chieftain, the richness of whose costume excited general attention, his
turban and weapons being resplendent with jewels. The hope of plunder
immediately marked him out as an object of attack, and numbers at once
assailed him. He defended himself like a man who knew there