te of some poor horse,
who, having been broken down by fatigue and privation, and rendered
incapable of further exertion, was mercifully put out of pain by its
rider. There were nearly fifty head of cattle disposed of in this way
between the Pass and Candahar, a pretty item in the expenses of the
campaign, when it is borne in mind that each of them had cost from fifty
to sixty pounds in India. Had we come in contact with the enemy at
Candahar as we expected, I have no doubt the Cavalry would have been
found wholly ineffective from the jaded and worn-out condition of their
horses.

We arrived at Candahar on the 4th. of May, and effected a junction with
the remainder of the Bengal forces under Sir Willoughby Cotton. Here we
were also joined by Shah Soojah in company with Sir William McNaghten
and Sir Alexander Burnes. The dethroned monarch immediately took
possession of his ancestral palace, which had just been evacuated by the
enemy. The reverses of fortune to which these Asiatic sovereigns are
subject have so steeled them against adversity, that I doubt if his
Majesty was agitated, even by a passing emotion, at this important
event. If he felt at all, it was perhaps more a sensation of fear than
joy, for he could not conceal from himself the fact, that the opinions
of his subjects were arraigned to a man against him, and that under such
circumstances his tenure of sovereignty would in all probability be
terminated by a bloody death.

Tired as we were of the harassing mountain warfare in which we had been
engaged, and anxious to strike a blow which would decide the fate of the
Campaign, we were yet agreeably disappointed at the evacuation of
Candahar by the enemy. We were greatly in need of rest after the long
and fatiguing marches, which we had made; and the deplorable condition
in which we found ourselves, as regarded supplies, rendered it highly
impolitic to bring us just then in face of the enemy. Sickness had
increased alarmingly amongst us, but in this respect we did not find our
position improved, for the excessive heat which prevailed during our
stay here carried off great numbers of the men.

Although the bazaar was plentifully supplied with meat and fruit, flour
was difficult to be obtained, the stock on hand having been eagerly
bought up by the troops on their arrival. The traders turned the
scarcity of this necessary article to profitable account, for they only
gave 2lb. to the rupee instead of 40lb., the