h Soojah, towards the beginning of March. The fatigues
of the march, together with the assaults of the Beloches, had already
made fearful havoc with the ranks of the expedition; and as they
proceeded their sufferings increased. In the midst of trials and
difficulties, however, they pressed forward., and towards the middle
of April, they assembled beyond the reach of danger, in the valley of
Pisheen. How dreadfully they suffered in their route may be inferred
from the fact, that of 6,000 men which comprised the contingent of Shah
Soojah, only 1,500 escaped. Their greatest dangers were encountered
in the defiles of Bolau, where they not only had to contend with the
natural difficulties of the pass, but with the elements and fierce wild
robbers, who hovered upon their flank day and night. In the valley
of Pisheen, however, the survivors recruited their strength, and then
proceeded to action. Candah offered them no resistance; Kohun Dil Khan
quitted the capital and took refuge with his brother, Dost Mohammed., at
Cabool. The Bengal division entered the city of Candahar on the 24th of
April, and the Shah Soojah was solemnly crowned on the 8th of May. The
troops spent several weeks at Candahar, but on the 27th of June they
marched forward to Ghisneh. Operations, however, did not recommence till
the 21st of July. Ghisneh was captured, after a fierce struggle, on the
22nd, and the son of Dost Mohammed taken prisoner. The capture of
this strong fortress made a great impression upon the Affghans. It was
expected that the fortress would have kept the English in check for some
time; and under this impression Dost Mohammed was proceeding towards the
capital with his cavalry and a park of artillery. On hearing of the fall
of Gisneh, however, his army broke up, and Sir J. Keene then resumed his
march along the rich valley from Ghisneh to Cabool. Shah Soojah entered
Cabool on the 7th of August; and his rival, Dost Mohammed, being
abandoned by all but the members of his own Barukzye tribe, fled beyond
the mountains of the Hazareh into Bokhara. In order to complete the
conquest Major Outram was sent into certain disturbed districts between
Cabool and Can-dahar to tranquillize the disaffected Ghilzee tribes,
who had not yet acknowledged Shah Soojah, and replace the refractory
chieftains with newly-appointed governors. Khelat was also reinvested:
that fortress was captured by General Willshire, and the khan, Mehrat,
with many of his chiefs,