desperate, and Major-general Elphinstone deemed it necessary to provide
for their safety by again attempting to negociate with the enemy. A
convention was entered into, in pursuance of which the troops commenced
their march on the 6th of January. In the whole there were 4,500
fighting men about 12,000 camp followers, and a large number of women
and children. Their retreat was most disastrous. The snow lay deep upon
the ground, and the rear-guard had scarcely quitted the camp before it
was attacked by the enemy. As far as Bareekhur the whole way was strewed
with the dead and dying, who were immediately stripped and left naked
by the Affghans; while the merciless Ghuzees hacked the dead corpses to
pieces with their long knives. While at Bareekhur a communication was
opened with Akbar Khan, who now offered to restrain the Affghans from
further outrages, provided hostages were delivered to him as a security
that the British would not march beyond Tezeen, until General Sale had
evacuated Jellalabad. The proposal was accepted, and Major Pottinger
and Captains Lawrence and Mackenzie became hostages. The troops now
proceeded to the Khoord Cabul Pass; but Akbar Khan's promise was futile:
they had to force the difficult pass with considerable loss. The next
morning the treacherous chief sent to the encampment, professing his
concern at his inability to restrain the Ghilzies, who had been most
active in the attacks of the preceding day; but he offered to protect
the ladies, provided they would put themselves under his care. Eight
ladies, including Lady Sale and Lady M'Naghten, placed themselves under
his protection; those who had husbands being solaced by their company.
In resuming the march the contest recommenced, and it did not cease
until they reached Jugdulluck. Few, however, reached that place. Of the
whole force which had left Cabul, amounting to more than 16,000 persons,
not more than three hundred are said to have escaped. At Jugdulluck,
Akbar Khan effectually interfered, and the unfortunate British were
allowed to occupy, without molestation, a ruined enclosure, where they
lay down, worn out by fatigue, and helpless, in the snow. Out of this
number only one man, Dr. Brydon, lived to reach Jellalabad; the rest,
subsequent to the protection afforded them by Akbar Khan at Jugdulluck,
were all slain, either by the Affghan troops, or by the inhabitants of
the villages through which they passed in their flight. As for General
El