CHAPTER XIV.

Return to Candahar; Prospect of fighting for Quarters; A cold night's rest; Our welcome in the city; Appearance of the cantonment; The Herat Gate; Visit to the scene of death; Discovery of two well known faces amongst the dead; Suspicion corroborated; Dost Mahomed's remarks; Good Friday of 1842; Smart battle; Awful death of three young soldiers; Disgraceful conduct of their murderers; The old shepherd; Situation of Captain Craigie's force; Killat-I-Gilzie; General England; His advance on Candahar; Route intercepted; Cowardice of Native Troops; Forced to retreat; Enemy victorious; Severe loss amongst the Europeans; Probable cause of defeat; General England's second and successful advance; Arrival of a strong reinforcement; Abundance of news; More War; Sad news from the Upper Country; Force despatched to the relief of Killat-I-Gilzie; Description of route; Candahar attacked; Bravery of young Evans; Another victory; Active preparations for marching; Destruction of Ghrisk; General Nott proceeds up the country; General England down; Candahar is evacuated.

THE General, considering it useless to hunt after them farther, and looking upon it as a wild-goose chase, at the imminent risk and great discomfort of his few men, directed his force to return; but not before reducing the fort, around which we had taken up our position, to ruin, and after a cold and dreary night's bivouacking, had but one satisfactory hope, that of returning to Candahar.

We had not proceeded far, before it came on to rain heavily, and there is scarcely anything which adds greater misery to troops on the march, than rain, but onward we pushed, and were met by a cossid, who stated that the enemy, after having been defeated at the city, had taken possession of our cantonments, and made one into an hospital for their wounded; therefore we had the comfortable prospect of having to fight for our barracks, ere we obtained our hope of rest in temporary quarters.

The General did not, as was expected, proceed direct to the city; but pitched camp about four miles south, and under the impression that a night attack would be made, it was ordered that the cattle should remain laden, and all ready for a movement. Night now began to appear, and with it came a keen wintry wind, and occasionally rain; we, after walking and exercising the best way we could, being fatigued, lay down to make the attempt to sleep; the small gravel dust, driven by the strong wind, came like a battery of small shot, and the limbs soon became numb with cold, and the morning was most anxiously looked for, which, when it did appear, was, as oftentimes before, most welcome.

Many a time has this seven days' bivouac been talked over; but it was no sooner over, than, like all other privations to which a soldier is exposed, it became a subject for jest and light conversation; but it has always appeared to me, that the British

soldier is a child of invention, and is a perfect dread-nought to difficulty and exposure; enjoying very little comfort. A pipe and tobacco, generally speaking, are the only companions in such places and cases, to many. The extortion practised on the soldier is beyond conception, but may be easily calculated, when judged by the enormous rates charged at Quetta, for comforts, and articles of merchandize; it was a common price to pay fifty rupees for a pair of imported Wellington boots; eleven rupees a pound for tobacco, which in the presidency could be purchased for as many pence, eight rupees a pound for English cheese, and so on; but the soldier, unable to meet such extortion, was necessitated to content himself with his ration.

We recommenced the march to the city, and reached there without molestation, about noon. On entering at the Cabool Gate, the natives seemed most heartily to welcome our return. Each regiment went at once to its old quarters, we to the cantonment, which it appeared on our approach had but just been evacuated.

Our barrack rooms, which, by the exertions of the soldiers, had been made somewhat comfortable before, were now rendered almost unfit for use. The enemy had made stables of part of them. The horses had raked up the clay floor, and the rascals had taken down what few window frames and doors there were, which were in only four small staff rooms; and the whole place was one scene of dirt and filth.

The other buildings had been formed by them into an hospital for their wounded, and here and there were large patches of congealed blood, which left them very uncomfortable; however, such trifles are not to interfere with the campaigner; he must take things as they come, and right well they did, for in a few hours after our return everything looked almost as if nothing had happened.

The next morning I, with several others, visited the scene of destruction occasioned by the attack on the Herat Gate, and an awful sight presented itself; the space in the gateway had been cleared, and the bodies killed by the explosion of the shell, had been brought away, and heaped up some distance from the city walls. I counted fifty-two; the remainder had doubtless been carried off, and but for our arrival these would also; their appearance was truly dreadful; some without heads, others without arms, legs, many with their skulls half blown off, and their brains dragging in the remaining hair; more with their entrails trailing after them, and lying in most agonising positions. The majority of them were fine, tall, noble-looking fellows, and on examining their features, we discovered two of the inhabitants of the city, one a goldsmith, and the other a saddler; the former had his skull shattered, and the latter had his left breast and arm blown off. These rebels, being natives of the town, and very influential men too, went fully to corroborate the already well grounded suspicion, that

had they gained an entrance, the whole city would have joined them, and there would not have been a British subject left to tell the tale.

Not only did the fact of discovering the bodies of these two men amongst the enemies killed, prove the probability of the inhabitants of Candahar being connected with the rebels, but many others were discovered,—that of a sentinel on the gate, some time prior to the outbreak, whose duty it was to examine all parcels or cattle laden, entering the city, discovering two camels, apparently laden with boosa (chopped-straw,) in which were secreted, arms, matchlocks, swords, &c. Query, for what purpose? No doubt it will be concluded, with me, that nothing was wanting but a breach, and all would have risen, and acted in the manner of those at Cabool in the winter of 1841, and at Vellore some years ago.

Having now once again returned to cantonments, we fully hoped and thought that we might in a great measure rest in peace; for after the very numerous conflicts, and arduous attempts to convince them of our determination to conquer, and the awful manner in which they had suffered from so triflin ga specimen of our force of arms and bravery; it might have been expected that they would retire to their homes, and as usual after peace resume their tranquil labors; but fresh hardships awaited us, and I cannot better account for it, than by reminding my readers of the very numerous tribes, who