THE KYBER PASS.

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good view of the formidable defence which nature has created in this rocky inlet to the Affghan territory. The belt of mountains, a cleft through which is the pass, forms a complete natural bulwark against aggression on every side. We saw many mementos of Colonel Wild's disastrous attempt at forcing the pass. Dead camels and horses, broken and defaced military accoutrements, and human bones, lay scattered about in every direction.

After we had proceeded about three miles into the pass, the road was more open in some places; but again it became confined and difficult.

We

were a good deal delayed at times by the guns sticking fast among the large masses of stone, which choked the narrow path; but we at last arrived at Ali Musjid without accident or opposition. Ali Musjid is about eight miles within the pass, and is the first day's march. It is rather a severe one, the difficulty of the road making up for the shortness of the distance. The Musjid or Mahomedan temple, from which the place takes its name, is situated in the pass itself. On the peak of a high conical mountain, which rises suddenly here, is situated a fortress built of stone, which has been

The

the scene of a bloody encounter. many fastness itself is, from its situation, excessively strong; but it has the fault of many mountain strongholds: there is no water within the walls. A stream runs in the pass at the foot of the height; but the descent and ascent are both long and difficult, and on more occasions than one, when a slender garrison has been shut up here, they have not been able to get water, unless by stealth, and at night, to attempt which was rendered extremely perilous from the strict watch kept by the besieging Kyberees, and the deadly precision of their jezails.* A Mr. Mackeson, who was employed in surveying the pass for the British government, possessed himself of this fort by a coup-de-main, and with a few Affghans in British pay held it for a long time against the constant attacks of the Kyberees. The gallant Mackeson and his little garrison were reduced to great straits for the want of water, over which the besiegers kept the most vigilant watch, and they would inevitably have been obliged to surrender had not Mackeson's fertile imagination suggested

* Long rifle.

to him a plan, by which to obtain supplies from their savage enemies. The Kyberees and, indeed the Affghans in general, are remarkably tenacious about the possession of the bodies of their comrades who fall in battle. Whenever Mackeson repulsed an attack on his fort, he sallied out and secured the corpses of the assailants who had fallen. He used then to beat a parley, and sell the Kyberees their own dead at the rate of two mussucks* of water for each body. In this manner, he succeeded in supplying his little garrison until their food also failed them, when one night he quietly stole out of the fort, and succeeded in escaping with his men unperceived through the enemy, and arrived in safety at Peshawur. He was not a military officer; but in consequence of his gallantry displayed on this and other occasions, he was appointed to command the bildarst, in which capacity he afterwards accompanied us to Cabul.

Previously to Colonel Wild's unsuccessful attempt at forcing the Kyber pass, Colonel Mosely was sent forward with two native regiments to pos

* Leather bags for holding water, each formed of an entire goat-skin.

+ Native pioneers.

sess himself of this fort. The gallant Colonel made a sudden night march, and succeeded in his part of the enterprise without loss. When Colonel Wild however attempted to follow with the main body on a succeeding day, he was beaten back with a heavy list of killed and wounded with the loss also of his guns and great part of his stores and baggage. Colonel Mosely was now completely in a trap, for the Kyberees assembled in thousands to prevent his return, and he could receive no assistance from his defeated superior. Retreat however was inevitable, and to be effected at all hazards as the two days' provisions which his troops had been ordered to take with them were exhausted, and they were starving. Of this the Kyberees were aware, and they watched him closely. The retreat was commenced under a murderous fire from the deadly jezails of the Afredis,* who swarmed on every height commanding the pass. The loss was of course disastrous; but eventually the force effected its junction with the main body at Jumrood.

It was during this retreat that an instance of

* Name of a formidable and savage tribe which inhabit these mountains.