ADVENTURES IN CAMP AND JUNGLE. 221 



thrown forward to clear the jungle in our front, while the 

 rest of the cavalry kept the track. About a mile from Eajghur 

 we came on a dismounted gun lying on the path, and soon 

 after this, stragglers were overtaken and cut up by the skir- 

 mishers. On a steep incline, rising out of a watercourse, we 

 found two guns, which had evidently belonged to the Eoyal 

 Jalra Patun Horse Artillery. They had been abandoned, 

 and the harness, which had been cast off the horses, lay 

 beside them. At length we sighted the rear-guard of the 

 enemy, consisting of cavalry. They allowed us to approach 

 within range of their carbines, from which they fired a few 

 shots before going off. 



We now came to a more level country, and on the left side 

 of the road, an open space, half-a-mile in length, and four 

 hundred yards in breadth, had been cleared of jungle, and 

 roughly cultivated. As our skirmishers advanced over this 

 ground, the rebel horse turned, and came on in considerable 

 strength, driving them in on our diminutive column. Sir 

 William Gordon of the 17th, who was in command, formed 

 his men up in line, and moved slowly on. Meanwhile the 

 open clearing above referred to was covered by the enemy's 

 sowars, who advanced shouting and brandishing their swords. 

 As we closed in on them they began to give way, and when 

 they saw us increase the pace to a trot, it was evident that 

 they did not mean to stand. On receiving the order to charge, 

 our men came on in admirable order, but the enemy turned 

 and went off. A few fell before our sabres and lances, but 

 the mass of men, which a few moments before had shouted so 

 defiantly, fled in the wildest disorder. 



But it now appeared that they had been leading us into a 

 trap, and, had the execution been as good as the plan, they 

 would have thinned our ranks. Along the whole line of our 



