5 8 A Sportswoman in India 



We were most anxious to go up the Khyber Pass, 

 but every one told us that it was impossible till peace 

 was concluded ; however, Sir William Lockhart was 

 of course omnipotent, and he finally wrote to say that 

 he had ordered an escort to be ready at 9 a.m. at 

 Jamrud on the following day, and that General Hart 

 at Ali Musjid would expect us to breakfast and lunch. 

 But he stipulated that, as there was " a minimum of 

 danger," we should wire first for Mr. Merk's leave. 

 The latter happened to be away, but his answer to 

 my sister's telegram was satisfactory. c< Go with my 

 blessing." So March 22nd, at 7.30 a.m., saw us 

 driving through cantonments in a turn-turn with a 

 pair of grey tats. 



Across nine or ten miles of flat plain, and finally 

 over the border, we drove till we reached Jamrud 

 Fort, a building of light brown mud, with a cara- 

 vanserai and a parade-ground. We had passed an 

 immense amount of transport on the road, strings 

 and strings of mules and camels, carrying grain and 

 provisions for the troops up at the front. In the 

 transport lines near Peshawur there were no fewer 

 than five thousand camels alone. Aggravating though 

 the wretched oonts may be, it was impossible not to 

 pity them and the poor mules, whose bones were 

 bleaching on many a roadside round Peshawur ; 

 starved and out of condition, the sufferings among 

 the transport animals form quite one of the worst 

 sides of the war. For this Frontier Expedition, 

 Government had had to lay their hands on thirty 



