234 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



The road through the Khyber was at this time 

 far from being all that could be desired. Bound the 

 base of the hill on which stood the Fort Ali Musjid, 

 and for two miles up, the road ran along the bed of 

 the main stream, a narrow rocky gorge. At the best 

 of times, loaded camels could only pass each other 

 here with great difficulty; consequently, during the 

 first weeks after the advance, blocks in traffic were 

 frequent. Had the winter rains been as heavy as 

 usual, the increase of water would have rendered it 

 almost impracticable for hours, or even days. From 

 Lundi Kotal too, at the west end of the Khyber, the 

 road to the farther base of the hills was narrow and 

 winding for three miles, and for three more ran be- 

 tween low grass-covered hills intersected by ravines, 

 in which bands of marauders daily took up a position 

 and worried the convoys. For these and other reasons, 

 it was considered advisable to examine the Michni 

 kafila routes, which pass through Mohmund country 

 north of the Khyber, with the object of ascertaining 

 their fitness or otherwise to be adopted as alternative 

 routes for the conveyance of stores to and from the 

 front. Accordingly, a reconnoitring party with a 

 small escort accompanied by Mahmood Shah Khan, 

 started to examine the Hyder Khan route, which 

 crossed the Cabul river about half-way between 

 Michni and Dakka, and entered the Peshawar valley 

 after crossing intervening hills rising to an elevation 

 of 3500 feet. 



