AMONG THE AFFGHANS. 263 



doning their villages and forts, they retired to the 

 neighbouring heights, and sat in dense masses quietly 

 watching our movements. Nothing could induce 

 them to fire a shot ; and of course without that the 

 general would not fire on them. 



Their chiefs came in and submitted, and were 

 ordered by the general to accompany the surveyors 

 all round the neighbourhood while they sketched the 

 country. In the meantime the offending towers were 

 blown into the air, and the villages of the chief 

 offenders burnt much, however, being left for them 

 to lose if they again gave occasion for future punish- 

 ment. 



The troops had had a weary night-march over stones 

 and boulders, carrying their heavy cartouch-boxes and 

 rations. Many had done a dray's march just before 

 starting for the night one ; but until it was evident 

 that there would be no fighting none flagged, the 

 " beardless boys " tramping along over rugged spurs 

 and ravines all through the long night and hot day 

 without a murmur, by the side of the few veterans, 

 the native troops, as usual, being quite as fresh on 

 the second evening as on the first. 



These wearying marches by night and day to the 

 soldier, apparently, objectless and resultless were 

 almost as trying as the killing convoy - duties ; yet 

 every fresh call on them was heartily responded to. 

 So that, despite the disappointment of this " demon- 

 stration " to Maidanak, all were ready to start cheer- 



