AMOXG THE AFFGHANS. 275 



headed a rather premature charge into a dense mass 

 of the enemy clustered round a huge standard. He 

 dashed his sword through the standard-bearer, but 

 was cut down, and for a few moments the infantry 

 were checked, then readvanced. By this time the 

 centre and left of the enemy were already giving 

 ground before the cavalry ; their right also fell back, 

 wavered, and broke, and soon the whole were flying 

 in dense masses, and were pursued for over five miles 

 by the cavalry. Their loss exceeded 600 killed and 

 wounded ; ours some 40 to 50 killed and wounded, 

 besides the two British officers. Battye's death alone 

 Avould have dimmed a greater victory. The medical 

 officer related that he was attending a wounded 

 Sowar whom he had placed under chloroform. When 

 the Sowar regained his senses he burst out crying. 

 The officer, on trying to console him, received the 

 reply, " What use is my life to me, now that Battye 

 Sahib has gone 1 " He was not the only man who 

 felt thus. 



The result of the action was soon apparent. The 

 Khugianee Jirgah came into Futtehabad and sub- 

 mitted, and from that day the tribe never molested 

 us. On the contrary, when we went on to Ganda- 

 muk they swarmed into camp with provisions, 

 worked on the roads, cut timber on the Safed-Koh, 

 and brought it in for the bridge and other works at 

 Gandamuk ; and reconnoitring parties went all over 

 their country without once meeting opposition. The 



