WANDAJ PASS— HORSE STOLEN. 83 



had already slipped down more than once, and a horse of 

 mine had nearly fallen over the steep hill-side on the 

 way lip, while the descent to the south was represented 

 to us as much steeper, and with a precipice beside it. 

 The carcases of mules and horses showed how many had 

 fallen on this ascent. I had no tent ; Captain Smith 

 and I had arranged to march to the front together, and 

 to use his tent, which was the lightest, but he had been 

 detained at Lat. However, I found shelter with a friend. 

 The heavy rain continued nearly all night, a high wind 

 blew, and it was bitterly cold, and I came out in the 

 morning expecting to find some, both of the poor Indian 

 camp-followers, who had been out in the rain all night, and 

 of the animals, dead with cold and wet. To my surprise, 

 none seemed to have suffered. As no grass had been 

 procurable, the animals were all turned out to feed on 

 the fine wiry herbage of the mountain, and I sent my 

 horses with them. I had but one man to look after two 

 horses and a mule, and whilst he was bringing back the 

 latter, which had strayed slightly, a chestnut Arab, which 

 I had hitherto ridden, and a very docile useful animal, 

 disappeared. After a short time I discovered its tracks, 

 and, only waiting to get a gun, followed them. The 

 tracks of a man leading the horse were plain : he had 

 stolen the beast, and led him round the hill, keeping 

 just out of sight of camp, and had then gone to the 

 westward. After a mile or two I lost the tracks amongst 

 a number of others, and had to give up the chase. Of 

 course I never heard anything more of my horse. Such 

 thefts were common, and several ojSicers lost horses. To 



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