1841.] Extracts from Demi-official Reports. 125 



of us, began with one accord to pelt stones at us and to fire their guns, 

 those who were on our flanks also loosennig pieces of rock which came 

 bounding down the shingle bank with force enough to bear away any 

 thing occupying the path. Fortunately the cafila was far enough be- 

 hind to avoid the first of the attack, and we retreated to an open part of 

 the pass, where, making ourselves masters of the shelving bank on each 

 side, we entered into negotiation with our assailants ahead. After much 

 time had been lost in parley, our aggressors agreed to take a few pieces 

 of chintz and 40 rupees (as we had no more goods) and invited us to 

 advance, but we had scarcely reached the old point, when our envoy sent 

 with the cloths and cash agreed to, came running down to us stripped and 

 beaten ; and the attack upon us was renewed. Our skirmishers having kept 

 the shelving flanks, we had not to retreat far, and having briefly con- 

 sulted on turning again, we decided that there was nothing for it but to 

 force our way, so advancing with our best musquet men on foot, while 

 those left with the cafila followed in close order, firing over our heads 

 at the cliffs above, we in less than 10 minutes made ourselves masters of 

 the narrow passage, from which our enemies retreated over the hills. 

 Some of our men and horses were severely bruised by the stones which 

 were raised upon us during this push, but 20 boxes were broken, and the 

 only gun shot wound that could be found was in the cloak of one of my 

 Hindoostanee servants. I am happy to believe that none of our 

 cowardly enemies were killed or seriously wounded, for we found no 

 dead men on the rocks taken, and they retreated too fast to carry off any 

 who were much disabled* 



We were 40 minutes more ascending to the summit of the pass, but 

 the defile was comparatively open above the narrow passage, the rocks 

 on each side being low and rounded. We here took leave of the Atalik 

 who had come after us on hearing that we were attaeked. I believe him 

 to be about the best man in his country. 



We rested at evening in the small valley of Hushtumee, where we 

 found officers collecting the tax of one sheep in forty for the Walee of 

 Meimunna. Our next two marches were over the mountains of the 

 Hindoo Koosh, from which we made a steep descent, leaving the mouth 

 of the defile by which they are entered nearly 6 miles S. E. of Meimunna, 

 to which we proceeded through a fertile valley bounded by low and round 

 earthy hills, the stream which w T e had followed from the foot of the 

 mountains irrigating countless vineyards and gardens, the walls and trees 

 of which concealed the town till we were inside it. 



