DESCRIPTION OF THE PLACE AND SCENERY. 



375 



was blown open ; there was, however, a good deal of firing afterwards, 

 and some of the inhabitants even held out throughout the day, and 

 caused almost as much loss as that which occurred in the storm. The 

 affair took place as follows : the guns moved into position between 12£ 

 and p. m., and about 3 p. m. commenced firing at the defences over 

 the gate : under cover of this fire the bags of powder, to the amount of 

 8001bs. were placed against the gate by Captain Peat, the hose being 

 fired by Lieut. Durand. In the mean time the road to the gate was 

 occupied by the storming party, the advance of which was composed 

 of the flank companies of all the European Regiments. The head of 

 the advance was once driven back by a resolute party of Affghans, 

 who fought desperately hand to hand, but a jam taking place, the check 

 was only momentary. After clearing the gate, the enemy must have 

 become paralysed, and both town and citadel were gained with an 

 unprecedentedly trifling loss. None of the engineers, or of the party 

 who placed the bags, were touched, although from the enemy burning 

 blue lights they must have been seen distinctly : two, of a few Euro- 

 peans who accompanied Capt. Peat were shot ; one killed. During the 

 day a great number of prisoners were taken, among whom was Dost 

 Mahommud's son ; a great number of horses also fell into our hands. 



24th. — Ghuznee : by this morning at 9 o'clock every thing was 

 quiet, and the last holders out have been taken ; strict watch is kept at 

 the gate to prevent plunder, dead horses are now dragged out, and dead 

 men buried : the place looks desolate, but the inhabitants are begin- 

 ning to return. It appears to me a very strong, though very irregular 

 place, the stronger for being so : the streets are very narrow, and 

 dirty enough, houses poor, some said to be good inside, it is a place 

 of considerable size, perhaps one-third less than Candahar. It is 

 surrounded by a wet ditch, of no great width, the walls are tall and 

 strong, weakest on the north-east angle immediately under the citadel ; 

 parapets, etc. are in good repair. The loop holes are however absurd, 

 and even when large are carefully screened. The ditch is crossed at 

 the Cabul gate by a stone bridge. The Zuburjur is a very large gun, 

 but almost useless to Affghans, who are no soldiers. Every side of 

 the town might have been stoutly defended. 



The view from the citadel is extensive and fine, the mountains to 

 the north and north-west extremely so, and seem crowded in the 

 view, while the river and its cultivation add novelty to an Affghan 

 landscape ; many villages are visible in every direction, surrounded 

 with gardens and orchards. 



