158 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
month previously repelled the attack made on it by a party of the 3rd 
Ghoorkas. 
At General Tytler's request I ascended the crest on the left of our 
position, above the Bird's Nest Picket, for the purpose of finding a com¬ 
paratively level piece of ground on which the mortars might be placed 
for shelling the enemy's works. We found such a spot 700 yards from the 
lower and first built stockade, but the path leading to it was very precipitous, 
indeed well nigh impracticable. We were seen by the Bhooteas, who fired a 
shot as if to give notice of our neighbourhood. 
The following day I went with Captain Wilson on a similar errand, by the 
crest on the right of our front, and after a long stiff ascent found an excellent 
place for either the Armstrong guns or mortars, from which the ranges 
would have been 700 yards to the lower, and not under 1500 yards to the 
more distant stockade. We got into the regular road and descended by it 
to the camp, and found it a capital one, passable for laden elephants. 
This day the enemy sent to General Tytler to say that they had no wish 
to fight, but that they would obey what orders he might give them. General 
Tytler thereupon ordered them to destroy their stockades or he would do it 
for them. The lesson taught them at Bala had had its effect. 
The attack was ordered to take place the next day, and to be by our 
right flank, a false attack to be made by 200 men of the 3rd Ghoorkas, who 
were to advance by the crest on the left of our position, and cut off the 
retreat of the enemy by getting possession of the road in rear of the 
stockades. The main attack was to be made by nearly 900 men, consisting 
of detachments of the 3rd Ghoorkas, 19th and 31st Begiments of Native 
Infantry, and of the Eajah of Cooch Behar's contingent. 
On the evening of the 22nd the enemy appeared busy at their stockading, 
but what they were at could not be exactly decided; however, during the 
night, men were seen walking about with torches, and when the advanced 
party of our troops had reached the neighbourhood of the stockades, flames 
were seen issuing from them, and we had the mortification of seeing them 
wrapped in flames as we rushed into them, only to beat an instantaneous 
retreat, so fierce were the flames and so successfully had the stockades been 
fired. 
The party of the 3rd Ghoorkas forming the left attack, were just too 
late to cut off the retreat of a large body of the Bhooteas, who yelled loudly 
as their enemies came in view, but whose advance they did not choose to 
dispute. 
This position was a far stronger one than that at the Bala Pass ; the 
artificial defences, however, were not of so elaborate a description, but owing 
to the very advantageous formation of the pass, it would most assuredly 
have cost us a heavier loss in taking it. The highest Work on the summit 
of the hill was almost inaccessible, excepting by the narrow tortuous path 
which was completely commanded throughout its ascent, and the whole 
surface of the ground around was covered with “panjees" or stakes of 
sharp-pointed bamboo. The road leading to the lower stockade Was quite 
barred by impenetrable masses of felled trees. 
I accompanied a party of Ghoorkas and two Engineer officers, who pushed 
on about five miles along the road into the interior; we were now at an 
elevation above the sea of probably 5000 to 6000 feet; the air was cool and 
