BOLAN PASS EXPEDITION, 
515 
began to tell, and no appliances for filtering water were at band. 
However, to remain was madness; so, after a “ Council of war” on 
10 th April , 1876, at 2 a.m. the infantry and artillery, followed at 
4 a.m. by the cavalry, marched on to Hagee-ka-Shur—-distance, 
14 miles. This was a trying march, as men kept falling out of the ranks, 
ill and dying. The litters were soon full, and many men were left behind 
under guards, to be picked up by the rear guard and baggage camels. 
Still the disease had its victims, who went to hospital to die. The 
doctor had a busy time of it, but worked with a will, to the admiration 
of the force. A cholera hospital was formed, and left here, under 
charge of a native doctor, and, still pushing on, the entire force 
marched the same evening (10th) to Pir—distance, 22 miles— 
arriving on the 11th at 8 a.m., after having dropped more men on the 
road. On this march we passed through the outer range of hills, 
and five miles from camp made Dadur—the outer entrance into the 
Bolan Pass. Here we had the blessing of good water from a clear 
running stream, but the disease still continued, so, tired as all were, 
we determined on pushing on, and the same evening (11th) at 10 p.m. 
we marched to Kirta—distance, 25 miles. We were now ascending 
the pass, up the bed of the Bolan river (shingle and stones), over 
which we repeatedly crossed, with high masses of rock on either side. 
The ascent was very gradual and barely perceptible, yet on reaching 
Kirta we found ourselves 1200 ft. above sea level, the temperature cool, 
a strong wind blowing, and a clear running river in the valley, where 
we pitched camp. All seemed in our favour, so we determined to halt 
here, both to rest the men and try to shake off the disease, which 
appeared to be on the decline. Another object in this halt was to 
allow the caravan of camels (some 4000) that we were escorting to 
push on up the pass, as the cholera was also amongst them, and no 
obstruction had occurred. Kirta is well up in the hills, which are 
quite barren, with no trees or vegetation. The river (the Bolan) is 
full of maksur (Indian salmon) which give good sport with either 
spinning tackle or the fly, and are excellent eating. These ran up to 
about 5 lbs., though in other places .they run much higher. To the 
foot of the outer range of hills, near Dadur, my howitzers travelled 
easily on wheels, dragged by a team of three mules in single file—one 
in the shafts and two hooked on in front. Fourteen ammunition boxes 
(two on each mule) went per howitzer. On entering the pass into this 
outer range of hills, I mounted the howitzers on the mules* backs—one 
carrying the gun, another the carriage, and a third the wheels, side- 
arms, and shaft. My mules are generally speaking short and broad, 
averaging about 13 hands high. Even during the longest marches 
they showed no signs of fatigue. They were shod on the fore feet 
only. 
13^ to 19 th April, 1876.—Halted at Kirta. The cholera entirely left 
us, though the heat in tents during the day was 110°. The hospital 
left at Hagee-ka-Shur arrived on the 19th. On the 15th the cavalry 
escorted Major Sandeman to a point 9 miles higher up the pass, 
information having been received that the camel-men were trying to 
evade payment of the prescribed fee of 8s. per camel, and our object 
