MARCH FROM MORAR TO KANDAHAR, 
251 
top, was reached with tolerable ease and safety; the road was 
good, having been made by the sappers and native regiments. 
We were a good deal troubled by a few of the hill-men hanging Hm-men trouble. 
about, and attempting to carry off the lame bullocks and camels som0, 
in rear. These tribes live principally in caves and holes in the 
ground. During this night rain fell, and, being followed by severe severe frost. 
frost, the tents next morning were so frozen, they could not be 
packed until the sun had been up some little time. The height 
of the Pass was calculated to be about 7200 ft. above sea-level: 
towards the top the road became very steep, with several sharp 
turns. Here the elephants proved most useful, for had a long 
team of bullocks been used in the guns the greater part of their 
power would have been lost, and even the lead elephants had 
to be taken out, the turns being so abrupt and cramped for 
space. Again, in descending these steep places, the elephant with “ Descent ” of Kwaja 
his breeching 1 had complete control over the gun, and could bring Pass * 
it down in perfect ease and safety. The scenery of the lower part 
of the Pass was very picturesque, but here, as in all the country 
we had passed, there is a great lack of trees, merely a few stunted 
ones here and there. 
After leaving the Amram Eange, a plain of some 26 miles was sandy plain, 
crossed, through heavy sand a great portion of the way (the border 
of the great Seistan Desert), which again proved very trying to 
the poor elephants and bullocks; more especially as not a drop of 
water was to be got, except at a small lake some miles off the Great scarcity of 
road, where we halted for a night. Here, too, forage was so water - 
scarce, the men though fatigued with long marches, hauling on 
the drag-ropes, and not reaching camp till near dark, had to go 
out and scrape together what little grass could be found. 
At Kunchai, again, there was so little water the bullocks could Kunchai. 
not get any, and had to go without it for 36 hours until they 
reached Shah Passand. The country was still tolerably level, but 
intersected with low ranges of hills; the roads very stony. The 
elephants and bullocks were still suffering terribly from sore feet, 
and hardly able to travel. 
Shortly before reaching Saffa Deen another elephant became Death of 4 th 
•hors cle combat and was obliged to be left behind. elephant. 
At Deh Hadji we were informed of the engagement our cavalry 
and advance column had had with the enemy, and the latter had Scene of engagement 
been completely routed. A few miles short of Deh Hadji, one of with enemy ’ 
the guns in passing over a moist part of the road, caused it 
suddenly to give way, and the gun sank till one wheel almost 
disappeared, and the ground immediately surrounding quickly Gun “hogged.” 
became a quaking bog. Being late in the day the gun had to be left 
in charge of a guard till next morning, when a strong party from 
the battery, and, company of sappers, was sent back to extricate it. 
This proved a somewhat difficult matter, as in the equipment of a 
heavy field battery, no gyn, or other means of mounting a gun, is 
