Our pace was necessarily slow, and our halts frequent, for the little party had to be carefully kept together.
At last the Jalalabad fort was reached and passed.

I then told Hugh Gough, whose squadron was in front, that we had better halt, for we could not be far from the Alambagh, and I was afraid that if we approached in a body we should be fired upon, in which case the camel-drivers would assuredly run away, there would be a stampede amongst the camels, and we might find it difficult to make ourselves known.

I decided it would be best for me to go on alone, and arranged with Gough that he should remain where he was until I returned.
The Alambagh proved to be farther off than I calculated, and I was beginning to fear I had lost my way, when all at once a great wall loomed in front of me, and I could just make out the figure of the sentry pacing up and down.

I hailed him, and ordered him to ask the sergeant of the guard to summon the officer on duty.

When the latter appeared, I explained to him my object in coming, and begged him to have the ammunition boxes ready for lading by the time I returned with the camels.