Many of the others carried Sniders.
The whole of the Chitralis had now joined Sher Afzul, most of them doubtless being forced to do so, by fear of the consequences that would ensue should they refuse.

The little fort thus stood isolated, in the midst of a powerful enemy and a hostile population.

The villages stood on higher ground than the fort and, from all of them, a constant fusillade was kept up on the garrison, while they were engaged in the difficult work of putting the fort into a better condition of defence.
The first thing to be done was, of course, to take stock of the stores; and the next to estimate how many days it would last.
Everyone was put upon half rations, and it was calculated that they could hold out two and a half months.

It was found that they had two hundred and eighty rounds per man, besides Snider ammunition for the Kashmir Rifles, and three hundred rounds of Martini ammunition for the Sikhs.
When the fort was first occupied, it was found that there was an exposed approach to the river from the water tower, about thirty yards in width; and a covered way was at once built, going right down into the water.

All through the siege this covered way was the main object of the enemy's attack; for they knew that, if they could cut off the water, they could easily reduce the garrison.
An abutment in the south wall of the fort, overlooking the garden, had been converted into a little bastion.