I doubt whether the Afridis will fight in the same way; but they may and, at any rate, the story will be instructive." "Well, it is seventeen years ago, now," the major said, "and I was a junior lieutenant.

I was, as you all know, marching from Kandahar to Kabul under Sir Donald Stewart; and at Ahmed Kheyl, twenty-three miles south of Ghuzni, we met the Afghans in force, estimated at fifteen thousand foot and a thousand horse.

For several days we had known that they were in the neighbourhood.

Their cavalry scouts could be seen marching parallel to us, about eight miles away, on the right flank.
"On the 19th of April we marched at daybreak.

The advance guard consisted of seven hundred rifles, seven hundred and fifty cavalry, and six guns; the main body of somewhat over a thousand rifles, three hundred and forty-nine sabres, and ten guns; then came the trains and hospitals, guarded by strong detachments on each flank; while the rear guard was fourteen hundred infantry, three hundred and sixteen cavalry, and six mountain guns.