It was hoped therefore that, after making a show of resistance, they would try to come to terms with us.
The regiment was told that it would have to provide its own carriage, and two or three days were spent in buying up all the ponies and mules in the neighbourhood.

All the heavy baggage was packed up and left in store, and the regiment marched from the town in light order, with their drums and fifes playing a merry march, and the men in high spirits.
"It is worth two years in a dull cantonment, Bullen," one of the lieutenants remarked to Lisle.
"It is glorious," Lisle said, "though I expect we shall have some hard fighting; for they say that the Zakka-Khels and their allies can place fifty thousand in the fighting line and, as our column is reported to be twenty thousand strong, we shall all have our work to do.

In the open they would, of course, have no chance with us but, as the fighting will be done in guerrilla fashion, from hills and precipices, our task will be no easy one.

The guarding of the tremendous convoy we must take with us will, in itself, be extremely difficult." "Yes, I expect we shall get it hot.

The loss is almost sure to be heavy, but that will not prevent us from turning them out of their fastnesses." "I wish they would let us all carry rifles, instead of swords," Lisle said.