For a time the firing ceased entirely but, soon after nightfall, a
scattered fire opened round the camp. Lisle now made his way down
fearlessly, until within four hundred yards of the camp. He was
able to make out the white dresses of the Afridis, lying crouched
behind rocks. No one paid any attention to him and, as soon as he
had passed them, he dropped on his hands and knees and began
crawling forward; keeping himself carefully behind cover for, at
any moment, the pickets might open fire. When he approached the
British lines, he stopped behind a rock and shouted:
"Don't fire! I am a friend."
"Come on, friend, and let us have a look at you," the officer in
charge of the picket answered.
Rising, he ran forward.
"Who on earth are you?" the officer asked when he came up. "You
look like one of the Afridis, but your tongue is English."
"I am Lieutenant Bullen," he said; and a burst of cheering rose
from the men, who belonged to his own regiment.
"Why, we all thought you were killed, in that fight in the
torrent!"
"No; I was hit, and my leg so disabled that I was washed down by
the torrent; and the men were, I suppose, too much occupied in
keeping the Afridis at bay to notice me. On getting to the other
side of the pass I crawled ashore, and was made prisoner. No doubt
the Afridis thought that, as I was an officer, they would hold me
as a hostage, and so make better terms.
"I was put into the upper story of one of their houses but, after
ten days, my wounds healed sufficiently to allow me to walk; and I
have got here without any serious adventure."
"Well, I must congratulate you heartily. I will send two of the men
into camp with you, for otherwise you would have a good chance of
being shot down."
On arriving at the spot where the officers of the regiment were
sitting round a campfire, his escort left him. As he came into the
light of the fire, several of the officers jumped up, with their
hands on their revolvers.
"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" Lisle exclaimed, with a laugh. "I can
assure you that I am perfectly harmless."
"It is Bullen's voice," one of them exclaimed, and all crowded
round him, and wrung his hands and patted him on the back.
"This is the second time, Bullen, that you have come back to us
from the dead; and this time, like Hamlet's father, you have come
back with very questionable disguise. Now, sit down and take a cup
of tea, which is all we have to offer you."
"I will," Lisle said, "and I shall be glad of some cold meat; for I
have been living, for the past three days, on uncooked grain."
The meat was brought, and Lisle ate it ravenously, declining to
answer any questions until he had finished.
"Now," he said, "I will tell you a plain, unvarnished tale;" and he
gave them, in full detail, the adventure he had gone through.
"Upon my word, Lisle, you are as full of resources as an egg is
full of meat. Your pluck, in going down to the lower story of that
house while the women were chatting outside, was wonderful. It was,
of course, sheer luck that you found that dead Pathan, and so got
suitable clothes; but how you dyed your face that colour, I cannot
understand."
Lisle explained how he had found a plant which was, as he knew,
used for that purpose; and how he had extracted the colouring
matter from it.
"You had wonderful luck in making your way through the Pathans,
without being questioned; but, as we know, fortune favours the
brave. Well, I shall have another yarn to tell General Lockhart, in
the morning; but how we are to rig you out, I don't know."
Several of the officers, however, had managed to carry one or two
spare garments in their kits. These were produced; and Lisle, with
great satisfaction, threw off the dirt-stained Pathan garments, and
arrayed himself in uniform.
Pleased as all the others were at his return, no one was so
delighted as Robah, who fairly cried over his master, whom he had
believed to be lost for ever.
"We shall not be uneasy about you again, Bullen," the colonel said,
as they lay down for the night. "Whenever we miss you we shall know
that, sooner or later, you will turn up, like a bad penny. If you
hadn't got that wound in the leg--which, by the way, the surgeon
had better dress and examine in the morning--I should have said
that you were invulnerable to Afridi bullets. The next time there
is some desperate service to be done, I shall certainly appoint you
to undertake it; feeling convinced that, whatever it might be, and
however great the risk, you will return unscathed. You don't carry
a charm about with you, do you?"
"No," Lisle laughed, "I wish I did; but anything I carry would not
be respected by a Pathan bullet."
Next morning the colonel reported Lisle's return, and Sir William
Lockhart sent for him and obtained, from his lips, the story of the
adventure.
"You managed excellently, sir," the general said, when he had
finished. "Of course, I cannot report your adventure in full, but
can merely say that Lieutenant Bullen, whom I had reported killed,
was wounded and taken prisoner by the Pathans; and has managed,
with great resource, to make his escape and rejoin the force. Your
last adventure, sir, showed remarkable courage; and this time you
have proved that you possess an equal amount of calmness and
judgment. If you go on as you have begun, sir, you will make a very
distinguished officer."
During the day Lisle had to repeat his story, again and again, to
the officers of other regiments; who came in to congratulate him on
making his escape, and to learn the particulars.
"I shall have," he said, laughing, "to get the printing officer to
strike off a number of copies of my statement, and to issue one to
each regiment. There, I think I would rather go through the
adventure again, than have to keep on repeating it."
He had received a hearty cheer, from the regiment, when he appeared
upon parade that morning; a reception that showed that he was a
general favourite, and that sincere pleasure was felt at his
return.
Lisle had been known among the men as 'the boy' when he first
joined, but he was a boy no longer. He was now eighteen; and had,
from the experiences he had gone through, a much older appearance.
He learned, on the evening of his return, that he was now a full
lieutenant; for there had been several changes in the regiment.
When in cantonments other officers had joined, junior to himself;
and four or five had been killed during the fighting.
"If this goes on much longer, Mr. Bullen, you will be a captain
before we get back to India," one of the officers said.
"I am sure I hope not," he replied. "I don't wish to gain steps by
the death of my friends. However, I hope that there is no chance of
it coming to that."
After the visit of the commander to the Mohmund hill force, the
troops under General Lockhart learned the history of the operations
of that force, of which they had hitherto been in complete
ignorance. On the 28th of August the force was concentrated. It
consisted of the troops which, under Sir Bindon Blood, had just
pacified the Upper Swat Valley; with a brigade, under Brigadier
General Jeffreys and General Wodehouse, mobilized near Malakand. On
the 6th of September orders were issued to march to Banjour,
through the Mohmund country to Shabkadr, near Peshawar, and operate
with a force under Major General Ellis. A force had already been
despatched, under General Wodehouse, to seize the bridge over the
Panjkora. This was successfully accomplished, the force arriving
just in time, as a large body of the enemy came up only a few hours
later.
General Meiklejohn was in command of the line of communication, and
the 2nd and 3rd Brigades crossed the Panjkora without opposition.
On the 13th of September the Rambuck Pass was reconnoitred, and the
two brigades arrived at Nawagai. General Jeffreys encamped near the
foot of the Ramjak Pass; and part of his force was detached, to
prepare the road for the passage of the expedition, and to bivouac
there for the night. The road was partially made, and the brigade
would have passed over but, about eight o'clock in the evening, the
camp at the foot of the pass was suddenly attacked. All lights were
at once extinguished, and the men fell in rapidly; the trenches
opening fire on the unseen enemy, who moved gradually round to the
other side of the camp. It was pitch dark, for the moon had not yet
risen; and the enemy poured in a murderous fire, but did not
attempt to rush the camp. The troops were firing almost at random
for, in spite of star shells being fired, very few of the enemy
could be made out.
The fire was hottest from the side occupied by the 38th Dogras, who
determined to make a sortie, for the purpose of clearing the enemy
away from that flank. In spite of the fact that the ground was
swept by bullets, several volunteered for the sortie. The fire,
however, was too hot. Captain Tomkins and Lieutenant Bailey fell,
almost the instant they rose to their feet. Lieutenant Harrington
received a mortal wound, and several men were also killed and
wounded, and the sortie was given up.
All night a heavy fire was kept up by the enemy, but they moved off
in the morning. The camp presented a sad sight, when day broke;
dead horses and mules were lying about among the tents and
shelters, which had been hurriedly thrown down at the first attack.
When it was learned that the assailants belonged to the Banjour
tribes, living in the Mohmund Valley, a squadron of Bengal Lancers
were sent off in pursuit and, overtaking them in a village at the
entrance of their valley, killed many, pursuing them for four or
five miles. When they returned to the village, they were joined by
the Guides Infantry and a mountain battery. This was too small a
force to follow the enemy into their hills, but they destroyed the
fortifications of several small villages and, before night, General
Jeffreys, with the rest of the brigade, arrived.
Night passed without interruption and, in the morning, the force
marched in three columns; the centre keeping straight up the
valley, while the other two were to destroy the villages on each
side. When the centre column had advanced six miles up the valley,
they saw the enemy in a village on the hill; and a detachment of
the Buffs went out to dislodge them. The remainder of the column
pushed on.
Two companies of the 35th Sikhs, who were in advance, went too far;
and were suddenly attacked by a great number of the enemy. Fighting
sturdily they fell back but, being hampered by their wounded, many
of the men were unable to return the fire of the tribesmen; who
formed round them, keeping up a heavy fire at close quarters. The
Ghazis, seeing their opportunity, came closer and closer; their
swordsmen charging in and cutting down the Sikhs in the ranks.
Seventeen were thus killed or wounded. Presently, however, the
Buffs arrived in support, and a squadron of the 11th Bengal Lancers
charged the Ghazis, and speared many of them before they could
reach the shelter of the hills; and the Buffs soon drove them away,
with heavy loss.
While this was going on the third detachment, which had destroyed
many of the numerous villages, was called in to join the main body.
The guns had been doing good work among the flying tribesmen. A
company and a half of the 35th Sikhs were told to take post, on a
high hill, to cover the guns. This force, when the troops returned,
diverged somewhat from the line of march which the main body were
following. It was hard pressed by the tribesmen, hampered by the
wounded, and was running short of ammunition; and was obliged to
send for help. The general ordered the Guides to go to their
assistance but, fortunately, a half company of that regiment with
some ammunition had already reached them, and the party could be
seen fighting their way up a steep rocky spur.
The tribesmen, confident that they could cut off the small band
from the main force, rushed at them with their swords. Both the
officers were severely wounded. When, however, the rest of the
Guides arrived on the hill, they poured several volleys into the
enemy, and so checked their advance. A Havildar then volunteered to
mount the hill with ammunition. He reached the party with seventy
cartridges, and carried back a wounded native officer. Other Guides
followed his example, and all reached the valley as evening was
closing in.
The Ghazis crept up the ravine, and maintained a hot fire upon
them. It soon became pitch dark, and the difficulty of the march
was increased by a heavy storm. The force lost the line of retreat
and, but for the vivid lightning, would have found it impossible to
make their way across the deep ravine. At ten o'clock they reached
the camp.
Here they found that General Jeffreys, with part of his brigade,
had not yet returned. At dawn, however, the general appeared, with
his mountain battery and a small escort. They had become separated
from the remainder of the brigade, and the general decided to
bivouac in a village. Defences were at once formed. The trenching
tools were with the main body, but the sappers used their bayonets
to make a hasty shelter.
The enemy took possession of the unoccupied part of the village,
and opened fire on the trenches. This grew so hot that it became
absolutely necessary to clear the village. Three attempts were
made, but failed; the handful of available men being altogether
insufficient for the purpose.
The enemy now tried to rush the troops, and a continuous fire was
poured into a small enclosure, packed with men and mules. The
casualties were frequent, but the men now threw up a fresh
defensive work, with mule saddles and ammunition boxes. The fury of
the storm, which came on at nine o'clock, somewhat checked the
ardour of the assailants; and the water was invaluable to the
wounded.
At midnight four companies, who had gone out in search of the
general, arrived and cleared the enemy out of the village. The
casualties had been heavy, two officers and thirty-six men having
been killed, and five officers and a hundred and two men wounded.
Next day the force started on their way up the valley. Their object
was to attack a strongly-fortified village on the eastern side of
the valley, about six miles distant from the camp. When they were
within two thousand yards of the enemy's position, the tribesmen
could be seen, making their disposition for the attack.
The Sikhs, Dogras, and Buffs stormed the heights on either side;
but the enemy made no attempt to stand. The Guides advanced
straight on the village, which was destroyed without loss. The
grain found there was carried into camp. Several other villages
were captured and, though the enemy were several times gathered in
force, the appearance of a squadron of Bengal Lancers, in every
case, put them to flight.
In the meantime, the 3rd Brigade were encamped at Nawagai. The news
of the attack on General Jeffreys' column had upset the
arrangements. It was of the utmost importance to hold Nawagai,
which separated the country of the Hadda Mullah and the Mamunds. As
the whole country was hostile, and would rise at the first
opportunity, the force was not strong enough to march against the
Hadda Mullah, and leave a sufficient body to guard the camp. It was
therefore decided to wait, until they were joined by General Ellis'
force.
Skirmishing went on daily. On the 17th, heliographic communication
was opened with General Ellis. On the following day an order was
flashed to them, to join General Jeffreys in the Mamund valley.
This was impracticable, however, until General Ellis should arrive.
Next night a couple of hundred swordsmen crept up to a ravine,
within fifty yards of the camp, and suddenly fell upon the West
Surrey regiment. They were met by such a hail of bullets that most
of them dropped, and of the remainder not a man reached Hallal.
On the following day a messenger arrived, from General Ellis,
asking Sir Bindon Blood to meet him ten miles away. That afternoon
a reconnaissance was made, as news had been received that large
reinforcements had been received by Hadda Mullah. The enemy showed
themselves in great force, but kept out of range of the guns
though, during the return march, they followed the troops and, when
darkness set in, were but two miles from camp.
At nine in the evening the enemy, who had crept silently up,
attempted to rush the camp on three sides. The troops were well
prepared, and maintained a steady fire; although the enemy's
swordsmen hurled themselves against our entrenchments in great
numbers. The star shells were fired by the mountain battery, and
their reflection enabled the infantry to pour deadly volleys into
the midst of the enemy, who were but a few yards distant. The
tribesmen, however, completely surrounded the camp, their riflemen
keeping up a heavy fire, and their swordsmen making repeated
rushes.
The tents had all been struck, and the troops lay flat on the
ground while the enemy's bullets swept the camp. This was kept up
till two o'clock in the morning, the fire never slackening for a
minute; and the monotony of the struggle was only broken by an
occasional mad, fanatical rush of the Ghazis. The entrenchments
were so well made that only thirty-two casualties occurred, but a
hundred and fifteen horses and transport animals were killed.
The effect of this decisive repulse, of an attack which the enemy
thought would certainly be successful, was shown by the complete
dispersal of the enemy. Their losses had been terrible. It was
ascertained that, in the surrounding villages alone, three hundred
and thirty had been killed; while a great number of dead and
wounded had been carried away over the passes.
On the following day General Ellis arrived. It was arranged that
the 3rd Brigade should join his command. Thus reinforced, he could
deal with the Hadda Mullah, and General Blood would be at liberty
to join the 2nd Brigade in the Mamund Valley.
General Ellis took up a position, with the two brigades at his
disposal, at the mouth of the Bedmanai Pass; and sniping went on
all night. Next morning the troops moved forward to the attack.
Covered by the rest of the force, the 20th Punjabis, with the 3rd
Ghoorkhas in support, were ordered to make the assault, and to
secure the hills commanding the pass. The enemy fought stubbornly,
but were gradually driven back; their numbers being greatly reduced
by deserters, after the attack on the camp. The Hadda Mullah had
fled, directly the fight began; but the Suffi Mullah was seen
constantly rallying his followers.
On the following morning, General Westmacott's brigade marched to a
village situated at the mouth of the Jarobi gorge--a terrible
defile, with precipitous cliffs on either side, the crests of which
were well wooded. The resistance, however, was slight, and the
force pushed through and burned the houses, towers, and forts of
the Hadda Mullah. They were harassed, however, on their return to
camp.
In the meantime, Sir Bindon Blood had joined General Jeffreys'
brigade, which was still engaged in operations against the Mamunds.
Several villages were burned, and large supplies of game and fodder
carried off. The Mamunds at last sent in a party to negotiate; but
it soon appeared that they had no intention of surrendering, for
they had been joined by a considerable number of Afghans, and were
ready for a fresh campaign. The Afghan borderers were in a good
position, and were able to bring their forces to the assistance of
the Mamunds with the assurance that, if they were repulsed, they
could return to their homes.
General Jeffreys therefore recommenced operations, by an attack
upon two fortified villages. These were situated on the lower slope
of a steep and ragged hill, near enough to give support to each
other, and protected by rocky spurs. The inhabitants sallied out to
attack, but were checked by the appearance of our cavalry. The
force then pressed forward to the high jungle.
It was evident that the spurs on either side must be captured,
before the village could be stormed. The Guides were ordered to
clear the spur to the left, the 31st Punjab Infantry and the Dogras
the centre ridge between the two hills, while the West Kents
advanced straight up the hill.
The Guides dashed up the hill with a wild yell. This so intimidated
the tribesmen that, after firing a volley so wild that not a single
man was wounded in the attacking column, they fled in a panic.
The Punjabis, on the other hill, were stubbornly fighting their
way. The ground consisted, for the most part, of terraced fields,
commanded by strongly-built sangars. Colonel O'Brien was killed,
while gallantly leading his men on to the assault; but the Punjabis
persisted, under the covering fire of the mountain battery, and
dropped shell after shell into the Mamunds; who, however, although
losing heavily, stuck manfully to their rocks and boulders, and
finally were only driven out at the point of the bayonet.
The 31st were now joined by the West Kent, who came down from a
spur on the west, and were able to drive the enemy out of several
strong positions above the other village. On their way a half
company, on reaching a sangar, were suddenly charged by a body of
Ghazis. From the melee which ensued, many of the West Kents were
killed and wounded, among them the officer in command.
As it was now late, it was decided to return to camp for the night.
This was done steadily and deliberately, although the enemy kept up
a heavy fire. The casualties of the day were sixty-one, no fewer
than eight British officers being killed or wounded.
Two days' rest was given the troops, and then they marched against
Badelai. The attack was almost unopposed. The tribesmen imagined
that we were again going to attack their former position, and they
were unable to return in time to defend the village. Their loss,
however, was severe, as they came down to the open ground, and were
swept by the guns of the mountain battery.
A few days afterwards the campaign was brought to an end, the enemy
coming in and offering a general surrender. The expedition had been
very successful, twenty-six villages having been destroyed, and all
the hoards of grain having been carried off.
On the 13th of October the Mamund valley was evacuated, and the
force moved into Matassa. The inhabitants here were perfectly
peaceable and, beyond the blowing up of the fort of a chief, who
had continued hostile, there was no fighting. The force then
returned to Malakand, where it remained for two months.
Two tribes yet remained to be dealt with, namely the Bulas and
Chamlas. Both refused to comply with the reasonable terms imposed
upon them, by the government, for their complicity in the
rebellion.
The force selected for their punishment consisted of two brigades,
under General Meiklejohn and General Jeffreys. These advanced to
the assault on the Tangi Pass. The Guides, 31st Punjabis, three
squadrons of the Bengal Lancers, and two squadrons of the Guide
cavalry were sent to Rustam, a place which threatened three passes
leading into Buner. The enemy, being thus compelled to watch all
three routes, were prevented from assembling in any force.
Sir Bindon Blood encamped the two brigades on Thursday, the 6th of
January, at the mouth of the Tangi Pass. The detached column was to
protect an entrance over the Pirsai Pass. The assault was made by
the column under General Meiklejohn, and so well was the force
distributed--the hills on either side being captured, while three
batteries opened fire on the hill with shrapnel--that the tribesmen
were unable to maintain their position. The pass was captured with
only one casualty, and the troops marched triumphantly down into
Buner, the first British troops who had ever entered the country.
They halted at the first village. As this place was plentifully
stocked with goats and chickens, they found abundance of food.
The detached column were equally successful in their attack on the
Pirsai Pass, for they met with scarcely any resistance. Our
success, in capturing the two passes hitherto deemed impregnable,
brought about a complete collapse of the enemy. Deputations came in
from all the surrounding villages, and the tribesmen complied with
the terms imposed upon them.