PESHAWUR--SKIRMISHES WITH THE KHYBEREES ACROSS THE
INDUS--MANIKYALA--THE PASSAGE OF THE JHELUM.
The approaches to the city from the north-east are commanded by a large
fort, recently completed by the assistance of some French officers, and
under the eye of General Avitabilè.
The fort is surrounded by a dry ditch, and constructed on modern
principles of fortification, but placed in such convenient proximity
to the city, as to obviate the necessity of opening trenches and
labouring at parallels in case of a siege. Passing immediately under
this stronghold, we wound along the outside of the low mud-walls which
surround Peshawur, and encamped on its Eastern front. The city seemed
of enormous extent, and contained, as we were told, more than twelve
thousand houses within its walls; but certainly the greater part of
them were better adapted for pigsties than dwelling-houses.
The government of this district was in the hands of General Avitabilè,
an Italian officer, who had served for a long time under Runjeet Singh,
and had been raised by him to distinction and wealth. His government,
although severe, was generally allowed to have kept the savage
neighbours of the adjacent mountains in more terror and subjection
than any former governor was enabled to attain. According to Runjeet's
code, no capital punishment was inflicted on the Sikhs by law; but this
was in no way applicable to the marauders dwelling in the hills which
border Peshawur, on whom, as well as over the Mussulman population
of Peshawur, the governor occasionally endeavoured to make up for
Runjeet's misplaced leniency. Numerous examples of punishment were
presented to our view near the city walls on the high palm-trees, to
which were appended strings of such acorns as Trois Echelles and Petit
Andrè loved to adorn the oaks of Plessis les Tours with in the days
of Louis Onze. On every side of the city, were seen well-furnished
gibbets, or frail and wasted relics of humanity, strung upon beams,
nailed between the blighted palms. Those who had recently been promoted
to their exalted situations were favourites with the kites and
vultures, whose discordant screams of health and prosperity to Governor
Avitabilè, whilst circling round their hideous repast, were gloomily
answered by the rattling and clatter of some well-picked skeletons, as
they swung to and fro in the evening blast. Disgusting as these objects
seemed, we must nevertheless, according to the opinion and quotation of
an American traveller, hail them as testimonies of civilization. If an
appeal to the worst passions of mankind be a test of civilization, Mr.
Willis is in the right; but I confess I have felt much more gratified
in seeing a rude and uneducated Hindoo turn with loathing from the
execution of a criminal about to be blown from a cannon than I have at
the exhibition of thousands of my countrymen struggling for places,
and paying high prices for seats, to witness the protracted, dying
struggles of a malefactor and fellow-sinner.
In Afghanistan, no sooner is the light applied to the touchhole of
the cannon,[54] than the limbs of the victims are distributed to the
winds of heaven; but in England, in Christian England, where societies
for preventing cruelty to animals have been established, and rewards
offered for the speediest method of ending the sufferings of beasts,
the agonies and struggles of a fellow-creature, whilst undergoing a
death, (which, according to the letter of the law, is not expected to
be instantaneous,[55]) are deemed a fit subject for the entertainment
of the multitude; for it is notorious that Englishmen prefer attending
an execution to any other resort of public amusement. Yet this
disgusting spectacle, this barbarous relic of despotic authority, is
to be exhibited and justified solely on the plea of example. I cannot
bring myself to believe that one solitary mortal was ever deterred
from committing a murder by the fact of his having witnessed a public
execution; whereas the very notoriety has been known to excite men to
earn the vile publicity.
At Peshawur, the systematic method of suspension _by the neck_ was not
universally adopted, for the fancy of the executioner was occasionally
shown by a varied figure of victims suspended alternately by the head
and heels. At Peshawur, also, has been revived the nearly obsolete, but
classical, punishment of skinning alive. The executioner begins this
operation by raising the skin on the soles of the feet, which is then
torn in strips upwards, and the wretched creature is left vainly to
wish for the relief which death sometimes does not afford within two
hours of the infliction.
Cutting off the arms and legs, and steeping the stumps in hot oil,
putting out the eyes, or docking the ears of the culprits, are the
milder corrections for minor delinquencies.
I shall not attempt to deny that the daring atrocities which have been
perpetrated require to be restrained with a strong hand, and punished
with death, but the protraction of suffering cannot, I think, be
exculpated. If life must be taken, let it be done without parade or
procession, and, above all, let it be instantaneous.
On the evening of our arrival, the governor entertained the officers of
the first column with a banquet and fête, at his palace in Peshawur.
The edifice and gardens glittered with brilliant illuminations, and a
splendid display of fireworks was the prelude to the banquet. The table
groaned under a weight of food which far surpassed in quantity any
accumulation of the kind of which I have partaken; but, alas, I must
confess my utter ignorance of the vocabulary of the cuisine; and though
I was fortunate enough to sit by the side of a man who enumerated every
dish, and dignified some with very uncommon names, I was too absent or
too stupid to remember them.
Many complained of the want of recherche of his cook; but possibly he
conceived that, after the experience we had recently had of scarce and
coarse fare, dainties and the more abstruse arts of cookery would have
been wasted upon us. For my own part, I confess that the paraphernalia
of the surrounding gibbets haunted me so much at the table that I could
hardly take my eyes off an immense cone of rice, piled on a huge dish
in front of the master of the feast, and as the snowy covering was
shaken off, I could scarcely persuade myself that the boiled kid and
trussed-up capons were not some novel delicacies artistically carved
from a skinned criminal!
The feast being ended, we were ushered into a room above-stairs, where
a circle of Nautch girls were squatted round the room, who entertained
us with a repetition of those monotonous chants and attitudes which are
so generally popular amongst the Orientals.
Some of the women, especially the Punjaubees, were pretty: all had
fine lustrous eyes, and some fair and almost clear olive complexions;
but cocoa-nut oil, beetel nut, vermillion, henna, and black paint,
did their utmost to detract from the gifts of Nature. However, we
had been so long debarred from the sight of female charms, that few
had any reason to be fastidious or backward in admiration of such
novelties, and none of the damsels reckoned shyness or obstinacy as
accomplishments.
On the morning of the 10th of November, the Sappers and Miners, and
two companies of Native Infantry, were detached to Ali Musjid in the
Khyber pass, as an escort to a quantity of camel-loads of supplies
of provision and ammunition for the use of the garrison. Having
performed this duty, on their return from Ali Musjid they were suddenly
attacked by a swarm of Khyberees. A party of Sikhs who accompanied
the detachment, either from treachery or fear, at the first alarm
severed the leading-strings of the camels, and thus threw the baggage
into a state of hopeless confusion. The Khyberees taking advantage
of this disorder, ham-strung many of the camels, and thus secured the
loads as a booty. The escort having with some difficulty, and the
loss of a few men, succeeded in repulsing their daring assailants,
returned to Peshawur, minus about five hundred camels and a quantity of
baggage, which fell into the hands of their enemies. The commissariat,
previously much straitened for carriage, now declared that they had not
the means of carrying the supplies requisite for the march.
A detachment, consisting of all the infantry of the column, (altogether
six companies, including one of the European Regiment,) were now
ordered to march to Ali Musjid, and occupy that fort, until relieved
by a party from the army in Afghanistan. Colonel Wheler's brigade of
Native Infantry was ordered to move from Jellalabad into the Khyber
pass; and thus the defile being entered by the two forces from opposite
sides, would be swept throughout, and a fair probability presented
itself of chastising and bringing to terms the daring banditti.
Colonel Wheler's advanced guard was attacked by a body of Khyberees
at the crest of the steep descent into the valley of Lumdeekhana, but
the marauders, seeing the columns advance in force, soon gave way,
and retired to the interior of the hills. Subsequently, some of the
Khyberee chiefs came down to hold a conference with Colonel Wheeler,
their followers burning fire with the Sepoys in token of amity; and
much regret was expressed for the injuries which had been sustained
at the hands of those chiefs who _had not_ been bribed. On arrival at
Ali Musjid, Colonel Wheeler found the detachments from Peshawur in the
fort, to which they had penetrated with a few supplies, after another
skirmish with the Khyberees, in which, however, the marauders were
roughly handled.
The chiefs had promised that on the payment annually of one lakh of
rupees, the passage of the Khyber should be kept open to the British;
and it was supposed that matters were finally arranged with the
Khyberees, but upon terms which did not sound agreeably in a soldier's
ear, though, politically speaking, they might be deemed expedient.
Matters having been brought to the conditions named above, by those
who were empowered to treat, the infantry brigade, accompanied by the
detachments from our column, which had been relieved, now proceeded
towards Peshawur. The troops had advanced but a short distance from
Ali Musjid, when a swarm of Khyberees once more rushed from the
heights, and, pouncing upon the baggage, succeeded in carrying off
a number of camels, principally laden with the officers' baggage,
which they drove up one of the numerous ravines communicating with
the main passage of the defile. The rear-guard, which had probably
been overlooked by the plunderers, immediately gave chase; and having
been reinforced by parties from the detachments which occupied the
heights flanking the ravine, who had witnessed the theft, came up with
the Khyberees, and having committed considerable havoc amongst the
traitorous rascals, succeeded in recovering some of the camels and
their burdens. The troops then proceeded on their route to Peshawur,
which was reached without any further molestation.
Such was the state in which we abandoned Afghanistan. Having marched
victoriously throughout the country, and thrust a monarch upon his
reluctant subjects, the ill-fated Shah Soojah, with ill-disguised
apprehension, beheld himself placed on the throne of a hostile country
supported only by too much weakened British regiments, a few sepoys,
and a small body of half-disciplined Hindoostan levies. The Bombay
division, on their return march, had found an enemy in nearly every
mud-fort, and met with a spirited resistance from Mehrab Khan at
Khelat; whilst the Khyber Pass, the direct gate of communication with
our far-distant provinces, closed behind the Bengal column as soon
as it had crossed the threshold. The savage and marauding Khyberees,
reckless of all faith and treaties, continued to commit numerous deeds
of rapine and violence, thus amply proving, had any proof been required
of such a self-evident fact, that these treacherous bandits were only
to be restrained from their hereditary profession of plunder whilst
their mountain-fastnesses were being actually swept by an overwhelming
military force; yet, in opposition to these stubborn arguments,
political agents were yet to be found who advocated, and endeavoured to
adopt, conciliatory measures.
In Dost Mahomed's time, the Khyberees had little or no temptation
offered them to infringe their agreement; but the sight of the baggage
which accompanied our column was too much for their resolution.
The garrison of Ali Musjid, having been left in unenviable quarters,
and our fellow-soldiers in Afghanistan to enjoy themselves as they
might in their isolated situation, we prepared to resume our march, and
traverse the remaining four hundred miles, which lay between us and
our advanced posts on the frontier of Ferozepore.
The infantry detachments, which had lately been engaged in the Khyber
Pass, had not rejoined, but followed shortly afterwards, whilst the
first column proceeded onwards through the valley of Peshawur.
On the morning of the 20th of November, we proceeded on our march, and
encamped a few miles distant from the city. At this place, in the broad
daylight, a party of plunderers from some adjacent hills came down and
carried off many camels, which were grazing at little more than a mile
from the lines. The rear-guard of the Lancers, immediately on the alarm
being given, turned out in pursuit, and from a small knoll in camp, we
had a favourable view of the chase.
The robbers, amounting to about forty, having got a good start, were
pushing for the hills, about five miles distant from camp, and driving
the camels before them at a round pace, pricking the bewildered animals
forward with the points of their lances and cimeters. The dragoons
gained steadily on them; but a few men of the irregular cavalry hung
closely on their flanks and rear, and although they were too few to
obstruct effectually the retreat of the banditti, yet they compelled
them to abandon several stray and restive camels. As they neared the
hills, the eagerness of the pursuers redoubled, and the camels dropped
fast to the rear, bearing on their flanks severe marks from the weapons
of their merciless captors. At length, the robbers, with the residue
of their booty, were close to the foot of the hills, the dragoons were
still half a mile behind, and the irregular horsemen, who were less
than two hundred yards off, drew up, and gave a parting fire from
their matchlocks, but without effect. With a shout of exultation,
the mountaineers wheeled about to return the fire, when two gallant
fellows from the irregular horse, dashing round their flank, threatened
an impediment to their line of retreat. The chances seemed, for a
moment, to be against the bandits, for none of them appeared willing to
encounter their daring opponents, and whilst wavering at the foot of
the heights, the dragoons had come within a few hundred yards. Choosing
the least of two evils, the marauders, driving the remainder of their
booty before them, rushed, _en masse_, upon the unfortunate irregulars,
who were unhorsed, but unwounded, ascended the hills, and dispersed in
many directions amongst the gullies and ravines which intersected the
face of the mountains.
Barely a dozen camels were altogether secured by the marauders out
of nearly a hundred which had been seized. During the pursuit, many
villagers from the plains turned out to offer assistance; for these
mountaineers are unfriendly neighbours to the agriculturists, and
scruple not, when urged by necessity, to take whatever may be useful to
them from the unwarlike and helpless dwellers in the plains.
From hence, crossing an extensive plain, we encamped near the banks of
the Caubul river on some greensward, and under a grove of trees.
This was a most luxurious day's residence, and the prospect was more
English than anything we had hitherto seen in the East, or perhaps
I should have rather said, Irish, for the mud huts of the country
bordering Peshawur bear a close resemblance to Irish cabins, although
the unclean animal, that prominent feature at the threshold of most
dwellings in the Emerald Isle, is here considered an unwelcome guest.
A traveller desirous of conciliating the natives of this country
must needs be choice in the selection of animal food; for in this
district--from Peshawur to the Jhelum river--dwell the Mussulman
population of the country, whose abhorrence is a pig; across that
boundary the imperious Sikhs look with pious horror on beef-eaters, for
one of their deities is a bull. The pea-fowl and pigeon are also held
in much veneration by the Sikhs, notwithstanding the ungodly voice of
the bird of Juno, and the destructive habits of the sacred pigeons.
The allurements of immortality, however, compensate for the loss of
temporal possessions, and the depredations of the sacred fowl are
viewed with indifference, and by the more devout, with satisfaction.
On leaving the Caubul river, we passed again over tracts of desolate
plains and barren hills, until we reached once more the banks of the
Indus, on the 26th of November, at the fortress of Attok.
About a mile above Attok, the Caubul river forms a junction with the
Indus, and the united streams rush with great rapidity in a deep and
narrow channel under the walls of that ancient and gloomy fortress. A
temporary bridge of boats had been thrown across the Indus, opposite
to the gates of Attok, which enabled us to cross the river without
much delay, at the end of the morning's march. At this season, the
breadth of the river did not exceed one hundred and fifty yards, and
the cavalry crossed the bridge without dismounting. From the approach
on the Caubul side, Attok presented rather a formidable appearance,
with its extensive and massive parapets frowning over the dark floods
beneath; but at the junction of the two rivers, about one mile higher
up, a passage might easily be effected with a pontoon train, where the
guns of the fort would be nearly inoffensive. When once landed on the
left bank, the fortress would not present a very formidable obstacle,
for the hills immediately above the town afford an excellent position,
whereon batteries might be placed which would command both the town and
fort at a range of something less than six hundred yards.
The Sikhs were very jealous of admitting any of the officers within the
fortress; but as the best view of the place was obtained from the hills
above mentioned, this reluctance on their part did not cause us any
disappointment, and the much-vaunted stronghold of Attok was generally
admitted to be a fortress of no importance, with regard to its present
strength and site. Had a strong detached work been placed on the upper
range of hills, it might have rendered the position more tenable,
although the whole rampart of the place being exposed to view from the
opposite bank, must soon be made to succumb to the stroke of a heavy
battery. Such a catastrophe, however, could never have been expected
from the Afghan quarter, as their battering trains are not of the most
effective description.
A merchant from India had arrived here with wines and other luxuries,
which, in addition to some we had procured at Peshawur from another
enterprising merchant, _en route_ for Caubul, introduced us once more
to those dainties with which previous experience had taught many of us
cheerfully to dispense.
Proceeding on our march from hence, I looked in vain for the fertile
land of which I had heard and read; the appearance of the country near
our line of march was but little superior to Afghanistan.
The tract between Peshawur and the Jhelum river is almost entirely
occupied by the Mussulman population of the Sikh territories, from
whom Runjeet Singh levied his Mussulman regiments, which are generally
supposed to have been the most efficient of his army.
The natives of this part of the country are not supposed to bear any
particular good will to their neighbouring masters, and were kept
in strict subjection by Runjeet. To quell their martial spirit, and
diminish the chances of a revolt, they were restricted from wearing
arms, whilst in the Punjaub almost every Sikh may be seen following the
plough with the singular encumbrance of sword and shield--at least, in
that part of the country bordering on the Mussulman districts.
Should a rupture ensue between the British and the Sikhs, there is
little doubt that if the war be carried into the heart of the Punjaub,
this ill-will on the part of the Mussulmans may be turned to our
advantage; for it is generally supposed that the immunity offered to
their religion and habits under the British rule, would induce them to
prefer it to their present state of subjection.
Six marches from Attok brought us to the celebrated Tope of Manikyala,
in which a vast quantity of coins were recently discovered.
This place is supposed to be the Bucephalia of Alexander's time, by
Mr. Ventura. Its modern name of Manikyala may appear to warrant such a
supposition; but as the Bucephalia was placed on the right bank of the
Jhelum, to command the passage of the river, Sir Alexander Burnes has
objected to the site. This I deem an inconclusive objection, for the
reasons already assigned in page 214.
The monument at Manikyala is a massive spheroidal building of stone
and brick. The perimeter of its base exceeds three hundred yards;
its altitude was computed at something more than fifty. On reaching
the summit, by the aid of some rude and time-worn steps, we found an
aperture, resembling a dry well, which descended apparently to the
foundation of the building. This well was searched, some years ago, by
General Ventura, and at the bottom was found a box, containing many
valuable coins, and also a phial, filled with some liquid.
Whilst peering into this cavity, a tall Sikh, who had arrived on the
same spot, stood watching me with that inquisitive stare which, at
first blush, excites the sufferer to anger, but which experience had
now taught me meant nothing more than simple curiosity.
"Has the sahib discovered any curiosities below?" demanded the
intruder, as I rose from my occupation.
"No; but perhaps you can enlighten me on the subject of this huge pile,
and as to your native traditions of the architect and his intentions,"
I replied, in mongrel Hindustani, which this native was intelligent
enough to comprehend.
"I was here some years ago," he answered, "when General Ventura
searched this well and discovered many ancient pieces of gold, and
silver, and copper. The mound has stood here many centuries, before
the Sikhs possessed this country, and is generally supposed by the
country-people to have been erected by Shah Sikunder (Alexander the
Great) as a monument over some one of his generals, who, probably, fell
in battle near this spot. Our architects declare that the monument was
of a foreign origin."
Such was the pith of the information given by my heathen companion,
as we descended together from the building by the rude staircase,
constructed, perhaps, by the hands of Macedonian engineers and masons,
and trodden by the foot of the invincible Alexander, whose mighty deeds
and conquests, although they have transmitted the deathless name of
the conqueror to posterity, have failed in assigning a definite spot
to his achievements here, or in marking the limit of his advances
into Hindostan--if, indeed, he ever did penetrate as far as those
realms--if, alas! that after a whole life devoted to the pursuit of
the phantom, Ambition, (which was, probably, nearer the grasp of the
Macedonian than that of any subsequent devotee,) the attainment of
his favourite project, the conquest of the East, should at this day
remain a matter of uncertainty. Such is fame, and so much worth, that
gnawing and unaccountable desire to live in the memories of posterity,
which animates alike the poet, the statesman, the soldier, and the
philosopher, to a life of labour, anxiety, hardships, or study, that
his name may survive when the body has partaken of the common lot of
mortality, and lies insensible alike to the worms which are gnawing the
flesh, and its fellow worms above who are probably toiling to destroy
that reputation which was the fond and nurturing object of its earthly
career.
The keenest satire on ambition which I have read, lies in the
observation of Horace--
"Expende Annibalem, quot libras in duce summo invenies?"
But let the cynic sneer his fill at the desire of distinction during
life, and the cravings for a name with posterity; such is the
indefinable condition of the animal, man, that I firmly believe no
mortal ever existed who could despise the prospect of their attainment.
Such are the uncertainties which attend human attainments and
foresight, that a heathen fanatic has, at one fell swoop, destroyed the
labours and monuments of ages of literature,[56] and left the very
existence of many sages of antiquity to be called in question: and the
stupendous pyramids, on which the suns and storms of unknown ages have
beaten, still rear their aged crests into the serene sky, whilst the
object and even the names of their projectors remain a matter of doubt
and dispute.
Whilst indulging these sombre reflections, at the foot of the Tope of
Manikyala, my reverie was interrupted by the approach of a Sikh, who
displayed some coins for sale, which the first glance assured me were
spurious. Reader, be not alarmed; after this dissertation on the novel
topic of the vanity of human forethought, I will not indulge you with a
treatise on the still more uncommon theme of dishonesty. I will merely
add, that I returned the Sikh his coins, telling him that they were
worth a trifle under their actual weight in copper, and then adjourned
to a breakfast which the impatience of two brother officers had made
cold and scanty. The village of Manikyala has been so completely
denuded of antiquities, by the diligence of European travellers, that
not a coin of any value was found there by any of our party.
As we proceeded, a barren country still surrounded us, intersected,
in the most singular manner, by deep ravines, which appeared to have
been caused by heavy floods from the mountains. So frequent, deep, and
precipitous are these rents in the soil, that even were the natives
ever so industriously disposed, the culture of such a surface would be
attended with great disadvantage, both on account of the infertility of
the soil, and the difficulty of tillage and communication.
Having descended into the dry course of a river, we pursued its sandy
track nearly to the banks of the Jhelum river, which is better known
under its classical name of Hydaspes.
About thirty large flat bottomed boats had been collected at the small
town of Jhelum, on the right bank, for the transport of troop baggage,
as also for the soldiers themselves, if it were deemed requisite; but
the river was supposed to be fordable about half a mile above the ferry
of Jhelum, and the ford, which was about four hundred yards in width
and very tortuous, was designated by several bamboos placed upright in
the stream to mark the course to be pursued in crossing.
An officer was sent to report on the practicability of the ford,
(the officials from the quartermaster-general's department having
already crossed in boats,) who crossed and recrossed on horseback,
and reported the greatest depth to be about four feet, and that his
horse had kept his legs firmly during the passage. The Lancers then
received orders from the brigadier to cross on horseback, and entered
the river by sections of threes. The advanced party, keeping close to
the canes which marked the ford, reached the opposite bank in safety;
but the mass of the column, when within about a hundred yards of the
left shore, lost the indications of the ford, which had probably been
destroyed by the advance, and, on diverging from the track, the greater
part were immediately out of their depth. The line of demarcation
being thus trampled over and lost sight of, nearly the whole regiment,
yielding imperceptibly with the current, got below the proper ford,
and, seeing no further marks to direct them, pushed indiscriminately
for the nearest landing-place. First one poor fellow, on a weak horse,
was swept away by the current; and, unable to extricate himself,
encumbered as he was with heavy accoutrements, soon lost his seat, and
being struck by the horse in his efforts to stem the current, sunk,
and was seen no more. Soon afterwards several more, mostly mounted
on animals which were too feeble[57] to swim with the heavy weights
on their backs, were seen struggling in vain to make headway, until,
exhausted with their endeavours, they parted company; and the Dragoons,
unless strong swimmers, were soon overcome, whilst their horses, when
freed from their weights, swam wildly down the river. Amongst the
victims was Captain Hilton, commanding the fourth squadron, who, being
a heavy man, unable to swim, and mounted on a weak old Arab charger,
sunk almost without a struggle. The confusion which prevailed may
be easily imagined, and it appears wonderful that so many managed
to reach the shore. The boats employed in the transport of baggage,
being all heavily laden, could move but slowly towards the scene of
disaster, which was more than half a mile distant from most of them,
and it was only by working up near the bank and thence pushing into
the stream that they could have reached the spot; but they were unable
to do so until all was nearly over, and few, if any, escaped by their
assistance. Those men who had succeeded in reaching the shore now
vociferated confused advice to their comrades in the water, each loudly
recommending some designated place of safety, whilst those struggling
with the current were unable to catch a single word of advice or
command from their numerous advisers, on account of the rushing and
stunning din of the stream, and the clatter of surrounding voices.
When the greater part of the regiment had reached the shore, a body of
the strongest swimmers stripped themselves of their encumbrances, and
hurried to the assistance of their comrades, many of whom were nearly
exhausted by their efforts to keep above water, or benumbed with the
cold, which, at eight o'clock on a December morning, is severe, even in
this latitude.
Numbers of camels, which had attempted a ford rather higher up the
river, with heavy loads on their backs, had been carried off their
legs, and these, floating down the river amongst the soldiers, were the
means of saving many a poor fellow's life, by affording him something
to cling to until he could be rescued from that precarious situation by
the vigorous exertions of his fellow-soldiers.
Soon after the regiment had crossed, it was mustered on the banks, and
Captain Hilton and ten men found missing. The bodies of Captain Hilton
and six men were found in the course of the morning, and interred
close to the river, but the bodies of the remaining sufferers were not
recovered during our halt at the fatal Jhelum.
Had we been compelled to cross this river in the face of an enemy,
the ford could not have been more boldly attempted than on this
occasion.[58] Because a single horseman had crossed in safety it was
deemed advisable that a whole regiment should do the same, neglecting
the probability of the alluvial deposits in the bed of the river
being trampled to the consistency of a quicksand by such constant and
heavy pressure. As a sufficient number of boats had been collected
to transport the whole regiment, with their horses, across the river
within the space of a few hours, it is difficult to assign a reason for
plunging into so deep and uncertain a ford, with a rapid current and an
unstable footing.
Major Hough, the diffuse historian of Indian warfare, has informed us
"that the commander-in-chief and staff regarded the distressing scene
with feelings of the deepest commiseration;" which must have been very
consolatory to the drowning men, and doubtless the survivors are duly
grateful to his excellency for such a flattering display of humanity.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 54: This mode of execution has also been practised by the
princes of many independent states of Hindostan.]
[Footnote 55: In 1842 I witnessed a military execution at Merut, of a
private of the Horse Artillery. The numerous spectators present can
bear witness to the prolonged sufferings of the criminal. The rope
being adjusted, one native pushed him off a low cart under the gibbet,
whilst two others tugged at the rope to hoist him up. The convulsive
writhings of the sufferer long haunted me; they lasted for nearly
twenty minutes.]
[Footnote 56: The library of Alexandria was destroyed by the Arab,
Amrou, a few years after Mahomet. Abulphuragicus Dynast., p. 115. This
is questioned by Gibbon, (!) vol. iii. p. 478, quarto edition.]
[Footnote 57: The greater part of our horses had not regained much
strength after the sorrowful work and starvation they had encountered
during the recent campaign.]
[Footnote 58: In the month of April, upwards of two hundred years ago,
Jehangire's army forded this river with a force of Rajaputs opposing
them. Many were drowned, and most of the remainder fell into the hands
of their enemies. (Dow's India, vol. iii., p. 81.)]