^^^-6-=. 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 WITH 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 1890
 
 WITH 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 1890 
 
 BY 
 
 CAPTAIN CRAWFORD McFALL 
 
 K.O.Y.L.I. 
 
 WITH NINETY ILLUSTKA TIONS FROM DRA WINGS 
 BY THE AUTHOR 
 
 LONDON 
 
 WILLIAM HEINEMANN 
 
 1895
 
 All rigJ:ts reserved
 
 DS 
 
 7SM/L 
 
 DeDicateD 
 
 TO 
 
 THE KING'S OWN 
 YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY 
 
 1415731
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 COMMERCIAL AND POLITICAL IMPORTANCE OF THE ZHOB 
 
 VALLEY I 
 
 SUMMARY OF FOREIGN EXPEDITIONS 4 
 
 THE 2HOB FIELD FORCE lO 
 
 QUETTA TO HINDU BAGH 15 
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 33 
 
 TAHNISHPA TO APOZAI 77 
 
 APOZAI TO NAMUR KALAN AND MOGUL KOT . . . .121 
 
 FROM NAMUR KALAN AND MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS . . 169
 
 WITH THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 1890 
 
 COMMERCIAL AND POLITICAL IMPORTANCE 
 OF THE ZHOB VALLEY 
 
 Owing to the disturbances which have for many years 
 been taking place in the rugged and impracticable 
 country which forms the natural barrier between the 
 British Indian Empire and Afghanistan, that district 
 has been, and still is, the object of a considerable amount 
 of attention on the part of our military authorities. The 
 warlike and bloodthirsty nature of the nomadic tribes 
 which infest the place, as well as the difficulties to travel 
 presented by the rocky, jumbled-together mountains, 
 tended for long to keep the region an unknown 
 quantity to Europeans. The approach of the Russians 
 to Herat, however, and the necessity for providing as 
 safe and scientific a frontier as possible for Hindustan, 
 compelled our Government to make special efforts to 
 enlarge our geographical knowledge of these mountain 
 fastnesses. It is, besides, an important matter to keep 
 all available trade routes between Afghan territory and 
 India open ; for, whilst maintaining an independent
 
 2 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 Afo-hanlstan as a sort of buffer state to prevent trivial 
 frontier disputes, it is also an essential part of the policy 
 of the British Government to keep in thorough touch 
 with the Ameer's dominions. 
 
 The Zhob Valley is, for these and other reasons, 
 of the highest importance to us. It is easily accessible 
 from Ouetta, our great north-western stronghold, and it 
 commands the Draband. Gomal and Tochi Passes on 
 the Afghan side of our scientific frontier. Its possession, 
 therefore, enables us to dominate the entire Gomal high- 
 way which, though for some time almost disused owing 
 to the dangerous attitude of the surrounding tribes, has 
 from time immemorial been the great historic route for 
 commercial traffic between India and the Central Asian 
 bazaars. Not only that, but this highway abuts on the 
 Ghazni road from Herat to Cabul, and its possession, 
 therefore, gives the power to cut the communication 
 which an Invader mig^ht otherwise have between the two 
 famous Afghan strongholds. Since the military expedi- 
 tion, which is the subject of these pages, took place, sur- 
 veys have been taken for a railway and roads in the Zhob 
 Valley, which will practically unite the Sind-Pishin line 
 with tile Punjab system near Dera Ismail Khan. These 
 cannot fail to be of the greatest strategic importance 
 as supplying an alternative means of approach towards 
 Candahar, and facilitating the massing of troops on that 
 point from the direction of Northern India, besides 
 supplying a speedy means of reaching Cabul should that 
 capital be ever attacked by a foe hostile to British Interests.
 
 IMPORTANCE OF THE ZHOB VALLEY 3 
 
 According to native reports, the older commercial 
 route was not by the Gomal Pass, but through the 
 narrower pass of the Chuhar-Khel-Dahna under the 
 Takht-i-Suleiman direct to the Derajat. This medium 
 of communication was, it is said, rendered impracticable 
 some generations back by the occurnmce of a landslip 
 which blocked it up for a distance of about a mile and a 
 half, since which time the Pawindahs, or Afghan traders, 
 have invariably travelled to India by the longer northern 
 route.
 
 SUMMARY OF FORMER EXPEDITIONS 
 
 Prior to the year 1889, the Gonial Pass and, indeed, the 
 whole Zhob Valley were almost entirely unknown to the 
 British Government. The information in our possession 
 was practically wholly derived from native sources. 
 The earliest officer to traverse the district seems to have 
 been Lieutenant Broadfoot, who, in 1839, joined a 
 caravan of Pawindahs at Ghazni, and entered India by 
 this road. The first serious attempt to open up the 
 highway for British Indian trafiic was made in 1878 by 
 Major Macaulay, at that time Deputy-Commissioner of 
 Dera Ismail Khan, but he only got about thirty miles up 
 the pass, when his efforts at pacification were brought to 
 a sudden close by the Mahsud raid on Tank, which led 
 to the Mahsud Waziri expedition being undertaken in 
 1 88 1. Then, in 1883, a native surveyor, Yusaf Sharif by 
 name, was despatched to explore the pass under tribal 
 escort, and he did useful work by successfully surveying 
 the route as far as the junction of the Zhob and Gomal 
 streams. This survey, however, only extended to about 
 twenty-four miles beyond our then frontier line. 
 
 For some years no attempt was made to complete 
 Yusaf Sharif's work, until, in October 1887, the subject
 
 SUMMARY OF FORMER EXPEDITIONS 5 
 
 was again brought forward, and Mr. G, M. Ogilvie, 
 the then Deputy-Commissioner of Dera Ismail Khan, 
 proceeded personally up the pass as far as Spin to 
 ascertain whether it would be possible to accomplish 
 the work by an open reconnaissance by British officers 
 under tribal escort. It was not at that time thought that 
 any satisfactory result would ensue if the work were 
 done secretly by native surveyors in the manner in 
 which Yusaf Sharif had proceeded. Mr. Ogilvie, having 
 reported favourably, the Government decided to order a 
 complete examination of the whole route as far as 
 Domandi, which is the junction of the Kundar and 
 Gomal rivers. Accordingly, on the 6th of February, 1888, 
 an expedition, consisting of Mr. Ogilvie, Captain R. A. 
 Wahab, of the Survey Office, Captain A. H. Mason, R.E., 
 and Lieutenant J. W. C. Hutchinson, of the 6th Punjab 
 Infantry, started from Dera Ismail Khan for the pass. 
 The various tribes through whose districts the expedition 
 was to pass were to be responsible for its safe conduct, 
 each within its own limits, and pecuniary rewards of 
 stated amounts were promised to them for this service. 
 Thus the Mahsud Waziris guaranteed the safe conduct 
 of the expedition up to Khajuri Kach, under an escort of 
 1 50 foot and 1 2 horsemen (influential inaliks or head- 
 men of the tribe), while beyond Khajuri Kach, the Zalli 
 Khel Waziris, Dotanis, Suleiman Khel Ghilzais and 
 Nasar Pawindahs arranged similarly to protect our sur- 
 veyors. From the first, however, the attitude of the 
 tribesmen was hostile. At Tank, where the surveying
 
 6 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 party arrived on the 8th of February, the Waziris were 
 found collected in force to the number ultimately of from 
 two to three thousand armed men. On the 9th, a murder 
 was committed in a village quite close to Tank, which 
 was traced to the Mahsud Waziri tribe, and, owing to 
 the menacing and aggressive aspect of these natives, it 
 was only after repeated efforts that anything like an 
 ao-reement was arrived at as to the terms of their service. 
 At last, on the 20th of February, the expedition got 
 fairly started, and, having arrived at Gomal, quarters 
 were pitched there. That night shots were fired in close 
 proximity to the camp, one bullet actually penetrating 
 the Deputy-Commissioner's tent, and the aggressors 
 made good their escape to the hills. Notwithstanding 
 the threatening aspect of affairs it was decided to move 
 on next day to a spot about a mile beyond the frontier. 
 In the course of this march the Mahsuds became still 
 more violent, and actually stole some of the supplies of 
 the expedition, and on the next day, February 22, a 
 riot took place between these tribesmen and the Zalli 
 Khel, which ended in about a dozen men, chiefly of the 
 latter tribe, being severely wounded. It was then found 
 necessary to deal more strictly with the Mahsuds, and 
 these were told that they must withdraw a considerable 
 portion of their force at once, failing which the expedi- 
 tion would return. This ultimatum had, however, little 
 effect, and as it was apparent that an organised resistance 
 to the surveying party was in preparation and that useful 
 results could hardly be expected, it was finally decided
 
 SUMMARY OF FORMER EXPEDITIONS 7 
 
 to retreat, which was done on the 24th of February by 
 way of the Sheranna Pass. 
 
 The unfortunate issue of this expedition seemed to 
 prove the impracticability of a satisfactory survey except 
 by a well equipped force. Nothing was done, however, 
 until 1889, when Sir Robert Sandeman (who had already, 
 in the November of 1888, by permission of the Indian 
 Government, traversed the Zhob Valley to within twenty- 
 five miles of Khajuri Kach under the protection of his 
 military escort and a picked troop of Brahui, Beluch and 
 Pathan horsemen) submitted a proposal to extend a 
 British protectorate over the Zhob Valley and the country 
 lying between the Gomal Pass and Pishin. The whole 
 matter was carefully discussed in the autumn of 1889, 
 with the result that Sir Robert Sandeman received 
 authoritative orders to proceed at an early date to the 
 Zhob Valley to explore the country of the Mandu 
 Khel tribe as far as the junction of the Zhob and Gomal 
 rivers. Accordingly, accompanied by an escort consist- 
 ing of 470 sabres of the 6th Bengal Cavalry, 500 rifles 
 of the 23rd Bengal Infantry (Pioneers), and No. 3 
 (Peshawar) Mountain Battery, all under the command 
 of Colonel Jennings of the 6th Bengal Cavalry, Sir 
 Robert Sandeman, as agent of the Governor-General, 
 and Mr. R. I. Bruce, CLE., as Deputy-Commissioner 
 of Dera Ismail Khan and as representing the Punjab 
 Government, started at the fall of the year to accomplish 
 their task. The Ameer of Afghanistan was at the same 
 time made acquainted with the objects of the expedition,
 
 S THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 lest he might imagine it to betoken some aggressive 
 movement against the integrity of his dominions. On 
 December i8, 1889, Major-General Sir George White, 
 who commanded the Ouetta district, inspected the 
 military escort at Loralai, and on the 19th a start was 
 actually made from that place. After marching for four 
 days, Murgha was reached, and on the 23rd of the 
 month the Ghoza plain, a high plateau of about the 
 same elevation as Quetta, was entered. Next day Garda 
 was reached, the chief village of the Babar tribe, which 
 came in to make submission, and two days after that 
 the expedition entered Apozai. Here a durbar was 
 held, at which the proposals of the British were ex- 
 plained to the chief nialiks of the Zhob district and 
 agreements made for the safety of the Gomal Pass and 
 the opening up of the Zhob route to commerce. From 
 Apozai a reconnaissance was also sent out to the 
 Kundar river, the intermediate district being surveyed 
 without opposition. Only the Largha and Khiddarzai 
 divisions of the Sherani tribesmen remained aloof and 
 showed signs of unfriendliness. Apozai was made a 
 station, and Captain I. Mac Ivor, political agent, was 
 put in command, with an escort consisting of 160 sabres 
 of the 6th Bengal Cavalry, two guns of the 3rd Mountain 
 Battery, and 200 rifles of the 23rd Bengal Infantry. 
 The main body proceeded to Khajuri Kach, reaching 
 that place, at the junction of the Zhob and Gomal, on 
 January 25, 1890, and after a halt of two days there, 
 moved on to Nilai Kach on the 28th without mishap,
 
 SUMMARY OF FORMER EXPEDITIONS 9 
 
 except that a havildar of the 23rd Pioneers was 
 murdered at Khajuri Kach just before starting. On 
 January 29, Sir Robert Sandeman's party reached Tank. 
 
 As we have seen, the Largha and Khiddarzai sections 
 of the Sheranis alone openly refused to treat with Sir 
 Robert Sandeman's expedition. After the latter's return 
 rumours continued to come in of the hostile intentions of 
 these tribesmen, and in August of 1890 the Foreign 
 Department of the Government of India formally sanc- 
 tioned the despatch of a punitive expedition against 
 them, to be carried out by troops from Ouetta by way 
 of the northern Kakar country. The arrangements for 
 this expedition were prepared by Sir Robert Sandeman, 
 as chief political officer, with Major General Sir George 
 White, commanding the Ouetta district, the latter 
 officer being detailed to conduct the military operations. 
 
 The deliberations of these officers ended with the 
 issue of definite orders to form the '* Zhob Field Force."
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 The Zhob Field F'orce contained the following troops : 
 No. 7 Mountain Battery of Royal Artillery under 
 Colonel Morgan, and the 2nd Battalion of the King's 
 Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, under the command of 
 Major Symons, consisting of companies B, C, E, and F, 
 under Captains Butler-Creagh, Milton, Burke, and 
 Pyrke respectively, with Lieutenants Ellis, Cashel, and 
 Bond, and 2nd Lieutenant Dowdall ; Adjutant, Cap- 
 tain Ottley ; Transport Officer, Lieutenant Rogers ; and 
 Quartermaster Judge. I was attached to F company as 
 subaltern to Captain Pyrke. Each company consisted 
 of four sergeants, one colour-sergeant, five corporals, and 
 one hundred and ten privates. The battalion was further 
 supplemented by the band, which numbered twenty-four, 
 twenty buglers, one warrant officer, one band sergeant, 
 and one bugle major. The other troops in the force 
 were the i8th Bengal Lancers, No. i Company 
 (Bombay) Sappers and Miners, the 2nd and 3rd 
 Battalions of Beluchis (or, in other words, the 29th 
 and 30th Bombay Infantry), two sections of the 23rd 
 British Field Hospital, and two sections of the 24th, 
 and three sections of the 25th Native Field Hospitals.
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE ii 
 
 The native infantry battalions, it should be added, were 
 each 550 strong. 
 
 As to baggage, my allowance consisted of a tent (80 
 lbs.), shared with a brother subaltern, and personal 
 luggage (80 lbs.), 70 lbs. for oneself, and 10 lbs. for 
 servant. The latter was composed of valise, blankets, 
 waterproof sheet, khaki uniform, spare boots and laces, 
 great coat. Balaclava cap, socks, shirts, cholera belts, 
 towels, handkerchiefs, soap, hold-all, fur-boots, Cardigan 
 jacket, journal, enamelled iron mug, canvas bucket, 
 lantern, candles, matches, dubbin, cup and plate, knife 
 and fork, spoon, sketching block and book, paint 
 box, and minor items. The men carried on the 
 person, coats (on belt with braces), one tin pot hung 
 on water bottle, and forty rounds of ammunition (in 
 pouches). The weight of their kit was limited to forty- 
 one pounds, these including one spare coat, one glen- 
 garry, one spare trousers, one Balaclava cap, one 
 wadded coat, one pair boots, one jersey or Cardigan, 
 two flannel shirts (one on and one in kit), one tin 
 dubbin, spare laces, one hold-all, three pairs of socks, 
 three blankets, one boot brush, one waterproof sheet, 
 one settrinjee (a stout kind of mat, of cotton stuff, made 
 into a bag at one end to hold the kit and to roll up, in 
 which case the bed strap would fasten it), two towels, 
 one pair mits, soap, one tin pot and plate (the former 
 being carried on the water-bottle strap), and two cholera 
 belts. Two kits were put up into a saleetak, a strong 
 bag of hemp or fibre, with loops at the mouth through
 
 12 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 which a rope is put to kice it up when packed, and 
 several of these saledahs were roped on to each camel, 
 one on either side (or else hung- on to the camel saddle 
 in loading nets). 
 
 As to ammunition, there was allowed for each infantry 
 soldier, besides the 40 rounds carried on the person, 
 50 rounds carried on mules, and 60 rounds carried on 
 camels. Each cavalry soldier was allowed 20 rounds 
 carried on person, 20 rounds carried in wallets, and 
 60 rounds carried on camels. Besides this, 100,000 
 rounds of Martini- Henry rifle and 10,000 rounds of 
 carbine ammunition were ordered to be held in reserve 
 at Apozai. Two hundred rounds of buckshot cartridges 
 per regiment, and 100 per battery and company of 
 sappers and miners were also carried for sentry use 
 especially at night. 
 
 The animals used for transport were camels, mules, 
 and some ponies with the cavalry. The commissariat 
 feeds apportioned to these were as follows : for each 
 camel, 4 lbs. grain, 20 bhuSsa ; for each mule of the first 
 class, 5 lbs. grain, 15 bhussa ; and for each mule of the 
 second class, 4 lbs. grain, 14 bhussa. Each mule carried 
 160 lbs. and each camel 400 lbs. 
 
 The rations allotted to each man per day were com- 
 posed of bread I lb., meat i lb., flour or rice ilb., saltfoz., 
 tea i oz., potatoes | lb., other vegetables t oz., and fire- 
 wood, these rations to be increased when on the march. 
 The supplies collected were for two and a half months, 
 and depots were formed at Kazha and at Apozai. The
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 13 
 
 force itself took twenty-five clays' supplies with it on 
 leaving Hindu Bagh. 
 
 No dogs were permitted to accompany the column. 
 
 As no means were available to send any sick men 
 back any such were ordered to accompany the force, 
 additional ambulance as might be rendered necessary 
 being allowed to be provided by the commanding officer. 
 Mules were fitted up with big padded pack-saddles of 
 rough canvas, upon which any disabled warriors sat. 
 
 The troops composing the Zhob Field Force were all 
 stationed at Ouetta when the order for the formation 
 of the expedition was issued, except the i8th Bengal 
 Lancers and 2nd Beluchis, who were at Loralai, and 
 the 3rd Beluchis, who were at Hyderabad, in Scinde, 
 The regiments at Loralai were ordered to proceed by 
 road thence to the Zhob Valley, where they would join 
 the main body, while the 3rd Beluchis were ordered to 
 proceed by railway to Khanai, a place on our line of 
 march, where the main body was to pick them up. 
 
 It was arranged that Mr. Bruce, the officiating 
 Commissioner of the Derajat, should join Sir Robert 
 Sandeman in the Khiddarzai country in order to settle 
 questions with that section of the tribe of the Sheranis. 
 Mr. Oldham, of the Geological Survey, also accompanied 
 the force to examine the oil deposits said to exist in the 
 districts to be visited. 
 
 The first objective of the expedition was Tahnishpa, 
 a point of considerable importance, since it was known 
 to be largely under the control of Bungal Khan, son of
 
 14 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 Dost Muhammad, a famous outlaw. The original plan 
 proposed for the operations of the Zhob Valley Force 
 had included an endeavour to cut off the retreat of these 
 outlaws and their followers into Afghan territory, but 
 the Indian Government, considering that any move- 
 ment very near the Afghan frontier might excite distrust 
 in the mind of the Ameer, ordered the programme to be 
 thus far altered, that no operations should be carried 
 out north of the Kundar river, so rendering any flank 
 turning movement impossible. The expedition, therefore, 
 was to march direct for Tahnishpa, It was intended 
 on the way, however, to divide up our force into three 
 columns, and by causing these to converge upon 
 Tahnishpa by different routes, it was thought more 
 geographical knowledge might be gathered with respect 
 to the district and at the same time a greater number 
 of the tribesmen might be brought to realise our power.
 
 QUETTA TO HINDU BAGH 
 
 We, who were stationed at Ouetta, ought to have 
 moved out on the 25th of September, but at the last 
 moment it was found that there was not a sufficient 
 
 number of camels 
 forthcominof, in 
 consequence of 
 which a delay 
 of two days oc- 
 curred. The 
 British portion 
 of the Ouetta 
 force, however, 
 got away on the 
 27th, No. I Com- 
 pany, Bombay 
 Sappers and Miners, with the Native Field Hospital, 
 following on the next day. 
 
 Our start was not without its excitement. We had 
 been in barracks at Ouetta for a very long time, and the 
 stay there had become somewhat monotonous. The 
 prospect of active service, therefore, came undoubtedly 
 as a relief to all the members of the force. Besides,
 
 i6 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 the barracks at Quetta consist, for the most part, of mud 
 houses covered with corrugated iron roofs, which are, 
 consequendy, very cold in winter and very hot in summer, 
 and the change to camp Hfe, if not a great improvement 
 upon our previous mode of existence, was certainly likely 
 to be more exciting and lively. And yet life at Quetta 
 now is much better than when we first took the place, 
 for then our army of occupation had to live entirely in 
 tents. 
 
 I had been appointed to act as Field Treasury Officer 
 until Tulloch, who was our Commissariat and Transport 
 Officer and who was also to fulfil the duties of this office, 
 should meet us. As such accordingly I acted until the 
 5th of October, when I delegated my trust at Kazha. I 
 began my duties on the 24th of September, having handed 
 to me half a lakh or 50,000 rupees, packed in fourteen 
 boxes or cases, to be used for pay and other military 
 purposes. There were nine boxes of whole rupees, 
 5000 being in each box in five bags of 1000 each, 
 one box of small silver to the amount of 4500 rupees, 
 two boxes of single pice each to the value of 1 50 rupees, 
 and two boxes of double pice each to the value of 100 
 rupees. 
 
 Prior to the orders to start I had of course to see all 
 this treasure properly packed into chests. These were 
 of oak, all heavily padlocked, and were loaded upon 
 camels, each animal having two chests, one on either 
 side. As about forty rupees weigh one pound, the total 
 must have weighed considerably over 1250 pounds.
 
 OUETTA TO HINDU BAGH 
 
 17 
 
 When in camp the treasure was under the charge of the 
 Quarter Guard. 
 
 Naturally, every one at Quetta who could do so turned 
 out to see us start. Many, too, followed the agreeable 
 custom which prevails in India and rode out three or four 
 miles with us to see us fairly on our way. I, of course, 
 was engaged with my treasury in the baggage column 
 
 
 
 ir:^^?*^-^^-^^'^;^ 
 
 in rear, and here there was plenty of din, camels gurg- 
 ling, mules squealing, these sounds being mixed with the 
 cries of the native drivers and escort encouraging and 
 driving the animals, and the strains of the bands playing 
 at the front. / 
 
 Our first destination was Kuchlak, distant about eleven 
 and a half miles from Quetta. We marched out from 
 Quetta about 7.20 a.m. and arrived at Kuchlak about 
 12.15 P-M., making three short halts on the road of a 
 few minutes each, to enable the column to get properly 
 in order and close up. 
 
 As we have seen, the Headquarters column did not get 
 away from Quetta as a whole on the 27th of September,
 
 j8 the zhob field force 
 
 our division, consisting of No. 7 Mountain Battery, Royal 
 Artillery, the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and 
 the two sections of the British Field Hospital, moving off 
 on that day, and the other, consisting of No. i Company 
 Bombay Sappers and Miners, and the Native Field 
 Hospital following next day. It was not till the 30th 
 of September that the two divisions became united, the 
 first having halted that day at Khanozai, and the second 
 coming up from Khanai with the 3rd Beluchis, who had 
 joined it at the latter place. 
 
 Kuchlak was well known to most of us on account of 
 the number of karezes to be found there, stocked with 
 "blue rocks." These karezes are a series of holes let 
 down vertically into the ground, usually at the base of a 
 mountain side, at intervals of about ten yards or so. In 
 some places as many as a hundred can be seen close 
 together, in rows. They are to be found all over 
 Beluchistan, more especially where there are no rivers or 
 streams. The object of their construction is to collect 
 the water which percolates underground, and they thus 
 form a series of artesian wells, the water in which 
 is, owing to the depth, kept very cool. The natives 
 begin by constructing one, stopping when they come to 
 water ; they then proceed to make others up and down 
 the slope, or along the plain, as the case may be. These 
 holes are then left open, with the dug-out earth thrown 
 up and piled round the opening, the water collected below 
 being used as required, mostly for irrigating the melon, 
 maize and other patches of cultivation about. Some of
 
 OUETTA TO HINDU BAGH 19 
 
 these karezes are very old. Most of them, too, are 
 splendid places for shooting pigeons ; it is in the sides 
 of these holes that the wily blue rocks make their nests, 
 a cool and shady retreat ; they may be seen seated or 
 strutting about on the great lumps of earth at the mouth 
 of the shafts, and cooing or calling to each other, being 
 generally at home at sunset or in the early morning, 
 going far afield in the daytime to forage in the country 
 around. Of course, on the present occasion we could 
 not go up to our old karezes at Kuchlak to try our luck 
 at pigeon shooting, but while stationed at Quetta we 
 had frequently much pleasant sport, riding out with our 
 guns to these karezes and shooting the birds as they 
 came flying out. The usual method of turning them out 
 was by throwing down loose earth or stones which, as a 
 rule, made them leave their cool retreat, and, of course, 
 one never knew out of which particular karez they were 
 going to pop. 
 
 Some karezes, especially the older ones, are the homes 
 of porcupines, and our men used to get them frequently 
 with their dogs ; the quills of the little spikey pigs were 
 often found lying near the mouths of the shafts, 
 
 Kuchlak is a fine camping-groimd, and has a big 
 commissariat forage store. 
 
 Our march to this place was not a long one, but owing 
 to the noise, bustle, and excitement of the start and of 
 the preparation on the day before our start, as well as on 
 the morning of our marching, we were glad when our 
 companies tents were all pitched and the men settled, to
 
 20 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 o-et off to our own tents and have a little quiet. The 
 flies were a great nuisance. Here is my tent companion 
 trying to evade them, sprawling on his valise, having 
 cast his puttis. Puttis, by the way, are a long kind 
 
 of bandage, wound 
 round the leg from 
 the ankle to just be- 
 low the knee where 
 they are either tied 
 or strapped ; they are 
 very comfortable for 
 marching or riding, 
 instead of leggings 
 or long boots, and splendid things for hill climbing. 
 They are worn by all our troops now in the East. 
 
 Next morning (28th of September) we left Kuchlak 
 about 7,20 A.M., for Khanai, where we arrived about 
 I P.M., much to our satisfaction, for though the distance 
 intervening between these places is only sixteen miles it 
 was a hot, dry, dusty day. At Khanai we found an 
 excellent camping-ground, and, what was more important 
 from the thirsty soldier's point of view, a great quantity 
 of splendid melons. These were the more valuable 
 because the water supply of the place was far from being 
 sweet. Three or four huge water-melons could be 
 purchased here for an anna, the value of which in our 
 coinage is about twopence, and the reader, therefore, 
 need not be surprised to learn that Tommy did not delay 
 very long entering into bargfains with the natives for
 
 QUETTA TO HINDU BAGH 21 
 
 securing some of these melons. I have represented him 
 as he appeared returning with his purchases, laden like 
 a spoiled child with almost more than he could con- 
 veniently hold. The byle, 
 or humped cow, in this 
 sketch is used chiefly 
 for draught purposes all 
 over India. 
 
 Khanai is itself a mere 
 collection of mud huts, 
 exactly similar to other 
 settlements of the almost 
 nomadic tribes which fre- 
 quent this region. These 
 settlements are never of 
 
 ^-v^^ 
 
 ^^-^' 
 
 a very permanent nature, 
 for if in the case of any 
 one of them the water supply should fail, or if it 
 should become uninhabitable for any other reason, 
 the inhabitants simply remove to some new district, 
 leaving their former township to fall to gradual ruin. 
 Thus it is that these mountain regions are strewn 
 with so many deserted and tumble-down villages. 
 
 It was here that the 3rd Beluchis joined us the 
 same afternoon, marching into camp headed by their 
 pipers. They had come by rail all the way from Hyder- 
 abad, and Khanai was the last station on the Quetta 
 railway which we touched on our march, which was the 
 reason why they met us here. In fact, in coming from
 
 22 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 Ouetta, we had marched practically all the way to Khanai 
 alongside the railway. 
 
 Here, too, it was that the treasury clerk who had been 
 sent from Calcutta to look after the expedition's accounts 
 joined us. He, of course, was a civilian, though I would 
 not for a moment suggest that this was the cause of his 
 meagre outfit. Apparently he thought himself sufficiently 
 
 v.?*^ 
 
 equipped for the exigencies of the campaign and for the 
 duties of his post armed with the pair of scales which 
 seemed to wholly compose his baggage ! He was one of 
 those mortals whose sole idea of business is to weigh out 
 everything, even money ! 
 
 On the 29th of September we left Kanai about 7.5 a.m. 
 and marched to Kanozai, a distance of about sixteen 
 miles, arriving at the latter place about 2.15 p.m. At 
 Kanozai we again found an excellent camping ground, 
 and the water supply was plentiful and fairly good. Close 
 to our camp was the bungalow, almost the only house in 
 the district, which is occupied as a levy post house, and 
 our Intelligence Department were in possession. For 
 
 I
 
 QUETTA TO HINDU BAGH 23 
 
 camp use, however, we had a field post office of our own 
 which is represented on the page opposite. The box 
 or rather bag for letters may be seen hanging at the 
 door way of the post tent, and a little way off is the mail 
 camel waiting to start upon its first stage. 
 
 At Kanozai we made a halt of a day, and on the 30th 
 of September, quite a flutter of excitement arose over the 
 arrival of various notabilities. First of all there came 
 about II A.M., under a salute from the mountain battery 
 of thirteen guns. Sir Robert Sandeman, Political Agent 
 to the Governor-General. Then about four o'clock in 
 the afternoon another salute from eleven guns announced 
 that Sir George White, the general officer commanding 
 the force, had come into camp. Both of these had railed 
 to Kanai, whence they followed us on to Kanozai. Mr. J. 
 G. Apcar, the correspondent of the London Tiincs, also 
 joined the Zhob Field Force at Kanozai. He was the 
 guest of the general officer commanding. It was on the 
 30th also that the second division of the Ouetta force, 
 which we had left a day's march behind us at Ouetta, 
 came up with us at Kanozai in company with the 3rd 
 Beluchis, who had halted the previous day at Khanai. 
 From this point we marched in one united body to 
 Hindu Bagh. 
 
 In the matter of fruit as a substitute for bad water 
 we were worse off at Kanozai than we were at Kanai. 
 The country in the Kanozai district is very bare, with 
 the exception of a few patches of maize scattered about 
 here and there, and no melons were to be had. What
 
 24 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 was worse, during dinner our mess president gave out the 
 blio-htine intelliu^ence that our supply of soda-water had 
 run out and that from this point onwards we should 
 consequendy have no more aerated water. With the 
 <Tuesome prospect of henceforth drinking the sweet 
 water of the districts we were traversing, we began to 
 regret the Quetta Club with its cool "pegs" and 
 "wilayat pani " (European water), the native name for 
 soda-water. 
 
 Next clay, Wednesday, the i::t of October, the bugles 
 sounded the " Rouse " at 5.30 in the morning; for the 
 march was expected to occupy a longer time, as the 
 country seemed to be getting more difficult. Up to this 
 point the country through which we had passed was fairly 
 level ; now it got more undulating, especially as we 
 neared Murgha, which was the destination of this day's 
 journey. On this occasion our column marched regi- 
 mentally, the 3rd Beluchis moving out at 6.30 a.m., the 
 7th Mountain Battery at 7.15 a.m. and the King's Own 
 Yorkshire Light Infantry at 8 a.m. 
 
 The road to Murgha turned out better than was 
 expected. Certainly it was better than the road between 
 Ouetta and Kanozai, notwithstanding that it went up 
 and down over small hills. Besides, there were two or 
 three watering-places on the way. The road we tra- 
 versed was what is called a kutcJia road, merely an 
 unmade marked out sandy track. The country around 
 was very barren, only one or two patches of corn being 
 visible, and here again no melons were to be had. Since
 
 OUETTA TO HINDU BAGH 25 
 
 the water met with was decidedly unpalatable, owing to 
 the large quantity of magnesia in it, we looked forward 
 eagerly to another opportunity of getting water-melons 
 like those at Kanai. 
 
 Murgha, which is distant from Kanozai only about 
 fifteen miles, was duly reached. Here our camping- 
 ground was very bad, although the part selected con- 
 sisted of kaches, or terraced fields. These kaclies are 
 curious, half artificial, half natural, hillside formations, 
 being terraced naturally, but built up artificially so as to 
 prevent their being washed or blown away, earth being 
 precious in these rocky regions. Usually they are avail- 
 able for cultivation, this being the reason of their 
 preservation. There was little, however, on the terraces 
 on which we British troops were encamped, and the 
 native troops were even worse off, being stationed on 
 very stony ground. The word kacJie must be dis- 
 tinguished from the term kacha, which means a mule. 
 
 As a matter of fact, during this march our Tommies 
 began to feel the effects of the hot, dry, sandy roads. 
 Naturally, it went much against the grain to have to 
 fall out of the ranks from sore feet, and we had very 
 few cases of it, whilst many suffered severely before 
 they gave in. When a man did suffer so much from 
 blisters or any illness that he had to make use of the 
 ambulance mules he presented a very sorry sight, which 
 gave birth to the most raking witticisms from the 
 mouths of his comrades. Sometimes, too, these mules 
 would make a bolt in order to visit a mule friend who
 
 26 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 probably had fed alongside them when on transport 
 service, and then Tommy Atkins or John Sepoy had 
 to hang on like grim death, rifle, water-botde, and 
 haversack all banging away, and their expostulations 
 being drowned by the healthy braying of the mules who, 
 without fear of bit or bridle, would charge on over 
 doolies and field companions, to the great amusement 
 
 ('In -^vf^ 
 
 of the marchinor column in (general. It is worth while 
 to note that we had no wheels in the transport service. 
 
 On the 2nd of October, " Rouse " sounded at 5 a.m., to 
 prepare for our march to Hindu Bagh, the rendezvous 
 fixed for the Zhob Field Force, a distance of thirteen 
 miles. A start was made at 7.10 a.m., and after easy 
 going Hindu Bagh was reached about 11.50 a.m. On 
 this journey we followed the same sandy kutcha track, 
 here litde else than a track, for there was no definite road.
 
 QUETTA TO HINDU BAGH 27 
 
 This was a trifle dusty, and a hot, dry wind was blow- 
 ing down the valley — indeed, this wind never seemed 
 to stop — so that it was hot work going along, although 
 the country was not at all rocky. This was quite a 
 valley march, but we found no water by the way. Our 
 route seemed to gradually descend from Murgha to 
 Hindu Bagh, which made it easier to travel. 
 
 On this march our column moved in regular forma- 
 tion, the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry being- 
 advance guard, and the baggage (in order) bringing 
 up the rear. With the exception of a few friendly 
 local people, we hardly met with any natives at all. 
 Those we did see were mostly traders, for this district 
 being near a large British cantonment, the cut-throat 
 element kept a safe and respectable distance. 
 
 Hindu Bagh is not a place of much importance. It 
 is situated rather low down in the valley, and contains 
 many watercourses, one or two of these being of con- 
 siderable size. Naturally, we found much more culti- 
 vation here in consequence of the water, for wherever 
 water was seen we were pretty sure to find a cultivated 
 oasis near. Water is the great sine qua non for a native 
 settlement, and when the tribesmen find a new course, 
 they at once seize upon it and make it their own. So 
 at Hindu Bagh we got good supplies of grapes, pome- 
 granates and melons, as well as a lot of Indian corn. 
 The village itself is prettily situated, and is surrounded 
 by many trees. It contains, too, many bunya shops 
 or bazaars of native dealers, which are, however, mere
 
 28 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 mud huts. The name at first suggests the " Garden 
 of India," but there is not much of a garden about 
 the place. Only a native could rise to poetry about it, 
 and he must needs be a little home-sick. 
 
 Whilst at Hindu Bagh, information was obtained 
 that the road which it had been intended to follow 
 from Kazha via Khushnob and Tiri Kandao to the 
 Dost Muhammad hamlets was unfit for camel traffic. 
 It was in consequence of this that the Barakshahza. 
 road was followed by the force which left us later on 
 at Shinakorah under the command of Colonel Nicolson. 
 
 Three columns were now formed. The Fieadquarters 
 column was under the personal command of Sir George 
 White, and consisted originally of all the troops 
 stationed at Ouetta. After the 4th of October, when 
 the undermentioned troops were withdrawn to form 
 No. 2 column, it consisted of those which then re- 
 mained. The course to be followed by this column was 
 the Toi river route. The second column was under 
 the command of Colonel M. H. Nicholson (of the 3rd 
 Beluch Battalion), accompanied by Sir Robert Sande- 
 man, and consisted of two guns of the 7th Mountain 
 Battery, one company of the King's Own Yorkshire 
 Light Infantry not exceeding 100, two companies of the 
 3rd Beluchis, who arrived at Khanai by rail from Hyder- 
 abad and there joined the main force, half a company 
 Sappers and Miners, and one troop of the i8th Bengal 
 Lancers. This column was to move via Maidan Kach 
 and Baraksia across the Khaisor Valley. Lasdy, a
 
 QUETTA TO HINDU BAGH 29 
 
 third column consisted of a small detachment of twenty- 
 six rifles of the 3rd Beluch Battalion under a native 
 officer, and formed an escort to a survey party under 
 Lieutenant R. J. Mackenzie, R.E., of the Survey 
 Department. This third column was placed under the 
 command of Captain A. H. Mason, R.E., Deputy 
 Assistant Quartermaster-General for Intelligence, and its 
 route was across the Dhana Pass into the Rod Valley, 
 thence to the head of the Khaisor Valley and down that 
 to Tahnishpa.
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 
 
 We left Hindu Bagh on Friday, October 3, about 
 7.10 A.M. for Shinakorah, about ten miles distant. 
 This was a short easy march, but there was no road 
 now, only a camel track along the river bed. To-day 
 the 3rd Beluchis formed the advance guard. 
 
 Shinakorah, though an open place, was a very 
 stony camping-ground. There was not much water 
 here, but something like a supply was obtainable from 
 a spring in the Shinakorah Pass. There is a water 
 tank here, but it takes twelve hours to fill, and notice 
 had always to be given when it was required to be 
 filled. In consequence of this water supply, no doubt, 
 we found five or six hamlets in the Shinakorah Pass, 
 but there was little or no cultivation about, and the 
 whole district looked bare and barren. It was esti- 
 mated that only about two hundred maunds of bhussa 
 might be produced from these villages in the pass, 
 that scarcely any camel fodder was obtainable, and 
 that the wheat and grain product of the district, 
 amounting to about six hundred maunds in all, would 
 be wholly required for the support of the native in- 
 -dwellers.
 
 34 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 Some of our Royal Engineer people took observa- 
 tions at Shinakorah with the view of correcting our 
 Quetta time to local time. If I remember right, the 
 result was to make a difference of about an hour, 
 local time here being much slower than Quetta time. 
 
 Next day, the 4th of October, was an important date. 
 First of all, Captain Mason, R.E., Deputy Assistant 
 Quartermaster-General, Intelligence Department, as 
 commander, accompanied by Lieutenant Mackenzie, 
 R.E., and a survey party, who had been commissioned 
 by Sir Robert Sandeman to proceed by the Dahna 
 Pass to Babu China and Saki, and thence by Khais 
 to rejoin the main force at Tahnishpa, started off from 
 Shinakorah to fulfil their mission. Lieutenant Mac- 
 kenzie's escort consisted of one native officer and twenty- 
 four rifles of the 3rd Beluchis, Then the main body 
 marched to Kazha, a long tiring march of about twenty 
 miles, with not a drop of water on the road. And 
 then, again, Major Garwood, Commanding Royal 
 Engineer, was despatched with the half company of 
 No. I Company Bombay Sappers and Miners from 
 Shinakorah to Markhazdi Tangi, with a view to 
 preparing a road for Nicolson's column when it should 
 start. 
 
 As to the main body, it also was divided at Shina- 
 korah ; for, whilst the headquarter's column under Sir 
 George White started for Kazha the same day, the troops 
 which were to compose the column under Colonel Nicol- 
 son and Sir R. Sandeman were left behind at Shina-
 
 ,^ 
 
 f
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 37 
 
 korah. It has already been stated that one company 
 of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was 
 detached to form part of Nicolson's column. This 
 was B Company, under Captain Butler-Creagh and 
 Lieutenant Ellis, Lieutenant Bond also accompanying 
 them as Intelligence Officer to write reports on the 
 route. 
 
 Since each of these divisions, or columns, followed a 
 distinct route to Tahnishpa, and has a separate record of 
 events, it will be necessary to take each by itself 
 
 And, first, as to the (headquarters) column under Sir 
 George White. 
 
 "Rouse" was sounded at 3.45 a.m., and a start was 
 made from Shinakorah about 5.45 a.m. The distance 
 to Kazha is about twenty-one miles, and this was accom- 
 plished before half-past two the same afternoon (4th of 
 October). It was a long and tedious march ; the country 
 was bare and sandy, only tiny patches of scrub here and 
 there breaking the monotony of the country, and not a 
 drop of water was to be had on the road. 
 
 As we went on and on over this tiring, undulating 
 plain we suddenly came across small groups of Beluchi 
 horsemen, who seemed almost to spring up out of the sand. 
 Then gradually these groups seemed to expand and get 
 larger, until ultimately the whole plain became covered 
 with these tribesmen riding past us, line after line, all 
 armed to the teeth, and looking a very hardy lot in their 
 loose and bright coloured costumes, mounted on wiry, 
 tough looking horses. At first we almost expected
 
 38 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 fighting, especially when we saw the twos or threes 
 who popped up at the earlier stage being succeeded by 
 parties of from six to ten, all in line, and stretching right 
 across the valley. Soon, however, the real object of their 
 movements was discovered. They were merely going 
 into Shinakorah to pay their respects to Sir Robert 
 Sandeman, whom we had left there. Notwithstanding 
 
 this peaceful object, however, they looked very formid- 
 able to us at first sight. Each of them was mounted and 
 in full war-paint. Their horses were covered with carpet 
 saddle-bags and grimy clothes of various sorts, while they 
 themselves carried horn shields and tulwars (curved 
 swords), and had their jezails (curious long guns) slung 
 across their backs. 
 
 Hardly any houses, or life of any sort were met with 
 on this march ; only, about five miles from our destination 
 we came across an old deserted village, like others of 
 this district, oblong-shaped and towered, the walls being 
 of mud, and with only a few trees in the neighbourhood.
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 39 
 
 Amid a clump of tamarisks near by some tribesmen 
 were seen, apparently resting themselves and their horses 
 in the shade of the trees. In other respects the big 
 valley in which we then were was perfectly open, and 
 covered only with sand and a few patches of dead scrub. 
 Kazha is a camel-breeding place, the favourite food 
 of this animal being the lama and the tamarisk, both of 
 which are abundant here. It is a sandy place covered 
 with scrub breast-high. Our camping-ground was on the 
 left bank of the Zhob river, but was not very good. 
 The water supply, however, which was obtained from 
 the Zhob, was unlimited in quantity, though in quality 
 it was indifferent, being brackish. No barley, or Indian 
 corn, or jowari was to be seen. The two former are 
 not cultivated in this district, but of jowari about from 
 one to three thousand maunds are generally obtainable 
 per annum, though this year, owing to the drought, none 
 had been sown. Wheat also is produced of good quality, 
 and bhussa and atta in uncertain quantities, depending 
 entirely on the rainfall. There were no water-mills at 
 Kazha, the atta being entirely ground by hand. This year 
 grain of all kind was particularly scarce, only two hundred 
 and fifty maunds being got from the villages around us. 
 Most of the sheep, too, had been sent off to the Musa 
 Khel country for grazing, but there were a good many 
 carnels about, and ghee, here made from camel's milk, 
 was plentiful, though of bad quality. The inhabitants 
 seemed to subsist chiefly on the profits made by the sale 
 of the male camels.
 
 40 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 The 5th of October was Sunday, and this day we 
 halted at Kazha. During the morning it had been 
 cloudy, and about 12 o'clock rain began to fall in light 
 showers, soon making everything steam. This was the 
 first wet day we had had since leaving Ouetta, and after 
 our dry, dusty experiences hitherto the change was 
 grateful and comforting. Soon the big, dry nullah, or 
 
 river bed, behind our 
 camp became muddy 
 with the water running 
 into it, but notwith- 
 standing the filthy 
 nature of this our 
 men utilised the op- 
 portunity by washing 
 their clothes. Doubt- 
 less they had begun to realise that it would be 
 advisable to make the best of any water they met 
 with in this country, however bad it might be. We 
 also started communication by heliograph with the 
 column left behind at Shinakorah. I also on this day 
 handed over the treasury chests, with their huge bunch 
 of keys, to the care of Tulloch, who henceforth took 
 charge of them, and of our commissariat and trans- 
 port. I thus left the baggage column, with which march- 
 ing is always slow and tedious, and returned to my 
 company. 
 
 On Monday, the 6th, "Rouse" was sounded at 3.45 a.m.^ 
 and we started about 5.30 a.m., for Khushnob, our next 
 
 'm^J
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 41 
 
 halting-place, distant fifteen miles. It was a close, muggy 
 day, and going was very bad, being over heavy sand, 
 alternating with stone, first up to the hills bounding the 
 north side of the Zhob Valley, and then along the foot 
 of them to our destination. There was no water on the 
 way, and we lost two camels. 
 
 About halfway we passed an old fortified village, now 
 deserted, called Mullahzai Karez, with two or three large 
 trees about it. The 
 karez itself was quite 
 dry, the want of water 
 probably having been 
 the cause of the in- 
 habitants leaving the 
 place. 
 
 We arrived at Khushnob about 12.5 p.m. Here we 
 found a very good and open camping-ground, with plenty 
 of room for all arms. A plentiful supply of water, too, 
 was obtainable from springs among the rocks on the 
 hillside, but though clear it was decidedly salt and 
 brackish. There was an old mud-towered fortified 
 villaofe here, situated on a little hill, and in it some 
 natives lived. There were no water-mills. Horses and 
 camels were seen in some quantity, and sheep were 
 plentiful all around. There was no Indian corn, barley, 
 or jowari, but a considerable amount of wheat, bhussa, 
 and buckwheat. The fiour obtainable was coarse in 
 quality, and only purchased with difhculty ; and the 
 ghee that was procurable was made from sheep's milk.
 
 42 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 The villages south of Lorha, one march distant, were the 
 chief sources for the supply of these things. 
 
 Up to the present we had no news of Nicolson's 
 column. Our signallers were, however, constantly 
 occupied on the hills trying to find them with the helio- 
 graph. 
 
 Next morning (the 7th) we started about 5.25 a.m. for 
 Ali Khan Zhaba, a march of sixteen miles. At first the 
 
 road ran along the foot of the hills which bordered the 
 Zhob Valley to the north for a distance of ten or twelve 
 miles. The going here was fairly good, the sand being 
 firmer. About 7 o'clock we came across some graves 
 by the side of the track, also some stray camels. Later 
 on we again saw graves, and a few Beluchi tents. We 
 also passed a village called Kundak Kai, situated in a 
 fairly cultivated region. Our road then lay through an 
 easy tangi, or gorge, into a wide parallel and very well 
 cultivated valley. The earth here was of a reddish 
 colour, and there was a lot of jowari and corn about ; 
 also there were some natives to be seen, and a few huts. 
 We crossed the vallev, and diverg'ed from it for about a 
 mile into the hills, and so through another tangi to Ali
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 43 
 
 Khan Zhaba, where we encamped upon broken ground 
 much cut up by ravines, but sufficiently extensive to 
 camp a brigade. We had two halts on the route, from 
 6.12 A.M. to 6.30 A.M., and 7.45 A.M. to 8 A.M., and 
 arrived at Ali Khan Zhaba about 12.20 p.m. The 
 water here was ample and of excellent quality, by far 
 the best met with since we left Kuchlak. As we had 
 not been able to find any by the way there was a general 
 rush for it. Unfortunately, it only trickled out of the 
 hill in a tiny stream, but the Royal Engineers soon 
 made a capital watering-place by digging out a reservoir 
 about twelve feet in diameter and about ten inches deep, 
 into which the men could dip their tins and waterbottles, 
 and from which the bheesties filled their mussaks. 
 
 On this date, too, our English mail arrived. It had 
 left Ouetta on the 4th, being forwarded on horses by 
 dak ; the levy post sowars riding from village to village, 
 each in his turn, with their post-bags inside the curious 
 saddle-bags, of variegated colours, hanging across their 
 wiry and nimble horses. 
 
 I made a sketch at Ali Khan Zhaba, when our en- 
 campment was preparing. As I have already men- 
 tioned, the men's kit-bags were made up into larger bags, 
 called saleetahs, two or three kit-bags being packed into 
 each saleetah, these being then loaded on to the trans- 
 port camels. When the troops arrived at their camping- 
 ground, a wood-cutting or stick-gathering party was sent 
 out to ofet firewood for the kitchens. We then waited 
 until the baggage came up, which as a rule, with our
 
 44 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 transport, was not long after our arrival ; after which 
 the animals were sorted by companies and unloaded, 
 and kits carried ofif to their respective tents. 
 
 It was near Khushnob that, in 1884, a skirmish took 
 place, in which several of Brigadier-General Tanner's 
 men were killed. The place where these men are 
 buried is about four-and-a-half miles from Khushnob, 
 close by a water spring in the hills. 
 
 On the 8th, "Rouse" was sounded at 4A.M., and we 
 left our camping-ground at 5.35 a.m. The distance 
 traversed on this day was only about ten miles, our 
 objective being Sra Agbarg, also called Surag Bagh 
 and Toiwar — henceforth to be known as Toi War — 
 which we reached about 11.30 a.m. Owing to the 
 rocky and stony nature of the ground — we had struck 
 into the hills — our march was a difficult one. At Toi 
 War we got water from pools in the river (the Toi) 
 bed, under the upper camping-ground, but it was 
 muddy and bitter. The camping-ground itself was 
 fairly good, though stony in parts. When we arrived 
 we found already encamped there the Commissariat 
 Depot and the i8th Bengal Lancers and 2nd Beluchis, 
 who had been ordered up from Loralai the previous day. 
 
 Our force now consisted of No. 7 Mountain Battery, 
 half a battalion of the King's Own Yorkshire Light 
 Infantry, the i8th Bengal Lancers, the 2nd Beluchis 
 (29th Regiment Bombay Infantry), No. i Company 
 Bombay Sappers and Miners, and the Field Hospital. 
 
 At Toi War we heard a rumour to the effect that
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 45 
 
 Bungal Khan, son of Dost Muhammad, had bolted. 
 He was said to have retreated in the direction of Tirwah. 
 Next day we sent an ultimatum to him which he 
 refused. 
 
 On the 9th of October (Thursday), our column at Toi 
 War was divided into two portions. The General Officer 
 Commanding, Assistant - Adjutant - General, A. D. C. , 
 and Major Gaisford (Political), went on with the 
 1 8th Bengal Lancers and 2nd Beluchis, and one 
 half of the Commissariat Depot convoy, to Sharan 
 Kach, starting about 5 o'clock in the morning. These 
 were to endeavour to join the column under Sir R. 
 Sandeman and Colonel Nicolson at China or Jogizai 
 Kach. We of the Kino-'s Own Yorkshire Liofht 
 Infantry (except B Company), and the other troops 
 left at Toi War, on the other hand, were under 
 orders to halt there on this date, and proceed on the 
 loth, with four days' rations for "man and beast." 
 Major and Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan, R.A., 
 was in command. We will, however, for the present, 
 follow up the G.O.C. 
 
 Havinof in due course reached Sharan Kach on the 
 9th, they made a halt there for the night, starting again 
 next morning about 5.30 for Tahnishpa. A squadron 
 of the 1 8th Bengal Lancers led until the pass was 
 reached, when the Beluchis took the lead. The pass 
 is a long one, and the path winds among low hills most 
 of the way. Though rocky in parts, it is, however, 
 always passable for led horses.
 
 46 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 On Hearing Tahnishpa it was reported that Bungal 
 Khan had deserted his so-called fort, and that there- 
 fore our troops would not be put under the necessity 
 of attacking him there. Lieutenant Rowlandson was 
 thereupon sent off with fifty men of the 3rd Beluchis 
 to reconnoitre this stronghold. This he did, having 
 climbed up a most intricate and steep hill right into 
 the stronghold. On his return, he reported that from 
 the side from which our men were approaching it the 
 place was impregnable, being protected against artillery 
 fire by a huge slab of rock at the back, and huge 
 boulders on the near side, the latter being loopholed ; 
 and besides that only two men could approach it at 
 a tim_e, while a safe line of retreat led down to the 
 valley of the Kundar river. It was undoubtedly a 
 fine position for a few men to hold against any odds. 
 When Lieutenant Rowlandson's party got up, they 
 found ashes of some wood-fires, showing recent occu- 
 pation, as well as a jezail, a Koran, and a lady's 
 satchel filled with carrots. The Koran recovered was 
 said to be a valuable one, which had been stolen from the 
 son of MuUa Mushe-i-Alam. However, in order to 
 capture Dost Muhammad and Bungal Khan, if at all 
 possible, Lieutenant Chesney, with twenty- five lances of 
 the 1 8th Bengal Lancers, started for the Kundar from 
 Tahnishpa, at 5 a.m. on the iith of October, as a 
 personal escort to Captain Mac Ivor, our Political Agent 
 at the Zhob. The men they wanted managed to 
 escape to the hills beyond the Kundar, but four
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 47 
 
 prisoners were captured, together with some camels, 
 bullocks, donkeys, one horse and two muskets. It was 
 discovered later on that the chief fugitives had made 
 their way to Killa Jabbar in the Ghilzai country. 
 
 Chesney's men also blew up a village and burned 
 some others. They had been out nearly thirteen hours, 
 and had traversed fifty or sixty miles, one horse dying of 
 fatigue during the operations. 
 
 Meanwhile, on the same day (the iith). General 
 Sir George White went up the hill personally to 
 have a look at Bungal Khan's rocky fortress. This 
 he found to be somewhat roughly constructed, but 
 very strong and on the very summit of the peak 
 (8800 feet in elevation). In accordance with the 
 wishes of the Chief Political Officer, the place was 
 then blown up by Major Garwood, R.E. It was 
 thought that this action would make a decided im- 
 pression upon the tribesmen of the district. 
 
 On the same day, Captain Mason, Deputy Assistant 
 Quartermaster-General, and Lieutenant Mackenzie, 
 arrived from Babu China ; and on the next day (Sunday, 
 the 1 2th of October) the general officer commanding, 
 with the two divisions thus reunited, left Tahnishpa at 
 6. 10 A.M. and arrived at Kuriawasta at 11 o'clock, there 
 rejoining the main body, to which we must now return. 
 
 The main body, as I have already stated, halted at 
 Toi War on the 9th of October. The fertility of this 
 place, like that of the other districts of this region, 
 depends very much upon the season. This year, owing
 
 48 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 to the drought, there was little grass or grain of any- 
 kind. Sheep, too, which usually are plentiful, were 
 scarce, having been chiefly sent to Musa Khel. The 
 water here was very bad. 
 
 Gunner G. Lee, of No. 2 Battery, Western Division 
 of the Royal Artillery, died and was buried at Toi War. 
 He had been clerk to the Deputy-Surgeon-General. 
 
 Next day, the loth, we started about 5.30 a.m. for 
 Sharan Kach, a distance of twelve miles, arriving there 
 at 10.25 A.M. Our going was very rough along the bed 
 of the Toi river. There was no dust, however, and 
 plenty of shade, and good water in pools all the way. 
 At Sharan Kach we encamped on the sand of the river 
 bed, and our water supply there was decidedly better 
 than at Toi, though not quite so clear. 
 
 On the iith of October we left Sharan Kach about 
 5.30 A.M. for Kuriawasta, distant about eleven miles, 
 arriving at the latter place at 10. 30 a.m. We had two 
 halts on the route, from 6.25 a.m. to 6,35 a.m. and from 
 8.45 A.M. to 9.45 A.M. We w^ere to have gone on to 
 Jogozai, a village about a mile further on, but on arrival
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 
 
 51 
 
 at Kuriawasta we found orders awaiting us to stop there. 
 This place is in the Kazana district and formed an 
 excellent camping-ground. We had, too, plenty of good 
 water and splendid fishing. On the march, an old 
 •corporal of the Sappers and Miners made great bags at 
 ■every halt on the streams. The fish appeared to be very 
 confidino^ and ienor- 
 ant of the sinful ways 
 of man, and very 
 good fish could be 
 got out of the tiniest 
 streams. 
 
 Our camp at Kuria- 
 wasta was close to a peculiar rock formation, not at 
 all unlike a ruin, with an inclined road suggesting 
 a drawbridge, &c., which looked rather odd in such 
 a wild out-of-the-way place. Indeed, as we marched 
 in we thought it really must be a building. The 
 camping-ground was of wide extent, on high ground 
 overlooking both sides of the Toi nullah, from which 
 water was obtained plentifully for all requirements. 
 In quality this water was fairly good, but it had a 
 brackish taste and leeches abounded in It. Grass, too, 
 was abundant ; this is, in fact, the great grazing-ground 
 for cattle from Zhob, one of the numerous localities 
 known as Khorassan. 
 
 We halted at Kuriawasta on Sunday, Monday and 
 Tuesday (12th to 14th of October). On Saturday, after 
 •our arrival, our signallers were busy all the afternoon
 
 52 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 opening up communication by heliograph with the other 
 column on the hills. Their signals were distinctly 
 visible, flashing away briskly at the top of a distant blue 
 mountain ridge. On Sunday morning about eleven 
 o'clock the general officer commanding came in, having 
 ridden in from Tahnishpa, a distance of sixteen or 
 seventeen miles. In the afternoon our heliograph was 
 
 again busy communicating with the signalling station at 
 Tahnishpa. The camp at Kuriawasta was, as above 
 stated, on high ground, whilst the signalling point above 
 Tahnishpa also held an elevated situation, being on a 
 spur of Azuk ; the prismatic compass-bearing from the 
 headquarters camp to this point being 315°. 
 
 After parade and breakfast, several of our party got 
 hooks and cut rods out of the copses near the camp, 
 after which we sallied forth in search of sport up the
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 53 
 
 stream, fishing the pools, and catching a lot of mahseer, 
 some of good size. The mahseer is a common Indian 
 fish, which makes a fairly good dish, but it is very bony 
 and great art has to be exercised to get the best out of it 
 when cooked. It was very amusing to watch the men in 
 their dingy khaki and with their makeshift rods stand- 
 ing on the edge of the stream, smoking steadily at their 
 commissariat tobacco and fishing away solemnly all the 
 while. Here and there, too, a camel would be seen 
 quietly drinking among the groups. 
 
 We heard a thrilling story of unpleasant adventure 
 that day. It appeared that a transport mule driver, 
 Mazulla by name, had been found by a small survey 
 party's escort near China and brought into camp. He 
 was very much exhausted when found, and declared that 
 while he was out engaged cutting grass about Tahnishpa 
 on the iith, his mule and his warm clothing had been 
 taken from him by some Pathans, he himself being 
 carried off by them to a village about thirteen miles 
 away, and left there all night tied to a tree. With some 
 trouble, however, he had managed to cut himself free 
 with his grasscutter's knife which the Pathans had for- 
 gotten to remove, and so he had broken away from them. 
 He further reported that there were nearly two hundred 
 men in the village in question, besides numbers of cattle, 
 sheep, &c. Upon this alarming story, a party of fifty 
 rifles of the 3rd Beluchis, under Lieutenant Price, and 
 twenty sowars of the i8th Bengal Lancers, under 
 Lieutenant Chesney, went out at a quarter to six in
 
 54 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 the early morning- with a view to finding the spot 
 where the grasscutter had been tied up and detained. 
 After a considerable amount of scrambling over rocks 
 and scrub, under conduct of the grasscutter, they at 
 length succeeded in this, the whole country being very 
 rough. The village, however, they found to be 
 deserted, but, going up a gully, they came across eight 
 Pathans skulking among the rocks. These at once 
 fired upon them, whereupon the Beluchis as promptly 
 returned the compliment, dropping one of the Pathans 
 and driving the rest up the hill. Two were taken 
 prisoners, nevertheless, and brought back to the camp in 
 triumph along with some looted goats and sheep. 
 
 I may as well at this point give the narratives of the 
 two columns which left the main body at Shinakorah 
 under the command of Colonel Nicolson and Captain 
 Mason respectively. 
 
 First, as to Colonel Nicolson's column. Leaving; 
 Shinakorah before 5.30 a.m. on the 5th of October, the 
 King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry leading, he directed 
 his march in a north-easterly direction until Shua Kila, 
 a deserted township, was reached, after which he pro- 
 ceeded north-west up the river bed to Maidan Kach, 
 the exploration of which was a main object of this 
 expedition. During the first part of the march going 
 was easy, for the ground was smooth and hard, and 
 water was obtainable close to Shua Kila, but during 
 the latter part the road became bad, the ground getting 
 more stony and no water to be had. The total distance
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 55 
 
 traversed was nearly thirteen miles. When the column 
 arrived at Maidan Kach they found already encamped 
 there Major Garwood with a section of Sappers and 
 Miners, and Lieutenant Chesney with a troop of the i8th 
 Bengal Lancers, who had been sent on in advance to 
 explore the district and ascertain the best route for the 
 next march. Late in the evening it was announced to 
 Captain Maclvor that in all probability there would be 
 very little water at the next camping-ground. Accord- 
 ingly it was decided that while the main part should 
 march out as usual, the cavalry should be allowed to 
 start after noon so that their horses miMit be watered 
 twice in the forenoon. Also a complete roll-call of men 
 and animals was taken that the water supply for the 
 future might be calculated with accuracy. 
 
 Near Shua Kila, where Sir Robert Sandeman's column 
 entered the hills down which the Kazzba river flows to 
 the open Zhob valley, there are two rather interesting- 
 ancient monuments. The first of these is a specimen of 
 those Mogul forts (Buddhist they are said to be in 
 origin) which abound all over the Beluch country. The 
 other object of interest is also a fort, or rather the 
 remains of one, for it was blown up in the course of the 
 first Zhob valley expedition. The latter was called 
 Bisharat Khoidadzai, but has nothingf romantic in it. 
 With regard to the other, however, a very nice little 
 story is told. Once upon a time, so it is related, there 
 dwelt there Miro Khan Mogul and an only daughter. 
 The latter, like other fair maidens who have inhabited
 
 56 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 lonely castles, had a suitor for her hand, and that no less 
 a person than Sanjar, the chief of all the Kakars of Zhob 
 and Bari. Old Miro Khan Mogul, however, disap- 
 proved of the suit, and perhaps one day showed a little 
 too much warmth in his treatment of the younger chief- 
 tain, for the latter one fine night set fire to the Mogul's 
 stronghold, captured his bride, and set her behind him 
 on his horse. The faithful steed seems to have been a 
 very wonderful animal, for, it is said, it made the safety 
 of its master sure by taking straightway three immense 
 bounds of about half-a-mile each, and true it is that, if 
 the three cairns which mark the leaps of this most 
 useful quadruped are correctly placed, Sanjar's steed 
 did not believe in restricting himself to the ordinary 
 paces usually followed by other members of his 
 species. 
 
 Next day, the 6th of October, this column marched 
 twelve miles to Borick Shazuk, leaving the last camp at 
 5.30 A.M., and arriving by 1 1 a.m. at its destination. On 
 this occasion the direction was north-westerly, up a 
 torrent bed, surrounded on either side with high crags 
 for a considerable distance. Then, after a march of 
 about five miles over low ranges and spurs, the column 
 emerged upon a plain, and directed its course straight 
 for a tooth-shaped mountain called Yagwash. The road 
 was in many places narrow, and as it led very much up 
 and down hill, it made marching rather difficult. Indeed, 
 the column had to go the greater part of the way in 
 single file. Water, however, was plentiful, being easily
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 57 
 
 collected by a little digging, and a spring of pure water 
 was found by one of the havildars of the 3rd Beluchis, 
 about a thousand yards from the camping-ground at 
 Borick Shazuk. The cavalry accomplished the journey 
 in less than three hours, arriving before 3 o'clock in the 
 afternoon. 
 
 There is a curious legend told of this place, Borick 
 Shazuk ; perhaps the name comes from the tale. Tradi- 
 tion has it that it was here that Saint Borick worked a 
 famous miracle, in that he conveyed to the summit of 
 the highest and most precipitous rock in the neighbour- 
 hood a favourite steed and there kept him alive. 
 Either his horse w^as very fond of eating flinty rocks, or 
 some more pressing reason than mere wonderworking, 
 such as floods on the lower grounds, must have induced 
 the saint to stable his fourfooted friend in such a place, 
 for a more isolated or bleak spot could hardly be 
 fancied. 
 
 On the 7th, a march of about twelve miles was made 
 to Hawdak (elevation 7000 feet) over a bad road, the 
 column again having to proceed most of the way in 
 single file, and the transport straggling. Here the camp 
 was in two divisions, the 3rd Beluchis being encamped 
 with Sir R. Sandeman, and the remainder of the force 
 taking up a position a mile to the south-west in a 
 fertile valley. The water supply at this place was good, 
 and sufficient for a small column, but the quantity of 
 wood and grass obtainable was inadequate. The name 
 Hawdak, by the way, implies a succession of small tanks
 
 58 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 to catch the water that oozes out from beneath the low 
 range of rocks of the place. 
 
 Next day, the cavalry under Lieutenant Chesney left 
 at 5 o'clock in the morning for Tahnishpa, light order. 
 Half-an-hour later the remainder of the column started 
 for China or Rod Jogizai, a distance of sixteen or 
 seventeen miles, arriving there before i o'clock in the 
 afternoon. On this march again going was difficult, and 
 there was no water on the road ; but at China we found 
 ample supplies generally (including water from pools in 
 the Khaisor). China is a small Jogizai village of some 
 ten detached hamlets. 
 
 Towards evening of this day Lieutenant Chesney with 
 his men came in and reported the desertion of his fort 
 by Bungal Khan. The direct distance from Hawdak, 
 whence they started, to Tahnishpa is nearly eighteen 
 miles, and from this latter place to China seventeen 
 miles, and they had, besides covering these distances, gone 
 at times off the road to explore and make sketches. 
 
 On the 9th of October (Thursday) Nicolson's column 
 halted at China (elevation 6450 feet), and by midday, 
 the headquarters column, under the general officer 
 commanding, rejoined it there. Thence they set out 
 together, as already stated, on the loth for Tahnishpa 
 (elevation 7700 feet). 
 
 Captain Mason's survey party, under escort of one 
 native officer (Bahadur Khan) and twenty-six men of the 
 3rd Beluchis, also left Sir G. White's column, as we 
 have seen, on the 4th of October. This party carried
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 59 
 
 ninety rounds of ammunition per man, iifty of these 
 being packed n mules, and two days' grain ration, also 
 on mules. They left Shina Korah — ^Khwara is said to 
 be the more correct form of this name — at half-past eight 
 in the mornino", and made their first halt at Andrebiezh, 
 distant twelve miles. The road thither at first followed 
 the bed of the Shina Korah or Dhana, but three miles 
 or so from Andrebiezh, a steep ascent had to be made 
 up the Marghakai Kotal (8700 feet elevation). This 
 latter part of the journey laden camels can only ac- 
 complish with considerable difficulty, but only three of 
 these were with this party, the remainder of the transport 
 consisting of mules, which easily made the ascent. 
 Andrebiezh itself has an elevation of 8400 feet, and is 
 reached from the Marghakai Kotal by a gentle descent 
 of two miles through a nullah or mountain gorge. It is 
 a small village of some sixty houses, belonging to the 
 Mardanzais, and is prettily situated amid this rocky 
 ground. The inhabitants were very friendly, and readily 
 brought in supplies, which, however, except firewood, 
 were rather limited in quantity. The camping-ground 
 was not very extensive, but the water-supply was 
 plentiful. 
 
 Next day, Captain Mason marched to Babu China, a 
 distance of nine miles. The road thither chiefly 
 descended, and in some parts was very bad, owing to 
 the steep places that had to be passed. After about 
 five miles going he came to Khaj Kach, another 
 Mardanzai village, containing some forty houses. Then
 
 6o THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 the country of the Mirzais was entered, and two miles 
 farther on the village of Mogul China, belonging to the 
 Fakirzai sub-section of these people, and consisting 
 of seventy houses, was passed ; after which no place 
 of importance is reached until the collection of villages, 
 known as Babu China, in the open Rod Valley, here 
 three or four miles broad, are attained. Owing to its 
 wide extent, the valley makes an excellent camping- 
 ground for even a very large force. Water, too, is 
 plentiful, and there is also some wheat, makhai and 
 barley. The Babu China villages are situated at an 
 elevation of 7100 feet, and contain some 400 fighting 
 men. 
 
 On the 6th, a halt was made at Babu China, and an 
 ascent was made of the Sakir peak (elevation 10,117 
 feet), which lies close on four miles to the north, and, 
 though climbing was difficult, Lieutenant Mackenzie 
 succeeded in surveying much of the hitherto unexplored 
 country to that side. Then, on the following day (the 
 7th) the detachment proceeded a distance of fourteen 
 miles, to camp at the head of Gargas Smalan or Suleiman. 
 The track thither led first across the Rod nullah, then 
 over an undulating plain, and then among nullahs and 
 hillocks, after which, for the remaining four miles, there 
 is a gradual ascent to the Lunda Kotal (elevation 8300 
 feet). This last the mules and camels made without 
 much difficulty and without mishap. Our men's camping- 
 ground (elevation 8150 feet) was about a mile beyond 
 the Kotal. There was no village or hamlet there, but
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 6i 
 
 there were two pools of water, which, if not very good, 
 was yet drinkable. Nearly half-a-mile to the north of 
 the camp there was found to be a second Kotal, and 
 here was what was believed to be the head of the 
 Kundar river — at all events, it was the head of the 
 southern branch of that stream. 
 
 On the 8th of October a march of ten and a half miles 
 was made to Marjan (elevation 7550 feet), the track 
 leading along a nullah which drains Gargas Smalan the 
 entire way. About halfway a tangi called Dirgai was 
 come across. At Marjan itself, as at Gargas Smalan, 
 there was neither village nor food supply, it being simply 
 used as a temporary camping-ground by the nomadic 
 tribes of the district. Good water, however, was procur- 
 able from pools in the gorge and camel-grazing could be 
 had in abundance. Sheep and goats and firewood also 
 were all obtainable. It is at Marjan that the direct road 
 from the Babu China villages, known as the Kash route, 
 comes in, which, though shorter than the Lunda route, is 
 rather more difficult. 
 
 The remaining course of Captain Mason's detachment 
 was from Marjan to Hawdak, a distance of ten miles 
 (October 9), from Hawdak to China, a distance of six- 
 teen miles (October 10), and from China to Tahnishpa, 
 a distance of eighteen miles (October 11). The first of 
 these marches was an easy one. It lay through the 
 Khaisor Valley and the territory of the Jalalzis. In the 
 valley there were neither trees nor villages, only patches 
 here and there of low scrub, and there was no water in
 
 62 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 the Khaisor nullah. Even at Hawdak there was no 
 trace of any hamlet and supplies consequently were not 
 to be had. Water, too, was not over plentiful. As we 
 have already seen, Colonel Nicolson's column arrived 
 here on the 7 th, having followed the Baraksia route from 
 the Zhob, which comes in at this point, but it had left 
 the following day. From Hawdak Captain Mason 
 marched, on the loth, to China over the same route that 
 Colonel Nicolson's men followed, and thence, on the i ith, 
 to Tahnishpa, where he rejoined the main column, the 
 escort returning to the headquarters of their regiment. 
 Near China there was a considerable amount of cultiva- 
 tion to be seen, and half a mile from it on the track 
 to Tahnishpa is Sharan, a Jogizai village, consisting of 
 from fifty to sixty houses. At this point the track leaves 
 the Khaisor nullah and runs in a northerly direction 
 across the valley to the mountains known as the Tor 
 Ghar range, where is the Tahnishpa Pass. Here the 
 road ascends, and after winding about the hills for ten 
 miles, at length brings us to the lofty camping-ground at 
 Tahnishpa. 
 
 We now return to the troops left halted at Kuriawasta. 
 Monday, the 13th of October, was again spent by the 
 troops in fishing vigorously while they awaited further 
 orders. The stream must really have been almost cleared 
 of fish, for they proved very confiding, no one probably 
 having ever fished here before, and easily succumbed 
 to the bait presented to them (either "atta" or raw 
 meat). We also met some natives from a not too friendly
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 63 
 
 village a few miles out and tried to talk to them, through 
 the agency of one of Lieutenant Liddell's men (a sapper) 
 as interpreter, but all the information we could elicit was 
 that " the white folk had taken all their fish out of the 
 river and now they were drinking up all the water," 
 When going out of camp we have always to take an 
 escort now, and Liddell and I tried some shooting but 
 without getting any luck, although many partridges were 
 heard calling in the early morning near the camp. There 
 were also "chikor" about — a species of the French 
 partridge class much bigger, however, than the birds 
 which we have at home. They scampered like fun over 
 the rocks, and had an aggravating way of keeping 
 out of range. Apparently, however, the disturbance of 
 the camp, &c., had made them shy. Tuesday, the 14th 
 of October, was spent much in the same way as the 
 previous day. Now, however, we found that Tommy 
 Atkins had devised another method of fishing. He 
 had started with a bent pin baited with some atta, or 
 coarse native flour ; now his ingenious mind had 
 evolved another device. He removed the pugri of his 
 khaki helmet and opening it out netted the shallows with 
 it, one man holding one end of the pugri and another the 
 other, both working it slowly along the stream. The 
 fish in fact acquired such a reputation for confidence in 
 man that they were even rumoured to be so "green" 
 and so unaccustomed to our nasty human snares, that 
 they would readily dart up to the surface if but a bright 
 brass button were dangled at the end of a string before
 
 64 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 them, in which case the fisherman could then scoop out 
 the confidine victim with his helmet. I tell this tale as 
 it was told to me. I make no comments. 
 
 On this day it had been intended by the general officer 
 commanding to move from Tahnishpa down the Kundar, 
 and orders had actually been issued detailing two columns 
 for this expedition. Subsequently, however, this plan 
 was countermanded, and instead the troops at Kuriawasta 
 received orders to march thence to Tahnishpa on the 
 15th. 
 
 We left Kuriawasta, accordingly, at 5.40 a.m., the 
 morning being very chilly and dark and the going rough 
 as usual. One half of F Company of the King's Own 
 Yorkshire Light Infantry was on advance guard. Tah- 
 nishpa was reached about 1.15 r.M., a total distance 
 of eighteen miles having been marched, and three halts 
 having been made en roiUe. The baggage got in to 
 Tahnishpa before 4 o'clock, the track being very rough 
 for our camels. 
 
 The track led up and down hill and was a very wind- 
 ing one indeed. When eight miles out we came across 
 a kind of well, with which exception we found no water 
 on the road, or rather, I should say, camel track, which 
 in places branches off through rocky ravines. There was 
 also a quantity of rough scrub, besides a few juniper 
 trees. The last five miles or so of the journey was very 
 confusing, reminding one of the approach to an Ali Baba 
 cave. One could never tell for fifty yards at a time 
 the nature of the country that he was approaching ;
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 
 
 65 
 
 indeed, it would have been impossible without a guide 
 to keep to the track. There was, too, a terrible air of 
 desolation about, and the road lay through very narrow 
 gorges and ravines where a surprise would be not at all 
 a nice thinof. At lensfth, however, our advance gfuard 
 got out upon a more open space, and we had before us 
 the great lofty, sharp peak upon which is Bungal Khan's 
 
 fortress, high above us and invisible, only the sharp point 
 of the mountain indicating to us where it was. At the 
 base of the mountain were some hamlets and huts, built 
 of rouorh stone or half burrowed out of the earth and 
 roofed with thatch. We also found here some jezails 
 and tulwars, showing that the inhabitants had apparendy 
 decamped in haste on our approach. On the hills round 
 Tahnishpa there were also lots of carob trees and stunted 
 junipers. 
 
 Our camping-ground at Tahnishpa was a roomy one, 
 sufficient for a brigade, and not at all uncomfortable. It 
 was very picturesquely situated, on a level plateau 
 surrounded by high hills. Water was soon obtained, 
 too, from a spring, being collected by damming, the 
 upper portion being reserved for the men and the 
 
 E
 
 66 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 lower portion for the animals ; and we had parties out 
 under an officer as soon as possible cutting firewood 
 on the mountain side. Tahnishpa itself belongs to 
 the Shahizai Kakars, and is a very pretty village, 
 situated at an elevation of 7850 feet. Grass was found 
 there in fair quantity, but no bhussa or grain. Sheep 
 
 and goats also were 
 obtainable to a limited 
 extent. 
 
 Before passing on, 
 it should be stated 
 that on this day (the 
 15th) a small party, 
 consistinor of sur- 
 veyor Asgar Ali and an escort of one native officer and 
 twenty-five men of the 2nd Beluchis, started up the 
 Khaisor Valley for Apozai. Their object, of course, 
 was exploration. 
 
 On the 1 6th of October (Thursday) the Headquarters 
 column halted at Tahnishpa. A party of us got leave 
 to go up the mountain to have a look at Bungal Khan's 
 stronghold, that is to say, what was left of it. We had 
 orders to carry our revolvers loaded, and to take with 
 us an escort of men with their rifles. We also secured 
 the services of two native guides, who, however, led off 
 by taking us round the hill to the rear, where the track 
 could be seen by which Bungal Khan and his followers 
 were supposed to have made their hasty retreat. It 
 seemed to wind about for miles and miles down into
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 
 
 67 
 
 the Kundar Valley, where it appeared to join the 
 Kundar river or rather river bed — for there was not 
 much sign of water — which can be seen for a long- 
 distance. We got round finally, however, to the proper 
 track, and then set steadily to work, going up until 
 at last the stronghold on the top was reached. Climbing 
 
 here was very hard, through rough scrub, juniper trees 
 and deadwood and some thorn, with huge boulders and 
 rocks thrown in ; but at every stage of our climb we 
 got splendid views of the surrounding country, and 
 when we got to the top a magnificent view of the 
 Kundar and country thence towards Tarwah and Trikh 
 Gaz was obtained. One of our party had a kukri, or 
 ghoorka knife, with him, which proved most useful in 
 clearing away scrub at times and so enabling us to 
 get through the undergrowth. There was little sign
 
 68 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 of the fort itself, however ; only a tree trunk and some 
 loose stones, &c., were visible. Major Garwood, R.E., 
 and his men had done their work on the 1 1 th very 
 effectually indeed and left little behind them. But for 
 the difficulty of getting water up here, Bungal Khan 
 would doubtless have made a fight of it, for it is most 
 difficult to approach and commands the country for 
 miles around. From the topmost point the view 
 cannot be adequately described. There is the little 
 footpath going clown below at a very dizzy slope, and 
 there away to the north and north-west one can see 
 ridge upon ridge of mountains, all seeming red-hot, 
 until they melt into the blue of the distance and then 
 into the fierce blue sky. The glare here and the heat 
 were very unpleasant. But our rest on the summit 
 was much enlivened by our escort of Tommies, who 
 soon got astride the slabs of rock and made the most 
 entertainintj remarks. 
 
 From this peak we had a good view of our next 
 camp, Nigange, to the north-east of us, by the Kundar 
 river bed. The heliograph, which we had brought 
 up wuth us, too, was soon adjusted and set to work, 
 our signallers "calling up" Sir Robert Sandeman's 
 camp from this high elevation. After making some 
 sketches we again started for the downward climb, 
 meeting on the lower ridges some of our wood-cutting 
 parties, facetiously dubbed by Thomas Atkins "the 
 Gladstone gangs," who were at work bringing in 
 wood for our bivouac fires. The sportsmen among us
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 69 
 
 who could raise guns of any sort had, we found, also 
 been trying to get some chikor, which here were fairly 
 plentiful. The nights at Tahnishpa, I should not forget 
 to mention, were very cold, but the temperature during 
 the daytime was pretty warm. In the early mornings we 
 were very glad we had our posteen, A posteen is a 
 yellow leather coat lined throughout with fur — as a rule 
 the long brown wool or hair of the " dumba " or fat-tailed 
 sheep. The collar and cuffs are of astrakhan, plain as a 
 rule, also the edges of the coat. The leather of the coat is 
 dyed with the juice of the inner skin of the pomegranate, 
 and is embroidered all over with bright yellow silk ; leather 
 in various patterns being cut out and sewn on with the 
 same silk, so that the coat is a very handsome one as 
 well as very useful, since it is about the only thing 
 which keeps out the cutting winds of these northern 
 mountains. 
 
 During the six days' halt at Tahnishpa and Kuria- 
 wasta many endeavours were made to come to an 
 understanding with the Shahizai tribesmen of this 
 district as well as with the Jalalzais and the Mardanzai 
 Kakars of Khaisor. These were all rather loth to 
 anything like guarantee the peace of their country or 
 bind the inhabitants to be of good behaviour. Special 
 efforts, however, were made to get them to promise 
 to harbour no longer the murderers and robbers who 
 had hitherto kept the place in a state of anarchy. In 
 this respect we were more successful, and these tribes 
 undertook to keep the outlaws out of their limits,
 
 70 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 furnishing hostages from among the maliks or headsmen 
 for the fulfilment of their pledges. 
 
 I would here remark with regard to the tribal system 
 which prevails all over the district with which we are at 
 present concerned, that it is just this feature which dis- 
 tinguishes the constitution of society in Beluchistan from 
 that in Afghanistan. The Afghan community is a much 
 more developed, civilised if you like, type, being a larger, 
 more numerous, and more democratic or self-governing 
 body than its Beluch counterpart. In Beluchistan the 
 headman is still all powerful over the members of his 
 tribe, and, on the other hand, responsible to outsiders for 
 the acts of those under him ; the whole body being in 
 consequence a compact unit, easily dealt with and 
 easily controlled if only the headman can be influenced. 
 The British Government have now long recognised this 
 and have preferred to keep up the tribal independency, 
 exerting their authority through the headmen. Thus 
 the Khan of Khelat, for instance, is our loyal vassal, 
 while at the same time supreme in his own sphere. In 
 Afghanistan things are quite different, tribal indepen- 
 dency having long ago disappeared, and the central 
 government having the direct control over all individuals. 
 These differences also explain perhaps to some extent 
 why the Afghan seems to prefer to attack his foe singly 
 and by stealth, while the Beluch tribesmen invariably go 
 about in bands. 
 
 During our halt in this place a quaint and amus- 
 ing incident happened. It was the custom when any
 
 r 
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 
 
 71 
 
 of the hired transport camels died on the march, or 
 had to be shot, for the owner to produce the dead 
 "oont's" tail to prove the fact, and thus claim the 
 estimated value of the defunct beast. One evening a 
 tailless camel came into our lines, and caused some 
 astonishment as he strolled to the commissariat lines 
 where his old friends were solemnly feeding in search 
 for his " bhussa." All was quiet except the occasional 
 grumbling of a camel, and the pat-pat of the natives 
 beating out their " chappatis " over their camp fires. 
 Imagine the " oont wallah's " (camel owner) surprise and 
 disgust on seeing this apparition. It then came out that 
 the latter had sold the beast to a Pathan, and cut off 
 his tail, and also got the value of the beast. All this 
 was very neatly expressed by my tent companion in the 
 lines below : 
 
 ^ Before you hear this story, it 
 
 is right that you should 
 know 
 What the custom on a inarch 
 is when a camel goes "be- 
 low," 
 Or rather, I should say, when it 
 
 occurs to him that he 
 Has had enough of bearing 
 loads, and to drop upon his 
 knee, 
 And lay his head upon a rock, 
 and say " Good-bye " to life 
 Is easier, for the owner then 
 whips out an ugly knife — 
 Nearly every native of these parts conceals one up his sleeve — 
 And proceeds to sever the spinal cord. The carcass he'll relieve
 
 72 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 Of its appendage caudal — final ornament, if you will — 
 
 To bandy vain expressions ain't the object of my quill. 
 
 The load is then distributed ; the camel is left to rot ; 
 
 The camel owner ("oont wallah"), who doesn't care a jot, 
 
 Will find the commissariat tent, and there produce his tail, 
 
 And claim his compensation, when fail he never will 
 
 To carry away of bright rupees enough to start a mill. 
 
 We were on an expedition, and our chief proclaimed a halt. 
 
 And all the camp was busy by the water, which was salt. 
 
 When two sinister-minded oont wallahs cautiously slipped out 
 
 Of camp at early dawn, to do the deed you'll hear about, 
 
 And, accosting a Pathan, they said, " My friend, you here may see 
 
 A camel, which we fain would sell for the sum of one rupee. 
 
 We have too many over there, and hence the modest price." 
 
 The Pathan he winked most solemnly, and simply said " How nice ! 
 
 I want just such a camel ; do you think that he'll object 
 
 To myself, my wife and children, if we're loaded up correct, 
 
 Or to carry us to Kandahar, for thither we are bound ? " 
 
 The wicked pair replied : " Oh, no ! We're sure you'll find him sound ; 
 
 But there's one thing we must keep — his tail ; we hope you will not 
 
 mind." 
 " Oh, take it," the Pathan replied ; " it will lighten him behind ! " 
 
 The flash of a tulwar in the sun ; the deed — the horrid deed — is done. 
 
 The price was paid up readily in two eight-anna bits. 
 
 The scoundrels then went back to camp, while the Pathan went into 
 
 fits 
 Of laughter at the bargain, and the camel straightway tied 
 By the rope attached to a peg in his nose to a juniper tree beside. 
 Hieing himself off in great delight to announce to his joyful spouse. 
 That he'd got a camel to carry them, and that to-morrow they'd move 
 
 house. 
 Then rolled they up their blankets, spanked their kids all round the 
 
 place. 
 Papa going back to the juniper tree, soon to return with a lengthy face.
 
 HINDU BAGH TO TAHNISHPA 
 
 73 
 
 For he found at the tree a bit of old rope, with the nose-peg on the 
 
 ground ; 
 Too carelessly put in the camel's nose (a thing that I've often found). 
 Meanwhile to camp the rogues had gone, and they'd claimed the usual 
 
 sum, 
 Making eight annas by the bargain each, that is simple rule of thumb. 
 But, lo ! and behold, at evening time, when the hills were bathed in red, 
 Strolled a visitor unexpected into camp with gentle tread — - 
 A tailless camel, looking for food, and glad to see his friends, 
 As, passing the commissariat tents, his way to the bhussa he wends. 
 Then out in the open, tied to a post, two cowering wretches, bared to 
 
 the waist. 
 Soon felt the lash from a sturdy hand, only too able and willing to 
 
 baste. 
 
 R. C. B.
 
 TAHNISHPA TO APOZAI 
 
 The next march forms the second phase of the Zhob 
 Valley expedition. In this case, also, the force was 
 divided up into distinct columns, each moving sepa- 
 rately under its own command. It 
 had been reported that considerable 
 difficulty was likely to be experi- 
 enced in the matter of supplies, and 
 that camel transport would alone have 
 to be relied upon for the forage of the 
 horses and mules. Nothing, accord- 
 ingly, except what was absolutely 
 necessary, was carried. General White 
 issuing orders that all details not actually required were 
 to be sent back to Apozai. Also the Field Force was 
 redistributed as follows : 
 
 Headquarters column, No. 7 Mountain Battery, 
 Royal Artillery (2 guns), King's Own Yorkshire 
 Light Infantry (400 rifles), i8th Bengal Lancers 
 (i troop), No. I Company, Bombay Sappers and 
 Miners (25 rifles), and the 2nd Beluchis (400 rifles). 
 
 Colonel Nicolson's column, i8th Bengal Lancers 
 (i troop), No. I Company, Bombay Sappers and
 
 78 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 Miners (50 rifles), the 3rd Beluchis (400 rifles), and 
 one section Native Field Hospital 
 
 The remainder of the troops, under Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Morgan, R.A., were ordered to proceed with all spare 
 stores down the Toi, and thence by way of the Zhob 
 Valley to Apozai, there to await further orders. 
 
 The equipment of the two columns was ordered to 
 be made as light as possible. The infantry carried 
 in pouch 40 rounds of ammunition, and on mules 50 
 rounds more. For camp equipage, one general service 
 tent, inner fly only, was allotted to every twelve men of 
 the British troops, the native troops not being supplied 
 with tents ; and the orders with regard to kits were that, 
 in the case of the British troops, 30 lbs. per man 
 was to be the limit, while the native troops and 
 followers were to be allowed 20 lbs. per man. The 
 Headquarters column also carried three days' sup- 
 plies and seven days' forage, and Colonel Nicolson's 
 column, nine days' supplies and seven days' forage. 
 
 The oreneral routes to be followed were, for the Head- 
 quarters column, to move by way of Nigange (Nigungi) 
 down the Kundar to Gustai, where it was to meet the 
 other column, and for Colonel Nicolson's column to 
 march to Gustai by the Nigange and Chukan road. 
 From Gustai they were to march together to Hussein 
 Ziarat. At the latter place two columns were again tO' 
 be formed for the march to Apozai. 
 
 Colonel Nicolson's column started out from Tah- 
 nispha about 5.30 on the morning of the i6th of Octo-
 
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 TAHNISHPA TO APOZAI 81 
 
 ber, marching on that day to Nigange on the Kundar, 
 a distance of seventeen miles. Sir Robert Sandeman. 
 Political Aorent of the Governor-General of India, 
 accompanied this division, and Lieutenant Southey 
 was attached as Intelligence Officer. The route 
 taken was by the Shin Narai Kot^il (elevation, 7450 
 feet). Nothing of note occurred, but the baggage 
 found considerable difficulty in descending the Kotal 
 six miles from Tahnishpa. No water was met with 
 until about a mile from the destination of the column 
 for that day when a well was found. On the Kundar 
 itself, at Nigange, water was plentiful, though brackish, 
 and having an effect like Epsom salts. The camping- 
 ground, however, was good and extensive, on the 
 right bank of the river. 
 
 Next day this column marched from Nigange to 
 Dola Sar, nearly ten and a half miles distant. This 
 part of the road was good, and water was met with 
 about two miles from Dola. There were three or 
 four somewhat difficult places en route, and these the 
 troops took the opportunity of improving. The camp- 
 ing-ground chosen was an extensive one near the 
 Tora Mu stream, and here good water was got. 
 At this point, too, the heliograph was set to work, 
 and communication opened with the spare supplies 
 column then at Nigange Kundar. 
 
 On the 1 8th, Colonel Nicolson marched to Sanghi 
 War, eighteen or nineteen miles from Dola Sar. 
 Water was met with occasionally, and the road was
 
 «2 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 fairly good, being again improved along the route by the 
 troops. At Sanghi War there was but little water, 
 and that brackish. Here it was not found possible 
 to keep up the heliographic communication. 
 
 On the 19th of October, the march was from Sanghi 
 to Ambarra over a good road, and across the river 
 Chukan, in the valley of which Ambarra is situated. 
 The water supply here was good, but the camping- 
 ground more limited ; sufficiently extensive, however, 
 to camp a brigade tightly packed, and here and there 
 
 divided. 
 
 On the 20th, a six miles march was undertaken to 
 Sharan, the Chukan valley caravan road being left, 
 and the column ascending the Sharan nullah, the road up 
 which is very rough and stony. Some deserted caves 
 were passed en route. At Sharan the camping-ground 
 was again small, but the water supply was fairly good. 
 In the morning Lieutenant Southey, with a detachment 
 of one havildar and twelve Sepoys of the 3rd Beluchis, 
 was despatched with two days' rations to explore Uzhda 
 Wazhda about four miles off, the road thither leaving 
 the main route on the right about a quarter of a mile 
 from Ambarra. His orders were to rejoin the 
 column at Gustoi War. From Sharan a second 
 detachment was sent out, consisting of the Sappers 
 and Miners and a company of the 3rd Beluchi bat- 
 talion, with orders to proceed to the Sharan Kotal, 
 about six miles off, and work on the road there ; and 
 this same afternoon it was announced that their
 
 
 
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 TAHNISHPA TO APOZAI 83 
 
 operations would be completed by 9 o'clock next 
 morning. This detachment encamped at the Kotal, 
 but as no water was to be found there, their mules, with 
 the exception of three pakal mules, were sent back 
 to the Sharan camp. Water for the men, however, 
 was fetched from a spot half-way between Sharan and 
 the Kotal, about a quarter of a mile off the road to 
 the left going up. 
 
 In consequence of the announcement that the road 
 would be ready in the morning, Colonel Nicolson left 
 Sharan next day (the 21st of October) and marched 
 to Gustoi War, a distance of seventeen miles. From 
 Sharan to the nullah the road was upwards for about 
 six miles, rough in many places, but fairly passable 
 by camels. Near the Kotal, however, the nullah gets 
 very narrow, and here laden camels passed only with 
 difficulty. Beyond the Kotal the descent was easier, 
 that having been worked on by the party of Sappers 
 and Miners sent on in advance. But for their opera- 
 tions it would have been impassable for laden animals 
 of any sort. At first the descent was very steep for 
 three-quarters of a mile ; then came the road made 
 by our troops for a distance of one and a half miles 
 or so, and after that there was an easier bit, when 
 again it became very rough, narrow, and difficult, 
 there being a second rather steep descent. About 
 six miles from Gustoi two very narrow tangis were 
 passed, so narrow as to be almost like doorways, 
 shortly after which water was found in the stream
 
 84 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 in limited quantities, and brackish. The road cut by 
 our Sappers was through shale. During- the last five 
 miles of this march some fruit trees were seen and 
 some deserted huts, as well as the remains of a Mandu 
 Khel village. Three miles from the camping-ground 
 the Gustoi valley was entered, and here a much more 
 plentiful supply of water was found in the stream. 
 This part of the route followed the nullah a short 
 distance, and then turned up to the left over a plateau, 
 finally descending again towards the stream and the 
 place of encampment, these ascents and descents being- 
 very steep. To show how bad and difficult the road 
 was for transport, it may be mentioned that though 
 the camels started from Sharan at eight o'clock in the 
 morninor, it was midniorht before the last reached the 
 camp at Gustoi War. 
 
 Besides the chilgoza and larger specimens of plant 
 life which abound in this district we noticed a orood deal 
 of wild rhubarb and asafoetida. Both of these plants 
 are collected by the natives and used for culinary 
 purposes. The former, when cooked, makes a very 
 excellent dish, and has even a delicious flavour ; but the 
 natives as frequently eat it raw, in which state they say 
 it is splendid for assuaging thirst, which may quite well 
 be the case. The asafoetida is chiefly perhaps used as 
 a cure for various bodily ailments, and much of what is 
 gathered is sold for export. The latter our men did not 
 make much trial of, but the former they seemed to 
 thoroughly appreciate.
 
 TAHNISHPA TO APOZAI 85 
 
 To return to the movements of the Headquarters 
 •column, which we left halted at Tahnishpa on October 
 16 — that is to say, the day our party visited Bungal 
 Khan's late stronghold. The more important events 
 •of that day were the coming- in of twelve of Bungal's 
 followers, and the despatch of spare commissariat stores 
 with about two hundred camels, under convoy of one 
 native officer and twenty lances of the i8th Bengal 
 Lancers, and one native officer and twenty rifles of the 
 3rd Beluchis to Kuriawasta. From Tahnishpa com- 
 munication was kept up both with the latter place and 
 also with Colonel Nicolson's column at Nigange. On 
 this day, too. Captain I. Mac Ivor joined the Head- 
 quarters column as Political Officer. 
 
 At last, on Friday, the 17th, a start was made. 
 Tahnishpa we left about 5.45 a.m., the early morn- 
 ing being very chilly, and Nigange was reached 
 about 1.30 in the afternoon. At first we marched 
 down steadily into the Kundar Valley, then followed 
 a very dusty but well defined track to the river. 
 Here we pitched our camp (elevation, 6000 feet), and 
 from the height at which we were could easily look 
 back at the peak we had left that morning, though 
 seventeen miles away. Our water supply was clear, 
 but somewhat salt. We had abundance of wood and 
 scrub for fires. As a whole, however, the place was 
 far from being a cheerful looking one. 
 
 I took the earliest available opportunity of making 
 a sketch here of the very theatrical-looking mountains,
 
 86 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 blood-red in the sunset, and with deep purple shadows 
 growing all over them. As I was thus engaged, 
 a native of the i8th Bengal Lancers came up and 
 watched me, and as the picture grew, so hugely inter- 
 ested did he become that finally he was completely 
 overcome, and suddenly implored to be allowed to show 
 the sahib that he, too, could sketch. On my invitation, 
 he straightway proceeded to draw a most wonderful 
 " Bingarl tiger," which I only wish I could reproduce 
 here ; but, alas, it became the property of my companion. 
 
 On this day a malik, or tribal headsman, came in to 
 Captain Maclvor and reported that he had lost five 
 hundred sheep at the hands of Bungul Khan. He also 
 disclosed the cache where he had his property concealed. 
 This morning, too, the remainder of the troops and 
 surplus stores were marched, under Captain Sievwright, 
 from Tahnishpa to Kuriawasta. 
 
 As we part with Bungal Khan at this point it may be 
 as well to recount here his subsequent history. A year 
 after these events occurred, that is to say, in 1892, he 
 voluntarily came into Hindu Bagh, and there surrendered 
 himself unconditionally to our then political agent at 
 Zhob, Captain MacMahon. He was found to be a 
 small, and, at first sight, an insignificant looking man ; a 
 nearer inspection, however, discovered a wiry frame, 
 keen features, and a penetrating glance showing decided 
 force of character. From that time he became a loyal 
 servant of the British Government, and he was allowed 
 to make a trip through India, visiting Calcutta, Bombay
 
 TAHNISHPA TO APOZAI 89 
 
 and other principal towns, under the care of Khan 
 Bahadur Hak Nawaz Khan, E.A.C. of Zhob. 
 
 On the 18th " Rouse" was sounded at 4.30 a.m. and a 
 start made at 6.10 a.m. for Kala Mulla Kumal, our next 
 halting place, distant about thirteen or fourteen miles. 
 Two halts were made en route, from 7 a.m. to 7. 10 a.m. 
 and from 9.10 a.m. to 9.45 a.m., Kumal itself being 
 reached at 11.15 -^•^'- ^^ crossed the river Kundar, 
 
 at the camping-ground of 
 Nigange, and proceeded 
 thence over small hills, 
 sandy in places, only strik- 
 ing the river again at our 
 new encampment at Kala 
 Mulla Kumal, thouo-h we 
 were pretty near it at our 
 long halt. Our march had been to the north of the river, 
 the river being on our right. Our camping-ground at 
 Kumal was a very sandy place, overgrown with scrub 
 and grass. The water was still brackish but clear, and 
 here arain we were enabled to indulg-e in fishino- in 
 the part of the river which lay below Maclvor's camp 
 to the east of ours. There is a small village, bearing 
 the name of Kala Mulla Kumal, about two miles to the 
 south-west of where our camp was pitched. The hills 
 behind our tents here look like the cardboard representa- 
 tion in a toy theatre, standing out sharp, and silhouetted 
 in the setting sun. 
 
 Next day, Oct. 19, " Rouse " was sounded at 4.45 a.m.
 
 90 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 and a start made before 5.50 a.m. On this occasion, we 
 followed a sandy heavy route, with frequent fording, 
 though a better one for our transport than they had 
 lately had. Nikhal, or Spole Loara, was the destination, 
 distant nearly sixteen miles, and this was reached at 
 I P.M. We halted three times, at 6.45 a.m., 8.10 a.m., 
 and 10.55 a.m., respectively. On leaving MuUa Kumal 
 
 
 we kept down the bed of the Kundar, crossing that river 
 repeatedly and every now and again going over little 
 sand hills. It was a misty day, and one which seemed 
 to suorcrest a sandstorm brewino- in the neiohbourhood 
 somewhere, which event fell upon us in the evening. 
 At the last halt we came across a herd of donkeys and 
 some goats, as well as about a dozen natives, a right 
 ruffianly looking lot indeed. At our camp we were again 
 visited by a similar lot belonging to the nomadic Safis, 
 who sought to sell us sheep and goats, the former being 
 the fat-tailed kind (or diiinbd). At about ten miles we 
 passed the junction of the Wali Murgha river and
 
 TAHNISHPA TO APOZAI 
 
 91 
 
 the Kundar. At Nikhal itself the Kandil joins the 
 Kundar. In the Kandil we found abundance of good 
 running water though somewhat muddy, whereas, m 
 the Kundar, there was little or none. Our camp was 
 situated on the left bank of the Kandil. Spole Loara 
 means "white plain." Here is the junction of the 
 
 routes from Ghaznee via 
 the Kandil Valley, and 
 from Kandahar via the 
 Kundar Valley. There was 
 grass on the plain, and good 
 camel grazing, but no sup- 
 plies were forthcoming. At 
 this stage it was reported 
 that not a man of the 
 Mountain Battery, or of 
 the King's Own Yorkshire 
 Light Infantry was in hos- 
 pital, and only one of the 
 2nd Beluchis, with two followers. 
 
 On the 20th (Monday), "Rouse" was again sounded at 
 4.45 A.M. On this day our destination was Sira Dirgha. 
 This place we reached about a quarter to eleven o'clock, 
 having left Nikhal at six, and made three halts, from 
 6.50 A.M. to 7 A.M., 8.15 A.M., to 8.25 A.M., and from 9 
 A.M. to 9.45 A.M. The total distance marched was about 
 twelve miles. Our route was across the Spole Loara, 
 along the riverside, amongst the mountains, by a narrow 
 stony tangi for two or three miles, until the Kundar 
 
 ; 
 
 ^ la 

 
 92 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 Valley was rejoined, after which we descended past 
 Nama Kanai ("navel stone"), a burial-place, to Sira 
 Dirgha. For the greater part of the way, our space was 
 very restricted, though occasionally it opened out into 
 broader places with signs of torrents in the shape of 
 driftwood lying about in the broader reaches, of which 
 driftwood we collected a lot for our camp fires, loading it 
 on the baggage camels. Otherwise, wood is very scarce 
 in this district, and hard to get, and this driftwood must 
 undoubtedly have been carried along from some heights 
 a long way off. What water there was in the river was 
 very muddy and " Epsomy ; " and the going was very 
 rocky and rough and bad for camels. 
 
 We had just got fairly into camp at Sira Dirgha, and 
 made everything snug, when, about ;^.t,o p.m., a sand- 
 storm came up from the north-east, with a cold wind, 
 sweeping the entire valley, and making everything soon 
 a mist of floating sand, which got into one's eyes and 
 ears. A good many tents went down under its force, 
 all the gear rattling and banging like the beating of many 
 drums, and the occupants holding on grimly to the tent- 
 poles, swearing roundly. It was a big flat, stony and 
 sandy camping-ground this at Sira Dirgha, and just the 
 sort of place for such a storm to revel in. 
 
 From this place our column set out next day (Octo- 
 ber 2i), about 5.45 A.M., for Sarmago Kach, a march of 
 nearly twelve miles, getting in before 11.20 a.m. Two 
 halts were made en route, from 7 a.m. to 7.10 a.m., and 
 from 9 A.M. to 9.45 a.m. Although over a short distance,
 
 TAHNISHPA TO APOZAI 93 
 
 this was a nasty march, the going being very bad. The 
 original order had been for a march all the way to Gustoi 
 War, but as wood and grass had been collected at 
 Sarmago Kach, the general officer commanding had the 
 camp pitched there. The distance thence to Gustoi was 
 only one or two miles, the latter place being further 
 down the stream. On our march we passed some Beluch 
 graveyards. As we were nearing camp our rear guard 
 was fired into, apparently from a great distance, and a 
 camp follower was hit on the shoulder. 
 
 A halt was ordered at Sarmao-o Kach during the 
 22 nd ; and meanwhile Captain Mac Ivor went on with 
 levies to Gustoi War, the general officer commanding 
 following soon after. Sir Robert Sandeman also 
 reached Gustoi War about three in the afternoon of the 
 2ist; but Colonel Nicolson's rear guard did not get in 
 until late in the evening, owing to the troublesome cross- 
 ing of the Narai Kotal. Next day, General White and 
 staff, with an escort of levies, under Captains Maclvor 
 and O' Mealy, went up the river Gustoi to the Sanzali 
 village, and thence to Kamwalloo, or Kamwala, a lofty 
 point of the Speraghar mountains (elevation, 7200 feet). 
 The ascent was a steep one, but they got a magnificent 
 view over the Gardao plain and to Kaisarghar, and the 
 Takht-i-Suleiman range in the far distance. Both at 
 Sarmago Kach and at Gustoi War wood and grass 
 could be got in considerable quantities, but little else, 
 except some bhussa from Sanzali. At Sarmago Kach 
 there was room to encamp a brigade, and iit Gustoi War
 
 94 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 a small force could easily be put up. We were still on 
 the Kundar river, the water of which stream continued to 
 be rather brackish, though that of the Gustoi was clear 
 and sweet. 
 
 The two columns (Meadquarters column and Colonel 
 Nicolson's column) having now practically effected a 
 junction, marched out on 
 October 23 (Thursday) 
 down the Kundar to Hus- 
 sein Ziarat, or, more fully, 
 Hussein Nika Ziarat, a 
 distance of twelve miles 
 or thereabouts. Colonel 
 Nicolson's men left Gustoi 
 War, where they had been 
 encamped, at 5.45 a.m., 
 and had two miles less to 
 traverse than those of the 
 Headquarters column, who, 
 however, did not start until 
 6.50 A.M., reaching Ziarat 
 at 1 1. 1 5 A.M., with two halts 
 
 from 7.35 A.M. to 7.45 A.M., and from 9.45 a.m. to 10.20 
 A.M. As it turned out, the Headquarters column arrived 
 at the Gustoi camping-ground at 7.35 a.m., when we saw 
 some of Sir Robert Sandeman's baggage camels still 
 in the act of moving off. As we descended to Hussein 
 Ziarat it got much warmer, and we found on arrival an 
 excellent water supply and a capital camping-ground.

 
 TAHNISHPA TO APOZAI 97 
 
 On getting into camp we heard that some of our grass- 
 cutters, under a lance naik of the 1 8th Bengal Lancers, 
 had been attacked by the natives just shortly before and 
 that one had been killed and another severely wounded. 
 These two unfortunates were brought in on doolies 
 about four o'clock. The ruffians, as can be imagined, 
 soon made themselves scarce, and Lieutenant Chesney 
 and a party of the i8th Bengal Lancers and some of the 
 3rd Beluchis, who had gone out after them, returned to 
 camp without having succeeded in capturing them. 
 They found, however, the tracks of three men. This 
 outrage had been perpetrated within two or three 
 hundred yards of the guard. 
 
 Hussein Ziarat (Hussein's shrine) is a place of con- 
 siderable interest, for here is the shrine [ziarat) of 
 Hussein, an illustrious saint, beneath an unpretentious 
 roof of common thatch, through which are stuck a 
 couple of long poles upon which dangle several roughly 
 made bells which tinkle dismally when swayed by the 
 breeze of the place. Within the enclosure, the walls of 
 which are about six feet high, repose the bones of the 
 saint and six others, said to have been relatives. In 
 front are two pillars of loose flat stones, forming a sort 
 of gateway, and through these a pathway leads to the 
 entrance of the shrine itself. The saint's grave is only a 
 low pile of earth and stones, and therefore somewhat 
 disappointing to the visitor, who doubtless expects 
 a nobler structure. It is nearly nineteen feet long by two 
 broad, and at the head is the skull of a mountain goat, 
 
 G
 
 98 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 or markhoTy with its spiral horns attached, about it being- 
 fastened curious Httle bits of bone, glass and rags, placed 
 there by worshippers or pilgrims in token of respect. 
 The foot of the grave is also ornamented with a very- 
 curious perpendicular stone, upon which is cunningly 
 balanced another rounded one, in the healing powers of 
 which the greatest reliance is placed by the sick folks of 
 this country. When we visited the place, two very 
 grimy fakirs were posted at the entrance by the pillars, 
 apparently to guard it, but doubtless they shrewdly 
 looked after the pice thrown into the big, rusty, iron 
 cauldron at the gate by the natives who came here to 
 pray and view the great Hussein's tomb. 
 
 By the way, a most touching tale is told of the 
 worthy saint's dog, whose bones lie in a grave in 
 close proximity to its master's. It seems this brute w^as 
 endowed with a sagacity and power of calculation far 
 beyond the average. It was his habit to sit by the road- 
 side and keep a look-out for strangers, upon whose 
 approach he would warn his master by a system of 
 barking, the number of barks he gave indicating the 
 number of the approaching visitors. One day, three 
 men are said to have come alono-. The dog- warned his 
 master as usual, but this time he only gave two barks, 
 whereupon it is said that Hussein, in a moment of anger 
 at the dog's stupidity, killed it on the spot. The dog, 
 however, as it proved, had been w^iser than his master, 
 one of the strangers being a Hindu and therefore no 
 pilgrim to him or his shrine. And, full of remorse for his
 
 TAHNISHPA TO APOZAI loi 
 
 rash act, Hussein, on his death-bed, gave impHcit direc- 
 tions that he himself was to be buried close by the spot 
 where lay his faithful hound. 
 
 From Hussein Ziarat the force set out, on October 24, 
 for Apozai, again in two columns following separate routes, 
 each earring four days' rations. Sir George White had 
 only a lightly equipped column with him, consisting of 
 20 lances of the i8th Bengal Lancers, t,t,o rifles of the 
 2nd Beluchis and 20 rifles of the 3rd Beluchis, his 
 route being by way of Domandi and the Gomal, whereas 
 Colonel Nicolson with Sir Robert Sandeman and the 
 remainder of the force followed the direct route to 
 Apozai. 
 
 We will first follow the movements of Sir Georofe 
 White's column. Leaving Hussein Ziarat at 5.45 a.m. 
 on October 24, he marched on that day to Kundar 
 Domandi, where the Gomal joins the Kundar, a distance 
 of eight and a half miles. Soon after starting, the 
 guide led him through and over a very steep and 
 bad pass for about a mile, and this part of the road the 
 baggage column took two hours to pass. After that, 
 the going was more easy ; first over an open plain and 
 then down the beds of the Inzar nullah between very steep 
 banks, until the Kundar was again struck, from which 
 point the direction was straight to Domandi down the 
 Kundar Valley. On arriving there plenty of good water 
 was found in the Gomal. Goats and sheep, too, were 
 procurable in large numbers, and grass, camel-grazing 
 and wood, also was obtained. The camping-ground
 
 102 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 itself was of considerable extent, indeed might be said 
 to be unlimited in the bed of the rivers. 
 
 About seven o'clock that evening a startling incident 
 occurred, an escort of Zhob levies with camels under 
 Captain O'Mealy being fired at in the Inzara tangi. No 
 one was hit, however, and they drove off their assailants 
 and brought the convoy safely into camp. 
 
 On October 28, General White continued his march 
 down the Gomal to Kurma, distant ten miles, passing 
 Maricho Kach at two miles, Gul Kach at five miles and 
 Kanzur at seven miles. It was a very trying march, 
 over sand and stones, and in the course of it the river 
 was constantly crossed and re-crossed. At Kurma the 
 camp was pitched on the right bank of the Gomal at its 
 junction by the Kurma nullah from the south. There 
 was plenty of room here and an unlimited supply of good 
 water, as well as grass and wood, and some few sheep 
 and goats. On this day's march the column was accom- 
 panied by Major Scott, R.E., who was in charge of the 
 Zhob railway survey, and who had come in the previous 
 day at Domandi, after an all-night march. Major Scott 
 remained with the column until Apozai was reached. 
 At Kurma the opportunity was taken of selecting a site 
 for a post, in case one might be rendered necessary for 
 the protection of railway surveying parties. 
 
 On the 26th a start was made at 5.45 a.m. up the 
 Kurma nullah, which here was dry with lots of coarse 
 grasses, to Gurdini, distant eighteen miles. About half- 
 way, they reached the watershed between the Gomal
 
 
 f'^' 
 
 i;^* 
 
 fl 
 

 
 TAHNISHPA TO APOZAI 105 
 
 and Siritoi, after which the Gurdas plain was crossed, 
 level and covered with dhub grass, the road then, at 
 fifteen miles, descending the bed of the Gurdini nullah 
 to its junction with the Siritoi where the camp was 
 situated, and where Colonel Nicolson had halted on the 
 previous day. This camping-ground also was very- 
 extensive and with a good and plentiful water supply, 
 but no supplies were obtainable except grass in abun- 
 dance and a sufficient amount of camel graze. The 
 column picked up here four days' rations left behind by 
 Colonel Nicolson under escort of one native officer and 
 forty men of the 2nd Beluchis. Also on this day 
 Lieutenant Vesey of the 2nd Sikh Infantry, stationed at 
 Mir Ali Khel, which is only three or four miles from 
 Gurdini, rode over thither to visit the general officer 
 commanding. 
 
 On the 27th the march was to Sapai, a distance of ten 
 miles. First, the Siritoi was descended for about a 
 mile and a half, the Zhob being then reached, two miles 
 down which is the Mir Ali Khel post, to which General 
 White then directed his march. Here he inspected the 
 garrison, consisting of one troop of the 3rd Punjab 
 Cavalry, and two companies of the 2nd Sikh Infantry 
 under Lieutenant Vesey. One of the men had died of 
 pneumonia two days before. The post, or defensible 
 barracks, were not yet finished, but they were expected to 
 be ready soon after November 15. They were about 
 two hundred yards to the south of the present post. 
 The inspection of this post having been completed,
 
 io6 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 General White then returned to the junction of the 
 Siritoi with the Zhob, and went on up the Zhob to 
 Sapai. Here there was camping-ground ample enough 
 for a division, with an unlimited supply of water from 
 the Zhob, the current of which at this point was swift. 
 The only supplies to be got were grass, wood, and camel 
 graze. 
 
 Next day General White left Sapai at 5.45 a.m., and 
 marched to Brunj, a distance of fifteen miles, the route 
 being by a road made the previous winter, on the right 
 bank of and above the Zhob, now re-made into a good 
 twelve feet camel road. Khatol Kot, a village of ten or 
 twenty houses, was passed on this march. Brunj itself 
 is a bigger place, having as many as fifty houses, and 
 here was found a rest-house nearly finished. The 
 camping-ground was an extensive one, sufficient for a 
 division or two brigades, and there was plenty of good 
 water, sheep, cattle, and rice, besides grass and camel 
 graze. 
 
 On the following day, the 29th, the remaining distance 
 of fourteen miles or thereabouts to Apozai was covered. 
 The column under Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan had 
 arrived several days earlier from Kuriawasta with the 
 spare stores, &c., and surveyor Asgar Ali had also 
 arrived, after having obtained satisfactory results, so that 
 now the whole Zhob Field Force was concentrated here. 
 Colonel Nicolson, of course, had arrived the previous 
 day. 
 
 But to return to Colonel Nicolson's column, which also
 
 TAHNISHPA TO APOZAI 107 
 
 left Hussein Ziarat on October 24. Our first day's march 
 was a short one of four miles to Inzha Inkar. The 
 regiments moved out at 7 o'clock in the morning, and 
 the baggage got clear of the camping-ground at 8. 15 a.m. 
 I was on rear guard that day with F Company of the 
 King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. As soon as the 
 baggage got clear, a lot of natives began to pour into 
 
 GURDINI CAMP 
 
 the place and collect about the graves under the hills. 
 They seemed to be part of some kafila or caravan from 
 India. Inzha has an elevation of 4300 feet, and the 
 camp there was on uneven and stony ground, sufficient, 
 however, for a very large force, say, two brigades. The 
 water supply was from a spring about a mile and a 
 quarter from camp, up the Inzha nullah over a bad 
 rocky road. The first men who went down to fetch it in 
 pakals were fired upon, but no one was hit. Six shots 
 were fired in all, and the guard of the 3rd Beluchis fired 
 two volleys of forty-two rounds in reply. 
 
 Next day's march was from Inzha Inkar to Gurdini, 
 or Gardani (elevation 3775 feet), distant twenty miles. 
 The troops started at 5 a.m., and arrived at i p.m., four
 
 io8 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 halts being made e7i route, from 6.5 a.m. to 6.15 a.m., 
 
 7.25 A.M. to 7.35 A.M., 9 A.M. to 9.45 A.M., and II.3O A.M. 
 
 to 1 1.40 A.M. On this march I was on advance guard 
 with F Company of the King's Own Yorkshire Light 
 Infantry. The early part of the journey was through 
 small hills, then we got into big valleys, the width 
 varying, but always over three-quarters of a mile : long, 
 flat reaches, grown over with dried grass. To all 
 appearance there had been a lot of water here at times, 
 for the ground was cracked like the dried-up bed of a 
 river. Probably in the rainy season in July this would 
 be quite a swamp. Our going, however, was very good. 
 
 At Gurdini there was an unlimited camping-ground, 
 extending on both banks of the Siritoi and Gurdini 
 rivers, which form a junction here ; and the water supply 
 was plentiful and good. Wood, tamarisk especially, and 
 grain also were to be had in abundance, but no other 
 supplies, except some sheep and goats. 
 
 We had three pickets on the hills : two Beluchi and 
 one King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. Our water 
 picket had been fired on at Inzha. 
 
 The next stage (Sunday, October 26) was from 
 Gurdini to Sapai, or Safi (elevation 3950 feet), a distance 
 of nearly ten miles. The column started about 5 a.m., 
 and came upon the Zhob river at 8 a.m. We halted 
 from 8.15 A.M. to 8.25 A.M., and from 9 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. 
 We had to ford the river constantly, the water at the 
 fords being knee-deep, and very cold. Sapai is itself on 
 the Zhob, and our camp there was on the right bank,
 
 TAHNISHPA TO APOZAI 
 
 III 
 
 with an unlimited supply of good water. When all our 
 camp arrangements were in full swing, we strolled down 
 to the river, and a very pretty picture the whole scene 
 presented — high cliffs and the river flowing quietly below, 
 a lancer watering two horses, and in the background the 
 hills blood-red in the settino- sun, the more distant ones 
 
 
 SAPAI — THE HILLS SOUTH OF OUR CAMP — SERVANTS' " KHANA " 
 
 like a huge bed of pink coral, giving lovely colouring in 
 the waning- sunlig^ht. 
 
 A native servant from the Political Camp managed to 
 cross the river, and we watched him fishing there on the 
 opposite bank— patient as all natives are and silently 
 watching his float. Soon he hooked a fine mahseer, and 
 smiling sleek content packed up and went off^ to his 
 camp ; and we, likewise bent on khana (dinner), followed 
 his example. Here a Public Works Department bun- 
 cjalow was in course of erection. 
 
 On the 27th, the column marched from Sapai to
 
 112 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 Brunj (elevation 4200 feet), also on the Zhob river, a 
 distance of eleven miles. We followed the river route. 
 There is another but longer route, perhaps the more 
 preferable one, as the frequent crossing of the river is 
 bad for boots and clothes. 
 
 This morning punishment by hanging was meted out 
 to a Ghazi at Apozai. It appears that, having said his 
 prayers, he got ready to murder the first man of any 
 importance that passed, who in this case chanced to be 
 Lieutenant Godfrey, the Assistant Political Agent, on 
 his way to Europe on sick leave under cavalry escort. 
 The fanatic fired at two sowars successively, each time 
 missing, and then, when the kahars who were carrying 
 the doolie in which lay the officer dropped it and 
 bolted, he first shot at and then dashed with his sword 
 at Godfrey, but was fortunately shot in the hip and 
 disabled in time. When captured, he said he had been 
 oppressed by the malik of his village, and he looked 
 very ill and broken down. Before the drop fell, he 
 shouted to the Pathan onlookers to pray for him. I 
 may mention, also, that the native who shot the coolie 
 within five hundred yards of the Bengal Cavalry lines on 
 the 9th was also a Ghazi. He, too, was duly captured, 
 and hanged almost on the spot of the murder, a little 
 before 9 o'clock on October 21, in presence of three 
 or four hundred people. In both cases the bodies were 
 burned. 
 
 The final stage, Brunj to Apozai (elevation 4500 feet), 
 was done next day, a start being made between five and
 
 H
 
 TAHNISHPA TO APOZAI 115 
 
 six in the morning, and Apozai being reached at i o. 1 5 
 A.M. Our column followed on this march the new 
 frontier road, and kept it the whole way, going being 
 good for all arms as well as for the transport animals. 
 We saw plenty of cultivation on the river banks, fields 
 of rice being specially abundant ; but we left the river 
 about 9 A.M. At Apozai our encampment was near the 
 new cantonment, known as Fort Sandeman, the latter 
 place being only a mile and a half to the north-east of 
 the village. The water at our camping-ground was 
 from a small stream close at hand, but was very dirty. 
 The river itself was about five miles distant. 
 
 On the 29th and 30th the whole Zhob Field Force, 
 now reunited, halted at Apozai in order that negotiations 
 might be carried on with the Sherani tribesmen of the 
 neighbourhood. I seized the opportunity of the rest 
 to make a series of sketches, including one of Fort 
 Sandeman taken from the east, showing the hill at the 
 top of which a house was being built for Captain 
 Mac Ivor. There are two other hills behind this, each 
 having its top levelled for a building. To the south of 
 these are the bazaar (everything therein being at famine 
 prices), the Native Infantry mess-house, and the men's 
 lines. 
 
 On the morning of the 30th we had a review before 
 Sir Robert Sandeman of all the troops of the Force and 
 the local garrison, at which many of the maliks of the 
 district were present. In all, 43 British officers and 2656 
 men of other ranks took part in this parade. After the
 
 ii6 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 march past, on the afternoon of the same day a durbar 
 was held, when Sir Robert Sandeman distributed rewards 
 to Sardar Shingul Khan and the other Zhob chiefs who 
 had most heartily co-operated in our arrangements. As 
 a matter of fact, all the way from Tahnishpa we found 
 the natives, speaking generally, very friendly. Many 
 helped us materially in the matter of the collection 
 of supplies, &c., some driving quite a brisk trade in 
 such animals as sheep and goats. They also very readily 
 furnished us with the necessary guides. Only once or 
 twice was any decided display of hostility made to us. 
 
 With the review of troops, and subsequent durbar at 
 Apozai, it may be said that this second phase of the 
 operations of the Zhob Field Force ended.
 
 ^tf^i'M'i
 
 '%4^
 
 APOZAI TO NAMURKALAN AND MOGUL KOT 
 
 We now reach the third phase of the operations of the 
 Zhob Field Force, namely, those which had in view the 
 subjection and pacification of the Sheranis generally, 
 
 and, in particular, the Khid- 
 darzai section of these tribes- 
 
 men. 
 
 It had been originally pro- 
 posed by Sir Robert Sande- 
 man that the Khiddarzais 
 should be attacked by two 
 forces of equal strength, the 
 one starting from the Punjab 
 and the other from Apozai 
 as bases of operations. The 
 Indian Government, however, 
 decided that only one force 
 should be despatched, and that from the Ouetta 
 side, Mr. Bruce, the Commissioner of the Derajat, to 
 join it in the Khiddarzai country in order the more 
 satisfactorily to settle the various points of difference 
 with the tribe in question. In consequence of the con- 
 tinued representations which were made, this decision
 
 122 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 was subsequently changed, and a detachment of the 
 Punjab frontier force was finally placed by the Govern- 
 ment at the disposal of Sir George White to operate 
 against the Sheranis from the direction of the Punjab 
 and the Derajat to the east. The Punjab force was 
 placed under the immediate command of Colonel A. G. 
 Ross, C.B., of the ist Sikh Infantry, and consisted of 
 one troop of the ist Punjab Cavalry, one squadron of 
 the 3rd Punjab Cavalry, four guns of No. i (Kohat) 
 Mountain Battery, two guns of No. 7 (Bengal) Mountain 
 Battery, and half a battalion each of the ist and 2nd 
 Sikh Infantry, and of the 2nd Punjab Infantry, a total of 
 1 65 1 of all ranks. 
 
 The Khiddarzais were in hot water on every side, 
 there being cases for settlement against them both from 
 the Punjab and Beluchistan. The chief matter against 
 them, however, was the non-surrender of four refugees 
 with them who were accused of murder, and the refusal 
 of Murtaza Khan to come in. A deputation of the 
 leading maliks of the tribe had waited upon the Deputy- 
 Commissioner of Dera Ismail Khan at Shekh Budin the 
 previous June, but had been dismissed because of their 
 being unable to guarantee the surrender of these 
 criminals. 
 
 In accordance with the final plan of campaign, Mr. 
 Bruce met the Zhob Force at Sapai, having got there 
 under tribal escort by way of the Gomal Pass, and 
 accompanied it thence to Apozai. Here, before actually 
 starting, a formal ultimatum was drawn up and des-
 
 APOZAI TO MOGUL KOT 123 
 
 patched to Murtaza Khan and the other Khiddarzai 
 chiefs, calHng upon them to surrender themselves without 
 delay. To this a reply was received asking for a month 
 to consider the matter, but as this was out of the question, 
 Sir Robert Sandeman instructed General White that the 
 only course left open now was to bring force of arms to 
 bear upon these tribesmen. An immediate advance was 
 accordingly resolved upon. 
 
 For the purposes of this expedition the Zhob Force 
 was divided into two columns, one being under Sir 
 George White and the other under Colonel Nicolson. 
 The general plan was that the Headquarters column 
 should march by Wala, over the Muramuzh range, to 
 Namur Kalan, the headquarters of the Khiddarzais, and 
 Nicolson's column by way of the Chuhar Khel Dhana 
 to Mogul Kot, while at the same time Colonel Ross's 
 force was to proceed to, and occupy, Drazand, the largest 
 village of the Largha Sheranis. I was again with 
 Colonel Nicolson's column. 
 
 The start from Apozai took place on October 31. Just 
 before we left, our prospect of a fight was raised to a 
 high pitch by a wire from Colonel Ross at Daraban that 
 on the previous day a reconnoitring party of thirty men 
 of the Punjab Cavalry had gone to the mouth of Daraban 
 Lam and been fired upon by a Sherani picket, which had 
 then immediately withdrawn to a sangar, a small fort 
 built up of loose rock and stones on the hill. This news 
 seemed to hold out a prospect of considerable opposition 
 on the part of the Largha Sheranis. The Largha
 
 124 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 Sheranis, by the way, are settled in the districts forming 
 the eastern slopes of the main Suleiman range — those 
 living on the western slopes are the Bargha Sheranis. 
 At the same time we were put on our guard, and 
 marched "as in an enemy's country." On the occasion 
 in question the cavalry had dismounted and fired back at 
 
 the tribesmen, dislodging them 
 from the sangar and killing three 
 and wounding several others. 
 
 Our column was accompanied 
 by Sir Robert Sandeman, Mr. 
 Bruce, Major Garwood, C.R.E., 
 and Captain Lamb, D.A.A.G., 
 and consisted of two guns of 
 No. 7 Mountain Battery, Royal 
 Artillery, two companies of the 
 King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, one troop of the 
 1 8th Bengal Lancers, half a company of the Bombay Sap- 
 pers and Miners and the 3rd Beluchis. We carried four 
 days' rations regimentally, as well as six days' rations in 
 commissariat charge. Our first halting-place was Kapip 
 Kach, distant eight or nine miles, and this we reached at 
 half-past nine in the morning, having started about 6.10 
 A.M. and made one halt at seven o'clock. Our route was 
 by a well marked out road, with excellent water all the 
 way in rivulets with gravel bottoms. Marching conse- 
 quently was good. On the whole, the country here was 
 quite different to that of which we had had experience 
 hitherto ; there was a lot of cultivation about, trees, &c.
 
 APOZAI TO MOGUL KOT 127 
 
 Kapip Kach itself (elevation 5140 feet) is on the left bank 
 of the Siliaza nullah, and our camping-ground here was 
 a very fair one, on fallow land. The water supply was 
 good and plentiful from the stream, and wood and grass 
 and bhussa were all obtainable. On the hillsides about 
 the place a good number of wild olive trees were also to 
 be seen. 
 
 Next day, November i, we left Kapip Kach before 
 6.15 A.M. and marched to Mani Khwah (elevation 5600 
 feet), a distance of sixteen miles, arriving at the latter 
 place at 12.5 p.m. Two halts were made en route, from 
 7.15 A.M. to 7.25 A.M. and from 9 a.m. to 9.40 a.m. On 
 this march we had good going, mostly in the river (Siliaza) 
 bed, but we met with no water, with the exception of a 
 small well of black lookincr stuff about three miles from 
 our destination. On the way, we crossed the easy Atsu 
 Kotal (elevation 5750 feet), where a band of Khiddarzais 
 under Ranigul, a noted robber, had, the previous January, 
 fired upon a reconnoitring party. The last few miles of 
 our route was over rocky ground and among stunted 
 trees. This was a cold march, the temperature being 
 low and a strong cold wind blowing. Mani Khwah is a 
 pretty litde hamlet at the head of the Spasta Valley, 
 lying almost concealed in a thicket of olive trees which 
 fringe the valley and cover the hill sides. Our camp 
 here was on stony ground among the trees. From it, 
 however, a orrand view was obtained of the Takht-i-Sulei- 
 man to the north-east, as well as the Kaiser Ghar. The 
 former has an elevation of 11,130 feet and bore 60° from
 
 128 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 my tent. Both made an impressive picture with their 
 grim and grey precipices rising high above the planta- 
 tions of " chilehoza " on their sides below. In the middle 
 distance, to the west side of the valley, was a fort with 
 corner towers on it and a village behind it. This was 
 the stronghold known as Birkadar's Fort, called after a 
 
 MANI KHWAH 
 
 HIRKADAR S FOKT 
 
 famous old marauder. Shina Ghar and the Spasta plain 
 could also be seen. The Atsu Kotal divides the 
 Ujasar plain from the Spasta plain, and it was on the 
 south-east side of the latter that our camping-ground 
 was. Our water supply was from a spring some distance 
 off, which flowed into a reservoir, which, however, did 
 not extend to camp, being lost in some cultivation. 
 Sheep and goats were here procurable in large quantities, 
 but few other supplies, except camel grazing, wood, hill
 
 APOZAI TO MOGUL KOT 129 
 
 grass and a little bhussa. Kuriawasta was the nearest 
 place whence other supplies could be obtained. 
 
 At this camp no definite orders were issued about the 
 time for marching out on the next day, but it was under- 
 stood that we were to be ready to move at an hour's 
 notice. In the evening a reconnaissance was made in 
 the direction of the Takht-i-Suleiman, Colonel NIcolson, 
 accompanied by the Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General 
 and an escort of the 1 8th Bengal Lancers, visiting Walla 
 Nullah, about seven miles away, said to be a short road 
 to Murtaza Khan's villages between the Chuhar Khel and 
 Khiddarzai Dhanas. This evening, too, a commissariat 
 driver belonging to the Sappers and Miners was reported 
 missing, and though every search was made for him, no 
 trace was obtained. He, however, turned up again at 
 Kapip Kach next day. 
 
 On November 2 (Sunday) we started from Mani 
 Khwah at nine o'clock in the morning for Sarghassa 
 Wasta, distant seven miles, where we arrived at noon, 
 having halted twice, from 10 a.m. to 10.10 a.m. and from 
 II A.M. to 11.30 A.M. F Company of the King's Own 
 Yorkshire Light Infantry was on advance guard during 
 this march. The road was a very bad one for laden 
 camels, a very narrow and steep Kotal having to be 
 passed, called Dakhabaranai Narai, and frequently we 
 got into tracks which had to be cleared by the Sappers 
 and Miners. During this march we saw several of the 
 inhabitants on the hilltops watching us from afar off It 
 was a wonderful sight to see the natives getting over the 
 
 I
 
 130 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 
 rocks. They wore chupplis, a kind of leather sandal, and 
 flew along like goats up, down, or along the hillsides. We 
 often saw them in the distance, but could never get very- 
 near them. They appeared to vanish in a marvellous 
 manner, their loose baggy garments flowing about them 
 as they moved along. They appeared to carry their food 
 
 — grain, dried apricots and 
 atta — in skins strapped over 
 the shoulder, also water, so 
 being able to live for days 
 away from villages and 
 habitations. The whole 
 way was up and down hills, 
 some of them very steep, 
 and we had no water ex- 
 cept in a very narrow tangi 
 towards the close of our 
 march, and even that was a 
 very limited supply. The 
 result was that our baggage was very late. Sarghassa 
 Wasta has an elevation of 4900 feet, and our camping- 
 ground here was an extensive one, sufficient for two 
 brigades, on high ground on the left bank of the Lowara. 
 There was little water near the camp, but about a mile 
 and a quarter away to the north-west up a nullah was a 
 spring from which a fair supply was obtainable. Wood 
 and hill grass here were plentiful, as also a fair amount 
 of camel grazing and bhussa. The only other supplies 
 to be got, however, consisted of sheep and goats. 

 
 APOZAI TO MOGUL KOT 
 
 131 
 
 On this day a rumour spread through the camp that 
 Colonel Ross's column had had another skirmish with 
 the enemy. This day, too, Colonel Nicolson, in com- 
 pany with the commanding Royal Engineer, the 
 Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General, and a small escort, 
 proceeded about half-way, or seven miles, on the road 
 to Dhana Sir, to ascertain the state of the road, and in 
 
 - ( 
 
 SARGHASSA WASTA 
 
 particular its practicability for transport animals. This 
 road was found to be good for all arms. Next day, 
 November 3, we got started about 8 o'clock in the 
 morning, F Company being on rear guard, the advance 
 guard getting away about 6 o'clock. The march was 
 to Dhana Sir (elevation 3900 feet), distant sixteen 
 and a half miles. Just as we were leaving some of 
 the baggage of the other column came in, having been 
 marching since i a.m., in consequence of missing the 
 road taken by their column. They told us that General 
 White had gone off with a flying column on another 
 route. Our march to-day was in the river bed, among 
 loose shingle all the way — tiring work — and we met 
 with no water whatever on the route. Upon arrival 
 Colonel Nicolson went out with his escort about five miles 
 down the Chuhar Khel Dhana to see what the road
 
 132 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 ;'k 
 
 
 "V^- 
 
 
 there was like. It was 
 found that there was ab- 
 solutely no track at all, 
 and that it would be 
 necessary to follow the 
 bed of the stream, cross- 
 ing and climbing over 
 boulders and rocks in 
 many places. In the 
 Chuhar Khel Dhana the 
 stream varies from six 
 inches to two feet in 
 depth, but flows with 
 great rapidity, and the 
 pass narrows to about 
 twenty yards, and in some 
 places to only a few feet, 
 with perpendicular cliffs 
 on either side rising up 
 to two thousand feet. 
 Major Garwood, C.R.E., 
 reported that it would 
 take four days' work to 
 make a proper road 
 through this, and accord- 
 ingly all available men of 
 the King's Own York- 
 shire Light Infantry and 
 the 3rd Beluchis were
 
 APOZAI TO MOGUL KOT 
 
 ^33 
 
 
 placed at his disposal, to hurry forward this heavy 
 work. The scenery in this neighbourhood can only 
 be described as superb. 
 
 Our camping-ground at 
 Dhana Sir, the head of 
 Dhana, was on a rough stony 
 plateau, with the bed of the 
 Chuhar Khel Dhana stream 
 to the east and below us, 
 and surrounded with huo-e 
 hills dotted over with small 
 trees, chiefly acacias and 
 wild olives, and all very 
 steep, and in places even 
 precipitous. The ground 
 was somewhat limited in 
 extent, but sufficient for a 
 brigade. The political camp 
 was situated on low culti- 
 vated ofround on the rio-ht 
 bank of the stream. Our 
 water supply, of course, came 
 from the stream and was 
 unlimited in quantity, for as 
 the Chuhar Khel Dhana is 
 neared the volume of the 
 stream is much increased 
 by numerous springs, many 
 of them warm springs with a 
 
 
 *^'
 
 134 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 great quantity of maiden-hair fern growing about the 
 places where they flow into the Dhana out of the rock. 
 Wood and hill grass and camel grazing were all to be 
 had here in abundance, but with the exception of a fair 
 stock of sheep and goats, other supplies were scarce. 
 The men were allowed by Sir Robert Sandeman six- 
 teen sheep each day for their 
 ) road-making in the tangi. 
 
 With their four days' work 
 at this sort of thing, they 
 undoubtedly learned a good 
 deal of engineering. I should 
 add that near the upper 
 end of the Qroro-e there 
 were a great many warm 
 springs. 
 
 On the 4th, quite a large 
 number of our men were 
 busy down the tangi, clearing out the Chuhar Khel 
 Dhana — about 150 men of the 2nd King's Own York- 
 shire Light Infantry, and 300 men of the 3rd Beluchis, 
 and Sappers and Miners being employed. I myself 
 went down the tanm at 10 o'clock in the morninof 
 with the party which was to relieve one that went 
 down at 6 o'clock, and we worked there in the water 
 until 5 o'clock in the afternoon, blasting and clearing 
 away boulders, and filling up gaps, and generally 
 making the place passable for our baggage camels 
 and other transport. Meanwhile our signallers got
 
 APOZAI TO MOGUL KOT 
 
 137 
 
 into']^heliog"raphic communication with the General's 
 column from Mura Murya between the Walla and 
 
 A BIT OF THE DHANA 
 
 Namur villages. A convoy of six days' supplies for 
 the whole force, under Captain Money, also arrived.
 
 138 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 and in the course of the day it was reported that 
 Murtaza had bolted away at our approach. The other 
 Khiddarzais had already come into camp. 
 
 On the 5th, our working parties were] again busy in 
 the tangi, up to their waists in water most of the time, 
 and up to the knees all the time, exerting all their 
 
 energies to finish the 
 road. Whilst they were 
 thus employed. Colonel 
 Nicolson and Lieu- 
 tenant Southey, with 
 an escort, made a re- 
 I ^. connaissance down the 
 4^^^^ tangi as far as Mogul 
 Kot, starting at 8 a.m. 
 and returning at 7 p.m. 
 The tangi is about five 
 and a half miles long, 
 and Mogul Kot is about 
 thirteen miles from Dhana Sir. The party first came 
 across a village with some cultivation, and next two 
 cultivated kaches or flats on the river bank. Here the 
 pass opens out, and at between ten and eleven miles 
 down a number of petroleum wells or springs exist, 
 the rocks in places being simply saturated with the oil. 
 Mogul Kot is a towered village, and when the escort 
 appeared the villagers got quite excited at seeing the 
 Beluchis. A number of the maliks, or chiefs, here 
 were found to be getting ready to come into our camp.
 
 APOZAI TO MOGUL KOT 
 
 141 
 
 At this place, too, a lot of patches of jowari were seen. 
 The petroleum hereabout had a colour like that of the 
 best Irish whisky. It came up from the springs in the 
 shale quite freely, was unadulterated with water, and 
 burned with a yellow flame and but little smoke. Our 
 guides were quite delighted to show us these petro- 
 leum holes, for those who had told about their existence 
 had been styled liars and 
 swindlers, and it had 
 even been hinted that 
 the so-called Moo^ul Kot 
 petroleum was nothing 
 else but refined Russian 
 oil. There was, however, 
 no mistake about it. 
 
 Durinof the 6th our 
 column still remained 
 halted at Dhana Sir. 
 Our men were, of course, 
 as busy as before in the 
 
 tangi, and the thunders of their blasting went up 
 constantly throughout the day. By this time about 
 five miles of this road had been made practicable for 
 laden mules, and it was expected that it would be 
 passable for camels next day. The holes bored in the 
 different obstructing boulders for blasting purposes took 
 some time and skill to make, and the hardness of the 
 rock soon turned the edge of the crowbars with which 
 the holes were drilled. Curious sights the little groups
 
 142 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 were on the rocks about ; one man seated to guide the 
 iron and keep it cool by pouring on water occasionally, 
 the other driving the bar and grunting with energy, his 
 long hair coming loose, and his bare feet gripping the 
 hard rock. Our men soon picked up the art and became 
 most skilful engineers. After several holes were bored 
 and announced ready and primed by the superintend- 
 ing sapper, the bugler on duty with the working party 
 sounded the "fire." Everybody at once got under 
 cover as quickly as he could, and there we waited till we 
 heard the full number of explosions and the bugle again. 
 Down came rocks and splinters all round, making odd 
 noises which reverberated and echoed along the pass as 
 the loosened material went leaping and bounding from 
 rock to rock into the water below. I went down with the 
 early working party at 6 a.m., and at that time it was 
 bitterly cold in the water. How arduous this task was 
 can scarcely be conceived. It is said that the Chuhar 
 Khel Dhana was once used as a caravan route, until a 
 flood destroyed it ; but really one who saw the place 
 when we were there could not help thinking that that 
 flood must have been in the time of Noah. The main 
 features of this interesting trade route for those five or six 
 miles below Dhana Sir were a number of water falls, one 
 coming after another, each from six to ten feet high, with 
 steep limestone rocks on either side. Down these, of 
 course, it was impossible for laden camels to go, though 
 it is said to have been the custom of the caravans which 
 passed by this route to lower their bullocks down them
 
 APOZAI TO MOGUL KOT 
 
 145 
 
 by their tails, and these places therefore were made 
 specially an object of- attack by our working parties. 
 
 The halt at Dhana Sir was continued on November 7, 
 our men working away zealously, and little of other 
 interest occurred to this portion of the force, except 
 that a fine markhor 
 was bagged by Pyrke 
 one evening on his 
 way back from work 
 in the Dhana. One 
 of the men pointed it 
 out to him as a " deer 
 comingdown to drink," 
 and he bowled it over 
 in fine style. The men 
 brought the carcass 
 into camp, where it 
 was soon skinned and 
 cooked over camp fires. The points of the horns were 
 somewhat injured in its fall down the rocks. On this day, 
 however, Captain Money, accompanied by a squadron of 
 the 1 8th Bengal Lancers, and Captain Seivright with 
 100 of the 3rd Beluchis, went to Mogul Kot, Captain 
 Money reconnoitring from that place, and opening up 
 •communication with Domandi, and Captain Seivright's 
 men assisting at the road-making from that end of the 
 pass. 
 
 Next day, everything being ready, the column was 
 moved on to Mogul Kot over the road thus prepared- 
 
 /^-^:>^^
 
 146 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 I managed to get a sketch of the camels going through 
 the Chuhar Khel Dhana, not far from the entrance. The 
 going was not altogether what one had imagined as 
 , ^__ suitable for camels, and 
 
 / " "^- we got them over ex- 
 
 traordinary places during 
 the expedition. 
 
 In some places it had 
 been found impossible to 
 make a track of any sort, 
 and we had, of course, 
 to wade through the 
 water. The noises of 
 rushing water, gurgling 
 camels, and the encourag- 
 ing shouts of our men 
 (who had become most 
 efficient camel drivers) 
 echoed up the steep 
 rocks to the narrow strip 
 of sky abov^e. 
 The rocks, though chiefly limestone and shale, were 
 of a curious reddish colour in this pass, and in a variety 
 of formations. At one place called the Sheet Rock, a 
 huge slab of rock at a steep incline came up out of the 
 water apparently, and had to be very carefully engineered, 
 as the only place we could get any foothold to cut out a 
 trench was immediately above the rushing water which 
 boiled down here, and it was with difficulty we got the
 
 
 
 
 
 '3^S7' fi' m 
 
 ; ^^:^T,\v"^
 
 APOZAI TO MOGUL KOT 
 
 149 
 
 camels to face it, and once over it necessitated wading 
 again in fast running water with slippery loose stones for 
 a bottom. 
 
 In one part of the tangi, or dhana, we had actually 
 to make a bridge of sandbags. There was a deep hole 
 here which could not be passed in any direction because 
 of the steepness of the 
 rocks on all sides and \ 
 
 the swiftness of the €^^ 
 
 -/""■^^ 
 
 %Lh 
 
 -^^^ -v,^ 
 
 Js 
 
 Am 
 
 <c- 
 
 current. This accord- \ $%S ^^^T^u. '- v ^-C •>, 
 
 mgly seemed the only jj jt 
 
 available means of pass- iJMlii//. 
 
 ing it, and a very smart 
 
 bit of engineering it 
 
 was. 
 
 The total distance 
 from Dhana Sir to 
 Mogul Kot by this road was thirteen miles, and we got 
 fairly started into the tangi about eleven o'clock in the 
 forenoon. Sir Robert Sandeman's party had already 
 gone on ahead in the early morning. Our order of 
 march was : first, the advance guard under Captain 
 Butler-Creagh, then our camels with the men who 
 formed their escort, then the mules, and finally a 
 section as rear guard, followed by the Mountain Battery 
 and a company of the 3rd Beluchis with their camels. 
 We got along very slowly and, at the sandbag bridge 
 above mentioned, were for a time blocked owing to a 
 camel dropping over, and several others in consequence
 
 150 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 refusing to cross, one particularly perverse beast causing" 
 a block for a long time, and then quietly walking over. 
 
 CHUHAR KHEL UHANA — 1 HE SHEET ROCK 
 
 Eventually, however, we all got through, doing the 
 remainder of the march in the dark, literally feeling
 
 APOZAI TO MOGUL KOT 
 
 151 
 
 our way along. Owing- to the darkness we failed to 
 find our camping-ground, wherefore, as it was now 
 eleven o'clock, our only course was to bivouac where 
 we were for the night and wait for the morning. So we 
 made ourselves as comfortable as was possible among 
 the boulders and rocks, where it was impossible to pitch 
 a tent and even difficult to oret a fire liofhted. for it was 
 
 CAMP AT MOGUL KOT 
 
 very chilly that night and our thin khaki was wet 
 through. One of our men rolled himself up in a camel 
 loading net- — its meshes are about four inches square — 
 and tried to imagine it was warmer in this open-work 
 wrapping, the others admiring his powers of imagination. 
 I was sent as escort to the guns with half a company, and 
 on finding them, after climbing over about three hundred 
 yards of boulders, I discovered Reed, who was in 
 command, with his native servant, busy close by cooking 
 some of the mountain sheep of which we had had so 
 much lately, and which with a box of sardines and some 
 bread made a splendid dinner. As tents could not be
 
 152 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 pitched, they were spread out as much as possible and 
 used as coverings, blanket fashion, the men crawling 
 underneath. When morning came we at once pushed on, 
 soon finding- our proper camping-ground on the top of a 
 very steep khud. The way up to this was by a very 
 narrow winding track. There was plenty of wood found 
 here, as also lots 
 of signs of culti- 
 vation, there being 
 fields marked out 
 and many well 
 worn tracks lead- 
 ing" down to the 
 hills on the south- 
 east. From our 
 camp we had a 
 o-Qod view of the 
 Takht- i - Suleiman, 
 
 ranges of other hills, however, intervening between us 
 and its base. During the day a heliograph began to flash 
 upon one of these mountains. Down below this we could 
 see a lot of smoke as of a camp bivouac or of a village 
 burning. News came in here that Colonel Ross's 
 column had again had a skirmish with the Sheranis, but 
 no details were forthcoming. 
 
 We must now return to General White and the 
 remainder of the Zhob Force whom we left halted at 
 Apozai on October 31. Carrying ten days' rations, and 
 accompanied by Captain Maclvor and Mr. Donald as
 
 APOZAI TO MOGUL KOT 153 
 
 Political Officers, they set out on November i, at 
 6.45 A.M., for Kapip Kach, following the road taken the 
 previous day by Colonel Nicolson's men. The tempera- 
 ture at this halting place during the night was found to 
 be 19° Fahr. Next day it had been intended to make 
 for Birkadar's fort, but the march actually undertaken 
 was to Mani Khwah. Here an important diversion was 
 made. It having been reported that Namur Kalan and 
 Namur Khurd, two of Murtaza Khan's villao-es, were 
 within striking distance, a night march to these was 
 resolved upon, and accordingly a flying column was at 
 once prepared. This consisted of two guns of the 
 Mountain Battery, one company of the King's Own 
 Yorkshire Light Lifantry, one troop of the i8th Bengal 
 Lancers, forty rifles of No. i Company Bombay Sappers 
 and Miners, and 200 rifles of the 2nd Beluchis. The 
 remainder of the force left behind at Mani Khwah were 
 under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan. 
 Starting soon after midnight, progress at first was but 
 slow owing to the darkness. The Usha Kotal, however, 
 was soon reached and easily surmounted, but the road 
 then became very bad, over huge boulders of a 
 mountain torrent, and was seen to be quite impracticable 
 for laden camels. Indeed, the track was hardly passable 
 for mules. Orders were, therefore, at once sent back 
 to Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan not to follow this route 
 but to oro straight to Sarg-hassa Wasta. When about 
 two miles from Walla, a halt of several hours had to be 
 made to enable the rear guard to close up, and during
 
 154 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 this halt Captain Lowry of the 2nd Beluchis, with 
 the head of the baggage column, turned up. He had 
 had a strange experience. Having become separated in 
 the dark, and his guide having taken him to Sarghassa 
 Wasta, he there fell in with Colonel Nicolson, who sent 
 him across to Walla. Now General White sent him back 
 apfain to Sarofhassa Wasta, there to wait for Lieutenant 
 Moro-an's arrival with the remainder of the column. From 
 that place the latter was directed to send three days' 
 supplies for the flying column, to meet it at Walla. When 
 General White at last got into Walla, the place was 
 found to be deserted. The rear guard did not get in 
 here until 6 p.m., having been eighteen hours under arms. 
 Not a single man, however, was carried in the "dandies" 
 (hospital stretchers with awnings, on long bamboos and 
 carried by natives), and there were no casualties among 
 the mules. The actual distance traversed was about 
 twelve miles. At Walla the column bivouacked for the 
 night. 
 
 During the halt at Walla, information was brought 
 that from two to five hundred Khiddarzais and other 
 tribesmen were with Murtaza among- the hills at Mura 
 Muzh, and that they intended to oppose the advance 
 of our column there. Next day, accordingly, General 
 White ordered an advance agfainst them with a view to 
 attacking them or occupying Namur Kalan, as circum- 
 stances permitted. At Walla, he left behind a weak 
 detachment under command of Lieutenant Chesney, 
 but it was intended to return there in the evening. On
 
 APOZAI TO MOGUL KOT 155 
 
 the road a deputation of Khiddarzai maliks, headed by 
 Baluch Khan, a man of importance among these people, 
 met the column, and handed in their submission. They 
 also reported that Murtaza had fled, and that the march 
 of our column would not be opposed. Thereupon leaving 
 at the foot of the Mura Muzh range, at Laur Khurd, 
 where there was water, the ouns and main bodv, and 
 taking the maliks with him as prisoners at large, General 
 White ascended the hill with fifty of the King's Own 
 Yorkshire Light hifantry and fifty of the 2nd Beluchis 
 to reconnoitre the crest (elevation 8310 feet). The top 
 •of Mura Muzh was reached about half-past eleven, and 
 a splendid view of the country was obtained to the east, 
 Namur Kalan lying below and Takht-i-Suleiman shutting 
 •off the view to the north. From this point heliographic 
 communication was then established with Colonel Nicolson 
 above Dhana Sir, and with Colonel Ross at Drazand. 
 The path down to Namur Kalan was also reconnoitered 
 and pronounced to be impracticable for laden mules. 
 After a full survey of this panorama. General White 
 and escort returned to Walla. The maliks whom he had 
 taken up the hill with him seemed to be much impressed 
 by the way our columns hemmed them in, as disclosed 
 by the heliographic signalling, which they watched with 
 great interest. 
 
 Next day, November 5, General White and staff, 
 accompanied by one hundred and thirty men of the 
 King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry under Major 
 Symons, and one hundred and seventy men of the 2nd
 
 156 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 Beluchis under Major Creagh, marched out from 
 Walla four miles to Laur Khurd, or Ghawar Gahr, at 
 the foot of Mura Muzh, in order next day to ascend this 
 mountain and advance on Namur Kalan. Meanwhile 
 Major Richardson was left at Walla with orders to take 
 the two guns, troop of Cavalry, Sappers and Miners, 
 
 and detachments of the King's 
 Own Yorkshire Light Infantry 
 and 2nd Beluchis, together 
 with all the animals, back on 
 the following day to join 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan's 
 column at Sarghassa Wasta. 
 
 The occupation of Namur 
 Kalan was undoubtedly a feat. 
 The men carried not only their 
 ritles and accoutrements, in- 
 cluding forty rounds of ammu- 
 nition, but also their bedding" 
 and coats rolled up, three days' rations (including a 
 tin of preser\'ed meat per man and flour to make 
 chapatis) and their cooking pots. Thus burdened the 
 little column started from Laur Khurd about six 
 o'clock in the morning to do their hard march, or 
 rather climb and descent. Some tried to make use 
 of donkeys, loading these with their belongings, but 
 the men had soon to carry both the loads and the 
 donkeys, for the latter were quite unable to manage it. 
 Even the members of the staft helped, carrying the
 
 APOZAI TO MOGUL KOT 157 
 
 rifles, &c., of those men who had heavy loads. At one 
 spot some one happened to ask where the General 
 was, whereupon a Tommy Atkins answered quite 
 seriously, "Oh, he is up above, sir, superintending- 
 the loading- of a donkey ! " 
 
 The ascent was about 1700 feet and very steep in 
 places ; the rear guard did not get up until half-past 
 one o'clock in the afternoon. The descent to Namur 
 Kalan again was about 3500 feet in a little over three 
 miles by a path or rather torrent bed, also very 
 steep and bad. This part of the journey was specially 
 dangerous owing to the number of loose stones which 
 came rattling down. The Khiddarzais had always 
 hitherto believed themselves to be perfectly safe and 
 secure from this side. When the General's column, 
 however, turned this point, they realised their situation, 
 being surrounded by columns, and surrendered them- 
 selves. The head of our column made the descent 
 in about three hours. The rear guard, however, did 
 not arrive till 10.45 ^•^^• 
 
 On arrival at Namur Kalan the place was found 
 to be deserted. It is a scattered villaofe or series of 
 hamlets each owned by a separate malik, situated in 
 a sort of basin from which there is no escape for the 
 watercourses. There was a good deal of cultivation 
 about and the soil seemed to be fertile. Lofty moun- 
 tains surrounded the valley on three sides, and the 
 slopes of these were frequently thickly covered with 
 oak trees.
 
 158 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 This was undoubtedly a hard and trying march for 
 the men, some of whom were under arms as long as 
 seventeen hours. Sir George White in his despatches 
 says that none but willing men in high training could 
 have accomplished such a march. One mule out of 
 three was ruptured and destroyed, and a donkey, twelve 
 sheep, fourteen goats and some commissariat rations 
 were also lost. On the top of the hill, congratulatory 
 messages were received by heliograph from Colonel 
 Nicolson at Dhana Sir and from His Excellency the 
 Commander-in-Chief for India from Drazand. At 
 the same time a message w-as sent to Colonel Ross 
 at Drazand, requesting him to march to Kurrum and 
 thence up the Khiddarzai Dhana on the 7th to meet 
 General White at Namur Kalan. On this day the 
 temperature was very cold, there having been hard 
 frost during the night. 
 
 On the following day (November 7), General 
 White went on from Namur Kalan in company with 
 the Assistant Adjutant-General, Lieutenant Chesney, Mr. 
 Donald and ten rifles of the King's Own Yorkshire 
 Light Infantry to meet Colonel Ross and his column 
 who were coming up in accordance with the above 
 mentioned directions from Kurrum Hezai. The latter 
 column consisted of twenty sabres of the 3rd Punjab 
 Cavalry, two guns of the No. i (Kohat) Mountain 
 Battery and two hundred and eighty rifles of the 2nd 
 Sikh Infantry. They had started the previous evening 
 (the 6th) from Drazand for China on the right bank
 
 APOZAI TO MOGUL KOT i6i 
 
 of the Shingao nullah, camped there for the night, 
 and on the next morning proceeded up the bed of 
 the nullah to Kurrum, reaching this place at 9 a.m. 
 Leaving the camp here, the party continued their 
 march up the nullah past the little village of Ambar. 
 Here the Khiddarzai Dhana got very narrow, high 
 cliffs rising up on both sides of it. At one point, too, 
 a huge rock blocked the way and compelled a halt. 
 Then, just as the advanced guard began to move 
 forward again, several shots were fired in rapid suc- 
 cession, and as the column turned a corner near the 
 village of Khushbina Wassan Singh, a sepoy of G 
 Company of the 2nd Sikh Infantry was shot dead, the 
 bullet entering the lower part of the neck. This was 
 the only casualty, though firing continued on both sides 
 of the gorge. At Khushbina the column was met by 
 Sir George White and his party from Namur Kalan. 
 A conference took place between the two leaders, after 
 which General White returned to his camp taking with 
 him seven Khiddarzai maliks who had surrendered. 
 When he got to Namur Kalan, the two chief maliks 
 there, Baluch Khan and Yarak Khan, made off at full 
 speed. Some of the 2nd Beluchis at once fired upon 
 them, and Yarak Khan was shot. Baluch Khan, on the 
 other hand, made good his escape to the hills. It would 
 appear that on hearing the firing these maliks had got 
 terrified lest we should exact vengeance on them. Later 
 on, however, on November 10, Baluch Khan came in 
 and surrendered himself On the same day that these
 
 i62 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 events took place, Colonel Ross's men occupied Nishpa, 
 a village situated opposite Khushbina on the left bank 
 of the Khiddarzai Dhana. Both these villages had 
 a strong situation, and would have made good natural 
 fortresses. Khushbina was, however, subsequently (on 
 the 8th) destroyed as a punishment for the opposition 
 manifested in the nullah. 
 
 Colonel Ross's stay at these villages was a somewhat 
 uncomfortable one, as no previous arrangements for 
 camping could be made. Further, his men had only a 
 single day's rations with them, thus necessitating their 
 return to Drazand to meet a convoy coming up with 
 further supplies from Daraban. General White, how- 
 ever, on hearing of this, promised to relieve Colonel 
 Ross, at Atol Khan Kahol, or Nishpa, at 8 o'clock 
 the following morning, so as to admit of his getting 
 away to meet his supplies. Accordingly, next morning, 
 November 8, at 6 o'clock, Major Creagh, V.C., with 
 one hundred men of the 2nd Beluchis, and rations for 
 four days, marched from Namur Kalan to Atol Khan 
 Kahol, and there relieved Colonel Ross in due course, 
 the latter returning to his camp at Kurrum wuth his 
 force, with the exception of fifty sepoys of the 2nd Sikh 
 Infantry, who were left with Major Creagh. Colonel 
 Mason, Deputy Assistant Quartermaster- General, of the 
 Intelligence Department, with Captain Mac Ivor and 
 twenty rifles of the King's Own Yorkshire Light 
 Infantry, who had accompanied Major Creagh, returned 
 to Namur Kalan the same day. Meanwhile, Captain
 
 APOZAI TO MOGUL KOT 163 
 
 Mayne and fifty men of the 2nd Beluchis ascended 
 the hills to the north-east of the latter place, with a view 
 to capturing some bullocks, sheep and goats, and returned 
 with nearly two hundred of these animals. The 
 shepherds fired upon his party, but no casualties were 
 sustained. 
 
 On November 9, General White, accompanied by 
 Captain Mason, Captain Mac Ivor, and an escort of 
 twenty rifles of the 2nd Beluchis, and the same num- 
 ber of the 3rd Beluchis, started for Mogul Kot by 
 the Walwast road to confer with Sir Robert Sandeman. 
 They took with them the various Khiddarzai maliks 
 who had surrendered, and slept that night at Dhana 
 War. Lieutenant-Colonel Jeffreys, Assistant Adjutant- 
 General, meanwhile took command at Namur Kalan. 
 The same day Major Creagh started from Atol Khan 
 Kahol, and ascended a hill to the west, visiting the 
 village of Karai, which he found friendly. On this 
 occasion not a shot was fired. About seventy cows 
 and donkeys, and one hundred and twenty sheep, were 
 collected during this march, on or about the slopes of 
 the Takht-i- Suleiman range. 
 
 Next day it was reported by Colonel Ross from 
 Kurrum Hezai that two men and a lad of fourteen years 
 of age had been brought in by the Uba Khel to Mr. 
 King, these being stated to have been the culprits 
 who fired on his column from the north side of the 
 Khiddarzai Dhana on November 7. They were cattle 
 herds belonging to Musa Kora. On this day also
 
 i64 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 signalling communication was opened up from the hill 
 above Namur Kalan, bearing 1 70° from our camp, with 
 Kurrum Hezai, Drazand, Mogul Kot, Namur Kalan and 
 through one intermediate station with Dhana Sir. 
 This shows how central a position our station at 
 Namur Kalan held, commanding, as it did, the whole 
 Khiddarzai country. Even Atol Khan Kahol could be 
 communicated with, if necessary, from this point. 
 
 This evening also. Lieutenant Dowdall came into 
 Namur Kalan from Walla. He had charge of the kits 
 of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and 2nd 
 Beluchis left at Walla, and was accompanied by an 
 escort of twenty rifles of the King's Own Yorkshire 
 Light Infantry and sixty-six men of the 2nd Beluchis. 
 The previous day he had marched from Dhana Sir 
 to Dhana War, coming on from the latter place to 
 Namur Kalan by the Walwast route. He had with 
 him over a hundred mules, and owing to many of these 
 animals getting thrown over the khud by the side loads 
 striking the rocks, he was so much delayed that the 
 rear guard did not arrive until half-past ten at night. 
 
 Meanwhile General White and his escort had con- 
 tinued their progress from Dhana War down the 
 Chuhar Khel Dhana for five miles to Mogul Kot, this 
 place being reached about nine o'clock in the morning. 
 A little over half-way he came across some petroleum 
 springs in the nullah, the supply from which, though 
 pure, was somewhat scanty. At Mogul Kol the con- 
 ference was held with Sir Robert Sandeman, the chief
 
 APOZAI TO MOGUL KOT 
 
 167 
 
 ,^^^ 
 
 object of which was to arrange for the future movements 
 of the force. 
 
 Colonel Ross also was busy : making a reconnaissance 
 from Kurrum Hezai, and visiting the villages of 
 Torkhanai, Bohaur, Shina Kazha and Mazora. These 
 
 places were found 
 to be deserted, and 
 all the arms that 
 were found were 
 confiscated and 
 carried away. 
 
 I was at Mogul 
 Kot at this time 
 with Sir Robert 
 Sandeman's col- 
 umn, but with the 
 exception of the 
 conference with the 
 General, little else of special note occurred. We saw, 
 however, several fires up on the slopes of Takht-i- 
 Suleiman, and a party of Beluchis who were out 
 foraging got fired upon but without suffering any 
 harm. I give a view of the place, looking down the 
 stream from the top of the khud on the right where 
 we were encamped. The kaches on the left were 
 covered with standing corn or maize when we arrived, 
 and we had to go to the top of this steep khud and 
 make a zig-zag track among the trees to get the camels 
 up with our baggage. The i8th Bengal Lancers, how-
 
 i68 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 ever, lent us some baggage ponies, which rendered a lot 
 of assistance, as owing to the stunted trees our camels 
 could only get along very slowly. 
 
 During the precipitous ascent and descent of Mura 
 Muzh many of our men had lost their helmets. This 
 deprivation, however, was remedied by the use of 
 puggaris, which the Beluchis gave our men lessons in 
 putting on. By the way, our Beluchi regiments ate 
 goats, in some cases apparently preferring them to 
 sheep, though I would not be surprised to learn that 
 we got them also under another name. 
 
 On November ii, the general officer commanding 
 and staff, accompanied by their escort, returned by way 
 of Karghwazi to Namur Kalan, a distance of ten miles. 
 Major Creagh at Nishpa, too, had been busy, and the 
 result of his scouring of the slopes of the Takht-i- 
 Suleiman was the collection together of eighty cows, 
 fourteen donkeys, sixty-two goats, one hundred and four- 
 teen sheep, and twenty maunds of Indian corn, which, 
 so far as they were found to belong to the Khiddarzai 
 tribesmen, were retained, while the portion belonging 
 to the friendly Atol Khan Kahol (Kahol, by the way, 
 means tribe or family) and other sections were restored.
 
 FROM NAMUR KALAN AND MOGUL KOT 
 HOMEWARDS 
 
 With the various doings described in the last section 
 it may be said that the active operations against the 
 Khiddarzai tribesmen ceased. At all events from this 
 point of the route of the expedition a totally new pro- 
 gramme was entered upon. As has been mentioned, 
 this was the chief object of the conference held between 
 Sir Robert Sandeman and General White near Mogul 
 Kot. The general plan then arranged was as follows : 
 First, No. 7 Mountain Battery of the Royal Artillery, 
 with an escort of lOO rifles of the 2nd Beluchis, were 
 ordered to return from Mogul Kot and Dhana Sir to 
 Quetta by way of Apozai and the Zhob Valley. Then 
 Colonel Nicolson's column was to move to Kurrum by 
 way of Parwarrah and establish a camp there. Next, 
 Colonel Ross was to reassemble at Drazand, after being 
 relieved at Kurrum by Colonel Nicolson as aforesaid, 
 and Lieutenant- Colonel Turner was to move his detach- 
 ment from Domandi to occupy Mogul Kot. Dhana Sir, 
 Namur Kalan and Atol Khan Kahol were all meanwhile 
 to be held by detachments, Namur Kalan being made 
 headquarters with signalling communication all round.
 
 170 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 This state of matters was to continue until November 17, 
 after which date it was ordered that the British infantry 
 should collect at Dhana Sir, returning to Ouetta by the 
 Vihowa Pass, Dera Ghazi Khan and rail ; that the 3rd 
 Beluchis and Sappers and Miners should go to Apozai 
 by way of Daraban and the Zawa Pass ; that the 2nd 
 Beluchis should go to Kapip Kach and Loralai by way 
 of the Chuhar Khel Dhana; and that the 1 8th Bengal 
 Lancers should proceed from Kurrum to Chandwan and 
 thence to Loralai by way of Mangrota and the Sangar 
 Pass. Before returning, however. Sir George White 
 determined to climb the famous Takht-i-Suleiman himself, 
 which had not yet been ascended by our troops, even 
 during the so-called Takht-i-Suleiman expedition of 
 1883. He thought it would be as well to take this 
 opportunity to roll away the cloud of obscurity which 
 hitherto had enshrouded the place, and to show the 
 natives that even the paths up the precipitous eastern 
 face, which were ordinarily impassable for mountain cattle 
 and sheep, could be surmounted by British troops. 
 
 In fulfilment of this plan. General White, accom- 
 panied by Lieutenant Jackson, aide-de-camp. Captain 
 Mason, of the Intelligence, and fifty rifles of the King's 
 Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, under Captain Milton, 
 set out on November 12 from Namur Kalan, by way 
 of Atol Khan Kahol, picking up at the latter station 
 Major Creagh and fifty men of the 2nd Beluchis, 
 and Mr. Donald, Political Officer. At sunset of that 
 day the village of Zindawar, belonging to the Sultan-
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS ijr 
 
 zais, was reached. This was only a matter of about 
 six miles from Atol Khan Kahol, but the road was a 
 very bad one — first up two thousand feet, and then 
 down again about one thousand seven hundred feet. 
 At this place the tribesmen were quite friendly, and 
 the column bivouacked there for the night. The mules 
 found the road very difficult, and the baggage was 
 caught by darkness, and had to bivouac on the road. 
 The night was a cold one, there being six degrees of 
 frost, and as the men were without their kits the dis- 
 comfort was considerable. Water, too, was not to be 
 had. However, about 8 o'clock the following morning 
 the baggage guard at last got in, and after breakfast 
 the whole party proceeded a distance of three miles to 
 Tora Tizha. At this point the mules were left behind, 
 officers and men now advancing, carrying greatcoats 
 and blankets, and one day's cooked rations. For the 
 first two miles the path was a zig-zag one up to the 
 foot of the ridge, which marked the final ascent to the 
 top, and it was at Sighrai, upon this ridge (elevation 
 7400 feet), that the column bivouacked for the night, 
 having ascended that day as much as three thousand 
 five hundred feet. The temperature here was again 
 intensely cold, and owing to the small amount of 
 clothing with the party, a very trying one. Next day 
 at 6 o'clock in the morning, the final ascent was com- 
 menced, and by half-past 8 the summit of the Manza- 
 lara Kotal (elevation 11,000 feet) was attained. The 
 ascent of this peak was in places very difficult, and
 
 172 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 frequently our men had to climb it on all-fours 
 From the top, however, a grand and most extensive 
 view was had away to the plains of India to the east, 
 and the lofty pine-covered plateau of Maidan to the 
 west, and the Kaisarghar range on the other side. 
 There is a shrine here, but this was not visited on 
 this occasion, and signals having been exchanged by 
 heliograph with Drazand and Namur Kalan, the column 
 returned down to Tora Tizha, bivouacking there for 
 the night. 
 
 In his despatch, General White speaks of the ascent 
 of the Manzalara Kotal thus: "The ascent of the 
 Takht-i-Suleiman was far the most difficult operation, 
 in a physical point of view, I have ever called upon 
 soldiers to perform, and the fact that British soldiers 
 and Baluch Sepoys, fully accoutred, scaled these danger- 
 ous heights, will not be lost on the Sheranis." From 
 Tora Tizha the General descended on the 15th, via 
 the Wagarai nullah to Kurrum, a distance of sixteen 
 miles, passing en route the Sultanzai villages of J at 
 Aghbazh and Raghasar. 
 
 With regard to the shrine on the Manzalara Kotal, 
 I should mention that hardly a peak, I may add, and 
 hardly a pass, in this Khiddarzai country is without 
 some sort of shrine or tomb, be it only a heap of 
 stones or a few rags. The natives seem to entertain 
 the highest reverence for their dead saints, and believe 
 most implicitly in the various legends handed down 
 and narrated about them. There are many other
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS 
 
 mounds similar to that at Hussein Ziarat which have 
 like leg-ends attached to them. Some of the stories 
 told are really wonderful. For instance, with regard 
 to the east side of the Takht-i-Suleiman, where water 
 was very scarce, the local tribesmen tell how a most 
 sagacious and preternaturally endowed falcon forced a 
 passage right through 
 the mountain, and 
 admitted the Draband 
 stream for their use. 
 And the existence of 
 the stream at this 
 place no one can dis- 
 pute, however inclined 
 he may be to doubt 
 the tale. 
 
 Meanwhile, in ac- 
 cordance with the 
 orders above de- 
 tailed. Colonel Nicol- 
 son's party set out from 
 
 Mogul Kot on November 1 1 for Parwarrah (elevation 2 1 50 
 feet), also called Manzakai, a distance of eight miles. 
 The troops left Mogul Kot at noon, but the first 
 three or four miles along the bed of the stream were 
 very bad for the transport animals, and our baggage 
 consequently took a long time getting off Here a 
 patient Tommy was seen trying to coax a camel on. He 
 had given up the rougher methods, and was quietly
 
 174 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 murmuring " come on my little humming-bird." He 
 succeeded. The worst part, perhaps, was the descent 
 from the camp to the river track, which was very steep. 
 It was actually 4.15 p.m. before the transport got quite 
 clear, and by that time the sun had set behind the very 
 high and precipitous hill behind our camp. Consequently 
 it was soon dusk down in the river bed, and the march 
 was nearly the whole way in the dark. As a matter 
 of fact, we nearly lost our way, and only managed to find 
 our camping-ground by lighting fires of the grass, 
 which grows very high along the river side, in patches 
 here and there, the feathery stems of this sometimes 
 growing to a height of fifteen feet, and concealing every- 
 thing about, even the camp fires not being visible until 
 we got quite close, when we managed at last, by their 
 assistance, to get into camp about 8.30 p.m., wet, tired, 
 and hungry. During this march we found the banks of 
 the river well cultivated all the way, and saw many 
 villages of the stereotyped form, with stone and mud 
 towers, as well as quantities of cattle. The latter part of 
 the road was not so bad, on the whole, as the valley 
 opened out more, and at Parwarrah we found our 
 camping-ground good and extensive, and with a 
 splendid water supply from the Chuhar Khel Dhana, 
 here called the Rod. Grass, wood, and camel grazing 
 also were here plentiful, and sheep and goats could be 
 got in considerable numbers, but with the exception of 
 a little Indian corn and jowari, no other supplies were 
 obtainable.
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS 
 
 175 
 
 On the 1 2th we had to halt at Parwarrah in order that 
 the camels might be properly fed and have a rest, of 
 which they were much in need, I sketched here some 
 Khiddarzai women filling their mussaks at the river side. 
 They all wear long loose black clothes, with dirty blue 
 coloured petticoats of some coarse cotton stuff. At first 
 it looked as if a little black 
 Khiddarzai were being 
 tubbed, and had resented 
 the drying process, but it 
 was only a water " mus- 
 sak," or skin, being filled 
 from the river. 
 
 Whilst we were halted 
 at Parwarrah, Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Turner's force of 
 about four hundred of the 
 
 2nd Punjab Infantry, a __ ^ 
 
 troop of the ist Punjab 
 
 Cavalry and two guns of No. i Kohat Mountain Battery 
 passed through on the way to Mogul Kot. They had 
 come from Domandi, a detachment being left behind 
 there to bring up supplies from Draband to Mogul Kot. 
 
 On the 13th, we left Parwarrah for Kurrum (elevation 
 2600 feet) by two routes, the column taking a shorter one 
 of about nine miles and the camels and baggage going a 
 longer road of about seventeen miles. I accompanied 
 the baggage column on this march. The shorter road 
 was only practicable for men and mules, which accounts 
 

 
 176 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 for this diversion. The longer route passed through the 
 villages of Parwarrah (this, by the way, lay about a mile 
 to the north-east of our camp at Manzakai), Khiddarzai, 
 Dhana and Chini, and was far from being a good one. 
 The rear guard of the baggage column did not get in 
 until 10 o'clock at night, although we started work at 
 6 o'clock in the morning and got off at 8 o'clock. There 
 
 were a great number of kotals to be crossed or rather 
 climbed ; it was rough work, and w^e left dead camels 
 lying about in every direction. About half-way we got 
 into the river bed, which consisted chiefly of loose shingle 
 and big boulders. It got dark, too, very early, and we had 
 the greatest difficulty in changing the loads to the spare 
 camels, and again only found our way into camp by 
 settino" fire to the dead orass. On arrival, however, I 
 found the Major and Mackenzie already there, they 
 having come down the previous day. 
 
 Our camping-ground at Kurrum was in the bed of 
 the river and on kaches, or terraces, or cultivated
 
 M
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS 179 
 
 flats, rising above each other, on the right bank of the 
 stream. The ground chosen was fairly extensive, being 
 sufficient for a brigade. There were plenty of trees and 
 creepers about, as well as stubble of Indian corn, the 
 heads of the latter being in process of being husked and 
 winnowed by the wretched-looking natives, who dwell in 
 this neighbourhood in rude stone huts in the lorah. 
 Looking north we could just see a bit of the Suleiman 
 range, rising up almost perpendicularly above the 
 other steep hills of the district. We had a fair water 
 supply here from the Khiddarzai Dhana, and grass, 
 wood and camel grazing, as well as sheep and goats, 
 were all fairly abundant and obtainable in sufficient 
 quantities. 
 
 On the 14th we halted at Kurrum. On this day a 
 party of one hundred and fifty rifles of the 3rd Beluchis, 
 under Captain Seivright and Lieutenant Price, started 
 off throucrh the Khiddarzai Dhana for Kurrum Kach and 
 
 o 
 
 the Birkadar's Fort, Captain Mac Ivor, Political Agent, 
 Lieutenant Mackenzie, Assistant Survey Officer, and 
 Lieutenant Southey, of the Intelligence, accompanying 
 them. This detachment returned on the i6th and 
 reported that the road through the Dhana was easier 
 than the one over Muramuzh. During this time also 
 working parties were constantly employed improving 
 the roads about the Sherani country, now completely 
 invested by British troops. Special attention was paid 
 to the road towards Atol Khan Kahol and Namur Kalan. 
 I made a sketch here of a typical scene of these
 
 i8o 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 regions — a camel man calling in his camels from grazing 
 on the hillsides. 
 
 On the 15th we were still halted at Kurrum. I was 
 on a working party up-stream, having started at 7 o'clock 
 in the morning. Our road-making operations here 
 were pretty arduous and occupied a 
 lot of attention. At intervals, how- 
 ever, we managed to try some fish- 
 ing, and on this day I succeeded in 
 taking quite a number of mahseer 
 out of some of the pools. 
 
 On the 1 6th I was again busily 
 engaged road-making.this time down 
 the stream. I started work about 
 half-past ten in the forenoon, reliev- 
 ing Ellis, who had gone down at 7 
 o'clock. On this day we completed 
 the road, which was the short nine- 
 mile track from Parwarrah. 
 
 On the 17th we were still halted, but no working- 
 parties went out on this day. Mason came round about 
 8 o'clock in the mornino- to ask me to start for Namur 
 Kalan at noon, with two lancers as escort, with a view to 
 making some sketches of the hills over which the 
 General with Milton's column had come. The track was 
 found to be a very rough one, and we had to lead our 
 horses over most of it. It passes over steep kotals, 
 densely wooded with stunted trees. From the summits 
 of most of the hills, however, there were gorgeous views
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS i8j 
 
 to be had of the surrounding country. Unfortunately, 
 on this expedition the weather was bad. there being a 
 cold, drizzling rain ; still, I managed to make a sketch 
 of the spot where the Sepoy belonging to the 2nd Sikhs 
 had been shot dead (that is to say, Kach Bini). From 
 there we pushed on to the camp at Namur Kalan, arri\^- 
 ing there about a quarter to three o'clock. We saw a 
 good many " chikor " running about in the scrub. 
 
 Namur Kalan is a very pretty spot. As the spectator 
 stood on the last kotal, he looked down into a flat, 
 cultivated ground, entirely surrounded by high mountains. 
 This last fact tends to make the days very short here, 
 the sun not risinor till nine in the morninof, and setting 
 as early as half-past three in the afternoon. So they 
 say, at all events. Nevertheless, the place is cool and 
 green, and well cultivated, looking quite an oasis in the 
 desert, for the mountains over which we had been 
 marching for days past were absolutely barren. Among 
 the trees in this valley were dotted about numerous 
 villages, looking very snug among the wild olives, 
 acacias, junipers and chilghoza, or edible pines. The 
 pines grow more especially on the tops of the higher 
 peaks, while the other kinds grow thick on the lower 
 slopes of the hills down to the lower ground. Having 
 descended the steep, rough track, we got on to the flat 
 below, where we had a little gallop, getting Into camp, 
 or rather bivouac, to find everybody damp but cheerful. 
 The camp, by the way, consisted only of a few tents, 
 the remainder of the shelter being provided by a lot of
 
 i84 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 brushwood and jowari affairs, temporarily rigged up by 
 the men. It was still drizzling when we arrived, and as 
 I got in I saw two Tommy Atkins carrying their house 
 off to somewhat higher ground, so as to get a rocky 
 foundation and avoid flooding. This they did by means 
 of rough poles or boughs, the whole affair looking very 
 like a big gabion with a straw flooring. Some few of 
 the men, however, merely used sheets and the like, 
 while others, again, made caves under the lee of the 
 rocks and precipitous ground. All were overcoated, 
 and, notwithstanding their discomforts, were very cheery 
 and contented. The view from the camping-ground up 
 the mountain down which the General had to bring his 
 party was a grand one, and with the rain and clouds the 
 effect was made all the finer. The great upright sheets 
 of blue rock were of a colour or hue like the deep blue 
 sheen of a crow's feathers, and were here and there 
 interspersed with patches of more horizontal rock, quite 
 brick-red and russet, the combination producing a very 
 fine spectacle, and the clear, damp atmosphere showing 
 up every detail on the surfaces. 
 
 Meanwhile, at Kurrum, a kind of court was held, 
 consisting of Sir Robert Sandeman, Mr. Bruce, Captain 
 Maclvor and Lieutenant McMahon, to decide what was 
 to be done with regard to the cases against the Khiddar- 
 zais and other Sherani tribesmen who had been con- 
 tumacious. The mode of punishment adopted was a 
 system of fines, and each case was treated separately, the 
 Uba Khel (including the Khiddarzai sub-section) being
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS 185 
 
 fined 2500 rupees, the Hassan Khel, 1500 rupees, and 
 the Chuhar Khel, 1000 rupees. Next day, November 
 18, a final durbar was held by Sir Robert Sandeman, at 
 which these terms were formally announced to the 
 tribesmen, as well as the terms imposed on the Sheranis 
 as a whole, and at which also khillats, or costly presents, 
 were bestowed on some of the maliks of Bargha and 
 Zhob who had rendered special services to the expedi- 
 tion. In the case of the Sherani tribe generally, the 
 terms imposed were these : " (i) that Murtaza Khan and 
 the other refugees, if in the Sherani country, should be 
 surrendered, or, in the event of their having left the 
 country as had been reported, that they should not be 
 permitted to return there ; (2) that a fine of 6000 rupees 
 should be imposed upon the tribe, including 1000 rupees 
 inflicted on individuals for offences committed by them in 
 Dera Ismail Khan and Zhob ; (3) that the Khiddarzai 
 maliks and other refractory members of the tribe who 
 had either surrendered or been taken prisoners should 
 be detained as hostages until all the terms had been 
 fulfilled." 
 
 With this durbar, the objects for which the Zhob 
 Field Force was gathered together may be said to 
 have been accomplished. That this was so appears 
 from the fact that at this stage a field force order was 
 published by the general officer commanding, in which 
 he thanked all ranks for their cordial co-operation 
 and exemplary behaviour. Orders were also issued 
 for the return marches ; the main object aimed at
 
 i86 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 throughout these return routes being to open up as many 
 Hnes of communication between the Derajat and Beluchi- 
 stan as possible. With this in view, the King's Own 
 Yorkshire Light Infantry and Headquarters (two 
 sections) No. i Company of the Bombay Sappers and 
 Miners were ordered to start this day (the i8th) for the 
 Chuhar Khel Dhana, and by the Vihowa Pass to Dera 
 Ghazi Khan, whence they were to rail to Ouetta. This 
 column, which may be called the Vihowa column, was 
 accompanied by Lieutenant Murray of the Commissariat, 
 Lieutenant Mackenzie of the Survey Department, Lieu- 
 tenant Southey of the Intelligence, and Surgeon Branni- 
 gan with the Field Hospital as Medical Staff Next the 
 3rd Beluchis and another detachment of the Sappers 
 and Miners were to march on the 19th by way of 
 Drazand to the Zao Pass, there to open up a road for 
 camels, after which they should proceed to Apozai. 
 On the same day the i8th Bengal Lancers and 2nd 
 Beluchis were to proceed to Dhana Sar, Musa Khel 
 Bazar and Murgha, and thence to Loralai, With this 
 column went part of the British and Native Field 
 Hospitals, but orders were given that the latter should 
 not halt at Loralai, but go on from that place to Harnai 
 and thence to Ouetta. As for the Headquarters party, 
 it was to march on the 19th also to Dera Ismail Khan, 
 there to take train to Ouetta, while Colonel Ross had 
 instructions to hold Drazand until the fine inflicted upon 
 the Sheranis had been settled, and other arrangements 
 for the pacification of the district had been completed.
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS 189 
 
 These orders accordingly having- been given, Sir Robert 
 Sandeman left Kurrum on the i8th for Dera Ismail 
 Khan and Ouetta, General White and staff and the 
 3rd Beluchis, with the detachment of Sappers and 
 Miners under Colonel Nicolson, marching on the 
 following day to Drazand. After that General White 
 proceeded to Dera Ismail Khan, by way of Draband 
 and Kulachi, where he surrendered his command and 
 returned to Ouetta by train. 
 
 I was on the Vihowa column, the only one of the 
 above divisions whose homeward march was of any 
 interest, the route by which we went having been 
 hitherto quite unexplored. Major Symons was in 
 command, and we started, as above stated, on the 
 1 8th. That day's march was from Kurrum to Par- 
 warrah, a distance of nine miles, the former place being 
 left about seven o'clock in the morning. As we started, 
 the 3rd Beluchis sent their band, which turned out 
 in force, to play us out down the river bed. Colonel 
 Nicolson accompanied them out, and all cheered us 
 loudly and long. The General and his staff also rode out 
 for some distance with the Major, and spoke in the most 
 flattering terms of the men's behaviour and endurance. 
 Behind and just above us, as we left the river bed at 
 Kurrum, was to be seen a typical towered Khiddarzai 
 village in a well-chosen defensive position. The cliff 
 came down straight to the river bed on two sides, and 
 there was a steep slope on the third, behind which 
 hills rose up in a confused jumble, till one's eye rested
 
 190 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 upon the black cliffs of the upper ridges of the Takht-i- 
 Suleiman. We could not but pause instinctively to have 
 a last look at this — hard, cold, and grim, with a few thin 
 threads of cloud sailing slowly by, and leaving little 
 specks of snow in its rifts and crevices. We are leaving 
 at a orood season, for soon the snow will come down lower, 
 and then the chilly blasts which tear up these hills will 
 be well avoided. Good-by old Takht. When Soloman 
 sat up there on your summit, I expect he chose the 
 summer for his view from your giddy height out across 
 the Punjab, 
 
 Whilst waiting at the entrance to our camp, not very 
 far from Parwarrah village, I found the ground to be 
 almost littered all over with fossils, including shells 
 like those of cockles and oysters, some sharks' teeth, 
 and any amount of long thick curly shells. The cliffs 
 close by were of limestone, and the soil was of a 
 soft grey-green hue, with copper coloured stones. From 
 Parwarrah we got a superb view of the Takht-i-Suleiman 
 along the upper ridges, thin lines of snow being left 
 by the clouds on the peaks and in the crevices. 
 
 Next day, the 19th of November, we marched from 
 Parwarrah to Dhana W^ar, starting at seven o'clock in 
 the morning. F Company of the King's Own York- 
 shire Light Infantry was this time on advance guard. 
 On the road we passed the village of Baskai, perched 
 up on a cliff to our left. We halted for about three- 
 quarters of an hour at Mogul Kot, and had breakfast 
 there with the 2nd Punjab Infantry. There were two 
 companies of the latter here, as well as a troop of the
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS 
 
 191 
 
 2nd Punjab Cavalry, two guns of the 2nd Punjab 
 Mountain Battery, Royal Artillery, all under the command 
 
 
 ,*'s 
 
 t 
 
 
 -# 
 
 CHUHAR KHEL DHANA — LOWER ENTRANCE 
 
 of Colonel Turner of the 2nd Punjab Infantry. 
 too, we accidentally met Carnana, whom we had 
 
 Here, 
 
 known
 
 192 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 at Malta some years before, when we were stationed 
 there and he was in the Royal Malta Fencible Artillery. 
 Naturally we spent a pleasant time going over old experi- 
 ences and events generally. From Mogul Kot our party 
 came on straight to Dhana War, a distance of about 
 
 r^^^^^r^^^wv/ 
 
 DHAXA WAR 
 
 four miles, our camp here being pitched upon the culti- 
 vated flats or kachcs, below a stone tower and the 
 other houses that comprised the place. On arrival, we 
 found already there Captain Milton's column from 
 Namur Kalan, they having got in about half an hour 
 before us, after traversing about nine miles of very 
 rough roads. There were some stone huts here over- 
 hanging the river with a weird looking woman in long^ 
 black flowing garments apparently in charge. 
 
 On the 20th, we continued our march to Dhana Sir, 
 getting away about 7 a.m., and arriving at our old 
 camping-ground at 10.5 a.m. Our way lay through the
 
 V h>, 
 
 
 
 
 
 N
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS 195 
 
 old Dhana, but the river now seemed to be slightly 
 flooded, and already the track, which we had spent so 
 much labour in making through this wonderful gorge, 
 was worn out in many places. At Dhana Sir we 
 occupied a new camping-ground, more to the west of 
 the old one, and on a very rocky situation. Here the 
 English mail arrived the same evening, bringing, besides 
 an epistle from home, a copy of the Graphic (October 
 25, 1890), containing my series of sketches "From 
 Ouetta to Kilat," a four-page supplement in brown ink, 
 all well reproduced. I also got a copy of the Daily 
 Graphic, containing my " O'Mealy's Horse," and saw and 
 read with much interest an amusing criticism on the latter 
 in the Army and Navy Gazette. At this point I took 
 over the command of E Company from Captain Burke, 
 who had had a bad bout of dysentery, and was going 
 back next day. We were all together now, companies 
 B C E and F of the King's Own Yorkshire Light 
 Infantry. 
 
 Next day was Friday, and we halted at Dhana Sir. 
 In the morning the i8th Bengal Lancers came in, and 
 we all welcomed them with heartiness. The whole of 
 the so-called Vihowa column was accordingly now con- 
 centrated at Dhana Sir. 
 
 On the 22nd, Saturday, our column being ready to 
 march, we started about seven o'clock in the morning, 
 from the river bed below our camp. Earlier in the 
 morning, about six o'clock, we had a heavy shower of 
 rain, and the manner in which some of our natives then
 
 196 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 protected themselves was rather quaint, the greatcoat 
 being fastened over the turban, instead of about the 
 neck, and the sleeves sailing free, giving the impression 
 of headless giants wandering about disconsolately in 
 the rain. 
 
 Throughout this march, however, it kept fine, although 
 it was dark and cloudy, which perhaps accounts for our 
 march seeming a specially long one ; the actual distance 
 was nineteen miles. Besides, there was a lot of loose 
 shinpfle about the road, which did not make the 
 pleasantest going, and we had no water, which made 
 it rather trying. However, we at last arrived at our 
 camping-ground at Lewaghwazh, and glad we were to 
 get there. 
 
 Next day, November 23, which was Sunday, we had 
 a short march to Vihowa Toi Sir, a distance of about 
 nine miles and a quarter. Here a halt was made for one 
 day, the Major and Major Garwood and Lieutenant 
 Liddell, R.E., riding off about 11 o'clock the following 
 morning with reconnoitring parties to inspect the river 
 track forward. Here are their " catch-'em-alive " escort 
 and guides — a rough looking lot, very much impressed 
 with the importance of their duties. 
 
 On this last day, the 24th, about forty men of E 
 Company of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry 
 were out, but I did not accompany them. It had been 
 raining all the morning and the clouds came down the 
 hills lower and lower until at last all the peaks were 
 completely blotted out. I succeeded, notwithstanding,
 
 ^''^mi^!:^t^ 
 
 m 'It 
 
 
 
 
 'tri . ! 
 
 <^ s 
 
 
 ' >
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS 
 
 199 
 
 in getting a fair sketch of the place where we were 
 stationed. We got some fishing here and took a 
 quantity of brown trout. The mahseer we found, too, 
 quite as voracious as before. 
 
 -^\i ^^ ^^ 
 
 On the 25th our column set out again, this time 
 marching to Tangi Sir, a distance of twelve miles, and 
 encamping there about three-quarters of a mile from the 
 mouth of the Kurman tangi, or tangis rather, for there 
 are really two short tangis here. In camp, most of us 
 tried burning small wood-fires inside the tents to dry 
 them, if possible, as well as our various articles of 
 clothing, boots, putties, socks and the like, all of which
 
 200 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 were simply soaked. The effect on our saturated things, 
 however, was not very great, and we got for ourselves 
 sore eyes through the smoke issuing from the damp 
 wood. 
 
 Next day, the 26th, we remained halted at Tangi Sir. 
 On this day, and indeed for several days, it simply con- 
 tinued raining without intermission, whole torrents 
 pouring down the hillsides. 
 
 During our halt here, which continued till the 30th, 
 Major Garwood seized the opportunity of reconnoitring 
 the Kurman tangi, and reported that it would not be 
 possible to make a camel track through it with the tools 
 and forces at his command in a less period than three 
 weeks. As, however, it was found that instead of going 
 through the tangi, it might be passed by a road going 
 over the range to the north which might be prepared in 
 about three days, it was resolved to work at the latter 
 route. This accordingly was done, but progress was 
 very slow owing to the heavy rain which fell. On the 
 29th, however, sufficient advance had been made with 
 this road-making work for Pyrke and F Company of the 
 King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry with the Sappers 
 and Miners to traverse it and go on to the Sema nullah 
 on the other side, distant fifteen or sixteen miles, where 
 they encamped. It was intended that they should con- 
 tinue the road-making operations from that point, but 
 they had only just got through when the rain came on 
 again in torrents, and the river, which before had been 
 easy to ford, rose with such rapidity and became so swift
 
 \.1\ V ' 
 
 ^
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS 203 
 
 that it was hard to keep one's feet ; and we had some 
 amusing sights in the shape of duckings, administered by 
 the river to some native followers who would try to 
 cross. The following morning, that is to say, Sunday 
 the 30th, companies B and C of the King's Own 
 Yorkshire Light Infantry moved on also to the Sema 
 camp; setting out from VihowaToi Sir at about 9 o'clock 
 in the morning, and stopping at a place about a mile 
 below Pyrke's camp on the river and at the head of a 
 new tangi. These companies left their tents standing at 
 Tangi Sir, E Company putting up all the kits and striking 
 and loading the whole camp. A nice St. Andrew's Day 
 it was ! We had scarcely started from Tangi Sir about 
 half-past twelve o'clock when the rain commenced again 
 to come down in torrents accompanied by the most vivid 
 liofhtningf. What made thino^s worse, too, and even 
 dangerous, was that landslips kept occurring all around 
 us. I — for I was with this baggage and rear guard party 
 — had a most unpleasant night of it, being soaked to the 
 skin before I had got beyond a mile from our old camp. 
 The track, too, was in a fearful state, and our camels kept 
 slipping so much that they actually lay down and refused 
 to move, which gave us no end of trouble in all directions. 
 As the afternoon and evening progressed it seemed to 
 rain more and more and it soon got quite dark. As we 
 had no spare animals I had to walk on, or rather climb, 
 into the next camp, there to get a lantern and four mules, 
 then returning to bring on the spare kits and tents. We 
 had an exceedingly hard time of it getting through the
 
 204 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 torrent, having to wade nearly all the time. Some of 
 our men were even washed off their legs, and at least one 
 helmet besides some putties were carried away and lost. 
 At last, however, we succeeded in making our camp, 
 arriving there at half-past nine drenched to the skin, only 
 
 to find that our tents and kits had been in the river too ! 
 whilst the others who had come on ahead wet and 
 shivering over smoky wood fires. 
 
 At the Sema nullah it was found that there was yet 
 another very narrow or " tight " place, called the Gat 
 tangi, to be passed about half a mile further on. Ac- 
 cordingly, as this too had to be worked upon, we halted 
 at Sema during December i and 2, while every available 
 man was set to work to prepare the road through this 
 tangi. Meanwhile there was a lull in the wet weather
 
 1 H/ ^ ^ 
 
 
 ■> 
 
 ?^^ 
 
 /V
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS 207 
 
 and our men seized the opportunity to try to dry their 
 things. Their attempts at making chapattis were 
 wonderful. The chapattis is the natives' bread ; a thin, 
 unsweetened kind of pancake, requiring much dexterity 
 to be a success. A native will pat one out in his hands 
 in a very short time, and then brown it neatly over a 
 wood fire, when it is excellent ; but the one my boatman 
 Davis had very thoughtfully been trying to prepare for 
 me was like a squashed out dumpling and much more 
 indigestible. 
 
 On the I St of December, Lieutenant Southey, Field 
 Intelligence Officer, set out from the Sema camp to 
 inspect the road over the Zhba Kotal to Vihowa by the 
 Guzai nullah. This, however, he found to be even more 
 difficult than the road by which we had come and not a 
 bit shorter. 
 
 At last, on the 3rd, we got off again, the whole column 
 marching through the Gat tangi to Kaiwahan, a distance 
 of about seven and three-quarter miles. The road here 
 was an easy one over a stony plateau. We set out about 
 half-past seven o'clock in the morning, I going on ahead 
 with a working party to patch up the last bits of the 
 tangi. Afterwards we acted as baggage guard and 
 brought in all the camels. About half-way on this march 
 we met the English mail, forwarded from Vihowa, and, 
 on the bag being opened, got our home letters. Towards 
 the latter part of our journey the track again became 
 rough, a number of nasty kotals having to be passed just 
 at the finish.
 
 2o8 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 From our stony camp at Kaiwahan we had a lovely 
 view of Misri Roh, a round-topped mountain of 10,200 
 feet elevation, the upper part covered with the snow 
 which had been falling ; the ridges below were great 
 tooth-shaped prominences sticking up almost perpendicu- 
 larly. The evening lights made a beautiful bit of colour- 
 ingf of the whole scene. 
 
 Next day, the 4th of December, we left Kaiwahan 
 (elevation 2900 feet) for Chittawatta, a march of nearly 
 fourteen miles. Our start was made about seven o'clock 
 in the morning, and our route led at first for three miles 
 up hill over kotals, after which we descended for about 
 five miles, then following the river bed for six miles, 
 where we had frequently to wade. At about three miles 
 out we got a fine view from the top of one of the kotals 
 away to the north-west of Misri Roh, a mountain 10,700 
 feet in elevation, with snow on the summit, to the right 
 of which we could also see a bit of the Takht-i-Suleiman 
 with clouds hanging over it and snow on its peak. Our 
 track this day was a very bad one for camels in places, 
 and on the way we passed some curious rock formations 
 and strata. 
 
 On the 5th, Friday, our march was a sixteen-mile one 
 to Zermunga, I being on this occasion on advance guard 
 with E Company of the King's Own Yorkshire Light 
 Infantry. We started about 6.30 a.m. and halted from 
 7.30 A.M. to 8.45 A.M. We went mainly along the river 
 bed, which here was very stony with steep cliffy hills on 
 either side, and had to climb over many huge boulders
 
 IT 

 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS 2n 
 
 besides frequently having to ford the stream. Our camp 
 at Zermunga was on a sandy and muddy ground with 
 many tamarisk trees about and abundance of firewood. 
 
 We reached Vihowa on the following day, Saturday, 
 the 6th of December, having set out from Zermunga at 
 half-past six in the morning. The distance was thirteen 
 miles and our road ran in an easterly direction, following 
 the river, whose course here winds considerably among 
 cliffy hills. The whole country was very bleak and bare, 
 and we had again and again to cross the stream, some- 
 times being knee-deep in water. The outlet of this 
 ravine, the Badri nullah, a tributary of the Vihowa, was 
 reached about nine o'clock, and when we got into the 
 plains beyond we made a halt, Vihowa being still six 
 miles farther on. From this point onwards we had a 
 magnificent view of the Punjab, the long flat sandy 
 reaches of which were covered with trees, chiefly palm 
 trees, acacias and tamarisks, and well cultivated, a very 
 pleasing sight indeed, after the long spell of barren rock 
 and mountaineering that we had experienced. The effect 
 seemed to be great on the men, for when once on the 
 flats again they got into quite a swinging pace and 
 marched into Vihowa in grand form, quite an oasis after 
 the wilderness through which we had passed. Here we 
 found a native bazaar and quite an abundance of supplies, 
 and many gardens. It was pleasant too to hear all the 
 birds calling about one again, and to see some animal 
 life after the wildernesses we had been in. 
 
 Next day, the 7th, Sunday, we had a rest at Vihowa,
 
 212 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 and the natives did a brisk trade with us, bringing in eggs 
 flour and other suppHes, including vegetables and fruit, 
 which we had for some time sadly lacked. At the dak 
 bungalow, too, we found a great quantity of native stores 
 for sale ; and there is also a Tehsil in this place. The 
 village, as a whole, is a great straggling affair of mud 
 houses, but there was plenty of cultivation all around, and 
 attached to many of the dwellings were gardens abound- 
 ing both in fruit and in vegetables, as well as any amount 
 of date palms growing thickly everywhere and in many 
 places quite overhanging the streets. We also got some 
 chilgozha, or edible pine nuts here, these being brought 
 in from the mountains to be sold. As for the popula- 
 tion of this place, it consists for the most part of the 
 money-grubbing Hindus who keep the bunyas or shops. 
 Thomas Atkins was unsparing in his purchases, and 
 these natives could not for many a long day have done 
 so good a trade. As we had not seen fresh vegetables 
 for a long time these were eagerly bought up, turnips 
 being eaten tops and all, and carrots being considered 
 a delicacy. Eggs also were to be had and plenty of 
 fresh milk and butter, and the inevitable dak bungalow 
 " murghi " chicken. Our camp at Vihowa was close to 
 the Tehsil, to the right on some old patches of cultivation, 
 the village being to the left with all its gardens and fruit 
 trees, &c. From this place, too, we had a fine view, to 
 the right of the camp, of the Takht-i- Suleiman and 
 Misri Roh, both snow-capped and overhung with clouds 
 all day, the lights being very pretty and the colouring
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS 215 
 
 grand. Here, too, we saw any amount of green parrots 
 and whole flocks of minahs, and heard at night the old 
 familiar jackal. 
 
 From Vihowa, our column continued its march to Dhera 
 Ghazi Khan, reaching Tibi, distant sixteen miles, on the 
 8th. When we left Vihowa, which we did about 6,45 
 A.M., the natives turned out in great force to hear our 
 bands and see us off. 
 
 On the 9th we set out from Tibi for l^iunsa, a 
 distance of twenty-one miles. All this day's march was 
 by a regular road, the sixty-fifth milestone being our 
 starting-point, and close to our place of encampment. 
 On the way we passed some small villages, Nari, at the 
 fifty-fifth milestone, being reached about eleven o'clock. 
 At the last-mentioned place we halted half an hour for 
 breakfast, the water there being from wells and very 
 good. The road to this point lay in a south-easterly 
 direction and had on its western or right-hand side a 
 telegraph line. The country on both sides was well culti- 
 vated though rather sandy. In wet weather the road 
 must be very heavy ; indeed, when we were there, deep 
 tracks of feet and of cart-wheels were to be seen in it. 
 We also saw a number of water-wheels for mills in this 
 district, as well as lots of fields of turnips. Past Nari, 
 the water supply got more scarce, which we felt rather, 
 as it was a warm day and no fruit was to be had en route. 
 From the forty-seventh milestone onwards we could 
 easily see the dome of Taunsa, which looked very pretty 
 
 in the sunlight.
 
 2i6 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 The dome is of white marble, the remainder being of 
 glazed tiles of blue, green and yellow, in patterns. The 
 lower part has a verandah of pointed arches. There is 
 a collection of wild animals — a miniature Zoo here. To 
 the left is a big serai, kept up by a rich Beluchi for the 
 benefit of travellers, and on the right may be seen the 
 dak bungalow. 
 
 Next day, the loth, we started from Taunsa at the 
 forty-fifth milestone, at 7.5 a.m., to march to Undani, a 
 distance of fifteen miles. Here the signs of civilisation 
 got still more numerous, there being much cultivation on 
 both sides of the road all the way, and a lot of cotton 
 and barjari to be seen. At the thirty-seventh mile- 
 stone we halted for breakfast, and after a second halt 
 at the thirty-third milestone we proceeded on until we 
 reached the Undani rest-house. Here we found camel 
 orderlies who had been sent out by some of the Punjab 
 Cavalry to meet us ; they had brought with them for our 
 use a quantity of vegetables, together with an invitation 
 to dine at the mess of the Punjab Frontier Force at 
 Dhera Ghazi Khan, whither we were bound, and which 
 we reached on the 12th. From the latter place we 
 returned to Ouetta by rail. The last part of the 
 journey was done in two stages, our column going from 
 Undani to Shahzadaradin, a distance of fifteen miles, on 
 the nth, having left Undani at 6.50 a.m. and arrived 
 at their destination at noon, and proceeding from 
 Shahzadaradin to Dhera Ghazi Khan on the 12th, also 
 a distance of fifteen miles. In these districts, cotton
 
 I ^ w
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS 
 
 219 
 
 seemed to be chiefly cultivated, and the various plots 
 seemed to be very flourishing. There were also a lot of 
 palm trees about, but, notwithstanding the shade afforded 
 by these, it must be a fearfully hot place in summer, for 
 there were punkahs on the roofs of the houses which tells 
 a tale of broiling nights. 
 
 The only casualty that occurred to our men during 
 the difficult march of this column was the killing of 
 
 one of the men of the King's Own Yorkshire Light 
 Infantry on December 2, through the falling of a stone, 
 or rather, its rolling over with him as he was sitting 
 on it. 
 
 It is only right that before concluding we should 
 briefly refer to the doings meanwhile of Colonel Nicol- 
 son's and Colonel Ross's columns. I have already 
 remarked that the former marched on November 19 
 from Kurrum to Drazand with the 3rd Beluchis and a 
 detachment of Sappers and Miners. At Drazand, he 
 halted till the 22nd, as his supplies which he was waiting 
 for did not come in until that day. Meanwhile, how-
 
 220 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 ever, Colonel Ross, with forty sabres of the 3rd Punjab 
 Cavalry, two guns of the No. 7 (Bengal) Mountain 
 Battery, and 290 men of the ist Sikh Infantry, and also 
 accompanied by Mr. King, Deputy-Commissioner of 
 Dera Ismail Khan, had marched on November 16 from 
 Drazand to Raghasar, the chief vil- 
 lage of the Sultanzais. Halting here 
 the next day, on the i8th Colonel 
 Ross proceeded to Murgha, the 
 largest of the villages of the Larga 
 Hassan Khel tribe, making this his 
 headquarters, while Mr. King ex- 
 plored the district. On the 20th, 
 Lieutenant McMahon, Assistant 
 Political Agent at Zhob, also arrived, 
 and, with Mr. King, settled the 
 various cases still pending. The Sherani fine was not 
 long in being paid, the Uba Khel and Hassan Khel 
 tribes getting rid of their obligations by the 24th, and 
 only the Chuhar Khel fine of 1000 rupees remaining 
 unpaid at that date. The last also, however, was paid 
 on the 29th, and on that day, accordingly. Colonel Ross 
 withdrew from Murgha and joined the other column at 
 Drazand. By December 2 the entire Sherani country 
 was left, the whole force at Drazand marching off to 
 Draband. At this place, Murtaza Khan, the much 
 sought-after Khiddarzai malik, also came in, thus 
 making a most satisfactory completion to the settle- 
 ment of matters.
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS 223 
 
 Whilst these events were in progress, Colonel Nicol- 
 son and his detachment also were busy, having, on 
 November 23, marched with fifteen days' supplies from 
 Drazand to Murgha, a distance of seven miles, and 
 joined Colonel Ross there, exploring on the 24th the 
 east end of the Gat nullah. Then, on the 25th, Colonel 
 Nicolson's force went from Murgha to Sur Kach, distant 
 eight miles, passing en route the village of Wazir Kot, 
 the headquarters of Palak Khan, chief of the Hassan 
 Khel section, proceeding on the 26th to Gandari Kach, 
 distant seven miles, where is the mouth of the Zao Pass, 
 which it was important to explore. Here a reconnoitring 
 party set to work to inspect the road through the defile, 
 which was done as far as the Siri rock. During this 
 expedition a lot of heavy rain fell, causing frequent 
 descents of conglomerate and other rock masses down 
 the hillsides, which rendered marching somewhat 
 dangerous. Indeed, a sad disaster happened on the 
 27th. On that morning a party of twenty men, includ- 
 ing a naik and three Sepoys of the 3rd Beluchis, 
 some regimental camel sarwans and Sherani followers, 
 had gone under a cliff at the entrance to the gorge to 
 shelter from the heavy rain, when a fall of rock occurred 
 just at the spot where they were, and completely buried 
 them. Only two were got out, and of these one was 
 dead and the other in a dying state. The recovery of 
 the remaining bodies was rendered impossible on that 
 day by further falls, one of these nearly burying the 
 rescue party, but on the 28th, the weather having then
 
 224 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 moderated and the rain ceased, nine more bodies were 
 recovered. On the 29th, work in the pass was resumed, 
 but that night a fearful thunderstorm came on and heavy- 
 rain fell, causing the torrent to rise to six feet in height, 
 and destroying the greater portion of the ramping work 
 completed on the previous days. The damage, however, 
 was nearly all repaired again on the 30th, and further 
 improvements were then also effected beyond the Siri 
 rock. 
 
 Accordingly, the road through the Zao defile having 
 been thus prepared, Colonel Nicolson and his detach- 
 ment marched through it on December i, from Gandari 
 Kach to Kamal Kulia, a distance of nine miles, the 
 camels getting along without much trouble. This pass 
 is probably the easiest of the four which penetrate the 
 Suleiman range into the Sherani country, namely, the 
 Chuhar Khel Dhana, Khiddarzai Dhana, Gat and Zao. 
 The Gat, on the other hand, is undoubtedly the worst, 
 and at that time was absolutely impassable for animals 
 and almost so for foot men. Through the other two 
 passes fair roads might be made at considerable trouble 
 and expense. 
 
 Next day, December 2, Colonel Nicolson's party, 
 now no longer accompanied by Mr. King and Lieu- 
 tenant McMahon, these having left the previous day 
 for Kashmir Kar, marched a distance of ten miles, from 
 Kamal Kulia to Mazrai Kach, exploring during the 
 day the western end of the Gat Pass. Then, on the 
 3rd, the march was continued to Amandi Dar, distant
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS 225 
 
 eleven miles, and on the 4th to Birkadar's Fort, a 
 distance of fifteen miles. This last place was only 
 about two miles to the north-west of the 'Mani Khwah 
 camping-ground, used by the Zhob Force on the 
 I St and 2nd of November. Two more days' march- 
 ing brought Colonel Nicolson to Apozai, his party 
 stopping at Kapip Kach, distant from Birkadar's Fort 
 sixteen miles, on the 5th and next day getting over 
 the remaining distance of eight and a half miles to 
 Apozai. 
 
 Subsequently to this expedition negotiations for a 
 final settlement of matters with the Largha section of 
 the Sheranis were proceeded with, but these hardly 
 come within the scope of this work. The chief terms 
 agreed upon, however, were — (i) that the Zao, Khid- 
 darzai and Chuhar Khel Passes were to be kept open 
 for traffic, the safety of caravans and travellers using 
 these being guaranteed by the tribesmen ; (2) that 
 British officers and other officials should have free 
 and safe passage through any part of the Sherani 
 country ; (3) that the maliks should be personally 
 responsible for the carrying out of these arrangements, 
 failing the due observance of which, the British Govern- 
 ment was to be at liberty to reoccupy the country ; (4) 
 that certain selected hostaores should be taken for the 
 future good faith of the tribe, the latter as a whole 
 to be responsible for the acts of its individual members ; 
 (5) that the Larga wals should be restored and redis- 
 tributed ; and (6) that levy posts should be established 
 
 p
 
 226 
 
 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 at Mogul Kot, Nishpa or Khushbina, Gandari Kach, 
 Drazand and Domandi. These various matters having 
 been thus settled, the political prisoners, of whom we 
 now had a large number, were released on the security 
 of the tribal jirga, except that Murtaza Khan, Rana 
 Gul, Sada Gul and other more notable 
 prisoners, received special punishments 
 for their offences. 
 
 In conclusion, I would quote Sir 
 George White's despatch, in which he 
 sums up the operations of the Zhob 
 Field Force as follows : 
 
 "The work of the Zhob Field Force 
 here terminated. It may be said to 
 have been employed for two months. 
 During that time the columns com- 
 posing it marched in the aggregate 
 1800 miles. Of this distance, 828 miles were over 
 new routes, which had never before been followed by a 
 British force, and to traverse which the troops had often 
 to make their own roads. The results of the operations 
 have been rather political than military. All arrange- 
 ments in the first phase were made with the studied 
 object of making friends, and not of conquering enemies. 
 "In the operations against the Sheranis the strength 
 of the force, together with the dominating positions 
 which it gained on all sides, left no alternative to the 
 tribesmen but submission. It has, however, been ascer- 
 tained with certainty that before our approach they had 
 
 '■y 'T' *■ 
 
 A PRISONER-OF-WAR
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS 227 
 
 sat In jirga, and the various sections of the tribe had 
 bound themselves to oppose the British advance Into 
 their country with their united strength. 
 
 " The operations entailed upon officers and men 
 exertions and exposure of an exceptional kind. The 
 character of the country, In some instances, prevented 
 the use of transport animals ; the men had then to 
 carry bedding, rations, and cooking-pots for themselves, 
 and to sleep without tents in a temperature of from 13° 
 to 20° of frost. The marching was always over rocks 
 and stones, and often In river-beds, where the water 
 ruined boots and clothing, entailing heavy expense on 
 the soldiers, both British and native. 
 
 " I would bepf to brinof to the favourable notice of 
 the Commander-in-Chief the following officers who 
 commanded corps : 
 
 "Colonel M. H, NIcolson, commanding the 30th 
 Bombay Infantry (3rd Beluch Battalion), who, through- 
 out nearly all the operations, commanded a separate 
 column, and who opened a road through both the 
 Chuhar Khel and Zao Dhanas. 
 
 " Lieutenant-Colonel H. R. L. Morgan, Royal Artil- 
 lery, commanding No 7 Mountain Battery. 
 
 " Major CM. Creagh, V.C., commanding the 29th 
 Bombay Infantry (2nd Beluch Battalion). 
 
 " Major H. C. Symons, commanding the 2nd Battalion 
 King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, and who com- 
 manded the column that established communication 
 through the Vlhowa Pass.
 
 228 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 "Major G. L. R. Richardson, commanding the i8th 
 Bengal Lancers. 
 
 " Of the departmental officers, Deputy-Surgeon- 
 General S. A. Lithgow, C.B., D.S.O., an officer of great 
 experience in the field, did much to promote the success 
 of the expedition. 
 
 "Lieutenant-Colonel J. R. Burl ton Bennet, chief Com- 
 missariat officer, did all that forethought and arrangement 
 could do to equip the force with transport and commissariat 
 supplies, and to stop the magazines in the field, but as 
 he was at the same time carrying on the duties of chief 
 Commissariat officer of the Ouetta district, it was not 
 for the interest of the service that he should be present 
 with the -field force throughout. The executive commis- 
 sariat charge therefore fell on Lieutenant J. W. G. 
 Tulloch. 
 
 " Major J. F. Garwood, Royal Engineers, was Com- 
 manding Engineer of the force. Owing to the nature of 
 the country marched over, his work was most important. 
 He opened roads practicable for camels through the 
 Chuhar Khel Dhana and Vihowa Pass, and was con- 
 stantly employed in minor works of the same character. 
 His services were most valuable. 
 
 "Surgeon-Major G. J. H. Evatthad charge of two sec- 
 tions of the 23rd British Field Hospital, and worked with 
 characteristic zeal, ability, and powers of organisation. 
 
 " Of the officers serving on my immediate staff I would 
 name the following : 
 
 " Lieutenant-Colonel P. D. Jeffieys, Assistant Adjutant-
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS 229 
 
 General of the force, was my chief staff officer and right- 
 hand man throughout, and proved himself as valuable a 
 staff officer in the field as I have invariably found him 
 in quarters. I commend him to the special notice of 
 His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief as an officer 
 whose advancement would be a benefit to the service. 
 
 " Captain A. H. Mason, Royal Engineers, Deputy 
 Assistant Quartermaster-General for Intelligence, and 
 Captain J. Lamb, Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General, 
 rendered me willing and valuable assistance. 
 
 " I have reserved for special mention two officers, not 
 at the head of corps or departments, whose individual 
 services have earned special recognition from me : 
 
 " Lieutenant J. W. G. Tulloch, executive Cornmissariat 
 officer to the force. I consider that no officer rendered 
 such valuable service to the State as this promising 
 young commissariat officer. The numerous detachments 
 into which I divided the force were often placed in 
 positions where ordinary pack animals could not carry 
 supplies, and in a country destitute of provisions of all 
 kinds the supply question was thus a very difficult one. 
 I cannot speak too highly of the way in which Lieutenant 
 Tulloch carried out his duties. He is worthy of a higher 
 post in his department. 
 
 " Captain P. W. A. A. Milton, King's Own Yorkshire 
 Light Infantry, was with me in all the operations in 
 which I had to call upon the officers and men for ex- 
 ceptional efforts, and to his irresistible example, careful 
 arrangement, and capacity for command I owe, in a great
 
 230 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 measure, the complete success which attended them. He 
 is one of the few officers I have met endowed equally 
 with dash to lead an advanced guard and patience to 
 bring in a rear guard. He served under me in Burma 
 in command of mounted infantry, where his services were 
 also most valuable. 
 
 " Colonel A. G. Ross, C.B., commanding the contingent 
 of the Punjab Frontier Force placed under my command, 
 co-operated with me most effectively, and made very 
 careful and well considered arrangements throughout. 
 
 " Lastly, I would beg to record my acknowledgment 
 of the great assistance which I have invariably met 
 with from Colonel Sir Robert Sandeman, K.C.S.I., and 
 the political officers serving under him. I would espe- 
 cially name Captain I. Maclvor, Political Agent, Zhob ; 
 Major G. Gaisford, Political Agent, Quetta ; Mr. J. S. 
 Donald, in political charge of the Gonial. 
 
 ** Where the work to be done was so largely political, 
 it was of the first importance that the military and civil 
 should work together harmoniously and whole-heartedly. 
 Sir Robert Sandeman's high status and great political 
 experience made his position with a field force one of 
 exceptional weight and importance, and I recognise 
 very fully the consideration which he has invariably 
 shown to me as military commander." 
 
 In another part of the despatch, with reference to 
 the fine inflicted upon the Sherani tribesmen. Sir George 
 White says : 
 
 "This fine has since been paid in full, and Murtaza
 
 FROM MOGUL KOT HOMEWARDS 231 
 
 Khan, who had been for many years an avowed and 
 active enemy of the British Government, surrendered 
 himself to the Commissioner of the Derajat after the 
 troops had been withdrawn from the Sherani Hill — a 
 result, I submit, due entirely to the strong policy of 
 Sir Robert Sandernan in insisting upon the responsibility 
 of the tribe for the acts of its individual representatives, 
 
 A SHERANI TRIBESMAN 
 
 and a conclusive proof that the Sheranis no lono-er 
 believe in the impregnability of their position to shield 
 them from the long arm of England's power." 
 
 Further, in sending on General White's despatch to 
 the Indian Government, the Adjutant-General in India 
 said: "The first phase of the expedition, although 
 explorative rather than militant, demanded from all 
 ranks exertions of a kind very unusual even in a pro- 
 tracted campaign ; and the final operations undertaken 
 for the coercion of the Khiddarzai gave fresh examples 
 of the endurance and enterprise of the troops and their 
 commander. The excellent dispositions made by the
 
 232 THE ZHOB FIELD FORCE 
 
 latter resulted in the speedy submission of the recalcitrant 
 tribe, which relying on the inaccessibility of its mountain 
 fastnesses has hitherto maintained a defiant attitude. 
 His Excellency has much pleasure in again bringing to 
 notice the services of Major- General Sir George White, 
 whose distinguished conduct of operations in the field 
 has so often obtained the approval of Government." 
 
 And the Secretary to the Military Department of 
 the Government of India, in acknowledging receipt of 
 the Adjutant-General's letter, used the following words : 
 "In reply, I am to say that the Governor- General 
 in Council has read Sir George White's report with 
 much satisfaction, and cordially appreciates the good 
 work done by the troops under trying circumstances, 
 and the ability, judgment and vigour with which the 
 operations have been conducted by Sir George White." 
 {S&& London Gazette, May 19, 1891.) 
 
 Sir Georofe White is now Commander-in-Chief in 
 India. By the death of Sir Robert Sandeman, which 
 occurred not long after this expedition, our frontier sus- 
 tained a great loss. 
 
 THE END 
 
 Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co. 
 £dinburgh and London.
 
 Celegrapbic H^^rcss, 
 
 Sunlocka, Ijondon, 
 
 SI Bedford Street, w.c. 
 
 March i8g£ 
 
 A LIST OF 
 
 Mr WILLIAM HEINEMANN'S 
 
 Publications 
 
 The Books mentioned in this List can 
 be obtained to order by any Book- 
 seller if not in stock, or will be sent 
 by the Publisher on teceipt o/ tht 
 published ^rice and postage.
 
 4 MR. WILLIAM HEINEMANN'S LIST. 
 
 REMBRANDT: 
 
 SEVENTEEN OF HIS MASTERPIECES 
 
 FROM THE COLLECTION OF HIS PICTURES IN THE 
 
 CASSEL GALLERY. 
 
 Reproduced in Photogravure by the Berhn Photographic Company. 
 
 With an Essay 
 
 By FREDERICK WEDMORE. 
 
 In large portfoHo 27J inches x 20 inches. 
 
 The first twentyfive impressions of each plate are numbered and tigmed, 
 and of these only fourteen are for sale in England at the net price of Twenty 
 Guineas the set. The price of the impressions after the first twentyfive is 
 Twelve Guineas net, per set. 
 
 The TIMES. — " The renderings have been made with extreme 
 
 care, and, printed as they are upon peculiarly soft Japanese paper, 
 they recall in a remarkable way the richness and beauty of the 
 originals." 
 
 REMBRANDT: 
 
 HIS LIFE, HIS WORK, AND HIS TIME. 
 
 BY 
 
 EMILE MICHEL, 
 
 MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE OF FRANCB. 
 TRANSLATED BY 
 
 FLORENCE SIMMONDS. 
 
 EDITED AND PREFACED BY 
 
 FREDERICK WEDMORE. 
 
 A reissue in 16 Monthly Parts, price 2s. 6d. net, per Part. 
 
 %• A few copies of the First Edition are still on sale, price £z zs. 
 net ; also of the Edition de Luxe (printed on Japanese vellum 
 with India proof duplicates of the photogravures), price ;^i2 I2J. 
 net. 
 
 Tbe TIMES. — "This very sumptuous and beautiful book has 
 long been expected by all students of Rembrandt, for M. Emile 
 Michel, the chief French authority on the Dutch School of Paint- 
 ing, has been known to be engaged upon it for many years 
 
 Merely to look through the reproductions in M. Michel's book is 
 enough to explain the passionate eagerness with which modern 
 collectors carry on their search after Rembrandt's drawings, and 
 tlie great prices which are paid for them."
 
 MR. WILLIAM HEINEMANN'S LIST. 5.. 
 
 COREA, OR CHO-SEN, 
 
 THE LAND OF THE MORNING CALM. 
 By a. henry SAVAGE-LANDOR. 
 
 With 3S Illustrations from Drawings by the Author, and a Portrait. 
 Demy 8vo, i8s. 
 
 The Realm. — "Mr. Landor's book .... is of extreme value, 
 
 for he has used his eyes, his pen, and his brush to picture scenes 
 and natural characterisncs, which in all probability will be vastly 
 modified by the events of the immediate years." 
 
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 MR. WILLIAM HEINEMANN'S LIST. 
 
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 MR. WILLI A Af HEINEMANN'S LIST. 
 
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 MR. WILLIAM HEINEMAN^J-S LIST. 9 
 
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 ,32 MR. WILLIAM HEINEMANN'S LIST. 
 
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 MR. WILLIAM HEINE MANN'S LIST. 13 
 
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 THE PLAYS OF ARTHUR W. PINERO. With Intro- 
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 I. THE TIMES. 
 II. THE PROFLIGATE. 
 
 III. THE CABINET 
 
 MINISTER. 
 
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 V. LADY BOUNTIFUL. 
 
 VI. THE MAGISTRATE. 
 VII. DANDY DICK. 
 
 VIII. SWEET LAVENDER. 
 IX. THE SCHOOL- 
 MISTRESS. 
 X. THE WEAKER SEX. 
 XI. LORDS AND 
 
 COMMONS. 
 XII. THE SQUIRE.
 
 14 MR. WILLIAM HEINEMANN'S LIST. 
 
 IPoetrg, 
 
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 LOVE SONGS OF ENGLISH POETS, 1500-1800. 
 
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 MR. WILLIAM HEINEMANN'S LIST. 1$ 
 
 Zl^e Great Educators. 
 
 A Series of Volumes by Eminent Writers, presenting in their 
 entirety "A Biographical History of Education." 
 
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 and thirst for knowledge and culture of the vast multitude of young men and 
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 Each subject will form a complete volume, crown 8vo, 5*. 
 
 Now ready. 
 
 ARISTOTLE, and the Ancient Educational Ideals. Bf 
 
 Thomas Davidson, M.A., LL.D. 
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 LOYOLA, and the Educational System of the Jesuits. By 
 
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 Saturday Review. — " Full of valuable rnformation If a school- 
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 Hughes' book." 
 
 ALCUIN, and the Rise of the Christian Schools. By 
 
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 The Times. — "A valuable contribution, based upon original and indepen- 
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 of European learning and education." 
 
 FROEBEL, and Education by Self-Activity. By H. Court- 
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 ABELARD, and the Origin and Early History of Uni- 
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 HERBART AND THE HERBARTIANS. B/ Prof, de 
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 In preparation. 
 
 ROUSSEAU; and, Education according to Nature. By 
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 HORACE MANN, and Public Education in the United 
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 THOMAS and MATTHEW ARNOLD, and their In- 
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 Inspector of Schools. 
 
 PESTALOZZI : or, the Friend and Student of Childrea.
 
 i6 MR. WILLIAM HEINEMANN'S LIST. 
 
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 TRANSITION. 
 
 By the Author of " A Superfluous Woman." 
 
 LITTLE STORIES ABOUT WOMEN. 
 By George Fleming
 
 MR. WILLIAM HEINEMANN'S LIST. 17 
 
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 i8 MR. WILLIAM HEINEMANN'S LIST. 
 
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 24 
 
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