I may here mention that so little did the Chitralis imagine that we could cross the pass, that letters were found in Laspur stating that the British force was lying in Ghizr, the men unable to move from frostbite, and the officers from snow blindness; also that since then fresh snow had fallen, and no forces would now be able to cross for several weeks.  In fact, the Chitralis looked upon the game as entirely in their own hands; the surprise of our arrival was therefore all the more complete.

Having brought the guns and Borradaile’s party safely across the pass, I return and relate Colonel Kelly’s and my own experiences.

After leaving the guns being dragged through the snow to Langar on the 3rd April, I walked back to Teru.  On the way I saw the mullah’s shovel sticking up in the snow, with one half of the blade snapped off.  Alas, poor mullah!  At Teru I found the battery mules and drivers; these were ordered back to Ghizr, as they could be more easily fed there, and would be protected by the garrison of the post.  I eventually got back to Ghizr before dark and reported events, and, just my luck, got a bad go of fever the next day.  Great Scott!  I did feel a worm!  I was shivering with ague and my face was like a furnace.  I hadn’t a bit of skin on it either, and it was painful to eat or laugh from the cracked state of my lips.  I managed to struggle through some necessary official letters, but as a staff officer that day I was not much use.

Colonel Kelly determined to start himself the next morning, with the Nagar Levies and Shah Mirza, as we had managed to collect half a dozen coolies to carry our kits.  I went with Colonel Kelly, the remainder of the Pioneers coming on as soon as the coolies from Borradaile’s party arrived; we were expecting them the next day, the 5th April.

I turned in early that night, after having covered my raw face with some Vinolia powder that Colonel Kelly happened to have.  I had not before known that these powders were supposed to be of any use.  I had a vague sort of idea that they were used for sprinkling babies, but was unaware of the reason of this strange rite; however, I will now give the Vinolia Company what I believe is called an unsolicited testimonial.  I stuck to that powder till I got to Mastuj, by which time my face had become human again.  Colonel Kelly had a beard, so he didn’t suffer so much.  The next morning I felt much better, had no fever, and, thanks to the Vinolia, my face was much less painful.

We got the Levies and our kits off early, and about noon Colonel Kelly and I started on some borrowed ponies, which we rode as far as we could and then sent back.  Having caught up the Levies, we tramped forward along the track made by the first column, occasionally finding deserted sledges and bits of broken spades.  The snow was now somewhat firmer than when the first party had crossed, owing to the top of the snow thawing slightly in the sun every day and being frozen hard again every night; all the same, the slightest divergence from the track plunged us up to our waists in snow.