Pari was occupied, so I sent him off.  I knew the place as one of the worst bits in the whole road between Mastuj and Chitral, but I also knew it could be passed by crossing the river at Khogazi and climbing the hills on the right hand, and down on to the Chitral river above its junction with the Yarkhun river.  This would be convenient if the Chitral bridge was destroyed, as it would take us along the right bank, on which stands the fort; but I knew also of a ford about two miles above the Chitral bridge, where we could cover our passage, as the ground was level and open.

CHAPTER X

WE REACH THE GOAL

I picked out a camping ground even better than we had enjoyed at Mori, and then shared some chupatties and chocolate with Rajah Akbar Khan.

The main body came in by two o’clock, and the baggage shortly after.  Foraging parties were sent out, and Oldham sent to report on the bridge in case we decided to cross.  He reported it as practicable, so a guard was put on it to keep it so.

Stewart came into camp that day like a bear with a sore head.  “Here had he been hauling his guns over condemned precipices in pursuit of an invisible enemy.  Call this war! it was only a route march.  For a promenade he preferred the Empire Theatre.”

We tried to console him with hopes of a fight before Chitral, but he declared the Chitralis had grievously disappointed him, and went off to see about fodder for his ponies.  Alas, poor Stewart! he didn’t get his desire.

As soon as we had settled down in camp, Colonel Kelly told me to try and find some man who would carry a letter into Chitral, to warn the garrison of our approach.  I got hold of Shah Mirza, and asked him if he knew anyone who would go.  First, we tried the man who had escaped from Killa Drasan, but he refused; then Shah Mirza volunteered to go himself, but he was too useful to be spared.  Just as we were wondering who we could get to go, Humayun and Akbar Khan turned up, evidently excited, and escorting a man who was bearing letters from Chitral.  He handed over a letter addressed to “The officer commanding troops advancing from Gilgit.”  Inside was a letter from Surgeon-Major Robertson, saying that Sher Afzul had fled on the night of the 18th April, and the siege of Chitral was raised.  He enclosed a return of the killed and wounded, which, he requested, might be forwarded to India.  Then we went through the list, and came across poor Baird’s name among the killed.  This was the first we had heard of it, the natives all declaring that it was Gurdon who had been killed.  Among the wounded we came across Surgeon-Major Robertson severely and Captain Campbell severely.  Poor old General Baj Singh and Major Bicham Singh were killed, and all together the casualties amounted to one hundred and four killed and wounded out of three hundred and seventy combatants.  So the garrison had evidently had a lively time of it.  Then we set to work and pumped the messenger dry of all the news he could tell, the details of which are now too well known for me to relate.  The man had a passport from Surgeon-Major Robertson, sending him to Killa Drasan, so he was allowed to go.  We also found out from him that there was no enemy between us and Chitral, at which Stewart swore openly.  My spy returned on meeting the Chitral messenger.