me if I thought I could find my way back to the Alambagh in the dark.  I answered, ‘I am sure I can.’  I might have hesitated to speak so confidently had I not taken the precaution of placing the man who had acted as my guide on the 14th in charge of some Afghan chuprassies[9] attached to the Quartermaster-General’s department, with strict orders not to lose sight of him.  I thought, therefore, I would have him to depend upon if my own memory failed me.  The Commander-in-Chief impressed very strongly upon me the great necessity for caution, and told me I could take what escort I thought necessary, but that, whatever happened, I must be back by daybreak, as he had signalled to Outram that the force would advance on the morrow.  Sir Colin desired that the Ordnance officer, whose fault it was that sufficient ammunition had not been brought, should go back with me and be left at the Alambagh.

It was then dusk, and there was no time to be lost.  In the first instance I went to my General, and reporting the orders I had received from the Commander-in-Chief, consulted him about my escort.  Hope Grant strongly urged my taking with me a troop of the 9th Lancers, as well as some Native Cavalry, but for a night trip I thought it would be better to employ Natives only.  I knew that my one chance of success depended on neither being seen nor heard, and Native Cavalry move more quietly than British, chiefly because their scabbards are of wood, instead of steel.  I felt, too, that if we came across the enemy, which was not improbable, and got scattered, Natives would run less risk, and be better able to look after themselves.  All this I explained to the General, but in the kindness of his heart he pressed me to take the Lancers, telling me he would feel happier about me if I had my own countrymen with me; but I stuck to my own opinion, and it was arranged that I was to be accompanied by Younghusband and Hugh Gough, with their respective squadrons of Native Cavalry.  I took leave of my kind and considerate General, and hurried off first to warn the two Cavalry officers, then to the Dilkusha to tell Lieutenant Tod Brown, in charge of the Ordnance depot, that his assistant was to go with me, and lastly to arrange with the Commissariat officer for camels upon which to bring back the ammunition.

It was quite dark before I got to the place where my servants had collected, and where I expected to find my guide.  What was my horror to hear that he had disappeared!  He had made his escape in the confusion consequent on the enemy’s attacks the previous afternoon.  What was to be done now?  I was in despair—­and became more and more doubtful of my ability to find the Alambagh in the dark.  By daylight, and with the aid of a compass, which I always carried about me, I should have had little difficulty, even though the country we had to get over was intersected by ravines and water-courses, not to speak of the uncompromising jhil near the Jalalabad fort.  However, go I must.  I could not possibly tell the Commander-in-Chief that I was unable to carry out a duty for which he had selected me—­there was nothing for it but to trust to my own recollection of the route and hope for the best.