In obedience to the Colonel’s wish, Heideck kept close to the side of the Commander-in-Chief, whose numerous staff and retinue of servants, horses, and carriages allowed him to mix in the crowd without attracting attention.  But the General did not remain long with the centre.  In order to gain a clearer survey of the entire movement, and to be able to observe the Russian approach, he rode with his staff and a strong cavalry escort towards the Ravi river.  Heideck, accompanied by his faithful servant, attached himself to the escort, and thus was soon far in advance of Colonel Baird’s brigade.

Nothing was as yet to be seen of the Russians, and about three hours might have passed since the beginning of the advance march, when lo! the dull, rumbling thunder of the first cannon-shot rolled over the wide field.

The General reined in, and directed his field-glasses upon the left wing, where the cannonade increased in violence each minute.  Another half-hour and the sharp rattle of infantry fire mixed with the heavy rumbling of big guns.  No doubt, on the left wing, by Shah Dara, the battle had commenced.  Advancing towards the right bank of the Ravi, the Russians threatened to attack Lahore.

The Commander-in-Chief despatched two orderly officers to the right wing and the centre, with the order to accelerate the march.  Then he returned with his suite to his former position.

But Heideck could not at once make up his mind to follow.  From the moment the first shot had been fired the battle fever had seized him; he was only a soldier now.

He was irresistibly attracted by a building a short distance away, with a slender minaret, from which he hoped to obtain a better view.  It was the half-decayed mausoleum of some saint, and Heideck had some trouble to climb up to the top of the minaret, a height of about twenty feet, whilst his servant waited with the horses down below.  But the exertion was fully rewarded.  He overlooked the flat plains.  The sinuous Ravi river was hardly half an English mile distant.  Its banks were covered with high grass and thick jungle growth; on the other side of the river immense thickly-packed masses of troops appeared—­the advancing Russian army.

Both armies must soon come into collision by the river, for single English cavalry regiments and horse artillery batteries, advancing in a long line, were already in its immediate neighbourhood.

Heideck had seen sufficient to be able to judge of the position of the battle.  He climbed down the minaret and mounted his fresh steed, whilst Morar Gopal sprang into the saddle of his own horse.  They quickly arrived amongst the British cavalry, deploying in advance of their main army.  The advance march was now executed with greatest rapidity.  The English batteries dashed forward at the fastest pace the soft ground would permit, unlimbered, and opened fire.  Large masses of infantry marched towards the jungle.  But from the other side of the river the lively English fire was but feebly returned.  Only from the direction of the left English wing, invisible from this point, did the artillery and infantry fire rage with unabated violence.