ber 14. As may readily be guessed, this ceaseless worrying brought out the Scouts almost every day as well as on many nights, and the camp would sleep the more securely when it was known that the Gurkhas were on the alert. On more than one occasion the Scouts, moving out at dawn, would come across an English picket who had been all night without food. Out would come the day's rations and be pressed on the hungry Tommies, the generous Gurkhas remaining without food themselves until evening. They, in their turn, would be met after the day's work with "Ram-Ram, Johnny!" or, "What cheer, Johnny? Come an' 'ave a drink," to which the Gurkhas would invariably reply "Good-morning!" and straightway accept. Once after a long day on the hill-tops, a scout was greeted with, "'Ullo, Johnny, where 've you come from?" Johnny, more or less understanding, cheerfully replied, "Pahār sē āyā" (I've come down from the hill). Tommy, who was a wag, continued the conversation for the benefit of his appreciative mates. "Oh, bin to see yer pa,1 'ave ye, Johnny? Well, I hope ye've seen yer ma too." The Gurkha grinned. "Han do, tin mără” (Yes, killed two or three). Another anecdote relating to this period runs as follows: A column being harassed by a couple of snipers far up the steep hillside, two Gurkhas Gurkhas were despatched to drive them away. When camp was reached the two were reported "missing," and were given up for lost by officers and comrades, who feared they had ventured too far. In the early morning, however, they strolled into camp, evidently as well pleased with themselves as usual, and duly reported their arrival to the officer who had told them off for the duty, with the words, "Duită payō" (got 'em both). All night long they had stalked and chased the snipers, and finally silenced them for ever. On November 1 it was noticed that the enemy were carrying off their Lares and Penates from villages in the vicinity of the Maidan camp. To prevent this a brigade was despatched, the Scouts covering the right flank as before. The ground, cut up by numerous deep nullahs and dotted with fortified houses, was most difficult, and an exciting skirmish ensued. That the Scouts, who contrived to lay an unusually successful ambuscade, escaped without loss seemed no less than miraculous. But though the bullets poured in, raising little spurts of dust on either side, a moving man is not easy to hit, especially if that man chance to be a Gurkha facile princeps as regards taking advantage of the cover of every blade of rank grass or shelter of casual pebble. The comparative immunity of the Scouts becomes the more wonderful when we realise that the Afridis were not only much more numerous, but frequently the better armed. For the Scouts fought with Martinis and black The pronunciation of "păhār" (a hill) and of "māră” (killed) would somewhat resemble "pa" and "ma." powder that disclosed their position whenever they opened fire, whereas their opponents used the newest type of firearms; and the Afridi is considered by many as dangerous at 800 yards as the Boer was at half that distance. The accuracy with which these Pathans shoot was this day illustrated by their success in putting several bullets from long range through the small loopholes of a house in which a few men had been posted. But our Thapas and Burathokis were no whit behind in this respect: they could always give a Roland for an Oliver in spite of inferior weapons. A few days later the Scouts made some wonderful shooting at 1300 yards, literally strewing the road with men and animals who were streaming out of a village, and those who know the range of a Martini will best appreciate this feat. Moreover, the Gurkha is very careful of the ammunition, which he terms kazanatreasure. The second reconnaissance to the Saran Sar Pass on November 11 was led by the Scouts, who were afterwards detailed to hold the cliffs and cover the withdrawal of the troops, and the duty was carried out in the same uniformly successful manner. On the 14th, Lieutenant Tillard, with the 3rd Scouts, accompanied the expedition to the Waran Valley, and were hotly engaged. As the headquarters camp was heavily fired into this night, the Scouts of the 5th were employed to induce the Afridi to relinquish his popular pastime. At 7 P.M. on the following evening they moved out, and almost immedi ately a small advanced group, consisting of four riflemen under Naick Karbir Burathoki,—Conway's joyous, merry, delightful Karbir,-fell in with a large party of the enemy, whom the scouts mistook for one of our own pickets being relieved at dusk. They were speedily undeceived. The Pathans at once let fly, killing one man- the first loss suffered in all these engagements. With a shout Karbir and the remaining three charged into the midst of the enemy, killed six men, then rapidly retired with their dead. A different man was Karbir then from the merry lad who gathered Alpine flowers with childish glee, or raced his round cap down dangerous inclines in exuberance of spirits, and won the hearts of the Swiss maids! His boldness in charging proved their salvation, for the enemy, believing the party much stronger, gave ground, and by the time the error was discovered the supports had reached Karbir's party. The stalkers promptly bolted, losing two more men. This salutary lesson discouraged sniping from that side of the camp. The Scouts were next engaged in a necessary work that has not commended itself to the curious class at home who force themselves to believe that British soldiers are habitually actuated by the vilest of motives, and that all enemies of their own country must be harmless and blameless. To burn the homesteads of our foemen may not appear the most kindly and considerate of proceedings, but the the object of warfare is not to make matters pleasant for opponents, and the partisan sentimentalism evoked by these acts has been wasted. The people whose indignation is always on tap for the benefit of unworthy causes refuse to learn that almost every building is fortified, and that each village destroyed means on the one hand temporary inconvenience and discomfort for the marauder, accompanied by salutary loss of prestige, and on the other incalculable saving of life and prevention of suffering for Pathans and British troops alike. But ignorance of human nature and of the motives that move men is proof against all the pleas of sweet reasonableness. That the Pathan be he Afridi, Mohmand, Yusufzai, Swati, Bunerwal, or Waziri— is invariably the aggressor; that he kills and raids from savagery or lust of plunder; that he has little to lose in comparison with the damage he inflicts; that, with women and children in safety,-perchance cared for by his absurd foeman, - he regards these affairs as mere picnics; that when his fanaticism is aroused he is " as dangerous and as sensible as a mad dog"; that if his forts be spared when, after infinite trouble and expense they have been reached, such leniency would but encourage further pastime,-all these count as nothing to the sentimentalist, whose lack of the sense of proportion permits him to see no farther than that villages and homes have been destroyed. But responsible men are happily not always swayed by the cries of false sentiment. They understand that the Pathan must learn that war with the Sirkar is not invariably "Heads, I win; tails, you lose!" before he will appreciate the full beauty of peace. So on the 16th of November the Scouts were told off to destroy the defences of the adjacent villages, and this they did under fire the whole time. The sight was not without interest from the spectator's point of view. The little men would skirmish up to a village, enter it, and then a few minutes later come dashing back, the rude forts bursting into flames behind them. On one occasion a trap had been laid, and violent explosions followed the firing of a village, but fortunately no one was injured. The Scouts were engaged all the day of the advance to Bagh, and again escaped without casualties, though one officer and several men had their clothes pierced. After a night of unusually severe sniping an extensive trap was laid with trip-wires, flares, and crows' feet; but elaborate preparations were, as usual, thrown away, for no enemy appeared. On the 23rd a survey party 1 A jerk on the wire would strike the composition and ignite the magnesium flare, which would give a brilliant light for a short time-long enough to put a volley into the disclosed enemy. Crows' feet.-Four iron spikes welded together, so that whichever way they are thrown on the ground, one spike points upward. A certain area is strewn with these, and any man stepping thereon would be certain to cry out. When in January the men from Colonel Pulley's battalion were ordered back to their regiment, there was a most tearful leave-taking, and the Scouts of the 5th gave "a tremendous dinner" to their comrades of the 3rd. Hospitality is evidently a tradition with the riflemen of the 5th Gurkhas. It will be remembered that they presented a silver shield to the 72nd Highlanders at the close of the Afghan war. went out from Dwatoi escorted 5th Gurkha Scouts throughout by our Gurkhas, sections of the remainder of the operations, whom were detailed to seize and a warm friendship sprang each of the three hills to be up. visited. Heavy firing was soon heard from the wooded heights occupied by the 20 men under Havildar Kaman Sing Burathoki, and when the surveyors arrived they found that this small section had taken the hill by a brilliant rush, inflicting heavy loss. Although the enemy had been reinforced up to the strength of 100, and had occupied cover within 200 yards from the section, the Scouts had held their ground for nearly two hours. To set up the plane-table was out of the question; so, covered by the fire of the other sections, and working beautifully through the trees, the havildar gradually withdrew from the hill. For this and other acts of gallantry, Kaman Sing was awarded the Order of Merit of the Second Class. While yet dark on the 24th the Scouts were sent to occupy the high ground flanking the line of retirement through the Dwatoi defile back to Bagh. A tiresome wade through kneedeep water ensued, and so cold was it that the trousers froze on the men as they emerged from the stream. The height was seized before the enemy awoke, and the retirement was successfully carried out, heavy losses being inflicted on the foe, especially by that fine regiment the 36th Sikhs. During the reconnaissance Lieutenant Tillard had the ill luck to sprain his ankle, and, unfit for scouting duty, was sent back to the base. His men accompanied the When General Gaselee's force started from Bagh to join hands with the Kurram column, the Scouts again formed the advance-guard, and set out in the darkness. Before a mile had been covered they were fired into by an Afridi picket, with the result that three of the five men composing that picket never pulled trigger again. A running fight now took place: the Scouts, advancing at the double, drove the enemy through nearly two miles of scattered villages, with a loss of two men severely wounded. One of these-Captain Lucas's orderly - was shot by that officer's side; the other, a noncommissioned officer, had crept forward to reconnoitre when he was suddenly shot down by a concealed party of the enemy. As he fell three Pathans rushed to cut him up, but Rifleman Goria Rana, dashing forward, bayoneted one man, pursued and shot another, and then carried the wounded havildar under cover. For his heroism Goria Rana received the Order of Merit. In the meantime the 4th Gurkhas were pushed forward into the firing line, and they and the Scouts bore the brunt of the fighting in the direction of the Kahu Pass, and a company of the "Queen's" cleared the hills on the left in gallant style. Havildar Kaman Sing again distinguished himself his section had a most exciting time, and accounted for a number of the enemy. An early start was made on the 27th by the Scouts and the 3rd Sikhs. Admirably guided by Lieutenant Bruce and two of his mountaineers, they were half-way up the hill before dawn, and had reached a peak commanding the pass ere the foe quite realised what was taking place, although several occupied villages had been passed. The Scouts, 4th Gurkhas, and 3rd Sikhs, were required to occupy the pass for the night. By some mistake the mules with food and greatcoats had not been sent on. Hungry, wet, and cold, the men huddled together for warmth; but sleeping on the ground late in November at an elevation of 8500 feet is not conducive either to rest or pleasure. However, the baggage turned up next morning, and after a good hot meal the tribulations of the night were forgotten. Two days later the 5th Scouts were welcomed by a half battalion of their own regiment at Lowari Mela. On the 1st day of December the Scouts were employed against the Khani Khel Chamkannis, perhaps the most turbulent tribe on the border. The whole afternoon was spent in racing parties of the enemy A In further operations against the Chamkannis the brunt of the fighting fell on the 5th Gurkhas and the Scouts. precipitous height, strengthened by sangars and occupied in force, could not be ignored. Lieutenant Bruce's wonderful eye for an ascent, and the marvellous shooting of No. 1 (Kohat) Mountain Battery, enabled the Scouts to climb the steepest rocks without loss, though they were forced to hand one another up. Arrived at the top of the cliffs, they found that the hill sloped gradually to the summit, and three strong positions on this slope were occupied. No sooner did the skirmishers appear than the enemy opened a heavy fire from three sides. To have brilliantly rushed the position would have entailed unnecessary loss of life, so Captain Lucas waited until the leading company of the 5th appeared on his left. Thereupon the Scouts' commandant told off half his men under Lieutenant Warburton (lent to the Scouts for the day) to cover his advance by sweeping the sangar with |