Elphinstone and urged him to make more dispatch, but the commander-in-chief rebuked him for his haste, and quietly continued his breakfast. In the meantime the head of the long column had reached. the river and halted, while the thousands behind kept pressing on in inextricable confusion. At length Colin McKenzie sped in a swift gallop to Elphinstone's quarters, to urge on the infatuated commander the necessity of greater dispatch. He found him sitting on horseback before the door, apparently totally bewildered. Pointing to the stream of people dammed up and stagnant, and to the cloud of fierce Affghans hovering like vultures around them, he besought him to give orders for the army to advance or turn and fight.

The rear guard, mounted on the walls of the cantonment, looked down on this scene of confusion with sad forebodings. All day long that immense throng was pouring out of the opening and spreading in lawless impetuosity over the plain. Camels, ponies and baggage, went floundering through the deep snow-the 12,000 camp followers pressing upon and throwing into disorder the troops; while, to increase still more the bewildering tumult, there arose from the arrested host at the bridge, shouts, and yells, and curses the stern order of officers mingling in with the cries and oaths of camel drivers, and loud laments of the Hindostanees, and shrieks of children.

The river was at length bridged, and over it the wild host streamed; but, unaccustomed to such intense cold, and insufficiently protected, the Sepoys began to sink along the line of march, while ever and

anon a band of Affghan warriors would dash on the baggage, cutting down the helpless camp followers, then sweep away beyond the reach of the troops. The snow-covered plain soon became dotted with the black forms of men, women, and children, who had lain down to die. Through all that long wintry day, the motley multitude toiled on, and night had already come before the rear guard could leave the walls. As these filed away in the shadows of evening, a body of Affghan horse dashed with loud yells into their midst. A fierce conflict ensued, and when at length the barbarian horde was shaken off, fifty of that guard were found stretched on the trampled snow. They had scarcely renewed their toilsome march, when the torch was applied to all the buildings which the English officers had erected for their own or public use. As one after another blazed up in the darkness, the landscape for miles around became illumined, while the involving clouds of smoke, sheeted with flame, rolled up the starlit heavens, streaking it with a murky red, "like a stormy sunset, and flinging strange and fiery gleams along the snow-covered plain." The rear guard did not reach the camping ground till long after midnight, and yet only six miles had been accomplished. The night was even worse than the day. No tents were pitched, no fires lighted, no food provided. Supperless and freezing, the despairing multitude sunk on the snow where the night found them. There was no separate encampment for the troops, and the dif ferent regiments rested amid the confused mass of camp followers, and baggage, and animals of burden,

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like the fragments of a wreck on a midnight sea. Low moans and lamentations loaded the wintry atmosphere, and many a brave form lay stretched on the snow, never to rise again. All through that terrible night Cabool was in an uproar, and the shouts and yells of hovering barbarians were incessantly borne to the drowsy ears of the suffering multitude. The hour of retribution had come; the laws of eternal justice were about to be vindicated, for the clock of destiny was tolling the last hour of the "army of the Indus." "Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil and not for good, and they shall be accomplished in that before thee. But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the Lord. . . . . For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be a prey unto thee, because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord." The first part of the strange language spoken in the "tent among the mulberry trees" has come to pass; shall the second also be fulfilled?

CHAPTER V.

HAVELOCK AT

JELLALABAD.

Havelock, Sale's chief Reliance-Sent at Midnight by Officers to per suade Sale to attack a Fort-Succeeds-Retreat to JellalabadHavelock's Plan of Fortifying it-A Sortie-Successful Experiment of total Abstinence-Another Sortie-Vague Rumors of the Capitulation of the Army-News confirmed-The Brigade ordered to evacuate Jellalabad-It Refuses-Havelock's Views of the Order -Anxious watching of the Cabool Road-Approach of a single Horseman Story of the Frightful Retreat-Massacre in the Khoord Cabool Pass-Women and Children delivered up to the Affghans-Army sinks in the Jugdulluck Pass-Retribution-Havelock prays with the Brigade-Council of War-Broadfoot and Havelock oppose the entire Council-An Earthquake shakes down the Defences-Advance of the Relieving Force-Havelock plans an Attack on the Affghan Camp-It is successful-Pollock arrives -Army advances to Cabool-Appearance of the Passes-Release of the Prisoners-Havelock plans the Battle of Istaliffe-Army returns to India-Grand Reception of the Illustrious Garrison at Ferozepore.

WHILE this night of humiliation and horrors was closing around the main army at Cabool, Sale's brigade was preparing to cover itself with unfading glory. In his refusal to obey the order of Elphinstone he was governed very much in his decision by Havelock, who had more influence over him than

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any other officer in the army. It would be interesting to know how much the prophecy which the latter read at Cabool had to do in the formation of his judgment. An impression so profound as the one he received from it must necessarily have exerted an important influence on his decision.

It was well for Sale, and it might be added, for the British government, that Havelock was with that brigade. Sale was as brave and gallant an officer as ever led a column to battle, but he shrunk from responsibility. Give him a certain duty to perform, and to a quick eye, nerves like iron, he added a clear head and sound judgment. The smoke and thunder of battle seemed to steady him, but the moment he was called upon to devise general plans and decide between conflicting courses, he became vacillating and irresolute. In his present position his irresolution and hesitation were greatly augmented, because he had assumed a heavy responsibility in his refusal to obey orders and return to Cabool. Havelock, therefore, was just the man for him in these circumstances, for, as one qualified to know, said, "an abler man and a finer soldier was not in the brigade!" To this ability and those soldierly qualities which all conceded, he added a calm, quiet judgment, a decision that never wavered, and a will that nothing but death could break down. His rapid glance swept the whole field of difficulty, and his mind seemed almost by intuition to fix on the proper course to pursue. That being once settled, no afterdoubt disturbed his equanimity or retarded his action. All might hesitate and waver about him, he remained