Page:The Earl of Auckland.djvu/119

Rh highlands of Balkh. The Khán of Bokhára set Dost Muhammad and his two sons, Akbar and Afzal, free to fight against the common enemy. The chiefs of Kúlum and Kúndúz, and the Uzbek clans of Balkh rallied to the cause of Dost Muhammad and Islam. The hardy Uzbeks and Hazáras flocked in thousands to the standard of a leader who hoped to rid them of the arrogant infidel, and whose name still had power to draw over to his side bodies of Afghán horsemen serving under the British flag. In August the Amír marched from Kúlum towards Bájgah, whence young Rattray, as Lord's deputy, carried off the garrison betimes to Bámián, all but a body of Jánbáz horse, who went over to the enemy. The flame of revolt spread to the Kohistán, and even in Kábul many of the citizens exulted over the first vague rumours of the Amír's success. 'Please God!' — they said — 'the Dost's army will soon rid the land of the Farangís, and destroy them to a man with their Káfir king .'

Such hopes, however, were not then to be fulfilled. By the middle of September the bold Colonel Dennie had taken command of the reinforced troops at Bámián. On the 17th Dennie marched out with 300 sabres, 500 bayonets, and two guns, against some bodies of Uzbek horse who had made their way into the valley. After driving in the enemy's outposts he suddenly found himself confronted by the Amír's whole army, six or seven thousand strong. Heedless of the odds against him he moved on to the attack.