Page:The Earl of Auckland.djvu/120

114 The fire from Mackenzie's guns, and the dashing advance of his active little Gúrkhas, threw the enemy into a state of confusion, which Hart's and Anderson's troopers finally turned into utter rout. The chiefs of Kúlum and Kúndúz ere long tendered their submission; but Dost Muhammad, with his sons and a remnant of faithful followers, fled over the hills into the neighbourhood of the Kohistán, where he might still hope for aid from some of the chiefs who had just been making promises of fealty to the Sháh.

To watch his movements and counteract his designs, a force was despatched from Kábul under the command of Sir Robert Sale, and the political guidance of Sir Alexander Burnes. The greater part of October was spent in attacking and destroying fortlets, in burning villages, and generally harassing the refractory chiefs. Some vain attempts were made to hunt down the Amír himself, who was hiding somewhere in the Kohistán. Meanwhile he was quietly mustering his adherents for another fight against the infidel. At last, on the 2nd of November, Sale came up with Dost Muhammad's force, strongly posted at Parwándarra on rough ground that sloped up towards the adjacent Nijrow hills. As Salter's brigade moved forward the enemy fell back. Hoping to cut off their retreat Salter sent out his cavalry from both flanks. Two squadrons of the 2nd Bengal Cavalry, skirting the bill to their right, came upon a small body of Afghán horsemen whom Dost Muhammad was leading off the field. Turning at his command, and fired by