Page:The Earl of Auckland.djvu/130

124 ing the new post at Khelát-i-Ghilzai provoked a large gathering of the Ghilzai clans in those parts. On the 9th of May they attacked a strong convoy marching towards Khelát-i-Ghilzai under one of Nott's best officers, Colonel Wymer. After five hours of sharp fighting, in which our guns and bayonets outmatched the wild rush of multitudinous swordsmen, the enemy withdrew their shattered forces, and left Wymer free to carry out his purpose.

By that time the restless Aktar Khán had once more summoned his Durání clansmen into the field against the Farangí invaders. Woodburn's troops, advancing to the Helmand early in July, had to sustain a long day's fight, with varying fortune, against a numerous and resolute foe, who, thanks to the cowardice of the Jánbáz Horse, were not beaten off till near midnight. On the 1 7th of August Griffin's victory at Kháwind more than atoned for Woodburn's partial failure. Hart led his Jánbáz horsemen accompanied by Prince Safdar Jang, a son of the Sháh, against a foe already yielding ground, and turned the growing disorder into utter rout. Some days earlier, another of Nott's detachments under Colonel Chambers had driven the Ghilzái insurgents back to their hills. Once more there set in a lull which deceived no one at Kandahár.

Macnaghten, however, could not help crowing over the 'cheering prospects' which everywhere met his gaze. 'From Mukín to the Kháibar Pass all is content and tranquillity; and wherever we Europeans