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186 largely indebted for the means of marching forward at the appointed time.

At last the needful preparations were completed. Thanks to Lawrence, a powerful Sikh force undertook to enter one mouth of the Kháibar, while Pollock's army held its way through the other, both roads leading to Alí Masjid. Every detail of the movement had been carefully explained by Pollock himself to each of his commanders. The Sepoys were reported to be in good heart. The officers, emulous of their leader's example, had reduced their baggage to the smallest possible compass. Lawrence had taken care that the troops should not suffer needlessly from want of water. At 3.30 a.m. on the 5th of April, without beat of drum or blast of bugle, the force assembled at Jamrúd moved slowly forward over the rough ground towards the Shádí Bhágiári entrance of the Pass, while ten Sikh regiments under Avitabile took their way an hour later towards the Jabáki mouth. In due time the flanking columns of Pollock's force clambered up the steep crags on either side of the opening, driving the enemy from one post of vantage after another, and clearing a way with the help of our guns for the advance of the centre column with its long train of stores and baggage into the Pass. In this brilliant crowning of the heights in the face of thousands of resolute Afrídís the lusty soldiers of the 9th Foot were stoutly seconded by their swarthy comrades. 'Nothing' — wrote Pollock — 'could resist the