Page:The Earl of Auckland.djvu/201

Rh troops of all arms, confident alike in their leader and in themselves.

Pollock, meanwhile had found work for some of his troops in the neighbourhood of Jalálábád. For several weeks of June and July a strong column under Monteath was out in the Shinwári valley, chastising the tribes which had shared in the plunder of Elphinstone's force and were known to hold one of the captured guns. Not only were their fortlets and houses utterly destroyed, but their grain-stores were sacked or fired, and the trees which gave them shade were hacked about and left to perish. A good many Afgháns were shot down as they fled, or slaughtered, if they made a stand, by Abbott's shells. It was the only way, according to Macgregor, of inflicting upon such people the punishment they deserved. But the gun was recovered, with much of the stolen treasure, and 'both men and cattle had entirely subsisted on the resources of the country .'

The negotiations with Akbar had also been renewed in July, when Captain Troup brought fresh proposals into Pollock's camp. He went back to Kábul with a verbal message from Pollock demanding the surrender of all the guns and trophies that had fallen into Afghán hands. Akbar would surrender nothing without a written promise that our troops would leave his country forthwith. Early in August Troup reappeared at Jalálábád in company with George Lawrence, whose brother Henry had lately come up to take charge