The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-14 00:00:00

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The enemy/. is unknown, but is believed to be
Their dead lie .! lipear the top of the ravine
72nd and Gh.. fitr-ling met them, and they lie
throughout the pine woods on the mountain crests surround-
ing the Kotal, a great many having fallen in and around
their entrenchment there. Most of the bodies have been
stripped and brutally slashed by our allies the Tuna, who
having taken good care to keep oat of range during the en-
gagement, behaved, at ter the fighting was over, with sicken-
ing bloodthirstiness.

The crest of the Kotal is now occupied by the Bth King's,
who are working hard to improve the main road up the Pass.
The men are deeply disgusted that the Tunis were allowed
to plunder the Kotal after keeping entirely out of tire,
while thy, who had done the fighting and made the assault,
were compelled te stand by and see everything carried off
by these cowardly natives. It is to be hoped that in future
the troops will not be interfered with by Colonel Waterfield,
but that the officer will confine himself to his political work
of interviewing chiefs and propitiating headmen of villages.
It a not the value of the object to be gamed, but the British
soldier hates what he consolers injustice, however small the
value of the object of which he is deprived.
Most of the sick and wounded have been sent back to the
Khurum Fort. General )14-13rts has gone forward again to-
day to do some farther reconnoitring, and it is probable
that the troops will advance to-morrow.

The vast supplies of provisions discovered will much re-
lieve the Commissariat, and Ali Kheyl will serve instead of
Khurum as an immediate base. A force will be left there to
collect, store, and guard the supplies we have obtained. It
is not yet known what Its strength or composition will be.

Colonel Barry Drew, of the Bth King's, is acting u briga-
dier in place of General Cobbe.

The Stcvndard of Tuesday gives the following from their
Special Correspondent ;
ALI KELM (through TRULL), TROLL, Monday.
The main body of the force came on here yesterday. It is
distinctly a change for the better, for although the thermo-
meter fell last night to seven degrees above zero, we are
sheltered from the biting wind which rendered the cold
almost insupportable on the crest of the Pass.

The whole country here is thickly wooded, and no diffi-
culty will be found in procuring plenty of timber for build-
ing the rough solid huts which our advanced force will
occupy during the winter; the rest of the division, after
their return from the Shaturgardan Pass, returning to
Khurum, where they will remain until the snow melts and
an advance upon Cabul becomes possible.

The inhabitants of the villages are perfectly friendly, and
have rendered much service in pointing out the places
where the Afghans hid concealed their vast stores of pro-
visions and ammunition. General Roberts has to-day
pushed a cavalry reconnaissance nearly as far as Rokeau,
and from the result of our own scouting, but still more from
the report of the natives who pass down the news from
village to village, it appears improbable that any stand will
be attempted by the Afghans short of the Shaturgardan Pass
itself. Indeed, the natives assert that even that position
will be found deserted at our approach.
No halt appears to have been made by the fugitive army
short of Rokean, and our fellows question whether some of
them stopped mining till they reached Cabul itself. The
officers who were out on the reconnaissance state that there
were several places on the road where the Afghans might
have given us an immense deal of trouble had they made a
stand.

The Tune are now, to the great satisfaction of the
soldiers, in disgrace with General Roberts, as they looted
large quantities of the Afghan stores. I believe that these
gentry will he requested not to favour us with their com-
pany any further, though a few of the chiefs will, as a
mark of friendship, be permitted to accompany us. There is,
at any rate, no fear of their proving hostile to us now whatever
course events may take, as they have incurred the everlasting
hatred of the Afghan by their conduct towards the dead and
wounded, of which they would be sure to hear from the
villagers hereabout did they ever return. Most of the Af-
ghan dead were fair, well-built young fellows, and the ex-
pressions of anger and disgust against the Tunis among the
parties told off to bury those who have fallen near the place
where the huts are to be erected show how bitterly they re-
sent such conduct. The sooner Colonel Waterfield orders
them back again the better.

The children of the villagers were at first much scared
at our approach, but they have now grown perfectly tear-
less, and it is funny to see them talking away to a Pathan
soldier, or endeavouring to enter into conversation with a
brawny Highlander. The natives do not conceal their
astonishment at the peaceful behaviour of our soldiers,
and at the scrupulous regard which is paid to the rights
of property. They say that in this respect the conduct of
our troops contrasts very strongly with that of the army
of the Ameer.

The tents are bitterly cold at night, but the troops have
for the most part strewn them deep with yeung fir branches,
which make by no means uncomfortable beds. Provisions
are in abundance, and as fuel can be had for cutting, roaring
bonfires are made when the evening closes in, and the men
sitround them and laugh and joke, and occasionally sing,
till the cold drives them in to bed.
General Cobbe and the rest of the wounded at Khurum
are reported to be going on well. The force moves forward
for Shaturgardan to-morrow. •
The weather is still fine, and it is hoped that the snow
ill hold off long enough to permit us to accomplish our
work of seeing the Afghans over the crest of the mountains.

(From Tuesday's Times.)
ZABR-DLST-ICALA, Dec. 7.
General Roberts, with a flying column, leaves this place
to-day for Bolden, and the following day will, if unopposed,
push on to Shutar-gardan.
The thermometer stands at seven degrees above zero
The health of the troops is good.
The Ameer has sent his family and valuables towards
Balkh, and it is reported he inter ds to follow himself. He
ench,avoured to raise the Ghilzais and intended holding on
to the Peiwar Rotel The sudden and successful attack,
hewever, on the 2nd inst. has frustrated these plans.