The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-02 00:00:00

THE PUNJAUB AS A BATTLE-FIELD.

(From the Anglo-American Times.)

If the Russians ever meet the British as enemies
in Asia, the battle-field will probably be the Pun-
jaub. A few slight sketches of that portion of the
Province where the campaign must be fought may
not be without interest, in view of such a contin-
gency, however improbable, We select these scenes
froiu the march of an army before the country be-
came a province of British India, as they furnish
some idea of the difficulties the Russians would ex-
perience in their march through Central Asia.
It is dawn ; the light is stealing over a great
chain of mountains, whose peaks catch the rays of
the yet not visible sun, and shoot them up into t' le
sky from the broad fields of glancing snow. Be-
neath are lower chains, looking black in the shade,
and as far as the eye can see to the right and to the
left continue the ranges. The air is clear and cold
without a cloud in the heavens, and the mountains
stand forth so sharp in outline as to lead to the im-
pression that they are not many miles distant. But
a view of the country corrects this ;—it is a vast
plain, one living field of wheat, the green crop as
yet not rising above the knee. Here and there are
single trees and groups of acacia, and mud houses
clustered into villages erected on slight mounds,
break the monotony of the plain. A greater collection
of these houses, many of them of brick, and all with
flat roofs, indicate a town of some pretensions. The
confused hum, and that continuous though subdued
noise, tell of a multitude in motion, and the light
now striking with dazzling brilliancy over the fields
of snow in front are as brightly reflected back by
the bayonets of a vast line in motion. Before it are
a crowd of skirmishers, and at intervals along the
array troops of Horse Artillery, each with its group
of cavalry, move slowly on. The left is almost hid-
den in the rising dust, through which sparkle
sabre and spear-point, helmets, and . all the
paraphernalia of mounted squadrons. Far in
the line which has that wavy aspect which
shows it to be in motion are huge elephants, some
harnessed to guns, which, though great iron siege
pieces, look like toys at their heels. Behind are
others of these sagacious brutes, ready with their
trunks to help over all impediments. In rear are
troops iteeeserve ; and through the dust which be-
gins to hang over the field may be seen a compact
mass of elephants, camels, carts, embracing thou-
sands of baggage animals and camp followers, with
strong guards around. The ground in front of the
advancing army is green, with dew on the wheat
leaves, and the air fragrant, clear, and pure ; in
rear the earth is trodden bare, dry, and white, and
the atmosphere loaded with dust and the odour of
ghee and camels, and other (to the European) new
and far from pleasant smells. lho British army,
nearly 40,000 strong, with 110 guns in line, is ad-
vancing to attack the last Seikh army ever assem-
bled under an independent chief, now in position
at G-oojerat. Suddenly, the sound of a gun rings
loud and clear through the crisp atmosphere ; then
another and another follow the signal for the
Khalsa to get under arms, and then there is hurry-
ing to and fro, batteries galloping swiftly to their
stations, and clumps of spears moving to the places
th3y are to occupy in the coming battle.
The rays now strike on the Western slope of the
Himmalayah, and the dazzling snow reflects them
at the opposite angle into the heavens. The whole
atmosphere is loaded with impurities, and. dust and
smoke hang heavily about. The glittering line and
the glancing bayonets are gone, but troops can be
seen in motion here and there. There arc rows of
piled arms, and confused masses of dusty and
wearied soldiers ; here gathered in groups, there
lying on the ground ; dismounted squadrons, end
batteries. The compact mass of baggage animals
has been broken up, and strings of loaded camels
are wending their way in various directions. The
town that before we saw in front is now same two
.or three miles to the rear. Strange collections of
tents are pitched under clumps of trees, evidently
not those of the British army, for they are varied
in colour and in shape. Broken gun carriages and
abandoned tumbrils are about, with dead horses
and bullocks, and a few long-bearded and turbaned
men. On one spot a fierce flame is rising, and
every now and then a tremendous explosion tells
that the engineers are blowing up the captured
magazines. Presently a handsomewhite-headed gene-
ral officer rides along the front, followed at a short
distance by his staff ; and the men, when they see him,
arise, run forward, and the cheer is taken up, and
passes down the line. It is Lord Gough, who, with
tho moat poliNdial Dritifih army as yet merattled in