The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-08

OF the government was as long as a sum-
mer day; but he did not realize that its
arm was as long as a winter night Months
afterwards, when there was peace on the
border, and all India was quiet, the Indian
government turned in its sleep and re-
membered the Gulla Kutta Mullah at Ber-
sund, with his thirteen outlaws. The
movement against him of one single regi-
ment-which the kilograms would have
translated as war-would have been highly
impolitic. This was time for silence and
speed, and, above all, absence of blood
shed.
You must know that all along the north
west frontier of India there is spread
force of some 10000 foot and horse, whose
duty it is to quietly and unostentatiously
shepherd the tribes in front of them. They
move up and down and down and up,
from one desolate little post to another;
they are ready to take the field at ten
minutes notice; they are always half in
and half out Of difficulty somewhere
along the monotonous line; their lives are
as hard as their own muscles, and the
papers never say anything about them. 1t
was from this force that the government
picked its men,
One night. at station where the mounted
night patrol fire as they challenge, and the
wheat rolls in great blue-green waves I'M
der our cold northern moon, the officers
were playing billiards in the mud-walled
club house, when or1ers came to them that
they were TO go on parade at once for a
night drill. They grumbled, and went to
turn out their men-100 English troops,
let us say, 200 Goorkhas, and about loo
cavalry of the finest native cavalry in the
world.
When they were on the parade ground
it was explained to them In whispers that
they must set off at once across the hills to
Bersund. The English troops were to post
themselves around the hills at the side of
the valley; the Goorkhas would command
the gorge and the death-trap, and the
cavalry would fetch n long march ROUND
and get to the back of the circle of hills.
whence, if there were any difficulty, they
could charge down on the Mullah's men.
But orders were very stringent that there
should be no lighting and no noise. They
were to return III the morning with every
round of ammunition intact, and the Null
lab and the thirteen outlaws bound in
their midst. Ii they were successful, no
one would know or care anything about
their work; but failure meant probably
small border war. in which the Gullah
kutta Mullah would pose as a popular
leader against big. bullying power, in
stead of a common border murderer
. Then there was silence, broken only by
the clicking of the compass needles and
swapping of watch cases. rs the heads of
columns compared bearings and made
appointments for the rendezvous. Five
minutes later the parade ground was
empty; the green coats of the Goorkhas
and the overcoats of the English troops
had faded into the darkness and the cav
airy were cantering away in the face of a
binding drzzle.
What the Goorkhas and the English did
will be seen later on. The heavy work Law
with the horses. for thew had 10 go far and
Nsrk ftatr ola ~ kafNs
of the troopers were natives of that part of
the world, ready and anxious to fight
against their KIN, and some of the officers
had made private and unofficial excursions
into those hills before. They crossed the
border, found dried river bed, cantered
up that, walked through stony gorge
risked crossing n low hill under cover of
the darkness. skir,ed another hull. leaving
their hoof marks deep IN some ploughed
ground, felt their way along another wa
tercourSe, ran over the neck of 4 spur
praying that no one would hear their
horses grunting, and so worked on in the
rain and the darkness, till they had left
Bersund and its crater OF hills little be-
hind them, and 10 the lett, and il was time
To swing round. The ascent commanding
the back OF bersund was steep. and they
halted 10 draw breath in 4 broad level
valley below the height. That Is TO saw.
the men refined up. but the horses, blown
as they were, refused 70 halt There was
unchrlStlan language, the worse for being
delivered IN = whisper. and YOU heard the
saddles sqUeaking IN the darkness as the
horses plunged.
The sgbSltern at the rear of one .roon
Turned in his saddle and said, very softly
Carter, what the blessed heavens are
You doing 1t the rear? Bring your men
/ up. man"
There was no answer. till trooper re-
| piled:
/ Garter Sahib is forward-not there.
| There IS nothing behind usn
! There Is, said the Subaitern. The
/ squadron 5 walking on lis own tail
Then the major III command moved
+ down u the rear, swearing softly and ask,
4 inc for the blood of Lieutenat HALEY, the
+ suhaitcrn who had Just SPOKEN.
/ Look after your rearguard," said the
| major. Some of your internal thieves
/ have got lost. They re at the head Of the
/ squadron, and yoa're n several kinds Of
/ idiot. +"
| shall tell OF my men, STRIP said ,hs