Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08


wv When the fancy took them they
"a ~ O. raided peaceful territory reveled in
@ - murder and arson and eisurely re-
NJ turned to their stronghold in broad
QkS daylight driving captured focks and
herds before them Then the inhab
itants of peaceful territory would tumble over
other in their haste to lay their wrongs before the
Political Agent who had to love and honor them
if they obeyed the British Raj and paid revenue and
cattle tax. Thereupon, that hardworked servant OF
the Empire would lift up his voice and curse Pr
Mahoned and importune his Government to carry out
the promises he had made in its name. But Calcutta
and Simla long way from the northwest frontier,
and the voice of the Political Agent seldom reaches
far, especially if he be merely civilian.
1t was when the works of cantonment had been
begun the lands of the Utman Khels that Pr Ma.
homed erred too greatly In spirit OF hghthearted
roic he sent down band OF mixed outlaws to the camp
at night In cold blood they murdered coolies and
vanished almost before the alarm reached the military
side 1t is thing to harass Political Agent nearly
to DEATH and quite another to snap the fingers OF scorn
at any part of the British army. Thus was the cup
of Pr Mahomeds iniquity filled to OVERLOOKING and the
Government of India at last sanctioned the punitive
petition for which the Political Agent had been pleading
year il and year out.
THE force made its appearance in the hill country
early in October and was composed as to mark
the gravity of its mission and to recognize the power
and influence of Pr MahOmed and the blackneSS OF his
misdeeds There was General in command, some four
thousand infantry with Irish regiment among them,
five hundred cavalry mountain guns, and sappers and
miners Also there tribal levies galore and sundry
Sirdars who were out to see the business done and
done well.
The Sirdar Pr Mahomed fully appreciated the honor
done him; but he judged it wiser to be away from home
when the in khaki began to wind about the passes
and to climb the bare brown hills. His FORT stately
and substantial building with four square towers
found to be deserted, and his adjoining village.
Empty his granaries also; but here the Sepoys
on familiar ground, and one hiding place
after another yielded up ample stores OF grain The
force marched again, leaving as an army OF Occu
patton small detachment under youthful and
joyous subaltern who was prepared for literally any
thing
1t was then that Pr Mahomed and his people began
to get in their fine work. They snped at that expedition
by night and by day. and good fell by the waysde
in increasing numbers picked off by enemy they had
never Those in command grew very bitter with
that bitterness which be endured only in silence
Death would come swiftly and unerrngly from behind
little boulder wide plain, drop, like hawk
upon its prey from the inaccessible heights above
There was no chance of retaliaton-yet. 1t was
sided warfare which might well scken the bravest heart
Presently there trap in the making, and the
General had word of it. He knew that the other side
of Amir Pass he would come up with the enemy but the
pass had to be negotiated first. 1t nearly four miles
in length cleft from head to foot of the mountains that
lowered into the blue, cleft that cames
load would touch the walls of it on each side. Gaping
chasns far backward from the brink of the cliffs
above that 1t impossible to send thanking parties
along up there to protect the main body it trCked
through below The force that was found within it's
confines doomed to nothing less than humiliation
THE General moved quickly, and moved unexpect-
edy, cold, clear morning, very early The
Pioneers and the Irish, with the Mountain Battery,
went snartly through and secured the exit-just in
preached large bands of armed men, Not followers of
Pr MahOmed, yet synpathzerS of his. AS sup
plants before God, they affirmed that they had
to help the soldiers of the British Raj Nevertheless
they were unable to conceal natural dsappont-
ment at not having arrived earlier.
Midway through the pass was procession OF dooy
bearers, and in the dooles were eleven wounded men,
They went at their ease understanding that the
In the rear tOiling the and