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Fix Bay'nets: The Regiment in the Hills

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2017
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By night the tribe in another of the side valleys was withdrawn, and during the days which followed one by one the little camps of white-robed tribes-men melted away like the snow upon the lower hills, till not a man of the investing forces remained, and the long-harassed defenders looked in vain from the highest tower of the fort for their foes.

The falling rain had effected in a few days that which the brave; defenders had been unable; to compass in as many weeks; while the alteration from the insufferable heat to the soft, cool, moist air had a wonderful effect upon the wounded, and made Doctor Morton chuckle and rub his hands as he rejoiced over the change.

And still the rain went, on falling; the valley seemed surrounded by cascades, the streams rushed and thundered down, and the main river swept by the walls of the fort with a sullen roar; while, as if dejected and utterly out of heart, the British flag, which had flaunted out so bravely from the flagstaff, as if bidding defiance to the whole hill-country and all its swarthy tribes, hung down and clung and wrapped itself about the flagstaff, the halyard singing a dolefully weird strain in a minor key, while the wind whistled by it on its way down towards the plains.

Chapter Eighteen

Uncooked Mutton

Two days passed – two of about the wettest and most dismal days imaginable. There was no sign of the enemy, and the scouts sent out came back dripping, and always with the same news – that the hill-men had given up the siege in disgust, and were right away making for their homes in the valleys at the foot of the mountain-slopes.

There was no relaxation in the watchfulness of the garrison, however, the treacherous nature of the tribes being too well-known. Hence it was that the sentries in their heavy greatcoats stood in such shelter as they possessed, keeping watch and ward, with the valley stretched out dark and gloomy, and the booming and roaring river dimly-seen through the gloom of the night, as it foamed and tossed itself in spray against the various obstacles it encountered on its way towards the lower gorge whence Colonel Graves’s regiment had made its appearance when it first came to the assistance of the beleaguered in Ghittah Fort.

The rain had ceased and given place to a thick mist, so peculiar in its appearance that one of two officers going the rounds, both nearly invisible in their long overcoats, said softly to the other:

“Might fancy we were at home after one of our muggy days.”

“Yes; just like a London suburban fog, old fellow.”

Then there was silence for a minute, as they walked on along the terraced wall, before the one who had just spoken said in a quick whisper:

“I say, Roberts, oughtn’t there to be a sentry here?”

“I was just thinking so,” was the reply. “I hope to goodness he isn’t asleep, for I hate having to report a man for neglect.”

He had hardly whispered the words when there was the click of a rifle, a voice challenged them, and they gave the customary response.

“This is not your place, my man,” said Roberts then.

“No, sir; twenty yards farther that way. But there’s something down below then; that I can’t quite make out. It seemed to come past and on this way.”

“What! up on the ramparts?” said Drummond quickly.

“No, no, sir; right down below the face of the wall, and I come on a bit so as to follow and look down. I didn’t like to give the alarm.”

“Why?” said Roberts sharply.

“Because it might be a false one, sir.”

“Better give a dozen false alarms, my lad, than miss a real danger. Now, then, what did you see?”

“Well, sir, if we was at home I should say it was a drove o’ sheep or a herd o’ pigs; but these hill-niggers are so artful and ready to be down upon us that I fancied it might be men.”

“Men haven’t four legs,” said Drummond, laughing softly.

“No, sir; but these Dwats don’t think anything o’ going down on all-fours.”

“But there have been none about lately,” said Drummond; “the rain seemed to be too much for them.”

“Yes, sir; but ain’t they the more likely to come down on us when they think we believe we’re safe? – Change guard, sir.”

For steps were heard, and a party of men came up smartly, were challenged, and the non-commissioned officer in charge answered.

“That you, Gee?” said Roberts.

“Yes, sir.”

“Come here. The sentry thinks there are people below there. Come and have a look.”

“The sentry I’ve just relieved thought the same, sir,” replied Gee sharply, “and I had a good look. They’re sheep driven down from the hills by the bad weather. I was going to report to the Colonel, sir, and ask whether he’d order a sally from the gate to drive them in. Be useful, sir.”

“To be sure. You’d better do it. Let’s have a look over first.”

They stepped together to the embattled wall, and peered down into the darkness; but nothing was visible now, and Roberts was about to give the matter up as all a mistake, when, from where the mist was most dense, there was the pattering of hoofs in the wet mud, followed by the peculiarly human cough of one of the sheep of the district.

“No mistake about what they are, sir,” said Sergeant Gee softly. “They’ve come down to the low grounds on account of the storm.”

“Yes,” said Roberts, “and because there are none of the Dwats to keep them back. Why, Gee, we’re in luck. We must have the men out and the flock driven in.”

“Not much room for them in the court, sir,” said the Sergeant.

“No; but to-morrow we must have something in the way of hurdles to shut them in close under the wall, and they can be driven out to pasture every day by some of the men, with a guard to watch over them. You try and keep them under your eye now while I go and tell the Colonel.”

The two young men peered down at where the pattering of hoofs could be heard through the mist twenty feet below them; though nothing was visible but a dimly-seen moving mass.

A few minutes later they announced the find to the Colonel.

“This is good news, gentlemen,” he said; “such a store of fresh provisions will be a treasure. Order out your company, Roberts, and you had better get five-and-twenty or thirty of your men, Mr Drummond.”

“Yes, sir,” said the subaltern, smiling.

“What’s that you’re thinking – rather absurd to get out two companies to drive in a flock of sheep?”

“Well, sir, I was thinking something of the sort,” said the young man, colouring.

“I want them to strengthen the guard,” said the Colonel quietly. “A dozen of the native servants can be sent round the flock to head the sheep toward the open gates. There is nothing like being on your guard when dealing with a venturesome as well as a treacherous enemy.”

“You think the enemy may make a rush, sir, as soon as the gates are open?”

“No, Roberts,” said the Colonel, laying his hand on the young man’s shoulder. “I think the enemy might make a rush if they were near; but, happily, I do not believe there are any of the hill-men for many miles round. The last reports are that they are heading homewards, and I begin to hope that the breaking-up of the weather has set us at liberty.”

The arrangements were soon made, everything being done quietly and without any display of lights. The Fusiliers and the draft of Colonel Wrayford’s regiment were stationed on either side of the gates, and about twenty of the native servants, under the guidance of a couple of the friendly hill-men, accustomed to look after the camp live-stock, were detailed with their orders to divide as soon as the gates were opened, and steal cautiously round to the far side of the flock before trying to head them in.

Strict orders had been given to keep the court still and dark, so that the sheep might not take fright upon reaching the gates; while the news spread very rapidly, and the men turned out of their rough quarters, seeking the walls, so as to try and see something of what was going on.

At last, all being ready, the Colonel gave the order for the guard occupying the two towers which commanded the gales to report the state of affairs. Sergeant Gee had taken his place there, and he came down to announce that the sheep were in a very large flock, apparently huddled together about a hundred yards from the gate. But they were quite invisible, and their position could only be made out by their fidgety movements.

“Sounds to me, sir, as if they’d got wolves hanging about them, or maybe a bear.”
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