. Forty-one years in India : from subaltern to commander-in-chief . icuously failed to make use of it. On the 10th I visited Sherpur, and the next day Iwent to the Bala Hissar, and wandered over the scene ofthe Embassys brave defence and cruel end. The wallsof the Eesidency, closely pitted with bullet holes, gaveproof of the determined nature of the attack and thelength of the resistance. The floors were covered withblood-stains, and amidst the embers of a fire were found aheap of human bones. It may be imagined how Britishsoldiers hearts burned within them at such a sight, andhow difficult it
. Forty-one years in India : from subaltern to commander-in-chief . icuously failed to make use of it. On the 10th I visited Sherpur, and the next day Iwent to the Bala Hissar, and wandered over the scene ofthe Embassys brave defence and cruel end. The wallsof the Eesidency, closely pitted with bullet holes, gaveproof of the determined nature of the attack and thelength of the resistance. The floors were covered withblood-stains, and amidst the embers of a fire were found aheap of human bones. It may be imagined how Britishsoldiers hearts burned within them at such a sight, andhow difficult it was to suppress feelings of hatred andanimosity towards the perpetrators of such a dastardlycrime. I had a careful but unsuccessful search made forthe bodies of our ill-fated friends. The Bala Hissar, at one time of great strength, was nowin a somewhat dilapidated condition. It contained eighty-five guns, mortars and howitzers, some of them of Englishmanufacture, upwards of 250 tens of gunpowder, stowedaway in earthen vessels, many millions of Enfield and Snider. 1879] VISIT TO THE BALA HISSAR 233 cartridges, and a large number of arms, besides quantitiesof saddlery, clothing for troops, musical instruments, shot,shell, caps, and accoutrements, and a vast amount of lead,copper and tin. It would not have given us much troubleto storm the Bala Hissar, had we been obliged to do so,for Artillery could have opened on it within easy range,and there was cover for Infantry close up to the walls. The reading of the Proclamation announcing the inten-tions of the British Government with regard to thepunishment of the city was to take place in the BalaHissar next day. The Amir had agreed to accompany leading people were invited to attend, and I had givenorders that all the troops were to take part in the pro-cession, so as to render as impressive as possible the cere-mony, at which were to be made known to the inhabitantsof Kabul the terms imposed upon them by the BritishGovernment
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