Narrative of the late victorious campaign in Affghanistan, under General Pollock. With recollections of seven years' service in India. Second edition

Front matter

.' NARRATIVE OF THE LATE VICTORIOUS CAMPAIGN IN AFFGHANISTAN, UNDER GENERAL POLLOCK; WITH RECOLLECTIONS OF SEVEN YEARS' SERVICE IN INDIA. BY LIEUTENANT GREENWOOD, H.M. 31st REGIMENT. SECOND EDITION, WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. LONDON: HENRY COLBURN, PUBLISHER; GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 1844. LONDON Printed by Schulze and Co, 13, Poland Street. so LIEUT.-GENERAL SIR COLIN HALKETT, KNIGHT COMMANDER OF THE BATH, GRAND CROSS OF THE GUELPHIC ORDER, COLONEL OF THE 31st REGIMENT. &C. &C. &C. Sir, I feel very great satisfaction in availing myself of the permission which you have given me to dedicate to you the accompanying Narrative. The urbanity and consideration which have inva riably marked your conduct towards those under your command, claim at their hands the best tribute of respect which they may be able to render. With the highest regard, I have the honour to remain, Sir, Your most obliged and humble servant, The Author.

ADVERTISEMENT.

. It may be necessary for the Author to state that the present volume was commenced from a simple desire of laying before his countrymen such details relative to the late victorious Cam paign in Affghanistan, as occurred under his own immediate observation and experience. He ven tures to hope that the plain unvarnished narrative of the strange circumstances, and of the hard ships and dangers encountered and surmounted by our gallant soldiers in the far East, will not prove unacceptable to the numerous readers who must feel interested in their perilous adventures and exploits, which so materially conduced to determine the extent of the British rule in India at the present moment. The writer has, moreover, endeavoured to record his impressions of the wonders that every X

Chapter I

Author embarks for India — Shipmasters on shore different persons from shipmasters at sea — Reflections on leaving home — Story of a shark — The flying Dutchman — Catching turtle in a calm — First sight of India — Pilot comes on board — Anecdote of a tiger — Shooting at Diamond Harbour — Arrival at Calcutta — Indian servants — Indian cities — The beggars — Fakirs — Marriage processions — Hospitality of the European residents of Calcutta . . . .18

Chapter II

March up the country — Shooting on the road — Sight of a tiger — Killing a bear — A shot at a fakir — Making bear's grease — A sirloin of bear's flesh — Pariah dogs — Jungle fever — H.M. 49th Regiment — Dak travelling — Arrival at Dinapore . . .42

Chapter III

Sporting at Dinapore — Snipe shooting — Tiger hunting — Indigo planters at Tirhoot — Anecdote of a lion — X Tiger hunter in an unpleasant situation — CONTENTS. Page 63 Jungle fowl — Runaway elephants — Jungle bees — Catching wild elephants — Sagacity of elephants — Hog hunting— A pig-sticking griff— Bobbery pack — Treatment of dogs and horses — Syces and grass cutters — Horse-dealers — Races — Sailing on the Ganges — Anecdotes — Sporting griffs, &c.

Chapter IV

Departure from Dinapore — Station of Ghazeepore — Attah of roses — Duck-shooting — Indian thieves — Showers of fish — Fruits — The pine-apple — Snakes, musk-rats and mosquitoes — Agra — The Taj Mahal — Ruins — Wolves — Famine at Agra — Sporting at Agra — Grand entertainment given by the Rajah ofBhurtpore — Ice establishment 98

Chapter V

Rumours of war — Departure from Agra — Arrival at Meerut — March towards Affghanistan — Women of the 44th — The Begum Sumroo— Manufacture of shawls at Loodianah — Camels — Cross the Sutledge — The Punjab — Loss of baggage — The irregular horse — Forced marches — The Seiks — Crossing rivers — Cheyt Sing — Burial of the dead, &c. . . . 123

Chapter VI

Arrival at Peshawur — General Avitabili — Entertainments — Nautch girls — Hurree Singh — The Kyber pass — Ali Musjid — Scarcity of water — Heroism of a Sepoy — Brigadier Monteath — Skirmish with Kyberees — Jellalabad . . . . . . .151 CONTENTS. XIII

Chapter VII

Page March to Pesh Bolak — Destruction of forts — Death of two officers — Their graves outraged — The Shinwarrees — Battle of Mazeena — Heroic conduct of four soldiers of H.M. 31st Regiment — Return to Jellalabad — Sickness in camp — March towards Cabul — Remains of the 44th — Forcing the Jugdulluck pass — Dead bodies in the pass — Narrow escapes — Kuttasung — A take in for the Affghans — A forced march — Arrival at Tezeen 178

Chapter VIII

Valley of Tezeen — Night attack — Battle of Tezeen — Storming the left heights — A charge of bayonets — A fat chief— Arrival at Koord Cabul — Scene within the pass — Arrival at Cabul — Rescue of the prisoners — Noble conduct of Akbar Khan — Capture of Cabul — British Flag hoisted in the Bala Hissar— Artillery taken — Extraordinary recovery of a Will — Arrival of General Nott— Battle of IstalifF— Destruction of Cabul 209

Chapter IX

General Elphinstone's retreat — Errors committed — Dr. Brydon— His perilous escape— General Pollock issues orders to retrograde — Difficulties of the march —The Koord Cabul pass— Conveyance of an Affghan trophy — Narrow escape of a courier— Jugdulluck— Engagement with the Affghans— Luxurious repast— Gundamuck— Futtiabad— Jellalabad . . CONTENTS. XIV Page 311

Chapter X

Destruction of Jellalabad— Passage of the Choota Kyber— The Kyber pass— A forced march— Peshawur — The Punjab— Mortality among the soldiers— The triumphal arch — Arrival at Ferozepore — A dak trip — A storm — Difficulties by the way— Drunken Seiks — Arrival at Meerut .....,• 277

CHAPTER XL

Station of Meerut — Dak trip to Calcutta — Station of Allahabad — Benares— Beggars — The Rajmahal hills — A Tiger — A wild elephant — Arrival at Calcutta — Author embarks for England — Fishing off the coast of Africa — Table Bay — Cape Town — St. Helena — A gale of wind — An Irish hooker — Kinsale — An Irish steamer — An accident — Arrival at home .

Chapter XII

— SUPPLEMENTARY. Advice to young officers about to proceed to India — Remarks on India— The Indian Army — Native Regiments — Singular feat — Lieutenant Mayne — Horse artillery — Captain Abbot's troop — Foot artillery — Costume and pay — Penurious system — The sepoys — Local corps — Officer's pensions — Pay of officers — A subaltern's expenses — " Boat allowance" — Troops in the Presidencies — Anglo-Indian army — The Seiks — The Zemindars— Affairs of the Punjab— Hopes for the future ILLUSTRATIONS. Heroic conduct of Four Privates of H.M. 31st Regiment at the Battle of Mazeena . Frontispiece. Fort of Jumrood, in the Plain of Peshawur . . 154 Fort of Ali Musjid, in the Kyber Pass . .157 Bala Hissar, or Citadel, at Cabul . . . 235 City and Valley of Cabul 237 Map of Affghanistan, and of the Route pursued by the British Army to Cabul. . End of the volume. NARRATIVE, &c.

Chapter I

Author embarks for India — Shipmasters on shore different persons from shipmasters at sea — Reflections on leaving home — Story of a shark — The flying Dutchman — Catch ing turtle in a calm — First sight of India — Pilot comes on board — Anecdote of a tiger — Shooting at Diamond Harbour — Arrival at Calcutta — Indian servants — Indian cities — The beggars — Fakirs — Marriage processions — Hospitality of the European residents of Calcutta. Having been appointed to an ensigncy in the 31st regiment, stationed in Bengal, and finding the life I had been leading at Chatham a very dull one, myself and three other young subs just nominated to the same regiment, determined to B AUTHOR EMBARKS 18 proceed to India at once. We accordingly applied for leave to find our passage out to join the regiment, thus making a pleasant party together.

This was granted, and we came to terms with the master of a ship of 803 tons burthen, then lying in the West India Docks. After some bargaining, we each obtained a separate cabin for the government allowance, and in the month of October, 1836, embarked at Gravesend, nothing doubting but that we were going to the finest country in the world, and that we should find the master the same liberal, off-handed, and good-natured fellow he appeared on shore. In fact, we considered our selves especially lacky in finding such a man, whose sole pleasure, he informed us, consisted in trying to make his passengers happy and comfort able in his ship, and to enliven the tedious mono tony of the voyage by every means in his power. They were his friends, his guests ; of course, he could not afford to take them quite gratis, but he made nothing by them — not he ; no, the pleasure of having friends around him at sea amply repaid him for any pecuniary loss.

No sooner did the Captain come on board than the anchor was hove up, and we proceeded to FOR INDIA. 19 Portsmouth, where the remainder of the passen gers were to embark. The night they came on board we had a severe gale of wind, and were obliged to put back to Ramsgate. The first part of our voyage was thus rendered very unpleasant. Most of the passengers were very ill, and I almost regretted the exemp tion from sickness which I enjoyed. Few of the others could leave their cabins, and the dinner and breakfast tables were deserted and unsocial. If I shut myself up in my cabin, I was disturbed by the moanings and complaints of my neighbours ; and if I went on deck every body seemed to think me in the way. The sailors were scarcely recovered from the drunkenness in which their last few days on shore had been spent.

All was bustle and disorder. Nothing seemed to be in its right place, and it was with some difficulty I pushed my way to the poop, which was the only place in the ship not occupied by dirty half-drunken sailors in noisy debate, — ropes in indescribable confusion, — trus ses of hay, — hencoops, pigs, sheep, and passen gers' luggage. Never until now had I thought seriously of the home and friends I was leaving — perhaps for b DEPARTURE FROM ENGLAND. 20 ever. I leaned over the taffrail, and, as I watched the glimmering lights on shore, from which we were fast departing, and listened to the moaning of the wind, and the dashing of the waves under the counter, I contrasted the cheerful sire, and my own snug room in my father's house, with the dreary sea prospect, the comfortless cabin, and monotonous imprisonment which awaited me here.

How I longed for one look at the book of futurity ! — What was to be my fortune in the far country to which I was going ! And how many of those dear friends to whom I had so lately bid adieu, and whose kindness since my earliest remem brance now rose in review before me, and forced itself on my recollection, — might I have seen for the last time ! — The glad tones of welcome with which they would have hailed my return to my native land would be perhaps, ere then, hushed in the silence of the tomb ! A few days of fine weather completely altered the face of things. Those who had been sick crawled out of their cabins, and seemed to recover their health and spirits almost by magic, and we now began to find out something of each other's characters. Some of the passengers were very AMUSEMENTS AT SEA. 21 agreeable people, and seemed by their sociability desirous of making the time we were to be to gether, hang as lightly as possible on our hands.

Others, as is always the case, were inclined to make themselves particularly disagreeable and were dis posed to quarrel with everybody. These we soon sent to Coventry, and they formed a party of themselves, and tormented each other the whole voyage. We invented a variety of means to enliven the tedium to which we were exposed — got up a weekly paper, and acted plays, the la dies assisting the latter by manufacturing the dresses, and wigs. In spite of all these contrivances, however, the time passed slowly enough, and we found our literal friend, the master, not quite the sort of person he had represented himself. The table was kept in the most stingy and niggardly man ner, and the wines were execrable. Sometimes we used to catch a shark, or har poon a dolphin, as he played under the bows ; a good deal of fun took place in overhauling the locker of the foremost fish, as the sailors call searching out what he has in his stomach.

We found all sorts of odd things that had been dropped from the ship days before. There is no doubt that these voracious sea monsters will follow a vessel hundreds of miles on her voyage. The sailors believe that when any person is sick on board they never leave it, knowing from a peculiar instinct, when the malady will prove fatal, and the body be thrown overboard. The truth of this I do not vouch for; but the sailors will en force their narratives with many examples which are startling, if true. I heard a story which is curious, and I do not think unlikely. The nar rator once sailed on board a ship, he said, in which there was a very near-sighted passenger who always wore a pair of gold spectacles. He had forgotten to provide himself with a second pair, before he left, and being a man of nervous temperament, he was perpetually worrying him self with the idea that by some accident or other he should lose the only ones he had during the voyage, and thus be left for some time in a most unpleasant predicament, not being able to see a yard before him without the assistance of glasses.

Many and dire were the accidents which he was sure would happen to him in the state of semi blindness to which he would be reduced, when the barnacles were gone. In fact, he would be afraid to venture on deck, being certain to walk over-board, or fall down the companion-ladder ; and how he should ever get into the boat which was to take him on shore, when the ship arrived at her destination, he knew not. One day they were becalmed near the line, and a large shark was seen by the officer on watch just under the stern. All the passengers, our near sighted friend among them, rushed aft to see the monster taken, a baited hook having been immediately put over-board. In the scuffle which took place, every one striving to get a good position, down dropped the spectacles from his nose ; the shark seized the glittering prize, and as if satisfied with his acquisition, retired under the counter refus ing the most tempting baits that were successively offered him during the day.

Towards evening a breeze sprang up, and away they went at nine or ten knots an hour. The nervous man was now in the situation which his morbid fancy had so often presented to him, and the first part of his pre sentiment having come to pass, he felt like a doomed man, and seemed to await the fulfilment of his destiny, which, he had persuaded himself, was either to break his neck, or be drowned. He locked himself up in his cabin, became moody and reserved, and busied himself with arranging his papers, and making various preparations for his end. The captain, and others became serious ly alarmed, and attempted to rally him from this monomania, but all to no purpose ; he shook his head mournfully when they attempted to laugh him out of it, and solemnly made answer, that time would show he was a doomed man.

The wind about the line seldom lasts long, and after five or six days' fair sailing during which they ran eight or nine hundred miles, the favourable breeze died away, — the heavy sails again idly flap ped against the masts, — and again the usual list lessness which attends a perfect calm at sea crept over the minds of every one on board. One of the midshipmen who had gone aloft to see if he could descry a sail or any thing else on the vast expanse of water, on which they lay like a log, sang out, that a shark was close to the vessel. Again every body was on the qui vive, a hook was soon baited and thrown over, and this time greedily snatched at by John Shark. He was soon hauled on board, and the business of searching his locker commenced with the usual curiosity. The first thing they pulled out were the gold spectacles !

They were speedily taken down to the hypochondriac below, and the change which the sight of them made on him was miraculous. He felt, he said, just what a man would, who with the rope already round his neck, is reprieved at the gallows' foot, and at once shaking off the fit of despondency and apprehension which had clung so closely to him, he joined heartily in the laugh which his former fears now raised among his fellow voyagers. I give this story as I had it and leave the reader to judge for himself how much of it is true. In a shark which we caught, we found a newspaper of later date than any we had on board, and which was dried and read by all of us, not having been at all injured by its adventures. It must have been dropped from some other ship, and swallowed by our eccentric friend. When off the Cape of Good Hope, we were continually honoured with the company of numberless Cape pigeons and albatrosses, which seemed delighted beyond measure with us, and followed in our wake for many days.

We caught a great number, some of the latter birds measuring as much as twelve feet across the wings. They are easily taken with a baited hook, kept on the c ALBATROSSES. surface by a piece of cork and thrown over the stern when the wind is light. The greedy birds soon take the tempting morceau (generally a piece of pork fat) and are hauled instantly on board. It is singular that they immediately be come sea-sick, cannot rise from the deck, and are altogether the most helpless creatures imaginable. The sailors, who willingly eat anything in the way of fresh meat at sea, made a variety of dishes of their flesh. One of these, a species of stew, I was foolish enough to taste, and certainly never shall forget the atrocious flavour of the mess, which was devoured with much apparent gout by these amphibiæ.

We doubled the Cape without seeing the flying Dutchman, who the sailors say is always cruizing in these latitudes. Our old boatswain told some very terrific stories about him, all of which he would swear were true ; and I dare say he had told them so often that he believed the greater part himself. " One night," he said, " when he was a young ster on board an East Indiaman, a severe gale sprung up off the Cape. The wind was so strong that two men were obliged to be stationed aft, to hold the captain's hair on his head, and the night was so dark that the look-out men were obliged to feel if their eyes were still in their sockets. The FLYING DUTCHMAN. 27 hands were sent aloft to double reef the topsails, but somehow or other the reefs came undone as soon as they were tied. Suddenly they were hailed by a ship just under their bows, sailing with every stitch of canvass spread, directly in the wind's eye ; and he could distinctly see, from where he lay on the topsail yard, her crew lying idly about her decks, and smoking their pipes with the utmost nonchalance, seeming to think the hurrican very good fun.

The hull, rigging, and the crew them selves shone like phosphorus in the gloom around ; and, by the lurid glare of the lightning, he could observe that they were clothed in the broad bottomed breeches, and sugar-loaf hats, which are represented in the old Dutch prints. On she came, as if she intended running them down ; but her hail, which was repeated three times, was not responded to by the Indiaman. Suddenly, as a collision seemed inevitable, she disappeared, but instantly afterwards was again seen astern, sailing away in the very teeth of the storm. This was the flying Dutchman; and no sooner had she gone by than the difficulty of reefing the topsails ceased, the gale abated, and before morning they were again ploughing their way, with a fair wind, across the trackless ocean." Had Vanderdecken's attempt at communication c TURTLE. been acknowledged, the boatswain informed us, the ship must have been lost ; the only thing that saved them being the refusal of the captain, an old stager, to answer the hail.

Why the sailors have this belief I cannot make out, as I never could get it satisfactorily explained. I questioned the ancient mariner very closely on this point, but he could not enlighten me, being himself perfectly satisfied that it was so, without troubling himself about the reason. In the Bay of Bengal we met with light winds, and were once becalmed for a whole fortnight. During this time the sea looked like an immense mirror, and numberless turtles were seen basking on its placid surface, their back shells being quite dried by the heat of the sun. It was intensely hot ; but we youngsters having no fear of coup de soleil or fever before our eyes, spent the greater part of the time in one of the boats, sometimes harpoon ing, and sometimes turning these Aldermanic delicacies. To effect the latter purpose, it is necessary for the boat to be propelled by a scull astern, in the quietest manner possible, while the person who performs the operation kneels in the head of the boat.

When the turtle is within reach, he gently leans over him, and seizing the flippers on the farther side, suddenly turns the animal on its back. It is then perfectly help- LAND IN SIGHT. 29 less, and is easily lifted into the boat. Care must be taken not to go near its beak, for they bite most ferociously. When we took them on board, the sailors used to cut their throats, and drink the blood, affirming that it tasted like new milk ; but I suspect it must have required a very strong effort of the imagination to arrive at this conclu sion. The delay we met with here, rendered the voyage very tedious. It is when the long-wished for port is within a few days' sail, that people become excessively impatient ; and the slightest delay is almost insupportable. At last, however, land was in sight, and certainly it was not the sort of land I expected to see.

Instead of the de lightful country I had pictured to my mind's eye, of verdant meadows, and tree-crowned hills, I saw nothing but a long low bank of sand, stretching away on either side as far as the eye could reach. I was sadly disappointed. Can this desert, I exclaimed, be the fairy East I have read of in romance ? — How different is the reality ! Towards morning a pilot came on board from one of the Company's brigs which we fell in with, and we now began seriously to think our voyage at an end. We passed Saugar Island, famed for the number and ferocity of its tigers, and presently a canoe filled with natives came along- A TIGER. side, who proffered for sale straw hats, and various kinds of what they call fruit in India, but which we at home should term very bad vegetables. The daring of the tigers about Saugar, when pressed by hunger, almost exceeds belief.

The following singular adventure with one occurred to the brother of an officer in my regiment. He was in the Company's service and was proceed ing on board one of the government steamers up the Sundabunds, with a party of sepoys, in charge of treasure. One night when they were anchored as usual in the middle of the stream, he was awoke by a great scuffling and tumult on deck just over his head. Thinking that it must arise from an attack of robbers, who had made an attempt to possess themselves of the rupees under his charge, he seized his sword, and spring ing from his cot, rushed up the companion ladder. No sooner did his head appear above the comb ings of the hatchway, than he received such a smack on it as completely deprived him of his senses, and sent him head foremost down again rather quicker than he came up.

On recovering him self, he found a tiger had boarded them, and that after killing his bearer and two sepoys, and giving him a facer that would have done credit to Tom Spring, he had again betaken himself to the water, DIAMOND HARBOUR. 31 and swum ashore, apparently quite satisfied with his own performance. This is one of the many well known instances of their boarding boats, and killing, or carrying off a portion of the crews. We were all impatience to get to Calcutta, as the wind was in the favourable direction up the river ; but the pilot assured us it was impossible for him to take the ship up during the night, as it was against the Company's strict regulations. This it appears was a ruse, to obtain possession of some of our loose coin, as we were informed shortly afterwards, that the pilot would take the responsibility of violating the regulation on himself, if a certain sum were handed over to him as a consideration.

The cunning fellow knew well enough that our impatience would not allow us to resist the imposition, and, accordingly, we subscribed enough among us to induce this conscientious functionary to proceed. We got up to Diamond Harbour that night when we came to an anchor, and early next morn ing, before the tide served, F — and myself bribed some natives to put us ashore as we were impa tient to commence operations against the Indian game. We, of course, shot at every bird we saw ; and returned on board as they were heaving up the anchor, with a motley collection of Paddy birds, and mynahs, having enjoyed our sport NATIVE SERVANTS. very much; but were rather disgusted when laughed at for a couple of griffs, by all the old hands on board for wasting our ammunition at such carrion. No sooner had we landed at Calcutta, than we were surrounded by a host of servants in search of situations, all fighting among themselves, and disputing with the most vehement gestures, accompanied by volleys of abuse on their respec tive mothers and female relations of every degree.

Most of these worthies spoke English, and ex tolled themselves, and ran down their rivals in such terms as these : " Master, want good servant? not d — n rascal like that fellow there; I very good man. This servant for master — 'spectable servant: same, like self." " Master not take that man ; he one d — n thief: master look here, plenty good character got;" another would cry, displaying a number of small pieces of paper, signed by different offi cers. One of these I had the curiosity to exam ine, and found the following attestation to the honesty of the candidate for my service : " The bearer of this, one Khoda Bux by name, is the most infernal scoundrel under the sun ; he attached himself to me on my first landing, and cheated me in every way he possibly could for PALANQUIN BEARERS. 33 a week.

On my finding out, and dismissing him, he had the impudence to ask me for a character ; and I have therefore given him this, hoping it may be of service towards giving any gentleman, to whom he may offer himself, an insight into his character. " A. B., Ensign,— Regt., N. I." With some difficulty we forced our way through these harpies, but not before we had knocked one or two of the most troublesome down. No sooner had we got rid of them, than we were surrounded by a host of palanquin bearers, who fought desperately among themselves for the honour, or profit of carrying us in their palanquins to our des tination. We settled this dispute by picking out the four best, and then kicking the others away ; and with four umbrella bearers, with their chat tahs, who had, unasked, attached themselves to our persons, running alongside our palkees, we were trotted off to Spence's Hotel, where we intended taking up our quarters.

Next morning we reported ourselves to the Brigade Major at Fort William, and then pro ceeded to deliver the letters of introduction with which we were furnished to the respective gentle men whose addresses they bore. These are tech nically called in India tickets for soup, as the c CHINA BAZAAR. bearer of one is invariably asked to dinner ; which is the only attention that people generally feel themselves called upon to shew. Having got through these preliminary engagements, we pro ceeded to the China bazaar, our palanquins be ing attended by numbers of itinerant dealers in pen-knives, razors, old books, and various other commodities, the excellence of which they most vehemently expatiated upon, as they pressed the articles upon our notice. Arrived at the bazaar, we were pounced upon by a fat Bengalee, who seated us in his shop, and provided us with a cheroot, and a glass of brandy and water each before he unfolded his commodities for our inspection.