Page 161

—144— IN his notes ragarding this dicision Neville Chamberlain writes "Although within ten miles of our camp we considered ourselves safe, yet towards dusk a large number of horsemen appeared on our left flanks, our cavalry faced them and our guns fired upon them, but no fighting took place, and we returned to our camp. On the 8th of March, a group of three or four thousand horsemen made their appearance towards our left at dawn, our cavalry, twelve of our guns and infantry went out to meet them. We drove them back to about eight miles with fire and guns, but suddenly they attacked us and our guns, and they had advanced to about 150 or 200 paces when our intense fire was directed towards them and the most gallant amongst them fell to our fire, and the remaining retired over the river. Bisides the wounded about forty were killed. On the 9th of March, in the afternoon we moved towards Tulo Khan. When we were crossing the hill on the way, some men fired at our General, but a defending unit ran up the hill atonce and 40 patriots were killed. A few miles away we were able to see through the binoculars that a group of about three to four thousand fighting men were converging towards Kandahar but no fighting took place. We returned from Tolu Khan at night and there was some sniping on the way..." According to the English themselves, groups of Ghazis, several thousand strong, were hovering near the city for an opportunity to attack the English forces, or the invading troops occupying the city of Kandahar. On 10th March large numbers of Ghazis mustered in the gardens and surrounded the town of Kandahar. Their target this time was the city. It is related that an old man named Baba Ra- khari riding a donkey actually betook himself as close to the walls of the city as the Herat Gate of Kandahar, and sought permission to enter the city. As he did not receive permission he unloaded his donkey and put his burden consisting of thorny bushes at the gateway. Some of the Ghazis, finding the opportunity, sprinkled some oil on the dry load and set the mass alight. Its fire spread on to the woodwork of the gateway, which caught fire. In the leaping flames of the gateway, the English forces saw that the Ghazis were attacking the gateway fiercely. The commander of the English