been forced to abandon them on the road, the pathways along the glens
being often so narrow, and so encumbered with the detritus from the
overhanging mountains, as to make it necessary to pack our baggage
very compactly; inattention to this important point in mountain
travelling is sometimes followed by very serious consequences, for the
chair or bedstead, projecting far beyond the centre of gravity of the
unfortunate animal, catches against a corner of rock, and both load
and pony run imminent risk of being hurled into the abyss below. We
were now so inured to sleeping on the ground, that had it not been for
the multitudes of fleas we should never have felt the want of a
more elevated sleeping place. The animal and vegetable character of
Piedb[=a]gh may be stated in a few words--apricots and fleas are in
abundance, the former very large sized, and the latter healthy.

In the course of my journal I hope to be able to relate the
circumstances of a very pretty little affair which occurred here, some
months after we passed through, between two companies of Shah Soojah's
Goorkah regiment and the inhabitants of the neighbouring forts. The
Goorkahs, upholding their well-known character, fought desperately
against an overwhelming force; they would have suffered severely
but for the able conduct of their leader, who was an European
non-commissioned officer and quarter-master sergeant of the corps; his
manoeuvring would have done credit to many an older soldier.

On the 7th July we quitted Piedb[=a]gh for Badjgh[=a]r, the most
westerly of our advanced posts; it was occupied at the period of which
I write by Captain Hay, and was the head-quarters of the Goorkah
battalion. The hills from a little above Piedb[=a]gh encroach so much
upon the valley as to reduce it to little more than a ravine forming
two gigantic walls, that on the right being inaccessible save to the