At last someone suggested tea, so the meeting broke up. Colonel Kelly
and I stayed behind. I asked Colonel Kelly for permission to take some
of the Levies and have a cast forward. I took the Hunza men and my
shikaree, Faquir, as he could translate my orders to the Levies. Off we
trotted, and by the time the other officers were having tea, I was well
up the hillside. It was impossible to be rushed, as the ground was
pretty bad, so I extended my men,--when it comes to sniping, one man is
a smaller target than two,--and we skirmished up and forward, so as to
bring us well above the enemy's line. In half an hour we were high
enough to see all the valley below, and the enemy's position was spread
out like a map. I sent the Levies on about a hundred yards, and then
made them line a ridge, while I sat myself comfortably down and sketched
the whole show.

With my glasses I could count the men in each sangar. They were
evidently cooking their evening meal, as thin columns of smoke rose from
each sangar in the still evening air. I could also make out the paths
leading up the cliffs from the river, and saw men going down to fetch
water. I sat and watched long after I had got all the information I
wanted, as I might perhaps get some useful tips that I had overlooked.
It was very peaceful sitting there, but presently the sun dropped behind
the hills, and it got too chilly for comfort. A whistle to the Levies
and a wave of the hand brought them back, and we scrambled down the hill
again, and were back in camp before dark. Here I heard that the Punyal
Levies had been sent for from Laspur to come along at once.

As soon as I had explained the enemy's position to Colonel Kelly, orders
were issued for the attack next day. They were short and simple. On the
arrival of the Punyal Levies, they were to start, with a guide we had