We soon got a return of the supplies in Mastuj. I forget how many days
it was, but none too much for our force and the Mastuj garrison.
Bretherton was sent back to bring up supplies from the rear, and
messengers were sent to order in the villagers. We wanted their grain to
eat, and men to carry it. The villagers began to come in after a bit,
and brought a small amount of grain with them.

Stewart was hard at work getting ponies for his guns in place of the
mules left behind; the gun wheel and carriage saddles were sent for, and
shortly arrived.

The Levies were billeted in the houses which had lately been occupied by
the enemy, and we soon had pickets out round the fort. In showing the
Levies the houses they were to occupy, I examined the enemy's system of
loopholes and sangars, and found they were very well made indeed. In the
house which had lately been occupied by Mahomed Issar, their
commander-in-chief we found the trunk of a tree which the enemy were
converting into a cannon. It didn't require cannon to bring the walls of
Mastuj down,--a good strong kick would have been quite sufficient.
Shortly after we had reached Chitral, Moberly reported that part of the
wall had fallen on a sleeping sepoy, who was luckily saved by some beams
catching and protecting him from being crushed by the débris. There was
no apparent cause for the collapse, but the man is supposed to have
sneezed.

The next day a fatigue party was sent out to Chokalwat to destroy the
enemy's sangars, and bury any dead bodies that might be lying about.
This party would also act as a covering party to Peterson, who was
expected to arrive that day. With Peterson came Bethune and Luard, all
very sick at having missed a fight. This detachment brought the strength