The routing of the Afridis occurred on Monday; the British troops were
ready to start early on Wednesday morning, but just as all was in
readiness for the move, the tribesmen suddenly reappeared in greatly
increased numbers, and swarming in on every side reoccupied the ridge.

This was a severe blow to the British, because the work of dislodging
the enemy had to be done all over again. The Afridis lay right in the
path of the British, and must be made to move.

This time the task was more difficult.

The Afridis had taken up a much stronger position than the one they had
occupied on Monday, and had established their main body on an
exceedingly steep hill, about a thousand feet high, which commanded the
route the advancing army was obliged to take.

The height and the steepness of the hill were, however, but a small part
of the difficulty with which the British forces had to contend. The real
serious point lay in the fact that there was but one path by which the
summit of the hill could be reached, and this was only wide enough for
one man to pass at a time. It was therefore impossible to send large
bodies of troops against the enemy, and there was the terrible danger
that sharpshooters might pick off the men one by one as they tried to
ascend the path.

The work had, however, to be done, and an English regiment and two
troops of native soldiers were sent forward to storm the hill.

Between the position occupied by the English and that held by their foes
lay an open space of rough and rocky ground, which was within rifle