battle; but their turn came that night, when, attached to Gilbert's
cavalry division, they joined in the strenuous pursuit of the Sikhs,--a
pursuit which began on the battle-field and ended at the rocky gates of
the Khyber two hundred miles away. The first burst carried the pursuing
squadrons past the battle-field of Chillianwalla, across the Jhelum
river, capturing on the way all the Sikh guns that had escaped from the
battle-field. Snatching a few hours' rest, Gilbert's fine horsemen were
again in the saddle, and with relentless fury hunted the demoralised
enemy, allowing him not a moment's respite, not an hour to steady his
flight or turn to bay. Right through the bright winter days, through a
country of rocks and ravines, pressed on the avenging squadrons; till,
utterly worn out, starving, with ammunition failing, a dejected and
exhausted majority laid down their arms and surrendered unconditionally
at Rawul Pindi. But the Affghan Horse in the service of the Sikhs fled
still further north, hoping to escape to their own country, and in hot
pursuit of these went the Guides, a stern stiff ride of close on a
hundred miles; and running them staunchly to the end, they drove the
sorry remnants across the Affghan border.

Thus brilliantly concluded the second Sikh War, which, after many
anxious moments and much hard fighting, resulted in adding to the
Queen's domains a kingdom larger than France or Germany and more
populous than Italy or Spain; and herein is recorded the modest share
taken by the Guides in these great events.




CHAPTER III