Afghan border who helped to annihilate the regiment are now old
men. Sometimes a graybeard speaks of his share in the massacre.
"They came," he will say, "across the border, very proud, calling
upon us to rise and kill the English, and go down to the sack of
Delhi. But we who had just been conquered by the same English knew
that they were over-bold, and that the Government could account
easily for those down-country dogs. This Hindustani regiment,
therefore, we treated with fair words, and kept standing in one
place till the redcoats came after them very hot and angry. Then
this regiment ran forward a little more into our hills to avoid
the wrath of the English, and we lay upon their flanks watching
from the sides of the hills till we were well assured that their
path was lost behind them. Then we came down, for we desired their
clothes, and their bridles, and their rifles, and their boots -
more especially their boots. That was a great killing - done
slowly." Here the old man will rub his nose, and shake his long
snaky
locks, and lick his bearded lips, and grin till the yellow tooth-
stumps show. "Yea, we killed them because we needed their gear,
and we knew that their lives had been forfeited to God on account
of their sin - the sin of treachery to the salt which they had
eaten. They rode up and down the valleys, stumbling and rocking in
their saddles, and howling for mercy. We drove them slowly like
cattle till they were all assembled in one place, the flat wide
valley of Sheor K“t. Many had died from want of water, but there
still were many left, and they could not make any stand. We went
among them pulling them down with our hands two at a time, and our
boys killed them who were new to the sword. My share of the
plunder was such and such - so many guns, and so many saddles. The
guns were good in those days. Now we steal the Government rifles,