This man is freed from servile bands Of hope to rise or fear to fall; W FATAL RETREAT FROM CABUL. HILST proud of the feats of arms which have helped to preserve and extend our empire, it is wise to recall at times some of the passages in our history that tell of defeat and disaster. Such dark pages in the military story of our nation may help to preserve us from overweening pride and confidence, and caution our soldiers against the danger of treating an enemy with contempt. The terrible fate which has recently befallen our gallant soldiers of the 24th regiment at Isandula brings vividly to our recollection that more dreadful massacre of our troops in their retreat from Cabul in the winter of 1841-2. A British army had in 1839 entered Cabul in triumph, and a few thousand of our victorious troops were still occupying the city, when the winter of 1841 set in and found them wholly unprepared with provisions, and hopelessly cut off by the snows from India. A British army dropped down into another planet could indeed have hardly been more completely isolated. The Afghans perceiving their opportunity rose in insurrection, and after murdering some of the chief officers in command, proposed that the British should quietly evacuate1 their country, their prince undertaking to supply the retreating forces with provisions and to ensure their safety. On the 6th of January, 1842, our troops cleared out of the cantonments at Cabul, to march in the depth of winter through a country of unparalleled difficulty. The strength of our whole force was about 4,500 fighting men; the camp-followers amounted, at least, to 12,000 men, besides women and children. The retreat now commenced is one of the most disastrous and appalling that have ever been recorded in authentic history. Making 3 allowance for the vast difference of numbers, the retreat of the French from Moscow was not so completely destructive as this. In both cases the ice and snow, with nakedness and famine, slew more than the sword. As the rear-guard left the cantonments at Cabul, the first token of their approaching fate was furnished by the Afghans firing upon them; and on entering the Koord-Cabul Pass two days later it became evident that their fate was sealed. The enemy occupied the rugged heights, and fired from behind the rocks upon the famished and half-frozen fugitives struggling on through the snow in the defile below. When darkness came, 500 regular troops and 2,500 camp-followers had fallen. Only three camel-loads of ammunition were now left, and many of the soldiers had not a single cartridge in their pouches. Of those who survived the frost that night, more than half were frost-bitten and scarcely able to put a foot to the ground. At dawn all who could pushed on, hundreds being left to die where they had passed the night. Meanwhile the snow fell, and the drifts increased in depth; but the treacherous Afghans still hovered about the rear and attacked chiefly the hindmost. After another day of agonizing sufferings, oppressed by hunger and still more by thirst, the miserable remnant halted for the night; and again the bitter blasts of winter worked fearful havoc upon their wasted frames. The next two or three days brought ever-increasing misery and a rapidly-diminishing number to endure it. By the 12th the fighting force had dwindled to less than 200. Near the close of this day the enemy commenced a furious attack on all sides, with the intention of making an end of their work of destruction; but the survivors, though perishing with cold and hunger, stood to their posts, and bravely repelled their assailants. During this conflict Captain Souter, of the 44th, anxious to save the colours of his regiment, tore the flag from its staff, and folding it round his person concealed it with his sheep-skin pelisse. On the following day, when our fighting men were reduced to about thirty, the enemy closed in on them, and killed all except Captain Souter, and seven or eight others who were taken prisoners. The only Englishman that escaped both death and capture was Dr. Brydon, who made his way to General Sale's quarters in Jellalabad. 4 We cannot close our account of this melancholy episode in our history without mentioning that some months before the close of another year our victorious troops had again entered Cabul, having retrieved the honour of our arms and reduced the Afghan pride by a series of well-planned and bravely-fought battles. 1 Evacuate, to clear out from; lit. to vacate, or leave empty. (Lat. vacuus, empty.) 2 Cantonments, quarters occupied by soldiers. 3 Authentic, supported by trustworthy testimony. 4 Episode, an incidental narrative; an occurrence out of the main course of events. G GETTING UP EARLY. ETTING up early is a venerable custom. Since there has been a literature1 or a history, the habit of early rising has been recommended for health, for pleasure, for business. The ancients are held up to us as examples, but they lived so far to the east that it may have been much easier for them than for us. People in Europe always get up several hours before we do in America; 2 people in Asia several hours before the Europeans do; and we suppose as men go toward the rising sun it gets easier and easier, until somewhere in the Orient, perhaps, they step out of bed involuntarily, or, like a flower blossoming, they find their bedclothes gently opening and turning back by the mere attraction of light. 3 But as far toward sundown as we are, the matter becomes more difficult. Expedients of every kind are resorted to. Some men have heads with the organ of time so largely developed that they have only to select the hour, fix attention upon it, and then, as it were, wind up their minds, and sure enough off they go at the appointed time. We have tried this with success ourselves. But it induces a habit of waking up every half-hour through the night, to see whether it is time. to wake up finally. Alarums are very good, provided they do not stop, and do go off. But if there is one day in the year on which the machine fails, it will be that very day that, of all the others, it was necessary for you to start early. Servants are much relied upon for waking you up in hotels, but of course they always oversleep themselves that particular morning when you must catch the early train. And of course, too, the landlord says, "How surprising that the servant did not wake! Was never known to miss before. Always had been reliable!" 4 5 "Old Moore," the renowned weather-prophet, used to be in the habit of making hourly observations of the barometer and thermometer, and often he would extend his labours throughout the night. But how to wake every hour during the night? He was the lucky owner of a dog that sympathised with his master and divided the labour with him: for the intelligent little fellow, every time the clock struck at night, would spring up and scratch at his master's door till he came forth. And in truth most dogs may be easily trained to call their master at a certain fixed hour in the morning. Good healthy children, that are put to bed at night when birds and chickens retire, are admirable wakeners in the morning. When they have slept their sleep right out there is no help for you. Wake they will, |