CHAPTER SIX.
UP THE GORGE.
"Yes," said Colonel Graves, as the morning glided by without incidentand midday approached, with the men beginning to show traces of theirhot, rapid march. "Pass the word on, for we cannot halt yet. It willcheer the lads, and have a good effect upon the enemy."
The next minute, just as many of the lads were straining their eyesforward in search of the place likely to be chosen for their middayhalt, and making frequent use of their water-bottles, there were thepreliminary taps on the big bass, a few vigorous rolls on thekettledrums, and the fifes began to shrill out their sharp notes in amerry air, which brightened every face at once. Some of the lads beganto whistle the tune as they stepped out more briskly, and Judkins, ofCaptain Roberts's rear company, burst out with:
"Poor old Bill; that 'll do him good. Pity he ain't with us. Wonderhow he is."
"Getting on, my lad," said Bracy, who overheard the remark; "and I don'tthink he'll be many days before he's back in the ranks."
Just then a cheer was given right in front, to be taken up and run rightalong the column, sounding as if it had been started by the men inthankfulness for Bracy's good news about Gedge, though it was only theeffect produced by the band; while as soon as the air came to an end,and there was silence for a minute, another hearty cheer was given forthat which was to come, the men knowing well the meaning of the silence,which was broken directly after by half-a-dozen beats of the drum, andthen with a sonorous clash the brass instruments of the excellent bandburst forth in a grand march, the clarion-like triumphant notes echoingsoftly from the hills on their right, where clusters of the enemy couldbe seen staring at them as if in wonder.
"Hear that, you black-muzzled old women? You in white night-gowns?"shouted Judkins. "That's better than your wheezy old squealing pipes,made to imitate our Highlanders'. I say, lads, how come they to havepipes like our fellows? Wish some one would ask Mr Bracy. I dessay heknows."
"Why don't you ask me yourself, Judkins?" said Bracy, who was close; athand.
"Oh! Beg pardon, sir. I didn't know you could hear me."
"Don't be a sham, Judkins. You know I was just behind you."
The lad coloured like a girl, and his comrades laughed; but Bracy tookno notice, and said quietly:
"I don't profess to understand these things; but the use of bagpipes formusic seems to be a custom with the ancient tribes that migrated fromthe north of Asia and spread right away through Europe till they werestopped by the sea."
"Hullo, Bracy!" said Roberts, coming up. "Giving the men a lecture?You don't mean that the Scotch and Irish pipes had their origin outhere?"
"I have read so. These hill-men have theirs right away east, and youpick up tribes of people with them at intervals till you get to Italy,where the mountaineers play them. Then it is not a very long jump tothe Highlands and Ireland, where they use bellows instead of blowinginto the bag."
"A discourse on wind," said Roberts quietly. "I want something moresolid. How soon are we going to halt for a feed and rest?"
The bugle rang out soon after, for they readied a broad stream of brightclear water, and in a loop of this, which offered itself as a capitalprotection for two-thirds of the distance round their temporary camp,the regiment was halted, and with strong videttes thrown out along theunprotected portion, the men fell out, when a hasty meal was eaten, andthe men ordered to lie down for half-an-hour, with their arms ready, sothat they could spring to their places at the first alarm.
When the bugle rang out it was at the end of the hour's rest, and,thoroughly refreshed, the march was recommenced, the men stepping out tothe merry strains of a favourite song, which was repeated in chorus asthe band ceased playing; and the birds that had been hovering near werethe only objects visible when the halting-place was vacated, though thethick woods on the hill-slopes on either side were felt to be lull ofthe enemy.
"Haven't given them all they wanted, have we?" said Roberts as theytramped towards where through the clear air the sides of the valleycould be seen closing in and growing higher and more jagged of outline.
"No," said Bracy thoughtfully. "It will take something more than abrush like that to beat them off. We shall have our work ready for usyonder where the Colonel said the track rose again to continue like ashelf right away to Ghittah."
"I suppose so. Well, good luck to us, and may we have no morecasualties."
"Amen," said Bracy. "I wish, though, if we are to have a sharpencounter, we could have it now we're fresh, instead of just at the endof a heavy day's march."
"Soldiers have to fight when the time comes, and they can't pick andchoose, I suppose. But never mind; the lads won't be done up, for thisis easy marching. It is not too hot, and we have plenty of good water.I say, I suppose we shall follow this stream right away now?"
"No doubt. It must come down from the snow-mountains, and through thatgorge yonder."
"Yes, the one that seems so near, and does not get a bit nearer. It'scapital, our having this river on our right flank, for it would be anice job for the enemy if they tried to ford it."
Roberts was right, for every mile of their forward journey made theriver a greater protection, the torrent growing fiercer and the banksrocky in the extreme, and for the most part nearly perpendicular, tillat last it was a good fifty feet down to the water's level, so that itceased to be of use for refreshment to the men.
At last the sides of the valley began to close in more rapidly, andtheir track became steeper, till all at once they were brought up shortby what seemed to be the mighty gates of the gorge, up which they couldsee but a short distance, for it turned off to the right. But there,plainly enough in the western sunshine, crossing the end in a steepslope, was a part of the terrace-like path they were to follow, while ontheir left was its commencement, one heavy stone-strewn track, which inplaces rose like a series of gigantic steps.
Here a halt was called, and the men lay down for a brief rest, while theperilous-looking path in front was reconnoitred first by the officerswith their glasses, the eminence above the track being carefullysearched for hidden bodies of the enemy ready to commence their attackas before by thrusting off the stones which hung aloft ready to fall,almost at a touch.
But there was no sign of danger apparent. A great eagle was glidinghere and there in the mouth of the wild ravine, out of which came thedeep roar of the river in a series of foaming cascades; while no signwas visible of the enemy in the rear, and the officers soon came to theconclusion that there was nothing to fear from their left unless therewas some pass known to their foes by which the mountains high above theshelf-like track could be reached.
"We're to form the rear-guard again, lads," said Roberts, who had justreceived his orders. "Did it so well before, the Colonel says," headded a little bitterly.
"Well, if we want more fighting we ought to have been sent in advance,"replied Bracy, "for I feel convinced that there's something unpleasantwaiting for us as soon as we enter that black rift."
"Most likely," said Roberts. "The Major leads again, but they're goingto send half a company on first scouting. Yes," he said impatiently,"there must be something bad ready for us. The enemy would never besuch fools as to let us go through there. Why, Bracy, give us ourcompany, and twenty-four hours to prepare, and we could hold that placeagainst a thousand."
"Yes, I suppose we could."
"Well, what are we waiting for?" cried Roberts impatiently. "It doesn'twant above two hours to sunset, and to be caught there with the nightcoming on--Ugh!"
"There they go!" cried Bracy excitedly, as the active lads selected asscouts began to ascend the track in the lightest order; and theirprogress was watched with the keenest anxiety as they rose more and moreinto the full view of the regiment, apparently meeting with no obstaclesto their progress, and showing the track to be followed by the waitingparty below.
Just then the Colonel rode back to where the young officers werestanding.
"This track
is so narrow, Roberts," he said, "that your company will beample to protect the rear; so I shall trust entirely to you. If we areto be attacked it will be in front; of that I am convinced, thoughprobably the attacking will be on our part, for sooner or later we shallfind a rough hill-fort, strongly held."
"Hope we shan't fall into some trap, sir," said Roberts earnestly.
"I hope not," said the Colonel, turning his horse and moving forward,but only to turn his head again.
"It will be stiff work for the train," he said; "but they must do it.You will help to keep the baggage-men well up to their work, for I meanto get through this pass to-night."
"Nice job," said Roberts bitterly. "We shall have the enemy behind us,stirring us up, and we shan't be able to get on without pricking up themules and camels."
"No firing yet," said Bracy, without heeding the foreboding remarks ofhis companion. "They're getting well on. Ah! there goes the advance."
For a bugle rang out, its notes being repeated again and again withwondrous clearness from the faces of the black-looking barren rocks onhigh, and the scene became an animated picture to the men of therear-guard, who lay on their arms, resting, while the regiment filed upthe track, two abreast, giving life to the gloomy gorge, which grew andgrew till the baggage animals added their quota to the scene.
"At last!" cried Roberts, as their own turn came, and after a long andcareful search backward from a point of vantage with his glass, he gavethe word, and his rested lads began to mount eagerly, but with every onekeeping an eye aloft for the blocks of stone they expected to comecrashing down, but which never came any more than did the sharp echoingrifle-fire announcing the attack upon some rough breastwork across theshelf.
It was a toilsome, incessant climb for an hour, and then the highestpoint was gained, the men cheering loudly as they clustered on theshelf, nowhere more than a dozen feet wide, while the rock fellperpendicularly below them for over a thousand feet to where the riverfoamed and roared, one terrible race of leaping cascades.
There had not been a single casualty with the mules, and the track, inspite of its roughness, was better for the camels in its freedom fromloose stones than the former one they had traversed.
And now their way was fairly level for a time, and the descent of thepath gentle when it did begin going down towards the river, which fromthe slope seemed to rise. But they could see only a little way forward,from the winding nature of the gorge, which now grew more and morenarrow.
"Not so far to fall," said Bracy coolly, "if we do come to a fight."
"Deep enough to break our necks," grumbled Roberts. "Here, I say, itwill be dark soon; look how black it looks below. I wish those fellowshad not cheered; it was like telling the enemy we were coming on, forthey must be round the corner yonder. There--look!"
As he spoke one of the men in front suddenly turned and pointed to wherethe gorge was at its narrowest.
"Yes, we can see them, my lad. Keep a sharp lookout to the rear," heshouted to the men behind. "We shall be hearing from them now, Bracy,for, take my word for it, they're flocking along the path. Well, weshall have to fight in the dark, old man, like rats, in this confoundedtrap."
"Very well," said Bracy between his teeth, as he took out and examinedthe chambers of his revolver, before he replaced it in its leatherholster; "if the dogs do come on I mean to bite."