The 35th Sikhs advancing cleared the
right ridge: the 38th Dogras the left. The Guides moved on the village,
and up the main re-entrant itself. The Buffs were in reserve. The
battery came into action on the left, and began shelling the crests of
the opposite hills. Taking the range with their instruments, they fired
two shots in rapid succession, each time at slightly different ranges.
The little guns exploded with a loud report. Then, far up the mountain
side, two balls of smoke appeared, one above the other, and after a few
seconds the noise of the bursting shells came faintly back. Usually one
would be a little short of--and the other a little over--the point aimed
at. The next shot, by dividing the error, would go home, and the dust of
the splinters and bullets would show on the peak, from which the
tribesmen were firing, and it would become silent and deserted--the
scene of an unregarded tragedy. Gradually the spurs were cleared of the
enemy and the Guides, passing through the village, climbed up the face
of the mountain and established themselves among the great rocks of the
steep water-course.
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