The result of this battle was the entire rout of the enemy, who were defeated at every point, and in the retreat were cut up by the artillery and cavalry. A couple of brass guns were captured, a standard, and a large number of muskets. The Enfield rifle, which was used in this affair, cast terror on the Persians. On one occasion a horseman, who was making threatening demonstrations at a distance of 800 yards, was neatly picked off by a good shot, an officer in the 2nd European Light Infantry. About 700 dead were found on the field, and a vast number of wounded were carried away. The troops, after the battle, moved off a short distance and bivouacked, but were very shortly disturbed by heavy rain, which continued without interruption during several days. The roads became almost impassable, the soil—a mixture of clay and sand—being ankle-deep in mud. The troops at length were forced to halt, and without complaining stretched themselves in the mud, and took that rest which all so much required. Although the distance from the field of battle to the lines at Bushire was over forty miles, yet it was passed by the troops, under all the disadvantages named, in thirty hours. The loss on our part during these proceedings consisted in one officer and eighteen men killed, four officers and sixty men wounded. Shortly after these events another expedition was undertaken by our troops, and with complete success, the Persians, although brave men, lacking that essential to make them good soldiers—viz., discipline. There are several nations of the East—the Chinaman, Hindoo, and others—who have scarcely any fear of death, and who would rather cast themselves on their own swords and thus perish than fall into the hands of an enemy, and yet when these men meet in battle our own soldiers they invariably suffer an almost ignominious defeat, in consequence of their want of discipline and of steadiness under fire. The soil and climate of Persia do not appear to be very favourable: during the day it is intensely hot, and during the night equally cold. In summer, likewise, the heat is intense. Vast deserts of sand occur in many places, and long ranges of sterile mountains cross the country in various parts. Vegetation is not very abundant, and cultivation is carried on but scantily. Game, however, abounds in many places, deer, antelopes, partridges, and wild-fowl being found, and the lion is also said to be occasionally seen. Whether we consider the Persians as soldiers, their country as a paradise, or their cities as noble works of art, we find ourselves disappointed; for the first are little better than a half-trained rabble, their country is not fertile, and their cities are badly constructed and dirty. So that after contemplating these items we can candidly exclaim, “There’s no place like home.” [Illustration: Bushire] [Illustration] CHAPTER XIV. CAPTAIN W. A. KERR, SOUTH MAHRATTA HORSE, AND THE VICTORIA CROSS.