The journey from Gilgit to Chitral is a stupendous undertaking for an army. The distance is 220 miles, and the way lies over a gigantic range of mountains containing passes deep with perpetual snow. When it became known that Colonel Kelly had actually undertaken this journey in the hope of reaching Chitral in time to render assistance to the beleaguered British, the heart of Britain was contracted. There was a chill fear abroad, and the despairing word "impossible" was in constant use. In the clubs men who knew those mountains gazed into each other's eyes and borrowed what hope they could. The apparently impossible had often been attempted before, and proved possible; so the nation waited, nursing that fire of courage which is always kept burning in its breast. Low's force was as follows:-- 1ST BRIGADE (General Kinloch).--Royal Rifles, Bedfordshires, 1st Sikhs, 37th Dogras. 2ND BRIGADE (General Waterfield).--Gordons, Scottish Highlanders, 4th Sikhs, Guides' Infantry, Field Hospital. 3RD BRIGADE (General Gatacre).--Seaforth Highlanders, Buffs, 25th Punjabis, 4th Gurkhas, Field Hospital. DIVISIONAL TROOPS.--Guides' Infantry, 11th Bengal Lancers, 13th Bengal Infantry, 23rd Pioneers, Bengal Sappers, East Lancashire Regiment, 29th and 30th Punjabis, Field Hospital. Colonel Kelly's force consisted of two parties:-- (1) 200 Pioneers, 2 mountain guns, 40 Kashmir sappers, with 100 Hunzanagur levies. (2) 100 Kashmir troops, under Lieut. Gough. Low forced Malakand Pass. The enemy's strength was on the left side of the pass. Low brought his artillery to bear on this position, while the 4th Sikhs and Guides were thrown forward to scale the hills and carry the breastworks of loose stones; after which they were to work along the ridges and turn the enemy's flank. No sooner had they come within range than the hillmen poured a fierce fire into their ranks; but our men could not reply, as their stern business was to climb, and climb as quickly as possible. And a most desperate ascent it was, for they had to contend against not only a hail of bullets, but an avalanche of boulders as well. The officers suffered heavily, from the simple fact that they could easily be distinguished by their helmets among the turbaned troops. It was a long and tragic climb, but at last it came to the point of the bayonet on the crest of the hill, and after more than three hours' fighting the defenders abandoned the position. The Sikhs and Guides, who carried this important point, had been nineteen hours under arms.