Sickness now increased alarmingly amongst us, owing to the bad quality of the attar or flour, as well as the reduction in our usual quantity of rations. The cattle were little better off, and the difficulties of the route increased at almost every step. Water continued as scarce as ever, for the natives filled up or concealed part of the wells and poisoned the remainder. Of the latter fact, we received intimation in time to prevent accidents, and chance befriended us as regarded the former. After a harassing day's march some soldiers of the 17th Infantry, who had set out in search of water, were unsuccessful and were bewailing their hard fate, when the unusual moistness of the place where they had pitched their tent attracted their notice. They sounded the ground and finding it hollow, immediately arrived at the conclusion that it was a well that had been freshly covered over. Further examination confirmed this supposition, and about half an hour's work revealed a deep hole to their sight, in which they found a spring of excellent water. This discovery created such joy and frantic eagerness in the camp that the authorities were obliged to place a strong guard with loaded muskets over it in order to keep back the pressure of the crowds who flocked to it. In the course of the next day's march we came upon a part of the road which was literally strewn with human skeletons and broken matchlocks. Of the various surmises current amongst us as to the occasion of this wholesale butchery, the most probable was, that one of the caravans travelling to Candahar had been attacked and overpowered by one of the marauding tribes of the district. CHAPTER V. The Khojuck Pass.--Descent of the Troops.--Shocking Death of a Camel Driver.--Detection and Escape of an Affghan Thief.--Loss of Cavalry Horses.--Candahar.--Arrival of Shah Soojah.--Condition of the Troops.--Attempt of the Natives to cut off a Convoy of Provisions.--Asiatic Mendicants.--The Mosque at Candahar.--Arrival of Affghan Auxiliaries. We reached the Khojuck Pass in the expectation of finding it occupied by the forces of Dost Mahommed, but contrary to general anticipation it was abandoned. We learned that the Dost had visited the place a few days before, in company with several of his chiefs, when the prudence of disputing our passage was discussed. Owing to some violent differences of opinion amongst the subordinate chiefs, the idea was abandoned, and the enemy fell back towards Candahar. How different might have been the fate of the expedition but for this impolitic and cowardly step. To enable the reader to judge of its importance a brief description of the Pass will be necessary.