We gave his ambassador a lesson this morning, which will, I have no doubt,
have its effect. It was a brigade field-day, and Colonel Merewether took
the ambassador out to witness it. It is a great pity that the artillery
and the infantry had not a few rounds of blank cartridge, which would have
given his ambassadorship a much more lively idea of what the real thing
would be like, and would have given him such a tale to bear to his king
and master as would have opened his Majesty’s eyes to what the
consequences of a war with us would probably be. But even as it was, it no
doubt had a very salutary effect. The enemy were supposed to be holding a
steep rise at the mouth of a long valley. The infantry threw forward
skirmishers, and the mountain guns took up a position upon a neighbouring
hill, and were supposed to open a heavy fire. Presently the infantry
advanced in line, and made a rush up the steep rise. As they reached the
top they lowered bayonets to the charge, and with a loud cheer rushed upon
the defenders. An instant afterwards the word “Charge!” was given to
cavalry, and away they went down the valley, sweeping the enemy’s supports
and the fugitives from the hill before them for half a mile, and then
scattering in pursuit. It was very well done, and, as I have said, no
doubt had its effect, especially when the ambassador was made to
understand that the force he saw before him was only one-tenth of our
advancing army. The movements of the troops were fairly performed, and did
great credit to their respective commanding-officers. Their remaining
horses are in excellent condition, and are very strong serviceable
animals. Their uniform is a very effective one, light-blue and silver,
with white covers to their forage caps. The infantry, whose uniform is
precisely similar to our own, also wear white cap-covers. Going out to the
parade-ground, which is about two miles distant from here, we passed
several native villages, and a great number of them can be seen scattered
all over the plains. The country, indeed, is very thickly populated; very
much more so than a rural district in England of the same extent. The
people possess goats, sheep, and cattle in abundance, together with
ponies, donkeys, and mules. They are ready to sell all these animals to
us, but demand very high prices, which has been to a certain extent
encouraged by the prices Colonel Merewether has ordered to be paid at the
bazaar for them. Thus, he has fixed the price of a goat at a dollar and a
half, that is six and ninepence, whereas I paid down in the pass only two
shillings for a goat, and could have bought any number at that price. It
is probable, too, that the current price for goats, or indeed for any
animals, is considerably less here than in the valley, for there forage is
extremely scarce, and must be sought at long distances; whereas here it is
abundant, the plains being covered with it. Of course, this price having
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