CHAPTER XXXI.
The British Troops commence their Retreat – Severity of the Weather – Dreadful Confusion – A dreary Bivouac – Sad Condition of the Females and Children – Commencement of the Affghan Attacks – Hostages delivered by the English – The Pass of Boothauk – The Affghans fire on the Ladies – Officers' Children carried off – Slaughter in the Khoord Cabul Pass – A Night at Khoord Cabul – Another destructive Halt – The Ladies and their Husbands given up to Akbar Khan – Sufferings from Frost, and Snow, and Hunger – Slaughter at the Pass of Tunghee Tareekee – Proposition to disarm the Troops rejected – Slaughter at Tazeen – The Fugitives make a stand at Jugduluk and repulse the Enemy – General Elphinstone a Prisoner – Final stand at Gundamuk – Brave Resistance of the English – All are slaughtered except one, who escapes to Jellalabad.
In approaching the closing scene of this long-pending catastrophe, the mind is struck with awe and horror at the dire calamities and dismal fate that overhung the mass of human beings who entered this fearful chain of mountain passes on the 6th of January, nearly seventeen thousand in number, only one of whom escaped from its destructive jaws, to give the first direful tidings of the event. And, when it is considered that, with the exception of about seventy prisoners and some deserters, the remainder perished miserably in a few days, through cold, through famine, and the murderous fire of overwhelming enemies, it must be admitted that this retreat stands unparalleled, if not in extent, at least in the completeness of its calamity.
"Dreary, indeed," says Lieutenant Eyre, "was the scene over which, with drooping spirits and dismal forebodings, we had to bend our unwilling steps. Deep snow covered every inch of mountain and plain with one unspotted sheet of dazzling white; and so intensely bitter was the cold as to penetrate and defy the defences of the warmest
