1 ()4 SECRET HISTORY OF THE LAHORE DURBAR.
2 been saved. The news of tins brigade having reached Jullal-
3 abad would have had a great effect in deterring the Affghan chiefs
4 and people from acting against the British force then in the
5 country ; and it would have inspirited the latter to behave with
6 greater vigour and resolution in repelling the attacks made upon
7 them. It is probable that had this brigade reached Jullalabad,
8 the army would never have left Cabul, or if it did so, would
9 have done so under a treaty that would have been held
10 sacred by the Affghans, a strong British force being at hand
11 to punish its infraction.
12 Soon after this defection of the Seik contingent, General
13 Pollock arrived at Peshawar, and in a few days afterwards Goo-
14 laub Sing made his appearance, after a very leisurely and
15 evidently reluctant march from Hazareh. Though a British
16 political agent was in his camp, urging him day and night to
17 expedition, it took him forty-two days to march from Hazareh
18 to Peshawar, a distance of but little more than the same num-
19 ber of miles. While Pollock was encamped at Peshawar,
20 every effort was made to delay his advance, and to frighten
21 the native troops and thereby to prevent their entering the
22 much dreaded Khyber Pass. The means used for this purpose
23 caused some desertion, but had they succeeded to the full,
24 mutiny in its worst aspect and at the most critical moment
25 would have been the result. General Pollock, however,
26 happily overcame all difficulties and escaped all dangers —
27 more, perhaps, than he is aware of even to this day. He acted
28 with promptitude and determination, and his efforts being
29 nobly supported by his troops, he safely reached Jullalabad,
30 and thus not only relieved Sale's division, but formed by the
31 junction a force capable of carrying all before it even to
32 the walls, and even within the gates of Cabul. Rajah Goolaub
33 Sing thus disappointed, put the best face on the matter, de-
34 clared he had done what he could for the assistance of the
35 British, and seeing no further need for his services marched
36 back for Jummoo.