1 CHAHARDEH. 437
2 place where Mahomed Akbar had formed his
3 cantonment on our arrival at. Peshawr, the
4 road tolerable.all the way, winding through a
5 rocky ridge of hills about midway. Another
6 road lies along the river Lundy, through
7 Basoul, a large village, and is shorter but not
8 so'good, there being a marsh to pass; suffi-
9 cient water on the way as well as in the camp.
10 Across the river, on the steep face of a high
11 hill, near the top, we saw several rows of caves
12 inhabited by thieves and shepherds. There is
13 a more direct route to Chahardeh through
14 Batticot, but as that place is in the midst of a
15 stony desert, water was very scarce. Small
16 parties only can conveniently pass that way.
17 The Sikh troops, being in the habit, within
18 their own territory, of destroying the culti-
19 vation and carrying away anything they like,
20 commenced the same practice here, and pil-
21 laged some of the Bhoosa (fodder for cattle),
22 and fuel belonging to the people of the village.
23 The matter was brought to the notice of the
24 Colonel, and officers commanding corps and
25 detachments were reminded of the necessity oI