THE BLACK MOUNTAIN WAR.
A S all the tribes except one refused to comply with the demands of the Indian Government, General M'Queen, who apparently has full powers, opened his highland campaign at the beginning of the month. He was punctual, which is one merit, and each of his four invading columns started forward at the appointed time. His plan was to shoot out the left column up the eastern bank of the Indus to a place called Kotkai, beyond the frontier, and a few miles within the deep trough through which the river flows. The other columns, moving on separate hill-tracks from Agror, were to cross the crest of the wooded mountain, and make their way into the narrow valley. The force acting along the Indus went in a northerly and the others in a westerly direction, thus operating on the mountaineers from two sides. As the maps are reported to be misleading, it is impossible to be more specific ; but what has happened appears to be this. The river column attained its object in two days, with little loss, the most serious being that of a distin- guished staff officer, who was killed, and of its commander, who was wounded. The troops on the extreme right gained the crest looking into and over the gloomy ravine, and this week they crossed it, descending on the other side to Sen. After beating the enemy they returned, but Seri, which is said to command the whole valley, will be occupied in force. At the outset, the central columns were unable to find roads—or shall we say passages ?—through the densely wooded uplands, and one of them, led by the General, obliged to retreat and entrench because the hill-paths were impassable to the baggage, was promptly joined by the other. Then both halted until an available road could be found or made. The hillmen had been unable to stand any attack ; they were destroyed when they became the assailants ; and although they followed the General when he retraced his steps on the experimental line of advance which proved to be impracticable, the latest report implies that they have had almost enough punishment, and talk of yielding to the pressure already applied. The little army is working through a very difficult and rugged, but comparatively small area. The Hazara frontier quits the line of the Indus at a point above Darband, and follows the summit of the range forming the left bank. It is on the western slopes of this ridge of the Black Mountain that the troops are engaged. On the opposite side of the river, the lofty bank is similar in its character,—that is, furrowed by glens and gorges which run down to the water. The villages stand in these contracted and rocky dales, and above them rise the forest-covered highlands, chequered with some open, rounded, grassy downs, and jagged with stony peaks of loftier height. It is a less elevated region than Sikkim ; but the big spurs of the Himalaya rise in the north, and in the winter the snow lies on all the lower summits. The Indus, at the bottom of the trough, is a broad, rapid stream ; the dwellers on its banks cross from side to side by means of ferries, or on inflated skins ; and the intercourse cannot be otherwise than frequent, since one hostile tribe, at least, lives on both shores. The right column, when halted on the crest, saw from its eyrie a band of foes marching down to the stream, and the left column, before it started, learned that some armed bodies, including combatants supplied by the " Hindoo fanatics," the relics of Sittana and Atulka, who have been quiet so long, had also crossed the river. It is therefore evident that the tribes, or portions thereof, west as well as east of the Indus, have joined in the contest, and it may be inferred that, however much he may desire to keep on one bank, the General may be obliged to operate on the other. Indeed, we already hear that the officer at Kotkai was collecting materials for passing the Indus, because the opposite bank was lined by matchlock-men. The mountain-land to the west abounds in warriors, and the field of warfare would be unpleasantly extended were they fired with the joy of battle. The number of possible enemies on the left bank is not large enough to resist General Dtl•Queen's really powerful army ; but it might be otherwise were the tribes on the west to strike in. If they do not, the hill campaign is not likely to be either ineffectual or prolonged. The original estimate was that the operations would be over in a few days ; but that has already been falsified. The only untoward incident was the retreat of the General's column, untoward because even a prudent retrograde movement is apt to inflame the courage and excite the hopes of these mountain tribes, and thus increase the resistance, if not attract other foemen into the fiery ring. But when we consider the features of the country, the whole of which are only known in the mass, and not in detail, so essential to mountain warfare, there is no ground for supposing that any mischief would happen in consequence of this arrest of the advance. Those who are familiar with the old methods of Indian fighting do not like to read that the troops threw up entrenchments. Nevertheless, as they spare the troops, there is no reason why, at all events in hills and woods, if not on the plains, a practice which the Romans never neglected should not be followed by the British. It is a safe and wise precaution, and does not in the least imply defensive tactics. Each column is strong enough to fight any combination likely to reach its front, and it was ridiculous to suppose that these frontier leaders would not find a way to go where they wished. So far as we can see, the sole chance of peril lies on the western bank of the Indus, whence alone effective reinforcements could come, or an effective diversion could be made. The deep, narrow, and unexplored valley, in one half of which the strife is going on, is still too small and too scantily peopled to offer a long defence if left to itself, as it may be. The probability is that, after the first taste of combat has abated the pride of the young men, the wiser counsels of the elders will prevail, and that the offending tribes will suddenly yield. The question of annexation is more serious, but it is one which can wait. The first duty is to quell opposition and punish the murderers of Battye and lirmston ; and that will surely be done in good time, for the peace and security of the whole frontier depend upon its accomplishment. That duty is well understood in the Punjab, and it will be performed.
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