Villiers Volume 1; His Five Decades of Adventure (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1920 Excerpt: ...But in spite of this they were looked upon by British soldiers as sportsmen, for they always put up a game fight. During the advance into the heart of the country toward Jellalabad, there was no better officer in Her Majesty's service than Colonel Tytler, V.C. A tall, gaunt man, some six feet two, he made a striking figure when he rode at the head of his regiment of plucky little dare-devil Ghoorkas, few of whom stood more than six inches above the Colonel's waistbelt. Archibald Forbes, who had already arrived at the seat of hostilities, had described this officer to me, expressing his admiration for his soldierly character and his affection for the genial amiability of the tall soldier's nature. I was looking forward to a pleasant time with him, since that intrepid war correspondent had given me a chit of introduction. But my journey to his advanced position was fraught with adventure and my first acquaintance with that heroic general (for he had been made brigadier) was, to say the least of it, by no means encouraging. I left the British camp outside Jellalabad without having notified my intentions to headquarters, since there was a possibility of danger on the road and the anxiety of the officials for my safety might have delayed my departure until a convoy could be arranged. My bearer was a Mussulman, a man of fine courage and alertness, but my syce was a Hindoo, who had a marked weakness for the safety of his own dusky skin. So the syce I mounted upon my baggage camel, and Whewas Khan, my bearer, and I would alternately share the smart little tat or mountain pony which my good friend Forbes picked up for me at the beginning of the campaign. Cholera had broken out severely in the Punjab and was stealing steadily up through the Afghan passes, proving a m...