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Macpherson's force resumed its march, ascending a tolerably easy path from the bed of the river and crossing the ridge to the left into the Lashora Nala. These animals can never move but at a very slow pace, and in difficult places often come to a complete standstill.
The Rhotas peak was to be occupied, if possible, and heliographic communication established with Jamrud, for which purpose four signalers were attached to this detachment. As has been seen, the 2nd Brigade was just moving off as the 1st Brigade arrived at Lashora, and it became necessary for the 1st Brigade to halt for an hour to allow Tytler's column to get clear. But at 7:30 a.m.
There was so much confusion and so many delays that it was ten o'clock before the force, tired and cold, the men's boots and putties soaked through and through from frequent crossing and recrossing of the Lashora River, arrived at the little hamlet of the same name.
The fighting strength of the brigade amounted to 43 British officers, 569 British rank and file, and 1,345 natives of all ranks. Marching under the same conditions, as regards equipment and supplies, as the 2nd Brigade, this column reached Lashora in four and a quarter hours, although the 20th Punjaubis made a slight detour by mistake.
If the Mohmands had come down the eastern slopes of the Rhotas Heights and fallen upon them as they stumbled and groped their way along the Lashora ravine, Macpherson would have had to choose between a retreat or an advance up the steep mountain side, three thousand feet high, in pursuit of an invisible enemy, and exposed to a shower of rocks and stones missiles which every hill-man knows well how to handle.
The news that the main body of the division was engaged with the enemy quickly spread through the ranks, and the men, forgetting fatigue and hunger the last of the food carried by them had been eaten before leaving Lashora, and the bullocks carrying the rest of the rations had long since parted company with the troops were eager to push on.
There were no trees to give the men shade, or springs to slake their thirst. For the first four miles the road continued to ascend the Lashora ravine between hills on the right hand and rocky, overhanging spurs a thousand feet high on the left.
Fortunately no such alternative was presented to him, and the head of the column the rear guard being still far behind reached Lashora between six and seven o'clock on the morning of the 21st, just as the 2nd Brigade was preparing to leave it, and halted to look up and give Tytler a fair start.
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