But though the fight had now waxed stronger and stronger for five hours,
and though nearly one-half of the garrison were killed or wounded,
though the British Envoy lay dead or dying, no thought of surrender
occurred to the stout hearts within. Only, for the third time that
morning, was an attempt made by letter to remind the Amir of his sacred
obligations as a host and sovereign of a friendly Power. On this
occasion the bearer selected was Shahzada Taimus, a Prince of the
Sadozai dynasty, but a plain trooper in the ranks of the Guides'
cavalry. The two preceding letters had been sent, one by the hand of an
old pensioner of the Guides, slipped through an unguarded postern, but
not seen again and supposed to be killed; and the second by a Hindu, who
was indeed killed before the eyes of the garrison in his brave attempt
to get through.
The third letter was written by Mr. Jenkyns, and handed by Hamilton to
the Shahzada, a quiet unassuming man, to take to the Amir. A forlorn
hope indeed faced the brave fellow, as he looked forth through a crevice
at the yelling, shooting, cursing crowd, surging round on all sides. To
open a door was instant death to himself and others, for a shower of
bullets would have greeted his exit. The postern was now surrounded, and
gave no hope of escape. There remained only the roof, and this means of
escape Taimus decided to attempt. Crawling cautiously up, he found this
bullet-swept area temporarily deserted, and creeping along it peered
over the end.
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