The ladies alone retained
confidence, occupying themselves in the culture of their gardens, which,
in the delightful summer climate of that situation, rewarded their
labors with an abundance of flowers.
As time went on the situation grew rapidly worse. Akbar Khan, the
leading spirit among the hostile Afghans, came down from the north and
occupied the Khoord Cabul Pass,--the only way back to Hindustan.
Ammunition was failing, food was decreasing, the enemy were growing
daily stronger and more aggressive. Affairs had come to such a pass that
but one of two things remained to do,--to leave the cantonments and seek
shelter in the citadel till help should arrive, or to endeavor to march
back to India.
On the 23d of December the garrison was alarmed by a frightful example
of boldness and ferocity in the enemy. Sir William Macnaughten, the
English envoy, who had left the works to treat with the Afghan chiefs,
was seized by Akbar Khan and murdered on the spot, his head, with its
green spectacles, being held up in derision to the soldiers within the
works.
The British were now "advised" by the Afghans to go back to India. There
was, in truth, nothing else to do. They were starving where they were.
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