The others fled, but were hotly pursued.
Three of the four were overtaken and slain within four miles of
Jelalabad. Dr. Brydon alone remained, and gained the fort alone, the
sole survivor, as he believed and reported, of the seventeen thousand
fugitives. The Afghan chiefs had boasted that they would allow only one
man to live, to warn the British to meddle no more with Afghanistan.
Their boast seemed literally fulfilled. Only one man had traversed in
safety that "valley of the shadow of death."
Fortunately, there were more living than Dr. Brydon was aware of. Akbar
Khan had offered to save the ladies and children if the married and
wounded officers were delivered into his hands. This was done. General
Elphinstone was among the prisoners, and died in captivity, a relief to
himself and his friends from the severe account to which the government
would have been obliged to call him.
Now for the sequel to this story of suffering and slaughter. The
invasion of Afghanistan by the English had been for the purpose of
protecting the Indian frontier. A prince, Shah Soojah, friendly to
England, was placed on the throne. This prince was repudiated by the
Afghan tribes, and to their bitter and savage hostility was due the
result which we have briefly described.
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