CHITRAL AND THE N.W. FRONTIER CAMPAIGN. 464 and Bajaur at a military road being driven through their country in order tokeepPeshawur in touch with Chitral was only one of many [factors in producing the general revolt. The inner history of the disaffection on the frontier is still in great part a mystery. Exaggerated reports of the Turkish victories over Greece in the spring of 1897 did something to cause the j unrest of the tribes. Their mullahs told how the faithful had put the infidels to flight, and supposed to have no particular significance and caused no alarm.

On June ioth Mr. Gee, the political officer in charge of the Tochi district, had marched from Dattakhel with an escort consisting of two mountain guns, twelvePunjaub cavalrymen, and 300 men of the ist Sikhs and the ist Punjaub Infantry. The troops wereunder the command of Colonel A. C. Bunny,of the ist Sikhs. The object of the expedition wa to choose a site for A GROUP OF WAZIR1 PRISONERS.

fanatic preachers promisedthe like success in a coming "Holy- War" on the border. The agitation was voluntarily or involuntarily encouragedbythe actionoftheAmir ofAfghanistan, who, amongst otherindiscretions,began to style himself the King of Islam, and published at Cabul a treatiseon the advantages.of the Jehad, or "Holy War" against the infidel. The growing ferment among the tribes was remarked bysome of the frontier officials, but their warnings received little attention. Happily, there was no such organisationamong the tollmen as would have made a simultaneous risingpossible. What. happened was a rapid succession of outbreaks at various points. The earliest took place among the Waziris in the Tochi Valley,and at first was a new fortified outpost beyond Sheranni, nine miles from Dattakhel, and to collect a fine that had been imposedon someof the localheadmen, After passing Sheranni,and on reachingthe village of Maizar, the column was met by a party of Maddakhel Waziris under Sadda Khan, the "malik " or chief of theSheranni district. Other chiefs were with him. All seemed friendly. The troops halted in the village, and Sadda Khan invited the officers to take some refreshments he hael provided for them. The tilled landatMaizar consists of a number of terraces, sloping to a smallriver, and at the suggestion of the chiefs the troops halted to rest under some trees on the highest terrace. The approach to it was by a lane running overa low ridge. The