The serjeant was enabled with difficulty to carry out his plan, which was, not to return the enemy’s fire, but to proceed steadily on till he could suddenly take advantage of some protecting ledge of rock or orchard wall behind which he could form his men and confuse the enemy by pouring in a few volleys.  He would then form quarter distance columns of subdivisions again, and proceed in his retreat as before.  He had no misgivings as to the courage and firmness of his men, for the Goorkhas have ever been noted for their dashing bravery, and an incident soon proved how wisely he had judged in not extending his men.  While retiring, a chance shot killed a man who happened to be a great favourite; his nearest comrades immediately halted and faced about, and notwithstanding the commands and entreaties of the serjeant; they determined to avenge his death.  Grouping themselves round the body of their dead companion, they awaited the enemy, and when sure that every shot would tell, each man delivered his fire, and then drawing his knife with a yell of defiance, rushed upon hundreds of their foes; to have supported them would have been to lead the whole party to inevitable slaughter, and the authority of the quarter-master-serjeant was scarce sufficient to restrain his men from breaking from their cover to join the unequal fight:  as it was, the gallant little band were soon outnumbered, and after a reckless and desperate resistance were literally hacked to pieces.  The enemy encouraged by this success now pressed hard upon the Goorkhas, and had they been fortunate enough in getting round to the front not a man would have escaped; as it was, the men were falling very fast, when a happy occurrence changed the aspect of affairs.  It seems that a chief, conspicuous from his glittering armour and steel head-piece, mounted on a powerful horse with an armed footman behind him, attracted the notice of the Goorkhas by the cool manner in which he rode up to within a distance of about eighty yards, delivered his fire, then galloped away out of gunshot to allow the gentleman “en croupe” to reload.  A few of the men having observed this manoeuvre repeated three or four times, concealed themselves behind a rock, while the main body retired.  On came the chief to within his prescribed distance; a volley from behind the rock scarce ten paces off rolled horse and man over and over.  The effect on the enemy was such that they kept at a more respectful distance, and after a few random shots discontinued the pursuit.  Such was the account the serjeant himself gave me of the fight, and I have no reason to suspect him of exaggeration.  He accomplished his arduous retreat with a loss of nineteen men killed, but more than half this number voluntarily sacrificed themselves to avenge the death of their comrade.  It is difficult, when relating the numerous acts of heroism of the Goorkha troops, to refrain from drawing invidious comparisons between their conduct and that of the Hindoo soldier during