North west frontier 19th October 1863
"It"s a shambles," Jack said. They stood at the base camp with the mountains of the Frontier rising before them. All around, the land seethed with activity, with infantry preparing to march, the artillery checking their equipment, and the cavalry feeding their horses. Great elephants trumpeted as their mahouts fastened the carts and artillery they would have to pull. Camels spat, roared, bubbled and refused to move while the discordant braying of mules sounded everywhere. A host of soldiers, British, Gurkha and Indian, waited in increasing impatience for the order to move. Jack walked over to have a word with the Guides.
"Halloa there, Windrush." Major Kerr fixed him with his gimlet stare. "Are you joining us?"
"I don"t know what I"m doing," Jack sa
