Indian Antiquary Vol 51

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 55

MARCH, 1922)
FURTHER SPECIMENS OF NEPALI
Rain also began to fall. With us, both for covering and for lying on, there was only one waterproof-sheet each. There was no blanket; there was no great-coat; there were only our cotton clothes. The rain also came in torrents. The men were in such distress that they could not feel anything.
That night D company remained on the hill. To B company came the order, saying: "Come to your headquarters." B company went down to the road. Till they had been there two or three hours, rations and water did not come.
All that night the rain fell. Also we had such thirst that in order to quench our thirst we sucked in our mouths the clothes that were wet with rain.
After that, stopping when we reached the road, we lay down. On that night what was the road like? The baggage and artillery of our whole division had reached the road between the two hills. Horses and mules, all mingled, were kicking each other. Men bringing news, searching for their own headquarters, were going this way and that. Prisoners and wounded were making for the rear. The 3/3rd Gurkhas, come to bring help, on account of the crowd could not advance, nor turning round could they go back. On both sides of the road on the hills, where were our D company and the 58th Indian regiment and a white regiment, machine-gun bullets striking the rocks were shooting out sparks.
At this time our Quartermaster Sahib came bringing rations and water. No other regi. ment got its rations and water. So good was our Quartermaster Sahib.
When it dawned on the hill, from the Brigade came an order, saying: " Again climbing the hill and driving off the Turks it is necessary to advance.'
All that day climbing hill after hill, going up hill and down hill driving the Turks from position after position, we advanced. At midday a fog came on; rain too began to fall. On account of the fog nothing was to be seen. Again as darkness was descending, (in front of us was a deep valley; across the valley a great hill ; on the hill a village made by the Turks into a strong place) crossing the valley, climbing up the hill, having fixed bayonets we took that village from the hands of the Turks.
All that night the rain fell. But when we had set picquets, the rest of us men all en. tering one great building, sitting down, lighting fires, boiling and drinking tea, were exceedingly happy. The men said: “Those who were to die have died, the wounded have been wounded; but to us this great fortune has fallen.. Our regiment also has earned a great name.” So talking, remaining happy all that night, they went to sleep.
Again at dawn our great General Sahib coming said to us :“O Gurkha heroes, by your bravery the road leading to the city called Jerusalem has been opened. Your name has become great. To take that city of Jerusalem, to-day also it is necessary to advance." So saying he spoke.
At that time the Turkish shells began to fall upon us ; there was great loss. Again receiving the order to fall in, we went forward.
Notes. bhanna<bhanda.
piers < gaera : probably on the lanalogy of gio gayo, where the umlaut of a to o is regular. It should be remembered also that gaera is < gago or gae ra, lit. ='he or they went and........'
Lakhna : Skt. lukkuta-cf. H. Kukar loukyd. The aspiration is unexplained. It occurs in other words : e.g., bokhro goat, sheep', cf. H. bakrd. On the other hand krkur dog' (lur lura.) H. bular. The Rev. N. C. Duncan informs me that in East Nepal bidhar monkey' is used for bådar (cf. H. badar, bandar).