TIRAH, a mountainous tract of country on the Peshawar border of the North-west Province of India. It lies between the Khyber pass and the Khanki valley, and is inhabited by the Afridi and Orakzai tribes. It is chiefly notable as the scene of the Tirah Campaign of 1897. It is a cul-de-sac in the mountains, lying off all the roads to India, and comprises an area of some six to seven hundred square miles and includes the valleys lying round the source of the Bara river. The five chief valleys are Maidan, Rajgul, Waran, Bara, Mastura. The chief passes are Sampagha pass (6,500 ft.), separating the Khanki valley from the Mastura valley; the Arhanga pass (6,995 ft.), separating Mastura valley from Maidan; Saran Sar (8,65o ft.), leading from the Zakka Khel portion of Maidan into the Bara valley; the Tseri Kandao (8,575 ft.), separating Maidan from the Waran valley, and the Sapri pass (5,190 ft.), leading from the east of the Mastura valley into the Bara valley in the direction of Mamanai. The whole of Tirah was thoroughly explored and mapped at the time of the Tirah campaign.
The general commanding was Gen. Sir William Lockhart (q.v.), commanding the Punjab army; he had under him 34,882 men, British and native, in addition to 20,000 followers. The frontier post of Kohat was selected as the base of the campaign, and it was decided to advance along a single line. On Oct. 18 the operations commenced, fighting ensuing immediately. The Dargai heights, which commanded the line of advance, were captured without diffi culty, but abandoned owing to the want of water. On the 2oth the same positions were gallantly stormed by the Gordon Highlanders and 3rd Sikhs, with a loss of 199 killed and wounded. The progress of the expedition, along a wretched track through the mountains, was obstinately contested on Oct. 29 at the Sampagha pass lead ing to the Mastura valley, and on the 31st at the Arhanga pass from the Mastura to the Tirah valley. The force, in detached bri gades, now proceeded to traverse the Tirah district in all direc tions, and to destroy the walled and fortified hamlets of the Afridis. The two divisions available for this duty numbered about 20,000 men. A force about 3,200 strong, commanded by Brig.-Gen. Westmacott, was first employed to attack Saran Sar, which was easily carried, but during the retirement the troops were hard pressed by the enemy and the casualties numbered sixty-four. On Nov. 11 Saran Sar was again attacked by the brigade of Brig.-Gen. Gaselee. Experience enabled better dispositions to be made, and the casualties were only three. The traversing of the valley con
tinued, and on Nov. 13 Brig.-Gen. Kempster's brigade visited the Waran valley via the Tseri Kandao pass. Little difficulty was ex perienced during the advance, and several villages were destroyed; but on the i6th, during the return march, the rearguard was hotly engaged all day and had to be relieved by fresh troops next morn ing. The casualties numbered seventy-two. Almost daily the Afridis, too wise to risk general engagements, waged a perpetual guerrilla warfare, and the various bodies of troops engaged in for aging or survey duties were constantly attacked. On Nov. 21 a brigade under Brig.-Gen. Westmacott was detached to visit the Rajgul valley. The road was exceedingly difficult and steady oppo sition was encountered. The objects were accomplished, and the casualties during the retirement alone numbered twenty-three. The last important work undertaken was the punishment of the Chamkannis, Mamuzais and Massozais. This was carried out by Brig.-Gen. Gaselee, who joined hands with the Kurram movable column ordered up for the purpose. The Mamuzais and Massozais submitted immediately, but the Chamkannis offered resistance on Dec. f and 2, the British casualties numbering about thirty. The Kurram column then returned to its camp, and Sir W. Lockhart prepared to evacuate Tirah, despatching his two divisions by sepa rate routes—the 1st under Maj.-Gen. W. Penn Symons to return via the Mastura valley, destroying the forts on the way, and to join at Bara, within easy march of Peshawar; the 2nd division under Maj.-Gen. Yeatman Biggs, and accompanied by Sir W. Lockhart, to move along the Bara valley. The base was thus to be transferred from Kohat to Peshawar. The return march began on Dec. 9. The cold was intense, 21 degrees of frost being registered before leaving Tirah. The movement of the 1st division though arduous was practically unopposed, but the 4o miles to be covered by the 2nd division were contested almost throughout. The actual march down the Bara valley (34 miles) commenced on the loth, and involved four days of the hardest fighting and marching of the campaign. The road crossed and recrossed the icy stream, while snow, sleet and rain fell constantly. On the loth the casualties numbered about 20. On the 11th some 5o or 6o casualties were recorded among the troops, but many followers were killed or died of exposure, and quantities of stores were lost. On the 12th the column halted for rest. On the 13th the march was resumed in im proved weather, though the cold was still severe. The rearguard was heavily engaged, and the casualties numbered about sixty. On the 14th, after further fighting, a junction with the Peshawar col umn was effected. The 1st division, aided by the Peshawar column, now took possession of the Khyber forts without opposition. Ne gotiations for peace were then begun with the Afridis, who, under the threat of another expedition into Tirah in the spring, at length agreed to pay the fines and to surrender the rifles demanded. The expeditionary force was broken up on April 4, 1898. A memorable feature of this campaign was the presence in the fighting line of the imperial service native troops under their own officers, while several of the best known of the Indian princes served on Sir W. Lockhart's staff. (C. J. B.)