three o'clock in the
afternoon
The gun mules sank to their girths in the snow and , even then , were unable to obtain a footing . Men were sent out to try the depth of the snow on both sides of the valley , but they found no improvement . Obviously it was absolutely impossible for the mules and ponies to get farther over the snow , in its present state . It was already three o'clock in the afternoon , and only eight miles had been covered . The force therefore retired to the last village in the valley . Two hundred Pioneers under Borradaile , the sappers , and the Hunza levies were left here , with all the coolie transport . Borradaile 's orders were to force his way across the pass , next day ; and entrench himself at Laspur , the first village on the other side .