march at three in the
morning
The 23rd Pioneers were therefore pushed on , to occupy the pass and bivouac there . The remainder of the troops camped in the village . No signs of the enemy were seen , either by the 23rd Pioneers or in the vicinity of the camp . The troops were to march at three in the morning , and the tents were struck an hour after midnight . The track up the pass was excessively steep , and very difficult for the camels . The cold was bitter and , in places where water had crossed the road , there were slippery surfaces of ice -- which hindered the camels considerably -- and it was past eight o'clock before the rear guard arrived at the top of the pass . From a commanding position , overlooking the defile and surrounding waste of rugged and barren mountains , not an enemy could be seen ; and it was hoped that the report of the intended attack was a false one .