-your England's brave old flag-which was never lowered till there were no more living

hands to uphold it, this is what I call splendid, and worthy the land of their birth! Then, when the disastrous news reached their far-away home, and the heart of the whole nation responded with one bitter sob, from your Queen downwards, for the fate of the sons of whom they were so justly proud, and so deeply mourned, then the grand old spirit rose up again, and those at home enthusiastically vied with each other to be first to go out, and avenge the lives that had been so faithful even unto death'!

"I have also since seen the king of that savage enemy defeated, and taken prisoner, bearing his reverses with a kingly dignity, and courage worthy of the most civilised potentate!

And yet once more. I have seen brave hearts under those dark skins. I mean those of your Indian troops,-doubtless stimulated by the examples of their white leaders.

"Not long ago, looking over that mountainous part of Hindostan, and Afghanistan, where your army was engaged-I saw a camp fire beside

which a young Goorkha was cooking, whilst his companions squatted round.

"We shall have some hot work to-morrow, Mulwa, the sahibs say,' said one of them; 'give me another of thy kabobs,-no one makes them like thee!'

66 6

Ay, that we shall!' answered Mulwa, 'and I'll be in it, you'll see! I can't keep quiet here in camp with my pots and kettles when I hear "the music of the guns "!'

"Mulwa was the cook of the regiment, and had been married but a few weeks before being summoned out on active service.

"The next day an engagement took place, and his regiment was ordered to the front, he, very unwillingly, being left behind with other followers, in charge of the camp, listening with greedy ears to the explosions of artillery that told what was going on.

"At last an orderly came tearing down the defile, on a nearly breathless horse, with instructions to send up more ammunition. In an instant Mulwa ran forward to the transport mules which were standing ready laden

"I'll take them, Meer Sahib!' he cried to the

officer who was giving the order.

"You,

Mulwa! Why, who'll cook the men's

dinner if you go?"

6

"O Sahib! I'll be back again directly,-only

let me go and help them to give some of these little pills to those sons of burnt grandmothers !'

The officer could not withstand his eager face, and with a good-natured smile consented. Joyfully he went, sturdily clambering up the steep

mountain path, thinking how proud Bheemee, his beloved wife, would be to see him going like a real soldier to the front.

"Suddenly was seen a little puff of white smoke from an adjoining height above, which overlooked a part of his rocky path. An Afghan bullet had found its deadly way to him,-he staggered, tried to recover himself, but all grew dark around him, and he dropped like a stricken bird, with his brave face to the sky. His death was speedily avenged. His fate had been seen, and the strong hands of those who rushed to his rescue, and secured the patient beasts waiting beside him, lifted him up, but life was gone!

Far, far away to the southward many hundreds of miles, I looked into the innermost shrine of a temple, dedicated to the worship of the Hindu goddess Bhowani. Before the image knelt a young Goorkha girl; her clothes were wet according to the custom which enjoins bathing as a purification, on the worshippers of the goddess, before entering her presence.

Her crimson sarce with its

embroidered

border had fallen from her head, and with out

stretched arms she earnestly prayed to the ugly

little marble divinity.

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"O Sri Mata! I will not weary thee, only

save him, my beloved!' Then as a presentiment overwhelmed her that he might be already dead, she cried in desperation

"Great mother!-I feel that thou hast taken him, let me go to him.-Ah! do not leave me, mother, he is thine, and I am thine, do not separate us. Have mercy! Have mercy!' and she sank down insensible before the hideous little image.