leshwur mountains, Neilgherries, Simla, Cherra-Punjy (in the Cosseah mountains), and in Darjyling. If he is married and has a family, he probably purchases an estate, and considers India as his second country. Very few of the officers feel themselves actually happy in this extraordinary country: most of them withdraw after five and twenty years' service, hoping to lead a more congenial life at home, but find that they have become estranged from their relations and friends, and cannot attain the sought-for happiness.

LETTER VII.

TO ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT.

Return from Lahore to Ferozpoor. Journey through the protected Sikh states to Samanah.- Chase of the antelope with a leopard.-March with the Governor General to Dathal; Saqun, Keythul, and Karnaul.— Visit to Paniput and view of the town and of the field of battle.— Haunt of elephants.

Delhi, 14th February, 1843.

I SALUTE you and all my dear friends at home from the renowned Delhi, formerly the capital of the Kuru and of the great Moguls. You have, I hope, received my letter from Lahore, and, if so, you will remember that I mentioned that I purposed visiting Kashmir. The British government, and especially Mr. George Clarke, the ambassador at the court of Lahore, were ready to make the necessary arrangements with the Maharaja, but Mr. Maddock seriously urged me to give up my cherished plan. He told me he considered that the state of things in that country was extremely insecure, that the government was very weak, and that if a revolution were to break out while I was in those parts my life would be exposed to the greatest danger. Though the counsel of so judicious a friend would, of itself, have sufficed to induce me to give up my plan, I was still more influenced by the apprehension, that my intention might be disapproved, and it was my first duty to

act accordingly. The expense, besides, is so considerable, that I feared it would far exceed my ability, and not be compensated by the advantages.

In my last letter I took leave of you at midnight, when I had just returned from Shalimar, and had had a parting audience of leave of the Maharaja. On the following morning, the 13th January, we set out on our return to Ferozpoor, in the same coaches, and attended by the same escort which had accompanied us hither. We breakfasted at Lulleeana, under a tent that had been sent before, and then, while the horses were being changed, we were again saluted at Kussore by the guns of the fortress. Our escort, commanded by Colonel Sheth Singh, kept constantly at our side; and the appearance of some of the horsemen was so highly picturesque, that I very much regret not having taken a sketch of them. My attention was particularly attracted by a grey-bearded life-guardsman, who continually kept watching us with his piercing eyes, and, without changing his horse, arrived at the same time with us on the Sutlej. Here we found boats ready to take us across, and on the opposite bank carriage and elephants were in waiting, to convey us to the cantonments at Ferozpoor.

I found the usual hospitable reception in the bungalow of my friend Captain Ewart; we chatted away the evening hours in the company of his amiable wife and of Captain Hay, who listened with much interest to my account of the remarkable court at Lahore. The following day was passed in making preparations for my journey through the protected Sikh states to Sunam, and it was arranged that the same men who had carried Mr. Maddock and Captain

Somerset should convey me thither the next evening. Mr. G. Clarke had the kindness to lend us a dawk, by means of which we were able to overtake the Governor General at that place.

The Sikh states (14,000 square miles in extent) are governed by 150 Rajahs and Sirdars, of whom those of Patialah, Keythul, Naba, and Jheend are the most considerable, and are under the protection of the British government. With the exception of fifteen, they are Sikhs, and the conquerors of the countries belonging to them; their subjects are chiefly Mussulmans and Hindoos, whom they govern with great despotism. The revenue of all these petty principalities and jaghires is estimated at about fifty lacs per annum, and, it is believed, that they could muster 5000 cavalry and 20,000 infantry.

Favoured by the finest weather and bright moonlight, with a temperature of 56° Fahrenheit, I set out at 9 o'clock in the evening. Eight men bore my palanquin alternately, a torchbearer went by my side, and a man mounted on a camel, armed with a sabre and a gun, trotted on before. Till we reached the first station, we proceeded principally through jungles, and the road, which the army had taken, was but too plainly indicated by the immense number of dead camels, which were surrounded by the ravenous jackals, which had been attracted to the spots. This road is never used by palanquin travellers; and the bearers were wholly unaccustomed to this kind of service, for they had been taken from the villages, but we promised to pay them well, on account of the insecurity of the roads, which do not enjoy the best reputation. English officers have often been attacked here, and a few days before an officer had been robbed

in the night of his horses, camels, and part of his effects. This induced Mr. George Clarke to appoint Suwars (riders on camels) for our protection, to whom the superintendence over the bearers was also entrusted. After passing the village of Malwal, I accordingly found two armed riders, and, in lieu of eight bearers, eighteen. But the men, with all their goodwill, found the unusual work very fatiguing, and, instead of three miles in an hour, they scarcely carried me two; when the Suwars, therefore, proposed to me, at Mudkee, to mount one of their horses, and to let my palanquin follow, I joyfully accepted this offer.

We now proceeded by way of Bhaga-Parana, Patokee, Bhadaur, Ugaikee, Hudaya, and Sangawal to Sunam. The country was more or less cultivated ; the soil extremely fruitful; and I was more than once reminded of the middle ages of my own country by the many small forts which lay on the side of the road, like knights' castles.

In four-and-twenty hours I had travelled a hundred miles, and at nine in the evening came in sight of the little town of Sunam, surrounded with walls, and the camp of the Governor General beyond it. Having taken no nourishment, and being much fatigued by the heavy motion of the horses, and the inconvenient saddles, I was so exhausted that I was scarcely able to reach the tent of my friend Durand, to beg him to procure me some refreshment. Colonel Ashburnham, who had taken care of my faithful Werner during my absence, immediately had a bed made up for me in his tent, where I soon fell into a sound sleep, from which I rose quite refreshed the following morning.