beating my boots with my riding whip, I counted the minutes that I was detained, and shortly after midday was, to my delight, again in my saddle.

Our direction had, during the morning, been under the low range of the Kangra and Nurpur hills, and parallel to the course of the river Byâs, before it emerges from the last break in the range that runs past Rupar, by Nandpur Makhowul, towards Nurpur ; hitherto the river was a rapid and noisy torrent, rolling over boulders of all sizes; but as I left its track and stretched westward towards Dinanaggar, the stream had already lost its mountain character, and was assuming the usual placid aspect of the Pânjâb rivers; not that in any part, until it joins the Sutluj, does it acquire the muddy hue of the river, which it flows into with a comparatively deep and blue current.

At Dinanaggar I scarce glanced at the Râvi, and immediately giving it a wide berth on my right, we dashed along the Amritsir road keeping the Hussalee canal on our left; the country seemed to me as I rapidly rode along, to have improved in cultivation since I last passed, and with a strong recollection of localities, I called to mind as I hurried by, the occurrences of my upward march to Kângra; the insidious attentions of Nand Singh and the every-day traits of Sikh character that then, as new, so much affected me.

Such recollections glanced through my mind as some recognized object fell on my eye; but my thoughts were on her I was to meet at Amritsir, and though my mind was much relieved as to her well-being, there was still a remnant of fear and doubt remaining.

The evening shadows were lengthening as I approached Buttala, the abode of the Kowr Shere Singh, where, with a prudent reserve, the Prince kept himself aloof from the complicated politics of the day; and where, with a more questionable policy, he spent > his days in sporting and his nights in debauchery; I had but once seen him, and had then been treated courteously; I therefore thought it not right to pass his door without the formality of a visit, and when near at hand, sent a message that though in a hurry, and on important business, I would if permitted, pay my respects, and for one moment attend on the Maharajah's son; a gracious message was returned by a Mutamad of the Kowr's, whom I bade to turn about, and shew me to his master's hall.

1

Booted and spurred, I rode up to an open pavilion where, in luxurious guise, the Prince was enjoying the afternoon's air; he received me with much favor, expressed himself an admirer of Europeans, and declared his especial regard for the character I had earned at Kângra; he asked the purport of my long and rapid journey, at such a juncture, when my presence was so much required? I told him plainly, why I was going, and said that I should still be in time for the Rupar conference.

The Prince was much amused; he however made more civilized remarks than did his reputed father; and calling to the Commandant of his Body Guard, he desired that a Squadron of twenty picked men should accompany me, and a like number immediately proceed half way to Amritsir and there await my coming, and escort me into the city.

I thanked the Kowr, but declined the escort, and told him that it would only detain me, that I was most anxious to proceed, and had already ample guard in the Gurcharas, the Sodhi and my own people.

"Ah Sahib, you look too much to the word of a Sodhi; believe me they are not all, to be trusted; and I have lived to see the safeguard of both Beidi and Sodhi violated; rely on it that a few good talwars are better guard than the pass of the high priest Bikramajit himself: besides, there are many Akâlis about Butala, and more about Amritsir, gathering like foul birds for the approaching Dusserah, and you know they care not for the Maharajah himself, much less for Baba, Bhae or Sodhi Sahib."

At another time I should have disregarded the friendly advice, but now I had an object in view that enjoined all necessary caution; I therefore accepted the kindly aid, and partaking of a slight refreshment, I again, after repeating my thanks, threw myself on the horse prepared for me, and through crowds of gazing Sikh soldiers (more than one of whose wild eye and blue attire told me, as did his coarse language, that he was an Akali). I passed along at such pace that I was in an instant beyond reach of insult or injury.

My train now mustered twenty-eight souls, our speed, therefore, soon slackened, for I saw that if I continued my present pace, I had good chance of riding alone into Amritsir.

One watch of the night had passed, and I had now, with the exception of about two hours' halt between Dinnanagar and Butala, been eighteen hours in the saddle, and ridden over one hundred and fifty miles of country, when the walls of Gobindgurh, with the young moon glancing from behind it, suddenly opened on my view. Amritsir and Gobindgurh have often been described; I will, therefore, leave the holy tank and the religious capital of the Sikhs to the reader's imagination, as I will the supposed countless hoards of money there amassed; besides, I had little thought at the time for other treasure than my own, and little ability or desire to meditate on aught but the lost and recovered flower of Kāngra.

NOTES.

(a) Promotion, in the Indo-British army a few years ago, went almost en tirely by seniority: some improvement has recently been made, but nevertheless Fyz Ali's story is not all fiction, nor is it long since a gallant officer lived, who might possibly have recognized the tale as fact.

(b) Here again I gladly bear testimony to an improved state of things, tho' enough of evil remains to call for further interference. It is Maria Edgeworth I think, who says, "physicians are abundantly diffuse and exact when describing symptoms, but surprisingly brief when they come to treat of remedies." I would not be one of these Doctors, nor would I dwell needlessly on defects inherent to the world we live in; but it is laziness and not contentment to put up with evils which may be remedied. No man could have seen a detachment of recruits march through Calcutta ten or fifteen years ago, without earnestly deprecating the plan adopted with newly landed European soldiers, in every thing connected with their comfort and morals, Her Majesty's officers are becoming more rational, but I have seen a newly-arrived regiment undergoing a full-dress parade in Fort William, in April and May. The vice and mortality, arising from injudicious arrangements, are frightful, and pretty nearly equal in the three Presidencies. Considerations of finance as well as of humanity might open the eyes of those in authority to the advantage of locating their European troops in the hill stations, with such facilities for communication as might enable the men to be brought down speedily on any emergency. The rivers present the readiest highway from the mountains; and a few small, powerful steam tugs, with well constructed flats, would supersede the necessity for three-fourths of the plain stations for European troops. The first outlay would be considerable, but in ten years the expence would be covered by the saving of life; and who can estimate the advantage to the minds of the men? or the additional honor to the European character, if rescued from the stain of intoxication and its attendant vices? As to service, surely a regiment fresh from the hills would be worth two that had been demoralized and parboiled in the plains.

(c) A Khillat is a dress of honor; Parwasti is the favoritism that knaves ask and fools bestow, or that fools ask and knaves bestow, whichever the reader pleases. Folly and knavery there must be in an office where purwasti abounds.

(d) The Sodhis, claiming descent from the founder of the Sikh religion, are generally treated with respect, and, in the Panjab as merchants and traders, are exempted from half tolls, a privilege of which they frequently take advantage, by officiating as carriers for others, and "receiving the difference," as the horse guards say. This is a case of parwasti, illustrating the preceding note.

(e) Philor is the ferry, opposite to the military station of Ludiâna; there is a brick fort, formed from one of the old royal Serais looking with its minars like a congregation of chimneys. Ranjit set much store by the place, though even in its triple wall, and scarped ditch it is of little strength, and good only against a coup de main. The fort does not command the ferry; it belongs I believe to the Aluwala Chief; though a Royal Post is maintained at it, the fort and ghat is now under the orders of Lena Singh Majetia.

(ƒ) Native officials always claim free quarters, and their highest enjoyment is to be out in the district living on the fat of the land. Tehsildar is the native Collector, ten or twelve of whom are in each of the Company's districts, subordinate to the European officer; they are now generally well paid, receiving from £200 to £300 per annum, as salary, but their actual incomes are often treble that sum. If honest, they are content with a nazzar at the two great festivals of the year, which doubles their salary. Maskuri is an extra inferior, executive officer, the lowest class of all; he executes decrees, and seldom is paid more than seven or eight shillings a month from Government; the proportion of his salary and actual income being about the same as existed between the salary and emoluments of all officials in the days of Lord Clive, when a Collector received a hundred pounds or so per annum, salary, and realized a large fortune in ten or twenty years.

CHAPTER FIFTEENTH.

CONTENTS.

The grand event with which this book ought properly to terminate.-Steel is a better metal than gold.-A modern Agesilaus."

"Think'st thou my heart its loved one hath not found?

Yes! we are one, oh! trust me we have met !

If the reader has ever been, for long years, separated from the object of his love; or if even the absence of a month or week has brought to his heart nights of weariness, and days of desolation, he can understand my feelings when, rescued from such a tissue of dangers, I clasped my bride to my heart, and heard in her own sweet words, the touching narration of her perils, and of the process, to her quite incomprehensible, by which she was released. To the reader of these pages, who has been in such a position, the filling up of the blank in this part of my story will be no difficult task; and to all the rest of the world, any thing I might write would seem mawkish, so I will even let them settle the matter in their own minds as they may think most proper; and will pass on from matters of sentiment to details of fact.

Having recovered my treasure, I was resolved that there should nought but death part her and me.” Mahtab had long seen the absurdity, and worse than absurdity, of the religion she had been reared in, and was prepared by her natural rectitude and purity, to