the Maharajah, and replied distinctly, though respectfully, that as I had engaged to perform a certain duty, I would do it; although I had neither received my parw annah of installation, nor had my instructions; but that after I had inspected the border, and done what lay in my power for its security, I should then tender my resignation; and I hinted that I meant, if refused leave, to take it, I wrote in still plainer terms to the faq ir, telling him that my mind was irrevocably made up, and that nothing should detain me longer than six months in the country unless it was to be avenged on Mahtab's murderers, of which I saw little chance; though at the same time I caused to be proc laimed a reward of ten thousand rupees for the simple disclosure, with proof, of the instigator of the deed.

My pen has lost its fluency, and I feel that my task is already ended, though I should wish for consistency's sake to finish my career with credit, to fulfil my engagement and to tell my readers how I did so.

CONCLUSION.

In reading the fore going pages, let it be remembered, that they are not written to-day; in fact that it was during the year 1840, they first appeared in the Delhi Gazette.

Some of the prophecies given by Bellasis have been realized, some falsified, by the events that have since occurred; but on the whole, the ADVENTURER has reason to be satisfied with the extent to which his prognostics have been fulfilled.

The Panjab has been troubled,-mightily so,—and has only been saved from wreck by the good faith of the powerful neighbour;-two, nay three, dynasties have passed away, Runjeet Singh, his son, and his grandson have all been gathered to their fathers, and the man who in the ADVENTURER'S opinion had hardly a chance of succeeding to the throne, now reigns with the brother Rajahs as his vassals and ministers; with the brother faqirs, as equally his humble servants.

Within three short years have all these events occurred; to.develope their causes, and to trace out the effects in all their tragic course, may furnish an interesting chapter in Panjab history, a chapter more startling and more romantic in its realities, than fancy could paint, or imagination conceive. The ADVENTURER however deals rather with the past than with the present; and indeed would as seldom as possible intrude into the path of the historian; satisfied with the humbler, though not less useful, task of noting the springs of men's actions, and, by glances at the back scenes of the Panjab society, account in a measure for the peculiarities and apparent inconsistencies of Sikh character.

History gives a mass of events, historical romance only offers pictures of men and manners, and seeks rather to sketch the interior scenes of life, the details, as regards the Panjâb, that seldom come before Europeans, than to chronicle events that are already recorded in the Indian Ukhbars, and other papers of the day.

Since this first part of the work was written, the ADVENTURER has had opportunity of personally testing the correctness of many descriptions and opinions here given : many apologies are due for the incompleteness and patchiness of the work as it now stands, and it did occur to him to re-write the whole, with the advantage of his further experience and observations. But not having detected any material error in what was already put forth, and not having more time at command than he can otherwise dispose of, he ventures to give it to the public as it stands.

Suffice it to add, that in obedience to the commands of Ranjit Singh, the ADVENTURER continued his progress from Pak Patan to Multân, and thence visited the Derajat and the whole Western border up to Peshawar; that the conduct of the Lahāur Ruler then drove him through one of the passes in the Sulimani range into Affghanistan, just at the time that Shah Sujah was making that effort for his throne, which ended in his defeat at the battle of Kandahar in which Bellasis took a part. That his fortune afterwards led him to Kabul and Jalâlâbâd, and that in the neutral ground of the Khaibar and Peshawar, he experienced some adventures, which, if the reading public give encouragement, may hereafter be laid before them.

NOTES.

(a) "Pak Putan" "the entrance of purity," or "the holy gate!" (" pak," pure; Patan," an entrance.) At this place there is an annual fair, on which occasion a small, low gateway is opened, only high enough to admit of a person creeping in on these occasions numbers do resort to the spot, as every one who crawls through, thereby secures an entrance into paradise. Such was the legend I heard near the spot, but I do not know its origin,

(b)" From thy heavenly tinctured wing,

Breathing bliss without alloy."

The wing is the organ of respiration with butterflies. There is a beautiful Irish superstition, that the sight of a white butterfly, at the time of a person's death, betokens the happiness of a departed spirit.

ADDITIONAL NOTES.

[Additional note to Chapter 2d, continuation of the first note, page 28, on the French Officers; speaking of Avitable, the note goes on]

"Avitable is of a different stamp"-he has ingratiated himself with the British officers who have passed through Peshawar, by his boundless and princely hospitality, and it is perhaps excusable to shut their eyes to the faults of a man whose salt they had eaten. Less cordial participation in half-barbarous feasts, (for champagne does not of itself constitute civilization,) and a juster picture of the man, might seem to some more becoming English officers.

66

The most lenient view that can be taken of General Avitable is, to consider him as set in authority over savage animals-not as a ruler over reasonable beings-grinding down a race, who bear the yoke with about as good a grace as a wild bull in a net," and who, catching their ruler for one moment asleep, would soon cease to be governed. But it is to his disgrace that he "acts as a savage among savage men," instead of shewing them that Christian can wield the iron sceptre without staining it by needless cruelty or personal vice; without following some of the worst fashions of his worst neighbours. General Avitable has added summary hangings to the native catalogue of punishments, and not a bad one either, when properly used; but the ostentation of adding two or three to the string suspended from his gibbet, on special days and festivals, added to a very evident habitual carelessness of life, lead one to fear that small pains are taken to distinguish between innocence and guilt, and that many a man, ignorant of the alleged crime, pays with his life the price of blood, for it is the General's system, when, as often happens, a Sikh, or any other of his own men, disappears at or near any village in the Peshawar territory, to fine that village, or to make it give up the murderer or murderers; the latter is the cheapest plan, a victim or victims are given up, and justice is satisfied.

Still General Avitable has many of the attributes of a good ruler; he is bold, active, and intelligent, seeing every thing with his own eyes, up early and late, he has, at the expence of his own character for humanity, by the terror of his name saved much life. Believed to fear neither man nor devil, he keeps down by grim fear, what nothing else would keep down, the unruly spirits around him, who, if let slip, would riot in carnage; his severity may therefore be extenuated, as the least of two evils; but no such palliation can be offered for gross sensuality and indecency, tending to degrade the very name of Christian in the sight of, perhaps, the very worst specimen of God's creatures among whom he dwells. Avitable's whole system of morals oriental, avowedly eschewing force, when artifice can gain the point, and looking on subjects as made to be squeezed; in person he is tall and stout, with bushy beard, whiskers and moustache, marked with the small-pox, and with a coarse and unprepossessing countenance, exhibiting at times the worst passions of man, but again lighted up into even a pleasing expression: of no education, but with strong natural sense and ability, he has acquired a good knowledge of Persian and of the Panjabi dialect. Strangely influencing those around him, and influenced by them, his history is a curious study, and when his own generation has passed away, will hardly be believed.

(Additional note to Chapter 3rd, page 36, after the words, Bahadur was put to death.")

"The Guru Teg

This name signifies "Lord of the Sword;" an appellation which gave offence to Aurangzeb, who desired the Guru to adopt some other name. The leader refused, saying, "You will find that my son will verify the title, and conquer by the sword." And so he did, transforming the meek and oppressed Sikhs into the bold and oppressive Singhs.

[Additional note to Chapter 3rd to come in after the words "Most are childless, and a large family is never found," page 37.]

A curious illustration of this remark is, that Rajah Sachet Singh has been three times married, and has no children; while his brothers, who have each been four times married, have each but two sons: those of Dhyan Singh being the well known Hera Singh, and Jowahir Singh, those of Gulab Singh were Udam Singh, killed by the fall of a gateway when Nao Nihal also perished, and Jowahir Singh, now alive. Dhyan Singh, indeed, is said to have had more than one daughter, who, according to the laws of his tribe, perished immediately after birth.

THE END.