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the relation of my interview with the thannadar, than the seven culprits pinioned and ironed, bearing misery and famine in their aspect, were made over. With his mouth half full, Wâhâb jumped up; yes that's him and there's the other; now tell me old boy, did you not ride on yonder lad's shoulder from the bamboo clump to the big pipal ?" but the wretches were in no mood for a joke and affected ignorance of what was said."

Such was the substance of Aliverdi Khan's report; not much extenuating or exaggerating what he had done; but shewing pretty plainly that, if he had worked for me, he had also worked the Singh Kotwalji pretty well too. In two stiff marches he made Kote Kângrâ, and the appearance of himself, party, and prisoners, shewed that little grass had grown under their feet since we parted. A more villainous looking set than those brought before me, I have seldom seen, they at first denied the matter in toto, and got up a plausible enough story in defence, but a little gentle threatening and the very conclusive evidence against them, induced them to confess. One, a Bhourya, was a very intelligent ruffian, and seemed to have enjoyed the sport; his adventures I may some day lay before the public, but I must cut short the case, briefly stating that Nand Singh's, Muhammed Shah's and the old Sikh's participation in the plot, was proved fully: the latter of course denied everything, but when I caused a pardah to be drawn up and shewed him his horse, whose death, by a fit of gripes, he and his worthy commander had certified, he was so taken back that with outstretched hands, he craved my pardon, I have nothing to say my lord, your slave was misled, he was taught to believe you a tyrant and a monster, he has found you neither; it was my fate, do with me as seemeth best." Nand Singh refused to plead, simply saying, I was pleased to desire his ruin and might work my will; but when he saw his confidant Muhammed Shah attempting to vindicate himself at his expence, there was a slight quiver of the lip, but it passed, and his usual bold and insolent bearing returned; indeed to have seen him, a stranger would have little supposed him on trial for his life, but rather the indignant plaintiff in a case affecting his honor; in this he had his end to serve, and before the court broke up, there were many loud and undisguised appeals for justice from the soldiery that crowded around. The man was a Sikh, and the majority of the lancers were so too; he was virtually their commanding officer and had brothers and connexions among them my position therefore

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was delicate: I hesitated for a few moments, but resolved that come what would, his life should pay the forfeit; I, therefore, sentenced the nine inferior villains to be branded on the left shoulder with the word "Ruffian," to receive each two hundred lashes on his bare backside, and then to work in irons as a felon for the term of his natural life. This sentence was promulgated, a scaffold and nine posts ordered to be erected on the public parade; arrangements were all made to put down at once any outbreak; it was done quietly and without any unusual știr, I appeared with my usual attendants at the hour appointed; the branding and flogging over, I ordered Nand Singh to the front, he was pale, the blood had forsaken his face, leaving a greenish hue over his countenance; but there was still no quailing, rather indeed a fiercer, wilder aspect than usual; the effect of opium with which he was largely drugged; I stood with him close in front of his Regiment, I explained the enormity, the unmanliness of the act he had attempted; I offered a full pardon, on the one condition that he should give up his Principal, and place in my hands the full means of convicting him, his eye glistened with a demoniac fire-" never dog, cursed, unclean, filthy Kaffer-you have escaped me, but your web is spundo your pleasure on my body, your own shall soon be rotting on your bones!" He would have proceeded, but I ordered the executioner to cut off his right hand at the wrist. He bore the amputa

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tion like a hero, no sign of pain, or cry of mercy escaped him he looked around as if expecting some event, his eye caught mine and faltered, and, at that moment, a carbine ball struck me on the left shoulder; the marksman was on the instant dragged from the ranks, and would have been then and there cut to pieces, but I stayed the swords of the slayers, and faint as I felt, I upheld myself, saw that the man was a brother of Nand Singh's, and ordered his instant discharge without injury; he thanked me ironically, but saluting me as he passed, said slowly," Kaffer, we'll meet again." I was fast sinking, people and things floated before me, I had just sense and strength remaining to tell the troops, that I had not originally intended to have executed the capital sentence without their full acquiescence, and that but for the murmurs and speeches of the previous day, the present scene should not have been enacted: but you know my friends, there cannot be two masters, more than two suns, if I am not to be obeyed, I had better yield up my

command at once to the miscreant before you; his own words have now evinced his guilt, if there was doubt before, now there can be none. Did I choose to exercise my authority, I have ample means of enforcing it, but I purpose otherwise the matter is now in your hands you have a choice of commanders, a few minutes and my unbandaged wound will end my career, Nand Singh's circumstances are much the same; choose between us; run him up the block before you, or see me finish my career," saying thus, my knees shook, I fell to the ground, and my senses fled.

NOTES.

(a) This translation does not sound nearly so euphonious as the original “Khudāwand-i-niāmat” which is a favourite oriental hyperbole for addressing a superior, as is Chând Khan's second phrase," appreciator of merit" or “kadardān”

(b) A practice almost entirely peculiar to the British in India, and hardly credible to the Natives, who are accustomed to look on any encampment, from that of an army, to that of an individual, as a scourge of greater or less violence; to be endured, like a flight of locusts or an earthquake.

(c) A rent-free tenure, on terms of military service, the holder having to furnish a specified quota of troops, when required, or for regular service: jagirs differ in this respect from religious endowments, which are granted for the support of a holy man or family, or the repairs of a tomb.

(d) The spiritual founder of the Sikhs, mentioned in the preceding chapter as Nanac Shah, or Guru Naanac; Shah means Saint as well as King; and Guru may be translated Priest, and jî signifies Sir, or rather, the French Monsieur, and is applied in addition to any other title; "Monsieur L'Evêque" is perhaps the truest rendering of Guruji for European ears.

(e) The reader will please to remember, in this and other passages, who is the speaker. Raja Dhyan Singh might possibly have disliked a man without instigating, or even desiring his assassination, though Chand Khan makes him do both. A great man is not necessarily party to all the deeds and thoughts, into which a rude villain may drag his name. The Quarterly Reviewer, who makes John Knox cognizant of, and consenting to the murder of Darnley, because the perpetrators of that deed, inserted the reformer's name in a list they furnished to an English Privy Counsellor, would have made a capital Judge in a tribunal for the resumption of rent-free tenures, where the claims of the legal evidence is often exactly in proportion to the moral proofs, the opposite way.

(f) Strictly speaking Kāngrā is not in the Panjâb; that term only applying to the tract included between the rivers Jelum, Chenab, Ravï, Byah and Sutluj, which constitute the Panj-ab or five waters.

(9) Alexander the Great, under the name of Sikandar or Sikandar Beg, is familiarly known all over the East. He and Rûstam are the heroes or rather demigods of Western Asia.

(h) A wall piece or swivel mounted on a tripod; it is used in the field; a gun of nearly the same size and construction, mounted on a camel's back, is called a Zamburak.

(i) This foregoing passage is a pretty fair picture of eastern officials, and their usual spirit; working for working's sake, or to fulfil a duty, is out of their

range of ideas. The acquisition of wealth and power, is the object of exertion, and when the end is gained, why continue the labour? Business can be done by menials, and the profits still reach the chief, directly or indirectly, either by participation, or by a well-applied squeeze to the deputy when full of the gains of iniquity. Of course I speak generally, there are exceptions, and among them was the very person who made me the speech here recorded, some ten years ago; this was Hakim Mehndi Ali Khân, the late Vazir of Oude; even to old age he was active in mind and body, would take long rides in the morning, and attend minutely to his business during the day. He was a clear-seeing and able old man, not untainted by the corruption around him, but answering to the idea of a good oriental despot, reckless what road he took to obtain power, but, when obtained, using it justly and energetically.

(4) Abbreviation of Amaldar and meaning a ruler, usually an intendant of finance; among the natives he is the civil chief of a district or province, sometimes armed with military authority, sometimes not; such rulers are often called Dewân, or Nâzim.

(1)" Kanjars, and Kanchan" are names equally applied to a tribe of Gypsies, who wander about India, pursuing their usual calling of thieves, beggars, and jugglers they rather purchase and steal female children for a profligate life, than sacrifice their own women to it. Gujars are noted cattle stealers; Chumars are, properly speaking, leather-dressers, a low caste, ready to turn their hand to any thing that promises gain.

(m) Doab means two waters, and is a term applied to indicate various provinces, included between two streams. The Jalandar Doab lies between the rivers Ravi and Byah.

(n) This termination of the pursuit is taken from a real tracking-excursion, in which the robbers were thus traced into a town, and the leader of the pursuit told the head man of the place that he had tracked the footsteps into the walls, but could find no track out again; that his chārpāî was across the gate, and there it should remain till the culprits were given up. Given up they were, after a decent delay, and they then made no attempt to deny their offence. When reminded that one horse had always been in the rear, and asked how this had happened, they replied, "Oh! he was lame, and could not keep up with the others," thus verifying the trackers' observations.

(0) Literally, the thing brought, or rations. Throughout India, the government servants expect free quarters, and if refused, owe a grudge to the stout zamindar. Grass and wood, especially, are expected gratis ; and, even if the superior pay for them, little, if any, of the price ever reaches the rightful owner. Englishmen, however, generally act otherwise, and I may here give an instance of the estimate in which they are held. A Jew of Meshid was lately applied to by a European, who professed to be an Englishman, travelling with despatches to Tehran, and who asked for an advance of 500 ducats. The Jew gave the money, simply on the stranger's note of hand. It turned out that the rogue was a Prussian, in the Russian service, who had, however, so much honesty as to write to the English Chargé d'Affaires at Tehran, requesting that he would honor the bill, for the credit of his country. The Jew, being asked how he came to give the money to an unaccredited stranger, who could give no proof even that he was an Englishman, replied, “I believed he was what he said, because he would not accept any presents or gratuitous supplies."

CHAPTER FIFTH.

CONTENTS.

"Shewing how, while one wound is healing, another may be received." An owre true tale."-"Many are Poets, who have never penned their inspiration," and an old woman may talk blank verse.-Bellasis applies the sweetner and cement of civilized lifes and finds it intelligible even to the Sikhs."

How long my insensibility lasted I cannot say, but by the growth of my nails and hair some days must have elapsed, when, towards mid-day, I awoke as from a troubled sleep, confused visions, and