I have mentioned already that our servants were much alarmed by the accounts which they had heard of the prowess of the Affghans, and these Seiks made a point of frightening them still more. They told them that we were sure to be annihilated like the last force in Affghanistan, and that even if by some miracle we should escape, the Maharajah,* Shere Sing, had an army ready, in addition to which the Seik population intended to rise en masse, to cut off our retreat through their country. They were determined, they said, to exterminate the Feringees;t and our army was only now allowed to proceed in order that it might be more effectually got into the trap, with the Affghans in front and the Seiks the in rear.

These Seiks plundered our baggage on every opportunity. Our advanced guard one morning came suddenly upon a number of them while attempting to take some articles, belonging to the force, from the natives under whose charge they were, and had a skirmish with them. The irregular horsemen charged the vagabonds at once, and drawing their tulwars,‡ would have taken off a number of their heads in a very short time had they not

* King of the Punjab.

↑ English. Swords.

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CROSSING RIVERS.

been stopped by the native officer in command. The robbers soon took to their heels, when they found what sort of customers they had to deal with.

General Pollock was at this time at, or near, Peshawur with a large force, and our commander spared no pains to overtake him. We had terribly hard work in crossing the rivers, none of which were at this time fordable. All our camels, artillery, and treasure tumbrils had to be transported in boats. The whole force, however, worked day and night to get them over with as little delay as possible. To induce the unwieldly camels to enter the boats was indeed no easy matter; but our men had heard that the Jellalabad garrison were reduced to the utmost straits, and they worked like men who knew not what fatigue was. The camel, I believe, is the only animal that cannot swim. It is an extraordinary fact, that the moment they lose their footing in a stream, they turn over, and can make no efforts to prevent themselves from being drowned. They have naturally a great antipathy to the water, which enhanced the difficulty with which we had to contend. Many became so much alarmed after they were in the boats that they jumped overboard and were lost.

A Seik envoy accompanied our force on the march. He had been sent by Shere Sing osten

sibly to obtain for us any supplies we might happen to want, but really, I believe, as a spy. This worthy's name was Cheyt Sing, and a funny fellow he was. In person he was short and punchy, with a large good-natured looking face, and a roguish leer in his eye. He was very civil and obliging, and in consequence was asked to dine with us at the mess. He came attended by three strapping Seiks, as attendants, and although he informed us his religion would not permit him to eat with us, he would drink as much as we liked. Accordingly, he seated himself at a little distance from the table, and a bottle of port wine was delivered to one of his attendants. When Cheyt Sing was challenged to drink, another of his men pulled out a little silver cup which he filled and held to his master's lips. The old Seik was not long in emptying the contents; and, the moment he had done so, the third attendant stepped forward with a linen cloth and wiped his mouth for him. The operation was repeated whenever he drank. Every officer at mess made a point of challenging him; and, as he finished a bumper every time, he soon got royally drunk. He then began to be very facetious, and made many jokes in his own language which nobody understood but himself, his utterance, having become rather thick. However, they seemed to tickle his own

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BURIAL OF THE DEAD.

fancy, for he laughed immoderately, and was eventually carried out by his attendants just as he had volunteered a Seik song, but of which, it appeared, he had forgotten both the tune and words. He dined with us several times afterwards, and said we were capital fellows; and condoled with us on our misfortune in not having been born Seiks.

Some of the inhabitants of the Punjab have an extraordinary custom of burying their dead with the head downwards in a small deep pit. The reason they give for it is this: they believe the world is flat, and that on the last day it will be turned topsy-turvy. The gates of Heaven they imagine will only be open for a short time, and it will be first come first served with the future inhabitants of the mansions of bliss. By burying their dead with the head downwards now, they will be standing on their feet when the world turns over, and thus according to their argument, they will of course be enabled to get into Heaven long before those, who being buried in the usual manner, will lose so much time in getting up from their recumbent position.

The Punjab, from the Sutledge to the Jhelum, is a most fertile and valuable district. I never in any other country saw such abundant crops of corn, and that the inhabitants are well off, there

can be no doubt. None of that squalid misery was to be seen here which is so often witnessed among the native population in the Company's dominions. Even the common women employed in laborious work or herding cattle wore bangles,* and other jewels of pure gold and of great weight. In the Company's territory, the same class would decorate themselves with ornaments of pewter or brass. There is doubtless a great deal of money in the possession of the Seiks, and a campaign in their country would be a much more profitable concern than wasting so much blood and treasure as we have done in possessing ourselves of barren rocks and mountains. In Affghanistan, we gave rupees for stones; and our policy in ever going to such a place, renders us the ridicule of every native power in the East. No nation but England would take such a country as Affghanistan at a gift. The whole of its yearly revenue is about thirty thousand pounds, and our expenses there were nearly three millions.

It was said that it was necessary to take it, in order to prevent the Russians from invading our territories on that side. I do not see how we have furthered that object by converting a people who were inclined to be friendly towards us into

* Bracelets.