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the Khan was delighted to hear we had had a safe journey; that he was to provide for our accommodation, and attend us to Memdot. But the Khan's professions and promises did not correspond with their performance, and we had much difficulty in procuring food for ourselves or provender for our horses, for either love or money.

Here we dismissed the escort that had accompanied us from Ahmedpoor, with thanks and presents; we gave the officer a very ample testimonial, and requested him to repeat to his prince, in our names, our most grateful thanks for his Highness's hospitality and friendship.

We passed the 10th of November in the village of Pajaike, where two of our party, Dr. Christie and Captain Nicholson, fell sick; the doctor, however, soon recovered, while the illness of Captain Nicholson assumed a very unsatisfactory character. Passing through Mohunke, we arrived, on the 11th, at the little town of Memdot. The country round is well cultivated; the town small and dirty; but the citadel is by far the best which we have seen throughout our journey. It is situated on the north side, and built of clay and brick, surrounded by a wall 40 feet high, with round projecting towers.

The Khan's residence, a simple dwelling with glass windows, lies within the walls of the citadel. My. comrades here received bread and provisions, which had been sent by their friends at Ferozpoor. To our extreme regret, Captain Nicholson was now so severely ill from brain fever that we were obliged to have him carried next day to Ferozpoor.

Impatient to reach our destination, we set out the following morning, at 3 o'clock; at sunrise we came

in sight of the fort and the cantonments lying three miles to the south of it, and in an hour after we arrived at our tents, which were pitched among the bungalows. Here have I been engaged since yesterday in writing to you. What may next take place is not known; many conjecture that the army of reserve, which is to be assembled here in the course of three weeks, is destined to enter the Punjab, and support the Maharaja Sheer Singh, against his rebellious minister, Dheean Singh. On this my hopes and wishes depend, but "man proposes, God disposes!" Therefore I will fearlessly leave those things, which are concealed from my mortal sight, to the unerring guidance of that Almighty hand, which has hitherto so wonderfully led and protected me.

LETTER V.

TO ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT.

-

The Punjab. The Sikhs.-Runjeet Singh.-His government and position relative to the English.-Suttees. — Burning of the corpse of Runjeet Singh with eleven of his wives. -Dheean Singh and the Fakir Uzeezoodeen.-Maharaja Kurruck Singh and the Rani-Chand-Kour.- Sheer Singh.

Ferozpoor. - Entry of the commanding general into the camp.― Hospitality.—Elephants.— Arrival of the Governor General, Lord Ellenborough. His camp and baggage.The army of reserve.- General Sale passes the Sutlej.— Generals Pollock and Nott.-Present from the Indian government of one of the cannon taken at Kabool to the King of Prussia.- Camp at Ferozpoor.- Entrance of the Rajah Heera Singh, and on the 10th December of the crown prince, Perthaub Singh, accompanied by Dheean Singh.-Grand review and festivities.- Departure of an extraordinary embassage to Lahore under Mr. Maddock, Member of the Supreme Council. Journey thither. The city, and reception by the Maharaja.—Festivities in Lahore. -Mausoleum of Shah Dura. - Grand review of 60,000 men and 200 pieces of artillery.—Chase.-Farewell audience at Shahlimar.

Lahore, Jan. 12. 1843.

FROM the land of the ancient Cathays, the former Sangala, I will give you a description of reviews, military festivities, processions, elephants, and Indian tales. When the last few weeks, with their rich and ever-varying scenes, pass before my mind, it seems as though I had dwelt for months in another land: I feel as if just awakened from a lovely dream, which transported me into the early ages of the world, with all their golden fairy tales and legends.

In no country on the globe, except in China, have the people retained their ancient usages and manners, their ancient customs and habits, so unaltered as in India. Here we behold a state of things which has been recorded by the history of the earliest ages; living pictures so antique, that one might fancy they were the revivified images of the days of old. Before, however, giving you an account descriptive of my journey to Ferozpoor, I must conduct you into the Punjab, the land of the Sikhs, the dominions of the Maharaja Sheer Singh.

The Punjab, or country of "five waters" (punj, five; ab, waters), covering an area of 6000 geographical square miles, lies between the Indus, the Sutlej, and the Himalaya mountains. The four streams which rise in these mountains, intersect the country, and divide it with the Indus into four distinct doabs. The first district, lying between the Indus and the Jailum (Hydaspes), is 147 miles in breadth. The Jailum, a clear stream, from 300 to 400 yards across, flows in a sandy bed, at the rate of two miles an hour. Its temperature in December was 45° Fahrenheit at sunrise, and rose during the day to 51°. It is the most sterile, the least cultivated, and the least populous part of the country; it is covered with undulating, bare eminences, which rise considerably towards the centre, and is intersected by rugged declivities. The waters flow in deep beds, enclosed by high steep banks, and consequently cannot be employed in irrigation.

The numerous defiles and eminences present great obstacles to the traveller in this country, and we rarely find any large towns. The greater part of the ground is covered with thickets, and among the few

fertile tracts is a most lovely valley, near the Indus, once the favourite abode of the emperors of Delhi. The splendid ruins of their palace lie towards the south, near several sources, which rush impetuously from the rocks, and flow into the little river Tombra. In December, when the temperature of the atmosphere was at 69° Fahrenheit, that of these springs was 71°, and of the Indus 63°. The most remarkable places in this doab, are Rotas, situated on gigantic rocks on the banks of a small affluent of the Jailum; it is a large, extensive fortress, with lofty walls and towers; Jailum, which is half a day's march from it, is still larger, and is situated on the river of the same name, across which there is a ford, above the town.

The rivers Jailum and Chenaub (Ascisines) enclose the second of these divisions, growing narrower till its breadth is only forty-six miles. This district is entirely level, with the exception of a low range of hills, the termination of the beds of rock salt, which run through the Jailum, and for a short distance are parallel with its left bank. It is, for the most part, covered with jungle of Scirpus lacustris, Ziziphus Jujuba, Capparis aphylla, and Erogrostes cynosuroides. Among these tracts of jungle lie dirty villages, under the shąde of tamarinds and acacias, surrounded by fields of wheat, grain, jowary, cotton, and sugar-cane.

The soil is in general light and sandy, but so overgrown with grass and weeds, that numerous herds of oxen, camels, sheep, and goats subsist upon it. The inhabitants have bestowed much pains in the construction of the wells in the centre of this doab: they run to a depth of fifty feet; and, as the fertility of the soil depends mainly on them, Persian wheels are placed near them, for raising

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