have been carried out; and I had the honour done me of some of my letters being read in the "House."

Strange indeed was the weird prophecy of Plassey in 1757-58!

The Company's rule was to last for a hundred years. In 1857-58 it had virtually expired, and 1859 witnessed its total extinction!

It was my intention, after leaving my friend, to go direct via Aurungabad to Beer. Mr Maltby was now on his way to Berar, and Bullock and I moved on to meet him early in February, when he asked me to accompany him through the district, and to visit with him the caves of Ajunta and Ellora. This would have been a very pleasant holiday for me; but again I was to be disappointed. We met the Commissioner near Oomrawuttee, on his way to Ellichpoor, and the very next day came an "express" from the Resident, directing me to lose not a moment in proceeding to Hyderabad on business relating to Shorapoor.

I had seen by the papers a short time before, that the Rajah had been suspected of treason, and that troops had been sent to watch the eastern and western frontiers of his district. Now I learned that he had attacked a small force which had been ordered to Captain Campbell's assistance—this officer having been sent to Shorapoor on a special mission; and the Rajah being defeated, had fled to Hyderabad, where he had been arrested.

Mr Maltby spoke very kindly to me of all he had noted in the Nuldroog district, and hoped I should soon be again at liberty to continue my work there, especially the survey operations. I ventured to ask whether I might be allowed anything for my labours in Berar; but he could not say - and my travelling ex

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VISIT TO HYDERABAD.

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penses had been a very serious pull upon my resources. I was to receive plenty of thanks; but although these were very gratifying, they did not pay me for the very hard work and terrible anxiety I had gone through: but there was one comfort-I had "held on by my eyelids!"

I pushed on now by double marches to Hingolee, and thence to Hyderabad, where I arrived on the 18th March, after having travelled 300 miles in sixteen days—not very fast perhaps; but my continued travelling had blistered my people's feet, and I could not get on quicker.

I went of course to Mr Palmer's house, and found him well and cheerful; but the Resident would not hear of my being with any one but himself, and sent for me directly. I was very kindly received. He at once increased my pay, appointed me now Commissioner of Shorapoor, on 1800 rupees a-month, or, at the least, 1500, and said his wish was to keep me altogether in the political department.

He told me all the high officials, and chiefly the Governor-General, were more than satisfied with what I had done in Berar.

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CHAPTER XV.

1858.

THE Rajah of Shorapoor was a prisoner in the mainguard of the "Royals" at Secunderabad, and I went three times to see him. He had deliberately rebelled against the British Government, and was to be tried for his life by a military commission, which would shortly assemble. As may be imagined, he was deeply affected on first seeing me, and he threw himself into my arms, quite unable to speak for some time. Even the honest fellows of the guard were moved, and much surprised that my appearance should have so sudden and extraordinary an effect upon their prisoner. In appearance he was much improved he had grown

stouter, fairer, and more manly; but though handsome, his features bore unmistakable signs of dissipation and excess, which I was sorry to see. Now, his face was so distorted with his emotions that it was difficult to judge what it would be in repose.

"O appa, appa!" was all he could cry, or rather moan, as he sat at my feet, his face buried in my lap, and his arms clasped tightly around me; "O appa, I dare not look on your face! I have been so wickedoh, so wicked! I have done every crime-I have even

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committed murder! Oh, if the earth had opened, and swallowed me up, it would only have been just. I cannot tell you all now, appa. My throat is parched, words will not come: but to-morrow, appa, you will come again-do come, and then I will tell you all." It was useless to remain then, and only painful to us both. So I promised to return on the morrow, and

went away.

It was a sad case, and I feared there was no hope for him-none whatever. His unwarrantable disaffection began with that of the Southern Mahratta country, where some of its chiefs had, as was proved afterwards, laid their plans for a general insurrection, in connection, no doubt, with Nana Sahib, and the general mutiny in the Bengal army; and the vigorous conduct of General Jacob alone prevented this rebellious movement.

The Rajah of Shorapoor had been early inveigled into these intrigues, and was an active promoter of them. He was invited specially, as an ancient feudatory of the Peshwahs, to join again the Mahratta standard; and owing to his reputed wealth and the numbers of his clan, was not a chief to be overlooked by those disaffected.

If he could be induced to take the field with ten thousand men, the Beydurs of the Raichore Doab, of Bellary, Dharwar, and Belgaum, as well as those also of Mysore, would rise and follow him as their leader, and could plunder as they listed. His vanity and cupidity were excited, and he fell an easy prey to these representations.

Even after the Beydurs of the Southern Mahratta country had received some very severe checks, the attitude of the Shorapoor Rajah was considered threatening

and suspicious. He had collected Arabs and Rohilla mercenaries in addition to calling his own clan together, while he was more than suspected of holding communication with foreign mercenaries at Hyderabad. Those were anxious times, and it was impossible to allow any known conspiracy to exist, without watching it very narrowly. A strong force was sent, under Colonel Malcolm, and placed about equidistant between the Beydurs of Shorapoor and those of the Southern Mahratta country; Colonel Hughes, with a Madras force, watched the eastern frontier of Shorapoor; and the Contingent troops at Linsoogoor lay, as it were, between, ready to act in concert with either force, according to necessity.

The Resident, however, was very anxious to save the Rajah, and to rescue him from his evil counsellors, feeling a peculiar interest in the boy who had for so long been a ward of the British Government; and early in January 1858 he despatched his assistant, Captain Rose Campbell, to Shorapoor, to remonstrate with the Rajah, and endeavour to bring him to a sense of his danger, and his promised allegiance to the British Government.

This considerate kindness was, unfortunately, thrown away. The Rajah was in the hands of the worst fanatics of the country, on all sides-even from Mysore and Arcot and would listen to neither warning nor advice; and at length, when Captain Campbell received an intimation from the Rajah's own servants and relatives that his life was in serious danger, the force from Linsoogoor was ordered to support him, and arrived at Shorapoor on the 7th February, encamping near the town. A narrow valley, surrounded on all sides by lofty hills and rocks, was pointed out as the camping