This day we were not fated to carry home a tiger; the jungle being so thick and spacious that we could never bring them to bay, though we ascertained beyond doubt that there were several of these animals on foot. Just at the borders of a deep bog we discovered the carcases of two oxen, which, from the liquid state of the blood, had evidently not been killed many hours. The impression of the tiger's claws on the haunches was deeply marked, and the gullets of both the animals were torn out. One of the bullocks was a very fine powerful animal, and the ground was ploughed up for many yards round the spot where the fatal struggle took place. The murderers had been most probably disturbed from their meal by the firing of our party, some of whom, unfortunately, could not resist the temptation held out by the hundreds of hog-deer, &c., which fled before our line. We carried home to the camp,—which we found on the right bank of the Ganges again at the village of Baugpore,-10 hog-deer, a brace of florikans, and about 20 brace of black partridge.

March 6th.-Head-quarters marched 14 miles through a beautiful and picturesque country, along the banks of the Ganges, to Hurdwar. Here the sacred river emancipates itself (or herself properly; although Thomson does make the goddess river "roll his sacred wave") from the intricate sinuosities of its native mountains, and, rushing through a narrow pass, hemmed in on one side by the abrupt termination of the Dehra Doon Hills, and on the other by the Chandi Pahar, pours its worshipped stream upon the plains of Hindostan, fertilizing above 1000 miles of country ere it throws itself, by 100 mouths, into the Bay of Bengal.

*

Hurdwar is an inconsiderable town, and is chiefly noticeable as the scene of the great annual fair, at which thousands, nay, I believe millions, of all the northern nations meet together; the Hindoos to worship and bathe in the holy river, where it issues pure and uncontaminated from the mountains; and Persians, Tartars, Paharrees (moun*Silver mountain.

taineers), and Cashmerians, to drive their several trades in horses, camels, shawls, &c. This fair does not take place until next month.

We found the camp spread out in all its silver symmetry in a pretty crescent of woody hills, the lofty summits of which almost entirely shaded it from the morning sun. I enjoyed a delightful ramble over the hill in the evening, and a beautiful view from the summit. Numerous Hindoo muts* and tombs showed their white pinnacles above the rich mango-groves and bamboo-thickets; and farther down the river some fine buildings, the residences of opulent Hindoos, were ranged, with spacious gardens, along its banks.

The next day the camp halted at Hurdwar. The tents were dreadfully hot; but I passed the day, in quality of aide-de-camp in waiting, with the Commander-in-Chief, in a bungalow half way up the mountain, where we had the benefit of a refreshing breeze. The rest of the party having heard of a tiger went out; but returned disappointed, after having been nearly carried away in crossing the river.

March 10th.-The camp resumed its march towards Loudiana-the north-western frontier station of British India -and was pitched near a jungle-hamlet called Dowlutpore. In the morning the weather was dreadfully sultry and oppressive; not a breath of air moved a leaf of the smothering vegetation around us; the parched earth cracked with intense heat; and the animals hung their heads and panted in distress. Suddenly a dark cloud came rushing over the horizon from the north-west, the bamboos on the hills began to bend and creak before the coming storm, brilliant flashes of lightning cleft the black cloud in every direction, thunder rolled in almost interminable echoes among the mountains, the rain descended in torrents, and in an instant the thermometer fell from 88° to 68°.

Two days after, we arrived at Saharunpore, now a small civil station, but formerly a considerable military cantonment. A pretty Hindoo fortress, remodelled by our engi* Temples.

neers, and intended as a frontier stronghold, is apparently efficient, for its extent.

The Company has a botanical garden at this place, for rearing plants from the neighbouring mountains. I would have travelled 50 miles to gaze upon the first violet that I had seen for 3 years. The grounds are laid out in the English style; and as I wandered through the serpentine walks, bordered with many flowers and shrubs of English growth, I almost forgot that I was in India; an illusion, however, which was speedily dispelled by the apparition of my faithful elephant waiting for me at the gate.

On the 14th we crossed the Jumna, and the camp was pitched in a most luxuriant grove of huge mango-trees, near the town of Booreah. It is a small place, though the surrounding ruins give evidence of better days. The Ranee, or Queen-Suzeraine of this petty state, sent presents to the Commander-in-Chief, to greet his arrival in her territory. Among other objects, she offered an infant elephant, of about 15 months old. The little fellow was full of fun, and frisked about like a young kid; but he found few of the party inclined to join his game at romps, as, although he was not much higher than a table, his play was rather rough.

From Booreah we enjoyed a fine view of the snowy peaks of Himalaya; and we longed to be suddenly transported from these broiling plains to the cool regions which appeared so near us.

Two days after, we entered the territories of the Patialah Chief, a Rajah of the Seikh tribe, whose dominions extend over a wide tract of country between the Jumna and Sutledge rivers. He is the most powerful of this sect after Runjeet Singh of Lahore, who rules the Punjâb, a district between the Indus and the Sutledge. The Patialah Rajah holds his court at the modern town of the same name; Sirhind, the ancient capital of the province, having fallen to ruin. A political agent of the Honourable Company resides constantly at the seat of government.

The Seikhs owe their existence as a nation to the warlike