But, at length, from my confused intimations, he began to comprehend the nature of my situation so far as to understand that I was an orphan, and that I was flying, in terror of my life, from the Brahmins.

6

"Unfortunate child!' said he, I will be your protector. You cannot detest the accursed, bloodthirsty, guileful Brahmins more than I do.* You cannot remain in this forlorn situation after the shades of night close in; for, if the ravenous animals from the neighbouring jungle should spare you, exposure to the heavy dews from the surrounding mountains would be enough to send a destructive fever through your veins. I shall take you

* Madhajee Sindia, the chief of the Mahrattas, about the year 1786, attacked the fort of Ragooghur, and having captured it, and made Bulwunt Singh, the Raja of the Kychee Rajpoots, and his young son, Jye Singh, prisoners, confiscated the property and territories of the family. Shere Singh, a Thakoor, or lord of the Kychee tribe, assembled the scattered adherents of Bulwunt Singh, and commenced a desperate and systematic course of predatory warfare, with the professed object of compelling Madhajee Sindia to release his prince. The Pundits, or Brahmins of the Deckan, were the chief objects of his vengeance. Their noses and ears were cut off, and their infants murdered by this merciless chief, who answered to all remonstrances that he would teach Madhajee Sindia what it was to destroy a Rajpoot principality. Vide Sir J. MALCOLM'S Memoir of Central India, vol. i. pp. 466. 468.-ED.

with me, and I will make a man and a Rajpoot of you, and that is better than a whole college of Brahmins.'

"Oh!' said I, catching at his last words, do not take me to the Brahmins.'No,' he replied, you shall soon be far from them,'-and, at the same time, without dismounting, he lifted me easily from the ground, placed me on the saddle before him, and set off, at considerable speed, round the west side of the mountain.

"We had not proceeded far when we fell in with a troop of fifteen or twenty horsemen, armed with matchlocks, who had come by the other side of the eminence, and seemed to be awaiting the return of their leader, who now joined them, with me upon the horse before him.

"Here, Zalim,' said he, addressing a tall horseman who was stationed at the head of the troop, and whose raiment and accoutrements were similar to those of the Chief, only made of less costly materials,- · take charge of this child; put a doshalu*

دوشاله .Hindoos *

TWO SHAWLS, (being always worn to

gether by the natives).—ED.

around him,—see that he comes to no harm; and let us push on speedily, for the sun is nearly down, and the moon will not rise to-night in time to serve

"I was now quickly transferred to Zalim's charge, who obeyed with alacrity the directions of his master; and, having secured me on the saddle before him, with the doshalu wrapt around me in such a manner as to prevent my falling off, and to defend me from the cold dew which was now beginning to descend, the whole troop put their horses to a round trot, and proceeded, in a westerly direction, through the ghat.*

Although the ground over which we travelled was of a very unequal nature, so that we had sometimes to ascend considerable eminences, the descent of which, being broken and uneven, was always unpleasant, and frequently attended with danger; yet to such expert horsemen, with the small, active, well-trained horses which they bestrode, these difficulties, being matters of every-day occurrence, were

گهات .Hindoos •

-ED.

a pass or defile between mountains.

very seldom attended with accidents of a serious kind, even in regions of a much wilder and more dangerous character than the present. The progress of the troop, therefore, continued with considerable speed, and I soon became so accustomed to the regularity of the horse's motion, that, owing to my being comfortably wrapt up, and also very much exhausted by the occurrences of the day, nature gave way under the pressure of grief and fatigue, so that I fell sound asleep in the arms of my protector." Taking advantage of Bikram's nap, you may allow me here, most wise Wilfred, to subscribe myself, Your faithful friend,

Alexandria, 7th of the month Haswan,

in the year 585.*

* i. e. 6th November, 1824.-ED.

I. N. O.

No XV.

The Bivouack-Omeed Singh-Story of a Brahmin's Orphan-The March-Journey to RajasthanGrassiah Chiefs-The Ameer's Castle-A Friend.

"My dreams," continued Bikram, " 66 during the time I was asleep on Zalim's saddle, were by no means of the most agreeable kind. Brahmins and wild beasts alternately commenced attacks upon me, till, at length, the former seemed to have gained their ends, and made sure of my destruction; for now a ferocious old priest, with a beard that descended to his girdle, raised me suddenly from the ground, and, whilst the gongs and tambours were responding to the voices of the multitude, methought he was about to hurl me on the blazing pile! I gave a shriek, and awoke ;-for Zalim was in the act of lifting me from the saddle; and, when I had time