river attracted our attention, being raised on platforms, supported by strong posts, twelve or fifteen feet high. We were told they were meant to take refuge in during the inundation, when the country for ten or twelve coss (twenty.or twentyfour miles), from the banks were under

water.

The people were remarkably civil and well-behaved. Their features were more pleasing than those of the people at Bahawulpore and Moultan; and their appearance and complexion continued to improve as we got northward, till we reached the ferry: their dress improved in the same manner. Even towards the south, the men were all dressed in gowns of white or blue cotton, and had no part of their bodies exposed, which, with their beards, and the gravity and decency of their behaviour, made them look like Moulavees (or doctors of Mahommedan law), in Hindostan. Even there, they wore brownish-grey great-coats of coarse woollen cloth; and that dress became more common towards the north, where all the people wore coloured clothes, blue, red, or check: the turban also is there exchanged for caps of gilted silk, not unlike Welsh wigs, and certainly not handsome. Our halting places were generally at large villages. One was at Leia, which although it gives its name to the province, is a poor place, containing about five hundred houses.

The passage of the Indus, and some other interesting particulars

next occur :

At the ferry on the Indus, we met some silk-merchants, who had gone as far as Demaun to purchase madder. They described the Afghaun tribes as generally kind to travellers, and honest in

their dealings; but one tribe (the Vizeerees), they said were savages, and eat human flesh.

We crossed the Indus at the Kaheree ferry, on the 7th of January. The main stream was there 1010 yards broad, though its breadth was diminished by several parallel branches, one of which was two hundred and fifty yards broad. We passed in good flat-bottomed boats, made of fir, and capable of carrying from thirty to forty tons. Our camels had their feet tied, and were thrown into the boats

like any other baggage; our horses also crossed in boats. The elephants alone swam, to the great astonishment of the people of the country, who, probably, had never seen an animal of the kind before. From the ferry to Dera Ismael Khaun was thirty-five miles. The country was covered with thickets of long grass and thorny shrubs, full of game of all kinds, from partridges to wild boars, and leopards.

The cultivation was flourishing, but not extensive, though water is abundant; and the soil to appearance, enjoys all that richness and fecundity, for which inundated countries are so famous.

We reached Dera Ismael Khaun on the 11th of January. Before we entered Dera, we were met by Tutteh Khaun, a Beloche, who governs this province as deputy for Mahommed Khaun, to whom it, as well as Leia, is assigned by the King. He was splendidly attired, and accompanied by a few infantry, and a troop of ill-dressed and ill-mounted horse, armed with long spears. He and his companions expatiated on the greatness of their master; on the strength of his twenty forts, the number of his cannon, the forty blacksmiths who were employed night and day to make shot for them, and other topics of the same kind. In the course of the day, Tutteh Khaun sent us a present, including six bottles of Caubul wine, and two of the essence of a plant, much vaunted in the East, and called the bedee mishk or musk

willow.

At Dera Ismael Khan, the mission remained near a month waiting for a Mermandar, or master of the ceremonies. At this place we begin to form an acquaintance with the Afghans :

The town is situated in a large wood of date trees, within a hundred yards of the Indus. It has a'ruinous wall of unburned bricks, about a mile and a half in circumference. The inhabitants of the town were chiefly Beloches, though there were also some Afghauns, and Hindoos; the latter have a temple in the town. The country people are Beloches and Juts, resembling those on the opposite bank of the Indus. We saw many Afghauns from

Demaun, who differed much from the Beloches. They were large, and bony men, with long coarse hair, loose turbans, and sheep-skin cloaks; plain and rough, but pleasing in their manners. We had often groupes of horsemen round our camp, who came from a distance to look at us, and visitors who were prompted by curiosity to court our acquaintance.

There were several hordes of wandering shepherds encamped in different parts of the vast plain where we were. We went on the day after our arrival to examine one, which belonged to the Kharotees, the rudest of all the pastoral tribes. We rode about ten miles to this camp, over a plain of hard mud, like part of the desart, but covered with bushes of jaund and kureel, and evidently rich, though neglected. On our way, we saw some Afghaun shepherds, driving a herd of about fifty camels, towards Dera; one of the camels was pure white, with blue eyes.* The Afghauns spoke no Persian, nor Hindoostanee. They were very civil; stopped the white camel till we had examined it, and shewed us their swords, which we were desirous to look at, because the hilts differed from those both of Persia and India; they were most like those of the latter country, but neater. At last, after a ride of ten miles, we reached the camp. It was pitched in a circle, and the tents were coarse brown blankets, each supported by two little poles, placed upright, and one laid across for a ridge pole. The walls were made of dry thorn. Our appearance excited some surprise; and one man, who appeared to have been in India, addressed me in a kind of Hindoostanee, and asked what brought us there? whether we were not contented with our own possessions, Cawnpore, and Lucknow, and all those fine places? I said, we came as friends, and were going to the King. After this we soon got intimate; and, by degrees, we were surrounded by people from the camp. The number of children was incredible; they were mostly fair, aud handsome. The girls, I particularly ob served, had aquiline noses, and Jewish features. The men were generally dark, though some were quite fair. One young

It was afterwards bought by a gentleman of the mission, who gave it away in India; and it is now, I understand, exhibited in London.

man in particular, who stood, and stared in silent amazement, had exactly the colour, features, and appearance of an Irish haymaker. They had generally high noses; and their stature was rather small than large. Some had brown woollen great coats, but most had white cotton clothes; and they all wore white turbans; they were very dirty. They did not seem at all jealous of their women. Men, wo men, and children, crowded round us, felt our coats, examined our plated stirrups, opened our holsters, and shewed great curiosity, but were not troublesome. Scarce one of them understood any language but Pushtoo; but, in their manners, they were all free, good humoured, and civil. I learnt that they had been there three months, and were to re turn in two more, to pass the summer near Ghuznee. They said, that was a far superior country to Demaun. I could make out little even of what the linguist said, and there were were too many, both of English and Afghauns, to admit of any attempt at a regular conversation.

We must here take our leave, for the moment, of this interesting work; but not before we have added, to what has been said of the doubts entertained by the Afghan monarch and the provinces, of the objects of the British mission, an anecdote which conveys the humbler suspicions of the villagers, to which, as it proceeded, the persons forming it were exposed:

The notions entertained of us by the people were not a little extraordinary! They had often no conception of our nation or religion. We have been taken for Syuds, Moguls, Afghauns, and even for Hindoos.

They believed we carried great guns, packed up in trunks; and that we had certain small boxes, so contrived as to explode, and kill half a dozen men each, without hurting us. Some thought we could raise the dead; and there was a story current, that we had made and animated a wooden ram at Mooltaun; that we had sold him as a ram, and that it was not till the purchaser began to eat him, that the material of which he was made, was discovered.

(To be continued)

A Quarterly General Court of Proprietors of East-India Stock was held at the Company's House in Leadenhall street, on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 1815.

HALF-YEAR'S Dividend.

The usual previous business being dispatched,

The Chairman (Charles Grant, Esq. M. P.) acquainted the court, that they were then assembled for the purpose of considering of a dividend on the capital stock of the company, for the half year, commencing on the 5th of July last, and ending on the 5th of January next. The court of directors had come to a resolution thereon; which was read by the proper officer, as follows

"At a court of directors, held on Monday the 18th of December, it was resolved, in pursuance of the act of the 33d of his Majesty, cap. 55, that a dividend of 5 per cent. should be declared on the capital stock of the company, for the half year commencing on the 5th of July last, and ending on the 5th of January next."

The Chairman then moved, "That the court do confirm the said resolution."

The Hon. D. Kinnaird expressed himself anxious to put a question to the chairman.

The Chairman observed, that the court was assembled for the purpose announced in the regular advertisement; and he apprehended such a question took precedence of every other subject. At the same time, he had no objection to answer any thing the hon. gent. might propose.

The Hon. D. Kinnaird rejoined.—In that, as in every other assembly, of a similar nature, it was competent for any member, when a motion was submitted, to ask a question. He took occasion, at the last general court, to request the hon, chairman to state to the proprietors at large, what had taken place, with regard to Mr. Cooke. After what had fallen from the hon. chairman himself, when he acquiesced in the vote as it regarded Mr. Sherson, he had a right to do so. The hon. chairman then stated distinctly, that "it was his wish thenceforward, to obey the wishes of the general court on that subject, without giving any opinion of his own; and he expressed a desire, as the matter had been taken up by the court of proprietors, that it should be continued, as much as possible, in their hands." But the proprietors felt so much confidence in their directors, when they passed a resolution of such importance as was carried on the occasion he alluded to, that they could not feel a desire to take Asiatic Journ.-No. 1.

those, functions on themselves, which properly belonged to the executive body. And he had no doubt that the measures adopted on their part were consonant with the views of the proprietors, so unequivocally expressed in that court. Now, on the last occasion, he requested to know what measures had been taken. The proprietors were then aware, that the papers connected with the proceedings were to be laid before them; but he believed he was correct in stating, that a desire existed, on the part of the directors, to have the whole transaction brought to a conclusion, before the papers were produced. If so, he wanted to learn what had been done in the business, and when the documents would be forthcoming. He should be gratified if the hon. chairman would give the proprietors some little general outline on the subject of the proceeding which had taken place with respect to Mr. Cooke, since the question was last before the

court.

The Chairman said, he was well satisfied that he had given way to the hou. gent. on this occasion. A communication on the subject to which he alluded would form one part of the proceeding of the day. If the hon. gent. would permit him to pursue the usual course of business, in the usual way, he would, at the proper period, make a statement of the situation in which that affair at present stood.(Hear! hear!) It was noted down amongst his memorandums as one of the matters to which he had to call the attention of the court.

The motion was then carried.

PENSION TO SIR DAVID OCHTERLONY.

The Chairman stated, that the court was made special, for the purpose of laying before the proprietors a resolution of the court of directors, granting to major-general sir David Octerlony, bart. and knight commander of the bath, a pension of £1000 per ann.

The resolution was read by the clerk, as follows:

"At a court of directors, held on Wednesday, the 6th of December 1815, a report from the committee of correspondence, dated this day, being read, it was resolved unanimously, in consideration of the eminent and most beneficial services rendered to the company by majorgeneral sir David Ochterlony, bart. and K.C.B. in the war against the state of Nepaul, by which the honour of the British arms was upheld, and the enemy, after the capture of extensive provinces, important to them, were obliged to sue for peace, on terms favourable to the comVOL. I.

K

pany-that a pension of £1000 per annum be granted to him, to commence from the date of the victory over the Napaulėse army, the 16th of April, 1815The said grant being subject to the approbation of the court of proprietors."

The Chairman then proceeded to address the court. The papers connected with this subject had been, he observed, before the proprietors and the most material of them were published in the newspapers; it therefore would not be necessary for him to take up much time in stating the merits of sir David Ochterlony. They were of such a nature as not to need any laboured panegyric from him. They appeared so clear-they stood so completely by themselves, that they wanted not any adventitious assistance to support them. He should do no more, therefore, than venture to state a brief outline of those services which the company were now called on to reward. Gentlemen would be aware, that the enemy which we had to cope with, in the Napaulese, was one of a new description-one whom we never had to combat before. The Napaulese were different in character from those native forces with whom we had formerly to contend-and their country, almost inaccessible, was different from any into which our arms had previously penetrated. The war was therefore, a very arduous undertaking from the beginning. A very great part of the enterprize rested on sir David Ochterlony. It had happened, that several of the operations, conducted by other officers, had failed; but sir David was uniformly successful-his measures, in every instance, were judicious and proper-and they were crowned by a success continued and progressive. While other divisions of the army were repulsed, that commanded by him attained every object it sought to achieve, although opposed by a determined enemy, and having at the same time to contend with the disadvantages of a country, most difficult of access. By his conduct, he upheld the military character of this country, when reverses had taken place in almost every other quarter. (hear! hear!) The great weight of the war rested on him—and the part he acted was of the utmost importance, both in its effects on the enemy-in its operation on the character of our own troops-and above all, in its influence on the minds and feelings of the natives of India, generally. Having supported the character and cause of his country, in this manner, he compelled the enemy to have recourse to negociation-which he (the Chairman) trusted had, ere this, terminated in peace; but of this fact they had not yet received intelligence. The battles of the 14th, 15th and 16th of April, on the Mallown hills, ended in the complete discomfiture of the Napaulese forces. The principal officer of the enemy, Ummer Sing Thappa,

a brave and experienced man, was captured-the provinces of Goorkah fell into our hands and a convention, leading to terms of peace, was entered into. These circumstances, and the recommendation of the government of India (for the earl of Moira himself and the council of Calcutta, have given a particular prominence to the character and services of sir David Ochterlony, and pointed him out to our earliest consideration) have induced the court of directors to accede, unanimously, to this resolution. But, if they wished to take a more general view of the subject, for the purpose of delaying the expression of their opinion on the conduct of sir David Ochterlony, they could hardly have done so with propriety-because the government of this country had already marked their high sense of his services, by conferring on him a very great honor. His pecuniary concerns were extremely moderate. Sir David was said to be a soldier, who had literally lived on his pay, and who, consequently had saved nothing. Under these circumstances, the court of directors, to enable him to live in a style commensurate with the dignity bestowed on him by the Prince Regent, have passed the resolution now before the proprietors. It was not necessary for him to take up their attention further-the motion was one that recommended itself.-The honourable Chairman concluded by proposing, "That the court do confirm the reso"lution."

Mr. R. Jackson wished to ask, whether the papers, connected with this subject, were open to the inspection of the proprietors? Some persons undoubtedly had seen them-but, he believed, a far greater number had not been so fortunate. Were they noticed in the public advertisement?

The Chairman said, they certainly were open to the inspection of the proprietors. It would have counteracted the purpose of the directors, if they were not.

Mr. R. Jackson took it for granted, from the respectable officer near him not saying that the papers were advertised, that they had not been. When this business came to be finally settled, no man could be found, whose heart and feelings would go farther to reward the services of sir David Ochterlony, than his. No man would be more disposed to retrace every step of his gallant march, or to point out the most prominent parts of his brilliant conduct, than he would be. But he thought it was not right, when the company were burdened with £40,000,000 of debt, to make a grant of £1000 a year, per saltum,-those papers which ought to guide the judgement of the proprietors, in their decision, not having been formally, and in the regular course of business laid before them.—(hear ! hear! He, herefore, hoped, that those

necessary documents would be produced' -and that the time for acceding to this pension would be fixed for some future day, when the proprietors had read and studied them. They would then be able to do that, from the conviction of their judgement, which now, perhaps, would only be executed from the impulse of generous feeling. No person could doubt the gallantry, courage, ability, and, character of sir D. Ochterlony-they were as much above suspicion, as they were superior to praise. But, in proportion as the character of this meritorious officer stood high in their estimation, did it not become more incumbent on them to confirm the resolution of the court of directors, not from the enthusiasm of the moment, but from a principle of conviction, after having made themselves acquainted with every particle of his conduct? Impressed with this feeling, he conceived it would be better for them to postpone proceeding, until those papers were laid before the proprietors, on which the committee of correspondence had founded their report. Having stated this, he must observe, that he had read the papers, and was disposed to pay as high and as sincere a tribute to the valour and wisdom of sir David Ochterlony as the warmest of his admirers could possibly do. Before he sat down, he hoped he should be allowed to ask two questions. Why, he should like to know, was there a departure, in this instance, from the course usually pursued on similar occasions? The ordinary course was, first, to move a vote of thanks to any individual who had deserved such an honour, and some little time afterwards to propose a grant of money, where it was deemed necessary. This was the line adopted in the case of the present marquis Wellesley, in that of the late marquis Cornwallis, and in many others. The services of the individual were discussed, when the vote of thanks was moved, and, at a subsequent period, the pension was proposed. He was not anxious that the pension, in this instance, should be deferred beyond the next general court, yet this departure from established precedent ought not, in his opinion, to be suffered. But that to which he would now call the attention of the court seemed to him to be a still greater departure from the customary system, and one that must interest every man who was anxious to support the fame of absent commanders, and who felt of what importance it was to prevent that fame from being compromised. In this case, the court of directors had overlooked the commander in chief, the great cause of all those splendid successes. They thanked and remunerated the subordinate officer, without at all noticing the noble lord (earl Moira) now at the head of the Indian government. (Hear!

hear!) This was done at the very moment when the intelligence of peace was likely to arrive; for the court must be aware, that the last advices from that eminent man stated, that a person had proceeded to his camp, to treat for peace on any conditions. Thanking the noble lord as they had done in their dispatches, appreciating his services as they must of necessity appreciate them; surely this. public record, which would manifest a neglect of his talents, might be put off for a short time, until that could be done, in his case, which had been done in that of lord Mornington, of marquis Cornwallis, of sir Hector Munro-in short, in the case of every individual, except the earl of Moira! (Hear! hear!) In every society, it was an undoubted maxim, that he who was placed at the head of it, should, if great achievements were performed, be hailed with grateful applause. But this principle was not acted on towards lord Moira. He, whose genius had laid those plans by which such great results had been produced, appeared to be forgotten; and nothing, he was persuaded could prevent such conduct operating as an affront to the noble lord, unless the hon. chairman, or some of his colleagues, rose in their place, and explained why their views and feelings were different. What he (Mr. Jackson) principally desired, was, that the granting of this pension be deferred until the court had time to read the papers, that they might be satisfied of the propriety of it. When the name of Moira was next mentioned in that place, he hoped ample justice would be done to his transcendant merits. (Hear! hear!) That it might be so, he should move, when the present motion was disposed of, for the production of all dispatches from earl Moira, from the commencement of the war in India, until the last, except such as were of a private nature. To that motion, he conceived, there could be no objection. Those who had read, as he had done, the hostile declaration of lord Moira, and the joyful and glorious conclusion of the war, as detailed in the last advices, would perceive the conduct of

an

able statesman, impelled by true English feeling-and, what was better, acting on pure English maxims. (Hear! hear!) He met the enemy on his own threshold-he gave him no time for preparation! But let not those publications be credited, which have described Lord Moira as eager and anxious for a war; as seeking to quarrel with the Napaulese Rajah, by giving a new interpretation to points, which for years had remained settled and decided. This was not the fact. Lord Moira took temperate, moderate, and conciliatory measures; nor was it until that awful moment arrived, when the name of England appeared to be disgraced,-when our officer was