write, my hand shakes so.) Poor Hibbert was an exceedingly clever
fellow, and a great traveller, and one of the most beautiful draughtsmen
you could meet with any where. They are all three a terrible loss to our
corps. I will tell you the mournful tale as it happened. We arrived here
on the 25th. I breakfasted on Tuesday with them at mess, which was the
last time I ever saw them alive: they were in exceedingly high spirits.
The success of an enterprise the day before appears to have determined
them to go upon another expedition on this day, which at first sight did
not appear half so hazardous as it unfortunately proved to be; this was
no less than going into a shikargur (of which I have explained the
meaning above) about four or five miles in the rear of our camp, and
which was supposed to be well stocked with game. It happened that this
jungle had been set on fire about two days previously, most likely by
some of our camel drivers, or other native followers: some said it was
done by the Beloochees; but this I think very unlikely, as it is dead to
leeward of our camp. Well, they did not appear in the evening, and we
began to be rather alarmed on their account: however, we thought they
would turn up by some chance or other. Next morning (yesterday), when
the regiment fell in, an hour before daylight, which the whole camp does
here every morning, as we are supposed to have a hostile force not very
far from us, they were reported absent. Breakfast came; no tidings of
them: ten; eleven o'clock; and they began to be the talk of the whole
camp. However, we speculated that the worst that could have happened to
them was being taken prisoners by a party of Beloochees, and kept as
hostages, or something of that sort. At twelve, General Willshire became
so alarmed and anxious about them that he sent out a troop of the 1st
Light Cavalry to scour the jungles, and discover what they could of
them; another officer sent out a party of six natives, with the promise
of a reward of two hundred rupees if they could find any tidings of
them. Well; the day went on; and at mess, at six o'clock, nothing had