letter that he had just received. It was dated from the Adjutant General's
Office at Simla, and headed "Secret." It ran:

"Sir:

"In continuation of the instructions already given you orally, I have
the honour to convey to you the further orders of His Excellency the
Commander-in-Chief in India.

"Begins: 'Information received from the Secretary to the Foreign
Department, Government of India, confirms the intelligence that Chinese
emissaries have for some time past been endeavouring to re-establish the
former predominance of their nation over Tibet and Bhutan. In the former
country they appear to have met with little success; but in Bhutan, taking
advantage of the hereditary jealousies of the _Penlops_, the great feudal
chieftains, they appear to have gained many adherents. They aim at
instigating the Bhutanese to attempt an invasion of India through the
_duars_ leading into Eastern Bengal, their object being to provoke a war.
The danger to this country from an invading force of Bhutanese, even if
armed, equipped, and led by Chinese, is not great. But its political
importance must not be minimised.

"'For the most serious feature of the movement is that information received
by the Political Department gives rise to the grave suspicion that, not
only many extremists in Bengal, but even some of the lesser rajahs and
nawabs, are in treasonable communication with these outside enemies.

"'Major Dermot, at present commanding the detachment of the Military
Battalion stationed at Ranga Duar, has been specially selected, on account
of his acquaintance with the districts and dialects of the _duars_ and that