harems of my officers and myself.

"'As I know your courage and talents, I shall be very happy if you
will surrender the fortress, and take service as a major-general
(hookahbadar) in my army. Should my proposal not meet with your
assent, I beg leave to state that to-morrow I shall storm the fort,
and on taking it, shall put to death every male in the garrison,
and every female above twenty years of age. For yourself I shall
reserve a punishment, which for novelty and exquisite torture has,
I flatter myself, hardly ever been exceeded. Awaiting the favour
of a reply, I am, Sir,

"'Your very obedient servant,

"'JESWUNT ROW HOLKAR.
"'CAMP BEFORE FUTTYGHUR: September 1, 1804.
"'R. S. V. P.'


"The officer who had brought this precious epistle (it is
astonishing how Holkar had aped the forms of English
correspondence), an enormous Pitan soldier, with a shirt of mail,
and a steel cap and cape, round which his turban wound, was leaning
against the gate on his matchlock, and whistling a national melody.
I read the letter, and saw at once there was no time to be lost.
That man, thought I, must never go back to Holkar. Were he to
attack us now before we were prepared, the fort would be his in
half-an-hour.

"Tying my white pocket-handkerchief to a stick, I flung open the