”Inthemidstofthishurryandconfusion，asifpurposelytoaddtoit，atrumpetwasheardatthegateofthefort，andoneofthesentinelscamerunningtome，sayingthataMahrattasoldierwasbeforethegatewithaflagoftruce！”Iwentdown，rightlyconjecturing，asitturnedout，thattheparty，whoevertheymightbe，hadnoartillery；andreceivedatthepointofmyswordascroll，ofwhichthefollowingisatranslation:——”’TOGOLIAHGAHAGANGUJPUTI。”’LORDOFELEPHANTS，SIR，——IhavethehonortoinformyouthatIarrivedbeforethisplaceateighto’clockP。M。withtenthousandcavalryundermyorders。Ihaveburned，sincemyarrival，seventeenbungalowsinFurruckabadandFuttyghur，andhavelikewisebeenunderthepainfulnecessityofputtingtodeaththreeclergymenmollahs，andsevenEnglishofficers，whomIfoundinthevillage；thewomenhavebeentransferredtosafekeepingintheharemsofmyofficersandmyself。”’AsIknowyourcourageandtalents，Ishallbeveryhappyifyouwillsurrenderthefortress，andtakeserviceasamajor-generalhookahbadarinmyarmy。Shouldmyproposalnotmeetwithyourassent，Ibegleavetostatethatto-morrowIshallstormthefort，andontakingit，shallputtodeatheverymaleinthegarrison，andeveryfemaleabovetwentyyearsofage。ForyourselfIshallreserveapunishment，whichfornoveltyandexquisitetorturehas，Iflattermyself，hardlyeverbeenexceeded。Awaitingthefavorofareply，Iam，Sir，”’Yourveryobedientservant，”’JESWUNTROWHOLKAR。”’CAMPBEFOREFUTTYGHUR，Sept。1，1804。”’R。S。V。P。’”TheofficerwhohadbroughtthispreciousepistleitisastonishinghowHolkarhadapedtheformsofEnglishcorrespondence，anenormousPitansoldier，withashirtofmail，andasteelcapandcape，roundwhichhisturbanwound，wasleaningagainstthegateonhismatchlock，andwhistlinganationalmelody。Ireadtheletter，andsawatoncetherewasnotimetobelost。Thatman，thoughtI，mustnevergobacktoHolkar。Werehetoattackusnowbeforewewereprepared，thefortwouldbehisinhalfanhour。”Tyingmywhitepocket-handkerchieftoastick，Iflungopenthegateandadvancedtotheofficer；hewasstanding，Isaid，onthelittlebridgeacrossthemoat。Imadehimalowsalaam，afterthefashionofthecountry，and，ashebentforwardtoreturnthecompliment，Iamsorrytosay，Iplungedforward，gavehimaviolentblowonthehead，whichdeprivedhimofallsensation，andthendraggedhimwithinthewall，raisingthedrawbridgeafterme。”Iborethebodyintomyownapartment:there，swiftasthought，I
strippedhimofhisturban，cammerbund，peijammahs，andpapooshes，and，puttingthemonmyself，determinedtogoforthandreconnoitretheenemy。”……
HereIwasobligedtostop，forCabrera，Rosd’Eroles，andtherestofthestaff，weresoundasleep！WhatIdidinmyreconnaisance，andhowIdefendedthefortofFuttyghur，Ishallhavethehonoroftellingonanotheroccasion。
CHAPTERIV。
THEINDIANCAMP——THESORTIEFROMTHEFORT。