44 MAJOR W. HODSON. 



and slept together in the same rooms, Hodson making 

 himself generally useful by writing out abstracts 

 of his friend's letters and copying his confidential 

 papers. "He is amazingly kind," wrote Hodson, 

 " and tells me all that is going on, initiating me 

 into the mysteries of ' political ' business, and thus 

 giving me more knowledge of things and persons 

 Indian than I should learn in a year of ordinary 

 life — ay, or in three years either. This is a great 

 advantage to my ultimate prospects. . . . He 

 makes me work at Hindustani, and has given 

 me a lesson or two in the use of the theodolite 

 and other surveying instruments, to the end 

 that I may get employed in the Surveying De- 

 partment, after two years of which, he says, ' I 

 shall be fit for a Political.' " 



The kindly old captain of artillery, who had in his 

 time played many parts in his country's service, was 

 delighted wdth the many proofs of his young friend's 

 zeal and capacity. Writing home in September 

 to his wife, Henry Lawrence says : "I brought 

 up with me from Sabathu a fine young fellow, by 

 name Hodson, son of the Archdeacon of Stafi"ord. 

 He is now (10 p.m.) sleeping in my little office-room, 

 where I am writing. Thomason recommended him 

 to me, and I have seldom met so promising a young 

 fellow. He left the native branch of the army 

 at the expense of some steps, because he did not 

 like the conduct of the sepoys. He was for four 

 years with Dr Arnold, and two in the Sixth Form 

 under his eye. He speaks most aff'ectionately of 

 him. I will try to get leave for him for a month, 

 to accompany me to Lahore and Jammu in October. 

 ... I get a good deal of help from Hodson, who 



