ii 



FRESH WOODS AXD PASTURES NEW." 57 



the least notewortliy of Hemy Lawrence's achieve- 

 ments in the Punjab was the formation of that 

 splendid corps of Guides, which was afterwards to 

 win renown in many a frontier campaign, to say 

 nothing of its matchless services during the Sepoy 

 Mutiny of 1857. Lawrence, in his steadfast zeal for 

 Hodson's advantage, had strongly advised him to 

 accept the adjutancy of his regiment as a useful 

 step towards further distinction. " I know of no 

 man," he added, " of double or treble your standing 

 who has so good a prospect before him. Favour 

 and partiality do occasionally give a man a lift, 

 but depend upon it that his is the best chance in 

 the long-run who helps himself. So far you have 

 done this manfully, and you have reason to be 

 proud of being selected at one time for three 

 different appointments by three different men. 

 Don't, however, be too proud. Learn your duties 

 thoroughly. Continue to study two or three hours 

 a-day, not to pass in a hurry, but that you may do 

 so two or three years hence with eclat. ... In 

 oriental phrase, pray consider that much is said in 

 this hurried scrawl, and believe that I shall watch 

 your career with warm interest." 



The disappointment regarding the adjutancy was 

 more than compensated by the good fortune to 

 which Hodson himself thus refers : " You will, I am 

 sure, rejoice with me at my unprecedented good 

 fortune in being appointed to a responsible and 

 honourable post, almost before, by the rules of the 

 service, I am entitled to take charge of a company 

 of sepoys. I shall even be better off than I thought ; 

 instead of merely 'doing duty' with the Guide Corps, 

 I am to be the second in command." 



