THE OUTBREAK AT MULTAN, AND AFTER. 65 



man the evening before last ! They told me plainly 

 that no one had the right to complain of being hurt 

 by so venerable a beast." 



Before the end of March Hodson received a letter 

 from Sir Frederick Currie, then acting as Resident 

 at Lahore, who invited him to " knock off his 

 present work " and come into Lahore as quickly as 

 he could. "I want to send you," he added, "with 

 Mr Agnew to Multan. Mr Agnew starts immedi- 

 ately with your acquaintance, Sirdar Shamsher 

 Singh, to assume the government of that province, 

 Mulraj having sent in his resignation of the 

 Nizamat. Lieutenant Becher is to be A^new's 

 permanent assistant, but he cannot join just now, 

 and I wish you to go with Agnew. It is an 

 imi^ortant mission, and one that, I think, you will 

 like to be employed in. When relieved by Becher, 

 you will join the Guides at Lahore, and be em- 

 ployed also as assistant to the Resident. The 

 sooner 370U come the better." 



Hodson did knock off work at once, and hastened 

 by forced marches towards Lahore. He was " much 

 interested in the thought of going to so new a 

 place as Multan, — new, that is to say, to Euro- 

 peans, yet so imjDortant from position and commerce. 

 The only drawback is the heat, which is notorious 

 throughout Western India. I am not aware, how- 

 ever, that it is otherwise unhealthy. As you may 

 suppose, I am much gratified by the appointment, 

 both for its own sake and also as evincing so very 

 favourable and kindly a disposition toward myself 

 on the part of the new potentate." 



A merciful Providence, however, saved Hodson 

 from the cruel fate which presently overtook Mr 



E 



