122 MAJOR W. HODSON. 



and said that ' Lumsden and Hodson were about 

 the best men he had' (that I write it that 

 shouldn't !), and that he promised to do his best 

 to get me a brevet majority as soon as I became 

 in the course of time a regimental captain. And 

 Sir Charles Napier (the best-abused man of his day) 

 was anxious to get for me the staff appointment 

 of brigade-major to the Punjab Irregular Force — i.e., 

 of the six newly raised cavalry and infantry regi- 

 ments for the frontier service. He did not succeed, 

 for the berth had been previously filled up unknown 

 to him ; but he tried to do so, and that's a com- 

 pliment from such a man. I hope I need not say 

 that this good deed of his was as spontaneous as 

 a mushroom's birth. . . . Sir Henry and Lady 

 Lawrence have both repeatedly charged me with 

 kindly greetings to you all and to the Archdeacon. 

 I am on a more comfortable footing with Sir Henry 

 now than ever almost, and he is, as you know, 

 most kind when his temper is good." 



About this time he was appointed to act as 

 personal assistant to Mr G. Edmonstone, then Com- 

 missioner for the Cis-Satlaj States. In spite of this 

 new promotion Hodson "hankered after the Guides 

 as much as ever, and would catch at a good oppor- 

 tunity of returnino; to them with honour." He had 

 only turned civilian against his own feelings, at the 

 advice of Sir Henry and Mr Thomason. He had 

 refused six months ago to apply for a vacancy in 

 the corps of Guides, because he knew that Lumsden 

 would disapprove of his passing over the heads of 

 senior ofiicers. " iVow," he writes, " both Sir Henry 

 Lawrence and Mr Thomason are very sorry that I 

 ever left the corps, and that they advised the step. 



