146 MAJOR W. HODSON. 



woman, and decidedly preferring the male popula- 

 tion, some of whom are distinguished by her special 

 favour. Her own orderly — save the mark ! — never 

 tires of looking at her 'beautiful white fingers,' 

 nor she of twisting them into his black beard — 

 an insult to an Oriental, which he bears with an 

 equanimity equal to his fondness for her. The 

 cunning fellows have begun to make use of her 

 too, and when they want anything, ask the favour 

 in the name of Lilli Baba (they cannot manage 

 ' Olivia ' at all). They know the spell is potent." 



After a five-o'clock cup of tea Hodson and his 

 wife were wont to go out riding together for a 

 couple of hours. "You can understand," Mrs 

 Hodson writes on April 15, "something of the 

 delight of galloping over the almost boundless plain 

 in the cool fresh air (for the mornings and evenings 

 are still lovely), with the ground now enamelled 

 with sweet-scented flowers, and the magnificent 

 mountains nearest us assuming every possible hue 

 which lioht and shadow can bestow. On our return 

 to camp W. hears more reports till dinner, which 

 is sometimes shared by the other oflicers or chance 

 guests. When we are alone, as soon as dinner is 

 over, the letters which have arrived in the evening 

 are examined, classified, and descanted on, some- 

 times answered ; and I receive my instructions for 

 next day's work in copying papers, answering 

 letters, &c." 



After a lively description of her husband's labours 

 as a hard-worked overseer in the building of his 

 fort, Mrs Hodson goes on to say : — 



" By way of variety we have native sports on 

 great holidays — such as throwing the spear at a 



