162 MAJOR W. HODSON. 



you will emerge from the cloud they have raised 

 around you with untarnished reputation." 



In this connection I may insert part of a letter 

 which Lord Napier wrote in 1884 to the Kev. G. 

 H. Hodson : — 



"In March 1855, on visiting Peshawar, I found 

 the case of your brother under discussion at Sir J. 

 Lawrence's headquarters. Feelings were very strong 

 against him, and the loss of his appointment con- 

 sidered so certain that I feared the decision had 

 been already made. I immediately sought your 

 brother, and found him quite unconscious of his 

 danger, and confident of clearing himself of the 

 accusations brought against him. 



" On his showing me his accounts, I saw they 

 were all in Persian, liable to any misconstruction 

 which an ill - disposed interpreter might place on 

 them, and I urged him to translate them into 

 English. 



" He said it would take a fortnight, and I there- 

 fore rode back to Sir J. Lawrence's camp and asked 

 him to allow that time for translating the accounts. 

 To this he gave consent, which I carried at once 

 to Hodson. 



" By working day and night he accomplished the 

 translation in the time. 



" AVhen it is remembered that on his being sus- 

 pended, notice was given to every complainant to 

 come forward against him, any one who knows 

 the material contained in the Guides knows that 

 there were men who might have had enmity to 

 gratify, or hope of positive advantage in bringing 

 accusations before the court of inquiry." 



The proceedings of the court of inquiry had been 



