FROM DELHI TO UMBALA. 279 



When I returned, three or four days afterwards, a 

 story had been circulated by the native who had 

 disgorged the coin, that I had kept the money for 

 myself ! Of course the very day I returned it was, 

 with heaps of other things, made over to the agents. 

 And so stories sro in this world ! " 



A full account of this very incident was given at 

 the time to Mr Sloggett by one of the prize agents, 

 Major Wriford of the 1st Bengal Fusiliers. On the 

 morning of September 27 twenty troopers of Hod- 

 son's Horse had brouQ-ht from the house of a native 

 banker a bag each of Rs. 500, Rs. 10,000 in all, in 

 exchange for an order signed by Hodson himself 

 releasing the banker from all liability to further 

 search of his premises. The money was safely 

 lodged in the regimental treasure-chest. On learn- 

 ing that this sum had not been duly paid over to 

 the prize agents. General Wilson appears to have 

 assumed that Hodson intended to keep the booty 

 for himself. He ordered Wriford to go with a com- 

 pany of his own men to Hodson's lines, take pos- 

 session of the regimental chest, and bring it to 

 headquarters. On his way thither Wriford met 

 Hodson, who had just returned to Delhi after an 

 absence of three days. The two men at once pro- 

 ceeded to the general's quarters. On hearing Hod- 

 son's report of his recent doings Wilson " burst 

 forth into warmest acclamations of praise. ' If I 

 had many like you,' he said, ' we should soon see 

 the country settled quietly down.' Hodson's reply 

 was, ' Now, sir, T beg you to place me under arrest,' 

 at the same time unbuckling and laying down his 

 sword. 



"The general, astonished, asked what he meant. 



