260 LORD ellenborough's despatch. 



that those who committed such bloody deeds 

 would be inevitably the object of God's wrath, 

 and their cause could not possibly prosper. I 

 carefully translated to him Lord Ellenborough's 

 famous Despatch to the Governor-General, 

 wherewith he was greatly deligl^ted^ saying, 

 '' That if even the English rule in India should 

 ever be brought to a close, the noble sentiments 

 expressed in that despatch would always re- 

 main a monument to the honour of one English- 

 man." How His Highness obtained the in- 

 formation that reached him I cannot say, but 

 he certainly always had very early intelligence 

 from the seat of war, and more than once ac- 

 quainted me with occurrences in Oudh that 

 were not mentioned in the North- Western jour- 

 nals till some days afterwards. At length, to- 

 wards the middle of August, being much reduced 

 in strength, I pressed the Meer to allow me to 

 proceed to England, pointing out that I could 

 be of little use to His Highness by prolonging 

 my stay at Khyrpoor, whereas, by going direct 

 to England, I might be able to induce his 

 friends to exert themselves in his favour. After 

 a few days' delay my request was granted, 

 perhaps the more readily as Hotc Singh, the 



