SIKINUGGUR TO THE WURDWAN. 29 



as lovely a spot as could be anywhere selected in the 

 universe. 



I was conducted to a small house on the Jhelum, called 

 Colonel Browne's house, from his frequently residing 

 there. It is kept for the senior officer arriving, and I 

 happen at this time to be that important individual. There 

 was no noticeable difference between this and the eight or 

 nine small residences on either side. They are paltry 

 buildings, only calculated for roughing it ' en garon.' 

 They are, however, pleasantly situated on the right bank 

 of the Jhelum, at considerable intervals, shady groves in 

 rear, and well removed from the smells and sounds of the 

 city and its multitude. 



I was waited upon by the Maharajah's Yakeel, the 

 Baboo, Mohur Chunder, a most intelligent, active, and 

 obliging official, affording every information and every 

 assistance possible in one's affairs. He is the ' factotum ' 

 as regards Europeans, being, I believe, retained on ac- 

 count of his tact in giving them satisfaction, and keeping 

 things * serene' between them and the residents. He 

 provided me with a boat, partly thatched, and six men, 

 to pull about and do the lions, the river being the 

 highway. 



I had written to the Baboo to engage two shikarries 

 whom I named, and he had despatched a * purwanah ' 

 for their attendance, but had not yet heard of them. 

 This I did not regret, as I wished to look about me a bit 

 before starting upon any fresh excursion. 



In the afternoon I took boat, and descended the river, 

 passing amid the city under some half-dozen bridges of, I 

 think, four arches each, if arches they may be called, for 

 the tops are flat. The piers are constructed of large 

 rough timbers in the log, placed in layers transversely, 

 and the roadway is formed of longitudinal and transverse 



