318 CAPTIVITY AND RELEASE 
although guarded, and closely watched by an ever-present 
spy, we never make ourselves unhappy. 
Our only communication with the Durhar (Court) is 
through our spy, a truly odious being. He is perfectly made 
up of malevolence and falsehood, to practise which is his 
main occupation. He is a filthy squinting Bhotea, who drives 
away every one who comes near us, and causes our poor 
coolies to be Hogged, when they approach the door to beg 
a little food from our small stock. We are, of course, more 
than civil, nay, we are kmd to him, but he is equally un- 
touched by our kind deeds and our remonstrances. Many 
a base scurvy trick he has played us and misrepresented our 
conduct to the Rajah, who treated us ill enough and starved 
both Campbell and me for the first fortnight ; as he does 
our poor followers to this very hour. I suppose the evil 
animus this vile fellow (who rejoices in the name of Toha 
Singh) exhibits against us constitutes his recommendation 
in the Rajah's eyes. Happily neither he, nor any one here, 
can speak English, so my friend and I talk with perfect 
freedom, only using conventional names for persons. We 
call the Rajah Prince, the Deivan Butcher, Toha Singh Evil 
Eye, and so on. 
Hodgson is our good angel now. Though his health 
almost imperatively requires him to go to the Plains, he 
stays at Darjeeling, in order to serve us by communicating 
with Government, threatening the Rajah, looking to the 
defences of Darjeeling, and comforting poor Mrs. Campbell 
and the few inhabitants who yet remain at the Station. The 
ostensible manager there is the brother of ; he thinks 
(and is allowed by Hodgson to think) that he does everything, 
but he is a wholly inefficient person, and quite incompetent 
to stir a peg without the impulse, counsel, and correction of 
others. 
From the middle of November, hovv'ever, permission had 
been given to write to their friends, though even before their 
arrest, a whole packet of letters had been destroyed. Hooker 
accordingly sent a private account of all that had happened 
to Lord Dalhousie, then at Bombay, with instant effect. Troops 
were hurried up to Darjiling ; an ultimatum despatched to 
the Rajah. Military force was a message the Dewan could not 
