JOURNAL OP MAJOR GEORGE BROOKE. 
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Native troops all good and beautifully dressed; no wonder tbe admira¬ 
tion was at a high figure. 
December 4th. —Runjeet came in the evening to see the Park: very 
minute in looking at heavy guns and mortars; 1 asked the price of guns. 
One shell 8-inch, and one shell, shot and grape, for 24-pr. were got 
ready but not asked for : Lord Auckland and Commander-in-Chief 
attending. In the evening Miss Eden “At Home.” Runjeet there. 
Generals and Brigadiers publicly asked. Graham was introduced to 
Runjeet, who asked Macnaghten who and what he was. 2 Mr. 
Macnaghten replied that he was a Burrah Sirdar, and commanded the 
artillery. “ Will he shoot ? If so I will order my head of artillery to 
shoot with him.” 3 To this Graham replied that he could shoot very 
well in his younger days but his sight was now defective, but that, 
however, he had no objection. Shortly after that the Commander-in- 
Chief called for Graham and, telling him to order a 6-pr. in the morning 
to RunjeePs camp, desired that Major Pew, whom he understood to 
be a great shot, would attend. Graham, knowing Pew was only a 
sportsman shot, mentioned that Abbott was a good gun shot. “Order 
him too” was the reply. Accordingly they were so [ordered], and to 
bring a 9-pr. Camel Battery gun with ammunition. After RunjeePs 
departure the Governor-General gave his visitors a supper. 
December 5th. —Accompanied Graham to RunjeePs review. Set out 
on a pad elephant, and sent on a charger. Arrived at the Ghat just 
five minutes before the Governor-General, who, as he passed, seeing us 
on foot, having alighted to take horse, he politely offered an elephant 
with a howdah. Graham was taken up by Broome, and I afterwards 
took up Captain Cotton. The cortege was duly met by deputation, 
and by Runjeet after passing the brigade, and all proceeded, joined by 
the Commander-in-ChiePs cortege, to the field about lb miles beyond 
the camp. Passed a knot of Fakeers 4 who were insolent: body-guard 
following us, and a number of officers on horseback. After passing the 
camp, and entering upon the review ground, a body of mounted troops 
attempted to cut off the escort and horsemen, and with drawn swords 
rode on the body-guard, who, guarding off the weapons, walked steadily 
on with Dawkins 5 at head. Colonel Perse 6 was rougly treated, as also 
Mackenzie 7 of ours, who, losing his helmet, a shout of laughter was 
1 In little more than three weeks after this intelligence reached the British camp that the 
Maharaja had an attack of paralysis. He died at Lahore on the 27th of June following, at the 
age of 59, through debauchery and deep potations of Sikh whiskey made him look very much older. 
The one feature of his face which had not grown old was his single eye. Those who have tasted 
what Sikh whiskey used to be—and your host did not like to see it diluted—will not wonder at 
this. 
2 He was tall and erect, with a very soldierlike look about him. 
3 At his interview with Lord William Bentinck at Ilupar, in October 1831, the Maharaja put up 
his umbrella, and Lieutenant George Campbell put a 6-pr. shot through it. This may have been 
the reason that the match on this occasion did not come off. 
4 These were of the class called Akali; a fanatically insolent set. They wore sharp-edged iron 
quoits on a conically folded turban, and blue vestments. 
5 Captain Dawkins, commanding Governor-General’s body-guard. 
6 Colonel Persse, 16th Lancers. 
' Lieutenant Murray Mackenzie, 4th Troop, 3rd Brigade, Horse Artillery. 
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