"حياة ومراسلات اللواء السير جون مالكوم، قائد فرسان وسام الطُهر، المبعوث السابق إلى بلاد فارس وحاكم بومباي؛ من رسائل ومذكرات غير منشورة. في مجلّدين. المجلد II." [‎٢‎٧‎٤] (٦٥٤/٢٩١)

274 ASSEERGHUR.
contrary, that he and those around him should know that it is
altogether fallacious; and I know that every day must weaken the
expectation till it dies a natural death. But supposing the con
trary—suppose this man attempts escape ? If prevented, you have a
good right to confine him; if he gets away, what is his condition?
He would be a burden to Scindiah or to Holkar. He could not
carry treasure with him ; nor could he restore his credit, or recall
his respectable adherents. Plunderers might use his name for a
month, but nothing could result; and his character is such, that he
never could re-create the means which he has abandoned."
At this time Malcolm was at Mundissore, where lie
had negotiated the treaty with Holkar's Government;
and Badjee Eao, who was to be attended to Hindostan
by Captain Low, was about soon to lose Malcolm's as
suring companionship.* The force had been continually
in motion during the hottest season of the year, and had
made many long marches, which had greatly distressed
some of Malcolm's followers, who were not as fond
of rapid locomotion as himself, f The reader, indeed,
who follows on the map the movements of Sir John
Malcolm, and marks the large intervals of space cor
responding with the brief intervals of time set down
in the narrative, will almost doubt the accuracy of
the narrator. But now the rains had set in; the
country was under water ; and again he found
* "I date this/'he wrote to his wife more than my little Persian friend,
011 the 8th of August, " from the place Mahomed Hussein Khan, who was
where I settled the peace with Holkar with me as moonshee in my pursuit of
in January last. I am escorting Bad- Badjee llao. In one of the hottest
jee Rao, who takes his leave here to days of the first week'of June I hap-
go to Hindostan. I shall rejoice when pened to say that I was not certain
he departs, for really this is a life of whether I should march eighteen miles
t oo incessant effort and fatigue to be or twenty-eight next day. c Oh! for
agreeable. I have had another mon- God's sake, march twenty -eight,' said
soon march, and am now encamped on the Khan. 'Why do you wish it?'
a high hill, to avoid the floods that are said I; c I am afraid it will kill you.'"
^around." _ On this the Khan told a story more
1 Malcolm, in one of his private amusing than delicate, the drift ot
letters, thus alludes to the subject: " I which was, that if he were to he killed
have got very unjustly (!) a bad name at all, it was better to be killed out-
tor long marches. No one felt these right.