in his regiment, having been only lately appointed to it, and lost his
way in that dreadful desert I told you of, where he wandered in a
wretched state for two days, during which time the simoom came on, and
he died from its effects a short time after reaching his tent; the
simoom was still so violent that his servants were obliged to dig his
grave inside his tent: his body turned black immediately after death.

We have had excellent European fruit here, and the gardens about the
place are very large and beautiful--peaches, apricots, cherries, apples,
grapes, and mulberries. I never tasted anything more delicious than the
melons here. You cannot imagine, in your temperate climate, how
refreshing they are on a hot day; but, then, they are said to be very
dangerous. The vegetables, too, are good, particularly to those who had
been without them so long as we had. There are peas, beans, salad,
cucumber, but, unfortunately, no potatoes; what would we not give for a
nice mealy murphy! we have not tasted one for four months; however, in
all these respects Cabool is much superior. What we shall do when we
reach that place I cannot imagine,--one thing, the Hindoo Koosh,
prevents our marching further. The report is, that if everything goes
smooth we shall go back again this year; but this I do not believe, as
I hardly think it probable that the government would be at such expense
in marching us such a distance just to keep us at Cabool for a month,
and if we overstay that it will be too late, and the snow and severity
of the climate will hinder our returning. Moreover, Runjet Sing is very
ill, and, they say, is likely to kick, in which case there will, I take
it, be a regular shindy in the Punjab; and John Company, when he has
once put his foot into a country, does not withdraw it very soon.
Besides, there is Herat and Persia to be looked to. For my part, I have
no objection to a winter in Cabool; and if we can only get up our
supplies in the liquor line, we shall, I have no doubt, make ourselves
very comfortable. The 16th Lancers have an excellent pack of foxhounds
with them, and horses are very cheap. There are to be races &c. on a
grand scale also when we get there; and if we can get our supplies up by
that time, we may look forward to spending a merry Christmas even in
such a distant country. How curious all this must sound to you in your
quiet, lovely home of Brookhill. I have often thought of you all during
this campaign, pa