d through his wrist, grazed a large
beam above him, struck against a stone in the roof of the portico,
and fell down flattened by the side of the sentry, as he lay
insensible and bleeding on the ground below. The wrist was
sahttered,[_sic_] and several of the arteries cut through. He bled
profusely, and when taken up he talked incoherently, declaring that
some man had fired at him from behind the railing, twenty paces off.
I have seen similar cases of incoherency, arising from a similar
cause. As soon as day appeared the ball was found, and its marks on
the beam and stone above showed the real state of the case. His right
knee was probably leaning on the lock of the musket when he fell
asleep. I have made no public or official report of this circumstance
to Government.

I have now before me a curious instance of the difficulty of getting
at the truth when it is the interest of the minister and others about
this Court to prevent it. A wanton attack was made in April last by
about one hundred armed men, led by one of the King's collectors, on
a native British subject coming from Cawnpore to visit a brother in
Oude. The man himself received a wound, from which he some days
afterwards died at Cawnpore; two of his attendants were killed, and
twenty thousand rupees were taken from him. I have investigated the
case myself, with the aid of my assistant, Captain Hayes, and with
the attendance of an assessor on the part of the King. The case is a
very clear one, but they have produced about thirty witnesses to
swear that no man of the poor merchant's party was hurt; and that,
instead of being attacked, he invaded the Oude territory with more
than one hundred armed followers, and wantonly attacked the King's
party of only fifteen unoffending men, while engaged in the discharge
of their duty in collecting the revenue. I have translated the
depositions with the prospect of having ultimately to submit the case
to Government, unless the King consents to punish the offenders and
afford redress. The assessor, an old man, bewildered by the
conflicting testimony, and anxious to escape from all responsibility,
slept soundly through the greater part of the inquiry, which has been
a very tedious one.

I remain, your Lordship's
Most obedient and humble servant,
(Signed) W. H. SLEEMAN.

To the Most Noble
the Governor-General of India.

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