order was at length
issued for the embarkation of the Cavalry, which was now limited to my
own detachment. Upwards of thirty _pattemars_ were hired for the voyage,
and from twelve to fourteen men, and an equal number of horses, were
stowed in each. We had a quick and favourable passage, and arrived at
Bombay on the 10th of March, after an absence of nearly eighteen months.

THE END.

APPENDIX.

APPENDIX.

FROM THE DELHI GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY, OCTOBER 1, 1842.

"The Right Hon. the Govenor-General of India having with the concurrence
of the Supreme Council, directed the assemblage of a British force for
service across the Indus, his Lordship deems it proper to publish the
following exposition of reasons which have led to this important
measure.

"It is a matter of notoriety that the treaties entered into by the
British Government in the year 1832 with the Ameers of Scinde, the
Nawab of Bahawulpore, and Maharaja Runjeet Singh, had for their object,
by opening the navigation of the Indus, to facilitate the extension of
commerce, and to gain for the British nation in Central Asia that
legitimate influence which an interchange of benefits would naturally
produce.

"With a view to invite the aid of the _de facto_ rulers of Afghanistan
to the measures necessary for giving full effect to those treaties,
Captain Burnes was deputed, towards the close of the year 1836, on a
mission to Dost Mahomed Khan, chief of Cabul: the original objects of
that officer's mission were purely of a commercial nature.

"Whilst Captain Burnes, however, was on his journey to Cabul,
information was received by the Governor-General that the troops of Dost
Mahomed Khan had made a sudden and unprovoked attack on those of our
ancient ally, Maharaja Runjeet Singh. It was naturally to be
apprehended that his Highness the Maharaja would not be slow to avenge
this aggression, and it was to be feared that the flames of war being
once kindled in the very regions into which we were endeavouring to
extend our commerce, the peaceful and beneficial purposes of the British
Government would be altogether frustrated. In order to avert a result so
calamitous, the Governor-General resolved on authorising Captain Burnes
to intimate to Dost Mahomed Khan, that if he should evince a disposition
to come to just and reasonable terms with the Maharaja, his Lordship
would exert his good offices with his Highness for the restoration of an
amicable unders