ad, however, a good view of the Indus, which does not here appear to
be very broad: a cruel hot day; and, in addition to my other
misfortunes, was nearly stifled by the clouds of dust raised by cavalry
of every description leading their horses to water. On my return to camp
I luckily found my baggage arrived, and had a good snoose till six
o'clock, mess time; heard at mess that the Ameers had agreed to all our
terms, and would do everything to assist our passage through their
country; that we were to march straight to Shikarpoor, without halting
at Hydrabad; after remaining at which place for some time, we should
advance upon Candahar,--all fudge. Our position this halt was about the
centre of the army,--bad encamping ground,--very dusty.

_Friday, 25th_.--Left our encampment at six, in the same order as
before; our out-lying picket, under Stisted, joined us near our first
halt, about three miles. Warlike news,--the Ameers had rejected our
treaty, and that a force of 10,000 Beloochees had crossed the river; and
would probably give us some trouble. Stisted had received orders to keep
a very sharp look-out with his picket, as there was a chance of its
being attacked: Jephson joined, with news from Sir J. Keane, that there
was every chance of our being attacked on the line of march; however, we
were not, although we passed over some very pretty ground for a battle.
Marched into our encamping ground about half-past ten, near a
half-ruined village called Jarruk, on the banks of the river; the army
here took up a rather strong position, on a chain of heights; our
brigade being, however, pushed on again in advance, on some low and
jungly ground near the river; the Queen's again on the extreme front.
News still warlike; the Beloochees, under Meer Mahomet, one of the
Ameers, and the most restive of them, being supposed to be near us in
great force, though nobody seemed to know where. All the oot-wallas, or
camel-drivers, put under charge of sentries, as there was reason to
suspect they meditated deserting in the night with our camels. Bad
encamping ground again,--a dusty, half-cultivated field.

_Saturday, 26th_.--Turned out of bed between two and three, A.M., with
orders to fall in, at a moment's notice, in "light marching order," as
an attack was strongly expected. Spies had reported that 10,000
Beloochees were in a shikargur not seven miles from us, and that they
intended a night attack; everybody in the highest state of exci