country, and it is with difficulty that a passport can be obtained
to visit any part of their beautiful territory.

In the month of March we had built and completed our bungalows, or huts,
containing two or three rooms each; but we had scarcely got housed when
we received orders to proceed to Cawnpore by water--a tedious and long
trip at that time of the year. I therefore, being almost tired of war's
alarms, began to turn my mind towards the object of my affections, with
whom I had kept up a constant correspondence during the whole campaign.
I asked for permission to proceed by land to Cawnpore. This was readily
granted, and I started alone on this long trip--a distance of four
hundred and thirty miles.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

[Illustration: THE FORT OF HATTRAS.

From a Sketch taken by the late Earl of MUNSTER.]

CHAPTER XV.

I reached Cawnpore in twelve days, after a very harassing journey, the
fatigues of which laid me on a bed of sickness; but the affectionate
nursing of the fair object of my love, and the kind attentions of her
excellent family, soon restored me to health, and I was married on the
4th of April, 1816.

I was received by my old regiment in the most cordial manner; and their
continued marks of kindness to me and my young wife, kept pace with the
liberality of their mess. No stranger was permitted to pass through the
station without a liberal invitation from the 24th Light Dragoons. Soon
after this, my own regiment arrived, when every hand was extended to bid
me welcome; and the next eighteen months were spent by me in domestic
felicity. At the expiration of that time, we were called upon again to
put our limbs in marching order, on an expedition against the strong
forts of Hattrass, Cummoun, and some other refractory dependencies of
the Hattrass rajah.

The former of these forts is situate about thirty miles from Agra, and
twelve from Muttra. It is a mud fort, standing in the middle of the most
fertile country in Bengal, and is a place of immense strength, in
consequence of its enormous ditch, eighty feet wide, by seventy and
seventy-five feet deep, with but two small bridges, extremely narrow,
and which the occupants of the fort could destroy in an instant.

On our arrival before this place, a negotiation was entered into with
the political agent and a messenger from the fort; but still our
operations went on in the most active manner. We could not expect
success but by