no
mischief or desecration of any sort was committed. Sir John Keane, in a
general order issued before our departure, took occasion expressly to
allude to this circumstance, in terms alike honourable to himself and to
us.

A curious, and I must say revolting, instance of the gross superstition
of the Hindoos fell under my observation whilst at Tattah. At the
northern extremity of the bazaar I was shown some of the most miserable
specimens of humanity that can well be imagined. In a filthy mud hut,
the very aspect of which threatened contagion, sat two living skeletons
rocking themselves to and fro. They were without covering of any sort,
except the old blanket on which they sat, and their deep sunk eyes and
contracted features told a tale of long but patiently endured privation.
I was informed that these poor wretches were undergoing a self-inflicted
penance, for the non-performance of some religious rite. They had
condemned themselves for a period of seven years to a daily allowance of
rice and water, barely sufficient to prevent the extinction of the vital
powers. We offered them food, but they sternly rejected it. This
lamentable fanaticism on the part of a simple and inoffensive people is,
after all, but another and more harmless phase of the fierce bigotry,
which still continues to exist amongst European nations.

A _dak_, or native postman, who had crossed the river from Bhooj with
letters for the camp, was waylaid by two Belochees as he was descending
towards it, by the left bank, and the letter bag taken from him. His
captors, having brought him to their retreat in the hills, secured his
hands behind his back, and lay down to sleep, one of them using the
letter bag as a pillow. The _dak_ remained quiet, until their snoring
satisfied him they were sound asleep, and then slipping his hands out of
the ligatures, he stole over to the fellow who had the post-bag under
him, and placing his knee on his breast, cut his throat from ear to ear
with a knife, which he took from the mountaineer's person, and made off
with the bag. In about ten minutes after, he heard the Belochee close
upon his heels, and, redoubling his speed, a chase of nearly ten miles
ensued, in the course of which, the poor fellow had two or three times
nearly yielded from fatigue. The dreadful fate which awaited him, should
he fall into his pursuer's hands, flashed however across his mind, and
plucking up fresh strength and courage, he at length succ