girl had departed shortly after her private interview with Mouzuffur Beg; and on acquainting Staunton with what had taken place whilst I was on guard, and that I was ordered to accompany the prisoners to Chudderghaut, he volunteered to be my companion on this expedition-an offer which I gladly accepted-and we were soon, with the escort of Sepoys, and the still disarmed Seikhs, en route towards the place of our destination.

On arriving at the Residency, it was resolved, after a short consultation, that I should with my escort take the prisoners into the city, and deliver them over to the authorities there.

With so little apprehension of approaching danger did I obey these instructions and enter the gates of Hyderabad, that I did not take the precaution of loading the muskets, or even of fixing bayonets: indeed my orders were, that such should not be done.

As we wended our way through the narrow streets and crowded bazaars, although no violence was attempted, still the dark scowl, the muttered curse, the words "Kaffir," "Ferringhee," with other not very complimentary adjuncts, sufficiently testified that they regarded us as most unwelcome guests.

We continued, nevertheless, to proceed on our way; when on passing under the walls of a large and dingy-looking old building, our ears were suddenly assailed by fierce yells and imprecations; arms were thrown out from the windows to the prisoners we were escorting, and in the confusion and subsequent scuffle that ensued, my small party was in an instant surrounded, and many of them cut down, ere we had time to make the slightest preparation for defence.

All this was the work of a few seconds; I found myself, with Staunton, desperately battling hand-to-hand against overwhelming numbers of fierce, savage-looking Seikhs, whilst such of the survivors of our Sepoys as had contrived to load their pieces, opened a straggling and ineffective fire, which served only to increase the exasperation of our assailants.

This unequal contest must in a few minutes have ended in our total destruction. When to the Mahomedan war-cry of "Allah !" "Illah!” a horseman mounted on a powerful steed, dashed into the thickest of the fray, and passing between me and a Seikh, who was pressing me hard with sword and shield, he

dealt my antagonist such a back-handed, sweeping blow with his scimitar, that the latter was laid writhing and mangled on the ground; then, charging right and left through the astonished Seikhs, he caused such a diversion in our favour, that we were enabled to rally and show a front.

I recognised in our deliverer, my friend, Mouzuffur Beg; he was joined by a large party of his countrymen—Pathans in the pay of the Nizam-whose timely assistance turned the tables upon the Seikhs; but this sanguinary affray was only put a stop to, by the appearance of a third and larger body of troops, headed by some of the principal officers of the Nizam, under whose escort, the remnant of my party returned to the Residency at Chudderghaut.

I was fortunate in escaping unhurt; Staunton received only a slight flesh-wound in the arm; and I may here observe by the way, that this skirmish gave rise to a lengthened correspondence with the Nizam's government, which ended by some of the Seikh ringleaders being put to death, as a punishment for their unprovoked aggression upon our troops.

Meanwhile Mouzuffur Beg had vanished

most unaccountably from the scene, nor could I obtain any intelligence of him at his usual station in the cantonment; and it was not till several days after the above occurrences, that he came one night to my house, to say that everything was arranged to facilitate the escape of the "Sittarah Mahal,"-the captive lady of Frangistan.

"This fore-named maid hath yet in her, the continuance of her first affection."-Measure for Measure.

Now my co-mates and brothers in exile,
Hath not old custom made this life more sweet
Than that of painted pomp? Are not these woods
More free from peril, than the envious court?"

As you Like It.

MY Affghan friend appeared desirous to evade, as much as possible, all explanation as to the manner, in which he had so gallantly rescued us from the hands of the infuriated Seikhs; merely stating, that happening at the time to be in the city, and hearing that we were in danger, he had called upon his countrymen to assist in the rescue of a "which, Alhumdolillah!" added he,

friend,

"thanks be to