A Journey through the Kingdom of Oude | Page 7

released soon, and all who are so will
certainly return to their trade; and the system will continue in spite of
all our efforts to put it down. I have just been at Jubulpore, and the
bearing of the Bagree decoits, sent from Ajmeer by Buch, is quite
different from that of those who have had a sentence of imprisonment
for life passed against them in other quarters, and is very injurious to
them, for they get so bad a name that no one will venture to give them
service of any kind. Do, I pray you, think of a remedy for the future.
The only one that strikes me is that above suggested, of leaving the

final sentence to the European officers.
I need not say that I was delighted at your getting the great Douger
Sing by the means you had yourself proposed for the pursuit--sending
an officer with authority to disregard boundaries.
Yours sincerely, (Signed) W. S. SLEEMAN
To Col. Sutherland.
______________________________
Jhansee, 4th March, 1848.
My Lord,
I had the gratification to receive your Lordship's letter of the 7th of
January last, at Nursingpore, in the valley of the Nerbudda, where I
commenced my Civil career more than a quarter of a century before,
and where, of all places, I should have wished to receive so gracious a
testimonial from such high authority. I should have earlier expressed by
grateful acknowledgments, and prepared the narrative so frequently
called for, but I was then engaged in preparing a Report on
Gang-robbery in India, and wished first to make a little more progress,
that I might be able to speak more confidently of its ultimate
completion and submission to Government. In a less perfect form this
Report was, at the earnest recommendation of the then Lieut.-Governor
N.W.P., the Honourable T. Robertson, and with the sanction of the
Governor-General Lord Auckland, sent to the Government press so
long back as 1842, but his Lordship appeared to me to think that the
printing had better be deferred till more progress had been made in the
work of putting down the odious system of crime which the Report
exposed, and I withdrew it from the press with little hope of ever again
having any leisure to devote to it, or finding any other person able and
willing to undertake its completion.
During the last rains, however, I began again to arrange the confused
mass of papers which I found lying in a box; but in October I was

interrupted by a severe attack of fever, and unable to do anything but
the current duties of my office till I commenced my tour through the
Saugor territories, in November. I have since nearly completed the
work, and hope to be able to submit it to Government before the end of
this month in a form worthy of its acceptation.
I am afraid that the narrative of my humble services will be found much
longer than it ought to be, but I have written it hastily that it might go
by this mail, and it is the first attempt I have ever thought of making at
such a narrative, for I have gone on quietly "through evil and through
good report," doing, to the best of my ability, the duties which it has
pleased the Government of India, from time to time, to confide to me,
in the manner which appeared to me most conformable to its wishes
and its honour, satisfied and grateful for the trust and confidence which
enabled me to do so much good for the people, and to secure so much
of their attachment and gratitude to their rulers.
Permit me to subscribe myself, with great respect, Your Lordship's
faithful and obedient humble servant,
(Signed) W. H. SLEEMAN.
To Lieut.-General the Right Hon. Henry Viscount Hardinge, &c. &c.
&c.
_________________________
Jhansee, 4th March, 1848. Dear Sir,
Lord Hardinge, in a letter dated the 7th of January last, requested me to
make out a narrative of my humble services in India, and to send it
under cover to you, as he expected to embark on the 15th, before he
could receive it in Calcutta. I take the liberty to send my reply with the
narrative, open, and to request that you will do me the favour to have
them sealed and forwarded to his Lordship.
Believe me, dear Sir, Yours very faithfully, (Signed) W. H.
SLEEMAN.

To J. Cosmo Melvill, Secretary to the East India Company, India
House, London.
_________________________
Jhansee, 28th March, 1848.
My Dear Elliot,
The Court of Directors complain that decoit prisoners are not tried as
soon as they are caught, but they know little of the difficulties that the
officers under me find in getting them tried, for political officers have,
in truth, had little encouragement to undertake such