The English lowered the walls of the fort, but left one small portion standing, to show their great original height. The fort formerly had but one entrance, which opened on the ditch; the English built another gate on the opposite side, and another bridge across the ditch; the place was kept in repair for a short time, but is now in ruins. Within the fort, on the right, is a model of the ground plan. I only regret I cannot very well remember all that was told me at the time in the most animated manner by Major Sutherland, who, himself a distinguished officer, was greatly interested in the Fort of Alligarh.
27th.—Our party drove to the race-stand, to see the horses that are in training for the races: certainly, Botanist and Faustus, two very fine Arabs, belonging to Mr. B⸺, are beautiful creatures. In the evening we visited a house and garden, formerly the property of General Perron, now in the possession of Major Derridon, who married his sister.
Major Cureton, of the 16th Lancers, dined with us; we had a long conversation about the old regiment; he told me the 16th had sent Mr. Blood a present of a silver shield. How much the old man will feel and value the honour conferred upon him by his regiment!
28th.—Visited Mr. B⸺’s stud to see his beautiful Arabs: in the evening we went to the tomb of the officers who fell at the taking of the Fort; eight of them are buried there, and a monument is erected to their memory. Thence we went to a Masjid, situated on a hill in the town,—a very picturesque object from a distance. At its side is the ruin of a very old Kos Minar, which is remarkable. Rain threatened, the clouds were black and heavy, the thunder rolled, but only a few, a very few drops descended. Without rain all the crops now above ground will perish, and the famine will continue.
29th.—With regret I separated this day from the party, to pursue my route alone to Meerut, they to take the opposite direction to Muttra, Gwalior, and Agra: Mr. H⸺ and Miss B⸺ accompanied me the first six miles on the march. How curious appeared the solitude of my tents away from the happy party I had quitted! yet I enjoyed the quiet, the silence, and the being alone once more.
30th.—Encamped at Koorjah; a tufān of wind and sand all day; no grass to be had or seen, the earth all dried up. In the Faquir’s Bāghīcha is a picturesque tomb and ruined mosque.
31st.—Encamped at Bulandsher; quitted the good Delhi road to turn to Meerut; the wind very high, and miserably cold, the sand flying like dust, covering every thing in the tent, and filling my eyes. The servants annoyed me by disobeying orders; the food was bad,—the Arab’s saddle wrung his back,—every thing went wrong. What a distance I have marched! how generally barren, flat, and uninteresting the country has been! I saw a very fine banyan tree a day or two ago, but the general face of the country is a sandy plain, interspersed with a few green fields near the wells, and topes of mango trees: in one of these topes my tent is pitched to-day. My beautiful dog Nero is dead. What folly in this climate to be fond of any thing!—it is sure to come to an untimely end.
Feb. 3rd.—Encamped at Kerkowdah; at this spot my relative, Capt. E. S⸺, met me, to conduct me to his house at Meerut. How changed we were! our first impulse was to laugh at each other; when last we met we were happy young creatures, playing at games of every sort on the lawn at Somerford Booths. Our voices, the expression of our countenances, were, perhaps, the same; in other respects the alteration was so great, how could we help laughing at each other?
4th.—Arrived at Meerut, pitched my tents in the Compound, i.e. the grounds around the house.