Again he writes to his mother from the same place:–
"6th Feb. 1868.–My ever dear Mother,–I have but a few minutes to write to you to-day, but I cannot let the mail go without a line for you. I am thankful to say I am well, with the exception of a cold, which is now on the wane. The people are coming to me in ever-increasing numbers; there is a wonderfully attractive power in kindness, dearest mother, and God does enable me to be kind and gentle with those poor people. Oh that they only knew the true God and Jesus,–the loving, gentle One.
"I have just heard good news.... A gentleman of great ability and Christian character has been appointed as Resident in Kashmir this year. His name is the Hon. Mr. Roberts, C.B., Judicial Commissioner of the Punjaub. I hope the day of liberty for my poor groaning Kashmiris is near at hand; they are doubly enslaved; they need political as well as religious liberty. God helping me, I shall do my utmost to put them in possession of both. What a delicious pleasure to be helpful in breaking one link in the chains of the slave! Pray much and earnestly for the emancipation of Kashmir.
"May the rich blessing of God ever rest upon you, to comfort you now and to ripen you for glory.–Your ever loving and dutiful son, Willie."
A few days later he writes as follows to Colonel Lake:–
"Amritsar, 22d February, 1868.–You ask me to give you further information respecting the work of last season, and the time I have spent since I left Kashmir. If I remember rightly, my last letter to you was dated about July of last year, just at the time when cholera was at its acme in Srinagar. It raged furiously the whole of that month; and although the type of the epidemic was not of a very virulent nature, still great numbers were carried off. It was especially fatal among women and children. Towards the beginning of August, the virulence of the disease had decidedly abated, and by the end of that month, scarcely a case occurred in the whole city. It had entirely left the city by the 15th September. The epidemic, therefore, lasted from the 8th June till the 15th September, a duration of more than three months. It is very sad to have to state, that the local authorities, with unheard-of cruelty, did all in their power to prevent me visiting the poor, pestilence-stricken inhabitants of Srinagar. They had the effrontery to request the British Resident to prohibit my frequenting the city for the purpose of visiting the sick. This, he said, he would not do. I feel quite sure that, had the local Government acceded to my offer to co-operate with them in battling the common enemy, the mortality would have been less, with God's blessing on our efforts. But, as I said, they did everything in their power to prevent and frustrate my efforts to assist the poor people, who were left in the hands of the ignorant, cruel, and mercenary Hakims. The neglect, cruelty, and rapacity which I witnessed during that epidemic are inconceivable. As a specimen, I may mention this fact: When the cholera was at its worst, it was announced in the city, that His Highness the Maharajah had discovered an effectual cure for the disease. This cure consisted of a printed manthar or charm, which was to be repeated, and pasted above the doors of the houses. This charm, it was announced, was not only curative, but preventive also. Each copy cost four annas (sixpence), and was to be had at the Maharajah's post-office. I went and bought several copies. I have them in my possession now. Large numbers of the Hindoos bought them; but, poor people, they soon discovered their inefficiency. I could mention more things of a piece with this, but space forbids."
"Amritsar, March 28th, 1868.–To his Mother.–I am now preparing for another campaign in Kashmir, and have closed the Dispensary in Amritsar to-day. I purpose going by the same route as last year. I send you a photograph of one of the passes which we shall have to cross.
"In Amritsar, the Medical Mission Dispensary was open from the 23d January till the 28th March, 1868, during which time five hundred and fifty-seven patients were treated. The mode of conducting the operations of the Dispensary was similar to that followed in Kashmir. One Mussulman and one Hindu were greatly roused by the preaching of the Gospel; may they have no rest till they find it in Jesus."