India -- History -- British occupation, 1765-1947 -- Biography; Lawrence, John Laird Mair, 1811-1879
He knew that an administrator shines, not only in what he does himself,
but also in what he induces others to do, that his policy will in part
be tested by the character of the men whom he raises up around him, that
the master is recognised in his pupils, and that if his work is to live
after him, he must have those ready who will hand on the tradition, and
will even take his place should he fall in the battle of life. His aim,
then, was to establish a system and found a school.
During 1853 and the early part of 1854 he remained in fair health,
though not in full strength according to his normal standard. During the
early summer of 1854 he sojourned at Murri, a Himalayan sanatorium in
the region between the Jhelum and the Indus. At this sanatorium, six to
eight thousand feet above sea-level, he enjoyed the advantages which
have been already described in reference to Simla. His horizon was
bounded by the snowy ranges that overlook the valley of Cashmere. About
midsummer he returned to his headquarters at Lahore in the hottest time
of the year, and he was once more stricken down with illness, from the
effects of which he certainly did not recover during the remainder of
his career in the Punjab. Fever there was with acute nervous distress,
but it was in the head that the symptoms were agonizing. He said with
gasps that he felt as if _rakshas_ (Hindoo mythological giants) were
driving prongs through his brain. The physicians afforded relief by
casting cold douches of water on his head; but when the anguish was over
his nerve-system seemed momentarily injured. Afterwards when alluding to
attacks of illness, he would say that he had once or twice been on the
point of death. Perhaps this may have been one of the occasions in his
mind. For a man of his strength the attack hardly involved mortal
danger; still it was very grave and caused ill effects to ensue. After a
few days he rallied rapidly, went back to Murri, and resumed his work,
disposing of the arrears which in the interval had accumulated.
Doubtless he returned to duty too soon for his proper recovery, but this
was unavoidable.
After 1854 he spent the summer months of each year at Murri, having been
urged to do so by the Governor-General, Lord Dalhousie.
At various times he visited several of the Native States under his
charge, exchanging courtesies, conforming to their ceremonial usages,
holding Oriental levees, and mixing in scenes of Asiatic pomp amidst
localities of exceeding picturesqueness. He strove to set the seal on
their contentment--hardly anticipating how soon he would have to require
them to draw their swords for the Empire. He again visited Peshawur,
directed operations against some offending hill-tribes, and marched
along the whole Trans-Indus frontier.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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