The distance from Ferozepore to Bahawulpore was two hundred and twenty-one miles, according to our route; this, we overcame in eighteen marches, having halted twice for a day. The government agents had been exerting themselves to get supplies laid in for us at each march, but complaints were urged against Bahawul Khan, of not having duly exerted himself in forwarding this object. Poor man! no doubt he entertained strong fear regarding his own independence, after the military visit with which he was now threatened--no British troops having marched this road previously. Shah Soojah, with his motley contingent,[17] preceded the column, and no doubt seized the lion's share of whatever supplies he met with, and from his previous character, there is no reason to suppose that Bahawul Khan entertained a high opinion of our royal companion. Our army now marched in five columns, the sappers and miners in advance, the cavalry-brigade next, and the three infantry-brigades in succession, at intervals of one day's march between each brigade. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 11: It must be borne in mind that forts are not carried by eastern nations with the celerity of modern art. A siege of two or three years' duration being a matter of frequent occurrence.] [Footnote 12: "Koh-i-noor" means Mountain of Light, and is applied to a diamond something less than a pigeon's egg!] [Footnote 13: Koutub means, literally, the pole. The title of the emperor of that name was Koutub-ul-dien, or the pole-star of religion. He reigned at Lahore and Delhi, and died about A.D. 1210.] [Footnote 14: This _magic_ garden had been imported from Lahore, and planted during the night.] [Footnote 15: Viz., the news then received of the Persians having retired from Herat.] [Footnote 16: The jhow is a shrub resembling the yew tree, and affords good food for the camels.] [Footnote 17: This contingent consisted of raw Hindoo levies raised for Shah Soojah's guard, in Afghanistan, amounting to about five thousand men and four guns.] CHAPTER IV. ARRIVAL AT BAHAWULPORE--SIR HENRY FANE'S INTERVIEW WITH THE KHAN--PROGRESS TO SCINDE ACROSS THE INDUS. On the 29th of December, the cavalry-brigade reached Bahawulpore, in the vicinity of which the country is richly cultivated. The view was enlivened by hordes of Bahawul Khan's wild-looking cavalry, encamped amongst the groves of palm and date trees in the neighbourhood. We marched into our camp near the city under a heavy fall of rain, and were met by a son of the khan, who came to pay his respects to Sir Willoughby Cotton, whilst his father visited Sir Henry Fane on board his boats, which kept parallel with the army during its progress.