The widow of a devoted clergyman, a connection of the writer, has kindly furnished the following interesting notice of his characteristics as a Christian man : 'The late Sir Henry Havelock was a friend of my late husband's, and also of my own, both before and after Mr. W.'s death. But it was more with his family than himself that I had intimacy. At the time we were together at Simla in 1845-46, and part of 1847, he was aide-de-camp to Sir Hugh Gough, and part of the time they were in the 2nd Sutlej campaign. On their return, his family and brother came to our house, till a suitable one could be procured for their residence. From his being on the staff, he was obliged to be near the chief. Sir H. Havelock, however, when at home with his family, was mostly in his office, or in his own room; HE WAS A MAN OF FEW WORDS AND MUCH WORK: much decision of character, and great promptitude. At this time we went out into the interior of the hills together at Kutegur, and our families spent a day in tents, on a most beautiful spot close by the Sutlej, which was running below. I mention this, to notice that he suggested to my husband the desirableness of having a residence for a missionary there, as there were many villages near. This suggestion was complied with; and a small house built, which is now, I believe, occupied by the missionaries of the Church Missionary Society, and has been by others who were learning the Oriental languages, especially the Thibetian. 'In 1847, Colonel Havelock, with his family, went to Bombay, and did not return to Simla till 1855, when he came in the suite of Sir William Gomm. I then renewed my acquaintance with him, for he came to see me as soon as he reached Simla; but owing to the distance of our residence, and his being an invalid, I did not see much of За As has been frequently stated, he was conscientiously a member of the Baptist community, and he was equally a Bible student and a Bible Christian, having a large and loving sympathy with the whole Christian church, and a universal philanthropy. An excellent presbyterian clergyman, who for a year enjoyed much domestic intercourse with him, thus describes him in private life. 'I had every opportunity of knowing and loving him fully. As to his person, he was under the middle size, being in height about five feet six, as far I can judge from memory; of a slight make, oval-formed face, high forehead, dark, penetrating eagle eyes, greyish hair, and, on the whole, of a noble military bearing. He was no talker merely on the subject of religion, but rather a doer, and an actor, for while you felt yourself in the presence of a truly good man, that conviction was awakened, more by reserve and quiet decision, and great mildness of look and manner, than by anxiety to speak of the mysteries of the gospel. His views on the great doctrines of the gospel were clear and distinct, and except on the subject of baptism (which we sometimes discussed), in no respect different from my own. He was, in the highest and best sense of the word a noble Christian missionary, recommending, both by precept and example, the gospel of Christ to all around. In him the military character was so clear and so fully developed, he was such a stern and rigid disciplinarian, and his command over the soldiers was so absolute, that worldly men easily tolerated the saint in their admiration of the soldier' A distinguished friend of Havelock has kindly furnished the author with the following reminiscences about the period to which this chapter refers : 'Having been stationed at Agra in 1836, shortly after Havelock had left that place with H. M.'s 13th Foot, of which he was for many years Adjutant, I met many friends who had been intimate with him during his stay there, and who spoke of his character as a Christian soldier, and of his efforts to promote the spiritual interests of the men and officers of his regiment, in terms of the highest praise. Through his exertions chapels had been erected in the neighborhood of the regimental barracks, both for Baptist soldiers and others, and for members of the Church of England, and other Evangelical denominations, at which there was a large attendance of men, from his own regiment and the Artillery, not only on Sabbath, but occasionally on week days, and the effects of the influence of his Christian character, and the interest which he took in everything tending to the moral elevation of the men, were said to have been most gratifying. 'I had not an opportunity, however, of meeting him, or of becoming personally acquainted, until in November, 1838, when I joined the army of the Indus, and marched almost daily for six months in company with him from Kurnaul to Candahar. 'He was at that time on the staff of Sir Willoughby Cotton, and detached from his own regiment, and as the only European corps in the Cavalry Brigade with which Sir Willoughby generally marched, were H. M.'s 16th Lancers, and the troop of Horse Artillery to which I belonged, he had few opportunities of personal intercourse with the men. On every occasion, however, when a few could be brought together by the chaplain on Sunday evenings, when we halted, and after the ordinary “Drum Head" service of the day, he was to be found among them, in the little tent which I was able to spare from the hospital, and there are still a few of his brother officers and comrades who can look back with very grateful hearts to many occasions of Christian fellowship which they have thus enjoyed with him.' And now, after eleven years of domestic life, and twenty-three years of service as a subaltern, in England and India, 'the neglected lieutenant' is advanced to the position of Captain, and has to depart from his peaceful home, and go forth to the stormy scenes that await him in Affghanistan. This moderate step of promotion might have been conferred long before, if the Lieutenant could have found money to buy the reward due to his merit, or if he had enjoyed aristocratic or parliamentary influence, or, it may be, if he had not belonged to the bible-reading, psalm-singing class, giving offence to the men whose conduct his example reproved. Havelock stood not alone as a sufferer, to some extent, because he had the moral courage to appear as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, as well as a valiant warrior in the service of his sovereign; but in both capacities he had made his election, he added to his faith courage, and resolved, by Divine help, to be faithful unto death, that he might at last receive the crown of life. FIRST CHAPTER V. FROM 1838 TO 1839. HIS AFFGHAN CAMPAIGN.-KURNAL.-POSTMASTER AND AIDE- CANDAHAR. FLIGHT OF DOST OF THE STORM AND OF SHAH SOOJAH INTO MAHOMED. -ENTRY OF SHAH SOOJAH INTO CABOOL.-CLOSE OF THE FIRST AFFGHAN CAMPAIGN, 1839. OUR narrative now brings us to the year 1838, when 'the neglected lieutenant' was promoted to the rank of captain. Referring to this period he says :— 'I was serving in Kurnal* (the "trysting place" of the army of the Indus) as adjutant of my regiment, when it became publicly known that an army was to be assembled for the avowed purpose of restoring Shah Shooja-oolMoolk to the throne of his ancestors. The 13th (his regiment) had suffered severely during the months of July, August, and September, 1838, first from the cholera, and then from fevers of various types; and the actual strength had been brought so low, that it was • Kurnal is on the Jumna, seventy-eight miles north of Delhi. |