Only one of these sources of union between the Sovereign and his great landholders is in operation in Oude.  Some of them are every year in collusion with the governors of districts for the purpose of coercing and robbing others; but the Sovereign can never unite them under his banners for the purpose of invading and plundering any other country, and thereby securing for himself and them present glory, wealth, and high-sounding titles, and the admiration and applause of future generations.  The strong arm of the British Government is interposed between them and all surrounding countries; and there is no safety-valve for their unquiet spirits in foreign conquests.  They can no longer do as Ram did two thousand seven hundred years ago—­lead an army from Ajodheea to Ceylone.  They must either give up fighting, or fight among themselves, as they appear to have been doing ever since Ram’s time; and there are at present no signs of a disposition to send out another “Sakya Guntama” from Lucknow, or Kapila vastee to preach peace and good-will to “all the nations of the earth.”  They would much rather send out fifty thousand more brave soldiers to fight “all the nations of the east,” under the banners of the Honourable East India Company.

An English statesman may further ask how it is that so much disorder can prevail in a small territory like Oude without the gangs, to which it must give rise, passing over the border to depredate upon the bordering districts of its neighbours.  The conterminous districts on three sides belong to the British Government, and that on the fourth or north belongs to Nepaul.  The leaders of these gangs know, that if the British Government chose to interpose and aid the Oude Government with its troops, it could crush them in a few days; and that it would do so if they ventured to rob and murder within its territory.  They know, also, that it would do the same if they ventured to cross the northern border, and rob and murder within the Nepaul territory.  They therefore confine their depredations to the Oude territory, seeing that, as long as they do so, the British Government remains quiet.

CHAPTER VI.

Adventures of Maheput Sing of Bhowaneepoor—­Advantages of a good road from Lucknow to Fyzabad—­Excellent condition of the artillery bullocks with the Frontier Police—­Get all that Government allows for them—­Bred in the Tarae—­Dacoits of Soorujpoor Bareyla—­The Amil connives at all their depredations, and thrives in consequence—­The Amil of the adjoining districts does not, and ruined in consequence—­ His weakness—­Seetaram, a capitalist—­His account of a singular Suttee—­Bukhtawar Sing’s notions of Suttee, and of the reason why Rajpoot widows seldom become Suttees—­Why local authorities carry about prisoners with them—­Condition of prisoners—­No taxes on mango-trees—­Cow-dung cheaper than wood for fuel—­Shrine of “Shaikh Salar” at Sutrik—­Bridge over the small river Rete—­Recollection of the ascent of a balloon at Lucknow—­End of the pilgrimage.