Page:Viscount Hardinge and the Advance of the British Dominions into the Punjab.djvu/141

 CHAPTER X

Kashmír and the Second Treaty of Lahore

December, 1846

The Governor-General now retired to Simla, to enjoy a few months' repose during the hot season. There I joined him later in the year, having first made an excursion into Kashmír. As Kashmír was in those days unknown to Englishmen, and as it figures somewhat prominently in the history of the time, I may perhaps be pardoned for introducing here some personal reminiscences. The party included Lord Elphinstone (afterwards Governor of Bombay). Captain Nicholson (the hero of Delhi), my brother Captain A. Hardinge, with Dr. Walker and Major Bates. Needless to say that we possessed no diplomatic powers; but we kept our eyes open, and reported all that we observed.

On our way to Kashmir, we visited Ghuláb Singh in his hill-fortress of Jamú. Nothing could exceed the cordiality of the reception we met with, all being done of course with a special object. When we were summoned to Ghuláb's presence, a diplomatic difficulty arose. Nicholson, so distinguished in after years, was our interpreter and master of the ceremonies, and he insisted on our taking off our boots before our intro-