[Transcriber's note: The author's spelling of the names ofplaces and people vary considerably, even within a singleparagraph. The spelling of place names in the text varies from thatshown on the map. The author's spelling is reproduced as in theprinted text.]
My object in writing this DIARY OF A TOUR THROUGH OUDE was toprepare, for submission to the Government of India, as fair andfull a picture of the real state of the country, condition, andfeeling of the people of all classes, and character of theGovernment under which they at present live, as the opportunitieswhich the tour afforded me might enable me to draw.
The DIARY must, for the present, be considered as an officialdocument, which may be perused, but cannot be published, wholly orin part, without the sanction of Government previouslyobtained.*
Lucknow, 1852.
* This permission was accorded by the Honourable Court ofDirectors in December last.
[Transcriber's note: Rambles and Recollections of an IndianOfficial by W. H. Sleeman 2nd Ed. 1915, p.xxxvi notes that thedate of the permission was not December 1851, but December1852.]
Biographical Sketch of Major-General Sir W. H.Sleeman, K.C.B.
Private correspondence preceding the Journeythrough the Kingdom of Oude
Departure from Lucknow—Gholam Hazrut—Attack on thelate Prime Minister, Ameen-od-Dowla—A similar attack on thesons of a former Prime Minister, Agar Meer—Gunga Sing andKulunder Buksh—Gorbuksh Sing, of Bhitolee—GondaBahraetch district—Rughbur Sing—Prethee Put, ofPaska—King of Oude and King of the Fairies—Surafrazmahal
Bahraetch—Shrine of Syud Salar—King of the Fairiesand the Fiddlers—Management of Bahraetch district forforty-three years—Murder of Amur Sing, by HakeemMehndee—Nefarious transfer of khalsa lands toTallookdars, by local officers—Rajah Dursun Sing—Hisaggression on the NepaulTerritory—Consequences—IntelligenceDepartment—How formed, managed, and abused—RughburSing's management of Gonda and Bahraetch for 1846-47—Itsfiscal effects—A gang-robber caught and hung by Brahminvillagers—Murder of Syampooree Gosaen—RamdutPandee—Fairies and Fiddlers—Ramdut Pandee, theBanker—the Rajahs of Toolseepoor and Bulrampoor—Murderof Mr. Ravenscroft, of the Bengal Civil Service, at Bhinga, in1823.