inhabited by monkeys. There, amid the trees laden with fruit, and by a running stream, the monkeys used to congregate. The surrounding forest was full of them; and there reigned over them a sage monarch, named Ruz-i-bih, who, in magnanimity and generosity, was no monkey but a lion, and who, although aged, had all the vigour of youth. His cheek like the ruddy rose, his beard white: he was ever fresh and gay like the red willow. Much had he experienced of the world's red and white; much of its hot and cold. His subjects were all obedient and loyal, secure and happy. Their granaries were well stored with figs and walnuts; they had herds of goats browsing in the forest-a paradise rather, the model of the garden of Irem-a place where pleasure was rife and pain unknown!

In the forest was a mountain high as Alwand. Thither this king having on one occasion gone to hunt, and looking towards the town and market which were on it, saw, at the corner of a street, a goat constantly butting at an old woman. Calling to him the leaders of his army, he desired them to look in that direction and observe what was going on. The king was himself of opinion that as the flocks were all his own subjects, it was his duty to interfere; but the general of the army thought the matter too trifling to be noticed. The dispute waxed high, and as the officers of the army sided with their general, the monarch abdicated, and withdrew to another country, and they chose a new king.

The goat still continued its practice of butting at the old woman; and one day that she had been to ask fire from a neighbour, the goat struck her so violently with his horns when she was off her guard, as to draw blood. Enraged at this, she applied the fire which she held to the goat's fleece, which kindled, and the animal ran to the stables of the elephant-keeper, and rubbed his sides against the reeds and willows. They caught fire, which the wind soon spread, and the head and face of the warlike elephants were scorched.

When the news reached the sovereign to whom the elephants belonged, he sent for the chief keeper, and asked him what was best to be done for the cure of the elephants. "I have heard one skilled in such matters affirm," replied he, "on the authority of an ancient leech, that when elephants are scorched, the best remedy is the fat of monkeys rubbed gently over them with the hand." Upon this the king gave orders that horsemen should go forth and scour the whole forest, hunting down every animal they should find of the monkey tribe:

Accordingly, an innumerable band issued forth, searching mountain and forest; and the general of the monkeys was made prisoner. He inquired: "Whose are these troops, and why is this night attack and slaughter of our race?"

He was told the circumstances in detail, and he then recollected, but too late, the words of his sage and foreseeing monarch.

[The conclusion next month.]

MR. MASSON, AND KHELAT.

THE Bombay Times, March 13th, has published a correspondence between Mr. Masson and different functionaries of Government, on the subject of his arrest and detention. We give, as we promised, a digest of those papers.

A letter from Sir Wm. Macnaghten, dated October 16, in reply to one from Mr. Masson, dated 29th September, states:-" I did authorize Capt. Bean to detain you at Quetta, until the pleasure of the Governor-General in Council should be ascertained, as to your being permitted to prosecute your travels in countries subject to the crown of Cabul, since, as far as I know, you are without permission to do so, either from the British Government, or from his Majesty Shah Shooja-ool-Moolk." Mr. Masson, in return (October 27), admits that he has no such permission, not conceiving it to be necessary; adding :-" I cannot forget that the first intimation I received of this singular business (his detention), was from the concluding paragraph in an official letter, addressed by the political agent at Quetta (Capt. Bean) to Lieut. Loveday, in which there was a clear and distinct insinuation, that my appearance at Khelat was connected with the revolt in the country, and the political agent unequivocally stated, that suspicions had arisen in his mind which he had not failed to communicate to Government. However these suspicions really originated, atrociously unjust and absurd as they were, I must do Lieut. Loveday the justice to avow that he took the first opportunity of setting the political agent of Shawl right with regard to them, and of instancing my devoted conduct and self-sacrifice at Khelat. I can but believe, and I think I have every reason to believe, that these suspicions of the political agent have as much to do with my detention, as the hypothetical question of my having permission from the Government or from the King of Cabul to travel or not, as it must occur to every rational man, that the communication of these suspicions to your Exc. by the political agent, induced you to authorize him to detain me." He further announces that he had addressed the Government in his vindication, and applied to the Governor-General for permission to travel. A letter to Mr. Secretary Colvin (October 29), follows, in which Mr. Masson incloses a copy of his correspondence with Sir Wm. Macnaghten, observing: -"While I should avail myself of his lordship's permission, as I should have entreated it before, had I known it to be necessary, I must still say that, if the prosecution of my travels be dependent on the will and pleasure of the envoy and minister at Cabul, the gratification in carrying them on will be much diminished. I need not trouble you with many remarks on the other topics introduced in my letter to the envoy and minister. It was a good notion to connect my presence at Khelat with the revolt in the country, and when the mistake was discovered, to justify my detention on the plea of my having no permission to travel. So unfair and unmanly a procedure carries on the face of it its own condemnation,"

Mr. Masson receives from Mr. Secretary Maddock copy of a letter from Government to Mr. Ross Bell, the political agent in Upper Scinde, directing him to "make the earliest inquiries, with a view to clear up whatever may have borne a suspicious appearance in Mr. Masson's proceedings during the recent events at Khelat and its neighbourhood, particularly attending to the marked difference stated to have been shown by the Brahuis in their treatment of Mr. Masson and Lieut. Loveday, and to the statement of Capt. Bean, 'that on all occasions of kossids having been plundered, Mr. Masson admitted that he was sent for to interpret the contents of papers and letters in open durbar;' as also his (Capt. Bean's) correspondence with Lieut. Loveday." Adding:-" His Lordship in Council is disposed to believe, that it will be advisable that that gentleman should not at present continue to prosecute his travels in the Affghan and Belooch countries; but if you should be satisfied that no important inconvenience is likely to follow a permission to Mr. Masson to pursue his own wishes in that respect, you are at liberty to act upon this view, after communication with Sir W. Macnaghten, otherwise you might facilitate his early return to Bombay,"

Mr. Ross Bell applied to Mr. Masson (December 14th) for explanation on a point referred to by Capt. Bean, in the following extract of a letter addressed by him to Sir W. Macnaghten, dated 26th September:-"With regard to himself, he (Mr. Masson) admitted that, on all occasions of a kossid having been plundered, he was sent for to interpret the contents of papers and letters in open durbar, as also my (Capt. Bean's) correspondence with Lieut. Loveday." Mr. Bell asks, "Whether you placed the enemy of the British Government in possession of any information which could be useful to them in the offensive operations which they were carrying on, or which could have induced them to treat Lieut. Loveday, then their prisoner, with increased rigour? I also request that you will make me acquainted, as far as your memory serves, with the general tenor of any letters you may, under whatever circumstances, have interpreted to Darogah Gool Mahomed, or others of Meer Nusseer Khan's party."

Mr. Masson, in reply (December 24th), enters into a very long and full explanation. He says:-" With respect to Major Outram, to whom you have written, I have already had the gratification to receive the most satisfactory assurances that he was in nowise concerned in bringing about my detention, although Capt. Bean most unfairly told me, on my reaching Quetta, that his suspicions had originated from a communication made to him by Major Outram, respecting a Russian agent in Kej. The political agent in Shawl further told me that, lest I might suspect Lieut. Loveday of having written to him any thing against me, on the contrary, that officer had, when referred to on account of Major Outram's communication, replied that he had heard nothing of a Russian agent, but that Mr. Masson had arrived at Khelat, on his travels, and had given him a good deal of valuable information. As regards the extract from Capt. Bean's letter to Sir W. Macnaghten, it is impossible for me to express, I will not say surprise, but my disgust at it. Capt. Bean, after having discoursed with me, under the idea, I suppose, that I was a Russian agent, and had marched with an army of Arabs to replace the son of Mehrab Khan upon the musnud of Khelat, and having perchance found that his ideas were erroneous, asked me whether I had read public letters. I replied no, I had not read public letters, but that, on two occasions, when daks had been brought into the camp, I had been sent for to witness them, that I might return and tell Lieut. Loveday the mischief that was doing, that he might be induced to make peace; and I think I explained that the Brahuis imagined that Lieut. Loveday could, if he pleased, come to terms with them, which, whatever they were, would be ratified by his superiors; and they also conceived that Feringhés were to be defeated by intercepting their correspondence. I did not enter into farther particulars with Capt. Bean, who indeed put the question in a low under-tone, which misled me as to his attaching importance to it. Now that he has presumed so ungenerously to torture my expressions, it behoves me, as you request, to offer the fullest explanations of these otherwise trivial circumstances, which I am capable of doing.

"The first time I was sent for, without knowing for what, but, as it proved, to witness the captured dak, I was led to the darogah's tent, some twenty yards, if so much, from the place in which Lieut. Loveday and myself were confined. The darogah was sitting there, with a mob of low persons about him, none of the superior chiefs or any of consideration being present. He told me that three kossids had been murdered with the papers (which was a falsehood), and recommended me to advise Lieut. Loveday to make peace, and put a stop to such evil. The dak was composed of the fragments of an old one from Quetta, as, singular enough, one of the two or three official letters or documents preserved, was a copy of Lieut. Loveday's despatch to Capt. Bean, immediately after the entry of Mehrab Khan's son into Khelat. This caught my eye, but so far from being asked to read it, or any other letter, for their knowledge, I was not allowed to take them into my hand. If any of the people about threw a paper before me, the darogah snatched it up. I was not detained above three minutes, when I was directed to return to Lieut. Loveday. On the next occasion, I was led to the young Khan's tent, where, besides

the young lad himself, were the darogah, Mahomed Khan, Eltarzzai of Kotra, and a great mob of people. A large dak was scattered before them from India, as it comprised a large number of newspapers. I was then told that three or four kossids had been murdered with the dak, and was again admonished that it was advisable to make peace. Here I was scarcely sent for to interpret letters, as I was not asked to do so by the principals, who were, however, busy themselves in ferreting among the papers, and the darogah discovered what he said was a Barat in Persian. The low people took up letters and threw them before me, asking, 'What is this? what is this?' And as I threw them back to them, I said they were letters from men to their fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, and so forth, and did not concern them. On which they grew enraged, and saying, what was true, that I bantered them, vowed they would cut me to pieces. The darogah, who had got into the middle of a Persian letter, threw it away, saying it was 'befahidah,' or 'profitless,' rose, and ordered me to be led away. On this occasion, Khalikhad, a Babi merchant, known to be friendly with me, was sent for, and when I went away, he explained to the angry Brahuis that, among Feringhés, it was infamous for one to read the letters of another, and that great men would die rather than do it. On telling Lieut. Loveday what had happened, he inquired why I had not asked for the newspapers? I answered, 'I would not allow them to think them to be of any importance.' In this dak was only one official letter, an unimportant one, concerning grain, written, I think, by a commissariat officer at Ferozpoor. On mentioning this to Lieut. Hammersley, at Quetta, he accounted for it by noting that public documents had been for some time sent round by Cabul. The private letters were some opened, and some unopened, neither were any of those in the latter state opened in my presence; indeed, the newspapers, from their bulk, were the principal objects of curiosity. It cannot be necessary that I should point out to you how innocent a prisoner might be, as regards himself, when sent for to interpret letters, however criminal he might be had he interpreted them; and I have no doubt it will strike you that Capt. Bean would have made out a better case, had he been enabled to have informed Sir W. Macnaghten that I had interpreted letters, which luckily my firmness and presence of mind did not permit.

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Capt. Bean has also stated, in the same extract, that I interpreted, or rather that I admitted that I had interpreted, his own correspondence with Lieut. Loveday. I cannot call to mind the admission, neither do I recollect his having questioned me on this particular point; but it is immaterial, for if he only inferred so, he has inferred in some degree justly; for limiting the meaning to be attached to the word 'interpret,' I did on two occasions read in a certain manner his letters to the darogah, with the full and entire concurrence of Lieut. Loveday himself. The first occasion was at Karez Ammulah, near Mustung, when the darogah joined the young Khan from Khelat, and brought with him a letter from Capt. Bean to Lieut. Loveday. Some time after his arrival, he came and sat down upon a carpet, about fifteen or twenty paces from the tent in which Lieut. Loveday and myself were. He sent for me, and telling me to sit down, informed me that Bean had sent him a letter, and pulling out a packet addressed to Lieut. Loveday, asked me to open it. I appealed to him that it was improper I should do so, and prayed him to send for Lieut. Loveday, who was so near, as he was the person to read the letter, and not myself. He said he would not send for Lieut. Loveday. I then prayed him to allow me to go and show the letters to Lieut. Loveday, when I would return and read them to him. He refused. I then asked him to permit me to go first to Lieut. Loveday; and he said, 'You may go.' I stepped into the tent, and Lieut. Loveday told me by all means to open the packet, and, telling the darogal as much only as was fitting for him to know, to make myself well informed of the contents. On my return, as I opened the packet, I inquired of the darogah what Bean Sahib had written to him. He answered, that he had written very imperiously, but left an opening for accommodation if they sought it in humility. After reading the letters, I said, 'He has written exactly the same here;' which was the fact. The darogah told me to say precisely

what he had written, and I explained to him, not what was written, but something near the purport of what he had said to be in his own letter. He then desired me to read the letters in English, which I did, omitting proper names; and he smiled. Afterwards, I put the letters into my pocket to take to Lieut. Loveday, telling him that, as I had read them, it was useless to withhold them; but he made me give them back. Some four or five days after, the darogah sent the letters to Lieut. Loveday, with the letter addressed by Capt. Bean to himself (the darogah). No further letters reached from Capt. Bean until the arrival of Said Mobarak Shah in the camp, deputed from Quetta. On this occasion, the darogah in the evening sent for me. I observed to Lieut. Loveday, that I suppose I shall be asked to read letters, if there are any.' He replied, ‘Read them.' I found the darogah with Said Mobarak Shah, and in the act of telling him that the reason he sent for me was, that he could not endure the sight of Lieut. Loveday, who, as he said, had eaten human beings with his dogs. Capt. Bean's letters were produced, and after ineffectually striving to prevail on the darogah to send for Lieut. Loveday, I told him and the Said that I was authorized to open them, and did so. I read such of the contents, and in such a manner, as no harm could arise, and there was matter in these letters which it was prudent to conceal; after which, the darogah tested me, in his fashion, by asking me to read them over in English, which I complied with, omitting proper names, and repeating any thing which occurred to memory. I then became

so urgent that he should send for Lieut. Loveday, that he yielded, first asking me if he was collected and himself, alluding to a fever which had latterly afflicted Lieut. Loveday. On this night, the darogah talked so reasonably, that Lieut. Loveday was much pleased, and through the intercession of the Said, the chains employed by night, which above all other things annoyed Lieut. Loveday, were remitted. The arrival of Mobarak Shah led to renewed communications with Capt. Bean, whose answer to the young Khan brought about the excitement and bad feeling among the Brahuis, which induced some people to interfere, so that I was allowed to leave Mustung for Quetta, with a letter from Lieut. Loveday to Capt. Bean, representing the critical situation in which he was placed.

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Having now explained the various times and occasions on which the darogah sent for me about daks and letters, I must leave the question for you to decide, whether I placed the enemy of the British Government in possession of any information which could be useful to them in the offensive operations which they were carrying on, or which could have induced them to treat Lieut. Loveday, then their prisoner, with increased rigour.

"In the letter of the Secretary to Government to your address, of which I have been sent a copy, I observe that you have been desired particularly to attend to the marked difference shown by the Brahuis in their treatment of Mr. Masson and Lieut. Loveday. I presume this instruction to arise from another insidious representation of the political agent in Shawl, yet it does not the less behove me to reply to it. That I was generally considered innocent of the crimes, real or fancied, imputed to Lieut. Loveday, there can be no doubt; but that such consideration affected my treatment while a fellow-prisoner with Lieut. Loveday, is by no means true. That unfortunate officer was provided with many things which were not bestowed on me. The young Khan sent him, while in the Miri, his postin (deprived, however, of some jewels sewn on it), a chair, and other things. He was farther supplied with a cot to repose upon, and a pillow to rest his head upon; I had nothing of the kind. On the journey to Mustung, his camel was furnished with a proper saddle and stirrups; I had neither saddle nor stirrups; and even after reaching Mustung, the darogah supplied him with sheep, independent of the daily provisions from the young Khan's kitchen, whenever a wish was expressed for them. Other people, as the Duvan Ramu, and Molahdad, the keeper, brought him clothes, some his own, some purchased; but no one brought me any; and when some, willing to have befriended me, strove to induce the darogah to be still more attentive to the accommodation of Lieut. Loveday, that they might have found a pretence to supply me