THE chastisement of the enemy’s cavalry is approved. We, too, shall shortly cross the Tungbuddra, and arrive [or join you]. What is the amount of the enemy’s forces? Mere hearsay is not entitled to credit.* You must view them with your own eyes, and report what you see, without addition or diminution. We some time ago wrote to Bûrhânûd­deen, directing the punishment of the Jowkdar [or captain] of the Jyshe.

The task here assigned to Syed Ghuffâr would appear to have been no easy one. Indeed it is inconceivable, how he could execute it with the accuracy required. The difficuly would, no doubt, have been less, if he had had to estimate, by inspection, the amount of an European army, the regular array of which is favorable to such computations. But, even supposing an army, constituted like that of the Mahrattahs, to be viewed, under every possible advantage, by a distant observer, such as Syed Ghuffâr must necessarily have been, it would hardly be in his power to determine its numbers with any degree of exactness. A judgment formed, in the manner prescribed by the Sultan, would seem to be, at least, as liable to error, as one founded on the “hearsay intelligence” alluded to by him; and by which he probably meant the reports of neighbouring villagers, of casual travellers, and of the itinerant Fakeers or Jogies, who are usually permitted to pass unmo­lested from one army to another.*

Here follows in the manuscript a letter addressed to the Dâroghas of the Tosheh-khâneh, containing directions for the composition of a particular dentifrice, with which the Mahls or Harams at Seringapatam and Bangalore were to be supplied, for the use of the ladies occupying them. I am prevented from translating this curious document, by my inability to give the names of the ingredients specified, in English. Some of the composition is ordered to be sent to the Sultan.