Lahore is the capital of the Punjab, and
has a population of a hundred and seventy-seven thousand, though it once
contained a million. At this point we are near the Himalaya Mountains.
About a hundred and fifty miles east of Lahore is Simla, nearly eight
thousand feet above the sea. This is a noted sanitarium; and in the hot
season it is the resort of thousands of people, including the highest
officers of the army and the government."
"Is this as near the Himalayas as we are to go?" asked Scott.
"About as near, though at Patna you will be about one hundred and fifty
miles from Mount Everest, the highest peak on the earth."
"I should like to go there," added Scott.
"You couldn't climb it; and what good would it do you? I could mention a
hundred places in India I should like to visit; but it is not practicable
to do so," added the commander. "We can only take along with us a few
specimens of the wonderful country, and make the best of them."
After dinner the party divided up according to their own fancy, and went
out to walk, though some were too tired to do so. Louis invited Miss
Blanche to go with him; and she was always glad to be in his company,
especially as Sir Modava was to be his companion. The first sight they saw
in the street was a regiment of Punjab sepoys, a well-drilled body of men,
not very different from the soldiers they had seen in other countries.
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