The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 / Page 45 (Color Image)

0045	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1

AGE, 23-27. SUTLEJ CAMPAIGN—WORK ON THE CANALS

reason he always abstained from wearing his medal for the

Sutlej campaign.

His elder brother, Robert Yule, then in the 16th Lancers, took

part in that magnificent charge of his regiment at the battle of

Aliwal (Jan. 28, 1846) which the Great Duke is said to have

pronounced unsurpassed in history. From particulars gleaned

from his brother and others present in the action, Henry Yule

prepared a spirited sketch of the episode, which was afterwards

published as a coloured lithograph by McLean (Haymarket).

At the close of the war, Yule succeeded his friend Strachey

as Executive Engineer of the northern division of the Ganges

Canal, with his head-quarters at Roorkee, " the division which,

being nearest the hills and crossed by intermittent torrents of

great breadth and great volume when in flood, includes the most

important and interesting engineering works." 32

At Roorkee were the extensive engineering workshops

connected with the canal. Yule soon became so accustomed

to the din as to be undisturbed by the noise, but the un-

punctuality and carelessness of the native workmen sorely tried

his patience, of which Nature had endowed him with but a

small reserve. Vexed with himself for letting temper so often

get the better of him, Yule's conscientious mind devised a

characteristic remedy. Each time that he lost his temper, he

transferred a fine of two rupees (then about five shillings) from

his right to his left pocket. When about to leave Roorkee, he

devoted this accumulation of self-imposed fines to the erection

of a sun-dial, to teach the natives the value of time. The late

Sir James Caird, who told this legend of Roorkee as he heard it

there in 1880, used to add, with a humorous twinkle of his

kindly eyes, " It was a very handsome dial." 33

From September, 1845, to March, 1847, Yule was much

occupied intermittently, in addition to his professional work, by

service on a Committee appointed by Government cc to investi-

gate the causes of the unhealthiness which has existed at

Kurnal, and other portions of the country along the line of

the Delhi Canal," and further, to report " whether an injurious

333 Maclagan's Memoir of Vide, P.R. G.S., Feb. 1890.

33 On hearing this, Yule said to him, " Your story is quite correct except in one particular ; you understated the amount of the fine."

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