G'day Harshawardhan, On 21/12/2007, at Friday,Dec21,6:11PM, Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar wrote: <<Dear John, I'm full of a great serendipitous joy as I write this, because I think I've quite unexpectedly reached the end of a long journey in search of the origins of the legendary ''Peccavi'' quote, attributed to the hero of the Scinde conquest - Napier. Public reaction to the annexation was reflected by the House of Commons, which postponed for a year the normal vote of thanks to the successful general and by Punch, which gleefully accepted a contribution from a Miss Catherine Winkworth, aged 17, suggesting that Napier's despatch to Ellenborough must have read : ''Peccavi, I have Scinde'' (sinned). [See under Foreign Affairs, Punch, May 18, 1844.] *** Now, I wonder who among us can find out this issue of Punch. It must be online somewhere. I searched but could not find it immediately. May need a deeper look. --- Harshawardhan, grinning like the Cheshire Cat.>> Shabash Harshawardhan! I typed Punch +1844 into Gogle and Google told me that there was some for sale on eBay....but it was but a red herrring..... It will surface soon, I'm sure. ooroo If you don't hear the knock of opportunity - build a door. Anon.