homes-are, figuratively speaking, always in the water. Their simple and favorite beverage is-not beer, wine or brandy, but sherbet, i.e., water sweetened with raw sugar, and therefore they generally enjoy good health. They make great use also of gymnastic exercises, in which tshapi and muti are special favorites when they are fatigued, and assist materially in promoting the circulation; the former may be described as pinching, and the latter is a process of striking with both fists on the body. The natives of India have also a peculiar way of rinsing the mouth and cleansing the teeth, which is generally done when they perform their religious exercises, of which ablution is an essential part. They use for this purpose the twigs or branches of various trees and shrubs; but as each nation uses a different kind of twig, &c., it would occupy too much space to detail the numerous plants employed; it is sufficient to observe, that they are generally of an astringent nature, and whilst cleansing and strengthening the gums, have a beneficial effect on the stomach also.

The Sikhs generally employ an hour or two in the operations of the toilet; and before ablution they rub their hair (which in most cases is long and black) with curds. When the hair has become silvered by age, they dare not dye it, being strictly forbidden by their religious tenets. The Musselmen, however, are very fond of dying the hair, and for that purpose make use of a great variety of compositions containing oxide of iron, myrobolans, Lawsonia inermis, Indigofera Anil, &c. They also darken the eyelashes with black sulphurets of lead or antimony.

The following are the recipes for two of the hair dyes which are principally in request:-Of Lawsonia inermis and Indigofera Anil, take each two parts, and of dried myrtle leaves and emblic myrobolans, each one part; these are made into powder and mixed with water to the consistency of a soft poultice, which is applied to the hair. It is stated that this composition stimulates the growth of the hair, blackens that which is grey, and prevents its splitting. The second recipe is one which I have myself used in earlier years,

in India and in Persia, for colouring my beard; and is generally recognised by the orientals (who are extremely fond of possessing fine long black hair), as the best preparation for the purpose. The powdered Lawsonia inermis is made by water into a soft pap, and applied in that state to the hair, taking care that all the hair is completely overspread to the roots. It is then covered, and fastened up with leaves, or by a piece of waxcloth or oilskin, and having been suffered to remain for from half-an-hour to an hour, the preparation is then washed off. The effect of this is to dye the hair a bright red colour; which colour, by the next process, is converted into a beautiful black. The second application is a paste prepared with water from the powder of the indigo plant which I have before mentioned; it is used in a similar manner to the first, but must be allowed to remain on the hair for three hours; being then washed off, the operation of dying is completed, and the hair is rubbed with oil or pomatum, to give it lustre and suppleness. The only inconvenience of the processes I have described, which are so cheap in the east, is that they require to be repeated about once a week, for, as the hair grows from the roots, it would otherwise, after a few days, show at that part the natural colour of the hair, and consequently present a very unsightly appearance. These operations are generally performed at noon, a time when every one is at home, either for rest or indoor occupation.

A weak solution of nitrate of silver is sometimes used in Europe for dying the hair, but if this be used after the preparations which I have just described, instead of darkening, it will convert the colour into a grey like that of ashes;-this fact I learned from the Nabob, Jubber Khan, at Cabul, who, having admired the colour of my beard, and ascertained it to be produced by nitrate of silver, forthwith applied it to his own hair, which had been previously dyed with the compositions I have described. The result was as indicated, and the nabob became for some time the laughing stock of the community.

Besides the solution of nitrate of silver, they use in Europe

a compound powder of litharge, soap, chalk, starch, and a little sulphuric acid, &c. This is also well known in the east, but is not in esteem, inasmuch as it is productive of noxious effects as regards health, and also renders the hair stiff and rough.

With regard to this digression on medical and domestic matters, I may, before I return to my narrative, mention to my readers, that at the end of this volume they will find a short rhythmical essay by the well-known Dr. Triller (which I have translated from the German), on the means of ensuring a merry old age, and although it does not evince much poetical fervor, is nervertheless valuable for the advice it contains.

The Maharajah Sheer Sing, was, in his private character, extremely polite and amiable; he had an intense desire for knowledge, and devoted great attention to European skill, industry and learning. In these matters, he could, of course, only acquire information from Europeans, and would enter freely into conversation with them, without the slightest observance of the etiquette which his position might have commanded. On one occasion, in the course of our conference, he inquired whether I had any relations in Europe; and learning that I had a younger brother at Kronstadt, who had formerly been in the military service, but was at that time exercising the profession of a watchmaker, the maharajah inquired whether he could repair machinery of that description which was out of order; and, on my replying in the affirmative, he asked whether I thought my brother would make up his mind to leave Kronstadt and come to Lahore, if he should send for him. His reason for asking this was, that (being a patron of the fine arts) he had in his possession a large number of English musical boxes, clocks, watches, and other similar machines, many of which were damaged or broken. I assured him I had no doubt my brother would willingly respond to his invitation, and that I would myself provide for his family, which would remain in Europe. The maharajah at once requested me to send for my brother, and to take the necessary steps for his voyage, &c., and several times subsequently made many inquiries

as to whether I had sent, and if he would come, whether he was on his way, and whether he might soon expect to see him. The urgency of these reiterated requests was such, that I strongly solicited my brother to accede to the maharajah's desire; and he accordingly set out on his journey from Kronstadt to Lahore. Arrived at the isthmus of Suez, he heard, to his consternation, of the murder of the maharajah and his wuzeer, and of the other horrid massacres in the capital, which I have before described. He continued his journey, however, and arrived at Ferozepore, on the boundary of the Punjab, in the beginning of February, 1814; which, as the reader may recollect, was the epoch when Heera Sing was the powerful wuzeer of the young Maharajah Dulleep Sing, and the time when all Europeans were dismissed from the service of the Sikhs and sent from the country. I was myself at that time severely ill; and the minister, having heard that no hope of my recovery was entertained, permitted my brother to pass the frontier and visit me at Lahore; thus verifying the proverb, that "out of evil, good cometh." On the very day on which my brother arrived at Lahore, my recovery commenced; but whether this was due to the pleasure I derived from his arrival, or a new remedy I had employed on that day, I am unable to say; both causes, possibly, assisted in producing that result. My illness had probably been for some time slumbering in the system, for I had previously been using, as a beverage, a wine made from Cabul raisins and sugar, which had not been properly fermented; and this may very likely have laid the foundation of the disease I am about to describe. After having exposed my sight to the powerful rays of an Indian sun for some hours, the stomach being empty, one of my eyes became very much inflamed. Not having properly attended to this circumstance, and, as was necessary, immediately applied leeches or bleeding, I found myself on the following morning totally blind; an Amaurosis being formed, so that I was unable to seek for any of my medicines. No European physician being at Lahore, I was obliged to have recourse to the native drugs, and consult with native doctors. Leeches, blisters, collyriums, &c., later employed, seemed of

no avail, and for a whole fortnight I was unable to sleep night or day, and was without food of any kind; for on my attempting to take the slightest nourishment, even pure water, the stomach rejected it again immediately; and from the circumstance of an acrid fluid sometimes rising to my mouth, and an unnatural feeling of heaviness in the stomach, I was led to conclude that there was an ulceration there. Erratic swellings in the joints, accompanied by dysentery, followed; and I was so weakened, that on the morning of the day when my brother arrived, I was in a piteous state of blindness and exhaustion. On that day I commenced using that simple remedy which contributed to my restoration from the very dangerous illness at Kheirpore, on the Indus (as the reader may remember), viz., masticating some of those large raisins, called there monaka, which I found to act as a balm to the stomach, or rather, perhaps, to the ulceration there. From that moment I grew visibly better, my appetite and strength gradually increased, and I was at length restored to health.

As regards my brother, it soon became evident, that in the altered state of political affairs in the Punjab, there could be no probability of his obtaining any engagement which would justify him in remaining; he therefore returned again to Europe, accompanied by Colonel Steinbach.

As an instance of the fanaticism of the Nahungs (the robberpack I have before mentioned), I may relate an occurrence which took place at Umritsir, in which a German friend of mine, Herr August Schöfft, was near losing his life by their fury. This gentleman is an artist of some celebrity (at this time in St. Petersburg), and he, accompanied by his lady, visited the East Indian Presidencies shortly before my severe illness; and having met with great success in consequence of his skill in oil painting, he came to visit me at Lahore. At this time the court happened to be at Umritsir, and I received an order from Sheer Sing to present myself at that place with my guest. On our arrival, it happened that one of the principal Sikh priests, named Baii Goormuck Sing, was present, and the maharajah