1 HISTORY OF THE SIKHS.
2 219
3 at the bottom of the vessel containing it, asking at
4 the same time my opinion as to their efficacy in
5 purifying water, adding, that he sometimes used
6 quicksilver for the sa me purpose. I could not give
7 him much encouragement for the use of either; the
8 pearls might indeed he of some service in neui ra¬
9 iding any free acids, but the mercury when not
10 purified by distillation might have an opposite
11 effect to that anticipated, from its containing occa¬
12 sionally sulphur, and even arsenic : he assured me
13 the quicksilver was always purified previous to its
14 being employed by him. He said, that his water
15 for drinking was kept cool during the hot weather,
16 by g, process first pointed out to him by General
17 Ventura. This consisted in gradually filling a well
18 during the cold months, from any convenient
19 stream or rivulet in. its vicinity, the mouth of the
20 well being closely shut up during this period.
21 About the month of May, the well is opened, and
22 the water is said to continue cold throughout the
23 hot months; these particulars l learned from the
24 general himself, and the plan certainly deserved a
25 trial, where no ice is procurable during the hot
26 weather.
27 Previous to Sir' Henry Fane’s visit, the Maha¬
28 rajah wished to know if he was a tall man, and
29 how much wine he could consume at a meal! —
30 these being apparently the standards by which he
31 measured the personal strength of European
32 officers. Not being acquainted with Sir Henry's
33 social habits, I could give him no satisfactory