1 A GENEALOGICAL HISTORY OF THE JUMMOO FAMILY. 229
2 rite to be strictly observed by all true Rajpoots females. So she,
3 with two }Tounger brothers and a female attendant, set off on her
4 pilgrimage, and arrived at Raj gull, where she saw her husband
5 in his cage, only the shadow of what he had been, a mere
6 skeleton fit to inspire terror and dismay. All he could mutter
7 out to his beloved wife was to tell her in a dismal and horrified
8 yet resolute tone, that he expected to linger but a few days
9 more. She then proceeded towards Oorch or Cabul, where
10 both Shureeff Khan and his father were busily engaged in
11 operations against the place. But the pilgrims had not pro-
12 ceeded far before news of the fall of Oorch reached them, and
13 shortly after, the return of Shureeff Khan to Rajgull induced
14 them likewise to retrace their steps. At this moment, all
15 Neila's hope and expectation was merely to obtain an interview
16 with this Moslem chief, and to soften his heart so as to
17 obtain the release of her husband. However, immediately on
18 the return of Shureeff Khan, and before she had an opportunity
19 to put her resolution into effect, Sooruj was dragged forth by
20 order of the Khan, and in the very presence of his wife placed
21 still living in a pit where a pillar of strong stone masonry was
22 built close around him, leaving only the head or part of it ex-
23 posed. All this was done in the presence of the disconsolate but
24 then silent wife, who is said to have been seemingly one of the
25 most unaffected and apathetic spectators of the scene. How-
26 ever, Sooruj Delm in a few hours breathed his last, still refusing
27 to comply with the wishes of Shureeff Khan, who not only perso-
28 nally attended, but even to the last did his utmost to induce or
29 compel his obstinate victim to change his resolution. But up
30 to this moment, and even afterwards, it was unknown to
31 Shureeff and those around him, that the Rajpoot's wife or anv
32 of his family were then present.
33 That very day, Neila with the help of her brothers (but
34 unknown to any one else) contrived to form a funeral pile