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2 I remained only two years at Constantinople, from the autumn
3 of 1836 to that of 1838. During that time, my homoeopathic
4 practice was extensive, as there were only myself and the private
5 physician to the Russian ambassador who practised the new
6 system ; and it was so lucrative that I had no idea of leaving
7 that place so soon, still less of returning to Lahore, until I
8 learned from the Austrian internuncio, Baron Sturmer, who was
9 in quarantine at Malta, and who had met with General Ventura,
10 that the maharajah had ordered the general to make inquiries
11 for me in Europe, and to persuade me to go back to Lahore.
12 Accordingly, the general invited me to accompany him thither,
13 after the expiration of his leave of absence in the autumn.
14 I yielded to this invitation, and went in company with the
15 general from Alexandria to Bombay, whence he proceeded alone,
16 with the utmost speed, to Lahore, as Runjeet Sing was danger-
17 ously ill, and as at that time the English were preparing to place
18 the Shah Soojah on the throne of Cabul.
19 General Ventura was accompanied by a shawl merchant, named
20 Monsieur Le Boeuf, and a captain of cavalry, M. Mouton, with
21 his lady. These three persons the general requested me to
22 accompany to Lahore, as they were unable to speak Hindostanee.
23 At Bombay we went on board a native vessel, and sailed to
24 Gogo, and thence we continued our way, partly in carriages,
25 partly on camels. Among our fellow travellers there were
26 some native shawl merchants from Umritsir. We took the
27 shortest road, through Palee, Ajmir, Hansi and Loodiana.
28 W e were hardly two days’ journey from Gogo, when we were
29 overtaken by two English captains, who had been ordered to
30 examine our papers; for they looked upon us as if we were
31 Russian spies. At Palee the plague was raging, as it had then
32 been for the last three years. Previous to our arrival there,
33 we passed a very pleasant evening with the family of an English
34 captain. On this occasion I made the acquaintance of an
35 English physician, Dr. Keir, who informed me that the English
36 physicians in India do not agree in their views respecting the
37 plague at Palee : for some of them consider the disease to be a