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2 wards he followed his father, Runjeet Sing, to the funeral-
3 pile. The rumour was current that he was poisoned, and
4 the poison employed was also specified, but I do not believe
5 it. Only it is a fact, that the son showed great indifference in
6 regard to the treatment of his father, or for his recovery ;
7 and, during his father’s illness he never saw him but once
8 or twice, and then but a short time before his death ; on which
9 occasion the father was treated by his only son in a manner
10 quite revolting, even to the natives around, which accounts
11 for his having committed him into the hands of inexperienced
12 physicians and faqueers. I, the only appointed European
13 physician, was never called for during the king’s disease, which
14 lasted nine months. It is probable that the patient requested
15 my assistance, but the son prevented my attending. Had he
16 known that the death-day of his father would also be his
17 own, he certainly would have behaved in another manner.
18 On the same day in which the king, Kurruck Sing, and his
19 only son died, a curious event happened. Early in the morning,
20 I was called by Meean Oottum Sing, eldest son of the Maharajah
21 Gholab Sing, and he committed the Chief of his mountain
22 troops to my treatment, he being very ill, promising me a pair of
23 Cashmere shawls in case I should be able, as I expected, to
24 relieve him by the evening. My new patient was unable to
25 void his urine, and was troubled with gravel in the kidneys. He
26 recovered the same day, whilst Oottum Sing himself, as we
27 shall see, met with his death. When I hastened into the
28 house of the patient, summoned as I was by Oottum Sing, with
29 whom he lived, I found both in a small room, and, according to
30 the custom of the Hindoos, the patient was lying on the floor,
31 whilst Oottum Sing was sitting on the bed, offering me to sit
32 near him. We were speaking about the disease of the patient,
33 when suddenly a messenger entered, with the news that the
34 Maharajah Kurruck Sing had expired a few minutes previously.
35 The ceremony of the funeral-pile took place the same afternoon.
36 Three of his wives were burnt with him ; and I was present at
37 that horrid, yet remarkable spectacle. The ceremony took place