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2 a compound powder of litharge, soap, chalk, starch, and a
3 little sulphuric acid, & c. This is also well known in the east,
4 but is not in esteem, inasmuch as it is productive of noxious
5 effects as regards health, and also renders the hair stiff and
6 rough.
7 With regard to this digression on medical and domestic
8 matters, I may, before I return to my narrative, mention to
9 my readers, that at the end of this volume they will find a
10 short rhythmical essay by the well-known Dr. Triller (which
11 I have translated from the German), on the means of ensuring
12 a merry old age, and although it does not evince much poetical
13 fervor, is nevertheless valuable for the advice it contains.
14 The Maharajah Sheer Sing, was, in his private character,
15 extremely polite and amiable; he had an intense desire for
16 knowledge, and devoted great attention to European skill, in-
17 dustry and learning. In these matters, he could, of course, only
18 acquire information from Europeans, and would enter freely into
19 conversation with them, without the slightest observance of the
20 etiquette which his position might have commanded. On one
21 occasion, in the course of our conference, he inquired whether
22 I had any relations in Europe ; and learning that I had a younger
23 brother at Kronstadt, who had formerly been in the military ser-
24 vice, but was at that time exercising the profession of a watch-
25 maker, the maharajah inquired whether he could repair machinery
26 of that description which was out of order ; and, on my replying
27 in the affirmative, he asked whether I thought my brother would
28 make up his mind to leave Kronstadt and come to Lahore, if he
29 should send for him. His reason for asking this was, that (being
30 a patron of the fine arts) he had in his possession a large number
31 of English musical boxes, clocks, watches, and other similar
32 machines, many of which were damaged or broken. I assured
33 him I had no doubt my brother would willingly respond to his
34 invitation, and that I would myself provide for his family, which
35 would remain in Europe. The maharajah at once requested me
36 to send for my brother, and to take the necessary steps for his
37 voyage, &c., and several times subsequently made many inquiries