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 HIS POLITICAL CAREER AND DEATH. 5

with him, that the appointment in question had been actually held by the Raja.

The silk manufacturing business soon made him regain his lost wealth, which he invested, this time, in buying Zemindaries in Orissa, in the 24-Pergunahs, and in some other districts of Bengal. The Indian Mirror of April 22nd, 1879, containing an obituary notice of the Raja, says that "in this trade he achieved most remarkable success—his trade mark D. M., we believe, having given special value to the silk of Berhampore which was then in great demand." After the China War, his trade fell off considerably, and Babu Degumber removed to Calcutta where, during the Mutiny, when the Government paper was at a ruinous discount, Babu Degumber speculated in buying them up, which afterwards brought him a good profit.

CHAPTER II. HIS POLITICAL CAREER AND DEATH.

We prefer to describe the Raja's closing career in the burning and eloquent words of Kristo Das Pal, his great colleague, friend, and fellow-worker, in the British Indian Association. Kristo Das thus wrote on the subject (vide Hindoo Patriot of the 21st April, 1879:—)

"He was now conscious of his approaching end; his last words to the writer were;—"My time is come, take care of your health!" Being a spiritualist, he did not fear death; he looked upon death as the gate to a higher and better world, where those who had been here would meet again. His soul winged its way yesterday at 7-30 A. M. (i.e. on the 20th April 1879). He was about 63 years of age." &c, &c, &c.

"Degumber was early inducted into public life. Whilst yet in his teens, he was thrown into the coterie of the