Page:Thirty-five years in the East.djvu/98

58 years, to such a degree, that my sole thoughts and endeavors were how to secure my return home. I was so occupied with this idea, that if they had offered me the Koh-i-noor (which is valued at half-a-miilion) to remain there for the remainder of my life, I should have refused it. GeneralAllard's words: "It is difficult to get an appointment here, but, when obtained, it is still more difficult to quit it," were continually in my thoughts, and it cost me much trouble to obtain my dismissal, or rather my liberty.

Runjeet Sing was a man whose talents and prudence bad acquired for him a great reputation, whose memory is honored, and whose name will long occupy a glorious place in the history of India. Although descended from a noble family, being the son of a sirdar, he could neither read nor write. He had lost one eye in his childhood, in consequence of the small-pox. His external appearance was not handsome, being remarkably short, delicate, and with indifferent features, which were, however, counterbalanced by his talents. He had an extraordinary memory. The prominent trait of his character was, that he rarely did what was required of him, and acted often contrary to what he said. In general, no one was informed of the place to which he intended to go, nor of the time appointed by the astrologers for his departure. The dark side of his character, was his extreme devotedness to sensuality, spirits, and opium, by which he shortened his life. I was an ocular witness of the spectacle, when he was married at Umritsir, to the Goolbegoom (rose-lady). She had been for the last few years a kenchinee (dancing girl) in the service of Runjeet Sing, and she knew so well how to ingratiate herself with her patron, that he did not hesitate publicly to celebrate his nuptials, and declare his marriage a legal one; for he cared not for public opinion, deeming that a sovereign ought to have the highest authority, and an independent will. She forsook the Mahomedan religion, continued to drink spirits, and she ate pork, just like Runjeet himself, and afterwards lived a retired life. She ruled the country, but only for a short time, and she actually caused (in concert with himself)