CHAPTER XLVIII.
THE FAMINE AT KANAUJ.
"HEALTH ALONE IS EQUAL TO A THOUSAND BLESSINGS[1]."
Partiality of the Natives for English Guns—Solitary Confinement—The Nawāb
Hakīm Menhdī—Bad Omens—A Slight Mistake—Bhūsā—The Padshah
Begam and Moona-jah—The Bāiza Bā'ī visits a Steamer—Arrival of Lord
Auckland—Visit of the Governor-General and the Hon. the Misses Eden to
her Highness the ex-Queen of Gwalior—A March up the Country—The
Camp at Fathīpūr—The Line of March—Death of the Nawāb Hakīm
Menhdī—The Heir-apparent of Oude gives a Breakfast to the Governor-General—H.
R. H. Prince Henry of Orange and the Misses Eden visit
Lucnow—Resignation of Sir Charles Metcalfe—Chobīpūr—Thieves—Urowl—The
Famine—The Pilgrim buys a Cocky-olli Bird—Merunkee Sarā'e—Ancient
Hindū Ruin at Kanauj—Famine in the Bazār—Interment of Mahadēo
and Parbatī—The Legend of Kanauj.
1837, Aug.—A gentleman who had been paying us a visit quitted us for Agra just before his baggage boat arrived, in which were two immense German dogs, one striped like a tiger,—most warlike animals; they eyed me fiercely, and pulled impatiently on their chains when brought into the verandah; they will be good guards at night, but their arrival at Agra will be a little too late;—like locking the door when the steed has been stolen. Mr. H went out to dinner, and did not return home that night: some thieves took out a pane of glass, opened the door, carried off his two gun-cases and a writing-desk. A short distance from the house they broke open the cases, which they threw away, and made off with the guns, a gold watch,
- ↑ Oriental Proverbs, No. 117.
