CHARACTER OF MEER ROOSTUM. 205 



dieted to bhung, an intoxicating drink prepared 

 from the leaves, husks, and seeds of hemp, 

 ground and mixed up with water, milk and 

 other additions, — this is the pet tipple of Sindh- 

 ians, and whetlier the above rumour was well 

 founded or not, it is admitted by all that Meer 

 Roostum was an old man of the kindest disposi- 

 tion, and most dignified appearance and man- 

 ners. The likeness of this venerable prince in 

 "Dry Leaves from Young Egypt" was shown 

 by myself to many persons at Khyrpoor, all of 

 wliom declared it to be a most life-like picture. 

 In his latter years Meer Roostum was unequal 

 to state affairs, and allowed himself to be guided 

 in all things by Futteh Mahomed Glioree, his 

 very clever, though some say rather unscrupu- 

 lous, minister. Captain Postans, whom I believe 

 to have been an impartial biographer, thus 

 speaks of Meer Roostum : 



' ' Meer Roostum having a large family includ- 

 ing no less than eight sons, intrigues at his 

 court embittered his latter days, by sowing the 

 seeds of dissension between him and his child- 

 ren. It would have been difficult to have found 

 in the whole territory of Sindli a man of a more 

 amiable or inoffensive private character, apart 



