206 FAMILY DISSENSIONS. 



from the weaknesses peculiar to age, than this 

 venerable prince, whose grey hairs, fine coun- 

 tenance, and kind manners, always induced a 

 strong predilection in his favour from all who 

 were brought into communication with him : 

 he had, moreover, the additional merit of having 

 on every prior occasion met the propositions of 

 the various British authorities for increased com- 

 munication with and through his country with- 

 out a moment's hesitation ; but years and infirmi- 

 ties induced a carelessness as to the vital 

 interests of his Government, and he was latterly 

 beset by designing counsellors, whose short- 

 sighted policy and ambitious views of self- 

 aggrandisement plunged this prince into con- 

 stant difficulties and family broils. In mutual 

 distrusts, intrigues, dissensions, and family 

 quarrels, the Khyrpoor family assimilated com- 

 pletely to their brethren in Lower Sindh, and 

 latterly became even worse ; Meer Roostum was, 

 it is true, respected and even beloved by his 

 court and all classes of his subjects, but it re- 

 quired here, as at Hyderabad, an active head to 

 unravel the petty, though tangled, web of an 

 Indian Durbar, and keep it in an}i:hing like 

 order. An old man in his dotage, and addicted 



