THIRTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE EAST. 55. 



his rmmoderate- indulgence in chaoopagne, which affected- 

 his brain. Although I' cured him at that time, two 

 years ago he died' suddenly of apoplexy, from continuing 

 the same excess,. In his own country. Having acquired 

 immense riches, he returned to Europe, to enjoy in his 

 native land ( Naples ) the fruits of his exertions, and there 

 he died in the autumn of his life. Peace to his ashes !' 

 although many an unfortunate man was hung by his 

 orders, at Wuzeerabad as^ well as- at Peshawur, where 

 he exercised his suay in a- most arbitrary manner. The 

 pleasure which he took in seeing people hung by dozens 

 must be attributed to the affection of his brain. General 

 Allard told me that the Maharajah' once reprimanded 

 him for having executed some musselraans ; whom General' 

 Avitabile had ordered to be hung because they were 

 of opinion, that, under the- protection of a European' 

 governor they might be at liberty to eat beef! The opi- 

 nion of Runjeet Sing was, that he ought to have im- 

 prisoned the criminals, and then allowed them to escape. 

 It is well known, however, that General Avitabile was 

 an active man \ that he introduced many useful reforms 

 into the country, and was of good service to the English 

 army on their march to Cabul. Living in his house 

 for three years, I had an opportunity of knowing him 

 well ; I therefore, conclude with the proverb, "De mortuis 

 nil nisi bonura ; " particularly so because I am indebted' 

 to him for the following important discovery :• — During 

 the time I was performing the before-mentioned cures at 

 Wuzeerabad, I lost, oa a hunting excursion, a hare in 

 the copses, which we thought to find in a burrow. 

 Wishing to get the hare, I sent to a village for some 

 bels (pokers), in order to enlarge the hole. We succeed- 

 ed in doing so ; but great was our astonishment when, 

 instead of the hare, we caught a musk-deer, which- 

 diffused so strong an odour, that I was seized with a 

 hea'^ache, which lasted for three days. The "man who- 

 dragged him out, was so frightened at finding an ''animal 

 previously unknown to him, that he instantly threw it 



