l84 THIRTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE EAST. 



the ingredients of which, as he informed me, are cinnabar, 

 anacardiiim orientale, and nux vomica, with thirty-five 

 spices. It is prepared as follows — The cinnabar is boiled in 

 butter, and the nux vomica, aoacardium, and spices, are 

 then added ; these ingredients are then ground, or, rubbed 

 together, with a sufficient quantity of honey, in order to 

 form an electuary, a process which occupies three days. 

 The dose ( twice a day ) is from five to ten grains. The 

 electuarium nucis vomicse of Timur Shah, which the Hakims 

 still consider a valuable remedy, is a similar compound, 

 the preparation of which I now give — Any quantity of nux 

 vomica is macerated or immersed in warm milk, the milk 

 being poured off, and fresh milk substituted every day, for 

 seven consecutive days ', on the eighth day the nux vomica 

 is suspended by inclosing it in a linen cloth, in a stewpan 

 filled with new milk, and boiled ; the nuts are then peeled 

 and split, and the internal germ removed and thrown away 

 (the latter being considered poisonous ) they are then wash- 

 ed, dried, and rasped to powder, which is afterwards boiled in 

 honey. The following spices, mixed with twice their weight 

 of honey, are then added to complete the electuary, viz. — 

 white, black, and long peppers, cinnamon, nutmeg, betel-nut^ 

 mastic, English galangale, Emblic myrobalon, India spik- 

 enard, cardamoms, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, small fennel- 

 flower seeds, saffron, ginger, cloves, aloes wood, guiacuna 

 wood, sandal wood, and Xylobalsam. The dose of this medi- 

 cine is half a drachm to one drachm ; and it is recommend- 

 ed as an anodyne, hypnotic, and aphrodisise ; also, as be- 

 ing valuable in removing palsy, curing gout, stopping 

 catarrh, strengthening the stomach, &c. 



I could introduce a great variety of anecdotes illustrat- 

 ive of the manners, customs, &c., of the inhabitants of Cash- 

 mere, and the peculiarities of their country, which have 

 never yet been published, did the object of my work permit. 

 I may, however, mention a curious species of theft which 

 is sometimes perpetrated there. On the lakes in Cashmere 

 are large numbers of floating gardens, or, masses of weeds, 

 upon which earth is thrown, and they serve as beds for 



