246 SUGHEIT. 



The narrative is here given in a much more connected 

 form than that in which I received it, having asked many 

 explanatory questions. When Murad described the 

 horrid deed, or rather his finding his master murdered, 

 he hurst into tears, sobbing violently. Phuttoo and 

 Subhan, in deep sympathy, wept aloud, and all the listeners 

 were much affected. From the difficulty of understanding 

 the expressions, the narrative fell with less force upon me. 



There is much in Murad' s statement which one would 

 wish clearer. Why has he so long delayed communicating 

 with the friends of the deceased ? Merchants have gone 

 to and fro, and enquiries have been made by government, 

 but now three years have elapsed he turns up with a bond 

 worth 3,600 rupees, and otherwise in good circumstances. 

 His brother's aid may account for this, certainly. I hate 

 to suspect any one. Bella Shah and the thanadar, Basti 

 Ram, stated the Bokhara servant to have been an 

 accomplice to the theft and murder. However, I have 

 taken the man's statement for truth, and lest he should 

 meet with molestation at Ladak, or elsewhere, on his 

 journey down, have offered him my protection, giving 

 him clearly to understand that he is perfectly free to 

 pursue his journey and objects, if he chooses. He 

 expresses himself most anxious to stay with me ; saying, 

 he feels sure that Basti Ram would seize the relics, and 

 send them to the British government on his own account. 

 Not improbable. Murad, therefore, leaves the party of 

 merchants with whom he has hitherto travelled and 

 they number some two or three hundred horses, I am 

 told and joins my party to-morrow. 



After dinner I went out to a fire lit for me, it being 

 excessively cold, a bitter wind still blowing, the concluding 

 blast of a storm which has covered the adjoining moun- 

 tains with snow. My principal retainers gathered round, 



