354 GHOLAB SING. 



the Nurein's son came to conduct us to the 

 Shergurh, the Maharajah's residence, half a 

 palace, and half a fort, on the bank of the 

 Jelum. We were received with all the 

 honours ; the guard turned out, " God 

 save the Queen" was played, and we were 

 ushered into the presence of the old Maha- 

 rajah, the most talented and successful, of 

 the now humbled body of the Sikh sirdars. 

 He commenced the conversation (Colls 

 being my interpreter), by apologising for 

 not having come down-stairs to receive me, 

 as he was very ill, which indeed was the 

 case. He was exceedingly civil, rather 

 overmuch so, for a delicate palate, using the 

 customary phrases "that all he had was 

 ours; that he was our humble servant; &c. 

 &c., and professed that he even felt better 

 since he had seen me," for I was the great 

 man ! He was very curious about our 

 sport, and got hold of our chuprassy, a 

 Hill-man, and asked him all about it ! He 

 recommended us not to go our intended 

 route to Umurnath, but we did not take his 



