387 



rajah of Sind, and reigned at Tattah on the Indus. Dahir was 

 slain in battle, and Mohammed Cossim sent the khalif, among 

 other captives, two daughters of Dahir, together with presents of 

 considerable value. The two young princesses, in order to revenge 

 the death of their father, represented falsely to the khalif, that 

 Mohammed Cossim had been connected with them. The khalif 

 hereupon, falling into a rage, gave orders for Mohammed Cossim 

 to be sewed up in a raw hide, and sent in that condition to court, 

 where he was shewn to the princesses ; who expressed great joy 

 at seeing their father's murderer in such a situation. " It is asto- 

 nishing how the khalif could issue such a cruel order Avithout 

 positive proofs of delinquency. A wise prince never suffers him- 

 self to be led away by reports; but exercises his circumspection, 

 and makes diligent investigation, seeing that truth is scarce and 

 falsehood common; and it behoveth him to be more particularly 

 doubtful of whatever is said to the prejudice of those whom he 

 has distinguished by peculiar marks of his favour, as the world in 

 general bear them enmity, even without cause, and the wicked 

 frequently put on the appearance of virtue, to compass the de- 

 struction of the innocent." 



Abul Fazel does not say whether this cruel punishment of 

 Mohammed Cossim terminated in his death; the reflections seem 

 to imply that it did. Nor do they ascertain whether, like the 

 Mahratta victims, the Mahomedan general was deprived of foot* 

 and water: perhaps, after all, the misery of perishing by thirst in 

 the torrid zone, is one of the most dreadful deaths that can be 

 inflicted. In the lamentations for Moab, Sibmah, and Dibon, 

 slioit, pathetic, and sublime, how strongly expressive is the doom 



