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CHAPTER XXIII. 

 From Lahore to Simla. 



Lahore is surrounded by a ditch and wall, the work of former em- 

 perors' of Delhi ; the environs of the city, particularly towards M. 

 Court's residence, are studded with mosques, etc. mostly half ruined, 

 and the ground is literally strewn with old bricks, so that the city 

 must at one time have been an enormous one. 



Seikh troops in large numbers are cantoned round to the east and 

 south-east skirts of the town, in low pucka barracks. 



Several low mounds apparently unconnected with ruins, occur in 

 this direction. 



I arrived to hear of the death of Kurruck Sing, who was burned 

 the same day with five women ; after the ceremony a scaffolding fell 

 down, wounding Nehal Sing dangerously in the head, and killing 

 the son of Goolab Sing. Late in the evening the Maharajah was 

 senseless. 



It is a curious thing, that the prince who this day ascended the 

 guddee, and Goolab Sing, had been active intriguers against Kurruck 

 Sing, who is said to have had his death hastened through chagrin at 

 witnessing Nehal Sing's usurpation of power. 



6th. — Not much cultivation was observed on the road to-day, 

 which extended over a naked marshy saline plain, or through a 

 Kureel, and small Jundy and Phulahi district. 



To Kanah, seventeen miles — Jundy, Kureel and Bheir occur exten- 

 sively. Jundy is a low prickly shrub, Mimosa. There is something 

 curious both in the surface of the cavity enclosing the seed, and in 

 that of the seed itself of Acacia serissa. The former presents the 

 distinct appearance of a straight line, originating in the same spot as 

 the funicle, and terminating in a very well marked, circular depres- 

 sion ; it is formed by the funicle as far as the cells of the legume. 

 If a section be made through the seed longitudinally and its cell 

 parallel with the plane of the legume, this mark will be found on 

 both sides of the cell, but more distinct on one than the other. 



The mark on the seed by no means relates to this, at least it does 

 not correspond with it, for it consists of a somewhat reniform eleva- 



