elp observing to the native gentlemen who attended me, "that when
men planted groves and avenues, and built reservoirs, bridges,
caravansaries, and wells, they did not give rise to any such sources
of annoyance to travellers; that they enjoyed the water, shade, and
accommodation, without cost or vexation, and went on their way
blessing the donor." "That," said an old Rusaldar, "is certainly
taking a new and just view of the case; but still it is a surprising
thing to see a man in this humble sphere of life raising and
maintaining so splendid a pile of buildings."*

[* Mucka the tailor, to whom these buildings belong, is the person
mentioned in the account of the death of the King, Nuseer-od Deen
Hyder, and the confinement of Ghalib Jung.]

The town of Khyrabad has still a good many inhabitants; but the
number is fast decreasing. It was the residence of the families of a
good many public officers in our service and that of Oude; and the
local authorities of the district used to reside here. They do so no
longer; and the families of public officers have almost all gone to
reside at other places. Life and property have become exceedingly
insecure, and attacks by gang-robbers so frequent that no man thinks
his house and family safe for a single night. Government officers are
entirely occupied in the collection of revenue, and they disregard
altogether the sufferings and risks to which the people of towns are
exposed. The ground around the place is low, and the climate is
inferior to that of Seetapoor. Salt and saltpetre are 'made from the
soil immediately round the town.

I have mentioned that Moomtaz-od Dowla might now have been King of
Oude had his father not died before his father. The Mohammedan law
excludes for ever the children of any person who dies before the
person to whom he or she is the next heir from all right in the
inheritance. Under the operation of this law, the sons of the eldest
son of the reigning King are excluded from the succession if he dies
before his father, and the crown devolves on the second son, or on
the brother of the King, if he leaves no other son. The sons of all
the sons who die, while their father lives, are _mahjoob-ol-irs_,
that is, excluded from inheritance. In the same manner, if the next
brother of the King dies before him, his sons are excluded from the
succession, which devolves on the third brother, and so on through
all the brothers. For instance, on the death, without any re