solemn vow at the
shrine of Huzrut Abbas at Lucknow to cease from all such indulgences,
and devote all his time and attention to his public duties. This vow
he kept, and no Sovereign of Oude has ever conducted the Government
with so much ability as he did for the remaining fourteen years of
his life. On his death, which took place on the 12th of July, 1814,
he left in this reserved treasury the sum of fourteen crores of
rupees, or fourteen millions sterling, with all his establishments
paid up, and his just debts liquidated. When he ascended the musnud
on the 21st January, 1798, he found nothing in the Treasury, and the
public establishments all much in arrears.

Out of this reserved treasure, the _zukaat_, or two and a-half per
cent., is every year paid to the mojtahid for distribution among the
poor of the Sheea sect at Lucknow. No person of the Sonnee sect is
permitted to partake of this charity. Syuds or lineal descendants of
the Prophet are not permitted to take any part of this charity,
except for the _bona fide_ payment of debt due. The mojtahid is, at
the same time, the high priest and the highest judicial functionary
in the State. Being a Syud, neither he nor any member of his family
can legally take any part of this charity for themselves, except for
the _bona fide_ purpose of paying debts; but they get over the
difficulty by borrowing large sums before the money is given out, and
appropriate the greater part of the money to the liquidation of these
debts, though they all hold large sums in our Government securities.
To his friends at Court he sends a large share, with a request that
they will do him the favour to undertake the distribution among the
poor of their neighbourhood. To prevent popular clamour, a small
portion of the money given out is actually distributed among the poor
of the Sheea sect at Lucknow; but that portion is always small.

Saadut Allee's son and successor, Ghazee-od Deen Hyder, spent four
crores out of the reserved treasury over and above the whole income
of the State; and when he died, on the 20th of October, 1827, he left
ten crores of rupees in that treasury. His son and successor,
Nusseer-od Deen Hyder, spent nine crores and thirty lacs; and when he
died, on the 7th of July, 1837, he left only seventy lacs in the
reserved treasury. His successor, Mahommed Allee Shah, died on the
16th of May, 1842, leaving in the reserved treasury thirty-five lacs
of rupees, one hundred and twenty-