with relating every possible story he could remember
or invent concerning the many acts of cruel treachery which the
Meer Walli had perpetrated, and concluded by an eulogium on his own
manifold virtues.

During the course of the day a Hindoo from Peshawur peeped cautiously
into my tent, and, on my inquiring his business, he approached, and
with many salaams, laid a bag of money at my feet; rather astonished
at so unusual an offering, I requested to know the cause of this act
of generosity, and I was informed that it was a "first offering," or,
in other words, a bribe to propitiate me, in the hope that I would use
my influence to get the Hindoo out of the clutches of Meer Baber Beg.
The story he told me was, that some years back he came to Heibuk to
trade, and having made a little money was packing up his property
preparatory to his departure, when he was suddenly ordered into the
Meer's presence. "Friend," said this benign ruler, "stay here a
little longer; it is not right that, having made a sum of money in my
country, you should spend it in your own." Since then, he added, he
had been ill-treated and robbed several times to satisfy the rapacity
of this wicked monster; and then, as if frightened at his own
expressions, he peered cautiously round the tent, apparently fancying
the Meer himself would start from behind the screen to punish him for
his audacity. I returned him his 250 rupees, but told him if his story
were true I would use what little influence I possessed to procure his
release. When Baber Beg came to pay us his evening visit I broached
the subject, and requested as a favour that the Hindoo might be
permitted to accompany our party as a guide and interpreter. "If you
will take my advice," said he, "you will have nothing to say to the
scoundrel, who will come to a bad end: he has been deceiving you; but
if, after my warning, you still wish to have him as a guide, take him
by all means."

Accordingly I took him, but in justice to the Meer's discrimination of
character it must be owned that my protege, as soon as he considered
himself safe from the Meer's indignation, proved himself to the
full as great a scoundrel as he had been represented. The following
morning, before taking our departure, Sturt presented to the Meer's
youngest son a handsome pair of percussion pistols, for which the
father seemed so very grateful that I could not help suspecting he
intended to appropriate them to his own use as soon a