Trusting to ilk own ideas of its power and effect; for the relief of some
disorder that lie either felt or fancied himself affected by, he took,
according to the directions he had received, a moderate dose ; yet,
not choosing to rim the risk alone, he obliged his doctor at the: same
time, to try the experiment along with him. Ridiculous as it may
seem, I am assured that this is no novel practice ; for the Raja never
takes any medicine, but his physician k indispensibly obiiged to
swallow a dose of the same sort.
The ipecacuanha he had taken, being rather tardy in its operation*
he repeated the quantity; which soon acted most violently, and for the
space of two days, kept him in. perpetual agitation. The: doctor, being
a.younger man, and of a stronger habit, was. first relieved; hut the
Raja paid dear for his quackery; and when we. saw him next was
woefully sick and weak.
The Raja having determined, before the great festival* to retire to.
his villa, situated upon the ridge of the. western mountain, he invited
us to come early one morning, and pass the day there, which we
agreed to ; and soon after he. had left the palace, a time wasefixed for
our vkit.
The villa lay within the distance of two miles from our house, yet,,
notwithstanding this short space, our expedition was marked by a misfortune,
the greatest that had yet befallen us. While on the way, we
were overtaken by the moumfiil news, that the Booteea, who was to
follow with our dining apparatus, had, previously to his taking up
his load, drank a cup too much; nor had he ascended far, before
his strength and steadiness forsook him: he-reeled, fell doWn, and
precipitated the camp eejuipa j^'to^'tifei!foc>£ bf-the'*ii>ckjUoi tkpr, tbt-al
destruction of all its frangible‘contents-.- 'u
u'-This p is an'irreparable- loss, $f||jiSaivated bykhe*1 prospect»hefdfe, us;
of recedin^%ffl further ‘from tbd'jao'ssibiii'fiymf^sMppIyi.ng i-tsssplac^;
of’ nercs'siiy we were obliged' to1 submit*, and^afeeptf thesxisecofibsuoh
nf tSef subi st it life S; as the 'Gtistam''ofdtkeSe^d|jdUsi affeked'.i Hat £
sjRMde' Vast ^id^tfe'^he^dja of whattfelld -M p p f f o b w e 'faadwWd t
but^fleaih-, might KaW 'fete'g&Vhe reWardCof: the;< a^thoK-hfeh^ ru'iph
HaVing^scetided to tliei gates• ‘of }thewill a, we did not*bdferlilj;} b,k^,
turning to the left, found the Raja staled‘in, a pavdtoiuebdsltdi upon
'the1'edge of a deep precipice;‘which'it partly-overhung, commanding
a beautiful prikpefct of the valley, the castle, and the^r-i veryfrithpaady
pbphlous settlements,“distributed* oven fthe? surrounding mountains.
Th^ieiwas a ;la1ge-level| space- in front, completely’coYerediwitfr/a
smooth and verdant turf: varionf'^Srt^df trees' grew on the1 superior
eminences ; firs, the' barberry, rhododendron, ysaehinimm,». and$ the
mountain ash. The'mansion stood upon the light; wn*thbrltftjiwas»a
row of wooden cages, containing a numberof huge dogs,“tremendously
fierce, strong, and noisy. They were datives* dfiTibet; and whether
saVafe by hatuid^h'Seured by’confinement',ptfeejsaPive' so'impetu-
oMy furious, that it was unsafe, unles&the keepers were “near, eVen to
approach their dens.
Below the pavilion/We looked down upon a bed of flowers, consisting
of a selection from the most shewy of the hardy sp%cfe';rh®llyhoGMs,
sun-flowers, African^ marigolds, nasturtiums, poppies, and a few
weakly larkspurs. The rose appears to; be mot in-i-ts properwfona'te,
X