Page:Thirty-five years in the East.djvu/95

his immoderate indulgence in champagne, which affected his brain. Although I cured him at that time, two years ago he died suddenly of apoplexy, from continuing the same excess, In his own country. Having acquired immense riches, he returned to Europe, to enjoy in his native land (Naples) the fruits of his exertions, and there he died in the autumn of his life. Peace to his ashes!'although many an unfortunate man was hung by his orders, at Wuzeerabad as well as at Peshawur, where he exercised his away in a most arbitrary manner. The pleasure which he took in seeing people hung by dozens must be attributed to the affection of his brain. General Allard told me that the Maharajah once reprimanded him for having executed some musselmans; whom General Avitabile had ordered to be hung because they were of opinion, that, under the- protection of a European governor they might be at liberty to eat beef! The opinion of Runjeet Sing was, that he ought to have imprisoned the criminals, and then allowed them to escape. It is well known, however, that General Avitabile was an active man; that he introduced many useful reforms into the country, and was of good service to the English army on their march to Cabul. Living in his house for three years, I had an opportunity of knowing him well; I therefore, conclude with the proverb, "De mortuis nil nisi bonum;" particularly so because I am indebted to him for the following important discovery:— During the time I was performing the before-mentioned cures at Wuzeerabad, I lost, on a hunting excursion, a hare in the copses, which we thought to find in a burrow. Wishing to get the hare, I sent to a village for some bels (pokers), in order to enlarge the hole. We succeeded in doing so; but great was our astonishment when, instead of the hare, we caught a musk-deer, which diffused so strong an odour, that I was seized with a headache, which lasted for three days. The man who dragged him out, was so frightened at finding any animal previously unknown to him, that he instantly threw it