'Travels in Beloochistan and Sinde; accompanied by a geographical and historical account of those countries, with a map.' [‎94] (136/476)

94
THE DAROGHA.
in his cast, opened it, and the first notice I had of my misfortune
was the watch running down. I looked up. Ah ! said I, Koo-
rumsak ! (rascal) you know not the mischief you have done. He
laughed, although confused, and told me to set it right by the skill 1
possessed. Stop Lallakoo^, said the old lady, as 1 was rising to
quit the house in a passion, I have a son fourteen years old, and
wish you to give him medicines to strengthen him ; he is now
about to be married, but he is thin and puny, I want you to pre
scribe for him that he may acquire bone and muscle, in fact, to
make a man of him, you know what I mean ; here the slave girls
tittered ; of course (she continued, first addressing herself to them
and then to me) the physician is my brother, why should I disguise
any thing from him ? But it grows late, and 1 have caused you
much trouble. I took my leave, glad to escape from such trouble
some cases, but at the lower gate I was attacked by all the slave
girls, one wanted medicine for her eyes, another longed for a
child, a third had got the Bad, or wind f; however, I came off
without waiting to hear one half of their complaints, and hastening
down the Bazar, mingled among the \ Jffghans, where the slave
girls (two or three of whom still followed) soon lost sight of me."
About an hour after Captain Christie came home, a Darogha of
Sooltan Saheb followed to receive the medicines, which were given to
him : he talked in a very bombastic style of his master's power and
authority, and assured us that his interest was so great, that if we suc
ceeded in making him our friend, there was no impediment or obstruc
tion to our mercantile views that it would not be in his power to re
move, and that he had only to request the Khan to remit the duties
on our goods, to have it immediately complied with. We professed our
satisfaction at the probability of our being instrumental to the reco-
* An expression of endearment, synonymous with darling, pet, &c.
f This is a very common explanation of a disease amongst Asiatics; whenever they
at a loss, they say they have got the Bad or wind. It usually means rheumatism.
are