cojah who has the charge of them, who informs me their complaint is well grounded,—­that they have sold everything they had, even to the clothes from their backs, and now have no means of existing.  Inclosed, I transmit you a letter from Mandall on the subject.”

     Letter from Captain Jaques to Richard Johnson, Esq., March 7th,
     1782.

“Sir,—­I beg leave to address you again concerning the women in the Khord Mohul.  Their behavior last night was so furious that there seemed the greatest probability of their proceeding to the utmost extremities, and that they would either throw themselves from the walls or force the doors of the zenanah.  I have made every inquiry concerning the cause of their complaints, and find from Letafit Ali Khan that they are in a starving condition, having sold all their clothes and necessaries, and now have not wherewithal to support nature.  And as my instructions are quite silent upon this head, should be glad to know how to proceed in case they were to force the doors of the zenanah; as I suspect it will happen, should no subsistence be very quickly sent to them.”

     Letter from Major Gilpin to John Bristow, Esq., Resident at the
     Court of Lucknow; 30th October, 1782.

“Last night, about eight o’clock, the women in the Khord Mohul Zenanah, under the charge of Letafit Ali Khan, assembled on the tops of the buildings, crying in a most lamentable manner for food,—­that for the last four days they had got but a very scanty allowance, and that yesterday they had got none.  The melancholy cries of famine are more easily imagined than described; and from their representations, I fear that the Nabob’s agents for that business are very inattentive.  I therefore think it requisite to make you acquainted with the circumstance, that his Excellency the Nabob may cause his agents to be more circumspect in their conduct to these poor, unhappy women.”

     Letter from Mr. Bristow to Major Gilpin; Fyzabad, 4th November,
     1782.

“Sir,—­I have received your letters of the 12th, 19th, 27th, and 30th ultimo.  I communicated the contents of that of the 30th to the minister, who promised me to issue orders for the payment of a sum of money to relieve the distress of the Khord Mohul.  I shall also forward a bill for 10,000 rupees to you in the course of three or four days; and if in the mean time you may find means to supply to the amount of that sum, I will become personally responsible to you for the repayment.”

     Letter from Major Gilpin to John Bristow, Esq., at the Court of
     Lucknow; Fyzabad, 15th November, 1782.