at Bokhára and Delhi seemed somewhat grotesque in the Minister of an illiterate Sikh chief. On Baron Charles Hügel, who travelled in the Punjab in 1835-36, and whose narrative is perhaps the most delightful of any which have been written on that country previous to its annexation, the personality of the Fakir made an immense impression, and he gives many instances of his flowery discourse. He, as usual, was the intermediary between the Mahárájá and his European guest, who was almost persuaded to accept the Mahárájá's service on the princely salary of Rs. 6000 a month, the ability and accomplishments of the young traveller having aroused the Mahárájá's surprise. It is evident that the Baron entertained a sincere admiration for the Minister, in spite of his extravagant compliments, which were, after all, no more than the habitual conversational currency of the Persian language.
In 1842, Azizuddin, having been deputed to meet Lord Ellenborough at Firozpur, where a grand Darbár was to be held, explained away an apparent discourtesy in the failure of the Sikh envoy to meet the Governor-General with such courtesy and ability that the Governor-General declared him in full Darbár to be 'the protector of the friendship of both States' and presented him with his own gold watch, which I have often seen in the possession of his son, who was for several years one of my secretaries at Lahore. Fakír Azizuddin died in December, 1845, just before the crushing defeats of the first Sikh War. With his dying
