The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-13 00:00:00

MOOLRAJ IN PRISON.

The following is an extract from the letter of an
artist in Calcutta, dated June 2 :

" I have lately clone what a
whole British force could not do for about six
months—l have taken Moolraj. In plain English, I
have had the honour of a further and double commis-
sion from the Governor-General to make for his
Lordship portraits of Moolrsj and the prisoner
called the Bhaee, in the same style (say my in-
structions) as the portrait recently executed by
you, for his Lordship, of the Nepaulese Minister,
Jung Bahador.' Of course I shall not suppose
you ignorant as to who Moolraj is—the celebrated
defender of Mooltan ; but you may not be
so familiar with the Bhaee, or Gooroo. A Gooroo

is a priest, or spiritual adviser; and this man, I mav
briefly mention, was one of a peculiar influential cha-
racter amongst the Seikhs ; a circumstance conse-
quent in some measure on his suppased sanctity, but
tar more so on the fact of his being believed by many
of the Khalsa, or Seikhs, to be the actually resuscitated
body and spirit of the great original Bhaee, or Bii,
or Gooroo, who, if I mistake not, was killed in battle.
The present worthy has, at any rate, been sufficiently
influential to prove a source of great trouble to the
British Government ; hence the pains bestowed on his
capture, and the care take n of his person when once
secured.

" Orders having been given that every facility
should be afforded me for carrying out the wishes
of Government,' I had, of course, freedom of access
to the Gooroo's cell at all times; but, go when I
would, the austere inmate was ever on the same spot,
and in the same attitude—seated on the ground in
one corner, with his face to the wall, he appeared
absorbed in prayer or in meditation, an occasional
very low murmur, as if he were chanting, and the
clank of his heavy chain as he chanced to move a
limb, being the only sounds that denoted the presence
of his life. Colonel . . . . declared that he had
hardly ever seen his face, as he regarded no one's
entrance, and continued in the same place and attitude
all day. A very different being was his companion
(commonly called his disciple) in confinement, namely,
Khurruck Singh, a fine, stout young fellow, who,
being unhappily found in the Gooroo's society (and,
perhaps, offering resistance) was arrested with him,
and alike condemned to banishment—a stout oppo-
nent, no doubt, with a blade in bis band, but
otherwise a peaceful, good-humoured, contented
mortal. He alone knew Hindoostanee, but, either
influenced by the presence of his ghostly master,
or naturally taciturn, he spoke but little—the
Gooroo never! Yes, during some seven visits I
paid him, he opened his lips twice; one to ask (Kur-
ruck Singh interpreting) whether I was taking all
who had come down, and whether Moolroj also was
to be sent over the kala ranee' (' black waters'—the
sea) ; and, on a second occasion, to complain by one
brief monosyllable cf pain or weariness of standing.
Only fancy me, seated on a stool, my drawing-
board on my lap, a cell-floor for my studio,
a low embrasure for a light—my sitter, beads in
hand, gloomy, silent, and in heavy chains
seated in front of me, with a sentry, bayonet in
hand, standing over us. I succeeded in securing
both the likenesses and figures (being induced,
though not commissioned, to introduce lilhurruck
Singh also) the day before their departure, leaving
the rest, and by far more laborious part, of the picture
to finish at my leisure. H, on seeing the captain
of the vessel which took them to Singapore,
told him, 'lf you don't take care, your pas-
senger will drown himself when he gets down the
river near Gunge. Sagur, for that part of the Hooghly,
as a part of the Ganges, being holy, he as a
Hindoo will consider himself beatified to die in it.'
H—y's prognostication proved correct. At that
identical spot the Gooroo was discovered making the
attempt to get overboard ; for, despite a European
sergeant and ten European privates as a guard, he
had contrived to get two or three of the bars out of

his cabin window. Poor fellow 1 I imagine he is by
this time safe in Singapore, where, I told his com-

panion, I should be happy if I were going for a time
too—the climate being so healthy.
" The Gooroo being disposed of I next waited with
Colonel on Moolraj, and was not a little sur-
prised to find in him the quiet mildness and humility
of a Calcutta Baboo!' The character of face (at
least in my picture) has given rise to such varieties
of opinion that I can only tell you, some think it is
very mild; others, very melancholy ; others, that
there is much design in the expression ; and others,
much cruelty in the eye. He is about forty-five
years of age, I should say ; of middle height,
rather thin than otherwise; of fair complexion;
features boldly, squarely formed, denoting perhaps
physical firmness ; whilst, on the other hand, a varia-
bleness of expression, added to a peculiarity in the tone
of voice, led me to conceive that I could trace some-
thing of that weakness which might, indeed, render
him the ' victim of circumstances' he has been repre-
sented and pronounced to be, but no murderer. In-
telligent, but not enlightened, and with all the ortho-
doxy of Seikh Ilindooism in his learning, in his
philosophy, and his theology, it was of course no
easy ,matter to convince him of even the simplest
truth in our philosophy. I think it was after the se-
cond or third sitting, when he had become more sociable,
that, seating himself on the edge of the table, he
said, You have drawn many faces ; did you ever
draw the face of God ?' Here was a question. 'No,'
I replied. We cannot draw that which we hate
never seen ; God is a spirit, and not confined to one
place ;Heis in all places.' How do you know
that,' said he, 'if you never saw him ?' and so I found
mwasth than
nasiteor
f..l‘. plumped
an unlearneinto an argumentdlinguisttoenwtehrichinitto
get out of. However, I managed, or at least
endeavoured to lead him off into an illustration
of the power and nature of spirit, by reference
to the modern science of mesmerism, in which the
superior power or nervous influence of the stronger
party seems to invade, enter into, overwhelm, or
assume dominant power over the mind and system of
the weaker. This he could perfectly understand ; for
mesmerism, as you perhaps know, has been practised
in India by the natives from time beyond date.
• You mean,' said he, •just as wine overcomes the
senses of the drunkard: Our next discussion was on
geography, in which I soon found that the Hindoo
mind of Moolraj continues as dark as it well can be,
and wedded es strongly to old systems and notions as
the old shoe is nailed to the stable-door post. ' But it

is written in our Shastas, &c.,' was the invariable and
knock-down reply to all my practical illustrations,
with globe end map in hand.
* * *

G."

THE CONVICT HANNAH CURTIS.—The sheriff of
the city of Gloucester (Dlr. W. H. Barrett) has received a
letter from the tinder-Secretary of State for the Home De-
partment, in answer to a memorial from the Society of
Friends, stating that the sentence of death passed upon
Hannah Curtis will be commuted to transportation for life.
—Chaltenhanz Jcurnal.

THE MUSSEL TRADE.—During the last three
weeks, the boatmen of Lympstone and Starcross have been
reaping a rich harvest, by supplying mussels for the London
market. From 20 to 30 tons are sent off every evening, cud
for these the men are remunerated at the rate of Is. per
bushel, which make them a handsome return for their
labour. The mussels are retailQd in London at one penny
per

A trlcnurnerit is to be erected at Wesmouth to the
memory of the late Duke of Cambridge.

PLIONOGRAPIIY.—A lazy boy out in Indians spells
Andrew Jackson thus :--&ru Jaxu.