since the jealous and vindictive
passions of Ameer Singh had been thoroughly excited. The captivity must
have been very wretched, for he observed that the poor boy walked lame,
and found that the cause was this:--"I have not been able to sleep," said
poor Serfojee, "from the number of insects in my room, but have had to
sit clasping my knees about with my arms. My sinews are a little
contracted, but I hope I shall soon recover."

When taken out, the poor little fellow was delighted once more to see the
sun, and to ride out again. A Brahmin master selected by Mr. Swartz was
given to him, and he very rapidly learnt both to read his own language
and English. Swartz also interfered on behalf of the late Rajah's
minister, Baba, who had indeed been extortionate and severe, but scarcely
deserved such a punishment as being put into a hole six feet long and
four feet broad and high.

For two years Serfojee was unmolested; but, in 1792, the husband of Ameer
Singh's only child died without children, and this misfortune was
attributed by the Rajah to witchcraft on the part of the widows of
Tuljajee. He imagined that they were contriving against his own life,
and included Serfojee in his hatred. By way of revenge, he caused a pile
of chilis and other noxious plants to be burnt under Serfojee's windows,
and thus nearly stifled him and his attendants. He prevented the
Prince's teachers from having access to him, shut up his servants, and
denied permission to merchants to bring their wares to him. Mr. Swartz
was absent at the time, and Serfojee wrote a letter to him, begging that
the English Government would again interfere. It was found that any
remonstrance put the Rajah into such a state of fury that the lives of
the youth and the ladies we're really unsafe while they remained within
his reach, and it was therefore decided that they should be transplanted
to Madras. It was a wonderful step for Hindoo princesses to take, and
was only accomplished by the influence of Mr. Swartz, backed by a guard
of soldiers, under whose escort all safely arrived at Madras, where
Serfojee's education could at length be properly carried on.

The youth was so entirely the child of Swartz and of the Government, that
it is disappointing to find that he did not become a Christian. No
stipulation to the contrary seems to have been made by Tuljajee; but,
probably, the missionary refrained from a sense of honour towards the
late Rajah, and becaus