This prince had impaired his constitution by drinking and other vicious indulgences, in which he had been encouraged in early life by his designing or inconsiderate adoptive mother, the Padshah Begum; but for some time before his death, he used frequently to declare to his most intimate companions that he felt sure he should die of poison, and that at no distant period.  He for some time before his death had a small well in the palace, over which he kept his own lock and key; and he kept the same over the jar, in which he drew the water from it for his own drinking.  The keys were suspended by a gold chain around his neck.  The persons who gave him his drink, except when taking it out of English sealed bottles, were two sisters, Dhuneea and Dulwee.  The latter and youngest is now the wife of Wasee Allee Khan.  The eldest, Dhuneea, still resides at Lucknow.  The general impression at Lucknow and over all Oude was, that the British Government would, take upon itself the management of the country on the death, without issue, of Nuseer-od Deen Hyder; and the King himself latterly seemed rather pleased than otherwise at the thought that he should be the last of the Oude kings.  He had repudiated his own son, and was unwilling that any other member of the family should fill his place.  The minister and the other public officers and Court favourites, who had made large fortunes, wished it, as it was understood by some, that by such a measure they would be secured from all scrutiny into their accounts, and enabled to keep securely all that they had accumulated.

About half-past eleven, on the night of the 7th July, 1837, the Durbar Wakeel, Gholam Yaheea,* came to the Resident and reported that the King had been taken suddenly ill, and appeared to be either dead or in a dying state, from the symptoms described to him by his Majesty’s attendants.  The Resident, Colonel Low, ordered his two Assistants, Captains Paton and Shakespear, the Head Moonshee and Head Clerk, to be in attendance, and wrote to request the Brigadier, commanding the troops in Oude, to hold one thousand men in readiness to march to the Residency at a moment’s notice.  The Residency is situated in the city near the Furra Buksh Palace, in which the King resided.  The Resident intended that five companies of this force should be sent in advance of the main body and guns, for the purpose of placing, sentries over the palace gates, treasuries, and other places containing valuables within the walls.  But this intention was not unfortunately made known to the Brigadier.  Captain Magness, who commanded a corps of infantry with six guns, and a squadron of horse, had been ordered by the minister at half-past eight o’clock, to proceed with them to a place near the southern entrance of the palace, and there to wait for further instructions, and he did so.  This was three hours before the minister made any report to the Resident of the King’s illness, and Captain Magness was told by the people in attendance that the King was either dead or dying.