MADRAS. 319 
by the clouds of red dust which were carried along the road, and 
by the immoderate heat of the weather. 
Government-House consists of two noble buildings, situated in a 
large grass-park, studded with trees of Mango, Date, Cocoa-nut, 
Peepul, Tamarind, and above all Thespesia populnea. The building 
where we alighted is the dwelling-house, of two stories, with pillared 
front and broad arcades all round. At the door we were received by 
the native servants, wearing white robes and turbans, broad scarlet 
belts edged with gold, and each bearing a brass badge. The 
public rooms are upstairs, large and lofty, built of brick covered 
with chunam, a preparation of lime plaster, fine and smooth as 
the best marble, of which all the interior work appeared built. 
The broad stairs are beautifully carpeted, and the landing-place 
surrounded with marble-like pillars and gilt arm-chairs. The 
rooms themselves are quite cut up by the large punkahs, which 
cross the lofty apartments from one side to the other beneath the 
glass chandeliers. The floors, too, are covered with yellow 
Chinese mats, for coolness sake, which take off from the effect of 
the rich yellow silk furniture. I had not been long in the 
drawing-room before I was accosted by Major Garsten, aide-de- 
camp to Lord Tweeddale, and Resident at the court of the Nabob 
of Arcot, whose palace-towers he showed me from the windows 
of Government-House, and who reminded me of occupying the 
same lodgings with him in Abercrombie Place (Edinburgh). He 
seemed highly delighted to see me, put his rooms, barouche and 
pair, and riding-horse at my disposal, and was as kind and at- 
tentive as possible. 
There was but a small dinner party: the guests consisted 
chiefly of military gentlemen, among whom was General Cubbon, 
Political Agent for all Mysore, almost the first appointment in 
India, keeping state and honour like a Prince for all comers to 
Bangalore. The surgeon had come down with him, from whom 
I obtained a great deal of information about the cultivation of 
cotton in his part of India, where the heat and dryness of the 
summer cause wine-glasses to snap off at the stem without being 
touched, and Teak-wood tables to split across the grain. He 
