456 Voyage of the Novara. 



of their neighbours, which these latter held fast with both 

 hands, till at length the whole joyous train were dismissed 

 homewards, thoroughly pleased with the day's proceedings. 



After this interlude there were fireworks on the lawn for 

 the grown-up children, which seemed intended to serve merely 

 as a stop-gap to while away the time between the distribution 

 of the presents to the children and the supper, which was 

 laid out in the brilliantly-illuminated dining-room of the 

 palace. The fine band, which a few days previously had 

 so pleased us by its performances during dinner at Guindy 

 Park, drew up on the large lawn fronting the ball-room, and 

 during this interval played a few select pieces with admirable 

 precision. At last, supper was announced by a flourish of 

 trumpets. Despite the spacious proportions of the apart- 

 ment, the company was too numerous to admit of all sitting 

 down at once. We calculated the number of guests still 

 remaining at at least 500. The ladies supped first, and 

 afterwards the gentlemen — the Governor, Lord Harris, 

 doing the honours in person, in the most courteous and 

 kindly manner After supper the party proceeded in couples 

 to a splendid ball-room, where dancing speedily began, 

 while over their heads an omnipresent punkah, of rich 

 tapestry-paper, and elegantly adorned with beautiful arabes- 

 ques, swung to and fro, and kept the half-breathless dancers 

 continually fanned by its currents of air.* In spite, however, 



* In many English families in India there prevails a sort of punkah mania, so 

 that there is a regular hm-ricane incessantly blowing over their heads. Undoubtedly 



