204 RIFLE AND SPEAR WITH THE RAJPOOTS. 



over India are very inferior. At Delhi some of them are 

 the worst we have yet seen. 



After breakfast we drove to the fort, which is built of 

 red stone, and entered under an archway leading through 

 an arcade lined with fruit-sellers' stalls. This citadel, like 

 the old castles of European kings, was a palace as well as a 

 fortress, and contains many beautiful halls and rooms. The 

 Public Hall of Audience is a large vaulted roof, supported 

 by three rows of red sandstone pillars. It is open to the 

 winds on all sides but one, where stands the white marble- 

 canopied throne. 



The Private Hall of Audience is of white marble, 

 inlaid with scrolls of mosaic flowers of agate, jasper, 

 and other coloured stones. One side has windows. 

 screened with marble tracery of beautiful design, through 

 the open-work of which can be seen the red walls of the 

 citadel. 



Within the fort is the little " Moti Musjid," or Pearl 

 Mosque. It is a gem' of dazzling white marble, entirely 

 without colouring, or any ornamentation except its exquisite 

 carving and lace-like marble lattices. But the whole is as 

 delicate and finely executed as a piece of jewellery. 



The Jumma Musjid, outside, at once catches the eye, 

 from its size and imposing position. The site is itself 

 slightly above the surrounding level, and this height is 

 increased by a huge platform of stone approached by three 



