CHAPTER XL 



The city of Muttra — Seth's palace — Life sacred to a Brahman — The 

 troublesome monkeys— Pilgrims and their strange vows — The sanc- 

 tity of Bindhaban — The sacred tanks of Govindhun — A Hindoo 

 Venice— Deeg — The Maharaja of Bhurtpore — A group of palaces — 

 Early Hindoo-cum-Italian Benaissance-cum-Tottenham Court Boad — 

 In search of chinkara — Baroda — Colonel Fraser, the Political Besi- 

 dent — The Presidency — The Ulwar tragedy — Major Bam Chunder 

 hanged — An Indian version of Henry II. and Thomas a Becket — 

 The Maharaja Jey Singh — Animal duels — The elephant stables — A 

 savage brute — Tackling a panther — In search of the sambhur— The 

 Maharaja's mothers — Performing horses —The old palace — Curious 

 old arms — Show and squalor. 



The road to Bindhaban leads at first through Muttra, 

 which is clean and well-paved, but not of especial interest. 

 There are some fine houses, situated, as usual, in narrow 

 streets, lined with dirty-looking shops. An occasional 

 open door shows an old garden with palms, or a temple, 

 or the courtyard of a great house. The millionaire Seth 

 has a richly carved white stone palace ; but even his 

 verandah or ground floor is crowded with little shops 

 whose whole stock in trade is not worth more than a 

 few shillings ; and through the narrow entrance one has 

 to step over dogs, and pick one's way through 



