BOMBAY MUSICIANS. 45 



we at length got into our sliigram, a small four- 

 wheeled carriage in use at Bombay, and wended 

 our way to the Elchee ha Bungaloiv. On reach- 

 ing it we heard the sounds of music, if music it 

 could be called, and found the Meer surrounded 

 by a host of natives, the higher in rank seated 

 on couches and chairs, the inferiors squatted on 

 the ground. Facing His Highness were numer- 

 ous musicians and singers, said to be the finest 

 performers in Bombay. The instrumental music 

 consisted of a large kind of lute, on which the 

 singer accompanied himself, assisted by two 

 others, one of whom played on a kind of violin, 

 the other beat with his fingers a small Tom-tom, 

 or drum, about the size of a slop-basin. The 

 time was very good, and that was the only re- 

 deeming point in the performance. The airs 

 were all extremely monotonous. The compass 

 of the voices was very limited, and the Bombay 

 Mario's melody very much resembled the howl- 

 ing of a sliecp dog, under the influence of 

 cholic. However, His Highness seemed in- 

 tensely delighted with the performance, though 

 to English ears the screeching was abominable ; 

 but we were forced to listen to it for a couple of 



