THE GUESTS. 51 



I never saw him to greater advantage. Many 

 present were as richly dressed, but no one 

 equalled my chief in dignity of bearing ; indeed, 

 I have heard many, who met Meer AH Moorad 

 in England, declare that they never met with a 

 man so singularly courteous and pleasing in 

 manner, or possessing a clearer or more in- 

 telligent mind. 



After a considerable pause, not less, I think, 

 than an hour, dinner was announced, and we 

 were led by our host across the garden, to an- 

 other large building, where we found dinner 

 laid in a spacious hall up-stairs, the floor of 

 which was covered with a white cloth, and on 

 that the dinner was placed. The guests kicked 

 off their shoes at the door, and my royal master 

 and the other magnates of the land were 

 ushered to their places by our host in person, 

 and sat or squatted down with their backs to 

 the wall. Each had before him, arranged in 

 two rows, about a dozen dessert plates of curries, 

 pillaos, and sweets, with a couple of tall glasses 

 of iced lemonade. Rosewater was then brought 

 round in a golden vessel, and each guest washed 

 his right hand preparatory to eating his dinner, 

 as knives, forks, and spoons appeared to be as 



