156 CIVIL HISTORY AND 



The British factory is a large and lofty structure ; 

 those of the French and Dutch are rapidly falling 

 into decay. The mansion of the dowlah is the best 

 in the city, having one front to the sea; while on two 

 other sides are a square for military exercises, and a 

 range of official dwellings. None of these have much 

 pretension to architectural elegance. The walls have 

 fantastic ornaments in white stucco. The windows 

 are in general small, and not arranged in any regu- 

 lar order ; they are closed with lattices, and some- 

 times open into a wooden carved- work balcony. 



The town, according to Lord Valentia, does not 

 contain a population of more than 5000 souls, though 

 the French travellers made it amount to twice that 

 number. The garrison consists of about 80 horse 

 and 200 matchlock-men, who receive a regular pay 

 of two dollars and a half per month. There is not a 

 vestige of discipline among them. When on guard 

 at the different gates they recline on couches, with 

 their matchlocks lying negligently by their side, 

 while the right hand is occupied with sustaining 

 either a pipe or a cup of coffee. Their greatest dis- 

 play takes place when they attend the dowlah to 

 the mosque, with the usual pomp of gay streamers, 

 and of green and red flags. A lively writer has de- 

 scribed a procession which he witnessed at Mocha 

 ten years ago. The dowlah rode a beautiful little 

 iron-gray charger, and was accompanied by about 

 half-a-dozen persons, well dressed and of some con- 

 dition ; the rest of the attendants, amounting to the 

 like number, were meanly clothed, and mounted on 

 wretched horses. A large band of regular infan- 

 try from the garrison followed, in plain costume, 

 a common blue shirt, small dark turbans, a rude 



