﻿OF ASAM. 179 



them a year. The Raja's palace is surrounded by a 

 causeway, planted on each side with a close hedge of 

 bamboos, which serves instead of a wall. On the 

 outside there is a ditch, which is always full of water. 

 The circumference of the enclosure is one coss and 

 fourteen jereebs. Within it have been built lofty 

 halls and spacious apartments for the Raja, most of 

 them of wood, and a few of straw, which are called 

 chipper s. Amongst these is a dkvan khanah, or pub- 

 lic saloon, one hundred and fifty cubits long, and 

 forty broad, which is supported by sixty-six wooden 

 pillars, placed at an interval of about four cubits from 

 each other. The Raja's seat is adorned with lattice- 

 work and carving. Within and without have been, 

 placed plates of brass, so well polished, that when the 

 rays of the sun strike upon them, they shine like mir- 

 rors. It is an ascertained fact, that 3000 carpenters 

 and i2co labourers were constantly employed on this 

 work, during two years before it was finished. When 

 the Raja sits in this chamber, or travels, instead of 

 drums and trumpets, they beat the * dhol and dand. 

 The latter is a round thick instrument made of cop- 

 per, and is certainly the same as the drum -}-, which it 

 was customary, in the time of the ancient kings, to 

 beat in battles and marches. 



The Rajas of this country have always raised the 

 crest of pride and vainglory, and displayed an osten- 

 tatious appearance of grandeur, and a numerous train 

 of attendants and servants. They have not bowed 

 the head of submission and obedience, nor have they 

 paid tribute or revenue to the most powerful mo- 

 narch ; but they have curbed the ambition, and 



* The dhol is a kind of drum, which is beaten at each end. 



f This is a kind of kettie-drum, and ie made of a coCDposicioa 

 of seveial metals. 



N2 



