26 



who accompanied Nadir Shah in his memorable expedition to 

 India, and remained there with their plunder; Cambay has also 

 been the retreat of others who quitted Persia during subsequent 

 distractions. 



The Persian language was spoken in great purity at Cambay, 

 and there was as much etiquette and ceremony at the durbar, as 

 in the most refined courts of Europe; as in other oriental palaces, 

 officers in waiting receive a visitor of distinction at their respective 

 stations. He is met at the outer gate by one of inferior rank, 

 who attends him to the inner court, where he is received by one 

 of higher authority, and so in gradation, until he is presented to 

 the prince on the musnud, or throne. The reception by the sove- 

 reign varies also according to the rank of the visitors; to those of 

 exalted birth or station, he advances a few paces, and embraces; 

 to others he simply rises, and exchanges the salam, or salutation; 

 while the general throng of civil and military officers, and other 

 visitors of the durbar, are received with a return of the salem from 

 the prince, sitting; when they are conducted by the chopdars, 

 gold-slicks, and silver-sticks in waiting, to the station where they 

 are to stand or sit during the levee. In a Mogul durbar, while 

 the servants are attending with coffee, which is always served, the 

 conversation is general; they afterwards proceed to business: if 

 presents are intended, they are next produced; ottar of roses, 

 betel-nut, or rose-water, offered to each visitor, concludes the 

 ceremony. 



At visits of the Rajpoots, Gracias, and many other Hindoo 

 tribes, opium is presented in liquid and solid preparations with 

 the same familiarity as the snuff-box in Europe: the Asiatics are 



