280 



companied him, in which were a pair of shawls, a piece of brocade, 

 a piece of muslin, a turban, &c. The Mah Rajah then fastened 

 with his own hands a sirpech, or ornament of emeralds upon the 

 ambassador's hat ; one of the sirdars did the same by the other 

 gentlemen, after having first offered the jewel to be touched by the 

 sovereign's hand. Ottar of roses, spices and betel were then dis- 

 tributed in the same manner by his highness to the ambassador, and 

 by One of his chiefs to the rest of the parly. When they took leave, 

 a horse and an elephant, neither of them of much value, were waiting 

 without for the ambassador's acceptance. The visit was not re- 

 turned until ten days afterwards, in consequence of some disputes 

 having arisen respecting the number of presents to be given to the 

 Mah Rajah and his suite. One hundred and fifty were at first de- 

 manded, which were afterwards reduced to sixty-seven. This 

 species of arithmetic was so well understood at the mean and mer- 

 cenary court of the Brodera chieftain, that I pretended business, 

 and absented myself from the nuptials, where I understood every 

 thing was conducted with an ostentatious parsimony peculiar to 

 a Mahratta durbar : for the Mogul princes, as far as their declin- 

 ing fortunes admit, still preserve a degree of splendor, taste, and 

 generosity, unknown among modern Hindoo sovereigns, of whom 

 Futty Sihng was perhaps one of the meanest. 



The wedding of Vazeer Ally, eldest son of Asuf-ud-DowIah, 

 nabob of Oude, celebrated at Lucknow in 1795, was one of the 

 most magnificent in modern times. Jts description by an eye-wit- 

 ness, forms a splendid contrast to the shabby proceedings at Bro- 

 dera, and far exceeds any tiling I had an opportunity of seeing 

 amongst the priucos of'Guzeral, or during my residence in India. 



