March, 1849. VISIT TO RAJAH OF COOCH-BEHAR. 





was fixed for perpetuity; whatever his revenue be, he 

 must pay so much to the Company, or he forfeits his estates, 

 and they are put up for auction. 



One evening we visited the young Rajah at his residence, 

 which has rather a good appearance at a distance, its 

 white walls gleaming through a dark tope of mango, betel, 

 and cocoa-nut. A short rude avenue leads to the entrance 

 gate, under the trees of which a large bazaar was being held; 

 stocked with cloths, simple utensils, ornaments, sweetmeats, 

 five species of fish from the Teesta, and the betel-nut. 



We entered through a guard-house, where were some 

 of the Rajah's Sepoys in the European costume, and 

 a few of the Company's troops, lent to the Rajah as 

 a security against some of the turbulent pretenders to 

 his title. Within was a large court-yard, flanked by a 

 range of buildings, some of good stone-work, some of 

 wattle, in all stages of disrepair. A great crowd of people 

 occupied one end of the court, and at the other we were 

 received by the Dewan, and seated on chairs under a 

 canopy supported by slender silvered columns. Some 

 slovenly Natch-girls were dancing before us, kicking up 

 clouds of dust, and singing or rather bawling through their . 

 noses, the usual indelicate hymns in honour of the Hooli 

 festival ; there were also fiddlers, cutting uncouth capers in 

 rhythm with the dancers. Anything more deplorable than 

 the music, dancing, and accompaniments, cannot well be 

 imagined ; yet the people seemed vastly pleased, and 

 extolled the performers. 



The arrival of the Rajah and his brothers was announced 

 by a crash of tom-toms and trumpets, while over their 

 heads were carried great gilt canopies. With them came a 

 troop of relations, of all ages ; and amongst them a poor 

 little black girl, dressed in honour of us in an old-fashioned 



