390 TERAI. Chap. XVII. 



English chintz frock and muslin cap, in which she cut the 

 drollest figure imaginable ; she was carried about for our 

 admiration, like a huge Dutch doll, crying lustily all the time. 



The festivities of the evening commenced by handing 

 round trays full of pith-balls, the size of a nutmeg, filled 

 with a mixture of flour, sand, and red lac-powder ; with 

 these each pelted his neighbour, the thin covering bursting 

 as it struck any object, and powdering it copiously with 

 red dust. A more childish and disagreeable sport cannot 

 well be conceived ; and when the balls were expended, the 

 dust itself was resorted to, not only fresh, but that which 

 had already been used was gathered up, with whatever dirt 

 it might have become mixed. One rude fellow, with his 

 hand full, sought to entrap his victims into talking, when 

 he would stuff the nasty mixture into their mouths. 



At the end attar of roses was brought, into which 

 little pieces of cotton, fixed on slips of bamboo, were dipped, 

 and given to each person. The heat, dust, stench of the 

 unwashed multitude, noise, and increasing familiarity of 

 the lower orders, warned us to retire, and we effected our 

 retreat with precipitancy. 



The Rajah and his brother were very fine boys, lively, 

 frank, unaffected, and well disposed : they have evidently 

 a good guide in the old Dewan ; but it is melancholy to 

 think how surely, should they grow up in possession of 

 their present rank, they will lapse into slothful habits, and 

 take their place amongst the imbeciles who now represent 

 the once powerful Rajahs of Bengal. 



We rode back to our tents by a bright moonlight, very 

 dusty and tired, and heartily glad to breathe the cool fresh 

 air, after the stifling ordeal we had undergone. 



On the following evening the elephants were again in 

 waiting to conduct us to the Rajah. He and his relations 



