March, 1849. HOOLI FESTIVAL. 391 



were assembled outside the gates, mounted upon elephants, 

 amid a vast concourse of people. The children and Dewan 

 were seated in a sort of cradle ; the rest were some in 

 howdahs, and some astride on elephants' backs, six or eight 

 together. All the idols were paraded before them, and 

 powdered with red dust ; the people howling, shouting, and 

 sometimes quarrelling. Our elephants took their places 

 amongst those of the Rajah ; and when the mob had suffi- 

 ciently pelted one another with balls and dirty red powder, 

 a torchlight procession was formed, the idols leading the 

 way, to a very large tank, bounded by a high rampart, 

 within which was a broad esplanade round the Avater. 



The effect of the whole was very striking, the glittering- 

 cars and barbaric gaud of the idols showing best by torch- 

 light ; while the white robes and turbans of the undulating 

 sea of people, and the great black elephants picking their 

 way with matchless care and consideration, contrasted 

 strongly with the quiet moonbeams sleeping on the still 

 broad waters of the tank. 



Thence the procession moved to a field, Avhere the idols 

 were placed on the ground, and all dismounted : the Dewan 

 then took the children by the hand, and each worshipped 

 his tutelary deity in a short prayer dictated by the attendant 

 Brahmin, and threw a handful of red dust in its face. After 

 another ordeal of powder, singing, dancing, and suffocation, 

 our share in the Hooli ended ; and having been promised ele- 

 phants for the following morning, we bade a cordial farewell 

 to our engaging little hosts and their staid old governor. 



On the 10th of March we were awakened at an early 

 hour by a heavy thunder-storm from the south-west. The 

 sunrise was very fine, through an arch 10° high of bright 

 blue sky, above which the whole firmament was mottled 

 with cirrus. It continued cloudy, with light winds. 



