1839.] Account of a Journey to Beylah. 189 



the inner apartment where we were sitting, but they were soon made 

 sensible of their mistake by being immediately turned out of the 

 house, and told that whoever wished to see us, must first ask and 

 obtain permission. 



About two hours after our arrival one of the chiefs brought a com- 

 plimentary message from the Jam, but the real object of his visit it, 

 appeared was to ascertain precisely my rank, which having done, he 

 departed ; shortly after Arab Oosmanany came alone, and informed 

 me that the Jam would give me a public audience next day. 



Late in the afternoon a chief came to conduct us to the house where 

 the Jam was waiting to receive us, but no horses having been sent I 

 requested him to go back and get three, which in a few minutes made 

 their appearance. Preceded by the presents, and attended by a party 

 of soldiers, we proceeded through the town, and after having passed 

 with some difficulty through several narrow streets, filled with a 

 crowd of people, shouting as if they were mad, alighted at the door 

 of the Kutchery, which, from the dense mass collected round it, was 

 hardly approachable ; on entering the court-yard we were received by 

 one of the chiefs, who taking me by the hand led me towards a 

 covered veranda, or room open in front, where the Jam was seated in 

 state ; although the hall of audience was merely a rude mud building, 

 without ornament or furniture of any kind, the coup d' oel was rather 

 imposing, the group drawn up inside being arranged so as to produce 

 the best possible effect. In the centre sat the young chief, on a square 

 platform raised about a foot high, and covered with a carpet and 

 cushions of silk richly embroidered. His relations and chiefs were 

 disposed on either side according to their rank, Ularacky, his chief 

 confidential adviser being seated on his right hand a little in advance, 

 and his tutor, the Hadgi Hafiz, on his left, and the back ground was 

 filled up by a body of well dressed, fine looking military retainers. My 

 conductor having led me up to the musnud, the Jam desired me to 

 sit down on a carpet laid in front of it, and the usual complimentary 

 speeches and inquiries were made by the minister Ularacky, who 

 conducted the whole business. During the time the interview lasted, 

 the young chief, who I imagine had been well tutored for the occasion, 

 sat without uttering a word, with a vacant incurious expression of 

 countenance which was no doubt assumed. He is a handsome lad, of 

 thirteen or fourteen years of age, with fine expressive eyes, rather fair 

 complexion, and a profusion of long jet black ringlets falling on each 

 side his face. At present his countenance is rather feminine, and 

 when we saw him in his state robes, which from their peculiar fashion 

 aided the resemblance, he appeared more like a young Indian queen 



