UZ LUCKNOW. 
perty still gave him a great influence in Oude. He was notorious 
for his rigid strictness in exacting his dues, and is supposed to have 
in his possession at least half a crore. We dined at Colonel 
Marshall's, who commands the detachment, and who entertains half 
his regiment every Monday, although now all allowances for 
table h ave been withdrawn by Government. 1 retired early, but 
as several ladies were there, they contrived to dance in despite of 
the heat. 
March 29. — In the morning two elephants, with very handsome 
silver houdahs, were sent by the Naw^aub to attend my orders. I 
was engaged to dine this day with his Excellency ; Colonel Scott 
was to accompany me, and translate. I had determined to take the 
same opportunity of paying my visit to the Begum, his mother. 
About four o'clock, one of his sons arrived to attend me to the 
palace, and a younger one to pay the same compliment to Colonel 
Scott. We immediately set oif, and joined suwarrys, as his house 
is close to Mr. Paul's. On our elephants we passed through the outer 
courts of the palace, and at length entered the garden of the zenana. 
His Highness, with his usual court, was waiting to receive us at a 
garden-house situated opposite to the zenana itself, between which 
extended a bason of water with fountains, the whole length of the 
garden. We were seated in a verandah, and the eunuchs passed to 
and fro, bringing polite messages from the old lady, with thinks for 
the compliment of the visit. The zenana was a handsome building, 
but had a most melancholy appearance from the wooden lattices- 
work on the outside of the windows. With her reside her virgin 
daughters, some of whom are upwards of forty years pld, and their 
establishment of slaves. His Excellency here introduced his 
