LUC KNOW. 
143 
youngest son, an immoderately fat, laughing boy, who first ap- 
peared with a message to me from his grandmother. He is his 
father's favourite. After sitting a proper time, presents, as usual, 
were produced, and I accepted two shawls from the old lady. We 
then walked close to the zenana, (probably that its inmates might 
have an opportunity of more closely examining the Lord Saheb,) 
towards a tent, where his Excellency occasionally sleeps, and from 
that to the palace, where he first received me. It is a very com- 
fortable English gentleman's house, with suitable furniture, beds, 
prints, and chairs. He is his own architect, and really has consider- 
able taste, though of course nothing can be more incorrect than 
many of the ornaments. He is highly gratified by any comparison 
between himself and the Prince of Wales. I took occasion to pay him 
a few compliments, Avhich put him into excellent humour. He now 
presented me to all his sons, except the eldest, amounting to seven. 
There is a considerable family likeness. The absent one keeps in 
total seclusion. Mrs. and Mrs. came with their husbands. 
I confess that I think nothing can be so highly disgusting, as to see 
women mixing in society with Mahomedans, it is so contrary to the 
principles of the latter, who can only have a contempt for them, and 
consider them as on a level with the nautch girls. This was pretty 
plainly exemplified in the course of the day, for Mrs. having 
seated herself next the General, he drew back his chair, and 
desired she would not come so near to him. She had the impu- 
dence to ask him several questions about his wife, to which he only 
replied, by begging her not to talk so improperly. The party at 
dinner consisted of twenty -seven, sixteen of whom were Europeans. 
The dinner was French, with plenty of wine, of which, although the 
