156 
LUCKNOW. 
be induced to abandon his plan, on a representation of its inutility, 
and great expense. The Rumi Derwazah was built after, as he sup- 
posed, one of the gates of Constantinople, though it is of that light, , 
elegant, but fantastic architecture, which has some little resemblance 
to the Gothic and Morisco, but none to the Grecian. The Imaum- 
barah, the mosque attached to it, and the gateways that lead to it, 
are beautiful specimens of this architecture. From the brilliant 
white of the composition, and the minute delicacy of the workman- 
ship, an enthusiast might suppose that Genii had been the artificers. 
The vast sums expended by Asof-ud-Dowlah brought to Lucknow 
merchants of large property from all parts of India, and the trade 
between Cashmere and Bengal in a considerable degree took the 
same direction. The town rapidly increased in extent and prospe- 
rity ; and even now, when trade receives less encouragement under 
Saadut Ali, it does not visibly decline. 
April ^2.— My boats arrived from Calcutta with my heavy bag- 
gage, having had a very favourable voyage for this season. They 
left Calcutta on the 2^d of February. All my servants and my 
Dewan Gopinaut had previously arrived, so that I now found my- 
self completely settled. The whole town has this day assumed a 
melancholy appearance, as it is the eve of the Moharam, a festival 
of ten day's duration, most religiously kept by the followers of Ali, 
in commemoration of the death of Hassan and Hossein, on which 
occasion they change their coloured turbans and sashes for black ones, 
unless intitled to wear green, as descendants of Mahomed. The pre- 
sent Nawaub, as a Persian, is of the sect of Ali, or aShiite. So are 
most of the Mahomedans in India, except the Royal Family, who, 
as Tartars, are Soonies. Every prince has a place appropriated to 
