170 
LUCKNOW. 
good wishes passed between me and the old lady through the medium 
of Meer Tussein. She tendered me the trays, shawls, kc. from 
which I chose two. 
Our elephants were waiting at the gate, and the whole party 
went ofip for the Sungi Dalani, or stone palace, where his Highness 
meant to dine, in order to show me the manner in which it used to 
be adorned in his brother's time. It is, in my opinion, a very 
elegant building, perfectly in the Eastern style, open on all sides, 
and supported by pillars. It is, as the name designates, built of 
stone, but the whole is painted of a deep red colour, except the 
domes that cover the towers at the corner. These are gilt all over; 
the effect is extremely rich. The centre room is large; two narrower 
on each side make the shape of the whole building a square, with 
circular towers at the four corners. It is raised one story from the 
ground, and a large terrace connects it with a smaller but similar 
building. A most magnificent musnud of gold, covered with 
brocade and embroidered wreaths of roses, was placed at one end of 
the large apartment. We dined in the smaller, on one side, whence 
we had a view of the bason of water, which extends to the hum- 
maum attached to the palace, where I used to bathe. The sides 
of the bason were covered with coloured lamps ; and a complete 
trellis work of the same extended on each side of the walk. The 
overhanging trees were perfectly lightened by the glare, which was 
much increased by the reflection from the water. It was the 
splendour of the Caliph Haroun-ul-Rashid, as described in the 
Arabian Nights Entertainments, completely realised, and by no 
means inferior to the idea that my fancy had formed of it. The 
band was playing the whole time, and added much to the gaiety of 
