56 
ANTALOW. 
for his going away, and that I was fearful that he had been saying 
something prejudicial of us, and had altogether been acting an un- 
derhand part ; in consequence of which I had been extremely 
anxious for a personal conference, wherein the whole might be ex- 
plained. The Ras was gloomy for some time, and at last said that 
he did not as yet clearly understand the motive of our coming into 
his country. This I immediately ascribed to the fault of his in- 
terpreter ; and then proceeded to enter fully into a repetition of 
what had passed on my laying the presents before him, and con- 
cluded with saying, that by his invitation we had come up to his 
presence through barbarous districts, where nothing but his name 
could have protected us, and had entrusted him with our lives 
and property, which were all at his disposal ; and that now our 
only desire, during the remainder of our stay in his country, was to 
act in strict conformity to all his wishes ; but that we expected to be 
treated as friends, and at least to have the full liberty to go out 
whenever we pleased, and to move about wherever we might 
choose in his territories, as above all things, confinement was par- 
ticularly irksome to us. On this he began to relax a little ; said 
that there had been a mistake made by Currum Chund in inviting 
us; but that, as we were here, it was all well; that it was his 
anxiety about our persons which made him wish we should have 
no communication with the inhabitants, who were little to be de- 
pended upon ; and that he would rather lose two thousand of his 
own subjects than that any one of our people should come 
to harm. 
" I made a proper return to this unexpected sally of friendship^ 
and then proceeded to remark, that as I could not now depend upon 
