116 POONAH. 
I 
house in this garden. One night it was burnt down, and Sir Charles 
being then enabled to complain with effect, was allowed to build the 
bungelow, which now is used as the Resident's office. Still not a 
fence was permitted ; and even the present Resident had great diffi- 
culty in obtaining permission to erect a gateway and several addi- 
tional buildings. The large bungelow on the banks of the river was 
built for a festival, at which his Highness assisted, in commemoration 
of the conclusion of the Mahratta war. On the opposite bank the 
natives burn the dead bodies, and afterwards commit the remains 
to the stream. 
October 13. — This was the day of the celebrated Hindoo fes- 
tival of the Dusserah. The Paishwa was to attend, and perform a 
principal part. As I had not been presented to him, it was contrary 
to etiquette that I should fall in his way ; I was therefore obliged 
to observe the festival at a small distance. As soon as his Highness 
quitted the palace. Colonel Close and I mounted our elephant, 
and attended by the horse guard and suwarry, proceeded across the 
river to the British lines, where all the troops were drawn out in 
line, with the artillery on the left. We retired behind them, by way 
of being incognito. His Highness passed obliquely along the line to a 
spot where a branch of a tree had been stuck in the ground. Here 
he descended f^om his elephant, and performed the proper cere- 
monies, which we could not observe. On their being concluded a 
royal salute was fired. His Highness then mounted, and passed in 
front of the line from right to left, being received with presented 
arms. The regimental colours were lowered, but not the King's ; 
and as he passed the artillery, another royal salute was fired. He 
was mounted in a howdah of looking glass, and had but little su« 
