POONAH. 
135 
a carpet divided in two by a single pillow, and spread where his 
Highness's guddy had been yesterday placed. He sat on the right 
hand of it, I on the left ; my party next me, in a line down the 
room; his, on the opposite side. We soon adjourned up stairs, 
where a dinner, as before, was laid out. The Dewan sat close to 
us, and conversed the whole time. I praised some of the sweet 
things, and requested he would send me some for my journey, 
which he took as a compliment, and immediately promised to do. 
On our return to the lower room, the pawn and attar were sent 
round, and, afterwards, presents to all my party, quite as good as 
those of the Paishwa. My presents were the same as before, except 
that there was no toorrah, and the whole were of less value. The 
Dewan tied them on himself. I begged him for the last time most 
anxiously to preserve, by his endeavours, the alliance between the 
two states, and to represent to his Highness that this was the last wish 
I had to express. He replied, that the Mahrattas now depended upon 
the English for protection. I requested Colonel Close to represent, 
in the strongest terms, my denial of this : that the dependence was 
mutual, and only that of one friend on another. Though he had 
made the remark, he seemed pleased at the denial, and assured 
me nothing should be wanting on his part, but that he was only 
what his master pleased ; on which I concluded with my personal 
wishes for his continuance in office. We returned before dark. 
Colonel Close had been so kind as to permit the Assistant Resident, 
Captain Frissel, to attend me to Bombay, and meant to go himself as 
far as Chinchoor. The following was the day fixed for our journey. 
I had procured several old figures of Hindoo deities, and some of 
considerable merit ; my people had picked up a large collection of 
