16 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
CHAPTER II. 
A RICH MAHOMEDAN. NAUTCH GIRLS. A HOG- 
HUNT. 
I remained at Madras for two or three weeks, 
when, joined by my old travelling companions, we 
proceeded down the coast, nearly retracing our for- 
mer route as far as Tanjore. Here we fell in with a 
wealthy Mahomedan, who showed us particular at- 
tention, treating us with great hospitality during our 
stay, which made our time pass very agreeably. The 
first visit we paid him was in the afternoon, just 
after he had taken the siesta, and was enjoying his 
hookha in the veranda of his dwelling. He was seated 
on a rich carpet under a magnificent awning, attended 
by two domestics, one of whom was protecting him 
from the inconvenience of the sun’s rays with a chatta 
composed of the palmyra-leaf, and the other was 
waving over him a yak’s tail, in order to prevent the 
impertinent intrusion of flies and mosquitoes. The 
mussulmaun courteously invited us to his dwelling, 
which was in the neighbourhood of the city, upon the 
river Cavery ; and we visited him almost every even- 
ing during our stay. He had a splendid mansion, 
with a numerous establishment. One evening, be- 
fore we quitted Tanjore, he gave a sumptuous en- 
