88 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
water thus forced into the canals irrigates the country 
to some extent. 
The fort stands at the west end of the island, and 
is a large building, designed by one evidently less 
skilful as an architect than as an engineer, though 
built with great strength. During the memorable 
siege of Seringapatam, the glacis was found to be in 
many places so high and steep as perfectly to shelter 
the assaulting party from the fire of the besieged. All 
the public buildings in the city are clumsily construct- 
ed, bearing little appearance of architectural symme- 
try ; on the contrary, looking mean and even rude. 
They are chiefly surrounded by a lofty wall com- 
posed of mud and stone. Hyder Ali’s palace, which 
he called the Laul Baugh, situated at the eastern 
extremity of the island, is an exception to this rule. 
Although entirely constructed of mud, it has all the 
light, airy elegance of the better Mahomedan struc- 
tures, and the convenience as well as beauty of a mo- 
dern palace. Near it is the tomb of the renowned 
Hyder, enclosing likewise the bodies of his wife and of 
his son, Tippoo Sultan ; they are deposited under slabs 
of black marble raised a few inches from the ground. 
There is still kept up at the expense of the British 
Government an establishment of priests, who daily per- 
form the customary services for the welfare of depart- 
ed souls over the graves of those distinguished persons. 
The suburbs of this capital are built on the highest 
part of the island, — about the middle of it ; they are 
composed for the most part of small mean tene- 
ments, the whole occupying the space of five furlongs 
square. There is a palace called Dowlut Bang, or the 
