DELHI. 
33 
occasion, royal salutes were fired by the British 
troops at all the principal military stations, and 
congratulations, with presents, were forwarded to the 
new emperor by the governor-general. I have fre- 
quently seen this new Great Mogul, and, judging 
by his appearance, I should say that he cannot be 
much under sixty years of age, though some allow- 
ance be made for the effects of a life of royal excess. 
His character is not remarkable for anything great 
or good. The only interesting matter attached to 
his history is of a very sad nature, and a stain upon 
his long list of imperial titles. It is thus told : — - 
Only a few years since, among the attendants of 
his consort, was a very lovely girl about sixteen years 
of age, whose charms excited a strong passion in the 
heart of the prince. Being a virtuous girl, she turned 
a deaf ear to his entreaties, and rejected all his prof- 
fered bribes with scorn; in consequence of which 
she was put under a severe course of daily punish- 
ment, and her delicate person subjected to the most 
cruel stripes and privation. She bore her sufferings 
with patient resignation, until they were aggravated 
beyond human endurance, 44 when one night, about 
half-past ten o’clock,” according to the account given 
by the Durpun , a native newspaper, 44 she covered 
her face with her chuddur , and wrapping her razai 
about her, she threw herself from the top of the 
south-west tower of the palace wall into the dry 
ditch below, sixty feet ; and having broken all her 
