128 
THE ORIENTAL ANNUAL. 
“ Let those who are sheltered in mercy,” said he, 
alluding to the deceased kings of the Mogul dynasty, 
who by Mussulmans are never spoken of as being dead 
in other terms than these ; “ Let those who are shel- 
tered in mercy, whose seat is in Paradise, behold how 
the mighty men of all India, the descendants of a thou- 
sand emperors, have exchanged turbans * with your 
victorious and peace - dispensing countrymen ; the 
proud chiefs, the children of the true prophet, the 
chosen of heaven, the invincible, delighting in bene- 
volence and good faith, have made themselves joyful 
in an act of brotherly affection, by sharing with the 
English the glories and riches of their thrones. Other- 
wise, they had been content to resign their power 
altogether into the hands of this noble race of stran- 
gers, whom Alla was pleased to select as instruments 
to save the whole country from destruction. Is it not 
true , Sir, that the chiefs of royalty have had pleasure 
in descending from their kingly state, to grind rice 
for princely inf dels P ” f Throughout this sentence, 
•as I received it, the light and shade of profound 
respect and insolence, of submission and reproach, 
played to and fro in so shifting and chequered a man- 
ner, that I was quite unable to define the man’s real 
meaning ; nor could I ascertain it by farther ques- 
tions. 
* The most sacred and inviolable token of friendship and peace 
among all oriental nations. 
t “To grind rice for infidels,” is an expression betokening the 
utmost degradation to which a Mussulman can be brought. 
