276 
JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
same question respecting his Majesty or the 
Governor-General, which had been put at the 
Palace, and by the Prince of Sarawadi. It ap¬ 
peared to me at the time, and since, that the 
form of expression was previously studied and 
concerted between the parties. He then asked 
if we were pleasantly situated, begged to know 
the ranks of the different gentlemen as connect¬ 
ed with the Mission, and what particular ap¬ 
pointment I held myself, before coming as En¬ 
voy to the Court. After ordering refreshments 
for us, he retired for a short time, politely in¬ 
timating that he wished to remove all constraint 
and put us at our ease while we were taking 
our repast, as he was aware that the position we 
were in was unusual and inconvenient to us. 
The chief returned in a short time, renewed his 
conversation, and then finally withdrew; in¬ 
forming us, that if we wished to view the spec¬ 
tacle exhibiting in the area, we should find chairs 
and refreshments ready for us under a shed. 
In passing through the court-yard, on our de¬ 
parture, we stopped for a few minutes, from 
motives of civility, to see an exhibition of dan¬ 
cing-women. Two of the King’s corps de ballet 
were performing, considered the first dancers in 
the kingdom. They displayed great agility in 
their way: sometimes they bent their body back- 
