390 JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
sions, and to atone for what had passed, by en¬ 
tering into arrangements for the restoration of 
the ceded provinces, and the remission of the 
debt due.” There was a necessity for undeceiv¬ 
ing his Majesty at last; and his coming to a 
knowledge of the real facts was, in all proba¬ 
bility, the true cause of the displeasure which 
his Ministers feigned to attribute to the pre¬ 
tended disrespect of the European soldiers. I 
should have mentioned also, that offence was 
taken at the conduct of some of our native 
followers, and especially of the Lascars, or 
native seamen of the steam-vessel. The charge 
against them also was want of due respect when 
the King presented himself. It was stated that 
they did not throw themselves, as they should 
have done, into a crouching attitude; but 
stood on tiptoe, and stared—far too curiously ! 
The old Governor of Bassein called again in 
the evening, and was most anxious to exact 
from me, as he had often been before, a pro¬ 
mise that I would speak <e favourably” to the 
Governor-General respecting the restoration of 
the ceded provinces. They place implicit re¬ 
liance upon assurance made to them by any 
European of character, and eagerly catch at the 
remotest hint of a promise; so that it became 
necessary to be extremely guarded in what 
