IT YDER-ALI, 
Old 
white muflin, with a turban of the fame. But, in the 
army he wore a military habit invented by himfelf for 
his generals: an uniform compofed of a velt 'of white 
fatin, with gold flowers, faced with yellow, and attached 
by cords or firings of the fame colour: the drawers of 
the fame materials; and the boots of yellow velvet. He 
wore a fc ’arf of white filk about his waift; and, with, the 
military habit, his turban was of a red or aurora colour. 
■When on foot, he commonly ufed a gold-headed cane ; 
mul on horfeback he wore a labre, hanging by a belt of 
■velvet embroidered with gold, and faftened over his 
flioulder by a clafp of gold, which was enriched with pre¬ 
cious Hones. He never wore jewelry either on his turban 
or on his clothes; and never ufed either necklace, ear- 
pendants, or bracelets. His turban was long and flat at 
top. In this particular he followed the ancient mode; 
as well as in his flippers, which were very large, with a 
long point turned back, refembling the roofs of buildings 
in fome countries upon the Levant. 
The countenance of Hyder, though not handfome, was 
open, and calculated to inl’pire confidence. He never 
acquired the habit of difguifing his afpedl, which was 
either gay or overfpread with chagrin, according to the 
occafions that prelented themfelves. He poflefled a faci¬ 
lity in converfing on any fubject; and had none of that 
flatelinefs and taciturnity, which almoft all the other 
princes of the F.aft affedl to preferve. When he received 
a ftranger, he appeared to fpeak with gravity; but foon 
recovered his ufual eafe, and converled on general topics, 
repeating himfelf the news and common converlation of 
the day with the greateft affability. It is aflerted that 
this fovereign could afk queflions, give anfwers, hear a 
letter read, and dictate an anlwer to another, behold a 
theatrical exhibition, and even feern to attend to the per¬ 
formance—at the fame inftant that he decided concerning 
things of the utmoft importance. 
Though Hyder-Ali rofe himfelf from the humble (fili¬ 
ation of a common feapoy in the army, to be one of the 
greateft princes in India, yet there was no fovereign more 
eafy of accefs to every one that had bufinefs witli him, 
whether ilrangers or (ubjecls; and the former, whatever 
were their quality, were always fure to be introduced 
into his prefence by demanding an audience of a fou- 
quedar, or macebearer, of which there was always a fuffi- 
cient number at the gate of the royal palace. When 
bufinefs or parties of pleaiure did not prevent Hyder-Ali 
from going to reft at his ufual time, which was after 
midnight, he arofe with the fun, that is to fay, about fix 
o’clock. As foon as rifen, the majors of the army, who 
had been on duty the preceding day and night, and like- 
wife thofe who relieved them, made their reports, and 
received orders to be tranfmitted to the minilters and ge¬ 
nerals, who themfelves had the privilege of entering his 
drefling-room, if they had any thing extraordinary or 
preffing to communicate. The couriers that arrived 
during the night, or in the morning, alfo came and laid 
their difpatches at his feet. Between eight and nine in 
the morning he quitted his apartment, and repaired to a 
faloon, where a number of fecretaries waited for his ap¬ 
pearance. Into their hands, according to their refpedlive 
departments, he put the letters received; giving them at 
the fame time inftruflions for the anfwers. His fons, 
his relations, and thofe lords who were honoured with 
his intimacy, entered ; and, if it was nine o’clock, they 
took the ufual refrefhment. If he had leifure, he appeared 
at a balcony, when his officers ufed to cry out, “Your 
elephants liilute your majefiy:” and at the fame time 
thofe animals, ranged in a lemicircle round the palace, 
made three genufleClions. His tigers of chafe likewile 
paid him a vHit. They were led by hand, and covered 
with a mantle of green and gold hanging to the ground, 
and a bonnet on their head, of cloth embroidered with 
gold, with which their eyes can be immediately covered, 
if they fhould chance to prove mifcliievous. Hyder him- 
'felf would give each of them a ball of fweetmeats, which 
3 
they would take very adroitly with tlieir paws, being ex¬ 
ceedingly tame. 
After the repaft, which ended about half after ten, 
Hyder entered into the hall of audience; or the grand 
tent, if at the 'army. He was feated on a fopha beneath a 
canopy, and very often in fome balcony that fronts an 
open place or court of the palace; and fome of his rela¬ 
tions fat on each fide cf him. All perfons who had per- 
miflion of accefs, of which the number was very great, 
might come to this audience; and thofe who had affairs 
to tranfacl, might either requeft admittance by means of 
the fouquedars, or put their requeft into the hands of 
thofe officers, by whom it was carried to their chief, who 
was always prefent, and who placed it at the feet of the 
prince, where it was immediately read and anfwered. At 
this audience thirty or forty fecretaries were feated along 
the wall to the left, who wrote continually. Couriers 
arrived almoft every inftant, and were conducted with 
great noife and bullle to the feet of the prince, where 
they laid their difpatches. A fecretary kneeling took 
the packet; and, fitting on his hams before the prince, 
opened it and read the letter. Hyder immediately dic¬ 
tated the particulars of the anfwer, and the letter was 
carried to the office of a minifter. Contrary to the cuf- 
tom of the princes of the eaft, who affix their names by 
means of a feal, Hyder figned the difpatches in order as 
they were completed, as well as a number of private 
orders. When this prince wrote any interefting letter, 
or gave an order of importance, he affixed a particular or 
private feal, which he always wore on his finger; and in 
that cafe he himfelf carried the packet to one of his cou¬ 
riers, who conveyed it as far as the firft ftation. To the 
packet was joined a paper denoting the hour it was lent 
off; and at every ftation the time of its arrival was marked. 
Minifters, generals, ambaftadors, and other great men, 
rarely appeared at this audience, unlefs commanded, or 
unlei’s urged by extraordinary affairs. It was peculiar to 
their dignity to fee the prince only in the evening, when 
none but men of confequence were admitted ; and nothing 
elfe was thought of but to make their court to the fove¬ 
reign, or to (hare his pleafures. A great ambaffador, or 
other perfon of confequence, was announced in a loud 
voice by the chief of the ufhers in thefe terms: “ Your 
majefty, the lord of - falutes you.” Minifters, 
fecretaries, ouaquils, or other men of bufinefs, were not 
announced, but went in and o^ut without particular ob- 
fervation, except that they were careful to falute the 
prince. When a great man was announced, the prince 
returned the falute, and begged him to be feated: the 
friends and other great men, who furrounded the fove¬ 
reign, faluted him alfo; and, in proportion to the efteem 
or favour he was in with the prince, they gave place, 
that he might approach him. A perfon of ordinary rank, 
who had requefted an audience, made three reverences in 
entering, by moving his hand from his forehead almoft 
to the ground; and afterwards placed himfelf on one 
fide of the chief ufher, continuing filent, with his hands 
joined before him. The prince returned the falute by 
limply touching his turban with his hand, and aftefled to 
continue the difeourfe with thofe about him: after which 
he made a fign for the perfon to advance, and demanded 
in an engaging and alfieftionate manner the fubjefl of 
his vilit: and, upon the expofition of the affair by the 
fuppliant, he received a decilive anfwer. If he were a 
ftranger of a genteel rank or employment, as a trader or 
merchant of confequence, he received orders to fit; and 
his place was ufually on the right, fronting the fecretaries. 
The prince would then aik him fome queflions refpedling 
his ftate of life, his country, or his voyage, and appoint 
a time when he would fee his merchandifes. Betel was 
then prelented to th.e ftranger, which was underllood as 
equivalent to a permilfion to retire; and this was done 
with the fame ceremony as at the entrance. This audience 
continued till after three o’clock, which was the hour he 
returned to his apartment to deep, or make the feflo, as it 
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