Cox's Bnfmhcin Eriipir 
582 
told them they need not doubt my per¬ 
forming all I had agreed to, alnd imme¬ 
diately I took them off, and sent back 
the other servants. The great door of 
the tent is close to the east side of the 
enclosure, but we mitered at another 
gate a little to the right, on purpose, 1 
suppose, that the multitude might see 
me walking in the sun, ou the bare 
ground without my shoes. Before we 
advanced the saudogans and rayhoon 
kneeled down, closed their hands flat 
together, lifted them to their foreheads, 
and bowed; their heads three times to 
the earth. At their request we took 
off our hats, and bowed in our own 
style three times, and then put oil our 
hats again. The request was made 
with respect; we then advanced slowly 
towards the north lace of the tent; 
midway the prostrations on their part 
and bows on ours were repeated. Just 
before we came to the door of the tent, 
they desired me to take of my hat; this 
however, 1 deferred doing until I got 
into the shade, as the sun was very hot. 
At the door of the tent, the prostra 
tions, &c. were again repeated. The 
whole distance I had to walk in the sun 
might be 100 feet. After the first pros¬ 
tration, the mayhoon turned immedi¬ 
ately into the tent; and so ill had they 
concerted the farce they were acting 
with me. that a small pause occurred 
before they determined to lead me a 
little more round about. 
When we entered the tent, we saw 
the courtiers arranged in ranks to the 
right and left, seated on mats spread 
on the ground fronting the throne to 
the north, so that by entering to the 
north the princes of the blood, who 
were seated in the two front rows, had 
a perfect view of me. A small pause 
was made also for that purpose. We 
then walked slowly to the south, passing 
the right-hand rows to the rear, and 
then turned into the centre avenue be¬ 
tween them, to about the centre of the 
court, where mats were placed for us, 
and we were requested to pay our re¬ 
spects to the throne ; when I dropt on 
one knee, and bowed my head. We 
then seated ourselves; I placed my feet 
across under me in the Hindostanee 
style; the whoongliees desired I would 
cover my feet, which I immediately 
complied with. Some one then desired 
the interpreter to tell me to sit side¬ 
ways ; the whoonghee called out, 
4i Never mind;” I, however, imme¬ 
diately altered my position, placing my 
legs sideways, and leaning for support 
on my right hand, a very awkward and 
ungraceful position to those not accus¬ 
tomed to it. The grand audience-tent 
is circular, about 300 feet in diameter, 
supported in the centre by a stout mast 
about sixty feet high, the pinnacle rising 
above the top of the tent, perhaps 
twelve feet more, and gilt. The sides 
supported by an arcade of 100 arches ; 
the piers of wood about fifteen feet high; 
the arches formed of bamboo work, tlie 
wall-plate which supports the back of 
the tent was of bamboos; stout ropes 
are extended in the inside from the cen¬ 
tre pole to each pier, and then carried 
out to posts fifteen or twenty feet be¬ 
yond, and made fast. These support 
the fly of the tent, which was made of 
single dungaree, (a coarse thick cotton 
fabric, common in India,) in the sea 
phrase, neither wind nor weather-tight. 
Round the base of the centre pole was 
built a pedestal about ten feet square, 
and fifteen high, whether of wood or 
masonry, I had no opportunity of ob¬ 
serving. Round It was a circular open 
railing about six feet high; and within 
the enclosure several large square glass 
lanterns were hting, and looking-glasses 
arranged, with other trifles of the same 
kind. 
The throne, which came close to the 
outer edge of the tent, was an octagon 
of wood, like a large pulpit: each face 
was about ten feet; the .floor elevated 
about six feet above the level of the 
tent; the sides open to the south and 
east, the west and north sides screened 
by a curtain; the floor wa^ carpeted, 
and a raised bench covered with velvet 
cushions laced with gold, Was placed 
near the centre, a little advanced to 
the front. Below, within the circle of 
the tent, was a raised seat like a clerk's 
reading-desk, covered with green vel¬ 
vet, edged and trimmed with broad 
gold lace, with large red velvet cushions 
on it, trimmed in the same manner. 
To the right and left of the throne on 
the ground, just within the arcade of 
the tent, were ranged twenty of the 
king’s body-guard, in satin gowns 
trimmed with gold lace, witlji treble 
scolloped capes and cuffs, and gilt bats 
like Mambrino’s helmet. Nearer the 
throne, to the right or west side, were 
seated in a line with the body guards, 
six eunuchs of tbe palace, native Maho- 
medans, in white jammas and coloured 
silk lungees, with white handkerchiefs 
round their heads. The princes of the 
blood, the chobwasV and all the cour- 
* Petty tributary princes. 
tiers 
