and cloths of various kinds; with several curiosities in agates, cutglass, and silver fillagree caskets, which his majesty seemed to admire; though the expression of any sensation is generally held incompatible with Mogul dignity on such occasions. A few gold mohurs were presented to each of the princes; my offering was five gold mohurs to his majesty only. The offering of a soldier is his sword, and the acceptance of it is signified by touching it.

Mr. Anderson and his suite having gone through the various ceremonies of introduction at the imperial durbar, a repetition was not expected. His majesty and the imperial princes having graciously accepted of our several tokens of respect, we returned to the place of obeisance, and thrice repeated the compliment, having received an intimation from one of the ushers to take the greatest care in retiring, not to turn our backs on the throne. We now took our stand with the rest of the gentlemen on the left of his majesty, with our hands placed one upon the other, laid across upon the waist. The emperor then entered into conversation relative to the country we had passed through in our long journey. In a short time we were informed that our kullats (honorary dresses). were prepared in a place allotted for our investiture. In our way thither we had to stop at the salaming spot, and perform the tusleem a third time. From thence being conducted into a pavilion open to numerous spectators, we were invested with a Mogul robe over our coat. We then for the fourth time paid our respects at the usual spot, and advanced to the foot of the throne, to shew ourselves in our new habiliments. His majesty then condescended to tie with his own hands a serpeych on Sir Charles's hat, and caused a bridle, as the symbol of a horse, and an aunkus, the

symbol of an elephant, to be delivered to him. The aunkus is the instrument by which the elephant is driven and controlled; its handle is generally of wood, having an iron point to goad forward, and a hook to restrain or keep back. These additional marks of favour caused a repetition of Sir Charles's retrograde steps to the place of obeisance, from whence he returned to his station among the courtiers. Having thus paid his respects for this high distinction, the emperor conferred upon him a still higher honour by a phirmaun of Mogul nobility, as an ameer of the empire. After waiting for some time longer in the demure attitude abovementioned, without a word being uttered by any person, the King of the World descended from his throne, and we moved once more to perform our obeisance. During this etiquette at the Mogul durbar, if his majesty asks any person present after his health, he must immediately make the retrograde motions and perform the tusleem. This was now practised by Mr. Anderson, who received that condescending mark of royal distinction.

On our return to the tents we found a horse and an elephant, the addition to Sir Charles's kullat. The royal gifts of a horse, an elephant, a princely dress, and a tiara of jewels, sound very grand, and as a part of the formula of the introduction of eminent visitors at the Mogul court, were not to be despised; but on examination, the diamond and emerald serpeych was found to be composed of green glass and false stones; the horse was worn out, and in the last stage of existence; and the elephant, on taking off his trappings, discovered a long ulcerated wound on the back, from the shoulder to the tail. The whole was emblematical of the fallen state of the unfortunate monarch, or rather the shadow of a

prince, by whom they were presented. But for the honour of the imperial dignity it should be added, that Mhadajee Sindia, who had recently assumed the high office of Vackeel ul Mulluck, or absolute minister, supplied every thing on this occasion, even to the minutest article.

This unfortunate representative of the Timurean race, was about sixty years of age, of the common stature, and of a countenance bespeaking a placid and benignant mind; with an air and deportment of habitual dignity tempered by much affability. Three years after this interview he fell into the hands of Gulam Kaudir Khán, a rebellious chieftain, who caused the aged monarch to be blinded in a most barbarous manner. As the particulars of this cruel transaction are not inserted in Mr. Cruso's journal, nor transmitted me by Sir Charles Malet, it may be satisfactory, and will render the narrative more complete, to relate them briefly from an authentic account printed at Bengal soon after the perpetration of this horrid crime.

Gulam Kaudir Khán was the son of Zabda Khán: his father disinherited him and drove him from his presence on account of his vices and crimes. Shah Aalum, the emperor of Delhi, took him under his protection, treated him as his own son, and conferred on him the first title in the kingdom, Omeel ul Omraow; he lived with the emperor, and raised a body of about eight thousand troops of his own countrymen, the Moguls, which he commanded. Gulam Kaudir was of a passionate temper, haughty, cruel, ungrateful, and debauched.

In the latter end of the year 1788, the emperor had formed suspicions that some of the neighbouring rajahs would make an

altempt to plunder and destroy his territories: these suspicions were verified by the approach of a considerable army towards his capital, commanded by Ismael Beg Khan, and assisted by Dowlut Row Sindia. Gulam Kaudir told the emperor on this, that he had nothing to fear, he having an army sufficiently strong to oppose the enemy; and that all the emperor had to do, was to march out with his troops, give them a supply of cash, and he would stake his head on the enemy's being overcome. To this the To this the empe ror replied, that he had no money to carry on the contest. Gulam Kaudir said this should be no objection, as he would advance the necessary supply of cash, and that all his majesty had to do was to head the army. "This," said he, "will animate and give them courage, as the presence of a monarch is above half the battle." The emperor agreed in appearance, and requested Gulam Kaudir to assemble the army, pay their arrears, and inform them of his intentions. Gulam Kaudir retired contented, but great was his astonishment when he intercepted, the next day, a letter from the emperor to Sindia, desiring him to make all possible haste and destroy Gulam Kaudir; "for," as the letter expresses it, "Gulam Kaudir desires me to act contrary to my wishes, and oppose you."

On this discovery Gulam Kaudir marched out with his Moguls, crossed the Jumna, and encamped on the other side, opposite to the fort of Delhi. He then sent the emperor the intercepted letter, and asked him if his conduct did not deserve to be punished by the loss of his throne? He began to besiege the fort, and carried it in a few days; he entered the palace in arms, flew to his majesty's chamber, treated the aged monarch in the most barbarous manner, knocked him down, and kneeling on his breast,

took out one of his eyes, and ordered a servant of the emperor to take out the other.

After this he gave the place up to pillage, and went to the royal zenana, where he insulted the ladies, tore the jewels from their noses and ears, and cut off their arms and legs. As he had lived with the emperor, he was well acquainted with the places where the royal treasures were concealed; he dug up the stone of the emperor's own bed-chamber, and found there two chests, containing in specie an hundred and twenty thousand gold mohurs, about two hundred thousand pounds sterling; this he carried off, with other considerable sums. To get at the hidden jewels of the women, he practised one of the most villainous schemes ever thought of; the third day after these horrid cruelties, he ordered that all the emperor's ladies and daughters should come and pay their respects to him, and promised to set free those who should please him by their appearance and dress. The innocent unthinking women brought out their jewels, and adorned themselves in their richest attire to please this savage. Gulam Kaudir commanded them to be conveyed to a hall, where he had prepared. common dresses for them. These dresses he made them put on by the assistance of eunuchs; and taking possession of their rich dresses and jewels, he sent the women home to the palace to lament their loss and curse his treachery. Gulam Kaudir did not stop even here, but insulted the princesses by making them dance and sing. The most beautiful of the emperor's daughters, Mobarouk ul Moulk, was brought to the tyrant to gratify his lust; but she resisted, and is said to have stabbed herself to avoid force.

Sindia soon after this came to the assistance of the emperor,