about it, the more I admired it-its dream-like or rather fairy-like beauty, its exquisite detail, its accurate proportions and its wonderful finish, not a stone nor an ornament wanting. It was built by one of the Mogul emperors, Shah Jehan, to be the tomb of his favourite wife. It was her dying request to have one superior to any other. His own daughter is said to have drawn the designs. At the back is a large garden, covering, I should guess, twelve acres, with immense trees and a mass of foliage, broad walks, fountains, and peeps of cupolas and minarets in all directions. The entrance is through a magnificent gateway. The walk leading from this to the tomb is lined with cypresses, and the contrast of the white. marble and the dark green foliage is beautiful. We dined one night in a lovely but rather airy apartment jutting out into the river from one of the side mosques. At night we lighted some blue lights, as a substitute for moonlight, by which the Taj should be viewed aright, and placed the lights in one of the minarets, thus strongly marking the shadows. At Agra, Loch, to our great regret, left us to join his regiment. On the morning of the 26th we drove to Futtehpore Sikri. This place was formerly a large town, and the old mud wall is six miles in circumference, but very little of the space it includes is at present built upon, the rest being under cultivation. In the middle rises a hill, on which is situated the ancient palace and mosque. At its foot is a modern village; all around are ruins 1850-51] BHURTPORE 191 and heaps of brick. We took up our quarters in a little pavilion belonging to the palace, two stories high, and beautifully carved inside and out. The palace was built by Akbar, and was his favourite residence. It contains numberless courts, magnificent stables, the houses of his different wives, the hall of audience where he received the petitions of his subjects, and the chamber where he practised his magical arts. The walls are carved with animals of all sorts, which were afterwards mutilated by his religious, and therefore iconoclast, successor. The buildings and ornaments are of a much heavier style than those of a later date at Agra, and are chiefly remarkable for their extreme massiveness. We strolled about this remarkable place for two hours, following an old guide, who was none the less garrulous from our inability to understand a word he uttered. We went after sunset on the same day to Bhurtpore, which is renowned for its strength. We rode about it on elephants, and saw where Colonel Lake attempted to take it and where Lord Combermere succeeded in doing so.' The town is rather pretty, over-shadowed by large tamarind trees, and the Rajah was improving it, and was building stone arcades. He is a model Rajah, has no Prime Minister, but attends himself to all the business, improves his dominions, and is beloved by his subjects. His appearance was not prepossessing, as he was very fat, and his face deeply pitted by smallpox. I liked his dress, which was simple and without jewels, 1 Created Viscount Combermere, 1827, for the capture of Bhurtpore. though he possessed magnificent ones. He gave us good food and many amusements. Wrestling is his chief pastime. Himself a Hindu, he treats impartially Hindu and Mohammedan wrestlers, between whom great emulation exists. The best wrestlers, who sat looking on in rich dresses, are great favourites. Some were fine-looking men. Afterwards antelopes and rams fought. I liked the Rajah for his concern when a branch of a tree broke on which some spectators were perched, and his satisfaction when he heard that none were hurt. Three more days brought us to Delhi, which from its size and its history has been the most famous place in all India; but there is not much to see there. We were not allowed to enter the huge palace, England's relations with the Mogul being then already much strained. We were assured it contained nothing interesting, which I believe is not true. The Jumma Musjid is a magnificent mosque, with its lofty minarets and fine colonnades all in perfect proportions. In the afternoon the streets became very gay, filled with people of all countries in a great variety of costumes - marriage processions, Nautch girls, elephants, and tumblers. Sir Theophilus Metcalfe invited us to his house, where we spent three pleasant days. He had two agreeable daughters, one of whom was married, the other having been with us on board the Haddington. They were pretty, musical, and merry. The house contained 1 Sir Theophilus John Metcalfe, born 1828, died 1883; fifth Baronet and nephew of Lord Metcalfe. 1850-51] DELHI 193 the best library I had seen in India, a large collection of prints, a billiard-table, a backgammon board, and a whist-table. The last day we spent at the Kutub, one of the wonders of India. We drove there in a carriage drawn by a couple of camels. They went eight miles an hour, and would keep up that pace for a great distance. The Kutub is a tower of great circumference at the base, but diminishing gradually, with storeys marked by different styles of ornament and richly sculptured balustrades. One storey is fluted, another with projecting angles, and a third with alternate angles and flutings. But this can give no idea of its beauty and grandeur, which must be owing to its fine proportions and its exquisite masonry. At its base are scattered ruins of a Hindu temple older than the column, a number of pillars richly sculptured, and fine arches. There is likewise the unfinished base of a second Kutub. We breakfasted, and passed the hot hours of the day in an old tomb hard by, fitted up most comfortably by Sir Theophilus with another billiardtable and a profusion of books. On our way home we saw several tombs-one with a tank into which men and boys jumped from a height of sixty-five feet, another of very beautiful marble, and the immense one of Hummayoun, the father of Akbar, which is large and stately, but without much ornament and in decay. For fourteen miles round. were the ruins of the old town of Delhi, the most desolate sight-nothing but mounds of brick, with occasional deserted tombs and temples. On our return to Agra we found Mr. Thomason established there with his handsome daughter. He had a high reputation for ability, and his administration of the provinces under him was much praised. Socially I found him sententious and formal. His position was in some respects the greatest in India; his period of office was unlimited, and he had nearly the whole patronage of the immense district he governs. The court paid to him is immense, and has, I fancy, from the little I saw of him, turned his head. I paid a last visit to the Taj, and was more enchanted with it than ever. On March 9th we left Agra. Laurence Oliphant, who came with Jung Bahadur to Nepaul, had agreed to accompany us to Bombay. We made up a large party. One hundred and twenty followers were to go with us all the way to Poonah. One was a cook, some were palkee bearers, and others carried our luggage or torches. They were fine-looking men, extremely civil, and never were guilty of the least offence or offered the slightest difficulty, although we could not speak their language. think it would be difficult to find such a wellbehaved set of attendants in Europe. I At Gwalior we received a cordial welcome from Sir Richmond Shakespeare, which was doubly agreeable after Mr. Thomason's cold reception. Sir Richmond is a distinguished officer who has seen interesting service. He took some Russians, who had been seized at different times on the Caspian Sea and sold to the Khivans, all the way from Khiva to St. Petersburg. The gratitude |