1 IS INTRODUCnOM.
2 one of us appeared abroad, he was stared at like a prodig>'. They
3 wore loose clothes of white cotton or muslin, like the people of Hin-
4 doostaii ; but were distinguished from them by their Kaujpoot teatures,
5 and by their remarkable turban, which rise* high over the hem! like
6 a mitre, and has a cloth of some other colour wound round the hui-
7 tom. Some of our party went into the town, where, althou^i curio-
8 aky drew a mob round them, they were treated with great cirUity :
9 Odien rode out into the deaaart, but were soon wearied with tJiedieMj
10 and mnwied prospect it afibfded ; 'for frithin ten yards of the town
11 as waate aa the wUdeat part '<o( AxAim. On the northan aide alone
12 there waa aometlung like a woody vallefr. The moat curioiia ai|^ at
13 Bikaneer a well of fine water, immediately undte the toii» which
14 ia the reaidmce of the Raj^ It was three hundred feet deef^ and M-
15 teen or twenty feet in dianieter. Four buckets, each drawn by a pur
16 of Qzeu, worked at it at once f and* when a bucket waa let down, ita
17 atriking the water made a noise like a great gun.
18 Great part of our time was taken up with the Raja*s visit, and our
19 attendance m his palace. The Raja came to my camp through a
20 street, fornied by his own troops and joined by one of our's, which ex-
21 tended from the skirts ot the camp to the tent where lie was received.
22 He was carried on men's shoulders in a vehicle, like the bndv of an
23 old-faaliioned coach, lie was preceded by a great uiauy cliolxiars,
24 bearing slender silver maoes, with laxge knoba at the top, whidi they
25 waved over their heads in -the -airs and foDowed by a nomeibaaTfr*
26 tanue. He aat down on a mnannd (a kind of throne composed-of
27 owhiont)* under a canopy, or rather an awmng of red vdvet, embxot-
28 deved and hioed .with gdd, and auppovted b)r fiNtf aOver pillais, all of
29 whidi be had aent out iae the puirpoae. We comiaed on varioni
30 aiifajecta for an hour. Among other topics, the Raja enquired about
31 the age of the King, the climate of England, and the politics of the
32 nati<»i. He ahowed a knowledge of our relation to Fiance ; and one
33 of the company asked, whether my mission was not owing to our wnr«i
34 with that nation. Presents were at !nst put before him mid his COUT*
35 tiers, according to the Indian custom, after which he withdrew.
36 • Digitized by Google