1 INTEODUCTION. 51
2 friendihip.- I thai inqniied whether It was Hb Majest/s pleaaute to
3 enter .oD businen it that time? To which he replied, that I nt^^
4 consult mj own .oonreniettoe letpecting the time^ and might . oom**
5 mwiieate with hia miniflterty or with himself* as I diose. I that
6 eaq^ained the olQeots'of my mission at length; to which His Mtyes^
7 made aTery fiieodly and judidofiia lepfyf and soon after I Withdrew.
8 The King of Canbid was a handsome man^ ahoat thirty yeati of age^
9 of aniolive oontplexion, with a thick black beard. The eiqpreflsion of
10 his countenance was dignified and pleasing : his voice deu, and his
11 address prhioely. We thought at first that he bad on armour of
12 jewda, hnlv on dose infection, we found this to be a mit^ake, and
13 his real di^ to consist of a green tunic, with large flowers in gold,
14 and precious stones, over which were a large breast-plate of diamonds,
15 shapod Tike t\ro flattened flenr de lis, an ornament of the same kind
16 on e:t( li ihiuli, lai Lre emerald bracelets on rlie arms (above the elbow),
17 jiTid iiumy otliei jewels in ditierent places. In one of tiie liracelets
18 was the Cohi Noor, known to be one of the largest diamonds in the
19 world *. There were also some strinjjs of verv large pearls, put on
20 like cross belts, ljuL kM>se. The crou u was about nine inches high,
21 not ornamented with jewels as European crowns are, but to appear-
22 ance entirely formed of those precious materials. It s^med to be
23 radiated like andent cMsms* and beihind the rays appeared pei^ of
24 purple velvet : aome smaE brandieB with pendanta, seemed to project
25 fiom Uie craam $ but the whole was so oomplicatedt and so dasaling,
26 that it waa diffiodt to understand, mA impossible to descnboi The
27 throne waa covered with a doth adorned with pearls, on whidi lay a
28 aword and a small mace, set with jewels. The room was open all
29 romid. Ihe centre was sii|»ported by Ibur faigfi pillars, in the midst
30 of which was a marble fi>imtain* Hie floor was covered with the
31 richest carpets, and round the edges were slips of silk, embroidered
32 with gold, for the Kliaans to stand on. The view from the hall waa
33 * 8e» • pnnt of it in Tnvernier's Tlravels. «
34 H 2
35 Digitized by Google