1 ^THE COURt OF THfi SIKH SOVEREIGNS. 115
2 land, the connnander-in-chief, and their suite to
3 the Durbar tent, which consisted of a splendidly
4 carpeted floor, provided with numerous gold and
5 silver chairs, and covered in by a spacious some-
6 ana, lined with shawl cloth, placed in front of
7 th^ Maharajah^s principal pavilion. Here the
8 whole assembly took their seats, and the cere-
9 mony of the introductions took place : Major
10 Wade and Mr. W. H. McNaghten, who sat on
11 Lord Auckland's right, acting as interpreter on
12 behalf of the English visitors. As the British
13 officers were severally introduced to Runjeet
14 Singh, he addressed a few words to them, and
15 rallied Colonel Skinner upon their old acquain-
16 tanceship. The principal sirdars then presented
17 themselves, and severally did homage to their
18 chief, receiving a few complimentary salaams, and
19 now and then an expression of good will. When
20 the presentations were over, a band of nautch girls,
21 bedizened with jewellery, and beautified after
22 their fashion with missee, silver dust, &c., were
23 called in, and formed a little circle, while the
24 most celebrated bayaderes treated the company to
25 a few of those singular movements which here
26 pass for dancing. The shawls, trinkets, cloths,
27 &c., which constituted the presents on these
28 occasions, were now brought in, exhibited, and
29 then appropriated by the officers of the Govemor-
30 General's suite afiier the ordinary system. The