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VISIT FROM THE RAJA'S SONS.

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as I could wish to do. The old man, however, persisted, saying that his master would come immediately, and that" where there was friendship (joining his hands, and cringing almost to the threshold) ceremony was unnecessary." Stowe was gone to bed, however I made ready to receive them; but the Raja after all, excused himself on account of the night air, and only sent his sons, who had by this time completely transformed themselves into eastern beaux, by the addition of white muslin dresses, and turbans of gold brocade. They brought also a present of mangoes, sugar, and pastry, and advanced with the usual nuzzur, after the manner of Calcutta. They sate some time, occasionally answering me in Hindoostanee, but generally preferring Persian, of their acquirements in which they seemed proud, and they expressed some surprise that I did not speak it. They were like most of the young Indians I have seen, very lively, gentlemanly, and intelligent, anxious to obtain information about Europe, and expressing repeatedly the pleasure they expected from a visit to Calcutta. At length as a sign of their "ruksut," or dismissal, I poured some lavender water on their hands and handkerchiefs, apologizing that I had no attar, and saying that it was "belatee gulab," (foreign rose-water.) They liked it to all appearance much, and we parted excellent friends. On the whole, I have been greatly pleased with the evening's adventure. It has given me an opportunity of seeing the highest class of Hindoo families, in their undress and daily habits of life. I had

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heard much of their simplicity, as compared with the Mussulmans; and even in the present instance, I am not quite sure whether it is to this simplicity, or to the poverty which I at first suspected, but which seemed contradicted by the appearance of the boys in the evening, that I am to attribute the sorry appearance of " the court," and the dilapidated state in which the mansion is allowed to continue. I ought to mention, that after the boys were gone, the old Muktar remained for some minutes behind, hoping they had given me satisfaction; regretting that his master had the asthma, and saying, how grand a present would have been sent, if they had had more notice; and at length, asking permission to accompany his young lords when they came to see me. So ended the evening, but not so the night. The news had probably spread through the village, that a "burra admee" (a great man,) had come to see the Raja, with divers accounts of our riches and splendour; and about one o'clock an alarm of thieves was given by my sirdar-bearer, who happening to look out of one of the cabin-windows, saw three black heads just above the water, cautiously approaching the sides of the vessel. His outcry of "Decoit! Decoit!" alarmed us, but also alarmed them; they turned rapidly round, and in a moment were seen running up the river banks. Thus we had a specimen of both the good and evil of India.

CHAPTER VI.

SIBNIBASHI TO DACCA.

Gypseys-Winged Bugs-Matabunya-Fishing-Difficult passage in the River-Brahminy Bulls—Titybania—Ornamented Boats-Strong current-Otters-Avalanches-Pawn-Khyzr-Elephants bathing.

JUNE 19.-We again proceeded, still for the most part in a northerly or north-westerly direction. The river this day was much broader than we had yet seen it, with sandy banks, covered with low silky rushes. Many cormorants, cranes, and porpoises were seen, but no alligators or crocodiles, though these shores I should have thought were well adapted to them. The day was very hot. We anchored at a place called Kishenpol, where the river had a decidedly western course. This place is not marked by Rennel, who is indeed nearly useless here. The neighbourhood is dry, sandy, and open, but with a good many villages in sight, each with its adjacent wood, and the parts near the river cultivated with indigo, which I am told delights in a sandy soil. Some scattered ears of maize were growing among it. The banks were precipitous, and covered with fine long silky rushes, evidently of a kind which would be very valuable for cordage, &c. like the "espanto" of Spain. Here they are only used as thatch, for which they are

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reckoned better than straw. This sort of cover is, I understand, the favourite haunt of the tyger, who likes the neighbourhood of water, and the power at the same time of lying dry and clean. Abdullah told us several circumstances about the tyger, which at least were curious, as shewing the popular notions respecting him in India: "He not fierce, but very civil when he not provoked or very hungry; he then meddle with nobody." He ascribed to him, in fact, many of the noble and generous properties, which, perhaps with equal justice, have been ascribed to the lion. He had been, he said, when he was in service before, at one or two tyger hunts. The tyger once wounded never thought of flying afterwards, and except a short little roar when he sprung at his prey or his enemies, he was always silent both under wounds and in death. On asking, if a tyger should cross our path, what would he do; he steadily harm, we not fire at him."

ened at us?" "Oh no, he nobody."

repeated," he do no "Would he be frightafraid of nothing, and

On the other side of the river was a large encampment of wretched tents of mats, with a number of little hackeries, panniers, poneys, goats, &c. so like gypseys, that on asking what they were, I was not much surprised to hear Abdullah say they were gypseys; that they were numerous in the upper provinces, living exactly like the gypseys in England; that he had seen the same people both in Persia and Russia, and that in Persia they spoke Hindoostanee the same as here. In Russia he had

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had no opportunity of ascertaining this fact; but in Persia, by Sir Gore Ousley's desire, he had spoken with some of the wandering tribes, and found that they understood and could answer him. I told him of Lord Teignmouth's conversation in Hindoostanee with the old gypsey on Norwood, and he said that in Persia it was not every gypsey who spoke it, only old people. He said they were so like each other in all the countries where he had seen them, that they could not be mistaken, though in Persia they were of much better caste, and much richer than here, or in England, or Russia. But he added, "I suppose in Russia, before Peter the Great, all people much like gypseys." There were many curious circumstances which I deduced from his information: first, the identity of the gypsey race in Europe and India, and their connecting link seemed established by a very observant witness, and certainly one unprejudiced by system. Secondly, on further enquiry, I found the people whom he identified with our gypseys in Persia, were the wandering tribes of Louristan, Curdistan, &c. whom he described with truth as being of good caste," valiant, and wealthy. It therefore follows, that these tribes, whose existence in Persia seems to be traced down from before the time of Cyrus, and whose language is generally understood to differ from the Persians of the plains and cities, resemble in countenance and person the gypseys, and that their ancient language has been a dialect of Hindoostanee. The probability is, indeed, that Persia, not India, has been the original

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