ing a most determined complaint. The king saw, and anticipating his object, introduced the subject, assuring him that he should receive satisfaction, and that not "a haire should be diminish"ed." He then began to open his heart in the most overflowing kindness, which was soon found to flow from the inspiring juice of the grape, under the influence of which he protested, that Christians should be as welcome to him as Moors; that all should be equally honoured, welcomed, and protected. In this generous humour, the ambassador might have obtained all he wanted, but "in extreme drunkennesse he fell to weeping;" after which it was plainly impossible to attempt any definitive arrangement.

Notwithstanding the gracious demeanour of the monarch, Roe found that he had derived no solid advantage from this interview. Four months elapsed without the arrival of the goods, so that, says he, "judge all men what travell I endured." However, having committed himself already in regard to the prince, "I thought as good to lose "him to some purpose, as to none." He went, therefore, to the king, determined on making a most unceremonious remonstrance. It appears that he found the packages already in possession of his majesty, who had opened and was carefully surveying their contents. Seeing consternation painted in our author's visage, he immediately

began assuring him that not a single article should be taken without his full consent. As each, however, was successively examined, he found always some circumstance which made it a fit subject of donation. This particularly delighted himself; that would entirely suit Nourmahal; another would be a good present for the prince; a fourth was of so little value, that it would not be worth refusing. When our author began to perceive that all would go, he ventured to represent that he would thus be left without any present to make his approach to the king in a proper and respectful manner; but he was assured that he would henceforth be quite as welcome without as with a present. Unfortunately, some occasion was given to ill interpretation, with which, it seems, "this king and people are pregnant." One of the pictures represented Venus holding a satyr by the nose; and the satyr being black, was construed to represent the Indian, while the white Venus stood for the European; and it was supposed that Roe chose to recreate himself with this image of the supercilious dominion of his countrymen. At last, however, the king graciously accepted every particular of the consignment, and was then very earnest to learn of Roe" whether "he was pleased or no." The ambassador, not thinking it expedient to give vent to his inward woe, replied, "his majesty's content pleased me."

As he admits, however, that "trouble was in his "face," the king desired him "to be merry," laid his hand on his heart, and "never used to any man such familiarity nor profession of love. "This was all my recompence."

66

These various delays brought time round again to the king's birth-day, when a most splendid ceremony took place on occasion of his majesty's

weighing." For this all the nobility were collected in a magnificent garden, where hung the scales, adorned with gold and precious stones. After they had waited for some time, the king appeared," clothed, or rather laden with dia"monds, rubies, pearles, and other precious vani

68

ties, so great, so glorious; his sword, target, "throne to rest on, correspondent; his head, "necke, breast, armes, above the elbowes, at the "wrists, his fingers every one, with at least two "or three rings, fettered with chaines, or dyalled "diamonds: rubies as great as diamonds, some greater, and pearls such as mine eyes were "amazed at." Having entered the scales, the king was weighed first against rupees, nine thousand of which, or one thousand pounds sterling, served as a counterpoise. Next he was weighed against gold and jewels, which, being in bags, "might "be pebbles;" then against various sorts of cloths; and, last of all, against meal, corn, and butter. He then mounted his throne, and took

up basins filled with silver nuts, almonds, and other fruits, "which he threw about," and his "great men scrambled prostrate upon their bel

lies." Observing that Roe did not chuse to throw himself into this prone position, the king poured nearly a whole basin into his cloak, which the nobles observing, thrust in their hands, and would have carried off the whole, had not he bestirred himself to save something. He found, however, the silver so thin, that a large dishful did not weigh above twenty rupees, and computes that the whole distribution, so seemingly lavish, and so eagerly caught at, could not be worth above a hundred pounds.

The rest of Roe's time was spent in transactions with the king, the ministers and merchants, about the firman, which it was his object to proHe says, cure. He my toyle with barbarous and unjust people is beyond patience." The king often forgot to-morrow what he had promised to-day, and in that case all his loyal subjects considered themselves bound to a similar lapse of memory, flatly denying what they had themselves heard. The prince also opposed him to the utmost of his power, and the courtiers and the courtiers "were basely "false and covetous of jewels." At length, however, by constant and active application to the king himself, he obtained a firman, securing to the English that protection and liberty of trade which it had been his object to solicit.

CHAPTER V.

MISCELLANEOUS TRAVELS THROUGH INDOSTAN.

Bruton.-Graaf.-Mandeslo.-Bernier.-Tavernier.-Hodges. Danish Mission at Tranquebar.

THROUGH the constant relations of commerce, settlement and conquest, which Europe has maintained with the East Indies, the voyages to that country, and journeys through it, have been exceedingly numerous. It becomes thus necessary to exclude many which their merit would otherwise entitle to notice, and to make such a selection as may appear most likely to prove edifying to the reader. The choice will be guided, partly by intrinsic merit, and partly by variety in the national character of the traveller by whom, and of the district to which his journey was directed.

In 1632, a mission was sent to the Nabob of Cuttack, the narrative of which is given by WILLIAM BRUTON, who reports also his visit to the celebrated temple of Jaggernaut. Bruton begins with professing his determination to speak the whole truth," though it may seem incredulous