96 ANCIENT SONG OF VICTORY.* 'Fill high the bowl with Samian wine, Io! they come, they come ! Garlands from every shrine! Through the blue, triumphal sky! With the offering of bright blood, They have ransomed hearth and tomb, Io! they come, they come ! Sing it where olives wave, Mark ye the flashing oars, And the spears that light the deep? Where the lords of battle sweep! Each hath brought back his shield;- Who murmured of the dead? Hush, boding voice! We know That many a shining head Lies in its glory low. Breathe not those names to-day! They shall have their praise ere long, And a power all hearts to sway, But now shed flowers, pour wine, By Mrs. Hemans.-From the Literary Souvenir,' for 1828. Rajah of Courg-Indian Hunting-Hindoo Palaces-Women-Architecture Animals-Night Travelling-Burning Forests. I ROSE at half-past six, and perceived, as on the preceding day, that a thick fog had settled on the whole of this mountainous district. I strolled into the garden, (where, for the first time in India, I saw some flourishing young oaks,) and should have liked to extend my walk into the country, but I found that being a great man was much more dignified than entertaining, for I could not stir without the attendance of a couple of armed guards, and a servant with an umbrella; so that after moving in state once or twice round the walks, it became so unpleasant, and at the same time so ridiculous, that I was under the necessity of re-entering the house, to get rid of my attendants. As soon as they were gone, I mounted by a ladder to the terrace-roof, and walked for half an hour, enjoying the coolness of the morning, and the beauty of the view which began to appear as the fog vanished, but unfortunately, by its dispersion, my retreat was discovered, for some one spying me from below, half a dozen lacqueys were at my side in an instant. Whilst at breakfast, a message came from the Rajah of Courg to say that he was going out hunting, and would be glad of my company. An elephant and palanquin were of course in waiting, the former of which I mounted, and proceeded to the palace. On entering the square, I perceived the Rajah seated on the neck of a huge elephant, very handsomely caparisoned, with gold rings round his tusks, and it seemed to have been his Majesty's amusement to ride this animal at full speed, using, as a goad, the arrow mentioned to be on the table the night before. We made towards him, when he courteously commanded his elephant to kneel down-my driver did the same, and we both dismounted and shook hands. The Rajah was accompanied by his son, who laid hold of my hand with much affability, and we all walked together towards an apartment where a couple of lionesses were kept for show. This was floored, and divided into two compartments by strong wooden partitions breast high, and in the middle of each there was a thick wooden post, to which the animals were fastened by an iron chain and brass collar. They were both very savage, growling and springing at us with all their might; and, unaccustomed as I was to see wild beasts so secured, I could not help looking to the links with some anxiety. From hence we passed to the palace, which was about fifty yards long and two stories high. In the centre a portico covered the main entrance, and served at the same time as the foundation of a projecting window above; while two colonnades or piazzas were Oriental Herald, Vol. 16. npH. continued on each side to the end of the building, and these were particularly admired by the Rajah, and pointed out by him as constructed with English or circular arches. The palace was certainly on the whole neatly built for a work of Hindoo taste, and might be taken for a row of handsome barracks. We entered it at one end, and passed by a flight of narrow stairs to the upper story. The whole of this floor we found to consist of three long chambers, well carpetted and hung with lamps. The projection in the centre apartment, over the portico, was fitted up in a much more handsome style than the rest of the palace, and in the middle of it there was a solid silver chair, in which the Rajah, on certain occasions, sits enthroned in state, and can thus survey his subjects collected in the area below. It is an established custom among Eastern princes, thus to show themselves to their people, and in this public manner to hear their complaints. The upper story of the palace was supported on a double row of columns and Mohammedan arches, by which I mean arches composed of a number of smaller semicircles, such as I have never seen used in any but Native, and in general, Mohammedan buildings. Whilst entering the first of the apartments which I have mentioned, I perceived a number of females hastening out of the last, and we now walked towards the place whence they had made their exit, so that I had some hopes of an introduction to the ladies, but I was disappointed, for instead of pursuing their path, we entered a long passage leading to some steep steps, by which we mounted to the roof of the building. This was of the point form, and covered with very small semicircular tiles, skilfully put together, and well entitled to the admiration which the Rajah evidently expected to raise by its exhibition. All this time the young son, who was an affable and interesting little fellow, had hold of my hand. He asked me if I could speak Hindoostanee, and seemed sorry that I could not converse with him in that language. I had forgotten to mention, that in his forehead he had a red spot, with a small black one underneath, while his temples were smeared with whitening. After we had enjoyed a view, from this elevated situation, of the town and fort, we descended, and passed to the apartment where we had been seated on the preceding evening. Here the Rajah again invited me to accompany him on his hunting excursion, but I thought I could perceive by his manner, and the pains he took to explain to me how hot it would be, that he did not wish me to accept his offer, so that I declined, sacrificing, perhaps foolishly, the gratification of my curiosity to what I fancied to be his wish. we were, therefore, now to part, he presented me with a Courg knife,* a gold-headed sandal-wood stick, and a white shawl. I As * An instrument about two feet long, with a heavy broad blade, and an ivory handle. pressed his Highness to name any thing which I could bring him from Europe, whither I was about to proceed. At first, he either did not recollect any want, or did not believe that I should supply it, but on further solicitation, he sent for a gun of English manufacture, which went off by the striking of a hammer on some explosive mixture. His stock of this powder, he said, was all exhausted, and he wished for a fresh supply, which I promised to procure. I may add, that I afterwards faithfully fulfilled my promise. We now passed out of the antichamber together, where he showed me a handsome hand-organ, presented to him by an English gentleman, and previously to entering his palanquin, he turned to me and desired to know my opinion as to the best position for the poles of this conveyance. The question was easily answered. If the poles be placed low, the centre of gravity being but little below. the centre of motion, the palanquin tilts about, and there is even danger that it may overturn; but if high, the weight remains steady. I therefore gave the preference to high poles, and he seemed well satisfied, as if my remark accorded with something he had formerly said, and immediately gave some orders in consequence. He then begged me to write my name on a piece of paper, which he presented, and we mounted our respective vehicles. Among his suite I could perceive several women dressed in blue, probably dancing girls, and his priests, or gooroos, also accompanied him, though neither of these descriptions of persons were likely to be of much assistance in his hunting excursion; then followed a troop of archers and attendants, carrying seven or eight excellent double-barrelled guns. Native soldiers, armed with matchlocks and knives, and a sawaree of about fifteen elephants, closed the procession. I now retired to the house, intending to set out again on my journey at two or three o'clock in the day. As I have not yet described this mansion, I may observe that its shape resembled the Mysore bungalos, although it was on a larger scale. The centre room was carpetted, and had four lamps hanging from the four corners; there were four doors to it, corresponding to its sides, which opened into a surrounding gallery. This gallery was glazed all round, and with Venetian shutters on the outside. It had also four doors corresponding with those of the inner room, and which led out to as many open balconies. At the four corners of the building there were bed-rooms, with two glass windows in each. The ascent to these rooms was by ladders in the balconies, and from hence we could perceive the excellent construction of the roof, formed of small tiles like that of the palace, terminating in a ledge plated with iron, extending all around, to collect the rain, and conduct it into iron pipes. All the hinges of the windows in the inner verandah, and of the doors, were of brass, and kept brightly polished. The ground-floor was on the same plan as the upper story, except that a portico supplied the place of the balcony which was over it, and that one of the corner rooms was appropriated to a staircase. Such was the mansion at Madakery, appropriated exclusively to the accommodation of European visitors, which I have been thus particular in describing, as well to show the state of the art of building in this remote corner of the globe, as the really magnificent hospitality of a petty Indian prince. As · Having finished my dinner at three o'clock, I started on an elephant for Virajapetta; and when I had descended the mountain, and had passed through the gateway at the bottom, I perceived a crowd of people before us, around some object on the ground. we approached them, the elephant was ordered to kneel, and I dismounted. The Rajah, it seems, had returned from hunting, and had sent his day's sport to this place, for my inspection. There was a large red elk, which, it was particularly explained, had been shot through the flank, whilst only his hind quarters were visible. This, the Rajah had sent word, was not his usual practice, as he almost always put the ball through the head or shoulders, but was done from necessity, as the animal was making off. I thought it would be complimentary to request the horns, and these, with a part of the forehead, were immediately separated and presented to me. I observed that under each eye there was a long cavity, but I am not sufficiently acquainted with natural history to know whether this was a peculiarity. The Rajah had also shot a small animal of a description which I had never before seen or heard of: the Natives called it coora panri; it was about the size of a pig, and its legs, which were slender, were cloven like those of that animal; its head was shaped like that of a guinea-pig, and it had two long tusks coming forth from the upper jaws. It was covered with red hair, with white spots and stripes in it like that of a spotted deer, and its belly was white; the tail was very short. I expressed my admiration, of course, at the Rajah's skill, and sent him word that I wished he might destroy his enemies as easily as his game. We pursued our journey, and in the course of three hours, or fourteen miles, we arrived at the resting-place I have before mentioned. Here some fault seemed to have been committed by one of the officers on the spot, probably the omitting to have in readiness a relay of elephants, for the subidar flew into a violent passion, ordered one of the soldiers to beat him, and even took the trouble to descend from his elephant in order to knock him down. I had already witnessed on the road some proofs of despotism, for almost every person we met was ordered into our train to carry something; and one poor man, who had probably just finished a hard day's labour, perceiving our approach, had mounted a tree to hide himself; he was, however, spied out and pressed into the service. What punishment was afterwards inflicted on him I know not, but I fear he did not escape chastisement, for, with every wish |