eral, who was instructed by the English Resident, took four wreaths and put them on the neck of the Maharajah, who pressed his hands and bowed his thanks. Another servant came, bearing a small cup of gold and gems containing ottar of roses. The Maharajah, putting some of the perfume on his fingers, transferred it to Mrs. Grant's handkerchief. With another portion he passed his hands along the General's breast and shoulders. This was done to each of the party. The General then taking the perfume, passed his hands over the Maharajah's shoulders, and so concluding the ceremony, which, in all royal interviews in the East, is supposed to mean a lasting friendship. Then the Prince, taking General Grant's hand in his own, led him from the hall, across the garden and to the gateway of his palace, holding his hand all the time. The carriages were waiting, and the Prince took his leave saying how much he was honored by the General's visit. The cavalry escort formed in line, the guard presented arms, and the visitors drove at full gallop to their home. And so ended one of the most interesting and eventful days in the General's visit to India, CHAPTER XXXII. STILL IN INDIA. General Grant and party visited the Maharajah of Burtpoor, a young prince about thirty years of age. His state is small — its area 1,974 miles, with a population of 743,710, and a revenue of $15,000,000. The day was hot, and the ride had been through a low country, the scenery not very attractive at the best, but now brown and arid under a steaming sun. Arrived at the station, all Burtpoor seemed to be awaiting the General's appearance, with the Maharajah at the head. The prince was accompanied by the British officers attached to his court, and, advancing, shook hands with the General and welcomed him to his capital. He wore a blazing uniform, covered with jewels. He had a firm, stern face, with strong features, a good frame, and unlike his brother of Jeypore, who gives his days to prayers and his evenings to billiards; and, although he has the Star of India, has long since seen the vanity of human glory, and hates power, is a soldier and a sportsman, and is called a firm and energetic ruler. From the station the party drove to the palace, through a town whose dismantled walls speak of English valor and English shame, past bazaars, where people seemed to sell nothing, only to broil in the sunshine, and under a high archway into a courtyard, and thence to the palace. There was nothing special about the palace, except that it was very large and very uncomfortable. The prince does not live in this palace, but in one more suited to Oriental tastes. It was here where he received the Prince of Wales on the occasion of his visit in 1876. There was a breakfast prepared, which the prince left his guests to enjoy in company with their English friends. In this country the hospitality of the highest princes never goes so far as to ask you to eat. The rules of caste are so marked that the partaking of food with one of another caste, and especially of another race, would be defilement. The host at the close of the breakfast returned in state, and there was the ceremony of altar and pan, and cordial interchanges of good feeling between the Maharajah and the General. The General and party visited the famous ruins of Futtehpoor Sikva. In the days of the great Mohammedan rulers there was none so great as Akbar. He founded the city and built the palace. The night had fallen before the visitors arrived at their destination, so that they were compelled to remain over night in the ruins. Mr. Lawrence, the British Collector at Agra, had sent forward bed and bedding, and all that was necessary to make the guests comfortable. After a night's rest, the following morning an early start was made to view the ruins. To see all of this stupendous ruin would include a ride around a circumference of seven miles. The ruins were well worth a study. The General examined first a courtyard, or quadrangle, four hundred and thirty-three feet by three hundred and sixty-six feet. On one side of this is the mosque, which is a noble building, suffering, however, from the overshadowing grandeur of the principal gateway, the finest, it is said, in India, looming up out of the ruins with stately and graceful splendor, but dwarfing the other monuments and ruins. This was meant as an arch of triumph to the glory of the Emperor, "King of Kings," "Heaven of the Court," and "Shadow of God." There are many of these inscriptions in Arabic, a translation of which is found in Mr. Keene's handbook. The most suggestive is this: |