dred and twenty feet, and an open aqueduct bordered by rows of trees runs through its centre. The houses on each side are mostly of pukka, and not over two stories high. Their roofs are tiled, and they have light wooden balconies in front which add much to the appearance of the street. The ground floor of these houses is commonly used for shops; the upper stories are often inhabited by what the natives call "scarlet ladies," and by other “ great evils of great cities" in the East. When I was at Delhi, Chandee chôk was the gayest scene in India. Every native who could muster a conveyance of any description betook himself thither in the cool of the afternoon. Some came on elephants, which were magnificently caparisoned, and painted with bright colours around the eyes and on the trunk. Others rode milk-white horses, the tails of which were dyed scarlet, and which were decorated with housings of fine cloth and gold embroidery. Others rode in bailees, or two-wheeled carts covered with red canopies, and drawn by neat teams of bullocks. A few preferred palkees, or ton-jons, a vehicle very like the jan-pan of the hills. But at least half had abandoned oriental fashions, and adopting the manners and customs of their conquerors drove on the chôk in graceful English phætons or buggies, drawn by wellgroomed and well-harnessed Arab steeds. All had as many followers as possible, who ran ahead armed with sword, spear and shield, shouting out their master's titles, and clearing the way, with words and blows, through the closely packed crowd. The dress of the inhabitants of Delhi is very gay. The tight fitting cassock (chupkun) is of some dark cloth or flowered cotton, and the turban and kummurbund are of scarlet or some rich colour, often fringed with gold. Sometimes Cashmeer shawls, or the imitation ones made at Delhi, are worn around the head, waist or shoulders. Some of the costumes are very rich and costly, but most of them are tawdry, and decorated with spangles and artificial jewellery. In Delhi there are a great number of “dandy Moosulmans." They are frequently sepoys, who pass their spare time as 66 coureurs d'aventures." Their dress is as showy as their limited means will allow, and they wear a natty little skull-cap, cocked on

one side of the head, from which their long, straight, greasy hair hangs down upon their neck. Their appearance is altogether far from respectable, and they interchange salutations with the young ladies of the market, who sit at the windows of the upper stories, or parade their charms in open bailees. Now and then one may see an Afghan, a short, thick-set man, with loose grey woollen clothes, broad, heavy features, a dirty face, of the colour of leather, and brown tangled locks. He evidently looks with the utmost contempt on the unmanly foppery of the effeminate race whom his ancestors have conquered and spoiled whenever they chose; and if asked his opinion, will express it in no measured terms, and in language far different from the courtly euphemisms of the Hindoostanee. Half down the Chandee chôk is a pretty little mosque, with three gilt domes, where, scarcely more than one hundred years ago, Nadur Shah, the Persian conqueror, sat with drawn sword, looking on while his troops sacked the city. The slaughter lasted from morning till night, and was accompanied by all the horrors of unrestrained lust, rapine and vengeance. Over a hundred thousand of the inhabitants perished, and the aqueduct in the Chandee chôk ran red with blood.

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A Juggler-Poses Plastiques-Entrance to Palace-Dewán Am-Emperor's ThroneMosaics-Drawing first Blood-A Paradise on Earth-Peacock Throne-A Microcosmic View of the Mogul Empire-Shah Jehan in State-A Hundred Years Later -Native Tact-The Glory has Departed-Maharattas in the Palace-Gholam Kadur, the Rohilla, seated on the Royal Throne-Restoration of the Empire by the British -Their Majesties, and their "Particular Slaves"-The last Emperor-The last Tenants of the Dewán Khas-The Pearl Mosque-Palace Gardens-The Jumma Musjeed -View from Minár-Moosulman Worship-Feerooz's Walking Stick-Hoomaioon's Tomb-Chubootras-Peculiarities of Mahommedan Architecture-Capture of the King of Delhi.

THE next morning I had a juggler to perform for me, who did some most wonderful tricks with almost no preparation or means of deception. There came also to the bungalow some nach girls of a low class, who danced and sang-both indifferently; but afterwards they performed some feats, showing that wonderful suppleness which is so remarkable in all natives, but especially in this class. I put a four-ana bit (about as large as a dime) upon the ground. The girl then placed one foot on each side of it, and standing up, bent gradually backward until her head came between her legs; she then caught the silver piece in her eyelids and resumed the upright position. The performance was afterwards repeated, with variations, the paolee (four-ana bit) being taken up by the nostrils or ears.

Afterwards I visited the palace. I passed in my buggy through the lofty gateway and entered a small court, where I was requested to get out, as no vehicles were allowed to enter further. A number of shabby looking soldiers were lolling about. They wore a clumsily-made uniform, after the English pattern, and were Sepoys of the Emperor's army, commonly called the "Palace Guard." Captain Douglass, their com

mander, who was the first victim of the mutiny at Delhi, gave me two chobdars, or royal mace-bearers, to accompany me through the palace. They were an ill-dressed, slip-shod pair of Moosulmans, whose chief idea seemed to be "bucksees." The maces were heavy silver canes, about four feet long.

We passed through several very lofty vaulted galleries of stone, leading from one court to another, and at length emerged into a very large court, surrounded by stone buildings. Above the arched entrance is a gallery, called the Nowbut Khana, or music room, where the band used to play. On the opposite side of the court, and projecting into it from the wall of the zěnana, is an extensive square stone terrace, approached by three stairways from the court. This terrace has a stone roof, supported by many stone columns. In the wall at the back, which separates the hall thus formed from the zěnana, is a stairway that leads up to the throne, which is raised about ten feet from the ground, and covered by a canopy supported by four pillars. The canopy is all of marble, and the wall behind it is also of the same material. They are both covered with the most exquisite mosaics, representing the flowers, birds, and beasts of Hindoostan. These were executed by Austin de Bordeaux, a French jeweller of great skill, who, having committed some crimes in Europe, took refuge at the Mogul court. The throne has a doorway behind it, by which the Emperor entered from his zěnana. On the stone floor of the hall is a raised slab, on which the wuzeer stood and handed up to his imperial master the petitions which he received from the suitors below.

This hall is called the Dewán Am, or Court of Public Justice. Here the Emperor in person administered justice every day. The parties concerned were examined by the monarch himself; judgment was summarily rendered, and the sentences executed without delay.

In the great court-yard which surrounds the Dewán Am, on three sides, the cavalry and retinues of the grandees used to pass in review before the Emperor, as he sat on his throne. Here also were paraded for inspection the royal horses and elephants, covered with splendid trappings. The latter car

ried howdahs of gold or silver, their foreheads were painted with gay colours, their ears bore choúrees formed from the white bushy tail of the Thibet ox, and around their necks were suspended massive silver chains, from which hung bells which tinkled as they marched in stately procession around the area. As each elephant came before the throne, he bent one knee, raised his proboscis into the air, and trumpeted. After these came antelopes, rhinoceroses, buffaloes, leopards, and other wild animals, trained to fight each other; then followed sporting dogs of all kinds, and the procession closed with falconers, bearing on their wrists every kind of bird used in falconry.

When I visited the Dewán Am, it had not been used for many years, and was in a wholly neglected and ruinous condition. The mosaics were in many places picked out, the terrace was dirty and uncared for, and the great quadrangle was filled with mud huts and stables. During the recent mutiny, it has again come into use; and here, it is said, the Shahzadehs, or princes, sitting on the marble terrace, "drew the first blood" from the trembling Christians in the court below, after which they were butchered by the Khasburdars. Of this story, it may be said, "Sinon vrai, du moins vraisemblable;" if it is not true, it is one of those illustrative stories, so many of which find a place in history, and which represent individuals performing acts which typify the feelings of whole classes. At any rate, it is quite certain that, if the royal family did not take an active part in the slaughter, they, at least, gave the orders, and that, too, after the most solemn promises and oaths that the lives of all who had fled to their protection should be spared. The Khasburdars, who officiated as executioners, were the highest servants of the palace, and were allowed to perform the task as a favour, since Indian Moosulmans believe that whoever kills a Kaffur, or infidel, wipes away by the act all his previous sins.

From the Dewán Am we went into a smaller court, on one side of which, upon a terrace of pure white marble, is the Dewán Khas, or private hall-where the Emperor held his levees, and received the higher nobles to audience. It is a