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. As we were, therefore, now to part, he presented me with a Courg knife, a gold-headed sandal-wood stick, and a white shawl. I

*

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

1 ..

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.

་་་་

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. As 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

to prevent injustice, I felt the inutility as well as impropriety of interfering.

It was now quite dark, and we crossed the river by torch-light. A plentiful supply of firebrands, composed of bundles of inflammable sticks, were brought out of each village as we passed along, and fires were lighted at different intervals on the road. Nothing can be conceived more picturesque than travelling in this manner. As the way lay among woods, the effect was astonishing; and when wẹ wound down some steep and rocky pass, with our palanquins, elephants, and armed Indians, overshadowed by Gothic arches of bamboo, and illumined by the glare of torch-light, the scene looked more like enchantment than reality.

Among bamboo woods, it frequently happens that extensive conflagrations take place in consequence of the friction of the closelyentangled branches when blown about by the wind. In our journey this night, we passed one or two burning forests: they were not, however, set on fire in the manner just mentioned, but by the inhabitants, who were clearing the country in order to extend the cultivation. The grandeur of these blazing wildernesses is most striking when seen at night, and the sublimity is increased by the crackling sounds of the underwood, and the crash of falling timber.

After a march of seven hours, we arrived at Virajapetta at half past ten o'clock, The distance of this place from Madakery could not be far short of 30 miles, for the elephant's pace is about five miles an hour in a level country, and as they are expert climbers, their rate seems to be nearly four miles an hour even over hills. On my arrival, the people who had before paid me a visit, came again to see me, bringing presents of fruit and milk. They asked my orders respecting the time when they should have the elephants ready in the morning, and as soon as they had received them, took their leave, when I retired to rest, much fatigued.

THE VOICE OF HOME.

TO THE PRODIGAL.

OH! when wilt thou return
To thy spirit's early loves?
To the freshness of the morn,
To the stillness of the groves?
The summer-birds are calling,
Thy household porch around,
And the merry waters falling,
With sweet laughter in their sound.

By Mrs. Hemans.-From the Literary Souvenir,' for 1828,

And a thousand bright-veined flowers, 'Midst the banks of moss and fern, Breathe of the sunny hours

But when wilt thou return?

Oh! thou hast wandered long
From thy home without a guide,
And thy native woodland song

In thine altered heart hath died.

Thou hast flung the wealth away,
And the glory of thy spring,
And to thee the leaves' light play
Is a long-forgotten thing.

-But when wilt thou return?
Sweet dews may freshen soon
The flower within whose urn
Too fiercely gazed the noon,

O'er the image of the sky

Which the lake's clear bosom wore,

Darkly may shadows lie

But not for ever more.

Give back thy heart again

To the gladness of the woods,
To the birds' triumphant strain,
To the mountain-solitudes !

-But when wilt thou return?
Along thine own free air,

There are young sweet voices borne-
Oh! should not thine be there?

Still at thy father's board

There is kept a place for thee,

And by thy smile restored,

Joy round the hearth shall be.

Still hath thy mother's eye,

Thy coming step to greet,
And look of days gone by,
Tender, and gravely sweet.
Still, when the prayer is said,

For thee kind bosoms yearn,
For thee fond tears are shed-

-Oh! when wilt thou return?