disappointed, for I saw only irregular courts and Small unsymmetrical buildings, without any pretension to either taste or luxury. The court, however, was crowded with attendants, who gazed upon us with great curiosity and attention. The Rajah now made his appearance, accompanied by his brother and some other great men, and followed by a crowd of attendants, whom, from their appearance, I could hardly distinguish from them. The two princes were very richly dressed in goldembroidered satin, with their caps set with diamonds, silk shoes thickly worked in gold, and large brilliant rings on their fingers. The brother, a lad of nineteen, whom the Rajah had adopted as his son, wore a white turban, with a costly agraffe of diamonds and pearls, large pearls in his ears, and large heavy bracelets rich with gems. The elder prince was a handsome man, with a good-natured and intellectual expression. We had scarcely taken our places before large silver bowls were brought with elegantly-wrought nargilehs, which we were invited to smoke. We returned th.nks for the honour, but declined it, and the prince smoked alone—but never more than a few puffs out of one nargileh ; he would then lay it aside, and another and handsomer one was presented to him. The deportment of the Rajah was both decorous and

lively, and I regretted my inability to converse with him otherwise than through an interpreter. He inquired whether I had ever seen a natsch or festive dance, and on my replying in the negative, ordered one to be exhibited immediately. In about half-an-hour two dancing girls and three musicians made their appearance; the dancers were dressed in gold-embroidered muslin and wide trousers, which descended to the ground, quite covering their shoeless feet, and they made animated movements with their arms, hands, and fingers, and sometimes with the feet, on which they wear silver bells, while the musicians stood behind them playing, two of them on four-stringed instruments, something like our violins, and the other on small drums. Sometimes the dancers formed pretty graceful figures and draperies with their upper garments, and when the performance had lasted about half-an-hour they accompanied it with a song, but the two sylphs made so lamentable a screeching, that my ears and my nervous system could hardly endure it, even with the help of the refreshments that were handed to us the while. When the dance was over, the prince asked me through the interpreter if I would like to visit his garden, which lay about a mile from the palace, and I was so indiscreet as to accept the proposal.

We then betook ourselves to the forecourt of the palace, where several richly-adorned elephants stood ready, and the Rajah's own elephant, an animal of uncommon size and beauty, was assigned to me and Mr. Law; a scarlet covering with gold fringe borders and tassels was thrown quite over him, and on his broad back was placed a convenient seat, like a phaeton without wheels, and he was then made to kneel down, and a step-ladder being placed against him, we mounted and took our places on the huge monster, and a servant placed himself behind us, holding an enormous umbrella over our heads, while the driver sat on the neck, and from time to time pricked the elephant slightly between the ears; the young prince with his companions and servants were distributed amongst the other elephants, some officers on horseback rode at our sides, two soldiers with drawn sabres led the way, and the procession was closed by a dozen soldiers on foot and some on horseback.

I was quite pleased with the genuine Indian style of this party, although the motion of the elephant is like that of the camel, very jolting and disagreeable.

When we arrived at the garden, the proud glance of the young prince seemed to ask whether we were not enraptured with its magnificence and we

pretended to be accordingly, but, I must own, somewhat hypocritically,–for there was nothing to admire in it.

As we left it, the gardeners, according to Indian custom, brought us some fruits and flowers tied into nosegays; and on the following morning the Rajah sent to inquire politely, how the excursion had agreed with us, and to present us again with pastry, Sweetmeats, and choice fruits, amongst which were grapes and pomegranates, which at this time of the year— December—were great rarities, and were brought 700 miles from Cabul.

THE KING OF NEPAUL AND HIS AMBASSADOR.

The following account of the reception of Jung Bahadoor, the Nepaulese ambassador to the British Court, on his return to his own court, is from the pen of Laurence Oliphant, Esq., author of “A Journey to Nepaul,” and many other works of great interest.

His (the King's) countenance was not unlike those depicted on the walls of Indian towns, with the same large staring eyes, thin twisted moustaches, sensual lips, and thick bull neck. His dress was handsome, and his jewels were magnificent; but in dress, in carriage, and in dignity of movement, the prime minister

was unquestionably the most distinguished-looking man in Durbar. He wore a magnificent robe of white silk, embroidered with gold, and tight pantaloons of rich brocade, which set off his splendid figure with advantage. The turban was a mass of sparkling diamonds, and his whole person seemed loaded with jewels. His sturdy body-guard, all armed with doublebarrelled rifles, stood close behind his chair, and were the only soldiers in the tent; the nonchalant way in which he addressed the Rajah, with folded arms and unbended knees, betokened the unbounded power he possessed in the State. Perhaps it is not very politic in him to arrogate so much to himself in a land where every man's hand is against him, in proportion as he is feared by every one, from his Majesty downwards.

On each side of the throne stood a row of grandees of the realm ; among them eight brothers of Jung Bahadoor held complimentary places, while kasies and sirdars continued the line, until they were lost in the crowd of minor officers.

The blaze of jewels and the glitter of gold and silver were calculated to startle an European spectator with astonishment, and he might well be startled at so magnificent a display in a highland country.

I observed a few English and French uniforms, covered with a great deal more of gold and silver lace