Page:Imperial India — An Artist's Journals.djvu/345

 CHAPTER XXI. HYDERABAD.

I WAS received by Sir Richard Meade, the Resident, and am still at the Residency, though Sir Richard and his family have gone out to their country house at Bolaram, about ten miles from Hyderabad, beyond Secunderabad, where we have our cantonments. The Residency is a palace, with fine lofty rooms built by a former Nizam for the then resident, about sixty years ago.

At 8 a.m. I left to pay my first visit to the Nizam, so you see I lost no time.

Our faithful allies the Nizams have always been the most independent and powerful of the chiefs of India. Like most ruling- powers, they are the descendants of usurpers, the first beino- but lieutenants of the Emperors of Delhi. As the Mogul Empire became weakened by dissensions, and the Marathas conquered the country to the north, the Nizams asserted their own independence, and were wise enough to help us against the usurpers of Southern India, Tippoo and the French. They were gainers, for they were confirmed in their possessions ; but they voluntarily gave up the Berars to pay their share of the expenses we had incurred conjointly. These provinces were to be held by us until these debts were paid, certain portions of their revenues being spent to keep up the Hyderabad contingent. The debts have long since been paid, but the Berars have been retained by us, and under our rule have greatly increased in value. The contingent is still kept up at considerable cost, while from 15 to 20 lacs surplus is yearly handed over to the Nizam. It is to regain the Berars that Sir Salar Jung made his journey to England.