Page:Letters from India Vol 1.djvu/105

 said offered him what looked like two half-sovereigns, which he touches, but is not allowed to pocket, and he gives some of them a dress of honour, and they go out and put it on and come back, and then he gives them pawn to eat and pours a little attar of roses over their hands, and then they go. There were so many who came that he said Captain, who acts as his interpreter, whispered to him not to tilt the bottle of attar of roses quite so much, for fear it should not last. I think the East India Company must be charmed with such economy. We never got a sight of the durbar, though often half-way down the passage, being always turned back by fresh arrivals. We had above 100 visitors this morning, sometimes as many as thirty at once in the room. Captain Macgregor was quite tired of announcing them, and almost as much puzzled as we were with some of their names. I actually cried with fatigue and headache after it was all over.

At 3 we embarked in the ‘Soonamookie’ for Barrackpore; there was some air on the river, and it was pleasant to be going into the country; but, by way of passing a quiet day, VOL. I.