Page:Lord Amherst and the British Advance Eastwards to Burma.djvu/194

186 taken our seats some pleasing conversation ensued, but I was so bewildered with the novelty of the scene, that I scarcely knew what passed. The elegance of the room was beyond the powers of the picture-painting pen of description. The walls were covered with pictures of the great lord's wives and mistresses in different dresses, and at the end of the room in a sort of recess (fireplace) was a large fire which diffused a surprising deal of heat, which was very agreeable. After conversing some time two young ladies acted as Nautch girls. They sat before a kind of table on which there were a number of ivory teeth placed in a row; one of the young ladies, daughter of the great lady, struck these teeth with her fingers very quick, which produced some soul-exhilarating sounds; at the same time both young ladies began to sing together, as our Nautch girls do. It was very pleasing and soft, like the tear-beguiling song of the Bulbul. The other young lady who sang was called Miss Pin. She was very beautiful. Her face was like the full moon, her cheeks resembling the blooming pomegranate, her eyes like violets on the snowy Himalaya, her stature tall and graceful as the cypress, and she walked like a mountain partridge. She showed us her picture which was hung over the fireplace. It resembled her very much, but in the picture her hair was hanging gracefully over her shoulders like the curling hyacinths (this picture, says Lady Amherst, was that of Sir Henry Russell, once Chief Justice of Calcutta, in his full bottomed wig curling down to his waist). We wished very much to bring her away with us, that the sight of your Highness's eyes might be gratified by this tulip cheek. The great Miss was also very charming, but shockingly fair.

'During the time we were there we heard some English tomtoms playing in the gateway, in short everything was done that could afford us pleasure and delight. . . . We were all so much pleased that it was difficult to tear ourselves away