Page:Views in India, chiefly among the Himalaya Mountains.djvu/50

30 Frequently a large congregation of the magnates of the land are assembled at Hurdwar; the Begum Sumroo, during her lifetime, would make her appearance with a thousand horse, and fifteen hundred infantry; here also might be seen the Nuwab of Nujibabad, the Rajas of Ghuosgarh, Uchet, and Sadwa, the Putteeala Rajah and his Vakeel, whose attendants might be distinguished by their light yellow turbans and kumurbunds, or sashes, and another distinguished Hindoo, the Rajah of Balespore in the mountains; all of whom, the latter especially, making it a point to traverse the fair mornings and evenings. The Balespore Rajah made his appearance seated on a remarkably tall elephant, in a large howdah, overlaid with plates of solid silver, glistening in the sun, and covered with a pointed dome-like canopy of scarlet, supported on four silver pillars richly embossed. He wore a large white conical turban, and amid the jewels which adorned his person were two enormous pearls, set as ear-rings, the hoops being of gold three inches in diameter. A servant sate behind him, waving slowly backwards and forwards, over his head, one of the splendid chowries before mentioned, as an emblem of rank. Many of his relatives followed upon elephants, caparisoned in various degrees of splendour, surrounded by horsemen, not particularly well mounted, but showily dressed, capering and curvetting about, and decorated with gaudy housings. Besides these, were the usual rabble-rout on foot, the constant attendants upon Eastern sovereignty, crowding in the rear, heedless of the vicious animals rearing and leaping on all sides, as their riders fired off muskets, matchlocks, and pistols, making the adjacent hills reverberate with the sound. These wild pageants, with their mixture of pomp and meanness, are truly Oriental in their character, and in strict keeping with the barbaresque style of the buildings, and the untamed nature of the surrounding scenery.

Rhuts, four-wheeled carriages, abounded at the fair, the roofs covered with white linen, or scarlet cloth, and either terminating in a point with a gilt ornament, or perfectly flat: they were chiefly filled with women, of whom six or eight were crowded into one conveyance, small openings in the sides enabling them to reconnoitre the multitude, without becoming themselves visible. There were other vehicles also, two-wheeled cars, with sometimes as many as three roofs, united, of conical shape, and hung with tassels and costly fringe; these carriages were open, and drawn by bullocks, which had their horns painted of gaudy colours, the harness and housings studded with bells, and the small cowrie shell, and otherwise richly embroidered.

Troops of dancing girls had established themselves at Hurdwar during the fair, and were to be seen performing, either in front of the houses of rich persons, or in the interiors, all thrown open, and lighted up every evening. The whole of the river, town, and inhabited parts of the forest, presented a series of illuminations as soon as darkness commenced; this brilliant display being enlivened by occasional bursts of fireworks. Nothing could be more pleasing than the effect of the lamps sparkling and gleaming between the trees, while the islands and woody shores of the river were distinctly seen by the light of innumerable small vessels of oil, kindled and sent floating down the stream. Such are a few of the features of this extraordinary place; a few it may well be said, since it would be utterly impossible to note down a tenth part of the strange sights and scenes which greet the eye of the European traveller at this Oriental congress.