copper, gilt. On the centre baftion ftands an octagon fummer-houfe, with a flat roof; within the garden are parterres, fountains, baths, and dreffing-rooms. Before all the gateways of the palace and zenanas, are fcreens, or fmall walls, which conceal the entrances. From mere infpection of the public buildings in Hindustan (Moorish as well as Hindu), the rudiments of the Grecian orders are inftantly difcernible in them. Colonnades, arcades, pillars, pilafters, pedeftals, fillets, cematia, aftragals, and entablatures (particularly the foliage of the Corinthian capital), were in ufe before the inhabitants of Greece had dwellings, probably preferable to huts. Although not difpofed with the fymmetry of European exactnefs, ftill are their parts regularly proportioned enough, to be fairly pronounced the models of Grecian architecture. On the fummit of almoft all the roofs of the palace (particularly of the zenanas) are bred flocks of pigeons, to the number of about an hundred in each flock. They are felected for the beauty of their plumage, and thofe of fimilar colour (fuch as white with black heads, black with white tails, all brown, all mottled, &c. &c.) are kept together. Boys are employed to feed and teach them variety of flights. When on the wing they keep in a clufter; and, at a whiftle, fly either away, afcend, defcend, or return home according to the fignal. When turning fuddenly, and darting towards the fun, the gleam of their variegated necks appears exceedingly beautiful; and when together on the ground, no carpet can furpafs the elegance of their colours. During the whole day and night, elephants, camels, and horfes, all accoutred, with palankeens, guards, and all forts of attendants ready attired, remain in conftant waiting before the gates of the palace. Boats are always in the fame readinefs too at the water fide. The rifing of the Nabob feldom exceeds the dawn of day. Immediately does he repair to the fields, or to one of his gardens near the city. Servants, with all kinds of guns, horfes, dogs, hawks, and nets, attend him. His women and pigeons often too accompany him. About eleven o'clock he returns to Lucknow, difpatches what little affairs he can be prevailed on to tranfact (for though a man of know. ledge, yet, habituated to diffipation, his averfion from bufinefs is become inveterate), dines, and then goes to fleep. After a repole of two or three hours, he again reforts to the country, remains there till dusk, comes home again, fups, and retires to his zenana for the night. Being corpulent, he feldom rides on horfeback. His ufual conveyance, if cool, is an elephant; if hot, a palankeen. In an evening he is faid to divert himself in his zenana, with dancing women, and with other Afiatic amufements, as well as with wine. But these entertainments being exhibited within the coverture of high walls, where no perfons are admitted but of his own felection, his fpecies of pleafure can scarcely be afcertained. At times he paffes an hour or two in fhooting at marks, with pieces of various invention, and with arrows, or with engagements of elephants, wild buffaloes, rains, antelopes, or quails. But his darling paftime feems to be cock-fighting, wherein he difplays as much skill and dexterity as the most intervals of the mains he games knowing heeler of a pit. In the with dice. * H 2 Once Once or twice a year, at the beft feafons for hunting, he rambles' to the northern mountains, where are plenty of wild elephants, rhinoceros, buffaloes, hyanas, tigers, leopards, and deer of feveral kinds, to yield him as much fport as he choofes. There are few fovereigns whofe retinue and equipage are, probably, more fumptuous. Befides a numerous train of elephants, camels, draught cattle of various fpecies, the Nabob of Oude poffeffes a ftud of above one thoufand horfes, five hundred of which are, perhaps, paragons of their kind. On proceffional feftivals, one hundred of them are frequently feen together, magnificently caparifoned, and his elephants, palankeens, and carrlages, refplendent with cloth of gold and embroidery. Contiguous to the palace, there is a mufeum called the Inah Konnah, an aviary, a menagerie, and an armoury, all worthy of obfer. vation. And the first not more fo for its clegant pieces of mechanifin, paintings, and other articles by celebrated artists, than for its ridiculous affemblage of finery and trumpery jumbled together. An un. common collection of birds, among which is the flamings, renders the aviary an hour's agreeable infpec. tion. Nor does the menagerie lefs gratify curiofity. Befides a lionefs, tigers, leopards, panthers, hyænas, bears, wolves, and a feagofh, it contains fome goorkurs (or wild affes of the mountains), uncommonly hardy and fleet, refembling the zebra, except in their colour, which is dun. African fheep, Barbary goats, like fmall deer, feveral ferpents of extraordinary dimenfions, and one animal, not yet de. feribed, called a chefrak, in colour and hope of the hyana, though fmaller, and exceedingly fierce and voracious, particularly of the flesh of dogs and affes. But beyond every thing curious and excellent in the Nabob's poffeffion, are his arms and armour. The former confift of matchlocks, fuzees, rifles, fowling-pieces, piftols, fabres, fcy. metars, fpears, fyefs (long ftraight fwords), daggers, poignards, da. mafked, or highly polished, and or namented in relief, or intaglio, with variety of figures or foliage of the most delicate patterns. Many of the figures are wrought in gold and filver, or in marquetry, with fmall gems. The hilts of the fwords, &c. are agate, chryfolite, lapis-lazuli, chalcedony, blood-ftone, and ena. mel, or of fteel, inlaid with gold, called Tynafhee, or Koft-work. The armour is of two kinds, either of helmets and plates of fteel to fecure the head, back, breast, and arms, or of fteel net-work, put on like a fhirt, to which is attached a netted hood of the fame metal, to protect the head, neck, and face. Under the net-work are worn linen garments, quilted thick enough to refift a fword. On the crown of the helmets are ftars, or fome other fmall device, with a fheath to receive a plume of feathers. The fteel plates are handfomely decorated with gold, wreaths, and borders, and the net-work fancifully braided. His Excellency's collection of Indian pictures is confiderable, and preferved in large port-folios. From the common daubings of the pre fent country painters, no adequate conception can be formed of these. Most of them are antique productions; and though the figures are generally fmall, yet is the drawing often correct, and the colouring admirable. In many, a ftory is completely told, with clearness and precision inftantly difcernible, the characters characters accurately defined, and the paffions naturally exhibited, and ftrongly marked. An exactness of outline in the reprefentation of natural objects peculiar to the country, as well as of the air and carriage of animals, is happily delineated; and the feftoons, foliage, and fpecimens of Arabic writing, illuminating the pictures, are altogether excellent. In the defign of horfes, however, in attitudes of human forms, and in perfpective, the artists appear eminently defective. Neverthelefs, upon the whole, though widely different in manner from European mafters, neither tafte nor elegance are wanting to these compofitions; and in the article of neat and delicate finishing, they are inimitable. Major ALLAN's Account of his Interview with the Princes in the Palace of Seringapatam, and of finding the Body of the late Tippoo Sultaun. (From BEATSON's View of the Origin and Conduct of the late War with Tippoo Sultaun.) A SHORT time after the troops were in poffeffion of the works, Major Beatfon and I obferved, from the fouth rampart, feveral perfons affembled in the palace, many of whom, from their drefs and appearance, we judged to be of diftinction. I particularly remarked that one perfon proftrated himself before he fat down; from which circumftance I was led to conclude that Tippoo, with fuch of his officers as had efcaped from the affault, had taken fhelter in the palace. Before any attempt could be made to fecure the palace, (where it was thought the enemy, in defence of the Sovereign and his family, would make a serious refiftance,) it became neceffary to refresh the troops, who were greatly exhaufted by the heat of the day, and the fatigue which they had already undergone. In the mean time Major Beatfon and I haftened to apprize General Baird of the circumstances we had feen; on our way, we paffed Major Craigie and Captain Whitlic, with the grenadiers, and fome battalion companies of the 12th regiment. As foon as we reached General Baird, we propofed to him to bring thefe troops to him, to which he affented. On my return, General Baird directed me to proceed to the palace with the detachment of the 12th, and part of Major Gibbings's battalion of fepoys: he directed me to inform the enemy that their lives fhould be spared, on condition of their immediate furrender, but that the leaft refiftance would prove fatal to every perfon within the palace walls. Having faftened a white cloth on a forjeant's pike, I proceeded to the palace, where I found Major Shee and part of the s3d regiment drawn up oppofite the gate: feveral of Tippoo's people were in a balcony, apparently in the greatest confternation. I informed them that I was deputed by the general who commanded the troops in the fort, to offer them their lives, provided they did not make resistance; of which I desired them to give immediate intimation to their Sultaun. In a fhort time after, the Killedar, another officer of confequence, and a cónfidential * H 3 fervan fervant, came over the terrace of the front building, and defcended by an unfinished part of the wall. They were greatly embarraffed, and appeared inclined to create delays; probably with a view of effecting their efcape, as foon as the darknefs of the night fhould afford them an opportunity. I pointed out the danger of their fituation, and the neceffity of coming to an immediate determination, pledging my fell for their protection, and propofing that they should allow me to go into the palace, that I might in perfon give thefe affurances to Tippoo. They were very averfe to this propofal; but I positively infifted on returning with them. I defired Captain Scobey, who fpeaks the native language with great fluency, and Cap. tain Baftings Frafer, to accompany me. We afcended by the broken wall, and lowered ourfelves down on a terrace, where a large body of armed men were affembled. I explained to them that the flag which I held in my hand was a pledge of fecurity, provided no refiitance was made; and the ftronger 10 imprefs them with this belief, I took off my fword, which I infifted upon their receiving. The Killedar and many others affirmed, that the Princes and the family of Tippoo were in the palace, but not the Sultaun. They appeared great. ly alarmed, and averfe to coming to any decifion. I told them that delay might be attended with fatal confequences; and that I could not anfwer for the conduct of our troops, by whom they were furrounded, and whofe fury was with difficulty reftrained. They then left me, and fhortly after I obferved people moving haftily backwards and forwards in the interior of the palace; and, as there were many hundreds of Tippoo's troops within the walls, I began to think our fituation rather critical. I was advised to take back my fword; but fuch an act, on my part, might, by exciting their dif truft, have kindled a flame, which, in the prefent temper of the troops, might have been attended with the moft dreadful confequences; probably the maflacre of every foul within the palace walls. The people on the terrace begged me to hold the flag in a confpicuous pofition, in order to give confidence to thofe in the palace, and prevent our troops from forcing the gates. Growing impatient at thefe delays, fent another meffage to the Princes, warning them of their critical fitua tion, and that my time was limit ed. They answered they would receive me as foon as a carpet could be fpared for the purpofe; and fron after the Killedar came to conduct me. I found two of the Princes feated on the carpet, furrounded by a great many attendants. They defired me to fit down, which I did, in front of them. The recollection of Moi. za-Deen, whom, on a former occa fion, I had feen delivered up with his brother, hostages to Marquis Cornwallis, the fad reverse of their fortunes, their fear, which, not. withstanding their ftruggles to con ceal, was but too evident, excited the ftrongeft emotions of compa fion in my mind. I rock Moizą. Deen (to whom the Killedar, &c. principally directed their attention) by the hand, and endeavoured, by every mode in my power, to remove his fears, and to perfuade him that no violence fhould be offered to him or his brother, nor to any perfon in the palace. I then entreated him, as the only means to fave his father's life, whofe efcape was impracticable, to inform me of the fpot where he was concealed. Moiza-Deen, after fome converf ation apart with his attendants, affured affured me that the Padhaw was not in the palace. I requefied him to allow the gates to be opened. All were alarmed at this propofal; and the Princes were reluctant to take fuch a ftep, but by the autho. rity of their father, to whom they defired to fend. At length, however, having promifed that I would poft a guard of their own fepoys within, and a party of Europeans on the outfide, and having given them the strongeft affurances that no perfon fhould enter the palace but by my authority, and that I would return and remain with them until General Baird arrived, I con. vinced them of the neceffity of compliance; and I was happy to obferve that the Princes, as well as their attendants, feemed to rely with confidence on the affurances I had given them. On opening the gate, I found General Baird and feveral officers, with a large body of troops affem bled; I returned with LieutenantColonel Clofe into the palace, for the purpose of bringing the Princes to the General. We had fome dif. ficulty in conquering the alarm and objections which they raifed to quitting the palace; but they at length permitted us to conduct them to the gate. The indignation of General Baird was justly raifed, by a report which had reached him foon after he had fent me to the palace, that Tippoo had inhumanly murdered all the Europeans who had fallen into his hands during the fiege: this was heightened probably by a momentary recollection of his own fufferings, during more than three years imprisonment in that very place; he was, neverthelefs, fenfibly affected by the fight of the Princes; and his gallantry, on the affauit, was not more confpicuous, than the moderation and humanity he difplayed on this oc General Baind now determined to fearch the roof retired parts of the palace, in hope of finding Tip poo. He ordered the light company of the 74th regiment, followed by others, to enter the palace yard. Tippoo's troops were immediately difarmed, and we pro ceeded to make the fearch through many of the apartments. Having entreated the Killedar, if he had any regard for his own life, or that of his Sultan, to inform us where he was concealed; he put his hands upon the hilt of my fword, and, in the most folemn manner, proteited that the Sultann was not in the palace, but that he had been wounded during the form, and lay in a gateway on the north face of the fort, whither he offered to conduct ur; and if it was found that he had deceived us, faid, the General might inflict on him what punishment he pleafed. General Baird, on hearing the report of the Killedar, proceeded to the gateway, which was covered with many hundreds of the flain. The number of the dead, and the darkness of the place, made it difficult to diftinguith one perfon from another, and the scene was altogether fhocking; but aware of the great political importance of afcertaining, beyond the pollibility of doubt, the death of Tippoo, the bodies were ordered to be dragged oat, and the Killedar and the other HA two |