buchakan’s xournby through

604

eighty in number. Many of them are from Hinduftan Proper, and many are thedaughters of Brahmans, and Hindu Princes, taken by force from their parents. Theyhave been all lhut up in the zenana when very young; and have been carefullybrought up to a zealous belief in the religion of Mahomet. I have fufficient reafon tothink that none of them are defirous of leaving their confinement; being whollyignorant of any other manner of living, and having no acquaintance whatever beyondthe walls of their prifon.

Without the walls of Seringapatam are two gardens and palaces, which formerlybelonged to the Sultan, but are now occupied by the commandant of the forces, andby the refident at the court of Myfore. The gardens have been laid out at a confider-able expence, and canals from the river afford them a copious fupply of water. Thepalace at the Laul Baug, which occupies the lower end of the ifland, though built ofmud, poffefies a confiderable degree of elegance, and is the handfomeft native buildingthat I have ever feen. Near to it Hands the maufoleum of Hyder, where his fon alforepofes in Hate. The tombs of both are covered with rich cloths at the Company’sexpence; and the eftablifhment of Moulahs to offer up prayers, and of muficians toperform the Nobat, is kept up as formerly. The buildings are handfome of the kind,and are ornamented with mifhapen columns of a fine black hornblende, which takesa mofl fplendid polifh. The other palace and garden, called the Durria adaulet Baug,was Tippoo ’s favourite retreat from bufinefs. Its walls are covered with paintings,which reprefent the manner in which the two Muffulman Princes, Hyder and Tippoo , ap-peared in public procefiions; the defeat of Colonel Bailie ; and the coflume of variouscalls, or profeffions, that are common in Myfore. In thefe paintings the figures aremuch in the ftyle of caricatures, although they retain a flrong likenefs of native coun-tenance and manner.

The principal workman employed by Colonel Clofe in repairing the palace in theLaul Baug, gave me the following account of the proceffes ufed for finifhing the infideof the palaces at Seringapatam .

At firfl fight, one would imagine, that much gilding is ufed in the ornaments; butin truth not a grain of gold is employed. The workmen ufe a paper covered with falfegilding. This they cut into the fhape of flowers, and pafle thefe on the walls orcolumns. The interflices are filled up with oil colours, which are all of Europeanpreparation.

The manner of making this falfe gilded paper is as follows:

Take any quantity of lead, and beat it with a hammer into leaves, as thin as pof-fible. To twenty-four parts of thefe leaves add three parts of Englifh glue, diflolvedin water, and beat them together with a hammer, till they be thoroughly united;which requires the labour of two perfons for a whole day. The*mafs is then cut intofmall cakes, and dried in the fhade. Thefe cakes can at any time be diflolved inwater, and fpread thin with a hair brufh on common writing paper. The paper muflthen be put on a fmooth plank, and rubbed with a polifhed ftqne, till it acquire a com-plete metallic luftre. The edges of the paper are then parted down on the board, andthe metallic furface is rubbed with the palm of the hand, which is fmeared with an oilcalled guma, and then expofed to the fun. On the two following days the fame ope-ration is repeated, when the paper acquires a metallic yellow colour, which, however,more refembles the hue of brafs, than that of gold. The gurna oil is prepared asfollows: Take three quarters of a maund (about 18 lbs.) of agafhay any (linfeed oil),half a maund (12 lbs.) of the fize called chunderafu, and a quarter of a maund (6 lbs.)of mufambra, or aloes prepared in the country. Boil the oil for two hours in a brafs

pou