novelty, wore off, however, as the Khan began to find out his friends, and
accustom himself to the fashions of the country; and he was one day
agreeably surprised by a visit from one of the suite of Moulavi Afzul Ali,
an envoy to the Court of Directors from the Rajah of Sattarah;[1] "I need
not say how delighted I felt, not having the least idea of meeting any of
my countrymen so far from Hindustan." The 11th of August, the day fixed
for the prorogation of Parliament by the Queen, now arrived; and the khan
"accompanied some gentlemen in a carriage to see the procession, but it
was with extreme difficulty that we got a place where we could see her
Majesty pass; at last, however, through the kindness of a mounted officer,
we succeeded. First came the Shahzadehs, or princes of the blood, in
carriages drawn by six horses, and then the wazirs (viziers) and nobles,
and the ambassadors from foreign states, in vehicles, some with six, and
some with four horses. When all these had passed, there came the Queen
herself in a golden carriage, drawn by eight magnificent steeds; on her
right was Prince Arleta, and opposite her was Lord Melbourne, the grand
wazir, (prime minister.) The carriage was preceded by men who, I was
surprised to observe, were dressed in the Hindustani fashion, in red and
gold, with broad sleeves.[2] But those nearest her Majesty, strange to
say, wore almost exactly the costume of Hindustan, and to these my eyes
were immediately directed; and I felt so delighted to see my own
countrymen advanced to the honour of forming the body-guard of the
sovereign, that I could scarcely believe the evidence of my senses, when I
perceived on closer inspection, by their complexions, that they were
English. Still I could not (nor can I even now) understand the reason of
their adopting the Hindustani dress--though I was told on enquiry, that it
was the ancient costume of the guard called _yeomen_." ... "As the Queen
approached the people took off their hats, nor was I less astonished[3]
when I heard them begin to shout _hurra! hurra_! as she passed; which in
their language seems to imply approbation. When her Majesty turned towards