model of the tin-mine, which I took by Dr. Bell's advice, I set out
with two of his eldest scholars upon our expedition. We were met on the
entrance of Tippoo's dominions by four hircarrahs or soldiers, whom the
sultan sent as a guard to conduct us safely through his dominions. He
received us at court the day after our arrival. Unaccustomed as I was to
Asiatic magnificence, I confess that my eyes were at first so dazzled by
the display of oriental pomp that, as I prostrated myself at the foot
of the sultan's throne, I considered him as a personage high as human
veneration could look upon. After having made my salam, or salutation,
according to the custom of his court, as I was instructed to do, the
sultan commanded me, by his interpreter, to display my knowledge of the
arts and sciences, for the instruction and amusement of his court.

"My boxes and machines had all been previously opened, and laid out: I
was prepared to show my apparatus for freezing, but Tippoo's eye was
fixed upon the painted silk balloon; and with prodigious eagerness he
interrupted me several times with questions about that great empty
bag. I endeavoured to make him understand as well as I could, by my
interpreter and his own, that this great empty bag was to be filled with
a species of air lighter than the common air; and that, when filled,
the bag which I informed him was in our country called a balloon, would
mount far above his palace. No sooner was this repeated to him, by
the interpreter, than the sultan commanded me _instantly_ to fill the
balloon; and when I replied that it could not be done instantly, and
that I was not prepared to exhibit it on this day, Tippoo gave signs of
the most childish impatience. He signified to me, that since I could not
show him what he wanted to see, the sultan would not see what I wanted
to show. I replied, through his interpreter, in the most respectful but
firm manner, that no one would be so presumptuous as to show to Tippoo
Sultan, in his own court, any thing which he did not desire to see: that