be of infinite use to Tippoo in conveying orders of intelligence across
the deserts. I left the matter entirely to the prince, after returning
him my very sincere thanks for being thus interested in my concerns.

"A few hours after this conversation, I was summoned into the sultan's
presence. His impatience to make trial of the telegraphs was excessive;
and I, who but the day before had been almost trampled upon by the
officers and lords of his court, instantly became a person of the
greatest importance. The trial of the telegraphs succeeded beyond even
my expectations; and the sultan was in a species of ecstasy on the
occasion.

"I cannot omit to notice an instance of the violence of his temper, and
its sudden changes from joy to rage. One of his blacks, a gentle Hindoo
lad, of the name of Saheb, was set to manage a telegraph at one of
the stations, a few yards distant from the sultan. I had previously
instructed Saheb in what he was to do; but, from want of practice, he
made some mistake, which threw Tippoo into such a transport of passion,
that he instantly ordered the slave's head to be cut off! a sentence
which would infallibly have been executed, if I had not represented that
it would be expedient to suffer his head to remain on his shoulders till
the message was delivered by his telegraph; because there was no one
present who could immediately supply his place. Saheb then read off his
message without making any new blunder; and the moment the exhibition
was over, I threw myself at the feet of the sultan, and implored him
to pardon Saheb. I was not likely at this moment to be refused such a
_trifle_! Saheb was pardoned.

"An order upon the treasurer for five hundred star pagodas, to reward my
services at the royal tin-mines, was given to me; and upon my presenting