to Tippoo Sultan the portable telegraphs, on which his ardent wishes
were fixed, he exclaimed: 'Ask any favour in the wide-extended power of
Tippoo Sultan to confer, and it shall be granted."

"I concluded that this was merely an oriental figure of speech; but I
resolved to run the hazard of a refusal. I did not ask for a province,
though this was in the wide-extended power of Tippoo Sultan to confer;
but as I had a great curiosity to see the diamond mines of Golconda, of
which both in Europe and in India I had heard so much, I requested the
sultan's permission to visit those which belonged to him. He hesitated;
but after saying some words to an officer near him, he bade his
interpreter tell me that he granted my request.

"Accordingly, after lodging my pagodas and rupees along with the rest
in the hands of Omychund, the Gentoo merchant, who was a man of great
wealth and credit, I set out in company with some diamond merchants who
were going to Golconda. My curiosity was amply gratified by the sight
of these celebrated mines; and I determined that, when I returned to
Europe, I would write a description of them. This description, however,
I shall spare you for the present, and proceed with my story.

"The diamond merchants with whom I travelled had a great deal of
business to transact at various places; and this was the cause of much
delay to me, which I could scarcely bear with patience; for now that I
had gratified my curiosity, I was extremely desirous to return to Madras
with my little treasure. The five years' salary due to me by the East
India Company, which I had never used, I had put out at interest at
Madras, where sometimes the rate was as high as twelve per cent.; and
if you knew (said Mr. Jervas, addressing himself to the miners at Mr.
R----'s table) any thing of the nature of compound interest, you would