Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 54, No. 337, November, 1843 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 364 pages of information about Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 54, No. 337, November, 1843.

Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 54, No. 337, November, 1843 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 364 pages of information about Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 54, No. 337, November, 1843.

The feeling of loneliness, resulting from this oppressive sense of 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 our carriage, I immediately made a salaam after the manner of my own country, which she graciously acknowledged, seeing, no doubt, that I was a native of a strange land!”

[1] This must have been one of the vakeels or envoys, whose departure from Bombay, in March 1839, is mentioned in the Asiatic Journal, (xxix. 178;) the party is there said, on the authority of the Durpun, (a native newspaper,) to have consisted of eleven, Mahrattas and Purbhoos, no mention being made of Moulavi Afzul Ali.  We have been unable to trace the further proceedings of the deputation in this country; but they probably found on their arrival, that the fate of their master was already decided, as he was dethroned by the Company, in favour of his cousin Appa Sahib,
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Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 54, No. 337, November, 1843 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.