ance of their sedate elephant. On arriving at the
cantonments we liberated his Majesty's domestics, and, ordering them to
be careful how they heated his high-caste Arabs on their way back, we
adjourned to a repast, to which the King's dinner had not incapacitated
us from doing ample justice.

CHAPTER XVII.

_A Lucknow Derby-day--Sights of the city--Grand Trunk Road to
Delhi--Delhi--The Coutub--Agra--The fort and Taj--The ruins of Futtehpore
Secreh--A loquacious cicerone--A visit to the fort of Gwalior--The
Mahratta Durbar--Tiger-shooting on foot_.

On the following morning, in spite of all this dissipation, we, as well
as the greater part of the population of Lucknow, were perfectly ready to
go to the races, which took place at an early hour. After seeing the
first race, which was a well-contested one, and in which the natives
seemed to take particular interest, I went towards the town, and was
amused on the way by comparing the various conveyances used at Lucknow
with those that may be seen on the road to Epsom on the Derby-day.

Here came dashing along a coach and six, the four leading horses ridden
by postilions, while a sporting Baboo drove the wheelers, and two more
sporting friends sat inside, and outriders vociferously cleared the way.
Here two of the King's eunuchs jogged along in great style on camels with
gaudy trappings; after them came prancing steeds bearing some gorgeously-
dressed young princes, and then innumerable elephants bearing all sorts
of disreputable-looking characters, the gents and blacklegs of the
Lucknow community. In fact, I recognised specimens of nearly all the
various classes of society which are to be met with at races in England,
except that none of the fair sex were to be seen on this occasion.

There can be no doubt that Lucknow is a fast place, and contains a very
sporting population; and, if I remember right, the winning horse was the
property of the turbaned owner of a four-in-hand.

As in duty bound, we explored the whole city, but a correct idea of the
edifices with which it abounds is only to be gained from the drawings,
which are executed by the natives with the most delicate minuteness, and
convey a very correct notion of the exterior of the handsome mosques,
minarets, tombs, and palaces, which render Lucknow a most interesting
locality.

The Imaum Bara is said to contain the largest arched room in the world, a
fact which we very much doubted. The "Gate of C