s,
hawks, pigeons, and singing birds, extremely tedious and
uninteresting.--E.]

The daily expences of the Mogul for his own person, and for feeding his
cattle of all sorts, among which are some royal elephants, and all other
particular expences, as dress, victuals, and other household charges,
come to 50,000 rupees a-day; and the daily expences of his women amount
to 30,000 rupees.

The custom of the Mogul is, to take possession of all the treasure
belonging to his nobles when they die, giving among the children what he
pleases; but he usually treats them kindly, dividing their fathers land
among them, and giving great respect to the eldest son, who is generally
promoted in time to the full rank of his father. In my time Rajah
Gaginat, a great lord or prince among the idolaters, died, when his
effects being seized to the king's use, besides jewels, silver, and
other valuables, his treasure in gold only amounted to 60 _mauns_, every
_maun_ being 25 pounds weight.

The king has 300 royal elephants on which he himself rides; and when
brought before him they appear in great state, having thirty-two men
going before them with streamers. The housings or coverings of these
elephants are very rich, being either cloth of gold or rich velvet; each
royal elephant is followed by his female, and his cub or cubs, usually
having four or five young ones as pages, some seven, eight, or nine.
These royal elephants, which are the largest and handsomest, eat every
day to the value of ten rupees, in sugar, butter, grain, and sugar
canes. They are so tame and well managed, that I one day saw the king
order one of his sons, named Shariar, a child of seven years old, to go
to the elephant and be taken up by his trunk, which was so done, the
elephant delivering him to his keeper, who rules him with a hooked iron.
When any of these elephants are brought Jean before the king, those
having charge of them are disgraced unless they have all the better
excuse: so that every one strives to bring his in good order, even
though he may have to spend of his own funds.

When the Mogul goes out to hunt, his camp is about as much in compass as
the city of London, or even more; and I may even say that at least
200,000 people follow him on this occasion, every thing being provided
as for the use of a large city. The elephant is of all beasts the most
sagacious, of which I shall give one instance, which was reported to me
as a certainty. An elephant upon