he habit which has grown up among them, in the cities
of India, of commemorating every event, whether of sadness or of joy,
by brilliant illuminations and splendid processions, to amuse the
idle populations of such cities. It is, they say, a reprehensible
departure from the spirit of their creed, and from the simple tastes
of the early Mahommedans, who laid out their superfluities in the
construction of great and durable works of ornament and utility.
Certainly no event can be more sorrowful among Mahommedans than that
which is commemorated in the mohurrum by illuminations and
processions with the Tazeeas; and yet no illuminations are more
brilliant, and no processions more noisy, costly, and splendid. It is
worthy of remark, that Hindoo princes in Central and Southern India,
even of the Brahmin caste, commemorate this event in the same way;
and in no part of India are these illuminations and processions more
brilliant and costly. Their object is solely to amuse the population
of their capitals, and to gratify the Mahommedan women whom they have
under their protection, and their children, who must all be
Mahommedans.

__________________________

CHAPTER VI.

Nawabgunge, midway between Cawnpoor and Lucknow--Oosur soils how
produced--Visit from the prime minister--Rambuksh, of Dhodeeakhera--
Hunmunt Sing, of Dharoopoor--Agricultural capitalists. Sipahees and
native offices of our army--Their furlough, and petitions--
Requirements of Oude to secure good government. The King's reserved
treasury--Charity distributed through the _Mojtahid_, or chief
justice--Infanticide--Loan of elephants, horses, and draft bullocks
by Oude to Lord Lake in 1804--Clothing for the troops--The Akbery
regiment--Its clothing, &c.,--Trespasses of a great man's camp in
Oude--Russoolabad and Sufeepoor districts--Buksh Allee, the dome--
Budreenath, the contractor for Sufeepoor--Meeangunge--Division of the
Oude Territory in 1801, in equal shares between Oude and the British
Governments--Almas Allee Khan--His good government--The passes of
Oude--Thieves by hereditary profession, and village watchmen--
Rapacity of the King's troops--Total absence of all sympathy between
the governing and governed--Measures necessary to render the Oude
troops efficient and less mischievous to the people--Sheikh Hushmut
Allee, of Sundeela.

_January_ 8, 1850.--Nawabgunge, eleven miles over a plain, the soil
of which, near the road, is gene