e Hindu gentleman.

"There seemed to be two other mosques back of the mausoleum," said Mrs.
Belgrave; "we did not visit them."

"The Mohammedan traditions require that a mosque should be erected in
connection with every mortuary temple," replied Sir Modava. "Isa Mohammed,
a later emperor, built one at the western end of the terrace. It was a
beautiful building with three domes, in keeping with the Taj. But the
builder found that it gave a one-sided appearance to the view; and he
erected the one on the east end, to balance the other and restore the
proportions. Either of them is equal to the finest mosque in Cairo or
Constantinople."

"That was an expensive method of making things regular," added the
commander. "Some one spoke in Delhi of a durbar in connection with Agra. I
think it was Mr. Meerza."

General Noury laughed at this title; for it sounded funny to him, applied
to an Oriental, and the captain had forgotten the rest of the name.

"Abbas-Meerza, we call him, without any 'mister,'" he added.

"I will try to remember it," replied the commander. "But what is a durbar?
Is it something good to eat?"

"They do not eat it here, and probably it would be indigestible if they
could do so," continued Sir Modava. "A durbar is a very important event in
India, but is not eatable. It is an occasion at which the native princes
acknowledge the sovereignty of the Queen of England. In 1866 the most noted
one took place at Agra, a full description of which would require a long
time. For the first time after the establishment of the Empire of India,
the governor-general, representing the empress, received the homage of
twenty-six sovereign princes. It was an act of submission. The ceremonies
occupied many days; and kings, maharajahs, rajahs, and other princes bowed
to the throne of the sovereign. It was a tremendous occasion; and it was a
festival honored by banquets, processions, and royal gatherings. I will get
a book for you, Captain Ringgold, when we reach Calcutta, from which you
may read a full account of the affair. It grew out of an ancient Indian
custom, and many of them on a small scale have occurred."

The tourists spent another day at Agra, and, though they had not exhausted
the sights of the place, the commander decided that they could remain no
longer, and they left on the following day for Cawnpore.

CHAPTER XXXI

THE TERRIBLE STORY OF CAWNPORE AND L