to be.'

'God only knows', said Sarimant; 'certain it is that they are neither
in mind nor in manners what the people of our districts are.'

The Raja had no notice of our approach till intimation of it reached
him at Ludhaura, the day before we came in. He was there resting, and
dismissing the people after the ceremonies of the marriage between
the Salagram and the Tulasi. Ludhaura is twenty-seven miles north-
west of Tehri, on the opposite side from that on which I was
approaching. He sent off two men on camels with a 'kharita'
(letter),[3] requesting that I would let him know my movements, and
arrange a meeting in a manner that might prevent his appearing
wanting in respect and hospitality; that is, in plain terms, which he
was too polite to use, that I would consent to remain one stage from
his capital, till he could return and meet me half-way, with all due
pomp and ceremony. These men reached me at Bamhauri,[4] a distance of
thirty-nine miles, in the evening, and I sent back a kharita, which
reached him by relays of camels before midnight. He set out for his
capital to receive me, and, as I would not wait to be met half-way in
due form, he reached his palace, and we reached our tents at the same
time, under a salute from his two brass field-pieces.

We halted at Tehri on the 9th, and about eleven o'clock the Raja came
to pay his visit of congratulation, with a magnificent _cortege_ of
elephants, camels, and horses, all mounted and splendidly
caparisoned, and the noise of his band was deafening. I had had both
my tents pitched, and one of them handsomely fitted up, as it always
is, for occasions of ceremony like the present. He came to within
twenty paces of the door on his elephant, and from its back, as it
sat down, he entered his splendid litter, without alighting on the
ground.[5] In this vehicle he was brought to my tent door, where I
received him, and, after the usual embraces, conducted him up through
two rows of chairs, placed for his followers of distinction and my
own, who are always anxious to assist in ceremonies like these.

At the head of this lane we sat upon chairs placed across, and
facing down the middle of the two rows; and we conversed upon all the
subjects usually introduced on such occasions, but more especially
upon the august ceremonies of the marriage of the Salagram with the
Tulasi, in which his highness had been so _piously_ engaged at
Ludhaura.[6] After he had sat with me an hour a