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were most extensive, reaching to the Konkan as far as Goa in one direction and Bombay in the other. The dynasty reached its zenith of power under Ibrahim II. He was succeeded by his son Mahomed, an able and powerful prince so powerful, indeed, that he resisted for a long time the whole force of the Mogul Emperor Shah Jehan ; but at last, deserted by all his allies, he was forced to submit, and become a tributary. From this time, Beejapore became a dependant state, and Mahomed was the last of her kings who struck coins in his own name. But a new blow awaited the fated dynasty. Soon after the treaty with the Moguls, the Mahratta power sprang suddenly into existence, as at the stroke of the enchanter's wand," by the exertions of Seevajee, who commenced his endeavours to raise his people by taking several most important hill-forts. The Beejapore Government, at first blind to its danger, afterwards vainly endeavoured to trample out this new flame. From that time forth, except for a short period, when he made common cause with them, Seevajee was a thorn in their side, and contributed mainly to their overthrow. When hard pressed, his custom was to invoke the aid of the Moguls, who were always only too glad of a pretext for aggression. At last, weakened by dissensions within and harassing attacks from without, and governed by a king still in his minority, Beejapore offered a prey too tempting to be resisted to the unprincipled and ever grasping Aurungzebe, who suddenly concentrated his forces, and attacked it. Great even in its ruin, the city made a noble defence; but, unable in its weakened condition to cope with the gigantic power of the Mogul Emperor, yielded in the year 1686, and thenceforth appeared no more on the stage of history. The young king, Secunder Adil Shah, was kept a prisoner in the Mogul camp, and died after the expiration of three years, poisoned, it was suspected, by the orders of Aurungzebe.

By far the best general view of Beejapore is that from the Kulludghee road. Never have we seen a more beautiful or refreshing sight than was presented to us after a long dreary march through a flat and uninteresting country, by its

long expanse of buildings and parapets, the uniformity of colour agreeably broken by verdant groves of mango and tamarind trees, through which peeped forth innumerable domes and cupolas. For the first time was the idea we had formed of an oriental city, from descriptions, realised.

The first building of any importance we meet is the Ibrahim Roza, the most graceful and elegant structure in the whole place. On a high raised platform of stone, separated by a square, in the midst of which is a hauz, or fountain, stand the roza (tomb) and mosque opposite each other, and corresponding in size and contour. The tomb is most elaborately ornamented, the walls being covered with inscriptions from the Koran in raised stone Arabic letters, which formerly were gilt, on a blue ground, though now the colouring has worn away. The windows, also, are formed of stone Arabic letters, interstices being left to give light. Through a curiously carved door, the visitor is admitted into a vaulted room, which contains the graves of Ibrahim Adil Shah II., and some of the members of his family. The mosque, also, is a beautiful building; indeed, so exquisite are the proportions, and so delicate and elaborate the ornamentation of both edifices, that we dare not attempt to convey any idea of them. All round the platform extends a range of rooms, built by the pious monarch whose remains rest above, for the accommodation of pilgrims, who were expected, in return, to pray for his soul's repose.

*

On leaving the Ibrahim Roza, the first inquiry is generally for the Great Gun, that every one has heard so much about. To get to it, one must enter the town, and pass along the walls, till, in a projecting bastion, is seen the famous Maluk-i-Midaun (the monarch of the plain), that at one time was made a casus belli by Aurungzebe. This enormous piece of ordnance was cast in the year 1549, by a native of Constantinople, named Hussein Khan, at

*How identical this custom with that of Roman Catholic countries! Compare Scott's"Drink, weary pilgrim, drink, and pray For the kind soul of Sybil Gray, Who built this cross and well."

Ahmednuggur, from the king of which place it was subsequently taken. Its length is fifteen feet, and the calibre two feet four inches. The Hindoos more suo worship it, and, consequently, it is generally besmeared with ghee and red powder. The last time it was fired the effect was so terrific,—it is said, throwing down walls, and frightening females in an interesting condition into premature delivery,-that, we believe, no attempt has been made since. Another extraordinary gun may be seen not far off, on the summit of the high tower called the Oopuree Boorj, measuring thirty feet in length, and composed of bars of iron curiously welded, or rather bound together. The legend current regarding the Oopuree Boorj is worth relating, as it shows the way in which many of the buildings were constructed. One of the kings, wishing to get his city fortified with as little expense to himself as possible, gave each of his nobles a certain portion of wall and rampart to build, and excited the greatest emulation among them as to whose work should be best done. One of the chief nobles was absent at this time, and, on his return, found the city completely walled in, and his peers rejoicing in their patriotic endeavours. Stung at being excluded from such a noble work, he expostulated with the king, who, to comfort him, promised him that what he should build would surpass in height and splendour the work of the others. Hence this

tower.

Let us now proceed to the Gol Gumbaz, the tomb of the great Mahomed Adil Shah, stopping occasionally on our way to examine various objects of interest as they occur. Passing through the bazar, we find on our right a flight of steps, leading down to the Taj Boura, a large square well, or rather tank, which is said to be supplied with water from the Kistna, about thirty miles distant, by subterranean channels. The supply of water in many other places, also, is accounted for in the same way. There is a story connected with the Taj Boura which we cannot here relate; those of our readers who have read the Bagho-Bahar will understand the reason, when we tell them that the story bears a remarkable resemblance in some of its

details to that of Mubarak in the Third Durvesh. Next to the Taj Boura is a delightful grove of mango trees, called the Naw Bagh; over whose tops we see the Twin Brothers, as they are calledthe tomb and mosque of Khawas Khan, who was Vizier to Ali II. Advancing further, we see, some distance off, on the left, a series of ruined arches. These are the remains of a building, commenced by the above mentioned Ali, who intended it to be so high that it would cast its shadow on the great tomb of his father Mahomed, about a mile distant. The undertaking was too gigantic not to fail, and the building now remains, a monument of Ali's folly. We now come to the citadel, or inner fort, surrounded by a moat, and filled with ruined palaces, each king having built one for himself. The first we see is the Hufta Khana or Gugun Mahal, a seven-storied building, formerly appropriated to the residence of the queens. There is a legend connected with this edifice, which we have been unable to authenticate on the spot, to the effect that when one of the Adil Shahs was fighting on the plain outside the city, his mother sat on the top, watching the progress of the fight; and on seeing the day go against her son, in grief and dismay threw herself headlong from the top, and was dashed to pieces. This inner fort is so full of buildings, that to name them all would be tedious, and to describe them, as they deserve, almost impossible. Suffice it to call attention to the Dewan-iam, or Adalut, where the kings used to sit to hear petitions, and administer justice, and to a beautiful miniature mosque, a model of the famous Jumma Musjid at Delhi. We cannot pass over without remark a curious stone temple, apparently of Jain architecture, which stands not far from the mosque. The roof is formed of flat slabs of stone, and the doorway is low, and of rude construction. Evidently, the building is of great antiquity. Why this temple was left by the bigoted Mussulmans intact, though so close to their sacred places, is a mystery. Probably, as it contains no images, they used it as a place of worship, and the fact of a peer (saint) being buried near the entrance adds strength to this conjecture.

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Immediately outside this inner fort, and formerly connected with it by a bridge across the moat, the remains of which are still visible, stands the Asar Sherif (literally illustrious relics), an edifice of great sanctity in the eyes of the Mussulmans, as it contains the Taburruk,”—a hair of the Prophet's beard or moustache,-which is shut up in a room that is only opened once in the year, and then not entered further than the threshold. The door of this room is inlaid with ivory, as is also that of the corresponding room opposite, which is interesting, as containing several relics of the kings, in the shape of various articles of china, &c., and also a number of sacred vestments, used on great occasions.

As we advance along the road, passing the mint, a curious polygonal building, we involuntarily stop to admire the Mehter Mahal, a most exquisite piece of architecture. It possesses a projecting window, of such delicate tracery and perfect finish, that it is difficult to realise the fact that it is carved entirely from stone. The story goes, that one of the kings, who was suffering from a severe disease, was cured by an astrologer, on the condition that he should give a large sum of money to the first person he should meet next morning. His majesty rose earlier than was expected, and, consequently, the first person he saw outside his palace was a poor sweeper, pursuing his usual avocations. The king, according to his agreement, bestowed on him the money, and the sweeper therewith built the palace, which is now one of the chief beauties of Beejapore.

The next building that attracts our attention is the Jumma Musjid, the principal mosque of the place, built by one of the kings with the plunder gained in war with a neighbouring rajah. The interior is composed of series of arches, forming aisles, which add much to the apparent size. The Kibla, or point to which the Mussulmans turn in prayer, is a recess one blaze of gilding, covered over with texts from the Koran. At its side is the mimber (pulpit), composed

*Probably invented to suit an erroneous interpretation of the name. Mehter in Persian

(at one time the court language of Beejapore)

means a prince.

VOL. I.-6

of three steps of pure white marble. We wish particularly to call attention to the windows, which are formed by a number of arabesque and other devices, each differing from the other, and, if possible, surpassing it in graceful elegance. The roof of the mosque, except where a well proportioned dome rises in the centre, is flat, and commands a beautiful view of the city and its. environs.

We arrive at last at the Gol Gumbaz, which Grant Duff in his History of the Mahrattas well describes :-"The chief feature in the scene is the mausoleum of Mohammud Adil Shah, the dome of which fills the eye from every point of view, and though in itself entirely devoid of ornament, its enormous dimensions and austere simplicity invest it with an air of melancholy grandeur, which harmonises with the wreck and desolation that surround it." He adds, in a note, that "the dome measures 130 feet in diameter; which is larger than that of the Pantheon at Rome, or, I believe, of St. Paul's in London, and very little less than that of St. Peter's." It is impossible at first to conceive a true idea of the size of this stupendous edifice: not till one looks at Beejapore from every point of view, and everywhere, even from thirty miles distant, still sees the great dome the object on which the eye at once rests, does one realise the fact of its enormous proportions. Inside the building, the visitor is more impressed, and this feeling is increased by hearing the voice echoing and re-echoing in the huge vault above, long after the lips are silent. A gallery, in which the same effect is produced as in the famous "Whispering Gallery" of St. Paul's Cathedral, runs round the walls near the roof; as this is unprotected by railings of any kind, it is dangerous for persons with weak heads to venture there. A beautiful view is seen from the roof. The tomb being at the very end of the city, all the places we have been visiting present themselves to us, and the eye loses itself in the vast number of cupolas, domes, and minarets crowded together. Conspicuous among these are seen the fair proportions of the Ibrahim Roza, but far beyond that building stretches an apparently illimitable range of tombs and ruins.

To descend from great things to small, -we must not forget, on descending, to notice the graves of King Mahomed and his wives, aud the bijlee phuttur, suspended by a stone chain outside the door, which arrests the destroying stroke of the lightning!

sketch to a conclusion. We are aware that we have left unmentioned the tomb of Aurungzebe's daughter, the Motee Bowree, and numerous other objects of interest. To know Beejapore thoroughly would require months of study; to describe it as it deserves would require volumes. Our aim has not been so ambitious. What we desire is to recall, to those who have visited the place, pleasant recollections of the many beautiful sights they beheld there, and to excite the curiosity of those who have never seen it. If we succeed in this, our object will have been attained.

BETRAYED.

By HARTLEY HALL.

NEVER, by word, or faintest sign,

By aught that touched the ear, or eye,
Was mention made of her who lost
Her glorious bloom of chastity.

Having thus seen the chief lions of
the city, let us proceed to Toorway, a
village about five miles to the west.
This place is remarkable for having
been the nucleus of Beejapore. It is
filled with ruined houses, formerly in-
habited by nobles; but the chief objects
of interest are the remains, here best
seen, of the cyclopean walls that once
surrounded Beejapore with a circuit
of upwards of twenty miles. What a
magnificent sight must the place have
presented then! The space between
the city and the outer walls was occu-
pied by the country-houses of the Om-
rah, and the sombre appearance of the
trap rock of which the houses were
for the most part composed was agree-
ably contrasted with the verdant gar-
dens that surrounded them. Every-
where was heard the refreshing murmur
of water from fountains and trickling
rills, and an enormous aqueduct conveyed
a never-failing supply of that necessary
fluid. From the city rose through the There, in the heart of London guilt,
still air the hum of busy thousands.
Here the king passed with his retinue,
on his way to pay his devotions at the
mosque; there an army marched, with
arms and trappings glittering in the
bright sunshine, on its way to repel the
Feringhee invader from distant Goa, or
to fight with the haughty Mogul, who
claimed to be the suzerain of its king,
and denied him the title of Shah.
The clink of the hammer and chisel
never ceased, and almost daily rose some
"stately fabric," destined by a monarch
to be his place of repose after death,
and an imperishable monument of his
fame. But war, time, and neglect have
done their work, and now silence and
desolation reign undisturbed. Even
the few buildings which remain com-
paratively uninjured would have pe-
rished long ago but for the efforts of the
British Government, who, to their credit
be it spoken, spared no pains or expense
to rescue from decay these magnificent
relics of a bygone power.

Enough, he came, he quaffed the cup,
He eat the fare her father gave;
And, while he did so, breathed the lie
That led her to a shameful grave.

No picture hangs upon that nail

"Twas stricken down when she departed; While her old father, worn and frail, Passed from existence broken-hearted.

And now we must bring this cursory

Amid a horde of drunken creatures,
Whose nervous hands the goblet spilt,
Sits one, with ashen, shrunken features.

Not in the ribald mirth is she,

But far away, where nought of that is,
In the old room, where she can see
The blushing roses round the lattice.

Oh! for a rod of seething fire,

To burn her heart's corroding spot;
Oh! that the heart of him who's by her
Could save, not agonise her lot!

Could travel, as her eyes have done,

To yon small hamlet 'mid the trees;
Could reinstate the joy that's gone,

Or clothe the old man's nights with ease!

Could cancel out that fatal hour,

When first the breath of guilt was spoken; And over love place virtue's power,

Ere all the ties and hearts are broken!

Could see her waveringly stand—

Passion and virtue each contesting;
Could see her place her trembling hand
In his, while 'gainst his plea protesting!
* * * Drink the cup;
Oh, false decision!
The world for thee will have no mercy!
Drink, drink,―aye, drink the poison up,
In honour of your sorceress Circe !

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A SMALL windmill kind of a noise has just attracted our attention, and, as we open the lattice and look out, we behold, not the fans gyrating, but a specimen of the garooar, or adjutant, flapping his heavy wings, and making for the tallest house he can find, whereon he may perch his long and attenuated legs.

These are unearthly-looking birds certainly, stalking about in "pairs and singles," like mutes at a funeral, and, generally speaking, looking as dissipated. These wretched scavengers have a sad life of it at some stations where Young England happen to

be quartered, notwithstanding there are rules in the service, which are constantly being thrown at their devoted heads by their elders, informing them that they are liable to a penalty of fifty rupees fine for maltreating these filthy, ungainly, and illfavoured looking birds.

We have met the adjutant at Jhansi, in Bundelcund, and understand that it is also to be found in the Tirhoot district; but at present we are acquainted with very little of its natural history. It used to be great fun to some adventuresome and mauvais griffs, at Fort William and Dinapore, to fill bones with gunpowder and a fuze, and when the garooar had swallowed it, a few minutes only would elapse ere he was blown into the air and killed, and made cibaria (or belly-timber) for his unnatural brotherhood and sisterhood of adjutants.

But a better expedient for practising practical jokes upon them was hit upon. Two bones were tied at the ends of a piece of string, and thrown to a bevy of adjutants, the two most obese and powerful of which having incontinently swallowed them-off they start for the most prominent looking chimney, and, having got the rope well entangled round, a game of "pull devil, pull baker" commences, ending by one or other of the garooars having to render up his bone from his pouch-to clutch at and swallow it again half a dozen times. Such used to be the fun; but these ugly birds, with their sharp, small, grey eyes, are now too much for even an older stager than the griffin, and the only jokes that are capable of being played upon them are confined to filling bones with gunpowder, or meat with other foreign and disagreeable substances. A friend of ours, to test the capacity of digestion of an adjutant, procured a newmade loaf, and, taking out all the crumb, filled it with a bottle of Rowland's macassar oil, a paper of needles, some sheets of one of Bulwer's novels, a handful of pins, some sealing-wax, broken glass, and a host of other things, which the bird greedily swallowed. The effect of this meal was never ascertained; but the probabilities are, that unless it had the digestion of an ostrich, if a male, he would have left a widowed garooar to mourn the untimely end of an unscrupulous and gluttonous husband. But even these griffinish acts were not so bad as those perpetrated on an unfortunate bailiff who went to Baraset to arrest a young officer, and was pulled through a drain and killed. Baraset, in olden days, was the head quarters of all unposted cadets.

A few days ago, we saw an adjutant in Fort William endeavouring to swallow a dead crow, but, having got him into his bill broad-ways, he was unable to bolt the dainty morsel. A small adjutant with ease to himself took down at a mouthful a leg of

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