404 Martial b f the Embassy
placed along- with the Adigar on the uppermost step of the
tlirone'r
Although''fhe ■ rest of the hall, was well lighted'/' th at part
where the king sat was contrived, to be made more obscure
than the rest,- with a view" of impressing a 1 greater awe- on
those who approached him. He was in appearance a young
man, very'black, with a light beard. He was by no means so
portly, or well-looking as the Adigar arid" several other of the
officers ' around him. He ■ was dressed in a robe of k&y.;Mne
jnusliji embroidered with gold, fitted cloise to the abreast with
^xweral folds' drawn round the* waist, and flowing " Clown- from
thence like, a lady’s gown. His arms were bare from tfcgi dh-
bows downwards. On his fingers he wore a number'offvdiy 'broad '
rings set with precious stones of different sorts, white armumber
of gold chains were suspended round his neck Over a stiff frilled
piece of muslin resembling a Queen Elizabeth’s ruff. His head
was covered with a -turban of muslin spangled, withygbld, : and
surmounted by a crown of gold, an ornament by '-which.fhe.. is
distinguished from all the other Asiatic princess, who are prohibited
by their religion from wearing this badge of royalty,,
and whose ornaments, when they- rise- any,- consist «imply of a
sprig or featlter of precious stones. His waist was encircled
with a rich sash, to which was suspended a short curved dagger;
or sabre, the handle richly ornamented, and the scabbard
of gold fillagree-work. In abearance his majesty niuch resembled,
the figures'we are aceustomed to see of Kmg'Hettry VIII.
The Adigar, from his superior sine, might indeed*5 be said to do,
; so still more: vary little difference in dress was discernible between
him and his sovereign,, except that the minister did not
to the Cowft o f Candy. . 405
►riot carry-a crown; -although his turban also was surmounted
by somethinghike a hucaluhorbnet.>>!
?l AfterhJ|heVal Macdowrih'hrid- been presented in. form to his
majesty, and a nlttri'eroi&^fmg* off-‘Ceremonies' had^ been gone
thrriugh,- th e ^ r ig J,prdceed;e5dr'feo. inquire -abohri||hh health.of ‘his
Britanmci%bj£sty,: aridK-k* ’state*‘of4$is affairsr;- do all 'which
^ questions'i thte- gettetal -r&ufnedf' such answers* as propriety- dictate
ed. The* atnversatmrjf was carried iMifwith^ the most profound
gravity'aiicPieseWe‘.u L'W&i th e most trifling'-fCircri instances were
mention®'in whispers’/ With^as nriieh arieeerifokyland importa
n c e as if thei'ifatri' rifolkiogddmsi 'depended; ;upbriffithfem.
The- king dheetedo hls^edchioto the’ Adigar^ who: *stopdx .on 'the
beloW'/thC throne, -rind who repeated'his' magestyJs'words
te ^ lie Maha -Moodfehe#-'who had 'come up. withfthp''embassy a3
Grnglesri interpreter!'! The- latterKn his tum g a td litd n Portu-
uftese ‘to -Monsieur JmnVilie,' who had; also :be©h t sentfnupr-by
’ gr,yernbr’.’^ p |d 'i fto" interpret from that language,' and whbnre-
'pe'ated' it jlr^TrCrieh to general Macdo-wal. Thus■*th e -cotfiver-
-satiotf was c a m ^ on by five differedfei^drsOnsi' ! and yin 'three
different languages f the*generals answers rfetrirning b y the same
' Channel which hrid conveyed* his majesty’s questions.*1!
-< T h e ’tedibus lengthrto^Which sucha? conference must have
-befen^flxrotracted-' may be easily .conceived,, arid though, iri lasted
4 w a r thirie^hourp, this first interview wa^ entirely^ occupied with
•‘complimhntaiy matters. During tlrer conference,'/ rose-water was
frequently sprinkled around horn outioqsly‘wrought vessels of
void; 'find perfutofeSJwere? handed about On.salvers of gold and
silver fillagree-work^-’ The oppressive heart; of -thei’room, however,
' ioiried^ fdl'the powerful;' exhalati'oris ’o0 theisceritedAoils burned
in tljeir lamps, and the rank Smell'of‘. cocoa-nut oil with which