Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-06-05
The Fall OfsnrknAW.

the British army in India. The palaces Of
Lucknow were filled with evidence of bar
barrie magnifcence-by the richest carpets,
by sumptuous divans, by cushions covered
with golden embroidery, by rich screens of
Cashmere shawls, and by table covers pom
dcrous with pearls and gold.
! The following passage r. from the letter
of the correspondent Of the London Times.
I The Kaiserbagh cannot be described. =
The place is u series Of palaces, kiosks, mos
ques, all Of fanciful Oriental architecture
some light and graceful, others merely far
tastic and curious, and connected generally
by long corridors arched and ofeti in the
front, or by extensive wings, which enclose
the courts and gardens within the outer
walls. In every room throhg ho1it The end
less series there was profusion of mirrors
in pondcrous gilt frames. A universal
guiding of cerniccs, furniture, ard every
thing that would bear the process, seemed
the prevailing tatre Of the royal court -
From every ceiling hung glass chandeliers
of every age, form, color and design AS
to the furniture, in many Instances It look
ed like collections from the lumber rooms
Of all the old palaces in Europc-Louis
Quatorze clocks and cabinets, Renaissance,
mirrors and chairs, buhlworkcd ebony
chests, marqucteric tables, solid lu,nny old
German state chairs, gilt all over: but these
were relieved by the richest carpets. by
s''n,ptuous divans, by cushions covered with
golden embroidery, by rich screens of Cash
mere shawls, and by tablecovers pondcrous
with pearls and gold. In some of the rooms
there were few COED pictures, said to be
by oir Joshua Reynolds, Lawrence, Zo1fa-
ny, and Bcechy, but did not sec any ira
ccs of Sir Joshua on the walls when en-
tered, and there was only one picture which
looked at all like a Lawrence,
/ There were numerous portraits Of the
present and former Kings of Dude, and oil
copies Of the portraits of Governors Gencr-
al, Of Wellington. Nelson, George ". and
Bonaparte, many Chinese drawings, French
crayons and English cngravings of all sorts.
even those from Williamson's Wild Sports
of the East. ell old and almost forgotten
book on tiger hunting, in gorgeous frames
but the hand Of the spoilcr was heavy
among them all. Those hung out Of the
reach of the muskct stock ard Che bavonet
were scarcely safe from bullet or the leg
iof table. Down came chandeliers in a
linking, gathering rain Of glass crash
crash crash doors and window, and mir
iror pendnlc Sikh and soldier were rev.
telling in destruction AND delirious with
.piunter and mischief Those who could
hot get in at once to carry on the work
searched the corridors, battered of the no
.scs, legs, aud arns Of the statues III the
igaFdefs, or diving into cellars. either made
their fortunes by the discovery Of unsuspcc-
ted treasure, or lost their lives at the hands
of concealed fanatics There was no time
to GUARD against ildiscriminate plumber,
lnasmuch as it was never expected that the
haiscrDagil and all its treasures would have
fallen that day into our hands.
Nothing but photograph can give no.
.tlon of Lucknow as tits seen from the min
aret or roof of this builling such sea of
jroofs, anld greet groves end gardens sur
inoit1lted hy gilt domcs and slender nina
'rets, aud all the strange combinations Of
| mes and ornaments il which Oriental archi-
tects delight. Tho large room of the I'm
Iaumbarrh, Which seemed TO have been used
:as sort of Museum, and Contained many
Icurious models Of mosques, ard many fine
,glasses and chandeliers, was heap Of ru-
ms, and every building bore some mark of
our shot and shell. Working our way
Through silkhs busy in melting down gold
and silver lace in huge fires under carthern
pots which served as crucibcs, through
wounded Ghoorkas staggering back to the
rear, we approached the KaiscrbagIl by the
! street along which IIavelock's rear guard
marched towards the Rcsillency.
| Our men were in high deli Chit with the
gay dresses of The cunuchs, which they
! found in some tho rooms, and it was with
difficulty they were induced to take off the
crowns of lacs ard reascck's plumcs, and
bird Of paradise feathers, and the sword
belts they stuck over their heads and
shoulders. Hero, as in every other build
ing, there were quantities Of kites, the fly
ing Of which seems favorite amusement
lof these childish but ferocious races
IGoats, horses, the stately Cyrus cranes,
tame monkeys, apes, antclopca, and num-
bcrs Of paroquets i'll cages, were also ap-
ipfoprldteu % the men
! In the next court, which was sheltered
from FIRE by the walls around it, our men
had made great seizure of rich plumber.
They had burst into some of the state apart
naests, and were engaged in dividing the
;spoils of shawls and lave end embroidery of
gold and silver and pearls. In a nook of
this conrt, where there was little shade,
we retired to rest ourselves, as there were
no means Of approaching the front, part of
the buildings on fire, and explosions Of
mines feared every moment. Two men of
the Goth were in before us, and, assisted by
some Of the 3Sth, we saw them appropriate
moneys worth to make them independent
for life. The rooms off this nook had been
used as stores by the King or sc,e,e wealthy
member of his household, and each moif4cnt
f., these men went in only to emerge with a
richer trophy.
IN ore boz they found Diamond bracelets,
cmcralds and opals all were so large aIss
bright and badly set, that we believed at
the time they were glass. In another was
a pair of gold mounted and jcwclled duel
ling pistols, of Eng lish make, and the bill,
stating that his majesty Che King of Dude
owed the maker ESQ thcn olat they came
with bundles Of swords, gold raoentcd and
jewelled, which they at once knocked to pic
ces for the sake Of the mountings, leaving
the bisdcs behind them. Next came out q,