The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-10-29

Extra VACANT Ostentation OF the Native
Rulers Riches Beyond Computation.
Nothing but ridicule, says contem
porary, could have attended any attempt
on the part of the Prince Of Wales tc
rival the Mohammedan rulers OF India IN
ostentation and magnificence. In the
matter OF presents alone, his utmost mu.
nificence would have been surpassed 10y
a single act of favor displayed by one OF
the former sovereigns of Hindostan.
For instance, Jehan Cheer bestowed
upon his son, when setting out to take
command of the army in the Deccan, ga
sword, the scabbard of which was OF
gold set with stones valued at 100, 900
rupees 10000 pounds sterling); dag
ger at 4, 600 pounds sterling; an elephant
and two horses, all their furniture of
gold set with stones" and q state car
riage built in imitation of the one sent
to the Emperor by King James /. On
his birthday, Jehan Cheer was SO richly
adorned with jewels that Sir Thomas Roe
protests that in all his life he "never
saw such inestimable wealth together.
"The time" he continues, "was spent
in bringing his greatest elephants before
him, some of which being lord elephants,
had their chains, bells, and furniture of
gold and silver, with many gilt banners
and flags carried about them, and eight
Or ten elephants waiting on each of them,
clothed in gold, silk and silver. In this
manner about twelve companies passed
by, most richly adorned, the first having
all the plates on his head and breast set
with rubies and emeralds, being beast
of wonderful bulk and beauty. They al
bowed down before the King, making
their reverence very handsomely. On
one occasion, when the King honored
his Minister with his company at dinner,
the road was covered for whole mile
with silks and yelvets sewed together,
and the cost of the banquet was esti-
mated at 81, 900 pounds sterling.
con his birthday, Jehan Cheer was
against seven kinds of COM
such as rupees, jewels, cloth
of gold, silks, calicoes, spices, honey and
butter, which were afterward distributed
among the poor. The scales were of
beaten gold, and, for more surety, there
were silk ropes. The beam was covered
with plates OF gold. The great lords of
the nation sat about the throne on rich
expecting the Kings coming
out. At length he appeared, covered
with diamcmds, rubies and pearls. He
had several strings of hemabout his neck
arms, wrists and turban, and two or three
rings on every finger. His sword,
ouckler and throne were also covered
saw rubiss as large as walnuts, and
pearls OF yrodigious magnitude. He
got into one of the scales, sitting on his
EGGS like tailor"
At times the munificence of the Delhi |
Emperors savored of reckless extrava-
ylnce. A singer having delighted the
'oyal ears, was rewarded his own weight |
n silver coin, amouL ting to $500 rupees.
The famous Noormehal, having shot |
our tigers with the matchbox from the !
pack of an elephant, was presented by |
he enamored Jehan Cheer with pair |
If emerald bracelets, valued ut 10000 |
pounds sterling, while /, 900 rupees were
distributed in charity. The great Akbar
both his predecessors in per-
onal wealth. According to Ferishta, that
llustrious potentate numbered among
lis possessions coined silver computed
It 100,0G0,000 rupees choice rubies,
me maund or 50 pounds weight COM
non rubies and other precious stones, 10
uncoined gold, 70 maunds ;
lncoined silver, 160 maunds; copper
,ice, 80 billions -four pice equal to 1ld);
Elephants, above 5000 horses, $4,000 (;
leer, 5000; hunting leopards, over
100; and hawks, 500. 1t is recorded,
with good deal of exaggera-
ion, that Akbar's treasury contained |
10, 100000 pounds sterling in silver coin
md gems of price, and that on one occa-
ion he filed q tank near Futtehpur
,ikri with nine crores of rupees, equiva-
ent to 5000 900 pounds sterling, which
vepe afterward distributed among the
leely.