St. Paul daily globe., 1888-05-13

arking
that very
shortly We
would visit one OF the leading Indian
princes states. and then l would have
an opportunity of satisfying my curios-
ity. After waiting for month we
started on our journey. Arrived at the
principality, we were received with
marked attention and conveyed to the
guest-house. The place was elegantly
furnished, beautiful garden sur
rounded it,and whole army of servants
was ready to administer to our wants.
A carriage was placed at our disposal
and we were told that when we wished
to visit the ''city' an elephant would be
sent to carry us there. The day came
to make the visit, the elephant came
with it, too. We passed through a long
stretch of streets where the houses
were of most wretched description,
and the natives seemed to be living i'll
the greatest misery and SqualOr.
But at last we reached the palace of
the niZam. His highDess, we were told,
was at Saifabad, spending the summer
there, but we were shown through his
palace. This is his principal residence.
He has thirtysiX of them in all. and to
each of them there is a harem attached.
This one was the headquarters, so to
speak, of his army of wives. Fancy
young man of twenty-four summers, as
his highnesS is, having close up to 600
wives,
My request to visit the harem was
complied with, and L fortunately had
with me as companion lady who could
speak HinduStanee, and who had often
visited the niZam's court. We were
escorted from the palace to the Zenana.
thicl- cloth yyal1 currnun1ad tbn
den. and there were guards in uniform
all round. The official who accompanied
us as far as the sanctum sanctorum left
us in tie charge of guard who was in
authority. He led us through a decent
garden, with plenty of rose plants and
Sweet-smelling bushes into a corridor.
We met several old women. who, we
were told, were servants to the young
prnceSses. At last we reached large
room and we entered what might
properly be termed the hall of the
Zenana. looked about for those beau
tiful women, those soft eyes and lovely
forms | had read of in books. L
lOnged for the sweet-Smelling altarS and
perfume from burning incense. but in
stead got a strong Whit of melting but
ter or fat and an OdOr of the days cook
ing. Six women were seated in swings
and slaves were rocking them to and
fro. There we're others squatted on
carpets on the floor smoking hOOkahS.
Some were pretty, but the majority were
ugly. One timid-lOoking girl reminded
me of the picture of Esther in our pict-
ure gallery, only that she did not wear
that sad, unhappy look which the pict-
ure shows. NV companion addressed
her. and she then left her swing and
came to US. She first examined my ear
rings, then my bracelets. Both were of
silver. "Who gave you them?' she
asked, pointing to these. "My hus-
band" was my reply ''Then he does
not love yOu," she said. "See what my
master has given me-" she remarked,
pointing to the jewelry with which she
was loaded.
She wore large round earrings of
gold. with alternate diamonds and emer-
aids, and a cluster of pearls formed the
ceter. Her nose was smothered with
round gold ornament, set with rubIeS,
diamonds. emeraldS and pearls, while
from the tip of her nasal organ huge
emerald was suspended. Her throat was
almost hidden with a triple necklace of
alternate pearls and emeraldS, the for
mer the size of small hazel nuts, and
the latter gOod-Sized nuts of the same
sort. On her wrists there were heavy
gold bangles and her ankles were COW
tItu WIFI Illc StillC klilu VI OIllulucIllS,
only of heavier description. All her
fingers had richly jeweled rings on
them. and her toes were encaSed in gold
circles. She wore a thick gold girdle
round her waist, set in the center
with precious gems while the buckle
consisted of large sapphire. Every
time she turned she tinl1led with the
sound of her ornaments and the light
flashed through the translucent gems.
To say that she was loaded with jewelry
was no eXaggeratiOn, for ] never before
saw woman carry anything like the
amount this one did. After admiring
| her trinkets we turned our attention to
her clothes. These consisted of light
silk saree OF cloth. bordered heavily
with bullion; pretty chOlle bodice of
| pearly-colOred silk, tightly fitting, ell
| cased her form from her shoulders to her
waist. and the Saree twisted round and
round the remainder of the body, with
| Just the ends showing the gold border,
| thrown over the head and shoulders.
! She looked pretty but her jewels robbed
| her of much of her natural beauty. She
| was fairer than an Italian, not bru-
nette and not blonde.
There" she said, pointing to pref
tier girl than herself who was smoking,
''my husband does not love her; she has
! not the same jeWelry as | have. / am
his married wife (begum); the other is
only concubine (nicca)."
! / vainly tried, through the assistance
| of my friend, to make her understand