The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-10


has 70o0 retainers and servants. His
courtyards are full of elephants, camels
ana horses, and their scenes remind you
of page from the Arabian Nights
The country ruled by the Nlzam Is more
than twice as large as the state of New
York and his subjects comprise different
races and many religions. He is a Mo
hammedan and he is the most important
Moslem ruler living, with the exception
OF the Sultan of Turkey. Many OF his
subjects wear turbans. and he has about
him representatives from all parts of the
Mohammedan world.
AS to jewels his collection is said to be
worth s30,c00,0o5. He owns the Nizam
diamond. which Is one OF the fine stones
of its kind. and In his realm is Golconda,
the diamond marketing center of the
past. He buys diamonds occasionally and
owns some of the best stones which have
come out of South Africa. Not long ago
he engaged to buy the imperial diamond
at a cost of s1,500,0o0, and he paid one
half this price, the rest to be given at in
tervals during the next few years. The
British government OF India. however. OBJ
1ected, saying that the NiZam had no
right to spend 80 much money out of the
taxes collected from his Woodworking
subjects. and that he could not afford to
buy things OF that kind They forbade
him to pay any more on the stone. At
the same time the diamond had come into
the Nizams possession. He refused to
give 1t up, and those who sold 1t have
brought suit against him for the balance
still due them. At a durbar not long ago
this NIzam wore about his neck ropes
Of pearls and strings of rubies and dia-
monds which were valued at 81, 10000.
Another nabob, who has magnificent
tpINala who 1fvaa IT, afota 20
the Maharapah of Oudeypore, whose an
cestors resisted the conquest of the Mo-
hammedans. He claims to have the blu
est blood of any of the native rulers and
submits to the British only because he Is
forced to do So II I remember correctly
he would not attend the great durbar
held at Delhi some years ago, at which
Lord Curzon was present. and to which
most of the native rulers, including the
Nizam, came.
The Nawab of Bahawalpur IS another
rich prince. He has asstate only about as
big as South Carolina, but his crown Is
mass Of diamonds set In silver, with
row of pear-shaped pearls about the base
The scabbard and hilt of his state sword
and set with jewels worth $500,000 and he
has a necklace Of uncut eneralds with a
chain of rubies and pearls. Some of his
rubies are an inch and half in diameter
That nabob owns 100 watches and car
r1es two OF three at one time. He always
has a pocketful of gold coins made In
India, and on ceremonial occasions he
now and then gives one to friend He
was educated under an English tutor ap-
pointed by the British. His present in
come is said to be about $500, 600 a year
The Maharajnh of Jeypore
don't know what the Maharajah of
Jeypore is worth, but he certainly has
money to burn. His journey to England
is reported to have cost about 81, oo0,oo0
and he is said to have given away some
thing like 100000 in charities during that
trip. He chartered a special steamer for
the occasion. and this was fitted up with
six different kitchens, according to the
caste of his followers. He took with him
his own drinking water from the Ganges,
and had a little temple on the ship in
which he worshiped Rama, his own d.
vine ancestor He carried with him
priests, servants of all kinds several
wives and a chorus of Nautch girls, and
when he reached London he filled to the
brim the palace which the government
had allotted to him.
l wish l could show you the state in
which his hghness lived In Jeypore.
His palaces cover acres and his gar
dens are watered by the silvery noun
tains. have gone through court after
court fioored with marble and carpeted
with Persian rugs of great price. In
one palace I saw a. billiard room the
floor of which was covered with the
skins of tigers and leopards killed by
the rajah They lay in great piles on
the floor and some of the divans were
upholstered with them. The beasts were
all killed by his highness, who is ia
nous as a tiger hunter and as an ex-
cellent shot.
l saw also the outside of the harem.
where his highness keeps his numerous
ladies, and then took a look at the sta
bles. The Maharajah has several hun
dred fine horses. The stables run around
space of six acres or more, being heav-
fly rooted to keep off the sun. There
is an arcade of stalls, each filled with
fine stock. His majesty has stations
from Arabia, America and Europe as
we'll as some from different parts of In
dia. Each horse wore halter, the
strap of which was tied to a ring over
his head, and each had, also ropes about
his ankles so fastened to posts that he
could not kick nor rear up
All of these native rulers have their
elephants upon which they ride about
in state upon ceremonial occasions The
Maharajah of Jeypore has dozen or
more Some are of enormous size, and
not few are SO dangerous that their
tusks have been cut off and the ends
bound with brass rings. These beasts
have brass chains around their necks
They are tattooed on their foreheads
and ears in the patterns of a cashmere
shawl, and when taken out for the rajah
they are covered with fancy trappings
and have brass chains around their
necks,.
During my stay in Jeypore I have had
a ride on one of these royal beasts. At
the invitation of the secretary of his
highness / travelled by one to the ruined
city of Amber. which is situated In the
hills about four miles outside of Jeypore
The elephant was brought to me shortly
before noon At the command of its
Hindoo driver. who sat upon its head, 1t
kneeled down for me, and I climbed to
its back by a stepladder There was a
cushioned saddle on top, with bars at
the side, and the driver showed me how
to hold on while the beast climbed to
his feet The elephant raises himself
upon one leg at the time, and bobbed
back and forth like a ship in a storm
The motion was a swaying this way and
that, and I became half seasick as we
wound our way up the mountains In
front of me was the driver, with his
brown legs clasped over the elephants
neck just back of the big. Tapping ears.
He had sharp steel hook in his hand,
and with this he stirred up the great
beast. and now and then made him trot
After time I got used to the motion
and when we were out In the country
and climbing the hills I began to enjoy
my strange ride ! had to watch out,
however for every now and then some
thing made the beast shy. At one place
a monkey ran across the road and
L., 1oH >11