doubt,
would be able to satisfy his nawabship. Finding that I was not quite so
elated with the honour of sitting on the same elephant with him, as he
had expected I should be, and that he could get no information out of
me, the rajah next admired my dress, and took a mighty fancy to my
watch, but I would not let it out of my hand. He winked to a man on
another elephant, and muttered something in the Mahratta language, which
I did not thoroughly comprehend, but which sounded something like, "it
won't do," or "he won't do." He then took a fancy to my whip, which I
permitted him to look at. Some person happening to speak to me just as
we arrived in the precincts of the camp, my whip was passed from one to
another, and all protested they knew nothing about it; so that I had but
little hope of ever seeing it again. On the rajah's, return from the
general, from whom he had met but a cool reception, he remounted his
elephant, with indignation in his eye, and vowing vengeance, if ever in
his power, against all Europeans. I had to see him out of the camp,
when, having proceeded to the extent of my orders, I demanded my whip,
protesting that he should be detained in camp until it was restored.
Every search was made, but no whip was to be found. I was not to be
hoaxed in this manner, so I persisted in having either my emblem of
office returned, or its full value paid to me. The nawab asked what it
cost. I said five gold mohurs; and, after some demur, and a good deal of
parleying, I pocketed that sum, and we parted, to my perfect
satisfaction.

We marched the following day. Our journey lay through a wild country, in
which scarcely a human being was to be seen, though the soil seemed good
and fertile. The fact was, that we were now entering those districts
which had been recently the haunts of the Pindarees. The next day our
march lay through a famous diamond country, belonging to the Punnah
rajah. Having passed a small deserted stone fort, I was much astonished
that, after the enormous ascent of nearly a mile, the whole country
continued flat for a considerable distance. From the country having been
deserted in consequence of the ravages of the Pindarees, all appeared
desolate and dreary, except in the district in which the diamond
speculation was carried on. Here were seen, in little groups,
adventurers digging for these precious stones. In this venture, as in
all others, some won and others lost; but the number of the latter
gr