ted at seventy-three lakhs of rupees, (about
L.750,000;) "but I have heard that if a similar edifice were erected
in the present day, it would cost four times as much, as the cost of
every thing has increased in at least that proportion."

The difficulties of the khan, from his ignorance of the language, and
Moslem scruples at partaking of food not dressed by his own people,
were not yet, however, at an end. For though, on returning to his
lodging in the evening, he found that his friend had succeeded in
procuring from the ship a dish of _kichiri_, (an Indian mess, composed
of rice and _ghee_, or clarified butter,) his inability to communicate
with his landlady still occasioned him considerable perplexity.
"Having ventured to take some pickles, which I saw on the sideboard,
and finding them palatable, I sent for the landlady, and tried to
explain to her by signs, pointing to the bottles, that I wanted
something like what they contained. Alas, for my ignorance! She
thought I wished them taken out of the room, and so walked off with
them, leaving me in the utmost astonishment. How was I to get it back
again? it was the only thing I had to relish my _kichiri_. I had,
therefore, recourse to this expedient--I got an apple and pared it,
putting the parings in a bottle with water; and showing this to the
landlady, intimated, by signs, that I wanted something like it to eat
with my rice. She asked many questions in English, and talked a great
deal, from which I inferred that she had at last discovered my
meaning, but five minutes had hardly elapsed when she re-appeared,
bearing in her hand a bottle of water, filled with apple-parings cut
in the nicest manner imaginable! This she placed on the table in the
most respectful manner, and then retired!"

The good lady, however, conceiving that her guest was in danger of
perishing with hunger, was benevolently importunate with him to
partake of some nourishment, or at least of some tea and toast, "since
it is the custom in this country for every one to eat five times
a-day, and some among the wealthy are not satisfied even with this!"
The arrival of an English acquaintance, who explained to the landlady
the religious prejudices of her lodger, in some measure relieved him
from his embarrassment; but he was again totally disconcerted, by
finding it impossible, after a long search, to procure any _ghee_--an
ingredient indispensable in the composition of every national dish of
India, wh