ve back, as we had come, in one of the Nizam's carriages--a drag
drawn by four horses, cleverly managed by the chief coachman (an
Englishman, named Ulett), who twisted his steeds about in the most
marvellous way, especially in the garden before starting, where they
might have been said to have 'turned on a sixpence.' I occupied the
box-seat coming home, and enjoyed the delicious freshness of the
evening air, among the picturesque rocks which rose up on either side.
One of these, called 'One Gun Rock,' looks exactly like a cannon
without its carriage, resting on an elevation and pointed towards the
city. There is another rock with a similar name near Secunderabad; but
the resemblance in that case is not so striking.

In the evening we dined with a native gentleman, who spoke English
fairly well, and gave us a sumptuous repast in European fashion.
Besides a multitude of chandeliers in his house, he had a
billiard-table with glass legs, and splendid red satin chairs also
with glass arms and legs. The view from the roof, to which we ascended
after dinner, over the city, bathed in the light of the full moon, was
really beautiful and quite romantic. On leaving, our host handed each
of us a little _flacon_ of most delicious attar of roses.

[Illustration: Gun Rock]

The following morning we were called at five o'clock, and by seven
were driving towards Secunderabad, five or six miles distant. On
leaving the Residency, which stands in the suburb of Chadar Ghat,
about a mile to the north-west of the city; we drove through the city
of Hyderabad, where the population is mainly Mahomedan, and afterwards
through the outlying suburbs and villages, chiefly inhabited by
Hindoos. Two miles north of Secunderabad is Trimulgherry, the
headquarters of the Hyderabad Subsidiary Force, and a very important
military station for European troops, the city of Secunderabad itself
being garrisoned by native troops. One-tree Hill is not very far from
here, called after the solitary palm-tree standing in the midst of a
mass of rocks. Passing the city, we came to the barracks of the 7th
Hussars, and then to Bolarum, where the Resident lives during the
rainy season. His house is quite charming with its handsome ball-room,
numerous lawn-tennis grounds, and well-kept gardens, in which we
gathered violets and roses. The breeze was quite invigorating, the
difference between the air here and at Hyderabad being very
remarkable, considering that this is onl