Home › Contents › Gorgeous Procession in the Great Sowari-India

Gorgeous Procession in the Great Sowari-India

(167) in loud shouts which might well have Behind them stalked a magnificent elestartled the timid creature. The air re- phant, covered with embroidered houssounded with a tumultuous din of songs, ings, and carrying the bearer of the royal and shouts, and instrumental music, which standard-a flag of cloth of gold, waving swelled into a tempest as the procession from a staff more than forty feet in length. drew near. The march was led by the He was surrounded by picked horsemen, prince's regular troops, under the com- whose duty it is to protect the standard mand of European officers; then came in the stress of battle. They are armed corps of Arabs, squadrons of Mahratta with long lances and broad curved sabres; cavalry, field-artillery, musketeers, hal- steel gauntlets cover their hands; and berdiers, and gunners mounted upon they are richly attired in close-fitting dromedaries; and, lastly, some regiments tunics of crimson velvet, with tight of the prince's army, gaily caparisoned. breeches, and pointed shoes.