DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4651#0092
82 JOURNAL OP A RESIDENCE
I told him I Avaited for the information he had
promised me; he then repeated to me nearly
verbatim, what I had already heard from the ray-
hoon, adding, that the business of my interview
with the whoonghees could not be settled until
after my audience with his majesty, who neces-
sarily deferred determining on that subject, until
he had read the Governor-General's letter; this
excuse was plausible enough. He also excused
the circumstance of taking off my shoes at the
gate, as an insurmountable prejudice of their
laws, which even the princes of the blood were
obliged to submit to. When there was a neces-
sity for submission, it was well to yield with a
good grace ; by making no demand, and leaving
the arrangement to his majesty's pleasure, I had
left myself free of the embarrassment of retracting,
and probably obtained as much as I should have
gained by a more offensive line of conduct. I
therefore told him I was very well content with
the arrangement, but requested he would avow
the reason why elephants were not provided as on
the former occasion. He assured me there was
no particular motive, and that I might have an
elephant whenever I wanted to visit any part of
the country, or in case I should have an audience
of his majesty at Amarapoorah. As it was my
present business to confide in his assurances, I
told him I was satisfied with his explanation, and
I told him I Avaited for the information he had
promised me; he then repeated to me nearly
verbatim, what I had already heard from the ray-
hoon, adding, that the business of my interview
with the whoonghees could not be settled until
after my audience with his majesty, who neces-
sarily deferred determining on that subject, until
he had read the Governor-General's letter; this
excuse was plausible enough. He also excused
the circumstance of taking off my shoes at the
gate, as an insurmountable prejudice of their
laws, which even the princes of the blood were
obliged to submit to. When there was a neces-
sity for submission, it was well to yield with a
good grace ; by making no demand, and leaving
the arrangement to his majesty's pleasure, I had
left myself free of the embarrassment of retracting,
and probably obtained as much as I should have
gained by a more offensive line of conduct. I
therefore told him I was very well content with
the arrangement, but requested he would avow
the reason why elephants were not provided as on
the former occasion. He assured me there was
no particular motive, and that I might have an
elephant whenever I wanted to visit any part of
the country, or in case I should have an audience
of his majesty at Amarapoorah. As it was my
present business to confide in his assurances, I
told him I was satisfied with his explanation, and