88

SCENES IN INDIA.

water thus forced into the canals irrigates the country
to some extent.

The fort stands at the west end of the island, and
is a large building, designed by one evidently less
skilful as an architect than as an engineer, though
built with great strength. During the memorable
siege of Seringapatam, the glacis was found to be in
many places so high and steep as perfectly to shelter
the assaulting party from the fire of the besieged. All
the public buildings in the city are clumsily construct-
ed, bearing little appearance of architectural symme-
try; on the contrary, looking mean and even rude.
They are chiefly surrounded by a lofty wall com-
posed of mud and stone. Hyder Ali's palace, which
he called the Laul Baugh, situated at the eastern
extremity of the island, is an exception to this rule.
Although entirely constructed of mud, it has all the
light, airy elegance of the better Mahomedan struc-
tures, and the convenience as well as beauty of a mo-
dern palace. Near it is the tomb of the renowned
Hyder, enclosing likewise the bodies of his wife and of
his son, Tippoo Sultan; they are deposited under slabs
of black marble raised a few inches from the ground.
There is still kept up at the expense of the British
Government an establishment of priests, who daily per-
form the customary services for the welfare of depart-
ed souls over the graves of those distinguished persons.

The suburbs of this capital are built on the highest
part of the island,—about the middle of it; they are
composed for the most part of small mean tene-
ments, the whole occupying the space of five furlongs
square. There is a palace called Dowlut Bang, or the