'
'It strikes me, my friend Sarimant, that their government has made
them in reality the beggars and the fools that they appear to be.'
'God only knows', said Sarimant; 'certain it is that they are neither
in mind nor in manners what the people of our districts are.'
The Raja had no notice of our approach till intimation of it reached
him at Ludhaura, the day before we came in. He was there resting, and
dismissing the people after the ceremonies of the marriage between
the Salagram and the Tulasi. Ludhaura is twenty-seven miles north-
west of Tehri, on the opposite side from that on which I was
approaching. He sent off two men on camels with a 'kharita'
(letter),[3] requesting that I would let him know my movements, and
arrange a meeting in a manner that might prevent his appearing
wanting in respect and hospitality; that is, in plain terms, which he
was too polite to use, that I would consent to remain one stage from
his capital, till he could return and meet me half-way, with all due
pomp and ceremony. These men reached me at Bamhauri,[4] a distance of
thirty-nine miles, in the evening, and I sent back a kharita, which
reached him by relays of camels before midnight.
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