The mosque is indeed small, but, like the judgment-hall, it is of white marble, and with fine columns and sculptures.

Immediately adjoining the mosque is the garden “Schalinar,” which is said to have been formerly one of the finest in India, but has now quite fallen to decay.

Heaps of dust and rubbish were laying in the court-yards; the buildings were almost like ruins; and miserable barracks stood against dilapidated walls.  On account of the emperor’s residence, it soon became necessary to build a new Delhi.

On my entrance to the palace, I had observed a group of men collected together in the court-yard.  An hour afterwards, when we were returning from our visit, they were still seated there.  We drew near to discover what it was that so attracted their attention, and saw a few dozen of tame birds seated upon perches quietly taking their food from the hands of attendants, or else fighting for it.  The lookers-on were, as I was told, nearly all princes.  Some were seated upon chairs, others stood round, together with their followers.  In their home dresses, the princes are hardly to be distinguished from their servants, and in education and knowledge they are certainly not much in advance of them.

The emperor amuses himself with a diversion which is not more commendable.  His troops consist of boys about eight or fourteen.  They wear a miserable uniform, which in make and colour resembles the English; their exercises are conducted partly by old officers and partly by boys.  I pitied the young soldiers from my heart, and wondered how it was possible for them to handle their heavy muskets and banners.  The monarch generally sits for some hours every day in the small reception hall, and amuses himself by watching the manoeuvres of his young warriors.  This is the best time to get presented to his majesty.  He is eighty-five, and at the time of my visit was so unwell, that I had not the good fortune to see him.

The emperor receives from the English government a yearly pension of fourteen lacs (1,400,000 rupees = 140,000 pounds).  The revenues of his own possessions amount to half as much more; but with all this, he is not so well off as the Rajah of Benares.  He has too large a number of people to maintain:  of the descendants of the imperial family alone more than three hundred, as well as a hundred women, and two thousand attendants.  If to these are added the numerous elephants, camels, horses, etc., it may be easily understood why his exchequer is always empty.

He receives his pension on the first of every month.  It has to be brought to him under the protection of the English military, or it would otherwise be seized by his creditors.