king of the Boollams, as his superior, although, in fact, his power and influence in the country is nearly equal to the king’s own.  On the day of my arrival, he sent me, ready cooked, in the European style, an excellent dinner, of which I, of course, could not do less than ask him to partake.  Although a Mahommedan, he drank wine freely, in compliment, as he said, to me, although I could perceive that he enjoyed it exceedingly.  He told me, in the course of conversation (carried on principally through an interpreter) that he had, at that time, no fewer than 85 wives.  His brother, who had died some time previously, left 75 wives, all of whom he was entitled, by the custom of his country, to have married; he told me, however, that he only chose 45 of them, all of whom he wedded in one day.  In the evening a number of these ladies favoured us with their company, some of whom were very fine women.  They also seemed to drink their wine with great relish.

“Rejoicings commenced at sunset, and continued during the whole night.  I had a guard of honour placed over my residence, to prevent intrusion during the night; which, however, I found it impossible to prevent altogether, as during the election and coronation of a king, the laws ‘sleep,’ nor can any crime, short of murder or an attempt to murder, be punished during that space of time, which generally extends to 14 or 16 days.  The natural consequence of this is, that all the most idle and worthless of the neighbouring nations, or tribes, flock to a place where they can practise all manner of crimes with impunity.  Many persons, particularly minstrels, or bards, had walked upwards of 400 miles from the interior, to be present at the election about to take place at Yougroo.

  “The town of Yougroo, I was told, generally contained but about 500 or
  600 inhabitants, although, during the election, &c. there must have
  been, at least, 5000 or 6000 persons present.

“The mourners for the deceased king, of whom there are 16 in number, are the most extraordinary figures that can possibly be conceived.  One half of their faces (the upper half) is painted white, forming a hideous contrast with their black countenances.  The mourners (literally ‘makers of the cry,’ i.e. lament) are appointed immediately on the death of the king,[13] and continue their functions until the election of a new king takes place, however long it may be before that event may happen.  They are generally girls of from ten to fourteen years of age, and are, while mourners, held sacred and inviolate.

“Sunday, March 4th.—­This day was appointed for the formal election of a successor to the throne of King George.  By noon, the whole of the chiefs and headmen were assembled in the Palaver House, when the Regent, or person appointed to administer the government during the interregnum, proposed, in a speech of some length, John Macaulay