A Vienna friend asked me if I would not like to call on the Maharajah of Benares, he being the ruler of the province, and behind his throne being the Governor-General of India. I said yes, and we sent our cards to the palace and asked an interview. An officer called, I suppose to look us over, and after asking some questions said that His Highness would be pleased to see us at one o'clock, and at that hour the same officer called again, and we went to the palace in a carriage, and were at once shown up to the second story, where we were met at the door by the Maharajah, a young man thirty years old and very fine-looking. He spoke English, and shook hands and welcomed us very politely. He was dressed in brown velvet breeches, coat of yellow silk covered with silver stars, cap of the same, and gold-embroidered shoes; and was smoking an immense pipe with a stem twenty feet long. He led the way to an interior hall, splendidly furnished in Oriental style, and showed us to a seat. We had a conversation of about half an hour, during which I took occasion to tell him something of our country, and invited him to come to New York. He said he would be very glad to see America, and thanking us for calling said he was sorry we could not stay some time in his dominions. He then shook hands and said good-bye, directing an officer to send us books about his province. Nothing could have been more polite and kind than his attentions to us. I think it proper to say that my republican pulse did not beat any quicker on seeing such a magnificent palace and potentate, though I never saw the like or read of such scenes except in the "Arabian Nights."
In the afternoon the party took another drive around the city, and while the others were examining an extensive embroidery factory, I sat in the carriage in the market-place, and was much entertained by various aspects of Oriental life.
Once a little prince came along, mounted on a splendid horse, led by a man dressed in red robes and with a red turban on his head. The little lad was dressed in robes embroidered with gold, and altogether the scene was one not to be witnessed anywhere except in this country, or at the theatre.
We drove to an ancient city some distance off, and saw several old palaces; passed through great groves of mango trees and plantations of beans, peas, wheat, rice, etc. Natives, beggars, and children in great numbers crowded around our carriages. We met a regiment of native cavalry with white officers and a fine band of native musicians.