This letter reminds me of what took place at Cawnpore some years before. The young Rajah of Ulwar (since dead) arrived at Cawnpore with a large camp. The officers of the 88th wished to be civil to this young native prince, so a card was dispatched, worded in the usual form: ‘Lieutenant-Colonel Maxwell and officers 88th (Connaught Rangers) request the honour of his highness the Rajah of Ulwar’s company to dinner,’ &c., &c., &c. My feelings may be imagined when I received the following reply: ‘Moha, Rajah of Ulwar, and his company give thanks to you, and excepted the dinner this evening, but requests to distribute the rations to all men from the bazaar as Hindoo regulation, also we are meet with you this evening at seven o’clock, March 19th, 1864.’ The Rajah’s company consisted of several hundred followers, for whom I was expected to distribute rations in the bazaar! I forget how we got out of the dilemma, but we certainly did not provide food for the followers. The young noble came in a magnificent dress, covered with jewels, accompanied by about twenty of the most fierce-looking attendants, also arrayed in grand suits. His highness would eat nothing, but seemed to appreciate cherry brandy, and caused me some anxiety, as he insisted on drinking it out of a large claret-glass. There are many interesting relics of by-gone grandeur in and near Agra. Everyone has heard of the Taj-Mahal, but no one who has not seen it can imagine the perfect beauty of this tomb. Built as it is of white marble, in a climate which does not tarnish the purity of the stone, it rises gracefully in clear lines from its surroundings of green trees against the blue sky. But night is the time to see it, and we were especially favoured when Lord Mayo paid his visit to Agra, and gave a garden-party among the flowers and fruit-trees of this most romantic spot. The guests were received in front of a temple in the gardens, from which there is a fine view of the tomb. Suddenly a flood of brightness came from blue lights lit upon the height in the background, and the Taj stood out clear and distinct in startling beauty. Every pinnacle and cornice of the exquisite marble of that most dream-like monument of love was seen for a moment, and, as the light faded away, the tomb glided back into a sepulchral gloom.