The occurrence of plantains and mangoes here is curious, and a sure sign of mild climate, as Kalanchœ is of dryness; nothing could well exceed the barrenness of the road, from crossing Dumria to Benka.
Benka is a straggling place, built on a ridge overhanging the Monass, and on exceedingly rugged ground, the north face of the ridge being nearly equally steep; the southern face, contains about fifty houses, all of which are small and a few in ruins. The only large house is the Rajah’s, which is said to be of Chinese construction.
This day the Rajah paid us a visit; a tent was pitched for his reception on the open ground before our house, consisting of a small silken pall, with two high silken parti-coloured kunnauts. He arrived about eleven, preceded and succeeded by followers amounting to less than a hundred. On reaching the ground, he was carried or shuffled off his horse and deposited in the tent amid most terrific screechings. He took an immense time to arrange for our admission. We found him seated on a shabby throne, with a head priest, a coarse looking man, on his right, on a less elevated seat. Brass cups, etc. were arranged before him. Our chairs occupied the left; a present of fruits, onions, etc., the floor. The meeting was friendly, and he promised us coolies in two days. He is a youngish man with a square face, and was well dressed.
After we had taken leave, he feasted his attendants and the spectators with salt-fish and rice. He departed about 2 P.M. The procession was as follows, both going and returning—
A large, black, shaggy dog led by a chain.
A drum and drummer; a gong with a melodious sound; a clarionet played by an old and accomplished musician, rivalling in its strains that beautiful instrument the bagpipe; a man bearing a wooden painted slab on a pole, on this was an inscription; a banner looking like a composition of rags; a white flaglet; fifteen matchlockmen; fifteen bowmen; the Dompa of Roongdong; five horses and one mule led.
The household; Natchees; guitar; sundries. Personal attendants, looking like yeomen of the guard in red cloth dresses, variegated with yellow; the Rajah wearing a Chinese copper hat.
Lastly, the priests, of whom there were about six.
These were the best clothed and best mounted, and evinced satisfactory tokens of being corporeally well off. Their dress consisted of a sombre jacket with no sleeves, with either a yellow or red silk back, over this is a sombre scarf. They are great beggars, and the headman was well pleased with a present of four rupees. In return, he gave P. two, B. and myself each one paper of salt, similar to those given to the lookers-on.
The ponies were all poor, excepting two or three of the Rajah’s own, which were handsomely equipped; these had their tails raised on end, exactly like hobby-horses. In addition to this, each was supplied with supernumerary yâk tails, one on either side.