Hydur Alí was a plain man, and free from vanity or self sufficiency. He was not fond of delicacies, nor particular in what he ate. He gave no orders about his table, but ate whatever they placed before him. His mode of living was, however, not like that of a man of rank, but rather like that of a private soldier. At his table twice a day some of his most intimate friends used to attend, but the shares, and food, of all were alike.

In his dress, also, he was not very particular. He did not wear his Jamah (tunic or coat) often; but a vest, open in front, made of a broad kind of white cloth which is called in India, Doria, that the width of the cloth might allow of its being broad at the breast.

On his head he wore a red turban, of a hundred hands in length, or a yellow turban of Boorhanpoor manufacture. His trowsers were made of Masu­lipatam chintz; and he was fond of chintz, the ground of which was white, strewed* with flowers. He wore diamond clasps on his wrists, and two or three diamond rings on his fingers. He slept on a small silken carpet; and this, and two or three pillows, were all he required for his bed.

He was not fond of the throne, or state display, unless on the festival of the Eed; when, if some of his friends reminded him of it, he ordered his throne to be spread or arranged in form.

On Tuesdays and Fridays, from the morning to mid-day, no one could enter his presence; for on that day he was shaved. First of all his head was shaved; after that, two barbers sat down, one on each side of him, and pulled out the hair of his beard, whiskers,* and eyebrows, with a pair of tweezers. As an instance of his plainness approaching to folly, it is related, that there was in his service a one-eyed man,* named Yasín Khan, whose nickname was Wunti Koodri; Wunti, in the Canarese language, signifying one, and Koodri a horse, or the master of one horse. This man always served singly; and, notwithstanding he was asked to accept a Risaldári, (the command of a regiment,) he constantly refused, and for that reason assumed or acquired this name. Between him and Hydur there was frequently a great deal of wit bandied about, in the public Dur­bar, until, sometimes, it degenerated into abuse. This man at first shaved his beard and whiskers like those of the Nawaub Bahadúr; but, when he became old, he allowed his beard to grow very long. One day, using an indecent expression, the Nawaub asked him— why he allowed his beard to grow so long. In reply, he said, “Men call those eunuchs who shave their beards and moustaches.” This was in allusion to Hydur’s custom of shaving his beard, and also to the cause of Yasín Khan’s following his example, by shaving his.

In the battle fought between the Nawaub and Trimuk Mama, the army of the Nawaub was totally defeated, and his baggage plundered. After the battle, the Mahrattas searched about every where, that they might take Hydur prisoner; and they were all impressed with an opinion, that any man who had his beard and moustaches shaved must be Hydur Náík. In these circumstances, Yasín Khan Wunti Koodri, keeping his eye on the faith and gratitude he owed his master, immediately shaved off his beard and whiskers, and folding a tur­ban round his head, after the manner of Hydur Alí, mounted a large horse, and with three or four horse­men ranged over the field, as if they were men of rank seeking to escape. As soon, therefore, as the Mahrattas saw them, they made sure that Yasín was no other than Hydur Alí Khan himself; and they seized him and carried him to their officer. In the mean time, however, Hydur Alí by stripping off his clothes,* had escaped, and had reached Seringaput­tun, the distance being about three Kose (four miles and a half). When the Mahrattas found that Hydur Alí Khan had escaped, and that the man they had taken was Yasín Khan, they released him from confinement, and, from that day, he used in jest to say, that he was the true, or original, Hydur Alí Khan.