OUR VICEREGAL LIFE

IN INDIA

SELECTIONS FROM MY JOURNAL

1884-1888

BY THE

IN TWO VOLUMES-VOL. II

'WITH PORTR.dIT A.YD JI:.!P

THIRD THOUSAND

LONDON

JOHN MURRAL ALBEMARLE STREET

1889

All rlghll rutrwtd

CHAPTER X

CALCUTTA, 1886-7

December IS, 1886, to March IS, 1887 lcutta-Christmas Day-The Nawab of Dacca-Tent-pegging-

Visitors-Dance on Doard the Clan Macpherson.-Chandernagore-Torpedo Practice in the Hooghly-Leper missions-Fund Meeting at the Town Hall-The Ezra Hospital-The Bethune School-The Campbell Hospital-Jubilee Day-New HonoursThe Parade-The Cathedral-Assembly on the Maidan-The Illuminations-School Feast at Barrackpore-The Bachelors' Jubilee Ball-Jubilee Bridge over the Hooghly-Presentation of Colours to the Royal Canadians-Missiona.ry Schools in the Paddy-fields-The Misses Hoare-Farewell to Sir Rivers

Thompson.

CHAPTER XVI

OUR LAST TOUR IN INDIA November 13 to December 14, 1888

Hood-bye to Simla-Labore-The Lady Aitchison Hospital-Deputations - Patiala - The Camp-Durbars - Oftera of Native Princes towards Frontier Defences-Lady Helen burnt out-Tbe Rajah's Store·room-Native Sports-Last Visit to Agra-On the /

Sick Lisi-Down the Ganges-Da.cca-Tbe Nawabs-The .Ele- ~l_;r-::===:::-""""",

--phe.nts-Surma Valley Light Horse-Manipuri Polo Players-

Ball-~m ~alcntta-:-St. Anarew's Dinner-Deputation rromLadies of Bengil, Orissa, and Behar-Last Dars in Calcntta-Arrival of Lord Lansdowne-Departure from Government

House-Bombay. . 820

Dlgrlized by

102 OUR VICEREGAL LIFE IN INDIA CR. X

put, and the tying and packing up of mysterious parcels filled every spare moment of the day. At four o'clock we drove to the Zoo, and showed off the new monkeys with great success, and then we all rested till dinnertime. The children of course dined with us, and we were a party of twenty-six; Mr. Baring being the only invited guest. The tree was lighted up directly after, and was pronounced to be 'lovely.' Then came the fishing and a period of the greatest excitement. The parcels were all directed, and the fisherman had to deli ver his fish to the proper owner. We all save and received, and all seemed delighted with the presents they got, and established little corners of their own in which they put their things. The boys had riding whips and spurs, and boxes of games, and books and tennis racquets, and the girls had necklaces, and riding whips, racquets, &c., &c. They were so pleased, and gloated over their corners with beaming faces. I too had some delightful presents, and was equally pleased with my own corner.

We danced and played games afterwards, and wound up with snapdragon, which always delights as much as it alarms the children.

Thursday, January 6th, I 887.-1 rode for the first time with the children-such a family party of riders I-and Blanche drove with the Duchess. We all met at Ballygunge, where there was tea and polo. In the evening we went to a party a.t the Nawab of Dacca's. He has taken a house here, and is giving entertainments almost every day. There had been a, dinner party, but we only went to the

CALOUTTA

lOS

native music and nautch after it. The Bhemiana, which is joined on to the house, is beautifully arranged, with a nice wooden floor for dancing, and with curtains an d furniture and chandeliers. When we first arrived we looked at some specimens of Dacca manufactures, the most curious and wonderful being a large mat made of ivory. It is big enough to cover a sofa, and is as soft and smooth and flexible as the finest grass matting. The art may be said to have died out, as the only man who made these mats well is dead. The Nawab also showed us some jewellery. He has the sister diamond to the Koh-i-Noor. The one is the' Mountain of Light,' the other the 'River of Light;' the latter is a flat diamond, and is not therefore very striking to our eyes. He has a few other fine diamonds set in stars and on sword-handles. There was only one girl to dance, and when we had seen enough of her we listened to some native music. One of the performers did all the expression with his face, and made such grimaces of agony and cast up such beseeching eyes that it became quite embarrassing.

We left at about eleven, having had a pleasant evening, but I hear that some people stayed until two.

Friday, 7th.- We went to see the Mint this morning, and found the making of rupees and quarter-annas and pice a moat interesting process to observe, The· molten silver pouring out of red-hot cauldrons was the first and prettiest thing; we carefully followed the whole process, and saw the flattening out of the bars of

1888

DACCA.

8S8

modified rest, as he has much work to do; still, freedom from interruptions makes work comparatively easy.

Monday, 26th.-I ought to have landed with the others at N araingunge to-day, but was persuaded not to do so, lest I should lose my voice again if I had such a long day of conversation as a visit there would entail upon me. So I only saw the outside of the place-the river gay with steam-launches and boats, the shores covered with flags and decorations, the vegetation most luxuriant, and the houses large and comfortable-looking. I went on in the barge to Dacca, and when D. and the girls came there by train they said they had had a pleasant day. They lunched with Mr. and Mrs. Henderson, they received addresses, and went over a jute manufactory, and they brought me back a ,beautiful address all to myself in a silver box from the natives of the place, which made me sorry that I had not landed, as I fear they will have been disappointed.

The place here looks so pretty from the boat. There are such quantities of flags, and such beautiful triumphal arches, and some picturesque mosques and buildings. We dined with the Nawab and drove through the town, where the illuminations were lovely. There were palisades of light, and buildings picked out in fire, and chains of lamps, and when we reached a long avenue leading to the Nawab's house it was lighted by candles the whole way- 12,000 candles. His garden was literally transformed into a garden of light, all the beds marked out by lines of fire. We thought' Ave Av'a' in gold letters on an arch was a very happy thought.

884

OUR VICEREGAL LIFE IN INDIA CR. XVI

C The Nawab' may be said to consist of two persons, a very old father and a middle-aged son. The son has all the power and does all the business, but both are devoted to each other, and the son is so attentive to his father, who can scarcely bear him to go out of his sight. He cannot go out shooting, or be away half a day from the old man, and it is nice to see them with each other. The son dined and took me in to dinner. He speaks English quite well, and the entertainment was exceedingly well done and nice in every way. After dinner we had native music and a nautch. Have I yet succeeded in instructing you as to the extreme propriety and dulness of a nautch? There is never any incident in it, and no apparent purpose, and it is a most incomprehensible amusement, though I like a little of it.

Tuesday, 27th.-The girls went ashore in the morning to see Mr. Saunderson's elephants. He is employed by Government to catch and train elephants, and he was able to show them a great many. I was sorry I had not gone with them. They were very much amused by the fury of a baby elephant when taken away from its mother. It rampaged about, and rushed at the bystanders, and showed every symptom of a violent temper.

The Viceroy meantime received deputations, and in the afternoon we all went ashore. We drove through the town of Dacca to the ruins of an old fort, and there I 30 elephants were gathered for us to see. They c marched past • in a line, four deep, and looked very magnificent and somewhat antediluvian. Then two babies were

1888

MANIPURI POLO-PLAYERS

835

exhibited, and it was seen that the angry one of the morning had not yet recovered its equanimity, and could scarcely be induced to come from under the shelter of its mother's great body.

We next drove on to the polo-ground, our escort being composed of the Surma Valley Light Horse, a volunteer corps composed of Kaehar planters, who had come some four days down the river, bringing their horses with them, to meet us. A very interesting game was to be played. The Nawab had brought down from Manipur two teams of native players with their own ponies. Polo is their national game, and as they live 80 far away, few people ever have the chance of seeing it as they play it. Manipur is on the border between Burma and Assam. When we drove on to the ground we were received by the two Nawabs, and found a Shamiana, where the society of the place was collected, and where a very smart set of thrones was arranged for us. On the other side of the gronnd there was a great crowd looking on.

We first inspected the players. The men are of a Mongol type, and each side was smartly dressed, the one with green velvet jackets and yellow turbans, and the others with violet jackets and white turbans; they both had short white lower garments and bare legs. The ponies were tiny, just like little children's ponies, and they had a good deal of harness on. Besides cords and tassels, which hung about, they bore lacquer saddles, and on either side of them a large shield of lacquer curled in at each side, which protected the rider's legs. As the Viceroy approached to inspect them, an the men went down on their knees.

,886 OUB VICEREGAL LIFE IN INDIA CR. XVI

When the play began it looked like a toy game, the funny little ponies and the bright-coloured riders rushing about and the ball flying. The lacquer shields rattled as the men urged on the ponies by pressing on their sides, or when they knocked up against each other. I do not suppose the players got so excited as they do in their homes, though they were playing for a Rs. 500 prize, but in their own hills their friends and relations come and look on, and hoot the bad player and encourage the good, and show much tribal agitation over the events of the game.

In the evening we had a ball, which we reached with difficulty. The river is low here, and there are sand. banks in all directions, and we went aground, and then had to tum back when we were just opposite our destination, and to go round quite a different way. Even then we could not get up to the house, and a small boat had to be sent for us. The view from the river was quite lovely. The town was again illuminated, and the shapes of all the buildings shown in lines of light against the sky made it look like a fairy city.

The dance was given by the Club in a house lent by a native gentleman; the house and gardens were all illuminated. There were about twenty ladies and double the number of men, and a band frOID Calcutta, and the most exquisite silver programmes for us. Solid silver books, with my initials on one side and D. 's crest, collars, &c., on the other. What do you think of that!

At supper D.'s health was proposed by Mr. Hopkins, the Commissioner, and as we left the ladies cheered from the balcony, and all the men from the quay, till we

1888

RETURN TO CALOUTTA

SS7

were out of sight. The ball was very well done, and was very pretty, and the Viceroy danced ten dances without stopping, while I talked to all the ladies in turn.

JJ"ednesday, 28th.-"'·e are going back to Calcutta now, and spend this day in our barge and to-morrow in the railway.

Thursday, 29th .-We had such a very kind reception at Calcutta. The station was most beautifully decorated, there were two large guards of honour, the streets were crowded, and at our house a large number of native a.nd European friends collected to greet us. The ladies

--

had telegraphed to ask if they might come, and it was

very pleasant to find so many there to welcome us back. We went slowly up the steps, shaking hands on either side, and when we had quite finished saying' How do you do ? ' we took a few people in to tea. We are all so glad to come back here, and wish we were going to stay two months and enjoy this delightful winter life, but we only have a. week! That fact is brought home to us every moment, for the drawing-rooms look bare, and we are no longer occupying our own rooms, which are now ready for Lord and Lady Lansdowne, while we are in the guests' chambers.

Friday, 30th.-Breakfast on our lovely balcony in such heavenly sunshine; we all shuddered at the thought of London fog, especially as Fred, who got back here yesterday from England, gave us a most gloomy account of it, and said he wouldn't live there for the world!

This is St. Andrew's Day, and D. having been

VOL. II.

z

Hariot Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava in 1891

Hariot Georgina Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava VA CI DBE (5 February 1843-25 October 1936) was a British peeress, known for her success in the role of "diplomatic wife", and for leading an initiative to improve medical care for women in British India.

Born Hariot Georgina Rowan-Hamilton, she was the eldest of the seven children of Archibald Rowan-Hamilton of Killyleagh Castle. On 23 October 1862 she married her distant cousin, the 5th Baron Dufferin and Claneboye and they later had three daughters and six sons.

Her husband was created Earl of Dufferin in 1871 and she and their children travelled with him to Canada a year later, upon his appointment as Governor General. Lady Dufferin was one of the most popular of governor-general's wives, and was starting to build up her reputation as "the most effective diplomatic wife of her generation". (ODNB) She was sad to leave when the earl's term ended in 1878.

Next he was ambassador to Russia from 1879-81, and to the Ottoman Empire from 1881-84, where she received the Grand Crescent of the Turkish Order of the Chefakat in 1883, followed by the Persian Order of the Sun in 1887. In both S1. Petersburg and Constantinople, as at all their embassies, the couple were known for their hospitality.

Lady Dufferin then went with her husband to India in 1884 when he was appointed as the country's viceroy, and set up the National Association for supplying Female Medical Aid to the Women of India (known as the Countess of Dufferin Fund) a year later. This association recruited and trained women doctors, midwives and nurses to improve the situation for Indian women in illness and in child-bearing. As well as the numerous 'Lady Dufferin' hospitals and clinics which were established, some of which still exist under that name, there are medical colleges and midwifery schools named after her. This involved her in a great deal of fund-raising and is sometimes referred to as her zenana work; it was celebrated by Rudyard Kipling in his Song of the Women. She received the Crown of India in 1884 and the Royal Order of Victoria and Albert in 1889.

When the earl's term in India ended in 1888, they travelled back to their home at Clandeboye in Ireland and her husband was elevated in the peerage as the Marquess ofDufferin and Ava that same year. He continued his ambassadorial career in Emope and the marchioness accompanied him to Italy and France. She published her memoirs, based on the letters she had written to her mother: Our Viceregal Life in India (1889) and My Canadian Journal (1891). They retired to Clandeboye in 1896.

After her husband died in 1902, she spent much of her time in a relatively modest house in Chelsea, London, economising when possible to help her sons. She wrote My Russian and Turkish Journals (1916) and was made a DBE in 1917. None of her sons outlived her, though two daughters did. Two sons died in infancy, two in war, and her youngest, Frederick, was killed in an accident in 1930. She died in London in 1936 and was buried at Clandeboye.