Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-06-14
Secretary seward,s Tour.


lrrom the breOonla censor June ~
BY our request, Mr.. H. A. Risley, now resi-
dent of this village, has permitted us to publish
the following portion of letter written him
from India by his daughter, Miss Hattie, one of
the party accompanying Hon. VIM. H. Seward
on his journey around the world. We are
| pleased to learn from Mr.. Rsley that his eldest
| daughter, Olive +. Risey, who has been adopted
| as daughter by MIR. Seward, and is now known
as Olive Risley Seward, is keeping a full and
| complete journal of the travels and doings of
the party on their extended journey, with
view Of giving it to the public on their return
| to this country.
ALLAHABAD, April 4, 1s71.-We have got
back to this place, after having the most de-
| lightful trip one ever imagined. wrote you
last from Delhi, and told you what we had seen
up to that time; but the pleasanteSt part of our
journey came afterwards, at Pattealla. After
leaving Delhi, we went to the commissioners at
Umballa, where we were to rest day before
going to Pattealla. While there we received
written invitation, both in Persian and English,
put into silk envelope embroidered with gold;
and hanging from the cord which tied it was a
seal as large and thick as the palm of my hand.
The city of Pattealla was thirty-four miles from
the place where we were staying, SO the next
day the Maharajah sent four carriages lined
with blue velvet, and four horses each. The
commissioner sent a Captain Horseford, who
could speak Hindostanee, to interpret for us,
and when half way there we came to little
encampment where we changed horses, and
refreshments were prepared for us. When
within mile of the wall of the city, the Mahar-
ajah, according 10 Oriental custom, came in a
very handsome coach and four, driven by posti-
lions, to meet us. He took Mr. Seward in with
him, and we soon found ourselves surrounded
by crowds of soldiers, mounted and on foot, and
professions, calcium lights, and bands of music,
besides cannon booming and a great excitement
generally. On reaching the city gate, there
were twenty-four elephants standing in line
pnifppDtlv will Of
| gold cloth and earrings that came to their feet
| We were invited TO change from the carriage to
| ride on one of them; so we mounted by climb
| ing silver ladder into houdah, which was
really made of gold and silver, and cushioned
| with red velvet. Olive and sat in it together
and rode three miles through this thoroughly
| eastern city, lighted by torches, to a beautiful
| palace which the Maharaah has on purpose for
European guests. He said when he led Mr..
| Seward into it: "This is yours" and there he
left us in this beautiful palace, surrounded by a
lovely flower garden, trees, &c. The inside was
| furnished eXquistely, and the food served Ia
fFdncdlSe. We were lulled to sleep by the fall
ing water of the fountains, and awakened by
the sweet notes of the birds Before going
further, | will inform you that the Oriental
mosquito is much larger and finer than any in
the west, and quite as ravenous. The next
morning we drove about the city, native
city, very poor and dirty, as ali of them
are. l have learned that this Maharaiah
! AnhlSl uodils eIGdI hluSJ mas always Deen very
friendly to the English, and for this reason his
estate, Pattealla, has been left to him. and is
entirely under his own control as long as he
continues on the side of the English. During
all the mutinies he and his father have assisted
in subduing the rebels and for this reason he
has been knighted, and given the Star of India
| by the Queen of England through the Viceroy,
and he was at Calcutta while we were there tor
this purpose, but we were too late to see the in
sta!lati0n Pattealla is a little kingdom, of
winch there are several in India, and the Ma
harajah taxes his subjects so heavily that his
income is something fabulous. His palaces
and gardens compare with anything handsome
IN the world, while every one of his people is
making just enough to live. He speaks Eng
llsh, and ms ministers are intelligent men. He
thinks OF going TO America sometime. After
driving about that morning we went back to
our palace, and the Maharajah called upon Mr.
Seward, after which we went into building, or
on top OF 1t, TO see an elephant fight, which did
not please us, although it was something we
shall never have an opportunity to see again.
The Maharajah was dressed in pure white
! trousers and sash, and a spotess turban COW
cred with pearls. He had lovely pearl and
emerald necklace on, and his ministers and at
| PENDANTS were all dressed in immaculate COS
a tune, which is the prettiest dress in fine world
= AFTER the hight his eXcellency drove away, and
l | Tor four hours we were amused by native must.
lions, gymnasts, the court fool, trained birds
and fifty Of the Maharajahs show horses
| " hNh nv hStiAo VI Il IOIsb lOT Sale ne al
ways buys it, and pays the highest
possible price. Some of these were
very handsome, and gave us great pleasure. In
the afternoon he held "durbar," or reception
for us, so at five in the afternoon we went to bis
palace, and he came half way down the court tC
meet us, taking Mr. Seward by one hand and
Olive by the other, and led us into hall of daz
zling beauty up to some gold chairs which were
placed side by side, and we sat down and began
to talk. Presently band OF musicians and
dancing girls came in, dressed prettily and sang
! and danced for few minutes. After that al
his ministers were introduced to Mr. Seward
They came forward and made a "salaam, ;
which is a low, graceful bow, and at the same
time touching the forehead with the hand. Aftel
, this, shawls and jewels, pieces of silk, and many
other things were placed before us, out of which
the Maharajah took a Kinkob turban of grea
beauty, and presented it TO Mr.. Seward, anC
a cashmere shawl, and gave Olive and me eacl
4 one. After thanking him and being presented
i to the heir apparent, a baby Of thee years, W,
: took our departure, TO return in the evening Il
! see this room lighted. The ceiling was com
y petely hung with chandeliers, and when we re
turned the room contained 1000 lights which
-. nad crimson shades, and cast the most becominl
y nue. on everybody and everything The room
u ghstened so that it looked like one great dia
~ mono. The Maharajah changed his pearls fO
diamonds, and there were thirty-six diamond
Is ringing his turban that were as large
y, \, without exaggeration, as the end Q
~ my myers, or as large as two good
y ,sized peas, and necklace the same
a. mad l..