Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-08-09
Visiting in India.

flSitinS III Ahuos
The first thing am told to do after
having got roof over my head is to
array myself in uniform, grid a sword
on my thigh, take cards in my hand,
and call on the General and his staff;
also the Resident or Chiefs Commits
sioner, or whatever else he called HIM
self, and his staff. That done, l may
get into plain clothesj and, having pro-
vided myself with list OF all the ladies
in the place, commence my round OF
visits. l believe it is considered the
more strictly correct thing to dc for a
married man to call by himself and
make kind of reconnaissance. The
husband of the lady called upon then
does likewise, and, If they are both sat
isfied, then their wives call. One rule
always observed, and that is, that, mar
ried or single, the newcomer calls first.
1 am, moreover, told that the onl y hours
1 can make my calls in are between II
and 2-the hottest in the day. L sup
pose this is by way of making it all the
more meritorious and complimentary,
in the same way pilgrims make them
selves as uncomfortable as they can by
putting pens in their shoes when they
visit some shrine. / hire a gharry, or
carriage. 1t comes to the door. 1t is
wonderful Hooking vehicle, on four
wheels there are shutters all round,
which, if down, can never be pulled up,
and if up cannot be pulled down. Gen
orally half are up--the very ones you
do not want. It is so narrow that you
squeeze into it with difficulty, particu-
larly if you are inclined to be little
stout and ON turning sharp round 1t
feels as if it would fall over on one side.
The driver sits on the roof, has turban
fastened on his head by bandage pass
ing under the chin, giving him the ap-
pearance Of suffering from toothache.
He has very little other clothing. The
horse is fearful-looking old screw,
mere skin and bone, which, when not
jibbing, however, goes along at decent
pace. A large bundle of grass, tied on
to the roof for the refreshment of the
aforesaid screw, completes the turnout.
step in, and we start. The door will
not remain shut; it is continually flying
open, aud aggravating me. The heat
is intense the dust blows in clouds !;
the perspiration pours down me my
beautifully-starched collars become very
limp, my lavender kids are ruined. At
last I arrive al the first of my list. The
servant comes down the steps of the
veranda for mysscard, and says, "Missis
can't see"-the Indian equivalent for
Not at home" I remember on one
occasion, when the servant was told to
say "Not at home," the truthful crea-
ture came to the carriage door, and de-
livered himself of the following:
"Missis saying she not at home-she in
bed, Sar" Sometimes you will be told
the reason she can't see, entering into
very infinitely into details that may
bring blush to your modest face. One
friend of mine, irritated at going from
house to house and getting the eternal
"can't see" for reply, at last requested
the servant to inquireif Missis had sore
eyes. However, at several of the
houses I visited, Missis could see and
then found out that what are consid-
cred evening dresses at home are sup
posed to be the correct thing to wear,
both by callers and called upon out here.
Some even went so far as to have flowers
in their hair. The gentlemen as yet
have not got to wearing swallow-tailed
coats and white ties, but they may do
so in time. Old Indians-men who
have been long in the country-are
rather given to calling in white uni
forms; and, as far as GOODNESS is con-
cerned, they have undoubtedly the best
of it. Perhaps they do not possess any
plain clothes. An officer, who had
been thirty years in the country without
once going home, told me that seven
years before be purchased suit of plain
clothes, or, as he called them-he was
q Scotchman-" ceevil clothes" that he
had only worn them once, and was
afraid of doing so now, as he thought
they might be out of fashion, and that
the young officers would laugh at him.
AS there were nearly 200 houses to call
at, it took me the greater part of week
getting through al my visits. Once a
Week.