The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-01-26
Life in India.

Inc heAt uay L ianutu aI tne Oity Vi TaIa-
ces, and shortly after had an audience of the
Marquis of Hastings, Governor General ard
Commander-in. Chief of India, to whom /
brought letters from his niece, Lady William
Russell, Mr.. Cook, of Holkham, Lord Lau-
derdale and Lord Holland. These served
me in good stead, for there happened to be
a vacancy on his personal staff, to which
was Immediately appointed. The following
week accompanied Lord Hastings to his
country seat at Baorackpore to take my turn
of aide-de' camp in waiting We dined at
in the afternoon. After dinner, two phn
ions, each drawn by four white horses came
to the door. On one side were ranged seven
elephants, gaudily caparisoned, especially
the one destined to carry the "Lord Sahib,
which bore the title Of bahadur generally,
and had "a livery more gaudy than its fel-
lows" On a word from the mahout the bf-
hadur went on all f1urS to receive its load
ladder was placed against its side; Lord
Hastings assembled and made me seat my
self beside him. My first ride was not alto.
gether, agreeable. The equilateral movement
of the animal, in its walk, too much resem
bled shat of ship in a heavy swell. re-
| member being struck with the beauty of an
air-plant which formed a succession of fes-
uoons over our heads. The elephant was Or
dered to gather it for me- The delicate man.
ner in which it separated the tender parasite
from the tree with its trunk could not have
been outdone by the most delicate of human
fingers. One evening my attention was ar
rested by the behavior of the elephant that
was to carry the Governor General 1t would
not stand still for moment, but kept con.
stantiy shaking the little ornamental bell,
of its hawdan-cloth. On inquiry founc
that the 'bahadur" being indsposed, thi,
animal supplied its place, and tha, its con
tortions arose from the pleasure it felt at tn,
gaudiness of its apparel. When approach
ed the conceited beast it was making nois,
with its trunk like the purring of cat
used greatly to enjoy these elephantine rides
1t was gratifying to youngster to be on ia
miliar intercourse with a man, who, as
soldier, orator, or statesman, had been befor
the world for nearly half century. o.
public occasions Lord Hastings was tn
most stately of human beings; you then sa,
only the naughty ruler over hundred an
odd millions of fellow creatures but tete. 9
I tete in howdah he was totally diiferen
, would talk freely on all subjects, and max
, no secret of his disputes with the East Indi
"A wh -, 4,
| but "his much approved and esteemed GOO
r masters" But the subject that most int
: rested me was his military life beginuir
: from 1873, when as Francis Rawdon, Cal
n tain of gaenadiers, he had two bulle
n through his cap at the battle of Bunker
d Hill, up to 1917 when by strategetically co
e centrating the armies of Bengal, Madras al
j. Bombay. on given spot on a given day,
u annihilated the Pindarrees and wholly su
II ver;ed the power of the Mahrattas. The
l. was one subject in which the General a
l. his aide-de-camptook common il terest
we were both enthusiastic admirers
W Shakespeare. As We we're toierablv W
30 up in our author, we used To recite to ea
other our !avorite passages, and occasions
ly with such emphasis that often wonder
y, what the mahout must have thought Of
Of seeming alterations. Like Hoeace W
pole, Lrrd Hasting' vas stout a?ologirt
at eichard H., aud differed fGom the view /
* bis favorte bard has taken of his char. f,
nd lie conteDded that Richard was to be ia
ey ed by the moral. STANDARD of the age
he which he lived, and not by ours; that
ter humanity was on par with that of Els
ow ", and that in his short reign Of Kin.
'es did much to mitigate the lyranni,sl m
eft ure> Of his elder brother. | was amuse
nd hear him defend Richard for cLttirg of
out bead Of his ance,iur-the Lord iIsstinl
TO that day-he thc ughl self preservation (
ow warranted the dceh.-Lord Abcnlarle's
gn- collections.