Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-04-18
Grant In Bombay.

O., ,UFIGNG \ GOVERNMENT HOTsE-EU-
EoPEAN LIFE IN INDIA.
ID Russell Youns's Letter to New York Herald
Our home in Bombay is at the Govern
ment House, on Malabar Point. in the
suburbs Of the city. 1t is difficult TO de-
scribe a residence like Government House
on Malabar point Archtecturei7 simply
q battle with the sun. The house i a
group Of houses. As YOU drive in the
grounds, through stone gates that remind
You Of the porter's lodges of some state
ly English mansions, you pass through
IN avenue Of mango trees, past beds of
flowers throwing out their delicate frag-
rance on the warm morning air. lou
come TO a one-storied house, surrounded
with spacious veTandas. There is wide
state entrance. covered with red clcth
4 guard i at the foot, 4 native guard
wearing the English scarlet, on his shoul-
ders the number indicating his regiment.
You pass up the stairs, line of servants
on either side. The servants are all Mo
hammedanS: they wear long scarlet
gowns with white turbans; on the breast
as belt with an imperial crown tor an
escutcheon. They salute you with the
grave submissive grace of the East, touch
head. in token of welcome and duty
Gou enter a hall and pass between two
rooms-large, high and decorated with
blue and white and look out upon the gar
dens below, the sea beyond and the towers
of Bombay. One oithese rooms is the state
dining room, large enough to dine fifty
people; the other is the state drawing
room This house is only used Tor cere-
monies, for meals and receptions. You
pass for 100 PAGES under Z covered way
over path made of cement and stone,
through flower beds and palm trees, and
come to another house. Here are the
principal bedrooms and private chambers.
This also is one story high and runs
down 10 the sea, so that YOU can stand or
4 balcony and throw a biscuit into the
white surf as it combs the shore. These
are the apartments assigned TO General
Grant aud his vile. There are drawing
rooms. an;e-rooms, chambers the walls
high. floors covered with rugs and cool
mating. As YOU enter in, servants. who
are sitting crouched along on the floors,
rise up andbend the head. You note lit
tie group of shoes at the door and learn
that in the East custom requires these in
service 10 unslipper themselves before en-
tcring the house Of master. Another
100 PAGES and YOU conetoanother house,
with wide verandahs, somewhat larger
then the Generals. These are the guest
chambers, and here a part Of our party
reside. Still further on is another house,
and here the writer finds a home, and
as he sits at the table writing these
lines he looks out Of the open door, shaded
by palm tree, and he sees the white
surf as it breaks over the rocks and hears
its drowsy, moaning, unending, roar.
look out Of the window and see tall
flag staff with a stone base. From this
staff the flag OF England floats when the
Governor is athome Ny house is 4 series
of rooms arched over with high walls. The
chamber in which | write is comforta-
bic working room, with many windows
and easy chairs, The room adjoining is
4 bed-chamber. Other rooms complete
the suite, and from my chamber window
! can look out on the sea, on the embra-
surcd guns and watch the coming and
going Of the tides. You note that the
builders Of this house had only one idea
to fight the sun. 1t IL now the coolest
winter weather, remarkably cool for Bonn
bay Every window and every door is
open. and even my summer garments
are warm, and. when weary with the
heat, ] throw down the pen and walk
out under the palm trees and look at the
surf and WOO the breczes that come over
the seas from Persia, ard throw myself
upon the lounge and dip into one of the
books piled about-boOks about Indian
history, religion, caSte-which | have
found in the library and in which am
trying 10 know something OF this ancient
and wonderful land.
So far Is beauty IS ConcCmed-beauty
Of an Indian character, with rs much
comfort as j. possible in llindostan no
thing could be more attractive than our
home on Malabar Point. We are the
guests OF the Governor, and honors OF his
house are done by Capt. Firth and Capt.
Radcliffe of the army, two ACCOMPLISHED
young officers, the last representatives Of
the last type OF the English st ldier and
gentlemen. We take our meals in the
StTtc dining-r0om, and when dinner is
over We stroll over TO the General 5 bun
galow and sit with him on the verandah
looking out on the sea sit late into the
night, talking about India, and home,
and all the strange phases ot this civl-
lizalion Mrs. Grant seems to enjoy
every moment Of the visit, more especial
" a. we are to have 4 weeks mail on
"Wednesday. and the steamer neverbreaks
its word. Mr. Borie is in fine spirits
and health, all things considered, and
has surprised is in the virtue Of early
rising. All manner Of plans are pro-
posed to induce Mr. Borie to throw lus
tire upon the expedition by destroying
tiger and carrying home a trophy of his
proves to Philadelphia. but he steadily
declines these imporlunities, taking the
high minded ground that he has never
had a misunderstanding with a tiger
in his life ald does not propose now to
cultivate the rescntmcnts OF the race.