The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-08-26
The airhia 1ay eagle duednesaan gorno august g. 1891
HINDOO KING ON BOARD
THE VESSEL STOPPED THREE HOURS
THAT HE MIGHT PRAY.

Mrs. David Ker Talks with a Royal Per-
sonage from IndIa-something About
savage's Jewels and His Large Es-
cort-His Treatment of Americans.
There was great stir and excitement
among the passengers of the steamship
Bewa when we heard at Madras that his
highness, the maharajah (great king Of
Vizianagram was coming on board our
steamer with sixty attendants, bound for
Calcutta
We were also told that bis highress b al
paid several thousand rupees 10 the steam
ship company to have the steamer stopped
for three hours the first night, on which
there was 10 be an eclipse of the moor,
this being an event of very great import
Rnce to Hindoos. who celebrate il with
many ancient and curious ceremonies.
Now the MaharajRh OF Vizianagrsm is
one of the richest and most important OF
the native princes of India, so we were all
delighted at the prospect OF seeing him,
and crowded round the gangway all the
morning, neglecting for once the luxurious
Anglo Indian deck sofas, and even lunch
con itself, SO anxious were we to catch the
first glimpse of the famous maharajah.
But like all eastern Eagnates, he evil
IDENTIFY liked style, for it was long after the
appointed time that the guns were at last
fired from the fort announcing his depart
ure from Madras, and the royal boats were
seen coming from the shore.
ROYALTY ON frs TRAVELS.
We were not disappointed, for when the
maharajah himself stepped on deck we all
thought we had never seen such hand
some man.
he is tall and very finely built, and has
a most princely bearing. His skin, much
lighter than that of the ordinary native, is
soft and fine, and his features are hand
some and regular. His magnificent black
eyes and thick mustache complete the
beauty Of his person. His highness wore
loose drawers Of fine Indian muslin, and u
vest, tunic and scarf of the same soft and
pretty material. On his head he wore a
silver cap. and had beads around the neck.
The attendants were dressed IN all sorts
OF gay colored costumes, aud many of
them wore very handsome jewels, and
seemed to be very important personages.
Our captain was of course at the gang
way to receive the maharajah, and TO in
troduce the first class passengers to him.
His highness shook hands with US all, and
was most gracious and pleasant. The cap
tain then showed him into the cabins pre-
pared for his use, and we saw him no more
that day.
"Well, I've been to sea near forty years,
but I've never seen such goings on as this, "
said an old quartermaster with whom we
often had yarn, this ERE ships got 20
stop three mortal hours tonight just TO let
a niger king say what he calls his prayers.
He's e-going to draw up water with a
bucket with his own hands. and pour over
hisself, and he's to chuck three bags OF
gold and three of silver into the sea 70
please the gods or some SIGH nonsense. i
only wish was shark to gobble it up,
that l dol''
Sure enough, at midnight we were
awakened by the engines suddenly Stop
ping, but as no one but the maharajah
and his attendants were allowed on deck
we never got TO know exactly what the
ceremonies were.