New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-22
TRAVELS IN INDIA.
ENTERTAININGLY DESCRIBED.
GIRLS WINTER IN INDIA. BY Mary Thorn
Carpenter. Illustrated 12mo PIP. 24o. Aiso"
ID. f. Randolph & Co.

GIRLS WINTER IN INDIA. BY Mary Thorn
Carpenter Illustrated l2mO. PIP. 24O. AnsoH
ID. +. Randolph Co.
Miss Carpenter is an Obscrvant traveller ana
though like other young writers she Is ant TO th'n
It necessary describe things which all the world
has long been familiar WITH she has the knck OF
connecting amusing little personal touches with her
descriptions and thus In some degree freshens them
Perhaps she Is too fond OF social functions to make
n very good traveller for she cannot resist Govern
ment balls. garden parties and receptions winch Is
fatal weakness In ans one who JOURNEYS IN order ~
write nowadays. When Taverner travelled through
India erythng about the country was new ana IN
tcresng. To-day every nook and corner. save some
OF the widest in the hills, has been explored
and described. and OF people. distinguished and
otherwise have written pen-pctures OF the Viceregal
establishments the durbars, the great ceremonial as
scmblcs and all that pertains to the pomp OF the
Indian Government. Nevertheless this -oung New
York Girl has acquitted herself BY no means badly In
her account OF a ball at Government House. whore she
made her first acquaintance with the gorgeous and
often ncongruous array Of the native princes and
ra jnhs
She went 70 India BY way Of Naples, OF course
taking lnr Pompeii BY the way. nnd-not Of course
lunchng on that occasion In the Temple OF Augustus
Life on the p and q. steamers pleased her much;
donkey ride at Port Said amusing but undignifed :;
the Red Sea fortunately not 80 hot as usual by
the way Miss Carpenter should have sought nforma
ton to the origin OF that name. The explanation
which she gives Is not the right one She had the
usual passing glimpse OF Ceyon. and, luckily for her.
escaped the swarm OF the Cinglaese jewelry peders
who with 80 many wcs are OH hand TO offer the most
tempting bargains in glass gems to tile unsophlst
Gated globe trotters.' She and her companion were
not permitted the famous alleged tooth OF Buddha
which Miss Gordon Cumming had 50 good an examina-
al, tbo ulno .boy. m
visited but 1T Is TO be presumed that the caves
OF Elephanta dropped from the list for reasons
understood by the Initiated
On leaving bombay the traveller engaged nntive
servant Being lmprudent enough to hire low caste
man, some Inconvenience resulted. For instance,
In Calcutta the Bengal house steward paid no heed
10 'shankers request for soup. peas oranges.
In compliance with needs al table: and the dinner
was usually prolonged at least half hour. all owing
4 his being u ower-casfe and different Worship
still shanhcr was a very useful and indcfatigable
member OF the party "Shnnkers cOmpshments,'
writes Miss Carpenter are innumerable. and ds
cupatIons varied. lie Is our general manager.
treasurer: speaks the languages Interpreter; is
courier and guide In one makes beds and sleeps
puts white sinrchri linen garment above his bare
feet and wnits on us ut table sits the box when
drive opens carriage doors; brings hot water:
binds up our traps camel like. In travelllngdutes for
which he feels munlGcenuy rewarded by twenty rupees
month and an allowance Of four annas a day for
his food which l. dol. or curry and rice with tea.
At the stations he secures our hrst-caSs carriage.
slows away our boxes. and tips the guard that
got be disturbed In our journey. This done he rushes
on With hi worldly possessions In his carpet bag. on
which Il tied pewter teapot without a spout With
this he enters his third class carriage which Is like the
open strct-cars I'm New York. and where the natives
crowded together closely that they must sit
ulitght and have chance OF resting al siceDing
during the night
IL viii DC seen firm this extinct that Miss Car
r~nter describes well and has certain genial hnmor.
30 she goes on. giving lively accounts Of bazaars.
and ghant,. and the cN,criors Of temples and such
glImp.cS Of native manners and customs may be
caught In passing There Is no prctcncc OF superior
Information In the book and no guide book padding.
uulc,, II be In the Of the Tai Mallal and any
writer might shrink from attempt 10 emulate the
de crpon, 81 that matches odlhce already eNtant
Tho Tai the genius ~ Orlentalsm mncrializel and
Notwithstanding all that has been written OF II.
probably actually saw 1t without realizing
that II eurpa scd all his previous conceptions. Miss
Carpenter went 10 Lucknow. ana put mp AT IIs
Hotel. which she describes IA queer affair
indeed for hotel long cDlonnadcd vcrin.
dn: brhlnd that are our sleeping rooms. only
shut of from the grnsslcss. SUM- baked compound
by old trn -parcnt bamboo curtain, which
barely hangs together outside a pair Of doors awuys
open. ana WHICH j nave uiScON'rd VIII not lOrk
The house seems n quarter OF mile long BY one room
deep: there Is Office or clerk desk 10 be seen.
You shout down the open piazza for paper and ink.
and sooner or later dusky hgure occupies the per
spcctlvc Of the coumncd quarter mile Of piazza and
produces them from somewhere. Hotel life In India
Is a system Of houting.'
Al Lucknow the old lcgerd OF the Scotch girl who
heard the pipes Of the Ighlnndcrs when SIR Colin
Campbell coming u the relief Of the bclca g,cred
RGidcncy Is orce more told. surely the author
might have learned the spot that the story l. only
n pretty and picturesque invention But Miss Car
pcnier does not take much pains 10 verify her state
mcnts rule. Thus she tells the story OF the
massacre ut Cnwnpore with curious OF fact
such as that the women and children threw themselves
into the wel-whercas they were first butchcred and
then cast in there. These things OF much con
sequence. 1t may be said hut traveller Is especially
bound to seek accuracy. since carelcsncs may expose
AL his experiences TO suspicion But Miss Carpenter.
with all her shortcomings, has produced bright
shrcwd and entertaining account Of her wanderlngs
in india and lts freshness will please even those to
whom the subject Is most familiar.