The times., 1899-05-07

of sifyer. richly and delicately engraved
Royal Artillery men and q guard of the
First Shropshire Light Infantry, all in new
and smart uniforms. lined the approach to
the pavilion The band of the infantry
regiment played In the pavilion, and a
guard OF honor Of one hundred picked men
OF the Twenty first Bombay Infantry. In
white from tops to toes, was drawn up be-
fore the tent. Assembled within were the
ofhcers In command of the military and
naval forces the leading judges, the Lord
Bishop. and. d.many high officials of the mu-
nicipal and imperial governments. Their
gold lace. fine uniforms. sashes. and
chains, and the dresses Of the ladies, made
the scene brilliant with color.
And yet this was as nothing compared
with what Lady Curzon was to see all
around her carriage as 1t passed through
the native city. No European costuming
can for an instant compare with the gaudi-
ness OF the rich and deep-toned dress Of
the common people. They illumine the
streets of the native quarter as II they
were the fragments of rainbow scattered
over the dull earth.
After the customary speeches. Lord and
Lady Curzon rode away in state to the
Government House. the seat of the Gov
ernor OF Bombay, now Lord Sandhurst. He
and the Governor OF Madras rank next to
the Viceroy in the government of India.
Here the Government House Is on the op-
posite side of the bay. The ocean and the
harbor are there separated only by the
Governors park. and the cooling breezes
from both tmore valued than gold in that
hot climate) are not separated at all. The
journey was made in a great glossy landau
with four horses, with two Indians in stun
ming red turbans and coats on the box.
two others on the step behind, with two
mounted guards riding after the carriage,
and with mounted police gailoping ahead.
Police, l say but they also were turbaned,
swarthy Indians, clad in red like bits of a
brilliant sunset
The viceregal pair and their escort skirt
ed the blue, horseshoe shaped bay at
whose head they parted from the city and
entered the vilia-dotted, palm shaded pre-
cincts Of the rich folk of Bombay. Enter
ing the great white gate of the Govern
ment House grounds. their carriage rolled
through long water bordered park, be-
meath palms and cocoanuts. and beside
clusters Of banana and bamboo, until a low
and open white bungalow Of great size op-
posed their further journeying. 1t was the
state pavilion or reception bungalow of
the Governor Its broad steps were covered
with red carpet, and on each side of this
staircase, man above man, two steps
apart. stood towering line of stalwart
guards in black boots, gorgeous red coats.
and huge red turbans, each carrying a
lance at rest members of Lord Sandhurst's
bodyguard. all Sikhs-those fighting men
who gave the English desperate fighting,
and still look as fierce as Barbary pirates,
yet are now devoted soldiers of the EN-
| press
| Also on the steps stood LORD Sandhurst-
| an earnest man. hard worked beyond be-
! lief-and his kindly wife, both smiling a
broad welcome to the new king and queen
OF India. Lord Curzon stopped to admire
and inspect Lord Sandhurst's bodyguard,
whom he afterward praised with enthu-
siasm. Lady Curzon ran eagerly up the
steps and turned indoors with Lady Sand
hurst. the quicker to get her first view of
the state and pride of official English life
| in India.