The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-03

| was a wonderful bit or kindness and an
exquisite courtesy. and, how he could have
thought of it with the many things he had
to do | cannot conceive. CHANGING over
! the assemblage before the opening of the
ceremonies. L was struck by the great
number of lovely English women. who. in
| all unconscious pride. and beauty. with
! sparkling eyes and smile wreathed lips
| sat quietly chatting to their escorts or
| each other, eagerly awaiting the bril-
! liant spectacle that was soon to burst
upon u.s. At . O'Clock royal salute pealed
| from the light artillery. followed in
! stantly by blarc of trumpets and the
raisil g of the royal standard on the flag
staff to the right of the tent Then came
long line of native servitors in the
| Viceroys livery of red and gold. bearing
| the wands of Office of the order Then
the Grand Marshal of the camp. followed
I by the Companions of the Order. march,
ing two by two. usually a European and a
native rajah together. all in uniform, civil
or military, many of the native rajahs
covered with jewels. each wearing the in
sigma of the Star of India. Slowly and de-
] 8
tent and took the seats reserved for them.
while steady roar of great guns from
| Fort William. three miles distant at
tested to the immense crowds who were
t patiently waiting outside the charmed cir
Gle that the great pageant to which all
official India had been looking forward for
months past had at last begun
AS soon as the Grand Marshal of the
camp had seen the Companions OF the Or
der seated. the guns from Fort William
ceased firing. In few moments the tent
of the Junior Grand Commander at the
| farther end of the street of tents was
thrown open. Then, preceded by his stand
| ard-bearer and his aides in brilliant uni
form, his own gorgeous uniform covered
| with gold braid and jewels. and thrown
over it all the blue satin robe of the
order, its trailing length upheld by two
! pages. came one of the great Indian
princes. He moved with stately steps up
the street OF tents to his appointed place
| in the durbar tent and as he came
| slowly on the guns from Fort William
Numbered the salute to which his rank
| entitled him, and you may be sure that
| he counted every gun. for there is nothing
! short of suicide that an East Indian
/ prince will not commit to gain an addi-
tionai gun in salute. The moment he was
! seated another tent was thrown open and
! in the same manner another of the
Knights Grand Commander came slowly
! forward. This time 1t was a European
OF wide and we'll renowned reputation
| throughout all India One after the other
| they then came steadily on I'm all the
! pomp and circumstance OF heraldic pride.
amid the thunder of The guns from Fort
william, which according to the number
OF the guns given. certified the rela-
tive rank. Of each advancing Knight.
Among the last to leave her tent, both
face and body swathed in silk. her face
absolutely hidden. so that one wondered
how she could possibly see to walk. came
the Begun of BhopaI Her banner was
borne by splemlid-looking officer. and
her English SECRETARY of state seemed
also CT her train, while her men at arms
We'd with the bEavest in soldierly looks
and splendid appointments. Over her
dress she wore the blue satin robe OF the
order. The jeweled collar OF a knight
Grand Commander was around her neck,
and the Star of India glittered at her
throat. Two tiny pages held aloft the
sweep OF her commanders robe. and a
steady roar of guns from the fort attested
the fact that the small slight native wo-
man swathed in silks from head to foot
softly stepping toward the Dvrbar tent
was the ranking princess of all British
India. think but at this late day can
not be positive. that the Knights Grand
Commander who took part in the Chap
ter were the Prince of Wales. Lord
Northbrook. Lord Napier of Magdala,
Sir Bartie Frere. Sir salar Jung. and the
Naharaiahs OF Rewah. Jeypore. Cashmere.
Golcar and Scindia, and the Begun OF
Bhopal.
slight pause in the procession OF
Grand Commanders. and then came His
Royal Highness the Prince of Wales
At this time he had just entered
the thirty-ffth year of his age
and was of middle height. exceed
ingly well proportional. broad shoulder
ed. very erect, and easy BUT neyerthe-
less disnided in all his movements. Full
blue eyes. slightly aquiline nose brown
hair. Just thinning at the TOP. and soft,
full brown beard of moderate length.
through which one caught glimpse of a
pair of full red lips when he smiled He
wore the uniform OF Field Marshal OF
England with a srow-white helmet and
white plume His breast was fairly sblaze
with orders, but over all was the gor-
geous robe of the Order of the Knights
Grand Commander of the Star OF India.
1t was OF blue satin, lined with white
silk, with white silk embroidered shoulder
knots, and it was held back and aloft by
two little naval cadets from the fleet |
dressed as pages, who wore 1ight-blue silk !
coats and knee breeches, white silk stock |
ings. and low rosetted shoes with silver |
buckles, while broad white felt cavalier |
hats, with white ostrich plumes, covered |
their heads, which were adorned with |
wigs of dark hair with flowing curls that
reached nearly to their waists. The |
Prince was preceded by the officers Of his |
staff and household, two by two. Then |
at a few yards distance. came his stand |
bearer Major General Probyn. a |
splendid-looking effieer OF most brilliant |
military reputation throughout all India /
And then came the Prince. with native |
Indian officer holding the golden umbrella |
over his head. This was done so that at
all functions he could be easily distin- |
guished by the vast crowds who thronged |
his progress in india some of whom came |
h,sn Of