Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-07

which received little attention. fear. for
just back Of them came the herald and
trumpeters In the lovellest costumes imagi-
nable The herald. Major Maxwell, huge
fair man. rode one Of the most beautiful
horses In the procession. stately black.
who seemed fully to realize his own i'm
portance. Major Maxwell wore a tabard or
tunic Of silk cloth of gold with the royal
trumpetefs. six British and six native, were
arrayed in crimson. velvet and gold with
the royal cipher In embroidery. From the
six first trumpets fell small banners. all
covered with gold, pale blue, red and white
embroidery. heraldic devices. 1 dare say.
AS these gorgeous and really beautiful col
ors passed slowly by the trumpeters blew
blasts on their long silver trumpets, and
the thirteen black horses arched their necks
and tossed their beautiful heads. What a
sight 1t was! Next came the most admired
corps Of the army, the imperial cadets.
They are all young men, either mahara-
jahs in their own right or crown princes so
to speak, and they have an English COM
mandant and adiutant and a native hon.
orary commandant. The assistant adjutant
is also native. They are the best riders,
have the best horses and the handsomest
uniform Of any corps in the army, and when
they appear they are always received with
the greatest enthusiasm by both English
and natives alike. They Immediately pre-
coded the vtceroy, and as their commander,
old Paoteb Siugk. came in sight, sitting his
horse like the old general that he is, and
tIdt HOrS6, the nl6St IN lnUla ana L SnOuiO
say in the world there was the widest en-
thusiasm. Coal black was each magnificent
horse and over each saddle snow white
leopard's skin. The uniform was of cream
white cloth, faced with the palest blue, and
embroidered, but not heavily. in gold. The
sash of silk was of palest blue with dark
red tassels and over it came the gay cord
belt. The turban was all of palest blue
except for the corps cypher of gold. All
as they passed looked slim and tall and
their rather thin faces Intellectual and they
sat their horses as we have discovered none
but native of India can.
Surpass the British Riders.
Lord Kitchener and many of the other
generals and officers are know to be fine
riders, but there Is stiffness about them
which the native officers have not, and
those twenty-five young native princes were
enough to fire the most prejudiced minds
with enthusiasm they sat their chargers
straight as rods slender and graceful and
seemingly part of the horse itself, with
dignity and princely pride written all over
them. l have seen the grand reviews in
Germany, and in Russia and England, but
l never saw so thoroughly satisfactory and
fascinating a corps as the Imperial Cadet
Corps of India. Then came the elephants.
One elephant, arrayed In its gorgeous trap
pings, had filled us with delight at the sta
ton. Then imagine a procession of fifty
eight of the monsters, covered with gold
embroidered velvet cloth, with solid gold
and silver howdahs on their backs, on which
sat native princes mass of gold en-
broidery on paIest blue, pink, lavender or
green, their necks loaded with necklaces Of
enormous pearls and uncut emeralds, sap
phires and rubies their turbans a mass of
jewels; two natives seated or standing be-
hind them, either holding joweled umbrellas
or huge fans with long handles; or else
four natives standing on step swung on
either side of the elephant and holding
maces, swords or fans On the seventh ele-
plant, in a howdah of pure silver, sat the
viceroy and Lady CurZon, and I confess
they did not look at all comfortable, for
the creature was monstrous and his stride
very long, and any one who has once had
a ride on the biggest of beasts knows how
dreadfully uncomfortable an elephant gait
can be.
Lovely in Fluffy White.
All Americans must have been proud that
day of their beautiful countrywoman, as
all British are fond of her and full of ad-
miration for her. She was dressed all in
fluffy white, and she passed leaned out
slightly from the cover of her howdah and
bowed most sweetly and graciously. One
hears only good of her from all Sides and
one also hears that the viceroy owes much
to her. both on account of her charm and
the gentle tact which smooths over many a
circumstance which might without her have
become serious, for the vlceroy is not liked
in India. In fact. he is very heartily dis
liked. All admit that he is the very best
viceroy that India has had but also that
he is the most disa greeable as man that
India has ever had experience of. There
was very little enthusiasm, either over the
viceroy, the duke or any one except the
Royal Cadets and Lord Kitchener
1t is almost impossible to realize unless
one sees them the effect produced by
procession of fifty-eight elephants. and all
In their most gorgeous trappings. For
some of the huge creatures had massive
silver bangles on their immense ankles and
all had jeweled earrings hanging from the
big flaps of their ears. All the huge faces
were painted, usually in blue and white, in
all sorts of designs. One had large tiger
about to spring painted over his face, the
tigers eye being the eye of the elephant |
Some carried embroidered scarfs over their
trunks, and one held in his trunk a fly
brush of long horse hair, with which he