The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1910-06-14

its descent through centuries. This is
not so remarkable where the priestho ood
is hereditary and where the restrictions
of caste confne the scope of marriage.
Moreover, generation succeeds genera
tion in the occupation of one patch Of
land. At the present time ninety-six
per cent of the rural population Of
India live and die in the district where
they were born, and before the days of
the railroad there was practically no
movement. Thus the parents of the
future gaekwar had no difficulty in
satisfying the emissary from the cap
ital of their right to claim membership
in the royal family, although the con.
nection was through a branch distant
from the reigning house. That matter
settled and the occasion duly solemnized
by feast and religious ceremony,
the barefooted village boy was suitably
clothed and conducted with much pomp
and circumstance to Baroda.
To explain the reason for all this ado
or, as the Hindus would say, tamasha
it is necessary to bark back few
centuries, which, according to oriental
conception of time, is a mere trifle. The
founder of the fortunes of the house
of Baroda was a trooper in the force
of the old Maratha freebooter, Khande
Rao, who hourished toward the end of
the seventeenth century.
This trooper attracted the notice of
his leader by performing the feat which
in modern times was credited to Col.
Fred Burnaby, of "ride to Khiva +"
fame, that of completely severng a
man IS trunk with Il single backhanded
stroke. The Maratha who gave this
wonderful exhibition of strength and
dexterity was raised to the command
of paga and distinguished with the
title of Shamsher Bahadur ("illus.
trious swordsman ", which has been
borne by the gaekwars ever since.
He finished his career as one of the
prominent figures of that turbulent time
and was killed in a raid upon a neigh
boris territory. His nephew and under.
study, Pilaii by name, stepped into his
| Shoes He became a highly successful
leader, established an independent prin.
cipality and was the first of the line
of gaekwars.
Magnificent Jewels.
| No other man in the world is the
possessor of so many jewels as thi
Indian rajah and he is the owner Of
the only gold and silver artillery il
the world Posted to defend his gor
geous palace are four guns fashioned
from gold and silver. They are the
product of a native artisan, who worked
five years in fashioning them. Each Of
the cannon weighs four hundred pounds
and two are of solid gold and two Of
solid silver, save for the inner barrel
which is of steel.
Dazzling and magnificent is the ap
parel of the bullocks that haul thiI
royal artillery. Forty-fve Thousand
dollars is said to be the cost of thu
trappings, On the horns of the animals
are golden caps, and on their legs arr
anklets of gold and silver. Ornament
of gold adorn their heads, and whel
the royal artillery is in motion th
splendor of it dazzles the eyes. Tht
guns are guarded day and night by
picked men from the royal bodyguard
The most famous diamond necklace
of the world is the property of tht
maharajah. 1t is composed of two hun
dred beautiful brilliants of marvellous
purity, each as large as a hazelnut
This necklace is valued at $4,000, 900
Then he has famous collarette, made
of five hundred diamonds. Hanging
from this circle of light is the fiftl
largest diamond in the world, the Sta
of the South, Emeralds are strung be
tween the diamonds. In one room Of
the palace is rug with a surface o.
four square yards made entirely ot
beautiful diamonds, pearls and rubies
The gems have been woven into regu
lar carpet, with designs and margin
clearly defined. His household expenses
are borne by the people, so that he i
enabled to invest his enormous incom
in gems, rare carvings, paintings AM
rugs.
The princess yesterday, on landing
wore two magnificent bracelets set wit
emeralds and diamonds, which drew al
eyes as the beautiful young womal
walked to the waiting auto.
Travelling with the party is a Mrs
Fisher of New Jersey, woman o
wealth and social position, who is
close friend of the gaekwar's family
On arrival in San Francisco Mrs. Fishe
will travel across the mainland b.
motor. Her machine is aboard tn
Siberia.