Reviews.

REVIEWS .

All Books intended for Heview should bo addressed to the Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , 07 Barbican , E . C . The Prince of Wales' Tour : A Diary in India ; with some account of tho Visits of His Royal Highness to tho Courts of Greece , Egypt ,

Spain , and Portugal . By William Howard Russell . With illnstrations by Sydney P . Hall , M . A ., Artist in the Suite of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales . London : Sampson Low , Mareton , Soarlp and Rivington , Crown-buildings , 188 Fleet-street .

1877-( Concluded from page 343 . ) TOWARDS throe o ' clock in the afternoon of tho . day in which the royal travellers reached Bombay , the preparations for the reception of Lord Northbrook ou board the Serapis were completed , and soon a salute from a shore battery , taken up by the ships of the two

squadrons , announced that Her Majesty's Viceroy had embarked . On boarding the ship , his Excellency was conducted by Lord Suffield to the Prince , who received him very cordially , and the two introduced to each other the several members of their respective suites . About half an hour later the Governor General of Bombay , Sir

Philip Wodehouse , and the Commander-in-Chief , Sir Charles Sfcaveley , went on board , and wore received in an equally ceremonious manner , but Sir Philip did not long remain , having to return to the dockyard to join the party awaiting the Prince ' s landing . At length the moment had come when His Royal Hig hneaa should first set foot on

Indian soil . A number of boats containing hia suite preceded the royal barge , and , writes Mr . Russell , " looking back from ono of these , a noble pageant , lighted up by a declining sun , met tho eyethe hulls of the fleet , bright streamers and banners , long rows of flags from yard to yard and mast to mast , white boata , a flotilla of

steam-launches , gigs , pinnaces , and a crowd of on-lookers hastening fast as oar could send them in wake of the royal barge to the Dockyard . " But brilliant as waa the water pageant , the scene in the Dockyard must have eclipsed it . Where ordinarily waa to be seen only a common-place and very ugly landing , appeared " a vast

triumphal arch , apanning the water-way between two piers , but gay with banners , branches and leaves , and with decorationa of palm and cocoa-nut . " But the scene beneath this arch was " perhaps the most strange and picturesque assemblage ever seen of late days in any part of the world . " There wore long lines of benches , covered with

the inevitable scarlet-cloth , and the same material waa laid along the avenue as far as the gate where the carriages were waiting . But ; ib was the occupants of the benches who lent the scene its strange appearence . There were "Chiefs , Sirdars , and native gentlemen of the Presidency , multitudes of Parsees , rows of Hindoos , Mahrattaa , and

Mahommedans , " " a crowd glittering with gems , ' and presenting " tho appearance of bright enamel , or of a bed of gay flowers , agitated by a gentle breeze . " In addition , were the officers of govern . ment , the Municipal body of Bombay , all the naval aud military officers who could bo spared , and various other dignitaries , and " all

the ladies who conld be found within tho radius of somo hundreds of miles , and who had hastened to greet the Prince with their best smiles and bonnets . " When the Prince had landed , Mr . Russell tells us " the anxiety of tho chiefs to see him was almost painful , " and " for once , they wero ranch agitated , and tho proudest departed from tho cover

of thoir habitual reserve . They had some difficulty in identifying him , but when they did so , " the frankness of hia smile , aud the candid look with which ho surveyed them , " produced a favourable impression . Of course , sundry addresses were presented , to each of which the Prinze vouchsafed a

suitable reply . Then aa he passed along , he shook hands with most of the chiefs , being especially gracious to tho younger ones . Tho procession had an apparently interminable distance to traverse , and Mr . Russell considers ifc would have been better had there been more music and a greater military display . As to the scene thus presented along the route , Mr . Russell writes : " There waa something almost

supernatural in those long vistas , winding down banks of variegated light , crowded with gigantic creatures tossing their arms aloft , and indulging in extravagant gesture , which the eye—baffled by rivers of fire , blinded with the glare of lamps , blazing magnesium wire , and pots of burning matter , sought in vain to penetrate . " And a littlo further on he writes thus : —

" Windows filled with Parsee women—matrons , girls , and children : —the bright hues of whoso dresses , aud the brilliancy of whose jewels , emulated the coloured fires burning along the pavementscarcely attracted one ' s notice before it was challenged by the next house , filled with a crowd of devout Mahommedans , or by a Hindoo temple opposite , with its Brahmins and its votaries , on steps and

roof ; flanked appropriately by a Jew bazaar , or by an Armenian store , or by the incongruity of a European warehouse ; or was solicited by the grotesque monitors on a Jain Temple . For if tho changes in the chess board are so numerous as to furnish matter for profoundesfc calculations , the extraordinary varieties of race and population in Bombay present endless subjects for study . "

At length , however , Parell House , whero the Prince was to stay , was reached , and then came , to crown the labours of the day , a long official banquet . Tho record for tho following day begins with a neat little sketch of life in India .

" Once more in a tent , with black faces all around me ! People ant ] trees and surroundings all different—mango trees and mango birds , the gold mohur-tree , cocoa nut aud toddy trees ( Vomssv . * Jlabelli . formis ) , the wheeling kites overhead—higher still , the soaring

vultures—the cry of the great woodpecker , aud tho chattering of the familiar miuar ; a new laud , but a glance revealed that you wero in India , aud yon felt it too . There is tho Headquarters' harbor , in n great red Mahratta turban , waiting outside—a handsome , smoothfaced fellow , who makes his English go a long way , and who ia a

Reviews.

master in his art , though his fingers are deadly cold , and ho ia for hia trade overfond of garlic . Him , be sure , yon will never lose sight of aa long as you are in India . Thero is the bheestie with his wator-skin ready to fill your tub . There is tho syce with your horse outside , if you are minded for a morning ride . Thero ia the sweeper hovering in the distance , tho khelassies or tent-pitchers awaiting orders , the

khitmntgair with a cup of coffee , and the Bombay ' boy '—in my case one Jivan—a slight , qniot , demure-looking man of forty or so—who has already taken possession of my property—boxes , baga , clothes , money and all—to tho intense astonishment of Maclachlan , who would have resisted his assumptions by force , but that I told him ib was the custom of the country . These and others . Each tent ia a

centre of existence to seven or eight of tho people called ' Natives / to whom you are for tho timo being lord and master . Tho impudent and irrepressible crows , which aro already marking you for their own , aro taking accurate note of your proceedings , and studying your character from tho branches of tho mango-tree overhead , and havo been trying your patience by making a prodigious cawing and croak , ing on the top of your tent . "

lhis being the first day of tho Prince ' s visit , waa devoted to tho Chiefs . It happened , likewise , to bo the anniversary of his birthday , and , consequently , the fatigue he had to endure waa unusually great , while the ceremonies in which ho was to play tho leading part were novel , and must have been exceedingly tiresome . Thus , " tho heat even afc 8 a . m . was quite sufficient to warn na that we wero in

India , nnd yet the Princo was obliged to wear a uniform of European cloth , laden with laco and buttoned up to tho throat , and to stand and sit for hours , going through tho samo kind of labour with each of tho Rajas whom he received , who , after a time , mnsfc havo appeared very much lika the samo people who bad just left tho room and were coming back again—figures lighted up with jewels , followed by

crowds in white roboa and gay head-dresses . " In tho audience-chamber where tho chiefs were received , the preparations wero very gorgeous . Servants in scarlet and gold surcoats and turbana wero ranged along the room . For the Princo had been prepared a silver throne ; behind it wore four servitors , two with peacocks' feathers and horse-tails , nnd two with broad fans ; and ranged along tho wall ,

to the left and right of it were twenty-four chairs , with a second row behind . But tho most important of all was tho carpet , whioh plays so conspicuous a part in these Eastern Durbars—on this occasion , however , the visits were considered aa 2- > rivate—a purple or crimson cloth with gold lace borders , and in the centre an emblazonmenfc of tho Royal Arma aud motto in full . We need not , however ,

dwell long on tho scene , gorgeous and evor-varying aa it was aa regards tho visitors , albeit its general aspect was one of samonesi . Tho first visitor was the Rajah of Kohlapoor , a boy of twelve years old . " He was attired in purple velvet and white muslin , and was encrusted with gems . His turban was a wealth of pearls and rubies ; his nock like an array of the show-cases of sonic groat -jeweller . " Ho waa

accompanied by hia Sirdars " in their Oriental bravery of shawls , jewels , and tissue of gold . " Then came tho Maharajah of Mysore , a boy of thirteen— " The jewels which literally hung on him must be of enormous value . Ono stone of the many of his necklace is said to bo worth nine lacs of rupees He wore a coat of black velvet . His neck , wrists , arms , and ankles , wero encircled with strings of

pr »» rl « , diamond ? , and rubies . His turban was graced with an aigrette of brilliants of largo size , and a large tnffc of strings of big pearls and emeralds hung down on his shoulder from tho top . " Tho third to appear , wo are told , according to Sir Thomas Roe , ia descended from Porus , and is described as tall , good-looking , and very fair , very dignified in his carriage and manners , and seemingly conscious of his

origin . "He was dressed all in white—turban , robe , aud pantaloons . But on his head-dress there was an aigrette of magnificent diamonds , and he exhibited on his neck and on his arms somo great pearls and rubies , and bis gold sash was ornamented with a buckle set with tho finest brilliants . His sword-hilt aud sheath wero richly studded with precious stones . " The Sirdars , who accompanied him were oven more

gorgeous . Of the other chiefs may bo mentioned the Rao of Cutch , who had made a long and painful journey in order to see the Prince for just a few moments , and indeed only returned to his state to die ; and the young Gaokwar of Baroda , whom the Paramount Power placed on the throne . He is described as " a small , delicately-framed lad for hia twelve years and more , with a bright pleasant face . He waa

weighted , head , neck , chest , arms , fingers , ankles , with such a sight and wonder of vast diamonds , emeralds , rubies , and pearls , as would be worth the loofc of many a rich town . " He waa accompanied by Sir Madhava Rao , who is regent during the little Gaekwar's sovereignty , and of whose career a short , yet interesting sketch , is given . The Ifizam of Hyderabad waa unable to pay his homage iu person on

account of hia feoblo health , but a deputation , headed by Sir Salar Jung G . C . S . I ., his Prime Minister , attended . Many other chiefs wero received , and we should imagine the Prince was heartily glad when the receptions were at length ended . But tho work of the day waa not yet ended . The crews of the . Scrapie and Osborne wove celebrating the Prince ' s birthdav , His Royal Highness having iaado special

provision for this ) , so that a visit to tho former was included in tho programme . Theu , in the evening , thero wero tho illuininafciona of the city and fleet to be inspected , and an extremely grand display was made . Following this , a State banquet was given by Governor Sir f'hilip Wodehouse in hononr of tho happy event . Lr . sfc of all , came a reception , which wai attended bv many of the chiefs . On the

next day the Princo received the minor chiefs , after which he held n kind of lovee at tho " Secretariat" or Government buildings , where lie spor . c . an hour iu bowing to the two thousand , more or less , of native gentlemen , who passed before him . Theu came tho Children ' s Fete . " Boys and a-irls of all castes , clasaas , and creeds ,

dressed in tho most brilliant colours , wero cullec ' ed under their various teachers , to the number of 7 , 000 , with banners flying , and insignia denoting tho schools to which they belonged , driving one isaiu for comparison to the oft-used image o ; wide-spread bauka of flowers in full bloom ; and these were in full bloom , if not with ruddy cheeks , at least with that peculiar light and glow which , jadi .