scence of our sojourn in Rome and Naples during
the previous winter.
The general company on board soon formed into
cliques, one of which distinguished itself by its hearty
laughter and general jolliness. An Irish actress, bound
for Calcutta, formed the central figure, surrounded by
half a dozen young officers, who, however, had soon to
give way to a somewhat eccentric colonel, likewise a
child of Erin, who managed to absorb the lady’s attention
entirely long before we reached our destination,
which happened on the eighth day after leaving Aden.
We approached the roadstead of Bombay in the
evening, and here we had to anchor amongst the
numerous Islands, as it was too late to land, but letters
and newspapers having been sent on board, there was
little excuse for grumbling. The latter published the
total defeat of the Loire army by the Germans, and
the proclamation of the King of Prussia adopting
the title of German Emperor. The war was thus
practically a t an end, although one of the bitterest
episodes for the French had still to be experienced,
nfl.mp.1y, the civil strife created in Paris by the Commune.
CHAPTER II.
B om b a y— I s l e o p E l e p h a n t a — H in d u i s m — P a r s e r m a r r ia g e— T e m p l e
o p K a r l f /e— E l l o r a , t h e g r e a t Kylas— J u b b u l p o r e— T h t jg -
g e e ism — T h e M a r b l e H i l l s— A l l a h a b a d— C a w n p o r e .
B r e a k fa s t was over, and a number of Parsee commissioners,
in high conical hats and clad in white frock
coat and trousers, endeavoured to induce the passengers
to accept their recommendation of certain
hotels. They seemed, however, to meet with little
success, as most of us had made our choice beforehand,
and taking a rapid survey of the coast pleasantly undulating,
and studded with tall palm trees, we passed
the Custom’s barrier—not a very serious business at