Emily Eden

“ Our fireworks for the wedding come off on Wednesday next, but whether they will go off is quite another thing. There is a violent storm about every other night this year, delightful to the gasping inhabitants, but not precisely the thing for either fireworks or illuminations; and, as it never gives more than half-an-hour’s notice, there is no resource. ”

“ I heard from George; still delighted with travelling, in fact (how a railroad would laugh!) , and with having got away from his tent—not the least tired. —— says Calcutta is hot, but looking lovely. I can fancy the bright green of Bengal will be very striking after these dusty brown plains, and, at all events, it is satisfactory that the march and George’s absence have interposed to make Calcutta palatable after dear Simla. Our next great packing will be to go home. Fine! ”

“ I snatched the glass, and scolded the dog, and salaamed the nazir, and ever since I have gone poking about the tent looking for the Kedgeree pot full of water the bearers bring, and if it is not there Chance must just die of thirst. ”

“ We have given our Queen’s birthday ball with the greatest success. The whole society met, all in their best dresses and best humour, and St. Cloud turned out a magnificent supper, and we had the singers to follow up the toasts, and altogether it pleased everybody, which is a mercy, considering it is not easy, particularly in the hot weather. ”

“ George left us at Culpee a week ago, and will be at Calcutta in five days. George says they are all agreed that a palanquin is even better than a tent, and that a house is the greatest luxury in the world. ”

“ Lord W. Bentinck’s family were smoked out of Government House, and the guests were wandering about on the plain all night, unable to find a road home. Ours is on a smaller scale, but will be very pretty if the weather is agreeable, and a great many natives have already arrived from a great distance for the show. It is the only rejoicing they like. ”

“ The ‘Conway,’ in which he is to go to China, came up to Calcutta the day he arrived, so I suppose he will be off in a fortnight. He goes merely as a volunteer. The Chinese are so clever; I fully expect they will circumvent us—blow up all our ships with curious-coloured fireworks, or do some odd thing in their usual neat way. ”

“ The quantity of rice for which they usually gave one rupee now costs three, and the fish in the tanks are all dead, and, as most of them earn about five rupees a month and live entirely on rice and fish, they are in great distress and dying very much of cholera. ”

“ It is altogether in a ramshackly state, and it will be rather an advantage for the next Governor-General not to try any repairs; the floors have given way, so that the tables against the walls look like writing-desks, with perhaps a thought too much of a slope; and if it tumbles down, he can build himself a house with good doors and windows. ”

“ Calcutta, 10th.
Yes, it remained a furnace to the end, and the European servants, who have no glass windows to their rooms, were all done up by it. I must say India in the hot season is not the place to play at having a country house full of people. ”