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Docking at Bombay; meeting local Europeans; boarding Poona train |
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Bombay sighted early in morning, but ship delayed entering & it was after 4 p.m. when we tied up at the wharf. The Maharajah of Bikanir was garlanded & given bouquets by those who met him, but gallantly transfered the flowers to Miss Price, Miss Swann & Miss Skipworth (who were to be married immediately). While watching the crowd on the wharf I noticed a very gorgeous person in scarlet on the quay & wondered what sort of oriental potentate he might be. He came on board & after a while I turned round to find this embodiment of a tropical sunset bowing and salaaming to me & offering me a letter. He proved to be H.E. the Governor of Bombay's chuprassie told off to look after me & very useful he was in clearing my luggage & helping me in many ways most efficiently. I gave the 'sunset' a tip & he appeared much gratified. Heatherington (of Grindlay & Co) also met me & provided me with a native 'bearer' to serve as travelling boy. Heatherington took me to tea at the Yacht Club, a very fine well-appointed club on the harbour & close to the Taj Mahal Hotel. He also insisted upon my dining with him there. So I went back to the ship to dress & had to dig my things out of the Custom House to get at my clothes. Taxied back to the Club for dinner at 9.15. In the Club I found the Haileys & with them the Governor's Military Secretary (Major Vaux), who had been searching for me to be of use. Very nice man. I taxied to the station to take the midnight Poona train. Major Vaux turned up to see me off & was most useful. My bearer not having turned up, having been seen very drunk in the station, Vaux told off another boy to go with me as bearer. The compartment in the train was very old-fashioned & looked like a cattle-truck, but was roomy inside but filthy. Another man from the ship was my fellow passenger. My bedding was put out & I turned in. |
