efore the hot season is really upon us and the monms bar our way to China. It is a source of regret to ral that he did not come earlier to India. Every hour intry has been full of interest, and the hospitality of ls and the people is so generous and profuse that our been especially pleasant. What really caused this the General's desire to take the American man-ofhmond," which has always been coming to meet him, ever come. But for his desire to accept the courtesy esident in the spirit in which it was offered, the Gend have come to India earlier. If the General had r the "Richmond" he would never have seen India, the pace she is making in Atlantic waters, it would have taken him as long to go around the world as ptain Cook.

1 in India during the day is very severe. The only of our party about whom we have anxiety on the E fatigue are Mr. Borie and Mrs. Grant. The friends rie will be glad to know that he has stood the severest is journey around the world wonderfully well, considyears that rest upon him and his recent illness. Mr. a comprehensive traveler, anxious to see everything, rs into our journey with the zest and eagerness of a whose amiability and kindness, patience under fatigue, deration for all about him, have added a charm to our Mrs. Grant has also stood the journey, especially the hases of it, marvelously, and justifies the reputation ance and energy which she won on the Nile. As for ral, he is, so far as himself is concerned, a severe and traveler, who never tires; always ready for an excurn experience, and as indifferent to the comforts and s of the way as when in the Vicksburg campaign he ake his bivouac at the foot of a tree. There is this quality in traveling on the General's part, that he will his route for days ahead from maps and time-tables, ust the hour of his arrival and departure, and never In the present case the wishes of the Viceroy, who has

been most cordial in his welcome, and who is anxious to go to the hills, has shortened our trip and changed the General's plan. What we shall do after leaving Calcutta is uncertain.

If the "Richmond" is in reach, or there is some other vessel of the navy within reach, the General will take her for the purpose of visiting some of the outof-the-way points outside of the

beaten track of

travel. He will

also go to Ma

dras, and see the Duke of Buckingham, and to Ceylon. If she has not entered the Indian Ocean the General will

keep on with such passenger lines as he can find.

We were all tired and frowsy and not wide awake when the train shot into Benares station. The English representative of the Viceroy, Mr. Daniels, came on the train and welcomed the General to Benares. Then we descended, and the blare of trumpets, the word of command, with which we have become so familiar, told of the guard of honor. The General and Mrs. Grant, accompanied by the leading military and civic English representatives and native rajahs, walked down the line with. uncovered heads. The night was clear, a full moon shining, and the heavens a dome of light, which softened the landscape and seemed to bring into picturesque prominence the outlines

acred city. One could well imagine that Benares, the city, favored of the gods, might always look as it did : came into it. The blending of uniforms, the English in scarlet, the native princes in rich and flowing garlazing with gems-on one side the line of armed men, ther a curious crowd of Indians-all combined to make e Oriental and vivid. In honor of the General's comroad from the station to the Government House had uminated. Poles had been stuck in the ground on de of the road, and from these poles lanterns and small ssels filled with oil were swinging. So as we drove, nd behind was an avenue of light that reminded us of he Paris boulevards as seen from Montmartre. It was drive to the house of the Commissioner, but even this fatigue of one of the severest days we had known in erience of Indian travel were recompensed by the grace welcome. A part of his house Mr. Daniels gave to and Mrs. Grant and Mr. Borie. For the others there ts in the garden. Although it was late, after supper on the veranda for a long time, talking about India, , and home, fascinated by the marvelous beauty of the beauty that affected you like music.

must do your sight-seeing in India early in the mornate in the afternoon. And so it was arranged that t time we could give to Benares should be fully occun the morning we should go to the temples and sail e Ganges, so as to have a view of the bathing places, s where the bodies are burned, the pilgrims bathing in waters, the terraced sides of the city, its Moslem turHindoo domes. This arranged we repaired to our find what rest the few hours that remained before uld give. Tent life in India is the most pleasant way Your tent is capacious, with four sides, and is really tent-one over the other. This allows the air to cirnd gives you a passage way around, and room for all of comforts. I had heard so much of animal life in at I walked about my tent with a feeling of inquiry as