CHAPTER XXXIII.

ARRIVAL AT CALCUTTA-RECEPTION BY THE CONSUL-GENERAL - THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE-THE CITY-RELIGIOUS PROGRESS GENERAL GRANT AT THE UNIVERSITY THE MONEY-CHANGERS OF INDIA-THE RECEPTION BY THE VICEROY — A PICNIC AT BARRACKPORE-REMNANTS OF INDIAN SPLENDOR - REFUGEES FROM BURMAH RECEPTION OF GENERAL

- FAREWELL TO CALCUTTA GRANT AT BURMAH-RANGOON – THE GOLDEN PAGODA.

-THE HINDOO FAITH

General Grant and his party next proceeded to Calcutta, where they arrived early on the morning of March 10th. Their arrival is thus detailed:-The American Consul-General, General Litchfield, was present at the station, with a guard of honor from the Viceroy and an aid. The General drove off in the state carriages, with a small escort of cavalry, to the Government House, where preparations had been made by Lord Lytton for the reception of himself and party. The streets had been watered, and there was just the suspicion of a cool breeze from the Hoogly, which, after the distress of a long night ride, made our morning drive pleasant. A line of native policemen was formed for a distance of about two miles, from the railway-station to the door of the Government House, who saluted the General as he drove along. The Govern ment House is a large, ornate building, standing in a park or open square, and was built in 1804. The corner-stone was laid about the time that Washington laid the foundation of the Capitol. The cost of the building was $750,000. It is a noble, stately building, and may rank with any of

the palaces in Europe, while it is smaller and less pretentious than many of them. The idea of the Government House is a central building, with four outlying blocks, which form wings. There are magnificent council-rooms and a reception-room, which joins to the state dining-room. The two ideas which govern the architecture of the Government Houses in India are comfort and splendor-comfort, in order that the European may live; splendor, in order that the eye and imagination of the Oriental may be dazzled. It is rather odd at first to see the cold-blooded, indifferent, matter-of-fact Englishman, who at home only cares for practical things, as solicitous about pomp and ceremony as a court chamberlain. This is because pomp and ceremony are among the essentials of the government of India.

Of the public buildings, the Fort is, perhaps, the most important. It was begun by Clive, after the battle of Plassey, and cost $10,000,000. It mounts 600 guns, and is a strong work in good preservation. This is the home of the Commander-in-Chief of the army. There is a town hall in the Doric style, with some large rooms for public entertainments. The Court-House is a Gothic pile, with a massive tower. In Dalhousie Square is the Currency Office, a large building in the Indian style of architecture. The Mint stands on the river-bank. It is composed of two buildings, which, with the grounds, cover a space of eighteen and one-half acres, and is said to be the largest mint in the world. There is a Custom House, a bonded warehouse, and a block known as the Writers' Buildings, where young men find homes when they come to India. The new Post-Office, with its Corinthian columns and dome, is a handsome building, while the new telegraph office is large and imposing. The Metcalf Hall is where the agricultural shows are held, and the Dalhousie Institute is erected as a

kind of Pantheon, "a monumental edifice, to contain within its walls statues and busts of great men." Most of the statues are of men who won fame in the mutiny. The St. Paul's Cathedral cost $250,000, and is the metropolitan church of the Episcopal diocese of Calcutta. There are several monuments and memorial windows to famous AngloIndians, among them a superb monument to the wise and saintly Heber, whose name is one of the glories of British civilization in India. The statue is by Chantrey, and it represents the illustrious divine in the robes of his holy office kneeling in prayer. There are other churchesseventeen Protestant, eight Roman Catholic, and six miscellaneous. The old Mission Church is a curious building. The Scotch Church is a handsome Grecian edifice. There is a free Scotch Church, built through the efforts of Dr. Duff, and chapels of the Wesleyan and Baptist denominations. There are no Hindoo temples in Calcutta, the people worshipping in their houses or on the banks of the river, which is one of the sacred rivers of India. Some of the wealthy Hindoos have apartments in their houses where gods are worshipped, but the great body of the people simply go to the river, bathe and pray, a form of faith which promotes cleanliness as well as godliness. There are several mosques, the finest being one erected by the son of Tippoo Sultan "in gratitude to God and in commemoration of the Honorable Court of Directors granting him the arrears of his stipend in 1840."

The annual convocation for conferring degrees of the University took place while General Grant was in Calcutta. The General, accompanied by Sir Ashley Eden, LieutenantGovernor of Bengal, and Sir Alexander Arbuthnot, the Vice-Chancellor, attended the convocation. The General and the Bishop of Calcutta sat on the Vice-Chancellor's right and Sir Ashley Eden on his left. Degrees were con

ferred upon students from the various colleges throughout India, and the Vice-Chancellor made a speech which contained some interesting references to education in India. "The present scheme of Indian education," said Sir Alexander, “came into operation the year of the mutiny, and the two and twenty years it had been in existence showed gratifying results." The speaker found reason for congratulation in the fact that the Senate had passed rules for the examination of female candidates, and that under these rules a Hindoo young lady had passed with high credit. There was an increasing desire among the young men of Bengal that their wives and daughters should be educated. In conclusion, Sir Alexander made the following allusion to the presence of General Grant:

Gentlemen, before I sit down, I must ask permission to offer the respectful but cordial thanks of the university to the distinguished American soldier and statesman who is seated on my right, for having honored this convocation by his presence. In General Grant we see a conspicuous instance of that devotion to duty, that tenacity of purpose, that quiet but indomitable energy which characterizes the best men, not only of the Anglo-Saxon, but of every race. Alike to us who have long been engaged in the business of life, and to you who are now about to enter upon it, the career of General Grant furnishes a remarkable example of duties faithfully and efficiently discharged, and of difficulties successfully overcome; and here let me remind you that there is no sphere of duty, however limited, no position in life, however humble, in which the contemplation of such an example is without its value.

One of the sights to be seen here is the native moneychangers, who, in their little room, offer to exchange your coin for that of India.

ness.

The Viceroy received General Grant with great kindLord Lytton said he was honored in having as his guest a gentleman whose career he had so long followed

with interest and respect, and that it was especially agreeable to him to meet one who had been chief magistrate of a country in which he had spent three of the happiest years of his life. Lord Lytton had reference to his residence in Washington as a member of the British Legation, during the time when his uncle, Sir Henry Bulwer, was Minister to the United States. The Viceroy regretted that the duties of his office, which, on account of Burmese and Afghan complications and his departure for Simla, were unusually pressing, prevented his seeing as much of the members of the General's party as he wished. In the afternoon we drove around the city and listened to the band. All the English world of Calcutta spend the cool of the day in the gardens, and the General and the Viceroy had a long stroll.

The next day was given to an excursion up the Hoogly, to the Viceroy's country-seat at Barrack poor. At the last moment, Lord Lytton found he could not go, and the honors of the day were done in his name by Sir Ashley Eden. Barrackpoor is about twelve miles up the river, and the hour for our departure was noon. We drove to the dock under a beating sun, and embarked on the Viceroy's yacht. The party was a small one, comprising the leading members of the government, with their families. The scenery along the river reminds you somewhat of the low, tropical banks of the St. John's, in Florida. The stream is narrower, and had a gloomy look compared with the Florida river, where the orange groves light up the darkgreen landscape. Unlike the St. John's, the Hoogly teems with life with boatmen in all kinds of floating contrivances bringing breadstuffs and merchandise to the Calcutta markets, or carrying home the results of the day in the bazaars.

We had a merry, pleasant feast under our banyan-tree, which is one of the most extraordinary forms of nature.