Bombay Back Bay, 1870’s
Bombay, Friday night, Feb’y 11/98. Local time 9:18 – your time 4:26.
The storm on Wednesday continued through the night & some rain had fallen – a very unprecedented incident in Bombay at this period of the year. On Thursday morning, Mr. G. & I had a drive through the native city & again saw the plague staff at work. I viewed about leisurely during the morning & made arrangements for visiting the “Mint” & Arsenal this Friday forenoon. Dined out in the evening with Mr. G.’s partner but returned to hotel at 9:30 & enjoyed a fair good rest.
[2:13]
This (Friday) morning we had an early walk on the Back Bay sands where some cavalry soldiers were drilling & after bath & breakfast visited Jeff at sailors’ home, as I did on Thursday morning also, & found him all serene. Then I paid my visit to the “Mint” & saw the process from beginning to the money ready for despatching. Most interesting it was. Then to the Arsenal[1] close by & saw much but not of interest, & was weary with the 3 hours’ close attention. I rested in the afternoon after tiffin & went out at 5 to view, & made my way to the band stand: beautiful music & crowds of gaily dressed natives, elaborate uniformed servants & very handsome equipages, & beautifully horsed. There Jeff came up to me & after a short stay I got him to come to the hotel & write a letter home explaining his circumstances. I also enclosed a fly sheet to his father & franked[2] it off for him
The mail is due in tomorrow morning & it’s always a time of excitement. I hope to get letters & papers after which I feel disposed to move on, & have today made [2:14] arrangements to leave at 9 on Sunday night, also for Cook’s to forward part of my baggage on to Calcutta, seeing I can’t take a servant round with me in consequence of the plague restrictions. This, I expect, will ease my concern en route. I am hopeful of obtaining a “boy”, as they call them, at Delhi. They are an absolute necessity in travelling in India. I wrote to Albion today again & he is to write to me at Delhi. I am hopeful of receiving a letter from him tomorrow. I am going a trip tomorrow morning with a steamer. It’s a daily trip, & am told will be very interesting, but will speak of my experience in my next. It returns about noon. I’ve had to get a white umbrella, lined green, today: a rare protection against sun heat. Mr. G., of course, goes to his business all the day. Only do I see him morning & night, & usually at tiffen [sic], as he comes over to the hotel which is his home. Cook’s are doubtful about securing me a berth in the March 20th steamer from Calcutta to Colombo as crowds are going homewards [2:15] just now. The P&O SS “Massilia”[3] is the vessel for that date. The following is April 4th. 3 weeks will be quite enough in Calcutta so I hope to get the 20th March boat.
Now I will close. This lot will take some reading & I hope will be full of interest to you all.
Good night to you all & give my Comely a nice kiss for me.
By the way, I had nearly forgotten: I got a spool developed, the first, leaving Tilbury. Not very successful. I send all that is worth. I am having another done but didn’t find time to go for it today. I will send them in next.
W.
I am happy to say the mosquitos have been very kindly disposed to me so far & have let me alone but as I get into warmer climates I can’t hope to escape.
[2:16]
[1] Inserted on facing page: “see the permit I obtained for admission pasted in ‘Souvenir’”.
[2] Stamped and mailed
[3] Built 1884, sold and scrapped in 1904.