Page:Lord Amherst and the British Advance Eastwards to Burma.djvu/64

 Governor-General for the wonders of Hindustán. She sees everything with clear, but as yet untutored eyes, and we must not, in reading her descriptions, accept in every ease her impressions as transcripts of reality. Dainty sketches of figures or buildings enhance the value of the pages; pressed leaves, cuttings from the newspapers of the day, letters received from native friends are laid between.

Before proceeding to the story of Burma and Bhartpur, we may note some passages that illustrate the daily round of Viceregal life. One which bears the date Jan. 5, 1825, at which time Lady Amherst had already sojourned more than a whole year at Fort William, tells of a romantic excursion by river, in the cool morning air, to the ruins of Gaukatchi, which lie just opposite the French settlement at Chandarnagar. Very delightful the ruins must have been, if we may judge from the pen-and-ink sketch of the 'entrance to the Fort'—a fine remnant of the Tudor-Pathan style. Walls and arches are overgrown with saplings and shrouded in palm-trees. The ladies explore the country round about escorted by the aides-de-camp; and encamp under the shade of forest-trees. The friendly villagers come forward with presents, bananas, oranges, vegetables, 'even jugs of milk,' says Lady Amherst. She gives a pretty description of their progress, she herself riding on an elephant which helps to force the way through the jungle. A vast number of pioneers go in front: cutting through the forest, felling trees covered with