Page:On the Coromandel Coast.djvu/113

 and always in a grey hat when out-of-doors. He used to drive along the marina with his daughters every evening and enjoy the sea-breeze. Above all things he was practical and given to examining personally into details, sometimes to the annoyance and confusion of the people in charge. His twinkling dark eyes were everywhere ; nothing seemed to escape them as he plied his victim with searching questions. The theory of personal inspection is excellent, and has found favour with exalted per- sonages of higher rank than dukes ; but it leads to curious experiences, as he discovered on more than one occasion, and some embarrassment to the staff whose duties keep them in close attendance. The following stories are told of him. I cannot vouch for their accuracy. If not true they are ben trovato.

He had once been chairman on the directorate of the Great Northern Railway, and while occupying that position he acquired a taste, which he never lost, for the detailed working of the iron road. A story was told that when the Viceroy was to pay an official visit to Madras it was arranged that the Duke and his staff should meet him on the border of the Presidency, and that they should stop and see some of the places of interest on the way.

The Duke's special ran into the station where they were to meet, closely followed by the one carrying the Viceroy. The Viceregal party stepped out on to the platform. Not seeing the Duke they moved up towards the Madras train. An aide in uniform descended from the saloon carriage followed by the private secretary and other members of the staff; but there was no sign of the Duke. They gazed blankly up and down the platform, and the Viceroy, turning to one of the aides, said :

'There must be some mistake ; we had better go on as the Duke is not here.'

He was just moving away to return to his saloon