Then, returning to Bombay, the Royal party once more took up their quarters on the Serapis, where the King spent Queen Alexandra’s birthday. From Bombay he found time to visit the Portuguese settlement of Goa, and thence went on to Ceylon, where he inspected a tea plantation, and where the peepul planted by him in commemoration of his visit is still proudly shown to the ubiquitous globe-trotter.
At Madras the King had a splendid reception, spending, however, 14th December, the anniversary of his father’s death, in retirement at Guindy Park, the country seat of the Governor, eight miles from the city.
Christmas Day was spent in Calcutta, where an immense programme was gone through, including a considerable number of public ceremonies, the holding of audiences, and last, but not least, a levée, at which both natives and Europeans were present. After the King and the Viceroy had attended divine service in the Cathedral, His Majesty entertained a large party at lunch in the Serapis. His health was drunk with Highland honours, and many messages were exchanged between himself and “home.” On the afternoon of the same day the Royal party drove out to the Viceregal Lodge at Barrackpur.
The most important ceremony attended by King Edward in India, namely, a Chapter of the Order of the Star of India, at which he acted as High Commissioner for his Royal mother, was held on New Year’s Day 1876. His Majesty wore a field-marshal’s uniform, almost concealed beneath the folds of his sky-blue satin mantle, the train of which was carried by two naval cadets, who wore cocked hats over their powdered wigs, blue satin cloaks, trunk hose, and shoes with rosettes. The Chapter tent was carpeted with cloth of gold with the Royal Arms emblazoned in the centre. An immense number of the Companions of the Order attended, forming a most impressive procession, walking two and two, one half native and the other European. The Begum of Bhopal, the first Knight Grand Commander, had a procession all to herself. She was veiled and swathed in brocades and silks, over which was folded the light blue satin robe of the Order.
The King took his seat on the daïs, and after the roll of the Order had been read, each member standing up as his name was called, the Chapter was declared open, and His Majesty directed the investiture to proceed. Never had such a gathering been seen in India. Among those present were Lord Napier of Magdala, “Political” Maitland, the Maharajah of Kashmir, and the Rajah of Patiala, who wore the great Sancy diamond in his turban.
As each investiture took place, seventeen guns were fired, and the secretary proclaimed aloud the titles of the newly-made Knight Grand Commander or Companion as the case might be. The pageant was incomparably splendid, the close of the ceremony being quite as fine as the beginning, for the Knights Grand Cross, the Knights Grand Commanders, and the Companions all formed once more in a procession in the reverse order of their entry.
At the close of the King’s visit to Calcutta he began his journeys by rail. At Benares he visited the famous Temples, and the Golden Pool, going from thence by steamer to the old port of Rammagar, where he and his suite were splendidly received by the Maharajah, who presented him with some very costly shawls and brocades, together with what is to an Indian the very highest proof of regard, namely his own walking-stick, a thick staff mounted with gold.
At Lucknow the King laid the foundation-stone of a memorial to the natives who fell in the defence of the Residency. On this occasion he took the opportunity of paying a well-deserved tribute to the faithful soldiers of the native army. Some of the veterans were presented to him, and they were not allowed to be hurried by, ragged, squalid, or unclean; indeed, His Majesty insisted on exchanging a few words with several of them.
While at Lucknow he took part in a pig-sticking expedition, at which Lord Carrington’s left collar-bone was broken, and curiously enough, Lord Napier of Magdala met with a precisely similar accident on the same day.