After all his duties had been attended to most punctiliously there were his own horses and affairs requiring attention. Yet never was there as much as a cushion forgotten for Her Excellency. Beyond a tiny notebook and his shirt sleeves everything was carried in his head. I have seen some wonderful notes on the cuffs of his shirt. An English laundry-maid of an enquiring turn of mind might have compiled an amusing diary from them, though a little cryptic. Seeing some hieroglyphics on one of his cuffs one day at luncheon, I asked if I might be permitted to know what they meant; he shot out the cuff and showed it to me; it was not altogether easy to decipher, but with a little assistance I read:
“Viceroy’s bath.” “Sack Syce.” “19 Guns.” “Pacify Mrs. B.”
He explained he had made a note of these little items requiring attention. I asked if it was part of his duty to give the Viceroy a bath, but he said, “No, but the bath leaked and his note reminded him to replace it with a sound one.” “Sack Syce” meant there had been slackness in the stables and a certain syce would have to go. Nineteen guns sounded a big order and rather mysterious, but it had to do with a Native Prince who considered he had not received enough salutes or too many, I forget which, and his lordship wished to adjust the matter. Then came “Pacify Mrs. B.” I gathered a certain lady had been deeply pained at the way her name had been spelt on one of the invitation cards, a very important “e” had been left out, which made her name look quite commonplace, and she felt it had been done on purpose. Lord William was going to put the matter straight and the “e” in its right place.
It can easily be imagined the amount of correspondence Lord William had to attend to, it was enormous, happily he had a clerk who wrote so like him it was almost impossible to tell one from the other. The Military Secretary was much praised for being such a good sort, fancy so busy a man answering all the letters himself! That clerk was most convenient.
Lord William used to tell some amusing stories of the way people approached him with a view to using his influence with the Viceroy in their favour. Various methods were adopted by those who wanted his help, they mostly began by expressing great affection for his lordship, and profound admiration.
Being a kind-hearted man, Lord Bill did his best to further everybody’s wishes, and if they were in any way possible presented the matter to His Excellency for consideration.
Occasionally some Native Chief thought he ought to have some concessions, decorations or invitations, and asked Lord William to help him in the matter, once when this had occurred and the answer was longer coming than the Chief liked, he thought he would expedite matters by making a handsome present to his lordship and at the same time asking when his request was going to be granted. This, of course, settled the matter, as it was undoubtedly meant as a bribe and was reported at once to the Viceroy—needless to say the favour was not granted.
It seems rather hard that while we, the British people, give presents to the Chiefs, we are not allowed to receive any in return, that is to say none of any value; but no doubt it is wise.