gorgeous, magnificent, and impressive pageant ever witnessed in
Calcutta. All the great Ruling Chiefs and Princes left their capitals
to come to Calcutta to pay their homage and fealty to their future
King-Emperor, amongst others the little lady known as the Begum of
Bhopal, who, by reason of her great and unswerving loyalty and
devotion to the British Raj in the dark days of the Mutiny, had earned
for herself not only the lasting gratitude and respect of the
Government of India as well as that of the Home Government, but a
position second to none in all that great assemblage of Princes and
Rulers in the Indian Empire. Being a Purdahnashin she was of course
closely veiled, and all that we were permitted to see was a diminutive
figure, looking exactly like any ordinary up-country woman. The
ceremony took place about 11 o'clock in the morning in a huge marquee
or durbar tent, capable of accommodating any number of people, on a
site in close proximity to the Ochterlony monument. It was enclosed
within a high wall of canvas branching off the tent itself on either
side for a considerable distance, leaving a long, broad, open roadway,
and lined on both sides by a series of tiny robing tents for the use
and convenience of the Knights who were to be newly invested at the
ceremony. The enclosure was rounded off at the far end facing the
north by a large gateway, at which those taking part in the ceremony
were set down as they drew up in their carriages.

It was a sight never to be forgotten that gradually unfolded itself to
view as the Knights in grand procession slowly moved up the avenue in
solemn and dignified state to the accompaniment of the martial strains
of the Royal Marine band playing a different march as each Chief
appeared on the scene. They were all arrayed in the long flowing
princely mantle and resplendent dress and appointments of the Insignia
of the Order.