[Illustration: _Photo. by B & S_ Old view of Government Place, East,
showing gates of Government House.]

[Illustration: _Photo. by B. & S._ Present-day view of Government
Place, East, and Old Court House Street]

Each Chief or Prince was attended by a small retinue of retainers, one
or two being armed and clad in barbaric garb of mediæval chain-mail
armour, and also a standard bearer who unfurled his banner to the
breeze over the head of his own individual Chieftain. As each Chief
reached the marquee he was placed in order of precedence alongside the
throne. Last of all, the Viceroy and Prince of Wales appeared,
escorted by nearly the whole of the bodyguard accoutred in their
bright and picturesque uniform, surrounded by a most brilliant and
numerous staff of aides-de-camp and equerries (chobdahs heading the
procession), and all the other State officials attached to the
entourage of both the Viceroy and Prince. The ceremony which took a
considerable time was conducted with all the viceregal pomp and
circumstance usual on such occasions, and, as I have already remarked,
has never at any time been equalled in grandeur and spectacular effect
in the annals of Calcutta.


COST OF LIVING IN CALCUTTA.

When I first arrived, everything was immeasurably cheaper than it is
now, and it will no doubt surprise the young assistants in mercantile
offices of the present day to hear that for the first year I received
the sum of Rs. 200 per mensem and managed to live very comfortably on