The fishing-boats were Oriental, and nothing new to the tourists; but the men in them were swarthy-looking fellows, not abundantly provided with clothing. The greater portion of India has a warm climate, and the dress of the people is adapted to it. For the most part, the natives are bundled up in loose white cotton cloth, or what was originally white, which they twist about their bodies with a skill acquired by practice. But these boatmen were almost in a primitive3 condition.
The distinguished4 guests on board of the Guardian-Mother were perfectly5 familiar with Bombay and its surroundings, as they were with all of the country, and their services were just now in demand. The Woolridges had attached themselves to Lord Tremlyn; Louis Belgrave was very likely to be in their company most of the time, and the viscount had manifested no little interest in the young millionaire. He was pointing out the country, and describing it, to this group of four.
Dr. Ferrolan was not so much of a ladies' man as his two younger companions, and was rendering6 similar service to his professional brother, Uncle Moses, and Professor Giroud. They formed a quartet of educated men, and were more in touch with each other than they might otherwise have been. Sir Modava Rao had attracted to his side Mrs. Belgrave; Mrs. Blossom was usually her shadow; and of course Captain Ringgold, when not employed in his duties in the navigation of the steamer, gravitated, not materially but sentimentally7, to this group; for wherever Mrs. Belgrave was, the commander was not far off.
Felix divided himself up among the three parties; and, as he was a lively boy, he afforded no little amusement to all of them. The entire company, including the captain and the third officer, who were to take part in the business of sight-seeing, consisted of sixteen persons, which was just the complement8 for four carriages, if they were large enough to seat four.
The pilot came on board, and was inducted into the pilot-house. He spoke9 English, and seemed to be a bright fellow so far as his occupation was concerned. The pilots are said to "pool their issues," and divide their fees. They take their own time, therefore, and are very independent. But this one, when informed that the Guardian-Mother was a yacht conveying a young millionaire all-over-the-world, was very respectful and deferential10.
"I have heard of this vessel11 before, and they say here that the young rajah is worth millions of pounds," said he, when he had laid the course of the steamer.
"I suppose he is as well off as some of your Grand Moguls; but I think you had better call it dollars instead of pounds," replied Mr. Boulong, laughing at the absurdity12 of the story; but the pilot knew nothing about dollars, and perhaps the reports had been swelled13 by changing the unit of American currency into that of the British Empire.
"Now you can see the islands more distinctly," said Lord Tremlyn to his group.
"I don't see any islands," replied Miss Blanche.
"They are too near together to be distinguished separately. The Bombay to which we are going is an island eleven and a half miles long. The town has an abundant territory; but large as it is, portions of it are very densely14 peopled, averaging twenty-one inmates15 to a house," continued the viscount. "Next to Calcutta it is the largest city in India, and comes within 40,000 of that.
"Bombay has had its vicissitudes16. Of course you know that your Civil War produced a cotton famine in Europe; but it raised this city to the pinnacle17 of prosperity. A reign18 of speculation19 came here, and it was believed that Bombay would be the leading cotton mart of the world. Companies were organized to develop the resources of the country in the textile plant; and the fever raged as high as it did when the South Sea Bubble was blown up, or as it has sometimes in New York and other cities of your country.
"New banks were started; merchants plunged20 recklessly into the vortex of speculation. Then came the news of the surrender of General Lee, and the end of the war in America. The bubble burst, even before it was fully21 inflated22, and the business prosperity of Bombay collapsed23. The certificates of shares in companies and banks were not worth the paper on which they were written. Even the Bank of Bombay, believed to be as solid as the 'Old Lady' of Threadneedle Street, had to suspend, and the commercial distress24 was frightful25.
"But it left its lesson behind it; and since that time Bombay has patiently and painfully regained26 its former solid prosperity. It has recovered what it lost, and is now steadily27 increasing in population and wealth."
"I never heard of the South Sea Bubble of which you speak," said Louis.
"That is not strange, as it was an affair of one hundred and eighty-one years ago," replied Lord Tremlyn. "I have not time now to describe it in full. The floating debt of England at that time was £10,000,000; and the Earl of Oxford28 concocted29 a scheme to pay it off, and formed a company of merchants for that purpose. The riches of the South Sea Islands, including South America, were most extravagantly30 estimated at that time, and the monopoly of the trade was secured by the company formed. The 'South Sea Company' was bolstered31 up by the pledge of the duties on the imports from these far-off regions, and the shares sold like wild-fire, increasing in price in the most extraordinary manner. Shares at a par2 of £100 were quoted at £550 in May, and £890 in June.
"The failure of the Mississippi Scheme, projected in France by John Law to develop the resources of the American State of Louisiana, alarmed the shareholders32; but the managers declared that they had avoided the errors of Law in their finances, and the enterprise still prospered33. A mania34 for stock-gambling spread over England, and the people seemed to have lost their wits. The most tremendous excitement prevailed. The crisis came, and it was realized that the scheme was a fraudulent one. Some of the biggest operators sold out their stock, and a panic ensued. Consternation35 came upon the bubble capitalists, and financial ruin stared them and their dupes full in the face.
"The country was stirred to its very foundations. Parliament was called together, and the books of the company were examined. The 'Bubble' had burst, as it did in Bombay. The private property of the directors was confiscated36. The ruin brought about by this enterprise, rightly called a 'Bubble,' was beyond calculation; but it taught its lesson, as such affairs always do."
"We are approaching the harbor," said Mrs. Woolridge, who was not much interested in the South Sea Scheme, though her husband and Louis listened to the explanation very attentively37.
"We are, madam. You see to the northward38 of us two peninsulas. The one the more distant has two hills on it. The first is Malabar Hill, and the other Cumballa Hill. This is the aristocratic quarter of Bombay. The huge bungalows39 of the rich merchants and higher government officials are here. The scenery, natural and artificial, is very fine, and Asiatic magnificence prevails there. That will be one of our first rides. You observe near the point of the peninsula some towers, like pagodas40, which will give you your first impression of the temples of India."
Opera-glasses were then in demand, and were brought to bear on the towers.
"They are in the village of Walkeshwar. The peninsula now quite near is Colaba. Indian names are very much mixed in regard to their spelling. The c and the k are about interchangeable, and you can use either one of them. Hence this point is often written Kolaba, and the hill yonder Kumballa. The southern part of this neck of land is the native quarter. You will visit all these localities, and it is not worth while to describe them minutely."
"That looks like a cemetery," said Mr. Woolridge, as the steamer approached the point. "There is the lighthouse."
The commander had left his party as the steamer approached the entrance to the harbor, and had gone forward. The ship had slowed down, and the captain spoke to the pilot about a convenient anchorage. The harbor was large enough to accommodate all the navies of the world, and there was no difficulty on this account. Lord Tremlyn had left his party to look at what was to be seen by themselves, and came forward to the pilot-house. The anchorage was settled.
"Captain Ringgold, if you please, we will now exchange places," said the viscount. "Up to the present time we have been your guests; now I will become the host, and you and your party will be my guests. I beg you will raise no objections, my dear sir, and I shall feel very much wounded if you do not accept the hospitality I tender to you. You are at home on the sea as I am in Bombay."
"You have put it in such a way that I cannot refuse to accept," replied the commander, laughing at the corner in which he was placed. "For the present we are your guests, and we place ourselves entirely41 under your direction."
"I am extremely happy to take you all under my protection; but I cannot submit to the proviso which you have added to my offer, though I will be satisfied to have you 'for the present' as my guests, and we will leave the future to take care of itself. But in whatever capacity we travel over India, or such portion of it as you may elect, it is rather necessary that we fix upon a plan for our operations."
"I am quite agreed that we had better draw up a programme, and I shall depend upon your counsel in the matter," replied the captain. "For the present, will you excuse me until the ship comes to anchor?"
"Certainly, Captain."
"Here is the custom-house boat, and I suppose I must attend to that."
"Leave that to me, if you please."
In another half-hour the Guardian-Mother was at anchor off the Apollo Bunder, the wharf42, or landing-place. The custom-house officers came on board; and, as the ship was not one of any regular line, a high official came off with them. As soon as he reached the deck he discovered his lordship, and rushed to him, bowed profusely43, and addressed him in the most deferential manner.
"This is a very unexpected visit, my Lord, and in a steamer flying the American flag," said he, as the viscount gave him his hand, a piece of condescension44 he appeared to appreciate very highly. "What has become of the Travancore?"
"She was wrecked45 in the Arabian Sea in a collision, and went to the bottom after holding us up for a few hours. We were rescued from certain death by this steamer, and we have been treated with the utmost kindness and consideration," said his lordship quite hurriedly. "Sir Modava Rao and Dr. Ferrolan are on board. I am entirely devoted46 to those to whom we owe our lives, and I am in their service as long as they will stay in India. What is your business on board, Mr. Windham?"
"It is in connection with the customs, my Lord."
"You will dispense47 with everything in that connection, for this is a yacht; and you will oblige me by not subjecting any person on board to any annoyance48, Mr. Windham."
"Certainly not, my Lord; and not a trunk shall be opened. But the newspapers will want the account of your shipwreck49, and a reporter came off with me," replied the official.
"Refer him to my secretary."
The under-official obtained particulars from the first officer in regard to the steamer for the custom-house, and Dr. Ferrolan gave the reporter an account of the disaster to the Travancore which he had written.
"I propose to land and proceed to our hotel as soon as the ladies are ready," said Lord Tremlyn, when he had retired50 to the captain's cabin with the commander. "While they are preparing, we will consider the programme of the tour."
"Very well, your Lordship; I will have the party notified. Mr. Scott," said the captain, opening the door into the pilot-house, "inform all the company that we go on shore in half an hour; and you will go with them. Mr. Boulong, lower the gangway, and have the barge51 ready."
"Perhaps you have arranged a programme yourself already," suggested the new host of the party.
"I have considered the matter. I proposed to see Bombay, and perhaps run down to Poona. Then go to Surat in the steamer, and visit Baroda, and proceed by the ship to Kurrachee. From there I thought I should send the Guardian-Mother round to Calcutta in charge of Mr. Boulong, while we travelled to Lahore, Delhi, Cawnpore, Lucknow, Allahabad, Benares, and Calcutta by railway. From there we will go to Madras and Ceylon by the steamer," said the commander, who seemed to have arranged the whole trip.
"Excellent, Captain Ringgold!" exclaimed the viscount. "I can hardly better that."
He made some suggestions; but this route was substantially adopted.
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1
groves
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| 树丛，小树林( grove的名词复数 ) | |
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par
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| n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的 | |
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primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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sentimentally
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| adv.富情感地 | |
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complement
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| n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足 | |
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9
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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deferential
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| adj. 敬意的，恭敬的 | |
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11
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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absurdity
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| n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论 | |
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13
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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densely
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| ad.密集地；浓厚地 | |
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inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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vicissitudes
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| n.变迁，世事变化；变迁兴衰( vicissitude的名词复数 )；盛衰兴废 | |
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pinnacle
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| n.尖塔，尖顶，山峰；(喻)顶峰 | |
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reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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speculation
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| n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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inflated
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| adj.（价格）飞涨的；（通货）膨胀的；言过其实的；充了气的v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨 | |
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collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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Oxford
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| n.牛津（英国城市） | |
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concocted
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| v.将（尤指通常不相配合的）成分混合成某物( concoct的过去式和过去分词 )；调制；编造；捏造 | |
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extravagantly
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| adv.挥霍无度地 | |
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bolstered
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| v.支持( bolster的过去式和过去分词 )；支撑；给予必要的支持；援助 | |
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shareholders
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| n.股东( shareholder的名词复数 ) | |
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prospered
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| 成功，兴旺( prosper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mania
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| n.疯狂；躁狂症，狂热，癖好 | |
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consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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confiscated
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| 没收，充公( confiscate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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39
bungalows
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| n.平房( bungalow的名词复数 )；单层小屋，多于一层的小屋 | |
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pagodas
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| 塔，宝塔( pagoda的名词复数 ) | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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42
wharf
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| n.码头，停泊处 | |
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profusely
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| ad.abundantly | |
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44
condescension
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| n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人) | |
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45
wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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46
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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47
dispense
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| vt.分配，分发；配(药)，发(药)；实施 | |
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48
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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49
shipwreck
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| n.船舶失事，海难 | |
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50
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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51
barge
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| n.平底载货船，驳船 | |
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