Bengal, expressing their deep regret at her departure from India, where she had proved herself such a true friend to them, and their grateful appreciation of all she had done for them.
Such a sight had never been seen before, and it was one never to be forgotten. The great throne-room in Government House was filled from one end to the other with women of all ages, most of whom had never in their lives been inside a European house, while many of them had hardly seen a European face. To all it was something strangely new and exciting to find themselves in a crowd.
Old and young were there, dark and fair; a few wearing a modified European dress, but the immense majority attired in native costume. Some in silks and satins, and cloth of gold, and rich embroideries, others in brightly coloured cottons, and a few in the plain white dress and saree that betoken widowhood. Some coquettish ly drawing their veils over faces of I rare beauty, others who might with advantage have made use of veils to hide the ravages of time. Some startling one by the almost classic simplicity of their drapery, and by the graceful poise of their small heads, others proclaiming their oriental character by the superabundance of barbaric jewellery which glittered on their fingers, arms, necks, noses, ears, forehead, and heavily-laden ankles.
Only a small number of them could speak English,
