MAIN LIBRARY HA-WANI SINGH LP9-R1 IF U.B.C. LIBRARY \vvuy St TRAVEL PICTURES -Uz-le^U^OM, . Sc 'O^fy ^A^rirui ^a/Y^^j^'i TRAVEL PICTURES THE RECORD OF A EUROPEAN TOUR BY BHAWANI SINGH RAJ RANA BAHADUR OF JHALAWAR WITH PHOTOGRAVURE PORTRAIT AND 96 ILLUSTRATIONS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS BV THE AUTHOR LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. 39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON NEW YORK, BOMBAY, AND CALCUTTA I9I2 All rights rcserjed TO HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY GEORGE THE FIFTH KING OF GREAT BRITAIN AND OF THE BRITISH OVERSEA DOMINIONS AND EMPEROR OF INDIA THIS DIARY OF A EUROPEAN TOUR IS, WITH HIS MAJESTY'S GRACIOUS PERMISSION, MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR — INTRODUCTION The impressions left on my mind by a prolonged tour in Europe are given to the world with considerable diffidence. In 1904, I kept a diary recording the wonderful sights which I was privileged to witness, primarily for the benefit of my people in Jhalawar, whose ideas of European civilization were of the vaguest. Several friends who examined the MS. advised me to address a wider public ; but I post- poned taking action in this direction until the Corona- tion Durbar of 191 1 had passed into history. It is the custom with Indian chiefs to offer precious gifts on such occasions to the Emperor ; and, when we learnt His Imperial Majesty had expressed a wish that the practice should not be observed, it occurred to me that I might be allowed to submit the Diary of a tour in Europe in lieu of the customary presents. His Imperial Majesty having been graciously pleased to accept the dedication of my volume, I have been enabled to realize an ardent desire to do something however little it may be—for the good of my fellow- creatures. These facts will, perhaps, account for the delay which has occurred in the publication of "Travel Pictures." Things move rapidly in this twentieth century; the Europe of 1904 is not the Europe of 191 2 ; many friends who welcomed me then have viii INTRODUCTION joined the great majority ; new ideas are current, and each has left its stamp on civilization. I venture to think, however, that the experiences of one who was an " untravelled thane" when he jotted them down may not be without interest for the public of this country, of India, and the United States. A faithful picture must have its shading as well as its lights. My readers will, I trust, pardon the frank- ness with which I have indicated what appeared in my humble opinion as shortcomings in the marvellous environment which has been created in Europe by science and goodwill. In conclusion, I would express my deep obligations to Mr. Francis H. Skrine, late of the Indian Civil Service, for a very careful revision of my Diary ; and to Major R. A. E. Benn, CLE., now Political Agent in Baluchistan, who was truly a "guide, philosopher and friend " throughout my wanderings. BHAWANI SINGH 59 Cromwell Road, London, S.W., Oct. 1912. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. Bombay to Marseilles ...... j II. Through Spain and Portugal to Paris and London 13 III. London ......... ^9 IV. London and its Neighbourhood ; Sheffield, Man- chester and Liverpool -...-. 63 V. Scotland ......... 89 VI. Ireland ......... 100 VII. In England Again ....... 105 VIII. The Continent of Europe—Holland - . - 124 IX. Hamburg, Copenhagen, Berlin .... 132 X. Marienbad ; and My Water Cure .... 146 XI. Vienna, Budapest and Munich . - - 165 XII. Switzerland, France and Back to England . 176 XIII. Brussels, Cologne and Paris ..... 200 XIV. Italy^—Turin, Pisa, Rome. ..... 212 XV. Italy—Naples - - - - - - - - 225 XVI. Greece ......... 247 XVII. Egypt, and Home Again -...-. 262 Index .-...--.. 281 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Portrait of the Author - - . Frontispiece From a Photograph by Langfier, Ltd., 23a Old Bond Street, London. Marseilles, the Cannebiere ...... g Cascade in the Palais de Longchamps .... ,, Barcelona ---..-.-.. 20 Barcelona, a Main Thoroughfare ..... ,, Barcelona, a Roman Gateway ...... 22 * . Suburbs of Madrid ^^ Madrid, a Bull-Fight, Commencement .... 24 Planting . Banderillas in the Bull ... ^^ At Bay 26 The Bull's Funeral ........ ,, Portuguese Peasant ........ 28 Lisbon ---..-..-.- „ CiNTRA, A Moorish Castle ....... 30 MEDiiEVAL Gateway, Bordeaux ...... ,, Versailles, Garden Front ....... 36 Versailles, Gardens ........ ,, Buckingham Palace ........ 39 Cleopatra's Needle ........ ,, London, the Marble Arch ....... 54 The Riverside at Staines ....... „ Garden Scene, Maidenhead .---.-- 74 In the Garden of the Thames Hotel - - - ,, Xll LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Sheffield, Queen's Park Liverpool Seaforth Sands . - • - New Brighton, a Fort Merchant Taylors' School, Liverpool Athletic Sports . - - - Edinburgh, the Old Town - HoLYROOD Palace Aberdeen, Rob Roy's Statue Aboyne, NEAR Balmoral CuLLODEN Moor, the Cumberland Stone Tomb of Highlanders - Lock on the Caledonian Canal - Castle, Loch Leven Belfast, Shipbuilding Yard Dublin, Deer in the Phcenix Park Dublin, View in the Phcenix Park Country Road near Buxton Amsterdam, the Market Amsterdam, a Riverside Scene Amsterdam, a Canal Cart Drawn by Dogs - Copenhagen, a Group of Statuary Potsdam, Dogs' Graves, Sans-Souci Potsdam, the Gardens, Sans-Souci Potsdam, the New Palace Marienbad The Kurgarten Vienna, the Hofburg - The Gardens, Schoenbrunn LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xiii PAGE Budapest ------.... j-q Colossal Statue of Bavaria, Munich - - . Lucerne, a Medieval Gateway - - - . ijq The Jungfrau ----..... Berne j3^ Berne, a Street Scene ---.... Geneva, Rousseau's Island - . - i86 Paris, the Seine -----.... Paris, Church of St. Germain, Auxerrois - - - . i88 Paris, the Tuileries Gardens, Feeding Sparrows Dieppe from the Sea ---..... 1^2 Brussels, the Bourse, or Exchange ..... Milan, the Cathedral - - - - - . - 212 Milan, Street Scene ........ Milan, Triumphal Arch ....... 214 Campo Santo, or Cemetery ....... Pisa, the Leaning Tower . - . 216 Naples, a Public Conveyance ...... Naples, Lazzarone Waiting for Macaroni - . - . 218 Rome, the Forum ........ Rome, the Vatican ........ 222 Rome, St. Peter's ........ Venice, St. Mark's ........ 232 Venice, the Doge's Palace ....... Venice, the Bridge of Sighs 234 Venice, our Gondola ........ Venice, the Rialto ........ 236 Venice, a Wedding Party ....... Venice, Lord Byron's Seat 240 Corfu ........... xiv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Corfu, British Destroyers 247 Athens, Temple of Victory ---•- .. Athens, Tower of the Winds 256 Athens, a Deserted Mosque >• Athens, Part of the Stadium 258 - » The Piit^us, a Vegetable-Seller - - - The Pir^us, the Harbour 26° Alexandria, Excavations >» Cairo, a Street Scene 266 Cairo, a Baker's Stall .... • - ,, A Water-Carrier ^7° Cairo, a- Mussulman Graveyard » Cairo, a Street Scene 274 Cairo, a Market Place - -« CHAPTER I BOMBAY TO MARSEILLES We left Bombay at 11.45 on April i6th, 1904. On reaching the Ballard Pier, we were taken for medical examination to the Port-Doctor, who received us very politely, felt our pulse, and gave each of us a pass. Thakur Umrao Singh, Dr. Ramlal, Abdulghafur Khan and Onkar, who formed my party, were allowed to come with me to the Docks ; the rest remained outside. Though I was going on a pleasure trip, I felt greatly the separation from my people, whom I was leaving. Just as we reached the Docks one of the steam- launches left without us, but I was glad of this mishap, as it afforded me an opportunity of bidding them a long fare- well. At last we took our seats in a launch which put out to sea, and the little group who had come with me from my Capital, Jhalrapatan, dwindled to the merest speck. When we reached the S.S. " Egypt " a ladder was thrown from the steamer to the launch, and we all boarded her easily. Dr. Ramlal too, though naturally very nervous, did not find any difficulty in transferring himself to the great ship. On leaving Bombay, we found ourselves in the waters of the Arabian Sea. It is a continuation of the Indian Ocean, which is bounded on the North by Beluchistan and Arabia and on the South by an imaginary line which passes through 30° of South latitude. The colour of the water where the steamer had been lying was muddy ; after steaming for two or three hours it turned to green, and next day, when we were in the open sea, it changed again to deep blue. A I ; 2 TRAVEL PICTURES The steamer was a quite new thing to us, and we therefore had some difficulty in finding our cabin, but as I saw other passengers hurrying to theirs, I had to ask my way. On reaching the cabin assigned to me I sent for its steward, named Kemp, who proved most obHging. We made a mistake in bringing so many trunks into the cabin, as it was very small, being meant to accommodate three passengers only. It contained an almeira, or cupboard with three drawers, two wash-stands, and a WTiting table. There was a port-hole on one side, through which a sufficient supply of fresh air came in. In my opinion one should take only a trunk for three changes of clothes and an evening dress suit, and a smaller box to hold shirts, of which one is required every day. An overcoat and an umbrella should never be forgotten ; they can be placed in a hold-all. We felt very lonely and uncomfortable, and had to look to the steward for everything. On the first evening we did not go into the saloon, but asked him to bring our dinner to the cabin. We were quite helpless, and so had to keep quiet fortunately we had some fruit with us. The whole steamer was lighted with electricity. Our cabin, not being on the deck, was rather close, and we were much afraid of being sea-sick, but I did not feel anything of the sort. The steamer was very steady, the sea being calm. Owing to the discomfort and anxiety, we were so tired that we were all asleep by nine o'clock. The cabin which had been assigned to Abdulghafur and Onkar, being on a lower deck, was not a good one, and they felt very miserable.