prejudices entail, involving
ignorance of what is taking place immediately outside their own
palaces, the Native Princes of the less warlike peoples would have
no chance amidst the anarchy and confusion that would follow the
withdrawal of British influence.

A remark made to me by the late Sir Madhava Rao, ex-Minister of the
Baroda State, which exemplifies my meaning, comes back to me at this
moment. Sir Madhava was one of the most astute Hindu gentlemen in
India, and when discussing with him the excitement produced by the
'Ilbert Bill,' he said: 'Why do you English raise these unnecessary
questions? It is your doing, not ours. We have heard of the cry,
"India for the Indians," which some of your philanthropists have
raised in England; but you have only to go to the Zoological Gardens
and open the doors of the cages, and you will very soon see what would
be the result of putting that theory into practice. There would be
a terrific fight amongst the animals, which would end in the tiger
walking proudly over the dead bodies of the rest.' 'Whom,' I inquired,
'do you consider to be the tiger?' 'The Mahomedan from the North,' was
his reply.

[Illustration: THE MARQUIS OF DUFFERIN, K.P., G.C.B., G.C.M.G.,
G.M.S.I., G.M.I.E., VICEROY OF INDIA.

_From, an engraving by the Fine Art Society of a portrait by the late
Frank Holl, R.A._]

[Footnote 1: Now Sir Mount-Stuart Grant-Duff, G.C.S.I.]

[Footnote 2: Now Sir Charles Bernard, K.C.S.I.]

[Footnote 3: Lieutenant-Colonel G.T. Pretyman, R.A., was
Assistant Military Secretary until 1884, when he was succeeded by
Lieutenant-Colonel R. Pole-Carew, Coldstream Guards. Lieutenant
Neville Chamberlain, Central India Horse, and Captain Ian Hamilton,
the Gordon Highlanders, were Aides-de-camp.]

[Footnote 4: The finest of the Gassapa falls.]

* * * * *

CHAPTER LXIV.
1885

Disturbing action of Russia--Abdur Rahman Khan--The Rawal Pindi Durbar
--Unmistakable loyalty of the Natives

In March, 1885, we again visited Calcutta. The Marquis of Ripon had
departed, and the Earl of Dufferin reigned in his stead.

Affairs on our north-west and south-east frontiers were at this time
in a very unsettled state. Indeed, the political outlook altogether
had assumed rather a gloomy aspect. Our relations with the French had
become somewhat strained in consequence of their interference with
Upper Burma and our occupation of Egypt; while Russia'