THE GAIKAWAR AT HOME.

Grey River Argus, Volume XVI, Issue 2128, 4 June 1875, Page 2

THE GAIKAWAR AT HOME.

[from the month.]

M. Rousselet wisely determined to take hie own time in his travels, and no wonder, when he found himself installed as the favorite of so lavish a sovereign. Thus he saw all the court life of Baroda. The palace was thronged with buffoons and dancing girls both of- whom enjoyed a liberty allowed to no other subjects. The most exalted officials and ministers had to -bear with the rudest practical jokes from the court fools, and the more humilating they were, the more the Gaikawar was amused. As to the dancing girls, to make up for the enforced absence of the numerous women of the harem, they were present even at the Councils of State, and much to the detriment, one would suppose; of 'busiriess, they danced and played before the Prince; who. turned .every now and then to chat familiarly with them. Besides enjoyments of this kind, the Gaikawar is passionately fond of soldiers, of hunting, and gladiatorial shows. His^jarmy, part of which was f drUle#, and .uniformed after the European model,, anSbfficered by Englishmen, amounted in' ail 1 ( 'to' about fifty thousand men. One regiment of Guards was dressed exactly like the Scots Fusilier Guards, ,, another, r ,an .ar&iiery corps,' rejoiced iii silver carinons, while jk third was composed Entirely L df'h"6bfes n iu splendid costume.* The augurs, in whom the Gaikawar placed £reat- faith;- had^day after day given their verdicts agairis£ !r t:tie good, luck of the , chase, , and, .the/: bad weather supported them, so it ; was theend of July-; before ■■&■:. great hunting nparty could be organised. A whole ;month;iwaa spent in ; the chase, -the^Prince? beingOaccompanied'by a complete army of dants of every kind. A less legitiflßate amusement were the games of 1 thea^aphitheatre. The single combats between men whose fists were covered" with 'sharp spikes, and which:, only). ended] -with the death pof, t one, .or both of the combatants, had been forbidden. But the-; Gaikawar kept large bodies -of >pjigilists and athlets, not to speak' of "Itorrea'dors," if we may so call the fighters of wild beasts, r elephants, tigers, Swild boars, and other: animals,- to offer but reyolting .kind. : .Like a wellrknqwnj Emperor, he boasted of, his own r .skill as &n athlete," and; eyer^- morning, after his ,bath he tried his skill'as a , muscuiay one of his professioiiais.' An..]. English gentleman could not attend more carefully to his stud than , this Prince jdid to the training and feeding- of this regiment -of wrestlers. No pleasure was [dearer to him than to make two of these black Hercules ; almost mad with iiiquor, iandvtheii ■ mth i knuckle-dusters of horn upon their fistlry hurl one agains^t-the bttierr- Nb'i^ven an English prize-ringrXiquld: present a more i disgusting sight, and M.. Rousselet tells a story which is " simply a' reproduction of ; the" worsen features I ': 'of the' PoW -Roman ; games. One of the combatant&had shown the white feather and tried to fly from his assailant ; the' other follpWed n aM' iT threw : him, and.both'togethier ; ! we^6 ; soon : ! 3b wn on the s<*nil rolling ;'af;jffi^. feeWof^Khundi Rao. When the' weaker ? cn&d.fmr mercy, the victor turned to th!e Prince to know ihis,will.r "Strike, stafike! "wastheanswier, and. before, long; the head of the,po6r.man was one inassof : wounds ,#nd ;-bruiaea jT and he was quite insensible ■ when; he, was: removed. -The victors' received! that.? very day jewels and money to tb§ amount of more than L4OOO. .;;«'[ i'}^