152 SECOND DURBAR 



a certain amount of risk, and the East is no excep- 

 tion. 



The route selected undoubtedly presented some 

 elements of danger. To what extent warnings had 

 been given to the Viceroy by those answerable 

 for his safety I do not know, but whatever else, 

 Hardinge is unquestionably a man of marked 

 courage both physical and moral, and I question 

 whether any scent of danger would have affected 

 his decision. He wanted to " impress the native," 

 as the saying is, and probably selected the route 

 decided upon with that object in view. 



Be that as it may, the selection turned out an 

 unfortunate one, but I am bound to say that had 

 it rested with me it is the selection I should my- 

 self have made. 



The procession itself consisted of some fifteen 

 huge state elephants smothered in paint and gild- 

 ing and gorgeously caparisoned. 



The howdahs also were elaborately decorated, 

 that of the Viceroy being the much-talked-of silver 

 howdah which Lord Curzon had built for himself 

 for his Durbar. 



His Excellency's elephant came first, then the 

 Commander-in-Chief's, then mine. The elephants 

 of the other members of Council followed in order 

 of seniority, then that of the Lieutenant-Governor 

 of the Punjab, and so on. The elephants, trunk 

 to tail, almost touched. I was therefore able to 

 witness closely exactly what occurred when the 

 bomb was hurled at the Viceroy . 



The procession had just passed the spot where 

 a street called, I think, Esplanade Road opens on 

 to the Chandni Chowk, when I saw something 



