TWO SISTERS' TIMELY RETREAT FB,OM INDIA..' THE "timely retreat," and

"Bengal," and the " mutinies " of the titlepage, have nothing to do with the matter of this agree- able book, except that the fair writers were fortunate in their " timely " return. Within a month after reaching England, the insurrection broke out along the very line of their homeward route ; for their head-quarters were Meerut, and they passed through Delhi. Of Bengal, save its capital, they saw but little, not so much indeed, as of places beyond the province. Their range of journeying reached from the Ganges to nearly the snow line of the Himalayas. Their Indian experiences were confined to Calcutta, Meerut, a sanitary station in the Himalayas, a Himelayan sporting excursion and a gharie [post-carnage] journey over some thousand miles. The matter of The Timely Retreat is chiefly of a social kind : Anglo-Indian manners, opinions, and modes of life, forming the substance of the book. This substance may be of the slight- est, but it is none the worse for that. We have not had such a picture of Anglo-Indian daily life since thelate Miss Roberts published her experiences upon the subject some twenty years ago. The sketches of the two sisters have, however, another in- terest than those of Miss Roberts. It is impossible not to con- trast the contempt towards the Natives in some minds' and the universal confidence (except for money or money's worth) univer- sally reposed in them—confidence, indeed, so thorough, that not even a doubt of their fidelity or their fear seems to have flitted across any mind—with the terrible massacres that buret forth in the very midst of this security. It is difficult not to think that this easy, trusting, yawning sort of life, has passed away, and that in- future there will be more reserve, more watchfulness, possibly more of "saucy doubts and fears," and, let us hope, more activity. Society, and, the troubles Of life may possibly form an element in the question of questions, Indian patronage, as well as the distance, climate, and diseases, which the advocates of Lord Palmerston tell us will always keep the aristocracy out of India. At all events, it is pretty certain that " young girls, just arrived from England, [will not yet awhile be] put into one of these gharies with a body--guard of one ayah [Maid], and [be] expected in about a month's time to turn up somewhere in the Punjaub, a distance of sixteen hundred miles." Yet this was about the mode in which the two sisters started from Calcutta ; but that is not the only remarkable part of their journey. The Misses Wallace-Dunlop, as they sign the dedica- tion, or Leslie as they are called in the book, have extensive Anglo-Indian connexions ; in fact, the family seem to have got an heirloom in that quarter. The most immediate fact bearing on the matter in hand is that they had a brother as magistrate and collector at Meerut, and a sudden thought struck them at the Paris Exhibition that they would beat up his quarters. Their mother raising no objection, they started on the overland journey after due preparation in the millinery and pistol-practice lines, and reached Calcutta not only in safety but pleasantly—joyously. After a brief sojourn with friends in the City of Palaces, they started as already mentioned for Meerut, having for guides two young cadets, as mere Griffs as themselves. But the land journey was not so fortunate as the voyage. One sister, "Maud," fell ill from climate, sleeplessness, and continuous travelling ; hardly had. she recovered when the other, " Nora " succumbed : and this incident brings out a real danger in "Nora,"

method of journeying, quite apart from the Natives ; for the young cadets

• The 74mety Retreat; or a Year in Bengal before the Mutinies. By Two Sis- ters.. In two volumes. PubMAtedby Wentley.-•• • - • .

were useless, and life may depend on the cha.noe encounter with some traveller who has Indian knowledge and the experience and nerve to use it promptly and decidedly.

It was, as people said at Calcutta, a "plucky" undertaking; and the spirit that carried the "two sisters" through their journey

is infused into their description. The matters are often, perhaps always, slight in themselves; but they are always told with ani- mation and truthfulness. The same cheerfulness and indifference to formalities which undertook the journey and went through it, is visible in the judgment of things and people, when others might have criticized or censured. Not that criticism is absent from the book, but it is social and tolerant, and appears in the form of putting the facts before the reader with the conclusions drawing themselves.

The result of the whole is favourable to the bonhomie, kind- liness, and heart of the Anglo-Indian community as among them- selves. The life they lead seems not very attractive the so-

called luxuries being absolute necessities, and the forms de- generating into annoyance. This is shown in many things, of

which the constant presence of attendants would be one of the worst, if the physical and as a consequence the mental energy of Europe continued in India.

"I never could understand why these servants passed in and out of the room so often : my private belief is they kept up a constant espionage over

us, the results of which were retailed to our friends' servants over the even- ing hookah. But the uncomfortable feeling of eyes' everywhere was not pleasant: you might look up any moment, and catch them peering in under

the half screen suspended in the doorways, and then a suppressed titter ran through an anteroom, giving a sensation of unlimited numbers. We used to feel thankful when tiffin was announced by a meek-looking khitmutghar, with folded hands and bent head, as it gave us some occupation, and, by good management, might be extended to an hour.

Though our servants pretended not to comprehend our mother tongue, we were afterwards convinced in many ways that their ignorance was in some degree assumed, as when Nora and I spoke to each other in French they in- variably quitted the room.

"It is nearly impossible to escape for one moment from the prying black eyes and stealthy movements of these numerous attendants. In the public rooms they are always walking noiselessly in and out, and startling you by placing a note in your hands and addressing you when you believe the room vacant. If we attempted to escape into our own rooms it was worse still, for however quietly you walked in, some unseen intelligence was in- stantly conveyed to the ayahs, and in a few moments their white garments appeared in the verandah, and they came trooping in from all sides. At first this was an intolerable nuisance ; we had no less than three always haunting us. First, that very superior woman (in her own estimation) Lutchnue, who had been intrusted with the charge of our precious selves up from Calcutta ; but as her wages were double that of any other servant in the North-west, my brother begged she might be returned to her native city as quickly as possible, before she stirred up a rebellion in his house. She was only waiting a good opportunity of going down country. The second woman (also Ifussulmanee,) who was to replace her, was a quiet dignified perslon, with the remains of some beauty. She never appeared to do any conceivable thing, except arrange the drapery of her sarree in grace- ful folds, and hand things to us brought by the under- woman • who was an active clever little creature, frightfully ugly, of a very low caste, who did all the work of our rooms. While we were dressing, these three women al- ways sat in a row on the floor behind us, with their six big eyes following our every nievement, and whispering comments on everythiir, we did. Reflected in the glass before me, I could always see these three black faces, thrown into striking relief by their white draperies, gazing with untiring astonishment at us. Sometimes the effect was so absurd that we could not help laughing. I remember the cushions or whiskers on which we rolled our hair were a source of perpetual astonishment and amazement to them. Letting down your hair was always a signal for a series of energetic nudges ; and when the marvellous cushions appeared they all showed their white teeth • and shining eyes in concert. My politeness restrained me from making use of the only Hindoo word I knew relating to the subject, it being equivalent to Get away with you!' so we were e'en compelled to submit daily to the martyrdom with a good grace; till one day, on feelingly la- menting our miseries to a lady, she called our various attendants in, and explained to them that it was very rude to stare at people dressing, and in future they were always to sit outside the door till they were called' : and the relief and comfort to us were inexpressible."

That the Indian service produces men of great intellectual energy and ability every one knows. It does not appear that these qualities permeate society generally; which is perhaps not to be expected in India or elsewhere, butAnglo-Indian conversation does not seem to have the same variety or interest in general to- pics that distinguishes it at home. Lady Falkland's Chow-chow intimated the parish nature of the talk at Bombay. It is as bad at Calcutta, if not worse.

"It must be very difficult in any necessarily confined society to avoid falling into a kind of local jargon of conversation ; and no doubt nearly every circle at home lays itself open to such a charge, but of all imeomprehetu3ible things the technical jargon of Anglo-India is the most overpowering. I re- member once being thrown in some degree upon the hospitality of a York- shire farmer, and for a couple of hours listened to a language of which the keenest attention scarcely enabled me to catch the meaning of one word in ten. German would have been simple in comparison. The good man was quite flattered by the breathless interest with which I appeared to listen to him, but the strain on my faculties was so great I did not recover the fa- tigue for a week. With something of the same bewildered sensation did I now every morning sit listening to the cream of Calcutta hopes and fears, gossip and fun, feeling every instant more and more hopelessly confused, every moment more helplessly overpowered. If now and then a ray of in- telligence seemed to dawn upon my bewildered brain, the next sentence was sure to crush down the presumptuous idea, till I really often thought an- other half-hour would iaallibly make me idiotic, and hailed the announce- ment of tiffin with delight. The dramatic effect of these conversations I can never hope to render in words alone, but I may venture to give English readers some faint idea of what I underwent in attempting to follow dia- logues like this. So, I hear Smith is sent up to the Moftussil, and we are to have Grant here.' 'Dear me! I thought he was in the Judicial.' 'So he is ; but interest, you know—' 'What is Stevens doing in Calcutta ? ' Don't _you know ? He is to be Deputy-Assistant Advocate-General.' 'Why I thought Jones was promised that.' 'Yes, but he's gone into the Commissariat.' ' Ah ! they always manage to make that do.' 'Did you hear they had offered the Salt Chokees to Brooks ? " Well, he won't take

it, will he, after they behaved so badly to him about those Omrahs ? " I don't know how that may be settled, but I know he must move, as Saunders is to be Superintendent of the Abkaree Revenue.' 'You don't say so ! Then what's Brown to do ? ' "

—And so on ; but this sample is enough.

The statements of Napier and others as regards the morale of the Indian army, together with the trials of several officers, have not left a favourable impression on the public mind with respect to the Company's military, service. Mr. Arnold's novel of Okl- Aid rather strengthens than removes the impression. The Thnely Retreat gives a more favourable view, so far as it goes ; but that is not far. Possibly single ladies and sisters of a man rather high in the civil service are not well situated to see or may be hear of the worst doings. However, here is part of what the writers ac- tually observed. "I was agreeably disappointed with the whole class of cadets—young officers whom that miserable book Oakfield ' had led me to look on with such pity. There was one round-faced rosy-looking lad whom we espe- cially patronized ,- he looked about twelve years old, but was no doubt more, or he could hardly have held a commission. When calling on us one day, he began speaking of Oakfield,' saying he was reading it, but it was not

the least bit true. For one thing, he said, the young officers in the book are laughed at for writing home. Now, with us, every fortnight you see all our fellows writing as hard as they can, and instead of laughing at you the other fellows urge you on. I have never missed a mail since I came out.' Of course we advised him by all means to keep up so good a habit. "Many of thew poor little grids lead the most dreary lives it is possible te imagine : they ride the funniest possible little tuts, [hacks,] club toge- ther three or four in one house, dine at the mess, and are rarely seen any- where by any one save their fellow officers. Unless some lady of the regi- ment takes pity on them, they are too shy and too much afraid of being snubbed to call on any one else. Sometimes at church they are visible, or on those rare occasions when a party of amateurs open the theatre ; but on the Course, and at all other places where Anglo-Indians delight to congre- gate,they are 'non est.' "[t is amusing and delightful to hear the astonishment with which a young grin', fresh from school and cricket, describes the kindness with which some grey old colonel has directed his ignorant proceedings."

Upon a matter that has sometimes turned up before courts- martial, non-payment of debts, the account is not favourable. We hear of an ensign who had "never paid his men anything since they had entered his service," and of another subaltern who was "continually being had up in the Court of Requests for non-pay- ment of his servants." These, of course, might happen anywhere as exceptional cases; but it is the tone in which they are mentioned that appears to argue the commonness of the abuse. The feeling of contempt almost amounting to disgust towards the Natives is strongly developed in the ease of the writer's own brother. It is not only shown in the use of the offensive word "niggers," but would seem to have displayed itself on all possible occasions, and without any care for the feelings of the objects of his contemptuous 4 dislike. They were too far removed from humanity even to be thought of as sentient beings.