“Other Meetings followed, interviews, visits to the houses of the leading natives, and with blessings without stint poured upon my head, and hand-shaking that almost threatened to lame me, the train tore me away from the packed platform, and I left Calcutta with unfeigned regret.

“I stayed a night at Benares, and had the Town Hall crowded, with a leading Hindu in the chair.  Quiet Meeting.  Landed here (Bombay) six this morning with a hearty welcome, and, I think, with the promise of good Meetings, although anything equal to Calcutta is not to be expected; and the news of the death of the Prince has come in our way, the news of which we have only just received.

     “This will be my last letter, I presume, and I send with it, as
     ever, my undiminished affection to you all.

“For THE GENERAL,

“J.  C. R.

“Written in a terrible haste.”

This was immediately followed by the following final days:—­

“Saturday:—­
Noon.  Interview with Governor.

5.0 p.m.  Interview with native Christian Committee.
5.30 p.m.  Welcome in pandal; a large temporary structure capable of
holding people, no seating being needed.

“Sunday:—­
10.30 a.m.  Meeting in pandal.
3.0 p.m.  Interview with Indian Judge.
6.0 p.m.  Meeting in pandal.

“Monday:—­
10.0 a.m.  Visit to our Institutions.
3.0 p.m.  Visit to General Assembly Institute.
5.30 p.m.  Drawing-room Meeting.
8.45 p.m.  Meeting of gentlemen at Town Hall.

The Bombay programme further included:—­

“Tuesday:—­
7.0 a.m.  Visit to the Leper Asylum. 
Midday.  Visit to the Gaekwar of Baroda.
3.0 p.m.  Meeting in a pandal. 
Evening.  Meeting with native Christians.

“Wednesday:—­
8.0 a.m.  An assembly at the Institute.
8.15 a.m.  Interview with a solicitor.
8.30 a.m.  Interview with a Parsee engineer.
9.30 a.m.  Interview with Pressmen, who took him to see hospital for
animals.
2.0 p.m.  Interview with gentleman, who took him to see the
Victoria Jubilee Technical Institute.
4.30 p.m.  Reception at Mr. Jamsetjee Tatas.
5.30 p.m.  Meeting in the pandal.
9.0 p.m.  Lecture in the Framjee Cowasjee Institute to Indian
gentlemen.

“Thursday:—­
8.30 a.m.  Officers’ Meeting.
3.45 p.m.  Officers’ Meeting.
4.30 p.m.  Farewell procession.
5.30 p.m.  Farewell Meeting in pandal.

“Friday:—­
8.0 a.m.  Staff Council.
5.0 p.m.  Reception at Mr. Cowasjee Jehangiers. (This was, however,
abandoned on account of Prince Albert Victor’s death.)

“Saturday:  Sailed for Europe.”

Remembering that The General was already nearly sixty-three years old, such programmes in India might well, fatigue him.  But these were easy days, compared with many country ones of this journey, during which he traversed Ceylon, visited South India, spoke to some 8,000 Syrian Christians, and, calling at Madras and Calcutta, went on to the Punjab and Guzerat.  His final days in Bombay were, as we have seen, clouded by a bereavement of the Royal House.  But to his telegram to the Prince and Princess of Wales (now King George and Queen Mary), he got the cabled reply:—­