DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3462#0092
60 THE DURBAR
service. They were the Viceroy's guard-of-honour,
and lined up smartly in front of the dais. It was a
hot day, and these men were standing with the
sun full on their faces. They were all of fine
physique; but the sun was too much even for
them, and one by one of them dropped during the
ceremony, and were carried away into the shade,
until there were many gaps in the long, straight
line.
Perhaps never before have so many cameras
been at work together. Nearly every one had a
kodak, even many of the natives themselves; and
there was the sound of ping ! ping 1 ping ! all over
the place, and the buzz of the cinematograph.
Suddenly we heard a rattle of muskets in the
distance. It was the guns outside on the plain
firing a royal salute—one long, continuous rattle,
beginning very loud and going off faintly into the
extreme distance. Each battalion took up the
salute, one after the other ; and the clean, sweeping
way in which it was done was magnificent. Then
a squadron of British cavalry appeared in the
distance. It was escorting the carriage containing
the Duke and Duchess of Connaught. As the
cavalcade approached, we discovered that it was
the Ninth Lancers—pennons fluttering and lances
service. They were the Viceroy's guard-of-honour,
and lined up smartly in front of the dais. It was a
hot day, and these men were standing with the
sun full on their faces. They were all of fine
physique; but the sun was too much even for
them, and one by one of them dropped during the
ceremony, and were carried away into the shade,
until there were many gaps in the long, straight
line.
Perhaps never before have so many cameras
been at work together. Nearly every one had a
kodak, even many of the natives themselves; and
there was the sound of ping ! ping 1 ping ! all over
the place, and the buzz of the cinematograph.
Suddenly we heard a rattle of muskets in the
distance. It was the guns outside on the plain
firing a royal salute—one long, continuous rattle,
beginning very loud and going off faintly into the
extreme distance. Each battalion took up the
salute, one after the other ; and the clean, sweeping
way in which it was done was magnificent. Then
a squadron of British cavalry appeared in the
distance. It was escorting the carriage containing
the Duke and Duchess of Connaught. As the
cavalcade approached, we discovered that it was
the Ninth Lancers—pennons fluttering and lances