December, 1875. The Zemindar travelled with His Royal Highness as far as Koilpati. We give the following lengthy-extract relating to the visit of His Eoyal Highness to the Tinnevelly District:—
"At last we reached terra firma. The preparations were pretty; but there was really very little time to look about one. A temporary pavilion or Pandal had been erected, in which the inevitable address was delivered, and the Zemindars were presented; and when the exchange of courtesies had ended, the Prince walked to the station, where he waited till the exhausted and exhausting Margaret Northcote, had delivered her luckless freight. It is scarcely possible to exaggerate the quiet charms of the scenery along the new Railway, or the great delight of the people at the combined attractions of the first Train, and of the Prince. The whole population thronged to the road-side. The tall, erect figures, square shoulders, broad chests, narrow flanks, and straight limbs of the men, struck one almost as much as the graceful carriage and elegant forms of the women. It would be difficult to find a finer race in any part of the world. Their attitudes of wonder and joy were singularly graceful and attractive. Some expressed their feelings by placing their hands, clasped as if in prayer, before their breasts; others held their fingers to their lips, as if to suppress their cries; but as the Train passed, one and all clapped hands, as if they were of a London audience, applauding at a Theatre. A more natural, easy, and well-to-do looking people could not be found in Christendom. Plains green with sugar, rice and cotton, spread to the foot of the wooded Hills of guiess rock, which, generally conical, were sometimes worn into fantastic outline of
