The next few days were also equally well filled. King Edward had to pay elaborate return visits to the chiefs and Rajahs who had attended his reception, and it was then that he was enabled to show his tact and the extraordinary knowledge he had acquired of their complicated ranks and genealogies; indeed, he greatly pleased several important Rajahs by showing that he had heard of the antiquity of their families, and by graciously alluding to the gallant deeds of their ancestors. The British people of Bombay had organised a great dinner for the sailors of the fleet, and, much to their gratification, the King consented to attend the banquet. Not content with a mere formal glance at the proceedings, he mounted a plank, and with a glass in his hand, exclaimed to the delighted men, of whom there were over two thousand present, “My lads, I am glad to meet you all. I drink your good health, and a happy voyage home.”
King Edward took the opportunity of laying the foundation-stone of the Elphinstone Docks, the ceremony being carried out with Masonic honours, and it was considered very interesting and significant that among members of the craft present were Parsees, Mahomedans, and Hindus.
During the month of November the King visited Poona, where he held a review, and visited the Court of the Gaikwar of Baroda. There a fine elephant was prepared for his use. The animal was of extraordinary size, and the howdah on which the King rode was said to have cost four lakhs of rupees. He held a reception at the Residency, and had his first sight of Indian sport, for he attended a cheetah hunt, himself killing a fine buck, and much enjoying his day’s sport. About the same time he also joined a pig-sticking expedition, a very popular Indian sport, and at last, to his great satisfaction, had the opportunity of “getting his spear,” in other words, of killing a wild boar.
Then, returning to Bombay, the Royal party once more took up their quarters on the _Serapis_, where the King spent Queen Alexandra’s birthday. From Bombay he found time to visit the Portuguese settlement of Goa, and thence went on to Ceylon, where he inspected a tea plantation, and where the peepul planted by him in commemoration of his visit is still proudly shown to the ubiquitous globe-trotter.