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6 January 1906 — Gwalior | |
Saturday. 6th [January 1906]. At 10 Sir Clement called for us & we drove to the foot of the entrance to the Fort. There we found an elephant ready for us which took us up to the top—where there is a magnificent view. We got off to visit the palace & also to see the Hindu Temple. The blue tiles on part of the facade of one of the gateways of the Palace are very fine in colour. We went into some of the rooms wh are most quaint & have wonderful external balconies one of wh Nela photographed. Sir Clement was very kind & helpful to her to get her good points for a snap shot. There are horrid rock sculptures on the road up to the fort—representing dreadful Hindu gods & goddesses—to us they are very repulsive tho’ doubtless they are archaeologically fine. We returned to the guest house for lunch at 2 & started out again later to see the Jail where carpets & are made. We saw there a poor madman confined in a condemned cell for want of a better place to keep him. He looked like a wild beast. We saw also a prisoner who had been condemned to death. Sir C. spoke to him & he said he had done nothing, whereas he had been confined for some crime & in the Jail murdered one of the gaolers. He had a horrid expression—but it gave one rather a turn to see a man behind iron bars who is now in perfect health & in a day or two will be deliberately killed. We went on from here to the women’s jail. As we drove up the porter rushed to lock the outer gate wh till then was half open. The Govr of the Jail being with us the gate was at once unlocked. We found ourselves in a court round wh there was a covered verandah & there the women were sitting about—some weaving others doing nothing. Two common looking dirty women were the gaolers– Sir Clement asked several of the women what they were “in” for– One woman who was weaving at a hand loom & was sitting on the floor looked sullen & wd not answer till spoken sharply to. Then poor soul she said “for murdering my husband”—& glared savagely. I said Oh poor woman she probably is sorry—Sir Clement asked her if she was so & she said she was not. Who knows what a bad husband he had been to her I thought that it should have come to that. We then turned to another who on being asked said she was in for false coining but she was not guilty. The man who so was rich eno’ to pay the police to let him off & she had no money to bribe with so she was suffering & the tears came to her eyes & she hid her face & sobbed. It cut me to the heart & I had a lump in my throat. Sir Clement seems inclined to beg her off the 2 months she has still to serve– I hope he will. Sir Clement left us at the guest house & we dined alone. | |
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