The late monsoon storms are lashing the Bay of Bengal, so the Victoriana puts in to Calcutta to wait them out. Calcutta is a thriving community, with all the trappings of civilisation, and Lady Macbeth is instantly caught up in the social scence, meeting the much travelled Emily Eden [link] among many, many. others
Gladstone, walking carefully with a stick, delivers a set of dispateches entrusted to him by CharlesElliot to the 'China' desk at the army HQ, and retires to the officers club to "bore" tell the other officers of the latest news and action in China.
Wallace and Hamilton undertake the sending of a fund transfer of £1000 for goodwill and a promise of future repayment to Wallaces' creditors in blightly - after Wallce reveals the true extent of his debt £97,000. Hamilton then proceeds to try and buy a suitable cargo of teas for their return journey and sale in England. He is surprized to see a severe shortage of high quality tea from the higher estates, especially his families' holdings in northern Bihar. He and Wallace decide to go up and investigate.
After only a short period in calcutta the party are soon aware of the delicate political situation in Afghanistan as the new ruler is nto as well desposed towards the british as the last, and it can no longer be guaranteed to be the effective 'buffer state' between Russia and the valuable assets in the sub-continent. The great-game is afoot and Russia and Britian are struggling for influence in Afghanistan, and among the many major and minor marharajas and khans.
Hamilton offers his services to the military in the discovery of information and events in his forthcoming travels, and is politely refused as the situation is 'too delicate' for a civilian. However as they leave Wallace is approached by SirHenryCreswickeRawlinson and asked to perform exactly this role, as Mr 'Hamilton' is 'a local', being the son of the Maharaja of Bombay and related to many of the (loyal) indian royal families.
So the expedition is put together as a "Tiger-Hunt", up country, and at the news Lady Elsbeth 'trigger' Macbeth is frighfully eager to come. Gladstone is also keen to escape the stifling damp heat of Calcutta in the monsoon.
References
![[Home]](../WikiWikiWiki/IronFort40.jpg)
![[Map of Bombay 1846]](http://theory.tifr.res.in/bombay/images/Maps/bombay-map_1846.gif){kind=link}