Victoria

Victorias

...the authorities are on the point of introducing a new conveyance in Bombay, to wit, a four-wheeled sort of Victoria. They will, however, in this useful reform, need all the support the public can afford. The present owners of pulic conveyance are a sorry, seedy, weedy lot, and three-fourths of the buggies are the property of soul and body grinding Marwarries. The Victoira's will be introduced; but the new scheme, in which a fortune could readily be made, should, we think, be undertaking by one or more capitalist. It is, we are credibly informed, beyond doubt, if the drivers will only satisfy themselves with stealing one-half the fares, that the cpital invested would still give a clear profit of 25 per cent...

(newspaper article)

British belles are leaning over the sides of their victorias to chatter with their husbands or inamoratos, whilst the rich Parsee lady clad in silken garments reclines in the back seat of her carriage as she takes a sly peep at the accursed white race through the wooden lattices of her closed vehicle.

"With tremedous eclat a few jovial trips of sportive Mohammedans still dash past in swaying dog carts to draw up on the edge of the quay just i time to prevent the immersion of man and horse in the harbours flood.. And not the least amusing sight is the peculiarly endearing way in which many of the Hindoos stroll together. Group after group of men of mature years pass me by with their arms lovingly thrown around each other's necks, or sauntering hand in hand most lovesik looking..." From D'Aubrey's Letters from Bombay