Published by Blavatsky Study Center. Online Edition copyright 2004.

[Madame Blavatsky in Simla]

by Edward J. Buck
[Excerpted from Simla, Past and Present by Edward
John Buck. Calcutta: Thacker, Spink, 1904, pp. 116 122.]

. . . In 1867, Rothney House, then called Rothney Castle passed into

the hands of the late Mr. P. Mitchell, C.I.E., a well known personage in
Simla during his day. He resided in Rothney Castle for some years,
and afterwards sold the place to Mr. A. O. Hume, then a Secretary to
the Government of India. Mr. Hume proceeded to convert the house
into a veritable palace, which tradition says he fully expected would be
bought for a Viceregal residence in view of the fact that the Governor
General then occupied Peterhoff, a building far too small for
Viceregal entertainments. From first to last he spent over two lakhs on
the grounds and buildings. He added enormous reception rooms suitable
for large dinner parties and balls, as well as a magnificent conservatory
and spacious hall on the walls of which he displayed his superb
collection of Indian horns. He engaged the services of an European
gardener, and with his aid he made the grounds and conservatory a
perpetual horticultural exhibition, to which he courteously admitted all
visitors.
But, possibly because Rothney Castle can only be reached by a
troublesome climb, any anticipations which Mr. Hume may have
formed of the purchase of the building by Government were not
realized, and Mr. Hume himself made little use of the larger rooms
otherwise except that he converted one of them into a museum for his
wonderful collection of birds, and for occasional dances.
Mr. Hume, a grandson of the celebrated politician Joseph Hume, was
himself a remarkable character. Of exceptional ability and brain power,
and endowed with a wonderful talent for organisation, he was not free
from the eccentricity which sometimes accompanies genius. Lord
Mayo, attracted by his reputation and personality, placed him in charge
of the Agricultural Department which, with the co operation of Sir John
Strachey, His Excellency had, in 1870, created for the development of
agricultural improvements and reforms. . . .
Mr. Hume was essentially a man of hobbies, and whatever hobby he
took up was ridden well and hard. At the time that he was brought to
Simla the special subject to which he had been devoting his energies
was that of ornithology. Possessed of ample private means, he had in
his employ an army of collectors, some of them Europeans working on
liberal salaries even beyond the limits of India proper, while many
private collectors, falling under the influence of Mr. Humes genius,

gave him strenuous assistance in all parts of the Indian Empire. Many
birds new to science were discovered by himself or by his agents. The
specimens were all brought to Rothney Castle and arranged there in
classified order in cabinets which lined the walls of the room utilized as
a museum. The collections were rapidly augmenting when suddenly Mr.
Hume mounted another hobby. This time it was Theosophy! And one of
the tenets of that creed being to take no life, telegrams were sent to the
collectors to stop work and shoot no more birds, while at the same time
an offer was made to the authorities of the British Museum to present
the entire collection to that institution on condition that they would
send out an expert to overhaul the specimens at Rothney Castle. The
offer was naturally accepted; Mr. Sharpe, one of the staff, was sent to
Simla and the collection removed to the British, and then the
Kensington Museum, where it forms one of the most valuable assets.
Mr. Hume was undoubtedly led to the worship of Theosophy by the
High Priestess of that cult, Madame Blavatzky, at whose disposal the
hospitality of Rothney Castle was always placed. A Theosophical
society was formed of which the leading spirits were Madame
Blavatzky, Mr. Hume himself and Mr. Sinnett, then editor of the
Pioneer and still, it is believed, a leader of Theosophical work in
London. Strenuous efforts were made to bring into the fold influential
officials and other residents of Simla, and it was even whispered that
Madame Blavatzky, who when first arriving in the country had been
placed under the surveillance of the police as a suspected Russian
agent, had a political object in gaining adherents to her creed! Certain it
is that Madame Blavatzky and her American disciple, Colonel Olcott,
preached the doctrine that the knowledge and learning of the East
reached far higher planes than the science of the West, and that the
oriental should not look upon the occidental as a superior being.
Madame Blavatzky was in the early eighties a constant summer guest at
the Rothney palace, the situation of which on Jakko, whence is
commanded an uninterrupted view of the snowy peaks of Tibet, was
peculiarly favourable for the intercourse of the Theosophical priestess
with her familiar Kut Humi, who in astral form (or otherwise) had
chosen for his home the isolation of the Trans Himalayan steppes. More
than once did Madame Blavatzky invoke his aid at Rothney Castle.
But on two notable occasions she gave, unaided, manifestations of her
power with the object of gaining the faith of those doubting votaries of
Theosophy who called for a sign. One of these miracles is of historical
interest. There were gathered together at the Rothney Castle dinner
table all the believers and possible believers in the Theosophical creed
then at Simla. Madame was solicited, probably by her own
arrangement, to give an example of the power which the true
Theosophist acquires by asceticism, faith and self denial. She protested
like a young lady asking for a song: "It is very trying to me; it exhausts
much; no, no, I cannot, I cannot;" but further pressed, at last exclaimed,
"Well then, I must, but it is hard, it is hard! Mrs. Hume! (turning to her
hostess) what is there that you would like? You shall say. Have you lost
anything that you would find?"
Mrs. Hume. "Yes. A year or more ago I lost a brooch. Find that and it
will be indeed wonderful."

Madame. "It is hard but IT SHALL BE DONE!! Khitmatgar! Bring me

one lantern!"
The lantern brought, Madame rose, led the way through the opened
doors leading to the garden; there halting, she pointed to a bush and
commanded, "Dig there!!" A spade produced, earth was removed and
lo! there was the brooch. The guests wonderstruck and, some of them at
least, convinced, returned to the table where a succinct account of the
miracle was drawn up and signed by all present, including two
Honourable Members of Council. Is not this miracle with many more
recorded in the chronicles published by Mr. Sinnett shortly after the
event? On another occasion a picnic party was troubled by the
circumstance that there was one tea cup short. "Never mind," said
Madame, who was present and in a complaisant humour, "I shall find
one!" and sure enough a cup (of the same pattern!) was dug up from
under another bush, and again the miracle produced a profound
impression.
Sir Edward Buck, who . . . succeeded Mr. Hume in charge of the
Agricultural Department, has told the writer of the attempt made to
bring him, among others, into the Theosophical fold. The story may be
given in, as far as they can be remembered, his own words:
"I was one," he said, "of a small dinner party, men only
present, at which Mr. A., a leading theosophist, was also a
guest. After dinner a discussion took place on the miracles
recorded in the then recently printed booklet issued by the
Editor of the Pioneer. Mr. A., an exceedingly clever man,
held his own surprisingly well against the scoffing
antagonists who attacked the Theosophical faith. Although
always interested in the questions with which Theosophy
was concerned, I refrained from joining in the discussion,
which circled round one of the leading tenets of
Theosophy, viz., that such power could be gained over
matter by adepts who by asceticism had reached the
higher planes that they could disintegrate a solid body,
pass it through another, and reconstruct it on the other side,
as well as transfer it any distance. This granted of course all
kinds of developments were possible. Walking home with
Mr. A. to Jakko where I was living in a house above
Rothney Castle, I told him that I believed that I could
explain the whole series of miracles in a more simple way.
What way? said Mr. A. It is too late now, I replied, but
I will call at "Rothney Castle" to morrow evening at 9
oclock and tell you over an after dinner cigar. I kept my
appointment, but was a quarter of an hour late. I asked the
servant who opened the door to let Mr. A. know I was
there, but instead of being taken to his private room, was
ushered into the small drawing room where a congregation
of Theosophists was assembled in full force. I apologized,
explaining that I had only come for a chat with Mr. A. Oh!
we know what you arranged to chat about, said Mr.
Hume, who presided, and all want to hear what you have
to say. I protested that what I might say would offend

some of those present, but protests were useless. I referred,

of course, to Madame Blavatzky, who was reclining in one
of those long deck chairs familiar to the P. and O. traveller,
and enjoying a cigarette. She however made no sign. It is a
pity, began Mr. Hume, that you were a quarter of an hour
late. If you had been here at 9, you would have seen the
arrival of a communication from Kut Humi (handing me a
letter), which those present (turning to the congregation)
will tell you descended from the roof a few minutes ago. I
read it. Addressed to Madame, the purport of it was that
she need not trouble herself with attempts to make
proselytes of the incredulous. Enough that those who
believed and practised should gain the higher planes of
knowledge and power. What mattered it to them that the
rest of human kind wallowed in ignorance. The adepts
would smile at them in contempt from their superior height!
The text of the letter might indeed have been that to preach
to the ignorant would be to cast pearls before swine.
Reading through the letter it struck me that Kut Humi must
have had considerable intercourse with America, as more
than one of the phrases appeared to savour of the Yankee
dialect. And did not Colonel Olcott come from America?
However, this episode concluded, began my cross
examination.
Mr. H. You assert that you can explain the miracles
recorded by Mr. Sinnett in a simple way. How?
Sir E. B. Which one do you choose?
Mr. H. The discovery of the brooch.
Sir E. B. Is not Madame Blavatzky a powerful mesmerist?
Mr. H. Yes.
Sir E. B. Had she not been for some time at Rothney
Castle before the occurrence of the miracle?
Mr. H. Yes.
Sir E. B. Is Mrs. Hume a believer in her powers?
Mr. H. Certainly.
Sir E. B. Then let us assume that Madame Blavatzky had
acquired such mesmeric power over Mrs. Hume as to make
her give utterance to a certain wish. Is not the rest easy?
Mr. H. You imply that the brooch was already buried!
Sir E. B. You have drawn the inference.
Madame B. (rising from her chair and waving her cigarette
in Sir Edward Bucks face), You come here, sir, to insolt

me. You call me cheat, etc., etc., etc.!!

"Madame Blavatsky, be it said, was a powerfully made
woman of about 50 years of age almost a virago
somewhat coarse in feature. She was still attractive in the
intellectual force which was expressed in her countenance,
and I had always felt a certain admiration and respect for
the strength of her character. At this moment she appeared
formidable, and I sought to assuage her assumed fury. The
conversation continued:
Sir E. B. Madame Blavatzky pray be calm! Of course you
know that my explanation is absurd. But have you not
erred in neglecting the principles so clearly expressed in
this letter of Kut Humis? Have you not cast pearls before
swine? We ignorant people who live on lower planes have
not attained to the spiritual level of the initiated, and are
obliged to seek for foolish explanations of miracles which
to them are no mystery. Why, then, publish your miracles
to the world?
"Madame Blavatsky, who had not done with me yet, sank
again into the deck chair and Mr. Hume continued his
cross examination. Other miracles, such as that of passing a
ring into a cushion, were cited, a similar explanation being
suggested by me in each case, to the accompaniment of
angry growls from Madame Blavatzky. But she had been
waiting all the time to play her trump card, as the ensuing
dialogue will show.
M. B. Now, sir, I will show you one thing that shall
convince you! You have something to do with agriculture?
Sir E. B. Yes, I have the honour to administer the
Department of Agriculture.
M. B. Well, sir, you shall plant a seed and it shall grow in
six months! I shall plant that seed and it shall grow in six
minutes!
Sir E. B. Madame, I pray you spare yourself that trouble.
No doubt you can do as you say, but I, in my ignorant
scepticism, should only believe it to be the mango trick of
the Madras conjurors.
M. B. (rising in fury), What, sir! you class me with those
vulgar impostors? You call yourself gentleman, etc., etc.
Sir Edward Buck. Mr. Hume, I begged you not to open
this conversation. I foresaw the result, and it is better that I
should now retire (bowing adieu and moving to the door).
But before leaving I should wish to make one suggestion to
Madame Blavatzky. Will she permit me to go to the
Viceroy to morrow and ask His Excellency to transfer the
Agricultural Department from my charge to hers? For that

Department was recently created to deal with the

protection of the country against famine, and if Madame
Blavatzky can raise crops in six minutes, what more is
wanted? Good night!"
"I did not venture to call at Rothney Castle again, at any
rate while Madame was there. But I always regretted that I
had so far lost my temper as to decline seeing that
six minute trick, which would have at any rate been
interesting. I never saw Madame Blavatzky again. And it
was not long afterwards that her clever impostures were
exposed at Madras. But I have always said of her, as the
two clerical dignitaries said of Mrs. Proudie, She was a
wonderful woman."
Thus far Sir Edward Buck. Mr. Hume, in a printed brochure on
Madame Blavatzky, said that she was the most marvellous liar he had
ever met, but excused her on the ground that she used deception with
the honest object of converting to a higher faith. So far as that faith is
expressed by Theosophy its temples have since Madame Blavatzkys
departure been transferred from Rothney Castle to Paris and London.
In the later years of his residence at Rothney Castle Mr. Hume
devoted his time to the furtherance of what had been ostensibly one of
Madame Blavatzkys objects, though no doubt from better motives,
viz., the elevation of the native community to a higher and more
dignified status. In all honest sincerity he to this end became President
of the Congress and aided that body with much good advice and with
much good money. But he was more than once constrained to charge
his followers with failure to themselves contribute that practical and
financial support to the movement which he considered it demanded.
However this may be, there is no doubt that in being deprived of the
able leadership of Mr. Hume on his retirement to England the Congress
sustained a severe loss. And of Mr. Hume too, may it be said "He was a
wonderful man!" . . .