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diff --git a/16226.txt b/16226.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..87a840e --- /dev/null +++ b/16226.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5582 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Journey to Katmandu, by Laurence Oliphant + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: A Journey to Katmandu + (the Capital of Napaul), with The Camp of Jung Bahadoor; + including A Sketch of the Nepaulese Ambassador at Home + + +Author: Laurence Oliphant + + + +Release Date: July 6, 2005 [eBook #16226] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A JOURNEY TO KATMANDU*** + + + + + + +Transcribed from the 1852 John Murray edition by Les Bowler. + + + + + +A JOURNEY TO KATMANDU +(THE CAPITAL OF NEPAUL), +WITH +THE CAMP OF JUNG BAHADOOR; +INCLUDING +A SKETCH OF THE NEPAULESE AMBASSADOR AT HOME. + + +BY LAURENCE OLIPHANT. + +LONDON: +JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. +1852. + +TO +SIR ANTHONY OLIPHANT, C.B., +CHIEF JUSTICE OF CEYLON, +THE FOLLOWING PAGES ARE INSCRIBED BY +HIS AFFECTIONATE SON, +THE AUTHOR. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The interest which was manifested in the Nepaulese Embassy during the +short residence of Jung Bahadoor in England leads me to hope that a +description of the romantic country and independent Court which he came +to represent, as well as some account of his own previous eventful +career, may not be unacceptable to the English public--more especially as +no work upon Nepaul has been published in this country, that I am aware +of, since Dr. Hamilton's, which appeared about the year 1819. + +Through the kindness and friendship of the Nepaulese Ambassador, I was +enabled to visit Katmandu under most favourable circumstances; and during +the journey thither in his company I had abundant opportunity of +obtaining much interesting information, and of gaining an insight into +the character of the people, and their mode of every-day life, for which +a residence in camp was peculiarly favourable. + +In the Terai I was fortunate enough to witness the Nepaulese mode of +elephant-catching, so totally unlike that of any other country, while the +grand scale on which our hunting party was organised was equally novel. + +I therefore venture to submit this volume to the public, in the hope that +the novelty of a portion of the matter contained in it will in some +degree compensate for its manifold defects. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAPTER I. Arrival of Jung Bahadoor in Ceylon--Voyage to Calcutta--Rifle +practice on board the _Atalanta_--Rifle-shooting--Colonel Dhere Shum +Shere--A journey along the Grand Trunk Road of Bengal--The experimental +railway--The explosion at Benares. + +CHAPTER II. Benares--Cashmere Mull's house--The Chouk--The Bisheshwan +temple, and Maido Rai Minar--The Ambassador in Benares--A Rajah's +visit--The marriage of Jung Bahadoor--Review of the Nepaul rifle +regiment--Benares college. + +CHAPTER III. Jaunpore--A shooting-party--Scenes in camp and on the +march--A Nepaulese dinner--Ghazipore--The Company's stud--Indian +roads--Passage of the Gograh--Jung Bahadoor's mode of despatching an +alligator. + +CHAPTER IV. A picnic on the Nepaul frontier--A boar-hunt--The Terai and +its resources--Our shooting quarters--Incidents of sport--A +tiger-hunt--The great elephant exhibition of 1851--Camp Bechiacor. + +CHAPTER V. March to Hetowra--Cross the Cheriagotty Hills--Scenes of the +war of 1815-16--Preparations for a wild-elephant hunt--The herd in full +cry--A breakneck country--Furious charges of wild elephants--The lost +child--Return to camp. + +CHAPTER VI. March to Bhimphede--National defences--The Cheesapany +pass--Lovely scenery--Night adventure--The watch-fire--Reception at +camp--Arrival at Katmandu. + +CHAPTER VII. The British residency--Houses at the temple of +Pusputnath--Unprepossessing appearance of the Newar population--Their +dress and characteristic features--Ghorkas--Temple of Pusputnath--View +from the hill above it--The temple of Bhood--Worshippers from Thibet and +Chinese Tartary--Their singular and disgusting appearance--Striking scene +in the grand square of the city of Katmandu. + +CHAPTER VIII. The temple of Sumboonath--View from the platform of the +temple--The valley of Nepaul and its resources--Tradition respecting +it--Entrance of the Prime Minister into Katmandu--The two kings--A +brilliant reception. + +CHAPTER IX. Sketch of the career of his Excellency General Jung +Bahadoor, Prime Minister of Nepaul. + +CHAPTER X. The titles of his Excellency General Jung Bahadoor +Coomaranagee in England--Extraordinary notions of the British public on +Indian affairs--Jung Bahadoor's conciliatory policy--Our unsuccessful +attempt to penetrate beyond the permitted boundaries--Dangerous position +of the Prime Minister--His philanthropic designs--Great opposition on the +part of Durbar--Native punishments--A Nepaulese chief-justice--Jung's +popularity with the peasantry and army. + +CHAPTER XI. The temple of Balajee--The old Newar capital--The houses and +temples of Patn--View from the city gates--Nepaulese festivals--The +Newars skilful artisans--The arsenal--The magazine and cannon-foundry. + +CHAPTER XII. Kindness of the Mahila Sahib--His motive--Drawing-room +ornaments--Visit to the palace of Jung Bahadoor--A trophy of the London +season--Grand Durbar at the reading of the Queen of England's +letter--Dress of the officers--Review of troops--Dancing boys. + +CHAPTER XIII. Distinguishing features of the races of Nepaul--The +Ghorkas--Maintenance of the Nepaul army--Bheem Singh's monument--A feast +at the Minister's--We bid him adieu--Ascent of the Sheopoori--Magnificent +view of the Himalayas from its summit. + +CHAPTER XIV. A visit to the Minister's brothers--Dexterity of Colonel +Dhere Shum Shere--Scenes for lovers of the Fancy--Adieu to Nepaul--The +view from the summit of the Chandernagiri pass--The scenery of Nepaul--The +pass of Bhimphede--Night quarters. + +CHAPTER XV. A dilemma at Bisoleah--Ignominious exit from the Nepaul +dominions--The resources and capabilities of Nepaul--Articles of import +from Thibet and Chinese Tartary--A vision of the future. + +CHAPTER XVI. Journey to Lucknow--Nocturnal disasters--View of the +Himalayas--Wild-beast fights--Banquet given by the King of Oudh--Grand +display of fireworks--Our return to cantonments. + +CHAPTER XVII. A Lucknow Derby-day--Sights of the city--Grand Trunk Road +to Delhi--Delhi--The Coutub--Agra--The fort and Taj--The ruins of +Futtehpore Secreh--A loquacious cicerone--A visit to the fort of +Gwalior--The Mahratta Durbar--Tiger-shooting on foot. + +CHAPTER XVIII. The carnival at Indore--Extraordinary scene in the palace +of the Holkar--A night at the caves of Ajunta--The caves of Ellora and +fortress of Doulatabad--The merits of a palkee--Reflections on the +journey from Agra to Bombay--Adieu to India. + +[Map of Nepaul: map.jpg] + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +_Arrival of Jung Bahadoor in Ceylon--Voyage to Calcutta--Rifle practice +on board the_ Atalanta--_Rifle-shooting--Colonel Dhere Shum Shere--A +journey along the Grand Trunk Road of Bengal--The experimental +railway--The explosion at Benares_. + +Towards the close of the year 1850 a considerable sensation was created +in the usually quiet town of Colombo by the arrival in Ceylon of His +Excellency General Jung Bahadoor, the Nepaulese Ambassador, on his return +to Nepaul, bearing the letter of the Queen of England to the Rajah of +that country. + +The accounts which had preceded him of the magnificence of the jewels +with which his person was generally adorned, had raised expectations +amongst the natives which were doomed to disappointment: intelligence had +been received by Jung of the death of the Queen of Nepaul, and the whole +Embassy was in deep mourning, so that their appearance on landing created +no little astonishment, clad, as they all were, in spotless white, +excepting their shoes, which were of black cloth--leather not being +allowed to form part of the Nepaulese mourning costume. + +His Excellency had a careworn expression of countenance, which might have +been caused either by the dissipation attendant upon the gaieties of his +visit to London, by grief for his deceased Queen, or by sea-sickness +during his recent stormy passage across the Gulf of Manaar. He had been +visiting sundry Hindoo shrines, and it was for the purpose of worshipping +at the temple of Ramiseram, which is situate on the island of that name, +in the Gulf of Manaar, forming part of Adam's Bridge, that he touched at +Colombo. Here I was fortunate enough to make his acquaintance, and, +attracted by his glowing description of sport in Nepaul, accepted an +invitation to accompany him to that country, in order to judge of it for +myself. + +So good an opportunity is indeed rarely afforded to a European of +visiting Nepaul, and of inspecting the internal economy of its +semi-barbarous Court. I soon found that Jung Bahadoor excelled no less +as a travelling companion than he had done as Premier and Ambassador. + +As doubts had arisen and some misapprehension had prevailed in England as +to his position in his own country, I was anxious to ascertain what was +his real rank and how he would be received there. It was reported that +he had risked his temporal welfare by quitting his country, while, in +order that his eternal welfare should in no way be compromised by this +bold and novel proceeding, he had obtained an express reservation to be +made in his favour at Benares, overcoming, by means of considerable +presents, the scruples of a rapacious and not very conscientious +priesthood. + +The ostensible object of the mission had reference, as far as I could +learn, to a portion of the Terai (a district lying upon the northern +frontier of British India) which formerly belonged to Nepaul, and which +was annexed by the Indian Government after the war of 1815-16; but it is +probable that other motives than any so purely patriotic actuated the +Prime Minister. His observant and inquiring mind had long regarded the +British power in India with wonder and admiration--sentiments almost +unknown amongst the apathetic Orientals, who, for the most part, have +become too much accustomed to the English to look upon them with the same +feelings as are entertained towards them by the hardy and almost savage +race inhabiting the wild valleys of the Himalayas. + +But besides the wish to gratify his curiosity, there existed yet another +incentive which induced him to undertake this expedition. The precarious +nature of his high position in Nepaul urged on him the good policy, if +not the necessity, of a visit to England, for he doubtless felt, and with +good reason, that the Native Durbar would be inclined to respect a man +who had been honoured with an interview with the Queen of so mighty a +nation, and had had opportunities of securing the support of her +government, should he ever be driven to seek its aid. + +* * * * * + +The _Atalanta_, one of the oldest steam frigates in the Indian navy, had +been placed at the disposal of His Excellency, and, upon the evening of +the 9th of December 1850, was lying in the Colombo Roads, getting up her +steam as speedily as possible, while I was uneasily perambulating the +wooden jetty, which is all the little harbour can boast in the shape of a +pier, endeavouring to induce some apathetic boatmen to row me over the +bar, a pull of three miles, against a stiff breeze. It was bright +moonlight, and the fire from the funnel of the old ship seemed rushing +out more fast and furious in proportion as the boatmen became more drowsy +and immovable; finally they protested that it was an unheard-of +proceeding for anybody to wish to go on board ship on such a night at +such an hour, and insinuated that all verbal or pecuniary persuasions +would be alike unavailing. It is very evident that Colombo boatmen are a +thriving community; still they seem a timid race, for upon my having +recourse to threats containing fearful allusions, which there was not the +remotest possibility of my being able to carry into execution, a +wonderful revolution was effected in the feelings of the sleepers around +me; they forthwith began to unwind themselves from the linen wrappers in +which natives always swathe themselves at night like so many hydropathic +patients, and, converting their recent sheets into turbans and +waistcloths, they got with many grumblings into a tub-like boat, just as +the smoke from the steamer was becoming ominously black. Their eyes once +open, the men went to work in good earnest, and an hour afterwards I had +the satisfaction of walking the deck of the _Atalanta_, which was going +at her utmost speed, some seven knots an hour. + +In the morning we were off Point de Galle, and put in there for General +Jung Bahadoor, who, with some of his suite, had made the journey thither +by land. + +All the world make voyages now-a-days; and nobody thinks of describing a +voyage to India any more than he would an excursion on the Thames, unless +he is shipwrecked, or the vessel he is in is burnt and he escapes in an +open boat, or has some such exciting incident to relate. We were +_unfortunate_ in these respects, but in our passengers we found much to +interest and amuse us; and as everything regarding the Nepaulese +Ambassador is received with interest in England, a description of the +proceedings of one day, as a sample of the ten we spent on board the +_Atalanta_, may not be altogether uninteresting. + +Time never seemed to hang heavy on the hands of the Minister Sahib, for +that was his more ordinary appellation; rifle practice was a daily +occupation with him, and usually lasted two hours. Surrounded by those +of his suite in whose peculiar department was the charge of the +magnificent battery he had on board, he used to take up his station on +the poop, and the crack of the rifle was almost invariably followed by an +exclamation of delight from some of his attendants, as the bottle, +bobbing far astern, was sunk for ever, or the three strung, one below the +other, from the end of the fore-yard-arm, were shattered by three +successive bullets in almost the same number of seconds. Pistol practice +succeeded that of the rifle, and the ace of hearts at 15 paces was a mark +he rarely missed. + +Then the dogs were to be trained, and in a very peculiar manner; a kid +was dragged along the deck before the noses of two handsome stag hounds, +who, little suspecting that a huge hunting-whip was concealed in the +folds of their master's dress, were unable to resist so tempting a victim +and invariably made a rush upon it, a proceeding which brought down upon +them the heavy thong of the Minister Sahib's whip in the most remorseless +manner. That task accomplished to his satisfaction, and not being able +to think of anything else wherewith to amuse himself, it would occur to +him that his horse, having thrown out a splint from standing so long, +ought to be physicked. He was accordingly made to swallow a quantity of +raw brandy! It was useless to suggest any other mode of treatment, +either of horse or dogs. The General laughed at my ignorance, and +challenged me to a game of backgammon. Occasionally gymnastics or +jumping were the order of the day, and he was so lithe and active that +few could compete with him at either. + +While smoking his evening pipe he used to talk with delight of his visit +to Europe, looking back with regret on the gaieties of the English and +French capitals, and recounting with admiration the wonders of +civilization he had seen in those cities. He was loudest in his praise +of England. This may have arisen from a wish to gratify his auditory, +and it certainly had that effect. He had not thought it necessary, +however, to perfect himself in the language of either country beyond a +few of what he considered the more important phrases. His stock +consisted chiefly of--How do you do?--Very well, thank you--Will you sit +down?--You are very pretty--which pithy sentences he used to rattle out +with great volubility, fortunately not making an indiscriminate use of +them. + +But my particular friend was the youngest of his two fat brothers, whose +merits, alas! were unknown in England, the more elevated position of the +Minister Sahib monopolizing all the attention of the lion-loving public. +Colonel Dhere Shum Shere, such was his name, was the most jovial, light- +hearted, and thoroughly unselfish being imaginable, brave as a lion, as +recent events in Nepaul have proved, always anxious to please, and full +of amusing conversation, which, however, from my limited knowledge of +Hindostanee, I was unable fully to appreciate. + +It is considered a breach of hospitality to make invidious remarks +affecting the character of the mansion in which you are a guest; but +although my recollections of the _Atalanta_ are most agreeable in +reference to the kindness of the officers, I must say she was a most +indisputable tub; and if there is an individual who deserves to be turned +slowly before the fire in her engine-room, so as to be kept in a state of +perpetual blister, it is the Parsee contractor who furnished the +provisions, for so meagre was the supply that we could barely satisfy the +cravings of hunger. + +On the morning of the tenth day after leaving Ceylon we came in sight of +the city of palaces, and, sweeping up its magnificent river, soon after +anchored amidst a host of other shipping. + +Of Calcutta I need say nothing; Chouringhee Road is almost as well known +in these days of quick communication as Piccadilly; this is not quite the +case with towns in the interior: if it is easy to get to Calcutta, it is +not so easy to get beyond, and the means of locomotion by which the +traveller makes the journey to Benares are of the most original nature. + +The morning of New Year's Day found me comfortably ensconced in a roomy +carriage, built almost upon the model of an English stage-coach, in +which, with my fellow-traveller, I had passed the night, and which was +being dragged along at the rate of about four miles an hour by ten +coolies, harnessed to it in what the well-meaning philanthropist of +Exeter Hall would call a most barbarous way. + +The road along which we were travelling in this extraordinary manner was +not, as might be expected, impassable for horses; on the contrary, it was +an excellent macadamized and perfectly level road, denominated the Great +Trunk Road of Bengal. + +The country through which this road led us was flat, stale, but not +unprofitable, since on either side were paddy-fields extending _ad +infinitum_, studded here and there with clumps of palms. + +The climate was delightful, and the morning air tempted us to uncoil +ourselves from our night-wrappers, and take a brisk walk in the dust; +after which we mounted the coach-box, and devised sundry practical +methods for accelerating our team, who however were equally ingenious in +contriving to save themselves fatigue. + +The mid-day sun at last ridded them of their tormentors, and we once more +betook ourselves to our comfortable beds in the interior of the +conveyance, there to moralize over the barbarism of a man, calling +himself an enlightened Englishman, in employing men instead of horses to +drag along two of his fellow-countrymen, who showed themselves even more +dead to every feeling of humanity by the way in which they urged on their +unfortunate fellow-creatures. These coolies were certainly very well +paid, and need not have been so employed had they not chosen--for they +had all applied for their several appointments--but then the ignominy of +the thing! + +And so we rolled lazily along, hoping to reach Benares some time within +the next fortnight. Before dark we passed through Burdwan, where a few +Bengal civilians vegetate on large salaries, to do the work of the rajah, +who is still more highly paid not to interfere. He lives magnificently +in his palace, and they live magnificently in theirs. We arrived at a +small rest-house at night, where we had the satisfaction of eating a fowl +in cutlets an hour after it had been enjoying the sweets of life. + +There is a considerable amount of enjoyment in suddenly coming to hills +after you have for a long time seen nothing but flat country--in first +toiling up one and then bowling down the other side, at the imminent +peril of the coolies' necks--in seeing streams when you have seen nothing +but wells--in coming amidst wood and water and diversified scenery, when +every mile that you have travelled for a week past has been the same as +the last. Such were our feelings as we woke at daylight one morning in +the midst of the Rajmahal hills. + +There were a good many carts passing with coal from the Burdwan +coal-mines; moreover, we saw sticks, and from the top of each fluttered a +little white flag, suggestive of a railway, whereby our present mode of +conveyance would be knocked on the head, and all the poor coolies who +were pushing us along would be put out of employ. Notwithstanding the +disastrous results which must accrue, a railway is really contemplated; +but I have heard doubts thrown out as to the present line being the best +that could be obtained. It is urged that it has to contend against water +carriage--that, with the exception of the Burdwan mines, the coal of +which is of an inferior quality, there is no mineral produce--that +immense tracts of country through which it passes are totally +uncultivated, and from a want of water will in all probability remain +so--and it has been calculated that, even if the whole traffic at present +passing along the great trunk road of Bengal was to become quadrupled, +and if all the Bengal civilians were to travel up and down every day, and +various rajahs to take express trains once a week, it would not pay: all +these things being considered, were it not that its merits and demerits +have been maturely considered by wiser, or at least better-informed men +than the passing travellers, one might have been inclined to think that +those who expressed doubts regarding its success had some good foundation +for them. + +However, it is better to have a railway on a doubtful line than none at +all; the shareholders are guaranteed 5 per cent., and the Government is +rich and can afford to pay them. So let us wish success to the +experimental railway, and hope that the means of transport may soon be +more expeditious than they are at present. + +It will doubtless open out the resources of the country, though I cannot +but think, for many reasons, that it would have been more judicious to +have made the line from Allahabad to Delhi the commencement of the +railway system in this part of India, instead of leaving it for a +continuation of the line that is now being made. + +The bridges we passed over are all on the suspension principle, and do +credit to the government; the rivers are difficult to bridge in any other +way, as the rains flood them to such an extent that arches will not +remain standing for any length of time. It took us two hours to cross +the Soan, which we forded or ferried according as the streams between the +sand-banks were deep or shallow. This large river is at times flooded to +so great an extent that it is one of the most serious obstructions to the +railway. + +It was not until the morning of the seventh day after leaving Calcutta +that we found ourselves on the banks of the Ganges. The Holy City loomed +large in the grey dawn of morning, with its tapering minarets barely +discernible above it, looking like elongated ghosts. + +We were ferried across in a boat of antique construction, better suited +for any other purpose than the one to which it was applied, and landed in +the midst of the ruins caused by the dreadful explosion of gun-powder +that had taken place the previous year: it had occasioned a fearful +destruction of property and loss of life, and many hairbreadth escapes +were recounted to us. We were told, indeed, that two children, after +being buried for five days, were dug out alive; two officers were blown +out of the window of an hotel, one of whom was uninjured, the other was +only wounded by a splinter, whilst the Kitmutgar, who was drawing a cork +close to them at the time, was killed on the spot. + +In the course of an hour after leaving this scene of desolation we +reached the hospitable mansion which was destined to be our home during +our short stay in Benares. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +_Benares--Cashmere Mull's House--The Chouk--The Bisheshwan Temple, and +Maido Rai Minar--Jung Bahadoor in Benares--A Rajah's visit--The marriage +of Jung Bahadoor--Review of the Nepaul Rifle Regiment--Benares College_. + +Whatever may be said of the large salaries of the Bengal civilians, they +certainly deserve great credit for the praiseworthy employment of their +wealth; and making amends as it were for the backwardness of India as +regards hotels, they supply their places to the friendless traveller, in +a way which our frigid friends at home might imitate with advantage. I +look back upon my stay in Benares with the greatest pleasure, and shall +long remember the kindness I there experienced. + +There is much to be seen in the Holy City, and the means of locomotion +which I should recommend the sight-seer to adopt are Tom Johns, or chairs +swung upon poles, with or without hoods, as the case may be. Upon +arriving at the Chouk or Market-place, we hired two of these conveyances +and started to see the residence of Cashmere Mull. But first I must make +an attempt, however unsuccessful, to describe the Chouk: it is a large +square, studded with raised oblong platforms without walls, the roofs +being supported by fluted Ionic columns. The Police Court, in which a +Native magistrate presides, forms one side of the square. On the +platforms sit the vendors of shawls, skull-caps, toys, shells, +sugar-cane, and various other commodities; but to enumerate the +extraordinary diversity of goods exposed for sale, or to describe the +Babel of tongues which confound the visitor as he wanders through the +motley crowd, would be impossible. + +We turned out of the Chouk down a narrow street about three feet broad, +gloomy from the height of the houses, and unpleasant from the great crowd +and close atmosphere; every now and then we got jammed into a corner by +some Brahminee bull, who would insist upon standing across the street to +eat the fine cauliflower he had just plundered from the stall of an +unresisting greengrocer, and who, exercising the proud rights of +citizenship, could only be politely coaxed to move his unwieldy carcase +out of the way. + +We wended our way through pipe bazaars and vegetable bazaars, where each +shopkeeper has a sort of stall, with about three feet frontage to the +street, but of unknown depth, and a narrow balcony supported by carved +wood-work over his head, out of the latticed windows of which bright eyes +look down upon the passengers. Whenever there is a piece of wall not +otherwise occupied in this compact and busy city, you see depicted, in +gaudy colours, elephants rushing along with dislocated joints in hot +pursuit of sedate parrots, or brilliant peacocks looking with calm +composure upon camels going express, who must inevitably crush them in +their headlong career, but the vain birds, apparently taken up with +admiration of their own tails, are blind to the impending danger, thereby +reading a good lesson both to the passers-by and to the shopkeepers +opposite. Now a sudden jerk prevents you from further moralizing, as you +find that you are going round a corner so sharp that you must get bumped +either before or behind. There are ugly women carrying brass +water-vessels, rich merchants on ponies, sirwahs on horses, here and +there in the wider streets a camel or an elephant, but very seldom, as +few streets would accommodate either of them; finally there are +chuprassies who disperse the crowd with their swords in a most peremptory +manner, smiting everything indiscriminately, except the Brahminee bulls, +which, although they are much the most serious impediments, are left +"alone in their glory." + +By the exertions of these city police we reached Cashmere Mull's house, +noted as a specimen of antique Oriental architecture. + +The court-yard into which we were first ushered reminded me of an old +English "hostelrie;" it was small and uncovered, and round each story ran +a curiously worked balcony, on to which opened doors and windows, carved +with strange devices, and all the nooks and crannies formed by so much +intricate carving were filled with dust and cobwebs. Passing up a +narrow, dark, and steep stone stair, we reached a second court-yard, upon +the balcony of which we emerged, and which was so very like the last, +that I imagined it to be the same, until I remarked that it was smaller, +and, if possible, more dirty. We thence ascended to the flat roof of the +house, and on our way looked through half-open doors into dark dungeons +of rooms, which one would not for the world have ventured into at night. + +There was a raised stage with steps up to it, which we ascended and found +ourselves on a level with a great many similar stages on the tops of a +great many similar houses. A stone parapet about 8 feet high, with +beautiful open carving, enclosed this stage, so that we could inspect our +neighbours through our stone screen with impunity. On the next roof to +where we were was a boy training pigeons, and the numerous crates or +frames on the surrounding house-tops showed this to be a favourite +amusement. The young gentleman in question certainly made his flock obey +him in a wonderful manner, his chief object being to take prisoner a +pigeon from his neighbour's flock. He directed their gyrations by loud +shrill cries, and, as there were numbers of other members of "Young +Benares" employed in like manner, it seemed wonderful how he could +recognize his pigeons, or they their master. + +Leaving this antique specimen of a nobleman's town house, we passed +through a maze of narrow streets; and bobbing under low archways at the +imminent peril of fracturing our skulls, we arrived at the Bisheshwan +Temple, which was crowded with Hindoos worshipping the Lingum, +representations of which met the eye in every direction. + +A well in the yard behind the temple was surrounded by worshippers of the +god, who is supposed to have plunged down it and never to have come up +again. If so, he must find the smell of decayed vegetation very +oppressive, as garlands of flowers and handfuls of rice are continually +being offered up, or rather down, to him. From this well we had a good +view of the temple, which was covered with gold by Runjeet Singh, and +presents a gorgeous and dazzling appearance. + +In close vicinity to this temple is a mosque built by Arungzebe to annoy +the Hindoos. I ascended the Maido Rai Minar or minaret, and from its +giddy height had a magnificent panorama of the city and its environs, +with the Ganges flowing majestically beneath, its left bank teeming with +life, while the opposite bank seemed desolate. + +The observatory, or man mundil, is on the river's bank, and affords a +pretty view from its terraces, which are covered with disks and +semicircles and magical figures cut in stone. + +Gopenate Dore Peshad is the great dealer in Benares embroidery, as well +as its manufacturer. We paid him a visit and were delighted with the +rich variety of embroidered goods which were displayed; we saw pieces +valued at from 10,000 rupees downwards: magnificent smoking carpets, +housings and trappings for horses, shawls, caps, kenkabs, and other +articles of eastern attire, were spread out before us in gorgeous +profusion. After eating a cardamum, and touching with our +pocket-handkerchief some cotton on which had been dropped otto of roses, +we ascended to the house-top, and found it built upon much the same plan +as Cashmere Mull's, without its antique carving and quaint appearance. + +We were not a little glad when the bustle and heat attendant on so much +sight-seeing was over, and we forced our way back through the crowded +streets. + +The population of Benares is estimated by Mr. Prinsep at nearly 200,000; +its trade consists chiefly in sugar, saltpetre, indigo, opium, and +embroidered cloths; besides which, the city has advantages in its +position on the great river, making it, jointly with Mirzapore, the depot +for the commerce of the Dukkum and interior of Hindostan. + +General Jung Bahadoor had reached Benares a few days before I arrived +there, and I found him installed in a handsome house, the envy of all +rajahs, the wonder of the natives, and the admiration of his own +countrymen, some thousands of whom had come thus far to meet him. If he +had been a lion in London, he was not less an object of interest at +Benares--his house was always crowded with visitors of high degree, +Indian and European; one old native rajah in particular was frequently to +be seen in close conference with him; and the result was, that the Prime +Minister of Nepaul became the husband of the second daughter of his +Highness the ex-Rajah of Coorg. Upon the day following his nuptials my +friend and I called upon him, and to our surprise he offered to present +us to his newly wedded bride. We, of course, expressed our sense of the +honour he was doing us; and had just reached the balcony, the stairs +leading up to which were on the outside of the house, when our friend the +bridegroom perceived his father-in-law, the Coorg rajah, coming in a most +dignified manner down the approach. Like a schoolboy caught in the +master's orchard, he at once retreated and unceremoniously hurried us +back--and just in time, for no doubt, if the old Coorg had detected him +thus exhibiting his daughter the day after he had married her, he would +have mightily disapproved of so improper a proceeding. This incident +shows how utterly Jung despised those prejudices which enthralled his +bigoted father-in-law. He was, in fact, the most European Oriental, if I +may so speak, that I ever met with, and more thoroughly unaffected and +unreserved in his communication with us than is the habit with eastern +great men, who always seem afraid of compromising themselves by too much +condescension. An instance of this occurred during another visit. While +we were chatting on indifferent subjects a native rajah was announced, as +being desirous of paying a visit of ceremony. Jung immediately stepped +forward to receive him with much politeness. The rajah commenced +apologising for not having called sooner, excusing himself on the plea of +the present being the only auspicious hour which had been available since +his Excellency's arrival; a compliment which the latter returned by +remarking that it was unfortunate that his immediate departure would +preclude the possibility of his returning his visit, which he the more +regretted, as he was at present most particularly engaged in matters of a +pressing nature with the English gentlemen, and he therefore hoped he +would be excused thus abruptly, but unavoidably, terminating an interview +which it would otherwise have given him the greatest pleasure to have +prolonged. Thus saying, he politely rose and led the rajah in the most +graceful manner to the front door, which was no sooner closed behind him +than he returned, rubbing his hands with great glee, as he knowingly +remarked, "That is the way to get over an interview with one of these +natives." + +A detachment of a regiment had come to Benares to escort the General on +his journey to Katmandu, and he accordingly determined to favour the +inhabitants generally, and the English in particular, with a review. + +The men were tall and well-made, and were dressed in a light-green +uniform with yellow facings. They went through various evolutions with +tolerable regularity; but the performance which excited the most interest +was the platoon exercise, no word of command being given, but everything +done with the utmost precision at different notes of the music, the men +beating time the whole while and giving a swaying motion to their bodies, +which produced a most curious effect. The origin of this novel +proceeding, his Excellency told us, was a request by the Ranee that some +other means should be invented of putting the men through their exercises +than by hoarse shouts, which grated upon her ear. The minister +immediately substituted this more euphonious but less business-like +method. + +At this review Jung Bahadoor and his brothers were dressed in the costume +they wore when in England: the handsome diamonds in their turbans +glittering in the sunshine. + +I accompanied him one day on a visit to the Benares college, a handsome +building in process of erection by the Indian Government. The Gothic and +Oriental styles of architecture are most happily combined, and there is +an airiness about the building; but this did not in any way detract from +its solidity. The cost of the college and professor's house is not to +exceed 13,000 pounds; the length of the large school-room is 260 feet, +its breadth 35; and there are six large class-rooms on each side. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +_Jaunpore--A shooting-party--Scenes in camp and on the march--A Nepaulese +dinner--Ghazipore--The Company's stud--Indian roads--Passage of the +Gograh--Jung Bahadoor's mode of despatching an alligator_. + +Being anxious to visit Jaunpore, I left Benares one evening after dinner, +and accomplished the distance, 36 miles, with one set of bearers, in +seven hours and a half. + +The first object that attracts the eye of the traveller as he enters +Jaunpore is the many-arched bridge thrown by the Mahometans over the +Goomte, and considered the finest built by them in India; on each side +are stalls, in which sit the vendors of various wares, after the fashion +of old London Bridge. On an island in the middle of the river was +discovered a huge figure of a winged lion guarding an elephant, which +would suggest some connexion with the sculptures found at Nineveh, and +must date much further back than the erection of the bridge. + +Passing through a serai, which was filled with travellers, we reached the +fort, built, it is supposed, by Khan Kan, or one of the kings of the +Shirkee dynasty, about the year 1260. From one of its turrets we had a +magnificent view of the town and the surrounding country, while +immediately below is seen the river, spanned by the picturesque old +bridge, unmoved by the fierce floods which so constantly destroy those +arched bridges that have been erected in India by Europeans. + +The appearance of the town is diminished in size, but increased in +beauty, by the many stately trees which are planted throughout it, while +here and there a huge screen of some musjid rears its Egyptian-looking +crest, and gives to the town an appearance peculiar to itself; Jaunpore +is, in fact, the only city in India in which this style of architecture +prevails. + +On our way out of the fort we passed a monolithe, on which was an +inscription in the same character as that on Ferozeshah's Lath at Delhi, +which has been recently translated by Mr. Prinsep. In the main gateway +were some porcelain slabs which had at one time formed part of a Jain +temple. + +The Itala musjid, to which we next bent our steps, has been built on the +site of one of these temples; its cloisters remain untouched, and the +figures on almost every slab bear undoubted testimony to the previous +existence of a Jain temple on this spot. The large square rooms, which +were filled during our visit with true believers, were curiously roofed; +a dome was ingeniously thrown over the square. An octagon, placed on +solid buttresses, supported a 16-sided figure, which in its turn +supported the dome. The Jumma musjid, which we also visited, was +remarkable for its magnificent screen, 120 feet in height by 70 in +breadth, and covered with curious inscriptions and fantastic devices; the +top is slightly narrower than the base, tapering in depth as well as in +breadth. + +The population of Jaunpore is about 35,000; there is a small European +station near the town. In the course of the evening's drive I saw a +specimen of the Addansonia or baobab-tree: the trunk, measuring 23 feet +in circumference, was perfectly smooth and the branches were destitute of +leaves. There are but five other specimens in India, and not many in +Java, where the tree was discovered by Mr. Addanson; it is said to have +attained, in some instances, the enormous age of 2000 years. + +Leaving Jaunpore about midnight, I reached the camp of Jung Bahadoor on +the following day. The scene as we approached was in the highest degree +picturesque; 5000 Nepaulese were here collected, followers, in various +capacities, of the Prime Minister, whose tents were pitched at a little +distance from the grove of mango-trees which sheltered his army and +retainers. On our arrival he was out shooting, so, mounting an elephant, +we proceeded to join him. We heard such frequent reports of fire-arms +that we fully expected to find excellent sport; great was my +disappointment, therefore, when I saw him surrounded by some 20 or 30 +followers, who held umbrellas, loaded his guns, rushed to pick up the +_game_, or looked on applaudingly while he stealthily crept up to take a +deliberate pot shot at some unlucky parrot or small bird that might catch +his eye as it perched on a branch, or fluttered unconsciously amongst the +leaves. But the most interesting object in the group was the +lately-wedded bride, who was seated in a howdah. Jung introduced her to +me as "his beautiful Missis"--a description she fully deserved. She was +very handsome, and reflected much credit on the taste of the happy +bridegroom, who seemed pleased when we expressed our approval of his +choice. + +Before quitting the subject of Jung's shooting-party, I must remark, in +justice to him as a sportsman, that he considers nothing less than a deer +to be game at all. Tiger or rhinoceros shooting is his favourite sport, +and he looks upon shooting a parrot, a snipe, a hawk, or a partridge as +being equally unworthy of the name of sport, nor does he understand why +some of those birds should be dignified with the name of "game," and the +others not. + +At dawn on the following morning the stir and bustle in camp announced an +early start, and our elephant appeared at the tent door just as the +gallant rifle corps marched past, the band playing the "British +Grenadiers." Mounting the elephant, we picked our way through the debris +of the camp, now almost deserted; some few of the coolies were still +engaged packing the conical baskets which they carry on their backs, one +strap passing over the forehead, and two others over the shoulders. The +appearance of a hill coolie as he thus staggers along under his +tremendous burden is singular enough, and so totally unlike that of the +coolies of the plains, that it was a sort of promise of there being in +store for us more curiosities, both of Nepaulese men and manners, in +their native country, and we looked with no little interest upon the +first specimens we had seen of the Newar race--the aborigines of Nepaul. +Short and compact, the full development of their muscle bore evidence to +their almost Herculean strength. Their flat noses, high cheek-bones, +small eyes, and copper-coloured complexion are unequivocal signs of a +Mongolian origin, whilst the calves of their legs, which I never saw +equalled in size, indicate the mountainous character of their country. + +Threading our way on our wary elephant through nearly 5000 of these +singular-looking beings, all heavily loaded with the appurtenances of the +camp, we soon overtook the cortege of the Minister and his brothers, +which consisted of three or four carriages dragged along by coolies, over +a road which, in many places, must have severely tried the carriage +springs, as well as nearly dislocated the joints of Jung's "beautiful +little Missis," whom I saw peeping out of one of the windows. The rest +of this motley crowd, with which we were destined to march for the next +three weeks, was made up of Nepaul gentlemen in various capacities, who +cantered past on spirited little horses, or squatted cross-legged in the +clumsy, oddly constructed "Ecce," a sort of native gig; besides these, +there were merchants and peddlers, who followed the camp as a matter of +speculation. Amidst an indiscriminate horde, our elephant jogged lazily +along, generally surrounded by eight or ten others, with whom we marched +for company's sake. We usually arrived at the mango tope destined to be +our camping-ground about ten o'clock in the morning, and lounged away the +heat of the day in tents; towards the afternoon Jung generally went out +with his gun or rifle, shooting with the former at parrots at ten yards +distance, and with the latter at bottles at a hundred. There was not +much attraction for the sportsman throughout the whole line of march, and +I only bagged a few couple of snipe, partridges, wild-duck, and quail. + +Our dinner was always supplied from Jung's own carpet, for he does not +use a table, and it was with no little curiosity that at the end of the +first day's march I looked forward to the productions of a Nepaul +cuisine. We had not forgotten to provide ourselves with a sufficient +_stand-by_ in case it should not prove altogether palatable. Towards +evening an enormous dish, containing rice enough to have satisfied the +whole of the gallant rifle corps, was brought into our tent, closely +followed by about 20 little cups formed of leaves, one inside the other, +each containing about a thimbleful of some exquisite condiment; also +three or four saucers containing some cold gravy, of unpleasant colour, +in which floated about six minute particles of meat. + +Filling my plate with rice, which had been well and carefully greased to +improve its flavour, and scientifically mixing the various other +ingredients therewith, I unhesitatingly launched a spoonful into my +mouth, when I was severely punished for my temerity, and almost overcome +by the detestable compound of tastes and smells that at once assailed +both nose and palate: it was a pungent, sour, bitter, and particularly +greasy mouthful; but what chiefly astonished me, so much as to prevent my +swallowing it for some time, was the perfume of Colonel Dhere Shum Shere, +the fat brother, which I was immediately sensible of, as overpowering +everything else. Not that I would for a moment wish to insinuate that it +was a nasty smell; on the contrary, it would have been delicious on a +pocket-handkerchief; but to imagine it going down one's throat, in +company with an immense amount of grease and gravy, was nearly enough to +prevent its doing so at all. + +Our march to Ghazipore was through country richly cultivated and +pleasing, if not absolutely pretty. The numerous poppy-plantations were +evidence of our proximity to the headquarters of one of the largest opium +agencies in India. Ghazipore is approached by an avenue of handsome +trees, more ornamental than useful, seeing how utterly destructive it is +to the permanent welfare of a road. + +The mausoleum, containing a monument to Lord Cornwallis, is solid but not +ungraceful: upon one side of the monument are sculptured the figures of a +Hindoo and a Mussulman, and on the other a British and a native +grenadier, all of whom are weeping. The building is prettily situated +near the bank of the Ganges, on a large plain or maidan, across which +pleasant avenues lead in all directions; the one which we followed +brought us to the stables of the Company's stud, containing 700 horses. +On our way we remarked a number of handsome houses now unoccupied and +falling rapidly into decay, the military force at the station having of +late been much reduced. The horses were being exercised, notwithstanding +which they carried a good deal of superfluous fat, and vented their +spirits by occasionally breaking loose, and dashing pell-mell through +rings of their companions, who, grudging them the sweets of liberty, made +vigorous efforts to partake of them, and in some instances succeeded. I +saw not less than eight at once dashing about in the large training +enclosure. My friend having already bought three, we thought it best to +withdraw ourselves from further temptation, and set out to join the camp +at Cossimabad, 16 miles distant, still passing through richly cultivated +country, which was as pretty as a dead level ever can be. + +The crops most generally reared are, sugar-cane, poppies, rare (a species +of pulse), wheat, often with a delicate border of blue-flowered flax, +tobacco, mustard, peas, and sometimes vetches. The large rose-gardens +for which Ghazipore is celebrated lay to the right. I regretted that our +way did not lead us through them, but we had evidence of their existence +in some delicious otto of roses, which is easily procured here. + +The road by which we were now travelling was what is called in India a +cutcher-road, which means unmetalled. It is a pity that Government +should spend so much in macadamizing roads, when cutcher-roads answer +just as well for all the wants of native traffic. The rocks here are of +limestone formation, and consequently, as there is not much traffic on +any road in India, if the trees were cut down, roads on a limestone +formation would always keep themselves in repair, provided the side +drains were properly kept open. The bridges are all good, and, if the +line of road was well bridged throughout, the country conveyances could +always make their way along it with perfect ease. If the money now spent +in macadamizing were spent in making the necessary bridges, the resources +of the country would be much more fully opened out than they are at +present; a garre-waller, or cart-man, can always appreciate a bridge, +never a macadamized road. At present the bridges on this road are all +wooden, and liable to be carried away by the first heavy flood. + +The whole way to the frontier of Nepaul we travelled along a +cutcher-road, accompanied by a train of at least a hundred hackerys, +without the slightest inconvenience; and until the style of cart at +present used by the natives becomes wonderfully improved, this road may +well be used, except of course during the rains. + +A few days' march brought us to the banks of the Gograh, a large river +rising in the western Terai, and measuring, at the point where we +crossed, at least half a mile in breadth. As we came upon the cliff +overlooking the river, the scene was novel and amusing. As 5000 persons +had to reach the opposite bank, and no preparations had been made for +their transit, the confusion may be easily imagined. The good-humour of +the hillmen, however, was imperturbable, and, though there was plenty of +loud talking, the remarks made were usually of a facetious nature. + +The stream was rapid, and carried the boats down some distance. Ten +elephants, with nothing visible but the tips of their trunks and the +crowns of their heads, on which latter squatted the mahouts, made the +passage gallantly. On the opposite side we passed through a village, the +little square of which was absolutely filled with monkeys. They resort +thither by hundreds from the neighbouring jungles to be fed by the +villagers, and are most independent in their behaviour, unscrupulously +attacking the man who brings their daily allowance, and, as they are +accounted sacred, they are of course unmolested. We saw some serious +fights amongst them, young and old mixing indiscriminately in the melee; +a mother was frequently seen making a rapid but orderly retreat with her +young one on her back. + +We occasionally passed picturesque villages, the inhabitants of which +were of course all attracted by so novel a spectacle. The system pursued +by the villagers here is the same as may be observed in many parts of the +Continent of Europe: they invariably congregate in a collection of mud- +built closely packed huts, showing a gregarious disposition, and great +aversion to living alone. I do not remember to have passed one solitary +house. As the whole of the country is richly cultivated, the distance of +their dwellings from the scene of their daily labour must in some +instances be considerable. + +The Gandaki, over which we were ferried, is a large stream rising in +Nepaul, and as broad as the Gograh. We went some distance up its banks, +in the hopes of finding wild-pig, but were unsuccessful. + +The minister, however, being determined not to go home empty handed, +doomed to destruction a huge alligator, unconsciously basking on a sand- +bank. Accordingly, arming eight of us with double-barrelled rifles, he +marched us in an orderly manner to the bank, when, at a given signal, 16 +balls whistled through the air, arousing in a most unpleasant manner the +monster from his mid-day slumbers, who plunged into the stream and +disappeared almost instantaneously, and the Minister Sahib, coolly +pulling out the wallet which contained his tiffin, remarked that we might +profitably employ ourselves in that way until he came up to breathe, when +he should receive another dose. Retiring therefore a few yards from +me--for a Hindoo may not eat in the presence of a Christian--he and his +brothers were soon deep in the mysteries of curious viands. Perceiving, +however, that I was not prepared for an alfresco luncheon, he shared with +me some grapes, pomegranates, etc., as well as a piece of green-looking +meat, which I found very delightfully scented. As we were in the middle +of our repast, our wounded friend showed his nose above the water, when +he was immediately struck by a splendid shot from the minister, who was +in no way disconcerted by having his mouth full at the time. Lashing the +water furiously with his tail, the alligator once more disappeared: he +came up shortly after, and the same scene was enacted three times before +his huge form floated lifeless down the stream. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +_A picnic on the Nepaul frontier--A boar-hunt--The Terai and its +resources--Our shooting quarters--Incidents of sport--A tiger-hunt--The +great elephant exhibition of 1851--Camp Bechiacor_. + +Pitched under the shade of some wide-spreading mangoes are a variety of +tents of all sizes, from the handsome and spacious marquee to the snug +sleeping tent; near them are picqueted a number of fine-looking Arab +horses in prime condition, while the large barouche, which is standing +close by, might have just emerged from a coach-house in a London mews; a +few servants are loitering about, and give life to this otherwise +tranquil scene. + +Nobody can for an instant suppose that this is the camp of Jung Bahadoor; +his tents are green and red and generally surrounded by soldiers; his +horses do not look so sleek and fresh as these; he has not got a barouche +belonging to him, far less a piano, and I think I hear the music of one +proceeding from yonder large tent.--No--this is an Indian picnic--none of +your scrambling, hurried pleasure parties to last for a wet day, when +everybody brings his own food, and eats it uncomfortably with his +fingers, with some leaves for a plate and an umbrella for a roof, and +then persuades himself and others that he has been enjoying himself. Let +such an one come and make trial of a deliberate, well-organized picnic of +a fortnight's duration, such as the one now before us, with plenty of +sport in the neighbourhood, while the presence of the fair sex in camp +renders the pleasures of the drawing-room doubly delightful after those +of the chace. + +Boar-hunting, or, as it is commonly called, pig-sticking, is essentially +an Indian sport, and I could not have partaken of it under more +favourable auspices than I did at Hirsede, when, having obtained +intelligence of a wild boar, and having been supplied with steeds, some +five or six of us proceeded in pursuit of the denizen of the jungles. We +soon roused and pressed him closely through the fields of castor-oil and +rare-cates. The thick stalks of the former often balked our aim. He +received repeated thrusts notwithstanding, and charged three or four +times viciously, slightly wounding my horse, and more severely that of +one of my companions. After being mortally wounded, the brute +unfortunately dodged into a thick jungle, where, hiding himself in the +bushes, he baffled all our efforts to dislodge him. In their attempts to +do so, however, the beaters turned out a fine young boar, who gave us a +splendid run of upwards of a mile at top speed--for a pig is a much +faster animal than his appearance indicates, and one would little +imagine, as he scuttles along, that he could keep a horse at full gallop. +However, he soon became blown, and, no friendly patch of jungle being +near for him to take refuge in, was quickly despatched, + +Our revels having been kept up to a late hour, I left Hirsede in the +small hours of the morning, and came up to Jung Bahadoor's camp on the +Nepaul frontier. + +A small stream divides the Company's from the Nepaulese dominions, and on +crossing it the change of government was at once obvious. The villages +looked more wretched, the people more dirty, the country was almost +totally uncultivated, and nearly all traces of roads disappeared as we +traversed the green sward of the Terai of Nepaul, scattered over which +were large herds of cattle, grazing on the short grass, which extended in +all directions over the vast expanse of flat country. + +This province is governed by Krishna Bahadoor, a younger brother of the +prime minister, an active and energetic officer. Any complaint of the +peasantry is in the first instance brought to his notice, and referred by +him to his brother, if his decision does not give satisfaction. His +subordinates are a sirdar, or judge, and several subahs, or collectors. + +The Terai is a long narrow strip of territory, extending for three +hundred miles along the northern frontier of British India, and is about +twenty miles in breadth. The whole tract is a dead level. For the first +ten miles after crossing the frontier the country is used chiefly for +grazing by the inhabitants of the adjoining British provinces, who drive +thousands of cattle across the border, paying a considerable revenue to +the Nepaul government for the privilege of so doing. + +Ten miles from the frontier commences the great saul forest, which is +also ten miles in breadth. It is composed almost entirely of the +valuable saul-tree, and a great quantity of timber is annually exported +to Calcutta down the Gandaki, which is navigable to the foot of the +Cheriagotty hills. The licence to fell the saul timber is confined +exclusively to Nepaul merchants, and the payment demanded by Government +for such permission is so enormous that the trade is not very profitable. + +The principal sources of revenue derived from this district are the land- +tax and the receipts from the sale of licences for felling timber and for +grazing cattle. The large amount thus received, together with the number +of elephants which are annually caught in the great forest, renders the +Terai a most valuable appendage to the Nepaul dominions. + +It is, however, entirely owing to the excellent management of Jung that +the revenue of the Terai is now so considerable. In 1816 this province +did not yield more than one-tenth its present revenue, which is now +computed to amount to fifty lacs (500,000 pounds). Still the Terai might +be made yet more profitable. At present no use whatever is made of the +hides and horns of the hundreds of head of cattle that die daily in this +district, which are left to rot on the carcases of the beasts. It would +remain to be proved however whether, even if permission were granted by +the Nepaul Government, any would be found possessing the capital or +enterprise to engage in a speculation which would, unquestionably, ensure +a handsome return. + +It is not, however, in a pecuniary point of view alone that the Terai is +considered by the Nepaulese as contributing to the prosperity of their +dominions; it is looked upon as one of their chief safeguards against +invasion. For nine or ten months a disease, denominated by the natives +the "Ayul," renders the Terai impassable to man, so deadly are its +effects even to the natives of the country. It would appear that might +be obviated--if we are to believe the native theory somewhat gravely +recorded by Mr. Hamilton (who made a journey through this province with a +mission sent by Government in 1803)--by going in search of and killing +certain serpents, which are said to poison the atmosphere with their +breath. I should be inclined to recommend the cutting down of the jungle +in preference to the cutting up of the serpents; and I have little doubt +that, were parts of the great forest cleared, and wide roads cut through +it, it would cease to be so pestilential a locality as it is at present. +In case of a war, there would be no difficulty, even now, in our troops +possessing themselves of the whole territory to the foot of the +Cheriagotty hills in the cold season; but as we should have to maintain +some position throughout the year, the top of those hills themselves +would be the only one available, and here, in the heart of an enemy's +country, and cut off from all communication with India, the position of +the garrison would be anything but enviable. + +I observed several of the natives of this district afflicted with goitre, +and I was informed that cretinism was also prevalent,--a fact which +proves clearly the fallacy of the old doctrine that these complaints are +attributable to snow-water, for all the water drunk by the inhabitants of +the Terai rises in the Cheriagotty hills, on which snow rarely if ever +falls. This would be strongly corroborative of the correctness of the +idea that malaria is the origin of goitre and cretinism, even if the +experiment which has been tried at Interlacken, of building a hospital on +the hills, above the influence of the infectious atmosphere in the +valley, had not proved completely successful. + +The camp which was destined to be our headquarters during a few days' +shooting was pitched in the plain near the village of Bisoleah, distant +about two miles from the borders of the grand jungle. Its appearance was +totally different from those already described; two more regiments were +here in attendance upon the Minister; the men were all comfortably lodged +in grass huts got up for the occasion, and the innumerable host of camp +followers, who on the march had been contented with wrapping themselves +up in their thick cloths, and sleeping in groups round the various fires, +were now engaged in erecting like temporary habitations, forming by these +means a grass village of considerable extent. + +Horses, oxen, camels, elephants, were tethered in every direction, or +wandering in search of sweeter tufts of grass. The village itself was +close and dirty; the largest house, which stood near a temple, was +occupied by some half-dozen wives of the Minister, who had come to the +borders of their country to welcome home their lord and master. + +Our tents were pitched between the camp and a small clump of trees, near +which upwards of 300 elephants were tethered; a stream divided us from +them, the banks of which presented a continual scene of confusion, as men +and animals, at all hours, passed along in crowds, while the motley +groups, collecting as the Minister moved about to inspect various parts +of his establishment, indicated the whereabouts of that great personage. +The scene struck us as particularly novel and attractive when we arrived +from Hirsede about mid-day; as we approached from one direction, the +Minister Sahib arrived from another, mounted in a handsome howdah, the +trophy of the morning being a tiger which he had just killed, and which +was lashed on to the elephant following him, while a hundred more hustled +one another up the steep bank and through the crowded street, greatly to +the inconvenience of his dutiful subjects, who were salaaming +vociferously. + +We immediately started in quest of like game, and commenced beating the +heavy jungle, by which the plain was bounded as by a wall, but fortune +did not smile upon our efforts, and we only succeeded in killing a deer +and a pig. I found my first experience in shooting from a howdah to be +anything but agreeable: the deer bounds through the long grass as a +rabbit would through turnips; and, at the moment one catches a glimpse of +his head, the elephant is sure to be going down a steep place, or +stopping or going on suddenly, or trumpeting, or doing something which +completely balks a sportsman accustomed to be on his own legs, and sends +the ball flying in any direction but the right one. Our line of +elephants consisted of upwards of one hundred, and they beat regularly +and silently enough, except when the behaviour of one of them irritated +some passionate mahout, who would vent his wrath upon the head of the +animal by a blow from a short iron rod, or would catch him sharply under +the ear with a huge hook, which he dexterously applied to a sore kept +open for that purpose; then a loud roar of pain would sound through the +jungle for a moment, much to our disgust, as it startled the deer we were +silently and gradually approaching. + +The pig, which formed part of the game-bag of the afternoon, was, in the +first instance, only severely wounded, and an elephant was commanded to +finish the poor brute; as he lay, grimly surveying us, his glistening +tusks looked rather formidable,--so at least the elephant seemed to +think, as for some time he strongly objected to approach him. At last he +went timidly up and gave the boar a severe kick with his fore-foot, +drawing it back quickly with a significant grunt, which plainly intimated +his opinion that he had done as much as could reasonably be expected of +him. His mahout, however, thought otherwise, and, by dint of severe +irritation on the sore behind his ear, seemed to drive him to +desperation, as the elephant suddenly backed upon the pig, and, getting +him between his hind legs, ground them together, and absolutely broke him +up. After this we went crashing home, regardless of the thick jungle +through which we passed, as the impending boughs were snapped, at the +word of the mahouts, by the obedient and sagacious animals they bestrode. + +Daybreak of the 30th of January found us not foot in stirrup, but foot on +ladder, for we were mounting our elephants to proceed in search of the +monarch of the Indian jungles, intelligence of the lair of a male and +female having been brought into camp overnight. A hundred elephants +followed in a line, forming a picturesque procession, towards the long +grass jungle in which our noble game was reported to be ensconced. On +reaching the scene of action we formed into a line and beat regularly the +whole length of the patch. We were not destined to wait long, and the +crack of my friend's rifle soon sounded in my ears. He had wounded the +tiger severely, and the animal had again disappeared in the long grass. +We were now on the alert, as it was impossible he could escape us; and in +a few moments I had the satisfaction of seeing him bounding through the +grass at about thirty yards' distance. The report of my rifle was +quickly followed by three more shots as he passed down the line, and he +fell dead at the feet of the minister, with five balls in his body. + +In the evening, after our return from a good day's sport, we paid Jung +Bahadoor a visit in his tent, and went with him to see the elephants +which had been caught for the service of the Government during his year's +absence from the country. In a square enclosure were upwards of two +hundred elephants of all sorts and sizes. Here might be seen an elephant +fastened between two others, and kept quiet only by being dragged +continually in two different directions at once, no mahout having yet +ventured to mount him; while, in evident terror at her proximity to such +a monster, stood an anxious mother performing maternal duties to a young +one not much larger than a calf, who was in no way puzzled by the +position of the udder between her fore legs, but by a dexterous use of +his trunk helped himself in a manner wonderfully precocious for so young +a baby; indeed, he seemed very much pleased with having a trunk to play +with, and certainly had a great advantage over most babies in possessing +so permanent a plaything. Behind this interesting party stood a large +elephant, with huge tusks, which had been chiefly instrumental in the +capture of the victims he was now grimly surveying at a considerable +distance, it not being safe to let him approach too near, as he seemed to +be under the delusion that every elephant he saw still required to be +caught. Each mahout now brought forward the prizes he had captured since +the commencement of the year, and they were severally inspected: those +which had no tufts of hair at the tips of their tails, or were in any way +deformed, were put aside to be sold to unwary purchasers in India; while +those approved by his Excellency were reserved for the use of government, +or, to speak in plainer language, for his shooting parties. + +As I do not know the points of an elephant as well as those of a horse, +the want of the tuft was the only mark I could distinguish. However, the +science of elephant-flesh seemed to be as deep and full of mysteries as +that of horse-flesh. + +Having finished our inspection, and the pay of an unsuccessful mahout or +two having been stopped, Jung entered into a long disquisition upon the +subject of the wild sports of the Terai. He told us, amongst other +things, that he had forbidden all deer-shooting here, although the +revenue to Government upon the skins amounted to 400 or 500 pounds a +year, in order that he might enjoy better shooting. Of course, we +praised the love of sport which could prompt such an order, and said +nothing of the love of country which might perhaps have prevented it. I +was often struck by the despotic tone which the prime minister assumed, +and it only confirmed my previous opinion as to his substantially +possessing the sovereign power. + +We killed five or six more deer and pigs before quitting Bisoleah on the +following day, our road to Bechiacor leading us through the great forest, +at this season perfectly healthy. We found our camp pitched in the broad +dry bed of a mountain torrent, which I observed to be filled with +fragments of granite and micaceous schist. + +As the shades of evening closed in upon the valley, the scene became +extremely interesting: high upon the hill sides,--for we had reached the +base of the Cheriagotty hills,--groups of natives, crouching round their +fires, were sheltered only by grass huts, the labour of an hour. While +lights twinkled in the minister's camp, soldiers were gathered round +their watch-fires, and the villagers were assembled near a huge crackling +blaze to witness so unusual, and to them so exciting a scene, as 5000 +souls encamped in their solitary valley. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +_March to Hetowra--Cross the Cheriagotty Hills--Scenes of the war of 1815- +16--Preparations for a wild-elephant hunt--The herd in full cry--A +breakneck country--Furious charges of wild elephants--The lost +child--Return to camp_. + +Early on the following morning we were on the march, and for five miles +did our clumsy elephant trip it heavily over the large stones forming the +bed of the stream in which we had been encamped the previous night. I +fear the beauty of the scenery did not so well compensate him for the +badness of the road as his more fortunate riders. To see a hill at a +distance after having travelled so long over a dead level was refreshing; +but when we began to wind round the base of precipitous cliffs, or +clamber up some romantic mountain pass, the effect was most animating. + +The cliffs which now frowned over us were about 500 feet in height; a few +larches crowning the summit indicated the elevation of the country, and +almost reminded us of home, until some monkeys swinging about amongst the +branches at once dispelled the illusion. + +The hills themselves consist entirely of clay mixed with sandstone, mica, +and gravel; and the effect of the mountain torrents during the rainy +season upon such soft material had been to form precipitous gullies, +along which we were now passing, while the grotesque pinnacles which +constantly met the eye reminded us of the dolomite formation of the +Tyrol. In many places were strata, sometimes horizontal, but more +frequently inclined at an angle of about forty-five degrees, consisting +of limestone, hornstone, and conglomerate. + +This range is called by Hodgson the sandstone range; it does not rise +more than 600 feet from its immediate base, its elevation above the sea +being about 3000 feet. The pass itself, by which we crossed the +Cheriagotty hills, was a mere watercourse, sometimes so narrow that the +banks on each side might be touched from the back of the elephant, and so +steep and rocky that, both in ascending and descending into the dry bed +of a torrent, the animal found no little difficulty in keeping his +footing. + +It was in this place that some of the severest fighting took place in +1816 during the Nepaulese war. Commanded by the surrounding heights and +crowned by the temporary stockades of the Ghorkas, it was a dangerous and +formidable obstacle to the progress of our army; but the able tactics of +Sir David Ochterlony successfully overcame it. In the very watercourse +we were now traversing the carcase of a dead elephant had, on one +occasion during that campaign, fallen in such a manner as effectually to +block up the way; and so narrow is the path, and so steep the banks on +each side, that the army was absolutely delayed some time until this +cumbrous impediment was removed. + +After descending into the bed of the Chyria Nuddee our road lay through +the saul forest, the magnificent trees of which served as a grateful +shade for some miles, while, the road being comparatively level and free +from impediments, our journey was most agreeable. A short distance from +our destination we crossed the Kurroo Nuddee, by a picturesque wooden +bridge peculiar to the Himalayas. + +Hetowra is a place of considerable importance in a mercantile point of +view, but it is not gay except during the season; it is, in fact, +fashionable only while it is healthy. From this place two roads lead to +Katmandu. The whole of our week's stay in the Terai was rendered +interesting to us from the recollection that in this province originated +a war as disastrous to our troops as it was unprovoked by us. Never in +our eastern experience have we commenced hostilities with a native power +upon more justifiable grounds, and seldom have we paid more dearly for +the satisfaction of at last dictating terms, from which indeed we have +since reaped no great advantage. At Persa, but a short distance from +Bisoleah, Captain Sibley and his detachment fell into the hands of the +enemy, losing two guns and three-fourths of his men. Major-General +Gillespie fell at the storming of Kalunga, while gallantly cheering on +his men; our casualties here amounting to 225, twenty of whom were +officers. Beaten back on this occasion, we were no less unsuccessful in +a second attempt, losing in killed and wounded 483 men, including eleven +officers. It was only when General Ochterlony assumed the command that +affairs began to wear a brighter aspect. The energy and ability of this +officer were displayed in a series of operations which daunted the enemy +in proportion as they inspired confidence amongst our own ranks, and the +result of the campaign was the expulsion of the Ghorkas from a large +tract of country, which was subsequently annexed to British India. +Attempts at negotiation were then made, which ultimately proved futile, +and after the usual amount of delay, specious professions, and deceit +common to native Courts generally had been practised by the Nepaul Durbar +with a view to gain time, open hostilities broke out with redoubled +vigour on both sides. General Ochterlony assumed the command of an army +of 36,000 men, and commenced the campaign by moving the main body at once +across the Cheriagotty hills, an operation involving incredible toil and +difficulty, but which was, nevertheless, performed with the greatest +rapidity. From Hetowra he advanced upon Muckwanpore, which, after two +engagements, fell into his hands, our loss amounting to nearly 300. This +fort commands the valley of Katmandu, and the Durbar therefore thought it +advisable to treat as speedily as possible. The terms which were finally +agreed upon differed little from those proposed on the former occasion, +leaving in our hands a portion of the Terai, and, what was more +important, giving the Ghorkas a more correct notion of the enemy they had +to deal with than they had gained from their experience in the first +campaign. + +We found our camp prettily situated at the village of Hetowra, on the +Rapti, surrounded by hills clothed to their summits with evergreen +jungle, not unlike those I had lately left in Ceylon. + +The Minister Sahib, having received information that a herd of wild +elephants were in the neighbourhood, paid us a visit immediately on our +arrival at camp, in a great state of excitement, and enjoined on us the +necessity of an early start if we wished to partake of a sport which he +promised would exceed anything we had ever witnessed, and prove such as +no European had ever before had an opportunity of joining in. + +I was aroused about 3 on the following morning, by the tune of the +'British Grenadiers,' played by the bands of the two regiments, which +marched past my tent on their way to beat the jungle, and I wondered +whether its composer ever imagined that its inspiriting effects would be +exercised upon men bound on so singular a duty as those whose tramp we +now heard becoming fainter and fainter as they wound up the valley. This +was a signal for us to abandon our mattresses, which were always spread +on the ground, in default of a four-poster, but were none the less +comfortable or fascinating to their drowsy occupants on that account. It +was necessary to make such a morning's meal as should be sufficient to +last for 24 hours. This was rather a difficult matter at that early +hour, as we had eaten a large dinner overnight; however, we accomplished +it to the best of our power, and, jumping into our howdah, soon overtook +Jung, whom we accompanied to what was to be the scene of action, a thick +saul jungle on the banks of the Kurroo Nuddee, here a considerable +stream. + +Down a hill before us, and by a particular pass, the wild elephants were +to be driven by the united efforts of the gallant rifle corps, a regiment +of infantry, and a hundred elephants; while our party, which comprised an +equal number of these animals, was prepared to receive their brethren of +the woods. + +Our patience as sportsmen was destined to be severely tried, and mid-day +came without any elephants having made their appearance: we therefore lit +a huge fire, and, dismounting, partook with Jung of some very nice sweet +biscuits and various specimens of native confectionery, declining the +green-looking mutton which was kindly pressed upon us. Had the elephants +chosen that moment to come down upon us, a curious scene must have +ensued: Jung's grapes would have gone one way and his curry-powder the +other--he was eating grapes and curry-powder at the time; and his +brother, who was toasting a large piece of mutton on a reed, must have +either burnt his mouth or lost the precious morsel: however, the +elephants did not come, so Jung finished his grapes and curry-powder, and +his brother waited till the mutton was cool, ate it in peace, and went +through the necessary ablutions. + +He then gave me a lesson in cutting down trees with a kukri, a sort of +bill-hook, in the use of which the Nepaulese are peculiarly expert. The +Minister Sahib at one stroke cut through a saul-tree which was 13 inches +in circumference, while sundry unsuccessful attempts which I made on very +small branches created great amusement among the bystanders skilled in +the use of the weapon. + +At last a dropping shot or two were heard in the distance: this was the +signal of the approach of the herd, and I was put by the minister through +the exercises necessary to be acquired before commencing the novel chace. + +Taking off my shoes and tying a towel round my head, I was told to +suppose an immense branch to be in front of me, and was taught to escape +its sweeping effects by sliding down the crupper of the elephant, and +keeping the whole of my body below the level of his back, thus allowing +the branch to pass within an inch above it without touching me. In the +same manner, upon a branch threatening me from the right or left, it was +necessary to throw myself on the opposite side, hanging only by my hands, +and swinging myself into my original position by a most violent exertion, +which required at the same time considerable knack. Having perfected +myself in these accomplishments to the utmost of my power, I awaited in +patience the arrival of the elephants. + +Looking round, I saw Jung himself, seated in the place of the mahout, +guiding the elephant which he bestrode very cleverly. When silence was +required he made a peculiar clucking noise with his tongue; whereupon +these docile creatures immediately became still and motionless: one would +drop the tuft of grass which he was tearing up, another would stop +instantly from shaking the dust out of the roots which he was preparing +to eat, others left off chewing their food. When a few seconds of the +most perfect calm had elapsed, the rooting up and dusting out went on +more briskly than ever, and the mouthful was doubly sweet to those who +were now allowed to finish the noisy process of mastication. + +At last our patience was rewarded, and Jung gave the signal for us to +advance. + +On each elephant there were now two riders, the mahout and a man behind, +who, armed with a piece of hard wood into which two or three spikes were +inserted, hammered the animal about the root of the tail as with a +mallet. He was furnished with a looped rope to hold on by, and a sack +stuffed with straw to sit upon, and was expected to belabour the elephant +with one hand while he kept himself on its back with the other. + +This was the position I filled on this trying occasion; but my elephant +fared well as regarded the instrument of torture, for I was much too +fully occupied in taking care of myself to think of using it. Away we +went at full speed, jostling one another up banks and through streams, +and I frequently was all but jolted off the diminutive sack which ought +to have formed my seat, but did not, for I found it impossible to sit. +Being quite unable to maintain any position for two moments together, I +looked upon it as a miracle that every bone in my body was not broken. +Sometimes I was suddenly jerked into a sitting posture, and, not being +able to get my heels from under me in time, they received a violent blow. +A moment after I was thrown forward on my face, only righting myself in +time to see a huge impending branch, which I had to escape by slipping +rapidly down the crupper, taking all the skin off my toes in so doing, +and, what would have been more serious, the branch nearly taking my head +off if I did not stoop low enough. When I could look about me, the scene +was most extraordinary and indescribable: a hundred elephants were +tearing through the jungle as rapidly as their unwieldy forms would let +them, crushing down the heavy jungle in their headlong career, while +their riders were gesticulating violently, each man punishing his +elephant, or making a bolster of himself as he flung his body on one side +or the other to avoid branches; while some, Ducrow-like, and confident in +their activity, were standing on the bare backs of their elephants, +holding only by the looped rope,--a feat I found easy enough in the open +country, but fearfully dangerous in the jungle. A few yards in front of +us was a wild elephant with her young one, both going away in fine style, +the pace being 8 or 9 miles an hour. I was just beginning to appreciate +the sport, and was contemplating hammering my elephant so as to be up +amongst the foremost, when we, in company with about half a dozen others, +suddenly disappeared from the scene. A nullah, or deep drain, hidden in +the long grass, had engulfed elephants and riders. The suddenness of the +shock unseated me, but fortunately I did not lose my hold of the rope, +and more fortunately still my elephant did not roll over, but, balancing +himself on his knees, with the assistance of his trunk, made a violent +effort, and succeeded in getting out of his uncomfortable position. + +The main body of the chace had escaped this nullah by going round the top +of it; but we were not so much thrown out as I expected, for we arrived +in time to see the wild elephant charging and struggling in the midst of +her pursuers, who, after several attempts, finally succeeded in noosing +her, and dragging her away in triumph between two tame elephants, each +attached to the wild one by a rope, and pulling different ways whenever +she was inclined to be unmanageable. I was watching the struggles which +the huge beast made, and wondering how the young one, who was generally +almost under the mother, had escaped being crushed in the melee, when a +perfect roll of small arms turned our attention to another quarter, and I +saw an elephant with an imposing pair of tusks charging down upon us +through a square of soldiers, which had just been broken by it, and who +were now taking to the trees in all directions. I ought to remark, lest +the gallant riflemen should be under the imputation of want of valour in +this proceeding, that they were only allowed to fire blank cartridge. The +elephant next to me stood the brunt of the charge, which was pretty +severe, while mine created a diversion by butting him violently in the +side, and, being armed with a formidable pair of tusks, made a +considerable impression; the wild one was soon completely overpowered by +numbers, after throwing up his trunk and charging wildly in all +directions. Of the violence of one of these charges I have retained +visible proof, for a splintered tusk, which had been broken short off in +the combat, was afterwards picked up and given to me as a trophy. Having +succeeded in noosing this elephant also, we were dragging him away in the +usual manner between two others, when he snapped one of the ropes and +started off, pulling after him the elephant that still remained attached +to him, and dashed through the jungle at full speed, notwithstanding the +struggles of the involuntary companion of his flight. For a moment I +feared that the courage of the mahout would give way in that pell-mell +career, and that he would slip the rope which bound the two animals +together. But he held on manfully, and after another exciting chace we +succeeded in surrounding the maddened monster; my elephant jostled him so +closely that I could touch him as we went neck and neck. It is a curious +fact that the elephants never seem to think of uncurling their trunks, +and sweeping their persecutors from the backs of their tame brethren: +this they have never been known to do, though it has not unfrequently +occurred that a wild herd have proved more than a match for the tame one, +and then there is nothing for it but to turn and make off in an +ignominious retreat as fast as the blows of the mahouts can urge them. It +is only under these circumstances that there is any danger to the riders, +and such an occurrence can take place only when the tame herd is small, +and encounters an unusually large number of the wild elephants. Upon +this occasion we mustered so strong that defeat was out of the question. + +We now heard a terrific bellowing at a short distance, which, in my +ignorance, I thought proceeded from a huge tusker making a gallant +resistance somewhere; I was rather disappointed, therefore, to find that +the object of interest to a large group of men and elephants was only a +young one struggling on his back in a deep hole into which he had fallen, +and from which he was totally unable to extricate himself. Lying on his +back, and kicking his legs wildly about in the air, he looked the most +ridiculous object imaginable, and certainly made more noise in proportion +to his size than any baby I ever heard. So incessant was his roaring +that we could scarcely hear each other speak; at last, by means of ropes +attached to various parts of his body, and by dint of a great deal of +pulling and hauling, we extricated the unfortunate infant from his +awkward position. + +The poor little animal had not had a long life before experiencing its +ups and downs, and it now looked excessively bewildered at not finding +its mother, who had escaped with the rest of the herd. He was soon +consoled, however, by being allotted to a tame matron, who did not seem +particularly pleased at being thus installed in the office of foster +mother whether she liked it or not. + +We now all jogged home in great spirits, and, though Jung professed +himself dissatisfied with only having captured four out of a herd of +twelve, we were perfectly contented with a day's work which my elephant- +shooting experience in Ceylon had never seen equalled, and which so fully +realised the promise made by the minister at starting, that we should be +the first to partake of a sport to be met with only in the noble forests +of his native country. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +_March to Bhimphede--National defences--The Cheesapany pass--Lovely +scenery--Night adventure--The watch-fire--Reception at camp--Arrival at +Katmandu_. + +We had looked forward with no little anxiety to the morning following our +elephant-hunt, as we were to go in search of rhinoceros: it was therefore +a severe disappointment to us when Jung entered our tent at daylight, and +informed us that it was necessary we should at once proceed on our way to +Katmandu. The reason he gave us was, that we should have to go too far +out of our route before we could find our game: however that might be, +there was no help for it, and we commenced our march up the valley of the +Rapti, along the narrow rocky path leading to Bhimphede, our next halting- +place. It was a five hours' march, and we crossed the river thirty-two +times before we came in sight of the picturesque Durumsolah, or native +rest-house, which is situated at the head of the valley. Hills clothed +to their summits with variegated jungle rose above us to an immense but +not uniform height, and the scenery looked bolder as we became more +enclosed among the mountains. + +Bhimphede is a Newar village, the inhabitants being the aborigines of the +country. It is said to derive its name from a Hindoo divinity named +Bheem having on some occasion happened to stop there. It is distant from +Hetowra about 18 miles, and the road might be much improved by a little +engineering. + +The present policy of the Nepaul government is to keep the roads by which +their country is approached in as impassable a state as possible, vainly +imagining that, in case of a war, the badness of the roads would offer an +insuperable obstacle to our progress, and compel us to relinquish any +attempt to penetrate to Katmandu. This delusion ought to have been +dispelled by the occupation of Muckwanpore by Sir David Ochterlony; not +that it is a contingency they need take much trouble to provide against, +since it would never be worth our while to do more than take possession +of the Terai. + +The present state of the roads renders it impossible for goods to be +conveyed into Nepaul, except upon men's backs; and as the traffic would +be considerable in various articles of commerce, the prosperity and +wealth of the country would be incalculably increased by an improvement +in the means of transit. + +Jung Bahadoor is quite alive to the real state of the case, and sees at +once the absurdity of the policy pursued by the Nepaul government, but he +feels that any innovation of the sort would be too unpopular for him to +attempt in his present position. His recently imbibed liberal notions +coincide but little with the cramped ideas of a semi-barbarous durbar. He +is well aware that neither bad roads, troops, nor any other obstacle that +he could oppose to our advance, would avail in case of our invading +Nepaul. His feeling as regards a war with the British was not inaptly +expressed in a remark he once made to me,--"If a cat is pushed into a +corner it will fly at an elephant, but it will always try to keep out of +the corner as long as possible." + +At Bhimphede, where we arrived about mid-day, I dismounted from the +elephant on which I had journeyed comfortably for 200 miles, and for +which I had begun to feel quite an affection, and was soon high up the +precipitous ascent of the Cheesapany pass. It crosses a mountain which +rises nearly 2000 feet above the village at its base; the path is so +steep that a horse can barely scramble up it; and the ascent of the Rigi, +in Switzerland, seemed a mere nothing in comparison: this pass in its +turn is not nearly so steep as the Chandernagiri, which is the last pass +before you descend into the valley of Katmandu. + +Having so much mountain work before me, I determined on walking the rest +of the journey, that being the most satisfactory and enjoyable way of +travelling across a highland country and viewing its scenery; my +companion betook himself to a cot or dandy swung on a pole, preferring +that method of getting carried over the hills to the one in general use +amongst the natives, which I imagine is peculiar to Nepaul. An +open-mouthed conical basket, like that of the Parisian chiffonnier, but +with contents in some respects different, since this contains the +traveller and not the shreds of his exploded journal, is fastened upon +the back of a bearer by a strap across his forehead and two others over +his shoulders; the occupant sits with his legs over the rim of the +basket, and his back almost resting against the head of his bearer, who, +bending forward under the weight of his load, and grasping a long stick, +looks like some decrepit old man--a delusion which vanishes the instant +you commence the ascent of a mountain by his side, when his endurance and +vigour astonish you, if they do not knock you up. + +Before we had toiled half way up the precipitous ascent, the view, that +great alleviator of fatigue to the mountain traveller, was suddenly +hidden from us by a thick mist in which we became enveloped, and which, +rolling slowly over the hills, hid from our gaze a magnificent panorama +of the lovely valley along which our morning's march had led us, and +which lay stretched at our feet. With its broad stream winding down its +centre, it reminded me of many similar valleys in Switzerland and the +Tyrol, more particularly the Engadine, as seen from the hill above +Nauders; while the hills, richly clad with masses of dark foliage, and +rising to a height of two or three thousand feet, more nearly resembled +those of the Cinnamon Isle. There is a fort near the summit of the pass +with a few hundred soldiers, and a sort of custom-house, at which two +sentries are placed for the purpose of levying a tax amounting to about +sixpence upon every bundle passing either in or out of the Nepaul +dominions; whether it be a bundle of grass or a bale of the valuable +fabric manufactured from the shawl-goat of Thibet, the same charge is +made, rendering it a grievously heavy tax upon the poor man with his load +of wood, while it is a matter of no importance to the rich merchant whose +coolies are freighted with rare and valuable merchandise. + +Having accomplished nearly half the descent of the opposite side, we +emerged from the mist, and a view of a wilder valley opened up, in which +the streams were more rapid and furious, and the mountains which enclosed +it more rugged and precipitous. A few trees, principally firs, were here +and there scattered over the bare face of the mountain wherever they +could find a sufficiently-sheltered nook. Enterprising settlers had +perched themselves upon the naked shoulders of the hills, or were more +snugly ensconced below by the side of the brawling stream, which was +crossed here and there by primitive bridges, consisting of a log or two +thrown from one heap of stones to another, with a few turfs laid upon +them. + +I observed in the Nepaul valleys--what must be the case in every country +in which the hills are composed of a soft material--deltas formed by the +soil which is washed down by the mountain torrents. The mass of debris +in the valley often extends quite across it, and forces the stream +through a gorge, frequently of considerable grandeur in those places +where the power of the torrent during the rains is very great. + +This circumstance adds greatly to the beauty of the scenery in the Tyrol, +where the limestone formation of the hills thus worked upon spreads a +soil in swelling knolls over the valley, on which the most luxuriant +vineyards are picturesquely terraced. The effect, however, is very +different in Nepaul, where the hills are composed chiefly of gravel and +conglomerate; the deltas, consequently, produce crops of stones more +frequently than of anything else. Notwithstanding the want of +cultivation in the valley on which we were now looking down, it was full +of a sublime beauty, the mountains at either end towering to a height of +three or four thousand feet, while the path we were to follow was to be +seen on the opposite side, winding over a formidable range, and always +appearing to mount the steepest hills and to go down unnecessarily into +innumerable valleys. It was with no little regret then that we made the +almost interminable descent, apparently for the mere purpose of starting +fair from the bottom of the valley, before we commenced the arduous climb +in store for us over a range still higher than the one we had just +traversed. + +We crossed the stream at the bottom by a single-arched bridge of curious +mechanism and peculiar to the Himalayas, the chief advantage being the +large span, which admits of an immense body of water rushing through; a +necessary precaution in the case of a mountain torrent. We then toiled +up the hillside by a fearfully narrow path. At times my companion seemed +absolutely hanging over the precipice; and our path was not in some +places above twelve inches broad; had we slipped we must inevitably have +become food for the fishes in the Pomonia, which was gliding rapidly +along some hundreds of feet below, and which we were informed was a good +trouting stream. + +At last we reached the summit of the range, from which we had a lovely +view of the surrounding country; the hills were just tipped by the +setting sun; but this fact, while it added to the beauty of the scene, +materially detracted from our enjoyment of it. In a few moments more we +should be benighted, and we had still two hours' walk to the village for +which we were bound. Accordingly, we had scarcely commenced the descent +when it became so dark that it was no longer possible to distinguish the +path; and having a vivid recollection of the precipices I had already +passed, I felt no inclination to risk a fall of a few hundred feet. After +making some little progress by feeling our way with sticks, we found it +hopeless, and fairly gave in, having no alternative but to make the +narrow path we were on our resting-place for the remainder of the night. +This was a most disagreeable prospect, and we regretted that we had +allowed Jung and his suite to ride on. The minister had recommended us +to follow in cots, as he thought the road was too bad for men accustomed +to level country to ride along. It was vain to tell him that we could +ride where he could, or that we had seen hills before we came to Nepaul; +he insisted that he was responsible for our safety, and would not hear of +our riding. As we had little anticipated so arduous a march at starting, +we had not thought it worth while further to contest the point with one +who knew the country so well; and now, when it was too late, we sincerely +wished ourselves comfortably lodged in his camp. + +I had already walked for six consecutive hours over roads exceeding in +danger and difficulty most of the mountain passes in Switzerland, and +began to feel fatigued and not a little hungry, seeing that I had not +touched a morsel of food since daybreak, with the exception of a crust of +bread that I had found in my pocket. Thus the prospect of stretching +myself out on a slippery path, with a stone for my pillow, and the +contemplation of my miseries for my supper, was anything but agreeable. + +As we were in this humour it was not to be wondered at that an +intelligent soldier, whom we had for a guide, came in for a certain +amount of our indignation when he informed us that it was still four coss +(eight miles) to Pheer Phing, the place to which we were bound. Base +deceiver!--he had told us at starting that it was not quite four coss, +and now, after walking hard for six hours, we had got rather farther from +it than we were at starting. It was impossible, at this rate, to say +when our journey would come to an end. Nor could we get him to admit his +error, and own that one or other of his statements must be wrong. He was +a good-hearted fellow withal, and bore us no malice for our ill temper, +but gave me a walking-stick and an orange as peace-offerings. However, +he rigidly maintained his assertion as to the distance, at the same time +suggesting that we should push on, encouraging us with the assurance that +the rest of the path was a maidan or dead level. As he had made a +similar statement at starting, and as the only bit of level walking we +could remember was a log bridge, over which we had crossed, we knew too +well what amount of confidence to put in this assertion. + +At last one of the bearers who had gone on to explore the path ahead came +back with the animating intelligence "that he saw a fire." We therefore +determined to make for it with all diligence, and soon perceived the +bright glare of a large watch-fire, with a party of soldiers crowded +round it. We gladly joined them, and while one of their number was sent +forward for torches we rolled ourselves in our cloaks near the crackling +blaze, for the night was bitterly cold; and, heaping up fresh logs upon +the fire, a bright flame lit up the wild scene. + +We forgot our miseries as we watched the picturesque group of weather- +beaten Ghorkas, or gathered what we could from their conversation, of +their opinions upon the politics of the country, and the trip of the +prime minister, on both which subjects they expressed themselves pretty +freely, and took pains to impress upon us how anxious they were for our +safe arrival in camp, informing us that their heads would be the price of +any accident that should happen to us. At last the torches were seen +flickering on the opposite hill, and soon afterwards we commenced our +march in picturesque procession, passing over rugged ascents, across +brawling rocky streams, and down dark romantic glens, until we began to +think that the existence of Pheer Phing was a fiction. + +It was about nine o'clock when I perceived we had entered a town which, +by its brick pavement and high houses, I concluded to be a large one. +After crossing three ranges of mountains, each nearly two thousand feet +high, we did not much speculate upon anything but the distance still to +be travelled; and the numerous lights twinkling in the distance were a +welcome evidence of the proximity of Jung's encampment. The minister +came out and received us cordially, expressing his regret at our +misadventure and the anxiety he had been in as to our fate; for the route +we had taken was not the ordinary one, but one of those short cuts which +so often prove the unwary traveller's greatest misfortune. As our +servants had not yet come up, he insisted upon our partaking of the +repast he had prepared for us. I did not require a second invitation, +and all scruples vanished as I looked with delight at the little leaf +cups containing the scented greasy condiments formerly despised, and +unhesitatingly plunged my fingers (for of course there were no spoons or +forks) into a mass of rice and mixed it incontinently with everything +within reach, disregarding the Jung's remonstrances, that this was salt- +fish and the other sweetmeat, and that they would not be good together. +After fasting for fifteen hours, and being in hard exercise the greater +part of that time, one is not disposed to be particular, and to this day +I have not the slightest conception what I devoured for the first ten +minutes; at the end of that time my first sensation was peculiarly +disagreeable--namely, that my hunger was sufficiently appeased to allow +me to consider what I was eating; at this point I stopped, still rather +hungry, but better off than my companion, who, having retained his +presence of mind, had not touched anything. + +We now got into palanquins prepared for us, and arrived at the residency +at Katmandu at three in the morning, in a comatose state, arising partly +from fatigue, partly from drowsiness, but chiefly, I imagine, from +peculiar feeding. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +_The British residency--Houses at the temple of +Pusputnath--Unprepossessing appearance of the Newar population--Their +dress and characteristic features--Ghorkas--Temple of Pusputnath--View +from the hill above it--The temple of Bhood--Worshippers from Thibet and +Chinese Tartary--Their singular and disgusting appearance--Striking scene +in the grand square of the city of Katmandu_. + +I did not awake until the day was far advanced, and my first impulse was +to look out of my window, with no little curiosity, expecting to see the +Snowy Range somewhere in the heavens near the sun; in this I was +disappointed, for the mist was so dense that neither sun nor Snowy Range +was visible; we therefore determined to go in search of less exalted +objects of interest. + +But ere we canter away from the door of the residency upon the shaggy +little ponies which had been provided for our use by the Durbar, the +Company's establishment in Nepaul demands a moment's attention. In the +only thoroughly independent state extant in India the British Government +is represented by a Resident, to whose hospitality we were much indebted +during our delightful stay in Katmandu. His house, a Gothic mansion of a +rather gingerbread appearance, is situated in a well laid-out park-like +enclosure, which forms the residency grounds, and which contains two or +three neat substantial houses, the habitations of the two officers of the +embassy. One of them kindly accompanied us in our search after sights, +and directed our steps in the first instance to the temple of Pusputnath. +We passed through the suburbs of Katmandu by a road beautifully paved, in +some places with brick, in others with granite. It was along this road +that the body of Martiber Singh, the late prime minister, and uncle of +Jung Bahadooor, was dragged after he had been shot by his nephew, and was +burned on the bank of the Bhagmutty before the soldiery (with whom he was +an especial favourite) had any idea of his having been killed. + +As I approached the temple I remarked some handsome houses, three or four +stories in height, which we were informed were the residences of some of +the priests. As they were good specimens of the architecture of this +country, I may as well describe them here. + +The whole front of the Nepaulese houses presented a mass of curiously +carved wood-work, so that the beautiful flat brick of which they were +built (and for the manufacture of which Nepaul is famous) was scarcely +discernible amidst the intricate tracery which surrounded every window, +and hung in broad wooden fringes from the balconies: these are formed +under the eaves, which project five or six feet, and are supported by +rafters, on which quaint figures are depicted in all sorts of impossible +postures; the space between the rafters is also filled by carved wood, +forming a sort of balcony or small room, generally occupied by the women +of the establishment, and flat faces peer out of grotesque windows as you +pass beneath. + +But it must not be imagined that the same attraction exists here as in +other Oriental countries to induce you to return their gaze. On the +contrary, the female portion of the Nepaulese community is anything but +attractive. I have seldom seen a race look more debased and squalid. +Sometimes a florid tint about the nose and cheek-bones seems to hint at +an affection for the bottle; while their flowing or rather tangled locks, +and slovenly dress, might fairly induce the suspicion that they had but +lately parted company with it. The Newar women, however, were ladylike +in their appearance, when compared with some of the Bootya tribe with +whom I afterwards made acquaintance. + +It would, perhaps, be hardly fair to these copper-coloured ladies to +judge entirely from their appearance, but, from what I could learn, it +did not belie them, except, of course, as regards their friendship for +the bottle, drunkenness being a vice which is not prevalent, though the +strictness with respect to intoxicating liquors, so remarkable amongst +the Hindoos of the plains, is by no means observable among the hill +tribes. + +The dress of the men consists of a short coat, not unlike a +shooting-coat, reaching about half-way to the knees, and composed of a +coarse cotton fabric manufactured in the country, from a tree which is a +native of some of the lower valleys, but which I did not see in the +valley of Katmandu. + +In the colder months they wear home-spun woollen clothes. The dress of +the women differs little from that of the men, except that the coat is +longer, resembling a dressing-gown, and a sort of bodice is generally +worn beneath it; a white shawl wrapped round the waist completes one of +the most ungraceful costumes imaginable. All the men and some of the +women are armed with the kukri, a heavy-bladed weapon or knife of +singular shape. But lest this be too unprepossessing a picture of the +Newars, or aborigines of Nepaul (for the Ghorkas are a superior and very +different race), I should remark that I had no opportunity of seeing any +of the females of the higher orders of either nation. The Ghorkas, +being, for the most part, bigoted Hindoos, are prevented by their +religion from allowing the women to appear in public. The Newars, not +fettered by any such restraint, can now boast very few noble families; +the ancient grandees of the Newar dynasty are extirpated, with the +exception of one or two of the old aristocracy, who are in the last stage +of decay. I cannot agree with Colonel Kirkpatrick (who wrote an account +of his visit to Nepaul in 1803) in thinking that, "though the Newars have +round and rather flat faces, small eyes, and low spreading noses, they +bear no resemblance to Chinese features;" on the contrary, I was much +struck with the great similarity of the mass of the lower orders to the +Chinese. Their imperturbable good humour and unaffected simplicity as +plainly proved them a hill race, as did their picturesque dwellings and +sturdy limbs. Altogether this class of the inhabitants of Nepaul are a +cheerful, happy race, for whom one could feel a sort of affection after +becoming reconciled to their appearance; but a woman is certainly not +fascinating when what ought to be nose is nothing but cheek with two +holes in it, and what ought to be neck is almost body as well. If people +have protuberances in wrong places, it of course requires a little time +for the eye to become accustomed to them. It may be that a goitre is a +beauty in the eyes of many a young Nepaulese swain. It matters little, +however, to a young Newar bride whether her husband admires her or not, +for she is at liberty to claim a divorce whenever she pleases, and, if +her second choice be not of lower caste than herself, she may leave him +at pleasure and return to her original spouse, resuming the charge of any +family she may have had by him. + +The Ghorkas are the conquerors of Nepaul, and now compose the army; they +have grants of land called jaghires, on which they live when not actually +on service. They are a handsome and independent race, priding themselves +upon not being able to do anything but fight; and in their free and +sometimes noble carriage often reminded me of the Tyrolese. + +Besides the Ghorkas and Newars there are two or three other tribes, each +consisting of but a limited number, and possessing no peculiar +distinguishing marks, except the differences to be found in their +religious opinions, which are generally a mixture of the Bhuddist and +Hindoo creeds. + +But to return to the temple of Pusputnath. This celebrated edifice is +said to have been erected by Pussoopush Deoth, the fourth prince of the +Soorijbunsee dynasty; and so sacred is the temple considered, that a +pilgrimage to its shrines is held to be more meritorious than any other +act that can be performed by a Hindoo. As the massive folding-doors +opened before us, the view of the court-yard was certainly more striking +than anything I had yet seen of the sort. Immediately opposite the +handsome gateway, and situated in the centre of the court-yard, was the +temple, roofed with lead, while the edges were ornamented with a +profusion of gold leaf. Beside the large doors of massive silver were +finely carved windows, covered in all directions with devices in the same +precious metal. + +Four sculptured lions guarded the double flight of steps, while at the +bottom of the principal flight was a large figure of a kneeling bull +(nanda), executed in copper, and superbly gilt. The rest of the court- +yard was filled with images and shrines of various descriptions; a +kneeling figure of Siva, a huge bell, more lions, and other sacred +objects being studded throughout it in odd confusion. After looking at +the varied and somewhat brilliant objects about us, our attention was +directed to the roof of the temple, and certainly the transition from the +sublime to the ridiculous was extraordinary. Pots, pans, old kukris, +dusty-looking musical instruments, goods and chattels of all +descriptions, such as one might imagine would form the contents of a +Nepaulese pawnbroker's shop, if there is any such establishment here, +were wedged together indiscriminately beneath the projecting roof of the +pagoda, for of that Chinese form was this much venerated _Hindoo_ temple. +This mass of incongruous wares, as far as I could learn, was composed of +the unclaimed goods of pious worshippers, persons dying without known +heirs, and certainly, to judge from their appearance, the heirs did not +lose much by not establishing their claims. + +We ascended the hill, immediately under which the temple is situated, and +were charmed with the lovely prospect which it commanded. On the left, +and clothing with its brilliant colours a gentle slope, was the grove +sacred to Siva, divided by the equally sacred Bhagmutty from the temple +we had just visited, and into which we now looked down. The Bhagmutty +was crossed by two narrow Chinese-looking bridges, resembling those we +have such frequent opportunities of admiring on the willow-pattern +plates. It is at this sacred spot that devout Hindoos wish to die with +their feet in the water. Here it is that the bodies of the great are +burnt; Martibar Singh was reduced to ashes at the end of the bridge, and +so was the Ranee not three months before my visit, together with two +favourite female slaves, whose society she did not wish to relinquish. + +Beyond this interesting foreground stretched the luxuriant valley, its +gentle slopes and eminences terraced to their summits, which were often +crowned by some old fortified Newar town: the terraces, tinged with the +brilliant green of the young crops, rose one above another to the base of +the walls, while beneath the Bhagmutty wound its tortuous course to the +romantic gorge in the mountains, through which it leaves this favoured +valley to traverse lazily the uninteresting plains of upper India. + +A peak of the gigantic Himaleh, bursting through the bank of clouds which +had hitherto obscured it, reared its snow-capped summit far up towards +the skies, and completed this noble prospect. + +Crossing the river, we proceeded to visit the temple sacred to Bhood, the +resort of the numerous tribes of Bhootiyas, or inhabitants of the +highlands of Thibet and Chinese Tartary, who perform annual pilgrimages +hither in the winter, but are obliged to return to their homes early in +the spring, being unable to endure the heat of a Nepaulese summer. + +This remarkable building was visible some time before we reached it, and +is of the form peculiar to Bhuddist places of worship in other parts of +the world, but more particularly in Anuradhupoora and the ancient cities +of Ceylon, the ruins of which bear testimony to the existence of larger +Dagobas than that before which the followers of the Bhuddist faith +worship in the valley of Katmandu. + +The pyramidal summit was gorgeously gilt, and terminated in a huge bell +adorned in the same glittering manner, producing a brilliant effect as it +brightly reflected the rays of the noonday sun. The massive stone +platform on which the Dagoba stood was square; the ascent to it on each +side was by a broad flight of steps, but, on the lower part of the +pyramid, staring Chinese-looking eyes, painted in brilliant colours, +detracted considerably from the imposing effect which a massive pile of +stone and brick, not less than 120 feet high, would otherwise have +produced. + +We rode round it in a sort of court-yard, enclosed by small two-storied +houses, which were very filthy, and out of which emerged men, women, and +children, very filthy also; we were soon encompassed by a crowd of the +most disreputable, dissolute-looking wretches imaginable. The women were +dressed in thick woollen gowns, which had once been red, and reached a +little below the knee; these were loosely fastened round the waist, +remaining open or closed above as the case might be. The children, +notwithstanding the inclement temperature, were in the cool and airy +costume common to the rising generation in the East. The men were +dressed exactly like the women; their matted hair and beard, flat noses, +and wide eyes, generally bloodshot, giving them a disgusting appearance. +Both sexes wore a sort of woollen gaiter, open at the calf, the +protruding muscle of which looked as if nothing could have confined it; +their shoes, as far as the dust would allow me to see, were of the same +material. They seemed good-natured and inoffensive, but are not free +from the vice of drunkenness; they consume quantities of tea prepared +with rancid lard. + +Had I been asked to determine the origin of this race, I should have +pronounced it to be a mixture of Naples lazzaroni with the scum of an +Irish regiment. The ruddy complexions of some of the women, and the +swarthy look of many of the men, might fairly warrant such a conclusion. +They were so importunate and offensive as they pressed round me that I +hurried over my sketch of the temple, and made my escape from them, not, +however, without once more looking round with interest on the crowd of +beings whose distant habitations were upon the northern slope of the +Himalayan chain, hitherto unvisited by any European, except Dr. Hooker, +and consequently almost totally unknown. + +I quite envied them the journey they were about to undertake, which would +occupy them three weeks; the large droves of sheep by which they are +always accompanied carried their limited worldly possessions, together +with the various tokens of civilization which they had procured in the +(to them) highly civilized country they were now visiting, and on which +no doubt their Bhootan friends would look with no little awe and +wonderment. + +This wandering and singular race do not visit Nepaul solely to worship at +the temple of Bhood, but have an eye to business as well as religion. I +shall have occasion by and by to speak of the numerous articles which +they import into Nepaul, on the backs of sheep, over the rocky passes +which lead from the cold region they inhabit. + +On our way from the temple of Bhood, which, by the by, had just been +furbished up and whitewashed by a great man from H'Lassa, an emissary of +the Grand Lama's, we passed through the town of Katmandu, which was +entered by a massive gateway, the city being surrounded by a wall. Long +narrow streets, very fairly paved, lead in all directions; the houses are +not so high as those of Benares or Cairo, the streets are broader, and +some of them would admit of the passage of a carriage. They are all well +drained and comparatively clean, contrasting most favourably in that +respect with any other Oriental town I have ever seen. The streets were +filled with foot-passengers, in bright and variegated costumes, passing +busily on, or stopping to make purchases at the shops, which were on the +ground-floor, with the whole front open, and the merchant sitting in the +midst of his wares. The next story is inhabited, I believe, by his +family; but I did not gain an entrance into any of the common houses. The +outside front generally presented a mass of wood carving, each small +window surrounded by a border two or three feet broad, while under the +eaves of the house projected the singular balcony I have already +described. + +The great square, in which is situated the Durbar, or palace of the King, +presented in itself almost all the characteristic features of a Nepaul +town. As it suddenly burst upon us on turning the corner of the long +street leading from the city-gate, the view was in every respect most +striking. This square, or court, is well paved, and contains the Chinese +pagoda, composed entirely of wood, from which it is a said the town +derives its name. Its three or four roofs, glittering one above another, +are supported by grotesque representations of unknown deities, and +figures of all sizes and colours, not always of the most proper +description. The whole formed a mass of green, gold leaf, and vermilion; +and was guarded by a sentry, who, in order to be in keeping with his +charge, wore a long flowing gown of bright colours, reaching to his +ankles, and marched backwards and forwards at the top of a long flight of +steps. A couple of well-carved lions, in grey sandstone, guarded the +lower steps as efficiently as he did the upper ones. There were at least +four pagodas, painted in like way, and guarded in like manner, in the +great square of Katmandu. The guard-house contained a large stand of +arms of antique construction. There was also the Durbar, the residence +of the Rajah, a straggling building, almost European in its style, and +gaudy enough to please even the late King of Bavaria; close to it was a +huge deformed image of Siva, sitting in an uncomfortable posture on a +square stone, violently gesticulating with her fourteen arms, perhaps at +a party of heretical Bhootyas who were passing tranquilly by, leading +along their sheep, decidedly the cleanest and most respectable-looking +members of the group. Beyond, high and gloomy houses almost touched, +their wooden fringes creaking responsively to one another across the +narrow streets, while the owners of the cobwebby tenements, peeping out +of the narrow windows in their balconies, made their remarks upon the +strangers in not much more melodious tones; in an old court-yard a little +way above, was visible an unwieldy rhinoceros, placidly contemplating a +bundle of grass, from which it had satisfied its hunger, in happy +ignorance that its life is dependent on that of the Rajah; for in Nepaul +it is a rule that the death of one great animal should be immediately +followed by that of another, and, when a Rajah dies, a rhinoceros is +forthwith killed to keep him company. As he stood tethered almost under +the palace windows, we thought him at once a fitting moral and a +characteristic background to this novel and interesting picture. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +_The temple of Sumboonath--View from the platform of the temple--The +valley of Nepaul and its resources--Tradition respecting it--Entrance of +the Prime Minister into Katmandu--The two kings--A brilliant reception_. + +The temple of Sumboonath, which we next visited, is situated on the +summit of a woody eminence; it is approached by a long flight of steps, +the trouble of ascending which is amply compensated by the lovely view +which the platform of the temple commands, as well as by an inspection of +the curious construction of the building itself. + +Sumboonath is looked upon as one of the oldest temples in Nepaul, and was +erected, according to Kirkpatrick, when Nepaul was ruled by a race of +Thibetians; its possession was at one time claimed by the Dalai Lama, or +Sovereign Pontiff of H'Lassa, but he has since been obliged to abandon +the claim. + +The Dagoba resembles the temple of Bhood, but is only about half its +size; the spire is covered with plates of copper, gilt. It is surrounded +by pagodas, as well as numerous more modern shrines of a bastard Hindoo +class, to which Bhootyas and Bhamas, a tribe of Newars, resort in great +numbers. Occasionally the Ghorkas visit these shrines; the thunderbolt +of Indra, which is here exhibited, being, I suppose, the object of +attraction to them, as they pride themselves on being orthodox Hindoos. + +This collection of temples is surrounded by rickety old houses, inhabited +by Bhootyas and priests. All around small images sit upon wet stones, +holding in their hands everlasting tapers, and look out of their niches +upon the dirty worshippers who smother them with faded flowers. Turning +our backs upon these little divinities, we obtained the first panoramic +view we had yet had of the valley and city of Katmandu. + +The valley is of an oval shape; its circumference is nearly 50 miles, and +the hills by which it is enclosed vary from one to two thousand feet in +height. Sheopoorie, the most lofty of these, is clothed to the summit +with evergreen jungle, and rises abruptly behind the town. Behind it the +fantastically shaped Jib Jibia shows its craggy summit thickly powdered +with snow, while the still loftier Gosain-Than, at a distance of about 30 +miles, rears its ever white and glittering peak to a height of 25,000 +feet, and seems majestically to preside over this glorious scene. + +The town of Katmandu, situated at the junction of the Bhagmutty and +Bishmutty, and containing a population of 50,000 inhabitants, lay spread +at our feet, and we could discern the passengers on the narrow fragile- +looking bridges which span the two rivers, at this time containing +scarcely any water. Innumerable temples, Bhuddist and Hindoo, and +mixtures of both, occupied hillocks, or were situated near the sacred +fonts or groves with which the valley abounds, and which adds much to the +beauty of its appearance. The number of the edifices affords strong +proof of the superstition of the people, and warrants the remark of +Colonel Kirkpatrick, who says that there seem to be in Nepaul as many +shrines as houses, and as many idols as inhabitants. + +A tradition is current in Nepaul that the valley of Katmandu was at some +former period a lake, and it is difficult to say in which character it +would have appeared the most beautiful. The knolls, wooded or terraced, +with romantic old Newar towns crowning their summits,--the five rivers of +the valley winding amongst verdant meadows,--the banks here and there +precipitous, where the soft clayey soil had yielded to the action of the +torrent in the rains,--the glittering city itself,--the narrow paved ways +leading between high hedges of prickly pear,--the pagodas and temples +studded in all directions, presented a scene as picturesque and perhaps +more interesting than would have been afforded by the still lake embedded +in wild mountains, and frowned upon by snow-capped peaks; while the +richly cultivated knolls in the valley formed fertile islands, the +luxuriant vegetation of which would have softened the scene into one of +exquisite beauty. + +Whether the rich and wonderfully prolific soil of the valley is the +alluvial deposit of this lake, I cannot say, but there is no doubt that, +whatever may be the cause, the valley of Nepaul is almost unrivalled in +its fertility, supporting as it does in comfort and plenty a population +of 400,000 inhabitants, being 300 persons to the square mile. + +There is not, I conceive, any other mountainous country in the world that +can boast of possessing so favoured a spot. Throughout its whole length +and breadth, not a stone is to be found: it is well watered; its +temperature is delightful, the thermometer in the hottest month seldom +reaches 75 degrees, in the coldest never falls below 30 degrees; it is +sufficiently near the tropics to rejoice in the presence of the warm +bright sun even in the depth of winter, while the proximity of the ever +snow-capped "Himaleh" prevents the heat being too severely felt in the +middle of summer. It rarely freezes in the valley, and never snows, +although the hills around, some of which do not exceed 1000 feet, are +frequently powdered. + +It is impossible to conceive a more enjoyable climate, and the numerous +productions of which the valley can boast betoken its genial influences. + +I am sorry that I cannot from my own observation testify to the rich +variety of its vegetable productions, as the time of year during which I +was in Nepaul was unfavourable, but many English forest-trees flourish +here,--amongst them, oaks, chestnuts, and pines; rhododendrons also +abound, and I observed almost every species of English fruit-tree: in the +residency garden all the European vegetables are raised to perfection. + +But to return from this digression on the advantages of soil and climate +which the valley possesses. The lovely view before us comprised in a +glance the grand and majestic scenery of the mountains, with the softer +but still animating view of the luxuriant plain, bearing evidence of that +large and industrious population whose habitations were so picturesquely +grouped throughout it. + +We had not nearly satisfied our desire to gaze upon so much that was new +and interesting, when we were informed by our attendants that the +astrologers had announced the auspicious moment at which the Minister +Sahib, or, as we must now call him, Jung Bahadoor Comaranagee, should +leave the camp outside the city walls and make an imposing entry into +Katmandu. + +This lucky hour was now close at hand; and as the entrance of the prime +minister into the capital was a scene not to be lost, we hurried down to +be in time for the ceremony of his reception. + +In a few moments we were rattling in one of the only carriages in Nepaul +over one of the only carriage-roads of which it can boast, and soon +reached the bridge, near which was pitched a spacious tent. On our way +we passed a square lined with soldiers, and the streets were crowded with +a motley population, such as it would be vain to endeavour to describe, +but which increased in density as we approached the centre of attraction, +near which we were obliged to leave the carriage, and were conducted +between rows of soldiers by various members of the royal household, each +of us being led by the hand in the most affectionate manner. My +conductor was a brother of Jung Bahadoor's, who distinguished himself +about a week afterwards by a base attempt to assassinate the minister. I +was unfortunate in my friends in other instances besides this: one old +man, who had accompanied the minister to Europe, and was an especial ally +of mine on board ship, was implicated in the same vile plot against the +life of the man towards whom he had every reason to feel gratitude, if +such a sentiment is known amongst Orientals. Poor old Kurbeer Kutrie was +a venerable-looking dignified old man, bigoted to an excess, and +thoroughly disgusted with his trip to the land of the beef-eaters, though +he could not but admit that what he saw was wonderful! The ignominious +punishment which was inflicted upon him for his share in the conspiracy, +and by which he lost caste, was doubtless more severely felt by him than +death would have been. Not that it signifies in the least in Nepaul +whether a man is a fratricide or prefers making away with more distant +relatives. If you do not associate with assassins, you must give up the +pleasures of Nepaul society. Among the natives assassination is not +looked upon as a crime, but as a matter of course; the minister, however, +with those of his suite who accompanied him on his recent mission, have +become more enlightened in this respect, and have found to their +astonishment that indiscriminate murder is not the usual mode adopted in +the civilized world for bringing about political changes or accomplishing +private ends. + +Jung Bahadoor, no doubt, now wishes that more of the Durbar had made the +same trip, and profited by it in like manner, since the custom above +alluded to must be highly inconvenient to him, more particularly since he +has eight brothers, most of whom cast a longing eye towards the +premiership; a man's chance of filling this office not depending upon his +power "to form a ministry," so much as upon his accuracy in taking aim +and his skill in seizing any opportunity offered by his rival of showing +his dexterity in a manner more personal than pleasant. Jung Bahadoor may +well exclaim, "Save me from my brothers!" Already has one of them +attempted his life; but the Minister has learned mercy in England, and, +to the astonishment of every one, Budreenath Sing and his fellow +conspirators are only banished for life. It is said that the minister +resisted all the representations of his friends as to the propriety of +executing the conspirators, by the argument of "What would the 'Times' +say?"--which must have appeared to the majority of the members of the +Nepaul Durbar to be a very extraordinary reason for leniency. + +Bum Bahadoor had acted as prime minister during the absence of his +brother in England, and had just learnt to value the possession of power +when the return of the minister put an end to his short-lived greatness, +and he would have sunk at once into comparative insignificance, had not +Jung, who knew enough of human nature to guess the sentiments of a man in +such a position, judiciously gilded the pill by making him Commander-in- +Chief of the Forces. + +Grasping the friendly hand of my conductor, in happy ignorance of his +fratricidal intentions, I followed immediately behind the Minister, whose +return to Nepaul, after he had encountered the perils of land and sea, +and paid a visit to the Queen of the greatest country in the world, not +even excepting China, was a matter of so much importance, that the Rajah +himself came from his palace to the spot where we were now assembled, to +meet one who had been favoured with an interview with so mighty a +monarch, and who had in his possession the letter from her majesty of +England to his majesty of Nepaul. We were, therefore, prepared to see +the king seated on a divan, and arrayed in gorgeous attire; but who the +old gentleman was who was sitting with most perfect sang froid next him +on his elevated seat, I was at a loss to conceive. Whoever he was, he +seemed most perfectly at home, and I found on inquiry it was natural he +should be so, for the old man was sitting on his own throne, which had +been usurped by his son, he having been dethroned on the score of +imbecility. Such being the case, why he was allowed to occupy the place +he did was inexplicable, unless it were to prove that he really was unfit +to sit upon the throne alone, since he was content to share it upon grand +occasions with his son, whenever this latter precocious young gentleman, +who was, as it were, the representative of "Young Nepaul," chose to give +his venerable father a treat. + +But it would be useless to speculate on the cause of this proceeding, +since it is impossible ever to understand, and hopeless to attempt to +discover, the motives or secret springs which actuate a native Durbar; +and no doubt Jung himself, who is the real manager of everything, had +some good reason for the present double occupancy of the throne. It +struck me that it would answer one purpose at any rate: it would show the +people that the young king looked as imbecile as the old one, while his +countenance was far less prepossessing, as he seemed only to have just +sense enough to be able to gratify the brutal and sensual passions to +which he is a prey; whether the stories of wholesale executions of slaves +taking place in his court-yard merely for his amusement are true or not, +I cannot say, but he looked capable of any wickedness, and, though not +more than twenty-two or twenty-three years old, had already rivalled the +atrocities of Nero. His countenance was not unlike those depicted on the +walls of Indian towns, with the same large staring eyes, thin twisted +moustache, sensual lips, and thick bull neck. His dress was handsome, +and his jewels were magnificent; but in dress, in carriage, and in +dignity of manner, the prime minister was unquestionably the most +distinguished-looking man in Durbar. He wore a magnificent robe of white +silk embroidered with gold, and tight pantaloons of rich brocade, which +set off his slim figure to advantage; his turban was a mass of sparkling +diamonds, and his whole person seemed loaded with jewels. His sturdy +body-guard, all armed with double-barrelled rifles, stood close behind +his chair, and were the only soldiers in the tent; the nonchalant way in +which he addressed the rajah, with folded arms and unbended knee, +betokened the unbounded power he possesses in the state. Perhaps it is +not very politic in him to arrogate so much to himself in a land where +every man's hand is against him, in proportion as he is feared by every +one from his majesty downwards. + +On each side of the tent stood a row of grandees of the realm, amongst +whom the eight brothers of Jung Bahadoor held conspicuous places, while +kasies and sirdars continued the line, until they were lost in the crowd +of minor officers. + +The blaze of jewels, and the glitter of gold and silver, were calculated +to strike an European spectator with astonishment, and he might well be +startled at so magnificent a display in a highland court. + +I observed a few English and French uniforms, covered with a great deal +more of gold and silver lace than they were entitled to; all which gaudy +array was the more striking to me when I remembered that I had on a plaid +shooting-coat and felt hat. I had no opportunity of explaining to his +majesty that plaid shooting-coats and felt hats are the court costume in +England, but no doubt he thought it all correct. It is, moreover, the +prerogative of Englishmen to sit in the presence of Oriental potentates +with their hats on, which prevented my secreting my shabby old wide-awake +as I had intended. + +As I sat next but one to the minister, I was under the immediate +protection of the rifles and pistols, which latter implements protruded +in a most formidable manner from the belts of the body-guard. As various +Nepaulese nobles of doubtful politics sat in front of his Excellency, he +felt these gentlemen-at-arms were peculiarly valuable additions to his +retinue, as being ready to act either on the offensive or defensive at a +moment's notice. Everything, however, went off with the most perfect +harmony; a few compliments were exchanged between himself and his +sovereign, and the meeting broke up after the usual ceremony of giving +and receiving pawn. This consisted in the presentation by both the +kings, to every stranger present, of a small pyramidal packet of leaves, +which, when opened by the favoured recipient, was found to contain a few +other leaves, stuck together by slimy substances, of unpleasant +appearance and aromatic odour. Fortunately, you were not compelled to +partake of this in the presence of the royal donor, and means were found +to dispose of it slily on leaving his majesty's audience-chamber. + +As we were driving back to the Residency, it struck me that the history +of a man who, at so early an age, had raised himself from being an ensign +in the army to the powerful position which the grand display at his +reception had just proved him to hold in his own country, would be +interesting, if it were possible to gain any information on the subject +that could be relied upon. I therefore determined to collect the best +that it was in my power to obtain; and the following particulars, +gathered partly from himself, and partly from one who has had many +opportunities of becoming acquainted with his history, form, I believe, a +trustworthy account of a career which, from its tragic nature, is +invested with a thrilling interest, while it faithfully portrays the +eventful changes usually attending the life of an Oriental statesman. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +_Sketch of the career of His Excellency General Jung Bahadoor, Prime +Minister of Nepaul_. + +It will be necessary before commencing an account of the career of Jung +Bahadoor to describe the state in which the political affairs of Nepaul +were when his ambition and daring prompted him to play so important a +part in its government. Cool, courageous, and an adept in all arts of +intrigue, he possessed every qualification necessary to render a man +successful in the East, where native courts are incessantly torn asunder +by rival factions, and scenes of violence and bloodshed are the result of +plots and counterplots, as each party becomes for the time predominant, +and its leading man assumes the office of premier, to be soon after +deprived of his short-lived greatness by a successful conspiracy of the +opposing party. These in their turn share the same fate, the King and +country remaining passive spectators of the struggles between the +opposing factions. They are indeed uninteresting to the King, for he is +only too delighted to get any one to take the cares of government off his +shoulders, and considers his prerogative to consist in enjoying himself +as much as possible. They are equally uninteresting to the country, for +these violent dissensions do not arise upon questions of policy, in any +way affecting its government. Ministerial explanations are never asked +for nor given in the East. The power of the prime minister is absolute +till he is shot, when it becomes unnecessary to question the expediency +of his measures, and the people are only interested to this extent, that, +generally speaking, the longer a premier can maintain his position, by so +much is their prosperity increased. + +The two rival factions in Nepaul were the Pandees and Thapas, and in the +early part of this century the reins of government were held by one of +the most enlightened men that ever attained to the position of prime +minister. Bheem Singh Thapa has left behind him numerous monuments of +his greatness, calculating, like Napoleon, that his fame would last at +least as long as they did. For an unusual number of years did this able +minister retain the management of affairs. He was ultimately placed in +confinement, on the charge of being accessory to the murder of the +Rajah's children by poison. His enemies resorted to an ingenious, though +cruel device, to rid themselves altogether of so dreaded a rival. Knowing +his high spirit and keen sense of honour, they spread the report that the +sanctity of his Zenana had been violated by the soldiery, which so +exasperated him that he committed suicide, and was found in his cell with +his throat cut from ear to ear; this occurred in the year 1839. His +property was of course confiscated, and the greater part of his family +banished. His successor, Ram Singh Pandee, did not long enjoy his ill- +gotten power, for, having been discovered intriguing against the British +with the ministers of other native courts, he was removed at the +representations of our government. Mahtabar Singh, a nephew of the +former prime minister, Bheem Singh Thapa, had meantime ingratiated +himself with the Ranee (Queen), and through her influence succeeded in +getting himself appointed to the vacant post of premier--when, as was to +be expected, his first act was to decapitate his predecessor, and as many +of the Pandee's family as possible. + +The brother of Mahtabar Singh was a kazi, commanding a portion of the +army stationed on the north-west frontier of Nepaul, and the second of +his eight sons was Jung Bahadoor, then a subadar, or ensign. The +independent spirit which the young man had manifested from a boy led him +into frequent scrapes with the old kazi, and he used to escape the +punishments which they entailed by absconding altogether, and remaining +absent until he thought his father's wrath had subsided, or until, as was +oftener the case, his own resources were expended. These, however, he +usually found means to replenish by his expertness at all games of chance +with cards and dice, and early in life he became an accomplished gambler. +He was moreover a great favourite amongst the soldiers, as well from his +readiness to join them in any wild scheme, as from his skill in all manly +exercises and accomplishments. At last the young officer, impatient of +being under command, decided upon a bolder step than a mere temporary +absence without leave, and thinking, no doubt, that it was a duty he owed +to society to improve himself as much as possible by seeing the world, he +walked across the Nepaul frontier into Upper India, and profitably +employed his time by turning his powers of observation to account, +thereby gaining considerable insight into the mode of government and +resources of our Indian possessions. + +After a time his own resources became so greatly diminished that he was +obliged to return, trusting to his powers of acting the repentant +prodigal to avert the torrent of his father's wrath. The breach of +discipline which he had committed was as readily overlooked in Nepaul as +it would have been in other more civilised countries, when the offender +has good interest to back him; and promotion to the command of a company +was given him as the reward of his services while ensign. About this +period Jung Bahadoor received the intelligence of the advancement of his +uncle, Mahtabar Singh, to the office of prime minister. So fine a chance +for an adventurous spirit to push his fortune at court was not to be +lost, and once more bidding adieu to the dull out-station at which he was +posted, to the constraint of discipline and to the grumblings of the old +martinet, his father, he followed the example of many great men before +him, and betook himself to the capital, thinking it the only place in +which his talents could be appreciated. Here he possessed frequent +opportunities of displaying that aptitude for intrigue to which he mainly +owes his present position, coupled as it was with a daring that hesitated +not at the performance of any act which his keen perception and subtle +understanding pointed out as necessary for the advancement of his own +interests. Jung soon after accompanied a secret mission to Benares, to +meet one from the north-west, with the view of organising a war against +the British. The vigilance of our authorities, however, discovered the +existence of this conspiracy, and Jung, together with his compatriots, +was ignominiously taken back to his own frontier, and there liberated. On +his return to the capital he led much the same life as before, dabbling +not a little in politics; and the ambitious views which now began to +actuate him rendered him obnoxious to the young prince, then a mere boy +of eighteen, who, nevertheless, seemed to share with his father a portion +of the executive. Indeed it was difficult to say in whom the sovereign +authority rested; for the Ranee, or wife of the old King, had, with the +assistance of Mahtabar Singh, the prime minister, gained a great +influence over the mind of the monarch, who seems to have become nearly +imbecile. + +It was perhaps the near relationship of Jung to the Prime Minister that +brought upon him the ill-will of the Prince, who treated him with the +most unmitigated animosity, and used every means in his power +surreptitiously to destroy him. On one occasion he ordered him to cross +a flooded mountain torrent on horseback, and when he had reached the +middle of the current, which was so furiously rapid that his horse could +with difficulty keep his footing, the young Prince suddenly called him +back, hoping that, in the act of turning, the force of the stream would +overpower both horse and rider. This danger Jung escaped, owing to his +great nerve and presence of mind. In relating this anecdote he seemed to +think that his life had been in more imminent peril than on any other +occasion; though the following struck me as being a much more hazardous +exploit. After the affair of the torrent the Prince was no longer at any +pains to conceal his designs upon the life of the young adventurer, and +that life being of no particular value to any one but Jung himself, it +was a matter of perfect indifference to anybody and everybody whether the +Prince amused himself by sacrificing Jung to his own dislikes or not. It +is by no means an uncommon mode of execution in Nepaul to throw the +unfortunate victim down a well: Jung had often thought that it was +entirely the fault of the aforesaid victim if he did not come up again +alive and unhurt. In order to prove the matter satisfactorily, and also +be prepared for any case of future emergency, he practised the art of +jumping down wells, and finally perfected himself therein. When, +therefore, he heard that it was the intention of the Prince to throw him +down a well, he was in no way dismayed, and only made one last request, +in a very desponding tone, which was, that an exception might be made in +his favour as regarded the being cast down, and that he might be +permitted to throw himself down. This was so reasonable a request that +it was at once granted; and, surrounded by a large concourse of +people--the Prince himself being present by way of a morning's +recreation--Jung repaired to the well, where, divesting himself of all +superfluous articles of clothing, and looking very much as if he were +bidding adieu for ever to the happy valley of Nepaul, he crossed his +legs, and, jumping boldly down, was lost to the view of the prince and +nobles, a dull splash alone testifying to his arrival at the bottom. +Fortunately for Jung there was plenty of water--a fact of which most +probably he was well aware--and there were, moreover, many chinks and +crannies in the porous stone of which the well was built; so, having +learnt his lesson, Jung clung dextrously to the side of the well until +midnight, when his friends, who had been previously apprized of the part +they were to perform, came and rescued him from his uncomfortable +position, and secreted him until affairs took such a turn as rendered it +safe for Jung Bahadoor to resuscitate himself. Such was the adventure of +the well, which, marvellous as it may appear, was gravely related to me +by his Excellency, who would have been very much scandalised if I had +doubted it, which of course I did not. + +While in a story-telling mood, I may as well relate an account that was +given me of the manner in which Jung distinguished himself on one +occasion with a musk elephant. The story is interesting, as it was by +such daring feats that he won for himself the reputation of being the +most undaunted sportsman in Nepaul. The elephant in question had been +for some time the terror of the neighbourhood, nor was any one found +hardy enough to attempt the capture of the rabid monster. At last, so +notorious became his destruction of life and property that Jung heard of +it, and at once determined to encounter him. The animal was in the habit +of passing along the narrow street of a village in the course of his +nocturnal depredations. One night Jung posted himself on the roof of a +low outhouse, and, as the huge brute walked under the roof, made a +vigorous leap, which landed him on the neck of the elephant, and, in +spite of all the efforts of the infuriated animal, there he maintained +his position until he succeeded in blindfolding him with a cloth, and in +securing him to a tree, amidst the shouts of the populace. Lest this +story should seem too improbable to be credited, it may be remarked that +a musk elephant is often, as was the case in this instance, a tame one, +which at a particular season becomes rabid, and, breaking loose, is the +terror of the neighbourhood until recaptured. + +During this eventful period in Jung Bahadoor's life, his uncle, Mahtabar +Singh, continued to administer the affairs of government with tolerable +success; but the Ranee, to whom he was beholden for the position he +occupied, turned the influence she had thus obtained over him to a bad +account, and this gallant soldier and popular minister ultimately became +distrusted and feared by his own friends, with whom the Ranee was no +favourite. This unprincipled woman ill repaid the devotion of her +minister, for, on his refusing to comply with her request that he should +put to death some of her personal enemies, she became at once his +implacable foe, and ruthlessly resolved upon the destruction of her +hitherto devoted ally. Thus Mahtabar Singh found himself alienated from +and distrusted by his own faction, while he was abandoned by his former +patroness, for whose favour he had sacrificed their adherence. The Ranee +did not hesitate to apply to this very party for assistance in the +furtherance of her nefarious design, and the prime minister was doomed to +fall a victim to his own indecision by the hands of his favourite nephew. + +One night, about eleven o'clock, a messenger came from the palace to +inform him that his services were required by their Majesties--for the +Queen had always kept up a semblance of friendship with him. Without the +slightest suspicion he repaired to the palace, but scarcely had he +ascended the great staircase, and was entering the room in which their +Majesties were seated, when the report of a pistol rung through the room; +the fatal bullet pierced the heart of the gallant old man, who staggered +forward, and fell at the feet of the wretched woman who had been the +instigator of the cruel murder. + +It is difficult to say what were the motives that prompted Jung Bahadoor +to the perpetration of this detestable act, of which he always speaks now +in terms of the deepest regret, but asserts that it was an act of +necessity, from which there was no escaping. The plea which he +invariably uses when referring to the catastrophe is, that either his +life or his uncle's must have been sacrificed, and he naturally preferred +that it should be the latter. However that may be, the immediate effect +was, the formation of a new ministry, in which Jung held office in the +capacity of commander-in-chief. The premier, Guggun Singh, was +associated with two colleagues. A year had hardly elapsed before Guggun +Singh was shot while sitting in his own room. This occurred in the year +1846; a sirdar was taken up on suspicion of having committed this murder, +and Abiman Singh, one of the premier's colleagues, was ordered by the +Queen to put him to death; as, however, the Rajah would not sanction the +execution, Abiman Singh refused to obey the command--a proceeding on his +part which seems to have raised a suspicion in the mind of Jung that he +had been concerned in the assassination. This suspicion he communicated +to Futteh Jung, the other colleague of the late prime minister, +suggesting that Abiman Singh and the sirdar already in custody should be +forthwith executed, and Futteh Jung installed as prime minister. Futteh +Jung, however, refused to accede to so strong a measure; and Jung, who +was not of a nature to be thwarted in his plans, determined upon +temporarily depriving him of his liberty, in order to enable him to put +the design into execution himself. + +He had no sooner decided upon his line of conduct than he displayed the +utmost resolution in carrying it out. On the same night, and while at +the palace, the suspicions which Jung already entertained were confirmed +by his observing that Abiman Singh ordered his men to load. It was no +time for hesitation. The two colleagues, with many of their adherents, +were assembled in the large hall, where the Queen, in a highly-excited +state, was insisting upon an immediate disclosure of the murderer of +Guggun Singh, who was supposed to have been her paramour. At this moment +Jung gave the signal for the seizure of Futteh Jung. The attempt was no +sooner made than his son, Karak Bikram Sah, imagining that his father's +life was at stake, rushed forward to save him, and seizing a kukri, had +already dealt Bum Bahadoor a severe blow, when he was cut down by Dere +Shum Shere Bahadoor, then a youth of sixteen or seventeen. + +Futteh Jung, vowing vengeance on the murderers of his son, sprang forward +to avenge his death, and in another moment Bum Bahadoor, already +seriously wounded, would have fallen at his feet, when the report of a +rifle rang through the hall, and the timely bullet sped by the hand of +Jung Bahadoor laid the gallant father by the side of his no less gallant +son. + +Thus Jung's _coup d'etat_ had taken rather a different turn from what he +had intended; the die, however, was cast, and everything depended upon +his coolness and decision in the trying circumstances in which he was +placed. Though he may have felt that his life was in most imminent +peril, it is difficult to conceive how any man could attain to such a +pitch of cool desperation as to enact the scene which closed this +frightful tragedy. There still confronted him fourteen of the nobles +whose leader had been slain before their eyes, and who thirsted for +vengeance; but the appearance at his side of that faithful body-guard, on +whose fidelity the safety of the minister has more than once depended, +precluded them from seizing the murderer of their chief. It was but too +clear to those unhappy men what was to be the last act of this tragedy. +Jung received the rifle from the hand of the man next him, and levelled +it at the foremost of the little band. Fourteen times did that fatal +report ring through the hall as one by one the rifles were handed to one +who would trust no eye but his own, and at each shot another noble lay +stretched on the ground. Abiman Singh alone escaped the deadly aim; he +managed to reach the door, but there he was cut almost in two by the +sword of Krishn Bahadoor. + +Thus, in a few moments, and by his own hand, had Jung rid himself of +those whom he most feared. In that one room lay the corpses of the +highest nobles of the land, shrouded by the dense smoke still hanging in +the confined atmosphere, as if to hide the horrors of a tragedy that +would not bear the light of day. The massacre now went on in all parts +of the building. One hundred and fifty sirdars perished on that eventful +night, and the panic was wide-spread and general. Before day had dawned +Jung Bahadoor had been appointed prime minister of Nepaul, and had placed +guards over the arsenal, treasury, and palace. + +In the morning the troops were all drawn up on parade; before them were +placed, in a ghastly heap, the bodies of their late commanders, to which +Jung pointed, as he assured the army that it would find in him all that +it had ever found in them, and he consoled many of the officers in a +great measure for the loss they had just sustained by granting them +immediate promotion. It seems as easy for a daring adventurer to gain +the affections of an army in India as in Europe, and Jung found no +difficulty in reconciling his Ghorkas to a change of commanders, and they +have ever since professed the greatest devotion to his person. + +The utmost caution was now necessary on the part of the new premier, who +was obliged still to be on his guard, lest the partisans of those whom he +had massacred should succeed in organizing a conspiracy against his life; +a sirdar was put to death simply because he had a private audience with +the King. Circumstances soon showed that Jung had good reason to feel +the insecurity of his position. The two elder Princes, sons of a former +Queen, had been for some time in confinement, and the Ranee now attempted +to induce Jung to put them to death, in order to secure the throne for +one of her own sons. This he positively refused to do, and his refusal +brought upon him the wrath of this vindictive woman, whose vengeance had +already been so signally wreaked on his uncle by his own instrumentality. + +He had not played so prominent a part on that occasion without profiting +by the lesson he had learnt; and knowing well the character of the woman +with whom he had to deal, he took care to obtain accurate intelligence of +all that transpired at court. + +Information soon reached him that a plot was formed against his life, and +that the post of premier had already been promised to his intended +murderer, as a reward for so dangerous a service. Once more the command, +which had proved so fatal to Mahtabar Singh, issued from the palace, +desiring the immediate attendance of the minister; the messenger was the +very man at whose hand Jung was to meet his doom. He had scarcely +delivered his treacherous message, when he was struck to the ground by +one of the attendants of the prime minister. Jung then proceeded on his +way to the palace, where he at once demanded of the Rajah to be dismissed +from office, or to be furnished with authority to order the destruction +of all the enemies of the heir-apparent. The King could not refuse to +grant the authority demanded; and it was no sooner granted than Jung +seized and beheaded all the adherents of the conspirator. + +As the Ranee herself was the most inveterate enemy of the young Prince, +the Rajah's order was at once carried into effect against her, and, to +her infinite astonishment, she was informed by Jung that she was to leave +Nepaul immediately, accompanied by her two sons. It was of no use to +resist the successful young adventurer, whose indomitable courage and +good fortune had triumphed over the plots and intrigues of his enemies, +and who thus saw himself freed from every obstacle to his quiet +possession of the government. + +The Rajah accompanied the Queen to Benares. Meantime the heir-apparent +was raised to the throne, and the whole administrative power vested in +his minister. + +Upon hearing of the installation of his son as Rajah, the old Monarch +seemed to evince, for the first and last time in his life, some little +interest in proceedings by which he himself was so seriously affected, +and the result was a feeble determination not to relinquish his throne +without a final struggle. Urged to this course probably by the +persuasions of the ambitious and disappointed Ranee, he collected a few +followers, and crossed the southern frontier of Nepaul. Jung, however, +had received timely notice of his intention, and the luckless King had no +sooner encamped in the Nepaul dominions, than he was surprised at night +by the troops of the minister, and his small forces utterly routed, four +or five hundred remaining killed or wounded upon the field. The Rajah +himself was taken prisoner, and placed in confinement by the dutiful son +who now occupies the throne, and who sometimes allows him, on grand +occasions, to take his seat upon it next to himself. + +The vacillating conduct of the imbecile old man throughout his whole +reign, the apathy with which he was contented to remain a passive +spectator of those bloody dramas of which his court was for so long a +period the theatre, deprive him of all claim to commiseration in his +present degraded position, which, in fact, is the natural result of his +indifference to the game so eagerly played by the contending parties, and +of which the stake was his own throne. + +If, on the other hand, in a country where common humanity, and, still +more, every kind of principle, is unknown, daring and intrepid conduct +merits a reward, Jung has fairly earned for himself the position he now +holds; and though his path to greatness has been deluged with the blood +of the bravest nobles of the land, it must be admitted that the peace and +prosperity which Nepaul now enjoys would never have been possessed by her +while distracted and convulsed by the struggles of hostile factions; and +much less would she ever have experienced the blessings of an enlightened +administration, if these struggles had not resulted in the elevation of +General Jung Bahadoor to the office of prime minister. + +And now, for the first time in the history of Nepaul, the Durbar was to a +certain extent united; internal machinations were no longer to be feared; +and the country was ruled over by different members of that family, the +elevation of which was due to one of their own number, who possessed +sufficient daring and resolution to execute the bold, though unscrupulous +schemes his undoubted genius had conceived. + +Such was the rapid rise to power at the early age of thirty of General +Jung Bahadoor, the Nepaulese ambassador to England, who would have been +invested with a deeper interest than the mere colour of his face or +brilliancy of his diamonds entitled him to, had the British public known +the foregoing particulars of his eventful career. But, perhaps, it was +as well for him that they did not, since our occidental notions as to the +legitimate method of carrying political measures might have altogether +excluded him from the favour of those who delighted to honour him during +his visit to England; but, in extenuation of his conduct, it must be +remembered that the mode employed by him of gaining power is the common +one in his country, and that his early training had induced a disregard +of life and recklessness of consequences; for he is not, I am convinced, +naturally cruel. Impetuous and thoughtless, he has many generous and +noble qualities; and in a companionship of two months I discovered so +many estimable traits in him, that I could not help making allowances for +the defects in a character entirely self-formed by one ignorant of all +moral responsibilities, the half-tamed son of an almost totally +uncivilised country. + +And while thus unreservedly relating his history, I do so in the belief +that he has no desire to conceal what, in his own mind and that of his +countrymen, is not regarded as crime, since I have frequently heard him +refer, with all the simplicity of conscious innocence, to many of the +facts I have related, and for some of which he himself is my authority. + +Having thus given a short account of the previous career of this +remarkable man, a few words on his present position and future prospects +may not be uninteresting, the more so as he purposes, since he has +visited the courts of Europe, to become an enlightened ruler of his +countrymen. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +_The titles of his Excellency General Jung Bahadoor Coomaranagee in +England--Extraordinary notions of the British public on Indian +affairs--Jung Bahadoor's conciliatory policy--Our unsuccessful attempt to +penetrate beyond the permitted boundaries--Dangerous position of the +Prime Minister--His philanthropic designs--Great opposition on the part +of Durbar--Native punishments--A Nepaulese chief-justice--Jung's +popularity with the peasantry and army_. + +The rumours in England during Jung Bahadoor's short residence there--of +who he was, of what position he held, of his having taken his greatest +enemies with him to keep them from conspiring against him while absent--of +his being at least a Prince, if not the Rajah himself in disguise--were +as far from correct, and as improbable, as were the numerous stories +related of him in the newspapers, many of which had no foundation +whatever, and in no way redounded to his credit. + +The subject, however, of so much speculation was generally too much +pleased with his notoriety to care for the means which in some measure +obtained it for him; and I have heard him repeat with great glee some +imaginary anecdote of himself, or laughingly enumerate the various +appellations by which he had been known. Amongst the few words of +English which he could pronounce were those by which he was most +frequently addressed--such as, the Prince, the Ambassador, your Highness, +your Excellency, the Minister, Jung Bahadoor, Jung, or more often "the +Jung." Whilst the appearance of the Coomaranagee Polkas showed an +unusual amount of correct information on the part of the publisher. + +Such ignorance might have been expected from the utter indifference +manifested in England towards Indian affairs. The ideas of John Bull +upon the subject are often ludicrous in the extreme, as he finds it +impossible to divest himself of the preconceived notions which he surely +must have been born with when he pertinaciously imagines that all dark- +coloured people have woolly heads and thick lips, and speak the broken +English of the negro; nor has he the slightest conception of the relative +position of great towns in India, or which States are independent; or who +the Nizam is, or if his contingent is not some part of his dress; or +whether the Taj is not the husband of the Begum mentioned in Pendennis. +He has a vague notion that nabobs come from India, and has heard perhaps +of cabobs, but what the difference is, or whether they are not articles +of Indian export usually packed in casks, he has not the most remote +conception. For all the light, therefore, that John Bull could throw +upon the subject of who or what Jung Bahadoor was, besides being the +Nepaulese ambassador, or where the country was that he came to represent, +it might remain a mystery to the present day. + +But even supposing the public were better informed on Indian affairs, it +would not be a matter of surprise that they should be under a +misconception as to what Jung's position in his own country might be, +seeing that it is not usual amongst European nations to send their prime +ministers on foreign missions. But to estimate correctly the minister's +power and authority, the word "send" perhaps ought not to be used in this +case, since he was a self-appointed ambassador; and his next brother was +left by him to perform the arduous duties attendant on the important +office which he vacated for a while. + +And now that he is returned to resume the reins of government, and once +more become involved in the petty intrigues of his highland court, it is +natural that he should look back with delight, not unmingled with regret, +at the wonders he has so lately witnessed--the, to him, magical effects +of the operations of steam--the still more incomprehensible electric +telegraph--our institutions--our court--the magnificence of the +successive entertainments, of which he could say "Magna pars fui," and at +which he was not more the spectator than the spectacle: but, above all, +was it a matter of astonishment to him that such hospitality should have +been shown to an unknown and ignorant stranger by a nation whose +enterprise is no less stirring than her resources are vast, and in the +midst of a social machinery to him so incomprehensibly intricate in its +details. + +"Why," he would observe after his return to Katmandu, "should I attempt +to tell these poor ignorant people what I have seen? It would be as +ridiculous in me to suppose they would believe it as it is hopeless to +attempt to make them understand it." And he feels that the information +he has acquired has been too extensive to allow him to sink to the level +of those by whom he is surrounded. But, while anxious to increase his +popularity, with his attempts at conciliation is combined a patronizing +air, which he cannot conceal, and which is calculated to render him +unpopular, even could he bring himself to return to the old system of +embracing instead of shaking hands; of taking off his shoes when entering +the Durbar; of salaaming ere he addresses his Monarch--all which acts of +devotion and homage are repugnant to the man who has had an interview +with the Queen of England, and received a visit from the Duke of +Wellington. "When that great warrior called upon me," he says, "I felt +it to be the proudest moment of my life:" and at Benares, when, upon the +occasion of his visiting a native Rajah, there was a question of whether +he should go in state or not, he decided the matter by saying, "I shall +go just as I went to return the Duke's visit;" or, at another time, "I +will receive the Rajah in a friendly way, just as I did the Duke when he +called upon me." Nothing seemed to impress him so deeply as the absence +of all display where genuine greatness rendered it unnecessary; and he +looks with no slight contempt upon the pomp to which he in common with +his court was formerly so much attached. That court, however, retaining +of course its old unenlightened sentiments, looks with suspicion and +distrust on the independent manners of the returned prime minister. "He +has become a Feringhee."--"He wants to introduce their barbarous customs +amongst us."--"He brings visitors, and is making friends with the +English, in order to betray us to them." This is said by his enemies at +court; and, while they watch his every action, esteem him a traitor, who, +if they did but know it, is the best friend of their country. Thus, in +spite of his earnest desire to promote its welfare, he is likely to be +thwarted, and his ardent and somewhat impatient temperament will not, it +is to be feared, improve matters, however good his intentions may he. +That he is already careful lest he offend any prejudices, I had a +convincing and most annoying proof. + +On the journey through India, while in high spirits, out shooting, he had +promised to allow us to travel over any part of Nepaul we might wish to +visit--a permission never yet granted to any European. To the fulfilment +of this promise we naturally looked with no small pleasure; but, after a +residence of a week in Nepaul, the anti-Anglican feeling was so strongly +manifested, that the mere fact of four or five European visitors having +been in Katmandu (for Lord G--- and his party were among his guests) +brought upon him a certain degree of odium. + +To allow strangers to visit Nepaul, and reside at Katmandu, was unusual, +but bearable; the idea of a common beef-eater infringing the limits of a +circle beyond which no British resident, much less traveller, had ever +penetrated, was so monstrous a heresy on the part of the prime +minister--so serious an infraction of a well-established rule--that even +Jung felt it to be too unpopular an act by which to celebrate his return +to his country. It was with much regret that we were obliged to +relinquish so interesting an enterprise. I must not, however, forget his +offer to adhere to his promise if we wished it, saying at the same time +that his doing so would seriously compromise him. But, as _compromise_ +and _decapitate_ may be looked upon as synonymous terms in Nepaul, we +felt that it was hardly fair to our kind host to place him in such an +awkward position; and as, moreover, the effect of his being so +compromised in Katmandu would have probably entailed upon us a precisely +similar fate, we considered it hardly fair to the guests either. But +while thus hanging back from his promise on the score of compromising +himself, I am fully persuaded that personal considerations had but little +to do in the matter. He is looking out for means of usefulness, and it +was more the fear of retarding his schemes of improvement by thus +increasing the popular discontent that induced him to change his mind, +than any hope of retaining his head upon his shoulders. The difficulty +of doing this can be but very slightly increased; and it must be admitted +that he esteems life as lightly in his own case as he formerly did when +others were concerned. + +It cannot but be regretted that with so pure an object he should be +totally without co-operation from any quarter. The young King, capable +only of aiding in nefarious schemes, such as those already recounted, can +in no way comprehend the new-fangled philanthropic views of the prime +minister: He cares little about the welfare of his country; his amusement +seems to consist in concocting and executing bloody designs, and his mind +must be so accustomed to this species of excitement that it can scarce do +without it. It is unfortunate that the Rajah's hobby should lie in this +peculiar direction, more unfortunate still that the contemplated victim +should be Jung; for I presume that there is little doubt that the King's +brother, who was engaged in the last conspiracy against the minister's +life--which took place a few days after my visit--must have acted with +the knowledge, and most probably at the instigation, of his Majesty. + +Nor can Jung look to his brothers for support as in times of old: one of +them, whom he esteemed amongst the most faithful, was, as before +mentioned, deeply implicated in the same attempt on his life; and there +is no one now on whom he can confidently depend in the hour of need +except the two youngest of the family, who accompanied him to England, +and whom I consider thoroughly devoted to his interests. Deserted by his +King, who owes his throne to him, his life conspired against by one of +his own brothers, bound to him by the yet stronger ties of blood, he +stands alone a mark for the dagger of any one who would win the approval +of his degraded Sovereign. But his bearing is not the less bold, or his +eye less piercing, as he makes the man quail before him who is that +moment planning his destruction. He anticipates the fate of his fourteen +predecessors; they were all assassinated! His predecessors, however, did +not surround themselves with a guard armed with rifles always loaded. +{121} In all probability the man who takes the life of the prime +minister will do so at the price of his own. So securely guarded is he, +and so careful of his own safety, that I cannot but hope he may live to +frustrate the designs of his enemies, and to carry out that enlightened +policy which, while it morally elevates the people, would develop the +resources of a country possessing many natural advantages, in its +delightful climate, fertile soil, and industrious population. Valleys +unvisited by civilization save as received through the medium of a few +semi-barbarous travellers, may contain treasures which they are now +unknown to possess; mines of copper, lead, and antimony, now clumsily +worked, may be made to yield of their abundance; tracts of uncultivated +lands be brought into rich cultivation, and efficient means of transport +would carry their produce far and wide through the country. Katmandu +itself would be on the high road for the costly trade of Chinese Tartary +and Thibet with the provinces of Upper India. + +In fact it is impossible to enumerate the various benefits which would +accrue to the country were a different system of government adopted; and +it is much to be feared that unless the present prime minister lives to +accomplish the task he has undertaken, no one of his successors, for some +time to come at least, will have either the will or the ability requisite +for its successful consummation. + +In some of his legislative acts Jung had shown himself to be in advance +of his age before he left Nepaul. No less than twenty-two punishments +for various crimes, principally consisting of different modes of torture, +were abolished. A thief must have been three times convicted of the +crime ere he can suffer the penalty entailed upon the offence, viz., loss +of his hand; and after it is cut off, he has his choice between having it +bound up or allowing himself to bleed to death. I understood the latter +alternative to be the one usually chosen by the culprit. Gambling is +strictly prohibited in Nepaul, except for four or five days during the +celebration of the Devali. + +Women are not liable to capital punishment. The mutilation of noses no +longer exists, although some years ago it was the most usual punishment, +and one village was entirely peopled by the unfortunate victims of such +barbarous treatment. + +The amount of labour which his position as prime minister entails upon +Jung is almost incredible; the simplest bargain cannot be struck, nor a +cooly engaged, nor can a departure or an arrival take place, without his +sign manual. In fact he comprises within himself the whole of the +ministry, besides doing the entire duty of the several departments, and +the office of premier in Nepaul can be no more a sinecure than it is in +England. One can only wonder that a position fraught with such imminent +danger to its possessor, and bringing upon him such incessant trouble and +responsibility, should be so eagerly sought, when it entails the almost +absolute certainty of a violent death. With us moral courage is an +indispensable quality for a prime minister; in Nepaul, physical courage +is no less needed. If he is a good shot, and expert with his kukri and +kora, so much the better for him. As regards both these accomplishments +Jung was eminently qualified for the post he now holds; but his literary +acquirements were of a very low order, for upon becoming prime minister +he could neither read nor write. Finding great inconvenience from his +incapacity in these respects, he applied himself diligently to his +alphabet, and was soon able to carry on all official correspondence of +any importance to himself. The whole of the political, fiscal, and +judicial communications are submitted to him, and the departments +controlled by him, very little regard being had to the Rajah's will on +the subject. + +The next officer in rank to Jung Bahadoor is his brother, Bum Bahadoor, +who bears the mark on his hand of the horrible action in Durbar already +recorded. He appeared inferior in ability to his brother, but it is +difficult to judge of the talent of any one who is in a subordinate +position in Nepaul. + +The Raj Guru is the highest spiritual dignitary in Nepaul, and in that +capacity received the greatest deference from every one, including Jung, +whose popularity in some measure rests on his intimate relations with the +chief priest, to whom he invariably paid every mark of respect. The Raj +Guru met us at Benares, and granted indulgences to those who had visited +England. So great is the respect shown him, that upon entering his +presence the prime minister invariably touched with his forehead the foot +of the holy man. To the office of spiritual adviser to the Rajah is +added that of judge of the spiritual court, which is one of great +emolument, arising chiefly from fines levied on the infraction of +religious ceremonies or ordinances--such as the killing or maltreating of +a cow and other like enormities. + +Next in order follow the Kazies, or "Patres conscripti," who ought to +possess some voice in the administration of affairs, but are content to +remain silent during the independent rule of the Minister Sahib. They +number thirty or forty, and their duty is to consult upon all weighty +matters connected with the Government, while some act as governors of +provinces, others as judges in important causes. + +Then come the Sirdars, who also decide causes, and possess considerable +authority in the more remote districts, governing some of the provinces, +and superintending the collection of revenue. Their number is far larger +than that of the Kazies. + +We visited the supreme court one day and saw the Chief-justice, or Durma +Dikar, sitting cross-legged (smoking his hookah on the verandah), the +court having adjourned. The old man bore that venerable appearance which +is everywhere esteemed inseparable from the judicial character, and I +doubted whether his long grey beard was not a more imposing, as it +certainly was a more natural and graceful, appendage than a wig. + +There are six law courts in Katmandu, presided over by Sirdars and +Bicharees, and the laws and modes of punishment are very effectual for +the prevention of crime; for although a prisoner cannot be convicted +except upon his own confession, he may be subjected to an ordeal which +will most probably extort it; and, perhaps, in an eastern country justice +is more effectually administered by such methods than where the judge +decides on the guilt or innocence of a man by speculating on the +character of the witnesses, and believing those who look most as if they +were telling the truth; and where, although he knows that all the +witnesses are more or less bribed, he is not allowed to take any but a +voluntary admission from the prisoner, when perhaps a little gentle +persuasion would save a great deal of unnecessary trouble, to say nothing +of the amount of lying that might thus be dispensed with. Whatever the +laws may be, they seem to give perfect satisfaction to the inhabitants, +who cannot be called a litigious race. + +While we were at Bisoleah, on our way to Katmandu, an interesting +instance occurred of the prime minister taking the law into his own +hands; and, as far as we could judge, complete justice was done to the +parties. A complaint was preferred by a deputation of the peasantry of +the Terai against one of the sirdars who was a member of his suite, and +who had been governor of some part of the district before he had +accompanied the minister on his expedition to England. It was alleged +that he had, in connection with his brother, who was an especial +favourite with Jung, defrauded them of 25,000 rupees. This charge was +indignantly denied by the two sirdars. The case was fully entered into, +and the result was, that Jung became convinced of the justice of the +claim of the peasantry. He had no sooner satisfied himself on this point +than he ordered both the noblemen to be placed in confinement, where they +were to remain until the required sum was forthcoming. The affair +delayed us twenty-four hours; and I perfectly well remember wondering at +the time what could be the cause of a detention for so long a period in +so unpleasant a locality; more especially as by it we lost the chance of +a day's rhinoceros shooting, which was, doubtless, as great a +disappointment to Jung as to myself. + +By thus carefully protecting the interests of the peasantry he has +endeared himself to them, since they are always sure of a ready and +attentive hearing of any complaint, although it may affect the highest +nobles in the land. In talking to a man who acted as guide on our return +through the Terai, we discovered that the popularity of Jung, arising +from this cause, had extended across the frontier, and had induced my +informant to migrate into the Nepaul dominions, so that he might benefit +by the paternal rule of its prime minister. He said the taxes were +lighter, and he led altogether a more happy and independent life than in +the Company's dominions, where the native officers employed as +tax-gatherers do not always display the most scrupulous honesty. + +But it is not with the peasantry alone that Jung is so deservedly a +favourite. With the soldiers he is, if possible, still more popular. An +admirer of Napoleon, he has profited by the perusal of his life, and +turns to advantage his knowledge of the influence possessed in so +wonderful a manner by one whom he seeks in every respect to imitate, so +far as the difference of position admits. That he has succeeded +admirably with the army there is no doubt. His personal feats of daring +and known courage are considerable aids to an imitation of the more +scientific means employed by his great model. + +Thus, firmly seated in the affections of the most important portions of +the community over which he rules with unlimited power, and a most ardent +wish to improve their condition, it will be on all accounts most +deplorable if the country is deprived of the services of so valuable a +man by some vile plot, emanating from the petty intrigue of a jealous and +disappointed Durbar. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +_The temple of Balajee--The old Newar capital--The houses and temples of +Patn--View from the city gates--Nepaulese festivals--The Newars skilful +artisans--The arsenal--The magazine and cannon-foundry_. + +One afternoon we strolled across some verdant meadows, and along narrow +shady avenues, to visit the temple of Balajee. There is nothing in the +building itself worthy of notice; but near it is a tank of beautifully +clear water, filled with sacred fishes, which crowd near the visitor as +he stands on the brink, expecting to be fed with grain, which some old +women at the gate sell for their especial benefit. Balajee is one of +those sheltered nooks which make the scenery of Nepaul so attractive. +Immediately under a wooded knoll the trees dip into the tank, from whence +the water leaps in three tiny cascades into the court-yard of the temple, +quaint and singular itself, and rendered still more interesting from its +connexion with the sacred fonts and groves near which it is so +romantically situated. + +Hitherto we had seen no Newar town. Katmandu, the capital of Nepaul, was +built by the conquering Ghorkas, and is comparatively modern. The old +Newar capital is Patn: situated on a green slope, and fortified by a high +wall, it looks picturesque when seen from the modern city, from which it +is distant about two miles. + +Crossing the narrow brick bridge which spans the Bhagmutty, outside the +walls of the town, we shortly after entered the massive old gates of the +ancient capital. As we trotted past the high rickety houses, along the +brick pavement of the narrow streets, still slippery from the morning +dew, we encountered troops of girls with garlands in their hair, for this +was some festive day. At the corners of the streets were beings of both +sexes, as decrepit as the houses under which they crouched, presiding +over baskets full of beautiful flowers. The entire population were +Newars, except a few fierce mustachioed Ghorkas, who stood sentinels over +the temples, or loitered about the guard-house. The long street looked +deserted; there was not a single shop in it; and the foot-passengers were +few and far between. But the grand square was the chief feature of the +place, and was well worthy of a visit. We looked with astonishment and +delight at the incongruous mass of buildings, of the most varied and +fantastic construction, yet massive and substantial; but whence the +designs originated, or in what other part of the known world anything is +to be seen approaching to the style of Newar architecture, it would be +impossible to conjecture. Houses built of horn are said to exist at +Lassa; and from Lassa, I should imagine, came the designs for the temples +and houses of Patn. Time has mellowed their bright colours--if they were +ever painted at all like those at Katmandu--into a sombre, quiet grey. +The Durbar, a huge, massive building, is absolutely covered with black +wood-carving. The care displayed in its execution is still apparent +through the mass of dust and cobwebs which almost conceal it; for the old +Durbar of Patn is deserted. The residence of the monarchs who ruled the +happy valley is in strong contrast with the smiling appearance of their +former territory. It alone seems to have gone into mourning for its +former occupants, while the valley seems to thrive as well under the rule +of the Ghorkas as it did under that of the Newars. The Durbar is of +great extent, and occupies one side of the square, in the centre of which +stand two monoliths, between 30 and 40 feet high: on one of them is the +figure of an angel, represented in all respects as angels usually are, +with the addition of a magnificent gilt tail; this, together with a pair +of large gilt wings, gave it a most gorgeous appearance. My Ghorka guide +could give me no information as to what particular divinity this figure +was intended to represent. The other pillar was crowned by the figure of +a Newar monarch with an unpronounceable name, who was watched over by a +cobra, standing upon its tail, and looking over his head with its mouth +wide open. + +On the opposite side to that on which the Durbar was situated were two +temples: one of them, built of grey sandstone, was an imposing structure, +altogether different from any building, lay or ecclesiastical, that I had +ever seen before. The lower story consisted of massive verandahs or +cloisters; the pillars were all of grey sandstone, very simple in form; +and the connecting arch was somewhat Saracenic in its appearance. The +temple was square, and the corridor which ran round it was elevated +considerably above the level of the court: the ascent to it was by two +flights of steps, each guarded by a pair of sculptured winged lions. +Three stories of light belfry-like temples, three upon each side of the +square, surmounted each other in rows; in the centre was a mass of +architecture between a dome and a spire, rising to a height of upwards of +100 feet above the level of the court: the whole formed a pyramidal +structure ornamented with fantastic devices, and undoubtedly Bhuddist in +its character. + +The other temple was a two-storied pagoda; its bright colours were faded, +and it appeared far inferior to those of more recent construction. There +were also ruined pyramidal shrines of no known architecture, and +difficult to describe from their complicated nature--antique specimens of +the masonry of ages long gone by, and memorials of a religion doubtless +impure, although Bhuddist in its character and origin. + +No less singular were the residences of the old Newar nobility, a race +which no longer exists, and the only remains of which now extant are +their ruined habitations, evidently destined to succumb before long to +the same all-destroying power which has long since obliterated every +trace of their former owners. + +How different was the peculiar yet handsome style which distinguished the +dwellings of the Newar nobles at Patn from the tawdry glitter which +characterises the mansions of the present Ghorka chiefs in the modern +capital! Here the carving is more rich, the ornaments more massive, the +houses themselves are more lofty and capacious. Sometimes two or three +elaborately-carved balconies adorn the sombre but not less imposing +exterior; from the projecting eaves wooden tassels, forming a sort of +fringe, swing to and fro over the windows. + +The roofs are beautifully tiled, each tile having a double curvature, +while the corners of the buildings are quaintly turned up, giving a +Chinese look to the building. The whole appearance of the houses and +temples carries one far from the mud-huts or close cities of the plains +of India, into the land of chopsticks and small feet, and the traveller +feels much nearer to Pekin than to Calcutta as he wanders along the empty +streets under the frowning houses and indescribable temples of the Newar +town of Patn. + +Everything seemed to have been blighted by time; besides all the old +temples, old houses, old gates, and old streets, there were numbers of +old people. Everything seemed to sympathise with everything else, and +had evidently come to the conclusion that there was nothing worth living +for, and the sooner they all took themselves off and quitted the bright +valley of Nepaul the better. And indeed it was difficult to realize the +existence of anything half so cheerful inside the town as the prospect +which met our view as we emerged from its gloomy entrance, and looked +upon the luxuriant plain, the glittering capital shining in its midst, +whose gaudy pagodas, hung round with bells and adorned with flags, were +very different from those just visited; the industrious population were +going light-hearted to their work as we rode through smiling fields, and +we ceased to wonder at Patn looking deserted, for it was evident that all +the cheerfully disposed inhabitants had flitted away, unable to bear its +depressing influence, and leaving behind them only the crabbed old people +at the corners of the streets, and the tattered beggars, who must make a +meagre livelihood out of the falling temples and 24,000 rotten houses of +the once handsome capital of Nepaul. + +It was a clear frosty morning, and, as we rode down the gentle slope on +which the old city stands, the snowy range of the Himalaya burst upon us +with inexpressible grandeur. The Gosain-than, a mass of glistening snow, +looked contemptuously down upon the Jibjibia, itself covered with snow: +though 13,000 feet lower than the Gosain-than, the Jibjibia in turn +overtopped the Sheopoorie, which rises abruptly from the valley to a +height of 2000 feet. On a peninsula, formed by the junction of the +Bhagmutty and Bishmutty, stands the town of Katmandu, surrounded by a +high wall in which are four gates: to the east the snow-capped peaks +extend as far as the eye can reach; to the west the Dawalogiri, the +highest mountain in the world, is in clear weather distinctly visible; in +that direction the valley is shut in by lofty hills, the steepest of +which is crossed by the Chandanagiri pass. + +The exhilarating effect of so glorious a scene seemed not to be lost upon +the inhabitants themselves, and we observed among them the same merry and +contented appearance as that which is so remarkable amongst the +inhabitants of Switzerland and the Tyrol; indeed mountaineers in general +either have much fewer troubles than lowlanders, or take them less to +heart. + +The Nepaulese, in common with most highland tribes, have strong religious +feelings, and are bigoted adherents to a faith which they would find it +somewhat difficult to define. One use to which they put their religion, +and in which they far exceed even the Roman Catholics of the Alps, is, in +making it furnish them with an almost unlimited number of holidays and +festivals: no opportunity of merrymaking is lost by the light-hearted +inhabitants of Nepaul, and in this respect they are at once +distinguishable from their more gloomy and saturnine conquerors, the +Ghorkas, who, glorying only in the art of war, look with contempt on what +they consider the frivolity of the Newars. + +There can be no doubt of the warlike character of the Ghorkas, even had +not our own experience testified to the fact in a most unpleasant way. +Not only are they brave and skilful soldiers, but, for a barbarous +nation, they are wonderfully advanced in the art of fabricating the +implements of war; they cast their own ordnance, manufacture their own +muskets, shot, powder, and cartridge-boxes; in fact, every instrument or +weapon used in civilized warfare is manufactured in Nepaul, often +clumsily enough, but the mere fact of their being capable of being used, +and used with effect, is highly creditable to the ingenuity of the +Ghorkas. + +The Newars are still more skilful artisans than the Ghorkas, but their +talent does not lie in the same direction. The bricks of Nepaul are +deservedly famed; whether the virtue lies in the clay of which they are +formed, or the skill with which they are made, I do not know--most +probably in both. The Newars excel also in bell-making; it is the trade +of the land; they are all bell-makers from their youth, and proofs of +their skill are exhibited hanging at the corners of pagodas, swinging +from the roofs of houses, surmounting Dagobas--in fact, the device upon a +Nepaulese banner should be a bell. In jewellery they are no less expert, +and are elaborate workmen in all metals. A species of coarse paper is +manufactured by them from the bark of a tree, which is first reduced to a +pulp and then spread over a sheet and dried. + +They are as excellent agriculturists as tradesmen, and the rich soil of +the valley is not allowed by the industrious peasants to lie fallow a +moment longer than is necessary. + +At certain seasons every inhabitant capable of wielding the hoe is at +work, and there is much incentive to such industry, for the soil is +inexhaustible, and seems as if it could go on for an indefinite period +yielding its four crops a year--namely, wheat, rice, Indian corn, and +vegetables--supporting thereby a double population. The plough is never +used. It struck me that the introduction of buffaloes from the plains +would be advantageous in assisting the worthy Newar, whose religious +scruples prevent his using the bullock. There is a species of small +buffalo, which is a native of the Himalayas, but it is never brought down +by the Bhootyas into the plains, nor even to Katmandu. + +We went one day to visit the arsenal, which a veteran of the Nepaul army +took an especial delight in exhibiting, and naturally looked for +expressions of wonder and delight from the barbarians. But the only +astonishment we felt was, that such a mass of fire-arms, so excessively +old and so excessively dirty, should be thought worthy of being carefully +ranged throughout the long dark rooms. In a corner of one of these rooms +the light streamed brightly through a window on some old-fashioned +firelocks bearing an English maker's name; they were trophies of the war +with the British, and were held worthy of conspicuous places in the +Nepaul arsenal. The delighted old Colonel pointed these out to us with a +laudable pride; he said the arsenal contained 100,000 stand of arms, and +expected us to believe it. Had they been in proper order, the collection +would have been of importance numerically considered. + +Their artillery was insignificant, but they possessed trophies denied to +many more powerful nations in a pair of brass 2-pounders, also taken from +the British in the same disastrous campaign. I looked as abashed and +mortified as I could, and pleased the Colonel exceedingly thereby. In +the same establishment was carried on the process of manufacturing powder +of a very coarse grain, and we were shown sundry store-rooms containing +grape and canister. + +Leaving the arsenal, we mounted our elephants, crossed the parade-ground +and the river, and, passing through the massive gateway, reached the +magazine, situated in the interior of the city, where we had an +opportunity of witnessing the process of hammering iron into balls. The +Nepaulese can produce no heat sufficient to cast balls, and are, +consequently, obliged to beat them into the required shape, an almost +endless operation. By this tedious process the making of each two-pound +ball occupies two men a whole day, and costs, including other incidental +charges, about a rupee, so that the expenses of a siege would come rather +heavy upon the Government. All round the court-yard blacksmiths were +forging and hammering, while in the middle of it a number of men were +employed beating leather, so as to render it sufficiently pliable to +undergo the process of being trodden soft, a curious operation, and +fatiguing to the muscles of any other legs than those of the Nepaulese, +who keep continually doubling up the leather and treading it out again, +and putting their feet to all sorts of uses, in which, if we had properly +cultivated the gifts of nature, we should, doubtless, be equally skilled. +At present our great object is to make our feet look smaller than they +naturally are, and even in that the Chinese excel us, civilized though we +be. The result of so much beating and treading was a number of leather +cartridge-boxes, which could not have been harder had they been deal; so +the means did not justify the end, and perhaps after all we make better +use of our feet than the Nepaulese tanners do. + +In another part of the establishment was a gang of men engaged in +twisting gun-barrels, turning out wonderful productions, considering the +rude method employed. + +The stocks were more easily fabricated, and the whole musket justified +the pride with which it was exhibited; but Jung is no longer satisfied +with the productions of the Nepaulese gunmakers. He visited a +gun-manufactory at Birmingham, and was most disagreeably surprised by +finding how different was the English mode of manufacturing the +implements of war from that employed in Nepaul. + +In England Jung had seen brass guns cast by the score during his short +visit to the foundry. Here they were being cast at the rate of one every +two or three months. The metal is not allowed to run into the mould in a +continuous stream, but is ladled in, thereby rendering the gun liable to +flaws. There were many other improvements which it would have been +obvious to a practised eye were needed in the gun-factory of Nepaul; and +it was plain enough that everything was rough and clumsy; but Jung had +paid especial attention to these subjects while in England, and intends +speedily to introduce an improved system. How long it will be ere he +will have a steam-foundry established in Katmandu time alone can show. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +_Kindness of the Mahila Sahib--His motive--Drawing-room ornaments--Visit +to the palace of Jung Bahadoor--A trophy of the London season--Grand +Durbar at the reading of the Queen of England's letter--Dress of the +officers--Review of troops--Dancing boys_. + +The Mahila Sahib, the younger brother of his Majesty, was a very pleasant- +looking young man, with a much more amiable expression of countenance +than his royal brother, and professed to be one of Jung's greatest +friends and allies. As a compliment to the minister, he politely +requested us to pay him a visit, an invitation of which we were glad to +avail ourselves, since it proved his kindly feeling towards our host, +whilst it gave us an opportunity of inspecting the menage of a Nepaulese +Prince Royal. + +It is worth while to make a trip to Nepaul, not only for the delight of +viewing the romantic beauty of its scenery, of wondering at the +stupendous height of its mountains, of roaming amidst its ancient cities, +ruined palaces, and glittering pagodas, but in order to take a lesson in +human nature, for we are not at liberty to suppose that the princes and +nobles of this country are a more depraved class than any other body of +men, the fact being that a Nepaulese follows his natural impulses, +unfettered by the restraints of our standard of civilization and +morality, and the results are apparent. Is not the more civilized +inhabitant of western lands actuated by the same feelings, and would he +not behave in the same manner as his swarthy brother in the East, had he +been brought up in the same code of morality, and were he as fearless of +the consequences of his following the bent of his own inclination? But +if so, then the visitor to Nepaul simply sees the game of human life +played openly and unconstrainedly, and in no way hampered by the rules +which prevail in more civilized countries; and the unsophisticated tyro +has only to come here and learn in a month what would cost him a lifetime +of anxious study in a country enjoying the blessings of civilization. + +The palace of the Mahila Sahib is situated in a court-yard, and is +entered by a small doorway, by no means in keeping with the handsome +staircase, lined with muskets, up which we followed the prince, who had +come to the entrance to meet us. We were ushered into a long narrow +room, similar in shape to the reception-room in all other Nepaulese +palaces, and adorned in like manner with a profusion of pictures, +occidental as well as oriental, while in the midst, upon a round table, +and displayed as drawing-room ornaments, was an incongruous collection of +articles, amongst which I remarked three leaden spoons, an old +cruet-stand, a Bohemian glass scent-bottle, an old hair-brush and tooth- +brush on some hot-water plates, a pair of brass candlesticks, and other +wares usually found in kitchens, pantries, and bedrooms. Some English +prints and pictures of a particularly pothouse appearance attracted me +into a little side room, where a handsome telescope stood pointed out of +the open window, from which there was a lovely and extensive view, and +while my friend and the prince were chatting in the next room I took +advantage of the means thus afforded me of enjoying the prospect. + +On looking through the telescope the first object which met my eye was +the roof of a handsome house, on which figures were moving briskly to and +fro. All the windows of this mansion were commanded by the glass, and I +almost imagined I could see the female figures flitting about in the more +gloomy and secluded part, which seemed to be the harem. The house thus +under observation struck me as being known to me, and upon looking at the +neighbouring objects I perceived that it was the palace of the Minister +Sahib. + +The fact of the glass being thus pointed to his house was in itself a +suspicious circumstance, but I little thought that the bland owner of the +leaden spoons and pothouse pictures was then deliberately contemplating +the vile plot he so soon afterwards nearly succeeded in executing. Within +a week after this visit I heard that our polite entertainer was in +confinement for an attempt to assassinate the minister, towards whom he +had so recently professed the profoundest sentiments of regard. + +We descended into the well laid-out garden attached to the palace and +devoured the delicious mandarin oranges, with which hundreds of trees +were loaded, until our attention was diverted from them by a luscious +fruit, in appearance something like a medlar: this fruit is rare in +Nepaul, the tree being a native of Thibet. + +It cost us an effort to bid adieu to the polite prince and his attractive +garden; but at length we remounted our elephants and proceeded on our way +to the Minister's house. Passing through the handsome gateway, guarded +by a magnificent tiger, that prowled restlessly up and down his cage, a +vigilant-looking sentinel, we entered a yard filled with the soldiers and +retainers of the illustrious man whom we had come to visit. + +We were greeted cordially by the Minister Sahib, who was surrounded by a +crowd of brothers, only three of whom I knew, viz. the two fat travellers +and the future would-be assassin. + +Jung's house was a large white building, which looked as if a Chinaman +had mixed together a Birmingham factory and an Italian villa, every now +and then throwing in a strong dash of the style of his own country by way +of improvement. It is three stories high, and one wing is devoted to the +six "beautiful missises" who compose the female part of his +establishment. + +The state-room was very similar in shape and appearance to that in the +palace of the Mahila Sahib, but was, if possible, still more +fantastically ornamented. A picture of her Majesty's Coronation was +supported on the one side by a lady's bonnet, on the other by a carpet- +bag, while a lady's riding-habit, an officer's red jacket, and various +other articles of attire were hung round the walls upon pegs; here and +there, perhaps partly hidden by the folds of a lady's dress, was to be +seen the portrait of some sedate old Nepaulese noble. + +Jung called our attention to one of these; it was the portrait of a +strikingly handsome man, whose keen eye and lofty brow seemed almost to +entitle him to the position he held between the Duke of Wellington and +the Queen. "See," said Jung, enthusiastically, "here is the Queen of +England; and she has not got a more loyal subject than I am." Then +turning to the picture of the man with the keen eyes and high forehead, +he remarked, "That is my poor uncle Mahtiber Singh, whom I shot; it is +very like him." After which he launched into a discussion upon the +comparative merits of the Duke of Wellington and Napoleon, and, skipping +two cocked hats and a bonnet, went on to some Purdy's rifles, of which he +spoke in glowing terms and with all the enthusiasm of a true sportsman. + +My friend Colonel Dhere Shum Shere now came up, whistling the Sturm +Marsch, and challenged me to a game of billiards: he was in his manner +more thoroughly English than any native I ever knew, and both in +appearance and disposition looked as if he was an Anglo-Saxon who had +been dyed by mistake. When in Europe he used to dress like an +Englishman, and in company with his brother, the Minister Sahib, in +similar attire, patronized Vauxhall, Cremorne, and other places of +fashionable resort usually frequented by such fast men as they showed +themselves to be. Like Jung, he used to say he could not bear the +abominable screeching at the Opera, and consequently never made his +appearance until the commencement of the ballet, which was much more in +their line. + +Having profited by his visits to European houses, Jung intends to show +his enlightenment by substituting pictures for the articles of vertu with +which the walls of his room are at present adorned, and to exchange +kitchen ware for albums, in order to prove that he has travelled to some +purpose. While examining these table ornaments, I observed a civilized +looking little square piece of satin, and on taking it up found I was +inspecting the first invitation to Her Majesty's Opera that had ever +reached Nepaul. + +In one apartment 700 pounds worth of ladies' dresses, purchased in +England, were spread upon the floor, destined, I presume, to adorn some +sable beauties on whom the fashionable flounces of Madame Devy would be +anything but becoming. + +Jung informed us that a grand ceremony was to take place on the following +day. The Queen of England's letter, of which he was the bearer, was to +be read in full Durbar under a salute of twenty-one guns--a greater +honour than is shown even to a communication from his Imperial Majesty of +the celestial empire. + +We accordingly repaired at the appointed hour next morning to the palace +of the King, in the great square of Katmandu, and were ushered into the +narrow room appropriated to the Durbar. It was hung round with pictures +that a tavern would be ashamed of, and altogether looked so dirty that, +had it been a tavern, it would have had but little custom. + +Seated on a throne were the two Kings gorgeously apparelled and bedizened +with jewels, while the Minister Sahib wore nothing but the simple bukkoo, +or fur-robe, of great value but unassuming appearance. + +There was to be a review of the troops after Durbar, and, as nearly all +the nobility of Nepaul hold rank in the army, the whole assemblage was in +uniform, certainly one of the most dazzling that I ever saw collected +together. Each man had twice as many feathers as he was entitled to +wear, and, while their cocked hats were always completely hid, the bodies +of the more diminutive officers almost shared the same fate. The English +dragoon and the French hussar might here recognize portions of their +uniform, adorned with gold and silver lace to an extent which +field-marshals alone have, with us, a right to indulge in, and often +mixed up with some Oriental finery--a pair of glittering slippers that +consorted but ill with the tightly strapped-down gold lace trowsers, or a +handsome shawl that clumsily supported the jewelled sabre. + +The ceremony of presentation having been gone through, a select party, +consisting of the two Kings, the English Resident and one or two officers +of the Embassy, and the Prime Minister, adjourned to an upper room. This +seemed to me a curious proceeding, and one which the remaining portion of +the legislators must have thought particularly unsatisfactory: however +they looked as if they did not care, or could not help it; and while the +coterie above were solemnly perusing Her Majesty's epistle, and the guns +were booming in honour of it, we below were chatting upon indifferent +matters, until the Royal party returned, when, in addition to the pawn +usually given on such occasions, we were presented by their Majesties +with some Nepaulese weapons, and amidst more firing of cannon left the +palace in the Minister's phaeton to witness a grand review. + +The parade-ground was situated immediately under the city walls, and upon +it 6000 men were drawn up: the uniforms differed in some instances; the +"rifles" were in a pea-green suit which hung about them loosely, while +the regiments of the line wore red coats, with trowsers ample enough to +please a Turk. Upon their turbans or caps were the distinguishing badges +of their respective corps--a half-moon, a lion, the sun, and various +other devices. The regiments were not numbered as with us, but adopted +some magniloquent high-sounding title suggestive of their valour in war, +fearlessness of danger, and other martial qualities. + +There was no cavalry, the country not being adapted to that arm of the +service, but the artillery seemed very fairly handled; there was an +immense deal of firing, both of small arms and great guns, which I +believe was very good; and there were a great number of evolutions +performed, which, as I am not a soldier, did not seem to me more +incomprehensible than such manoeuvring usually is, but I was informed by +those who were capable of judging that in this instance they really were +altogether without meaning. Regiment after regiment marched past, the +men swinging their arms regularly as they moved, and trying to persuade +themselves they were British grenadiers. At all events the band was +playing that tune. Suddenly the music changed; they struck up a lively +polka, and a number of little boys in a sort of penwiper costume, +clasping one another like civilized ladies and gentlemen, began to caper +about, after which they went through various antics that surpassed even +the wildest notions of our highly civilized community: all this while the +troops were manoeuvring as vehemently as ever, and the boys were dancing +as fantastically; and the whole thing was so eminently ridiculous and +looked so very like a farce, that it was difficult to maintain that +dignified and sedate appearance which was expected from the spectators of +a scene so imposing. + +Jung alone looked for no expressions of surprise or admiration from us, +but was evidently disappointed and chagrined at the inferiority of his +own soldiers to those he had seen in Europe and amongst our Indian +troops. He could indeed point with pride to the stalwart bearing and +soldier-like appearance of his men, but he had seen "the Guards" +reviewed, he had been present at an inspection of 15,000 of the French +army at Versailles, and he seemed half ashamed of the display we were +witnessing, notwithstanding our efforts to comfort him by telling him +that we had little thought the art of war was so far advanced in the wild +valleys and rocky mountains of Nepaul. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +_Distinguishing features of the races of Nepaul--The Ghorkas--Conquest by +them of Katmandu--Maintenance of the Nepaul army--Bheem Singh's +monument--A feast at the minister's--We bid him adieu--Ascent of the +Sheopoori--Magnificent view of the Himalayas from its summit_. + +The grand review over, we availed ourselves of the opportunity to inspect +the regiments composed of men recruited in some of the most distant +provinces of Nepaul. They bore in their countenances little resemblance +either to the Ghorkas or Newars. We examined their faces, and tried to +imagine what sort of a looking country was likely to produce this sort of +a looking man. A regiment of dark-visaged stalwart Ghorkas would march +past, followed by a diminutive race from the north-western frontier, +little, ill-made, and abominably ugly. The same cast of countenance was +prevalent throughout the regiments that had been recruited there; all the +men had the same high cheek-bones, or wide mouths, or whatever their +peculiarity might be. The insignificant Newars looked majestic by the +side of these men, while in their turn their own strong Chinese +characteristics were thrown completely into the shade by some regiment +from the north-east, almost pure Bootyan or Mongolian. + +There are not, however, many Newars employed as soldiers, and the army is +chiefly composed of Muggurs, Gurungs, and Krats. These tribes differ +only in their religion, according as it combines in a greater or less +degree the superstitions of the Hindoo worship with those of Bhuddism. +But none of these races differed from one another more completely than +did the Ghorka from them all; he was the only man among them born to be a +soldier, and he looked with contempt upon the mongrel races that +surrounded him. + +The country from which he himself originally sprang is nevertheless a +matter of speculation; he certainly is not of trans-Himalayan origin, but +no doubt the comfortable life he leads in Nepaul prevents his caring to +inquire whence he came. The Rajah claims descent from the Rajput +princes. The capital town of the country from which they descended into +the valley of Nepaul is Ghorka, situated about fifty miles westward of +Katmandu. The Ghorkas had already possessed themselves of the whole +territory to the westward for some hundred of miles until their border +touched the kingdom of Runjeit Singh and the vale of Cashmere; they then +turned their conquering arms eastward in 1716, and, overrunning the +valleys of the Newars, their progress was only arrested on the Sikkim +frontier. + +The conquest of the valley of Katmandu was attended with circumstances of +the greatest barbarity; thousands of the inhabitants were starved to +death by the Ghorka King, Prithi Naraim. There were then in Nepaul a few +Christians, converted by a Jesuit mission. These were all compelled to +fly the country, some taking refuge in Thibet, others crossing our +frontier and settling at Bettiah, where a Christian community at present +exists. Not long after he had conquered Nepaul, the Ghorka monarch +organized an expedition into Tartary, which was so signally successful +that the H'Lassa Government was obliged to treat on humiliating +conditions. This advantage was followed, in defiance of the treaty, by +another invasion, which was only arrested by the forces of the Emperor, +who, having heard of the violent proceedings in this distant part of his +dominions, sent an army of 70,000 men to oppose the Ghorka invaders, who +were completely overwhelmed and obliged to retreat. The Chinese followed +the retiring force across their own frontier, and not until they had +reached the valley of Noyakot, eighteen miles from Katmandu, did they +consent to treat for peace, which was now humbly sued for by the Ghorka +King. + +Not satisfied with serving as soldiers in their own country, the Ghorkas +have offered their services to the Indian Government, and two of its +finest regiments are composed of soldiers of this race. + +No European, as far as I could learn, has ever yet penetrated to their +city, which however can contain no object of very great attraction, since +it must want those Chinese peculiarities which render Katmandu and Patn +so interesting, and must more nearly resemble the large cities of the +plains. It has a large population, is well built and fortified, and is +situated on a commanding eminence. + +The Nepaul army is maintained partly by the state, the men being in some +instances paid out of the treasury, but more frequently by an assignment +of land to each man called a jaghire. They are thus remunerated at the +expense of the Newars, who are the cultivators of the soil and were the +original proprietors. Hence Nepaul is a warlike state, not merely from +the natural disposition of its Ghorka conquerors, but from the +inducements held out to them to become soldiers. + +What would our grumbling agricultural population say to having soldiers +billeted in each village, and living on the fat of the land? The Newars +say, "Take away the army and give us free trade;" the farmers in England +say, "Keep up the army and take away free trade." + +The minister told us of out-stations at which different regiments were +posted, and wanted us to believe that the standing army of Nepaul +exceeded 25,000 men. Every male is obliged to serve in the army for a +year, and it requires great interest to be allowed to remain above that +period, so eagerly is the profession of arms sought after. + +Immediately facing the parade-ground stands the famous monument built by +Bheem Singh, one of the most eminent prime ministers that Nepaul has ever +seen, and who has left behind him proofs of his greatness in the many +works, both useful and ornamental, which he erected. + +Two winged lions guard the chief bridge over the Bhagmutty, by which +Katmandu is approached, and pronounce Bheem Singh its builder. Numerous +temples and handsome palaces are adorned in like manner, but the monument +above mentioned is the most remarkable memorial of his greatness, and is +the chief ornament of the city. The people are deservedly proud of this +its distinguishing mark, for, except as minarets, single columns are +unknown in India, and in this respect their mountain capital can boldly +challenge a comparison with the proudest city of the plains. The +monument resembles in shape a portable telescope fully drawn out, and +rears its head to a height of nearly 200 feet above the surrounding +houses. The Minister Sahib contended that it was higher than the +monument of London. This, as in duty bound, I patriotically denied; but +which of us was led into error by partiality for our respective countries +I am not prepared to say. The Mahila Sahib accompanied us to the summit, +whence we had a most magnificent view. Looking down into the city +beneath us, we could discern the turning of every narrow street, the +palaces situated in the midst of gardens, the hovels in the midst of +dunghills, though I am bound to say that the former preponderated in +number, and the houses of the city were for the most part substantial and +well built. Some of these streets were now crowded with a motley +multitude, returning home from the review, the bright uniforms mixing +amongst them as the soldiers joined their families after being dismissed +parade, or here and there marched in companies back to the barracks. +Officers were scampering down streets on ponies, dragging along the horse +boys, who were holding on by their tails. All this the Mahila Sahib +pointed out with much affability. Had he been the man to seize a good +opportunity, that was the moment to give Jung a push over the low +parapet; but the Mahila Sahib is a man without decision of character; so +we all descended, and he allowed the minister to reach the bottom his own +way. We then proceeded with Jung to his residence, there to partake of a +farewell feast. The carriage in which we were driving was one I had seen +brought over the mountain passes on men's shoulders in detached portions; +and this emanation from Long-Acre was to be trundled for the rest of its +existence along the three or four miles of carriage-road which the valley +of Nepaul can boast. Our way lay through narrow lanes, walled in by the +enclosures of different rich men's suburban residences, and the prolific +orange-trees drooped their luscious fruit over the garden walls for the +benefit of any one who chose to pick them, as they hung temptingly +overhead. Jung showed us his horticultural arrangements with no little +pride. His house is situated in the midst of gardens, adorned with +fountains and reservoirs, and he informed us that upon one aqueduct alone +he had expended 30,000 pounds. The garden was in its infancy, and, +notwithstanding the great formality with which it was laid out, bid fair +to do credit to Jung's taste and industry. In one direction the gardens +extend to the river side, where he has built some handsome baths, not far +distant from which, and at one corner of his grounds, stands a +four-turreted building, inhabited by the Ranee of Lahore, who has taken +refuge from the English under the hospitable roof of Jung Bahadoor. Here +this extraordinary woman leads a secluded life, rarely venturing outside +her doors, and never giving any one a chance of judging for themselves of +her rumoured beauty. She is, no doubt, meditating some bold design +worthy of the heroism she has proved herself to possess, for she is said +still to retain hope where hope is surely forlorn. + +We had not on this occasion walked a whole day over Nepaul roads, as was +the case when last we dined with Jung; consequently, when his feast was +set before us, we did not do justice to it. Perhaps our appetites were +spoiled by the parting which was about to take place, for we were not to +see his Excellency any more, and to part from the prime minister of +Nepaul is not like parting from any other man. Even were he only a +casual acquaintance, it would cause a different feeling from that of +bidding adieu to one who was to lead a peaceable life, and in all +probability die in his bed; but when the chances are strongly against +either of these suppositions, and when the friend whom you are leaving is +a man of so interesting a character, the possessor of such great talents +and of so many amiable qualities, one with whom you have journeyed and +hunted and undergone all sorts of adventures and witnessed all sorts of +scenes, and who has on all occasions proved himself a kind friend, an +hospitable host, and an agreeable companion, it is anything but pleasant +to look upon him for the last time. Doubtless, in the early years of his +yet uncivilized life, Jung Bahadoor was guilty of great barbarities and +crimes, but it was war to the knife, and self-defence no less than +ambition prompted the acts of that bloody drama. Now he has proved +himself a changed man, and his late generous and humane conduct might +well read a useful lesson to many in the civilized societies in which he +learnt to be what he now is, since he does not fear to change a line of +conduct when its error is palpable. + +The time at length arrived when we were compelled to bid adieu to this +extraordinary man, whose future career is a matter of such vast +importance to the country he rules with almost absolute power. Expressing +the hope that the day might yet come when I should meet him in my own +country, I took leave of my kind-hearted but perilously-situated +entertainer as I would of a friend in a galloping consumption. + +During my whole stay in Nepaul the weather had been unusually foggy, and +the snowy range only displayed its wonders now and then. On the day +following the review the sky was unclouded; I therefore resolved to +ascend the Sheopoori, a mountain which rises to a height of 2000 feet +above the valley, and from which it was said a most magnificent view of +the snowy range is obtained. The ascent commenced at a distance of five +miles from the Residency, and was very fatiguing from the total absence +of any path, the steepness of some part of it, and the thick jungle +through which we had to push our way. It occupied two hours' stiff +climbing for one in pretty good mountain condition, but no fatigue seems +too great if it is rewarded by a good view; and there is no prospect so +cheering to the mountain traveller as that of an unclouded sky, with the +summit of the hill he is ascending in clear relief against it. + +At last we reached the shoulder, from whence I had a peep that made me +long for more, but, determined not to spoil the effect, I pushed +resolutely on after my guide through a low scrubby jungle, along a barely +perceptible woodcutter's path, until the crisp snow crunching beneath our +feet betokened our great elevation. I was glad to halt for a moment and +cool my mouth with the snow, a luxury I had not experienced for years. + +A few yards more and we gained the summit; a sort of shed, the residence +of some departed holy man, marked the highest point, upwards of 6000 feet +above the sea. + +A keen sharp wind whistled about the ruin as I jumped on to a half broken- +down wall in order to look over the low bushes which surrounded me. From +this position a panorama, in every respect as magnificent as it was +wonderful, stretched itself, if I may so speak, as well above as below +me. Northward, and not thirty miles distant, the Himalayas reared their +heaven-piercing summits, peak succeeding peak, and crag succeeding crag, +far as the eye could reach, from east to west a glittering chain, while +here and there the light clouds which hung upon its rocks and precipices +became thinned, till they vanished altogether, or, rising in denser +masses from some dark valley, obscured the lower portions of the range, +only to give relief to the summits and elevate them in appearance--an aid +they little needed, for the height of the lowest level of the chain is +upwards of 15,000 feet. But it was not the actual height of the various +peaks, nor the masses of glistening snow which clothed them, brightly +reflecting the rays of an almost vertical sun, and tinted by the most +brilliant hues, that was the chief cause of wonder and admiration. It +was the sharpness of the horizon-line against the serene clear sky which +displayed precipices and crags of inconceivable grandeur, the overhanging +peak looking down some thousands of feet upon the lower part of the +range. Had it been possible to calculate upon such a stupendous scale, I +felt I was gazing at sheer precipices 6000 or 8000 feet in depth, for the +descent from 25,000 to 15,000 feet was not gradual, but the whole line +was cragged and notched upon a scale of unsurpassable magnificence and +grandeur. + +The Dawalogiri, the highest mountain in the world, and 28,700 feet above +the level of the sea, was as worthy a termination of the chain at one end +as its rival, the Kinchin Jung, was at the other; while not ten leagues +distant, and completely towering above me, the Gosain Than reared its +gigantic head, the third highest in this mighty barrier. + +Turning from this marvellous scene, I looked down upon the placid valley +of Nepaul. Its four rivers appeared like silver threads, winding their +way amidst rich cultivation to swell the waters of the parent Bhagmutty. +Blooming and verdant, the populous plain lay embosomed in lofty +mountains, shut out as it were from the cares of the world. It seemed a +Paradise on earth, with an approach to heaven of its own along the summit +of the Gosain Than. + +I viewed with interest a country on which European foot had never trod, +and my eye ranged over bleak hills enclosing fertile valleys, into which +torrents first flung themselves wildly, then, flowing sedately through to +the other end, dashed away again behind rocks and hills and jumbled +masses of broken country, which must have afforded magnificent scenery as +it gradually swelled into the towering mountains of the Emodus. + +A distant hill was pointed out to me as that on which the city of Ghorka +was perched, a fitting residence for the wild race to whom it gives +birth. My guide also showed me the road to the mysterious capital of +H'Lassa, winding through rocky glens, passable only for the droves of +sheep that traverse those mountain defiles, a journey of twenty days in +the Nepaul dominions; but how far from the frontier lay the city of the +Grand Lama the guide did not know. + +The valley of Noyakot is about eighteen miles distant from Katmandu, and +was visited some years ago by Prince Waldemar of Prussia and his party. +It does not offer much attraction to the traveller, and as I looked into +it from the top of Sheopoori I thought it hardly worth the trip. Not so +extensive as that in which Katmandu is situated, it lies lower and is +very fertile. Its climate is much warmer and not so healthy. Looking up +the valley of Nepaul, I could distinguish at its farther end, twelve +miles distant from the present capital, the ancient Newar city of +Bhatgong, the second in importance in the days when Patn was the first. +It has now fallen into much the same dismantled state as its old rival, +while it looked much more picturesque, standing as it does on a +commanding eminence, terraced with rich rice-fields. The Durbar is a +fine old building, characteristic of the architecture of the country, and +the town contains many ancient Newar buildings of much interest. + +But the valley of Nepaul, and the wild mountains of Ghorka, and the +dashing rivers and the rocky glens, all sank into insignificance when I +returned once more irresistibly fascinated by the wonders which the snowy +chain seemed to exhibit anew every moment, as clouds cleared away from +off the frightful precipices, or laid bare huge craggy peaks: For an hour +did I gaze upon this incomparable scene, as upon one which the experience +of a lifetime can seldom boast, for, though I was prepared by an alpine +experience in Europe, and had stretched my imagination to the utmost in +my anticipations of what would be the appearance of the highest mountains +in the world, I could never have conceived--far less is it possible for +me to describe--the scene I beheld from the summit of Sheopoori. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + +_A visit to the Minister's brothers--Dexterity of Colonel Dhere Shum +Shere--Scenes for lovers of the Fancy--Adieu to Nepaul--The view from the +summit of the Chandernagiri pass--The scenery of Nepaul--The pass of +Bhimphede--Night quarters_. + +It was out of the question my leaving Katmandu without paying a farewell +visit to the Minister's two younger brothers, Juggut and Colonel Dhere +Shum Shere, so I hurried over in the afternoon to their house, which was +situated in the centre of the town. On my road I met them driving in a +buggy, the only one of which the town could boast, and, as it is not +considered _infra dig_. in Katmandu to go three in a gig, I jumped in +between them, and we were soon tearing along the narrow street at a most +reckless pace, and finally pulled up in a small square, where a great +crowd seemed to be waiting for something to take place. A Katmandu crowd +doubtless possesses the same instinct in this respect that crowds in +civilized parts of the world do, and, as it proved, they were quite right +in their expectations, for the exhibition which almost immediately +followed was well worth seeing. The Colonel said he had something to +show us, but we could perceive nothing out of the common except a huge +bull buffalo, whose head was firmly lashed to a stake fixed in the court- +yard, so that it touched it from his forehead to his nose; he was then +blindfolded, his legs were planted some distance apart, and he stood +snorting at his confined position. Meantime we had jumped out of the +buggy, the young Colonel, stripping himself of all superfluous clothing, +had grasped a "korah," or native sword, and, first laying the keen edge +of it gently upon the exposed neck of the buffalo, he drew himself to his +full height, and raised his korah high above his head. Every muscle +extended, every fibre strained, he seemed to concentrate his strength in +a wonderful manner into that blow which was at one stroke to sever the +extended neck of the buffalo. Down came the sword with sweeping force. I +looked eagerly for the result; when suddenly his hand was arrested +midway, and with a look of vexation the Colonel _let off the steam_ he +had got up for the occasion, as he pointed to one of the buffalo's legs; +it had been moved an inch inwards, and that was sufficient to cause the +failure of the operation. Three or four times did this occur, and it +seemed essentially necessary to the success of the feat that the legs of +the animal should be perfectly stationary in a particular position. How +little was the buffalo aware that each movement he made prolonged his +life some seconds! I could not help thinking that there was a strong +resemblance between his position and that of Jung, for decidedly the only +chance the Minister has of his life is to keep continually moving. At +last down came the korah with crushing force, and passed right through +the animal's neck: the headless trunk tottered for a second, and then +fell heavily over. + +I was horrified at seeing a second buffalo brought up for slaughter, and +my horror was greatly increased when I understood that I was expected to +exercise my skill upon it. This offer I declined as politely as I could, +accepting from the young Colonel, as a remembrance of his dexterity and +strength, the korah with which he had performed this extraordinary feat. + +We next adjourned to another court-yard, which was surrounded with +bulldogs and terriers of every description,--a collection worthy the most +ardent votary of the Fancy. Two magnificent rams, which were tied up in +the corners of the yard, soon after showed us that a sport existed in +Nepaul unknown as yet to 'Bell's Life.' No sooner were these animals +untied than they dashed at one another with the utmost fury; the violence +of the shock caused the combatants to recoil, and it was a matter of +astonishment to us that their brains were not dashed out. + +The whole fight consisted in their being separated and then let go at one +another again. This continued without any apparent advantage on either +side until we thought that they had inflicted punishment enough on one +another for our amusement, and then they were both tied up, and left to +meditate upon their splitting headaches and to scowl at one another +across the yard. + +We walked through the Colonel's house, and found in his drawing-room the +usual collection of theatrical prints and portraits of opera-dancers, +mixed up with those of old statesmen, which he seemed to think perfectly +natural, and no doubt he fancies he has good reason for so thinking. +There were also a piano and some European luxuries strangely mingled with +barbarous inventions. + +In leaving these two excellent young men, I bade adieu to the last of my +fellow-travellers from Ceylon. My especial favourite of them all was +Colonel Dhere Shum Shere, whose thoroughly frank and amiable disposition +endeared him to every one, while his courage and daring commanded +universal respect. I know of no one I would rather have by my side in a +row than the young Colonel, and his brother Jung evidently thought so too +when he chose him to assist in the capture of the conspirators in the +attempt upon his life. Cheerful and lively, his merry laugh might be +heard in the midst of a knot of his admirers, to whom he was relating +some amusing anecdote, while his shrewd remarks were the result of keen +observation, and proved his intellect to be by no means of a low order. + +His elder brother Juggut was fat, lazy, and good tempered, but wanting +the energy of his brothers. These two are the youngest members of the +family, and are devotedly attached to Jung. + +Mounting our ponies at an early hour on the following morning, we bade +adieu to the Residency and its hospitable inmates, and cantered along +narrow lanes bordered by hedges of prickly pear, and roughly paved with +large stones: sometimes we passed between steep banks over gently +swelling hills terraced to their summits, and reminding me strongly of a +vine-growing country. + +Soon the road became more broken, and, on gaining the top of a steep +hill, we took our last view of the valley of Katmandu before commencing +the ascent of the precipitous Chandernagiri. From this point we gazed +with indescribable delight on the valley so peculiar if not unrivalled in +its beauty: its compact red-brick villages or straggling houses, which, +with their quaintly-carved gables, clustered up the hillsides; its sacred +groves containing numerous venerated shrines in picturesque proximity to +the clear streams that gushed down from the neighbouring hills; its +ancient cities, whose dismantled walls enclosed the ruined tenements of a +departed race; the richly-cultivated knolls, the Chinese pagodas, the +Bhuddist dagobas on the banks of the sacred Bhagmutty, the narrow but +substantially-built brick bridges by which it was spanned, continually +traversed by an industrious population;--all these objects formed a +picture, "with all the freshness and glory of a dream," to which the +towering monument of Bheem Singh in the far distance, while it indicated +the position of the capital of this favoured vale, was a fitting centre. + +At Thankote, eight miles from Katmandu, we dismounted, and commenced in +earnest the ascent of the Chandernagiri. It is the steepest pass on +either of the roads by which the valley of Nepaul is entered, and for +that reason seems generally chosen by the natives, who would not for the +world miss the pleasure of toiling up an almost inaccessible mountain. +They certainly cannot be accused of neglecting the opportunities their +country affords them for strengthening the muscles of their legs. The +traveller had need to have his shins cased if he intends to climb a hill +with a Newar mountaineer, for the path is so steep that the hillmen, as +they clamber up, frequently dislodge stones, which come tumbling down +upon those behind. However, I should have despised the blows from the +stones, and should not have cared for the fatigue of the rugged ascent, +if, on reaching the summit of the Chandernagiri, I had been rewarded with +the view which it commands in clear weather. + +Colonel Kirkpatrick thus describes this glorious scene as it burst upon +him in all its magnificence:--"From hence the eye not only expatiates on +the waving valley of Nepaul, beautifully and thickly dotted with villages +and abundantly checquered with rich fields fertilized by numerous +meandering streams, but also embraces on every side a wide expanse of +charming and diversified country. It is the landscape in front, however, +that most powerfully attracts the attention--the scenery in this +direction rising to an amphitheatre, and exhibiting to the delighted view +the cities and numberless temples of the valley below, the stupendous +mountain of Sheopoori, the still supertowering Jib Jibia, clothed to its +snow-capped peak with pendulous forests, and finally the gigantic +Himaleh, forming the majestic background to this wonderful and sublime +picture." + +This majestic background was now concealed behind a dense bank of clouds, +and the prospect was bounded by Sheopoori. + +The snowy range is the most striking feature in Nepaul scenery, and the +most important element in its composition, since the effect produced by +the grandeur of its stupendous summits is probably unequalled. + +It would be hardly fair to compare the valley in which Katmandu is +situated with any other part of the world, since it is so peculiar in its +characteristics and totally unlike the rest of the Nepaul dominions; but, +standing on the summit of Chandernagiri, and looking over the mountainous +district which stretched away to the south, and across which our road +lay, we could not but be struck by the bleak appearance of the mountains, +neither desolate nor rugged enough to possess the majesty of a bold and +sublime solitude, nor sufficiently wooded and populous to exhibit that +softer and more animating character which in the scenery of Switzerland +is no less charming than its grandeur is imposing. Of course this does +not apply to all Nepaul; the lower ranges are more woody, the valleys +more sunny and fertile, but there is a lamentable want of water +throughout. I do not remember ever to have seen so much as a horse-pond +in Nepaul, or a single waterfall of any magnitude: the traveller will +therefore probably be disappointed in the scenery, until he reaches the +Chandernagiri, when indeed he must be difficult to please if he is not +fascinated by the view of the valley at his feet, unsurpassed in the +singular character of its beauty, and of the mountains beyond it, +unparalleled by any in the whole world. + +We followed the course of the stream down the mountain and along the +valley of Chitlong, until we reached the foot of the Bhimphede pass, +when, striking into the path by which we had entered Nepaul, we toiled up +it, reaching the summit just before sunset, when we were delighted by the +farewell view of the snowy mountains which we obtained at this point. The +upper edge of the curtain of clouds had now become slightly lower, +allowing a single peak to show itself. Gilded by the rays of the +declining sun, it shone out in strong relief, like some unusual +phenomenon; and as we gazed upon it high in the heavens we found it +difficult to believe that it was part of the earth we stood on, and felt +almost inclined to agree with the faithful, who throughout India regard +this heaven-piercing summit as the centre of the universe, around which +the sun, moon, and stars perform their courses, the sacred and mysterious +Mount Menou. + +Gradually the bright crimson rays of the setting sun began to fade, and +reminded us that we had to make a long descent ere we could reach the +tent pitched at the bottom for our reception; and our former experience +had taught us that the Bhimphede pass was not the most pleasant road in +the world on which to be benighted. So we hurried on at the risk of our +necks, the loose stones rolling down before us, and rendering our footing +anything but safe in the growing darkness. + +When we reached the foot of the mountain our servants met us with torches +and guided us to the tent; and as we spread our dinner upon a rickety old +bedstead, which, wonderful to relate, this out-of-the-way village +supplied, we came to the conclusion that there were many worse lodgings +in the world than the snug little single-poled tent at the old Newar +village of Bhimphede. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +_A dilemma at Bisoleah--Ignominious exit from the Nepaul dominions--The +resources and capabilities of Nepaul--Articles of import from Thibet and +Chinese Tartary--A vision of the future_. + +At Bhimphede we remounted our elephant, following, as before, the valley +of the Rapti to Hetowra, thence through the great saul forest to +Bisoleah, where we expected to find our palanquins. In this we were not +disappointed; but unfortunately our bearers, tired of waiting for us at +so uninteresting a spot, had thought themselves justified in absconding; +which proceeding, while it was a considerable saving to us in a pecuniary +point of view, was particularly annoying under existing circumstances, +the day being far advanced and Segowly still thirty miles distant. +However, by dint of a great deal of threatening, and coaxing, and +bribing, and a very frequent use of the magic name of the Minister Sahib, +who, we assured them, would take into his especial favour every coolie +that volunteered for our service, and would visit with his heavy +displeasure all those who refused, we induced a sufficient number of men +to agree to bear our empty palanquins. Unloading two ponies, which were +carrying cotton, we put our luggage on one, riding the other by turns, +and so, one of us sitting on a rough sack without bridle or stirrups, the +other walking by his side, we marched out of the village and across the +open plain of the Terai. We were soon after left in darkness, and, +becoming separated from our palanquins, as was to be expected, we lost +our way, and wandered for some time disconsolately over the grassy plain, +until at length, stumbling upon a village, we procured a guide and +overtook the bearers a little beyond the Nepaul frontier. Ere we reached +it, however, we were obliged to traverse numerous streams, which we +crossed riding double on our pony. Altogether we made our exit from +Nepaul in very different style from that in which we had entered it, and +were not a little glad to arrive at Segowly shortly before dawn. + +The journey from Katmandu to Segowly can scarcely be accomplished in less +than three days and three nights, not on account of the distance, but of +the frightfully bad roads, which quite preclude the possibility of +travelling faster than at the rate of two miles an hour. + +There is scarcely a country in the world in which the state of the roads +is so much to be lamented, since, apart from the benefit which would +accrue to Nepaul itself, we too should be gainers, by having not only the +valuable productions of Nepaul brought to our markets, but also those of +the more distant Thibet, which are always precious from their intrinsic +value, and the cost of which is at present greatly increased by reason of +the expensive journey across the Nepaulese hills in addition to the +transit of the Himalayas. + +The Terai is at present the only part of the Nepaul dominions which is +profitable from the revenue yielded by its productions. Valuable timber +and turpentine, ivory and hides, are shipped down the Boori Gundak, on +which river Segowly is situated, to Calcutta; still the cost of a +government licence for cutting timber is so heavy as in a great measure +to deter speculators from engaging in an undertaking in which so +considerable an outlay is demanded, exclusive of the expenses attendant +on the felling and transport of the timber. Besides the saul the Terai +contains ebony, mimosa, and other useful trees. + +The trade in hides is not, as I have already remarked, carried out to the +extent it is capable of. But in spite of all these drawbacks, the Terai +alone, of all the Nepaul dominions, can be looked upon by the British as +offering a profitable field for trade and commercial speculations. + +Nevertheless, the interior of Nepaul contains productions far more +valuable than those of the Terai. Its mineral resources are such as +would in all probability, if properly developed, render their +mountainous, and in some parts barren country, one of the richest in the +world. Iron, lead, copper, and zinc mines abound, and are in fact +worked, but, from all I could learn, so very badly, that, even did their +roads allow of the export of the metals, it is to be questioned whether, +without the application of a better system, enough metal could be +obtained to do more than supply the home demand. + +However that may be, there is no doubt of the existence of these mines, +and, if ever there were tolerable roads, the necessary skill for working +them would doubtless follow. So backward are the Nepaulese in their +treatment of minerals, that they cannot smelt lead: the fact of their +_beating_ cannon-balls into shape proves their incapacity to cast iron, +unless it results from a peculiarity of the ore, so frequent in India, +which, instead of yielding cast-iron at once when reduced in the usual +way, gives wootz--a condition of iron closely allied to steel, ductile +but not fusible. Of this I had no opportunity of judging. + +Nepaul also possesses mines of sulphur, and, it is said, of antimony; +whether this latter is found in the country does not seem certain; it is, +however, an article of import from Thibet. Amongst other minerals are +corundum, figure-stone, and talc; and amongst the present exports from +the interior of Nepaul may be noticed turmeric, wax, honey, resin, +pepper, cardamums: all these, however, are exported in but small +quantities, owing partly to the difficulty of transport, and partly to +the want of enterprise and capital in a nation thoroughly ignorant of all +mercantile transactions. + +It is much to be regretted that no European is now allowed to settle in +Nepaul; for its many latent resources must remain undiscovered, or at +least undeveloped, until the present blind policy of its government is +changed, when British enterprise and British capital introduces a new era +in its commercial existence, which will doubtless prove no less +profitable to the country itself than to the capitalist. + +Of the immense expanse of country lying in a north-westerly direction +towards Cashmere we know nothing, save by report, and that is not always +to be trusted. The Minister told me that, in a province three days' +journey from the capital in that direction, sufficient horses were bred +to supply the wants of the whole country. That seemed perfectly +possible, considering how limited is the demand in this respect; but, on +our homeward journey, we passed a drove of upwards of two hundred long- +backed, spindle-legged colts, going up to Katmandu, and that did not seem +exactly corroborative of the Minister's assertion. + +But, whatever may be its capabilities as regards horses, it doubtless +possesses many resources; but it is not on the productions of Nepaul +alone that the European speculator would calculate, but on the rare and +precious merchandise of Thibet and the northern provinces of China--such +as the miledo, or exquisitely soft material fabricated from the wool of +the celebrated shawl-goat, itself a rare and valuable animal; and the +chowries or tails of a peculiar species of bullock inhabiting the snowy +regions, at present an article of export from the hill states in the +north-west provinces of India, and extensively used throughout the +continent as fly-flappers. + +Musk, procured from the musk-deer, is a most valuable article of +commerce, and the present trade is exceedingly lucrative; of very +inconsiderable bulk, and of great intrinsic worth, it is one of the few +things that can be imported into India with a profit. It there fetches +enormous prices; a small musk necklace, which I saw in the possession of +the Minister, and which certainly was not a foot long, was valued at 25 +pounds. It is very seldom, however, that musk can be procured +unadulterated. It is not, however, so much as an ornament, as a +medicine, that we should use this now costly substance. + +But the most valuable productions at present imported from Thibet are +mineral. Immense quantities of salt are brought over the Himalayas on +sheep's backs; gold-dust, borax, sulphur, antimony, arsenic, orpiment, +and medicinal drugs are also imported into Nepaul. + +The animals which abound in these cold regions, and which might be worth +importing, are musk-deer, sheep, shawl-goats, chowrie bullocks, falcons, +pheasants--in fact, it would be hopeless to attempt to enumerate all +those productions, animal, vegetable, and mineral, which are now scarcely +known except by name, but which will doubtless some day be objects of +traffic and commercial enterprise. For instance, there are various +medicinal drugs and dyes (among which may be mentioned madder and +spikenard) which are said to exist, but are now almost totally unknown. + +Among the present articles of import are embroideries, taffetas, chintz, +silk, cotton, cloth, carpets, cutlery, sandalwood, tobacco, conch-shells, +soap, etc. Surely it is no very extravagant flight of imagination to +suppose that the day may yet come when the unattainable and almost +unknown productions of the trans-Himalayan regions will be transported +across that mighty range, in well-appointed carriages, over macadamised +mountain-passes; and the noble work of the scientific engineer will thus +supersede the flocks of heavily-laden sheep, driven by uncivilized and +ill-clothed Bootyas, who, "impelled by the force of circumstances over +which they have no control," will don their smockfrocks and turn draymen; +when the traveller, going to the coach-office, Durbar-square, Katmandu, +may book himself in the royal mail through to H'Lassa, where, after a +short residence at the Grand Lama Hotel, strongly recommended in Murray's +'Handbook for the Himalayas,' he may wrap himself in his fur bukkoo, and, +taking his seat in a first-class carriage on the Asiatic Central Railway, +whisk away to Pekin, having previously telegraphed home, _via_ St. +Petersburg, that he proposes returning through North America, and will, +therefore, probably be detained a few hours longer than he had +anticipated. + +Such a state of things _we_ may not live to see, but it is by no means +unlikely that ere long a railway may run from Calcutta to the northern +frontier of British India; so that, when Nepaul is thrown open to +European enterprise, its costly productions will be easily and cheaply +transported to the nearest port, while the now almost uncivilized +Nepaulese would obtain European luxuries unknown to any of them except +Jung Bahadoor and his travelled suite. + +Nor will the idea of a direct communication between Nepaul and Pekin seem +either so improbable or impossible when we consider that an embassy now +makes the journey once every five years. It occupies no less than two +years, including a residence of less than two months in the capital of +the Celestial Empire. I met two or three Nepaulese who had accomplished +the enterprise, and who spoke in glowing terms of Pekin, and of the +magnificence displayed throughout those portions of the Chinese Empire +which they traversed, as well as of the great city of Lassa, and the +terrible mountains to be crossed and the incredible dangers to be +overcome. + +The mission is composed of twenty-seven persons, and would not be +admitted across the frontier of China if it consisted of one more or less +than the stated number. It must arrive on the frontier on a certain day, +and is subject to various rules and regulations: at the same time every +provision is made by the Chinese for the comfort of the members of the +embassy while on their journey. The journey from Pekin to Lassa has +lately been made by Messrs. Huc and Gabet, two French missionaries, and +has been graphically described by them. + +The Nepaulese look with the greatest awe upon their wealthy and highly- +civilized neighbours; but the Minister, having now lived amongst people +more warlike and accomplished than even the Chinese, regards them with +great contempt; and I should not be surprised if, before long, accounts +reach us of the invasion, by the Nepaulese, of the northern provinces of +China, when the Minister would bring to bear his recently acquired +knowledge, and would doubtless prove more than a match for the rudely- +equipped forces of his Celestial Majesty. + +The Tartar race, however, who would oppose the progress of a Nepaul army, +are a very different set from their tea-drinking countrymen on the +southern coast. + +But to return from Chinese Tartars to the country we had just quitted. +The kingdom of Nepaul extends for upwards of three hundred miles along +the southern slopes of the Himalayas, and is said to contain a population +of about five millions. Of these four hundred thousand inhabit the +valley of Nepaul proper. The lands are divided into four classes of +tenures--first, crown lands; secondly, Kroos or Soona Birtha, belonging +to Brahmins or Newars; thirdly, Kohriya or Bari, barren lands granted for +cultivation; and, lastly (and this is the most extensive class of the +four), Kaith, in which the proprietor is at all charges of tillage, +dividing the produce with the cultivator. + +The silver coinage of Nepaul is somewhat similar to that in use +throughout British India; in all the northern provinces of which, +adjoining Nepaul, it passes current: the copper coinage is most +extensive, and consists of shapeless lumps of copper, eighteen or twenty +of which go to a halfpenny; they are used by the natives of India in +preference to their own pice. + +But it is time to take leave of this interesting country, with its snowy +mountains and sunny valleys--its ignorant people and enlightened +Minister--its bloodstained past and hopeful future. I had already +mentally whispered my adieu, as, riding behind my companion on the +rawboned pony, I crossed the boundary stream; and pleased and interested +as we had been with our short stay in Nepaul, still we could not help +regretting that it had not fallen to our lot to discover new wonders--to +encamp on the shores of the great lake situated in the distant province +of Malebum, the existence of which was vaguely hinted at by my friend +Colonel Dhere Shum Shere--to explore unvisited mountains, and to +luxuriate in the magnificent scenery which they must contain; the +enjoyment heightened by the feeling that we were the first Europeans who +had penetrated their inhospitable recesses. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + +_Journey to Lucknow--Nocturnal disasters--View of the +Himalayas--Wild-beast fights--Banquet given by the King of Oudh--Grand +display of fireworks--Our return to cantonments_. + +Unquestionably the pleasures of travelling cannot be said to be +altogether unalloyed--a consideration which the journey from Segowly to +Lucknow irresistibly forced upon our minds, how determined soever we +might be to adhere to the traveller's first principle of making the best +of everything. We left the station about dusk, upon a night in which the +elements seemed to have combined to cause us as much discomfort as +possible, and the violence of the storm about midnight compelled us to +take shelter in every tope of trees we came to, or, as it appeared to me, +wherever the bearers thought we stood a good chance of being struck by +the lightning which was vividly flashing in most unpleasant proximity. +The deluge of rain soon made the path so slippery that our progress was +much retarded, which would not have signified had it not happened that +every now and then my slumbers were most disagreeably disturbed by a +crash which flattened my nose against the side of the palanquin, or +produced a violent shock to every part of my body, the effect of a slip +of some unhappy bearer who was himself on the broad of his back, and had +brought down the palanquin, bearers and all, in his tumble. + +This occurred to me no less than five times in one night, and the +consequence was that my palanquin was in even a worse condition than my +body; it did not possess a single uncracked panel, nor were there any +means of keeping the doors in, far less closed, and the cooling influence +of the rain which pelted upon me was only counteracted by the feverish +anxiety I experienced from the momentary expectation of feeling the +bottom give way, which would have inevitably landed me in the mud in a +most deplorable condition--as had been the case with every book or other +loose article about me. + +Daylight, however, revealed a prospect which banished at once the +remembrance of our nocturnal annoyances. The whole of the Himalayan +range, tinged by the glowing rays of the rising sun, displayed to our +delighted and astonished gaze its long and majestic line of snowy peaks, +while the atmosphere, cleared by the night's heavy rain, brought out in +bold relief the sharp outline of every point and angle from the clear +horizon-line of the various summits down to where the light morning haze +still shrouded their base. + +Unobscured by intervening mountains, and towering high above a sea of +mist, well may they impress with wonder and admiration the traveller +journeying over the plains of India, as he beholds them for the first +time; nor could I, familiar as they were to me, withdraw my gaze until +the increasing power of the sun rendered the atmosphere more hazy, and +gradually veiled this glorious picture from my view, as if it were too +precious to be exhibited for any length of time. + +The journey to Goruckpore occupied us two nights and a day of incessant +travelling over a flat but cheerful-looking wheat country. It is a +pretty little station, containing a regiment and a few civilians, and is +situated on the banks of the Rapti, our old Nepaulese acquaintance under +a very different face. + +The Gograh, which we crossed the following morning, is the boundary that +divides the British territory from that of his Majesty of Oudh; and +Fyzabad was the first town in his dominions at which we halted. Situate +about six miles from the river, it is approached by a narrow muddy lane +which winds among numbers of squalid huts, while a considerable +sprinkling of handsome mosques and minarets showed the predominance of +Mahomedanism in the country in which we were now travelling; but they all +seemed falling to decay, and were inhabited chiefly by Hindoo monkeys, +who lazily inspected one another on the sunny corners of some ruined +temple, or chased each other irreverently through the sacred groves. + +Fyzabad was formerly the capital; but the seat of government was changed +to Lucknow at the accession of Azof-up Dowlah in 1775. + +We were not sorry, after spending another twenty-four hours in our +rickety palanquins, to see the massive mosques and lofty minarets of +Lucknow looming in the distance, while handsome buildings in varied +styles of architecture gave to this city a handsome and more imposing +appearance than any I had yet visited in the provinces of India. + +We had been so much delayed by the weather, that we missed seeing the +wild-beast fight, which was just concluded as we entered the town. This +was not so much to be regretted however, since, from all we heard, it had +on this occasion proved a tame affair, though it is often most exciting. +The fight between the buffalo and tiger seemed to have caused most +interest, but the unfair practice of blunting the horns of the buffalo +was not congenial to the fair-play feelings of the British portion of the +community. Those who have witnessed a combat between a hyaena and a +donkey, however, say that it exceeds in its ludicrous interest any other +of these animal encounters; the donkey (as is natural) possesses the +sympathies of the spectators, and usually comes off victorious. + +His Majesty had prepared a grand entertainment for the evening, whither, +in company with my kind host, the Assistant Resident, I was by no means +sorry to repair--for the King of Oudh is necessarily associated in one's +mind with exquisite sauces and viands, and we promised ourselves a first- +rate dinner after our tedious journey. + +The street leading to the palace was brilliantly illuminated, as was also +the palace itself, while the view from the reception-rooms was most +unique. The glare of lamps lighted up a square, in which was a garden +fitted with the grotesque frames of the various fireworks of the evening. +Birds and beasts of all descriptions were there, waiting to be let off. +Meantime, extraordinary equipages came driving up in rapid succession; +the magnificent coach-and-six of the King was followed by the +unpretending buggy of the bold subaltern, while natives of high degree +descended from gorgeously attired elephants, or sprang lightly off their +prancing Arabs: the varied costumes of the different guests as they +passed under a blaze of lamps added not a little to the brilliancy and +novelty of the scene. + +The court-yard behind contained a large tank, in which the reflection of +hundreds of lamps glittered brightly. Servitors, soldiers, and officers +of his _Condimental_ Majesty's household, filled every available portion +of the yard. The spacious reception and banqueting rooms were crowded to +excess, and smelt like a perfumer's shop in which, by some accident, all +the bottles had been left uncorked; while brilliantly-attired natives +scratched past you, glittering with jewels, and _chevaux de frise_ of +sharp gold tinsel. + +At last the King made his appearance, and the guests all jostled into +chairs as best they might. My position, almost immediately opposite his +Majesty, afforded me ample opportunity of inspecting the quantity and +quality of the jewels with which his person was absolutely loaded, and +which I had never seen equalled in magnificence: a rope of pearls, +passing over one shoulder, was tied in a knot at his waist, from which +the costly ends negligently depended; his turban and breast were covered +with diamonds and other precious stones; and it was a matter of wonder +that he did not sink under the heat of the room, combined with the extent +of mineral productions he carried on his person. But the jewels, though +worthy of great attention, did not possess nearly so much interest in my +eyes as did the mode by which he renovated the burly form that they +adorned. On one side of him stood the bearer of his magnificently +jewelled hookah, on the other the bearer of the royal spoon, the contents +of which he was already wistfully surveying as it was mixed up by the +skilful feeder into the form and consistency that his Majesty loved, and +put, as a nurse would put pap, into his Majesty's mouth, which was then +carefully wiped by another man, who, I presume, is called the "wiper," +and who was succeeded in his turn of duty by the hookah-bearer, who +gently inserted the mouthpiece between the royal lips, in order that his +Majesty might fill up, by a puff of the fragrant weed, the time required +for the preparation of another spoonful. This routine of feeding, +wiping, and smoking was only varied when the King slowly licked his lips, +which he did in a dignified manner, and with a reproachful look at the +wiper, whereat the wiper might be observed to tremble: poor wiper! I dare +say that, if his Majesty finds it necessary to lick his lips thrice in +one meal, it is equivalent to signing poor wiper's death-warrant. But +his Majesty was not the only person that licked his lips; I found myself +repeatedly doing the same, but it was with the feelings of a hungry hound +as he envies a more fortunate member of the pack the possession of a +juicy bone. Though the royal table groaned with viands, and though I was +famishing, there was nothing but sponge-cake that any but a madly +imprudent person could have ventured on. The cold cutlets, fried in +rancid lard, rise up before me now, an unpleasant vision of the past; and +I distinctly remember the mingled disgust and horror which I felt while +breaking the crust of yellowish tallow to help a gallant young officer +near me, who must have endured the privations of a Sutlej campaign to +enable him to eat it. + +At last we discovered some drinkable champagne, and drank her Majesty's +health with all the honours; after which we paid a similar compliment to +his Majesty of Oudh, while all the grandees of the realm--who, sitting on +chairs like ourselves, lined one side of the long range of tables, and +seemed enveloped in a blaze of glistening jewels--looked as if they +thought it all a very disrespectful proceeding. + +There was a very loud band that played "God save the Queen," and two or +three very discordant singing women, who sang what I suppose was an Ode +upon Sauce, as being the Oudh national anthem. At length dinner was +over, and immediately there was a rush to the windows to see the +fireworks, which seemed to be all let off at once, so that it was +impossible to distinguish anything but a universal twisting and whirling, +and fizzing and cracking; and an elephant looked very brilliant for a +moment, and then went off through his eyes with a bang, and was no +more;--sham men exploded; and real men jumped into sparkling, crackling +flames; and rockets and fire-balloons went up; so that, if the lessee of +Vauxhall or Cremorne could let off or send up half as many things as were +let off and went up on this occasion in the court-yard of the Lucknow +Durbar, he would make a fortune. At last everything that had not gone in +some other direction went out; the King stood at the top of the stairs, +and those who were presented, after receiving tinsel necklaces from the +hands of royalty, passed down stairs, and the guests went away by +whatever means of conveyance they might possess--a very motley and +somewhat noisy party. The mode which we made use of to return to +cantonments, a distance of four miles, was rather singular, not to be +recommended except on an emergency: the carriages seemed to have +decreased in proportion as the number of guests had multiplied, and in +some unaccountable manner many of us were left to accomplish our return +as best we could. It was in vain that we attempted to persuade the seven +occupants of a buggy to receive us among them--we met with a stern +refusal. It was useless to supplicate a number of rich Baboos, on a +handsome elephant, to help us in our difficulties; the rich Baboos +laughed, and told us we might get up behind, if we liked. And so all +that brilliant throng went whirling back to cantonments, and we were left +disconsolately standing in the court-yard, with the probability of having +to trudge home. This was not to be thought of for a moment, and we had +just arrived at a pitch of desperation when a handsome carriage, with the +blinds all up, and drawn by a pair of high-stepping horses, came rattling +toward us. Not a moment was to be lost; we rushed frantically forward +and ordered an immediate halt. In vain did the venerable coachman and +determined-looking servant intimate to us that the carriage was his +Majesty's; his Majesty, we assured them, was still carousing in his +palace: so, depositing them both in the interior, without loss of time we +mounted the box, and a moment after the high-stepping horses were dashing +along the road to cantonments in brilliant style. We looked +contemptuously down into the buggy, still clung to by its seven +occupants, and galloped at a startling pace past the jocose Baboos, very +much to the annoyance of their sedate elephant. On arriving at the +cantonments we liberated his Majesty's domestics, and, ordering them to +be careful how they heated his high-caste Arabs on their way back, we +adjourned to a repast, to which the King's dinner had not incapacitated +us from doing ample justice. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + +_A Lucknow Derby-day--Sights of the city--Grand Trunk Road to +Delhi--Delhi--The Coutub--Agra--The fort and Taj--The ruins of Futtehpore +Secreh--A loquacious cicerone--A visit to the fort of Gwalior--The +Mahratta Durbar--Tiger-shooting on foot_. + +On the following morning, in spite of all this dissipation, we, as well +as the greater part of the population of Lucknow, were perfectly ready to +go to the races, which took place at an early hour. After seeing the +first race, which was a well-contested one, and in which the natives +seemed to take particular interest, I went towards the town, and was +amused on the way by comparing the various conveyances used at Lucknow +with those that may be seen on the road to Epsom on the Derby-day. + +Here came dashing along a coach and six, the four leading horses ridden +by postilions, while a sporting Baboo drove the wheelers, and two more +sporting friends sat inside, and outriders vociferously cleared the way. +Here two of the King's eunuchs jogged along in great style on camels with +gaudy trappings; after them came prancing steeds bearing some gorgeously- +dressed young princes, and then innumerable elephants bearing all sorts +of disreputable-looking characters, the gents and blacklegs of the +Lucknow community. In fact, I recognised specimens of nearly all the +various classes of society which are to be met with at races in England, +except that none of the fair sex were to be seen on this occasion. + +There can be no doubt that Lucknow is a fast place, and contains a very +sporting population; and, if I remember right, the winning horse was the +property of the turbaned owner of a four-in-hand. + +As in duty bound, we explored the whole city, but a correct idea of the +edifices with which it abounds is only to be gained from the drawings, +which are executed by the natives with the most delicate minuteness, and +convey a very correct notion of the exterior of the handsome mosques, +minarets, tombs, and palaces, which render Lucknow a most interesting +locality. + +The Imaum Bara is said to contain the largest arched room in the world, a +fact which we very much doubted. The "Gate of Constantinople" is +handsome; not so La Martinere, an attempt at an Italian villa, the +figures on the roof of which look as much out of keeping with the rest of +the edifice as the building itself looks out of place planted in the +midst of paddy-fields; it was erected by General Claude Martine, +originally a French grenadier, and it is now, according to his express +intentions, devoted to educational purposes. + +One cannot but be struck by the singular taste of eastern potentates, who +are so much more careful to provide a handsome place for their reception +when dead than they are for their residence while alive. Were I the King +of Oudh I should immediately move into the handsome tomb at present +vacant, and leave directions to be buried in my palace. + +A night's journey took us to Cawnpore, one of the largest and most +disagreeable-looking stations in India. Here I resumed my acquaintance +with the great trunk road under more favourable circumstances, and was +not a little pleased to find how rapidly I was approaching Delhi. The +carriage in which I travelled was a small palanquin on wheels, which one +horse dragged along with ease; and as the stages were short, and the road +very good, he was generally put into a hand-gallop at starting, and kept +his pace up for the five or six miles allotted to him. + +The great number of carts we passed confirmed me in thinking that this +was the proper line for an experimental railway. The country is here +well cultivated throughout; there is no water-carriage to contend +against, and the present means of conveying goods is lamentably slow and +expensive. The formation of the country affords every facility for the +construction of a railway, being perfectly level throughout; whereas +between Calcutta and Benares, the Rajmahal hills have to be traversed: +besides these many advantages, this line would be attended with a +pecuniary saving to the Government, as the two or three military stations +now on this road might be abolished. + +The sights at Delhi are worth a visit, but are too well known to need +description. In the centre of the town stands the Jumma Musjid, the St. +Peter's of Mahomedans; its handsome domes and tapering minarets are built +of red sandstone and white marble, a combination which is common in the +edifices of this city, and which produces a most agreeable effect. From +the summit of one of the minarets an extensive view is obtained. + +The large and well-built city, containing 156,000 inhabitants, is +enclosed by a wall, beyond which the country stretches away in appearance +much like the Campagna at Rome. It is covered with ruins, which, with a +few modern tombs scattered amongst prostrate slabs, give it a picturesque +aspect. Through this Campagna we drove one day to see the Coutub. We +passed the handsome tomb of Suftur Jung, and the mausoleums of many other +worthies, the splendour of whose present resting-places betokened their +former greatness. The Coutub is a tall column that is said to have been +originally intended for a minaret, though the Hindoos claim it as having +been erected before the Mahomedan invasion; however that may be, it is a +singularly beautiful monument, and rises to a height of 260 feet. It was +worth toiling up its narrow circular staircase to enjoy the view which +the summit afforded of the country I had just traversed: the Jumma Musjid +at Delhi was discernible in the distance, while immediately below lay the +large camp of the Commander-in-Chief, the tents of which were pitched +with great regularity, and looked dazzling white in the bright sun. After +descending the column, I wandered awhile amidst the ruins at its foot, +some of which looked very much as if they were of _Jain_ origin,--and +then returned to a desirable tomb, which the hospitable commissioner has +converted into a delightful retreat from the noisy city. + +I left Delhi with no little regret after an agreeable sojourn of a week, +and rolled rapidly over the excellent road to Agra, so smooth that it was +_irresistible_ to the laziest horse, and 130 miles were easily +accomplished in eighteen hours including stoppages. + +Of Agra the passing traveller can say little, because its wonders are so +inexhaustible and so interesting. The magnificent tomb at Secundra of +that greatest of Mahomedan princes, Ackbar, must be left to the +description already given by travellers of more leisure; so must the fort +and the white marble palace which it contains, where dwelt the powerful +Aurungzebe when he made Agra his capital. It was an endless source of +interest to me to wander through the paved courts and under the marble +columns of that glistening palace,--to look down upon the river, winding +at the base of the lofty walls,--to descend into dark vaults in which +were fountains and baths with water ever cool,--to creep yet lower, with +a dim flickering light, into the execution chamber, and stand under the +beam which had sustained the fair form of many a frail and faithless +beauty,--to retreat from the stifling influence of its confined air, and +return to inspect delicate little mosques, in which the Queen and her +maidens used to perform their devotions, and which were as pure and +chaste as the ladies were supposed to be. + +The only other interesting relics in the fort are the renowned gates of +Somnath, which are placed in the arsenal, and which need no description +from my pen. But the greatest sight which Agra affords is the far-famed +Taj Mahal: situated on the banks of the river, it is a conspicuous object +from every quarter, and is as beautiful in its proportions when seen from +a distance as in its details when more closely and minutely inspected: an +unfailing source of gratification to the beholder, it well merits +repeated visits. In its vastness, in its costly material, in its +beautiful proportion, and in its delicacy of detail, it stands a noble +monument of the talent which devised, and of the skill which executed it. +It is said to have incessantly occupied 20,000 men for 22 years, and +three million pounds sterling were expended upon it. + +The intention of Shah Jehan, whose ashes it covers, was to have connected +it by a marble bridge with a tomb exactly similar on the opposite side of +the river, in which were to be interred the remains of his wife. This +vast design he never lived to accomplish, and his son, who was of an +economical turn of mind, did not consider the maternal ashes worth a +further expenditure of three millions, and so Shah Jehan and his wife lie +buried in one tomb, which may safely be pronounced the most magnificent +in the world. + +* * * * * + +I like the Indian system of starting on a journey after dinner. When +other people are going to bed, you get into your comfortable palanquin, +and wake up 30 miles from your companions of the previous evening, who +are only beginning to rub their eyes, when you have already actively +commenced the work of exploring the sights at your destination. Thus did +I inspect the old city of Futtehpore Secreh under the guidance of Busreet +Alee, a garrulous old man, and a perfect specimen of a cicerone, with +whom I at once plunged into the most extensive ruins I had seen in India: +cloisters, colonnades, domes, walls, kiosks, and turrets, heaped together +in the utmost confusion, a mass of red sandstone, except when some white +marble denoted a more sacred or interesting spot as it glistened in the +beams of the rising sun. + +Ackbar, the founder of the spacious palaces here situated, was an +exception to the general rule of Eastern potentates, and his residence +must have been even more magnificent than the handsome tomb of Secundra, +in which his ashes repose. The legend regarding the reason for which +Futtehpore Secreh was pitched upon by the monarch as his seat of +government is somewhat singular. It seems that he had long desired a +successor to perpetuate his great name, and rule over his vast dominions, +the possession of most of which he owed to his own strong arm and fertile +genius: it was therefore a great disappointment to him that the wished- +for prince did not make his appearance. Ackbar accordingly consulted +Shah Selim Shurstre upon this important subject, and Shah Selim Shurstre, +who lived at Futtehpore Secreh, recommended a pilgrimage to Ajmeer, which +was no sooner accomplished than Ackbar became the happy father of Jehan +Giri. In gratitude for so eminent a service, and in order to have the +benefit of such sage advice in future cases of emergency, Ackbar left +Delhi, and fixed his residence at Futtehpore Secreh, which place +possessed the further advantage of being more in the centre of his recent +conquests. Notwithstanding his devotion to the holy man, Ackbar was a +most unorthodox Mahomedan, as the figures of animals carved upon the +pillars of the palace plainly testify. These figures were sadly +mutilated by his undutiful grandson, the bigoted Aurungzebe, who held all +such representations in much the same horror that a Presbyterian would a +picture of the Virgin. + +Busreet and I went over the ladies' apartments, which must have been very +cheerless, since they are entirely composed of immense slabs of red +sandstone and look hard and uncomfortable. Descending from them to the +level of the court-yard, Busreet took me into a narrow sort of corridor, +and jabbered incessantly for some minutes. I thought I could distinguish +the words "hide and seek;" but it was so very unnatural to suppose that +the only words of English Busreet knew were "hide and seek," that I +imagined he was repeating some Hindostanee phrase, until he dodged round +corners and behind pillars, crying out as he did so, "Hide and seek! Hide +and seek!"--from which I at last understood that he meant to inform me +that the ladies used to play that Occidental game in Ackbar's harem; so, +after a short game to show the old man that I understood him, we strolled +on to a singular kiosk-like little building, my guide every now and then +renewing the game and hobbling round corners despite of my remonstrances +to the contrary. The little temple was the residence of the holy man, +and near it a room of most extraordinary construction astonished me not a +little, since I could not divine its use, and Busreet afforded no +information on the subject, as he pulled my head down and whispered +something in my ear, which left me in doubt whether what he told me was a +secret, or whether he meant to intimate that it was a whispering gallery: +its real use I afterwards discovered. + +In the centre of a square room was a pillar 15 or 16 feet in height, the +circular top of which was six or eight feet in diameter and had been +surrounded by a stone parapet; communicating with this singular pulpit- +like seat were four narrow stone passages or bridges, one from each +corner of the room. In each corner a minister of the realm used to sit, +only one of whom might approach their royal master at a time. Seated on +this centre point high above the heads of his subjects, who crowded the +room below, and approached only by the four narrow causeways, the King +deemed himself secure from assassination. + +It was an original idea, and, after inventing so novel a method for +guarding against treachery, he deserved to die in his bed, as in fact he +did. + +Emerging from this singular apartment, we crossed a square, in the midst +of which was placed an immense slab of stone, raised a little off the +ground; on each of the four sides of this slab there were 16 squares +marked on the ground like those on a chessboard. + +Four ladies used to stand on the squares on each division, making sixteen +in all, each party of four dressed in garments of different colour from +those worn by the others. The King and his ministers sat on the slab in +the middle, and the game, which was something like chess, commenced. It +must have been a glorious game: the prizes were numerous and worth +playing for, and one can easily imagine the crafty old King moving his +Queen so as to take the lovely slave of one of his ministers, or a +handsome and fashionable young noble giving check to Queen and concubine; +probably the Queen could not be taken, but it must have added immensely +to the interest of the game to be playing with pieces that were +interested in the result. + +We ascended a handsome gateway of the mosque, 120 feet in height, whence +I looked over a wide expanse of level country, while the intricate maze +of ruins through which we had been wandering lay spread at our feet like +a map; the wall of the city is still entire, and encloses a space of six +miles in circumference, the extent of this once famous place. + +The court-yard of the mosque, which was at least 150 yards square, +contains the white marble tomb of the holy man. It is, without +exception, the most perfect little bijou imaginable. The walls are +composed of immense slabs, or rather screens of marble, delicately carved +and perforated, so that, while they allow a dim light to penetrate, the +effect of the tracery, when viewed from the interior, is exquisite. While +I was admiring this beautiful structure Busreet suddenly assured me that +he was very fond of tea. As he had already made many other observations +equally unconnected with the matter in hand, I merely assured him of my +sympathy; when the more home-question of whether I had any tea at once +enlightened me as to his meaning. I accordingly invited him to take tea +with me, and we sat on the steps of the good man's tomb, and had a +sociable cup together; after which I entered my palanquin, and, +travelling through the heat of the day, returned to Agra in a +semi-grilled condition. + +* * * * * + +Having seen most of the sights of Agra (and it has a goodly share of its +own), and having made the necessary preparations for the conveyance to +Bombay of our party, now four in number, we took our departure from the +handsome and hospitable residence of the Lieutenant-Governor, on the +evening of the 9th of March, and drove in our buggies by moonlight over +rather a wild country, in rather a wild manner, arriving at the station, +where our palanquins were to meet us, a little before midnight. + +An Indian coolie's powers of endurance are marvellous. Our cortege +consisted of 112; and they were to carry ourselves, servant, baggage, and +provisions, at the rate of thirty-five miles a night, for as many +consecutive nights as we should choose to require their services. + +We arrived at Dholpoor next day--looked down a magnificent well, about +sixty feet in diameter, with corridors round it, and a handsome flight of +stairs leading down to them--and then pushed on for Gwalior, crossing the +battle-field of Maharajpore, and paying a visit to the fort perched upon +the scarped rock. Some portions of the fort walls were covered with +various devices in green and yellow porcelain, which added to their +singular and characteristic appearance. + +We visited the young Rajah in Durbar, and the difference between the +Mahratta and Nepaulese Courts was most striking. The waving plumes, +hussar jackets, and gold-laced pantaloons of the latter were exchanged +for the simple white turban and flowing robe of the Indian senator; but +though the character of their costume may have been more in accordance +with our ideas of Oriental habits, there was a lamentable deficiency of +intellect in their faces, and the fire and intelligence which flashed +from the eye of the Highland noble were wanting in that of the Mahratta +chief. After two days' agreeable sojourn at the Residency we proceeded +for two or three consecutive nights over flat dreary country, spending +the days in the miserable little resthouses provided for the +accommodation of the traveller, and generally picking up a few partridges +for breakfast. + +At Goonah we had a prospect of more important game. We here fell in with +a most ardent sportsman: the numerous trophies of bears and tigers with +which his bungalow was adorned proved his success as well as his skill. + +With him we sallied forth at about 10 A.M., some on horseback and some on +an elephant, all equally indifferent to the sun, fiercely blazing in an +unclouded sky, and reached a dell, the sides of which were covered with a +low scrubby jungle, where sport was to be expected. + +As tiger-shooting on foot is almost unheard of in the northern part of +India, and is practised in the southern only, because the tiger there is +a much less formidable animal than his majesty of Bengal, we were told to +proceed with considerable caution by the veteran, who posted us in the +most likely places, saying to one of our party, as he stationed him in +the most _favourable_ locality, "I put you here because the tiger is +nearly sure to charge down this hill; and if he does, there will be very +little chance of escape for you, as you see he has so much the advantage +of you, that if you do not kill him with either barrel--and the skull of +a tiger is so narrow that it is exceedingly improbable you will be able +to do so--he must kill you, but I would not for the world that you should +miss the sport." + +Thus did this self-denying Nimrod debar himself the pleasure of being +charged by a tiger, reserving it, in the kindest manner, for his guests, +who but half appreciated the sacrifice he was making on their account, +from their dread of themselves becoming a sacrifice to the tiger. And as +they crouched behind their respective bushes they had time to brood over +the appalling stories of hairbreadth escapes just recounted to them by +the gallant captain, who had been particular in describing the requisites +for the successful tiger-shot--the steady hand and steady nerve--admitting +that these were not always efficacious, as the last tiger he had +encountered had struck him on the leg, and his torn inexpressibles +existed to this day to testify to it. The thoughts of this and sundry +other escapes he had experienced made the blood run cold, as one imagined +every rustle of the leaves to be a bristling tiger, preparing for his +fatal spring. + +Gradually the beaters approached nearer and nearer, and, as the circle +became smaller, pea-fowl innumerable flew over our heads with a loud +whirr, their brilliant plumage glancing in the sunshine like shot-silk. A +few moments more, and I perceived stripes gliding rapidly behind a bush, +and a shot from L--- made me suspect that our _worst_ anticipations had +been realised, and that we had really found a tiger--a suspicion which +soon disappeared, however, as a grisly hyaena bounded away, having +received a ball in his hind-quarters, which unfortunately did not prevent +his retreat. + +The beaters soon after appeared over the brow of the hill, and relieved +us for the present from further apprehension of that charge which was to +seal our fate, for the monarch of the Indian jungle had changed his +location. We beat some more jungles, in the hope of finding other game, +but only succeeded in bagging a deer. I had a long shot at a four-horned +buck, but the smooth bore of my piece was not equal to the distance. + +On our way home we came upon a cave, which, from marks in the +neighbourhood, bore evident signs of containing a panther; we accordingly +attempted to smoke him out by lighting quantities of straw at the mouth, +but he was not to be forced out of his secure retreat, and preferred +bearing an amount of smoke that would have stifled a German student. + +On the following day we renewed our attempt to find a tiger, and were to +a certain extent successful, as at one time we were within a few yards of +him, and could see the bushes move, but he succeeded in breaking through +the line of beaters; and some deer and a neelgye were all the game we +could boast of, notwithstanding a perseverance and endurance of heat +worthy of greater success. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + +_The carnival at Indore--Extraordinary scene in the palace of the +Holkar--A night at the caves of Ajunta--The caves of Ellora and fortress +of Doulatabad--The merits of a palkee--Reflections on the journey from +Agra to Bombay--Adieu to India_. + +After a few days' more travelling over the hot dry plains of Malwa we +reached its capital, Indore, where we spent some days at the hospitable +mansion of the Resident, and paid a visit to the Rajah, whose palace is +situated in the centre of that large and populous town. During our visit +a most extraordinary scene occurred. It happened that a sort of carnival +was going on; but the bonbons and bouquets of Italy are here represented +by little balls containing red, purple, or yellow dust, which burst the +moment they strike the object at which they are thrown, and very soon +after the _row_ commences two-thirds of the population are so covered +with red dust that they present the most extraordinary appearance; but it +is not the dust-balls which contribute so much to the dyeing of the +population as the squirts full of similar coloured liquids, which are to +be seen playing in every direction. Woe to the luckless individual who +incautiously exhibits himself in the streets of Indore during the +"Hoolie;" not that we ran any risk upon the occasion of our visit to the +Rajah, as we were on that account tabooed, and could laugh at our ease at +the rest of the claret-coloured world. Here a woman passed spotted like +a coach-dog: she had just come in for a spent discharge, and had escaped +the deluge, which her puce-coloured little boy had received so fully that +his whole face and person seemed to partake of the prevailing tint; while +yonder old greybeard is dusting his moustache from the red powder which +tinges it in strong contrast to the rest of his sallow countenance. + +After going through the ceremony of squatting on the floor of the +Durbar--our seven pair of unruly legs all converging to a common centre, +from our inability to double them under us, as his Majesty did--we +adjourned to the hall below to witness the "Hoolie" in safety. On each +side of the court-yard was a sort of garden-engine, one filled with a +purple and the other with a light-red fluid. The King's body-guard were +now marched in and divided into two parties, each sitting under one of +the garden-engines. At the main gateway of the court-yard stood two +elephants, with tubs of coloured liquid before them. At a given signal +the gallant troops were exposed to a most murderous cross-fire, which +they were not allowed to return: both garden-engines began playing upon +them furiously, and the elephants, filling their trunks, sent the +contents far and wide over the victims, who crouched down and bore in +patience the blood-red storm. At the same moment that a +dexterously-applied squirt whisked off some individual's turban, a +fountain from the other side playing into his eyes and mouth prevented +him from recovering it until some more fortunate neighbour, suffering +perhaps from ear-ache, received the claret-coloured salvo with such +violence that, if it failed to drive away the pain altogether, it must +have rendered him a martyr to that complaint for the rest of his life. + +After getting a thorough soaking they were sprinkled all over with a fine +red powder, which, caking upon them, completed the ceremony by rendering +them the most muddy, sticky-looking objects imaginable, as they withdrew +from the presence of the young Rajah, after receiving pawn. + +We were now offered balls of powder: had we thrown one at his Majesty, +which some of his household seemed very anxious we should do, nothing +could have saved us from a deluge. To commence the game upon the royal +platform is the signal of indiscriminate warfare throughout the whole +palace; the now passive troops would then have been allowed to retaliate, +the garden-engines would have been stormed and captured by opposing +squadrons, and the battle would have raged furiously until dark whereas +now, company of soldiers after company were ordered in to be shot down +like sheep. We, however, were contented with seeing each party come in +white and go out red, without wishing to go out red ourselves; besides +which, we should have been outnumbered, and Britons, for the first time, +would have been obliged to beat a retreat with tarnished honour as well +as tarnished jackets. + +The usual ceremony of presenting scents, spices, and garlands, having +terminated, we left the young King, much pleased with his intelligence +and good-nature: though only seventeen, he is a stranger to those vices +which are generally inherent in natives, and inseparable from their +courts. + +* * * * * + +We were ten days on our journey to the caves of Ajunta, having spent two +or three at the hill fort of Aseerghur, a characteristic Mahratta +stronghold; it is perched 700 feet above the plain, and just capacious +enough to contain a regiment, who must find some difficulty in climbing +its rocky steep approach, up which, however, the ponies of the garrison +scramble nimbly enough. + +We galloped over one afternoon from Furdapore to the caves of Ajunta, and +were delighted with their romantic situation high up the rocky glen +terminating in a waterfall, and so narrow, gloomy, and silent that it +harmonized well with these mysterious caverns, in one of which, more free +than the rest from bats, we determined to pass the night; and here, +surrounded by staring Bhuddas and rampant elephants, and gods and +goddesses making vehement love, according to the custom of such gentry, +we had a most comfortable tea preparatory to turning in: spreading my +blanket under the nose of a huge seated figure of Bhood, and guarded by +two very tall individuals in faded painting, which, as they had watched +over Bhood for twenty centuries, must have been well competent to perform +the same kind office for me, I was soon comfortably asleep, my head +pillowed on a prostrate little goddess, whom I was very reluctant to +leave when daylight warned us to proceed upon the work of examining the +wonders of the Rock Temples of Ajunta. + +So much has already been written on the interesting subject of the caves +of Ajunta, that they are more or less familiar to every one, or, if not +already familiar, are destined soon to become so, thanks to the skill and +energy of Captain Gill, who is at present engaged in making copies of all +the paintings. These will form a splendid collection, and some of them +have already been sent to England, and placed in the collection at the +East India House. It was doubly delightful to us, who had just +previously examined the originals, to look over the portfolios of this +talented draftsman. + +Ere we left the village of Ajunta we visited its neat whitewashed mosque: +the association connected with it must be replete with interest to the +Englishman, when he calls to mind that in it the Duke of Wellington--then +Sir Arthur Wellesley--wrote his despatches immediately previous and +subsequent to the victory of Assaye. + +The caves of Ellora are two days' journey from those of Ajunta, and are +much more cheerfully situated on the face of a hill commanding an +extensive view over a more smiling country than is usually to be met with +in the Deccan. + +It is difficult to say which set of caves are most worth seeing; +differing in many respects, they may be said to afford equal attraction +to the traveller. Ellora can boast of the wonderful "Kylas;" Ajunta of +those most interesting frescoes which carry the art of painting back to +an unknown period, but which at Ellora have been almost totally +obliterated by the ruthless and fanatical zeal of Aurungzebe. + +A few miles from the caves of Ellora frowns the rock fortress of +Doulatabad, a conspicuous object from every side, and we soon discovered +its interior to be as singularly interesting as its exterior was +formidable and imposing. The rock itself is a pyramid rising abruptly to +a height of 700 feet above the village which nestles at its base, while +it is scarped all round to the broad moat by which it is encircled, +forming a sheer precipice of 100 or 150 feet in depth. + +Passing through a massive gateway which led into the town, we entered the +fort by a similar approach, and crossing the moat by a narrow bridge we +plunged into a dark hole directly opposite; then passing by torchlight +through some small caves which were entered by very low portals, we began +to ascend the inclined plane which wound up the interior of the rock, and +which gradually became steeper till it ended in a flight of steps, our +guides lighting us on our uncertain path, until we emerged into daylight +by a large iron trap-door, pierced with innumerable small holes, the +object of which, as well as of a groove in the rock communicating with +the subterranean passage, was to enable the garrison, by filling the +passage with smoke and flame, to suffocate and blind the besiegers should +they ever succeed by any accident in penetrating thus far--in itself, as +it seemed to me, a very improbable contingency. We clambered up the face +of the rock to its summit, whence we had an extensive view of the arid +plains of the Deccan. + +Arungabad is the first station which we had visited in the dominions of +the Nizam. We were now approaching the confines of civilization, and it +became necessary to part with our palkees and the bearers, who had +accompanied us from Agra. A separation from the latter was easily borne, +and they, on their part, were no doubt glad to get rid of the burdens +they had been carrying for the last month. But to bid adieu for ever to +one's palkee is a severe trial; and no wonder, for to a man not in a +hurry it is the most luxurious and independent means of travelling +conceivable. + +If judiciously arranged it contains everything the traveller can want--a +library, a cellar, a soda-water range, a wardrobe, a kitchen; in fact, +there is no limit to the elasticity of a palkee. My plan was, +surreptitiously, to add a new comfort every day, and the unsuspecting +coolies carried me along as briskly as if my palkee contained nothing but +myself, and never seemed to feel the additional weight, upon the +principle of the man who could lift an ox by dint of doing so every +morning from the time when it was a calf. + +Then the delightful feeling of security, and the certainty that your +bearers won't shy, or come into collision, or go off the rails, or +otherwise injure your nerves or bones. You are independent of hotels and +hospitality. If the traveller in India depended upon the former, he +would pass many a night with the kerbstone for his pillow, if he had not +courage to claim the latter--which, be it remembered, he is certain to +receive abundantly at the hands of the Burra Sahib. A modest man has his +palkee; and for lack of courage on the one hand, and a rest-house on the +other, he orders himself to be set down for the night by the wayside, +and, shutting the doors towards the road, after boiling the water and +making tea with the apparatus contained in his pantry, he lights his +lamp, reads for an hour, pulls a light shawl over him, turns round, and +goes to sleep as soundly as if he were sumptuously couched in Belgravia. + +If the palkee be a good one, it defies weather; but I admit it is not +pleasant, on a dark night, to be carried along a slippery road with a +careless set of bearers. + +During the whole period of our journey since we had left Agra, with one +or two breaks in its ordinary routine, we seemed to have been passing a +monotonous existence at the same small and uncomfortable bungalow. It +consists of two rooms; in front is a tope of trees; behind are a few low +sandstone or trap hills, some scrubby bushes climbing up the sides, out +of which a partridge may easily be flushed: for the rest, the view +extends over a boundless plain, assuming during the heat of the day a +light yellow colour, at which period the coolies are all asleep in the +verandah, snoring in an infinite and interesting variety of notes and +keys. + +At sunset we take a constitutional, followed by our portable residences, +into which, after a romantic tea-drinking by the roadside, we turn in for +the night, awaking at daylight to find ourselves thirty miles nearer to +our journey's end, in a bungalow precisely similar to the one we had +lately quitted, and containing the same rickety table, greasy with the +unwiped remains of the last traveller's meal, which the book will inform +you was eaten a month ago--the same treacherous chairs, which look sound +until you inadvertently sit upon them--the same doubtful-looking couch, +from which the same interesting round little specimens emerge, much to +the discomfort of the occupant--the same filthy bathroom, which it is +evident the traveller a month ago did not use--the identical old +kitmutgar or bungalow-keeper, who looks as uncivilized as the bungalow +itself, and seems to partake of its rickety and dirty nature--the same +clump of trees before, and the same desert plain behind;--all tend to +induce the belief either that you have never left the bungalow in which +you spent the previous day, or that some evil genius has transported the +said bungalow thirty miles for the express purpose of persecuting you +with its horrors and miserable accommodation. + +Thus are 700 miles insensibly accomplished in a month by the traveller, +who only passes a dreamy existence in dak bungalows, to be roused into +violent action on his arrival at some sporting vicinity, a large +cantonment, a native Court, rock temples, or other excitements, which +must occur in the experiences of the Indian traveller. + +I went seventy miles in a bullock hackery, the most unpleasant mode of +travelling I conceive that can exist; then one hundred miles in a rickety +phaeton with a pair of horses, which was in a slight degree less +intolerable; and after visiting Mahabuleshwa, the hill station of Bombay, +I reached that mercantile emporium itself, not a little pleased at seeing +the sea on the English side of India. I was disappointed with the far- +famed Bay; but perhaps it is difficult to do justice to scenery after so +much wandering, when the most interesting view is the sight of home. +Certainly one's impressions of a place are regulated in a great degree by +the circumstances under which it is visited. Had Bombay been the port of +debarkation instead of embarkation, the bay would have been lovely and +the various points of view enchanting; as it was, the prettiest object to +my perverted vision was the "Malta" getting up her steam to paddle me +away from that land, whose marble tombs' and rock-cut temples will +continue to afford attractions to the traveller when its Princes no +longer exist sumptuously to entertain them, and whose towering mountains +will still disclose fresh wonders when that last independent state which +now extends along their base shall have been absorbed into one vast +empire. + +{121} The arms of his body-guard were bought in London, of Purdy, +Lancaster, and other eminent rifle-makers, and cost Jung about 2000 +pounds. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A JOURNEY TO KATMANDU*** + + +******* This file should be named 16226.txt or 16226.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/6/2/2/16226 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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