diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-8.txt | 2248 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-8.zip | bin | 0 -> 48392 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 50588 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-h/27113-h.htm | 2348 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/f0001.png | bin | 0 -> 10590 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/f0002.png | bin | 0 -> 2246 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0003.png | bin | 0 -> 31281 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0004.png | bin | 0 -> 51124 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0005.png | bin | 0 -> 51178 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0006.png | bin | 0 -> 51853 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0007.png | bin | 0 -> 46573 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0008.png | bin | 0 -> 52769 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0009.png | bin | 0 -> 51194 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0010.png | bin | 0 -> 49494 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0011.png | bin | 0 -> 40743 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0012.png | bin | 0 -> 50171 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0013.png | bin | 0 -> 43921 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0014.png | bin | 0 -> 41698 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0015.png | bin | 0 -> 52990 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0016.png | bin | 0 -> 50590 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0017.png | bin | 0 -> 56122 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0018.png | bin | 0 -> 37202 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0019.png | bin | 0 -> 47809 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0020.png | bin | 0 -> 50895 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0021.png | bin | 0 -> 55414 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0022.png | bin | 0 -> 50879 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0023.png | bin | 0 -> 45561 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0024.png | bin | 0 -> 50820 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0025.png | bin | 0 -> 54521 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0026.png | bin | 0 -> 51794 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0027.png | bin | 0 -> 51495 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0028.png | bin | 0 -> 50743 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0029.png | bin | 0 -> 36879 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0030.png | bin | 0 -> 42240 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0031.png | bin | 0 -> 53425 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0032.png | bin | 0 -> 48392 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0033.png | bin | 0 -> 43128 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0034.png | bin | 0 -> 46603 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0035.png | bin | 0 -> 54594 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0036.png | bin | 0 -> 51353 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0037.png | bin | 0 -> 52039 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0038.png | bin | 0 -> 49907 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0039.png | bin | 0 -> 43591 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0040.png | bin | 0 -> 51327 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0041.png | bin | 0 -> 51969 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0042.png | bin | 0 -> 50667 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113-page-images/p0043.png | bin | 0 -> 47174 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113.txt | 2248 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27113.zip | bin | 0 -> 48378 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
52 files changed, 6860 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/27113-8.txt b/27113-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bda2986 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2248 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Narrative of a Voyage to India; of a +Shipwreck on board the Lady Castlereagh; and a Description of New South Wales, by W. B. Cramp + +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: Narrative of a Voyage to India; of a Shipwreck on board the Lady Castlereagh; and a Description of New South Wales + +Author: W. B. Cramp + +Release Date: November 1, 2008 [EBook #27113] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGE TO INDIA *** + + + + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + NARRATIVE + + OF A + + VOYAGE TO INDIA; + + OF A + + SHIPWRECK + + ON BOARD THE LADY CASTLEREAGH; + + AND A + + _DESCRIPTION OF NEW SOUTH WALES_. + + + + + BY W. B. CRAMP. + + + + + LONDON: + + PRINTED FOR SIR RICHARD PHILLIPS AND Co. BRIDE-COURT, BRIDGE-STREET. + + 1823. + + * * * * * + + + + +NARRATIVE + +OF A + +VOYAGE TO INDIA, + +&c. &c. &c. + + * * * * * + + + + +SECTION I. + + THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM ENGLAND--DESCRIPTION OF THE + CEREMONY ON CROSSING THE EQUINOCTIAL LINE, AND HIS ARRIVAL + AT MADRAS. + + +On the 8th or 9th of January, 1815, we proceeded, in the Princess +Charlotte, Indiaman, to North-fleet Hope, and received on board our +cargo. On February 28th, we sailed to Gravesend, in company with the +Company's ships Ceres, Lady Melville, Rose, and Medcalfe, and arrived +at the Downs on the 3d of March. Our dispatches not being expected for +some time, we moored ship. Our time passed on very pleasantly till the +27th inst., when the weather became rather boisterous, and accompanied +by a heavy swell. On the evening of the 28th, as the Hon. Company's +ship Tarva, from Bengal, was rounding the Foreland, she struck on the +Goodwin Sands, and was forced to cut away her masts to lighten her, +and get her clear off. The Ceres drifted almost on board us; we +slipped our cables, and with difficulty escaped the Goodwin Sands. + +On the 1st of April the pursers joined their respective ships, and on +the 3d we made sail with a fair breeze, and soon cleared the English +channel. Nothing was now heard but confusion; the pilot having just +left the ship, the hoarse voice of the captain resounded through a +speaking trumpet, while the seamen were busy in making sail. We had a +fine steady breeze till we made the Bay of Biscay, when we had a +strong gale for three days. + +After the hurry and bustle of the gale was over, we had a fine steady +breeze; I then began to feel an inward pleasure, and to rejoice in the +predilection I had imbibed from my earliest years. + +We arrived on the equinoctial about eight o'clock in the evening of +the 19th of April, when one of the oldest seamen is deputed Neptune; +when he went into the head and hailed the ship in the usual form, +Ship, hoa! ship, hoa! what ship is that? The chief officer replied, +The Hon. Company's ship Princess Charlotte of Wales, and that he would +be glad of his company on the morrow. Gladly would I have dispensed +with it. On his quitting the vessel, as is supposed, a pitch cask was +thrown overboard on fire, which had the appearance of a boat till lost +to view. + +The next morning, about nine A. M., Neptune hailed the ship again, +when he was invited on board (from the head). On the fore-part of the +gang-way and after-part of the long-boat, a boom was placed across, +and a tarpauling was hung in form of a curtain, so that when they were +in readiness they took it down, and the procession moved on towards +the cuddy, twelve of the officers walking in the front, two by two +with staves (broomsticks); next followed Neptune's car, (a grating +with a chair covered with sheep skins) with Neptune, and his wife and +child, (a recruit's child, as we had 250 on board, of his majesty's +46th regiment) Neptune bearing in his hand the granes with forks +uppermost, and the representation of a dolphin on the middle prong, +and Neptune's footman riding behind (barber) his carriage, dragged by +the constables. The captain and officers came out to meet him, and +presented him with a glass of gin, which was on this occasion termed +wine. After the captain's health was drank, he desired them to proceed +to business, and to make as much haste as possible; they then +proceeded to the starboard gang-way, and Neptune placed himself upon +his throne (on the boom, close to the long-boat and wash-deck tub) the +slush tub being filled with balls, and lather made of slush, and the +barber standing ready to begin his work with a razor made of a long +piece of iron hoop well notched; the engine was brought on the quarter +deck, and began to play, to force those below that had not crossed the +line. I had not been long below before an officer from Neptune came to +me, and demanded me, in his name to appear before him at the starboard +gang-way, whose summons must not be disobeyed. On my arrival at the +gang-way, the usual questions were asked me, whether I had been that +way before? Without waiting for an answer they placed me on the +wash-deck tub, and the barber rubbed me with the back of his razor and +then let me go, upon my previously having given an order upon my +bottle. + +I had hardly got upon the poop, when one of the men was brought upon +deck who was neither beloved by the men nor officers; they then placed +him upon the tub, and asked him several questions, and while he was in +the act of answering them, they thrust some black balls into his +mouth, and then rubbed his face and neck over with lather, and scraped +it in an unmerciful manner till the blood run in several places; they +next pushed him into the tub of water and kept him under for the space +of a minute, which tended to smart and inflame the wounds. It was at +least a fortnight before he could wash himself perfectly clean; but +now several more shared the same fate. The sun was setting fast before +the amusements of the day were finished. The clouds presented the most +beautiful appearance, and the rippling of the sea, together with the +flying fish, scudding along the surface of the water, afforded the +mariner a great field of thought. At so grand a display of the great +and wonderful works of God, what mortal can be unmoved, or deny the +existence of a BEING which nature herself proclaims! + +The evening was very fine and beautifully star-light, and the moon +shone with resplendent brightness. After the company had withdrawn to +their evening refreshments, I amused myself with walking on the +solitary poop. The sea appeared to be an immense plain, and presented +a watery mirror to the skies. The infinite height above the firmament +stretched its azure expanse, bespangled with unnumbered stars, and +adorned with the moon '_walking in brightness_;' while the transparent +surface both received and returned her silver image. Here, instead of +being covered with sackcloth,[A] she shone with resplendent lustre; or +rather with a lustre multiplied in proportion to the number of +beholders. + +[Footnote A: I must be excused for the ideal extravagance of +"clothing" this nocturnal luminary in "SACKCLOTH," on adverting to +that unlimited flight of poetic imagination, which speaks of "_Heaven +peeping through the blanket of the deep_." _Vide Shakspeare's +Macbeth._] + +Such I think is the effect of exemplary behaviour in persons of +exalted rank; their course as it is nobly distinguished, so it will be +happily influential; others will catch the diffusive rays, and be +ambitious to resemble a pattern so commanding. Their amiable qualities +will not terminate in themselves, but we shall see them reflected in +their families. + +My readers, I trust, will not wonder at my meditations on these +sublunary objects, when they consider that they are the seaman's +guide, and from them the greatest sources of nautical information are +derived. + +In the midst of these pleasing reveries, I was aroused by the ship +being taken a-back, the watch being completely intoxicated, and it was +only with difficulty that they could do their duty. Nothing material +happened till our arrival at the Cape, when we experienced a severe +gale for three days. The sea being heavy, she pitched her portals +under water. We were running at the rate of ten knots per hour, under +bare poles; and we soon after made the trade winds. + +On the 23d of June we arrived in Madras roads; from the deck the view +of the land has a magnificent appearance; the different offices have, +to the beholder, the appearance of stone, and they are formed along +the beach in a beautiful manner; they are built with piazzas and +verandahs, and they extend about one mile along a sandy beach, while +the natives parading along the shore, and the surf spraying upon the +beach, gave the scene a very picturesque appearance. The surf beats +here with so much violence that it is impossible for any ship's boats +to land without being dashed to pieces. + +On our making land we espied a small craft, called a kattamaran, +making towards us; it was manned with two of the natives naked, except +a handkerchief round their waist, and a straw round cap (turban) made +with a partition in it to keep letters dry. This bark is made of three +long hulls of trees, about ten or twelve feet in length, tied together +with a rope so as to make in the centre a little hollow; they sit upon +their knees in the centre, and have a long flat piece of wood, about +five feet in length and five inches in width, which they hold in the +centre, and keep continually in motion, first on one side and then on +the other, and in that manner they force the kattamaran swiftly +through the water. + +It is very remarkable that these poor creatures risk themselves +through the surf for a mere trifle, to carry letters for the different +commanders to their respective vessels, at a time when the surf is at +a dreadful height. When these poor fellows lay themselves flat on the +kattamaran, and then trust themselves to the mercy of the surf, they +are often driven back with great force, and they as often venture +again, till they effect their purpose. They generally get their living +by fishing, which is done by hook and line, and they offer them +alongside the different ships for sale. + +For two days the surf being so violent no boats could come off; but +early on the third morning there were several came off with debashees +(merchants) on board. They brought such things as might be wanted by +the ship's company and officers. Their boats are made to carry +passengers and cargo. There is not a vestige of a nail to be seen in +them, their seams, instead of being nailed, are sewed together with +coir rope; and they are generally manned with six or eight men. + + + + +SECTION II. + + THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM MADRAS AND ARRIVAL AT + BENGAL--DEPARTURE THEREFROM--HIS VESSEL RUNS ASHORE ON THE + PULICAT SHOALS, AND GETS SAFE AFLOAT AGAIN, AFTER BEATING + SIX HOURS AND FORTY MINUTES--HIS SAFE ARRIVAL AT MADRAS, AND + DESCRIPTION OF THE DIVERS--ARRIVAL AT BOMBAY--THE SHIP BEING + DOCKED, THE AUTHOR IS SENT TO BUTCHER'S ISLAND WITH THE + SHIP'S COMPANY--A DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLAND OF + ELEPHANTA--HIS JOINING THE SHIP AFTER HER LEAVING THE + DOCK--HIS WORDS WITH HIS COMMANDER, AND BEING TURNED BEFORE + THE MAST IN CONSEQUENCE--HIS DEPARTURE FROM BOMBAY, AND + AFTER A SHORT PERIOD HE IS REPLACED IN HIS FORMER + SITUATION--AND ARRIVES AT MADRAS. + + +We sailed from Madras, August 23d, and arrived at Bengal on the 30th. +The scenery on the entrance up the river was indeed sublime, and +inspired us with a sensation of gratitude to the Giver of all good. I +went up to Calcutta with a craft of cargo; but having been sent down +immediately, I could form no idea of the place. + +On the 20th December we sailed from Bengal bound to Madras, in company +with the Honourable Company's ship Marquis of Wellington. We kept +a-head of her on the morning of the 25th, till she was almost mast +down, and expected to bring-to about twelve o'clock in the Madras +roads; but our expectations were greatly damped by the following +circumstances:--At 8 A. M. the ship struck on the Pulicat rocks with +such great violence, as to knock almost every man off his legs; the +lead was immediately called, which, to the disgrace of some one, was +not on deck; in the course of two minutes she struck again with as +much violence as before; sail was immediately taken in, and after +sounding, we found we drew about three and a half feet water. We then +made signal of distress, by hoisting the ensign union downwards, and +firing a gun. The Marquis of Wellington by this time hove in sight; +all was confusion and consternation, the ship having beat several +times with great violence. The Wellington hove to, and sent their +cutter with four men and a second mate to our assistance, and then +made sail and passed us, without rendering us any other assistance. +The pinnace and long-boats, booms and spars, were immediately sent +over the side, and the kedge-anchor was placed in the long-boat; but +she leaked so very fast, that with all the united efforts of the +seamen they could not keep her above water. + +The weather was now very cloudy and black, and threatened a severe +gale; so that our present situation became very disagreeable, as no +assistance could be rendered us off shore, should necessity require +it. But owing to the exertions of the officers and men, we effectually +swung her head to the wind, which was blowing strong from the shore, +and by 7 P. M. we anchored safe in the roads. + +On the following morning we were busily employed in discharging our +cargo and sending it on board its destined ships, (Honourable +Company's ships Stratham and Rose.) After our clearance, the divers +were expected from off shore, to examine the damage the ship's bottom +had received; but, owing to the inclemency of the weather, it was +impossible for them to get off from shore. + +A seaman on board, by birth a West Indian, engaged to dive under the +ship's bottom, and to acquaint us with the state of it, which was +gladly accepted. In his youth he had been a fisherman on the coast of +the island of Jamaica: the weather being rough, it was thought unsafe +for him to venture; but on the following morning, it being quite calm, +he prepared himself for his expedition: after he had jumped overboard, +he walked, or rather trod water, round the ship; he informed us the +copper was much battered above water, and in many places whole sheets +of it were broken off; and after he had made us perfectly acquainted +with the damages we had received above, he dived under her counter, +and abreast of the after, main, and fore hatchways;--when he came on +board, he informed us, that about twelve feet of our false-keel was +knocked off, and about six feet of our copper abreast of the +main-hatchway, besides a quantity of copper in different places, all +of which we found to be true after we were docked. + +We received considerable damage on board; the bolts were started from +her side about three inches, and the main-beams sprung. Three days +after he had dived, the captain came on board with two native divers, +and several officers of the different vessels lying in the roads, to +survey the ship. When they went under they brought up the same +account as our man had first given. After about an hour's +consultation, our ship was ordered to Bombay to be docked, it being +the most convenient one for a ship of our burden. In a few days after +we proceeded on our passage, and arrived in safety, keeping the pumps +in continual motion during our passage. + +The Island of Bombay is situated on the west coast of the ocean, and +one of the three Presidencies belonging to the Honourable East India +Company, and is in Lat. 18° 55' N. and Lon. 72° 54' E. of Greenwich. +As soon as we had discharged all our cargo, and the ship was docked, +the ship's company and officers were sent to Butcher's Island. + +Butcher's Island is a small island situated about four miles and a +half to the westward of Bombay, and is in circumference about one mile +and a half, and has been a very formidable garrison. In the centre is +a small fort and two barracks, the latter we took possession of for +the ship's company. Soon after our landing on the island, a party of +us went over to the Island of Elephanta. + +The Island of _Elephanta_ is about one mile and a half to the west of +Butcher's Island, and is inhabited by 100 poor Indian families. It +contains one of the most stupendous antiquities in the world: the +figure of an elephant of the natural size, cut coarsely in black +stone, appears in an open plain, near the landing place, from which an +easy slope leads to an immense subterraneous cavern, hewn out of the +solid rock, eighty or ninety feet long and forty broad, the roof of +which is cut flat, and supported by regular rows of pillars, about ten +feet high, with capitals resembling round cushions, and at the farther +end of it are three gigantic figures, mutilated by the bigoted zeal of +the Portuguese, when this island was in their possession. After +spending the day very pleasantly we returned. + +The Sergeant (an old invalid) who had charge of the fort, had a +beautiful little garden; thither in the morning I frequently resorted, +to enjoy one of the most charming pieces of morning scenery that I had +ever witnessed. + + "Awake! the morning shines, and the fresh fields + Call you; ye lose the prime to mark how spring + The tender plants; how blows the citron grove; + What drops the myrrh, and what the balmy reed; + How nature paints her colours; how the bee + Sits on the bloom, extracting liquid sweets." + + MILTON'S PARADISE LOST. + +How delightful this fragrance. It is distributed in the nicest +proportion; neither so strong as to depress the organs, nor so faint +as to elude them. We are soon cloyed at a sumptuous banquet, but this +pleasure never loses its poignancy, never palls the appetite; here +luxury itself is innocent; or rather, in this case, indulgence is not +capable of excess. Our amusements for the forenoon were our nautical +studies, and in the afternoon officers and men joined in cricket. In +the evening, after my duty of the day was dispatched, and the sultry +heats were abated, I enjoyed the recreation of a walk in one of the +finest recesses of the Island, and in one of the pleasantest evenings +which the season produced. + +The trees uniting their branches over my head, formed a verdant +canopy, and cast a most refreshing shade; under my feet lay a carpet +of Nature's velvet; grass intermingled with moss, and embroidered with +the evening dew; jessamines, united with woodbines, twined around the +trees, displaying their artless beauties to the eye, and diffusing +their delicious sweets through the air. On either side, the boughs +rounding into a set of regular arches, opened a view into the distant +seas, and presented a prospect of the convex heavens. The little birds +all joyous and grateful for the favours of the light, were paying +their acknowledgments in a tribute of harmony, and soothing themselves +to rest with songs. All these beauties of Nature were for a while +withdrawn. The stars served to alleviate the frown of night, rather +than to recover the objects from their obscurity. A faint ray scarcely +reflected, and only gave the straining eye a very imperfect glimpse. + +The day following that the ship came out of dock we joined her. Our +labours were now unremitted, to get her in readiness for sea. Amidst +all our exertions it was impossible to give any satisfaction; our +chief mate was very arbitrary, and vented his spleen upon the +defenceless midshipmen, besides making the backs of the poor seamen +sore with _starting_. Starting is a term used for rope's-ending a man, +or otherwise laying a _Point_ severely across their shoulders till +they have not the strength to wield it any longer; a point is a flat +platted rope, made for the purpose of taking in reefs, or otherwise to +fasten the sail upon the yards. + +At length my life became so truly miserable, that I was determined in +my own mind not to endure it, if there was any possibility of avoiding +it. For that purpose I wrote on board his Majesty's frigate, +Revolutionnaire, for a situation, when Captain Wolcombe generously +offered me one, provided I could get permission of Captain Craig to +leave my present ship. I was at length forced to leave Bombay, +through this and other circumstances. + +On our arrival at Madras every preparation was made for receiving our +cargo on board, which was speedily done, and in a short time was ready +for sea. + + + + +SECTION III. + + THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM MADRAS, DESCRIPTION OF A + WATER-SPOUT--HIS ARRIVAL AT ST. HELENA AND DEPARTURE + THEREFROM, ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND--JOINS HIS MAJESTY'S TRANSPORT + SHIP, TOTTENHAM, BOUND FOR NEW SOUTH WALES--HER RUNNING ON + SHORE IN THE RIVER AND PUTTING BACK TO DOCK--HE AFTERWARDS + JOINS HIS MAJESTY'S TRANSPORT SHIP, LADY CASTLEREAGH. HIS + DEPARTURE FROM DEPTFORD AND ARRIVAL AT PORTSMOUTH--HIS + DEPARTURE THEREFROM AND ARRIVAL AT NEW SOUTH WALES. + + +As soon as our dispatches were in readiness, we proceeded on our +passage for England; the morning was beautiful, and as the men were +heaving up the anchor, my heart felt an inward sensation of joy and +gratitude to our Creator, that he had been pleased to bring us so far +safe on our voyage; we made sail with a steady breeze, and soon lost +sight of land. After we had been at sea about two days, close on our +weather-bow we observed a water-spout; when we first saw it, it was +whole and entire, and was in shape like a speaking trumpet, the small +end downwards, and reaching to the sea, and the large end terminating +in a black thick cloud: the spout itself was very black, and the more +so the higher up; it seemed to be exactly perpendicular to the +horizon, and its sides perfectly smooth, without the least ruggedness +where it fell. The spray of the sea rose to a considerable height, +which had somewhat the appearance of smoke; from the first time we saw +it, it continued whole about a minute, and till it was quite +dissipated three minutes; it began to waste from below, and gradually +up, while the upper part remained entire, without any visible +alteration, till at last it ended in black clouds, upon which a heavy +rain fell in the neighbourhood. There was but little wind, and the sky +was otherwise serene. + +On our rounding the Cape we experienced a very heavy gale, which +continued for the space of ten days. We arrived at St. Helena in about +ten days after clearing the Cape of Good Hope. + +The approach to this Island is tremendous, it being an immense large +rock in the midst of the sea, on which there is not the least +appearance of verdure, houses, or indeed any sign of inhabitants, till +you arrive at the anchorage, which is to leeward of the Island; and in +turning round the corner of the rock is a fort, close to the water's +edge, from whence they make all ship's heave to, till they have sent a +boat on board from the Admiral; and in case no attention is paid to +their signal, they fire a shot. After proceeding a little way, the +town is discovered in the midst of a valley, and has a very +picturesque appearance. + +The produce of the Island is potatoes and yams. The yams are used in +time of great scarcity of wheat, for bread; the inhabitants are under +the necessity of boiling them 12 hours and baking them, before they +can eat them; and in fact, many of the Islanders prefer them to bread. +The coast produces an amazing quantity of fish, particularly mackarel, +which are in great abundance, and run in shoals about six fathom under +water. At this time Napoleon resided at Longwood. + +After staying here 12 days, we proceeded on our passage to England, +and arrived there in six weeks and two days.--The distressed state of +England, and scarcity of employment determined me again to try my +fortune abroad, and for that purpose I made several applications to +the different owners, but for some time was very unsuccessful. At +length I was engaged by Messrs. Robinson, to join his Majesty's Ship +Tottenham, bound to New South Wales with 200 convicts. On June the 8th +I joined her. After receiving all the ship's and government stores on +board, we proceeded to Woolwich, and received on board 50 of our +number, and in the afternoon of the same day we made sail, and on a +sudden struck on a reef at low water; we were lying high and dry; +every means was used to get her off, but without success, till we sent +our convicts up to the hulks, and discharged our stores into the +different crafts sent for that purpose, and by that means lightened +her so, that at the flood she drifted; she was so materially damaged, +it was deemed necessary she should return back to Deptford to Dock. + +I had not waited long in London, before another vacancy occurred on +board His Majesty's Transport Ship Lady Castlereagh, lying at +Deptford, bound to the same Port. Shortly after I had joined her, we +sailed to Woolwich, and received on board our guard, which was +composed of a detachment of his Majesty's 46th regiment of foot, and +after receiving a portion of our convicts, we proceeded on our passage +to Portsmouth: we received another portion from Sheerness, and in two +days arrived at Portsmouth. The remainder of our prisoners not being +in readiness, we were forced to bring up and moor ship a cable each +way. + +Spithead is a spacious road for shipping, between Portsmouth and the +Isle of Wight, and where they in general lie after they are in +readiness for sea. I went on shore to see the town of Portsmouth. It +is situated inland of Portsea; the streets are generally narrow, and +rather dirty, owing to their not being properly paved. + +The Dock-yards, as there are several, resemble distinct towns, and are +under a government separate from the garrison. Here is a commodious +arsenal for laying up cannon, and the fortress may be justly +considered as the most regular one in Great Britain. The number of men +employed in the different rope-yards generally is considered to be +between eight or nine hundred, and the garrison is very large. The +town of Portsmouth contains about 40,000 inhabitants, and the harbour +is reckoned one of the finest in the world, as there is water +sufficient for the largest ships, and is so very capacious that the +whole of the British navy may ride in safety. The principal branch run +up to Fareham, a second to Pouchester and a third to Portsea Bridge; +besides these channels there are several rithes, or channels, where +the small men of war lie at their moorings. Opposite the town is the +spacious road of Spithead. On the 20th of December we received our +convicts, and the following day we made sail and passed through the +Needles, which are two sharp-pointed rocks at the N. W. end of the +Isle of Wight, so called from their sharp extremities. + +The prisoners, during their voyage, behaved themselves with great +propriety, considering the variety of characters which we had on +board. We arrived at New South Wales on the 26th of April, 1818, after +a pleasant passage. + + + + +SECTION IV. + + DESCRIPTION OF NEW SOUTH WALES--DEPARTURE THEREFROM--ARRIVAL + AT VAN DIEMAN'S LAND. + + +We now made for the eastern coast of New Holland, southward of Port +Jackson; the coast has a most beautiful appearance, being constantly +green during the year. From the south cape, about five leagues to the +northward, is a most spacious bay with good anchorage, and sheltered +from all winds. The natives are very ferocious; few vessels put in +without partially suffering by their depredations, particularly seamen +who, having ventured from their parties, have been by them cut off, +robbed, and murdered. This place is called Two-fold Bay; ten leagues +farther north is Bateman's Bay. Here is good anchorage and plenty of +fresh water, but it lies open to the E. N. E. winds, and when they +prevail they are accompanied by a heavy swell, so that it is +impossible for vessels to lie secure. Seventeen leagues farther north +is Jervis's Bay, and an excellent harbour and good shelter from all +winds, with a fine sandy bottom. Round two small islands, at the mouth +of the bay, there are two very large kinds of fish, which are caught +in abundance with hook and line, called king fish and snappers. + +The next harbour to the northward is Botany Bay, which is a capacious +bay, with excellent anchorage for shipping; but the entrance is very +dangerous to those commanders who are strangers to the coast. At the +head of the bay is George's River, which extends about sixty miles up +the country, and is navigable for small vessels of about 40 tons +burden; on the banks of this river there are several settlements, +which I shall hereafter describe. Nine miles farther north are the +heads of Port Jackson; on approaching the heads from sea, the entrance +is so narrow, and the rocks so perpendicular, that the opening is not +perceivable at a distance. + +On the south head is a look-out house, and a flag staff, on which a +yellow flag is hoisted on the approach of any vessels from sea, which +is answered by another signal staff on a battery at the north end of +the town, called Davis's Point Battery, which is to be seen from all +parts of the town, so that a vessel is known to be approaching before +she enters the port. After entering the heads, the river runs due +south for six miles, it then turns short round a point of land on the +north shore, called Bradley's Head, which runs due west for +twenty-four miles. After rounding Bradley's Head, the town of Sydney +is perceivable, about three miles distant on the south shore. The +anchorage is a small cove, as still as a mill-pond, land-locked around +on all sides; the principal buildings in view are the stores and +dwelling of Mr. Campbell, a Bengal merchant; they are built of white +stone and have a noble appearance: the next is the government stores, +a large stone building, at the end of which is the hospital, wharf, +and stairs, the only public-landing place in the cove; here are two +centinels continually parading the quay. From the landing place is a +fine wide street, called George Street, with several fine stone and +brick buildings, extending a mile and a half long, and joining the +race ground. The public buildings in this line are the governor's +secretary's office, an orphan school for female children, and the +military barracks, with many fine private buildings, shops, &c. On the +S. E. side of the cove is the government house, a low but very +extensive building, surrounded with verandahs, and built in the +eastern style, with an extensive park and garden surrounded with a +high stone wall. About a quarter of a mile south of the government +house is the general hospital, a large and extensive building, erected +without any expense to government, the whole having been completed and +paid for by three private gentlemen of the colony, for the grant of +certain privileges. One mile further S. E. is Wallamolla, a fine brick +and stone mansion, the property and dwelling house of John Palmer, +Esq., formerly Commandant-general of the colony. + +Between the general hospital and Wallamolla is the race ground, a fine +level course three miles long, planned and laid out after the model of +Doncaster race course, by order of his excellency Lochlin Macquarie. +The races commence on the 12th of August, and last three days, during +which time the convicts are exempt from all government duties. +Convicts that are placed in the town of Sydney are in many respects +happier than those farther inland; those who are employed in the +service of government are under the inspection of the superintendent +of the public works; they assemble at the ringing of a bell, in the +government-yard, soon after day-light, and are mustered by their +respective overseers and conducted to their work by them, having +received their orders from the superintendent on the preceding +evening. The overseers are themselves convicts of good character, and +perfect masters of their different trades. They labour from day-light +until nine o'clock, and they have then one hour allowed them to +breakfast, then they return and work till three in the afternoon, and +from that time they are at liberty to work for whom they think proper. + +On leaving Sydney, the next settlement is Rose Hill, or, called by the +natives, Paramatta, and it is situated due west up the river. Between +Sydney and Paramatta there is but one settlement, about half way, +which is called Kissing Point, and close on its banks is a large farm, +kept by Mr. Squires, who likewise carries on an extensive brewery. The +principal edifice at Paramatta is the government stores, a large stone +building; close to the landing-place, and leading into the town, is a +street about a mile long. They are generally small cottages, and are +mostly inhabited by the convicts; and to each is attached a small +garden, which they are compelled to keep in good order. + +There is also a large manufactory of flax, the produce of the country, +of which they make coarse cloth of different descriptions. This town +is under the direction of the bishop of New South Wales (Samuel +Marsden) and is the place where the noted George Barrington resided +many years as chief constable, and died in the year 1806, highly +respected by the principal men of the colony. At eight miles distance, +in a westerly direction, is the village of Galba, which is a very +fertile soil, the farms being in high cultivation, the ground clear of +timber, and numbers of sheep and oxen seen grazing in its fields. Two +miles south of Galba is the village of Castle Hills, in appearance +resembling Galba; and a number of farm houses scattered about as far +as the eye can reach. About fourteen miles, in a S. E. direction, is +the town of Liverpool, on the banks of George's River; here +cultivation is making rapid progress; and on each side of the river +are numerous farms, till the traveller arrives at its termination. +From George's River a branch runs in a N. W. direction, is about +twenty miles in length, and is called the Nepean River. Here the eye +of the agriculturist would be highly delighted at the verdure that +constantly appears in view; the farms are but thinly dispersed, as the +Nepean is not navigable. + +At the extremity of the Nepean is the most extensive tract of land +that has yet been discovered. This tract is laid out in pastures, +which are literally covered with wild cattle, the produce of six cows +and a bull which escaped from the colony about forty years ago. They +were discovered by a runaway convict, who returned to the settlement +and reported his discovery, for which they pardoned him his crime of +desertion. After leaving the cow pastures, due north is the town of +Windsor, the most productive place in the colony for grain of every +description, which is brought to be shipped on the River Hawksborough, +in small crafts for that purpose. Windsor is sixty miles from Sydney, +and the river is navigable all the way from the sea; its entrance is +called Broken Bay, and is fourteen miles north of Port Jackson, and +thirty miles north of Broken Bay. + +The town of Newcastle is situated about seven miles up the river, +called the Coal River, in consequence of coals being found there in +great abundance, of very good quality. This town is a place where all +are sent to that prove refractory, or commit any crimes or +misdemeanors in the colony, and is much dreaded by the convicts as a +place of punishment. + +Newcastle is the last settlement to the northward of Sydney; the +natives are black, and appear to be a most miserable race of people: +they live entirely naked, both men, women, and children, and they +possess not the least shame. They carry fish and game to the different +towns and villages inhabited by the English, which they barter for +bread, tobacco, or spirits; they are, in general, of a light make, +straight limbed, with curly black hair, and their face, arms, legs, +and backs are usually besmeared with white chalk and red ochre. The +cartilage of their nose is perforated, and a piece of reed, from eight +to ten inches long, thrust through it, which seamen whimsically term +their spritsail-yard. They seem to have no kind of religion; they bury +their dead under ground, and they live in distinct clans, by the terms +Gull, Taury Gull, or Uroga Gull, &c. They are very expert with their +implements of war, which are spears made of reed, pointed with crystal +or fish bone; they have a short club made of iron wood, called a +waday, and a scimeter made of the same wood. Those inhabiting the +coast have canoes; but the largest I ever saw would not hold more than +two men with safety. + +Their marriage ceremony is truly romantic; all the youth of a clan +assemble, and are each armed with wadays; they then surround the young +woman, and one seizes her by the arm, he is immediately attacked by +another, and so on till he finds no combatant on the field, and then +the conquering hero takes her to his arms. + +The different kinds of game which the colony produces, are several +kinds of kangaroos, of the same species, but differing in size and +colour. Beasts of prey have never been seen in the colony. The birds +are, parrots, cockatoos, and a large one called _emus_, which have +very long legs and scarcely any wings; they in general live upon fern, +and weigh from seventy to eighty pounds; there are likewise a number +of black swans. The woods abound with a number of dangerous reptiles, +such as centipedes and scorpions. + +Government not being disposed to receive all our convicts, we were +taken up to proceed to Van Diemen's Land, with a crew of two hundred +convicts, besides a detachment of one hundred and sixty rank and file +of his Majesty's 46th regiment of foot. We sailed from hence, and +arrived at Van Diemen's Land after a pleasant passage of six days. + +Van Diemen's Land is situated south of the Cape of New Holland, and is +a dependency under the control of the Governor-General. Here is a +Deputy-Governor, who resides at the principal town, called Hobart's +Town, situated about thirty miles up the Derwent; it is a town at +present consisting of small cottages, or huts, built of wood, and with +but few free inhabitants. The soil of the country is good; but there +is a very inconsiderable trade. The Derwent runs ninety miles due west +up the country. North of the Derwent, about twenty miles, is Frederick +Henry's Bay, an immense deep bay, with good anchorage and shelter for +shipping; and north-west of Henry's Bay is another fine river, called +Port Dalrymple; it runs south-west ninety miles inland; at the head of +it is a town, called Launceston; the inhabitants are principally +convicts, and are employed in clearing the land for government. The +native inhabitants of Van Diemen's Land are nearly the same as those +of New Holland; and they at present hold no intercourse with the +European inhabitants. After our prisoners were received on shore, they +sent us another detachment of 150 rank and file of his Majesty's 46th +regiment for Madras, and we began to prepare for sea. + + + + +SECTION V. + + DEPARTURE FROM VAN DIEMEN'S LAND AND ARRIVAL AT MADRAS--AN + ACCOUNT OF A SEVERE GALE, AND THE GREAT DANGER OF SHIPWRECK, + TOGETHER WITH HER WONDERFUL ESCAPE FROM IT, AND HER SAFE + ARRIVAL IN CUDDALORE. + + +The morning was beautiful, and the noise of the crew weighing the +anchor, created much life and bustle; and as we proceeded out of the +harbour Nature seemed to smile, and bid us welcome to the watery +element we had been so long traversing. A few days after, we entered +the Endeavour Straits, which are about ten leagues long and five +broad. We had several canoes off from the shore of New Guinea. It is a +long narrow island of the South Pacific Ocean, and north of New +Holland, from which it is separated by this strait, except on the +north-east entrance, where it is counteracted by a group of islands, +called the Prince of Wales's Islands. The land is generally low, and +covered with an astonishing luxuriance of wood and herbage. The +inhabitants resemble those of New Holland, omitting the quantity of +grease and red-ochre with which the New Hollanders besmear their +skins. + +Their canoes are neatly carved, and are about twelve feet in length; +they have outriggers to keep them firm on the water, and they are +formed out of the hulls of trees; they carry about five or six men. +They brought on board a quantity of shells, bows, arrows, and clubs, +besides other trifling articles, and they would exchange with us for +bits of old iron-hoops, or in fact any old thing, however trifling. +The breeze freshening, we soon lost sight of the native merchants. + +We arrived at Madras on the 12th of September, 1818, after a tedious +passage. Owing to General Munro's intended departure for England, our +cargo was immediately got ready, and as expeditiously received by us, +and we were ready for sea on the 20th of October; but our dispatches +not being in readiness, we were forced to remain at our anchorage, and +on the morning of the 24th the clouds looked very black, and +threatened a severe storm; but no preparations were made on board, and +at 4 P. M. signal was made from the shore for all ships to leave the +roads, which unfortunately was not noticed by many of the officers of +the different vessels. At 5 P. M. the gale commenced; but through +neglect the royal and top-gallant yards were not sent down, nor could +the officer commanding be persuaded that any danger would arise from +remaining at our anchorage; the ship's company now came aft and +expostulated; but the officer in command called them all cowards, and +said he would not start her anchor if it blew the masts out of her. + +About 2 A. M. on the 25th, the gale commenced with the utmost fury, +and she rode her scuttles under water, but as they were not secure, +the sea came inboard and made very fast upon us. At 6 A. M. the water +was three feet on the lee-side of our gun-deck, and from the continual +working of the ship the chests broke from their fastenings. + +After seeing a vessel go down at her anchors close on our starboard +bow, the officer then gave orders for our cable to be slipped, which +was immediately put into execution. John Gardener, a seaman, wishing +to go aloft, and not taking proper hold, was blown from the rigging, +and never seen again. We set the fore-sail, which immediately split; +the mainsail, met with the same fate; the gaskets of the topsails gave +way, and the sails split. At half past eight we found we had sprung a +leak, owing to the ship's labouring so much; in the course of ten +minutes we sounded, and found three feet water in the hold. The pumps +were choaked; by 9 A. M. they were cleared, and by this time we had +eight feet water in the well, and three on the gun-deck; the ship +rolled very much, and the chests, guns, and water-casks, being all +cast adrift, were dashing from larboard to starboard with the greatest +fury. At 10 A. M. the ship labouring so much, and her being eight +streaks of her main-deck under water, abreast of her main-hatchway, so +that we had very little prospect of her living two minutes above +water, it was thought necessary to send her mizen-mast by the board, +in order to righten her; but while going, the mizen-mast heeled to +windward and caught her royal-yards in the top-sail tye, and stayed +her so, that we were compelled to cut away the main-mast, which +carried the fore-top-mast and jib-boom; and, while in the act of going +by the board, it knocked an invalid down and killed him on the spot. +The ship rightened a little; but the sea was very boisterous, and we +appeared to be in a valley in the midst of a number of tremendous high +mountains, which to all appearance seemed ready to fall and crush us. +The carpenter came forward, and informed us, that we had sprung +another leak, and that we had ten feet water in the well; the men, as +by one accord, dropped the pumps, and appeared to despair; we might +all have well exclaimed with the poet, + + "Heaven have mercy here upon us! + For only that can save us now." + +"The atmosphere was hurled into the most tremendous confusion, the +aerial torment burst itself over mountains, seas, and continents. All +things felt the dreadful shock; all things trembled under her scourge, +her sturdy sons were strained to the very nerves, and almost swept her +headlong to the deep." + +It would be in vain to attempt to give a description of our feelings +at this critical moment, tortured as we were with anguish and despair. +Every man seemed now as if all was given over for lost, when the +carpenter came forward and informed us the leak was found out, and +that with a little exertion it might be stopped; the men then rose +with great vigour, flew to the pumps with renovated strength, and gave +three cheers. The cabins were all washed down, and a party of men were +busily employed throwing every thing overboard,--self was not +considered,--the very last rag was committed to the furious elements +without a sigh. At 11 A. M. the sea struck her starboard +quarter-gallery and forced it from its birth, and as we were busily +employed, a cry was heard, the starboard fore-mast port was carried +away, and the sea forced itself with great rapidity along the deck; +but the seamen flew to meet this new misfortune with the vigour of +tigers, not considering the dangers they had to encounter, and thus +effectually succeeded in stopping the leak. + +While the seamen were busily employed, the troops were desired to +pump, which they firmly refused, and said they would sooner sink, +except a poor blind man, who could not keep from them; his reply was +truly noble, and, I am sure, my readers will excuse my repeating it. +"I am unworthy of the life I have if I do not exert myself in this +hour of distress; if it has pleased God to deprive me of the blessing +of sight, he has not of the feelings of a Christian." At half past +eleven the gale greatly abated, and by this time the carpenter had +stopped the leak, by using all the gunny bags and blankets that could +be found; the damage was occasioned by the masts beating under her +counter. By 12 A. M. it was a perfect calm; the men were now busily +employed clearing the gun-deck, and securing every port-hole and +scuttle in which they effectually succeeded by 1 P. M. + +"For a moment the turbulent and outrageous sky seemed to be assuaged; +but it intermitted its wrath only to increase its strength; soon the +sounding squadrons of the air returned to their attack, and renewed +their ravages with redoubled fury; and the stately dome rocked amidst +the wheeling clouds. The impregnable clouds tottered on its basis, and +threatened to overwhelm those whom it was intended to protect, the +vessel was almost rent in pieces, and scarcely secure; where then was +a place of safety? Sleep affrighted flew, diversion was turned into +horror; all was uproar in the elements; all was consternation among +us, and nothing was seen but one wide picture of rueful devastation. + +"The ocean swelled with tremendous commotions; the ponderous waves +were heaved from their capacious beds, and almost lay bare the +unfathomed deep; flung into the most rapid agitation, they swept over +us, and tossed themselves into the clouds. We were rent from our +anchors, and with all our enormous load were whirled swift as an arrow +along the vast abyss. Now we climb the rolling mountains, we plough +the frightful ridge, and seem to skim the skies; anon we plunge into +the opening gulf, we reel to and fro, and stagger in the jarring +decks, or climb the cordage, whilst bursting seas foam over the decks. +Despair is in every face, and death sits threatening in every surge." +The whistling of the wind and roaring of the sea, together with the +voice of despairing seamen, and the dreadful shrieks of the women, +made us truly miserable; but we were forced to exert ourselves with +assumed courage and vigour, which could only be imagined but by those +placed in a similar situation,--our exertions were for life or death, +knowing that if they once failed, that nothing was to be expected but +to perish in a watery grave. + +We kept the water under to about three feet during the time of this +dreadful gale; about 4 P. M. it abated, and about 5 P. M. it blew a +steady breeze from the south-west; and at 6 P. M. we went round her to +examine the damage we had sustained; when, dreadful to relate, we +found that a man and child had been washed out of their hammocks and +perished; on proceeding along the waste we found two invalids had been +jammed to death between two water-casks and the ship's sides, making a +total of six lives lost during the storm. + +The hatches were opened about 8 P. M.; but the provisions being so +salt and sodden with the sea water, they could not be eaten, on +account of the scarcity of fresh water. After the watch was set we +laid ourselves down upon the upper-deck with no other covering than +the starry heavens. + +On the following day we commenced clearing the wreck, and rigging up +jurymasts, which we happily effected before sun-set; and on the 28th +we arrived at Sadras, which lay south by west of Madras, distant +fifteen miles. We lay here till the 30th without any tidings of the +captain. + +The men from fatigue and pain, from sleeping on the wet decks, and +continual pumping, came aft, and said the clouds threatened another +storm, and that the monsoons were growing very strong, and in case the +weather should alter for the worse, they had not strength left to +work the ship in another gale, from want of nourishment; and that +provided the officers did not think proper to remove to a place of +safety, they were determined to take charge of her and proceed to +Trincomalee, and deliver the vessel into the hands of the +under-writers. All our remonstrances to them were in vain, until the +chief mate pledged his word and honour, that if the captain did not +join her the next morning, he would, ill as he was, take charge of her +and proceed there himself. + +On the following morning the captain joined her, with the hon. L. G. +K. Murray, secretary to the board of trade at Madras, when they +brought on board a quantity of provisions, which we stood very much in +need of, and immediately made sail and arrived the same day at +Pondicherry. The governor sent us on board a new anchor, as our own +was sprung. Pondicherry is a town of Hindostan, under the French +government, and situated on the coast of Coromandel, seventy-five +miles S. S. W. of Madras. + +On the following day we run into Cuddalore, a little above the first +bar. Cuddalore is a town of Hindostan, one hundred miles S. S. W. of +Madras. Thirty of the ship's company being sick, they, with me, were +compelled to leave the ship, and forced to proceed on shore to the +hospital. I was about this time seized with a violent fit of the +cholera morbus. It is supposed to originate from the cold damp airs +which are very prevalent at this time of the season. A gentleman's +bungalow was humanely given up as a hospital, or friendly receptacle, +for our incapacitated seamen, during our sojourn at Cuddalore. + +The possibility of visiting the native town was precluded by the +peculiar strictness of the regulations imposed upon us. + + + + +SECTION VI. + + THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM CUDDALORE AND ARRIVAL AT + PONDICHERRY--DEPARTURE THEREFROM, AND ARRIVAL AT MADRAS, + WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE SAME--ACCOUNT OF THE RELIGION, + CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS OF THE NATIVES--DEPARTURE FROM MADRAS, + ON HIS ROUTE TO NAGPORE,--ARRIVAL AT PONAMALEE, AND + DESCRIPTION OF THE SAME--HIS DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL AT + CUDDAPAH. + + +After I had thoroughly recovered, through the interest of a young +German widow, I obtained my acquittal from the ship, and then +proceeded to New Town for my passport. New Town lies about two miles +and a half E. N. E. of Cuddalore, and is the residence of the +Europeans in that neighbourhood; the houses of the Europeans are +generally built of brick and those of the natives of wood. The day +after I had obtained my passport I proceeded on my route and arrived +at Pondicherry the same evening. + +Pondicherry is about four leagues in extent; the houses are built with +brick, but the Indians use only wood, in the manner which we call lath +and plaster. In a few days after I arrived in Madras, and took up my +residence with a friend in Pursevaulkum. + +A few days after my arrival I proceeded with my friend to town. +Madras, or Fort St. George, is a fort and town of the peninsula, on +the coast of Coromandel. It is the principal settlement of the English +on the east side of the peninsula, and is a fortress of great extent, +including within it a regular well-built city. It is close to the sea +shore, from which it has a rich and beautiful appearance, the houses +being covered with a stucco, called _chunam_, which, in itself, is as +compact as the finest marble, bears as high a polish, and is equally +as splendid as that elegant material. There is a second city, called +Black Town, nearly four miles in circumference, separated from Madras +by the breadth of a proper esplanade. Madras, in common with all the +European settlements on this coast, has no port for shipping, the +coast forming nearly a straight line, and being incommoded with a high +and dangerous surf. The citadel is situated in the middle of the +White, or English Town, and is one of the best fortresses in the +British possessions. The town is also encompassed with a strong wall +of the same stone as that with which the citadel is built, and is +defended by bastions, batteries, half-moons, flankers, and mortars. +Opposite the west gate of the citadel are barracks and a convenient +hospital for the company's soldiers, and at the other end is a mint +where the company coin gold and silver. + +I was shortly after engaged as an overseer in the Madras Advertiser +printing office, and as an assistant to the Madras Nautical Academy; +but not agreeing with my employer I left it, and obtained permission +to stop in the country as a free merchant. + +Mr. M. R----, with whom I resided, used all his interest to obtain for +me some permanent situation under government, but it could not be +effected. At length, being tired of an indolent life, I opened a +school, which succeeded very well, when I was forced to relinquish +it, owing to my ill state of health the confinement and severity of +the weather brought on a languishing complaint, which would have +terminated in my death had I persisted in continuing in my present +employment. + +My friend being obliged to quit Madras, left me and his brother in +charge of his house. My friends, during his absence, greatly +contributed to my amusement, and, in short, spared no expense. One +morning, passing through Vessory Bazar, I was greatly shocked at +seeing the nabob's elephant take up a little child in his trunk and +dash its brains out against the ground; the only reason that could be +observed was, that the child had thrown some pebble stones at it; and +the only redress the poor disconsolate mother could obtain was a gift +of fifty pagodas from the nabob, which is about equal to twenty pounds +sterling. + +During my friend's absence his mother and brother were carried off +with the cholera morbus. The general estimate of deaths through the +settlement is at least three hundred and fifty in one day; the natives +have been known to sacrifice in one day and at one pagoda, fifty cocks +and fifty kids, to appease their angry gods, and, in fact, some of the +poor deluded creatures will go with a sword run through their cheeks +in the fleshy part, and kept hanging in that position for some days, +continually dance backwards and forwards through the different bazars; +others have the palms of their hands pierced with a sword; others have +their breasts burnt, and others again have an instrument run through +their tongue in order to calm the wrath of their offended deities; nor +can they, in their opinions, put themselves to sufficient torture. + +Shortly after my friend returned, I went to reside with a friend at +Royaporum, south of Black Town, and soon afterwards I was engaged as +an examiner in the accountant-general's office. After I had been a +short time in this employ, I received an order to prepare for my +departure for Nagpore, in the service of his highness the Rajah. On my +return from the Fort St. George, I was greatly surprised at seeing an +old man standing with his bare feet upon two pieces of wood in the +form of a pair of pattens, with pointed pegs uppermost; he stood in +that position for several days, with the blood running in torrents, +and several of those who passed by gave him what their circumstances +could well afford. A few days after I was invited to witness an Hindoo +ceremony. We took our station at the top of a rich Persian's house, +opposite a spacious esplanade and contiguous to a large pagoda; in the +centre of the esplanade was fixed a capstern, with a pole about sixty +feet long, which was fixed so as to be occasionally raised or +lowered. Shortly after our arrival, a native, decorated with flowers, +proceeded slowly towards the pagoda with tom-toms, and all kinds of +Asiatic music; after he had prostrated himself in the pagoda, the +Brahmin, a kind of priest, struck his side with a leather thong till +it swelled to a considerable size, and then forced a butcher's hook +through his side; he then composedly walked to the machine, and +suffered himself to be fastened to a rope and suspended in the air +with no other support than the butcher's hook; he went at least three +times round a circle of about one hundred feet, and he kept his arms +continually in motion during the whole time, fencing and throwing +flowers among the bye standers, which were immediately picked up by +them and kept as a religious relic. This ceremony is performed yearly +for the purpose of those who have lost their cast, and may regain it +by voluntarily undergoing this treatment. Eleven of them went through +this torturing ceremony. + +I now began to put myself in readiness for my departure. On the +morning of the 8th I dispatched my baggage and tents, together with a +guard of eight peons (native police), which my friends had obtained +for me, through their interest with the superintendent of the police. +By the time I had taken leave of all my friends, and thanked them for +their disinterested protection to a distressed seaman, I proceeded on +my route (after receiving several more marks of their favours, Mr. +C---- having presented me with an Arab horse, four baggage bullocks, +and five hundred rupees, besides several letters of introduction) at +eight o'clock in the evening. I travelled about five miles down the +Ponamalee Road, and stopped at a village a little below the main +guard, a small place with scarcely any fodder for the cattle. On the +following morning, at a very early hour, we proceeded on our march, +and arrived at Ponamalee about eight o'clock, where I found several of +my friends waiting to take leave, as they expected that Ponamalee +would have been the first stage. + +After having taken farewell of each other they returned back to +Madras, and I hired for the day a small bungalow (or garden house) +opposite the fort, where I determined to stay. Ponamalee is about +fourteen miles W. S. W. of Madras. This small and beautiful town is +situated upon a rising ground, which commands an extensive view of the +adjacent country. The number of Europeans residing here is but few, as +it is entirely out of the road for traffic. There is a fort which is +situated upon a rising ground, and gives the village a romantic +appearance. It forms a complete square, and on each angle is a small +place erected in form of the body of a wind-mill, which was used +formerly for the purpose of solitary confinement when the troops were +quartered here, but is now occupied as lumber rooms; the fort is +garrisoned by pensioners. The grand entrance is on the south side, +and a small wicket is usually on the west. The fort is surrounded by a +large moat about thirty feet in depth, the water is very clear and +good, and is drank by the natives. The inner part is far from being +roomy, owing to the extreme width of the ramparts. There are two or +three small buildings for the use of the commanding officers, but now +the residence of a school-master and two sergeants; in the centre is a +small building with a dome on the top, which was used formerly for a +chapel, but is now converted into a school for the instruction of the +poor soldiers' children, and the two barracks are occupied by +pensioners. + +On the following morning, about two o'clock, we prepared for our +journey, and in a few days arrived at Naggery, a distance of about two +hundred miles W. N. W. of Madras. The natives here are Hindoos, and +the village is remarkably clean. The pagoda, or place of worship, is a +fine large building, built in an oblong form, and beautifully gilt and +carved all round with monkeys and apes. The Hindoos, in their manner +of diet, are very abstemious, refraining from flesh; in fact, they +will not eat any animal food; they are very regular in their morning +ablutions, which they do by washing and marking themselves with chunam +in the centre of their foreheads, according to the mark of their +different casts. If any one neglects it he is immediately turned out +of the cast, and his relations disown him, nor will they permit him +once to enter their house. Such is their strictness, that the father +has refused to see his son and the mother her daughter; and if they +happen to perceive him at any distance they fly from him as they would +from a serpent, thinking that his touch would pollute them. + +The roads here are very bad, being principally jungle; their principal +cultivation is paddy (a kind of oats). On my arrival at Nundihall I +was determined to rest for a couple of days, as two of my servants +were in a very ill state of health. Nundihall is a beautiful town, the +houses are built of brick, and are generally from three to four +stories high; the streets were very dirty, owing to the number of +paddy fields that surround the city, as the growth of it requires that +the earth should be completely covered with water. The natives are +generally Hindoos and Moors. The town is surrounded by a high brick +wall. + +After leaving the town of Nundihall the roads were very bad, owing to +the quantity of stones, and hills which were very steep and difficult +to ascend. On the roads I had several disputes with the natives +passing through Wuntimuttall, owing to my servants and the peons +stealing the toddy from the trees. Toddy is a liquor which is +extracted from the top veins of the cocoa-nut trees, which runs +continually into a pot placed for that purpose. The liquor is very +pleasant, and is reckoned very wholesome when drank early in the +morning in a small quantity; if drunk in the heat of the day it causes +acidity in the bowels, and often is the cause of the death of many +Europeans. The natives drink it continually, and often get quite +intoxicated with it. + +We arrived at Cuddapah on the 21st instant; it is a large and +commodious town, and is inhabited by Mussulmen. Cuddapah is situated +N. W. of Madras, one hundred and fifty-one miles distant, and the +general estimate of inhabitants is at about two hundred thousand. The +principal houses are built of brick and the inferior ones of mud. + +The Mahometans divide their religion into two general parts, faith and +practice, of which the first is divided into six distinct +branches--belief in God, in his angels, in his scriptures, in his +prophets, in the resurrection and final judgment, and lastly, in God's +absolute decrees. The points relating to practice, are prayer with +washings, &c., alms, fasting, pilgrimages, and circumcision. + +The Mahometans pray five times in twenty-four hours, viz.: in the +morning before sun-rise, when noon is past and the sun begins to +decline from the meridian, in the afternoon before sun-set, in the +evening after sun-set and before day is closed, and again in the +evening and before the watch of the night. They fast with great +strictness during the whole month of Ramadan, from the time the new +moon first appears, during which period they must abstain from eating, +drinking, and all other indulgences, from day-break till night or +sun-set. + +The Europeans reside about two miles to the west of the native town, +and have commodious houses, with fine spacious gardens; they are built +of brick and much after the form of a gentleman's seat in England, but +on a larger scale. I proceeded to the house of the collector, and on +my road, my horse taking fright, I was thrown, and lost my purse +containing all my money. My distress was now indescribable. Being left +pennyless in the midst of a people totally destitute of Christian +feeling, and without the probable means of obtaining the common +necessaries of life, I arrived, in this miserable state of mind, +bordering on despair, at the collector's, Mr. Hanbury, and after +making him acquainted with my circumstances, he generously rendered me +his assistance, paid my servants' wages that were in arrear, and +kindly advanced what I thought sufficient to defray my expenses, +having previously sent my peons back to Madras, and supplied me with +fresh ones to proceed with me to Hydrabad. + +On the following day the rain came down in torrents, accompanied with +thunder and lightning, which kept me within my tent and caused me to +exclaim with Dr. Henry, "O, ye lightnings, that brood and lie couchant +in the sulphureous vapours, that glance with forked fury from the +angry gloom, swifter and fiercer than the lion rushes from his den, or +open with vast expansive sheets of flame, sublimely waved over the +prostrate world, and fearfully lingering in the affrighted skies!" "Ye +thunders, that awfully grumble in the distant clouds, seem to meditate +indignation, and from the first essays of a far more frightful peal; +or suddenly bursting over your heads, rend the vault above and shake +the ground below with a hideous and horrid crack!" In the evening the +weather began to clear up, which induced me to walk out, when taking +two peons as a guard, I proceeded south of the town, on a beautiful +plain: the pleasantness of the weather, and the stillness of the +evening, tempted me to prolong my walk, and inspired my mind to +contemplate on the wonderful works of Providence, who had so lately +showered down his blessings upon me, in preserving me from want in the +midst of a heathen world. The sun had almost finished his daily +course, and sunk lower and lower till he seemed to hover on the verge +of the sky! + +The globe is now half immured beneath the dusky earth; or, as the +ancient poet speaks, "is shooting into the ocean, and sinks into the +western sea." The whole face of the ground was overspread with shades, +and what the painters of nature call "dun obscurity." Only a few +superior eminences, tipt with streaming silver, the tops of groves and +lofty towers that catch the last smiles of day, were still irradiated +by the departing beams. But, O how transient is the destination--how +momentary the gift! like all the blessings which mortals enjoy below, +it is gone almost as soon as granted. How languishingly it trembled on +the leafy spire, and glimmered with dying faintness on the mountain's +sable brow! till it expired and resigned the world to the gradual +approaches of night. + + + + +SECTION VII. + + THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM CUDDAPAH--DESCRIPTION OF THE + DIFFERENT VILLAGES, AND ARRIVAL AT HYDRABAD--DESCRIPTION OF + HYDRABAD, AND DEPARTURE THEREFROM--ARRIVAL AT NERMUL. + + +On the morning of the 27th, I proceeded on my route over the chain +hills, with which the town of Cuddapah is surrounded; the roads are +very good, but the steepness of the hills made it very fatiguing: in +six hours I arrived at Batoor, a distance of twelve miles. Batoor is a +large village, the houses are built of mud and bamboo, and form a +motley group; the only protection they have from the number of robbers +which infest that part, is a small fort, about two hundred square +feet; the ramparts are about fourteen feet in thickness, and at each +angle a small gun is mounted upon a pivot, about three feet from its +walls; the fort in general is very much out of repair; the inhabitants +are Hindoos, and are very indolent; the land is quite barren and free +from cultivation. The cruelty with which Europeans in general act +towards these poor captives is really disgraceful, and cannot but be +censured by all who cherish the least trait of humanity with their +breast. + +When an European passes through any of the villages, and is in want of +any coolies, or porters, to carry his baggage, he orders his guards to +press every man he can meet with, and compel him to carry whatever his +barbarous protector chooses he should labour under, and if there is +not sufficient men, to press the women, without considering whether +they have any family to provide for. It has been frequently known, +that the mother has been forced to leave her infant babe from her +breast upon the bare earth to provide for itself, to carry the baggage +of a merciless enemy, whose only payment, after going fifteen or +sixteen Indian miles, is, if she complains, a _bambooing_, (that is a +caning,) and, perhaps, after she gets home, which cannot be till the +next day, she finds her poor infant dead for want. + +We passed through Parmunsa, and arrived at Moorkandah, which is a +small village, and in a very ruinous condition, as it is at the foot +of the Ghaut; the inhabitants are but few in number, and are +principally Brahmins, consequently provisions are very scarce; on my +requesting the cutwall, or headman of the village, to bring some +fowls, he refused, and said there were none in the place, although I +repeatedly heard the crowing of a cock. The impudent manner in which +the man answered me, made me doubt the truth of what he said; in order +to ascertain it, I took two peons and my gun and went round the +village, and found a full grown cock; I caught it, and ordered it to +be carried to my tent and killed; the natives by this time were in +arms, and before any of us were aware of it, they had secured the +peons and surrounded me, demanding the cock: when they were informed +of its death, they all began to weep and raised a most lamentable cry, +and said it was devoted to their god, and that the heaviest curses +would follow me. I expected their denunciations would have paid for +it; but in that I was greatly mistaken, for they demanded payment for +it; and to avoid any injury to my peons, I offered them one rupee, +considering that it would be equal to the price of eighteen cocks; but +they disdainfully refused it, and said that they must offer gifts to +their god to appease his anger, and to pay their sadura to intercede +in their behalf. I remonstrated with them; but to no avail, as they +would not take less than ten rupees. I tried all in my power to make +my escape from them; but when they perceived my intentions, they drew +their scimitars, and held them to my breast, and said, provided I did +not accede to their offer, they would not spare the lives of my peons +nor myself, as they could not get it replaced for forty times that +sum, which was presented to them by their rajah. The price I +considered to be extortionate, (but I paid it,) as fowls are sold in +the different villages round that neighbourhood for one penny each, +sheep for ten-pence, and every other article in proportion. + +On the following morning, at a very early hour, I crossed the Ghaut; +in the centre there is a very great declivity on each side the road, +about two hundred feet in depth, and the Ghaut is very steep, and +covered with flint-stone, which made it very difficult for the horse +and cattle to pass: it is about twelve miles in length, and at the +foot of it is the village of Badnapore. The inhabitants are very +peaceable, and the village is close on the borders of Khristnah river. +We made all possible haste to cross, which was effected by means of a +large round basket, which is continually whirling round in the river. +The river is about a quarter of a mile in width, but the heavy current +carried us nearly two miles down; and owing to the exertions of the +cattle, we encamped close on its banks. On the following day we passed +Pungall-hill fort, which is situate on the summit of a very steep +mount, and is built of mud, and large enough to contain ten thousand +troops; it is only accessible on the north-east angle, which is easily +blockaded in case of necessity. In five days we arrived at Hydrabad. + +Hydrabad lies about 350 miles north-west of Madras; the houses are +built of brick, and generally run four and five stories high. The +inhabitants are principally Mahometans interspersed with Hindoos. + +The Mahometans will not suffer a Christian to touch their cooking +utensils or fuel by any means, and if such should be done, they +consider them as polluted, and they will instantly break and destroy +them; and while they are in the act of eating, if touched by any one +of another sect, they will not swallow what is even in their mouth, +but will throw it out, and go through a regular purification by +washing and prayer. + +After I had been at Hydrabad a few days, I joined a small party to +view the interior: while we were taking breakfast, a cavalcade of +elephants came up to the door with a number of peons. After we had +mounted them we proceeded through the south gate into the city; the +streets were particularly dirty, owing to there being no drains. The +town is supplied with water by a well about two hundred feet in +circumference. + +On our entrance into the minister's house we were surprised at seeing +a battalion of female sepoys (soldiers) presenting arms to us. We +stood to see them go through their military manoeuvres, which they +did with dexterity; we then proceeded towards the house, which is +built entirely of cedar-wood, but in a very ordinary manner, owing to +the number of apartments: every room is carved in a beautiful and +masterly style, from the ceiling to the floor. This ornament is very +common among the lower classes, who have the devices of their gods +carved on the doors of their houses. The apartments form a complete +square, and in the centre is a stone tank. We next proceeded to a +gallery of looking-glasses; the only one worthy of notice is about +eighteen feet long and sixteen wide; there is likewise a whole length +painting of Earl Moira, Governor-General of India. We afterwards +proceeded to the palace of the Rajah: on our entrance into the inner +court, we were agreeably surprised at seeing a quantity of tea-cups, +saucers, &c. of various colours, placed against the wall in form of +elephants, tigers, serpents, &c. in the most superb manner; in the +centre is a large tank, containing a great quantity of salmon-trout. I +had the honour of being introduced to the Rajah's sons, but his +Highness was not present. + +After having obtained a guard of twelve sepoys and two naigues, I +proceeded on my route, and in a few days arrived at Nermul. + +Nermul is a large and beautiful city, surrounded by a fort, and is +about three miles in circumference, and is on a rising ground, 205 +miles north-north-east of Hydrabad, and in the heart of the jungle, +it is under the command of Major Woodhouse. The inhabitants are +principally Moors. + +I pitched my tent in the middle of a burying-ground, by the side of a +running stream, and owing to the fatigue I had experienced, I now +resolved to sojourn for two days. This place suited my present state +of mind. + +My attention was soon attracted by a magnificent tomb, and upon +examining the inscription, it proved to be a rajah's. The gardens were +ingeniously planned, and a thousand elegant decorations designed; but, +alas! their intended possessor is gone down "to the place of sculls!" + +While I am recollecting, many, I question not, are experiencing the +same tragical vicissitude. The eyes of the Sublime Being, who sits +upon the circle of the earth, and views all its inhabitants with one +incomprehensive glance, even now behold as many tents in affliction as +overwhelmed the Egyptians in that fatal night when the destroying +angel sheathed his arrows in all the pride of their strength; some +sinking to the floor from their easy chair, and deaf even amidst the +piercing shrieks of their distracted relations; some giving up the +ghost as they retired, or lay reclined under the shady harbour to +taste the sweets of the flowery scene; some as they sail with a party +of pleasure along the silver stream and through the laughing meads! +nor is the grim intruder terrified though wine and music flow around. + +"Those who received vast revenues, and called whole lordships their +own, are reduced to half a dozen feet of earth, or confined in a few +sheets of lead! Rooms of state and sumptuous furniture are resigned +for no other ornament than the _shroud_, for no other apartment than +the darksome _niche_! Where is the star that blazed upon the breast, +or the glittered sceptre? The only remains of departed dignity are the +weather-beaten hatchment. I see no splendid retinue surrounding this +solitary dwelling. The princely equipage hovers no longer about their +lifeless master, he has no other attendant than a dusty _statue_; +which, while the regardless world is as gay as ever, the sculptor's +hand has taught to weep." + + + + +SECTION VIII. + + THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM NERMUL AND ARRIVAL AT + NAGPORE--HIS DEPARTURE, AND ARRIVAL AT JAULNAH--THE AUTHOR'S + DEPARTURE FROM JAULNAH AND ARRIVAL AT POONAH, AND + DESCRIPTION OF THE VILLAGES WITH THEIR RELIGION--HIS ARRIVAL + AT BOMBAY, AND HIS DISTRESS--SKETCH OF BOMBAY AND ACCOUNT OF + THE PERSIAN RELIGION--HE JOINS THE HONOURABLE COMPANY'S SHIP + MARQUIS OF HUNTLY, AS CAPTAIN'S CLERK--HIS DEPARTURE FROM + BOMBAY AND ARRIVAL AT BENGAL. + + +After remaining two days, I proceeded on my route; and on the +following day arrived at Wadoor, a distance of fourteen miles, across +a long succession of hills, the roads over which are very rugged and +covered with stones; Wadoor lies in a valley, at the foot of a large +mountain, and is hardly perceivable from the top. + +On the 20th December, we travelled along a beautiful and finely +cultivated country, the produce of which is cholum and paddy, which +grows in great quantities; the inhabitants are very civil, and +principally Moor men. On the 25th December, 1821, I arrived at +Nagpore, and on the same evening was seized with the Nagpore fever, +which is always accompanied by fits of the ague. The fever is supposed +to originate from the excessive heats of the day, and the extreme cold +of the night. + +I endeavoured as much as possible that my ill state of health should +not keep me from my employment, but attended to it very assiduously; +which I persevered in till the 27th of March, when the doctor informed +me, that I had better leave the Presidency or I should endanger my +life, as the hot winds generally set in in the middle of April, which +frequently prove very dangerous to European invalids. + +On the 2nd of April, after having previously obtained my passport and +a guard of twelve Seapoys, I proceeded on my route, and towards +evening arrived at Tukea, where, owing to my ill state of health, I +was compelled to stop two days. + +On the 12th I arrived at Ouronty, which is S. W. by W. of Nagpore, +about 100 miles. The town is very large, and is surrounded by a brick +wall; the houses are built of brick, and are generally three stories +high. The inhabitants are Mussulmen. In the afternoon I went to the +palace of the Rajah, (Rajah ram.) His palace outside is very dirty, +owing to his guard making fires against the walls for cooking. On my +desiring to see the Rajah, I was conducted through a long dreary +passage, with the walls, to all appearance, covered with grease and +filth, at the end of which is a large court-yard, which has a very +different appearance, the Rajah's apartments being all round; at the +end were six Peons waiting to conduct me to his highness, with silver +staves, about eleven feet long, with a device of Mahomet on the top; +on my introduction to the Rajah's apartment, he was sitting +cross-legged with his hooker; at my entrance he arose and made three +salams in token of respect to the British nation. After questioning me +where I was going to, and my reasons for so doing, he presented me +with two camel-hair shawls, by placing them across my shoulder; then +taking his leave. + +On the following day, I proceeded on my route, and on the 20th arrived +at Luckenwarry; where there is good encampment and water, and the +natives are principally Hindoos. Early on the following morning we +began to cross the Luckenwarry Ghaut; the roads were steep and not +above ten feet wide, and on each side a vacuity of about 250 feet +deep. The light in the lantern being extinguished, and the moon being +obscured, my horse, had it not been for the horse-keeper, would have +precipitated me to the bottom; I instantly dismounted, and the +horse-keeper led him till he was clear of the Ghaut. On the centre is +a large gate, which stands about forty feet high, and which, during +the war, had withstood a three months' siege. + +Passing through the jungle between the villages of Currone and +Chickly, we were greatly surprised at seeing a large party on camels; +we hailed them and enquired who they were, but we could not by any +means obtain an answer; when finding they persisted in their +obstinacy, the Naigues suspected them of belonging to the party of +Sheik Dullah, a noted robber who had already committed many +depredations in that neighbourhood, and on our desiring them to move +to the left of us if they were friends, they made a sudden halt; the +sepoys then drew up in a line, and the followers began to guard their +baggage, but when they saw our number, they went off to the left of +us, grumbling. + +On the 24th, we arrived at Jaulnah. It bears W. by S., of Nagpore, +distant 180 miles. On the following day, after I had taken sufficient +rest, I presented my passport to the Adjutant-General, and delivered +up the guard, having previously obtained another. Jaulnah is a large +town, surrounded by a brick wall, about twenty feet in height; the +houses are generally of brick, and from three to four stories; the +inhabitants are principally Hindoos, interspersed with Persians and +Mussulmen. The cantonment is the head quarters of the British army on +this side the Deccan.--Jaulnah has a civil and military government. + +After staying two days, I proceeded on my route, and on the 19th of +May I arrived at Poonah. It bears S. S. E. of Bombay, and is in the +territories of the Peishwa: it is about forty miles distant from +Bombay. I took up my residence with a friend, commander of the +Sebundaries; during my route, I passed through Armigabad, Amednagur, +and Seroor; which is the residence of Europeans, and has detachments +of different regiments quartered at each town: their houses are in +general of brick and stone, their religion is Hindoo. + +The Hindoos are divided into four tribes, first the Brahmin; second, +the Khatry; third, the Bhyse; fourth, the Sooders; all these have +their distinct sects, and cannot intermingle with each other; but for +some offences they are expelled their sects, which is the highest +punishment they can suffer. In this manner a kind of fifth sect, +called Pariah, is formed of the dregs of the people, who are employed +only in the meanest capacity. There is a kind of division which +pervades the four sects indiscriminately; which is taken from the +worship of their gods VISHNOU and SHEEVAH; the worshippers of the +former being named Vishnou bukht, and of the latter, Sheevah bukht. + +Of these four sects the Brahmins have the superiority, and all the +laws show such a partiality towards them, as cannot but induce us to +suppose that they have had the principal hand in framing them. They +are not allowed the privilege of sovereignty; but are solely kept for +the instruction of the people. They are alone allowed to read the Veda +or Sacred Books. The Khatries or sect next in dignity, being only +allowed to hear them read, while the other two read the Satras, or +commentaries upon them; but the poor Chandalas are not allowed to +enter their temple, or to be present at any religious ceremony. + +In point of precedence, the Brahmins claim a superiority even to +princes, the latter being chosen of Khatry or second sect. In fact the +Brahmin claims every privilege, and the inferior sects give place to +him; the Hindoos are allowed to eat no flesh nor to shed blood. Their +food is rice and dholl, and other vegetables, dressed with ghee (dholl +is a kind of split pea, ghee, a kind of butter, melted and refined to +make it capable of being kept a long time) and seasoned with ginger +and other spices. The food which they most esteem is milk, as coming +from the cow; an animal for which they have the most extravagant +veneration, insomuch that it is enacted in the code of Gentoo laws, +that any one who exacts labour from a bullock that is hungry or +thirsty, or shall oblige him to labour when fatigued, is liable to be +fined by the magistrates. + +The Hindoos are remarkable for their ingenuity in all kinds of +handicraft; but their utensils are simple and in many respects +inconvenient, so that incredible labour and patience are necessary, +for the accomplishment of any work; and for this the Hindoos are +remarkable. The religion of the Hindoos is contained in certain books, +called Vedas; and, though now involved in superstition, seems to have +been originally pure, inculcating the belief of an Eternal Being, +possessed of every divine perfection. Their subordinate deities, +Brahma, Vishnou, and Sheevah, are only representatives of the wisdom, +goodness, and power of the supreme god Brahma; whom they call the +principles of Truth, the spirit of Wisdom, and the Supreme Being; so +that it is probable that all their idols were at first only designed +to represent these attributes: they believe in ten Avators, or +incarnation of the Deity, nine of which have taken place for the +punishment of tyrants, or removing some great natural calamity; and +the tenth is to take place at the dissolution of the universe. Several +of the Avators inculcate the transmigration of souls, and the ninth of +them, which forbids the sacrifices of animals, gave rise to the +religion of Gauda Boodma, or Fo. + +Their deities are extremely numerous, and are generally supposed to +have first originated in Italy and Greece. + +After stopping six days, I proceeded to Bombay, and on the 30th of May +I arrived there. After delivering my passport, I made application for +a ship for England, and was some time before I could get one; and the +great expense I incurred in living at a tavern, made me entirely +pennyless, so that I was forced to dispose of the shawls which I had +presented me by the Rajah of Omrouty, and for which I received three +hundred rupees each. But before I was finally settled, I had not above +ten rupees left. + +Bombay is an island of Hindostan, on the west coast of the Deccan, +seven miles in length, and about twenty-one miles in circumference; +the ground is barren, and good water scarce; it was formerly +considered very unhealthy, but by draining the swamps and bogs the air +is much improved; the inhabitants are of several nations and very +numerous, but are principally Persians. + +The religion of the Persians is, generally, Paganism, directed +principally by the priests of magi, men of strict austere life, +forbidding the use of either ornament or gold; making the ground their +bed, and herbs their food. Their whole time is spent in offering to +the gods the prayers and sacrifices of the people, as they only might +be heard. + +The people are _Gentiles_; as to their religion, they worship the sun +and moon, and various heavenly bodies, from whom they suppose they +derive every blessing of light and warmth; and every morning they +gather themselves round the beech and present their morning oblations, +by pouring into the sea quantities of milk and odoriferous flowers, +and prostrating themselves with their faces to the earth, as a mark of +adoration to their rising deity (the sun.) Besides other gods which +the Gentiles worship, they are great idolaters of fire, which they +offer sacrifices to in time of peace, and carry it with them, as their +tutelar deity in time of war. Their adoration is so great, that the +first candle they see lighted, let it be in whose place it will, they +immediately stop and repeat a prayer. In their habitation they never +put it out after it is once lighted. + +Besides the town of Bombay, which is about a mile in length, with mean +houses (a few only excepted), there is a capacious harbour or bay, +reckoned the finest haven in the east, where all ships may find +security from the inclemency of the different seasons. After remaining +here for the space of three months, I was engaged as captain's clerk +on board the Hon. Company's Ship Marquis of Huntly. We sailed from +hence July 25, 1820, and arrived at the new anchorage in nineteen +days' sail; soon after I went up to Calcutta on duty for the ship. + +Calcutta, or _Fort William_, the emporium of Bengal, and principal +seat of India, is situated on the western side of the Hoogely river, +at about ninety-six miles from its mouth, which is navigable up to the +town for large ships. This extensive and beautiful town is supposed to +contain between four and five hundred thousand inhabitants. The houses +are variously built, some of brick, others of mud and cow-dung, and a +great number with bamboos (a large kind of reed or cane) and mats. The +bamboos are placed as stakes in the ground, and crossed with others in +different ways, so as to enable them to make the matting fast, when +for the roofing they lay them one upon the other, when a large family +lie in that small compass of about six feet square, which makes a very +motley appearance. The mixture of European and Asiatic manners +observed in Calcutta is wonderful; coaches, phaetons, hackeries, +two-wheeled carriages drawn by bullocks, palanquins carried by the +natives, and the passing ceremonies of Hindoos, and the different +appearance of the faquirs, form a diversified and curious appearance. +The European houses have, many of them, the appearance of palaces or +temples, and the inhabitants are very hospitable. + +After the cargo was sent on board I returned to the ship, but on our +passage down the river we were compelled to lie out in the river, +owing to the great boar, as it is called; it is a quick overflowing of +the water, which rises in a great body and with such violence that it +breaks down all before it. It arises from the narrowness of the river, +and the force which it makes from the sea; in the course of two +minutes it rises to the height of four or five feet. + +Lying in one of the creeks till the tide was turned, I was greatly +alarmed by the men getting into the boat in great disorder and +telling me that it was a crocodile which I had for a long time +observed, and mistaken for the hull of a tree. A crocodile is an +amphibious voracious animal, in shape resembling a lizard. It is +covered with very hard scales, which cannot but with difficulty be +pierced, except under the belly, where the skin is tender. It has a +wide throat, with several rows of teeth, sharp and separated, which +enter one another. + +On my arrival on board every thing was in confusion, as we expected to +sail in a few days. + + + + +SECTION IX. + + THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM CALCUTTA, AND ARRIVAL AT + CHINA--AN ACCOUNT OF THEIR RELIGION, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS, + AND OF HIS BEING ROBBED ON DANES' ISLAND--THE AUTHOR'S + DEPARTURE FROM CHINA AND ARRIVAL AT ANJURE POINT--THE + CUSTOMS AND MANNERS OF THE MALAYS--DEPARTURE THEREFROM, AND + ARRIVAL AT ST. HELENA--DESCRIPTION OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON'S + TOMB AND HOUSES--DEPARTURE FROM ST. HELENA, AND ARRIVAL IN + ENGLAND. + + +We sailed from Bengal in company with the Hon. Company's Ship Dunira, +October 19th, 1820, with a fine breeze, and arrived at Pulo Penang, or +Prince of Wales's Island, on the 6th of November. The houses have a +noble appearance, and are built after the form of those in Calcutta. +The inhabitants are principally Malays; of them I shall speak more +hereafter. After having received on board a quantity of rattan, as +private trade for the captain, we made sail and arrived at Macao, on +January 26th, 1821, after a long and tedious voyage. + +Macao, a town of China, in the province of Canton, is seated in an +inland at the entrance of the river Tae. The Portuguese have been in +possession of the town and harbour since the early part of the +seventeenth century. The houses are low and built after the European +manner; the Portuguese are properly a mixed breed, having been married +to Asiatic women. Here is a Portuguese Governor as well as a Chinese +Mandarin. The former nation pays a great tribute to choose their own +magistrates. The city is defended by three forts, built upon +eminences; and the works are good and well planted with artillery. + +On the 29th we anchored off the second bar, and found lying here the +Hon. Company's Ship Canning, and two or three other Company's ships; +on the 30th weighed and made sail, but there not being water enough, +removed back to our old station. On the following day we crossed +Whampo. After the cargo was discharged I went up to Canton. + +Canton is a large and populous city, situated in one of the first +rivers in the empire. It is the capital of the province of Quan-tong, +and the centre of the European trade in that country. The streets are +long and straight, paved with flag stones, and adorned with lofty +arches. The houses are remarkably neat, but consist only of one story, +and they have no windows to the streets. The covered market place is +full of shops. The inhabitants are estimated at about 1,000,000; many +of whom reside in barks, which touch one another, form a kind of +floating city, and are so arranged as to form streets. Each bark +lodges a family and their grand children, who have no other dwelling. +At break of day all the people who inhabit them depart to fish or to +cultivate their rice. + +The frugal and laborious manner in which the great live, the little +attention which is paid to the vain and ridiculous prejudice of +marrying below rank; the ancient policy of giving distinction to men +and not to families, by attaching nobility only to employments and +talents, without suffering it to be hereditary; and the decorum +observed in public, are admirable traits in the Chinese character. + +There is little distinction in the dress of men and women; rank and +dignity are only distinguished by the ornaments they wear, and they +dare not presume to wear any thing without proper authority, without +being severely chastised for it. Their dress in general consists of a +long vest, which reaches to the ground, one part of it, on the left +side, folds over the other, and is fastened to the right by four or +five small gold or silver buttons placed at a little distance from one +another. The sleeves are wide towards the shoulder, and grow narrow +towards the wrist--they terminate in the form of a horse-shoe--round +their middle they wear a large girdle of silk, the ends of which hang +down to their knees; from this girdle is suspended a sheath, +containing a knife, and over all they wear a loose jacket down to the +middle, with loose short sleeves, generally lined with fur, and under +all they wear a kind of net to prevent it from chafing. The general +colour of these dresses is black or blue. + +Their religion is idolatry, their principal idol is _Fong Chon_, and +they are very superstitious, believing in magic and invocation of +spirits, and the art of foretelling events by divination. + +While receiving our cargo on board, a Chinaman belonging to one of the +craft, stole a box of tea, but, by the exertion of our officers, the +culprit was taken and immediately sent on shore to Dane's Island to +the mandarine. He was found guilty of the crime, and his punishment +three dozen blows with the bastinado. The instrument of correction, +called pan-tsee, is a bamboo a little flattened, broad at the bottom, +and polished at the upper extremity, in order to manage it more easily +with the hand. + +The culprit, after the mandarin has given the signal for punishment, +is seized and stretched out with his belly flat on the ground, his +breeches are pulled down to his heels, and on the mandarine throwing +down a stick, of which he has a number by him, one of the officers in +attendance uses the pan-tsee, and gives him five severe blows, which +are succeeded by several others till the number is complete. When it +is over, the criminal must throw himself on his knees, incline his +body three times to the earth, and thank his judge for the trouble he +has taken in his correction. + +The mandarins are of two classes, viz.; those of letters, and the +inferior sort are styled mandarins of arms. The latter class do not +enjoy the same consideration as the former. + +The Chinese in general are much addicted to commit depredations on the +pockets, or, in fact, on any unguarded property. After all our cargo +was received on board, I went in company with two midshipmen, Mr. +C---- and Mr. R----, on Dane's Island. After we landed some Chinese +came and decoyed us to their village, which was at the back of a +number of hills and out of sight of the shipping, under a promise that +they would let us have some of their country fruit, such as they sent +us on board. The length of time that some of them were absent, and the +sun going down fast, made us rather doubt the sincerity of their +intentions; those that were with us begged that we would stop till the +sun was down, but we began to be afraid of our lives. When the men saw +that we were determined to wait no longer, they gave a dreadful whoop, +which was answered by others stationed on the hills; they immediately +seized hold of us and rifled our pockets. + +On March 25th we sailed down to Macao, and on the following day we +took our departure, and on the 24th of April arrived at Anjier point, +and is a settlement belonging to the Dutch; it lies to the east of +Batavia. The houses are generally built of bamboo; the inhabitants are +of various casts, Pagans, Mahometans, and Chinese. The barbarism of +the Batta Tribes is horrible, for they kill and eat their criminals or +prisoners of war, or even sacrifice their own relations when aged and +infirm, not so much with a view to gratify their appetites, as to +perform a pious ceremony. Thus, when a man becomes infirm and weary of +the world, he is said to invite his own children to eat him when salt +and limes are cheapest. He then ascends a tree, round which his +friends and offspring assemble, and as they shake the tree they join +in a funeral dirge, the import of which is, the season is come, the +fruit is ripe, and it must descend. The victim descends, and those +that are nearest deprive him of life, and devour his remains in a +solemn banquet. + +In a few days we made sail. We arrived at St. Helena, on the 10th of +July, 1821. This island is situated in the South Atlantic Ocean, its +circumference is about twenty miles, and at a distance it has the +appearance of a large rock rising out of the sea. On rounding the +island it has a very romantic appearance; the town lying in a valley +presents to the eye a beautiful chain of scenery. It has some very +high mountains, particularly one called Diana's Peak, which is covered +with wood to the very summit. There are other hills also, which bear a +volcanic appearance, and some have huge rocks of lava, and a kind of +half-vitrified flags. James Town is erected in a valley at the bottom +of a bay, between two steep dreary mountains, and has from the +shipping a noble appearance. + +Accommodations are tolerably good, and the inhabitants, generally +speaking, are very hospitable. Their villas are pleasantly situated, +and have a fine view of the sea; the whole face of the country is +really romantic; the hills are immensely high, and the valleys very +narrow; and in many of them there are a few houses, which give the +whole island a very picturesque appearance. + +After obtaining a passport from the Adjutant-General, I went over a +long succession of hills to see the habitations of the late Emperor +Napoleon Bonaparte. The roads were very difficult to ascend, and +particularly rugged. The remains of this great and illustrious +personage are buried in a deep valley, about three miles from James +town, and about two miles from his late residence at Longwood, under +the peaceful shade of three weeping willows, and which also, (as in +respect to his dust,) lend a solemn air of reverential darkness to the +memorable _well_, from which, during his pilgrimages, he was wont to +receive his refreshing draughts. + +No stately monument marks the spot; no polished alabaster, or the +mimicry of sculptured marble marks his grave: the real excellency of +the patriot is written on the minds of his countrymen; it will be +remembered with applause as long as the nation subsists, without this +artificial expedient to perpetuate it. + +Let the poor pass by his grave, and thankfully acknowledge, there lies +the man who gloriously fought for his country and his subjects, to +free them from the galling yoke of tyranny and oppression: no tablets +are written to mark his actions, but those which are written in the +heart of his subjects. + +The depth of his tomb is about twenty feet, and his coffin rests upon +two pedestals, ten feet high. His body is enclosed in four coffins, +first lead, second deal, third mahogany, and fourth marble. What is +very remarkable is, that part of his tomb is made of the flag-stones +of his new house, taken out of one of the kitchens. After viewing the +tomb of the man who was the most brilliant meteor in the political +world, I proceeded up to Longwood, to take a view of the habitation in +which he died. + +After presenting my passport I had permission to inspect the premises: +the officer took great pains in shewing me the very spot on which he +quitted his troubles and persecutions, when he kindly left me to make +what sort of reflections I thought proper. The darkness of the room +gave it a very solemn appearance, and suited the mind to contemplate +upon this late extraordinary character;--but a short period past he +was the terror of the world, and now, alas! what is he? He is laid low +in the tomb, unregretted and unpitied by his merciless enemies. A +gleam of light through the casements reflected a dead glimmer through +the gloomy mansion. The _most illustrious_ have claimed the _tomb_ for +their last retreat; rooms of state are resigned! the sceptre has +ceased to wield, and sumptuous banquets are neglected for no other +ornament than the winding sheet! "Where is the star that blazed upon +his breast, or the coronet that glittered round his temples?" Alas! +they are resigned and given over, through the power of the tyrant hand +of death. + +I have often walked between the impending promontory's craggy cliff; I +have sometimes trod the vast spaces of the lonely desert, and +penetrated the inmost recesses of the dreary cavern; but never beheld +Nature lowering with so dreadful a form; never felt impressions of +such awe striking cold on my heart, as under this roof; every thing +seemed to participate in grief for their deceased lord. The rooms were +very dirty and much neglected. The plants in his late garden seemed to +droop their heads in sorrow for the loss of the hand that reared them. + +I next proceeded to the palace which had been sent from England, and +really it would have reflected honour on the British nation, and no +sovereign in the world need wish for a more magnificent one, had it +been placed in a more healthy part of the island. + +We sailed for England on the 29th, and arrived on the 13th of +September, 1821, after a speedy and pleasant passage. + + +THE END. + + * * * * * + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Narrative of a Voyage to India; of a +Shipwreck on board the Lady Castlereagh; and a Description of New South Wales, by W. B. Cramp + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGE TO INDIA *** + +***** This file should be named 27113-8.txt or 27113-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/1/1/27113/ + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +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. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +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 + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/27113-8.zip b/27113-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..87b4459 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-8.zip diff --git a/27113-h.zip b/27113-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b0a44a4 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-h.zip diff --git a/27113-h/27113-h.htm b/27113-h/27113-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..620d1d0 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-h/27113-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2348 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Narrative of a Voyage to India, by W. B. Cramp + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- +body { margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; background-color:#FFFFFF; } + +p { margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em; } + +h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 +{ + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +hr +{ + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +a[name] { position: static; } + a:link {color:#0000ff; text-decoration:none; } + a:visited {color:#0000ff; text-decoration:none; } + a:hover { color:#ff0000; } + +.pagenum +{ /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; +} /* page numbers */ + +.center {text-align: center;} +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} +.f1 { margin-left:40%; } + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} +.fnanchor +{ + vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none; font-weight:normal; font-style:normal; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + +.poem br {display: none;} + +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + +.poem span.i0 +{ + display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i2 +{ + display: block; margin-left: 2em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i4 +{ + display: block; margin-left: 4em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em; +} + +// --> +/* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Narrative of a Voyage to India; of a +Shipwreck on board the Lady Castlereagh; and a Description of New South Wales, by W. B. Cramp + +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: Narrative of a Voyage to India; of a Shipwreck on board the Lady Castlereagh; and a Description of New South Wales + +Author: W. B. Cramp + +Release Date: November 1, 2008 [EBook #27113] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGE TO INDIA *** + + + + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + +<h2>NARRATIVE</h2> + +<h4>OF A</h4> + +<h1>VOYAGE TO INDIA;</h1> + +<h4>OF A</h4> + +<h2>SHIPWRECK</h2> + +<h3>ON BOARD THE LADY CASTLEREAGH;</h3> + +<h4>AND A</h4> + +<h2><i>DESCRIPTION OF NEW SOUTH WALES</i>.</h2> +<p> </p> + +<h2>BY W. B. CRAMP.</h2> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>LONDON:</h3> + +<h3>PRINTED FOR SIR RICHARD PHILLIPS <span class="smcap">and</span> Co. BRIDE-COURT, BRIDGE-STREET.</h3> +<h3>1823.</h3> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> +<h2>NARRATIVE</h2> + +<h4>OF A</h4> +<h2>VOYAGE TO INDIA,</h2> +<h4>&c. &c. &c.</h4> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>SECTION I.</h2> + +<h4>THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM ENGLAND—DESCRIPTION OF THE +CEREMONY ON CROSSING THE EQUINOCTIAL LINE, AND HIS ARRIVAL +AT MADRAS.</h4> + + +<p>On the 8th or 9th of January, 1815, we proceeded, in the Princess +Charlotte, Indiaman, to North-fleet Hope, and received on board our +cargo. On February 28th, we sailed to Gravesend, in company with the +Company's ships Ceres, Lady Melville, Rose, and Medcalfe, and arrived +at the Downs on the 3d of March. Our dispatches not being expected for +some time, we moored ship. Our time passed on very pleasantly till the +27th inst., when the weather became rather boisterous, and accompanied +by a heavy swell. On the evening of the 28th, as the Hon. Company's +ship Tarva, from Bengal, was rounding the Foreland, she struck on the +Goodwin Sands, and was forced to cut away her masts to lighten her, +and get her clear off. The Ceres drifted almost on board us; we +slipped our cables, and with difficulty escaped the Goodwin Sands.</p> + +<p>On the 1st of April the pursers joined their respective ships, and on +the 3d we made sail with a fair breeze, and soon cleared the English +channel. Nothing was now heard but confusion; the pilot having just +left the ship, the hoarse voice of the captain resounded through a +speaking trumpet, while the seamen were busy in making sail. We had a +fine steady breeze till we<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> made the Bay of Biscay, when we had a +strong gale for three days.</p> + +<p>After the hurry and bustle of the gale was over, we had a fine steady +breeze; I then began to feel an inward pleasure, and to rejoice in the +predilection I had imbibed from my earliest years.</p> + +<p>We arrived on the equinoctial about eight o'clock in the evening of +the 19th of April, when one of the oldest seamen is deputed Neptune; +when he went into the head and hailed the ship in the usual form, +Ship, hoa! ship, hoa! what ship is that? The chief officer replied, +The Hon. Company's ship Princess Charlotte of Wales, and that he would +be glad of his company on the morrow. Gladly would I have dispensed +with it. On his quitting the vessel, as is supposed, a pitch cask was +thrown overboard on fire, which had the appearance of a boat till lost +to view.</p> + +<p>The next morning, about nine <span class="smcap">a. m.</span>, Neptune hailed the ship again, +when he was invited on board (from the head). On the fore-part of the +gang-way and after-part of the long-boat, a boom was placed across, +and a tarpauling was hung in form of a curtain, so that when they were +in readiness they took it down, and the procession moved on towards +the cuddy, twelve of the officers walking in the front, two by two +with staves (broomsticks); next followed Neptune's car, (a grating +with a chair covered with sheep skins) with Neptune, and his wife and +child, (a recruit's child, as we had 250 on board, of his majesty's +46th regiment) Neptune bearing in his hand the granes with forks +uppermost, and the representation of a dolphin on the middle prong, +and Neptune's footman riding behind (barber) his carriage, dragged by +the constables. The captain and officers came out to meet him, and +presented him with a glass of gin, which was on this occasion termed +wine. After the captain's health was drank, he desired them to proceed +to business, and to make as much haste as possible; they then +proceeded to the starboard gang-way, and Neptune placed himself upon +his throne (on the boom, close to the long-boat and wash-deck tub) the +slush tub being filled with balls, and lather made of slush, and the +barber standing ready to begin his work with a razor made of a long +piece of iron hoop well notched; the engine was brought on the quarter +deck, and began to play, to force those below that had not crossed the +line. I had not been long below before an officer from Neptune came to +me, and demanded me, in his name to appear before him at the starboard +gang-way, whose summons must not be disobeyed. On my arrival at the +gang-way, the usual questions were asked me, whether I had been that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +way before? Without waiting for an answer they placed me on the +wash-deck tub, and the barber rubbed me with the back of his razor and +then let me go, upon my previously having given an order upon my +bottle.</p> + +<p>I had hardly got upon the poop, when one of the men was brought upon +deck who was neither beloved by the men nor officers; they then placed +him upon the tub, and asked him several questions, and while he was in +the act of answering them, they thrust some black balls into his +mouth, and then rubbed his face and neck over with lather, and scraped +it in an unmerciful manner till the blood run in several places; they +next pushed him into the tub of water and kept him under for the space +of a minute, which tended to smart and inflame the wounds. It was at +least a fortnight before he could wash himself perfectly clean; but +now several more shared the same fate. The sun was setting fast before +the amusements of the day were finished. The clouds presented the most +beautiful appearance, and the rippling of the sea, together with the +flying fish, scudding along the surface of the water, afforded the +mariner a great field of thought. At so grand a display of the great +and wonderful works of God, what mortal can be unmoved, or deny the +existence of a <span class="smcap">being</span> which nature herself proclaims!</p> + +<p>The evening was very fine and beautifully star-light, and the moon +shone with resplendent brightness. After the company had withdrawn to +their evening refreshments, I amused myself with walking on the +solitary poop. The sea appeared to be an immense plain, and presented +a watery mirror to the skies. The infinite height above the firmament +stretched its azure expanse, bespangled with unnumbered stars, and +adorned with the moon '<i>walking in brightness</i>;' while the transparent +surface both received and returned her silver image. Here, instead of +being covered with sackcloth,<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a> she shone with resplendent lustre; or +rather with a lustre multiplied in proportion to the number of +beholders.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> I must be excused for the ideal extravagance of +"clothing" this nocturnal luminary in "<span class="smcap">sackcloth</span>," on adverting to +that unlimited flight of poetic imagination, which speaks of "<i>Heaven +peeping through the blanket of the deep</i>." <i>Vide Shakspeare's +Macbeth.</i></p></div> + +<p>Such I think is the effect of exemplary behaviour in persons of +exalted rank; their course as it is nobly distinguished, so it will be +happily influential; others will catch the diffusive rays, and be +ambitious to resemble a pattern so commanding. Their amiable qualities +will not terminate in themselves, but we shall see them reflected in +their families.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span></p> +<p>My readers, I trust, will not wonder at my meditations on these +sublunary objects, when they consider that they are the seaman's +guide, and from them the greatest sources of nautical information are +derived.</p> + +<p>In the midst of these pleasing reveries, I was aroused by the ship +being taken a-back, the watch being completely intoxicated, and it was +only with difficulty that they could do their duty. Nothing material +happened till our arrival at the Cape, when we experienced a severe +gale for three days. The sea being heavy, she pitched her portals +under water. We were running at the rate of ten knots per hour, under +bare poles; and we soon after made the trade winds.</p> + +<p>On the 23d of June we arrived in Madras roads; from the deck the view +of the land has a magnificent appearance; the different offices have, +to the beholder, the appearance of stone, and they are formed along +the beach in a beautiful manner; they are built with piazzas and +verandahs, and they extend about one mile along a sandy beach, while +the natives parading along the shore, and the surf spraying upon the +beach, gave the scene a very picturesque appearance. The surf beats +here with so much violence that it is impossible for any ship's boats +to land without being dashed to pieces.</p> + +<p>On our making land we espied a small craft, called a kattamaran, +making towards us; it was manned with two of the natives naked, except +a handkerchief round their waist, and a straw round cap (turban) made +with a partition in it to keep letters dry. This bark is made of three +long hulls of trees, about ten or twelve feet in length, tied together +with a rope so as to make in the centre a little hollow; they sit upon +their knees in the centre, and have a long flat piece of wood, about +five feet in length and five inches in width, which they hold in the +centre, and keep continually in motion, first on one side and then on +the other, and in that manner they force the kattamaran swiftly +through the water.</p> + +<p>It is very remarkable that these poor creatures risk themselves +through the surf for a mere trifle, to carry letters for the different +commanders to their respective vessels, at a time when the surf is at +a dreadful height. When these poor fellows lay themselves flat on the +kattamaran, and then trust themselves to the mercy of the surf, they +are often driven back with great force, and they as often venture +again, till they effect their purpose. They generally get their living +by fishing, which is done by hook and line, and they offer them +alongside the different ships for sale.</p> + +<p>For two days the surf being so violent no boats could come off; but +early on the third morning there were several came off<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> with debashees +(merchants) on board. They brought such things as might be wanted by +the ship's company and officers. Their boats are made to carry +passengers and cargo. There is not a vestige of a nail to be seen in +them, their seams, instead of being nailed, are sewed together with +coir rope; and they are generally manned with six or eight men.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>SECTION II.</h2> + +<h4>THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM MADRAS AND ARRIVAL AT +BENGAL—DEPARTURE THEREFROM—HIS VESSEL RUNS ASHORE ON THE +PULICAT SHOALS, AND GETS SAFE AFLOAT AGAIN, AFTER BEATING +SIX HOURS AND FORTY MINUTES—HIS SAFE ARRIVAL AT MADRAS, AND +DESCRIPTION OF THE DIVERS—ARRIVAL AT BOMBAY—THE SHIP BEING +DOCKED, THE AUTHOR IS SENT TO BUTCHER'S ISLAND WITH THE +SHIP'S COMPANY—A DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLAND OF +ELEPHANTA—HIS JOINING THE SHIP AFTER HER LEAVING THE +DOCK—HIS WORDS WITH HIS COMMANDER, AND BEING TURNED BEFORE +THE MAST IN CONSEQUENCE—HIS DEPARTURE FROM BOMBAY, AND +AFTER A SHORT PERIOD HE IS REPLACED IN HIS FORMER +SITUATION—AND ARRIVES AT MADRAS.</h4> + + +<p>We sailed from Madras, August 23d, and arrived at Bengal on the 30th. +The scenery on the entrance up the river was indeed sublime, and +inspired us with a sensation of gratitude to the Giver of all good. I +went up to Calcutta with a craft of cargo; but having been sent down +immediately, I could form no idea of the place.</p> + +<p>On the 20th December we sailed from Bengal bound to Madras, in company +with the Honourable Company's ship Marquis of Wellington. We kept +a-head of her on the morning of the 25th, till she was almost mast +down, and expected to bring-to about twelve o'clock in the Madras +roads; but our expectations were greatly damped by the following +circumstances:—At 8 A. M. the ship struck on the Pulicat rocks with +such great violence, as to knock almost every man off his legs; the +lead was immediately called, which, to the disgrace of some one, was +not on deck; in the course of two minutes she struck again with as +much violence as before; sail was immediately taken in, and after +sounding, we found we drew about three and a half feet water. We then +made signal of distress, by hoisting the ensign union downwards,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> and +firing a gun. The Marquis of Wellington by this time hove in sight; +all was confusion and consternation, the ship having beat several +times with great violence. The Wellington hove to, and sent their +cutter with four men and a second mate to our assistance, and then +made sail and passed us, without rendering us any other assistance. +The pinnace and long-boats, booms and spars, were immediately sent +over the side, and the kedge-anchor was placed in the long-boat; but +she leaked so very fast, that with all the united efforts of the +seamen they could not keep her above water.</p> + +<p>The weather was now very cloudy and black, and threatened a severe +gale; so that our present situation became very disagreeable, as no +assistance could be rendered us off shore, should necessity require +it. But owing to the exertions of the officers and men, we effectually +swung her head to the wind, which was blowing strong from the shore, +and by 7 P. M. we anchored safe in the roads.</p> + +<p>On the following morning we were busily employed in discharging our +cargo and sending it on board its destined ships, (Honourable +Company's ships Stratham and Rose.) After our clearance, the divers +were expected from off shore, to examine the damage the ship's bottom +had received; but, owing to the inclemency of the weather, it was +impossible for them to get off from shore.</p> + +<p>A seaman on board, by birth a West Indian, engaged to dive under the +ship's bottom, and to acquaint us with the state of it, which was +gladly accepted. In his youth he had been a fisherman on the coast of +the island of Jamaica: the weather being rough, it was thought unsafe +for him to venture; but on the following morning, it being quite calm, +he prepared himself for his expedition: after he had jumped overboard, +he walked, or rather trod water, round the ship; he informed us the +copper was much battered above water, and in many places whole sheets +of it were broken off; and after he had made us perfectly acquainted +with the damages we had received above, he dived under her counter, +and abreast of the after, main, and fore hatchways;—when he came on +board, he informed us, that about twelve feet of our false-keel was +knocked off, and about six feet of our copper abreast of the +main-hatchway, besides a quantity of copper in different places, all +of which we found to be true after we were docked.</p> + +<p>We received considerable damage on board; the bolts were started from +her side about three inches, and the main-beams sprung. Three days +after he had dived, the captain came on board with two native divers, +and several officers of the different vessels lying in the roads, to +survey the ship.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> When they went under they brought up the same +account as our man had first given. After about an hour's +consultation, our ship was ordered to Bombay to be docked, it being +the most convenient one for a ship of our burden. In a few days after +we proceeded on our passage, and arrived in safety, keeping the pumps +in continual motion during our passage.</p> + +<p>The Island of Bombay is situated on the west coast of the ocean, and +one of the three Presidencies belonging to the Honourable East India +Company, and is in Lat. 18° 55' N. and Lon. 72° 54' E. of Greenwich. +As soon as we had discharged all our cargo, and the ship was docked, +the ship's company and officers were sent to Butcher's Island.</p> + +<p>Butcher's Island is a small island situated about four miles and a +half to the westward of Bombay, and is in circumference about one mile +and a half, and has been a very formidable garrison. In the centre is +a small fort and two barracks, the latter we took possession of for +the ship's company. Soon after our landing on the island, a party of +us went over to the Island of Elephanta.</p> + +<p>The Island of <i>Elephanta</i> is about one mile and a half to the west of +Butcher's Island, and is inhabited by 100 poor Indian families. It +contains one of the most stupendous antiquities in the world: the +figure of an elephant of the natural size, cut coarsely in black +stone, appears in an open plain, near the landing place, from which an +easy slope leads to an immense subterraneous cavern, hewn out of the +solid rock, eighty or ninety feet long and forty broad, the roof of +which is cut flat, and supported by regular rows of pillars, about ten +feet high, with capitals resembling round cushions, and at the farther +end of it are three gigantic figures, mutilated by the bigoted zeal of +the Portuguese, when this island was in their possession. After +spending the day very pleasantly we returned.</p> + +<p>The Sergeant (an old invalid) who had charge of the fort, had a +beautiful little garden; thither in the morning I frequently resorted, +to enjoy one of the most charming pieces of morning scenery that I had +ever witnessed.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Awake! the morning shines, and the fresh fields<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Call you; ye lose the prime to mark how spring<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The tender plants; how blows the citron grove;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">What drops the myrrh, and what the balmy reed;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">How nature paints her colours; how the bee<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Sits on the bloom, extracting liquid sweets."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p><span class="smcap f1">Milton's Paradise Lost.</span></p> + +<p>How delightful this fragrance. It is distributed in the nicest<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +proportion; neither so strong as to depress the organs, nor so faint +as to elude them. We are soon cloyed at a sumptuous banquet, but this +pleasure never loses its poignancy, never palls the appetite; here +luxury itself is innocent; or rather, in this case, indulgence is not +capable of excess. Our amusements for the forenoon were our nautical +studies, and in the afternoon officers and men joined in cricket. In +the evening, after my duty of the day was dispatched, and the sultry +heats were abated, I enjoyed the recreation of a walk in one of the +finest recesses of the Island, and in one of the pleasantest evenings +which the season produced.</p> + +<p>The trees uniting their branches over my head, formed a verdant +canopy, and cast a most refreshing shade; under my feet lay a carpet +of Nature's velvet; grass intermingled with moss, and embroidered with +the evening dew; jessamines, united with woodbines, twined around the +trees, displaying their artless beauties to the eye, and diffusing +their delicious sweets through the air. On either side, the boughs +rounding into a set of regular arches, opened a view into the distant +seas, and presented a prospect of the convex heavens. The little birds +all joyous and grateful for the favours of the light, were paying +their acknowledgments in a tribute of harmony, and soothing themselves +to rest with songs. All these beauties of Nature were for a while +withdrawn. The stars served to alleviate the frown of night, rather +than to recover the objects from their obscurity. A faint ray scarcely +reflected, and only gave the straining eye a very imperfect glimpse.</p> + +<p>The day following that the ship came out of dock we joined her. Our +labours were now unremitted, to get her in readiness for sea. Amidst +all our exertions it was impossible to give any satisfaction; our +chief mate was very arbitrary, and vented his spleen upon the +defenceless midshipmen, besides making the backs of the poor seamen +sore with <i>starting</i>. Starting is a term used for rope's-ending a man, +or otherwise laying a <i>Point</i> severely across their shoulders till +they have not the strength to wield it any longer; a point is a flat +platted rope, made for the purpose of taking in reefs, or otherwise to +fasten the sail upon the yards.</p> + +<p>At length my life became so truly miserable, that I was determined in +my own mind not to endure it, if there was any possibility of avoiding +it. For that purpose I wrote on board his Majesty's frigate, +Revolutionnaire, for a situation, when Captain Wolcombe generously +offered me one, provided I could get permission of Captain Craig to +leave my present ship. I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> was at length forced to leave Bombay, +through this and other circumstances.</p> + +<p>On our arrival at Madras every preparation was made for receiving our +cargo on board, which was speedily done, and in a short time was ready +for sea.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>SECTION III.</h2> + +<h4>THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM MADRAS, DESCRIPTION OF A +WATER-SPOUT—HIS ARRIVAL AT ST. HELENA AND DEPARTURE +THEREFROM, ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND—JOINS HIS MAJESTY'S TRANSPORT +SHIP, TOTTENHAM, BOUND FOR NEW SOUTH WALES—HER RUNNING ON +SHORE IN THE RIVER AND PUTTING BACK TO DOCK—HE AFTERWARDS +JOINS HIS MAJESTY'S TRANSPORT SHIP, LADY CASTLEREAGH. HIS +DEPARTURE FROM DEPTFORD AND ARRIVAL AT PORTSMOUTH—HIS +DEPARTURE THEREFROM AND ARRIVAL AT NEW SOUTH WALES.</h4> + +<p>As soon as our dispatches were in readiness, we proceeded on our +passage for England; the morning was beautiful, and as the men were +heaving up the anchor, my heart felt an inward sensation of joy and +gratitude to our Creator, that he had been pleased to bring us so far +safe on our voyage; we made sail with a steady breeze, and soon lost +sight of land. After we had been at sea about two days, close on our +weather-bow we observed a water-spout; when we first saw it, it was +whole and entire, and was in shape like a speaking trumpet, the small +end downwards, and reaching to the sea, and the large end terminating +in a black thick cloud: the spout itself was very black, and the more +so the higher up; it seemed to be exactly perpendicular to the +horizon, and its sides perfectly smooth, without the least ruggedness +where it fell. The spray of the sea rose to a considerable height, +which had somewhat the appearance of smoke; from the first time we saw +it, it continued whole about a minute, and till it was quite +dissipated three minutes; it began to waste from below, and gradually +up, while the upper part remained entire, without any visible +alteration, till at last it ended in black clouds, upon which a heavy +rain fell in the neighbourhood. There was but little wind, and the sky +was otherwise serene.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span></p> + +<p>On our rounding the Cape we experienced a very heavy gale, which +continued for the space of ten days. We arrived at St. Helena in about +ten days after clearing the Cape of Good Hope.</p> + +<p>The approach to this Island is tremendous, it being an immense large +rock in the midst of the sea, on which there is not the least +appearance of verdure, houses, or indeed any sign of inhabitants, till +you arrive at the anchorage, which is to leeward of the Island; and in +turning round the corner of the rock is a fort, close to the water's +edge, from whence they make all ship's heave to, till they have sent a +boat on board from the Admiral; and in case no attention is paid to +their signal, they fire a shot. After proceeding a little way, the +town is discovered in the midst of a valley, and has a very +picturesque appearance.</p> + +<p>The produce of the Island is potatoes and yams. The yams are used in +time of great scarcity of wheat, for bread; the inhabitants are under +the necessity of boiling them 12 hours and baking them, before they +can eat them; and in fact, many of the Islanders prefer them to bread. +The coast produces an amazing quantity of fish, particularly mackarel, +which are in great abundance, and run in shoals about six fathom under +water. At this time Napoleon resided at Longwood.</p> + +<p>After staying here 12 days, we proceeded on our passage to England, +and arrived there in six weeks and two days.—The distressed state of +England, and scarcity of employment determined me again to try my +fortune abroad, and for that purpose I made several applications to +the different owners, but for some time was very unsuccessful. At +length I was engaged by Messrs. Robinson, to join his Majesty's Ship +Tottenham, bound to New South Wales with 200 convicts. On June the 8th +I joined her. After receiving all the ship's and government stores on +board, we proceeded to Woolwich, and received on board 50 of our +number, and in the afternoon of the same day we made sail, and on a +sudden struck on a reef at low water; we were lying high and dry; +every means was used to get her off, but without success, till we sent +our convicts up to the hulks, and discharged our stores into the +different crafts sent for that purpose, and by that means lightened +her so, that at the flood she drifted; she was so materially damaged, +it was deemed necessary she should return back to Deptford to Dock.</p> + +<p>I had not waited long in London, before another vacancy occurred on +board His Majesty's Transport Ship Lady Castlereagh, lying at +Deptford, bound to the same Port. Shortly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> after I had joined her, we +sailed to Woolwich, and received on board our guard, which was +composed of a detachment of his Majesty's 46th regiment of foot, and +after receiving a portion of our convicts, we proceeded on our passage +to Portsmouth: we received another portion from Sheerness, and in two +days arrived at Portsmouth. The remainder of our prisoners not being +in readiness, we were forced to bring up and moor ship a cable each +way.</p> + +<p>Spithead is a spacious road for shipping, between Portsmouth and the +Isle of Wight, and where they in general lie after they are in +readiness for sea. I went on shore to see the town of Portsmouth. It +is situated inland of Portsea; the streets are generally narrow, and +rather dirty, owing to their not being properly paved.</p> + +<p>The Dock-yards, as there are several, resemble distinct towns, and are +under a government separate from the garrison. Here is a commodious +arsenal for laying up cannon, and the fortress may be justly +considered as the most regular one in Great Britain. The number of men +employed in the different rope-yards generally is considered to be +between eight or nine hundred, and the garrison is very large. The +town of Portsmouth contains about 40,000 inhabitants, and the harbour +is reckoned one of the finest in the world, as there is water +sufficient for the largest ships, and is so very capacious that the +whole of the British navy may ride in safety. The principal branch run +up to Fareham, a second to Pouchester and a third to Portsea Bridge; +besides these channels there are several rithes, or channels, where +the small men of war lie at their moorings. Opposite the town is the +spacious road of Spithead. On the 20th of December we received our +convicts, and the following day we made sail and passed through the +Needles, which are two sharp-pointed rocks at the N. W. end of the +Isle of Wight, so called from their sharp extremities.</p> + +<p>The prisoners, during their voyage, behaved themselves with great +propriety, considering the variety of characters which we had on +board. We arrived at New South Wales on the 26th of April, 1818, after +a pleasant passage.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION IV.</h2> + +<h4>DESCRIPTION OF NEW SOUTH WALES—DEPARTURE THEREFROM—ARRIVAL +AT VAN DIEMAN'S LAND.</h4> + +<p>We now made for the eastern coast of New Holland, southward of Port +Jackson; the coast has a most beautiful appearance, being constantly +green during the year. From the south cape, about five leagues to the +northward, is a most spacious bay with good anchorage, and sheltered +from all winds. The natives are very ferocious; few vessels put in +without partially suffering by their depredations, particularly seamen +who, having ventured from their parties, have been by them cut off, +robbed, and murdered. This place is called Two-fold Bay; ten leagues +farther north is Bateman's Bay. Here is good anchorage and plenty of +fresh water, but it lies open to the E. N. E. winds, and when they +prevail they are accompanied by a heavy swell, so that it is +impossible for vessels to lie secure. Seventeen leagues farther north +is Jervis's Bay, and an excellent harbour and good shelter from all +winds, with a fine sandy bottom. Round two small islands, at the mouth +of the bay, there are two very large kinds of fish, which are caught +in abundance with hook and line, called king fish and snappers.</p> + +<p>The next harbour to the northward is Botany Bay, which is a capacious +bay, with excellent anchorage for shipping; but the entrance is very +dangerous to those commanders who are strangers to the coast. At the +head of the bay is George's River, which extends about sixty miles up +the country, and is navigable for small vessels of about 40 tons +burden; on the banks of this river there are several settlements, +which I shall hereafter describe. Nine miles farther north are the +heads of Port Jackson; on approaching the heads from sea, the entrance +is so narrow, and the rocks so perpendicular, that the opening is not +perceivable at a distance.</p> + +<p>On the south head is a look-out house, and a flag staff, on which a +yellow flag is hoisted on the approach of any vessels from sea, which +is answered by another signal staff on a battery at the north end of +the town, called Davis's Point Battery,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> which is to be seen from all +parts of the town, so that a vessel is known to be approaching before +she enters the port. After entering the heads, the river runs due +south for six miles, it then turns short round a point of land on the +north shore, called Bradley's Head, which runs due west for +twenty-four miles. After rounding Bradley's Head, the town of Sydney +is perceivable, about three miles distant on the south shore. The +anchorage is a small cove, as still as a mill-pond, land-locked around +on all sides; the principal buildings in view are the stores and +dwelling of Mr. Campbell, a Bengal merchant; they are built of white +stone and have a noble appearance: the next is the government stores, +a large stone building, at the end of which is the hospital, wharf, +and stairs, the only public-landing place in the cove; here are two +centinels continually parading the quay. From the landing place is a +fine wide street, called George Street, with several fine stone and +brick buildings, extending a mile and a half long, and joining the +race ground. The public buildings in this line are the governor's +secretary's office, an orphan school for female children, and the +military barracks, with many fine private buildings, shops, &c. On the +S. E. side of the cove is the government house, a low but very +extensive building, surrounded with verandahs, and built in the +eastern style, with an extensive park and garden surrounded with a +high stone wall. About a quarter of a mile south of the government +house is the general hospital, a large and extensive building, erected +without any expense to government, the whole having been completed and +paid for by three private gentlemen of the colony, for the grant of +certain privileges. One mile further S. E. is Wallamolla, a fine brick +and stone mansion, the property and dwelling house of John Palmer, +Esq., formerly Commandant-general of the colony.</p> + +<p>Between the general hospital and Wallamolla is the race ground, a fine +level course three miles long, planned and laid out after the model of +Doncaster race course, by order of his excellency Lochlin Macquarie. +The races commence on the 12th of August, and last three days, during +which time the convicts are exempt from all government duties. +Convicts that are placed in the town of Sydney are in many respects +happier than those farther inland; those who are employed in the +service of government are under the inspection of the superintendent +of the public works; they assemble at the ringing of a bell, in the +government-yard, soon after day-light, and are mustered by their +respective overseers and conducted to their work by them, having +received their orders from the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> superintendent on the preceding +evening. The overseers are themselves convicts of good character, and +perfect masters of their different trades. They labour from day-light +until nine o'clock, and they have then one hour allowed them to +breakfast, then they return and work till three in the afternoon, and +from that time they are at liberty to work for whom they think proper.</p> + +<p>On leaving Sydney, the next settlement is Rose Hill, or, called by the +natives, Paramatta, and it is situated due west up the river. Between +Sydney and Paramatta there is but one settlement, about half way, +which is called Kissing Point, and close on its banks is a large farm, +kept by Mr. Squires, who likewise carries on an extensive brewery. The +principal edifice at Paramatta is the government stores, a large stone +building; close to the landing-place, and leading into the town, is a +street about a mile long. They are generally small cottages, and are +mostly inhabited by the convicts; and to each is attached a small +garden, which they are compelled to keep in good order.</p> + +<p>There is also a large manufactory of flax, the produce of the country, +of which they make coarse cloth of different descriptions. This town +is under the direction of the bishop of New South Wales (Samuel +Marsden) and is the place where the noted George Barrington resided +many years as chief constable, and died in the year 1806, highly +respected by the principal men of the colony. At eight miles distance, +in a westerly direction, is the village of Galba, which is a very +fertile soil, the farms being in high cultivation, the ground clear of +timber, and numbers of sheep and oxen seen grazing in its fields. Two +miles south of Galba is the village of Castle Hills, in appearance +resembling Galba; and a number of farm houses scattered about as far +as the eye can reach. About fourteen miles, in a S. E. direction, is +the town of Liverpool, on the banks of George's River; here +cultivation is making rapid progress; and on each side of the river +are numerous farms, till the traveller arrives at its termination. +From George's River a branch runs in a N. W. direction, is about +twenty miles in length, and is called the Nepean River. Here the eye +of the agriculturist would be highly delighted at the verdure that +constantly appears in view; the farms are but thinly dispersed, as the +Nepean is not navigable.</p> + +<p>At the extremity of the Nepean is the most extensive tract of land +that has yet been discovered. This tract is laid out in pastures, +which are literally covered with wild cattle, the produce of six cows +and a bull which escaped from the colony about forty<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> years ago. They +were discovered by a runaway convict, who returned to the settlement +and reported his discovery, for which they pardoned him his crime of +desertion. After leaving the cow pastures, due north is the town of +Windsor, the most productive place in the colony for grain of every +description, which is brought to be shipped on the River Hawksborough, +in small crafts for that purpose. Windsor is sixty miles from Sydney, +and the river is navigable all the way from the sea; its entrance is +called Broken Bay, and is fourteen miles north of Port Jackson, and +thirty miles north of Broken Bay.</p> + +<p>The town of Newcastle is situated about seven miles up the river, +called the Coal River, in consequence of coals being found there in +great abundance, of very good quality. This town is a place where all +are sent to that prove refractory, or commit any crimes or +misdemeanors in the colony, and is much dreaded by the convicts as a +place of punishment.</p> + +<p>Newcastle is the last settlement to the northward of Sydney; the +natives are black, and appear to be a most miserable race of people: +they live entirely naked, both men, women, and children, and they +possess not the least shame. They carry fish and game to the different +towns and villages inhabited by the English, which they barter for +bread, tobacco, or spirits; they are, in general, of a light make, +straight limbed, with curly black hair, and their face, arms, legs, +and backs are usually besmeared with white chalk and red ochre. The +cartilage of their nose is perforated, and a piece of reed, from eight +to ten inches long, thrust through it, which seamen whimsically term +their spritsail-yard. They seem to have no kind of religion; they bury +their dead under ground, and they live in distinct clans, by the terms +Gull, Taury Gull, or Uroga Gull, &c. They are very expert with their +implements of war, which are spears made of reed, pointed with crystal +or fish bone; they have a short club made of iron wood, called a +waday, and a scimeter made of the same wood. Those inhabiting the +coast have canoes; but the largest I ever saw would not hold more than +two men with safety.</p> + +<p>Their marriage ceremony is truly romantic; all the youth of a clan +assemble, and are each armed with wadays; they then surround the young +woman, and one seizes her by the arm, he is immediately attacked by +another, and so on till he finds no combatant on the field, and then +the conquering hero takes her to his arms.</p> + +<p>The different kinds of game which the colony produces, are several +kinds of kangaroos, of the same species, but differing in size and +colour. Beasts of prey have never been seen in the colony. The birds +are, parrots, cockatoos, and a large one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> called <i>emus</i>, which have +very long legs and scarcely any wings; they in general live upon fern, +and weigh from seventy to eighty pounds; there are likewise a number +of black swans. The woods abound with a number of dangerous reptiles, +such as centipedes and scorpions.</p> + +<p>Government not being disposed to receive all our convicts, we were +taken up to proceed to Van Diemen's Land, with a crew of two hundred +convicts, besides a detachment of one hundred and sixty rank and file +of his Majesty's 46th regiment of foot. We sailed from hence, and +arrived at Van Diemen's Land after a pleasant passage of six days.</p> + +<p>Van Diemen's Land is situated south of the Cape of New Holland, and is +a dependency under the control of the Governor-General. Here is a +Deputy-Governor, who resides at the principal town, called Hobart's +Town, situated about thirty miles up the Derwent; it is a town at +present consisting of small cottages, or huts, built of wood, and with +but few free inhabitants. The soil of the country is good; but there +is a very inconsiderable trade. The Derwent runs ninety miles due west +up the country. North of the Derwent, about twenty miles, is Frederick +Henry's Bay, an immense deep bay, with good anchorage and shelter for +shipping; and north-west of Henry's Bay is another fine river, called +Port Dalrymple; it runs south-west ninety miles inland; at the head of +it is a town, called Launceston; the inhabitants are principally +convicts, and are employed in clearing the land for government. The +native inhabitants of Van Diemen's Land are nearly the same as those +of New Holland; and they at present hold no intercourse with the +European inhabitants. After our prisoners were received on shore, they +sent us another detachment of 150 rank and file of his Majesty's 46th +regiment for Madras, and we began to prepare for sea.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION V.</h2> + +<h4>DEPARTURE FROM VAN DIEMEN'S LAND AND ARRIVAL AT MADRAS—AN +ACCOUNT OF A SEVERE GALE, AND THE GREAT DANGER OF SHIPWRECK, +TOGETHER WITH HER WONDERFUL ESCAPE FROM IT, AND HER SAFE +ARRIVAL IN CUDDALORE.</h4> + +<p>The morning was beautiful, and the noise of the crew weighing the +anchor, created much life and bustle; and as we proceeded out of the +harbour Nature seemed to smile, and bid us welcome to the watery +element we had been so long traversing. A few days after, we entered +the Endeavour Straits, which are about ten leagues long and five +broad. We had several canoes off from the shore of New Guinea. It is a +long narrow island of the South Pacific Ocean, and north of New +Holland, from which it is separated by this strait, except on the +north-east entrance, where it is counteracted by a group of islands, +called the Prince of Wales's Islands. The land is generally low, and +covered with an astonishing luxuriance of wood and herbage. The +inhabitants resemble those of New Holland, omitting the quantity of +grease and red-ochre with which the New Hollanders besmear their +skins.</p> + +<p>Their canoes are neatly carved, and are about twelve feet in length; +they have outriggers to keep them firm on the water, and they are +formed out of the hulls of trees; they carry about five or six men. +They brought on board a quantity of shells, bows, arrows, and clubs, +besides other trifling articles, and they would exchange with us for +bits of old iron-hoops, or in fact any old thing, however trifling. +The breeze freshening, we soon lost sight of the native merchants.</p> + +<p>We arrived at Madras on the 12th of September, 1818, after a tedious +passage. Owing to General Munro's intended departure for England, our +cargo was immediately got ready, and as expeditiously received by us, +and we were ready for sea on the 20th of October; but our dispatches +not being in readiness, we were forced to remain at our anchorage, and +on the morning of the 24th the clouds looked very black, and +threatened a severe storm; but no preparations were made on board, and +at 4 <span class="smcap">p. m.</span> signal was made from the shore for all ships to leave the +roads, which unfortunately was not noticed by many of the officers of +the different vessels. At 5 <span class="smcap">p. m.</span> the gale commenced; but through +neglect the royal and top-gallant yards were not sent down, nor could +the officer commanding be persuaded that any danger would arise<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> from +remaining at our anchorage; the ship's company now came aft and +expostulated; but the officer in command called them all cowards, and +said he would not start her anchor if it blew the masts out of her.</p> + +<p>About 2 <span class="smcap">a. m.</span> on the 25th, the gale commenced with the utmost fury, +and she rode her scuttles under water, but as they were not secure, +the sea came inboard and made very fast upon us. At 6 <span class="smcap">a. m.</span> the water +was three feet on the lee-side of our gun-deck, and from the continual +working of the ship the chests broke from their fastenings.</p> + +<p>After seeing a vessel go down at her anchors close on our starboard +bow, the officer then gave orders for our cable to be slipped, which +was immediately put into execution. John Gardener, a seaman, wishing +to go aloft, and not taking proper hold, was blown from the rigging, +and never seen again. We set the fore-sail, which immediately split; +the mainsail, met with the same fate; the gaskets of the topsails gave +way, and the sails split. At half past eight we found we had sprung a +leak, owing to the ship's labouring so much; in the course of ten +minutes we sounded, and found three feet water in the hold. The pumps +were choaked; by 9 <span class="smcap">a. m.</span> they were cleared, and by this time we had +eight feet water in the well, and three on the gun-deck; the ship +rolled very much, and the chests, guns, and water-casks, being all +cast adrift, were dashing from larboard to starboard with the greatest +fury. At 10 <span class="smcap">a. m.</span> the ship labouring so much, and her being eight +streaks of her main-deck under water, abreast of her main-hatchway, so +that we had very little prospect of her living two minutes above +water, it was thought necessary to send her mizen-mast by the board, +in order to righten her; but while going, the mizen-mast heeled to +windward and caught her royal-yards in the top-sail tye, and stayed +her so, that we were compelled to cut away the main-mast, which +carried the fore-top-mast and jib-boom; and, while in the act of going +by the board, it knocked an invalid down and killed him on the spot. +The ship rightened a little; but the sea was very boisterous, and we +appeared to be in a valley in the midst of a number of tremendous high +mountains, which to all appearance seemed ready to fall and crush us. +The carpenter came forward, and informed us, that we had sprung +another leak, and that we had ten feet water in the well; the men, as +by one accord, dropped the pumps, and appeared to despair; we might +all have well exclaimed with the poet,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Heaven have mercy here upon us!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For only that can save us now."<br /></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span></div></div> + +<p>"The atmosphere was hurled into the most tremendous confusion, the +aerial torment burst itself over mountains, seas, and continents. All +things felt the dreadful shock; all things trembled under her scourge, +her sturdy sons were strained to the very nerves, and almost swept her +headlong to the deep."</p> + +<p>It would be in vain to attempt to give a description of our feelings +at this critical moment, tortured as we were with anguish and despair. +Every man seemed now as if all was given over for lost, when the +carpenter came forward and informed us the leak was found out, and +that with a little exertion it might be stopped; the men then rose +with great vigour, flew to the pumps with renovated strength, and gave +three cheers. The cabins were all washed down, and a party of men were +busily employed throwing every thing overboard,—self was not +considered,—the very last rag was committed to the furious elements +without a sigh. At 11 <span class="smcap">a. m.</span> the sea struck her starboard +quarter-gallery and forced it from its birth, and as we were busily +employed, a cry was heard, the starboard fore-mast port was carried +away, and the sea forced itself with great rapidity along the deck; +but the seamen flew to meet this new misfortune with the vigour of +tigers, not considering the dangers they had to encounter, and thus +effectually succeeded in stopping the leak.</p> + +<p>While the seamen were busily employed, the troops were desired to +pump, which they firmly refused, and said they would sooner sink, +except a poor blind man, who could not keep from them; his reply was +truly noble, and, I am sure, my readers will excuse my repeating it. +"I am unworthy of the life I have if I do not exert myself in this +hour of distress; if it has pleased God to deprive me of the blessing +of sight, he has not of the feelings of a Christian." At half past +eleven the gale greatly abated, and by this time the carpenter had +stopped the leak, by using all the gunny bags and blankets that could +be found; the damage was occasioned by the masts beating under her +counter. By 12 <span class="smcap">a. m.</span> it was a perfect calm; the men were now busily +employed clearing the gun-deck, and securing every port-hole and +scuttle in which they effectually succeeded by 1 <span class="smcap">p. m.</span></p> + +<p>"For a moment the turbulent and outrageous sky seemed to be assuaged; +but it intermitted its wrath only to increase its strength; soon the +sounding squadrons of the air returned to their attack, and renewed +their ravages with redoubled fury; and the stately dome rocked amidst +the wheeling clouds. The impregnable clouds tottered on its basis, and +threatened to overwhelm those whom it was intended to protect, the +vessel was almost rent in pieces, and scarcely secure; where then was +a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> place of safety? Sleep affrighted flew, diversion was turned into +horror; all was uproar in the elements; all was consternation among +us, and nothing was seen but one wide picture of rueful devastation.</p> + +<p>"The ocean swelled with tremendous commotions; the ponderous waves +were heaved from their capacious beds, and almost lay bare the +unfathomed deep; flung into the most rapid agitation, they swept over +us, and tossed themselves into the clouds. We were rent from our +anchors, and with all our enormous load were whirled swift as an arrow +along the vast abyss. Now we climb the rolling mountains, we plough +the frightful ridge, and seem to skim the skies; anon we plunge into +the opening gulf, we reel to and fro, and stagger in the jarring +decks, or climb the cordage, whilst bursting seas foam over the decks. +Despair is in every face, and death sits threatening in every surge." +The whistling of the wind and roaring of the sea, together with the +voice of despairing seamen, and the dreadful shrieks of the women, +made us truly miserable; but we were forced to exert ourselves with +assumed courage and vigour, which could only be imagined but by those +placed in a similar situation,—our exertions were for life or death, +knowing that if they once failed, that nothing was to be expected but +to perish in a watery grave.</p> + +<p>We kept the water under to about three feet during the time of this +dreadful gale; about 4 <span class="smcap">p. m.</span> it abated, and about 5 <span class="smcap">p. m.</span> it blew a +steady breeze from the south-west; and at 6 <span class="smcap">p. m.</span> we went round her to +examine the damage we had sustained; when, dreadful to relate, we +found that a man and child had been washed out of their hammocks and +perished; on proceeding along the waste we found two invalids had been +jammed to death between two water-casks and the ship's sides, making a +total of six lives lost during the storm.</p> + +<p>The hatches were opened about 8 <span class="smcap">p. m.</span>; but the provisions being so +salt and sodden with the sea water, they could not be eaten, on +account of the scarcity of fresh water. After the watch was set we +laid ourselves down upon the upper-deck with no other covering than +the starry heavens.</p> + +<p>On the following day we commenced clearing the wreck, and rigging up +jurymasts, which we happily effected before sun-set; and on the 28th +we arrived at Sadras, which lay south by west of Madras, distant +fifteen miles. We lay here till the 30th without any tidings of the +captain.</p> + +<p>The men from fatigue and pain, from sleeping on the wet decks, and +continual pumping, came aft, and said the clouds threatened another +storm, and that the monsoons were growing very strong, and in case the +weather should alter for the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> worse, they had not strength left to +work the ship in another gale, from want of nourishment; and that +provided the officers did not think proper to remove to a place of +safety, they were determined to take charge of her and proceed to +Trincomalee, and deliver the vessel into the hands of the +under-writers. All our remonstrances to them were in vain, until the +chief mate pledged his word and honour, that if the captain did not +join her the next morning, he would, ill as he was, take charge of her +and proceed there himself.</p> + +<p>On the following morning the captain joined her, with the hon. L. G. +K. Murray, secretary to the board of trade at Madras, when they +brought on board a quantity of provisions, which we stood very much in +need of, and immediately made sail and arrived the same day at +Pondicherry. The governor sent us on board a new anchor, as our own +was sprung. Pondicherry is a town of Hindostan, under the French +government, and situated on the coast of Coromandel, seventy-five +miles S. S. W. of Madras.</p> + +<p>On the following day we run into Cuddalore, a little above the first +bar. Cuddalore is a town of Hindostan, one hundred miles S. S. W. of +Madras. Thirty of the ship's company being sick, they, with me, were +compelled to leave the ship, and forced to proceed on shore to the +hospital. I was about this time seized with a violent fit of the +cholera morbus. It is supposed to originate from the cold damp airs +which are very prevalent at this time of the season. A gentleman's +bungalow was humanely given up as a hospital, or friendly receptacle, +for our incapacitated seamen, during our sojourn at Cuddalore.</p> + +<p>The possibility of visiting the native town was precluded by the +peculiar strictness of the regulations imposed upon us.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>SECTION VI.</h2> + +<h4>THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM CUDDALORE AND ARRIVAL AT +PONDICHERRY—DEPARTURE THEREFROM, AND ARRIVAL AT MADRAS, +WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE SAME—ACCOUNT OF THE RELIGION, +CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS OF THE NATIVES—DEPARTURE FROM MADRAS, +ON HIS ROUTE TO NAGPORE,—ARRIVAL AT PONAMALEE, AND +DESCRIPTION OF THE SAME—HIS DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL AT +CUDDAPAH.</h4> + + +<p>After I had thoroughly recovered, through the interest of a young +German widow, I obtained my acquittal from the ship,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> and then +proceeded to New Town for my passport. New Town lies about two miles +and a half E. N. E. of Cuddalore, and is the residence of the +Europeans in that neighbourhood; the houses of the Europeans are +generally built of brick and those of the natives of wood. The day +after I had obtained my passport I proceeded on my route and arrived +at Pondicherry the same evening.</p> + +<p>Pondicherry is about four leagues in extent; the houses are built with +brick, but the Indians use only wood, in the manner which we call lath +and plaster. In a few days after I arrived in Madras, and took up my +residence with a friend in Pursevaulkum.</p> + +<p>A few days after my arrival I proceeded with my friend to town. +Madras, or Fort St. George, is a fort and town of the peninsula, on +the coast of Coromandel. It is the principal settlement of the English +on the east side of the peninsula, and is a fortress of great extent, +including within it a regular well-built city. It is close to the sea +shore, from which it has a rich and beautiful appearance, the houses +being covered with a stucco, called <i>chunam</i>, which, in itself, is as +compact as the finest marble, bears as high a polish, and is equally +as splendid as that elegant material. There is a second city, called +Black Town, nearly four miles in circumference, separated from Madras +by the breadth of a proper esplanade. Madras, in common with all the +European settlements on this coast, has no port for shipping, the +coast forming nearly a straight line, and being incommoded with a high +and dangerous surf. The citadel is situated in the middle of the +White, or English Town, and is one of the best fortresses in the +British possessions. The town is also encompassed with a strong wall +of the same stone as that with which the citadel is built, and is +defended by bastions, batteries, half-moons, flankers, and mortars. +Opposite the west gate of the citadel are barracks and a convenient +hospital for the company's soldiers, and at the other end is a mint +where the company coin gold and silver.</p> + +<p>I was shortly after engaged as an overseer in the Madras Advertiser +printing office, and as an assistant to the Madras Nautical Academy; +but not agreeing with my employer I left it, and obtained permission +to stop in the country as a free merchant.</p> + +<p>Mr. M. R——, with whom I resided, used all his interest to obtain for +me some permanent situation under government, but it could not be +effected. At length, being tired of an indolent life, I opened a +school, which succeeded very well, when<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> I was forced to relinquish +it, owing to my ill state of health the confinement and severity of +the weather brought on a languishing complaint, which would have +terminated in my death had I persisted in continuing in my present +employment.</p> + +<p>My friend being obliged to quit Madras, left me and his brother in +charge of his house. My friends, during his absence, greatly +contributed to my amusement, and, in short, spared no expense. One +morning, passing through Vessory Bazar, I was greatly shocked at +seeing the nabob's elephant take up a little child in his trunk and +dash its brains out against the ground; the only reason that could be +observed was, that the child had thrown some pebble stones at it; and +the only redress the poor disconsolate mother could obtain was a gift +of fifty pagodas from the nabob, which is about equal to twenty pounds +sterling.</p> + +<p>During my friend's absence his mother and brother were carried off +with the cholera morbus. The general estimate of deaths through the +settlement is at least three hundred and fifty in one day; the natives +have been known to sacrifice in one day and at one pagoda, fifty cocks +and fifty kids, to appease their angry gods, and, in fact, some of the +poor deluded creatures will go with a sword run through their cheeks +in the fleshy part, and kept hanging in that position for some days, +continually dance backwards and forwards through the different bazars; +others have the palms of their hands pierced with a sword; others have +their breasts burnt, and others again have an instrument run through +their tongue in order to calm the wrath of their offended deities; nor +can they, in their opinions, put themselves to sufficient torture.</p> + +<p>Shortly after my friend returned, I went to reside with a friend at +Royaporum, south of Black Town, and soon afterwards I was engaged as +an examiner in the accountant-general's office. After I had been a +short time in this employ, I received an order to prepare for my +departure for Nagpore, in the service of his highness the Rajah. On my +return from the Fort St. George, I was greatly surprised at seeing an +old man standing with his bare feet upon two pieces of wood in the +form of a pair of pattens, with pointed pegs uppermost; he stood in +that position for several days, with the blood running in torrents, +and several of those who passed by gave him what their circumstances +could well afford. A few days after I was invited to witness an Hindoo +ceremony. We took our station at the top of a rich Persian's house, +opposite a spacious esplanade and contiguous to a large pagoda; in the +centre of the esplanade was fixed a capstern, with a pole about sixty +feet long, which was fixed so as to be occasionally raised or +lower<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span>ed. Shortly after our arrival, a native, decorated with flowers, +proceeded slowly towards the pagoda with tom-toms, and all kinds of +Asiatic music; after he had prostrated himself in the pagoda, the +Brahmin, a kind of priest, struck his side with a leather thong till +it swelled to a considerable size, and then forced a butcher's hook +through his side; he then composedly walked to the machine, and +suffered himself to be fastened to a rope and suspended in the air +with no other support than the butcher's hook; he went at least three +times round a circle of about one hundred feet, and he kept his arms +continually in motion during the whole time, fencing and throwing +flowers among the bye standers, which were immediately picked up by +them and kept as a religious relic. This ceremony is performed yearly +for the purpose of those who have lost their cast, and may regain it +by voluntarily undergoing this treatment. Eleven of them went through +this torturing ceremony.</p> + +<p>I now began to put myself in readiness for my departure. On the +morning of the 8th I dispatched my baggage and tents, together with a +guard of eight peons (native police), which my friends had obtained +for me, through their interest with the superintendent of the police. +By the time I had taken leave of all my friends, and thanked them for +their disinterested protection to a distressed seaman, I proceeded on +my route (after receiving several more marks of their favours, Mr. +C—— having presented me with an Arab horse, four baggage bullocks, +and five hundred rupees, besides several letters of introduction) at +eight o'clock in the evening. I travelled about five miles down the +Ponamalee Road, and stopped at a village a little below the main +guard, a small place with scarcely any fodder for the cattle. On the +following morning, at a very early hour, we proceeded on our march, +and arrived at Ponamalee about eight o'clock, where I found several of +my friends waiting to take leave, as they expected that Ponamalee +would have been the first stage.</p> + +<p>After having taken farewell of each other they returned back to +Madras, and I hired for the day a small bungalow (or garden house) +opposite the fort, where I determined to stay. Ponamalee is about +fourteen miles W. S. W. of Madras. This small and beautiful town is +situated upon a rising ground, which commands an extensive view of the +adjacent country. The number of Europeans residing here is but few, as +it is entirely out of the road for traffic. There is a fort which is +situated upon a rising ground, and gives the village a romantic +appearance. It forms a complete square, and on each angle is a small +place erected in form of the body of a wind-mill, which was used +formerly for the purpose of solitary confinement when the troops were +quartered here, but is now occupied as lumber rooms; the fort is +garrisoned<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> by pensioners. The grand entrance is on the south side, +and a small wicket is usually on the west. The fort is surrounded by a +large moat about thirty feet in depth, the water is very clear and +good, and is drank by the natives. The inner part is far from being +roomy, owing to the extreme width of the ramparts. There are two or +three small buildings for the use of the commanding officers, but now +the residence of a school-master and two sergeants; in the centre is a +small building with a dome on the top, which was used formerly for a +chapel, but is now converted into a school for the instruction of the +poor soldiers' children, and the two barracks are occupied by +pensioners.</p> + +<p>On the following morning, about two o'clock, we prepared for our +journey, and in a few days arrived at Naggery, a distance of about two +hundred miles W. N. W. of Madras. The natives here are Hindoos, and +the village is remarkably clean. The pagoda, or place of worship, is a +fine large building, built in an oblong form, and beautifully gilt and +carved all round with monkeys and apes. The Hindoos, in their manner +of diet, are very abstemious, refraining from flesh; in fact, they +will not eat any animal food; they are very regular in their morning +ablutions, which they do by washing and marking themselves with chunam +in the centre of their foreheads, according to the mark of their +different casts. If any one neglects it he is immediately turned out +of the cast, and his relations disown him, nor will they permit him +once to enter their house. Such is their strictness, that the father +has refused to see his son and the mother her daughter; and if they +happen to perceive him at any distance they fly from him as they would +from a serpent, thinking that his touch would pollute them.</p> + +<p>The roads here are very bad, being principally jungle; their principal +cultivation is paddy (a kind of oats). On my arrival at Nundihall I +was determined to rest for a couple of days, as two of my servants +were in a very ill state of health. Nundihall is a beautiful town, the +houses are built of brick, and are generally from three to four +stories high; the streets were very dirty, owing to the number of +paddy fields that surround the city, as the growth of it requires that +the earth should be completely covered with water. The natives are +generally Hindoos and Moors. The town is surrounded by a high brick +wall.</p> + +<p>After leaving the town of Nundihall the roads were very bad, owing to +the quantity of stones, and hills which were very steep and difficult +to ascend. On the roads I had several disputes with the natives +passing through Wuntimuttall, owing to my servants and the peons +stealing the toddy from the trees. Toddy is a liquor which is +extracted from the top veins of the cocoa-nut trees, which runs +continually into a pot placed for that purpose. The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> liquor is very +pleasant, and is reckoned very wholesome when drank early in the +morning in a small quantity; if drunk in the heat of the day it causes +acidity in the bowels, and often is the cause of the death of many +Europeans. The natives drink it continually, and often get quite +intoxicated with it.</p> + +<p>We arrived at Cuddapah on the 21st instant; it is a large and +commodious town, and is inhabited by Mussulmen. Cuddapah is situated +N. W. of Madras, one hundred and fifty-one miles distant, and the +general estimate of inhabitants is at about two hundred thousand. The +principal houses are built of brick and the inferior ones of mud.</p> + +<p>The Mahometans divide their religion into two general parts, faith and +practice, of which the first is divided into six distinct +branches—belief in God, in his angels, in his scriptures, in his +prophets, in the resurrection and final judgment, and lastly, in God's +absolute decrees. The points relating to practice, are prayer with +washings, &c., alms, fasting, pilgrimages, and circumcision.</p> + +<p>The Mahometans pray five times in twenty-four hours, viz.: in the +morning before sun-rise, when noon is past and the sun begins to +decline from the meridian, in the afternoon before sun-set, in the +evening after sun-set and before day is closed, and again in the +evening and before the watch of the night. They fast with great +strictness during the whole month of Ramadan, from the time the new +moon first appears, during which period they must abstain from eating, +drinking, and all other indulgences, from day-break till night or +sun-set.</p> + +<p>The Europeans reside about two miles to the west of the native town, +and have commodious houses, with fine spacious gardens; they are built +of brick and much after the form of a gentleman's seat in England, but +on a larger scale. I proceeded to the house of the collector, and on +my road, my horse taking fright, I was thrown, and lost my purse +containing all my money. My distress was now indescribable. Being left +pennyless in the midst of a people totally destitute of Christian +feeling, and without the probable means of obtaining the common +necessaries of life, I arrived, in this miserable state of mind, +bordering on despair, at the collector's, Mr. Hanbury, and after +making him acquainted with my circumstances, he generously rendered me +his assistance, paid my servants' wages that were in arrear, and +kindly advanced what I thought sufficient to defray my expenses, +having previously sent my peons back to Madras, and supplied me with +fresh ones to proceed with me to Hydrabad.</p> + +<p>On the following day the rain came down in torrents, accompanied with +thunder and lightning, which kept me within my tent and caused me to +exclaim with Dr. Henry, "O, ye lightnings, that brood and lie couchant +in the sulphureous vapours, that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> glance with forked fury from the +angry gloom, swifter and fiercer than the lion rushes from his den, or +open with vast expansive sheets of flame, sublimely waved over the +prostrate world, and fearfully lingering in the affrighted skies!" "Ye +thunders, that awfully grumble in the distant clouds, seem to meditate +indignation, and from the first essays of a far more frightful peal; +or suddenly bursting over your heads, rend the vault above and shake +the ground below with a hideous and horrid crack!" In the evening the +weather began to clear up, which induced me to walk out, when taking +two peons as a guard, I proceeded south of the town, on a beautiful +plain: the pleasantness of the weather, and the stillness of the +evening, tempted me to prolong my walk, and inspired my mind to +contemplate on the wonderful works of Providence, who had so lately +showered down his blessings upon me, in preserving me from want in the +midst of a heathen world. The sun had almost finished his daily +course, and sunk lower and lower till he seemed to hover on the verge +of the sky!</p> + +<p>The globe is now half immured beneath the dusky earth; or, as the +ancient poet speaks, "is shooting into the ocean, and sinks into the +western sea." The whole face of the ground was overspread with shades, +and what the painters of nature call "dun obscurity." Only a few +superior eminences, tipt with streaming silver, the tops of groves and +lofty towers that catch the last smiles of day, were still irradiated +by the departing beams. But, O how transient is the destination—how +momentary the gift! like all the blessings which mortals enjoy below, +it is gone almost as soon as granted. How languishingly it trembled on +the leafy spire, and glimmered with dying faintness on the mountain's +sable brow! till it expired and resigned the world to the gradual +approaches of night.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION VII.</h2> + +<h4>THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM CUDDAPAH—DESCRIPTION OF THE +DIFFERENT VILLAGES, AND ARRIVAL AT HYDRABAD—DESCRIPTION OF +HYDRABAD, AND DEPARTURE THEREFROM—ARRIVAL AT NERMUL.</h4> + + +<p>On the morning of the 27th, I proceeded on my route over the chain +hills, with which the town of Cuddapah is surrounded; the roads are +very good, but the steepness of the hills made it very fatiguing: in +six hours I arrived at Batoor, a distance of twelve miles. Batoor is a +large village, the houses are built of mud and bamboo, and form a +motley group; the only protection they have from the number of robbers +which infest that part, is a small fort, about two hundred square +feet; the ramparts are about fourteen feet in thickness, and at each +angle a small gun is mounted upon a pivot, about three feet from its +walls; the fort in general is very much out of repair; the inhabitants +are Hindoos, and are very indolent; the land is quite barren and free +from cultivation. The cruelty with which Europeans in general act +towards these poor captives is really disgraceful, and cannot but be +censured by all who cherish the least trait of humanity with their +breast.</p> + +<p>When an European passes through any of the villages, and is in want of +any coolies, or porters, to carry his baggage, he orders his guards to +press every man he can meet with, and compel him to carry whatever his +barbarous protector chooses he should labour under, and if there is +not sufficient men, to press the women, without considering whether +they have any family to provide for. It has been frequently known, +that the mother has been forced to leave her infant babe from her +breast upon the bare earth to provide for itself, to carry the baggage +of a merciless enemy, whose only payment, after going fifteen or +sixteen Indian miles, is, if she complains, a <i>bambooing</i>, (that is a +caning,) and, perhaps, after she gets home, which cannot be till the +next day, she finds her poor infant dead for want.</p> + +<p>We passed through Parmunsa, and arrived at Moorkandah, which is a +small village, and in a very ruinous condition, as it is at the foot +of the Ghaut; the inhabitants are but few in number, and are +principally Brahmins, consequently provisions are very scarce; on my +requesting the cutwall, or headman of the village, to bring<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> some +fowls, he refused, and said there were none in the place, although I +repeatedly heard the crowing of a cock. The impudent manner in which +the man answered me, made me doubt the truth of what he said; in order +to ascertain it, I took two peons and my gun and went round the +village, and found a full grown cock; I caught it, and ordered it to +be carried to my tent and killed; the natives by this time were in +arms, and before any of us were aware of it, they had secured the +peons and surrounded me, demanding the cock: when they were informed +of its death, they all began to weep and raised a most lamentable cry, +and said it was devoted to their god, and that the heaviest curses +would follow me. I expected their denunciations would have paid for +it; but in that I was greatly mistaken, for they demanded payment for +it; and to avoid any injury to my peons, I offered them one rupee, +considering that it would be equal to the price of eighteen cocks; but +they disdainfully refused it, and said that they must offer gifts to +their god to appease his anger, and to pay their sadura to intercede +in their behalf. I remonstrated with them; but to no avail, as they +would not take less than ten rupees. I tried all in my power to make +my escape from them; but when they perceived my intentions, they drew +their scimitars, and held them to my breast, and said, provided I did +not accede to their offer, they would not spare the lives of my peons +nor myself, as they could not get it replaced for forty times that +sum, which was presented to them by their rajah. The price I +considered to be extortionate, (but I paid it,) as fowls are sold in +the different villages round that neighbourhood for one penny each, +sheep for ten-pence, and every other article in proportion.</p> + +<p>On the following morning, at a very early hour, I crossed the Ghaut; +in the centre there is a very great declivity on each side the road, +about two hundred feet in depth, and the Ghaut is very steep, and +covered with flint-stone, which made it very difficult for the horse +and cattle to pass: it is about twelve miles in length, and at the +foot of it is the village of Badnapore. The inhabitants are very +peaceable, and the village is close on the borders of Khristnah river. +We made all possible haste to cross, which was effected by means of a +large round basket, which is continually whirling round in the river. +The river is about a quarter of a mile in width, but the heavy current +carried us nearly two miles down; and owing to the exertions of the +cattle, we encamped close on its banks. On the following day we passed +Pungall-hill fort, which is situate on the summit of a very steep +mount, and is built of mud, and large enough to contain ten thousand +troops; it is only accessible on the north-east angle, which is easily +blockaded in case of necessity. In five days we arrived at Hydrabad.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span></p> + +<p>Hydrabad lies about 350 miles north-west of Madras; the houses are +built of brick, and generally run four and five stories high. The +inhabitants are principally Mahometans interspersed with Hindoos.</p> + +<p>The Mahometans will not suffer a Christian to touch their cooking +utensils or fuel by any means, and if such should be done, they +consider them as polluted, and they will instantly break and destroy +them; and while they are in the act of eating, if touched by any one +of another sect, they will not swallow what is even in their mouth, +but will throw it out, and go through a regular purification by +washing and prayer.</p> + +<p>After I had been at Hydrabad a few days, I joined a small party to +view the interior: while we were taking breakfast, a cavalcade of +elephants came up to the door with a number of peons. After we had +mounted them we proceeded through the south gate into the city; the +streets were particularly dirty, owing to there being no drains. The +town is supplied with water by a well about two hundred feet in +circumference.</p> + +<p>On our entrance into the minister's house we were surprised at seeing +a battalion of female sepoys (soldiers) presenting arms to us. We +stood to see them go through their military manœuvres, which they +did with dexterity; we then proceeded towards the house, which is +built entirely of cedar-wood, but in a very ordinary manner, owing to +the number of apartments: every room is carved in a beautiful and +masterly style, from the ceiling to the floor. This ornament is very +common among the lower classes, who have the devices of their gods +carved on the doors of their houses. The apartments form a complete +square, and in the centre is a stone tank. We next proceeded to a +gallery of looking-glasses; the only one worthy of notice is about +eighteen feet long and sixteen wide; there is likewise a whole length +painting of Earl Moira, Governor-General of India. We afterwards +proceeded to the palace of the Rajah: on our entrance into the inner +court, we were agreeably surprised at seeing a quantity of tea-cups, +saucers, &c. of various colours, placed against the wall in form of +elephants, tigers, serpents, &c. in the most superb manner; in the +centre is a large tank, containing a great quantity of salmon-trout. I +had the honour of being introduced to the Rajah's sons, but his +Highness was not present.</p> + +<p>After having obtained a guard of twelve sepoys and two naigues, I +proceeded on my route, and in a few days arrived at Nermul.</p> + +<p>Nermul is a large and beautiful city, surrounded by a fort, and is +about three miles in circumference, and is on a rising ground, 205 +miles north-north-east of Hydrabad, and in the heart of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> jungle, +it is under the command of Major Woodhouse. The inhabitants are +principally Moors.</p> + +<p>I pitched my tent in the middle of a burying-ground, by the side of a +running stream, and owing to the fatigue I had experienced, I now +resolved to sojourn for two days. This place suited my present state +of mind.</p> + +<p>My attention was soon attracted by a magnificent tomb, and upon +examining the inscription, it proved to be a rajah's. The gardens were +ingeniously planned, and a thousand elegant decorations designed; but, +alas! their intended possessor is gone down "to the place of sculls!"</p> + +<p>While I am recollecting, many, I question not, are experiencing the +same tragical vicissitude. The eyes of the Sublime Being, who sits +upon the circle of the earth, and views all its inhabitants with one +incomprehensive glance, even now behold as many tents in affliction as +overwhelmed the Egyptians in that fatal night when the destroying +angel sheathed his arrows in all the pride of their strength; some +sinking to the floor from their easy chair, and deaf even amidst the +piercing shrieks of their distracted relations; some giving up the +ghost as they retired, or lay reclined under the shady harbour to +taste the sweets of the flowery scene; some as they sail with a party +of pleasure along the silver stream and through the laughing meads! +nor is the grim intruder terrified though wine and music flow around.</p> + +<p>"Those who received vast revenues, and called whole lordships their +own, are reduced to half a dozen feet of earth, or confined in a few +sheets of lead! Rooms of state and sumptuous furniture are resigned +for no other ornament than the <i>shroud</i>, for no other apartment than +the darksome <i>niche</i>! Where is the star that blazed upon the breast, +or the glittered sceptre? The only remains of departed dignity are the +weather-beaten hatchment. I see no splendid retinue surrounding this +solitary dwelling. The princely equipage hovers no longer about their +lifeless master, he has no other attendant than a dusty <i>statue</i>; +which, while the regardless world is as gay as ever, the sculptor's +hand has taught to weep."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION VIII.</h2> + +<h4>THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM NERMUL AND ARRIVAL AT +NAGPORE—HIS DEPARTURE, AND ARRIVAL AT JAULNAH—THE AUTHOR'S +DEPARTURE FROM JAULNAH AND ARRIVAL AT POONAH, AND +DESCRIPTION OF THE VILLAGES WITH THEIR RELIGION—HIS ARRIVAL +AT BOMBAY, AND HIS DISTRESS—SKETCH OF BOMBAY AND ACCOUNT OF +THE PERSIAN RELIGION—HE JOINS THE HONOURABLE COMPANY'S SHIP +MARQUIS OF HUNTLY, AS CAPTAIN'S CLERK—HIS DEPARTURE FROM +BOMBAY AND ARRIVAL AT BENGAL.</h4> + + +<p>After remaining two days, I proceeded on my route; and on the +following day arrived at Wadoor, a distance of fourteen miles, across +a long succession of hills, the roads over which are very rugged and +covered with stones; Wadoor lies in a valley, at the foot of a large +mountain, and is hardly perceivable from the top.</p> + +<p>On the 20th December, we travelled along a beautiful and finely +cultivated country, the produce of which is cholum and paddy, which +grows in great quantities; the inhabitants are very civil, and +principally Moor men. On the 25th December, 1821, I arrived at +Nagpore, and on the same evening was seized with the Nagpore fever, +which is always accompanied by fits of the ague. The fever is supposed +to originate from the excessive heats of the day, and the extreme cold +of the night.</p> + +<p>I endeavoured as much as possible that my ill state of health should +not keep me from my employment, but attended to it very assiduously; +which I persevered in till the 27th of March, when the doctor informed +me, that I had better leave the Presidency or I should endanger my +life, as the hot winds generally set in in the middle of April, which +frequently prove very dangerous to European invalids.</p> + +<p>On the 2nd of April, after having previously obtained my passport and +a guard of twelve Seapoys, I proceeded on my route, and towards +evening arrived at Tukea, where, owing to my ill state of health, I +was compelled to stop two days.</p> + +<p>On the 12th I arrived at Ouronty, which is S. W. by W. of Nagpore, +about 100 miles. The town is very large, and is surrounded by a brick +wall; the houses are built of brick, and are generally three stories +high. The inhabitants are Mussulmen. In the afternoon I went to the +palace of the Rajah, (Rajah ram.) His palace outside is very dirty, +owing to his guard making fires against the walls for cooking. On my +desiring to see the Rajah, I was conducted through a long dreary +passage, with the walls, to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> all appearance, covered with grease and +filth, at the end of which is a large court-yard, which has a very +different appearance, the Rajah's apartments being all round; at the +end were six Peons waiting to conduct me to his highness, with silver +staves, about eleven feet long, with a device of Mahomet on the top; +on my introduction to the Rajah's apartment, he was sitting +cross-legged with his hooker; at my entrance he arose and made three +salams in token of respect to the British nation. After questioning me +where I was going to, and my reasons for so doing, he presented me +with two camel-hair shawls, by placing them across my shoulder; then +taking his leave.</p> + +<p>On the following day, I proceeded on my route, and on the 20th arrived +at Luckenwarry; where there is good encampment and water, and the +natives are principally Hindoos. Early on the following morning we +began to cross the Luckenwarry Ghaut; the roads were steep and not +above ten feet wide, and on each side a vacuity of about 250 feet +deep. The light in the lantern being extinguished, and the moon being +obscured, my horse, had it not been for the horse-keeper, would have +precipitated me to the bottom; I instantly dismounted, and the +horse-keeper led him till he was clear of the Ghaut. On the centre is +a large gate, which stands about forty feet high, and which, during +the war, had withstood a three months' siege.</p> + +<p>Passing through the jungle between the villages of Currone and +Chickly, we were greatly surprised at seeing a large party on camels; +we hailed them and enquired who they were, but we could not by any +means obtain an answer; when finding they persisted in their +obstinacy, the Naigues suspected them of belonging to the party of +Sheik Dullah, a noted robber who had already committed many +depredations in that neighbourhood, and on our desiring them to move +to the left of us if they were friends, they made a sudden halt; the +sepoys then drew up in a line, and the followers began to guard their +baggage, but when they saw our number, they went off to the left of +us, grumbling.</p> + +<p>On the 24th, we arrived at Jaulnah. It bears W. by S., of Nagpore, +distant 180 miles. On the following day, after I had taken sufficient +rest, I presented my passport to the Adjutant-General, and delivered +up the guard, having previously obtained another. Jaulnah is a large +town, surrounded by a brick wall, about twenty feet in height; the +houses are generally of brick, and from three to four stories; the +inhabitants are principally Hindoos, interspersed with Persians and +Mussulmen. The cantonment is the head quarters of the British army on +this side the Deccan.—Jaulnah has a civil and military government.</p> + +<p>After staying two days, I proceeded on my route, and on the 19th of +May I arrived at Poonah. It bears S. S. E. of Bombay,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> and is in the +territories of the Peishwa: it is about forty miles distant from +Bombay. I took up my residence with a friend, commander of the +Sebundaries; during my route, I passed through Armigabad, Amednagur, +and Seroor; which is the residence of Europeans, and has detachments +of different regiments quartered at each town: their houses are in +general of brick and stone, their religion is Hindoo.</p> + +<p>The Hindoos are divided into four tribes, first the Brahmin; second, +the Khatry; third, the Bhyse; fourth, the Sooders; all these have +their distinct sects, and cannot intermingle with each other; but for +some offences they are expelled their sects, which is the highest +punishment they can suffer. In this manner a kind of fifth sect, +called Pariah, is formed of the dregs of the people, who are employed +only in the meanest capacity. There is a kind of division which +pervades the four sects indiscriminately; which is taken from the +worship of their gods <span class="smcap">Vishnou</span> and <span class="smcap">Sheevah</span>; the worshippers of the +former being named Vishnou bukht, and of the latter, Sheevah bukht.</p> + +<p>Of these four sects the Brahmins have the superiority, and all the +laws show such a partiality towards them, as cannot but induce us to +suppose that they have had the principal hand in framing them. They +are not allowed the privilege of sovereignty; but are solely kept for +the instruction of the people. They are alone allowed to read the Veda +or Sacred Books. The Khatries or sect next in dignity, being only +allowed to hear them read, while the other two read the Satras, or +commentaries upon them; but the poor Chandalas are not allowed to +enter their temple, or to be present at any religious ceremony.</p> + +<p>In point of precedence, the Brahmins claim a superiority even to +princes, the latter being chosen of Khatry or second sect. In fact the +Brahmin claims every privilege, and the inferior sects give place to +him; the Hindoos are allowed to eat no flesh nor to shed blood. Their +food is rice and dholl, and other vegetables, dressed with ghee (dholl +is a kind of split pea, ghee, a kind of butter, melted and refined to +make it capable of being kept a long time) and seasoned with ginger +and other spices. The food which they most esteem is milk, as coming +from the cow; an animal for which they have the most extravagant +veneration, insomuch that it is enacted in the code of Gentoo laws, +that any one who exacts labour from a bullock that is hungry or +thirsty, or shall oblige him to labour when fatigued, is liable to be +fined by the magistrates.</p> + +<p>The Hindoos are remarkable for their ingenuity in all kinds of +handicraft; but their utensils are simple and in many respects +inconvenient, so that incredible labour and patience are necessary, +for the accomplishment of any work; and for this the Hin<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span>doos are +remarkable. The religion of the Hindoos is contained in certain books, +called Vedas; and, though now involved in superstition, seems to have +been originally pure, inculcating the belief of an Eternal Being, +possessed of every divine perfection. Their subordinate deities, +Brahma, Vishnou, and Sheevah, are only representatives of the wisdom, +goodness, and power of the supreme god Brahma; whom they call the +principles of Truth, the spirit of Wisdom, and the Supreme Being; so +that it is probable that all their idols were at first only designed +to represent these attributes: they believe in ten Avators, or +incarnation of the Deity, nine of which have taken place for the +punishment of tyrants, or removing some great natural calamity; and +the tenth is to take place at the dissolution of the universe. Several +of the Avators inculcate the transmigration of souls, and the ninth of +them, which forbids the sacrifices of animals, gave rise to the +religion of Gauda Boodma, or Fo.</p> + +<p>Their deities are extremely numerous, and are generally supposed to +have first originated in Italy and Greece.</p> + +<p>After stopping six days, I proceeded to Bombay, and on the 30th of May +I arrived there. After delivering my passport, I made application for +a ship for England, and was some time before I could get one; and the +great expense I incurred in living at a tavern, made me entirely +pennyless, so that I was forced to dispose of the shawls which I had +presented me by the Rajah of Omrouty, and for which I received three +hundred rupees each. But before I was finally settled, I had not above +ten rupees left.</p> + +<p>Bombay is an island of Hindostan, on the west coast of the Deccan, +seven miles in length, and about twenty-one miles in circumference; +the ground is barren, and good water scarce; it was formerly +considered very unhealthy, but by draining the swamps and bogs the air +is much improved; the inhabitants are of several nations and very +numerous, but are principally Persians.</p> + +<p>The religion of the Persians is, generally, Paganism, directed +principally by the priests of magi, men of strict austere life, +forbidding the use of either ornament or gold; making the ground their +bed, and herbs their food. Their whole time is spent in offering to +the gods the prayers and sacrifices of the people, as they only might +be heard.</p> + +<p>The people are <i>Gentiles</i>; as to their religion, they worship the sun +and moon, and various heavenly bodies, from whom they suppose they +derive every blessing of light and warmth; and every morning they +gather themselves round the beech and present their morning oblations, +by pouring into the sea quantities of milk and odoriferous flowers, +and prostrating themselves with their faces to the earth, as a mark of +adoration to their rising deity<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> (the sun.) Besides other gods which +the Gentiles worship, they are great idolaters of fire, which they +offer sacrifices to in time of peace, and carry it with them, as their +tutelar deity in time of war. Their adoration is so great, that the +first candle they see lighted, let it be in whose place it will, they +immediately stop and repeat a prayer. In their habitation they never +put it out after it is once lighted.</p> + +<p>Besides the town of Bombay, which is about a mile in length, with mean +houses (a few only excepted), there is a capacious harbour or bay, +reckoned the finest haven in the east, where all ships may find +security from the inclemency of the different seasons. After remaining +here for the space of three months, I was engaged as captain's clerk +on board the Hon. Company's Ship Marquis of Huntly. We sailed from +hence July 25, 1820, and arrived at the new anchorage in nineteen +days' sail; soon after I went up to Calcutta on duty for the ship.</p> + +<p>Calcutta, or <i>Fort William</i>, the emporium of Bengal, and principal +seat of India, is situated on the western side of the Hoogely river, +at about ninety-six miles from its mouth, which is navigable up to the +town for large ships. This extensive and beautiful town is supposed to +contain between four and five hundred thousand inhabitants. The houses +are variously built, some of brick, others of mud and cow-dung, and a +great number with bamboos (a large kind of reed or cane) and mats. The +bamboos are placed as stakes in the ground, and crossed with others in +different ways, so as to enable them to make the matting fast, when +for the roofing they lay them one upon the other, when a large family +lie in that small compass of about six feet square, which makes a very +motley appearance. The mixture of European and Asiatic manners +observed in Calcutta is wonderful; coaches, phaetons, hackeries, +two-wheeled carriages drawn by bullocks, palanquins carried by the +natives, and the passing ceremonies of Hindoos, and the different +appearance of the faquirs, form a diversified and curious appearance. +The European houses have, many of them, the appearance of palaces or +temples, and the inhabitants are very hospitable.</p> + +<p>After the cargo was sent on board I returned to the ship, but on our +passage down the river we were compelled to lie out in the river, +owing to the great boar, as it is called; it is a quick overflowing of +the water, which rises in a great body and with such violence that it +breaks down all before it. It arises from the narrowness of the river, +and the force which it makes from the sea; in the course of two +minutes it rises to the height of four or five feet.</p> + +<p>Lying in one of the creeks till the tide was turned, I was greatly +alarmed by the men getting into the boat in great disorder<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> and +telling me that it was a crocodile which I had for a long time +observed, and mistaken for the hull of a tree. A crocodile is an +amphibious voracious animal, in shape resembling a lizard. It is +covered with very hard scales, which cannot but with difficulty be +pierced, except under the belly, where the skin is tender. It has a +wide throat, with several rows of teeth, sharp and separated, which +enter one another.</p> + +<p>On my arrival on board every thing was in confusion, as we expected to +sail in a few days.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>SECTION IX.</h2> + +<h4>THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM CALCUTTA, AND ARRIVAL AT +CHINA—AN ACCOUNT OF THEIR RELIGION, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS, +AND OF HIS BEING ROBBED ON DANES' ISLAND—THE AUTHOR'S +DEPARTURE FROM CHINA AND ARRIVAL AT ANJURE POINT—THE +CUSTOMS AND MANNERS OF THE MALAYS—DEPARTURE THEREFROM, AND +ARRIVAL AT ST. HELENA—DESCRIPTION OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON'S +TOMB AND HOUSES—DEPARTURE FROM ST. HELENA, AND ARRIVAL IN +ENGLAND.</h4> + +<p>We sailed from Bengal in company with the Hon. Company's Ship Dunira, +October 19th, 1820, with a fine breeze, and arrived at Pulo Penang, or +Prince of Wales's Island, on the 6th of November. The houses have a +noble appearance, and are built after the form of those in Calcutta. +The inhabitants are principally Malays; of them I shall speak more +hereafter. After having received on board a quantity of rattan, as +private trade for the captain, we made sail and arrived at Macao, on +January 26th, 1821, after a long and tedious voyage.</p> + +<p>Macao, a town of China, in the province of Canton, is seated in an +inland at the entrance of the river Tae. The Portuguese have been in +possession of the town and harbour since the early part of the +seventeenth century. The houses are low and built after the European +manner; the Portuguese are properly a mixed breed, having been married +to Asiatic women. Here is a Portuguese Governor as well as a Chinese +Mandarin. The former nation pays a great tribute to choose their own +magistrates. The city is defended by three forts, built upon +eminences; and the works are good and well planted with artillery.</p> + +<p>On the 29th we anchored off the second bar, and found lying here the +Hon. Company's Ship Canning, and two or three other Com<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span>pany's ships; +on the 30th weighed and made sail, but there not being water enough, +removed back to our old station. On the following day we crossed +Whampo. After the cargo was discharged I went up to Canton.</p> + +<p>Canton is a large and populous city, situated in one of the first +rivers in the empire. It is the capital of the province of Quan-tong, +and the centre of the European trade in that country. The streets are +long and straight, paved with flag stones, and adorned with lofty +arches. The houses are remarkably neat, but consist only of one story, +and they have no windows to the streets. The covered market place is +full of shops. The inhabitants are estimated at about 1,000,000; many +of whom reside in barks, which touch one another, form a kind of +floating city, and are so arranged as to form streets. Each bark +lodges a family and their grand children, who have no other dwelling. +At break of day all the people who inhabit them depart to fish or to +cultivate their rice.</p> + +<p>The frugal and laborious manner in which the great live, the little +attention which is paid to the vain and ridiculous prejudice of +marrying below rank; the ancient policy of giving distinction to men +and not to families, by attaching nobility only to employments and +talents, without suffering it to be hereditary; and the decorum +observed in public, are admirable traits in the Chinese character.</p> + +<p>There is little distinction in the dress of men and women; rank and +dignity are only distinguished by the ornaments they wear, and they +dare not presume to wear any thing without proper authority, without +being severely chastised for it. Their dress in general consists of a +long vest, which reaches to the ground, one part of it, on the left +side, folds over the other, and is fastened to the right by four or +five small gold or silver buttons placed at a little distance from one +another. The sleeves are wide towards the shoulder, and grow narrow +towards the wrist—they terminate in the form of a horse-shoe—round +their middle they wear a large girdle of silk, the ends of which hang +down to their knees; from this girdle is suspended a sheath, +containing a knife, and over all they wear a loose jacket down to the +middle, with loose short sleeves, generally lined with fur, and under +all they wear a kind of net to prevent it from chafing. The general +colour of these dresses is black or blue.</p> + +<p>Their religion is idolatry, their principal idol is <i>Fong Chon</i>, and +they are very superstitious, believing in magic and invocation of +spirits, and the art of foretelling events by divination.</p> + +<p>While receiving our cargo on board, a Chinaman belonging to one of the +craft, stole a box of tea, but, by the exertion of our officers, the +culprit was taken and immediately sent on shore to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> Dane's Island to +the mandarine. He was found guilty of the crime, and his punishment +three dozen blows with the bastinado. The instrument of correction, +called pan-tsee, is a bamboo a little flattened, broad at the bottom, +and polished at the upper extremity, in order to manage it more easily +with the hand.</p> + +<p>The culprit, after the mandarin has given the signal for punishment, +is seized and stretched out with his belly flat on the ground, his +breeches are pulled down to his heels, and on the mandarine throwing +down a stick, of which he has a number by him, one of the officers in +attendance uses the pan-tsee, and gives him five severe blows, which +are succeeded by several others till the number is complete. When it +is over, the criminal must throw himself on his knees, incline his +body three times to the earth, and thank his judge for the trouble he +has taken in his correction.</p> + +<p>The mandarins are of two classes, viz.; those of letters, and the +inferior sort are styled mandarins of arms. The latter class do not +enjoy the same consideration as the former.</p> + +<p>The Chinese in general are much addicted to commit depredations on the +pockets, or, in fact, on any unguarded property. After all our cargo +was received on board, I went in company with two midshipmen, Mr. +C—— and Mr. R——, on Dane's Island. After we landed some Chinese +came and decoyed us to their village, which was at the back of a +number of hills and out of sight of the shipping, under a promise that +they would let us have some of their country fruit, such as they sent +us on board. The length of time that some of them were absent, and the +sun going down fast, made us rather doubt the sincerity of their +intentions; those that were with us begged that we would stop till the +sun was down, but we began to be afraid of our lives. When the men saw +that we were determined to wait no longer, they gave a dreadful whoop, +which was answered by others stationed on the hills; they immediately +seized hold of us and rifled our pockets.</p> + +<p>On March 25th we sailed down to Macao, and on the following day we +took our departure, and on the 24th of April arrived at Anjier point, +and is a settlement belonging to the Dutch; it lies to the east of +Batavia. The houses are generally built of bamboo; the inhabitants are +of various casts, Pagans, Mahometans, and Chinese. The barbarism of +the Batta Tribes is horrible, for they kill and eat their criminals or +prisoners of war, or even sacrifice their own relations when aged and +infirm, not so much with a view to gratify their appetites, as to +perform a pious ceremony. Thus, when a man becomes infirm and weary of +the world, he is said to invite his own children to eat him when salt +and limes are cheapest. He then ascends a tree, round which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> his +friends and offspring assemble, and as they shake the tree they join +in a funeral dirge, the import of which is, the season is come, the +fruit is ripe, and it must descend. The victim descends, and those +that are nearest deprive him of life, and devour his remains in a +solemn banquet.</p> + +<p>In a few days we made sail. We arrived at St. Helena, on the 10th of +July, 1821. This island is situated in the South Atlantic Ocean, its +circumference is about twenty miles, and at a distance it has the +appearance of a large rock rising out of the sea. On rounding the +island it has a very romantic appearance; the town lying in a valley +presents to the eye a beautiful chain of scenery. It has some very +high mountains, particularly one called Diana's Peak, which is covered +with wood to the very summit. There are other hills also, which bear a +volcanic appearance, and some have huge rocks of lava, and a kind of +half-vitrified flags. James Town is erected in a valley at the bottom +of a bay, between two steep dreary mountains, and has from the +shipping a noble appearance.</p> + +<p>Accommodations are tolerably good, and the inhabitants, generally +speaking, are very hospitable. Their villas are pleasantly situated, +and have a fine view of the sea; the whole face of the country is +really romantic; the hills are immensely high, and the valleys very +narrow; and in many of them there are a few houses, which give the +whole island a very picturesque appearance.</p> + +<p>After obtaining a passport from the Adjutant-General, I went over a +long succession of hills to see the habitations of the late Emperor +Napoleon Bonaparte. The roads were very difficult to ascend, and +particularly rugged. The remains of this great and illustrious +personage are buried in a deep valley, about three miles from James +town, and about two miles from his late residence at Longwood, under +the peaceful shade of three weeping willows, and which also, (as in +respect to his dust,) lend a solemn air of reverential darkness to the +memorable <i>well</i>, from which, during his pilgrimages, he was wont to +receive his refreshing draughts.</p> + +<p>No stately monument marks the spot; no polished alabaster, or the +mimicry of sculptured marble marks his grave: the real excellency of +the patriot is written on the minds of his countrymen; it will be +remembered with applause as long as the nation subsists, without this +artificial expedient to perpetuate it.</p> + +<p>Let the poor pass by his grave, and thankfully acknowledge, there lies +the man who gloriously fought for his country and his subjects, to +free them from the galling yoke of tyranny and oppression: no tablets +are written to mark his actions, but those which are written in the +heart of his subjects.</p> + +<p>The depth of his tomb is about twenty feet, and his coffin rests<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> upon +two pedestals, ten feet high. His body is enclosed in four coffins, +first lead, second deal, third mahogany, and fourth marble. What is +very remarkable is, that part of his tomb is made of the flag-stones +of his new house, taken out of one of the kitchens. After viewing the +tomb of the man who was the most brilliant meteor in the political +world, I proceeded up to Longwood, to take a view of the habitation in +which he died.</p> + +<p>After presenting my passport I had permission to inspect the premises: +the officer took great pains in shewing me the very spot on which he +quitted his troubles and persecutions, when he kindly left me to make +what sort of reflections I thought proper. The darkness of the room +gave it a very solemn appearance, and suited the mind to contemplate +upon this late extraordinary character;—but a short period past he +was the terror of the world, and now, alas! what is he? He is laid low +in the tomb, unregretted and unpitied by his merciless enemies. A +gleam of light through the casements reflected a dead glimmer through +the gloomy mansion. The <i>most illustrious</i> have claimed the <i>tomb</i> for +their last retreat; rooms of state are resigned! the sceptre has +ceased to wield, and sumptuous banquets are neglected for no other +ornament than the winding sheet! "Where is the star that blazed upon +his breast, or the coronet that glittered round his temples?" Alas! +they are resigned and given over, through the power of the tyrant hand +of death.</p> + +<p>I have often walked between the impending promontory's craggy cliff; I +have sometimes trod the vast spaces of the lonely desert, and +penetrated the inmost recesses of the dreary cavern; but never beheld +Nature lowering with so dreadful a form; never felt impressions of +such awe striking cold on my heart, as under this roof; every thing +seemed to participate in grief for their deceased lord. The rooms were +very dirty and much neglected. The plants in his late garden seemed to +droop their heads in sorrow for the loss of the hand that reared them.</p> + +<p>I next proceeded to the palace which had been sent from England, and +really it would have reflected honour on the British nation, and no +sovereign in the world need wish for a more magnificent one, had it +been placed in a more healthy part of the island.</p> + +<p>We sailed for England on the 29th, and arrived on the 13th of +September, 1821, after a speedy and pleasant passage.</p> + + +<h3>THE END.</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Narrative of a Voyage to India; of a +Shipwreck on board the Lady Castlereagh; and a Description of New South Wales, by W. B. Cramp + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGE TO INDIA *** + +***** This file should be named 27113-h.htm or 27113-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/1/1/27113/ + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +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. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +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 + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/27113-page-images/f0001.png b/27113-page-images/f0001.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0d40c0b --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/f0001.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/f0002.png b/27113-page-images/f0002.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0e8149b --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/f0002.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0003.png b/27113-page-images/p0003.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e6891a9 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0003.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0004.png b/27113-page-images/p0004.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7054996 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0004.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0005.png b/27113-page-images/p0005.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4ec064e --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0005.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0006.png b/27113-page-images/p0006.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a280b9f --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0006.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0007.png b/27113-page-images/p0007.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c9afe88 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0007.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0008.png b/27113-page-images/p0008.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c58cc8 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0008.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0009.png b/27113-page-images/p0009.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7d8488a --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0009.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0010.png b/27113-page-images/p0010.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ca29cf1 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0010.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0011.png b/27113-page-images/p0011.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d5e56e9 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0011.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0012.png b/27113-page-images/p0012.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f246fb4 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0012.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0013.png b/27113-page-images/p0013.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..628f5d6 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0013.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0014.png b/27113-page-images/p0014.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6464cb7 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0014.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0015.png b/27113-page-images/p0015.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6f4aaa6 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0015.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0016.png b/27113-page-images/p0016.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..aca5d87 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0016.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0017.png b/27113-page-images/p0017.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d51bc50 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0017.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0018.png b/27113-page-images/p0018.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c9f979f --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0018.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0019.png b/27113-page-images/p0019.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..16e6b46 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0019.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0020.png b/27113-page-images/p0020.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f98849c --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0020.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0021.png b/27113-page-images/p0021.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f752f61 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0021.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0022.png b/27113-page-images/p0022.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7c6d4ea --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0022.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0023.png b/27113-page-images/p0023.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f3f8a76 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0023.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0024.png b/27113-page-images/p0024.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..89f779f --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0024.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0025.png b/27113-page-images/p0025.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f19514f --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0025.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0026.png b/27113-page-images/p0026.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..31681e2 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0026.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0027.png b/27113-page-images/p0027.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8cda2ca --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0027.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0028.png b/27113-page-images/p0028.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9a23bae --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0028.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0029.png b/27113-page-images/p0029.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..38827e7 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0029.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0030.png b/27113-page-images/p0030.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..fdb0a36 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0030.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0031.png b/27113-page-images/p0031.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4ddffdb --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0031.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0032.png b/27113-page-images/p0032.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..38b52db --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0032.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0033.png b/27113-page-images/p0033.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9f15a9d --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0033.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0034.png b/27113-page-images/p0034.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ad347ad --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0034.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0035.png b/27113-page-images/p0035.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..109df16 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0035.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0036.png b/27113-page-images/p0036.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..33f21de --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0036.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0037.png b/27113-page-images/p0037.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..47d58bc --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0037.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0038.png b/27113-page-images/p0038.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8f23004 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0038.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0039.png b/27113-page-images/p0039.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9841fcf --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0039.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0040.png b/27113-page-images/p0040.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2742021 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0040.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0041.png b/27113-page-images/p0041.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4783618 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0041.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0042.png b/27113-page-images/p0042.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..fb29a77 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0042.png diff --git a/27113-page-images/p0043.png b/27113-page-images/p0043.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..fe63503 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113-page-images/p0043.png diff --git a/27113.txt b/27113.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..affa68a --- /dev/null +++ b/27113.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2248 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Narrative of a Voyage to India; of a +Shipwreck on board the Lady Castlereagh; and a Description of New South Wales, by W. B. Cramp + +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: Narrative of a Voyage to India; of a Shipwreck on board the Lady Castlereagh; and a Description of New South Wales + +Author: W. B. Cramp + +Release Date: November 1, 2008 [EBook #27113] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGE TO INDIA *** + + + + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + NARRATIVE + + OF A + + VOYAGE TO INDIA; + + OF A + + SHIPWRECK + + ON BOARD THE LADY CASTLEREAGH; + + AND A + + _DESCRIPTION OF NEW SOUTH WALES_. + + + + + BY W. B. CRAMP. + + + + + LONDON: + + PRINTED FOR SIR RICHARD PHILLIPS AND Co. BRIDE-COURT, BRIDGE-STREET. + + 1823. + + * * * * * + + + + +NARRATIVE + +OF A + +VOYAGE TO INDIA, + +&c. &c. &c. + + * * * * * + + + + +SECTION I. + + THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM ENGLAND--DESCRIPTION OF THE + CEREMONY ON CROSSING THE EQUINOCTIAL LINE, AND HIS ARRIVAL + AT MADRAS. + + +On the 8th or 9th of January, 1815, we proceeded, in the Princess +Charlotte, Indiaman, to North-fleet Hope, and received on board our +cargo. On February 28th, we sailed to Gravesend, in company with the +Company's ships Ceres, Lady Melville, Rose, and Medcalfe, and arrived +at the Downs on the 3d of March. Our dispatches not being expected for +some time, we moored ship. Our time passed on very pleasantly till the +27th inst., when the weather became rather boisterous, and accompanied +by a heavy swell. On the evening of the 28th, as the Hon. Company's +ship Tarva, from Bengal, was rounding the Foreland, she struck on the +Goodwin Sands, and was forced to cut away her masts to lighten her, +and get her clear off. The Ceres drifted almost on board us; we +slipped our cables, and with difficulty escaped the Goodwin Sands. + +On the 1st of April the pursers joined their respective ships, and on +the 3d we made sail with a fair breeze, and soon cleared the English +channel. Nothing was now heard but confusion; the pilot having just +left the ship, the hoarse voice of the captain resounded through a +speaking trumpet, while the seamen were busy in making sail. We had a +fine steady breeze till we made the Bay of Biscay, when we had a +strong gale for three days. + +After the hurry and bustle of the gale was over, we had a fine steady +breeze; I then began to feel an inward pleasure, and to rejoice in the +predilection I had imbibed from my earliest years. + +We arrived on the equinoctial about eight o'clock in the evening of +the 19th of April, when one of the oldest seamen is deputed Neptune; +when he went into the head and hailed the ship in the usual form, +Ship, hoa! ship, hoa! what ship is that? The chief officer replied, +The Hon. Company's ship Princess Charlotte of Wales, and that he would +be glad of his company on the morrow. Gladly would I have dispensed +with it. On his quitting the vessel, as is supposed, a pitch cask was +thrown overboard on fire, which had the appearance of a boat till lost +to view. + +The next morning, about nine A. M., Neptune hailed the ship again, +when he was invited on board (from the head). On the fore-part of the +gang-way and after-part of the long-boat, a boom was placed across, +and a tarpauling was hung in form of a curtain, so that when they were +in readiness they took it down, and the procession moved on towards +the cuddy, twelve of the officers walking in the front, two by two +with staves (broomsticks); next followed Neptune's car, (a grating +with a chair covered with sheep skins) with Neptune, and his wife and +child, (a recruit's child, as we had 250 on board, of his majesty's +46th regiment) Neptune bearing in his hand the granes with forks +uppermost, and the representation of a dolphin on the middle prong, +and Neptune's footman riding behind (barber) his carriage, dragged by +the constables. The captain and officers came out to meet him, and +presented him with a glass of gin, which was on this occasion termed +wine. After the captain's health was drank, he desired them to proceed +to business, and to make as much haste as possible; they then +proceeded to the starboard gang-way, and Neptune placed himself upon +his throne (on the boom, close to the long-boat and wash-deck tub) the +slush tub being filled with balls, and lather made of slush, and the +barber standing ready to begin his work with a razor made of a long +piece of iron hoop well notched; the engine was brought on the quarter +deck, and began to play, to force those below that had not crossed the +line. I had not been long below before an officer from Neptune came to +me, and demanded me, in his name to appear before him at the starboard +gang-way, whose summons must not be disobeyed. On my arrival at the +gang-way, the usual questions were asked me, whether I had been that +way before? Without waiting for an answer they placed me on the +wash-deck tub, and the barber rubbed me with the back of his razor and +then let me go, upon my previously having given an order upon my +bottle. + +I had hardly got upon the poop, when one of the men was brought upon +deck who was neither beloved by the men nor officers; they then placed +him upon the tub, and asked him several questions, and while he was in +the act of answering them, they thrust some black balls into his +mouth, and then rubbed his face and neck over with lather, and scraped +it in an unmerciful manner till the blood run in several places; they +next pushed him into the tub of water and kept him under for the space +of a minute, which tended to smart and inflame the wounds. It was at +least a fortnight before he could wash himself perfectly clean; but +now several more shared the same fate. The sun was setting fast before +the amusements of the day were finished. The clouds presented the most +beautiful appearance, and the rippling of the sea, together with the +flying fish, scudding along the surface of the water, afforded the +mariner a great field of thought. At so grand a display of the great +and wonderful works of God, what mortal can be unmoved, or deny the +existence of a BEING which nature herself proclaims! + +The evening was very fine and beautifully star-light, and the moon +shone with resplendent brightness. After the company had withdrawn to +their evening refreshments, I amused myself with walking on the +solitary poop. The sea appeared to be an immense plain, and presented +a watery mirror to the skies. The infinite height above the firmament +stretched its azure expanse, bespangled with unnumbered stars, and +adorned with the moon '_walking in brightness_;' while the transparent +surface both received and returned her silver image. Here, instead of +being covered with sackcloth,[A] she shone with resplendent lustre; or +rather with a lustre multiplied in proportion to the number of +beholders. + +[Footnote A: I must be excused for the ideal extravagance of +"clothing" this nocturnal luminary in "SACKCLOTH," on adverting to +that unlimited flight of poetic imagination, which speaks of "_Heaven +peeping through the blanket of the deep_." _Vide Shakspeare's +Macbeth._] + +Such I think is the effect of exemplary behaviour in persons of +exalted rank; their course as it is nobly distinguished, so it will be +happily influential; others will catch the diffusive rays, and be +ambitious to resemble a pattern so commanding. Their amiable qualities +will not terminate in themselves, but we shall see them reflected in +their families. + +My readers, I trust, will not wonder at my meditations on these +sublunary objects, when they consider that they are the seaman's +guide, and from them the greatest sources of nautical information are +derived. + +In the midst of these pleasing reveries, I was aroused by the ship +being taken a-back, the watch being completely intoxicated, and it was +only with difficulty that they could do their duty. Nothing material +happened till our arrival at the Cape, when we experienced a severe +gale for three days. The sea being heavy, she pitched her portals +under water. We were running at the rate of ten knots per hour, under +bare poles; and we soon after made the trade winds. + +On the 23d of June we arrived in Madras roads; from the deck the view +of the land has a magnificent appearance; the different offices have, +to the beholder, the appearance of stone, and they are formed along +the beach in a beautiful manner; they are built with piazzas and +verandahs, and they extend about one mile along a sandy beach, while +the natives parading along the shore, and the surf spraying upon the +beach, gave the scene a very picturesque appearance. The surf beats +here with so much violence that it is impossible for any ship's boats +to land without being dashed to pieces. + +On our making land we espied a small craft, called a kattamaran, +making towards us; it was manned with two of the natives naked, except +a handkerchief round their waist, and a straw round cap (turban) made +with a partition in it to keep letters dry. This bark is made of three +long hulls of trees, about ten or twelve feet in length, tied together +with a rope so as to make in the centre a little hollow; they sit upon +their knees in the centre, and have a long flat piece of wood, about +five feet in length and five inches in width, which they hold in the +centre, and keep continually in motion, first on one side and then on +the other, and in that manner they force the kattamaran swiftly +through the water. + +It is very remarkable that these poor creatures risk themselves +through the surf for a mere trifle, to carry letters for the different +commanders to their respective vessels, at a time when the surf is at +a dreadful height. When these poor fellows lay themselves flat on the +kattamaran, and then trust themselves to the mercy of the surf, they +are often driven back with great force, and they as often venture +again, till they effect their purpose. They generally get their living +by fishing, which is done by hook and line, and they offer them +alongside the different ships for sale. + +For two days the surf being so violent no boats could come off; but +early on the third morning there were several came off with debashees +(merchants) on board. They brought such things as might be wanted by +the ship's company and officers. Their boats are made to carry +passengers and cargo. There is not a vestige of a nail to be seen in +them, their seams, instead of being nailed, are sewed together with +coir rope; and they are generally manned with six or eight men. + + + + +SECTION II. + + THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM MADRAS AND ARRIVAL AT + BENGAL--DEPARTURE THEREFROM--HIS VESSEL RUNS ASHORE ON THE + PULICAT SHOALS, AND GETS SAFE AFLOAT AGAIN, AFTER BEATING + SIX HOURS AND FORTY MINUTES--HIS SAFE ARRIVAL AT MADRAS, AND + DESCRIPTION OF THE DIVERS--ARRIVAL AT BOMBAY--THE SHIP BEING + DOCKED, THE AUTHOR IS SENT TO BUTCHER'S ISLAND WITH THE + SHIP'S COMPANY--A DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLAND OF + ELEPHANTA--HIS JOINING THE SHIP AFTER HER LEAVING THE + DOCK--HIS WORDS WITH HIS COMMANDER, AND BEING TURNED BEFORE + THE MAST IN CONSEQUENCE--HIS DEPARTURE FROM BOMBAY, AND + AFTER A SHORT PERIOD HE IS REPLACED IN HIS FORMER + SITUATION--AND ARRIVES AT MADRAS. + + +We sailed from Madras, August 23d, and arrived at Bengal on the 30th. +The scenery on the entrance up the river was indeed sublime, and +inspired us with a sensation of gratitude to the Giver of all good. I +went up to Calcutta with a craft of cargo; but having been sent down +immediately, I could form no idea of the place. + +On the 20th December we sailed from Bengal bound to Madras, in company +with the Honourable Company's ship Marquis of Wellington. We kept +a-head of her on the morning of the 25th, till she was almost mast +down, and expected to bring-to about twelve o'clock in the Madras +roads; but our expectations were greatly damped by the following +circumstances:--At 8 A. M. the ship struck on the Pulicat rocks with +such great violence, as to knock almost every man off his legs; the +lead was immediately called, which, to the disgrace of some one, was +not on deck; in the course of two minutes she struck again with as +much violence as before; sail was immediately taken in, and after +sounding, we found we drew about three and a half feet water. We then +made signal of distress, by hoisting the ensign union downwards, and +firing a gun. The Marquis of Wellington by this time hove in sight; +all was confusion and consternation, the ship having beat several +times with great violence. The Wellington hove to, and sent their +cutter with four men and a second mate to our assistance, and then +made sail and passed us, without rendering us any other assistance. +The pinnace and long-boats, booms and spars, were immediately sent +over the side, and the kedge-anchor was placed in the long-boat; but +she leaked so very fast, that with all the united efforts of the +seamen they could not keep her above water. + +The weather was now very cloudy and black, and threatened a severe +gale; so that our present situation became very disagreeable, as no +assistance could be rendered us off shore, should necessity require +it. But owing to the exertions of the officers and men, we effectually +swung her head to the wind, which was blowing strong from the shore, +and by 7 P. M. we anchored safe in the roads. + +On the following morning we were busily employed in discharging our +cargo and sending it on board its destined ships, (Honourable +Company's ships Stratham and Rose.) After our clearance, the divers +were expected from off shore, to examine the damage the ship's bottom +had received; but, owing to the inclemency of the weather, it was +impossible for them to get off from shore. + +A seaman on board, by birth a West Indian, engaged to dive under the +ship's bottom, and to acquaint us with the state of it, which was +gladly accepted. In his youth he had been a fisherman on the coast of +the island of Jamaica: the weather being rough, it was thought unsafe +for him to venture; but on the following morning, it being quite calm, +he prepared himself for his expedition: after he had jumped overboard, +he walked, or rather trod water, round the ship; he informed us the +copper was much battered above water, and in many places whole sheets +of it were broken off; and after he had made us perfectly acquainted +with the damages we had received above, he dived under her counter, +and abreast of the after, main, and fore hatchways;--when he came on +board, he informed us, that about twelve feet of our false-keel was +knocked off, and about six feet of our copper abreast of the +main-hatchway, besides a quantity of copper in different places, all +of which we found to be true after we were docked. + +We received considerable damage on board; the bolts were started from +her side about three inches, and the main-beams sprung. Three days +after he had dived, the captain came on board with two native divers, +and several officers of the different vessels lying in the roads, to +survey the ship. When they went under they brought up the same +account as our man had first given. After about an hour's +consultation, our ship was ordered to Bombay to be docked, it being +the most convenient one for a ship of our burden. In a few days after +we proceeded on our passage, and arrived in safety, keeping the pumps +in continual motion during our passage. + +The Island of Bombay is situated on the west coast of the ocean, and +one of the three Presidencies belonging to the Honourable East India +Company, and is in Lat. 18 deg. 55' N. and Lon. 72 deg. 54' E. of Greenwich. +As soon as we had discharged all our cargo, and the ship was docked, +the ship's company and officers were sent to Butcher's Island. + +Butcher's Island is a small island situated about four miles and a +half to the westward of Bombay, and is in circumference about one mile +and a half, and has been a very formidable garrison. In the centre is +a small fort and two barracks, the latter we took possession of for +the ship's company. Soon after our landing on the island, a party of +us went over to the Island of Elephanta. + +The Island of _Elephanta_ is about one mile and a half to the west of +Butcher's Island, and is inhabited by 100 poor Indian families. It +contains one of the most stupendous antiquities in the world: the +figure of an elephant of the natural size, cut coarsely in black +stone, appears in an open plain, near the landing place, from which an +easy slope leads to an immense subterraneous cavern, hewn out of the +solid rock, eighty or ninety feet long and forty broad, the roof of +which is cut flat, and supported by regular rows of pillars, about ten +feet high, with capitals resembling round cushions, and at the farther +end of it are three gigantic figures, mutilated by the bigoted zeal of +the Portuguese, when this island was in their possession. After +spending the day very pleasantly we returned. + +The Sergeant (an old invalid) who had charge of the fort, had a +beautiful little garden; thither in the morning I frequently resorted, +to enjoy one of the most charming pieces of morning scenery that I had +ever witnessed. + + "Awake! the morning shines, and the fresh fields + Call you; ye lose the prime to mark how spring + The tender plants; how blows the citron grove; + What drops the myrrh, and what the balmy reed; + How nature paints her colours; how the bee + Sits on the bloom, extracting liquid sweets." + + MILTON'S PARADISE LOST. + +How delightful this fragrance. It is distributed in the nicest +proportion; neither so strong as to depress the organs, nor so faint +as to elude them. We are soon cloyed at a sumptuous banquet, but this +pleasure never loses its poignancy, never palls the appetite; here +luxury itself is innocent; or rather, in this case, indulgence is not +capable of excess. Our amusements for the forenoon were our nautical +studies, and in the afternoon officers and men joined in cricket. In +the evening, after my duty of the day was dispatched, and the sultry +heats were abated, I enjoyed the recreation of a walk in one of the +finest recesses of the Island, and in one of the pleasantest evenings +which the season produced. + +The trees uniting their branches over my head, formed a verdant +canopy, and cast a most refreshing shade; under my feet lay a carpet +of Nature's velvet; grass intermingled with moss, and embroidered with +the evening dew; jessamines, united with woodbines, twined around the +trees, displaying their artless beauties to the eye, and diffusing +their delicious sweets through the air. On either side, the boughs +rounding into a set of regular arches, opened a view into the distant +seas, and presented a prospect of the convex heavens. The little birds +all joyous and grateful for the favours of the light, were paying +their acknowledgments in a tribute of harmony, and soothing themselves +to rest with songs. All these beauties of Nature were for a while +withdrawn. The stars served to alleviate the frown of night, rather +than to recover the objects from their obscurity. A faint ray scarcely +reflected, and only gave the straining eye a very imperfect glimpse. + +The day following that the ship came out of dock we joined her. Our +labours were now unremitted, to get her in readiness for sea. Amidst +all our exertions it was impossible to give any satisfaction; our +chief mate was very arbitrary, and vented his spleen upon the +defenceless midshipmen, besides making the backs of the poor seamen +sore with _starting_. Starting is a term used for rope's-ending a man, +or otherwise laying a _Point_ severely across their shoulders till +they have not the strength to wield it any longer; a point is a flat +platted rope, made for the purpose of taking in reefs, or otherwise to +fasten the sail upon the yards. + +At length my life became so truly miserable, that I was determined in +my own mind not to endure it, if there was any possibility of avoiding +it. For that purpose I wrote on board his Majesty's frigate, +Revolutionnaire, for a situation, when Captain Wolcombe generously +offered me one, provided I could get permission of Captain Craig to +leave my present ship. I was at length forced to leave Bombay, +through this and other circumstances. + +On our arrival at Madras every preparation was made for receiving our +cargo on board, which was speedily done, and in a short time was ready +for sea. + + + + +SECTION III. + + THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM MADRAS, DESCRIPTION OF A + WATER-SPOUT--HIS ARRIVAL AT ST. HELENA AND DEPARTURE + THEREFROM, ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND--JOINS HIS MAJESTY'S TRANSPORT + SHIP, TOTTENHAM, BOUND FOR NEW SOUTH WALES--HER RUNNING ON + SHORE IN THE RIVER AND PUTTING BACK TO DOCK--HE AFTERWARDS + JOINS HIS MAJESTY'S TRANSPORT SHIP, LADY CASTLEREAGH. HIS + DEPARTURE FROM DEPTFORD AND ARRIVAL AT PORTSMOUTH--HIS + DEPARTURE THEREFROM AND ARRIVAL AT NEW SOUTH WALES. + + +As soon as our dispatches were in readiness, we proceeded on our +passage for England; the morning was beautiful, and as the men were +heaving up the anchor, my heart felt an inward sensation of joy and +gratitude to our Creator, that he had been pleased to bring us so far +safe on our voyage; we made sail with a steady breeze, and soon lost +sight of land. After we had been at sea about two days, close on our +weather-bow we observed a water-spout; when we first saw it, it was +whole and entire, and was in shape like a speaking trumpet, the small +end downwards, and reaching to the sea, and the large end terminating +in a black thick cloud: the spout itself was very black, and the more +so the higher up; it seemed to be exactly perpendicular to the +horizon, and its sides perfectly smooth, without the least ruggedness +where it fell. The spray of the sea rose to a considerable height, +which had somewhat the appearance of smoke; from the first time we saw +it, it continued whole about a minute, and till it was quite +dissipated three minutes; it began to waste from below, and gradually +up, while the upper part remained entire, without any visible +alteration, till at last it ended in black clouds, upon which a heavy +rain fell in the neighbourhood. There was but little wind, and the sky +was otherwise serene. + +On our rounding the Cape we experienced a very heavy gale, which +continued for the space of ten days. We arrived at St. Helena in about +ten days after clearing the Cape of Good Hope. + +The approach to this Island is tremendous, it being an immense large +rock in the midst of the sea, on which there is not the least +appearance of verdure, houses, or indeed any sign of inhabitants, till +you arrive at the anchorage, which is to leeward of the Island; and in +turning round the corner of the rock is a fort, close to the water's +edge, from whence they make all ship's heave to, till they have sent a +boat on board from the Admiral; and in case no attention is paid to +their signal, they fire a shot. After proceeding a little way, the +town is discovered in the midst of a valley, and has a very +picturesque appearance. + +The produce of the Island is potatoes and yams. The yams are used in +time of great scarcity of wheat, for bread; the inhabitants are under +the necessity of boiling them 12 hours and baking them, before they +can eat them; and in fact, many of the Islanders prefer them to bread. +The coast produces an amazing quantity of fish, particularly mackarel, +which are in great abundance, and run in shoals about six fathom under +water. At this time Napoleon resided at Longwood. + +After staying here 12 days, we proceeded on our passage to England, +and arrived there in six weeks and two days.--The distressed state of +England, and scarcity of employment determined me again to try my +fortune abroad, and for that purpose I made several applications to +the different owners, but for some time was very unsuccessful. At +length I was engaged by Messrs. Robinson, to join his Majesty's Ship +Tottenham, bound to New South Wales with 200 convicts. On June the 8th +I joined her. After receiving all the ship's and government stores on +board, we proceeded to Woolwich, and received on board 50 of our +number, and in the afternoon of the same day we made sail, and on a +sudden struck on a reef at low water; we were lying high and dry; +every means was used to get her off, but without success, till we sent +our convicts up to the hulks, and discharged our stores into the +different crafts sent for that purpose, and by that means lightened +her so, that at the flood she drifted; she was so materially damaged, +it was deemed necessary she should return back to Deptford to Dock. + +I had not waited long in London, before another vacancy occurred on +board His Majesty's Transport Ship Lady Castlereagh, lying at +Deptford, bound to the same Port. Shortly after I had joined her, we +sailed to Woolwich, and received on board our guard, which was +composed of a detachment of his Majesty's 46th regiment of foot, and +after receiving a portion of our convicts, we proceeded on our passage +to Portsmouth: we received another portion from Sheerness, and in two +days arrived at Portsmouth. The remainder of our prisoners not being +in readiness, we were forced to bring up and moor ship a cable each +way. + +Spithead is a spacious road for shipping, between Portsmouth and the +Isle of Wight, and where they in general lie after they are in +readiness for sea. I went on shore to see the town of Portsmouth. It +is situated inland of Portsea; the streets are generally narrow, and +rather dirty, owing to their not being properly paved. + +The Dock-yards, as there are several, resemble distinct towns, and are +under a government separate from the garrison. Here is a commodious +arsenal for laying up cannon, and the fortress may be justly +considered as the most regular one in Great Britain. The number of men +employed in the different rope-yards generally is considered to be +between eight or nine hundred, and the garrison is very large. The +town of Portsmouth contains about 40,000 inhabitants, and the harbour +is reckoned one of the finest in the world, as there is water +sufficient for the largest ships, and is so very capacious that the +whole of the British navy may ride in safety. The principal branch run +up to Fareham, a second to Pouchester and a third to Portsea Bridge; +besides these channels there are several rithes, or channels, where +the small men of war lie at their moorings. Opposite the town is the +spacious road of Spithead. On the 20th of December we received our +convicts, and the following day we made sail and passed through the +Needles, which are two sharp-pointed rocks at the N. W. end of the +Isle of Wight, so called from their sharp extremities. + +The prisoners, during their voyage, behaved themselves with great +propriety, considering the variety of characters which we had on +board. We arrived at New South Wales on the 26th of April, 1818, after +a pleasant passage. + + + + +SECTION IV. + + DESCRIPTION OF NEW SOUTH WALES--DEPARTURE THEREFROM--ARRIVAL + AT VAN DIEMAN'S LAND. + + +We now made for the eastern coast of New Holland, southward of Port +Jackson; the coast has a most beautiful appearance, being constantly +green during the year. From the south cape, about five leagues to the +northward, is a most spacious bay with good anchorage, and sheltered +from all winds. The natives are very ferocious; few vessels put in +without partially suffering by their depredations, particularly seamen +who, having ventured from their parties, have been by them cut off, +robbed, and murdered. This place is called Two-fold Bay; ten leagues +farther north is Bateman's Bay. Here is good anchorage and plenty of +fresh water, but it lies open to the E. N. E. winds, and when they +prevail they are accompanied by a heavy swell, so that it is +impossible for vessels to lie secure. Seventeen leagues farther north +is Jervis's Bay, and an excellent harbour and good shelter from all +winds, with a fine sandy bottom. Round two small islands, at the mouth +of the bay, there are two very large kinds of fish, which are caught +in abundance with hook and line, called king fish and snappers. + +The next harbour to the northward is Botany Bay, which is a capacious +bay, with excellent anchorage for shipping; but the entrance is very +dangerous to those commanders who are strangers to the coast. At the +head of the bay is George's River, which extends about sixty miles up +the country, and is navigable for small vessels of about 40 tons +burden; on the banks of this river there are several settlements, +which I shall hereafter describe. Nine miles farther north are the +heads of Port Jackson; on approaching the heads from sea, the entrance +is so narrow, and the rocks so perpendicular, that the opening is not +perceivable at a distance. + +On the south head is a look-out house, and a flag staff, on which a +yellow flag is hoisted on the approach of any vessels from sea, which +is answered by another signal staff on a battery at the north end of +the town, called Davis's Point Battery, which is to be seen from all +parts of the town, so that a vessel is known to be approaching before +she enters the port. After entering the heads, the river runs due +south for six miles, it then turns short round a point of land on the +north shore, called Bradley's Head, which runs due west for +twenty-four miles. After rounding Bradley's Head, the town of Sydney +is perceivable, about three miles distant on the south shore. The +anchorage is a small cove, as still as a mill-pond, land-locked around +on all sides; the principal buildings in view are the stores and +dwelling of Mr. Campbell, a Bengal merchant; they are built of white +stone and have a noble appearance: the next is the government stores, +a large stone building, at the end of which is the hospital, wharf, +and stairs, the only public-landing place in the cove; here are two +centinels continually parading the quay. From the landing place is a +fine wide street, called George Street, with several fine stone and +brick buildings, extending a mile and a half long, and joining the +race ground. The public buildings in this line are the governor's +secretary's office, an orphan school for female children, and the +military barracks, with many fine private buildings, shops, &c. On the +S. E. side of the cove is the government house, a low but very +extensive building, surrounded with verandahs, and built in the +eastern style, with an extensive park and garden surrounded with a +high stone wall. About a quarter of a mile south of the government +house is the general hospital, a large and extensive building, erected +without any expense to government, the whole having been completed and +paid for by three private gentlemen of the colony, for the grant of +certain privileges. One mile further S. E. is Wallamolla, a fine brick +and stone mansion, the property and dwelling house of John Palmer, +Esq., formerly Commandant-general of the colony. + +Between the general hospital and Wallamolla is the race ground, a fine +level course three miles long, planned and laid out after the model of +Doncaster race course, by order of his excellency Lochlin Macquarie. +The races commence on the 12th of August, and last three days, during +which time the convicts are exempt from all government duties. +Convicts that are placed in the town of Sydney are in many respects +happier than those farther inland; those who are employed in the +service of government are under the inspection of the superintendent +of the public works; they assemble at the ringing of a bell, in the +government-yard, soon after day-light, and are mustered by their +respective overseers and conducted to their work by them, having +received their orders from the superintendent on the preceding +evening. The overseers are themselves convicts of good character, and +perfect masters of their different trades. They labour from day-light +until nine o'clock, and they have then one hour allowed them to +breakfast, then they return and work till three in the afternoon, and +from that time they are at liberty to work for whom they think proper. + +On leaving Sydney, the next settlement is Rose Hill, or, called by the +natives, Paramatta, and it is situated due west up the river. Between +Sydney and Paramatta there is but one settlement, about half way, +which is called Kissing Point, and close on its banks is a large farm, +kept by Mr. Squires, who likewise carries on an extensive brewery. The +principal edifice at Paramatta is the government stores, a large stone +building; close to the landing-place, and leading into the town, is a +street about a mile long. They are generally small cottages, and are +mostly inhabited by the convicts; and to each is attached a small +garden, which they are compelled to keep in good order. + +There is also a large manufactory of flax, the produce of the country, +of which they make coarse cloth of different descriptions. This town +is under the direction of the bishop of New South Wales (Samuel +Marsden) and is the place where the noted George Barrington resided +many years as chief constable, and died in the year 1806, highly +respected by the principal men of the colony. At eight miles distance, +in a westerly direction, is the village of Galba, which is a very +fertile soil, the farms being in high cultivation, the ground clear of +timber, and numbers of sheep and oxen seen grazing in its fields. Two +miles south of Galba is the village of Castle Hills, in appearance +resembling Galba; and a number of farm houses scattered about as far +as the eye can reach. About fourteen miles, in a S. E. direction, is +the town of Liverpool, on the banks of George's River; here +cultivation is making rapid progress; and on each side of the river +are numerous farms, till the traveller arrives at its termination. +From George's River a branch runs in a N. W. direction, is about +twenty miles in length, and is called the Nepean River. Here the eye +of the agriculturist would be highly delighted at the verdure that +constantly appears in view; the farms are but thinly dispersed, as the +Nepean is not navigable. + +At the extremity of the Nepean is the most extensive tract of land +that has yet been discovered. This tract is laid out in pastures, +which are literally covered with wild cattle, the produce of six cows +and a bull which escaped from the colony about forty years ago. They +were discovered by a runaway convict, who returned to the settlement +and reported his discovery, for which they pardoned him his crime of +desertion. After leaving the cow pastures, due north is the town of +Windsor, the most productive place in the colony for grain of every +description, which is brought to be shipped on the River Hawksborough, +in small crafts for that purpose. Windsor is sixty miles from Sydney, +and the river is navigable all the way from the sea; its entrance is +called Broken Bay, and is fourteen miles north of Port Jackson, and +thirty miles north of Broken Bay. + +The town of Newcastle is situated about seven miles up the river, +called the Coal River, in consequence of coals being found there in +great abundance, of very good quality. This town is a place where all +are sent to that prove refractory, or commit any crimes or +misdemeanors in the colony, and is much dreaded by the convicts as a +place of punishment. + +Newcastle is the last settlement to the northward of Sydney; the +natives are black, and appear to be a most miserable race of people: +they live entirely naked, both men, women, and children, and they +possess not the least shame. They carry fish and game to the different +towns and villages inhabited by the English, which they barter for +bread, tobacco, or spirits; they are, in general, of a light make, +straight limbed, with curly black hair, and their face, arms, legs, +and backs are usually besmeared with white chalk and red ochre. The +cartilage of their nose is perforated, and a piece of reed, from eight +to ten inches long, thrust through it, which seamen whimsically term +their spritsail-yard. They seem to have no kind of religion; they bury +their dead under ground, and they live in distinct clans, by the terms +Gull, Taury Gull, or Uroga Gull, &c. They are very expert with their +implements of war, which are spears made of reed, pointed with crystal +or fish bone; they have a short club made of iron wood, called a +waday, and a scimeter made of the same wood. Those inhabiting the +coast have canoes; but the largest I ever saw would not hold more than +two men with safety. + +Their marriage ceremony is truly romantic; all the youth of a clan +assemble, and are each armed with wadays; they then surround the young +woman, and one seizes her by the arm, he is immediately attacked by +another, and so on till he finds no combatant on the field, and then +the conquering hero takes her to his arms. + +The different kinds of game which the colony produces, are several +kinds of kangaroos, of the same species, but differing in size and +colour. Beasts of prey have never been seen in the colony. The birds +are, parrots, cockatoos, and a large one called _emus_, which have +very long legs and scarcely any wings; they in general live upon fern, +and weigh from seventy to eighty pounds; there are likewise a number +of black swans. The woods abound with a number of dangerous reptiles, +such as centipedes and scorpions. + +Government not being disposed to receive all our convicts, we were +taken up to proceed to Van Diemen's Land, with a crew of two hundred +convicts, besides a detachment of one hundred and sixty rank and file +of his Majesty's 46th regiment of foot. We sailed from hence, and +arrived at Van Diemen's Land after a pleasant passage of six days. + +Van Diemen's Land is situated south of the Cape of New Holland, and is +a dependency under the control of the Governor-General. Here is a +Deputy-Governor, who resides at the principal town, called Hobart's +Town, situated about thirty miles up the Derwent; it is a town at +present consisting of small cottages, or huts, built of wood, and with +but few free inhabitants. The soil of the country is good; but there +is a very inconsiderable trade. The Derwent runs ninety miles due west +up the country. North of the Derwent, about twenty miles, is Frederick +Henry's Bay, an immense deep bay, with good anchorage and shelter for +shipping; and north-west of Henry's Bay is another fine river, called +Port Dalrymple; it runs south-west ninety miles inland; at the head of +it is a town, called Launceston; the inhabitants are principally +convicts, and are employed in clearing the land for government. The +native inhabitants of Van Diemen's Land are nearly the same as those +of New Holland; and they at present hold no intercourse with the +European inhabitants. After our prisoners were received on shore, they +sent us another detachment of 150 rank and file of his Majesty's 46th +regiment for Madras, and we began to prepare for sea. + + + + +SECTION V. + + DEPARTURE FROM VAN DIEMEN'S LAND AND ARRIVAL AT MADRAS--AN + ACCOUNT OF A SEVERE GALE, AND THE GREAT DANGER OF SHIPWRECK, + TOGETHER WITH HER WONDERFUL ESCAPE FROM IT, AND HER SAFE + ARRIVAL IN CUDDALORE. + + +The morning was beautiful, and the noise of the crew weighing the +anchor, created much life and bustle; and as we proceeded out of the +harbour Nature seemed to smile, and bid us welcome to the watery +element we had been so long traversing. A few days after, we entered +the Endeavour Straits, which are about ten leagues long and five +broad. We had several canoes off from the shore of New Guinea. It is a +long narrow island of the South Pacific Ocean, and north of New +Holland, from which it is separated by this strait, except on the +north-east entrance, where it is counteracted by a group of islands, +called the Prince of Wales's Islands. The land is generally low, and +covered with an astonishing luxuriance of wood and herbage. The +inhabitants resemble those of New Holland, omitting the quantity of +grease and red-ochre with which the New Hollanders besmear their +skins. + +Their canoes are neatly carved, and are about twelve feet in length; +they have outriggers to keep them firm on the water, and they are +formed out of the hulls of trees; they carry about five or six men. +They brought on board a quantity of shells, bows, arrows, and clubs, +besides other trifling articles, and they would exchange with us for +bits of old iron-hoops, or in fact any old thing, however trifling. +The breeze freshening, we soon lost sight of the native merchants. + +We arrived at Madras on the 12th of September, 1818, after a tedious +passage. Owing to General Munro's intended departure for England, our +cargo was immediately got ready, and as expeditiously received by us, +and we were ready for sea on the 20th of October; but our dispatches +not being in readiness, we were forced to remain at our anchorage, and +on the morning of the 24th the clouds looked very black, and +threatened a severe storm; but no preparations were made on board, and +at 4 P. M. signal was made from the shore for all ships to leave the +roads, which unfortunately was not noticed by many of the officers of +the different vessels. At 5 P. M. the gale commenced; but through +neglect the royal and top-gallant yards were not sent down, nor could +the officer commanding be persuaded that any danger would arise from +remaining at our anchorage; the ship's company now came aft and +expostulated; but the officer in command called them all cowards, and +said he would not start her anchor if it blew the masts out of her. + +About 2 A. M. on the 25th, the gale commenced with the utmost fury, +and she rode her scuttles under water, but as they were not secure, +the sea came inboard and made very fast upon us. At 6 A. M. the water +was three feet on the lee-side of our gun-deck, and from the continual +working of the ship the chests broke from their fastenings. + +After seeing a vessel go down at her anchors close on our starboard +bow, the officer then gave orders for our cable to be slipped, which +was immediately put into execution. John Gardener, a seaman, wishing +to go aloft, and not taking proper hold, was blown from the rigging, +and never seen again. We set the fore-sail, which immediately split; +the mainsail, met with the same fate; the gaskets of the topsails gave +way, and the sails split. At half past eight we found we had sprung a +leak, owing to the ship's labouring so much; in the course of ten +minutes we sounded, and found three feet water in the hold. The pumps +were choaked; by 9 A. M. they were cleared, and by this time we had +eight feet water in the well, and three on the gun-deck; the ship +rolled very much, and the chests, guns, and water-casks, being all +cast adrift, were dashing from larboard to starboard with the greatest +fury. At 10 A. M. the ship labouring so much, and her being eight +streaks of her main-deck under water, abreast of her main-hatchway, so +that we had very little prospect of her living two minutes above +water, it was thought necessary to send her mizen-mast by the board, +in order to righten her; but while going, the mizen-mast heeled to +windward and caught her royal-yards in the top-sail tye, and stayed +her so, that we were compelled to cut away the main-mast, which +carried the fore-top-mast and jib-boom; and, while in the act of going +by the board, it knocked an invalid down and killed him on the spot. +The ship rightened a little; but the sea was very boisterous, and we +appeared to be in a valley in the midst of a number of tremendous high +mountains, which to all appearance seemed ready to fall and crush us. +The carpenter came forward, and informed us, that we had sprung +another leak, and that we had ten feet water in the well; the men, as +by one accord, dropped the pumps, and appeared to despair; we might +all have well exclaimed with the poet, + + "Heaven have mercy here upon us! + For only that can save us now." + +"The atmosphere was hurled into the most tremendous confusion, the +aerial torment burst itself over mountains, seas, and continents. All +things felt the dreadful shock; all things trembled under her scourge, +her sturdy sons were strained to the very nerves, and almost swept her +headlong to the deep." + +It would be in vain to attempt to give a description of our feelings +at this critical moment, tortured as we were with anguish and despair. +Every man seemed now as if all was given over for lost, when the +carpenter came forward and informed us the leak was found out, and +that with a little exertion it might be stopped; the men then rose +with great vigour, flew to the pumps with renovated strength, and gave +three cheers. The cabins were all washed down, and a party of men were +busily employed throwing every thing overboard,--self was not +considered,--the very last rag was committed to the furious elements +without a sigh. At 11 A. M. the sea struck her starboard +quarter-gallery and forced it from its birth, and as we were busily +employed, a cry was heard, the starboard fore-mast port was carried +away, and the sea forced itself with great rapidity along the deck; +but the seamen flew to meet this new misfortune with the vigour of +tigers, not considering the dangers they had to encounter, and thus +effectually succeeded in stopping the leak. + +While the seamen were busily employed, the troops were desired to +pump, which they firmly refused, and said they would sooner sink, +except a poor blind man, who could not keep from them; his reply was +truly noble, and, I am sure, my readers will excuse my repeating it. +"I am unworthy of the life I have if I do not exert myself in this +hour of distress; if it has pleased God to deprive me of the blessing +of sight, he has not of the feelings of a Christian." At half past +eleven the gale greatly abated, and by this time the carpenter had +stopped the leak, by using all the gunny bags and blankets that could +be found; the damage was occasioned by the masts beating under her +counter. By 12 A. M. it was a perfect calm; the men were now busily +employed clearing the gun-deck, and securing every port-hole and +scuttle in which they effectually succeeded by 1 P. M. + +"For a moment the turbulent and outrageous sky seemed to be assuaged; +but it intermitted its wrath only to increase its strength; soon the +sounding squadrons of the air returned to their attack, and renewed +their ravages with redoubled fury; and the stately dome rocked amidst +the wheeling clouds. The impregnable clouds tottered on its basis, and +threatened to overwhelm those whom it was intended to protect, the +vessel was almost rent in pieces, and scarcely secure; where then was +a place of safety? Sleep affrighted flew, diversion was turned into +horror; all was uproar in the elements; all was consternation among +us, and nothing was seen but one wide picture of rueful devastation. + +"The ocean swelled with tremendous commotions; the ponderous waves +were heaved from their capacious beds, and almost lay bare the +unfathomed deep; flung into the most rapid agitation, they swept over +us, and tossed themselves into the clouds. We were rent from our +anchors, and with all our enormous load were whirled swift as an arrow +along the vast abyss. Now we climb the rolling mountains, we plough +the frightful ridge, and seem to skim the skies; anon we plunge into +the opening gulf, we reel to and fro, and stagger in the jarring +decks, or climb the cordage, whilst bursting seas foam over the decks. +Despair is in every face, and death sits threatening in every surge." +The whistling of the wind and roaring of the sea, together with the +voice of despairing seamen, and the dreadful shrieks of the women, +made us truly miserable; but we were forced to exert ourselves with +assumed courage and vigour, which could only be imagined but by those +placed in a similar situation,--our exertions were for life or death, +knowing that if they once failed, that nothing was to be expected but +to perish in a watery grave. + +We kept the water under to about three feet during the time of this +dreadful gale; about 4 P. M. it abated, and about 5 P. M. it blew a +steady breeze from the south-west; and at 6 P. M. we went round her to +examine the damage we had sustained; when, dreadful to relate, we +found that a man and child had been washed out of their hammocks and +perished; on proceeding along the waste we found two invalids had been +jammed to death between two water-casks and the ship's sides, making a +total of six lives lost during the storm. + +The hatches were opened about 8 P. M.; but the provisions being so +salt and sodden with the sea water, they could not be eaten, on +account of the scarcity of fresh water. After the watch was set we +laid ourselves down upon the upper-deck with no other covering than +the starry heavens. + +On the following day we commenced clearing the wreck, and rigging up +jurymasts, which we happily effected before sun-set; and on the 28th +we arrived at Sadras, which lay south by west of Madras, distant +fifteen miles. We lay here till the 30th without any tidings of the +captain. + +The men from fatigue and pain, from sleeping on the wet decks, and +continual pumping, came aft, and said the clouds threatened another +storm, and that the monsoons were growing very strong, and in case the +weather should alter for the worse, they had not strength left to +work the ship in another gale, from want of nourishment; and that +provided the officers did not think proper to remove to a place of +safety, they were determined to take charge of her and proceed to +Trincomalee, and deliver the vessel into the hands of the +under-writers. All our remonstrances to them were in vain, until the +chief mate pledged his word and honour, that if the captain did not +join her the next morning, he would, ill as he was, take charge of her +and proceed there himself. + +On the following morning the captain joined her, with the hon. L. G. +K. Murray, secretary to the board of trade at Madras, when they +brought on board a quantity of provisions, which we stood very much in +need of, and immediately made sail and arrived the same day at +Pondicherry. The governor sent us on board a new anchor, as our own +was sprung. Pondicherry is a town of Hindostan, under the French +government, and situated on the coast of Coromandel, seventy-five +miles S. S. W. of Madras. + +On the following day we run into Cuddalore, a little above the first +bar. Cuddalore is a town of Hindostan, one hundred miles S. S. W. of +Madras. Thirty of the ship's company being sick, they, with me, were +compelled to leave the ship, and forced to proceed on shore to the +hospital. I was about this time seized with a violent fit of the +cholera morbus. It is supposed to originate from the cold damp airs +which are very prevalent at this time of the season. A gentleman's +bungalow was humanely given up as a hospital, or friendly receptacle, +for our incapacitated seamen, during our sojourn at Cuddalore. + +The possibility of visiting the native town was precluded by the +peculiar strictness of the regulations imposed upon us. + + + + +SECTION VI. + + THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM CUDDALORE AND ARRIVAL AT + PONDICHERRY--DEPARTURE THEREFROM, AND ARRIVAL AT MADRAS, + WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE SAME--ACCOUNT OF THE RELIGION, + CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS OF THE NATIVES--DEPARTURE FROM MADRAS, + ON HIS ROUTE TO NAGPORE,--ARRIVAL AT PONAMALEE, AND + DESCRIPTION OF THE SAME--HIS DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL AT + CUDDAPAH. + + +After I had thoroughly recovered, through the interest of a young +German widow, I obtained my acquittal from the ship, and then +proceeded to New Town for my passport. New Town lies about two miles +and a half E. N. E. of Cuddalore, and is the residence of the +Europeans in that neighbourhood; the houses of the Europeans are +generally built of brick and those of the natives of wood. The day +after I had obtained my passport I proceeded on my route and arrived +at Pondicherry the same evening. + +Pondicherry is about four leagues in extent; the houses are built with +brick, but the Indians use only wood, in the manner which we call lath +and plaster. In a few days after I arrived in Madras, and took up my +residence with a friend in Pursevaulkum. + +A few days after my arrival I proceeded with my friend to town. +Madras, or Fort St. George, is a fort and town of the peninsula, on +the coast of Coromandel. It is the principal settlement of the English +on the east side of the peninsula, and is a fortress of great extent, +including within it a regular well-built city. It is close to the sea +shore, from which it has a rich and beautiful appearance, the houses +being covered with a stucco, called _chunam_, which, in itself, is as +compact as the finest marble, bears as high a polish, and is equally +as splendid as that elegant material. There is a second city, called +Black Town, nearly four miles in circumference, separated from Madras +by the breadth of a proper esplanade. Madras, in common with all the +European settlements on this coast, has no port for shipping, the +coast forming nearly a straight line, and being incommoded with a high +and dangerous surf. The citadel is situated in the middle of the +White, or English Town, and is one of the best fortresses in the +British possessions. The town is also encompassed with a strong wall +of the same stone as that with which the citadel is built, and is +defended by bastions, batteries, half-moons, flankers, and mortars. +Opposite the west gate of the citadel are barracks and a convenient +hospital for the company's soldiers, and at the other end is a mint +where the company coin gold and silver. + +I was shortly after engaged as an overseer in the Madras Advertiser +printing office, and as an assistant to the Madras Nautical Academy; +but not agreeing with my employer I left it, and obtained permission +to stop in the country as a free merchant. + +Mr. M. R----, with whom I resided, used all his interest to obtain for +me some permanent situation under government, but it could not be +effected. At length, being tired of an indolent life, I opened a +school, which succeeded very well, when I was forced to relinquish +it, owing to my ill state of health the confinement and severity of +the weather brought on a languishing complaint, which would have +terminated in my death had I persisted in continuing in my present +employment. + +My friend being obliged to quit Madras, left me and his brother in +charge of his house. My friends, during his absence, greatly +contributed to my amusement, and, in short, spared no expense. One +morning, passing through Vessory Bazar, I was greatly shocked at +seeing the nabob's elephant take up a little child in his trunk and +dash its brains out against the ground; the only reason that could be +observed was, that the child had thrown some pebble stones at it; and +the only redress the poor disconsolate mother could obtain was a gift +of fifty pagodas from the nabob, which is about equal to twenty pounds +sterling. + +During my friend's absence his mother and brother were carried off +with the cholera morbus. The general estimate of deaths through the +settlement is at least three hundred and fifty in one day; the natives +have been known to sacrifice in one day and at one pagoda, fifty cocks +and fifty kids, to appease their angry gods, and, in fact, some of the +poor deluded creatures will go with a sword run through their cheeks +in the fleshy part, and kept hanging in that position for some days, +continually dance backwards and forwards through the different bazars; +others have the palms of their hands pierced with a sword; others have +their breasts burnt, and others again have an instrument run through +their tongue in order to calm the wrath of their offended deities; nor +can they, in their opinions, put themselves to sufficient torture. + +Shortly after my friend returned, I went to reside with a friend at +Royaporum, south of Black Town, and soon afterwards I was engaged as +an examiner in the accountant-general's office. After I had been a +short time in this employ, I received an order to prepare for my +departure for Nagpore, in the service of his highness the Rajah. On my +return from the Fort St. George, I was greatly surprised at seeing an +old man standing with his bare feet upon two pieces of wood in the +form of a pair of pattens, with pointed pegs uppermost; he stood in +that position for several days, with the blood running in torrents, +and several of those who passed by gave him what their circumstances +could well afford. A few days after I was invited to witness an Hindoo +ceremony. We took our station at the top of a rich Persian's house, +opposite a spacious esplanade and contiguous to a large pagoda; in the +centre of the esplanade was fixed a capstern, with a pole about sixty +feet long, which was fixed so as to be occasionally raised or +lowered. Shortly after our arrival, a native, decorated with flowers, +proceeded slowly towards the pagoda with tom-toms, and all kinds of +Asiatic music; after he had prostrated himself in the pagoda, the +Brahmin, a kind of priest, struck his side with a leather thong till +it swelled to a considerable size, and then forced a butcher's hook +through his side; he then composedly walked to the machine, and +suffered himself to be fastened to a rope and suspended in the air +with no other support than the butcher's hook; he went at least three +times round a circle of about one hundred feet, and he kept his arms +continually in motion during the whole time, fencing and throwing +flowers among the bye standers, which were immediately picked up by +them and kept as a religious relic. This ceremony is performed yearly +for the purpose of those who have lost their cast, and may regain it +by voluntarily undergoing this treatment. Eleven of them went through +this torturing ceremony. + +I now began to put myself in readiness for my departure. On the +morning of the 8th I dispatched my baggage and tents, together with a +guard of eight peons (native police), which my friends had obtained +for me, through their interest with the superintendent of the police. +By the time I had taken leave of all my friends, and thanked them for +their disinterested protection to a distressed seaman, I proceeded on +my route (after receiving several more marks of their favours, Mr. +C---- having presented me with an Arab horse, four baggage bullocks, +and five hundred rupees, besides several letters of introduction) at +eight o'clock in the evening. I travelled about five miles down the +Ponamalee Road, and stopped at a village a little below the main +guard, a small place with scarcely any fodder for the cattle. On the +following morning, at a very early hour, we proceeded on our march, +and arrived at Ponamalee about eight o'clock, where I found several of +my friends waiting to take leave, as they expected that Ponamalee +would have been the first stage. + +After having taken farewell of each other they returned back to +Madras, and I hired for the day a small bungalow (or garden house) +opposite the fort, where I determined to stay. Ponamalee is about +fourteen miles W. S. W. of Madras. This small and beautiful town is +situated upon a rising ground, which commands an extensive view of the +adjacent country. The number of Europeans residing here is but few, as +it is entirely out of the road for traffic. There is a fort which is +situated upon a rising ground, and gives the village a romantic +appearance. It forms a complete square, and on each angle is a small +place erected in form of the body of a wind-mill, which was used +formerly for the purpose of solitary confinement when the troops were +quartered here, but is now occupied as lumber rooms; the fort is +garrisoned by pensioners. The grand entrance is on the south side, +and a small wicket is usually on the west. The fort is surrounded by a +large moat about thirty feet in depth, the water is very clear and +good, and is drank by the natives. The inner part is far from being +roomy, owing to the extreme width of the ramparts. There are two or +three small buildings for the use of the commanding officers, but now +the residence of a school-master and two sergeants; in the centre is a +small building with a dome on the top, which was used formerly for a +chapel, but is now converted into a school for the instruction of the +poor soldiers' children, and the two barracks are occupied by +pensioners. + +On the following morning, about two o'clock, we prepared for our +journey, and in a few days arrived at Naggery, a distance of about two +hundred miles W. N. W. of Madras. The natives here are Hindoos, and +the village is remarkably clean. The pagoda, or place of worship, is a +fine large building, built in an oblong form, and beautifully gilt and +carved all round with monkeys and apes. The Hindoos, in their manner +of diet, are very abstemious, refraining from flesh; in fact, they +will not eat any animal food; they are very regular in their morning +ablutions, which they do by washing and marking themselves with chunam +in the centre of their foreheads, according to the mark of their +different casts. If any one neglects it he is immediately turned out +of the cast, and his relations disown him, nor will they permit him +once to enter their house. Such is their strictness, that the father +has refused to see his son and the mother her daughter; and if they +happen to perceive him at any distance they fly from him as they would +from a serpent, thinking that his touch would pollute them. + +The roads here are very bad, being principally jungle; their principal +cultivation is paddy (a kind of oats). On my arrival at Nundihall I +was determined to rest for a couple of days, as two of my servants +were in a very ill state of health. Nundihall is a beautiful town, the +houses are built of brick, and are generally from three to four +stories high; the streets were very dirty, owing to the number of +paddy fields that surround the city, as the growth of it requires that +the earth should be completely covered with water. The natives are +generally Hindoos and Moors. The town is surrounded by a high brick +wall. + +After leaving the town of Nundihall the roads were very bad, owing to +the quantity of stones, and hills which were very steep and difficult +to ascend. On the roads I had several disputes with the natives +passing through Wuntimuttall, owing to my servants and the peons +stealing the toddy from the trees. Toddy is a liquor which is +extracted from the top veins of the cocoa-nut trees, which runs +continually into a pot placed for that purpose. The liquor is very +pleasant, and is reckoned very wholesome when drank early in the +morning in a small quantity; if drunk in the heat of the day it causes +acidity in the bowels, and often is the cause of the death of many +Europeans. The natives drink it continually, and often get quite +intoxicated with it. + +We arrived at Cuddapah on the 21st instant; it is a large and +commodious town, and is inhabited by Mussulmen. Cuddapah is situated +N. W. of Madras, one hundred and fifty-one miles distant, and the +general estimate of inhabitants is at about two hundred thousand. The +principal houses are built of brick and the inferior ones of mud. + +The Mahometans divide their religion into two general parts, faith and +practice, of which the first is divided into six distinct +branches--belief in God, in his angels, in his scriptures, in his +prophets, in the resurrection and final judgment, and lastly, in God's +absolute decrees. The points relating to practice, are prayer with +washings, &c., alms, fasting, pilgrimages, and circumcision. + +The Mahometans pray five times in twenty-four hours, viz.: in the +morning before sun-rise, when noon is past and the sun begins to +decline from the meridian, in the afternoon before sun-set, in the +evening after sun-set and before day is closed, and again in the +evening and before the watch of the night. They fast with great +strictness during the whole month of Ramadan, from the time the new +moon first appears, during which period they must abstain from eating, +drinking, and all other indulgences, from day-break till night or +sun-set. + +The Europeans reside about two miles to the west of the native town, +and have commodious houses, with fine spacious gardens; they are built +of brick and much after the form of a gentleman's seat in England, but +on a larger scale. I proceeded to the house of the collector, and on +my road, my horse taking fright, I was thrown, and lost my purse +containing all my money. My distress was now indescribable. Being left +pennyless in the midst of a people totally destitute of Christian +feeling, and without the probable means of obtaining the common +necessaries of life, I arrived, in this miserable state of mind, +bordering on despair, at the collector's, Mr. Hanbury, and after +making him acquainted with my circumstances, he generously rendered me +his assistance, paid my servants' wages that were in arrear, and +kindly advanced what I thought sufficient to defray my expenses, +having previously sent my peons back to Madras, and supplied me with +fresh ones to proceed with me to Hydrabad. + +On the following day the rain came down in torrents, accompanied with +thunder and lightning, which kept me within my tent and caused me to +exclaim with Dr. Henry, "O, ye lightnings, that brood and lie couchant +in the sulphureous vapours, that glance with forked fury from the +angry gloom, swifter and fiercer than the lion rushes from his den, or +open with vast expansive sheets of flame, sublimely waved over the +prostrate world, and fearfully lingering in the affrighted skies!" "Ye +thunders, that awfully grumble in the distant clouds, seem to meditate +indignation, and from the first essays of a far more frightful peal; +or suddenly bursting over your heads, rend the vault above and shake +the ground below with a hideous and horrid crack!" In the evening the +weather began to clear up, which induced me to walk out, when taking +two peons as a guard, I proceeded south of the town, on a beautiful +plain: the pleasantness of the weather, and the stillness of the +evening, tempted me to prolong my walk, and inspired my mind to +contemplate on the wonderful works of Providence, who had so lately +showered down his blessings upon me, in preserving me from want in the +midst of a heathen world. The sun had almost finished his daily +course, and sunk lower and lower till he seemed to hover on the verge +of the sky! + +The globe is now half immured beneath the dusky earth; or, as the +ancient poet speaks, "is shooting into the ocean, and sinks into the +western sea." The whole face of the ground was overspread with shades, +and what the painters of nature call "dun obscurity." Only a few +superior eminences, tipt with streaming silver, the tops of groves and +lofty towers that catch the last smiles of day, were still irradiated +by the departing beams. But, O how transient is the destination--how +momentary the gift! like all the blessings which mortals enjoy below, +it is gone almost as soon as granted. How languishingly it trembled on +the leafy spire, and glimmered with dying faintness on the mountain's +sable brow! till it expired and resigned the world to the gradual +approaches of night. + + + + +SECTION VII. + + THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM CUDDAPAH--DESCRIPTION OF THE + DIFFERENT VILLAGES, AND ARRIVAL AT HYDRABAD--DESCRIPTION OF + HYDRABAD, AND DEPARTURE THEREFROM--ARRIVAL AT NERMUL. + + +On the morning of the 27th, I proceeded on my route over the chain +hills, with which the town of Cuddapah is surrounded; the roads are +very good, but the steepness of the hills made it very fatiguing: in +six hours I arrived at Batoor, a distance of twelve miles. Batoor is a +large village, the houses are built of mud and bamboo, and form a +motley group; the only protection they have from the number of robbers +which infest that part, is a small fort, about two hundred square +feet; the ramparts are about fourteen feet in thickness, and at each +angle a small gun is mounted upon a pivot, about three feet from its +walls; the fort in general is very much out of repair; the inhabitants +are Hindoos, and are very indolent; the land is quite barren and free +from cultivation. The cruelty with which Europeans in general act +towards these poor captives is really disgraceful, and cannot but be +censured by all who cherish the least trait of humanity with their +breast. + +When an European passes through any of the villages, and is in want of +any coolies, or porters, to carry his baggage, he orders his guards to +press every man he can meet with, and compel him to carry whatever his +barbarous protector chooses he should labour under, and if there is +not sufficient men, to press the women, without considering whether +they have any family to provide for. It has been frequently known, +that the mother has been forced to leave her infant babe from her +breast upon the bare earth to provide for itself, to carry the baggage +of a merciless enemy, whose only payment, after going fifteen or +sixteen Indian miles, is, if she complains, a _bambooing_, (that is a +caning,) and, perhaps, after she gets home, which cannot be till the +next day, she finds her poor infant dead for want. + +We passed through Parmunsa, and arrived at Moorkandah, which is a +small village, and in a very ruinous condition, as it is at the foot +of the Ghaut; the inhabitants are but few in number, and are +principally Brahmins, consequently provisions are very scarce; on my +requesting the cutwall, or headman of the village, to bring some +fowls, he refused, and said there were none in the place, although I +repeatedly heard the crowing of a cock. The impudent manner in which +the man answered me, made me doubt the truth of what he said; in order +to ascertain it, I took two peons and my gun and went round the +village, and found a full grown cock; I caught it, and ordered it to +be carried to my tent and killed; the natives by this time were in +arms, and before any of us were aware of it, they had secured the +peons and surrounded me, demanding the cock: when they were informed +of its death, they all began to weep and raised a most lamentable cry, +and said it was devoted to their god, and that the heaviest curses +would follow me. I expected their denunciations would have paid for +it; but in that I was greatly mistaken, for they demanded payment for +it; and to avoid any injury to my peons, I offered them one rupee, +considering that it would be equal to the price of eighteen cocks; but +they disdainfully refused it, and said that they must offer gifts to +their god to appease his anger, and to pay their sadura to intercede +in their behalf. I remonstrated with them; but to no avail, as they +would not take less than ten rupees. I tried all in my power to make +my escape from them; but when they perceived my intentions, they drew +their scimitars, and held them to my breast, and said, provided I did +not accede to their offer, they would not spare the lives of my peons +nor myself, as they could not get it replaced for forty times that +sum, which was presented to them by their rajah. The price I +considered to be extortionate, (but I paid it,) as fowls are sold in +the different villages round that neighbourhood for one penny each, +sheep for ten-pence, and every other article in proportion. + +On the following morning, at a very early hour, I crossed the Ghaut; +in the centre there is a very great declivity on each side the road, +about two hundred feet in depth, and the Ghaut is very steep, and +covered with flint-stone, which made it very difficult for the horse +and cattle to pass: it is about twelve miles in length, and at the +foot of it is the village of Badnapore. The inhabitants are very +peaceable, and the village is close on the borders of Khristnah river. +We made all possible haste to cross, which was effected by means of a +large round basket, which is continually whirling round in the river. +The river is about a quarter of a mile in width, but the heavy current +carried us nearly two miles down; and owing to the exertions of the +cattle, we encamped close on its banks. On the following day we passed +Pungall-hill fort, which is situate on the summit of a very steep +mount, and is built of mud, and large enough to contain ten thousand +troops; it is only accessible on the north-east angle, which is easily +blockaded in case of necessity. In five days we arrived at Hydrabad. + +Hydrabad lies about 350 miles north-west of Madras; the houses are +built of brick, and generally run four and five stories high. The +inhabitants are principally Mahometans interspersed with Hindoos. + +The Mahometans will not suffer a Christian to touch their cooking +utensils or fuel by any means, and if such should be done, they +consider them as polluted, and they will instantly break and destroy +them; and while they are in the act of eating, if touched by any one +of another sect, they will not swallow what is even in their mouth, +but will throw it out, and go through a regular purification by +washing and prayer. + +After I had been at Hydrabad a few days, I joined a small party to +view the interior: while we were taking breakfast, a cavalcade of +elephants came up to the door with a number of peons. After we had +mounted them we proceeded through the south gate into the city; the +streets were particularly dirty, owing to there being no drains. The +town is supplied with water by a well about two hundred feet in +circumference. + +On our entrance into the minister's house we were surprised at seeing +a battalion of female sepoys (soldiers) presenting arms to us. We +stood to see them go through their military manoeuvres, which they +did with dexterity; we then proceeded towards the house, which is +built entirely of cedar-wood, but in a very ordinary manner, owing to +the number of apartments: every room is carved in a beautiful and +masterly style, from the ceiling to the floor. This ornament is very +common among the lower classes, who have the devices of their gods +carved on the doors of their houses. The apartments form a complete +square, and in the centre is a stone tank. We next proceeded to a +gallery of looking-glasses; the only one worthy of notice is about +eighteen feet long and sixteen wide; there is likewise a whole length +painting of Earl Moira, Governor-General of India. We afterwards +proceeded to the palace of the Rajah: on our entrance into the inner +court, we were agreeably surprised at seeing a quantity of tea-cups, +saucers, &c. of various colours, placed against the wall in form of +elephants, tigers, serpents, &c. in the most superb manner; in the +centre is a large tank, containing a great quantity of salmon-trout. I +had the honour of being introduced to the Rajah's sons, but his +Highness was not present. + +After having obtained a guard of twelve sepoys and two naigues, I +proceeded on my route, and in a few days arrived at Nermul. + +Nermul is a large and beautiful city, surrounded by a fort, and is +about three miles in circumference, and is on a rising ground, 205 +miles north-north-east of Hydrabad, and in the heart of the jungle, +it is under the command of Major Woodhouse. The inhabitants are +principally Moors. + +I pitched my tent in the middle of a burying-ground, by the side of a +running stream, and owing to the fatigue I had experienced, I now +resolved to sojourn for two days. This place suited my present state +of mind. + +My attention was soon attracted by a magnificent tomb, and upon +examining the inscription, it proved to be a rajah's. The gardens were +ingeniously planned, and a thousand elegant decorations designed; but, +alas! their intended possessor is gone down "to the place of sculls!" + +While I am recollecting, many, I question not, are experiencing the +same tragical vicissitude. The eyes of the Sublime Being, who sits +upon the circle of the earth, and views all its inhabitants with one +incomprehensive glance, even now behold as many tents in affliction as +overwhelmed the Egyptians in that fatal night when the destroying +angel sheathed his arrows in all the pride of their strength; some +sinking to the floor from their easy chair, and deaf even amidst the +piercing shrieks of their distracted relations; some giving up the +ghost as they retired, or lay reclined under the shady harbour to +taste the sweets of the flowery scene; some as they sail with a party +of pleasure along the silver stream and through the laughing meads! +nor is the grim intruder terrified though wine and music flow around. + +"Those who received vast revenues, and called whole lordships their +own, are reduced to half a dozen feet of earth, or confined in a few +sheets of lead! Rooms of state and sumptuous furniture are resigned +for no other ornament than the _shroud_, for no other apartment than +the darksome _niche_! Where is the star that blazed upon the breast, +or the glittered sceptre? The only remains of departed dignity are the +weather-beaten hatchment. I see no splendid retinue surrounding this +solitary dwelling. The princely equipage hovers no longer about their +lifeless master, he has no other attendant than a dusty _statue_; +which, while the regardless world is as gay as ever, the sculptor's +hand has taught to weep." + + + + +SECTION VIII. + + THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM NERMUL AND ARRIVAL AT + NAGPORE--HIS DEPARTURE, AND ARRIVAL AT JAULNAH--THE AUTHOR'S + DEPARTURE FROM JAULNAH AND ARRIVAL AT POONAH, AND + DESCRIPTION OF THE VILLAGES WITH THEIR RELIGION--HIS ARRIVAL + AT BOMBAY, AND HIS DISTRESS--SKETCH OF BOMBAY AND ACCOUNT OF + THE PERSIAN RELIGION--HE JOINS THE HONOURABLE COMPANY'S SHIP + MARQUIS OF HUNTLY, AS CAPTAIN'S CLERK--HIS DEPARTURE FROM + BOMBAY AND ARRIVAL AT BENGAL. + + +After remaining two days, I proceeded on my route; and on the +following day arrived at Wadoor, a distance of fourteen miles, across +a long succession of hills, the roads over which are very rugged and +covered with stones; Wadoor lies in a valley, at the foot of a large +mountain, and is hardly perceivable from the top. + +On the 20th December, we travelled along a beautiful and finely +cultivated country, the produce of which is cholum and paddy, which +grows in great quantities; the inhabitants are very civil, and +principally Moor men. On the 25th December, 1821, I arrived at +Nagpore, and on the same evening was seized with the Nagpore fever, +which is always accompanied by fits of the ague. The fever is supposed +to originate from the excessive heats of the day, and the extreme cold +of the night. + +I endeavoured as much as possible that my ill state of health should +not keep me from my employment, but attended to it very assiduously; +which I persevered in till the 27th of March, when the doctor informed +me, that I had better leave the Presidency or I should endanger my +life, as the hot winds generally set in in the middle of April, which +frequently prove very dangerous to European invalids. + +On the 2nd of April, after having previously obtained my passport and +a guard of twelve Seapoys, I proceeded on my route, and towards +evening arrived at Tukea, where, owing to my ill state of health, I +was compelled to stop two days. + +On the 12th I arrived at Ouronty, which is S. W. by W. of Nagpore, +about 100 miles. The town is very large, and is surrounded by a brick +wall; the houses are built of brick, and are generally three stories +high. The inhabitants are Mussulmen. In the afternoon I went to the +palace of the Rajah, (Rajah ram.) His palace outside is very dirty, +owing to his guard making fires against the walls for cooking. On my +desiring to see the Rajah, I was conducted through a long dreary +passage, with the walls, to all appearance, covered with grease and +filth, at the end of which is a large court-yard, which has a very +different appearance, the Rajah's apartments being all round; at the +end were six Peons waiting to conduct me to his highness, with silver +staves, about eleven feet long, with a device of Mahomet on the top; +on my introduction to the Rajah's apartment, he was sitting +cross-legged with his hooker; at my entrance he arose and made three +salams in token of respect to the British nation. After questioning me +where I was going to, and my reasons for so doing, he presented me +with two camel-hair shawls, by placing them across my shoulder; then +taking his leave. + +On the following day, I proceeded on my route, and on the 20th arrived +at Luckenwarry; where there is good encampment and water, and the +natives are principally Hindoos. Early on the following morning we +began to cross the Luckenwarry Ghaut; the roads were steep and not +above ten feet wide, and on each side a vacuity of about 250 feet +deep. The light in the lantern being extinguished, and the moon being +obscured, my horse, had it not been for the horse-keeper, would have +precipitated me to the bottom; I instantly dismounted, and the +horse-keeper led him till he was clear of the Ghaut. On the centre is +a large gate, which stands about forty feet high, and which, during +the war, had withstood a three months' siege. + +Passing through the jungle between the villages of Currone and +Chickly, we were greatly surprised at seeing a large party on camels; +we hailed them and enquired who they were, but we could not by any +means obtain an answer; when finding they persisted in their +obstinacy, the Naigues suspected them of belonging to the party of +Sheik Dullah, a noted robber who had already committed many +depredations in that neighbourhood, and on our desiring them to move +to the left of us if they were friends, they made a sudden halt; the +sepoys then drew up in a line, and the followers began to guard their +baggage, but when they saw our number, they went off to the left of +us, grumbling. + +On the 24th, we arrived at Jaulnah. It bears W. by S., of Nagpore, +distant 180 miles. On the following day, after I had taken sufficient +rest, I presented my passport to the Adjutant-General, and delivered +up the guard, having previously obtained another. Jaulnah is a large +town, surrounded by a brick wall, about twenty feet in height; the +houses are generally of brick, and from three to four stories; the +inhabitants are principally Hindoos, interspersed with Persians and +Mussulmen. The cantonment is the head quarters of the British army on +this side the Deccan.--Jaulnah has a civil and military government. + +After staying two days, I proceeded on my route, and on the 19th of +May I arrived at Poonah. It bears S. S. E. of Bombay, and is in the +territories of the Peishwa: it is about forty miles distant from +Bombay. I took up my residence with a friend, commander of the +Sebundaries; during my route, I passed through Armigabad, Amednagur, +and Seroor; which is the residence of Europeans, and has detachments +of different regiments quartered at each town: their houses are in +general of brick and stone, their religion is Hindoo. + +The Hindoos are divided into four tribes, first the Brahmin; second, +the Khatry; third, the Bhyse; fourth, the Sooders; all these have +their distinct sects, and cannot intermingle with each other; but for +some offences they are expelled their sects, which is the highest +punishment they can suffer. In this manner a kind of fifth sect, +called Pariah, is formed of the dregs of the people, who are employed +only in the meanest capacity. There is a kind of division which +pervades the four sects indiscriminately; which is taken from the +worship of their gods VISHNOU and SHEEVAH; the worshippers of the +former being named Vishnou bukht, and of the latter, Sheevah bukht. + +Of these four sects the Brahmins have the superiority, and all the +laws show such a partiality towards them, as cannot but induce us to +suppose that they have had the principal hand in framing them. They +are not allowed the privilege of sovereignty; but are solely kept for +the instruction of the people. They are alone allowed to read the Veda +or Sacred Books. The Khatries or sect next in dignity, being only +allowed to hear them read, while the other two read the Satras, or +commentaries upon them; but the poor Chandalas are not allowed to +enter their temple, or to be present at any religious ceremony. + +In point of precedence, the Brahmins claim a superiority even to +princes, the latter being chosen of Khatry or second sect. In fact the +Brahmin claims every privilege, and the inferior sects give place to +him; the Hindoos are allowed to eat no flesh nor to shed blood. Their +food is rice and dholl, and other vegetables, dressed with ghee (dholl +is a kind of split pea, ghee, a kind of butter, melted and refined to +make it capable of being kept a long time) and seasoned with ginger +and other spices. The food which they most esteem is milk, as coming +from the cow; an animal for which they have the most extravagant +veneration, insomuch that it is enacted in the code of Gentoo laws, +that any one who exacts labour from a bullock that is hungry or +thirsty, or shall oblige him to labour when fatigued, is liable to be +fined by the magistrates. + +The Hindoos are remarkable for their ingenuity in all kinds of +handicraft; but their utensils are simple and in many respects +inconvenient, so that incredible labour and patience are necessary, +for the accomplishment of any work; and for this the Hindoos are +remarkable. The religion of the Hindoos is contained in certain books, +called Vedas; and, though now involved in superstition, seems to have +been originally pure, inculcating the belief of an Eternal Being, +possessed of every divine perfection. Their subordinate deities, +Brahma, Vishnou, and Sheevah, are only representatives of the wisdom, +goodness, and power of the supreme god Brahma; whom they call the +principles of Truth, the spirit of Wisdom, and the Supreme Being; so +that it is probable that all their idols were at first only designed +to represent these attributes: they believe in ten Avators, or +incarnation of the Deity, nine of which have taken place for the +punishment of tyrants, or removing some great natural calamity; and +the tenth is to take place at the dissolution of the universe. Several +of the Avators inculcate the transmigration of souls, and the ninth of +them, which forbids the sacrifices of animals, gave rise to the +religion of Gauda Boodma, or Fo. + +Their deities are extremely numerous, and are generally supposed to +have first originated in Italy and Greece. + +After stopping six days, I proceeded to Bombay, and on the 30th of May +I arrived there. After delivering my passport, I made application for +a ship for England, and was some time before I could get one; and the +great expense I incurred in living at a tavern, made me entirely +pennyless, so that I was forced to dispose of the shawls which I had +presented me by the Rajah of Omrouty, and for which I received three +hundred rupees each. But before I was finally settled, I had not above +ten rupees left. + +Bombay is an island of Hindostan, on the west coast of the Deccan, +seven miles in length, and about twenty-one miles in circumference; +the ground is barren, and good water scarce; it was formerly +considered very unhealthy, but by draining the swamps and bogs the air +is much improved; the inhabitants are of several nations and very +numerous, but are principally Persians. + +The religion of the Persians is, generally, Paganism, directed +principally by the priests of magi, men of strict austere life, +forbidding the use of either ornament or gold; making the ground their +bed, and herbs their food. Their whole time is spent in offering to +the gods the prayers and sacrifices of the people, as they only might +be heard. + +The people are _Gentiles_; as to their religion, they worship the sun +and moon, and various heavenly bodies, from whom they suppose they +derive every blessing of light and warmth; and every morning they +gather themselves round the beech and present their morning oblations, +by pouring into the sea quantities of milk and odoriferous flowers, +and prostrating themselves with their faces to the earth, as a mark of +adoration to their rising deity (the sun.) Besides other gods which +the Gentiles worship, they are great idolaters of fire, which they +offer sacrifices to in time of peace, and carry it with them, as their +tutelar deity in time of war. Their adoration is so great, that the +first candle they see lighted, let it be in whose place it will, they +immediately stop and repeat a prayer. In their habitation they never +put it out after it is once lighted. + +Besides the town of Bombay, which is about a mile in length, with mean +houses (a few only excepted), there is a capacious harbour or bay, +reckoned the finest haven in the east, where all ships may find +security from the inclemency of the different seasons. After remaining +here for the space of three months, I was engaged as captain's clerk +on board the Hon. Company's Ship Marquis of Huntly. We sailed from +hence July 25, 1820, and arrived at the new anchorage in nineteen +days' sail; soon after I went up to Calcutta on duty for the ship. + +Calcutta, or _Fort William_, the emporium of Bengal, and principal +seat of India, is situated on the western side of the Hoogely river, +at about ninety-six miles from its mouth, which is navigable up to the +town for large ships. This extensive and beautiful town is supposed to +contain between four and five hundred thousand inhabitants. The houses +are variously built, some of brick, others of mud and cow-dung, and a +great number with bamboos (a large kind of reed or cane) and mats. The +bamboos are placed as stakes in the ground, and crossed with others in +different ways, so as to enable them to make the matting fast, when +for the roofing they lay them one upon the other, when a large family +lie in that small compass of about six feet square, which makes a very +motley appearance. The mixture of European and Asiatic manners +observed in Calcutta is wonderful; coaches, phaetons, hackeries, +two-wheeled carriages drawn by bullocks, palanquins carried by the +natives, and the passing ceremonies of Hindoos, and the different +appearance of the faquirs, form a diversified and curious appearance. +The European houses have, many of them, the appearance of palaces or +temples, and the inhabitants are very hospitable. + +After the cargo was sent on board I returned to the ship, but on our +passage down the river we were compelled to lie out in the river, +owing to the great boar, as it is called; it is a quick overflowing of +the water, which rises in a great body and with such violence that it +breaks down all before it. It arises from the narrowness of the river, +and the force which it makes from the sea; in the course of two +minutes it rises to the height of four or five feet. + +Lying in one of the creeks till the tide was turned, I was greatly +alarmed by the men getting into the boat in great disorder and +telling me that it was a crocodile which I had for a long time +observed, and mistaken for the hull of a tree. A crocodile is an +amphibious voracious animal, in shape resembling a lizard. It is +covered with very hard scales, which cannot but with difficulty be +pierced, except under the belly, where the skin is tender. It has a +wide throat, with several rows of teeth, sharp and separated, which +enter one another. + +On my arrival on board every thing was in confusion, as we expected to +sail in a few days. + + + + +SECTION IX. + + THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM CALCUTTA, AND ARRIVAL AT + CHINA--AN ACCOUNT OF THEIR RELIGION, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS, + AND OF HIS BEING ROBBED ON DANES' ISLAND--THE AUTHOR'S + DEPARTURE FROM CHINA AND ARRIVAL AT ANJURE POINT--THE + CUSTOMS AND MANNERS OF THE MALAYS--DEPARTURE THEREFROM, AND + ARRIVAL AT ST. HELENA--DESCRIPTION OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON'S + TOMB AND HOUSES--DEPARTURE FROM ST. HELENA, AND ARRIVAL IN + ENGLAND. + + +We sailed from Bengal in company with the Hon. Company's Ship Dunira, +October 19th, 1820, with a fine breeze, and arrived at Pulo Penang, or +Prince of Wales's Island, on the 6th of November. The houses have a +noble appearance, and are built after the form of those in Calcutta. +The inhabitants are principally Malays; of them I shall speak more +hereafter. After having received on board a quantity of rattan, as +private trade for the captain, we made sail and arrived at Macao, on +January 26th, 1821, after a long and tedious voyage. + +Macao, a town of China, in the province of Canton, is seated in an +inland at the entrance of the river Tae. The Portuguese have been in +possession of the town and harbour since the early part of the +seventeenth century. The houses are low and built after the European +manner; the Portuguese are properly a mixed breed, having been married +to Asiatic women. Here is a Portuguese Governor as well as a Chinese +Mandarin. The former nation pays a great tribute to choose their own +magistrates. The city is defended by three forts, built upon +eminences; and the works are good and well planted with artillery. + +On the 29th we anchored off the second bar, and found lying here the +Hon. Company's Ship Canning, and two or three other Company's ships; +on the 30th weighed and made sail, but there not being water enough, +removed back to our old station. On the following day we crossed +Whampo. After the cargo was discharged I went up to Canton. + +Canton is a large and populous city, situated in one of the first +rivers in the empire. It is the capital of the province of Quan-tong, +and the centre of the European trade in that country. The streets are +long and straight, paved with flag stones, and adorned with lofty +arches. The houses are remarkably neat, but consist only of one story, +and they have no windows to the streets. The covered market place is +full of shops. The inhabitants are estimated at about 1,000,000; many +of whom reside in barks, which touch one another, form a kind of +floating city, and are so arranged as to form streets. Each bark +lodges a family and their grand children, who have no other dwelling. +At break of day all the people who inhabit them depart to fish or to +cultivate their rice. + +The frugal and laborious manner in which the great live, the little +attention which is paid to the vain and ridiculous prejudice of +marrying below rank; the ancient policy of giving distinction to men +and not to families, by attaching nobility only to employments and +talents, without suffering it to be hereditary; and the decorum +observed in public, are admirable traits in the Chinese character. + +There is little distinction in the dress of men and women; rank and +dignity are only distinguished by the ornaments they wear, and they +dare not presume to wear any thing without proper authority, without +being severely chastised for it. Their dress in general consists of a +long vest, which reaches to the ground, one part of it, on the left +side, folds over the other, and is fastened to the right by four or +five small gold or silver buttons placed at a little distance from one +another. The sleeves are wide towards the shoulder, and grow narrow +towards the wrist--they terminate in the form of a horse-shoe--round +their middle they wear a large girdle of silk, the ends of which hang +down to their knees; from this girdle is suspended a sheath, +containing a knife, and over all they wear a loose jacket down to the +middle, with loose short sleeves, generally lined with fur, and under +all they wear a kind of net to prevent it from chafing. The general +colour of these dresses is black or blue. + +Their religion is idolatry, their principal idol is _Fong Chon_, and +they are very superstitious, believing in magic and invocation of +spirits, and the art of foretelling events by divination. + +While receiving our cargo on board, a Chinaman belonging to one of the +craft, stole a box of tea, but, by the exertion of our officers, the +culprit was taken and immediately sent on shore to Dane's Island to +the mandarine. He was found guilty of the crime, and his punishment +three dozen blows with the bastinado. The instrument of correction, +called pan-tsee, is a bamboo a little flattened, broad at the bottom, +and polished at the upper extremity, in order to manage it more easily +with the hand. + +The culprit, after the mandarin has given the signal for punishment, +is seized and stretched out with his belly flat on the ground, his +breeches are pulled down to his heels, and on the mandarine throwing +down a stick, of which he has a number by him, one of the officers in +attendance uses the pan-tsee, and gives him five severe blows, which +are succeeded by several others till the number is complete. When it +is over, the criminal must throw himself on his knees, incline his +body three times to the earth, and thank his judge for the trouble he +has taken in his correction. + +The mandarins are of two classes, viz.; those of letters, and the +inferior sort are styled mandarins of arms. The latter class do not +enjoy the same consideration as the former. + +The Chinese in general are much addicted to commit depredations on the +pockets, or, in fact, on any unguarded property. After all our cargo +was received on board, I went in company with two midshipmen, Mr. +C---- and Mr. R----, on Dane's Island. After we landed some Chinese +came and decoyed us to their village, which was at the back of a +number of hills and out of sight of the shipping, under a promise that +they would let us have some of their country fruit, such as they sent +us on board. The length of time that some of them were absent, and the +sun going down fast, made us rather doubt the sincerity of their +intentions; those that were with us begged that we would stop till the +sun was down, but we began to be afraid of our lives. When the men saw +that we were determined to wait no longer, they gave a dreadful whoop, +which was answered by others stationed on the hills; they immediately +seized hold of us and rifled our pockets. + +On March 25th we sailed down to Macao, and on the following day we +took our departure, and on the 24th of April arrived at Anjier point, +and is a settlement belonging to the Dutch; it lies to the east of +Batavia. The houses are generally built of bamboo; the inhabitants are +of various casts, Pagans, Mahometans, and Chinese. The barbarism of +the Batta Tribes is horrible, for they kill and eat their criminals or +prisoners of war, or even sacrifice their own relations when aged and +infirm, not so much with a view to gratify their appetites, as to +perform a pious ceremony. Thus, when a man becomes infirm and weary of +the world, he is said to invite his own children to eat him when salt +and limes are cheapest. He then ascends a tree, round which his +friends and offspring assemble, and as they shake the tree they join +in a funeral dirge, the import of which is, the season is come, the +fruit is ripe, and it must descend. The victim descends, and those +that are nearest deprive him of life, and devour his remains in a +solemn banquet. + +In a few days we made sail. We arrived at St. Helena, on the 10th of +July, 1821. This island is situated in the South Atlantic Ocean, its +circumference is about twenty miles, and at a distance it has the +appearance of a large rock rising out of the sea. On rounding the +island it has a very romantic appearance; the town lying in a valley +presents to the eye a beautiful chain of scenery. It has some very +high mountains, particularly one called Diana's Peak, which is covered +with wood to the very summit. There are other hills also, which bear a +volcanic appearance, and some have huge rocks of lava, and a kind of +half-vitrified flags. James Town is erected in a valley at the bottom +of a bay, between two steep dreary mountains, and has from the +shipping a noble appearance. + +Accommodations are tolerably good, and the inhabitants, generally +speaking, are very hospitable. Their villas are pleasantly situated, +and have a fine view of the sea; the whole face of the country is +really romantic; the hills are immensely high, and the valleys very +narrow; and in many of them there are a few houses, which give the +whole island a very picturesque appearance. + +After obtaining a passport from the Adjutant-General, I went over a +long succession of hills to see the habitations of the late Emperor +Napoleon Bonaparte. The roads were very difficult to ascend, and +particularly rugged. The remains of this great and illustrious +personage are buried in a deep valley, about three miles from James +town, and about two miles from his late residence at Longwood, under +the peaceful shade of three weeping willows, and which also, (as in +respect to his dust,) lend a solemn air of reverential darkness to the +memorable _well_, from which, during his pilgrimages, he was wont to +receive his refreshing draughts. + +No stately monument marks the spot; no polished alabaster, or the +mimicry of sculptured marble marks his grave: the real excellency of +the patriot is written on the minds of his countrymen; it will be +remembered with applause as long as the nation subsists, without this +artificial expedient to perpetuate it. + +Let the poor pass by his grave, and thankfully acknowledge, there lies +the man who gloriously fought for his country and his subjects, to +free them from the galling yoke of tyranny and oppression: no tablets +are written to mark his actions, but those which are written in the +heart of his subjects. + +The depth of his tomb is about twenty feet, and his coffin rests upon +two pedestals, ten feet high. His body is enclosed in four coffins, +first lead, second deal, third mahogany, and fourth marble. What is +very remarkable is, that part of his tomb is made of the flag-stones +of his new house, taken out of one of the kitchens. After viewing the +tomb of the man who was the most brilliant meteor in the political +world, I proceeded up to Longwood, to take a view of the habitation in +which he died. + +After presenting my passport I had permission to inspect the premises: +the officer took great pains in shewing me the very spot on which he +quitted his troubles and persecutions, when he kindly left me to make +what sort of reflections I thought proper. The darkness of the room +gave it a very solemn appearance, and suited the mind to contemplate +upon this late extraordinary character;--but a short period past he +was the terror of the world, and now, alas! what is he? He is laid low +in the tomb, unregretted and unpitied by his merciless enemies. A +gleam of light through the casements reflected a dead glimmer through +the gloomy mansion. The _most illustrious_ have claimed the _tomb_ for +their last retreat; rooms of state are resigned! the sceptre has +ceased to wield, and sumptuous banquets are neglected for no other +ornament than the winding sheet! "Where is the star that blazed upon +his breast, or the coronet that glittered round his temples?" Alas! +they are resigned and given over, through the power of the tyrant hand +of death. + +I have often walked between the impending promontory's craggy cliff; I +have sometimes trod the vast spaces of the lonely desert, and +penetrated the inmost recesses of the dreary cavern; but never beheld +Nature lowering with so dreadful a form; never felt impressions of +such awe striking cold on my heart, as under this roof; every thing +seemed to participate in grief for their deceased lord. The rooms were +very dirty and much neglected. The plants in his late garden seemed to +droop their heads in sorrow for the loss of the hand that reared them. + +I next proceeded to the palace which had been sent from England, and +really it would have reflected honour on the British nation, and no +sovereign in the world need wish for a more magnificent one, had it +been placed in a more healthy part of the island. + +We sailed for England on the 29th, and arrived on the 13th of +September, 1821, after a speedy and pleasant passage. + + +THE END. + + * * * * * + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Narrative of a Voyage to India; of a +Shipwreck on board the Lady Castlereagh; and a Description of New South Wales, by W. B. Cramp + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGE TO INDIA *** + +***** This file should be named 27113.txt or 27113.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/1/1/27113/ + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +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. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +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 + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/27113.zip b/27113.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..330d277 --- /dev/null +++ b/27113.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..20a13b9 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #27113 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/27113) |
