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diff --git a/old/69510-0.txt b/old/69510-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 889509e..0000000 --- a/old/69510-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,8324 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Goa and the Blue Mountains, by Richard -Francis Burton - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Goa and the Blue Mountains - or, Six months of sick leave - -Author: Richard Francis Burton - -Release Date: December 9, 2022 [eBook #69510] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Emmanuel Ackerman and the Online Distributed Proofreading - Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from - images generously made available by The Internet Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GOA AND THE BLUE -MOUNTAINS *** - - - - - - -GOA, AND THE BLUE MOUNTAINS; OR, SIX MONTHS OF SICK LEAVE. - - - - -[Illustration: Printed by Hullmandel & Walton. - -COONOOR. FROM THE TRAVELLER’S BUNGALOW. - -London: Richard Bentley, New Burlington Street, 1851.] - - - - - GOA, - AND THE BLUE MOUNTAINS; - OR, - SIX MONTHS OF SICK LEAVE. - - BY - RICHARD F. BURTON, - LIEUT. BOMBAY ARMY. - AUTHOR OF A GRAMMAR OF THE MOOLTANEE LANGUAGE; - CRITICAL REMARKS ON DR. DORN’S CHRESTOMATHY OF THE PUSHTOO, - OR AFFGHAN DIALECT, ETC. ETC. - - LONDON: - RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET, - Publisher in Ordinary to Her Majesty. - 1851. - - LONDON: - Printed by SAMUEL BENTLEY & CO. - Bangor House, Shoe Lane. - - - - - TO - MISS ELIZABETH STISTED, - THIS LITTLE WORK, - WHICH OWES ITS EXISTENCE TO HER - FRIENDLY SUGGESTIONS, - IS DEDICATED, - IN TOKEN OF GRATITUDE AND AFFECTION, - BY - THE AUTHOR. - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - PAGE - - CHAPTER I. - - The Voyage 1 - - CHAPTER II. - - New Goa 22 - - CHAPTER III. - - Old Goa as it Was 40 - - CHAPTER IV. - - Old Goa as it Is 58 - - CHAPTER V. - - Return to Panjim 77 - - CHAPTER VI. - - The Population of Panjim 96 - - CHAPTER VII. - - Seroda 117 - - CHAPTER VIII. - - Education, Professions, and Oriental Studies 136 - - CHAPTER IX. - - Adieu to Panjim 154 - - CHAPTER X. - - Calicut 169 - - CHAPTER XI. - - Malabar 186 - - CHAPTER XII. - - The Hindoos of Malabar 203 - - CHAPTER XIII. - - The Moslem and other Natives of Malabar 230 - - CHAPTER XIV. - - The Land Journey 246 - - CHAPTER XV. - - First Glimpse of “Ooty” 269 - - CHAPTER XVI. - - Life at Ooty 287 - - CHAPTER XVII. - - Life outside Ooty 313 - - CHAPTER XVIII. - - Inhabitants of the Neilgherries 334 - - CHAPTER XIX. - - Kotagherry.—Adieu to the Blue Mountains 353 - - - - -[Illustration: MAP OF THE South Eastern & Western COAST of INDIA] - - - - -GOA, AND THE BLUE MOUNTAINS; OR, SIX MONTHS OF SICK LEAVE. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -THE VOYAGE. - - -What a glad moment it is, to be sure, when the sick and seedy, the tired -and testy invalid from pestiferous Scinde or pestilential Guzerat, -“leaves all behind him” and scrambles over the sides of his Pattimar. - -His what? - -Ah! we forget. The gondola and barque are household words in your English -ears, the budgerow is beginning to own an old familiar sound, but you -are right—the “Pattimar” requires a definition. Will you be satisfied -with a pure landsman’s description of the article in question. We have -lost our edition of “The Ship,” and to own humbling truth, though we -have spent many a weary month on the world of waters, we never could -master the intricacies of blocks and braces, skylights and deadlights, -starboards and larboards. But if we are to believe the general voice of -the amphibious race, we terrestrial animals never fail to mangle the -science of seamanship most barbarously. So we will not expose ourselves -by pretension to the animadversions of any small nautical critic, but -boldly talk of going “up-stairs” instead of “on deck,” and unblushingly -allude to the “behind” for the “aft” and the “front” instead of the -“fore” of our conveyance. - -But the Pattimar— - -_De suite_: you shall pourtray it from our description. Sketch a very -long boat, very high behind, and very low before, composed of innumerable -bits of wood tied together with coir, or cocoanut rope, fitted up with a -dark and musty little cabin, and supplied with two or three long poles -intended as masts, which lean forward as if about to sink under the -weight of the huge lateen sail. Fill up the outline with a penthouse -of cadjans (as the leaves of that eternal cocoanut tree are called) to -protect the bit of deck outside the cabin from the rays of a broiling -sun. People the square space in the middle of the boat with two nags -tethered and tied with halters and heel ropes, which sadly curtail the -poor animals’ enjoyment of kicking and biting; and half-a-dozen black -“tars” engaged in pounding rice, concocting bilious-looking masses of -curry, and keeping up a fire of some unknown wood, whose pungent smoke -is certain to find its way through the cabin, and to terminate its -wanderings in your eyes and nostrils. Finally, throw in about the same -number of black domestics courting a watery death by balancing themselves -over the sides of the vessel, or a fever by sleeping in a mummy case of -dirty cotton cloth— - -And you have a pattimar in your mind’s eye. - -Every one that has ever sailed in a pattimar can oblige you with a -long list of pleasures peculiar to it. All know how by day your eyes -are blinded with glare and heat, and how by night mosquitos, a trifle -smaller than jack snipes, assault your defenceless limbs; how the musk -rat defiles your property and provender; how the common rat and the -cockchafer appear to relish the terminating leather of your fingers and -toes; and, finally, how the impolite animal which the transatlantics -delicately designate a “chintz,” and its companion, the lesser -abomination, do contribute to your general discomfort. Still these are -transient evils, at least compared with the permanent satisfaction of -having “passed the Medical Board”—a committee of ancient gentlemen who -never will think you sufficiently near death to meet your wishes—of -having escaped the endless doses of the garrison surgeon, who has -probably, for six weeks, been bent upon trying the effects of the whole -Materia Medica upon your internal and external man—of enduring the -diurnal visitation of desperate duns who threaten the bailiff without -remorse; and to crown the climax of your happiness, the delightful -prospect of two quiet years, during which you may call life your own, -lie in bed half or the whole day if you prefer it, and forget the very -existence of such things as pipeclay and parade, the Court Martial and -the Commander-in-chief. So if you are human, your heart bounds, and -whatever its habits of grumbling may be, your tongue involuntarily owns -that it is a joyful moment when you scramble over the side of your -pattimar. And now, having convinced you of that fact, we will request you -to walk up stairs with us, and sit upon the deck by our side, there to -take one parting look at the boasted Bay of Bombay, before we bid adieu -to it, with a free translation of the celebrated Frenchman’s good bye, -“_Canards, canaux, canaille_,”—adieu ducks, dingies, drabs, and duns.[1] - -Gentlemen tourists, poetical authors, lady prosers, and, generally, all -who late in life, visit the “palm tasselled strand of glowing Ind,” as -one of our European celebrities describes the country in prose run mad, -certainly are gifted with wonderful optics for detecting the Sublime -and Beautiful. Now this same bay has at divers and sundry times been -subjected to much admiration; and as each succeeding traveller must -improve upon his predecessors, the latest authorities have assigned to -its charms a rank above the Bay of Naples—a bay which, in our humble -opinion, places every other bay in a state of abeyance. At least so -we understand Captain Von Orlich—the gentleman who concludes that the -Belochees are of Jewish origin, _because_ they divorce their wives. -To extract Bombay from the Bay of Naples, proceed thus. Remove Capri, -Procida, Ischia, and the other little picturesque localities around -them. Secondly, level Vesuvius and the rocky heights of St. Angelo -with the ground. Thirdly, convert bright Naples, with its rows of -white palazzi, its romantic-looking forts, its beautiful promenade, -and charming background into a low, black, dirty port, _et voici_ the -magnificent Bombahia.[2] You may, it is true, attempt to get up a little -romance about the “fairy caves” of Salsette and Elephanta, the tepid -seas, the spicy breeze, and the ancient and classical name of Momba-devi. - -But you’ll fail. - -Remember all we can see is a glowing vault of ultramarine-colour sky, -paved with a glaring expanse of indigo-tinted water, with a few low hills -lining the horizon, and a great many merchant ships anchored under the -guns of what we said before, and now repeat, looks like a low, black, -dirty port. - -We know that you are taking a trip with us to the land flowing -with rupees and gold mohurs—growing an eternal crop of Nabobs and -Nawwábs[3]—showing a perpetual scene of beauty, pleasure and excitement. - -But we can’t allow you to hand your rose-coloured specs. over to us. We -have long ago superseded our original “greens” by a pair duly mounted -with sober French grey glasses, and through these we look out upon the -world as cheerily as our ophthalmic optics will permit us to do. - -Now the last “nigger,” in a manifest state of full-blown inebriation, has -rolled into, and the latest dun, in a fit of diabolical exasperation, -has rolled out of, our pattimar. So we will persuade the Tindal, as our -Captain is called, to pull up his mud-hook, and apply his crew to the -task of inducing the half acre of canvas intended for a sail to assume -its proper place. Observe if you please, the Tindal swears by all the -skulls of the god Shiva’s necklace, that the wind is foul—the tide don’t -serve—his crew is absent—and the water not yet on board. - -Of course! - -But as you are a “griff,” and we wish to educate you in native -peculiarities, just remark how that one small touch of our magic slipper -upon the region of the head, and the use of that one little phrase “Suar -ka Sala” (_Anglicè_, “O brother-in-law of a hog!”) has made the wind -fair, the tide serve, the crew muster, and the water pots abound in -water. And, furthermore, when you have got over your horror of seeing a -“fellow-creature” so treated—and a “fellow subject” subjected to such -operation, kindly observe that the Tindal has improved palpably in manner -towards us;—indeed, to interpret his thoughts, he now feels convinced -that we are an “Assal Sahib”—a real gentleman. - - * * * * * - -Evening is coming on, the sea-breeze (may it be increased!) is freshening -fast, and Dan Phœbus has at last vouchsafed to make himself scarce. After -watching his departure with satisfaction—with heartfelt satisfaction, we -order our hookah up, less for the pleasure of puffing it, than for the -purpose of showing you how our servant delights to wander through heaps -of hay and straw, canvas, and coir rope, with that mass of ignited rice -ball, rolling about on the top of our pipe. You are looking curiously -at our culinary arrangements. Yes, dear sir, or madam, as the case -may be, that dreadful looking man, habited in a pair of the dingiest -inexpressibles only, excepting the thick cap on his furzy head—that is -our cook. And we dare say you have been watching his operations. If not, -you must know that he prepared for our repast by inserting his black claw -into that hencoop, where a dozen of the leanest possible chickens have -been engaged for some time in pecking the polls of one another’s heads, -and after a rapid examination of breast-bone, withdrew his fist full of -one of the aforementioned lean chickens, shrieking in dismay. He then -slew it, dipped the corpse in boiling water to loosen the feathers, which -he stripped off in masses, cut through its breast longitudinally, and -with the aid of an iron plate, placed over a charcoal fire, proceeded to -make a spatchcock, or as it is more popularly termed, a “sudden death.” -After this we can hardly expect the pleasure of your company at dinner -to-day. But never mind! you will soon get over the feeling _nolens_, if -not _volens_. Why, how many Scinde “Nabobs” have not eaten three hundred -and sixty-five lean chickens in one year? - - * * * * * - -We will not be in any hurry to go to bed. In these latitudes, man lives -only between the hours of seven P.M. and midnight. The breeze gives -strength to smoke and converse; our languid minds almost feel disposed -to admire the beauty of the moonlit sea, the serenity of the air, and -the varying tints of the misty coast. Our lateen sail is doing its -duty right well, as the splashing of the water and the broad stripe -of phosphoric light eddying around and behind the rudder, prove. At -this rate we shall make Goa in three days, if kindly fate only spare -us the mortification of the morning calms which infest these regions. -And we being “old hands” promise to keep a sharp look out upon the -sable commander of the “Durrya Prashad,” the “Joy of the Ocean,” as -his sweetheart of a pattimar is called. Something of the kind will be -necessary to prevent his creeping along the shore for fear of squalls, -or pulling down the sail to ensure an unbroken night’s rest, or -slackening speed so as not to get the voyage over too soon. As he is a -Hindoo we will place him under the _surveillance_ of that grim looking -bushy-bearded Moslem, who spends half his days in praying for the -extermination of the infidel, and never retires to rest without groaning -over the degeneracy of the times, and sighing for the good old days of -Islam, when the Faithful had nothing to do but to attack, thrash, rob, -and murder, the Unfaithful. - -Now the last hookah has gone out, and the most restless of our servants -has turned in. The roof of the cabin is strewed with bodies anything but -fragrant, indeed, we cannot help pitying the melancholy fate of poor -Morpheus, who is traditionally supposed to encircle such sleepers with -his soft arms. Could you believe it possible that through such a night as -this they choose to sleep under those wadded cotton coverlets, and dread -not instantaneous asphixiation? The only waker is that grisly old fellow -with the long white mustachios flourishing over his copper coloured -mouth like cotton in the jaws of a Moslem body. And even he nods as he -sits perched at the helm with his half-closed eyes mechanically directed -towards the binnacle, and its satire upon the mariner’s compass, which -has not shifted one degree these last two years. However there is little -to fear here. The fellow knows every inch of shore, and can tell you to -a foot what depth of water there is beneath us. So as this atmosphere of -drowsiness begins to be infectious, we might as well retire below. Not -into the cabin, if you please. The last trip the Durrya Prashad made was, -we understand, for the purpose of conveying cotton to the Presidency. -You may imagine the extent of dark population left to colonise her every -corner. We are to sleep under the penthouse, as well as we may; our -servants, you observe, have spread the mats of rushes—one of the much -vaunted luxuries of the East—upon our humble couches, justly anticipating -that we shall have a fair specimen of the night tropical. Before you -“tumble in” pray recollect to see that the jars of cold water have been -placed within reach, for we are certain to awake as soon after our first -sleep as possible, suffering from the torments of Tantalus. And we should -advise you to restore the socks you have just removed, that is to say, if -you wish the mosquitos to leave you the use of your feet to-morrow. - -“Good night!” - -The wish is certainly a benevolent one, but it sounds queer as a long -grace emphatically prefixed to a “spread” of cold mutton or tough -beefsteak, for which nothing under a special miracle could possibly make -one “truly thankful.” However, good night! - - * * * * * - -From Bombay southwards as far as Goa, the coast,[4] viewed from the sea, -merits little admiration. It is an unbroken succession of gentle rises -and slopes, and cannot evade the charge of dulness and uniformity. Every -now and then some fort or rock juts out into the water breaking the line, -but the distance we stand out from land prevents our distinguishing the -features of its different “lions,” such as Severndroog “the Golden -Fortress,” Rutnageree “the Hill of Jewels,” and the Burnt Islands,[5] -or Vingorla Rocks. The voyage, therefore, will be an uninteresting -one—though at this season of the year, early spring, it will not be -tedious. - -The ancient Hindoos have a curious tradition concerning the formation -and population of this coast. They believe that Parasu Rama, one of -their demigods, after filling the earth with the blood of the offending -Kshatriya, or regal and military caste, wished to perform an expiatory -sacrifice. As, however, no Brahmin would attend, his demigodship found -himself in rather an awkward predicament. At length, when sitting on the -mountains of Concan (_i.e._ the Sayhadree Range, or Western Ghauts), he -espied on the shore below, the putrefied corpses of fourteen Mlenchhas -(any people not Hindoos), which had floated there borne by the tides -from distant lands to the westward. Rama restored them to life, taught -them religious knowledge, and, after converting them into Brahmins, -performed his sacrifice. He afterwards, by means of his fiery darts, -compelled Samudra, the Indian Neptune, to retire several miles from the -foot of the Ghauts, and allotted to his _protégés_ the strip of land thus -recovered from the sea. From these fourteen men sprang the Kukanastha, -or Concanese tribe of Maharattas, and the pious Hindoo still discovers -in their lineaments, traces of a corpse-like expression of countenance -inherited from their forefathers. - - * * * * * - -We remarked that it was a glad moment when we entered the pattimar. We -will also observe that it was another when our sable Portuguese “butler,” -as he terms himself, ecstasied by his propinquity to home—sweet home, -and forgetting respect and self-possession in an _élan_ of patriotism, -abruptly directed our vision towards the whitewashed farol, or -lighthouse, which marks the north side of the entrance to the Goa creek. -And now, as we glide rapidly in, we will take a short military _coup -d’œil_ at the outward defences of the once celebrated Portuguese capital. - -The hill, or steep, upon which the farol stands, is crowned with -batteries, called the Castello de Agoada, as ships touch there to water. -There are other works, _à fleur d’eau_, all round the point. These -defences, however, are built of stone, without any embankments of earth, -and suggest uncomfortable ideas of splinters. In fact, a few gun-boats -would drive any number of men out of them in half an hour. The entrance -of the creek is at least two miles broad, and the southern prong, the -“Cabo de Convento,” is occupied, as its name shows, by a monastery -instead of a fort. Moreover, none but a native general would ever think -of thrusting an invading force through the jaws of the bay, when it might -land with perfect safety and convenience to itself a few miles to the -north or south. - - * * * * * - -“What are we pulling up for?” - -The Tindal informs us that we may expect a visit from the “Portingal -Captain,” who commands the Castello, for the purpose of ascertaining our -rank, our wealth, and our object in visiting Goa. He warns us to conceal -our sketch-book, and not to write too much; otherwise, that our ardour -for science may lead us into trouble. But, mind, we laugh him to scorn; -natives must have something mysterious to suspect, or expect, or affect. - -But here comes the officer, after keeping us waiting a good hour. He -is a rhubarb-coloured man, dressed in the shabby remains of a flashy -uniform; his square inch of blackish brown mustachio, and expression of -countenance, produce an appearance which we should pronounce decidedly -valiant, did we not know that valour here seldom extends below or beyond -the countenance. How respectfully our butler bows to him, and with what -fellow-feeling the same valuable domestic grasps the hand of that orderly -in shell jacket, but not in pantaloons, who composes the guard of his -superior officer! Behold! he has a bundle of _cigarettos_, made of the -blackest tobacco, rolled up in bits of plantain leaf; and he carries his -“weeds” in a very primitive cigar-case, namely, the pouch formed by the -junction of his huge flap of an ear, with the flat and stubby poll behind -it. As the favourite narcotic goes round, no Portuguese refuses it. The -Hindoos shake their heads politely and decliningly, the Moslems grimly -and with a suspicion of a curse. - -But we must summon our domestic to mediate between us and our -visitor, who speaks nothing but most Maharatta-like Portuguese and -Portuguese-like Maharatta. - -We begin by offering him a glass of wine, and he inquires of Salvador, -our acting interpreter,—“Why?” Being assured that such is the practice -among the barbarous Anglo-Indians, he accepts it with a helpless look, -and never attempts to conceal the contortions of countenance produced by -the operation of a glass of Parsee sherry, fiery as their own divinity, -upon a palate accustomed to tree-toddy and thin red wine. However, he -appears perfectly satisfied with the inspection, and after volunteering -an introductory epistle to one Ioaõ Thomas—_i.e._ John Thomas, a cicerone -of Goanese celebrity—which we accept without the slightest intention of -delivering, he kindly gives us permission to proceed, shakes our hand -with a cold and clammy palm, which feels uncommonly like a snake, and -with many polite bows to our servants, disappears over the side, followed -by his suite. Whilst the anchor is being re-weighed, before we forget -the appearance of the pair, we will commit them to the custody of the -sketch-book. - - * * * * * - -The old lateen creeps creaking crankily up the mast once more, and the -Durrya Prashad recommences to perambulate the waters as unlike a thing of -life as can be imagined. Half an hour more will take us in. Perched upon -the topmast angle of our penthouse, we strain our eyes in search of the -tall buildings and crowded ways that denote a capital: we can see nought -but a forest of lanky cocoa-nut trees, whose stems are apparently growing -out of a multitude of small hovels. - -Can this be Goa? - -Rendered rabid by the query our patriotic domestic, sneering as much as -he safely can, informs us that _this_ is the village of Verim, _that_ St. -Agnes, and proceeds to display his store of topographical lore by naming -or christening every dirty little mass of hut and white-washed spire that -meets the eye. - -Bus, Bus,—enough in the name of topography! We will admire the view -to-morrow morning when our minds are a little easier about John Thomas, a -house, &c. - -We turn the last corner which concealed from view the town of Panjim, or -as others call it, the city of New Goa, and are at last satisfied that we -are coming to something like a place. Suddenly the Tindal, and all his -men, begin to chatter like a wilderness of provoked baboons; they are -debating as to what part of the narrow creek which runs parallel with the -town should be selected for anchor ground. Not with an eye to our comfort -in landing, observe, but solely bearing in mind that they are to take in -cargo to-morrow. - -At length our apology for an anchor once more slides down the old side of -the Durrya Prashad, and she swings lazily round with the ebb tide, like -an elephant indulging in a solitary roll. It is dark, we can see nothing -but a broken line of dim oil-lamps upon the quay, and hear nought save -the unharmonious confusion of native music with native confabulation. -Besides the wind that pours down the creek feels damp and chilly, teeming -with unpleasant reminiscences of fever and ague. So after warning our -domestics, that instant dismissal from the service will follow any -attempt to land to-night, a necessary precaution if we wish to land -to-morrow, we retire to pass the last of three long nights in slapping -our face in the desperate hope of crushing mosquitos, dreaming of De Gama -and Albuquerque, starting up every two hours with jaws glowing like those -of a dark age dragon, scratching our legs and feet, preferring positive -excoriation to the exquisite titillation produced by the perpetual -perambulation, and occasional morsication (with many other -ations left -to the reader’s discrimination) of our nocturnal visitations, and in -uttering emphatic ejaculations concerning the man with the rhinoceros -hide and front of brass who invented and recommended to his kind the -pattimar abomination. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -NEW GOA. - - -Early in the morning, rudely roused by curiosity, we went on deck to -inspect the celebrated view of the Rio de Goa. - -The air was soft and fragrant, at the same time sufficiently cool to be -comfortable. A thin mist rested upon the lower grounds and hovered half -way up the hills, leaving their palm-clad summits clear to catch the -silvery light of dawn. Most beautiful was the hazy tone of colour all -around contrasted with the painfully vivid tints, and the sharp outlines -of an Indian view seen a few hours after sunrise. The uniformity of the -cocoa-nut groves, which at first glance appeared monotonous, gradually -became tolerable. We could now remark that they were full of human -habitations, and intersected by numbers of diminutive creeks. Close by -lay Panji, Panjim, Panjem or New Goa, with its large palace and little -houses, still dark in the shadow of the hill behind it. As for Goa Velha -(the Old Goa) we scarcely ventured to look towards it, such were our -recollections of Tavernier, Dillon, and Amine Vanderdecken, and so strong -our conviction that a day at least must elapse before we could tread -its classic ground. An occasional peep, however, discovered huge masses -of masonry—some standing out from the cloudless sky, others lining the -edge of the creek,—ruins of very picturesque form, and churches of most -unpicturesque hue. - - * * * * * - -Precisely at six A.M. appeared Mr. John Thomas, whose aristocratic proper -name, by the by, is the Señor Ioaõ Thomas de Sonza. After perpetrating -a variety of congees in a style that admirably combined the Moorish -salaam with the European bow, he informed us in execrable English that -“he show de Goa to de Bombay gentlemens.” We rapidly pass over the -preliminary measures of securing a house with six rooms, kitchen, stable -and back court, for fourteen shillings _per mensem_—a low rate of rent -for which the owner was soundly rated by his compatriots, who have -resolved that treble that sum is the minimum chargeable to Englishmen—of -landing our bag and baggage, which were afterwards carried to our abode -by coolies[6]—the primitive style of transportation universally used -here,—and finally of disembarking our steeds by means of a pigmy crane, -the manipulation of which called together a herd of admiring gazers. - -Then the Señor began to take command. He obligingly allowed us to -breakfast, but insisted upon our addressing a note to the aide-de-camp in -waiting to ascertain the proper time for waiting upon his Excellency the -Governor of Goa. This the Señor warned us was _de rigueur_, and he bade -us be prepared to face the burning sun between eleven and twelve, such -being the hour usually appointed. Then with our missive between his sable -fingers he performed another ceremonious bow and departed for a while. - -Just as the Señor disappeared, and we were preparing to indulge in our -morning meal _en deshabille_, as best suits the climate, an uncomely -face, grinning prodigiously, and surmounted by a scampish looking cap, -introduced itself through the open window, and commenced a series of -felicitations and compliments in high-flown Portuguese. - -Who might our visitor be? A medical student, a poet, or a thief? Confused -in mind, we could only look at him vacantly, with an occasional -involuntary movement of the head, respondent to some gigantic word, as it -gurgled convulsively out of his throat. He must have mistaken the sign -for one of invitation, for, at the close of his last compliment to the -British nation, he withdrew his head from the window, and deliberately -walked in by the door, with the usual series of polite bows. - -Once in the house, he seemed determined to make himself at home. - -We looked up from our breakfast with much astonishment. Close to -our elbow stood our new friend in the form of a tall ugly boy about -seventeen, habited in a green cloth surtout, with plaited plaid -unmentionables, broad-toed boots, and a peculiar appearance about the -wrists, and intervals between the fingers, which made us shudder at the -thought of extending to him the hand of fellowship. Rapidly deciding -upon a plan of action, we assumed ignorance of the _lingoa Baxa_,[7] and -pronounced with much ceremony in our vernacular, - -“Whom have I the honour to address?” - -Horror of horrors! Our visitor broke out in disjointed English, informed -us that his name was the Señor Gaetano de Gama, son of the collector -of Ribandar, and a lineal descendant from the Gran Capitaõ; that he -had naturally a great admiration for the British, together with much -compassion for friendless strangers; and finally, that he might be of -the utmost use to us during our stay at Goa. Thereupon he sat down, and -proceeded to make himself comfortable. He pulled a cigar out of our box, -called for a glass of water, but preferred sherry, ate at least a dozen -plantains, and washed down the sherry with a coffee-cup full of milk. We -began to be amused. - -“Have you breakfasted?” - -Yes, he had. At Goa they generally do so betimes. However, for the -sake of companionship he would lay down his cigar and join us. He was -certainly a good trencher-companion, that young gentleman. Witness his -prowess upon a plate of fish, a dish of curry, a curd cheese, a water -melon, and half-a-dozen cups of _café au lait_. Then after settling the -heterogeneous mass with a glass of our _anisette_, he re-applied himself -to his cheroot. - -We were in hopes that he had fallen into a state of torpor. By no means! -The activity of his mind soon mastered the inertness of the flesh. Before -the first few puffs had disappeared in the thin air, our friend arose, -distinctly for the purpose of surveying the room. He walked slowly and -calmly around it, varying that recreation by occasionally looking into -our bed, inspecting a box or two, opening our books, addressing a few -chance words to us, generally in the style interrogative, trying on our -hat before the looking-glass, defiling our brushes and combs with his -limp locks, redolent of rancid cocoa-nut oil, and glancing with fearful -meaning at our tooth-brushes. - -Our amusement now began to assume the form of indignation. Would it -be better to disappear into an inner room, send for Salvador to show -our _bête noire_ the door, or lead him out by the ear? Whilst still -deliberating, we observed with pleasure the tawny face of John Thomas. - -The Señor Ioaõ Thomas de Sonza no sooner caught sight of the Señor -Gaetano de Gama than his countenance donned an expression of high -indignation, dashed with profound contempt; and the latter Señor almost -simultaneously betrayed outward and visible signs of disappointment and -considerable confusion. The ridiculous scene ended with the disappearance -of the unsuccessful aspirant to ciceronic honours, a homily from John -Thomas upon the danger of having anything to do with such rabble, and an -injunction to Salvador never to admit the collector’s son again. - -“His Excellency the Governor General of all the Indies cannot have the -exalted honour of receiving your Excellency this morning, on account of -the sudden illness of Her Excellency the Lady of the Governor General of -all the Indies; but the Governor General of all the Indies will be proud -to receive your Excellency to-morrow—if Heaven be pleased!” said John -Thomas, tempering dignity with piety. - -Thank Goodness for the reprieve! - -“So, if the measure be honoured with your Excellency’s approval, we will -now embark in a covered canoe, and your servant will have the felicity -of pointing out from the sea the remarkable sites and buildings of New -Goa; after which, a walk through our celebrated city will introduce your -Excellency to the exteriors and interiors of its majestic edifices, its -churches, its theatre, its hospital, its library, and its barracks.” - -Very well! - -A few minutes’ rowing sufficed to bring our canoe to the centre of -the creek, along side and in full view of the town. Around us lay the -shipping, consisting of two or three vessels from Portugal and China, -some score of native craft, such as pattimars, cottias, canoes, and -bunderboats, with one sloop of war, composing the Goanese navy. - - * * * * * - -Panjim is situated upon a narrow ledge, between a hill to the south, and, -on the north, the Rio de Goa, or arm of the sea, which stretches several -miles from west to east. A quay of hewn stone, well built, but rather too -narrow for ornament or use, lines the south bank of the stream, if we may -so call it, which hereabouts is a little more than a quarter of a mile -in breadth. The appearance of the town is strange to the Indian tourist. -There are many respectable-looking houses, usually one story high, -solidly constructed of stone and mortar, with roofs of red tile, and -surrounded by large court-yards overgrown with cocoa-nut trees. Bungalows -are at a discount; only the habitations of the poor consist solely of -a ground floor. In general the walls are whitewashed,—an operation -performed regularly once a year, after the Monsoon rains; and the result -is a most offensive glare. Upon the eminence behind the town is a small -telegraph, and half-way down the hill, the Igreja (church) de Conceição, -a plain and ill-built pile, as usual, beautifully situated. The edifices -along the creek which catch the eye, are the Palacio, where the Governor -resides, the Archbishop’s Palace, the Contadorin or Accomptant’s Office, -and the Alfandega or Custom House. All of them are more remarkable for -vastness than neatness of design. - -“We will now row down the creek, and see the Aldeas or villages of St. -Agnes and Verim,” quoth our guide, pointing towards a scattered line of -churches, villas, and cottages, half concealed from view by the towering -trees, or thrown forward in clear relief by the green background. - -To hear was to obey: though we anticipated little novelty. On landing -we were surprised to find the shore so thickly inhabited. Handsome -residences, orientally speaking, appeared here and there; a perfect -network of footpaths ramified over the hills; in a word, every yard of -ground bore traces of life and activity. Not that there was much to -be seen at St. Agnes, with its huge, rambling old pile, formerly the -archiepiscopal palace, or at Verim, a large village full of Hindoos, who -retreat there to avoid the places selected for residence by the retired -officers, _employés_ of government, students, and Christian landed -proprietors. - -“And now for a trip to the eastward!” - -“What!” we exclaimed, “isn’t the lionizing to stop here?” - -“By no means,” replied John Thomas, solemnly; “all English gentlemen -visit Ribandar, Britona, and the Seminary of Chorão.” - -Ribandar is about two miles to the east of Panjim, and is connected -with it by a long stone bridge, built by the viceroy Miguel de Noronha. -It seems to be thriving upon the ruins of its neighbour, San Pedro -or Panelly, an old village, laid waste by the devastator of Velha -Goa—intermittent fever. From some distance we saw the noble palace, -anciently inhabited by the archbishops, and the seat of the viceroys and -governors, called the Casa de Polvora, from a neighbouring manufactory -of gunpowder. Here, however, we became restive, and no persuasion could -induce us to walk a mile in order to inspect the bare walls. - -Being somewhat in dread of Britona, which appeared to be a second edition -of St. Agnes and Verim, we compounded with John Thomas, and secured an -exemption by consenting to visit and inspect the Seminary. - -Chorão was formerly the noviciate place of the Jesuits.[8] It is an -island opposite Ribandar, small and thinly populated, the climate being -confessedly most unwholesome. We were informed that the director was -sick and the rector suffering from fever. The pallid complexion of the -resident pupils told a sad tale of malaria. - -The building is an immense mass of chapels, cloisters, and apartments -for the professors and students. There is little of the remarkable in -it. The walls are ornamented with abominable frescoes and a few prints, -illustrating the campaigns of Napoleon and Louis Quatorze. The crucifixes -appear almost shocking. They are, generally speaking, wooden figures -as large as life, painted with most livid and unnatural complexions, -streaked with indigo-coloured veins, and striped with streams of blood. -More offensive still are the representations of the Almighty, so common -in Roman Catholic countries. - -In the sacristy, we were shown some tolerable heads of apostles and -saints. They were not exactly original Raphaels and Guidos, as our black -friends declared, but still it was a pleasure to see good copies of -excellent exemplars in India, the land of coloured prints and lithographs -of Cerito and Taglioni. - -[Illustration: R. Burton delᵗ. Printed by Hullmandel & Walton. - -THE CATHEDRAL OF GOA. - -London: Richard Bentley, New Burlington Street, 1851.] - -Ah! now we have finished our peregrinations. - -“Yes,” responded John Thomas; “your Excellency has now only to walk about -and inspect the town of Panjim.” - -Accordingly we landed and proceeded to make our observations there. - -That Panjim is a Christian town appears instantly from the multitude and -variety of the filthy feeding hogs, that infest the streets. The pig -here occupies the social position that he does in Ireland, only he is -never eaten when his sucking days are past. Panjim loses much by close -inspection. The streets are dusty and dirty, of a most disagreeable brick -colour, and where they are paved, the pavement is old and bad. The doors -and window-frames of almost all the houses are painted green, and none -but the very richest admit light through anything more civilized than -oyster-shells. The balcony is a prominent feature, but it presents none -of the gay scenes for which it is famous in Italy and Spain. - -We could not help remarking the want of horses and carriages in the -streets, and were informed that the whole place did not contain more than -half a dozen vehicles. The popular conveyance is a kind of palanquin, -composed of a light sofa, curtained with green wax cloth, and strung to -a bamboo pole, which rests upon the two bearers’ heads or shoulders. -This is called a _mancheel_, and a most lugubrious-looking thing it is, -forcibly reminding one of a coffin covered with a green pall. - -At length we arrived at the Barracks, a large building in the form of -an irregular square, fronting the Rio, and our British curiosity being -roused by hearing that the celebrated old thief, Phonde Sawunt,[9] was -living there under surveillance, we determined to visit that rebel on a -small scale. His presence disgraces his fame; it is that of a wee, ugly, -grey, thin, old and purblind Maharatta. He received us, however, with not -a little dignity and independence of manner, motioned us to sit down with -a military air, and entered upon a series of queries concerning the Court -of Lahore, at that time the only power on whose exertions the agitators -of India could base any hopes. Around the feeble, decrepit old man stood -about a dozen stalworth sons, with naked shoulders, white cloths round -their waists and topknots of hair, which the god Shiva himself might -own with pride. They have private apartments in the barracks, full of -wives and children, and consider themselves personages of no small -importance; in which opinion they are, we believe, by no means singular. -Their fellow-countrymen look upon them as heroes, and have embalmed, or -attempted to embalm their breakjaw names in immortal song. They are, in -fact, negro Robin Hoods and Dick Turpins—knights of the road and the -waste it is true, but not accounted the less honourable for belonging -to that celebrated order of chivalry. The real Maharatta is by nature a -thorough-bred plunderer, and well entitled to sing the Suliot ditty— - - “Κλεφτες ποτε Παργαν,”[10] - -with the slight variation of locality only. Besides, strange to say, -amongst Orientals, they have a well-defined idea of what patriotism -means, and can groan under the real or fancied wrongs of the “stranger” -or the “Sassenach’s” dominion as loudly and lustily as any Hibernian or -Gael in the land. - -We now leave Phonde Sawunt and the Barracks to thread our way through -a numerous and disagreeable collection of yelping curs and officious -boatmen. - -“Would your Excellency prefer to visit the hospital, the churches of St. -Sebastian and Conceição, the jail, the library, the printing-house, and -the bazaars now or to-morrow morning?” - -“Neither now nor ever—thank you—we are going to the promenade.” - -After a few minutes’ walk we came to the west end of Panjim, where lies a -narrow scrap of sea-beach appropriated to “constitutionals.” On our way -there we observed that the Goanese, with peculiar good taste, had erected -seats wherever a pretty _point de vue_ would be likely to make one stand -and wish to sit awhile. - -Had we expected a crowded _corso_, we should have been disappointed; -half-a-dozen mancheels, two native officers on horseback, one carriage, -and about a dozen promenaders, were moving lazily and listlessly down the -lugubrious-looking strand. - -Reader, has it ever been your unhappy fate to be cooped up in a wretched -place called Pisa? If so, perhaps you recollect a certain drive to the -Cascine—a long road, down whose dreary length run two parallel rows -of dismal poplars, desolating to the eye, like mutes at a funeral. We -mentally compared the Cascine drive and the Panjim corso, and the result -of the comparison was, that we wished a very good evening to the Señor, -and went home. - -“Salvador, what is that terrible noise—are they slaughtering a pig—or -murdering a boy?” - -“Nothing,” replied Salvador, “nothing whatever—some Christian beating his -wife.” - -“Is that a common recreation?” - -“Very.” - -So we found out to our cost. First one gentleman chastised his spouse, -then another, and then another. To judge by the ear, the fair ones -did not receive the discipline with that patience, submission, and -long-suffering which Eastern dames are most apocryphally believed to -practise. In fact, if the truth must be told, a prodigious scuffling -informed us that the game was being played with similar good will, and -nearly equal vigour by both parties. The police at Goa never interfere -with these little domesticalities; the residents, we suppose, lose -the habit of hearing them, but the stranger finds them disagreeable. -Therefore, we should strongly advise all future visitors to select -some place of residence where they may escape the martial sounds that -accompany such _tours de force_ when displayed by the lords and ladies of -the creation. On one occasion we were obliged to change our lodgings for -others less exposed to the nuisance. Conceive inhabiting a snug corner of -a locality devoted to the conversion of pig into pork! - - * * * * * - -“Sahib,” exclaimed Salvador, “you had better go to bed, or retire into -another room, for I see the Señor Gaetano coming here as fast as his legs -can carry him.” - -“Very well,” we whispered, slipping rapidly through the open door, “tell -him we are out.” And behind the wall we heard the message duly delivered. - -But the Señor saw no reason in our being out why he should not -make himself at home. He drew two chairs into the verandah, called -for cigars and sherry, fanned himself with his dirty brown cotton -pocket-handkerchief, and sat there patiently awaiting our return. - -We did not forcibly eject that Señor. The fact is, memory began to be -busily at work, and dim scenes of past times, happy days spent in our -dear old distant native land were floating and flashing before our -mental eye. Again we saw our neat little rooms at ⸺ College, Oxford, -our omnipresent dun, Mr. Joye—what a name for a tailor!—comfortably -ensconsed in the best arm-chair, with the best of our regalias in his -mouth, and the best of our Port wine at his elbow, now warming his -lean hands before the blazing coal fire—it was very near Christmas—now -dreamily gazing at the ceiling, as if £ _s._ _d._ were likely to drop -through its plaster. - -And where were we? - -Echo cannot answer, so we must. - -Standing in the coal-hole—an aperture in the wall of our -bedchamber—whence seated upon a mass of coke, we could distinctly discern -through the interstices of the door, Mr. Joye enjoying himself as above -described. - -Years of toil and travel and trouble had invested that coal-hole with -the roseate hue which loves to linger over old faces and old past times; -so we went quietly to bed, sacrificing at the shrine of Mnemosyne the -sherry and the cheroots served to us, and the kick-out deserved by the -Señor Gaetano de Gama, son of the Collector of Ribandar, and a lineal -descendent of the Gran Capitaõ. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -OLD GOA AS IT WAS. - - -“Señor,” said our cicerone, entering unannounced, at about ten A.M., -“it is time for your Excellency to prepare for an interview with his -Excellency the Governor-General of all the Indies; and if it meet with -your approbation, we can see the library, and the celebrated statue of -Alfonso de Albuquerque on our way to the palacio.” - -The horses were soon saddled, and the Señor was with some difficulty -persuaded to mount. _En route_ his appearance afforded no small amusement -to his fellow townsmen, who grinned from ear to ear seeing him clinging -to the saddle, and holding on by the bridle, with his back hunched, and -his shoulders towering above his ears like those of an excited cat. -The little Maharatta “man-eater”[11] was dancing with disgust at this -peculiar style of equitation, and the vivacity of his movements so -terrified the Señor, that, to our extreme regret, he chose the first -moment to dismount under pretext of introducing us to Albuquerque. - -The statue of that hero stands under a whitewashed dome, in a small -square opposite the east front of the Barracks. It is now wrapped up -in matting, having lately received such injuries that it was deemed -advisable to send to Portugal for a new nose and other requisites. - -The library disappointed us. We had heard that it contained many volumes -collected from the different religious houses by order of the government, -and thus saved from mildew and the white ants. Of course, we expected a -variety of MSS. and publications upon the subject of Oriental languages -and history, as connected with the Portuguese settlements. The catalogue, -however, soon informed us that it was a mere ecclesiastical library, -dotted here and there with the common classical authors; a few old books -of travels; some volumes of history, and a number of musty disquisitions -on ethics, politics, and metaphysics. We could find only three Oriental -works—a Syriac book printed at Oxford, a manuscript Dictionary, and a -Grammar of the Concanee dialect of Maharatta. - -Arrived at the palace, we sent in our card, and were desired to walk up. -We were politely received by an aide-de-camp, who, after ascertaining -that we could speak a few words of Portuguese, left the room to inform -the Governor of that prodigious fact, which, doubtless, procured us the -honour of an interview with that exalted personage. It did not last -long enough to be tedious, still we were not sorry when his Excellency -retired with the excuse of public business, and directed the aide-de-camp -to show us about the building. There was not much to be seen in it, -except a tolerably extensive library, a private chapel, and a suite -of lofty and spacious saloons, with enormous windows, and without -furniture; containing the portraits of all the Governors and Viceroys -of Portuguese India. The collection is, or rather has been, a valuable -one; unfortunately some Goth, by the order of some worse than Goth, has -renewed and revived many of the best and oldest pictures, till they have -assumed a most ludicrous appearance. The handsome and chivalrous-looking -knights have been taught to resemble the Saracen’s Head, the Marquis -of Granby, and other sign-post celebrities in England. An artist -is, however, it is said, coming from Portugal, and much scraping and -varnishing may do something for the De Gamas and de Castros at present so -miserably disfigured. - - * * * * * - -And now, thank Goodness, all our troubles are over. We can start as soon -as we like for the “ruin and the waste,” merely delaying to secure a -covered boat, victual it for a few days, and lay in a store of jars of -fresh water—a necessary precaution against ague and malaria. Salvador -is to accompany us, and John Thomas has volunteered to procure us a -comfortable lodging in the Aljube, or ecclesiastical prison. - -A couple of hours’ steady rowing will land us at old Goa. As there is -nothing to be said about the banks which are lined with the eternal -succession of villages, palaces, villas, houses, cottages, gardens, and -cocoa-nut trees; instead of lingering upon the uninteresting details, -we will pass the time in drawing out a short historical sketch of the -hapless city’s fortunes. - -It is not, we believe, generally known that there are two old Goas. -Ancient old Goa stood on the south coast of the island, about two miles -from its more modern namesake. Ferishteh, and the other Moslem annalists -of India allude to it as a great and celebrated seaport in the olden -time. It was governed by its own Rajah, who held it in fief from the -Princes of Beejanugger and the Carnatic. In the fifteenth century it -was taken by the Moslem monarchs of the Bahmani line. Even before the -arrival of the Portuguese in India the inhabitants began to desert their -old seaport and migrate to the second Goa. Of the ancient Hindoo town no -traces now remain, except some wretched hovels clustering round a parish -church. Desolation and oblivion seem to have claimed all but the name -of the place, and none but the readers of musty annals and worm-eaten -histories are aware that such a city ever existed. - -The modern old Goa was built about nineteen years before the arrival of -Vasco de Gama at Calicut, an event fixed by the historian, Faria, on 20th -of May, 1498. It was taken from the Moors or Moslems by Albuquerque, -about thirty years after its foundation—a length of time amply sufficient -to make it a place of importance, considering the mushroom-like rapidity -with which empires and their capitals shoot up in the East. Governed by -a succession of viceroys, many of them the bravest and wisest of the -Portuguese nation, Goa soon rose to a height of power, wealth, and -magnificence almost incredible. But the introduction of the Jesuits, -the Holy Tribunal, and its fatal offspring, religious persecution; -pestilence, and wars with European and native powers, disturbances -arising from an unsettled home government, and, above all things, the -slow but sure workings of the short-sighted policy of the Portuguese -in intermarrying and identifying themselves with Hindoos of the lowest -castes, made her fall as rapid as her rise was sudden and prodigious. -In less than a century and a half after De Gama landed on the shore of -India, the splendour of Goa had departed for ever. Presently the climate -changed in that unaccountable manner often witnessed in hot and tropical -countries. Every one fled from the deadly fever that raged within the -devoted precincts, and the villages around began to thrive upon the decay -of the capital. At last, in 1758, the viceroy, a namesake of Albuquerque, -transferred his habitual residence to Panjim. Soon afterwards the -Jesuits were expelled, and their magnificent convents and churches were -left all but utterly deserted. The Inquisition[12] was suppressed when -the Portuguese court was at Rio Janeiro, at the recommendation of the -British Government—one of those good deeds with which our native land -atones for a multitude of minor sins. - -The descriptions of Goa in her palmy days are, thanks to the many -travellers that visited the land, peculiarly graphic and ample. - -First in the list, by seniority, stands Linschoten, a native of Haarlem, -who travelled to the capital of Portuguese India about 1583, in company -with the Archbishop Fre Vincent de Fonçega. After many years spent in -the East, he returned to his native country, and published his travels, -written in old French. The book is replete with curious information. -Linschoten’s account of the riches and splendour of Goa would be judged -exaggerated, were they not testified to by a host of other travellers. -It is described as the finest, largest, and most magnificent city in -India: its villas almost merited the title of palaces, and seemed to be -built for the purpose of displaying the wealth and magnificence of the -erectors. It is said that during the prosperous times of the Portuguese -in India, you could not have seen a bit of “iron in any merchant’s house, -but all gold and silver.” They coined an immense quantity of the precious -metals, and used to make pieces of workmanship in them for exportation. -They were a nation of traders, and the very soldiers enriched themselves -by commerce. After nine years’ service, all those that came from Portugal -were entitled to some command, either by land or sea; they frequently, -however, rejected government employ on account of being engaged in -the more lucrative pursuit of trade. The viceroyalty of Goa was one -of the most splendid appointments in the world. There were five other -governments, namely—Mozambique, Malacca, Ormus, Muscat, and Ceylon, the -worst of which was worth ten thousand crowns (about two thousand pounds) -per annum—an enormous sum in those days. - -The celebrated Monsieur Tavernier, Baron of Aubonne, visited Goa twice; -first in 1641, the second time seven years afterwards. In his day the -city was declining rapidly,[13] and even during the short period that -elapsed between his two voyages, he remarked that many whom he had -known as people of fashion, with above two thousand crowns revenue, -were reduced to visiting him privately in the evening, and begging for -alms. Still, he observed, “they abated nothing, for all that, of their -inherent pride and haughtiness.” He pays no compliment to the Portuguese -character: “They are the most revengeful persons, and the most jealous of -their wives in the world, and where the least suspicion creeps into their -saddles, they rid themselves of them either by poison or dagger.” The -baron had no cause for complaint in his reception at Goa by the viceroy, -Don Philip de Mascaregnas, who “made him very welcome, and esteeming -much a pistol, curiously inlaid,” which the traveller presented to him, -sent for him five or six times to the Powder-house, or old palace. That -viceroy seems, however, to have been a dangerous host. He was a most -expert poisoner, and had used his skill most diligently, ridding himself -of many enemies, when governor of Ceylon. At Goa he used to admit no -one to his table—even his own family was excluded. He was the richest -Portuguese noble that ever left the East, especially in diamonds, of -which he had a large parcel containing none but stones between ten and -forty carats weight. The Goanese hated him, hung him in effigy before -his departure, and when he died on the voyage, reported that he had been -poisoned in the ship—a judgment from Heaven. - -Monsieur Tavernier visited the Inquisition, where he was received with -sundry “searching questions” concerning his faith, the Protestant. During -the interview, the Inquisitor “told him that he was welcome, calling -out at the same time, for some other persons to enter. Thereupon, the -hangings being held up, came in ten or twelve persons out of a room hard -by.” They were assured that the traveller possessed no prohibited books; -the prudent Tavernier had left even his Bible behind him. The Inquisidor -Mor[14] discoursed with him for a couple of hours, principally upon the -subject of his wanderings, and, three days afterwards, sent him a polite -invitation to dinner. - -But a well-known practice of the Holy Tribunal—namely, that of -confiscating the gold, silver, and jewels of every prisoner, to defray -the expenses of the process—had probably directed the Inquisitor’s -attention to so rich a traveller as the baron was. Tavernier had, -after all, rather a narrow escape from the Holy Office, in spite of -its civilities. When about to leave Goa, he imprudently requested and -obtained from the Viceroy, permission to take with him one Mons. de -Belloy, a countryman in distress. This individual had deserted from the -Dutch to the Portuguese, and was kindly received by them. At Macao, -however, he lost his temper at play, and “cursed the portraiture of some -Papistical saint, as the cause of his ill-luck.” For this impiety he was -forthwith sent by the Provincial Inquisitor to Goa, but he escaped the -stake by private interest with the Viceroy,[15] and was punished only by -“wearing old clothes, which were all to tatters and full of vermin.” When -Tavernier and his friend set sail, the latter “became very violent, and -swore against the Inquisition like a madman.” That such procedure was a -dangerous one was proved by Mons. de Belloy’s fate. He was rash enough -to return some months afterwards to Goa, where he remained two years in -the dungeons of the Holy Office, “from which he was not discharged but -with a sulphured shirt, and a St. Andrew’s cross upon his stomach.” -The unfortunate man was eventually taken prisoner by the enraged -“Hollanders,” put into a sack, and thrown into the sea, as a punishment -for desertion. - -[Illustration: R. Burton delᵗ. Printed by Hullmandel & Walton. - -VIEW OF OLD GOA FROM THE MANDOVA OR CREEK. - -London: Richard Bentley, New Burlington Street, 1851.] - -About twenty-five years after Tavernier’s departure. Dellon, the French -physician, who made himself conspicuous by his “Relation de l’Inquisition -de Goa,” visited the city. By his own account, he appears to have excited -the two passions which burn fiercest in the Portuguese bosom—jealousy -and bigotry. When at Daman, his “innocent visits” to a lady, who was -loved by Manuel de Mendonça, the Governor, and a black priest, who was -secretary to the Inquisition, secured for him a pair of powerful enemies. -Being, moreover, an amateur of Scholastic Theology, a willing disputer -with heretics and schismatics, a student of the Old as well as the -New Testament, and perhaps a little dogmatical, as dilettanti divines -generally are, he presently found himself _brouillé_ at the same place -with a Dominican friar. The Frenchman had refused to kiss the figure -of the Virgin, painted upon the lids of the alms boxes: he had denied -certain effects of the baptism, called “flaminis,” protested against -the adoration of images, and finally capped the whole by declaring that -the decrees of the Holy Tribunal are not so infallible as those of -the Divine Author of Christianity. The horror-struck auditor instantly -denounced him with a variety of additions and emendations sufficient to -make his case very likely to conclude with strangling and burning. - -Perceiving a storm impending over him, our physician waited upon the -Commissary of the Inquisition, if possible to avert the now imminent -danger. That gentlemanly old person seems to have received him with -uncommon urbanity, benevolently offered much good advice, and lodged him -in jail with all possible expedition. - -The prison at Daman is described as a most horrible place; hot, damp, -fetid, dark, and crowded. The inmates were half starved, and so miserable -that forty out of fifty Malabar pirates, who had been imprisoned there, -preferred strangling themselves with their turbans to enduring the -tortures of such an earthly Hades. - -The first specimen of _savoir faire_ displayed by the Doctor’s enemies -was to detain him in the Daman jail till the triennial Auto da Fé at -Goa had taken place; thereby causing for him at least two years’ delay -and imprisonment in the capital before he could be brought to trial. -Having succeeded in this they sent him heavily ironed on board a boat -which finally deposited him in the Casa Santa.[16] There he was taken -before the Mesa, or Board, stripped of all his property, and put into the -_chambrette_ destined for his reception. - -Three weary years spent in that dungeon gave Dellon ample time to -experience and reflect upon the consequences of amativeness and -disputativeness. After being thrice examined by the grand Inquisitor, -and persuaded to confess his sins by the false promise of liberty held -out to him, driven to despair by the system of solitary imprisonment, -by the cries of those who were being tortured, and by anticipations of -the noose and the faggot, he made three attempts to commit suicide. -During the early part of his convalescence he was allowed the luxury of -a negro fellow-prisoner in his cell; but when he had recovered strength -this indulgence was withdrawn. Five or six other examinations rapidly -succeeded each other, and finally, on the 11th of January, 1676, he was -fortunate enough to be present at the Auto da Fé in that garb of good -omen, the black dress with white stripes. The sentence was confiscation -of goods and chattels, banishment from India, five years of the galleys -in Portugal, and a long list of various penances to be performed during -the journey. - -On arriving at Lisbon he was sent to the hulks, but by the interest of -his fellow-countrymen he recovered his liberty in June, 1677. About -eleven years afterwards he published anonymously a little volume -containing an account of his sufferings. By so doing he broke the oaths -of secrecy administered to him by the Holy Tribunal, but probably he -found it easy enough to salve his conscience in that matter. - -The next in our list stands the good Capt. Hamilton, a sturdy old -merchant militant, who infested the Eastern seas about the beginning of -the eighteenth century. - -The captain’s views of the manners and customs of the people are more -interesting than his description of the city. After alluding to their -habits of intoxication he proceeds to the subject of religion, and terms -both clergy and laity “a pack of the most atrocious hypocrites in the -world;” and, at the same time, “most zealous bigots.” There were not -less than eighty churches, convents, and monasteries within view of the -town, and these were peopled by “thirty thousand church vermin who live -idly and luxuriously on the labour and sweat of the miserable laity.” -Our voyager then falls foul of the _speciosa miracula_ of St. Francis de -Xavier. He compares the holy corpse to that of “new scalded pig,” opines -that it is a “pretty piece of wax-work that serves to gull the people,” -and utterly disbelieves that the amputated right-arm, when sent to Rome -to stand its trial for sainthood, took hold of the pen, dipped it in ink -and fairly wrote “Xavier” in full view of the sacred college. - -The poverty of Goa must have been great in Capt. Hamilton’s time, when -“the houses were poorly furnished within like their owners’ heads, and -the tables and living very mean.” The army was so ill-paid and defrauded -that the soldiers were little better than common thieves and assassins. -Trade was limited to salt and arrack, distilled from the cocoa-nut. The -downfall of Goa had been hastened by the loss of Muscat to the Arabs, a -disaster brought on by the Governor’s insolent folly,[17] by an attack -made in 1660 upon the capital by a Dutch squadron, which, though it -failed in consequence of the strength of the fortifications, still caused -great loss and misery to the Portuguese, and finally by the Maharatta -war. In 1685, Seevagee, the Robert Bruce of Southern India, got a footing -in the island, and would have taken the city had he not been— - - “Foiled by a woman’s hand before a broken wall.” - -The “Maid of Goa” was one Donna Maria, a Portuguese lady, who travelled -to Goa dressed like a man in search of a perfidious swain who had been -guilty of breach of promise of marriage. She found him at last and -challenged him to the duello with sword and pistol, but the gentleman -declined the invitation, preferring to marry than to fight Donna Maria. - -A few years afterwards the Maharatta war began, and the heroine excited -by her country’s losses, and, of course, directed by inspiration, headed -a sally against Seevagee, took a redoubt, and cut all the heathen in -it to pieces. The enemy, probably struck by some superstitious terror, -precipitately quitted the island, and the Donna’s noble exploit was -rewarded with a captain’s pay for life. - -We conclude with the Rev. Mons. Cottineau de Kleguen, a French -missionary, who died at Madras in 1830. His “Historical Sketch of Goa” -was published the year after his death. It is useful as a guide-book to -the buildings, and gives much information about ecclesiastical matters. -In other points it is defective in the extreme. As might be expected -from a zealous Romanist, the reverend gentleman stands up stoutly for -the inquisition in spite of his “entire impartiality,” and displays much -curious art in defending the Jesuits’ peculiar process of detaching the -pagans from idol worship, by destroying their temples and pagodas. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -OLD GOA AS IT IS. - - -The setting sun was pouring a torrent of crimson light along the Rio as -the prow of our canoe bumped against the steps of the wharf, warning -us that we had at length reached our destination. The landing-place is -a little beyond the arsenal, and commands a full view of the cathedral -and other conspicuous objects. The first glance around convinced us that -we were about to visit a city of the dead, and at once swept away the -delusion caused by the distant view of white-washed churches and towers, -glittering steeples and domes. - -As such places should always, in our humble opinion, be visited for -the first time by moonlight, we spent an hour or two in ascertaining -what accommodations the Aljube, or ecclesiastical prison, would afford. -Dellon’s terrible description of the place had prepared us for “roughing -it,” but we were agreeably disappointed.[18] The whole building, with -the exception of a few upper rooms, had been cleaned, plastered, and -painted, till it presented a most respectable appearance. Salvador, it -is true, had ventured into the garrets, and returned with his pantaloons -swarming with animal life. This, however, only suggested the precaution -of placing water-pots under the legs of our “Waterloo,” and strewing the -floor with the leaves of the “sacred grass,” a vegetable luxury abounding -in this part of the world. - -When the moon began to sail slowly over the eastern hills, we started -on our tour of inspection, and, as a preliminary measure, walked down -the wharf, a long and broad road, lined with double rows of trees, and -faced with stone, opposite the sea. A more suggestive scene could not be -conceived than the utter desolation which lay before us. Everything that -met the eye or ear seemed teeming with melancholy associations; the very -rustling of the trees and the murmur of the waves sounded like a dirge -for the departed grandeur of the city. - -A few minutes’ walk led us to a conspicuous object on the right hand -side of the wharf. It was a solitary gateway, towering above the huge -mass of ruins which flanks the entrance to the Strada Diretta.[19] On -approaching it we observed the statue of Saint Catherine,[20] shrined in -an upper niche, and a grotesque figure of Vasco de Gama in one beneath. -Under this arch the newly-appointed viceroys of Goa used to pass in -triumphal procession towards the palace. - -Beyond the gateway a level road, once a populous thoroughfare, leads -to the Terra di Sabaio, a large square, fronting the Se Primaçial or -Cathedral of Saint Catherine, and flanked by the Casa Santa. Before -visiting the latter spot we turned to the left, and ascending a heap -of ruins, looked down upon the excavation, which now marks the place -where the Viceregal Palace rose. The building, which occupied more than -two acres of ground, has long been razed from the very foundations, and -the ground on which it stood is now covered with the luxuriant growth -of poisonous plants and thorny trees. As we wandered amidst them, a -solitary jackal, slinking away from the intruder, was the only living -being that met our view, and the deep bell of the cathedral, marking the -lapse of time for dozens, where hundreds of thousands had once hearkened -to it, the only sound telling of man’s presence that reached our ear. - -In the streets beyond, nothing but the foundations of the houses could -be traced, the tall cocoa and the lank grass waving rankly over many a -forgotten building. In the only edifices which superstition has hitherto -saved, the churches, convents, and monasteries, a window or two, dimly -lighted up, showed that here and there dwells some solitary priest. The -whole scene reminded us of the Arab’s eloquent description of the “city -with impenetrable gates, still, without a voice or a cheery inhabitant: -the owl hooting in its quarters, and birds skimming in circles in its -areas, and the raven croaking in its great thoroughfare streets, as -if bewailing those that had been in it.” What a contrast between the -moonlit scenery of the distant bay, smiling in all eternal Nature’s -loveliness, and the dull grey piles of ruined or desolate habitations, -the short-lived labours of man! - -We turned towards the Casa Santa, and with little difficulty climbed to -the top of the heaps which mark the front where its three gates stood. -In these remains the eye, perhaps influenced by imagination, detects -something more than usually dreary. A curse seems to have fallen upon it; -not a shrub springs between the fragments of stone, which, broken and -blackened with decay, are left to encumber the soil, as unworthy of being -removed. - -Whilst we were sitting there, an old priest, who was preparing to perform -mass in the cathedral, came up and asked what we were doing. - -“Looking at the Casa Santa,” we answered. He inquired if we were -Christian, meaning, of course, Roman Catholic. We replied in the -affirmative, intending, however, to use the designation in its ampler -sense. - -“Ah, very well,” replied our interrogator. “I put the question, because -the heretics from Bombay and other places always go to see the Casa Santa -first in order to insult its present state.” - -And the Señor asked us whether we would attend mass at the cathedral; we -declined, however, with a promise to admire its beauties the next day, -and departed once more on our wanderings. - -For an hour or two we walked about without meeting a single human being. -Occasionally we could detect a distant form disappearing from the road, -and rapidly threading its way through the thick trees as we drew near. -Such precaution is still deemed necessary at Goa, though the inducements -to robbery or violence, judging from the appearance of the miserable -inhabitants, must be very small. - -At last, fatigued with the monotony of the ruins and the length of -the walk, we retraced our steps, and passing down the Strada Diretta, -sat under the shade of a tree facing the Rio. Nothing could be more -delicately beautiful than the scene before us—the dark hills, clothed -with semi-transparent mist, the little streams glistening like lines -of silver over the opposite plain, and the purple surface of the creek -stretched at our feet. Most musically too, the mimic waves splashed -against the barrier of stone, and the soft whisperings of the night -breeze alternately rose and fell in unison with the voice of the waters. - -Suddenly we heard, or thought we heard, a groan proceeding from behind -the tree. It was followed by the usual Hindoo ejaculation of “Ram! -Ram!”[21] - -Our curiosity was excited. We rose from our seat and walked towards the -place whence the sound came. - -By the clear light of the moon we could distinguish the emaciated form -and features of an old Jogee.[22] He was sparingly dressed, in the -usual ochre-coloured cotton clothes, and sat upon the ground, with his -back against the trunk of the tree. As he caught sight of us, he raised -himself upon his elbow, and began to beg in the usual whining tone. - -“Thy gift will serve for my funeral,” he said with a faint smile, -pointing to a few plantain leaf platters, containing turmeric, red -powder, rice, and a few other similar articles. - -We inquired into what he considered the signs and symptoms of approaching -dissolution. It was a complaint that must have caused him intense pain, -which any surgeon could have instantly alleviated. We told him what -medical skill could do, offered to take him at once where assistance -could be procured, and warned him that the mode of suicide which he -proposed to carry out, would be one of most agonising description. - -“I consider this disease a token from the Bhagwán (the Almighty) that -this form of existence is finished!” and he stedfastly refused all aid. - -We asked whether pain might not make him repent his decision, perhaps too -late. His reply was characteristic of his caste. Pointing to a long sabre -cut, which seamed the length of his right side, he remarked, - -“I have been a soldier—under your rule. If I feared not death in fighting -at the word of the Feringee, am I likely, do you think, to shrink from it -when the Deity summons me?” - -It is useless to argue with these people; so we confined ourselves to -inquiring what had made him leave the Company’s service. - -He told us the old story, the cause of half the asceticism in the East—a -disappointment in an _affaire de cœur_. After rising to the rank of -_naick_, or corporal, very rapidly, in consequence of saving the life of -an officer at the siege of Poonah, he and a comrade obtained leave of -absence, and returned to their native hamlet, in the Maharatta hills. -There he fell in love, desperately, as Orientals only can, with the wife -of the village Brahman. A few months afterwards the husband died, and it -was determined by the caste brethren that the relict should follow him, -by the Suttee rite. The soldier, however, resolved to save her, and his -comrade, apprised of his plans, promised to aid him with heart and hand. - -The pyre was heaped up, and surrounded by a throng of gazers collected -to witness the ceremony, so interesting and exciting to a superstitious -people. - -At length the Suttee appeared, supported by her female relations, down -the path opened to her by the awe-struck crowd. Slowly she ascended the -pile of firewood; and, after distributing little gifts to those around, -sat down, with the head of the deceased in her lap. At each of the four -corners of the pyre was a Brahman, chaunting some holy song. Presently -the priest who stood fronting the south-east, retired to fetch the sacred -fire. - -Suddenly a horseman, clad in yellow clothes,[23] dashed out of a -neighbouring thicket. Before any had time to oppose him, his fierce -little Maharatta pony clove the throng, and almost falling upon his -haunches with the effort, stood motionless by the side of the still unlit -pyre. At that instant the widow, assisted by a friendly hand, rose from -her seat, and was clasped in the horseman’s arms. - -One touch of the long Maharatta spur, and the pony again bounds, plunging -through the crowd, towards the place whence he came. Another moment and -they will be saved! - -Just as the fugitives are disappearing behind the thicket, an arrow shot -from the bow of a Rankari,[24] missing its mark, pierces deep into the -widow’s side. - - * * * * * - -The soldier buried his paramour under the tree where we were sitting. -Life had no longer any charms for him. He never returned to his corps, -and resolved to devote himself to futurity. - -It was wonderful, considering the pain he must have been enduring, to -hear him relate his tale so calmly and circumstantially. - -The next morning, when we passed by the spot, three or four half-naked -figures, in the holy garb, were sitting like mourners round the body of -the old Jogee. - -Strange the contempt for life shown by all these metempsychosists. Had -we saved that man by main force—an impossibility, by the by, under the -circumstances of the case—he would have cursed us, during the remnant -of his days, for committing an act of bitter and unprovoked enmity. -With the Hindoo generally, death is a mere darkening of the stage -in the mighty theatre of mundane life. To him the Destroyer appears -unaccompanied by the dread ideas of the Moslem tomb-torments, or the -horror with which the Christian[25] looks towards the Great Day; and -if Judgment, and its consecutive state of reward or punishment, be not -utterly unknown to him, his mind is untrained to dwell upon such events. -Consequently, with him Death has lost half his sting, and the Pyre can -claim no victory over him. - - * * * * * - -Old Goa has few charms when seen by the light of day. The places usually -visited are the Se Primaçial (Cathedral), the nunnery of Santa Monaca, -and the churches of St. Francis, St. Gaetano, and Bom Jesus. The latter -contains the magnificent tomb of St. Francis Xavier. His saintship, -however, is no longer displayed to reverential gazers in mummy or -“scalded pig” form. Altogether we reckoned about thirty buildings. Many -of them were falling to ruins, and others were being, or had been, -partially demolished. The extraordinary amount of havoc committed -during the last thirty[26] years, is owing partly to the poverty of the -Portuguese. Like the modern Romans, they found it cheaper to carry away -cut stone, than to quarry it; but, unlike the inhabitants of the Eternal -City, they have now no grand object in preserving the ruins. At Panjim, -we were informed that even the wood-work that decorates some of the -churches, had been put up for sale. - -The edifices, which are still in good repair, may be described in very -few words. They are, generally speaking, large rambling piles, exposing -an extensive surface of white-washed wall, surmounted by sloping roofs -of red tile, with lofty belfries and small windows. The visitor will -admire the vastness of the design, the excellence of the position, and -the adaptation of the architecture to the country and climate. But there -his praise will cease. With the exception of some remarkable wood-work, -the minor decorations of paintings and statues are inferior to those of -any Italian village church. As there is no such thing as coloured marble -in the country, parts of the walls are painted exactly in the style of -a small _cabaret_ in the south of France. The frescoes are of the most -grotesque description. Pontius Pilate is accommodated with a huge Turkish -turban; and the other saints and sinners appear in costumes equally -curious in an historical and pictorial point of view. Some groups, as -for instance the Jesuit martyrs upon the walls of Saint Francis, are -absolutely ludicrous. Boiled, roasted, grilled and hashed missionaries, -looking more like seals than men, gaze upon you with an eternal smile. -A semi-decapitated individual stands bolt upright during the painful -process which is being performed by a score of grim-looking heathen. And -black savages are uselessly endeavouring to stick another dart in the -epidermis of some unfortunate, whose body has already become more - - “Like an Egyptian porcupig” - -than aught human. One may fancy what an exhibition it is, from the -following fact. Whenever a picture or fresco fades, the less brilliant -parts are immediately supplied with a coating of superior vividness by -the hand of a common house-decorator. They reminded us forcibly of the -studio of an Anglo-Indian officer, who, being devotedly fond of pictorial -pursuits, and rather pinched for time withal, used to teach his black -servants to lay the blue, green, and brown on the canvas, and when he -could spare a leisure moment, return to scrape, brush, and glaze the -colour into sky, trees, and ground. - -Very like the paintings is the sculpture: it presents a series of -cherubims, angels, and saints, whose very aspect makes one shudder, and -think of Frankenstein. Stone is sometimes, wood the material generally -used. The latter is almost always painted to make the statue look as -unlike life as possible. - -Yet in spite of these disenchanting details, a feeling not unallied to -awe creeps over one when wandering down the desert aisles, or through -the crowdless cloisters. In a cathedral large enough for a first-rate -city in Europe, some twenty or thirty native Christians may be seen -at their devotions, and in monasteries built for hundreds of monks, a -single priest is often the only occupant. The few human beings that -meet the eye, increase rather than diminish the dismal effect of the -scene; as sepulchral looking as the spectacle around them, their pallid -countenances, and emaciated forms seem so many incarnations of the curse -of desolation which still hovers over the ruins of Old Goa. - - * * * * * - -We felt curious to visit the nunnery of Santa Monaca, an order said to -be strict in the extreme. The nuns are called madres (mothers) by the -natives, in token of respect, and are supposed to lead a very correct -life. Most of these ladies are born in the country; they take the veil at -any age when favoured with a vocation. - -Our curiosity was disappointed. All we saw was a variety of black -handmaids, and the portress, an antiquated lay sister, who insisted -upon our purchasing many rosaries and sweetmeats. Her garrulity was -excessive; nothing would satisfy her desire for mastering the intricacies -of modern Portuguese annals but a long historical sketch by us fancifully -impromptued. Her heart manifestly warmed towards us when we gave her the -information required. Upon the strength of it she led us into a most -uninteresting chapel, and pointed out the gallery occupied by the nuns -during divine service. As, however, a close grating and a curtain behind -it effectually conceal the spot from eyes profane, we derived little -advantage from her civility. We hinted and hinted that an introduction to -the prioress would be very acceptable—in vain; and when taking heart of -grace we openly asked permission to view the cloisters, which are said -to be worth seeing, the amiable old _soror_ replied indignantly, that it -was utterly impossible. It struck us forcibly that there was some mystery -in the case, and accordingly determined to hunt it out. - -“Did the Sahib tell them that he is an Englishman?” asked Salvador, after -at least an hour’s hesitation, falsification, and prevarication produced -by a palpable desire to evade the subject. - -We answered affirmatively, and inquired what our country had to do with -our being refused admittance? - -“Everything,” remarked Salvador. He then proceeded to establish the truth -of his assertion by a variety of distorted and disjointed fragments of an -adventure, which the labour of our ingenious cross-questioning managed to -put together in the following form. - -“About ten years ago,” said Salvador, “I returned to Goa with my master, -Lieut. ⸺, of the — Regt., a very clever gentleman, who knew everything. -He could talk to each man of a multitude in his own language, and all of -them would appear equally surprised by, and delighted with him. Besides, -his faith was every man’s faith. In a certain Mussulmanee country he -married a girl, and divorced her a week afterwards. Moreover, he -chaunted the Koran, and the circumcised dogs considered him a kind of -saint. The Hindoos also respected him, because he always eat his beef -in secret, spoke religiously of the cow, and had a devil, (_i.e._, some -heathen image) in an inner room. At Cochin he went to the Jewish place of -worship, and read a large book, just like a priest. Ah! he was a clever -Sahib that! he could send away a rampant and raging creditor playful as a -little goat, and borrow more money from Parsees at less interest than was -ever paid or promised by any other gentleman in the world. - -“At last my master came to Goa, where of course he became so pious -a Christian that he kept a priest in the house—to perfect him in -Portuguese—and attended mass once a day. And when we went to see the -old city, such were the fervency of his lamentations over the ruins of -the Inquisition, and the frequency of his dinners to the Padre of Saint -Francis, that the simple old gentleman half canonized him in his heart. -But I guessed that some trick was at hand, when a pattimar, hired for a -month, came and lay off the wharf stairs, close to where the Sahib is -now sitting; and presently it appeared that my officer had indeed been -cooking a pretty kettle of fish! - -“My master had been spending his leisure hours with the Prioress of -Santa Monaca, who—good lady—when informed by him that his sister, a -young English girl, was only waiting till a good comfortable quiet -nunnery could be found for her, not only showed her new friend about the -cloisters and dormitories, but even introduced him to some of the nuns. -Edifying it must have been to see his meek countenance as he detailed -to the Madres his well-digested plans for the future welfare of that -apocryphal little child, accompanied with a thousand queries concerning -the style of living, the moral and religious education, the order and the -discipline of the convent. The Prioress desired nothing more than to have -an English girl in her house—except, perhaps, the monthly allowance of a -hundred rupees which the affectionate brother insisted upon making to her. - -“You must know, Sahib, that the madres are, generally speaking, by no -means good-looking. They wear ugly white clothes, and cut their hair -short, like a man’s. But, the Latin professor—” - -“The who?” - -“The Latin professor, who taught the novices and the younger nuns -learning, was a very pretty white girl, with large black eyes, a -modest smile, and a darling of a figure. As soon as I saw that Latin -professor’s face, I understood the whole nature and disposition of the -affair. - -“My master at first met with some difficulty, because the professor did -not dare to look at him, and, besides, was always accompanied by an elder -sister.” - -“Then, how did he manage?” - -“Hush, sir, for Santa Maria’s sake; here comes the priest of Bom Jesus, -to return the Sahib’s call.” - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -RETURN TO PANJIM. - - -Once more the canoe received us under its canopy, and the boatmen’s oars, -plunging into the blue wave, sounded an adieu to old Goa. After the last -long look, with which the departing vagrant contemplates a spot where he -has spent a happy day or two, we mentally reverted to the adventure of -the Latin professor, and made all preparations for hearing it to the end. - -“Well, Sahib,” resumed Salvador, “I told you that my master’s known skill -in such matters was at first baffled by the professor’s bashfulness, -and the presence of a grim-looking sister. But he was not a man to be -daunted by difficulties: in fact, he became only the more ardent in the -pursuit. By dint of labour and perseverance, he succeeded in bringing -the lady to look at him, and being rather a comely gentleman, that was -a considerable point gained. Presently her eternal blushings gave way, -though occasionally one would pass over her fair face when my master’s -eyes lingered a little too long there: the next step in advance was the -selection of an aged sister, who, being half blind with conning over her -breviary, and deaf as a dead donkey, made a very suitable escort.” - -“Pray, how did you learn all these particulars?” - -“Ah, Sahib,” replied Salvador, “my master became communicative enough -when he wanted my services, and during the trip which we afterwards made -down the coast. - -“I was now put forward in the plot. After two days spent in lecturing me -as carefully as a young girl is primed for her first confession, I was -sent up to the nunnery with a bundle of lies upon my tongue, and a fatal -necessity for telling them under pain of many kicks. I did it, but my -repentance has been sincere, so may the Virgin forgive me!” ejaculated -Salvador, with fervent piety, crossing himself at the same time. - -“And, Sahib, I also carried a present of some Cognac—called European -medicine—to the prioress, and sundry similar little gifts to the other -officials, not excepting the Latin professor. To her, I presented a -nosegay, containing a little pink note, whose corner just peeped out of -the chambeli[27] blossoms. With fear and trembling I delivered it, and -was overjoyed to see her presently slip out of the room. She returned -in time to hear me tell the prioress that my master was too ill to wait -upon them that day, and by the young nun’s earnest look as she awaited my -answer to the superior’s question concerning the nature of the complaint, -I concluded that the poor thing was in a fair way for perdition. My reply -relieved their anxiety. Immediately afterwards their curiosity came into -play. A thousand questions poured down upon me, like the pitiless pelting -of a monsoon rain. My master’s birth, parentage, education, profession, -travels, rank, age, fortune, religion, and prospects, were demanded -and re-demanded, answered and re-answered, till my brain felt tired. -According to instructions, I enlarged upon his gallantry in action, -his chastity and temperance, his love for his sister, and his sincere -devotion to the Roman Catholic faith.” - -“A pretty specimen of a rascal you proved yourself, then!” - -“What could I do, Sahib?” said Salvador, with a hopeless shrug of the -shoulders, and an expression of profound melancholy. “My master never -failed to find out a secret, and had I deceived him—” - -“Well!” - -“My allusion to the sister provoked another outburst of inquisitiveness. -On this subject, also, I satisfied them by a delightful description of -the dear little creature, whose beauty attracted, juvenile piety edified, -and large fortune enchanted every one. The eyes of the old prioress -glistened from behind her huge cheeks, as I dwelt upon the latter part of -the theme especially: but I remarked the Latin professor was so little -interested by it, that she had left the room. When she returned, a book, -bound in dirty white parchment, with some huge letters painted on the -back of the binding, was handed over to me for transmission to my master; -who, it appears, had been very anxious to edify his mind by perusing the -life of the holy Saint Augustine. - -“After at least three hours spent in perpetual conversation, and the -occasional discussion of mango cheese, I was allowed to depart, laden -with messages, amidst a shower of benedictions upon my master’s head, -prayers for his instant recovery, and anticipations of much pleasure in -meeting him. - -“I should talk till we got to Calicut, Sahib, if I were to detail to you -the adventures of the ensuing fortnight. My master passed two nights in -the cloisters—not praying, I suppose; the days he spent in conversation -with the prioress and sub-prioress, two holy personages who looked rather -like Guzerat apes than mortal women. At the end of the third week a -swift-sailing pattimar made its appearance. - -“I was present when my master took leave of the Superior, and an -affecting sight it was; the fervour with which he kissed the hand of -his ‘second mother,’ his ‘own dear sister’s future protectress.’ How -often he promised to return from Bombay, immediately that the necessary -preparations were made! how carefully he noted down the many little -commissions entrusted to him! And, how naturally his eyes moistened as, -receiving the benediction, he withdrew from the presence of the reverend -ladies! - -“But that same pattimar was never intended for Bombay; I knew THAT! - -“My master and I immediately packed up everything. Before sunset all the -baggage and servants were sent on board, with the exception of myself, -who was ordered to sit under the trees on the side of the wharf, and -an Affghan scoundrel, who went out walking with the Sahib about eleven -o’clock that night. The two started, in native dresses, with their -turbans concealing all but the parts about their eyes; both carried naked -knives, long and bright enough to make one shake with fear, tucked under -their arms, with dark lanterns in their hands. My master’s face—as usual -when he went upon such expeditions—was blackened, and with all respect, -speaking in your presence, I never saw an English gentleman look more -like a Mussulman thief!” - -“But why make such preparations against a house full of unprotected -women?” - -“Because, Sahib,” replied Salvador, “at night there are always some men -about the nunnery. The knives, however, were only in case of an accident; -for, as I afterwards learned, the Latin professor had mixed up a little -datura[28] seed with the tobacco served out to the guards that evening. - -“A little after midnight I felt a kick, and awoke. Two men hurried me on -board the pattimar, which had weighed anchor as the clock struck twelve. -Putting out her sweeps she glided down the Rio swiftly and noiselessly. - -“When the drowsiness of sleep left my eyelids I observed that the two men -were my master and that ruffian Khudadad. I dared not, however, ask any -questions, as they both looked fierce as wounded tigers, though the Sahib -could not help occasionally showing a kind of smile. They went to the -head of the boat, and engaged in deep conversation, through the medium of -some tongue to me unknown; and it was not before we had passed under the -guns of the Castello, and were dancing merrily over the blue water, that -my officer retired to his bed. - -“And what became of the Latin professor?” - -“The Sahib shall hear presently. In the morning I was called up for -examination, but my innocence bore me through that trial safely. My -master naturally enough suspected me of having played him some trick. The -impression, however, soon wore off, and I was favoured with the following -detail of his night’s adventure. - -“Exactly as the bell struck twelve, my Sahib and his cut-throat had -taken their stand outside the little door leading into the back-garden. -According to agreement previously made, one of them began to bark like -a jackal, while the other responded regularly with the barking of a -watch-dog. After some minutes spent in this exercise they carefully -opened the door with a false key, stole through the cloisters, having -previously forced the lock of the grating with their daggers, and made -their way towards the room where the Latin professor slept. But my -master, in the hurry of the moment, took the wrong turning, and found -himself in the chamber of the sub-prioress, whose sleeping form was -instantly raised, embraced, and borne off in triumph by the exulting -Khudadad. - -“My officer lingered for a few minutes to ascertain that all was right. -He then crept out of the room, closed the door outside, passed through -the garden, carefully locked the gate, whose key he threw away, and ran -towards the place where he had appointed to meet Khudadad, and his lovely -burthen. But imagine his horror and disgust when, instead of the expected -large black eyes and the pretty little rosebud of a mouth, a pair of -rolling yellow balls glared fearfully in his face, and two big black -lips, at first shut with terror, began to shout and scream and abuse him -with all their might. - -“‘Khudadad, we have eaten filth,’ said my master, ‘how are we to lay this -she-devil?’ - -“‘Cut her throat?’ replied the ruffian. - -“‘No, that won’t do. Pinion her arms, gag her with your handkerchief, and -leave her—we must be off instantly.’ - -“So they came on board, and we set sail as I recounted to your honour.” - -“But why didn’t your master, when he found out his mistake, return for -the Latin professor?” - -“Have I not told the Sahib that the key of the garden-gate had been -thrown away, the walls cannot be scaled, and all the doors are bolted and -barred every night as carefully as if a thousand prisoners were behind -them?” - - * * * * * - -The population of Goa is composed of three heterogeneous elements, -namely, pure Portuguese, black Christians, and the heathenry. A short -description of each order will, perhaps, be acceptable to the reader. - -The European portion of Goanese society may be subdivided into two -distinct parts—the officials, who visit India on their tour of service, -and the white families settled in the country. The former must leave -Portugal for three years; and if in the army get a step by so doing. -At the same time as, unlike ourselves, they derive no increase of pay -from the expatriation, their return home is looked forward to with great -impatience. Their existence in the East must be one of endurance. They -complain bitterly of their want of friends, the disagreeable state -of society, and the dull stagnant life they are compelled to lead. -They despise their dark brethren, and consider them uncouth in manner, -destitute of _usage_ in society, and deficient in honour, courage,[29] -and manliness. The despised retort by asserting that the white Portuguese -are licentious, ill-informed, haughty, and reserved. No better proof -of how utterly the attempt to promote cordiality between the European -and the Asiatic by a system of intermarriage and equality of rights -has failed in practice can be adduced, than the utter contempt in -which the former holds the latter at Goa. No Anglo-Indian Nabob sixty -years ago ever thought less of a “nigger” than a Portuguese officer -now does. But as there is perfect equality, political[30] as well as -social, between the two colours, the “whites,” though reduced to the -level of the herd, hold aloof from it; and the “blacks” feel able to -associate with those who despise them but do so rarely and unwillingly. -Few open signs of dislike appear to the unpractised observer in the -hollow politeness always paraded whenever the two parties meet; but when -a Portuguese gentleman becomes sufficiently intimate with a stranger -to be communicative, his first political diatribe is directed against -his dark fellow-subjects. We were assured by a high authority that the -native members of a court-martial, if preponderating, would certainly -find a European guilty, whether rightly or wrongly, _n’importe_. The -same gentleman, when asked which method of dealing with the natives he -preferred, Albuquerque’s or that of Leadenhall Street, unhesitatingly -replied, “the latter, as it is better to keep one’s enemies out of -doors.” How like the remark made to Sir A. Burnes by Runjeet Singh, the -crafty old politician of Northern India. - -The reader may remember that it was Albuquerque[31] who advocated -marriages between the European settlers and the natives of India. -However reasonable it might have been to expect the amalgamation of the -races in the persons of their descendants, experience and stern facts -condemn the measure as a most delusive and treacherous political day -dream. It has lost the Portuguese almost everything in Africa as well as -Asia. May Heaven preserve our rulers from following their example! In our -humble opinion, to tolerate it is far too liberal a measure to be a safe -one. - -The white families settled in the country were formerly called Castissos -to distinguish them from Reinols. In appearance there is little -difference between them; the former are somewhat less robust than the -latter, but both are equally pallid and sickly-looking—they dress alike, -and allow the beard and mustachios[32] to grow. This colonist class is -neither a numerous nor an influential one. As soon as intermarriage -with the older settlers takes place the descendants become Mestici—in -plain English, mongrels. The flattering term is occasionally applied to -a white family which has been settled in the country for more than one -generation, “for although,” say the Goanese, “there is no mixture of -blood, still there has been one of air or climate, which comes to the -same thing.” Owing to want of means, the expense of passage, and the -unsettled state of the home country, children are very seldom sent to -Portugal for education. They presently degenerate, from the slow but sure -effects of a debilitating climate, and its concomitant evils, inertness, -and want of excitement. Habituated from infancy to utter idleness, and -reared up to consider the _far niente_ their _summum bonum_, they have -neither the will nor the power of active exertion in after years. - -There is little wealth among the classes above described. Rich families -are rare, landed property is by no means valuable; salaries small;[33] -and in so cheap a country as Goa anything beyond 200_l._ or 300_l._ -a-year would be useless. Entertainments are not common; a ball every six -months at Government House, a few dinner parties, and an occasional -_soirée_ or _nautch_, make up the list of gaieties. In the different -little villages where the government _employés_ reside, once a week there -is quadrilling and waltzing, _à l’antique_, some flirting, and a great -deal of smoking in the verandah with the ladies, who are, generally -speaking, European. Gambling is uncommon; high play unknown. The theatre -is closed as if never to open again. No serenades float upon the evening -gale, the _guitarra_ hangs dusty and worm-eaten against the wall, and -the _cicisbeo_ is known only by name. Intrigue does not show itself so -flauntingly as in Italy, and other parts of Southern Europe. Scandal, -however, is as plentiful as it always is in a limited circle of idle -society. The stranger who visits Goa, persuaded that he is to meet with -the freedom of manners and love of pleasure which distinguish the people -of the Continent, will find himself grievously mistaken. The priesthood -is numerous, and still influential, if not powerful. The fair sex has not -much liberty here, and their natural protectors are jealous as jailers. - -The ancient Portuguese _costume de dame_, a plain linen cap, long white -waistcoat, with ponderous rosary slung over it, thick striped and -coloured petticoat, and, out of doors, a huge white, yellow, blue, or -black calico sheet, muffling the whole figure—is now confined to the -poor—the ladies dress according to the Parisian fashions. As, however, -steamers and the overland route have hitherto done little for Goa, -there is considerable grotesqueness to be observed in the garments of -the higher as well as the lower orders. The usual mode of life among -the higher orders is as follows:—They rise early, take a cold bath, and -make a light breakfast at some time between seven and nine. This is -followed by a dinner, usually at two; it is a heavy meal of bread, meat, -soup, fish, sweetmeats, and fruits, all served up at the same time, in -admirable confusion. There are two descriptions of wine, in general -use; the _tinto_ and _branco_,[34] both imported from Portugal. About -five in the evening some take tea and biscuits, after awaking from the -siesta and bathing; a stroll at sunset is then indulged in, and the -day concludes with a supper of fish, rice, and curry. Considering the -little exercise in vogue, the quantity of food consumed is wonderful. The -Goanese smoke all day, ladies as well as gentlemen; but cheroots, cigars, -and the hookah are too expensive to be common. A pinch of Virginia -or Maryland, uncomfortably wrapped up in a dried plantain leaf, and -called a _cannudo_, is here the poor succedaneum for the charming little -_cigarita_ of Spain. The talented author of a “Peep at Polynesian Life” -assures us, that, “strange as it may seem, there is nothing in which a -young and beautiful female appears to more advantage than in the act -of smoking.” We are positive that nothing is more shocking than to see -a Goanese lady handling her _biree_,[35] except to hear the peculiarly -elaborate way in which she ejects saliva when enjoying her weed. - -The reader who knows anything of India will at once perceive the -difference between English and Portuguese life in the East. The former -is stormy from perpetual motion, the latter stagnant with long-continued -repose. Our eternal “knocking about” tells upon us sooner or later. A -Portuguese lieutenant is often greyheaded before he gets his company; -whereas some of our captains have scarcely a hair upon their chins. But -the former eats much and drinks little, smokes a pinch of tobacco instead -of Manillas, marries early, has a good roof over his head, and, above -all things, knows not what marching and counter-marching mean. He never -rides, seldom shoots, cannot hunt, and ignores mess tiffins and guest -nights. No wonder that he neither receives nor gives promotion. - -An entertainment at the house of a Goanese noble presents a curious -contrast to the semi-barbarous magnificence of our Anglo-Indian “doings.” -In the one as much money as possible is lavished in the worst way -imaginable; the other makes all the display which taste, economy, and -regard for effect combined produce. The balls given at the palace are, -probably, the prettiest sights of the kind in Western India. There is -a variety of costumes, which if not individually admirable, make up -an effective _tout ensemble_; even the dark faces, in uniforms and -ball dresses, tend to variegate and diversify the scene. The bands are -better than the generality of our military musicians, European as well -as Native, and the dancing, such as it is, much more spirited. For the -profusion of refreshments,—the ices, champagne, and second suppers, which -render a Bombay ball so pernicious a thing in more ways than one, here we -look in vain. - -The dinner parties resemble the other entertainments in economy and -taste; the table is decorated, as in Italy, with handsome China vases, -containing bouquets, fruits, and sweetmeats, which remain there all -the time. Amongst the higher classes the cookery is all in the modified -French style common to the South of Europe. The wines are the white -and red _vins ordinaires_ of Portugal; sometimes a bottle of port, or -a little bitter beer from Bombay, are placed upon the table. The great -annoyance of every grand dinner is the long succession of speeches which -concludes it. A most wearisome recreation it is, certainly, when people -have nothing to do but to propose each other’s healths in long orations, -garnished with as many facetious or flattering platitudes as possible. -After each speech all rise up, and with loud “vivas” wave their glasses, -and drain a few drops in honour of the accomplished _caballero_ last -lauded. The language used is Portuguese; on the rare occasions when the -person addressed or alluded to is a stranger, then, probably, Lusitanian -French will make its appearance. We modestly suggest to any reader who -may find himself in such predicament the advisability of imitating our -example. - -On one occasion after enduring half an hour’s encomium delivered in a -semi-intelligible dialect of Parisian, we rose to return thanks, and -for that purpose selecting the English language, we launched into that -inexhaustible theme for declamation, the glories of the Portuguese -eastern empire, beginning at De Gama, and ending with his Excellency -the Governor-General of all the Indies, who was sitting hard by. It is -needless to say that our oratory excited much admiration, the more, -perhaps, as no one understood it. The happiest results ensued—during our -stay at Goa we never were urged to address the company again. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -THE POPULATION OF PANJIM. - - -The black Christians, like the whites, may be subdivided into two orders; -first, the converted Hindoos; secondly, the mixed breed of European and -Indian blood. Moreover, these latter have another distinction, being -either Brahman Christians, as they ridiculously term themselves, on -account of their descent from the Hindoo pontifical caste, or common -ones. The only perceptible difference between them is, we believe, a -moral one; the former are justly renowned for extraordinary deceitfulness -and treachery. They consider themselves superior to the latter in point -of dignity, and anciently enjoyed some peculiar privileges, such as the -right of belonging to the orders of the _Theatins_, or regular clerks, -and Saint Philip Nerius.[36] But in manners, appearance, customs, and -education, they exactly resemble the mass of the community. - -The Mestici, or mixed breed, composes the great mass of society at Goa; -it includes all classes, from the cook to the government official. In -1835 one of them rose to the highest post of dignity, but his political -career was curt and remarkably unsuccessful. Some half-castes travel in -Europe, a great many migrate to Bombay for service and commerce, but the -major part stays at Goa to stock professions, and support the honour of -the family. It would be, we believe, difficult to find in Asia an uglier -or more degraded looking race than that which we are now describing. -The forehead is low and flat, the eyes small, quick, and restless; -there is a mixture of sensuality and cunning about the region of the -mouth, and a development of the lower part of the face which are truly -unprepossessing, not to say revolting. Their figures are short and small, -with concave chests, the usual calfless Indian leg, and a remarkable want -of muscularity. In personal attractions the fair sex is little superior -to the other. During the whole period of our stay at Goa we scarcely -ever saw a pretty half-caste girl. At the same time we must confess that -it is difficult to pronounce judgment upon this point, as women of good -mixed family do not appear before casual visitors. And this is of course -deemed a sign of superior modesty and chastity, for the black Christians, -Asiatically enough, believe it impossible for a female to converse -with a strange man and yet be virtuous. The dark ladies affect the old -Portuguese costume, described in the preceding chapter; a few of the -wealthiest dress like Europeans. Their education is purposely neglected—a -little reading of their vernacular tongue, with the Ave and other prayers -in general use, dancing, embroidery, and making sweetmeats,[37] are -considered _satis superque_ in the way of accomplishments. Of late years, -a girls’ school has been established by order of government at Panjim, -but a single place of the kind is scarcely likely to affect the mass of -the community. The life led by the fair sex at Goa must be, one would -think, a dull one. Domestic occupations, smoking, a little visiting, and -going to church, especially on the _ferie_, or festivals, lying in bed, -sitting _en deshabille_, riding about in a mancheel, and an occasional -dance—such are the blunt weapons with which they attack Time. They marry -early, begin to have a family probably at thirteen, are old women at -twenty-two, and decrepit at thirty-five. Like Indians generally, they -appear to be defective in amativeness, abundant in philoprogenitiveness, -and therefore not much addicted to intrigues. At the same time we must -record the fact, that the present archbishop has been obliged to issue -an order forbidding nocturnal processions, which, as they were always -crowded with lady devotees, gave rise to certain obstinate scandals. - -The mongrel men dress as Europeans, but the quantity of clothing -diminishes with the wearer’s rank. Some of the lower orders, especially -in the country, affect a full-dress costume, consisting _in toto_, of -a cloth jacket and black silk knee breeches. Even the highest almost -always wear coloured clothes, as, by so doing, the washerman is less -required. They are intolerably dirty and disagreeable:—verily cleanliness -ought to be made an article of faith in the East. They are fond of -spirituous liquors, and seldom drink, except honestly for the purpose -of intoxication. As regards living, they follow the example of their -white fellow-subjects in all points, except that they eat more rice -and less meat. Their characters may be briefly described as passionate -and cowardly, jealous and revengeful, with more of the vices than the -virtues belonging to the two races from which they are descended. In -early youth, especially before arriving at years of puberty, they evince -a remarkable acuteness of mind, and facility in acquiring knowledge. -They are equally quick at learning languages, and the lower branches of -mathematical study, but they seem unable to obtain any results from their -acquirements. Goa cannot boast of ever having produced a single eminent -literato, or even a second-rate poet. To sum up in a few words, the -mental and bodily development of this class are remarkable only as being -a strange _mélange_ of European and Asiatic peculiarities, of antiquated -civilization and modern barbarism. - -We before alluded to the deep-rooted antipathy between the black and -the white population: the feeling of the former towards an Englishman -is one of dislike not unmingled with fear. Should Portugal ever doom -her now worse than useless colony to form part payment of her debts, -their fate would be rather a hard one. Considering the wide spread of -perhaps too liberal opinions concerning the race quaintly designated as -“God’s images carved in ebony,” they might fare respectably as regards -public estimation, but scarcely well enough to satisfy their inordinate -ambition. It is sufficiently amusing to hear a young gentleman, whose -appearance, manners, and colour fit him admirably to become a band-boy to -some Sepoy corps, talk of visiting Bombay, with letters of introduction -to the Governor and Commander-in-chief. Still more diverting it is when -you know that the same character would invariably deduct a perquisite -from the rent of any house he may have procured, or boat hired for a -stranger. Yet at the same time it is hard for a man who speaks a little -English, French, Latin, and Portuguese to become the lower clerk of -some office on the paltry pay of 70_l._ per annum; nor is it agreeable -for an individual who has just finished his course of mathematics, -medicine, and philosophy to sink into the lowly position of an assistant -apothecary in the hospital of a native regiment. No wonder that the black -Indo-Portuguese is an utter radical; he has gained much by Constitution, -the “dwarfish demon” which sets everybody by the ears at Goa. Hence it is -that he will take the first opportunity in conversation with a foreigner -to extol Lusitanian liberty to the skies, abuse English tyranny over, -and insolence to, their unhappy Indian subjects, and descant delightedly -upon the probability of an immediate crash in our Eastern empire. And, -as might be expected, although poverty sends forth thousands of black -Portuguese to earn money in foreign lands, they prefer the smallest -competence at home, where equality allows them to indulge in a favourite -independence of manner utterly at variance with our Anglo-Indian notions -concerning the proper demeanour of a native towards a European. - -The native Christian is originally a converted Hindoo, usually of the -lowest castes;[38] and though he has changed for centuries his manners, -dress, and religion, he retains to a wonderful extent the ideas, -prejudices, and superstitions of his ancient state. The learned _griff_, -Bishop Heber, in theorizing upon the probable complexion of our First -Father, makes a remark about these people, so curiously erroneous, that -it deserves to be mentioned. “The Portuguese have, during a three hundred -years’ residence in India, become as black as Caffres; surely this goes -far to disprove the assertion which is sometimes made, that climate -alone is insufficient to account for the difference between the Negro -and the European.” Climate in this case had nothing whatever to do with -the change of colour. And if it had, we might instance as an argument -against the universality of such atmospheric action, the Parsee, who, -though he has been settled in the tropical lands of India for more than -double three hundred years, is still, in appearance, complexion, voice, -and manners, as complete an Iranian as when he first fled from his native -mountains. But this is _par parenthèse_. - -The native Christians of Goa always shave the head; they cultivate an -apology for a whisker, but never allow the beard or mustachios to grow. -Their dress is scanty in the extreme, often consisting only of a dirty -rag, worn about the waist, and their ornaments, a string of beads round -the neck. The women are equally badly clothed: the single long piece of -cotton, called in India a saree, is their whole attire,[39] consequently -the bosom is unsupported and uncovered. This race is decidedly the lowest -in the scale of civilized humanity we have yet seen. In appearance they -are short, heavy, meagre, and very dark; their features are uncomely -in the extreme; they are dirtier than Pariahs, and abound in cutaneous -diseases. They live principally on fish and rice, with pork and fruit -when they can afford such luxuries. Meat as well as bread[40] is holiday -diet; clarified butter, rice, water, curry, and cocoa-nut milk are -every-day food. - -These people are said to be short lived, the result of hard labour, -early marriages, and innutritious food. We scarcely ever saw a man -that looked fifty. In disposition they resemble the half-castes, but -they are even more deficient in spirit, and quarrelsome withal, than -their “whitey-brown” brethren. All their knowledge is religious, and -consists only of a few prayers in corrupt Maharatta, taught them by their -parents or the priest; these they carefully repeat three times _per -diem_—at dawn, in the afternoon, and before retiring to rest. Loudness -of voice and a very Puritanical snuffle being _sine quâ nons_ in their -devotional exercises, the neighbourhood of a pious family is anything -but pleasant. Their superiority to the heathen around them consists in -eating pork, drinking toddy to excess, shaving the face, never washing, -and a conviction that they are going to paradise, whereas all other -religionists are emphatically not. They are employed as sepoys, porters, -fishermen, seamen, labourers, mancheel bearers, workmen and servants, and -their improvident indolence renders the necessity of hard labour at times -imperative. The carpenters, farriers, and other trades, not only ask an -exorbitant sum for working, but also, instead of waiting on the employer, -scarcely ever fail to keep him waiting for them. For instance, on Monday -you wanted a farrier, and sent for him. He politely replied that he was -occupied at that moment, but would call at his earliest convenience. -This, if you keep up a running fire of messages, will probably be about -the next Saturday. - -The visitor will not find at Goa that number and variety of heathen -castes which bewilder his mind at Bombay. The capital of Portuguese India -now stands so low amongst the cities of Asia that few or no inducements -are offered to the merchant and the trader, who formerly crowded her -ports. The Turk, the Arab, and the Persian have left them for a wealthier -mart, and the only strangers are a few Englishmen, who pass through the -place to visit its monuments of antiquity. - -The Moslem population at Panjim scarcely amounts to a thousand. They -have no place of worship, although their religion is now, like all -others, tolerated.[41] The distinctive mark of the Faithful is the long -beard. They appear superior beings by the side of the degenerate native -Christians. - -Next to the Christians, the Hindoos are the most numerous portion -of the community. They are held in the highest possible esteem and -consideration, and no office unconnected with religion is closed to -them. This fact may account for the admirable ease and freedom of -manner prevalent amongst them. The Gentoo will enter your room with his -slippers on, sit down after shaking hands as if the action were a matter -of course, chew his betel, and squirt the scarlet juice all over the -floor, in a word, make himself as offensive as you can conceive. But at -Goa all men are equal. Moreover, the heathens may be seen in Christian -churches,[42] with covered feet, pointing at, putting questions -concerning, and criticising the images with the same quite-at-home -_nonchalance_ with which they would wander through the porticoes of -Dwarka or the pagodas of Aboo. And these men’s fathers, in the good old -times of Goa, were not allowed even to burn their dead[43] in the land! - -In appearance the Hindoos are of a fair, or rather a light yellow -complexion. Some of the women are by no means deficient in personal -charms, and the men generally surpass in size and strength the present -descendants of the Portuguese heroes. They wear the mustachio, but not -the beard, and dress in the long cotton coat, with the cloth wound round -the waist, very much the same as in Bombay. The head, however, is usually -covered with a small red velvet skullcap, instead of a turban. The -female attire is the saree, with the long-armed bodice beneath it; their -ornaments are numerous; and their caste is denoted by a round spot of -kunkun, or vermilion, upon the forehead between the eyebrows. - -As usual among Hindoos, the pagans at Goa are divided into a number -of sub-castes. In the Brahman we find two great subdivisions, the -Sashteekar, or inhabitants of Salsette, and the Bardeskar, or people of -Bardes. The former is confessedly superior to the latter. Both families -will eat together, but they do not intermarry. Besides these two, there -are a few of the Chitpawan, Sinart, Kararee and Waishnau castes of the -pontifical order. - -The Brahmans always wear the tika, or sectarian mark, perpendicularly, -to distinguish them from the Sonars, or Goldsmiths, who place it -horizontally on the forehead. They are but superficially educated, as -few of them know Sanscrit, and these few not well. All read and write -Maharatta fluently, but they speak the inharmonious Concanee dialect. - -Next to the Brahmans, and resembling them in personal appearance, are -the Banyans, or traders. They seem to be a very thriving portion of the -population, and live in great comfort, if not luxury. - -The Shudra, or servile class of Hindoos, is, of course, by far the most -numerous; it contains many varieties, such as Bhandan (toddy-makers), -Koonbee (potters), Hajjam (barbers), &c. - -Of mixed castes we find the goldsmith, who is descended from a Brahman -father and servile mother, and the Kunchanee, or Εταιρη, whose maternal -parent is always a Maharatta woman, whatever the other progenitor may -chance to be. The outcasts are principally Chamars, or tanners, and -Parwars (Pariahs). - -These Hindoos very rarely become Christians, now that fire and steel, the -dungeon and the rack, the rice-pot and the rupee, are not allowed to play -the persuasive part in the good work formerly assigned to them. Indeed, -we think that conversion of the heathen is almost more common in British -than in Portuguese India, the natural result of our being able to pay the -proselytes more liberally. When such an event does occur at Goa, it is -celebrated at a church in the north side of the creek, opposite Panjim, -with all the pomp and ceremony due to the importance of spoiling a good -Gentoo by making a bad Christian of him. - -We were amused to witness on one occasion a proof of the high importance -attached to Hindoo opinion in this part of the world. Outside the church -of St. Agnes, in a little chapel, stood one of the lowest orders of black -priests, lecturing a host of naked, squatting, smoking, and chattering -auditors. Curiosity induced us to venture nearer, and we then discovered -that the theme was a rather imaginative account of the birth and life -of the Redeemer. Presently a group of loitering Gentoos, who had been -strolling about the church, came up and stood by our side. - -The effect of their appearance upon his Reverence’s discourse was -remarkable, as may be judged from the peroration, which was very much in -these words:— - -“You must remember, sons, that the _avatár_, or incarnation of your -blessed Lord, was in the form of a rajah, who ruled millions of men. He -was truly great and powerful; he rode the largest elephant ever trapped; -he smoked a hookah of gold, and when he went to war he led an army the -like of which for courage, numbers, and weapons was never seen before. He -would have conquered the whole world, from Portugal to China, had he not -been restrained by humility. But, on the last day, when he shall appear -even in greater state than before, he will lead us his people to most -glorious and universal victory.” - - * * * * * - -When the sermon concluded, and the listeners had wandered away in -different directions, we walked up to his Reverence and asked him if he -had ever read the Gospel. - -“Of course.” - -“Then where did you find the historical picture you so graphically drew -just now about the rajahship?” - -“Where?” said the fellow, grinning and pointing to his forehead: “here, -to be sure. Didn’t you see those Gentoos standing by and listening to -every word I was saying? A pretty thing it would have been to see the -pagans laughing and sneering at us Christians because the Founder of our -Blessed Faith was the son of a Burhaee.”[44] - -Such reasoning was conclusive. - -If our memory serve us aright, there is a story somewhat like the -preceding in the pages of the Abbé Dubois. Such things we presume must -constantly be taking place in different parts of India. On one occasion -we saw an unmistakable Lakhshmi[45] borne in procession amongst Christian -images, and, if history be trusted, formerly it was common to carry as -many Hindoo deities as European saints in the palanquins. On the other -hand, many a Gentoo has worn a crucifix for years, with firm faith in -the religious efficacy of the act, yet utterly ignorant of the nature of -the symbol he was bearing, and we have ourselves written many and many a -charm for ladies desirous of becoming prolific, or matrons fearful of -the evil eye being cast upon their offspring. - - * * * * * - -On our return from old Goa to Panjim we visited an establishment, which -may be considered rather a peculiar one. It is called the Caza de -Misericordia, and contains some forty or fifty young ladies, for the most -part orphans, of all colours, classes, and ages. They are educated by -nuns, under the direction of a superior and a committee, and when grown -up, remain in the house till they receive and accept suitable offers of -marriage. - -Hearing that it was not unusual to propose oneself as a suitor; with a -view of inspecting the curiosities of the establishment, we repaired to -the Caza, and were politely received by the old lady at the gate. After -showing us over the chapel and other public portions of the edifice, -she perceived that we had some other object, and presently discovered -that we were desirous of playing the part of Cœlebs in search of a -wife. Thereupon she referred us to another and more dignified relic -of antiquity, who, after a long and narrow look at our outward man, -proceeded to catechise us in the following manner. - -“You say, señor, that you want a wife; what may be your name?” - -“Peter Smith.” - -“Your religion?” - -“The Christian, señora.” - -“Your profession?” - -“An ensign in H. E. I. Company’s Navy.” - -Not satisfied with such authentic details, the inquisitive old lady began -a regular system of cross-questioning, and so diligently did she pursue -it, that we had some difficulty to prevent contradicting ourselves. At -length, when she had, as she supposed, thoroughly mastered the subject, -she requested us to step into a corridor, and to dispose of ourselves -upon a three-legged stool. This we did, leaning gracefully against the -whitewashed wall, and looking stedfastly at the open grating. Presently, -a wrinkled old countenance, with a skin more like a walnut’s than a -woman’s, peered through the bars, grinned at us, and disappeared. Then -came half-a-dozen juveniles, at the very least, tittering and whispering -most diligently, all of which we endured with stoical firmness, feeling -that the end of such things was approaching. - -At last, a sixteen-year old face gradually drew within sight from behind -the bars. That was clearly one of the young ladies. Now for it.— - -“Good day, and my respects to you, senorita!” - -“The same to you, sir.” - -Hem! It is rather a terrible thing to make love under such circumstances. -The draw upon one’s imagination in order to open the dialogue, is alone -sufficient to frighten Cupid out of the field. It was impossible to talk -of the weather, in that country where it burns, deluges, and chills with -the regularity of clock-work. So we plunged at once _in medias res_. - -“Should you like to be married, senorita?” - -“Yes, very much, señor.” - -“And why, if you would satisfy my curiosity?” - -“I don’t know.” - -Equally unsatisfactory was the rest of the conversation. So we bowed -politely, rose from our three-legged stool, and determined to seek an -interview with the Superior. Our request was at last granted, and we -found a personage admirably adapted, in point of appearance, to play -dragon over the treasures committed to her charge. She had a face which -reminded us exactly of a white horse, a body answerable, and manners -decidedly repulsive. However, she did not spare her tongue. She -informed us that there were twelve marriageable young ladies then in the -establishment, named them, and minutely described their birth, parentage, -education, mental and physiological development. She also informed us -that they would receive a dowry from the funds of the house, which, on -further inquiry, proved to be the sum of ten pounds. - -At length we thought there was an opportunity to put in a few words about -our grievance—how we had been placed on a three-legged stool before a -grating—exposed to the inquisitiveness of the seniors, and subjected to -the ridicule of the junior part of the community. We concluded with a -modest hint that we should like to be admitted within, and be allowed a -little conversation with the twelve marriageable young ladies to whom she -had alluded. - -The old lady suddenly became majestic. - -“Before you are admitted to such a privilege, señor, you must be kind -enough to address an official letter to the mesa, or board, explaining -your intentions, and requesting the desired permission. We are people -under government, and do not keep a naughty house. Do you understand me, -señor?” - -“Perfectly, madam.” - -Upon which we arose, scraped the ground thrice, with all the -laboriousness of Indo-Portuguese politeness, promised compliance in our -best phraseology, and rapidly disappeared, resolving never to near the -Caza de Misericordia again. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -SERODA. - - -After an unusually protracted term of isolation and friendlessness, we -were agreeably surprised by meeting Lieutenants L⸺ and T⸺, walking in -their shooting-jackets, somewhat slowly and disconsolately, down the -dusty wharf of New Goa. - -It is, we may here observe, by no means easy for a stranger—especially -if he be an Englishman—to get into Goanese society: more difficult still -to amuse himself when admitted. His mother tongue and Hindostanee will -not be sufficient for him. French, at least, or, what is more useful, -Portuguese should be well understood, if not fluently spoken. As the -generality of visitors pass merely a few days at Panjim, call at the -palace, have a card on the secretary, rush to the ruins, and then depart, -they expect and receive little attention. There are no messes to invite -them to—no public amusements or places of resort, and private families -do not easily open their doors. Besides, as might be expected, the -Goanese have occasionally suffered severely from individuals terming -themselves “British Officers.” It were well too, had the offenders been -always of the male sex: unfortunately for our national reputation, such -is by no means the case. However, a stranger may be sure that with his -commission, some knowledge of languages, and any letter of introduction, -he will be most hospitably received in society, such as it is. - -The unlearned in such matters may be disposed to inquire whether there -are no resident Englishmen at Goa. - -Certainly, there are a few; but they are, generally speaking, of that -class who have made Bombay too hot for them. Once in the Portuguese -territory, they may laugh at the bailiff, and fearlessly meet the -indignant creditor. The cheapness of the locality is, to certain -characters, another inducement; so that, on the whole, it is by no means -safe to become acquainted with any compatriot one may chance to meet at -Goa. - - * * * * * - -Now it so happened that all three of us had been reading and digesting a -rich account of Seroda, which had just appeared in one of the English -periodicals. We remembered glowing descriptions of a village, inhabited -by beautiful Bayaderes, governed by a lady of the same class—Eastern -Amazons, who permitted none of the rougher sex to dwell beneath the -shadow of their roof-trees—high caste maidens, who, having been -compelled to eat beef by the “tyrannical Portuguese in the olden time,” -had forfeited the blessings of Hindooism, without acquiring those of -Christianity,—lovely patriots, whom no filthy lucre could induce to quit -their peaceful homes: with many and many etceteras, equally enchanting to -novelty-hunters and excitement-mongers. - -We unanimously resolved to visit, without loss of time, a spot so -deservedly renowned. Having been informed by our old friend John Thomas, -that we should find everything in the best style at Seroda, we hired a -canoe, cursorily put up a few cigars, a change of raiment, and a bottle -of Cognac to keep out the cold; and, a little after sunset, we started -for our Fool’s Paradise. - -Our course lay towards the south-east. After about an hour’s rowing along -the coast, we entered a narrow channel, formed by the sea and innumerable -little streams that descend towards the main, winding through a dense -mass of bright green underwood. It was a lovely night, but the thick -dew soon compelled us to retreat under the mats destined to defend our -recumbent forms. The four boatmen that composed the crew must have been -sadly addicted to sleeping on duty, for, although the distance was only -fifteen miles, the sun appeared high in the heavens next morning before -we arrived at the landing-place. A guide was soon procured, and under -his direction we toiled up two miles of a steep and rocky path, through -a succession of cocoa groves, and a few parched-up fields scattered here -and there, till at last we saw, deep in a long narrow hollow, surrounded -by high hills, the bourne of our pilgrimage. - -The appearance of Seroda is intensely that of a Hindoo town. Houses, -pagodas, tombs, tanks, with lofty parapets, and huge flights of steps, -peepul trees, and bazaars, are massed together in chaotic confusion. No -such things as streets, lanes, or alleys exist. Your walk is invariably -stopped at the end of every dozen steps by some impediment, as a loose -wall, or a deep drop, passable only to the well practised denizens of -the place. The town is dirty in the extreme, and must be fearfully hot -in summer, as it is screened on all sides from the wind. The houses -are raised one story above the ground, and built solidly of stone and -mortar: as there is no attempt at order or regularity, their substantial -appearance adds much to the strangeness of the _coup d’œil_. - -To resume our personal adventures. Descending the slope which leads -through the main gate we wandered about utterly at a loss what to do, or -where to go, till a half-naked sample of the Hindoo male animal politely -offered to provide us with a lodging. Our hearts felt sad at witnessing -this practical proof of the presence of _man_kind, but sleepy, tired, and -hungry withal, we deferred sentimentalizing over shattered delusions and -gay hopes faded, till a more opportune moment, and followed him with all -possible alacrity. A few minutes afterwards we found ourselves under the -roof of one of the most respectable matrons in the town. We explained our -wants to her. The first and most urgent of the same being breakfast. She -stared at our ideas of that meal, but looked not more aghast than we did -when informed that it was too late to find meat, poultry, eggs, bread, -milk, butter, or wine in the market—in fact, that we must be contented -with “kichree”—a villanous compound of boiled rice and split vetches—as -a _pièce de resistance_, and whatever else Providence might please to -send us in the way of “kitchen?” - -Rude reality the second!— - -We had left all our servants behind at Panjim, and not an iota of our -last night’s supper had escaped the ravenous maws of the boatmen.— - -Presently matters began to mend. The old lady recollected that in days -of yore she had possessed a pound of tea, and, after much unlocking and -rummaging of drawers, she produced a remnant of that luxury. Perseverance -accomplished divers other feats, and after about an hour more of half -starvation we sat down to a breakfast composed of five eggs, a roll of -sour bread, plantains, which tasted exactly like edible cotton dipped -in _eau sucrée_, and a “fragrant infusion of the Chinese leaf,” whose -perfume vividly reminded us of the haystacks in our native land. Such -comforts as forks or spoons were unprocurable, the china was a suspicious -looking article, and the knives were apparently intended rather for -taking away animal life than for ministering to its wants. Sharp -appetites, however, removed all our squeamishness, and the board was -soon cleared. The sting of hunger blunted, we lighted our “weeds,” each -mixed a cordial potion in a tea-cup, and called aloud for the nautch, or -dance, to begin. - -This was the signal for universal activity. All the fair dames who had -been gazing listlessly or giggling at the proceedings of their strange -guests, now starting up as if animated with new life rushed off to don -their gayest apparel: even the grey-haired matron could not resist the -opportunity of displaying her gala dress, and enormous pearl nose-ring. -The tables were soon carried away, the rebec and kettledrum sat down in -rear of the _figurantes_, and the day began in real earnest. The singing -was tolerable for India, and the voices good. As usual, however, the -highest notes were strained from the chest, and the use of the _voix -de gorge_ was utterly neglected. The verses were in Hindostanee and -Portuguese, so that the performers understood about as much of them as -our young ladies when they perform Italian bravura songs. There was -little to admire either in the persons, the dress or the ornaments of the -dancers: common looking Maharatta women, habited in the usual sheet and -long-armed bodice, decked with wreaths of yellow flowers, the red mark -on the brow, large nose and ear-rings, necklaces, bracelets, bangles, -and chain or ring anklets, studded with strings of coarsely made little -brass bells. Some of them were very fair, having manifestly had the -advantage of one European progenitor: others showed the usual dark yellow -hue; the features were seldom agreeable, round heads, flat foreheads, -immense eyes, increased by the streaks of black dye along the thickness -of the eyelid, projecting noses, large lips, vanishing chins, and a huge -development of “jowl,” do not make up a very captivating physiognomy. A -few, but very few, of quite the youngest _figurantes_, were tolerably -pretty. They performed in sets for about four hours, concluding with the -_pugree_, or turban dance, a peculiar performance, in which one lady -takes the part of a man. - -Our matron informed us that Seroda contains about twenty establishments, -and a total number of fifty or sixty dancing-girls. According to -her account all the stars were at the time of our visit engaged at -Panjim, or the towns round about: personal experience enabled us to -pronounce that the best were in her house, and, moreover, that there -is scarcely a second-rate station in the Bombay Presidency that does -not contain prettier women and as good singers. The girls are bought in -childhood—their price varies from 3_l._ to 20_l._ according to the market -value of the animal. The offspring of a Bayadere belongs of right to -her owner. When mere children they are initiated in the mysteries of -_nautching_,—one young lady who performed before us could scarcely have -been five years old. Early habit engenders much enthusiasm for the art. -The proportion of those bought in distant lands to those born at Seroda -is said to be about one to five. Of late years the nefarious traffic has -diminished, but unhappily many are interested in keeping it up as much as -possible. - -Several of these _nautch_ women can read and write. Our matron was -powerful at reciting Sanscrit shlokas (stanzas), and as regards Pracrit, -the popular dialect, she had studied all the best known works, as the -“Panja Tantra,” together with the legends of Vikram, Rajah Bhoj, and -other celebrated characters. Their spoken language is the corrupt form of -Maharatta, called the Concanee,[46] in general use throughout the Goanese -territory; the educated mix up many Sanscrit vocables with it, and some -few can talk a little Portuguese. Their speaking voices are loud, hoarse, -and grating: each sentence, moreover, ends in a sing-song drawl, which -is uncommonly disagreeable to a stranger’s ear. These ladies all smoke, -chew betel-nut, drink wine and spirits, and eat fowls and onions, an -unequivocal sign of low caste. They do not refuse to quit Seroda, as is -generally supposed, but, of course, prefer their homes to other places. -Living being extremely cheap most of the money made by _nautching_ is -converted into pearl and gold ornaments; and these are handed down -from generation to generation. Some of the coins strung together into -necklaces are really curious. An old English five-guinea-piece may be -found by the side of a Portuguese St. Thomas, a French _Louis d’or_, and -a Roman medal of the Lower Empire. We should be puzzled to account for -how they came there, did we not know that India has from the earliest -ages been the great sink for Western gold. Many of the matrons have -collected a considerable stock of linen, pictures, and furniture for -their houses, besides dresses and ornaments. Our countrymen have been -liberal enough to them of late, and numerous, too, as the initials upon -the doors and shutters prove. Each establishment is violently jealous of -its neighbour, and all appear to be more remarkable for rapacity than -honesty. In spite of the general belief, we venture to assert that a -chain, a ring, or a watch, would find Seroda very dangerous quarters. As -a stranger soon learns, everything is done to fleece him; whether he have -five or five hundred rupees in his pocket, he may be sure to leave the -place without a farthing. This seems to be a time-honoured custom among -the Bayaderes cherished by them from immemorial antiquity. - - * * * * * - -When the rising shades of evening allowed us to escape from the house of -dancing, we sallied forth to view the abode in which Major G⸺ passed his -last years. The matron soon found a boy who preceded us to the place, -threading his way through a multitude of confused dwellings, climbing -over heaps of loose stones, walking along the walls of tanks, and groping -through the obscurity of the cocoa groves. At the end of this unusual -kind of walk, we found ourselves at the house, asked, and obtained leave -to enter it. There was nothing to attract attention in the building, -except a few old books; the peculiar character of its owner will, -perhaps, plead our excuse to the reader, if we dwell a little upon the -circumstances which led him to make Seroda his home. - -Major G⸺ was an officer who had served with distinction for many years -in a Native Regiment. He was a regular old Indian, one of the remnants of -a race which, like its brethren in the far west, is rapidly disappearing -before the eastward progress of civilisation in the shape of rails, -steamers, and overland communication. By perpetual intercourse with the -natives around him he had learned to speak and write their language -as well as, if not better than, his own. He preferred their society -to that of his fellow-countrymen: adopted the Hindoo dress; studied -their sciences, bowed to their prejudices, and became such a proficient -in the ritual of their faith as to be considered by them almost a -fellow-religionist. Having left England at an early age, with a store of -anything but grateful reminiscences, he had determined to make India his -country and his home, and the idea once conceived, soon grew familiar -to his mind. Knowing that there is no power like knowledge amongst a -semi-civilised people, and possibly inclined thereto by credulity, he -dived deep into the “dangerous art,” as the few books preserved at Seroda -prove. Ibn Sirin,[47] and Lily, the Mantras,[48] and Casaubon, works -on Geomancy, Astrology, Ihzar or the Summoning of Devils, Osteomancy, -Palmistry, Oneiromancy, and Divination. The relics of his library still -stand side by side there, to be eaten by the worms. - -Late in life Major G⸺ fell in love with a Seroda Nautch girl living under -his protection; not an usual thing in those days: he also set his mind -upon marrying her, decidedly a peculiar step. His determination gave rise -to a series of difficulties. No respectable Hindoo will, it is true, wed -a female of this class, yet, as usual amongst Indians, the caste has at -least as much pride and prejudice as many far superior to it. So Sita -would not accept a _mlenchha_ (infidel) husband, though she was perfectly -aware that she had no right to expect a _dwija_, or twice born one. - -But Major G⸺’s perseverance surmounted every obstacle. Several times the -lady ran away, he followed and brought her back by main force at the -imminent risk of his commission. At last, finding all opposition in vain, -possibly thinking to prescribe too hard a trial, or, perhaps, in the -relenting mood, she swore the most solemn oath that she would never marry -him unless he would retire from the service to live and die with her in -her native town. - -Major G⸺ at once sold out of his regiment, disappeared from the eyes -of his countrymen, bought a house at Seroda, married his enchantress, -and settled there for the remainder of his years. Many of the elder -inhabitants recollect him; they are fond of describing to you how -regularly every morning he would repair to the tank, perform his -ablutions, and offer up water to the manes of his _pitris_, or ancestors, -how religiously he attended all the festivals, and how liberal he was in -fees and presents to the Brahmans of the different pagodas. - -We were shown his tomb, or rather the small pile of masonry which marks -the spot where his body was reduced to ashes—a favour granted to him -by the Hindoos on account of his pious munificence. It is always a -melancholy spectacle, the last resting-place of a fellow-countryman -in some remote nook of a foreign land, far from the dust of his -forefathers—in a grave prepared by strangers, around which no mourners -ever stood, and over which no friendly hand raised a tribute to the -memory of the lamented dead. The wanderer’s heart yearns at the sight. -How soon may not such fate be his own? - -The moonlight was falling clear and snowy upon the tranquil landscape, -and except the distant roar of a tiger, no noise disturbed the stillness -that reigned over the scene around, as we slowly retraced our steps -towards Seroda. Passing a little building, whose low domed roof, many -rows of diminutive columns, and grotesque architectural ornaments of -monkeys and elephants’ heads, informed us was a pagoda, whilst a number -of Hindoos lounging in and out, showed that some ceremony was going -on, we determined to attempt an entrance, and passed the threshold -unopposed. Retiring into a remote corner we sat down upon one of the -mats, and learned from a neighbour that the people were assembled to -hear a Rutnageree Brahman celebrated for eloquence, and very learned -in the Vedas. The preacher, if we may so call him, was lecturing his -congregation upon the relative duties of parents and children; his -discourse was delivered in a kind of chaunt, monotonous, but not rude -or unpleasing, and his gesticulation reminded us of many an Italian -Predicatore. He stood upon a strip of cloth at the beginning of each -period, advancing gradually as it proceeded, till reaching the end of -his sentence and his carpet, he stopped, turned round, and walked back -to his standing place, pausing awhile to take breath and to allow the -words of wisdom to sink deep into his hearers’ hearts. The discourse was -an excellent one, and we were astonished to perceive that an hour had -slipped away almost unobserved. However, the heat of the place, crowded -as it was with all ages and sexes—for the ladies of Seroda, like the -frail sisterhood generally in Asia, are very attentive to their _dharma_, -or religious duties—the cloud of incense which hung like a thick veil -under the low roof, and the overpowering perfume of the huge bouquets and -garlands of jessamine with which the assembly was profusely decorated, -compelled us to forfeit the benefit we might have derived from the -peroration of the learned Brahman’s discourse. - -Our night was by no means a pleasant one; the Seroda vermin, like the -biped population, were too anxious to make the most of the stranger. -Early the next morning we arose to make our exit; but, alas! it was not -destined to be a triumphant one. The matron and her damsels, knowing us -to be English, expected us to be made of money, and had calculated upon -easing our breeches pockets of more gold than we intended to give silver. -Fearful was the din of chattering, objurgating, and imprecating, when the -sum decided upon was gracefully tendered to our entertainers, the rebec -and the kettle-drum seemed inclined to be mutinous, but _they_ were more -easily silenced than the ladies. At length, by adding the gift of a pair -of slippers adorned with foil spangles, to which it appeared the company -had taken a prodigious fancy, we were allowed to depart in comparative -peace. - -Bidding adieu to Seroda, we toiled up the hill, and walked dejectedly -towards the landing-place, where we supposed our boat was awaiting us. -But when we arrived there, the canoe, of course, was not to be found. It -was breakfast time already, and we expected to be starved before getting -over the fifteen miles between us and Panjim. One chance remained to -us; we separated, and so diligently scoured the country round that in -less than half an hour we had collected a fair quantity of provender; -one returning with a broiled spatchcock and a loaf of bread; another -with a pot full of milk and a cocoa-nut or two, whilst a third had -succeeded in “bagging” divers crusts of stale bread, a bunch of onions, -and a water-melon. The hospitable portico of some Banyan’s country-house -afforded us a breakfast-room; presently the boat appeared, and the crew -warned us that it was time to come on board. It is strange that these -people must tell lies, even when truth would be in their favour. This we -found to our cost, for wind and tide proved both against us. - -Six hours’ steaming and broiling under a sun which penetrated the matting -of our slow conveyance, as if it had been water within a few degrees -of boiling heat, brought us on towards evening. Seeing some difficulty -in rowing against every disadvantage, we proposed to our rascally -boatmen—native Christians, as usual—to land us at the most convenient -place. Coming to a bluff cape, the wretches swore by all that was holy, -that we were within a mile’s walk of our destination. In an evil hour, -we believed the worse than pagans, and found that by so doing we had -condemned ourselves to a toilsome trudge over hill and dale, at least -five times longer than they had asserted it to be. Our patience being now -thoroughly exhausted, we relieved our minds a little by administering -periodical chastisements to the fellow whom our bad luck had sent to -deceive and conduct us, till, at length, hungry, thirsty, tired, and -sleepy, we found ourselves once more in the streets of Panjim. - -Reader, we have been minute, perhaps unnecessarily so, in describing -our visit to Seroda. If you be one of those who take no interest in a -traveller’s “feeds,” his sufferings from vermin, or his “rows about the -bill,” you will have found the preceding pages uninteresting enough. Our -object is, however, to give you a plain programme of what entertainment -you may expect from the famed town of the Bayaderes, and, should your -footsteps be ever likely to wander in that direction, to prepare you for -the disappointment you will infallibly incur. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -EDUCATION, PROFESSIONS, AND ORIENTAL STUDIES. - - -Panjim and Margao (a large town in the province of Salsette, about -fifteen miles south-east of Goa), are the head-quarters of the -Indo-Portuguese muses. The former place boasts of mathematical and -medical schools, and others in which the elements of history, and a -knowledge of the Portuguese, Latin, English, French, and Maharatta -languages are taught gratis. The students are, generally speaking, -proficients in the first,[49] tolerable in the second, and execrable in -the third and fourth dialects above specified. As regards the Maharattas, -the study of its literature has been rendered obligatory by government, -which however, in its wisdom, appears to have forgotten, or perhaps -never knew, that certain little aids called grammars and dictionaries -are necessary to those who would attain any degree of proficiency in any -tongue. For the benefit of the fair sex there is a school at Panjim. -Dancing and drawing masters abound. Music also is generally studied, but -the Portuguese here want the “furore,” as the Italians call it, the fine -taste, delicate ear, and rich voice of Southern Europe. - -At Panjim there is also a printing office, called the Imprensa Naçional, -whence issues a weekly gazette, pompously named the _Boletim do Governo -do Estado da India_. It is neatly printed, and what with advertisements, -latest intelligence borrowed from the Bombay papers, and government -orders, it seldom wants matter. At the Imprensa also, may be found a -few Portuguese books for sale, but they are, generally speaking, merely -elementary, besides being extravagantly dear. - -Physic as well as jurisprudence may be studied at Margao. The same town -also has schools of theology, philosophy, Latin, Portuguese, and the rude -beginnings of a Societade Estudiosa, or Literary Society. The latter is -intended for learned discussion: it meets twice a week, does not publish -but keeps MS. copies of its transactions, and takes from each member an -annual subscription of about 1_l._ - -Upon the whole, education does not thrive in the Indo-Portuguese -settlement. It seldom commences before the late age of nine or ten, and -is very soon ended. After entering some profession, and coquetting a -little with modern languages and general literature, study is considered -a useless occupation. Moreover, if our observation deceive us not, -the description of talent generally met with at Goa is rather of the -specious and shallow order. A power of quick perception, an instinctive -readiness of induction, and even a good memory, are of little value when -opposed to constitutional inertness, and a mind which never proposes to -itself any high or great object. Finally, the dispiriting influence of -poverty weighs heavy upon the student’s ambition, and where no rewards -are offered to excellence, no excellence can be expected. The romantic, -chivalrous, and fanatic rage for propagating Christianity which animated -the first conquerors of Goa, and led their immediate descendants to -master the languages and literature of the broad lands won by their sharp -swords, has long since departed, in all human probability for ever. - - * * * * * - -The religion of Goa is the Roman Catholic. The primate is appointed -from home, and is expected to pass the rest of his life in exile. In -the ceremonies of the church we observed a few, but not very important -deviations from the Italian ritual. The holy week and other great -festivals are still kept up, but the number of _ferie_ (religious -holidays) has of late been greatly diminished, and the poverty of -the people precludes any attempt at display on these occasions. All -ecclesiastical matters are settled with the utmost facility. By -the constitution lately granted, the clergy have lost the power of -excommunication. The Papal see, who kept so jealous and watchful an eye -upon Goa in the days of her wealth and grandeur, seems now almost to -have forgotten the existence of her froward daughter.[50] As regards the -effect of religion upon the community in general, we should say that the -mild discipline of the priesthood has produced so far a happy result, -that the free-thinking spirit roused by ecclesiastical intolerance in -Europe, is all but unknown here. - -The priests always wear out of doors the clerical cap and cassock. -They are now very poorly provided for, and consequently lead regular -lives. The archbishop’s prison is almost always empty, and the amount of -profligacy which in Rome would be smiled at in a polite young abbate, -would certainly incur the severest penalty at Goa. It is said that the -clergy is careful to maintain the reputation of the profession, and -that any little peccadilloes, such as will and must occur in a warm -climate, and an order of celibataires, are studiously concealed from -public observation. As might be expected, the ecclesiastical party -prefers Don Miguel to Donna Maria, the favourite of the laity, the more -so as that “excellent son of Don John of Portugal,” were he even to -set his august foot on the floors of the Adjuda, would probably humour -them in such trifles as readmitting the Jesuits, and reestablishing the -Inquisition. The only objection to the holy profession at Goa is, that -the comparatively idle life led by its members offers strong inducements -to a poor, careless, and indolent people, who prefer its inutility to -pursuits more advantageous to themselves, as well as more profitable to -the commonweal. - -The ecclesiastical education lasts about seven years, three of which -are devoted to studying Latin, one is wasted upon moral philosophy, -dialectics and metaphysics, and the remainder is deemed sufficient for -theology. On certain occasions, students at the different seminaries -are taught the ceremonies of the church, and lectured in the Holy -Scriptures. There are two kinds of pupils, the resident, who wear the -clerical garb, and are limited in number, and the non-resident, who -dress like the laity, unless they intend to take orders. In this course -of education much stress is laid upon, and pride taken in, a knowledge -of Latin, whose similarity to Portuguese enables the student to read -and speak it with peculiar facility. Many authors are perused, but the -niceties of scholarship are unknown, good editions of the poets and -orators being unprocurable here. Few Goanese write the classical language -well; and though all can master the words, they seldom read deeply -enough to acquire the idiom. And lastly, the strange pronunciation of -the consonants in Portuguese is transferred to Latin, imparting to it -an almost unrecognisable sound. The clergy belonging to the country, -of course understand and speak the Concanee Maharattas. Sermons are -sometimes preached, and services performed in this dialect: it boasts of -a printed volume of oraçoens (prayers) dated 1660, for the benefit of -the lowest and most ignorant classes. - -The military profession is by no means a favourite one, on account of -poor pay and slow promotion. The aspirante, or cadet, enters the service -as a private, wears the uniform of that rank, and receives about 10s. -_per mensem_ for attending lectures. After learning Portuguese, the -course of study is as follows:— - -1st Term. Geometry, Trigonometry (plane and spherical), Geodesy and -Surveying. - -2nd Term. Algebra, differential and integral calculus. - -3rd Term. Mechanics, Statics, Dynamics, Hydrodynamics, Hydrostatics, -Hydraulics, &c. - -4th Term. Gunnery, Mining, Practice of Artillery. - -5th Term. Navigation and the Use of Instruments. - -6th Term. Fortification and Military Architecture. - -Infantry cadets study geometry and field-fortification during two or -three years. Those intended for the Artillery and Engineers, go through -all the course above mentioned, except navigation. Drawing, in all its -branches, is taught by professors who are, generally speaking, retired -officers superintended by a committee. After passing their examinations, -the names of the cadets are put down in the Roster, and they are -promoted, in due order, to the rank of alferez, or ensign. - -The total number of the Goanese army may be estimated at about two -thousand[51] men on actual duty, besides the Mouros, or Moors, who act as -police and guards at Panjim. The regiments are—two of infantry, stationed -at Bicholim and Ponda; two battalions of caçadores (chasseurs not -mounted), at Margao and Mapuca; a provincial battalion, and a corps of -artillery at Panjim. In each regiment there are six companies, composed -of between sixty and seventy men: a full band reckons thirty musicians. -The officers are about as numerous as in a British corps on foreign -service. - -The army is poorly paid;[52] the privates receive no salary when in sick -quarters, and the consequence is that they are frequently obliged to beg -their bread. We cannot therefore wonder that the European soldiery is -considered the least respectable part of the whole community. Most of the -officers belong to some family resident in India; consequently, they do -not live upon their pay. Moreover, they have no expensive establishments -to keep up, and have little marching or change of stations. - -The corps are seldom paraded; once every two days is considered ample -work during the cold season. Except on particular occasions, there are no -mounted officers on the ground, a peculiarity which gives a remarkably -“National Guard” like appearance to the field. They are well dressed, but -very independent in such movements as in carrying the sword, or changing -flanks: after a few manœuvres, which partake more of the character of -company than battalion exercise, the men order arms, and the captains, -lieutenants, and ensigns all fall out for a few minutes, to smoke a -leaf-full of tobacco, and chat with the commanding officer. They then -return to their places, and the parade proceeds. The appearance of -the privates on the drill-ground is contemptible in the extreme. The -smallest regiment of our little Maharattas would appear tolerable sized -men by the side of them; and as for a corps of Bengalees, it ought to be -able to walk over an equal number of such opponents, without scarcely -a thrust of the bayonet. Europeans and natives, in dirty clothes, and -by no means of a uniform colour—some fiercely “bearded like the pard,” -some with moustachios as thick as broomsticks, others with meek black -faces, religiously shaven and shorn—compose admirably heterogeneous -companies which, moreover, never being sized from flanks to centre, look -as jagged as a row of shark’s teeth. Drill is the last thing thought -of. The sergeant, when putting his recruits through their manual and -platoon, finds it necessary to refer to a book. When the pupils are not -sufficiently attentive, a spiteful wring of the ear, or poke between the -shoulders, reminds them of their duty. To do justice to their spirit, -we seldom saw such admonition received in silence; generally, it was -followed by the description of dialogue affected by two irritated -fishwives. So much for the outward signs of discipline. As regards the -effects of drill, the loose, careless, and _draggling_ way in which the -men stand and move, would be the death of a real English martinet. We -could not help smiling at the thought of how certain friends of ours who, -after a march of fifteen miles, will keep an unhappy regiment ordering -and shouldering arms for half an hour in front of their tents, would -behave themselves, if called to command such corps. - -Till lately, no books of tactics have been published for the instruction -of the Goanese army. At present there are several, chiefly elementary, -and translated from the English and French. The manual and platoon, the -sword exercise, and other small works were prepared by Major G⸺n, an -officer and linguist of some talent. We saw few publications upon the -subject of military law. Courts-martial are rare compared with the absurd -number yearly noted in the annals of the Indian army, where a boy of -eighteen scarcely ever commits a fault for which he would be breeched at -school, without being solemnly tried upon the charge of “conduct highly -unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.” - -To conclude the subject of the Goanese army, it is evident that there -are two grand flaws in its composition. The officers are compelled to -be scientific, not practical men, and the soldiers are half-drilled. -This propensity for mathematics is, of course, a European importation. -Beginning with France, it has spread over the Western Continent till at -last, like sundry other new-fangled fashions, it has been seized upon -and applied to the British army. Why a captain commanding a company, or -a colonel in charge of a battalion, should be required to have Geometry, -History, and Geography at his fingers’ ends, we cannot exactly divine. -With respect to drill, it may be remarked that, when imperfectly taught, -it is worse than useless to the soldier. We moderns seem determined to -discourage the personal prowess, gymnastics, and the perpetual practice -of weapons in which our forefathers took such pride. We are right to -a certain extent: the individual should be forced to feel that his -safety lies in acting in concert with others. At the same time, in our -humble opinion, they carry the principle too far who would leave him -destitute of the means of defending himself when obliged to act singly. -How many good men and true have we lost during the late wars, simply in -consequence of our neglecting to instruct them in the bayonet exercise! -And may not this fact in some wise account for the difficulty experienced -of late by disciplined troops in contending with semi-civilised tribes, -whose military studies consist of athletic exercises which prepare the -body for hardship and fatigue, and the skilful use of weapons that -ensures success in single combat? The English, French, and Russians -have, within the last fifteen years, all suffered more or less severely -from the undrilled valour, and the irregular attacks of the Affghans, -Arabs, and Circassians. - -Young aspirants to the honours which Justinian gives, have no public -schools to frequent, nor can they study gratis. In a community which so -decidedly prefers coppers to knowledge, this is perhaps one of the most -judicious measures imaginable for limiting the number of this troublesome -order. The law students frequent private establishments at Margäo, and a -course of two years is generally considered sufficient to qualify them -for practice. After a very superficial examination in the presence of a -committee composed of two judges and a president, they receive, if found -competent, a diploma, and proceed to seek employment in one of the courts. - -Justice at Goa, as in British India, seems to have adapted herself to the -peculiarities of the country much better than one might have expected -from a character so uncompromising as hers is generally represented to -be. The great difference between us and the Portuguese is, that whereas -we shoot and hang upon the authority of our civil and military courts, -no Goanese can be brought to the gallows till the death-warrant, -bearing her majesty’s signature, arrives from Europe,—a pleasant state -of suspense for the patient! Murder and sacrilege are the only crimes -which lead to capital punishment; for lesser offences, criminals are -transported to the Mozambique, or imprisoned in the jail—a dirty -building, originally intended for a Mint—or simply banished from Goa. - -Those covetous of the riches which Galen is said to grant, are prepared -for manslaughter—to use a Persian phrase—by a course of five years’ -study. They are expected to attend lectures every day, except on -Thursdays and Sundays, the principal religious festivals, and a long -vacation that lasts from the fifteenth of March to the middle of June. -On the first of April every year, the students are examined, and two -prizes are given. The professors are four in number, three surgeons -and one physician, together with two assistants. The course commences -with Anatomy and Physiology; during the second year Materia Medica -and Pharmacy are studied; the surgical and chemical branches of the -profession occupy the third; and the last is devoted to Pathology and -Medical Jurisprudence. The hospital must be visited every day during the -latter half of the course. It is a large edifice, situated at the west -end of the town, close to the sea, but by no means, we should imagine, -in a favourable position for health, as a channel of fetid mud passes -close under the walls. The building can accommodate about three hundred -patients and is tolerably but not scrupulously clean. It contains two -wards, one for surgical, the other for medical cases, a chapel, an -apartment for sick prisoners and a variety of different lecture-rooms. -After his four years of study, the pupil is examined, and either rejected -or presented with a diploma and permission to practise. - -The elementary works upon the subjects of Anatomy and Materia Medica are, -generally speaking, Portuguese; the proficient, however, is compelled -to have recourse to French books, which have not been translated into -his vernacular tongue. The English system of medicine is universally -execrated, and very justly. Dieting, broths, and ptisanes, cure many a -native whose feeble constitution would soon sink beneath our blisters, -calomel, bleeding, and drastic purges. As might be expected, all the -modern scientific refinements, or quackeries, are known here only by -name. We were surprised, however, by the general ignorance of the -properties of herbs and simples—a primitive science in which the native -of India is, usually speaking, deeply read. - - * * * * * - -The principal Oriental tongues studied by the early Portuguese in their -mania for converting the heathens were the Malabar, Maharatta, Ethiopic, -and Japanese, the dialects of Congo, and the Canary Isles, the Hebrew, -and the Arabic. The Portuguese Jews, in the fifteenth century, were -celebrated for their proficiency in Biblical, Talmudic, and Rabbinical -lore; and the work of João de Souza, entitled, “Documentos Arabios de -Historia Portugueza copiades dos originaes da Torre do’ Tombo,” is a -fair specimen of Orientalism, considering the early times in which it -was composed. Of late years, Portuguese zeal for propagating the faith, -depressed by poverty, and worn out by the slow and sure spiritual _vis -inertiæ_, which the natives of the East have opposed to the pious efforts -of Modern Europe, appears to have sunk into the last stage of decline, -and with it their ancient ardour for the study of so many, and, in some -cases, such unattractive languages. - -Our case is very different from theirs. In addition to religious -incentives, hundreds of our nation have more solid and powerful -inducements to labour held out to them. We fondly hope and believe -that the days are passed when Oriental study and ruin were almost -synonymous. Within the last few years we have more or less facilitated -the acquisition, and rifled the literature of between thirty and -forty eastern dialects—a labour of which any nation might be proud. -Our industry, too, is apparently still unabated. Societies for the -translation and publication of new works, Oriental libraries, and, -perhaps, the most useful step of all, the lithographic process, which has -lately supplanted the old and unseemly moveable types, are fast preparing -a royal road for the Oriental learner. It may be observed that the true -means of promoting the study is to diminish its laboriousness, and -still more its expense. So far we have been uncommonly successful. For -instance, an excellent and correct lithograph of Mirkhond’s celebrated -history, the “Rauzat el Safa,” may now be bought for 3_l._ or 4_l._; a -few years ago the student would have paid probably 70_l._ or 80_l._ for a -portion of the same work in the correct MS. - -At the same time we quite concur in the opinion of the eminent -Orientalist,[53] who declared, _ex cathedrâ_, that our literary -achievements in this branch bear no flattering proportion to the -vastness of our means as a nation. It is true, to quote one of many -hard cases, that we must send to Germany or Russia for grammars and -publications in the Affghan language, although the country lies at -our very doors. But the cause of this is the want of patronage and -assistance, not any deficiency in power or ability. There are many -unknown D’Herbelots in India, unfortunately England has not one -Ferdinand.[54] - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -ADIEU TO PANJIM. - - -At a time when public attention is so deeply interested in the twin -subjects of colonization and conversion, some useful lessons may be -derived from the miserable state of the celebrated Portuguese settlement; -even though our present and their past positions be by no means parallel -in all points, and though a variety of fortuitous cases, such as the -pestilence and warfare which led to their decadence, cannot or may not -affect our more extended Indian empire. - -The Portuguese, it must be recollected, generally speaking, contented -themselves with seizing the different lines of sea-coast, holding them -by means of forts, stations, and armed vessels, and using them for the -purpose of monopolising the export and import trade of the interior. -In the rare cases when they ventured up the country they made a point -of colonising it. We, on the contrary, have hitherto acted upon the -principle of subjugating whole provinces to our sway, and such has been -our success, that not only the Christian, but even the heathen, sees the -finger of Providence directing our onward course of conquest. - -Of late years, climates supposed to be favourable to the European -constitution, such as the Neilgherry hills and the lower slopes of the -Himalayas, have been discovered, tested, and approved of. Determined -to make use of them, our legislators have taken the wise step of -establishing barracks for the British soldiery in places where they may -live in comparative health and comfort during peaceful times, and yet -be available for immediate active service, whenever and wherever their -presence may be required. - -But we are not willing to stop here, we argue that such salubrious and -fertile tracts of country would form excellent permanent settlements for -half-pay officers, pensioners, worn-out soldiers, and others, who prefer -spending the remainder of their days in the land of their adoption. Here, -then, we have the proposed beginning of a colony. - -To the probability of extensive success, or public utility in such a -scheme, there are two important objections. - -In the first place, supposing the offspring of the colonists to be of -pure European blood, we must expect them to degenerate after the second -generation. All who have sojourned long in the southern parts of Europe, -such as Italy or Spain, must have remarked the deleterious effects of a -hot and dry climate upon a race that thrives only in a cold and damp one. -An English child brought up in Italy is, generally speaking, more sickly, -more liable to nervous and hepatic complaints, and, consequently, more -weakened in mind as well as body, than even the natives of the country. -If this remark hold true in the South of Europe, it is not likely to -prove false in tropical latitudes. - -But, secondly, if acting upon Albuquerque’s fatal theory, we encourage -intermarriage with the natives of the country, such colony would be -worse than useless to us. We cannot but think that the Hindoos are the -lowest branch of the Caucasian or Iranian family; and, moreover, that, -contrary to what might be expected, any intermixture of blood with the -higher classes of that same race produces a still inferior development. -Some have accounted for the mental inferiority of the mixed breed by a -supposed softness or malformation of the brain, others argue that the -premature depravity and excess to which they are prone, enervate their -bodies, and, consequently, affect their minds. Whatever may be the cause -of the phenomenon its existence is, we humbly opine, undeniable. Neither -British nor Portuguese India ever produced a half-caste at all deserving -of being ranked in the typical order of man. - -Our empire in the East has justly been described as one of opinion, that -is to say, it is founded upon the good opinion entertained of us by the -natives, and their bad opinion of themselves. In the old times of the -Honourable East India Company, when no Englishman or Englishwoman was -permitted to reside in India, without formal permission, the people -respected us more than they do now. Admitting this assertion, it is not -difficult to account for the reason why, of late years, a well-appointed -British force has more than once found it difficult to defeat a -rudely-drilled Indian army. We are the same men we were in the days of -Clive and Cornwallis; the people of India are not; formerly they fought -expecting to be defeated, now they enter the field flushed with hopes of -success. We cannot but suspect that the lower estimate they have formed -of their antagonists has more to do with their increased formidableness, -than any other of the minor causes to which it is usually attributed. -But if not contented with exposing individuals to their contempt, we -offer them whole colonies, we may expect to incur even greater disasters. -Every one knows that if the people of India could be unanimous for a -day they might sweep us from their country as dust before a whirlwind. -There is little danger of their combining so long as they dread us. Such -fear leads to distrust; every man knows himself, and, consequently, -suspects his neighbour, to be false. Like the Italians in their late war -of independence the cry of _tradimento_ (treachery) is sufficient to -paralyse every arm, however critical be the hour in which it is raised. -So it is in India. But their distrust of each other, as well as their -respect for us, is founded entirely upon their fear of our bayonets. - -In whatever way, then, we propose to populate our settlement, we place -ourselves in a position of equal difficulty and danger. Such colonies -would, like Goa, be born with the germs of sure and speedy decline, and -well for our Indian empire in general, if the contagious effects of their -decay did not extend far and wide through the land. - -The conversion of the natives of India to Christianity has of late years -become a species of excitement in our native country, and, consequently, -many incorrect, prejudiced and garbled statements of the progress and -success of the good work have gone forth to the world. Not a few old -Indians returned home, have been very much surprised by hearing authentic -accounts and long details of effectual missionary labour which they -certainly never witnessed. Our candour may not be appreciated—it is so -difficult for the enthusiastic to avoid running down an opinion contrary -to their own—we cannot, however, but confess that some years spent in -Western India have convinced us that the results hitherto obtained -are utterly disproportionate to the means employed for converting the -people. Moreover, study of the native character forces us to doubt -whether anything like success upon a grand scale can ever reasonably be -anticipated. We have often heard it remarked by those most conversant -with the deep-rooted prejudices and the fanatic credulity of the Hindoos -that with half the money and trouble we have lavished upon them they -could have made double the number of converts to their heathenism in -Europe. - -The splendid success of the Portuguese in converting the Hindoos, -was owing to two main causes, the first, their persecution,[55] which -compelled many natives to assume European names, adopt the dress, -manners, and customs of the West, and gradually to lapse, if we may use -the expression, into Christianity. After once entering a church, the -proselytes were under the strict surveillance of the Inquisition, who -never allowed a “new Christian” to apostatize without making a signal -example of him. In the second place, the Portuguese sent out in all -directions crowds of missionaries, who, as Tavernier informs us, assumed -the native dress, and taught under the disguise of Jogees and other -Hindoo religious characters, a strange, and yet artful mixture of the two -faiths. That these individuals sacrificed the most vital points of their -religion to forward the end they proposed to themselves, we have ample -proof; at the same time that they were eminently successful, is equally -well known. The virulent animosity that existed between the Jesuits -and Jansenists disclosed to astonished Europe the system of adaptation -adopted by the former, and Benedict XIV., by a violent bull, put an end -at once to their unjustifiable means, and their consequent successfulness -of conversion.[56] - -We by no means mean to insinuate that our holy faith is unfavourable to -the development or progression of the human species. Still it cannot be -concealed that, generally speaking, throughout the East the Christian -is inferior, as regards strength, courage, and principle to the average -of the tribes which populate that part of the world. His deficiency of -personal vigour may be accounted for by the use of impure meats, and -the spirituous liquors in which he indulges. The want of ceremonial -ablutions, also, undoubtedly tends to deteriorate the race. It may be -observed, that from Zoroaster and Moses downwards, no founder of an -Eastern faith has ever omitted to represent his dietetic or ablusive -directions as inspired decrees, descending from Heaven. Care applied to -public health, ensures the prosperity of a people, especially amongst -semi-barbarous races, where health engenders bodily vigour, strength -begets courage, and bravery a rude principle of honour. - -What Goa has done may serve as a lesson to us. She compelled or induced -good Hindoos and Moslems to become bad Christians. The consequence -has been the utter degeneracy of the breed, who have been justly -characterized by our House of Commons as “a race the least respected and -respectable, and the least fitted for soldiers of all the tribes that -diversify the populous country of India.” - -In conclusion, we have only to inform our reader that the opinions thus -boldly proposed to him are, we believe, those entertained by many of the -acutest judges of native character and native history. It is easy to -understand why they are not more often offered to public attention. - - * * * * * - -After addressing a note to the Secretary for permission to leave Goa, we -set out in quest of a conveyance; and deeply we had to regret that we did -not retain our old pattimar. The owners of vessels, knowing that we must -pay the price they asked, and seeing that we were determined to migrate -southwards, became extortionate beyond all bounds. At last we thought -ourselves happy to secure a wretched little boat for at least double the -usual hire. After duly taking leave of our small circle of acquaintances, -we transferred ourselves and luggage on board the San Ignacio awaiting -the pleasure of the Tindal—a hard-featured black Portuguese—to quit the -land of ruins and cocoa trees. Before preparing for rest we went through -the usual ceremony of mustering our crew, and ascertaining the probable -hour of our departure: we presently found, as we might have guessed, -that they were all on shore except a man and a diminutive boy, and that -consequently we were not likely to weigh anchor before 2 A.M., at least -five hours later than was absolutely necessary. As we felt no desire to -encounter the various Egyptian plagues of the cabin, we ordered a table -to be placed under the awning, and seated ourselves upon the same with -the firm determination of being as patient and long-suffering as possible. - -The night was a lovely one—fair and cool as ever made amends for a -broiling and glaring April day in these detestable latitudes. A more -beautiful sight, perhaps, was never seen than the moon rising like a -ball of burnished silver through the deep azure of the clear sky, and -shedding her soft radiance down the whole length of the Rio. The little -villages almost hidden from view by the groves of impending trees, whose -heads glistened as if hoar-frost had encrusted them; the solemn forms -of the towering churches, the ruins of Old Goa dimly perceptible in the -far distance, and nearer, Panjim, lying in darkness under the shadow of -the hills, all looked delightfully tranquil and peaceful. Besides, we -were about to bid adieu to scenes in which we had spent a pleasant hour -or two, and they are epochs in the traveller’s life, these farewells to -places or faces we admire. Will then the reader wonder if we confess -that, under the circumstances of the case, we really had no resource but -to feel poetically disposed? And, as happens in such cases, the Demon -of Doggrel emboldened by the presence of those two kindred spirits, the -naughty Herba Nicotiana and the immodest “Naiad of the Phlegethontic Rill -Cogniac,” tempted us so long and sorely, that he at last succeeded in -causing us to perpetrate the following - - LINES. - - Adieu, fair land, deep silence reigns - O’er hills and dales and fertile plains; - Save when the soft and fragrant breeze - Sighs through the groves of tufted trees; - Or the rough breakers’ distant roar, - Is echoed by the watery shore. - Whilst gazing on the lovely view, - How grating sounds the word “adieu!” - What tongue⸺ - -Aye, what tongue indeed? In an instant the demon fled, as our crew, in -the last stage of roaring intoxication, scaled the side of what we were -about poetically to designate our “bark.” A few minutes’ consideration -convinced us that energetic measures must be adopted if we wished to -restore order or quiet. In vain were the efforts of our eloquence; -equally useless some slight preliminary exertions of toe and talon. At -last, exasperated by the failure, and perhaps irritated by thinking -of the beautiful lines we might have indited but for the inopportune -interruption, we ventured to administer a rapid succession of small -double raps to the Tindal’s shaven and cocoanut-like pericranium. The -wretch ceased his roaring, rose from off his hams, and after regarding -us for a minute with a look of intense drunken ferocity, precipitated -himself into the water. Finding the tide too strong for him he began -to shriek like a dying pig; his crew shouted because he shouted, -sympathetically yelled the sailors in the neighbouring boats, and the -sentinels on shore began to give the alarm. Never, perhaps, has there -been such confusion at Goa since the Maharatta rode round her walls. Up -rushed the harbour master, the collector of customs, the military, and -the police—even his Excellency the Governor General of all the Indies, -did not deem it beneath his dignity to quit the palace for the purpose of -ascertaining what had caused the turmoil. The half-drowned wretch, when -hurried into the high presence, declared, in extenuation of his conduct, -that he had imprudently shipped on board the San Ignacio, an Inglez or -Englishman, who had deliberately commenced murdering the crew the moment -they came on board. The Governor, however, seeing the truth of things, -ordered him immediately to be placed in the nearest quarter guard till -midnight, at which time it was calculated that, by virtue of the ducking, -he might be sober enough to set sail. - -As we rapidly glided by the Castle of Agoada, all our crew stood up, and -with hands reverentially upraised, said their prayers. They did not, -however, pay much respect to the patron saint of the boat, whose image, a -little painted doll, in a wooden box, occupied a conspicuous position in -the “cuddy.” A pot of oil with a lighted wick was, it is true, regularly -placed before him every night to warn the vermin against molesting so -holy a personage: the measure, however, failed in success, as the very -first evening we came on board, a huge rat took his station upon the -saint’s back and glared at us, stretching his long sharp snout over the -unconscious San Ignacio’s head. One evening, as the weather appeared -likely to be squally, we observed that the usual compliment was not -offered to the patron, and had the curiosity to inquire why. - -“Why?” vociferated the Tindal indignantly, “if that chap can’t keep the -sky clear, he shall have neither oil nor wick from me, d—n him!” - -“But I should have supposed that in the hour of danger you would have -paid him more than usual attention?” - -“The fact is, Sahib, I have found out that the fellow is not worth his -salt: the last time we had an infernal squall with him on board, and if -he doesn’t keep this one off, I’ll just throw him overboard, and take to -Santa Caterina: hang me, if I don’t—the brother-in-law!”[57] - -And so saying the Tindal looked ferocious things at the placid features -of San Ignacio. - -The peculiar conformation of our captain’s mind, recalled to memory a -somewhat similar phenomenon which we noticed in our younger days. We were -toiling up a steep and muddy mountain-road over the Apennines, on foot, -to relieve our panting steeds, whom the vetturino was fustigating, _con -amore_, at the same time venting fearful imprecations upon the soul of -Sant’ Antonino Piccino, or the younger. - -At length, tired of hearing the cadet so defamed, we suggested that our -friend should address a few similar words to the other Sant’ Antonino—the -elder. - -“The elder!” cried the vetturino, aghast with horror. “Oh, _per Bacco che -bestemmia_—what a blasphemy! No, I daren’t abuse His Sanctity; but as -for this little _rufiano_ of a younger, I’ve worn his portrait these ten -years, and know by this time that nothing is to be got out of him without -hard words.” - -On the fourth day after our departure from Panjim, a swarm of canoes full -of fishermen, probably the descendants of the ancient Malabar pirates, -gave us happy tidings of speedy arrival. They were a peculiar-looking -race dressed in head-gear made of twisted palm leaves, and looking -exactly as if an umbrella, composed of matting, had been sewn on to the -top of a crownless hat of the same material. - -And now we are in the Malabar seas. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -CALICUT. - - -Can those three or four bungalows, with that stick-like light-house -between them and the half-dozen tiled and thatched roofs peeping from -amongst the trees, compose Calicut—the city of world-wide celebrity, -which immortalised herself by giving a name to calico? - -Yes; but when we land we shall find a huge mass of huts and hovels, each -built in its own yard of cocoas with bazaars, vast and peculiar-looking -mosques, a chapel or two, courts and cutcherries, a hospital, jail, -barracks, and a variety of bungalows. Seen from the sea, all the towns on -this coast look like straggling villages, with a background of distant -blue hill,[58] and a middle space of trees, divided by a strip of sand -from the watery plain. - -Calicut is no longer the - - Cidade—nobre e rica[59] - -described by Camoens’ tuneful muse. Some, indeed, declare that the -present city is not the one alluded to in the Lusiad. There is a -tradition amongst the natives of the country, that the ancient Calicut -was merged beneath the waves; but in the East, tradition is always a -terrible romancer. So we will still continue to believe that here old De -Gama first cast anchor and stepped forth from his weather-beaten ship, at -the head of his mail-clad warriors, upon the land of promise. - -D’Anville assigns two dates to the foundation of Calicut, the earlier -one[60]—A.D. 805—will suit historical purposes sufficiently well. There -is nothing to recommend the position selected. During the monsoon, no -vessel can approach the anchorage-ground with safety, and even in the -fine season many have been wrecked upon the reefs of rocks which line -the coast. Very little wind suffices to raise the surf: Nature has made -no attempt at a harbour, and the ships lying in an open roadstead, are -constantly liable to be driven on the sand and mud-banks around them. -Tippoo Sultan—a very long-headed individual, by the bye—saw the defects -of the situation, and determining to remove the town about six miles -southward to the mouth of the Beypoor, or Arricode river, where a natural -port exists, adopted the energetic measure of almost destroying the old -city, that the inhabitants might experience less regret in leaving their -homes. The Moslem emperor regarded Calicut with no peculiar good-will. -He and his subjects were perpetually engaged in little squabbles, which -by no means tended to promote kindly feeling between them.[61] On one -occasion, offended by the fanaticism of the Nair and Tiyar Hindoos, their -ruler pulled down almost every pagoda in the place, and with the stones -erected a splendid tank in the middle of the large open space where the -travellers’ bungalow now stands. Tippoo unfortunately failed in this -project of removal, and when the British became supreme in Malabar, the -natives all returned to their ancient haunts. Calicut, for many reasons, -is not likely to be deserted under the present rule: it is the point to -which all the lines of road which intersect the country converge; besides -it would now scarcely be worth our while to bring about so violent a -change for the purpose of eventual improvement. - -When old Nelkunda began to decline, Calicut rose to importance, probably -in consequence of its being in very early times the metropolis of the -Samiry Rajah (the Zamorin of Camoens), lord paramount of Malabar. Shortly -after the origin of Islam, it was visited and colonised by thousands of -Arabs,[62] who diffused energy and activity throughout the land. As -trade increased, Calicut throve because of its centrical position between -the countries east and west of Cape Comorin. Even in the present day, -although Goa, and subsequently Bombay, have left the ancient emporium of -Western India but little of its former consequence, commerce[63] still -continues to flourish there. The export is brisker than the import trade: -the latter consists principally of European piece goods and metals, the -former comprises a vast variety of spices, drugs, valuable timber and -cotton cloths. - - * * * * * - -We will now take a walk through the town and remark its several -novelties. Monuments of antiquity abound not here: the fort erected -by the Portuguese has long since been level with the ground, and -private bungalows occupy the sites of the old Dutch, French, and Danish -factories. We shall meet few Europeans in the streets: there are -scarcely twenty in this place, including all the varieties of civilians, -merchants, missionaries, and the officers belonging to the two seapoy -companies detached from the neighbouring station—Cananore. Most of the -residents inhabit houses built upon an eminence about three miles to the -north of the town; others live as close as possible to the sea. A dreary -life they must lead, one would suppose, especially during the monsoon, -when the unhappy expatriated’s ears are regaled by no other sounds but -the pelting of the rain, the roaring of the blast, and the creaking of -the cocoa trees, whilst a curtain of raging sea, black sky, and watery -air, is all that meets his weary ken. - -The first thing we observe during our perambulation, is the want of -the quadruped creation: there are no horses,[64] sheep, or goats, -and the cows are scarcely as large as English donkeys. Secondly, the -abundance of sore eyes, produced, it is supposed by the offensive glare -and the peculiar effect of the sun’s rays, which in these regions -are insufferable even to the natives of other Indian provinces. The -population apparently regards us with no friendly feeling, Moslem and -Hindoo, all have scowls upon their faces, and every man, moreover, -carries a knife conveniently slung to his waistband. Those dark-faced -gentlemen, in imitation European dresses, are familiar to our eyes: they -are Portuguese, not, however, from Goa, but born, bred, and likely to be -buried at Calicut. A little colony, of fifty or sixty families of the -race is settled here; they employ themselves either in commerce, or as -writers in the different government offices. - -The bazaars appear to be well stocked with everything but vegetables -and butcher’s meat, these two articles being as scarce and bad as the -poultry; fish and fruit are plentiful and good. The shops are poor; -there is not a single Parsee or European store in the town, so that all -supplies must be procured from the neighbouring stations. Everywhere the -houses are much more comfortably and substantially built than in the -Bombay presidency; the nature of the climate requires a good roof, and -as much shade on and around it as possible: the streets and roads, also, -look civilised compared with the narrow and filthy alleys of our native -towns in general. But we shall find little amusement in inspecting the -mass of huts and hovels, mosques and schools, gardens and tanks, so we -might as well prolong our stroll beyond the town, and visit the venerable -pagoda of Varkool. - -It is, you see, a building by no means admirable in point of outward -appearance; the roof is tiled, and there is little to excite your -curiosity in the woodwork. Its position is remarkable—perched upon the -summit of a pile of laterite rock rising abruptly from a level expanse -of sand. But it is great, very great, in its historical importance. -That edifice was one of the hundred and eight Maha Chaitrum, or temples -of the first order, built by the demigod Parasu Rama, upon this coast, -and dedicated to the Hindoo Triad. Equally notable it is for sanctity. -Early in the month of October, water appears bubbling from a fissure of -the rock, and this, learned Brahmans, by what test we know not, have -determined to be the veritable fluid of the Ganges, which, passing under -ground,[65] _viâ_ Central India, displays itself regularly once a year -to the devotees of Rama. Kindly observe that there is a crowd of Nairs -gathered round the temple, and that some petty prince, as we may know -by his retinue of armed followers, is visiting the shrine. We will not -venture in, as the Hindoos generally in this part of the world, and -the Nairs particularly, are accustomed to use their knives with scant -ceremony. Besides, just at present, they are somewhat in a state of -excitement: they expect a partial eclipse of the moon, and are prepared -to make all the noise they can, with a view of frightening away the -wicked monster, Rahu, who is bent upon satisfying his cannibal appetites -with the lucid form of poor Luna. - - * * * * * - -The present Samiry Rajah is a proud man, who shuns Europeans, and -discourages their visiting him on principle. Wishing, however, to see -some sample of the regal family, we called upon a cadet of the house -of Yelliah, an individual of little wealth or influence, but more -sociable than the high and mighty Mana Vikram.[66] After a ride of -about three miles, through lanes lined with banks of laterite, and over -dykes stretching like rude causeways along paddy fields invested with -a six-foot deep coating of mud, we arrived at the village of Mangaon. -The Rajah was apparently resolved to receive us with all the honours: a -caparisoned elephant stood at the gate of the “palace,” and a troop of -half-naked Nairs, armed as usual, crowded around to receive us. We were -ushered through a succession of courts and gateways—the former full of -diminutive, but seemingly most pugnacious cows—and at last, ascending -a long flight of dark and narrow steps, suddenly found ourselves in the -“presence.” Our Rajah was a little dark man, injudiciously attired in -a magnificent coat of gold cloth, a strangely-shaped cap of the same -material, and red silk tights. The room was small, and choked with -furniture; chairs, tables, clocks, drawers, washing-stands, boxes, -book-shelves, and stools, were arranged, or rather piled up around it, -with all the effect of an old curiosity-shop. The walls exhibited a -collection of the cheapest and worst of coloured prints—our late gracious -queen dangling in dangerous proximity to the ferocious-looking Beau -Sabreur, and La Belle Americaine occupied in attentively scrutinising -certain diminutive sketches of Richmond Hill, and other localities, -probably torn out of some antiquated Annual. Our host met us _à -l’Anglaise_—that is to say, with a warm, moist, and friendly squeeze of -the hand: he was profuse in compliments, and insisted upon our sitting on -the sofa opposite his chair. With the assistance of an interpreter—for -the Rajah understands little Hindostani, and we less Malayalim—some -twenty minutes were spent in conversation, or rather in the usual -exchange of questions and answers which composes the small-talk of an -Oriental visit. Presently we arose and took polite leave of our host, -who accompanied us as far as the door of his little den: the regal rank -and dignity forbidding him to pass the threshold. Not a little shuffling -and shrieking was caused by our turning a corner suddenly and meeting -in the gateway a crowd of dames belonging to the palace. They and their -attendants appeared as much annoyed as we were gratified to catch a sight -of Nair female beauty. The ladies were very young and pretty—their long -jetty tresses, small soft features, clear dark olive-coloured skins, and -delicate limbs, reminded us exactly of the old prints and descriptions -of the South Sea Islanders. Their _toilette_, in all save the ornamental -part of rings and necklaces, was decidedly scanty. It was the same -described by old Capt. Hamilton, who, when introduced at the Court of the -Samorin, observed that the queen and her daughters were “all naked above -the waist, and barefooted.” - -People are fond of asserting that native prejudices are being rapidly -subjugated by the strong arm of English civilization. We could instance -numerous proofs of the contrary being the case. Two hundred years ago -the white man was allowed to look upon a black princess in the presence -of her husband. How long will it be before such privilege will ever be -extended to him again in India? - - * * * * * - -On the way homewards our guide pointed out what he considered the great -lion of Calicut. It is a square field, overgrown with grass and weeds and -surrounded by a dense grove of trees. Fronting the road stands a simple -gateway, composed of one stone laid horizontally across two of the same -shape, planted perpendicularly in the ground. Not detecting instantly -any great marvel about the place we looked our curiosity for further -information. - -“In days of old a strong fort, and a splendid palace adorned that -spot—their only remains now those two mounds”—said the guide, pointing at -what appeared to be the ruins of bastions—“and that raised platform of -earth at the other end. Upon the latter a temporary festive building is -erected whenever a Rajah is invested with the turban of regal dignity, in -memory of the ancient dwelling-place of his ancestors, and the city which -is now no more.” - -We had half an hour to waste, and were not unwilling to hear a detailed -account of old Calicut’s apocryphal destruction. So we asked the man -to point out its former site. He led us towards the shore, and called -our attention to a reef of rocks lying close off the mouth of the little -Kullai River; they were clearly discernible as it was then low water.[67] - -“There,” said the guide,—a good Hindoo, of course—“there lies the -accursed city of Cherooman Rajah!” - -Our escort did not require much pressing to ease himself of a little -legendary lore. After preparing his mouth for conversation by disposing -of as much betel juice as was convenient, he sat down upon the ground -near the log of wood occupied by ourselves, and commenced. - -“When Cherooman Rajah, the last and most powerful of our foreign -governors, apostatizing from the holy faith of his forefathers, received -the religion of the stranger, he went forth as a pilgrim to the land of -the Arab, and dwelt there for several years.[68] - -“Our ruler’s return was signalized by a determination to propagate the -new belief throughout Malabar, and unusual success attended upon the -well-planned system of persuasion and force adopted by him. Thousands of -the slaves, the cultivators and the fishermen, became Moslems, many of -the Nairs, some of them men of high rank, and even a few of the Brahmans -did not disdain to follow their prince’s example. But the _Numboory_[69] -stood firm in his refusal to turn from the law of Brahma; he not only -toiled to counteract the monarch’s influence, but on more than one -occasion in solemn procession visited the palace, and denounced a curse -upon the Rajah and people of Calicut if the proselytising continued. - -“At length the chieftain, irritated by the determined opposition of the -priesthood, and urged on by his Arab advisers, swore a mighty oath that -he would forcibly convert his arch enemies. The person selected to eat -impure meat as a warning to his brethren was the holy Sankaracharya, the -high Brahman of the Varkool pagoda. - -“Slowly the old man’s tottering frame bowed, and trembling with -age, moved down the double line of bearded warriors that crowded -the audience-hall. At the further end of the room, upon the cushion -of royalty, and surrounded by a throng of foreign counsellors, sat -Cherooman, looking like a Rakshasa or Spirit of Evil. - -“Few words passed between the Brahman and the ruler. The threats of the -latter, and the scoffs of his myrmidons, fell unheeded upon the old -priest’s ears. - -“‘It is said that a Rajah is a sword in the hand of the Almighty—but -thou, Cherooman, art like the assassin’s knife. Since thou art thus -determined upon thine own destruction accompany me to the beach, and -there, unless before sunset the dread Deity I adore vouchsafe to show -thee a sign of his power, I will obey thine unhallowed orders.’ - -“The Rajah mounted his elephant, and followed by his mufties, his -wuzeers, and guardsmen, moved slowly towards the brink of the briny -wave. On foot and unattended, propping his faltering footsteps with a -sandal wand, the Brahman accompanied the retinue. And all the people -of Calicut, whose leaning towards the new faith made them exult in the -prospect of conversion being forced upon so revered a personage as the -old priest, informed of the event, hurried down in thousands to the -shore, and stood there in groups conversing earnestly, and sparing -neither jest nor jibe at the contrast between the champions of the two -rival faiths. - -“Sankaracharya sat down upon the sand where the small waves swelled and -burst at his feet. Muffling his head in a cotton sheet removed from -his shoulders, he drew the rosary bag over his right hand, and after -enumerating the Deity’s names upon his beads, proceeded to recite the -charm of destruction. - -“Presently, a cloud no bigger than a man’s hand rose like a sea-bird -above the margin of the western main. It increased with preternatural -growth, and before half an hour had elapsed it veiled the mid-day light -of heaven, and spread over the sky like the glooms of night. A low -moaning sound as of a rising hurricane then began to break the drear -stillness of the scene, and fierce blasts to career wildly over the -heaving bosom of the waters. - -“Still the Brahman continued his prayer. - -“Now huge billowy waves burst like thunder upon the yellow sands, the -zig-zag lightning streaking the murky sky blinded the eyes, whilst the -roar of the elements deafened the ears of the trembling crowd. Yet they -stood rooted to the spot by a mightier power than they could control. The -Rajah, on his elephant, and the beggar crawling upon his knees, all had -prepared for themselves one common doom. - -“Before the bright car of Surya,[70] the Lord of Day, borne by its -flaming steeds with agate hoofs, had entered upon their starry way, the -wavelet was rippling, and the sea-gull flapping his snowy wing over the -city of Cherooman the Apostate.” - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -MALABAR. - - -The province, now called Malabar, is part of the Kerula Rajya, the -kingdom of Kerula, one of the fifty-six _deshas_, or regions, enumerated -in ancient Hindoo history as forming the Bharata Khanda or Land of -India. It is supposed to have been recovered from the sea by the sixth -incarnation of Vishnu, who in expiation of a matricidal crime gave over -to the Brahmans, particularly to those of the Moonsut tribe, the broad -lands lying between Go-karna[71] and Kanya Kumari, or Cape Comorin. The -country is also known by the names of Malayalim, the “mountain land;” -Malangara and Cherun,[72] from the Rajahs, who governed it at an early -period. It is probably the kingdom of Pandion, described in the pages of -the classical geographers. - -By Malabar we now understand the little tract bounded on the north by -Canara, to the south by the province of Cochin, having Coorg and Mysore -to the east, and washed by the waves of the Indian Ocean on the west. -Marco Polo (thirteenth century)[73] speaks of it as a “great kingdom,” -and Linschoten (sixteenth century) describes it as extending from Comorin -to Goa. The natives assert that the old Kerula Rajya was divided into -sixty-four _grama_ or districts, of which only eight are included in the -present province of Malabar.[74] - -The whole of this part of the coast acquired an early celebrity from -the valuable exports[75] which it dispersed over the Western World. -Nelkunda, the chief port, is mentioned by Ptolemy and Pliny: and the -author of the “Periplus” places it near Barake or Ela Barake, the -roadstead where vessels lay at anchor till their cargoes were brought -down to the sea. Major Rennell has identified the ancient Nelkunda with -the modern Nelisuram, as the latter place is situated twelve miles up -the Cangerecora River—a distance corresponding with that specified in -the “Periplus.” Vincent acutely guesses Ela Barake to be the spot near -Cananore, called by Marco Polo “Eli,” and by us Delhi[76]—the “Ruddy -Mountain” of the ancients. - -Malabar, from remote times, has been divided into two provinces, the -northern and the southern: the Toorshairoo or Cottah River forming the -line of demarcation. The general breadth of the country, exclusive of the -district of Wynad, is about twenty-five miles, and there is little level -ground. The soil is admirably fertile; in the inland parts it is covered -with clumps of bamboos, bananas, mangoes, jacktrees, and several species -of palms. Substantial pagodas, and the prettiest possible little villages -crown the gentle eminences that rise above the swampy rice lands, and -the valleys are thickly strewed with isolated cottages and homesteads, -whose thatched roofs, overgrown with creepers, peep out from the masses -of luxuriant vegetation, the embankments and the neat fences of split -bamboo interlaced with thorns, that conceal them. Each tenement has -its own croft planted with pepper, plantains, and the betel vine, with -small tufts of cocoas, bamboos, and that most graceful species of the -palm, the tall and feathery areca. These hamlets are infinitely superior -in appearance to aught of the kind we have ever seen in India; the -houses are generally built of brick or hewn stone and mortar, and those -belonging to the wealthy have been copied from the Anglo-Indian bungalow. -As the traveller passes he will frequently see the natives sitting at -their doors upon chairs exactly as the rustics of Tuscany would do. The -quantity of rain that annually falls[77] covers the ground with the bloom -of spontaneous vegetation; cocoa-trees rise upon the very verge where -land ends, and in some places the heaps of sand that emerge a few feet -from the surface of the sea, look bright with a cap of emerald hue. In -consequence of the great slope of the country the heaviest monsoon leaves -little or no trace behind it, so that lines of communication once formed -are easily preserved. Generally speaking the roads are little more than -dykes running over the otherwise impassable paddy fields, and, during -wet weather, those in the lower grounds are remarkably bad. Some of the -highways are macadamised with pounded laterite spread in thin layers upon -the sand; the material is found in great quantities about Calicut, and -it makes an admirable monsoon road, as the rain affects it but little on -account of its extreme hardness. The magnificent avenues of trees,[78] -which shade the principal lines, are most grateful to man and beast in a -tropical climate. On all of them, however, there is one great annoyance, -particularly during the monsoon, namely, the perpetual shifting to and -from ferries[79]—an operation rendered necessary by the network of -lakes, rivers, and breakwaters, that intersects the country. A great -public use could be made of these inconvenient streams: with very little -cutting a channel of communication might be run down the coast, and -thus the conveyance of goods would remain uninterrupted even during the -prevalence of the most violent monsoons. Water transit, we may observe, -would be a grand boon here, as carts are rare, cattle transport is -almost unknown, and the transmission of merchandise by means of coolies -or porters is the barbarous, slow, and expensive method at present -necessarily in general use. - -The practical husbandry of Malabar is essentially rude, and yet in few -countries have we seen more successful cultivation. The plough is small, -of simple form, and so light, that it merely scratches the ground; a pair -of bullocks, or a bullock and a woman or two, are attached to the log, -and whilst the labourer dawdles over his task, he chaunts monotonous -ditties to Mother Earth with more pious zeal than industry. The higher -lands produce the betel vine, cocoa, areca, and jack-trees,[80] together -with hill rice: the latter article is sown some time after the setting -in of the heavy rains, and reaped about September or October. The lower -rice-fields, lying in the valleys between the acclivities, are laid out -in little plots, with raised footpaths between to facilitate passage and -regulate the irrigation. They generally bear one, often two, and in some -favoured spots, three crops a year; the average is scarcely more than six -or seven fold, though a few will yield as much as thirty. The south-west -monsoon, which lasts from June to September, brings forward the first -harvest: the second is indebted to the south-east rains which set in -about a month later. The Sama (Panicum Miliaceum) requires the benefit of -wet weather; it is therefore sown in May, and reaped in August. The oil -plant Yelloo (Sesamum Orientale) and the cooltie or horsegram cannot be -put into the ground till the violence of the monsoon has abated. - - * * * * * - -The annual revenue of Malabar is about thirty lacs of rupees -(300,000_l._), land is valuable, the reason probably being that it is for -the most part private, not government property. - -When the Hindoo law authorizes a twelfth, an eighth, or a sixth, and -at times of urgent necessity even a fourth of the crop to be taken, -specifying the Shelbhaga, or one-sixth, as the rulers’ usual share, it -appears extraordinary that this province was exempted from all land-tax -till 913,[81] or A.D. 1736-7. We may account for the peculiarity, -however, by remembering that the country belonged, properly speaking, -to the Brahmans, who were, in a religious point of view, the owners of -the soil. Moreover, the avowed and legitimate sources of revenue were -sufficient for the purposes of a government that had no standing army, -and whose militia was supported chiefly by assignments of land. The -rulers, however, were anything but wealthy: many of their perquisites -were, it is true, by a stretch of authority, converted into the means -of personal aggrandisement, but the influence of the Brahmans, and the -jealousy of the chiefs, generally operated as efficient checks upon -individual ambition. - -Malabar has been subjected to three different assessments. - -1st. That of the Hindoo Rajahs. - -2dly. In the days of the Moslems, and, - -3dly. Under the British Government. - -We propose to give a somewhat detailed account of the chief items -composing the curious revenue of the Hindoo rajahs and chiefs in the -olden time. - - 1. _Unka_, battle-wager, or trial by single combat. Quarrels - and private feuds were frequent amongst the Nairs, especially - when differences on the subject of the fair sex, or any of - their peculiar principles of honour aroused their pugnacity. - It was not indispensable that the parties who were at issue - should personally fight it out. Champions were allowed by law, - and in practice were frequently substituted. The combatants - undertook to defend the cause they espoused till death, and - a term of twelve years was granted to them that they might - qualify themselves for the encounter by training and practising - the use of arms. Before the onset both champions settled all - their worldly matters, as the combat was _à l’outrance_. The - weapons used were sword and dagger: a small shield and a thick - turban being the only articles of defensive armour. This system - of duelling was a source of considerable revenue to the Rajah, - as he was umpire of the battle, and levied the tax in virtue - of his office. The amount of the fee varied according to the - means of the parties. Sometimes it was as high as one thousand - fanams.[82] - - 2. _Poorooshandrum_—a word literally meaning the “death of - the man”—a relief or sum of money claimed by the ruler from - Nadwallees,[83] Deshwallees, heads of guilds, holders of land - in free gift or under conditional tenure, and generally from - all persons enjoying Sthanum or official position in the state, - whenever an heir succeeded to a death vacancy. The chiefs of - provinces and districts, like the private proprietors, were - exclusively entitled to receive Poorooshandrum from their - own tenantry, as a price of entry paid upon the decease of - either party, lessor or lessee. Sometimes the chiefs claimed - the privilege of levying this tax from the Rajah’s subjects - living under their protection. It is supposed that the Hindoo - rulers were entitled, under the head of Poorooshandrum, to a - certain share of the property left by deceased Moslems, but the - prevalent opinion seems to be that in such cases there was no - fixed sum payable, and, moreover, that it was not claimed from - all, but only from those individuals who held situations or - enjoyed privileges dependent upon the will and favour of the - Rajah. This tax, so similar to one of our feudal sources of - revenue in the West, often reached the extent of one thousand - two hundred fanams. - - 3. _Polyatta Penna_, or degraded women, were another source - of profit to the Rajah, who exacted various sums from Brahman - families for the maintenance of such females, and for saving - them from further disgrace. These persons became partial - outcastes, not slaves in the full sense of the word; and - yet the rulers used to sell them to the Chetties, or coast - merchants. Their offspring always married into families of the - same degraded class, and, after a few generations, the memory - of their origin was lost in the ramifications of the race into - which they had been adopted. - - 4. _Kaleecha_—another feudal tax, answering to the Nuzzuranah - of Mussulman India. It consisted of presents made by all ranks - of people to the ruler on such occasions of congratulation and - condolence as his ascending the throne, opening a new palace, - marrying, and dying. The amount expected varied from two to one - thousand fanams. - - 5. _Chungathum_, or protection. Whenever a person wished to - place himself under the safeguard of a man of consequence, - he paid from four to sixty-four fanams annually for the - privilege. He might also make an assignment on particular lands - for the payment. The sum was devoted to the maintenance of a - kind of sentinel, similar to the belted official Peon of the - Anglo-Indian settlements, furnished by the protector to his - dependent. In cases of necessity, however, the former was bound - to aid and assist the other with a stronger force. - - 6. _Recha-Bhogum_—a tax differing from Chungathum only in one - point, viz., that the engagement was a general one, unlimited - to any specific aid in the first instance. - - 7. Under the name of _Uttudukum_, the Rajah was entitled to - the property of any person who, holding lands in free gift, - died without heirs; moreover, no adoption was valid without his - sanction. The feudal chiefs had similar privileges with respect - to their tenants. - - 8. _Udeema punum_—the yearly payment of one or two fanams, - levied by every Tumbooran[84] or patron from his Udian (client). - - 9. _Soonka_—customs upon all imports and exports by land or - sea. The amount is variously specified as two-and-a-half, - three, and even ten per cent. - - 10. _Yela_—the systematic usurpation of territory belonging to - the neighbouring rulers or chiefs, whom poverty or other causes - incapacitated from holding their own. The Hindoo Scripture - affirms that territorial aggrandisement is the proper object - and peculiar duty of a king. - - 11. _Kola_ or _Charadayum_—forced contributions levied - by Rajahs on occasions of emergency, according to the - circumstances of their subjects. - - 12. _Tuppa_—mulcts imposed upon those who were convicted of - accidental and unintentional offences. - - 13. _Pala_—fines taken in the same manner for intentional - crimes, according to their magnitude and the circumstances of - the criminal. They sometimes extended to a total confiscation - of property. - - 14. _Ponnarippa_—the sifting of gold. Gold dust generally was - a perquisite belonging to the Rajah or Nadwallee, as the case - might be. - - 15. _Udeenya Oorookul_, or shipwrecked vessels, which became - crown property. - - 16. _Chaireekul_, or private domains, which the Rajahs - possessed in proprietary right, acquired either by purchase, - lapses, or escheats. - - 17. _Aeemoola_ } Cows with three and five dugs. - 18. _Moomoola_ } - - 19. _Chengkomba_, or cattle that had destroyed life, human or - bestial. - - 20. _Kunnuda poolee_—beeves born with a peculiar white spot - near the corner of the eye. - - 21. _Ana-pidee_—elephants caught in the jungles. - - 22. _Poowala_—buffalos with a white spot at the tip of the tail. - - 23. _Koomba_—the tusks of dead elephants. - - 24. _Korawa_—the leg of a hog, deer, or any other eatable - animal killed in the jungles. - - 25. _Wala_ } The tail and skin of a tiger. - 26. _Tola_ } - - 27. _Kennutil punne_—a pig that had fallen into a well.[85] - -This system of aid and perquisites, rather than of taxes and assessments, -continued, as we have said before, till A.D. 1736. At that time the -invasion of the Ikkairee, or Bednore Rajah, to whom the Canara province -was then in subjection, obliged some of the rulers of Northern Malabar -to levy twenty per cent. on Patum, or rent. The part of the Palghaut and -Temelpooram districts, which belonged to the Calicut house, was subjected -to a land tax, under the name of Kavil, or compensation for protection. -With these exceptions,[86] Malabar was free from any land rent or regular -assessment proportioned to the gross produce before Hyder’s invasion in -A.D. 1777. - -Some are of opinion that, during Hyder’s life, the land-tax assumed, in -the Southern division of Malabar, the shape which it now bears in the -public records. Others attribute the principles of the assessment to -Arshad Beg Khan, the Foujdar, or commander of Tippoo Sultan’s forces in -Malabar, about A.D. 1783. His system was carefully examined by Messrs. -Duncan, Page, Bodham, and Dow, who, in 1792 and 1793, were appointed -commissioners to inspect and report upon the state and condition of the -country. To their laborious work[87] we must refer the curious reader, as -the subject is far too lengthy and profound to suit such light pages as -these. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -THE HINDOOS OF MALABAR. - - -When Parasu Rama, the demigod, departed this transitory life, he left, -as we said before, the kingdom of Malabar as a heritage to the priestly -caste. For many years a hierarchy of Brahmans governed the land.[88] At -length, finding themselves unable to defend the country, they established -Nair chiefs in each Nad (province), and Desha (village),[89] called -from their places of jurisdiction Nadwallee and Deshwallee. The main -distinction between them seems to have been, that whereas the latter -could not command more than a hundred fighting men, the Nadwallee never -went to battle with a smaller number than that under his banner; some few -led as many as twenty thousand vassals to the field. Both were bound to -conduct the affairs of their feofs, to preserve the peace of the country, -and to assemble and head their respective forces at the summons of the -Rajah. There does not appear to have been any limitation to the power -of settling disputes vested in these feudal superiors, nor were they -prohibited from taking fines and costs of suit;[90] parties appearing -before them had, however, a right of appeal to the Rajah. These dignities -were hereditary; still they may be considered political offices,—for, in -case of demise, the heir did not succeed without a formal investiture by -the ruler, and a relief, or fine of entry, taken in token of allegiance. -Like the feudal landowners of England, both the Nadwallee and the -Deshwallee were dependent upon the prince to whom they swore the oath -of fidelity. Neither of these dignitaries was necessarily owner of -all the landed property within his province or village boundaries: in -fact he seldom was so, although there was no objection to his becoming -proprietor by purchase or other means. They were not entitled to a share -of the produce of the lands in their jurisdiction, nor could they claim -the seignoral privileges, which the heads of villages on the eastern -coast, and many other parts of India, enjoy. Under the Deshwallee of -each village were several Turravattakara,[91] or chief burgesses. They -possessed a certain hereditary dignity, but no controlling authority. In -them, however, we may trace the germ of a municipal corporation, as their -position entitled them to the honour of being applied to on occasions -of marriages, deaths, religious ceremonies, and differences amongst the -vassals. When their mediation failed the cause went before the Deshwallee. - -The anarchy introduced by this complicated variety of feudalism soon -compelled the hierarchy to call in the aid of the Bejanuggur, or, as -it is commonly termed, the Anagundy government, and the latter, at the -solicitation of the Brahmans, appointed a Peroomal, or Viceroy, whose -administration was limited to the term of twelve years, to rule the -fair lands of Malabar. These governors, who are also known by the name -of Cherun,[92] were first appointed in the 3511th year of the Kali -Yug,[93] about A.D. 410. Seventeen of them, curious to say, followed each -other in regular succession. The last, however, Cherooman Peroomal,[94] -so ingratiated himself with his temporary subjects, that he reigned -thirty-six years, and, at the head of a numerous army, defeated the home -government, which attempted to dispossess him of his power, in a pitched -battle fought near the village of Annamalay.[95] Afterwards, becoming a -convert to Islam, he made a pilgrimage to Mecca. Before leaving India, -he divided the province among the seventeen chiefs[96] to whose valour -he was indebted for his success in war. These were the ancestors of the -present race of Rajahs. - -Malabar was soon torn with intestine feuds, arising from the power and -ambition of its host of rulers, and the Samiry, Samoory, or Calicut -Rajah, soon became _de facto_—if not _de jure_—the lord paramount. He was -a native of Poontoora, in the Coimbatore province, and derived his name, -Mana Vikram, from Manicham and Vikram—the two brothers present on the -occasion when Cherooman conferred dominion upon the head of the house. -His superiority was acknowledged until Hyder’s time, by all the chiefs -from the north point of Malabar to the south extremity of Travancore. - -After that Hyder had become regent of Mysore, he made use of the -following pretext for invading Malabar. The Palghaut Rajah, a descendant -from the Pandian sovereigns of Madura, terrified by the power of the -Samiry, had, in early times, sought the alliance of the Mysore state, -then governed by its Hindoo princes, and constituted himself a client -of the same by paying a certain annual sum for a subsidiary force to -be stationed in his territory. The ambitious Moslem, under colour of -avenging his ally and protecting him against the oppressions of the -Samiry and other princes, forthwith attacked them on their own ground. - - * * * * * - -The manner in which the Calicut house is and has been, from the days of -hoar antiquity, broken and divided, appears curious in the extreme. It -may be supposed that the Brahmans, jealous of the overgrown power of -one individual, in the person of the Samiry, endeavoured to temper its -force by assigning to the other members of the family certain official -dignities, together with concomitant privileges. It is also possible -that this partition might have taken place at the solicitation of the -princes, who naturally would wish to secure for themselves a settled and -independent subsistence. They were appointed to act as a council to the -reigning sovereign; they could check his authority as well as aid him in -his wisdom; and, finally, they were his principal officers, each having -separate and particular duties to perform. By this arrangement, in case -of the ruler’s demise, his heir would succeed to the throne without -any of the harassing disturbances and sanguinary contentions so common -amongst Asiatic nations. - -Where rank and property descend from father to son, there is little -difficulty in settling the succession. But when families remain united -for years under the Murroo-muka-tayum, or inheritance by the nephew -or sister’s son—the strange law which prevails among the Rajahs and -Nairs of Malabar—it becomes by no means an easy matter to ascertain who -is the senior in point of birth. The crafty Brahmans provided against -this difficulty by establishing a system of intermediate dignities, -which acted as a register, and by requiring a long interval of time, -during which each individual’s rights might be frequently discussed and -deliberately settled, to elapse between promotion from the inferior to -the superior grades. - -The head of the Calicut house, who may be supposed to occupy the position -of the first Samiry’s mother, is called the Vullia Tumbooratee,[97] or -principal queen. She resides in the Kovilugum, or palace of Umbadee. -Priority of birth gives a claim to this dignity, and the eldest of all -the princesses is entitled to it, no matter what be her relationship to -the reigning sovereign. The Umbadee is the only indispensable palace; -but, for the sake of convenience, an unlimited number of private -dwellings have been established for the junior princesses. Thus we find -the “new palace,” the “eastern palace” (relatively to the Umbadee), the -“western palace,” and many others.[98] The queen and princesses are -compelled to occupy the residences allotted to their several ranks; they -are also prohibited from holding any commerce with men of their own -family, as their paramours must either be of the Kshatriya[99] (military) -caste, or Numboory Brahmans, and may not be changed without the consent -of the Samiry and that of the whole body of near relations. - -The princes are taken according to their seniority out of the -above-mentioned Umbadees, and the eldest of all, when a death occurs, -becomes the Samiry. There are five palaces of state allotted to the -different princes—namely, the Samotree Kovilugum, or palace of the First -Rajah; the Yeirumpiree Kovilugum, or palace of the Yellia Rajah—the heir -apparent to the Samiry-ship; and three others, which are respectively -termed the “Governments of the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Portions.” After -that a prince has been once established in any of these dignities, -his order of rank may be considered finally settled: he cannot be -superseded, but must, if he lives, rise step by step—each time with -formal investiture—till he attains the highest dignity. Whenever a -superior palace becomes vacant, he is duly installed in it, and succeeds -to the revenue arising from the landed property belonging to it. But he -cannot remove any of the furniture, or the gold and silver utensils, from -the inferior residence which he formerly occupied, as these articles -are considered public goods, and, as such, are marked with distinctive -stamps. Under all circumstances, however, the prince retains the right of -private property. - -The principles of the arrangement which we have attempted to describe, -not only exist in the Calicut house but pervade all the families of the -different Rajahs in Malabar. - -In the intercourse between the princes there is much ceremony, and, as -might be expected, little affection. No one is allowed to sit down in -the presence of a superior; all must stand before the Samiry, and do -obeisance to him with folded hands. - -According to a census taken in 1846, the different castes were enumerated -as follows in round numbers:— - - 1. Numboory Brahmans 5,500 - 2. Puttur, or foreign Brahmans 15,200 - 3. Nairs 370,000 - 4. Tiyars 340,000 - 5. Moplahs 315,000 - 6. Fishermen 15,300 - 7. Chermur, or serfs 160,000 - 8. Christians and other strangers 9,000 - --------- - Total 1,230,000[100] - - * * * * * - -Even in India, the land of ethnologic marvels, there are few races so -strange and remarkable in their customs as the people of Malabar. The -soil or the climate seems to have exercised some peculiar effect upon -its inhabitants: Hindoos as well as Moslems abound in peculiarities -unknown to their tenets and practices in other parts of the world. The -correctness of our observation will appear in the following sketches of -the different castes. - -The priesthood of Malabar is at present divided into two great classes; -the Numboory, Numoodree or Malabar Brahmans, and the Puttur, or families -of the pontifical stock that do not originally belong to the country. - -The Numboory is the scion of an ancient and celebrated tree. The well -known polemic Sankaracharya belonged to this race; he was born in the -village of Kaludee, in the 3501st, or, according to others, the 3100th -year of the Kali Yug. His fame rests principally upon his celebrated -work, the sixty-four _anacharun_, or Exceptions to Established Rules, -composed for the purpose of regulating and refining the customs of his -fellow religionists.[101] No copy of the institutes which have produced -permanent effects upon the people exists in Malabar. There is a history -of the saint’s life called Sankaracharya Chureedun, containing about -seven hundred stanzas, written by a disciple. - -The Numboory family is governed by several regulations peculiar to it: -only the eldest of any number of brothers takes a woman of his own caste -to wife. All the juniors must remain single except when the senior fails -in having issue. This life of celibacy became so irksome to the Brahmans -that they induced the Nair caste to permit unrestrained intercourse -between their females and themselves, it being well understood that -the priesthood was conferring an especial honour upon their disciples. -Probably in order to please the compliant Shudras the more, the Numboory -in many parts of the country changed their regular mode of succession -for the inheritance by nephews practised amongst the Nairs. As might be -supposed, the birth of female children is considered an enormous evil -by these Brahmans; their daughters frequently live and die unmarried, -and even when a suitable match has been found for them, their nuptials -are seldom celebrated till late in life, owing to the extraordinary -expense of the ceremony. Throughout India the marriage of a girl is -seldom delayed after her twelfth year; in Malabar, few Numboory women -are married before they reach the age of twenty-five or thirty. They -are most strictly watched, and all _faux pas_ are punished by a sort of -excommunication pronounced by the hereditary Brahman, with the consent of -the Rajah. The relations of the female delinquent are also heavily fined, -and such mulcts in ancient times formed one of the items of the ruler’s -revenue. - -There is nothing striking in the appearance of the Numboory. He is, -generally speaking, a short, spare man, of a dark olive-coloured -complexion, sharp features, and delicate limbs. His toilette is not -elaborate; a piece of white cotton cloth fastened round the waist, and a -similar article thrown loosely over the shoulders, together with the cord -of the twice-born, compose the _tout ensemble_. These Brahmans are solemn -in their manners and deportment, seldom appear in public, and when they -do, they exact and receive great respect from their inferiors in caste. A -Nair meeting a Numboory must salute him by joining the palms of the hands -together, and then separating them three successive times.[102] - -The Nairs[103] are a superior class of Shudra, or servile Hindoos, who -formerly composed the militia,[104] or landwehr, of Malabar. Before the -land-tax was introduced they held estates rent free; the only prestation -required from them was personal service; to attend the rajah, or chief, -on all official and religious occasions, and to march to battle under -his banner. When absent from their homes, they were entitled to a daily -subsistence, called Kole. Their arms were sword and shield, spear and -matchlock, with a long knife or dagger suspended behind the back by -a hook attached to a leathern waistband. Being now deprived of their -favourite pastimes—fighting and plundering—they have become cultivators -of the soil, and disdain not to bend over the plough, an occupation -formerly confined to their slaves. And yet to the present day they retain -much of their old military character, and with it the licentiousness -which in Eastern countries belongs to the profession of arms. In fact, -“war, wine, and women” appear to be the three ingredients of their -_summum bonum_, and forced abstinence from the first, only increases the -ardour of their affection for the last two. Although quite opposed to the -spirit of Hindoo law, intoxication and debauchery never degrade a Nair -from his caste. - -Wedlock can hardly be said to exist among the Nairs. They perform, -however, a ceremony called _kulleanum_, which in other castes implies -marriage, probably a relic of the nuptial rite. The Nair woman has a -Talee, or necklace, bound round her throat by some fellow-caste man, -generally a friend of the family; a procession then ambulates the town, -and by virtue thereof the lady takes the title of Ummah, or matron. -But the gentleman is not entitled to the privileges of a husband, nor -has he any authority over the said matron’s person or property. She is -at liberty to make choice of the individual with whom she intends to -live—her Bhurtao, as her protector is called, she becoming his Bharya. -The connection is termed Goonadoshum, words which literally signify -“good and bad,” and imply an agreement between the parties to take each -other for better and worse; it cannot be dissolved without the simple -process of one party “giving warning” to the other. In former times, the -lady used always to reside in her mother’s house, but this uncomfortable -practice is now rapidly disappearing. - -Another peculiar custom which prevails among the Nairs, is the -murroo-muka-tayum,[105] hereditary succession by sisters’ sons; or in -case of their failing, by the male nearest in consanguinity from the -father’s grandmother. The ancient ordinances of Malabar forbade a Nair -to leave his property by will to his offspring, and it was considered -unbecoming to treat a son with the affection shown to a nephew. Of late -years some heads of families have made a provision for their own children -during life time, but it has been necessary to procure the assent of the -rightful heirs to bequests thus irregularly made. When property is left -to sons, the division follows the general Hindoo law, with two essential -points of difference. In the first place, children inherit the estate of -the mother only; and, secondly, a daughter is, in certain cases, entitled -to preference to a son. Thus, a female can, a male cannot, mortgage or -sell land inherited from his maternal progenitor: after his death it must -revert to those who were co-heirs with him; and though a man is entitled -to the same share as his sister, his right to it continues only as long -as they live in the same house. - -The origin of this extraordinary law is lost in the obscurity of -antiquity. The Brahmans, according to some, were its inventors; others -suppose that they merely encouraged and partially adopted it. Its -effects, politically speaking, were beneficial to the community at -large. The domestic ties, always inconvenient to a strictly military -population, were thereby conveniently weakened, and the wealth, -dignity, and unbroken unity of interests were preserved for generations -unimpaired in great and powerful families, which, had the property been -divided among the several branches, according to the general practice -of Hinduism, would soon have lost their weight and influence. As it was -unnecessary that a woman should be removed from her home, or introduced -into a strange family, the eldest nephew on the sister’s side, when he -became the senior male member of the household, succeeded, as a matter of -course, to the rights, property, and dignity of Karnovun.[106] - -We suspect that the priesthood—those crafty politicians whose meshes -of mingled deceit and superstition have ever held the Hindoo mind “in -durance vile”—were the originators of the murroo-muka-tayum and the -goonadoshum. Both inventions, like many of the laws of Lycurgus, appear -the result of well-digested plans for carrying out the one proposed -object. They are audacious encroachments upon the rights of human nature; -and we cannot account for their existence by any supposition except that -the law-givers were determined to rear a race of warriors—no matter by -what means. As a corroboration of our theory, we may instance the fact -that these strange and now objectless ordinances are gradually giving way -to the tide of truer feeling. Already the succession of nephews has been -partially broken through, and in the present day the control of the heads -of families is nothing compared with what it was. - -There is a tradition among the Nairs, that anciently, the Samiry Rajah -was, by the law of the land, compelled to commit suicide by cutting -his throat in public at the expiration of a twelve-years’ reign. When -that ceremony became obsolete, another and an equally peculiar one -was substituted in its stead. A jubilee was proclaimed throughout the -kingdom, and thousands flocked from all directions to the feasts and -festivals prepared for them at Calicut. On an appointed day, the Rajah, -after performing certain religious rites, repaired to the shore, and sat -down upon a cushion, unarmed, bare-headed, and almost undressed, whilst -any four men of the fighting caste, who had a mind to win a crown, were -allowed to present themselves as candidates for the honour of regicide. -They were bathed in the sea, and dressed in pure garments, which, as well -as their persons, were profusely sprinkled over with perfumes and water -coloured yellow by means of turmeric. A Brahman then putting a long -sword and small round shield into each man’s hand, told him to “go in and -win” if he could. Almost incredible though it may appear, some cases are -quoted in which a lucky desperado succeeded in cutting his way through -the thirty or forty thousand armed guards who stood around the Rajah, and -in striking off the sovereign’s head. This strange practice has of late -years been abolished. - -The Nairs are rather a fair and comely race, with neat features, clean -limbs, and decidedly a high caste look. They shave the head all over, -excepting one long thin lock of hair, which is knotted at the end, and -allowed to lie flat upon the crown. Neither cap nor turban is generally -worn. Their dress consists of the usual white cotton cloth fastened round -the loins: when _en grande tenue_, a similar piece hangs round their -necks, or is spread over the shoulders. We have alluded to the appearance -of their females in our account of Calicut, and may here observe that -we were rather fortunate in having accidentally seen them. The Nair -is as jealous as he is amorous and vindictive: many travellers have -passed through the country without being able to catch one glimpse of -their women, and the knife would be unhesitatingly used if a foreigner -attempted to satisfy his curiosity by anything like forcible measures. - - * * * * * - -The Tian[107] of Malabar is to the Nair what the villein was to the -feoffee of feudal England. These two families somewhat resemble each -other in appearance, but the former is darker in complexion, and less -“castey” in form and feature than the latter. It is the custom for -modest women of the Tiyar family to expose the whole of the person -above the waist, whereas females of loose character are compelled by -custom to cover the bosom. As this class of Hindoo, generally speaking, -provides the European residents with nurses and other menials, many of -our countrymen have tried to make them adopt a somewhat less natural -costume. The proposal, however, has generally been met pretty much in the -same spirit which would be displayed were the converse suggested to an -Englishwoman. - -In writings the Tiyar are styled Eelavun. They are supposed to be a -colony of strangers from an island of that name near Ceylon. An anomaly -in the Hindoo system they certainly are: learned natives know not -whether to rank them among the Shudras or not; some have designated -them by the term Uddee Shudra, meaning an inferior branch of the fourth -great division. Their principal employments are drawing toddy, dressing -the heads of cocoa and other trees, cultivating rice lands, and acting -as labourers, horse-keepers, and grass-cutters; they are free from all -prejudices that would remove them from Europeans, and do not object -to duties which only the lowest outcastes in India will condescend to -perform. Some few have risen to respectability and even opulence by -trade. They will not touch the flesh of the cow, and yet they have no -objection to other forbidden food. They drink to excess, and are fond -of quarrelling over their cups. Unlike the Nairs, they are deficient in -spirit; they are distinguished from the natives of Malabar generally by -marrying and giving in marriage. Moreover, property with them descends -regularly from father to son. - -Throughout the province a sort of vassalage seems to have been -established universally among the Tiyar, occasionally among the Nair -tribes.[108] The latter would sometimes place himself in a state of -dependency upon some Rajah, or powerful chief, and pay Chungathum,[109] -or protection-money, for the advantage derived from the connexion. The -Tiyar willingly became the Udian[110] of any superior whose patronage -would guarantee him quiet possession of his goods and chattels. This -kind of allegiance by no means amounted to slavery. The Tumbooran -could not dispose of the person or property of his vassal, nor did the -private tie acquit an individual of any public duty to the Rajah or his -representatives upon emergent occasions. The patron was on all occasions -bound to defend, protect, and procure redress for his client—favours -which the latter acknowledged by yearly tribute, and by affording -personal service to his superior in private quarrels. To the present -day the Tian will immediately say who his Tumbooran is: the annual -offerings are still kept up, and though British law entitles all parties -to equality of social rights, it must be an injury of some magnitude -that can induce the inferior to appear against his patron in a court of -justice. Some individuals became vassals of the Pagoda, which, in its -turn, often subjected itself to fee a Rajah for the maintenance of its -rights and the defence of its property. - -The reader will remark how peculiarly characteristic of the nation -this state of voluntary dependency is. In European history we find the -allodialist putting himself and his estate in a condition of vassalage, -but he did so because it was better to occupy the property as a fief -incident to certain services than to lose it altogether, or even to -be subjected to pillage and forced contributions. But the Asiatic is -not comfortable without the shade of a patron over his head; even if -necessity originally compelled him to sacrifice half his freedom, habit -and inclination perpetuate the practice long after all object for its -continuance has ceased to exist. - - * * * * * - -The Chermur,[111] or serfs of Malabar, amongst the Hindoos, were entirely -prædial or rustic. The system of slavery is said to have been introduced -by Parasu Rama, as a provision for agriculture when he gave the country -to the Brahmans. We may account for it more naturally by assigning -its origin and referring its subsequent prevalence to the operation -of the ancient Indian laws. The rules of caste were so numerous and -arbitrary that constant deviations from them would take place in a large -community; and for certain offences freeborn individuals became Chandalas -(outcastes), and were liable to disenfranchisement. - -Servitude in Malabar offered few of the revolting, degrading, and -horrible features which characterized it in the ancient, mediæval, and -modern annals of the Western World. The proprietor never had the power of -life or death over a slave without the sanction of the feudal chief, or -more generally of the sovereign; he could inflict corporeal punishment -upon him, but old established custom limited the extent as effectually -as law would. Moreover, in this part of the globe serfs were born and -bred in subserviency, they had no cherished memories of rights and -comforts once enjoyed,—no spirit of independence conscious of a title -to higher privileges and indignant at unjust seclusion from them. In -their case slavery did not begin with the horrors of violent separation -from country and home, the cruelties of a ship-imprisonment, forcible -introduction to new habits and customs, food and dress, languages and -connections. They were not degraded to the level of beasts, nor were they -subjected to treatment of the worst description by strange masters, who -neither understood their natures, nor sympathized with their feelings. - -A proprietor in Malabar could always sell[112] his serfs with or -without the soil, but to remove them far from their homes would have -been considered a cruel and unwarrantable measure sufficient to cause -and almost justify desertion. Only in some castes the wives of slaves -might be sold to another master, and, generally speaking, parents were -not separated from their children.[113] They might, however, be let out -in simple rent, or mortgaged under certain deeds. The proprietors were -bound to feed their slaves throughout the year. The allowance on work -days was double the proportion issued at other times, but it was never -less than two pounds of rice to a male, and about three quarters of that -quantity to a female. In Malabar there have been instances of a Chermun’s -holding land in lease, and being responsible to government for paying its -taxes. In Canara it was by no means uncommon for slaves to have slips of -rice-fields, and small pieces of land given to them by their masters for -growing fruit and vegetables. When a slave possessing any property died, -his owner was not entitled to it, except in the cases when no lawful -heir could be found. In some places on the coast,[114] and near large -towns, the serfs were permitted, when not labouring for their proprietor, -to employ themselves in carrying grass, firewood, and other articles -to market. On great occasions they expected presents of clothes, oil, -grain, and small sums of money whenever the owner was wealthy enough to -distribute such _largesse_. And at harvest time they were entitled to a -certain portion of the produce, as a compensation for watching the crop. - -There are several castes of serfs who do not intermarry or eat with -each other. The Poliur is considered the most industrious, docile, -and trustworthy. Proprietors complained loudly of the pilfering -propensities displayed by the others. With the exception of the Parayen -and Kunnakun tribes, they abstain from slaying the cow, and using beef -as an article of food. All are considered impure, though not equally so. -For instance, slaves of the Polyan, Waloovan, and Parayen races must -stand at a distance of seventy-two paces from the Brahman and Nair: the -Kunnakuns may approach within sixty-four, and other servile castes within -forty-eight paces of the priestly and military orders. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -THE MOSLEM AND OTHER NATIVES OF MALABAR. - - -We are informed by the Moslem historians that their faith spread wide -and took deep root in the southern parts of Western India, principally -in consequence of the extensive immigration of Arabs. It may be observed -that the same cause which provided the Hindoos with serfs, supplied the -stranger with proselytes: a Rajah would often, when in want of money, -dispose of his outcastes to the Faithful, who, in such cases, seldom -failed to make converts of their purchasers. - -The Moplahs, or Mapillahs,[115]—the Moslem inhabitants of Malabar—are a -mixed breed, sprung from the promiscuous intercourse that took place -between the first Arab settlers and the women of the country. Even to -the present day they display in mind and body no small traces of their -mongrel origin. They are a light coloured and good looking[116] race of -men, with the high features, the proud expression, and the wiry forms -of the descendants of Ishmael: their delicate hands and feet, and their -long bushy beards,[117] show that not a little Hindoo blood flows in -their veins. They shave the hair, trim the mostachios according to the -Sunnat,[118] and, instead of a turban, wear a small silk or cloth cap -of peculiar shape upon their heads. The chest and shoulders are left -exposed, and a white or dyed piece of linen, resembling in cut and -colour the “lung” or bathing cloth of Central Asia, is tied round the -loins. The garment, if we may so call it, worn by the males, does not -reach below the calves of the legs, whereas the fair sex prolongs it to -the ankles. Unlike the Hindoo inhabitants of Malabar, the upper portion -of the female figure is modestly concealed by a shift buttoned round the -neck, with large sleeves, and the opening in front: according to the -custom of the Faithful a veil is always thrown over the head. - -The only peculiarity in the Moplah lady’s costume is the horrible -ornamenting of the ear. At an early age the lobe is pierced, and a bit -of lead, or a piece of Shola wood[119] is inserted in order to enlarge -the orifice. After a time the lobe becomes about the size of a crown -piece, and a circle of gold, silver, or palm-leaf, dyed red, white, or -yellow, is inserted into it—the distended skin of the lobe containing -and surrounding the ring. There is something peculiarly revolting to a -stranger’s eye in the appearance of the two long strips of flesh instead -of ears, which hang down on each side of the head in old age, when -ornaments are no longer worn. - -The countenance of the Moplah, especially when it assumes the expression -with which he usually regards infidels and heretics, is strongly -indicative of his ferocious and fanatic disposition. His deep undying -hatred for the Kafir[120] is nurtured and strengthened by the priests and -religious instructors. Like the hierarchy of the Moslem world in general, -they have only to hold out a promise of Paradise to their disciples as a -reward, and the most flagrant crimes will be committed. In Malabar they -lie under the suspicion of having often suggested and countenanced many a -frightful deed of violence. The Moplah is an obstinate ruffian. Cases are -quoted of a culprit spitting in the face of a judge when the warrant of -execution was being read out to him. Sometimes half a dozen desperadoes -will arm themselves, seize upon a substantial house, and send a message -of defiance to the collector of the district. Their favourite weapon -on such occasions is the long knife that usually hangs from the waist: -when entering battle they generally carry two, one in the hand, and the -other between the teeth. They invariably prepare themselves for combat -by a powerful dose of hemp or opium, fight to the last with frenzied -obstinacy, despise the most dreadful wounds, and continue to exert -themselves when a European would be quite disabled—a peculiarity which -they probably inherit from their Arab[121] ancestors. Like the Malay when -he runs a-muck, these men never think of asking for, or giving quarter, -they make up their minds to become martyrs, and only try to attain high -rank in that glorious body by slaying as many infidels as they can. At -times they have been eminently successful. On one occasion we heard of -a rencontre in which about a dozen desperate robbers, dropping from the -window of a house into the centre of a square, inopportunely formed by a -company of seapoys, used their knives with such effect upon the helpless -red-coats’ backs, that they ran away with all possible precipitation. The -result of a few such accidents is, that the native soldier cannot always -be trusted to act against them, for, with the usual Hindoo superstition -and love of the marvellous, he considers their bravery something -preternatural, and connected with certain fiendish influences. - -In former days, the Moplas played a conspicuous part among the pirates -who infested the Malabar coast. Marco Polo mentions that there issued -annually “a body of upwards of one hundred vessels,[122] who captured -other ships and plundered the merchants.” He alludes to their forming -what they called a ladder on the sea, by stationing themselves in -squadrons of twenty, about five miles from each other, so as to command -as great an extent of water as possible. But in the old Venetian’s -day, the corsairs appear to have been by no means so sanguinary as -they afterwards became. He expressly states, that when the pirates -took a ship, they did no injury to the crew, but merely said to them, -“Go and collect another cargo, that we may have a chance of getting it -too.” In later times, Tavernier describes them as blood-thirsty in the -extreme. “The Malavares are violent Mahometans and very cruel to the -Christians.[123] I saw a barefoot Carmelite friar, who had been taken by -the pirates, and so tortured, in order to obtain his ransom,[124] that -his right arm and one leg were shorter by one half than the other.” He -alludes to their audacity in attacking large armed vessels with squadrons -composed of ten or fifteen barques, each carrying from two hundred to two -hundred and fifty men, and describes their practice of boarding suddenly -and setting fire to the ship with pots of artificial fire. The style of -defence usually adopted was to prepare for them by closing the scuttles, -and swamping the deck with water, to hinder the fire-pots from doing -execution. - -The Moplahs being now deprived of their old occupation, have addicted -themselves, in some places, to gang-robbery and smuggling. The principal -contraband articles are tobacco and salt, both of which are government -monopolies.[125] To strengthen their bands, they will associate to -themselves small bodies of Nairs and villains of the lowest Hindoo -castes, who shrink from no species of cruelty and outrage. But, generally -speaking, especially in the quieter districts of Malabar, the Moplahs and -the Nairs are on terms of deadly enmity. The idolaters, who have been -taught to hate the Faithful by many a deed of blood, would always act -willingly against them, provided that our rulers would ensure subsistence -to their families, according to the ancient custom of the country.[126] -Both are equally bigoted, violent, and fond of the knife. In few parts of -the world there are more deadly feuds than in this province; and whenever -a Nair is killed by a Moplah, or _vice versâ_, the relations will steep -a cloth in the dead man’s blood, and vow never to lose sight of it till -they have taken revenge upon the murderer. - -Near the coast, the Moplahs are a thriving race of traders, crafty, -industrious, and somewhat refined by the influence of wealth. Those of -the interior cultivate rice and garden lands. Some few of the latter -traffic, but as they do not possess the opportunities of commerce -enjoyed by their maritime brethren, their habitations and warehouses -are not so comfortable, substantial, and spacious. Both of them have a -widely diffused bad name. Among the people of Southern India generally, -the word Moplah is synonymous with thief and rascal. All are equally -celebrated for parsimony, a Hindoo, as well as an Arab, quality, and for -rigid observance of their religious rites and ceremonies. The desire of -gaining proselytes is one of their ruling passions; consequently Islam is -steadily extending itself. The zeal of its followers is well supported by -their means, and the willingness with which they admit new converts, even -of the lowest and most despised classes, to perfect social equality with -themselves, offers irresistible attractions to many wretched outcastes of -Hinduism. They transgress the more laudable ordinances of their faith, -and yet cling fondly to its worse spirit. They will indulge to excess in -the forbidden pleasures of distilled waters and intoxicating drugs, in -immorality and depravity; at the same time they never hesitate to protect -a criminal of their own creed, and, to save him, would gladly perjure -themselves, in the belief that, under such circumstances, false oaths and -testimony are not only justifiable, but meritorious in a religious point -of view.[127] - -The faith professed by the Moplahs is the Shafei form of Islam. All -their priests and teachers are of the same persuasion; and such is their -besotted bigotry, that they would as willingly persecute a Hanafi[128] -Moslem as the Sunni of most Mussulman countries would martyr a heretic or -schismatic. No Sheah dare own his tenets in Malabar. We doubt whether the -mighty hand of British law would avail to save from destruction any one -who had the audacity to curse Omar or Usman at Calicut. They carefully -cultivate the classical and religious branches of study, such as Sarf -o Nahv, grammar, and syntax; Mantik, or logic; Hadis, the traditions -of the Prophet; and Karaat, or the chaunting of the Koran. They seldom -know Persian; but as they begin the Arabic language almost as soon as -they can speak, and often enjoy the advantage of Arab instructors, their -critical knowledge of it is extensive, and their pronunciation good. -The vernacular dialect of the Moplah is the Malayalim, into which, for -the benefit of the unlearned, many sacred books have been translated. -The higher classes are instructed by private tutors, and appear to be -unusually well educated. The priest has charge of the lower orders, and -little can be said in praise of the schoolmaster or the scholar. - -As regards testaments and the law of inheritance, the Moplahs have -generally adhered to the Koran; in some families, however, the succession -is by nephews, as amongst the Nairs.[129] This custom is palpably of -Pagan origin, like many of the heterogeneous practices grafted by the -Mussulmans of India upon the purer faith of their forefathers. Of course -they excuse it by tradition. When Cherooman Rajah, they say, became a -convert to Islam, and was summoned by Allah in a vision to Mecca, he -asked his wife’s permission to take his only son with him. She refused. -The ruler’s sister then offered to send her child under his charge. -The Rajah adopted the youth, and upon his return from the Holy City he -instituted the custom of murroo-muka-tayum, in order to commemorate the -introduction of Islam into the land of the Infidel. - - * * * * * - -The Mokawars, Mokurs, or as we call them, the Mucwars, are an amphibious -race of beings, half fishermen, half labourers:[130] generally speaking -Moslems, sometimes Hindoos. Very slight is the line of demarcation drawn -between them, and they display little or no fanaticism. It is common for -one or two individuals in a family to become Poothoo Islam, or converts -to the faith of Mohammed, and yet to eat, sleep, and associate with the -other members of the household as before.[131] - -In appearance these fishermen are an uncommonly ill-favoured race; dark, -with ugly features, and forms which a developist would pronounce to -be little removed from the original orang-outang. Their characters, in -some points, show to advantage, when contrasted with those of their -superiors—the Nairs and Moplahs. They are said to be industrious, -peaceful, and as honest as can be expected. A Mucwa village is usually -built close to the sea; the material of its domiciles consisting of -wattle or matting, roofed over with thatch; the whole burned to blackness -by the joint influence of sun, rain, wind, and spray. - - * * * * * - -Servitude amongst the Moslems partook more of the nature of social -fraternity, and was dissimilar in very essential points, to that of -the Hindoos. The slaves were always domestic, never prædial: instead -of inhabiting miserable huts built in the centre of the paddy fields, -they lived in the houses of their proprietors. They were efficiently -protected by law, for in case of ill-treatment, duly proved before the -Kazee, the complainant was either manumitted or sold to some other -master, and so far from being considered impure outcastes, they often -rose to confidential stations in the family. This is the case generally -throughout the Moslem world. - - * * * * * - -The native Christians do not constitute a large or influential portion -of the community in this part of India, although the Nestorians in very -early times settled and planted their faith on the western coast of the -peninsula. About the towns of Cannanore and Tellichery, there are a few -fishermen and palanquin bearers, called Kolakar and Pandee, said to have -migrated from the Travancore country. The other “Nussuranee (Nazarene) -Moplahs,” as the Christians are styled by the Heathen, are almost all -Catholics, either the descendants of the Portuguese, or converted by -them to Romanism. They reside principally in the large towns upon the -coast: unlike their brethren in Canara, they imitate the European -costume, and occupy themselves either with trade, or in the government -courts and cutcherries. They are notorious for dishonesty and habitual -intoxication.[132] - - * * * * * - -Amongst the many social usages and customs peculiar to the natives of -Malabar, the two following deserve some mention. There is a kind of -general meeting, called Chengathee koree, or the “Society of friends,” -established for the purposes of discussing particular subjects, and for -inquiring into the conduct of individuals. It is supported by the monthly -subscriptions of the members, and all must in regular turn—the order -being settled by lots—give an entertainment of rice, flesh, and fruit to -the whole party. As the entertainer is entitled to the amount of money -in deposit for the month, and the feast does not cost half that sum, -each member is anxious to draw the ticket with his name upon it as soon -as possible. In some places these convivial meetings are heterogeneously -composed of Nairs, Moplahs, and Tiyars; when such is the case, the master -of the house provides those of the other faith with raw food, which they -cook and serve up for and by themselves. - -The way in which “dinner parties” are given show some talent in the -combination of hospitality with economy. A feast is prepared, and all -the guests are expected to present a small sum of money, and a certain -number of cocoa-nuts, plantains, betel-nuts or pepper-vine leaves to the -master of the house. An account of each offering is regularly kept, and -a return of the invitation is considered _de rigueur_. Should any member -of society betray an unwillingness to make the expected requital, or to -neglect the gifts with which he ought to come provided, they despatch a -little potful of arrack, and the bone of a fowl, desiring the recusant -in derision to make merry upon such small cheer. The taunt is, generally -speaking, severe enough to ensure compliance with the established usages -of society. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -THE LAND JOURNEY. - - -Being desirous of seeing as much as possible of the country we preferred -the route which winds along the sea-shore to Poonanee, and then striking -westward ascends the Blue Hills, to the short mountain-cut up the Koondah -Range. Our curiosity, however, more than doubled the length of the -march.[133] - -No detailed account of the ten stages[134] will be inflicted upon the -peruser of these pages. The journey as far as Poonanee was a most -uninteresting one: we have literally nothing to record, except the -ever-recurring annoyances of being ferried over backwaters, riding -through hot sand fetlock deep, enduring an amount of glare enough -to blind anything but a Mucwa or a wild beast; and at the end of our -long rides almost invariably missing the halting place. Arrived at -the head-quarter village of Paulghaut, the victims of its deceptive -nomenclature,[135] we instituted a diligent inquiry for any objects of -curiosity the neighbourhood might offer; and having courted deceit we -were deceived accordingly. A “native gentleman” informed us that the -Yemoor Malay Hills, a long range lying about ten miles to the north -of the town, contains a variety of splendid _points de vue_, and a -magnificent cataract, which every traveller is in duty bound to visit. -Moreover, said the Hindoo, all those peaks are sacred to Parwati, the -mountain deity, who visited them in person, and directed a number of -small shrines to be erected there in honour of her goddesship. - -So after engaging a mancheel we set out in quest of the sublime and -beautiful. After winding for about three quarters of the total distance -through a parched-up plain, the road reaches the foot of a steep and -rugged hill overgrown with bamboos, and studded with lofty trees, whose -names and natures are— - - ⸺To ancient song unknown, - The noble sons of potent heat and floods. - -As we advanced, the jungle became denser and denser: there were evident -signs of hog and deer in the earths of those animals which strewed the -ground. Tigers and elephants, bisons and leopards, are said to haunt the -remoter depths, and the dry grass smouldering on our path proved the -presence of charcoal burners—beings quite as wild as the other denizens -of the forest. - -The difficulty of the ascent being duly overcome we arrived at the -cascade, and stood for a while gazing with astonishment at the prospect -of⸺a diminutive stream of water, trickling gently down the sloping -surface of a dwarf rock. Remembering Terni and Tivoli, we turned our -bearers’ heads homewards, not however forgetting solemnly to enjoin them -never to let a tourist pass by that way without introducing him to the -Prince of all the Cataracts. - -We were curious to see the fort of Paulghaut, once the key of Malabar, -the scene of so many bloody conflicts between the power of Mysore and -British India in the olden time.[136] A square building, with straight -curtains, and a round tower at each angle, with the usual intricate -gateway, the uselessly deep fosse, and the perniciously high glacis that -characterize native fortifications—such was the artless form that met -our sight. In the present day it would be untenable for an hour before a -battery of half-a-dozen mortars. - -Passing through the magnificent and most unhealthy Wulliyar jungle,[137] -celebrated at all times for teak and sport, and during the monsoon for -fever and ague, and dangerous torrents even more dangerously bridged, -we arrived by a rough and rugged road at Coimbatore, a place which every -cotton student and constant reader of the Indian Mail familiarly knows. -A most unpromising looking locality it is—a straggling line of scattered -houses, long bazaars, and bungalows, separated from each other by wide -and desert “compounds.” The country around presented a most unfavourable -contrast to the fertile region we had just quitted, and the high fierce -wind raising clouds of gravelly dust from the sun-parched plain, reminded -us forcibly of similar horrors experienced in Scinde and Bhawalpore. - -A ride of twenty miles along a dry and hard highway, skirted with -numerous and, generally speaking, ruinous villages, led us to Matypolliam -at the foot of the Neilgherry Hills—our destination. And now as we -are likely to be detained here for some time by that old offender the -Bhawany River, who has again chosen to assault and batter down part of -her bridge, we will deliberately digress a little and attempt a short -description of land travelling in the “land of the sun.” - - * * * * * - -For the conveyance of your person, India supplies you with three several -contrivances. You may, if an invalid, or if you wish to be expeditious, -engage a palanquin, station bearers on the road, and travel either with -or without halts, at the rate of three or four miles an hour: we cannot -promise you much pleasure in the enjoyment of this celebrated Oriental -luxury. Between your head and the glowing sun, there is scarcely half an -inch of plank, covered with a thin mat, which ought to be, but never is, -watered. After a day or two you will hesitate which to hate the most, -your bearers’ monotonous, melancholy, grunting, groaning chaunt, when -fresh, or their jolting, jerking, shambling, staggering gait, when tired. -In a perpetual state of low fever you cannot eat, drink, or sleep; your -mouth burns, your head throbs, your back aches, and your temper borders -upon the ferocious. At night, when sinking into a temporary oblivion of -your ills, the wretches are sure to awaken you for the purpose of begging -a few pice, to swear that they dare not proceed because there is no oil -for the torch, or to let you and your vehicle fall heavily upon the -ground, because the foremost bearer very nearly trod upon a snake. Of -course you scramble as well as you can out of your cage, and administer -discipline to the offenders. And what is the result? They all run away -and leave you to pass the night, not in solitude, for probably a hungry -tiger circumambulates your box, and is only prevented by a somewhat -superstitious awe of its general appearance, from pulling you out of it -with claw and jaw, and all the action of a cat preparing to break her -fast upon some trapped mouse. - -All we have said of the palanquin is applicable to its humble -modification. The mancheel in this part of the world consists merely of -a pole, a canvas sheet hung like a hammock beneath it, and above it a -square moveable curtain, which you may draw down on the sunny or windy -side. In this conveyance you will progress somewhat more rapidly than you -did in the heavy wooden chest, but your miseries will be augmented in -undue proportion. As it requires a little practice to balance oneself in -these machines, you will infallibly be precipitated to the ground when -you venture upon your maiden attempt. After that a sense of security, -acquired by dint of many falls, leaves your mind free to exercise its -powers of observation, you will remark how admirably you are situated for -combining the enjoyments of ophthalmic glare, febrile reflected heat, -a wind like a Sirocco, and dews chilling as the hand of the Destroyer. -You feel that your back is bent at the most inconvenient angle, and -that the pillows which should support your head invariably find their -way down between your shoulders, that you have no spare place, as in the -palanquin, for carrying about a variety of small comforts, no, not even -the room to shift your position—in a word, that you are a miserable being. - -If in good health, your best plan of all is to mount one of your horses, -and to canter him from stage to stage, that is to say, between twelve -and fifteen miles a day. In the core of the nineteenth century you may -think this style of locomotion resembles a trifle too closely that of -the ninth, but, trust to our experience, you have no better. We will -suppose, then, that you have followed our advice, engaged bandies[138] -for your luggage, and started them off overnight, accompanied by your -herd of domestics on foot. The latter are all armed with sticks, swords, -and knives, for the country is not a safe one, and if it were, your -people are endowed with a considerable development of cautiousness. At -day-break, your horse-keeper brings up your nag saddled, and neighing his -impatience to set out: you mount the beast, and leave the man to follow -with a coolie or two, bearing on their shoulders the little camp-bed, on -which you are wont to pass your nights. There is no danger of missing -the road: you have only to observe the wheel-ruts, which will certainly -lead you to the nearest and largest, perhaps the only town within a day’s -march. As you canter along, you remark with wonder the demeanour of the -peasantry, and the sensation your appearance creates. The women veil -their faces, and dash into the nearest place of refuge, the children -scamper away as if your countenance, like Mokanna’s, were capable of -annihilating a gazer, the very donkeys and bullocks halt, start, and -shy, as you pass them.[139] In some places the men will muster courage -enough to stand and gaze upon you, but they do so with an expression of -countenance, half-startled, half-scowling, which by no means impresses -you with a sense of your individual popularity. - -Between nine and ten A.M. you draw in sight of some large village, which -instinct suggests is to be the terminus of that day’s wandering. You -had better inquire where the travellers’ bungalow is. Sign-posts are -unknown in these barbarous regions, and if you trust overmuch to your own -sagacity, your perspiring self and panting steed may wander about for -half an hour before you find the caravanserai. - -At length you dismount. A horse-keeper rising grumbling from his morning -slumbers, comes forward to hold your nag, and, whilst you are discussing -a cup of tea in the verandah, parades the animal slowly up and down -before you, as a precautionary measure previous to tethering him in the -open air. Presently the “butler” informs you that your breakfast, a -spatchcock, or a curry with eggs, and a plateful of unleavened wafers, -called aps—bread being unprocurable hereabouts—is awaiting you. You find -a few guavas or plantains, intended to act as butter, and when you demand -the reason, your domestic replies at once, that he searched every house -in the village, but could procure none. You might as well adopt some -line of conduct likely to discourage him from further attempts upon your -credulity, otherwise you will starve before the journey’s end. The fact -is, he was too lazy to take the trouble of even inquiring for that same -butter. - -We must call upon you to admire the appearance of the travellers’ -bungalows in this part of the country. You will see in them much to -appreciate if you are well acquainted with Bombay India. Here they are -cleanly looking, substantially built, tiled or thatched tenements, with -accommodation sufficient for two families, good furniture, at least as -far as a table, a couch, and a chair, go, outhouses for your servants, -and an excellent verandah for yourself. There you may remember, with a -touch of the true _meminisse juvat_ feeling, certain dirty ill-built -ruinous roadside erections, tenanted by wasps and hornets, with broken -seats, tottering tables, and populous bedsteads, for the use of which, -moreover, you were mulcted at the rate of a rupee a day. The result of -the comparison will be that the “Benighted Land,”[140] in this point at -least, rises prodigiously in your estimation. - -A siesta after breakfast, and a book, or any such _passe-temps_, when you -awake, bring you on towards sunset. You may now, if so inclined, start -for an hour’s constitutional, followed by a servant carrying your gun, -and keep your hand in by knocking down a few of the old kites that are -fighting with the Pariah dogs for their scanty meal of offals, or you -may try to bag one or two of the jungle cocks, whose crowing resounds -from the neighbouring brakes. - -Dinner! lovely word in English ears, unlovely thing—hereabouts—for -English palate. The beer is sure to be lukewarm, your vegetables -deficient, and your meat tough, in consequence of its having lost -vitality so very lately. - -You must take the trouble, if you please, of personally superintending -the departure of your domestics. And this you will find no easy task. The -men who have charge of the carts never return with their cattle at the -hour appointed, and, when at last they do, there is not a box packed, -and probably half your people are wandering about the bazaar. At length, -with much labour, you manage to get things somewhat in order, witness -with heartfelt satisfaction the first movement of the unwieldy train, and -retire to the bungalow for the purpose of getting through the evening, -with the assistance of tea, and any other little “distractions” your -imagination may suggest. - -Before retiring to rest you might as well look to the priming and -position of your pistols. Otherwise you may chance to be visited by -certain animals, even more troublesome than sand-flies and white ants. -A little accident of the kind happened to us at Waniacollum, a village -belonging to some Nair Rajah, whose subjects are celebrated for their -thievish propensities. About midnight, the soundness of our slumbers was -disturbed by the uninvited presence of some half-a-dozen black gentry, -who were gliding about the room with the stealthy tread of so many wild -cats _in purissimis naturalibus_, with the exception of an outside -coating of cocoanut oil. One individual had taken up a position close to -our bedside, with so very long a knife so very near our jugular region, -that we judged it inexpedient in the extreme to excite him by any display -of activity; so, closing our eyes, we slept heavily till our visitors -thought proper to depart. - -Our only loss was the glass shade of a candlestick, which the thieves, -supposing to be silver, had carried into the verandah, where, we presume, -after discovering that it was only plated, they had thrown it upon the -ground and abandoned it as a useless article. We had, it is true, pistols -in the room, but as the least movement might have produced uncomfortable -results; and, moreover, we felt uncommonly like Juvenal’s poor traveller, -quite reckless of consequences as regarded goods and chattels, we -resolved not to be blood-thirsty. At the same time we confess that such -conduct was by no means heroic. But an officer of our own corps, only -a few weeks before, was severely wounded, and narrowly escaped being -murdered, not fifty miles from the scene of our night’s adventure, and we -had little desire to figure among the list of casualties recorded in the -bimonthly summaries of Indian news. - -You would scarcely believe the extent of benefit in a sanitary point of -view, derived from riding about the country in the way we have described. -Every discomfort seems to do one good: an amount of broiling and wetting, -which, in a cantonment, would lead directly to the cemetery, on the -road seems only to add to one’s ever-increasing stock of health. The -greatest annoyance, perhaps, is the way in which the servants and effects -suffer; a long journey almost invariably knocks up the former for an -unconscionable time, and permanently ruins the latter. - - * * * * * - -We are still at Matypolliam, but our stay will be short, as the bridge -is now nearly repaired. By weighty and influential arguments we must -persuade the Kotwal[141]—a powerful native functionary—to collect a -dozen baggage-bullocks and a score of naked savages, destined to act as -beasts of burden: no moderate inducement will make the proprietors of the -carts drive their jaded cattle up the steep acclivities of the hills. A -ridiculous sight it is—the lading of bullocks untrained to carry weight; -each animal requires at least half-a-dozen men to keep him quiet; he -kicks, he butts, he prances, he shies: he is sure to break from them at -the critical moment, and, by an opportune plunge, to dash your unhappy -boxes on the ground, scattering their contents in all directions. What -a scene of human and bestial viciousness, of plunging and bellowing, of -goading of sides, punching of stomachs, and twisting of tails! We must, -however, patiently sit by and witness it: otherwise the fellows will not -start till late in the afternoon. - -You would scarcely believe that the inmates of that little bungalow which -just peeps over the brow of the mountain, are enjoying an Alpine and -almost European climate, whilst we are still in all the discomforts of -the tropics. The distance between us is about three miles, as the crow -flies—eleven along the winding road. We must prepare for the change by -strapping thick coats to our saddle-bows, and see that our servants are -properly clothed in cloths and flannels. Otherwise, we render ourselves -liable to the _peine forte et dure_ of a catarrh of three months’ -probable duration, and our domestics will certainly be floored by fever -and ague, cholera or rheumatism. - -It is just nine o’clock A.M., rather an unusual time for a start in these -latitudes. But the eddying and roaring of Bhawany’s muddy stream warns -us that there has been rain amongst the hills. The torrents are passable -now; they may not be so a few hours later. So we will mount our nags, and -gallop over the five miles of level country, partially cleared of the -thick jungle which once invested it, to the foot of the Neilgherry hills. - -We now enter the ravine which separates the Oolacul from the Coonoor -range. A vast chasm it is, looking as if Nature, by a terrible effort, -had split the giant mountain in twain, and left its two halves standing -separated opposite each other. A rapid and angry little torrent brawls -down the centre of the gap towards the Bhawany river, and the sides are -clothed with thick underwood, dotted with tall wide-spreading trees. -After the dusty flats of Mysore, and even the green undulations of -Malabar, you admire the view with a sensation somewhat resembling that -with which you first gazed upon the “castled crag of Drachenfels,” -when you visited it _en route_ from monotonous France, uninteresting -Holland, or unpicturesque Belgium. Probably, like certain enthusiastic -individuals who have indited high-flown eulogies of Neilgherry beauty, -you will mentally compare the scenery with that of the Alps, Apennines, -or Pyrenees. We cannot, however, go quite so far with you: with a few -exceptions the views generally—and this particularly—want grandeur and a -certain _nescio quid_ to make them really imposing. - -Slowly our panting nags toil along the narrow parapetless road up the -steep ascent of the Coonoor Pass. The consequence of the storm is that -our pathway appears plentifully besprinkled with earth, stones, and -trunks of trees, which have slipped from the inner side. In some places -it has been worn by the rain down to the bare rock, and the gutters or -channels of rough stone, built at an average distance of fifty yards -apart to carry off the water, are slippery for horses, and must be -uncommonly troublesome to wheeled conveyances. That cart which on the -plains requires a single team, will not move here without eight pair of -oxen; and yonder carriage demands the united energies of three dozen -coolies, at the very least. As, however, its too-confiding owner has -left it to a careless servant’s charge, it will most probably reach its -destination in a state picturesque, if not useful—its springs and light -gear hanging in graceful festoons about the wheels. - -And now, after crossing certain torrents and things intended for -bridges—during which, to confess the truth, we did feel a little -nervous—our nags stand snorting at the side of the stream which forms the -Coonoor Falls. Its bottom is a mass of sheet rock, agreeably diversified -with occasional jagged points and narrow clefts: moreover, the water is -rushing by with uncomfortable rapidity, and there is no visible obstacle -to your being swept down a most unpleasant slope. In fact it is the kind -of place usually described as growing uglier the more you look at it, so -you had better try your luck as soon as possible. Wheel the nag round, -“cram” him at the place, and just when he is meditating a sudden halt, -apply your spurs to his sides and your heavy horsewhip to his flanks, -trusting to Providence for his and your reaching the other side undamaged. - -The Burleyar bungalow—a kind of half-way house, or rather an unfinished -shed, built on an eminence to the right of the road,—informs us that we -are now within six miles of our journey’s end. The air becomes sensibly -cooler, and we begin to look down upon the sultry steaming plain below -with a sensation of acute enjoyment. - -We might as well spend a day or two at Coonoor. Ootacamund is at least -ten miles off, and it is perfectly useless to hurry on, as our baggage -will certainly not arrive before the week is half over, even if it does -then. Not, however, at the government bungalow—that long rambling thing -perched on the hill above the little bazaar, and renowned for broken -windows, fireless rooms, and dirty comfortless meals, prepared by a -native of “heathen caste.” We will patronize the hotel kept, in true -English style, by Mr. Davidson, where we may enjoy the luxuries of an -excellent dinner, a comfortable sitting-room, and a clean bed. - - * * * * * - -A survey of the scenery in this part of the Neilgherries takes in an -extensive range of swelling waving hill, looking at a distance as if -a green gulf had suddenly become fixed for ever. On the horizon are -lofty steeps, crowned with remnants of forests, studded with patches of -cultivation, and seamed with paths, tracks, and narrow roads. There is -little or no table-land: the only level road in the vicinity is scarcely -a mile long. At the bottom of the hollow lies the bazaar, and upon the -rising knolls around are the nine or ten houses which compose the first -European settlement you have seen on the Blue Hills. - -Coonoor occupies the summit of the Matypolliam Pass, about five thousand -eight hundred and eighty feet above the level of the sea. The climate -is warmer than that of the other stations, and the attractions of an -occasional fine day even during the three odious months of June, July, -and August, fill it with invalids flying from the horrors of Ootacamund. -The situation, however, is not considered a good one: its proximity to -the edge of the hills, renders it liable to mists, fogs, and a suspicion -of the malaria which haunts the jungly forests belting the foot of the -hills. Those who have suffered from the obstinate fevers of the plains do -well to avoid Coonoor. - - * * * * * - -The day is fine and bright—a _sine quâ non_ in Neilgherry excursions,—if -the least cloud or mist be observed hanging about the mountain tops, -avoid trips!—so we will start off towards that scarcely-distinguishable -object, half peak, half castle, that ends the rocky wall which lay on our -left when we rode up the Pass. - -You look at Oolacul[142] Droog, as the fort is called, and wonder what -could have been the use of it. And you are justified in your amazement. -But native powers delight in cooping up soldiery where they may be as -useless as possible; they naturally connect the idea of a strong place -with isolated and almost inaccessible positions, and cannot, for the life -of them conceive, what Europeans mean by building their fortifications -on level ground. Hyder Ali and his crafty son well knew that the unruly -chieftains of the plains would never behave themselves, unless overawed -and overlooked by some military post which might serve equally well -for a watch-tower and a dungeon. We think and act otherwise, so such -erections go to ruin. - -Starting, we pursue a road that runs by the travellers’ bungalow, -descends a steep, rough, and tedious hill—where we should prefer a -mule to a horse—crosses two or three detestable watercourses, and then -skirting the western end of the Oolacul chasm shows us a sudden ascent. -Here we dismount for convenience as well as exercise. The path narrows; -it becomes precipitous and slippery, owing to the decomposed vegetation -that covers it, and presently plunges into a mass of noble trees. You -cannot see a vestige of underwood: the leaves are crisp under your feet; -the tall trunks rise singly in all their sylvan glory, and the murmurs of -the wind over the leafy dome above, inform you that - - This is the forest primæval— - -as opposed to a rank bushy jungle. You enjoy the walk amazingly. The -foot-track is bounded on both sides by dizzy steeps: through the -intervals between the trees you can see the light mist-clouds and white -vapours sailing on the zephyr far beneath your feet. After about an -hour’s hard work, we suddenly come upon the Droog, and clambering over -the ruined parapet of stone—the only part of it that remains—stand up to -catch a glimpse of scenery which even a jaded lionizer would admire. - -The rock upon which we tread falls with an almost perpendicular drop of -four thousand feet into the plains. From this eyrie we descry the houses -of Coimbatore, the windings of the Bhawany, and the straight lines of -road stretching like ribbons over the glaring yellow surface of the low -land. A bluish mist clothes the distant hills of Malabar, dimly seen upon -the horizon in front. Behind, on the far side of the mighty chasm, the -white bungalows of Coonoor glitter through the green trees, or disappear -behind the veil of fleecy vapour which floats along the sunny mountain -tops. However hypercritically disposed, you can find no fault with this -view; it has beauty, variety, and sublimity to recommend it. - -If an inveterate sight-seer, you will be persuaded by the usual arguments -to visit Castle Hill, an eminence about three miles to the east of -Coonoor, for the purpose of enjoying a very second rate prospect. Perhaps -you will also be curious to inspect a village inhabited by a villanous -specimen of the Toda race, close to Mr. Davidson’s hotel. We shall not -accompany you. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - -FIRST GLIMPSE OF “OOTY.” - - -The distance from Coonoor to the capital of the Neilgherries is about -ten miles, over a good road. We propose, however, to forsake the -uninteresting main line, and, turning leftwards, to strike into the bye -way which leads to the Khaity Falls. - -Khaity is a collection of huts tenanted by the hill people, and in no -ways remarkable, except that it has given a name to a cascade which -“everybody goes,” &c. - -After six miles of mountain and valley in rapid and unbroken succession, -we stand upon the natural terrace which supports the little missionary -settlement, and looking over the deep ravine that yawns at our feet, -wonder why the “everybody” above alluded to, takes the trouble of -visiting the Khaity falls. They are formed by a thin stream which dashes -over a gap in the rock, and disperses into spray before it has time to -reach the basin below. As usual with Neilgherry cascades they only want -water. - - * * * * * - -Now as our disappointment has brought on rather a depressed and prosy -state of mind, we will wile away the tedium of the eight long miles which -still separate us from our destination, with a little useful discourse -upon subjects historical and geographical connected with the Neilgherries. - -The purely European reader will consider it extraordinary that this -beautiful range of lofty hills should not have suggested to all men -at first sight the idea of a cool, healthy summer abode. But we -demi-Orientals, who know by experience the dangers of mountain air in -India, only wonder at the daring of the man who first planted a roof-tree -upon the Neilgherries. - -From the year 1799 to 1819 these mountains were in the daily view of all -the authorities from the plains of Coimbatore; revenue was collected from -them for the company by a native renter; but, excepting Dr. Ford and -Capt. Bevan, who in 1809 traversed the hill with a party of pioneers, and -certain deputy surveyors under Colonel Monson, who partially mapped the -tract, no strangers had ventured to explore the all but unknown region. - -In 1814, Mr. Keys, a sub-assistant, and Mr. McMahon, then an apprentice -in the survey department, ascended the hills by the Danaynkeucottah -Pass, penetrated into the remotest parts and made plans, and sent in -reports of their discoveries. In consequence of their accounts, Messrs. -Whish and Kindersley, two young Madras civilians, availing themselves of -the opportunity presented by some criminal’s taking refuge amongst the -mountains, ventured up in pursuit of him, and proceeded to reconnoitre -the interior. They soon saw and felt enough to excite their own curiosity -and that of others. Mr. Sullivan, collector of Coimbatore, built the -first house upon the Neilgherries. He chose a hillock to the east of the -hollow, where the lake now lies, and after some difficulty in persuading -the superstitious natives to work—on many occasions he was obliged -personally to set them the example—he succeeded in erecting a tenement -large enough to accommodate his family. - -In the month of May, 1819, the same tourists from Coimbatore, accompanied -by Mons. Leschnault de la Tour, naturalist to the King of France, -repeated their excursion, and published the result of their observations -in one of the Madras newspapers. They asserted the maximum height of the -thermometer in the shade to be 74° at a time when the temperature of the -plains varied from 90° to 100°. Such a climate within the tropics was -considered so great an anomaly that few would believe in its existence. -At length the Madras Government determined to open one of the passes, -and the pioneer officer employed on this service deriving immediate and -remarkable benefit from the mountain air—he had been suffering from fever -and ague—hastened to corroborate the accounts of it already published. -The road was opened in 1821; some families then took up their abode on -the hills; the inveterate prejudice against them began to disappear, -and such numbers presently flocked to the region of health, that the -difficulty was to find sufficient accommodation. As late as 1826, Bishop -Heber complained that for want of lodgings he was unable to send his -family to the sanitarium. Incredulity received its _coup de grâce_ from -the hand of the Rev. Mr. Hough, a chaplain in the Madras establishment, -who in July, 1826, published in the Bengal Hurkaru, under the _nom de -guerre_ of Philanthropos, a series of eight letters,[143] describing -the climate, inhabitants, and productions of the Neilgherries, with the -benevolent intention of inducing the Government of India to patronize the -place as a retreat for invalids. - -Having “done” the history, we will now attempt a short geographical -account of the Blue Mountains. _En passant_ we may remark, that the -native name Nilagiri,[144] limited by the Hindoos to a hill sacred to -Parwati, has been extended by us to the whole range. - -The region commonly known by the name of the Neilgherries, or Blue -Mountains of Coimbatore, is situated at the point where the Eastern -and Western Ghauts[145] unite, between the parallels of 11° and 12° -N. lat., and 76° and 77° E. lon. Its shape is a trapezoid, for though -quadrilateral, none of its sides are equal or even: it is bounded on the -north by the table-land of Mysore, on the south and east by the provinces -that stretch towards the Arabian Sea; another range of hills forms its -western frontier. Its base covers a surface of about two hundred miles; -the greatest length from east to west at an elevation of five thousand -feet, is nearly forty-three, and the medium breadth at the same height, -is little less than fifteen, miles. The major part of the mass presents a -superficies of parallel and irregular hill and knoll, intersected by deep -valleys and precipitous ravines; a loftier chain, throwing off a number -of minor ridges, runs north-east and south-west, and almost bisects the -tract. In the loftier parts many small streams, such as the Pykarry, the -Porthy, and the Avalanche take their rise, and, after winding over the -surface, sweep down the rocky sides of the mountains, and fall into the -Moyar,[146] or swell the Bhawany River. - -[Illustration: R. Burton delᵗ. Printed by Hullmandel & Walton. - -TODA FAMILY AND VILLAGE. - -London: Richard Bentley, New Burlington Street, 1851.] - -The Neilgherries are divided into four Nads, or provinces: Perunga Nad, -the most populous, occupies the eastern portion; Malka lies towards -the south; Koondah is on the west and south-west margin; and Toda Nad, -the most fertile and extensive,[147] includes the northern regions -and the crest of the hills. Many lines of roads have been run up the -easier acclivities; the most travelled upon at present are the Seegoor -Ghaut,[148] which enters from the Mysore side, and the Coonoor, or -Coimbatore Pass, by which, if you recollect, we ascended. - -Our Government asserts no right to this bit of territory, although the -hills belonged to Hyder, and what was Hyder’s now belongs to us. The -peculiar tribe called the Todas,[149] lay claim to the land, and though -they consent to receive a yearly rent, they firmly refuse to alienate -their right to the soil, considering such measure “nae canny” for both -seller and buyer. Chance events have established this superstition on a -firm footing. When Europeans first settled in the Neilgherries, a murrain -broke out among the Toda cattle, and the savages naturally attributed -their misfortune to the presence of the new comers. Sir W. Rumbold lost -his wife, and died prematurely soon after purchasing the ground upon -which his house stood—of course, in consequence of the earth-god’s ire. - -In August, 1847, there were a hundred and four officers on sick leave, -besides visitors and those residing on the Neilgherries. The total number -of Europeans, children included, was between five and six hundred. It -is extremely difficult to estimate the number of the hill people. Some -authorities give as many as fifteen thousand; others as few as six -thousand. - - * * * * * - -Now we fall into the main road at the foot of the zigzag, which climbs -the steep skirt of Giant Dodabetta.[150] Our nags, snorting and panting, -breast the hill—we reach the summit—we descend a few hundred yards—catch -sight of some detached bungalows—a lake—a church—a bazaar—a station. - -The cantonment of Ootacamund,[151] or, as it is familiarly and -affectionately termed by the abbreviating Saxon, “Ooty,” is built in a -punch bowl, formed by the range of hills which composes the central crest -of the Neilgherries. But first for the “Windermere.” - -The long narrow winding tarn which occupies the bottom of Ooty’s -happy vale, is an artificial affair, intended, saith an enthusiastic -describer, “like that of Como, to combine utility with beauty.” It was -made by means of a dam, which, uniting the converging extremities of -two hills, intercepted the waters of a mountain rivulet, and formed an -“expansive and delightful serpentine lake,” about two miles in length, -upon an average six hundred yards broad, in many places forty feet -deep, generally very muddy, and about as far from Windermere or Como -as a London Colosseum or a Parisian Tivoli might be from its Italian -prototype. Two roads, the upper and the lower, wind round the piece of -water, and it is crossed by three embankments; the Willow Bund, as the -central one is called, with its thick trees and apologies for arches, is -rather a pretty and picturesque object. The best houses, you may remark, -are built as close to the margin of the lake as possible. Turn your eyes -away from the northern bank; that dirty, irregular bazaar is the very -reverse of romantic. The beauties of the view lie dispersed above and -afar. On both sides of the water, turfy peaks and woody eminences, here -sinking into shallow valleys, there falling into steep ravines, the whole -covered with a tapestry of brilliant green, delight your eye, after the -card-table plains of Guzerat, the bleak and barren Maharatta hills, or -the howling wastes of sun-burnt Scinde. The back-ground of distant hill -and mountain, borrowing from the intervening atmosphere the blue and -hazy tint for which these regions are celebrated, contrasts well with -the emerald hue around. In a word, there is a rich variety of form and -colour, and a graceful blending of the different features that combine to -make a beautiful _coup d’œil_, which, when the gloss of novelty is still -upon them, are infinitely attractive. - - * * * * * - -The sun is sinking in the splendour of an Indian May, behind the -high horizon, and yet, marvellous to relate, the air feels cool and -comfortable. The monotonous gruntings of the frequent palanquin-bearers—a -sound which, like the swift’s scream, is harsh and grating enough, yet -teems in this region with pleasant associations—inform us that the fair -ones of Ootacamund are actually engaged in taking exercise. We will -follow their example, beginning at “Charing Cross,”—the unappropriate -name conferred upon those few square yards of level and gravelled ground, -with the stunted tree boxed up in the centre. Our path traverses the -half-drained swamp that bounds this end of the Neilgherry Windermere, -and you observe with pain that those authors who assert the hills to -be “entirely free from the morasses and the vast collection of decayed -vegetables that generate miasma,” have notably deceived you. In 1847, -there is a small swamp, formed by the soaking of some arrested stream, at -the bottom of almost every declivity. We presume the same was the case in -1826. Indeed, were the Neilgherries seven or eight hundred feet, instead -of as many thousands, above the level of the sea, even the Pontine -marshes would not be better adapted for the accommodation of Quartana -and Malaria. Before you have been long on the hills, you will witness -many amusing accidents occurring to new comers, who attempt to urge their -steeds through the shaking bogs of black mud, treacherously lurking under -a glossy green coating of grassy turf. - -“Probably it is to the local predilections for such diversion that I must -attribute the unwillingness of the authorities to remedy the nuisance?” - -We cannot take upon ourselves to reply, yes or no. The cantonment is by -no means scrupulously clean. The bazaar is at all times unpleasant, and, -during the rains, dirty in the extreme. Making all due allowance for the -difficulty of keeping any place where natives abound, undefiled, still -we opine, that the authorities might be much more active, in promoting -the cause of cleanliness, than they are. But, if report speak true, the -local government is somewhat out of temper with her hill _protégée_, for -spending her rupees a little too freely. - -There go the promenaders—stout pedestrians—keeping step in parties and -pairs. Equestrians ride the fashionable animals—a kind of horse cut down -to a pony, called the Pegu, Arabs being rare and little valued here. -And invalids, especially ladies, “eat the air,” as the natives say, in -palanquins and tonjons. The latter article merits some description. It -is a light conveyance, open and airy, exactly resembling the seat of a -Bath chair, spitted upon a long pole, which rests on the shoulders of -four hammals, or porters. Much barbaric splendour is displayed in the -equipments of the “gang.” Your first thought, on observing their long -scarlet coats, broad yellow bands round the waist, and the green turban, -or some other curiously and wonderfully made head-gear, which surmounts -their sooty faces, is a sensation of wonder that the tonjon and its -accompaniments have not yet been exhibited in London and Paris. Much -hardness of heart is occasionally shown by the fair sex to their unhappy -negroes. See those four lean wretches staggering under the joint weights -of the vehicle that contains the stout daughter and stouter mama, or the -huge Ayah who is sent out to guard those five or six ponderous children, -whose constitutional delicacy renders “carriage exercise” absolutely -necessary for them. - -Two things here strike your eye as novel, in India. - -There is a freshness in the complexion of the Sanitarians that shows -wonderfully to advantage when compared with the cadaverous waxy hue which -the European epidermis loves to assume in the tropics. Most brilliant -look the ladies; the gentlemen are sunburnt and robust; and the juveniles -appear fresh and chubby, quite a different creation from the pallid, -puny, meagre, sickly, irritable little wretches that do nothing but cry -and perspire in the plains. Another mighty pleasant thing, after a few -years of purely camp existence, is the non-military appearance and sound -of Ootacamund. Uniform has been banished by one consent from society, -except at balls and parties. The cotton and linen jackets, the turbaned -felt “wide-awake,” and the white jockey’s cap, with its diminutive apron, -intended to protect the back of the head from the broiling sun, are here -exchanged for cloth coats and black hats. Morning bugles and mid-day -guns, orderlies, and order-books, the “Officers’ call” and “No parade -to-day,” are things unknown. Vestiges of the “shop” will, it is true, -occasionally peep out in the shape of a regimental cap, brass spurs, and -black pantaloons, denuded of the red stripe. But such traces rather add -to our gratification than otherwise, by reminding us of A.M. drills, -meridian sword exercises, and P.M. reviews in days gone by. - -And now, advancing along the gravelled walk that borders the lake, we -pass beneath a thatched cottage, once a masonic lodge,[152] but now, -_proh pudor!_ converted into a dwelling-house. Near it, we remark a -large building—Bombay House. It was formerly appropriated to officers -of that presidency. At present they have no such luxury.[153] Taking -up a position above the south end of the Willow-Bund, we have a good -front view of the principal buildings in the cantonment. On the left -hand is the Protestant church of St. Stephens, an unpraisable erection, -in the Saxo-Gothic style, standing out from a grave-yard, so extensive, -so well stocked, that it makes one shudder to look at it. Close by the -church are the Ootacamund Free School, the Post-office, the Pay-office, -and the bungalow where the Commanding officer of the station transacts -his multifarious business. Below, near the lake, you see the Library, -the Victoria hotel—a large and conspicuous building—the Dispensary, the -subordinate’s courts, and the Bazaar. Beyond the church a few hundred -yards of level road leads to the “palace,” built by Sir W. Rumbold, -which, after enduring many vicissitudes of fortune, has settled down -into the social position of a club-house and place for periodical -balls. Around it, the mass of houses thickens, and paths branch off -in all directions. In the distance appears the wretched bazaar of -Kaundlemund—the haunt of coblers and thieves;—a little nearer is the old -Roman Catholic chapel; closer still, the Union hotel—a huge white house, -which was once the Neilgherry Church Missionary grammar school,—bungalows -by the dozen, and several extensive establishments, where youth, male -and female, is lodged, boarded, and instructed. On the southern side of -a hill, separated from the Kaundle bazaar, stands Woodcock Hall, the -locality selected for Government House, and, in 1847 at least, a most -unimportant place, interiorly as well as exteriorly. - -We will conclude our ciceronic task with calling your attention to one -fact, namely, that the capital of the Neilgherries is growing up with -maizelike rapidity. Houses are rising in all directions; and if fickle -fortune only favour it, Ooty promises fair to become in a few years one -of the largest European settlements in India. But its fate is at present -precarious. Should the Court of Directors be induced to revise the old -Furlough and Sick-leave Regulations, then will poor Ooty speedily revert -to the Todas and jackals—its old inhabitants. On the contrary, if the -_status quo_ endure, and European regiments are regularly stationed on -the hills,[154] officers will flock to Ootacamund, the settlers, retired -servants of Government, not Eurasian colonists, will increase in number, -schools[155] will flourish and prosperity steadily progress. The “to be -or not to be” thus depends upon the turn of a die. - - * * * * * - -The chilly shades of evening are closing rapidly upon us, and we know -by experience that some care is necessary, especially for the newly -arrived health-hunter. So we wend our way homewards, remarking, as night -advances, the unusual brilliancy of the heavenly bodies. Venus shines -almost as brightly as an average English moon in winter: her light with -that of the lesser stars is quite sufficient to point out to us the -direction of “Subaltern Hall.” - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -LIFE AT OOTY. - - -If a bachelor, you generally begin by depositing your household gods in -the club buildings, or one of the two hotels[156]—there is no travellers’ -bungalow at Ootacamund—if a married man, you have secured lodgings by -means of a friend. - -The Neilgherry house merits description principally because it is a -type of the life usually led in it. The walls are made of coarse bad -bricks—the roof of thatch or wretched tiles, which act admirably as -filters, and occasionally cause the downfall of part, or the whole of -the erection. The foundation usually selected is a kind of platform, a -gigantic step, cut out of some hill-side, and levelled by manual labour. -The best houses occupy the summits of the little eminences around the -lake. As regards architecture the style bungalow—a modification of the -cow-house—is preferred: few tenements have upper stories, whilst almost -all are surrounded by a long low verandah, perfectly useless in such a -climate, and only calculated to render the interior of the domiciles as -dim and gloomy as can be conceived. The furniture is decidedly scant, -being usually limited to a few feet of drugget, a chair or two, a table, -and a bedstead. The typical part of the matter is this. If the diminutive -rooms, with their fire-places, curtained beds, and boarded floors, -faintly remind you of Europe, the bare walls, puttyless windows and -doors that admit draughts of air small yet cutting as lancets, forcibly -impress you with the conviction that you have ventured into one of those -uncomfortable localities—a cold place in a hot country. - -So it is with life on the Neilgherries—a perfect anomaly. You dress like -an Englishman, and lead a quiet gentlemanly life—doing nothing. Not being -a determined health-hunter, you lie in bed because it passes the hours -rationally and agreeably, and you really can enjoy a midday doze on the -mountain-tops. You sit up half the night because those around you are -not shaking the head of melancholy, in consequence of the dispiriting -announcement that “the Regiment will parade, &c., at four o’clock next -morning” (A.M. remember!). At the same time your monthly bills for pale -ale and hot curries, heavy tiffins, and numerous cheroots, tell you, as -plainly as such mute inanimate things can, that you have not quite cast -the slough of Anglo-Indian life. - - * * * * * - -We will suppose that your first month in the Neilgherry Hills with all -its succession of small events has glided rapidly enough away. You -reported your arrival in person to the commanding officer, who politely -desired your signature to a certain document,[157] threatening you as -well as others with all the penalties of the law if you ventured to quit -Ootacamund without leave. The Auditor-General’s bill, which you received -from the Paymaster, Bombay, authorizing you to draw your salary from him -of the southern division of the Madras army, was not forwarded before the -first of the month, or it was forwarded but not in duplicate—something -of the kind must happen—so you were most probably thrown for a while -upon your wits, rather a hard case, we will suppose. Then you tried to -“raise the wind” from some Parsee, but the way in which he received -you conclusively proved that he has, perhaps for the best of reasons, -long since ceased to “do bijness” in that line. You began to feel -uncomfortable, and consequently to abuse the “authorities.” - -During your first fortnight all was excitement, joy, delight. You -luxuriated in the cool air. Your appetite improved. The mutton had a -flavour which you did not recollect in India. Strange, yet true, the -beef was tender, and even the “unclean” was not too much for your robust -digestion. You praised the vegetables, and fell into ecstasy at the -sight of peaches, apples, strawberries, and raspberries, after years of -plantains, guavas, and sweet limes. From the exhilarating influence of -a rare and elastic atmosphere you, who could scarcely walk a mile in -the low country, induced by the variety of scenery and road, wandered -for hours over hill and dale without being fatigued. With what strange -sensations of pleasure you threw yourself upon the soft turf bank, and -plucked the first daisy which you ever saw out of England! And how you -enjoyed the untropical occupation of sitting over a fire in June!—that -very day last year you were in a state of semi-existence, only “kept -going” by the power of punkahs[158] and quasi-nudity. - -The end of the month found you in a state of mind bordering upon the -critical. You began to opine that the scenery has its deficiencies—Can -its diminutive ravines compare with glaciers and seas of ice—the -greenness of its mountain-tops compensate for the want of snow-clad -summits, and “virgin heights which the foot of man never trod?” You -decided that the Neilgherries are, after all, a tame copy of the Alps -and the Pyrenees. You came to the conclusion that grandeur on a small -scale is very unsatisfactory, and turned away from the prospect with the -contempt engendered by satiety. As for the climate, you discovered that -it is either too hot in the sun or too cold in the shade, too damp or -too dry, too sultry or too raw. After a few days spent before the fire -you waxed weary of the occupation, remarked that the Neilgherry wood is -always green, and the Neilgherry grate a very abominable contrivance. -At last the mutton and pork, peaches and strawberries, palled upon your -pampered palate, you devoured vegetables so voraciously that pernicious -consequences ensued, and you smoked to such an extent that—perhaps -tobacco alone did not do it—your head became seriously affected. - -And now, sated with the joys of the eye and mouth, you turn round upon -Ootacamund and inquire blatantly what amusement it has to offer you. - -Is there a hunt? No, of course not! - -A race-course? Ditto, ditto! - -Is there a cricket-club? Yes. If you wish to become a member you will be -admitted readily enough; you will pay four shillings _per mensem_ for the -honour, but you will not play at cricket. - -A library? There are two: one in the Club, the other kept by a Mr. -Warren: the former deals in the modern, the latter in the antiquated -style of light—extremely light—literature. Both reading-rooms take in -the newspapers and magazines, but the periodical publications are a very -exclusive kind of study, that is to say, never at home to you. By some -peculiar fatality the book you want is always missing. And the absence of -a catalogue instead of exciting your industry, seems rather to depress it -than otherwise. - -Public gardens, with the usual “scandal point,” where you meet the ladies -and exchange the latest news? We reply yes, in a modifying tone. The sum -of about 200_l._, besides monthly subscriptions, was expended upon the -side of a hill to the east of Ooty, formerly overrun with low jungle, now -bearing evidences of the fostering hand of the gardener in the shape of -many cabbages and a few cauliflowers. - -Is there a theatre, a concert-room, a tennis, a racket, or a fives-court? -No, and again no! - -Then pray what is there? - -We will presently inform you. But you must first rein in your impatience -whilst we enlarge a little upon the constitution and components of -Neilgherry society. - -Two presidencies—the Madras and Bombay—meet here without mingling. -Officers belonging to the former establishment visit the hills for two -objects, pleasure and health; those of the latter service are always -votaries of Hygeia. If you ask the Madrassee how he accounts for the -dearth of amusements, he replies that no one cares how he gets through -his few weeks of leave. The Bombayite, on the contrary, complains loudly -and bitterly enough of the dull two years he is doomed to pass at Ooty, -but modesty, a consciousness of inability to remedy the evil, or most -likely that love of a grievance, and lust of grumbling which nature has -implanted in the soldier’s breast, prevents his doing anything more. -Some public-spirited individuals endeavoured, for the benefit of poor -Ooty, to raise general subscriptions from the Madras Service, every -member of which has visited, is visiting, or expects to visit, the -region of health. The result of their laudable endeavours—a complete -failure—instanced the truth of the ancient adage, that “everybody’s -business is nobody’s business.” Besides the sanitarians and the -pleasure-seekers, there are a few retired and invalid officers, who -have selected the hills as a permanent residence, some coffee-planters, -speculators in silk and mulberry-trees, a stray mercantile or two from -Madras, and several professionals, settled at Ootacamund. - -With all the material above alluded to, our circle of society, as you may -suppose, is sufficiently extensive and varied. Among the ladies, we have -elderlies who enjoy tea and delight in scandal: grass widows—excuse the -term, being very much wanted, it is _comme il faut_ in this region—and -spinsters of every kind, from the little girl in bib and tucker, to -the full blown Anglo-Indian young lady, who discourses of her papa -the Colonel, and disdains to look at anything below the rank of a -field-officer. The gentlemen supply us with many an _originale_. There -are _ci-devant_ young men that pride themselves upon giving ostentatious -feeds which youthful gastronomes make a point of eating, misanthropes -and hermits who inhabit out-of-the-way abodes, civilians on the shelf, -authors, linguists, oriental students, amateur divines who periodically -convert their drawing-rooms into chapels of ease rather than go to -church, sportsmen, worshippers of Bacchus in numbers, juniors whose glory -it is to escort fair dames during evening rides, and seniors who would -rather face his Satanic Majesty himself than stand in the dread presence -of a “woman.” We have clergymen, priests, missionaries, tavern-keepers, -school-masters, and scholars, with _précieux_ and _précieuses ridicules_ -of all descriptions. - -But, unhappily, the said circle is divided into several segments, which -do not willingly or neatly unite. In the first place, there is a line of -demarcation occasionally broken through, but pretty clearly drawn between -the two Presidencies. The Mulls[159] again split into three main bodies, -1, the very serious; 2, the _petit-sérieux_; and, 3, the unsanctified. So -do the Ducks, but these being upon strange ground are not so exclusive -as they otherwise would be. Subdivision does not end here. For instance, -the genus serious will contain two distinct species, the orthodox and -the heterodox serious. The unsanctified also form numerous little knots, -whose bond of union is some such accidental matters as an acquaintance -previous to meeting on the hills, or a striking conformity of tastes and -pursuits. - - * * * * * - -A brief account of the Neilgherry day will answer your inquiry about the -existence of amusement. We premise that there are two formulas, one for -the sanitarian, the other for the pleasure-hunter. - -And first, of Il Penseroso, or the invalid. He rises with the sun, -clothes himself according to Dr. Baikie,[160] and either mounts his -pony, or more probably starts stick in hand for a four mile walk. He -returns in time to avoid the sun’s effects upon an empty stomach, bathes, -breakfasts, and hurries once more into the open air. Possibly, between -the hours of twelve and four, his dinner-time, he may allow himself to -rest awhile in the library, to play a game at billiards, or to call -upon a friend, but upon principle he avoids tainted atmospheres as much -as possible. At 5 P.M. he recommences walking or riding, persevering -laudably in the exercise selected, till the falling dew drives him home. -A cup of tea, and a book or newspaper, finish the day. This even tenor -of his existence is occasionally varied by some such excitement as a -pic-nic, or a shooting-party, but late dinners, balls, and parties, know -him not. - -Secondly of L’Allegro, as the man who obtains two months’ leave of -“absence on urgent private affairs” to the Neilgherries, and the -Penseroso become a robust convalescent, may classically and accurately be -termed. L’Allegro, dresses at mid-day, he has spent the forenoon either -in bed or _en deshabille_, in dozing, tea-drinking, and smoking, or, if -of a literary turn of mind, in perusing the pages of “The Devoted,” or, -“Demented One.” He dilates breakfast to spite old Time, and asks himself -the frequent question What shall I do to-day? The ladies are generally at -home between twelve and two, but L’Allegro, considering the occupation -rather a “slow” one, votes it a “bore.” But there is the club, and a -couple of hours may be spent profitably enough over the newspapers, or -pleasantly enough with the assistance of billiards and whist. At three -o’clock our Joyful returns home, or accompanies a party of friends to -a hot and substantial meal, termed tiffin, followed by many gigantic -Trichinopoly cigars, and glasses of pale ale in proportion. - -A walk or a ride round the lake, is now deemed necessary to recruit -exhausted Appetite, who is expected to be ready at seven for another hot -and substantial meal, called dinner. And now, the labours of the day -being happily over, L’Allegro concludes it with prodigious facility by -means of cards or billiards, with whiskey and weeds. - -This routine of life is broken only by such interruptions, as a -shooting-party, an excursion, a pic-nic, a grand dinner, _soirée_, or a -ball. Short notices of these amusements may not be unacceptable to the -reader. - -There are many places in the neighbourhood of Ooty—such as Dodabetta, -Fair Lawn, and others—where, during the fine season, the votaries of -Terpsichore display very fantastic toes indeed, particularly if they wear -Neilgherry-made boots, between the hours of ten A.M. and five P.M. Much -innocent mirth prevails on these social occasions, the only remarkable -characteristic of their nature being, that the gentlemen generally ride -out slowly and deliberately, but ride in, racing, or steeple-chasing, or -enacting Johnny Gilpin. - -A more serious affair is a grand dinner. This truly British form which -hospitality assumes, may be divided into two kinds, the pure and the -mixed. The former is the general favourite, as, consisting of bachelors -only, it admits of an _abandon_ in the style of conversation, and a -general want of ceremoniousness truly grateful to the Anglo-Indian mind. -A dinner where ladies are admitted is, by L’Allegro, considered an -unmitigated pest; and those who dislike formality and restraint, scant -potations, and the impossibility of smoking, will readily enter into his -feelings. - -The Ootacamund _soirée_ happens about once every two months to the man of -pleasure, who exerts all the powers of his mind to ward off the blow of -an invitation. When he can no longer escape the misfortune, he resigns -himself to his fate, dresses and repairs to the scene of unfestivity, -with much of the same feeling he remembers experiencing when “nailed” for -a Bath musical reunion, or a Cheltenham tea-party. He will have to endure -many similar horrors. He must present Congo to the ladies, walk about -with cakes and muffins, listen to unmelodious melody, and talk small—he -whose body is sinking under the want of stimulants and narcotics, whose -spirit is fainting under the _peine forte et dure_ of endeavouring to -curb an unruly tongue, which in spite of all efforts will occasionally -give vent to half or three-quarters of some word utterly unfit for ears -feminine or polite. If, as the Allegri sometimes are, the wretch be -nervous upon the subject of being “talked about in connexion with some -woman,” another misery will be added to the list above detailed. He has -certainly passed the evening by the side of the young lady whom he first -addressed—his reasons being that he had not courage to break away from -her—and he may rest assured that all Ooty on the morrow will have wooed -and won her for him. Finally, he observes that several of his married -friends look coldly upon him, beginning the morning after the _soirée_. -Probably he endeavoured to compensate for his want of vivacity, by a -little of what he considered brilliancy, in the form of satire,—quizzing, -as it is generally called. The person for whose benefit he ventured to - - Tamper with such dangerous art, - -looked amused by his facetiousness, encouraged him to proceed by - - ⸺The smile from partial beauty won, - -and lost no time in repeating the substance of his remarks, decked, for -the sake of excitement, in a richly imaginative garb, to the sensitive -quizzee. - -There are about half-a-dozen balls a year on the Neilgherries, the cause -of their infrequency being the expense, and the unpopularity of the -amusement amongst all manner and description of men, save and except the -“squire of dames” only. This un-English style of festivity is also of two -kinds, the subscription and the bachelors’: the former thinly attended, -because 1_l._ is the price of a ticket, the latter much more numerously, -because invitations are issued gratis. The amusement commences with the -notes which the ladies indite in reply to their future entertainers, who -scrutinize all such productions with a severity of censure and a rigidity -of rule which might gratify a Johnson, or a Lindley Murray. And woe, woe, -to her who slips in her syntax, or trips in her syllabication! Then the -members of the club carve out for themselves a grievance, all swear that -it is a “confounded shame to turn the place into a hop-shop,” and one -surlier individual than the rest declares that “it shan’t be done again.” -At the same time you observe they endure the indignity patiently enough, -as it is a magnificent opportunity for disposing of their condemnable -though not condemned gooseberry. - -And here we pause for a moment in indignation at such a proceeding. -May that man never be our friend who heedlessly sets a bottle of bad -champagne before a fellow-creature at a ball! Heated and excited by the -dancing atmosphere around, the victim’s palate becomes undiscerning, -he drinks a tumbler when at other times a wine-glass full would have -been too much, and in the morning—aroynt thee, Description! Well do -we remember the bitter feelings with which we heard on one of these -occasions, two gentlemen felicitating each other upon the quantity of -sour gooseberry disposed of unobserved. Unobserved! we were enduring -tortures from the too observable effects of it. - -At eleven or twelve the ladies muster. The band—a trio of fiddlers, and -a pianist, who performs on an instrument which suggests reminiscences -of Tubal Cain—strikes up. The dancing begins—one eternal round of -quadrilles, lancers, polkas, and waltzes. There is no difficulty in -finding partners: the “wall-flower,” an ornament to the ball-room -unknown in India generally, here blooms and flourishes luxuriantly as -in our beloved fatherland. But if you are not a bald-headed colonel, a -staff-officer in a gingerbread uniform, or a flash sub. in one of Her -Majesty’s corps, you will prefer contemplating the festal scene from the -modest young man’s great stand-by—the doorway. About one o’clock there -is a break for supper—a hot substantial meal of course:—the dancing that -follows is strikingly of a more spirited nature than that which preceded -it. The general exhilaration infects, perhaps, even you. You screw up -your courage to the point of asking some smiling spinster if she “may -have the pleasure of dancing with you?” and by her good aid in action as -well as advice, you find out, with no small exultation, that you have not -quite forgotten your quadrille. - -At three P.M. the ladies retire, apparently to the regret, really to -the delight of the bachelors, who, with gait and gestures expressive -of the profoundest satisfaction, repair to the supper-room for another -hot and substantial meal. The conversation is lively: the toilettes, -manners, conversation and dancing of the fair sex are blamed or extolled -_selon_; the absence of the Bombay ladies and the scarcity of the Bombay -gentlemen are commented upon with a _naïveté_ which, if you happen to -consider yourself one of them, is apt to be rather unpleasant. Before, -however, you can make up your mind what to do, the cigars are lighted, -spirits mixed, and the singing commences. This performance is usually of -the style called at messes the “sentimental,” wherein a long chorus is a -_sine quâ non_, the usual accompaniments a little horse-play in different -parts of the room, and the conclusion a hammering of tables or rattling -of glasses and a drumming with the heels, which, when well combined, -produce truly an imposing effect. At length Aurora comes slowly in, -elbowing her way, and sidling through the dense waves of rolling smoke, -which would oppose her entrance, but failing therein, content themselves -with communicating to her well known saffron-coloured morning wrapper a -rather dull and dingy hue. Phœbus looks red and lowering at the prospect -of the dozen gentlemen, who, in very pallid complexions, black garments, -and patent leather boots, wind, with frequent halts, along a common road, -leading, as each conceives, directly to his own abode. And the Muses thus -preside over the conclusion, as they ushered in the beginning of the -eventful _fête_. - -“On the — of ⸺ the gay and gallant bachelors of Ootacamund entertained -all the beauty and fashion of the station in the magnificent ball-room of -the club. The scene was a perfect galaxy of light and loveliness, etc.” - - * * * * * - -You have now, we will suppose, almost exhausted the short list of public -amusements, balls and parties; you have boated on the lake; you have -ridden and walked round the lake till every nodule of gravel is deadly -familiar to your eye; you have contemplated the lake from every possible -point, and can no longer look at it, or hear it named, without a -sensation of nausea. You have probably wandered “over the hills and far -away” in search of game; your sport was not worth speaking of, but its -consequences, the headache, or the attack of liver which resulted from -over-exertion, _was_—. Perhaps you have been induced to ride an untrained -Arab at a steeple-chase, and, curious to say, you have not broken an arm -or even your collar-bone. What are you to do now? You wish to goodness -that you could obtain leave to visit the different stations in the low -country, but, unhappily, you forgot to have your sick certificate worded, -“For the Neilgherries and the Western Coast.” You find yourself cooped up -in the mountains as securely as within the lofty walls of your playground -in by-gone days, and if you venture to play truant, you will certainly be -dismissed the establishment, which is undesirable:—you are not yet over -anxious to return to “duty,” although you are by no means happy away from -it. - -Suddenly a little occurrence in your household affords you a temporary -diversion. You dismissed your Bombay servants, first and foremost the -Portuguese, a fortnight after your arrival at Ootacamund, because the -fellows grumbled at the climate and the expense:—they could not afford -to get drunk half as often as in the plains:—demanded exorbitant wages, -and required almost as many comforts and luxuries as you yourself do. -So you paid their passage back to their homes, and secured the usual -number of Madras domestics, men of the best character, according to -their own account, and provided with the highest, though more than -dubious testimonials. You found that the change was for the better. Your -new blacks worked like horses, and did not refuse to make themselves -generally useful. Presently, they, seeing your “softness,” began -to presume upon it. You found it necessary to dismiss one of them, -summarily, for exaggerated insolence. The man left your presence, and -stepped over to the edifice where sits in state the “Officer Commanding -the Neilgherries.” About half an hour afterwards you received a note, -couched in terms quite the reverse of courteous, ordering you to pay your -dismissed servant his wages, and peremptorily forbidding you to take the -law into your own hands by kicking him. But should you object to obey, as -you probably will do, you are allowed the alternative of appearing at the -office the next day. - -At the hour specified you prepare to keep your appointment, regretting -that you are not a civilian:—you might then have tossed the note into -the fire:—but somewhat consoled by a discovery, made in the course -of the evening, that the complainant has stolen several articles of -clothing from you. You walk into the room, ceremoniously bow and are -bowed to, pull a chair towards you unceremoniously, because you are not -asked to sit down, wait impatiently enough,—you have promised to ride -out with Miss A⸺, who will assuredly confer the honour of her company -upon your enemy Mr. B⸺ if you keep her waiting five minutes,—a mortal -hour and a half. When the last case has been dismissed, the Commanding -officer, after some little time spent in arranging his papers, nibbing -his pens and conversationizing with a native clerk about matters more -than indifferent to you, turns towards you a countenance in which the -severity of justice is somewhat tempered by the hard stereotyped smile -of polite inquiry. Stimulated by the look, you forget that you are the -defendant, till reminded of your position in a way which makes you feel -all its awkwardness. The Commanding officer is a great “stickler for -abstract rights,” and is known to be high-principled upon the subjects of -black skins and British law. So you, who expected, as a matter of course, -that the “word of an officer and gentleman” would be taken against that -of a “native rascal,” find yourself notably in the wrong box. Indignant, -you send for your butler. And now Pariah meets Pariah with a terrible -tussle of tongue. Complainant swears that he was not paid; witness oathes -by the score that he was. The former strengthens his position by cursing -himself to Patal[161] if he has not been swindled by the “Buttrel” and -his Sahib out of two months’ wages. The head servant, not to be outdone, -devotes the persons of his Brahman, his wife, and his eldest son, to -a very terrible doom indeed, if he did not with his own hands advance -complainant three months’ pay,—and so on. At length the Commanding -officer, who has carefully and laboriously been taking down the evidence, -bids the affidavits cease, and reluctantly dismisses the complaint. - -And now for your turn, as you fondly imagine. You also have a charge to -make. You do so emphatically. You summon your witnesses, who are standing -outside. You prove your assertion triumphantly, conclusively. You inform -the Commanding officer, with determination, that you are resolved to do -your best to get the thief punished. - -The Commanding officer hears you out most patiently, urges you to -follow up the case, and remarks, that the prosecution of the affair -will be productive of great advantage to the European residents on -the Hills. You are puzzled transiently: the words involve an enigma, -and the sarcastic smile of the criminal smacks of a mystery. But your -mental darkness is soon cleared up; the Commanding officer hints -that you will find no difficulty in procuring a fortnight’s leave to -Coimbatore, the nearest Civil station, for the purpose of carrying out -your public-spirited resolution. As this would involve a land journey -of one hundred miles—in India equal to one thousand in Europe—with all -the annoyances of law-proceedings, and all the discomforts of a strange -station, your determination suddenly melts away, and gentle Pity takes -the place of stern Prosecution; you forget your injury, you forgive your -enemy. - -You must not, however, lay any blame upon the Commanding officer; his -hands are tied as well as yours. He is a justice of the peace, but his -authority is reduced to nothing in consequence of his being subject -to the civil power at Coimbatore. A more uncomfortable position for a -military man to be placed in you cannot conceive. - -This little bit of excitement concludes your list of public amusements. -And now, again, you ask What shall you do? You put the question, wishing -to heaven that Echo—Arabian or Hibernian—would but respond with her usual -wonted categoricality; but she, poor maid! has quite lost her voice, in -consequence of the hard-talking she has had of late years. So you must -even reply to and for yourself—no easy matter, we can assure you. - -Goethe, it is said, on the death of his son, took up a new study. You -have no precise ideas about Goethe or his proceedings, but your mind -spontaneously grows the principle that actuated the great German. You are -almost persuaded to become a student. You borrow some friend’s Akhlak -i Hindi,[162] rummage your trunks till you discover the remnant of a -Shakespeare’s Grammar, and purchase, at the first auction, a second-hand -copy of Forbes’s Dictionary. You then inquire for a Moonshee—a -language-master—and find that there is not a decent one in the place. -The local government, in the plenitude of its sagacity, has been pleased -to issue an order forbidding examination committees being held at the -Sanitarium; so good teachers will not remain at a station where their -services are but little required. Your ardour, however, is only damped, -not extinguished. You find some clerk in one of the offices who can -read Hindostani; you set to—you rub up your acquaintance with certain -old friends, called Parts of Speech—you master the Verb, and stand in -astonishment to see that you have read through a whole chapter of the -interesting ethical composition above alluded to. That pause has ruined -you. Like the stiff joints of a wearied pedestrian, who allows himself -rest at an inopportune time, your mind refuses to rise again to its task. -You find out that Ootacamund is no place for study; that the houses -are dark, the rooms cold, and the air so exciting that it is all but -impossible to sit down quietly for an hour. Finally, remembering that you -are here for health, you send back the Akhlak, restore Shakespeare to his -own trunk, and, after coquetting about the conversational part of the -language with your Moonshee for a week or two—dismiss him. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -LIFE OUTSIDE OOTY. - - -Speaking seriously, the dearth of diversion or even occupation at -Ootacamund, considerably diminishes its value as a sanitary station. It -is generally remarked, that a man who in other places drinks a little -too freely, here seldom fails to bring on an attack of delirium tremens. -After the first excitement passes away, it is apt to be succeeded by a -sense of dreariness and ennui more debilitating to the system than even -the perpetual perspirations of the plains. - - * * * * * - -The chief occupations for a visitor outside of Ooty are -curiosity-hunting, field-sports, and excursionizing. - -Of late years, the Neilgherries have been so exposed to the pickaxes -of indefatigable archæologists, that their huge store of curiosities -has been almost exhausted. Little now remains but the fixtures. In -many parts almost every hill is crowned by single and double cairns, -enclosing open areas, which, when opened, were found to contain numerous -pottery[163] figures of men and animals. There are some remarkable -remains which remind us of the Cromlechs[164] and Kistvaens[165] of -Druidism; all, however, have been rifled of the funeral urns and the -other relics which they contained. Vases holding burnt bones and -charcoal, brass vessels, spear heads, clay images of female warriors on -horseback, stone pestles, pots and covers ornamented with human figures -and curious animals, have been taken from the barrows that abound in -different parts of the Neilgherries. The ruins of forts and pagodas, -traces of buildings and manual labour, may be discovered in the darkest -recesses of ancient forests. Long and deep fosses, the use of which -cannot be explained, and diminutive labyrinths still remain the monuments -of ancient civilization. At St. Catherine’s Falls, near Kotagherry, the -natives show marks in the rock which they attribute to a certain hill -Rajah who urged his horse over the precipice to escape the pursuit of -his foes. The land is rich in such traditions. There is a name for every -hill;[166] to every remarkable one is attached some cherished legend. -Here we are shown the favourite seats of the Rishi, or saintly race, -who, in hoary eld, honoured the green tops of the Blue Mountains with -their holy presence. There, we are told, abode the foul Rakhshasa (demon) -tribe, that loved to work man’s mortal woe; and there, dwarfish beings, -somewhat like our fairies, long since passed away, lived in the dancing -and singing style of existence usually attributed by barbarians to those -pretty creatures of their imaginations. - -The Toda family—the grand depository of Neilgherry tradition—has -supplied our curiosity-hunters with many a marvel. But, let the young -beginner beware how he trusts to their information. The fellows can -enjoy a hoax. Moreover, with the instinctive cunning of the wild man, -they are inveterate liars, concealing truth because they perceive that -their betters attach some importance to extracting it, and yet cannot -understand the reason why they should take the trouble to do so. For -instance—we heard of a gentleman who, when walking near one of the -villages, saw some roughly-rounded stones lying upon the ground, and -asked a Toda what their use might be. The savage replied extempore, -that the biggest piece was, according to his creed, the grandfather of -the gods; another was the grandmother, and so on to a great length. He -received a rupee for the intelligence given; and well he won it. The -stones were those used by the young men of the hamlet for “putting” in -their leisure hours—a slender foundation, indeed, to support so grand a -superstructure of traditional lore! - -Antiquarians are everywhere a simple race: in India, “con tutto rispetto -parlando,” we are almost tempted to describe them as simpletons. Who does -not recollect the Athenæum sauce-jar which some wag buried in the ruins -of a fort, said to have been founded by Alexander the Great at Sehwan -in Scinde, and the strange theories which the Etruscan images upon that -article elicited from grave and learned heads? - - * * * * * - -Game is still plentiful in the Neilgherries. The little woods about -Ootacamund abound in woodcock, leopard,[167] and ibex. Near Coonoor, elk -and wild hog are to be met with, and to the east of Kotagherry there is -excellent bison-shooting. Elephants occasionally ascend the Koondah hills -to escape the fiery heat of the luxuriant jungles below the mountains. -Tigers are rare in these parts, and no one takes the trouble to attack -them: the cold climate ruins them for sport by diminishing their ferocity -and the chance of one’s being clawed. The wolf is not an aboriginal of -the hills: he sometimes, however, favours us with a visit, in packs, -gaunt with hunger and sufficiently fierce, for the purpose of dining -on the dogs. The small black bear, or rather ant-eater of the plains, -affords tolerable sport; but this Alpine region does not produce the -large and powerful brown animal of the Pyrenees and Central Asia. - -The peculiarity of Neilgherry hunting is, that nothing can be done by -means of beaters only—the plan adopted in India generally. Cocks cannot -be flushed without spaniels, and foxhounds are necessary for tracking -large game. The canine species thrives prodigiously on the hills, and -seems to derive even more benefit from the climate than the human dogs. -The crack sportsman from the plains must here abandon his favourite -pig-sticking, or exchange it for what he always considered the illicit -practice of hog-shooting. _En revanche_, he has the elk, the bison, and -the ibex. - -The Neilgherry Sambur, or elk,[168] is the giant of the cervine -race—often fourteen hands high, with antlers upwards of three feet long, -spanning thirty-two or thirty-three inches between the extremities. -In spite of this beast’s size and unwieldiness—some of them weigh -seven hundred pounds—they are sufficiently speedy to distance any but -a good horse. They divide their time between the mountain-woods and -the lower jungles, resorting to the former for the sake of the water, -and descending to the latter to get at the “salt-licks,” in which they -abound. Elk are usually met with in pairs, or in greater numbers, and -when once sighted are easily shot. The neck and the hollow behind the -shoulder are the parts aimed at, for these animals are extraordinarily -tenacious of life, and will carry off a most unreasonable number of -balls, unless hit in a vital region. The flesh is coarse, but makes -excellent mulligatawny, the shin-bones afford good marrow, the hoofs are -convertible into jelly, the tongue is eatable, and the skin useful for -saddle-covers, gaiters, and hunting boots. The head, stuffed with straw -and provided with eyes, skilfully made out of the bottom of a black -bottle, is a favourite ornament for the verandah or the mantelpiece. -Samburs are easily tamed: several of them may be seen about Ootacamund, -grazing with halters round their necks, almost as tame as cows. There are -several ways of hunting elk. On the hills skirting the Pykarry river, -where there is little swamp or bog, attempts have been made to run and -spear them. Some sportsmen stalk them; but the usual mode is to post the -guns, and then to make the beast break cover. Dogs are preferred to -beaters for this purpose, as their giving tongue warns one when the game -is coming, and the animal will almost always fly from his fourfooted, -whereas it often succeeds in charging and breaking through the line of -biped foes. Samburs, when wounded and closely pursued, will sometimes -stand and defend themselves desperately with tooth and antler; the “game -thing” then is to “walk into them” with a hunting-knife. - -Bison-hunting upon the hills is a most exciting sport, requiring thews -and sinews, a cool head and a steady hand. A charge of one of these -animals is quite the reverse of a joke: Venator had better make sure of -his nerve before he goes forth to stand before such a rush. The bison is -a noble animal. We have seen heads[169] which a strong man was scarcely -able to lift, and horns that measured twenty inches in circumference. -They are usually shot with ounce or two ounce iron or brass balls, and -plugs made by the hill-people, who cut a bar of metal and file it down -to the size required with the rudest tools and remarkable neatness. The -Hindoos, however, do not patronise bison-hunting, as they consider the -beast a wild species of their sacred animal. - -The word “ibex,” like the “jungle sheep”[170] of the Neilgherries, is -a misnomer: the denominated being the Capra Caucasica, not the Capra -ibex of Cuvier. It is to these hills what the chamois is to the Alps, -and the izzard to the Pyrenees. If you are sportsman enough to like -difficulty and danger, incurred for nothing’s sake, you will think well -of ibex-hunting. In the first place you have to find your game, and to -find it also in some place where it can be approached when alive, and -secured when dead. The senses of these wild goats are extraordinarily -acute, and often, after many hours of toil, the disappointed pursuer is -informed by the peculiar whistling noise which they make when alarmed, -that, warned of his proximity—probably by the wind—they have moved off -to safer quarters. Secondly, you must hit them—hard, too; otherwise you -will never bring about a dead stop. And, lastly, as they are addicted to -scrambling down and rolling over tremendous precipices—especially after -they have felt lead—you must either lose the beast or risk your neck to -bag the body. Not for the pot. The flesh is never eaten, but the stuffed -head is preserved as a trophy of venatic prowess. - -The hill people, when not employed in spearing and netting game on their -own account, will generally act as lookers-out and beaters. We are apt, -however, to be too generous with our money: the effect of the liberality -proving it to be ill-advised. Often it will happen to you—especially -during your first month’s sporting—that some black scoundrel rushes up -in a frantic hurry to report game trove, in the hope that you will, upon -the spur of the moment, present him with a rupee. And suppose you do so, -what is the result? It is sad weather; the clouds rain cats and dogs—to -use an old phrase—the wind is raw as a south-easter off the Cape; the -ground one mass of slippery mud. Do you look out of the window, roll your -head, dismiss the “nigger,” return to your fire, the “Demented,” and your -cigar. No! emphatically no!! You rush into your room, pull on shoes and -gaiters, don your hunting-garb with astonishing rapidity, catch up your -guns, roar for the favourite servant that carries them, and start in the -middle of the howling storm. Your eagerness to “get a slap at a bison” -incites you to cruelty: you think nothing of dashing into the first -village, and compelling a troop of half-naked wretches to accompany you. -Now mark the consequence of giving away that rupee in a hurry. The head -beater leads you up and down the steepest, the most rugged, stony, and -slippery hills he can hit upon, with the benevolent view of preventing -your making a fool of yourself to any greater extent. But when your stout -English legs have completely “taken the shine” out of those baboon-like -shanks which support his body, then he conducts you to some Shola,[171] -places you and your servant upon the top of an elevated rock commanding -a thorough enjoyment of the weather, and an extensive view of the ravine -through which the beast is to break cover, and retires with his comrades -to the snug cavern, which he held all along in mental view. There he sits -before a cosy bit of fire, occasionally indulging you with a view-halloo, -proving how actively the gang is engaged in discovering the game. Half -an hour has passed; you are wet through, “_jusqu’aux os_,” and the chill -blasts feel as if they were cutting their way into your vitals: still -your ardour endures. Another twenty minutes—your fingers refuse to uphold -the cocked rifle. - -“We really must go if they can’t find this beast in another quarter of an -hour, Baloo!” - -“Han, Sahib!—yes, sir,”—quavers forth your unhappy domestic, in a frozen -treble—“if the Sahib were to—to go, just now—would it not be good? It is -very cold—and—perhaps—they have been telling the Sahib lies.” - -Baloo is right. The head beater appears, followed by his attendant train. -He swears that it is a case of “stole away.” - -You feel that there is something wrong about that bison, by the way in -which the man’s eye avoided you. But probably a sense of justice prevents -your having recourse to the baculine discipline which, on any other -occasion, we should have advised you to administer with no niggardly hand. - -Sounders of hog are commonly found at certain seasons about Coonoor -especially. They are often shot, and more often missed, as their gaunt -forms boring through the high grass afford a very uncertain mark. If -Diana favour you, you may have the luck to come upon that beautiful -variety of the leopard tribe, the black cheeta, and wreak upon him the -revenge which his brethren’s ravages amongst your “bobbery-pack”[172] -has roused in your bosom. If you are proud of your poultry yard you will -never allow a jungle cat to pass without rolling her over: the large -fierce beasts are so uncommonly fond of ducks and fowls. The jackals[173] -on the hills are even more daring and impudent than they are in the -plains. Hares are so numerous and voracious that they will destroy any -garden, flower or kitchen, unless it is defended by a dwarf-fencing of -split bamboos. Your careful Malee[174] takes, moreover, the precaution -of surrounding your cabbages with a deep ditch in order to keep out the -huge porcupines that abound here. _En passant_ we advise every one who -has not tasted a _rôti_ of one of those animals to do so _sine morâ_, -not, however, forgetting to roll up the flesh in a layer of mutton fat, -and thus to remedy its only defect—dryness. Martins, polecats, mongooses, -and the little grey gilahri[175] of Hindostan, flourish on the hills; -there is also a large dark brown squirrel, with a huge bushy tail, but -the flying species, so common on the western coast, is not an inhabitant -of the Neilgherries. The woods are tenanted by several kinds of monkeys, -black and red, large and small: the otter is occasionally met with in the -fords of the Pykarry river. - -There are two varieties of the wild dog, one a large nondescript, with -a canine head, the body of a wolf, and a brush instead of a tail: the -other is a smaller beast of similar appearance. They generally hunt -in large packs, and the skill with which they follow up the game is -admirable. When pressed by hunger they are very ferocious. It is at no -time a pleasant sight to see fifty or a hundred of their ill-omened faces -glaring at you and your horse as you ride by them: especially after -you have heard certain well-authenticated anecdotes of their cannibal -propensities. When such rencontre does occur, the best way is to put a -bold face upon the matter, ride up to them, and use your heavy horsewhip -as well as you can: if you endeavour to get away they will generally feel -inclined to follow you, and as for escaping from them on horseback, it is -morally impossible. - -Another animal—though not a wild one—of which we bid you beware, is the -Neilgherry buffalo, especially the fine fawn-coloured beasts, belonging -to the Todas. Occasionally, as you are passing along the base of some -remote hill, you will be unpleasantly surprised by a sudden and impetuous -charge of a whole herd. Unless you have a gun with you, you must ride for -it. And _how_ you must ride will probably surprise you. We well recollect -a kind of adventure which once occurred to ourselves, when quietly -excursionizing in the vicinity of Ooty. Excited by the appearance of our -nag’s red saddle-cloth, some twenty huge beasts resolved to dispute with -us the right of passage through one of the long smooth lawns, which run -down the centre of the woodlands. At first they looked up curiously, -then fiercely. Presently they advanced, snorting rabidly, in a rude -line, a huge black bull the leader of the movement. The walk soon broke -into a trot, the trot became a gallop, the intention of the gallop, was -clearly a charge, and the consequences of a charge might have been -serious. We found little difficulty in escaping the general rush of our -assailants, by means of a sharp touch with the spur: one by one they -tailed off, stood looking at our decreasing form in angry disgust, and -returned to their normal occupation. But Taurus, the ringleader, seemed -determined upon mischief. He pursued us with the dogged determination -of a lyme hound: he had speed as well as bottom. Whenever we attempted -to breathe the pony, the rapidity with which our friend gained ground -upon us, was a warning not to try that trick too long. Close upon our -quarters followed the big beast with his curved horns duly prepared: his -eyes flashing fire, and his grunting snorts indicative of extreme rage. -We could scarcely help laughing at the agility with which the monstrous -body, on its four little legs, bowled away over the level turf, or at the -same time wishing that our holsters contained the means of chastising his -impudence. - -How long the recreation might have lasted, or how it might have ended -had not a long mud wall got between Taurus and ourselves, we cannot say. -He followed us for at least a mile, and seemed by no means tired of the -occupation. We were beginning to anticipate the pleasure of entering -Ootacamund at the top of our nag’s speed, with a huge buffalo at his -heels, and though we might have enjoyed seeing a friend in such novel -predicament, the thing lost all its charms, when we ourselves expected to -afford such spectacle to our friends. - -We should strongly advise all public spirited individuals immediately -after suffering from such a nuisance to find out the herdsman, and -persuade him by a judicious application of the cravache, to teach his -cattle better manners. He will be much more careful the next time he sees -a stranger ride by. - -Among the feathered tribes, the woodcock, probably on account of its -comparative rarity, is the favourite sport. Three or four brace are -considered an excellent bag, even with the assistance of good dogs, and -a thorough knowledge of their covers. Cock shooting lasts from November -to March. Partridges are rare, not being natives of the hills. Snipe, and -solitary snipe, abound in the swamps. Quails of both species, red and -grey,—the former especially—are found in the warmer localities, and when -properly tamed and trained, they are as game birds as those of the low -country. Our list concludes with peacocks, jungle[176] and spur fowl. - -After perusing our brief sketch of Neilgherry sport, you will easily -understand that to some ardent minds it offers irresistible attractions. -Officers have been known to quit the service, or to invalid solely -with the view of devoting themselves wholly to the _pleasures_ of the -chase. They separate themselves from their kind, inhabit the jungles -for weeks together, and never enter a station except for the purpose -of laying in a fresh store of powder and shot, calomel and quinine. -Attended by a servant or two, they wander about, rifle in hand, shooting -their meals—some curried bird—sleeping away the rabid hours of noontide -heat under some thick brake, and starting with renewed vigour as soon -as the slanting rays of the sun diffuse a little activity throughout -the animal creation. Sometimes breakfast is rudely interrupted by an -angry old tusker, who, in spite of his race’s proverbial purblindness, -detects the presence of an enemy, and rushes on trumpeting to do a -deed of violence. A “striped skin” will occasionally invite himself to -partake of the dinner, and when not treated with all possible ceremony -walks off with a raw joint in the shape of some unhappy black. There -is little to be gained by such a life. Government gives, it is true, a -reward of 7_l._[177] for every slaughtered elephant, and tiger-skins, -as well as ivory, find a ready sale: but no one can become a Crœsus by -the favour of Diana. Not much, however, do our adventurous sportsmen -think of lucre: they go on shooting through existence, only pausing at -times when the bites of the tree-leeches,[178] scorpions, centipedes, -and musquitoes, or a low fever, which they have vainly endeavoured to -master by means of quinine administered in doses sufficient to turn an -average head, imperiously compel them to lay up, till assailed by a Foe -against whom the dose and the rifle are equally unefficacious. Many are -almost blinded by the terrible glare and damp heat of the jungles: the -fetid swamps breed brain fevers as well as snipe, bisons have horns, and -cheetahs claws: so that such career, though bright enough in its own way, -is generally speaking at least as brief as it is brilliant. - - * * * * * - -Before the monsoon sets in, we will “get through,” as our Irish cousin -expressed himself at the Vatican, “the sight-seeing” in the neighbourhood -of Ooty. - -Maleemund, or, as others write it, Meyni, a favourite spot for pic-nics, -is a Toda village lying about three miles north of the grand station: it -affords you a pleasant ride through pretty woodlands, and a very inferior -view. Beyond it is Billicul, a little Berger settlement surrounded by -cultivation: here a resident on the hills has built a bungalow, and the -locality is often visited for the pleasure of contemplating the reeking -flats of Mysore. Striking across country into the Seegoor Pass, you may, -if you have any curiosity, inspect the Kulhutty Falls, certain cataracts -upon a very diminutive scale indeed. You must see the Pykarry river, a -deep and irregular stream flowing down a winding bed full of rocks, -rapids, and sand-banks: it supplies your curries with a shrunken specimen -of the finny tribe—alas! how different from certain fishes which you -may connect in memory with certain mountain streams in the old country. -The surrounding hills are celebrated for containing abundance of game. -An indefatigable excursionist would ride seven miles further on the -Goodalore road for the sake of the _coups-d’œil_, and to be able to say -that he has seen Neddiwuttun. All the pleasure he derives from this extra -stage along a vile path, is a sense of intense satisfaction that he is -not compelled to pass a night in the damp, dreary, moss-clad bungalow, -where unhappy travellers must at times perforce abide. Three miles from -Ooty, in the direction of the Koondah hills, you pass Fair Lawn, the -bit of turf which Terpsichore loves. Finally, after a long and dreary -stretch over a tiresome series of little eminences, after fording the -Porthy river, and crossing its sister stream, the Avalanche, by an unsafe -bridge, you arrive at the Wooden House,[179] whence sportsmen issue to -disturb the innocent enjoyments of elk and ibex, bison and elephant. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -THE INHABITANTS OF THE NEILGHERRIES. - - -There are five different races now settled upon the Blue Mountains:— - - 1. _Bergers_, the mass of the population; supposed to be about - ten thousand. - - 2. _Erulars_, } The wild men dwelling on the woody sides of - 3. _Cooroombars_, } the hills; about two thousand. - - 4. _Kothurs_, } The old inhabitants and owners of the land; - 5. _Todas_, } about three thousand. - -The Bergers, Vaddacars,[180] or, as the Todas call them, the Marves, -are an uninteresting race of Shudra Hindoos, that immigrated from the -plains in the days of Hyder or Tippoo. They attempt to invest their -expatriation with the dignity of antiquity by asserting that upwards of -four centuries ago they fled to the hills from the persecutions of Moslem -tyrants. This caste affects the Lingait or Shaivya[181] form of Hinduism, -contains a variety of sub-families, speaks a debased dialect of modern -Canarese, and still retains, in the fine climate of the Neilgherries, the -dark skin, the degraded expression of countenance, and the puny figure, -that characterise the low caste native of Southern India. They consider -the wild men of the hills as magicians, and have subjected themselves to -the Todas, in a social as well as a religious point of view, by paying -a tax for permission to occupy their lands. They have been initiated -in some of the mysterious practices of the mountaineers, and have -succeeded in infecting the minds of their instructors with all the rigid -exclusiveness and silly secrecy of their own faith. It redounds, however, -to their credit that they have not imitated the debauched and immoral -habits which their lords have learned by intercourse with strangers. -There is nothing remarkable in their dress, their manners, or their -habitations; they employ themselves in cultivating the soil and acting -as porters, beater labourers, and gardeners. - -The Erulars[182] and Cooroombars[183] are utter savages, very much -resembling the Rankaris of Maharatta Land and the Bheels of Candeish. -Their language, a kind of Malayalim, proves that they were originally -inhabitants of the plains, but nothing more is known about them. They -dwell in caves, clefts in the rocks, and miserable huts, built upon the -slopes of the mountains, and they support themselves by cultivation and -selling wax and honey. In appearance they are diminutive, dark men, -distinguishable from the highest order of Quadrumana by the absence of -pile upon their bodies, and a knack of walking on their hind legs. Their -dress is limited to about a palm’s breadth of coarse cotton cloth, and -their only weapon a little knife, which hangs from a bit of string to -the side. They are rarely seen. When riding about the wild parts of the -hills you occasionally meet one of these savages, who starts and stands -for a moment, staring at you through his bush of matted hair, in wonder, -or rather awe, and then plunges headlong into the nearest thicket. Man -is the only enemy the poor wretches have reason to fear. By the Todas, -as well as the Bergers, they are looked upon as vicious magicians, who -have power of life and death over men and beasts, of causing disease, -and conjuring tigers from the woods to assist them; they are propitiated -by being cruelly beaten and murdered, whenever a suitable opportunity -presents itself. The way in which this people will glide through the -wildest woods, haunted by all manner of ferocious foes, proves how fine -and acute the human senses are capable of becoming when sharpened by -necessity and habit. - -In investigating the origin of the Kothurs, Cohatars,[184] or Cuvs, -the usual obstacles,—a comparatively unknown language, and the want -of a written character,—oppose the efforts of inquirers. The palpable -affinity, however, between the Toda and Kothur dialects, proves that -both the races were originally connected, and the great change[185] that -has taken place in the languages, shows that this connection was by no -means recently dissolved. Why or how the separation took place, even -tradition[186] does not inform us; but the degraded customs, as well as -the appearance, dress, and ornaments of the Kothurs point most probably -to a loss of caste, in consequence of some unlawful and polluting action. - -The Kothurs show great outward respect to the Todas, and the latter -return the compliment more substantially by allowing their dependants -a part of the tax which they receive from the Bergers. They are an -industrious and hard-working race; at once cultivators and musicians, -carpenters and potters, bricklayers, and artizans in metal as well as in -wood. Their villages composed of little huts, built with rough wattling, -are almost as uncleanly as their persons. Every considerable settlement -contains two places of worship, for the men do not pray with the women; -in some hamlets they have set up curiously carved stones, which they -consider sacred, and attribute to them the power of curing diseases, if -the member affected be only rubbed against the talisman. They will devour -any carrion, even when in a semi-putrid state; the men are fond of opium, -and intoxicating drinks; they do not, however, imitate the Todas in -their illicit way of gaining money wherewith to purchase their favourite -luxuries. - -As the Toda[187] race is, in every way, the most remarkable of the -Neilgherry inhabitants, so it has been its fate to be the most remarked. -Abundant observation has been showered down upon it; from observation -sprang theories, theories grew into systems. The earliest observer -remarking the Roman noses, fine eyes, and stalwart frames of the savages, -drew their origin from Italy,—not a bad beginning! Another gentleman -argued from their high Arab features, that they are probably immigrants -from the Shat el Arab,[188] but it is apparent that he used the subject -only to inform the world of the length and breadth of his wanderings. -Captain Harkness discovered that they were aborigines. Captain Congreve -determined to prove that the Todas are the remnants of the Celto-Scythian -race, which _selon lui_, inhabited the plains, and were driven up to the -hills before the invading Hindoo; he even spelt the word “Thautawars,” to -sound more Scythic. He has treated the subject with remarkable acuteness, -and displayed much curious antiquarian lore; by systematically magnifying -every mote of resemblance,[189] and, by pertinaciously neglecting or -despising each beam of dissimilitude,[190] together with a little of -the freedom in assertion allowed to system-spinners, he has succeeded -in erecting a noble edifice, which lacks nothing but a foundation. -The metaphysical German traced in the irreverent traditions[191] of -the barbarians concerning the Deity, a metaphorical allusion to the -creature’s rebellion against his Creator; the enthusiastic Freemason -warped their savage mystifications into a semblance of his pet mysteries. -And the grammar-composing Anglo-Indian discovered unknown niceties in -their language, by desiring any two Todas to do a particular thing, then -by asking them how they expressed such action, and, lastly, by recording -the random answer as a dual form of the verb. - -When every one theorises so will we. The Todas are merely a remnant -of the old Tamulian tribes originally inhabiting the plains, and -subsequently driven up to the mountains by some event,[192] respecting -which history is silent. Our opinion is built upon the rock of language. - -It has been proved[193] that the Toda tongue is an old and obsolete -dialect of the Tamul, containing many vocables directly derived from -Sanscrit,[194] but corrupted into - - Words so debased and hard, no stone - Is hard enough to touch them on. - -Thus, for a single instance, the mellifluous Arkas-a-pakshi—the winged -animal of the firmament,—becomes Ha_kh_’sh-pa_kh_’sh, a bird. In grammar -it is essentially Indian, as the cases of the noun and pronoun, and the -tenses of the verb demonstrate; the days of the week, and the numerals, -are all of native, not foreign growth. The pronunciation is essentially -un-Indian,[195] true; but with grammar and vocabulary on our side, we can -afford to set aside, even if we could not explain away, the objection. -A great change of articulation would naturally result from a long -residence upon elevated tracts of land; the habit of conversing in the -open air, and of calling aloud to those standing at a distance, would -induce the speaker to make his sounds as rough and rugged as possible. -This we believe to be the cause of the Bedouin-like gutturalism, which -distinguishes the Toda dialect. We may observe that the Kothurs, who -work in tents, have exchanged their original guttural for a nasal -articulation; and the Bergers, who originally spoke pure Canarese, have -materially altered their pronunciation during the last century. - -The main objection to our theory is the utter dissimilarity of the -Toda, in all respects, physical as well as moral, to the races that -now inhabit the plains. This argument would be a strong one, could the -objector prove that such difference existed in the remote times, when -our supposed separation took place. It is, we may remind him, the direct -tendency of Hinduism to degenerate, not to improve, in consequence of -early nuptials, the number of outcastes, perpetual intermarriage, and -other customs peculiar to it. The superiority of the Toda, in form and -features, to the inhabitants of the lowlands may also partially be owing -to the improvement in bodily strength, stature, and general appearance -that would be effected by a lengthened sojourn in the pure climate of the -Blue Mountains. - -The Todas, as we have said before, assert a right to the soil of the -Neilgherries, and exact a kind of tax[196] from the Bergers. Their -lordly position was most probably the originator of their polyandry and -infanticide:[197] disdaining agriculture, it is their object to limit the -number of the tribe. According to their own accounts, they were, before -the date of the Berger immigration, living in a very wild state, wearing -the leaves of trees, and devouring the flesh of the elk, when they could -get it, and the wild fruits of the hills; this they exchanged for a milk -diet; they are now acquiring a taste for rice, sweetmeats, and buffalo -meat. - -The appearance of this extraordinary race is peculiarly striking to the -eye accustomed to the smooth delicate limbs of India. The colour is a -light chocolate, like that of a Beeloch mountaineer. The features are -often extraordinarily regular and handsome; the figure is muscular, -straight, manly, and well-knit, without any of that fineness of hand and -wrist, foot and ankle, which now distinguishes the Hindoo family, and the -stature is remarkably tall. They wear the beard long, and allow their -bushy, curly locks to lie clustering over the forehead—a custom which -communicates to the countenance a wild and fierce expression, which by -no means belongs to it. The women may be described as very fine large -animals; we never saw a pretty one amongst them. Both sexes anoint the -hair and skin with butter, probably as a protection against the external -air; a blanket wound loosely round their body being their only garment. -Ablution is religiously avoided. - -There is nothing that is not peculiar in the manners and customs[198] of -the Todas. Ladies are not allowed to become mothers in the huts: they are -taken to the nearest wood, and a few bushes are heaped up around them, as -a protection against rain and wind. Female children are either drowned in -milk, or placed at the entrance of the cattle-pen to be trampled to death -by the buffaloes. The few preserved to perpetuate the breed, are married -to all the brothers of a family; besides their three or four husbands, -they are allowed the privilege of a cicisbeo. The religion of the Toda -is still _sub judice_, the general opinion being that they are imperfect -Monotheists, who respect, but do not adore, the sun and fire that warm -them, the rocks and hills over which they roam, and the trees and spots -which they connect with their various superstitions. When a Toda dies, a -number of buffaloes are collected, and barbarously beaten to death with -huge pointed clubs, by the young men of the tribe. The custom, it is -said, arose from the importunate demands of a Toda ghost; most probably, -from the usual savage idea that the animal which is useful in this world -will be equally so in the next. - -The Toda spends life in grazing his cattle, snoring in his cottage, -and churning butter. The villages belonging to this people consist of, -generally speaking, three huts, made with rough planking and thatch; a -fourth, surrounded by a low wall, stands a little apart from, and forms -a right angle with the others. This is the celebrated Lactarium, or -dairy, a most uninteresting structure, but ennobled and dignified by -the variety of assertions that have been made about it, and the mystery -with which the savages have been taught to invest it. Some suppose it to -be a species of temple, where the Deity is worshipped in the shape of -a black stone, and a black stone, we all know, tells a very long tale, -when interpreted by even a second-rate antiquary. Others declare that it -is a masonic lodge,[199] the strong ground for such opinion being, that -females are never allowed to enter it, and that sundry mystic symbols, -such as circles, squares, and others of the same kind, are roughly -cut into the side wall where the monolith stands. We entered several -of these huts when in a half-ruinous state, but were not fortunate or -imaginative enough to find either stone or symbols. The former might have -been removed, the latter could not; so we must believe that many of our -wonder-loving compatriots have been deceived by the artistic attempts -made by some tasteful savage, to decorate his dairy in an unusual style -of splendour. Near each village is a kraal, or cattle-pen, a low line -of rough stones, as often oval as circular, and as often polygonal as -oval. The different settlements are inhabited, deserted, and reinhabited, -according as the neighbouring lands afford scant or plentiful pasturage. - - * * * * * - -Ye who would realise the vision of the wise, respecting savage happiness -and nomadic innocence—a sweet hallucination, which hitherto you have -considered the wildest dream that ever issued from the Ivory Gate—go, -find it in the remote corners of Toda land, the fertile, the salubrious. -See Hylobius, that burly barbarian—robust in frame, blessed with the -best of health, and gifted with a mind that knows but one idea—how to be -happy—sunning himself, whilst his buffaloes graze upon the hill side, -or wandering listlessly through the mazy forest, or enjoying his rude -meal of milk and rice, or affording himself the lazy luxury of squatting -away the rainy hours round his primitive hearth. What care has he for -to-day: what thought of to-morrow? He has food in abundance: his and his -brothers’ common spouse and dubious children, make up, strange yet true, -a united family; he is conscious of his own superiority, he claims and -enjoys the respect of all around him. The use of arms he knows not: his -convenient superstition tends only to increase his comforts here below, -and finally, when Hylobius departs this transitory life, whatever others -may think of his prospects, he steps fearlessly into the spirit-world, -persuaded that he and his buffaloes are about to find a better climate, -brighter scenes, and broader grass lands—in a word, to enjoy the fullest -felicity. Contrast with this same Toda in his rude log hut amidst the -giant trees, the European _pater-familias_, in his luxurious, artificial, -unhappy civilized home! - -But has not your picture of savage felicity its reverse? - -Yes, especially when uncivilized comes into contact with semi-civilized -or civilized life. Our poor barbarians led the life of hunted beasts, -when Tippoo Sultan, incensed with them for being magicians and anxious -to secure their brass bracelets, which he supposed were gold, sent -his myrmidons into their peaceful hills. They are now in even a worse -state.[200] The “noble unsophisticated Todas,” as they were once called, -have been morally ruined by collision with Europeans and their dissolute -attendants. They have lost their honesty: truth is become almost unknown -to them; chastity, sobriety, and temperance, fell flat before the strong -temptations of rupees, foreign luxuries, and ardent spirits. Covetousness -is now the mountaineer’s ruling passion: the Toda is an inveterate, -indefatigable beggar, whose cry, Eenam Kuroo, “give me a present!” no -matter what,—money, brandy, cigars, or snuff—will follow you for miles -over hill and dale: as a pickpocket, he displays considerable ingenuity; -and no Moses or Levi was ever a more confirmed, determined, grasping, -usurer. His wife and daughters have become vile as the very refuse of the -bazaar. And what can he show in return for the loss of his innocence and -happiness? True, he is no longer pursued by Tippoo, or the neighbouring -Polygars: but he is persecuted by growing wants, and a covetousness which -knows no bounds. He will not derive any benefit from education, nor -will he give ear to a stranger’s creed. From the slow but sure effects -of strange diseases, the race is rapidly deteriorating[201]—few of the -giant figures that abound in the remote hills, are to be found near our -cantonments—and it is more than probable that, like other wild tribes, -which the progress of civilization has swept away from the face of the -earth, the Toda will, ere long, cease to have “a local habitation and a -name” among the people of the East. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -KOTAGHERRY.—ADIEU TO THE BLUE MOUNTAINS. - - -What a detestable place this Ootacamund is during the rains! - -From morning to night, and from night to morning, gigantic piles of -heavy wet clouds, which look as if the aerial sprites were amusing -themselves by heaping misty black Pelions upon thundering purple Ossas, -rise up slowly from the direction of the much-vexed Koondahs; each, as it -impinges against the west flank of the giant Dodatetta, drenching us with -one of those outpourings that resemble nothing but a vast aggregation -of the biggest and highest Douche baths. In the interim, a gentle -drizzle, now deepening into a shower, now driven into sleet, descends -with vexatious perseverance. When there is no drizzle there is a Scotch -mist: when the mist clears away, it is succeeded by a London fog. The -sun, “shorn of his rays,” spitefully diffuses throughout the atmosphere -a muggy warmth, the very reverse of genial. Conceive the effects of such -weather upon the land in general, and the mind of man in particular! The -surface of the mountains, for the most part, is a rich and reddish mould, -easily and yet permanently affected by the least possible quantity of -water. Thus the country becomes impassable, the cantonment dirty, every -place wretched, every one miserable. - -All the visitors have returned to the plains, all the invalids that can -afford themselves the luxury, have escaped to Coonoor or Kotagherry. You -feel that if you remain at Ootacamund—the affectionate “Ooty” somehow or -other now sticks in your throat—you must be contented to sit between the -horns of a fierce dilemma. If you stay at home you lose all the pleasure -of life: if you do not, still you lose all the pleasure of life. In the -former case your eyes[202] will suffer, your digestion become impaired, -your imagination fall into a hypochondriacal state, and thus you expose -yourself to that earthly pandemonium, the Anglo-Indian sick bed. But -should you, on the contrary, quit the house, what is the result? The -roads and paths not being covered with gravel, are as slippery as a -_mât de cocagne_ at a French fair; at every one hundred yards your nag -kneels down, or diverts himself by reclining upon his side, with your -leg between him and the mud. If you walk you are equally miserable. When -you cannot find a companion you sigh for one; when you can, you probably -discover that he is haunted by a legion of blue devils even more furious -than those that have assailed you. - -It is impossible! Let us make up a party—a bachelor party—and hire a -bungalow for a month or two at Kotagherry. We do not belong to the tribe -of “delicate invalids,” nor are our “complaints liable to be aggravated -by internal congestions;” therefore we will go there as visitors, not -valetudinarians. - - * * * * * - -Kotagherry, or more correctly, Kothurgherry,[203] stands about six -thousand six hundred feet above the level of the sea, on the top of -the Sreemoorga Pass, upon a range of hills which may be called the -commencement of the Neilgherries. The station contains twelve houses, -most of them occupied by the proprietors: at this season of the year -lodgings cannot always be found. - -The air of Kotagherry is moister than that of Ootacamund, and the nights -and mornings are not so cool. We see it to great advantage during the -prevalence of the south-west monsoon. The atmosphere feels soft and -balmy, teeming with a pleasant warmth, which reminds you of a Neapolitan -spring, or an autumn at amene Sorrento. The roads are clean, the country -is comparatively dry, and the people look comfortable. For the first few -days you enjoy yourself much: now watching the heavy rain-clouds that -veil the summit of Dodabetta, and thinking with pleasure of what is going -on behind the mountain: now sitting in the cool verandah, with spy-glass -directed towards Coimbatore, and thanking your good star that you are not -one of the little body of unhappy perspirers, its inhabitants. - -But is not man born with a love of change—an Englishman to be -discontented—an Anglo-Indian to grumble? After a week spent at -Kotagherry, you find out that it has literally nothing but climate to -recommend it. The bazaar is small and bad, provisions of all kinds, -except beef and mutton, must come from Ootacamund. Rich, you complain -that you cannot spend your money; poor, you declaim against the ruinous -rate of house-rent and living. You observe that, excepting about half a -mile of level road, there is no table-land whatever in the place, and -that the hill-paths are cruelly precipitous. The houses are built at -considerable distances from one another—a circumstance which you testily -remark, is anything but conducive to general sociability. You have -neglected to call upon old Mrs. A⸺, who supplies the station with milk -and butter from her own dairy, consequently that milk and butter are cut -off, and therefore the Kotagherryites conclude and pronounce that you are -a very bad young man. Finally, you are _sans_ books, _sans_ club, _sans_ -balls, _sans_ everything,—except the will and the way, of getting away -from Kotagherry, which you do without delay. - -The determined economist, nothing daunted by the miseries of solitude and -fleas, finds Dimhutty[204] afford him ample opportunities for exercising -his craft. The little cluster of huts, from which the place derives its -name, lies in a deep hollow about a mile north of Kotagherry; it is -sheltered from the cold southerly winds by a steep hill, and consequently -the climate is at least three degrees warmer than that of its neighbour. -Originally it was a small station, consisting of five or six thatched -cottages belonging to a missionary society: they were afterwards bought -by Mr. Lushington, then Governor of Madras. That gentleman also built -a large substantial house, with an upper floor, and spared no expense -to make it comfortable, as the rafters which once belonged to Tippoo -Sultan’s palace testify. When he left the hills, he generously placed all -these tenements at the disposal of government, for the use of “persons -who really stand in need of lodging on their first arrival.” The climate -of Dimhutty has been pronounced highly beneficial to hepatic patients, -and those who suffer from mercurial rheumatism. Dr. Baikie, a great -authority, recommends it for the purpose of a “Subordinate Sanitarium -for European soldiers.” The unhappy cottages, however, after having been -made the subject of many a lengthy Rule and Regulation, have at last been -suffered to sink into artistic masses of broken wall and torn thatch, -and the large bungalow now belongs to some Parsee firm established at -Ootacamund. - -Three miles beyond and below Dimhutty stretches a long wide ravine, -called the Orange Valley, from the wild trees which formerly flourished -there. The climate is a mixture between the cold of the hills and the -heat of the plains: and the staple produce of the place appears to be -white ants. - -St. Katherine’s Falls, the market village of Jackanary, Kodanad or the -Seven Mile Tope,[205] and beyond it the sacred Neilgherry Hill are the -only spots near Kotagherry, with whose nomenclature Fame is at all -acquainted. But as one and all of them are equally uninteresting, we are -disposed to be merciful and to waive description. - - * * * * * - -The present appears as good as any other time and place for a few remarks -upon the climate of the Neilgherries, and a list of the travellers whose -footsteps and pens preceded ours. - -The mean annual temperature of Ootacamund is 58° 68´, about 30° lower -than that of the low country on the Coimbatore and Mysore sides. -The average fall of water is forty-five inches in the year; there -are nineteen days of heavy rain; of showers with fair intervals, -eighty-seven; cloudy, twenty-one; and two hundred and thirty-eight -perfectly fair and bright.[206] Frost generally appears about the -beginning of November, and ends with February; in the higher ranges of -the hills ice an inch and a-half thick is commonly seen. - -The first and most obvious effect of the Neilgherry climate on invalids -is to repel the blood from the surface, and to throw it on the internal -organs, by constricting the vessels of the skin and decidedly checking -perspiration and transpiration. The liver, viscera, head and lungs are -affected by this unequal distribution of the circulation, the effect -being increased in the case of the respiratory organs by the rarefaction -of the mountain air. The digestive powers seldom keep pace with the -increase of appetite which generally manifests itself, and unless the -laws of diet are obeyed to the very letter, dyspepsia, colic, and other -more obstinate complaints, will be the retributive punishment for the -infraction. Strangers frequently suffer from sleeplessness, cold feet, -and violent headaches. - -When no actual organic disease exists, and when the constitutional -powers are not permanently debilitated, Nature soon restores the balance -by means of slight reaction. Invalids are strongly advised on first -arrival to be particularly cautious about their hours, their diet, their -clothing, and their exercise. They should avoid exposure to the night -air, and never, indeed, be out after sunset: the reduction of temperature -which follows the disappearance of the sun must be felt to be understood, -and no one residing here for the sake of health would expose himself to -the risk of catching an obstinate cold by quitting a crowded room to -return home through the nocturnal chills. Medical men advise the very -delicate to wait till the sun has driven away the cold and moisture of -the dawn before they venture out, and to return from their morning walks -or drives in time to avoid the effects of the direct rays, which are -most powerful about 9 A.M. But in regulating hours regard must of course -be had to previous modes of life, and the obstinate early riser of the -plains should gradually, not suddenly, alter his Indian for English -habits. The diet of valetudinarians on the first ascent ought in a great -degree to be regulated by circumstances depending on the nature of each -individual’s complaint. In general, they are told to prefer light animal -and farinaceous food, eschewing pastry, vegetables, and cheese, and to -diminish the quantity of such stimulants as wine, spirits, and beer, -till the constitution has become acclimatized. In all cases, of whatever -description they may be, warm clothing is a _sine quâ non_: every -valetudinarian should, as he values his life, be provided with a stock -of good flannels, worsted socks, stout shoes, and thick, solid boots. -Exercise is another essential part of regimen at the Sanitarium. Riding -is considered more wholesome than walking, especially on first arrival, -as less liable to accelerate the circulation, to produce a feeling of -constriction in the chest, and to expose the body to chills. The quantum -of exercise should be increased by slow degrees, and when convalescence -has fairly set in, the invalid is advised to pass as much of his time in -the open air, during daylight, as his strength will permit him to do. - -To conclude the subject of climate. It cannot be too strongly impressed -upon the minds of our fellow-countrymen in Southern and Western India, -that in cases of actual organic disease, or when the debility of the -constitution is very great, serious and permanent mischief is to be -dreaded from the climate of these mountains. Many an officer has lost -his life by preferring the half measure of a medical certificate to -the Neilgherries to a home furlough on sick leave. The true use of the -Sanitarium is to recruit a constitution that has been weakened to some -extent by a long residence in the plains, or to afford a change of -air and scene when the mind, as frequently happens in morbific India, -requires some stimulus to restore its normal vigour. - - * * * * * - -The Rev. Mr. Hough was, as we said before, the first pen that called -the serious attention of the Anglo-Indian community to the value of the -Neilgherry Hills. His letters to the Hurkaru newspaper were published -in a collected form in 1829. Five years afterwards Captain Mignan, of -the Bombay army, sent forth a little volume, entitled “Notes extracted -from a Private Journal written during a Tour through a part of Malabar -and among the Neilgherries.” The style appears to be slightly tinged -with bile, as if the perusal of Mr. Hough’s flowery descriptions of the -mountain scenery had formed splendid anticipations which were by no -means realised. The _brochure_ is now quite out of date: the bazaar, -rates, roads, postage, rent, and number of houses—all are changed, -only remain the wretched state of the police therein chronicled, and -the “fatal facility” of finding bad servants. In the same year (1834) -Dr. Baikie’s well known book,[207] entitled “Observations on the -Neilgherries, including an Account of their Topography, Climate, Soil, -and Productions,” issued from the Calcutta press. The original edition -consisted, we believe, of only five hundred copies, and we cannot but -wonder that the book has not yet enjoyed the honour of a reprint. Lieut. -H. Jervis, of H. M. 62nd regiment, published by subscription, also in -1834, and dedicated to Mr. Lushington, the governor, a “Narrative of -a Journey to the Falls of Cavery, with an Historical and Descriptive -Account of the Neilgherry Hills.”[208] The book contains a curious -letter from Mr. Bannister, who states that, after a careful analysis -of the Neilgherry water, he was surprised to find no trace whatever of -saline, earthy, or metallic substance in it. - -In 1844-5, Captain H. Congreve, an officer in the Madras Artillery, -wrote in the “Madras Spectator,” the Letters upon the subject of the -Hills and their inhabitants, to which we alluded in our last chapter. -His pages are, in our humble opinion, disfigured by a richness of theory -which palls upon the practical palate, but the amount of observation and -curious lore which they contain makes us regret that the talented author -has left his labours to lie _perdus_ in the columns of a newspaper. Also, -in 1844, a valuable Report on the Medical Topography and Statistics of -the Neilgherry Hills, with notices of the geology, botany, climate and -population, tables of diseases amongst officers, ladies, children, native -convicts, etc., and maps of the country compiled from the records of the -Medical Board Office, were published, by order of Government, at Madras. - -In 1847, when we left the Hills, a Mr. Lowry, who had charge of the -Ootacamund English Free School, was preparing to print a “Guide to, and -Handbook of, the Neilgherries, containing brief and succinct accounts of -the same, with statements of the accommodations there to be found, rents -of houses, expense of living, and other particulars useful to visitors -and residents.” We were favoured with a sight of the MS., and found that -it did what it professed to do—no small feat for a Handbook, by the bye. - -There is a great variety of papers and reports upon particular topics -connected with the Neilgherries, published in the different literary -journals and transactions of learned societies. The principal works -which elucidate minor details, are those of the Rev. Mr. Schmidt, upon -the Botany of the Hills, and the language of its inhabitants; the -“Description[209] of a singular aboriginal race, inhabiting the summit -of the Neilgherries, or the Blue Mountains of Coimbatore,” by Captain -Henry Harkness, of the Madras Army; and Notices upon the Ornithology of -this interesting region, by T. C. Jerdon, Esq., of the Madras medical -establishment. - - * * * * * - -And now for our valediction. - -We found little difficulty in persuading the officer to whose care and -skill the charge of our precious health was committed, to report that we -were fit for duty long before the expiration of the term of leave granted -at Bombay; so we prepared at once for a return-trip per steamer—it would -require _æs triplex_ indeed about the cardiac region to dare the dangers -and endure the discomforts of a coasting voyage, in a sailing vessel, -northwards, in the month of September—“over the water to Charley,” as the -hero of Scinde was familiarly designated by those serving under him. - -We started our luggage yesterday on bullock and coolie back. The morning -is muggy, damp, and showery: as we put our foot in stirrup, a huge wet -cloud obscures the light of day, and hastens to oblige us with a farewell -deluging. Irritated by the pertinacious viciousness of Pluvian Jove, we -ride slowly along the slippery road which bounds the east confines of -the lake, and strike off to the right hand, just in time to meet, face -to face, the drift of rain which sails on the wings of the wind along -the skirt of that—Dodabetta. Gradually we lose sight of the bazaar, the -church, the Windermere, the mass of bungalows. Turning round upon the -saddle, we cast one last scowl upon Ootacamund, not, however, without a -grim smile of joy at the prospect of escaping from it. - -Adieu ...! Farewell ... land of ...! May every ...! May ...! And when -..., so may ... as thou hast ... ourselves! - -To the industry of an imaginative reader we leave the doubtlessly -agreeable task of filling up the hiatus in whatever manner the perusal of -our modest pages may suggest to his acuteness and discernment. As some -clue to the mazy wanderings of our own ideas, we may mention that we -were, during the solemn moment of valediction, exposed to such weather as -has rarely been the fate of man with the exception of Deucalion and other -diluvian celebrities, to experience in this stormy world. - - - - -FOOTNOTES - - -[1] “Ducks” are the Bombayites in general: “Dingies” is the name -popularly given to the smaller specimens of native craft. The Dun and the -Drab are probably familiar to the reader’s ears. - -[2] Bombahia, the Portuguese P. N. of the town: it was probably suggested -by “Momba-devi,” as the place was called by the Hindoos after the patron -goddess of the spot. - -[3] The Nabob is the European, the Nawwáb the Asiatic, grandee. - -[4] Note for readers geographically disposed. - -This region, the Ariake of the Greeks, Kemkem of the Arabs, Kukan of the -Hindoos, Concan of the present possessors, and, as Vincent says, “the -pirate coast of all,” is well adapted for its ancient occupation by a -multitude of small ports, uninterrupted view along the coast, high ground -favourable to distant vision, and the alternate land and sea breezes -that oblige vessels to hug the shore. Moreover, the ports, besides being -shallow, are defended against large ships by bars; a defect from which -even Goa is not exempt, although Tavernier calls it “one of the finest -harbours in the world, rivalling those of Toulon and Constantinople.” The -pirates were protected by the strength of the inland country, and, like -the Greeks, had only to lie secure in port until they discovered their -prey. During the Monsoon they cultivated the ground, or lived peaceably -at home: when the fine weather set in, they launched their boats, and set -out in quest of adventure. Pliny notices the depredations they committed -on the Roman East India trade, and our early travellers are full of -horrible tales about them. - -It is curious to observe that the whole line of coast between the mouth -of the Euphrates and Cape Comorin, has been infamous for the piratical -propensities of the many and various tribes that inhabit it. The Persian -Gulf still requires the presence of our armed cruisers; the ancient -annals of Scinde enlarge upon its celebrity for robbery; the Coolies -of Kutch and Guzerat were known as pirates from Marco Polo’s time till -A.D. 1800; the Angria territory was a nest of thieves till we destroyed -their fleet; and Tavernier testifies that the natives of Malabar were not -inferior in enterprise to their northern brethren. - -[5] They lie in lat. 15° 52´ 30´´, about thirty-five miles from Goa, and -seven off the shore, from which they are separated by a deep channel. -The group consists of more than twenty small rocks, amongst which are -six or seven about as large as the Sirens Isles in the Gulf of Salerno. -The Greeks called them Σησεκρειεναι, which Mr. Hamilton understands -to signify “black rabbits;” and Vincent supposes them to have been so -termed, because in form they may be fancied to resemble those animals -crouching. - -[6] Porters and labourers. - -[7] The Portuguese tongue. - -[8] Their other great clerical establishment being the Seminary at -Rachol, a town which, when the Portuguese first came to India, was the -capital of the province of Salsette. In Tavernier’s time the Jesuits had -no less than five religious houses at Goa. - -[9] He raised the standard of revolt against the Indian government -spiritedly but unsuccessfully. - -[10] “All thieves at Parga.” - -[11] The name given to that breed of ponies on account of their -extraordinary viciousness. - -[12] At that time, however, this horrible instrument of religious tyranny -seems to have lost much of its original activity. When the dungeons were -thrown open there was not a single prisoner within the walls, and Mons. -de Kleguen asserts that no one then living remembered having seen an Auto -da Fé. - -[13] About the end of the sixteenth century the Dutch sent ships round -the Cape, and soon managed to secure the best part of the Eastern trade, -formerly monopolized by the Portuguese. - -[14] The Grand Inquisitor. - -[15] The Holy Office had power over all but the Viceroy and Archbishop, -and they did not dare openly to interpose in behalf of any prisoner, -under pain of being reported to the Inquisitor and his Council in -Portugal, and being recalled. Even the Papal threats were disregarded by -that dread tribunal. - -[16] No description of the building and its accommodations is given. -Captain Marryat’s graphic account of it in the “Phantom Ship,” must be -fresh in the memory of all readers. The novelist seems to have borrowed -his account from the pages of Dellon. - -[17] An Arab chieftain sent a civil request to the governor, desiring -liberty to buy provisions. The answer was a bit of pork wrapped up in -paper, and a message, that such was the only food likely to be furnished. -The chieftain’s wife, who was a Sayyideh, a woman of the Prophet’s -tribe, and a lady of proper spirit, felt the insult so keenly, that she -persuaded her husband and his tribe to attack Muscat and massacre all its -defenders. This event took place in 1650. - -[18] He calls it the “Aljouvar.” It is probably a corrupted Arabic word -الجبر Al-jabr, “the prison.” - -[19] The Straight Street, so called because almost all the streets of Goa -were laid out in curvilinear form. - -[20] St. Catherine was appointed patron saint of Goa, because the city -was taken by the Portuguese on her day. - -[21] Calling upon the name of the Almighty. - -[22] A particular class of Hindoo devotee and beggar. - -[23] Yellow is the colour usually chosen by the Hindoo when about to “do -some desperate deed.” - -[24] A “forester,” and generally a regular sylvan or savage man. - -[25] This is said particularly of the Eastern Christian, whose terror of -the tomb is most remarkable. - -[26] For a detailed list and description of the buildings, we must refer -readers to the work of Monsieur de Kleguen, alluded to in the third -chapter. - -[27] The large flowered jessamine. - -[28] The _Datura stramonium_, a powerful narcotic. - -[29] The European Portuguese can fight bravely enough, as many a bloody -field in the Peninsular war has testified. Their Indian descendants, -however, have never distinguished themselves for that quality. - -[30] Formerly, only the Reinols, as the Portuguese who came directly from -Europe were called, could be viceroys, governors of Ceylon, archbishops, -or grand inquisitors of Goa. Tavernier tells us that all the adventurers -who passed the Cape of Good Hope forthwith became fidalgos, or gentlemen, -and consequently assumed the title of Don. - -[31] As that “greatest hero of Portuguese Asia” governed for the short -space of six years a country of which he and all around him were utterly -ignorant, his fatal measure must have been suggested entirely by theory. - -[32] If our rulers only knew what the natives of Central Asia generally -think of a “clean shaved” face, the growth of the mustachio would soon be -the subject of a general order. We doubt much if any shaven race could -possibly hold Affghanistan. In Western Arabia the Turks were more hated -for shaving the beard than for all their flogging and impaling. - -[33] Compared with those of British India. Probably there are not three -fortunes of 500_l._ per annum amongst the half million of souls that own -the rule of the successor of the viceroys. A large family can live most -comfortably upon one-fifth of that sum. - -[34] Red and white wine: the latter is the favourite. - -[35] The Hindostanee name for the cannudo. - -[36] Goez, who travelled in India about 1650, says that he was surprised -to see the image of a black saint on the altars, and to hear that a black -native was not thought worthy to be a “religious” in this life, though -liable to be canonized when he departs it. - -[37] Bernier, the traveller, in 1655 remarks, that “Bengala is the place -for good comfits, especially in those places where the Portuguese are, -who are dexterous in making them, and drive a great trade with them.” In -this one point their descendants have not degenerated. - -[38] Many tribes, however, are found among them. Some have African -features. - -[39] Without the cholee or bodice worn by Hindoo and Moslem women in -India. - -[40] Leavened bread is much better made here than in any other part of -Western India; moreover, it is eaten by all those who can afford it. - -[41] Anciently, neither Moslem nor Jew could, under pain of death, -publicly perform the rites of his religion in any Indo-Portuguese -settlement. - -[42] At the same time we were not allowed to pass the threshold of the -little pagoda to the southward of the town. - -[43] Tavernier says of them, “the natives of the country called Canarins -are not permitted to bear any office but only in reference to the law, -_i.e._, as solicitors, advocates, and scriveners. If a Canarin happened -to strike a European, his hand was amputated.” - -[44] A carpenter, one of the lowest castes amongst Hindoos. - -[45] The Hindoo goddess of plenty and prosperity. - -[46] Opposite to the Desha, the pure dialect of Maharatta. They are about -as different as English spoken in the south of England and Lowland Scotch. - -[47] A celebrated Arabic author on the interpretation of dreams. - -[48] Magical formula and works on “Gramarye,” generally in the Sanscrit, -sometimes in the Pracrit, tongue. - -[49] As, however, the Maharatta is the mother tongue of the Goanese, -it communicates its peculiar twang to every other language they speak. -The difference of their Portuguese from the pure Lusitanian, is at once -perceptible to a practised ear. - -[50] And yet as late as 1840, the Government of Goa was obliged to issue -an order confiscating the property of all priests who should submit to -the Vicar-apostolic appointed by the Pope. - -[51] Francklin, who visited Goa in 1786, says that the army was about -five thousand men, two regiments of which were Europeans. Even in his day -the Home Government was obliged to send large sums of money annually to -defray the expenses of their Indian possessions. - -[52] A colonel receiving about 15_l._, an ensign, 3_l._ _per mensem_. - -[53] The translator of Ibn Batuta’s Travels. - -[54] Ferdinand, the second Duke of Tuscany, was the munificent patron of -the father of Western Orientalism. - -[55] When Vasco de Gama returned to India, part of his freight was “eight -Franciscan friars, eight chaplains, and one chaplain major, who were -instructed to begin by preaching, and, if that failed, to proceed to the -decision of the sword.” - -[56] The curious reader will find the subject of Jesuitical conversion in -India most ably treated in Sir J. E. Tennent’s late work on “Christianity -in Ceylon.” - -[57] A common term of insult. - -[58] The mountains distinctly visible from the sea off Calicut, in clear -weather, are the Koondah range of the Neilgherries, or Blue Hills. - -[59] “Noble and wealthy city.” - -[60] The later is A.D. 907. - -[61] In 1788, Tippoo was induced by ill-timed zeal or mistaken policy -to order the circumcision and conversion of the Malabar Hindoos, and -compelled the Brahmans to eat beef, as an example to the other inferior -castes. A general insurrection of the oppressed was the natural -consequence of the oppressive measure. - -Tradition asserts that there was a forcible but partial circumcision of -the natives of Malabar by the people of Arabia long before Hyder’s time. -So the grievance was by no means a new one. - -[62] Who, it may be observed, are the navigators and traders _par -excellence_ of the Eastern world. The Jews and Phœnicians generally -confined themselves to the Mediterranean and the parts about the Red Sea. -The Turks were an inland nation; the Hindoos have ever been averse to any -but coasting voyages, and the religion of Zoroaster forbade its followers -to cross the seas. But the Arab is still what he was—the _facile -princeps_ of Oriental sailors. - -As a proof of how strong the followers of Mohammed mustered on the -Malabar coast, we may quote Barthema, who asserts, that when the -Portuguese landed at Calicut, they found not less than fifteen thousand -of them settled there. Camoens also tells us how the friendly and -disinterested plans of his hero were obstructed and thwarted by the power -and influence of these infidel Moors. - -[63] Between September 1846 and May 1847, no less than eighty ships, -besides an immense number of pattimars and native craft touched at -Calicut. - -[64] Arab and other valuable horses cannot stand the climate,—a Pegu pony -is the general _monture_. The sheep intended for consumption are brought -down from Mysore. - -[65] Subterraneous streams are still as common in India as they were in -heathen Greece and Italy. - -[66] The dynastical name of the Samiry. - -[67] Captain Hamilton mentions his ship striking in six fathoms at -the mainmast on some of the ruins of “_the sunken town built by the -Portuguese in former times_.” But he hesitates to determine whether the -place was “swallowed up by an earthquake, as some affirm, or undermined -by the sea.” - -[68] A further account of Cherooman will be found in the twelfth chapter. -Ferishteh, the celebrated Moslem annalist, informs us that the Rajah -became a Mussulman in consequence of the pious exhortations of some Arab -sailors who were driven into the port of Craganore. Captain Hamilton -remarks that, “when the Portuguese first came to India, the Samorin of -Calicut, who was lord paramount of Malabar, turned Moslem in his dotage, -and to show his zeal, went to Mecca on a pilgrimage, and died on the -voyage.” The tradition handed down amongst the Moslems is, that the -Malabar Rajah became a convert to Islam in consequence of seeing the -Shakk el-Kamar, or miraculous splitting of the moon by Mohammed, and -that, warned by a dream, he passed over to Arabia. - -[69] See Chapter XII. - -[70] _Surya_, the Hindoo Phœbus. - -[71] _Go-karna_, the “Cow’s-ear,” a celebrated place of pilgrimage in the -Canara district. - -[72] _Cherun_ or _Chairun_ was one of the three kingdoms contained in -South India; the other two were Sholum (Tanjore) and Pundium (Madura). - -[73] We know not which to admire or to pity the more: this wonderful old -traveller’s accuracy and truthfulness, or the hard fate which gave him -the nickname of Messer Marco Milioni. Tardy justice, however, has been -done to his memory, and a learned Italian Orientalist, M. Romagnosi, -now asserts, that from his adventurous wanderings “scaturirono tutte le -speculazioni e teorie che condussero finalmente alla scoperta del Nuovo -Mondo.” - -[74] Paolino observes, that the term Malabar ought _not_ to be deduced -from the Arabic _mala_, a mountain, and _bahr_, a coast. And Paolino -is right; neither of those vocables are Arabic at all. The word is of -Sanscrit origin, derived from _malya_ (मल्य a mountain generally, but -particularly the ranges called by us the Western Ghauts), and _var_ -(वार, a multitude). The Persian word بار (_bar_), used in compounds, as -Zang-bar, the region of blacks, or Zanguebar, is palpably a corruption -of the said _var_. Thus the original Sanscrit term _malaya-desha_, the -mountain land, became in Persian and Arabic _Malbar_, or _Malibar_, and -hence our Malabar. A late editor of Marco Polo’s travels might have been -more cautious than to assert that “the very term is Arabic.” - -[75] Anciently described to be pepper, ivory, timber, and pearls. The -three former articles are still produced in great abundance. - -We may here notice that Vincent translates ξυλα σαγαλινα, “sandalwood,” -and supposes the word to have been originally written σανδαλινα. He is -wrong: the _tectona grandis_, or teak, called throughout Western India -_sag_ (σαγ), or _sagwan_, is alluded to. So also φαλαγγες σησαμηναι is -rendered “ebony in large sticks,” and in a note we are informed that it -is a corrupt reading, that wood of some sort is meant, but that _sesamum_ -is a herb. The σησαμ of the Greeks is manifestly the Indian _sisam_, or -black tree. - -[76] It is variously and incorrectly written Dely, Delly, D’illi, -and Dilla. The mountain derives its present name from a celebrated -Moslem fakir, Mahommed of Delhi, who died there, and is invoked by the -sea-faring people of the coast. Its Hindoo appellation is _Yeymullay_. No -stress therefore should be laid upon the resemblance between Mount Delhi -and the _Ela_ Barake of the Periplus. The identity of the two places -rests, however, on good local evidence. - -[77] Varying from eighty to one hundred and thirty-five inches per annum. - -[78] Unhappily the banyan has been selected, a tree which, though -sufficiently shady when its root-like branches are allowed to reach the -ground, is comparatively valueless as a protection against the sun, when -planted by a roadside. Also, it is easily overthrown by high winds, for, -after a time, the long and tenacious roots that uphold it rot off, and -the thin branches of young shoots that cling round the parent stem have -not the power to support its weight. A third disadvantage in the banyan -is, that in many places the boughs grow low, and a horseman’s head is in -perpetual danger. - -[79] The usual ferry-boat is a platform of planks lashed to two canoes, -and generally railed round. We know not a more disagreeable predicament -than half an hour’s trip upon one of these vessels, with a couple of -biting and kicking nags on board. - -[80] The botanical name of this tree is derived from the Malayalim -_adeka_, a betel nut. The English “jackfruit” is the Portuguese “jacka,” -a corruption of the native name _chukka_. - -[81] Of the Malayalim æra. It is called Kolum, from a village of that -name, and dates its beginning in A.D. 824, the time when a rich Nair -merchant adorned the place with a splendid palace and tank. Previous to -its establishment, the natives used a cycle of twelve years, each called -after some zodiacal sign. The months were also denoted by the same terms, -so that the name of the year and the month were periodically identical. - -[82] Equal to Cos. Rs. 250, about 25_l._ - -[83] See Chapter XII. - -[84] Tumbooran, in Malayalim, means a lord or prince. If a minor he is -termed Tumban. - -[85] Most of the matter contained in this chapter has been taken from -old and valuable papers preserved in the Nuzoor Cutcherry at Calicut. By -the kindness of the collector we were permitted to inspect and make any -extracts from them we pleased. - -[86] The reader must bear in mind that in Malabar, as in all other native -states, contributions carefully proportioned to the circumstances of the -parties so mulcted, were called for on every occasion of emergency. - -[87] In three vols. Printed at the _Courier_ press, Bombay. - -[88] Tradition obscurely alludes to a Rajah called Kerulam (probably from -his kingdom), who reigned sixty-three years after Parasu Rama. - -[89] In Sanscrit the word means a continent, country, or region: it is -used hereabouts in a limited sense, generally signifying a village. - -[90] The Hindoo law lays down five per cent. as the amount to be levied -from the plaintiff, ten from the defendant if cast in a suit, otherwise -he is exempt from any tax. Some of the Rajahs were by no means content -with such a moderate perquisite; the ruler of Cochin, for instance, never -took less than double the sum above specified. - -[91] Sometimes called Prumani and Mookoodee, “principal inhabitants.” - -[92] “Ruler of the land of Cherun.” See Chapter XI. - -[93] The current æra of the Hindoos. - -[94] See Chapter X. - -[95] In the present talook of Temelpooram. - -[96] Captain Hamilton—no great authority by the bye in such -matters—relates that the Samiry divided his territories between his four -nephews, and says that the partition led to long and bloody wars between -the brothers. He probably confounded a Moslem with the Hindoo tradition. - -[97] Tumbooratee, in Malayalim, a lady or princess; if a minor she is -termed Tumbatee. - -[98] The above four are the only recognised palaces. - -[99] Some of the present chieftains of Malabar style themselves -Kshatriyas, but by far the greater number derive their pedigree from the -intercourse of Brahmans with the royal ladies, who principally belong to -the Nair caste of Hindoos. - -[100] This gives upwards of two hundred souls per mile, estimating the -extent of Malabar at about six thousand square miles. - -[101] It ordained, for instance, that corpses shall be burned within -private premises, instead of being carried out for that purpose into the -woods, &c. - -[102] There is an abridged form of this salutation, which consists of -joining the hands and then parting them, at the same time bending the -fingers at the second joint. - -[103] This word generally follows the name of the individual, and seems -to be the titular appellation of the class. It is probably derived from -the Sanscrit Nayaka (a chief), like the Teloogoo Naidoo, the Canarese and -Tamul Naikum, and the Hindoo Naik. - -[104] Captain Hamilton makes the number of fighting men throughout the -province, of course including all castes, amount to one million two -hundred and sixty-two thousand. - -[105] Opposed to muka-tayum, the succession of sons. - -[106] The head of the house. - -[107] The masculine singular of this word is Tian (fem. Tiatti), in the -plural Tiyar. - -[108] The Moplahs, as strangers, and the merchants, tradespeople, and -professional men who had no fixed places of residence, did not engage in -this feudal relationship. - -[109] See Chapter XI. - -[110] The word Udian, in Malayalim and Tamul, literally signifies a -slave. Here it is used in its limited signification of vassal or client, -as opposed to the Tumbooran or patron. The word, however, would be -considered degrading to a Nair, and is therefore never applied to him. - -[111] “Sons of the soil,” from cher, earth, and mukkul, children. In the -masculine singular the word is chermun (fem. chermee), plural, chermur. - -[112] The price of a slave varied from 3_l._ to 8_l._ - -[113] In the Calicut district, half the children belonged to the mother, -or rather to her proprietor, and the other half to the father’s master; -the odd number was the property of the former. When both parents belonged -to one owner, he of course claimed all the offspring. - -[114] Generally speaking, the slaves in the maritime districts were in -better condition, and far superior in bodily and mental development to -their brethren in the interior. - -[115] There are three different derivations of this word. Some deduce it -from the pure Hindostani and corrupted Sanscrit word ma (a mother), and -the Tamul pilla (a son), “sons of their mothers,” the male progenitor -being unknown. Others suppose it to be a compound of mukkul (a daughter) -and pilla (a son), “a daughter’s son,” also an allusion to their origin. -The third is a rather fanciful derivation from Mokhai-pilla “sons of, or -emigrants from, Mocha,” in Arabia. - -[116] This description applies exclusively to the higher orders; the -labouring classes are dark and ill-favoured. - -[117] The genuine Arab, especially in Yemen and Tehamah, is, generally -speaking, a Kusaj, or scant-bearded man; and his envy when regarding -the flowing honours of a Persian chin, is only equalled by the lasting -regret with which he laments his own deficiency in that semi-religious -appurtenance to the human face. - -[118] The practice of the Prophet, whom every good Moslem is bound to -imitate, even in the most trivial and every-day occasions. - -[119] The _Æschynomene paludosa_, a wood of porous texture, which swells -when water is poured upon it. Lead is sometimes used to distend the flap -of the ear by its weight. - -[120] A name, by no means complimentary, applied to all who are not -Moslems. - -[121] The descendants of the Wild Man have at all times been celebrated -for obstinate individual valour, and enduring an amount of “punishment” -which seems quite incredible. - -[122] Manned in those days by Hindoos. Marco Polo tells us that the -people of Malabar are idolaters, and subject to no foreigner. - -[123] Who retorted by hanging them upon the spot, or throwing them -overboard. This style of warfare was productive of great barbarities. -There is a pile of stone rising above the sea, about seven leagues -north-west of Calicut, called the Sacrifice Rock, from the slaughter -of the crew of a Portuguese vessel which was captured by the Cottica -cruisers shortly after the settlement of the Christians in India. - -[124] The sum usually paid was from eight to ten shillings, a portion of -which went to the Rajah, part to the women who had lost their husbands in -these predatory encounters, and the remainder was “prize-money.” - -[125] Few would be disposed to consider the salt-duty a practical proof -of the enlightened nature of our rule in the East, and there is no one, -we believe, except a “crack collector,” who would not rejoice to see it -done away with, or at least much reduced. - -[126] The rajah was expected to grant lands to the families of those who -heroically bound themselves by solemn vow to fight till death against the -enemy. If the self-devoted escaped destruction, he became an outcaste, -and was compelled to leave the country. - -[127] This is the universal belief and practice of the more bigoted parts -of the Moslem world, and so deep-rooted is the feeling, that it acquires -a degree of power and influence truly formidable, and difficult to deal -with. - -[128] The natives of India generally belong to the Hanafi: the Arabs are -the principal followers of the Shafei sect. Both are Sunnis, or orthodox -Moslems, and there is little difference between them, except in such -trifling points as the eating or rejecting fish without scales, &c. - -[129] Except that a Moslem father may always allot a portion of property -during his lifetime to his children. - -[130] Usually they prefer the occupation of carrying the palanquin to any -other bodily labour. - -[131] Intermarriage, however, is not permitted. - -[132] The races above described are those settled in the country. The -fluctuating portion of the community is composed of the Europeans, the -soldiery and camp followers, Arabs and foreign Mussulmans, Banyans from -Guzerat, a few Parsees, and some boat loads of the half-starved wretches -that leave the Maldives and Laccadives in search of employment during the -cold season. - -[133] The Koondah road is about seventy, that _viâ_ Poonanee, one hundred -and sixty miles in length. - -[134] The pages of the Madras directories and road-books give ample -accounts of all the chief routes in the presidency. - -[135] Judging from the name, a stranger would suppose that the place -was called after some neighbouring Ghaut, or pass, in the hills. The -uncorrupted native appellation, however, is Palakad, from Kadu, a jungle, -and Pala, a tree used in dyeing. - -[136] For a detailed description of the sieges and captures of Paulghaut, -we beg to refer to a work entitled, “Historical Record of the H. E. I. -Company’s First European Regiment; Madras. By a Staff Officer.” - -[137] Anciently an excellent forest. The trees were felled, hewn into -rough planks, and floated down the Poonanee river at very little expense. -This valuable article has, however, been sadly mismanaged by us in more -ways than one. All the timber growing near the streams has been cleared -away, and as the local government will not lay out a few lacs of rupees -in cutting roads through the forests, its expense has been raised almost -beyond its value. Considerable losses in the dockyards have been incurred -in consequence of the old erroneous belief that “teak is the only wood in -India which the white ants will not touch.” The timber should be stacked -for at least eight years, three of which would enable it to dry, and the -remaining five to become properly seasoned. - -[138] The common country carts, called garees in other parts of India. -Here they are covered with matting, for the same reason that compels the -people to thatch their heads. - -[139] In Malabar the horse is perhaps as great an object of horror as the -rider, the natives are so little accustomed to see such quadrupeds. - -[140] The pet name for the Madras Presidency. - -[141] It is curious to see the different way in which the kotwals, -peons, and other such official characters behave towards the Bombay and -the Madras traveller. The latter escapes their importunity, whereas the -former, by keeping up his presidency’s bad practice of feeing government -servants, teaches them incivility to all who either refuse or neglect to -pay this kind of “black mail.” - -[142] Etymologists write the word “Hullicul,” deriving it from cul, a -rock, and hulli, a tiger, as formerly a stone figure of one of those -animals that had been slain by a chief single-handed, stood thereabouts. -There are several forts in other parts of the hills similar to Oolacul -Droog: some suppose them to have been built by Hyder Ali, others assign -an earlier date to them. - -[143] See Chapter XIX. for a further account of the work. - -[144] The “blue hill:” it lies near the Danaynkeucottah Pass, one of the -first ascended by Europeans. The visitors would naturally ask the natives -what name they gave to the spot, and when answered Nilagiri, would -apply the word to the whole range. The sacred mount is still a place of -pilgrimage, although its pagoda has long been in ruins. - -[145] The Eastern Ghauts begin south of the Cavery river, and extend -almost in a straight line to the banks of the Krishna. The western range -commences near Cape Comorin, and after running along the western coast as -far north as Surat, diverges towards the north-east, and is lost in the -valley of the Tapti. - -[146] The Pykarry becomes the Moyar river, and under that name flows -round the north and north-west base of the hills; it falls into the -Bhawany, which bounds the south and east slopes, and acts as the common -drain of every little brook and torrent in the Neilgherries. - -[147] Its extent is about twenty miles from east to west, and seven from -north to south. - -[148] The Seegoor Ghaut, which was almost impassable in Captain Harkness -and Dr. Baikie’s time, is now one of the easiest and best ascents. - -[149] See Chapter XVIII. - -[150] Dodabetta, or the “Great Mountain,” called by the Todas, Pet-, -or Het-marz. The summit is eight thousand seven hundred and sixty -feet above the level of the sea, and forms the apex of the Neilgherry -range. The vicinity of the giant has its advantages and disadvantages. -It is certainly a beautiful place for pic-nics, and the view from the -observatory on the top is grand and extensive. But as a counterpoise, the -lofty peak attracting and detaining every cloud that rolls up from the -coast during the rainy season, makes one wish most fervently that the -Great Mountain were anywhere but in its present position. - -[151] Ootacamund, Wootaycamund, or Wotay. “Mund” means a village in the -language of the hill people. Ootac is a corruption of the Toda vocable -Hootkh, a word unpronounceable to the Indians of the plain. The original -hamlet still nestles against the towering side of Dodabetta, but its -pristine inhabitants, the Todas, have given it up to another race, and -migrated to the wood which lies behind the public gardens. - -[152] It was established at Ootacamund under a warrant of constitution -from the Provincial Grand Lodge on the coast of Coromandel. - -[153] The Bombayites had, moreover, their own medical attendant, with a -hospital and the usual number of subalterns attached to it. There are -now but three surgeons on the hills, attending on one hundred and four -invalids, who are scattered over many miles of country. - -[154] The measure was advocated by Mr. Sullivan as early as 1828, but -financial, not common-sensical or medical, considerations have long -delayed its being carried into execution. - -[155] The principal schools now (1847) to be found at Ootacamund are four -in number, viz.:— - -1. The Ooty free school, established for the purpose of giving education -gratis to the children of the poor: it is supported by voluntary -contributions, and superintended by the chaplain of the station. The -number of scholars on the rolls is generally about thirty. - -2. Fern Hill, the Rev. Mr. Rigg’s boarding-school for young gentlemen. -It contains twenty-six pupils, varying in age from five to fifteen. Of -these, fourteen are the sons of officers in the service, and the rest are -youths of respectable families. Terms for boarders, 4_l._ _per mensem_, -the usual charges on the Neilgherries. - -3. An establishment for young ladies, conducted by Miss Hale and Miss -Millard. - -4. Ditto for young ladies and young gentlemen under ten years of age, -conducted by Mrs. James and Miss Ottley. - -Besides those above mentioned, several ladies receive a limited number of -pupils. - -The schools for natives at Ootacamund are— - - 1. The Hindostani school } Conducted by the Rev. Bernard Schmidt, D.D. - 2. The Tamul school } - -There are many other similar establishments for native children in -different parts of the hills. - -So that the pedagogue has not neglected to visit this remote corner of -his wide domains. - -[156] The Union and the Victoria. For bed and board the prices usually -charged are— - -For a lady or gentleman, 22_l._ _per mens._ - -Ditto for any broken period in a month, 16_s._ _per diem_. - -For children under ten years of age and European servants, 2_s._ _per -diem_. - -Native ayah or nurse, 1_s._ _per diem_. - -The expense of housekeeping is not great at Ootacamund. A single man may -manage to live for 20_l._ _per mensem_, comfortably for 30_l._ It is -common for two or more bachelors to take a house together, and the plan -suits the nature of the place well. - -Only be careful who your monsoon “chum” is! - -[157] The most stringent measures have been found necessary to prevent -gentlemen from committing suicide by means of elephant shooting in the -pestilential jungles below the hills. Besides, there is some little duty -to be done by the Madrassees on the Neilgherries: a convalescent list is -daily forwarded to the Commanding officer, reporting those who are equal -to such labours as committees and courts of inquest. - -[158] Large fans, suspended from the ceiling. - -[159] As the Madrassees are familiarly called. The cunning in language -derive the term from mulligatawny soup, the quantity of which imbibed in -South India strikes the stranger with a painful sense of novelty. - -[160] See Chapter XIX. - -[161] The region of eternal punishment. - -[162] “The ethics of India;” the Cornelius Nepos of Hindostani. - -[163] No inscriptions have as yet been discovered. The only coin we have -heard of was a Roman aureus, whereas in the cairns that stud the plains, -medals, of the Lower Empire especially, are commonly met with. - -[164] Consecrated stones. - -[165] The kistvaens, or closed cromlechs of the Neilgherries, are tumuli -about five feet high. The internal chamber is composed of four walls, -each consisting of an entire stone seven feet long and five broad, -floored and roofed with similar slabs. In the monolithe, constituting the -eastern wall, is a circular aperture large enough to admit the body of a -child. - -[166] The colonists have followed the example of the aborigines. Little, -however, can be said in favour of our nomenclature. There is a Snowdon, -without snow; a Saddle-back Hill, whose _dorsum_ resembles anything as -much as a saddle; an Avalanche Hill, without avalanches, and so on. - -[167] Dr. Baikie (in 1834) mentions that one of these animals had held -possession of a thick wood close to the cantonment for some years. The -same spot is still tenanted, it is said, by a cheeta, but whether it be -the original occupant, his ghost, or one of his descendants, men know not. - -[168] Not Buffon’s elk. It is the _Cervus Aristotelis_, or black rusa of -Cuvier; the “Shambara” of classical India; the Gavazn of Persia; and the -Gav i Gavazn of Affghanistan and Central Asia. - -[169] Upon this part Nature has provided the animal with a bony mass, -impenetrable to anything lighter than a grapeshot, occupying the whole -space between the horns, and useful, we should suppose, in forcing a way -through dense and thorny jungle. - -[170] This “jungle sheep” is the _Cervus porcinus_, the hog-deer or -barking-deer of Upper India, which abounds in every shikargah of -delectable Scinde. In Sanscrit it is called the Preushat (“sprinkling,” -in allusion to its spotted hide); in Hindostani, Parha; and in Persian, -the Kotah-pacheh, or “short hoof.” - -[171] A shola is a thick mass of low wood, which may be measured by yards -or miles, clothing the sides, the bottoms, and the ravines of the hills -and mountains. - -[172] _I.e._ ten or twenty dogs and curs, young and old, of high and low -degree, terriers, pointers, spaniels, setters, pariahs, and mongrels, -headed by a staunch old hound or two. - -[173] There is a large kind of solitary jackal whose cry is never -answered by the other animals of the same species: the sound somewhat -resembles the hyæna’s laugh, and has been mistaken for it by many. - -[174] Gardener. - -[175] A species of squirrel. - -[176] We have heard much about the difficulty of taming these birds. Some -go so far as to assert that they pine away and die when deprived of their -liberty. The Affghans seem to find nothing hard in the operation, as they -use the birds for fighting. They show excellent pluck, and never fail to -fight till death, although steel and silver are things unknown. - -[177] Seven pounds for a full grown, 5_l._ for a young animal. When the -reward is claimed the tusks must be given up. Tuskers, however, are not -often met with in these days. - -[178] Every swamp on and about the hills is full of small leeches,—the -lake also abounds in them,—which assail your legs, and swarming up the -trees, drop down your shirt collar to your extreme annoyance. They are -quite useless for medical purposes, as the bite is highly inflammatory. - -[179] The Maroo Bungla, or log-house, as the natives call the Avalanche -bungalow. - -[180] The first name is a corruption of the second, which is derived from -Vadacu, “the north,” these people having migrated from that direction. - -[181] The worship of the terrible and destructive incarnation of the -Deity. - -[182] Signifying the “unenlightened or barbarous,” from the Tamul word -Erul, darkness. - -[183] “Cooroombar,” or “Curumbar,” literally means “wilful, or -self-willed.” Sometimes the word mulu, a “thorn,” is prefixed to the -genuine name by way of epithet, alluding to the nature of the race. - -[184] So Captain Harkness writes the word, remarking, that “as this tribe -kill and eat a great deal of beef, it was no doubt intended by their -Hindu neighbours that they should be called ‘Gohatars,’ from go, a cow, -and hata, slaying.” “Cuv,” in the Toda dialect, means a “mechanic.” - -[185] Many of the words have been corrupted, and the pronunciation has -become nasal, not guttural, like that of the Todas. The Kothurs can, -however, express themselves imperfectly in Canarese. - -[186] All that we can gather from their songs and tales is, that -anciently they were the zemindars, or landed proprietors of the hills. - -[187] Todawars, Tudas, or Toders. Captain Harkness derives the word from -the Tamul, Torawar, a herdsman, and this is probably the true name of the -race. - -[188] The north-west parts of the Persian Gulf. - -[189] _E. g._ The peaks of the Todas are venerated by the Todas, as they -were by the Celto-Scythians. The single stone in the sacred lactarium of -the former, was the most conspicuous instrument of superstition in the -Druidical or Scythic religion. Captain Congreve asserts that the Toda -faith is Scythicism, _because_ they sacrifice female children, bulls, -calves, and buffaloes, as the Scythians did horses; that they adore the -sun (what old barbarians did not?), revere fire, respect certain trees -and bunches of leaves, worship the Deity in groves of the profoundest -gloom, and have some knowledge of a future state. He proves that the -hills are covered with vestiges of Scythicism, as cairns, barrows, and -monolithic altars, and believes them to have belonged to the early Todas, -inasmuch as “the religion of the Todas is Scythicism, and these are -monuments of Scythicism.” He concludes the exposition of his theory with -the following recapitulation of his reasons for considering the Todas of -Scythian descent:—1. Identity of religion (not proved). 2. Physiological -position of the Todas in the great family race (we are not told how it -resembles that of the Scythians). 3. The pastoral mode of life among the -Todas. 4. The food of the Todas, which consisted originally of milk and -butter (we “doubt the fact”). 5. Their architecture, religious, military, -and domestic, the yards of the Toda houses, their temples, their sacred -enclosures, their kraals for cattle, are circular, as were those of the -Celts, and, indeed, of most ancient people whose divinity was Sun, Light, -Fire, Apollo, Mithra, &c. 6. Their marriage customs and funeral rites are -nearly identical (an assertion). 7. Their ornaments and dress closely -approximate (ditto). 8. Their customs are generally similar (ditto). 9. -The authority of Sir W. Jones that the ancient Scythians did people a -mountainous district of India (_quasi_ irrelevant). 10. History mentions -that India has been invaded by Scythian hordes from the remotest times -(ditto). 11. Their utter separation in every respect from the races -around them. - -[190] Such as want of weapons, difference of colour, dissimilarity of -language. With respect to the latter point Captain Congreve remarks, -that “a comparison with the Gothic, Celtic, and other ancient dialects -of Europe is a great desideratum; but should no affinity be found to -prevail, I should not consider the absence detrimental to my views, for -this reason, that the people of Celto-Scythic origin having various -languages, have been widely dispersed.” After this, _Quid facias illi?_ - -[191] In many parts of the Neilgherries there is a large species of -solitary bee which the Todas declared incurred the displeasure of the -Great Spirit by stinging him, and was therefore condemned to eternal -separation from its kind. But as huge combs and excellent honey abound on -these hills, their savage inhabitants of course superstitionize upon the -subject of the bee. The Creator, they say, desirous of knowing how honey -is made, caught the animal, and she proving obstinate and refractory, -confined her by means of a string tied round the middle; hence her -peculiar shape! Is not this clearly a psychological allusion to the -powerful volition for which the fair sex is proverbially famous? - -[192] Not, however, by the victory of Brahmanism over Buddhism, as -some have supposed. The leading tenet of Buddha’s faith was the sin of -shedding blood, whereas the Todas practise infanticide and eat meat. -Moreover, there is a bond of union between them and those Anti-Buddhists -the Lingaits, who adhere to the religion of Shiva pure and undefiled. - -This Buddhistic theory rests upon the slender foundation that the Todas -call Wednesday, Buddhi-aum (Buddh’s day). But the celebrated Eastern -reformer’s name has extended as far as the good old island in the West. -It became Fo-e and Xa-ca (Shakya) in China; But in Cochin-China, Pout in -Siam; Pott or Poti, in Thibet; perhaps the Wadd of Pagan Arabia; Toth in -Egypt; Woden in Scandinavia; and thus reaching our remote shores, left -its traces in “Wednesday.” So say the etymologists. - -[193] By the Rev. Mr. Schmidt’s vocabulary of the Toda tongue. - -[194] Captain Harkness is egregiously mistaken when he asserts that -the dialect of his aborigines “has not the least affinity in roots, -construction, or sound, with the Sanscrit.” - -[195] In some points. Thus we find the Ain, Ghain, Fa and _Kh_a of the -Arabs, together with the Zha of the Persians. But the step from the -Indian अ to the Arabic ع, from घ (g’h) to غ, and from फ (p’h) to ﻑ, is -easily made; and the kha and zha belong to some Indian dialects as well -as to Arabic and Persian. - -It is supposed that the Toda language is still divided, like the Tamul, -into two distinct dialects, one the popular, the other the sacred; the -former admitting foreign words, derived from the Canarese, the latter a -pure form generally used by the priesthood. - -Most Todas can speak a few words of corrupted Canarese. - -[196] A share of the land-produce varying from one-third to one-sixth of -the whole, settled by the eye, and generally paid in kind. The Toda has -made himself necessary to the Berger; he must sow the first handful of -grain, and reap the first fruits of the harvest, otherwise the land would -be allowed to lie fallow, and the crop to rot upon the ground. - -[197] The polyandry practised of yore seems at present on the decline. -Infanticide, though said to have been abolished, probably holds its -ground in the remote parts of the hills. Near the stations the lives -of female children are spared with the view of making money by their -immorality. Old women are still by no means common. - -[198] For a more detailed account of them, we refer the reader to the -amusing pages of Captain Harkness. - -[199] A brother mason informs us, that “the Todas use a sign of -recognition similar to ours, and they have discovered that Europeans have -an institution corresponding with their own.” Hence, he remarks, “a Toda -initiated will bow to a gentleman, never to a lady.” - -But in our humble opinion, next to the Antiquary in simplicity of mind, -capacity of belief, and capability of assertion, ranks the Freemason. - -[200] What follows alludes particularly to the Todas living in the -vicinity of Ooty, Coonoor, and Kotagherry. - -[201] The habit of intoxication is now so fatally common amongst the -rising generation, that their fathers will not, it is said, initiate them -into their mysteries, for fear that the secret should be divulged over -the cup. - -[202] The faculty unanimously assert that the air of the hills is not -prejudicial to those suffering from ophthalmic disease. We observed, -however, that a large proportion of invalids complained of sore eyes and -weakness of sight, produced, probably, by the glare of the fine season -and the piercing winds of the monsoon. - -[203] The “hill of the Kothurs.” - -[204] The termination “hutty,” so common in the names of the hill -villages, is used to denote a Berger settlement, as “mund” means a Toda -hamlet. - -[205] Or tuft: it is so called from a clump of trees which crowns the -ridge of a high hill. - -[206] The Neilgherries are exposed to the violence of both monsoons, the -south-west and the north-east. The fall of rain during the latter is, -however, comparatively trifling. - -[207] It commences with a _résumé_, of the peculiarities of the hills, -and accounts of the three great stations; proceeds to a description of -the geography and geology, soil and productions, botany, zoology, and the -inhabitants of the Neilgherries, and discusses at some length the effects -of the climate upon the European constitution, sound as well as impaired. -The Appendix presents a mass of information valuable enough when the -work was published, but now, with the exception of the meteorological -and other tables, too old to be useful. Thirteen or fourteen years work -mighty changes, moral and physical, in an Anglo-India settlement. - -[208] The book contains one hundred and forty-four pages, enlivened with -a dozen lithographed sketches, and NOT enlivened by descriptions of -Poonamalee, Vellore, Laulpett, Bangalore, and Closepett. - -[209] A little volume of one hundred and seventy-five pages, containing -graphic sketches of the scenery, excellent accounts of the different -tribes of hill people, a weather-table from July to December, 1829, the -height of the principal mountains, and a short and meagre vocabulary of -the Toda language. - - THE END. - - LONDON: Printed by SAMUEL BENTLEY and Co., Bangor House, Shoe Lane. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GOA AND THE BLUE -MOUNTAINS *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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