The unwieldy elephant,
To make them mirth, used all his might, and wreathed
His lithe proboscis.
MILTON.
Captain M--- remained but a few days at Calcutta, where he perceived
little difference between the society and that of England, remarking
only that the gentlemen were more hospitable, and the ladies drank more
beer. But I am trespassing, notwithstanding my promise to the contrary,
at the end of the last chapter. I will therefore be off at once, before
I am decidedly guilty of a breach of faith. The _Aspasia's_ orders were
to join the admiral, who had quitted the Bay of Bengal, and proceeded to
Bombay, to avoid the monsoon, which was about to set in; and as there
was no time to be lost, Captain M--- did not touch at Madras, but made
all possible haste to gain the tranquil side of the peninsula. The
governor-general had requested that he would call at Travancore, to
deliver a letter and complimentary present to the reigning queen, who
held her possessions tributary to our government.
The _Aspasia_ anchored off the town, and was shortly afterwards boarded
by one of the ministers of the queen, a venerable Mussulman, who brought
a boat-load of compliments and vegetables. He was accompanied by one or
two others, among whom was a very indifferent interpreter. Captain
M---, who was anxious to join the admiral, excused himself on the plea
of ill health, from delivering the present and letter in person, and
expressed his wish to the deputy that he would take them in charge,
stating, that his services were required elsewhere; he requested that an
answer to the letter might be sent on board as soon as possible. This
was explained through the interpreter, and Captain M--- then inquired
what time would probably elapse before the answer would be sent. The
reply was, in a week, or ten days.
"Ask him," said Captain M---, "whether it cannot be sent to-morrow
morning, as I am anxious to proceed?"
After an exchange of several sentences between the interpreter and the
deputy, who observed the most imperturbable gravity, the former replied
to Captain M---.
"He say no, sar. Little people, like you and me, write letter very
quick, all in one minute. Great people, like king and queen, not
possible write letter less than week or ten day. Not fashion this
country, sar."
The presents being placed in the boat, and the letter presented on a
silver salver, the deputy made a low salaam, and departed. Captain
M---, aware that all attempts to hasten them would be useless, made no
further remarks on the subject. The next morning the same grave
personage came on board, attended by the interpreter and his suite, with
many compliments from their royal mistress, who had sent a present for
the captain. During the time of the delivery and interpretation of the
message, the natives, who rowed in his boat, handed up a large black
monkey, with a long white beard extending over his chin and shoulders.
The animal, who did not seem well pleased with his change of situation,
and who was naturally of a vicious temperament, flew round and round the
length of his tether, catching at the trousers of the sailors with his
paws and teeth, and using the latter without the least ceremony.
"Queen say, sar--Many compliments, and tell you it very _high caste_
monkey--very _high caste_, indeed, sar,--very fine present, sar."
"It may be," observed Captain M--- to the first-lieutenant; "but I wish
she had saved herself the trouble. I must not refuse it; and what can
we do with the brute?"
"It will amuse the men, sir; he seems to have plenty of devil in him."
"Oh!" roared Prose, "I do declare he has bit a piece out of my leg.
High caste, indeed. I should like to give him a _high cast_ overboard."
"Really, Prose, that's not so bad," observed Seymour. "Jerry was
correct in his assertion that you had plenty of wit, only it required
strong measures to extract it from you."
"Queen say, sar, write letter in five or six days, and say, suppose
Captain Saib and officers come on shore, order everybody go hunt tiger:
Queen tell people make everything proper. Very fine tiger hunt, sar."
Captain M---, who was convinced that he must patiently await their own
time, did not expostulate at the delay. Not wishing to avail himself of
the offer, he requested the officers would consider themselves at
liberty to accept the invitation, which was intended as a compliment,
and therefore ought not to be refused.
A large party was formed, who, on the ensuing day, accompanied by the
deputy and his suite, and provided with fowling-pieces and muskets,
landed at the town, where they were received by a few tom-toms, and some
hundreds of spectators. On their arrival at a house which had been
prepared for their reception, they found a splendid breakfast awaiting
them, to which they did as ample justice as a celebrated traveller to
that which welcomed him at New York, although they did not, like him,
revel to satiety, by plunging into oceans of tea and coffee.
Again the talents of the interpreter were called into action, to explain
the reason why her Majesty could not receive them, which he did by
laying his hand across what medical men would term the abdominal region
(or, as Mrs Ramsbottom would have said, "her abominable region") and
informing them that the queen was not well there. The party required no
further explanation. They expressed their regrets, finished their
breakfast, and then stated themselves ready to proceed.
"Game not come yet, sar--game not come till to-morrow."
"Well, then, we must go to it," replied Courtenay.
"Ah, gentleman not understand shoot in this country," continued the
interpreter, who then, with some difficulty, contrived to make them
understand that about four thousand men had been summoned to drive the
game close to the town, and that, to ensure a sufficiency of sport, the
sweep which they had taken was so great, that they would not close in
till the next morning. He added, that as, perhaps, they would like to
see the jungle to which the game was to be driven, horses and elephants
had been prepared, and refreshments would be provided at any spot where
they might wish to alight.
Macallan, who had provided himself with his hammers, and other
implements requisite in the pursuit of his favourite sciences,
mineralogy and geology, was not sorry for the delay, and the remainder
of the party were satisfied with the idea of a pleasant excursion.
Previous to their setting off; a variety of performers were ordered in
to amuse them with feats of juggling and address, which would have been
acknowledged, if seen in England, to have far surpassed those of the
celebrated Ramoo Samee and his associates. Amongst the rest, the
majestic attitudes of the dancing snakes particularly attracted the
attention of Macallan, who expressed to the interpreter his wish to
procure one of the species (the famed cobra di capella), with the fangs
not extracted. The interpreter, after a few words with the deputy,
informed the doctor, with his usual politeness, "that all the snakes in
the country were at the service of the gentleman; but take care not let
bite, because very high caste snake."
"What do they mean by calling the animals of the country high caste?"
inquired Seymour of Macallan. "I thought it was a term only applied to
the Brachmins and Rajahpoots."
"Both the monkey and the snake are indirectly worshipped by these
people," replied the doctor, "as their supposed deities are represented
to have assumed these forms. The more vicious, or the more venomous,
the higher they rank. The cobra di capella is, I believe, the most
venomous serpent that exists."
"I do declare that that monkey deserves his rank," observed Prose. "I
can hardly walk, as it is."
"Well, but you can ride, Prose, and here are the horses."
The horses, with three elephants, two with howdahs on their backs, and
the other loaded with a large tent, were now paraded before the door;
each horse was attended by his syce, or groom, who never quitted him,
but fanned away the flies with a chowry, or whisk, formed of a horse's
tail. They were beautiful animals, but much too spirited for some of
the party, who felt alarm at the very anticipation of the difficulty
they would have in retaining their seats.
Prose, who had never been twice in his life on the back of any animal,
was in sad trepidation; he looked first at the horses, who were plunging
and rearing in the hands of the syces, who could with difficulty
restrain their impatience, and then at the elephants, whose stupendous
size, flourishing probosces, projecting tusks, and small, keen eyes,
equally filled him with dismay.
"I do declare," observed Prose, affecting an extra limp, "my leg is very
bad. I think."
"Come, come, Mr Prose, no hauling off; no leg-bail, if you please,"
said Courtenay, who, with Seymour, was already mounted, upon a spirited
Arabian; "take your choice--but go you must."
"Well, then, if I must, which would you advise me to take?"
"Take a horse," said Seymour, laughing; "of two evils always choose the
least."
"Take an elephant, Mr Prose," cried Courtenay; "his size is double, but
he'll give you less trouble."
"Why, that's a rhyme, I do declare; but how shall I get upon his back?"
"Oh! he'll take you up in his trunk, and put you on."
"Indeed he shall not," cried Prose, retreating some paces; "I say, Mr
Interpreter, how am I to get on the top of that great beast?"
"As you please, sar. Suppose you like get up before, he lift up his leg
for you to climb up. Suppose you like to get up behind, he not say
nothing. Suppose you wish go up his middle, you ab ladder."
"Well, then, Mr Interpreter, I shall feel very much obliged to you for
a ladder."
A ladder was brought. Prose, and Macallan, with his implements,
ascended to the howdah, fixed on the back of the enormous brute. The
remainder of the party being ready, they set off; accompanied by the
deputy, the interpreter, and several other handsomely attired natives,
who, out of compliment to the officers, had been ordered to attend them.
The country, like most parts of India near to the coast, consisted of
paddy or rice fields, under water, diversified with intersecting patches
of jungle and high trees. Occasionally they passed a deeper pool, where
the buffaloes, with only their horns and tips of their noses to be seen,
lay, with the whole of their enormous carcasses hid under the muddy
water, to defend themselves from the attacks of the mosquitoes, and the
powerful rays of the sun.
"Look at the buffaloes, Prose."
"Where, Seymour? I can't see any. I never saw a buffalo in my life.
It's like an ox, an't it?"
"It's very like a whale," replied Courtenay.
At this moment one of the herd, startled at the near approach of the
cavalcade, rose from the stagnant pool, where he had been lying, and
presented his immense carcass, covered with mud, to Prose's wondering
eyes.
"Lord, Molly, what a fish!" exclaimed Courtenay, with affected surprise,
alluding to an old standing naval joke.
"Now, is that a fish?" cried Prose, a little alarmed. "Well, I do
declare! I say, Mr Interpreter, what is that thing?"
"Call him buffalo, sar."
"Well, I do declare! I always thought that buffaloes were animals that
lived on shore."
"Nothing like travelling, Mr Prose," observed Courtenay; "you'll know a
buffalo, now, if ever you happen to hook one, when you are fishing out
of the fore-chains."
"And you'll remember a high-caste monkey, if ever you meet with one
again," added Seymour.
"That I shall, all the days of my life."
The country, as they proceeded inland, materially altered its features.
Forests of large trees and fragments of rocks met their view, instead of
the paddy-fields, which they had left behind; and Macallan now wished to
descend, that he might collect geological specimens. Explaining his
reasons, he desired the interpreter to order the elephant to stop.
"Suppose gentleman want stones, elephant give them," replied the
interpreter; "no occasion for Saib to get off;" and explaining the
doctor's wishes to the conductor of the elephant, the knowledge of which
occasioned a laugh among the natives, who could not conceive why the
doctor should want the stones, he continued, "Now, sar, you point any
stone you want."
The doctor did so; and the conductor, speaking to the elephant, the
proboscis of the sagacious animal immediately handed up the one pointed
out, to his conductor, who passed it to Macallan.
For more than an hour the doctor amused himself with breaking and
examining the different specimens presented to him, until he passed by
an isolated mass, whose component parts, glittering in the sun, made him
anxious to obtain a specimen. It was a large rock, about the size of
six elephants, and the doctor pointed to it.
"Ah, sar!" interrupted the interpreter; "elephant very strong beast, but
no lift that."
"I did not imagine that he would, but I must dismount to examine it,"
replied Macallan, gravely, who was absorbed in his scientific pursuits.
The elephant stopped; and the doctor, not aware of the great height,
attempted to slip down his side; he succeeded in reaching the ground,
not exactly on his feet, to the great amusement of the party.
Regardless of trifles, when in pursuit of science, he desired Prose to
throw him down his bag of implements, and proceeded to the object of his
investigation, which appeared to him so peculiar, that he requested the
others to continue their excursion, and leave him to be picked up on
their return.
"Ah, massa! like stop this place?" said the interpreter.
"Yes," replied the doctor.
"Do you really intend to remain here?" inquired Courtenay.
"I do: it is a very remarkable specimen of cinnamon-stone, and I must
procure some of it if possible."
"Well, I do declare!" said Prose: "I thought cinnamon grew upon trees.
Doctor, I should like to stay with you, for this beast does shake me so,
I'm quite sore--and I've such a stitch in my side."
Prose accordingly prepared to descend, and was recommended by the
interpreter to slide down by the hind leg of the animal.
"He won't kick, will he?"
"Elephant no kick, sar," and Prose descended in safety, while the
remainder of the party continued their excursion.
The doctor walked several times round the rock, to find a point upon
which he would be able to make some impression with his implements; but
the fragment, which had probably remained there since the deluge,
without having been honoured by a visit from a naturalist, was worn
quite smooth by time, and presented no acute angle, within reach, upon
which his hammer could make any impression; nor could he climb it for it
rose from its base in almost a perpendicular line. The more he
scrutinised, the more anxious was he to obtain specimens, and he
determined to blast the rock. Being prepared with a couple of short
crowbars, and a flask of gunpowder, he fixed upon a corner, which
appeared more assailable than the rest, and commenced his laborious
occupation.
"Can I assist you, Mr Macallan?" inquired Prose.
"You can, indeed, Mr Prose. Now, observe; continue driving the end of
the crowbar straight into this hole until you have made it about nine or
ten inches deep; that will be sufficient. I will make another on the
other side."
Prose commenced his labour, and, for a few minutes, worked with due
emphasis; but he soon found out that he had volunteered to a most
fatiguing task. He stopped, at last, for want of breath.
"Well, Mr Prose," inquired the doctor, from the other side of the rock,
observing that he had ceased from his labour, "how do you get on?"
"I wish to Heaven I had never got off;" muttered Prose, "for this is
worse than the elephant."
But the doctor was an enthusiast, a description of person who never
tires, and he judged of others by himself.
"How far have you got now, Mr Prose?"
"Oh--I think I have got an inch and a half good," answered Prose, quite
exhausted.
"No more!" exclaimed Macallan; "why, you must work harder, or we never
shall blast it."
"I have been _blasting_ it in my heart," thought Prose, "for these last
ten minutes," and he resumed his labour.
"You know nothing of mineralogy?" inquired the doctor, after a silence
of a few minutes.
"This is my first lesson, doctor," answered Prose, out loud; and
muttering in continuation, "I do declare it shall be the last."
"It's a very amusing study," continued Macallan; "but, like most others,
rather dry at first."
"Anything but dry," thought Prose, wiping his face with his
handkerchief.
"I shall be happy to give you any information in my power," said
Macallan; "but you must be attentive--nothing is to be obtained without
labour."
"I'm sure mineralogy is not," retorted Prose, throwing down his crowbar
from exhaustion.
Fortunately for Prose, by the directions of the interpreter, the baggage
elephant who carried the tent, and the natives accompanying it, now
halted opposite to the rock, on the side where Prose was, for the wish
expressed by Macallan to remain there had been construed by the
interpreter as a selection of the place where the refreshments should be
prepared. One of the natives, perceiving what Prose was about when he
threw away the crowbar, offered his assistance, which was readily
accepted, and the labour was continued.
"Well, Mr Prose, how do you get on now?"
"Oh--capitally."
"Don't you find it very warm?" continued Macallan, who stopped to wipe
the streams of perspiration from his own face.
"Oh, no," answered Prose, chuckling.
"Well, I do, I can assure you," answered the doctor, who, not wishing to
show symptoms of flagging while Prose was working so hard, recommenced
his labour.
Another quarter of an hour, and the doctor was quite exhausted; wishing
for an excuse to leave off himself, he called again to Prose--
"An't you tired, Mr Prose?"
"Not the least, doctor."
"Oh, but you must be--you had better rest yourself a little."
"Thank you, but I'm not the least tired."
Another five minutes.--"Well, Mr Prose, I really give you great credit
for your perseverance. Let me see how deep you are," said Macallan, who
could find no other excuse for being the first to abandon his task.
But Prose, who was not exactly a fool, determined not to lose his credit
with the doctor--pushing aside the native, he took the crowbar from him,
and before the doctor had walked round, was again hard at work.
"Upon my honour I give you great credit," observed the panting Macallan,
as he witnessed the effects of the labour.
"But," observed Prose, "why should we work this way when there are a
parcel of black fellows doing nothing? here, I say, you chap, come and
punch here," continued he, pointing the crowbar to the native, who
immediately resumed his labour. "You call another, Mr Macallan, and
make him work for you."
"Well thought of; Mr Prose," answered the doctor, and another native
being put in requisition, in less than an hour the rock was perforated
to the depth required, without the least appearance of fatigue, or even
heat upon the skins of the temperate Hindoos. In the meantime the tent
was erected, the mats and carpets spread, the fires lighted, and the
repast preparing by the cooks who were in attendance. The doctor, who
was absorbed in his views, heeded it not, and had just finished the
charging and priming of the rock when the cavalcade returned from their
excursion.
"Well, doctor, how do you get on?" inquired Courtenay.
"Oh, I'm all ready, and you had better remove to a little distance, as
I'm about to fire my trains."
"Fire your trains!--Why, what have you been about?"
"I am going to blast the rock."
"The devil you are--then I'm off;" cried Courtenay, who, with Seymour,
retreated from the well-known effects of gunpowder.
The natives who accompanied them also retired, although not aware of the
nature of the operation. The interpreter understood "gentlemen make
fireworks," and reported accordingly.
The doctor lighted his matches and withdrew, followed by Prose, who
forgot his limp upon this occasion. The mines exploded, splitting large
fragments from the rock, and shaking it from its base.
"Capital!" exclaimed the doctor who, as soon as the smoke had cleared
away, ran up, and was in ecstasies at the variety and brilliancy of the
specimens which were now exposed to his eager view.
But in his enthusiasm the doctor quite overlooked the mischief which he
had occasioned. One large fragment had struck the tent to the ground;
others had scattered the cooking utensils, with their contents, and
wounded the unfortunate cooks; while the affrighted elephant had
completed the demolition by trotting over the whole, his trunk raised
high in the air, uttering shrill cries, and regardless of the
admonitions of his conductor. All was confusion and dismay.
The natives when they witnessed the damage were astonished. A long
consultation took place between them, as to what the doctor meant; at
last it was decided by the grave deputy that it was intended as a
compliment to them--for all fireworks were compliments in that country.
They therefore salaamed with great good humour: but the English knew
better, and commenced a violent attack on Macallan, who was still
absorbed in collecting specimens, and quite unconscious of the mischief
which he had created.
"You've not only destroyed our dinner," continued Courtenay, "but you've
killed three cooks, and wounded seven more."
"Is it possible!" cried Macallan, with dismay, throwing away his
specimens with as much haste as he had seized upon them, and running in
the direction of the men reported to be hurt. Fortunately for his peace
of mind, Courtenay's list of killed was all invention, and the wounded
were reduced to _two_, which the doctor conscientiously reported under
the head of _slightly_.
There was no help but to proceed to town, and wait until another repast
could be provided. This was soon done, and the interpreter, with a
double salaam, informed the doctor, that "if gentleman wish, blow up
another tent, deputy have one ready for him next day."
"Well, now, I do declare these people are very polite," observed Prose;
"but I hope that if you do, doctor, you will not make me a party to it.
I would never have punched so hard at that hole if I thought that it was
to have blown up my own dinner."
"You're right, Mr Prose," answered Courtenay. "The doctor did not
treat us according to the Scriptures. We asked for bread, and he gave
us a stone--rather annoying too, after a long ride. But, however, as
the game is to come to us tomorrow, we had better be up early to receive
it in due form--so good night."