An you like a _ready_ knave, here is one of most approved convenience:
he will cheat you moreover to your heart's content. If you believe me
not, try him.
_The Colony, 1635_.
The _Aspasia_ continued her passage with light but favourable winds. As
the ship made but little progress, Captain M--- stood into Goa Bay, as
he passed by that relic of former grandeur and prosperity--alas! like
the people who raised it, how fallen from its "high estate." The town
still covers the same vast extent of ground; the churches still rear
their heads above the other buildings in their beautiful proportions;
the Palace of the Inquisition still lours upon you in its fanatical
gloom and massive iron bars. But where is the wealth, the genius, the
enterprise, the courage, and religious enthusiasm which raised these
majestic piles? A scanty population, of mixed Hindoo and Portuguese
blood, or of half-converted Indians, are the sole occupiers of this once
splendid city of the East. Read the history of the Moors when in Spain,
their chivalry, and their courage, their learning and advancement in the
arts,--and now view their degraded posterity on the African coast.
Reflect upon the energy and perseverance of the Spaniards, at the time
when they drove out those conquerors of their country after a struggle
of so many years--their subsequent discovery and possession of a western
world--and behold them now. Turn to the Portuguese, who, setting an
example of perseverance and activity to the nations of Europe, in
vessels in which we should now think it almost insanity to make the
attempt, forced their passage round the Stormy Cape, undeterred by
disasters or by death, and grasped the empire of the East. What are
they in the scale of nations now?
How rapid these transitions! Two hundred years have scarcely rolled
away--other nations, with the fabrics they have raised, have been
precipitated to the dust; but they have departed, full of years, and men
and things have run their race together. But here, the last in all
their splendour, while the energies of the former have decayed, remain;
and where have we a more melancholy picture of humanity, either in an
individual or in a nation, than when we survey the body that has
outlived the mind?
Since the world began, history is but the narrative of kingdoms and
states progressing to maturity or decay. Man himself is but an epitome
of the nations of men. In youth, all energy; in prime of life, all
enterprise and vigour; in senility, all weakness and second childhood.
Then, England, learn thy fate from the unerring page of time. Sooner or
later, it shall arrive that thou shalt be tributary to some nation,
hitherto, I trust, unborn; and thy degenerate sons shall read that
liberty was once the watchword of the isle, and yet not even feel a
longing to be free.
As the _Aspasia_ lay nearly becalmed at the entrance of the harbour, a
small boat, rowed by two men, pulled towards her, and the occupant of
the stern-sheets, as he came alongside, stated, in bad English, that he
brought "present for captain," and was allowed to come up the side by
the first-lieutenant, who was on deck. He was a native friar, and
disgusting as the dress is, when worn by an European in a northern
clime, it appeared still more so, enveloping a black under the torrid
zone. He carried a little covered basket in his hand, and stated that
he had been sent by the superior of the convent, which he pointed to, on
the headland at the mouth of the harbour. The first-lieutenant went
down into the cabin, and reported to the captain.
"A present!" observed Captain M---; "I hope it is not a monkey. `_Timeo
Danaos et dona ferentes_.'"
The first-lieutenant, who had forgotten his Latin, made no answer, but
returned on deck, where he was shortly after followed by Captain M---.
The sable votary of St. Francis made his bow, and opening the lid of his
basket, pulled out a cabbage with a long stalk and four or five flagging
leaves, but no heart to it. "Superior send present to Inglez capitown."
And having laid it carefully on the carronade slide, fumbled in his
pocket for some time, and eventually produced a dirty sheet of paper, on
which, written in execrable English, was a petition to assist the wants
of the convent.
"I expected as much," observed Captain M---, smiling, as he ran over the
ridiculous wording of the petition. "Desire the purser's steward to get
up a bag of biscuit, and put into the boat."
The bread was handed on the gangway, when the friar, observing it, went
up to the captain, and said, "Superior like rum, sar; suppose you no
rum, then like money."
"Perhaps he may," replied Captain M---; "but it is against my rules to
give the first, and if I recollect right, against those of your order to
receive the second."
Finding that nothing more was to be obtained, the friar was about to
depart, when, perceiving the cabbage lying unnoticed where he had
deposited it, he observed--"Capitown, non quer cabbage--not want?"
"Not particularly," replied Captain M---, surveying it with rather a
contemptuous smile.
"Then take it ashore, plant it again--do for 'nother ship;" and he
replaced the present in his basket, made his bow, and departed.
Reader, cabbages are scarce articles in India. I have seen them at
Pondicherry, growing in flower-pots, as curious exotics.
Two days afterwards, the _Aspasia_ came to an anchor at Bombay, and
having saluted the admiral, Captain M--- went on shore to pay his
respects in person. The ship was soon crowded with a variety of people,
who came off to solicit the washing, etcetera, of the officers. The
gun-room officers had just finished their dinner, and the cloth had been
removed, when our friend Billy Pitts entered, introducing a slim
personage, attired in a robe of spotless white, with the dark turban
peculiar to the Parsees, and bringing in his hand a small basket of
fruit.
"Massa Courtenay, here mulatta fellow want to speak to officers. Call
himself Dubash--look in dictionary, and no such word in English
language."
"It means a washerman, I suppose," observed Price.
"No, sir," answered the man for himself, with a graceful bow, "not a
washerman, but at same time get all your clothes washed. Dubash go to
market, supply gentlemen with everything they want--run everywhere for
them--bring off meat and fish, and everything else--everybody have
dubash here--I dubash to all the ships come here--got very good
certificate, sir," continued the Parsee, drawing a thin book from his
vest, and presenting it to Courtenay with a low bow.
"Well, Mr Dubash, let us see what your character may be," said
Courtenay, opening the book.
"Yes, sir, you please to read them, and I go speak to young gentlemen,
before other dubash come on board; I bring gentlemen little fruit," and
laying the basket respectfully on the table, with another low salaam the
man quitted the gun-room.
Courtenay read for a minute, and then burst into a fit of laughter.
"Very good certificates, indeed," observed he, "only hear--
"First.--This is to certify, that Hommajee Baba served the gun-room mess
of his Majesty's ship _Flora_, and cheated us most damnably.
"Signed Peter Hicks, 1st Lieut.
"Jonas Smith, Purser.
"Second.--Hommajee Baba served me as dubash during my stay in this port.
He is a useful fellow, but a great scoundrel. I gave him one half of
his bill, and he was perfectly satisfied. I recommend others to do the
same.
"Signed Andrew Thompson, Company's ship _Clio_.
"Third.--I perfectly agree with the above remarks; but as all the other
dubashes are as great thieves, and not half so intelligent, I
conscientiously recommend Hommajee Baba.
"Signed Peter Phillips, Captain Honbl. Company's cruiser _Vestal_.
"Fourth.--Of all the scoundrels that I ever had to deal with, in this
most rascally quarter of a most knavish world, Hommajee Baba is the
greatest. Never give him any money, as he will find it; but when you go
away, pay him one-third of his bill, and you will still have paid him
too much.
"Signed Billy Helflame, Captain H.M.S. _Spitfire_."
About a dozen pages of the book were filled with certificates to the
above effect, which the dubash, although he spoke English fluently, not
being able to read, considered as he had been informed at the time, to
be decidedly in his favour. They were so far valuable, that they put
newcomers upon their guard, and prevented much extortion on the part of
the said Hommajee.
When the laughter had to a degree subsided, Billy Pitts was the first to
exclaim--"Damn black villain--I think so, when he come to me; not like
cut of um jib--"
"`Who steals my purse, steals trash,'" spouted Price.
"'Cause you never have money, Mr Price," cried Billy, interrupting him.
"Silence, sir,--`But he who filches from me my good name, robs me of
that--of that--'"
"Rob you of what, sar?"
"Silence, sir," again cried Price--"`robs me of that--' what is it?--
that damned black thief has put it out of my head--"
"I not the thief, sar--Massa Price, you always forget end of your
story."
"I'll make an end of you directly, sir, if you're not off."
"No! don't kill Billy," observed Courtenay; "it's bad enough to have
murdered Shakespeare. Well, but now, it's my opinion, that we ought to
employ this fellow--and take the advice that has been given to us in
this book."
Courtenay's proposal was assented to, and on his return, Hommajee Baba
was installed in office.
The next morning, Seymour, Courtenay, and Macallan went on shore to meet
an old acquaintance of the latter, who had called upon him on his
arrival. By his advice they left the ship before the sun had risen,
that they might be enabled to walk about, and view the town and its
environs, without being incommoded by the heat. They reached the long
plain close to the sea, upon which the admiral and many others,
according to the custom of the English inhabitants, were residing in
capacious tents; not such tents as have been seen in England, but
impervious to the heat and rain, covering a large extent of ground,
divided into several apartments, and furnished like any other residence.
The broad expanse of ocean, which met their view, was unruffled, and
the beach was lined with hundreds, standing on their carpets, spread
upon the sand, with their faces turned toward the east. As the sun rose
in splendour above the horizon, they all prostrated themselves in mute
adoration, and continued in that position until his disk had cleared the
water's edge; they then rose, and throwing a few flowers into the
rippling wave, folded up their carpets and departed.
"Who are those people, and of what religion?" demanded Seymour.
"They are Parsees, a remnant of the ancient Persians--the Guebres, or
worshippers of fire. As you have witnessed, they also adore the sun.
They came here long since to enjoy their tenets, free from persecution.
They are the most intelligent race that we have. Many of them were
princes in their own country, and are now men of unbounded wealth. They
have their temples here, in which the sacred fire is never permitted to
go out. If, by any chance or negligence, it should become extinct, it
must be relighted from heaven alone. We have no lightning here, and
they send to Calcutta, where there is plenty at the change of the
monsoon, and bring it round with great ceremony."
"In other points, are their customs different from the Hindoos?"
"Yes; their women are not so immured; you will meet plenty of them when
you return to town. They are easily distinguished by their fair
complexions, and the large thin gold rings, with three or four pearls
strung upon them, worn in a hole perforated through the nostril, and
hanging below their mouths."
"And what are those immense towers on the other side of the bay?"
"They were built by the Parsees, as depositories for the dead; on the
summit is a wide iron grating, upon which the bodies are laid, to be
devoured by the birds of prey; when stripped, the bones fall through the
iron bars into the receptacle below. They never bury their dead.--But
breakfast must be ready, so we had better return. You have much to see
here. The caves of Elephanta and Canara are well worthy of your
attention--and I shall be happy to attend you, when you feel inclined to
pay a visit to them."
They did not fail to profit by the offer, and before the week had passed
away, they had witnessed those splendid monuments of superstition and
idolatry. The _Aspasia_ received her orders, and Hommajee Baba, being
paid the due proportion of his bill, received his certificate from
Courtenay, in the usual form, and so far from being affronted, requested
the honour of being again employed in their services if ever they should
return to Bombay.