_IN A STRANGE LAND_
I have now come to a period which was in many respects the strangest
of my whole life, so that I often look back on it with wonder; and
sitting here at the open window, framed in honeysuckle and sweetbriar,
with the sounds of the farm in my ears and the prospect of the
peaceful broad in front of me, I ask myself if I be truly that
adventurous youth who once dwelt in captivity for many months in the
court of an Indian prince, half victim and half plaything, one day
caressed and loaded with rich gifts, the next threatened with death
and torture.
Yet so it was. After the attempt whose miscarriage I have just
related, the demeanour of the Nabob underwent a singular change. He
relented from his severity towards us, and in fact a few days after,
riding past our place of imprisonment one morning, he stopped at the
door and calling Mr. Holwell out to him, bade him and his two
companions betake themselves where they would, since he desired never
to hear of them again.
However, in this dismissal he did not include me, choosing to put me
on a different footing from the other prisoners he had taken at Fort
William, and to hold me as a hostage--for so I am sure he considered
me--for the friendship of Colonel Clive. He offered me the choice
between being kept in chains or giving him my parole not to leave
Moorshedabad without his consent. The Moors do not accept each other's
parole, but they trust that of a European, than which there can be no
stronger proof of the dishonesty of their whole nation. I chose to
comply with the Nabob's condition, as I considered that I ought not to
quit the place without having effected something for Marian. And by
giving my parole I trusted to obtain opportunities for communicating
with her, as well as with my luckless cousin Gurney, whom I had not
seen since the morning after our adventure.
Whether Surajah Dowlah suspected my designs, and took particular
measures for baffling them, I cannot say. But during the time that now
followed, try as I would, I never succeeded in so much as hearing the
smallest news of either of the two persons whom I knew to be in
Moorshedabad. So close is the secrecy maintained by Orientals that
they might have both been carried off into the recesses of Tartary,
and yet not been more utterly out of my reach than they were, abiding
in the same city.
Neither was I able to gain any certain tidings of my fellow
countrymen. I only knew that the Nabob, intoxicated with the pride of
his victory at Fort William, had neglected to take measures for
pursuing the refugees and driving them from his country. So that they
lay all together at Fulta, very miserably, wishing for succour to
arrive from Madras, and passed the time, as I have since understood,
in recriminations upon each other, for the misconduct and weakness
which had brought about the fall of Calcutta. What were the real
feelings of Surajah Dowlah towards myself I found it then, and find it
still, very difficult to estimate. On many occasions he behaved
towards me with the greatest kindness, and as though he had a real
affection for me. He would send for me sometimes, when he was sober,
and question me about the various kingdoms of Europe, particularly the
French, English, and Dutch, those being the three nations which had
factories in his dominions. It was plain that he did not believe very
much of what I told him, supposing no doubt that I exaggerated in
order to astonish him. I told him that the French were the most
powerful military nation on the continent of Europe, but that we were
their masters, having several times invaded and conquered their
country. And I said that at sea the English had ever been reckoned the
first of all nations, so much so that no foreign warship was allowed
to pass through our seas without striking her topsails to any British
vessel she might meet. When I spoke in this manner he would mock, and
ask whether I supposed that a Frenchman would confirm these accounts,
to which I made answer that such was scarcely to be expected, the
French being a vain people, and given to boasting of their greatness.
When the Nabob had exhausted his questions--and he seldom asked me
about any but military affairs--he would bestow on me a jewel, or a
rich dress, and dismiss me with every mark of kindness. But on the
very next day, perhaps, being sent for again, I found him in a drunken
rage, ready to curse my nation and myself, and threatening to have my
tongue pulled out for having abused him with lies and inventions about
my miserable country. On these occasions I often heard him declare
that the whole of Europe did not contain ten thousand men, and that as
for King George, he was only fit to be a dewan or zamindar under
himself.
It did not take me long to discover that the Nabob was entirely
governed by those about him. When he could be prevailed on to listen
to his uncle, Meer Jaffier, or to his aunt, the widow of Allaverdy
Khan, his behaviour was rational enough; but more often he fell under
the influence of his detestable Gentoo favourite Lal Moon, and other
scoundrels of that stamp, when he became little more than a drunken
sot. I felt during this period as though I was shut in the same cage
with a capricious tiger, who one moment purred and fawned on me and
the next showed his teeth with horrid snarls, nor was there ever a
day on which I could feel secure that I should not be delivered to the
executioner before the sun set.
Through all these changes of demeanour I adhered to the firm conduct I
had at first taken up, and by never permitting the tyrant to see that
I feared him, succeeded time after time in damping his frenzy. At the
same time I acquired the friendship and esteem of some of the most
considerable persons of his Court, particularly Roy Dullub, the dewan
already mentioned, and the famous Meer Jaffier. My hold on the
friendship of this distinguished Moor was strengthened by an incident
which I am about to relate.
As soon as the rainy season was over, which lasted till the month of
October, Surajah Dowlah marched out with his army into the country of
Purneah, for the purpose of attacking his cousin, who was Phouzdar of
that territory. The young Nabob bore a great hatred to this relation
of his, and had frequently announced his intention of destroying him
as soon as the weather should permit of his moving against him. At the
head of the army, as usual, was the general, Meer Jaffier, and at my
earnest request I was allowed to accompany him as one of his train.
We arrived at length, after a tedious march, at the foot of some
hills, on the slope of which the Phouzdar's army lay encamped. Our own
force was much more numerous, but the Phouzdar's position being a
very strong one the Meer judged it not prudent to make an attack till
he had had an opportunity of thoroughly examining the ground. With
this view he chose out a small party, of whom I was one, and departed
secretly from the camp at sunset, to explore the enemy's
neighbourhood.
The distance between the two armies was not very great; as near as I
could judge it was about three miles. But we had no guide to direct
us, and lost our way in the darkness, getting entangled first in the
wood, and afterwards among a network of small, deep streams, too broad
to jump, and dangerous to wade on account of the steepness of their
banks and the slippery boulders with which their beds were strewn. So
long did it take us to extricate ourselves out of these difficulties
that when the sun rose we found ourselves close to the Phouzdar's
camp, and within full view of his army. We turned to retreat, but at
the same time a loud halloo was raised behind us, and a troop of
horsemen, with waving ensigns and steel accoutrements shining in the
sun, dashed out from the enemy's ranks and rode down upon us.
Meer Jaffier at once gave the order to face round, and form into a
solid body to receive their onset. As they approached there was a
tall young man in a high turban that blazed with diamonds, mounted on
a noble white horse, who spurred swiftly in front, and rode straight
for where our commander was posted, with me beside him. The Meer, who
did not want courage, perceiving that this young man sought him out,
instantly galloped forward to meet him, and cast his javelin. The
javelin passed by the young man's ear; he pulled up his horse, and
threw his own in return with such good aim that he struck Meer
Jaffier on the shoulder, who reeled and fell off his horse on to the
ground. The other instantly rode up and leaped off his white horse to
despatch his enemy, but I was on the spot just in time, and without
dismounting, succeeded in striking the young man on the neck with my
scymetar with such force that he fell down dead.
No sooner did they see him fall than the whole troop of the enemy's
horse turned round and went off, casting away their banners as they
rode. Meer Jaffier, who had merely been stunned for the moment, came
to himself directly afterwards, and on looking at the dead man's face
recognised him to be no other than the Phouzdar of Purneah himself. We
were informed afterwards that he had mistaken us for the Nabob's own
bodyguard, and had come out to attack the Nabob himself.
This lucky accident put an end to the campaign, the whole country at
once submitting to Surajah Dowlah. The ungrateful young tyrant chose
to resent my action, declaring that it was his design to have put his
cousin to death with his own hand, but Meer Jaffier expressed himself
very handsomely about the service I had rendered him, and presented
me with the white horse which the Phouzdar had ridden.
As soon as we were returned to Moorshedabad Surajah Dowlah marked his
sense of resentment against me by withdrawing my liberty on parole,
and ordering me into close confinement again. I thus learnt how
dangerous is the path of those who would advance themselves at courts
where everything depends on the personal favour of the monarch, and
not, as in our own happy country, where the power is distributed among
the Houses of Parliament and great Ministers, so that no man hath it
in his power unduly to depress another. However, I had not lain in my
new prison very long before I had reason to rejoice at the Nabob's
caprice, which had restored to me the right of plotting my escape from
him. For one evening, when it began to be dusk, the door of my cell
was suddenly opened, and the gaolers ushered in a person closely
veiled and disguised, who, as soon as we were left alone, removed the
wrappings from his face and showed himself to be none other than the
Meer Jaffier in person.
"My son," he said to me, regarding me with a look of some concern,
"there has this day arrived at the palace a messenger from Monichund,
who brings tidings that Sabat Jung, with a great armament of ships and
men, has arrived in the mouth of the Hooghley, breathing vengeance
against our lord Surajah Dowlah. And this news has so infuriated him
against the whole English nation that, unless you can contrive to get
away from Moorshedabad to-night you are like to forfeit your life on
the morrow."
Now whether this distinguished Moor was moved to this action by
gratitude for my former service to him, or whether, as some of my
friends think, he was already aiming at the treaty into which he
afterwards entered with the English, and therefore wished to show his
good will to us; yet of this I am sure, that he preserved my life on
this night, an action for which I must always hold him in grateful
remembrance. Under his directions I collected together my property,
consisting chiefly of the gems which the Nabob had given me, and which
I secreted on my person. He then brought me out of the prison, past
the gaolers, whom he had bribed and dismissed, and took me by a back
way to his own house. Here I found the beautiful white horse he had
given me, which was named Ali, ready saddled and bridled for a
journey. I had for some months been accustomed to wear the Moorish
dress, so that I wanted nothing in the shape of disguise, save another
application of my cousin Rupert's paint, which was not to be had.
"Mount," said the Meer, "and I will myself ride with you as far as the
gate of the city and see you safely on your way."
Accordingly he had his own horse made ready, a small, powerful, black
mare, like a jennet, and on this led the way through the streets of
the city, now nearly empty, to the southern gate. As we rode along
together he gave me advice as to how I should proceed.
"You may now pass well enough among the Mahometans," he said, "for you
have learned a good deal of our manners, and if you had been willing
to forsake your degrading idolatry, and embrace the true worship of
Allah, you might have attained to a high position among us. But now
you are to pass through the country parts of Bengal, in which there
are few or no Moors, but only Gentoos, of whom I would have you
beware. For the secret hatred of these people for us, their rulers and
governors, is very great, so that though you should pass among them
for a Moor, you would fare little better than if they knew you to be a
Christian and a foreigner. Above all, beware of their Bramins, a
faithless, perjured race, given over to all kinds of vile, heathen
practices, such as you have no notion of. Let a Bramin once raise his
finger against you among these people and you are lost, for by means
of their manifold sorceries they have reduced the whole Gentoo
population to be their slaves."
He gave me some directions as to the road I was to travel, telling me
I should have to make a circuit so as not to pass through Calcutta,
which lay directly in the way to Fulta. The whole distance he
estimated as a little more than two hundred miles, and he advised me
to ride only at night, and conceal myself in the jungle during the
day. I asked him what I should do to procure food.
"That will require some address," he answered, "but you must avoid
entering a village. You will have to keep your eyes open as you ride
along, and when you come to some hut standing by itself with no others
near, enter boldly and demand provisions for yourself and your horse.
Beware of offering any money in payment, or they will suspect you to
be a fugitive and fall upon you; but if you hold yourself towards them
with pride and sternness, giving them only curses and blows, they will
respect and grovel before you, for such is the nature of the
Bengalese."
As soon as we were arrived at the gate of the town Meer Jaffier bade
me farewell.
"When you come before Sabat Jung you may salute him privately from
me," he said at parting. "Tell him that my nephew's violence towards
the English is far from commanding the approval of the elder and more
prudent among us, and that we earnestly desire to see your factories
restored and trade once more flourishing."
In these last expressions I knew him to be sincere. For since the
destruction of the English factories there had been a great falling
off in the revenues of Bengal, so much so that even the Nabob himself
was now inclined to repent of his action.
I thanked and saluted my protector, and giving the rein to my willing
steed, galloped forth into the night. And now it would be easy for me
to make a long story of those four days and nights which I spent in
travelling through the unknown parts of Bengal, riding along dark
forest paths with nothing to guide me but the stars, under mighty
trees whose boughs arched overhead like caverns and grew downwards
into the earth again, past sleeping Indian villages, where the dogs
bayed behind prickly fences, swimming dark rivers on whose surface the
reflections of strange idol temples rose and fell, and creeping
through thick jungles where my ears were stunned by the screams of
trooping jackals, and where my heart would sometimes come into my
mouth as I saw the brown grass bend and shake with the passage of some
great beast, and caught a glimpse of dark red stripes moving behind
the reeds, and heard the heavy padding of its paws. But only once
during this journey did I come into real danger, and that through a
neglect of the wise advice given to me by my good friend at starting.
For though Meer Jaffier had so strictly warned me against the Indians,
and particularly the Bramins, yet on the third night after my flight,
beginning to feel somewhat confident by having got so far in safety,
nothing would do but I must thrust my head into the lion's den, by
which I mean venture into one of their temples, at the very time they
were busy about a great religious ceremony. I had been on my way since
sundown, and had made very good progress, so that I supposed myself to
have got over the greater part of my journey, when towards the middle
of the night I came unexpectedly upon a great building, standing by
itself on the edge of a stream, which building I at once knew to be a
temple of the Gentoo religion.
Having passed several places of the same kind already I should not
have taken much notice of this one, perhaps, if my attention had not
been attracted by a peculiar drumming noise which seemed to proceed
from the inside, and sounded very strange and awful in the darkness. I
rode up as near as I dared, and then stopped, listening. The drumming
grew louder and louder, and I presently began to distinguish a purpose
in it. The sounds rose and fell in a certain regular order, very
unlike the melody of our musical instruments, but yet very impressive
to the ear. I found myself affected by a feeling of suspense as I
listened, which quickly passed into one of fear, and at the same time
I noticed that my horse had begun to shiver and sweat violently. The
only effect of this was to fill me with a burning curiosity to know
what this music was for. I tethered poor Ali to a tree, and though he
seemed to be greatly distressed at being left alone, plunged into the
undergrowth that surrounded the sides of the temple.
The whole place appeared to be in darkness. I groped my way at last to
the foot of a flight of steps leading up to the front, and finding
nobody on guard climbed up softly on all fours, only staying now and
then to breathe deeply, and to try and still the excessive beating of
my heart. The drums continued to sound, the notes becoming harsher and
more distinct as I approached. At the top of the steps I found myself
before a little stone doorway, through which a very faint dusky
glimmer emerged. I passed in, treading on tiptoe, and came along a
narrow stone passage, down which the sound of the drumming made a
dismal echo. At the further end of the passage the way was closed by a
thick curtain made of a substance that felt like stiff leather, and
was, I believe, the hide of an elephant. I pushed this back far enough
to let me through, and passed straight into the midst of the place.
As I did so the beating of the tom-toms broke on my ears with such
vehemence that I was well-nigh stunned, and a waving dance of torches
and cressets bewildered my eyes. I stood on the edge of a range of
steps looking down upon an amphitheatre crowded with men. On the other
side, over against me, rose a hideous idol, as high as the roof, with
many heads, each grinning horribly, whilst from its body there
protruded a monstrous array of clutching arms and hands, with other
disfigurements too loathsome to be set down. The persons underneath me
were all leaping and whirling round, with many gestures of homage to
the idol, and they uttered cries and screams which were drowned by the
noise of the drums.
In the midst of their frenzy I saw a man dart out stark naked,
prostrate himself for a moment at the idol's feet, and then inflict a
terrible gash on himself with a knife which he had in his hand.
Instantly the yellings and drummings were redoubled, the mass of
worshippers whirled themselves round more furiously than ever, and
then another and another man leaped forward and cut himself, each one
more savagely than his fellow. Though I have never known what it is to
be faint or sick in battle at the sight of wounds, nor even in a
hospital, the spectacle of these ghastly mutilations offered up by
these Indians in their madness to the idol turned me cold. I stood
there watching them, and saw the stones of the temple all bloody like
a shambles, and the dark faces of the worshippers distorted like
maniacs, amid the smoke and flare of the torches, and a din like that
of the pit; and remembering the different worship in which I had been
brought up, and the pious services conducted by good Mr. Walpole, I
thanked the Almighty who had granted me the blessed privilege of being
born in a Christian land.
And with this prayer in my heart I was turning to go when all at once
I was aware that I had been spied; the noise of the tom-toms and the
screaming dropped as if by magic, the torches were extinguished as
though a wind had suddenly passed through the place, and as I turned
and fled I heard the pattering of innumerable naked feet behind me on
the stones.