During this voyage, which was five months to a day, we observed land
twice at a great distance, viz. the Cape of Good Hope, and the Island
of Sumatra: we had six men died, and two fell over board. But the land
which we so eagerly desired appeared upon our starboard bow upon the
13th of September, 1807. This island was formerly called Punang, but
the modern name is, Prince of Wales' Island, and is situated at the
straights of Malacca. The land has a very fine appearance when
tolerably near, having a gentle declivity toward the sea, and mantled
over with wood. But it was the water which we longed for, and the hope
of which raised our spirits more than the view of the truly welcome
scenery which we were approaching.
We remained on board of our respective ships until the 18th, when all
were ordered ashore; the sick men (at least those who were very bad)
to the general hospital, and the effective to the barracks. But we
sent more men to the general hospital than all the rest of the fleet,
which proves the bad consequences produced by scarcity of water; for
all the rest of the ships had three times our quantity, exclusive of
their having pease soup twice a week, which we were deprived of, from
the want of water. We had to march about three miles before we came to
the barracks, at the back of which there was a small rivulet; and you
may easily suppose that we were no sooner dismissed from the ranks,
than it was who to be first there, to enjoy once more the unspeakable
luxury of fresh water. But this had none of the best effects, for the
water being impregnated with the juice of the different kinds of sweet
fruits that fell from the trees of the plantation through which it
flowed, and our long abstinence, contributed not a little to bring on
a severe flux, which cut off the men in great numbers. Our
accommodation here was indeed very indifferent, and not at all what we
expected from the idea of India which we had formed to ourselves, from
what we were accustomed to hear when at home.
The barracks were very temporary, being entirely made from the
cocoa-nut tree, and were divided into five rooms, or rather houses,
clear from end to end, and containing each about one hundred and
eighty men. The walls, or rather sides of these houses, were made by
stakes driven into the ground, and were about nine feet high, and
these stakes covered over with cocoa-nut leaves, spitted like
candlewicks, and tied in horizontal rows, one over another from top to
bottom. The roof was formed nearly as it is in this country, and
covered with the same materials as the sides. And when it came to blow
hard, which it frequently did, and these leaves gave way to the blast,
the barracks had the appearance of waving corn in harvest. Our beds
also were as temporary as our barracks, being also stakes driven into
the ground, and spaked over from end to end like a horse's hack for
holding hay, without any bedding whatever, even for the sick in the
regimental hospital! It was therefore a happy thing for the men that
brought their hammock and blanket ashore, for those who sold them to
the bum-boats (that came along-side with fruit) were obliged to lie
with their body clothes, upon these knotty bamboo spakes, which made
them any thing but a comfortable place for repose.
We knew a great difference also of our provisions from what we had
been accustomed to at home; for we were served out with buffalo beef,
on which there was not to be seen a shred of fat; and rice was our
substitute for bread. This was very well for the natives, who knew
nothing else; but for men accustomed to the rich and substantial food
of Europe, and particularly after the stomach had lost all relish by a
wasting dysentery, it was very sorry fare, and made us incline to
adopt the sentiments of the Israelites, and to long for the flesh pots
of that land we had left.
We were a very few days here when the flux appeared amongst the men,
and made very rapid progress. I also took this trouble, which
increased upon me to a very great degree. I acknowledge myself to have
acted a very imprudent part, in not reporting myself to the doctor
sooner; but I was at last compelled to put my name into the sick list,
when I was well told of my error; and as I was found to be in a
dangerous condition, I was sent to the general hospital, where all the
worst of our men were; for the medical officers there were better
acquainted with the nature of this disease, and the accommodation was
also much better for the men. The manner in which the sick are
conveyed in this country, is as follows:--The person is put into what
is called a doolie, which is nearly in the form of one of the small
houses or boxes used in Scotland for watch-dogs, being about six feet
long, and three deep. In the middle of each side there is a door to go
out and in by, and upon the top, at each end, there is a strong ring,
through which a pole is put, and borne by four natives. I was
therefore laid in one of these doolies, and carried about half way,
when the bearers stopt. I conjectured that they were resting a little,
as it was three miles between the barrack and the hospital; but I was
rather surprised when one of them demanded some money from me. I told
him that I had nothing for him; but that I would give him something
when they carried me to the hospital. This did not at all satisfy him;
and the other bearers also became clamorous, and I began to fear they
intended me a mischief,--for they might have done what they chose with
me, as I was unable to make any resistance, being both feeble and
unarmed; but I got them to proceed, by giving signs to them that they
should be rewarded for their trouble afterward. But I never heard a
word about money when they set me down; and if I had reported them to
the general doctor, they would have been paid for their trouble with a
witness: but as they made off when I left the doolie, I said nothing
about it.
When I entered the hospital, and looked around me to view the place,
and saw the meagre and distressed features of the men stretched upon
the beds, and many of the cots empty, as if death had been robbing the
place of its inhabitants, to replenish the narrow house appointed for
all living, something awfully solemn stole upon my mind, which I could
by no means shake off, and which I am altogether unable to describe. I
had not remained here many days when I thought my disorder was taking
a turn for the better; but I was deceived in this, because it was only
some temporary relief I was receiving from the medicine, for it
returned upon me worse than ever. Here I had wearisome nights
appointed to me, for in that season I was generally worst. The ward in
which I lay was very large, and had a truly dismal appearance at
night, being lighted by two or three glimmering lamps, while all
around was solemn and still, save the cries and groans of the
sufferers, that seemed to contend along the echoing walls; and night
after night we were visited by the king of terrors, to many, I am
afraid, in his awfulest form. There were no less than six of his darts
struck the next cot to that on which I lay.
You may think that my state in these circumstances was truly
deplorable, and you think rightly, for so it was; but I have not told
you the worst, for "the spirit of a man may sustain his infirmity,"
and my spirit was not easily subdued by affliction, but "a wounded
spirit who can bear?" and "The arrows of the Almighty were within me,
the poison whereof drunk up my spirits," for here I had time for
serious reflection, or rather here it was forced upon me. Here I could
not mix with jolly companions to drive away melancholy, and my
favourite music could give me no relief. Here too I was compelled to
listen to the voice of conscience, and O! how loudly did it
expostulate with me about the answers I formerly gave it in Ireland,
namely, that I had no opportunity in the confusion of a barrack-room
for reading my Bible, meditation, or prayer, but that I would become a
good Christian when I was out of the army. Here I was indeed out of
the confusion of a barrack-room, but not only still in the army, but
far, far from any minister of Christ to give me wholesome counsel. O
what would I have given for the company of a godly minister, or pious,
well-informed Christian! but, alas! "I looked upon the right hand, but
none would know me; refuge failed me, no man cared for my soul."
Surely the Lord frequently answers the prayers of his people by
"terrible things in righteousness." Here, "in the multitude of my
thoughts within me," I could entertain little hope of ever coming out
of this place again, far less of getting out of the army, where I
might have an opportunity of serving God; for death seemed to be
making rapid strides towards me, to take me down to the "bars of the
pit." But death seemed rather a relief from my agonizing trouble, had
it not been that I knew that "after death there was a judgment." And
how was my soul to appear before the holy and just Judge of the earth?
This was a question I could not answer. I looked with anxious care to
see if any hope was to be entertained from my past life, but, alas!
all seemed to be a dreary waste. Some comfort, indeed, I had from the
view of my apprenticeship, and some time afterward, which I formerly
mentioned; but, alas! even then I saw myself to have been guilty of
many a sin, and all the rest of my life appeared to be but one act of
disobedience and rebellion; and I saw myself condemned by the laws of
heaven, supposing I had lived all my life in the apparently innocent
manner above stated; for it is written, "Cursed is every one that
continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law,
to do them." I next looked to the general mercy of God, but neither
could that give me any relief; and in this state of torment I remained
for several nights and days with little intermission. At last it
pleased the Lord to send me relief in the following manner:--
One forenoon, when I was almost distracted with the agony of my soul,
and the pain of my body, that blessed passage was given me, "Call upon
me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify
me:" and never before did I feel any thing come home with such divine
power and such healing comfort to my afflicted soul. I tried to
recollect if ever I had read it in my Bible, or heard it any time, but
in vain; yet I was fully persuaded that it was the voice of God
speaking in his word, and accompanied by his Holy Spirit. I will not
attempt a description of my mind at this time, for it is impossible,
because it was indeed "a joy unspeakable." O what a flood of comfort
did it impart to my helpless soul! for then I believed that God "had
not in anger shut up his tender mercy, but still intended to be
gracious." Now "the Lord made my bed in my sickness," for my couch, as
I thought, became softer, and every thing around me wore a different
aspect. I yet looked back with pleasure to the description of heaven
given by Mr. Boston in his Fourfold State, (which I used to read when
in Darnick,) and still hoped to be an inhabitant of that happy place.
Here the Lord turned for me "my mourning into dancing, he put off my
sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;"--here the Lord dealt with me
as he did with his ancient church, for "he allured me, and brought me
into the wilderness, that he might speak comfortably unto me;"--and
here "he made me to sing, as in the days of my youth." "Sing unto the
Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his
holiness: For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life;
weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." My
dear reader, if you are a stranger to the comfortable sense of the
favour of God, you may think this is strange kind of language; and no
wonder, for "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of
God, for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned;" but believe me, this was true
solid comfort, arising from a view which I had just obtained of a
reconciled God in Christ, although I acknowledge myself to have had
at this time a very imperfect knowledge of the gospel-scheme of
salvation.
Yet the Lord, who generally works by rational means, left not his work
half done, for he sent me an instructor in the following manner:--The
next day there was a young man, who sailed out with me in the same
ship, came and sat down upon my bed-side. He had been in the hospital
for some time, but I had never seen him, nor even known that he was in
the place, because he was in a different ward. I had even a very
slight acquaintance of him as a fellow-soldier, and none at all of his
being an eminent Christian. As I said, he sat down upon my bed-side,
and asked very kindly how I was. My heart warmed to him while he
uttered the words, though I cannot tell for what, but I formed somehow
a favourable opinion of him, and was free enough to tell him how
matters stood. I began by informing him how my mind had been exercised
since I came to the hospital, nearly in the way above related, as I
wished to hear his mind upon the subject, lest I should be deceiving
myself. He asked me, if I read my Bible. I said, that I had sometimes
read it when I could see, but could derive very little comfort from
it, as I could not understand it; and now my sight was so far gone as
to be unable to read it, but I would take it kind if he would read a
portion of it for me,--which he readily agreed to. But, oh! the rays
of light that darted into my mind while he read, and "opened to me the
Scriptures!" I then spoke to him of my former wicked, unprofitable
life. He said, "The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth from
all sin." I then said, the only comfort I could derive from the many
years I had lived, was when a very young boy, as I have formerly
stated; but I saw that although I had lived all my life in this
comparatively harmless way I was condemned; for it is written, "Cursed
is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of
the law, to do them." He answered, "That whatever the law saith, it
saith to them that are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped,
and all the world become guilty before God;" but that "Christ Jesus
had redeemed us from the curse of the law, by being made a curse for
them who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit;" and
moreover, "it was not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of
regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, shed on us abundantly
through Jesus Christ our Saviour." After some conversation of this
kind, we took leave of each other, he promising soon to come back and
see me. I need hardly tell you how we frequently "took sweet counsel
together," while he remained in the hospital; but his complaint
getting better, he was ordered to his duty, which truly I was very
sorry for. But by God's kindness in sending me this instructor, I was
put into the way that leads to everlasting life; and my mind being led
into "wisdom's ways, which are pleasantness and peace," my body began
gradually to recover.
The flux, however, still continuing, and keeping me in a state of
extreme weakness, I was advised by one of my fifers to take a dose of
corks and wine without the doctor's knowledge, since all his medicine
hitherto appeared ineffectual for stopping the flow of blood. I was
rather averse to this prescription, which was a pint of wine, made as
warm as I could possibly drink it, and a burnt cork reduced to a
powder and mixed with it, and this dose I was to take for three
nights; and, to encourage me, he said some of our former regiment were
cured by it when we were in Ireland. I accordingly took this horse
medicine with great difficulty; and you may easily imagine that it
could not be otherwise, considering that I had eaten nothing for about
a fortnight; and more particularly, that my mouth was perfectly raw
with the mercury which is given in obstinate cases of this disease,
and the cork stuck in my throat, so that it was hardly possible for me
to get it over; however, I got it managed for the three nights; but
never would I advise a friend of mine to try such an experiment, for
the pain of the flux was never so severe as that produced by this
savage dose. After being a few days in this extreme pain, the flux of
blood disappeared, and I got gradually better, but I have never
enjoyed my former health; and, I believe, stopping the blood so
suddenly was permanently unfavourable to my constitution.
I must not omit informing you, that my good friend the Colonel, with
whom I enlisted in Dublin, used to pay me a visit frequently; and
finding me in better health and spirits than formerly, he told the
doctor to let me want for nothing which could be of service to me. The
doctor then inquired very particularly into my case. I told him the
blood had left me, and that my mouth was rather better. He ordered me
a pint of wine every day, and a bit of fowl for dinner. In a word, by
the blessing of God, I got a good deal better, and left the hospital
upon the 9th November; but I had not been at my duty many days, when
an order came for seven companies to go to Madras, by a frigate and
two country ships, which were ready for us in the bay. We embarked
upon the 25th November, the staff and light company went on board of
La Dedaigneuse, a frigate formerly taken from the French; and the rest
of the regiment (except two companies left at the island) went on
board of the two country ships. We had a very rough passage, having
high winds, swelling seas, and a leaky ship; and being exposed to the
weather, as we took our watch upon deck in turns, I was again seized
with a severe flux. The Colonel, seeing me one day on deck, inquired
very kindly how I was? I told him the truth; and he was very angry
that I should expose myself in such weather, especially after my late
severe illness. I made the best apology I could, but he was not
satisfied, and desired me to go to the surgeon and let my case be
known. He likewise asked me what liquor I received? I told him half a
pint of arrack daily; but I said that I did not think that it was
agreeing with me. So he spoke to the doctor, who ordered me a pint of
wine in place of it, and to keep myself constantly below. The frigate,
as I have stated above, was very leaky; and having to encounter a
dreadful hurricane during four nights and days, it was with difficulty
that the crew, with the assistance of the soldiers, could keep her
afloat. We were three weeks upon this passage without any deaths,
except one man who fell overboard; but it was indeed a very
disagreeable voyage, for we could not keep our provisions from getting
wet by the sea rushing in between every plank! You may think it
strange that one of his Majesty's ships of war was suffered to be in
this leaky condition; but it would have taken a very tight vessel
indeed to have ridden this storm without making a considerable
quantity of water; and, moreover, she was ordered for dock as soon as
she reached the harbour.
The manner of landing persons on this coast may not be unworthy of the
reader's attention. The best boats belonging to his Majesty's navy
dare not venture through the prodigious surf that runs every where on
the beach, and you may often see the captains of the Indiamen or
Men-of-war, obliged to leave their elegant boats and fine-dressed
crews outside the surf, and get on board of what are called Massulah
boats, to be rowed ashore by natives. These boats are constructed
nearly like our own, but are considerably deeper. The planks are sewed
together by small cocoa-nut ropes, instead of being nailed, and they
are caulked by the cocoa-nut hemp (if I may call it so) of which the
ropes are made.
When the passengers are all seated, the boatmen begin their rowing,
which they accompany with a kind of song, until they approach the
breakers, when the boatswain gives the alarm, and all is activity
among the rowers; for if they did not pay great attention to avoid the
wave in the act of breaking, the boat would run every risk of being
swamped. The most severe part of the boat's usage is when she strikes
the beach the first time, which generally tumbles the passengers upon
one another like a heap. The boatmen must not attempt to jump out and
pull her ashore after the first breaker, for the wave that makes her
strike runs past a considerable distance, and then returns, rushing
down the declivity of the beach with irresistible force, carrying her
along with it; but before the next wave overtakes them the boat has
gained a little by rowing, so that the second shock is less
formidable; and, on the third, they jump out in a moment, and lay hold
on a rope fastened to the bow on purpose, and thereby hold her fast
till the passengers get ashore. Were our boats to get such usage it
would knock them to staves.
After our landing, we were encamped upon the south esplanade, which
divides Fort St. George from the original town of Madras.