some not high enough for a man to stand upright: of these latter
several have very small entrances; and in these are devotees who had
vowed never to leave them alive. The wonder seems how they could ever
have managed to creep in. I saw some of these holy men: one of them
had entirely lost his sight; another had his right arm shrivelled,
and fixed in an upright position, with the nails several inches
in length growing through the palm of his hand. What suffering do
these heathens endure for the sake of their religion, whilst we
are so unwilling to do even a little to please the true God! Their
superstitions are most disgusting; but they are a reproach to us,
both for our inertness in attempting to convert the Hindus, and also
for the contrast they afford to our self-control, who call ourselves
Christians.
In the solid rock of these hills have been excavated some tanks;
but the most marvellous thing of all is the palace of the ancient
rajahs. This, like all the rest, is hollowed out of the solid stone,
and consists of two stories; the lower comprises a good-sized square
court, surrounded on all sides by large excavated chambers. Into
this yard you are obliged to descend from above. The upper floor is
similarly cut, except that a large portion of the rock has been cut
away before the entrances were made to the chambers. The consequence
is that there is a broad terrace, overlooking the rooms beneath,
and upon which the several apartments of the upper story open.
What labour must have been employed in making these extraordinary
excavations! The chambers are narrow, about twelve feet wide, but
many of them are long; speaking from conjecture, I should say that
one of them was not less than forty feet, the length corresponding
with the direction of the side of the quadrangle. The entrance-walls
(if I may call them so) seem to have been much ornamented; but what
struck me most was a statue, cut, of course, out of the solid rock,
and supporting one side of an ornamented entrance to one of the
chambers. This statue, the natives say, is intended to represent the
rajah who founded the palace: it is nearly the size of life and well
preserved. The right arm hangs down by the side, the left is bent at
the elbow, the hand resting on the hip. On the head appears to be a
close helmet, with, I think, scales down each side of the face. The
dress consists of a short shirt of scale armour reaching down to the
thigh; below this hangs a cloth skirt to the knees; hanging from the
shoulders behind is a short cloak resembling that worn by our modern
horsemen; round the waist is a sash or loose belt; boots reaching
half-way to the knees; and at the side is a double-edged Roman sword.
Now, to what nation or people such a dress as this can have belonged
I cannot conceive. I feel confident that no people of India have ever
worn such garments; yet, when I look at this dress, and consider the
Grecian nature of many of the letters in the inscriptions, and the
un-Indian appearance of the pillars in the lion's mouth, I cannot
help asking myself whether it is possible that, when Alexander was
stopped by the Affghans, any of his people ventured still farther
into the country, and after various wanderings founded Cundeegurree,
as conquerors of the district. Or, if I wish to turn my speculations
in another direction, I may examine the dress, carved in stone, and
that statue, and think of the name of the reputed founder Lalal,
India, Kesari (quære Cæsar?). All this, however, is mere speculation,
as I have no sufficient data at present by which to arrive at any
conclusion. There is a much longer inscription very correctly copied
in Stirling's 'History of Orissa.'
After spending a most interesting day at Cundeegurree we returned to
Bhalmacottee, from whence my wife and myself came on to Cuttack on
Saturday. I forgot to mention an animal that we killed; the natives
called it a "goodee sampsnake," and said it was very savage and very
venomous, though I imagine it was nothing but a guana. It is a sort
of lizard, with a very tough scaly skin, about two and a half feet in
length, head like that of a snake, forked tongue, sharp teeth, short
legs, armed with long claws or rather talons. I have preserved and
stuffed the skin.
[Sidenote: INSCRIPTIONS--ANECDOTE OF AN ELEPHANT.]
A gentleman has just been here who told me an interesting anecdote
about an elephant. A friend of his bought one, and went out
hunting with a large party. The animal behaved very well all day;
but in the evening, when they were going to take off the howdah,
the mahout called to the Europeans to stand farther off, as the
elephant appeared to be getting uneasy. He had hardly spoken when
the animal made a rush forward, seized an unfortunate native, and
began trampling upon him with his enormous feet; a chuprapee who ran
forward was seized by the elephant, and flung to the distance of many
feet into the river; the beast then raised the poor wretch he had
been crushing, and threw him into the jungle, where he was found with
not a bone unbroken; every limb was crushed: of course he died almost
directly. The elephant then ran off, and for weeks was the terror of
the country round--going into the villages, tearing down the houses
to look for corn or rice. At last he was caught, and sold to the
king of Lucknow, in Upper India. I should mention that the only
limestone hills in this part of India are those around Cundeegurree.
Pooree, May 26, 1844.
How little is known in England of what a thunderstorm is! At this
minute (about ten o'clock in the evening) the rain is pouring down in
vast sheets of water rather than in drops. For the last two hours the
lightning has not ceased for a minute at a time, whilst the thunder
has continued incessantly, varied occasionally by a tremendous crash
which bursts immediately above the house and shakes it to its very
foundation. Add to this the roaring of the sea and the howling of the
wind, and some idea may be formed of the fearful noise now sounding
in my ears. But the storm is, in one respect, more fearful here than
elsewhere; at this station most of the European houses are blown
down once in two or three years--a process which is anything but
comfortable to the inhabitants, who are compelled to shiver through
the night on the bleak sands, drenched with spray and rain, half
covered with loose sand, and afraid to stand lest they should be
blown away.
May 29.
[Sidenote: TEMPERATURE AT CUTTACK AND POOREE.]
I find that the depth of water which fell in the two hours and a half
that the storm continued was one inch and a half, a quantity which
in England, I believe, would not fall without many days of rain.
But this is a delightful place. The difference of climate between
this and Cuttack could hardly be conceived, and yet the distance is
only fifty miles. At Cuttack, during the hot season of the year, the
inhabitants are obliged to close every door and window at half-past
six in the morning, in order to keep out the fearfully scorching
heat, neither can they open them again till seven in the evening.
Although the air is kept in constant motion by the punkahs, yet,
being confined, and also much rarified by the heat, it produces a
stifling gasping sensation, which is most painful. At this time of
the year too the mosquitoes come into the houses in great numbers,
and we are therefore compelled to use the mosquito-curtains at
night, which have no opening all round, and the lower edge of which
is tucked in with the bed-clothes; you might almost as well be shut
up in a box. The intense heat, and the quantity of bad air which
necessarily accumulates under the curtains, cause continual headaches
and oppression of the lungs.
Well, you start from Cuttack in the evening, arrive at Pooree the
next morning, and what a change! The doors and windows are open all
day; and although the thermometer generally stands at 89°, yet the
incessant breeze off the sea prevents any inconvenience from the
heat; indeed, we are sometimes glad to close the doors in order to
keep out the air. At night a delicious fresh wind, which frequently
renders a blanket necessary, no mosquitoes, no curtains. In the
morning we can remain out of doors till eight; in the afternoon we
can go out at five.
How rejoiced many persons would be to be able to spend their hot
weather at such a place. There are, nevertheless, two great drawbacks
to the comfort of Pooree. First, the European houses are all situated
on a vast plain of loose sand, extending from the sea as far as the
eye can reach in every direction; so that it is considered at Pooree
quite impossible to walk. My wife, like most other ladies, rides in a
tonjon, a sort of small cab, carried on men's shoulders. I and almost
all the gentlemen ride on horseback, or rather ponyback. At Cuttack
only rich civilians keep horses; all we poor men are content with
ponies. I have three beauties: two of them, Birmah ponies, for the
carriage, are of a large size, thick built, very strong, and highly
valued on account of their hardihood. It is usual to keep their manes
cropped close, but I like to see them long. One carries me very well;
the other is a saddle-pony, which does either for my wife or myself.
It is bay, with long black mane and tail, very sleek, with thin
ankles and arching neck. Indeed, several people who have looked at
him say he is the best-built horse they ever saw. He is full of fire
and play, jumps about, and every now and then stands upon his hind
legs. But he will not bear to be annoyed by strangers. A friend of
mine was riding him one day, and teased him so much that at last he
reared and fell over backwards with him. The carriage-horses are what
is called sorrel-colour.
The second drawback to the comfort of Pooree is rather a curious
one, and is, I suppose, caused by the wind and the glare of the sun
upon the sands. It is the impossibility for any one to keep awake
during the day. Towards twelve o'clock an overpowering drowsiness
comes on. Once or twice I have resisted it, and on those occasions I
verily believe that in the evening, had I shut my eyes, I should have
gone to sleep upon my feet. This is the universal complaint of all
visitors to that place. The regular residents get over it.
Talking of the night reminds me of a general habit which would seem
very odd to people in England. A person would imagine that everybody
is very fidgety at night, and rolls and tosses about a great deal
in the very hot weather. To render ourselves more comfortable at
such times we have a number of pillows of all shapes and sizes and
hardnesses scattered about the bed. At one roll you lay your leg on
one and your arm on another, then you turn over to the other side,
and then, throwing your feet on to one pillow, you hold another
fast under your arm: that won't do, and you roll over on your back,
with one pillow under your knee and another under each arm, and so
on through the night. I can assure you that, however absurd it may
appear, this multiplicity of pillows is a very great comfort on very
hot nights, although when you awake you certainly often find yourself
and them in very funny positions.
[Sidenote: INTERVIEW WITH NATIVE RAJAHS.]
But now let us describe the journey up the hill, which is situated in
the territories of the Rajah of Neilghur; that is, he pays tribute
to the English, but governs his territory for himself. Just before
we went there, by the advice of the masahibs or councillors, he had
been into one of our villages making a great disturbance, whereupon
the commissioner, a sort of governor of the district, sent for the
Rajah, desiring him to come in to Balasore and explain his conduct.
I was with the commissioner when he arrived. The Rajah of Neilghur is
a handsome intelligent-looking young man of about twenty. His estate
brings him in a revenue of nearly sixty thousand rupees a-year.
His brother, who is about two years younger, and full of fun and
frolic, is always with him. They came to Balasore with a party of
about thirty, three elephants, and twenty horses. The Rajah and his
brother, with eight or ten of the masahibs, were ushered into the
commissioner's room, where chairs were offered to the two former;
the others remained standing. Of course all except the two young
Rajahs took off their shoes before they entered the room. Mr. M., the
commissioner, who, as I have told you, is the kindest of men, gave
them a long quiet lecture, and strongly advised them to dismiss the
masahibs and govern entirely for themselves; and he warned them that,
if such disturbances occurred again, he should be obliged to send and
take possession of the whole territory of Neilghur. They were very
submissive and made what excuses they could, but which, in point of
fact, amounted to none at all. At last they rose to take leave, and I
with one or two others joined them.
I immediately told the Rajah that we were going over to Neilghur on
the following day, and asked whether he would provide five hundred
coolies to beat the jungle. The Rajah promised that he would procure
us the coolies and elephants and make us comfortable. The party then
mounted, and really it was a very pretty scene. Both the Rajahs and
all their attendants were dressed in the purest white--full loose
trowsers, white frocks open on one side of the chest, and white
turbans. The younger brother wore a red sash, all the others white
ones. The Rajahs had most splendid gold chains round their waists,
and three very handsome rings in each ear. The eldest mounted first.
His horse, which was very tall and strongly built, was an albino; it
was perfectly white, with red eyes. The saddle, which for all natives
is made deep and well padded, was covered and entirely concealed
by a splendid crimson cloth extending from the shoulders to the
haunches. It was surrounded by a deep gold fringe, and reached about
half way to the ground on each side. The young man laid his hand
on the horse's shoulder, and at one vault sprang into the saddle,
the cloth remaining on. This was the signal for every one to mount,
and then they all began to show off. Their horses played all sorts
of antics; they danced, and plunged, and reared, and capered about,
though still under perfect control; indeed, it was evident that all
these tricks were the result of education. After some minutes spent
in this way, they suddenly started off at full gallop, and tore along
at a tremendous rate as long as they continued in sight. They were
followed by the elephants in a rough trot.
But I must say something more about these elephants. I was walking
through the town with C. the evening before, when we saw the
elephants coming towards us. We were both startled, if not alarmed.
One of them is said to be the largest in India, and it really did
look awful. The others, which were of the ordinary size, looked like
young ones by its side. I had afterwards an opportunity of measuring
it, and, if I remember rightly, its height was twelve feet eleven
inches. It is very old, as Tippoo Saib rode it at Seringapatam. It
is quite blind, and it is most interesting to observe its manner of
walking or running. At each step its trunk swings from side to side,
just touching the ground in front, so that the animal may know if
there is any impediment in the way. A part near the end of the trunk
is much worn away and quite hardened by this constant rubbing. His
tusks are magnificent, but his body is little more than a skeleton
covered with skin.
Whilst at Neilghur I saw this monster bathe. A boy took him down to
a pond close to our tent. He led him by one of his tusks. When he
reached the water, at an order from his attendant the elephant held
out his trunk and the lad climbed up it until he reached his tusks.
The elephant then raised his head until they were the highest part,
when the boy slipped off them on the head itself. The animal then
walked slowly into the water until it reached the top of his legs;
at a signal from the boy he then lay down, whilst the lad kept on
the head, scrubbing both that and his back. At another signal he
sank himself lower and lower, until only his trunk and the head and
shoulders of the boy were visible. It seemed to enjoy it very much,
and was almost unwilling to come out again.
[Sidenote: LEAVE BALASORE.]
We sent our tent on before and started from Balasore at about eleven
o'clock in the evening in palanquins. Our party consisted of T., D.,
B., C. and his son, and myself. We arrived at Neilghur at about three
o'clock, and our palanquins were simply set down on the ground that
we might finish our night's rest. By the by, when the bearers of the
palanquins are changed for fresh men, on taking hold they very often
cry out, "Ah! my brother, my child!" but with me they generally make
an addition to this--"Ah! my brother, my child, my elephant!"
When they set my palanquin down I turned to look about me. It was
very dark, though the stars were shining brightly. The hill seemed to
rise almost perpendicularly from my feet into the clouds; a strong
blast of cold wind came rolling down its sides, and I was very glad
to creep back again into my palanquin and cover myself up with a
thick blanket. A little before sunrise I turned out again and roused
my companions. We dressed ourselves, loaded our guns and pistols, and
started on the ascent, after swallowing a hasty cup of tea and a bit
of bread.
[Sidenote: SUNRISE--SCENERY.]
At this moment the sun rose, and none but those who have witnessed
the splendour of the oriental sunrise can have an idea of the
magnificence of the scene. Immediately in front of us was a broad
sheet of water surrounded by dense jungle, interspersed with lofty
trees, from which, as we looked, two peacocks came forth to drink. At
the back of the lake the hill rose abruptly to the height of nearly a
thousand feet, the sides partially covered with trees, but which were
interspersed here and there with precipices two or three hundred feet
in depth, composed of a dark-coloured rock. From each side of this
principal eminence project as it were shoulders, of about half the
height, and which, covered with the thickest foliage, inclined round
to the right and left so as to enclose us in a sort of semicircle.
We had sent men the day before to trace a path through the jungle,
and they had tolerably succeeded. But unfortunately I was weak and
far from well, and was completely knocked up before I got half-way
to the top. One of our party was a medical man, and he insisted on
my not attempting to go any farther. I felt deadly sick, my face was
as white as snow, every pulse in my head and chest throbbed as if it
would burst, my mouth was not dry but clammy, and when I lay down
on a piece of rock I almost doubted if I should ever rise again.
However, I soon felt better, descended the hill, got a glass of beer,
and lay down in the tent for an hour or two. The others reached the
top without much difficulty, though two of them avowed that, if the
summit had been a hundred yards farther, they could not have reached
it. They were very thankful for some beer and brandy-and-water which
I sent up for them. They saw no animals, though in several places
traces of bears were observed. The Rajah says there are no tigers in
these parts.
We had but little hunting; while we were there one of our party
killed a beautiful spotted deer. I shot some peacocks and a
jungle-cock. Talking of hunting reminds me of an adventure which I
must relate. The commissioner is the stoutest man I have seen in
India, although my wife did insinuate the other day that I was nearly
as big, but I am not.
The other day Mr. D., Lieutenant H., and the commissioner went out
hog-hunting. This sport is always performed on horseback with long
spears. The beaters soon turned out a magnificent boar. "A boar! a
boar!" was the shout, and up galloped the commissioner and plunged
the spear into the animal; but, in consequence of his horse swerving,
he was unable to withdraw the weapon, and the boar ran off with it
sticking into his back. Lieutenant H. now came up; the boar charged
him, cut both the fore legs of his horse to the bone with his tusks,
and tumbled horse and man over on the ground. In the mean time the
commissioner had seized another spear from his syce, when the boar
rushed at him. His horse swerved at the moment that he was making a
thrust with his spear, and the poor commissioner rolled over on the
ground. Fortunately the boar was nearly exhausted, too much so to
charge again; but he did what perhaps no boar ever did before,--he
seized the commissioner by the coat-tails as he lay on his stomach.
Feeling the snout of the beast, he at once expected to be cut, if
not killed, by its tremendous tusks.
He sprang upon his feet; the boar kept hold of his tail. The
Commissioner faced about; he had neither pistol nor knife, so he
commenced pummelling away at the boar's face with his fist. Now
imagine the scene--a man of his extraordinary size with his coat-tail
held up by an enormous boar; the Commissioner himself turned half
round, and having a regular boxing-match with the ferocious brute.
D. came up as quickly as he could for laughing, and with one good
thrust of his spear put an end to the fight. The charge of the boar
is fearful; he cuts right and left with his tusks, and inflicts the
most dreadful wounds.
[Sidenote: UNCIVIL TREATMENT OF RAJAHS.]
And now I must mention some circumstances which to me rendered our
expedition to Neilghur very unpleasant; they relate to the manner in
which our party treated the Rajah. On the morning of our arrival,
after our descent from the hills, he came with a party of horsemen
to call upon us. We were just sitting down to breakfast, when I
observed the cavalcade approaching. I mentioned it, and proposed
that, according to Indian politeness, we should go into the verandah
of our tent to receive them. But the principal man of our party said,
"Oh! bother the fellow, we can't see him now;" and he sent a servant
out to tell him so.
In the afternoon the Rajah sent his man, corresponding to our chief
gamekeeper in England, to ask when we should like the coolies to beat
the jungle, and to say that he would join us in the hunt. We named
the time and started accordingly, found the coolies in readiness, and
saw the Rajah and his brother coming upon elephants.
Our party began to move on, when I asked, "Will you not wait for
the Rajah?" "I should think not," was the reply; "we don't want the
beastly niggers with us." And yet these civilized men were glad
enough to make use of these beastly niggers' coolies and elephants. I
stayed behind and had some talk with them.
The next day the two Rajahs called at the tent; they entered as
gentlemen, and made the usual Indian salutation. With the exception
of myself, I do not think one of our party even rose from his chair.
In the course of conversation we spoke of the badness of the water we
got. The Rajah immediately offered to send a man six miles into the
hills to fetch some from a mountain stream. In little more than an
hour afterwards, one of our party, feeling thirsty, sent a servant
to ask the Rajah whether he had not got that water yet. In India,
in speaking to a servant, you use the word "toom," which signifies
"you." In speaking to a gentleman you say "ab," which means "your
honour." One or two of our party made a point of saying "toom" to the
Rajah, which was in fact a great insult. The younger brother called
upon us. The chief of our party spoke to him on the subject of the
disturbances, although it had all been settled by the Commissioner,
and gave him a regular blowing up. And now remember that all this was
to a gentleman--an Indian it is true, but still a gentleman, with a
fine estate, and about 6000_l._ a-year, from whom we were receiving
every kindness, and on whose land we were hunting. Can it be wondered
at that the natives do not like us so well as might otherwise be
expected?
The Rajah, I suppose, finding me more civil than the others, gave
me a great mark of honour. He took me on his own elephant, while he
acted as mahout, and whenever any roughness occurred on the ground he
turned to warn me of it. I own that I did not enjoy the honour much.
The elephant was covered with a crimson cloth, so that there were no
ropes to hold by. The only way in which I could manage was to sit
astride. It was really most painful, and I almost doubted whether I
should ever be able to get my legs together again. I had two brace of
pistols with me. The Rajah appeared very much pleased with them, and,
to make up for the rudeness of our party, I gave him one of the pair.
He was delighted, and I was sadly laughed at for giving anything to a
nigger. His palace is a fine white building on the side of one of the
hills.
Cuttack, July 4, 1844.
[Sidenote: SALT-MANUFACTURE.]