GRIFFINS IN INDIA--SINBAD'S VALLEY OF DIAMONDS--A MOSQUITO-HUNT.
On the evening of the 18th of November, 1812, we sailed, in his
Majesty's ship Illustrious, from the magnificent harbour of
Trincomalee. In attempting to get out we were sadly baffled by light
shifting winds, which knocked us about from side to side of the
entrance, in which, unfortunately, no good anchorage is to be found,
owing to the great depth of water and the rocky nature of the ground.
This serious evil of a rocky bottom is now almost entirely obviated by
the admirable invention of iron cables, when the water is not too
deep. The links of the chain merely acquire a polish by their friction
against the coral reefs and other sharp ledges, by which the best
hempen cables of past times would be cut through in ten minutes.
The chain-cable, however, is difficult of management in deep water,
that is to say, when the soundings are more than twenty or twenty-five
fathoms. Nothing is so easy as getting the anchor to the bottom in
such cases; it is the "facilis descensus," with a vengeance! But when
the anchor is to be pulled up again, then comes the tug. I once let
go my anchor with a chain-cable bent to it in forty-five fathoms,
without having calculated on the probable effects of the momentum.
Though the cable was bitted, all the stoppers snapped like packthread;
and the anchor, not content with shooting to the bottom with an
accelerated velocity, drew after it more than a hundred fathoms of
chain, in such fearful style that we thought the poor ship must have
been shaken to pieces. The noise was like that of rattling thunder,
and so loud that it was impossible to hear a word; indeed it was even
difficult to speak, from the excessive tremour caused by the rapid and
violent passage of the links, as the chain leaped, or rather flew, up
the hatchway, flashing round the bits, and giving out sparks like a
firework. Finally, it tore its way out at the hause-hole, till the
whole cable had probably piled itself on the anchor in a pyramid of
iron at the bottom of the sea. The inner end of the cable had of
course been securely shackled round the heel of the mainmast; but the
jerk with which it was brought up, made the ship shake from stem to
stern, as if she had bumped on a rock, and every one fully expected to
see the links fly in pieces about the deck, like chain-shot fired from
a cannon. It cost not many seconds of time for the cable to run out,
but it occupied several hours of hard labour to heave it in again. The
ordinary power of the capstan, full manned, scarcely stirred it; and
at the last, when to the weight of chain hanging from the bows there
came to be added that of the anchor, it was necessary to apply
purchase upon purchase, in order to drag the ponderous mass once more
to the bows.
When we got fairly clear of the harbour of Trincomalee, and caught
the monsoon, we dashed along-shore briskly enough; and having rounded
the south point of Ceylon, well named Dondra Head, or thunder cape, we
paid a visit to Point de Galle, celebrated for its bread-fruit and
cocoa-nuts. We then passed on to Columbo, the capital of the island.
Ceylon, I may take occasion to mention, is not considered by our
countrymen of the East to be in India. We stared with all our eyes
when this unexpected information was first given us, and fancied our
merry friends were quizzing us. But we soon learned that, in the
technical language of that country, Ceylon does not form a part of
India; still less does Sumatra, Java, or any indeed of the islands in
the great tropical Archipelago. New-comers are, of course, a good deal
perplexed by these and sundry other local peculiarities in language
and manners, which they at first laugh at as a good joke, then
ridicule as affected, and lastly conform to as quite natural and
proper. Among Anglo-Indians the straits of Malacca, Sunda, and so on,
together with the China sea, and those magnificent groups of islands
the Philippines and Moluccas, are all included in the sweeping
term--"To the eastward."
At almost every part of this immense range I found further local
distinctions, of greater or less peculiarity and extent according to
circumstances. At one place I was puzzled by hearing the name of a
whole country appropriated to a single spot. At Bombay, for example, I
remember it was the custom, at a certain season of the year, to talk
of going to the Deccan, which word properly includes an immense region
consisting of many provinces; whereas those who used this expression
meant, and were understood to express, only one point in it--a little
watering-place. Mere local words, in like manner, come to have a much
more expanded signification. The word Ghaut, I believe, means, in
strictness, a pass between hills; and hence, some bold etymologists
pretend, comes our word gate! The term, however, is now applied to the
whole range of mountains which fringe the western coast of India, just
as the more gigantic Cordilleras of the Andes guard the shores of the
Pacific.
But whether Ceylon be in India or not, this island is celebrated for
its precious stones; indeed, there are writers who believe that Mount
Ophir of the Scripture is Adam's Peak of Ceylon. Be this also as it
may, our ever-enterprising and active-minded Admiral determined to
bring this reputation to the proof; and, one day at dinner at the
governor's table, actually announced his intention of having a hunt
for the sapphires, rubies, tourmalines, chrysoberyls, and corundums,
for which the island has been long celebrated. His Excellency smiled,
and the company at large scarcely knew whether to treat the proposal
as a joke or as a serious affair. Sir Samuel, however, was not a man
to be quizzed out of his purposes; he begged to have a party of
workmen sent to him next morning, and that each of the men might be
furnished with a basket, a request which naturally produced a titter;
for it was made in such a tone as led us to fancy the worthy Admiral
expected to collect the rubies and garnets in as great profusion as
his far-famed predecessor, Sinbad the sailor, found them in the Valley
of Diamonds.
His precise plan he kept to himself till he reached the river, in
which the finest stones are said to be found, the alluvial strip of
ground bordering which was formed chiefly of fine gravel mixed with
sand, leaves, and mud. Here he desired the men to fill their baskets,
and to carry the whole mass, just as they picked it up, to one of the
ship's boats, which he had directed to meet him at the landing-place.
Not a word more was said on the subject at Government-house, nor on
board the ship, till a couple of days after we had left Columbo, when
the Admiral ordered the bag of gravel into his cabin, along with a
great tub of water and half-a-dozen wash-deck buckets. The whole stuff
collected on shore was now thoroughly cleaned, and when only the
gravel remained, it was divided into a number of small portions, and
laid on plates and dishes on the table of the fore-cabin. As soon as
all was arranged, the Admiral, who superintended the operation, called
out, "Send all the young gentlemen in the ship, and let every one take
a plateful of gravel before him, to catch what jewels he can."
Before the party had time to assemble, the delighted Admiral had
himself discovered in his own dish three or four small garnets, one
ruby, and several small crystals of corundum. By-and-bye, to the
astonishment of every one, a collection was made, which not only
furnished the promised ring to the governor's lady, but half-a-dozen
others of equal beauty. These precious stones were certainly not of
the largest dimensions; but, for all that, the Admiral established his
point.