'GRSONA 
 
 
 Y f<c\/. 
 
 D.D 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 
 
 Shelf i^,5. 
 
 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
 
 
 
 

Taj Mahal, Agra — South Facade. 
 
THE 
 
 LAND OF THE VEDA 
 
 BEING 
 
 PERSONAL REMINISCENCES 
 
 OF 
 
 INDIA 
 
 Its People, Castes, Thugs, and Fakirs 
 
 ITS RELIGIONS, MYTHOLOGY, PRINCIPAL MONUMENTS, 
 PALACES, AND MAUSOLEUMS 
 
 TOGETHER WITH THE 
 
 INCIDENTS OF THE GREAT SEPOY REBELLION 
 
 ILLUSTRATED ' • ., -• ' 
 
 l^TETTsZ- EIDITIOn^ 
 
 By WILLIAM' butler, D.D 
 
 NEW YORK : HUNT & EATON 
 
 CINCINNATI : CRANSTON & CURTS 
 
 1895 
 
Composition, electrotypiiig, 
 printing, and binding by 
 
 Hunt & Eaton, 
 150 Fifth Ave., New York. 
 
 Copyright by 
 
 HUNT & EATON, 
 
 1894. 
 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 TH E writer of this book has aimed to act toward the reader in 
 the relation of a guide, as though he were going over the 
 ground again, and giving the benefit of his experience, in pointing 
 out the objects of interest with which years and study have famil- 
 iarized his own mind. The thread of the narrative runs through 
 the work, and, so far as the subject permitted, its continuity has 
 been preserved. 
 
 In a theme like that of India, and after the reading and note- 
 taking of fifteen years, it is a difficult task for an author to trace 
 every entry to its source, or adequately to discriminate between 
 what is original and what is borrowed. Every reasonable effort, 
 however, has been made to give proper acknowledgment wherever 
 it was found desirable to use the ideas or language of others. 
 
 While the denominational relation of the writer is evident enough, 
 he trusts that there will not be found on these pages a single sen- 
 tence that can give offense to any member of Christ's Church, but, 
 on the contrary, that their perusal may encourage and strengthen 
 the faith of God's elect in that almighty Power which, even in the 
 idolatrous and conservative East, is so manifestly subduing all 
 things unto Himself. Here may be discerned the dawn of that 
 day, so long foretold, when all Oriental races shall be blessed in a 
 Redeemxcr who was himself Asiatic by birth and blood and the 
 sphere of His personal ministry — whose cross was erected on that 
 continent, and whose first ministers and members were taken 
 from among that people. The hundreds of millions of their de- 
 scendants now await this redemption, and shall yet joyously unite 
 to crown him " Lord of all." 
 
 The writer has not concealed his conviction that human history, 
 
4 PREFACE. 
 
 and the movements and changes of thrones, and powers, and 
 kingdoms, can be fully understood only in the light of the doc- 
 trine of the Second Psalm. Jesus Christ, the divine and eternal 
 Son of God, who created and redeemed this world, is its " Master 
 and Lord." The number, the malignity, the counsel of his foes, are 
 lighter in his estimation than the chaff of the summer threshing- 
 floor, and as easily swept from the path of his almighty move- 
 ments. He has not abandoned this world, with its thousand 
 millions of accountable and dying men, to be the victims of the 
 whims and caprice of selfish potentates, deceiving errorists, or 
 wicked spirits in high places, to be forever crushed down beneath 
 their tyranny and misdirection. He has undertaken, and will 
 accomplish, man's redemption in every sense, temporal, spiritual, 
 and eternal. 
 
 That repose which the world, and particularly its Oriental por- 
 tion, so much needs and has so long sighed for, is to be found 
 only in Him ; and it will come when He has overthrown the foes 
 of the world's welfare, and rectified its many wrongs. Then, be- 
 neath the benign administration of this " Prince of Peace," human- 
 ity at length shall rest, each of them under his own vine and fig- 
 tree, and none shall make them afraid. 
 
 The government of Christ alone explains the condition and the 
 history of the world. We acknowledge him to be " The blessed 
 and only Potentate, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords," 
 whose scepter sways "all power in heaven and in earth." At his 
 feet, who is " Prince of the kings of the earth," and " Head over 
 all things to the Church," is laid this humble effort to illustrate 
 his high providence, as one more heartfelt tribute to be added to 
 the many which are already ascribing — " Blessing, and honor, and 
 glory, and power unto Him who sitteth upon the throne, and unto 
 the Lamb for ever and ever ! " W. B. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE PEOPLE OP INDIA — CASTE AND ITS IMMUNITIES. 
 Txieat Emergencies of Christianity— Our Narrow Escape— Origin of Caste— The 
 Brahmin-Brahminical Devotions-Prerogatives and Investiture-Discriminations in 
 the Brahmin's Favor by the Law— Four Stages of a Brahmin's Life— Brahmmism a 
 Dead Failure— The People of India— The Ladies of the Land— The Nautch Girls— 
 The Gentlemen of India— Conversion and Career of Maharajah Dhuleep Singh— Habits 
 of the Hindoo Aristocracy— Christianity alone Creates a Home— Hindoo Visits of 
 Ceremony— Marriage Expenses— Manners and Customs Page 1 1 
 
 CHAPTER n. 
 
 STATISTICS, MYTHOLOGY, AND VEDIC LITERATURE. 
 Civil and Religious Statistics of India— The Languages of India -India Compared 
 to Europe— Trade, Commerce, and Revenue— Railroads and Telegraphs— English 
 Empire— Value of India to England— The Higher Motives for English Rule— Mapping 
 out Eternity— Measurements of Time— Mythology, Geography, and Astronomy of the 
 Hindoos— The Vedas— Beef-eating Sanctioned by the Vedas— Manners of the Hindoos 
 at the Time of the Macedonian Invasion, (326 B. C.)— Vile Character of Vedic Wor- 
 ship—Deception as to the Contents of the Veda— Hindoo Literature— The Ramayana 
 —The Temptation and Abduction of Seeta— The Mahabarata 66 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 ARCHITECTURAL MAGNIFICENCE OF INDIA. 
 Personal Narrative of Appointment and Journey— Our Reception in India— Charac- 
 ter of Mohammedan Rule— The Moslem Dynasty Passing Away— Zeenat Mahal— The 
 Khass and the Mogul Sinking Together— Architectural Taste of the Emperors- 
 Moore's Blunder in Lalla Rookh— Paradise and its Privileges— The Dewanee Khass and 
 its Glorious Furniture— Interview of Nadir Shah and Mohammed Shah— Tact of the 
 Courtier— The First Sight of the Taj Mahal— View from the Gate— Inside of the Taj 
 —The Effect of Music over the Tomb— The Taj Matchless— Origin of the Taj— The 
 Lost Opportunity of Romanism at Agra— A Prayer which God will ever Refuse to 
 Answer— Cost of the Taj— Etmad-ood-Doulah's Tomb— The Daughter of the Desert 
 —The Heroine of Moore's Poem— The Kootub Minar— Its Origin and Style— The 
 Government of Jehovah Christ over Nations and Dynasties— The Unfinished Minar— 
 The Palladium of Hindoo Dominion *0' 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 ORIGINATING CAUSES OP THE SEPOY REBELLION. 
 Position of the Emperor of Delhi— Terms of the English Bargain with the Mogul- 
 Why the Munificent Provision Failed— The Pageant felt to be a Bore— Moslem Hate 
 
6 CONTENTS. 
 
 of Christ and Christians — The Nana Sahib — His Agent Azeemoolah — A Hypocrite 
 who has no Equal — Mohammedan Monopoly of Place and Power — Sepoy Army and 
 its Disadvantages — Annexation of Oude — Dread of Christian Civilization — The Fakirs 
 of India — Humorous Anecdote of Self-torturing Fakir — The Yogees — Hindoo Rules 
 of Moral Perfection — Number and Expense of Saints in India — Militant Fakirs — Luck- 
 now, its Beauty and Vileness — Those who Needed us Most — Our Mission Field- -Joel, 
 our First Native Preacher — Peggy's Sacrifice for her Saviour Page 170 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 '« IN PERILS BY THE HEATHEN, IN PERILS IN THE ^VXLDERNESS." 
 
 Reception at Bareilly — A Man who Never Heard of America — The Greased Car- 
 tridges — Methods and Motives Employed to Foment Rebellion — Willoughby's Gallant 
 Defense of the Delhi Magazine — Massacre of Meerut and Delhi — Providential Com- 
 pensations — Our Warning to Flee — Declined to Leave — Reconsideration and Flight — 
 Left in the Terai at Midnight — God's Answer to a Brief Prayer — Our First Sight of 
 Nynee Tal — The Massacre at Bareilly — Joel's Narrative of his Escape and Flight- - 
 Death of Maria- -Bromfield-street and Bareilly on the Same Day — Massacre at Shah- 
 jehanpore — The Murdered Missionaries — " Tempering the Wind to the Shorn Lamb" 
 — Our Measures of Defense at Nynee Tal — The Value of Our Heads — "The Mutiny 
 Baby " — How we Lived, and our Commissariat — Mutilation of our Messengers — Hun- 
 gry for News — Mrs. Edwards and the Garment of Praise — Lying and Blasphemous 
 Proclamations of the Rebel Authorities — The Spirit of the Moslem Creed — The Delhi 
 Battle of the 23d of June — Scarcity and Dearness of our Provisions — Our Rampore 
 Friend — Le Bas and the Nawab of Kurnal — The Fakir and the Baby — Our Sudden 
 Flight fi?om Nynee Tal to Almorah — Again "in Perils in the Wilderness" — Light in 
 the Darkness — Almorah Reached at Last — The Fearful State of Things before Delhi 
 -Our Battle at Huldwanee 221 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE CAWNPORE MASSACRE AND THE RELIEF OF LUCKNOW. 
 
 American Blood among the First Shed at CaviTipore — " These are They which 
 Came Out of Great Tribulation " — Authorities for the Story — Sir Hugh Wheeler's 
 Preparation — The Beginning of the Long Agony — A Sorrow without a Parallel — The 
 Nana Sahib's Infernal Treachery — Reserves the Ladies for Another Doom — The Dark- 
 est Crime in Human Histoiy — The Nana Sahib Meets General Havelock — Totally 
 Routed — Havelock's Soldiers at "The Well" — "I Believe in the Resurrection of the 
 Body" — The Shrine erected by a Weeping Country — Blowing Away from Guns and its 
 Motive — Siege ot Lucknow — Sir Henry Lawrence's Preparation for Defense — The Dis- 
 astrous Defeat of Chinhut — The Unequal Conditions of the Conflict — The Muchee 
 Bawun Blown Up — Sir Henry Lawrence's Death — Determined Resolution of the Gar- 
 rison — Value and Price of Stores — Soothing Influence of Prayer — The Omen of Coming 
 Liberty and Peace — Havelock's Opportune Arrival at Calcutta — Military Services and 
 Career — Begins his Grand March with a Handful of Troops — The Battles of Futty- 
 pore and Pandoo Nuddee — Enters Cawnpore July 17th — Too Late after all to Save the 
 Ladies — Crosses the Ganges and Marches for Lucknow — Wins his Seventh Victory — 
 Obliged by Cholera and the Condition of his Troops to Wait for Reinforcements — 
 Sir James Outram's Noble Concession — Reinforced and On his Way again — The Res- 
 idency Reached and the Ladies Saved — Shut in Again — Sir Colin Campbell's Approach 
 to Lucknow — Jessie Brown and her " Dinnaye Hear the Slogan ? " — Meeting of Camp- 
 bell, Outram, and Havelock — Evacuation of the Residency — Havelock Dying — Recep- 
 tion of the Ladies at Allahabad 293 
 
CONTENTIS. 7 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE CAUSES AND FAILURE OF THE SEPOY REBELLION. 
 
 England's Misrepresentatives — The East India Company Answered by One of its 
 own Hindoo Subjects— Escape of India from French Rule— Young Bengal's Opinion 
 of Christianity — Native Appreciation of English Government — Hindoo Estimate of 
 Missionaries and Christianity— The Interested Enemies of Br-itish Rule— Suttee with- 
 out Vedic Sanction— The Mode and Extent of Suttee— The Motives of the Immolation 
 —Instances of Suttee— Abolished by Lord Bentinck— The Thugs of India— Our Inter- 
 view with Two Hundred of Them— Divine Sanction for Thuggeeism— What the Con- 
 flict Involved— England's Confession of her Sins— A Missionary Succeeds where a Gov- 
 ernment Fails— Sir John Lawrence's Christian Courage— Our Position again Assailed 
 — Another Divine Interposition in our Behalf— Delhi Falls at Last— Our Journey 
 Across the Himalayas— In Danger from the Wild Beasts— Arrival of our First Mis- 
 sionaries at Calcutta— In Sorrow, Supposing us Killed— We Reach the Plains and Pro- 
 ceed to Delhi— The Nakedness of the Captured City— Alone at Midnight at tlie Kot- 
 
 walie The Sights of Delhi— Mohammedan Treatment of Hindoo Idols— Our Visit 
 
 to the Fallen Emperor— Other Royal Captives awaiting Trial— Attending Christian 
 Worship in the Dewanee Khass— Why the Sepoy Rebellion Failed — Constitutional 
 Freedom Foreign to Eastern Minds Page 358 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 RESULTS OP THE REBELLION TO CHRISTIANITY AND CIVILIZATION. 
 
 Meetino- with One of the Bareilly Refugees — Colonel Gowan's Munificence — Doctor 
 Wentworth's Invitation to China — Sad Service at the Meerut Post-Office — Joined by 
 the Missionaries and their Wives — Lodged in the Taj Mahal — Proceed to Nynee Tal 
 and Commence our Work — The Sheep-House Congregation — The Battle of Bareilly — 
 The Grave of the Great Rebellion — Descent to Bareilly and Visit to my Ruined Home 
 
 Conducting Worship for Havelock's Heroes on their Last Battle-field — Visit to Khan 
 
 Bahadur in Prison— His Trial and How he Died — Journey to Futtyghur and Cawnpore 
 
 Re-enter Lucknow — Reception by Sir Robert Montgomery — Marvelous Changes — 
 
 Results of the Rebellion viewed from the Residency — Effect on the Mohammedans — 
 The Irishman in the Lucknow Court — "One of You shall Chase a Thousand" — Abo- 
 lition of the East India Company — Condition and Prospects of the Gospel — Martyr 
 Campbell's Prayer Answered — Christianity Invincible and Inevitable 430 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE CONDITION OP WOMAN UNDER HINDOO LAW. 
 
 Woman's Wrongs in India are Legal — Female Infanticide — "Dark Saugor's impious 
 Stain" — Betrothal of Hindoo Girls — Courtship Unknown in India — Legal Age for 
 Marriage — Seclusion follows Betrothal — Education of the Hindoo Maiden — Subordi- 
 nation of Woman Legally Enjoined — The Wife Prohibited from Eating with her Hus- 
 band — Required to Serve him while he Eats — Illustration of Royal Tyranny — A 
 Woman's Curse Dreaded — Polygamy Allowed by Law — Its Extent — Polyandry— Its 
 Ancient Character illustrated from the Mahabarata — Widowhood in India — Its Condi- 
 tion and Effect — Death and* Funeral of the Hindoo Wife and Mother on the Banks of 
 the Ganges 468 
 
8 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 OUR CHRISTIAN ORPHANAGES IN ROHILCUND. 
 
 Wages in India — Causes of Famines — Famine of i860 — Tlie Calamity Turned to 
 Account — Condition of the Orphans Received — Our Female Orphanage Erected on the 
 Site of Maria's Home — Aspect of our Congregations before i860 — The First Female 
 Orphan — Present Condition of Efficiency and Hope Page 506 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 RESULTS THUS FAR OF THIS WORK. 
 
 Explanatory Note — Our India Theological Seminary and its Encouraging Record — 
 Bishop Thoburn's Article Presenting the Pentecostal Development which God is now 
 Vouchsafing to the Work so Feebly Begun amid the "Great Fight of Afflictions" in 
 1857 — The Statistical Exhibit which the Work has Attained in Preparation for the 
 Great Future on which it is now Entering 529 
 
 Glossary of Indian Terms used in this Work and in Missionary Correspondence 559 
 
 Index 569 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 CHIEFLY FROM PHOTOGRAPHS. 
 
 The Taj Mahal — Agra, South Facade (Photo-Engraving). Frontispiece 
 Map — Land of the Veda (India) Opposite page 1 1 
 
 Page 
 
 Hindoos and their Teachers 17 
 
 A Brahmin 21 
 
 Brahmins at Prayer 26 
 
 A Lady of India in Full Dress 40 
 
 The Nautch Girl of India 44 
 
 The Maharajah Duleep Singh 4S 
 
 The Mohammedans of India 62 
 
 Mohammed Suraj-oo-deen Shah Gezee, Emperor of Delhi, the 
 
 Last of the Moguls 106 
 
 Zeenat Mahal, Empress of Delhi (Photo-Engraving) in 
 
 The Dewan Khass, or Hall of Audience, Palace of Delhi.. 117 
 
 Weighing of the Emperor in the Dewan Khass 123 
 
 The Taj Mahal viewed from the River Jumna 128 
 
 The Gate of the Taj 132 
 
 The Taj Mahal 136 
 
 Tomb OF AsuF Khan, Agra (Photo-Engraving) 15° 
 
 The Kootub Minar "57 
 
 The "Nana Sahib," the Author of the Cawnpore Massacre iSq 
 
 The Fakirs of India ^93 
 
 A Self-torturing Fakir ^9° 
 
 The Yogee, or Silent Saint of India • • • 200 
 

 
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 LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE PEOPLE OF INDIA CASTE AND ITS IMMUNITIES. 
 
 IN my youth I read those amazing descriptions of Oriental 
 magnificence recorded by Sir Thomas Roe— England's first 
 Embassador to India — and others, describing the power and glory 
 of " The Great Mogul " in such glowing terms that they seemed 
 more like the romance of the "Arabian Nights" than the real 
 facts, which they were, of the daily life witnessed in that splendid 
 Court. Europe then heard for the first time of " The Taj," " The 
 Peacock Throne," " The Dewanee Khass," " The Weighing of the 
 Emperor," when on each birthday his person was placed in 
 golden scales, and twelve times his weight of gold and silver, 
 perfumes and other valuables, were distributed to the populace ; 
 but the statements seemed so distant from probability that they 
 were regarded by many as extravagances which might well rank 
 with the asserted facts of " Lalla Rookh ; " so that the Embassa- 
 dor, who was three years a resident, and the Poet, who had never 
 been there at all, with their authorities, seemed alike to have 
 drawn upon their imagination for their facts, transcending, as their 
 descriptions did, the ability and the taste of European Courts. 
 
 How little I then imagined that it would fall to my lot at a 
 future day to be in that very Dewanee Khass, sitting quietly on 
 the side of his Crystal Throne, beholding the last of the Mogul 
 Emperors, a captive, on trial for hi? life, in that magnificent Audi- 
 
12 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 ence Hall of his forefathers, where millions have bowed down 
 before them in such abject homage ! that I should be there to see 
 him, the last of their line, descending from that throne and ^900,000 
 per annum to a felon's doom and the deck of a convict ship, to 
 breathe :ut the remnant of his miserable life upon a foreign shore ; 
 and then after his departure to behold, as I did, that costly Khass 
 given over to the spoiler's hand, rifled by the EngHsh soldiers of 
 its last ornaments, and ruined forever ! 
 
 Truly has it been said that ofttimes "fact is stranger than fic- 
 tion;" and the assertion has seldom received more impressive 
 illustrations than are found in the wonderful scenes which T wit- 
 nessed in the Court of Delhi at the close of 1857. 
 
 In reading that stirring account of the great victory won for 
 Christianity near Poictiers on the 3d of October, A. D. 732 — when 
 the brave Charles Martel, at the head of his Christian warriors, 
 had to meet Abder Rahman and his Arabian cavalry, 375,000 
 strong, and there to decide whether Europe should henceforth be 
 Christian or Moslem — one almost trembles as he thinks what would 
 have been the result had Charles failed that day ! The hosts of 
 the Arabian Antichrist had already extinguished the seven 
 Churches of Asia, almost swept North Africa of its Christianity, 
 had passed the pillars of Hercules and conquered Spain, crossed 
 the Pyrenees, and were now descending into France and Ger- 
 many with the intention of completing the circuit of the Mediter- 
 ranean, and making Europe as Mohammedan as they had made 
 Asia Minor and Palestine. Christendom was terrified, for the 
 Christian Church seemed pressed to the verge of ruin. On the 
 issue of that morning, so far as human eye can penetrate the future, 
 it was then and there to be decided whether Paris and London, 
 and, by consequence. New York and Boston, were to be like Bag- 
 dad, Constantinople, and Damascus : whether, instead of the spires 
 of our churches and the sound of our Sabbath bells, our race was 
 to receive, at the sword's point, another faith, whose outward 
 expression would be the Mosque and the Minaret, and the Muez- 
 zin's cry calling " the faithful " to the Koran and its prayers ! 
 
GHBISTIANITY'S GREAT EMERGENCIES. 13 
 
 Well did Christendom bestow the surname of the " Hammer" 
 upon the heroic Charles ! From the blows which he dealt out to 
 those foes of Gospel civilization they reeled back, stunned into the 
 keen conviction that for them and their hateful creed there was no 
 home in Europe. They recrossed the Straits of Gibraltar, and, 
 instead of the Gallic and Germanic races, sought an easier prey in 
 the enervated communities of Oriental heathenism. Thus, instead 
 of France and Britain and Germany, the Crescent of the False 
 Prophet subdued, and for nearly a thousand years waved over, Egypt, 
 Persia, Toorkistan, and India. But for the Providence which gave 
 Charles Martel that decisive victory, Arabic had been the classical 
 language, and Islamism the religion of our race and of Europe ; 
 and "America and the Cape, the Compass and the Press, the 
 Steam-engine, the Telescope, and the Copernican System, might 
 all have remained undiscovered until the present day." 
 
 When reading these thrilling events long years since, how free I 
 was from any anticipation that I should yet have to stand in the 
 center of Asia, amid a similar whirl of confusion and blood, organ- 
 ized by that very creed, as it rose in its might to sweep the East- 
 ern hemisphere of every vestige of the Gospel, and plant its 
 triumphant flag on the ruins of Christianity ; that it should be my 
 lot to be lost to sight for months amid the rolling clouds of the 
 conflict, where Henry Havelock, victorious over Nana Sahib, 
 accomplished for Oriental Christianity what Charles Martel did a 
 thousand years before for the same faith, in the West ; that at 
 length, emerging unscathed, I should have the high honor to be 
 invited by them to render their thanks to God for their victory, on 
 the last battle-field which his heroes won ; and, more wonderful 
 still, that there, amid the utter military downfall of that creed and 
 its chief dynasty, I should be privileged to plant the standard of 
 the Cross in the land of the Sepoy, and live to see Churches 
 founded and native ministers raised up from the very race who 
 sought our life and labored to destroy our faith ! 
 
 How different would the East and the West have been to-day 
 had either Martel or Havelock failed! But God is great for the 
 
14 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 exigencies of his people, and has often, as in both these instances, 
 shown that he can save by few as well as by many. I am fully of 
 the opinion, and think this work will abundantly show, that Oriental 
 Christianity never passed through such an emergency as that of 
 1 857-8. Even worldly men, ay, the very heathen themselves, 
 declared afterward that it was God alone who saved it from com- 
 plete annihilation. By every law and rule of power, opportunity, 
 and purpose, it must have perished had it been merely human, and 
 true philosophy as well as Christian faith teaches us that it was 
 only saved by the special interposition of Almighty God, its 
 defender and keeper. During the long and weary months of our 
 siege on the summit of Nynee Tal, the handful of villagers there 
 declared that we were the last of the Christian life left in India — 
 that from where we stood, to the sea on either side, our religion and 
 race had been all swept away. We knew well that if this were so our 
 fate was but a question of time that would soon be consummated. 
 
 Cut off and excluded, there we stood, our anxious hearts trying 
 to ponder the terrible question, Could this be so ? and if so, how 
 fearful must be the result ! For we felt assured, if it were, that the 
 successful effort of the India Sepoy would have found cruel imita- 
 tion in Burmah, China, and Japan, and that it was possible that, at 
 that hour — in those terrible days of July and August, 1857 — Chris- 
 tianity might have been extinguished in the blood of its last martyrs 
 on the Oriental hemisphere, and the clock of the world been put 
 back for centuries. We could only turn to God, and "against 
 hope believe in hope," while we ourselves " stood in jeopardy every 
 hour." How serious that jeopardy was may be realized by turning 
 to the map, and describing a circle around the geographical center 
 of our mission at Shajehanpore, until its diameter would expand to 
 three hundred miles. That area would encircle nearly the whole 
 of Rohilcund, Oude, and The Doab, and would include the cities 
 of Moradabad, Futtyghur, Bareilly, Lucknow, Cawnpore, Rampore, 
 etc. It would represent the very heart of the great Rebellion. 
 Every city, town, and village within these limits " fell," so that, with 
 the exception of the handful with us at Nynee Tal, one little^ group 
 
OUB NARROW ESCAPE. 1 5 
 
 that was closely hidden in a Hindoo home in Rohilcund, those in 
 the " Residency " of Lucknow, and those in the intrenchments at 
 Cawnpore — not a white face in all that great valley was left alive. 
 Within that fearful circle on the 31st of May, 1857, were five 
 American missionaries. I am the only one of the number that 
 came out of the terrible vortex ; all the rest, with their wives and 
 children, were ruthlessly murdered. We knew them well — Broth- 
 ers Freeman, Campbell, Johnson, and M'Mullen, and their devoted 
 ladies and little ones, honored and beloved missionaries of the 
 American Presbyterian Church. We alone of the number are left 
 alive to tell the story of the circumstances under which they suf- 
 fered, and of our own wonderful escape from a similar death ! 
 How well we can appreciate the victory of Christian civilization 
 over heathen cruelty and purposes, as well as the amazing strides 
 made by the Gospel and by education since that fearful day ! 
 
 The reader will well remember how the world stood horrified in 
 the fall of that year as mail after mail brought the tidings of cruelty 
 and massacre, in which neither age nor sex was spared, and also 
 with what anxiety they watched the progress of the feeble bands 
 of heroes who, under such leaders as the gallant and saintly 
 Havelock, fought their dreadful way to our rescue, too late to 
 save even one at Cawnpore, but in time to rescue us and those at 
 Lucknow. 
 
 The intervention of the civil war in this country necessarily for 
 the time turned away attention from the horrors which were fourteen 
 thousand miles distant ; but the public interest in this subject has 
 not ceased, nor will the story of the " Sepoy Rebellion " ever be 
 forgotten while men admire and honor heroic sufferings, Anglo- 
 Saxon pluck, and sublime Christian courage, exhibited against the 
 most fearful odds and in the face of certain death, in the center of 
 a whole continent of raging foes, while the Prince of the powers of 
 the air marshaled the hosts of hell to annihilate the religion of the 
 Son of God. Doubtless " the rulers of the darkness of this world " 
 had more interest and part in that fearful struggle than was taken 
 by the poor, ignorant Sepoy or his crafty priest. It was earth 
 
1 6 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 and hell combined. No other theory can account for its char- 
 acter. Of this the reader will judge for himself from the facts 
 presented. 
 
 Fourteen years have passed since closed that great " wrestling 
 with flesh and blood, with principalities and powers, and wicked 
 spirits in high places." Eight of those years were spent by the 
 writer amid the scenes of 1857-8, giving him occasion to verify 
 and examine the facts where they transpired, and correct his judg- 
 ment by as good an opportunity as could be desired. I feel the 
 responsibility to see that such facts shall not drop into oblivion. 
 They should not be allowed to die, especially associated as they 
 are with the history of the Methodist Church in India, whose foun- 
 dations were laid in such " troublous times." 
 
 It will assist the reader's attention, and promote a more ade- 
 quate understanding of our subject, to introduce to him at this 
 point the people of whom we are speaking, and also unfold some- 
 what their character and peculiar civilization. The wood-cuts are 
 mostly from photographs brought from India, and of course are 
 faithful representations of the various classes as they appear there, 
 The first group are Hindoos, as they sit round a Brahmin to listen 
 to the reading of the Vedas. 
 
 The Hindoos constitute the great majority of the Empire, and 
 are of the same Caucasian race as ourselves. Their ancestors 
 moved southward from their original home more than three thou- 
 sand years ago, and occupied the Valley of Scinde, probably on the 
 west bank of the Indus, while only Afghanistan and Persia lay 
 between them and the cradle of the race. There, in that valley, 
 their most ancient Vedas were written — manifestly so from the local 
 allusions — and from thence at a later period they migrated into the 
 richer Valley of the Ganges, driving before them the aborigines of 
 India, who sought shelter in the jungles and mountains, where 
 their descendants are found to-day. The Hindoos have long 
 ceased to be a warlike people. The rich land which they con- 
 quered, its fertility, the abundance and cheapness of the means 
 of life, and their inclination to indolence, which a warm climate 
 
H 
 
MOHAMMEDAN INVASION. 19 
 
 fosters, have all been promotive of the effeminacy into which they 
 have so generally sunk. 
 
 Their separation into castes and classes have tended to individ- 
 ualism, and to an utter indifference to politics or the public good ; 
 so that you seek in vain for what we call patriotism or love of 
 country. The Hindoo, as a general fact, cares not who rules the 
 land if only he is allowed to cultivate his fields and eat his rice in 
 peace. If left to himself, the last thing he would have thought of 
 would have been rebellion ; indeed, the Hindoos, as a people, did 
 not rebel. They looked on in astonishment, and left the whole 
 affair to be carried on and fought out by the Sepoys and the Bud- 
 maskes (the thieves and vagabonds) of the cities. 
 
 In every respect they are a contrast to the Mohammedans among 
 them. No tendency to amalgamation with them has ever been 
 developed. They regard them as aliens and oppressors, and are 
 even thankful that they are no longer under their control. 
 
 About eight hundred years ago there came pouring down into India 
 from the countries of the North-west a hardy, large-boned, intoler- 
 ant race of men, made up of various nations, who had heard of the 
 " barbaric pearl and gold " of Hindustan, and who panted to extend 
 over its ■wide realms their religion and rule. Before this Moham- 
 medan invasion the Hindoo race succumbed, though the strangers 
 were not one seventh of their number. But they were a unit ; and, 
 taking the Hindoo nations in detail, they conquered. Then, filling 
 the positions of trust and the offices of Government with their own 
 creatures, and as far as they could making a monopoly of education, 
 they continued to compensate for deficiency of numbers by a poli- 
 tic use of their opportunities, and left the Hindoo to till the soil 
 and pay the yearly tribute which they had laid upon him. The usual 
 alternative of the Mohammedan conquerors — conformity to their 
 creed or grinding taxation, or even death — had to be foregone in 
 this instance, as its attempted enforcement over a people so much 
 more numerot s would have been too much for even Hindoo patience, 
 and have ended probably in the extermination of their iconoclastic 
 conquerors. The distinctive characteristics of each are religiously 
 
20 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 kept up. One of them is in the fastening of the outer garment. 
 On meeting either party, though the dress is much the same, you 
 at once distinguish the Mohammedan from the Hindoo by the uni- 
 versal fact that the latter has his tunic made to button on the right 
 side, while the Mohammedan hooks his on the left. There is about 
 I he Mohammedan a fierce, haughty aspect, which he takes no 
 trouble to conceal. He cannot forget that he had ruled In India 
 for seven hundred years, until the hated English came and broke 
 the rod of his strength, and he is all the more disposed to show his 
 bitterness of spirit because the Hindoo race, with the exception of 
 a few Brahmins, hailed the change with sincere gladness, and can 
 now set him at defiance. It was on this fact that Englishmen 
 relied for the perpetuity of their rule ; and on it they might have 
 depended for long centuries to come, had it not been for a combi- 
 nation of peculiar circumstances which existed in 1857, and which 
 will be detailed in their place. 
 
 Taking individual portraits, for the sake of more distinctness, I 
 here present a Brahmin, as the acknowledged head of Hindoo 
 society, and an associate of the most exclusive and singular of all 
 earthly orders. 
 
 The man here introduced holds himself to be a member of the 
 most ancient aristocracy upon the earth. His dignity is one 
 entirely independent of landed possessions, wealth, or manorial 
 halls. Indeed, these have nothing whatever to do with it. The 
 man may have literally no home, and not be worth five dollars of 
 worldly property ; he may have to solicit his next meal of food 
 from those who respect his order ; but he is a Brahmijt, and is 
 prouder of that simple string over his shoulder and across his 
 naked breast than any English Earl is of his coronet. These men 
 laugh at such a mushroom aristocracy as that of Britain or France, 
 created merely by the breath of a human Sovereign, whose word 
 raises the plebeian to the noble order ; for the Brahmin holds that 
 his nobility is not an accident, but is in the highest sense *' by the 
 grace of God." It is in his nature, in his blood, by the original 
 intention and act of his Creator. He was made and designed bv 
 
A Brahmin. 
 
ORIGIN OF CASTE. 23 
 
 God to be different from and higher than all other men, and that 
 from the first to last of time. 
 
 How they hate that republican Christianity which declaies that 
 " God hath made of one blood all nations of men," and that Gospel 
 equality which announces that saints " are one in Christ Jesus," 
 and that, having " all one Father," " all we are brethren " in a 
 blessed communion, where no lofty pretensions or imprescriptable 
 rights are allowed to any, but he that would be greatest must be 
 the servant of all. 
 
 I have seen a person of this class, on approaching a low-caste 
 man, wave his right hand superciliously thirty yards before they 
 could meet, and so send him off to the other side of the road. The 
 poor despised man meekly bowed and obeyed the haughty inti- 
 mation. No sacerdotal tyranny has ever been so relentlessly and 
 scornfully enforced as that of the Brahminical rule, and none 
 has been such an unmitigated curse to the nation where it was 
 exercised. 
 
 Caste is an institution peculiarly Brahminical. The Sanscrit 
 word is varna, which denotes color — probably the ancient distinc- 
 tion between the Hindoo invaders and the aborigines. Caste, from 
 the Portuguese casta, a breed, exactly expresses the Brahminical 
 idea. Their account of its origin, abridged from the Institutes of 
 MeniL, the oldest system of law extant save the Pentateuch, is as 
 follows : 
 
 " In order to preserve the universe, Brahma caused the Brahmivi 
 to proceed from his mouth, the Kshatriya to proceed from his arm, 
 the Vaisya to proceed from his thigh, and the Siidra to proceed from 
 his foot. And Brahma directed that the duties of the Brahmins 
 should be reading and teaching the Veda ; sacrificing, and assisting 
 others to sacrifice ; giving alms if they be rich, and receiving alms 
 if they be poor. And Brahma directed that the duties of the 
 Kshstriyas should be to defend the people, to give alms, to sacri- 
 fice, to read the Veda, and to keep their passions under control. 
 And he directed that the duties of the Vaisyas should be to keep 
 herds of cattle, to give alms, to read the Shasters, to carry on 
 
24 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 trade, to lend money at interest, and to cultivate land. And he 
 directed that the Sudra should serve all the three mentioned castes, 
 namely, the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, and the Vaisyas, and that 
 he should not depreciate nor make light of them. Since the Brah- 
 min sprang from the mouth, which is the most excellent part of 
 Brahma, and since he is the first-born and possesses the Veda, he 
 is by right the chief of the whole creation. Him Brahma pro- 
 duced from his own mouth, that he might perform holy rites ; that 
 he might present ghee to the gods, and cakes of rice to the Pitris, 
 or progenitors of mankind." — Code of Hindoo Lazv, I, pp. %^, 94. 
 
 The Bhagvat Geeta, their most sublime treatise, repeats the same 
 arrangement, and makes their observance a condition of salvation 
 and moral perfection. Each class had thus a separate creation, 
 constituting it, in fact, a distinct species, involving a denial of the 
 doctrine that " God hath made of one blood all men." The 
 Hindoos thus reject our common humanity, and hold it to be 
 heresy to believe that all men are fellow-creatures, scouting the 
 idea that we should " honor all men," or " love our neighbors as 
 ourselves." 
 
 Brahmin is a derivative from Brahin, the Deity, and signifies a 
 Theologist or Divine. The caste is analogous to the tribe of Levi 
 under the Mosaic economy, but without the family of Aaron. All 
 the benefits of the Hindoo religion belong to this class, and the 
 code secured to them rights, honors, and immunities that no other 
 order could claim, so that their persons were to be considered 
 sacred and inviolate, and they could not be held amenable to the 
 penalties of law even for the worst of crimes. The intention of the 
 legislator was, that from this learned class alone the nation was to 
 take its astronomers, lawyers, prime ministers, judges, philosophers, 
 as well as priests. They were to hold the highest offices, and to be 
 supreme. The Brahmin is invested with that sacred string of 
 three cotton strands, and the ceremony is called regeneration, and 
 gives the Brahmin his claim to the title of the " twice born." For 
 him, and for him alone, has the law-giver laid down in detail the 
 duties of life, even to his devotions. Each morning he may be 
 
BRAHMINIGAL PRAYING. 27 
 
 seen, as here represented, on the banks of the Ganges or other 
 "holy" stream. 
 
 Any thing more singular and whimsical than the forms pre- 
 scribed for him were never enjoined upon humanity as religious 
 ritual. In illustration of this, from a paper in the "Asiatic 
 Researches," by Mr. Colebrook, as quoted by Dr. Duff, we ask the 
 reader's attention to the following extract. Speaking of the duties 
 of morning worship, one of which is the religious ablution, as here 
 represented, "the Sacred Books" strictly enjoin as follows : 
 
 " He may bathe with water drawn from a well, from a fountain, 
 or from the basin of a cataract ; but he should prefer water which 
 lies above ground — choosing a stream rather than stagnant water, 
 a river in preference to a small brook, a holy stream before a 
 vulgar river, and above all the water of the Ganges. If the 
 Ganges be beyond his reach he should invoke that holy river, 
 saying, ' O, Gunga, hear my prayers ! for my sake be included in 
 this small quantity of water with the other sacred streams.' Then, 
 standing in the water, he must hallow his intended performance by 
 the inaudible recitation of certain sacred texts. Next, sipping 
 water and sprinkling some before him, the worshiper throws 
 water eight times on the crown of his head, on the earth, toward 
 the sky ; again toward the sky, on the earth, on the crown of his 
 head ; and lastly on the ground, to destroy the demons who wage 
 war with the gods. During the performance of this aci of ablu- 
 tion he must be reciting these prayers : ' O waters ! since ye afford 
 delight, grant us present happiness and the rapturous sight of the 
 Supreme Being. Like tender mothers, make us here partakers of 
 your most auspicious essence. We become contented with your 
 essence, with which ye satisfy the universe. Waters, grant it to 
 us.' Immediately after this first ablution he should sip water with- 
 out swallowing it, silently praying. These ceremonies and prayers 
 bemg concluded, he plunges thrice into the water, each time repeat- 
 ing the prescribed expiatory texts. 
 
 " He then meditates in the deepest silence. During this moment 
 of intense devotion he is striving to realize that ' Brahma, with four 
 
28 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 faces and a red complexion, resides in nis bosom ; Vishnu, with 
 four arms and a black complexion, in his heart ; and Shiva, with 
 five faces and a white complexion, in his forehead ! ' To this sub- 
 lime meditation succeeds a suppression of the breath, which is thus 
 performed : Closing the left nostril with the two longest fingers of 
 his right hand, he draws his breath through the right nostril ; and 
 then, closing that nostril likewise with his thumb, he holds his breath, 
 while he internally repeats to himself the Gayatri, the mysterious 
 names of the three worlds, the triliteral monosyllable, and the 
 sacred text of Brahma ; last of all, he raises both fingers off the left 
 nostril, and emits the breath he had suppressed through the right 
 This process being repeated three several times, he must next 
 make three ablutions, with the following prayer : ' As the tired man 
 leaves drops of sweat at the foot of a tree ; as he who bathes is 
 cleansed from all foulness ; as an oblation is sanctified by holy 
 grass, so may this water purify me from sin.' He must next fill 
 the palm of his hand with water, and, presenting it to his nose, 
 inhale the fluid by one nostril, and, retaining it for a while, exhale 
 it through the other, and throw away the water to the north-east 
 quarter. This is considered as an internal ablution which washes 
 away sin. He then concludes by sipping water with the following 
 prayer : ' Water ! thou dost penetrate all beings ; thou dost reach 
 the deep recesses of the mountains ; thou art the mouth of the 
 universe ; thou art sacrifice ; thou art the mystic word vasha ; 
 thou art light, taste, and the immortal fluid.' " 
 
 After a variety of genuflections and prayers, of which these are 
 but a mere sample, he concludes his devotions by worshiping the 
 rising sun. The veneration in which the Brahmin is to be held 
 by all classes, the privileges which he is to enjoy, his occupations 
 and modes of life, are laid down with wonderful minuteness in this 
 Code of Hindoo Law. A mere sample of his assumptions, under 
 the head of Veneration, will suffice : " The Brahmin is entitled to 
 the whole of the universe by the right of primogeniture. He pos- 
 sesses the Veda, and is alone permitted to teach the laws. By his 
 sacrifices and imprecations he could destroy a Rajah in a moment, 
 
PREROGATIVES OF THE BRAHMINS. 2g 
 
 together with all his troops, elephants, horses, and chariots In 
 his wrath he could frame new worlds, with new gods and new 
 mortals. A man who barely assaulted a Brahmin, with the inten- 
 tion of hurting him, would be whirled about for a century in the 
 hell termed Tamasa. He who smote a Brahmin with only a blade 
 of grass, would be born an inferior quadruped during twenty-one 
 transmigrations. But he who should shed the blood of a Brahmin, 
 save in battle, would be mangled by animals in his next birth for 
 as many years as there were particles of dust rolled up by the 
 blood shed. If a Sudra (a low-caste man) sat upon the same seat 
 with a Brahmin, he was to be gashed in the part offending." — 
 Institutes of Menu, I, 94, etc. 
 
 Thus a body of men, supposed to number not more than a few 
 hundred thousand, have held the two hundred millions of their 
 fellow-countrymen for thirty centuries in the terrors of this sacer- 
 dotal legislation, enforcing its claims to the last limit of endurance, 
 though at the fearful price of the utter ignorance, degradation, and 
 slavery of their nation. The reader can well appreciate che indig- 
 nant feelings with which this greedy, proud, and supercilious order 
 of men contemplated the incoming of a Christian Government, 
 which would make all men " equal before the law," and the advent 
 of a Religion whose great glory it is to vindicate the oppressed and 
 " preach the Gospel to the poor." 
 
 The Kshatriya caste (derived from Kshetra, land) and the Vais- 
 yas (traders) had the privilege of the investiture with the sacred 
 string ; but to the Sudras there was to be no investiture, no sacri- 
 fice, and no Scriptures, They were condemned by this law to perpet- 
 ual servitude. Yet this class, with the Outcasts, were necessarily 
 the great majority of the nation, and those who might have been 
 their instructors and guides, heartlessly took away the key of 
 knowledge, made it a legal crime to "teach them how sin might be 
 expiated," and deliberately degraded them for time and eternity. 
 The Vedas expressly state that the benefits of the Hindoo religion 
 are open only to three of the four castes ! The fourth-caste man 
 
 could have no share in religion and hold no property. He was a 
 3 
 
30 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Tjondsman, and that forever. No system of human slavery ever 
 equaled this ; for it was intense, unalterable, and unending, by the 
 act of God himself. 
 
 The distinctions of society, by the ordinances of the Hindoo 
 Lawgiver, were thus indicated : Brahmins, or Priests ; Kshatriyas, 
 or Soldiers and Rajahs ; Vaisyas, or Merchants and Farmers ; 
 Sudras, the servile class. 
 
 The arrangements indicate a pastoral condition of society, far 
 removed from the stirring scenes of the life of the nineteenth cen- 
 tury. The ordinances made no preparation for the wider wants of 
 men or intercommunication of other nations, or the development 
 of our race. They had no provision for manufacturing, mining, or 
 commercial life, but expected the world to move on forever in their 
 limited conservative methods. These four castes were subdivided, 
 according to the theory, into sixty-four, and in the grooves thus 
 opened the divisions of labor were expected to run, so that even 
 trade should become hereditary ; and thus, whatever the genius or 
 ability developed in any man, he was expected to be content to 
 remain in the profession of his father. He might have the germ 
 and the buddings of a mmd like Newton's, but, according to " their 
 cast-iron rules of social life, if his father made shoes he too must 
 stick to the last." 
 
 No man of one caste can eat, smoke, marry with, or touch the cook- 
 ing-vessels of a person of another caste. The prohibition is fear- 
 fully strict, and guarded with terrible sanctions. And it is as des- 
 titute of humanity as it is singular ; so that, were a stranger of their 
 own nation, coming into one of their towns, to be taken suddenly 
 ill, and unable to speak and explain of what caste he was, he would 
 certainly be liable to perish, for the high-caste people would be 
 afraid to touch him, lest they should break their caste, and those of 
 the low-caste would be unwilling, lest their contact (on the suppo- 
 sition of his superior order) might irrecoverably contaminate him. 
 In their hands the man would perish unaided. 
 
 This unique masterpiece of Brahminism was intended by its 
 framers to be a wall of brass around their system, to secure its unal- 
 
BRAHMINIGAL INVESTITURE. 31 
 
 terable permanency. But, its own heartless selfishness and cruel 
 tendencies had so far overdone the work that it was found practi- 
 cally impossible to sustain the integrity of the arrangements. Inno- 
 vations crept in and conflicts ensued, and, despite the desperate 
 efforts of the Brahmins, confusion has marred Menu's strange 
 designs, while the introduction of Western civilization, the teach- 
 ings of Christianity, and the light of true knowledge, have delivered 
 such severe and repeated shocks that the venerable and hideous 
 monstrosity is tottering to its final fall. 
 
 Four Stages of Life are marked out by Menu for the Brahmin : 
 I. The BrahntacJiari, or Studentship of the Veda ; 2. The GriJias- 
 tha, or Married State ; 3, The Vanaprastha, or Hermit Life ; 4. The 
 Sannyasi, or Devotee Condition. ' 
 
 The Brahmachari stage begins with the investiture of the sacred 
 thread, which act signifies " a second birth." The investiture takes 
 place in his eighth year in case of a Brahmin, the eleventh year 
 for a Kshatriya, and the twelfth for a Vaisya. The investiture 
 introduces the " twice-born " Brahmin boy to a religious life, and is 
 supposed to sanctify him for the study of the Veda. 
 
 The thread of the Brahmin is made of cotton and formed of 
 three strings ; that of the Kshatriya is made of hemp, and that of 
 the Vaisya is of wool. It is termed the " sacrificial cord," because 
 it entitles the wearer to the privilege of sacrifice and religious 
 services. Certain ceremonies are observed for girls as well as for 
 boys, but neither girls nor women are invested with the sacred 
 thread nor the utterance of the sacred mantras. They have con- 
 sequently no right to sacrifice. Indeed, the nuptial ceremony is 
 considered to be for woman equivalent to the investiture of the 
 thread, and is the commencement of the religious life of the 
 female, {Menu, II, 66, 67.) So that, a lady remaining unmarried, 
 has nothing equivalent to their " second birth " here, and can look 
 forward to no certainty of a happy life hereafter. The poor Sudra 
 is entirely excluded. Thus, the Servile Man and the unmarried 
 woman of any, even the highest, caste are equally left outside the 
 pale of Brahmjnical salvation — exactly that condition to which 
 
32 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 High-Church Puseyism consigns all " Dissenters " when they hand 
 them over to "the uncovenanted mercies of God." 
 
 In addition to the exclusion of woman and the lower caste, this 
 terrible Code proceeds to sink still deeper vast multitudes of their 
 fellow-creatures. The " Outcasts " are numbered by the million. 
 Some of these are called " Chandalas," and concerning them this 
 heartless and cruel Lawgiver ordains : " Chandalas must dwell 
 without the town. Their sole wealth must be dogs and asses ; their 
 clothes must consist of the mantles of deceased persons ; their 
 dishes must be broken pots, and their ornaments must consist of 
 rusty iron. No one who regards his duties must hold any inter- 
 course with them, and they must marry only among themselves. 
 By day they may roam about for the purposes of work, and be dis- 
 tinguished by the badges of the Rajah ; and they must carry out 
 the corpse of any one who dies without kindred. They should 
 always be employed to slay those who are sentenced by the laws to 
 be put to death ; and they may take the clothes of the slain, their 
 beds, and their ornaments." — Code, X, 51-58. 
 
 Can the Western reader wonder that, tame and subdued though 
 the Asiatics may be, these aristocratic ordinances should have 
 proved too much for human nature, or that the introduction of 
 English rule and fair play, elevating these long-crushed millions to 
 legal equality with these proud Brahmins, was an immense mercy 
 to nearly one sixth of the human family "> 
 
 As a sample of how this sacerdotal law, framed for his special 
 glorification, discriminated in favor of the Brahmin, it may suffice 
 to quote a sentence or two. On the question of his privileges when 
 called to testify in a Court of Justice, he must be assumed to be 
 the "very soul of honor," and his oath, without exposure to pen- 
 alty, was to be held sufficient. The Code decreed that " A Brah- 
 min was to swear by his veracity ; a Kshatriya by his weapons, 
 horse, or elephant ; and a Vaisya by his kine, grain, or gold ; but 
 a Sudra was to imprecate upon his own head the guilt of every 
 possible crime if he did not speak the truth." — VIII, 113. "To 
 a Brahmin the Judge should say, ' Declare ;' to a Kshatriya he 
 
DISCRIMINATIONS IN THE BEAHMIN'S FAVOR. 33 
 
 should say, ' Declare the truth ;' to the Vaisya he should compare 
 perjury to the crime of stealing kine, grain, or gold ; to the Sudra 
 he should compare perjury to every crime in the following lan- 
 guage : ' Whatever places of torture have been prepared for the 
 murderer of a Brahmin, for the murderer of a woman, or child, 
 have also been ordained for that witness who gives false evidence. 
 If you deviate from the truth you shall go naked, shorn, and blind, 
 and be tormented with hunger and thirst, and beg food with a pot- 
 sherd at the door of your enemy ; or shall tumble headlong into 
 hell in utter darkness. Even if you give imperfect testimony, and 
 assert a fact which you have not seen, you shall suffer pain like a 
 man who eats fish and swallows the sharp bones." — Menu, VIII, 
 
 79-95- 
 
 The scale of punishments in the case of a Brahmin (in the few 
 instances where he was at all amenable to the law it could only 
 touch his property, never, under any consideration, his person) was 
 equally drawn in his favor, and was all the lighter in proportion to 
 the inferiority of caste of the man whom he had injured ; while, on 
 the other hand, it was equally to be increased in severity (for the 
 same crime in both cases) in proportion to the same distinction 
 Says the law, " A Kshatriya who slandered a Brahmin was to be 
 fined a hundred panas ; for the same crime a Vaisya was to be 
 fined a hundred and fifty or two hundred panas ; but a Sudra was 
 to be whipped." On the other hand, if a Brahmin slandered a 
 Kshatriya " he was to be fined fifty panas ; if he slandered a Vaisya 
 he was to be fined twenty-five panas ; but if he slandered a Sudra 
 he was only to be fined twelve panas. If, however, a Sudra insulted 
 any man of the twice-born castes with gross invectives, he was to 
 have his tongue slit ; if he mentioned the name and caste of the 
 individual with contumely, an iron style, ten fingers long, was to be 
 made red-hot and thrust into his mouth ; and if, through pride, he 
 dared to instruct a Brahmin respecting his duty, the Rajah was to 
 order that hot oil should be poured into his mouth and ear," — 
 Menu, VIII, 266-276. 
 
 The " pana " was then nearly equal to our cent, so his privilege 
 
34 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 of slandering a Sudra could at any time be exercised with impunity 
 for a dime, while, if it was so done unto him, the law took good care 
 that the plebeian wretch should never repeat the offense, for his 
 tongue was to be slit. How truly could the Almighty, whose 
 name they blasphemously invoke for their outrageous legislation. 
 say of them, " Are not your ways unequal .-• " 
 
 Even in salutations the Code ordained the forms, and gave them 
 a religious significance. " A Brahmin was to be asked whether 
 his devotion had prospered, a Kshatriya whether he had suffered 
 from his wounds, a Vaisya whether his wealth was secure, and a 
 Sudra whether he was in good health." — Menu, II, 127. 
 
 The food, the privileges, the duties, of this pampered monopolist 
 are all minutely laid down in the Code, but they are too diffuse and 
 too childish to place before the reader, and would not be worth the 
 space occupied. In proof of this I quote one sentence from the 
 fourth chapter, merely remarking that the whimsical injunctions 
 are left without any rhyme or reason. They are as unaccountable 
 as they are singular. " He (the Brahmin) must not gaze on the 
 sun while rising or setting, or eclipsed or reflected in water ; he 
 must not run while it rains ; he must not look on his own image 
 in water ; when he sees the bow of Indra in the sky he must not 
 show it to any man , he must not step over a string to which a 
 calf is tied ; and he must not wash his feet in a pan of mixed 
 metal." 
 
 In these stages of its development and claims, Brahminism is 
 nothing less than a system of supreme selfishness, and was worthy 
 of the express teaching with which the Brahmin was directed, in an 
 emergency, to sacrifice every thing to his own precious self, in the 
 lollowing rule : " Against misfortune let him preserve his wealth ; 
 at the expense of his wealth let him preserve his wife ; but let him 
 at all events preserve himself, even at the hazard of his wife and 
 riches." 
 
 How little can such a religion or such a law know of disin- 
 terested affection, or of that devotion which would risk every thing 
 for the safety and happiness of its beloved object .-* 
 
THIRD STAGE OF THE BRAHMIN'S LIFE. 35 
 
 His student life ended, the Brahmin commences his married 
 existence with forms and rules which will be referred to when we 
 come to speak of the condition of woman under Hindoo law. In 
 this second stage of his life he is required to have " his hair and 
 beard properly trimmed, his passions subdued, and his mantle 
 white ; he is to carry a staff of Venu, a ewer with water in it, 
 handful of Kusa grass, or a copy of the Vedas, with a pair of 
 bright golden rings in his ears, ready to give instruction in the 
 sacred books, or political counsel, and to administer justice." 
 
 Then in order would come the third and fourth stages of his life, 
 the rules of which are so unique. Such an amazing contrast to 
 the unbounded privileges of the previous stages, and withal so 
 little like what ordinary humanity would impose upon itself, thai 
 we must quote them for the information of the reader. These two 
 stages express the very essence of Brahminism. In the Hermit 
 stage, the theory is a course of life that will mortify the passions 
 and extinguish desire ; this being accomplished, the last order, or 
 Devotee stage, is religious contemplation with the view to final 
 beatitude. 
 
 Menu says, "When the twice-born man has remained in the 
 order of Grihastha, or householder, until his muscles become flaccid 
 and his hair gray, and he sees a child of his child, let him abandon 
 his household and repair to the forest, and dwell there in the order 
 of Vanaprastha, or Hermit. He should be accompanied by his 
 wife if she choose to attend him, but otherwise he should commit 
 her to the care of his sons. He should take with him the conse- 
 crated fire, and all the domestic implements for making oblations 
 to fire, and there dwell in the forest, with perfect control over all 
 his organs. Day by day he should perform the five sacraments. 
 He should wear a black antelope's hide, or a vesture of bark, and 
 bathe morning and evening ; he should suffer his nails and the 
 hair of his head and beard to grow continually. He should be 
 constantly engaged in reading the Veda ; he should be patient in 
 all extremities ; he should be universally benevolent, and entertain 
 a tender affection for all living creatures ; his mind should be ever 
 
36 THE LAND OF TEE VEDA. 
 
 intent upon the Supreme Being ; he should slide backwaid and 
 forward, or stand a whole day on tiptoe, or continue in motion by 
 rising and sittmg alternately ; but every day, at sunrise, at noon, 
 and at sunset, he should go to the waters and bathe. In the hot 
 season he should sit exposed to five fires, namely : four blazing 
 around him, while the sun is burning above him. In the rainy 
 season he should stand uncovered, without even a mantle, while 
 the clouds pour down their heaviest showers. In the cold season 
 he should wear damp vesture. He should increase the austerity 
 of his devotion by degrees, until by enduring harsher and harsher 
 mortifications he has dried up his bodily frame." — Code, VI, 22 ; 
 Vishnu Purana, III, 9, etc. 
 
 As regards the life to be pursued by a Sannyasi, Menu lays 
 down the following directions : 
 
 " When a Brahmin has thus lived in the forest during the third 
 portion of his life as a Vanaprastha, he should for the fourth por- 
 tion of it become a Sannyasi, and abandon all sensual affections, 
 and repose wholly in the Supreme Spirit. The glory of that 
 Brahmin who passes from the order of Grihastha to that of San- 
 nyasi illuminates the higher worlds. He should take an earthen 
 water-pot, dwell at the roots of large trees, wear coarse vesture, 
 abide in total solitude, and exhibit a perfect equanimity toward all 
 creatures. He should wish neither for death nor for life, but 
 expect his appointed time, as a hired servant expects his wages. 
 He should look down as he advances his foot, lest he should touch 
 any thing impure. He should drink water that has been purified 
 by straining through a cloth, lest he hurt an insect. He should 
 bear a reproachful' speech with patience, and speak reproachfully to 
 no man ; and he should never utter a word relating to vain, illusory 
 things. He should delight in meditating upon the Supreme Spirit, 
 and sit fixed in such meditation, without needing any thing earthly, 
 without one sensual desire, and without any companion but his 
 own soul. 
 
 " He should only ask for food once a day, and that should be in 
 the evening, when the smoke of the kitchen fires has ceased, when 
 
LAST STAGE OF A BRAHMIN'S LIFE. 37 
 
 the pestle lies motionless, and the burning charcoal is extinguished ; 
 when people have eaten, and when dishes are removed. If he fail 
 to obtain food he should not be sorrowful ; if he succeed in obtain- 
 ing it he should not be glad. He should only care to obtain a suf- 
 ficiency to support life, and he should not be anxious about his 
 utensils." 
 
 As to the character of his thoughts : " A Sannyasi should reflect 
 on the transmigrations of men, which are caused by their sinful deeds ; 
 on their downfall into a region of darkness, and their torments in 
 the mansions of Yama, (the God of the dead ;) on their separation 
 from those whom they love, and their union with those whom they 
 hate ; on their strength being overpowered by old age, and their 
 bodies racked with disease ; on their agonizing departure from this 
 corporeal frame, and their formation again in the womb ; on the 
 misery attached to embodied spirits from a violation of their duties, 
 and the imperishable bliss which attaches to embodied spirits who 
 have abundantly performed every duty. 
 
 " The body is a mansion, with bones for its rafters and beams, 
 with nerves and tendons for cords, with muscles and blood for 
 mortar, with skin for its outward covering, and filled with no sweet 
 perfumes, but loaded with refuse. It is a mansion infested by age 
 and by sorrow, the seat of diseases, harassed by pains, haunted with 
 the quality of darkness, and incapable of standing long. Such a 
 mansion of the vital soul should always be quitted with cheerful- 
 ness by its occupier." — Institutes of Hindoo Law, VI, 76, yy. 
 
 When you look around and inquire for these self-denying re- 
 cluses, with their sublime superiority to the things of earth and the 
 wants and wishes of the human heart, you will not find them ; cer- 
 tainly not among the Brahmins. Few of these have ever adopted 
 in reality a life so like that of the Yogee, or Self-torturer. All 
 testimony goes to show that Menu's ordinances for the third and 
 fourth stages of the Brahmin's life have lain in his law-book with 
 not one Brahmin in ten thousand even commencing to make them 
 a reality of human experience. It was too much for humanity, and 
 could only be embraced by some fanatic of a Fakir, who would 
 
38 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 voluntarily assume such a condition for self-righteous and self 
 glorifying ends. Such men can and will do, for such reasons, what 
 other men have not nerve enough to adventure merely in obedience 
 to the theoretic rules of their order. 
 
 The Brahmins would fain be regarded as the learned class' of 
 India. Of course there was a time when, in the earlier ages of 
 the world, they were so, as compared to men in other nations. 
 No scholar can doubt this for a moment. But the world and 
 education are no longer what they once were ; both have advanced 
 amazingly, while the Brahmin has not only stood still, but he 
 has retrograded. The ruins of India's colleges, observatories, 
 and scientific instruments, especially in Benares, (once "the eye 
 of Hindustan,") convince the traveler too painfully of this fact. 
 Even there, in that renowned city, there is not a single public 
 building devoted to, or containing, the treasures of India's arts, 
 sciences, or literature ; no paintings, sculptures, or libraries ; no 
 colleges of learning, no museums of her curiosities ; no monuments 
 of her great men ; only beastly idolatry, filthy fakirs, shrines of 
 vileness without number, and festivals of saturnalian license, all 
 sustained and illustrated by a selfish and ignorant Brahminhood. 
 Their learning is in the past, and little remains save their great 
 Epics and the magnificent dead Language in which they were writ- 
 ten. Their chronology is a wild and exaggerated falsehood, their 
 geography and astronomy are subjects of ridicule to every school- 
 boy, their astrology (to which they are specially devoted) a humbug 
 for deluding their countrymen ; they had no true history till 
 foreigners wrote it for them, and could not even read the Pali on 
 their own public monuments till such Englishmen as Princeps and 
 Tytler deciphered it. Native education to-day owes more to 
 Macaulay, Dr. Duff, and Trevelyan, than to all the Brahmins of 
 India for the past five hundred years. Every improvement intro- 
 duced, and every mitigation of the miseries in the lot of woman, 
 and of the lower and suffering classes, has been introduced aganist 
 their will and without their aid as a class. They feel, they know, 
 that their system is more or less efiete ; that they are being left 
 
A Lady of India in Full Dress. 
 
BRAHMimSM A DEAD FAILURE. 41 
 
 behind in the march of improvement on which their country has 
 entered. But there they stand, scowHng and twirling their Brah- 
 minical string ; while the Sudras and the very " Chandalas," whom 
 they tried so hard to doom to eternal degradation, are obtaining in 
 Government and Missionary schools a sanctified scholarship, which 
 is soon to consign the claims and pretensions of this venerable, 
 haughty, and heartless aristocracy to the everlasting contempt 
 which they deserve ! One by one, in their ridiculous helplessness, 
 they behold their strong places taken and wrested from their 
 grasp. The very Ved$. in which they gloried, and behind which 
 they falsely defended the vileness and cruelty of their system, has 
 been magnificently collated and published in eight volumes by 
 the scholarship of Max Miiller, and then rendered, with equal 
 ability, (the last volume having been published within the past 
 five years,) into English by Wilson & Cowell. So that all the 
 world may now know what the Veda is, and what it teaches, and 
 thus hold these unworthy guardians of it to the fearful responsi- 
 bility which they have incurred, in pretending to quote its authority 
 for the abominations which characterize their modern Hindooism, 
 with all its grievous wrongs against woman in particular, and 
 against the interests of their own nation, as well as its violation of 
 the common sense and judgment of mankind, for whose opinions, 
 however, the Brahmins of India never showed the least respect 
 
 We now turn from them to introduce the reader to one of the 
 ladies of the land. 
 
 The opposite picture is from a photograph for which this lady, 
 Zahore Begum, of Seereenugger, consented to sit. As her face 
 had to be seen by the artist, the concession was a very singular 
 one for any lady of her race. It was done to gratify the Queen of 
 England, who, on the assumption of the direct sovereignty of India 
 — on the abolition of the East India Company in 1859 — requested 
 that photographs of the people, and their various races, trades, and 
 professions, might be taken and sent to her. Her Majesty gra- 
 ciously consented to have her valuable collection copied, and by 
 the courtesy of Captain Meadows Taylor, the Oriental author, the 
 
42 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 writer obtained copies of this and several others of much value, 
 which will appear in these pages. 
 
 My readers have, therefore, before them a faithful picture of a 
 Hindoo lady of the highest rank, as she appears in her Zenana 
 home, under the best circumstances, having made herself as attract- 
 ive as silk, and muslin, and cashmere cloth, and a profusion of 
 jewelry, can render her. In the jewel on the thumb of the left 
 hand there is inserted a small looking-glass, of which the fair lady 
 makes good use. The usual gold ring, strung with pearls, is in her 
 nose, lying against her left cheek ; and her forehead, ears, arms, 
 fingers, ankles, and toes are crowded with jewelry and tinkling 
 ornaments, the sounds of which proclaim her presence and ap- 
 proach always. 
 
 The wood-cut does no justice to her warm olive color, many of 
 them being even almost fair. Most of them have a figure of great 
 beauty, and a natural elegance of movement which their drapery 
 and rich clothing well become. But the mind is totally neglected. 
 In fact, until lately, when a gleam of light has begun to shine for 
 women in the Land of the Veda, it might be said, without qualifica- 
 tion, that no part of an American definition of education would 
 apply to the culture under which a daughter of India is fitted for 
 future life. It does not, for her, include reading, or writing, or his- 
 tory, or science, or aught else which we include in its meaning. 
 Education, in its proper sense, is denied to the females of India ; 
 denied on principle, and for reasons which are unblushingly avowed, 
 and all of which are reflections upon her womanly nature — one of 
 them being the position that education in the hands of a woman 
 would most likely become an instrument of evil power. She is 
 deliberately doomed by modern Hindooism to a life of ignorance 
 because she is a woman. 
 
 We have mentioned the present dawn of a better day. It is but 
 the dawn. Dr. Mullen's statistics tell us that already there are 
 now thirty-nine thousand six hundred and forty-seven women and 
 girls receiving an education in the Zenana schools in India. The 
 number is by this time larger and still increasing. Yet it is but 
 
The Nautch Girl of India. 
 
THE LADIES OF INDIA. 45 
 
 the commencement ; for the above number, dividing the one hun- 
 dred miUions of women in India, gives but one in two thousand 
 five hundred and twenty-two who are receiving instruction, a num- 
 ber equal only to what this country would have to-day were but 
 one American lady in five hundred and four blessed with education. 
 What need is there, then, to urge on the glorious toil of rescuing 
 India's daughters from the intellectual abominations which desolate 
 their soul and mind in this fearful manner ! 
 
 The sad story of the wrongs of woman in India will be told after 
 we have traced the rise and fall of the great Rebellion ; for the 
 mitigations of her condition, which , Christian law had in mercy 
 enforced, were then put forward by her Brahminical oppressors as 
 one of the reasons why they had renounced their allegiance to 
 British rule. 
 
 But there is one class of women, and it is a very large class, in 
 India, who are under no such restrictions and jealous seclusion as 
 the lady on the former page. These court publicity, and you can 
 see them every-where. This order of females are released from 
 the doom of an illiterate mind. They can read, write, and quote 
 the poets, and jest with the conundrums and "wise saws" of the 
 land. The writer has known of attempts made by this class of 
 girls to enter our schools in order to add the English tongue to 
 their acquisitions, to be used by them for the worst of purposes. 
 These are the " Nauch Girls," a portrait of one of whom, from a 
 photograph, is here given as she appears in public. 
 
 Their title means dancing-girls. No man in India would allow 
 his wife or daughter to dance, and as to dancing with another man, 
 he would forsake her forever, as a woman lost to virtue and mod- 
 esty, if she were to attempt it. In their observation of white 
 women, there is nothing that so much perplexes them as the fact 
 that fathers and husbands will permit their wives and daughters to 
 indulge in promiscuous dancing. No argument will convince them 
 that the act is such as a virtuous female should practice, or that its 
 tendency is not licentious. The prevalence of the practice in 
 
 "Christian" nations makes our holy religion — which they suppose 
 4 
 
46 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 must allow it — to be abhorred by many of them, and often it is cast 
 in the teeth of our missionaries when preaching to them. But 
 what would these heathen say could they enter our operas and 
 theaters, and see tl?e shocking exposure of their persons which our 
 public women there present before mixed assemblies ? Yet they 
 would be ten times more astonished that ladies of virtue and repu- 
 tation should be found there, accompanied by their daughtcs, to 
 witness the sight, and that, too, in the presence of the othei sex ! 
 But, then, they are only heathens, and don't appreciate the high 
 accomplishments of Christian civilization ! Still, Heaven grant that 
 the future Church of India may ever retain at least this item of the 
 prejudices of their forefathers ! Dancing forms, then, no part of a 
 daughter's education in India, and it probably never will, that is, 
 unless they become corrupted by "Christian" example. 
 
 All of that sort of thing that they ever desire, on occasions of 
 festivals and ceremonies, they hire from the temples and bazaars. 
 Four or five of these women, tricked out in all their finery and 
 jewelry, and tinkling ornaments on arms, necks, and feet, will, for 
 four or five dollars, dance and jest, and sing India's licentious songs 
 for hours ; but even they don't dance except with their own sex. 
 They are prostitutes, and yet they are undoubtedly the only intel- 
 ligent and cultivated class of Hindoo women. So that the profane 
 and debased have a monopoly of education, while the virtuous and 
 retiring ladies of the land are condemned to a life of ignorance. 
 Such is woman in India as to her mind. 
 
 Until within a few years this fearful barrier to woman's educa- 
 tion stood sternly across the path of the missionary. A change, in 
 the great mercy of Heaven, is dawning at last even upon India ; 
 but as recently as ten years ago, when you spoke to a Hindoo 
 father about educating his daughter, the ideas that are here clearly 
 enough intimated at once presented themselves to his mind, and 
 your proposal seemed to him to be almost profane, as he thought 
 " Would you make my daughter a Nauch girl .? " The Temple of 
 Knowledge, with its sacred flame, no longer guarded by the Vestal 
 Virgins, seemed resigned absolutely to the control and occupation 
 
The Maharajah Duleep Singh. 
 
THE NAUCH GIELS. ^ 49 
 
 of those polluted beings, whose profession and blandishments are 
 exerted to 
 
 " Make vice pleasing and damnation shine," 
 
 but whose guests are in the depths of hell. 
 
 We next present to the reader one of the upper class of Hindoo 
 society just as he would appear at a " Durbar," or State ceremonial, 
 or in receiving guests at his palace, or in connection with some 
 public display. 
 
 The dress of a gentleman in India is regulated as to its quality 
 by his wealth and position, and in its variations of form by his 
 creed and locaUty ; but the Maharajah costume here shown may 
 be regarded generally as that of his countrymen. 
 
 Their dress is free and flowing, adapted to the climate, and 
 leaving to the limbs a greater freedom of action, with more circula- 
 tion of air, than the American style of dress can ever know. Al- 
 though to our imagination it appears somewhat effeminate in its 
 aspect, yet it is eminently graceful and becoming to the wearers, 
 as any one who has seen a company of Hindoo gentlemen together 
 will have observed. There is something so conservative and bib- 
 Heal in the aspect of it, that you feel at once that the fluctuations 
 of the fashions can have no influence upon it. Here is something 
 that is at once suitable and unchanging — a style of comfort and 
 elegance which the past five hundred years has not varied, and 
 which will probably remain unaltered when five hundred more 
 years have passed away. 
 
 The dress here represented shows a vest of " Kinkob " — cloth of 
 gold — slightly exposed at the breast ; a loose-fitting coat falling 
 below the knees, made of rich yellow satin from the looms of 
 Delhi, bordered with gold embroidery ; a Cashmere shawl of greal 
 value encircles the loins, and the usual "Kummerbund" binds all to 
 the waist of the wearer. The turban is made of several yards of 
 fine India muslin, twisted round the head, heavily adorned with 
 chains of pearls, and aigrettes of diamonds and precious stones. 
 These, with the pearls encircling his neck, are of large size and 
 extraordinary beauty and value, the heir-looms of many generations. 
 
50 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 He holds by his side his State sword, the hilt of which is studded 
 with precious stones. To all this " glory " might have been added 
 the matchless Koh-i-noor diamond, for this prince was the heir 
 of "The Mountain Light," his father, the Maharajah Runjeet 
 Singh, having been its last possessor ; but the great diamond was 
 sent as a present to Queen Victoria, and he himself is handsome 
 and happy enough without it. 
 
 How significant of the resources of India is the fact that every 
 article on the person of this princely man, from the gold and gems 
 on his head to the embroidered slippers on his feet, is the produc- 
 tion of his own country, and all of native manufacture ! How 
 quietly in this respect he outshines the Broadway " exquisite " or 
 Parisian belle, whose finery must be sought for in a score of climes 
 and imported from many lands ! 
 
 The Maharajah is considered one of the handsomest of his coun- 
 trymen. The excellent wood-cut here representing him does not, 
 however, do justice to his black, lustrous eyes, or his finely formed 
 features and intelligent look. 
 
 The education of the gentlemen of India is sadly deficient. 
 Conducted in the Zenana, among ladies ignorant of the most 
 elementary knowledge, their mental training and acquisitions are 
 usually of the most superficial sort, and destitute of healthful stim- 
 ulus. But the gentleman here represented is one of the exceptions 
 to this rule ; and as he has had the moral courage to separate him- 
 self from heathenism and receive the Christian faith, the reader 
 may be pleased with some further notice of him. 
 
 He is the first royal person in India who has become a follower 
 of Jesus Christ. His highness is the son and heir of the Maha- 
 rajah Runjeet Singh, who, from the ferocity and valor with which 
 he conducted his wars and ruled his people, was called " The Lion 
 of the Punjab." The old gentleman's policy left his nation in con- 
 fusion, and the English power, in the wars that resulted, found his 
 forces to be the sturdiest foe with whom they had ever measured 
 swords in India. Runjeet died in 1839, ^"^^ ^'is son, this Duleep 
 Singh, then only four years old, was placed upon the throne. His 
 
THE MAHAMAJAH'S CONVEMSION. 5 1 
 
 uncles ruled in his name, but the ten years which followed were 
 times of anarchy and bloodshed, the Regents being assassinated in 
 succession, and the country one vast camp. The army superseded 
 the civil power, and in their folly actually crossed the frontier, and 
 in 1845 invaded British India. They were repulsed, but only to 
 renew the effort four years later, when they were overthrown, and 
 the Punjab — the country of the five rivers, as the word means, 
 the rivers named in Alexander's invasion, and which unite to form 
 the Indus at Attock — was annexed to the British Empire. The 
 young Maharajah was pensioned, and placed for education under 
 the care of the Government, God mercifully guided the Governor- 
 general in the selection of guardian and tutor for the little prince. 
 Dr. (now Sir John) Logan, of the medical service, and a member 
 of the Presbyterian Church, was appointed his guardian, and Mr. 
 Guise, of the civil service, Avas selected as his tutor. To Mr. 
 Guise's other high qualifications for his duties was added a beau- 
 tiful Christian character. He had need of all his fitness, for the 
 little ex-king had never been used to any restraint, much less to 
 study or to books, and claimed the right to run wild and neglect 
 all mental acquisitions. But the patience and conscientiousness 
 of the faithful tutor overcame every difficulty ; good habits and a 
 taste for reading were at length formed. Their home was at Fut- 
 tyghur, on the Ganges, where the American Presbyterian Church 
 has a Mission, (the missionaries being mentioned by name on a 
 previous page,) in which many young men were receiving a Chris- 
 tian education. The prince expressed a desire to have some one 
 of good birth and talents for a companion, and a young Brahmin, 
 by name Bhajan Lai, who had been educated in the mission-school, 
 and had there, though unconverted, contracted a love for the Chris- 
 tian Scriptures, was chosen for the position. He soon enjoyed the 
 entire confidence of the young Maharajah. Bhajan was in the habit 
 of studying the Bible in his leisure moments, and the prince two or 
 three times having come upon him thus engaged, was led to inquire 
 what book it was that so interested him. He was told, and at his 
 request Bhajan promised to read and explain the Word of God to 
 
52 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 him, but on condition that it should not be known. The priests 
 of his own rehgion that had accompanied him from the Punjab, 
 and were training him in the tenets of their faith, were soon seen 
 by him in a new light as he continued to read the Scriptures. 
 When he began to compare them, in all their mummery, immorahty, 
 and covetousness, with the purity and spirituality of the Christians 
 around him, whose lives and examples he had carefully noted, a 
 feeling of disgust with heathenism, and a preference and love for 
 the religion of the Bible, sprang up in his heart, to which he soon 
 gave expression. Thus the reading of God's holy Word, taught 
 and explained even by a heathen youth and Brahmin, led the 
 Maharajah to give up idolatry, and to express a desire to break his 
 caste and be baptized. 
 
 The priests were amazed and confounded, and offered what 
 resistance they could. But the guardianship of the prince effect- 
 ually shielded him from all persecution. Yet, as he was so young, 
 and the step contemplated so important, his guardian, though 
 rejoiced at his purpose, and ready to aid it in every proper way, 
 suggested delay till he could more fully study the religion of Jesus 
 and act with fuller deliberation. He accepted the advice, drew 
 nearer to the missionaries, attended the services, and enjoyed the 
 association of the Christians. He was led to embrace Christ as 
 his Saviour, and on the 8th of March, 1853, was baptized and 
 received into the Christian Church. The Rev. W, J. Jay, the 
 chaplain of the station, administered the holy ordinance in the 
 presence of all the missionaries, the native Christians and Europe- 
 ans at the station, and the servants of the Maharajah. He was 
 clad as here represented, and when he took off his turban, and 
 with much firmness and humility bowed his head to receive the 
 sacred ordinance, every heart in the assembly was moved, and 
 many a prayer went up that he might have grace to fulfill his vows 
 and honor his Christian profession. 
 
 He has faithfully done so to the present time. Immediately 
 after his baptism he established relief societies at Futtyghur and 
 Lahore, placing them under the control of the American missions 
 
SETTLES IN ENGLAND. 53 
 
 at both places. Besides assisting in the support of the missions, 
 he estabhshed, and still sustains, a number of village schools for 
 the education of the people, and has been a liberal contributor to 
 every good object brought to his notice. When the writer was at 
 Futtyghur he had the opportunity of witnessing the results which 
 were being accomplished by the Christian liberality of the Maha- 
 rajah in and around that station. He was then aiding the cause of 
 Christ and the poor to the extent, probably, of fully one tenth of his 
 whole income annually, and I presume his liberality is no less now. 
 
 Some time after his baptism, with a desire to improve his mind 
 by foreign travel, he visited England. He took with him a devoted 
 Christian, who had formerly been a Hindoo Pundit, named Nil 
 Knath, by whose instructions he was more fully established in the 
 doctrines of the Gospel, and with whom he enjoyed daily prayer and 
 other religious privileges. On his arrival in London the Government 
 placed a suitable residence in Wimbledon at his disposal, and the 
 Queen and Prince Albert showed him much attention and kindness. 
 
 The Sepoy Rebellion of 1857 distressed him exceedingly, and 
 probably alienated him from his native land. His entire severance 
 from the religion of his countrymen, and, most of all, probably, 
 reasons of State in view of the English rule in his country, which 
 he would not wish by his presence there to disturb in any way, led 
 him to prefer England as a residence. A magnificent home has 
 been provided for him near London, and there, on the allowance 
 of his rank paid yearly by the British Government, he is spending 
 the present portion of his life, honored and respected by all around 
 him. He has probably ere now come to the conclusion that the 
 loss of the throne of the Punjab may have been for him a good 
 providence. During the rebellion his life might have been sacri- 
 ficed. In the peace and honor that surround him he is not only 
 entirely free from the evil influences of an Oriental court, and the 
 distractions of irresponsible government, but he may reflect, judg- 
 ing the present from the past, that, had he remained and reigned, 
 he might very probably, like his uncles and predecessors, have met 
 a violent death. 
 
'54 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Gentlemen in other lands having the means and leisure of the 
 higher classes of Hindoo society would be cultivating their minds, 
 enlarging and enriching the literature of their times by theii 
 authorship, by foreign travel, by collections of books and works of 
 art, and institutions for developing the resources of their great 
 country. But there are no authors in India, no libiaries in its 
 homes ; not one in a thousand of its aristocracy ever saw the out- 
 side of his native land. Learned societies, museums, or fruits of 
 genius are not to be found there. Education, when acquired, is 
 restricted mostly to the mere ability of reading and writing and 
 talking in courtly style, while there are multitudes of wealthy men 
 that cannot do that much ; nay, there are even kings without the 
 power to write their own names, who can give validity to State 
 documents only by stamping them with " the signet on their right 
 hand." The sovereign of the Punjab — father of the Maharajah 
 here represented — was one such. He was unable to write or read 
 his own name, and to the day of his death could not tell one figure 
 from another. 
 
 The little information of general news which they acquired from 
 time to time had been obtained by a singular arrangement. Each 
 great family, or king's court, had its " editor." He was expected to 
 furnish the news daily, or as often as he could. So he collected 
 from any source within his reach, and got his newspaper ready. 
 But he had no press, nor type, nor office, nor newsboy to aid him. 
 He simply enters on his broad sheet, in writing, one after another, 
 all the news or gossip he could collect, until his paragraphs fill his 
 pages, and he sallies forth in the morning to circulate the news, 
 commencing with the members of the household, and thence to 
 the servants, and so on to the neighbors, reading for each circle 
 the news he had previously collected and written out, and receiv- 
 ing his fees from each company as he goes round the neighborhood. 
 Of express trains, telegraphs, associated press, pictorial papers, 
 and all our Christian appliances for collecting and distributing the 
 news of the wide world, he is utterly ignorant. But the poor editor 
 is on a par with the education of his patrons, 2nd he can rest 
 
HABITS OF THE INDIA ABISTOGEACY. 55 
 
 assured they are not likely to outstrip him in the race for knowl- 
 edge. And so it goes on from generation to generation, until now, 
 when this wonderful innovator, Christianity, has walked right into 
 the midst of this venerable ignorance, and, to the horror of these 
 editorial oracles, has lifted many even of the Pariah youth of their 
 bazaars to a plane of education and knowledge up to which millions 
 look with amazement as they wonder what is going to happen 
 now, when boys " whose fathers they would have disdained to set 
 with the dogs in their flocks " are actually becoming possessed of 
 an education which even their Pundits do not enjoy ! 
 
 The habits of the India aristocracy are in many respects de- 
 cidedly peculiar. The residence, for instance, is usually very 
 mean, as compared with the wealth of the parties. While they 
 will spend millions upon a temple or tomb, they are content to 
 dwell in a house which a man in America, with one fiftieth of 
 their income, would scorn to inhabit. A Rajah with a rent-roll 
 of say fifty thousand dollars or more per annum will sometimes 
 pass his life in a residence built of sun-dried brick, with a tiled 
 roof, that cost less than two thousand dollars, surrounded on all 
 sides with mud hovels, and in the midst of a bazaar where the 
 din and smoke and effluvia would be intolerable to any decent 
 American. 
 
 No doubt this want of appreciation of surrounding circumstances 
 in their life is caused by their inability while heathens justly or 
 truly to estimate that idea of home which Christianity has created 
 for man, especially in the " honorable estate " of the married life 
 which she ordains and blesses, and to which she leads the grate- 
 ful, loving husband to bring his means and ingenuity to adorn it, 
 to make it a convenient, cheerful, happy dwelling for the blessed 
 wife whom he loves and the dear children whom God has given 
 them. Such a home, with its joy and honor, the heathen or polyg- 
 amist can never know or appreciate. His residence is but a con- 
 venience, not the sanctuary of the affections, and his estimate of 
 home must be, and is, defective and perverted. 
 
 They eschew furniture, in our sense of the word — tables, chairs. 
 
56 THE T.AXTt OF THE VEUA. 
 
 knives and forks. They eat with the fingers alone, and generally 
 sleep on a charpoy or mat When you enter a Hindoo home you 
 are at once struck with the naked look of the room — no chair or 
 sofa to sit upon, no pictures on the walls, no piano or musical 
 instrument, no library of books, no maps, no table with the newspa- 
 per or periodical or album upon it, and you wonder how they can 
 bear to live such a hfe ; to you it would be a miser)'" and a blank. 
 But you are a Christian, and your holy religion has made }"0u to 
 differ, and taught you the nature and value of a Christian home 
 and its conveniences and joys. 
 
 Nothing would more surprise them in visiting our Western 
 world than to see how generally, according to the abilit}" of each, 
 we beautiiy and adorn our residences, and surround them with 
 flowers and verdure and neatness. They would think this all very 
 artificial, and perhaps unnecessar}*, and could not enter into the 
 feelings of those whose constant effort seems to be to make their 
 abode on earth, in its purity, companionship, and peace, a tv^pe of 
 the home in heaven. 
 
 Woman alone in heathenism, e\en where she has possessed 
 peculiar wealth and power and opportimit}' for the effort, cannot 
 make this earthly paradise ; she requires Christianity to be success- 
 ful Cases have occurred where European ladies have been induced 
 — in Delhi, Lucknow, etc. — to enter even royal zenanas as wives. 
 But though knowing the difference, and probably fondly hoping they 
 could by their presence and ability constitute a happy social state, 
 they soon realized that the ver\' atmosphere forbid the development 
 of the home they hoped to cultivate, and the fair experimenters 
 had, in utter despair, to abandon their efforts and their hopes, and 
 not only so, but themselves to sink to the sad level of the heathen- 
 ish commimit)'- into which they had ventured ! 
 
 " Home is tLe sacred refuge of our life." 
 
 True, but India's sons can never learn the sentiment and experi- 
 ence which Dry^den's line thus expresses till the daughters of India 
 receive the Christianity' which alone can cultivate their minds and 
 
CHRI8TIANITT ALONE CREATES HOME. S7 
 
 hearts, and take under its divine guardianship their sacred mission 
 in India., as in America, to 
 
 "Give to social man true relish of himself." 
 
 The men of India have never known woman's high power as '"a 
 helpmeet " in mind, heart, social life, or usefulness, and until they 
 do they cannot enjoy the blessed home which only honored and 
 elevated women can create. 
 
 If there be any one thing, short of salvation, in which America 
 and India contrast each other most vividly, it is woman's high posi- 
 tion in her home, and man's consequent happiness resulting there- 
 from — as wife, living for the husband whom she loves ; as mother, 
 making her abode a nursery for the Eden on high ; the friend and 
 patron of all that is lovely, virtuous, and of good report ; her plas- 
 tic influence of mind and heart and character molding those within 
 her sphere into sympathy with her own goodness, while she thus 
 sweetly 
 
 •' Allures to brighter worlds, and leads the way." 
 
 In presence of this excellence — and, thank Heaven ! Christianity 
 has thousands such — every thing beautiful on earth brightens. 
 The holiest and happiest men in this world bask in this blessed 
 social sunshine, and are led by it to the contemplation and earnest 
 hope of those " better things " which it typifies ; their sanctified 
 domestic joy becoming a sign and promise of the felicity that will 
 be endless when they come to realize at last what they so often 
 sing below — 
 
 "My heavenly home is bright and fair." 
 
 The food and manner of eating is quite Oriental, with the pecul- 
 iarity on the part of the stricter Brahminical caste that they never 
 touch flesh of any kind ; but the rich variety of fruits and vegeta- 
 bles, and other products of the field and garden, with milk, butter, 
 etc., enables them to enjoy a full variety. The favorite dish of 
 India is the "curry," and natives and foreigners alike seem to 
 agree that it is the king of all dishes. If it was not the " savory 
 meat " that Isaac loved, the latter was probably very like it ; but 
 
58 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 the dish itself is never equal, in piquancy and aroma, out of India 
 to what you receive there. The eating is done without the aid of 
 knives or forks, the fingers alone being used. This is the mode 
 for all, no matter how high or wealthy. The writer saw the 
 Emperor of Delhi take his food in this way. When they have fin- 
 ished, a servant lays down a brass basin before them and pours 
 water on their hands, and presents a towel to wipe them, remind- 
 ing one of Elisha " pouring water on the hands of Elijah," acting 
 as his attendant in honor of the man of God, 
 
 The amusements of the India aristocracy are very limited. The 
 enervation of the climate may have something to do with this, but 
 it is probably more due to a want of that developed manliness and 
 self-assertion which belongs only to a higher civilization. Thi;y 
 hardly ever think of ,going out hunting, or fishing, or fowling. Of 
 the chase they know nothing, and I presume there is not one 
 base-ball club in the country ; gymnastic exercises they never take, 
 their music is barbarous, and they do not play. When a feast or 
 marriage requires entertainment they hire professional musicians, 
 dancers, jugglers, or players to perform before their guests, but 
 take no part whatever personally. Operas and theaters and pro- 
 miscuous dancing they hold in abhorrence, as too immoral for them 
 or their families to witness. They are fond of formal calls upon 
 their equals, or social and civil superiors, and like display and 
 exhibitions of their standing and wealth. They are regularly 
 scientific in the art of taking their ease, being bathed and sham- 
 pooed, fanned to sleep and while asleep. They love to be deco- 
 rated with dress and jewelry, enjoy frequent siestas, and divide the 
 remainder of their leisure time in the society of women whom they 
 choose to entertain in their zenanas ; but of public spirit and 
 efforts, disinterested devotion to the welfare of others, intellectual 
 enjoyments, the culture and training of their children's minds or 
 morals, or the exalting influence of communion with a refined and 
 intelhgent wife or mother, they know but little or nothing, because 
 they are utter strangers to the inspiration of the holy religion 
 whose fruits these joys and virtues are. 
 
THEIB VISITS OF GEBEMONY. 59 
 
 When they undertake to pay a visit of ceremony it is, to our 
 views, very singular what form and punctiliousness they deem to 
 be indispensable. The whole establishment seems turned out for 
 the purpose, for the larger the "following" so much the more 
 you are expected to be impressed with the standing and dig- 
 nity of the great man who has come to honor you with his call. 
 An outrunner or two reaches your door in advance, and announces 
 the master's approach ; then come an armed squad, and his conii- 
 dential servant, or " vakeel," and behind them the great man him- 
 self on his elephant, or in his palanquin ; another crowd of retain- 
 ers bring up the rear, the whole train numbering from thirty to 
 sixty persons, or even more. Often, as I have looked at them, 
 have I been reminded of the figure in the Revelations, where the 
 blessed dead are represented as accompanied on their way into the 
 kingdom of heaven by the escort of the good deeds of their faithful 
 lives, which rise up to accompany them as so many evidences of 
 their devotion to God — " Their works do follow them." The inter- 
 view is merely a ceremony. The lady of the house is not expected 
 to make her appearance ; but where the visit is to a missionary 
 family the lady generally does show herself, and, joining in the 
 conversation, watches the opportunity to say a word for the truth 
 of the Gospel. The native gentleman is evidently amazed, though 
 he conceals it as well as he can, at her intelligence and her self- 
 possession in the presence of another man than her husband, so 
 unlike the prejudices that fill his mind about the female members 
 of his own household. No doubt, amazing are the descriptions he 
 carries home of what he has seen and heard on such an occasion. 
 
 But it is in connection with " dtirbars" governmental levees and 
 marriage festivals, that the whole force of the native passion for 
 parade and ostentation develops itself As a sample : At the dur- 
 bar some time ago in the Punjab, Diahn Singh, one of the nobles, 
 came mounted on a large Persian horse, which curveted and 
 pranced about as though proud of his rider. The bridle and sad- 
 dle were covered with gold embroidery, and underneath was a 
 saddle-cloth of silver tissue, with a broad fringe of the same mate- 
 
6o THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 rial, which nearly covered the animal. The legs and tail of the 
 horse were dyed red — the former up to the knees, and the latter 
 half-way to the haunches — an emblem, well understood b} the 
 crowd, of the number of enemies which this military chief was 
 supposed to have killed in battle, and that their blood had covered 
 his horse thus far. The chief himself was dressed with the 
 utmost magnificence, loaded with jewels, which hung, row upon 
 row, round his neck, in his turban, on the hilt of his sword and 
 dagger, and over his dress generally, while a bright cuirass shone 
 resplendent on his breast. Add to this a face and person hand- 
 some and majestic, and you have the man as he delighted to be 
 seen on the occasion. 
 
 But even this was outdone a few months ago on the occasion of 
 the visit of one of Queen Victoria's sons, the Duke of Edinburgh, 
 to India. A part of the pageant was the procession of elephants. 
 These animals, one hundred and seventy in number, and the 
 finest in size and appearance in India, were each decorated in the 
 richest housings, and ridden by the Nawabs and Rajahs who 
 owned them, each trying hard to outvie the other. Perhaps the 
 Maharajah of Putteallah carried off the palm. The housings of his 
 immense elephant were of such extraordinary richness that they 
 were covered with gold and jewels. The Maharajah, who rode on 
 him, wore a robe of black satin embroidered with pearls and emer- 
 alds. The howdah — seat on the elephant's back — in which the 
 Rajah of Kuppoorthullah sat, was roofed with a triple dome made 
 of solid silver. 
 
 This passion of ostentation and show breaks over all bounds <,n 
 the occasion of their marriage ceremonies, and is permitted to know 
 no limit but their means, nor sometimes even that. Sleeman nar- 
 rates of the Rajah of Bullubghur — whom the writer saw in such 
 different circumstances twenty years after these events, on trial for 
 his life in the Dewanee Khass of Delhi, in 1857, as will be described 
 hereafter — that on the occasion of his marriage in 1838 the young 
 chief mustered a cortege of sixty elephants and ten thousand fol- 
 lowers to attend him. He was accompanied by the chiefs of 
 
MARBIAGE EXPENSE. 63 
 
 Ludora and Putteallah, with forty more elephants, and five thou- 
 sand people. 
 
 It was considered necessary to the dignity of the occasion that 
 the bridegroom's party should expend at least six hundred thou- 
 sand rupees — ^300,000 gold — during the festival. A large part of 
 this sum was to be distributed freely in the procession ; so it was 
 loaded on elephants, and persons were appointed to fling it among 
 the crowds as the cavalcade passed on its way. They scattered 
 copper money all along the road from their home till within seven 
 miles of Bullubghur. From this point to the gate of the fort they 
 scattered silver, and from the gate of the fort to the door of the 
 palace they scattered gold and jewels. The son of the Putteallah 
 chief, a lad of about ten years, had the post of honor in the 
 distribution. He sat on his elephant, and beside him was a bag 
 of gold mohurs — each mohur is worth eight dollars gold — 
 mixed up with an immense variety of gold ear-rings, pearls, and 
 precious stones. His turn for scattering began as they neared the 
 palace door. Seeing some European gentlemen, who had come to 
 look at the procession, standing on the balcony, the little chief 
 thought they should have their share, so he heaved up vigorously 
 several handfuls of the pearls, mohurs, and jewels, as he passed 
 them. Not one of them, of course, would condescend to stoop to 
 take up any, but the servants in attendance upon them showed no 
 such dignified forbearance. 
 
 The costs of the family of the bride are always much greater 
 than that of the bridegroom. They are obliged to entertain, at 
 their own expense, all the bridegroom's guests which go with him 
 for his bride, as well as their own, as long as they remain. 
 
 From this running description of the superficial, self-glorifying, 
 and aimless lives which these men follow, the reader may easily 
 imagine what must be the condition of their minds, their morals, 
 and their characters. 
 
 The Mohammedans, a picture of whom we present here, are a 
 moie energetic people than the Hindoos. Their aspect is haughty 
 and intolerant, and in meeting them you are under no liability to 
 
64 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 mistake them for the milder race whom they have so long crushed 
 down and ruled. They are descended from original Asiatics of 
 Persia. Arabia, etc., while the Hindoos are of western stock. 
 
 " The natives of India attach far more weight to form and cere- 
 mony than do Europeans. It is considered highly disrespectful to 
 use the left hand in salutation or in eating, or, in fact, on any other 
 occasion when it can be avoided. To remove the turban is disre- 
 spectful ; and still more so not to put off the shoes on entering a 
 strange house. Natives, when they make calls, never rise to go till 
 they are dismissed, which among Mohammedans is done by giving 
 betel and sprinkling rose essence, and with Hindoos by hanging 
 wreaths of flowers around the visitor's neck, at least on great occa- 
 sions. Discourteous Englishmen are apt to cut short a long visit 
 hy sdiying Ab j'ao — 'Now go!' than which nothing can be more 
 offensive. The best way is to say, ' Come and see me again soon,' 
 or, ' Always make a practice of visiting my house,' which will be 
 speedily understood. Or to one much inferior you may say, 
 Rnkksat lena — ' Leave to go,' or, better, Rukhsat lijiye — ' Please to 
 take leave.' A letter closed by moistening the wafer or the gum 
 with the saliva of the mouth should not be given to a native. The 
 feet must not be put upon a chair occupied by them, nor must the 
 feet be raised so as to present the soles to them. One must avoid 
 touching them as much as possible, especially their beards, which 
 is a gross insult. If it can be avoided, it is better not to give a 
 native three of any thing. Inquiries are never made after the 
 female relations of a man. If they are mentioned at all it must be 
 as 'house.' 'Is your house well.''' that is, 'Is your wife well.''' 
 There are innumerable observances to avoid the evil eye ; and 
 many expressions seemingly contradictory are adopted for this pur- 
 pose. Thus, instead of our ' Take away,' it is proper to say, ' Set 
 on more ;' and for ' I heard you were sick,' ' I heard your enemies 
 were sick.' With Mohammedans of rank it is better not to express 
 admiration of any thing they possess, as they will certainly offer it; 
 in case of acceptance they would expect something of more value 
 in return. To approach a Hindoo of high caste while at his meal is 
 
MANNERS OF THE HINDOOS. 6S 
 
 to deprive him of his dinner ; to drink out of his cup may deprive 
 him of his caste, or seriously compromise him with his caste-fellows. 
 Leather is an abomination to Hindoos ; as is every thing made from 
 the pig, as a riding-saddle, to the Moslem. When natives of a 
 different rank are present you must be careful not to allow those 
 to sit whose rank does not entitle them, and to give each his 
 proper place." — Murray's Handbook. 
 
 Such are the people of that land toward whom for ages the atten- 
 tion of outside nations has been directed with so much interest. 
 We will now consider briefly their composition and numbers, and 
 some of those singular chronological, historical, and religious views 
 which they have entertained so tenaciously, and so long. 
 
66 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 STATISTICS, MYTHOLOGY, AND VEDIC LITERATURE. 
 
 EVEN arnong educated men there is a very inadequate idea 
 of what India really is. It is spoken of as though it were 
 one country, with one language and one race of men, just as per- 
 sons would speak of England or France ; whereas India ought to 
 be regarded as a number of nations, speaking twenty-three differ- 
 ent languages, and devoted to various faiths and forms of civilization. 
 
 During the long period from the time of William the Conqueror 
 till Clive fought the battle of Plassey in 1756, the Hindoos and 
 Mohammedans maintained their diversity, and were as far from 
 any unity or amalgamation when England entered the country, as 
 they were when Mahmoud of Ghizni conquered Delhi. While the 
 nations of Europe tended to unity, and fused their tribes and clans 
 into homogeneous people, who gloried in a common faith and father- 
 land, these millions of hostile men have retained the sharp outlines 
 of race, religion, language, and nationality as distinctly as ever. 
 
 The diversity of race is shown in the Coles, the Jats, the San- 
 thals, the Tartars, the Shanars, the Mairs, the Karens, the Affghans, 
 the Paharees, the Bheels ; in religion, we have the Mohammedans, 
 the Hindoos, the Buddhists, the Jains, the Parsees, the Pagans, and 
 the Christians. While in nationality, there are the Bengalese, the 
 Rohillas, the Burmans, the Mahrattas, the Seikhs, the Telugoos, 
 the Karens, and many others. 
 
 India is thus, in fact, a congregation of nations, a crowd of 
 civilizations, customs, languages, and types of humanity, thrown 
 together, with no tendency to homogeneity, until an external civili- 
 zation and a foreign faith shall make unity and common interest 
 possible by educating and Christianizing them. 
 
 In regard to the real numbers of these wonderful people we are 
 
CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS STATISTICS OF INDIA. 67 
 
 now able, from a census taken by the English Government last 
 year, and also from Missionary Reports and other authorities, to 
 furnish reliable civil and religious statistics of the Indian Empire. 
 A few items are approximations, but they come as near to accuracy 
 as is now necessary. India has an area of 1,577,698 square miles. 
 It is nearly 2,000 miles from North to South, and 1,900 miles from 
 East to West. The country is divided into 221 British Districts, 
 and 153 Feudator}. States, with a population of 212,671,621 
 souls. 
 
 The average density of this population to the square mile is 135 
 persons. But in Oude and Rohilcund (the mission field of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church) the density is 474 and 361 respect- 
 ively, and is therefore probably the most compact population in the 
 world. England has 367, and the United States only 26, persons 
 to the square mile. As to race, this vast multitude of men are 
 divided as follows : 
 
 The English army 58,000 
 
 Europeans and Americans (civil, mercantile, and missionary life). . 89,585 
 
 Eurasians (the mixed races) 40,789 
 
 Asiatics 212,483,247 
 
 In religion the native population are distributed, as nearly as we 
 can approximate them, into 
 
 Parsees (followers of Zoroaster) 150,000 
 
 Jains (Heterodox Buddhists) 400,000 
 
 Syrian and Armenian Christians 140,000 
 
 Protestants (attendants on Worship) 350,000 
 
 Roman Catholics (attendants on Worship) 760,000* 
 
 Karens (in British Burmah) 500,000 
 
 Seikhs (in the Punjab) 2,000,000 
 
 Buddhists (in British Burmah and Ceylon) 3,280,000 
 
 Aborigines, and undefined 1 1,000,000 
 
 Mohammedans 30,000,000 
 
 Hindoos 165,000,000 
 
 * The Roman Catholic Bishop of Madras in 1869 estimated the whole number of 
 native Romanists in their communion at 760,623, supervised by the Bishops, and 734 
 priests, in addition to 124,000 with 128 priests under the jurisdiction of the almost 
 schismatic and Portuguese Archbishop of Goa. But Dr. George Smith, one of the 
 highest authorities on India statistics, regards these figures as unworthy of trust, and 
 sets down the numbers for both as not over 700,000. — Friend of India, May 10, 1871, 
 P- 554- 
 
68 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 There are a few Jews, Chinese, Portuguese, French, Armenians, 
 Nestorians, and others m the country, but of these we make no 
 account here. 
 
 The vastness of this wonderful country may be further ilhistrated 
 by the amnzing number of languages spoken throughout its wide 
 extent ; and these are living languages, separate and distinct from 
 each other, so that even the characters of their alphabets have no 
 more similarity than the Greek letter has to the Roman, Nor do 
 I include dialects of tongues, or languages of limited and local use, 
 but those which are well known and extensively employed. Of 
 such there are not less than twenty-three spoken in the various 
 provinces of India. They are 
 
 I. The Urdu, (the Hindustanee proper,) the French of India, the 
 language of the Mohammedans, of trade, etc. ; spoken in Oude and 
 Rohilcund, the Doab, and by traders generally ; 2. The Bengalee, 
 spoken in Bengal and eastward ; 3. The Hindee, used in Oude, 
 Rohilcund, Rajpootana, Bundlecund, and Malwa by the agricultural 
 Hindoos, etc. ; 4. The Punjabee, in the great Indus valley ; 5. The 
 Pushtoo, in Peshawar and the far West ; 6. The Sindhee, in the 
 Cis-Sutlej States and Sinde ; 7. The Guzerattee, in Guzerat, and 
 by the Paisees ; 8. The Ctitchee, in Cutch ; 9. The Cashmerian, in 
 Cashmere; 10. The Nepaulese, in Nepaul ; 11. The Bhote, in 
 Bootan ; 12. The Assamese, in Assam ; 13, 14. The Burmese and 
 Karen, in Burmah and Pegu; 15. The Singhalese, in Ceylon; 
 16. The Malayalim, in Travencore and Cochin; 17. The Tamtd, 
 from Madras to Cape Comorin ; 1 8. The Canarese, in Mysore and 
 Coorg ; 19. The Teloogoo, in Hydrabad, and thence to the East 
 Shore ; 20. The Oorya, in Orissa ; 21. The Cole and Gond, in Berar ; 
 22. The Mahratta, in Bombay, Nagpore, and Gwalior ; and 23. The 
 Khassiya, in the North-east. Add the English, and there are 
 twenty-four living languages extensively spoken in India to-day! 
 Nor is this all: the great classics of the leading tongaes, the 
 ancient and venerable Pali, the Sanscrit, the Persian, and the 
 Arabic are studied and used by the scholarship of India, because 
 they hold in their charge the venerable treasures of their volumi- 
 
GBEATNE88 OF INDIA. 69 
 
 nous literature, and are as important to their faiths as sacred Greek 
 is to Christianity. 
 
 Compare India with Europe, leaving out Russia, and she has 
 more States, languages, and people. The principal tongues of 
 Europe are the English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, 
 German, Russ, Polish, Turkish, Greek, Dutch, Danish, Swede, 
 Norwegian, and Finn — 15. There were (according to the Census 
 of 1 861) in Europe 52 States, 15 languages, and 198,014,432 people ; 
 but, in India, there are 374 States, 23 languages, and 212,483,247 
 people. Giving India more States, more languages, and more pop- 
 ulation than all the great Western nations combined ! 
 
 To understand what India is, and what was the force and impor- 
 tance of her great Sepoy Rebellion, and what is likely to be her 
 relation to Christianity, and to the magnificent future which awaits 
 her Hemisphere, the reader needs to understand and bear these 
 facts in mind. 
 
 Of course, such a people are not destitute of national conceit. 
 Indeed, the Hindoos hold up their heads with a sovereign sense 
 of superiority above all other people on the earth. Admit their 
 claims, and their system of chronology, and the assumptions of 
 their history, and all other nations must hang their heads as mod- 
 ern novelties, and bow down in humility in the presence of a civili- 
 zation of divine origin and a venerable aristocracy that counts its 
 life and honors by millions of years ! No Hindoo doubts but that 
 his country is, or has been, the fount of all the blessings which have 
 spread over the world, and in this rich conceit they hold it as a 
 maxim that 
 
 " Min-as-shark talata ba kudrat ar-rahman, 
 Anwar-ud-din wa al-ilm, wa al-umran." 
 
 That is. 
 
 " From the East, by the power of the Merciful One, 
 Lights of Science, Religion, and Culture have shone." 
 
 The name India is apparently derived from the river Indus, and 
 may have originated in the fact that that river divided this then 
 unknown land from Persia and the world of ancient classical litera- 
 ture. The country is called in Sanscrit Bharatkund, from a 
 
70 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 dynasty of ancient kings ; Punya Dhunna, " The Holy Land," and 
 also Djain-bhu-dwip, the " Peninsula of the Tree of Life." 
 
 The trade of India is immense. The Imports are cotton cloth, 
 jewelry, watches, stationery, hardware, metalS; salt, silk, books, 
 woolens, American ice, bullion, etc., etc. ; and the Exports are coflee, 
 tea, raw cotton, (in 1861 to England alone 3,295,000 cwt., producmg 
 there ^47,500,000,) indigo, opium, ($50,000,000 annually,) saltpeter, 
 jute, seeds, sugar, wool, (23,432,689 lbs. in 1865,) rice, raw silk, 
 ivory, lac, oils, etc. The balance of trade is in favor of India, and 
 the difference has to be paid in cash ; so that the specie of England, 
 Germany, and America is drained off to the East, and wealthy 
 India grows richer all the time on a foreign commerce which has 
 now risen to $577,000,000 (gold) per annum. The -tonnage is at 
 present 4,268,666 tons, and the revenue $249,646,040, which is 
 only about $118 per head — an easier rate of taxation than is levied 
 upon its people by any other civilized Government, while the pro- 
 portion of the revenue spent on the Administration itself is equally 
 economical. Deduct the annual charges for roads and bridges, 
 police, jails, and courts of justice, education, canals, reservoirs, and 
 irrigation, army, navy, telegraphs, public works, interest on Gov- 
 ernment securities, and it seems remarkable that the scanty 
 remainder could meet all the charges of the Administration. The 
 Hindoos well know that they were never so well and so cheaply 
 governed as they are now. Their own testimony to this fact will 
 be presented further on. If it were not for the extent to which the 
 cultivated land is almost exclusively made to bear the burden, with 
 its uncertain tenure, (though this is the practice in most Oriental 
 Governments,) and the growth and sale of that vile opium, there 
 would be little now to rebuke in the government of British India. 
 Yet none are more earnest than some of the English themselves 
 for the abolition of this reproach upon their fair fame. 
 
 There are seven railroads now running in different parts of the 
 country, with an entire extent of 4,039 miles, and the total traffic 
 receipts of which for the week ending April 22, 1871, was 
 ;^I40,220 iij. 4^., or $701,102, gold. Other lines are in process 
 
ENGLISH EMPIRE. 7 1 
 
 of construction. The telegraphs, 14,000 miles long, run all through 
 India, while roads as feeders to the railways are being made over 
 the land. But all has been done or furthered by the Government, 
 and the whole has been accomplished during the past fifteen years. 
 
 The wealth of India has been proverbial since the time of Solo- 
 mon, who imported therefrom his " ivory, apes, and peacocks.' It 
 has also seemed to be inexhaustible. From the earliest antiquity, 
 the merchants of Persia, Arabia, Syria, and Egypt sought to 
 enrich themselves by her commerce ; and when Europe awoke from 
 her sleep of ages, and entered upon her career of improvement, her 
 first efforts were directed toward gaining a share of the trade of 
 the East. England, at length, entered the field, and soon out- 
 stripped all her rivals, Dutch, Portuguese, and French. Agreeably 
 to the policy of the times, the East India Company was chartered 
 by Queen Elizabeth, and vested with the monopoly of the com- 
 merce of the East. And advancing by a steady progress, this giant 
 Company, under the patronage of the Imperial power, at length 
 held and governed, or protected, all that immense region. 
 
 A leading American journal very justly remarked on this sub- 
 ject, at the time of the great Sepoy Rebellion, that "the achieve- 
 ments by which these stupendous results have been effected are 
 among the marvelous realities of history, compared with which the 
 tales of romance are tame and spiritless. In future times they 
 will, perhaps, constitute the most deeply-interesting portion of the 
 history of our age. We believe that in the present troubles the 
 cause of Great Britain, notwithstanding the many and grave abuses 
 which have been practiced or tolerated by the East India Com- 
 pany, is nevertheless the cause of humanity and Christian civiliza- 
 tion. It is this fact, no doubt, which has awakened no small share 
 of the fierce invectives against the proceedings of the English in 
 India. For a long time that region has been the field of an exten- 
 sive and successful missionary enterprise, to which the British 
 rulers have extended, at least, a protection from Hindoo and Mos- 
 lem violence, and so afforded an opportunity for the free exercise 
 of Christian philanthropy. This is, doubtless, the head and front 
 
72 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 of their offending in the minds of many of those who are loudest 
 in their outcries against British cruelty and reckless ambition. We 
 are very far from approving all that has been done by British 
 agents in India, but we are equally clearly convinced that it is 
 much more for their good deeds than their faults that they are 
 most intensely disliked." 
 
 Any man who has resided in India, and known the condition of 
 the people and the actions of that Government in regard to them, 
 and the encouragement extended to efforts for the welfare of the 
 natives, especially of late years, will be prepared to accept these 
 words as a fair, and yet generous, statement of the situation. The 
 position of England in India was a very peculiar one, and, in all 
 candor, should be clearly understood before forming an opinion 
 upon the merits of the case. For instance, in India there is no 
 such thing as patriotism, no capability of self-government. If the 
 English rule were withdrawn to-morrow, the last thing the natives 
 would think of would be to unite and form a general Govern- 
 ment. Each Rajah and Nawab would simply set up for himself, 
 hold all he had, and take all he was able to seize. Then would 
 begin a renewal of those religious and national contentions 
 which form such a sad part of India's history, and the bloody 
 exercise of which Britain terminated when she took control of 
 the country, ever since holding the peace between those hostile 
 elements. 
 
 The natives, especially the more military races, caring little for 
 love of country, are willing to fight for compensation, and to serve 
 any master ; so they were found very ready to wear the livery of 
 England, to bear her weapons, and receive her pay. These men 
 were called " Sepoys," (the Hindustanee for soldier,) each regimen I 
 being officered by English gentlemen. By degrees this force rose 
 up to be an immense power, so that in 1856, there were two hun- 
 dred thousand of them, constituting the regular Sepoy army, 
 besides as many more called " Contingents," maintained by native 
 courts under treaty, having English officers in command. Then 
 there were the armed police ; making altogether a force of about 
 
VALUE OF INDIA TO ENQLAND. 73 
 
 four hundred thousand trained men, with the best weapons of 
 England in their hands. 
 
 The total of British troops in all India in 1856 was not much 
 over forty thousand, and they were scattered on the frontier and in 
 a few of the leading cities, seldom more than one regiment in a 
 place, and sometimes only half a regiment. 
 
 By degrees the Sepoy army, especially that of Bengal, became 
 what might be called " a close service," a high caste Brahminical 
 force, to whose notions constant concessions were made by the 
 Government. They were a fine body of men, invincible to any 
 thing in the East so long as they were led by their English offi- 
 cers, these officers and their ladies and children being afterward 
 the first victims of the Rebellion. The Sepoys were utterly unedu- 
 cated, as superstitious as they were ignorant, and entirely under 
 the control of their Fakirs and Priests. This weak-minded and 
 fanatical body of men had won for England her Oriental empire, 
 and she chiefly relied on them for its defense and preservation. 
 She could well do so, as long as they were faithful to her rule, but 
 not a day longer. By degrees her poHcy changed, and, instead of 
 maintaining a mixed army of all castes and creeds and nationali- 
 ties, the " Bengal Army," as it was called, grew more and more 
 Brahminical, united, and fanatical. 
 
 It has been asked. Why did not England let India go when she 
 threw off her allegiance, and free herself from the care and risk of 
 governing a people who thus disdained her rule } Two answers 
 may be given to this question. One would be the secular reason 
 of men who valued India for what she was to England in the way 
 of profit and power. Millions of British money were invested in 
 the funds and reproductive works of India ; then, there was the 
 vast, increasing, and lucrative market for English goods, one item 
 alone of which will express its importance. The clothing of the 
 Hindoo is not very voluminous, yet, what a business was it for 
 Lancashire to have the right to supply cotton cloth for one sixth of 
 the human family ! But, besides the merchant and the manufac- 
 turer, the politician, the military and the educated man had a deep 
 
74 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 interest in the retention of this "brightest jewel of the British 
 crown," for here was furnished the most splendid patronage that 
 ever lay in the gift of a statesman. Hundreds of the cultured 
 classes of England had careers of position and emolument as civil 
 servants of the Government, under "covenants" that secured them 
 munificent compensation, and which enabled them, when their 
 legal term of service expired, to retire on pensions equal to 
 about one half their splendid pay ; so that Montgomery Martin 
 estimates that the money remittances to Great Britain from India 
 averaged five million sterling (;^ 2 5, 000,000) per annum for the past 
 sixty years. Landed property in England has been largely 
 enhanced in value by the investments of fortunes, the fruit of civil, 
 military, and commercial success in Hindustan. A nation con- 
 trolling the resources of such a dependency, with such a noble 
 field in which to elicit and educate the genius of its youth and 
 display the ability of its commanders, with the profitable employ- 
 ment of its mercantile shipping in the boundless imports and 
 exports of such a country as India, could not lightly resign, or 
 throw it away without a mighty struggle for its retention. 
 
 But, the man who would present no further reasons than these 
 for British resolution to keep India in its control, would do injus- 
 tice to the better section of English society, and to many of hei 
 noble representatives in the East. There is another and a better 
 reason than what was measured by the pounds, shillings, and 
 pence of mere worldly men, underlying the determination of 
 England in this matter. The Christians of Britain hold firmly 
 that, the Ruler of heaven and earth, in so wonderfully subjecting 
 that great people to their rule, has done so for a higher than secu- 
 lar purpose ; that he has given them a moral and evangelical mission 
 to fulfill in that land for him ; and that it is their high and solemn 
 duty to maintain that responsibility until, by education and Chris- 
 tianity, they shall attach those millions by the tie of a common creed 
 to the English throne, or fit them for assuming for themselves the 
 responsibilities of self-government. For such men Montgomery 
 Martin (one of their most voluminous Oriental writers) speaks 
 
THE HIGHER MOTIVES FOB ENGLISH RULE. 75 
 
 when, in his last edition of his " Indian Empire," (4 vols, octavo,) 
 dedicated by permission to the British Queen, he so distinctly 
 declares to his Government and countrymen their high accounta- 
 bility before God and man in this respect, when he asks, "On what 
 principle is the future government of India to be based ? Are we 
 simply to do what is right, or what seems expedient ? If the for- 
 mer, we may confidently ask the Divine blessing on our efforts for 
 the moral and material welfare of the people of India, and we may 
 strive, by a steady course of kind and righteous dealing, to win 
 their alienated affections for ourselves as individuals, and their 
 respect and interest for the religion which inculcates justice, 
 mercy, and humility as equally indispensable to national as to indi- 
 vidual Christianity." 
 
 Those who know India best, know that I speak the truth when 
 1 assert, that these words are represented by deeds as honorable in 
 the lives, and devotion to India's welfare, of many of the men who 
 represent Great Britain there. I do not know a community of 
 public men where you can find a greater number of " the excellent 
 of the earth," than among the civil and military officers of England 
 in India; men who have stood up for Jesus and for humanity, 
 loving the poor, degraded race whom they ruled, and pleading, 
 coiling, and giving munificently for their elevation to a better con- 
 dition. Such names as Bentinck, Lawrence, Herbert Edwards, 
 Havelock, Muir, Tucker, Ramsay, Gowan, Durand, and scores of 
 others, amply justify this statement. The Annual Missionary 
 Reports of the Methodist Episcopal Church (and this is equally true 
 of the other missions as well) bear witness to this fact for manv 
 years past. During that time, such was the sympathy for the 
 work which we attempted, in helping them to educate and enhghten 
 the people of our own mission field, that noble-hearted Englishmen 
 in all stations of life, from the Governor-General down to the pri- 
 vate soldier, have aided us as freely as though we were of their 
 own nation or Church, so that their contributions since 1857 
 will be found to aggregate over ^150,000 in gold to our mission 
 alone ; while this assistance is all the time increasing, and is 
 
76 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 also equally extended by these good men to the missions of any 
 Church or nation which goes there, and whose labors are aiming 
 to elevate the benighted natives, and prepare them by education 
 and a public conscience for self-government. 
 
 The Hindoo Chronology and division of time are very singu- 
 lar, and even whimsical. They hold to four great Ages of the 
 world, called Yugs. Each of these Yugs is inferior to its imme- 
 mediate predecessor in power, virtue, and happiness. These 
 divisions are denominated the Satya, the Treta, the Dwarper, 
 and the Kali Yugs, whose united length amounts to the pro- 
 digious sum of 4,320,000 years ; yet this sum of the Ages is 
 but a Kalpa, or one " Day of Brahma," at the end of which this 
 sleepy deity wakes up to find the universe destroyed, and which 
 he has then to create anew for another " Day " ere he goes to 
 sleep again. 
 
 The Satya Yug, they tell us, lasted 1,728,000 years, and was the 
 Age of Truth — the Golden Age — during which the whole race was 
 virtuous, and lived each of them 100,000 years, and men attained 
 the stature of "21 cubits" (37 feet) in height! 
 
 The Treta Fz/t^ lasted 1,296,000 years ; this was the Silver Age, 
 (using the same figures as the Greek and Roman poets,) during 
 which one third of the race became corrupt, the human stature was 
 lowered, and its life shortened to 10,000 years. 
 
 The Dwarper Yug extended to only 864,000 years — their Brazen 
 Age — when fully one half of the race degenerated, and their height 
 was again reduced, and their lives shortened to 1,000 years 
 each. 
 
 The Kali Yug is the one in which we now live, and is regarded 
 by them as the last — the Iron Age — in which mankind has become 
 totally depraved, and their stature further reduced, and their life 
 limited to 100 years. This Yug, according to them, began 4,950 
 years ago, and is to last exactly 427,050 years longer, which will 
 close this Kalpa, or " Day of Brahma." 
 
 They assert that one patriarch called Satyavrata, or Vaivaswata, 
 had an existence running the whole period of the Satya Yug, 
 
MAPPING OUT ETERNITY. 7 J 
 
 (1,728,000 years !) and that he escaped with his family from a uni- 
 versal deluge, which destroyed the rest of mankind. He is regarded 
 by Indian archaeologists as the same person as the Seventh Menu, 
 and by Colonel Tod, in his " Annals of Rajasthan," as designating 
 the patriarch of mankind, Noah. 
 
 The "Night of Brahma" is held to be of equal length with his 
 "Day," and that in the life of Brahma there are 36,000 such nights 
 and days. At the end of each " Day" there is a partial destruction 
 of the universe, and a reconstruction of it at the close of each 
 "Night." During that long night, "sun, moon, and stars are 
 shrouded in gloom ; ceaseless torrents of rain pour down ; the 
 waves of the ocean, agitated with mighty tempests, rise to a pro- 
 digious height — the seven lower worlds, as well as this earth, are 
 all submerged. In the midst of this darkness and ruin, and in the 
 center of this tremendous abyss, Brahma reposes in mysterious 
 slumber upon the serpent Ananta, or eternity. Meanwhile the 
 wicked inhabitants of all worlds utterly perish. At length the 
 long night ends, Brahma awakes, the darkness is instantly dis- 
 pelled, and the universe returns to its pristine order and beauty." 
 
 This amazing chronology further states, that when these 36,000 
 "days" and "nights" (each of them 4,320,000 solar years in dura- 
 tion) have run their course, Brahma himself shall then expire, 
 amid the utter annihilation of the universe, or its absorption into 
 the essence of Brahm. This they call a Malta Pralaya, or great 
 destruction. After this, Brahm, (the original spirit,) who had 
 reposed during the whole duration of the creation's existence, 
 awakes again, and from him another manifestation of the universe 
 takes place, all things being reproduced as before, and Brahma, 
 the Creator, commences a new existence. Each creation is co- 
 extensive with the life of Brahma, and lasts over three hundred 
 billions of years, (311,040,000,000 years,) and the people of India 
 believe that thus it has been during the past eternity, and thus it 
 will continue to be in the eternity to come, an alternating succes- 
 sion of manifestations and annihilations of the universe at regular 
 
 intervals of this inconceivable length. Truly does Wheeler call 
 6 
 
78 THE LAND OF TEE VEDA. 
 
 this daring reckoning " a bold attempt of the Brahmins to map 
 out eternity !" 
 
 Trevor has remarked that the present age (the KaU Yiig) being 
 432,000 years, the other three Yugs are found simply by multiply- 
 mg that number by 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The number itself is 
 the tithe of the sum total of the four Yugs. The "divine year," 
 being computed like the prophetic, at a year for a day, (counting 
 360 days to the year,) is equal to 360 ordinary years ; and these, 
 multiplied by the perfect number 12,000, makes 4,320,000 years, 
 the sum of the Ages, and a Kalpa, or " Day of Brahma." 
 
 Trevor supposes, that as this chronologic scheme is too absurd for 
 reception, it must have been originally designed as a sort of arith- 
 metical allegory, expressing the character, rather than the duration, 
 of the periods referred to ; while the descending ratios of 100,000, 
 10,000, 1,000, and 100 may indicate only the gradual shortening of 
 the term of human life since the creation of man, as the correspond- 
 ing proportions of the virtuous and vicious denote the spread of 
 moral evil, till in the present age "they are altogether become 
 filthy." This theory I leave to the learned reader, having intro- 
 duced the topic chiefly to illustrate the mental characteristics of 
 the people of India, and to show into what vagaries the human 
 intellect, albeit cultivated and subtile, can be drawn in the day- 
 dreams of a people on whom the light of Revelation never dawned. 
 " Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." 
 
 Their divisions of time are singular: 18 Mimeshas (twinkling of 
 an eye, the standard of measure) are equal to i Kashta ; 30 Kash- 
 tas to I Kala ; 30 Kalas (48 of our minutes) to i Muhurtta ; 
 30 Muhurttas to i day and night ; i Month of Men to i day and 
 night of the Pitris, (ancestors ;) i Year of Men to i day and night 
 of the Gods. The Hindoos have four watches of the day, and the 
 same at night ; these are called Pahars, and are three hours long, 
 the first commencing at six o'clock in the morning. The day and 
 night together are also divided into sixty smaller portions, called 
 Ghtirees, so that each of the eight Pahars consists of seven and a 
 half Ghurees. They have twelve months in the year, each month 
 
MEASURINa TIME. 79 
 
 having thirty days. Half 'the month, when the moon shines, is 
 called Oojeeala-pakh, and the other half, which is dark, they call 
 Andhera-pakh, and these distinctions they recognize in writing and 
 dating their letters. They reckon their era from the reign of 
 Bikurmaditt, one of their greatest and best kings, the present )'ear 
 of their era being 1934. The Mohammedans date their era from 
 the Heiira, or flight of Mohammed from Mecca, which took place 
 in A. D. 622 ; this is therefore their 1249th year. 
 
 I saw a very primitive method of measuring time, or ascertaining 
 the "ghuree," in India. It was a small brass cup, with a hole in 
 the bottom, immersed m a pan of water, and watched by a servant. 
 When the cup sinks from the quantity of water its perforation has 
 admitted the ghitree is completed, and the cup is again placed empty 
 on the top of the water to measure the succeeding ghuree. Great 
 attention is, of course, required to preserve any moderate degree of 
 correctness by this imperfect mode of marking the progress ol 
 the day and night, and establishments are purposely entertained 
 for it when considered as a necessary appendage of rank. In 
 most other cases, the superior convenience and certainty of our 
 clocks and watches are making considerable strides in superseding 
 the Hindustanee ghuree. 
 
 A brief glimpse at the wonderful Mythology, Geography, and 
 Astronomy of these people will be expected here, as also some 
 notice of their venerable Vedas and their voluminous literature. 
 Their " Sacred Books " gravely teach as follows : 
 
 " The worlds above this earth are peopled with gods and god- 
 desses, demi-gods and genii — the sons and grandsons, daughters 
 and granddaughters, of Brahma and other superior deities. All the 
 superior gods have separate heavens for themselves. The inferior 
 deities dwell chiefly in the heaven of Indra, the god of the firma- 
 ment. There they congregate to the number of three hundred and 
 thirty millions. The gods are divided and subdivided into classes 
 or hierarchies, which vary through every conceivable gradation of 
 rank and power. They are of all colors : some black, some white, 
 some rftd, some blue, and so through all the blending shades of the 
 
80 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 rainbow. They exhibit all sorts of shape, size, and figure : in forms 
 wholly human or half human, wholly brutal or variously compounded, 
 like many-headed and many-bodied centaurs, with four, or ten, or a 
 hundred or a thousand eyes, heads, and arms. They ride through the 
 regions of space on all sorts of etherealized animals : elephants, buf- 
 faloes, lions, deer, sheep, goats, peacocks, vultures, geese, serpents, 
 and rats ! They hold forth in their multitudinous arms all manner of 
 offensive and defensive weapons : thunderbolts, scimetars, javelins, 
 spears, clubs, bows, arrows, shields, flags, and shells ! They dis- 
 charge all possible functions. There are gods of the heavens 
 above, and of the earth below, and of the regions under the earth ; 
 gods of wisdom and of folly ; gods of war and of peace ; gods of 
 good and of evil ; gods of pleasure, who delight to shed around 
 their votaries the fragrance of harmony and joy ; gods of cruelty 
 and wrath, whose thirst must be satiated with torrents of blood, 
 and whose ears must be regaled with the shrieks and agonies of 
 expiring victims. All the virtues and the vices of man, all the 
 allotments of life — beauty, jollity, and sport, the hopes and fears of 
 youth, the felicities and infelicities of manhood, the joys and sor- 
 rows of old age — all, all are placed under the presiding influence 
 of superior powers." — Duff's India. 
 
 The Geography and Astronomy of the Hindoos are on a par with 
 their Theology. It would be a waste of time and patience to 
 crowd these pages with their wild, ridiculous, and unscientific 
 nonsense upon these topics. Yet it may be a duty to say some- 
 thing in order to convey a general idea of the subject to such per- 
 sons as have not made their system a study. Dr. Duff has had the 
 patience to epitomize it ; and from him we quote a passage or two, 
 which the reader will deem to be all sufficient, and which he may 
 be assured is only a sample of the monstrous extravagances of 
 Hindoo " science," falsely so called. 
 
 Speaking of the constitution of the physical universe, as revealed 
 in the Sacred Books of the Brahmins, he says : " It is partitioned 
 into fourteen worlds — seven inferior, or below the world which we 
 inhabit, and seven superior, consisting — with the exception of our 
 
HINDOO GEOGRAPHY. 8 1 
 
 own, which is the first — of immense tracts of space, oestudded 
 with glorious luminaries and habitations of the Gods, rising, not 
 unlike the rings of Saturn, one above the other, as so many concen- 
 tric zones or belts of alrtiost immeasurable extent. 
 
 " Of the seven inferior worlds which dip beneath our earth in a 
 regular descending series, it is needless to say more than that they 
 are destined to be the abodes of all manner of wicked and loath- 
 some creatures. 
 
 " Our own earth, the first of the ascending series of worlds, is 
 declared to be ' circular or flat, like the flower of the water-lily, in 
 which the petals project beyond each other.' Its habitable portion 
 consists of seven circular islands or continents, each surrounded 
 by a different ocean. The central or metropolitan island, destined 
 to be the abode of man, is named Jamba Dwip, around which rolls 
 the sea of salt water ; next follows the second circular island, and 
 around it the sea of sugar-cane juice ; then the third, and around 
 it the sea of spirituous liquors ; then the fourth, and around it the 
 sea of clarified butter ; then the fifth, and around it the sea of sour 
 curds ; then the sixth, and around it the sea of milk ; then the sev- 
 enth and last, and around it the sea of sweet water. Beyond this 
 last ocean is an uninhabited country of pure gold, so prodigious in 
 extent that it equals all the islands, with their accompanying oceans, 
 in magnitude. It is begirt with a bounding wall of stupendous 
 mountains, which inclose within their bosom realms of everlasting 
 darkness. 
 
 " The central island, the destined habitation of the human race, 
 is severa. hundred thousand miles in diameter, and the sea that 
 surrounds it is of the same breadth. The second island is double 
 the diameter of the first, and so is the sea that surrounds it. And 
 each of the remaining islands and seas, in succession, is double the 
 breadth of its immediate predecessor ; so that the diameter of the 
 whole earth amounts to several hundred thousand millions of miles 
 — occupying a portion of space of manifold larger dimensions than 
 that which actually intervenes between the earth and the sun ! 
 Yea, far beyond this ; for, if we could form a conception of a circu- 
 
82 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA, 
 
 lar mass of solid matter whose diameter exceeded that of the orbil 
 of Herschel, the most distant planet in our solar system, such a 
 mass would not equal in magnitude the Earth of the Hindoo 
 Mythologists ! 
 
 " In the midst of this almost immeasurable plain, from the very 
 center of Jamba Dwip, shoots up the loftiest of mountains, 
 Su-Meru, to the height of several hundred thousand miles, in the 
 form of an inverted pyramid, having its summit, which is two hun- 
 dred times broader than the base, surmounted by three swelling 
 cones — the highest of these cones transpiercing upper vacancy 
 with three golden peaks, on which are situate the favorite resi- 
 dences of the sacred Triad. At its base, like so many giant senti- 
 nels, stand four lofty hills, on each of which grows a mango-tree 
 several thousand miles in height, bearing fruit delicious as nectar, 
 and of the enormous size of many hundred cubits. From these 
 mangoes, as they fall, flows a mighty river of perfumed juice, so 
 communicative of its sweetness that those who partake of it exhale 
 the odor from their persons all around to the distance of many 
 leagues. There also grow rose-apple trees, whose fruit is ' large as 
 elephants,' and whose juice is so plentiful as to form another 
 mighty river, that converts the earth over which it passes into 
 purest gold ! " — Duff's India ajid India Missions, p. 1 1 6. 
 
 Such is a brief notice of the Geographical outline, furnished by 
 their sacred writings, of the world on which we dwell. In turning 
 to the superior worlds we obtain a glimpse of some of the revela- 
 tions of Hindoo Astronomy. 
 
 " The second world in the ascending series, or that which imme- 
 diately over-vaults the earth, is the region of space between us and 
 the sun, which is declared, on d'vine authority, to be distant only a 
 few hundred thousand miles. The third in the upward ascent is 
 the region of space intermediate between the sun and the pole star. 
 Within this region are all the planetary and stellar mansions. The 
 distances of the principal heavenly luminaries are given with the 
 utmost precision. The moon is placed beyond the sun as far as 
 the sun is from the earth. Next succeed at equal distances from 
 
HINDOO ASTRONOMY. 83 
 
 each other, and in the following order, the stars. Mercury, (beyond 
 the stars,) Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Ursa Major, and the Pole 
 Star. ThQfozir remaining worlds (beyond the Pole Star) continue 
 to rise, one above the other, at immense and increasing intervals. 
 The entire circumference of the celestial space is then given with 
 the utmost exactitude of numbers. 
 
 " In all of these superior worlds are framed heavenly mansions, dif- 
 fering in glory, destined to form the habitation of various orders of 
 celestial spirits. In the seventh, or highest, is the chief residence 
 of Brahma, said by one of the " divine sages " to be so glorious that 
 he could not describe it in two hundred years, as it contains, in a 
 superior degree, every thing which is precious, or beautiful, or 
 magnificent in all the other heavens. What then must it be, when 
 we consider the surpassing grandeur of some of these } Glance, 
 for example, at the heaven which is prepared in the third world, 
 and intended for Indra — head and king of the different ranks and 
 degrees of subordinate deities. Its palaces are ' all of purest gold, 
 so replenished with vessels of diamonds, and columns and orna- 
 ments of jasper, and sapphire, and emerald, and all manner of 
 precious stones, that it shines with a splendor exceeding the 
 brightness of twelve thousand suns. Its streets are of the clearest 
 crystal, fringed with fine gold. It is surrounded with forests 
 abounding with all kinds of trees and flowering shrubs, whose 
 sweet odors are diffused all around for hundreds of miles. It is 
 bestudded with gardens and pools of water ; warm in winter and 
 cool in summer, richly stored with fish, water-fowl, and lilies, blue, 
 red, and white, spreading out a hundred or a thousand petals. 
 Winds there are, but they are ever refreshing, storms and sultry 
 heats being unknown. Clouds there are, but they are light and 
 fleecy, and fantastic canopies of glory. Thrones there are, which 
 blaze like the coruscations of lightning, enough to dazzle any mortal 
 vision. And warblings there are, of sweetest melody, with all the 
 inspiring harmonies of music and of song, among bowers that are 
 ever fragrant and ever green.' " — P. 118. 
 
 The reader will remember that these descriptions are not to be 
 
84 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 taken as figurative and emblematic, as is appropriate to a state of 
 glory of whose nature and details the heart of man cannot con- 
 ceive, but that they are to be understood, as they are taught, in 
 the strictest literality. 
 
 The Vedas are undoubtedly the oldest writings in the world, 
 with the exception of the Pentateuch. Colebrook supposes that 
 they were compiled in the fourteenth century before Christ. Sir 
 William Jones assigns them to the sixteenth century. They are 
 certainly not less than three thousand years old. Veda is from the 
 Sanscrit root vid, to know, the Veda being considered the foun- 
 tain of all knowledge, human and divine. A Veda, in its strict 
 sense, is simply a Sanhita, or collection of hymns. There are 
 three Vedas, the Rig- Veda, the Yajnr Veda, and the Sania- Veda. 
 The fourth, the Atharva Veda, is of more modern date and doubt- 
 ful authority. The Hindoos hold that the Vedas are coeval with 
 creation. As to their several contents, the Rig- Veda consists of 
 prayers and hymns to various deities ; the Yajur Veda, of ordi- 
 nances about sacrifices and other religious rites ; the Sania- Veda 
 is made up of various lyrical pieces, and the Atharva Veda chiefly 
 of incantations against enemies. 
 
 The Rig- Veda is the oldest and most authentic of all, and many 
 scholars consider that from it the others were formed. The Hin- 
 doo writers attach to each Veda a class of compositions, chiefly 
 liturgical and legendary, called Brahmanas, and they have besides 
 a sort of expository literature, metaphysical and mystical, called 
 Upanishads. They have also an immense body of Vedic literature, 
 including philology, commentaries, Sutras or aphorisms, etc., the 
 study of which would form occupation for a long and laborious life. 
 The remote antiquity of the Vedas is indicated, among other rea- 
 sons, by the entire absence of most of the modern doctrines of 
 Hindooism, such as the worship of the Triad, the names of the 
 modern deities, the doctrines of transmigration, caste, incarna- 
 tions, suttee, etc., which are now the cardinal points of Hindooism, 
 and the personified Triad of divine attributes, Brahma, Vishnu, 
 and Shiva, in their capacities of Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer, 
 
THE VEBAS. 85 
 
 with the popular forms of the two latter, Krishna and the Linga, 
 and all the manifestations of the bride of Mahadeva certainly were 
 utterly unknown to the primitive texts of the religion of the 
 Hindoos. 
 
 The Rig-Veda Sanhita (a complete copy of which is before us 
 as we write) was translated from the original Sanscrit by Horace 
 H. Wilson, and published in English in four volumes, the first 
 being issued in 1850, and the last in 1866. The learned Intro- 
 duction which the translator attached to the first volume, and an 
 extensive and discriminating notice in the Calcutta Review for 1859, 
 assist us in our description of these venerable writings. 
 
 The Rig- Veda is a miscellaneous collection of hymns. Each 
 hymn is called a Siikta. The whole work is divided into eight 
 books, or Ashtakas. Each Ashtaka is subdivided into eight 
 Adhyayas, or chapters, containing an arbitrary number of Suktas 
 The whole number of hymns in the Rig- Veda is about a thousand. 
 Each Sukta has for its reputed author a Rishi, or inspired teacher, 
 by whom, in Brahminical phraseology, it has been originally seen, 
 that is, to whom it was revealed ; the Vedas being, according to 
 mythological fictions, the uncreated dictation of Brahma. Each 
 nymn is addressed to some deity or deities. 
 
 Who are the gods to whom the prayers and praises are ad- 
 dressed } Here we find a striking difference between the mythol- 
 ogy of the Rig- Veda and that of the heroic poems and Ptiranas, 
 which come so long after them. The divinities worshiped are not 
 unknown to later systems, but they there perform very subordinate 
 parts, while those deities who are the great gods — the Dii Majores 
 — of the subsequent and present period, are either wholly unnamed 
 in the Veda, or are noticed in an inferior and different capacity. 
 The names of Shiva, of Mahadeva, of Durga, of Kali, of Rama, of 
 Krishna, never occur, and there is not the slightest allusion to the 
 form in which, for the last ten centuries at least, Shiva seems to 
 have been almost exclusively worshiped in India, that of the Linga 
 or Phallus ; neither is there any hint of another important feature 
 of later Hindooism, the Trimurti, or Triune combination of Brah- 
 
86 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 ma, Vishnu, and Shiva, as typified by the mystical syllable Om, 
 although, according to high Brahminical authority, the Trimurti 
 was the first element in the faith of the Hindoos, and the second 
 v.'as the Linga. 
 
 The deities mentioned in the Vedas are numerous, and of dififer- 
 ent sexes. The leading ones are Indra, Agni, and Surya ; ana the 
 female deities are Ushas, Saraswati, Sinivali, etc. " The wives of 
 the gods" are spoken of as a large number, and are often invoked. 
 The operations and powers of nature are deified, as the Murats, the 
 winds ; the Aswins, the sons of the sun ; and even the cows are 
 invoked in a special Sukta. — Vol. iii, p. 440. In fact, the deities, 
 inferior and superior, of the Vedas may be counted by the dozen, 
 and the work is manifestly polytheistic to the core in its teaching 
 and tendencies. The evidence of this is on every page. 
 
 For the general reader, the mystery that covered the Vedas is a 
 mystery no longer ; all that they contain stands out for public view 
 in the common light of day. Except as to grammatical construc- 
 tion and translation into modern words, we are far abler to discover 
 and understand what story these ancient documents tell than is any 
 of the Pundits. For, in ascertaining their sense, we have to deal 
 with questions of race, of language, of history, of chronology, and 
 external influences ; questions unknown, and therefore unintelligi- 
 ble, to the Hindoo mind. Forbidden to the Sudras, inaccessible 
 from their rarity and high price to most of the Brahmins, for that 
 very reason they are the objects of a more profound and supersti- 
 tious veneration ; and, if any thing can be supposed, a priori, to 
 startle and excite all Hindustan, it is surely the announcement that 
 the Vedas have become public property, and that Sudra and 
 Mlechcha (barbarian) may read them at his will. 
 
 It was almost entirely from such writings as these that European 
 scholars had to undertake the compilation of a true chronology and 
 history for India. The task was certainly not an easy one. It 
 was like this : Given the Psalms of David, to discover from these 
 alone the manners, customs, religions, arts, sciences, history, chro- 
 nology, and origin of the Jewish nation ; to classify the hymns too, 
 
BEEF-EATING SANCTIONED BY THE VEDA. 8; 
 
 and assign to each its time and author, with no other help than the 
 heading to each Psalm, added by a later hand. Knowing, as we 
 do, that they range almost from Moses till after the captivity — at 
 least seven hundred years — the later parts of the task alone would 
 demand all the resources of scholarship. It is true that the Vedic 
 hymns are ten times more numerous than the Psalms, but they are 
 at the same time ten times more monotonous, and full of wearisome 
 repetitions, under which even Professor Wilson's patience gives 
 way. In our Sacred Books the Code precedes, and the history 
 precedes, accompanies, and follows the Psalms. With the Hindoo 
 the Code comes after the hymns, and has to do with a different 
 stage of society, and the history never comes at all! Nevertheless, 
 the Vedas, with all their difficulties, throw a flood of light upon 
 the origin and early state of the Hindoos. 
 
 The people among whom the Vedas were composed, as here 
 introduced to us, had evidently passed the nomadic stage. Their 
 wealth consisted of horses, cattle, sheep, goats, and buffaloes. 
 Coined money, and indeed money in any shape, was unknown. 
 We meet but two allusions to gold, except for the purpose of orna-* 
 ments. The cow was to the Vedic Hindoo at once food and 
 money. It supplied him with milk, butter, ghee, curds, and 
 cheese. Oxen ploughed his fields, and carried his goods and chat- 
 tels. He preserved the Soma-juice in a bag of cow-skin, {Rig- Veday 
 vol. I, p. 72,) and the cow-hide girt his chariot. (Vol. Ill, p. 475.) 
 No idea oi sacredness was connected with the cow ; and it is quite 
 clear, however abhorrent and revolting the truth may appear to 
 their descendants, that in the golden age of their ancestors the 
 Hindoos were a cowkilling and beef-eatiftg people, and that cattle 
 are declared in the Vedas to be the very best of food ! Yet modern 
 Hindooism holds it to be a deadly sin to kill a cow, or eat beef, or 
 to use intoxicating drink, and they dare to assert that this was 
 always their creed. We quote texts which leave no room for a 
 doubt on this, to them, important fact : 
 
 " Agni, descendant of Bharata thou art entirely ours when sac- 
 rificed to with pregnant kine, barren cows, or bulls." 
 
88 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 " Agni, the friend of Indra, has quickly consumed three hundred 
 buffaloes." 
 
 "When thou hast eaten the flesh of the three hundred buffaloes,' 
 
 ''Bestow upon him who glorifies thee, divine Indra, food, the 
 chiefest of which is cattle." — Vol II, p. 225 ; III, p. 276. 
 
 "Sever his joints, Indra, as butchers cut up a cow." — Vol. Ill, 
 p. 458 ; I, p. 165. 
 
 What an amount of beef-eating is implied in a sacrifice of t/in-c 
 hundred buffaloes ! the greater part, as usual, being devoured by 
 the assistants. The cooking is very minutely and graphically 
 described in vol. II, pp. 117, etc. Part was roasted on spits, while 
 the attendants eagerly watched the joints, sniffing up the grateful 
 fumes, and saying, " It is fragrant." The queens and wives of the 
 sacnficers assisted in cooking and preparing the banquet, which, 
 on particular occasions, alluded to in the text, consisted of horse- 
 flesh ! All was washed down with copious libations of a strong 
 spirit, made from the juice of the soma plant. Rishi KaksJiivat 
 had in every way most unclerical propensities. He thanks the 
 Aswins most cordially for giving him a cask holding a hundred 
 jars of wine, (vol. I, p. 308 ;) and Rishi Vamadeva, who was taken 
 out of his mother's side, soHcits Indra (vol. Ill, p. 185) for a hun- 
 dred jars of soma-juice. Rishi Agastya also, in a queer, half-crazy 
 Sukta, (vol. II, p. 200,) writes of "a leather bottle in the house of 
 a vender of spirits!' These were the men that fought Alexandei 
 the Great. After such a feast of the gods, Indra puts forth all his 
 might, and destroys the fiercest of the Asuras, (the evil spirits.) 
 
 The social position of woman, this Veda demonstrates, was con- 
 siderably higher than it is in modern India. She is spoken of 
 kindly and pleasantly as " the light of the dwelling." The Rishi 
 and his wife converse on equal terms, go together to the sacrifice, 
 and practice austerities together. Lovely maidens appear in a 
 procession. Grown-up unmarried daughters remain without re- 
 proach in their father's house. Now, all this is the reverse of the 
 Hindooism of the present day. On the other hand, we have a case 
 of polygamy of the most shameful kind. Kakshivat, one of the 
 
THE W0B8HIP OF THE VEDA. 89 
 
 most illustrious of the Rishis, married ten sisters at once, (vol. II, 
 p. 17 ;) and, if the tone of female society is to be judged of from the 
 wife even of a Rishi, or from a lady who is herself the author of a 
 Sukta, women in those days were no better than they should be. 
 
 A gallant, deep-drinking, high-feeding race were the wild war- 
 riors of the Indus, and very unlike their descendants. 
 
 The picture of Hindoo life and manners, at the time of the Mace- 
 donian invasion, (326 B. C.,) was darkly shaded. The Hindoo even 
 then had degenerated ; and the " Life of an Eastern King" on the 
 banks of the Indus differed little in its shameless details from that 
 of his modern successor at Lucknow, on the banks of the Goomtee, 
 
 Rufus Curtius Quintus, the historian of Alexander, writes of the 
 Hindoos thus : " The shameful luxuries of their prince surpasses 
 that of all other nations. He reclines in a golden palankeen, with 
 pearl hangings. The dresses which he puts on are embroidered 
 with purple and gold. The pillars of his palace are gilt ; and a 
 running pattern of a vine, carved in gold, and figures of birds, in 
 silver, ornament each column. The durbar is held while he combs 
 and dresses his hair ; then he receives embassadors, and decides 
 cases. . . . The women prepare the banquet and pour out the 
 wine, to which all the Indians are greatly addicted. Whenever he, 
 or his queen, went on a journey, crowds of dancing girls in gilt 
 palankeens attended ; and when he became intoxicated they carried 
 him to his couch." — Liber Ylll, 32. And, if we are to believe his 
 biographer, into such a vile, sensual thing as this the great Alex- 
 ander himself was rapidly degenerating at that very time ! 
 
 The religion of the Vedas, then, was Nature worship ; light, 
 careless, and irreverent, utterly animal in its inmost spirit, with 
 little or no sense of sin, no longings or hopes of immortality, 
 nothing high, serious, or thoughtful. There was no love in their 
 worship. They cared only for wealth, victory, animal gratification, 
 and freedom from disease. The tiger of the forest might have 
 joined in such prayers, and said, " Grant me health, a comfortable 
 den, plenty of deer and cows, and strength to kill any intruder on 
 my beat ! " " The blessings they implore," says Professor Wilson, 
 
90 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 " are for the most part of a temporal and personal description — 
 wealth, food, life, posterity, cattle, cows, and horses ; protection 
 against enemies, victory over them, and sometimes their destruc- 
 tion. There are a few indications of a hope of immortality and of 
 future happiness, but they are neither frequent, nor, in general, dis- 
 tinctly announced. In one or two passages Yama, and his office 
 of ruler of the dead, are obscurely alluded to. There is little 
 demand for moral benefactions." — Vol. I, p. 25. 
 
 So merely fanciful, so wearisome and monotonous, so contempt- 
 uously irreverent are the great bulk of these Vedic prayers, (to 
 Indra especially,) that Professor Wilson, with all his patience, can 
 scarce believe them to be earnest. Take, for instance, the followins: 
 Hymn. It is addressed to the goddess Anna Devata, personified 
 as Pitu, or material food, and is recited by a Brahmin when about to 
 eat. Pitu is also identified with the Soma juice, mentioned below. 
 The Rishi is Agastya, and the reader can judge if any utterances 
 (and this, too, professing to be sacred and inspired) that he has ever 
 seen, more fully illustrates the words of Holy Writ, " Whose God is 
 their belly, whose glory is their shame, who mind earthly things : '* 
 
 " I. I glorify Pitu, the great, the upholder, the strong, by whose 
 invigorating power Trita slew the mutilated Vritra. 
 
 " 2. Savory Pitu ; sweet Pitu ; we worship thee : become our 
 protector. 
 
 " 6. The thoughts of the mighty gods are fixed, Pitu, upon thee : 
 by thy kind and intelligent assistance Indra slew Ahi. 
 
 " 8. And since we enjoy the abundance of the waters and the 
 plants, therefore, Body, do thou grow fat ! 
 
 "9. And since we enjoy. Soma, thy mixture with boiled milk or 
 boiled barley, therefore. Body, do thou grow fat ! 
 
 " 10. Vegetable cake of fried meal, do thou be substantial, whole- 
 some, and invigorating ; and. Body, do thou grow fat ! 
 
 *' II. We extract from thee, Pitu, by our praises, the sacrificial 
 food, as cows yield butter for oblation ; from thee, who art exhila- 
 rating to the gods ; exhilarating also to us." — Rig- Veda, Vol. II, p, 
 iq4. Sukta viii. 
 
DBUNKEX WORSHIP OF THE VEDA. 91 
 
 In a similar strain the Soma-plant is addressed. 
 
 It was bruised between two stones, mixed with milk or barley 
 juice, and, when fermented, formed a strong, inebriating, ardent 
 spirit — probably not very unlike the whisky of the present day. 
 
 It appears that the Rishis of the Vedas introduced this custom, 
 or belief, into religion, Indra and all the other gods are every- 
 where represented as unable to perform any great exploit without 
 the inspiration of the Soma, or, in plain English, until they were 
 more or less drimk ! Hear the Veda : 
 
 " May our Soma libation reach you, exhilarating, invigorating, 
 inebiiating, most precious. It is companionable, Indra, enjoyable, 
 the overthrower of hosts, immortal. 
 
 " Thy inebriety is most intense : nevertheless thy acts are most 
 beneficent," — Vol, II, p, 169, 
 
 " Savory indeed is this Soma ; sweet it is, sharp, and full of flavor : 
 no one is able to encounter Indra in battle, after he has been 
 quaffing this — by drinking of it Indra has been elevated to the 
 slaying of Vritra," etc, — Vol. Ill, p. 470. 
 
 " The stomach of Indra is as capacious a receptacle of Soma as 
 a lake." — Vol. Ill, p. 60. " The belly of Indra, which quaffs the 
 Soma juice abundantly, swells like the ocean, and is ever moist, like 
 the ample fluids of the palate." — Vol. Ill, pp. 17, 231, 232. " Indra, 
 quafl" the Soma juice, repeatedly shaking it from your beard." — Vol. 
 II, p. 233. What common revelry is expressed in the following 
 verse : " Saints and sages, sing the holy strain aloud, like scream- 
 ing swans, and, together with the gods, drink the sweet juice of the 
 Soma."— Vol. Ill, p. m. 
 
 This license runs riot, and "the goddesses, the wives of the 
 gods," (Vol. III. p. 316,) with earthly ladies, one of them (Viswa- 
 vara) herself a Rishi and compiler of a Sukta (Vol. Ill, p. 273) 
 in which she prays for "concord between man and wife," all are 
 joined — gods, goddesses, and "divine Rishis" — in high carousal. 
 But, then, mark what Rishi Avatsara says of this lady, Viswavara, 
 and of his brother Rishis, and the rest of the boisterous crew, all 
 " gloriously drunk " together : 
 
92 THE LAND OF THE VEBA. 
 
 "11. Swift is the excessive and girt-distending inebriation of 
 Viswavara, Yajata, and Mayin : by drinking of these juices they 
 urge one another to drink: they find the copious draught the 
 prompt giver of intoxication !" — Vol. Ill, p. 311. 
 
 And this was the worship of Ancient India ! Jolly and easy are 
 the terms on which deity and worshiper meet together for their 
 wassail ! Prajapate addresses his god thus : " Indra, the showerer 
 of benefits, drink the Soma offered after the other presentations, 
 for thine exhilaration for battle ; take into thy belly the full wave 
 of the inebriating Soma, for thou art lord of libations from the 
 days of old!" (Vol. Ill, p. 75.) But the Rishi Viswamitra evi- 
 dently thought that, under the circumstances, there was no use in 
 standing upon even Hindoo ceremony, so he says to his deity : 
 " Sit down, Indra, upon the sacred grass — and when thou hast 
 drunk the Soma, then, Indra, ^^ home!" finishing up the address 
 by reminding him that the hungry steeds in his car at the dooi 
 need consideration, and require their provender ! — Vol. Ill, p. 84. 
 
 How melancholy and degrading is all this — god, worshiper, and 
 the traffic between them ! But one grade above the beasts that 
 perish ; yet these are the teachings of the most sacred of the so- 
 called " Holy Vedas .'* " This drunken worship realizes and sur- 
 passes Dionysius and the Bacchanals themselves. 
 
 These besotted mortals had evidently reached that stage of 
 debasement when men can suppose that the Almighty " was alto- 
 gether such a one as themselves," and when they can "call evil 
 good " and " put darkness for light." Well might the reviewer 
 exclaim, from the abundant and fearful evidence before him that, 
 "No worship ever mocked the skies more miserable and contemptible 
 than the religion of the Veda ! " 
 
 But, what are we to think of professedly enlightened Hindoos, 
 like Rajah Rammohun Roy, or this modern Baboo, Kesimb Chun- 
 der Sen, who, if they ever read the Vedas, of which they talk so 
 glibly, must surely have dared to presume upon the ignorance of 
 their auditors, when they had the temerity, in a day like this, and 
 before a London audience, to assert that " the worship of Almighty 
 
DEGEPTION AS TO CONTENTS OF THE VEBA. 93 
 
 God in his unity," and " a pure system of theism " are taught in 
 the Vedas f — Men, who after all this have the impertinence to 
 assume a patronizing aspect toward Christianity, and superciliously 
 inform us that, however good or pure our faith is in itself, its doc- 
 trine and services are not needed in India, because " the Holy 
 Vedas" contain all that is requisite for the regeneration of their 
 country ! Yet this is said and repeated, and Miss Carpenter and 
 her Unitarian friends clap their hands, applaud the assertions, and 
 lionize the man who utters them, and commend the Brahtno Somaj, 
 of which he is the High Priest ! Do not such people deserve to be 
 deceived ? and is it really a violation of Christian charity to fear that 
 such persons must be given over to " strong delusion " when they 
 can believe such " a lie " as this ? 
 
 After a careful examination, from beginning to end, of this ven- 
 erable and lauded work, (the doors of which have so lately opened 
 for the admission of mankind,) with the remembrance in my 
 mind of the long years when men have listened to the reiterations 
 of its holiness, as the very source of all Hindoo faith — the oracle 
 from which Vedantic Philosophy has drawn its inspiration, the 
 temple at whose mere portal so many millions have bowed in such 
 awe and reverence, with its interior too holy for common sight, 
 containing, as it was asserted, all that was worth knowing, the 
 primitive original truth that could regenerate India, and make 
 even Christianity unnecessary — well, with no feelings save those 
 of deep interest and a measure of respect, we have entered and 
 walked from end to end, to find ourselves shocked at every step 
 with the revelations of this mystery of iniquity and sensuality, 
 where saints and gods, male and female, hold high orgies amid the 
 fumes of intoxicating liquor, with their singing and " screaming," 
 and the challenging by which " they urge one another " on to 
 deeper debasement, until at length decency retires and leaves them 
 " glorying in their shame ! " 
 
 The sad samples which we have presented are taken at random, 
 and can be matched by hundreds of passages equally contemptible ; 
 
 while we have purposely avoided quoting Suktas and verses whose 
 
 7 
 
94 
 
 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 indelicacy is even worse than these ; nor have we found, because 
 it is not there, any thing pure, subHme, or good, with which to 
 offset the vileness here laid before the reader. Coming out again 
 from the gloomy scenes of these " works of darkness " into the 
 light and purity of our blessed Bible, with all its " fruits of the 
 Spirit," never before were we so thankful for our holy religion, noi- 
 have we ever felt as deep a compassion for the millions so shame- 
 fully and so long deluded by the false and hollow pretensions of 
 the Vedic teaching. 
 
 Before dismissing the subject I will, for the sake of such readers 
 as may not have seen an entire Sukta of the Veda, quote one in 
 full, so that he may have a complete view of the " holiest " and 
 most venerable of all India's " Scriptures," selecting one, however, 
 that may be regarded as respectable in its ideas and language. I 
 take the fifth Sukta, on page 38 of volume I of the Rig- Veda. The 
 Rishi (or author) is Medhalithi, the son of Kanwa, and the hymn 
 is addressed to Indra, their God of the Heavens : 
 
 " Sukta V. 
 
 " I, Indra, let thy coursers hither bring thee, bestower of desires, 
 to drink the Soma juice ; may the priests, radiant of the sun, 
 make thee manifest. 
 
 " 2. Let his coursers convey Indra in an easy-moving chariot 
 hither, where these grains of parched barley, steeped in clarified 
 butter, are strewn upon the altar. 
 
 " 3. We invoke Indra at the morning rite, we invoke him at the 
 succeeding sacrifice, we invoke Indra to drink the Soma juice. 
 
 " 4. Come, Indra, to our libation, with thy long-maned steeds ; 
 the libation being poured out, we invoke thee. 
 
 " 5. Do thou accept this our praise, and come to this our sacrifice, 
 for which the libation is prepared ; drink like a thirsty stag. 
 
 "6. These dripping Soma juices are efflised upon the sacred 
 grass ; drink them, Indra. to recruit thy vigor. 
 
 " 7. May this our excellent hymn, touching thy heart, be grateful 
 to thee, and thence drink the effused libation. 
 
THE RAM AY ANA. 95 
 
 ** 8, Indra, the destroyer of enemies, repairs assuredly to every 
 ceremony where the Ubation is poured out, to drink the Soma 
 juice for exhilaration. 
 
 " 9. Do thou, Satakratu, accompHsh our desire with cattle and 
 horses : profoundly meditating, we praise thee." 
 
 As the Greeks and Romans had their Homer and Virgil, so the 
 Hindoos have had their Valmiki and Vyasa. The great epics of 
 India are the Ramayana and the Mahabarata. These stand peer- 
 less in their voluminous literature, and have held control of the 
 minds of the people since long before the Incarnation. 
 
 The Ramayana is probably the most ancient and connected 
 epic poem in the Sanscrit, and exceeded only by the Vedas in 
 antiquity. It contains the mythical history of Rama, one of the 
 incarnations of the god Vishnu, and was written by the great poet 
 Valmiki. For a very brief epitome of this wonderful and venera- 
 ble development of Hindoo literature we are indebted to Speir's 
 " Ancient India." 
 
 The style and language of the Ramayana are those of an early 
 ijeroic age, and there are signs of its having been popular in India 
 at least three centuries before Christ. The original subject of the 
 poem is sometimes considered as mythological, and sometimes as 
 heroic ; but the mythological portions stand apart, and have the 
 air of after-thoughts, intended to give a religious and philosophical 
 tone to what was at first a tale rehearsed at festivals in praise of 
 the ancestors of kings. The mythological introduction states that 
 Lanka, or Ceylon, had fallen under the dominion of a prince named 
 Ravana, who was a demon of such power that by dint of penance he 
 had extorted from the god Brahm a promise that no immortal should 
 destroy him. Such a promise was as relentless as the Greek Fates, 
 from which Jove himself could not escape ; and Ravana, now invid- 
 7ierable to the gods, gave up the asceism he had so long practiced, and 
 tyrannized over the whole of Southern India in a fearful manner. 
 At length, even the gods in heaven were distressed at the destruc- 
 tion of holiness and oppression of virtue consequent upon Ravana's 
 
96 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 tyrannies, and they called a council in the mansion of Brahma to 
 consider how the earth could be relieved from such a fiend. To 
 this council came the "god Vishnu, riding on the eagle Vain-a-taya, 
 like the sun on a cloud, and his discus and his mace in hand." The 
 other gods entreat him to give his aid, and he promises, in conse- 
 quence, to be born on earth, and to accomplish the destruction of 
 the terrific Ravana Vishnu therefore became incarnated (his 
 Seventh Avatar) as Rama or Ramchtmdra, and his life and exploits 
 as the celebrated King of Ayodhya, form the subject of this, 
 the earliest epic poem of India. According to this work, Rama 
 was born as the son of Dasharatha, King of Ayodhya, the modern 
 Oude. In early life Rama married Seeta, the lovely daughter of 
 the King of Mithili. But domestic trouble, caused by the intrigues 
 of his mother-in-law in behalf of her own son, caused Rama and 
 Seeta to retire to the forests, and there they lived the lives of her- 
 mits for years, till the time for his action should come. While in 
 this seclusion, Ravana, the demon King of Lanka, (Ceylon,) who 
 had heard of the beauty of Seeta, resolved to steal her from Rama. 
 Finding it in vain to hope to succeed without the aid of stratagem, 
 he took with him an assistant sorcerer, disguised as a deer ; and as 
 Rama took great pleasure in the chase, it was not difficult for the 
 deer to lure him from his cottage in pursuit. He did not leave his 
 beloved Seeta without requesting Lakshman, his brother, to remain 
 in charge ; but the wily deer knew how to defeat his precaution, and, 
 when transfixed by Rama's arrow, he cried out in the voice of 
 Rama, " O, Lakshman, save me ! " Seeta heard the cry, and 
 entreated Lakshman to fly to his brother's rescue. He was un- 
 willing to go, but yielded to her earnestness, and she was left 
 alone. This being the state of affairs which Ravana desired, he 
 now left his hiding-place, and came forward, disguised as an Ascetic 
 Brahmin, in a red, threadbare garment, with a single tuft of hair 
 upon his head, and three sticks and a pitcher in his hand. In the 
 rich, glowing poetry all creation is represented as shuddering at 
 his approach ; birds, beasts, and flowers were motionless with 
 dread ; the summer wind ceased to breathe, and a shiver passed 
 
THE TEMPTATION OF SEETA. 97 
 
 over the bright waves of the river. Ravana stood for awhile look- 
 ing at his victim, as she sat weeping and musing over the unknown 
 cry ; but soon he approached, saying, (we quote the metrical trans- 
 lation here,^ 
 
 *'0 thou that shinest like a tree 
 
 With summer blossoms overspread, 
 Wearing that woven ktisa robe, 
 
 And lotus garland on thy head, 
 Why art thou dwelling here alone, 
 
 Here in this dreary forest's shade, 
 Where range at will all beasts of prey, 
 
 And demons prowl in every glade ? 
 Wilt thou not leave thy cottage home, 
 
 And roam the world, which stretches wide — 
 See the fair cities which men build. 
 
 And all their gardens and their pride ? 
 Why longer, fair one, dwell'st thou here, 
 
 Feeding on roots and sylvan fare. 
 When thou might'st dwell in palaces, 
 
 And earth's most costly jewels wear? 
 Fearest thou not the forest gloom, 
 
 Which darkens round on every side ? 
 Who art thou, say ! and whose, and whence, 
 
 And wherefore dost thou here abide ? " 
 
 Even a lady alone is not supposed to be necessarily alarmed at 
 meeting " a holy Brahmin," and the fiend's disguise was so com- 
 plete that only a temporary flush of excitement followed his sudden 
 address. So the poet continues : 
 
 " When first these words of Ravana 
 
 Broke upon sorrowing Seeta's ear. 
 She started up, and lost herself 
 
 In wonderment, and doubt, and fear ; 
 But soon her gentle, loving heart 
 
 Threw off suspicion and surmise. 
 And slept again in confidence, 
 
 LuU'd by the mendicant's disguise. 
 ' Hail, holy Brahmin ! ' she exclaimed j 
 
 And, in her guileless purity. 
 She gave a welcome to her guest, 
 
 With courteous hospitality. 
 Water she brought to wash his feet, 
 
 And food to satisfy his need. 
 Full little dreaming in her heart 
 
 What fearftdgtiest she had received," 
 
98 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 She even tells him her own story, how Rama had won her for 
 his bride and taken her to his father's home, and how the jealous 
 Kaikeyi had cast them forth to roam the woods ; and after dwell- 
 ing fondly on her husband's praise, she invited her guest to tell his 
 name and lineage, and what had induced him to leave his native 
 land for the wilds of the Dandaka forest, inviting him to await hei 
 husband's return, for " to him are holy wanderers dear." Suddenly 
 Ravana declares himself to be the demon monarch of the earth, 
 "at whose name Heaven's armies flee." He has come, he says, 
 to woo Seeta for his queen, and to carry her to his palace in the 
 island of Ceylon ! Astonished and indignant at his character and 
 proposal, the wrath of Rama's wife burst forth in these words : 
 
 "Me would' st thou woo to be thy queen, 
 
 Or dazzle with thy empire's shine ? 
 And didst thou dream that Rama's wife 
 
 Could stoop to such a prayer as thine? 
 I, who can look on Rama's face, 
 
 And know that there my husband stands, — 
 Aly Rama, whose high chivalry 
 
 Is blazoned through a hundred lands ! 
 What ! shall the jackal think to tempt 
 
 The lioness to mate with him ? 
 Or did the King of Lanka's isle, 
 
 Build upon such an idle dream ? " 
 
 But vain was poor Seeta's indignant remonstrance. Ravana's 
 only answer was to throw off his disguise, and, "with brows as 
 dark as the storm-cloud," he carried off the shrieking Seeta as an 
 eagle bears its prey, mounting up aloft and flying with his burden 
 through the sky. The unhappy Seeta calls loudly upon Rama, and 
 bids the flowery bowers and trees and rivers all tell her Rama that 
 Ravana has stolen his Seeta from his home. In Rama's time the 
 woods were inhabited by demons and monkeys. On returning and 
 ascertaining his great loss, Rama did not feel strong enough to 
 recover Seeta single-handed. He therefore entered into an alliance 
 with the monkeys. First, the monkey-king Sugriva dispatched 
 emissaries in all directions to ascertain where Seeta was concealed ; 
 and when the monkey-general Hunooinaji (the Mars of India) ascer- 
 
THE MAHABARATA. 99 
 
 tained that she was in a palace in Ceylon, Rama and all the allied 
 monkey forces marched down to the Coromandel coast, and, mak- 
 ing a bridge by casting rocks into the sea, passed quickly into 
 Lanka. After fighting a few battles the Rakshasas (demons) were 
 defeated, Ravana was put to death by Rama, and Seeta rescued 
 froir her palace prison, Rama will, however, have nothing to say 
 to his recovered wife until she has gone through " the ordeal of 
 fire ; " but as she passed through the blazing pile unhurt, and 
 Brahma and other gods attested her fidelity, her husband once 
 more received her with affection, and, the term of exile over, the 
 whole party returned in happiness to Ayodhya. Such, in brief, 
 is the story of the Ramayana, which is spun out into details and 
 episodes of great length. It is read very extensively to listening 
 crowds in India, who believe every word, no matter how improba- 
 ble, as we would the most authentic records of our own history or 
 our Holy Bible. 
 
 The Mahabarata is the second famous epic of India. We have 
 only room to say that it describes a contest between the two 
 branches of the Chundra, or Moon dynasty, for the sovereignty of 
 the Ganges territory. The " Great War " (as the word Mahabarata 
 expresses) is generally regarded as having taken place about two 
 hundred years before the siege of Troy. 
 
 Princes are enumerated as taking part in the struggle from the 
 Deccan, and the Indus, and even beyond the Indus, especially the 
 Yarases, thought to be Greeks. Fifty-six royal leaders were assem- 
 bled on the field of battle, which raged for eighteen days with pro- 
 digious slaughter — another proof of the division of India into 
 many separate States, though occasionally combined, as in this 
 poem, under the leadership of some great general on either side. 
 The contest was waged between the sons of Pandu, the deceased 
 Rajah, and their cousins the Kooroos, who denied their legitimacy 
 — a never-failing subject of dispute in Hindoo successions. It 
 ended in the victory of the Pandus ; but what they gained by arms 
 they lost through gaming. Yudisthira, the Agamemnon of the 
 poem, departs with his brothers and the beautiful Draupadi into 
 
lOO THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 exile on the Himalayas. Their evil deeds prevailing, they drop 
 dead, one after another, by the way-side. Yudisthira is the last, 
 and when Indra comes to admit him to Swarga (Paradise) he 
 demands to be accompanied by his faithful dog. The poem follows 
 the hero into the other world. Arrived in Indra's paradise, and 
 finding his enemies there before him, with none of his party, he 
 refuses to stay, and, descending to the shades in quest of Draupadi 
 and his brothers, succeeds in rescuing them from torment. The 
 gods applaud his virtue, and he is permitted to convey himself 
 and all his party to Swarga. The hero of this poem is Krishna, 
 the great ally of the Pandus, and generally regarded as the eighth 
 incarnation of Vishnu. — Trevor's India, p. 52. 
 
ARCHITEGTUBE OF INDIA. lOI 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 ARCHITECTURAL MAGNIFICENCE OF INDIA 
 
 THE missionary authorities of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
 resolved, in the year 1854, to found a mission in India, and 
 they advertised during that year and the next for a man to go 
 forth and commence the work. The writer, after waiting in the 
 hope that some one else, better suited for the duty and less cum 
 bered with family cares, would answer to the call, offered himself 
 for the service. This involved one of the keenest trials through 
 which himself and wife had ever passed — no less than a separation 
 from their two elder boys. The necessity for this, in the case of 
 children over the age of seven years exposed to the climate and 
 moral influence in India, as well as the educational need, are all 
 understood. 
 
 Having no personal friends to whose care they could be in- 
 trusted, they had to be placed at a boarding-school in the hands 
 of strangers. God only knows the feelings with which we 
 resigned them, fearing (what proved too true in the case of one 
 of them) that we might see them no more on earth ; but, so far as 
 we could understand, it was either this, or for our Church to fail of 
 her duty to perishing men in India. We understood that such 
 sacrifices were contemplated by the Head of the Church when he 
 instituted a missionary ministry for the salvation of the world. 
 He was well aware what this would involve to the souls of many 
 parents in the future, and therefore, to sustain them under the 
 peculiar cross, he had put on record one of his most glorious 
 promises. There can be no mistake as to the circumstances con- 
 templated. " Peter said, Lo, we have left all and followed thee 
 And He said unto theni. Verily, verily, I say unto you. There is 
 no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or 
 
I02 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 children, for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive mani- 
 fold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlast- 
 ing." With hearts bleeding at the sacrifice which we were called 
 to make, we clung to the precious and appropriate promise of our 
 divine Master, committed our little ones to his care, and went 
 forth to fulfill his commission to the best of our ability. 
 
 With my wife and two younger children I sailed from Boston on 
 the 9th of April, 1856. I was instructed to proceed by way of 
 England, and there obtain from the secretaries of the different 
 missionary societies all the information available in regard to those 
 unoccupied portions of India where we might labor without in- 
 terference with existing missions, "to preach the Gospel, not 
 where Christ is named, lest we should build upon another man's 
 foundation," and there labor for the enlargement of the kingdom 
 of God. 
 
 Having attended to this duty, and obtained all the light that the 
 secretaries and returned missionaries could impart, I resolved to 
 proceed to Calcutta, and from that to move westward into the 
 heart of the country and examine the Valley of the Ganges. 
 We left Southampton on the 20th of August in the steamship 
 Pera. Just as we were departing, the consort ship of the same 
 line, the Ripon, came in with the mails and passengers from India, 
 and on board of her was the Queen of Oude, coming to place 
 before the British Queen her protest against the annexation of 
 Oude, and to plead for the restoration of the sovereignty to her 
 family. 
 
 Apart from the singularity of the fact that she was probably the 
 first lady of her race who had ever come to a western clime, her 
 presence there occasioned me no particular interest ; yet, as God 
 looked down upon the objects of each, how much she and I, thus 
 meeting casually for a moment, really depended upon each other's 
 movements ! Had she succeeded in her mission, I must neces- 
 sarily have failed in mine, so far as our present mission field is 
 concerned, for I was unconsciously going to the kingdom which 
 she had ruled, and to the very capital whose gates she had left ajar 
 
OUR RECEPTION IN INDIA. 103 
 
 five weeks before — gates that had been closed by Mohammedan 
 bigotry against Christianity for ages. Her success on this expe- 
 dition would have closed them again indefinitely, and I should have 
 had to go elsewhere ; but He whose holy providence guided my 
 steps took care of the issues. She failed, and I succeeded, yet 
 not without "a great fight of afflictions," as the sequel will show. 
 
 We landed at Calcutta on the 23d of September, and were most 
 cordially welcomed by the missionary brethren there, and aided by 
 their opinions and advice in regard to the unoccupied territory of 
 the country. We soon realized, in the brotherly kindness of their 
 intercourse, and the gladness with which they regarded the incom- 
 ing of another mission, what real evangelical union, and what free- 
 dom from sectarianism, exist among Christians in a heathen land. 
 Dr. Duff was especially kind to us. He seemed so thankful that 
 the Lord was sending more help to redeem the India he loved 
 so well, and for which he had labored so long and so faithfully. 
 As we parted from the great and good man, I little imagined that 
 within a year, counting us among the slain, he would write a 
 sort of biography of me, (in his work " The Indian Rebellion,") or 
 that I should live to thank him, at his own table, for the peculiar 
 privilege of knowing what my friends would say of me when I was 
 dead. Yet so it proved. 
 
 Proceeding at once up the country, we reached the city of Agra, 
 the seat of government for the North-west, and soon realized that 
 we were now amid the splendid evidences of the power and glory 
 of the " Great Moguls." This imperial city, and the adjoining one 
 of Delhi, were full of those reminiscences, and the interest which 
 they at once awakened was something intense and peculiar. 
 
 We were in blissful ignorance of any cause for anxiety — knew 
 not what a volcano of wrath was quietly preparing beneath our 
 feet, or how surely the titled and decorated " Nawabs," whose 
 courteous salaams we returned, were thirsting for our blood, and 
 resolving to have it, too ; but we will let that subject rest here, until 
 we share with the reader our interest and delight as we survey some 
 of those magnificent, those matchless, monuments of Patau skill 
 
I04 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 and wealth with which we now found ourselves surrounded. This 
 will also give him a better idea than any thing else could do as to 
 what those imperial people risked in their desperate enterprise, 
 when pensions, palaces, titles, ancestral monuments, and mauso- 
 leums, with all their gorgeous traditions, were the mighty stakes 
 ventured in the frantic and final struggle of their dynasty with a 
 superior civilization and the strength which accompanies it. We 
 were, though we knew it not, contemplating many of these glories 
 for the last time in which men could gaze in admiration upon 
 them, for most of them, save the Taj and the Kootub, were des- 
 tined to destruction by the ruin which war was so soon to bring. 
 When we saw them again, one year afterward, "the glory had 
 departed," save in the cases given. The Taj, especially, seemed as 
 though self-protected by its own purity and loveliness ; even ravag- 
 ing war respected it, friend and foe alike agreeing that its beaut}- 
 should remain unsullied forever. 
 
 The first permanent conquest by a Mohammedan sovereign in 
 India was that made by Mahmoud of Ghuznee in the year looi. 
 Sixty-five rulers of that faith, during the following eight centuries, 
 tried to maintain their authority over the great Hindoo nations. It 
 may be doubted whether any part of the world was ever so cursed 
 by a line of bigoted, ferocious wretches as, with two or three excep- 
 tions, were these Mohammedan despots of India during that time. 
 To many of them may be truly applied the terrible lines of Moore : 
 
 " One of that saintly, murderous brood, 
 
 To carnage and the Koran given, 
 Who think through unbelievers' blood 
 
 Lies their directest path to heaven ; 
 One who will pause and kneel unshod 
 
 In the warm blood his hand hath poured, 
 To mutter o'er some text of God 
 
 Engraven on his reeking sword ; 
 Nay, who can coolly note the line, 
 The letters of those words divine, 
 To which his blade, with searching art, 
 Had sunk into its victim's heart ! " 
 
 And all this transacted by these " bloody men " under the pro- 
 fessed sanction and authority of a holy and merciful God, whose 
 
Mohammed Suraj-oo-deen Shah Gezee, Emperor of Delhi, the Last of the Moguls. 
 
aHARACTEB OF MOSLEM RULE. 1 07 
 
 special favor and reward they asserted awaited them in Paradise for 
 blasphemous cruelties like these ! The reference in the lines is to 
 their habit of engraving texts from the Koran upon their swords. 
 What millions, during the past eight centuries, have been destroyed 
 by Mohammedanism and Romanism in the name of religion, till 
 humanity sighs to be relieved of their baneful presence, and the 
 true Christian looks forward solemnly to the awful hour when He 
 " to whom vengeance belongeth " will call " the beast and the false 
 prophet " to their dread account — partners in punishment as they 
 have been in guilt ! 
 
 The character and cruelties of Popery recorded in Motley's recent 
 histories are equaled in India's records by those Moslem scourges, 
 Hyder Ali, Tippoo, Tamerlane, Nadir Shah, and Aurungzebe. 
 The creed of the Koran is utterly unfit for civil government. It is 
 a system of moral and political bondage, sustained only by military 
 power and despotic rule, naturally corrupting those who adminis- 
 ter it, while it has ever pauperized and demoralized the people who 
 have been subjected to its sway. The Moguls have done in India 
 what the Turks have accomplished in Asia Minor ; and yet, while 
 destroying and impoverishing, neither race have taken root in either 
 land. In the former the power of the Moguls crumbled to pieces, 
 and in the latter that of the Turks is now " ready to vanish away." 
 
 The last century closed upon Shah Alum — the grandfather of the 
 monarch whose portrait we here present — engaged in a terrible 
 struggle with the Rohillas of the North and the Mahrattas of the 
 South. The long examples of perfidy and blood were then bearing 
 their fruit, and had made these once subject-races the remorseless 
 and inveterate enemies of the Mogul rule. Their power had been 
 rising as that of the Emperor was in its decadence. Destitute of 
 the means, which were once so abundant, to repress these conflicts, 
 the aged Emperor had to witness these fierce and powerful parties 
 contending with each other for the possession of his person and his 
 capital, and the power to rule in his name. 
 
 In 1785, Sindia, the Mahratta, became paramount; but a few 
 years after, while engaged in a war with Pertalo Sing, of Jeypoor, 
 
lo8 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 advantage was taken of his absence by Gholan Kadir Kahn, the 
 Rohilla, to obtain possession of Delhi and the Emperor. This he 
 accomplished by the treachery of the Nazir, or chief eunuch, to 
 whom the management of the imperial establishment was intrusted. 
 The inmates of the palace were treated by the usurper with a 
 degree of malicious barbarity which it is hardly possible to con- 
 ceive any human being could evince toward his fellow-creatures, 
 unless actually possessed by Satan, 
 
 After cruelties of almost every description had been practiced, to 
 extort from the members and retainers of the imperial family every 
 article of value that still remained in their possession, Gholan 
 Kadir continued to withhold from them even the necessaries of 
 life, so that several ladies perished of hunger, and others, mad- 
 dened by suffering, committed suicide. The royal children were 
 compelled to perform the most humiliating offices ; and when at last 
 the wretched Emperor ventured to remonstrate indignantly against 
 the atrocities he was thus compelled to witness, the fierce Rohilla 
 sprang at him with the fury of a wild beast, flung the venerable 
 monarch to the ground, knelt on his breast, and, with his dagger, 
 pierced his eye-balls through and through ! 
 
 The return of Sindia terminated these terrible scenes. Gholan 
 Kadir fled, but was followed and captured by the Mahratta chief, 
 who cut off his nose, ears, hands, and feet, and sent him in an iron 
 cage to the Emperor — a fearful, though not uncommon, example of 
 Asiatic retributive barbarity. He perished on the road, and his 
 accomplice, the treacherous Nazir, was condemned, and trodden to 
 death by an elephant — a mode of execution long practiced at Delhi. ^ 
 
 The condition of the imperial family, though ameliorated, 
 remained barely tolerable during the supremacy of Sindia ; for 
 the stated allowance for the support of the Emperor and his thirty 
 children, though liberal in its nominal amount, was so irregularly 
 paid that the imperial household often wanted the necessaries of 
 life. 
 
 The real authority of the Moguls had passed away, and it now 
 became a question, Who shall seize the fallen scepter — some one 
 
THE FALLING DYNASTY. 1 09 
 
 of these contending chiefs, or the English power, which had already 
 established itself in the South and East of the country ? The lat- 
 ter alone had the ability to give peace to the distracted land, and, 
 at the same time, might be rehed upon to grant the most generous 
 terms to the falling d}7nasty. Accordingly, on the loth of Septem- 
 ber, 1803, Shah Alum, the last actual possessor of the once mighty 
 throne of the Moguls, thankfully placed himself and his empire 
 under the protection of the British commander, Lord Lake, and 
 thus delivered himself from the cruelty and tyranny of his enemies. 
 
 The General, on his entrance to the palace, found the Emperor 
 " seated under a small tattered canopy, his person emaciated by 
 indigence and infirmity, his countenance disfigured by the loss of 
 his eyes, and bearing marks of extreme old age and settled melan- 
 choly." The arrangements made with him, under the directions 
 of the Marquis Wellesley, then English Governor-General, were, 
 no doubt, far beyond in liberality what the poor old man could have 
 expected. Of this more hereafter, in its place. 
 
 The gigantic genius of Tamerlane, and the distinguished talentb 
 of the great Akbar, with the magnificent taste of Jehan, have 
 thrown a sort of splendor over the crimes and foHies of their 
 descendants ; and men kept reverence for the ruins of such great- 
 ness, and for the ideas which we have all associated in our child- 
 hood with the boundless wealth and glory suggested by the title of 
 " The Great Moguls." 
 
 Under the new rule India began to return to peace, and such 
 prosperity as was possible, with a still brighter day dawning upon 
 her. Shah Alum enjoyed his honors and emoluments till 1806, 
 when he was succeeded on his titular throne by his son. Shah 
 Akbar, who held it until 1836, when its last possessor — the man 
 whose portrait is here given — commenced his occupancy, and 
 retained it till 1857, when a mad and hopeless infatuation led him 
 to violate his treaty, and defy the power of the actual rulers of his 
 empire, and precipitated him from the height to which his ambition 
 had for a few weeks soared, into the depths of ignominious and 
 unpitied exile. 
 
no THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 A few facts in explanation are necessary here. This monarch, 
 Mohammed Suraj- oo-deen, succeeded his father in 1836. The 
 father, at the instigation of one of his wives, the favorite Begum, 
 had done his best to deprive his son of his inheritance, and to have 
 her own son, Mirza Saleem, acknowledged as his successor by the 
 British Government. To this injustice that Government would 
 not consent ; so his rights were protected, and he mounted the 
 throne of his ancestors. 
 
 The beautiful steel engraving on the opposite page gives a faith- 
 ful picture of the wife, or, rather, one of the wives, of this old 
 gentleman — the last of " The Great Moguls." Her name is Zeenat 
 Mahal — the Ornament of the Palace — which was conferred on her 
 when she was married to the Emperor in 1833. She was then six- 
 teen years of age, and he was sixty — a disparity by no means 
 uncommon in a land where polygamy prevails, and where such 
 prejudice exists against marrying a widow, no matter how young 
 or fair she may be. Her sexagenarian husband had other wives 
 than Zeenat Mahal, but the beautiful and ambitious girl soon 
 gained a complete control over the mind and heart of her aged 
 lord, and this was made all the more influential when she had 
 added the claims of a mother to the attractions of a wife. 
 
 Then commenced those intrigues, which she carried on up to the 
 year 1856, to secure the succession to the throne for her child, 
 Mirza Jumma Bukht, to the exclusion of Mirza Furruk-oo-deen, 
 the elder son, whose prior claims the English Government recog- 
 nized and sustained, as in duty bound. Her hostility to British 
 influence, therefore, became intense ; and her hopes of gaining her 
 object were identified with the efforts of the Sepoy conspiracy to 
 overthrow the English power in India. Poor lady! she utterly 
 failed ; and she and the son for whom every thing was risked are 
 to-day wanderers in a foreign land, with the bitter reflection of the 
 utter desolation which has overwhelmed the dynasty of which she 
 thus became the last empress. She is the daughter of the Rajah 
 of Bhatneer, a territory about one hundred and eighty miles north- 
 west of Delhi. 
 
I ir '^ \'',\ I'.u I'Mi.iri I '7 .i"i"',ir 
 
 ' I 111 rlmM. 
 
 ,iiiijiihiii 'h ,i,'iii';'liii''!i''ii;\ii';''ii'i'iiii''i'f ' i''liJi'iiiiii|'fii'IW 
 
 ill I 
 
 I "I I iVu li^rifa 
 
 Zeenat Mahal. Empress of Delhi. 
 
THE KHA8S AND THE MOGUL SINK TOGETHER 113 
 
 The pictures of the Emperor and Empress here presented were 
 painted on ivory by the Court portrait-painter twenty years ago, 
 and are beautiful specimens of native art, and very correct Uke- 
 nesses of them both. 
 
 We will now turn from these royal persons to their home, and 
 some of their splendid surroutidings ; and, first of all, let us look at 
 their historical and beautiful Dewan Khass, There was something 
 remarkably significant in the fact that the magnificent and famous 
 Audience Hall of the Moguls should sink to ruin with the dynasty 
 which had so long adorned it. For two hundred and fifty years 
 they had shed luster upon each other ; but, when we remember 
 the crimes which had so long cried to Heaven for vengeance from 
 the polished floor of this marble hall, it did seem fitting that the 
 Most High, who ruleth in the kingdoms of men, in the hour when 
 their judgment came should, with the same blow, strike down both 
 the Mogul line and their magnificent memorial. When their cup 
 of iniquity was full, and their hands were red with Christian blood, 
 then came the day of vengeance. 
 
 It was my lot to be a witness of the wondrous ruin — to behold 
 this imperial head of Oriental Mohammedanism, this " Light of the 
 Faith," as he was designated, sinking into utter ruin and darkness ; 
 
 " Falling, like Lucifer, 
 Never to hope again." 
 
 When I reached the Mogul capital of Hindustan, in the autumn 
 of 1856, the Dewan Khass was still the center of state and pagean- 
 try, and its imperial master living in Oriental style on his salary of 
 eighteen lakhs of rupees — ^900,000 gold — per annum. Within one 
 year from that day I was again in the Dewan Khass, where he 
 used to sit in his gorgeous array, to witness his trial, and that of 
 his princes and nobles, before a military commission of British 
 officers, by whom he was condemned to be banished as a felon to 
 a foreign shore for the remnant of his miserable hfe, there to sub- 
 sist on a convict's allowance ; and within a few weeks after, when 
 I again visited the once magnificent Dewan Khass, I found it 
 despoiled of its glory, its marble halls and columns whitewashed. 
 
114 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 and the whole turned into a hospital for sick soldiers ! Has the 
 world ever witnessed a ruin more prompt, more complete, more 
 amazing than this ? 
 
 For seven hundred years the Mohammedan dynasties — of whom 
 this wretched old man was the last representative — had tried to 
 hold the reins of power over India, alien alike in race, language, 
 and religion from the people whom they ruled. Mahmoud of 
 Ghuznee— -a contemporary for five years of William the Con- 
 queror — was the founder of this line of monarchs ; and yet such 
 was their character, that when these long centuries of selfish and 
 bigoted misrule were ending, and this old man was in circumstances 
 that might well have evoked compassion and sympathy from those 
 around him, he was allowed to sink out of sight, not only without 
 regret or condolence, but amid the expressed sense of relief of the 
 race over whom he and his ancestors had dominated — a people 
 with whom they had ever refused to amalgamate, whom they had 
 never tried to conciliate, and from whom his race never realized 
 either loyalty or affection. 
 
 It may be doubted if any royal line on earth has had such a sad 
 record to present to the historian. Of the sixty-five monarchs who 
 thus conquered and ruled India, only twenty-seven of the numbei 
 died a natural death ; all the rest were either exiled, killed in battle, 
 or assassinated, while the average length of each reign was only 
 eleven years. Truly has it been said, " Delhi has been the stage 
 of greatness — men the actors, ambition the prompter, and centuries 
 the audience." It was my opportunity to come in at the close, and 
 behold destruction drawing the curtain over the scene, and writing 
 upon it the realized sentence, and the warning to the nations : 
 " Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron ; thou shalt dash them 
 in pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings r 
 be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, 
 and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and 
 ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little." 
 
 This was all the more significant, because the men by whose 
 instrumentality God wrought out his purposes were the very race 
 
AECHITECTUBAL TASTE OF THE EMPER0B8. II5 
 
 whose new monarchy opened with their own in the tenth century ; 
 but a race who received the faith which those Mohammedans 
 repelled and persecuted, and who have consequently risen to 
 supremacy among the nations ; so that, while one portion of them 
 rules the New World, the other inherits the empire of the fallen 
 Moguls, and are there with confidence expecting that the promise 
 of the Almighty shall ere long be made as true as his threatenings 
 now consummated : " Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen 
 for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy 
 possession." How expressively does the history of these eight hun- 
 dred years declare, " Blessed are all they that put their trust in 
 Him!" 
 
 True religion was the only thing this guilty but magnificent race 
 needed for perpetuity. No dynasty ever had a grander oppor- 
 tunity than they — a rich land, the sixth of the world's population, 
 boundless wealth, almost a millennium of time for the trial, with a 
 civilization all their own, and a splendid cultivated taste, which they 
 had the will and the ability to gratify to the utmost, as its memori- 
 als in Agra, and Delhi, and elsewhere, attest, to the surprise and 
 delight of the traveler and tourist from many lands. 
 
 The Emperor Shah Jehan — A. D. 1627 — alone, for his portion, 
 laid out in Alipoor the celebrated Gardens of Shalimar, at a cost 
 of ^5,000,000. They were about two miles and a half in cir- 
 cumference, and were almost like Paradise in beauty. He then 
 built the world-renowned Taj Mahal, expending upon it nearly 
 $60,000,000, the present value of money. He also erected the 
 Dewan Khass, the most gorgeous audience hall in the East. This 
 latter we here illustrate. 
 
 This imperial hall was a gorgeous accessory of the Palace of 
 Delhi. The front opened on a large quadrangle, and the whole 
 stood in what was once a garden, extremely rich and beautiful. 
 This unique pavilion rested on an elevated terrace, and was formed 
 entirely of white marble. It was one hundred and fifty feet long, 
 and forty in breadth, having a graceful cupola at each angle. The 
 roof was supported on colonnades of marble pillars. The solid and 
 
ii6 THE Land of the veba. 
 
 polished marble has been worked into its forms with as much deli- 
 cacy as though it had been wax, and its whole surface, pillars, 
 wails, arches, and roof, and even the pavement, was inlaid with the 
 richest, most profuse, and exquisite designs in foliage and ara- 
 besque ; the fruits and flowers being represented in sections of 
 gems, such as amethysts, carnelian, blood-stone, garnet, topaz, 
 lapis lazuli, green serpentine, and various colored crystals. A bor- 
 dering ran around the walls and columns similarly decorated, inlaid 
 with inscriptions in Arabic from the Koran. The whole had the 
 appearance of some rich work from the loom, in which a brilliant 
 pattern is woven on a pure white ground, the tracery of rare and 
 cunning artists. Purdahs (curtains) of all colors and designs hung 
 from the crenated arches on the outside to exclude the glare and 
 heat. (These purdahs are omitted in the engraving for the sake 
 of the interior view.) 
 
 In the center of the hall stood the Takt Taous, or Peacock 
 Throne, of Shah Jehan, on the erection of which Price's History 
 tells us he expended thirty millions sterling, (^150,000,000.) This 
 wondrous work of art was ascended by steps of silver, at the sum- 
 mit of which rose a massive seat of pure gold, with a canopy of the 
 same metal inlaid with jewels. The chief feature of the design 
 was a peacock with his tail spread, the natural colors being repre- 
 sented by pure gems. A vine also was introduced into the design, 
 the leaves and fruit of which were of precious stones, whose rays 
 were reflected from mirrors set in large pearls. Beneath all this 
 " glory " sat the Great Mogul. 
 
 No wonder that the fame of this wealth and extravagance should 
 attract the notice and cupidity of a man like Nadir Shah, the Per- 
 sian, who, in 1739, invaded Hindustan, and carried off this Pea- 
 cock Throne among his trophies. His estimate of it may be 
 understood from the fact that he had a tent constructed to contain 
 it, the outside of which was covered with scarlet broadcloth and 
 the inside of violet-colored satin, on which birds and beasts, trees 
 and flowers, were depicted in precious stones. On either side of 
 the Peacock Throne a screen was extended, adorned with the fig- 
 
iiiiii 
 
 f 
 
TEE BLUNDER IN LALLA BO ORE. 119 
 
 ures of two angels, also represented in various colored gems. 
 Even the tent-poles were adorned with jewels, and the pins were 
 of massive gold. The whole formed a load for several elephants. 
 The gorgeous trophy was afterward broken up by Adil Shah, the 
 nephew and successor of the captor. Its place in the Dewan 
 Khass was afterward supplied by another of inferior value, and by 
 (he Crystal Throne, which the writer saw in 1857. 
 
 Inside of the entrance of the Khass, inscribed in black letters 
 upon a slab of alabaster, is the Persian couplet, in the hyperbol- 
 ical language of the East, quoted by Moore in his Lalla Rookh. 
 
 " If there be an elysium on earth, 
 It is this, it is this." 
 
 Moore introduces it in "The Light of the Harem," where the 
 Emperor Jehangeer and his beloved and beautiful Nourmahal, in 
 their visit to the Valley of Cashmere, happen to fall into a sort of 
 lovers' quarrel, and in the evening she vails herself, and takes her 
 place among the beautiful female singers who have come to enter- 
 tain the reclining Emperor — one of whom seems disposed to avail 
 herself of the opportunity to attract the wounded and wandering 
 love of Jehangeer in a wrong direction, when the vailed Nourma- 
 hal, at the pause, strikes her lute and sings sweetly : 
 
 " There's a bliss beyond all that the minstrel has told, 
 
 When two that are linked in one heavenly tie, 
 With heart never changing, and brow never cold, 
 
 Love on through all ills, and love on till they die I 
 One hour of a passion so sacred is worth 
 
 Whole ages of heartless and wandering bliss ; 
 And O, if there be an elysium on earth. 
 
 It is this, it is this ! " 
 
 Jehangeer's heart is touched, and there ensues a happy recon- 
 ciliation. Unfortunately, however, for the poet, there is an anach- 
 ronism here, and a violation of historic truth, as well as an inade- 
 quate translation, for Shah Jehan, who built the Dewan Khass, and 
 inscribed the words on the slab of alabaster over the entrance, was 
 the son of Jehangeer, and it is not likely that his father's wife 
 could quote the words before they were composed. Moore's 
 
I20 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 picture of Jehangeer and Nourmahal is the very reverse of what 
 truthful history, corroborated by the personal observation of Sir 
 Thomas Roe, tells us of that cruel sot and his talented but unprin- 
 cipled Empress. And she could cherish but little true love for 
 the man that had her noble husband, Sheer Afghan, so basely 
 assassinated in order to gain possession of her person. 
 
 It is a pity that poetry should be so often perverted and its ele- 
 gancies made to adorn the unworthy and the vile. Nevertheless, 
 we know that "the judgments of God are according to truth," and 
 we see here that no wealth, or power, or magnificence, or human 
 adulation, can shield the guilty when the inevitable hand of the 
 Divine verdict has come. 
 
 "Elysium" is too European, too Northern, a term to express 
 Shah Jehan's word. But Moore, for a good part of his life a 
 Romanist, may have thought the term over-biblical for his use, and 
 chose the heathen phrase "elysium" in preference to the plain 
 rendering of the word. The inscription runs exactly as follows, 
 expressed in English letters : 
 
 " Ugur Firdousi ba-roo-i-zameen ust, 
 Ameen ust, ameen ust, ameen ust." , 
 
 And the rendering is : 
 
 " If there be a paradise on the face of the earth. 
 This is it, this is it, this is it 1 " 
 
 (The original Persian may be found quoted by Dr. Clarke in his 
 Commentary on Nehemiah i, verse 8.) 
 
 In or near Persia was the region of Paradise, and the fame of 
 the first garden, planted by God, near the banks of the Euphrates, 
 lingered as a tradition in its own vicinity for four thousand years, 
 and led to those imitations of it in the " paradises of Oriental des- 
 pots." Most of the invasions of India were from the regions of 
 the ancient Eden, and the invaders carried with them their laeas 
 of paradise to the land of the Ganges, and tried to reproduce them 
 there. This Dewan Khass was the central object of the most 
 costly one ever planted in India, or perhaps anywhere else. 
 
PARADISE AND ITS PRIVILEGES. I2I 
 
 Standing in the midst of it, how easy it seemed to transport 
 one's self in thought to that similar scene mentioned in the book of 
 Esther i, 4, 7, where, nearly five hundred years before Christ, 
 Ahasuerus, the Persian, " who reigned from India even unto Ethi- 
 opia," displayed his magnificence during the seven days' feast " in 
 the court of the garden of the king's palace, where were white, 
 green, and blue hangings fastened with cords of fine Hnen and 
 purple to silver rings and pillars of marble ; the beds [or seats] 
 were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and 
 v/hite, and black marble." Verses 5 and 6. 
 
 As Dr. Clarke has remarked, the term paradise "is applied to 
 denote splendid apartments, as well as fine gardens ; in a word, any 
 place of pleasure and delight." And is not this exactly the idea 
 of the paradise described in the twenty-first and twenty-second 
 chapters of Revelation — the golden city, with its jasper walls 
 and gates of pearl, in the midst of the garden of God, with the 
 river of the water of life, clear as crystal, and the tree of life yield- 
 ing its fruit every month .'' 
 
 In speaking of it Jesus says, " In my Father's house are many 
 mansions." " I go to prepare a place for you." " They shall walk 
 with me in white." " To him that overcometh will I give to eat of 
 the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God." 
 How Oriental are all these thoughts ! I have seen the princely 
 Asiatic host, with his guests around him in their white flowing 
 robes, moving through his beautiful garden, as he entertained them 
 with his fellowship, with music, and the freest use of the bounties 
 around them ; and the earthly scene has been a vivid image of 
 what the heavenly paradise will be to the redeemed, when they 
 shall find themselves at last in the garden of God, with Jesus as 
 their host, having the right of entrance to his glorious audience 
 hall, and the amazing honor of sitting down with him upon his 
 sapphire throne, in the presence of the host of heaven ! See 
 Exod. xxiv, 10; Ezek. i, 26; Rev. iii, 21. 
 
 The crown worn on the head of the Great Mogul was worthy of 
 the Khass and the throne on which he sat. It was made by the 
 
122 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 great Akbar, in the fashion of that worn by the Persian kings, and 
 was of extraordinary beauty and magnificence. It had twelve 
 points, each surmounted by a diamond of the purest water, while 
 the central point terminated in a single pearl of extraordinary size, 
 the whole, including many valuable rubies, being estimated at a 
 cost equivalent to ;^2, 070,000 sterling, or ^10,350,000. Add one 
 thing more, the KoJi-i-noor diamond, on his brow, and you have 
 the Mogul " in all his glory," as he sat on the Peacock Throne in 
 his Dewan Khass, surrounded by Mohammedan princes, by tur- 
 baned and jeweled rajahs, amid splendor which only " the gorgeous 
 East" could furnish, and the fame of which seemed to the poor 
 courts of Europe of that day like a tale of the Arabian Nights. 
 
 Soon the Portuguese were found making their way around "the 
 Cape of Storms " into the Indian Ocean, and thence to the capital 
 of the Moguls. James I. of England, in 161 5, sent as his embas- 
 sador Sir Thomas Roe, whose chaplain has left us a record of the 
 embassy in A Voyage to the East Indies. Sir Thomas felt keenly 
 the contrast afforded by the unpretending character of the presents 
 and retinue with which his royal master had provided him, to the 
 magnificent ceremonial which he daily witnessed, and in which he 
 was permitted to take part. He remained two years at Jehan- 
 geer's Court. One of the greatest displays occurred on the Em- 
 perors birthday, when, amid the ceremonies, the royal person was 
 weighed in golden scales twelve times against gold, silver, per- 
 fumes, and other valuables, the whole of which were then divided 
 among the spectators. His description of the splendors of the 
 scene sounds like the veriest romance. 
 
 On one of the pillars of the Audience Hall is shown the mark of 
 the dagger of the Hindoo Prince of Chittore, who, in the very pres- 
 ence of the Emperor, stabbed to the heart one of the Mohammedan 
 ministers, who made use of some disrespectful language toward him. 
 On being asked how he presumed to do this in tne presence of his 
 sovereign, he answered in almost the very words of Roderic Dhu, 
 
 " I right my wrongs where they are given, 
 Though it were in the court of Heaven." 
 
INQUISITION FOR BLOOD. 1 25 
 
 Alas ! what scenes of perfidy and blood have been witnessed 
 within the walls of this Dewan Khass ! Sleeman and others have 
 narrated some of them, but the half has not been told, and all are 
 only known to Heaven. The last of them, in 1857, exhausted the 
 patience of the Almighty, and the dynasty and their Khass were 
 destroyed by that "stone" which then fell upon them, and ground 
 them to powder. 
 
 Here in this hall, which he himself had built, sat the great Shah 
 Jehan, obliged to receive the insolent commands of his own grand- 
 son, Mohammed, when flushed with victory, and to offer him the 
 throne, merely to disappoint the expectations of the youth's rebel 
 father. Here sat Aurungzebe — Shah Jehan's fourth son — when 
 he ordered the assassination of his own brothers, Dara and Morad, 
 and the imprisonment and destruction by slow poison of his own 
 son Mohammed, who had so often fought bravely by his side in 
 battle. Here, too, stood in chains the graceful Sooleeman, to 
 receive his sentence of death, with his poor young brother. Sipeher 
 Shekoh, who had shared all his father's toils and dangers, and wit- 
 nessed his brutal murder. And here sat the handsome, but effem- 
 inate, Mohammed Shah, in March, 1739, bandying compliments 
 with his ferocious conqueror. Nadir Shah, the Persian King, who 
 had destroyed his armies, plundered his treasury, appropriated his 
 throne, and ordered the murder of nearly one hundred thousand of 
 the helpless inhabitants of his capital, men, women, and children, 
 in a general massacre. The bodies of these people lay unburied 
 in the streets, tainting the air, while the two sovereigns sat here 
 sipping their coffee in the presence of their courtiers, and swearing 
 to the most deliberate lies in the name of their God, prophet, and 
 Koran ! 
 
 Sleeman relates that on this occasion the coffee was brought 
 
 into the Dewan Khass upon a golden salver, and delivered to the 
 
 two sovereigns by the most polished gentleman of Mohammed 
 
 Shah's Court. Precedence and public courtesies are, in the East, 
 
 managed and respected with a tenacity and importance that to us 
 
 of the Western world seems positively ridiculous. 
 9 
 
126 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Nevertheless, they are vital to the Oriental, and life or death 
 have often hung upon their manifestations. All present on this 
 occasion felt its significance. The movements of the officer, as he 
 entered the gorgeous apartment, amid the splendid trains of the 
 two Emperors, were watched with great anxiety ; if he presented 
 the coffee first to his own master, the furious conqueror, befoie 
 whom the sovereign of India and all his courtiers trembled, might 
 order him to instant execution ; if he presented it to Nadir first, 
 he would certainly insult his own sovereign out of fear of the 
 stranger. To the astonishment of all, he walked up, with a steady 
 step, direct to his own master. " I cannot," said he, " aspire to the 
 honor of presenting the cup to the king of kings, your majesty's 
 honored guest, nor would your majesty wish that any hand but 
 your own should do so." The Emperor took the cup from the 
 golden salver, and presented it to Nadir Shah, who said with a 
 smile as he took it : " Had all your officers known and done their 
 duty like this man, you had never, my good cousin, seen me and 
 my Kuzul Bashus at Delhi. Take care of him for your own sake, 
 and get around you as many like him as you can." 
 
 All these are now dust — the oppressor and the oppressed gone 
 to their account before God ; but the spirit of bigotry, and reckless- 
 ness of human suffering and life, engendered by the Moslem creed, 
 clung to the place until its gems ceased to shine, and its glory was 
 extinguished forever. For here, too, sat its last occupant — this 
 man whose portrait we present, Mohammed Suraj-oo-deen — on the 
 I2th of May, 1857, and issued those orders under which England's 
 embassador and his chaplain, with .every Christian whom they 
 could find in Delhi, male and female, native or European, were 
 butchered amid barbarities the enormity of which has never been 
 exceeded by any of the edicts of cruelty which have gone forth, 
 even from the Dewan Khass. 
 
 Humanity heaves a sigh of relief to know that this is the last. 
 The house of Tamerlane is no more ; their Dewan Khass is in 
 ruins ; their pomp, and glory, and power, have gone down to the 
 grave forever. 
 
THE FIEST SIGHT OF THE TAJ. 1 29 
 
 From these, with all their crimes, changes, and sufferings, we 
 turn now to the peaceful and lovely monument which is India's 
 architectural glory, and one of earth's great wonders — the exist- 
 ence of which is probably the only valid apology remaining for the 
 vast revenues squandered by these irresponsible despots during so 
 many hundred years. 
 
 About six miles before the traveler reaches the city of Agra the 
 dome and minarets of the world-renowned Taj Mahal burst upon 
 his view from behind a grove of fruit-trees near the road. The 
 effect is wonderful ! The long-anticipated pleasure of beholding 
 earth's most beautiful shrine is now within his reach, and the grat- 
 ified and delighted sight rests upon this first view of its harmony 
 of parts, its faultless congregation of architectural beauties, with a 
 kind of ecstasy. Of the thousands who have traveled far to gaze 
 upon it, it may safely be asserted that not one of the number has 
 been disappointed in the examination of its wondrous beauty. The 
 Queen of Sheba would probably have admitted, had she seen it, 
 that the " half had not been told her." 
 
 We first look at it from the north side, on the river bank, where 
 the scene is fully presented. The building to the right of the Taj 
 is a Mosque for religious services, and that to the left is a Travelers' 
 Rest House, where visitors can be accommodated. We next go 
 around to the gate of entrance on the other side. The inclosure, 
 including the gardens and outer court, is a parallelogram of one 
 thousand eight hundred and sixty feet by more than one thousand 
 feet, with a system of fountains, eighty-four in number, along the cen- 
 tral avenue, and a marble reservoir in the middle about forty feet 
 square, in which are five additional fountains, one in the center, and 
 one at each corner. On either side of this beautiful sheet of water, 
 into which are falling the silvery jets of spray from the fountains, are 
 rows of dark Italian cypress, significant of the great design of the 
 shrine. The river Jumna flows mildly by, and the birds, encour- 
 aged by the delicious coolness and shade of the place, forget their 
 usual lassitude, and pour forth their songs, while the odor of roses, 
 and of the orange, and lemon, and tamarind trees, perfume the air. 
 
I30 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Amid all this loveliness the Taj rises before your view, upon an 
 elevated terrace of white and yellow marble, about thirty feet in 
 height, and having a graceful minaret at each corner. On either 
 side are the beautiful Mosque and the Rest House, facing inward, 
 and corresponding exactl} with each other in size, design, and 
 execution. That on the left side is the one used for service, as it 
 allows the faces of the worshipers to be set toward the tomb of 
 their prophet, to the west, at Mecca. The one to the right is used 
 for the accommodation of visitors who come from various parts of 
 the world to enjoy this great sight, and who here receive free quar- 
 ters as long as they choose to remain. 
 
 From the center of this great platform springs up the Taj itself 
 A detailed description of its general appearance is rendered unnec- 
 essary, as our readers have that before them in the beautiful 
 engraving here given. The mausoleum itself, the terrace upon 
 which it stands, and the minarets, are all formed of the finest white 
 marble, inlaid with precious stones. The marble was brought from 
 the Jeypore territory, a distance of nearly three hundred miles, 
 and the sandstone for the walls, from Dholepore and Futtehpcre 
 Secree. A Persian manuscript, preserved in the Taj, professes to 
 give a full account of the stones and materials used in its construc- 
 tion. The white marble was brought from Jeypore, the yellow 
 marble from the Nerbudda, the black from Charkoh, crystal from 
 China, jasper from the Punjab, carnelian from Bagdad, turquoises 
 from Thibet, agate from Yemen, lapis lazuli from Ceylon, diamonds 
 from Punah, rockspar from the Nerbudda, loadstone from Gwalior, 
 amethyst and onyx from Persia, chalcedony from Villiat, and sap- 
 phires from Lanka — and this does not exhaust the list. 
 
 The dome, " shining like an enchanted castle of burnished 
 silver," is seventy feet in diameter, the Taj itself is two hundred 
 and forty-five feet in altitude, and the cullice, or golden spire on 
 the summit, is thirty feet more, making a height of two hundred 
 and seventy-five feet from the terrace to the golden crescent. 
 
 It is asserted that the whole of the Koran is inlaid upon the 
 building in the Arabic language, the letters being beautifully formed 
 
THE TAJ A MAUSOLEUM. 133 
 
 in black marble on the outside, and in precious stones within. 
 Nearly all the external ornamentation which the reader sees in the 
 engraving are these texts. 
 
 The writer's earnest desire is, that his description may in some 
 measure be worthy of the pictures ; yet, though conscious of 
 having done his best, and venturing to assert that he has here 
 brought together the most complete account of the Taj that has 
 yet appeared, still he realizes to himself how tame and imperfect is 
 any effort to convey to those who never had the privilege of seeing 
 it an adequate idea of what its beauty really is, or of the effect it 
 produces upon the mind of the beholder as he stands within its 
 sacred inclosure and realizes its loveliness as fully displayed before 
 him. Like piety, or Hke heaven, it may be said of the beauty of 
 the Taj, that " no man knoweth it save him that receiveth it." Let 
 our readers judge of this enthusiasm by the views before them, and 
 by what follows. 
 
 The beautiful wood-cut opposite, presenting the view of the gate 
 of the Taj, and the steel engraving which follows, are both made 
 from photographs of the originals, taken in India, so that our 
 readers may be assured that they have here before them the most 
 perfect and worthy representation of this matchless structure that 
 has ever appeared. 
 
 The Taj is a mausoleum, built by the Great Mogul, Shah Jehan, 
 over his beautiful Empress. It is situated in the midst of a garden 
 of vast extent and beauty, three miles from Agra. The entrance 
 to the garden is through the gateway here shown. This superb 
 entrance is of red sandstone, inlaid with ornaments and with texts 
 from the Koran in white marble, and is itself a palace, both as 
 regards its magnitude and its decoration. The lofty walls that 
 surround the garden are of the same material, having arched colon- 
 nades running around the interior, and giving an air of magnifi- 
 cence to the whole inclosure. The garden is laid out with rich 
 taste Its paths are paved with slabs of freestone, arranged in 
 fanciful devices. Noble trees, affording a delightful shade and 
 pleasant walks, even in the middle of the day, are planted in sufB- 
 
134 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 dent number through the various spaces, while the fruit-trees, with 
 the graceful palm, the banyan, and the feathery bamboo, mingle 
 their foliage, and are ornamented by the sweet-scented tamarind 
 and by flowers of the loveliest hue, which bloom in profusion 
 around. 
 
 It is difficult to determine whether the exterior or the interior is 
 the more fascinating ; each has its own matchless claim, and each is 
 perfect in its loveliness. Externally, the best times to see the Taj 
 are by sunrise or by moonlight. The midday sun shining upon its 
 polished surface is too brilliant for the eye to bear with satisfaction : 
 for a position from whence to view it, the gallery on the top of 
 the entrance-gate inside is decidedly the best point of observation 
 An hour before the sun rises you may see persons taking their 
 places in that gallery, and there, elevated about sixty feet, they 
 wait for the opening day, and the effect produced is thus well 
 described : " The gray light of morning had not yet appeared when 
 we reached the Taj and made our way up to the top of the gate, to 
 look upon it as it gradually grew into shape and form at the bid- 
 ding of the rising sun. The moon had just hidden her face beneath 
 the western horizon, and the darkness was at its deepest, presaging 
 the approaching break of day. We looked down upon the immense 
 inclosure crowded with trees mingled together in one undistin- 
 guishable mass, gently surging and moaning in the night breeze. 
 Above rose, apparently in the distance, a huge gray-blue mass, 
 without shape or form, which rested like a cloud on the gloomy sea 
 of foliage. Soon a faint glimmer of light appeared in the eastern 
 horizon ; as the darkness fled away before its gradually increasing 
 power, the cloud changed first to a light blue, and then developed 
 into shape and proportion ; and the minarets, and the cupolas, and 
 dome defined themselves in clearer lines upon the still dark sky 
 beyond. Soon the first rosy tint of the dawn appeared, and as if 
 by magic the whole assumed a roseate hue, which increased as the 
 sun made its appearance, and the Taj stood before us, dazzlingly 
 brilliant in the purest white, absolutely perfect in its fairy propor- 
 tions. It is impossible to describe it. I had heard of perfection 
 
The Taj Mahal. 
 
THE TAJ SEEN BY MOONLIGHT. 137 
 
 of outline and of graceful symmetry of proportion, but never real- 
 ized the true meaning of the words until the morning when I 
 watched the Taj burst into loveliness at the touch of the sun's 
 
 magic wand." 
 
 Under the softened light of the moon the beautiful structure 
 develops fresh beauties. The dazzhng effect has ceased, and you 
 gaze upon every part of it as it appears bathed in a soft amber- 
 light that seems to enter your own soul and impart its peace and 
 serenity till you wonder that outside these walls there can be a 
 world of sin, and strife, and sorrow. You are conscious of aban- 
 doning yourself to the delightful, if brief, enjoyment of that poetic 
 and mental peace which the charming scene was designed to pro- 
 duce upon the beholder. 
 
 Let us now enter the wonderful shrine itself, and gaze upon 
 its internal beauty. Before entering the central hall we descend 
 to the vault below, where the real sarcophagi are, in which lie the 
 remains of the Emperor and Empress. Her tomb occupies the 
 very center, and his is by her side. The light is made to fall 
 directly upon her tomb, which is of white marble and beautifully 
 decorated. But the especial splendor is reserved for the tombs in 
 the rotunda above, directly over these, and which, as it were, offi- 
 cially represent them. 
 
 We ascend to them, and stand amid a scene of architectural 
 glory which has no equal on earth. Above us rises the lofty dome, 
 far up into the dim distance. The floor on which we tread is of 
 polished marble and jasper, ornamented with a wainscoating of 
 sculptured marble tablets inlaid with flowers formed of precious 
 stones. Around are windows or screens of marble filigree, richly 
 wrought in various patterns, which admit a faint and delicate 
 illumination— what Ritualists would love to call " a dim, religious 
 iight"— into the gorgeous apartment. In the center are the two 
 tombs, surrounded by a magnificent octagonal screen about six feet 
 high, with doors on the sides. The open tracery in this white 
 marble screen is wrought into beautiful flowers, such as lilies, 
 irises, and others, and the borders of the screen are inlaid with 
 
138 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 precious stones, representing flowers, executed with such wonder- 
 ful perfection that the forms wave as in nature, and the hues and 
 shades of the stems, leaves, and flowers appear as real almost as 
 the beauties which they represent 
 
 These ornamental designs are so carefully and exquisitely exe- 
 cuted that several of the flowers have as many as eighty different 
 stones entering into their composition, all polished uniform with 
 the marble, into which they are so delicately inserted that you can 
 hardly trace their joinings. They seem as though they had grown 
 there, instead of being separately prepared and placed in their 
 positions by the hands of the " cunning workman," who designed 
 and executed this imperishable and magnificent memorial of human 
 love. 
 
 But the richest work of all is on the cenotaph of the Empress 
 within the screen. Upon her tomb — according to universal Moham- 
 medan usage — is a slate or tablet of marble, while on the Emperor's 
 is a small box representing a pen-holder. These always distin- 
 guish a man's or a woman's grave among these people ; the idea 
 being that a woman's heart is a tablet on which lordly man can 
 write whatever pleases him best. And this mark of feminine 
 inferiority was not spared even the beloved occupant of the Taj 
 Mahal. 
 
 But her tomb — how beautiful ! The snow-white marble is inlaid 
 with flowers so delicately formed that they look like embroidery on 
 white satin, so exquisitely is the mosaic executed in carnelian, 
 blood-stone, agates, jasper, turquoise, lapis lazuli, and other precious 
 stones. Thirty-five different specimens of carnelian are employed 
 in forming a single leaf of a carnation ; and in one flower, not 
 larger than a silver dollar, as many as twenty-three different stones 
 can be counted. Yet these are but specimens of the beauties that 
 are spread in unparalleled profusion over this entire chamber. 
 Indeed, Long asserts that he found one flower upon her tomb to 
 be composed of no less than three hundred different stones. 
 
 Her name and date of death, with her virtuous qualities, are 
 recorded in the same costly manner, in gems of Arabic — the sacred 
 
REMARKABLE EFFECT OF SOFT MUSIC. 1 39 
 
 language of the Mohammedans — on the side of her tomb. There 
 are other inscriptions upon it, which we will hereafter refer to when 
 we come to examine who this lady was that was thus honored in 
 death beyond all her sex. 
 
 The Emperor's tomb is plainer than the other, has no passages 
 from the Koran, but merely a similar mosaic work of flowers, and 
 his name, with the date of his death, upon it. 
 
 Over all this richness and beauty rises the magnificent dome, 
 which is so constructed as to contain an echo more pure, and pro- 
 longed, and harmonious than any other in the world, so far as 
 known. A competent judge has declared, " Of all the complicated 
 music ever heard on earth, that of a flute played gently in the vault 
 below, where the remains of the Emperor and his consort repose, 
 as the sound rises to the dome amid a hundred arched alcoves 
 around, and descends in heavenly reverberations upon those who 
 sit or recline on the cenotaphs above, is perhaps the finest to an 
 inartificial ear. We feel as if it were from heaven, and breathed 
 by angels. It is to the ear what the building itself is to the eye ; 
 but unhappily it cannot, like the building, live in our recollections. 
 All that we can in after life remember is, that it was heavenly and 
 produced heavenly emotions." An enthusiast thus more glowingly 
 describes it : " Now take your seat upon the marble pavement 
 beside the upper tombs, and send your companion to the vault 
 underneath to run slowly over the notes of his flute or guitar. 
 Was ever melody like this } It haunts the air above and around. 
 It distills in showers upon the polished marble. It condenses into 
 the mild shadows, and sublimes into the softened, hallowed light 
 of the dome. It rises, it falls ; it swims mockingly, meltingly 
 around. It is the very element with which sweet dreams are 
 builded. It is the melancholy echo of the past — it is the bright, 
 delicate harping of the future. It is the atmosphere breathed by 
 Ariel, and playing around the fountain of Chindara. It is the spirit 
 of the Taj, the voice of inspired love, which called into being this 
 peerless wonder of the world, and elaborated its symmetry and 
 composed its harmony, and, eddying around its young minarets 
 
I40 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 and domes, blended them without a line into the azure of 
 immensity." 
 
 Let us imagine, if we can, the effect produced here when the 
 funeral dirge was chanted over the tomb of the lovely Empress, and 
 the answering echoes, in the pauses of the strains, would seem to 
 fall like the responses of angel choirs in paradise ! 
 
 Princely provision was made by the gifted originator of the Taj 
 for its care and services. The light that fell upon that tomb day 
 and night was from perfumed oil in golden lamps ; fresh gar- 
 lands of nature's flowers were laid upon it daily ; Mogul musicians 
 furnished appropriate music ; five times in each twenty-four hours 
 the Muezzin's cry to prayers resounded from these minarets ; and a 
 eunuch of high station, with two thousand Sepoys under his orders, 
 held watch and ward without ceasing over the entire place and all 
 its approaches. None but men of Mohammedan faith were per- 
 mitted to come within these precincts, or to draw near her tomb ; 
 and the entire shrine was by the Emperor's orders expressly held 
 sacred from the approach of any Christian foot. 
 
 Arrangements were made for occasionally exhibiting its loveli- 
 ness by light adequate to bring out its perfect beauty. Rests were 
 provided on the eight corners of the shrine for blue or Bengal 
 lights, and when these were simultaneously fired, as the writer has 
 seen them, the effect was magical. The candles had been pre- 
 viously extinguished and the building left in total darkness, when, 
 at the signal, the brilliant illumination burst forth, and every point 
 and ornament, even to the top of the rich dome itself, was dis- 
 played more gloriously than the light of day could ever have exhib- 
 ited their rich colors. The inlaid ornamentation and filagree of 
 the scenes, now like transparent and delicate lace-work, all seemed, 
 to the astonished vision, like a palace of enchantment, and the 
 mind of the beholder was awed into homage of that rare intellect 
 which could devise and execute this the most beautiful monument 
 on which the human eye can ever gaze on earth ! 
 
 Perhaps no one has ever rendered such perfect justice to the 
 beauty of this mausoleum as the unnamed author quoted by 
 
TEE TAJ MATCHLESS. 141 
 
 Stocqueler. He thus sketches it : "I have been to visit the Taj. 
 I have returned full of emotion. My mind is enriched with visions 
 of ideal beauty. When first I approached the Taj, eleven years 
 ago, I was disappointed. In after days, when my admiration for 
 the loveliness of this building had grown into a passion, I 
 often inquired why this should have been .■' And the only answer 
 I can find is, that the symmetry is too perfect to strike at first. It 
 meets you as the most natural of objects. It, therefore, does not 
 startle, and you return from it disappointed that you have not been 
 startled. But it grows upon you in all the harmony of its propor- 
 tions, in all the exquisite delicacy of its adornment, and at each 
 glance some fresh beauty or grace is developed. And, besides, it 
 stands so much alone in the world of beauty. Imagination has 
 never conceived a second Taj, nor had any thing similar ever before 
 occurred to it. 
 
 " View the Taj at a distance ! It is as the spirit of some happy 
 dream, dwelling dim, but pure, upon the horizon of your hope, and 
 reigning in virgin supremacy over the visible circle of the earth and 
 sky. Approach it nearer, and its grandeur appears unlessened by 
 the acuteness of its fabric, and swelling in all its fresh and fairy har- 
 mony until you are at a loss for feelings worthy of its presence. 
 Approach still nearer, and that which, as a whole, has proved so 
 charming, is found to be equally exquisite in the minutest detail. 
 Here are no mere touches for distant effect. Here is no need to 
 place the beholder in a particular spot to cast a partial light upon 
 the performance ; the work which dazzles with its elegance at the 
 coup d' ml will bear the scrutiny of the miscroscope ; the sculpture 
 of the panels, the fretwork and mosaic of the screen, the elegance 
 of the marble pavement, the perfect finish of every jot and iota, are 
 as if the meanest architect had been one of those potent genii who 
 were of yore compelled to adorn the palaces of necromancers and 
 kings. 
 
 " We feel, as our eye wanders around this hallowed space, that 
 
 we have hitherto lavished our language and admiration in vain. 
 
 We dread to think of it with feelings which workmanship less 
 10 
 
142 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 exquisite has awakened, and we dare not use, in its praise, lan- 
 guage hackneyed in the service of every-day minds. We seek for 
 it a new train of associations, a fresh range of ideas, a greener and 
 more sacred corner in the repository of the heart. And yet, where- 
 fore should this be, since no terms applying to other works of beauty, 
 excepting the most general, can be appropriated here } For those 
 there be phrases established by usage, which their several classifi- 
 cations of style render intelligible to all acquainted with similar 
 works of art. But in the Taj we fall upon a new and separate cre- 
 ation, which never can become a style, since it can never be imi- 
 tated. It is like some bright and newly discovered winged thing, 
 all beauteous in a beauty peculiar to itself, and referable to no class 
 or order on the roll of zoology, which the whole world flocks to 
 gaze upon with solemn delight, none presuming to designate the 
 lovely stranger, nor to conjecture a kindred for it with the winged 
 things of the earth. Suffice it — Love was its author, Beauty its 
 inspiration." 
 
 There never was erected in this world any thing so perfect and 
 lovely, save Solomon's Temple. In gazing down upon the scene, 
 as the writer did in the closing days of the terrible rebellion in 
 1858, the effect was wonderful, and akin to those emotions that 
 must thrill the soul which looks out for the first time upon the 
 plains of heaven. Every thing that could remind one of ruin and 
 misery seemed so far away, that as we sat, and the delighted eyes 
 drank in the scene before them, terminated by the gorgeous fane 
 as it rose up toward the blue and cloudless sky, we thought, if John 
 Bunyan could have shared the opportunity, he would surely have 
 imagined his dreams realized, and believed himself looking over the 
 battlements of the New Jerusalem, and viewing that "region of 
 eternal day " where holiness and peace are typified by pearls and 
 gold, and all manner of precious stones, with the fountain of life, 
 clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and the Lamb ! 
 Two questions now remain to be answered : Who was the lady 
 to whom the Taj was erected .'' and, Who was the architect who 
 designed and executed it .-' 
 
FOR WHOM WAS THE TAJ EBECTED? 1 43 
 
 There has been much misunderstanding upon these subjects. 
 The wrong lady has been named by authors who might have 
 understood better, had they consulted the proper authorities, and it 
 has also been asserted that the architect was unknown. Bayard 
 Taylor, for instance, in his India, China, and Japan, informs his 
 readers that " Shah Jehan — the ' Selim ' of Moore's poem — erected 
 it as a mausoleum to his Queen Noor Jehan, the ' Light of the 
 World,' " and he several times repeats this blunder. Mr. Taylor is 
 not profound in Indian history. Every statement in the above 
 quotation is incorrect. The Selim of Moore's poem was not Shah 
 Jehan, but his father ; Noor Jehan was not Shah Jehan's wife, but 
 his stepmother ; and Noor Jehan was not buried in the Taj, but 
 beyond the Attock, in the North-west, where her tomb is to-day a 
 mere ruin. That Bayard Taylor should write in this superficial 
 style is not very unusual with him : but that such authors as Mont- 
 gomery Martin and Bishop Heber should say it was for Noor 
 Jehan is indeed surprising : for they had acquaintance with the 
 history of India, and had not to depend upon ignorant guides and 
 o-uide books for the information they would give their readers 
 
 Our description of Etmad-od-Doulah's Tomb will present the 
 facts, showing that the infant born in the desert afterward became 
 the wife, first of Sheer Afghan, and then of Prince Selim, after he 
 mounted the throne, taking the name of Jehangeer, when he con- 
 ferred upon her the title of Noor Jehan. These were the hero and 
 heroine of Moore's poem. Shah Jehan, who built the Taj, was the 
 son of Jehangeer by a different wife than Noor Jehan. Noor 
 Jehan's brother, Asuf Jan, had a daughter whom Shah Jehan 
 married, and to whom he gave the title of Moomtaj-i-Mahal, and it 
 was to her memory that he built the Taj, long after his father was 
 dead, and while he held his stepmother, Noor Jehan — who died in 
 1646 — in a state of honorable captivity. Moomtaj-i-Mahal died in 
 163 1, fifteen years before her aunt, Noor Jehan. 
 
 The history of Moomtaj is very interesting, and we may give a 
 few of the facts here. She was very beautiful, and obtained an 
 unbounded influence over the mind of the Emperor, exhibiting 
 
144 THE LANL OF THE VEDA. 
 
 such capacity for the management of State affairs, that her husband 
 seems for years to have resigned the reins of government into 
 her hands, while he was consuming his time over the wine bottle 
 in the company of a favorite French physician. 
 
 From this dream of pleasure, the history tells us, Shah Jehan 
 was suddenly awakened by the fatal illness of his beautiful Empress. 
 She died in giving birth to a daughter, who is said to have been 
 heard crying in the womb by herself and her other daughters. 
 She sent for the Emperor, and told him that she believed no 
 mother had ever been known to survive the birth of a child so 
 heard, and that she felt her end was near, " She had," she said, 
 " only two requests to make : first, that he would not marry again 
 after her death, and have children to contend with hers for his 
 favors and dominions ; and, secondly, that he would build for her 
 the tomb with which he had promised to perpetuate her name." 
 Both her dying requests were granted. Her tomb was commenced 
 immediately. No woman ever pretended to supply her place in the 
 palace, nor had Shah Jehan children by any other. 
 
 But Moomtaj might well, in her dying hours, make the request 
 she did, for she could not be ignorant that Shah Jehan had secured 
 the throne to himself, from the other children of his father, by the 
 use of the dagger and the bov/-string. And it was not without 
 reason ; for before she was many years laid in the Taj her own 
 children, even, contended for the throne ; and the magnificent Shah 
 Jehan, realizing that " as he had done so God rewarded him," died 
 in prison in 1666, a captive in the hands of his son, Aurungzebe, 
 who had already followed the example of his father in hunting 
 down and destroying his brothers and nephews in order to secure 
 the throne undisputed to himself 
 
 But we return to the peaceful Taj. The Empress Moomtaj was 
 a Khadija in her day, a Mohammedan devotee, and a bitter foe of 
 Christianity — such Christianity as she knew. She took care that 
 this animosity should go with her to the grave, and even be inserted 
 on her tomb ; and there it is to-day, in the Taj, amid the flowers and 
 inscriptions on her cenotaph — a prohibition and a prayer against 
 
ROMANISM'S LOST OPPOBTUNITT. 143 
 
 Christ's followers, which her race has now forever lost the power 
 to enforce, and which God Almighty has taken providential care 
 shall not only remain unanswered, but be reversed to the very 
 letter. 
 
 The circumstances were these : Prior to the days of Shah Jehan 
 and his wife, the Portuguese, attracted by the fame and the wealth 
 of the great Akbar and his sons, had found their way to India, 
 establishing themselves as traders and merchants, on the west coast 
 at Goa and on the east at Hooghly, near the present Calcutta. 
 Some, who were artisans, reached Agra, the imperial city, where 
 they v/ere employed by the Government chiefly in the duties of the 
 artillery, the arsenals and founderies, and a few as artists. The 
 emoluments of office, for arts which they were thus introducing, 
 were very large, and soon attracted great numbers to Agra, so that 
 Monsieur Thevenot, who visited Agra in 1666, tells us that the 
 Christian families there were estimated to have been about twenty- 
 five thousand — an exaggeration doubtless. Still their number 
 must have been large ; and among them were some Italians 
 and Frenchmen, as is evident from their tombs, which are still 
 extant in the Roman Catholic cemetery at Agra, where the dates 
 of several are still visible on the head-stones, ranging from the 
 year 1600 to 1650. 
 
 Akbar and Shah Jehan allowed these people the free exercise of 
 their religion. Indeed, the former built them a church, and used 
 to take pleasure in presiding at discussions where he matched the 
 Romanist priests against his Pundits and Moulvies, and seemed to 
 enjoy the theological battles between them. Feeble as the light 
 was which thus penetrated the imperial household, it did not shine 
 in vain, for some of Akbar's household were actually baptized and 
 professed the Christian faith. 
 
 Roman Catholicism never had a grander opportunity than it 
 enjoyed at Agra during those sixty years. Had it been a pure 
 Christianity it might have won over the house of Tamerlane to 
 the faith, and perhaps have saved all India long since. But it 
 failed utterly, and won only a grave -yard at Agra. These thousands 
 
[46 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 of families soon vanished away and left no succession, for Hindoos 
 and Mohammedans learned to perform duties which they saw 
 bringing to the Christians so much honor and profit, and, as they 
 did so, they necessarily hastened the removal of a religion which 
 they detested. What is needed in India is a Christianity inde- 
 pendent of the emoluments of office — one that shall take root in 
 the soil, and be self-sustaining. But Romanism failed, and not 
 from this cause alone, or even chiefly ; its weak point was the 
 fearful charge of idolatry which the Moulvies triumphantly urged 
 against its priests on all occasions. The skeptical but honest 
 Akbar — the Oriental head of a faith iconoclastic to the core — was 
 confused, as well he might be, when he saw his own Moulvies able 
 to quote the Christian Bible against professed Christian ministers 
 to sustain this terrible charge. Denial of it would not avail ; there 
 were their own teachings and acts : worship and prayers to the 
 Virgin Mary, invocation of saints, and prostrations before pictures 
 and images. The subterfuge of a qualified homage was rejected in 
 view of the prohibition of the Second Commandment of Almighty 
 God, forbidding not only the act, but also its semblance, " Thou 
 shalt not boiv dozvn to them, nor worship them." The priests were 
 worsted ; and Akbar and his people, knowing no Christianity but 
 this, concluded that the religion of the Son of God was on a par 
 with Paganism, and that Christians were idolaters. A revulsion 
 set in, which the Empress Moomtaj afterward fully shared. In her 
 case, the hatred of the Christian name was intensified by the 
 remembrance of some insolence shown by the Portuguese at 
 Hooghly, several years before her husband ascended the throne, 
 and when he was a fugitive, after an unsuccessful rebellion against 
 liis father. When the power passed into her hands her hatred 
 against "the European idolaters," as she called them, led her to 
 demand their expulsion, at least from Hooghly. 
 
 x\ccordingly, the Governor of Bengal received from Shah Jehan 
 the laconic command, " Expel those idolaters from my dominions." 
 It was done. Hooghly was carried by storm, after a siege of 
 three months and a half, involving a terrible destruction of life on 
 
A PMATEB WHICH GOD REFUSES TO ANSWER. 147 
 
 the side of the Portuguese, whose fleet was almost entirely anni- 
 hilated. The principal ship, in which about two thousand men, 
 women, and children had taken refuge, with all their treasure, was 
 blown up by her captain sooner than surrender to the Moguls. 
 From the prisoners five hundred young persons of both sexes, 
 with some of the priests, were sent to Agra. The girls were 
 divided among the harems of the court and nobles, the boys cir- 
 cumcised, and the priests and Jesuits threatened with torture if 
 they refused to accept the Koran. After some months of impris- 
 onment, however, they were liberated and sent off" to Goa, and the 
 pictures and images, which had excited the ire of the Empress, 
 were all destroyed by her orders. Such wrong did Romanism do 
 Christianity in India, and the name of our God and Saviour was 
 blasphemed among the heathen through its idolatry. 
 
 The Empress Moomtaj, even in death, could not forget her en- 
 mity to every form of Christianity, and secured that it should be 
 expressed upon her very tomb, and there it remains to-day, and 
 will remain while the world stands or the Taj exists. The inscrip 
 tion on the tomb, translated, is as follows: "■ Moomtaj- i-MaJial, 
 Ranee Begum, died 163 1 :" and on the end of the tomb which faces 
 the entrance, so that all may see it as they approach, are these 
 words : " And defend us from the tribe of unbelievei's " — Kafirs ; the 
 word " Kafirs " being a bitter term of contempt for Christians and 
 all who lack faith in Mohammed and the Koran. 
 
 Hea.ven would not answer the fanatical prayer of this mistaken 
 woman ; but, instead, has placed even her shrine in the custody of 
 those she hated ; and that very " tribe " now gather from all parts 
 of the civilized world, to enter freely and admire the splendors of 
 the tomb which was raised over her remains, and smile with pity 
 at the impotent bigotry which asked Heaven to forbid their ap- 
 proach ! The writer had the privilege, with a band of Christian 
 missionaries, of standing around her tomb, and, in the presence of 
 these words, of joining heartily in singing the Christian Doxology 
 over her moldering remains, while the echo above sweetly repeated 
 the praise to " Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." 
 
148 THE LAND OF THE VELA. 
 
 An article on the Taj, without some account of its architect, 
 would be indeed incomplete. But the record, assuming its cor- 
 rectness, enables us to supply this information also. The wonder- 
 ful man whose creation the Taj is, was, it is believed, a French- 
 man, by the name of Austin de Bordeux, a man of great ability. 
 The Emperor, who had unbounded confidence in his merit and 
 integrity, gave him the title of " Zurrier Dust " — the Jewel-Handed 
 — to distinguish him from all other artists ; but by the native 
 writers he is called " Gostan Esau Nadir ol Asur " — the Wonder- 
 ful of the Age. For his office of " Nuksha Nuwes," or architect, he 
 received a regular salary of one thousand rupees per month — 
 ;^6,ooo gold per annum — with perquisites and presents, which 
 made his income very large. He built the palace at Delhi and the 
 palace at Agra, as well as the Taj. 
 
 Tavernier, the traveler, who saw this building commenced and 
 finished, tells us that the Taj, in its erection, occupied 20,000 men 
 for twenty-two years. Its cost, we are told, was " threescore, seven- 
 teen lakhs, forty-eight thousand and twenty-six rupees ;" that is, 
 ;^3, 1 74,802 sterling, or, in American money, $15,874,010 gold, of 
 the money of that time, equal to about ;^6o,ooo,ooo of our money \ 
 But many of the precious stones in the mosaic were presented by 
 different tributary powers, and are not included in the above esti- 
 mate. Having finished the Taj, the architect was engaged in 
 designing a silver ceiling for one of the galleries in the palace at 
 Agra when he was sent by the Emperor on business of great 
 importance to Goa. He died at Cochin on his return, and is sup- 
 posed to have been poisoned by the Portuguese, who were jealous 
 of his influence at Court. Shah Jehan had commenced his own 
 tomb on the other side of the Jumna, and it and the Taj were to 
 have been united by a bridge ; but the death of Austin de Bor- 
 deux, and the wars between Shah Jehan's sons, which then broke 
 out, prevented the completion of these magnificent works, and so 
 the Emperor was laid beside his consort, when he died in 1666, 
 and the Taj contains the remains of both. 
 
 The Empress's title, translated, is. The Ornament of the Palace, 
 
i^ 
 
 ^i. < 
 
 H 
 
ETMAD-OD-DOULAWS TOMB. 15 i 
 
 for so Shah Jehan esteemed her. The name of the tomb, Taj 
 Mahal, means. The Crown of Edifices, or Palaces — from Taj, a 
 crown, and Mahal, a palace. It is worthy of its title, and is under 
 the special care of the English Government, and will no doubt be 
 preserved in its present perfect and stainless condition for its own 
 sake, and because it is and must ever remain — notwithstanding 
 the sins and frailties of the couple who beneath its dome await the 
 call to judgment — the most perfect and beautiful testimonial to the 
 virtues of a wife ever raised by an affectionate husband. 
 
 Among the thousands of her sex who have visited the Taj, and 
 felt its peculiar fascination over the susceptible heart of sentiment- 
 al women, Lady Sleeman was not the first, as she certainly will 
 not be the last, to realize the emotion which is recorded of her. 
 Retiring from the Taj, lost in reflection and admiration, she was 
 asked by her husband what she thought of the Taj .'' Her prompt 
 reply was, '* I cannot tell you what I think, for I know not how to 
 criticise such a building ; but I can tell you what I feel — / would 
 die to-morrow to have such another put over me ! " 
 
 A short distance from the Taj we reach the beautiful tomb of 
 the Premier of the great Emperor Akbar. This splendid pile of 
 white marble, delicately carved into fret-work, its screens and tes- 
 sellated enamels being very fine, is situated on the right hand of 
 the road as you enter the city of Agra. 
 
 The tomb is not only beautiful in itself, and one of the most inter- 
 esting specimens of Mogul architecture to be met with, even in a city 
 so replete with- artistic triumphs as was once imperial Agra, the 
 creation of the renowned Akbar ; but there is a history connected 
 with it so romantic, illustrated by Sleeman and Martin, that it is 
 worthy of its high place among the curiosities of Oriental life. 
 
 This structure was raised by the famous Noor Jehan, in loving 
 remembrance of her father, Khwaja Accas, one of the most prom- 
 inent characters in the history of India during the reign of Akbar. 
 The liberality and fame of the greatest monarch that ever ruled 
 India, and the patronage he extended to men of genius and worth, 
 attracted to his Court from Persia and the adjacent nations those 
 
152 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 who in his service found wealth and honor. Khwaja Accas was a 
 native of Western Tartary. He had some relations at the Imperial 
 Court of India who encouraged him^ to join them, under the expec- 
 tation that they could secure his advancement in life. He was of 
 good ancestry, but of reduced means, and possessed of abilities which 
 needed only a fair opportunity for development to insure his suc- 
 cess. He lei't Tartary for India at the close of the sixteenth cen- 
 tury, accompanied by his wife. and children ; their only means for 
 their journey having been provided by the sale of his little prop- 
 erty. The incidents of their long and weary emigration are given 
 with much simplicity. Their stock of money had become ex- 
 hausted, and, in crossing the Great Desert, they were three days 
 without food, and in danger of perishing. In this fearful emer- 
 gency, the wife of Khwaja Accas gave birth to a daughter ; but, 
 worn out with fatigue and privation, the miserable parents con- 
 cluded to abandon the poor infant. They covered it over with 
 leaves, and toward evening pursued their journey. One bullock 
 remained to them, and on this the father placed his wife, and tried 
 to support her on their way, in hope to reach the cultivated coun- 
 try and find relief They had gone about a mile, and had just lost 
 sight of the solitary shrub under which tbey had left their child, 
 when Nature triumphed, and the mother, in an agony of grief, 
 threw herself from the bullock upon the ground, exclaiming, " My 
 child, my child ! " Accas could not resist the appeal. He re- 
 turned to the spot which they had left, took up his infant, and 
 brought it to its mother's breast. 
 
 Shortly after a caravan was seen in the distance coming toward 
 them ; their circumstances were made known, and a wealthy mer- 
 chant took compassion upon them, relieved their necessities, and 
 safely conducted them to their destination ; he even lent his influ- 
 ence to advance them in life when they reached Lahore, where the 
 Emperor Akbar was then holding his Court. 
 
 That little group of five persons, the father and mother, the babe 
 and her two brothers, were destined to fill a place in the page of 
 history more influential than that of any family that ever emigrated 
 
THE DAUGHTER OF THE DESERT. 153 
 
 to India ; for, leaving out of view for the present the high positions 
 afterward attained by the father and his sons, that babe of the 
 desert became, a few years subsequently, Empress of India, and 
 bore the famous title of " Noor Jehan " — the Light of the World — 
 while her brother, Asuf Jan, became the father of the equally cele- 
 brated Moomtaj-i-Mahal — to Vv^hose memory her husband, Shah 
 Jehan, built the matchless Taj Mahal— thQ noblest monument ever 
 erected to woman. 
 
 Asuf Khan, a distant relative of Khwaja Accas, held a high place 
 at Court, and was much in the confidence of the Emperor. He 
 made his kinsman his private secretary. Pleased with his ability 
 and diligence, Asuf soon brought his merits to the special notice 
 of Akbar, who raised him to the command of a thousand horse, and 
 soon after appointed him Master of the Imperial Household. From 
 this he was subsequently promoted to that of Etmad-od-Doulah, oi 
 High Treasurer of the Empire, and first minister. His legislative 
 ability soon produced beneficial results in public affairs, while his 
 modest yet manly bearing conciliated the nobility, who learned to 
 appreciate the value of the control which he exercised over the 
 ill-regulated mind of the Emperor. 
 
 His daughter, born in the desert, developed into one of the most 
 lovely women of the East, as celebrated for her accomplishments 
 as she was for her beauty, and ultimately she became the wife of 
 the Prince Selim, known afterward by his title of Jehangeer, by 
 whom she was raised to the throne, and had lavished upon her 
 honors and power never before enjoyed by the consort of an 
 Oriental potentate, even to the conjunction of her name with that 
 of Jehangeer on the coins of the realm. 
 
 On the death of her venerable and honored father she erected 
 this tomb over his remains. The building, rising from a broad 
 platform, is of white marble, of quadrangular shape, flanked by 
 octagonal towers, which are surmounted by cupolas on a series of 
 open columns. From the center of the roof of the main building 
 springs a small tomb-like structure, elaborately carved and deco- 
 rated, the corners terminating in golden spires. Immediately 
 
154 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 below this, on the floor of the hall, is the tomb inclosing the body 
 of Etmad-od-Doulah. Interiorly and exteriorly this fairy pile is 
 covered, as with beautiful lace, by lattice -work, delicately wrought 
 in marble, covered with foliage and flowers, and intermingled with 
 scrolls bearing passages from the Koran. Every portion of the 
 mausoleum is thus enriched, and all that wealth could furnish, or 
 Oriental art suggest, or genius execute, in the completion of the 
 structure, was devoted to its adornment. The original idea in 
 the mind of the Empress, as Martin and others relate, was to con- 
 struct her father's shrine of solid silver ; and she was only dis- 
 suaded from this purpose by the assurance that if marble was not 
 equally costly, it was certain to be more durable, and less likely to 
 attract the cupidity of future ages. 
 
 The photograph of this building, when examined by a good glass, 
 brings out its singular loveliness as no mere engraving can present 
 it. Each slab of white marble is wrought in rich tracery in the 
 most delicate manner, pierced through and through so as to be the 
 same when seen from either side ; the pattern of each slab differs 
 from the next one, and the rich variety, as well as beauty of the 
 designs, fixes the attention of the beholder in amazement at the 
 taste and patient skill that could originate and execute this vision 
 of beauty, which seems like an imagination rising before the fancy, 
 and then, by some wondrous wand of power, transmuted into a solid 
 form forever, to be touched, and examined, and admired. Standing 
 within the shrine, it seems as though it was covered with a rich 
 vail, wrought in curious needle-work, every ray of light that enters 
 coming through the various patterns. You approach and touch it, 
 and find it is of white marble, two inches in thickness ! What 
 mind but that of a lady could have suggested a design so unique 
 and feminine .-* 
 
 According to the usages of the Moguls, a lovely garden was 
 planted around the fair shrine, and ample provision made for its 
 care and preservation in the future. Rare and costly trees, fla- 
 grant evergreens, shady walks, and tanks and fountains, all added 
 their charms to set off the central pile. A small mosque was 
 
TEE HEROINE OP MO ORE'S POEM. 155 
 
 added, and such religion as they knew lent its influence to the 
 sacredness of the locality; while the beautiful birds of India, their 
 plumage bearing 
 
 " The rich hues of all glorious things," 
 
 made the calm and svv^eet retreat more gorgeous by their presence. 
 
 The Daughter of the Desert, forgetting forever the unnatural 
 desertion of him whom she so lavishly honored, thus made a para- 
 dise of the abode of the dead. Let her have the credit of whatever 
 estimable qualities the great act expressed ; she needs this, and 
 every other allowance that fairly belongs to her history, as some 
 offset to the sadder parts of a life and character that, two hundred 
 and fifty years ago, surprised all India by its singularity, its mag- 
 nificence, and its less worthy qualities — a fame that lingered in 
 their legends and history, and which, after such long interval, set- 
 tled so fascinatingly on the imagination of Tom Moore, and came 
 forth in his romance of Lalla Rookh. But the poet left out more 
 than half the life of his heroine ; he gave her loves and fascina- 
 tions, but omitted her labors, and those brilliant exploits which, 
 quite as much as her beauty, commended her to the admiration of 
 Jehangeer and his subjects. 
 
 Looking at such persons, and their brilliant, yet abused, oppor- 
 tunities, one may well say, " I have seen an end of all perfection." 
 How transitory, at best, is the fame that rests on such foundations ! 
 While we admire the taste, accomplishments, and achievements of 
 this magnificent woman, we seek in vain for any evidence of benev- 
 olence or goodness in what she did. She seems to have left God and 
 humanity entirely out of her calculations. In all the tombs and pal- 
 aces built by her and for her, personal glory and selfish ends — for self 
 and family — alone appear. On these the revenues of a whole people 
 were squandered, and their hard earnings demanded to enable her 
 to exhibit, on this lavish scale, her magnificent caprices. But no 
 hospitals, or schools, or asylums for suffering humanity, exist to 
 call ner blessed, or to hand down her name as a pattern or pro- 
 moter of purity and goodness. How much more " honorable and 
 glorious" is the character, or the lot, of the humblest saint of God 
 
156 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 who lives to do good to her fellow-creatures ! Her grave may be 
 as lowly and lone as that of Ann Hazeltine Judson, on the rock at 
 Amherst, and without a stone to mark it, as I saw it in 1864 ; but, 
 when Noor Jehan's marble edifices have returned to the dust, those 
 who have thus employed their time and abilities to save the per- 
 ishing will be " had in everlasting remembrance," and " shine as 
 the stars for ever and ever." 
 
 Few men have visited the East who possessed so highly as did 
 Bishop Heber the capacity to appreciate the taste and skill exhib- 
 ited in the gorgeous buildings of India. Truly and appropriately 
 does he exclaim, while contemplating their wondrous works, 
 "These Patans built like giants, and finished their work like 
 jewelers." The highest illustration of this eulogium is found in 
 the matchless Taj Mahal. 
 
 We present one more evidence of their taste and skill in the 
 wonderful Kootitb Minar. 
 
 It has been well observed that this Minar is, among the towers 
 of the earth, what the Taj is among the tombs, something unique 
 of its kind, that must ever stand alone in the recollection of him 
 who has gazed upon its beautiful proportions, its chaste embellish- 
 ments, and exquisite finish. About eleven miles south-west of 
 the modern city of Delhi stands the desolate site of ancient Delhi. 
 This city is supposed to have been founded about 57 B. C. The 
 height of prosperity to which it rose may be imagined from its 
 only memorials — the tombs, columns, gateways, mosques, and 
 masonry, which lie strewn around in silent and naked desolation. 
 Where rose temple and tower now resounds only the cry of the 
 jackal and the wolf; for the voice of man is silent there, and the 
 wanderings of the occasional tourist alone give any sign of human 
 life or presence in the once " glorious city." The ruins cover a 
 circle of about twenty miles in extent. 
 
 In the midst and above all this wild ruin, like a Pharos to guide 
 the traveler over this sea of desolation, rises the tall, tapering cyl- 
 inder of the KooUib Minar. To archaeologists like Cunningham, 
 travelers like Von Orlich, and learned observers like General Slee- 
 
The Kootub. From a Photograph, 
 
 11 
 
THE KOOTUB PEERLESS. 1 59 
 
 man, Mr. Archer, and Bholanauth Chunder, and the pages of the 
 " Asiatic Researches," we are indebted for the best descriptions of 
 this wonlerful relic of antiquity. These authors have necessarily 
 borrowed largely from each other in representing this city of the 
 dead and its wonderful and unequaled pillar, the towering majesty 
 of which has looked down for centuries only upon ruin and the 
 wild jungle which now grows where once stood the great center of 
 India's glory — its magnificent metropolis. 
 
 The Kootub forms the left of two minars of a mosque, which, in 
 size and splendor, was to be peerless on the earth as a place of 
 worship, and from the character of this single shaft it is evident 
 that, had the design been completed, it would have been all that its 
 imperial founder intended in that respect. But death, war, and 
 human vacillation make sad havoc of men's hopes and intentions, 
 and this great memorial stands in attestation of the fact. 
 
 For nearly a century a controversy has existed in India as to the 
 architectural honors of the wonderful Kootub. The Hindoos 
 would fain claim that they built it, and Bholanauth Chunder, on 
 their behalf, makes the best case he can to prove that the honor of 
 its design and creation belongs to his race, and not to the hated 
 Moslem ; yet even he has to concede that the evidences of its 
 Mohammedan origin are so decided that the Hindoos must give up 
 the claim to the glory of its origination. The Baboo's description 
 is very vivid, and as he corrected the measurements of General 
 Sleeman and others, and has made his examinations within the 
 past five years, and was also well qualified for the task which 
 he undertook, we quote him with confidence in the following 
 description : 
 
 " The Kootub outdoes every thing of its kind — it is rich, unique, 
 venerable, and magnificent. It * stands as it were alone in India ; ' 
 rather, it should have been said, alone in the world; for it is the 
 highest column that the hand of man has yet reared, being, as it 
 stands now, two hundred and thirty-eight feet and one inch above 
 the level of the ground. Once it is said to have been three hun- 
 dred feet high, but there is not any very reliable authority for this 
 
l6o THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 statement. In 1794, however, it had been actually measured to be 
 two hundred and fifty feet eleven inches high. The Pillar of 
 Tompey at Alexandria, the Minaret of the Mosque of Hassan at 
 Cairo, and the Alexandrine Column at St. Petersburg, all bow their 
 heads to the Kootub. 
 
 "The base of this Minar is a polygon of twenty-four sides, alto- 
 gether measuring one hundred and forty-seven feet. The shaft is 
 of a circular form, and tapers regularly from the base to the sum- 
 mit. It is divided into five stories, round each of which runs a 
 bold, projecting balcony, supported upon large and richly-carved 
 brackets, having balustrades that give to the pillar a most orna- 
 mental effect. 
 
 " The exterior of the basement story is fluted alternately in 
 twenty-seven angular and semicircular faces. In the second story 
 the fiutings are only semicircular ; in the third they are all angular. 
 The fourth story is circular and plain ; the fifth again has semicir- 
 cular flutings. The relative height of the stories to the diameter 
 of the base has quite scientific proportions. The first, or lower- 
 most story, is ninety-five feet from the ground, or just two diame- 
 ters in height ; the second is fifty-three feet farther up, the third 
 forty feet farther. The fourth story is twenty-four feet above the 
 third, and the fifth has a height of twenty-two feet. The whole 
 column is just five diameters in height. Up to the third story the 
 Minar is built of fine red sandstone. From the third balcony to 
 the fifth the building is composed chiefly of white Jeypoor marble. 
 The interior is of the gray rose-quartz stone. The ascent is by a 
 spiral staircase of three hundred and seventy-six steps to the bal- 
 cony of the fifth story, and thence are three more steps to the top 
 of the present stone-work. Inside it is roomy enough, and full of 
 openings for the admission of light and air. The steps are almost 
 ' lady-steps,' and the ascent is quite easy. The ferruginous sand- 
 stone has been well selected to lend a rich, majestic appearance to 
 the column. The surface of that material seems to have deepened 
 in reddish tmt by exposure for ages to the oxygen of the atmos- 
 phere. The white marble of the upper stories sits like a tastefuJ 
 
ORTOIN OF THE KOOTUB. l6l 
 
 crown upon the red stone ; and the graceful bells sculptured in the 
 balconies are like a 'cummerbund' around the waist of the majestic 
 tower. The lettering on the upper portions has to be made out by 
 using a telescope." The Kootub does not stand now in all the 
 integrity of its original structure. It was struck by lightning, and 
 had to be repaired by the Emperor Feroz Shah in 1368. 
 
 In 1503 the Minar happened to be again injured, and was 
 repaired by the orders of Secunder Lodi, the reigning sovereign, a 
 man of great taste and a munificent .patron of learning and the 
 arts. 
 
 Three hundred years after its reparation by Secunder Lodi, in the 
 year 1803, a severe earthquake seriously injured the pillar, and its 
 dangerous state having been brought to the notice of the British 
 Government on their taking possession of the country, they liber- 
 ally undertook its repair. These repairs were brought to a close in 
 twenty-five years. The old cupola of Feroz Shah, or of Secunder 
 Lodi, that was standing in 1794, having fallen down, had been sub- 
 stituted by a plain, octagonal red-stone pavilion. To men of artistic 
 taste this had appeared a very unfitting head-piece for the noble 
 column, so it was taken down by the orders of Lord Hardin ge in 
 1847, and the present stone-work put up in its stead. The con- 
 demned top now lies on a raised plot of ground in front, as shown 
 resting on the platform on the right-hand side in the engraving. 
 
 Now, as to the origin of the Kootub, a subject on which much 
 speculation has been wasted. 
 
 Theories professing a Hindoo origin are maintained by one party : ' 
 theories professing its Mohammedan origin are propounded by the 
 other. The Hindoo party believes the Minar to have been built by 
 a Hindoo prince for his daughter, who wished to worship the rising 
 sun and to view the waters of the Jumna from the top of it every 
 morning. The Mohammedan party repudiates this as an outrage- 
 ous paradox, and would have the Kootub taken for the unmistaka- 
 ble MazinaJi of the Musjeed-i-Kootub-ul-Islam. " No man who 
 sees the Minar can mistake it for a moment to be any other than 
 a thoroughly Mohammedan building — Mohammedan in design, and 
 
1 62 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Mohammedan in its intents and purposes. The object is at once 
 apparent to the spectator — that of a Mazinah for the Muezzin to 
 call the faithful to prayers. The adjoining mosque, fully corre- 
 sponding in design, proportion, and execution to the tower, bears 
 one out in such a view of the lofty column, and there is the recorded 
 testimony of Shams-i-raj and Abulfeda to place the fact beyond a 
 doubt." 
 
 In addition to its structure, and the vast mosque near which it 
 stands, and of which it so manifestly forms a part, we have the 
 conclusive fact that the history of the Kootub is written in its own 
 inscriptions. None dares to impeach these records, and the 
 Kootub thus seems to have been commenced in about 1200 A. D., 
 and finished in 1220. 
 
 In the "Asiatic Researches" (vol. XIV, p. 481) is given the fol- 
 lowing translation of the fourth inscription upon the Minar : " The 
 erection of this building was commenced in the glorious time of 
 the great Sultan, the mighty King of kings, the Master of mankind, 
 the Lord of the monarchs of Turkestan, Arabia, and Persia, the 
 Sun of the world and religion, of the faith and of the faithful, the 
 Lord of safety and protection, the heir of the kingdoms of Suliman 
 — Abu Muzefifa Altemsh Nasir Amin ul Momenin." 
 
 Such was the style and title affected by these high and haughty 
 sovereigns of Oriental Mohammedanism when, reveling in pride 
 and power, like Nebuchadnezzar, they looked around at the " great 
 Babylons" which they had built. How little they imagined with 
 what utter desolation their works would be overthrown, to leave 
 behind only a nam.e and a ruin, and that so nearly undistinguisha- 
 ble that men in future ages could only ascertain the shadowy record 
 by making it a special study ! 
 
 For six hundred and forty-six years has the gigantic Kootub 
 weathered the rude assaults of the elements, and thousands of 
 strangers from distant lands have come to gaze upon the mighty 
 monument of a departed glory and a dying faith. How many, as 
 they have stood in its shadow, have realized that there must be an 
 adequate supernatural cause to account for all this wondrous 
 
RUIN ANB DEATH. 163 
 
 decadence and death, which so quietl}^ but effectively, has pros- 
 trated its hopes and heaped confusion upon its intentions (despite 
 its boundless wealth, military power, and fierce religious fanaticism) 
 to defend and diffuse its dominating faith ! Yet, after all, thus 
 it sinks and thus it dies in its chosen homes. 
 
 The instability and the doom that seems ever impending over 
 the institutions and structures raised by the worshipers of Allah, 
 of Vishnu, of Buddha, or the Virgin Mary, come not causeless. 
 They are Heaven's maledictions upon the fearful crime of false 
 religions, which, while they defy God, degrade and dishonor men — 
 cursing their conditions by poverty, miserable homes, and wretched 
 compensation for their toil ; wasting their revenues, sinking them 
 in ignorance, destroying their morals, depriving them of liberty, 
 and ruining their souls ; till at length, when they have filled up 
 their measure of iniquity, it turns the very centers and cradles of 
 their faiths into the abodes of material or moral ruin, " the hold of 
 every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." 
 
 Whether the religion be utterly false or only a perversion of the 
 true, its influence is equally pernicious and manifest. He who 
 runs may read this on its very face in India and in Ireland, in 
 Egypt and Burmah, in Delhi and Rome, in Benares and Mexico ; 
 in the Sepoy, the Gazee, and the Jesuit ; in Tamerlane, Cesare 
 Borgia, and the Nana Sahib ; in Cawnpore, Canton, and St. Bar- 
 tholomew. All equally evince the direful influence of false religions 
 upon the conditions of men and nations. 
 
 On the other hand, the holy, living faith of a divine Jesus regen- 
 erates the hearts and the communities which yield themselves to 
 its influence — confers freedom, light, education, equal rights, tem- 
 poral prosperity, moral purity, domestic joy, and every thing lovely, 
 virtuous, and of good report — rears up the temples of a true Chris- 
 tianity, and, without a stain of decadence upon its bright prospects 
 of final universality, presents no ruins or desolations amid its evan- 
 gelical conquests or their results. 
 
 Those once powerful religions and nations that marched so 
 proudly and resolutely to conquest and ascendency under their 
 
164 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Antichristian banners, and raised their vainglorious monuments on 
 the sites of their cruel victories, and then looked forward to such 
 perpetuity of power and glory — where are they now ? " Plow are 
 the mighty fallen ! " How fast they rushed on to their inevitable 
 ruin, while those behind are to-day sinking into the same desola- 
 tion ! And why ? Because there were higher laws than their own 
 which they dared to violate — an authority against which they vainly 
 dashed themselves — a power which they had the temerity to opj)ose, 
 but which, nevertheless, numbered their kingdoms and finished 
 them, by the terrible penalties which they had incurred, and the 
 fearful evidences of which are strewn around in India and so many 
 other localities. 
 
 How can these facts and results be understood or explained save 
 on the New Testament assumption that Jehovah Christ has all 
 power in heaven and on earth — that he has a dominion here which 
 he must maintain and vindicate, though earth and hell oppose hini, 
 till his enemies are put beneath his feet, and He, the blessed and 
 only Potentate, shall stand at last, amid the overthrow of all oppo- 
 sition, the Conqueror of the world ! 
 
 "In righteousness he doth judge and make war" upon these 
 enemies of his faith. Before his Holy Word the Veda and the 
 Bana, the Koran and the Missal, must fall. Until that is done he 
 will make good his own awful declaration, that " out of his mouth 
 goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations ; and 
 he shall rule them with a rod of iron. He treadeth the winepress 
 of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God, and he hath on his 
 vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and 
 Lord of lords." 
 
 The Kootub Mosque stands deserted ; snakes and lizards now 
 crawl in its ruins, amid which the Mazinah yet stands, solitary, 
 grand, and majestic, as though heaven spurned the attempt to rear 
 up and perpetuate a peerless sanctuary, where Moslem blasphemy 
 against the Christ of God might be continually uttered in a grand 
 center toward which all Oriental Islamites might turn, and in 
 which they might glory. God dashed their hopes to pieces like a 
 
THE UNFINISHED MINAE. 165 
 
 potter's vessel, and changed their ambition and glory into a tomb 
 and a ruin. 
 
 The unfinished Minar to the right hand has twice the dimen- 
 sions of the Minar .here shown. This column was evidently 
 intended for a second mazinah, without which a Mohammedan 
 mosque is essentially defective. 
 
 The second Minar — or Minaret, to use the modern phrase — is 
 considerably larger in the base than the one shown in the engrav- 
 ing. It stands at a proper distance from the first, and was carried 
 up about thirty feet above ground, and then discontinued. Anti- 
 quarians have been greatly puzzled to account for the variations from 
 the dimensions of the first and finished one ; but it is not neces- 
 sary to trouble the reader with their theories or debates, as Slee- 
 man's solution has been accepted as highly probable and satis- 
 factory. 
 
 His explanation is, that the unfinished minaret was commenced 
 first, but upon too large a scale, and with too small a diminution 
 of the circumference from the base upward. It is two fifths larger 
 than the finished minaret in circumference, and much more per- 
 pendicular. Finding these errors, when the builders had gone up 
 with it thirty feet from the ground, the royal founder began the 
 work anew, and on qualified and corrected dimensions, and this is 
 the finished one before the reader. Had he lived he would no 
 doubt have carried up the second minaret in its proper place on 
 the same scale, and so completed his mosque ; but his death occur- 
 ring, and being followed by fearful revolutions — so that five sover- 
 eigns sat upon the throne of Delhi in the succeeding ten years — 
 works of peace were suspended in the presence of war, while the 
 succeeding monarchs sought renown in military enterprises, and 
 thus the building of the second minaret was never proceeded 
 with. 
 
 The great mosque itself, with that exception, seems to have been 
 completed. Nearly all the arches are still standing in a more or 
 less perfect state. They correspond with the magnificent minaret 
 in design, proportion, and execution, it evidently having been the 
 
1 66 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 intention of the founder to make them all sustain and illustrate the 
 matchless grandeur of the finished work. It was in this condition 
 when Tamerlane invaded India A. D. 1398. That "firebrand of 
 the universe," as he was called, was so enchanted with the great 
 mosque and its minar that he had- a model of it made, which he 
 took back with him, along with all the masons that he could find 
 in Delhi, and it is said that he erected a mosque exactly upon this 
 plan at his capital of Samarcund, before he again left it for the 
 invasion of Syria. 
 
 The west face of the quadrangle, in which the minar stands, was 
 formed by eleven large alcoves, the center and greatest of which 
 contained the pulpit 
 
 The court to the eastward is inclosed by a high wall, bordered 
 by arcades formed of pillars carved in the highest style of Hindoo 
 art. Those on the opposite side are dissimilar, and the fair infer- 
 ence is, that the Moslem monarch built his mosque, in part, by 
 materials taken from the great Hindoo temples, which he must 
 have desecrated for the purpose. This was after their fashion, and 
 laid the foundation for those bitter feuds and hatreds of the one 
 people against the other, which have lasted to this day. 
 
 Close to the minar are the remains of one of those superb port- 
 als, so general in the great works of the Patans. The archway of 
 this gate is sixty feet high, and the ornaments with which it is 
 embellished are cut with the delicacy of a seal engraving, retaining, 
 after the lapse of six hundred years, their sharp, clear outlines. 
 
 Few who visit the Kootub, if they have strength for the toilsome 
 ascent, fail to go to the summit, and well does it repay the eftbrt. It 
 is sublime to look up to the unclouded heavens, to which you seem 
 so near, while beneath and beyond, the eye wanders over not 
 merely the city beneath, but across to modern Delhi, with its 
 white and glittering mosques and palaces, the silvery Jumna 
 gently pouring along, the feudal towers of Selimghur, and the 
 mausoleums of Humayun and Sufter Jung, all in the soft light of 
 the India sunset ; but what must that view have been when impe- 
 rial splendors, and cultivation like earthly paradises, or " the gar- 
 
THE IBON PILLAR. 167 
 
 dens of God," combined all their wealth of beaut) beneath its 
 shadow, and then away as far as the eye could reach on every 
 side ! 
 
 The writer visited the Kootub, on the last occasion, in 1864, in 
 company with Bishop Thomson. The Bishop's description may 
 be found in his " Oriental Missions," Vol. I, p. 65. He justly calls 
 the Minar " the grandest column of the world." It is so. Except 
 the tower of Babel, probably nothing ever erected by human 
 hands has produced the same effect, as one stands awe-struck at 
 its base and gazes up upon its majestic form towering to the 
 skies. 
 
 It has not been without its tragic incidents. General Sleeman, 
 writing in 1844, tells us that five years previously, "while the 
 Emperor was on a visit to the tomb of Kootub-ad-deen, an insane 
 man got into his private apartment. The servants were ordered 
 to turn him out. On passing the Minar he ran in, ascended to 
 the top, stood a few moments on the verge, laughing at those who 
 were running after him, and made a spring that enabled him to 
 reach the bottom without touching the sides. An eye-witness told 
 me that he kept his erect position till about half-way down, when 
 he turned over, and continued to turn till he got to the bottom, 
 where his fall made a report like a gun. He was, of course, dashed 
 to pieces." 
 
 Close to the Kootub stands the famous Iron Pillar — the palla- 
 dium of Hindoo dominion — and which, there is evidence for believ- 
 ing, has stood there for fifteen hundred years. 
 
 The Iron Pillar is a solid shaft of mixed metal resembl'ng bronze, 
 upward of sixteen inches in diameter and about sixty feet in length. 
 The greater part of it is under-ground, and that which is above is 
 less than thirty feet high. The ground about it has marks of exca- 
 vation, said to have been carried down to twenty-six feet Avithout 
 reaching the foundation on which the pillar rests, and without 
 loosening it in any degree. The pillar contains about eighty cubic 
 feet of metal, and would probably weigh upward of seventeen tons. 
 
 The Iron Pillar, standing nearly in the middle of a grand square, 
 
108 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 "records its own history in a deeply-cut Sanscrit inscription of six 
 lines on its western face." Antiquaries have read the characters, 
 and the pillar has been made out to be " the arm of fame — Kirt- 
 ibhuja — of Rajah Dhava." He is stated to have been a worshiper 
 of Vishnu, and a monarch who " had obtained with his own arm an 
 undivided sovereignty on the earth for a long period." The letters 
 upon the triumphal pillar are called " the typical cuts inflicted 
 on his enemies by his sword, writing his immortal fame." " It is a 
 pity that posterity can know nothing more of this mighty Rajah 
 Dhava than what is recorded in the meager inscription upon this 
 wonderful relic of antiquity. The characters of the inscription are 
 thought to be the same as thpse of the Gupta inscriptions, and the 
 success alluded to therein is supposed to have been the assistance 
 which that Rajah had rendered in the downfall of the powerful 
 sovereigns of the Gupta dynasty. The age in which he flourished 
 is, therefore, concluded to have been about the year 319 A. D., the 
 initial point of the Balabhi or Gupta era." 
 
 Antiquarians have tried very earnestly to solve the mystery of 
 this metallic monument. The most probable conclusion is, that it 
 marked the center of the great Rajah's city, and stood in a splen- 
 did temple. But on the invasion and conquest of Delhi by the 
 Mohammedan power the Emperor chose that center for his own 
 purposes, and threw his great mosque across the very site of that 
 temple, taking its marble columns for his colonnades, permitting 
 the Iron Pillar to remain, but erecting the Minar near it, forever to 
 dwarf its proportions and interest. But all are alike in ruin now — 
 their rage, contention, and emulation in the dust, while the Pillar 
 and the Minar alone remain. 
 
 How little did either the proud Rajah or the fierce Emperor 
 anticipate what a wreck the Ruler of heaven and earth would make 
 of their hopes, and that where they built and embellished, and set 
 forth their glory, would yet be as naked as ruin itself, and that the 
 wild beasts of the forest would howl in their desolate palaces ! 
 
 That desolation is the more marked, when we remember that 
 very probably, after all these high anticipations, carried out so des- 
 
HEAVEN'S CONFUSION ON TUE INTENTION. 1 69 
 
 potically, and with the lavish expenditure of such untold millions, 
 this mosque and minar may never have answered, even in a single 
 instance, the purposes for which they were so proudly intended. 
 According to their customs and rules, the mosque would probably 
 not be used till completed. The second minar, being unfinished, 
 would very likely prevent the dedication ; so that ere another hand 
 could consummate the great design, the death of the founder, the 
 long and fierce wars that followed, and finally the imperial fickle- 
 ness which chose the banks of the Jumna, eleven miles away, as 
 the site of new Delhi, leading to the utter forsaking of the grand 
 old city, with all its monuments, temples, mosques, and palaces, con- 
 signed the Kootub forever to desolation, and after all left it, very 
 likely, a mosque where no prayer was ever offered, and a minaret 
 from whose lofty summit no muezzin's voice ever called the sons 
 of the Koran to their vain devotions. 
 
 Though fifteen hundred years have gone over it, the Iron Pillar 
 shows no sign of decay ; it is smooth and clean. The metal of 
 which it is composed was so fused and amalgamated that it defies 
 all oxidation, while the characters engraven upon it remain to-day 
 clear and distinct as when they were first cut by the hand of the 
 engraver. 
 
 The great antiquity, the enormous size, and the interesting 
 inscriptions upon the pillar of Rajah Dhava have led to great rev- 
 erence toward it by all Hindoos, and legends are not wanting to 
 account tor its origin and position. One tradition is, that it is the 
 veritable club that great Bheema wielded in the battles of the Mah- 
 abharata, and which was left standing there by the Pandus after 
 their contest. But the more popular story is, that it is a pillar so 
 long that it pierced the entire depth of the earth, till it rested on 
 the head of the gigantic snake called Vasuki, who supports the world 
 — that its stability was the palladium of Hindoo dominion in India 
 Such were some of the magnificent and unique surroundings of 
 the Mogul Court in 1856; and all this, with much more that 
 might be mentioned, they were then about to risk the possession 
 of in a fearful struggle with the white-faced race. 
 
I70 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 ORIGINATING CAUSES OF THE SEPOY REBELLION. 
 
 \T 7"IiILE moving amid the gorgeous scenes of the previous 
 * ^ chapter, we were happily unconscious of the circumstances 
 of danger by which we were surrounded, and which could so easily 
 have victimized us all. We knew not then of that peculiar combi- 
 nation and concurrence of favoring circumstances for the accom- 
 plishment of the purposes which are now well understood and 
 can be explained, and a knowledge of which is essential to those 
 who would comprehend the great Sepoy Rebellion. We will now 
 state them, and, in doing this, will show how it was possible for 
 such a rebellion to be then originated and carried out. 
 
 I. The first and most important fact was the position of the 
 Emperor of Delhi — he in whose name and for whose interests it 
 was inaugurated. We have already noticed the circumstances 
 under which the alien power of the Mogul entered India, and at 
 last came to rule from Calcutta to Cabul. With the sense of 
 cruelty, injustice, and wrong that rankled in the hearts of the Hin- 
 doos against these foreigners, no length of time had ever reconciled 
 them to their presence in their country. Thus, the last thing we 
 could have imagined possible in 1857 was, that these two peoples 
 could find a common ground of agreement on which they could 
 stand together ; and that expectation was the confidence of English- 
 men in India. They leaned with f:onfidence upon the Hindoos, 
 whom they had elevated from the rule of Mohammedan injustice, 
 believing that so long as they were content and satisfied the 
 English empire was safe, no matter how the Mohammedans might 
 rage. So they thought, and did not even dream that these ancient 
 and inveterate foes were finding a ground of agreement, and were wide 
 
THE ENGLISH BARGAIN WITH THE MOGUL. I/l 
 
 awake, plotting the terrible arrangements that were so soon to burst 
 in fire and bloodshed over the land. 
 
 In the East, where there are no constitutions or popular gov- 
 ernments, personal influence in a sovereign is every thing ; the 
 despotic powers have only their individual adaptation and prestige 
 to depend upon to commend their rule. It is a maxim with them, 
 that " a king who has no eyes in his head is useless." In refer- 
 ence to the poor, old, mutilated Emperor of Delhi, (grandfather of 
 the one whose portrait is herein given,) it had much more than a 
 metaphorical meaning. Its literal truth led to that state of general 
 conviction of Mogul imbecility, and the necessity of having the 
 paramount power of India in hands able to maintain its peace, and 
 which would at the same time respect the rights of the falling 
 dynasty, and all others concerned, which led soon after to the con- 
 summation of that Treaty between the Emperor and the English 
 Government, in which his Imperial Majesty consented to surrender 
 to them his authority and power (a poor show it then was) for certain 
 considerations. That is, he agreed that the British were to assume 
 the government of the country, and rule in his name, on condition 
 that they would guarantee to himself and his successors forever the 
 following compensations : 
 
 (i.) He was to be recognized as titular Emperor. His title was 
 sounding enough to become a higher condition. How absurd it 
 seems, when we quote its translation in full : " The Sun of the 
 Faith, Lord of the World, Master of the Universe and of the Hon- 
 orable East India Company, King of India and of the Infidels, the 
 Superior of the Governor-General, and Proprietor of the Soil from 
 Sea to Sea ! " This is surely enough for any mortal, especially 
 when it is connected with a safe salary nearly as large as itself! 
 
 (2.) He was still to be the fountain of honor, so that all the sun- 
 nuds (patents) of nobility, constituting Rajahs, Nawabs, etc., were 
 to be made out in his name, and sealed with his signet. 
 
 (3.) An embassador of England was to reside at his Court, to 
 be the official organ of communication between himself and the 
 Knsrlish Government. 
 
• 72 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 (4.) He was to retain his royal residences, the one in Delhi 
 being regularly fortified, and occupying probably one fourth of the 
 area of the city. And, 
 
 (5.) His imperial revenue was to be made sure, and punctually 
 paid from the British Treasury. 
 
 He was asked how much that revenue must be .'' He repliedj 
 "Thirteen and a half lakhs of rupees annually" — ^675,000 per 
 annum. And as matters go in the East, where kings are supposed 
 to own the soil, and can levy their own jumma (tax) upon every 
 cultivated acre of it, this was not considered an unreasonable or 
 unusual demand. 
 
 The terms were accepted, and the British moved their authority 
 west of the Kurrumnasa, assumed the civil, political, and military 
 control of Hindustan proper, and the Mogul Emperor resigned the 
 heavy cares of State and went to house-keeping on his ^675,000 
 per year. He assuredly might think that he had made a good 
 bargain for himself and his family with his commercial patrons, the 
 East India Company, while the whole resources of Great Britain 
 were pledged to every item of the engagement — and he certainly 
 might have done tolerably well under the circumstances. But one 
 thing stood in the way. He and his outraged the laws of Heaven ; 
 the result was a ruin which in its completeness has had hardly a 
 parallel in the history of any earthly dynasty. 
 
 With idleness and fullness of bread came mischief and vileness 
 for three generations, increasing in their terrible tendencies, as the 
 sins of the fathers were shared by, and visited upon, their children, 
 until hideous ruin engulphed the whole concern, and left not a 
 wreck behind. 
 
 To the American reader it must seem amazing to state that the 
 $675,000 per annum proved utterly insufficient to enable the last 
 Emperor to live and keep out of debt ; yet so it was. He really 
 could not "make ends meet" from year to year on this splendid 
 allowance, paid to the day, and paid in gold. But the explanation 
 is at hand. 
 
 Had the duality of the marriage relation been recognized at the 
 
WHY THE MUNIFICENT PROVISION FAILED. 173 
 
 Court of Delhi, it is very probable that it might have escaped the 
 guilt and misery which hastened its destruction. Men in high or 
 low station cannot violate the laws of God, even when their creed 
 sanctions that violation, without incurring the penalty which is 
 sure to come, sooner or later. Of this truth there never was a 
 more marked example than was exhibited within these high and 
 bastioned walls. The three generations during which this wrath 
 was " treasuring up" its force but made it more overwhelming when 
 its overthrow of desolation came. It was expressly stipulated in 
 the treaty that the munificent provision made for the Emperor 
 was to cover all claims. Out of the $675,000 per annum he was 
 required to support the retinue of relations and dependents col- 
 lected within the walls of the imperial residence. But fifty years 
 of idleness, and the Hcense of a sensual creed, which permitted 
 unlimited polygamy, made that which would have been easy to 
 virtue impossible to vice. 
 
 The Eden of God had but one Eve in it, and she reigned as 
 queen in the pure affections of the happy and noble man for whom 
 God had made her. Within the walls of that Delhi palace Shah 
 Jehan could inscribe the words, 
 
 " If there be a paradise on the face of the earth, 
 It is this— it is this— it is this ! " 
 
 For he loved one only, and was faithful to her, and has enshrined 
 her memory while the world stands in the matchless Taj Mahal. 
 Few, if any, of his race imitated his virtue in this regard ; and least 
 of all his last descendants. Fifteen years ago the Delhi " para- 
 dise" had become changed into a very pandemonium. Here were 
 crowded together twelve hundred kings and queens — for all the 
 descendants of the Emperors assumed the title of " Sulateens " — 
 with ten times as many persons to wait' upon them, so that the 
 population of the palaces were actually estimated at twelve thou- 
 sand persons. Glorying in their " royal blood," they held them- 
 selves superior to all efforts to earn their living by honest labor, 
 and fastened, like so many parasites, upon the old Emperor's 
 
 yearly allowance. " But what was that among so many," and they 
 12 
 
174 TSE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 SO constantly on the increase ? So here the "kings" and "queens" 
 of the house of Timour were found lying about in scores, like broods 
 of vermin, without sufficient food to eat, or decent clothing to wear, 
 and literally eating up each other. Yet, notwithstanding, their 
 insolence and pride were exactly equal to their poverty ; so that 
 one of these kings, who had not more than fifty shillings per month 
 for his share wherewith to subsist himself and his family, in writing 
 to the Representative of the British Government at the Court, 
 would address him as " Fidwee Khass," our particular slave ; and 
 would expect to be addressed in reply with, " Your Majesty's com- 
 mands have been received by your slave !" 
 
 Living in royalty on twenty-five dollars per month, or less, each 
 of these worthies, on choosing a wife, or adding another to those 
 he had before, would feel it necessary, for his rank's sake, to settle 
 upon her a dowry of five lakhs of rupees, (two hundred and fifty 
 thousand dollars,) while actually the royal scamp did not own fifty 
 dollars in the world. His only accomplishment or occupation was 
 playing on the " Sitar," and singing the King's verses, for this king 
 was ambitious of a poet's title, and they flattered the old gentle- 
 man's whim. Did the world ever witness such a farce ! 
 
 Perhaps at the time I first saw the palace of Delhi, with this 
 state of things then in full operation, the eye of God did not look 
 down upon a mass of humanity more dissatisfied, more vile, more 
 proud, and more mean, than the crowd of hungry Shazadahs who 
 pressed against each other for subsistence within the walls of that 
 fortification. All being royal blood, of course they could not soil 
 their hands to gain an honest living ; every man and woman of 
 them must be suppoi ted out of the imperial allowance. 
 
 It was a simple impossibility for the English Government to 
 meet the necessities of this case, or satisfy the demands of this 
 greedy, hungry, and rapidly increasing crew. Twice had the 
 Emperor's appeal been yielded to, and the grant increased from 
 thirteen and a half, to eighteen lakhs, so that in 1857 they were 
 receiving ^900,000 per annum ; but the limit had been reached at 
 last. The EngHsh would neither pay the debts which they con- 
 
THE PAGEANT FELT TO BE A BOBE. 1/5 
 
 tracted nor increase the yearly allowance. The country would not 
 
 endure it. 
 
 The humiliating ceremonies, so tenaciously required by the 
 Emperor on receiving any member of the English Government, 
 had become increasingly irksome and annoying as time rolled on 
 and this condition of things developed, until it began to be felt that 
 the Great Mogul pageant was a bore. Lord Amherst, a former 
 Governor-General, at length refused to visit the Emperor if ex- 
 pected, according to Delhi court etiquette, to do so with bare feet, 
 bowed head, and joined hands. He declared he would only visit 
 him on terms of honorable equality, and not as an inferior. Both 
 he and Lord Bentinck refused any longer to stand in " the Pres- 
 ence," but demanded a State chair on the right hand of the Em- 
 peror, and to be received as an equal. This shocked the Emperor's 
 feeUngs, but he had to give in. Then came the suspension of the 
 " Nuzzer "—the yearly present— a symbol of allegiance or confession 
 of suzerainty. The value was not withheld, but added to the 
 yearly allowance ; but the Emperor refused to accept it in this 
 
 form. 
 
 In 1849, on the death of the heir apparent, Lord Dalhousie, 
 then Governor-General, opened negotiations designed to abolish 
 this pageant of the Great Mogul, and offered terms to the next heir 
 to abdicate the throne, vacate the Delhi Palace, and sink their 
 high titles, retiring to the Kootub Palace and a private position, so 
 that the large family might be placed under proper restrictions 
 and required to obtain education, and fit themselves for stations 
 where they could earn their living. But the merciful and wise pio- 
 posal was misapprehended by them : instead of appreciating it, it 
 thoroughly alarmed them. They chose to consider that their very 
 existence was attacked. They would rather continue to fester and 
 starve together within those walls than to separate and rouse them 
 selves to action and honest employment ; so they began to talk 
 louder than ever about their "wrongs," and the "insults" offered 
 them by the English Government, prominent among which was 
 the refusal any longer to give to each of these princes, whenever 
 
1/6 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 he cliose to show his face in public, the royal salute of his "rank." 
 But the English had deliberately come to the conclusion that this 
 was a foolish and ridiculous waste of the national powder, and 
 ought to cease forever. 
 
 Thus the Court — Emperor Begums, Sultans and Sultanas, 
 Shazadas, Eunuchs, and followers, all in a ferment of dissension 
 and hatred of English rule — became a centei to which all disaf- 
 fected elements naturally tended. 
 
 These men became the life and soul of the great conspiracy for 
 the overthrow of the English power and the expulsion of Chris- 
 tianity from India, and for the elevation once more of Moham- 
 medan supremacy over the Hindoo nations. Yielding to their 
 influence, and that of the Sepoys, as will be narrated in our next 
 chapter, the old Emperor committed himself fully, without count- 
 ing the cost, to the fearful struggle. 
 
 The reader can well understand what an " elephant " the En- 
 glish Government had here on its hands, and in what perplexity 
 they were as to what they should do with it. 
 
 This " high-born " population thus pressed for the means of sub- 
 sistence within these walls, instead of being required to shift for 
 themselves and quietly sink among the crowd without. When the 
 writer reached India, in 1856, this state of things was ripening to 
 its natural consummation. The different members of the Em- 
 peror's great family circle were fast becoming rallying points for 
 the dissatisfied and disaffected. Let loose upon the community, 
 they were every-where disgusting people by their insolence and 
 knavery, so that the English magistrates in Delhi had to stand 
 between them and their victims. The prestige of their names was 
 fast diminishing, and they were falling into utter insignificance 
 and contempt. This was true even of the highest of them. It 
 was these " idle hands " that Satan employed to do much of the 
 " mischief" wrought during the fearful rebellion of 1857 — an event 
 which consummated their own ruin, and sent scores of them to the 
 gallows. 
 
 In the " good old days " of their rule they had their own way of 
 
MOSLEM HATE OF CHRIST AND CHRISTIANS. 177 
 
 relieving any financial pressure, as soon as it was felt, by " loans " 
 which were never paid, or by exactions from which there was no 
 appeal or escape. But in 1857 it was no longer possible to prac- 
 tice in this way. The palace people had to let other men's money 
 alone, and were required to live within their means, and those who 
 trusted them had now to do so on their own responsibility. The 
 Government of England refused to pay a dollar of their debts or 
 grant any further increase to their allowance. How they raged 
 over this resolve ! Exhortations to do something, or fit them- 
 selves for positions which would support them, were all thrown 
 away upon them, or, worse, they held the advice to be an insult. 
 They were royal, and could not think of work ; so they raged 
 against the Government that stood between them and those whom 
 they used to victimize, and sighed for the days when they could 
 have relieved their necessities at the expense of other men. It 
 need not be wondered at that such people hated English rule, 
 and resolved that, if ever the opportunity came within their reach, 
 they would be revenged upon the race who compelled them to be 
 honest. 
 
 Just in proportion to this impotent rage, of which the Govern- 
 ment was well aware, most of the Hindoo princes around were 
 exultant to think that the Great Mogul had found a master at last 
 — that there was a strong hand on the bridle in his jaws, to hold 
 him back from trampling on the rights of other people. The 
 Shroffs (native Bankers) and moneyed men in the bazaars were in 
 high glee, knowing that the rupees in their coffers were all safe 
 under the protection of England's power, and that none could 
 make them afraid. 
 
 To all this, if you add the religious hate, you have the entire 
 case of the Delhi Court. How these men raged as they remem- 
 bered that their Crescent had gone down before the hated Cross ; 
 that where they had ruled and tyrannized for seven hundred years 
 Christianity was now triumphant. They detest England : they 
 will always do so : not because of her nationality, but for her faith. 
 They would hate Americans all the same if we were there. To 
 
178 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Christianity they are irreconcilably antagonistic. They detest the 
 doctrine of a divine Christ, and his followers have to share his 
 odium at their hands. Alas, it is simple truth to say, that if the 
 Lord Jesus were to come down from heaven to-day, and put him- 
 self in their power, they would as assuredly crucify him afresh in 
 the streets of Delhi for saying he was " the Son of God," as did 
 the Jews in Jerusalem eighteen hundred years ago. You have 
 only to read their " Sacred Kulma " to be assured of this spirit, 
 and understand their rage against him ; while their fearful deeds in 
 1857-8 upon his followers were a commentary on the Kulma, writ- 
 ten with Christian blood ; a record over which they gloat, and in 
 the extent of which they still glory. Sad and abundant evidence 
 of this fact is to follow in these pages ; yet all this hatred and 
 determination would have been utterly powerless had it stood 
 alone — had the Hindoos not so strangely and unexpectedly united 
 themselves with it. 
 
 2. This leads us to the consideration of the peculiar fact which, 
 for once, brought the Moslem and Hindoo elements of the country 
 into union and a common interest. 
 
 Lord Lake, the English General, had defeated the Mahratta 
 chief, Bajee Rao, whose title, the Peishwa, was derived from a 
 Brahmin dynasty founded at Poonah by Belajee Wiswanath. 
 This title formerly meant Prime Minister, but its holders rose 
 from that position to sovereign authority by usurpation and oppor- 
 tunity, and, in view of the high-caste assumptions of the Mahratta 
 nation, their sovereign seems to have laid claim to a sort of head- 
 ship in Hindooism, and so "Peishwa" became a religious as well as 
 a secular title, and carried a great influence with it in the estima- 
 tion of the Hindoos. 
 
 Duff, the historian of the time, gives a featful picture of the 
 licentiousness which prevailed at Bajee Rao's capital in 18 16. and 
 of his perfidy in attempting the assassination, by treachery, of Mr. 
 Elphinstone, the English Embassador, and in the death of several 
 Europeans whom he caused to be killed in cold blood, as well as 
 the families of the native troops in their service. His ferocious 
 
The " Nana Sahib. 
 
THE NANA SAHIB. l8l 
 
 and vindictive orders, issued on the 5th of November, 1817, fore- 
 shadowed too truly other orders of a similar nature issued in July, 
 1857, by him to whom he transferred his home and fortune. The 
 adopted son was worthy of his putative father. That son was 
 Nana Sahib. The name of the author of the Cawnpore massacre 
 is, of course, well known. 
 
 The picture of him here presented was drawn by Major O'Gan- 
 dini, and sent home from India. He was fat, with that unhealthy 
 corpulence which marks the Eastern voluptuary, of sallow complex- 
 ion and middle height, with strongly marked features. He did 
 not speak a word of English. His age at the time of the massacre 
 was about thirty-six years. As this man will ever be identified 
 with the sanguinary fame of Cawnpore, it seems appropriate to give 
 the reader a more definite account of who he was, and his ante- 
 cedents, as furnished by Trevelyan. 
 
 His full name was Seereek Dhoondoo Ptmth, but the execration of 
 mankind has found his cluster of titles too long for use, and prefers 
 the more familiar appellation of " The Nana Sahib." 
 
 Bajee Rao, the Peishwa of Poonah, was the last monarch of the 
 Mahrattas, who, for many years, kept Central India in war and con- 
 fusion. The English Government being driven by his faithlessness 
 and treachery to dethrone the old man, assigned him a residence at 
 Bithoor, a few miles from Cawnpore, which he occupied until his 
 death, in 185 1. With his traditions, his annuity of eight lakhs of 
 rupees (^400,000) yearly, and his host of retainers, Bajee Rao led a 
 splendid life, so far as this world was concerned. But the old Mah- 
 ratta had one sore trial : he had no son to inherit his possessions, 
 perpetuate his name, and apply the torch to his funeral pyre. This 
 last office, according to the Hindoo faith, can only be performed 
 properly by a filial hand. In this strait he had recourse to adop- 
 tion, a ceremony which, by Hindoo law, entitles the favored indi- 
 vidual to all the rights and privileges of an heir born of the body. 
 His choice fell upon this Seereek Dhoondoo Punth, who, according 
 to some, was the son of a corn merchant of Poonah, while others 
 maintain that he was the offspring of a poor Konkanee Brahmin, 
 
1 82 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 and first saw the light at Venn, a miserable little village near Bom- 
 bay. The Nana was educated for his position ; and, on the death 
 of his benefactor, he entered into possession of his princely home 
 and his immense private fortune. But this did not satisfy the 
 Nana. He demanded from the British Government, in addition, 
 the title and the yearly pension which they had granted to his 
 adoptive lather. His claim was disallowed, as the pension was 
 purely in the form of an annuity to the late King. But the Nana 
 was not to be foiled. Failing with the Calcutta authorities, he 
 transferred his appeal to London, and dispatched an agent to 
 prosecute it there. This opens another amazing chapter in the his- 
 tory of this man. The person selected, and who had so much to 
 do afterward with the massacre of the ladies and children, was his 
 confidential man of business, Azeemoolah Khan, a clever adven- 
 turer, who began life as a kitmutgar — a waiter at table. He thus 
 acquired a knowledge of the English tongue, to which he afterward 
 added French, and came at length to speak and write both with 
 much fluency. Leaving service to pursue his studies, he afterward 
 became a school-teacher, and in this latter position attracted the 
 notice of the Nana, who made him his Vakeel, or Prime Agent, and 
 sent him to London to prosecute his claims. Azeemoolah arrived 
 in town during the height of "the season" of 1854, and was wel- 
 comed into " society " with no inquiry as to antecedents. Passing 
 himself off as an Indian prince, and being abundantly furnished 
 with ways and means, and having, withal, a most presentable con- 
 tour, he gained admission into the most distinguished circles, mak- 
 ing a very decided sensation. He speedily became a lion, and 
 obtained more than a lion's share of the sweetest of all flattery — 
 the ladies voted him " charming." Handsome and witty, endowed 
 with plenty of assurance, and an apparent abundance of diamonds 
 and Cashmere shawls, the ex-kitmutgar seemed as fine a gentleman 
 as the Prime Minister of Nepaul or the Maharajah of the Punjab, 
 both of whom had been lately in London. 
 
 In addition to the political business which he had in hand, Azee- 
 moolah was at one time prosecuting a suit of his own of a more 
 
HIS AGENT AZEEMOOLAH. 1 83 
 
 delicate nature ; but, happily for the fair Englishwoman who was 
 the object of his attentions, her friends interfered and saved her 
 fiom becoming an item in the harem of this Mohammedan polyga- 
 niist. He returned to India by Constantinople, and visited the 
 Crimea, where the war was then raging between England and 
 Russia. He bore to his master the tidings of his unsuccessful 
 efforts on his behalf, but consoled him with the assurance that the 
 youthful vigor of the Russian power would soon overthrow the 
 decaying strength of England, and then a decisive blow would be 
 sufficient to destroy their yoke in the East. Subtle and blood- 
 thirsty, Azeemoolah betrayed no animosity until the outburst of 
 the Rebellion, and then he became the presiding genius of the 
 assault and final massacre. Meanwhile he moved amid English 
 society at Cawnpore with such deep dissimulation as to awaken no 
 suspicion ; and he was even the whole time carrying on correspond- 
 ence with more than one noble lady in England, who had allowed 
 herself, in her too confiding disposition, to be betrayed into 
 a hasty admiration of this swarthy adventurer : so that, on the 
 first day of Havelock's entrance, when he and his men came 
 straight from " the Slaughter-House " and fatal Well, to the Palace 
 of Bithoor, they discovered, among the possessions of this scoun- 
 drel, the letters of these titled ladies, couched in terms of the most 
 courteous friendship. How little they suspected the true character 
 of their correspondent ! and how bitter and painful were the emotions 
 which, under such circumstances, their letters raised in the breasts 
 of Havelock's men ! And yet this sleek and wary wretch was edu- 
 cated and courtly, even to fascination, while the heart beneath his 
 gorgeous vest cherished the purposes of the tiger and the fiend. 
 So much for education and refinement without religion or the fear 
 of God. 
 
 Dr. Russell, " the Times' Correspondent," mentions having met 
 Azeemoolah in the Crimea, seeing with his own eyes how matters 
 were going on there. He was fresh from England, where, a few 
 weeks before, he might have been seen moving complacently in 
 London drawing-rooms, or cantering on Brighton Downs, the 
 
1 84 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 center of an admiring bevy of English damsels ; but in the Crimea 
 the secret of his soul was betrayed when, one evening, in a large 
 party, he was incautious enough to remark that the Russians and 
 the Turks should cease to quarrel, and join and take India. The 
 remark caused some feeling, but aroused no suspicion of the lurk- 
 ing vengeance. India could gain nothing by such a change of 
 masters. He knew this well enough ; but such a change would 
 humble 'England, and probably suspend or annihilate Christian 
 missions there : and these results would be to him a full compensa- 
 tion for the change. 
 
 The sensual and superstitious Maharajah of Bithoor — as Nana 
 Sahib was called — had thus found an agent after his own heart to 
 work out his will. Bithoor Palace, where the Nana resided, was 
 spacious, and richly furnished in European style. All the recep- 
 tion-rooms were decorated with immense mirrors, and massive 
 chandeliers in variegated glass, and of the most recent manufac- 
 ture ; the floors were covered with the finest productions of the 
 Indian looms, and all the appurtenances of Eastern splendor were 
 strewed about in amazing profusion ; but it would be impossible to 
 lift the vail that must rest on the private life of this man. No- 
 where was the mystery of iniquity deeper and darker than in this 
 Palace of Bithoor. It was a nest worthy of such a vulture. There 
 were apartments in that palace horribly unfit for any human eye, 
 where both European and native artists had done their utmost to 
 gratify the corrupt master, who was willing to incur any expense 
 for the completion of his loathsome picture-gallery. 
 
 In the apartments open to the inspection of English visitors 
 there was, of course, nothing that could shock either modesty or 
 humanity, though a person of fastidious taste might take exception 
 to the arrangement of the heterogeneous collection of furniture and 
 decorations with which the Nana Sahib had filled his house when 
 he aimed to blend the complicated domestic appliances of the 
 European with the few and simple requirements of the Oriental. 
 
 The Maharajah had a large and excellent stable of horses, ele- 
 phants, and camels ; a well-appointed kennel ; a menagerie of 
 
A HTPOGBITE WHO HAS NO EQUAL. 1 85 
 
 pigeons, falcons, peacocks, and apes, which would have dor.e credit 
 to any Eastern monarch from the days of Solomon downward. 
 His armory was stocked with weapons of every age and country ; 
 his reception-rooms sparkled with mirrors and chandeliers that had 
 come direct from Birmingham ; his equipages had stood within a 
 twelvemonth in the warehouses of London. He possessed a vast 
 store of gold and silver plate, and his wardrobe overflowed with 
 Cashmere shawls and jewelry, which, when exhibited on gala days, 
 were regarded with longing eyes by the English ladies of Cawn- 
 pore : for the Nana seldom missed an occasion for giving a ball 
 or a banquet in European style to the society of the station, 
 although he would never accept an entertainment in return, 
 because the English Government, which refused to regard him as 
 a royal personage, would not allow him the honor of a salute of 
 twenty-one guns. On these occasions the Maharajah presented 
 himself in his panoply of kincob and Cashmere, crowned with a 
 tiara of pearls and diamonds — as here represented — the great ruby 
 in the center, and girt with old Bajee Rao's sword of State, which 
 report valued at three lakhs of rupees, (^150,000.) The Maharajah 
 mixed freely with the company, inquired after the health of the 
 Major's lady, congratulated the Judge on his rumored promotion 
 to the Supreme Court, joked the Assistant Magistrate about his 
 last mishap in the hunting-field, and complimented the belle of the 
 evening on the color she had brought down from the hills of 
 Simla. 
 
 All this was going on when the writer was in Cawnpore in the 
 fall of 1856. These costly festivities were then provided for and 
 enjoyed by the very persons — ladies, children, and gentlemen — 
 who were, before ten months had passed, ruthlessly butchered in 
 cold blood by their quondam host. Till his hour arrived nothing 
 could exceed the cordiality which he managed to display in his 
 intercourse with the English. The persons in authority placed 
 implicit confidence in his friendship and good faith, and the young 
 officers emphatically pronounced him " a capital fellow." He had 
 a nod, a kind word, for every Englishman in the station ; hunting 
 
1 86 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 parties and jewelry for the men, and picnics and Cashmere shawls 
 for the ladies. If a subaltern's wife required change of air the Ma- 
 harajah's carriage was at the service of the young couple, and the 
 European apartments at Bithoor were put in order to receive them. 
 If a civilian had overworked himself in court, he had but to speak 
 :he word, and the Maharajah's elephants were sent to the Oude 
 jungles for him to go tiger hunting; but none the less did he 
 ever, for a moment, forget the grudge he bore the English people. 
 While his face was all smiles, in his heart of hearts he brooded 
 over the judgment of the Government, and the refusal of his de- 
 spised claim. 
 
 The men who, with his presented sapphires and rubies glitter- 
 ing on their fingers, sat there laughing around his table, had each 
 and all been doomed to die by a warrant that admitted of no appeal. 
 He had sworn that the injustice should be expiated by the blood 
 of ladies who had never heard his grievance named, of babies who 
 had been born years after the question of that grievance had 
 passed into oblivion. The great crime of Cawnpore blackened the 
 pages of history with a far deeper stain than Sicilian vespers or 
 St. Bartholomew massacres, for this atrocious deed was prompted 
 neither by diseased nor mistaken patriotism, nor by the madness 
 of superstition. The motives of the deed were as mean as the 
 execution was cowardly and treacherous. Among the subordinate 
 villains there might be some who were possessed by bigotry and 
 class hatred, but Nana Sahib was actuated by no higher impulses 
 than ruffled pride and disappointed avarice. 
 
 The Hindoos, and particularly the military class of them, looked 
 up to this man as their Peishwa. His position gave him immense 
 influence. They would go with him to the side which he espoused. 
 It is understood that he was tampered with, and made a tool of, by 
 the Delhi faction under promise that when the English were ex- 
 pelled the country the Emperor would recognize his claims, and 
 give him the throne of his reputed father at Poonah ; so he threw 
 in his lot with the conspiracy and bided his time. 
 
 3. The Mohammedan monopoly of place and power is another 
 
THEIR NUMBEBS AND ADVANTAGE. 1 87 
 
 consideration to be remembered in understanding the character 
 and extent of this vast combination against Christian civilization. 
 
 This gave them their opportunity to organize their plans and 
 work up the conspiracy. The Sepoy army, with the " Contingents " 
 at native courts, native police, and, we may also add, the armed 
 followers of the Rajahs and Nawabs who favored the rising, con- 
 stituted an armed body of men fully five hundred thousand strong 
 — the life and soul of the whole being the native " Bengal Array," 
 very largely Brahminical. Over these ignorant, superstitious, and 
 fanatical forces, whether as military, commissariat, civil, legal, or 
 financial subordinate officers, were these Mohammedan officials, so 
 that a perfect organization, from Delhi throughout the whole land, 
 was being formed, and it only now needed safe means of commu- 
 nication between the several parts, so that the central conspiracy 
 could receive information or send its arrangements through men 
 whom it could entirely trust, and who were its willing and ready 
 agents. But this, too, was supplied, as we shall see. 
 
 The Sepoy army mounted guard upon the forts, the magazines, 
 and the treasuries of India ; and when their hour had come, and all 
 was prepared, they held in their own hands the key of the coined 
 millions of the public money, its vast stores of munitions of war, 
 and its strong places. The total of European troops then in India 
 was exactly 45,522, of all arms ; but of these 21,156 were away in 
 Madras and Bombay, leaving only 24,366 for the East, center, and 
 Punjab, and more than two thirds of these were off" on the West- 
 ern frontiers and in Burmah, so that in the entire Valley of the 
 Ganges there were but two half regiments, one with Sir H. Law- 
 rence in Lucknow, and the other at Cawnpore. 
 
 4. India was then not only without railroads, but was even desti- 
 tute of common roads, while the rivers were unbridged, and there 
 was every natural difficulty in the way of an army of white men 
 moving through the land, with the heavy impedimenta which they 
 require in such a climate, and in which respect the native troops, 
 being so much less encumbered, so much more at home in the 
 heat, and so well acquainted with the country, had their enemy at 
 
1 88 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 every disadvantage, and especially as they sprung the struggle 
 upon them in the very midst of the hot season, when sun-stroke 
 would be sure to lay low more than were prostrated by the bullet. 
 
 To show the importance of one aspect of this difficulty : In 
 1856 there was but one made road in North India — "the Grand 
 Trunk," so called, from Calcutta to the Punjab. General Anson, 
 the English Commander-in-chief, on the first alarm on the loth of 
 May, commenced to collect his forces and march upon Delhi. The 
 distance was under four hundred miles ; but so wretched were the 
 roads, and having to drag his artillery through rivers, it was the 
 8th of June when his army reached Delhi, and nine tenths of all 
 the massacre and mischief were accomplished during those twenty- 
 eight days. On the other side the river the conditions of travel 
 were equally bad. The Soane River is crossed by this Grand 
 Trunk Road. There was, in 1856, no way but to drag through its 
 deep sands and widespread waters with bullocks — I have been four 
 hours going from one side to the other ; and the wise Government, 
 that for one hundred years had neglected to build a bridge, had 
 erected a dak Bungalow (Travelers' Rest House) on either bank, to 
 meet the clear necessity that if you had breakfasted on one side 
 you would need your dinner when you reached the other ! What 
 it was to take troops, artillery, and commissariat through such a 
 country the reader can imagine. 
 
 It is a consolation to add, as a sign of that wonderful progress 
 toward a better state of things on which India has since entered, 
 that I had the satisfaction of crossing that same Soane River in 
 1864 in a few minutes on a first-class railroad bridge, and to-day 
 General Anson could come from Umballa to Delhi in twenty-four 
 hours. 
 
 5. The annexation of Oude — the home of the Sepoy — and where, 
 while it was under native administration, the military classes that 
 took service under the British Government had peculiar privileges 
 that annexation would annul, leaving them equal before the law 
 with the rest of the people : this, with the turbulent character of 
 the Talookdars (or Barons) of Oude, who held themselves above 
 
DREAD OF GHEISTIAW CIVILIZATIOK 1B9 
 
 law, and defied their King to collect revenue from them, or exact 
 their obedience, along with the thousands of persons who made 
 a Hving by the Court, and their relation to its duties, intrigues, 
 necessities, and viceg, and whose occupation would be gone were 
 the country annexed and British rule introduced — all these were 
 aroused to a pitch of frenzy when the plot was actually consum- 
 mated, and were ready to join in any enterprise, no matter how 
 wild or desperate, that promised an overthrow of the new condi- 
 tion of things. And, finally, 
 
 6. To these elements of disturbance and eager watchfulness for 
 a change, has to be added the great fact of the growing fear of the 
 extension of the Christian religion, and the founding of new Mis- 
 sions in the land, with the consequent and widespread fear that 
 their own faiths were in imminent danger of overthrow. Confound- 
 ing every white man with the Government, and regarding him as 
 most certainly in the service and pay of the EngHsh, they looked 
 upon each Missionary as an emissary, backed up by the entire 
 power and resources of the Administration, and to be correspond- 
 ingly feared. This was the general view, (of course the more 
 enlightened knew better,) and the interested parties took good care 
 to intensify it to the utmost of their ability. 
 
 The very pains taken by the English officials to deny it, and 
 present the Government doctrine of " Neutrality," only made mat- 
 ters worse ; for Hindoos and Mohammedans could not imagine a 
 ruling power without a rehgion, or without zeal for diffusion of its 
 own faith. The denial, therefore, was not believed ; it only intensi- 
 fied the conviction of the people that these words were used to 
 conceal the truth, and could only be used as a pretext to blind 
 them for the present, till the English were fully prepared for the 
 most determined action against their castes and their faiths. So 
 that every movement was watched, and every act misinterpreted ; 
 a,nd those in high places were distracted by prejudices which were 
 too blind and fanatical to allow them to listen to reason. 
 
 My own appearance in Lucknow and Bareilly as a Missionary, 
 and the pioneer of a band soon to follow, caused a great deal of 
 13 
 
igo THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 talk and excitement, and was pointed to as a part of the plan which 
 the Government was maturing against their religions. 
 
 They could also refer to the steady encroachments of Christian 
 law upon their cherished institutions. Suttee had been prohibited, 
 female infanticide made penal, the right of a convert to inherit 
 property vindicated, the remarriage of widows made lawful, self- 
 inmiolation at Juggernaut interdicted, Thuggeeism suppressed, 
 caste slighted — and they dreaded what might come next, ere they 
 should be entrapped into an utter loss of caste, and forced to em- 
 brace the Christian faith. 
 
 Such was the peculiar combination of circumstances that in 1856 
 gave to the disaffected portion of the people of India the opportu- 
 nity to concentrate their energies, under the most favorable condi- 
 tions of success, to strike a blow that would at once overthrow 
 Christianity and English rule forever, and restore, as they thought, 
 native supremacy and the abrogated institutions of their respective 
 faiths. They really imagined that if they could but wipe out the 
 few thousand English in the land their work would be done, and 
 that Great Britain either could not, or would not, replace them, 
 especially in view of the resistance to a re-occupation which they 
 could then present. 
 
 In addition to the elements of preparation which have been 
 already presented, there was needed, for their safety and success in 
 their terrible enterprise, that the conspirators should have a medium 
 of communication between the various parts of the country and 
 those who were working with them, as, also, an agency to win over 
 the wavering and consolidate the whole power, so that it might be 
 well in hand when the time for action should come. 
 
 The post-office was soon distrusted as a medium of communica- 
 tion ; nor did it quite answer their purpose. They needed a living 
 agency. This was essential, and one, too, whose constant move- 
 ments would occasion no surprise ; but just such emissaries as they 
 required were ready at hand in the persons of the Fakirs, or wan- 
 dering saints of Hindustan. 
 
 No account of India, or of the Sepoy Rebellion, would be com- 
 
THE FAKIBS. I91 
 
 plete which did not include a proper description of these Fakirs. 
 They are the saints of the Mohammedan and Hindoo systems. 
 These horrible looking men, with their disheveled hair, naked bod- 
 ies, and painted breasts and foreheads, are constantly roving over 
 the country, visiting shrines, making pilgrimages, and performing 
 religious services for their disciples. The Sepoys greatly honored 
 and liberally patronized these spiritual guides. The post-office 
 failing them, the chiefs of the conspiracy linked these Fakirs into 
 the enterprise as the medium of communication ; and they were so 
 stationed that the orders transmitted, or the information desired, 
 could be forwarded with a celerity and safety that was amazing. 
 
 It may be desired, for the sake of the information on this singular 
 topic, to digress a little just here, before proceeding with the narra- 
 tive. Of all the curses under which India and her daughters groan, 
 it may safely be said that this profession of the Fakirs is one of the 
 heaviest and most debasing. The world has not often beheld a 
 truer illustration of putting "darkness for light" than is afforded in 
 the character and influence of these ignorant, beastly-looking men 
 — fellows that in any civilized land would be indicted as " common 
 vagrants," or hooted out of society as an intolerable outrage upon 
 decency. But they swarm in India, infesting its highways, crowding 
 its ghats and temples, creeping into its homes, and leading captive 
 its poor, silly women. They hold the general mind of India in such 
 craven fear that the courtly Rajah, riding in his silver howdah on 
 the back of his elephant, and surrounded by his retinue, will often 
 rise from his seat and salaam to one of these wretches as he goes by. 
 
 The Law-giver of India, while so jealously providing for the 
 seclusion of the ladies of the land, expressly relaxes the rules in 
 favor of four classes of men — Fakirs, Bards, Brahmins and then 
 own servants — in the following section of the Code : " Mendicants, 
 encomiasts, men prepared for a sacrifice, cooks, and other artisans 
 are not prohibited from speaking to married women." — Sec. 360. 
 chap. viii. They can exercise their discretion how far they shall 
 unvail themselves before them, though in their intercourse with 
 Brahmins and Fakirs all restriction is usually laid aside. They are 
 
192 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 as absolutely in their power as the female penitents of the Romish 
 Church are in that of their priesthood, and even more so. 
 
 This state of things has lasted for long ages past. Alexander 
 the Great, in his invasion of India, 326 B. C, found these very men 
 as we see them there to-day. The historians of his expedition give 
 us accurate descriptions of them, The Greeks were evidently 
 amused and astonished at the sight of these ascetics, and, having 
 no word in their language to describe them, they invented a new 
 term, and called them GymnosopJdsts, (from gumnos, naked, and 
 sophos, wise.) The patient endurance of pain and privation, the 
 complete abstraction of some, the free quotations of the Shaster 
 Slokes and maxims of their philosophy by the others, led the 
 amazed Alexander and his troops to designate them as " Naked 
 Philosophers," more literally so than the pictures here presented, for, 
 though in my possession, I did not dare to have those engraved 
 whose nudity would have more fully justified the Greek designa- 
 tion ; but they are still there, and of that class of the Fakirs a few 
 words farther on will be in place. 
 
 The word " Fakir " (pronounced Fa-keer, with the a broad) is 
 an Arabic term signifying " poor," or a " poor man," because they 
 profess to have taken the vow of poverty, and, in theory, hold them- 
 selves above the necessity of home, property, or money, realizing 
 their living as a religious right from the people wherever they 
 come. 
 
 Some wander from place to place, some go on pilgrimages, and 
 others locate themselves under a great banyan tree, or in the 
 depths of a forest in some ruinous shrine or tomb, or on the bank 
 of a river, and there receive the homage and offerings of their 
 votaries. 
 
 I have often stood and looked at them in the wild jungle, miles 
 away from a human habitation, filthy, naked, daubed with ashes 
 and paint, and thought how like they seemed to those wretched 
 creatures whom a merciful Saviour released from the power of evil 
 sjiirits, and so compassionately restored to decency, to friends, and 
 to their right minds. 
 
8ELF-T0BTUBINQ FAKIRS. 195 
 
 Some few of these Fakirs are undoubtedly sincere in their pio- 
 fession of giving up the world, and its social and domestic relations, 
 to embrace lives of solitude, mortification, or self-torture, or to 
 devote themselves- to a course of religious contemplation and 
 asceticism ; others of them do it from a motive of vain-glory, to be 
 honored and worshiped by their deluded followers ; while both of 
 these classes expect, in addition, to accumulate thereby a stock of 
 merit that will avail them in the next transmigration, and hasten 
 their absorption into Brahm. But no one who has seen and 
 known them can doubt that the great majority of the Fakirs are 
 impostors and hypocrites. 
 
 A glance at the picture will enable the reader more fully to 
 understand the descriptions which follow. These wear some 
 clothing, but not much. The hair of the head is permitted to 
 o-row — in some cases not cut, and evidently not combed — from the 
 time when they enter upon this profession. It grows at length 
 longer than the body, when it is wound around the head in a rope- 
 like coil, and is fastened with a wooden pin. The figure on the 
 left hand of the picture in front is one of these. Having some 
 doubts whether there was not some " make-believe " in the huge 
 roll, I questioned a Fakir one day about it. Seizing the big pin, 
 he pulled it out, and down fell the long line of hair trailing after 
 him. It was, sure enough, all his own hair. 
 
 But even these are not the worst of the class. Quite a number 
 of them give up wandering and locate, and engage in the most 
 amazing manifestations of endurance and self-torture. A few must 
 be mentioned. One will lash a pole to his body and fasten the arm 
 to it, pointing upward, and endure the pain till that limb becomes 
 rigid and cannot be taken down again. The pole is then removed. 
 I saw one of them with both arms thus fixed, his hands some eight- 
 een inches higher than his head, and utterly immovable. Some of 
 them have been known to close the hand, and hold it so until the 
 nails penetrated the flesh, and came out on the other side. Taver- 
 nier and others give engravings of some who have stood on one leg 
 for years, and others who never lie down, supported only by a stick 
 
196 
 
 THE LAND Ojf THE VEDA. 
 
 or rope under their armpits, their legs meanwhile growing into hid- 
 eous deformity, and breaking out in ulcers. Sticking a spear 
 through the protruaed tongue, or through the arm, is practiced, and 
 so is hook-swinging — running sharp hooks through the small of the 
 back deep enough to bear the man's weight — when he is raised 
 twenty or thirty feet into the air and swung around. Some will lie 
 
 A Self-tortaring Fakir. 
 
 for years on beds of iron spikes, like the one here represented, read- 
 ing their Shaster and counting their beads ; while their ranks furnish 
 many of the voluntary victims who have immolated themselves be- 
 neath the wheels of Juggernaut. But there are tens of thousands 
 of them who take to the profession simply because it gives them a 
 living off the public, and who are mere wandering vagabonds. 
 
 Many of them are animated by another class of motives. These 
 hunger for fa7ne — they have become Fakirs for the honor of the 
 thing — are willing to suffer that they may be respected and adored 
 by those who witness in wonder the amazing self-tortures which 
 they will endure. An instance which may be worth relating will 
 illustrate this aspect of the subject. It was turned into verse by a 
 humorous Englishman when the case occurred, and we present it 
 here. One of these self-glorifying Fakirs, after graduating to saint- 
 
THE 8ELF-aL0BIFI0ATI0N MOTIVE. l^y 
 
 ship by long years of austerities and extensive pilgrimages, took it 
 I'nto his head that he could still further exalt his fame by riding 
 about in a sort of Sedan chair with the seat stuck full of nails. 
 Foui men carried him from town to town, shaking him as little as 
 possible. Great was the admiration of his endurance which awaited 
 him every-where. At length (no doubt when his condition had 
 become such that he was for the time disposed to listen to some 
 friendly advice) a rich native gentleman, somewhat skeptical as to 
 the value and need of this discipline, met him and tried very ear- 
 nestly to persuade him to quit his uncomfortable seat, and have mercy 
 upon himself But here let Mr. Cambridge give the reasoning of the 
 kind-hearted native, and point the moral of the story. He says to 
 the Fakir : 
 
 " ' Can such wretches as you give to madness a vogue ? 
 
 Though the priesthood of Fo on the vulgar impose 
 
 By squinting whole years at the end of their nose — 
 
 Though with cruel devices of mortification 
 
 They adore a vain idol of modern creation — 
 
 Does the God of the heavens such a service direct ? 
 
 Can his Mercy approve a self-punishing sect ? 
 
 Will his Wisdom be worshiped with chains and with nails, 
 
 Or e'er look for his rites in your noses and tails? 
 
 Come along to my house, and these penances leave, 
 
 Give your belly a feast, and your breech a reprieve.' 
 
 This reasoning unhinged each fanatical notion, 
 And staggered our saint in his chair of promotion. 
 At length, with reluctance, he rose from his seat, 
 And, resigning his nails and his fame for retreat, 
 Two weeks his new life he admired and enjoyed; 
 The third he with plenty and quiet was cloyed ; 
 To live tcndtstingidshed to him was the pain. 
 An existence unnoticed he could not sustain. 
 In retirement he sighed for the fame-giving chair. 
 For the crowd to admire him, to reverence and stare : 
 No endearments of pleasure and ease could prevail. 
 He the saintship resumed, and new-larded his tail." 
 
 The reference in the third line — to " squinting whole years at 
 the end ot his nose," is a serious subject, and will be explained 
 hereafter. 
 
 Sometimes Fakirs will undertake to perform a very pamful and 
 lengthened exercise in measuring the distance to the " sacred" city 
 of Benares from some point, such as a shrine or famous temple, 
 
198 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 even hundreds of miles away, though months or years may be 
 required to complete the journey. I had once the opportunity of 
 seeing one of these men performing this feat. When I met him he 
 was on the Grand Trunk Road, over two hundred and forty miles 
 from l^enares. He had already accomplished about two hundred 
 miles. A crowd accompanied him from village to village, as men 
 turn out here to see Weston walk. He was a miserable-looking 
 object, covered from the crown of his head to his feet with dust 
 and mud. He would lay himself down flat on the road, his face in 
 the dust, and with his finger would make a mark in front of his 
 head on the ground ; then he would rise and put his toes in that 
 mark, and down he would go again, flat and at full length, make 
 another line, rise, and put his toes in that, and so on, throughout the 
 live-long day. When tired out he would make such a mark on the 
 side of the road as he could safely find next morning, and then 
 go back with the crowd to the last village which he had passed, 
 where he would be feted and honored, and next day would return 
 to his mark and renew his weary way. I could not find out how 
 much progress he usually made. It must have been very slow 
 work — certainly less than one mile per day ; and what weary months 
 of hard toil lay between him and Benares is apparent. These 
 wretches thus choose, and voluntarily lay upon themselves, penal- 
 ties that no civilized government on earth would venture to inflict 
 upon its most hardened criminals. 
 
 Some of these Yogees, in view of their supposed sanctity and 
 superiority to all external considerations, hold themselves above 
 obedience to law or the claims of common decency. I have myself 
 seer, one of them in the streets of Benares, in the middle of the 
 day, when they were crowded with men and women — a man evi- 
 dently over forty years of age — as naked as he was born, walking 
 through the throng with the most complete shamelessness and 
 unconcern! And if it were not for the terror of the English 
 magistrate's order and whip, instead of one in a while, hundreds 
 of these "naked philosophers" would scandalize those streets 
 every day in the year, and " glory in their shame." 
 
THE RULES OF HINDOO PERFECTION. 201 
 
 There is a further aspect of this subject, and one so singular and 
 serious that the reader will be as much surprised at the alleged 
 divine law which requires it, as the sole and only path to moral 
 ])unty and ultimate perfection, as he will be that men have ever 
 been found who would undertake to conform themselves to the 
 amazing and unique discipline by which it is to be attained. We 
 may talk of self-denial and cross-bearing, but did the history of 
 human endurance ever present any thing equal to the requirements 
 of the following teachings ? 
 
 In all the wide range of Hindoo Literature it is conceded that 
 there is nothing so sublime, and even pure, as the disquisitions con- 
 tained in the Bhagvat Geeta, {Bhagvat, Lord, Geeta, song — "the 
 Song of the Lord.") This book is an episode of the celebrated 
 MaJiabarata, and consists of conversations between the divine 
 Kreeshna, (the incarnate God of the Hindoos, in his last avatar, 
 or descent to earth in mortal form,) and his favorite pupil, the 
 valiant Arjoona, commander-in-chief of the Pandoo forces. 
 
 Arjoona is religious as well as heroic, and in deep anxiety to 
 know by what spiritual discipline he may reach perfection and 
 permanent union with God. His Incarnate Deity undertakes to 
 enlighten him in the following instructions. 
 
 To assist the reader in comprehending the teachings of this 
 whimsical method of reaching " the higher life," as practiced by 
 the most sincere and yearning of India's religious devotees, I pre- 
 sent a faithful picture of one of the class described, and who is at the 
 same time one of the most celebrated of the Yogee order, just as I 
 have seen him in Delhi, where the photograph was taken. The 
 Yogee is the central figure. The Fakir standing is his attendant ; 
 the man to the right is one of the Yogee's devotees or worshipers, 
 come to p?.y him the usual homage, expressed by his clasped hands. 
 The Saint is silent, engaged in the meditation and abstraction, the 
 rules of which we are going to present. His body is daubed with 
 ashes till he looks as if covered with leprosy ; the marks on his 
 forehead are red, as they are on the face, and breast, and arms of 
 his attendant. He holds no converse with mortal man, nor has he 
 
202 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 done so for years. The Governor-General of India might pass by, 
 but he would not condescend to look at him, nor deign a word of 
 reply were he to speak to him. He is supposed to be dead to all 
 things here below, and to have every sense and faculty absorbed in 
 the contemplations enjoined in the following words of the Deity : 
 
 Kreeshna says to Arjoona : " The man who keepeth the outward 
 accidents from entering his mind, and his eyes fixed in contempla- 
 tion between his brows — who maketh the breath to pass through 
 both his nostrils alike m expiration and inspiration — who is of sub- 
 dued faculties, mind, and understanding, and hath set his heart 
 upon salvation, and who is free from lust, fear, and anger — is for- 
 ever blessed in this life ; and being convinced that I am the cher- 
 isher of religious zeal, the lord of all worlds, and the friend of all 
 nature, he shall obtain me and be blessed. 
 
 " The Yogee constantly exerciseth the spirit in private. He is 
 recluse, of a subdued mind and spirit, free from hope, and free from 
 perception. He planteth his own seat firmly on a spot that is 
 undefiled, neither too high nor too low, and sitteth on the sacred 
 grass which is called Koos, covered with a skin and a cloth. Here 
 he whose business is the restraining of his passions should sit, with 
 his mind fixed on one object alone, in the exercise of his devotion 
 for the purification of his soul, keeping his head, his neck, and 
 body steady without motion, his eyes fixed on the point of his nose, 
 looking at no other place around. The peaceful soul released from 
 fear, who would keep in the path of one who followed god, should 
 restrain the mind, and, fixing it on me, depend on me alone. The 
 Yogee of an humble mind, who thus constantly exerciseth his soul, 
 obtaineth happiness incorporeal and supreme in me." — BJiagvat 
 Geeta, pp. 46-48. 
 
 It was one of these men, sitting thus naked, filthy, and supercili- 
 ous, upon the steps of the Benares Ghat, receiving the homage and 
 worship of the people, that drew from Bishop Thomson that strong 
 remark which made such an impression upon those who heard him 
 utter it. 
 
 The reader will bear in mind that Yog means the practice of 
 
NUMBERS AND EXPENSE OF HINDOO SAINTS. 203 
 
 devotion in this special sense, and a Yogee is one devoted to God ; 
 and such a man as the one here presented is the highest style of 
 saint that Hindoo theology or its Patanjala (School of Philosophy) 
 can know. The demands of these tenets, and the amazing suprem- 
 acy which their practice confers on such a devotee as this, are so 
 extraordinary and beyond belief, that, instead of my own language, 
 I prefer to state them in the words of Professor H. H. Wilson, the 
 translator of the Veda. Describing the discipline of the Yogees, 
 and the exaltations which they aim at, he says : " These practices con- 
 sist chiefly of long-continued suppression of respiration ; of inhaling 
 and exhaling the breath in a particular manner ; of sitting in eighty- 
 four different attitudes ; of fixing their eyes on the tips of their 
 noses, and endeavoring by the force of mental abstraction to effect 
 a union between the portion of vital spirit residing in the body and 
 that which pervades all nature, and is identical with Shiva, consid- 
 ered as the supreme being, and source and essence of all creation. 
 When this mystic union is effected, the Yogee is liberated in his 
 living body from the clog of material encumbrance, and acquires an 
 entire command over all worldly substance. He can make himself 
 lighter than the lightest substances, heavier than the heaviest ; can 
 become as vast or as minute as he pleases ; can traverse all space ; 
 can animate any dead body by transferring his spirit into it from 
 his own frame; can render himself invisible ; can attain all objects ; 
 become equally acquainted with the past, present, and future ; and 
 is finally united with Shiva, and consequently exempted from being 
 born again upon earth. The superhuman faculties are acquired in 
 various degrees, according to the greater or less perfection with 
 which the initiatory processes have been performed." All this is 
 implicitly believed of them by their devotees, and they are honored 
 accordingly with a boundless reverence. 
 
 The number of persons in the various orders of Yogees and 
 Fakirs all over India must be immense. D'Herbelot, in his Biblio- 
 theqtie Orientate, estimates them at 2,000,000, of which he thinks 
 800,000 are Mohammedan Fakirs. Ward's estimate seems to sus- 
 tain this. But the influence of the British Government and its 
 
204 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 laws, and the extension of education and missionary teaching, are 
 steadily tending to the reduction of the number, by lowering the 
 popular respect for the lazy crew that have so long consumed the 
 industry of the struggling and superstitious people. 
 
 The expense of supporting them, at the lowest estimate — say two 
 rupees per month for each Fakir — involves a drain of ^12,000,000 
 per annum upon the industry of the country — a sum equal to what 
 is contributed for the support of all the Christian clergy of the United 
 States. Yet this is only one item of what their religion costs the 
 Hindoos. Besides this come the claims of the regular priesthood, 
 then of the Brahmins, then of the astrologers, encomiasts, etc., 
 which this system creates — and Ward says they, with the Fakirs, 
 make up in Bengal about one eighth of the population — millions 
 of men year after year thus sponging upon their fellows, and 
 engendering the ignorance, the superstition, the vice, the men- 
 dicity, the sycophancy, that necessitate a foreign rule in their 
 magnificent land, as the only arrangement under which the major- 
 ity could know peace, and be safe in possession of the few advan- 
 tages which they enjoy. Truly heathenism — and above all Hindoo 
 heathenism — is an expensive system of social and national life for 
 any people. Error and vice don't pay. They are dearer far than 
 truth and virtue under any circumstances. 
 
 Welcoming to their ranks, as they did, every vagabond of ability 
 who had an aversion to labor, before the introduction of the British 
 rule, these Fakirs, under pretenses of pilgrimages, used to wander, 
 like the Gypsies of the West, over the country in bands of several 
 thousands, but holding their character so sacred that the civil 
 power dare not take cognizance of their conduct ; so they would 
 often lay entire neighborhoods under contribution, rob people of 
 their wives, and commit any amount of enormities. In Dow's 
 " Ferishta," Vol. HI, there is a singular account of a combination 
 of them, twenty thousand strong, raising a rebellion against the 
 Emperor Aurungzebe, selecting as their leader an old woman 
 named Bistemia, who enjoyed a high fame for her spells and great 
 skill in the magic art. The Emperor's general was something of 
 
MILITANT SAINTS. 205 
 
 a wit He gave out that he would resist her incantations by written 
 spells, which he would put into the hands of his officers. His proved 
 the more powerful, for a good reason : a battle, or rather a carnage, 
 ensued, in which the old lady and her Fakir host were simply anni- 
 hilated. Aurungzebe met his general, and, the historian tells us, 
 had a good laugh with him over the success of his "spells." Even 
 as late as 1778 these militant saints thought themselves strong 
 enough to measure swords with English troops, attacking Colonel 
 Goddard in his march to Herapoor. But the Colonel, though much 
 more merciful than the Mohammedan General, taught them by the 
 sacrifice of a score or more of their number that they had better 
 let carnal weapons alone. Though still saucy enough to the weak, 
 they have ceased to act together in masses, or carry a vorse weapon 
 than a club in their peregrinations. 
 
 Usually each wandering Fakir has a religious relation to the 
 high priest of some leading temple, and to him he surrenders some 
 portion of the financial results of each tour at its termination. In 
 view of this fact, they claim free quarters in all the temples which 
 they pass. Their wide range of intercourse tends to make them 
 well acquainted with public affairs — they hear all that is going on. 
 and know the state of feeling and opinion, and communicate to 
 their patron priests the information which they gather as they go. 
 
 This, then, was "the secret service" organized by the conspirators 
 of the Sepoy RebeUion to convey their purposes and instructions — 
 when they concluded that the post-office was no longer safe to 
 them — and a very efficient and devoted " service " it proved to be 
 for their objects. 
 
 One of Havelock's soldiers gave me a string of praying beads 
 
 which he took from one of these Fakirs before they executed him 
 
 They intercepted him on his way to a Brigade of Sepoys, who had 
 
 not yet risen, with a document concealed on his person from the 
 
 Delhi leaders, directing the brigade to rise at once and kill then 
 
 officers and the ladies and children of their station, and march 
 
 immediately for Delhi to help the Emperor against the English. 
 
 With this missive upon him, the Fakir — a stout, able fellow — was 
 14 
 
2o6 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 passing Havelock's camp, when his movements attracted attention, 
 and he was stopped. The interpreter was sent for, and the man 
 interrogated. He gave a plausible account of himself — was a Holy 
 Fakir, on his way to a certain shrine beyond, to perform his devo- 
 tion — all the time twirling his beads in mental prayer, and so 
 abstracted he could hardly condescend to reply to their inquiries. 
 Some were for letting him go ; others, who did not like his looks., 
 thought it better to search him before doing so, when the terrible 
 missive that was to plunge into a sudden and cruel death some 
 forty English people, more than half of them ladies and children, 
 was found upon him, and he was at once told to prepare for death. 
 They gave him five minutes, and then dropped him by the road- 
 side with the bullet. He held his beads to the last, and the soldier 
 who took them from his hands gave them to me. But there were 
 thousands of such agents at their command, and the loss of a few 
 made little difference to the enterprise. 
 
 Out of the Presidency cities (Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay) 
 there were then no hotels, and, save the Dak Bungalows (Travelers' 
 Rest Houses) on the leading roads, a stranger was thrown entirely 
 upon the hospitality of the civil and military officers of the English. 
 Government as he moved through the country. Freely and cor- 
 dially was this hospitality extended to all comers, our kind hosts 
 seeming to regard each visitant as conferring a favor rather than 
 receiving it. On his departure they furnished him with a note of 
 introduction to a friend in the next station, and there the same 
 courtesy and attention were repeated. 
 
 Thrown thus so much and so constantly into the society of these 
 gentlemen and their families, we were especiall)^ as American 
 strangers and missionaries, regarded with considerable interest, 
 and our future success discussed from a variety of stand-points, 
 according to the degree and character of the religious views and 
 feelings of our kind entertainers. We had gone to India under the 
 idea that it was a country whose tranquillity was fully assured, and 
 whose peace could not be disturbed by any events likely to arise 
 from any quarter. Our amazement may be imagined when we 
 
ANNEXATION OF OUDE. 207 
 
 discoveied, as we so soon did, that there were apprehensions in the 
 minds of many of these gentlemen of the existence of something 
 unsafe, and even dangerous, around them ; but as others of them 
 treated the matter very lightly, and even ridiculed the idea of any 
 necessity for anxiety, we, on our part, concluded that it Avas no par • 
 ticular business of ours, so we went on with our duty, leaving the 
 future to be guided and controlled by the great Protector whom we 
 were serving. 
 
 On reaching Lucknow, November 29, 1856, we found, rather to 
 our surprise, that our note of introduction was to billet us in the 
 " Residency," (so famous for its siege and relief by General Have- 
 lock ten months later.) Lucknow was the splendid capital of the 
 kingdom of Oude, whose sovereign, Wajid Ali Shah, had just been 
 removed to Calcutta, and his dominions annexed by the British 
 Government, on account of the long-continued misrule and oppres- 
 sion that had made Oude a neighborhood of misery and rapine to 
 all the country around it. What the condition of its King and 
 Court were is stated, without exaggeration, in a work issued from 
 the American press about 1854, entitled "The Private Life of an 
 Eastern King," and also in Sleeman's " Recollections," and othei 
 publications. Few sovereigns have ever been so utterly forgetful 
 of the duties of a governor of men, or more thoroughly steeped in 
 selfishness and sensuality, than was Wajid Ali Shah. His terri- 
 tories at length, from his misrule and neglect, became an unequaled 
 scene of outrage and bloodshed, and a refuge for the dacoits (rob- 
 bers) of Northicrn India, who would cross the Ganges at night and 
 plunder in the British Territories all around, making good their 
 retreat into Oude before daylight. Complaints were presented for 
 years, and threats of annexation were served upon him, till they 
 ceased to be heeded by the besotted and reckless man, whose cruel- 
 ties and neglect of his people (in which, however, he only imitated 
 each of his predecessors) led at last to his being removed from the 
 throne he disgraced. He was transferred to Calcutta in the spring 
 of 1856, and there, on a pension about equal to his royal reve- 
 nues, he prosecutes his debaucheries without ruining a kingdom 
 
208 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 any longer. The British Government annexed Oude to their terri- 
 tories, greatly to its relief and advantage. I present a picture of 
 this royal sot, as he loved to display himself in all his jewels and 
 finery. 
 
 During the week that we remained at Lucknow we were kindly 
 entertained by a member of the new Government, (at the head of 
 which was the celebrated Sir Henry Lawrence.) Every facility 
 was afforded me in prosecuting my inquiries, and all information 
 that I needed about the country, its condition and statistics, were 
 freely communicated. 
 
 Lucknow then well deserved the character, so far as its external 
 aspect was concerned, which Bayard Taylor gives it in his " India, 
 China, and Japan," when, standing on the iron bridge which spans 
 the Goomtee, he exclaims, " All was lovely as the outer court of 
 Paradise ! " But, in what moral corruption were its five hundred 
 thousand inhabitants seething! I had never before seen any 
 thing approaching its aspect of depravity and armed violence. 
 Every man carried a weapon — even the trader's sword lay beside 
 his goods, ready to defend them against the lawless. I had not 
 supposed there was a community of men in this world, such fero- 
 cious Ishmaelites, as I saw in that city. It was not safe for an 
 unarmed man, black or white, to move among them. And, indeed, 
 when I wanted to see the city thoroughly, it was considered essen- 
 tial to my safety that I should not go alone or unattended, so they 
 kindly mounted me on the back of an elephant in a Government 
 howdah, and gave me a Sepoy escort ; and thus elevated, so that I 
 could see every thing on the flat-roofed houses, and in the courts 
 and streets below, I made my first acquaintance with the city of 
 Lucknow, and saw heathenism and Mohammedanism in their unut- 
 terable vileness. I returned to the Residency in the evening sick 
 at heart, and, for the moment, discouraged at the fearful task which 
 we were undertaking, to save and Christianize such people. 
 
 Outside the city the whole country was a sort of camp. The 
 Sepoy army was drawn chiefly from this military class of men. 
 Indeed, the city of Lucknow was the capital of the Sepoy race. 
 
Wajid Ali Shah, last King of Oude. 
 
THOSE WHO NEEDED US MOST. 211 
 
 The Talookdars (barons) of Oude (each in his own talook, setting 
 up for himself, holding all he had, and taking all he was able to snatch 
 from his neighbors) often defied their King, and refused to pay 
 the junima, (revenue,) and he could not obtain it unless by force of 
 arms ; and even here he was frequently defeated by their combining 
 their forces against him. Mr. Mead has fully shown in his work— 
 "The Sepoy Revolt" — how truly Oude had been for generations 
 the paradise of adventurers, the Alsatia of India, the nursing-place 
 and sanctuary of scoundrelism, almost beyond a parallel on earth. 
 Sir William Sleeman's work on Oude is probably the most fearful 
 record of aristocratic violence, perfidy, and blood, that has ever been 
 compiled ; yet it is written by one who opposed the annexation of 
 the country to the British dominions, and who was regarded by the 
 natives as their true friend. When I entered Oude there were 
 known to be then standing two hundred and forty-six forts, with 
 over eight thousand gunners to work the artillery on their walls, 
 and connected with them were little armies, or bands of fighting 
 men, to whom they were continually a place of shelter and defense. 
 Annexation involved the razing of these forts, and the incorporation 
 ot a large amount of those blood-thirsty freebooters, and of the 
 King's troops, into the Sepoy Army — for Lord Dalhousie, the 
 Governor-General, did not know what else to do with them — but 
 what elements of fierceness and lawlessness were thus added to 
 the prejudice and fanaticism of the high caste Brahminical army 
 can be well imagined. Thousands of these mercenaries who 
 could not be employed, and who, with arms in their hands, were 
 sent adrift to seek their fortunes, became the ready instruments of 
 the Talookdars' tyranny and power, when His Excellency an- 
 nounced to them his intention of introducing the British system 
 of land revenue into their country, for they well knew that these 
 public improvements could be established only at the cost of their 
 personal prerogatives and opportunities. The result is before the 
 world. 
 
 Yet it was in such a country and among such a people, after 
 months of careful inquiry and inspection of unoccupied fields, that 
 
212 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 I concluded the Mission of the Methodist E^jiscopal Church 
 should be established. We, with our gospel of peace and purity, 
 had evidently found " those who needed us most ;" and I had 
 faith to believe that this warlike race, with all their force of char- 
 acter, could be redeemed, and would yet become good soldiers 
 of Jesus Christ. Long after the hand which traces these lines 
 shall have crumbled into the dust will the wide range of that beaur 
 tiful valley, dotted with Christian churches, and cultivated by 
 Christian hands, be bearing the rich fruition of these hopes. 
 
 Satisfied of the suitability of Lucknow to become the head- 
 quarters of our new Mission, I sought from a member of the Gov- 
 ernment (not Sir Henry Lawrence, however) some statistics of the 
 kingdom, to be incorporated in my Report to the Board at New 
 York. I shall long remember his surprise when he found that we 
 seriously contemplated planting the standard of the cross there. He 
 asked me to look at the people, to consider their inveterate preju- 
 dices, and the venerable character of their systems, and say if I 
 thought any thing could ever be done there .'' So far was he from so 
 believing that he considered it was madness for us to try, nor would 
 our life be safe in attempting it. His mind was so made up on that 
 question that he could lend no countenance to such an effort : 
 in fact, he was no friend to Christian missions, and he intimated 
 pretty plainly that he considered I would manifest more good sense 
 were I retrace my steps to Calcutta, and take the first ship that left 
 for America! I received no better encouragement when I after- 
 ward called on Sir James Outram — a good man, and one of the 
 bravest generals that ever commanded an army. He could lead 
 the advance that so gallantly captured that city ; but to stand up 
 for Jesus alone and unprotected, exposed to the rage of the Moham- 
 medan and the Hindoo in their bazaars, seemed to the military hero 
 something that ought not to be attempted in such a country as 
 Oude. He shrugged his shoulders when I reminded him that, as 
 to our safety, Christ our Master, whose commission we obeyed, 
 would look to that ; while our success was in the hands of the Holy 
 Spirit, and duty alone was ours. But he could not see it, and 
 
OUB MISSION FIELD. 213 
 
 we parted never to meet again. The gallant man, sc justly desig- 
 nated " The Bayard of India," sleeps to-day in Westminster Abbey, 
 among the illustrious dead whom England delights to honor. 
 
 Satisfied that we should end our wanderings, and regard Oude 
 and Rohilcund as our mission-field, we sought for a house in Luck- 
 now, but none could be found — all spare accommodation of the 
 kind had been engaged by the officers connected with the increased 
 civil and military establishments of the Government. So we were 
 necessitated, as the next best thing, to go on to Bareilly, where a 
 residence could be obtained, and wait for the future to open our 
 way into Lucknow. We thus escaped the honor and risk of being 
 numbered with those whom the relieving General, speaking for a 
 sympathizing world, was pleased to designate " the more than illus- 
 trious garrison of Lucknow," who for one hundred and forty-two 
 days were shut up and besieged within the walls of the Residency 
 and the adjacent buildings, and whose story we shall illustrate in 
 its place. 
 
 With many of the survivors, male and female, I was intimately 
 acquainted for years afterward, while my home subsequently was 
 within fifteen minutes' walk of the ruins of the Residency itself 
 
 After full examination and inquiry, I had chosen this Kingdom 
 of Oude and Province of Rohilcund (with the hill territory of 
 Kumaon subsequently added) as our parish in India. In a full 
 report to the Board in New York our reasons for the preference 
 were fully given, and the fact was noted in the correspondence that 
 the field chosen was one of those commended to my attention, 
 before leaving America, by the Rev. Dr. Durbin, as one that might 
 probably, on examination, be found pre-eminently suitable. His 
 opinion and sagacity have been fully justified by the unqualified 
 satisfaction of all concerned with the choice thus made. Our field, 
 then, is the Valley of the Ganges, with the adjacent hill range 
 bounded by the river Ganges on the west and south, and the great 
 Himalaya Mountains on the north — a tract of India nearly as large 
 as England without Scotland, being nearly four hundred and fifty 
 miles long, and an average breadth of say one hundred and twenty 
 
214 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 miles, containing more than eighteen millions of people, who are 
 thus left in our hands by the well-understood courtesy of the other 
 Missionary Societies in Europe and America, who respect our occu- 
 pation, and consider us pledged to bring the means of grace and 
 salvation within the reach of these dying millions. (The reader's 
 attention is asked to the Map which is at the begmning of the 
 volume for the localities intimated within or near the scenes of the 
 Ramayana and Mahabarata, and its central position, in the very 
 " throne land of Rama," amid the most important of India's " holy 
 shrines," and where our Christianity can tell so powerfully upon 
 the entire country.) 
 
 On my way to Bareilly I called to see the Missionaries of the 
 Am.erican Presbyterian Church at Allahabad ; and, after explaining 
 my plans and our proposed field, I stated to them how much I fell 
 the need of some native young man who knew a little English — 
 one whom I could fully trust, and by whose aid I might do some- 
 thing while awaiting the arrival of the brethren to be sent to me 
 from America. They had one such whom they thought, under the 
 circumstances, they might spare for such a purpose, though he was 
 very dear to them. His name was Joel. They kindly introduced 
 me to him, and at once my heart went out toward him as just the 
 person I needed. I introduce him here to my readers — my faithful 
 helper, destined to become the first native minister of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church in India. 
 
 Joel had been taken when an orphan boy by the missionaries, 
 and by them was educated and trained. He was at this time about 
 twenty-two years of age, married to Emma, a lovely, gentle girl, 
 four years younger than her husband. They had one little babe, 
 and lived with Emma's widowed mother, a good Christian woman 
 called " Peggy," who doted upon her daughter, all the more, I sup- 
 pose, because she was so fair and delicate. I remember them dis- 
 tinctly, because they were the first Christianized Hindoo household 
 beneath whose roof I had yet sat down, and they seemed such a 
 happy family. Joel had then gained so much of the English lan- 
 guage that, by speaking slowly and using simple words, I could 
 
JOEL. 
 
 215 
 
 Joel. From a Photograph. 
 make him understand me with tolerable clearness. He seemed 
 just the kind of native assistant that I needed, if I could but obtain 
 him. But I was going three hundred miles farther into an unex- 
 plored region, in the heart of the country, and where all was new 
 and untried. The proposition to take him away from the friends 
 of his youth, and from Christian services, among utter strangers 
 
21 6 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 and heathens, did seem rather trying, particularly in view of the 
 general native timidity to go far from home — for that distance, and 
 into another kingdom, seems to them almost equal to changing 
 their nationality. 
 
 The case was laid before God, and his direction sought. It was 
 then intimated to Joel himself, and, to my encouragement, he said 
 he would be willing, but that he did not know how Emma would 
 feel about it, or — which seemed to him a greater difficulty — what 
 Emma's mother would say to the proposal. I feared that the 
 mother's objection would be insuperable. However, I sent Joel to 
 consult Emma first, and the faithful, brave little wife at once con- 
 sented to go where he would go. Then came the test on which all 
 depended for success. I resolved to accompany Joel to Peggy's 
 residence, to be present when the proposal was made through 
 Brother Owen, who interpreted for me. 
 
 When we entered her humble home and sat down, she greeted 
 us with her sweet smile, and there was a pause. Joel looked at me 
 and I at him, but for a few minutes I could not begin. The lonely 
 widow would be so much more lonely when the dutiful and affeC' 
 tionate daughter who sat there would be far away. This, with the 
 possibility that she should see her no more, and that the sacrifice 
 was almost too much to ask, seeming as it did, in some humble 
 sense, to rank with the class of self-sacrifices which required him 
 of old to take his son, his " only son Isaac," whom he loved, to give 
 him up to duty and to God, made my task a painful one. The 
 hesitation to speak was embarrassing, but it had to be done ; so, 
 with an anxious heart and some serious doubts, I began and told 
 her where I was going ; that I had no aid of any kind with which 
 to begin God's work in the great Valley of the Ganges, and what 
 a treasure and help some suitable young man would be to me, 
 enabling me to speak to the people at once about Christ, and aid- 
 ing me to gain the language, and assisting in every way. Then, 
 her attention and interest being fixed, I ventured to make the pro- 
 posal which was to lacerate her feelings and to try her faith ; and 1 
 said to her, " Joel is my choice ; I have met no one who can help 
 
PEGGY'S SACRIFICE FOB HEB SAVIOUB. 217 
 
 me as he can ; he is willing to go with me, and so is Emma, if you 
 can only give your consent." 
 
 Woman has made many and great sacrifices for Jesus, and 
 largely by such sacrifices has the cause of truth and purity been 
 advanced among men. Since holy Simeon said to the mother of 
 the Lord's Christ, " Yea, a sword shall pierce through thine own 
 soul also," how many mothers, especially in resigning their chil- 
 dren for the service of God at home or in distant lands, or those 
 again in parting with theii little ones that they might go there, or 
 stay there— how many such in these Christian sacrifices have felt 
 this anguish pierce their maternal sympathies when, as true follow- 
 ers of the Divine Father, " who spared not his own Son, but freely 
 delivered him up for us all," they have surrendered their loved ones 
 to the Lord's work, enduring their pungent sorrows, and trying to 
 say, " My Saviour, I do this for thee !" 
 
 Compared with such offerings, how poor and small, and easily 
 parted with, were the sacrifices of Jewish saints ! They had only 
 to surrender their corn, or wine, or oil, the best of their barn-yards 
 or their flocks, or a money equivalent, for their first-born. None 
 of these, save in such a case as Hannah's, went deeper than the 
 purse. They were only property ; they left the heart unscathed ; 
 they cost no tears, and inflicted no anguish. But it is different 
 with Christian saints, who follow a self-denying Saviour, and who 
 for his sake are willing to bear this peculiar cross. How amply 
 compensated will such mothers feel when, in the presence of Him for 
 whom they made these sacrifices, they shall see the sons or daugh- 
 ters whom they resigned to the work of God, after having turned 
 many to righteousness, " shine as the stars for ever and ever !" 
 
 A spark of this Christ-like grace in the soul of a humble woman, 
 once a heathen, can produce the same blessed spirit of self-sacrifice 
 as that which animates the breasts of the most cultured ladies of 
 Christendom ; while her prompt and noble reply puts to the blush 
 the selfishness of some mothers in this land, who have dared to 
 stand between their children and convictions of duty to God and a 
 dying world- 
 
2l8 
 
 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Peggy. From a Photograph. 
 
 When the painful question was presented to Peggy, after a 
 momentary natural struggle, showing how conscious she was of 
 the sacrifice, she answered me with tears — and I would write the 
 poor widow's words in letters of gold if I could : " Sahib, (Sir, a 
 title of respect,) the Saviour came down from heaven to give him- 
 self for me, and why should not I give my daughter to his work ? " 
 
JOEL'S EXPEBIENCE. 2IQ 
 
 It is a pleasure to introduce here the likeness of the devoted 
 woman whose words I have quoted, and whose conduct so encour- 
 aged my heart that day. 
 
 Joel and Emma and their babe accompanied me to Rohilcund. 
 As we were starting, the good missionaries by whom he had been 
 educated, and who appreciated the gift they were conferring, play- 
 fully intimated that Joel had been trained a Presbyterian, knew the 
 Westminster Catechism, and was sound on the Five Points of Cal- 
 vinism, and that they would naturally expect him to continue in 
 the faith, even though he was going with a Methodist missionary ! 
 In reply, I told them that I was more concerned for his religious 
 welfare than for his special theological opinions — a clear conversion 
 was of more moment to me than a creed ; but that his views I 
 would not, under the circumstances, interfere with in any way. 
 Nor did I ever do so. I felt assured these things would regulate 
 themselves thereafter. 
 
 On our arrival at Bareilly I commenced a little class-meeting, 
 but soon found that Joel did not seem quite at home, and had. but 
 little to say in the exercise. So I drew him into private conversation, 
 explained what we meant by the witness of the Holy Spirit, and 
 put into his hands the "Memoir of William Carvosso," telling him 
 that it was composed in very easy English, and was regarded by us 
 as one of the best books ever written to illustrate the faith that 
 saves, advising him to read it through twice, and then tell me what 
 he thought of it. He did so ; but before he finished the second 
 reading told me there was something described there which he had 
 not experienced. He had feared God from his youth, respected 
 the Christian religion, attended the means of grace, was moral and 
 upright, and would stand up for Christ and advocate his cause, but 
 to say that he knew God as his reconciled Father was what he had 
 never been able to profess. He now saw its necessity, and began 
 to seek it with all earnestness. Before long he found it, and was 
 enabled to testify that the " Spirit witnessed with his spirit that he 
 was a child of God." Of course the class-meeting was now appre- 
 ciated, and from that hour to the present, firm and faithful has been 
 
220 THE LAND OF TEE VEDA. 
 
 the character which he has borne among his brethren. Called by 
 God to preach his Gospel, he has done so in its own spirit. I have 
 often seen him antagonized by bitter-minded Brahmins and Moon- 
 shees, using harsh and vexatious language toward him and his 
 cause, but never ruffled or thrown off his guard. " The meekness 
 and gentleness of Christ" has been his protection on these occa- 
 sions, while, with his Bible in his hand — just as represented in the 
 picture — he is ready for all comers ; and in the battles of the Lord 
 with the enemies of the truth he has never turned his back oi 
 sounded a retreat — " a good soldier of Jesus Christ " truly. 
 
 As to his Calvinism, Joel had read Watson on " General Re- 
 demption," and sustained his Conference examination upon the 
 theme, and when Bishop Thomson laid his hand upon his head he 
 ordained a true preacher of the Gospel, who believed as cordially 
 as did the Bishop himself that the Lord Jesus, in the same sense 
 and with the same intention, died for every human being. His 
 fidelity and his progress must be an occasion of gratitude to those 
 who gave him his early training, and toward whom he will ever 
 entertain the gratitude that is justly due. 
 
m PERILS. 221 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 "IN PERILS BY THE HEATHEN, IN PERILS IN THE WILDERNESS." 
 
 f^\^ our arrival at Bareilly in January, 1857, we were most 
 ^^ kindly received by the Judge — Mr. Robertson — a member 
 of the Free Church of Scotland. He took us into his home, and 
 entertained us until we could obtain a house and furnish it. He 
 was greatly delighted at our coming, for he believed in Missions, 
 and in the power of the Gospel to reach the hearts of the heathen. 
 For more than thirty years he had been in the civil service, knew 
 the people well, and spoke their language with great fluency. His 
 advice and opinions on our work were freely given and gratefully 
 accepted, and it was evident that we might ever count him among 
 the truest friends of our Mission. 
 
 We entered our own home just ten weeks before the Rebellion 
 occurred ; settled all things for our work, put up my valued library 
 in its place, and began to study the language, little dreaming that 
 so soon our comfortable arrangements would be consigned to the 
 flames, and we be homeless and hunted for our lives on the adjoin- 
 ing mountains ! 
 
 Yet, we might have been awakened from our sense of security 
 by many events around us. In particular, one day a native gentle- 
 man called at our house and held a conversation, Joel interpreting, 
 in which I was given, to understand that my coming among them 
 was regarded by the people of Bareilly with considerable anxiety ; 
 that for some time they had been led to believe the English Gov- 
 ernment had hostile intentions toward their faith, and really 
 intended, by force or fraud, to break their caste and destroy their 
 religion ; and the supposition was, that I had been brought there 
 by the Government to be ready, when their caste was broken, to 
 
 baptize them, and so complete their Christianization ! 
 15 
 
222 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 My earnest denial of any connection with the Government was 
 received with a look of suspicion, for they confounded every white 
 man (then few and far between in India) with the Government; 
 and when I proceeded to assure him that I was not even an English- 
 man, the Hindoo looked at me and exclaimed, " Why, Sahib, your 
 face is white, you talk the English language, and are by religion a 
 Christian ; what else can you be but an Englishman ?" I told him 
 I was an American ; but, more confused still, he asked, "A what ?" 
 " Why, an American." He had never heard the word before, nor 
 perhaps one in ten thousand of his race, and he inquired what "an 
 American" meant. He had no idea there was any other nation 
 than England talking the same language and as white as they, and 
 who were also Christians. This was generally true of his country- 
 men then. But when, five years after, "the cotton famine" raised 
 so wonderfully the value of their staple, and the Hindoo farmer 
 began to receive two, and even three, rupees for the same quantity 
 of cotton for which he obtained only one the year before, men 
 opened their eyes and began to study geography, to find out that 
 there was a nation, and a great one, beyond England, whose faces 
 were white and who spoke the English language, and were Chris- 
 tians too. So that our civil war in this country woke up the 
 dormant intellect of ten thousand homes in the depths of India, 
 and led men to inquire and study, and so far stimulated education, 
 and showed its value, as no foreign event for hundreds of years pre- 
 viously had done. 
 
 But in 1857 the cotton famine had not occurred, and my Hindoo 
 visitor was perplexed. Notwithstanding the general confidence 
 they have in the truthfulness of the white faces, I have reason to 
 think that this man left my dwelling under the conviction that I 
 had tried to deceive him ; that I was what he supposed, and had 
 denied it to screen myself and my purpose. It is probable that 
 that interview and its impressions exposed my family and myself 
 to their more special vengeance when the day came. 
 
 With Joel's aid I commenced the work, hoping to have some- 
 thing done by the time the first party of our brethren should reach 
 
THE GBEA8ED CABTBIDGE8. 223 
 
 US from America. On the Sabbath we had two services — at eleven 
 o'clock in the Hindustanee language, conducted by Joel, at which 
 our family and a few natives attended ; after this service we had 
 our .class-meeting, led by myself, six persons (Mrs. B., Joel and 
 his wife, Ann, and Isaac, and Maria) being present, Joel translat- 
 hig for me what had to be said in Hindustanee. In the afternoon 
 I held a little English service, at which a few of the officers and 
 civilians attended. On Tuesday evening, also, we had an Hindus- 
 tanee service, and an English one on Thursday. Thus our work 
 opened, but it was truly " the day of small things." 
 
 The year in which I arrived in India saw the introduction of new 
 arrangements for arming the Sepoy army. Instead of the old 
 " Brown Bess," or regulation musket, with which they had hitherto 
 fought the battles of the British, the rulers of India concluded to 
 arm their Sepoys with the new Enfield rifle. For this weapon a 
 peculiar cartridge had to be prepared, samples of which had been 
 sent out from England to be manufactured at the arsenal of Dum 
 Dum, eight miles from Calcutta. The rifles were distributed to the 
 forces, and the wily Fakirs, ever on the look-out for something new 
 to foment disaffection and distrust, at once declared that these, too, 
 were a part of the insidious plan to injure their faith. The Sepoys 
 received them with suspicion. Lock, stock, and barrel were taken 
 asunder and carefully scrutinized, but nothing dangerous to their 
 faith could be discovered. Yet the Fakirs had assured them there 
 was danger, and that settled the matter. 
 
 Then came the intense excitement about the "greased cartridges" 
 for these guns, the purpose being, I suppose, to lubricate the bore 
 of the rifle. It was given out that this grease was " a compound 
 of hogs' lard and bullocks' fat." Only those who have lived among 
 these people, and realized what a horror the Mohammedan has of 
 the hog, and what a reverence the Hindoo has for the cow, can 
 appreciate the storm of excitement and frenzy this simple an- 
 nouncement caused through the whole Bengal army. The Fakirs 
 exultantly pointed to the alleged fact as corroborating all they had 
 asserted of the designs of the English against their relidons. 
 
224 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 It has never been definitely settled whether the charge as to the 
 composition of the unguent was correct or not. The Government 
 did what it could to allay the excitement and fears of the Sepoys, 
 even to the withdrawal of the obnoxious cartridges, offering the 
 men the right to make them up themselves with such grease as 
 was not offensive to them. But it was all too late ; midnight meet- 
 ings now began to be held and plans of resistance discussed, and 
 immediate and open mutiny was proposed. 
 
 General Hearsey at Barrackpore, by a well-timed and judicious 
 address to the Sepoys of his command, in which he showed them 
 the folly of supposing the Government inclined to attempt their 
 forcible conversion, and the Governor General by proclamation to 
 the whole army, tried to arrest the fearful tendency of affairs, and 
 tranquilize the troops ; but the effect was temporary. The lull was 
 only the prelude to the storm. The General's manly and straight- 
 forward address to the men, with whom he had served nearly forty 
 years, ought, if any thing could have done so then, to have satisfied 
 and appeased them. He told them, among other things, that " the 
 English are Christians of the Book, (that is, Protestants,) and 
 Christians of the Book admit no proselytes, and baptize none, 
 except those who fully understand and believe in the tenets therein 
 inculcated." 
 
 But rebellion was a foregone conclusion with these infatuated 
 men; so they dissembled and professed to be "koosh" (pleased) 
 with his address, yet they only awaited their hour. Twenty days 
 after this, on that same parade ground, a Brahmin Sepoy named 
 Mungul Pandy turned out armed, and in the presence of his regi- 
 ment, not a man of whom interfered to save their officers or to arrest 
 the Sepoy, shed the first blood of the Rebellion by firing on and 
 wounding Adjutant Baugh and Sergeant-Major Hewson. The firing 
 drew General Hearsey and his son to the spot. Mungul took aim 
 at the General, who drew his sword, and with the words, " John, if 
 I fall, rush upon him and put him to death," spurred his horse for- 
 ward. The man was overpowered, and after attempting suicide was 
 tried and executed, and died refusing to make anv statement to 
 
METHODS EMPLOYED. 225 
 
 implicate his comrades, who were known to sympathize with 
 him. 
 
 We heard all this, and as the toils closed around us, began fully 
 to realize how helpless we were, and how entirely in the power of 
 those people and their instruments. In addition to the officials 
 connected with the public offices already mentioned, there were 
 any number of Moulvies and Moonshees, connected with the 
 mosques and with tuition, available for their purposes. These men 
 could control the consciences of the Moslem servants in our fam- 
 ilies — the servants, of course, had eyes and ears — so that, while we 
 lived in entire ignorance of what they said, 01 did, or purposed, our 
 whole life lay open to our enemies, and our domestic conversations 
 could be reported to them daily. The influence of the Nana Sahib, 
 and other Hindoo authorities, could equally operate through their 
 Pundits and Priests, and we were helpless between the two, as the 
 full glare of observation and suspicion fell upon us, while those who 
 watched every movement, and waited for our lives, could stand 
 back in the shade and work in darkness. 
 
 One of the methods employed was the fabrication and diffusion 
 of false news and prophecies. All that they required was tem- 
 porary effect to rouse the fanaticism of the fighting class to a 
 white heat of fury, until they committed themselves. As the 
 Sepoys were utterly ignorant, and their minds entirely under the 
 influence of their Fakirs, whom they believed implicitly, nothing 
 promulgated by them was too monstrous for belief. For instance, 
 it was asserted that " the English had imported several cargoes of 
 flour mixed with bones, which had been ground fine, and one mor- 
 sel of which would destroy the caste of any man ;" that " this flour 
 had been covertly introduced, and was then on sale in all the lead- 
 ing bazaars, but so well disguised that even those who bought and 
 sold it could not discover the difference ! " All this was believed. 
 It was no use denying it, or asking them to trace it, or name the 
 ship that brought it, or who had landed it ; it was enough that the 
 Fakirs had said it ; it was certainly so. Thus Brahmin and Sepoy 
 bought their food with suspicion, and eat it with fear. Another 
 
226 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 report was, that there was a plan for transporting to India the 
 numerous widows of the EngHshmen slain in the Crimea. The 
 principal zemindars (landholders) of the country were to be com- 
 pelled to marry them, and their children, who would not of course 
 be Hindoos, were to be declared the heirs of the estates ; and thus 
 the territorial rights of the people of India, as well as their religion, 
 were to be annihilated ! With much more of the same sort. 
 
 Prophecies were invented, and arrangements made to fulfill them. 
 The leading one was, that " the power which rose on the battle-field 
 of Plassey should fall on the centennial anniversary of that great 
 day." Another form of it, that better suited the Mohammedan 
 mind, was, that " on the hundredth anniversary of Plassey the 
 power that rose should fall, and the power that fell should rise." 
 The meaning of all this is clear enough. 
 
 Allegorical expressions in letters and remarks were much used, 
 such as " Pearls (that is, white-faces) are quoted as low in the mar- 
 ket ; Red Wheat (that is, colored-faces) is looking up." Then in 
 February came that singular movement, the circulation of the 
 " Chupatties," (small unleavened cakes,) the full significance of 
 which has never been explained. Each recipient of two cakes was 
 to make ten others, and transmit them in couples to the Chokey- 
 dars (constables) of the nearest village, and they to others, so that 
 in a few days the little cakes were distributed all over the country, 
 causing amazing excitement. It was known that sugar had been 
 used as a signal for the Vellore mutiny, (July, 1806.) And the 
 idea of thus conveying a warning to be in readiness for a precon- 
 certed rising, had precedent enough in the " Feast of the Moon 
 Loaves," still held in commemoration of a similar device, in the 
 conspiracy by which the Mogul dynasty was overthrown five hun- 
 dred years ago in China, as the reader will find narrated in Gabel 
 and Huq's " Travels in Tartary," chapter iii. No other explana- 
 tion has ever been given of this singular transaction. 
 
 Every supernatural means to which they looked for aid and 
 direction were invoked and propitiated to lend their help in the 
 coming struggle. Hunooman's assistance was confidently expected 
 
THE MOTIVES USED. 227 
 
 to render them invincible when they should cross bayonets with the 
 dreaded white-faces. So they sharpened their weapons, lawful and 
 unlawful, and awaited the day. 
 
 Meanwhile the more intelligent and elevated of the conspirators 
 cautiously sounded the native princes of the semi-independent 
 States, to enable them to understand what part they would proba- 
 bly take in the great effort. Suitable motives were carefully 
 held out to them, and also to the nobles and military classes, 
 founded upon freedom from annexation, restoration of ancient 
 dynasties, the bitter payment of old grievances, with patronage 
 and rank when the Mogul should have " his own again," and be 
 once more paramount in India. The Sepoys were promised pro- 
 motion, higher pay, and better times generally ; the Priests were 
 assured of a deliverance forever from the growing power of Chris- 
 tianity, or even its presence, with a swift reversal of those enact- 
 ments which had so seriously curtailed their dignity and perquisites, 
 in usages and rites which humanity had swept away. The loose 
 and vagabond classes (called " Budmashes ") were linked in with 
 the enterprise by promises of license and plunder; and it was not a 
 secret that they disputed together in advance as to the particular 
 shares to which they should become entitled. Even the criminals 
 in the jails were to become personally interested in the results. 
 In Bareilly, where \\e lived, was the great central jail, containing 
 nearly three thousand, the convicts of the province of Rohilcund, 
 with its eight millions of people. These wretches, confined there 
 for all crimes, from murder downward, understood that their time 
 would come to be avenged upon the Government and the race that 
 were punishing them. None can say now how we gained the 
 information, only that "a bird of the air" would carry such a mat- 
 ter ; but weeks in advance of our flight from Bareilly, the English 
 ladies had heard that those wretched criminals, in their chains and 
 cells, understood that they were to be let loose upon the day of the 
 mutiny, receiving their liberty on condition of consummating the 
 atrocities which the high caste of the Sepoys prohibited them from 
 perpetrating. And, accordingly, let loose they were on that dreadful 
 
228 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 31st of May; but, thank Heaven! we had been led by a merciful 
 Providence to anticipate the infernal intention, and removed to a 
 place of safety nearly all of those whom they intended to victimize. 
 Alas ! for the few women and children who, tardy in their flight, 
 did fall into their fiendish hands on that ever memorable afternoon. 
 
 Incendiary fires in the officers' quarters, which Sepoys refused to 
 aid in extinguishing, now became matters of nightly occurrence in 
 different stations. Partial mutinies took place at Fort William, 
 Berhampore, and Lucknow, until, on the loth of May the three 
 regiments stationed at Meerut (near our position at Bareilly) rose 
 and set fire to the houses, shot some of their officers, and then 
 ruthlessly murdered all the Europeans on whom they could lay 
 their cruel hands, men, women, and children, over forty in number. 
 All this was done in a station where there were European troops 
 within one mile of this scene of blood, and yet the miserable old 
 General who commanded was so stupefied that he would not 
 permit his men either to attack or pursue them ! So the Sepoys 
 hurried up their work undisturbed, and marched off to Delhi. 
 They reached that city the next day. Here the other Sepoy troops, 
 five thousand in number, joined them, and, taking their artillery, 
 they proceeded to the palace of the Emperor, where they hauled 
 down the old flag of England, ran up the green standard of the 
 Moslem, and fired a royal salute in honor of the resumption 
 of Mohammedan sovereignty in India. They then began one 
 of the most ruthless and fiendish massacres of the Europeans 
 which even Delhi (the city of cruelty) had ever witnessed. The 
 Shazadahs were foremost in this devilish work, which was done 
 chiefly in public, before thousands of raging foes, at the Kotwallee 
 (Police Station) of the city. All the Europeans within the palace 
 were slaughtered, with the concurrence, if not by the orders, of the 
 Emperor, including the English Embassador, the Chaplain, Mr 
 Jennings and his daughter, and Miss CHfiford — the latter said to be 
 one of the most beautiful English ladies then in the East. 
 
 Amid the record of these horrors, it makes one feel proud of his 
 Anglo-Saxon blood to think of some of the daring deeds which 
 
WILLOUORBY'8 DEFENSE. 229 
 
 were done against such fearful odds, and in the face of almost 
 certain death. One of the most notable of these was Lieutenant 
 Willoughby's defense of the Delhi magazine on that dreadful day. 
 I know the* place, and enjoy the honor of a personal acquaintance 
 with some of the brave men whom he commanded then. I have 
 also had the privilege, in company with one of the survivors, to 
 wander over the ruins into which he blew the whole structure when 
 he found he could not save it for his country. 
 
 There were no European troops in Delhi to oppose the entrance 
 of the red-handed Sepoys that day ; none, except the nine men in 
 charge of the magazine, and which it was of the first moment to 
 Sepoy success that they should seize. In the Lieutenant's judg- 
 ment it was of equal importance to his nation that they should 
 never have it, and his resolution was promptly taken, that, if it cost 
 his life and the lives of those under his orders, it never should be 
 surrendered. The names of the eight heroes whom he commanded 
 were Lieutenants Forrest and Raynor ; Conductors Buckley, Shaw, 
 Scully, and Crow ; Sergeants Edwards and Stewart. He first put 
 his guns and howitzers in position for the defense of the place, and 
 then, so as to be prepared for the worst, laid his trains to connect 
 all parts of the magazine. A handful of native assistants happened 
 then to be with them in the magazine, whom they could not open 
 the gates to turn out, for they soon discovered that they were play- 
 ing them false ; so they had to watch them also. The firing and yells 
 resounded all over the city, coming nearer and nearer to them. 
 But there these men stood, with one hope in their hearts, that the 
 European troops whom they knew to be at Meerut would follow 
 up the mutineers, and that they might be able to hold out till they 
 arrived, and so save the magazine and Delhi too. Vain hope-- 
 they came not. Soon the Palace Guards were thundering at the 
 gates, and, in the name of the Emperor, demanded the surrender of 
 the magazine. No reply was given. The mutineers then brought 
 scaling ladders from the Palace, and the Sepoys swarmed up upon 
 the high walls all around them. 
 
 One of the bastions commanded a view of the country toward 
 
230 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Meerut — a long reach of the road could be seen from it. There 
 Willoughby took his position. Conductor Scully had volunteered 
 to fire the train, should the last emergency come. There he stood, 
 with his lighted port-fire in his hand, watching every movement of 
 his chief. Seeing all was lost, and chafing with impatience, in 
 presence of the raging foes around upon the walls, he would now 
 and then cry out, "Shall I fire her, sir.?" But the Lieutenant, 
 who still hoped for the sight of help from Meerut, would reply, 
 " Not yet, Scully — not yet." The despairing but brave man would 
 again look along the road and sigh, while Scully watched for the 
 signal. 
 
 Lieutenant Forrest, with the other six men, worked the guns. 
 The gallant little band never once thought of betraying their trust 
 by capitulation. The escalade from without was the signal for a 
 similar movement from the traitorous natives within. In the confu- 
 sion they managed to hide the priming pouches ; they then deserted 
 the Europeans, climbing up the sloped sheds on the inside of the 
 magazine, and descending by the ladders without. The insurgents 
 had by this time swelled into multitudes upon the walls, pouring a 
 deadly musketry discharge upon them at less than fifty yards, but 
 the brave besieged kept up an incessant fire of grape, which told 
 well. At length Conductor Buckley — who had been loading and 
 firing with the same steadiness as if on parade — received a ball in 
 his arm ; and Lieutenant Forrest was at the same time struck by 
 two balls. Further defense was hopeless. No help from Meerut. 
 Lieutenant Willoughby saw that the supreme moment had arrived. 
 He lifted his hat, which was the signal, and Conductor Scully 
 instantly fired the trains, and with an explosion that shook all 
 Delhi, up went the magazine into the air, and its vast resources 
 were annihilated. From five hundred to one thousand Sepoys on 
 the walls were killed, and every thing around destroyed. Wil- 
 loughby, Forrest, and Buckley, though wounded, actually escaped 
 death, and managed to crawl from beneath the smoking ruins 
 under cover of night, and retreated through the sally-port on the 
 river-face, and Forrest and Buckley lived to tell the story of their 
 
PROVIDENTIAL COMPENSATION. 231 
 
 great deed. Lieutenant Willoughby himself was killed in a village 
 close to Delhi. No trace of Scully or the rest was ever found. 
 
 This was a great service for the English cause, but could not 
 turn the tide for them. Unfortunately, there was an arsenal and 
 an immense park of artillery in another part of the city, both which 
 fell into the hands of the mutineers ; while the sixty thousand Sepoys 
 who soon found their way to Delhi brought with them from other 
 cities abundant munitions for its defense. 
 
 After the destruction of the magazine, the murder of the officers 
 and missionaries and other Europeans, the violation of their wives 
 and daughters, and the spoliation and burning of their homes, 
 was proceeded with. Then followed the demoHtion of the courts 
 of law, the church, the college, and the printing-office, and deeds 
 were done that day which devils themselves might blush to own. 
 It was an unutterable woe; yet it was not without its great 
 compensation. 
 
 There is a permissive providence of our God which sometimes 
 allows a limited calamity to fall upon individuals and communities 
 in order to preserve them from a sorrow that would be overv/helm- 
 ing and unmitigated : in the sense of Caiaphas's words, " It is expe- 
 dient that one man die for the people," etc. But in such cases, and 
 indeed in general, it requires that we patiently wait until time gives 
 the Almighty the requisite opportunity to be his own interpreter. 
 We could not then understand God. In the midst of these agonies 
 it seemed as if he had " forgotten to be gracious, and in anger had 
 shut up his tender mercies." But what light the succeeding events, 
 and the history of the last dozen years, have shed upon his over- 
 ruling providence and his wise designs ! 
 
 Two facts of this class belong just here: one general, and one 
 particular to ourselves. But for the anticipation on the part of the 
 Meerut mutineers of the contemplated universal rising, it seems to 
 nie that not a Christian life could have been preserved in all India. 
 Had they patiently waited till the 31st of May, and all had risen, as 
 was intended, so that on the same day and hour, in every place, 
 they had commenced their work of blood, not a lady nor a babe 
 
232 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 could have been saved. All must have been overwhelmed in one 
 common ruin, and none left to tell the tale. 
 
 But those demented Sepoys of Meerut struck twenty-one days 
 too soon, thus throwing the whole country into such an excitement 
 and effort to meet the hour, which was then manifestly inevi- 
 table, that every expedient that men could adopt, to remove the 
 ladies, children, and non-combatants to some, to any, place of safety, 
 and the best possible measures for their defense and preserva- 
 tion, were taken. So that to that three weeks of opportunity each 
 lady owes her life, and the world was saved the agony of a tale of 
 horror that would have been even a hundred fold greater than the 
 terrible tragedy which horrified them in 1857-8. 
 
 The other fact was personal to ourselves, yet having a kindred 
 significance in its results. Our commanding General in Bareilly 
 was a gentleman of the name of Sibbald. Like many other old 
 officers, he had an infatuated confidence in his Sepoy troops. If 
 he had been at home when the news of the Meerut massacre 
 reached us, the probability is that not a soul of us would have 
 escaped. But, just before the event took place, he was led to pro- 
 ceed upon a tour of military inspection of the province under his 
 authority, and was most providentially away in the mountain dis- 
 trict when the news arrived. 
 
 He left in command our brave friend. Colonel Troup — a man 
 who knew the Sepoys well, and who did not trust them. Acting 
 on his own judgment and discretion, though he knew the old Gen- 
 eral would probably disapprove his action, he took that course, in 
 the hour and opportunity afforded him by his temporary command, 
 which proved the salvation of all those under his care who obeyed 
 his orders. 
 
 In our flight to Nynee Tal, myself and family brought up the 
 rear. I met General Sibbald half-way down, at Bahari Dak Bunga- 
 low, and he was wild with excitement, declaring that Colonel 
 Troup's head was turned to do such a thing as to send away the 
 ladies and children out of Bareilly, and he swore that if he had 
 been at home not one of them should have left. He knew, he 
 
OUR WARNING TO FLEE. 233 
 
 said, that his Sepoys were staunch and true, and could be depended 
 upon to defend them ! I looked after the old man as he hurried 
 away from me, with the sad presentmient that he was mistaken. 
 He " blew up" Troup, and was so firm in his reliance on the Sepoys 
 that, had it not been for the influence of his officers, he would, 
 in order to show his confidence in his troops, have yielded to 
 their request to order back the ladies to Bareilly. On such a 
 thread as this our fate hung. Yet this very man, to whom his 
 Sepoys swore such fidelity and made such promises, was the first 
 person whom they shot on that Sabbath morning, May 31st. In 
 his dying hour, if he thought of them, he must have felt that the 
 safety of his own wife and daughters was due to the precaution of 
 the officer he had blamed ! But we are anticipating what follows. 
 Forty-eight hours after the Meerut massacre (and three days 
 before the account of that of Delhi reached us) a mounted horse- 
 man entered Bareilly, with a letter from the English Governor of 
 the North-west, Mr. Colvin, to the commanding officer, narrating 
 the terrible deeds done at Meerut, and suggesting that every pre- 
 caution should be taken to provide for the safety of the ladies and 
 children. Colonel Troup, being in command, received the letter 
 and acted as we have stated. The telegraphs had been cut all over 
 the country, and the mails on the Delhi side stopped ; so that had 
 it not been for the precaution of Mr. Colvin in sending a message 
 direct, we should have been in ignorance of what had been done, 
 and of our own fearful danger. Many such facts might be given to 
 show the merciful Providence which watched over us to save us. 
 But these may suffice here. 
 
 I now turn to our personal narrative, and, in presenting it, have 
 carefully looked over the letters addressed to the Corresponding 
 Secretary of our Missionary Society, in various dates from May 26 
 to July 10, 1857, when I gave the facts as they occurred ; and in 
 the light of the explanations which subsequent years have devel- 
 oped, I find only a few words that I need at all to qualify ; so that 
 the facts and impressions are given in the form in which they came 
 from an anxious heart, which, in the midst of danger and in the 
 
234 TEE LAND OF TEE VEDA. 
 
 face of death, tried to trust in God for all events, and yet looked for 
 a happy issue out of these afflictions, and for the life and extension 
 of the mission which we had begun. 
 
 On Thursday, May 14, the commanding officer kindly sent his 
 Adjutant over to our house with a serious message. Not known ig 
 what he specially wanted, we engaged for nearly an hour in relig- 
 ious conversation. But I thought from his manner that he looked 
 anxious. With gentlemanly delicacy he was unwilling to mention 
 his message before Mrs. Butler, lest it might injuriously affect her, 
 as she was in circumstances where any shock was undesirable. He, 
 accordingly, asked to see me alone, and then communicated the 
 intelligence of the mutiny at Meerut, stating that word had arrived 
 from the Governor that the insurrection was spreading to Delhi and 
 other places, and that fears were entertained as to the intention of 
 the Sepoys at Bareilly. Under those circumstances, the command- 
 ing officer felt it his duty to request that all ladies and children 
 should be sent off quietly, but at once, to the hills, and also that he 
 considered it prudent, from the reports in circulation concerning us 
 and our objects, that I also should accompany Mrs. B. and the chil- 
 dren, as he considered me in rather special danger in the event of 
 a mutiny. I promised the Adjutant that I would prayerfully con- 
 sider the message, and let my conclusion be known to the com- 
 manding officer that evening. As soon as the Adjutant had gone, 
 I communicated the message to Mrs. Butler. She received it with 
 calmness, and we retired to our room to pray together for divine 
 direction. After I had concluded my prayer, she beg.m, and I 
 may be excused in saying that such a prayer I think I never heard ; 
 a martyr might worthily have uttered it, it was so full of trust in 
 God and calm submission to his will. But when she came to 
 plead for the preservation of " these innocent little ones," she 
 broke down completely. We both felt we could die, if such were 
 the will of God ; but it seemed too hard for poor human nature to 
 leave these little ones in such dreadful hands, or perhaps to see 
 them butchered before our eyes ! We knew that all this had been 
 done on Sunday last in Meerut, and we had no reason to expect 
 
CONCLUDED NOT TO GO. 235 
 
 more mercy from those in whose power we were, should they rise 
 and mutiny. But we tried hard to place them and ourselves, and 
 the mission of our beloved Church, in the hands of God ; and he 
 did calm our minds, and enable us to confide in him. On rising 
 from our knees I asked her what she thought we ought to do ? 
 Her reply was that she could not see our way clear to leave our 
 post ; she thought our going would concede too much to Satan and 
 to these wretched men ; that it would rather increase the panic , that 
 it might be difficult to collect again our little congregation if we 
 suspended our services, and, in fact, that we ought to remain and 
 trust in God. I immediately concurred, and wrote word to the 
 commanding officer. He was not pleased at all with our decision. 
 The evening wore on, and we held our usual weekly English serv- 
 ice. I tried to preach from Deut, xxxiii, 25, "As thy days, so 
 shall thy strength be," and administered the holy Sacrament. The 
 commanding officer was present. I felt much for him. His re- 
 sponsibility was great, for on his discretion and judgment our 
 entire safety, under God, depended. We passed a restless night, 
 startled at every sound, feeling that we slept over a volcano that 
 might burst forth at any moment, and scatter death and destruc- 
 tion on every side. 
 
 Before going to bed we arranged our clothes for a hasty flight, 
 should an alarm be given. But we beheld the morning light in 
 safety, and the mail brought me the Christian Advocate of 
 March 19, and one of the first things I saw was the little para- 
 graph which was headed with the words "Pray for your lonely 
 William Butler!" How much I needed to be prayed for! Before 
 that simple sentence my heart gave way, and I could not resist the 
 tears that came. The past and the present were such contrasts ! 
 But God graciously soothed my feelings, till I wondered why I had 
 ever doubted for a moment, or failed to see that God, who had 
 brought us hitherto, would not now forsake us, or allow our mission 
 to be broken up. I felt assured that thousands in this happy land 
 did pray for their "lonely William Butler." Three times between 
 that and Saturday evening did my kind friend send to warn me to 
 
236 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 leave, as did also other friends among the military, By that time 
 nearly all the ladies and children had left. The place looked very 
 desolate, and I began to question whether I was right in resisting 
 advice any longer. My Moonshee told me candidly he thought I 
 "ought to go." Being a Mohammedan, and having a pecuniary 
 loss in the suspension of my lessons in the language, his warning 
 had much weight with me. I had then to settle the question, 
 raised by the commanding officer, whether our resistance to going, 
 under those circumstances, was not more a tempting of, rather than 
 a trusting in. Providence .'' I hated to leave my post, even for a 
 limited time. Yet to remain looked, as he argued, should an insur- 
 rection occur, and I become a victim, like throwing away mv life 
 without being able to do any good by it ; and the Missionary Board 
 would probably have blamed me for not taking advice, and acting 
 on the prudence which " foreseeth the evil," and takes refuge " till 
 the indignation is overpast." Still, had I been alone, or could I 
 have induced Mrs. B. to take the children and go without me, (a 
 proposition she met by declaring she would never consent to it, 
 but would cling to her husband and cheerfully share his fate, what- 
 ever it might be,) I would have remained. But when to all the 
 preceding reasons, the reflection was added that Mrs. B.'s situation 
 required that, if moved at all, it must be then, as a little later 
 flight would be impossible, and she and the children and myself 
 must remain and take whatever doom the mutineers chose to 
 give us, I consulted Joel, and asked his advice as to what had 
 better be done. He thought it safest that we should go, say for 
 three or four weeks, to Nynee Tal, and, if all remained quiet, we 
 could then return. Meanwhile he promised to sustain our humble 
 service, and keep every thing in order. How little he or I then 
 imagined that he himself, or any native Christian, would be in 
 peril, or that before we again stood together on that spot, events 
 would transpire around him that would fill the civilized world with 
 horror ! 
 
 I, therefore, arranged to suspend my English service, (indeed 
 most of those who attended were already gone,) hoping soon to 
 
OXm FLIGHT. 237 
 
 return and resume it. Saturday night we lay down to rest, not to 
 sleep. The mounted patrols that went round every fifteen minutes 
 would call out to the watchman attached to each house in such 
 boisterous tones that sleep was impossible ; and it almost became 
 distracting, from the manner in which it made the poor children 
 startle and cry until daylight broke. It was a solemn Sabbath, 
 We had but ten persons at the native service, and less at the 
 English one ; people seemed afraid to come out. A rumor got 
 afloat that Sunday was to be our last day ; that the Sepoys 
 intended to murder the Europeans on that Sabbath. 
 
 Our class-meeting was a solemn, but profitable, time. We used 
 it as if it were our last. Had it been, I think each of that little 
 band (seven in number) would have been found of God in peace. 
 We lay down again to seek rest, but it was short and disturbed 
 repose. Monday morning came ; I tried to find palankeens for our 
 journey, but all were away ; so I obtained some bamboos and rope, 
 and tor k three charpoys, (an article like what our Lord referred to 
 when he bid the man "take up his bed sxid walk,") turned the feet 
 uppermost, put on the bamboos, and threw a quilt on each, and we 
 were equipped. I left three native Christians in the house with 
 Joel, besides two watchmen for night. That evening, at six o'clock, 
 the news arrived that the Sepoys had risen in Delhi, murdered the 
 Europeans, and proclaimed the Emperor. The details were fright- 
 ful. Just then Judge Robertson appeared upon the scene, and 
 inquired if I too was yielding to the panic .? I told him all. He 
 was incredulous. I asked him why he thought so confidently that 
 there would be no rising .? He told me he was so advised by Khan 
 Bahadur, the native judge, who assured him there was no cause for 
 alarm, and guaranteed him personal protection under the hospital- 
 ity of his own roof. Judge R. expostulated with me for leaving, 
 and had not my arrangements been made for going, the influence 
 of his words might have prevailed to lead me to put it ofl", and we 
 should have shared his sad fate. We were ready when our bearers 
 came at nine o'clock, and I went into my study once more. I 
 
 looked at my books, etc.. and the thought flashed across my mind 
 16 
 
238 THE LAND OF TEE VEDA. 
 
 that perhaps, after all my pains in collecting them, I should never 
 see them again ! I took up my Hindustanee Grammar, two volumes 
 of manuscript Theological Lectures, a couple of works on India. 
 my Passport, my Commission, and Letter of Instructions, with my 
 Bible, Hymn Book, and a copy of the Discipline, and sorrowfully 
 turned away, leaving the remainder to their fate. The children, poor 
 little fellows, were lifted out of their beds and placed in the dooley. 
 Quietly, and under cover of the night, we started, leavmg the 
 keys of our house and all things in Joel's charge. Shaking hands 
 with him and the others, we moved off by the light of the Mussal- 
 chee's torch, crossed the Bazaar, but no one molested us ; they 
 simply asked the men, " Whom have you ? " The reply was, " The 
 Padre Sahib," (the missionary,) and we passed through the crowd 
 unmolested. We moved on in the silent darkness, having seventy- 
 four miles to go. About midnight I happened to be awake, and 
 saw we were passing a gig with two ladies in it, and a native lead- 
 ing the horse. It seemed hazardous to stop, but I became so 
 uneasy that I did, and walked back. The ladies knew my voice. 
 There I found them, on that wretched road, twenty miles from 
 Bareilly, in the middle of the night ; the ladies, scantily dressed, 
 and crowded, with an Ayah, (a native nurse,) into a small gig, 
 one of them holding up (for there was no room for it to lie down) 
 a poor Httle sick child. In that posture they had been for nearly 
 eight hours. They were just sitting down to dinner when the 
 news of the massacre of Delhi arrived, and such was the panic 
 produced that the gig was instantly brought to the door, and they 
 put into it and sent off. They must go alone, for their husbands 
 were military officers and must remain. I have witnessed desolate 
 scenes, but never saw any thing so desolate looking as those two 
 ladies and that child on that road that night. I took the lady with 
 the child out of the gig and put them into my dooley, and it did 
 my heart good to see them lying down. I then sent them on and 
 took charge of the other lady and the gig. We overtook them, and 
 about five ladies more, next morning, at the travelers' bungalow at 
 Behari. There they remained, as directed, until dooleys overtook 
 
AN ANSWER TO PBAYEB. 239 
 
 them next evening. Here I met General Sibbald, as already stated, 
 hurrying down in a fury ; too late, thank God ! to carry out his 
 purpose to prevent the departure. We rested till the heat of the 
 day subsided, and then I started with my family again. We 
 reached the first Chowkee safely, changed bearers, and then entered 
 the IWai — a belt of deep jungle, about twenty miles wide, around 
 the Himalayas, reeking with malaria, and the haunt of tigers and 
 elephants. The rank vegetation stood in places like high walls on 
 either side. At midnight we reached that part of it where the 
 bearers are changed. The other palankeens had their full comple- 
 ment of men ; but, of the twenty-nine bearers for whom I paid, 1 
 could only find nine men and one torch-bearer ; and this, too, in 
 such a place ! Darkness and tigers were around us ; the other 
 palankeens were starting one after another, each with its torch to 
 frighten away the beasts, the bearers taking advantage of the 
 rush to extort heavy " bucksheesh." All but two had gone off, and 
 there we were with three dooleys and only men enough for ofie, and 
 no village where we could obtain them nearer than twelve miles. 
 What to do I knew not. I shall never forget that hour. At length 
 I saw there was but one thing to be done ; I took the two children 
 and put them into the dooley with Mrs. Butler ; a bullock-hackrey, 
 laden with furniture, was about a quarter of a mile ahead, with its 
 light fading in the distance ; desperation made me energetic ; at 
 the risk of being pounced upon, I ran after the hackrey, and by 
 main force drove round the four bullocks and led them back, sorely 
 against the will of the five men in charge of it. But I insisted that 
 they must take Ann (our servant) and me, with what little baggage 
 we had with us. I put her and the luggage up, the driver grum- 
 bling all the while about his heavy load and the delay. I then 
 turned around to see Mrs. Butler off, but her bearers did not stir. 
 I feared they were about to spoil all. They were exhausted by 
 extra work, and might have even fairly refused to carry two chil- 
 dren with a lady ; and to have taken either of them on the hackrey 
 was impossible. I dreaded the bearers would not go. Delay seemed 
 ruinous to the only plan by which I could get them on at all. If 
 
240 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 the men refused the burden and left, they would take with them; 
 for their own protection, the only torch there was, which belonged 
 to them, and we should have been left in darkness, exposed to the 
 tigers and the deadly malaria. Mrs. C. and Miss Y.'s bearers had 
 laid them down, and were clamoring for larger " bucksheesh." 
 My ten men looked on. The hackrey-driver turned his bullocks 
 around, and, out of all patience, was actually putting his team in 
 motion. But, in spite of urging, there stood my men. It was an 
 awful moment. For a few minutes my agony was unutterable ; 1 
 thought I had done all I could, and now every thing was on the 
 brink of failure. I saw how "vain" was "the help of man," and 
 I turned aside into the dark jungle, took off my hat, and lifted my 
 heart to God. If ever I prayed, I prayed then. I besought God 
 in mercy to influence the hearts of these men, and decide for me in 
 that solemn hour. I reminded him of the mercies that had hith- 
 erto followed us, and implored his interference in this emergency. 
 My prayer did not last two minutes, but how much I prayed in 
 that time ! I put on my hat, returned to the light, and looked. I 
 spoke not ; I saw my men at once bend to the dooley ; it rose, and 
 off they went instantly, and they never stopped a moment, except 
 kindly to push little Eddie in, when in his sleep he rolled so that 
 his feet hung out. 
 
 Having: seen them off, I turned around, and there were our two 
 dooleys. I could do nothing with them, so left them for the tigers 
 to amuse themselves with, if they chose, as soon as the light was 
 withdrawn. I ran after the hackrey and climbed up on the top of 
 the load, and gave way to my own reflections. I had known what 
 it was to be " in perils by the heathen," and now I had had an idea 
 of what it was to be " in perils in the wilderness." But the feeUng 
 of divine mercy and care rose above all. The road was straight, 
 and what a joy it was to see the dooley-light grow dim in the dis- 
 tance, as the bearers hurried forward with their precious burden. 
 
 We moved on slowly after them, owing to the rugged road, the 
 swaying furniture, and the wretched vehicle ; but we were too 
 grateful for having escaped passing the night in the miasma and 
 
NTNEE TAL. 241 
 
 danger of the jungle to complain, though every movement swung 
 us about till our bones ached. 
 
 We were ten hours going those fifteen miles. At last day broke, 
 and our torch-bearer was dismissed. "Hungry and thirsty, our 
 souls fainted in us" indeed. But at last we reached Katgodan, and 
 found the mother and babes all safe. They had slept soundly the 
 whole distance, and at daybreak were laid safely down af the door 
 of the travelers' bungalow. It was twenty-two hours of traveling 
 and exposure since we had tasted food, and when it was served up 
 it was indeed welcome. 
 
 Mrs. C. and Miss Y. did not arrive for some hours after my wife, 
 having lost the difference of time on the road in contentions with 
 their bearers, and extra bribing to induce them to go on. On my 
 arrival, one of the first remarks I met was from Miss Y. : " Why, 
 •what could have happened to Mrs. Butler's bearers, that they 
 started so cheerfully and arrived here so soon, without giving her 
 the least trouble!" Ah ! she knew not, but I knew, there is a God 
 who heareth and answereth prayer ! O for a heart to trust him as 
 I ought ! The divine interposition in the case will appear all the 
 more manifest when I add that even the " bucksheesh " for which 
 the bearers were at first contending, (and which I was only too 
 willing to pay them,) they started off without staying to ask for or 
 receive; nor did they even require it from Mrs. B., when they 
 safely laid her down at the end of their run. I shall never forget 
 the experience and the mercy of that night in the Terai ! 
 
 We stopped all night at the bungalow, which was crowded, and 
 the heat was beyond any thing I ever felt before. Major T. had 
 kindly sent down jampans (a kind of arm-chair with a pole on 
 each side, carried by four men) to bring us up the mountain. We 
 began the ascent at three o'clock next morning, having eleven 
 miles to go to reach Nynee Tal. As soon as day broke the view 
 was sublime — something of the Swiss scenery in its appearance, 
 but more majestic. The road (a narrow path) wound round and up 
 one mountain after another, by the brink of precipices and land- 
 slips. As we rose the cold increased, till we came to a region 
 
242 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 where trees and shrubs of European growth were flourishing, bil- 
 berries and raspberries made their appearance, and the cuckoo was 
 heard. The last two miles was up the face of a mountain as 
 nearly perpendicular as was possible and yet permit a very zigzag 
 path to be cut on it. At length, after seven hours' toiling, we 
 gained the summit, 7,000 feet above the plains below What a 
 prospect ! In the bosom of those cool mountains lay the sani- 
 tarium of Nynee Tal, with its beautiful lake, while behind it rose 
 up the "snowy range," 21,000 feet higher still. 
 
 Those who may visit the place for health or pleasure in the days 
 to come can have little idea with what feelings the panting fugi- 
 tives of 1857 caught this first glimpse of it on that morning. 
 
 Nynee Tal occupies a high upland valley or gorge in the Gaghur 
 range, south and east of the point where that range attains its 
 highest elevation at Cheenur Peak, 8,732 feet above the sea. This 
 peak sends off a spur to the south and south-east, called Deoputta 
 and Ayar Pata, and the hollow between the spur and the main 
 range of the Gaghur — here called Shere ke Danda and Luria — is 
 occupied by the flat portion of the station, by the bazaar, and by 
 the lake which gives its name to the place, and which forms the 
 principal feeder of the Bulleah River. 
 
 The valley is half land and half water, the lower end being occu- 
 pied by the lake, and it is only open to the south-east, where the 
 outlet for the water is situated. The length of the whole hollow is 
 a mile and a half, and its average breadth is under half a mile. 
 The length of the lake is a few yards less than one mile. The 
 water is at all times beautifully clear and transparent, and in calm 
 weather reflects the surrounding scenery like a mirror. 
 
 The place is approached by two narrow paths from the foot of 
 the hills on the Moradabad and Bareilly sides. The ascent is in 
 places very steep and on the verge of fearful precipices. It had 
 been used for a few years past as a sanitarium by the English resi- 
 dents, and was chosen now for us because the military men be- 
 lieved that it could be easily defended. 
 
 All looked so peaceful and felt so delightfuliy cool ! After some 
 
ITS VALUE AS A SANITARIUM. 245 
 
 searching, I was fortunate enough to find a Httle furnished house 
 of four rooms still unengaged, which I gladly hired for ^225 for " the 
 season." A bachelor Captain was in it as a day tenant, but he 
 most kindly turned out and let us in at once, and within five hours 
 of our arrival we laid our weary little ones to rest in our new and 
 strange home, not knowing for how long a time we should be 
 able to occupy it. Yet we were even then deeply impressed with 
 the value of such a place for a sanitarium for our mission in the 
 better days of the future, when the brethren and sisters, whose 
 health would require the change, would feel thankful to have with- 
 in their reach such a refuge from the heat. But under what dif- 
 ferent feelings and circumstances is it now visited by them fiom 
 those with which their fugitive superintendent first entered it ! 
 
 Immediately on reaching Nynee Tal I wrote a few words to Dr. 
 Durbin, and as they express the feelings of the hour, and an un- 
 shaken faith in God in the future of our mission, they may be 
 quoted here : " I had hoped by this mail (which closes here to-day) 
 to have sent you a full account of our situation ; but this is imprac- 
 ticable until the next mail. We have only just arrived here, and 
 are all in confusion. I can therefore, only write a few lines. The 
 commanding officer required all non-combatants to leave Bareilly 
 and take refuge here until the Government has put down this 
 insurrection We delayed till the last moment, but had to leave. 
 Our experiences on the way up were, in many respects, trying 
 enough, but God preserved us in safety, so we 
 
 " ' — praise him for all that is past, 
 And trust him foi all that 's to come.' 
 
 " What awaits us we know not ; but should any thing happen to 
 us, tell our beloved Church that we had prepared ourselves 
 through grace for all results, and that our last thoughts were 
 given to our mission in the confident hope that the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church would do her part faithfully in redeeming India. 
 Beyond this we had no anxiety except for our poor children. Doc- 
 tor, you will think of them if I fall ! We need now, O how much ! 
 the prayers of God's people." 
 
246 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 This note worked its way through all the dangers to which the 
 mails, then rapidly breaking up, were exposed, and managed to 
 reach the seaside, and so on to its destination ; a better fate than 
 many of its successors had. 
 
 For more than ten days all moved on as usual ; the mails came 
 and went ; Joel wrote and kept me informed how matters pro- 
 gressed till, seeing no further sign of danger, some of our party 
 became impatient, asking ourselves why did we leave at all, and 
 even proposing to return to Bareilly. It was, however, only the 
 lull before the storm. 
 
 On the 25th we heard of the mutiny at AUyghur. Sabbath, the 
 31st of May, I preached twice (the first Methodist sermons ever 
 uttered on the Himalaya mountains) from Acts xx, 21, and Rom. 
 viii, 16. I tried to preach as "a dying man to dying men." At 
 the same hour in Bareilly Joel was conducting the service. He 
 preached — for he had already begun to take a text — the very morn- 
 ing of the mutiny from the words, " Fear not, little flock, for it is 
 your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom," when, in 
 the midst of his closing prayer, the guns opened fire, and the 
 slaughter of the Europeans commenced. But we knew it not. 
 Our Sabbath passed peacefully over, while many of the ladies of 
 our party were widows, and the mangled bodies of their husbands 
 were then lying exposed to every form of insult m the streets of 
 Bareilly. 
 
 Monday came, and no mail from Bareilly. We feared some- 
 thing must be wrong, and our fears were all verified by the arrival 
 of the first of the fugitives in the evening, bearing the terrible 
 news that at eleven o'clock on Sunday morning the Sepoys had 
 risen and commenced shooting their officers. An understanding 
 had existed among the officers that, in case of a rising, the rendez- 
 vous should be the cavalry lines ; so, as soon as the firing began, 
 each officer that could do so jumped on his horse and galloped to 
 where the cavalry were drawn up, Brigadier-General Sibbald being 
 killed on the way there. As Lieutenant Tucker, of the Sixty-eighth 
 Native Infantry, was flying on horseback, he saw the Sepoys firing 
 
THE ESCAPE. 247 
 
 into the houses ol the English sergeants ; and callhig out to one ot 
 them, "Jennings, jump up behind me," he was shot dead by the 
 Sepoys, and fell from his horse. Jennings mounted it. They 
 shot the horse under him. He jumped off, ran for his life, and 
 escaped. Captain Patterson, with other officers, was fired on in 
 the orderly room. They escaped by the opposite door, ran to their 
 stables, got their horses, and fled. Colonel Troup heard the firing, 
 and was leaving his house when his own orderlies tried to stop him. 
 He got out by another door, and escaped on foot, but was followed 
 by his sjce (groom) with his horse. Dr. Bowhill, of the Eight- 
 eenth, was in his bath when he heard the firing. He jumped out, 
 drew on his clothes, got out his watch and one hundred rupees, 
 ran to the stable to order his horse, returned, and found that his 
 rascally bearer had made off with money and watch too. I have 
 only heard of one who had time to save a single thing except the 
 clothes they had on them. Captain Gibbs had to ride across the 
 parade ground through a volley of musketry, and the artillery men 
 fired on him with grape. He escaped unhurt. All was so sud- 
 den, so unexpected, there was no time for preparation — nothing but 
 to mount and fly. Two minutes after Colonel Troup left his house 
 he saw it in flames ; and before ten minutes every bungalow in the 
 cantonments seemed on fire. The road to Nynee Tal was direct 
 through the city. A band of officers and gentlemen, about forty 
 in number, evaded the city, took a by-road for a couple of miles, 
 and escaped. Those who tried the city I believe all perished. Of 
 Lieutenant Gowan (our good friend of the Eighteenth Native 
 Infantry) we could hear nothing ; but he was saved by nis own 
 Sepoys, who liked him. Under cover of night, when it came, they 
 took him out of a house where they had concealed him, and 
 escorted him, with their Sergeant-Major Belsham and his wife and 
 five children, and conducted them two miles beyond Bareilly to the 
 south, giving the sad party what money they could spare, and 
 theii good wishes for their escape. They were joined during the 
 night by four officers that had escaped the massacre, and they 
 resolved to keep together for mutual protection ; but the slow 
 
248 TBJS LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 pace at which the poor woman and her infants could move soon 
 irritated the officers, and they resolved to leave them behind. 
 Lieutenant Gowan would not listen to the proposal. His human- 
 ity saved his life. The four officers pushed on and were murdered, 
 while the little party with the Lieutenant were all saved by the 
 wonderful generosity of a Hindoo farmer, who found them con- 
 cealed in his field, and who hid them for seven months within his 
 own house at the risk of his life. This was at Khaira Bajera, 
 a place now on our Minutes, and where good Lieutenant (now 
 Colonel) Gowan has built and endowed Christian schools as a 
 memorial of his gratitude to the Thakoor who sheltered him, and 
 to God who inclined him to do so. They are under the charge 
 of our mission. 
 
 When the firing first began, at eleven o'clock, some of the officers 
 when they reached the lines of the native cavalry suggested a 
 charge on the artillery and infantry, hoping the cavalry would 
 prove true, as they all professed great loyalty. It was attempted, 
 but the rascals, after going a few paces, hoisted the "green flag" 
 and deliberately rode over to the infantry, leaving the officers in a 
 body, with about twenty-five of the cavalry, who stood faithful. 
 The artillery then opened upon them with grape, and they had to 
 fly. Poor fellows ! they rode the seventy-four miles without re- 
 freshment or a change of horses ; and when ihey came up the hUl 
 to us next morning they were all sun-burned and ready to drop 
 from sheer exhaustion. Some of them had nothing on but shirt 
 and trousers ; few of them were completely dressed, as the hour of 
 mutiny was the general hour for bath and breakfast, and they had 
 to spring to their horses without losing a moment to look for any. 
 Fully one half of our little English congregation were murdered. 
 Two of the sergeants who used to attend escaped, and got half 
 way to Nynee Tal, but were attacked by the people of Bahary. 
 One of them, who had become very serious, was there murdered ; 
 he fell with his hands clasped and calling upon the Lord. The 
 other was left for dead, but managed to crawl to the foot of our 
 hill, and recovered from his wounds. Mr. Raikes, the chief 
 
TEE NUMBER KILLED. 249 
 
 magistrate, Mr. Orr, and Mr. Wyatt, were all murdered, and Dr. 
 Hansbrovv, the Governor of the jail, was killed by the convicts, the 
 native jailer helping them. Mr. Laurance, a widower with four 
 chiliiren, was made to sit in a chair while his children were exe- 
 cuted before his eyes, and then he was killed. Mrs. Aspinall, who 
 lived next to us, with her son and his wife and child were mur- 
 dered in their garden. It is said the murderers flung the baby, 
 five weeks old, into the air, and cut at it with their swords as it 
 fell. Some of the accounts are too dreadful to repeat. ,We cannot 
 but hope that many of them were exaggerated. In all they killed 
 forty-seven Christian people, men, women, and children, in Bareilly 
 that day. 
 
 As soon as the officers fled, the Sepoys fired their houses, after 
 which they broke open the treasury and took the money ; and then, 
 as if possessed with the demon of madness, they went to the Jail, 
 broke open the gates, and let loose the criminals. These wretches 
 completed what the Sepoys had begun. The homes of the civil- 
 ians were sacked and burned. All the gentlemen that had not 
 fled, or were overtaken, were either killed or taken prisoners. The 
 Sepoys then proclaimed the Emperor of Delhi ; elected as Nawab 
 Khan Bahadur Khan, who had held the office of Deputy Judge under 
 our friend Judge Robertson, and who so deceived him, as already 
 noticed. It is understood that the prisoners were all brought before 
 the new Nawab next morning, (Judge Robertson, Dr. Hay, and 
 Mr. Raikes being of the number,) and this wretch deliberately con- 
 demned them to death by the law of the Koran : " They were infi- 
 dels, and they must die ! " He ordered them to be publicly hanged 
 in front of the jail. 
 
 The rebels went to my house, and expressed great regret at not 
 finding me. They are said to have declared they specially wanted me. 
 They then destroyed our little place of worship, and burned my 
 house with its contents. All was lost, save life and the grace 
 of God ; but the sympathy and prayers of our beloved Church 
 were still our own, so the loss was not so great after all. 
 
 It would be affectation if I were to profess that I was unmoved 
 
250 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 at my loss. So far from it, I felt overwhelmed by it. Every thing 
 was so complete and well arranged for my work. But all was 
 destroyed, and some things gone that could never be restored. 
 All my manuscripts ; my library, (about one thousand volumes, the 
 collection of my life, and which, perhaps, I loved too well,) so com- 
 plete in its Methodistic and theological and missionary depart- 
 ments ; my globe, maps, microscope ; our clothes, furniture, melo- 
 deon, buggy, stock of provisions — every thing, gone ; and here we 
 were, like shipwrecked mariners, grateful to have escaped with life. 
 But we tried to say, " The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken 
 away ; blessed be the name of the Lord." I had the consola- 
 tion to know that my goods had been sacrificed for Christ's sake. 
 When we looked around us and saw the anguish that wrung the 
 hearts of the bereaved of our number, we felt that our loss was 
 light, and could be easily borne. So we were " cast down, but not 
 destroyed." 
 
 When the Sepoys had thus slaughtered all the Europeans on 
 whom they could lay their hands, they remembered that there were 
 a few native Christians, and they eagerly sought them out, resolved 
 not to leave a single representative of the religion of Jesus in 
 Bareilly when the sun of that day should set. Their full purpose 
 thus became apparent, and God alone could prevent them from 
 consummating it. 
 
 We had in all six Christians, of whom two or three were then 
 regarded as converted, the rest were seekers ; but all were equally 
 exposed to the dreadful rage which that noon burst so unexpectedly 
 upon them. In the cloud of darkness and terror which settled 
 over them they were at once hidden from my view. Where they 
 were, or whether alive or dead, I could not find out. Those Euro- 
 peans who escaped and joined us could tell me nothing at all about 
 them, though I anxiously questioned all who might by any pcssi- 
 bility know. I also succeeded in bribing two natives, who remained 
 faithful to us and came up with the ladies, to venture down and 
 seek for Joel and the rest, promising a large reward for any intelli- 
 gence of him or them ; but the messengers did not return to us, 
 
JOEL'S ESCAPE. 2$ I 
 
 and we were left to suppose that they — our Christians — were 
 nowhere to be found in or around Bareilly. Of the death of any 
 of them we received no information ; so we kept on hoping that 
 heathen rage had confined itself to the Europeans, and that the 
 others, though scattered, were uninjured. How little we knew 
 what they had suffered ! 
 
 Though at the risk of anticipating events which date further on, 
 I must here give the facts as I was enabled to ascertain them. 
 As soon as any communication was established between Calcutta 
 and the Upper Provinces on the south side of the Ganges — for all 
 north of that river was still held by the Sepoys — I sent off letters 
 to every place to which I thought it likely Joel could have escaped. 
 He also was trying to reach me by letters, but could not. One of 
 my communications at last found him, as I had hoped, in Allaha- 
 bad, and, in response to my request, he gave me a narrative of 
 what befell him and the rest on that dreadful day. All his state- 
 ments we afterward confirmed together on the spot in every 
 particular. 
 
 Instead of giving the facts myself, I prefer to present his deeply 
 interesting letter, assured that the reader will kindly excuse its occa- 
 sional imperfect English and Hindustanee idioms, rendering some 
 words in a few places when it is necessary to give his meaning. I 
 had told him that we had heard of the arrival at Calcutta of the first 
 party of our missionaries, and that if he were outside the circle of 
 danger and at Allahabad, and could communicate with Calcutta, to 
 try and have them come where he was, as the seat of the North- 
 west Government had been fixed at Allahabad, and all was safe 
 there then ; also, that I felt assured, as the armies were rapidly 
 breaking up the Sepoy forces, we at Nynee Tal who were still pre- 
 served, though besieged, would soon be relieved, and our mission 
 be once more established at Bareilly. I tried to cheer him, and 
 sustain his faith in God. My letter took twelve days to reach him 
 having to go out through the mountains behind us, and then along 
 their crest till it could reach the Ganges, and get beyond the range 
 of the rebels m Rohilcund, In reply he writes : 
 
2 52 THE LAND OF TEE VEDA. 
 
 "Allahabad, February ^, 1858. 
 
 "My Dear Sir, — Your long-expected letter, dated the i8th 
 January, reached me on the ist instant. Though the interval is 
 very long, still it was a source of very great consolation to me. It 
 has given fresh vigor and courage. I became happy, exceedingly 
 happy, from its perusal. And nothing could exceed my joy then 
 to hear of the safety and welfare of self and Mrs. Butler, and the 
 little bachchas, (children ;) increased more by the joyous news that 
 another precious little darling [our daughter Julia, born after our 
 flight] has been added to the number of the family, for which I 
 must congratulate you. You ask in your letter why I did not 
 write to you .'' True, I knew you were in Nynee Tal ; but I could 
 see no way of safety for months and months. I could not know 
 whether communication with Nynee Tal was open or not. The 
 whole country was in such a dreadful disorder I was conscious 
 that it would never reach you ; but the moment that I was assured 
 communication was open, and my letter would fall in your hands, 
 I immediately addressed you two letters in succession, but I am 
 sorry to see it did not reach you. According to your request, I sit 
 down with the greatest pleasure to give you an account of how I 
 escaped. It was on the memorable 31st of May, on Sunday, that 
 the mutiny of the Bareilly troops took place. I was busy with 
 prayers with the other Christians after a sermon on ' Fear not, 
 little flock,' etc., and about the middle of the closing prayer I was 
 informed of the outbreak. I instantly closed, and began to look 
 out for the safety of my wife and child. The Chowkeydar (watch- 
 man) aided me in getting the Christian women concealed. I then 
 returned to the Bungalow, (my residence.) By this time it was 
 partly looted and in flame. Seeing it on fire, I threw down the 
 keys, thinking no use to keep keys now, [a very innocent and just 
 conclusion of poor Joel's.] Palwansing and Isaac [two of the 
 native Christians] disguised themselves as gardeners. I went to 
 see if the women were safe, and returned, when I saw Tuggu and 
 another man attacking Isaac with a tulwar to rob him. Palwan- 
 sing signaled me not to come near, as Tuggu had just said they 
 
JOEL'S ESCAPE. 253 
 
 were searching for me to kill me. They went ofF, and I came for- 
 ward, and then I saw Maria [our first female member in Bareilly, 
 and a good Christian girl] coming, running through the trees, but 
 before any of us could reach her a Sowar [mounted Sepoy] caught 
 sight of her and turned, and with his tulwar he struck her head 
 off. 
 
 " Seeing all was over, Isaac fled toward Budaon. I heard he 
 was killed on the road. How providential that Emma was a 
 brand plucked out from burning, for in the house where she was 
 going afterward to hide herself a good many Europeans were con- 
 cealed, and not long after the house was burned by the Sowars, 
 when, with a few exceptions — who were afterward killed — all per- 
 ished. Emma escaped. Your Dhobin (washerwoman) caught her 
 hand as she was entering, and said, ' You must not go in there.' 
 Again, as Emma was sitting with these women, disguised as one 
 of them, she was remarked by a Sepoy to be a Christian woman, 
 [her bright, intelligent face might well betray her,] and here again 
 the Dhobin's intercession saved her. [This faithful creature also 
 buried Maria's body under the rose hedge. I had the gratification 
 afterward of meeting her on the spot, and rewarding her for the 
 humanity she showed our Christian people.] As soon as it was 
 dark I went to the store-room, where I had, on the first alarm, 
 hidden my Bible, and money, and clothes, under the charcoal, but 
 they were all gone ; so we started on foot, and, not knowing where 
 to go, directed our steps toward Allahabad. The Chowkeydar came 
 with us. We did not arrive here till after various wanderings and 
 
 troubles, tasting the bitterness of death as it were at every step 
 
 night and day walking— with my wife, who before could not rough 
 it for half a mile, [she was delicate and weak,] doing some 
 twenty-four or twenty-six miles a day, suffering the pangs of hun- 
 ger, thirst, and fatigue, and pressed with dangers and difficulties ; 
 in perils often, Budmashes [thieves and ruffians] scattered every 
 place. I carried the child, but after the first twelve miles Emma 
 gave out, said she could go no farther, so we had to stop and rest 
 her, resuming our walk at three o'clock in the morning, and going 
 
2 54 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 on till nine. Fearing the Budmashes, we left the road and took 
 side paths, which brought us to a village. We had nothing to eat 
 since Sunday morning, but could get nothing there except parched 
 gram, (pulse for horses.) Eat a little and pushed on again. 
 
 " By this time Emma's poor feet gave out with soreness, so we 
 bound them up with soft rags to make it easier to walk. We 
 reached Mohumdee, which was infested, and were soon surrounded ; 
 but the Hindoo Jamedar (police officer) rescued us out of their 
 hands, and asked who we were. I told him, ' Give food and shel- 
 ter, for we are strangers, and I will tell you who we are, and where 
 going.' He did, and then asked, 'Are you Hindoos or Moham- 
 medans .'' ' I said, * Neither ; we are Christians.' He advised us 
 not to stop there, but to push on at once. We did, and on near- 
 ing Shahjehanpore I saw a Hindoo that I knew. Took him aside, 
 and asked him if any Europeans in S. The man said, ' Not one ; 
 all killed.' So we turned off and made for Seetapore. Seeing a 
 man watering fields I asked him if any Sahib logs [white gentle- 
 men] at Seetapore. He said he ' had heard that they were all 
 killed or gone.' We entered and passed through, and rested under 
 a tamarind-tree beyond. Two Hindoos came by, and told of their 
 own accord how the Sahibs were killed there, and added, ' We are 
 hunting for a native Christian.' I asked why they should search 
 for him. They replied, ' He has defiled himself by eating with 
 Christians.' I said, 'Nothing that a man eats can defile him.' 
 Then they asked, ' Who are you } ' The Chowkeydar was afraid, 
 and tried to put off the question. But I replied, ' I am a Christian.' 
 They were not pleased, but went on. Soon meeting with two 
 other men they pointed back to our party. For fear of mischief 
 we rose and went on our way, and escaped them. My crying 
 toward God was, ' O that my head were waters, and mine eyes 
 fountains of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain 
 of the people of the Almighty ! ' At length we reached Lucknow, 
 which had not yet fallen, and there saw Sir Henry Lawrence and 
 other Englishmen. One of them asked me all about Bareilly. 
 After resting we went on toward Allahabad. In two days reached 
 
JOEL'S ESCAPE. 255 
 
 Cawnpore. Stopped on the east bank of the Ganges to find out 
 what was the state of C. Found it surrounded on all sides by the 
 rebels under Nana Sahib, and the bridge guarded by two cannon ; 
 so we kept on the east bank two days' journey more, till we saw a 
 boat, and the man took us over for a rupee, 
 
 " Nearing Futtehpore we met crowds of people hurrying away, 
 and asked, * What is the matter ? ' They said, ' O the English are 
 coming and sweeping all before them ! ' They were in great ter- 
 ror, but we rejoiced now, though we did not tell them so. Not 
 fearing the English, we went on through the flying crowd to meet 
 them. Just then came to the Ten Commandments and Mr. Tuck- 
 er's house at F. [Mr. T. was a noble Christian — a magistrate — 
 who had had the Commandments cut on two large stone slabs in 
 the native language, and set up by the road-side near his gate, that 
 all persons passing by might read them. They were very large 
 and prominent.] I stood near and read them to our party, then 
 went into Mr. T.'s fine house and took possession, for all was 
 empty. Mr. T. was killed the day of the mutiny. Found good 
 mangoes in the garden and eat them. Started next morning. 
 The villages were deserted. In the evening we lay down in a serai 
 all alone, and slept comfortably, knowing the English must be 
 near. Next morning we were rejoiced to see a white man's face — 
 a man with a party repairing the telegraph. We told him all, and 
 he told us about Allahabad, and that Mr. Owen and all were in 
 the fort there. 
 
 " We soon met the army ; they did us no harm ; my health and 
 spirits revived ; we slept near them that night. It was either Neil 
 or Havelock. [It was probably General Neil, with the vanguard of 
 Havelock's force.] Reached Allahabad next day, so happy to find 
 my friends again. God had heard and saved us, though we had 
 been robbed of every thing except a single covering for our bodies ; 
 yet here we are at last, joined to our people once more. Thanked 
 and praised be God's holy name, who not only supported and gave 
 us strength, but enabled us to endure all the changes of nature, and 
 safely brought us thus far ; and now additional joy has been afforded 
 
256 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 us by the receipt of your letter, to find you all in health and com- 
 fort. How I long to see you, and wish I was with you ! 
 
 " The fatigue and trouble so overtook Emma, that even up to 
 this time she is in very delicate health. [No wonder. It makes 
 me now shudder to imagine what such a gentle and tender creature 
 Tnust have endured in that dreadful walk of three hundred and forty 
 miles, in the raging heat of an India June, without nourishment, 
 and exposed to insult and even death all the time.] The Allaha- 
 bad Mission is a heap of ruins. Mr. Owen's bungalow was burned 
 to ashes, and all the furniture and books of the mission and the 
 college destroyed ; the church sadly mutilated, though, thank God ! 
 no serious damage done to it that cannot be restored with a little 
 outlay ; the press, too, and every thing connected with it, all ruined. 
 Mr. Munniss and Mr. Owen had both to escape to Calcutta. But 
 Mr. Owen has now returned. You must have heard of the deaths 
 of the Futtyghur missionaries. They were murdered either at 
 Bithoor or at Cawnpore. [And it occurred about the very time 
 that Joel passed in the vicinity of these places on his way down. 
 How little he imagined that those he knew and loved so well were 
 there, within probably a mile of where he passed, enduring the 
 agonies of Christian martyrdom !] All the houses of the native 
 Christians here were burned and destroyed. 
 
 " You write wishing Messrs. Pierce and Humphrey, with their 
 wives, to join me ; but I think if impossible. The ladies at any 
 rate cannot go up with them, at least for some months hence, and 
 it is not the orders of the Commander-in-Chief that ladies may go 
 to the upper provinces. I have written to Messrs. Pierce and 
 Humphrey to come here and learn something of the language till 
 the time when Bareilly is retaken. 
 
 " I am really very much obliged to you for your kind care of me 
 during these troublesome times ; but as I am at present working 
 on the railway here, and earn something to support myself and 
 family, I do not see any necessity of your taking any further trouble 
 about me in regard to money, until such time as I shall be with 
 you again. But whenever, if I will require, I will tell you ; and, 
 
CONTRASTED SCENES. 257 
 
 over and above, I think you can hardly spare any thing, yourself 
 being in trouble. 
 
 " I am not at all discouraged with this trouble ; on the contrary, 
 I hope it has been sanctified to my good. God forbid that I may 
 be discouraged ! but may he grant me that grace which may make 
 my hope strong and my faith firm ; and would to God that new 
 vigor should be afforded me in the path of duty ! My wife joins 
 with me in sending her remembrance and regards to Mrs. Butler, 
 Mr. Gowan, [whom he supposed to be with our party,] and to all 
 others acquainted with me, and in prayers for our speedy restora- 
 tion in the field of our labor. My mother-in-law and Jonas and 
 wife offered their best regards to you both. Emma says, ' Give 
 my salaam [the prayer for peace and blessing] to my mother ; ' that 
 is to say, to Mrs. Butler. 
 
 " Believe me to be your most obedient servant, 
 
 "Joel T. Janvier." 
 
 I communicated again with Joel, sending money, and requested 
 him to stand ready to release himself from his situation, and join 
 me as soon as I should call him to his higher work. I knew his 
 heart and could rely upon him. General Havelock's progress was 
 necessarily slow, the fall of Delhi was delayed ; but the hour of 
 relief, on the south-west of our position, came at length, and I was 
 enabled to reach the plains on the Dehra Doon side, and have him 
 join me once more. 
 
 Every thing English in Bareilly — people, houses, furniture — was 
 ruthlessly destroyed, all save the house which the English officers 
 had used as a Freemasons' Lodge. The poor superstitious Sepoys 
 understood that there was something mysterious transacted there, 
 and it might not be safe or lucky to interfere with it in any way. 
 So there it stood in its integrity, when we returned to Bareilly, 
 alone and unharmed amid the ruins of the English station. 
 
 After their carnival of blood and ruin had been consummated in 
 Bareilly the Sepoys began the work of dividing the plunder, and 
 strange and fantastic were the scenes as they were afterward 
 
258 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 described to us. The newly-elected Sepoy officers, who were now 
 to fill the places of their superiors, were decked out, according to 
 their new rank, in the clothes and equipments of the murdered 
 officers, strolling about or riding in their carriages, and doing what 
 they could to enforce the same salutes and honors that were for- 
 merly paid to the English officers. Their fellows would grin and 
 ridicule their demands, so that the prospects of discipline or sub- 
 ordination were very poor, and from the first intimated that defect 
 which was one of the causes of their failure. 
 
 How strange it seems now to remember that, on that very Sab- 
 bath-day, and at the very hours when these deeds were done, and 
 hell seemed to run riot in Bareilly, in the city of Boston there was 
 being held one of the most holy and impressive services ever v/it- 
 nessed there. Bromfield-street Methodist Church was crowded that 
 day to witness the consecration of Messrs. Pierce and Humphrey 
 to the missionary work — Bareilly being their destination ! God 
 never looked down at the same hour upon two greater contrasts 
 than he gazed upon that day and night — the one worthy of heaven 
 and its joy, the other — but we forbear. How would ten minutes' 
 service of the telegraph (had it been then in use as it is to-day) 
 have changed that holy, joyous scene in Bromfield-street into 
 mourning and woe ! But the friends dreamed not of our sorrows, 
 and God honored their faith and devotion, notwithstanding our 
 sufferings and the suspension of our work. 
 
 This dreadful 31st of May was, with few exceptions, the general 
 day for rising all over the land. The scenes of Bareilly were 
 repeated in all the cities of Rohilcund, Oude, the Doab, and the 
 North-west Provinces. Volumes might be filled with the sad recit- 
 als. But we have no heart for their repetition. One alone, till we 
 come to speak of Cawnpore and Lucknow, must suffice ; and we 
 give it because it was the station next our own — Shahjehanpore — 
 forty-three miles east of Bareilly. The atrocities committed there 
 were so cruel and complete that no Europeans escaped ; so we rely 
 for our account of their sad fate upon the testimony of the natives 
 themselves, as drawn out by subsequent Government inquiry. 
 
THE MASSACBE AT 8HAHJEEANP0RE. 259 
 
 With well-dissembled enmity, the Sepoys at Shahjehaiipore went 
 through their duties until the morning of the rising. They waited 
 until their officers and their families had gone to church. This was 
 the opportunity which they preferred. They rose e7t masse, and, 
 having armed themselves fully — though those whom they were to 
 overcome were entirely unarmed and defenseless worshipers in 
 the house of God — stealthily proceeded in a body to the church. 
 They must have taken their measures very quietly and quickly, for 
 they entered while the congregation knelt in prayer, without caus- 
 ing the least alarm, and in some instances dealt their deadly blows 
 on the prostrate supphants before their presence was known or 
 their purpose feared. Young Spens was on his knees in prayer 
 when his shoulder was laid open by the savage lunge of a tulwar 
 wielded by one of the murderous mutineers. The attack beino- 
 simultaneous, the people were instantly on their feet, strugghng in 
 mortal combat with their assailants. The heart-rending scene that 
 ensued I cannot describe. Words seem too feeble to convey its 
 horrors. It is beHeved that not one of the number of men, women, 
 and children in that sanctuary ultimately escaped. 
 
 Particulars have been ascertained concerning the sad fate of 
 twenty-six of their number. These succeeded, by some means, 
 in getting out of the furious fray and reaching the doors of the 
 church, and, befriended by their syces, or coachmen, reached their 
 carriages and drove off, scarcely knowing or caring whither. They 
 only drew up at a place called Mohumdy, after a drive of many 
 miles. Here they were well received by the Theeselder, or local 
 officer, who seemed sincerely disposed to shield and serve them. 
 The strongest defense at his disposal was a mud fort, and there he 
 placed the fugitives, who began to breathe in hope. It was only 
 tor a brief interval. A part of the Forty-first Sepoy Cavalry sud- 
 denly appeared, and, having discovered the refugees, demanded 
 their surrender. The remonstrances and resistance of the friendly 
 Theeselder were in vain. 
 
 On being given up they were put into their own carriages and 
 driven off under the escort of their captors. Before starting, how- 
 
26o THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 ever, the disabled and bandaged condition of young Spens, who 
 was one of the party, excited the notice of one of the troopers, who 
 stepped up and cleft him in pieces, coolly remarking that it was 
 useless taking a wounded man with them to cumber them. 
 
 Whether they had any specific intention concerning their cap- 
 tives on starting it is impossible to say ; but it is certain that, after 
 proceeding for some time, they halted, as if in accordance with a 
 pre-arranged purpose. Opening the carriages, they ordered the 
 ladies and children to step out. The unhappy husbands and fathers 
 entreated to be taken in their stead. Impatient of the slightest 
 resistance, they dragged the babes and their mothers to the ground, 
 and, with a refinement of cruelty, dismembered and mutilated 
 them in the presence of their powerless protectors. Having fin- 
 ished with them, they fell upon the men and butchered them also, 
 and then drove off with the empty carriages, leaving the mangled 
 bodies dishonored and exposed upon the road, to be devoured by 
 the jackals and birds of prey. Some friendly villagers, however, 
 soon after they had gone, dug a pit near the spot and buried the 
 outraged remains. 
 
 A leading American journal very justly remarked at the time : 
 " Horrible are the atrocities which mark the progress of the pres- 
 ent rebellion. The North American savage need no longer be con- 
 sidered the monster of human cruelty, as the red man has found 
 his match in the Sepoys, who cut off women's ears, eyes, and noses, 
 destroying them by tortures worthy of the diabolical rage and 
 malignity of Satan himself" Indeed, one may venture to go fur- 
 ther, and say that history may be searched in vain to find a parallel 
 to the riot, plunder, and murder of those dreadful days. The num- 
 ber of the slain and mutilated will probably never be known. 
 Inquiry has ascertained, however, that, apart from the relieving 
 army, not less than fifteen hundred Englishmen and Englishwomen 
 must have perished, not half of whom probably found the rest of 
 the grave : their bodies lay upon the waste, or were dragged out 
 of the bazaars, or left amid the wreck of their own homes, to lie 
 neglected and become the food of dogs and jackals, or the foul birds 
 
THE MURDERED MISSIONARIES. 26 1 
 
 of prey. How sad were the cases of which I had personal knowl- 
 edge, as well as the histories to which I have listened during the 
 subsequent years, particularly of the trials and tortures to which 
 ladies were subjected Y Volumes might be filled with the dreadful 
 details of these shameful atrocities : we can, however, name a few 
 of the sufferers. 
 
 Of the Missionaries of the various societies within the circle 
 around our position, the following suffered a cruel death at the 
 hands of the Sepoys in the cities named : 
 
 Rev. W. H. and Mrs. Haycock, and Rev, H. and Mrs, Cockey, 
 at Cawnpore, of the English Gospel Propagation Society. 
 
 Rev. J. E. and Mrs. Freeman, Rev. D. E. and Mrs. Campbell, 
 Rev. A. O. and Mrs. Johnson, and Rev. R. and Mrs. Macmullin, 
 at Futtyghur, of the American Presbyterian Mission. 
 
 Rev. T. Mackay, at Delhi, Baptist Missionary Society, 
 
 Rev. A. R, Hubbard and Rev. D. Sandys, at Delhi, Enghsh 
 Gospel Propagation Society. 
 
 Rev, R. and Mrs. Hunter, at Sealcote, Scotch Kirk. 
 
 Rev. J. Maccallum, at Shahjehanpore, Addit. Clergy. Society, 
 
 Some of these had children, who suffered with them. 
 
 Several Chaplains also were killed : Mr. Jennings in Delhi, Mr. 
 Polehampton in Lucknow, Mr. Moncriefif at Cawnpore, and Mr. 
 Copeland. 
 
 The mission property destroyed was estimated at the value of 
 ^344,400. Of this heavy loss, by far the greater portion fell upon 
 the English Church Missionary Society, and the American Pres- 
 byterian Missions, The former lost $160,000, and the latter about 
 $ 1 30,000. 
 
 Thus the mission of the Methodist Episcopal Church to India 
 was, in the first year of its establishment, covered with a cloud, and 
 the faith and patience of our Church was severely tested. It became 
 a solemn question, how the Church would take this dispensation ot 
 Providence. Will she recede at the first difficulty 1 Will she 
 give way because earth and hell have roused themselves up to 
 resist her .? Nay, " Greater is He that is for us than all that can 
 
262 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 be against us." Besides, our experience is not singular. Many 
 missions that have been eminently successful have had very unpro- 
 pitious beginnings ; and God eminently honored the faith that did 
 not shrink from difficulties. We recollect with what interest the 
 Church of Scotland sent forth her first missionary, Dr. Duff, to lay 
 the foundation of her mission in India. But seldom has a voyage 
 been more protracted or disastrous than Dr. Duff's first voyage to 
 India in 1830. His ship went down off the coast of Africa, and 
 he lost all he possessed in the world, (including a valuable library, 
 too,) except one copy of the word of God, he and his devoted wife 
 barely escaping with their lives. They made their way to the Cape 
 of Good Hope, and sailed again ; but, off the Mauritius, came near 
 foundering, and actually were a second time shipwrecked in the 
 Bay of Bengal : so that their disastrous voyage lasted eight months 
 from the time they left England till they reached Calcutta. But 
 what a glorious work of God has sprung from that perilous and 
 untoward commencement ! God grant that the Methodist Mission 
 to North India, notwithstanding " the fight of afflictions " in which 
 it was begun, may find its sufferings, and its faith and patience, 
 honored by similar success! And why not .'' I thank God i^/^ were 
 not discouraged. Notwithstanding all we had passed through, or 
 might pass through, we lost neither heart nor hope ; we still held 
 on to the expectation that India had a bright future before it, and 
 that our mission would live, and " triumph in Christ," among the 
 very people at whose hands we had suffered. 
 
 The refugees from Moradabad reached us by the southern pass 
 within a couple of hours of those from Bareilly. We went to 
 meet them ; and how hearty was each congratulation upon their 
 escape and safe arrival ! Each man, too, added to the force for our 
 defense, and so strengthened tcs. One officer, as he came over the 
 brow of the hill, and caught his first view of Nynee Tal, looked 
 delighted, as he rested his loaded rifle by his side, till a sudden 
 thought flushed his face with anxiety, and, turnihg to us, he asked, 
 '* But are we safe here .-'" We dared not answer ; for we had been 
 asking that question of our own fears for many previous hours, as 
 
TEMPERING TEE WIND. 263 
 
 the fearful emergency in its character and extent opened out so 
 seriously before our view. 
 
 A wonderful circumstance occurred in connection with the flight 
 of these people from Moradabad, which illustrates the idea so often 
 expressed of that tender mercy which 
 
 •' Tempers the wind to the shorn lamb." 
 
 The English Government requires a constant supply of elephants 
 for carrying forage, drawing and handling cannon and timber, and 
 other heavy work for the army and commissariat. As these huge 
 creatures do not breed in captivity, the required supply can only be 
 kept up by constant additions from the herds of wild elephants 
 which roam the great Terai forest surrounding the Himalaya 
 Mountains. To accomplish this a regular department is organ- 
 ized, which trains the more docile of the female elephants to aid in 
 capturing the wild ones in the Terai, and they lend themselves to 
 the work with a sagacity and a fidelity that is truly wonderful. 
 At the head of this "Elephant Department" was a Major Baugh, 
 whose residence was at Moradabad. On the very morning of the 
 mutiny his lady was confined, and in less than four hours after that 
 event the Sepoys rose. The Major's feelings may be imagined when 
 he rushed into his home and broke the dreadful news to his wife as 
 she lay in her chamber with her baby by her side. The agonized 
 husband looked at them, and was almost speechless with horror in 
 anticipation of the destruction that would be at their door in a few 
 moments. But the heroic lady, notwithstanding her situation, was 
 equal to the emergency. With a word of cheer to the sad husband, 
 she made the astounding proposal to him to bring the buggy at 
 once to the door. It was done. She then told him to take a bed 
 and put it in the buggy, and to lift her up and carry her and her 
 baby out, and lay them on the bed, and try to escape. Then com- 
 mending themselves to Heaven's help, the husband, having his sword 
 in one hand and the horse's bridle in the other, they commenced the 
 dreadful and uncertain march for the foot of the mountains, fifty 
 miles distant, over a rough road, crossed by numerous rivers, not 
 
264 'I'iiE LAKD OF THE VEDA. 
 
 one of which was then bridged. Twenty miles of the road lay 
 through the malarious Terai ; while they were liable at any hour 
 to be overtaken and cut to pieces, yet not daring to go faster than 
 a walk, for the poor lady's life could not bear more than the strain 
 it was at that rate enduring — and all this beneath that blazing sun 
 of May ! 
 
 I leave it to those who may read these facts to imagine, if they 
 can, what must have been that husband's feelings during those 
 thirty-six hours of sympathy and fear ! But the dear lady went 
 through it all, reached the foot of the hills, was carried up the 
 remaining eleven miles in a jampan, and was received and wel- 
 comed by us with the tender commiseration and respect that were 
 due to one who had gone through such an experience. We hardly 
 dared to hope that she could really survive it, but thought it must 
 kill her and her babe too. But no ! a merciful Providence carried 
 her safely through. Her recovery was rapid, and in three weeks 
 after her escape she made her appearance upon the Mall which runs 
 around the lake, looking, though pale, so cheery and grateful as 
 each gentleman she met lifted his hat in homage to one who had 
 drawn so deeply upon our sympathies, and whose appearance again 
 gave us as much pleasure as if she had been a personal friend or a 
 sister of ours. 
 
 Had our enemies only followed us up at once, instead of waiting 
 to burn, and plunder, and dispute about rank and methods of action, 
 they could most certainly have been upon us before we were pre- 
 pared for resistance. But we made good use of the forty-eight 
 hours which their wrangling allowed ; and when they reached the 
 foot of the hills our measures were taken, and we stood ready for 
 them — so far as a handful could be ready for a host of Sepoys and 
 Budm ashes. With a good glass, from certain points we could 
 catch a glimpse of their out-lying pickets when they pushed up to 
 Julee 
 
 As soon as the last refugee had reached us we held a " council 
 of war," to see what could be done. The first thing was to ascer- 
 tain our numbers ; so we counted heads, and found that we 
 
THE ILLUSTBIOUJS GASBISOIi OF NTNEE TAL. 265 
 
 were eighty-seven gentlemen, with one hundred and thirteen ladies 
 and children to protect. By general consent Major Ramsay, the 
 Commissioner, was elected Commandant. We voted ourselves a 
 sort of militia in her Majesty's service, and pledged the Major our 
 full duty and obedience to defend the place to the last extremity. 
 Somehow or other all of us were supplied with arms ; those who 
 had more than enough divided with those who had none. Here 
 was a case where " he who had no sword " would willingly " sell 
 his garment and buy one," for " the days of vengeance " were upon 
 us, and we had a duty to fulfill on behalf of ladies and little ones 
 that admitted of no hesitation, in view of the relentless enemy who 
 now hemmed us in on every side. 
 
 Having elected our Commandant and distributed our arms, the 
 worthy Major asked us to stand up in line, that he might address 
 us a few words. Each shouldered his weapon, and the line was 
 formed. The Commandant looked at his little force. He could 
 not help smiling, serious as he and we felt, for a more " awkward 
 squad " than we appeared no commandant ever inspected. Among 
 the eighty-seven, as they then stood, each " a high private," were 
 three generals, gray headed and bent with years ; a number of 
 colonels, majors, and captains ; some doctors, judges, and magis- 
 trates ; a few Indigo planters, merchants, and shopkeepers ; two 
 English chaplains, and myself, the only American in the party — 
 from the man of fourscore down to the boy of seventeen : yet half 
 of the number had probably never fired a shot in anger, if at all, 
 and had to learn every thing in their new profession. 
 
 Our commander's speech was a very brief one. Its burden was 
 the duty that we owed to the ladies and children, with the assur- 
 ance that, far-off and isolated as we were, England would find us 
 out and rescue us if we could only hold on till her forces arrived ; 
 that, whatever came, the last man must fall at his post ere one of 
 those wretches should cross our defenses. Our hearts were sad 
 enough, but we cheered the speech. We were, to a man, willing 
 to fight, and, if necessary, to die to defend the ladies. 
 
 I walked home with my musket on my shoulder and my pockets 
 
266 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 full of ball cartridges and caps, greatly to my wife's surprise, who 
 met me at the door and declared there must be some mistake: 
 she had '*' married a Methodist preacher, and not a soldier." But 
 I took that gun as a religious duty, and intended to use it, too, if I 
 had a chance ; for surely these were circumstances in which a 
 Christian could pray God to " teach his hands to war and his fin- 
 gers to fight." Before one of those bloody men below should burst 
 our bounds, or lay a finger on one of the ladies who relied upon 
 our protection, as, under God, their only hope, I should certainly 
 have fired my last charge, and then laid around me with the butt- 
 end, and, having done all, have "died at my post." So would 
 every man of our number. 
 
 But the rascals below were not very anxious to give us a chance 
 to show how valiant we were, so we rested on our arms and awaited 
 their pleasure. 
 
 The twenty-five faithful Sowars who had stood firm and come 
 up with their officers were quite a help to us ; but in spite of what 
 the brave fellows had risked for their fidelity, (for word had reached 
 them that their fellow-Sepoys would kill their children, whom they 
 had to leave behind in Bareilly, if they did not forsake us,) yet we 
 secretly dreaded to trust them fully, so they were placed down the 
 hill a mile or two to guard that pass, and our " munition of rocks " 
 was defended by our own right arms alone. The hill men, called 
 Paharees, being probably aborigines, hate the plains' men, and the 
 dislike is returned with equal cordiality. We made no effort to 
 heal this breach, but rather fomented it. The Commandant hired 
 and trained as many of these Paharees as he could. We had thus 
 done all we could for our own preservation — placed a small force 
 at the bottom of the hill, then posts every mile or two, which could 
 fall back on each other if overpowered. Half-way we had a small 
 cannon planted, the grape of which would mow down any advanc- 
 ing party ; then on convenient turns and narrow places great 
 heaps of stone and trees, denuded of their branches, were ready to 
 be rolled down upon any foe that would venture to come up these 
 passes ; then the road had been cut so narrow in places that 
 
THE VALUE OF OUR HEADS. 267 
 
 only two men could walk abreast on the verge of the precipice ; we 
 had also undermined the road in several places, so that an invad- 
 mg party could be so isolated that they could neither go back 
 nor forward. In addition, we were well armed, and ready, by day 
 or night, when the signal gun was fired, to rush to the top of the 
 pass, and die there sooner than the enemy should force it, or that 
 a single one of those one hundred and thirteen ladies and children 
 should fall into the hands of those vile wretches. We felt assured, 
 as we looked at our work, that a handful could hold the place 
 against multitudes if their ammunition only held out and their 
 provisions lasted ; but that was the question just then. 
 
 Our congregation was a sad one. With the exception of my 
 wife and another person, every lady of the party wore some badge 
 of mourning, showing that either relatives or near friends had been 
 killed. Of course house and property were utterly destroyed in 
 every case, while the enemies of our Lord and Saviour were raging 
 and blaspheming below, thirsting for our blood, and vowing, by all 
 their gods, that they would soon have it, and thus finish up their 
 fiendish work. In such circumstances what a significance many 
 parts of the word of God had for us ! " The denunciatory Psalms," 
 which in a calm and quiet civilization seem sometimes to read 
 harshly, were in our case so apposite and so consistent that we 
 felt their adaptation and propriety against these enemies of God as 
 though they had been actually composed for our special case. 
 How we used to read them with the new light of our position, and 
 how they drew out our confidence in God for the final issue ! 
 
 Khan Bahadur, the new Nawab of Rohilcund, strengthened his 
 force to hem us in, and issued his list of prices for our heads, 
 beginning with Mr. Alexander, the Commissioner. Five hundred 
 rupees was, if I recollect rightly, the price he put upon my poor 
 head. Every expedient was used to urge his men to storm our 
 position ; but their spies (for they had such) considerably cooled 
 their ardor by the representation of our resolution and prepara- 
 tions ; so they came to the conclusion that if they could not get up 
 to kill us, they would do the next best thing for them, by starving 
 
268 ^ THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 US out, which would answer about as well. But we as decidedly 
 resolved that we would not be starved, so we set to work to make 
 the best commissariat arrangements of which the case admitted. 
 
 There was a very sparse population of the Paharees sprinkled 
 about in the valleys between us and the higher Himalayas, and 
 every thing these people had to spare we bought up ; the lake fur- 
 nished some fish, and the forest around had game. The latter, 
 however, was not much aid to us, as it was not prudent to waste 
 our ammunition, nor, in view of our signals, was it desirable to 
 have much firing in our neighborhood. We did as well as we 
 could ; but as week after week went over we felt the pressure more 
 sensibly. Money grew scarce, and clothing, shoes, and other ne- 
 cessities, became harder to obtain. 
 
 In about two weeks after our flight the terrible jungle fever, 
 which we hoped we had escaped the night when we were detained 
 in the Terai, began to develop itself, (taking about that time to do 
 so,) and soon our little home was a scene of sickness, while help 
 and medicine were so very scarce. Every one of us had to go 
 through it, four out of the five being down with it at the same time. 
 In the midst of this scene of weakness and sorrow our daughter 
 Julia was born. The day she came was the darkest we had ever 
 seen. Illness, tropical rains, want of help, a scarcity of proper 
 nourishment for the poor mother, with the uncertainty as to the 
 moment when we might be assailed, and my liability to have to 
 leave the sick household to go to my post at the pass, all consti- 
 tuted a strain upon the soul of one anxious mortal that I feel 
 thankful does not often fall to the lot of a husband to endure. 
 
 But, notwithstanding, the dear babe brought the light with her. 
 A father's heart may be allowed to say that her presence helped to 
 disperse some of the gloom of the dark days that followed, and 
 added a new motive for vigilance and courage. Yes, let the 30th 
 01 June stand as " a red-letter day" in the life of one so deeply in- 
 debted as I am to the ruling providence of my God! Our "part- 
 ners in distress " were pleased to designate her " The Mutiny 
 Baby,' and many a kind word and act were lavished upon her. 
 
HUNQBT FOB NEWS. 269 
 
 Of course our mails were cut off — we were completely isolated 
 from all the world. We could stand on our magnificent elevatior. 
 and look out upon the plains of India, the horizon stretching for a 
 hundred miles from east to west — could trace the courses of the 
 rivers, and see the forests and towns in the dim distance — but could 
 only imagine what was being done down there. The handful of 
 villagers around us told us that we were the last of Christian 
 life left in India ; that from where we stood to the sea, nearly a 
 thousand miles on each side, every white man had been murdered, 
 and the last vestige of our religion swept away. We well knew if 
 this were so our fate was but a question of time ; yet " against 
 hope " I " believed in hope." I felt that this could not be true, for 
 Jesus Christ was still on the throne which governs this world, and 
 he would not thus allow the clock of progress to be put back for 
 centuries, nor yield to earth or hell the conquests won on the 
 oriental hemisphere. 
 
 Our " raging foes " kept up their alarms, but we estimated them 
 at their worth, and stood on our guard day and night with unre- 
 laxed vigilance. How we longed for news ! A letter or a news- 
 paper would have been more precious than rubies ; but we were 
 destined to know for weary months what " hunger for news " 
 meant. Our food was often scanty ; but we would willingly have 
 done without it, even for days, to have received instead a feast of 
 information, more particularly about those whom we left below, 
 and of whose fate we were so uncertain. 
 
 We tried hard to establish some means of communication, but 
 Lhey were all failures. The few natives that remained faithful 
 were offered the largest bribes which our means afforded, to go 
 down and bring us news of how matters stood — whether any of 
 our friends survived, and if there was any prospect of relief. 
 Four or five were induced to go, but only one returned, and he was 
 mutilated. The rebels cut off his nose and ears, and the poor man 
 was a frightful spectacle. Government afterward liberally pen- 
 sioned him. We were indeed " shut up ;" life hung in uncertainty, 
 
 and we " stood in jeopardy every hour." The outside world lost 
 18 
 
270 THE LAND OF TEE VEDA. 
 
 sight of us, and some of our number were published as among the 
 dead. 
 
 In the midst of these vicissitudes the question was discussed 
 whether we had not better, for the ladies' sake, try to cross the 
 Himalayas and strike the Brahmapootra behind them, and so make 
 our way by that river to Burmah ; a proposition that would have 
 been madness to have attempted, situated as we were, without 
 resources, and which would have involved our destruction. The 
 fact of the proposition, however, shows the extremity to which we 
 were reduced when intelligent men could seriously propose such a 
 mode of escape. 
 
 The Enghsh judge at Budaon, near Bareilly, was a pious gentle- 
 man of the name of Edwards. Before the rebellion I had gone, at 
 his earnest request, to visit that place and hold divine service with 
 his family on a Sabbath day. Two or three natives had been led 
 to embrace Christianity, one of whom, named Wuzeer Singh, had 
 resigned his position in a Sepoy regiment to join the Httle band 
 whom Mr. E. cared for. The " mutiny " broke out soon after. 
 Judge Edwards had sent his wife and child to Nynee Tal, but 
 resolved, to use his own words, " to stick to the ship as long as 
 she floated," and he remained, the only European officer in charge 
 of his disliict, with 800,000 people within its bounds. "I went," 
 he says, ' into my room and prayed earnestly that God would pro- 
 tect and guide me, and enable me to do my duty." 
 
 At six o'clock on Monday morning the Sepoys broke into open 
 mutiny. . . . Mr. Edwards, revolver in hand, forced his way 
 through the crowd, and approached a " fine, powerful Patau, about 
 fifty years of age," named Moottan Khan, one of the leaders. Mr. 
 E. rode up to him, and putting his hand on his shoulder, said, 
 " Have you a family and little children 1 " The Patan nodded 
 'Are they not dependent on you for bread.?" "Yes," was the 
 answer. " Well, so have I," said Mr. E., " and I am confident you 
 are not the man to take my life, and destroy their means of sup- 
 port." Moottan Khan hesitated a moment, then said, " I will save 
 your life ; follow me ;" and he escorted him out of the city. 
 
THE GARMENT OF PRAISE. 271 
 
 Mr. E. reached a place of safety, a village owned by Hurdeo 
 Buksh, a Talookdar, a man of wealth and influence, near Futty- 
 ghur, one hundred and forty miles from Nynee Tal. For many 
 months this noble, friendly Hindoo, at great peril, sheltered him, 
 though constantly threatened by the rebels of Futtyghur. Mr. 
 E. after some time succeeded in finding a man who, by the prom- 
 ise of a large reward, was induced to venture to carry a message 
 to Mrs. Edwards, in Nynee Tal. 
 
 She, poor lady, was mourning for her husband in the bitterness 
 of uncertainty and woe unspeakable, supposing that, like the rest, 
 he had been murdered. 
 
 Judge E. procured a small piece of paper, and wrote on it that 
 
 he was still alive, and even well, and in a village named . Here 
 
 he wrote the name of the village in Greek, lest the note should 
 be discovered. He then, with a small knife, slit a bamboo walk- 
 ing stick, inserted the tiny missive, and withdrew the knife. The 
 slit closed so completely as to defy the skill of any seeker, though 
 the messenger was often searched by the rebel police, but they 
 never imagined that there was a letter in the walking-stick. The 
 faithful native reached our position after a variety of adventures, 
 and when challenged by our guards, declared he was a friend, and 
 that he had a letter for delivery to Mem Sahib (Lady) Edwards. 
 They conducted him to her. He found her dressed in mourning, 
 supposing herself a widow. He told her his bamboo stick had a 
 letter in it from her husband. He broke it, and there it verily 
 was, in his own handwriting. In addition to expressing her own 
 joy at the discovery, she knew the native mind and character well, 
 and how to impress it, and that it was necessary that her 
 action now should be significant, as she feared her reply might be 
 lost, or would have to be destroyed by the messenger to save his 
 life, and she must do something which would show him the joy 
 which she felt ; so, telling him to wait, she retired, and soon came 
 back again, and stood before him arrayed from head to foot in white 
 clothing. He understood her perfectly, and started back by night 
 on his dangerous journey to Judge Edwards. 
 
272 THE LAND OF TEE VEDA. 
 
 " Did you see the Mem Sahib ?" 
 
 " Yes, Sahib," said the good fellow, " I saw herself in person," 
 
 " Well, and how did she look, and what had she to say to you ? "^ 
 
 In his estimation, how she looked, and what she said, were all 
 summed up in one fact. 
 
 " Sahib, when I gave her your chittee (letter) she was clothed in 
 black, but when she read the chittee she immediately went into 
 another room, and soon came back to me dressed all in whiter 
 
 The affectionate wife and husband fully comprehended each 
 other's feelings in that action, and we at Nynee Tal rejoiced with 
 her that day that so providentially gave her " the oil of joy for 
 mourning and the gai'inent of praise for the spirit of heaviness." 
 It was six months and more before they were able to meet, but 
 they could henceforward live in the hope of being again united in 
 life and love together. There was one less on our mall from that 
 day forward who wore mourning. 
 
 Coming down the hill from our Thursday afternoon prayer- 
 meeting one day, a military officer who had been present sought 
 the opportunity of a private interview, and with much feeling he 
 said to me : 
 
 " O, sir, permit me to thank you from my heart for the earnest 
 prayers which you put up to God this afternoon for the victory of 
 my country's arms ! " 
 
 I looked at the man and smiled ; asked him if we were not in 
 "the same boat" just then, or whether he thought it likely that 
 those wretches down there would pay more respect to my Stars 
 and Stripes than to his English ensign } 
 
 So we lived, and watched, and prayed. Meanwhile the terrible 
 news of the Sepoy Rebellion had reached the shores of Europe 
 and America. England was nerving her energies for our relief. 
 Troops and munitions of war were being prepared as fast as possi- 
 ble. A General, supposed equal to the emergency, was found in 
 Sir Colin Campbell, for two Commanders-in-Chief had already 
 fallen, (Generals Anson and Barnard,) and the little English army 
 in India was without a head. The Queen telegraphed to Sir Colin, 
 
HELP AT LAST. 273 
 
 after his acceptance of the position, requesting to be informed when 
 he could be ready to leave England for the East ? His prompt and 
 Spartan reply was telegraphed back, " To-morrow ! " The old 
 chief's promptitude reminds one of another "to-morrow" in India's 
 history. At the battle-field of Bidera, when Lord Clive, who founded 
 the British Empire in the East, was Governor-General, Forde, who 
 commanded, applied for written authority to begin the attack. His 
 note reached Clive as he was playing cards with his company, and 
 without quitting his seat, he took a pencil and wrote — 
 
 " Dear Forde : Fight them immediately, and I will send you 
 the order in council to-morrow ! " 
 
 Sir Colin, of course, outran his army, for they could not, like 
 him, start " to-morrow." But a merciful Providence had provided 
 a vanguard of help in the army from Persia, (with which peace had 
 just been concluded,) on their return to India. With this little 
 force was that great and good man, General Havelock, whose 
 promptitude and wonderful valor did so much to turn the dreadful 
 tide, and rescue the besieged long months ere Sir Colin Campbel 
 or his troops could reach India. General Havelock, returning vic- 
 torious from Persia, landed at Bombay with his Highlanders on 
 the very day before the massacre at Bareilly. Unable to cross the 
 country, he went around by sea to Calcutta as rapidly as possible, 
 reaching there June 17, having been delayed on the way by the 
 total shipwreck of the vessel which carried him. His troops fol- 
 lowed, and all that could be done to prepare for pushing up the 
 country was accomplished by this indefatigable man, whom God 
 had brought so opportunely to our aid. 
 
 Not a day too soon did his succor come. Up to that hour the 
 Sepoys had it all their own way ; one post after another had fallen 
 before them ; they were gaining ground every week, and the hor- 
 rors of the situation for the English were deepening daily. Sepoy 
 success was followed by more desperate resolutions and more ter- 
 rible measures, falsehood and blasphemy being added in any quan- 
 tity for their purpose. The measures and spirit of these men may 
 
274 THE LAND OF THE YEDA. 
 
 be judged from a sample of their public proclamations, issued from 
 Delhi and Cawnpore to the whole Sepoy army, and the officials 
 and people. 
 
 The first proclamation was issued in the name of the Emperor's 
 army defending Delhi, which the little English army was then try- 
 ing to besiege ; and the Mogul Court desired to draw the whole 
 Sepoy force in that direction to annihilate them. The glaring 
 falsehoods in the following proclamation are manifest enough : 
 
 " To all Hindoos and Mtissiilmans, Citizens and Servants of Hin- 
 dustan, the Officers of the Army now at Delhi send greeting : 
 
 " It is well known that in these days all the English have enter- 
 tained these evil designs — first to destroy the religion of the whole 
 Hindustanee army, and then to make the people Christians by 
 compulsion. Therefore we, solely on account of our religion, have 
 combined with the people, and have not spared alive one infidel, 
 and have re-established the Delhi dynasty on these terms, and thus 
 act in obedience to orders, and receive double pay. Hundreds of 
 guns and a large amount of treasure have fallen into our hands ; 
 therefore it is fitting that whoever of the soldiers and the people 
 dislike turning Christians should unite with one heart and act 
 courageously, not leaving the seed of these infidels remaining. 
 Whoever shall in these times exhibit cowardice or credulity by 
 believing the promises of those impostors, the English, shall very 
 shortly be put to shame for such a deed ; and, rubbing the hands 
 of sorrow, shall receive for their fidelity the reward the ruler of 
 Lucknow got. It is further necessary that all Hindoos and Mus- 
 sulmans unite in this struggle, and that all, so far as it is possible, 
 copy this proclamation, and dispatch it every-where, so that all 
 true Hindoos and Mussulmans may be alive and watchful, and fix 
 it in some conspicuous place, (but prudently, to avoid detection,) 
 and strike a blow with a sword before giving circulation to it. The 
 first pay of the soldiers at Delhi will be thirty rupees per month 
 for a trooper, and ten rupees for a footman, [a large advance on 
 the English allowance.] Nearly one hundred thousand men are 
 
LYING AND BLASPHEMOUS PROCLAMATIONS 275 
 
 ready ; and there are thirteen flags of the EngUsh regiments, and 
 about fourteen standards from different parts, now raised aloft for 
 our reUgion, for God, and the conqueror ; and it is the intention of 
 Cawnpore to root out the seed of the devil. This is what we of the 
 army here wish.'' 
 
 But this was mildness compared to the following blasphemous 
 proclamation next issued from Cawnpore by the Nana Sahib : 
 
 "As by the kindness of God, and the good fortune of the Em- 
 peror, all the Christians who were at Delhi, Poonah, Sattara, and 
 other places, and even those five thousand European soldiers who 
 went in disguise into the former city and were discovered, are 
 destroyed and sent to hell by the pious arid sagacious troops who 
 are firm to their religion ; and as they have all been conquered by 
 the present Government ; and as no trace of them is left in these 
 places — it is the duty of all the subjects and servants of the Govern- 
 ment to rejoice at the delightful intelligence, and carry on their 
 respective work with comfort and ease. 
 
 " As by the bounty of the glorious Almighty and the enemy- 
 destroying fortune of the Emperor, the yellow-faced and narrow- 
 minded people have been sent to hell, and Cawnpore has been 
 conquered, it is necessary that all the subjects, and land-owners, 
 and Government servants should be as obedient to the present 
 Government as they have been to the former one ; that it is the 
 incumbent duty of all the peasants and landed proprietors of every 
 district to rejoice at the thought that the Christians have been sent 
 to hell, and both the Hindoo and Mohammedan religions have been 
 confirmed ; and that they should as usual be obedient to the author- 
 ities of the Government, and never suffer any complaint against 
 themselves to reach to the ears of the higher authority." 
 
 But even this is exceeded by the outrageous falsehoods of the 
 proclamation with which he further imposed upon their credulity, 
 and tried to rouse them to greater efforts. It finished up with 
 what he deemed to be a suitable quotation from one of the Persian 
 poets, and ran thus : 
 
276 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 THE PROCLAMATION OF THE NANA SAHIB. 
 
 " A traveler just arrived at Cawnpore from Allahabad states that 
 just before the cartridges were distributed, a Council (of the Gov- 
 ernor-General at Calcutta) was held for the purpose of taking away 
 the religion and rights of the people of Hindustan. The Members 
 of Council came to the conclusion that, as the matter was one 
 affecting religion, seven or eight thousand Europeans would be 
 required, and it would cost the lives of fifty thousand Hindoos, but 
 at this price the natives of Hindustan would become Christians. 
 The matter was therefore represented in a dispatch to Queen Vic- 
 toria, who gave her consent. A second Council was then held, at 
 which the English merchants were present. It was then resolved 
 to ask for the assistance of a body of European troops, equal in 
 number to the native army, so as to insure success. When the 
 dispatch containing this application was read in England, thirty- 
 five thousand Europeans were very rapidly embarked on ships, and 
 started for Hindustan. Then the English in Calcutta issued the 
 order for the distribution of the cartridges, the object of which was 
 to make Hindustan Christian. The cartridges were smeared with 
 hog and cow's fat. One man who let out the secret was hung, and 
 one imprisoned. 
 
 " Meantime the embassador of the Sultan of Roum (Turkey) in 
 London sent word to his sovereign that thirty-five thousand Euro- 
 peans had been dispatched to Hindustan to make all the natives 
 Christians. The Sultan (may Allah perpetuate his kingdom !) 
 issued a firman to the Pasha of Egypt, the contents of which are 
 as follows : 'You are conspiring with Queen Victoria. If you are 
 guilt)- of neglect in this matter, what kind of face will you be able 
 to show to God ? ' 
 
 "When this firman of the Sultan of Roum reached the Pasha of 
 Egypt, the Lord of Egypt assembled his army in the city of Alex- 
 andria, which is on the road to India, before the Europeans arrived. 
 As soon as the European troops arrived the troops of the Pasha of 
 Egypt began to fire into them with guns on all sides, and sunk all 
 
THE BEAL SPIRIT OF THE MOSLEM GREED. 277 
 
 their ships, so that not even a single European escaped. The 
 English in Calcutta, after issuing orders for biting the cartridges, 
 and when these disturbances had reached their height, were look- 
 ing for the assistance of the army from London. But the Almighty, 
 by the exercise of his power, made an end of them at the very out- 
 set. When intelligence of the destruction of the army from London 
 arrived, the Governor-General was much grieved and distressed, 
 and beat his head. 
 
 " 'At eventide he intended murder and plunder; 
 
 At noon neither had his body a head nor his head a cover. 
 In one i-evolution of the blue heavens 
 
 Neither Nadir remained, nor a foUowrer of Nadir.' 
 
 "Done by the order of his Grace the Peishwa, 1373 of the 
 Hegira." 
 
 Of course every word of this was believed by the Sepoys, for 
 they not only had the proclamations of their Emperor and the 
 Peishwa, but their Fakirs stood sponsors to the hideous falsehoods. 
 
 How appropriate is all this to the spirit of the Moslem creed — 
 a Government communicating to its subjects " the delightful intel- 
 ligence," not that its enemies were defeated or slain, but that they 
 were damned — "sent to hell!" Worthy indeed to be the succes- 
 sors of Tamerlane, who, after proving his claim to the title of " the 
 scourge of God," and marking his long track with massacre and 
 desolation, coolly and complacently wrote with his own hand in his 
 memoir that he felt it to be " a pious duty to assist God in filling 
 hell chock-full of men and genii," 
 
 When, in 1856, Sir Culling Eardly, the President of the Evan- 
 gelical Alliance, wrote to Dr. Duff, of Calcutta, to ascertain the real 
 sentiment of Mohammedans in India on a question in which the 
 British people felt interested, (as their Government were then 
 pressing certain reforms on the Sultan of Turkey, involving the 
 principles of religious liberty for his subjects,) the world were some- 
 what surprised at Dr. Duff's reply. His inquiries led him to the 
 conviction that Mohammedanism (like Popery) is unchangeable; 
 that, where it has the power, it would not only enforce its claims 
 
2/8 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 and creed, but would do so at the sword's point. Individual 
 Mohammedans may, like individual Romanists, be and are excep- 
 tions to this statement, and better than their training ; but I speak 
 of the system and of the general action — and here are its terrible 
 illustrations in the hour of its opportunity. 
 
 Our fate evidently hung upon that of Delhi. If that city fell, we 
 should probably be saved ; if not, we must expect the worst, and 
 that soon. But what could less than seven thousand soldiers and 
 a few Sikh and Ghoorka allies do, and that in the open air and 
 in the hottest season of the India year, against a strongly-fortified 
 city, behind whose walls from forty to sixty thousand Sepoys 
 fought ! The Commander-in-chief of the Sepoys was Bukt Khan, 
 an acquaintance of my own, for he was from Bareilly, and was 
 Subadar of Artillery under our friend Major Kirby. When I have 
 sat with the Major in the cool of the evening, and seen this sleek 
 Sepoy come in, with such profound courtesy to us both, to deliver 
 his daily report, how little I could have imagined the part he 
 would yet, and so soon, play behind the walls of Delhi, with the 
 Major's coat and cocked hat upon him, and his sword by his side ! 
 
 Even though that handful of Englishmen could not take the city 
 till they obtained more assistance, it was of immense benefit to us 
 and to India that they held so many Sepoys fast there. The rebels 
 came out in force on the 23d of June, and fought for thirteen hours. 
 Their "astrologers" had declared that "unless they should beat 
 the English army ojt that day" (the anniversary and centenary of 
 the battle of Plassey, the most important action of the English in 
 India) " the British would hold the country forever." Hence the 
 force and numbers with which they attacked, and the perseverance 
 with which they kept up the contest. They were repulsed, how- 
 ever, leaving, as usual, the English masters of the field. They 
 were much discouraged at their failure. Their loss on that day 
 was, after all, but small — not over 500 ; their mode of fighting 
 accounts for this. When they can choose their own ground and 
 method they are very averse to any thing like " close quarters," 
 and much like the long-shot mode of warfare. This, and lurking 
 
OUB RAMPORE FRIEND. 279 
 
 under the shelter of the garden walls that surround Delhi, was the 
 leading reason why the English could not manage them. Had 
 they come out and fought in the open field, the General would 
 gladly have met them, .even with his so much smaller force, and a 
 single day would probably have decided the whole contest. Be- 
 sides, they found it made a great difference to them whether they 
 were led by English officers or by officers of their own race. 
 
 Our provisions were now becoming more and more scarce and 
 dear. Instead of one hundred eggs for sixty-two and a half cents, 
 as it used to be, we had now to pay five cents for a single Qgg, and 
 all other things rose in value about in the same proportion. Just 
 in our extremity, and quite unexpectedly to us, the Nawab of Ram- 
 pore, a territory in the plains on the south of our position, sent up 
 a confidential messenger to inquire what he could do for us } This 
 was a great surprise, as he was a Mohammedan and governed a 
 Mohammedan State, and we supposed that he would have gone 
 with the Delhi conspirators. But, in the hour of decision, he 
 remembered that he owed his throne to the justice of the English 
 Government, which refused to carry out the will of the former sov- 
 ereign of Rampore, one of whose wives induced him to arrange so 
 as to cut off the rightful heir in favor of her little son. The English 
 declined to commit this wrong, but, instead, confirmed the present 
 Nawab ; and now, when he was appealed to by the Delhi faction to 
 join them, he declared that, come what might, he would never draw 
 his sword against a people whose justice had defended his rights. 
 He quietly withstood all their persuasions and threats, even at per- 
 sonal hazard, and was faithfully sustained in his resolution by his 
 Minister and the Commander-in-chief of his little army — two men 
 whom I had afterward the satisfaction of seeing publicly rewarded 
 for their fidelity. 
 
 This was a great providence for us. Had the Nawab proved hos- 
 tile, especially as our south pass touched his territory, our position 
 would have been probably untenable for a single week. But he 
 quietly covered our danger on that side, and left our defenders 
 more free to watch our Bareilly foes on the east pass. What he 
 
28o THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 did in our favor, however, he had to do quietly, so as not to rouse 
 the fanaticism of his own population, or the hostility of Khan 
 Bahadur Khan. 
 
 On ascertaining our extremity he sent us rice, sugar, flour, etc., 
 with some medicine and money — what he could spare and safely 
 remit to us. We were certainly very much obliged to " his High- 
 ness" for these unlooked-for succors. But even his messengers 
 could not restrain their bigotry : they duly informed our few Ghoor- 
 kas (hill soldiers) that "the 'King of Rohilcund' had raised an 
 army of twenty thousand, and was casting cannon, etc. ; also, that 
 the Emperor of Delhi had taken the Fort of Calcutta, and his vic- 
 torious armies were spreading all over the country ! " So that even 
 this help brought its own danger with it, and increased our anxiety. 
 The road to the Punjab through Kurnal was most providentially 
 kept open. The Punjab was the only source from which a man, or 
 a barrel of flour, or a case of medicine, could reach the English 
 army before Delhi. Had that road been closed upon them, their 
 condition must soon have become desperate. But the circumstances 
 that retained that key of their position in friendly hands was as 
 providential as the good will of the Rampore Nawab toward us at 
 Nynee Tal. Mr. Le Bas, the Judge of Delhi, owed his life on the 
 day of the slaughter to the speed of his horse. He reached Kurnal, 
 about forty miles to the north-west, and sought an interview with 
 the Nawab. It was the hour of England's deepest humiliation, and 
 Le Bas trembled for the loyalty of the Nawab. But early the fol- 
 lowing morning he came to Mr. Le Bas and said : " I have spent 
 a sleepless night in meditating on the state of affairs. I have 
 decided to throw in my lot with yours. My sword, my purse, and 
 my followers are at your disposal." 
 
 Faithfully did the brave Nawab redeem his promise, and at the 
 head of his little force he saved many a European life, several ladies 
 among them, and kept the road to the Punjab open till Delhi fell, 
 and the English Empire was restored. 
 
 It is also a pleasure to record another instance of wonderful 
 humanity from a very unexpected quarter. In the month of July 
 
OUB SUDDEN FLIGHT FBOM NTNEE TAL. 281 
 
 a Fakir named Himam Bhartee found his way to Meerut, and pre- 
 sented himself before Mr. Greathead, the Commissioner, with a little 
 European baby in his arms, which he had found deserted and alone 
 near the Jumna River. He had taken care of it, and even defended 
 its life at great risk to himself, and delivered it up safe and sound. 
 Mr. Greathead was delighted, and pressed the Fakir to receive a 
 reward ; but he would accept none, and only expressed a desire 
 that a Well might be made to bear his name and commemorate the 
 act. The Commissioner promised it should be done, and the Fakir 
 departed well pleased. Let the name of this humane creature live 
 here, and my readers remember Himam Bhartee, of Dhunoura. 
 The parents of the little one were never discovered ; but good 
 Samaritans were found to adopt and love it. 
 
 The sad monotony of our life was suddenly disturbed early on 
 Sunday morning, August 4th, by an imperative message from our 
 Commander, ordering all the ladies and children, with three or four 
 gentlemen in charge of them, away at once that day from Nynee 
 Tal to Almorah, thirty miles farther into the mountains. Informa- 
 tion that he had received required this movement as a matter of 
 precaution to them, while it would leave their husbands more free 
 and unshackled to meet the emergencies that were expected to 
 arise. 
 
 Several reasons had concurred to lead to this measure. First of 
 all, our provisions were becoming exhausted, and our supplies from 
 below being (except from the Rampore side) cut off, the Commis- 
 sioner felt himself quite puzzled to sustain our market. 
 
 In the next place, the delay of the fall of Delhi was rendering 
 our enemies more rampant, in the expectation that they would soon 
 weary out and destroy the little English army (now reduced, be- 
 sides Ghoorkas and Sikhs, to twenty-five hundred European bayo- 
 nets) before its walls ; and then they hoped to make short work in 
 other parts of the country. 
 
 Another reason was, that our friend the Nawab of Rampore was 
 considered to be exposed to peculiar danger at the approaching 
 Eyde, (an annual festival of the Mohammedans, during which they 
 
282 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 are peculiarly excitable.) The Nawab's refusal to join the Bareilly 
 rebels, and his kindness in sending us supplies and money, had 
 rendered him very unpopular with the Mohammedan fanatics 
 among his people, and it was feared that, during the Eyde, he 
 might be assassinated, in which case his successor would probably 
 have been elected with the express understanding that he shouM 
 do what he could to aid the rebel interests, and, likely, to begin by 
 an attempt to cut us off, as we were close at hand. 
 
 The next and chief reason for our removal was, that Khan 
 Bahadar Khan, the new " King of Rohilcund," had actually dis- 
 patched an increased force from Bareilly to Nynee Tal, in order to 
 destroy us ; and the Commissioner had certain information on 
 Saturday morning that they had not only started, but were en- 
 camped at Bahari, mid-way between Nynee Tal and Bareilly. 
 Still, even this alone would not have caused us to leave, for " his 
 army " were not likely to look our three hundred Ghoorka troops 
 in the face, much less to have gone near the cannon and the body 
 of English gentlemen with which we had fortified the head of the 
 pass. But our anxiety was, that inasmuch as preparation to meet 
 them involved the withdrawal of all the troops and the gentlemen 
 ftom Nynee Tal, this would necessarily leave our ladies and chil- 
 dren unprotected against any attempt that such an hour of oppor- 
 tunity would present to the Mohammedans in the Nynee Tal 
 Bazaar. Were they to rise while we were below, they might 
 slaughter every soul of them in a single hour, and the more easily, 
 should the rebels below agree, as they likely would, to attack us at 
 both passes at once, so as to divide our little force. 
 
 The distance from Nynee Tal to Almorah is thirty miles over 
 the mountains, by a path which varies from four to six feet in 
 width. It runs in some places on the very verge of precipices that 
 are as nearly perpendicular as possible, while the depths below are 
 sometimes frightful to look at. It requires great steadiness and 
 care, from the rough and narrow path to be traversed, to go with- 
 out danger, while in some places a single false s^ep, especially at 
 night, is instant destruction. 
 
ZZV PERILS IN THE WILDERNESS AGAIN. 283 
 
 Ladies are carried in a little chair-like vehicle by four men, with 
 lour to relieve. Gentlemen generally ride one of the hill ponies, 
 which are very sure-footed. The journey occupies three days, ten 
 miles being as much as can be comfortably accomplished in one 
 day. 
 
 When our sudden order of departure came I arranged every- 
 thing for the ladies intrusted to my charge, and sent them on, 
 expecting to follow and overtake them in a short time ; but such 
 was the demand, I could not obtain coolies enough to take their 
 luggage (including food and bedding, which travelers must always 
 carry with them) till four o'clock in the afternoon. I then started, 
 but the lateness of the hour entailed on me a great deal of toil and 
 suffering. Indeed, I never had such a journey in all my life as 
 that was. For an hour or two I made my way tolerably well. 
 The sunset was brilliant, and among other objects of interest were 
 immense lizards (some of them full fourteen inches long) which were 
 darting across my path and over the verges. My way lay over 
 and around a succession of mountains — so it was constantly up and 
 down — the valleys between varying from a quarter of a mile to a 
 mile in width. The little torrents had torn the path here and 
 there, and in some places it was so rocky and rough that it was 
 very hard work to pick one's way over it. Going down the hill 
 was, from the precipitous and stony condition of the narrow path, 
 something like going down an irregular flight of stairs a mile or 
 more in length. 
 
 The daylight began to decline, and my little pony showed symp- 
 toms of unsteadiness. The heavy rains had softened the edge of 
 the path, and rendered it liable to give way under very moderate 
 pressure, so that caution was doubly necessary. At one place that 
 looked doubtful I dismounted, and had not gone many yards when 
 one of the hind feet of the pony sank, which caused him to stag- 
 ger, and in a moment he went hastily over the precipice. The 
 jerk on the reins caused one of the bit buckles to give way, which 
 was a great mercy, as it gave me an instant in which to turn round 
 and lay some pressure on the reins as they flew through my hand, 
 
284 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 and I was thus enabled in some degree to arrest his downward 
 progress before he went too far to be recovered. 
 
 There he clung, the poor brute, with merely his nose above the 
 edge of the precipice, and he eagerly holding on to the bank like a 
 man standing on a ladder. Beneath him sloped down the decliv- 
 ity for several hundred feet, till the mist terminated the view ; 
 what was beyond that limit I could only infer by the roar of the 
 river beneath, which sounded very deep indeed, so that had the 
 poor fellow missed his hold, or taken one roll, his doom was cer- 
 tain. In an emergency how rapidly one can think ! There was no 
 help within many miles, and a very few minutes would decide his 
 fate. I had sold his worthy predecessor, when rather hard pressed 
 for cash, and had paid only forty dollars for him ; but he looked 
 very valuable as he hung on that precipice, and I imagined to 
 myself what could I do without him there in that wilderness, with 
 such a journey before me, and I alone ; the night, too, falling fast. 
 I felt for the poor creature, and I pitied myself, for I could ill 
 afford to lose him, particularly there and then. To get him 
 straight up would have required twenty men's strength. No time 
 was to be lost. I feared every moment that he would begin to 
 struggle, and then I must be prepared to know how long I dare 
 hold on, and what instant I must let him go, lest he should jerk 
 me over along with himself, and both be lost. A thought struck 
 me. I got his head round on one side ; he seemed to understand 
 my object, and slightly shifted one foot, while I held him as fast 
 as I dared by the rein. He then dug the other foot into the 
 ground, and soon I had the gratification of having him right across 
 the hill, and then by a little maneuvering I moved him, step by 
 step, till I got him up. He was not much hurt, and after a little 
 while I mounted, but had not proceeded half a mile when he trod 
 on another soft edge. I felt him stagger, and had just time to free 
 my right foot from the stirrup, and pitch off into the mud of the 
 road, as he went over the bank. There I hung, half-way on the 
 path, my legs dangling over the margin. Having scrambled up, I 
 saw that he had dropped down about twelve feet, on a heap of 
 
LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS. 285 
 
 sharp stones, and on going down to him I found his hind shoes 
 torn off, and he lamed and much injured. I managed to get him 
 up again to the path ; but, alas ! he was now worse than no horse 
 at all. Seven long niiles of that narrow and dangerous road lay 
 between me and the dak Bungalow, and he could not walk a 
 step only as I dragged him along. The night soon fled, and he 
 failed fast. Never in all my life have I felt any thing so lonely as 
 was that weary walk through those dark woods and over those 
 high mountains. The keen remembrance of it will go with me to 
 the grave. The poor animal had some of the stumps of the nails 
 in his hoofs, which every step seemed to drive higher as he trod 
 on the stony path, until at last it was real misery to look at him as 
 he slowly and painfully limped along. What to do I could not tell ; 
 he was getting worse every step. To abandon him seemed cruel, and 
 yet to stay with him, without even the means of lighting a fire, was 
 to expose myself to equal danger. I had no alternative but to bring 
 him along as well as I could ; so I pulled him on over the rocks and 
 streams, and up the hills, till I became utterly spent. The sohtude 
 around was something dreadful — no sound save the occasional 
 yells of the wild animals — and I was obliged to keep a sharp look- 
 out lest we should be pounced upon by a tiger. I had my gun on 
 my shoulder, but the only charge I had with me was in it, so that one 
 shot was my whole dependence in that line. Another element of 
 anxiety was the fact that at the cross paths there were no sign- 
 boards, and painful indeed was the suspense sometimes felt as to 
 which road to take, or whether I was on the right path at all. 
 Many an earnest prayer I put up to God at some of these doubtful 
 points that He would in mercy guide me aright. The heat in the 
 woods and valleys was great, and this, added to my exertions, 
 caused so much perspiration that it fast exhausted my remaining 
 strength, till at last I had to sit down and calculate what was to be 
 done. I was also faint from hunger, having only had a light and 
 very early breakfast, and neither dinner nor supper. My tongue 
 swelled, and seemed to fill my mouth. As I sat there and thought 
 
 of all I had given up for India, perhaps it was pardonable that, for 
 19 
 
286 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 a moment, I indulged a longing for the peace and privileges of the 
 happy land I had left ; but it was only for a moment, and all was 
 right again. I felt I was just where I would like best to be, though 
 for the present these trials seemed hard to bear. It was an hour of 
 unusual experience, and the depression was correspondent to it. 
 The hunger, the darkness, the surrounding danger, the heat and 
 laborious exertion, with the uncertainty of my whereabouts, and 
 the probable distance of any help, all together constituted such a 
 drain on my strength, and hope, and fortitude, as I never before 
 endured. To complete my calamities, both my boots had given 
 way on the stony paths, and my feet were wet as well as sore. 
 
 As I was looking round for a tree in which I might spend the 
 night, out of the reach of the animals, (for I felt as if I could go no 
 farther,) I recollected Brother Stevens and " Old Jeddy," and the 
 "rest at home" that cheered him on that eventful night in the wil- 
 derness. I lifted up my heart to God and asked for strength foi 
 body and for soul ; and there, in the midst of my gloom and soli- 
 tude, I was cheered by the presence of my heavenly Father. A 
 train of delightful reflections set in. I thought of my own deep 
 indebtedness to the Divine mercy ; I thought of our Church, and 
 the glorious work that God had spread before her ; and I thought 
 of my own mission, and of that future day when it would spread 
 among these degraded multitudes, and when they would love the 
 Redeemer as I loved him then ! How these thoughts and feelings 
 braced up my soul for life and duty ! Exhaustion was forgotten, 
 and my full heart gushed out in strong affection toward the blessed 
 Jesus, until I felt ready to bear any thing for his dear sake. I felt 
 it easy to come to the conclusion that my state, with all its weari- 
 ness, was one that I would not exchange with any of the votaries 
 of this world's pleasure or ease. I rose to my feet, and these words 
 came from the depths of my heart, and went up on the night air to 
 heaven : 
 
 " In a dry land, behold I place 
 
 My whole desire on thee, O Lord; 
 And more I joy to gain thy grace 
 
 Than all earth's treasures can afford." 
 
WE BEACH ALMOBAH. 287 
 
 Shortly after, when dimbing round the spur of one of the 
 mountains, the dense clouds separated and exposed to view right 
 before me the "Snowy Range" towering up so majestically to the 
 skies ! The full moon was shining upon it, and imparting to it 
 that purple tint which makes it look so lovely and so unearthly ! 
 It was the grandest natural sight I ever beheld, and to me was brill- 
 iantly suggestive of that " land of rest," where the sun shall no 
 more go down, neither shall the moon withdraw itself; but the 
 Lord shall be unto us an everlasting light, and the days of our 
 mourning shall be ended ! 
 
 I resumed my weary way, our pace being now about one mile an 
 hour, and at nearly eleven o'clock came to the summit of a high 
 mountain, where there seemed to be two paths, which increased 
 my perplexity ; but on looking off to the right I could make out 
 that the hills rounded into a crescent, on the far point of which I 
 discovered a light, which I knew must be from the window of the 
 dak Bungalow ! After all my anxiety I had been guided in safety 
 by a way I knew not. On reaching the Bungalow, I found that 
 neither bed nor food was to be had. However, I was too tired to 
 care much for food, so the privation was little felt. I could have 
 relished a comfortable bed had it been available, but the floor 
 and shelter of a roof were mercies. The ladies had safely and 
 duly arrived, and were stretched, some on the ground and others 
 on charpoys, and thus the night wore over. 
 
 Next morning there was no sign of the coolies, so we resumed 
 our march, my poor horse being obliged to remain where he was, 
 and by evening we were overtaken at the next Bungalow by our 
 bedding and food, both of which were very welcome indeed. We 
 arrived at Almorah next day, tired enough, and were accommodated 
 with a couple of rooms in a little house near the fort. Some of 
 our friends would smile could they see the humble accommodations, 
 for which we felt no small amount of gratitude. The floor was of 
 clay ; we had two camp tables, three chairs, and two charpoys — 
 that was the extent of our furniture ! But " necessity is the mother 
 of invention," and we soon found out that a trunk lid could be 
 
288 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 made into a table, and that a child can sleep as well in a basket or 
 in an old box as on a mahogany bedstead. So our " picnic " fashion 
 of life in Almorah gave us little concern, any inconveniences being 
 amply balanced by the reflection that thirty miles more of mount- 
 ains lay between our precious charge and danger. 
 
 Our worthy Commissioner, after a time, unable to endure longer 
 this "hunger for news" that was consuming us, organized a post 
 department of his own, and by relays of Paharees, stretching along 
 the crest of the Himalayas, for what is usually seventeen days' jour- 
 ney to Mussoorie, above Dehra Doon, managed to reach on to 
 beyond the immediate circle of Sepoy power and establish commu- 
 nication with the Europeans there, who were able to correspond 
 with the Punjab, and obtain such news as was available from that 
 quarter. 
 
 Information of our whereabouts and safety now got abroad, and 
 worked its way around by the sea-coast to Calcutta. The 13th of 
 August was a Joyful day. To our delight and astonishment, the 
 Paharee postman that morning brought us three numbers of the 
 Christian Advocate, and three of Zioii s Herald, for the month of 
 April ! The postmaster at Bombay had found us out, and com- 
 menced sending us a mail whenever he had the chance, via Kur- 
 rachee, Lahore, and Mussoorie. So we now began to receive 
 papers and letters with more or less regularity. Only those who 
 have been, as we were, shut up for three months and a half without 
 a letter or a paper or a word from home, can imagine the joy with 
 which we grasped the precious documents, and sat down to devour 
 their contents. It was almost like life from the dead ! 
 
 But, while grateful for news at last, what horrible accounts of 
 massacre and pillage poured in upon us— frightful details of what 
 had occurred ! How truly we realized, as we heard or read them^ 
 the reality of the lines — 
 
 " My ear is pained, 
 My soul is sick, with every day's report 
 Of wrong and outrage." 
 
 At our family altar, and in our closet, our cry was, " O Lord, how 
 long " Nor was the suffering and wretchedness limited to the 
 
THE FEARFUL STATE OF THINGS BEFORE DELHI. 289 
 
 Europeans. The feuds between the Hindoos and Mohammedans 
 were revived, and conflicts between them increased in bitterness 
 and cruelty, until the country became one scene of anarchy. 
 Trade, agriculture, and industry in general were all but suspended ; 
 any one that had a rupee to lose lost it ; riot and bloodshed became 
 the order of the day, while rapine and murder were openly carriea 
 on by the Goojurs, a Gipsy-like class of vagabonds, whom the mis- 
 erable Mohammedan Government was unable to put down. 
 
 Short as our time was in Bareilly, I have the satisfaction of 
 knowing that our labors were not altogether fruitless. Several of 
 the Europeans who attended our little English service had spoken 
 in grateful terms of the benefits received under the preaching. 
 Among these was the excellent Dr. Bowhill, Surgeon of the Sixty- 
 eighth Native Infantry. This gentleman had a very narrow escape 
 for his life on the day of the massacre. His horse carried him only 
 about twenty miles, and then fell dead lame. The remainder of the 
 seventy-four miles he had to walk (with a very occasional lift on the 
 horses of others of the party) under a broiling sun. I went to meet 
 and congratulate him on his escape. We kneeled down together, 
 and never shall I forget his emotions while I offered up to the serv- 
 ice of the Holy Trinity the life that had been so mercifully pre- 
 served ! It was a privilege to have made the friendship of such a 
 man ; and not only so, but also to have had that friendship 
 cemented by the holiest ties. His sense of duty led him, as soon 
 as the Commissioner arranged the letter post along the Himalayas, 
 to venture to cross to Mussoorie and thence to Kurnal, and then 
 join any passing column, so as to reach the little English array 
 before Delhi, where his professional services were so much required. 
 The brave man made his perilous way in safety, and we heard occa- 
 sionally from him. In reply to a letter which I had written, 
 expressing my gratitude for great professional kindness, especially 
 at Nynee Tal, and adding a word or two to " strengthen his hands 
 in God," he says : " I do not feel that I am in any way entitled to 
 the thanks you give for my attendance on your family. Inasmuch 
 as the soul is more worthy than the body, so much the more are 
 
290 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 my thanks due to you ; for, under Providence, I have to thank you 
 for teaching me to love God. I feared him before I knew you, and 
 that fear restrained me. Now I feel that, through your means, I 
 love my Saviour and Redeemer, and try to obey because I love 
 him." What must have been then the condition of things before 
 Delhi may be understood by the Doctor's statement, when he adds 
 in this communication, that " Such is the amount of sickness which 
 prevails, that twenty-five hundred of our men are in hospital, two 
 hundred and forty-one of whom entered in one day. In my own 
 regiment of five hundred men two hundred and forty-seven are 
 lying sick ! I fear that if the assault does not take place sooti we 
 shall not have men enough in health to attempt it. May God save 
 us from a reverse before Delhi ! The effect of a repulse here 
 might be ruinous throughout the whole country," How earnestly 
 we prayed for the brave men in that little army who were thus 
 suffering and fighting for us there ! 
 
 Just then we had a little battle of our own to go through. On 
 the Thursday after the receipt of this letter from Delhi, Khan 
 Bahadur ordered his forces to assault our position. They moved 
 up nearer to our defenses and encamped for the night, perhaps not 
 realizing, being all " plains men," how chilly they would feel the 
 next morning in the cold hill air. Our Commandant saw his 
 advantage, and very early next morning dropped down into the lit- 
 tle valley where they were encamped, with thirty gentlemen and 
 the twenty-five faithful Sowars, making a little body of cavalry ; 
 these, with the two hundred and fifty of our Ghoorka (hill) troops, 
 came quietly upon them before they had unrolled themselves out 
 of their blankets, and a fearful carnage ensued. In an hour all was 
 over. The Sepoys fled in every direction, leaving one hundred and 
 fourteen of their number dead, besides what wounded they man- 
 aged to carry off. 
 
 After counting the enemy's dead, our men turned to ascertain 
 their own loss, and, to their surprise and gratitude, found that they 
 had only one man — a Sowar (native horseman) — killed, and two 
 Gboorkas wounded. One officer, Captain Gibbency, was slightly 
 
OUR LITTLE FIOHT. 29 1 
 
 touched by a pistol ball, and this was all. The effect of this con- 
 test was of great importance. It struck some terror into the Sepoy 
 mind, and they refused ever after to come up into our glens again ; 
 It raised our spirits, and had an immense effect upon the hill peo- 
 ple, who of course flattered themselves that the victory was due to 
 their own prowess. It also deepened their hatred of the Moham- 
 medan party ; while below, the Hindoo villagers took courage to 
 help the Commandant, and actually captured nine rebels, stragglers 
 who had turned to the work of plundering the villagers and abusing 
 their women. They were brought up to Nynee Tal, tried, and exe- 
 cuted at once. I was informed that they met their doom with the 
 indifference that characterizes Mohammedan fatalists. 
 
 After this event some of the villagers and Hindoo Zemindars 
 (landholders) of the plains around our hills sent up deputations 
 to our Commandant, requesting him to assist them against the 
 Mohammedans, and offering to pay their jumma (revenue) to him 
 if he would only sustain them (as they thought him now able to do) 
 against the rebel Government. But Major Ramsay was too pru- 
 dent to go beyond his safe line, especially as he well knew he was 
 stijl closely watched by a powerful and wily foe, and must risk 
 nothing while he had ladies to protect. That foe, however, was 
 beginning to feel certain qualms of anxiety, for already Havelock's 
 name and the story of his victories were flying over the land, and 
 they felt that he, or some other English General, might ere long 
 give them a better opportunity to prove their courage than what 
 they had when they so leisurely and safely cut down and butchered 
 unarmed men and defenseless women and children. 
 
 It was " a day of rebuke and blasphemy," but I still believed that 
 our redemption was drawing nigh, and that all would be overruled 
 for good. How grateful I feel that my letter to the Corresponding 
 Secretary, written at this time, closes with the following words, 
 now measurably in process of fulfillment : 
 
 " One sentence in closing. Believe me, this is one of the last 
 terrible efforts of hell to retain its relaxing grasp on beautiful 
 India, and the issue will be salvation for her millions . . . 
 
292 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Don't be discouraged for us. If the sufferings abound, so do the 
 consolations. But if I am cut off, (which is not improbable,) 
 remember my mission and sustain it. Farewell, Doctor. Again 
 let me beseech you, whether I live or die, remember my mission 
 and sustain it. For India is to be Redeemed ! " 
 
AMERICAN MI8ST0NABIE8 WHO FELL AT CAWNPORE. 293 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE CAWNPORE MASSACRE AND THE RELIEF OF LUCKNOW. 
 
 "I T JillLE we were thus maintaining, as best we could, our 
 * ^ position against fearful odds, and hoping for that relief 
 which had yet, for the reasons following, to be so much longer 
 delayed, our fellow Christians down in the plains below us were 
 passing through sorrows and agonies in the presence of which our 
 trials were not worthy to be mentioned, and the accounts of which 
 were about to fill the civilized world with horror. 
 
 With a sad heart we tell the story of Cawnpore — the " city of 
 melancholy fame" — and present to our readers that wonderful 
 record of fruitless valor and unutterable woe which was there exhib- 
 ited. Fourteen years have passed over since these deeds were done, 
 but the fearful record of them will be read with deepest interest by 
 Christian men and women long after the present generation has 
 passed away. This story can never die. Wherever and whenever 
 read, it should be remembered that England alone did not suffer 
 there. The dire agony of Cawnpore was shared by American gen- 
 tlemen and ladies ; indeed, they took precedence in these sorrows, 
 for the group first "led as sheep to the slaughter," before the mur- 
 der of those from the intrenchment was perpetrated, included the 
 Rev. Messrs. Freeman, Johnson, M'Mullin, and Campbell, with 
 their dear wives and children, from Futtyghur — the very next sta- 
 tion to the one then occupied by the writer, who, with his family, 
 had to conclude whether to accept the invitation to join this party, 
 and attempt escape by the Ganges, or else "flee to the mountains" 
 on the north. He decided for the latter, and thus narrowly escaped 
 the fate which befell these brethren and sisters, whom he had 
 already learned to esteem so highly for their own and for their 
 work's sake, 
 
294 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Of few of "the martyrs of Jesus" in any age may it more truly 
 be said than of them, "These are they which came out of great 
 tribulation" The sharp agony of that hour is ended, and they 
 have met again where He who loved them has long since wiped 
 away all tears from their eyes. The American Presbyterian Church, 
 to which they belonged, should nobly press on the work for which 
 they died, and be earnest to reap the harvest made so fertile with 
 their blood. 
 
 "The massacre of Cawnpore" has been truly called "the black- 
 est crime in human history." Every element of perfidy and cruelty 
 was concentrated in it. No act ever carried to so many hearts 
 such a thrill of horror as did the deed that was done there on the 
 15th of July, 1857. Yet no complete account of it has been laid 
 before the American public. To supply this deficiency, so far as 
 our space allows, is the aim of these pages. Our authorities are 
 the best : Trevelyan, (of whose excellent work we make free use,) 
 with Thomson, Bourchier, The Friend of India, and the Calcutta 
 Quarterly Review, together with the personal communications of 
 Havelock's soldiers ; while photographs, taken on the spot, enable 
 us accurately to present "the Well" into which the ladies were 
 thrown, and the beautiful monument which a weeping country has 
 placed over their remains. 
 
 The city of Cawnpore is situated on the banks of the Ganges, 
 six hundred and twenty-eight miles from Calcutta, and two hun- 
 dred and sixty-six miles from Delhi. At the time of the great 
 Rebellion, the English general commanding the station was Sir 
 Hugh Wheeler. He had under his command four Sepoy regi- 
 ments, and about three hundred English soldiers. In addition to 
 these, there were the wives and children of the English officers and 
 of his own force, and of the force at Lucknow. Oude having been 
 but recently annexed, the families of the officers in Lucknow could 
 not yet obtain houses there, and so were left for the present under 
 the care of Sir Hugh Wheeler at Cawnpore. When the alarm began 
 to extend, the ladies and children of the stations around also went 
 to him for protection, so that, before the rebellion broke out. the 
 
THE CONDITION OF MATTERS AT GAWNPOBE. 295 
 
 General found himself responsible for the care of over five hundred 
 and sixty women and children, with only three hundred English 
 soldiers and about one hundred and forty other Europeans, for 
 their protection. 
 
 Sir Hugh had been over fifty years in India. His age and his 
 confidence in the loyalty of the Sepoys under his command ill-fitted 
 him for the position he then held. He would not credit the immi- 
 nence of the danger, nor make that provision against it which some 
 of those under his orders believed to be urgently necessary. He 
 still trusted the loyalty of the Nana Sahib, and placed the Govern- 
 ment treasure — an immense sum of money — under his care ; and 
 there was even a proposal to send the ladies and children off to the 
 Bithoor palace for safe-keeping. There was a strong magazine on 
 the banks of the Ganges, well provided with munitions of war and 
 with suitable shelter, to which Sir Hugh might have taken his 
 charge, and where, it is believed, he could have held out till relief 
 reached him ; but unfortunately he thought otherwise, believing 
 himself not strong enough to hold it. So he crossed the canal and 
 took a position on the open plain, in two large, one-story barracks, 
 and threw up a low earth-work around it, and thought himself 
 secure till assistance could reach him from Calcutta. He did not 
 take the precaution to provision even this place properly or in time, 
 and also left the strong intrenchment on the Ganges stored with 
 artillery of all sizes, and with shot and shell to match, with thirty 
 boats full of ammunition moored at the landing-place — left all to 
 fall into the hands of his enemies ; and it was actually used, pro- 
 fusely used, against himself in the terrible days that followed. The 
 few cannon which he took with him were no match for those he 
 left behind, and which he had afterward to fight so fiercely and at 
 such disadvantage. 
 
 On the 14th of May intelligence reached them of the fearful 
 massacres of Meerut and Delhi. On the 5th of June the Cawnpcre 
 Sepoys broke into open mutiny, having been joined by other regi- 
 ments from Oude. The Nana Sahib had been in intimate com- 
 munication with the ringleaders ; yet for some reason or other, 
 
296 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 probably a disinclination to murder their officers or to face the few 
 English soldiers there, the Sepoys seemed more inclined to leave 
 the station and march for Delhi than to remain and attack the 
 English They actually started, performed the first stage, and 
 encamped at a place called Kullianpore. The wily Azeemoolah 
 and his master now saw that their hour had come. Arriving in the 
 camp, they persuaded the Sepoy host to return to Cawnpore and 
 put all the English to the sword before they left the place. Their 
 unwillingness was overcome by the promise of unlimited pillage, 
 and the offer by the Maharajah of a gold anklet to each Sepoy. 
 They retraced their steps. That night the English officers were, 
 some of them, sleeping in their own houses, imagining that they 
 had seen the last of that Sepoy army. But early the next morning 
 the Nana announced his intention to commence the attack at once, 
 and there was barely time to summon the officers and families 
 outside ere it began. Every thing of value, clothing and stores of 
 all kinds, had to be suddenly abandoned. He who in that close 
 and sultry night of midsummer had sought a little air and sleep on 
 his house-top might not stay " to take any thing out of his house ;" 
 he who had been on early service in the field might not " turn back 
 to take his clothes." Few and happy were they who had time to 
 snatch a single change of raiment. Some lost their lives by wait- 
 ing to dress. So that, half-clad, confused, and breathless, the 
 devoted band rushed into the breastwork, which they entered only 
 to suffer, and left only to die. 
 
 Within this miserable inclosure, containing two barracks de- 
 signed for only one hundred men each, and surrounded by a mud 
 wall only four feet high, three feet in thickness at the base, and but 
 twelve inches at the top — where the batteries were constructed by 
 the simple expedient of leaving an aperture lor each gun, so that 
 the artillery-men served their pieces as in the field, with their per- 
 sons entirely exposed to the fire of the enemy — within this inclo- 
 sure were huddled together a thousand people, only four hundred 
 and forty of whom were men, the rest being women and children. 
 Here, without any thing that could be called shelter, without proper 
 
TEE OPENING OF THE AGONY. 297 
 
 provisions for a single week, exposed to the raging sun by day and 
 to the iron hail of death by day and night, these Christian people 
 had to endure for twenty-two days the pitiless bombardment, the 
 rifle-shots, and storming-parties, launched at them from a well- 
 appointed army of nearly ten thousand men. 
 
 How well those four hundred and forty men must have fought, 
 when, with closed teeth and bated breath, the Brahmin and the 
 Saxon* thus closed for their death grapple, where no quarter was 
 asked or received, may be imagined. But who can imagine the 
 terror and the sufferings of that crowd of five hundred and sixty 
 ladies and children, not one of whom could be saved, even by all 
 the valor of those brave men who fought so hard and died so rap- 
 idly to protect them ! Of the whole number, only three men es- 
 caped—Captain Delafosse, Major Thompson, and Private Murphy. 
 America and Europe have ever forbidden their warriors to pcint 
 the sword at a female breast But Asiatics have no such scruples. 
 The Hindoos, who allow their women few or no personal rights, 
 and the Mohammedans, who doubt if they have souls, have no ten- 
 derness for the position or treatment of the weaker sex. The 
 sharp-shooters and gunners of the Nana Sahib were true to their 
 heathenism. They gave no rest, and showed no mercy. Some 
 ladies were slain outright by grape or round shot, others by the 
 bullet : many were crushed by the splinters or the falling walls. 
 At first every projectile that struck the barracks, where they were 
 crowded together, was the signal for heart-rending shrieks, and low 
 waihng, more heart-rending still ; but ere long time and habit had 
 taught them to suffer and to fear in silence. The unequal contest 
 could not last long. By the end of the first week every one of the 
 professional artillery-men had been killed or wounded, besides those 
 who had fallen all around the position. Sun-stroke had dazed and 
 killed several. Their only howitzer was knocked clear off its car- 
 riage, and the other cannon disabled, save two pieces which were 
 withdrawn under cover, loaded with grape, and reserved for the 
 purpose of repelling an assault. Even the bore of these had been 
 injured so that a canister could not be driven home, and the poor 
 
298 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 ladies gave up their stockings to supply the case for a novel, but 
 not unserviceable, cartridge. As their fire became more faint, that 
 of the enemy augmented in volume, rapidity, and precision — casual- 
 ties mounted up fearfully, and at length their misfortunes culminated 
 in a wholesale disaster. One of the two barracks had a thatched 
 roof In this, as more roomy, were collected the sick, and wounded, 
 and women. On the evening of the eighth day of the bombard- 
 ment the enemy succeeded in lodging a lighted "carcase" on the 
 roof, and the whole building was speedily in a blaze. No effort 
 was spared or risk shunned to rescue the helpless inmates ; but, in 
 spite of all, two brave men were burned to death. During that 
 night of horror the artillery and marksmen of the enemy, aided by 
 the light of the burning building, poured their cruel fire on the 
 busy men who were trying to save the provisions and ammunition, 
 and living burdens more precious still, out of the fire, while the 
 guards, crouching silent and watchful, finger on trigger, each at his 
 station behind the outer wall, could see the countless foes, revealed 
 now and again by the glare, prowling and yelling around the outer 
 gloom like so many demons eager for their prey. 
 
 The misery fell chiefly on the ladies : they were now obliged to 
 pass their days and nights in a temperature varying from one hun- 
 dred and twenty to one hundred and thirty-eight degrees, cowering 
 beneath such shelter as the low earth-work could give — and all this 
 to women who had been brought up in the lap of luxury, and who 
 had never till now known a moment of physical privation. There 
 were but two wells within reach ; one of these had been used to 
 receive their dead — for they could not bury them — the other was 
 so trained upon day and night by the shell of the enemy that at 
 last it became the certain risk of death to remain long enough to 
 draw up, from a depth of over sixty feet, a bucket of water for the 
 parched women and children. Yet necessity compelled that risk, 
 while it made the sip of water rare and priceless, but left none to 
 wash their persons or their wounds. A short gill of flour and a 
 handful of split peas was now their daily sustenance. The medical 
 stores had been all destroyed in the conflagration —there remained 
 
A SORROW WITHOUT A PARALLEL. 299 
 
 no drugs, or cordials, or opiates to cure or alleviate. The bandages 
 for the newly wounded were supplied off the persons of the ladies, 
 who nobly parted with their clothing for this purpose, till many of 
 them had barely enough left to screen their persons. And to this 
 condition were these once beautiful women reduced — herded to- 
 gether in fetid misery, where delicacy and modesty were hourly 
 shocked, though never for a moment impaired. Bare-footed and 
 ragged, haggard and emaciated, parched with drought and faint 
 with hunger, they sat watching to hear that they were widows. 
 Each morning deepened the hollow in the youngest cheek, and 
 added a new furrow to the fairest brow. Want, exposure, and 
 depression speedily decimated that hapless company, while a hide- 
 ous train of diseases — fever, apoplexy, insanity, cholera, and dysen- 
 tery — began to add their horrors to the dreadful and unparalleled 
 scene. Alas ! even this does not by any means exhaust the list of 
 terrors, but we can go no further. American ladies will add their 
 generous tears to those which have been flowing for their sorrows 
 in many an English home during the past few years. 
 
 They tried hard to communicate with the outside world — with 
 Lucknow or Allahabad — for they had a few faithful natives who 
 ventured forth for them ; but so close were the cavalry pickets 
 around their position that only one person ever returned to them. 
 These spies were barbarously used. The writer saw some of them 
 after the Rebellion in their mutilated state — their hands cut off, or 
 their noses split open ; and one poor fellow had lost hands, nose, 
 and ears. The native mode of mutilation was horribly painful, the 
 limb being sometimes chopped off with a tulwar — a coarse sword 
 — and the stump dipped in boiling oil to arrest the bleeding. 
 
 Events had now reached their dire extremity. The sweetness 
 of existence had vanished, and the last flicker of hope had died 
 away. Yet, moved by a generous despair and an invincible self- 
 respect, they still fought on for dear life, and for lives dearer than 
 their own. By daring, and vigilance, and unparalleled endurance, 
 these brave and suffering men staved off ruin for another day, and 
 yet another. Long had their eyes and ears strained in the directior 
 
300 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 of Allahabad, hoping for the succor that was never to reach them, 
 The 23d of June dawned — the anniversary of the battle of Plassey. 
 The Nana Sahib had vowed to celebrate that centenary of the 
 rise of the English power in its utter overthrow ; the Sepoys had 
 sworn by the most solemn oath of their religion to conquer or per- 
 ish on that day. Early in the morning the whole force was moved 
 to the assault ; the guns were brought up within a few hundred 
 yards of the wall ; the infantry in dense array advanced, their skir- 
 mishers rolling before them great bales of cotton, proof against the 
 bullets of the besieged, while the cavalry charged at a gallop in 
 another quarter. It was all in vain. The contest was short but 
 sharp. The teams which drew the artillery were shot down, the 
 bales were fired, the sharp-shooters driven back on their columns, 
 and the saddles of the cavalry were emptied as they came on. 
 The Sepoy host reeled before the dreadful resistance and fell back 
 discouraged — nor could they be induced to renew the effort. That 
 evening a party of them drew near the position, made obeisance 
 after their fashion, and asked leave to remove their dead. This 
 acknowledgment of an empty triumph was a poor consolation to 
 these gaunt and starving Englishmen, under the shadow of the 
 impending doom of themselves and those whom they so well 
 defended. 
 
 The result of this day's conflict produced a sudden change in 
 the plans of the Nana Sahib. He began to despair of taking the 
 position by storm, and events were forbidding him to wait for the 
 slower process of starvation. The Sepoys were already grum- 
 bling, and another repulse would set them conspiring. The 
 usurper saw he must bring matters to a speedy conclusion ; for, 
 in addition to Sepoy discontent, rumors had already reached him 
 of an avenging force having left Benares to save those whom he 
 had resolved to destroy. He had not a day to lose. It behooved 
 the monster to bring the matter to a speedy conclusion by any 
 means, even the very foulest, as all others had failed. He there- 
 fore resolved to insnare where he could not vanquish — to lure those 
 Christians from the shelter of that wall within which no intruder 
 
NANA SAHIB'S INFERNAL TBEAC^EBY. 301 
 
 had set his foot and lived. He suspended the bombardment and 
 opened negotiations. The world had never yet heard of treachery 
 so hellish as what he meditated then. Though some of the ladies 
 had their fears, yet none imagined the purpose which was in the 
 depths of the dark hearts of this man and his minion Azeemoolah, 
 Admiration of the defense was expressed, and sympathy for the 
 condition of the ladies still living, with the offer of boats provis- 
 ioned, and a safe conduct under the Nana's hand to take them to 
 Allahabad. The terms of the conference were committed to paper, 
 and borne, by Azeemoolah, to the Nana for his signature ; all was 
 made seemingly right and safe for the capitulation. The boats 
 were actually moored at the landing-place and provisions put on 
 board, and the whole shown to the committee of English officers. 
 That night they could obtain water, and deep were the draughts 
 of the blessed beverage which they imbibed ; they could also sleep, 
 for the bombardment had ceased, though a cloud of cavalry held 
 watch around their position. They slept sounder the next night, 
 as the Nana intended that they should. 
 
 Some criticisms have been made upon their agreement to sur- 
 render at all. It may be answered, that had that garrison con- 
 sisted only of fighting men, no one would have dreamed of sur- 
 render. But what could be done when more than half their 
 number, male and female, had already been killed, and the balance 
 was a mixed multitude, in which there was a woman and child to 
 each man, while every other man was incapacitated by wounds or 
 disease, with only four days more of half rations of their miserable 
 subsistence, and the monsoon — the tropical rains — hourly ex- 
 pected to open upon them in all its violence .'' The only choice 
 was between death and capitulation ; and if the latter was resolved 
 on it was well that the offer came from the enemy. 
 
 Eleven o'clock next morning, June 27th, came. Every thing 
 
 was ready ; all Cawnpore was astir, crowding by thousands to the 
 
 landing-place. The doomed garrison had taken their last look at 
 
 their premises and at the well, into which so many of their number 
 
 had been lowered during the past three weeks. The writer has 
 20 
 
302 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 walked over the same ground, between their intrenchment and the 
 landing-place, wondering with what feelings that ragged and spirit- 
 less cavalcade must have passed over that space that day. But 
 they had at least this consolation — they thought that their miseries 
 were ending, and that they were going toward home, with all its 
 blessed associations. They moved on, reached the wooden bridge, 
 and turned into the fatal ravine which led to the water's edge. 
 Two dozen large boats, each covered with a frame and heavy 
 thatch, to screen the sun, were ready ; but it was observed that, 
 instead of floating, they had been drawn into the shallows, and 
 were resting on the sand. The vast multitude, speechless and 
 motionless as specters, watched their descent into that " valley of 
 the shadow of death." The men in front began to lift the wounded 
 and the ladies into the boats, and prepared for shoving them off, 
 when, amid that sinister silence, the blast of a bugle at the other 
 end of the ravine, as the last straggler entered within the fatal 
 trap, gave the Nana Sahib's signal, and the masked battery, which 
 Azeemoolah had spent his night preparing, opened with grape 
 upon the confused mass. The boatmen who were to row them 
 thrust the ready burning charcoal into the thatch, plunged over- 
 board, and made for the shore, and, almost in a moment, the entire 
 fleet was in a blaze of fire. Five hundred marksmen sprang up 
 among the trees and temples, and began to pour their deadly bul- 
 lets in upon them, while the cavalry along the river brink were 
 ready for any who attempted to swim the Ganges. Only four men 
 made good their escape — two officers and two privates, one of 
 whom soon afterward sank under his sufferings — and they owed 
 their lives to their ability in swimming and diving, and were in- 
 debted for their ultimate safety to the humanity of a noble Hindoo, 
 Dirigbijah Singh, of Oude. The Nana Sahib was pacing before 
 his tent, waiting for the news. A trooper was dispatched to in- 
 form him that all was going on well, and that the Peishwa would 
 soon have ample vengeance for his ancient wrong. He bade the 
 courier return to the scene of action, bearing the verbal order to 
 " keep the women alive, and kill all the males." Accordingly the 
 
RESERVES THE LADIES FOR ANOTHER DOOM. 305 
 
 women and children whom the shot had missed and the flames 
 spared, were collected and brought to land. Many of them were 
 dragged from under the charred woodwork, or out of the water 
 beside the boats. Some of the ladies were roughly handled by the 
 troopers, who, while collecting them, tore away such ornaments as 
 caught their fancy, with Httle consideration for ear or finger. 
 Their defenders were all soon murdered, and lay in mutilation on 
 the banks or in the boats, or floated away with the stream. The 
 ladies were taken back along the road, through a surging crowd of 
 Sepoys and towns-people, till the procession halted opposite the 
 pavilion of the Maharajah, who, after receiving his wretched cap- 
 tives, ordered them removed to a small building north of the canal, 
 which was to be the scene of their final sufferings on the 15th of 
 the following month. We present a sketch of this place, known 
 afterward as the " House of the Massacre." 
 
 It comprised two principal rooms, each twenty feet by ten, with 
 three or four windowless closets, and behind the building was an 
 open court, about fifteen yards square, surrounded by a high wall. 
 Guarded by Sepoys, within these limits, during nineteen days of 
 tropical heat, were penned up together these two hundred and one 
 ladies and children and five men — two hundred and six persons in 
 all — awaiting their doom from the lips of a monster. Their food 
 during those terrible days was very coarse and scanty indeed ; and, 
 to add to it the keenest indignity that an Oriental could give, it 
 was cooked for them by the Methers, (scavengers.) They lay on 
 the bare ground, and were closely watched day and night. " The 
 Well," into which he had their mangled bodies thrown, is shown on 
 the left side of the picture. 
 
 That evening the Nana Sahib held a State review in honor of his 
 " victory," ordered a general illumination of the city of Cawnpore, 
 and posted the Proclamation already quoted, in which he called 
 upon the people to "rejoice at the delightful intelligence that 
 Cawnpore has been conquered, and the Christians have been sent 
 to hell, and both the Hindoo and Mohammedan religions have been 
 confirmed." 
 
306 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 The Maharajah at length enjoyed the compUment he had so long 
 coveted, and was so long denied — at the review he was greeted 
 with the full sura of twenty-one guns, his nephew and two brothers 
 receiving seventeen each. He wore his royal honors for seventeen 
 days and no more. Distributing ^50,000 among the mutineers, he 
 returned in state to his Cawnpore residence. This was a hotel 
 kept by a Mohammedan, and in which the writer slept when in the 
 place a few months previously. The Nana took possession of these 
 premises, which were about seventy-five paces from the house here 
 shown, where the poor ladies were confined. Here he lived from 
 day to day in a perpetual round of sensuality, amid a choice coterie 
 of priests, panderers, ministers, and minions. The reigning beauty 
 of the fortnight was one Oula or Adala. She was the Thais on 
 whose breast sank the vanquished victor, oppressed with brandy and 
 such love as animates a middle-aged Eastern debauchee. She is 
 said to have counted by hundreds of thousands the rupees which 
 were lavished upon her by the affection or vanity of her Alexander. 
 
 Every night there was an entertainment of music, dancing, and 
 pantomime, the latter being some caricature of English habits. 
 The noise of this revelry was plainly audible to the captives in the 
 adjoining house ; and as they crowded round the windows to catch 
 a breath of the cool night air, the glare of the torches and the 
 strains of the barbarous melody might remind them of the period 
 when he who was now the center of that noisy throng thought him- 
 self privileged if he could induce them to honor him with their 
 acceptance of the hospitality of Bithoor. To such reality of woe 
 were they reduced ! Heat, hardship, wounds, and want of space 
 and proper nourishment were beginning to release some from their 
 bondage before the season marked out by Azeemoolah for a jail 
 delivery such as the world never witnessed before. A sentence of 
 relief may be added here, as rumors contrary to the fact have been 
 circulated : Trevelyan, whom we have so freely copied, declares that 
 the evidence shows that these ladies died without mention, and we 
 may hope without apprehension, of dishonor. 
 
 The hour of retribution dawned at length ! Outraged civiliza- 
 
THE MASSACRE OF THE LADIES. 30? 
 
 tion was coming with a vengeance to punish the guilty, and to save 
 this remnant if it were possible. General Havelock and his brave 
 little brigade were on their way, making forced marches daily. 
 The Nana roused himself to meet the danger. He had forwarded 
 armies to resist their approach, but twice his forces were hurled back, 
 bringing to him the news of their disaster. Reserving his own 
 sacred person for the supreme venture, he now ordered his whole 
 army to be got ready. But before setting out he took advice as to 
 what was best to be done with the captives. It was seen that dead 
 men or women tell no tales and give no evidence, and this was 
 important in case of a reverse ; while he also reasoned that, as 
 the British were approaching solely for the purpose of releasing 
 their friends, they would not risk another battle for the purpose 
 merely of burying them, but would be only too glad of an excuse 
 to avoid meeting the Peishwa in the field. So he and his council 
 concluded. Their decision was that the ladies should die, and 
 that, too, without further delay, as the army must march in the 
 morning. 
 
 We purposely omit many of the details of the horrors of that 
 dreadful evening, as we have read them or heard them described 
 by Havelock's men, and will try to give the result in brief terms. 
 About half past four o'clock that afternoon — the 15th — the woman 
 called "The Begum" informed the ladies that they were to be 
 killed. But the Sepoys refused to execute the order, and there 
 was a pause. Nana Sahib was not thus to be balked, even though 
 the widows of Bajee Rao, his step-mothers by adoption, most ear- 
 nestly remonstrated against the act. It was all in vain. The 
 Nana found his agents. Five men — some of whom were butchers 
 by profession — undertook the work for him. With their knives 
 and swords they entered, and the door was fastened behind them. 
 The shrieks and scuffling within told those without that these jour- 
 neymen were executing their master's will. The evidence shows 
 that it took them exactly an hour and a half to finish it ; they then 
 came out again, having earned their hire. They were paid, it is 
 said, one rupee (fifty cents) for each lady, or one hundred and three 
 
308 THE LAND OF THE YEDA. 
 
 dollars for the whole, and were dismissed. Then a number oi 
 Methers (scavengers) were called, and by the heels, or hair of their 
 head, these once beautiful women and children were dragged out 
 of the house and dropped down into the open well — shown on the 
 left of the picture — the dying with the dead, and the children over 
 all ! The well had been used for purposes of irrigation, and was 
 some fifty feet deep. Next morning, when the army marched, no 
 jving European remained in Cawnpore. 
 
 Commanding in person, the Nana Sahib went forth that day to 
 meet General Havelock, bent on doing something great in de- 
 fense of his tottering throne. But, notwithstanding the dispar- 
 ity of their numbers, he soon realized the difference between them 
 and the group of invalids and civilians, whom he had brought to 
 bay behind that deserted rampart, or a front rank of seated ladies 
 and children and a rear rank of gentlemen, all with their hands 
 strapped behind their backs, as in his first " victory," Now he 
 saw before him, extending from left to right, the line of white faces, 
 of red cloth, and of sparkling steel. With set teeth and flashing 
 eyes, and rifles tightly grasped, closer and closer drew the meas- 
 ured tramp of feet, and the heart of the foe died within him ; his 
 fire grew hasty and ill-directed, and, as the last volley cut the aii 
 overhead, the English, with a shout, rushed forward at their foes 
 Then each rebel thought only of himself The terrible shrapnel 
 and canister tore through their ranks, and they broke ere the bay- 
 onet could touch them. Squadron after squadron, and battalion 
 after battalion, these humbled Brahmins dropped their weapons, 
 threw off their packs, and spurred and ran in wild confusion, pur- 
 sued for miles by the British cavalry and artillery. At nightfall 
 the Nana Sahib entered Cawnpore upon a chestnut horse drenched 
 in perspiration and with bleeding flanks. On he sped toward 
 Bithoor, sore and weary, his head swimming and his chest heaving. 
 He had never ridden so far and fast before. It was the just ear- 
 nest of that hardship which was henceforth to be his portion. Far 
 otherwise had he been wont to return to that palace after a visit of 
 state to the English : lolling, vmaigreite in hand, beneath the 
 
EVIL SHALL HUNT THE VIOLENT MAN, ETC. 309 
 
 breath of fans, amid the cushions of a luxurious carriage, sur- 
 rounded by a moving hedge of outriders and running footmen. 
 Placing his harem on steeds, with some treasure and provisions, and 
 with his brothers and such as chose to follow his fortunes, he 
 accompanied his forces to resist General Havelock's advance on 
 I.ucknow. When again defeated, for the fifth time, he fled to the 
 congenial society of Khan Bahadar at Bareilly, where he made his 
 last stand ; and he then, having filled to overflowing the measure of 
 his guilt, passed away like a thief in the night, and left his wealth 
 to the spoiler. Accompanied by his evil spirit, Azeemoolah, he 
 and liis followers entered the jungles of Oude and penetrated deep 
 into desolate wilds, where the malarious fever soon thinned off his 
 company, and reduced the remnant to the final distress. For the 
 last that is known of this man's doom we have to depend upon the 
 reports of two native spies who followed him, and two of his serv- 
 ants who subsequently found their way out of those Himalayan 
 solitudes. Wasted and worn at last by fever and starvation to 
 utter desperation, they are reported to have held a council, and con- 
 cluded to put their swords each through his own women, and then 
 to separate and die alone. Certainly a remnant of any of them 
 has never since been seen. The Nana Sahib wore that great ruby 
 which was so celebrated for its size and brilliancy. His priests 
 had told him that it was an amulet which secured to him a charmed 
 life. He trusted in it, no doubt, to the very last. It was probably 
 in his turban when he wandered up that deep ravine to die alone ; 
 and if so, there it lies to-day, for no human hand will ever pene- 
 trate those pestilential jungles to gather it. The eagles of the 
 Himalayas alone, as they look down from their lofty height for 
 their prey, are the only creatures that will ever see the burning rays 
 of that ruby, as it shines amid the rags of the vagrant who perished 
 there long years ago ! 
 
 On the 17th of July at daybreak the English army reached 
 Cawnpore ; they passed the walls of the roofless barracks, pitted 
 with shot and blackened with flames, and then came to "the 
 Ladies' House," and, as they stood sobbing at the door, they saw 
 
3IO THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 what it were well could the outraged earth have hidden — the innei 
 apartment was almost ankle deep in blood ! The plaster all around 
 was scored with sword-cuts, not high up, as where men had fought, 
 but low down, and around the corners, as if a creature had crouched 
 there to avoid the blow. Fragments of dresses, large locks of hair, 
 broken combs, with three or four Bibles and Prayer Books, and 
 children's little shoes, were scattered around. Alas ! it was thirty- 
 six hours too late ! The Well beside the House held what they had 
 marched and fought so hard to save, and marched and fought in 
 vain. They had to leave them as they found them ; so they filled 
 up the well and leveled the earth about it. Over that well a 
 weeping country has erected a graceful shrine, and has turned the 
 ground around it into a fair garden, and made the whole forever 
 sacred to their memory. We present views of the outside and 
 inside of the shrine, engraved from photographs taken on the spot. 
 Around the rim of the stone covering the well's mouth is this 
 inscription : 
 
 " Sacred to the perpetual memory of a great company of Christian 
 people, chiefly women and children, cruelly massacred near this spot 
 
 BY THE REBEL NaNA SAHIB, AND THROWN, THE DYING WITH THE DEAD, INTO 
 THE WELL BENEATH ON THE XVtH DAY OF JULY, MDCCCLVII." 
 
 Over the door outside are the words of the one hundred and forty- 
 first Psalm, " Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as 
 when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth." 
 
 The garden, inclosed, planted, and made so lovely, with the 
 monument in the center, is now such a contrast in its peace and 
 beauty to the sorrows once endured within its limits, that one is 
 reminded of the words which Havelock's men cut on the tem- 
 porary monument of wood which they placed over the well : " I 
 believe in the resurrection of the body." The entire premises 
 have been placed by Government under the appropriate guardian- 
 ship of Private Murphy — one of the three survivors of that fearful 
 siege — and here he may be seen daily, accompanying visitors from 
 many lands, who with sad thoughts and respectful steps approach 
 the Ladies' Monument in the Memorial Garden of Cawnpore. 
 
'The Well" — inside view. 
 
 The Shrine " — outside view. 
 
BLOWING AWAY FROM 0UN8. 313 
 
 [t may be well here to consider for a moment the alleged severi- 
 ties which some of the English soldiers and commanders inflicted 
 upon those red-handed Sepoys. Who will wonder, as he thinks of 
 the men that stood around the door of that " Slaughter House," (as 
 it was long after called,) and who gazed upon a sight that no other 
 men had ever seen, and who, as they reflected upon all they had 
 themselves so vainly endured to save those whose gory memen- 
 toes lay before them, causing these sun-burned soldiers to sob and 
 weep like children, that such soldiers, in such circumstances, should 
 have vowed vengeance against the perpetrators of this matchless 
 cruelty ? Does not even humanity, in advance, require a gentle 
 judgment upon their feelings and resolutions, or the retributions 
 which they afterward administered ? 
 
 One of them told me that, as they stood around the door and 
 looked in, a tuft of hair, from a lady's head, floated on the con- 
 gealed mass ; a comrade went in, walking on his heels to keep his 
 shoes above the gore, and snatching up the handful of hair, he 
 returned to them and proposed they should share it among them. 
 They stood around in a circle, and divided it, taking an oath that 
 they would have a Sepoy life for each hair they held ! This dread- 
 ful resolution may be forgiven. General Havelock was a man of 
 mercy as well as of valor, and impressed his authority upon them, 
 so as to keep them from exercising this vengeance upon any save 
 resisting rebels and convicted criminals. Two of his Aids, Generals 
 Neill and Renaud, were more severe ; they felt it their duty to 
 break the caste, as well as to take the life, of the more prominent 
 murderers who fell into their hands, by requiring these Brahmin 
 Sepoys to wipe up the blood which their leader had caused to 
 be shed ; reminding one of the punishment inflicted by Ulysses 
 in the palace of Ithaca, as related by Homer, only that the prov- 
 ocation was so much greater at Cawnpore. Under any other 
 civilization than Christianity, in its hour of triumph, retaliation 
 would have been general and undiscriminating. The citizens of 
 Cawnpore well knew that a Hindoo or Moslem army, in such an 
 opportunity, and with such a deed to revenge, would have given 
 
314 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 them and their city to fire and sword, and have left only a ruin 
 behind. 
 
 The practice of "blowing men from guns" in India during the 
 Rebellion also needs a few words of explanation. The act has been 
 much misunderstood, especially in this country. I have met with 
 strange assertions upon this matter, some of which assumed that 
 the Sepoys were actually rammed ijtto the guns, and then fired 
 out ! and too often has it been said or supposed that the act was 
 perpetrated as a refinement of cruelty. Both of these opinions are 
 mistaken. The mode of death in this case was, usually, to sink a 
 stake in the ground, and tie the man to it ; the gun was behind him, 
 from six to eight feet distant, loaded with blank cartridge, and, 
 when discharged, it dissipated the man's remains. It was a quick 
 and painless mode of death, for the man was annihilated, as it were, 
 ere he knew that he was struck. But what the Sepoys objected to 
 in it was, the dishonor done to the body, its integrity being de- 
 stroyed, so that the Shraad could not be performed for them. [The 
 Shraad is a funeral ceremony, which all caste Hindoos invest with 
 the highest significance, as essential to their having a happy trans- 
 migration ; the dissipation of the mortal remains of a man thus 
 executed would necessarily render its importance impossible, and 
 so expose the disembodied ghost, in their opinion, to a wandering, 
 indefinite condition in the other world, which they regard as dread- 
 ful ; and, to avoid this liability, when condemned to die they would 
 plead, as a mercy, to be hung or shot with the musket — any mode 
 — but not to be blown away. 
 
 Knowing that this was the only procedure of which their wretched 
 consciences were afraid, two of the English officers — one of them 
 being General Corbett, at Lahore — threatened this mode of punish- 
 ment upon Sepoy troops whom they could not otherwise restrain 
 from rebelling. Corbett did, at last, execute it upon twelve of the 
 ringleaders of a Sepoy regiment which, during the height of his 
 anxiety for the safety of the Punjab, rose one morning and shot 
 their officers, and marched for Delhi. He took two Sikh regiments 
 and pursued and scattered them, bringing back these leaders for 
 
GENERAL COBBETT'S MOTIVE. S^S 
 
 trial and execution. The court resolved death should be inflicted in 
 this mode, as a last resort to strike terror into the other two Sepoy 
 regiments, so as to restrain them from rising. And it certainly 
 had that effect. From the hour of that execution till Delhi fell, not 
 a single Sepoy hand was raised against an officer's Hfe or the Gov- 
 einment. They saw that the man at their head would not shrink 
 from violating their prejudices, even as to their Shraad, if they 
 committed mutiny and murder, and they would not face that 
 danger. So the Punjab was kept quiet, and we at Nynee Tal, and 
 they at Simla and Delhi, (including hundreds of ladies,) were 
 saved, more probably by that act of stern discipline than by any 
 other event during those seven months. 
 
 Every generous and candid heart will judge the General's action 
 by his motive and the circumstances around him, as well as the 
 minds on which he had to operate. He was far, as was his noble 
 Governor, Sir John Lawrence, from any wish to perpetrate an 
 undue severity or refinement of cruelty. He was in circumstances 
 where he had reason to believe that this was the only way to arrest 
 murder and mutiny, and save thousands of lives whose fate hung 
 on the position of the Punjab and his measures to preserve it. 
 This was equally the motive of the other General, who employed it 
 as a measure of restraint as well as punishment. The act itself 
 was analogous to the policy of Christian States one hundred years 
 ago, in refusing what was called " The Benefit of Clergy" to certain 
 notorious criminals. Lord Canning, the Governor-General, as soon 
 as he heard of it, however, believing that it infringed too much 
 upon the conscience of the Hindoos, forbade its repetition by any 
 Commander, and it was therefore entirely abandoned. As a mode 
 of punishment it was introduced into India by the French during 
 their brief rule in the South. Wilkes's " History of the Mysore" 
 relates its infliction, by Count Lally, in 1758, upon six Brahmins. 
 
 The consideration of Lord Canning, however, was not recipro- 
 cated by the Sepoy power itself, for in the hour of their opportu- 
 nity they made no scruple whatever to employ this mode of execution 
 upon other people. We have testimony that several of the Euro- 
 
316 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 peans who fell into the hands of the Nawab of Futtyghur and the 
 Nana Sahib, were executed by being blown from guns ; and even 
 the greased cartridges, to which they at first objected, when theii 
 own time came, they are said to have readily used to murder 
 the Europeans who fell into their hands. 
 
 Though, unhappily, too late to save those who suffered at Cawn- 
 pore, the relieving army were destined, after endurance and valor 
 which received the admiration of all who ever heard of it, to reach 
 and rescue the larger garrison of Lucknow, which, as the reader 
 will see on the map, lies forty-three miles beyond Cawnpore. 
 
 The Mission of the Queen of Oude in 1856 had failed, the decree 
 had gone forth and was unalterable, and an English Governor ruled 
 the kingdom, which became a part of British India. His official 
 residence — ere long to become so famous — is shown in the picture 
 on the opposite page. This building, before the annexation, was 
 the home of " the Resident," or English Embassador, at the Court 
 of Oude, and afterward became the house of " the Chief Commis- 
 sioner," or Governor, of the kingdom, and was therefore called 
 " The Residency." 
 
 No record of human endurance exceeds that which was heie 
 exhibited from June to November, 1857. "The Story of Cawn- 
 pore" is, alas! more tragical; but for the great qualities of the 
 heroic and the enduring, Lucknow may well challenge human his- 
 tory to furnish a higher example, especially when we remember the 
 number of women who were here shut up, and how nobly they bore 
 themselves amid risks and sufferings which only Christian women 
 of our Anglo-Saxon race could bear to the bitter end, and yet 
 emerge from them all in moral triumph. Nearly a dozen volumes, 
 by different hands — three of them from the pens of ladies — have 
 presented the facts to the world. They abundantly show how 
 nobly woman can illustrate the virtue inculcated by Virgil : 
 
 " Do not yield to misfortunes, 
 But advance to meet them with greater fortitude." 
 
 Probably there never was such a siege as that of Lucknow. His- 
 tory seems to have no parallel to it in its extraordinary circum- 
 
21 
 
THE PREPARATIONS FOR RESISTANCE. 319 
 
 Stances, the bravery of its garrison, the privations, risks, and horrors 
 to which the women were subjected, while hope was deferred, and 
 England gave them up as dead, and they themselves at length, 
 " not expecting delivei'ance," resolved to die, if die they must, with 
 their face to their bloody and relentless foe. The women of Car- 
 thage are celebrated for having cut off their hair to make bow- 
 strings for their husbands, but the resolute and enduring courage, 
 of these daughters of Britain make them worthy of higher fame. 
 Englishmen may well feel proud of their countrywomen. 
 
 Two great and good men are the central figures of this siege and 
 relief, Sir Henry Lawrence and Sir Henry Havelock— the former 
 an Episcopalian and the latter a Baptist — both men who honored 
 and loved God, and who were greatly honored by God, the first in 
 defending, the latter in rescuing, against fearful odds, the gallant 
 men and women of the Lucknow Residency. 
 
 Sir Henry Lawrence, after spending more than thirty years in 
 the military and civil service in India, was appointed Governor of 
 the Kingdom of Oude. He reached Lucknow, the capital, and 
 entered upon his duties early in 1857, fully impressed by the dan- 
 gerous condition of things at that time. Though in very feeble 
 health, he set himself vigorously at work to prepare for the coming 
 storm, which at length broke over India on the memorable 31st of 
 May. Every city in Oude, save Lucknow, was seized that day by 
 the Sepoys, and deeds of cruelty and blood perpetrated which 
 shocked the whole civilized world,. Lucknow alone, where Sir 
 Henry dwelt in the Residency, was held, and even his vigor and 
 ability could not have suspended its fall had he not had a hand- 
 ful of English soldiers to rely upon. He at once collected all the 
 civilians and Christian residents of Lucknow, with a few native 
 troops whose fidelity he thought he could trust, and over whom he 
 exerted a wonderful influence, into the Residency, and some other 
 houses close to it, and began to fortify them in the best manner 
 that the time and means at his command would allow. Provisions 
 were collected rapidly, and ammunition stored and prepared, guns 
 put in position, and his people organized. In addition to the 
 
320 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Residency, he also occupied an old fort called the "Muchee Bha- 
 wun," about one third of a mile west of the Residency, and close 
 to which are our mission premises. Dividing his force, he fondly 
 hoped to be strong enough to hold both positions till re-enforce- 
 ments should reach him, and enable him to restore law and order 
 at the capital, and throughout the kingdom. How little he fore- 
 boded the fearful odds against which his feeble garrison would soon 
 have to contend ! Meanwhile the reports of the fiendish atrocities 
 of Delhi, Meerut, Shahjehanpore, Bareilly, and other places reached 
 Lucknow, and its few hundred anxious Christian people began to 
 realize more fully how completely they were cut off from all human 
 assistance, and how dark their own future was becoming. 
 
 The natives in the city had become so persuaded of the over- 
 throw of the English power that the Government securities, which 
 a few days before were selling at a premium, had fallen from over 
 one hundred to thirty-seven. Fanatics paraded the city — some of 
 them haianguing the crowds of people, and exhibiting pictures of 
 Europeans maimed and mutilated by Sepoys ; others had a show 
 of dolls dressed as European children, which ended by striking off 
 their heads, to the great delight of the mobs, who looked on and 
 applauded ; while the blasphemy of Mohammedan Fakirs became 
 bold and frightful, as they exulted in the overthrow of Christian- 
 ity, and demanded the blood of " the Kaffirs" in the Fort and Res- 
 idency, as the consummation of their efforts. These wretched men 
 imagined that the whole of Hindustan had fallen, that the few of our 
 faith around Sir Henry Lawrence were all of the Christian life left 
 in India ; and for many long and weary months the Christians gen- 
 erally, like those at Nynee Tal, did not know but that this was the 
 terrible truth. 
 
 While busy preparing the defenses with which they were sur- 
 rounding the Residency and the other houses near it, so as to form 
 intrenchments, and make the best of their position, Sir Henry was 
 joined by the few Europeans who had escaped from the massacres 
 at Secrora and other stations in Oude. The news they brought 
 deepened the gloom of the situation. Reports of the dead bodies 
 
THE DISASTROUS DEFEAT OF CHINHUT. 321 
 
 ot Europeans, among them three women, lying by the road side a 
 few miles out, were brought to them, and the fiendish cruelty to 
 which they were exposed received a fearful illustration when, one 
 day, some natives brought to the Residency the body of an English 
 lady, which they had found lying by the road side cut up into quar- 
 ters ! These unfortunate people were evidently making for the 
 Residency when they were overtaken and thus cruelly murdered 
 and mutilated by the Sepoys. 
 
 Sir Henry now redoubled his efforts to complete the batteries, 
 stockades, and trenches around his position, and prepare for what- 
 ever might occur. Hearing, on the 29th of June, that the insur- 
 gents were approaching Lucknow, he concluded to march out with 
 a part of his little force, hoping to defeat them before they reached 
 t-he city, and so save himself from investment and the city from 
 being taken ; but, unfortunately, his information of the strength of 
 the foe was defective, and in the moment of emergency, when he 
 suddenly came upon them at Chinhut, seven miles from Lucknow, 
 he found his little force of six hundred and thirty-six men and 
 eleven guns in front of an enemy fifteen thousand strong, with six 
 batteries of guns of various caliber, all ready to receive him. Be- 
 fore his force could recover their surprise the foe opened upon 
 them, their cavalry quickly outflanking them, and it seemed for a 
 while as though not a man could escape to tell the tale. But the 
 brave handful of troops showed a bold front, charging with the 
 bayonet when the enemy came near enough, yet unable to follow 
 up their advantages. The native drivers of the British guns fled 
 in terror, and their artillery was rendered nearly useless, and most 
 of it fell into the hands of the foe. Colonel Case, at the head of his 
 men, was struck by a bullet and dropped. Captain Bassano, seeing 
 him fall, turned to assist him, but the dying hero waved him off, 
 saying, " Captain Bassano, leave me to die here ; your place is at 
 the head of your company. I have no need of assistance." 
 
 They now tried to return to Lucknow, but only about two hun- 
 dred and thirty-four of their number reached the Residency ; they 
 saved only sixty-five of their wounded — the rest were all cut up. 
 
322 TEE LA2n) OF TEE VEDA. 
 
 The wonder is, that any one escaped. Had the rebel cavalry used 
 its opportunity aot a single man of Sir Henry Lawrence's force, or 
 of the faithful natives he had with him, could ever have returned to 
 the Residency. 
 
 This sad event of Chinhut caused Sir Henry Lawrence the deep- 
 est anguish, and it is thought tended to shorten his life. His face, 
 already careworn enough to be remarkable, assumed a sad aspect 
 that it was painful to contemplate. But he nerved himself to meet 
 the stern realities of the position, and all allow that it was, under 
 God, to his foresight and efforts that the Lucknow garrison held 
 out to be at last relieved by Havelock. Those who had till this 
 day remained outside the intrenchments had now to fly to the Res- 
 idency, leaving houses and property unprotected, sacrificing every 
 thing, and thinking only of saving their lives. The Residency be- 
 came one scene of confusion — the women and children rushing to 
 find a place of refuge from the relentless foe, who, flushed with 
 victory, were approaching with flying colors and drums beating, 
 confident of an easy triumph over the remnant that remained. 
 
 Men, covered with blood, some with mangled limbs, their mus- 
 cles contracted with agony, their faces pale, and bodies almost cold, 
 others with the death-rattle in their throat, were brought in by their 
 comrades and laid in rows in the banqueting hall, now turned into 
 a hospital. The ladies crowded around them, fanned them, sup- 
 plied temporary bandages, and showed as much solicitude for them 
 as though they had been their own relatives, which was probably 
 the case as to some of them. The surgeons were soon busy enough, 
 cutting, probing, amputating, and bandaging. All the horrors of 
 war were at once laid bare before the anxious crowd. 
 
 Every man, including the civilians — some of whom had never 
 handled a musket before, but whom Sir Henry had armed — were now 
 called out to defend the position, for the exultant enemy were pour- 
 ing over the two bridges and up the streets to the very gates of the 
 Residency, and getting their guns into position. The people of 
 the city within range were flying, with their goods, out of the way 
 of the expected bombardment, while both sides prepared for the 
 
UNEQUAL CONDITIONS OF THE CONFLICT. 323 
 
 terrible and unequal conflict. The defenses of the Residency were 
 hastily completed. Barricades were formed in all exposed situa- 
 tions, and it is marvelous to read the elements of which some of 
 them were composed^ — mahogany tables and valuable furniture of 
 all kinds, carriages and carts, the records of Government officers in 
 large chests, boxes of stationery, and whatever could be laid hold 
 of and piled up, to cover from the enemy's fire or stop a bullet. 
 Even Captain Hayes's famous library, consisting of invaluable 
 Oriental manuscripts, the standard literary and scientific works of 
 European nations, and dictionaries of almost every language, were, 
 for the nonce, converted into barricades. 
 
 These, with the other defenses which they had already prepared, 
 were by no means strong, though the best they could extemporize. 
 Their chief reliance was on the number of their guns, the quantity 
 of their ammunition, and their ovm courage, which they hoped the 
 God of Hosts would crown with his blessing, till relief could reach 
 them from Calcutta or from England. 
 
 Their enemies had taken possession of the houses deserted by 
 the citizens, and were filling them with sharp-shooters, loop-holing 
 the walls, and putting their numerous cannon in position all around 
 the Residency, as near as they could come, a few of them being so 
 close that they were not more than forty or fifty yards from the 
 intrenchments around the buildings occupied by the Christians. 
 This seems almost incredible, but I can vouch for its truthfulness 
 from personal knowledge before the siege, and personal examina- 
 tion after it, while the battered and torn Residency is to-day its 
 standing memorial. Each party spent a busy night, and next 
 morning the iron messengers of death were flying back and forth 
 in increasing numbers. 
 
 Let us pause here and note the respective strength of the par- 
 ties in this fearfully unequal conflict, and the object for which each 
 was about to fight. On the one side were part of an English 
 regiment, one company of British artillery, a few hundred faithful 
 Sepoys, with some English and European civilians ; on the other, 
 the whole army of Oude. But this fact is worthy of more detail 
 
324 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 The entire number now inside the Residency, inckiding those 
 holding the fort of the Muchee Bawun, near by, was as folJows : 
 
 Men : European soldiers 629 
 
 " civilians 298 
 
 Native soldiers 765 
 
 Total bearing arms , 1,692 
 
 Women , 240 
 
 Children 310 
 
 Total inside the Residency 2,242 
 
 This includes the sick and wounded after the disastrous defeat at 
 Chinhut. 
 
 Outside, their enemies swarmed around their position in such 
 numbers that they have been variously computed at from 30,000 
 to 100,000 strong at different periods during the siege, with about 
 one hundred guns bearing on the devoted Residency and its 
 defenders. 
 
 But mere numbers do not give a sufficient idea of this dreadful 
 contest. Many of those now within the Residency had fled there 
 in such panic as to leave behind in their homes their provisions, 
 money, and furniture, and were literally without a change of cloth- 
 ing, or a bed to lie down upon, or a knife and spoon with which to 
 eat their scanty food. The hottest time of the year was upon 
 them, with not the first of the appliances by which they had been 
 accustomed to mitigate its rigor. Crowded into the narrowest 
 space, most of them had to lie down on the ground, the heat, 
 mosquitoes and effluvia being almost intolerable : the shot of the 
 enemy, too, often came crashing through the walls, sprinkling them 
 with the dust and mortar as it passed over them, while sometimes 
 a fearful shell would explode in their midst, and kill or wound 
 two or three or more of them. Alas ! one hundred and forty-three 
 days of such suffering lay before them now, during which time 
 two fifths of their number were to die, and more than a thousand 
 brave men would have to perish in order to save the remnant that 
 was left ! 
 
 The Residency itself, and a few houses around it — the homes of 
 
THE MUCHEE BAWUN BLOWN UP. 325 
 
 the officers in the suite of the Governor — occupied an elevated 
 plateau, with the city on three sides of it and the river Goomtee on 
 the north. From the roof of the Residency the view was beauti- 
 ful, extending over the city and surrounding country. The num- 
 bej and variety of the buildings, the gilded domes and cupolas, the 
 elegant outlines of the palaces, all set in the deep green of the 
 surrounding trees and gardens, together made up a scene of sur- 
 passing beauty ; but no building could have been less calculated 
 for purposes of defense. Its lofty windows, which had not been 
 walled up, offered unopposed entrance to every bullet that came. 
 The roof was wholly exposed. Below its ground floor the Resi- 
 dency had a spacious " Tyekhana " — underground rooms, used by 
 people in India as a retreat from the heat and glare of the mid-day 
 sun in the hot season, and as soon as the siege commenced the 
 ladies and children were crowded into this splendid cellar, and had 
 to remain there. The Banqueting Hall was turned into a hospital, 
 and the upper rooms occupied by the soldiers. Altogether, in this 
 one building there were from 800 to 1,000 persons. The remain- 
 der were placed in the houses around, or at the batteries, or where 
 any shelter could be found. 
 
 Meanwhile the siege went on, and increased in its fierceness ; 
 closer and closer still was drawn the circle of guns around the 
 position, and they were served with great ability. Every loop-hole 
 made in the walls of the houses around had a sharp-shooter at it 
 day and night, and the moment a head was exposed the rifle sent 
 forth a leaden messenger of death. Sir Henry soon became con- 
 vinced that he was too weak in numbers to think any longer of 
 holding both the Muchee Bawun and the Residency. He saw 
 that he would be overwhelmed in the assault which would probably 
 follow this fierce bombardment, so he resolved to give up the 
 Muchee Bawun and concentrate his whole force within the Resi- 
 dency. But how to effect the junction now, when the river side 
 of the road the whole way to the Muchee Bawun was lined with 
 the batteries and troops of the enemy, was a difficulty before which 
 most men would have shrunk. Sir Henry, however, saw it must 
 
326 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 be attempted, and every thing was done to carry it out. By tele- 
 graphic signals from the tower, shown in the picture, communica- 
 tions were at length established, and the order was transmitted to 
 the commanding officer, "Blow up the fort and come to the Resi- 
 dency at twelve d clock to-night. Bring your treasure and guns y and 
 destroy the remainder ^ 
 
 That night was anxiously looked for, and many an earnest 
 prayer went up to God that every movement might be made safely 
 and well, so that the retreat of the retiring force might not be 
 intercepted. To distract the attention of the enemy the batteries 
 opened fire, especially toward the iron bridge, by which the column 
 must pass. The movement was most successfully accomplished, 
 and so noiseless was the march, favored by the darkness, that the 
 head of the column was at the Residency gate at fifteen minutes 
 after twelve. There was a little delay here, as, not being so 
 quickly expected, the gate had not been made ready. It was dark, 
 and a very serious accident had almost occurred, for the leading 
 men finding the gates closed, cried out, " Open the gates." This 
 the artillerists at the guns above, which covered the entrance, 
 mistook for " open with grape." They flew to their guns and 
 rammed in the grape, when an officer rushed up and set them 
 right. The whole force came in without a shot being fired by 
 them or at them. The distance is fully one third of a mile, and 
 the enemy was on their left hand, within fifty or sixty yards of them 
 most of the way. The explosion had not yet occurred, the fuses 
 having been left extra long to give time for the rear to be quite 
 clear of danger ; but soon a shake of the earth, a volume of fire, a 
 terrific report, and an immense column of black smoke shooting 
 high into the air, announced to Lucknow that the Muchee Bawun 
 was no more. All the ammunition that they could not remove — 
 two hundred and fifty barrels of powder and several millions of 
 ball cartridge — was destroyed, together with the buildnigs and their 
 contents. The shock resembled an earthquake. 
 
 How gladly the garrison greeted their comrades as they entered! 
 The junction of the two forces was an incalculable gain, for the 
 
iSm HENBT LAWRENCE'S DEATH. 327 
 
 additional men were actually required to man the defenses, and 
 their safe arrival greatly cheered every person in the Residency. 
 Strange things will occur in the most solemn circumstances. On 
 calling their muster-roll they found one man was missing — an Irish 
 soldier. He was given up as lost. The unfortunate fellow had 
 been left behind in a state of intoxication. He was thrown into 
 the air and returned again to mother earth unhurt, continued his 
 drunken sleep, and awoke early next morning to find, to his aston- 
 ishment, the fort all in ruins around him. He deliberately walked 
 to the Residency, unmolested by any one. The men inside 
 the Residency gate, just as day was breaking, were not a little 
 surprised to hear a man outside sing out to them, with a rich Irish 
 brogue, " Arrah, thin, open your gates ! " Convulsed with laugh- 
 ter, they opened and let the poor fellow in. He was asked why he 
 had left the Ibrt, and with a look of wonder and simplicity an- 
 sw'ered, " Sure, an' I didn't see e'er a man in the place." 
 
 Every one seemed to catch the spirit of the noble chief — Sir 
 Henry's presence anywhere was like a re-enforcement. Day and 
 night he was inspecting and encouraging the various posts, ex- 
 posed to imminent danger all the while. From twelve to forty 
 men were at each point or battery, with thousands of the blood- 
 thirsty and blaspheming fanatics opposed to each set ; but these 
 outposts must be maintained, for if once in, the enemy never 
 could have been turned out ; every man, woman, and child would 
 have been ruthlessly butchered ; yet each party fought under the 
 apprehension that others might be more hardly pressed than them- 
 selves, and occasionally the cry would be heard, " More men this 
 way !" and off would run two or three, all that could be spared, till 
 a similar cry was heard from another direction, when others would 
 rush to that point to give assistance. 
 
 On July 4 the heaviest trial that could befall them occurred — 
 their trusted and heroic commander was struck down. The 
 Sepoys had found out what room Sir Henry Lawrence occupied — 
 the one shown on the lower floor, right-hand side, in the picture, 
 and they began to send shells into it. One of these entered and 
 
328 TUB LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 exploded close to Sir Henry, tearing the thigh from his body, and 
 mortally wounding him. He lingered for two days, and then de- 
 parted as noble a spirit as ever animated human clay. He spent 
 the conscious moments of these two days in directing and advising 
 what should be done in carrying on the defense till succor should 
 arrive. Frequently he would arouse himself, and exclaim to the 
 mourning group around him, " Save the ladies ' " and for their 
 sakes he enjoined upon them, in view of what had been done at 
 Delhi and Cawnpore, never to surrender ! His last thoughts were 
 given to those he loved so well, and to the Redeemer whom he 
 had served for many years. He expressed his anxiety for the wel- 
 fare of the " Lawrence Asylum " — a school which he had founded 
 for the children of soldiers in India ; sent affectionate mes- 
 sages to his children and to his brother, late Viceroy of India, 
 and to his sisters ; and spoke most affectionately of ftis wife, Lady 
 Lawrence, who had died four years previously. He then earnestly 
 pointed out to those around him the worthlessness of all human 
 distinctions, recommending them to fix their thoughts upon a bet- 
 ter world and try to gain it. He was prayed with, and received 
 the holy sacrament, praising God, and expressing his perfect faith 
 and reliance on his divine Saviour, and in this state of mind he 
 passed out of that scene of conflict and confusion to that blessed 
 clime where 
 
 " No rude alarm of raging foes, 
 
 No fears, shall break his long repose." 
 
 Military honors marked not their respect for his remains. The 
 times were too stern for such demonstrations. " By dead of 
 night " a hurried prayer, amid the booming of the enemy's cannon 
 and the fire of their musketry, was read over his corpse, and he 
 was lowered into a pit, with several other, though lowlier, compan- 
 ions in arms, and there he sleeps behind the Residency, awaiting 
 the resurrection of the just. 
 
 A feeling of despair for a few hours seemed to take possession 
 of every man and woman, but they had to rouse themselves to 
 meet the stern realities of their position. Darker and more dread- 
 
THEIR DREADFUL RESOLUTION. 329 
 
 fill the days came on ; yet still they fought and suffered. Their 
 hopes of relief were still deferred, and their hearts were sick, while 
 their foes grew stronger in numbers and determination to destroy 
 them, and would frequently yell out, with fearful imprecations — for 
 they were near enough to be heard — what they would do with 
 them when they did get in. But the garrison were determined 
 there should not be another Cawnpore. Sir Henry's injunction 
 "never to surrender" was fully accepted. It is fearful to read 
 their resolves should the worst come, and to find the ladies acqui- 
 escing; and even, in some cases, requiring an engagement from 
 their husbands to fulfill those wishes rather than that they should 
 fall into the hands of the Sepoys. 
 
 This awful alternative was actually taken by some of those who 
 fell at Jan see. One lady in particular is mentioned, who pledged 
 her husband, an English ofhcer, that when death became inevitable, 
 he was not to allow her to fall alive into the power of the Sepoys, 
 but she was to die by a pistol-ball from his own hand. Sadly and 
 reluctantly he gave the promise ; and when the fearful hour came, 
 and the enemy broke in upon them, she sprang to his side, and, 
 with a last caress exclaimed, " Now, Charley, now — your promise ! " 
 He kissed her,, put the pistol to her head, and then turned and sold 
 his own life dearly to the wretches around him. 
 
 Such cases cannot be judged by ordinary rules. Those who 
 entertained such thoughts were confronted by an Oriental foe, 
 whose fiendish malice and cruelty to women and children are not 
 known in civilized warfare. It is a matter of devout thankfulness 
 that the Lucknow garrison were not reduced to this dreadful 
 extremity. It would have clouded the bright record of their heroic 
 endurance. 
 
 Space would fail to give even a brief outline of their sorrows dur- 
 ing the next three months. Reduced to starvation allowances of 
 the coarsest food, many of them clad in rags, and all crowded into 
 the narrowest quarters, so that Mrs. Harris's Diary speaks of the 
 ladies lying on the floor, " fitting into each other like bits in a puz- 
 zle, until the whole floor was full," they still courageously endured. 
 
330 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 And if this was the condition of those in health, what must have 
 been the state of the sick and wounded ! Small-pox, cholera, boils, 
 dysentery, and malarious fever added their horrors to the situation, 
 while the iron hail of death, mingling with the drenching rain of 
 the monsoon, dropped upon them, so that by the first of August 
 the deaths sometimes rose to twenty in a single day. During this 
 period, and amid all this turmoil and sorrow, eight or ten little ones 
 were born ; and most of these " siege babies," as they were called, 
 actually lived through it all, and still survive, while many of the 
 poor mothers sank under their privations. But the bereaved 
 babies were cared for by the noble women around them. Daily 
 the men fell in the presence of the enemy ; and it is described as 
 truly affecting to see how the list of newly-made widows increased 
 in its number and sadness. 
 
 Food and clothing became painfully scarce, and now " money 
 was despised for bread." The effects, or little stores, of the offi- 
 cers killed were at once sold by auction to the survivors, and it is 
 curious now to read the prices that were eagerly paid. A bottle of 
 wine brought 70 rupees, (the rupee is 50 cents in gold ;) a ham, 75 
 rupees ; a bottle of honey, 45 rupees ; a cake of chocolate, 30 
 rupees ; a bottle of brandy, 140 rupees ; a small fowl, bought by 
 an officer for his sick wife, 20 rupees ; two pounds of sugar brought 
 16 rupees, and other things in proportion. An old flannel shirt, 
 that had seen hard service in the mines — which they had to dig to 
 countermine the enemy — brought 45 rupees. The single suit with 
 which many of them had to hurry into the Residency was being 
 fast worn out, and the officers might have been seen wearing the 
 most extraordinary costumes. Few had any semblance of a mili- 
 tary uniform, and many were in shirts, trousers, and slippers only. 
 One gallant civilian, having found an old billiard-table cloth, had 
 contrived to make himself a kind of loose coat out of it. All 
 carried muskets, and were accoutered like the soldiers. 
 
 While the feeble garrison were thus decreasing in numbers, their 
 foes were augmenting their strength. The Talookdars (Barons) of 
 Oude were sending their armed retainers to aid the Sepoys, till it 
 
THE 800THIN0 INFLUENCE OF PBATER. 33 1 
 
 was thought that by the end of August there must have been as 
 many as one hundred thousand men around the Residency. Their 
 leaders were maddened by the continued and successful resistance 
 of the English ; and all that they could do to inspire their men, by 
 fanaticism, bhang, (an intoxicating liquor,) and brave leading, were 
 done to capture the position. They attempted to storm it several 
 times. Three of these occasions are specially memorable ; and it is 
 perfectly amazing to read the stern, unconquerable resistance with 
 which this handful of heroic men, behind their intrenchments, met 
 and dashed back again that raging tide of fierce and blaspheming 
 assailants. They would begin by exploding the mines which they 
 had driven close up to or under the defenses, open with a fearful 
 cannonade, and then swarm up to the breaches made. On July 
 20th the fight lasted from 9 A. M. to 4 P. M., with the broiling sun 
 up to 140 degrees. At what cost these repulses must have been 
 received may be understood by the fact, that the native report of 
 the attempt to storm on the loth of August admits a loss on their 
 side of four hundred and seventy men killed and wounded on that 
 day alone. 
 
 Lady Inglis, wife of the Commander, in her journal of this ter- 
 rible day, while the poor ladies down in the Tyekhana trembled 
 for the result, refers to the soothing influence oi prayer, as she 
 tried it there with that excited and terrified crowd of women. The 
 effect, she says, was amazing ; each of them seemed to rise above 
 herself, and with calmness and true courage they awaited the 
 result, realizing that, though the enemy was near, God himself was 
 nearer still, and could preserve them. And he did preserve them. 
 
 It is described as one of the most affecting sights that ever was 
 witnessed in a scene of battle to see how the wounded men acted 
 on that day. Knowing the danger, and how their comrades were 
 pressed, they insisted on leaving their beds in the hospital and 
 being helped to the front. The poor fellows came staggering along 
 to the scene of action, trembling with weakness and pale as death, 
 some of them bleeding from their wounds, which reopened by the 
 exertions they made. Those whose limbs were injured laid aside 
 
332 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 their crutches and kneeled do'^n, and fired as fast as they could out 
 of the loop-holes ; while others, who could not do this much, lay on 
 their backs on the ground and loaded for those who were firing. 
 With such endurance as this the fierce enemy was beaten back ; 
 and Asiatics were taught how Christian soldiers could fight and die 
 when defending the lives and honor of Christian women. The 
 storming over, the usual cannonade and musketry were resumed ; 
 but the garrison had become so used to danger and death, that by 
 this time the balls would fall at their feet, or whiz past and graze 
 their hair, frequently without causing any remark about their escapes 
 — they were so common, yet so narrow. The very children began to 
 act like soldiers, playing the mimic " game of war," One urchin of 
 five years was heard saying to another, " You fire round shot, and 
 I'll return shell from my battery." Another, getting into a rage 
 with his playmates, exclaimed, " I hope you may be shot by the 
 enemy ! " Others, playing with grape instead of marbles, would 
 say, " That's clean through his lungs," or, " That wants more eleva- 
 tionr These young scamps picked up all the expressions of the 
 artillery, and made use of them at their games. 
 
 I'he peacock abounds in India, wild and " in all his glory." On 
 the 30th of June, during a lull in the firing, one of these magnifi- 
 cent birds flew near the Residency, perched on the ramparts, 
 and there quietly plumed his feathers. The hungry men looked at 
 him for awhile, and all felt what a welcome addition he would be 
 to their scanty fare. They could easily have shot him, but they 
 refrained ; the beautiful creature seemed like an omen of coming 
 liberty and peace, and he was allowed to remain unmolested as 
 long as he liked. 
 
 To insult the garrison, the Sepoys would frequently send the 
 regimental bands to the opposite banks of the river Goomtee, and 
 have them perform the popular English airs that they used to 
 play there for their officers in other days. With any thing but 
 pleasant feelings, the garrison would have to listen to " The 
 Standara Bearer's March," " The Girl I Left Behind Me," " See, 
 the Conquering Hero Comes," etc. The disloyal rascals had the 
 
% 
 
 Henry Havelock. 
 
 By permission of Bryan, Taylor & Oo. 
 
HAVELOCK'S OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL. 335 
 
 impudence always to finish the concert with the loyal air, " God 
 Save the Queen." 
 
 We pause here to consider what was being done, meanwhile, 
 hundreds of miles aWay for their relief The English authorities 
 at Calcutta had become ere this fully aware of their danger, and 
 were straining every nerve to send them assistance. But what 
 could they do without men .^ Delhi had not a soldier to spare, nor 
 had other points throughout the land where a few English troops 
 were found. Relief must come from without, until the four tedious 
 months rolled over that would bring it from England, twelve thou- 
 sand miles away. 
 
 It was this terrible emergency that made the little force from the 
 Persian Gulf so opportune in its arrival in June. Its saintly and 
 gallant commander was General Havelock, whose portrait we here 
 present. 
 
 No account of the Sepoy Rebellion would be just or adequate 
 that would fail to give him that prominence in its overthrow which 
 Almighty God, in his wonderful providence, awarded him. 
 
 About a month after the battle of Waterloo Henry Havelock 
 entered the English army as Second Lieutenant in the Rifle Bri- 
 gade. In 1823 he was ordered to India, and it was while on his way 
 there, on board the " General Kyd," and chiefly through the instru- 
 mentality of Lieutenant James Gardner, that he was led to that 
 full surrender of his heart and life to the Lord Jesus which he so 
 consistently sustained through the evil and good report of the fol- 
 lowing forty-three years of his eventful military career. His con- 
 secration to God was so complete that a brother officer has testified 
 of him that " he invariably secured two hours in the morning for 
 reading the Scriptures and private prayer." He did this even when 
 campaigning ; so that " if the march began at six o'clock, he rose 
 at four ; if at four, he rose at two." He recognized the claims of 
 God upon his money as well as his time, and from his conversion 
 to the close of his career he devoted regularly one tenth of his 
 income to the cause of God ; so that he might be truly described, 
 in the words applied to the Centurion of the Italian band at Cesa- 
 
336 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 rea, as " a devout man, and one who prayed to God alway." His 
 talents were equally at the Lord's service, so that he was ever 
 ready to visit the sick, to hold a prayer- meeting, to address an 
 audience at a missionary or Bible meeting, while his efforts to lead 
 the men whom he commanded to Christ, and to promote temper- 
 ance and virtue among them, are well known to have been contin- 
 ued to the last, and to have been greatly owned of God. 
 
 Havelock was a Baptist by profession, but he would not be a 
 close communionist. He loved all good men, and delighted to join 
 with them in celebrating his Lord's death. In all his public acts, 
 when he rose to eminence and command, his dispatches and orders 
 acknowledged God, and he delighted to ascribe to him the victories 
 that he was enabled to achieve. How touching are these, especially 
 in his last campaign ! 
 
 His life was one of continued exposure and hard service. In 
 1824 he fought under Sir Archibald Campbell in Burmah, where 
 he had the satisfaction of assisting at the liberation of Dr and Mrs. 
 Judson from the Emperor's cruel tyranny. It was then, in the 
 midst of a ser'ous military move, and when the corps ordered to 
 occupy a most important point were found utterly incapable, from 
 intoxication, to fulfill their duty, that his commander-in-chief paid 
 him and his men that rough compliment — " Call out Havelock's 
 saints ; they are never drunk, and Havelock is always ready ! " 
 The "saints" and their leader promptly responded, the position 
 was saved, and the enemy repulsed. 
 
 How he was esteemed by his men, for whose highest good he 
 labored so earnestly, may be seen in the fact that when, in 1836, 
 his house was accidentally burned with all its contents, the men of 
 his regiment came in a body to him, begging him to allow each of 
 them to devote one month's pay to help him to sustain the loss. 
 He gratefully declined the aid pressed upon him, but what a satis- 
 faction must it have been in showing the estimation in which these 
 men held him. He might well offset any petty High Church 
 hauteur which certain parties might affect toward him because he 
 was a " Dissenter," with this noble instance of the value in 
 
MAVELOCK'S MILITARY SERVICES. 337 
 
 which his character and senaces were held by those who best 
 knew in what his Christianity consisted. 
 
 If the consideration intimated had any thing to do with the fact 
 that he was allowed to serve his country twenty-three years as a 
 subaltern before he was promoted to a captaincy, the narrow- 
 minded bigots who did him the injustice are not to be envied now. 
 When they shall have been long forgotten, the good soldier of Jesus 
 Christ, whose advance they retarded, will be remembered and hon- 
 ored by gallant men and true women on both Continents. 
 
 In 1838 he took part in the invasion of Afghanistan, was at the 
 storming of Ghuznee, at the forcing of the Khoord Cabool Pass, and 
 aided in the memorable defense of Jellalabad, where he won his 
 majority, and received the Cross of the Bath for conspicuous 
 bravery. He took part in the forcing of the Khyber Pass, in the 
 invasion of Kohistan, and in the battle of Muherajpore. He wrote 
 the military memoirs of some of these great events, and was Per- 
 sian interpreter to the Commander-in-chief At Moodkee, in 1845, 
 he had two horses shot under him, and another at the battle of 
 Sabraon ; became Military Secretary to the Commander-in-chief 
 and Colonel ; till at length, after twenty-six years of hard service, 
 which bore heavily on a constitution not naturally strong, he was 
 permitted to visit England to recruit that energy which would soon 
 be required in circumstances of greater emergency than he or his 
 country had ever seen in the East. 
 
 Divine Providence had thus trained him for the supreme duty 
 of his life. In 1855 he was back in India, appointed Adjutant- 
 General, and just entering his sixtieth year, and in January, 1857, 
 Avas nominated in orders to command the second division of the 
 army employed against Persia, under Lieutenant-General Sir James 
 Outram, from whence he returned victorious. In the heart of 
 Persia we find him writing to his beloved wife, (the daughter of 
 Dr. Marshman, the well-known missionary :) " I have good troops 
 and cannon under my command, but my trust is in the Lord Jesus, 
 my tried and merciful friend ! To him all power is intrusted in 
 heaven and on earth " He had to pass a fort here, his steamer 
 
338 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 being crowded with his Highlanders, whom he made to lie down, 
 while, Farragut-like, he took his station on the paddle-box, to aid 
 as the emergency required. Though the bullets whizzed all around 
 him he was untouched. After the victory was won, he writes : 
 " I felt throughout that the Lord Jesus was at my side." 
 
 The sympathy of this noble man with " the common people " is 
 beautifully illustrated just here, when we find him engaged in writ- 
 ins: a Ions: letter to a Christian soldier then in London, named 
 Godfrey, who had formerly served under him, a letter from whom 
 found him in Persia. 
 
 But now came the days when we needed him and his brave men, 
 and a merciful Providence causes war to cease in Mohummera, and 
 returns him to India on the very day before the Bareilly massacre. 
 He is delayed by shipwreck, and by having to wait for his troops 
 at Calcutta, The 78th Highlanders, 84th and 64th Queens', reach 
 him at last, and, as no more can then be spared, save a few Sikhs, 
 and notwithstanding that he must know that he had probably a 
 heavier duty on his hands than any soldier of his race ever under- 
 took, he shrinks not — but with the words to his wife, " May God 
 give me wisdom and strength to fulfill the expectations oi the 
 Government, and restore tranquillity in the disturbed provinces," 
 he sets out on his last eventful campaign, to find a grave at its 
 close, but realizing all through it, ay, and at the end as well, that 
 " the Lord Jesus was at his side ! " 
 
 With only fourteen hundred British bayonets and eight guns, 
 united to less than three hundred Sikhs and thirty irregular cav- 
 alry, he sublimely writes in starting : " I march to-morrow to 
 endeavor to retake Cawnpore and rescue Lucknow ! " He was 
 to do this through a country swarming with Sepoy troops, who 
 had been well disciplined and armed by Englishmen, and to do 
 it, too, at that season of the year when the rains fall fast and 
 frequently, and the flat country is inundated, and the sun pouis 
 down its rays like fire, till the thermometer stands at one hundred 
 and thirty-eight degrees — to do it all with a poorly-supplied com- 
 missariat, with few tents, and little shelter. Were ever such results 
 
THE VICTORY AT FUTTTPORE. 339 
 
 sought by such means under such circumstances ? But they were 
 the best the times admitted, and knowing the danger of delay foi 
 the precious lives at Cawnpore and Lucknow, he would take them, 
 and trust Him for the results who can save by few as by many. 
 
 At Futtypore he was confronted by thirty-five hundred rebels — 
 two regiments being cavalry and three infantry— with twelve guns 
 His men had just finished their march under a broiling sun that 
 forenoon, when the Sepoys bore down upon him, confident of an 
 easy triumph. But in four hours Havelock had his victory, with 
 eleven of the rebel guns, their ammunition and baggage, as the 
 trophies of it in his hands. In his General Order he ascribes his 
 triumph " to the power of the Enfield rifle in British hands, to 
 British pluck, and to the blessing of Almighty God on a most 
 righteous cause— the cause of justice, humanity, truth, and good 
 government in India." This conflict occurred on the 12th of July 
 —the anniversary of the battle of the Boyne, as noticed by the 
 General. He also notes that one of the infantry regiments opposed 
 to him was the 56th, the very regiment which he himself led at the 
 battle of Maharajpore a few years previously ! He challenged them 
 in particular, and was exultant over their defeat ; yet adds in his 
 letter, " But away with vain-glory ! Thanks to Almighty God, who 
 gave me the victory ! " Such was the man, and such the heroes 
 whom he led, who were thus fighting their way up to our relief 
 against such fearful odds. 
 
 It was near Futtypore, and about one day before the battle, that 
 Joel met this force. His party had slept, the night before in Judge 
 Tucker's house, as narrated in his letter. That gentleman's death 
 was avenged before the General left Futtypore. On the day of 
 the rising in May, Judge Tucker refused to desert his post, hoping 
 to preserve the peace by the assistance of his subordinate, Hikrim- 
 toolah Khan, the Deputy Collector. But, like Khan Bahadar, this 
 man proved a cruel traitor. He himself led on the mob which sur- 
 rounded the Judge's house. Hikrimtoolah proposed to try him, 
 but the stern Judge would not surrender. Sixteen of his assailants 
 fell by his hand ere this brave man was overpowered. At lenc^th 
 
340 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Hikrimtoolah had him at his disposal, and, taking off his hands, 
 feet, and head, he held them up before the mob as trophies. All 
 this was known ; for evidence of native Christians, and others who 
 fled, was taken on oath, and was already on file in Havelock's 
 hands. Instead of keeping out of the way, Hikrimtoolah, with con- 
 summate hypocrisy, supposing his deed unknown to the General, 
 came out to congratulate Havelock on his victory. He was at once 
 arrested, the evidence of his guilt was found to be conclusive, and 
 he was executed on the spot. 
 
 At Aong and Pandoo Nuddee Havelock was again victorious. 
 This latter action brought him within a few miles of Cawnpore. 
 Jnteliigence of the defeat of his Sepoy forces reached the Nana 
 Sahib on the night of the 15th of July, and was immediately fol- 
 lowed by the massacre of the ladies, already described. 
 
 The weary soldiers were aroused by the bugle-blast long before 
 daylight on the morning of the i6th. They had that day to meet 
 the sternest resistance they had ever yet encountered, for the whole 
 force of the Nana Sahib, who commanded in person, lay between 
 them and Cawnpore, where they hoped to find alive, and still hold- 
 mg out, the noble men they were marching and fighting so hard 
 to save. The foe was met strongly intrenched at Ahirwa, and they 
 fought like furies for two hours and twenty minutes, with every 
 advantage in their favor. The British charge that day is described 
 by those who witnessed it as one of the most sublime illustrations 
 of the power of discipline that was ever witnessed. That little force 
 of thirteen hundred men moved up, steady and silent as a wall, to 
 conquer or to die, amid those crashing shells and volleys of mus- 
 ketry ; and the heart of the foe died within him, and his fire became 
 hasty and ill-directed, as the sheen of the British bayonets became 
 ominously distinct, till, within one hundred yards, they delivered 
 their fire, and with a cheer dashed through their own smoke at 
 the enemy. Then each rebel thought only of himself. These 
 humbled Brahmins dropped their weapons, stripped off their packs, 
 and spurred and ran for dear life back to the city of their hideous 
 crime, leaving all their guns in Havelock's hands. He lost one 
 
TOO LATE AFTER ALL TO SAVE THE LADLES. 34 1 
 
 hundred of his small force in this fierce contest. It is believed 
 that " in no action ever fought was the superior power of arrange- 
 ment, moral force, personal daring, and physical strength of the 
 European over the Asiatic more apparent" than in this case, for 
 the rebels fought hard and well, but they had met far more than 
 their match, and were terribly beaten. Thus, between the 7th and 
 1 6th of July, Havelock's men had marched one hundred and twenty- 
 six miles, under an Indian sun, alternated with tropical rains ; had 
 fought four battles, and captured forty-four guns ; yet their labors 
 and sufferings were only beginning. Still their General trusted in 
 God, and held that his soldiers' disciphne was equal to their valor, 
 and he resolved to push on and finish the work that was given them 
 to do. 
 
 The wounded are gathered and cared for, the dead buried, and 
 the weary heroes lie down on the soaking earth to rest and dream 
 of the deliverance they will surely bring to-morrow to their belea- 
 guered friends in Cawnpore. In the middle of the night a crash that 
 shook the ground beneath awoke them — Nana Sahib had blown up 
 the Cawnpore magazine. On the morning of the 17th the British 
 marched into Cawnpore. A Eurasian with whom I am well ac- 
 quainted, a Mr. Shepherd — the only living Christian in the district, 
 and who escaped as by a miracle — rushed out from his hiding-place 
 and joined them ; he told them all, and led them to the house of 
 blood ! These men, who had charged to the cannon's mouth on 
 the preceding day, sank down on the ground and wept like children 
 at this spectacle of crime and suffering. Havelock's feelings of grief 
 were inexpressible. Nana Sahib's butcheries were evidently a defi- 
 ant challenge to a conflict of absolute extermination on the one side 
 or the other : none could misunderstand his purpose. 
 
 Resting his weary and sorrowful troops for that day, on the 19th 
 Havelock marched against Bithoor. But Nana Sahib had fled and 
 crossed the Ganges, to get between Havelock and Lucknow, so as 
 at least to delay his march till the Sepoys there could have time to 
 copy the hideous infamy of which he had given them the example. 
 
 On the 20th General Neill, at Havelock's urgent request, had 
 
342 THE LAND OF TEE VEDA. 
 
 joined him from Allahabad witn every available man — only two 
 hundred and seventy of the Fusileers in all. Leaving Neill at 
 Cawnpore with a few soldiers, Havelock, strong in hope that he 
 should yet be in time to save the Lucknow garrison, crossed the 
 Ganges on the 21st with his gallant fifteen hundred men, and 
 began his first march for their relief He fought two battles and 
 gained two victories at Onao and Busserut Gunge in one day. But 
 at this season the rains deluge the whole face of the country, which 
 is quite flat between the two cities. There is only one road for 
 that forty-three miles, and his foes, recruited from Lucknow, were 
 swelled to ten or fifteen thousand men, with ample artillery and 
 cavalry. Havelock had lost many of his officers and men. The 
 gallant Renaud was killed ; Beatson had died of cholera ; disease 
 and sun-stroke were bus}^ in his ranks ; and the great and good man 
 was compelled, with a sad heart, to come to the conclusion thai he 
 must return nearer to Cawnpore, and wait for reinforcements, ere 
 he could venture to resume his march. To persevere now would 
 be certain destruction. So he returned to Munghowur, sent his 
 sick and wounded to Cawnpore, and corresponded with Calcutta 
 and Allahabad, entreating for help. 
 
 All this time he was trying to communicate with Lucknow, by 
 hiring faithful natives to venture to carry letters to the garrison. 
 Three of his missives did reach them — short, written in Greek, and 
 inclosed in a quill, which the messenger could conceal in his mouth 
 when liable to be searched by the rebel police and others. He had 
 the satisfaction of receiving two replies from them, telling him of 
 their condition and how they looked for his arrival. They little 
 imagined with how small a force, and under what disadvantages, he 
 was trying to reach them, for he made light of his obstacles, and 
 wrote cheerfully of his hopes. 
 
 Neill sent out to him every available soldier that couid then be 
 obtained ; and with fourteen hundred healthy men Havelock com- 
 menced his second march to relieve Lucknow on the 4th of August. 
 The enemy had taken up a strong position on their old ground, at 
 Busserut Gunge. The Sepoys, in great force and well posted, had the 
 
HAVELOCK UNABLE TO ADVANCE. 343 
 
 town for their second line of defense. The country on either side 
 of the road was little better than a lake ; so, as it was impossible for 
 Havelock to turn the position, he had to advance along the road 
 which they so completely commanded, to drive them from their 
 position. But he did this, and gained the town, and drove the 
 rebels through and beyond it. He had only a handful of cavalry to 
 follow u]-) his advantage. This was his seventh victory. 
 
 But now appeared an invisible foe whom he could not conquer. 
 The terrible Asiatic cholera broke out among his men, and he was 
 in the field, exposed to the elements, and surrounded by swamps 
 and malaria. He had, therefore, to retreat again, not from the face 
 of man, but from the fearful pestilence. He retired upon Mung- 
 howur, which was on rising ground, and here he wrote one of his 
 last letters to Mrs. Havelock, evidently fully conscious of the emer- 
 gencies of his position, and says : " I have every-where beaten my 
 foes, but things are in a most perilous state. If we succeed in 
 restormg any thing, it will be by God's especial and extraordinary 
 mercy. I must now write as one whom you may see no more, for 
 the chances of war are heavy at this crisis. Thank God for my 
 hope in the Saviour ! We shall meet in heaven." 
 
 What the Duke of Wellington said of a soldier whom he saw 
 turn pale as he looked at the fearful breach which he was mount- 
 ing up to storm — " There is a brave man ; he sees his danger, and 
 yet he faces it " — might with every propriety be said of this warrior 
 and his men. They were fully sensible of their risks, and yet they 
 gallantly faced them. What would four or five thousand men have 
 been to Havelock then ! But help was far away. A few hundreds 
 were struggling up to him from Calcutta, but the forces he needed 
 were tossing on the biEows off the Cape of Good Hope, while 
 twenty thousand Sepoys, well provisioned, and in splendid condi- 
 tion, lay extended across the road by which he wanted to march to 
 the relief of the beleaguered garrison in the Residency. He had 
 lost one hundred and forty men out of a thousand, and was but ten 
 miles on his road to Lucknow. He evidently had no alternative 
 but to go back to Cawnpore and wait for help. On the thirteenth 
 
344 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 he recrossed the Ganges, and here the additional danger of his 
 position broke upon him. Nana Sahib had recrossed the river 
 before him and was threatening Cawnpore, and also his communi- 
 cations with Allahabad, while Neill and his little force were Dn the 
 brink of destruction. He soon retrieved the state of affairs, fight- 
 ing another well-contested battle, and scattering the rebel hosts to 
 the winds. 
 
 Himself and men were now doomed to a brief term of enforced 
 rest, which they greatly needed ere they entered upon their last 
 great struggle. On the 15 th of September came some of the help 
 for which he had so longed, for Lieutenant-General Sir James 
 Outram, with two thousand men, reached Cawnpore that day. 
 General Outram could, in view of his superior rank, have at once 
 assumed command ; but, with a magnanimity as rare as it was 
 generous, he waived his right, that he might gratify and honor the 
 noble man whose devotion and gallantry he so highly appreciated. 
 He therefore issued his divisional order on the night of the i6th, 
 saying, " The important duty of first relieving Lucknow has been 
 intrusted to Major-General Havelock, and General Outram feels 
 that it is due to this distinguished officer, and the strenuous and 
 noble exertions which he has already made to effect that object, 
 that to him should accrue the honor of the achievement. Geneial 
 Outram is confident that the great end for which General Have- 
 lock and his brave troops have so long and gloriously fought will 
 now, under the blessing of Providence, be accomplished. The 
 General, therefore, in gratitude for, and admiration of, the bril- 
 liant deeds in arms achieved by General Havelock and his gal- 
 lant troops, will cheerfully waive his rank on the occasion, and will 
 accompany the force to Lucknow in his civil capacity as Chief 
 Commissioner of Oude, tendering his military services to General 
 Havelock as a volunteer." 
 
 Havelock gratefully and publicly acknowledged this generous 
 and noble conduct of his chief, and, with renewed hope, prepared 
 for the great task before him. The first letter of Havelock's that 
 the garrison in the Residency received was on the 24th of July, 
 
REINFORCED AND ON HIS WAT AGAIN. 345 
 
 promising, as the writer fondly hoped, rehef in a few days ; but it 
 was not till the 29th of August that they understood the reasons 
 of his delay, and now, nearly a month later still, he was al length 
 to inform them in person what he had endured in order to reach 
 them, and why he could not do so at an earlier day. 
 
 On the 20th of September Havelock again crossed the Ganges 
 with 3,179 men, composed of the 78th and 91st Highlanders, the 
 64th and 84th, and the ist and 5th Fusileers, a regiment of 
 Sikhs, and 168 volunteer cavalry. No greater work was ever 
 accomplished by military skill and daring than the relief of the 
 Lucknow garrison by this handful of men. 
 
 The faithful native messenger, Ungud, again reached his camp, 
 and was at once dispatched to give the final assurance to the gar- 
 rison that he was at last really coming, and that, God helping him, 
 they should be relieved v/ithin three or four days. This glad news 
 reached them on the 22d of September, and raised the drooping 
 spirits of all. How fervently they prayed, and how anxiously they 
 watched, during the three following days, trembling to think how 
 many precious lives of their approaching friends would have to be 
 sacrificed in order to rescue them ! 
 
 General Havelock had to fight two battles more between Cawn- 
 pore and Lucknow, but these he fought and won. Within five 
 miles of the city they could hear the artillery booming around the 
 Residency of Lucknow, and the General ordered a royal salute to 
 be fired from his heaviest guns, in the hope that his beleaguered 
 friends might hear the report and understand its import — that 
 deliverance was drawing nigh. 
 
 Their beaten foes fell back on their strong city, about two miles 
 of which Havelock's men must fight their way through, ere they 
 could reach the Residency. Every inch of ground was disputed ; 
 palisades and barricades had to be taken at the point of the bayonet. 
 The flat-roofed houses had been furnished with mud-walls on the 
 top, on the street side, pierced for musketry, where the Sepoys 
 could fire on the men in the narrow streets without exposing their 
 own persons, thus doing dreadful execution. No words can do 
 
346 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 justice to that march of fire and death. " Broad, deep trenches 
 had been cut across the road, fitted with every kind of obstruction. 
 Each inch of the way was covered point-blank by unseen marks- 
 men ; at every turn heavy artillery belched forth its fiery breath 
 of grape and canister. Above, below, on all sides, crowds of 
 human tigers glared from housetop and loop-holed casement upon 
 the intrepid band, while, as they turned the corners which open 
 upon the squares of the palace, surrounded by high walls, they 
 had to encounter from many thousand rifles an iron hurricane of 
 destruction and death." A bullet here strikes General Neill, and 
 he falls to rise no more. But the brave men and their gallant 
 leaders move steadily on, capturing guns and positions, till they 
 reach the Kaiser Bagh — the King's Palace Garden — which they 
 also capture. And here they try to collect and secure their 
 wounded, and rest for the night, for they can go no farther. Alas ! 
 many of their wounded, about whom they are so anxious, fell into 
 the hands of the cruel enemy, the fate of some of whom was dread- 
 ful. They were collected early in the night by these barbarians 
 into one of the squares, and were there actually burned to deatli 
 in the doolies, or hospital litters, in which they lay. 
 
 Early the next day the troops resumed their terrible task. A long 
 reach of the city still separated them from the Residency. Strong 
 positions and lengthy streets must be won ere they are heard or 
 seen by their anxious friends there. The distance has often been 
 walked over in twenty minutes by the writer, but it took these 
 brave men more than twelve hours of the fiercest fighting to 
 accomplish it that day. This was the 25th of September. One 
 of the staff thus describes what followed : " About eleven o'clock 
 A. M. the people in the Residency could distinctly perceive an 
 increased agitation in the center of the city, with the sound of 
 musketry and the smoke of guns. All the garrison was upon the 
 alert, and the excitement among many of the officers and soldiers 
 was quite painful to witness. About half past one P. M. they 
 could see many of the people of the city leaving it on the north 
 side across the bridges, with bundles of clothes, etc., on their heads. 
 
TUE BESIDENCT BEACHED. 349 
 
 Still their deliverers were not yet visible. At fcur P. M. a report 
 spread that some of them could be seen, but for a full hour later 
 nothing definite could be made out. At five o'clock volleys of 
 musketry, rapidly growing louder and nearer, were heard, and soon 
 the peculiar ring of a Minie ball over their heads told them theii 
 friends could be only a gun-shot from them now. They could see 
 the Sepoys firing heavily on them from the tops of the houses, but 
 the smoke concealed them. Five minutes later and the English 
 troops emerged where they could actually be seen, fighting their 
 way up the street, and though some fell at every step, yet nothing 
 could withstand the headlong gallantry of the men. The 78th 
 Highlanders were in front, led in person by General Havelock. 
 Once fairly seen, all doubts and fears regarding them were ended, 
 and then the garrison's long pent-up feeling of anxiety and sus- 
 pense burst forth in a succession of deafening cheers. From every 
 pit, trench, and battery — from behind the sand-bags piled on shat- 
 tered houses — from every post still held by a few gallant spirits — 
 rose cheer on cheer, even from the hospital. Many of the wounded 
 crawled forth to join in the glad shout of welcome to thohC who 
 had so bravely come to their assistance. It was a moment r.ever 
 to be forgotten." 
 
 The shouting made the ladies rush out from the Tyekanahs, just 
 in time to witness the Highlanders and Havelock, having borne 
 down all before them, reach the Residency. The enthusiasm 
 with which they were greeted baffles all description — tears, hur- 
 rahs, every evidence of relief and joy, as they welcomed Havelock 
 and the gallant men who had come in time to save them. Our 
 picture but feebly depicts this thrilling scene, yet the heart of 
 every humane person will easily imagine all that pen or pencil fails 
 to portray. 
 
 Soon the whole place was filled, the Highlanders shaking hands 
 frantically with every body, and then these great, big, rough- 
 bearded men, black with powder and mud, seized the little chil- 
 dren out of the ladies' arms, and were kissing them, and passing 
 
 them from one to another, with tears rolling down their cheeks, 
 23 
 
350 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 thanking God that they had come in time to save them from the 
 fate of those at Cawnpore. 
 
 For eighty-seven days the Lucknow garrison had lived in utter 
 ignorance of all that had taken place outside. Wives, who had 
 long mourned their husbands as dead, were now suddenly restored 
 to them — some of them had come as volunteer cavalry with Have- 
 lock — and others, looking fondly forward to glad meetings with 
 those near and dear to them, now for the first time learned that 
 they were alone in the world. On all sides eager inquiries for 
 relations and friends were made. Alas ! in too many instances 
 the answer was a painful one. Sleep was out of the question, and 
 the morning dawned upon the inquirers still asking for more 
 information. 
 
 It is excusable that you find them recording now, amid this joy 
 of their rescue, as they realized the success of their protracted 
 struggle, the proud consciousness of the defense that they had 
 made against such fearful odds, in preserving not only their own 
 lives, but the honor and lives of the ladies and children intrusted 
 to their keeping. Now they learned at last that' they had not been 
 forgotten. They were told what sympathy their fearful position 
 had awakened in all noble hearts in England and America, and 
 throughout the civilized world. The general order issued next day, 
 in eloquent and beautiful terms, gave them official assurance of all 
 this. 
 
 " Havelock's hundred days " were ended in success, and that 
 brave heart glowed with gratitude for the wonderful mercy that 
 had helped him thus to struggle on to the end through the terrible 
 tide of battle, disease, and death, to insure their safety. Now that 
 it was accomplished, he acknowledged the divine help in the words 
 of the Hebrew warrior : " Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but 
 unto thy name give glory." 
 
 His gallant friend General Outram here assumed command, 
 and in his dispatch he refers specially to a fact which shows that 
 a delay of forty-eight hours more might have involved the destruc- 
 tion of all in the Residency. He writes : "We found that they 
 
THE LADIES SAVED. 351 
 
 (the Sepoys) had completed six mines in the most artistic manner 
 — one of them from a distance of two hundred feet under our prin- 
 cipal defensive works, which were ready for loading, and the firing 
 of which must have placed the garrison entirely at their mercy. 
 The delay of another day, therefore, might have sealed their fate." 
 So near, apparently, did they . come to being made another 
 " Cawnpore." 
 
 The few native troops that had nobly and faithfully stood by 
 them were well honored and rewarded. Ungud, their valiant mes- 
 senger, received five hundred rupees for each letter he carried, 
 quite a fortune for the worthy native. The spirit of these brave 
 Sepoys, who had so long resisted unto blood, " faithful among the 
 faithless," may be illustrated by a sad but touching incident, re- 
 lated by Mr. Rees, and which occurred at the entrance of the 78th 
 Highlanders on the day of the relief Coming with a rush on the 
 Bailey Guard outposts, defended by the faithful Sepoys, and not 
 knowing it to be within the Residency inclosure, or that these 
 Sepoys were faithful, the Highlanders stormed it, and bayoneted 
 three of the men, whom they mistook for rebels. The men never 
 resisted, and when explanations ensued, and regret was expressed, 
 one of them waved his hand, and crying, " Kootch purwanni — 
 Never mind — it is all for the good cause ; welcome, friends ! " he 
 fell and expired. 
 
 General Havelock was too weak in men to attempt to bring out 
 the garrison ; he had to remain shut up with them till the Com- 
 mander-in-chief, Sir Colin Campbell, came to their assistance on 
 the 22d of November. The Sepoys still kept up their cannonade, 
 but at a more respectful distance, and the ladies no longer feared 
 either storm or capture. But Havelock's vigor was now unmistak- 
 ably on the wane. Symptoms of serious illness were developing. 
 By the effort of a strong will he tried to think lightly of them, and 
 was still actively engaged day and night ; but a " reduced ration 
 of artillery bullock beef, chuppaties and rice " was poor nourish- 
 ment for an invalid who had not even a change of clothing for the 
 following forty days, the baggage being four miles off at the 
 
352 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Alumbagh. Bread, tea, coffee, sugar, soap, and all such articles, 
 were then unknown luxuries there. The wretches outside still 
 sustained their incessant din of shells and bullets, and raged in 
 tens of thousands in the streets and occupied the buildings which 
 all around commanded the Residency, They were as resolved as 
 ever to destroy the garrison, while they must have been well aware 
 that it could never escape from that position unless relieved by a 
 powerful English army. 
 
 But that army, though not large in numbers, was now on its 
 way. Sir Colin Campbell had landed at Calcutta, and with the 
 first five thousand men that arrived he started for Lucknow. 
 
 On the 1 6th of November Sir Colin approached the city. 
 Avoiding the crowded and barricaded streets, he took a course 
 around by the Royal Park on the east, and, being on rising ground, 
 his force, as they fought the enemy, could be seen from the Resi- 
 dency. They were sternly resisted the whole day. The garrison 
 eagerly watched the conflict. One person was most conspicuous ; 
 he was mounted on a white horse, and seemed to be every- 
 where. They all felt very anxious for this person, for they guessed, 
 and rightly too, that he was the Commander-in-chief He ad- 
 vanced upon the Residency by the Dilkoosha and Martiniere and 
 the line of palaces ; but it required three days of fighting for him 
 to accomplish his purpose. How fierce that fighting was may be 
 imagined from a single item in the Commander-in-chief's dis- 
 patch, wherein he says that within the limits of a single building, 
 the Secunderbagh, and its garden, the bodies of two thousand 
 Sepoys were counted. 
 
 As soon as they left the Park and entered the city they were of 
 course hidden from view, and terrible was the anxiety within the 
 Residency for their success, and even their fate, as hour after hour 
 went over, and the second, and even the third, day came and yet 
 they could not see them. Nothing was known of them but the 
 noise of the firing, the shouting, and the smoke of battle ; still 
 they felt that they must be coming nearer to them, for these 
 sounds gradually became more distinct. This was the moment 
 
MEETING- OF CAMPBELL, OUTBAM, AND RAVELOCK. 353 
 
 chosen for that imposition upon the sympathies of the world, the 
 story of " jFessie Brown " and her " Dinna ye hear the slogan ? " 
 The heroine and the incident are alike fictitious ; but what a wide 
 currency the story obtained ! Martin ascertained that it was 
 originally a little romance, written by a French governess for the 
 use of her pupils, which found its way into the Paris papers, thence 
 to the Jersey Times, thence to the London Times, (December 12, 
 1857,) and afterward appeared in many of the English and Ameri- 
 can papers, and is to this day quoted as authentic. Yet the inci- 
 dent had some foundation in fact, though not in the form in which 
 the poet has presented it. The bagpipes were heard certainly, 
 but not till the Highlander who played them had got into the 
 Residency ; he was in among the first. The inspiration of the 
 welcome set him going. As each party of the brave deliverers 
 poured in they were greeted with loud hurrahs, which each gar- 
 rison in the intrenchments would catch up, and so the cheers ran 
 the rounds, and rose one wondrous shout to heaven. He who bore 
 the bagpipes worked his way into this exulting mass of men, 
 women, and children, and as he strode up and down and around 
 the Residency he gave forth paens of triumph in the shrill and 
 joyous notes of his instrument, adding, of course, to the enthu- 
 siasm, and calling forth ardent repetitions of the wild delight of 
 the occasion. Music never did more for the anxious human heart 
 than was effected in that hour by those simple bagpipes. The 
 sorrowful sighing of these prisoners of hope was suddenly turned 
 into the joyous sense of deliverance ; and it was fitting that Scot- 
 land's music should first thrill those hearts that Scotland's sons 
 had been foremost to save. 
 
 On the evening of the 1 7th the army of the Commander-in-chief 
 had fought their way near enough for the garrison to co-operate 
 with his fire and attempt a junction. Notwithstanding the balls 
 were still flying, Havelock and Outram rode forth to meet their 
 deliverer. And what a meeting was that ! The Scottish Chief, 
 Sir Colin, grim with the smoke and dust of battle, " the good Sir 
 James," as Outram was called, and the dying Havelock, with their 
 
354 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 respective staffs around them, met opposite the kmg's palace gate, 
 about four hundred yards in front of the battered Residency, and 
 there stood, hand grasped in hand, amid the roar of the cannon 
 and the loud, glad cheers of their troops ! Mansfield was there, 
 and Hope Grant, and gallant Peel, with Norman, Ewart, Great- 
 hed, Sir David Baird, Adrian Hope, Gough, the Allisons, and 
 scores of others, who had fought and suffered bravely to see 
 that hour. All were in a tumult of joyous excitement. En- 
 gland has tried to do justice to that great meeting by a magnif- 
 icent picture of the scene. But how significant of their toils and 
 dangers is the reflection that of the names I have mentioned all but 
 about two of this group of Christian knights are in their graves 
 to-day! Campbell and Outram rest in Westminster Abbey, Have- 
 lock lies in the lonely Alumbagh, (he ought to sleep with his 
 illustrious comrades,) and half the others repose beneath India's 
 soil, on subsequent battle-fields, which had to be fought ere com- 
 plete peace was conquered. 
 
 The relief of the Residency was at once followed by its evacua- 
 tion. The women and children required to be promptly removed 
 from danger to a place of safety ; and, as this must be accomplished 
 without risk to any of them, the intention had to be entirely dis- 
 guised from the enemy, fifty thousand strong around them. The 
 Commander-in-chief considerately intrusted the arrangement of this 
 honorable duty to General Havelock ; it was the last service he 
 would ever render, and most efficiently was it performed. The 
 whole force was admirably handled, the fire of the Residency 
 being sustained, and even their lights left burning till sunrise. 
 At midnight of the 22d all was ready, and along a narrow, tortuous 
 lane, (the only possible path,) protected on both sides by the out- 
 posts, which, as the last of the column passed, were quietly with- 
 drawn, " the pickets fell back through the supports ; the supports 
 glided away through the intervals of the reserve ; the reserve, in- 
 cluding the Commander-in-chief, silently defiled into the lane ; 
 while the enemy, seeing the lights and fires burning, thought the 
 Residency still occupied, and kept up on the south and west sides 
 
HAVEL OGK DYING. 355 
 
 their usually desultory night-firing." Not a single mishap occurred, 
 and, to the delight of their deliverers, not one soul that had left the 
 Residency that dark night was missing, as the garrison, with the 
 four hundred and seventy-nine ladies and children, found them- 
 selves at sunrise on the morning of the 23d safe in the center of 
 the whole English force, camped in the Dilkoosha Park, while the 
 Residency, five miles away, the prison of their long agony, could be 
 seen in the distance, swarming all over with the enraged Sepoys, 
 who had just discovered, with the daylight, how completely they 
 had been out-generaled ! 
 
 The fresh air and green fields, the bread, butter, and milk, and 
 clean table-cloths, and other comforts, which for many months they 
 had not seen or tasted, are described as almost bewildering to the 
 poor ladies and children, while the grateful hearts and tearful eyes 
 of the officers who waited upon them so tenderly was a homage to 
 their worth and sufferings which must have been very cheering to 
 them. They were safe and well protected now. 
 
 But, in a tent near by, the noble man who had so uncomplain- 
 ingly endured more than his enfeebled health could bear, was sink- 
 ing, now that his great work for them was done. He had been 
 helped off his horse and laid in a dooley. General Havelock was 
 seriously unwell. His gallant son, with one wounded arm hung in 
 a sling, was sitting by his cot, reading the Holy Scriptures and 
 praying with his father. He was full of gratitude for the rescue so 
 gloriously accomplished, and had accepted with becoming modesty 
 the marked attention paid to him on all sides. He had also just 
 heard of the gratitude of his country, the thanks of his Queen, for 
 his noble services, and the fact that she had miade him a Baronet, 
 with a pension of ^1,000 per year. But he had higher honor and 
 reward than this awaiting him, and in a few hours was to pass away 
 to its enjoyment. His disease was dysentery, which had been for 
 several days aggravated by the " bread want," so severely felt at 
 the Residency. Every thing that medical science and human sym- 
 pathy could effect was now done, but all in vain ; there was no 
 remnant of strength to fall back upon, and the complaint had 
 
356 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 assumed its malignant form. He realized that his nour had come, 
 and his work was done, and that now he had nothing more to do 
 but to die. For that, too, he was ready. " The Resurrection and 
 the Life" was beside him in that little tent, ready to pass with him 
 through the valley and shadow of death. He feared no evil. Mes- 
 sages to his dear ones were delivered, and his last thoughts were 
 given to the Redeemer, whom he had served and loved so long. 
 He would say, and repeat it, " I die happy and contented ! " To 
 his eldest son, who waited upon him with such tenderness and 
 loving attention, (though himself a wounded man and needing 
 care,) he exclaimed, " My son, see how a Christian can die ! " 
 
 General Outram, his illustrious comrade, asked to be permitted 
 to see him. They had confronted danger together on many a hard- 
 fought field, and death in all its reality was to be faced now. The 
 Christian warrior looked up into the kindly, sympathetic counte- 
 nance of his visitor, and said to him, " Sir James, for more than 
 forty years I have so ruled my life that when death came I might 
 face it without fear." Then pausing, as he realized that death had 
 come, he added : " So be it. I am not in the least afraid. To die 
 is gain !" 
 
 On the evening of the 24th he "departed to be with Christ," 
 realizing the literal truthfulness of the favorite lines, 
 
 " My body with my charge lay down, 
 And cease at once to work and live." 
 
 He was buried amid the tears of those he saved, and his compan- 
 ions in arms, on the following day, in the Alumbagh, five miles on 
 the Cawnpore side of Lucknow. 
 
 "There rest thee, Christian warrior, rest from the twofold strife: 
 The battle-field of India, the battle-field of life ! 
 
 ******* 
 Victorious first at Futtypore, victorious at Lucknow, 
 The gallant chief of gallant men is more than conqueror now." 
 
 We cannot conclude without referring to the loss of the garrison 
 and the cost of their rescue. Of the 1,692 fighting men in the 
 Residency on the 29th of June, the loss was 713 — including 49 
 
RECEPTION OF THE LADIES AT ALLAHABAD. 357 
 
 officers— when they were finally relieved. To these are to be added 
 19 ladies and 53 children killed, besides those wounded. Of General 
 Havelock's force of 3,179 men, the total killed and wounded, besides 
 76 ofScers, was 966, nearly a third of his force. The Commander- 
 in-chief had 45 officers and 536 men killed and wounded ; so that 
 the total casualties to rescue the Lucknow garrison amount to 121 
 officers and 1,490 men. Adding the loss of the garrison, the entire 
 number of killed and wounded was 170 officers, and 2,203 men. 
 
 The ladies and children were safely escorted to Cawnpore, and 
 thence to Allahabad. Word had been telegraphed in advance of 
 their coming, and the whole city seemed to turn out and welcome 
 them. Government officials, troops, natives, every body wanted to 
 see and greet the ladies of the Lucknow garrison, for whose safety 
 they had so long trembled. 
 
 At length the train rolled into the station, and the thundering 
 cheers that greeted them, and were over and over again repeated, 
 was a welcome that few have ever received. They stepped out of 
 the carriages, and the haggard, pale faces of many of them, with their 
 evidence of suffering and their scanty raiment, all told a tale that 
 brought the tears to many an eye. As the last of these brave 
 women passed out of the station, and the sympathizing crowd dried 
 their tears and looked after them, tbeir pent-up feelings found 
 expression in response to an English soldier, who was holding on 
 to a lamp-post, as, flinging his cap into the air, he sung out at the 
 top of his voice, " One cheer more for our women, boys !" On the 
 following day they went in a body to the church in Allahabad, and 
 there returned thanks publicly to Almighty God for their most 
 merciful preservation and rescue. 
 
358 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE CAUSES AND FAILURE OF THE SEPOY REBELLION. 
 
 'nr^HE hate and cruelty of these fearful scenes have now to be 
 •*• accounted for. To what cause are we to ascribe them } 
 Next to the facts of the great Rebellion, men have sought for the 
 explanation of its origin. 
 
 I. The earliest reason to account for it was that put forward by 
 certain members of the British civil service — venerable men, who had 
 long administered the rule of the East India Company, and reflected 
 so exclusively its merely commercial and worldly spirit that they 
 seemed to forget they were Christians, or from a Christian land. 
 They so fully vindicated and illustrated their master's doctrine 
 of "neutrality," as in effect to discountenance Christianity and 
 favor idolatry. Of such men the slang used to be that they " had 
 left their religion at the Cape of Good Hope, to be resumed there 
 on their return to England." 
 
 Such men had become Hindooized from long contact with idola- 
 trous usages and ceremonies, almost verifying in regard to heathen- 
 ism the reality of the lines, 
 
 " Vice is a monster of such frightful mien, 
 That to be hated, needs but to be seen ; 
 But seen too oft, familiar with her face, 
 We first endure, then pity, then embrace." 
 
 They paid a certain deference to idol shrines, to caste prejudices, 
 and heathenish customs ; and very decidedly discountenanced all 
 attempts at Bible or tract distribution, or legislation which aimed 
 at abolishing even the cruel rites of Hindooism. They discouraged 
 the incoming of missionaries or their preaching, and, if public sen- 
 timent would have permitted it, they would have persecuted and 
 expelled them, as they once actually expelled Judson, and tried to 
 
ENGLAND'S MI8BEPBE8ENTATIVES. 359 
 
 drive away Carey, Marshman, and Ward. Even their own coun- 
 trymen were not welcome to enter India as traders or merchants. 
 Up to the time when I reached it their ready nickname for all such 
 persons was, " Interlopers." 
 
 Long had they threatened that ruin would come if all such 
 people as these were not kept out, and the inhabitants of India 
 reserved for the exclusive manipulation of the East India Company 
 and its servants. No one else was needed or desired there. These 
 were the men who, thirty years ago, led the heathen to believe that 
 " the English had really no religion." Well might they think so. 
 As the mutiny developed, these conservatives looked round for 
 some specific act to which they could triumphantly point the people 
 of England as a verification of their predictions, and an adequate 
 and valid reason for the Sepoy Rebellion. They found it in the 
 fact that the Governor General, Lord Canning, (fresh from home 
 and not yet tainted with their Christless "neutrality,") had so far 
 forgotten the obligations of his high position before the people of 
 India, that he had actually contributed money in aid of a Missionary 
 Society ! 
 
 By an American reader this statement must be thought simply 
 ridiculous, and the writer be deemed trifling. But no, far from it ; 
 we are in sober earnest. This was, in all seriousness, solemnly put 
 forward before the British people and Parliament as the cause of 
 the Rebellion by these " most potent, wise, and reverend seigneurs " 
 of the East India Company ! They found a mouth-piece even in 
 the House of Lords, in the person of one of their former associates, 
 Lord Ellenborough, who rose in his place, and lifted his hands in 
 horror as he announced the fact, and declared that nothing less 
 than Lord Canning's recall could be considered an adequate pen- 
 alty for so great a violation of the rules and traditions of the 
 Honorable Court ! 
 
 This " old Indian," who thus made a fool of himself, and slurred 
 the Christianity of the very crown before him in the presence of 
 what has been called " the most venerable legislative assembly in 
 Christendom," was answered "according to his folly," not so much 
 
36o THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 by his brother Peers, or by Christian clergymen, as by a man who 
 is no Christian at all. God stirred up the spirit of a Hindoo in 
 India to reply to it, and that far more effectually than any one else 
 could have done it. 
 
 I have genuine pleasure in quoting this man's glowing words, 
 and, from personal knowledge of him, I believe his utterance was 
 the profound conviction of his heart. I commend the last para- 
 graph of his speech to those who wish to know how one of the most 
 intelligent men in India, speaking for himself and his fellows, re- 
 gards Christian Missionaries. 
 
 This enlightened native is a gentleman by the name of Baboo 
 Duckinarunjun Mookerjee, Secretary of the British Indian Associa- 
 tion, a native club of considerable influence, with head-quarters in 
 Calcutta. In regard to those mistaken views put forward in the 
 House of Lords, the Baboo, at the next meeting of the association 
 in Calcutta, repudiated any such idea, as a reflection upon the people 
 of India, who, he alleges, can discriminate as well as other men 
 between a personal and an official act. He said, " Lord Ellen- 
 borough, on the 9th of June last, in the House of Lords, was pleased 
 to observe that the recent mutinies here are attributable to an ap- 
 prehension on the part of the natives that the Government would 
 interfere with their religion ; that the fact of Lord Canning's ren- 
 dering pecuniary aid to societies which have for their object the 
 conversion of the natives, operates detrimentally to the security of 
 the British Indian Government, which must be maintained on the 
 principles of Akbar, [a tolerant ruler,] but never could be main- 
 tained on those of Aurungzebe, [an intolerant one,] and if it be a 
 fact that the Governor General has subscribed to such societies, 
 his removal from office would obviate the danger arising from the 
 error. If the premises laid down by Lord Ellenborough be correct, 
 there could be no two opinions as to the unfitness of Lord Canning 
 to fill the vice-regal chair, and the urgent necessity of his Lord- 
 ship's immediate dismissal from office ; but in considering so mo- 
 mentous a question, it is requisite that the facts upon which Lord 
 Ellenborough grounds his premises should be fairly inquired into, 
 
A HINDOO'S REPLY TO A BRITISH PEER. 36 1 
 
 and no place is more appropriate to institute that inquiry than 
 Hindustan, nor any assembly more competent to decide upon that 
 subject than the one I have the honor to address. First, let us 
 then inquire whether the present rebellion has arisen from any at- 
 tacks, made or intended, against the religious feelings of the people 
 by the administration of Lord Canning ? Secondly, What are the 
 real circumstances that have caused this rebellion ? 
 
 " Speaking, as I am, from the place which is the center of the 
 scenes of those mutinies that have drawn forth the remarks of Lord 
 Ellenborough, and possessing, as we do, the advantages of being 
 identified in race, language, manners, customs, and religion with 
 the majority of those misguided wretches who have taken part in 
 this rebellion, and thereby disgraced their manhood by drawing 
 their arms against the very dynasty whose salt they have eaten, to 
 whose paternal rule they and their ancestors have, for the last one 
 hundred years, owed the security of their lives and properties, and 
 which is the best ruling power that we had the good fortune to 
 have within the last ten centuries — and addressing, as I am, a 
 society, the individual members of which are fully familiar with the 
 thoughts and sentiments of their countrymen, and who represent 
 the feelings and interests of the great bulk of her Majesty's native 
 subjects — I but give utterance to a fact patent to us all, that the 
 Government have done nothing to interfere with our religion, and 
 thereby to afford argument to its enemies to weaken their allegiance. 
 
 " The abolition of the diabolical practice of infanticide by drown- 
 ing children in the Ganges, by the Marquis of Hastings, of the 
 criminal rite of Suttee suicide, by Lord Bentinck, and the passing 
 of other laws for the discontinuance of similar cruel and barbarous 
 usages, equally called for by justice and humanity, by Governors 
 General, (though they existed among us for ages,) never for a 
 moment led us to suspect that our British rulers would interfere 
 with our reHgion, or weaken the allegiance of any class of subjects 
 in India. And is it to be supposed that Lord Canning's subscrip- 
 tion to the Missionary Societies has ignited and fanned the awful 
 fire, the flame of which now surrounds the fair provinces of Hin- 
 
362 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 dustan, and has changed the obedient and faithful native soldiers 
 of the State into fiends who delight in plunder, massacre, and de- 
 struction ? No, certainly not ; our countrymen are perfectly able to 
 make a distinction between the acts of Lord Canning as a private 
 individual, and his Lordship's doings as the Viceroy of her gracious 
 majesty Queen Victoria. 
 
 " Chiefs of all denominations, both Hindoo and Mohammedan, 
 as well as the merchants and soldiers of both these races, possess 
 enough of intelligence and shrewdness to know that what a person 
 does in his ZatU Khass is quite a different thing to what he does in 
 his wohdah; and Lord Ellenborough must have been misinformed 
 as to the impression the Governor General's subscription to the 
 Missionary Societies has produced in this country, when he sur- 
 mised that that had occasioned the rebellion. 
 
 "Aware of the weight that would be attached by the British pub- 
 lic to the views expressed by that personage, I feel it incumbent on 
 me to point out his Lordship's mistake. Then, as to the Mission- 
 aries, a man must be a total stranger to the thoughts, habits, and 
 character of the Hindoo population who could fancy that because 
 the missionaries are the apostles of another religion, the Hindoos 
 entertain an inveterate hatred toward them. Akbar of blessed 
 memory, whose policy Lord Ellenborough pronounces as peculiarly 
 adapted to the government of these dominions, (and which, no 
 doubt, is so,) gave encouragement to the followers of all sects, re- 
 ligions, and modes of worship, yaiigeers and AltmngJias bearing 
 his imperial seal are yet extant, to show that he endowed lands and 
 buildings for the Mohammedan musjids. Christian churches, and 
 Hindoo devasloys. The Hindoos are essentially a tolerant people ; 
 a fact which that sagacious prince did fully comprehend, appre- 
 ciate, and act upon : and the remarks of Lord Ellenborough that 
 Akbar's policy should be the invariable rule of guidance for British 
 Indian Governors, is most correct — but in the sense I have just ex- 
 plained — and should be recorded in golden characters on the walls 
 of the Council Chamber. When discussing an Indian subject, it 
 should always be remembered that this country is not inhabited 
 
ESTIMATE OF MI88I0NAEIE8 BY A HINDOO. 363 
 
 by savages and barbarians, but by those whose language and litera- 
 ture are the oldest in the world, and whose progenitors were en- 
 gaged in the contemplation of the sublimest doctrines of religion 
 and philosophy at a time when their Anglo-Saxon and Gallic con- 
 temporaries were deeply immersed in darkness and ignorance. 
 And if, owing to eight hundred years of Mohammedan tyranny and 
 misrule, this great nation has sunk into sloth and lethargy, it has, 
 thank God ! not lost its reason, and is able to make a difiference be- 
 tween the followers of a religion which inculcates the doctrine that 
 should be propagated at the point of the sword, and that which 
 offers compulsion to none, but simply invites inquiry. However 
 we may differ with the Christian Missionaries in religion, I speak 
 the minds of this Society, and generally of those of the people, 
 when I say that, as regards their learning, purity of morals, and 
 disinterestedness of intention to promote our weal, no doubt is 
 entertained throughout the land, nay, they are held by us in the 
 highest esteem. European history does not bear on its record the 
 mention of a class of men who suffered so many sacrifices in the 
 cause of humanity and education as the Christian Missionaries in 
 India ; and though the native community differ with them in the 
 opinion that Hindustan will one day be included in Christendom, 
 (for the worship of Almighty God in his Unity, as laid down in the 
 Holy Vedas, is, and has been, our religion for thousands of years, 
 and is enough to satisfy all our spiritual wants,) yet we cannot for- 
 bear doing justice to the venerable ministers of a religion who, I 
 do here most solemnly asseverate, in piety and righteousness alone 
 are fit to be classed with those Rishees and Mohatmas of antiquity, 
 who derived their support and those of their charitable boarding- 
 schools from voluntary subscriptions, and consecrated their lives to 
 the cause of God and knowledge. 
 
 " It is not, therefore, likely that any little monetary aid that may 
 have been rendered by the Governor General, in his private capaci- 
 ty, to Missionary Societies, should have sown the germ of that re- 
 cent disaffection in the native army which has introduced so much 
 anarchy and confusion in these dominions." 
 
364 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 That will suffice. The East India Company is well, and forever, 
 answered by one of its own Hindoo subjects. 
 
 II. Men outside of India, imperfectly acquainted with its people 
 and the condition of the English administration there, had their 
 theory to account for the rebellion, and supposed that it was owing 
 to causes, among which was the preference of the natives for some 
 other rule — say that of the Russians, whose incoming would be 
 hailed by them as a deliverance from a yoke which galled them. 
 and the misrule of which was crushing them down. 
 
 Here, too, let the natives speak for themselves. They know their 
 own grievances best, and have no restraint upon their utterance. 
 The few educated men among them have spoken. Any quantity 
 of testimony might be given, but two or three will suffice. These 
 men understand the difference of things ; know what good govern- 
 ment, and personal security, and equal rights mean ; they appre- 
 ciate fine roads, arrangements for irrigation, and provision for 
 public instruction ; they value peace, and law, and progress ; and 
 are well enough acquainted with their country's history to know 
 that their land never had so much of all these as it has to-day. 
 They know this, also, notwithstanding that they are equally alive 
 to what they regard as the defects of the English rule, yet they 
 have patience, and are aware that that too is fast improving in 
 their interest. 
 
 One hundred and seventy years ago France contended with 
 England for commercial and military supremacy in Southern 
 India, but England won the rich prize then, as she did at the 
 beginning of this century, when she destroyed the embryo French 
 State which Perron was erecting in North India, on the banks of 
 the Jumna. The Marquis of Wellesley smoked the French out of 
 India by a vigorous use of his artillery, and the Land of the Veda 
 was saved, in the mercy of Heaven, from becoming a French col- 
 ony, from which freedom, and the Bible, and the missionary would 
 have been excluded for ages, while the wealth of the conquered 
 people might have been employed to inflate French vanity and 
 extend her bigoted misrule over Europe and the world. 
 
INDIA'S ESCAPE FROM FBENGH RULE. 365 
 
 One of India's most intelligent sons, Baboo Bholanauth Chunder, 
 remarks upon this escape of his country from French domination : 
 
 " It is well that an end was put to this French State in embryo. 
 The fickle and freakish Frenchman has no genius for consolidating 
 an empire which India wants. If he had stepped into the shoes 
 of the Great Mogul, India would have been brought up in sans- 
 culottism, under a galling chain of gilded despotism. Under French 
 rule the staid Hindoo would have been a strange animal, with 
 many a vagary in his head. How little could their own distrac- 
 tions have allowed Frenchmen the time to look after the welfare 
 of two hundred millions of human beings. Doubtless the French 
 acknowledge, but fail to act up to, the necessity of accommodating 
 the institutions of government to the progress of information." 
 
 He adds, as to the comparative value of the two civilizations 
 which contended for supremacy in his country, " It may be ques- 
 tioned whether there is not more tyranny in France than in India. 
 The conquered Indian is happy to have no bit in his mouth — to 
 speak out his grievances. It is necessary for us to appreciate cor- 
 rectly the character either of the French or of the Russian. If it 
 be the will of Providence to have a yoke upon the neck of our 
 nation, our nation should, in the ripened maturity of its judgment, 
 discriminate, and prefer the yoke of the English to be the least 
 galling. Nothing less than British phlegm, and imperturbability, 
 and constancy, and untiring energy, could have steadily prosecuted 
 the task of consolidating the disjointed masses of India, and casting 
 her into the mold of one compact nation. They want but 'the 
 high thoughts seated in a heart of courtesy' to attach us to their 
 rule with a feeling of loyalty that, not merely ' playing around the 
 head, should come near the heart' " 
 
 What the Hindoo mind thinks of its present masters, and of 
 that possible Russian rule of which people outside of India some- 
 times prognosticate, may be understood from the utterance of such 
 a native journal as " The Som Prukash" which, in its issue for 
 December, 1870, in an article on Russia and England, remarks : 
 
 '* Other nations seem to think that the Indians are disaffected 
 24 
 
566 THE LAND OJ^ THE VEDA. 
 
 toward England, but there can be no greater mistake than this. 
 That there is dissatisfaction is true, but that the rule of Britain 
 should pass away is not the desire of any. It is the dissatisfaction 
 that seeks to prevent arbitrary measures, and to establish a more 
 large-hearted policy. If Russia or Germany depend at all upon 
 our dissatisfaction, they will soon find proof to the contrary. 
 Should there be war with Russia, all the inhabitants of India would 
 zealously come forward to support the Government." 
 
 Their preference for English rule, and their appreciation of its 
 advantages, is equally if not more fully entertained on the western 
 coast. Mr. Satyendra Nath Tagore, a cultivated Parsee of Bom- 
 bay, speaks for his class of the population in the following enlight- 
 ened language : 
 
 " It is not for nothing that India has been placed under the 
 British rule. It is impossible to think that her destinies have 
 been ruled by blind, unsparing Fate, or that it is for the glory 
 and power of England alone that such a wonderful bond of con- 
 nection has been established by an inscrutable Providence between 
 the two countries. There is one hope, one intense conviction 
 from which no true patriot can escape ; that is, that England and 
 India are to be a mutual blessing ; that our country, once famous 
 in the world's history, is destined to be helped out of her present 
 degeneracy and utter stagnation. And is there no reason for this 
 hope .■' and are there no data to base this conviction upon .? What 
 was India a few years ago, and what do we now see around us 1 
 We see a marked progress, brought about by Western civilization. 
 We see a nation domineered over by caste and idolatry — a nation 
 of which the men are completely enslaved to custom, and the 
 women kept down and tyrannized over by the men, by dint of 
 sheer physical strength, which they cannot resist — a nation which 
 has long ceased to be progressive, and of which inertia and station- 
 ariness is the natural condition. Even this nation, opening its 
 eyes to the enormous evils around it, is gradually awakening to 
 the influences of the bright light of thought and knowledge, before 
 which millions of false stars are fading away. India sank down 
 
YOUNG BENGAL'S OPINION OF CHBISTIANITY. 367 
 
 under the weight of the accumulated corruption of ages ; foreign 
 influences were requisite to arouse her. These are being felt 
 throughout her length and breadth. A steady, though slow, prog- 
 ress is perceptible. The tyranny of society is slowly succumbing 
 to the gaining force of individuality and intellect. Superstition is 
 losing its strongholds one after another. Ceremonial observances 
 are being replaced by true principles of morality. There are many 
 things still wanting, hideous defects to be remedied ; but let us 
 work and hope for a brighter future. May India be grateful to 
 England for the blessing she has been enjoying under her benign 
 rule ! May England feel that India is a sacred trust and responsi- 
 bihty, which cannot be thrown away ! " 
 
 In the same spirit, but with even a wider and more candid range 
 of moral vision, (all the more remarkable from such a source,) Baboo 
 Keshub Chunder Sen of Calcutta tells the world what he and his 
 Brahmo Somaj think of English rule, and the Christian missions 
 which it protects. The Baboo says, (and I would commend his 
 words to the consideration of some of his Christian (.?) and clerical 
 admirers in New York and Boston, as a lesson which they certainly 
 much need to learn :) 
 
 " It cannot be said that we in India have nothing to do with 
 Christ or Christianity. Have the natives of this country alto- 
 gether escaped the influence of Christianity, and do they owe 
 nothing to Christ .? Shall I be told by my educated countrymen 
 that they can feel nothing but a mere remote historic interest in 
 the grand movement I have described .? You have already seen 
 how, in the gradual extension of the Church of Christ, Christian 
 missions came to be established in this distant land, and what 
 results these missions have achieved. The many noble deeds of 
 philanthropy and self-denying benevolence which Christian mission- 
 aries have performed in India, and the various intellectual, social, 
 and moral improvements which they have eflected, need no flatter- 
 ing comment ; they are treasured in the gratitude of the nation, 
 and can never be forgotten or denied. That India is highly in- 
 debted to these disinterested and large-hearted followers of Chnat 
 
368 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 for her present prosperity, I have no doubt the entire nation will 
 gratefully acknowledge. Fortunately for India, she was not for- 
 gotten by the Christian missionaries when they went out to preach 
 the Gospel. While, through missionary agency, our country has 
 thus been connected with the enlightened nations of the West 
 politically, an all-wise and all-merciful Providence has intrusted its 
 interests to the hands of a Christian sovereign. In this significant 
 event worldly men can see nothing but an ordinary political phe- 
 nomenon ; but those of you who can discern the finger of Provi- 
 dence in individual and national history will doubtless see here a 
 wise and merciful interposition. I cannot but reflect with grateful 
 interest on the day when the British nation first planted their feet 
 on the plains of India, and on the successive steps by which the Brit- 
 ish empire has been established and consolidated in this country. 
 It is to the British Government that we owe our deliverance from 
 oppression and misrule, from darkness and distress, from ignorance 
 and superstition. Those enlightened ideas which have changed 
 the very life of the nation, and have gradually brought about such 
 wondrous improvement in native society, are the gifts of that Gov- 
 ernment ; and so, likewise, the inestimable boon of freedom of 
 thought and action, which we so justly prize. Are not such con- 
 siderations calculated to rouse our deepest gratitude and loyalty to 
 the British nation, and her Majesty Queen Victoria } Her benefi- 
 cent Christian administration has proved to us not only a political, 
 but a social and moral blessing, and laid the foundation of our 
 national prosperity and greatness, and it is but natural that we 
 should cherish toward her no other feeling except that of devoted 
 loyalty." — Carpenter s Six Months in India, Vol. II, p. 73. 
 
 Such men, of course, deprecated the Sepoy Rebellion, and 
 lament it to-day as the greatest mistake that their ignorant and 
 fanatical countrymen could have made, and the success of which 
 would have been the doom of India for ages. Bholanauth Chunder 
 speaks the mind of every enlightened Bengalee Baboo when he 
 says : 
 
 " In their infatuation they entered upon a bubble scheme, the 
 
APPBEOIATION OF THE BENEFITS OF ENGLISH MULE. 369 
 
 bursting of which no sane man could doubt. They raised the 
 standard for national independence, and anticipated that event at 
 least two centuries before its time. We have to learn much before 
 we ought to hazard such a leap. India can no longer be expected 
 to relapse into the days of a Brahmin ascendency or a Mahratta 
 government. The advent of the Anglo-Saxon race was not merely 
 fortuitous, but had been fore-ordained in the wisdom of Provi- 
 dence. First of all, our efforts should be to shake off the fetters 
 which a past age has forged for us ; to effect our freedom from 
 moral disabilities ; and not to stake the well-being of the country 
 on the result of a contest with veteran soldiers who have marched 
 triumphant into Paris, Canton, and Candahar," 
 
 Another Hindoo testimony is to the same effect, only stronger 
 in its satisfaction with the results : 
 
 " The mutiny was a fatal error ; it once more plunged the coun- 
 try into the misrule of past ages. It jeopardized the vital interest 
 of India, and was to have proved suicidal of her fate. The exit of 
 the English would have undone all the good that is slowly paving 
 the way to her regeneration. Rightly understood, to own the 
 government of the English is not so much to own the government 
 of that nation, as to own the government of an enlightened legisla- 
 tion, of the science and civilization of the nineteenth century, of 
 superior intelligence and genius, of knowledge itself Under this 
 view, no right-minded Hindoo ought to feel his national instinct 
 offended, and his self-respect diminished by allegiance to a foreign 
 rule. The regeneration of his country must be the dearest object 
 to the heart of every enlightened Hindoo ; and it must be perfectly 
 evident to him that the best mode of attaining this end is by striv- 
 ing to raise himself to the level of his rulers. What can the most 
 patriotic Hindoo wish for better than that his country should, until 
 its education as a nation is further advanced, continue part of the 
 greatest and most glorious of empires, under a sovereign of the 
 purest Aryan blood } " 
 
 Baboo Chunder, in the first volume of his Travels of a Hindoo, 
 having twice lately gone over the extent of Hindustan Proper, 
 
370 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 gratefully contrasts the present with the past in the peace, secu- 
 rity, and prosperity of the people of the great Gangetic Valley, and 
 ascribes it all to the beneficence of English rule. This impartial 
 witness says : 
 
 " The public works of Hindoos were for the comfort only of the 
 physical man. The Mohammedans exhibit but the same care for 
 the material well-being, without any progress made by humanity 
 toward the amelioration of its moral condition. Far otherwise are 
 the public works of the English. Their schools and colleges, lit- 
 erary institutions, public libraries, museums, botanic gardens, are 
 proofs of a greater intellectual state of the world than in any pre- 
 ceding age. Supposing the English were to quit India, the benefi- 
 cence of their rule ought not to be judged of by the external 
 memorials of stone and masonry left behind them, but by the eman- 
 cipation of our nation from prejudices and superstitions of long 
 standing, and by the enlightened state in which they shall leave 
 India. In the words of De Quincey, 'higher by far than the 
 Mogul gift of limestone, or traveling stations, or even roads and 
 tanks, were the gifts of security, of peace, of law, and settled 
 order.' 
 
 " Nothing afforded me so great a pleasure as to pass through a 
 country of one wide and uninterrupted cultivation, in which paddy- 
 fields, that have justly made our country to be called the granary 
 of the world, extended for miles in every direction. No such pros- 
 pect greeted the eyes of a traveler in 1758. Then the annual 
 inroads of the Mahrattas, the troubles following the overthrow of 
 the Mohammedan dynasty, frequent and severe famines, and viru- 
 lent pestilences, had thinned the population, and reduced fertile 
 districts to wastes and jungles. It is on record that previous to 
 1793, the year of the English Permanent Settlement, one third of 
 Lower Bengal lay waste and uncultivated. Never, perhaps, has 
 Bengal enjoyed such a long period of peace without interruption 
 as under British rule. From the day of the battle of Plassey no 
 enemy has left a footprint upon her soil, no peasant has lost a 
 sheaf of grain, and no man a single drop of blood. Under security 
 
TESTIMOmES TO OHBlSTIANITT. 371 
 
 against an enemy from abroad, population has increased, cultiva- 
 tion has been extended, the country has become a great garden, 
 and landed property has risen in value more than forty-fold in one 
 province, nineteen-fold in another, and more than ten-fold through- 
 out all Lower Bengal. 
 
 " The Mahratta freebooter, the murderous Patan, and the Jaut 
 bandit, have settled down to an agricultural life, and honest labor 
 has superseded lawless rapine as an occupation." — Vol. I, p. 421, 
 etc. 
 
 I can add my personal testimony to this general peace and secu- 
 rity. Traveling for nearly ten years in a palankeen, alone and 
 unprotected in the hands of the natives, I have slept in their 
 serais and under their trees, often fifty miles from any white man, 
 yet I moved in perfect security, was never molested, and never lost 
 the value of a cent in all my peregrinations. So profound is the 
 confidence in the power of law and the care of the Government, 
 that ladies travel alone in this way every night in the year without 
 hesitation or anxiety. Such is the security of person and property 
 under English rule in India. It never was so before ; and every 
 honest and candid mind should give them credit for what they have 
 there accomplished. The Hindoos do so frankly, and have even tried 
 to make capital out of the wonderful fact, to the credit of their own 
 system of idolatry, in the following singular fashion, as related by 
 General Sleeman in his " Recollections." He says : 
 
 "A very learned Hindoo told me in Central India that the 
 oracle of Mahadeva (the Great God) had been at the same time con- 
 sulted at three of his greatest temples — one in the Deccan, one in 
 Rajpootana, and one in Bengal — as to the result of the govern- 
 ment of India by Europeans. A day was appointed for the 
 answer, and when the priest came to receive it, they found Maha- 
 deva (Shiva) himself, with a European complexion, and dressed in 
 European clothes. He told them 'that their European govern- 
 ment was in reality nothing more than a multipHed incarnation of 
 himself, and that he had come among them in this shape to pre- 
 vent their cutting each other's throats, as they had been doing for 
 
372 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 some centuries past ; that these, his incarnations, appeared to have 
 no religion themselves, in order that they might be the more im- 
 partial arbitrators between the people of so many different creeds 
 and sects who now inhabited the country ; that they must be 
 aware that they never had before been so impartially governed, 
 and that they must continue to obey these governors, without 
 attempting to pry further into futurity or the will of their gods.' " — 
 Vol. II, p. 241. 
 
 Thus Brahmos, Bengalees, Parsees, and Hindoos, the educated, 
 the agriculturists, and even the idolaters themselves, admit the 
 mighty change, and rejoice in it. Instances are even found where 
 candid men among them, and even Brahmins, will go further than 
 all these have gone, as in the recent case at Arcot and its medical 
 mission. 
 
 A reading-room had been opened at Madnapilly. At the dedi- 
 cation, the Rev. Jacob Chamberlain delivered an address, at the 
 close of which a Brahmin requested permission to make some 
 remarks. Without the least conjecture of what he was going to 
 say, he was allowed to commence, when he proceeded to deliver a 
 remarkable eulogy on the missionaries. He compared them to 
 the mango tree, which, however beaten, and wounded, and stripped 
 of its fruit, still goes on, year by year, to yield its wholesome fruit. 
 He dwelt with enlargement and unction on this subject, and then 
 added as follows : 
 
 " Now what is it makes him do all this for us .-• It is Ms Bible. 
 I've looked into it a good deal at one time and another in the dif- 
 ferent languages I chance to know. It is just the same in all lan- 
 guages. The Bible — there is nothing to compare with it in all our 
 sacred books for goodness, and purity, and holiness, and love, and 
 for motives of action. Where did the English-speaking people get 
 all their intelligence, and energy, and cleverness, and power } It 
 is their Bible that gives it to them. And now they bring it to us 
 and say, ' This is what raised us ; take it and raise yourselves.' 
 They do not force it upon us, as the Mohammedans used to their 
 Koran ; but they bring it in love, and translate it into our 
 
THE ENEMIES OF ENGLAND IN INDIA. 373 
 
 languages, and lay it before us, and say, ' Look at it, read it, exam- 
 ine it, and see if it is not good.' Of one thing I am convinced : 
 do what we will, oppose it as we may, it is the Christian's Bible 
 that will, sooner or later, work the regeneration of this land." 
 
 The missionary adds, " I could not but be surprised at this testi- 
 mony thus borne. How far the speaker was sincere I cannot tell ; 
 but he had the appearance of a man speaking his earnest convic- 
 tions. Some three years ago I had attended, in his zenana, his 
 second wife, a beautiful girl, through a dangerous attack, and I 
 knew that he felt very grateful ; but I was not prepared to see him 
 come out, before such an audience, with such testimony to the 
 power and excellence of the Bible. My earnest prayer is, that not 
 only his intellect may be convinced, but that his heart may be 
 reached by the Holy Spirit, and that he may soon become an ear- 
 nest follower of Jesus." 
 
 These quotations, which are rather lengthy, are of high signifi- 
 cance, as showing what is the condition of multitudes of the think- 
 ing classes of India, and what changes are imminent in that mag- 
 nificent land, when leading men can be found thus to stand forth 
 before their countrymen and utter such words. To all this can be 
 added that England has given India the printing press, the tele- 
 graph, the iron horse, the Ganges canal, (which irrigates 3,380,000 
 acres of land, and makes famine impossible in the Doab,) and that 
 these improvements are constantly on the increase. Allowing for 
 her time and the circumstances, she has done wonders for the land 
 she rules, and the immense majority of the people knew this well, 
 and had no sympathy for, and lent no aid to, the Sepoy Rebellion, 
 for they did not desire a change. 
 
 But England had her enemies. The Mohammedans generally, 
 the Fakirs, most of the Brahmins, the Thugs, and the lawless and 
 criminal classes, to a man hate her. These together amounted to 
 millions. Circumstances gave them an imperial name for a rallying 
 cry, a Peishwa's influence and a Sepoy instrumentality for the 
 working power, and they made wonderful use of the peculiar com- 
 bination. But why did they single themselves out, and in the 
 
374 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 name of the people of India, which the immense majority never 
 gave them the sHghtest authority to use, commence the work of 
 extermination ? We have already given the reasons which influ- 
 enced the Mogul Court, the Nana Sahib, the Mohammedans, and 
 the Fakirs. But there were other reasons which account for the 
 Brahminical interest in the matter, as well as that of the Thugs 
 and the lawless classes, which have not yet been presented, and a 
 knowledge of which is essential to a full and complete view of the 
 motives which originated the fearful combination against Chris- 
 tianity, and the English power which protected it. 
 
 Slowly, but surely, the better portion of the British administra- 
 tors were urging on reforms and legislation in the interests of 
 humanity. They had much to contend with in their noble aims 
 between, on the one hand, the old civilians of the Company, who 
 were still in the higher posts of the service, and on the other, from 
 the men whose power and emoluments were derived from usages 
 and institutions which they were striking down one by one. The 
 abolition of female infanticide was allowed to pass with little re- 
 sistance, because it brought no profit to priest or Fakir. But it was 
 different with the far greater crime of deliberately roasting alive 
 the beautiful and wealthy ladies of the land who had the misfor- 
 tune to become widows, for there the ceremonies were splendid, 
 the Brahmin exercised the height of awful power, and his per- 
 quisites were larger than in any other ceremony of his faith. 
 
 This extraordinary and (save in India) unparalleled crime, re- 
 duced to a system, sanctioned by their religion, and practiced for 
 ages, is so wonderful in itself and its circumstances that the West- 
 ern reader will desire to be more fully informed of its character, 
 and the motives under which it was inflicted and endured, than 
 he could be by a mere passing allusion, so we pause here to 
 illustrate and describe it. 
 
 The suttee commemorated in this steel engraving took place in 
 the neighborhood of Baroda, in the dominions of the Guicowar, 
 during the period that Sir James Carnac was English Resident 
 (Embassador) at that Court. The sketch was made and the whole 
 
^ 
 
SUTTEE WITHOUT VEDIG SANCTION. 377 
 
 circumstance described, by Captain Grindley, as it was one of un- 
 usual interest. The suttee was a young Brahmanee woman. On 
 her intention becoming known to the Resident, he went at once to 
 her house with the humane intention of persuading her to abandon 
 her purpose. Failing to produce any impression, the Resident 
 waited on the ruling Prince, who kindly undertook to add his per- 
 suasion, but he was equally unsuccessful. Determined to prevent 
 her burning herself, he surrounded her premises with his troops. 
 He offered her the means of subsistence, and urged the duties she 
 owed her family. The widow remained unmoved and unconvinced. 
 On being told she would not be allowed to ascend the funeral pile, 
 she drew a dagger from the folds of her dress, and, with all the 
 vehemence that passion could add to fanaticism, declared that her 
 blood — the blood of a Brahmin woman — should be upon the soul 
 of him who offered to prevent her performing her duty to her hus- 
 band. Intimidated, the Guicowar with his retinue withdrew. The 
 unhappy woman rushed away to the river brink, and there, aided 
 by her friends and the Brahmins, she quickly went through the 
 ablutions and prescribed ceremonies, and ascended the steps to the 
 fatal spot — immediately behind the domed arch in the engraving — 
 and threw herself into the midst of the flames. 
 
 Christian women will wish to understand the reasons that could 
 thus so strangely and determinately overcome, in one of their sex — 
 a young and beautiful woman — the love of life, of friends, and of 
 children, and lead her to dare death in one of its most awful forms, 
 in obedience to what she regarded as a supreme duty. 
 
 Of suttee, or widow burning, the origin is unknown. But it 
 must be very ancient, for it is alluded to by Diodorus Siculus as 
 being then an established custom. Such a horrid rite should cer- 
 tainly be able to show the highest authority for itself According- 
 ly, the Brahmins of India have asserted that the Vedas, which they 
 hold to be then- most ancient and divine writings, have expressly 
 required this last evidence of a wife's devotion to her deceased lord. 
 So long as these writings were unknown to the outside world, they 
 might make their assertion with safety. But of late years Chris- 
 
378 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 tian men have mastered the ancient Sanscrit, and have read the 
 Vedas, and demanded from the Brahmins the proof of a statement 
 under which milHons of women have been foully murdered during 
 the past twenty-five hundred years. The depth of their villainy has 
 been revealed by the appeal made to the highest authority of their 
 own religion. The honor of demolishing the last Brahminical pre- 
 text for regarding suttee as an orthodox Hindoo practice belongs 
 to Horace Hayman Wilson. In a paper read by the learned pro- 
 fessor before the Royal Asiatic Society on February 4, 1854, he 
 proved that the passage — and it was the solitary text from all the 
 Vedas that the Brahmins could bring forward in its defense — the 
 passage quoted had actually been corrupted by the substitution of 
 a single letter, which changed the whole sense, ag7ieh for agreh, the 
 meaning being thereby perverted from, " let them [the widows] go 
 up into the dwelling',' to " let them go up into the fire" — the r 
 changed to n made this difference ; and these cruel men were re- 
 sponsible for the flagrant corruption ! Professor Wilson added, 
 that he was supported in his opinion by Dr. Max Miiller, and that 
 Aswalayana, the author of the Grihya Sutras — a work little inferior 
 in authority to the Vedas themselves — actually designates the 
 proper person to lead the widow away at the conclusion of the 
 funeral rites ; so that so far from demanding her immolation, the 
 text inferentially enjoins the widow's preservation. Suttee, there- 
 fore, with all its antiquity, is proved by the Vedas to be, like female 
 infanticide, an accursed invention of modern Hindooism. 
 
 Next to the Vedas, the " Institutes of Menu " are the highest 
 authority to a Hindoo conscience. I have carefully read this 
 entire code of laws ; but not one obligation to such a rite as suttee 
 is to be found in it. The Brahmins have not dared to reply to the 
 learned professor. They assert, of course, that it is recommended 
 in the Shasters and Puranas ; but these are all of more recent 
 origin, and are far below the paramount authority of the Vedas, 
 and no serious doctrine can be built on them alone ; so that they 
 stand convicted of teaching for doctrines novelties which are only 
 "the commandments of men," like the Jews of old, or the Romanists 
 
MODERN EIND00I8M ALONE DEMANDS SUTTEE. 379 
 
 of our own day. Exactly as the present Pope has done, when, 
 eighteen hundred years after the canon of Scripture was closed, he 
 dared to invent a new doctrine — that of the Immaculate Con- 
 ception of the Virgin Mary — and would fain make its belief bind- 
 ing on the consciences of Catholics, even so have these Brahmins 
 acted at distances almost as great from the date of their own 
 Vedas. 
 
 Every suttee, therefore, has been without what even they regard 
 as the divine sanction, which alone could ordain it. Christian 
 Orientalists and missionaries have pressed this position, to the 
 utter discomfiture and confusion of these guilty Brahmins. 
 
 But while the Vedas and the Code are thus entirely silent, and 
 even lay down the laws by which a widow's life is to be guided, the 
 inferior authority of modern Hindooism — and any thing is " mod- 
 ern " in their view which dates within two thousand years of this 
 time — are particular and definite enough, in prescribing the bar- 
 barous rites under which she is urged to yield her delicate body to 
 the devouring flames ; so that upon this fraud on the faith of 
 India has been built up the greatest victory that priestcraft has 
 ever achieved over the natural feelings and instincts of mankind in 
 any age or nation. 
 
 The words of the Puranas, which commend this dreadful rite, 
 are as follows : " The wife who commits herself to the flames with 
 her husband's corpse shall equal Arundhoti, [the exalted wife of 
 Vashista,] and dwell in Swarga, [heavenly bliss.] As many hairs 
 as are on the human body, multiplied by threescore and fifty lakhs 
 [each lakh, 100,000] of years, so many years shall she live with him 
 in Swarga. As the snake-catcher forcibly draws the serpent from 
 his hole in the earth, so, bearing her husband from hell, she shall 
 with him enjoy happiness. Dying with her husband, she purifies 
 three generations — her father and mother's side and husband's side. 
 Such a wife, adoring her husband, enters into celestial felicity with 
 him — greatest and most admired ; lauded by the choirs of heaven, 
 with him she shall enjoy the delights of heaven while fourteen 
 Indras reign." 
 
380 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 In the event of her husband dying while absent from her, pro- 
 vision is made for her suttee in the following words of the Brah- 
 ma-Purana : " If the husband be out of the country when he dies, 
 let the virtuous wife take his slippers, or any thing else that 
 belongs to his dress, and, binding them or it upon her breast, after 
 purification, enter a separate fire." The same Purana adds : 
 " While the pile is preparing, tell the faithful wife of the greatest 
 duty of woman. She is alone loyal and pure who burns herself 
 with her husband's corpse. Having thus fortified her resolution, 
 and full of affection, she completes the Pragashita, and ascends to 
 Swarga." 
 
 The circumstances are defined in which widows are excused 
 from the obligation of suttee. For example, if a woman has re- 
 cently become a mother, or expects soon to be, she may hold her- 
 self exempted ; yet even she is at liberty, thirty days after child- 
 birth, to assert her fidelity by dying amid the flames. 
 
 In case a Hindoo widow decides not to burn, then these priestly 
 law-makers have prescribed her future condition under degrading 
 obligations, that often prove but a little less terrible than death 
 itself; but of this we shall speak more fully when we come to 
 describe the condition to which Hindoo law reduces the afiflicted 
 widows of that land. Before considering the motives of this fear- 
 ful sacrifice, and the extent to which it has prevailed, we will place 
 before our readers a description of the rite of suttee as it is usually 
 performed. 
 
 The husband is dead. In India the body must be disposed of 
 within twelve hours. In the tumult of her grief, the Brahmins and 
 friends wait upon the distracted widow to learn her intentions. 
 There is no time for reflection or second thought. Within an 
 hour it is usually settled. She agrees to mingle her ashes with 
 her lord's. Opium or strong liquor is given to sustain her cour- 
 age. Before the word is spoken the decision is with herself ; but, 
 once consenting to die, she may not recall her words. Millions, 
 of course, have expressed a trembling preference for life, even with 
 all its future gloom to them ; but multitudes have consented at 
 
THE MODE OF SUTTEE. S^l 
 
 once to burn, and, even in advance of being asked, they have, in 
 the first spasm of their bereavement, uttered the fatal and irrevo- 
 cable cry, " Szith! stith !" Orders are at once issued for the erec- 
 tion of the fatal pile, and the accustomed ceremonies ; the widow, 
 too, has to be prepared. Friends sometimes, with more or less 
 sincerity, try to dissuade her from her purpose ; but all ner relig- 
 ious convictions and priestly advisers urge on the poor, infatuated 
 — perhaps intoxicated — woman to her doom. On the banks of the 
 sacred river, while she bathes in the Ganges, a Brahmin is coolly 
 reading the usual forms. She is now arrayed in bridal costume, 
 but her face is unvailed, and her hair unbound and saturated with 
 oil, and her whole body is perfumed. Her jewels are now added, 
 and she is adorned with garlands of flowers. Thus prepared, she 
 is conducted to the pile, which is an oblong square, formed of four 
 stout bamboos or branches fixed in the earth at each corner. 
 Within those supports the dry logs are laid from three to four feet 
 high, with cotton rope and other combustibles interlaced. Chips 
 of odoriferous wood, butter, and oil are plentifully added, to give 
 force and fragrance to the flames. The ends above are interwoven 
 to form a bower, and this is sometimes decked with flowers. The 
 husband's body has been already laid upon it. In the south of 
 India the fire is first applied, and the widow throws herself into 
 the burning mass ; but the more general way is not to apply the 
 fire till she has taken her position. The size of the pile is regu- 
 lated by the number of widows who are to be burned with the 
 body. Cases are well known, like the one at Sookachura, near 
 Calcutta, where the pile was nearly twelve yards long, and on it 
 eighteen wives, leaving in all over forty children, burned them- 
 selves with the body of their husband. 
 
 When the widow, thus prepared, reaches the pile, she walks 
 around it, supported if necessary by a Brahmin. She then distrib- 
 utes her gifts, including her jewels, to the Brahmins and her friends, 
 but retains her garlands. She now approaches the steps by which 
 she is to mount the pile, and there repeats the Sancalpa, thus : " On 
 this month so named — that I may enjoy with my husband the 
 
 25 
 
382 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 felicity of heaven, and sanctify my paternal and maternal progeni- 
 tors, and the ancestry of my husband's father — that expiation may 
 be made for my husband's offenses — thus I ascend my husband's 
 pile. I call on you, ye guardians of the eight regions of the world, 
 sun and moon, air, fire, ether, earth, and water, my own soul, Yama, 
 [god of the dead,] day, night, and twilight ! And thou, conscience, 
 bear witness, I follow my husband's corpse on the funeral pile ! " 
 
 She then moves around the pile three times more, while the 
 Brahmins repeat the Muntras — the texts on burning already quoted, 
 and others — and then ascends to the corpse, and either lies down 
 by its side, or takes its head in her lap. In some places ropes 
 are thrown over to bind the living to the dead, or long bamboos 
 are bent down upon them both, and the ends held firm by attend- 
 ing Brahmins. Sometimes she is left untied and loose. All is 
 now ready : her eldest son, if she have one — if not, the nearest male 
 relative — stands ready to discharge the cruel office of executioner 
 by igniting the pile at the four corners quickly. The whole struct- 
 ure instantly blazes up, and the poor lady is at once enveloped 
 m a sheet of flame. Musical instruments strike up, the Brahmins 
 vociferously chant, the crowd shout " Hari-bal ! Hari-bal ! " [call 
 on Hari — a name of the god Vishnu,] so that her moans or shrieks 
 are drowned in the infernal din raised around her. 
 
 Just at this period of the proceedings is the dreadful moment when 
 woman's courage has so often failed her, and nature has proved too 
 strong for fanaticism. If not at once overwhelmed or suffocated, 
 even though she knows that her attempt to escape will be resisted 
 as a duty by her own friends, who would regard her as an outcast, 
 the victim not unfrequently, when left untied, springs off the burn- 
 ing mass among the spectators and piteously pleads for life. 
 Alas ! it is too late ; there is no mercy for her now ! She is at 
 once struck down by a sword or a billet of wood, and flung back 
 again on the pile, her own son having been known to be one of 
 the most forward to tie her hands and feet for this purpose. 
 
 The writer remembers to have heard of a case at Benares, where 
 the poor woman was actually saved by a sudden and singular 
 
THE EXTENT TO WHICH SUTTEE HAS PREVAILED. 383 
 
 thought of the English magistrate, a young gentleman of the name 
 of Harding. On the death of the Brahmin, Mr. Harding was suc- 
 cessful in persuading the widow not to burn ; but twelve months 
 after she was goaded by her family into the expression of a wish 
 to burn with some relic of her husband preserved for the purpose. 
 The pile was prepared for her at Ramnugger, two miles above 
 Benares, on the other side of the Ganges. She was not well se- 
 cured on the pile, and as soon as she felt the fire she jumped off 
 and plunged into the river. The people ran after her along the 
 bank ; but the current carried her toward Benares, where a police 
 boat put off and took her in. Her oiled garments had kept her 
 afloat. The police took her to the magistrate, but the whole city 
 of Benares was in an uproar at the rescue of a Brahmin's widow 
 from the funeral pile. Thousands surrounded Mr. Harding's house, 
 and the principal men of the city implored him to surrender the 
 woman ; among the rest was her own father, who declared that he 
 could not support his daughter, and that she had, therefore, better 
 be buined, as her husband's family would not receive her. The 
 uproar was quite alarming to a young man, who felt all the re- 
 sponsibility upon himself in such a fanatical city as Benares, with 
 a population of three hundred thousand people. He long argued 
 the point with the crowd, urging the time that had elapsed, and the 
 unwillingness of the woman, but in vain ; until at length the thought 
 struck him suddenly, and he said that the sacrifice was mani- 
 festly unacceptable to their god — that the sacred river itself had 
 rejected her, as she had, without being able to swim, floated down 
 two miles upon its bosom, in the presence of them all ; and it was, 
 therefore, clear that she had been rejected ! Had she been an ac- 
 ceptable sacrifice, after the fire had touched her the river would 
 have received her ! This Hindoo reason satisfied the whole crowd. 
 The father said, after this unanswerable argument, he would re- 
 ceive his daughter. So the poor woman was saved. 
 
 The question has been raised. To what extent has suttee pre- 
 vailed .'' It is very difficult to reach even an approximate reply to 
 this inquiry. Lord Bentinck's efforts for the abolition of the rite 
 
384 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 led to the possession of the only reliable statistics that we have 
 upon the subject. From these the rest must be inferred. The 
 cruel custom has been almost restricted to the affluent and higher 
 orders, as the poor are unable to bear the expense ; so that it has 
 been the most exalted, wealthy, and beautiful ladies of the land who 
 have thus been immolated. 
 
 From statistics obtained by the magistrates of the district around 
 Calcutta prior to 1829, a published list gives fifty-four cases in the 
 months of May and June, 1812, where sixty-nine women, of ages 
 from sixteen to sixty, were burned with these fifty-four dead bodies ; 
 leaving altogether one hundred and eighty-one children, who were, 
 as in all such cases, thus deprived of both parents at once. An- 
 other list for the region within thirty miles of Calcutta, gives two 
 hundred and seventy-five known cases for the year 1803. In the 
 Bengal presidency, in the year 18 17, there were seven hundred and 
 six cases recorded — nearly two each day for that part of India 
 alone. In ten years, from 181 5 to 1825, these lists, for the locali- 
 ties where English magistrates took note of suttees, show that five 
 thousand nine hundred and ninety-seven widows were thus immo- 
 lated These are only the more public instances coming to the 
 knowledge of the magistrates within the limited portion of India 
 then directly ruled by England. But what of those of all the rest 
 of the country, from the Himalayas to Cape Comorin } And, if they 
 could be numbered and known, then, to obtain the sum total, you 
 have to multiply them by the two thousand five hundred years dur- 
 ing which these unwarranted and fiendish cruelties have been prac- 
 ticed on gentle women before the face of heaven in India! The 
 blood of these millions of women has been crying to God from the 
 ground all that time, against the Brahmins of Hindustan. 
 
 The origin of suttee, some have supposed, might be found in the 
 cruel jealousy of husbands, reaching thus beyond the grave ; while 
 others refer it to the tradition that it was adopted as an expedient 
 for the preservation of men's lives. Doctor Chever, in his recent 
 work on Indian Medical Jurisprudence, traces the custom to this 
 orisfin. He brings forward authorities to show that the Brahmins 
 
THE MOTIVES OF SUTTEE. 385 
 
 themselves invented the law as a means of self-protection against 
 their wives. Before its introduction, the wives were in the habit of 
 avenging themselves on their husbands for neglect and cruelty by 
 mixing poison with their food ; and at last things came to such a 
 height that the least matrimonial quarrel resulted in the husband's 
 death. An easier remedy for the evil might have been found in 
 compelling the wife to eat out of the same dish as the husband, but 
 this would have involved too wide a departure from the customs of 
 society ; and it must be admitted that there is a peculiar refine- 
 ment of cruelty in the expedient adopted, which would commend 
 itself to the Asiatic mind. The Brahmins thus gave the matron 
 an interest in the preservation of her lord's life, by decreeing that 
 her ashes should mingle with his. If this were its origin, then the 
 deepest insult was added to the most cruel wrong of which woman 
 can be made the victim, when thus surrendered to a false religion, 
 and into the hands of men as oppressive as their faith. 
 
 The motives which have perpetuated the rite are more easily 
 found. So far as the priestly Brahmin is concerned, he has a 
 direct pecuniary interest in the existence and increase of the cruel 
 custom. Brahmins officiating at suttees are always well rewarded, 
 both by fees and gifts ; and quarrels among themselves about their 
 earnings are no novelty. The family of the immolated woman are 
 taught that to them belong the invisible and spiritual blessings of 
 the suttee — that this doomed widow's agonies are to expiate the 
 foulest sins of them and of her husband, and lift them all to heav- 
 enly bliss. The reader will remember the Puranas already quoted, 
 where this is expressly taught. Hence the eagerness with which 
 her consent to become a suttee is sought, and the barbarity which 
 helps on, and even enforces, her destruction when her resolution has 
 failed. The motives of the poor lady herself are still more mani- 
 fest. There is, first of all, her obedience to her religious obliga- 
 tions. Her faith, like that of the Romanist, must be an un- 
 questioning faith. Woman in India seems never to have thought 
 of looking behind this Brahminical teaching, and demanding a 
 " Thus saith the Lord " for the peculiar woes to which she submits. 
 
386 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Then there is the appeal to her love as well as her duty. She is 
 told, and her uninstructed soul believes the lie, that her husband 
 needs the attendance and care in the other world which she lav- 
 ished upon him here ; nay, more, that he is actually sufifering for 
 want of it. Her terrified imagination is appealed to, and he is pict- 
 ured in a fearful intermediate hell — the counterpart of the Romish 
 doctrine of Purgatory — out of which her merits alone can lift him ; 
 and her loving heart urges her to the great effort, which is to save 
 and bless him, and herself with him. Again, there is the motive 
 of fame. By it she can demonstrate the perfection of her conjugal 
 devotion ; she rises from obscurity, before her friends and the world, 
 to the eminence of a heroine, a saint, a savior ; she avoids a life of 
 insult and misery, and the splendid monument on the spot where 
 she suffers will keep her name and memory before her people in 
 future ages. 
 
 I was intimate with a family in India, the head of which, a phy- 
 sician, gave the following description of a suttee at which he was 
 actually present. It was in the city of Lahore, in June 1839, and 
 was witnessed by this gentleman and some other Europeans. The 
 occasion was the burning of the body of the Maharajah Runjeet 
 Singh — he who was commonly called the " Lion of the Punjab," 
 and who was the last Oriental sovereign that wore the great Koh- 
 i-noor diamond. (The father of the Prince represented on page 47.) 
 On account of his special orders, the funeral pile was composed of 
 an unusual quantity of the precious sandal-wood. It was also made 
 large enough for his eleven wives to burn with his body. Early in 
 the morning, an immense concourse attending to witness the cere- 
 mony, the body of the Maharajah, decorated and wrapped in Cash- 
 mere shawls, was brought out from the palace and the procession 
 formed, the four Ranees (Queens) in order, unvailed, sitting in open 
 palanquins, followed by the seven other wives on foot, barefooted 
 — some of them, the doctor declared, being not more than four- 
 teen or fifteen years old. Then came the court, the officials, the 
 military, and the crowd. The ceremonies performed, the body was 
 lifted to the top of the great pile ; then the four Ranees ascended 
 
INSTANCES OF SUTTEE. 387 
 
 in the order of their rank, seating themselves at the head ; the other 
 seven placed themselves around the feet. The chief widow, now sit- 
 ting on the funeral pile, apparently as calm as any American mother 
 on her dying bed, called to her Khuruk Singh, the son, and Dhian 
 Singh, the favorite minister, of the Maharajah, and, placing the dead 
 king's hand first in the hand of the royal heir, and then in the hand 
 of the powerful minister, made them swear to be mutually faithful. 
 They then retired, and a strong, thick mat of reeds was placed 
 around and over the ladies, and oil plentifully poured upon it. There 
 they cowered in silent expectation of the fatal moment The brand 
 was applied quickly, and the roaring flames leaped up and enveloped 
 them, and in fifteen minutes nothing remained of the eleven beau- 
 tiful women but a heap of bones and ashes. Preparation was now 
 made to convey part of their remains to the Ganges. Some of the 
 bones and ashes of each were placed in urns ; these were put in 
 separate "palanquins richly decorated, and attended with the same 
 pomp and splendor as if the Maharajah and his wives were still 
 alive. Surrounded by guards and attendants, and accompanied by 
 costly presents, such as shawls, decorated elephants and horses, 
 with money, etc., for the Brahmins, the procession passed through 
 the Delhi gate, amid the last royal salute from the fort and ramparts 
 of the city. Here the minister and chiefs returned, leaving the 
 remains and presents to proceed under the care of the military. 
 The Brahmins received the whole on its arrival at the Ganges. 
 The bones and ashes they put into the river, the valuables they 
 divided among themselves, and the guard returned. The whole 
 ceremony was one of the most extravagant ever seen in India, 
 and must, Dr. Honiberger thinks, have cost several millions of 
 rupees. 
 
 That the subject maybe fully understood, I will add two cases of 
 suttee wtiere the victims were more than usually willing, and exhib- 
 ited a resolution that will surprise the reader. The first is de- 
 scribed by an intelligent young native, who was the nephew of the 
 lady burned. He gives the facts from his Hindoo stand-point, yet 
 with much simplicity and candor. 
 
388 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 He says : " Fearing intervention from the British authorities, it 
 was decided that this solemn rite, contrary to the usual practice, 
 should be performed at a distance from the river-side. The margin 
 of the consecrated tank was selected for the purpose. After cere- 
 monies of purification had been performed upon the spot, strong 
 stakes of bamboo were driven into the ground, inclosing an oblong 
 space about seven feet in length and six in breadth. Within this 
 inclosure the pile was built of straw, boughs, and logs of wood ; 
 upon the top a small arbor was constructed of wreathed bamboos, 
 and this was hung with flowers within and without. About an 
 hour after the sun had risen, prayers and ablutions having been 
 carefully performed by all, more especially by the Brahmins and 
 Lall Radha, the widow, who was also otherwise purified and fitted 
 for the sacrifice, the corpse of the husband was brought from 
 the house, attended by the administering Brahmins, and surrounded 
 by the silent and weeping friends and relations of the family. 
 Immediately following the corpse came Lall Radha, enveloped in a 
 scarlet vail, which completely hid her beautiful form from view. 
 When the body was placed upon the pile, the feet being toward 
 the west, the Brahmins took the vail from Lall Radha, and, for the 
 first time, the glaring multitude were suffered to gaze upon that 
 lovely face and form ; but the holy woman was too deeply engaged 
 in solemn prayer and converse with Brahma to be sensible of their 
 presence, or of the murmur of admiration that ran through the 
 crowd. Then, turning with a steady look and solemn demeanor to 
 her relations, she took from her person, one by one, all her orna- 
 ments, and distributed them as tokens of her love. One jewel only 
 she retained, the tali, or amulet, placed around her neck by her 
 deceased husband on the nuptial day ; this she silently pressed to 
 her lips. Then, separately embracing each of her female relatives, 
 and bestowing a farewell look upon the rest, she unbound her hair, 
 which flowed in thick and shining ringlets almost to her feet, gave 
 her right hand to the principal Brahmin, who led her with cere- 
 mony around the pile, and then stopped, with her face toward it, on 
 the side where she was to ascend. Having mounted two or three 
 
INSTANCES OF SUTTEE. 389 
 
 Steps, the beautiful woman stood still, and, pressing both her hands 
 upon the cold feet of her lifeless husband, she raised them to her 
 forehead, in token of cheerful submission ; she then ascended and 
 crept within the little arbor, seating herself at the head of her lord, 
 her right hand resting upon his head. The torch was placed in 
 my hand, and, overwhelmed with commingled emotions, I fired the 
 pile. Smoke and flame in an instant enveloped the scene, and 
 amid the deafening shouts of the multitude, I sank senseless upon 
 the earth. I was quickly restored to consciousness, but already 
 the devouring element had reduced the funeral pile to a heap of 
 charred and smoldering timber. The Brahmins strewed the ashes 
 around, and with a trembling hand I assisted my father to gather 
 the blackened bones of my beloved uncle and aunt, when, having 
 placed them in an earthen vessel, we carried them to the Ganges, 
 and with prayer and reverence committed them to the sacred 
 stream." 
 
 The other, and the most determined instance of suttee, in view 
 of her age, etc., that is on record, is described by an English gen- 
 tleman who was governor of that part of the country, and in 
 whose presence it took place. He says : " On receiving charge of 
 the District of Jubbulpore in 1828, I issued a proclamation prohib- 
 iting any one from assisting in suttee. On Tuesday, November 
 24, 1829, I had an application from the heads of the most respectable 
 family of Brahmins in the place to suffer an old lady, aged sixty- 
 five years, to burn herself with the body of her husband, Omed 
 Sing Opuddea, who had died that morning. I threatened to 
 enforce my order and punish severely any man who assisted, and 
 placed a police guard to see that no one did so. She remained 
 sitting by the edge of the river with the body, without eating or 
 drinking. The next day the body of her husband was burned to 
 ashes in a small pit, about eight feet square and four deep, before 
 thousands of people who had assembled to see the suttee. All 
 strangers dispersed before evening, as there seemed no prospects 
 of my yielding to the urgent solicitations of her family, who, ac- 
 cording to the rules of tneir faith, dared not touch food till she had 
 
390 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 burned herself, or declared herself willing to return to them. Her 
 sons and grandsons and some other relatives remained with her, 
 urging her to desist ; the rest surrounded my house, urging me to 
 allow her to burn. She remained sitting upon a bare rock in the 
 bed of the Nerbudda, refusing any subsistence, and exposed to the 
 intense heat of the sun by day, and the cold of the night, with only 
 a thin sheet thrown over her shoulders. On Thursday, to cut off 
 all hope of her being moved from her purpose, she put on the 
 dhttjja, or coarse red turban, and broke her bracelets in pieces, by 
 which she became dead in law, and forever excluded from caste. 
 Should she choose to live after this, she could never return to her 
 family. Her children and grandchildren were still with her, but 
 all their entreaties were unavailing. I became satisfied that she 
 would starve herself to death if not allowed to burn, by which her 
 family would be disgraced, her miseries prolonged, and I rendered 
 liable to be charged with a wanton abuse of authority, for no pro- 
 hibition of the kind I had issued had as yet received the formal 
 sanction of the Government. Early on Saturday morning I rode 
 out ten miles to the spot, and found the poor old widow still sit- 
 ting with the dhujja around her head. She talked very collectedly, 
 telling me that ' she had determined to mix her ashes with those 
 of her departed husband, and she would patiently wait my permis- 
 sion to do so, assured that God would enable her to sustain life till 
 that was given, though she dared not eat or drink.' Looking at 
 the sun, then rising before her over a long and beautiful reach of 
 the Nerbudda River, she said calmly, ' My soul has been for five 
 days with my husband's near that sun ; nothing but my earthly 
 frame is left, and this I know you will in time suffer to be mixed 
 with the ashes of his in yonder pit, because it is not in your nature 
 or your usage wantonly to prolong the miseries of a poor old 
 woman.' I replied, * Indeed it is not ; my object and duty is to 
 save and preserve them, and I am come to dissuade you from this 
 idle purpose, to urge you to live and keep your family from being 
 thought your murderers.' She said, ' I am not afraid of their ever 
 being so thought ; they have all, like good children, done every 
 
A DETERMINED INSTANCE OF SUTTEE. 39 1 
 
 thing in their power to induce me to Hve among them, and if I had 
 done so, I know they would have loved me and honored me, but 
 my duties to them have now ceased. Our intercourse and com- 
 munion here end. I go to attend my husband, Omed Sing Opud- 
 dea, with whose ashes on the funeral pile mine have been already 
 three times mixed.' 
 
 " This was the first time in her long life that she had ever pro- 
 nounced the name of her husband ; for in India no woman, high or 
 low, pronounces her husband's name. She would consider it dis- 
 respectful toward him to do so. When the old lady named her 
 husband, as she did with strong emphasis, and in a very deliberate 
 manner, every one present was satisfied she had resolved to die. 
 Again looking at the sun, she said with a tone and countenance 
 that affected me a good deal, 'I see them together under the bridal 
 canopy ! ' alluding to the ceremonies of marriage ; and I am satis- 
 fied that she at that moment really beheved that she saw her own 
 spirit and that of her husband under the bridal canopy in paradise, 
 and equally believed that she had been, in three previous births, 
 three times married to him on earth, and as often had died with 
 him, and must repeat it now again. I asked the old lady when 
 she had first resolved to become a suttee } She told me that 
 about thirteen years before, while bathing near the spot where she 
 then sat, the resolution had fixed itself in her mind, as she looked 
 at the splendid temples on the bank of the river erected by the 
 different branches of the family, over the ashes of her female rela- 
 tives, who had at different times become suttees. Two were over 
 her aunts, and another over her husband's mother. They were 
 very beautiful buildings, erected at great cost. She said she had 
 never mentioned her resolution to any one, till she called out Suth I 
 suth ! suth ! when her husband breathed his last, with his head in 
 her lap, on the bank of the Nerbudda, to which he had been taken, 
 when no hopes remained of his surviving the fever of which he 
 died. 
 
 " I tried to work upon her pride and her fears — told her that it 
 was probable that the rent-free lands, by which her family had 
 
392 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 been so long supported, might be resumed by the Government, as 
 a mark ol displeasure against the children for not dissuading her 
 from the sacrifice ; that the temples over her ancestors on the 
 bank might be leveled with the ground, in order to prevent theii 
 operating to induce others to make similar sacrifices ; and, lastly, 
 that not a single brick or stone should ever mark the place where 
 she burned, if she persisted in her resolution ; but that, if she con- 
 sented to live, a splendid habitation should be built for her among 
 these temples ; a handsome provision assigned for her support out 
 of these rent-free lands ; her children should daily visit her, and 
 I should frequently do the same. She smiled, held out her arm, 
 and said : ' My pulse has long ceased to beat, my spirit has de- 
 parted, and I have nothing left but a little earth that I wish to mix 
 with the ashes of my husband. I shall suffer nothing in burning ; 
 if you wish proof, order some fire, and you will see this arm con- 
 sumed without giving me any pain.' 
 
 " Satisfied that it would be unavailing to save her life, I sent for 
 all the principal members of her family, and consented that she 
 should be suffered to burn herself if they would enter into engage- 
 ments that no other member of their family should ever do the 
 same. This they all agreed to ; and the papers having been drawn 
 out in due form, about mid-day I sent down notice to the old lady, 
 who seemed extremely pleased and thankful. The ceremonies of 
 bathing were gone through with, the wood and other materials for 
 a strong fire collected and put into the pit. She then rose up, and, 
 with one arm on the shoulder of her eldest son, and the other on 
 her nephew, she approached the fire. I had sentries placed all 
 around, and no one else was allowed to go within five paces of it. 
 As she rose up fire was set to the pile, and it was instantly in a 
 blaze. The distance was about one hundred and fifty yards. She 
 came on with a calm and cheerful countenance, stopped once, and, 
 casting her eyes upward, said : ' Why have they kept me five days 
 from thee, my husband } ' On reaching the sentries her supporters 
 stopped ; she advanced, walked once round the pit, paused, and, 
 while muttering a prayer, threw some flowers into the fire. She 
 
ABOLISHED AT LENGTH BT LORD BEJsTlNCK. 393 
 
 then walked deliberately and steadily to the brink, stepped into the 
 center of the flame, sat down, and leaning back in the midst, as if 
 reposing upon a couch, was consumed, without uttering a shriek or 
 betraying one sign of d,gony ! " 
 
 In another part of the country a most affecting instance occurred. 
 . A young princess named Mutcha Bae lost first her son and then 
 her husband. She resolved upon being burned with the corpse of 
 the latter, and met the remonstrance of her own mother, the excel- 
 lent Alia Bae, who begged that she might not be left thus alone 
 and desolate in the world, by saying, " You are old, mother, and a 
 few years will terminate your pious life. My husband and my only 
 child are gone, and when you follow, life, I feel, will be insupporta- 
 ble, and the opportunity of closing it with honor will then have 
 passed." Nothing could alter her purpose ; and the royal mother, 
 finding she could not prevail on her child to consent to live, resolved 
 to witness her beloved daughter's suttee. She joined the cruel pro- 
 cession and stood close to the pile : two Brahmins held her by the 
 arms. She bore it all till the flames rose round her beautiful child, 
 when she lost all her self-control ; she shrieked with anguish, while 
 the crowd shouted ; and her hands, which she could not Hberate, 
 she actually gnawed in agony. By great effort she so far regained 
 her self-possession as, after the bodies were consumed, to join in 
 the ceremony of bathing in the Nerbudda. Then she retired to 
 her palace, and for three days she fasted in her deep grief, never 
 uttering a word. She subsequently sought relief in erecting a 
 beautiful monument to the memory of the dear departed. Such 
 monuments, the tombs of suttees, varying in size and form, yet 
 generally pyramidal, are seen along the banks of the different 
 sacred rivers. 
 
 At length this terrible crime, which the edicts and energy of 
 such emperors as Akbar and Aurungzebe could not restrain, trem- 
 bled before the cross of Christ. The Protestant missionary entered 
 India, and stood up to " plead for the widow." Before the blessed 
 Name which he invoked, the demon of suttee feared and fled 
 from British India. What Veda, and Shaster. and Menu, Moham- 
 
394 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 medan Emperor and European governor, all failed to prevent or 
 terminate, in the long experience of twenty-five centuries, was 
 effected by the beneficent religion of Him who, in every age and 
 in every land, has proved himself to be woman's greatest and truest 
 friend. 
 
 The honored man who signed the prohibitory edict which ended 
 this awful crime was Lord William Bentinck. He bore unappalled 
 the brunt of native and European opposition. The highest English 
 functionaries expressed their forebodings of danger from its forcible 
 suppression, and the Brahmins protested and defended it, as a re- 
 ligious rite that must not be meddled with. Amid this storm of 
 opposition and fears, and sustained by the sympathy and prayers of 
 the missionaries and other good men, his Lordship, on the 4th of 
 December, 1829, signed the act which ended this outrage on human 
 nature and the laws of God. Widow-burning prevails still, to some 
 extent, in those provinces of Lidia not under the direct govern- 
 ment of England. Two notable cases were recorded while I was in 
 India — one in March, 1858, in the city of Aurungabad, in the do- 
 minions of the Nizam, and the other in August, 1859, ^-^ Koonghur. 
 But the flag of Britain no longer waves over a suttee, and the gov- 
 ernors are doing what they can to induce the native Princes to com- 
 plete its suppression. 
 
 Lord Bentinck visited Behrole in 1832, in company with General 
 Sleeman, and, pointing to some magnificent tombs of suttees, asked 
 what they were. When told, he remained silent ; but he must have 
 felt at the moment the proud consciousness of the debt of gratitude 
 which India and India's daughters owe to the statesman who had 
 the Christian courage to put a stop to the great evil in spite of the 
 fearful obstacles that opposed him, 
 
 O, Christian women of America ! amid your happy homes, and the 
 exalted privileges and honor with which the Cross has surrounded 
 you, remember your sisters who are still in the bonds of this cruel 
 idolatry ! Urge on and extend the missions that are toiling there, 
 until they penetrate to the very last of " the dark places " of India, 
 where " the habitations of cruelty " still erect the suttee ; and there 
 
H 
 
 O 
 
THE THUGS. 397 
 
 let them, in Jesus's name, " relieve the oppressed, judge the father- 
 less, and plead for the widow." 
 
 Meanwhile, let us bless God for that wonderful victory of Chris- 
 tian civilization in 1857-58 over Brahminical rebels, who, had they 
 triumphed, would most surely have rekindled the fires in which, as 
 in former days, the daughters of India would again have had to 
 mount their chariots of flame, to be borne, not to their Vedic heav- 
 en, but before the tribunal of Him who has forbidden self-murder, 
 because he " will have mercy and not sacrifice," and who declares to 
 the deluded suttee, as to the wayward sinner, " I have no pleasure 
 in the death of him that dieth." 
 
 In all lands, but especially in a country like India, with the mill- 
 ions utterly uneducated, and debased in conscience aud morals, 
 there are "dangerous classes," who live by fraud and violence, and 
 who are ever ready for any opportunity of plunder and crime that 
 may occur. 
 
 But in India there exists what is not found elsewhere on earth, 
 a class of men whose trade is blood, who follow murder as a pro- 
 fession, and even perform it as a religious duty! The Thugs for 
 centuries have 
 
 "Laughed at human nature and compassion." 
 
 Their organization was complete ; they were bound to each other 
 by oaths and engagements as relentless as death and as heartless 
 as hell. Their accessions were from the worst of all classes ; the 
 perfection of villainy became a Thug. 
 
 I present here seven members of this infernal association, whom 
 I have seen in India. Every man of the group is a murderer, and 
 a murderer, not by the heat of passion, or revenge, or the stimulus 
 of strong drink, but a cool, sober, unexcited trader in human life, 
 whose conscience knows no remorse, because he regards himself as 
 rendering in the act the highest service to his chosen deity ! 
 
 One day, at Agra, I had the opportunity of seeing these mon- 
 sters. The English Government have a special police and staff — 
 one of the most perfect detective systems in the world — for the 
 
 capture of these wretches. At the head of this "Thuggee De- 
 26 
 
398 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 partment " was Colonel Williams — he whom Government employed 
 to take the evidence of the Cawnpore Massacre. A number of 
 ladies, among whom was Mrs. Havelock, the General's sister-in- 
 law, expressed a desire to visit the Taj that afternoon. The court- 
 eous Colonel offered to escort us, and on our return casually 
 remarked, as we crossed the road from the Taj, " Come, and I will 
 show you something else." So he turned down an ominous-look- 
 ing portal, and we followed him through the guarded gate into a 
 square with high walls, and thence by a gloomy passage into an- 
 other inclosed court, where were a group of some of the most awful- 
 looking men that I had ever seen. The Colonel coolly remarked, 
 " These are some of my pets." In a moment we realized where 
 we were standing, three gentlemen and a party of ladies unguarded, 
 in the very presence of nearly two hundred Thugs ! It made one's 
 flesh creep. The feeling was dreadful, and the situation was not 
 at all relieved, when, in retiring again through the long, dark pas- 
 sage, a number of these wretches came clanking close after us, to 
 plead in the outer court for some concession from the Colonel. 
 The ladies of the party could hardly forgive our gallant escort for 
 the trick he played upon them in leading them into such a pres- 
 ence, and that, too, after coming out of the Taj. It seemed like 
 leaving paradise and descending into hell among those who, in 
 chains and darkness, await the judgment of the great day ! 
 
 The Colonel permitted a photograph to be taken of some of the 
 most notorious of his collection. They were unshackled, and 
 brought into the parlor of the prison for the purpose. He pointed 
 out one man (the one in front, on the left hand in the picture) 
 who had confessed to having committed thirty murders, and who 
 had given him the details of each ! And yet every one of these 
 heartless villains were let loose upon society when the Sepoys rose, 
 and since the suppression of the Rebellion the Thuggee Depart- 
 ment has had a busy time in ferreting them out and recapturing 
 them. 
 
 Sixty years ago these men plied their dreadful trade almost un- 
 molested. The native Governments could not cope with them. 
 
DIVINE SANCTION FOR TEUGQEEI8M. 399 
 
 They infested the pubHc roads disguised as merchants, travelers, 
 and Fakirs, but always in gangs, each man knowing his part of the 
 service when the moment came for action. 
 
 If any thing further were possible to add a more damning char- 
 acter to these deeds of blood it is found in the fact that flindoo 
 Thuggeeisra has dared to add a divine acquiescence to these prac- 
 tices ; for their abominable creed has furnished a suitable patron 
 to accept and delight in the groans and dying agonies of their 
 wretched victims. 
 
 The consort of Shiva — the third member of the Hindoo Trimurti 
 — the female Moloch, to whose horrid appetite for blood, and hun- 
 ger for the human lives on which she is represented as feeding, 
 with a desire that is insatiate, is the being to appease and gratify 
 whom the benighted mothers of India have for ages sacrificed their 
 daughters' lives, and her adorers, these Thugs, have strangled the 
 thousands whom they have immolated. Her name is Kalee. She 
 is the most popular deity of Bengal — the etymology of the name 
 of the metropolis of India being derived from her designation and 
 shrine — Kalee, and Ghat, a place of ablution — Kalee's-ghat — hence 
 Calcutta. 
 
 Of this abominable idol the Kalika Purana declares, in de- 
 scribing her appetite for blood and carnage : " If a devotee should 
 scorch some member of his body by applying a burning lamp, the 
 act would be very acceptable to the goddess ; if he should draw 
 some of his blood and present it, it would be still more delectable ; 
 if he should cut off some portion of his own flesh and present it as 
 a burnt-offering, that would be most grateful of all. But if the 
 worshiper should present her a whole burnt-offering, it would prove 
 acceptable to her in proportion to the supposed importance of the 
 animated beings thus immolated — that, for instance, by the blood 
 of fishes or tortoises, the goddess is gratified for a whole month 
 after ; a crocodile's blood will please her three months ; that of 
 certain wild animals nine months ; a guana's, a year ; an antelope's, 
 twelve years ; a rhinoceros's, or tiger's blood, for a hundred years ; 
 but the blood of a lion, or a man, will delight her appetite for a 
 
400 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 thousand years ! while by the blood of three men, slain in sacrifice, 
 she is pleased a hundred thousand years !" 
 
 This is the patroness of these Thugs, these professional murder- 
 ers, who, when their victim is in the agonies of strangulation be- 
 neath their knees, on the ground, are engaging in acts of prayer — 
 offering to Kalee the life that is passing away — and to this abomi- 
 nation, thus said to feed on the human soul, have the mothers 
 of India for ages immolated their daughters ! 
 
 So popular is she and her worship, that even the English Gov- 
 ernment cannot keep the public offices open during the term of 
 the "Durga-Poojah" holy days, from the first to the thirteenth of 
 October, for all Calcutta then runs mad upon this idolatry. I 
 have seen her image, larger than the human form, painted blue, 
 with her tongue represented as dripping with gore upon her chin, 
 her bosom covered with a necklace of human skulls, and her many 
 arms each bearing a murderous weapon, carried in proud proces- 
 sion through the streets of Calcutta during those holidays, ac- 
 companied by bands of music and tens of thousands of frantic 
 followers. 
 
 Of this teaching and worship Thuggeeism was the natural re- 
 sult^ combining rapine with religion, the service of their goddess 
 with love of plunder — the life for her, the booty for themselves. Ic 
 raised ruffianism to the dignity of a fulfillment of duty, and swelled 
 the numbers of these religious murderers to a fearful height, till the 
 public thoroughfares were haunted by these wretches, as well as 
 by the brigands and plunderers who imitated them in their lesser 
 guilt. It was on the discovery of thirty dead bodies in different 
 wells of the Doab, (when these assassins had grown to be so reck- 
 less in their work that they were ceasing to act with their usual 
 caution in burying and concealing the bodies of their victims,) that 
 Thuggeeism was first brought to the knowledge of the English 
 Government in 1810 ; and so determined were the measures taken 
 by them for its suppression, and so faithfully have they since been 
 followed up, that the Thug had to disappear from the roads of 
 British India, and confine his Hmited depredations within the 
 
WHAT TEE CONFLICT INVOLVED. 40I 
 
 bounds of native States, where English law cannot penetrate. 
 Hundreds of them were ferreted out, and are now confined for life 
 within the walls of safe jails. The Government presses upon the 
 rulers of native States the necessity of imitating English example 
 in this regard. But, while willing to follow the friendly advice of 
 the paramount power, they have not yet the nerve and energy of 
 the Anglo-Saxon, to accomplish its complete extirpation. 
 
 Even as late as the days of Bishop Heber (1825) the common 
 people went to market armed with swords and shields and spears 
 and matchlocks. Just as I have seen the plowman in Oude, at the 
 time of the annexation, with his sword by his side and his friends 
 within view — such was the public apprehension of the lawless and 
 violent, by whom life and property might at any moment be assailed. 
 What a change has the presence of the English magistrate made 
 all over the land, within twenty-five years ! Very justly does a 
 native writer remark : " The trader and traveler now pass along the 
 loneliest highway without losing a pin. If a corpse were now dis- 
 covered in a well, or found by the side of a jungle, it would cause a 
 general uproar in the community, and create a greater sensation 
 than the irruption of a Mahratta horde. The wicked have been 
 weaned from their life of rapine, and taught to subordinate them- 
 selves to the authorities of society and the State." 
 
 Over and above all these elements of wrath and hatred might be 
 enumerated the " Budmashes," " Dacoits," " Goojurs," and criminal 
 classes generally, with all the disaffected elements of every kind, 
 who only needed the sanction of their Brahmins and Fakirs, and 
 the leading of the Sepoys, to be ready for every evil work against 
 law, reform, and government. The reader, from these conditions 
 of society, can easily divine for himself the causes and motives of 
 the great Sepoy Rebellion. He can see what classes, and how 
 many, regarded it with terror and detestation, and what classes 
 reveled in its developments, and by what purposes they were 
 actuated. 
 
 Can any just and adequate interpretation be put upon this terri- 
 ble conflict, that does not acknowledge that its life and soul was the 
 
402 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 religious question? The Rebellion was Heathenism — vile, selfish, 
 and cruel — trembling for its very existence and goaded to retalia- 
 tion, rising up in its hour of opportunity against the Christian civ- 
 ilization, whose increasing reforms and enlightenment manifestly 
 knew no limit save the overthrow of every wrong, and the removal 
 of every error, in India. It was the irrepressible and inevitable 
 conflict of light with darkness ; it was the Christian knowledge and 
 saving faith of the nineteenth century mightily wrestling with ven- 
 erable ignorance and licentious idolatry for the possession of the 
 bright Land of the Veda, and for perpetual supremacy over its 
 200,000,000 of men ! The prize and the agony for its possession 
 were correspondent ; and God defended the right. 
 
 III. Yes ; for God and his providence must be acknowledged here 
 as we search for the causes of this great conflict. On how many 
 of its facts, as well as its precious results, is written, " This is the 
 finger of God ! " The permissive providence which allowed this 
 terrible calamity to fall upon the English in India, was, even by 
 their own subsequent, contrite acknowledgment, only what their 
 sins deserved. It is consistent with all that we know of the divine 
 government to suppose that the Almighty must have taken cogni- 
 zance of their compromises of his truth, of their patronage of idol- 
 atry, of their repression of his Christianity, so as to keep it away 
 from a people who needed it so much. He knew that if such a 
 course was to continue unchecked India could not be saved for 
 long centuries to come. He was resolved that caste and idolatry 
 must be overthrown ; and if Englishmen dared to prop up the God- 
 dishonoring systems, they must feel the blow which dashed those 
 systems to pieces. 
 
 I need not enumerate their national sins in India — they have 
 done so themselves. As I write, the pamphlets are before me 
 which contain their petitions to their Queen and Parliament, signed 
 by multitudes of the best men of Britain, acknowledging before 
 God and the world, in the hour of their national agony, how 
 unworthy and responsible they felt themselves to be for the 
 sins and shortcomings of their rule in India, and how earnestly 
 
ENaLANB'8 CONFESSION OF RER SINS. 403 
 
 they pleaded with their Government to reform what was wrong in 
 the administration of India, and act henceforth on Christian princi- 
 ples in the rule of that land. Here is what these people said in 
 1857 in their Memorial to Parliament: 
 
 " By professing to be neutral among the various religions of its 
 Indian subjects, the Government has in effect denied the truth, and 
 given a great moral advantage to those foolish, wicked, and degrad- 
 ing systems to which the great bulk of the people adhere. Nor 
 has the advantage thus given been merely moral. Idolatry has 
 formerly been, and to some extent still is, publicly patronized and 
 subsidized. Its immodest and cruel rites have been honored with 
 the attendance of Government officers, and paid for from funds 
 under Government control. The system of Caste, which, in every 
 part of it, contradicts and counteracts the Christian religion, has 
 been recognized in Government arrangements for the administra- 
 tion of justice, as well as in the organization of the army, and selfish 
 humanity and contempt of their fellow-men and subjects, have thus 
 received the highest official sanction. The Government has dis- 
 couraged the teaching of the Christian religion to certain classes 
 of its subjects, and made the profession of it, in a sense, penal, by 
 placing some who have been turned from idols to serve the living 
 and true God under disabilities to which they were not, before their 
 conversion, liable. And, while allowing the Koran and the Shaster 
 to be freely used, it has forbidden the teaching of the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, or even the answering of spontaneous inquiries respecting 
 their contents, during school hours, in the educational institutions 
 which it supports. In all these instances the Indian Government, 
 though professing neutrality in matters of religion, has practically 
 countenanced and favored falsehood and wickedness of the most 
 flagitious kind." 
 
 They here quote dispatches of the East India Company, who had 
 ruled India for a hundred years, in proof of the foregoing statements, 
 and also refer to facts well known in India — such as Lord Clive per- 
 sonally attending a heathen festival at Conjeveram, and present- 
 ing an ornament to the idol worth 1,050 pagodas, (;^i,85o;) Lord 
 
404 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Auckland, another Governor General, offering 2,000 rupees ($1,000) 
 at the Muttra shrine, and being highly piaised in a native newspa- 
 per for his piety ! Lord Ellenborough, in 1 842, ordering the gates 
 of the Temple of Somnath (carried off by a Mohammedan con- 
 queror eight hundred years ago) to be carried back hundreds 
 of miles, with military honors, and his issuing a proclamation, 
 announcing the heathenish act, " to all' the Princes, Chiefs, and 
 People of India." They also refer to the conduct of Lord Dal- 
 housie, later still, paying reverence to an idol, by changing his dress 
 on entering the heathen temple of Umritsur, and making an offer- 
 ing to it of 5,000 rupees, (^2,500.) These things were done by 
 Indian Viceroys, while Government servants were required to col- 
 lect pilgrims' tax, administer the estates of idol temples, and pay 
 allowances to officials connected with heathen shrines ; and even 
 military officers had to parade troops and present arms in honor of 
 idol processions ! 
 
 These things were so. The writer has seen (and could give the 
 name of the place, and of the commanding officer responsible) Brit- 
 ish cannon loaned, and ammunition supplied, to fire a salute in 
 honor of a heathen idol, and that on the holy Sabbath day ! Chris- 
 tian Englishmen in India groaned over these acts, officers in the 
 army threw up their commissions sooner than obey such orders, 
 and men in high positions protested against them as sins of the 
 deepest dye, fearing that God would " visit for these things," and 
 appealed to the British public to stop the madness of the East 
 India Company and their servants in India. When I entered India 
 there was not over one native Christian in Government employ in 
 all the North-west Provinces. While that very year the only Sepoy 
 who, up to that time, had ever become a Christian (save one, men- 
 tioned by Heber, who was also dismissed) was, by order of the 
 Governor-General, removed from the army because he had become 
 a Christian, and the commanding officer and the civil judge who 
 attended at the baptism were reproved by his Excellency for doing 
 so ! His object, in this mistaken policy, was to prevent the discus- 
 sion and prejudice which would result, and convince the Sepoy 
 
HONESTY IS TEE BEST POLICY. 405 
 
 army how fully his administration would sustain the doctrine of 
 " neutrality." But what must Almighty God have thought of such 
 conduct, and that, too, on the part of men who went to Church on 
 Sunday, and professed to be members of a State Establishment of 
 Christianity ! 
 
 The patience of Him who will " not give his glory to another, 
 nor his praise to graven images," was about exhausted with that 
 proud company and their policy, and the Parliament of England 
 and its Christian people were already preparing the overthrow of 
 both, and deliberately making up their minds to the introduction 
 of a more Christian and manly administration of Indian affairs. 
 The petitioners end their Memorial, earnestly pleading that these 
 Government sins should cease, and India be henceforth ruled in a 
 way more worthy of the duty which Christian England owes to 
 that people. 
 
 Their confession and humiliation were candid and sincere, and in 
 the hour of their deep distress God was entreated for the land. 
 Defeat was soon after turned to victory. He saved them from 
 among the heathen. God came to their aid, not in the infidel, 
 Bonapartist sense, in which He is said to be " on the side of the 
 strongest battalions," for here he clearly was on the side of the 
 weaker, and gave the victory to the " few " instead of the " many," 
 
 No Government ever committed a greater mistake than the 
 East India Company did when it adopted this "neutrality" policy. 
 The result was, it laid itself open to the charge of underhand 
 designs for the overthrow of the popular faith — for the people could 
 not imagine a Government without a religion — and it was conse- 
 quently disbelieved and distrusted, while the Christian mission- 
 aries, who boldly and openly denounced idolatry, and invited the 
 people kindly and candidly to embrace Christianity, were under- 
 stood, and even trusted, by the masses. So marked was this fact, 
 that in the panic at Benares, and when the vanguard of Havelock's 
 troops were passing through, and extra supplies were urgently 
 required, the Government officials could not induce the villagers 
 around to bring them in ; a very serious condition of things was 
 
406 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 arising. In the emergency a Christian missionary, Mr. Leupolt, 
 could do what the commissariat officers failed to effect. He went 
 out among the villagers — heathens, to whom he had often preached 
 on the guilt and danger of their idolatry — and told them what the 
 Government needed. The people asked him if he would give his 
 word that they should be justly treated if they furnished what was 
 needed ? He said he would. Without more ado they loaded their 
 hackeries, and accompanied him to the city, and furnished all that 
 was required. This I know to be a fact. A similar instance is on 
 record in the experience of Missionary Swartz in the south of India. 
 
 Honesty is the best policy. If the India Government had acted 
 on it they would not have exposed themselves to the retort of 
 Rajah Janaryan, of Benares, a liberal and wealthy friend of native 
 education, who, when a Christian physician, who had raised him 
 up from a severe illness, urged the claims of the Gospel upon his 
 mind, the Rajah at first seemed disposed to yield ; but presently, 
 on reflection, he stifled his convictions by the remark, " Sir, had 
 the Christian religion been true, the Company Bahadur [the Gov- 
 ernment] which has, in other respects, benefited my country, would 
 not have withheld from at least commending this religion to our 
 notice ! " 
 
 Sir John Lawrence was Governor of the Punjab when the Rebel- 
 lion broke out ; the elements around him were as energetic, and 
 some of them as dangerous, as any in India. He had been supe- 
 rior to the policy of his masters, and would insist on favoring Mis- 
 sionaries and the Bible in the schools. What was the result of 
 this open and candid course, even in the hour when all around 
 them had fallen .? The missionaries waited upon him to say that, 
 if their public preaching in the streets of Lahore was any embar- 
 rassment in the condition of the country, they were ready to pause 
 for a season, if he thought it requisite to do so. His prompt reply, 
 which will be a lasting honor to him, was, " No, gentlemen ; prose- 
 cute your preaching and missionary enterprises just as usual. 
 Christian things, done in a Christian way, will never alienate the 
 heathen." They acted on his advice, and did not preach a sermon 
 
ANOTHER DIVINE INTERPOSITION. 407 
 
 the less for the Rebelhon. Though all India around them had 
 "gone," their Punjab stood firm, and even supplied the men and 
 means for sustaining the siege of Delhi, till it fell, and the Govern- 
 ment was fully restored. The East India Company was abolished, 
 amid the contempt of all good men, and even of the candid hea- 
 then ; while this very man, Sir John Lawrence, was chosen by the 
 Queen to be Viceroy of India, to introduce that better and more 
 Christian condition of things which prevails there to-day ! What 
 an illustration of the promise, " Them that honor me I will honor, 
 and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed ! " 
 
 Ar the close of September the insurrection between Mooltan 
 and Ferozepore suddenly stopped all mails, and we were left for a 
 time without any further news. Just then our implacable foe, 
 Khan Bahadur, made his last fierce effort for our destruction. 
 For a few days our anxiety was terrible. The force at Bareilly 
 had been augmented by the arrival there of the Nana Sahib, and 
 their rage had risen with the spirit and character of their visitor, 
 and the followers he brought to their aid. Of course he advised 
 our destruction, and it was attempted by the largest force hitherto 
 sent against us, consisting, it was said, of over one thousand cav- 
 alry and four thousand infantry. They came to the Huldwanee 
 side of our position for their attack, but our trust was still in the 
 " God of battles ;" so there we stood, calmly awaiting the result. 
 Few as we were, we knew that there was succor, in which " they 
 that be with us are more than they that be with them." (2 Kings vi.) 
 
 The help of Providence is not less certain or near because it is 
 invisible. It was "a day of trouble, and of rebuke and blas- 
 phemy." This modern Sennacherib had come up to cut off " the 
 remnant that are left," full of rage at Christ and his people. His 
 blasphemies against the Lord's Anointed doubtless exceeded in 
 bitterness the reproaches of the Assyrian king, and with similar 
 pride and confidence he said, " With my multitude I am come up 
 to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and I will 
 cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees 
 thereof, and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into 
 
4o8 FEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 the forest of his Carmel." (2 Kings xviii, 19.) He would, we knew, 
 if God allowed him, but not otherwise. Yet this haughty spirit 
 was the precursor of his own destruction. 
 
 Of course he kept us in distress and excitement, and this was 
 intensified by the cutting off of our mails, so that we could get no 
 information. For a few days we could but fear the worst. How 
 we longed for the news of the fall of Delhi, and for the relief that 
 would come when that was accomplished ! But God was working- 
 out our salvation in his own way, and in the height of this very 
 emergency one of his most manifest interpositions was developed. 
 A few days after their arrival this powerful force, by some unac- 
 countable influence, suddenly decamped, without doing us the 
 smallest injury. Our spies brought us word that every one of 
 them had fled, and, on some of us going down, we found that they 
 had evidently left, not merely in a hurry, but m a panic, for the 
 heel ropes of the cavalry horses, instead of being untied and taken 
 with them, were all found cut and left fast to the stakes ! The 
 only way we could accovmt for it was a report which was said to 
 have reached them that we were going down to surprise them 
 with immensely augmented numbers. Be this as it may, they left 
 suddenly and went back to Bareilly. 
 
 The old Nawab was outrageous at their return, and insisted 
 upon a renewal of the effort ; but a terror from God seemed to have 
 fallen upon them, and this was immediately followed by the news, 
 so dreadful to them, of the capture of Delhi by the English troops, 
 spreading consternation through their ranks. They received that 
 information some days before we did ; but at length it came to us 
 at the close of September, 
 
 I was sitting that afternoon, writing in a very pensive mood, 
 when the sudden roar of a cannon, from the little fort near our 
 cottage, brought me to my feet, and a brilliant hope flashed across 
 my heart. I snatched my hat and ran up the hill, while peal after 
 peal thundered out, making the grand Himalayas reverberate. At 
 last I gained the summit, and stood till I counted the " royal " 
 twenty-one. I needed no one to tell me what it meant. Our 
 
DELHI FALLS AT LAST. 409 
 
 commanding officer had just received the message which an- 
 nounced that Delhi had fallen ! 
 
 I stood there, wrapt in thoughts never to be forgotten, and a 
 luxury of feehng flowed through my heart, which will make that 
 moment a bright spot in my life and recollection forever. 
 
 How often before had the thunder of those British cannon 
 proved the inlet of salvation to the oppressed and persecuted ! I 
 was not the first American missionary to whom they had an- 
 nounced " glad tidings of great joy." I thought of Judson and 
 his heroic wife, of Wade and Hough, on whose ears, in their mel- 
 ancholy captivity, those cheerful peals proclaimed approaching 
 liberty. 
 
 None but those who, like ourselves, have been practically cap- 
 tive for months, not knowing but that any day our doom might be 
 sealed by the hand of violence, can imagine how every gun seemed 
 to ring the knell of the Moslem city and power, while it proclaimed 
 liberty to the Christian and the missionary of the cross — none but 
 those so situated can appreciate the luxury of an hour like that. 
 
 It was impossible, as I returned down the hill, to repress the 
 tears that so freely flowed ; yet they were caused by no craven 
 love of life, nor coward fear of death. I had passed through 
 sufficient ordeals to know " in whom I had believed." No, my 
 tears flowed, but they were for India's own sake ; shed in joyful 
 hope and largeness of heart, that God was once more setting free 
 those Christian agencies which alone could redeem " her from her 
 sins " and sufferings, and which would lead her to the possession 
 of those untold mercies that even she shall yet enjoy in common 
 with all Christian nations. 
 
 If time is to be measured by the magnitude of events that tran- 
 spire within any given space, how long and how much we seemed 
 to have lived during those past five months ! 
 
 The capture of Delhi is too well known to the reader to require 
 any thing more than mere references in these pages. It was the 
 event on which our fate, and the fate of British India, seemed to 
 hang during those long months ; and its capture by a mere handful 
 
4IO THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 of troops was one of the marvels of those stirring times. At 
 length we breathed freely, and the hope of deliverance, rose 
 brightly upon our horizon. The scattered Sepoy host had to be 
 followed up through all parts of India, Rohilcund being left until the 
 last. Lucknow could not be reoccupied till March of the following 
 year, (1858,) and it was not till May the 5th that Bareilly was cap- 
 tured, and our way opened to return there. 
 
 We were thus free to go out on the north-west side, while we 
 were to be shut up on the south-east for eight months more, so we 
 concluded to leave for the plains, after most of our number had 
 already gone. To remain longer where we were seemed out of 
 the question. No money could reach us ; I had exhausted every 
 source, and to borrow any more was impracticable. 
 
 Ere the snow closed the road over the Himalayas for the winter, 
 we concluded it was best for us also to go. At Meerut we could 
 obtain the means required, and should also be on the "grand 
 trunk road," and, after the fall of Futtyghur could, if necessary, 
 join the brethren expected at Calcutta, and decide with them what 
 was best to be done for the present. We could also obtain requi- 
 sites for the mission and for ourselves, and be ready to return with 
 our brethren and sisters as soon as our field was again open. 
 
 Before starting, we had the joy of receiving a letter from Broth- 
 ers Pierce and Humphrey, dated Calcutta, September 30, with the 
 glad news of their safe arrival there in good health. They wrote 
 in their letter : " We knew nothing of the fearful scenes transpir- 
 ing in India until our pilot came on board on the morning of the 
 19th instant, bringing files of the latest papers. After we had 
 recovered ourselves a little from the first blow, we turned to the 
 account of the Bareilly tragedy. I read it aloud, trembling almost 
 to read from line to line. Twenty-nine out of eighty-four Euro- 
 peans escaped, and your name unmentioned ! Our worst fears 
 were excited. We saw, however, that only official names were 
 given ; but, after resolving the matter, could encourage ourselves 
 but little to hope for your safety. We remained in this state of 
 intense suspense until four P. M. on Monday, the 21st, when we 
 
AGAIN IN TEE WILDERNESS. 411 
 
 cast anchor at Calcutta. I hastened on shore, called on Mr. 
 Stewart, and learned the joyful tidings of your escape to Nynee 
 Tal. Our interest was all concentrated in the question, 'Are 
 Brother Butler and family safe .?' When we learned this, our grati- 
 tude and gladness were such that we scarcely thought, for the time, 
 of your losses and sufferings : it seemed enough that you were 
 saved. ' O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and 
 for his wonderful works to the children of men ! ' I returned to 
 the ship ; then were we glad, thanked God, and took courage." 
 
 It seems a singular coincidence that the English and American 
 Methodist missions to India should both have commenced their 
 labors under afflictive circumstances connected in each case with 
 their superintendent. 
 
 On the 3d of May, 1814, the leader of the first band of Wesleyan 
 missionaries, Dr. Coke, suddenly died, almost within sight of India. 
 His brethren, deprived of their zealous and devoted superintend- 
 ent, landed in grief and sadness. 
 
 ^On the 19th of September, 1857, another ship neared the coast 
 of India, this time bearing, not English, but American, Meth- 
 odist missionaries. They also are the first band that this Church 
 has sent to India ; and they, too, are in anxiety and distress, for they 
 fear that their superintendent has been murdered. 
 
 But this is not all. On Dr. Coke's death, the Rev. James 
 Lynch was appointed to the superintendency. He labored nearly 
 thirty years, and then returned to his native land, and was appointed 
 to the Comber Circuit. Being feeble, the writer was sent to assist 
 him. We traveled and labored together ; God was with us, and 
 sinners were converted. During the Sepoy RebelHon he was 
 calmly awaiting his departure to a better world, full of years and 
 the grace of God, while the boy preacher, whom he so kindly cher- 
 ished and prayed for fifteen years before, was in that very India, 
 and superintendent of the first American Methodist Mission 
 established there ! 
 
 The journey across to Landour was a wonderful one. We 
 climbed mountains, forded rivers, clambered round frightful preci- 
 
412 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 pices, often on narrow paths which, in places, were not more than 
 twenty to thirty inches wide. At a gorge in the mountains we 
 crossed the Ganges, there a roaring torrent between walls of rock, 
 on a miserable rope bridge, which had been condemned as unsafe, 
 and which swung in the wind, sixty feet above the water that 
 foamed beneath it. It was a journey never to be forgotten for its 
 magnificent views, its tall pine forests, the wildness of the scenery, 
 the beauty and variety of its birds, and the singular sensation that 
 we were moving over moiintains and through forests infested by 
 tigers and all sorts of savage animals, against which our only pro- 
 tection was the sunlight by day and the flaming log fire by night. 
 But God guided us in safety. Though, to show how near we were 
 to danger, and how much we required merciful care, I will state that 
 one night we had camped in a lonely valley by a stream, having 
 with us a goat which we had brought along to give milk for the 
 little " Mutiny Baby." The poor goat was left fastened, as usual, 
 to the peg at the texit door, with the fire in front outside, and our 
 lantern lighted within. The fire unfortunately went out, and in the 
 middle of the night we were startled out of our sleep by a roar and 
 a yell of agony, and, jumping up and opening the tent door, I found 
 that the wild beasts had carried off the poor goat bodily, and were 
 already clear out of sight with her ! 
 
 Occasionally we slept five thousand feet higher, or lower, than 
 where we rested the night before. Our " house and home " was a 
 little tent eight feet square. A day's journey varied from seven to 
 fifteen miles, according to the character of the road. It was gen- 
 erally four or five P. M. by the time we reached the camping-place. 
 The tent was then set up, our dinner cooked, and there, beside our 
 large log fire, sometimes ten or twenty miles from any habitation, we 
 enjoyed the grand solitude. After this we would heap more logs on 
 the fire for protection against the animals, and, commending ourselves 
 to the care of God, would lie down and sleep tranquilly. The wild 
 beasts, by which we were generally surrounded, disturbed us no fur- 
 ther. So it went on for sixteen days and nights from the time we 
 started, the whole distance being about one hundred and eighty miles. 
 
DELHI NAKED. 413 
 
 Tlie last day, when crossing the highest mountain of the range, the 
 snow began to fall, so that we had to camp that night upon it, with 
 a few boughs under us. But the next morning we crossed it, and 
 began to descend to the plains, and soon were beyond the snow 
 line. 
 
 Our last communication from America was dated several months 
 before. How people over there felt about our position and circum- 
 stances, and in regard to our mission, we knew not. We could 
 only hope that our beloved Church, far from being daunted or dis- 
 couraged, was more than ever resolved and prepared to do her duty 
 toward her great work in India. 
 
 We reached Dehra Doon December 5th. How calm and beauti- 
 ful all things in the valley seemed to us, after being shut up so many 
 months upon the mountains ! But the Rohilcund rebels were 
 across the Ganges, so we kept off by Saharunpore, and thence to 
 Kurnal and the imperial city. It was two hours after midnight 
 when we passed the outskirts of Delhi. We rolled down the empty 
 street of the Subzee Mundee, rattled on to the bridge over the 
 moat, and hailed the sentry, who, seeing a white face, asked no 
 questions, but opened the ponderous gates, and — ten weeks after 
 its capture — we were in Delhi ! 
 
 There is something very solemn in passing through the de- 
 serted streets of a conquered city. We could dimly see that all 
 was desolation and utter confusion. Having reached the lonely 
 house assigned for travelers, and taken a cup of tea, my curiosity 
 was too great for rest or sleep, so I procured a light, and wandered 
 down the Chandnee Chowk, (the Street of Silver.) All was still 
 as death ; indeed the silence was dreadful ; not a ray of light any- 
 vvhere, except from the lantern which I carried. Not a human being 
 to be seen. Every door, whether of store or private house, lay 
 open. I entered five or six shops. No words could describe the 
 wreck : even the floors had been torn up by the " loot " seekers. 
 One was a native doctor's shop. The drawers were all out, half 
 the bottles still on the shelves, and the rest overturned and 
 
 smashed. Every thing valuable in each case had been carried off, 
 27 
 
414 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 and there lay the worthless remnants, knocked to pieces on the 
 floors. In some places a heavy fermentation was going on, causing 
 an insupportable smell. The wretched cats were silently moping 
 about, and the poor dogs howled mournfully in the desolate houses. 
 
 And this was Delhi, and this her recompense ! Far rather 
 would one see a city knocked down and covered with its own ruins, 
 than to behold a scene like this. A tomb in Herculaneum can be 
 contemplated with interest ; but Delhi, that night, was like an open 
 grave rifled of its ornaments, and its dishonored, reeking condition 
 lying exposed to the gaze of the lonely visitor. No wonder that 
 its excluded Mohammedan population, as they prowled around its 
 vicinity, said, "This is a worse punishment than that of Nadir 
 Shah. He gave up the city to massacre and pillage for a few days, 
 then all was over, and the surviving inhabitants returned to their 
 homes and employments, and every thing went on as before. 
 The English took no such vengeance ; but they drove us out, and 
 week after week they kept us excluded, and will not let us return." 
 
 No doubt, such language correctly represented their feelings. 
 This decided exclusion of them ; this calm and continued investi- 
 gation by the civil and military authorities ; this searching out, and 
 bringing to justice, the perpetrators of the crimes of May and June 
 • — giving them the opportunity of proving their innocence, (one 
 trial alone having lasted ten days,) and then their prompt execution 
 when found guilty of murder — all this, together with the disposition 
 of the Government to acknowledge and reward fidelity where they 
 found it, produced an immense impression. It was so contrary to 
 the rash and indiscriminate mode of Oriental despotism. 
 
 When I reached the Kotwalie (the Mayor's office) in the square, 
 a horror came over me as I remembered that I was then standing 
 upon the very ground where, on the I2th and 13th of May, En- 
 glishwomen 
 
 " Perished 
 In unutterable shame ; " 
 
 where good Rajib Ali, and many others with him, were tortured, 
 not accepting the deliverance urged upon them by the raging crowd 
 
ALONE AT MIDNIGHT BEFORE THE KOTWALIE. 415 
 on condition of apostasy; and where also the murdered and muti- 
 lated bodies of Christian men and women lay exposed and insulted, 
 till at length, when no longer endurable, they were dragged away 
 out of the city and flung to the jackals and the birds of prey ; and 
 here I was, standing alone at midnight amid the darkness 4hich 
 my lantern only made visible, in the very center of Delhi, with nc 
 sound to be heard save the sighing of the wind in the great, dark 
 peepul trees above my head, till my excited fancy almost imagined 
 that I heard them moan out, - How long, O Lord, how long ! " 
 The reminiscences of that moment were enough to chill the blood 
 of the strongest man. They recur to me now like a dream of ter- 
 ror that can never be forgotten. 
 
 I walked on to the Emperor's gate, but it was shut ; the walls 
 frowned darkly down upon me, and all was silent as death. I 
 turned back by the other side of the street to my lodging, a walk 
 of more than a mile, without meeting a single human being. 
 
 As I stood that night in the midst of this stern desolation, I was 
 forcibly reminded of the Lesson in the calendar for the 14th of 
 September, which attracted our attention so much when reading it, 
 and all the more when we heard afterward that it was the Lesson 
 for the day on which tke assault was given. It was in Nahum iii, 
 and begins, "Woe to the bloody city !" etc. ; as applicable to Delhi 
 as ever it was to Nineveh— and here was her "woe." She was 
 "naked," "a gazing stock," and "laid waste;" her "nobles in the 
 dust," her "people scattered;" so that with equal truth it might 
 then be said of her, "There is no healing of thy bruise ; thy wound 
 is grievous ; all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap their hands 
 over thee, for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed con- 
 tinually .?" (Verse 19.) 
 
 I picked up an Hindustanee account book lying at a merchant's 
 door, and returned and went to bed absorbed in the thoughts of a 
 retributive Providence, and the sad miseries of war among which 
 I lay. 
 
 Early the next morning I was out again rambling through the 
 streets. The people who had passes were admitted for trade and 
 
41 6 THE LAND OF TEE VEDA. 
 
 market. The Chandnee Chowk, with a few of its leading tributa- 
 ries toward the Palace, (inside the walls of which were the troops 
 and the prisoners,) were the only portions of Delhi where I met 
 any number of people. The rest of the city was a desert, where 
 one might walk half a mile and not meet a human being, even at 
 midday. Coming around to the Kotwalie, an awful sight presented 
 itself On a high gallows (which the darkness prevented me from 
 seeing when I stood there a few hours before) were hanging by the 
 neck, dead, eighteen of the " Shahzadas " — the king's seed — who 
 had been found guilty of terrible crimes, many of them committed 
 at this very place. They had been hanged at daybreak, and only 
 a few persons were standing around. 
 
 I had, of course, heard the report of their fiendish deeds, but to 
 come thus suddenly upon the authors of them, bearing their pen- 
 alty on the very spot where their crimes were committed, was 
 enough to chill the blood in one's veins. How dreadful is sin ! 
 The sight made me sick, and I turned hastily away. 
 
 During the day we called upon Lieutenant E., a military friend, 
 who kindly gratified our wishes to be shown "the sights." 
 Mounting us on one of the government elephants, he took us over 
 the battle-field, and described the siege and the assault, and the 
 capture of the city at the different points. We lingered where 
 General Wilson stood when the terrible assault was made, and 
 seemed to realize the whole scene. It is doubtful if any com- 
 mander in modern times has sustained a weightier responsibility 
 than he did then. 
 
 Further delay was impossible ; there was no room for any 
 reverse. He must succeed or all was lost. A repulse would have 
 involved consequences so terrible that the mind dare hardly con- 
 template them. If he failed, that little army, without a miracle, 
 must have been annihilated, the wavering Punjab would have 
 " gone," and the undecided princes have been drawn into the cur- 
 rent, which would probably, within a few weeks, have swept away 
 every thing British and Christian from the soil of India. 
 
 We wandered over the battle-field, by the broad shore of the 
 
THE SIGHTS OF DELHI. 417 
 
 Jumna, and saw that, notwithstanding the efforts to clear the 
 ground, the sanguinary character of the contest was still manifest : 
 dead horses and camels, and occasionally human remains, with 
 portions of exploded shells, might be seen. The " Brahminee 
 hawks " and vultures were still hovering around. I took up a 
 human skull ; it was that of a Sepoy for the marks of the paicn 
 were still on the front teeth. A round shot or sword-cut had 
 taken off the top of the head ; death must have been instantaneous. 
 I thought of the lines of the classic poet as I thus looked upon the 
 most vivid realization of them I ever saw, or ever expect to see : 
 
 " The wrath which hurled to Pluto's gloomy reign 
 The souls of mighty chiefs untimely slain ; 
 Whose limbs, unburied on the naked shore, 
 Devouring dogs and hungiy vultures tore ! " 
 
 From the battle-field we went in the afternoon to Selim Ghur, 
 and thence along the fortifications by the river. We were for- 
 tunate in falling in with Brigadier Jones, who took the Palace on 
 the last day of the assault. He told us that he led 780 men into 
 action, of whom nearly 450 were either killed or wounded, the pro- 
 portion of officers being very large. This fact shows what a des- 
 perate service he had to perform. Personally he escaped un- 
 touched. The Brigadier commanded a few months afterward at 
 the battle of Bareilly. 
 
 We went next to the magazine, the defense of which has ren- 
 dered the name of Willoughby so famous. Here we were also 
 favored in having as a guide Lieutenant Forrest, who was one of 
 Willoughby's officers on that occasion. He conducted us over the 
 place, and explained the details of the ever-memorable defense. 
 
 We next went to see the beautiful Jain Temple. The outward 
 court reminded me of the description of Solomon's Temple, it was 
 so rich and elegant. In the sanctuary there stood a shrine, which 
 rose tier above tier, till it terminated in a dome on four pillars, the 
 proportions of the whole being exquisite. Each part was richly 
 carved in screen work in white marble, and inlaid with precious 
 stones ; but every thing movable had been carried off, including 
 
-41 8 TEE LAND OF TEE VEDA. 
 
 the magnificent curtains, embroidered in gold, which were hung 
 around the court, perhaps twenty in number. 
 
 In the sanctuary we found two Parisnaths, (or Parswanaths,) one 
 of them as large as life, in black marble, with a genuine negro 
 type of countenance, high cheek bones, thick lips, and curly hair. 
 On asking the reason, the priest informed us that their god Paris- 
 nath was exactly like a negro, an idea which they hold in common 
 with all Buddhists. 
 
 Both of the venerable deities had their noses smashed, and 
 looked, in consequence, rather ridiculous. I asked the priest, " Who 
 mutilated them .''" He said, "The Mohammedan Sepoys did so, and 
 then the Sikhs came afterward, and robbed us of every thing they 
 could carry off." This temple, for its size, is certainly the most 
 splendid place of worship I ever saw. The Motee Musjid, in Agra, 
 is more chastely elegant ; but there was about the structure and 
 appearance of this edifice something which, though " not worthy to 
 be compared," yet helped to a more adequate idea of that match- 
 less " house of God " which the liberality of Jewish piety erected 
 on Mount Zion. 
 
 From this we went to see the Jumma Musjid, the greatest Mo- 
 hammedan " cathedral " of the East, and one of the very largest, if 
 not the largest place of worship, in the world. The view from the 
 top of the minarets was magnificent. These lofty towers were 
 occupied by the leaders of the defense during the siege, and in 
 that vast court below thousands of those blood-thirsty fanatics, from 
 sunrise to sunset, during that long anxiety, implored God, for Mo- 
 hammed's sake, to aid them in exterminating the followers of the 
 hated Messiah. Here they "raged" and "took counsel together," 
 but God, instead of answering, rejected their prayers, confounded 
 their devices, and " dashed them " and their government " in pieces 
 like a potter's vessel," and here was the center of the fearful wreck 
 of all their purposes. 
 
 The whole place was desecrated. Native soldiers were cooking 
 their food in the cloisters. The high priest's throne was smashed, 
 and every thing valuable carried off. I entered their treasure room, 
 
MOHAMMEDAN TREATMENT OF HINDOO IDOLS. 419 
 
 and on the ground, covered with broken boxes and rubbish, I found 
 those marble slabs, (of the existence and use of which I had pre- 
 viously heard,) one professing to bear the impress of Mohammed's 
 hand, and the other of his foot. Notwithstanding the boast of the 
 Mohammedans as iconoclasts, they do pay these relics a certain 
 religious veneration that is idolatrous. I found them where they 
 kept their most venerated things. Those who sought only pre- 
 cious metals and other valuables had not considered them worthy 
 of removal, but to me they were deeply significant, and, as " loot- 
 ing" was the order of the day, I carried them off, to the great 
 amusement of the Beloochee soldiers, who laughed at the idea of 
 the " Sahib " soiling his clothes to carry away " such useless things 
 as those dirty stones." As long as they last they will be an evi- 
 dence of the debasement of Oriental Mohammedanism, furnished 
 by the treasure room of its greatest mosque. 
 
 From the Jumma Musjid we went to the Hindoo Temple of 
 Mahadeva, near the palace gate. Destruction had raged here also. 
 The high priest was very civil, telling us "how thankful he was 
 that our Raj (Government) had returned." They confound all white 
 men with the Government. We entered, and the little knot of 
 priests looked sad and sorrowful enough. Seeing that the idols 
 were all off their pedestals, I inquired where they were. They led 
 us up to the place, and there, on the ground, covered reverently with 
 a cloth, were nearly twenty of their gods, beautifully carved in white 
 marble, about as large as little babies, all in a state of mutilation, 
 not one whole one in the lot. Their legs, and arms, and heads 
 were off, and their noses smashed, while the bright eyes of one and 
 another looked up out of the pile as if they were astonished ! 
 
 The poor priests looked down, with rueful countenances and 
 heavy sighs, at the wreck and confusion. I had no condolence to 
 offer, for the scene was such an illustration of the folly and impo- 
 tence of idolatry that I felt like giving way to immoderate laughter, 
 but refrained, as I knew it would annoy them to the last degree. 
 We asked, "Who or what wrought all this destruction.''" "Why, 
 Sahib, the Budmash Mohammedans, of course. They came into 
 
420 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 our temple, and with the butt ends of their muskets they knocked 
 off their legs and arms, and smashed their noses, and flung them 
 on the ground, and desecrated them." I told them we had no pit)^ 
 for them. They had, with their eyes open, joined these " Bud- 
 mash " Mohammedans, to expel a Government that had never out- 
 raged their religion, but always protected them in its exercise, and 
 which they themselves had often declared was the best Govern- 
 ment their country ever knew. They admitted the assertion; and 
 when we asked them why they did so, they replied, " Because, 
 Sahib, we were deluded. Those people told us, if we would only 
 join them this once, they would give us perpetual deliverance from 
 all fear of the growing power of Christianity, which, they said, was 
 about to destroy our religion ; and that they would also give us 
 equal rights and privileges. Their war cry was, ' Do deen ek zeen 
 men,' (two religions in one saddle ;) but they soon gave us to 
 understand that one of the two must ride behind ; and when they 
 came to decide which it should be, they settled that after their 
 fashion." He added, " I prayed to God for your return to this city, 
 O, how thankful we are that your Raj has come back again ! " 
 
 I asked if I might take two or three of the broken idols. They 
 submissively replied, " What you like ; you are master here." They 
 lent me a basket, and procured a coolie to carry the three which I 
 picked out. I placed some money in their hands for them. They 
 seemed surprised that I had not acted on my " right of conquest," 
 and taken them without payment. On asking them what they 
 were now engaged in worshiping, as their other gods were destroyed, 
 they seemed afraid to reply. We told them they need not be, 
 and that we had heard of it, and knew what it was, and only 
 wished to see it. After obtaining our promise that we would not 
 demand that too, if they showed it, they led us into the sanctuary, 
 and there it was, nothing more nor less than the upper and hinder 
 part of a bull, (Nundee Davee,) carved and polished in black marble. 
 The flowers and Ganges water were fresh upon it, showing that it 
 had been worshiped that day. And this was Hindoo worship, in 
 one of its chief temples in the imperial city ! 
 
MY VISIT TO THE EMPEBOB. 42 1 
 
 Our kind guide now brought us to see the Emperor, Empress, 
 and the Princes, who were awaiting trial ; but before doing so, he 
 led us up to that part of the palace where was the suite of apart- 
 ments which had been occupied by the English Embassador, and 
 into his reception-room, where he and the chaplain, and the two 
 ladies, were murdered. 
 
 In the East a violation of hospitality is regarded as a crime of 
 greater magnitude than it is with us. This is fully illustrated in 
 the Scriptures ; yet here, under the very roof of the Emperor, the 
 Embassador, Hon. Mr. Eraser, (the second brother killed within 
 those walls,) with the Rev. Mr. Jennings and his daughter. Miss 
 Jennings, with her cousin. Miss Clifford — said to be one of the most 
 beautiful Englishwomen then in the East — were ruthlessly cut to 
 pieces in this very room. Their blood still stained its floor, the 
 marks of the tulwars were in the plaster round about, and on the 
 walls was the impress of some of their gory hands, made as they 
 leaned after receiving their first wounds ; while the head of another 
 of the party had fallen back against the wall, and described part of 
 a circle as it sank to the floor, leaving the blood and hair in the 
 track of its passage ! 
 
 There were bitter feelings expressed against the Empress, espe- 
 cially for these assassinations. It was considered that under her 
 own roof, at all events, it was entirely in her power to have saved 
 these ladies had she chosen to do so ; but she made no effort for 
 this purpose, and when her own hour of sorrow came, it was re- 
 membered to her disadvantage. 
 
 We were obliged to procure a written permission to see the 
 Emperor. There had been no restriction on the public curiosity 
 till a gentleman, who had lost several relatives by the mutiny, went 
 lately to see the Emperor, and, losing control of his feelings, 
 used such language as put the old man in "bodily fear" for his 
 safety. This, with no doubt other reasons, led to his being kept a 
 close prisoner, and interviews permitted only in the presence of 
 the magistrate and the officer of the guard who had him in charge. 
 The place of his residence was a small house of three rooms in his 
 
422 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 own garden. Accompanied by the officer and Mr. Ommanney, we 
 passed through the guard of the Rifles, and entered the room 
 where the Emperor was sitting cross-legged, after the Oriental 
 fashion, on a charpoy, with cushions on each side to lean upon, 
 engaged in eating his dinner, using his fingers only, without knife 
 or fork. 
 
 His dress was rich, his vest being cloth of gold, with a beautiful 
 coat of Cashmere, and a turban of the same material. The figure 
 of the old man was slight ; his physiognomy very marked ; his 
 face small, with a hooked or aquiline nose ; his eyes dark and 
 deeply sunk, with something of the hawk aspect about them ; 
 his beard was gray and scanty, running down to a point. Not- 
 withstanding his crimes, it was impossible to look upon this 
 descendant of Tamerlane without emotion. My mind went back 
 two hundred and forty years, to the time when England's Embas- 
 sador humbly sought, in the splendid city of Jehangeer, a foothold 
 for the East India Company. How different the scene before us 
 from what Tavernier saw when he beheld Shah Jehan in that 
 magnificent court, seated on his jeweled "Peacock Throne !" Here 
 was his lineal descendant a prisoner, while two English soldiers, 
 with fixed bayonets, stood guard over him. It recalled the aston- 
 ished exclamation of a seraph to another potentate in guilt and 
 captivity, 
 
 " If thou beest he ; but O, how fallen ! " 
 
 It was just twelve months that very week since I saw the " Princes 
 of Delhi " at the Benares Durbar, in all their pomp and finery, 
 presented in turn to that kingly-looking man, the late Governor 
 Colvin, himself a sacrifice to this rebellion. What one short year 
 had done ! Many of those " Princes " were now filling the graves 
 of traitors and murderers, while others of them were awaiting their 
 trial and doom within a minute's walk of where I was standing. 
 This wretched old man was then surrounded with imperial state, 
 and living on his 1^900,000 per annum ; and now, here he was a 
 guilty, forsaken, penniless king — a gazing stock, awaiting his doom. 
 What a chansre ! 
 
TEE FALLEN EMPEBOB. 423 
 
 The feelings with which we contemplated him were a strange 
 mixture of interest, pity, and contempt. The reader will remem- 
 ber the reflections of the Countess of Blessington when she met 
 the mother of the fallen Napoleon leaning on the arm of the ex- 
 king of Westphalia, as they wandered pensively amid the ruins of 
 Rome. 
 
 This case added another illustration of the poet's thought : 
 
 " He who has worn a crown, 
 When less than king is less than other men ; 
 A fallen star extinguished, leaving blank 
 
 Its place in heaven." 
 
 But in the instance before us there seemed a lower depth of degra- 
 dation than crowned head had ever reached before ; a profound of 
 folly and guilt that forbade human sympathy, as was very truly set 
 forth in the speech of the United States Minister at the great 
 meeting in London four months before. 
 
 As we entered, the Emperor looked up at us for a moment with 
 a flash in his eye that was easily understood. We belonged to the 
 white-faced race, and were of the religion that he detested ; and the 
 man must have keenly felt, as we stood in his presence and looked 
 at him, how fallen he then was. He, before whom and his prede- 
 cessors multitudes had bowed down in such lowly prostration and 
 homage, had then to realize that there was 
 
 "None so poor to do him reverence." 
 
 It was not possible, after all, to look at him without a measure of 
 sympathy : "a star" that had shone for eight hundred years in this 
 political " heaven " had fallen to the earth and was lying at our feet, 
 its light extinguished forever. 
 
 I asked the soldiers why the old gentleman was so closely 
 guarded in that inclosed place .'' They replied, " Sir, it is not for 
 feai- of his getting away, but to protect him from harm till he is 
 tried." On expressing my surprise at this explanation, the man 
 added, "Well, you see, sir, people are coming here every day to 
 look at him — wives, whose husbands were killed by his Sepoys, 
 and husbands whose wives were worse than killed. You see, sir, 
 
424 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 his was the name in which every thing was done, and when they 
 look at him and reahze it all their feelings get the better of them, 
 and they feel like flying at him and revenging their wrongs upon 
 him, so we have to protect him." Yes, I saw it all ; and the bitter 
 remembrance of the cruel deaths of some precious friends of my 
 own at Bareilly, and elsewhere, seven months before, banished al] 
 sympathy for this guilty author of their sufferings. In response tc 
 some remark which I made to this effect, I saw the blood mount 
 to the cheek of the soldier as, drawing back his hand in which 
 was the bayonet, he said, with deep feeling, "Yes, sir, it would 
 give me the greatest satisfaction to put this through the old 
 rascal!" The honest earnestness of the man provoked a smile; 
 and I thought, what would Sir Thomas Roe — England's first Em- 
 bassador to this Court — say, could he rise from the dead, and, after 
 all the reverence he paid here to "the divinity which hedged" 
 these gorgeous kings, hear a common soldier of his nation express 
 his disgust at having to act the jailer over the Great Mogul ! 
 
 A day or two previously my friend, Rev. J. S. Woodside, Mis- 
 sionary of the American Presbyterian Church, was here. He 
 went to see the Emperor, and took the opportunity of conversing 
 with him about Christianity. The old man assented to the general 
 excellence of the Gospel, but stoutly declared that it was abro- 
 gated by the Koran — as Moses and the law were abolished by 
 Christ and the Gospel — so, he argued, Mohammed and the Koran 
 had superseded Christ and every previous revelation. Brother 
 Woodside calmly, but firmly, told him that, so far from this being 
 the case, Mohammed was an impostor and the Koran a lie ; and 
 that unless he repented and believed in Christ, and Christ alone, 
 without doubt he must perisn in his sins. He then proceeded to 
 enforce upon his bigoted hearer the only Gospel sermon which he 
 had ever heard. And Brother Woodside was the very man to 
 utter it. Was not his Church entitled to that privilege by the 
 sacrifice of the precious lives of four of their Missionaries at Futty- 
 ghur, as mentioned on page 151 ? 
 
 It was a just and significant providence that in such a moment, 
 
BOYAL CAPTIVES AWAITING TRIAL. 425 
 
 when this blasphemous usurpation, arrested by the hand of God, 
 and about to be hurled from all its aspirations of supremacy over 
 the mind of India, a Minister of Jesus Christ should, in this pres- 
 ence, ring, as it were, the knell of its hopes, and utter those truths 
 as the last Imperial representative of Oriental Mohammedanism 
 was bidding a " long farewell to all his greatness," and the political 
 power of his system was falling, 
 
 " Like Lucifer, 
 Never to hope again ! " 
 
 My wife went in to see the Empress, and found her, with two of 
 her maids, very plainly dressed and but poorly lodged. When she 
 came out, she was not at all enthusiastic about the Empress's 
 present beauty. Still, competent evidence declares that Zeenat 
 Mahal, as she appeared in 1846, is faithfully represented in the 
 picture presented on page in; but twenty years of such a life as 
 she led in that Zenana, and the apprehension of guilt which she 
 must then have felt, with the doom impending over her husband 
 and house, all must have wrought sad changes in that once fair 
 young face. 
 
 From the Emperor we went to the cells where the other pris- 
 oners were awaiting their trial. These cells were in a sort of offset 
 from the palace grounds, in which stood the beautiful Dewanee 
 Khass, and had doors of iron railing, through which the prisoners 
 could glance across into the palace gardens beyond. It strikingly 
 suggested the separation, and yet sight, of each other in the parable 
 of the rich man and Lazarus. We walked past some of them, and 
 it was sad to see within these iron doors, awaiting their fate, men 
 like the Rajah of Dadree, the Nawab of Bullubghur, and others of 
 their class. Twelve months before, these captives were occupying 
 thrones, and governing their States in peace, under the protection 
 of the paramount power of England ; and here they were now, 
 awaiting their turn to be tried for treason, and, some of them, foi 
 murder as well. They had sided with the Emperor, sending their 
 troops and treasure to Delhi to aid him against the British, and his 
 defeat and fall had dragged them down into the ruin which had 
 
426 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 overtaken him. A few of them were very gentlemanly-looking men, 
 and courteous, salaaming to us as we passed them. But it was too 
 painful to complete the entire round, so we walked sadly away. 
 
 On the 27th of the following month the Emperor was put upon 
 his trial in the Dewanee Khass, having counsel to aid in his de- 
 fense, and, after a patient investigation lasting nineteen days, was 
 found guilty on all the charges against him, and sentenced to be 
 transported for life. Many thought the sentence too light ; but it 
 was probably sufficiently severe thus to pass from a throne to the 
 deck of a convict ship, to end his days among strangers. Zeenat 
 Mahal and one other of his wives shared his exile. He died at 
 Rangoon in 1861. Two years after, when in Burmah for the bene- 
 fit of my health, I had the opportunity of passing by his lonely 
 grave behind the quarter guard of the English lines. But no Taj 
 or Mausoleum will ever rise over the spot where rests, solitary and 
 alone, on a foreign shore and in a felon's grave, the last descendant 
 of the Great Moguls ! 
 
 The closing words in the defense of one of his own nobles, the 
 Nawab of Bullubghur, whom I saw tried and sentenced to die in 
 that same Dewanee Khass, might well apply to his Imperial master. 
 The Nawab was a noble-looking man, with dark, lustrous eyes, and 
 fine figure, clad in the usual style of an Oriental prince. There he 
 stood, during those long hours, before that commission of English 
 Officers, making the best defense he could for his life. 
 
 He admitted the charge, but pleaded in extenuation, that in 
 sending his wealth and troops to Delhi to help the Emperor he 
 had acted under compulsion. This was known to be untrue, as it 
 was well understood that he had acted freely and promptly, and 
 had even submitted to circumcision, and forsaken his Hindoo faith, 
 to curry favor with the rising Mohammedan power. 
 
 He evidently felt, as he closed his address, that he was not be- 
 lieved — that he was a doomed man. With considerable feeling, 
 and in their figurative phraseology, he ended his defense with 
 these words : " Gentlemen, one short year ago I sat on the topmost 
 bough of prosperity and honor ; in an evil hour I lent my ear to 
 
WHY TREY FAILED. 427 
 
 Other counsels — 1 sawed asunder the branch that sustained me, 
 and th's is the result / " 
 
 On Christmas day, 1857, I attended Christian worship in the 
 Dewanee Khass — the first ever celebrated there. A crowded 
 audience made its walls resound with the unwonted strains of 
 Christian hymns ; and there that day the Gospel was preached and 
 prayer was offered in the blessed Name so long blasphemed beneath 
 that roof As I stood amid that throng, and remembered where 
 I was, and what had there been said and done, and what was then 
 transpiring, I realized that I was beholding one of the most won- 
 drous victories ever consummated by the glorious Son of God over 
 the enemies of himself and his holy religion. They had distinctly 
 joined issue with Him on this very ground ; and here he was, in 
 his almighty providence, victorious amid the utter overthrow of the 
 wealthiest, most powerful, and implacable foes of his divinity and 
 atonement; expelling them from the "Paradise" which they had 
 profaned, and asserting his right, ere he consigned it forever to 
 degradation and to ruin, to use even their Dewanee Khass for his 
 own worship, and thus answer, in divine vengeance, the blasphemies 
 against himself inscribed upon its walls. "Just and true are thy 
 ways, thou King of saints ! " 
 
 The crystal musnud, (throne,) the last remnant of its glorious 
 furniture, was carried away, a present to the Queen of England. 
 All veneration for the place seemed to cease by common consent ; 
 the visitors and soldiers dug out the precious stones from the walls 
 and pillars with their knives, and it was soon despoiled. A few 
 weeks after,! saw its crenated arches built up with common sun- 
 dried bricks, and the whole structure whitewashed and turned into 
 a hospital for sick soldiers. Its destruction was at last complete ! 
 
 The rebels failed, and that failure was both miserable and total. 
 We may endeavor, as has been attempted by various writers, to 
 account for that failure by their want of concert as to the time of 
 commencement ; by the escape of nine tenths of those whom they 
 intended to destroy ; by their want of leaders of ability, (though 
 the Rebellion developed Tantia Topee and Kooer Singh ;) by the 
 
428 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 fierce contentions of their chiefs for supremacy, rank, and power ; 
 by the fact that the Hindoos, disgusted and deceived, deserted 
 the cause ; by the perfidy of the Mohammedans in the hour of their 
 triumph; by the heroism and endurance of the British soldiers, 
 invincible not only against overwhelming odds, but over the diffi- 
 culties of climate, season, sickness, and deficiency of resources of 
 all kinds. Yet, after all, while gratefully and cordially admitting 
 to the full every one of these considerations, and all the aid uhich 
 they involved in the terrible struggle, even wicked men in India 
 in 1857 and 1858 were constrained to admit, and were prompt 
 to acknowledge, that any or all of these combined could not and 
 did not rescue us ; — that our salvation was, without a doubt, en- 
 tirely due to the special interposition of Almighty God. It was the 
 divine help that gave England's cause the victory, and gladly and 
 gratefully did they, saint and sinner together, raise their private 
 and public Ebenezers to Him who alone had saved them ! 
 
 No attribute of the Almighty could take part with the Sepoy, 
 the Brahmin, or the Mogul. Every hope for India was bound up 
 with the defeat of their cruel, self-interested, and wicked purposes. 
 Grateful India herself will yet place among her highest mercies 
 the mighty overthrow of 1858. 
 
 Mr. Rees has truly shown that the merits of this contest, on the 
 part of the natives, was a frantic fear and hatred of the growing 
 influence of Christianity ; that it was not a war of the oppressed 
 against the oppressors, of a nation rising against their rulers, or of 
 Hindustanees against Englishmen ; on the contrary, that it was a 
 war of fanatical religionists against Christians, of barbarism against 
 civilization, of error and darkness against truth and light. Had it 
 been different — had patriotism prompted the rebellion — had the 
 natives, as one nation, determined to shake off the yoke of the for- 
 eigner, and had they conducted their war like soldiers and brave 
 men, instead of acting the part of cowardly assassins, then indeed 
 might they have enhsted sympathy for their cause among the civ- 
 ilized nations of the earth, and found defenders and advocates 
 among the people of England themselves. 
 
FREEDOM FOREIGN TO EASTERN MINDS. 429 
 
 It is not easy to impart to an American reader a just idea of 
 how far the people of India — nine hundred and ninety-nine out of 
 every thousand of them — are from the knowledge of freedom, the 
 appreciation of law, or the rights of constitutional government, as 
 we understand such privileges. One of their own educated men 
 speaks but the simple truth of them when he says : 
 
 " The Oriental mind is decidedly wanting in the knowledge of 
 the construction of a civil polity. It has never known, nor at- 
 tempted to know, any other form of government than despotism. 
 Political science and political reform appear, like the oak and the 
 elm, to be the plants of the soil of Europe and America. Never 
 has any effort been made for their introduction to the plains of 
 Persia or the valley of the Ganges. Though the most important 
 of all branches of human knowledge, politics have never engaged 
 the attention of the people of the East. They have never studied 
 the theory and practice of a constitutional government, never con- 
 ceived any thing like republicanism, never understood emanci- 
 pation from political servitude, never known a covenant between 
 the subject and the sovereign. They have never had any patriot- 
 ism or philanthropy, any common spirit and unity for the public 
 weal, or what it is to govern for the good, not of the fewest, but of 
 the greatest, number." — Travels of a Hindoo, Vol. II, p. 408. 
 
 Progress, preservation of order, the physical and moral well-being 
 of the people, the advance the world has made in humanity — a 
 humanity that is extended even to the inferior animals — they do 
 not understand. They have only just begun to dream about them, 
 and, even for the dream of the blessed day that is dawning, they 
 are (as the evidences which I have furnished show) wholly indebted 
 to the Christianity which has come at last and breathed the thought 
 into their slumbering souls. 
 28 
 
430 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 RESULTS OF THE REBELLION TO CHRISTJANITY AND CIVILIZATION. 
 
 I ^ROM Delhi we went on to Meerut, where we remained two 
 -■- months, while the troops were clearing the country of the 
 scattered bands of Sepoys between that point and Cawnpore, and 
 restoring order, so that mails and passengers might once more 
 move up and down to Calcutta. More British troops had arrived, 
 and the Commander-in-chief was directing the movements of the 
 five columns into which the army was divided, our position at 
 Meerut being about central to all the operations, and about forty 
 miles from the nearest of them. 
 
 Here I had the joy of again meeting our dear friend Lieutenant 
 (now Colonel) Gowan, who escaped from Bareilly, and had been 
 hidden for so many months in a Hindoo house, as narrated on 
 page 248. He had managed at last to communicate with the 
 English authorities here, and even before a sufficient length of the 
 roads westward was clear, his rescue was attempted. The kind 
 Hindoos who had sheltered him, when all had been arranged, took 
 him by night in a bylee, (a native carriage used by ladies,) with 
 the curtains closed, under pretense of going to the Ganges to 
 bathe. A boat was quietly procured, and they ran him across the 
 river to the other bank, where an elephant and a band of cavalry 
 were awaiting him, and before sunrise he was safe in Meerut. 
 How we rejoiced together ! The last time I saw this Christian 
 officer (who used to help us occasionally in conducting our Hin- 
 dustanee meeting) was in Bareilly on the evening before we leftj 
 when I was trying, in our English service, to strengthen our hands 
 in God by preaching from the text, "As thy day, so shall thy 
 strength be." For nearly seven months, though in jeopardy every 
 hour, did God fulfill to him that precious promise, till he saw fit to 
 
COLONEL 00 WAN 8 MUNIFLCENCE. 43 1 
 
 terminate his captivity and bring him forth in safety, and now here 
 we were again together, consulting about God's precious work. 
 
 In the course of conversation I happened to remark that I was 
 en route for Calcutta, when he suddenly lifted himself up, and 
 looking me in the face, inquired, " What, are you going to leave 
 the country ? " (fearing for the moment that I was discouraged and 
 about to abandon the work.) I looked into his earnest counte- 
 nance and replied, " Leave the country ! No, sir. The devil has 
 done his worst, but he may be assured that we are not going to 
 yield the field to him now that the fight is won. So far from it, I 
 am going down to bring up the first band of my missionary breth- 
 ren, with whom I expect soon to be preaching Christ through all 
 Rohilcund." 
 
 I shall long remember the immediate effect of my reply. He 
 looked at me for a moment, then paused, and 
 
 "Delight o'er all his features stole." 
 
 His very moustache twitched again with pleasure, and, with a 
 smile covering his entire countenance, he turned away, and said 
 not another word. 
 
 He made over to me an orphan boy whom he had rescued from 
 danger and misery, to whom he had given his own name, and prom- 
 ised to be responsible for his support and education from that day. 
 
 This was the origin of our Boy's Orphanage, and its first mem- 
 ber, thus received, was the son of a Sepoy officer killed in battle, 
 the poor child being found on the back of an elephant, where his 
 father had left him during the fight. In the midst of his sorrow 
 he fell into the hands of Colonel Go wan, who promised to be a 
 father to him, which pledge he has faithfully redeemed, and the 
 orphanage is to-day its result. 
 
 This devoted servant of God encouraged and stood by me in all 
 my future plans for the extension of our mission. No other man 
 in the East or in America has given half as much money to 
 develop our work in India as Colonel Gowan has contributed. He 
 aided me in procuring homes for the missionaries, in establishing 
 
432 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 our Orphanage and Training School, and he built and endowed the 
 schools in Khera Bajhera, (the village where he was so long shel- 
 tered,) so that his liberality to our mission work, up to the present, 
 cannot be much less than ^15,000, and yet this liberal gentleman 
 was a member of another Church — the Church of England ; but he 
 is the type of a large and an increasing class of Christian English- 
 men in India who prize our work, and are glad to aid it. 
 
 Apropos of leaving the country, while in Meerut I received a 
 letter from Brother Wentworth, in China, inviting me to join them 
 in Foochow. He says : " If British predominance is not soon 
 established, get leave of the Board and come on here, where there 
 is as great need of laborers as in India." 
 
 Well, that was all very good ; but, on reading further in the Doc- 
 tor's letter, I was highly amused to find the guarantee of additional 
 security which I was to enjoy by following the course suggested. 
 My good brother added : " Last spring we were fearing the rebels 
 might drive us from this station, and are not now without appre- 
 hensions that the war between Canton and England may become 
 a general one, and result in the temporary expulsion of all foreign- 
 ers from the empire. In case of any sudden outbi-eak we are in 
 an unfortunate situation for escape, being ten or twelve miles from 
 the foreign shipping, and no vessel of war near. A sudden and 
 decisive outbreak might cost us our lives at any moment." This 
 for me would have been "out of the frying-pan into the fire" 
 with a vengeance. Indeed, I thought my circumstances were 
 every way preferable to his, so far as British predominance and 
 personal security were concerned, and concluded that I might well 
 return the compliment, and invite my good-natured brother, if 
 driven from his post, to come and join me. 
 
 However, it is our privilege to live by faith, and as the Doctoi 
 observes, to " feel secure in the protection of Him who guides revo- 
 lutions among the nations as he does tempests in the sky." 
 
 I did not proceed to Calcutta, because, from the center which I 
 then occupied, I was soon satisfied that the country was fast quiet- 
 ing down, and that my brethren would be able immediately to join 
 
ENTERTAINED IN THE TAJ. 433 
 
 me, when we could afterward proceed to our own field of labor and 
 begin our work. 
 
 While at Meerut my aid was requested, as one of "the Rohil- 
 cund Refugees," to help the Postmaster in the melancholy task of 
 looking over the bags of letters, directed to gentlemen in that pro- 
 Wnce by their correspondents at home in England, which had 
 accumulated there for months. I could tell who were dead, and, 
 generally, where the others were scattered, so as to intimate how 
 he should direct them. It was a sad sight to see the pile of letters 
 from anxious friends which had to be returned to England, because 
 those addressed were no longer among the living. 
 
 Early in March it seemed practicable to have the two mission- 
 aries and their wives join me. The only portion of the way where 
 there was any danger was from Cawnpore to within twenty miles 
 of Agra, from parties of Sepoys crossing the Grand Trunk road. 
 The telegraph had been restored, and the mails were coming twice 
 a day. I went on from Meerut to Agra, to get into direct com- 
 munication with them. Through the kindness of the Postmaster 
 and the use of the telegraph, I kept myself well acquainted with 
 the condition of the road as they advanced. They had directions 
 to call at every telegraph office which they passed, so that if there 
 had been any danger ahead of them I could at once have stopped 
 them at any station, until it had passed away ; but, by the " good 
 hand of God upon them," they reached me at Agra in perfect safety 
 on the the nth of March. The destroyed houses of the English 
 were still in ruins, and the people all in the Fort, which was crowded ; 
 so that at first I did not know where or how I could prepare for 
 them a night's lodging, ere they resumed their journey on to Meerut. 
 But in these circumstances I thought the magnificent Taj none too 
 good for them. So I arranged all, and on their arrival had them 
 comfortably lodged in this "Wonder of the World." Ours was a 
 joyful meeting, and the splendid Taj Mahal was worthy to be the 
 scene of it. 
 
 Little did Shah Jehan, or his bigoted Moomtaj-i-Mahal, imagine 
 that a day would come when this matchless mausoleum would be 
 
434 THE LAND OF TEE VEDA. 
 
 occupied by a party of Christian missionaries, at a time, too, when 
 the last Mogul of their line — after an effort to fulfill the carnelian 
 prohibition upon her cenotaph, and carry out Jehan's fierce order, 
 '' Expel those idolaters from my dominions ! " — would be himself a 
 prisoner awaiting his doom, in the hands of that very " tribe," (see 
 page 147 ;) or that these missionaries would, as we did, promenade 
 in peace, in the delicious moonlight, through that lovely garden 
 which he planted, and sing our Christian doxology, with unction 
 and glowing hearts, standing over their very dust, and in the pres- 
 ence of that powerless and mistaken prohibition ! 
 
 We left the Taj the following afternoon, by way of Meerut, for 
 Nynee Tal, as we could there best devote ourselves to the acquisi- 
 tion of the language, and be ready to descend to Bareilly and our 
 other stations when God had prepared our way, after the reoccupa- 
 tion of Rohilcund by the English Government. Joel had been 
 directed to join us on the route. Notwithstanding the distance 
 and danger, all was correctly timed and safely accomplished. The 
 day after I received the Missionaries at the Taj Mahal, I joyfully 
 clasped Joel's hand once more, on the road to Meerut. It was to 
 both of us like life from the dead. His devoted wife remained 
 under the care of her mother till Rohilcund and Oude were cleared 
 of the rebels, when she rejoined us at Lucknow, from which place 
 I afterward moved them to Bareilly, where we were again together 
 on the scene of our former sufferings. 
 
 We reached Nynee Tal in safety, and at once entered upon our 
 mission work, and soon had the satisfaction of seeing a little con- 
 gregation collected. We also commenced a Christian day-school 
 for the native children in the Bazaar. 
 
 I present a rough sketch of our first chapel, drawn by Sister 
 Pierce. Our room having become inconveniently small for the 
 number of natives attending the preaching, we greatly needed some 
 larger plac'e for worship. The only building available then was a 
 sheep-house, which stood on the side of a hill. This, we concluded, 
 could be turned into a chapel. It was done in three or four days. 
 We cleared it out ; a quantity of clay was thrown in and leveled, 
 
tJi 
 
THE SHEEP-HOUSE CONGREGATION. 437 
 
 which, beaten down, made a good floor. I whitewashed it, Brothers 
 Pierce and Humphrey made the benches, and Joel saw to the 
 leveHng of the ground outside. When it was finished and swept 
 out, though too humble to have a formal or public "dedication" 
 awarded it, yet I resolved that a hearty consecration to God's 
 service it should not lack ; so, shutting the door, and all alone, I 
 kneeled down and offered up to the condescending God of mercy 
 this humblest of all the " places where he records his name," and 
 earnestly besought him to make it the birthplace of some of those 
 poor, dark souls that, during the ensuing six months, would come 
 to worship there. 
 
 When Sunday arrived, the smiles and congratulations of our 
 ladies were really delightful. They could not imagine how we had 
 made such a commodious-looking affair out of such a place as it 
 had been. "Why, it looks almost like a church !" they said. Even 
 the poor natives caught the spirit of the occasion, and, as they came 
 in and seated themselves, looked around smihng and nodding to 
 each other. 
 
 The entire cost of fitting up, including the boards and nails for 
 the seats, was four dollars and thirty-six cents. Only missionaries 
 — and missionaries under such circumstances — could adequately 
 appreciate our joy over this humble commencement. 
 
 I also present another sketch, (on the top of the next page,) that 
 will give an idea of the appearance of our congregation inside the 
 "Sheep-House" Chapel. 
 
 The reader can imagine that he sees yoel preaching, and we 
 sitting around him, the congregation being in front. The women 
 sit on the benches to the right ; the men in the center. Two poles, 
 supporting the roof, run up in the center of the house. 
 
 We occupied this humble place for some months, when our wor- 
 thy commandant, Colonel Ramsay, (to whom, next to Colonel 
 Gowan, our mission is most indebted for munificent financial aid,) 
 seemg our earnestness and success, resolved that we should have 
 a house more worthy of our cause. The result was the erection of 
 our Nynee Tal chapel, costing about $2,500, the whole amount 
 
438 
 
 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Aiify ^ /AiS^ "^ MOiflX 
 
 iC\ll 
 
 ^<<^. ^ 
 
 
 r, 
 
 <(il 
 
 1^:2^ 
 
 
 :i^' 
 
 
 J-J 
 
 — -^^- FELTEP Sc/ 
 
 The Sheep-house Congregation. 
 
 being subscribed by the Colonel and his acquaintances and friends 
 in Nynee Tal and Almorah. 
 
 Lucknow was recaptured, and the English Government restored 
 there, at the close of March. The defeated Sepoys fled into Rohil-- 
 cund, or across the Grand Trunk Road into Central India, with the 
 columns of British troops in pursuit. Jhansee and Gwalior were 
 recaptured, and Kooer Singh and the Ranee of Jhansee killed. 
 This was followed by the capture and death of Tantia Topee. 
 Most of the other chiefs surrendered, and the columns were at last 
 turned northward for the pacification of Rohilcund. Three of 
 them, including the one led by the Commander-in-chief, were to 
 concentrate on Bareilly, then viewed as " the metropolis of the 
 revolt." On the 5 th of May, within a few hours of each other, and 
 from opposite directions, they approached that city. Sir Colin 
 Campbell led his column by the Futtyghur road, General Penny 
 his by the Allyghur road, through Budaon, and General Jones the 
 third, by way of Moradabad. Here was to be the last great effort, 
 and it was fought, the dispatch says, amid " a mass of one-storied 
 houses in front of the British lines," that is, it was fought on the 
 very ground where I had lived, our ruined house and garden being 
 by the road-side, between the cantonments and the city, in the very 
 
THE BATTLE OF BAEEILLT. 439 
 
 center of the contest, the walls of the houses giving shelter to the 
 Sepoys as they awaited the onslaught of the Commander-in-chief's 
 forces. 
 
 The rebels were headed by the Nana Sahib of Cawnpore, Prince 
 Feroze Shah of Delhi, and Khan Bahadur of Bareilly, and with 
 them was the Begum of Oude and her troops. So here, as it hap- 
 pened, were concentrated for the final effort the living representa- 
 tives of the four great centers of the Sepoy Rebellion. Their 
 resolve and fighting on that dreadful day were worthy of the des- 
 perate cause and the desperate men, who well knew that this was 
 to be their final chance ; that here, at last, it was to be for them 
 either death or victory. The 42d and 79th Highlanders bore the 
 brunt of the struggle, which was short and sharp. A body of 
 Ghazees (Mohammedan fanatics of the most desperate character) 
 led the Sepoys. These men, sword in hand, with their bossed 
 bucklers on their left arms, and their characteristic green waist- 
 bands, rushed out of their concealment to the attack, brandishing 
 their tulwars over their heads, and shrieking out their favorite cry, 
 " Bismillah Allah ! deen ! deen !" (" Glory to Allah ! the faith ! the 
 faith ! ") In the confusion they were not recognized as distin- 
 guished from the Sikhs, who were fighting with the British, till 
 they came close on the side of the 42d Highlanders. The Com- 
 mander-in-chief had just time to cry out, " Steady, men, steady ! 
 close up ; bayonet them ;" when the struggle ensued. Russell, 
 the " special correspondent " of the London Times, who was pres- 
 ent, gives a vivid picture of this fearful moment. He himself was 
 wounded, as were General Walpole, Colonel Cameron, and others, 
 for the Ghazees seem to have made straight for the officers ; but 
 the quick bayonets of the 42d closed around them, and in ten min- 
 utes the dead bodies of the devoted band (as their name implies) 
 were lying in the circle. Not a man of the one hundred and 
 thirty-three turned back. They all believed, according to the 
 tenets of their creed, that they were martyrs, and were sure of 
 paradise if they fell. 
 
 Nearly twenty of the Highlanders were wounded in the struggle, 
 
440 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 the Commander-in-chief having had a narrow escape. A Ghazee, 
 with tulwar in hand, was lying, feigning death, in front of him, and 
 as he approached, the fellow sprang to his feet to kill him, when 
 the quick eye of a mounted Sikh soldier saw the move, and (Rus- 
 sell says) "with a whistling stroke of his saber he cut off the 
 Ghazee's head with one blow, as if it had been the bulb of a 
 poppy ! " General Penny was killed near Kukrowlee. The Com- 
 mander-in-chief had only a skeleton staff He had completely 
 " used up " more than one set of officers, and on this occasion 
 had only his chief of staff. General Mansfield, with Captain John- 
 son, to aid him. Under such circumstances the battle of Bareilly 
 was fought and won before the sun went down. Early next morn- 
 ing the city was attacked, but it was found that during the night 
 the Sepoys had fled, with Khan Bahadur and the other rebel lead- 
 ers. The city surrendered at once, save some Ghazees, whose 
 positions had to be stormed. A timely proclamation of am- 
 nesty to all save notorious rebels and murderers, with precautions 
 to prevent any plundering, restored confidence to the terrified 
 inhabitants, and they willingly submitted once more to British 
 rule and protection. 
 
 It was at this spot that the Nana Sahib last saw the face, and 
 witnessed the prowess, of the white man ; and it was from this bat- 
 tle-field he took that departure for the jungles of Oude mentioned 
 on page 309 of this work. It is some satisfaction to have the 
 assurance from good authority that two, at least, of the companions 
 of his flight, the Begum of Oude and Prince Feroze Shah, de- 
 nounced his cruel treachery at Cawnpore, as having brought the 
 curse of God upon the native cause. The deadly. Terai was but 
 forty-eight miles away. It was the only shelter in all India that was 
 open to receive them. He and his companions, and the remnants 
 of the rebel host, entered its malarious inclosures, and, save Khan 
 Bahadur, who lagged behind in its outskirts, and was captured and 
 brought back to Bareilly, the rest of the unhappy crew found sick- 
 ness, despair, and death within its gloomy shades. Thus, in the 
 providence of God, ended the great Sepoy Rebellion, and the 
 
VISIT TO MT RUINED HOME. 44 1 
 
 twelve months of its Mohammedan misrule and cruelty closed 
 amid the dying groans of its emissaries at the foot of our hills, and 
 almost within sight of our place of refuge. 
 
 Our impatience now to go down to our work in the plains was 
 sorely tried by the refusal of the Commander-in-chief to permit us 
 to do so for some weeks longer — the ladies he would not allow to do 
 so till October, not only because the country needed to be cleared 
 and quieted, but also because houses had first to be built for them. 
 At length the permission came for gentlemen to go down, and taking 
 the road to Moradabad, lest that through the Terai, on the Huldwa- 
 nee side, might have straggling Sepoys in it, we reached Bareilly 
 on the 28th of August. We found every thing, of course, much 
 changed. The burned houses and bare walls had a look of fearful 
 desolation about them. 
 
 On entering Bareilly I went, first of all, to my own residence, 
 (which was so, fifteen months before.) Nothing was standing bat 
 the bare walls ; the floors were all grown over with deep grass. I 
 called a coolie, and dug up the rubbish in my once comfortable study, 
 and we soon came on the charred remains of my precious books. 
 All had been destroyed by fire ! I took up a handful of the burnt 
 paper, and of the melted glass of the book-cases, as a memento, and 
 walked away to the spot where Maria lay buried beside the rose 
 hedge, and then on to where Joel's house stood. What a change 
 from the day I last stood there ! But no murmuring thought arose. 
 It was all well : " Blessed be the name of the Lord ! " We were to 
 begin again, and that, too, under brighter prospects than India ever 
 knew before. I wandered all over Bareilly. The people were very 
 civil. I knew that I loved them then better than I had ever done, 
 and felt sure that God would yet have mercy upon them, and that 
 we should soon see days of grace in Bareilly. 
 
 I then wandered off toward the encampment of the English 
 troops, and one of the first gentlemen whom I met was our dear, good 
 friend Dr. Bowhill, safe from Delhi, and the rest of his campaigns. 
 The warm-hearted Scotchman hugged me up to his heart, and wept 
 for joy that we should meet again, after all we had gone through, 
 
442 THE LAND OF TEE VEDA.. 
 
 on the same old ground where we first met, and where God had 
 blessed his soul in the dark days before the mutiny. 
 
 And then I found kind General Troup, to whose prudence we 
 owed our lives. He was in command of Havelock's Brigade, and 
 worthy of the position. The excellent Magistrate also received us 
 cordially, and advised an immediate commencement of our work, 
 promising to aid us in every way. Before I was twenty-four hours 
 in Bareilly a subscription was started to help us in organizing our 
 missions. That financial liberality has continued, year by year in- 
 creasing, to this day ; those excellent men, in the civil and military 
 service of England, have since furnished the means required to 
 carry on our system of Christian schools and our Orphanages, aver- 
 aging over $10,000 gold per annum.* We promised, as soon as our 
 Mission in Lucknow was commenced, to begin the work at Bareilly. 
 At the latter we could not yet find shelter, but in Lucknow houses 
 could at once be obtained, by the assistance of Sir Robert Mont- 
 goniery, the successor of Sir Henry Lawrence in the government 
 of Oude. He was kind enough to write to me and advise our imme- 
 diate occupancy of that city, and we were now en route to do so. 
 
 The Sabbath was a blessed day. The troops (two thousand seven 
 hundred men) then stationed in Bareilly were chiefly Scottish regi- 
 ments. The Chaplain being sick, the General commanding sent to 
 request that I would undertake the chaplain's duties for the Sab- 
 bath. Of course I gladly did so. My opportunity was one I shall 
 never forget. Arriving on the parade-ground, I found the troops 
 drawn up. I took my stand ; the men were formed in a " hollow 
 square," the drum of the regiment was placed before me, and a 
 Bible and Psalm Book lay upon it. The General and his officers 
 stood beside me, and the band behind. I gave out the one hun- 
 dredth Psalm, and the music and voices rose up on the Sabbath 
 air to heaven. I then prayed with an overflowing heart, and stood 
 up to preach " the glorious liberty of the sons of God." 
 
 My emotions almost overwhelmed me when I looked at my audi- 
 ence. For who were the men that stood around me } These were 
 
CONDUGTma WORSHIP FOB HAVELOGK'S MEN. 443 
 
 HavelocJ^s heroes ! the illustrious warriors who first relieved the 
 garrison of Lucknow. Yes, these brave men before me had per- 
 formed one of the greatest military feats known to history, and did 
 it, too, notwithstanding that they lost nearly one half of their 
 number in its execution. I looked at their sun-browned faces, and 
 thought of the manly tears they shed when, covered with dust and 
 smoke, they rushed through the last street and into the " Residency" 
 among the men and women whom they had suffered so much to 
 rescue, and, snatching up the children in their arms, thanked God 
 " that they were in time to save them ! " 
 
 Noble men ! I realized, as I stood before them, that their fame be- 
 longs to oumdition as much as to their own. And I shall ever esteem 
 it one of the highest privileges of my life that I was permitted to 
 preach, and that, too, on the very ground of their last battle-field, to 
 the men that General Havelock led to the relief of Lucknow ! 
 
 Though it anticipates the time somewhat, I may here mention 
 that Khan Bahadur was captured and brought into Bareilly. He 
 and four or five others were confined in the little fort, awaiting their 
 trial. Wishing to see my old neighbor, and say a word to him 
 before he died, I obtained permission to do so, accompanied by 
 Rev. Mr. Humphrey. There, in his cell, we found Khan Bahadur, 
 his long white beard hanging down nearly to his waist. It was a 
 trying moment for us both. Here was the man who sent to my 
 house to kill me and my family, who expressed his deep disappoint- 
 ment at our having escaped his hands, and who afterward set a 
 price upon my head ! This was the man, too, who had deliberately 
 murdered Judge Robertson, Judge Raikes, Dr. Hay, and many 
 more of my acquaintance ! 
 
 What a curious thing is human nature ! Here was a criminal, 
 of whose deep guilt no one that knew him could have the least 
 doubt ; and yet an author like Montgomery Martin, who never saw 
 him, and had no adequate knowledge of his desperate wickedness, 
 half undertakes to whitewash his ensanguined fame ! But this is 
 consistent with Mr. Martin's course, in his efforts to find cause of 
 commiseration for the Delhi Emperor, while he seems to exhibit 
 
444 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 but scanty sympathy for the victims ol the Delhi court — an author 
 who can indulge in cold-hearted and cynical criticism upon such men 
 as Sir R. Montgomery and Sir Henry Lawrence, who went through 
 fiery trials of responsibility of which he, in his comfortable London 
 home, ten thousand miles away from their danger, could have little 
 idea. I am sorry to write these words. But I was there, he was 
 not ; and I know whereof I affirm, and can conscientiously say 
 that I consider some of Mr. Martin's representations in his " Lidian 
 Empire " to be unworthy of the confidence of the American pub- 
 lic. His slurs and innuendoes caused deep feeling in the minds 
 of some of the best men in India, many of whom were not at all 
 his intellectual inferiors, while they were his superiors in opportu- 
 nities for forming correct opinions. They had not to depend, as he 
 seems to have done for some of his representations, upon hasty and 
 partial statements, or such writers as " Bull-Run Russell ! " His 
 glorification of Sir Colin Campbell and Sir James Outram, to the 
 prejudice of General Havelock and Sir John Lawrence, only shows 
 that he had his favorites, and would belittle other men to make 
 them look greater. But we in India knew the difference, and it 
 was the conviction of many there, competent to give an opinion 
 upon such matters, that Sir Colin Campbell was not only slow, but 
 that he did nothing more than what any brave English officer could 
 have done with the same resources. As to Sir James Outram, so 
 far as the establishment of Christianity in the Valley of the Ganges 
 is concerned, I know from my own personal intercourse with both, 
 and their actions, that we may have great reason to be thankful 
 that Sir James Outram was superseded, and the evangelically cou- 
 rageous Sir Robert Montgomery was appointed to be ruler of Oude 
 during the founding of our Mission in that kingdom. 
 
 Mr. Martin's peculiar notions on the lawfulness or expediency of 
 capital punishment must have been often offended by the events of 
 the time. It would, however, have been but fair to have extended 
 the benefit of his doctrine as fully to the victims of the Sepoys as 
 to the Sepoys themselves. It may, however, be doubted if his nar- 
 rative shows this clearly. The consideration he seems so ready to 
 
VISIT TO KEAN BAHADUR IN PRISON. 445 
 
 exhibit for the Sepoys is an anomaly not easily accounted for ; but 
 he has found few sympathizers. I would not speak too harshly, 
 even of a criminal ; yet I will take the responsibility of saying, that 
 I never saw or heard of men to whom, more appropriately or deserv- 
 edly than to the Sepoys and their chiefs, could be applied the terri- 
 ble character given by the Holy Spirit, when he so fully describes 
 those whose profanity, crimes, and riot, exhibit them " as natural 
 brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed." 2 Peter ii, 12. 
 They were men who neither knew nor showed mercy, any more than 
 would be exhibited by the tigers of their own jungles ; and toward 
 whom the most just and saintly magistrate on earth would be guilty, 
 before God and human society, if he should not firmly "bear the 
 sword " until he had, at least, controlled their cruelty, and stopped 
 their power for further mischief. 
 
 Mr. Martin has not increased his fame by thus obtruding upon 
 his countrymen his mistaken and conceited assumptions of " impar- 
 tiality" toward bloodthirsty wretches who, as a class, so generally 
 (1 might almost say universally) proved themselves ready, from the 
 first hour to the last, to become the destroyers of churches, the 
 murderers of the ministers of God, and the slayers of undefended 
 women and children. 
 
 But to return to Khan Bahadur. He asked me how had I 
 escaped "i I told him. He seemed uneasy, and evidently thought 
 that my visit was in some way connected with his approaching 
 trial. I assured him that he might dismiss all anxiety upon that 
 point — my testimony was not required. Far worse than I could 
 present had been heaped up by his own fearful actions, and was 
 now ready for his condemnation. I had come, with my brother 
 Missionary, to visit him with a kind intention ; that I forgave hira 
 all the harm he did me in the destruction of my home and prop- 
 erty, and the more serious harm which he intended to do in taking 
 our lives ; that our only object in coming was to converse with him 
 about his poor soul, which would so soon have to appear before 
 God, as we felt sure that his days were numbered, and he could not 
 
 hope for mercy here, in view of the past ; and we closed by entreat- 
 29 
 
446 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 ing him to turn to God in penitence, and seek pardon through the 
 Lord Jesus, who died for him and for all sinners. This was done 
 in a very kind manner by Brother Humphrey, and I hoped the old 
 man would have been impressed by it ; but his Mohammedan big- 
 otry rose up bitterly against the Saviour's atonement, and he would 
 not admit his necessity of any such help. The Koran was enough ; 
 he wanted nothing more, and wished to hear nothing else. 
 
 I saw him tried before two judges. He was defended by a 
 native lawyer, who managed the sad case as well as he could. Mr. 
 Moens, an English magistrate, prosecuted. The old Nawab's 
 policy was to deny every charge, but any number of native wit- 
 nesses were ready to come forward and prove them. On the 
 afternoon of the second or third day the trial was closed in con- 
 nection with a singular forgetfulness of his. A witness on the 
 stand was testifying to the color of the robes which Khan Baha- 
 dur wore on the day when he witnessed the exposure of the bodies 
 of the murdered English people at the Kotwalie. The old man 
 had denied that he was there at all, but, forgetting himself in his 
 rage against the witness, who swore it was a blue dress he had on, 
 Khan Bahadur turned to him and said, " You lie, you rascal ! it 
 was not blue, it was a greeji dress that I wore." The look of blank 
 astonishment that came over the face of the native lawyer at his 
 client's acknowledgment was a study, while Mr. Moens turned 
 toward the judges and merely remarked, " Your honors hear the 
 admission of the prisoner." The trial closed that afternoon. He 
 was condemned to be hanged at the Kotwalie. He passed me on 
 his way to execution in a cart, sitting on his coffin, with a guard of 
 the 42d Highlanders around him, lest the Mohammedans should 
 interpose any trouble ; but they attempted none ; there seemed to 
 be among the natives a general acquiescence in his doom, as one 
 that had been fully deserved. 
 
 A medical friend went down to see him executed. On his 
 return he told me what had occurred, remarking, " I had some 
 sympathy for the old man, but his wicked utterance at the close 
 took it all away." The facts were these : when Khan Bahadur 
 
ROW KHAN BAHADUR DIEU. 447 
 
 mounted the scaffold and stood on the trap, which was about to be 
 drawn from beneath his feet, the rope resting loosely on his shoul- 
 ders, and the cap ready to be drawn down, Mr. Moens, who had 
 acted as council against him on his trial, and was now acting as 
 sheriff, stepped forward and said, " Khan Bahadur, have yo a any 
 thing to say before you die ? " " Yes," was the prompt reply, " I 
 have two things to say : first, I hate you ;" and then added, speak- 
 ing as an Oriental, and using the certain for the uncertain number, 
 while his face lit up with a glow of awful gratification, " but, 
 Moens, I have had the satisfaction of killing a thousand Christian 
 dogs, and I would kill a thousand more now, if I had the power." 
 
 Ten minutes after, that man stood in the presence of the Judge 
 of all, and he went into eternity with the Mohammedan conviction 
 that, in killing Christians, he had been doing God service, and 
 consequently his crown of martyrdom would be all the brighter for 
 every life which he had sacrificed ; hence his confidence and exul- 
 tation in that fearful moment. 
 
 We left Bareilly for Lucknow, attended to Futtyghur (seventy- 
 four miles) by relays of sowars, (native cavalry,) the General con- 
 sidering the precaution still necessary. On reaching Futtyghur 
 we went to the mission premises. But what a ruin ! When I was 
 last there, the beloved brethren and sisters of the Presbyterian mis- 
 sion were surrounded by a happy, native Christian community, 
 engaged in supporting themselves by tent-making and other 
 employment, and in the center of the village stood their nice 
 church ; but all was destroyed and desecrated now, and these dear 
 Missionaries and their wives were numbered among "the noble 
 army of martyrs." 
 
 We pushed on for Lucknow. It was the month of September. 
 How well we could understand now, what Havelock and his men 
 must have gone through during that month last year ! My entry, 
 made at the time, tells of the torrents of rain, of the flooded 
 country, and of having to cross unbridged rivers twenty times in 
 that seventy miles. We were twenty-six hours going about twenty- 
 five of these miles The rain, the mud, and the slippery way 
 
448 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 were very trying ; yet Havelock had to take an army over this very 
 ground, and at the same season. Here he had to fight battles, 
 carry his wounded, and sustain his men. The Ganges had so 
 overflowed its banks that it was nearly five miles wide where we 
 crossed it. 
 
 At Cawnpore we visited "the Well" of sad memories, and the 
 Shrine, (then being built)and the Intrenchments, and Ghat, and con- 
 versed with Private Murphy, the only survivor in India of the ter- 
 rible massacre. 
 
 On reaching Lucknow we were most kindly received at Govern- 
 ment House, no longer the Residency, but a building in another 
 part of the city. Mr. (now Sir Robert) Montgomery welcomed us 
 with the cordiality of a Christian, requesting us to consider his 
 house our home till we could obtain a mission residence, and offer- 
 ing to aid us in every way within his power. He believed in Mis- 
 sions, and in the ability of God's truth to reach the hearts even of 
 the turbulent race whom he ruled. 
 
 After breakfast next morning I started off to explore Lucknow. 
 Going out of the door, how well I remembered the last time I went 
 through it, starting from the Residency on the back of an elephant, 
 guarded by a Sepoy all day. But Mr. Montgomery did not offei 
 me an elephant on this occasion, and there were no Sepoys to at- 
 tend me. So I walked off, quite content to have it so, and was not 
 ten minutes in the Bazaar till it was all explained. The change 
 was amazing, even already. Instead of every man being armed 
 with tulwar and shield, nobody bore a weapon, save the native 
 police. Every person seemed to be minding his own business. 
 The shop-keeper's sword was no longer on his counter, yet his 
 goods seemed safe enough. Mr. Montgomery had disarmed the en- 
 tire population, and taught them that they must no longer fight 
 and wound each other. If they had a quarrel, they must not take 
 the law into their own hands ; the courts were open to them, and 
 they must go there and have the magistrate settle it for them. 
 They submitted, and seemed amazed how well the new arrange- 
 ment worked. Never before had it been so seen in Lucknow. It 
 
RESULTS VIEWED FROM THE RESIDENCY. 449 
 
 was the new and wonderful reign of law and equal justice in the 
 land of the Sepoy, 
 
 The public, shameless vice, that so shocked me when I last 
 passed throMgh these streets, was no longer seen. It had been 
 told it must retire, and cease to shock virtue and decency by its 
 hateful presence. The order, the industry, and the propriety of 
 the streetS; were to me simply marvelous ; and the people were so 
 civil — making their salaam as I passed along, much gratified to 
 find that I returned their courtesy. And this was Lucknow, with 
 its hundreds of thousands of people, and I, a white face, alone and 
 unarmed among them ! I could hardly believe my own senses. 
 But it was just so ; and I felt that we might almost conclude that 
 the city was already about half saved. 
 
 Yet there was enough to remind 3^ou of the savage and cruel 
 past. The houses were all bullet marked, and some blown to 
 pieces. There still remained the mud walls on the roofs, pierced 
 for musketry, behind which knelt the fierce Sepoy as he so safely 
 poured his deadly bullets on Havelock's men as they fought their 
 way along the streets on which I was then so peacefully walking: 
 I went straight to "The Residency." No words could do justice to 
 the change from what it was when I stood there eighteen months 
 before ! Battered out of all recognition, yet still a glorious monu- 
 ment of what brave men can do and endure in a worthy cause. 
 
 So here we stand, in the capital of the Sepoy, and on the spot 
 where he did his utmost, and found even that no match for Chris- 
 tian heroism. Now let us, in closing this chapter, take our rapid 
 review of results achieved by the valor so gloriously illustrated on 
 this spot. The former and the present are here, and the future 
 opens, while, before our face, old things are passing away, and all 
 things are becoming new. We recognize the blessed changes ; 
 changes for which India nerself will yet adore the Providence 
 which refused her victory to her own ruin. God has subjected 
 her "in hope" that she "shall be delivered from the bondage of 
 corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." 
 
 And, first, as to the great Sepoy Army. This military monster, 
 
450 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 recruited chiefly from the Brahmin class, had, amid all their igno- 
 rance and unreasoning bigotry, grown into a full knowledge of its 
 own power. They well knew that they were united in a common 
 class interest, could dictate their own terms, and had the Govern- 
 ment at their mercy. They were pampered to the last degree by 
 their timid and politic rulers. The stronger they grew, the more 
 dangerous they became, and sooner or later a fearful conflict with 
 them was inevitable ; and the longer it was deferred, the more de- 
 structive it must be to the weaker party. Even now it makes one 
 shudder to remember how completely we were in the power of 
 these cruel and wicked men. All this is now changed. That 
 vast combination of brute force, with its ignorance and fanaticism, 
 has melted away. Only two regiments remain, who, I fear, more 
 from peculiar combinations of circumstances than from any special 
 virtue of their own, remained loyal, and wear to-day the title of 
 ^'Wufadarsl' (faithful;) all the rest of the mighty host has van- 
 ished away. 
 
 Nor did they fall alone — they dragged down into their hideous 
 ruin the whole class from which they were recruited. A large 
 portion of the towns and villages of Oude was a mere Sepoy train- 
 ing ground for the East India Company. Here, for generations, 
 the inhabitants contemplated no other employment save service in 
 the Company's army. At twice the compensation of artisans, with 
 easy times, and decked out in the pomp of military array, these 
 men lived in comparative affluence, and on the expiration of their 
 term of service, they were retired on pensions for life equal to 
 about half their pay. So that there were three generations of 
 Sepoys in these villages in 1857, namely, the serving Sepoys, 
 and as pensioners, their fathers and their grandfathers ; and when 
 the active force threw off their allegiance to the Government of 
 Great Britain, and lost their cause, tne reaction against them 
 was so great, that, at one swoop, the Government which they had 
 outraged cut off them and theirs from the rolls forever. Pay and 
 pensions ceased, and two hundred thousand Sepoys, invalided and 
 active, were thrown upon their own resources, and reduced to 
 
EFFECT ON THE MOHAMMEDANS. 45 1 
 
 hopeless poverty. The old fathers and grandfathers were mad- 
 dened by the result, and when the defeated Sepoys, those of them 
 who escaped death on the field or in the jungle, came slinking, in 
 disgrace and fear, back to their native villages, they soon realized 
 that their bitterest foes were " they of their own household." They 
 were driven out with taunts and hatred by their own fathers, whom 
 their perfidy had reduced to ruin. The quiet peasantry on whom 
 they had brought the calamities of war had no sympathy to bestow 
 on them. Hooted with curses and contempt from their homes, 
 afraid to associate together save in the jungles, lest the eyes of the 
 Government should see and pursue them, many of these wretched 
 men became fugitives and vagabonds. 
 
 Driven to the dire necessity by actual hunger, some of them 
 threw off their lordly Brahminical assumptions, and were glad to 
 go between the handles of a plow, to turn up the soil for an honest 
 living, like common men — a wonderful fact, and one that people 
 did not dream of in 1856. It was one of the most fearful blows 
 that Caste and Brahminism ever received, and has forever lowered 
 the prestige of that proud class in India. A mixed native army, 
 to more limited numbers, formed out of all creeds and parties, has 
 taken their place, while the amount of British soldiers has been 
 more than doubled, and the forts, arsenals, and magazines of India 
 are henceforth in their safe keeping. 
 
 Second. Equally marked have been the results of the great 
 Rebellion upon the Mohammedan portion of the population. To 
 conciliate these people is impossible. Nothing less than the con- 
 viction and grace that can lead a Romanist to esteem and love 
 evangelical Christians, can ever induce a Mohammedan to become 
 a willing subject of a Christian power. Till then their insolence 
 has to be borne with, and their rage controlled by a firm, but 
 humane, hand. They were in this case the greatest sinners, and 
 they are the greatest sufferers. Their imperial pretensions, with 
 their dynasty, have sunk into the dust forever. Their hopes of 
 supremacy are utterly annihilated ; their nobles fill the graves of 
 traitors and murderers. They, themselves, are distrusted by all, 
 
452 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 and hated with a double intensity by the Hindoo race, whom they 
 first misled and deceived, and then oppressed, during their brief 
 term of power. The worst that they can do is now well known, 
 and they are well aware that they are no longer feared. An amaz- 
 ing submission has been developed, showing how effectually the 
 proud, imperious conceit has been whipped out of them. 
 
 In illustration of this fact, I will ask the reader's indulgence 
 while relating an incident, rather " free and easy " in its character, 
 but one which made a lasting impression upon my mind. It will 
 point its own moral much better perhaps than a dozen sober facts 
 could do. 
 
 Three weeks after my arrival in Lucknow, as the result of dili- 
 gent search, we found premises for sale in the Husseinabad Bazaar, 
 which seemed just what we needed for our Mission establishment. 
 They belonged to a relative of the ex-King, a Nawab, or native 
 nobleman, whose reduced circumstances made him glad to dispose 
 of them. All being ready for payment, I went with this gentleman 
 to the English magistrate's Court, to have the deed recorded and 
 the cash paid, and have the signature and seal of the Court added, 
 to render all safe and valid. The Court, for want of a more suit- 
 able place, was then held in the splendid Tomb of Asaf-ud-Dou- 
 lah, second King of Oude. This was situated in the west end of 
 that great Bazaar ; the Fort, occupied by English soldiers, being at 
 the other end ; and between these two points, at any business hour 
 of the day, you could find eight or ten thousand men lounging 
 about or engaged in trade. Eighteen months before, such was the 
 turbulence there, that a Mohammedan yell of " Deen, deen!" 
 would have brought a mob of probably five thousand men around 
 you in five minutes, every man armed and used to weapons, for 
 many of them had served as Sepoys — all ready for any deed of 
 violence or blood, in which they had the example of the vile 
 Mohammedan Court then in Lucknow. It may be doubted if 
 there was then a more cornbustible and fanatical scene any where 
 on earth than that Bazaar held. Mr. Mead's description of it, on 
 page 211, will be remembered by the reader. 
 
THE IRISHMAN IN THE LUGKNOW GOJJBT. 453 
 
 Passing through the crowds we reached the Court, which was 
 filled, only the aisle in front of the table, down to the door, being 
 unoccupied. Mr. Wood, the magistrate, was in his place, and we 
 took seats on either side of him, and all business was quietly pro- 
 ceeding, when a tumult outside, in the Bazaar, attracted our atten- 
 tion, and in a few moments in rushed a Jamadar (sergeant) of 
 police, followed by six of his men, all in a wonderful hurry and 
 excitement. The Jamadar was a large, heavy man, rigged out with 
 a red pugree (turban) on his head, and a red kummer-bund around 
 his waist, with his tulwar tucked under his arm, his men being sim- 
 ilarly decorated and accoutered. His face was flushed, for he had run 
 hard ; and, having for the moment lost his breath, when he drew up 
 in front of the magistrate's table, and joined his hands to address 
 him, the man could not say a word for a few seconds. At length 
 he gasped out, " O Sahib, burra tukleef Bazaar men hai ! " (O, sir, 
 there is dreadful trouble in the Bazaar !) When the magistrate 
 had succeeded in quieting the perturbation of the poor Jamadar, he 
 was duly informed that " a gora log [a white soldier] had come out 
 of the Fort into the Bazaar, armed with a stout stick, and that the 
 first man he met he stretched him on the ground, and the rest, 
 seeing what he had received, had retreated, jumping off their stalls 
 and leaving money and goods behind them ; and," continued the 
 distressed and terrified Jamadar, " Sahib, the gora is cutting capers 
 there in the middle of the Bazaar, swinging his stick, and chal- 
 lenging them to come on, and offering to fight them all ; but, of 
 course, they wont go near him. They are all here in a heap at the 
 end of the Bazaar, and. Sahib, what am I to do } " " What are 
 you to do ! You gudha, (donkey,) why, go and arrest the man. 
 What else would you do ? " The astonished police officer looked 
 at his chief as if he could not believe his own ears, and asked, 
 " What did you say. Sahib ? " " I said, go and arrest him." He 
 looked at Mr. Wood, and in deep distress at the danger of his 
 disobedience, exclaimed with emphasis, " Sahib, zi cannot be done. 
 There is not a man in the '^2a2iZX would dare to look him in the 
 face ! " Mr. W. insisted that he must " look him in the face," and 
 
454 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 bring him up before him, adding, " If you are afraid, then take your 
 six men," (who all stood in a row behind their gallant leader, with 
 about as much courage as Falstaff's squad, gazing right into the 
 face of the magistrate ;) " surely seven of you, armed with tul - 
 wars, are enough to arrest one English soldier with only a stick in 
 his band." 
 
 It was all of no use ; go they would not, and much as they loved 
 livery, and power, and pay, they were, to a man, ready to resign 
 the service sooner than execute the commission ; so that Mr. W. 
 had no alternative but to write a line to the English sergeant of 
 the guard at the Fort, directing him to send a couple of soldiers to 
 arrest the man and bring him up. A swift messenger, by a back 
 road, soon delivered the chittee, and we sat still to see the result. 
 In a short time a military tread was heard, the road clearing as 
 they came, and the disturber of the peace, with the stick in his 
 hand, was walked in between two of his brethren right up to the 
 magistrate's table. He looked around at the crowd, and at us, and 
 at the magistrate, in astonishment, every glance seeming to say, 
 " What in the world have I been brought here for "i " 
 
 Mr. W. broke the silence with, " Well, sir, I am given to under- 
 stand that you have been disturbing my people in the Bazaar.'' 
 Steadying himself for a reply, (the first word he uttered showing 
 that he was an Irishman, and half drunk at that,) he said, with a 
 significant twirl of the stick, " Yis, yer Honor, I've been stirring 
 them up a little ;" looking very merry over it, as if he had been 
 " doing the State some service," which ought to be recognized. It 
 rather sobered him down, however, to hear the magistrate's prompt 
 and stern reply, " Then, sir, I wish you to understand that I don't 
 want them * stirred up.' " The soldier was incredulous. He evi- 
 dently thought the magistrate was only joking. " Ah now, yer 
 Honor, you don't mean that at all, at all ! " His Honor said he did 
 mean it, and, trying to look as severe as he could, he added, "And 
 more than that, I want to know what brought you into my Bazaar 
 at all .'' " This question, and its manner, roused the soldier, his rol- 
 licking aspect became serious, as, bringing down the end of his 
 
THE IRISHMAN IN THE LUCKNOW COURT. 455 
 
 stick with a sharp ring on the floor beside him, and the tears 
 springing to his eyes, he stretched out his hand, and for a few 
 moments he seemed to me the most eloquent speaker I had ever 
 heard : "Ah, yer Honor, listen to me. If yer Honor only knew the 
 races I have had after these rascally Pandies, in rain, and hunger, 
 and mud, and how many noble comrades have fallen by this side," 
 (striking his thigh,) " and on this ! " (repeating the action there.) 
 Here his feelings seemed to overcome him. He paused, and then 
 added, " Yer Honor, the spirit was up in me a little this mornin' 
 and I thought I'd just come out and have a little bit of a fight on 
 my own private account ; but, yer Honor, I could not get a sin 
 gle one of the spalpeens to face me, and what was I to do, yer 
 Honor } " His Honor's calm rejoinder was, " You were to let them 
 alone." But the poor fellow could not see it. A happy thought 
 seemed then to strike him, and the spirit of fun was once more in 
 full possession of him. Stretching out his stick toward Mr. 
 Wood, he exclaimed, " Now, yer Honor, what's the use of talkin' ; 
 just do you say the word, and I'll lick out every mother sowl of 
 them for you in five minutes ! " By this time he was in an attitude, 
 and looked the fighting Irishman all over. 
 
 Mr. Wood, I suppose, made about the best effort of his life to 
 keep his countenance and seem serious ; he could not afford to 
 give way before his Court. How he ever did it I cannot imagine. 
 Being under no such restriction, I shook with laughing till I 
 nearly fell off the chair, and all the more, when I saw the effect of 
 the attitude and the stick on the great fat Nawab on the other side 
 of the table. With his hands on his knees, and evidently alarmed, 
 he watched ever}' movement of the soldier, and not knowing a 
 word of English, he seemed to realize the fellow's antics boded no 
 good to him personally, and looked as if he was ready to bolt. It was 
 useless for Mr. Wood to rejoin, as he did, that he "did not want 
 them licked out," for the Irishman proceeded, quite in a confiden- 
 tial way, blandly to assure him, " Yer Honor, you wont have the 
 least trouble ; you will only just have to say the word, and I'll dr^ 
 the business foi you !" 
 
456 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Things were going from bad to worse, and the magistrate saw 
 he must lose no time in getting rid of the fellow ; so, with a threat 
 that, if ever he found him in his Bazaar again he would hand him 
 up for court martial, he said to the guard, " Take him away ! " and 
 off he was walked, to the great relief of the Nawab, and the Jama- 
 dar, and all the natives present, and I suppose to Mr. Wood as 
 well. And this was in LucknoWy and only ten months after its 
 recapture ! 
 
 Solomon says, " There is a time to laugh." I have found in my 
 life few occasions more appropriate for that exercise than the one 
 here given, which I have faithfully described as it occurred. It 
 is allowable occasionally to pass 
 
 " From grave to gay, 
 From lively to severe." 
 
 My book has more than enough of the grave and the sad ; let this, 
 then, have a place here, for here it belongs, and has a lesson far 
 beyond what appears on the surface of this ludicrous scene. I 
 have introduced it, not for the sake of its levity, though it was rich 
 and almost inimitable, but for the sake of its lesson. One can 
 read that lesson, and even laugh over it, as I did, near the graves 
 of Havelock and Henry Lawrence. Laughter may be religious. 
 It was so here. To adequately appreciate the enlargement of 
 heart, or even the hilarity of that occasion, one would need to have 
 experimentally known our previous conditions there — to have rid- 
 den on an elephant's back, with a Sepoy guard, through those very 
 Bazaars of vice and danger — should have been, as we were, 
 acquainted with those who endured there that long agony of the 
 defense — must have stood with us for seven months on the summit 
 of Nynee Tal, with the fear that you were the last of the Christian 
 life left in India, and that our fate, at the hands of these bloody 
 men, might be but a question of time, while our only hope, under 
 God, were these very red-coated soldiers whom we feared might yet 
 be ten thousand miles away from us. A "dying hope," no relief, and 
 hardly expecting deliverance, and then to drop right out of those cir- 
 cumstances into a scene like this ! The blessed God himself would 
 
ONE OF YOU SHALL CHASE A THOUSAND. 457 
 
 sanction laughter here. For, when He " turned again the captivity 
 of Zion, we were hke them that dream. Then was our mouth filled 
 with laughter, and our tongue with singing." For. it was literally 
 true in the Bazaars of Lucknow, that " They said among the 
 heathen, God has done great things for them." He did — here was 
 a striking evidence of it — and " we were glad ! " 
 
 Even as I looked and laughed at this half-drunken creature, how 
 vividly did God's holy Word come to my mind, as I saw him in 
 his whimsical resolution and proposal, exulting in his ability, and 
 so eager for its display, offering to fulfill, to the letter, those words 
 of Holy Writ, so true then to the race whom he, even in his un- 
 worthiness and unconsciousness, there represented, that " One 
 should chase a thousand ; " nay, even more than that, for he alone 
 offered to do the work of the " two " to whom a covenant God had 
 engaged, that they should " put ten thousand to flight ! " And 
 why .'' Because " their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut 
 them up ; " while Christendom was, at that very time, mingling their 
 congratulations with England for this wondrous divine deliverance, 
 and obeying the command of the Lord Jehovah, " Rejoice, O ye 
 nations, with his people ; for he will avenge the blood of his serv- 
 ants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be mer- 
 ciful unto his land, and to his people." Deut. xxxii, 43. 
 
 Third. The results upon the Hindoo race are equally marked. 
 They, too, have lost their Peishwa and their prestige ; they have 
 become deeply convinced of the impotence of their idols to aid 
 them in any great emergency ; they have learned an additional les- 
 son of Mohammedan perfidy and bitterness, which can never be 
 forgotten by them, and which forbids the possibility of any future 
 combination with their cruel antagonists. Their most intelligent 
 men are fully satisfied that, till the time comes when they shall be 
 fit for self-government, their best interests are bound up with their 
 allegiance to the English Government. Under the security and 
 peace which it gives them they are now, as never before, devoting 
 their energies to material and educational improvement. 
 
 Fourth. The abolition of the East India Company is another of 
 
458 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 the merciful results of the Rebellion. This proud and powerful 
 body of commercial men rose, in two hundred years, from the 
 humble position of a mere trading company, through a series of 
 events the most wonderful in modern history, till they came at last 
 to sway their scepter over an empire six times more populous than 
 that of their own Queen, and twice as populous as that of Augustan 
 Rome, and separated, till recently, from them by a voyage of four 
 or five months. But this vast opportunity, the greatest that Chris- 
 tian rulers ever possessed, was not improved to the intellectual 
 or moral good of the vast multitudes whom they governed. What 
 they chiefly considered was large dividends, and every thing had to 
 bow to that. As a corporation, they had no soul that would feel for 
 the guilt and danger of perishing men, or make any effort to 
 redeem them, but, on the contrary, they tried to discourage all such 
 efforts. To this unworthy and unchristian policy they held on to 
 the last, and would have held on probably for ages if God and the 
 English public had not abolished their rule on the ist of Novem- 
 ber, 1858. Even in the terrible lessons of the first outbreak, 
 instead of relenting and turning from their course, they clung all 
 the more tenaciously to it. In evidence of this, the fact can be 
 referred to, that in the first panic caused by the news which reached 
 England in July, 1857, informing all classes of the terrible events 
 which had taken place on the 31st of May, and that British suprem- 
 acy seemed to hang in the balance, one of their kind in London, 
 well acquainted with the East, and from whose military character, 
 if nothing more, utterances of another sort would have been con- 
 sistent — this man, the editor of " The United Service Magazine" in 
 his leading article for his August number, was so carried away by 
 his fears and by false and godless theories, that he deliberately 
 proposed to sacrifice the claims of his faith, and the moral hopes of 
 India, and surrender all to heathenism at the first blow, and with- 
 out a struggle, in language which his descendants can never peruse 
 without a blush for the cowardly " Christian " who wrote it. Speak- 
 ing of the measures to be henceforth employed in India for the 
 pacification of the country, and the retention of British supremacy, 
 
ABOLITION OF TEE EAST INDIA COMPANY. 459 
 
 he says : " Missiojtaries imcst be sent away about their business, a^td 
 the practice of attempting conversions be put immediate stop to. If 
 a black individual express a sincere desire to become a Christian, 
 by all means let his wishes be instantly attended to by the minis- 
 ters of the Gospel, [the" Episcopalian chaplains of the troops and 
 civilians.] By the substitution of this arrangement we are certain 
 that there would be no material diminution of the number of real 
 converts per annum, for at present the interior of a Cremorne 
 omnibus would afford them ample accommodation." — United Serv- 
 ice MagazinCy 1857, p. 480. 
 
 In that " omnibus " I would have claimed at least three seats — 
 one each for Joel and Emma, and one for Peggy, Emma's mother, 
 and would have felt satisfied, as I handed them in, that the young- 
 est and weakest of their number had a courage and constancy for 
 • Jesus and his cause which might well put to shame — as it will yet 
 in the presence of " the worthy Judge eternal " — the cowardice and 
 sarcasm of this unworthy Briton, who thus dared to offset the pol- 
 icy and claims of the East India Company against the present and 
 final salvation of two hundred millions of benighted men. 
 
 I am thankful that this despicable and wicked utterance expressed 
 the feelings of a very small fraction of English society — smaller 
 to-day than ever, and growing " beautifully less " — while the " Com- 
 pany" whose policy and practices it pronounced, within twelve 
 months of the day when these words were printed, was forever extin- 
 guished, as a governing body, by the Parliament of England, which 
 resolved to sustain British Christianity, while they vindicated Brit- 
 ish supremacy, in India. The clique who could thus insult God 
 and his ministers, and wish to hinder the conversion of India's 
 millions, were regarded as henceforth unworthy to administer the 
 political affairs of that great empire ; and this very utterance was 
 the knell of their doom, as it was also of the Sepoy power on which 
 they so vainly and madly leaned for support. Natives and Chris- 
 tians alike celebrated with gladness the day that saw the country 
 pass under the control of the Queen of England, to be henceforth 
 ruled by the Parliamentary Government of Great Britain. 
 
460 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Fifth. The Government of India to-day, in its freedom from the 
 policy and traditions of the Company, its separation from idol- 
 atrous administrations, its strength and justice, its outspoken inter- 
 est in the intellectual and moral well-being of the people, its 
 humane and impartial administration, is a wonderful improvement 
 upon the former things that have passed away. At length the oft- 
 repeated assertion, that " India is the noblest trust ever committed 
 to a Christian nation," seems to have taken possession of the minds 
 who guide her destiny. 
 
 The moral impression made by English prowess over Asiatic 
 combination and purpose has been immense, and has affected 
 other lands far beyond the bounds of India. It has convinced the 
 Asiatic nations of the superiority of Christian civilization beyond any 
 other event that has transpired on that hemisphere. The result in 
 India itself is, that England is considered to hold the land by a 
 stronger right than ever ; her laws are more respected, her magis- 
 trates more implicitly obeyed, her roads are safer, her peace is 
 more profound. What her Government know to be right can now 
 be attempted and carried out free from the temporizing of the past, 
 so that legislation is more decided, and radical, and beneficent. A 
 magnanimity that before was not dreamed of guides British policy. 
 Native gentlemen of education are now invested with Commissions 
 of the Peace. The native element is introduced into legislative 
 halls, and connected with the government of their country. Al- 
 ready they sit on the bench of the High Court, and hold honorary 
 positions in Council, as the colleagues of the Governor General. 
 Public education is encouraged and pushed forward, the admission 
 of ladies into general society commended, female education among 
 all classes encouraged to the utmost, and extravagant costs of wed- 
 dings and funerals discountenanced. The legislation, the princi- 
 ples, and the personal influence of the Government, are all thus 
 bearing upon the repression of what is wrong in Hindoo society, 
 and the encouragement of all that is right and good. 
 
 None but those who have lived in India can adequately appre- 
 ciate the difficulty or the delicacy of the great task which England 
 
INDIA'S FUTURE FULL OF HOPE. 46 1 
 
 is trying to fulfill there to-day. One feature of the structure of 
 society there will sufficiently intimate this fact. There are in all 
 one hundred and fifty -three Hindoo and Mussulman Princes, gov- 
 erning semi-independent States, under the protection of the para- 
 mount power. These communities are less affected by intelligence, 
 and more liable to caste notions and time-honored observances, 
 than the territories directly governed by the British, and their 
 influence has to be considered ; then there are as many more 
 Princes, (retired from business,) some of them still bearing royal 
 titles, and drawing royal revenues from the treasury — any number 
 of Maharajahs, Nawabs, and Kings — within the British territories. 
 These have courts, ceremonials, and claims, which are all main- 
 tained with a tenacity that, to us of the West, seems simply ridicu- 
 lous, and which are, and must be, to India's rulers, matters of worry 
 and difficulty ; but they have to deal gently with them, and work 
 on in hope that, in the progress of the country toward popular gov- 
 ernment, these " royal " folk (including the Nawab Nazim of Ben- 
 gal, the King of Oude, and others) or their descendants will become 
 content, in the interest of the unity of their magnificent land, and 
 its preparation for the popular native government which will one 
 day direct its destinies, to sink title and claim, and accept a posi- 
 tion in native society analogous to that of the Peerage of England. 
 The day is past for the continued existence of " three hundred and 
 seventy-four States" in a country that can be but one nation. As 
 Noblemen around their strong Government, these representatives 
 of dead or dying dynasties might do much for their country, as well 
 as opening a way for their own children to be trained and educated 
 for employment in positions of trust and usefulness. 
 
 These are but a mere intimation of the peculiar circumstances 
 which English administrators in India have to deal with as they 
 try to guide the interests of that country. The rebellion broke 
 down many of these difficulties, and simplified their task to a great 
 extent, making them more fully the masters of the situation ; time, 
 education, and Christianity will do the rest. 
 
 Meanwhile the country is progressing rapidly in the right 
 30 
 
462 • TEE LAND OF THE VEDA 
 
 direction, its own people testify to their contentment and hopes 
 of its bright future, while travelers from other lands add their evi- 
 dence to the peace and prosperity which have followed the sorrowful 
 chapters which we have traced. The appreciatory words lately 
 uttered by the Hon. W. H. Seward, after having traveled through 
 India, will be in the remembrance of the reader. Mr. Seward's 
 opinion is well sustained by another American gentleman, Dr. 
 Prime, of the Observer, just returned from a visit to India. With 
 a candid appreciation of the present, as compared with the past, he 
 uses the following language : 
 
 " I have spoken of the complete change which has come over 
 the government of India in its being made directly responsible to, 
 and dependent on, the British Crown. A still greater change has 
 taken place in the objects for which the government is adminis- 
 tered. For two centuries and a half India was ruled for the bene- 
 fit of the East India Company. ... 
 
 " But that is all changed, or, if not all, the purpose of the Gov- 
 ernment is changed. It is ruled now for the good of India, for the 
 sake of the people of India. I take the greatest pleasure in bear- 
 ing testimony to the high character of those who have the admin- 
 istration of affairs in that empire, and to the aspect of the country 
 in its material, educational, social, and religious interests, as being 
 full of promise. I doubt if any country has more conscientious 
 and intelligent public officers controlling its destinies than has 
 India. There are reforms yet to be consummated. The extreme 
 caution of rulers prevents them from entirely giving up a sort of 
 complicity with idolatry ; the great work of education which the 
 Government is carrying on, to which I shall again allude, is con- 
 fined too much to a privileged class ; but it has been a great pleas- 
 ure to me to find this land making such rapid progress in all that 
 is calculated to promote the highest good of the people who dwell 
 in it, to whatever race they belong. Overlooking all the past, I 
 heartily rejoice that India is to-day under British rule. Long may 
 that rule be undisturbed ! May it not be broken until the tribes 
 of the land shall be able, intelligently and wisely, to govern them- 
 
CONDITION AND PROSPECTS OF CHBI8TIANITT. 463 
 
 selves. The effect of the present system will be to develop their 
 powers of self-government. In addition to the native princes, who 
 are still recognized as the heads of their limited territories, natives 
 are admitted as members to the Supreme and Provincial Councils. 
 The Government is doing nothing directly to advance the Chris- 
 tian religion, (though as much as our own Government is doing,) 
 and many evils growing out of the peculiarities of the people, the 
 varieties of races, the inveterate nature of hoary prejudices, yet re- 
 main to be removed or remedied ; but, judging from the promise of 
 the present, India bids fair to become again a mighty empire in the 
 East, and to outshine in its glory the splendor of the old Moguls." 
 
 Sixth. The improved condition and prospects of Christianity and 
 of native Christians, as the result of the rebellion, is most marked 
 and important. 
 
 The position of Christianity in India, and its disabilities, will be 
 well understood from what has been already advanced. The condi- 
 tion of the native Christian before the Rebellion was a most trying 
 one. He was cut off and proscribed by his heathen friends, looked 
 down upon too often by European officials, refused all employment 
 under Government, with no one to sympathize with him except a 
 few pious persons and the missionary, the latter very often unable 
 to help him, though his heart was distressed for him. Short as 
 the time was that I had then been in India, I learned some most 
 distressing cases of this kind. 
 
 The very last letter that I had from the martyred Missionary, 
 Brother Campbell, of Futtyghur, was on this subject. He writes, 
 " Poor Saul, whom you saw when at my house, is still without 
 employment. I sent him to Cawnpore and Futtypore, but those 
 places were full ; had more help and native Christians than could 
 be well provided for. He is now at home near Agra, and writes 
 to me that he is in a sad condition. Christians will not receive 
 him, though he is willing to do any kind of work ; and his relations 
 say, that if he remains with them in his native village he must 
 become one of them, that is, a heathen. Poor fellow, I pity him, 
 for I think him a good man ; weak, perhaps, but still, I trust, a 
 
464 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA, 
 
 • chosen vessel.' O that God in his good providence would open 
 up some way for these poor fettered souls (not a few) who wish to 
 renounce heathenism and cast in their lot with the people of God, 
 and cannot ! For want of employment, we are obliged to turn off 
 numbers who would gladly come, bringing their families with them, 
 even very hopeful cases. O that the day may soon come when 
 caste will be broken up ! Then our converts will stand some 
 chance." 
 
 That letter was written on the 15 th of April. Eight weeks 
 after the writer was " before the throne," and God in his mysterious 
 ways was beginning to answer the martyr's prayer for the native 
 Christians. Little did he imagine, when writing that letter, how 
 soon and how fully Providence would " open up a way for those 
 fettered souls ! " The Christian public and the Government, imme- 
 diately after the Rebellion, wanted them for situations of trust in 
 far greater numbers than could be supplied. The Rebellion had 
 tested and brought out the value of native Christians in a manner 
 that admitted of no cavil or mistake. 
 
 Not one native Christian in India joined the mutineers, though 
 their education would have made them valuable to them. It was 
 also known that some conspiracies had been discovered and pre- 
 vented by timely information furnished by native Christians. Not- 
 withstanding the sufferings to which they were reduced during the 
 Rebellion, as a body they stood nobly for Christianity and the 
 British Government, though that Government had neglected and 
 despised them. Many of them laid down their lives for their 
 religion. Even under that fiery trial, it is asserted (see " Liverpool 
 Missionary Conference," page 249) that only two of their number 
 are known to have apostatized. At length the Government itself 
 began to appreciate them, so that the Rebellion had hardly closed 
 ere Sir John Lawrence, as Governor of the Punjab, and who soon 
 after became Viceroy of all India, used the following language in 
 one of his government orders : " The sufferings and trials which 
 the Almighty has permitted to come upon his people in this land 
 during the past few months, though dark and mysterious to us. 
 
MARTYR CAMPBELL'S PRATER ANSWERED. 465 
 
 will assuredly end in his glory. The followers of Christ will now, 
 I believe, be induced to come forward and advance the interests of 
 his kingdom. The system of caste can no longer be permitted to 
 rule in our service. Soldiers, and government servants of every 
 class, must be entertained for their merits, irrespective of creeds, 
 class, or caste. 
 
 "The native Christians, as a body, have, with rare exceptions, 
 been set aside. I know not one in the Punjab, to our disgrace be 
 it said, in any employment under Government. A proposition to 
 employ them in the public service six months ago assuredly would 
 not have been complied with ; but a change has come, and I be- 
 lieve there are few who will not eagerly employ those native Chris- 
 tians competent to fill appointments. 
 
 " I consider I should be wanting in my duty, in this crisis, if I 
 did not endeavor to secure a portion of the numerous appointments 
 m the judicial departments for native Christians ; and I shall be 
 happy, as far as I can, to advance their interests equally with those 
 of the Mohammedan and Hindoo candidates. Their future promo- 
 tion must depend upon their own merits." 
 
 His Excellency then added suggestions to guide the Missionaries 
 in selecting suitable persons to be presented for the purpose. 
 Shortly after this Sir Robert Montgomery, the ruler of Oude, 
 issued a similar paper. Other officials did the same. Merchants 
 and traders also sought them, for they saw they could be trusted. 
 Their value rose at once. Employment was thrown open to them, 
 giving them a fair chance with other men, which was all we desired 
 for them. The native Christian, who before the Rebellion could 
 not obtain five dollars per month for his services, though an edu- 
 cated man and a faithful member of Christ's Church, within little 
 more than a year from the date of martyr Campbell's letter, could 
 command five or ten times that amount of salary. Missionary 
 societies had, consequently, twice within five years, to raise the 
 wages of their teachers and helpers in order to retain them, so 
 great was the competition by other parties to engage them. The 
 effect of this change upon their standing in society, the comfort of 
 
466 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 their families, and their own self-respect, as well as Christian use- 
 fulness, will be apparent. It was for them a great salvation, and 
 most wonderfully wrought out. 
 
 The rapid growth of the Christian Church in India since that 
 time, and especially of the native ministry, will be fully exhibited in 
 the Statistical Tables which will follow the next chapter. To them 
 the reader's attention is earnestly requested, that he may gratefully 
 contemplate 
 
 "The silver lining to this cloud of grief" 
 
 with which a merciful God compensated the sufferings of his serv- 
 ants. What a change for the better, in the very respect which they 
 so much desired, would Brothers Freeman and Campbell witness, 
 could they rise from the dead and revisit the scenes where they suf- 
 fered and died to bring about this result ! What a justification, too, 
 of dear Mrs. Freeman's words, in her last letter to her sister, when 
 she said : " I sometimes think our deaths would do more good than 
 we would do in all our lives ; if so. His will be done ! " 
 
 How intense the interest which that Rebellion awoke all through 
 Christendom ! how earnest the prayers which then went up to God 
 for India ! and how liberal the efforts since made to claim the land 
 for Christ ! All has been overruled for good. The vastness of 
 India, the value of her evangelization as the heart of Asia, and the 
 influence of her position, as the key to the salvation of the nations 
 with which she has commercial relations — Afifghanistan, Beloochis- 
 tan. Eastern Persia, Bokhara, Herat, Thibet, Ladak, Nepaul, West- 
 ern China, and others — all these must feel the effects of the mighty 
 change which India is yet to undergo, and for which this Rebellion 
 did so much to prepare her. 
 
 The hour had come when the inevitable conflict between human 
 barbarism and divine civilization was to take place, and the words of 
 Christ were to be realized in India — " I am not come to send peace, 
 but a sword." Ere that sword could conquer the peace of right- 
 eous law and order, and place that great land in subjection to the 
 influences which are all the more certainly and speedily to work out 
 her redemption — as they are doing at this hour — the words of Sim- 
 
CHRISTIANITY INVINCIBLE AND INEVITABLE. 467 
 
 eon to the Virgin Mother of the great Peace-maker might have 
 been addressed to the Futtyghur martyrs, and the victims of Cawn- 
 pore and Bareilly, as well as to those who lived to see the great 
 victory of deliverance, " Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy 
 own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." 
 They did not suffer nor die in vain. Their endurance unto blood, 
 and the valor of those who, against such odds, fought their way to 
 their rescue, have taught the jnen of Hindustan a lesson that can 
 never be forgotten. They have been whipped into the alarming 
 consciousness that their colossal and venerable systems of religion, 
 in which they trusted, are utterly powerless ; that with civilization 
 is strength ; and that Christianity is both invincible and inevitable. 
 They have lost confidence and hope in their own systems, and the 
 " thoughts of their hearts " are " revealed " in the candid and singu- 
 lar remark made to us one day by an aged native, when we pressed 
 him upon this subject, as with a sigh he exclaimed, " It is so. Sahib ; 
 for some reason that we don't understand God has left us and gone 
 over to the Christian side ! I suppose what you say is true. My 
 children, or grandchildren, will probably be of your way of think- 
 ing. But I'm too old to change ; I want to die in the faith of my 
 fathers!" The tears flowed as he closed his remarks. They were 
 shed because he felt that Hindooism is dying ! And so it is ; for 
 already, thank God ! the blood even of the Sepoy race flows in the 
 veins of the Methodist ministry in Oude and Rohilcund, while 
 their children are singing in our Christian schools and churches, 
 " Hosannah to the Son of David ! " 
 
468 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE CONDITION OF WOMAN UNDER HINDOO LAW. 
 
 AMONG the mercies resultant from recent events in India 
 may be reckoned " the door of hope " which God has thus 
 opened for the women of that land ; but to appreciate the hopeful 
 possibilities of the present it is needful that we consider the past, 
 and what, up to this hour, has been the condition of women there, 
 under the law of her religion and the customs of her country. If 
 she is rising at last in any respect, it is in decided defiance of the 
 system that has so long repressed and wronged her, and her 
 elevation therefore involves its overthrow. 
 
 On page forty-two we have presented a picture of the class 
 whose legal relations we now more fully represent. 
 
 What is this woman, thus " gorgeously appareled," in her condi- 
 tion, character, and prospects .'' Even the Zenana has had to give 
 up its secrets, and the rest of the world may now know how the 
 women of India live and die. 
 
 Of course every lady of intelligence has heard more or less of 
 the condition of her sex in India, and has had her sympathy called 
 forth by the wrongs which they have so long suffered ; yet few 
 understand why these things are so, much less, what is the full 
 measure of the disabilities to which this lady, or any of her sisters 
 in India, is always exposed, without that appeal which other women 
 possess to the divine rule of their religion, which forbids such 
 treatment. 
 
 In other lands, and under the teachings and forms of a different 
 civilization, the wrongs which women suffer at the hands of lordly 
 and vicious men are the result of the current wickedness of those 
 who oppress them ; but in India the abject humility, subordination, 
 
WOMAN'S LEGAL WRONGS IN INDIA. 469 
 
 and implicit obedience of woman to every whim and wish which 
 her husband exacts from her, is extorted under the express teach- 
 ings of her cruel faith, and she is well aware that he can quote the 
 only "scriptures" she 'knows to justify every demand and wrong to 
 which she tamely submits. Her poor judgment and conscience 
 are held fast in the terrors of a system that contains not one ray 
 of hope of any change for the better for her ; while this has been 
 the condition of the hundreds of millions of women in India since 
 long before the incarnation of Christ. All that period of time she 
 has been sunk and suffering in this manner. 
 
 If ever woman had an opportunity of showing what she might 
 become under the teaching and influence of a civilization where 
 Christianity or the Bible did not interfere with her state, the 
 women of India have had that opportunity ; and now, after forty 
 centuries of such experiment, what is woman there to-day .'' These 
 pages shall faithfully declare it to the women whom Christianity 
 has redeemed, and then let them judge for themselves the differ- 
 ence and its cause. 
 
 In rendering this service to the truth I shall be under no liabil- 
 ity to exaggerate, nor shall I make a single unsupported statement 
 as to her condition. The evidence shall be all her own, and chap- 
 ter and verse — Code, Purana, and Shaster — shall give their testi- 
 mony to the exact truthfulness of my descriptions. I feel assured 
 that those who read these pages will lay them down with the 
 conviction that a more atrocious system for the extinction of the 
 happiness and hopes of woman than that which is contained in the 
 legislation of the Hindoos never was devised by priest or lawgiver 
 since the hour when guilty man first began to throw the blame, 
 the burden, and the wrongs of life, upon the weaker sex. 
 
 The most ancient body of human law now extant is the Insti- 
 tutes of Menu. This unique and whimsical system of legislation 
 — the offspring of despotism and priestcraft — fixed the social and 
 religious position of woman in India nearly a thousand years before 
 Christ. The full title of the Code — which has been translated from 
 the ancient Sanscrit by Sir W. Jones — is, " Institutes of Hindoo 
 
470 TEE LAND OF TEE VEDA. 
 
 Law, or the Ordinances of Menu — Comprising the Indian System 
 of Duties, Rehgious and Civil." 
 
 This is the fountain-head of those rules which constitute the 
 laws of life for the women of India, and, terrible as many of them 
 are in their undisguised deformity here, they have been made ever 
 more hideous and horrible by the added ingredients of bitterness 
 which they received as they flowed down through the ages, and 
 were expressed in Puranas and Shasters, in traditional teachings, 
 popular dialogues, in the Hindoo drama, and in their literature 
 generally. We shall quote from these to illustrate and justify the 
 representations given of woman's lot in that land 
 
 " Where the skies forever smile, 
 And the oppressed forever weep." 
 
 In drawing a picture of woman in India, we first speak of her 
 birth ; and here we are met with the terrible fact of female infanti- 
 cide, so common in that land. This is an ancient, systematic, and 
 prevalent crime among the Hindoos. Not especially among the 
 poor or the debased, but prevailing chiefly among the Rajpoot 
 families, some of the proudest and wealthiest of the tribes of India. 
 The doctrine and practice, and the unblushing avowal of this un- 
 natural crime, on the part of its perpetrators, are such as cannot be 
 found anywhere else on earth. And the infernal custom has so 
 drugged their consciences, that even the mothers themselves of 
 these destroyed little ones have declared their insensibility of any 
 feeling of guilt, even where the deed has been done by their own 
 hands. 
 
 Girls are not desired, not welcome ; and when they come, and 
 must live — as British law now demands, where its power can reach 
 them, that life must be held sacred — still they can be at least 
 ignored, if not despised. Why, if my native friend had six chil- 
 dren, three boys and as many girls, and I 'happened to inquire, 
 " Lalla, how many children have you } " the probability is he 
 would reply, " Sir, I have three children ;" for he would not think 
 it worth while to count in the daughters. 
 
 They cannot understand our Christian feelings in rejoicing over 
 
FEMALE INFANTICIDE. 47 1 
 
 the birth of a girl with as sincere happiness as we would lavish 
 upon our male children ; and a case is actually on record, which 
 shows how generally accepted is this idea in the native mind, 
 where an English gentleman at Bombay actually received a visit 
 of condolence from an intelligent native friend. A little girl had 
 been born to him ; and the polite Hindoo, having heard of it, had 
 called to express his sympathy with the unfortunate parent ! 
 
 The prevalence and extent of the horrid crime of female infanti- 
 cide attracted, many years ago, the attention of the humane men 
 whom England sent to rule her India possessions, and from the 
 official statistics collected, which are now before us, we are able to 
 give some accurate idea of the fatal devastation which, for ages 
 past, this hellish cruelty has wrought upon the female life of India. 
 
 Mr. Wilkinson's reports were based upon a census taken in one 
 locality where this custom was known to exist. By the simple, 
 spontaneous admission of the guilty parties themselves, it turned 
 out that in one tribe the portion of sons to daughters was one hun- 
 dred and eighteen to sixteen ; in a second, two hundred and forty 
 to ninety-eight ; in a third, one hundred and thirty-one to sixty- 
 one ; in a fourth, fourteen to four ; and in a fifth, thirty-nine to 
 seven. Now, as statistics in Europe and America have all shown 
 but one result, namely, that the births of males and females are of 
 nearly equal amount, the only inference to be drawn from this dis- 
 parity is, that females equal, or nearly equal, in number to the dif- 
 ference here exhibited had been destroyed. 
 
 The murders, therefore, perpetrated in the first of the above 
 tribes were seventy-seven per cent, of the females born. The 
 aggregate result given by the census taken in this locality was six 
 hundred and thirty-two sons to two hundred and twenty-five 
 daughters. This is an average of thirty-six daughters to one hun- 
 dred boys ; or, in other words, of every one hundred females born 
 sixty-four must have been cruelly immolated by their parents ; or, 
 in round numbers, about two thirds were destroyed, and but one 
 third saved alive. 
 
 Some of the villages examined presented a more terrible exhibit 
 
472 THE LAND OF THE VEDA, 
 
 than even this — as where he found only three per cent, of girls, 
 and in one no girls at all, the inhabitants freely " confessing that 
 they had destroyed every girl born in their village." 
 
 The guilty agents were generally the parents themselves, ofttirnes 
 the mothers, with their own hands. Sir John Malcolm positively 
 states, in his Report on Central India, that " the mother is com- 
 monly the executioner of her own offspring." Professing to open 
 the fount of life to her babe, she coolly and deliberately impreg 
 nates it with the elements of death, by putting opium on the nip- 
 ple of her breast, which the child inhaling with its milk, dies. But 
 the juice of the poppy is not the only ingredient by whose " mortal 
 taste" so many unoffending victims fill the unmarked graves of 
 India. The madar, or the dutterrea plant, the tobacco leaf, starva- 
 tion, drowning, exposure in the jungle, and even strangulation, are 
 the modes employed by these wretches for their fell purposes. 
 " Without natural affection," truly ! 
 
 Human language, with all its resources, furnishes a feeble and 
 inadequate medium of expression for the horror which such deeds 
 of hell awaken in the heart. Probably the celebrated Encyclope- 
 dist has as nearly expressed it as is possible when he says, " In- 
 fanticide, or child murder, is an enormity that our reason and feel- 
 ings would lead us to reckon a crime of very rare occurrence. 
 That it should exist at all is, at first view, surprising ; that it 
 should prevail to any extent is difficult of belief; that parents 
 shouM be its perpetrators is in a high degree painful to imagine ; 
 but that mothers should be the executioners of their own offspring — 
 nay, their habitual and systematic executioners — is such an agoniz- 
 ing contemplation, such an outrage on humanity, as every amiable 
 feeling of our nature sickens and revolts at." 
 
 The most awful feature of the matchless enormity is found in the 
 fact that Hindooism has dared to cover the deed with a professed 
 divine sanction. On page 399 we have described the bloody deity, 
 herself a female, under whose sanction these deeds, so inhuman, 
 have been consummated. A fitting locality, as a general center 
 for the hellish enormity, was long since found in that dreary island 
 
DAME SAUGOB'S IMPIOUS STAIN. 473 
 
 of Saugor, lying below Calcutta, and which few Christians have 
 ever passed without feeling inclined to invoke upon the island and 
 its shrine of blood the unmitigated curse of God and man. The 
 sight of it fired the indignation of that great linguist, Dr. John 
 Leyden, and led to the composition of those rugged, but honest 
 lines of his, which describe the place and those deeds for which it 
 was regularly visited, and which' made it so infamous throughout 
 the civilized world : 
 
 " On sea-girt Saugor's desert isle, 
 
 Mantled with thickets dark and dun, 
 May never moon or starlight smile, 
 
 Nor ever beam the summer sun ! 
 Strange deeds of blood have there been done, 
 
 In mercy ne'er to be forgiven ; 
 
 Deeds the far-seeing eye of Heaven 
 Vailed its radiant orb to shun. 
 
 "To glut the shark and crocodile 
 
 A mother brought her infant here ; 
 She saw its tender, playful smile. 
 
 She shed not one maternal tear; 
 She threw it on a watery bier : 
 
 With grinding teeth sea-monsters tore 
 
 The smiling infant that she bore — 
 She shrunk not once its cries to hear!" 
 
 He then turns and addresses Kalee, and in the second verse 
 following literally quotes the Shaster describing her : 
 
 "Dark goddess of the iron mace, 
 
 Flesh-tearer, quaffing life-blood warm. 
 The terrors of thine awful face 
 
 The pulse of mortal hearts alarm — 
 Grim power! If human woes can charm, 
 
 Look to the horrors of this flood. 
 
 Where crimsoned Gunga shines in blood, 
 And man-devouring monsters swarm. 
 
 " Skull-chaplet wearer! whom the blood 
 
 Of man delights a thousand years, 
 Than whom no face, by land or flood. 
 
 More stern and pitiless appears; 
 Thine is the cup of human tears, 
 
 The pomp of human sacrifice : 
 
 Cannot the cruel blood suffice 
 Of tigers, which thine island bears 
 
474 
 
 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 " Not all blue Guiiga's mountain flood, 
 That rolls so proudly round thy fane, 
 
 Can cleanse the tinge of human blood, 
 Nor wash dark Saugor's impious stain ; 
 
 The sailor, journeying on the main, 
 Shall view from far thy dreary isle, 
 And curse the ruins of the pile 
 
 Where mercy ever sued in vain!" 
 
 This iniquity was openly and fearlessly practiced in India up to 
 the time when the Marquis Wellesley, brother of the Duke of 
 Wellington, was appointed Governor-General, and India's daugh- 
 ters will yet learn to revere and love the memory of that humane 
 and intrepid man, who, in the face of the obstacles that arose 
 around him on every side, when he attempted to deal with this 
 " custom," never faltered till he had put the protection of Christian 
 law over the life of every child in India. His Excellency honestly 
 
 and bravely placed in the 
 hands of the magistracy 
 of India " A Regulation 
 for Preventing the Sacri- 
 fice of Children at Saugoi 
 
 and other places, passed 
 by the Governor-General 
 in Council, on the 20th 
 of August, 1802," "declar- 
 ing the practice to be mur- 
 der, punishable by death." 
 In British India, so far as 
 law could reach the case, 
 he made infanticide to be 
 regarded and punished as 
 The Marquis Wellesley. i^ Rutland. 
 
 We present here an outline of the countenance of this true friend 
 of woman, as that of one whose deeds of mercy will be held in ever- 
 lasting remembrance. 
 
 It is no doubt true that children have been secretly offered to 
 
CAUSES OF FEMALE INFANTICIDE. . 475 
 
 sanguinary demons in India, and many of the infants thrown to the 
 crocodiles or sharks at Saugor by their mothers were immolated in 
 fulfillment of religious vows. Even the desire for children has led 
 to their destruction, the mother promising her deity, in advance, 
 that if blessed with offspring, the first-born should be returned 
 in sacrifice. In this case "the child of the vow" is carefully cher- 
 ished for three or four years, and then the mother, tempting it a 
 step beyond its depth, resigns it to the Ganges, or deliberately 
 casts it toward the pampered alligator, and stands to see it bleed- 
 ing within the monster's jaws ! Again, it is not uncommon for a 
 poor, sickly babe (under the blind infatuation of its parents, that its 
 illness is caused by some malignant demon who has taken posses- 
 sion of it) to be placed in a basket and carried into the forest, and 
 there suspended from a tree, and abandoned for three or four days 
 and nights ; and if, at the end of that time, the vultures, or ants, or 
 beasts of prey, have not made away with it, and its sickness has 
 departed, it is restored to its home. 
 
 But none of these abominable cruelties adequately account for 
 the prevalence of female infanticide. We have to seek its causes 
 in more unworthy motives than even these. In fact, the daughters 
 of India have been sacrificed one generation after another, not to 
 the superstition of their parents, but to their Satanic pride. 
 
 It is very difficult to convey to American readers, or to the 
 common sense of a Christian lady, any adequate idea of the soaring 
 and extravagant pride of family descent of such a race as the 
 Rajpoots. 
 
 Multitudes of these Rajpoots are as poor as they are proud, and 
 as immemorial custom requires, in the event of a daughter's mar- 
 riage, not only her own "gift and dowry" to be provided, but the 
 festivities of the occasion, lasting six days, to be furnished for all 
 relatives and friends, priests, bards, and various functionaries, who 
 must be " bidden " and provided for munificently, it is simply ruin- 
 ous for all but the wealthy to dare the experiment, certainly more 
 than once : hence the female children are still secretly murdered. 
 To this is added, what is equally difficult for Europeans and 
 
476 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Americans to understand or sympathize with, the general horror 
 which parents in India feel in view of the supposed disgrace which 
 would rest upon them and theirs in the event of their daughters 
 remaining unmarried. 
 
 An additional explanation is found in the relation which a son 
 bears to the Shraad of his father — those funeral rites at which ho 
 is to officiate, and which are considered essential to the happy 
 transmigration and future welfare of the departed parent ; so that 
 the birth of a boy, and of each in succession, is an assurance of 
 salvation to the father, while, as sacrifice and religious rites are all 
 denied to women, a girl is regarded as of no moral moment what- 
 ever. She is a mere secular creature, whose life is considered as 
 forfeited if the father concludes that there is no reasonable pros- 
 pect of a suitable marriage for her, or that his means wont allow 
 him to contemplate the customary nuptial expenses of his tribe. 
 What girls are saved from death are usually those first born ; the 
 later ones have not a chance of life, those spared requiring their 
 death as a necessity of their position and dignity. 
 
 This wholesale destruction of human life in the homes of India 
 is a parental responsibility ; but at whose hands have these inno- 
 cents perished } By the midnight assassin, or the Indian toma- 
 hawk or scalping knife 1 No, no ; let humanity shudder. They 
 are the mothers — the unhappy mothers — who, in the name of false 
 honor, demon pride, and hereditary fictions of rank or purity of 
 lineage, have no compassion on the fruit of their own womb, who 
 imbrue their hands in the blood of their new-born babes. 
 
 Say, ye happy American mothers, who have fondled your smil- 
 ing babes, and clasped them to your bosoms as the most precious 
 gifts of Heaven, if ever such a tale of woe as this has sounded in 
 your ears } It will be a satisfaction to you to reflect that the lady 
 missionaries whom your societies are now sending to that land, 
 and who carry right into the center of these homes your Christian 
 sentiments and feelings upon this subject, may be designed by 
 God to work out a remedy for an evil which has hitherto defied 
 human law and all that man alone could do for its extirpation. 
 
THE BETROTHAL OF THE 0IEL8. 477 
 
 May Heaven help them, until the day shall dawn when the moth- 
 ers of India, exulting over their daughters — over each and all of 
 them — as joyously as they have ever done over their sons, shall 
 delight to direct their husband's loving attention to their female 
 children, as the Christian poet has expressed it for them : 
 
 •' O look on her, see how full of life, 
 Of strength, of bloom, of beauty, and of joy ! 
 How like to me, how like to thee, when gentle, 
 For then we are all alike : is it not so ? 
 Mother, and sire, and babe, our features are 
 Reflected in each other. 
 
 Look ! how she laughs and stretches out her arms, 
 And opens wide her bright eyes upon thine. 
 To hail her father, while her little form 
 Flutters as winged with joy. Talk not of pain ! 
 The childless seraphs well might envy thee 
 The pleasures of a parent ! Bless her ! 
 As yet she has no words to thank thee, but 
 Her heart will, and mine own too." 
 
 It seems a rapid transition, from describing the early childhood 
 of the female sex in India, to speak of betrothal, 3/et the inter- 
 vening space is not very extensive. The Hindoo Shasters say 
 that a girl is marriageable when she is seven years of age, but that 
 she may wait till she is ten years old. The term "marriage" is 
 used in their writings to include betrothal as well as what we mean 
 by the term. Reserved for a husband is, in their view, almost as 
 sacred as being resigned to his care. 
 
 As soon as a little girl has reached her fifth birthday her parents 
 begin anxiously to seek a marriage settlement for her. Their great 
 concern henceforth relates to her nuptials. They would consider 
 it a decided reproach if she saw her twelfth natal day without 
 being at least betrothed. The whole matter is held in their own 
 hands The poor girl has no choice or voice in her own destiny^ 
 all is arranged without consulting her views or affections in any 
 way whatever. 
 
 The lawgiver Menu has laid the obligations heavily upon the 
 
 father, so that he cannot escape the public sentiment. Menu 
 
 ordains as follows : " Reprehensible is the father who gives not his 
 31 
 
478 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 daughter in marriage at the proper time ;" and again, " To an 
 excehent and handsome youth of the same class let every man 
 give his daughter in marriage, according to law, even though she 
 have not attained her age of eight years." 
 
 He carries up the responsibility to an awful height by declaring 
 the neglectful father, whose daughter has not been wed at twelv^e 
 years old, as incurring a guilt equal to that of the murder of a 
 Brahmin for every additional month she continues single. He 
 reduces, according to her age, the amount of the nuptial present 
 which the father receives, and even deprives herself of the right to 
 carry her ornaments from her home in the same proportion, and 
 thus appeals to the mean motive of personal interest to hurry on 
 her settlement. 
 
 The accountability is also pressed to avoid the condemnation of 
 leaving his daughter asancrita, that is, destitute of the marriage 
 sacrament. If he fails in this the law releases his children from all 
 obligation of respect or obedience to him. 
 
 In the same chapter he also claims that " the wife of an elder 
 brother is considered as mother-in-law to the younger, and the 
 wife of the younger as daughter-in-law to the elder." This implies, 
 what is generally a fact, that it is seldom that a young couple in 
 India have the luxury of a separate home. The bride is generally 
 taken to her father-in-law's residence, and receives her apartment 
 within the inclosure surrounding the general home. The outer 
 rooms are occupied by the males of the family, the innei or 
 secluded ones by the women — hence called the Zenana. These 
 inner apartments are never entered by one of the opposite sex, 
 save by the father, her husband's brothers, or by children. 
 
 Harem — or as Mr. Lane spells it, Hhareein — signifies sacred, 
 prohibited. The temple at Mecca is called Al-haram, that is, the 
 sacred inviolable temple. The Seraglio of the Turks is a com- 
 pound word, formed from stira, " house, apartment," and ahul, 
 " family, domestic ;" hence Surahulio, or Seraglio, the " family or 
 female apartment." Haram sera, and muhal sera, are nearly 
 synonymous words, and are often used to express the inner 
 
C0UBT8HIP UNKNOWN IN INDIA. 479 
 
 apartments in India. The common term is Zenana — from Zun, 
 " a woman," Zunun, " women," an instance of the prevalence of the 
 Persian language over the vernacular. (The Calcutta Review, 
 No. IV.) 
 
 " Courtship," in our Christian sense, the maiden in India can 
 never know. She is not allowed to see or converse with him to 
 whose control she will erelong be handed over. She cannot write 
 to him, for she can neither read nor write ; all she is able to 
 do is to follow the instructions, to " worship the gods for a 
 good husband." She is taught to commence as soon as she is four 
 years old. Her prayers are addressed chiefly to Kama-dera, the 
 Hindoo Cupid. The books represent him as having for a steed an 
 elephant composed of entwined female forms, and that elephant is 
 darkness ; his car is the south wind ; his bow the sweet sugar-cane, 
 with a row of green honey bees for its string, and charmed flowers 
 for its fine arrows ; his minister is spring ; the ocean is his drum ; 
 his trumpeters are birds, and his conquering troops are women. 
 He is especially worshiped where he celebrates his triumphs in 
 connection with marriage festivals. 
 
 The maiden prays, and father and mother manage the business 
 of selection. Each caste has its professional match-makers, whose 
 aid is indispensable. When the negotiations have reached a cer- 
 tain definiteness, the Pundits are consulted to avoid mistakes of 
 consanguinity, and then the astrologers, who pronounce upon the 
 carefully preserved horoscopes of the boy and girl, whether they 
 can be united with safety. These preliminaries all found satisfac- 
 tory, the aid of the Brahmin is sought to ascertain if the family 
 god favors the union. The stars, the gods, and men being a unit, 
 negotiations are opened between the parents and relations as to 
 the amount of gift and dowry, and when conclusions are reached 
 here to their mutual satisfaction, the astrologer is again called in 
 to ascertain and name a lucky day when the agreement may be 
 registered and a bond for the dowry executed. This is done with 
 due solemnity, and then the astrologer has again to ascertain and 
 name a lucky day for the ceremony, which is accepted by the 
 
480 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 parents under their bond to see to the consummation of the engage- 
 ment. This is the usual method, sHghtly varied in different locah- 
 ties. It is easily expressed in these few words, but what anxiety, 
 what care and inquiry before these determinations can be reached ! 
 
 No part of the Institutes of Menu is more definite and circum- 
 stantial than that which gives the law of selection in marriage, 
 With the eye and taste of a whimsical connoisseur in female 
 charms, the old legislator has prescribed the standard of excellen- 
 ce in age, caste, condition, and qualities, by which the Hindoo 
 maiden is to be tested. Nor has he or his commentators forgotten 
 the requisite compromises that will arise in such cases. 
 
 With great care and anxiety the questions of consanguinity, 
 name, physical condition, motion, family, etc., have all to be de- 
 cided upon. But let this singular law speak for itself 
 
 As to relationship, " she who is not descended from his paternal 
 or maternal ancestors within the sixth degree, and who is not 
 known by the family name to be of the same primitive stock with 
 his father or mother, is eligible by a twice-born man for nuptials 
 and holy union." 
 
 The phrase " twice-born " refers to the investiture of high-caste 
 men with the sacred string into the full immunities of their order, 
 called a " second birth." 
 
 As to families outside the pale of selection Menu ordains : " In 
 connecting himself with a wife let him studiously avoid the ten 
 following families, be they ever so great, or ever so rich in kine, 
 goats, sheep, gold, and grain — the family that has omitted pre- 
 scribed acts of religion ; that which has produced no male chil- 
 dren ; that in which the Veda has not been read ; that which has 
 thick hair on the body ; and those which have been subject to 
 hemorrhoids, to phthisis, to dyspepsia, to epilepsy, to leprosy and 
 to elephantiasis." 
 
 The right family and the proper relationship having been care- 
 fully sought and found, the child's personal suitability is then 
 examined ; and first her age : " A Brahmin should, according to 
 law, marry a maiden about a third of his own age." The exact 
 
BETROTHED AND SECLUDED HENCEFOllTH. 481 
 
 proportion is not frequently realized ; but whether the bridegroom 
 be old or young, the Hindoo bride should not be over twelve years 
 of age. 
 
 Her name is the next consideration, and the legislator has seri- 
 ously provided for this also. Lovers in this land offer new names, 
 and ladies accept them and lose their own. In India it is not so. 
 There the wife is ever known only by her maiden name ; hence 
 the name is of vital importance, and the law gravely prescribes as 
 follows : " Let him not marry a girl with the name of a constella- 
 tion, of a tree, or of a river, of a barbarous nation, or of a mountain, 
 or of a winged creature, a snake, or a slave ; nor one with any 
 name raising an image of terror. The names of women should 
 be agreeable, soft, clear, captivating the fancy, auspicious, ending 
 in long vowels, resembling words of benediction." Chapter iii, 
 sec. 4. 
 
 A list of sixty-nine names of Hindoo ladies is before us as we 
 write, and all of them answer to this requirement. They run 
 thus : " Hira, Kaminee, Dasee, Munee, Pudma, Sidhoo, Bhowanee, 
 Rutuna," etc. 
 
 The preliminaries we have already noted completed, the two 
 children are then duly and properly betrothed by the officiating 
 Brahmin. So legal, however, is the ceremony considered, that, 
 should the boy die ere they come to live together as man and wife, 
 the little girl is thereby considered a widow, and under the law of 
 her religion is debarred from ever marrying any one else. Indeed, 
 till British humanity interfered, many of them became suttees, and 
 were actually burned with the dead body of the youth whom they 
 never knew nor loved as a husband — being at once a virgin, a 
 widow, and a suttee on the last wretched day of their singular life ! 
 
 As soon as the ceremony of betrothal has taken place, the little 
 girl enters on a new phase of her existence. Henceforth she is no 
 more free to roam the fields and enjoy the lovely face of nature. 
 Reserved for her husband, she can no longer be seen with pro- 
 priety by any man save her father and brothers. 
 
 She is from that day " a purdah nasheen " — one who sits behind 
 
482 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 the curtains, within the inclosure which surrounds her mother's 
 home, and her education commences. 
 
 What, then, is the education, so called, which the betrothed wife 
 in her Hindoo home receives during her five or six years of train- 
 ing for her future life ? Her mother is her sole instructor. But 
 she can teach no more than she herself knows ; that, however, she 
 fully communicates. We may epitomize the young lady's educa- 
 tion, the entire curriculum of it, under four heads, cooking, do 
 mestic service, religion, and their peculiar female literature. 
 
 The first qualification is to cook, not only well, but appropriately. 
 Each caste has its own ordinances, and these are very minute and 
 particular as to the kinds of food that may be eaten, their mode of 
 preparation and serving, and the care required to preserve the 
 cooking utensils from all contact with things or persons whose 
 touch would pollute them. In fact, caste is preserved in the mat- 
 ter of food more carefully than in any thing else. A violation of 
 her duty here would involve consequences at which she is taught 
 to shudder. The health and life of her husband may be forfeited 
 by an unintentional neglect of hers. Even where wealth and high 
 position may excuse her from the drudgery of preparation, the 
 Hindoo wife is not released from the careful superintendence of 
 this vital duty. We in this western world have little idea of the 
 importance attached to it there, where, indeed, it may be truly 
 said that their "kingdom of God is meat and drink," and where 
 the Christian freedom of the text, "Every creature of God is good, 
 and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving," is a 
 doctrine unknown and a liberty unenjoyed. By the little lady 
 long, weary months are thus employed in the acquirement of these 
 distinctions and customs. 
 
 Woman, ignorant though she be, is the depository of the system 
 of Hindustanee heathenism. She was taught it orally by her 
 mother in girlhood. In her memory are treasured up the " slokes' 
 of her religion — the verses of the Shasters which illustrate the 
 popular idolatry. She has learned the histories of her gods and 
 the dialogues of her mythological legends, and with these she is 
 
EDUCATION OF THE HINDOO MAIDEN. A^l 
 
 now industriously storing the mind of the child whom she is train- 
 ing to be a Hindoo wife. 
 
 To these she adds the literature for females found in ehe books 
 of her country. Space permits us to notice but one of those man- 
 uals of maiden education, which this mother is now teaching from 
 her own remembrance — for she cannot read a word of it — to her 
 little daughter to fit her for her future duties. 
 
 There are three leading deities in Hindooism. The first, Brah- 
 ma, is not worshiped ; he lost the right to be by his own unspeak- 
 able vileness. The other two, Vishnu and Shiva, divide between 
 them the more special regard of the women of India ; and as the 
 two gods are in a state of hostility, their devotees join their re- 
 spective factions and keep up the wordy contest. Vishnu and 
 Shiva have consorts who, of course, take sides, each with her own 
 lord and against the other. Lakshmi is Vishnu's consort, and 
 Parvati that of Shiva. The two deities seem to have left the high 
 dispute, so far as words are concerned, to be carried on by their 
 ladies, between whom it is supposed to be progressing continually. 
 The little book containing this celestial quarrel is a special favorite 
 with the women of India ; they learn it and treasure its sentences 
 in their memory, and rehearse it, taking the parts at festivals and 
 other occasions, for the amusement of the guests. 
 
 This abominable circle of endless strife, in every bitter invective 
 uttered, refers to alleged facts in the mythological history of the 
 parties named, and of course has a depth of meaning and pungency 
 which it is impossible to convey to readers unacquainted with the 
 legends of India. But enough is here intimated to cause the 
 gentle heart of any Christian woman to compassionate the millions 
 of her sex who are thus systematically debauched in their imagina- 
 tions and affections by their very mothers, as they educate them 
 thus to continue their own degradation and that of their offspring 
 forever. How much such females need the Christian teacher, and 
 what light the Holy Bible would bring to such homes, and what a 
 contrast of loveliness, and purity, and goodness the story of our In- 
 carnate God would be to such instruction, can be seen at a glance ! 
 
484 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 We have mentioned the present dawn of a better day. It is but 
 the dawn. Dr. Mullen's statistics tell us that already there are 
 39,647 women and girls receiving an education in the Zenana 
 schools in India. The number is by this time larger, and still 
 increasing, yet what are these among 100,000,000 ! 
 
 The question of caste has an immense influence in the mar- 
 riage arrangement of the Hindoos, and its discriminations against 
 women are particularly mean and insulting to her nature ; while 
 the compromises constantly occurring show how the cupidity of 
 the legislators, and of the violators of the code, outrage the pro- 
 fessed inflexibility of their own regulations. 
 
 For instance, the Institutes ordain : " Men of the twice-born 
 classes, who, through weakness of intellect or irregularity, marry 
 women of the lowest class, very soon degrade their families and 
 progeny to the state of Sudras. A Brahmin, if he takes a Sudra 
 as his first wife, sinks to the region of torment ; if he have a child 
 by her he loses even his priestly rank." 
 
 In their absurd mythology, the deities and the souls of their an- 
 cestors are represented as suffering from hunger, which can only 
 be appeased by human attention, the cooking and presentation of 
 which is part of the wife's duty. The regular and frequent fulfill- 
 ment of this service is considered to merit heaven. But these 
 dainty deities and transmigrated folk are too fastidious to touch 
 the offering, hungry though they be, unless proffered by high-caste 
 hands. The result is, that the lady of low rank can never rise in 
 India, while the favored few of high caste, with all their peculiar 
 immunities, are sacredly reserved for themselves by these sacer- 
 dotal legislators. 
 
 The head of a family, a shade higher in caste, will not give his 
 son in marriage to the daughter of a family a shade lower on equal 
 terms. But he will do it on receiving a sum of money in propor- 
 tion to the means of that family, the cash condoning the caste. 
 
 April and May are favorite months for the marriage ceremony 
 among the Hindoos, though the rite takes place earlier in the year. 
 But no father will have a marriage in his house during June, July, 
 
MARRIAGE PROCESSIONS. 485 
 
 August, and September, the universal belief being that the deity 
 is then, during the whole rainy season, down on a visit to the cele- 
 brated Rajah Bull, and is consequently unable to bless the rite 
 with his presence. 
 
 The ceremonies of marriage in India are too well known to need 
 repetition here. Often, when traveling at night in my palanquin, 
 I have been roused from my sleep by my bearers catching sight of 
 an approaching marriage procession, with its torches, music, and 
 shouting ; falling in with the enthusiasm of each event, they would 
 cry out that "the bridegroom cometh." First, the bridegroom 
 would make his appearance, mounted on a fine horse, splendidly 
 caparisoned — his own or borrowed for the occasion — and wearing 
 a grand coat, decked out in tinsel and gold thread, with the matri- 
 monial crown on his head, and his richly embroidered slippers, all 
 very fine, his friends shouting and dancing along-side of him ; and, 
 of course, as he passes, we make our salaam and wish him joy. 
 
 Right behind the bridegroom's horse comes the palanquin of the 
 bride, but she is vailed, and the Venetians are closely shut, and on 
 the little lady is borne to a home which she never saw before, to 
 surrender herself into the hands of one who has neither wooed nor 
 won her ; a bride without a choice, with no voice in her own des- 
 tiny ; married without preference ; "handed over, by those who 
 assumed to do all the thinking for her, to a fate where the feelings 
 of her heart were never consulted in the most important transac- 
 tion of her existence ; beginning her married life under circum- 
 stances which preclude the possibility of her being sustained by 
 the affection which is founded upon esteem. 
 
 When the procession has come within hailing distance of his 
 home the watching friends go forth to meet the bridegroom, the 
 bride enters her apartments, the door is shut, and the guests are 
 entertained in other parts of the establishment. 
 
 Let us now consider her life as a married lady in her own home, 
 surrounded by the cruel prejudices and customs which meet her at 
 the threshold and subject her to their sway. What they are may 
 be gathered from a few statements. 
 
486 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 When I sit down at a table in this land, spread with Heaven's 
 bounty for the family and friends, and look at the Christian woman 
 who so sweetly presides at the board, and whose blessed presence 
 sheds such light and gladness on the scene, I often sigh to think 
 that no such sight as this is enjoyed in India, for that land is 
 cursed by the iron rule of a system which denies to her the joys 
 and charities of social life. No lady in India sits at the head of 
 her own table ; no stranger can share her presence in hospitality ; 
 her healing word or hand cannot be extended to the sick or to the 
 whole. Woman's gentle, blessed ministries have no exercise in 
 India. Her services are all selfishly reserved for him whom now 
 she is taught to regard as lord and master, and on whom she is 
 henceforth to wait in a state of abject submission and obedience 
 that has no parallel in any other system in this world. 
 
 My lady readers will bear in mind that these conditions are all 
 realized within the four walls of the "compound" which inclose the 
 home of the Hindoo lady. That compound is the woman's world 
 in India. In it she lives, and seldom leaves it till she is carried 
 out a corpse. Ever while she inhabits it, she has "jealousy for her 
 jailer, and suspicion as her spy ;" and fain would her husband 
 draw all these bonds tighter when he is obliged to trust her in his 
 absence. Thus saith the Shaster : " If a man goes on a journey, 
 his wife shall not divert herself by play, nor shall see any public 
 show, nor shall laugh, nor shall dress herself in jewels or fine 
 clothes, nor hear music, nor shall sit at the window, nor shall 
 behold any thing choice and rare, but shall fasten well the house 
 door, and remain private, and shall not eat any dainty food, and 
 shall not blacken her eyes with powder, and shall not view her face 
 in a mirror ; she shall never amuse herself in any such agreeable 
 employment during the absence of her husband." 
 
 Was there any insult ever offered to a lady's nature equal to 
 that which this law has laid down, when it enjoins the Brahmin to 
 suspend his reading of the Veda to his disciples should a woman 
 happen to come in sight while he was so employed, and directs 
 him not to resume the utterance of the holy texts until she has 
 
WOMAIf'S SUB ORDINATION ENJOINED. 487 
 
 passed beyond the possibility of hearing them ? Her ear is not 
 pure enough to hear what the vilest male thief or sensualist in the 
 Bazaar may listen to freely ! Woman's religious knowledge must 
 not rise higher than the Shasters, The " holy " Vedas are re- 
 served for men, and for them alone. 
 
 These old laws were in existence when the New Testament was 
 written ; and in the provisions of that Christianity which threw its 
 blessed protection over woman's nature and rights, did not the 
 Holy Spirit glance at these wrongs, and provide the principle of 
 their final overthrow when he said : " There is neither Jew nor 
 Greek ; there is neither bond nor free ; there is neither male nor 
 female ; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus ? " — one in the freedom, 
 equality and privilege to which Heaven's impartial mercy was to 
 raise the Pariah, the woman, and the slave, from the degradation 
 to which heathenism, in its pride of power, had reduced those over 
 whom it could thus safely tyrannize. 
 
 The Shaster renders her duty very definitely, as follows : " When 
 in the presence of her husband, a woman must keep her eyes upon 
 her master and be ready to receive his commands. When he 
 speaks she must be quiet, and listen to nothing else besides 
 When he calls she must leave every thing else and attend upon 
 him alone. A woman has no other god on earth but her husband. 
 The most excellent of all good works that she can perform is to 
 gratify him with the strictest obedience. This should be her only 
 devotion. Though he be aged, infirm, dissipated, a drunkard, or a 
 debauchee, she must still regard him as her god. She must serve 
 him with all her might, obeying him in all things, spying no defects 
 in his character, and giving him no cause for disquiet. If he 
 laughs, she must also laugh ; if he weeps, she must also weep ; if 
 he sings, she must be in an ecstasy." 
 
 Menu declares, " Though inobservant of approved usages, [the 
 services of their religion,] or enamored of another woman, or 
 devoid of good qualities, yet a husband must constantly be revered 
 as a god by a virtuous wife." — Institutes, sec. 154. Such is the 
 law, and the popular sentiment is not better than the law even to- 
 
488 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 day, after these long ages of helpless woman's subordination and 
 suffering. 
 
 She waits upon her lord, who is "her god, her guru, and her 
 religion," as the Shaster phrases it. She lulls him to rest by the 
 soft shampooing of his feet, and is at once his slave and stewardess. 
 Her worth is well summed up by one of their poets, who describes 
 the best condition she can know, when her bereaved husband thus 
 laments her : 
 
 " Dost thou depart, who didst prepare 
 My savory food with skillful care ? 
 On whom alone of woman kind 
 In ceaseless love I fixed my mind ? 
 Whose palms so softly rubbed my feet, 
 Till charmed I lay in slumbers sweet ? 
 Who tendedst me with wakeful eyes. 
 The last to sleep, the first to rise. 
 Now weary night denies repose ; 
 My eyelids never more shall close." 
 
 Yet while living she might not walk by his side, even in the 
 marriage procession ; she may not even call him by his name nor 
 directly address him ; nor can a friend so far notice her existence 
 as to inquire for her welfare, for the Sacontala lays it down as a 
 rule of social life that " it is against good manners to inquire con- 
 cerning the wife of another man." The face of any man, save her 
 husband and father, and her own and husband's brothers, she must 
 never see, at the risk of compromising her character. So invet- 
 erate is the prejudice occasioned by their education that many of 
 the women of India have sacrificed their lives sooner than violate 
 the rule. The writer heard of a case which sadly illustrates this. 
 In the detachment which Major Broadfoot had to take from Lodiana 
 to Cabul in 1841 there were wives of many native officers, and the 
 Major, in the performance of his troublesome duty, had them each 
 provided for their long journey with a howdah fixed on a camel's 
 back. During the march one of these came to the ground sud- 
 denly, and there was a general halt, for the native lady had got 
 entangled in the frame-work and had swung around beneath. An 
 English officer, seeing her danger, sprang from his horse to rescue 
 
Hindoo Woman and her Husband, 
 
WIVBS NOT ALLOWED TO EAT WLTH HUSBANDS. 49 1 
 
 her ; but his action was arrested by the other ladies, who saw his 
 intention as well as the lady's peril, and from behind their curtains 
 cried out that he must not approach her, as he could not save her 
 unless by touching her person and lifting the vail that enveloped 
 her. The astonished officer would have done it, nevertheless, had 
 it not been that the poor lady herself implored him not to approach 
 her—she would rather risk death. Her struggle to escape was in 
 vain ; the terrified and unwieldly beast actually trampled her to 
 death before their eyes ! 
 
 Look into the home where we left the young bride, and see her 
 as she begins the duties for which she has been trained. She rises 
 to prepare her husband's food, and when all is ready and laid out 
 upon the mat — for they ignore such aids as chairs and tables, 
 knives or forks, and take their meals with the hand, sitting on the 
 floor — she then announces to her lord that his meal is ready. He 
 enters and sits down, and finds all duly prepared by her care. 
 Why does she still stand .? Why not sit down, too, and share with 
 her husband the good things which she has made ready .? She 
 dares not. He would not allow it — the law of her religion forbids 
 it, She must stand and wait upon him. He "eats his morsel 
 alone " truly. No wife in India can legally dine with her husband 
 unless she becomes a Christian. 
 
 The opposite wood-cut, taken from a picture of a Hindoo home 
 of the middle class, shows the situation of affairs generally. It is 
 substantially the same whether the person be wealthier or poorer 
 than the one here represented. The higher classes use more 
 indulgences. The weather is warm and a fan is needed, or a fly 
 flapper is required, for he considers that he cannot use his curry- 
 stained fingers to drive the flies away or cool himself; so the duty 
 in either case devolves upon the wife. 
 
 The fan is made of a fragrant grass called kJius-khus ; a basin of 
 water is at her feet, and she dips the fan into it occasionally, shak- 
 ing off the heavy drops, and cools her lord and master, who enjoys, 
 as he eats, the fragrant evaporation. Or the mosquitoes may be 
 troublesome, and provision is made also for this. The tail of the 
 
492 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 yak, or snow-cow of Thibet, white and bushy, inserted into an 
 ornamental shaft, is ready at hand, and with it the lady whisks 
 around him. and saves him from the slightest inconvenience. 
 
 The duty is patiently performed, and when he has fully satisfied 
 himself, she removes what remains to another apartment — for her 
 religion not only forbids her eating with him, but also prohibits 
 her from eating, even what he may leave, " in the same room where 
 he dines" — and then, and not till then, can she and her children 
 eat their food. — Code, sec. 43. 
 
 Woman is absolutely, and without redress, in the power of her 
 husband, and no one can interfere when it stops short of actual mur- 
 der. In the western provinces of India the reckless treatment of 
 woman was carried to its greatest extreme. Before British rule inter- 
 fered there was positively no limit to the cruelty of native husbands. 
 
 Twenty years have not passed since similar tyranny might have 
 been witnessed in the kingdom of Oude, (before the introduction 
 of British rule there threw the protection of the law of Christ over 
 woman's life, so far as it can reach her secluded existence.) An 
 extract from a reliable work, " The Private ■ Life of an Eastern 
 King," will illustrate this. The writer says, speaking of Nussir-i- 
 Deen, the late King of Oude : " Being irritated, the King retired 
 into the female apartment, and we returned to our tents. Heaven 
 help the poor woman who has the misfortune at such a moment to 
 displease or disgust an irritated despot ! An accidental sneeze, a 
 louder cough than usual, nay, even an ungraceful movement, may 
 bring down punishment terrible to think of — torture, perhaps, at 
 the bare mention of which the EngUsh wife, or mother, or daughter 
 would shudder. Such things take place but too often in the 
 Hindoo zenanas of India. Magistrates know that such things 
 often take place, but they are helpless to punish or prevent. But 
 the zenana and the harem are sacred ; and the female slave that 
 revealed their horrid mysteries would suffer a lingering and ex- 
 cruciating death at the hands of the very woman whom her revela- 
 tions might be intended to protect. The chief and the wealthy 
 man who is disposed to be cruel can act despotically, tyrannically 
 
BISGRIMmATION AGAINST WOMAN AS SUCH. 493 
 
 enough ; but the kmg, with unquestioned power of hfe or death in 
 his hands, if once infuriated or enraged, can torture or kill without 
 question. * My wife is about to be confined,' said a savage Hindoo 
 Rajah to his European friend, a solicitor, 'and if she does not 
 make me the father of a son, I will whip her to death with my 
 hunting-whip.' The child was born; it was a daughter; the 
 woman's body was burned two days after. How she died no one 
 out of the zenana certainly knew. The fact of the threat only 
 transpired long afterward, when it was the interest of the solicitor, 
 to whom the remark had been made, to prove the Rajah mad in 
 his later days in order to set aside a will." 
 
 The discrimination is against women as such. Menu and his 
 commentators decree no equivalent punishment upon male violat- 
 ors of their law or customs, and he actually shields from all pen- 
 alty the whole sacerdotal class who formed these laws, no matter 
 how many or flagrant their crimes may be. No such " class legis- 
 lation" was ever enacted as is exhibited in the following section 
 of the Code : " Never shall the king slay a Brahmin, though con- 
 victed of all possible crimes ; let him banish the offender from his 
 realm, but with all his property secure and his body unhurt. No 
 greater crime is known on earth than slaying a Brahmin, and the 
 king, therefore, must not even form in his mind an idea of killing a 
 priest." Sec. 380. 
 
 When General Havelock, in 1857, laid his hands upon these 
 dainty and pampered Brahmins, and, finding them guilty of mutiny 
 or murder, tried and convicted them like common men, and ordered 
 them for punishment or execution, some of the poor benighted 
 people whom they had thus deluded thought that the earth would 
 surely quake or the heavens fall. But, in defiance of this unjust 
 Code, they were strung up, and the earth was still, the sun 
 rolled on in its course indifferent to their fate, and the spell of 
 Brahminical inviolability was broken forever, after the long imposi- 
 tion and cruel falsehood of its claim. But in the breaking of that 
 spell women in India had more interest, and gained more advan- 
 tage, than in any event of the past generation. She knows it not 
 32 
 
494 TEE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 yet, but it is nevertheless true that Havelock's grand march and 
 Christian soldiership and justice snapped a galling link of that 
 heavy chain that had so long encircled her mind and body. 
 
 Notwithstanding the inhumanity and deep injustice of Hindoo 
 legislation for the ladies of that land, their married lives are not 
 without honor and influence, nor their persons unsupplied with 
 gorgeous clothing and ornaments. On the contrary, the law repeat- 
 edly requires these things to be supplied in abundance. But let 
 the whole truth, as to the expressed design and motive of this gen- 
 erosity, be candidly stated, and then let the reader judge what is 
 the value of this magnanimity to the heart of any noble woman. 
 Is it for her sake, as true love would prompt, or is it for the grati- 
 fication and interest of him who confers it all .-' The reply to this 
 painful question I place before the reader. 
 
 Let it be remembered, as explanatory, that in India a woman's 
 curse is considered to blast the person, the property, or the home 
 against which it is uttered. Men stand in fear of it, for prosperity 
 is impossible where it impends. The legislator (in Sees. 55-59 of 
 the Code) has affirmed its liability, with the duty of marital liber- 
 ality as a motive of prevention. Also let it be borne in mind that 
 a husband's passion for sons, in view of the relation of his male 
 offspring to his shraad and happy transmigration — as previously 
 explained — is such, that all considerations are expected to bow to 
 this desire. 
 
 Polygamy throws its terrors, either as a possibility or a fact, over 
 the heart of every married lady in India. Creation and divine law 
 have ordained woman to be queen of her husband's heart, and to 
 reign without a rival. But heathenism has dared to overthrow 
 that right, and sternly tells the loving and trusting wife that 
 she must, and without complaining, admit a partner in her, hus- 
 band's affection, if he desires it. How often are long years of duty 
 and fidelity thus rewarded, and the true, faithful heart is crushed 
 for life, as she sees herself superseded by some youthful stranger, 
 who has stolen her lord's heart and attention, and leaves her to 
 pine in neglect and sorrow ! 
 
LEGAL PROVISION FOB POLYGAMY. 495 
 
 The right to become a polygamist, should he prefer it for any 
 reason, must unsettle any man's heart, and be a barrier to true and 
 permanent affection. That right to be thus unsympathetic and 
 fickle, and to inflict this terrible wrong upon her whom he ought to 
 cherish and cleave to, "forsaking all others, as long as they both 
 should live," Menu fully grants in the following ordinance of his 
 Code : " A wife who drinks any spirituous liquors, who acts immor- 
 ally,' who shows hatred to her lord, who is incurably diseased, who 
 is mischievous, who wastes his property, may at all times be super- 
 seded by another wife ; a barren wife may be superseded by another 
 in the eighth year; she whose children are all dead, in the tenth ; 
 she who brings forth only daughters, in the eleventh ; she who 
 speaks unkindly, without delay ; but she who, though afflicted with 
 illness, is beloved and virtuous, must never be disgraced, though 
 she may be superseded by another wife with her own consent." — 
 Code VIII, Sec. 204. 
 
 Here is wide range enough from which to select a cause of dis- 
 satisfaction, in any hour of alienation or dislike. No tribunal or 
 process is required ; the husband is sole judge and executor of 
 this facile law ; and in a single day the virtuous and faithful lady 
 may find herself superseded by some youthful addition to her home, 
 or become a discarded outcast, without pity or redress on earth. 
 
 I have been often asked to what extent polygamy prevails in 
 India. For reasons already manifest, it is not easy to give a suf- 
 ficient answer to this inquiry. I fear it is more general than is 
 supposed. Of course the crime is limited by its expense. It is a 
 luxury that poor men cannot well afford ; yet even they are not 
 innocent of successional polygamy : they often forsake or change 
 their wives, and then take others. Among the rich it is very com- 
 mon. Indeed, with that class it is viewed rather as an exhibition 
 of wealth and splendor, and cases are not rare where ten or a dozen 
 ladies may be found in the zenana of a Rajah or Nawab. 
 
 There are varieties in the law and usage of the different religion- 
 ists of India in this regard, but all of them allow the practice. 
 The Parsee faith and usage limits polygamy to a second wife, and 
 
496 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 then only where the first is childless and gives her consent to the 
 introduction of the second. The Mohammedan is allowed by 
 his Koran to take up four wives or concubines, and few of the 
 wealthy among them limit themselves to less than this number, 
 while it is notorious that they use their facilities of divorce with so 
 little scruple that their license under their law is practically unlim- 
 ited. The opulent Hindoos are restricted somewhat in the increase 
 of their wives by the absurd expensiveness of their marriage cere- 
 monies, but are limited in no other way as to the number they 
 choose to take. 
 
 The law lays down the subordination which is to exist in a home 
 where there are several wives. The first married remains mistress 
 of the family. The others are designated sapatnis, or auxiliary wives, 
 and the first is expected and required to treat them as younger 
 sisters. Every additional wife added is thus instructed by the 
 Hindoo authority called Sacontala : " Here, my daughter, when 
 thou art settled in the mansion of thy husband, show due rever- 
 ence to him, and to those whom he reveres ; though he have other 
 wives, be rather an affectionate handmaid to them than a rival." 
 
 Extremes meet, and that often when we would least expect them 
 Who would imagine, in a country where such rules of social life 
 exist, that we should meet with a custom so opposite to it in all 
 VQS'ptcta 2iS polya7idry ? And yet this singular and amazing rela- 
 tion existed in India twenty-five centuries ago, and lingers to-day 
 in some localities to such an extent as to call for the legislative 
 action of the English Government. It is bad enough to be one 
 among many wives, but to be the wife of many husbands must be 
 a wonderful relation for any woman to sustain. 
 
 India's greatest poem is the Mahabharata, and its lovely heroine, 
 Draupady, is represented, at the great tournament, as throwing the 
 garland of preference over the neck of the valiant Arjuna, whom 
 she loves so well. But with him she accepts his four elder broth- 
 ers, and is henceforth regarded by all five as their common consort. 
 Singularly enough, there is not a word of reprehension for the rela- 
 tion, and the story ends with the reception of the entire family to 
 
POLYANDBY. 497 
 
 the home of the gods. Sir WilHatn Jones, the great Orientalist, 
 facetiously designates this family of the Pandian chiefs and their 
 common consort as " the five-maled, single-female flower,' and 
 there is reason to believe that this curiosity bloomed then in other 
 localities of the land besides Indraprasta. The Code must certainly 
 have tended to its abolition, for except in the Ceylon Mountains, 
 among the Nairs of the South, and very limitedly in the Hima- 
 laya Mountains, the daughters of India have ceased to lament the 
 Dwaper Yug — a departed age — when they sang : 
 
 " Prepost'rous ! that one biped vain 
 Should drag ten housewives in his train, 
 And stuff them in a gaudy cage, 
 Slaves to weak lust or potent rage ! 
 Not such the Dwaper Yug ! O then 
 One buxom dame might wed five men ! " 
 
 Whatever may have been the motive for this unnatural alliance 
 in the ancient days, the purpose in our own, as I learned in the 
 Himalayas, is the gain to be realized by the sale of their fairer 
 daughters to supply the zenanas of the plains, and the dearth of 
 women thus occasioned led to the continuance of this unnatural 
 custom ; and so one vice created another, and that, too, its very 
 opposite. The English Government has done what it could to 
 repress the practice of polyandry where it still exists. 
 
 A widow in India is undoubtedly the most miserable of her sex 
 anywhere. She is now more than ever under the tyranny of her 
 cruel law, and the bitterest dregs of a woman's misery are then and 
 henceforth wrung out to her. Her youth, her beauty, her wealth, 
 give her no exemption whatever ; the rules, relentless as death, 
 enforce their dreadful claims upon her and crush her down. For- 
 merly they were expected to become Suttees and burn with the 
 man's body. British humanity, thank Heaven ! has ended that 
 hellish custom. So they live, but how much better than death is 
 their condition let my readers judge, when they learn the facts in 
 her case. 
 
 In the first of these pages I introduced a Hindoo wife as she 
 appears in her best estate — a married wife in her full dress and 
 
498 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 jewelry. From a photograph, which has been engraved with equal 
 fidelity, I now present a picture of a Hindoo widow as she appears 
 in her weeds, sitting upon the ground in her sorrow. Her aspect 
 and her attire show at first sight, even to a stranger, the agony of 
 her condition, which will be better understood when the rules of 
 her now hopeless existence are stated. 
 
 In the forms of their exclamations, when they first realize that 
 they are widowed, there are terribly reflective phrases which imply 
 that, for aught they know, they may be responsible for their hus- 
 band's death ; that not misery alone, but guilt also may fasten upon 
 their wretched hearts. This arises from the fear that in the 
 responsibihties of their caste duties, in preparing food, etc., they 
 may have, even unwittingly, violated some rule of the Shaster, and 
 that the gods have visited the violation with their vengeance in 
 the sickness and death of the husband. The terrific fear thus 
 seizes on the lacerated heart that they may be guilty of the death 
 which they mourn ! Her own children and friends, she justly fears, 
 are entertaining similar thoughts concerning her, and this dreadful 
 weight is enough to sink her to despair. 
 
 The day she becomes a widow, the lady in India falls to a lot 
 little less terrible than death itself All her ornaments and beau- 
 tiful clothing — on which her poor, uninstructed mind has doted 
 — are taken from her, so that "jewelless woman" is the well- 
 understood designation for a widow. She is henceforth to wear 
 the dun-colored robe in which the engraving represents her, on 
 which there must be no seam, no fringe, no figure. Her Tali— 
 the equivalent of the marriage ring in England — which her hus- 
 band tied round her neck when he married her, is removed. From 
 her forehead the bright vermilion mark is wiped away. Her 
 raven locks are ruthlessly cut off. The terrible indignity is per- 
 petual, for the head is henceforth shaven every ten days. The 
 teiTors of the " God of Hell," breaking forth against the departed 
 husband, are employed to make her endure the degradation, for. 
 says the Casi-Candam, " If matrons who have put off glittering 
 ornaments of gold still wreath their hair in unshortened locks, the 
 
Hindoo Widow, in her usual dress. 
 
THE HINDOO WIDOW. 501 
 
 ministers of fiery-eyed Yama shall bind with cords the husband 
 of her desire." 
 
 But even this is not the end of the widow's misery. She must 
 henceforth consider herself as a creature of evil destiny, practicing 
 severe austerities ; her weary limbs are no longer to repose upon a 
 comfortable bed ; her food is to be taken but once a day, and then 
 only of the coarsest fare ; and, lest her presence should involve the 
 dreadful doom of a widow's condition, she is prohibited from ever 
 appearing in the wedding ceremonies of another woman, no matter 
 how nearly related to her. The higher in caste she is, the more 
 rigorously are these rules exacted ; so that a Brahmin's widow is 
 the most wretched of all : and this is " according to law " — a doom 
 laid on willfully and wickedly by their legislation and its commen- 
 tators. Menu ordains as follows : " Let "her emaciate her body by 
 living voluntarily on pure flowers, roots, and fruit ; but let htr not, 
 when her lord is deceased, ever pronounce the name of another 
 man. Let her continue till death forgiving all injuries, performing 
 harsh duties, avoiding every sensual pleasure, and cheerfully prac- 
 ticing the incomparable rules of virtue which have been followed 
 by such women as have been devoted to one only husband." — Insti- 
 tutes, sees. 157, 158. To this the Casi-Candam adds: "On the 
 death of their attached husband, women must eat but once a day, 
 must eschew betel and a spread mattress, must sleep on the 
 ground, and continue to practice rigid mortification. Women who 
 have put off" glittering jewels of gold must discharge with alacrity 
 the duties of devotion, and, neglecting their persons, must feed on 
 herbs and roots, so as barely to sustain life within the body." 
 
 Can any thing equal this cruel audacity of proscription to hearts 
 which their system had already crushed ! Yet it may be matched 
 by the willful blindness of our American and British transcendent- 
 alists, who profess to find in Vedic teaching and Hindoo philoso- 
 phy sentiments and ethics which they deem and commend as even 
 superior to our Christian faith and morality ! 
 
 It was for the interest of Brahminism that these wretched 
 widows, henceforth so useless and inconvenient, should die, and 
 
502 
 
 THE LAND OF THE VEDA 
 
 their valuables be divided in the ceremonies ot the suttee For 
 ages this was done, and the young and beautiful ladies of the land 
 
 were immolated amid sol- 
 emn religious ceremonies 
 and music, before applaud- 
 ing crowds of priests, and 
 pundits, and philosophers, 
 while no voice was raised 
 against these vile murders 
 until the Christian mission- 
 ary came to plead for the 
 widow's life. Then a merci- 
 ful God, in response to their 
 prayers and efforts, sent 
 that noble man, Lord Will- 
 iam Bentinck, to India as 
 Governor-General, and to 
 him was given the honor 
 to face the opposition of 
 Pundits and Brahmins, and in 1829 to sign the law that extin- 
 guished these murderous fires forever. The women of India will 
 yet hang his portrait in their homes, and gratefully cherish his 
 memory as one of India's greatest benefactors. 
 
 The law of Christ and the legislation of Christian countries per- 
 mit a widow, where she chooses to do so, to create and enjoy the 
 sunshine of a second home ; but from this right Hindooism has for 
 twenty-five hundred years bitterly prohibited every widow in India. 
 The Code declares that she is bound by the law to her husband 
 even afUr he is dead, and that to change her life is to sacrifice her 
 claim to be a virtuous woman. Menu says : " A faithful wife, who 
 wishes to attain in heaven the mansion of her husband, must do 
 nothing unkind to him, be he living or dead ; while she who slights 
 not her lord, but keeps her mind, speech, and body devoted to him. 
 attains his heavenly mansion, and by good men is called sadivi, or 
 virtuous. Let her obsequiously honor him while he lives, and 
 
 Lord William Bentinck. 
 
REMARRIAGE OF A WIDOW FORBIDDEN. 503 
 
 when he dies let her never neglect him. Nor is a second husband 
 allowed in any part of this code to a virtuous woman." — htstituteSy 
 sees. 151, 162, 165. 
 
 Let me remind the reader that these rules refer not only to the 
 aged widows, whose long hfe-relation to their husbands might give 
 some color to these stern demands, but as fully place the obliga- 
 tion upon the virgin widows who never knew the husband's care 
 or love. The law is explicit here. Two authorities give the rule : 
 " It is said to be unlawful for any to touch jewelless women, whose 
 eyes are like the dewy cavi flower, being deprived of their beloved 
 husband, like a body deprived of the spirit." " Nor must a damsel 
 once given away in marriage be given a second time." 
 
 Old or young, faded or lovely, it is all one dull uniformity of 
 woe. The number of widows is, necessarily, larger in India than in 
 any other land on earth. 
 
 Can Christian ladies in this happy land wonder that these vil- 
 lainous laws have brought forth their fruits of death ; that women 
 in India, being thus degraded by system and rule, have dragged 
 the nation down into their own ruin, or that their sisters there 
 have become demented and broken-hearted, so that they have so 
 long and often preferred immolation to the sorrowful lot of a Hin- 
 doo widow ? Alas ! tens of thousands of them, after such married 
 lives as theirs, ignorant, impulsive, and indolent, when the terrible 
 alternative has stared them in the face, have either committed 
 suicide, or else, bidding a long farewell to peace and virtue, have 
 buried themselves for life in the hells which abound in every 
 Bazaar in India ! 
 
 The death and funeral of the Hindoo wife is a very sad topic. 
 Those final scenes are complete contrasts to what such words 
 express under Christianity. In our civilization, with all its honor, 
 and love, and blessing for woman, as wife and mother, what tender 
 thoughts and holy memories surround a wife's or a mother's grave ! 
 It is far different in the Land of the Veda. 
 
 The Hindoo wife and mother falls sick. Her case grows worse 
 and the fear fastens upon her heart that she is dying. She must 
 
504 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 have sad anxieties for her children and their future, knowing well 
 that none can ever be to them what she has been. Coming days 
 of desolation lie before them. For her husband's future she can 
 have little concern, as she knows that she is in no sense essen- 
 tial to his comfort. 
 
 The usual means are tried to restore her. Superstition and 
 astrology do their best ; but she is sinking. Her symptoms are 
 reported to the Hukeem — the native doctor — and at last he pro- 
 nounces that hope has fled. No time is to be lost now. If she is 
 too far from the Ganges to be carried there before the vital spark 
 has fled, preparations are made for the burning of the body. 
 Within a few hours after death it is laid upon the pyre and quickly 
 consumed. When the heap is cold, a small portion of the ashes 
 and calcined remains, representing the rest, are taken and put into 
 an earthen vessel to be carried to the sacred river ; and the rest of 
 the remains are left there to be, as I have so often seen them, 
 tossed about by the hogs and pariah dogs, or scattered by the 
 winds of heaven. 
 
 But, should the Ganges not be more than a few miles away, 
 mstead of being kept to be burned at home, the dying wife and 
 mother is laid on a charpoy — the light native bedstead — and 
 raised on the shoulders of four bearers. She leaves her home 
 forever, unattended, however, by her husband ; her eldest son 
 instead goes with her, and they hurry her by the shortest route 
 across the country to the sacred river. She is dying ; the sun 
 blazes upon her with its fierce rays, often as high as one hun- 
 dred and thirty-eight degrees, and she is, of course, jolted and 
 shaken by the runners ; but they must go on, and she must 
 bear it all. At length the river is reached — those banks 
 where all Hindoos so much desire to die — and now they lift her 
 off, and lay her on her back on the brink, with her feet in " the 
 sacred waters," and the bearers depart, for no restoration is ever 
 anticipated ; none there grow better and return. They think that 
 it would be fitting in such a case to prevent it. So the son takes 
 his station by the dying mother, and every few minutes he wets 
 
WOMAN'S LAST EOTTBS IN INDIA. 505 
 
 her tongue with the sacred water, or puts the mud of the Ganges 
 on her lips. 
 
 The sun sinks low in the heavens ; the shades of night com- 
 mence to fall, and the place begins to look very dreary, for the 
 wolves and jackals which abound will come there to drink when it 
 is dark ; and the son, it may be a mere youth, timid and supersti- 
 tious, thinks his mother is a long time dying. But he cannot 
 immerse her till the heart ceases to beat ; so he watches on, and 
 wets her lips again. And there they are, alone, far from house or 
 friends, in " the valley and shadow of death " together. At length 
 the last gasp is over, and his final duty is ready. He goes outside 
 into the water, and, taking her by the heels, draws her down into 
 the river, and floats her out till the water is "above his own 
 breast, and then with a final push he sends her from him as 
 far as he can into the river, and turns to the shore and makes 
 his way home as fast as possible. She is left to her fate, no more 
 to be thought of or protected. To her son, who thus deserts her 
 — to her husband, who left her to die without his presence — -it is 
 nothing that the body of the mother and wife is rolling along with 
 the current in the darkness, and that, most probably, within a few 
 hours, and within a few miles of her dwelling, it will strand upon a 
 sand-bar, and be discovered by the vultures, who, with the jackals, 
 will fiercely contend together during the night as they feast upon 
 it, or that the sun of the next day will shine on the gory and 
 naked skeleton of the wife and the mother to whom, by their 
 gloomy religion, even the rest of the grave is thus denied ! 
 
5o6 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 OUR CHRISTIAN ORPHANAGES IN ROHILCUND. 
 
 THE preceding facts and doctrines will lead to an appreciation 
 of the efforts made by the mission to educate and train 
 some of the youth of India, so that we could present before the 
 heathen the examples of Christian manhood and womanhood, and 
 also have native helpers of both sexes on whose intelligence we 
 could more fully rely than we could upon our adult converts. Our 
 Boys' Orphanage was originated by the suggestion and liberality of 
 the devoted Englishman mentioned on page 436. We present a 
 woodcut of the present building, close to the city of Shahjehanpore. 
 
 In this institution one hundred and forty-eight boys are now re- 
 ceiving a good Christian education, under the direction of Dr. and 
 Mrs. Johnson, whose devotion and ability, by God's blessing, have 
 made that school the power for good which it is fast becoming. 
 
 The origin of this noble charity may be briefly given here, as it 
 is one of the results of the Great Sepoy Rebellion, and intimately 
 connected with the facts which have been stated. 
 
 The wages of a laboring man in India is two annas per day — the 
 anna is three cents — so that millions of men in that land toil all 
 day for six cents, and are grateful if they can only, even at that 
 rate, obtain regular employment. This is their whole compensa- 
 tion, for they find themselves — as they would not, on account of 
 their caste prejudices, touch our food — so the six cents have to pay 
 rent, and clothe and feed them and their families ! Of course, 
 they could not live at all if their habits were not very simple, 
 and the means of life very cheap. They eat only twice a day, rice 
 and coarse flour, alternated, being their chief food, with a season- 
 ing of curry ; and they drink only water. 
 
 The result is, that these millions of toiling men are always on 
 the very verge of want, living "from hand to mouth." Occasion- 
 
DO 
 
 O 
 
 •5' 
 
 ^ 
 
CAUSE OF FAMmES. 509 
 
 ally, two or three times in a score of years, there will occur a 
 deficient rain-fall. This involves a scanty harvest and a pressure 
 on the labor market, under which thousands are thrown out of 
 employment for a period more or less protracted. They cannot be 
 " forehanded," by savings from six cents a day, to meet these dread- 
 ful emergencies, and the result is, if relief does not soon come, 
 hundreds of them are liable to starve to death. 
 
 One of these fearful experiences occurred in Rohilcund during 
 the year i860. So decided and quick was the calamity, that be- 
 fore the English Government ascertained its extent, and could 
 originate public works to arrest its severity, large numbers of the 
 people had died of want. The poor children were the last to suc- 
 cumb, for nature would lead the dying father or mother, heathen 
 though they were, to give the final morsel to the child or children, 
 in hope of saving them. The Government hurried on the meas- 
 ures of relief, and also sent around its police to give immediate 
 succor to the living and to bury the dead. 
 
 From wretched homes, where a father or a mother, or both, lay 
 dead, the surviving children were carried out and collected to- 
 gether. The orphan boys were assembled in one town, and the 
 girls in another. There were hundreds of each. The Govern- 
 meni; could extend only temporary relief, and what was to be the 
 fate of the rescued children became a painful consideration. The 
 pressure was too great for friends of the dead to come forward and 
 receive the bereaved and destitute, and the poor children thus lay 
 between hope and despair. No Mohammedan or Hindoo hand 
 was extended to save them. There was, however, one class of 
 persons who were ready to receive a number of the elder and most 
 likely girls, but they knew well that their proposal would be met 
 with indignation by the English magistrates, and that they durst 
 not make it. They had to deal with men who understood that 
 there was something worse for a girl than even starvation and 
 death. So the government waited, day after day, in hope that 
 relief for these orphans would arise from some quarter. 
 
 Amid this fearful state of things, where Christian philanthropy 
 33 
 
5IO THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 was so much called for, the idea came to us that this emergency 
 might be turned to good account, by our Mission seizing on the 
 opportunity then presented, not only to save those ready to perish, 
 but also to do a great work for the women of India and for Chris- 
 tianity, by taking up a number of these destitute children, particu- 
 larly the girls, and training them for Christ and for usefulness. 
 
 We took the case to God, and laid it all before him. The more 
 we prayed and thought over it, the more intense our zeal in the 
 project became, till at length we could think of nothing else but 
 those wretched children, and the way to save them, and what we 
 might make of them in a few years by good care, and education, 
 and Christianizing — and how much they would be to us in return 
 as Christian women, Christian wives and mothers, meeting fully all 
 this special want of our new Mission, and opening up in the future 
 just such an agency as we required to reach the women of India. 
 
 The importance, also, of having a number of boys of our own, 
 whom we could train up for God as Christian lads, free from the 
 contamination of Hindoo homes, also commended itself to our best 
 judgment and feelings as every way desirable. Yet still the girls 
 seemed beyond all measure the more important proposition. But 
 as the subject was considered and prayed over, it seemed essential 
 that we should have both, and both in good numbers. So "a score" 
 of each was given up, as far below the opportunity and the needs 
 of our work, and at length our heart set its hopes upon the pro- 
 posal of taking as many as would raise our number to one hundred 
 boys and one hundred and fifty girls. It was a bold adventure to 
 propose. We had no means in hand to provide for them ; no shel- 
 ter or support. But our feelings and judgment clung to the con- 
 viction that it was right and necessary to do this thing ; and that 
 the good of our Mission and the glory of God would be promoted 
 by it ; and that, somehow or other, the Lord and his Church would 
 find the means to do it, and would sustain our effort, while the 
 good results would justify it in the years to come. 
 
 Accordingly, the project was presented to the Mission. As was 
 to be expected, the proposal, especially in its extent, awakened fear 
 
OBIGm OF OUR OBPHANAaES. 51 1 
 
 that it could not be done — that it would bankrupt the Mission to 
 attempt it. To the inquiry, "Brother Butler, how are you going 
 to sustain them ? how will you feed, or clothe, or shelter, or edu- 
 cate them ? " I could only answer in faith, " I cannot tell, but I 
 believe the Lord will provide." The ladies soon heartily sym- 
 pathized with the proposition, and encouraged me to go on and 
 trust God, and erelong we were all united in the great and good 
 enterprise. 
 
 I wrote to the Government ; they were only too glad to consent, 
 and have the children taken off their hands. We might have as 
 many of each sex as we desired, English magistrates, in whose 
 hands they were, were communicated with, and directed to make 
 them over to us. 
 
 On going to Moradabad to receive our children, we found that 
 the Mohammedan wretches connected with the magistrates' court, 
 at whose disposal they had been placed, had actually distributed 
 many of them in the houses of infamy in the city, to be brought up 
 to a life of sin and shame ! With an earnestness befitting the occa- 
 sion, I placed the facts at once before the Governor, who acted with 
 noble promptness, and the children were ordered to be immediately 
 recovered and forwarded to us. The enemies of their souls and 
 bodies were defeated, and we had the satisfaction of rescuing them 
 from hands whose " tender mercies were cruel," and fulfilling in 
 their case the letter and spirit of the divine Word, " Of some have 
 compassion, making a difference : and others save with fear, pull- 
 ing them out of the fire ; hating even the garment spotted by the 
 flesh." Poor girls ! what a difierent fate did Christianity confer 
 upon them, instead of the "deep damnation" of soul and body to 
 which that vile and cruel Mohammedanism would have surely con- 
 signed them for time and eternity ! They, and their children, and 
 children's children, will certainly remember with adoring gratitude 
 to God, and thankfulness to his people, the great salvation which 
 was wrought out for them. I bless God, and shall always do so, 
 for the part we took in their rescue. 
 
 They were sent on to us to Bareilly in native hackeries, fifteen 
 
512 THE LAND OF TEE VEDA. 
 
 or twenty of them to the load, drawn by four bullocks each, and 
 were laid down at our door. I have four large photographs of 
 these children as they now appear — every face of the one hundred 
 and thirty-nine girls is there ; and after twelve years' care and 
 training what a contrast do they present ! If I only had photo- 
 graphs of them as they were when laid down before us in 1 860, in 
 all their weakness and forlorn condition, so naked, filthy, and igno- 
 rant, what an eloquent sermon those pictures would silently preach, 
 as they so wonderfully exhibited what Christian mercy and Chris- 
 tian education and grace could do, even for the poor wretched 
 female orphans of an India famine ! Can it be that these fine, 
 healthy, hearty, educated girls in these graduating classes, year by 
 year, so bright with intelligence and sanctified h} the grace of 
 God, were, only twelve years ago, just like the rest of the sad group 
 in squalor and helplessness ? Yes, it is so, and to the holy 
 Trinity be the glory of the blessed change that has thus trans- 
 formed them ! 
 
 They were sent to us of all ages, from twelve or thirteen years 
 down to the babe of three months, for whom we had to provide a 
 nurse. Most of them were weak and emaciated, and a few of them 
 dying, whom no care could save, so that we lost, out of the one 
 hundred and fifty, about fifteen, who were too much reduced in 
 strength and vitahty to be saved. 
 
 What the Boys' Orphanage has become after twelve years may 
 be best intimated by the picture, which presents Dr. Johnson and 
 his theological class of thirteen young men. Educated and con- 
 verted, they have been for some time seeking a higher preparation 
 for the Christian ministry among their countrymen. 
 
 I have already mentioned the case of Maria, the first native of 
 India who joined our Church in Bareilly, and who became one of 
 the martyrs of Jesus at noon on the 31st of May, 1857. She dearly 
 loved our means of grace, and particularly the class-meeting, where, 
 with artless simplicity, she would tell how the Lord led her to hate 
 sin and love holiness, and how sweetly her soul rested in Christ as 
 her perfect Saviour. Her father was a Eurasian, and she spoke the 
 
MARIA'S HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. 515 
 
 English language well. She had an unbounded zeal to do good, 
 and an ardent hope for the elevation of her sex in India, though 
 she knew their deep degradation far better than we did. But it 
 was then a dark day in Bareilly. 
 
 Maria had been led to Christ while on a visit to Calcutta, through 
 the instrumentality of the Baptist missionaries there. Thus, the 
 first Church Member of American Methodism in India was con- 
 tributed by the English Baptists, while American Presbyterianisra 
 donated the first Native Preacher to lay the foundation of our work 
 in that land. No opening then appeared, even to her, by which 
 we could reach and enlighten the daughters of India. Every door 
 seemed shut, and we could not obtain a single female scholar to 
 instruct or save. But Maria believed that the morning light would 
 break soon, and a better day would dawn upon her country, and 
 that it was near at hand. We would sit and converse with her, 
 and then, with our hearts full of mingled hope and anxiety, would 
 kneel down and implore God Almighty to come to our aid, and 
 open a door of faith to those millions of souls so closely shut up. 
 Prayer would give us renewed confidence, and help us to hang upon 
 the naked promise of our God, while we struggled hard to answer 
 the anxiety of our hearts as they would exclaim, " Watchman, what 
 of the night } " 
 
 This precious girl, who, of all her race and sex in Bareilly, alone 
 loved us for the Gospel's sake, seemed raised up to encourage and 
 aid us in our new mission. She was likely to become as faithful a 
 helper to my wife as " Joel " was to me. But the fearful Rebellion 
 broke over the land, and Sepoy bigotry aimed to extinguish every 
 vestige of Gospel light in India. Maria became a martyr for Chris- 
 tianity. Her blood baptized the soil of Bareilly and made it sacred 
 forever for our mission and for Christ. And there, on the very 
 spot where she fell, has sprung up a harvest of good for the daugh- 
 ters of India of the realization of which we had but feeble hope 
 in those dark days before the Mutiny. 
 
 This wood-cut of the Mission-House and Orphanage at Bareilly 
 represents the first spot in India where the denominational stand- 
 
510 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 ard of the Methodist Episcopal Church was planted, in 1857, and 
 from which the founder of the mission, with his wife and children, 
 had to fly for their lives in May of that year. On the very ground 
 now occupied by the house to the left stood the home of " Maria." 
 The site of our mission is on the edge of Bareilly, a city of one 
 hundred and twelve thousand souls, hid in the trees of the picture. 
 The Mission-House, where Brother and Sister Thomas and Miss 
 Swain reside, is the tiled building to the left. Just over it is seen 
 the top of the Orphanage, which is a square inclosure ; in the fore- 
 ground is the school-house, with its bell-tower ; and in front of the 
 school-house is the public road into the city. 
 
 I feel assured, with these reminiscences before my mind, that, 
 were Maria alive to-day to read this account of what God has 
 wrought for her sex in Bareilly since the 31st of May, 1857, and 
 that, too, on the very ground occupied by her own homestead, her 
 simple, gentle heart would thrill with a joy and gratitude for the 
 priceless victories won for woman and Christianity in Rohilcund 
 more intense and appreciative than can be bestowed upon these 
 pages even by those who in this land may read them with the 
 deepest interest. The reason is manifest. She knew the diffi- 
 culties to be overcome, and the darkness to be illuminated, as none 
 here can ever know it, and as even our missionaries to-day in 
 India, who have " entered into our labors," cannot adequately real- 
 ize amid their more hopeful opportunities and wider doors of use- 
 fulness. We were then in the valley of vision ; around us were 
 the moral skeletons, " very many and very dry " — no life nor sign 
 of life — and, in our sadness and struggling hope in "Him that 
 raises the dead, and calls the things that are not as though they 
 were," the Divine Master was challenging our faith in his power. 
 " Son of man, can these dry bones live .? " All that we could 
 answer was, " O Lord God, thou knowest ! " 
 
 But a change has come, and by means which we then little antic- 
 ipated. In that valley of the Ramgunga Maria died for Jesus, and 
 the raging heathen, as they exulted over her lifeless body, con- 
 cluded that they had killed the last woman of their race who would 
 
THE NEED TEE ORPHANAGE MET. 519 
 
 ever become a Christian — that with her life would expire the onl}' 
 hope of reaching and ameliorating the lot of her sex in Rohilcund. 
 How little they knew that Jesus is Jehovah ! Nor did they imag- 
 ine how soon He would dash to pieces, like a potter's vessel, the 
 despotism which they built up that day upon the ruins of his cause. 
 How much less did they anticipate that, on the very spot where 
 they murdered his faithful handmaid, he would found an institution 
 to be a Christian home for their own daughters, taken from their 
 side when famine had laid them low in death, and that thus he 
 would answer, in judgment to them and in mercy to their innocent 
 offspring, their rage against him, and their diabolical efforts to over- 
 throw his holy cause and to bind permanently the fetters of dark- 
 ness upon the women of India ! ''Just and true are thy ways, thou 
 King of saints ! " 
 
 There stands that Orphanage to-day, one of the brightest hopes 
 that shines for woman in the East ; and of it may be said, that the 
 little one has become one hundred and fifty, and the solitary female 
 worshiper an exultant congregation of bright, happy girls, with a 
 future of Christian usefulness before each and all of them. Truly, 
 " Thou makest the wrath of man to praise thee, and the remainder 
 of wrath wilt thou restrain." 
 
 Our early congregations in India, from 1857 to 1861, had, in one 
 sense, a melancholy aspect. There would be from ten to forty 
 men, chiefly young men, on one side of the room, offset by perhaps 
 one woman or two, the wives of our native helpers, on the other 
 side. No Christian families, no social aspect in our services. 
 It was all a one-sided, unnatural-looking affair, with a certain 
 monkish appearance that seemed dejected and forlorn. Woman 
 was not there. The great want was felt deeply by the missionary 
 as he rose to conduct the services. Nor was there then any way, 
 or hope even, by which this dreary aspect could be relieved by 
 female presence. We felt it the more because in India every 
 young man looks forward to marriage as a duty as well as privilege. 
 These young men, as they became attached to our congregations 
 and converted to our faith, were met at the threshold by the 
 
520 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 forbidding and manifest fact that to all the other disadvantages of 
 their position as Christians was added the consideration that only 
 a life of celibacy remained to them. They could not return to 
 heathenism for wives, for their friends would not give them ; and, 
 even if they did, our Discipline might put them out of the Church 
 for marrying unconverted women ; while, on the other hand, we had 
 no Christian families from which they could be supplied. Such 
 were their circumstances and the cheerless future that lay before 
 them. I used to lie awake at night and groan over this aspect of 
 our work, while the way to reach the minds of the women of the 
 land, for want of a female agency, seemed as dark as did the pros- 
 pects of our converted young men in reference to marriage. 
 
 These disabilities hemmed us in on every side, and made the 
 progress and the future of our mission uncertain and doubtful. It 
 was very discouraging. A Christianity without homes, or female 
 schools, or daughters, without wives for our native teachers or 
 preachers, without female worshipers in our congregations, wanted 
 the first elements of perpetuity and completeness. 
 
 Every effort was made by our missionary ladies to obtain even 
 day scholars from among the people, but such was then their bitter 
 prejudice against educating girls that they generally treated the 
 proposal with scorn. The ladies of our Bareilly mission made a 
 vigorous effort in that city to obtain even a few scholars. They 
 went from house to house, hired a suitable place in which to hold 
 a school, bought mats and necessary equipments, offered even to 
 pay the girls some compensation for the time expended if they 
 would only attend ; but at the end of three months they had only 
 succeeded in inducing two children to come, and one of these was 
 unreliable. At length, tired out, they had to abandon the effort as 
 hopeless, until some change would come over the minds of the 
 people in favor of female education. 
 
 I well remember what joy there was in November, 1858, when 
 Providence put into our hands the first female orphan we ever 
 received. She was a poor, weak little creature, was blind of an 
 eye, and plain-featured — certainly no beauty ; but she was a girl, 
 
THE ORPHANAGE ANSWERS ALL OUR EXPECTATIONS. 521 
 
 and she was all our own to rear for Jesus and his Church — one of 
 India's daughters. We rejoiced over her, and felt that she was a 
 precious charge for India's sake. Dear, sainted Mrs. Pierce cher- 
 ished her with a mother's love. She was baptized Almira Blake. 
 After a while we obtained three or four more, but we were still 
 pained to think how inadequate were these few to meet the great 
 want of our extending mission. The opportunity of Divine mercy 
 was, however, nearer than we then knew. God was about to meet 
 our requirements, and thus lay the foundations of greater and 
 wider usefulness for our mission than we were anticipating. 
 
 The kind ladies of our mission took this wretched group of girls 
 in charge, and they were washed and clothed, and cared for and 
 fed. Educational advantages were soon provided. Responses 
 came pouring in from schools and individuals in America, pledging 
 support for one or two, and sending a favorite name to be put 
 upon thoir protege at their baptism. Individuals in India also, and 
 the Government itself, came to our help, and soon a comfortable 
 orphanage and a school-house — shown in the picture to the right, 
 with its tower and bell — and all necessary conveniences, were 
 erected. To these have been added library, apparatus, pleasant 
 grounds, and other requisites, until the establishment is acknowl- 
 edged by all who see it, and by Sir William Muir, the Governor, 
 who lately visited it, to be one of the best-arranged institutions in 
 India, and an honor to the American Methodist Church. It is 
 also a credit to the interest and diligence of Brother and Sister 
 Thomas, who, in their long and devoted connection with it, have, 
 under God's blessing, made it what it is to-day. 
 
 The Lord has graciously laid the claims of the Female Orphan- 
 age upon the hearts of our ladies. It is now under the special 
 charge of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Method- 
 ist Episcopal Church, as a part of their work for women in India. 
 
 It is a beautiful sight to see the orphan girls on the Sabbath of 
 God, in His house, so neat, and attentive, and devotional, and to 
 hear them sing the praises of Him to whose mercy they owe so 
 much, and then all bow down to worship in the true Biblical and 
 
522 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Oriental fashion. Their prayer-meetings and class-meetings are 
 times of real interest, and in listening to them you realize that 
 many of them are truly taught of God. 
 
 The number of female orphans is now nearly one hundred and 
 fifty, about twenty having been added during the past year. The 
 good fruits of the institution have so won the confidence of all who 
 are acquainted with it that it has conquered prejudice and concili- 
 ated the interest and good-will of many even of the native nobility 
 as well as the English magistrates, from whom the institution 
 every year receives additional destitute orphans to be adopted into 
 this Christian home and family, and trained freely upon our own 
 principles. 
 
 From six to nine girls finish their studies and graduate each 
 year. I here present, from a photograph, the last class that gradu- 
 ated, from which the reader will have a correct idea of their per- 
 sons, style of dress, etc. 
 
 The girl on the left hand, standing up, is Julia Pybah, the mid- 
 dle one Mary Cocker, and the right hand one is Elizabeth Husk 
 The first one sitting, left hand side, is Clementina Butler ; the 
 next, Rebecca Pettis ; the next to her is Josephine, and the fourth 
 is Grace Anable. 
 
 During a revival of religion, with which God was pleased re- 
 cently to visit the Orphanage, over forty of these girls were soundly 
 converted. 
 
 Thus God has justified our confidence when we first took these 
 girls to train them up for him ; all our hopes have been fulfilled. 
 They have done well intellectually and religiously. More than 
 twenty-five of them have already been married to our native 
 preachers, teachers, and converts, and are now happy wives and 
 mothers in their own homes, exhibiting before their heathen sisters 
 what a Christian wife and mother is. Others of them have become 
 efficient teachers and helpers in the work of visiting and instruct- 
 ing their countrywomen, as the columns of the " Heathen Wom- 
 an's Friend " show. Probably the highest work which God had in 
 view for these girls is that now in progress under the training of 
 
Graduating Class. From a Photograph. 
 
ITS FUTURE MOST HOPEFUL. 525 
 
 Miss Swain, M. D., who has a large class of the elder girls under 
 instruction in the theory and practice of medicine, to fit them to 
 go into the houses of the suffering ones around them as medical 
 Bible women, healing the sick while they preach the Gospel. No 
 words can be too ardent to express the importance of such an 
 agency ; and as to the view which is taken of its value by the 
 people of the land, it is enough to mention the fact that the Nawab 
 of Rampore, a Mohammedan sovereign in the vicinity, who lately 
 visited the Orphanage, was so pleased with Miss Swain's medical 
 class and its object, that his highness expressed himself greatly 
 gratified, and asked their acceptance of a donation of a thousand 
 rupees to aid their work. He has since conferred upon them his 
 residence and grounds at Bareilly to become a Christian Hospital 
 for the native women of Rohilcund. 
 
 The Ladies' Missionary Society of our Church has done well in 
 taking this institution under its charge. It has elements of power, 
 as thus directed, the value of which cannot be over-estimated. 
 They will generously support it and develop its ability for good ; 
 and I doubt not it will justify all their confidence and expectations 
 in its future history and success. From it must continually go 
 forth influences which will mitigate the prejudices of the women 
 of India, for they can understand the disinterested benevolence 
 that thus seeks their own relief and welfare ; and gratitude must 
 surely incline them to examine into the truth and virtue of that 
 religion whose mercy and good fruits will be so manifest in the 
 benighted and suffering homes to which the graduates of the 
 Bareilly Orphanage, and their devoted instructress, will bring help 
 and healing in the days to come. 
 
 Earnest may be the prayers and strong the confidence of the 
 
 ladies of Methodism in the Christ-like agency which they have 
 
 thus made their ov/n, and which, under their fostering care, will 
 
 develop into a permanent power of Christian womanly goodness 
 
 for long-neglected heathen women, the value of wliich they can 
 
 never fully know till they find it in eternity, when they stand in 
 
 the glorious presence of Him who, before his Father and the holy 
 34 
 
526 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 angels, will remember it all, and, acknowledging that each of them 
 " hath done what she could " — to the body as to the soul, after his 
 own blessed example — will tell it then " as a memorial of her." 
 
 The organization of the Missions into an Annual Conference, at 
 the close of 1864, terminated my superintendency, while the toil 
 and care to which body and mind were subject during these 
 scenes, and in such a climate, were so exhausting, that release from 
 further service there became indispensable. This release was 
 kindly granted by the Bishop and the Missionary Board. 
 
 The progress of the Indian Church to-day is an encouraging 
 contrast to the weakness and obstructions of sixteen years ago. 
 Already some of our native Christian brethren are rising to posi- 
 tions of great trust and responsibility in the Church, the State, 
 and the learned professions. We name but a few : — 
 
 Krishna Mohun Banerjea, Pundit Nilakantha Gore, John De- 
 vasagyam, and Goloknath Chattergi, not to mention others, are 
 among the ornaments of its native ministry. Gunga Ram and 
 Professor Ramchunder, show what Hindoos can become as cultured 
 Christian teachers, as does Kalee Mohun Banerjea, among Univer- 
 sity graduates, and others equally worthy ; while Government 
 officers, like Behari Lai Singh, and Deputy Magistrates, like 
 Tarini Churn Mitter, prove how worthily public positions can be 
 filled by the followers of that faith : and their descendants shall 
 yet occupy every office of their Government in the glad day when 
 their Ganges shall flow only through Christian realms, and their 
 fertile lands shall be cultured by a happy Christian population, 
 whose redeemed country, no longer the Land OF THE Veda, 
 " shall be called by a NEW NAME which the mouth of the Lord 
 shall name." 
 
RESULTS THUS FAR OF THIS WORK. 529 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 RESULTS THUS FAR OF THIS WORK. 
 
 Explanatory Note. — In arranging for this new edition the extensive 
 statistical tables formerly here have been superseded, being outgrown by the 
 progress of the work. Other tables, presenting the results to 1894, have been 
 prepared, and will here appear. Our readers can thus appreciate the great 
 development which God has given to his Gospel, notwithstanding the fearful 
 resistance with which heathenism met its introduction, as narrated in the early 
 portion of this volume. 
 
 As a significant sample of this advance, made during the twenty-four years 
 past, we present our Theological Seminary, the intellectual and religious center 
 of our cause in India, which has already done so much to advance its interests 
 in the past, and is getting ready to accomplish far greater results in the blessed 
 future that is opening before it. 
 
 Equally necessary is it now to furnish a correct account of that development 
 of grace which the Holy Spirit has recently granted to our Mission. Only a 
 person who knows it thoroughly, and knows it all, could do this in a way to 
 give full satisfaction. The publishers and the author both felt that the man 
 who could best render this service to our readers was the beloved Bishop 
 under whose administration the work has developed its present extension and 
 power. Very kindly has Bishop Thoburn consented to render this service, for 
 which the author heartily thanks him. 
 
 The new statistical exhibit will close the chapter. 
 
 I. The Theological Scniinary, Bareilly. — While u.sing every 
 instrumentality available to spread the Gospel among the people 
 no matter how humble their ability, our brethren in India are at 
 the same time wide awake to the value and importance of the 
 highest possible culture to meet the keen and violent heathen- 
 ism that confronts their precious work. They cannot be intimi- 
 dated by any show, or pretence, or bitterness exhibited by the 
 enemies of the Lord Jesus and his cause. In their hearts is the 
 
530 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 full and patient persuasion that truly converted men, thoroughly 
 trained, with the Bible in their hands and the unction of the 
 Holy Spirit in their hearts, can cope with any resistance, and 
 that such an agency is yet to lay low in the dust the proud and 
 hostile heathenism of India. For such a result they cherish this 
 evangelistic training center at Bareilly. 
 
 From the Report for 1894 we cull a few extracts to show the 
 history and value of this institution to our work : 
 
 " The need of trained helpers was felt from the opening of the 
 Mission. Rev. D. W. Thomas, one of the missionaries, in 1871 
 offered to donate from his private means $20,000 for the founda- 
 tion of a Theological Seminary for India if the Mission Board 
 Avould furnish $10,000 for some buildings. The proposition was 
 accepted. Of this donation the editor of The Christian Advocate 
 wrote at the time : ' We regard it as one of the most important 
 benefactions, all things considered, that the Church has ever 
 received.' E. Remington, Esq., of Ilion, N. Y., donated $5,000 
 of the money required from the Board for buildings. To these 
 gifts a layman of Baltimore added $17,000 more. The seminary 
 was opened in April, 1872, with a class of sixteen students. In 
 1876 Remington Hall, seen in the center of the picture, was 
 finished, and dedicated by Bishop Andrews. 
 
 " Since opening the seminary over two hundred native mis- 
 sionaries have passed through the regular course of three years, 
 and sixty have taken a partial course." 
 
 As the year 1888 opened upon our Mission with a wondrous 
 visitation of grace, that has since added over fifty thousand souls 
 to membership, it became more than ever apparent that our 
 seminary must without delay have enlargement, both in build- 
 ings and resources, and this was accompanied with a divine call 
 to an increasing host of young men on whose hearts God had 
 laid '■'■ a burden for souls." Where to accommodate them and 
 where to teach them if they could be accepted now became an 
 anxious question. Two wings, one on either side of Reming- 
 ton Hall, became at once imperative, and were providentially 
 
RESULTS THUS FAR OF THIS WORK. 531 
 
 provided for to the great joy of the faculty. The result is that 
 the classes are doubled in number. This year the names of 
 eighty-one students are on their roll, and this will probably soon 
 rise to the requirement of accepting one hundred candidates 
 every year. 
 
 The faculty gratefully acknowledge in their report the provi- 
 dential aid which so opportunely come to their assistance : 
 
 "Several friends have given $1,000 to found scholarships. As 
 mentioned, Rev. E. S. and Mrs. E. R. Kiplinger gave $2,000 to 
 build a lecture hall. A worthy physician gave his gold watch 
 and jewels, worth $350, and laid the foundation of a library, for 
 which also an officer in India contributed some $2,000. A sum 
 of $2,000 was contributed by many friends to build a Butler 
 Hall in memory of the founder of the Mission. We have now a 
 total endowment of about $45,000, with buildings worth some 
 $18,500. Many friends are sending very valuable aid for stu- 
 dents and greatly enlarging our opportunity. We hope such 
 help will continue." 
 
 Nor is the training of a native ministry all that this precious 
 institution is doing for the work in India. There is here, in 
 addition, a "Christian Woman's Training School," in charge of 
 Mrs. M. E. Scott and Mrs. S. Dease, with Mrs. Mukerje and 
 three teachers, for the training of the wives of the married 
 students, which has been kept up for the past twenty years. 
 These women are taught to read and write in Hindi and 
 Urdu, and then take a regular course of Bible study and other 
 subjects that prepare them to work among the women of the 
 country. Forty-eight such are now enrolled, and one hundred 
 and sixty have taken the course and gone out prepared to work 
 in the villages and zenanas, as the necessity demanded, side by 
 side with their husbands. 
 
 But the faculty need more financial help, and need it at once. 
 Teachers have to be paid, appliances furnished, and many wants 
 met. They greatly need a teacher of music (which is a very 
 effective evangelistic agency in this field), and also an instructor 
 
532 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 in a simple course of medicine, which would give the preachers 
 and their wives great access to the people in the villages, with one 
 or two dormitories more for the accommodation of the students. 
 They remind us in their report of the serious and important 
 character of their position and work and of the high indorsement 
 which it has received when they say to us that : 
 
 " This is the first Methodist Theological School organized in 
 Asia. It should be raised at once to the highest effectiveness. 
 Our immediate work is educating a native ministry for a popula- 
 tion of forty million and in a language that can reach one hun- 
 dred million. There is a pressing demand for trained men in a 
 rapidly expanding work. Now is the time for a shoulder to the 
 wheel. The great deep in India is breaking up. The Church 
 should move with wisdom and power at this supreme moment. 
 Anti-Christianity is trying to preempt the field. It is a burning 
 shame that infidels and scoffers from Europe and America are 
 found here doing the work of their father, the devil, villifying 
 Christianity and withstanding the missionaries. The scare scatter- 
 ing infidel literature and trying to organize the natives against us. 
 A native ministry under God must save India. If a trained 
 ministry is needful anywhere, it is in a field like this. Our press- 
 ing work and rapidly growing Church demand it. 
 
 " What friends say of this institution : Bishop Foster, in his 
 visit here, pronounced this " the most important missionary en- 
 terprise in India." Bishop Ninde wrote : ' I was strongly im- 
 pressed while in India with the invaluable aid which this school 
 affords to our work. The marked efficiency of our native ministry 
 in North India is largely clue to the vigorous and careful train- 
 ing so large a proportion of them have obtained here. The sem- 
 inary should be liberally sustained and its facilities enlarged.' 
 Bishop Thoburn wrote : ' Our Theological School at Bareilly has 
 become more than ever a necessity to our work, especially 
 throughout North India. It will continue to exert a blessed in- 
 fluence far and wide by educating men who will take the place of 
 leaders.* " 
 
RESULTS THUS FAB OF THIS WORK. 533 
 
 With a full right do they appeal to the Church at home not 
 only for the further financial help so much needed, but also for 
 grace from heaven to increase the effectiveness of this fast grow- 
 ing work, when they say : 
 
 " Pray for us that we may train mighty preachers of the word. 
 Give to the institution all you can till we are fully on our feet for 
 the greatest mission work of modern times. Inform friends of 
 the institution who may be able to help us." 
 
 The seminary stands on the highway of the city, and many of 
 the thousands that pass it daily stop to gaze and think. They 
 have good taste to admire its beauty, but they certainly feel that 
 the people who erected it and the men being trained there are iji 
 earnest in the work which they are doing to spread their religion. 
 Strangers and foreigners declare it to be a " credit to our denomi- 
 nation," and no doubt this representation of what it is will be a 
 joy to the liberal hearts which furnished the means for its erection. 
 It was wisely planned for the purposes which it was to serve, and 
 was solidly yet economically builded. India has many evidences 
 that good taste and economy may be united, and that beauty is 
 about as cheap as deformity when one has prepared a good plan 
 and works to it, as was done here. 
 
 I know I voice the thought of each member of the India Mission 
 when I say that we may well pray that God may long spare to 
 guide this precious institution its devoted principal. Dr. J. T. 
 Scott, to whose eminent abilities and hard toil for twenty-two 
 years are so largely due the extensive results which have been 
 accomplished by it. I now resign the pen to the dear Bishop. 
 
 II. Thij'ty-five Year's of Progress. — In the good providence of 
 God I enjoyed the privilege of being one of the second party of 
 missionaries sent out to join Dr. Butler in the work of founding 
 a new Mission in North India. We landed at Calcutta, August 
 21, 1859, and after a few days spent in preparing for the journey 
 set out for the special field which had been selected for occu- 
 pancy by our Missionary Society. On Saturday afternoon we 
 crossed the Ganges at Cawnpore, and set foot upon our own 
 
534 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 chosen field. Every object possessed a peculiar interest in our 
 eyes, for we already regarded the land as, in one sense at least, 
 our own. We were strangers, it is true, and among a strange 
 people, but, like Abraham, by the anticipation of faith we looked 
 upon the field as our own. Scarcely a dozen of the people would 
 have confessed to any allegiance to us, however remote, in a 
 religious or any other sense. A thousand obstacles confronted 
 us, and we knew but too well that every inch of progress would 
 be contested. We were none the less eager, however, to enter 
 upon the task which God had set before us, and hastened on to 
 Lucknow, where the pioneers of the Mission had already assem- 
 bled, and were waiting to greet us. 
 
 We spent a week in Lucknow, during which the first annual 
 meeting of our Mission was held, and here we were able to gain 
 a clearer view of the field Avhich had been chosen for us. Tak- 
 ing the Province of Oude, with the smaller Province of Rohil- 
 cund on the north, and the little mountain district of Kumaon, 
 our field contained seventeen million inhabitants. It is not 
 strange that we gave little thought to the limited territorial ex- 
 tent of our field, in the face of the immense population which 
 confronted us. At that time this population amounted to al- 
 most half that of the United States, and as America had been 
 more than all the world to us, it seemed as if we were going 
 abroad to attempt the conquest of a new world. 
 
 As we took counsel together in reference to new mission 
 stations, new schools, and other enterprises, and new plans for 
 occupying all the region assigned us, it is not strange that our 
 field seemed at times to assume imperial proportions. Even at 
 that early time, some of us could not but feel as if we were 
 about to lay the foundations of an empire. The only objection 
 that was made, so far as I can now remember, to the field assigned 
 us was that it was too large. It did not seem possible that we 
 could occupy so much ground, and make anything like adequate 
 provision for the exigencies which would be sure to arise in the 
 progress of our work, nor did it seem to any one that the Church 
 
BESULT8 THUS FAR OF THIS WORK. 535 
 
 which had sent us out would ever be strong enough to attempt 
 more than the limited task which had been proposed by Dr. 
 Butler, and approved by our authorities at home. In those 
 days a favorite idea, which was much talked about, and sincerely 
 cherished by most leading missionary authorities, was that of 
 dividing the heathen world into sections, each of which was to 
 be assigned to some particular branch of the Christian Church 
 in Europe or America, and thus the whole work distributed in 
 such a way as to secure the most rapid consummation of the task, 
 and also the best possible conservation of labor. Our own mis- 
 sionaries accepted this view, without giving it verj^ much 
 thought, and certainly without any misgiving as to its practical 
 wisdom. As we then looked at the situation, the great empire 
 of India was to be evangelized, and our share of the common 
 work was the little field on the eastern side of the upper Gan- 
 ges, where we had pitched our tents and hoisted our banners. 
 
 Before many years had elapsed, it began to be felt among us 
 that the circumstances of the country were changing. Great 
 lines of railway had been projected immediately after the 
 mutiny, and as these, one after another, began to be opened, the 
 people of India were quick to discover that the former isolated 
 conditions, under which they had lived from time immemorial, 
 were giving place to an entirely new order of things. Distant 
 points were brought close together; long journeys could be 
 made in a few hours ; the ancient pilgrimages began to lose 
 nearly all their merit when made upon comfortable railway 
 trains instead of being prosecuted by long and painful marches 
 on foot ; provinces separated by wide distances of space seemed 
 to be made neighbors, and people who had never seen one an- 
 other before were brought into close contact. Almost imme- 
 diately it was perceived that converts to Christianity would 
 inevitably become more active and enterprising than other por- 
 tions of the community, and that it would be impossible to 
 expect them to remain within narrow provincial limits where 
 their forefathers had chanced to reside. As these converts 
 
536 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 would go out into different parts of the empire, it was reason- 
 able to expect that they would carry their preferences and ideas 
 with them, and that this would almost inevitably result in the 
 establishment of those forms of Christianity with which they 
 had been familiar. It thus came to pass at an early day that a 
 question was raised among our missionaries as to the possibility, 
 and even probability, of our being obliged to extend our bound- 
 aries, especially on the western side of the Ganges, which at 
 that time limited our progress in that direction. Dr. Butler was 
 among the first, if not indeed the very first, to perceive the in- 
 evitable tendency of a work like ours, situated as it then was, to 
 move forward without much regard for artificial barriers, and I 
 can very well recall a proposition which he made near the close 
 of 1863, for us to establish a mission station at a point on the 
 western side of the Ganges, where there seemed to be a special 
 call for us. In my own mind the proposal did not meet with a 
 moment's favor. It seemed to me that we were already stagger- 
 ing under burdens which we could not carry, and that a great 
 many long years, if not generations, must elapse before we could 
 think of moving so far beyond our chosen limits. Nearly every 
 one in the Mission looked with equal disfavor upon the proposal, 
 and no one dreamed that within the short space of seven years 
 our missionaries, after a careful canvass of the whole subject, 
 would deliberately resolve to cross that river, which lay on our 
 westward border like another Rubicon, and open work in a field 
 which thereafter was to have no permanent boundary until it 
 reached the sea. 
 
 Such an enlargement was inevitable from the first, although 
 none of us were able at that early day to anticipate what after- 
 ward happened. If a similar attempt were to be made at the 
 present time, if a body of twenty men, inspired with an enthusi- 
 astic confidence in the success of their work, moved by an 
 ardent zeal for God and for the salvation of souls, and pro- 
 foundly believing that the testimony with Avhich they were in- 
 trusted was to be carried to the uttermost parts of the earth — if 
 
EESULT8 THUS FAR OF THIS WOEK. 537 
 
 these men were to be put down on another, continent, and told 
 to confine their efforts within an area half as large as an average 
 American State, the attempted restriction placed upon them 
 would prove utterly futile. For a very few years they might be 
 restrained within narrow territorial limits, but if successful in 
 even a moderate degree they would be sure to break over the 
 barriers, and move forward as God's Spirit and providence led 
 them, precisely as the early Christians did when they once fully 
 entered upon their mighty task of evangelizing the ancient 
 Roman world. 
 
 In India an outward expansion of our work was inevitable for 
 several reasons. In the first place, the men and women who 
 were sent to our field were inspired by the spirit which has char- 
 acterized practical missionary efforts since the days of Barnabas 
 and Paul. The first disciples were more slow to take practical 
 notice of our Saviour's specific direction to bear witness for Him 
 to the uttermost part of the earth, and many Christians of the 
 present day are prone to fall into the same error. The modern 
 missionary enterprise has been from the first a practical protest 
 against this mistake. In spirit it is utterly opposed to all 
 barriers, artificial or otherwise, which are erected to limit its 
 progress. Without waiting until all Antioch was evangelized 
 Barnabas and young Saul set forth to bear witness in other 
 cities, and this holy ambition to press on, and still on, into 
 regions beyond, became from that time the inspiration of every 
 Christian evangelist. 
 
 The men who were first sent to our Mission in India were ani- 
 mated by a like spirit. They were impelled forward, from one 
 point to another, and no sooner had they gained a foothold in 
 one city or town than they wished to establish themselves in the 
 next city which lay in their pathway. This restless spirit of ag- 
 gressive enterprise is inseparable from the earnest faith which 
 characterizes every successful evangelist. A similar spirit mani- 
 fests itself in England and America, but when once domiciled in 
 a vast empire like India, with unlimited numbers presenting 
 
538 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 themselves in every direction, it would be little short of folly to 
 expect men full of holy, aggressive zeal for God and souls to live 
 for years and generations upon one bank of a great river, and 
 refuse to carry the message which God has given them for all 
 mankind to dwellers on the opposite bank. 
 
 There was something also in the ecclesiastical system which 
 Dr. Butler introduced into his mission field which tended to make 
 an extension of the work inevitable. Other system.s may be 
 equally scriptural and equally acceptable to God, but this system 
 has some peculiarities in this special direction. It was not de- 
 vised by any one man in a single day or a single year, but is the 
 outgrowth of a movement extending over a long series of years; 
 and as the product of an active movement it is adapted to the 
 condition of things similar to that in which it first took shape. 
 In other words, it can only work successfully while it is actively 
 .aggressive. It propagates itself as naturally as it makes pro- 
 vision for the immediate wants of that part of the work which 
 is permanent. One of the most striking features of our work in 
 India at the present time is the apparently natural manner in 
 which Hindustanee presiding elders and superintendents of cir- 
 cuits adapt themselves to the system in which they have been 
 religiously educated, and push forward their work into new 
 regions. 
 
 The most successful workers that I have met in India are men 
 who know very little about ecclesiastical systems, but who seem 
 almost instinctively to use the system with which they find 
 themselves connected to extend the work of God into new 
 regions. A man, for instance, is given a new circuit. It consists 
 of a central town, with three or four villages around him. At 
 the end of two years he has ten or twelve villages within his 
 circuit, in each of which is found a Christian congregation. 
 Another year or two passes and a new group begins to form 
 around each one of these villages or towns, and beyond these again 
 there will be a further extension, until at length the man who 
 originally had charge of a little circuit has a field large enough 
 
RESULTS THUS FAR OF THIS WORK. 539 
 
 for a presiding elder's district. In a number of cases movements 
 of this kind have actually occurred, under my own supervision, 
 and nothing that I have witnessed in India has so encouraged 
 me to believe that all India can yet be evangelized by simple 
 men of God, raised up from among the sons of India, as the suc- 
 cess achieved in this way. If no other reason existed for the 
 outward extension of the work than this one peculiarity, the sys- 
 tem introduced by Dr. Butler would in a large measure account 
 for it. 
 
 But reasons of this kind will weigh less with the thoughtful 
 reader than the fact that our people have been providentially led 
 in extending the sphere of their labors, not only into regions im- 
 mediately adjoining our first field, but to all parts of the empire. 
 With the extension of the vast railway system of India thirty 
 years ago, small colonies of Europeans and Eurasians were 
 gathered into settlements at distances varying from one hundred 
 to one hundred and fifty miles, for the most part along the lead- 
 ing lines of railway. These settlers were almost exclusively 
 connected with the railways, and were, of course, Christians, in 
 the general sense of that word, and were known as Christians to 
 the people among whom they lived. Most of them were de- 
 prived of the ordinary privileges of the sanctuary, and, as always 
 happens in such cases, very many began rapidly to forget their re- 
 ligious obligations when thus cut off from their early associations. 
 In the providence of God, our missionaries were led to preach, 
 not only to these people, but to other English-speaking people 
 living in the larger cities, many of whom were in government 
 service, while others were engaged in such kinds of private busi- 
 ness as India affords. When the word was preached among 
 these people God blessed it in a peculiar manner, and in a short 
 time companies of believers were gathered together in a number 
 of large cities, and from these centers the work spread, in the 
 course of a few years, throughout the length and breadth of the 
 empire. 
 
 During the first year or two no very definite plan was adopted 
 
540 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 in reference to this new work, but in tlie ordinary course of 
 providence it happened, as it miglit have been expected to hap- 
 pen, that the people asked for church privileges and for pastoral 
 oversight. It seemed not only natural, but in every way just, 
 that their request should be granted, and it thus came to pass 
 in the space of two or three years that churches of our own 
 communion were organized at nearly all the important centers 
 throughout the empire. This new work was destined to admit 
 us definitely and permanently to a still more important work 
 among the masses of the natives of India. Let me quote from 
 Light in the East, a new book now in press : 
 
 " For some years it did not seem very clear what value Avould 
 be permanently attached to our English work in India. Many 
 of our friends in America looked upon it with great misgiving, 
 fearing that it would divert the attention of our missionaries 
 from the greater work of giving the Gospel to the Hindoos and 
 Mohammedans. Others thought that among so sparse a popu- 
 lation no important churches could be built up, and no material 
 help received from the prosecution of the general work. Time, 
 however, soon began to teach its lessons, and it was found that 
 wherever a foothold had been gained among the English-speak- 
 ing people a corresponding work was sure to manifest itself 
 among the natives. It thus came to pass in due time that our 
 missionaries were found preaching to the people, not only in the 
 Hindustanee language throughout North India, but in Bengalee, 
 Marathi, Gujarati, Tamul, Canarese, and Teloogoo, in other parts 
 of the empire. As the years went by the work was extended 
 into Burmah, and later still down the southeastern coast of the 
 Bay of Bengal to Singapore and Penang. It is needless to nar- 
 rate the successive steps by which our work was extended 
 throughout all this vast region. It often seemed unwise to our 
 best friends for us to plant our stations at so many distant points, 
 but on the other hand it never seemed possible for us to hold 
 back from doors which God so plainly opened before us. To 
 sum up the result in a few words ; our one Annual Conference 
 
RESULTS THUS FAB OF THIS WORK. 541 
 
 in North India was at first reinforced by the creation of a second 
 Conference; this in process of time was divided into two, and the 
 two were again divided into four, so that we now have five An- 
 nual Conferences within the hmits of India proper, and a Mission 
 Conference, which includes our work in distant Malaysia." 
 
 This outline of our immense mission field is, of course, a mere 
 outline as viewed upon the map. We do not pretend to occupy 
 all the country, and as yet have no missionaries nor native 
 preachers in some large cities and towns. Very recently a party 
 of our missionaries have been exploring a vast region lying 
 southwest of Calcutta, where no Christian worker of any kind 
 is found. In a report recently sent to me by one of these mis- 
 sionaries it was stated that between six and seven millions of 
 people were living in that region, among whom no one had yet 
 preached Christ. In other parts of the country, no doubt, similar 
 neglected areas might be found, but after making all due allow- 
 ance we still find ourselves with a field extended so far beyond 
 its original limits that our task may now be said to be ten times 
 as great as the one which was originally set before us. 
 
 One interesting feature of the work in its more recent de- 
 velopment is the creation of what we sometimes call " our 
 foreign mission." I have spoken above of the extension of our 
 work down the southeastern coast of the Bay of Bengal to 
 Penang and Singapore. These large cities are not in India at 
 all, nor in any way under the Indian Government, but belong to 
 the colony known as the Straits Settlements. By the ordinary 
 sea route down the coast, Singapore is nineteen hundred miles 
 from Calcutta, and thus, both politically and geographically, the 
 whole region is foreign to India, indeed as much so as Liver- 
 pool and the British Islands are to the United States. Led by 
 providential indications, which space will not permit me to 
 mention here, it was resolved at the beginning of 1885 to send 
 an expedition to Singapore with a view to begin a new mission 
 in that city, which should make itself felt among all the adjacent 
 
 islands. The importance of Singapore, especially in the almost 
 35 
 
542 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 certain position which it is destined to hold in the future, had 
 been appreciated by our missionaries in a way which Americans 
 and Europeans could not at that time fully understand. A vast 
 Chinese population is settling upon all those shores, and the 
 future of that entire region will yet be in the hands of these 
 colonists. We believed them to be accessible in a peculiar way 
 to gospel influences, and felt sure that it was of the utmost im- 
 portance to the future unborn millions that Christianity should 
 gain a foothold, not only in the colony, but in all the adjacent 
 islands, at the earliest possible date. We had no money with 
 which to equip a Mission, and very few workers from whom to 
 choose the first pioneers. Dr. W. F. Oldham was selected to 
 lead the advance movement, and, with his wife, entered upon 
 his work vigorously in the early part of the year. 
 
 The story of the founding of this Mission is one of peculiar 
 interest, but cannot be detailed further here. Suffice it to say 
 that a foothold was gained, while the Chinese received our mis- 
 sionary with unexpected favor, and in due time a church was 
 built, a school building erected, and up to the present time the 
 Mission has been making steady progress. We have now a 
 vigorous Chinese Church at Singapore, a smaller Malay Church, 
 an English organization, and regular preaching to the Indian 
 colonists in the Tamul language. We have a second station 
 in operation in Penang, while a third has been established 
 at the town of Ipoh on the Peninsula. In every respect the 
 Malaysian Mission has proved very successful, and in no part 
 of our history has the hand of God appeared more manifestly 
 present with us than in directing our steps to that remote part 
 of the world. 
 
 The most marked feature of our Mission in India during 
 recent years has been the wonderful development of the work 
 among what are called the " depressed classes " This term is 
 common to all low caste people, and is popularly applied to 
 about fifty million of the population. All these millions live 
 below the line of social respectability. Their children are sel- 
 
RESULTS THUS FAR OF THIS WORK. 543 
 
 dom seen in the public school, although legally entitled to ad- 
 mittance. The ban of social prejudice against them is so strong 
 they are practically excluded. In all the missions of India it 
 has been noticed from the first that the majority of converts 
 come from the depressed classes, and perhaps this fact has oper- 
 ated to some extent to create a prejudice in the public mind 
 against missionary labor. Most persons forget that in the 
 earliest and purest age of Christianity Christians were exposed 
 to the constant taunt that their community was composed al- 
 most exclusively of slaves and wretchedly poor people. The 
 same peculiarity has attended the progress of pure and undefiled 
 Christianity in all ages. The simple fact in the case is that our' 
 Saviour deliberately adapted the conditions of membership in 
 his kingdom to the wants of the poor, knowing that the vast 
 majority of the human race belong to this class. Hence, those 
 who work in accordance with the Divine will, and in harmony 
 with the only possible conditions upon which the kingdom of 
 Christ can be made to flourish in this world, will never shrink 
 from receiving the poor, and will never feel surprised when they 
 see the poor coming to them in unwonted numbers. 
 
 Some six years ago it began to be noticed in our Mission in 
 North India that a movement of some magnitude was evidently 
 setting in among this class of people. At the close of 1888 no 
 less than eighteen hundred baptisms were reported, while several 
 thousand converts were waiting to receive baptism as soon as 
 the missionaries were willing to admit them to the privilege. 
 Much attention was excited by this new development, but no 
 one at that time anticipated so rapid and wide an extension of 
 the work as has since occurred. The following year a still more 
 marked increase took place, while in the third year the number 
 of baptisms, including children, went up to the startling number 
 of eighteen thousand. From that time to the present hour the 
 movement shows no sign of abatement, but on the other hand 
 is constantly spreading more widely, and apparently gaining a 
 firmer hold upon the people. The total number of Christians of 
 
544 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 all ages in the mission at this time is probably more than eighty 
 thousand, while all the reports for three years past indicate that 
 fifty baptisms occur every day in the year. So far as can now 
 be seen, there is no reason to anticipate any abatement of this 
 work whatever, but on the other hand it seems certain that it 
 could be extended almost indefinitely, if means could be found 
 for conserving the work. 
 
 The people are extremely ignorant, and, unless instructed ac- 
 cording to our Saviour's directions, it is found that they do not 
 go forward in the Christian life, but, on the contrary, are almost 
 sure to become unsatisfactory in many ways, and either go back 
 to heathenism or bring a reproach upon their new faith. Hence 
 the vital question at the present time is that of providing in- 
 struction for converts. The converts themselves are so wretch- 
 edly poor that they can do nothing in the way of self-help. If 
 teachers could be sent among them, and they gathered into 
 groups and instructed, at the end of a very few years we would be 
 able to send out two or three thousand more workers, and the 
 eighty thousand converts of to-day might then become two hun- 
 dred thousand in the space of two or three years. A prospect 
 of this kind ought to arouse the whole Christian Church, and 
 call forth an immediate effort to meet an emergency so full of 
 promise. Strangely enough, our friends in Christian lands, with 
 few exceptions, fail to comprehend that this is a day of God's 
 visitation in India. It requires the most strenuous efforts on 
 our part to secure the slender aid with which we are able to carry 
 on the work on its present basis ; but we are looking forward 
 constantly to increased resources, and trust that the time Avill 
 speedily come when our converts will number at least one hun- 
 dred thousand every year. 
 
 If space permitted it would make a very interesting story to 
 lay before the reader, the steady and indeed remarkable progress 
 whr'ch has attended what might be called the internal develop- 
 ment of our Mission in India. A great work of this kind touches 
 a community or a province at many different points. While the 
 
RESULTS THUS FAR OF THIS WORK. 545 
 
 main object kept in view is that of evangelizing the people, other 
 objects are always found in subordination to the main enterprise. 
 Take, for instance, the work among women. Female education 
 has been almost revolutionized since Dr. Butler first took up his 
 residence in Bareilly, When I first entered the field, I can re- 
 member well that only a feeble attempt had been made to estab- 
 lish a girls' school, and that, aside from the very few Christian 
 converts, there were not half a dozen girls who even nominally 
 were receiving instruction in all that region. Now, however, we 
 see not only a Christian college for women estabhshed at Luck- 
 now, but what would have seemed absolutely impossible thirty 
 years ago, a rival woman's college established in the same city 
 for the daughters of Hindoos. The Mission established by Dr. 
 Butler can also lay claim to the honor of introducing the first 
 lady physician ever seen in India. The first Indian women ever 
 educated in medicine were also trained in this same Mission, and 
 it was not until the missionaries had successfully demonstrated 
 the fact that lady physicians could gain access to the women of 
 India, and that educated Indian women and girls could be suc- 
 cessfully trained in medicine, that the much vaunted Lady Duf- 
 ferin movement became a possibility. It would be impossible 
 to give Lady Dufferin too much credit for the noble work which 
 she has achieved for Indian women, but it should always be borne 
 in mind that missionary ladies first made the movement which 
 she leads possible. 
 
 It would be interesting also, if space permitted, to trace the 
 successive steps by which a great publishing work has been set 
 on foot in connection with our now widely scattered Mission. 
 As early as i860 Dr. Butler gathered a few rupees together with 
 which to purchase a small press, and a very modest beginning 
 was made in the way of printing at Bareilly. This press was 
 afterward removed to Lucknow, where it has flourished greatly, 
 and is at the present time perhaps the most vigorous Mission press 
 in all the empire. A second large publishing house has been 
 opened at Calcutta, a third at Madras, anc a fourth at the dis- 
 
546 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 tant city of Singapore. Most of these enterprises are still in 
 their initial stage, but there seems no reason to doubt that all 
 four of these publishing houses will soon enter upon a wide 
 sphere of active usefulness. 
 
 Our Sunday-school work has met with special success and 
 proved an unexpectedly valuable auxiliary in our great work. I 
 can remember very well the morning after I entered Lucknow 
 in company with Dr. Butler that I was strangely moved when I 
 heard two boys singing to a familiar tune a Hindustanee hymn. At 
 that time perhaps not more than half a dozen children in all that 
 region could have joined in the song, but now there are probably 
 seventy thousand who could take up the strain if called upon. 
 Many of the Sunday-schools are largely attended by adults 
 as well as children, but, in view of the fact that the majority 
 of our adult converts are themselves but children in knowledge, 
 and in some respects in character also, the instruction received 
 seems as well adapted to them as to those of younger years. 
 
 It remains to notice an important measure which was adopted 
 some years ago for the better administration of our affairs 
 throughout the vast region which we now occupy. At an early 
 stage in our history it was felt that some central authority was 
 needed which would be empowered to deal with all such inter- 
 ests as belonged in a peculiar sense to our own field in India and 
 Malaysia. Questions of various kinds were constantly arising, 
 for the settlement of which no provision had been miade by our 
 missionary authorities, and not a few of these questions were of 
 such a nature that it would have been impossible for any party 
 or parties on the other side of the globe to have satisfactorily 
 dealt with them. In order to meet this want the General Con- 
 ference of 1884 made generous provision for the organization of 
 what was called a Central Conference ; that is, a representative 
 body of ministers and laymen meeting every two years, and au- 
 thorized to deal with all questions of general interest to our own 
 peculiar M'ork. At the outset this measure was looked upon as 
 pointing in the direction of ultimate independence, but those 
 
BESULTS THUS FAR OF THIS WORK. 547 
 
 who advocated it were careful to raise no issue of this kind. 
 Their object was simply to make a present provision for a pres- 
 ent want, and the history of the past ten years has abundantly 
 demonstrated the wisdom of those who first devised this plan 
 for the better administration of the affairs of a very widely scat- 
 tered Mission. The Central Conference meets every two years, 
 and its sessions are constantly growing in interest and impor- 
 tance. It has to deal with common interests which affect the 
 welfare of the work at points very widely scattered. Two of 
 our presiding elders, for instance, live at stations which are no 
 less than four thousand miles apart. Our missionaries and other 
 workers are preaching in sixteen different languages. A meet- 
 ing of this body is somewhat like a gathering of delegates from 
 all the nations of Europe, with a few added from Egypt and the 
 upper Nile. It is evident that as time goes on the gathering of 
 delegates from such widely scattered communities will constantly 
 grow in interest, while the feeling will become more and more 
 deeply rooted among all our people that they are truly engaged 
 in building up a mighty Christian empire which is to affect for 
 good the whole of Southern Asia. 
 
 Perhaps I could not do better than to insert here a brief ex- 
 tract from Light in the East, containing a reference to the last 
 meeting of the Central Conference : 
 
 " Early in last March our Central Conference held its biennial 
 session in the city of Allahabad. Delegates were present from 
 all parts of the empire, and also two, Dr. Luering and Mrs. Mun- 
 son, from the distant Malaysian Mission. This Central Confer- 
 ence has authority to deal with all questions which pertain to 
 our general interests throughout the vast field which we occupy 
 in Southern Asia, and its last meeting was an occasion of extraor- 
 dinary interest. A number of our Hindustanee brethren were 
 present as delegates, and I was greatly struck with the impres- 
 sion made upon them by those who had come from such immense 
 distances in the interests of our common work. It was also 
 noticed that the old-time missionary spirit, which used to be 
 
548 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 manifested in the early years when the missionary enterprise was 
 new to most Christians, developed itself in a remarkable way on 
 this occasion. An extraordinary impression was made upon the 
 delegates when Dr. Luering gave in simple language a report of 
 his work in Borneo, 
 
 " All the interior of the great island of Borneo, an island, by 
 the way, which is as large as France, is inhabited by tribes of 
 wild people called Dyaks. These men, without exception, are 
 said to be 'head-hunters;' that is, men who make it an object 
 in life to possess themselves of the skulls of persons killed by 
 themselves. It is said that a young man is not considered 
 worthy of acceptance as a husband until he has killed somebody ; 
 and every man's standing is much influenced by the number of 
 polished skulls which he is able to hang up under the ridge-pole 
 of his bamboo dwelling. A common belief is entertained, when 
 a man kills anyone and possesses himself of the skull of his 
 victim, that as long as he keeps it he will have incorporated into 
 his own person all the courage and other virtues which belonged 
 to the murdered man ; and hence every Dyak warrior is ex- 
 tremely unwilling to part with one of these trophies. 
 
 " After giving some details in regard to his life in Borneo, Dr. 
 Luering went on to speak of the terrible ravages caused by this 
 custom of head-hunting. During his comparatively brief stay 
 he was able to master one of the Dyak dialects sufficiently to 
 converse freely with the people, and among others a man of con- 
 siderable local influence seemed to be much influenced by what 
 he heard concerning Christ and his mission among men. He 
 had frequently talked to Dr. Luering about becoming a Chris- 
 tian, and at times it seemed as if he was really inclined to take 
 that decisive step. This man had no less than ninety skulls 
 suspended in his dwelling, and his visitors would always see 
 them occupying their conspicuous place, and know that an awful 
 story of crime was probably connected with each one of them. 
 
 "When Dr. Luering received his summons to return immedi- 
 ately to Singapore, he called on this man to say farewell. It 
 
RESULTS THUS FAR OF THIS WORK. 549 
 
 was a little after sunset, and the evening shadows were already 
 beginning to fall upon the village. The Dyak was much sur- 
 prised, and apparently sincerely sorry, when the missionary told 
 him that he must leaVe next day, and that he had come to say 
 farewell. The Dyak remonstrated warmly, and urged him to 
 remain, but was told in reply that there seemed no prospect 
 that, even if he should remain, he or any other Dyaks would 
 give up their sins and become Christians. He was assured that 
 possibly in a little time the man of the house himself would 
 take that much-desired step, whereupon Dr. Luering said to 
 him, ' If you are sincere, you will give me a token of your 
 honest purpose. You have often told me you would be a 
 Christian, and you now repeat it again ; if you will become a 
 Christian I will take the responsibility of remaining, to help the 
 rest of your people into a better life; or, if you will even give 
 me a pledge of your sincere purpose to become a Christian in 
 the future, I will see to it that some one comes to you without 
 delay. The pledge which I ask is this: let me take one of those 
 skulls and carry it back with me to Singapore, and I will keep it as 
 a token on your part that you wish us to return, and that you 
 honestly intend to become a Christian man.' At the mention 
 of so startling a proposal the Dyak grasped his long knife — a 
 terrible weapon in the use of which they are fearfully skillful— 
 and looked as if he would revenge the insult offered him on the 
 spot. His friends also looked startled, for according to their 
 notions no proposal could have been more insulting. The mis- 
 sionary, however, remained calm, and persisted in repeating his 
 proposal. There was silence for a little time, and then the 
 Dyak, pointing to his skulls, said to Dr. Luering, 'Take one.' 
 The permission was immediately accepted, and the horrible 
 trophy was carried back to Singapore." 
 
 It is given to few men of the present generation to see the 
 work of their own hands, begun in the face of many obstacles 
 and in the midst of startling perils, move steadily forth to such 
 grand proportions as the Mission founded by Dr. Butler has 
 
5 so THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 assumed. He began the work among a people speaking one 
 language; his successors preach in sixteen different tongues. 
 He entered a field containing seventeen million souls ; his suc- 
 cessors are planting missions among three hundred and twenty- 
 five million — one fifth of the human race. He lives to see his 
 younger brethren coursing up and down as messengers of 
 life and peace in a vast region which contains two and a half 
 times as large a population as was comprised in the whole 
 Ro.man Empire in the days of Barnabas and Paul. His sole 
 assistant, Joel T. Janvier, still survives, but he is now a patriarch 
 in the midst of a great host of men and women whom God has 
 raised up to bear a noble part in the work. Instead of timid, 
 doubting men, who at first came at long intervals to inquire 
 concerning the way of life, the inquirers of the present day are 
 numbered by the thousand. All the year round they stand 
 before us, twenty thousand strong. Truly God has vindicated 
 the counsel of his servant, verified the promises in which he 
 trusted, and crowned his life with tokens of blessing, such as 
 seldom fall to the lot of toilers in the Master's vineyard. 
 
 HI. Statistical Exhibit in 1894. — Thus far Bishop Thoburn's 
 article, connecting the past and the present, clearly shows 
 " what (iod has wrought" among the heathen through the in- 
 strumentality of our Church. It now remains for me to present 
 the results in statistical tables to enable our readers to compre- 
 hend the standing and significance of this great religious move- 
 ment, and then weigh their own duty in regard to it. God's 
 chosen instruments have evidently been *' building better than 
 they knew," for even here, before the first generation has passed 
 away, we are allowed to behold, with adoring amazement, the 
 divine growth of the precious seed, which they sowed with tears 
 amid the dark and trying scenes of thirty years ago. 
 
 Enghsh rule some time since nobly struck off the shackles 
 with which the Hindoo code and Brahmin pride had bound the 
 common people of India, leaving them free to do the best they 
 could for themselves. These downtrodden millions never 
 
RESULTS THUS FAB OF THIS WORK. 551 
 
 before in the history of the world have had a chance to rise, but 
 somehow, of late years, by the circulation of Gospel truth among 
 them, they have grasped the great idea that in Christ and 
 Christianity alone is there hope for them in this life and in all 
 that may come after it. 
 
 The sympathy of the Saviour was especially given to this 
 class. He rejoiced that '' to the poor was the Gospel preached." 
 His early ministry taught that God, who " made of one blood 
 all nations of men," had forbidden these false distinctions and 
 that any man was to be "called common or unclean." In this 
 spirit our Mission went to this people, and the following table 
 presents the blessed results so far realized. 
 
 We, first of all, present at suitable intervals up to 1888, and 
 from that date yearly up to 1894, the numerical statistics, and 
 then add to these the educational, financial, benevolent, and 
 other aspects of the work. 
 
 Numerical Statistics. 
 
 859. 
 863. 
 868. 
 873. 
 
 i^9i. 
 892. 
 
 Probationers. 
 
 Full IMembers. 
 
 Total 
 
 5 
 
 I 
 
 6 
 
 97 
 
 89 
 
 186 
 
 203 
 
 3S8 
 
 591 
 
 599 
 
 1. 173 
 
 1,772 
 
 1,788 
 
 2,907 
 
 4-695 
 
 2,819 
 
 3-393 
 
 6,212 
 
 4,782 
 
 5,065 
 
 9,867 
 
 5.770 
 
 6,517 
 
 12,287 
 
 17,191 
 
 9.877 
 
 27,068 
 
 18,017 
 
 10,615 
 
 28,632 
 
 27,995 
 
 15.938 
 
 43-933 
 
 36,971 
 
 20,961 
 
 57.932 
 
 Nor do these figures, wonderful as they are, show the full 
 reality of this great ingathering. The statistical reports for 1894 
 are not yet all at hand, but from such as have reached us we 
 realize that the increase for the present year will probably not 
 fall below the past five years — and we may therefore already 
 
552 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 rejoice that the membership in our India missions is no\v fully 
 seventy thousand souls ! 
 
 The gracious outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon this work 
 since 1889 has given us an average yearly increase equal to the 
 creation of sixty new congregations of two hundred souls each 
 per annum. During the past year in two of these Conferences 
 (the North and Northwest India), the baptisms have amounted 
 to eighteen thousand souls. So that American Methodism has 
 been baptizing at the rate of fifty converts every day during 
 1893 ! Does not this look like the dawn of that morning for 
 which the Lord Jesus has so long waited when he should " see 
 of the travail of His soul and be satisfied " — the harbinger of 
 that glad time when India will begin to supply her proportion 
 of that "great multitude which no man can number?" 
 
 Even already it is noted that the work among the lower 
 castes does not appear to have prevented successful endeavors 
 among the higher castes. Bishop Thoburn says that an ex- 
 amination of the statistics shows that " the largest number of 
 high-caste converts was reported from the very districts in which 
 the largest number of low-caste people had been baptized." 
 This is very encouraging. We are glad to have Christianity 
 come with its ameliorating influences to the "depressed" 
 classes ; but we are also glad to have it appeal successfully to 
 the educated and influential classes. It is in this way the terri- 
 ble caste system of India can be, and will be, overthrown. 
 
 The genuine character of the experience of these converts 
 is a constant source of joy to our missionaries, who frequently 
 refer to it with gratitude. Low motives are not mixed up with 
 it. They ask for nothing but to be taught "what they must do 
 to be saved." Many of the women converts (once so timid), 
 Brother Hoskins writes, " are now even more courageous than 
 the men " to endure persecution for their faith. 
 
 " Methodist methods," as some are pleased to call them, 
 have no secrets in them. They are simply the methods of 
 the New Testament. Believing, as we do, that the Lord 
 
BESULTS THUS FAR OF THIS WORK. 553 
 
 Jesus, in the same sense and with the same intention, died 
 for every one of these people, and authorizes us to offer to 
 each a free and conscious salvation through repentance and 
 faith in Christ, we earnestly urge its acceptance upon them, 
 as we do on sinners at home. The Holy Spirit indorses the 
 teaching and the offer, and the poor "weary and heavy laden" 
 heathen turns from his idols to the living God and accepts 
 Jesus as his Redeemer, and the work is done. He is saved, and 
 knows it and rejoices, and then goes and tells others "what 
 a Saviour he has found." This is all, and it is enough. 
 
 It may be doubted if converts anywhere have ever sought 
 Christian baptism under a more intelligent impulse than what has 
 led these thousands to us. Look at the facts. For thirty-fiv^e 
 years our agency has been going through their villages teaching 
 the way of salvation, distributing the Holy Scriptures, tracts, and 
 books among them. We have also been giving a Christian edu- 
 cation to thousands of their children, and the boys and girls have 
 daily taken to their homes and there repeated and sung the texts 
 and hymns which they have learned in their classes. For years 
 these people have been discussing together this wonderful faith, 
 brought thus to their doors, and now upon the good seed thus 
 sown so widely the Holy Spirit has graciously descended and 
 given it vitality, and this wonderful ingathering is the blessed 
 result. In every one of our schools the Bible is read, hymns sung, 
 and prayer offered. The first thing is to teach them to read the 
 Bible in the simple village school ; then follows the Anglo-vernac- 
 ular school for wider training; then the orphanages, to raise 
 teachers and preachers ; then the boarding and high schools ; 
 then comes the Christian college, male and female, for special 
 training. Adding the theological seminary, we have thus amply 
 provided for the wide Christian culture of our membership and 
 ministry. To all these we might add our numerous camp-meet- 
 ings, which are practically for those people high schools of in- 
 struction in Christian experience as well as helps to its attain- 
 ment. There has been no undue haste in our baptisms. 
 
554 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 We next present the agency by whose labors these thou- 
 sands have been drawn into the fellowship of our Christian faith. 
 That agency, too, in its surprising growth and adaptation to 
 meet the great demand, will be seen to be as marked a work of 
 the Holy Spirit as is the ingathering of the multitude whom they 
 are leading to Christ. 
 
 Agency. Number. 
 
 Foreign and Anglo-Indian missionaries 84 
 
 Wives of missionaries 75 
 
 Native members of Conference 90 
 
 • Native preacliers not in Conference 462 
 
 Local preachers 362 
 
 Exhorters 668 
 
 Bible readers and colporteurs 498 
 
 Pastor teachers, about 400 
 
 School teachers, about 450 
 
 Lady missionaries, W. F. M. S 48 
 
 Female teachers, 273, and Bible women, 250 523 
 
 Total 3,660 
 
 It is worthy of note here, as illustrating the devotion of these 
 foreign missionaries to their work, that the records show that of 
 the party of six who, with their wives, reached India in August, 
 1859, three of them are still at their work. Brother Downey and 
 Judd died, and Brother Baume returned home ; but Brothers 
 Parker, Waugh, and Thoburn are in the field to-day. The record 
 of the next party which came on the Sea King in March, 1861, 
 and another in January, 1862, are equally encouraging. Brother 
 Brown died, and Brothers Thomas and Hicks returned, but- 
 Brothers Johnson, Messmore, Jackson, Mansell, Scott, and Wil- 
 son, are still at the work. And yet, further, the next company, 
 who arrived in India in 1863, can claim a share in this honorable 
 mention, adding the ladies who still survive, and Brother Knowles, 
 who joined us in 1858, and Brother Humphrey, now returning, and 
 we have an aggregate, out of the twenty-five originally appointed, 
 of fifteen still at work in India ; that is, thirty-one years after the 
 arrival of the third party, sixty per cent of the three companies 
 
RESULTS THUS FAR OF THIS WORK. 555 
 
 are living and at work. Is there any other society that can show 
 a higher percentage of surviving missionaries at their work after 
 thirty-five years of toil in India? 
 
 We next present the educational statistics of the work in its 
 different aspects, from the simple school to the college and theo- 
 logical seminary, for the culture of these thousands and their 
 families, and for the training of a divinely-called native ministry to 
 guide and guard this work of God in the future that lies before it. 
 
 Number of Number of Number of 
 Schools. Teachers. Scholars. 
 
 Day-schools 1,202 1,401 31, 734 
 
 Sunday-schools 1,823 2,185 7o,794 
 
 Boarding and high schools 14 34 1,346 
 
 Orphanages, boys 5 16 296 
 
 Christian colleges, male (363 preparatory)... i 5 49 
 
 Christian colleges, female (151 preparatory). 146 
 
 Medical students in Agra College, male. ... . . . . 7 
 
 Medical students in Agra College, female. . .. .. ~ 21 
 
 Theological Seminary, Bareilly (206 gradu- 
 ates) I 5 81 
 
 Training school for wives of students (178 
 
 graduates) i 3 45 
 
 W. F. M. S. female orphanages 8 27 368 
 
 W. F. M. S. homes for homeless women. . . 3 9 100 
 W. F. M. S. pupils in schools and zenanas 
 (besides 32,000 patients in hospitals and 
 
 dispensaries in 1893) 302 345 31,259 
 
 Total 3.361 4,034 136,106 
 
 This table illustrates how thoroughly every interest of this 
 foreign mission bearing on the evangelization and elevation of a 
 great people, and looking to its wide extension among them, has 
 been attended to. 
 
 It may be doubted if converts anywhere have ever sought 
 Christian baptism under a more intelligent impulse than what 
 has led these thousands to us. Look at the facts. For thirty- 
 five years our agency has been going through their villages teach- 
 ing the way of salvation, distributing the Holy Scriptures, tracts, 
 and books amone them. We have also been sfivine a Christian 
 
55^ THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 education to thousands of their children, and the boys and girls 
 have daily taken to their homes and there repeated and sung the 
 texts and hymns which they have learned in their classes. For 
 years these people have been discussing together this wonderful 
 faith, brought thus to their doors, and now upon the good seed 
 sown so widely the Holy Spirit has graciously descended and 
 given it vitality, and this wonderful ingathering is the blessed 
 result. In every one of our schools the Bible is read, hymns 
 sung, and prayer offered. The first thing is to teach them to 
 read the Bible in the simple village school ; then follows the 
 Anglo-vernacular school for wider training; then the orphanages, 
 to raise teachers and preachers ; then the boarding and high 
 schools ; then comes the Christian college, male and female, for 
 special training. Adding the theological seminary, we have thus 
 amply provided for the wide Christian culture of our membership 
 and ministry. To all these we might add our numerous camp- 
 meetings, which are practically for those people high schools of 
 instruction in Christian experience as well as helps to its attain- 
 ment. There has been no undue haste in our baptisms. 
 
 The amount and value of the mission property in India accu- 
 mulated for the accommodation and extension of the work, is a 
 very encouraging portion of this exhibit. If I could here intro- 
 duce the photographs of the principal items they would add 
 greatly to the interest of this table. It is mostly paid for and 
 free, and has no serious burdens upon it. 
 
 Number. Value in Rupees. 
 
 Churches and chapels 145 775,786 
 
 Parsonages 165 446,778 
 
 Publishing houses, Lucknow, Bombay, and 
 
 Madras 3 195,000 
 
 Schoolhouses (besides hired halls) 179 446,928 
 
 Colleges and land 2 • 30,500 
 
 Theological Seminary i 22,000 
 
 Orphanages, hospitals, etc 100,000 
 
 W. F, M. S. homes, schools, etc 446,500 
 
 Total 2,463,492 
 
 Equal, at three rupees to the dollar, to $821,164 
 
RESULTS THUS FAR OF THIS WORE. 557 
 
 It now remains only to present the yearly contributions — the 
 self-help, realized in India for the support and extension of this 
 growing work of God— ere we close this exhibit of the condition 
 which it has already attained. 
 
 Benevolent Collections, 1893. 
 
 Rupees. 
 
 Missions 2, 1590 
 
 Sunday-schools i,7''6 
 
 Church Extension 2152 
 
 Tract cause 52 
 
 Bible Society -, i5 
 
 Children's Day....*.... gog 
 
 Dispensaries, etc 1,869 
 
 Total. 
 
 7.5^1 
 
 Educational Contributions, 
 
 English residents, for schools 9o33 
 
 Government grants, for schools 53.837 
 
 Fees from scholars 86,839 
 
 Total 1 50,009 
 
 Ministerial Support. 
 
 Europeans 45.541 
 
 Natives, for their pastors 6,482 
 
 For Bishops and Presiding Elders 199 
 
 For Conference Claimants 622 
 
 Total 52,844 
 
 Total raised in 1893 210,374 
 
 Equal to .$70,127 
 
 The grants in aid of our schools are voted on the merits and 
 
 results, which the government inspector of schools finds by his 
 
 personal examination of them yearly, while the contributions of 
 
 the English officers, civil and inilitary, are given and continued 
 
 on their intelligent conviction of the value of our work among 
 
 the native people ; and higher endorsement than both of these 
 
 we cannot desire or look for. 
 36 
 
558 THE LAND OF THE VEDA: 
 
 Deeply grateful that I have been spared to present this ex- 
 hibit of the work which I was honored to found thirty-eight 
 years ago, I close this article, earnestly commending that work, 
 in the flood tide of its divine prosperity and power of usefulness 
 for the blessed future before it, to the sympathy and increased 
 liberality of the ministry and membership of our Church. May 
 God bless them all and our entire staff of workers in India, and 
 their devoted and laborious Bishop, until we meet in that glori- 
 ous presence where " he that soweth and he that reapeth shall 
 rejoice together " forever, prays their humble fellow-servant in 
 
 Christ. 
 
 ^ William Butler. 
 
 Newton Center, Mass. 
 
GLOSSARY OF INDIAN TERMS 
 
 USED IN THIS WORK AND IN MISSIONARY CORRESPONDENCE. 
 
 (The common spelling Is given In Italic, followed by the corrett or phonetic spelling In Eoman.) 
 
 Ab 'Ab "Water ; e. g., Bo-ab, two waters ; Punj-ab, five waters 
 
 Abad ' Abad A dwelling or city, as Allah-abad, City of God 
 
 Adawlat. Adalat A court of justice. 
 
 Admee 'Admi A man. 
 
 Allah Allah The Arabic or Mohammedan name of God. 
 
 Alum 'Alam The universe, or world. 
 
 Ameen Amin A native Judge. 
 
 , , A -4. ^ The water of immortality : the ambrosia of the Hiji' 
 
 Amreeta Amrit ■; -^ ' 
 
 ( doo gods. 
 
 Anna 'Ana A coin ; the sixteenth of a rupee, worth three cents. 
 
 Ap 'Ap Your Honor. 
 
 Asman 'Asman Heaven ; the firmament or sky. 
 
 Asoor Asur A devil, an evil spirit. 
 
 Ata ' Ata Flour, meal. 
 
 Attar Itr Essence, or rose oil. 
 
 . . . ., ( An incarnation; particularly of Vishnu, nine of 
 
 \ which have taken place, the tenth is yet to come. 
 
 Ayali 'Ayah A maid or nurse. 
 
 Baboo Babu Hindoo title of respect ; sir, gent 
 
 Bagh Bagh A garden or grove. 
 
 Bahadoor Bahadur Brave, title of rank. 
 
 Bajra Bajra A kind of millet. 
 
 D-„„ B' ' i "^^^ "Word; the so-caUed sacred writings of the 
 
 \ Bhuddists. 
 
 Bandy Bandi A gig or cart. 
 
 Bwaghy Bahangi i ^ P^^^ ^'^^^ ^"^P^"- ^""^ ""^'^^ ^^S^^^*' ^'^ *^' 
 
 I shoulder. 
 
 Bangle Bangle A bracelet. 
 
 Bap Bap Father. 
 
 Baraduree Baradari i ^ ^"^^'^^^^ ^^'^ *^®^^« '^''«"- ^ summer-house in 
 
 I a garden. 
 
 Bar at Barat Marriage ceremony of bringing home the bride. 
 
 Bosun Basan A plate, dish, or vessel 
 
 Bavnirchee Bawarchi A cook. 
 
 Bawarcheekana. . . Bawarchikhana . .A cooking-place or kitchen. 
 
 Bazaar Bazar A market or trading-street. 
 
 r> r. -D' 1 ' ^ A land measure : about one third of an acre, but 
 
 Beegah Biglia i ' ~ ■, 
 
 ( differing in the various provinces of India. 
 
560 THE LAND OF THE VEDA 
 
 m Begam A princess or lady, (Mohammedan title.) 
 
 Bdatee Walayati Foreign, European. 
 
 Bhadrnauth Badrinath i ^he Lord of Purity. The deity worshiped 
 
 \ Bhadrinauth. 
 
 Bhugavai Bhagavat One of the names of Brahm. God. 
 
 Bhugavai- Gita . . . Bhagavat-Gita . . .A philosophic episode of the " Mahabarata." 
 
 Bhung Bhang An intoxicating preparation of hemp. 
 
 Bheestee Bihishtl A water carrier. 
 
 Bhoosa Bhiis Food for cattle; chaff. 
 
 Blwot . , Bhiit A ghost or spirit. 
 
 Bihisht Bihisht Paradise, heaven. 
 
 Bouzees .Bouzis The priests in China and Tartary. 
 
 Boodha Budha. Old man. 
 
 Boot But .An idol or pagoda. 
 
 Brahm Brahm God; the Divine essence. 
 
 Brahma Brahma The personal Creator. 
 
 Brahma-loka Brahma-lok. . . \ ^^^ ^'^^^^^ ^^ *^® ^^^^^"'^ ^^^^^*^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ 
 
 I Buddhists. 
 
 Brahmin Brahman Hindoo priest ; the first of the four Hindoo castes. 
 
 Brahma Somaj. . . Brahmo Somaj . i ^ ^"^ '^"^ °^ '■"^°™^<^ ^^•^^'^^' ^^^^^^ themselves 
 
 ( intuitional deists. 
 
 Brinj'aries Brinjari Carriers of grain. 
 
 Budgerow. ...... .Bajra A large cabin-boat ; a pleasure-boat. 
 
 „ , „ T? (^1 i Gotama ; a historical personage worshiped in Thibet, 
 
 / China, etc. Called Fo in China. 
 
 Buddhist Buddhist A follower of Gotama-Buddha. 
 
 Bucksheesh Bakhshish A present or gift. 
 
 Bungalow. . ^ Bangla A house, usually thatched. 
 
 Bunya Baniya A grain merchant or trader. 
 
 Burra Bara Great. 
 
 Bursal Barsat Rains, or the "rainy season." 
 
 Buttee Batti A candle or lamp ; a lamp-wick. 
 
 Byragee Bairagi A religious mendicant, a worshiper of Vishnu. 
 
 Bylee Bahli A native carriage drawn by bullocks. 
 
 Caranchie Karanchi A native carriage. 
 
 ^ ^ „ ,, (A division of Hindoo society, of which there are four 
 
 Caste Zat i '' 
 
 I principal: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaisya, Sudra. 
 
 „ „, , i A Mohammeaan Judge, who decides civil and crira- " 
 
 Cazee Qazi J . , . , , ° ' 
 
 ( inal suits by the Koran. 
 
 Chand. Chand The moon. 
 
 _ /^^, / " < A light native cot or bedstead, usually made of 
 
 Charpoy Charpai •{,, 
 
 ( bamboo and cords. 
 
 Chattah Chhata An umbrella. 
 
 CheetaJi Chita A leopard ; frequently used in hunting. 
 
 Ghirragh .... Chiragh A small light or lamp. 
 
 Qhitak Chhatank A weight of about two ounces. 
 
 Chittee Chitthi A note or letter. 
 
 Chdbedar Chobdar A bearer of a silver mace. 
 
 Chokey Chauki A chair or stool; a guard station. 
 
 Chokra Chokra A boy. Chokri: a girL 
 
GLOSSAMT OF INDIAN TERMS. 56 1 
 
 Chor Chor A robber, a thief. 
 
 Ghota Chhota Little. 
 
 Clioia-hazree Chhoti-haziri . . . .A slight refreshment in the morning. 
 
 Chowk Chauk A market, yard, or court. 
 
 Ghovikeydar Chaukidar, A watchman. 
 
 Chowrie Cliauri A whisk for driving off flies. 
 
 Chuddur Chaddar ....... .A sheet or table-cloth. 
 
 Chumar Chumar A leather-dresser. 
 
 Ohunam Chunam Lime. 
 
 Clmpatti Chapati A thin, unleavened cake of coarse flour. 
 
 Ghupper Chappar A thatched roof. 
 
 Chuprassie Chaprasi A peon or messenger. 
 
 Ghuruk-poojah . . .Charkh-puja An annual barbarous swinging festival. 
 
 Ghuttiey Ghatni A kind of pungent sauce or catsup. 
 
 Goolie Quli A burden-bearer, a laborer. 
 
 Goss Kos. The Hindoo mile ; about two English milea. 
 
 Gowrie Kauri A small shell used as currency ; 5, 120 to a rupee. 
 
 Grore Karor Ten millions ; one hundred lakhs. 
 
 ^ 1^/ / j A popular Indian dish, composed of meat cooked m 
 
 * " ' ^ a dressing of spices, and eaten with boiled rice. 
 
 Gutcha Kachcha \ ^^""^P^ ' uncooked; green; imperfect; buUt of un- 
 
 I burnt brick. 
 Outcherry Kachahri A court-house, or court of justice. 
 
 Dacoit Dakait A robber or river-pirate. 
 
 Dai Dai A wet-nurse ; a midwife. 
 
 T)r,„jy Dandi ^ "^ ^^^'^'* conveyance, or sedan, borne on the shoulders 
 
 ' \ of two men. 
 
 Daroga Darogha A superintendent; an agent. 
 
 Dawk Dak A post, letter post, or arrangements for traveling. 
 
 Dawk Bungalow . .Dak Bungla A rest-house for travelers. 
 
 Deccan Dakhan The South. 
 
 Deen Din Religion, faith. 
 
 Devar Dewa A Hindoo name for the gods generally. 
 
 Dewan Diwan A chief minister: an agent. 
 
 Dewanee KJiass. . .Diwan i Khass. . .The audience-haU of the " Great Moguls." 
 
 Dharma Dharm Divine law, duty, virtue. 
 
 Dharma Shastra . , Dharm Shastr. . . . The Hindoo Code ; religion, science, morals, law. 
 Djierna Dherna . . \ '^^^ custom of sitting in defiance before one's door 
 
 ( to compel compliance with a demand. 
 
 Dhobee Dhobi A washerman. Dhobin : a washerwoman. 
 
 Doai . . . Doab . i "^ ^^'^^^ °^ country between two rivers ; as that be- 
 
 / tween the Ganges and Jumna. 
 
 Dooley Doli A litter, or light palanquin. 
 
 Dozukh Dozakh Hell. 
 
 Durbar Darbar A court where a levee is held. 
 
 Durbeen Durbin A spy-glass or telescope. 
 
 Dv/rga-Poqjah. . . .Durga-Puja ...\^ ^^^""^^ festival of the Hindoos, extending over fif- 
 
 ( teen days, in honor of the Goddess Durga. 
 
 Durvesh Darwesh A Mohammedan sage or beggar. 
 
 Durwan Darwan A gate-keeper. 
 
562 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Durzee Darzi A tailor. 
 
 DusifOor Dastur Customs, manners, usage. 
 
 Dustoori Dastiiri Fee or percentage exacted by middlemeu and servants 
 
 Dwaper Tug Dwapur Jug . . . .The third age of tlie world. 
 
 Eblis .Iblis The Mohammedan name for the Devil. 
 
 Eed 'Id A Mohammedan festival; their Easter. 
 
 Emir or Ameer . . . Amir A chief or noble. 
 
 Eurasians Eurasians i Descendants of Europeans and Asiatics sometimes 
 
 ( called East Indians, or half-castes. 
 
 Fakir Paqir A religious mendicant. 
 
 Feringhee Fariughi , . .A European; a foreigner. 
 
 Ferishta Farishta An angel. 
 
 Firdoos Firdaus Paradise; the heaven of the Mohammedans. 
 
 Mrman Farman ... A royal order, mandate, command. 
 
 Foujdar Faujdar A commander ; an army ofScer. 
 
 Gunesha Ganesh | ^ ^^^^^'^ ^^^^^'- ^^^® ^^"^ °^ Wisdom, represeniea 
 
 \ with an elephant's head. 
 
 Ganges Guno-a j ^'^® ^'^^^ "^®'" ^^ ^^^'^- -^^^^ Gunga, the river, 
 
 ° \ represented as a deity. 
 
 Gharree Gari .A carriage, cart. 
 
 Ghareewan Gariwan A coachman. 
 
 ^j . Qj /J. { A landing or bathing-place; flight of steps at a 
 
 / river ; also, a pass in mountains. 
 
 Ghee. Ghi An inferior butter used for cooking. 
 
 Ghogra Ghogra A river in Upper India, a tributary of the Ganges 
 
 Gholam Ghulam A slave, a servant. 
 
 Ghora Ghora A horse. 
 
 Ghur Ghar House, home, habitation. 
 
 Ghurra Ghara An earthen water-pot or pitcher. 
 
 Ghurree Ghari A clock, watch, hour. 
 
 Gomashta Gumaslita . . .An agent, officer, or superintendent. 
 
 Goomtee Gumti A river in Oude flowing by Lucknow. 
 
 Godown Gudam A store-house, cellar, warehouse, magazine. 
 
 Gora Gora A white man ; an English soldier. 
 
 Gossain Gossain A religious mendicant worshiping Mahadev, (Shiva.) 
 
 Gonah Gunah A sin, crime. 
 
 Gram Gram A kind of vetch, pulse, or peas. 
 
 Guddee Gaddi Pad, cushion, or seat; a throne or royal seat. 
 
 Guicowar .Gaekwar Name of a sovereign in the South. 
 
 Gully Gah Street, alley, way. 
 
 Guroo Guru A religious teacher, priest. 
 
 Guz Gaz A measure ; a short yard. 
 
 Hackery Hackery A native cart drawn by bullocks. 
 
 n- ,. Tx^., j A Mohammedan who has made the pilgimage to 
 
 ( Mecca. 
 
 Hukeem Hakim A Mohammedan doctor, a sage, philosopher. 
 
 Hakim Hakim A ruler, governor, king. 
 
QL0S8ABT OF INDIAN TERMS. 563 
 
 Hanuman Hanuman The deified monkey who was the ally of Rama. 
 
 Bar em Haram Sacred, prohibited, the inner or women's apartmenta 
 
 Hati Hathi An elephant. 
 
 EavUdar Hawaldar A native sergeant. 
 
 Hazree Haziri Breakfast, presence. 
 
 Heiira Hiiri i -^^^^ » *^^® flight of Mohammed from Mecca, 1 Gth 
 
 \ of July, A. D. 622; the Mohammedan era. 
 
 Hera, Hira A diamond. 
 
 Hookah Huqqa A smoking-pipe. 
 
 jjoqUq^ ttqU j -A. Hmdoo festival to commemorate the beginning of 
 
 ( the new year. 
 
 Hoondes. Hundi A native bank-note ; a bill of exchange. 
 
 Howdah Hauda i "^ box-seat on an elephant's back ; an elephant's 
 
 ' ( saddle. 
 
 Huck ,. .. .Haqq Equity, truth, reason. 
 
 Hurkaru Harkara A messenger, a running courier. 
 
 Hurrumzadu Haramzada A rascal, a bastard. 
 
 Huzar Hazar A thousand. 
 
 Huzoor Huzur Royal presence; "Your Honor." 
 
 ^uzrat Hazrat < Excellency, majesty, divine; a title accorded to 
 
 ' / superiors. 
 Huzrat Isa Hazrat 'Isa Jesus Christ. 
 
 !The God of Light. The leading ancient Yedic deity, 
 sometimes called the God of Heaven, but now 
 occupying only an inferior position. 
 
 Islam Islam The Mohammedan religion. 
 
 Man., Istdn or Sthdn. i ^ termination, signifying place or country, as Aff- 
 
 I ghanistan that of the Afifghans. 
 Izzut ; . . . .Izzat Honor, respect. 
 
 , , T' ' < A State or landed estate assigned by Government 
 
 Jagheei Jagir < ^ ° •' 
 
 ( as a reward. 
 
 Jaghiredar Jagirdar A person holding a jagheer. 
 
 Jehan Jahan The world. 
 
 Johaz Jahaz A ship. 
 
 Jain Jain A kind of degenerate Buddhists. 
 
 Jat Jat A caste or sect; a tribe among the Rajpoots. 
 
 Jeel Jhil A shallow lake or pond. 
 
 T J T A' < A native subaltern oflBcer ; head-man of a village or 
 
 Jemmadar Jamadar i ' " 
 
 ( class. 
 
 r- T- < According to the Mohammedans, an intermediate 
 
 Jmn Jmn i ° ' 
 
 ( race between angels and men. 
 
 Joiee Juti A shoe or slipper. 
 
 Jowar Joar A kind of millet. 
 
 7. ,, T '4.U < The Lord of the "World. A god of the Hindoos, 
 
 Juggernauth Jaganath. < ^ . 
 
 ( whose temple is at Onssa, 
 
 Juldee Jaldi Quick I quickly ! 
 
 Tir --J T -Kr "A < Chief mosque at Delhi. The largest place of Mo- 
 JvmmaMusjtd.. , .Jama MasnoL. . i , / , . . ^ ,. 
 
 ( hammedan worship m India. 
 
 Jammaut Jamaat Assembly, meeting, congregation. 
 
564 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Jurana Jamuna A river of North-west India. 
 
 Jungh Jangal A thicket, desert, wilderness, wood. 
 
 Kaffir .... Kafir An infidel ; impious rascal. 
 
 Kalee Kali The Hindoo goddess of destruction. 
 
 „ ,. y 1^ , y j The fourth or present age of the world ; the black or 
 
 ] iron age. 
 
 Kalpa .Kalpa A day of Brahma, equal to 4,320,000,000 solar years 
 
 Karen Karen An aboriginal race in the hills of Burmah. 
 
 j^ . KW\{ i M^goiflcent; the ancient name of Benares, stUl so 
 
 ' / called by the Brahmins. 
 
 Katree Khatri A military caste of Hindoos. 
 
 Khansama Khansaman A steward or butler. 
 
 Kheleet Kliilat. A robe or dress of honor presented as a gift. 
 
 Keranee Kirani A writer, clerk ; a man of mixed blood. 
 
 Khuda Kliuda Grod. 
 
 Khudawund Khud4wand Lord, sir, master. 
 
 Kitmutghar. . .... .Khidmatgar A table attendant. 
 
 Kincob Kimkhwab Brocade. 
 
 Kismut Qismat . Destiny, chance, fortune. 
 
 c "Mountain of Light." A diamond so called, lor- 
 Koh-i-noor Koh-i-nur J merly worn by the Great Moguls, and now by the 
 
 ( Queen of England. 
 
 T^ r, ' \ The supposed revelation to Mohammed, collected by 
 
 Koran Quran { ^^ ' •' 
 
 I the Caliph Omar. 
 
 Kotee Kothi A house, mansion, dwell J3g. 
 
 Kotwal Kotwal Mayor of the city, police officer. 
 
 Kotwalie Kotwali Mayor's office or police station. 
 
 Krishna Krishn The name of Vishnu in his eighth incarnation. 
 
 Kshatriya.. ..... .Kshatri The second or military caste of the Hindoos. 
 
 2j, , 1^, j The Mohammedan confession of faith : "There is no 
 
 \ God but God, and Mohammed is his Prophet." 
 
 Kupra-wallah Kapra-wala A cloth merchant. 
 
 Lac Lakh One hundred thousand. 
 
 ( The Buddhist priests of Tartary and Thibet, the 
 Lamas Lamas •< chief of whom is called Dali, Grand Lama, or 
 
 ( Living Buddha. 
 
 Larka Larka A babe, boy, child. Larkee: a girl. 
 
 T. T- \ Memhrum virile; the indelicate form under which 
 
 Linga Lmg i . 
 
 ( Shiva IS worshiped. 
 
 Log Log Mankind, people. 
 
 Lohar Lohar A blacksmith.. 
 
 Lungoor Lungur A baboon ; the black-faced monkey. 
 
 Maha Maha Great, illustrious. 
 
 !The second great Sanscrit epic of the Hindoos, cel- 
 ebrating the wars of the rival Pandooa and 
 Kuroos. 
 
 Mahadeva Mahadev One of the names of the god Shiva. 
 
 Maharajah Mahdraja A great king. 
 
GLOSSARY OF INDIAN TERMS. 565 
 
 {A celestial age in Hindoo chronology, including 
 12,000 divine years, each of which is equal to 
 360 solar years, the Maha-Tug being equal to 
 4,320,000 years of mortals. 
 
 Mahout Mahaut. ; An elephant-keeper and driver. 
 
 Malik Malik Master, lord, ruler. 
 
 Malee Mali A gardener. 
 
 Manjes Manjhi Master of a vessel ; a steersman. 
 
 MeiAan Maidan A plain, ground, field-of-battle. 
 
 j^g^^ jj-gj^ _ j Hindoo fair or festival held for religious or commer- 
 
 ' \ cial purposes. 
 j/g„y j^IeQu \'^^^ author of the legal and religious Code of the 
 
 Hindoos. 
 
 Methur Mihtar A sweeper. 
 
 Mithuranee Mihtarani A low-caste nurse. 
 
 Minar Minar A tower, minaret, obelisk. 
 
 Mirza Mirza Prince, sir. 
 
 Mochee Mochi A shoemaker. 
 
 Mohulla .Mahalla Quarter, district, division. 
 
 Mohur Muhr A gold coin, valued at sixteen rupees or eight dollars. 
 
 Mohurrum Muharram The first month of the Mohammedan year. 
 
 Moolk Mulk Country, region. 
 
 Moonshee Munshi A teacher of languages, usually a Mohammedan. 
 
 Moonsif. Munsif Arbitrator, Judge. 
 
 Mootee Moti A pearl. 
 
 Moulah Moulah A Mohammedan priest, doctor, teacher. 
 
 Moulvie Maulvi A learned Mohammedan. 
 
 Muntra Mantra Mystic verses or incantations of the Brahmins. 
 
 Musjeed Masjid A mosque ; Mohammedan place of worship. 
 
 Mussal Mashal A light or torch. 
 
 Mussalcliee Mashalchi A link-boy, torch-bearer. 
 
 Mussi^k Mashk A leathern bottle for carrying water. 
 
 Mussulman Musalm^n . . . . ^^ *^™ "^^^' "^e Moslem, to denote all who believe 
 
 / in the Koran. 
 
 Musnud Masnad A throne, a royal seat. 
 
 Muezzin Muazzin The person who calls the Mohammedans to prayer, 
 
 Naih Naib Deputy or viceroy. 
 
 Namaz Namaz Prayer, (Mohammedan term.) 
 
 N'ana Nana Maternal grandfather. 
 
 Nautch Natch The dance, ball, etc. 
 
 N'abob Nawab A Mohammedan title, viceroy, governor. 
 
 Nazim or Nizam. .Nizam Ruler. 
 
 Nimmuk Namak Salt. 
 
 Nimmuk-haram . . .Namak-haram. . .A traitor to his "covenant of salt." 
 
 Koor Niir Splendor, light. 
 
 N'ubee Nabi A prophet. 
 
 Nuddee Nadi A stream, river. 
 
 Nugger Nagar A town, viuage, city. 
 
 Nullah Nullah A water-course, a ravine. 
 
 ISfuzzur Nazar An offering. 
 
566 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Padishah \ J^, ,^/!', t A king, ruler, emperor. 
 
 / Badshah ) 
 
 Paddy. Paddy Rice ; rice in the field. 
 
 p , v'c\ ' i "^ common term in India for a Christian clergyman; 
 
 " ' ' " ' ( a priest_, (Portuguese.) 
 
 Pagoda ........ .Pagoda A Hindoo place of worship. 
 
 Pahar Pahar A hill or mountain. 
 
 Paharee Pahari A hill man, mountaineer. 
 
 Palankeen ) p'lki i ^ litter for one person to ride in, the usual convey- 
 
 Palanquin ) ( ance in India. 
 
 P Pflrt!! 3 ■^ ^®'^* found in Western India, the followers o( 
 
 Zoroaster, or the Persian Magi. 
 
 Parsivanath Parisnath The deity of the Jains. 
 
 p . Pathan -5 "^ ''^''™ ^PPlied to the old AfFghan Mohammedans 
 
 I as distinguished from the Moguls. 
 
 r The betel-leaf; the nut of the areca-palm, lime, and 
 Pawn Pan ./ spice wrapped in a betel-leaf and chewed by the 
 
 ( natives. 
 Peer Pir. A Mohammedan spiritual guide ; a sage. 
 
 r A leader; originally the title of the chief minister 
 Peishwah ...Peshwa J of the Mahratta, later a royal designation of 
 
 ( Bajee Rao and Nana Sahib. 
 
 Pergunna Pargana A district, township ; less than a zillah. 
 
 -p • ' j A copper coin; one third of an anna, value nearly 
 
 xtce, ............ X aisa •{ . 
 
 ( one cent. 
 
 Pig Pai A copper coin ; one twelfth of an anna. 
 
 Poojah Puja Worship, prayer. 
 
 Ripe, finished, thorough, (as a burned brick,) perfect. 
 
 ^ Used to discriminate a true from a false Christian. 
 
 Punchaet Pauchayat A jury of five men. 
 
 A Brahmin learned in the Vedas and Shasters ; a 
 
 ^ teacher of the Hindee or Sanscrit language. 
 A large, wooden, covered frame, suspended from the 
 
 Punkah Pankha { ceiling, with a heavy, deep frill, kept in motion by 
 
 a coolie, as a fan, to cool the air in a room. 
 
 Poor or Pore Pur ) ^'^ ^^"^^ *^'' ^^^^'■' ^^^^ ^^ composition, as Seeta-pore, 
 
 ( the City of Seeta. 
 
 Puranas .Puran \ ^^^® especial desiguation of the eighteen books of 
 
 " * / the Hindoo legends or traditions. 
 
 Purda Parda A curtain or vail; partition, secrecy, privacy. 
 
 Purda-nashssn.. . . Parda-nashin . . . .A secluded lady; one sitting behind a curtain. 
 Purwana Parwana A permit, pass, or order. 
 
 Rais Rais A prince, chief, head, citizen. 
 
 Paj Raj Empire, kingdom, government. 
 
 Rajah Rajah Kingi prince, sovereign. 
 
 Ramadan Ramzan The name of a montli; a fast of the Mohammedans 
 
 Ranee Rani Feminine of Rajah; a Hindoo princess or queen. 
 
 Rupee Rupi A silver coin, worth nearly fifty cents. 
 
 Rutt. Rath A four-wheeled carriage or car. 
 
 Ryot .Raaiyat A peasant ; a tenant or subject. 
 
GLOSSABY OF INDIAN TERMS. 567 
 
 Sahib . . . ...... Sahib Sir, lord, gentleman. 
 
 Satya Fug Sat Jug The first age of the world; age of truth.. 
 
 Sepoy Sipahi A native soldier. 
 
 iFrom Sura, house, and Ahul, domestic; hence 
 Suralio or Seraglio, the family or female apart- 
 ments. 
 
 Sewalla Shivala A. temple. 
 
 Shades Sliadi Marriage, wedding, happiness. 
 
 Sliah Shah A king, a prince, (Mdhammedau title.) 
 
 ShaJizdda. ...... .Shahzada The son of a king. 
 
 ShaMraoT Shaster. ShsbStr. Hindoo Scriptures. 
 
 r The Hindoo God of Destruction, husband of Kali, 
 
 Shiva Shiv J and the third member of the Hindoo Triad or 
 
 ( Trimurti. 
 
 f One of the great Mohammedan sects ; followers of 
 
 II Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet, and esteeming 
 the three Caliphs, Abubeker, Omar, and Omau, as 
 usurpers. To this sect belong the Persians gen- 
 j erally, the royal family of Oude, and most of the 
 [ lower orders of Mussulmans in India. 
 
 Shroff. Sharraf A native banker or money-changer. 
 
 Shy tan Shaitan The devil, Satan. 
 
 Sheikh Shaikh i '^ disciple, follower, scholar; the name of the 
 
 ( religionists in the Punjab. 
 Sirhar Sirkar The State or Government. 
 
 !The milky juice of the moon-plant mixed with bar- 
 ley and fermented, forming an intoxicating drink ; 
 used in the ancient Yedic worship 
 '"Followers of the traditions," who maintain the 
 lawful succession of the three Caliphs before Ali, 
 and pay great respect to the traditions of Islam. 
 The Arabs, Turks, Affghans, and most of the 
 educated Mussulmans of India, are of this class, 
 and style themselves Orthodox, the Sheeas being 
 regarded as heretics. 
 
 Sowar Sawar A cavalryman, a mounted soldier or policeman. 
 
 Suhadar Subadar A governor of a province, a captain. 
 
 Suhah Suba A province. 
 
 Sudder Sadr i Chief, principal, as Sudder-adaiolut, the Supreme 
 
 \ Court of Justice in India. 
 Sudra Siidr i '^^® fourth or servile caste of the Hindoos ; now 
 
 } vaguely applied to all low classes. 
 o j^ Sultan ) Sovereign, prince, (Mohammedan ;) also a title for- 
 
 ( merly borne by the royal family of DeUii, 
 
 Surmud Sanad A grant or diploma. 
 
 Surdar Sardar A chief, head-man, commander. 
 
 g.,ug. g£4^ j The ceremony of burning a widow with her bus- 
 
 ' ) band's corpse. 
 
 Syce Sals A groom or horse-keeper. 
 
 Synd or Said. . . . .Saiyad \^ P"°^^ ' ^ descendant of Hossein, son of Ali, a^d 
 
 ( grandson of Mohammed. 
 
 Soonees Sunnis 
 
568 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Taj Taj A crown. 
 
 Talook Taaluq AStateorBarony, usually larger than a Zemeeiidaree, 
 
 Talookdar Taaluqdar A land-holder, a barou. 
 
 jT^^^ Tatti ^ ^ ™^* made of cus-cus grass, kept wet, and aus- 
 
 \ peuded before a window to cool the room, 
 
 Tattoo Tattu ........ .A pouy. 
 
 Thakoor Thakiir Idol, lord, baron. 
 
 Thanna Thana A police station. 
 
 Terai .Tarai A swamp, marsh, or miasmatic region. 
 
 Thannadar , .Thanadar A police officer or constable. 
 
 yri Thao- 3 ^ professional murderer and devotee of the goddes? 
 
 "■"■ ° \ Kali. 
 
 Tola Tola, One hundred and eighty grains Troy weight. 
 
 Tonjon Tonjon A chair with a hood. 
 
 Tope Top A clump of trees ; a cannon. 
 
 Treta Tug Tret Jug The second age of the world; the silvei age. 
 
 TukM Takht Chair, throne, seat. 
 
 Tuliuar Talwar A native sword. 
 
 Tussuldar Tahsildar A collector of revenue. 
 
 Upanisliads Upanishads Expository supplements to ihe Vedas. 
 
 Vaiahnavas Yaishnavas The worshipers of Vishnu. 
 
 Vaisya Yaisya . . .The third or agricultural caste of the Hindoos. 
 
 Vakeel Vakil An envoy, prime agent. 
 
 {From Ved^ learning, the most ancient sacred books 
 of the Hindoos, of which there are four ; the Eig- 
 Veda, the Yajur-Veda, the Sama-Yeda, and the 
 Atharva-Veda. 
 p. , . , j A system of pantheistical philosophy fouuded on 
 
 " ' ] scattered texts of the Vedas. 
 
 y. ■, -y-. , j The Preserver ; the second member of tne Hindoo 
 
 / Triad or Trimurti. 
 Vizier. "Wazir The chief minister in a Mohammedan sovereignty. 
 
 Wah Wah Wall "Wah Admirable ! well-done 1 bravo I 
 
 Wilaei. "Wilayat Country, region, abroad, foreign. 
 
 Wufadar Wafadar Faithful. 
 
 Togee Jogi A silent saint 
 
 Tug Jug An age of the world 
 
 Zcen Zin A saddle. 
 
 Zemeendar Zamindar Land-holder ; collector of revenue of a district. 
 
 Zemeendaree Zamindari A province. 
 
 Zenana Zanana From Zun, a woman, the inner apartments in India, 
 
 Zillah Zila An extensive district. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Page 
 Agra, tomb of Etmad-od-Doulah at, 
 
 view aud description of 151-156 
 
 Almorah, flight to 282 
 
 Aristocracy of India, habits and life of 55 
 
 Astronomtj of the Hindoos 82 
 
 Azeemoolah Khan, agent of Nana Sahib. 182 
 , treachery of, at Oawiipore. .296, 301 
 
 Baboo Duckinarunjun Mookerjee, reply 
 
 of, to Lord EUenborough 360 
 
 Bahadur Khan, visit to, in prison 443 
 
 , trial and death of. 446 
 
 Bajee Rao, the Peishwa of Poonah. . . . ITS 
 
 Bareilly, Dr. Butler's arrival at 221 
 
 and Boston, singular coincidence at 258 
 
 , battle of. 438 
 
 , day of small things at 223 
 
 , desperate charge of Ghazees at 
 
 battle of. 439 
 
 , destruction at 257 
 
 , Dr. Butler's return to 441 
 
 , massacre at 246 
 
 , Mission-liouse and Orphanage of. 517 
 
 — — •, our first visitor at 221 
 
 ■ , preaching at, before Havelock's 
 
 men 442 
 
 , warning to flee from 234 
 
 Baugh, Major, escape of his lady from 
 
 Moradabad 263 
 
 Bentinck, LordWilliam, abolishes Suttee 394 
 Bhagvat Geeta, the, a sacred book. ... 24 
 
 , its rules of moral perfection for 
 
 Yogees 202 
 
 , rejects the common origin of our 
 
 race 24 
 
 Boiohill, Dr., communication from, be- 
 fore Delhi 289 
 
 Brahma, the length of his " Days " and 
 
 "Nights" 77 
 
 Brahmin, portrait of a 21 
 
 , assumptions and prerogatives of a 28 
 
 , definition of the term 24 
 
 , import of investing a, with the 
 
 sacrificial cord 24, 31 
 
 ■, legal discriminations in favor of a 33 
 
 , oath and salutations of a 32, 34 
 
 , person and property of a, invi- 
 olate 493 
 
 , the four stages of life of a 31-37 
 
 , whimsical rules of action for a 34 
 
 Brahmins, arrogant claims of the. ... 20 
 
 P.oge 
 Brahmins no longer the learned claes 
 
 of India 38 
 
 , forms of devotion of the 27 
 
 , the priestly caste 28 
 
 , Vanaprastha, or hermit life of the 35 
 
 Bullubghur, Nawah of, address of, at his 
 
 trial 426 
 
 Butkr, Dr., arrival of, at Bareillj^ 221 
 
 , arrival of, at Cawnpore 413 
 
 , last sermon of, at Bareilly, be- 
 fore the flight to Nynee Tal 235 
 
 , midnight ride through the Him- 
 alayan forest 284 
 
 , prayer of, in llie jungle 239 
 
 , perils of, in the wilderness 283 
 
 , preaching for Havelock's men. . 442 
 
 , return of, to Bareilly 441 
 
 Campbell, Sir Colin, appointed Com- 
 mander-in-chief. 272 
 
 , laconic reply of. 273 
 
 , meets with Havelock and Outram 353 
 
 , starts for Lucknow 352 
 
 Campbell, the martyred, last letter of, 
 
 to Dr. Butler 463 
 
 Carpenter, Miss, her patronage of the 
 
 Brahmo Somaj 93 
 
 Caste, origin and divisions of 23, 30 
 
 , exclusiveness of 30 
 
 Castes, Hindoos 'divided into four. . .23, 24 
 
 , import of the term "23 
 
 Gawnpore, surrender at, to Nana Sahib. 300 
 
 , breaking out of rebellion at. . . . 295 
 
 , captured one day too late 309 
 
 , General Wheeler's preparations 
 
 for the defense of. 294 
 
 , Havelock's men at the well of. , 310 
 
 , situation of 294 
 
 , the massacre of tiie ladies at . . 307 
 
 , the " WeU " at, two views of. . . 311 
 
 , treachery of Nana Sahib at. . . . 300 
 
 , view of " House of Massacre " at. 304 
 
 Chandalas, cruel law concerning,. ... 32 
 Christ, his government of men explains 
 the changes and overthrow of em- 
 pires and religions 163 
 
 Christianity opposed to the fundamen- 
 tal principles of Hindooism. . . .23, 29, 31 
 
 alone creates a true home 57 
 
 the friend of native education ... 38 
 
 woman's highest charter of rights 487 
 
570 
 
 THE LAND OF TEE VEDA 
 
 Page 
 
 Chronology of the Jf indoos 76 
 
 '^ ChujxcUies" similar to the "Feast of 
 
 the Moon Loaves " in ChiDa 226 
 
 Olive, Lord, laconic note of, to General 
 
 Forde 273 
 
 Cotton famine, education in India stimu- 
 lated by the 222 
 
 Dancing, forbidden by Hindoo senti- 
 ment to virtuous women 45 
 
 Delhi, massacre at 228 
 
 , desolation of 413-416 
 
 , Dr. B.'s arrival in 413 
 
 magazine, "Willoughby's gallant 
 
 defense of 229 
 
 . news of the fall of, received. . . . 408 
 
 , siege of, by a small English force 278 
 
 , visit to royal captives awaiting 
 
 trial at 425 
 
 , visit to the Emperor of 421 
 
 Dewanee Khass, view of the 117 
 
 , Christian service in 427 
 
 , scenes of blood within the walls 
 
 of the 125 
 
 , utter ruin of the 113 
 
 Dhava, Bajuh, builder of the Iron Pillar 168 
 Duff, Rev. Dr., disastrous voyage of, to 
 
 India ". 262 
 
 , kind reception hj I(t3 
 
 , on Mohammedan intolerance. . . 277 
 
 Duleep Singh, character and influence 
 
 of: 50-53 
 
 , education and conversion of. ... 50 
 
 , portrait of 48 
 
 Durbin, Rev. Dr., suggestion of, in re- 
 gard to a mission field 213 
 
 . extract from letters to. . . . 245, 291 
 
 Durga-Poojah festival 400 
 
 Divarper Tug 76 
 
 East India Company, misrepresentation 
 
 of Christianity by 358 
 
 , idolatry patronized by 403 
 
 . overthrow ofas a governing body 458 
 
 , their doctrine of "neutrality ".. . 405 
 
 Editor, Hindoo 54 
 
 Edioards, Judge, incident concerning. . 270 
 Elleniorough, Lord, folly of, in the En- 
 glish Parliament 359 
 
 , nobly answered by Baboo Duck- 
 
 inaiunjun Mookerjee 360 
 
 Emperor of Delhi, portrait of 106 
 
 , numerous beggarly dependents of 174 
 
 England, material interest of, in India. 73 
 
 conscious of her high trust, and 
 
 moral obligation to India 75 
 
 ■, enemies of, the Fakirs, Brahmins, 
 
 Thugs, and criminal classes gener- 
 ally 373, 374, 397, 401, 420 
 
 , the Mohammedans in India gen- 
 erally opposed to 177, 275-277 
 
 Eternity, Brahminicai attempts to map 
 
 out 77 
 
 Etmad-od-Doulah's Tomb, view of 150 
 
 " Fakir," a self-torturing. . . , 196 
 
 , import of the term 192 
 
 , Eimam Bhartee, and little babe. 281 
 
 Fakirs, astonishment of Alexander and 
 
 army at the sight of ] 92 
 
 , expense of supporting 204 
 
 -, hold themselves superior to the 
 
 claims of common decency 198 
 
 , humorous verses on 197 
 
 , numbers of, in India 203 
 
 , painful pilgrimages of 198 
 
 , portraits of 193 
 
 , " the secret service " and post- 
 men of the Sepoy rebellion 205 
 
 , their appearance and influence. . 191 
 
 Frendnule. deprecated by Hindoos.. 365 
 Friends of tJie Theological Seminary . 5-30 
 FaUijpove, Havelock's victory at 339 
 
 '''' Garment of Praise " the 270 
 
 Geography of the Hindoos 80 
 
 Glossary of Indian terms 559-568 
 
 Gowan, Colonel, wonderful escape of 
 
 him and his party 247 
 
 . interview of Dr. Butler with, at 
 
 Meerut 430 
 
 , munificence of. 432 
 
 Greased cartridges, terror created by. . 223 
 Grihastha, an order of Brahmiuliood . . 35 
 Gymnosophists, Fakirs so designated 
 
 by Alexander the Great 192 
 
 Harem, the term defined 47 S 
 
 Havelock, General, and his men at the 
 
 Well of Cawnpore 1 309, 341 
 
 , defeats Nana Sahib at Ahirwa . . 340 
 
 , fights his way through Lucknow 
 
 to the Residency 345 
 
 , last service of, conducting the la- 
 dies out of the Residency 354 
 
 , leaves Calcutta for Cawnpore.. . 333 
 
 , opportune return of, from Persia 
 
 to India 273 
 
 -, portrait of 334 
 
 , prevented advancing to Luck- 
 now 343 
 
 reinforced, and on his way again. 344 
 
 , sketch of life, conversion, and 
 
 military service of 335-338 
 
 , triumphant death of 355 
 
 , victory of, at Futtypore 339 
 
 Himalayas, journey across the. ...... 412 
 
 Hindoo mind, freedom foreign to the. , 429 
 
 , portrait of a 17 
 
 Hindoos, original home of the 16 
 
 , astronomy of the 82 
 
 , chronology of the 76 
 
INDEX. 
 
 571 
 
 Page 
 Hindoos, coudition of, in tlio time of 
 
 Alexander tlie Great 89 
 
 , French rule deprecated by the. . 365 
 
 , geography of the 80 
 
 , literature of the 95-100 
 
 , mythology of the. 79 
 
 , passion of for display 59-62 
 
 , portraits of four j 7 
 
 , the, an effeminate people 18 
 
 . their methods of measuring time 78 
 
 Hindustani estimates of British rule, 
 by Baboo Duckiuarunjun Mookerjee. 361 
 
 by Baboo Keshub Ohunder Sen. 368 
 
 by Baboo Bholonauth Ciiunder, 
 
 865, 369-370 
 
 . by Satyendra Nath Tagore. .... 366 
 
 , by the "Som Prukash " 365 
 
 , from "Sleeman's Recollections" 371 
 
 Home, its true sense unknown in In- 
 dia 56 
 
 Hunooman, the Mars of India 98 
 
 India, capacity for self-government 
 
 wanting in 72, 429 
 
 , civil and reUgious statistics of. . 67 
 
 , diversity of races in 66 
 
 , first Mohammedan conquest in. 204 
 
 , greater tliau Eui'ope, leaving out 
 
 Russia 69 
 
 . habits, education, and amuse- 
 ments of the aristocracy of 54-58 
 
 , languages spoken in 68 
 
 ——, names of, and their significance . 70 
 
 , number of British troops in, in 
 
 1856 73 
 
 , style of dress of gentlemen of . . 49 
 
 , " " a lady of 42 
 
 , trade, railroads, telegraphs, and 
 
 wealth of .' 70 
 
 , value of, to England 73 
 
 Infanticide, female 470-476 
 
 , the, in the Lucknow Court. ... 453 
 
 Iiglis, Lady, te^-timony of, to the 
 
 soothing influence of prayer 331 
 
 Irishman, the, blown up with the Mu- 
 
 chee Bawun fort 327 
 
 , the, ill Lucknow court 453 
 
 Iron Pillar, description of the 167 
 
 , import of inscription on 168 
 
 , its mystery 168 
 
 , the palladium of Hindoo domin- 
 ion 167 
 
 Jain Temple, in Delhi, visit to 417 
 
 Janvier, Joel T 550 
 
 Joel, the first native helper of the M, 
 
 E. Church in India 214 
 
 , escape of, from Bareilly 259 
 
 , joyful meeting of, with Dr. But- 
 ler, on the road to Meerut 434 
 
 , portrait of. 215 
 
 Jones, Sir William, facetious designur 
 
 tion of Polyandry by 497 
 
 Judson, Mrs. Ann Hazeltine, grave of, 
 
 at Amherst 156 
 
 Jmnma Musjid, desecratiou of 418 
 
 Jungle, the prayer in the 239 
 
 KaliJca Purana, the, quoted 399 
 
 Kali Tug, the 76 
 
 Kairm-dera, the Hindoo Cupid, Prayers 
 
 addressed to 479 
 
 Kesliub Ghunder Sen, representation of 
 
 Vedic teaching by 92 
 
 , opinion of missionaries of 367 
 
 Klum Bahadur, his treachery' and cru- 
 elty 237, 269 
 
 , his trial and death 446 
 
 , visit to, in prison 443 
 
 Koh-i-noor diamond, its last possessor. 50 
 
 Kootub Minar, view of the 157 
 
 , origin and object of 161 
 
 , peerless majesty of. 159 
 
 , the monument of a dead city and 
 
 a dying faith 163 
 
 Ksliatriya, caste of the 29 
 
 Kurnaul, Nawab of, noble conduct ot, 
 during the rebellion 280 
 
 Lady of India, portrait of a 40 
 
 Lalla PookJi, quotation from, mistake 
 
 of the poet corrected 119 
 
 Lawrence, Sir John, noble conduct of 
 
 during the rebellion 406 
 
 , official paper of, issued in behalf 
 
 of justice to native Christians 464 
 
 Lawrence, Sir Henry, appointed gov- 
 ernor of Gude. 319 
 
 , disastrous defeat of, at Cliinhut. 321 
 
 , injunction of — ^^ Never to surren- 
 der !'' 329 
 
 , killed in the siege of Lucknow.. 327 
 
 Luclinow, arrival and reception of Dr. 
 
 Butler at 207 
 
 , Dr. Butler contemplates a mis- 
 sion at 212 
 
 . efforts of Havelock to reach . . . 343 
 
 , Havelock fights his way through 346 
 
 , "Jessie Brown," and her "Dinna 
 
 ye hear tlie slogan f " 353 
 
 , lawlessness and depravity of, in 
 
 1856 208 
 
 , preparations for defense of. ... . 319 
 
 , repeated attempts to storm 331 
 
 , siege of, begun 325 
 
 , the capital of Gude 207 
 
 , the Muchee Bawun fort at, blown 
 
 up 325 
 
 , the relief of, view of 348 
 
 , the "Residency," view of 317 
 
 , tlie Residency reached, and the 
 
 ladies saved 349 
 
572 
 
 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Page 
 Luckuow, results of the conflict viewed 
 
 from the Residency of 449 
 
 — — , unequal conditions of conflict at S23 
 
 Mahabaimta^ the, a famous epic of India 99 
 
 , the, I'ecognizes polyandiy 496 
 
 Mahadeva, temple of, in Delhi, confu- 
 sion and wreck of 419 
 
 Maha Pralaya, the, or great destruction 77 
 
 Maria., martyrdom of 512 
 
 Marriage ceremonies, extravagance in 
 
 connection with 60 
 
 Martel, Charles, great victory of 12 
 
 Martin, Montgomery, remarks upon the 
 
 partiality of 443 
 
 Meeriit, mutiny and massacre at 228 
 
 , sad service at the post-office of. 433 
 
 Menii, his svstem of caste a practical 
 
 failure..." 31 
 
 Menu, Institutes of, their abundant le- 
 gal provision for divorcing wives. . . 495 
 
 , discriminations of in favor of 
 
 Bi'ahmins 33 
 
 , forbid a wife to eat with her 
 
 husband 492 
 
 , harsh rules of, for a widow's life 501 
 
 , hold a widow to be bound to 
 
 her husband when he is dead 502 
 
 , hold the power of a woman's 
 
 curse to be a motive of marital lib- 
 erality 494 
 
 , inflexible ordinance of, in regard 
 
 to choice of a wife 484 
 
 , on the marriageable age of girls. 47*7 
 
 , ordain that the person and prop- 
 erty of a Brahmin should be invi- 
 olate 498 
 
 , ordinances of, for selecting a 
 
 wife 480, 481 
 
 , quotation on caste 23, 29 
 
 , quotation on Chaudalas 32 
 
 , quotation on a Brahmin's oath. 32 
 
 , rules of, for the orders of Grihas- 
 
 tha and Yanaprastha 35 
 
 , rules of, for the order of Sannyasi 36 
 
 , relax the law of female seclu- 
 sion in favor of Fakirs, Brahmins, etc. 191 
 , stern demand of, for a wife's sub- 
 ordination 487 
 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, mission 
 
 field of the, in India 212 
 
 , Christian orphanages of 506 
 
 , first place of worship of, in India, 
 
 view of 435 
 
 , inside view of 438 
 
 , organized its first Conference in 
 
 Asia at the close of 1864 526 
 
 Missionaries better understood and 
 more trusted than government offi- 
 cers 406 
 
 Page 
 Missionaries of the various societies 
 
 killed by the Sepoys, names of 261 
 
 , eulogy of, by a Brahmin 372 
 
 , by Keshub Chunder Sen 376 
 
 , estimate of, by Duckinarunjun 
 
 Mookerjee .. 363 
 
 Mogid Emperor, the, accepts English 
 
 protection 109 
 
 , bargain of the, with the English 171 
 
 , Dr. B.'s interview with the last 421 
 
 , insufficiency of the munificent 
 
 provision for the , 173 
 
 , portrait of the last 106 
 
 the pageant of, felt to be a bore 175 
 
 , the last, unmarked grave of . . . . 426 
 
 Mohammedan invasion of India. . . .19, 104 
 
 bigotry of, illustrated in the death 
 
 of Khan Bahadur 446 
 
 — — sovereigns of India ; character of 
 
 their rule 107 
 
 , sovereigns, their sad record. ... Ill 
 
 Mohammedans, dress and appearance 
 
 of 20, 63 
 
 Mohammedanism, repulse of, from West- 
 ern Europe 12 
 
 , its hatred of Christ and Chris- 
 tians 177, 451 
 
 -, the real spirit of the Moslem 
 
 Creed 277 
 
 Montgomery, Sir Robert, his reception 
 of the fii'st missionary in Lucknow. . 443 
 
 Moomlaj, Empress, notices of 143-147 
 
 , the Taj built for the tomb 
 
 of. 144, 147 
 
 Moore, lines by, on Mohammedan bru- 
 tality .' 104 
 
 , mistake of, in Lalla Rookh cor- 
 rected 119 
 
 , Persian couplet over the De- 
 
 wanee Khass, quoted by 119 
 
 " Mutiny baby," the 263 
 
 Mythology of the Hindoos 79 
 
 Nana Sahib, a hypocrite without an 
 
 equal •. 185 
 
 , ambition and disappointment of 182 
 
 , character of his palace 184 
 
 , history of 181 
 
 , infernal treachery of 300 
 
 ~— — , massacre of the ladies by 307 
 
 Nana Sahib, lying and blasphemous 
 
 proclamations of 275 
 
 , portrait of 180 
 
 , probable end of the 309 
 
 Nauch girl, portrait of 44 
 
 girls, character of 46 
 
 , import of term 45 
 
 Naivab of Rampore, proffers assistance 
 
 to refugees at Nyuee Tal 279 
 
INDEX. 
 
 573 
 
 '■'■Neutrality''' of the East India Com- 
 pany not understood 189, 405 
 
 Noor Jehan, the " Daughter of the Des- 
 ert," her singular history 151 
 
 Nynee Tal, view of . 243 
 
 , Dr. Butler's first entrance mto. . 242 
 
 , first chapel in 434 
 
 , joyous salute heard at 408 
 
 , measures of defense at 266 
 
 , panic at, and flight from. ...... 282 
 
 — , refugees at, hungry for news. . . 269 
 
 , singular panic of besiegers of . . . 408 
 
 Orphanages of the M. E. Church in 
 
 India, origin of 506 
 
 , the need of 519 
 
 Oude, annexation of 20*7 
 
 , discouragements by British offi- 
 cials in regard to establishing mis- 
 sions in 212 
 
 , history of, presents a record of 
 
 violence, perfidy, and blood 211 
 
 , its last king, Wajid AH Shah, 
 
 portrait of 209 
 
 , necessity for the annexation of. 20*7 
 
 , Queen of, protests against annex- 
 ation 102 
 
 " Outcasts^''' cruel law concerning 32 
 
 Outram, Sir James, magnanimously 
 waives his right to command in fa- 
 vor of Havelock 344 
 
 , interview of, with the dying 
 
 HaA'elock 356 
 
 Pana, the, its value 33 
 
 Paradise, illustrated from the Dewanee 
 
 Khass 120 
 
 Parisnaih, two as large as life, in Delhi 418 
 Parsees, (followers of Zoroaster,) num- 
 ber of, in India 67 
 
 Peggy, matron of our Female Orphan- 
 age, portrait of 218 
 
 Peggy'' s sacrifice for her Saviour 214 
 
 '■Peishwa,'''' import of the title 178 
 
 Permissive Providence of God, instance 
 
 of 231 
 
 Pierce and Humphrey, Rev. Messrs., 
 
 suppose Dr. Butler dead 410 
 
 , joyful meeting with, in the Taj 
 
 Mahal 433 
 
 Poictiers, Abder Rahnum's defeat at. . 12 
 
 Polyandry 497 
 
 Polygamy 494 
 
 Post-office, the regular, distrusted by 
 
 the Sepoy conspirators 190 
 
 Prayer, the, in the jungle 239 
 
 , soothing effects of 331 
 
 Presbyter'ian Church, missionaries of, 
 
 murdered 15, 261, 298, 294 
 
 37 
 
 Presbyterian Church, M. E. Mission in- 
 debted to, for its first native helper. 
 Presbyterian missionaries did not die in 
 
 vain 466, 
 
 Priests of Mahadeva, interview with . . 
 Prime, Dr., testimony of, to the im- 
 provements in India 
 
 Providential interpositions : — 
 
 General Sibbald's timely absence. 
 Singular panic which fell upon the 
 
 besiegers of Nynee Tal 
 
 The night in the Terai 
 
 The night in the Himalayan for- 
 ests 
 
 Punjab, its preservation in the hour of 
 trial 
 
 Page 
 214 
 
 467 
 419 
 
 461 
 
 232 
 
 408 
 289 
 
 283 
 
 407 
 
 Rajpoots, their pride and cruelty 475 
 
 Ramayana, outline of the ". . . . .95-99 
 
 Rampore, Naivab of, noble conduct of, 
 
 during the rebellion 279 
 
 , exposed to danger in consequence 
 
 of aiding us 281 
 
 , munificent liberality of, to the 
 
 Woman's Missionary Society 525 
 
 Rig- Veda, the 84 
 
 Robertson, Judge, deceived by Bahadur 
 
 Khan 287 
 
 , execution of 249 
 
 Roe, Sir Thomas, in the Court of the 
 
 Mogul 122 
 
 , a changed scene in Delhi from 
 
 what he witnessed 422, 424 
 
 Romanism, failure of, to improve its 
 
 opportunity in India 145 
 
 Russian rule not desired by the people 
 
 of India ." 355 
 
 Sacontala, the, forbids inquiry concern- 
 ing the wife of another man 488 
 
 , injunction as to the subordination 
 
 of younger to elder wives 496 
 
 Sannyasi, rules of life for 36 
 
 Satya Yug, the 76 
 
 Saugor Isle, its accursed scenes 473 
 
 Sepoy Rebellion, the, originating causes 
 
 of ." 170-190 
 
 , causes of the failure of 427 
 
 , criminals in the jails linked in 
 
 with the 227 
 
 , did not originate in patriotism. . 428 
 
 Sepoy Rebellion, growing fear of the 
 extension of the Christian religion a 
 
 cause of the 189 
 
 , how English government in India 
 
 affecte<:l by 460 
 
 . Mohammedan monopoly of place 
 
 and power a cause of the 186 
 
 , no native Christian joined the. . . 464 
 
574 
 
 THE LAND OF THE VEDA. 
 
 Page 
 Sepoy Rebellion, opened a career for 
 
 Christians in India 465, 526 
 
 , opening of, at Meerut and Delhi. 228 
 
 — — , position of the Delhi Emperor 
 
 respecting the 170 
 
 , probable number of English per- 
 sons killed in the 260 
 
 , promoted by false prophecies and 
 
 news 225 
 
 , promoted b_v the criminal classes 
 
 and disaffected elements 401 
 
 , results of, to Christianity in India 463 
 
 , results of, to the East India Com- 
 pany 458 
 
 , results of, to the Hindoo race. .. 45*7 
 
 , results of, to the Mohammedan 
 
 portion of the population 451 
 
 , results of the, to the Sepoy Army 450 
 
 , " secret service " and post-office 
 
 of, in the person of the Fakirs 205 
 
 , encroachments of English law on 
 
 peculiar institutions of India a cause 
 
 of the 190 
 
 , the annexation of Oude a cause 
 
 of the 188 
 
 , the greased cartridges made the 
 
 occasion for 223 
 
 Sepoi/s, the native force of the English 
 
 in' India 72 
 
 , blown from English guns — how 
 
 and why 313-316 
 
 , spirit they generally manifested. 445 
 
 , fidelity of some, at Lucknow. . . . 351 
 
 , number and description of 73 
 
 , the ruin which they dragged 
 
 down on themselves and others 450 
 
 Shajehanpore, fearful massacre at. . . . 259 
 
 Shalimm-, the gardens of 115 
 
 Shaster, the, on a wife's seclusion .... 486 
 
 , the abominable injunction of, on 
 
 a wife's subordination 487 
 
 Slcraad, purpose of 476 
 
 , blowing from guns deemed a pre- 
 ventive of the 313-816 
 
 Sihbald, General, undue confidence of . 232 
 
 jSeeta, the rape of 96 
 
 jSoma-juice, the libations of the ancient 
 
 Hindoos 88, 91 
 
 Suttee, view of a 375 
 
 , abolished by Lord Bentinck. . . . 394 
 
 , extent and motives of 384 
 
 , instances of 387-393 
 
 , mode of 381 
 
 , modern Hindooism alone de- 
 mands 379 
 
 , without Vedic sanction 378 
 
 Taj Mahal, a mausoleum 133 
 
 , appearance of, at sunrise and by 
 
 moonlight 134 
 
 Page 
 
 Taj Mahal, first viev/ of 129 
 
 , joyful meeting in, with the first 
 
 Methodist missionaries 433 
 
 , matchless grace and beauty of the 141 
 
 , materials used in construction of 130 
 
 , remarkable effect of music in the 139 
 
 , the architect and cost of the. . . 148 
 
 , to whom erected 148 
 
 , view of, from a distance 128 
 
 , view of, inside the garden. Frontispiece 
 
 , view of the entrance gate to. . . . 132 
 
 TaM Taous, or Peacock Throne, of 
 
 Shah Jehan 116, 422 
 
 Theological Seminary of India at 
 
 Bareilly 529 
 
 Thugs, portraits of 396 
 
 , interview with two hundred .... 398 
 
 , murderers by profession 399 
 
 Treta Yug, the 76 
 
 Troup, Colonel, warns Dr. Butler to 
 
 flee 234 
 
 , General, in command of Have- 
 lock's brigade 442 
 
 Tacker, Judge, heroic death of 339 
 
 '■^ Twice boj'ji," import of the phrase. . . 24 
 
 Vanaprastha, or hermit life, rules for. 35 
 Vedas, collated and published by for- 
 eigners 41 
 
 , licentiousness of the worship in- 
 culcated in the 91-93 
 
 , a willful corruption of the, the 
 
 foundation of Suttee 378 
 
 , the. common misapprehension of 
 
 their character 92, 93 
 
 , deities mentioned in the 86 
 
 , the, do not sanction the usages 
 
 of modern Hindooism 85 
 
 , the, polytheistic character of . . . 86 
 
 , samples of the .90, 95 
 
 , the, sanction beef eating 87 
 
 , their age, number, and character 84 
 
 Wages of a laboring man in India . . . 506 
 Wellesley, Marquis, makes infanticide a 
 
 capital crime 474 
 
 Wentiuorth, Rev. Dr., invites Dr. Butler 
 
 to join him in China 432 
 
 Wheeler, General Sir Hugh, fatal mis- 
 take of 295 
 
 Widow, re-marriage of a, forbidden. . . . 502 
 
 Widowhood in India 497-502 
 
 Willoughhy's gallant defense of the 
 
 Delhi magazine 229 
 
 Woman debased by the Hindoo sys- 
 tem 31 
 
 forbidden bv law to eat with her 
 
 husband ." 492 
 
 , last hours of a, in India 504 
 
 — — of India in full dress, portrait of a 40 
 
INDEX. 
 
 575 
 
 Woman, training of a youthful Hindoo 482 
 
 Womaii's Foreign Missionary Society of 
 tlie M. E. Cliurch 521 
 
 , munificent liberality to the, by 
 
 the Nawab of Rampore 525 
 
 Women of India doomed" by modern 
 Hindooism to a life of ignorance .... 42 
 
 in India at present unable to cre- 
 ate a true home 5*7 
 
 in India, higher social position 
 
 of, in the Vedic age 88 
 
 in India never dance unless they 
 
 ai'e prostitutes 46 
 
 , courtship of, unknown in India. 49*7 
 
 , statistics of education of. ...... 42 
 
 , widowhood of, in India 497-502 
 
 Women, wrongs of, legalized in India.. 469 
 WoocMde, Bev. J. S., interview of, with 
 the Emperor of Delhi 424 
 
 " Yogee^'' meaning of the word 203 
 
 Yogees, or silent saints of India, por- 
 traits of 200 
 
 , singular rules of moral perfec- 
 tion for, from the Bhagvat Geeta. 
 
 201, 202 
 
 , superstitious veneration for. . . . 203 
 
 Zeenat Mahal, last Empress of Delhi, 
 
 portrait of 1 1 1 
 
 Zenana, the term defined 479 
 
 Zenana Schools, number of pupils in . . 42