YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

^Kb^tttttwis!

OF

NAUFRAGUS.

THE

ADVENTURES

OF

NAUFRAGUS.

WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.

There is a special Providence in the fall of a Sparrow !

Hamlet.

LONDON:
PUBLISHED BY SMITH, ELDER, ^ Co. 65, CORNHILL.
1827-

J. Darling) Printer, Leadenhall-Strcct, London.

PREFACE.

It is not in mere compliance with a custom that
I introduce this little work with a Preface, but
from my conviction of the necessity of one.
From the titlepage, the reader may possibly be
unable to ascertain whether the subject of the nar
rative be real or fictitious. I therefore think it
incumbent on me, not to leave that point to con
jecture. It is a faithful narrative of the trials and
adventures of a man, who, feeling that his course
had been no common one, and conceiving that a
published record of it may be as useful to others,
as the experience which it has afforded him has
been useful to himself, cannot withhold it from the
public. To enhance the utility of the work, it is inter
spersed with occasional descriptions of places and
objects, which, when new to me, made on my own
mind impressions so strong, that it has not been
very difficult for me to convey them to the mind
A3 of

VI
of the reader, in all their original freshness. With
the same purpose still in view, an attempt has
been made to render it a book of reference on se
veral subjects connected with India, and of in
formation as to the manners, customs, prejudices,
and opinions of the Hindoos. But the reader
may expect, not merely a didactic lesson, but in
struction and entertainment blended. Indeed, the
biographical portion of the work, though " an un
varnished tale," is a tale of events which may per
haps justify me in calling it, " a romance of real
life." In its compilation, I have spared neither care in
the arrangement of my materials, nor anxious en
deavours to attain that accuracy of style which
is indispensable to connected narrative, and to fi
delity gf description. Whether I have succeeded
in these respects, or indeed in any, I cheerfully
leave to the decision of the public.
It now remains for me to acknowledge my ob
ligations to that excellent work, " Dubois' People
of India." . It may not, perhaps, be unnecessary to
observe, that the Abbd Dubois was a French mis
sionary, who lived for many yeai-s among the Hii>-
doos as one of themselves, conforming in all respeqt^s
to their habits, customs, and diet; and I believe, a more

vu

a more just or authentic description of this people
than that given by him, is nowhere to be found. His
work is almost the only one to which I have had
recourse, either for quotation or for reference; and
to that, with the sole view of being enabled to
mark the o?;i^W of such peculiarities as struck me,
in . the manners, customs, and opinions of the na
tives. In that particular, it has rendered me valu
able service ; ; for although his researches were
confined principally to the Mysore territories, and
my own observations to Calcutta; Hooghly, and
their vicinity, both researches and observations
are, with respect to the characteristic customs and
usages of the Hindoos, (particularly of the Brah-
mans), which vary little or nothing throughout
Asia, as mutually illustrative, as if both the one
and the other were either equally local, or equally
general. With a few exceptions, therefore, the informa
tion afforded is entirely the result of my own ex
perience and observation. Biit from experience
wrong inferences may be drawn, and observation
may be either deceived or eluded ; and thus may
have crept into my work those very errors which
I have been most anxious to exclude. I hope,
however, and even flatter myself, that they are
¦ " ¦ not

VIU
not numerous; but whether numerous or few,
venial or unpardonable, I shall feel thankful for
correction. In selecting the name of" Naufkagus," I was
determined by the applicability of the ancient
family motto — " Naufragus in portitm" to my
own circumstances, both past and actual ; and with
respect to the names of the leading characters of
the work, they are, with a few exceptions, also
fictitio.us. One word more: — the remotest intention of
giving offence to any one, by the publication of
these pages, is positively disclaimed ; and the truth
of this disclaimer will, I trust, be sufficiently ma
nifest from the whole tenour of the work.

INDEX.

INDEX.

 Page
yiftow^c, appearance of the setting sun in the  42
Baboa.  •  55
Barrackpore  .......,, 135
Batavia  •  205
Belel  -  145
Bhutas, worship of they or malevolent fiends  172 c^ ITS
Boat. Budgerow  l63
 Masoolah  6l
 Paunchway  57
Bungalow ,.:,,..,...  j-  "^
Calcutta; river—Tdew of  >  28 4" 29
 interior of  32 to 34
Cast  143
Ceylon  46
— ^— — Beligaum  50 to 52
— ' «' ¦ Religion of  < 51
Chandernagore  138
Chinsurah  139
Chokedar  202
Cingalese , ,  51
 Padree, or priest  r  ibid
Cochin  49
Coins; gold mohur, value of a  54
' rupee, ditto  ibid
 pagoda {star), ditto  ,  60
— — fanam , . . i  €4
Coir

X Page
Coir  61
Coromandel coast, view of, from the sea  oO
" Country- Ship"  4?
Cowry  173
Crow, numeral definition of a  ^^
Dammer  Ho
Deity, the Brahmans opinion of the  1*6
Dhurrvan  153
Doorga-Poorga  34
Dubask.  69
Elephant  187
 —s, appearance of a herd of  179 <^ 180
 travelling on the  180 to 182
Fala-Morgana, or atmospheric refraction  89
Forest, interior of an Indian  171 S^ /i-Ti
France, Isle of  77
 —  English invasion of the  ;.•.•• 100 to 108
Garden Reach  ,  28
Girls, Dancing. See Nautch, and  l62 <^ l63
Guru, or Hindoo priest  ,  173
Hindoos 3 character and opinions of the  197 to 200
 idolatry of the  139 <^ 140 — 147—172 ^ 173
 superstitions of the  34 4" 35 — 57 to 59
Hindoostan, internal appearance of  169 ^ 170
Hooghly, aspect of the  28 — 137, t^" 138
Hookah  54
Hospitality, Indian  ,  l63
Houses, Hindoo  ,  182
Hunt, tiger  184 to 187
 wUd bpqr  188
Indiaman, midshipman of an  ,  6
Indigo factory  170 ^ 171
Lac, numeral definition of a .,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.,  139
Lingin-Pulo

XI Page
Lingin-Pulo  ig
Loire, H. M.. frigate, appearance of, in the Atlantic  41
Madras  62
 .- the surf at  6l
Magic, as practised at the present day by the Vanprastha
Brahmans  ,,.,...... 174 to 177
Malabar CoaM,- state of European society on the  48
Malays   109 <^ 114
 , heroism of a, illustrated in a tale founded on factj,
110 to 114
Marriage, Hindoo, ceremony of  .144 to 146
Metempsychosis — see Transmigration of souls  151
Metrannee  31
Minto-Pulo  21
Monkeys  139
Music, Hindoo  l67 "^ l69
NatUch  165 to 1^7
Nutmeg  1  212
Pagoda  60
Pariah  1 84
Paul and Virginia, outline of the history of  78 to 89
Pearl fishery  , . . . , 46
Penang-Pulo  12
Piht-Jish  108
Pondicherry  69
Punkah  33
Sacrifices, human, as practised by the Hindoos  175
Serampore  135
Serpents  50—177 to 179
Slavery, tendency of  215
Storm ,  ,  40^41— 119 to 129
Straits, of Sunda  204
Sumatra,

Xll Page
Sumatra, West Coast of the Island of.r-^Bencoolen  212
.  Padang  210
 Munsular  108
 • — <  Tappanooly ..... 109
Suttee, or immolation of Hindoo widows, as practised at the
present day  200 i» 204
Tales— Th& Tale of the Skull  151 to 154
 The Tale of the Sailor of All-work  .154 to 159
 The Tale of the Four Deaf Indians  l60 to l62
Tum-tums  35
Waterfall, See Sumatra — Munsular
Yadhoo, ¦ a female dave   25 & 26— -SO & 36

ERRATA.
Page 51, line it from the top, for encroach, read encroached.

160, line 4 from the top, for guest, read quest.
172, line 10 from bottom, /or rended, read rent
178, line 18 from top, for creqied, read crept.
201, line 3 from bottom,/)r Here, read Her.

LIFE, VOYAGES, AND ADVENTURES

KAUFRAGUS.

.A.T the period of my birth, which took place in London, ori
the 6th of March 1796, my parents had just fallen from a state
of splendid affluence, and were seeking happiness in the sphere
of humble life. To this condition they were reduced by one of
those visitations of adverse fortune which are by no means un
common in the world, and which produce changes so marked, and
tran'sfers of property so sudden, that they cannot escape the ob..
servation of the most unobservant. Thus the poor become rich,
and the rich are doomed at least to taste the cup of poverty ; and
hope and fear are in perpetual operation.
My later infancy was consigned to the protection of my maternal
gi'andmother, who then lived in the enjoyment of great wealth
and splendour in Finsbury-square : but from her fostering care I
was taken at the early age of eight 3'ears, by a gentleman of the
name of Barron, who became my uncle, by marrying my father's
sister, with whom he received a fortune of five thousand pounds.
Mr. Barron was gifted by Providence with immense wealth,
and influence, its inseparable attendant. Besides possessing in
numerable sources of income, he Was managing owner of an In
diaman. At his house I first saw my amiable and much esteem
ed friends, Mr. and Mrs, Neunborough, of whom I shall have oc
casion to speak in the course of the work : they were pleased to
B shew

2
shew me the attention and tenderness of parents ,• and to this day
my heart bears a sensible and grateful recollection of their friend
ship. Their country seat was situated in Lincolnshire, and
it was agreed that I should proceed thither in their travelling-
carriage, and remain with them a fortnight or three weeks, prior
to my departure for Doncaster, where my uncle Barron intended
to place me at boarding-school. The few weeks which I spent
with my kind friends in Lincolnshire had been hitherto the hap
piest period of my life ; but I was soon doomed to exchange the
comforts of a home for the discipline of a public school, contain
ing upwards of eighty boys, many nearly grown up, and all older
than myself.
Many think their schoolboy days the happiest of their lives;
and to those who have the relaxation of vacations — the relief of
an occasional visit of, or letter from, a relation or friend — the
benefit of little presents and attentions either from those friends,
or by their direction, through the hands of their master — they
may be the happiest : but to me, who was sent one hundred and
sixty-three miles away from all the tender ties I had in the
world, and who found myself at the vacations (with^ the exertion
of two spent with Mr. and Mrs. Neunborough) left at school,
without ever hearing from, or seeing a relative or friend for fovu:
years, schoolboy days were any thing but that enviable state of
happiness which I have heard so much eulogized.
But privations did not constitute the whole of my unhappiness :
with them positive sufierings concurred, especially some inflicted
with the whip. On the cold winter mornings we were at our
desks by seven ; and the many times I have crawled up, shivering,
to recei,ve on my already-benumbed finger-ends smart stripes
from the cane, are yet fresh in my memory. As for the fire,
never, even on the coldest days, did I derive any benefit from it,
in consequence of the tyranny of the elder boys : and on the
wJiole, I cannot bring my school days to mind, without feel
ing that I would willingly forego all the advantages of the bright
est education, and the benefit resulting from a successful applica
tion of it — -consenting to remain in unlettered ignorance, rather
than again undergo the miseries of my school-days.
The hardships of my boyhood may possibly have impressed me
with a rather gloomy, unsocial, or more properly speaking, un
happy

s
happy tilrn of mind : it is at least certain that I had no chosen
friend in the school — no playmate ; for I loved not play as other
hoys loved it ; my delight was to be alone. For hours, even in
winter, would I wander, solitary, in the deep recesses of a wood,
delighted with the awful stillness — the deep echo — or the howl
ing of the wintry wind, I loved to hear the rustling of birds —
to watch the playful squirrel — to catch a hasty glimpse of passing
foxes, nothing fearful of me ; and then to gather berries, until
wearied nature sent me back to school.
In the summer stiU would I be alone, seeking shades remote
from habitations — reclining on a mossy bank, and behold with
enthusiastic wonder and delight, the glittering, golden scenes
around me. With what rapture would I listen to the lark ! and
when I viewed the arched sky, of clear ethereal blue, as if I would
look it through, how disturbing was the reflection, that I could
not remain for ever where I was, at rest and happy !
My tasks I soon mastered, and made rapid progress in arith
metic, latin, and navigation ; but all were in a great measure
thrown away upon me : to study external nature, in her grandest
forms, was my delight ; and amidst the sweets of solitude, all
labour was forgotten : my mind was entirely wrapt in admiration
and wonder at the grandeur of a wood, or in delight with the
beauty of a landscape, or the charms of a solitary walk, over a
wide, dreary, deserted moor,
I have already stated, that in four years I spent two vacations
at Mr, Neunborough's : it was during the last, when we were
one day seated at dinner, that a letter was handed to him by the
footman : he opened it, and had not read long, before he eyed
me significantly, and said — " Naufragus, look sharp, my boy !
you are to go to sea directly," I bowed compliance,, very glad to
be relieved from the thraldom, or rather, misery of school, I was
to go, I understood, as midshipman in the East Indiaman of
which my uncle was owner, and his brother, commander. The
captain, with his young bride, was hourly expected, to take a
farewfeU of Mr, and Mrs, Neunborough, before he proceeded to
sea. In the mean time these friends were momentarily doing me
kind offices, either in giving me good advice, or loading me with
presents. The captain arrived in the evening, with an intention of stay-
B 2, ina

4
ine but one day, and starting on the following morning, at, as he
styled it, the " crowing of the cock." He welcomed me with
such an air of apparent generosity and goodnature, that I instant
ly formed a favourable opinion of him.
The hour now came which was to separate me from my two
kind patrons, the only beings in existence whom my heart had
ever been taught to love. I was 'called up at four in the morn
ing ; the carriage and four was at the door. Mis. Neunborough,
kissing me with the sincerity of a mother, filled my pockets with
silver, and conducting me to the good man's bedside, left me, —
" Come hither, Naufragus," he said, sitting up, and leaning on
his pillow : " now, my dear boy, you are going into a wide and
dangerous world : here, take this," handing me a prayer-book ;
" forget not the author of your existence, and in the hour of
trouble he wiU not forsake you : above all things, never neglect
your prayers, and mind your duty : and here — ^here is some pock
et-money for you. Go, now," he added, kissing my cheek, " and
God preserve you for ever !" With my eyes full, though not
fuller than my heart, I hurried into the chariot, and vdth the
captain and his bride, was driven oflf rapidly for London, We
reached the captain's house in the evening : I slept there, and in
the morning was conducted by him to my uncle Barron. He
looked at me silently for some time, and without saying a word,
went away, and directed a man to see me inside the stage, which
was to take me to the house of my father, who then tenanted one
of Mr, Barron's farms.
In a few hours I was put down at the road-side, near a lane
at the end of which, I was told, was my father's farm. The
snow was on the ground, and I was proceeding anxiously onward,
when I met a fine boy trundling a hoop, of whom I inquired
how far off" my father's house was. The lad stopped, and taking
my hand tenderly in his, said, he was my brother John !
We were soon in the presence of our parents, whose tenderness
and love, though I was, in a manner, strange and unknown to
them, save by the ties of nature, were to my heart a consolatory
balm, of which I had for years felt the want, and indeed I
had never yet known, Tliis comfort, however, was but of short
duration, for, in the course of a fortnight, I was in a furious
storm in the Bay of Biscay,
My

My uncle Barron fitted me out ; or rather, sent a list of
necessaries to a slop-shop in Leadenhall-street, without a mea
surement of my person, which were ordered for my use; the
consequence was, my shoes were useless ; the caps in my chest
were made for soldiers instead of sailors ; my uniform coat was
so large, that the tail of it actually trailed along the deck ; my
check shirts, and sheets, which cost a great deal, were to me worth
nothing ; and in short, although I had a large chest fuU of clothes,
they were any thing but necessary ones.
The voyage to Bombay and back was performed in sixteen
months ; and during the whole of that period, fortunately not a
long one, the ship was a scene of continual tumult, insubordina
tion, and wrangling. , The captain bore the character of a
" smart sailor,'' (as the technical term is,) but his measures were
so, excessively strict and arbitrary, that he was an object of dread
to all on board : sailors, who had been flogged, deserted ; while
many gave themselves to the navy as deserters, and were taken
a^vay by the men-of-war's boats: passengers, were put under
arrest, from the captain's own table ; they brought actions against
him at Bombay, and recovered heavy damsiges ; this threw the
captain into a severe fit of illness, which well-nigh cost him his
life, and from the effects of which, he did not recover untU the
ship's return to England.
At sea I looked in vain for an encouraging smile from my
uncle, the captain : he paced the deck with a haughty step, and
clouded brow, without noticing any one : —
" Seldom he smiled, or smUed in such a sort,
As if he mock'd himself, and scorn'd his spirit,'
That could be moved to smile at any thing,"
The first time I was honoured with his notice, was on my way
up the rigging to furl the mizen top-gallant saU : the ratlins, or
as landsmen call them, " the ladders," were so far apart, (eighteen
or twenty inches), that my little legs found it at first a hard
matter to stretch so far ; and I was plodding my dubious way up,
to the best of my ability, when a voice like an " east wind,
blowing through a cranny," squeaked out — " Tumble up, you
young scamp! — Run! [^stamping] run, I say ! [^stamping with
B 3 vehemence]

vehemence] run up, sir ! £again stamping,] There — that wUl
do." There were on board six midshipmen, all cooped up in one
cabin, encumbered with their chests, (one of which, placed in
the middle, served for a table), a large bread bag, dangling on the
ship's side, half a dozen other bags, full of linen, a tin can or
two, a tea kettle, hats, caps, watch coats, and a long eighteen
pounder. The salt beef, pork, and biscuit, which were almost
our only food, were so unpalatable, that I could hardly get down
a mouthful; we had indeed a pudding twice or three times a
week, but that was none of the best, being made by ourselves,
in turn, and frequently boiled, for want of any thing better,
in a bran new night-cap, or cotton stocking.
Of all lives in the world, that of a midshipman of an East
Indiaman is the most distressing and contemptible : neither
received by the officers, or obeyed by the seamen, he loses aU the
privileges of the latter, without having any of the comforts of the
former. By the officers he is kept at a distance, and by the
seamen held in derision : he is a mere walking candlestick ; the
principal part of his duty being to hold the candle to the officers
in the ship's hold. The sailors are always watching for an op
portunity to pilfer the poor middle's apparel ; and frequently, the
chest full, on leaving England a few weeks before, of valuable
clothes, Hnen, shoes, and other necessary articles, is as empty as
the poor fellow's bread-bag.
The duty I found the most arduous to perform, was that of
keeping watch ; which was regulated in the following manner :
one night, I had to watch from eight to twelve, and from four
A.M, to eight, leaving only four hours for sleep; the next
night, from twelve to four, having eight hours sleep, (from eight
to twelve, and from four A. M, to eight.) This was called keep
ing " watch and natch," and lasted during the voyage. Nor
could I call even these few hours my owm ; for often, when my
watch was out, after having just thrown my weary Hmbs in my
hammock, has the boatswain's pipe of — " All hands to reef top
sails a-hoy !" summoned me, at a minute's warning, to the mizen-
topsail yard-arm, there to pull away to the sailor's cry of
hurrah J amid the roaring of the tempest, and the lashing of the
briny surge. If, in the day time, I had had allowed me a few
hours

7
hours for repose, I should have had less cause of complaint ; but,
•throughout the day, I was either aloft, or in die sh^'s hold, wili
a candle, assisting in stowing or unstowing the cargo, and in
clearing away provisions.
Nothing very remarkable happened during the voyage, if I
€xcept the fate of a sailor boy, named Kennedy, who fell over
board, in the act of reeving the ensign halyards at the extremity
of the driver peak ; in his fall, his throat caught the driver boom-
iron, that projected oyer the stem, and received a deep incision,
so that when he reached the water he floated : this circumstance
(for he was no swimmer) gave us time to heave to, and pick him
up ; but to little purpose, for the poor boy was in a state of in
sensibility ; and, after lingering in great agony, expired in the
third night : his moans were appalling ; and it was truly a happy
thing for him to be released from his suff'erings, and for the crew
to be released from witnessing suff'erings which they had no means
of alleviating.
Prom the first, I was not at all impressed in favour of a sea-
life ; but being willing to hope I should like it better as , I ad
vanced in rank, and having set out with so emulous and ardent
a^spirit in the pursuit, and, moreover, feeling averse to confess to
piy friends in England, my disHke, I resolved to make another
voyage. On our reaching England, my uncle Barron, as owner of the
ship, came on board at Gravesend : he questioned me particularly
if I liked the sea, observing, that if I did not, he would send me
out to India as a cadet, — " Consider well, Naufragus," he con
tinued ; " I may die, and without interest you cannot get on in
the service: I know a chief mate, who has remained so for
twenty years." I thanked him, but expressed a wish to go ano
ther voyage, if he was equally wOling. " Oh, please yourself,"
said he, " only recollect, that a cadetship, if you live, is a sure
fortune for you ;" and left me, with directions to proceed with
the ship to dock, and then to repair to his house.
To my infinite sorrow I learnt that my valued friend, Mrs,
Neunborough, had been, for some time, an inhabitant of that
country from " whose bourne no traveller returns ;" and that
I had no hope of seeing Mr. Neunborough, who had shut himself
up in his country house, and would not see any one. I looked
B 4 forward.

8
forw^trd, however, naturally and with transport, to the pleasure of
spending a few weeks with my father at the farm ; but I mis
calculated; for, during the whole day, my uncle kept me strictly,
meal-times excepted, at his counting-house, vrriting out bills erf
parcels, &o. At eight o'clock every night he took me home to
his house, and made me sit with him until supper-time or bed
time : thus my week days were spent, but on Saturday evenings,
as he then went to his country seat, where he remained until
the Monday morning, he allowed me to go to my father's,
with particularly strict injunctions to walk thither fnine miles
and a half J and back ; never, on any account, to ride. This
point was with him an object of such importance, that I one day
incurred his severe displeasure, because I had accepted the offer
of a gentleman who overtook me on the road, of a seat in his
gig. I also anticipated the pleasure of having (what I never
had in my life, either before or since I saw Mrs. Neunborough,)
a little pocket money, my wages amounting to between forty
and fifty pounds ; but I was again disappointed ; my prudent unde
pocketed it all.
My second voyage I went as midshipman in a ship of twelve
hundred tons, bound to St. Helena, Bencoolen, and China. My out
fit this time cost me dear, for my uncle, supposing I should bring
back every article of apparel which I took out, and therefore not
calculating on the necessity of giving me a second outfit, rated
me severely for my negligence, and grumbled at the expence of
every article which he had to buy : heartily glad therefore I was
when this very delicate aff'air was finished, and myself once more
in a cabin, side by side vrith another eighteen pounder.
The captain of my new ship had risen to fame and fortune
from the rank of foremast-man ; and that by one of those sin
gular chances, which, " taken at the flood, leads on to fortune."
At the period aUuded to, he was boatswain of an Indiaman,
which, when off" the Cape of Good Hope, was in imminent peril
of foundering in a storm. It was found necessary to cut away
the fore-topmast; but such was the hazard attending this service,
that at first no man on board could be found hardy enough to
venture aloft, as the foremast itself trembled like a reed, and was
momentarily expected to go by the board. In the midst of the
confusion, the boatswain, nothing daunted, succeeded in reaching the

9
the fore-top, cut away the topmast, and descended in safety.
As a reward'- for this service;, the owners made him an officer erf
the ship ;, and in time, he rose to the command of her. He was
a brave officer, and a good man; the only one in authority on
board, who manifested any considerate and real feeling for the
health, convenience, and comfort of the petty officers and seamen.
The second officer was instructed by my uncle " not to spare
me," but to " giw it me well" and " make a sailor of me!' My
uncle, as I afterwards understood, had assisted him with a large
Supply of goods, on liberal credit ; in return for which act of
kindness, the officer conscientiously acted up to the very letter
of his opulent friend's advice ; nay, I believe, even exceeded it.
No sooner were we out at sea, than he began to knock me about,
on all quarters of the deck, and continued this barbarity, I may
almost say, night and day, until he grew tired of it. He then
lut upon a refined method of " giving it me meU," that of keep
ing me up at the mast-head all night, or on the drum-head of
the capstan. On such occasions, nature, worn out, would make
me fall asleep, when the watchful guardian of the night would
order sailors to pour buckets of water on me, or, if that would
not do, to throw the bucket at my head afterwards. At last the
.Captain interfered, and frequently countermanded my t3Tant's
orders, by sending me to rest. This man had a singular way
of grinning, and shewing his teeth, when pacing the deck.
Whenever he got a little elevated, he invariably grinned, and;
under the guise of punishment for negligence, practised refined
arts of cruelty on all the poor middies of the ship.
I bore all his ill treatment with uncommon fortitude until we
arrived, on our way to China, at Pulo-Penarig, I then deter
mined to free myself from the oppression under which I groaned,
and which would soon have become insupportable. My plan
wiisj to' leave the ship before her departure ; nor could the dread
of being left destitute, friendless, and -pennyless, in a- foreign
ccmntry, the language of Vifhich I was unacquainted with, shake
my resolution for a moment. It is true, I dreaded my uncle's
resentment; I dreaded the sentence which his severe temper,
the effects of which I had already experienced, would, I knew,
award to' my delinquency ; but no prospective evil, even though
fatal to my future prospects,- could alter my determination to
escape

10
escape from the ills which immediately awaited me. Another
very awkward predicament in which I was placed, acted with me
as additional inducement not to proceed in the ship. The mid
shipmen found it necessary to subscribe eight pounds each, to
wards the mess ; and being supplied with funds by the captain
and purser, by the authority of their friends, they easily raised
the required sum ; but my uncle had totally overlooked either the
necessity or the probability of any advance of cash being needed
during the voyage ; so that my application was negatived -with
a positive and brief reply — " We have no authority from your
uncle to make any advance of cash ;" and, had I proceeded, I
must have been excluded the mess.
There was on board an Irish youth, a fellow-midshipman,
named Smith, to whom I had formed a warm attachment. He
had evidently been brought up in the first circles of society, and
was, on the whole, amiable in disposition, and pleasing in his
manners. To him I revealed my intention ; and we argued the
pros and cons, for nights and nights together, in the midnight
watch, without any material difference of opinion. His first
suggestion was to present to the captain a ¦written complaint^
signed by all of us, against the second officer : next, he thought
it the wisest way to " knock the monster on the head ;" or, pro
perly speaking, to " give it him welt," in turn : then again, he
proposed, most earnestly, to accompany me ; but, as he had con
tributed his share towards the mess, and as I should not have
felt happy under the consciousness of having been the cause of
any injury which might have accrued to him, in consequence of
his leaving the ship, I insisted on going alone ; and his other
propositions we rejected as futile and useless. It was at last ar
ranged, that my box, directed for me, at the British Hotel, should
be packed up ready for my friend Smith to send on shore, in the
first boat that might leave the ship after my departure ; as we
justly concluded that I should not be able to take it with me,
without incurring too serious a risk of detection.
On the morrow the ship was to leave Pulo-Penang : the mor
row then was to form an epoch in my life ; my prospects were to
change, possibly not for the better, since I vv'as about to enter on
a wide world, unknowing and unknown : driven to an act of
such desperate resource, by the brutality of an enemy on the one
hand.

11
hand, and on the other, by the inadvertence of my natural pro
tector. During the night I slept but little, racked as I was with
scorpion anxiety, and dreaming of .appalling dangers ; but the
morning rays relieved me, and I then began my preparations by
packing up my clothes, dressing myself, and pocketing all the
treasure I had to begin the world with, and that was — one
doUar. At six in the evening I was ready : I went down on the gun-
deck, and exchanged a farewell with Smith, who, actuated by
friendship most sincere, invoked many a blessing on my head.
The hoarse voice of my persecutor, bawling " Naufragus !" sum
moned me before him, I surveyed him steadily, and with a calm
look, though conscious that I stood before him whom I should
never cease to execrate as the man who drove me friendless on
the world. — " What !" said he ; " dressed so smart ! — going on
shore, I suppose ? [^ironically]. Here — give this receipt to the
boatman who brought the cask of lime-juice, and teU, him he
may go,"
The shade of evening had but just spread round the vessel,
when I went on deck ; a fall of rain, with a distant roU of thun-
derj and a heavy gust of wind from the shore, indicated an ap
proaching storm. I hurried into the boat, and giving the receipt
to the boatman, who was a Mahommedan, I desired him to shove
me on shore, putting into his hand my all — the dollar, which
worked a talismanic effect ; for in five minutes I was, for the
first time in my life, on the shore of Prince-of- Wales Island.
The feeling of sailors on leaving their floating home, to which
habit has reconciled them, has been often the subject of remark :
thus, I once heard the sailors of a ship called the Mary, when
she was in flames in the river Hooghly, exclaim, with the greatest
tenderness, as they abandoned her to her fate — " Farewell, Mary !
— ^poor old ship ! — ^good bye, old girl !" and some of them were
seen to shed tears : and even I could not help, when the boat
was conveying me on shore, taking a silent farewell of my ship —
but especially of my friend Smith and the captain, both of whom
I much esteemed  " Here I am," said I to myself, when I
touched the shore, " left, with aU the world before me ; and be
thou, kind Providence, my guide !" "Some

12
" Some natural tears I dropp'd, but wip'd them soon :
The world was all before me, where to choose
My place of rest, and Providence my guide."
My absence, I was aware, would soon be discovered on board :
my first object therefore was to seek out a secure and convenient
place of concealment for the night. For some time I rambled
about the town of Pulo-Penang, with aU the curiosity attending
the first view of objects entirely new to the senses ; the long
wide streets and irregular buildings, with the waving cocoa and
toddy tree, were novel ; and the fragrance of the verdure aft^
the heavy rain, was, to me, who had not been on shore for seven
months, at once refreshing and delightful : but I recollected that
this was not the time to indulge in curiosity or research, so I
started onwards, and travelled on the high road for some mileSj
until a spacious wood-yard, full of massy pieces of timber, pre
sented itself to my view, affording, as I thought, an easy and
secure retreat for the night : fatigue and anxiety made this asy
lum, poor as it was, cordially welcome ; and stretching myself
out on a broad teak plank, under cover of a piece of timber, I,
in a short time, fell into a profound sleep.
When I awoke in the morning, the novelty of the objects by
which I was surrounded, the magnificence of the scenery, the
sable cast of hundreds of natives, ¦who by this time were in mo
tion, altogether conspired to make me consider myself an inhabi
tant of another world ; but the painful reality was soon present
to my mind ; and then how deeply did I wish, all — ^life itself —
to be some painful, turbulent dream ! what bliss, I thought, to
awake, and find myself relieved from the horrid reality, and in a
state of happiness and peace ; but, alas ! it was no dream.
I got up, repaired to a murmuring brook close by, and aft^
having washed my face and hands, pursued my journey towards
a thick forest or wood, just in my front. The country seats I
passed, the property of Europeans, were very picturesque, decked
out with cocoa and palm trees. Fearing pursuit, I quickened
my pace, and after having walked for three or four hours, found
myself in the midst of the forest, and quite secure, I felt con
vinced, from the least risk of detection,
I joumied on, the wood becoming thicker and thicker, so that
. it was with difficulty I made my way ; but wishing to gain the
summit

IS
summit of a mountain just before me, in order to watch the mo
tions of my ship, I persevered, and had nearly obtained my object,
when a loud hissing noise assaEed me from before. Not knowing
but that the wood might be infested with wild beasts, or danger
ous reptiles, I was at a loss ¦what to do : to recede I would not ;
and after mustering a little resolution, I ventured on, expecting
every moment some large serpent to rush out and attack me.
The hissing became louder and louder as I advanced, and so loud
at last that I made a full stand, looking about anxiously in all di
rections for my assailant, but in vain ; and as the hissing ceased
when I stopped, I availed myself of the opportunity afforded me
by the apparent suspension of the expected attack, of allaying my
hunger with a wUd pine-apple, which I saw before me. Onward
I stUl ventured, and the noise, which now resembled rather a
rattle than a hiss, recommenced, I was astonished that I could
not see any thing ; at last, however, the bushes to the right of
me shook excessively for some distance, but without developing
the cause, and all at once the noise cease3.
After considerable labour, I reached the summit of the moun
tain at the close of the evening, and, to my great mortification,
beheld my ship stiU at anchor, and waiting, as I naturally sup
posed, for my return, either voluntarily, or with a party who
might be seeking me. On looking about, I found an uninhabited
hut, with some large fishbones strewed about the floor, I pluck
ed the leaves of some plantain trees, and having cleaned out the
hut, made a bed with them. As night approached, I was delight
ed to behold the trees and bushes illumined by swarms of fire
flies, which resembled thousands of sparks, or spangles. My
pleasure would have been greater, but for some unaccountable
noises, such as roarings, croakings, hissings, and now and then a
howl, all which combined, made me wish much for a candle, and
some weapon of defence.
The moon rose in full majesty in my front ; to the right the
lights of Pulo-Penang and Fort CornwaUis were discernible, and
around me was a vast expanse of wood. Tired at last of pacing
the solitary summit, and racked with anxiety, hiinger, and fatigue,
I betook myself to my hut, and fell asleep.
At daybreak I beheld one of the sweetest scenes I think in na
ture. The sun had just risen above the horizon — the unruffled sea.

14
sea, of a dear ethereal blue, embraced the glittering shore — the
bold coast of Queda, divided from Prince of Wales Island by a
channel*, two or three miles broad, presented itself in front ; the
town of Pulo-Penang, with Fort CornwaUis, and the surrounding
country, smiling in all the gaiety of nature's best dress, were on
my right ; and beneath me the Indiaman (which in my present
mood I looked at merely as an object in the scale) at her anchor
age ; while ever and anon birds of gaudy plumage, the cockatoo,
the lory, and the paroquet, adorned the skirts of the forest. The
whole prospect impressed me with indescribable delight ; and
made my heart acknowledge and adore ¦with fervor the Divine
Creator of all that I beheld, and implore his providence to direct
my future steps, and to support me under any trials which might
yet await me.
The sensation of hunger now became troublesome ; nor had I
any means or prospects of relief. At last I determined to descend
the mountain, and remain in the skirts of the wood, until, fa
voured by night, I could venture to Penang without the risk of
being taken : I thought that there I might probably procure
something to eat — possibly employment. On my return through
the wood, I was amused by the antics of a large monkey, which
sprang from bough to bough, following me in my descent, appa
rently indignant at my intrusion into his solitary haunts.
I wandered in the skirts of the wood, and on the sea beadi,
picking up shells and corals, until dusk ; and then boldly pro
ceeded towards Penang. AU this time I had my ship full in
view, and was watching all her motions; indeed, not a man
could move on deck, nor a sail be unfurled, ¦without my cogni
zance. Scarcely had I reached the town before I beheld, in a verandah,
open to the street, a Portuguese man, with his wife and two little
girls, eating their supper of rice and fish curry. I walked up to
the group, and asked, by signs, for something to eat ; they, how
ever, one and all ran away, apparently alarmed, and left me to
pursue my course, I next made my wants known by signs, as
before, to two native Indians ; and, by signs, they desired me to
sit down on a mat on the floor, and to wait until they should
bring something; but I felt alarmed on finding myself locked in,
and,
• This channel is much frequented by the alligator.

15
and> vfithout a moment's loss of time, let myself out of a small
back casement, through which I could scarcely squeeze my body,.
and efl'ected my escape. This incident determined me not to
make any more attempts to gain assisjiance in the town, until my
ship should have fairly gone away.
That night I slept in the wood yard ; and the next day, in
order to reach the summit of the mountain, again penetrated the
recesses of the wood ; but on my way through it, I found myself
all at once in the midst of an Indian family, almost in a state of
nudity, smoking, and squatted round a small fire. To this party
too I applied for relief, still, of course, by signs, and to my great
joy,, an elderly black handed me a piece of new cocoa-nut ,¦; hut
this did not much allay my hunger, which was excessive : I,
however, expressed my thanks in the best way I could, and pro
ceeded up the mountain once more. Having reached the top,
what were now my surprise and joy to behold my ship actually
under weigh ! By six o'clock she was a mere speck on the hori
zon, thus relieving me of an infinite load of anxiety and dread.
It, was too late to venture back to the town that night, so I slept
in my hut, and early in the morning. gpt up, and proceeded, to
Penang, which place I reached about eight o'clock.
In my first walk through the town,. I had observed that I was
an object of general notice; and I afterwards learnt that fifty
dollars had been offered by my captain, as a reward for my appre
hension ; the motive? of the two Indians for locking me in the
room were then obvious enough.
feeing a man in the dress of a native of rf^nk following me
very closely, I ventured to ask him if he spoke EngUsh ?-:— " Yes,,
my lord." — " Well," said I, " tell me who is the greatest Eng
lish merchant in Penang — I mean the richest ?" — " Ogilvie,
sahib." — " Good again," I replied. " Now then, my friend,
pray take me to Mr. Ogilvie's house." In a short time I was
ushered into a princely mansion, and soon in the presence of
Ogilvie, sahib, (or Mr. Ogilvie.) I addressed him, saying that I.
presumed to call, on him as a British merchant, to acquaint him
with the step which I had taken, and the causes which had led
me to adopt a scheme so desperate ; and ended my tale, by re
questing that he would either give me, or procure for me, employ
ment on shore, in any industrious occupation ; at the same time
assuring

16
assuring him, that his aid would be found not to have been mis
placed. He seemed, perfectly astonished ; and it was some time
before he replied — " Young gentleman, I feel much for the un
protected state in which you are placed in this settlement ; and,
if I may judge from your appearance, you would not abase any
aid which I could afford you : but indeed you cannot remain in
this island — the governor himself could not pei-mit you to remain
here : but if you will call — ^but no — here he comes — ^here 4e
comes." The entrance of a stout short man, with a good-natured face,
arrested the harangue of Mr. OgUvie, who rose up and- shook his
friend by the hand most heartily,—" Cs^tain Lsunbert," resumed
Mr. Ogilvie, " here is a young midshipman, who has left his ship
from ill treatment, it appears, and who wants empkiyiKart :
can't yoju takeliim with you as second mate ?¦ You want one, I
understand." — " The \exy thing, Ogilvie; and," said? Lambert,
turning to me, " you shall find good usage with me, liowver
you may have been treated on board the Indiaman : I know well
enough what they are, young gentleman."
I- assured him my endeavours should not be wanting to jHtnre
myself deserving of any encouragement I should receive. To
Mr. Ogilvie I expressed my grateful thanks. Mid, pointing 'to
blackee, who had introduced me to his presence, I expressed my
regret at not having it in my power to reward him. The obtain
told me to go on board the brig Jane, and, with his compHments
to the mate, to request him to receive me, — " You'll- find,"ie
said, " the Jane's boat at the jetty stairs;" and added— " I wfll
take care of blackee."
Upon this I retired, thanking God in my heart for this intapo-
sition in my behalf, and in a few minutes was on board the Jane,
but almost famished, having fasted nearly four days, and without
any clothes except those I had on ; for, on inquiry at the British
hotel for my box, I found that it had not been forwarded,' doubt
less in consequence of my friend Smith's want of c^portunity. ¦
The first object that struck me on my arrival on board, 'was die
odd appearance of the chief mate, whose name was Tasdt : he
wore a red cap, a full pair of silk sleeping trowsers, and a white
jacket : his countenance was equally remarkable— a visageof dark
complexion, with thick bushy whiskers, and long mustachios, high
cheek-

17
cbeek bohes, and large black eyes ; he was a half-cast, or Creole,
of Bengal, but educated in England. Scarcely had I made my
bow to this original, when aloud, confused jabber, proceeding
from the main hold, of " Marrega ! marrega !" attracted our
notice ;• and, on looking down the hatchway, I beheld three or
four lascars, with billets of wood, crushing a huge centipede,
which twirled its long, elastic body round and round, in agony
and rage, until IjUled, The jabber of the black sailors, and their
novel costume, together with the heat of the hold, and the SmeU
of^ the pepper and betel-nut, of which the cargo consisted, pro
duced on my mind an impression unlike any I had ever before felt.
AU hands were busy receiving cargo, which we were to leave
at Malacca for some China ship expected there ; and aU possible
haste was made to saU. immediately. It was four o'clock in the
afternoon when I went on board, and at five Tassit very dvUly
asked me dowm to tea. I readUy obeyed the summons, and fol
lowed him to the cabin. There I found the leg and wing of a
cold fowl, to^t, biscuits, butter, a piece of cold ham, and a
smoking tea-kettle in the hands of a lascar. Down I sat, oppo
site to my new friend Tassit, and began upon the fowl and ham,
which soon disappeared ; the toast and tea also vanished^ and
with equal celerity, Tassit all the while ministering to my wants
¦with much patience and good-nature ; and when I aftervrards
told hint that that meal was the only one I had had for four days,
he laughed immoderately ; but suddenly checking himself, said,
in a serious tone — " By all that's wonderful, I thought you would
have killed yourself!"
After tea, we chatted untU eight, and I understood that riiy
¦p^y was to be eighty Sicca rupees (£lO) per month. This was
indeed agreeable news, and, at Tassit's suggestion, I went to bed
at ten ; but scarcely had I got into a comfortable dose, when I
was roused up to assist in getting the brig under weigh. This
was done in about an hour ; and with the fuU moon to Hght us,
we saUed down the Southern Channel, The captain had not yet
come on board, so it was agreed that I should take the morning
watch; from four to eight, and to bed I went again. ' "
• About twelve r was requested to go to the captain, who had
come on board, and had sent for me. I quickly obeyed, and
went into his cabin, when the first object I saw was a friend of
C his.

18
Ms, who had come on board to bid him farewell, measuring his
length on the floor, and quite drunk ; next appeared to my view
the noble captain himself, seated in an arm-chair, his two thumbs
playing round and round, a la Ephraim Smooth, and his eyes
keeping time. His face was round, plump, and as red as a fur
nace, and his head rolled round his large, square shoulders, quite
mechanically; and it was not without some difficulty that he
contrived to stammer out, after two or three slight interruptions
from a tormenting hiccough — " WeU, sir, have you got your
things }" — " No, sir." — " No, sir ! then what's to be done ?
what's to be done ? (hiccough) wh — a — a — t's to be d — done ?"
faUing gently backward into a " rest thee, babe" slumber. Sup
posing him fast asleep, I was about to take a sUent leave, when,
to my surprise, he, on a sudden, started half out of his chair,
bawling out — " D — n it, what's to be done .''" and once more he
fell asleep. In a few minutes there appeared much to be done,
for we had run ashore. We lay on our beam-ends untU morning,
Tassit aU the while, quite unconcerned, smoking a smaU hand
hookah, and talking about his dear intended, who was in Bengal,
untU the stars began, to disappear, and the day to break, bringing
the rise of the tide, and with it boats from the shore to our as
sistance, AU hands were now actively engaged, and so continued
untU nine o'clock, when we again floated. We bade adieu to
Penang, and a fair, gentle breeze, wafted us through the Chan
nel, towards the Straits of Malacca. The captain very kindly
gave me, from his private stock of dothes, six shirts, six white
jackets, a red cap, six pair of trowsers, and a watch-coat, and
always continued to behave tn me in the most kind and friendly
manner. Professing himself my best friend, he invariably sup
ported me, whenever any diff"erence between myself and Tassit, or
the saUors, rendered his interference necessary. He is now, dead;
but if his spirit witnesses the feeUngs of my heart, which beat so
high in gratitude and affection to his memory, he has fuU as
surance that his kindness was not LU bestowed.
The scenery which we passed was transcendently beautiful.
Our little skiff was wafted by a gentle, refreshing zephyr, and
the lascars, in groups, were relating some of their marveUouS
tales, whUe Tassit and myself, sipping our tea, SAveetened with
China candy, and enriched with the milk of a favourite goat, were

19
were listening to the ca'ptaift's descriptions of the different splen
did or remarkable scenes which presented themselves. The sky
continued, for many days, cloudless, and beautifuUy blue ; and I
may rank the evening hours of this day among the few really
happy hours of my life. This period of enjoyment, especiaUy in
contrast with the sufferings which immediately preceded it, stUl
refreshes both my memory and my imagination.
In a few days we reached Malacca, and, after discharging the
pepper and betel which we had on board, prepared to saU for
Pulo Lingin, an obscure Malay port to the eastward, seldom
frequented by EngUsh traders. Previously to our saUing, as we
were endeavouring to heave up an anchor left behind by some .
frigate, a black diver, who had dived for the purpose of ascer-
tfdning its exact situation, in consequence of the extreme difficulty
experienced in heaving it up, remained under water so long, that
we gave him up for lost. At length, however,; he made his ap
pearance at the surface, thus relieving us from our regret — but
for a moment, however ; for an enormous shark appeared almost
instantaneously, snapped him completely asunder, and then swam
away after the mangled remains, leaving the water, for a consi
derable space, dyed with blood. The shock to all of us, who
were unable to render the least assistance, viras truly horrific ;
and, for many months afterwards, a painful impression remained
on our minds, in consequence of the melancholy fate of our un
fortunate diver. The next day after this tragical event, we set
saU, and on our passage through the Straits of Malacca, met the
Java expedition on its return to Bengal.
In about three weeks we reached Pulo Lingin. The lofty
peak so caUed, as seen from the deck of our Uttle bark, on a clear
day, had a grand and imposing effect. We had not been long at
anchor before a canoe came alongside, with four Arabian, chiefs,
magnificently appareUed. The captain, suspecting them to be
pirates in disguise, gave orders that the door of a cabin, in which
was a large chest of treasure, should be locked. They said that
they came merely to see the captain and the ship. Being received
on board, they scrutinized, with rather suspicious minuteness, every
thing within their view. On coming to the cabin where the
treasure was concealed, and finding the door locked, they expressed
great anxiety to have it opened. The captain, whose presence of
c 2 mind

20
mind never forsook him, called to the Cas-a-ab for the key,
telling theto in Arabic " there was only a poor Christian lying
there, who had died the day before," upon which they turned
aside with symptoms of disgust, at the idea of seeing a CSiristian
corpse, and precipitately returned on deck. One of the Arabs
eyed me with expressive earnestness ; which, indeed, was not to
be wondered at, for a European lad had seldom, if ever, been seen
in that part of the globe before, I was not more than fourteen
years of age, with the glow of health on my cheek, and with long
curly hair, as white as flax. The Arab then entered into conver
sation with the captain, expressing (as I afterwards learnt, to my
no small astonishment) a wish to purchase me — nay, ventured so
far, as to offer three hundred dollars for me. On being told that
I was not for sale, he appeared much surprised, expressing, in
deed, his wonder that the captain could refuse so large a sum for
so young a boy ; but endeavouring to account for the refusal, by
observing — " He is perhaps some young prince, or a high east
Englishman, I suppose ;" and after shewing off" some consequential
native airs, left' us. No sooner were our visitors clear off^ than
the captain ordered all the small arms, and the four six-pounders,
to be loaded, in readiness for an attadt that night. No attack,
however, was made, and the captain and myself went on shore
the next morning.
We first paid our visit to the Mng, or rajah of Lingin, who
was seated, cross-legged, on a cane mat, in a large hut. We
were not suffered to approach his august presence without taking
off' our shoes and stockings, and were ordered not to advance
nearer to his majesty's person than fifteen feet. The captain and
I now sat down cross-legged, on a mat facing the king. He was
an overgrown' savage-looking Malay, with fat cheeks, a short flat
chin, and a large mouth, dAwn the comers of which ran the
juice of the betel-nut, of a deep red colour, which gave him an
appearance, at least in my eye, both terrifying and disgusting.
We were surrounded on all sides by Malays, ai-med each with a
crease, or dagger, probably poisoned, and whose countenances
were marked with a ferocity quite in keeping with the rest of the
scene. The captain broke silence by a flatteiing encomium on
the king's improved looks, since last he saw lliin, and requested
his acceptaufo of some costly and choice presents, which were
produced.

21
produced. His majesty having accepted them, made some in
quiries respecting, me ; he first admired the colour of my hair,
then asked how many brothers I had — how old I was — and if I
would like to stop in his dominions ? and seemed quite pleased
with my complimentary answers. Upon my expressing some sur
prise at, seeing an organ in a comer of the room, he beckoned to
one of his attendant^ to play it. A more viUanous compound of
harsh sounds I never before Jieard, but they seemed to please the
Ma/lay monarch; mightily. He then ordered a flute to be brought
me, whidi, as weU as the organ, had doubtless been given him
by somp European, who wdl knew their use. I immediately re
ceived it, and, still in a sitting posture, played a few notes, to the
surprise of the king and all the motley assembly.
, Thp captain now rose to take leave,' which we both did, by
bowing very ceremoniously,' and very low. We had not gone far,
, howevpr, before we were recalled into the presence of the king,
iwho,. after we had again divested ourselves of stockings and shoes,
and sat cross-legged on the mat, made me a present of the flute,
and a( bamboo salver fuU of sweetmeats. We were then aUowed
to depart,
i ,, After I. remaining at Lingin six days, during which time we
were occupied in bartering piece goods and opium for block tin,
we set saU for Pulo Minto, where we arrived in about three weeks.
On our landing, we observed that the natives, who, as weU as
those of Piilo, Lingin, were Malays, were less friendly and open
.thafl o^r, Lingin friends; and the rajah would not grant our cap
tain an intervievy : he was highly indignant, and half resolved to
sail away, without a cargo ; but as this sacrifice would be too
great, he reluctantly went on shore. He was by this time weU
,aware of the treacheroiis disposition of the natives ; and the first
thing he did was to reeve signal-halyards on a prominent post on
the, beach, giving directions to Tassit to keep a good . look-out,
and, in the event of the union jack being unfurled, to hasten on
shoreijvith aU the crew, well arnied,
Pqlo Minto is even a more lovely spot than Lingin: the
scenery is indeed, bewitching, not uhUke that which the imagina
tion might appropriate to the enchanted island of the Tempest ;
but, alas ! no Prosperos, nor Ariels, nor Mirandas, were there ;
, its inh^altitants were very Uttle, at least in my view, inferior in
, . c 3 manners.

22
manners, and in mental and personal endowments, to CaUbai^^
himself. By dint of great activity and exertion, we completed our lading
in about nine days, and without any closer intimacy with the
natives than what was absolutely necessaxy. They evinced from
the first no disposition to good feUowship ; and on one occasion,
when I approached a Malay prince, who wore a splendid crease,
with a wish, expressed by signs, to be aUowed to examine it, I
thought I should have to pay with my life for my temerity, such
was the savage maUgnity of his countenance, and the offensive
manner in which he repulsed my advances.
We were on the point of departure, and, as we thought, had
but to deUver over to the Malays a bale of piece goods, and five
hundred doUars, due to them, when, to our dismay, we missed
twenty-eight slabs of tin, represented to have been actuaUy sMp-
ped on the preceding day, but which, as we afterwards found,
had been very adroitly concealed by the Malays in the sand on
the beach. No sooner had o'ur captain made this discovery, than
he ordered Tassit to go on shore immediately, and teU the Malay,
that if the property was not given up, he would not only keep
possession of the bale of piece goods, and the five hundred dollars,
but report the case to the supreme government; and I was ap
pointed to accompany Tassit. On rowing ashore, poor Tassit
became more and more thoughtful, until a deep sigh would escape
him, with — " WeU, God knows how it wiU all end !" In the
mean time, the brig got under weigh, and stood in shore as near
as she could, her guns " grinning horribly," and the captain
pacing the deck, with evident anxiety. We found the beach
Uned with Malays, and as our Uttle boat crossed the surf, the
countenance of Tassit assumed a most discouraging aspect. This,
however, did not much intimidate me, for, armed as we were,
each with two loaded pistols and a cutlass, I thought our boat's
crew a match for them.
It was about four o'clock in the evening, when the gentle surf
bore our boat on the sand, and Tassit, with an unwUUng step,
landed ; that instant, a number of Malays seized and hurried him
to a hut on the beach, and there surrounded him, making use of
aU the outrageous epithets in broken English and Malay, and
using the most violent gesticulations of defiance and derision
imaginable ;

23
imaginable ; one drawing a crease across Tassit's cheek, others
forming a ring, and seating him on a mat in the midst of them.
At that instant, I, who with the boat's crew had foUowed him,
came into the ring to speak to one of the chiefs, and' to endeavour
to release ray mate : " Look ! my dear Naufragus, behold !"
ejaculated Tassit, " what a dangerous situation has the rashness of
our captain placed me in !" He said this in a voice, and with a
manner so deplorable, and at the same time so irresistibly droU,
that I could not refrain from laughing, although there were, at
that moment, twenty drawn daggers at our breasts, I comforted
Tassit as well as I could, and told the Malays I would go on
board, and make known to the captain their demands. — " Iss, teU
im," said one of the chiefs, " he not pay my dollar, not give my bale
of piece goods, I cut away this man's throat." At this poor Tassit
turned up the whites of his eyes, bellowing after me — " My
dear Naufragus, make haste, or I shall be lost to you for ever,"
I made my boat's crew row with aU their might, tUl, in a few
minntes, I got on board. Never shall I forget the violent rage
of the captain, when I told him what the Malays had done ; he
was as mad as the roaring sea.^" Ah !" said he, " if you could
hut have unfurled the union jack, I would have settled the bu
siness in an instant, but that was impossible. Go on shore, Nau
fragus ; tell the Malays that I hoist my nation's ensign ; shew it
to them ; tell them, if they insult that flag, by keeping a British
subject prisoner, my countrymen will come and blow the town to
atoms : tell them, too, I wUl have my twenty-eight slabs of tin,"
A second time I went on shore, not, I confess, quite pleased with
my mission ; but deeming any misgivings discreditable to my duty,
as well as to my honour, I spurned those intruders, and looking
sternly at 'Siiy crew, told them, in their language, to pull like
devils ! " Ah ! ha ! sahib," was the reply, accompanied by a
loud cheer, which reanimated poor Tassit, whose drboping spirits
were just then at the lowest ebb of despair. I again entered the
ring, and''they were aU listening attentively to my interpreter,
when, whiz ! Sang a cannon ball from our captain, which passed
I just above our heads. This produced a violent consternation
among the natives ; but they had no time for words, for another
thunderer came, and struck a cocoa-tree close to us, the top of
which was shivered to atoms. At this moment, the brig hoisted
c 4 EnglLsh

24
English colours. Tassit now expected every moment to be im;
last ; and I retreated three or four paces, to keep my arms dear,
and prepared for defence. A rush towards Tassit made me give
up the poor fellow for lost, and breathless with apprehension, but
nevertheless determined either to defend or avenge him, I hastily
approached the spot with my crew, and was surprised at the
changed expression of Tassit's countenance : his dark eyes darted
joy, a smUe of deUght beamed on his cheek, and, turning to me^
he said, " Go on board, my dear Naufragus, and teU the captain
to cease firing ; the Malays have agreed to his terms ; and on the
return of the boat, I am to receive the tin." With joy I de-
Uvered the message ; the firing ceased ; I took the boat once
more on shore, the tin was brought on board by Tassit, who shook
the captain by the hand most heartUy, and the captain, who was
very fond of his chief officer, said, " Ah ! my old croney, had
they cut you in slices, I'd have revenged you, my boy !'- - This
consolation, however, was received by Tassit in sUence, who no
doubt thought ¦with OtheUo, " 'tis better as it is," The dollars
and the piece goods were then, of course, deUvered to the natives.
The captain afterwards went on shore, and was, received with
great respect by the king, who agreed to dine on board, with all
his retinue, next day, which was Christmas day.
At an early hour, we were prepared for the reception of our
royal guest : the rigging was decorated with the British ensign,
and union jack ; the American, French, and Spanish «nsigns
were spread on the quarter-deck ; our guns, ¦with six fresh charges
at the side of each, were got in readiness to fire a salute ; curries,
sweatmeats, wine, brandy, and Hodgson's pale ale, graced a weU-
spread table, laid out on deck ; while the captain, with his
telescope, was looking anxiously towards the beach, for the em
barkation of the king. Precisely at twdve o'dock, a large
canoe, having in it three flags, and surrounded by a considerable
number of smaUer canoes, pushed off" from the shore, and in about
ten minutes the king arrived on board. He was a Uttle fat man,
with a lowering aspect, a flat nose, keen crafty-looking eyes, ¦with
a remarkably small chin. The moment he reached the deck, our
six-pounders opened the salute, the thunder of wMch so alarmed
his majesty, that, at his particular request, they were silencedi'
The conversation then turned on the hopes of a continuance of
friendship

23
friendship between his majesty and- the. English ; numerous were
the professions' of veneration and attachment ; exchanged, tiU at
length our royal visitor; began to feel the effects of the bumpers
he had swaUowed, and at every fresh one he , declared — "No
nation in the world was Uke the EngUsh !" His attendants wore
each a- crease, and surrounded their king, as if apprehensive for
his, safety. At three he -rose to depart, and a finishing bumper
to the higalth of the king of , England concluded the entertain
ment, with which our visitor was highly gratified, and returned
oUishore,' with, on his part, reiterated professions of everlasting
foieridship for, the EngUsh, and on ours^ (when, he was at a dis
tance not to, feel alarm,) with a salute from the guns.
.. We -then proceeded to get under weigh ; but my feelings were
now to nndergo a shock which I Uttle anticipated, and which
iseEved to iUustrate the unnatural, cruel practice of the slave
trade — a beautiful, gill, about twelve years of age, had been
purchased by our captain for the sum of forty dollars, as a present
for his wife in Calcutta. : She was brought alongside in a canoe,
-Hbewtly after the departure of the king, in a state, sufficient to
awaken sympathy and pity in- the breasts even of those who
;were most accustomed to vritness . such scenes. She was " all
tears,'' or rather, as if nature had exhausted " itself, and denied
to her the aid of tears to reUeve- her oppressed heart, she was
insensible to aU around, and wrapt in an agony of profound
sorrow. Her hair, long, and black as a raven's wing, was flow
ing wildly over her face and shoulders : poor Yadhoo ! how often
have I thought of thy afSictions ! alas ! thy moans were unheard
— thy sighs unregarded; our bark bore thee away, far, far from
thy country, and the sacred breasts that reared thee, and thou
wast doomed to bear tiiy griefs unsolaced and- alone !
. ¦li.Soan.tihe.shore of Pulo Minto vanished from our sight. Wafted
hy;>a fair jwmdjt! and bending our course &r Hindostan, poor
Yadhoo was forgotten untU: the next morning, when she was no
where to be , fouind^! though diUgent i search was madff for her.
It was at first suj^osed by jdl;; that she had fallen a victim' to
J. her^ excessive grief, and (thrown ¦ herself, into the sea during the
; night ;; bat on the |hird) evening of .our departure.she was found
by one of the lascars, stretched at her full; length, in the main
i chainsj a^preyito dread land. misery,' and reduced to a mere ske-
i i leton:

26
leton : her ]iudingf.place was probably the hold, which it was not
possible to examine thoroughly. Every care was now taken of her
by the captain, who left untried no means which tenderness
could suggest, to reconcile her to her fate ; but it was not until
six weeks had elapsed that she ventured to hold up her head.
Frequently, when in the evening, or in the night-watch, she
seated to leeward, have I listened to her wUd native song ; her
voice was impressively plaintive, weU suited to the melancholy
notes she warbled, and so soft and tender, that I never, before
or since, heard any music which went so directly to my heart.
The music of the Malays is, I beUeve, generaUy aUowed by
Europeans to possess a meUowness and mournful sweetness pecu-
Uar to itself; and is, from its simpUcity and wUdness, considered
to be eminently beautiful.
My soul delights in sensibility, so that it would respond to any
melancholy object; and such was the impression which it re
ceived from the wild notes of Yadhoo, in connexion with its
cognizance of her desolate situation, that I shaU never cease to
think of her, though an untutored Indian, but as one possessing
a soul of rare sensibiUty : in short-—" To feel, 'twas but to hear
her song."
The voyage from Pulo Minto to Calcutta occupied a period of
seven weeks ; and certainly I never ^ent a happier time on ship
board. The captain was exceedingly fond of music, aud abmit
an hour after the tear-things were removed, wine, grog, and smaU
hand-hookahsy being placed on the table, Tassit was looked to
for his song as regularly as if it had been part of his duty.
Then would he strike up his favourite air — " Away with melan
choly," the famiUar fal las of wHch deUghted the captain so
much, that if I were not scrupulously attentive to lend to them
the force of my lungs, he would fly into a ^'iolent passion, and
thumping the table with his Gunter's scale, bawl out  " WeU,
sir I" then came th& fal la, with a vengeance. It was not, how
ever, at aU times, that I could compose my musdes sufficiently
for the pui-pose, so ludicrous was the effect produced by the
uniform twang of Tassit's voice, in the verse beginning with
— " Why what's the use of sighing," by his wide-extended lanky
jaws, and by his eye stedfastly fixed on one of the beams, from
which he never ventured to move it, until It came to the delect able

27
able^i la. This scene was renewed every night until our arrival
in Bengal.
On the 25th of January 1812, we hove in sight of the Little
Andamans : it was a clear day, the wind blowing a gentlS north
east breeze. We saUed dose in shore, admiring the general
beauty .of the island — the green cocoa — the palm---the dazzUng
sandy beach-^and the clear blue waters playing on its verge, and
reflecting the sun's rays. The Andamans were at that time un
inhabited ; and a lascar was stationed at each mast-head to look
out for any wreck, or for any signs of human habitation. No
thing, however, but the beach, with the beauty of the landscape,
were to be seen.
In a few days a heavy swell announced our near approach to
the sand-heads*; and soon afterwards a lascar at the foretopmast-
head gave us the joyful news of a pUot schooner being in sight.
At this inteUigence the captain, who was aU anxiety to see his
wife and famUy, was deUghted. In an instant our xinion jack
was unfurled at the fore, while in less than an hour a beautiful
brig hove to, close on our weather-bow, and sent a pilot on
board. He was a fine young man,! apparently about three-and-
twenty, remarkable for his penchant for cheroots; never for a
moment was he vnthout one in his mouth, giving his orders at
the same time, and chatting to us aU, with ease and good nature :
the pilot-schooner kept us company.
As we advanced, the Saugor sands became more and more con
spicuous; at last a loud, rumbling noise, resembling that of thun
der, which, as we approached the sands, increased to a terrific
roar, the surge at the same time dashing, over the breakers to an
appalUng height, inspired us with feelings not at all in unison
with those of the pUot, whose features indicated complete self-
possession. We were now haUed from* the mast-head with
" land in sight ;" anxious to see Bengal, I ran up to the fore-
top-gaUant yard-arm, and my longing eyes were satisfied with a
distinct view of Saugor Island on our starboard bow ; shortly af
ter, .the East Indkmenj lying in Saugor roads, appeared. in sight;
and at six o'dock we came to an anchor. The captain was so
overjoyed, that he had " Away with melancholy" three times ikat
night,
* Sands at the entrance of the river Hooghly, as fatal to.mai'iners as the God-
wins in the 'British Channel.

night, and his other favourite songs in proportion ; and the pUot,
when joining in the chorus, convinced us of the strength of his
lungs. At dayUght we weighed anchor, and passed Saugor Island> with
a fair wind. In a little time the smaU craft, lying off Kedgeree,
appeared on our larboard bow : with the wind and current in our
favour, we soon came abreast of Kedgeree ; and in a short tithe it
disappeared altogether. We saUed up the river with wonderful
celerity. — " Now, Naufragus," said our captain, " you wUl see
the beauties of Hindostan, with Its wonders, and aU its piintely
luxuries ;" while the pilot would ever and anon,, as we approached
the banks of the river, lend me his telescope to watch the ap
proach of some thirsty tiger from the jungles, or crafty alli^tor
from the river's depths. Tassit, smoking his hookah on the hen
coops, seemed whoUy intent on the pleasure of a speedy interview
with his beloved Sarsnee.
I went aloft, in the hope of a foretaste of the beauties of Hin
dostan; but I was disappointed : nothing but a low, flat; budiy
country presented itself to my view in every direction. — " Where
—where are the boasted beauties of India ?" said I to Tassit. —
" You wUl see — you ¦ will see/' was his reply. Two tow-boats
were now sent a-head to assist at slack tide. As we moved
slowly and majestically up the river, by the li^t of; a dear fuU
moon, the sUence around, interrupted only by the regular splash
ing of the tow-boats' paddles, and by the shouts of the boatlnen,
answering at intervals in a not unmusical voice, at. first loud and
cheering, then dying away graduaUy, the pUot's caU of" Than-
Brhabar ! pull a-head !" produced a rather pleasing impression,
but left behind a melancholy one.
On the third day an Arab ship passed dose to us, on board of
which were three Circassian beauties, who were distinctly ¦visible,
with the aid of the telescope ; they were in their cabin, looking
at us with as much curiosity as we at them ; and certainly their
complexions were so transcendently fair, and their features so
beautiful,' I could not be surprised at the high estimation in
which the Circassian women are held tliroughout Asia.
As evening drew to a close, we savy the " Company's Gardens"
to our left ; and on our right " Garden-reach." AU at once, a
scone of magic splendour, which took possession of my senses, burst

29
burst Upon my view, and astonished me : the gorgeous palaces,
which were no more than the garden-houses of civU and mUitary
officers, and merchants, were on a scale of magnificence totally
unexpected by me ; never had I beheld, nor have I ever since be
held; the habitations of men so intensely grand and imposing :
the banks of the river, for a distance of three or four mUes, were
studded with palaces, disposed in an irregular Une, some of them
having each a peristyle of twenty-four columns, producing an in
conceivably striking effect ; and the landscape seemed to vie in
richness with the buUdings.
In a little time. Fort WiUiam, considered to be the finest for
tress out of Europe, presented itself to our sight, and astonished
us by the grandeur of its appearance as seen above the ramparts.
The Government House, and the town of Calcutta, hitherto con
cealed, next opened suddenly to our view, and eUcited a sponta
neous burst of admiication from me.—,-" Ah," said I to Tassit,
" how happy shoiald I,be to live in such a country as this ! it is
far, far'morebeautiful than Bngl&ndii-dressed in aU its charms."
On ^e mention of England, there was something in ithe looks
and manner of Tassit, which, .though he iwas not a native, seemed
to call up busy Memory's dearest objects.-r-" Nay, Naufragus,"
rejoined TasSit, " prefer not this gilded land to your native home :
Iknotv it better than you can .know it: a land of luxury is not
necessarily a land of happiness ; the hardy inhabitant of a bleak
cliffy in England may be blessed with a thousand charms — a thou
sand tender links to social comfort, which the owner of yonder
palace may in vain pine to possess, setting aside contentment and
rude health, both of wMch inestimable treasures are in this land
almost strangers to us. If," continued he, " it were not for my
beloved Sarsnee, I should pine for the land in which I spent my
boyish days so happUy." Oh, Love ! potent tyrant ! nor country
nor time can withstand thy sovereign sway : ay, youth — the
world — and manpnon too, bow down before thee, and, must, con
fess thee sovereign lof aU — the first and best, of nature's boons.
Would. that " the course of love always did run smooth!" but
if it did, the earth would be too blest, and mortals wish to Uve
for ever !
The ebb tide causing us to come to an anchor for the night, my
good captain took leave of us, after having left wjth Tassit the
necessary

.so
necessary instructions respecting his duty, and having assured
me « that he would take care I should be weU paid for my ser
vices on board." The hearty squeeze of the hand which he gave
me at parting, would, if any proof had been necessary, have
couTinced me of the sincerity of his professions of esteem and
friendship. He then went on shore, taking Yadhoo with him :
she .eyed the surrounding wonders with an eager and impatient
look, whUe a smUe of satisfaction, arising probably from the
prospect of a change of situation, Ut up her countenance. —
" There, Naufragus," said Tassit, pointing to our captain, who
had got into a palanquin, and was by this time scarcely visible —
" there goes as noble a feUow as ever stept ; he carries within
his bosom a heait of gold, a mine of inestimable wealth ; he Uv'es,
Naufragus, not so much for himself as for others ; whithersoever
he goes, his fellow-creatures have cause to rejoice at his presence.
At this moment his heart is overflowing with the happy thought
of meeting » beloved wife, in whose smUes alone he seeks reward
for the incessant tmls and dangers attending Ids profession. May
he enjoy aU the blessings of this Ufe, and eternal joys in the next,
say I !"—^" Yes, Tassit," said I, "and let us drink his health,
and may he have a happy meeting with his famUy," — " With aU
my heart," rejoined Tassit, The pUot entered heart and soul into
our feeUngs, and our worthy captain's health was drank mth
enthusiasm, Tassit now proposed half an hour's recreation on shore, to
which I joyfuUy acceded, being anxious to tread the land of Ben
gal. Scarcely had I time to look about me, on our landing, be
fore my attention was arrested by a female form, of the middle
stature, who walked by us with an air of elegance and dignity
which surprised me. She was withal exceedingly lovely, and
possessed, I thought, the finest form I had ever seen, set off" to
great advantage by her native dress, a fold of fine caUco thrown
loosely round her, yet gently compressing her waist, so as to dis
play her shape to the utmost possible advantage ; one end of the
caUeo was fastened with a pin to her jet-black hair ; her ears ¦ivere
ornamented with large ear-rings, and a profusion of trinkets ; her
fingers covered with rings, and her wrists with bangles ; while
her feet, and finely proportioned ancles, were left bare. The in
tensity of my gaze so far attracted her notice, that to my deUght she

31
she smiled, but disappeared almost at the same instant. With
ecstacy I turned to Tassit. — " Ah, my dear friend, did you behold
that angeUc figure .'' — tell me, what was she ?— -a native princess
— perhaps the heiress of this princely mansion ? I am sure she
must be a being of some superior order." — " Naufragus," inter
rupted Tassit, " you are young — ^have not yet entered the third
age, that age wliich a poet of your country pronounces to be as
baneful to youth as sunken rocks to mariners : no, Naufragus, she
is no princess-^nor is she the heiress of yonder- palace— no, nor a
being of a superior order, as you vainly imagine ; but, start not,
she is neither more nor less than a metrannee*."
In spite of my friend's phUosophIc advice, I ' could noti as we
walked on the grass plat, before so stately a mansion, divest my
mind of the idea of one whom I had considered so worthy to in
habit it. The time and place — surrounding objects — -and, above
aU, the intoxicating fragrance of the gentle zephyrs, wafted from
the Company's gardens opposite, aroused in me feelings which till
then had lain almost dormant. I felt, as I imagine Adam must
have felt in Paradise before Eve's creation, happy, but imperfect
ly so ; there wa§ stiU a vacuum, a something necessary to perfect
bliss. At daylight the next morning we again weighed anchor ; at
eight o'clock we brought up off" Calcutta,,, and moored our brig
close in shore, when the pilot took leave of us, with hearty de-
' monstrations of friendship. Scarcely had he left us> before fa taU
and handsome copper-coloured youth, habited in, whitej and with
a countenance as sedate as that of age, came on board, and' was
recognized by Tassit with a smUe of delight. He was a domestic of
his faithful Sarsnee, who brought beneathhis vest a large plum-cake,.
two bottles of wine, and a kind invitation to come on shore. Tas
sit overwhelmed him with questions ; and Moodoosooden Chetar-
jee felt equally delighted, to see his old friend Tassit safe and
sound. It was agreed that we should both go on shore the fol
lowing day. I slept but little that night,^ both because my ima
gination was busy with the expected novelties of the morrow, and
because mosquitoes in swarms inpessantly hummed about my eyes,
nose, and ears. The annoyance to those sensitive organs I can
compare
• -A female domestic employed to sweep the house. They are usually of the
lowest cast, denominated " pariahs."

32
compare to nothing better than to their being tickled with fine
feathers. The bite of the mosquito is not dissimilar to that of a
gnat, but it is attended with considerably greater inflammation,
and leaves behind a very uneasy sensation for some time after.
Moodoosooden Chetarjee was sent the next day to procure me
mosquito curtains, made of gauze, by which alone I was after
wards able to repel these indefatigable tormentors.
At length the time arrived for me to go on shore. — " Nf^nfra-
gus," said Tassit, " diff'erent countries have different customs ; in
England we walk — here we ride in palanquins ;" and indeed the
moment we touched the shore, we were puzzled how to choose
among so many : Tassit, however, very cooUy stretched himself at
his fuU length in the one nearest to him, and I foUowed his ex
ample, Moodoosooden Chetarjee running by our side.
If I was pleased at the external appearance of the city, "as
seen from the river, how much was my expectation surpassed
on beholding its interior ! The superb buUdings, the bustle of in
dustry, the creaking of hackeries, or carts drawn by buUocks,
the jostling of innumerable palanquins, the jabbering of the
BengaUees and palanquin-bearers, the novelty' of their dress
(nothing but a fold of white calico thrown loosely over the
body, and on the head a turban) — altogether composed a scene
wMch so enchanted my imagination, that I could hardly divest
myself of the idea that I was in fairy land ; but my reverie
was not long undisturbed, its charm being dissolved by a' con
stant attendance at the side of my palanquin of importunate
venders of books, sandal- wood boxes, bows and arrows, fans made
of peacocks' feathers, and oriental curiosities.
We alighted at the house of Tassit's friend, a Mr. Wetzler,
who received him with open arms, and welcomed me most cor-
diaUy, as his friend — " But where, where is my Sarsnee ?" said
Tassit, A pair of folding-doors then flew open, and a very love
ly brunette appeared, and threw her arms very affectionatdy
round Tassit's neck. She was a sister of Blr, Wetzler's, and I
heartUy congratulated my friend on the prospect he had of pos
sessing such a treasure, I wish I could gratify my readers by
setting off" Tassit's person and features to advanta"-e ; but in this
respect he was inferior to the charming woman whom he had
chosen for his wife. His gdod sense, however, and the exceUence 'of

of ^his heart, made him entirely worthy of her, and she loved hint
«4th an ardour sddom equsrlled.
As soon as the t'wo lovers had exchanged caresses, and mutual
congratulations began tp give way to sober conversation, we sat
down to a taljle richly spread with eastern, and European deUca-
cies, currees, hams, turkeys, and mdlow East India. Madeira,
These are things .well,C£Ll9ul'ated to promote, cheerfulness and good
humour ; but we did not require any stimulus.
My attention vvas almost wholly engrossed with the contem
plation of the princely loom we were dining in; it was open an
every side^^. and hfid ?i large verandah, and extensive casements,
slif^ded by Venetians ; the floor was of marble, the walls were de
corated with alE^s,waUTshades, chandeliers, and pictures ;, a pun
kah*, suspended frpm. the ceUing, f^n^ed us, overhead, while a
native at each, corner pf^,,the' talkie-, mo;(f^ to an4 fr,o a.large hand
punkah, made .of the leaves of the toddy tree, the end of which was
fixed in.a.w.9od^p sock^,. and the hookah emitted odoriferous
spicyg^es; c?:p^9s pf,B,engaUee servants, were in attendance. ; So
^ncli.anted .vifere myr senses, that. I cquld not help observing to
Tassit, that, mud^ as I Jiftd h^ari of, eastern , lu3{V(ry, the reality
surpassed ^ven ; tljp imagination. — :" Ye?, Naufragus," resumed
Tassit, I '^'.tj^e., luxury is certainly great, but itisoon cloys; and
then, my friend, the, ipind jhas not, as in England, any nieans
of renqyating.its exhausted powers; the very cUmate; tends but
to. smotljef energy, and lull the soul into a state of indolence
and^^nguorj and- j^ill; tj^e , luxury which captivates your young
imagination, .affbrdsnot^that substantial,, happiness, which? in your
?ree and happy country, is enjpyed.hy a rustic at hisliomelyhoard."
_;-j-" Alas, then," I exclai,medj ".how truly deceptive are appear
ances !" I  , ., i
¦We s^t ,vip tjjll a late hour; and at five the next morning Tassit
appeared by my bed-side, telUng. me to " arouse, and conform
,to the customs pf the east." I arose, and we then mounted
horses proyidedfor us, and. gaUoped.pfl" towards the course, where
the European inhabitants, and many of the British fair, were
' D enjoying
• A board^ about twelve feet in length, three in width, and one inch jp, thick..
tiess, richly gilded and papered. It is fastened by ropes to the roof or ceiling,
E)nd keptin motion by means of a line attached t<* its centre, and pulled hf si -pit'
«on who sits in a corner of the room.

34
enjoying the freshness of the cool morning air. Soon, however,
the sun displayed his effulgent rays, and the intensity of the
heat drove us to seek shelter at home. There a shower-bath
awaited us ; and having dressed, we sat down at eight, to a sub
stantial breakfast of rice, fish, coffee, tea, cold ham, fruit, and
the hookah. " Now, Naufragus,'' said Tassit, " you shaU see
the renowned city of Calcutta." Stretched at full length in our
palanquins, we were carried along at the rate of six or seven
mUes an hour ; but the drudgery of the poor blacks who bore me
under a burning sun with such rapidity, greatly diminished the
pleasure of the conveyance. Tassit pointed out to me the govern
ment-house, built by the Marquis of WeUesley, at an amazing
expence, and ¦worthy of the princely city of Calcutta. It is
situated on the western side of the esplanade, and is a most august
and beautiful fabric, from whatever point it is viewed. Over
the fi)ur arches, or gates, that lead to it, are placed sphinxes,
with various figures and emblems, wMch produce a good effect.
The king's and company's arms are emblazoned over the western
and eastern gates. The black hole, where so many of my unfortu
nate countrymen died, victims to Indian tyranny, was then shewn
me ; and a torrent of ideas rushed to my memory, as I surveyed
the very spot where the agony of the dying had once shrieked in
vain for succour. On the fatal spot is erected a monument,
which is intended at once to hold up to execration the memory
of Surajah-ud-Dowlah, and to commemorate the sufferings and
fortitude of his victims. It is a pyramid, truncated at the top,
and standing upon a square pedestal, having a design in sculpture
on each of its sides, and an inscription in the EngUsh and Indian
languages. It is surrounded with an iron raUing, and exhibits a
mournful appearance, not unsuitable to the event which it is in
tended to commemorate. Tank-square, the range of Writers'-
buUdings, St. John's cathedi-al, and the Scotch church, with
numerous other buUdings, both pubUc and private, on a scale of
gigantic magnificence, each in its turn, claimed my attention.
" Now, Naufragus," said my conductor, " I ¦wUl shew you a
sight, the relation of which would scarcely be beUeved in your
happy country." We joined a dense mass of natives, and to
my astonishment I beheld men suspended, thirty or thirty-five
feet from the ground, at the end of poles, to which they were
hooked

35
hooked through the musdes of the back, and whirling round and
round in the air, with incredible swiftness. It was the Hindoo
festival of the "JDoorga Poorga," and the bigoted victims of mis
taken zeal seemed not only to bear their tortures with fortitude,
but to haU them with exultation. The victim, during the period of
his suspension, which is about two or three minutes, is enlployed
in casting flowers, and copper or sUver coin, to the applauding
multitude beneath hiin ; he is then let down, and dismissed in
triumph. TMs species of self-infliction is generaUy practised in
honour of the goddess Mari-ama, whose rites are among the
most wicked and sanguinary of those which are observed in India.
I turned aside with disgust, not unmixed with pity, at the infatu
ation of man, who could thus transform a land, replenished by the
bountiful Creator with every necessary, and even every luxury of
life, and that almost under a remission of the sentence—" By the
sweat of thy brow," into a seat of deplorable superstition and
bigotry. Scarcely had our palanquins made way through the crowd
which hemmed us in on all sides, before another spectacle in
tercepted our progress to the garden-house of our good captain,
where we intended to spend the evening. This new object of
attraction, however, was more gratifying to our feelings than the
first; it' was the marriage festival of two young natives of rank,
mere infants, accompjinied with aU the pomp which distinguishes
the marriage ceremony in the east. A long procession preceded
the infant bride and bridegi'oom ; the individuals composing it
carrying flowers and salvers of sUver, gold, frankincense, myrrh,
and sweetmeats, to be presented as gifts to the poor as weU as the
rich; and when the young bride and bridegroom, gorgeously
arrayed, appeared, both in one palanquin, UteraUy covered with
gold, diamonds, and other predous stones, the noise from the
cymbals and " tum-tums*" was deafening. The bride was a fine
child, of a fair complexion, about five or six years of age ; but I
could not get a distinct view of the bridegroom. The marriaget
cost no less than five lacs of rupees, (nearly sixty-three thousand
pounds). What particularly struck my attention was the im
posing beauty of a white Arab horse in the procession ; it was
D 2 gorgeously
• A kind of kettle-drums.
¦|- For a more minute description of the marriage ceremony of the Hindoos^
vide Index—" Marriage."

36
gorgeously caparisoned in the eastern style, and ridden by a very
handsome Hindoo. The haughty and measured pace of the nobis
animal, and its gaudy trappings, formed a striking contrast with
the wUd and, turbulent scene around us.
It was evening when we were set down at the steps of a neat
garden house, in Intally * ; our friend gave us a cordial welcome,
and introduced us to his wife, an exceedingly fair Creole lady.
She was dressed in fine white musUn ; her beautiful jet black
tresses hung negligently down a weU-proportioned neck, and a
turban tastUy fonned, set off" her fine expressive features to great
advantage. She was busied in the duties of hospitaUty towards a
party of her husband's friends, and received us wdth a degree of
graceful dignity and ease, which at once charmed us and impressed
us with respect. We could see by her eyes, the happiness which
she felt in having her husband once more by her side ; and he
seemed in an Elysium of joy, and infused a portion of it into us aU.
In the midst of our enjoyment, a slender youthful female, ha
bited with studied grace in the Malay style, entered the room,
and handed round, on a massy sUver salver, sweetmeats and wine.
The captain and Tassit fixed their eyes steadfastly on me, but
totaUy unconscious of their meaning, I turned to gaze on the at
tractive beauty of the girl ; when, on her near approach, the
familiar features of Yadhoo presented themselves to my view,
her person set off" by the advantage of dress, and by the arts of
civilized life ; my surprise and deUght may be weU conceived.
She smUed with great sensibiUty, if I may say soi and I could see
a tear, which she in vain endeavoured to suppress, steal dowTi her
•youthful cheek. Could I but have read the train of thoughts
then passing in her soul, as she surveyed the countenance which
first regarded her with pity, when crueUy borne from the tender
bosom of her parents, and her native land, to be exUed from them
for ever, I, too, might have dropt a tear in tribute to the sacred
sorrows of poor Yadhoo ! I rejoiced, however, to see Mrs. Lam
bert take great pains to restore happiness to her young
heart ; she could not have had a better, or a more humane
mistress; and there may be some, who tMnk her new con
dition must have been more desirable, in every point of
'view, than that in which she Uved in her native land, sur
rounded
• In tlie suburbs of the town of Calcutta.

37
rounded by the vices wUch are the necessary concomitants of
ignorance, indolence, and superstition; but were I Yadhoo,
arid, had the power to choose, I would gratefuUy do so, by
remaining in the bosom of my famUy, and in the land of my
birth. FareweU, poor Yadhoo ! I commend you to the care and
protection of Him who is a father of the fatherless, the friend
of the friendless and oppressed, and whose power is as his com
passion, boundless.
I left the garden-house of my friend, with feelings very
tdifi'erent from those 'with which I entered it. In the course
x)f the evening he beckoned me aside, and conducting me into
his, garden, addressed me in nearly the foUowing words — " You
cannot but have observed, Naufragus, that I have had your in
terest sincerely at heart, from the moment when I first saw you,
to the present time : it aff"ords me pleasure to say, you have
proved yourself .in every way deserving of my friendship. I
therefore have not, since I received the unexpected intelligence
;(br6ught me only yesterd4y) of my owner's death, and that my
brig must, in consequence, be sold, been unmindful, of your
future welfare. I am destined, my young friend, to Ue by, on
shore, for a few months, as well from prudential reasons as from
inclination ; but that would be too long a time for you to be idle.
I have," added he, after a pause, "been thinking, with. as much
pains and anxiety as if you were my own son, what is best for
you to do:' you have an uncle in England, owner of an East
Indiaman, have you not ,-'" — " I have, but  "—~" I under
stand you," said' he, interrupting me ; " your leaving the ship
makes ;you fearful of his displeasure ; but fear not, my dear lad;
no doubt he has the feeUng and generosity to forget and forgiTe ;
you are stiU a boy. At aU events, try him, and should, you faU,
return to Calcutta, and you shaU never want a friend. I have
Uved long, my boy, ; and know the world too weU, not to advise
you to cultivate your uncle's friendship, by every possible means,
in prefei:ence'to that of any other person : his interest wiU insure
you success in the world; but vdthout it, you wUl have to
struggle with almost insurmountable difficulties, and perhaps
never jirrive at any degree of independence as long as you live."
.. • I was sensibly affected at the earnestness of his manner, and
D 3 grateful

grateful for the warm interest which he took in my behalf : I
told him so, and assured him of my wiUingness to abide by his
advice : he added — " I have advised you as a father ; if you 'wish
to return to Europe, the means are in your power ; I have ready
for you a purser's birth on board of an Indiaman ; or, if more
acceptable, that of second mate of a country ship, bound for
China, shall be secured for you — ^take your choice." I thanked
him, and decided by adopting his advice, although I confessed
I entertained but very feeble hopes of any good resulting from
it. " I highly approve your judicious choice," he repUed;
" its success or faUure, time and events alone wiU shew. To
morrow then I wiU introduce you to the captain, and pay
you your wages, which amount to forty-five pounds. I hope
yet to Uve to see you, Naufragus, captain of an Indiaman."
I shook my head, but expressed my hope that he would Uve
many years, and enjoy them ; and he, in a cheering tone, advised
me not to despair, but to do my best, hope for the best, and
leave the rest to a kind Providence. We then returned to the
company. Tassit, who, in the course of the evening, was made acquainted
with the drift of our discourse, approached me as soon as the
company broke up. — " WeU, Naufragus," said he, " you are
going to leave us, I hear ?" — " Yes," I repUed, -with a sigh, " to
meet the frowns of an off'ended uncle, whUe you, happy in the
smUes. and caresses of your bride, wUl be unconsdous of the
agonizing feeUngs of my heart !" He took my hand, and pressing
it, told me to cheer up — " For," said he, " this world is a sea
of woes, in which, Uke it, the mind of man is scarcely for a mo
ment calm, except when sleep reUeves him : short, however, is
this respite ; the dawn of day brings with it afresh the task of
this world's pUgrimage, with aU its woes, cares, turbulence, and
pain ; and, for aught we know, you, when under your unde's
frown, may be as Uttle to be pitied, as mysdf to be envied in
the embraces of my bride ; for the lot of man in this life is, in
my opinion, pretty nearly equal throughout with respect to hap
piness," I felt thankful to him for the object he had in view, in reason
ing thus, but was too affected to reply ; he observed my embar
rassment, and we parted for the night with a sUent wring of the
hand.

39
hand, 'frhich conveyed to the heart a melancholy but sincere
token of friendship on both sides.
In the morning. Captain Lambert and Tassit accompanied me
to the residence of my new commdnder. On our way, Lambert
observed that I had only two days to fit myself out, for that the
ship was already on her passage down the river to Saugor.—
" Had we time," added Tasat, " I would have taken you with
me to see a young and blooming widow voluntarily sacrifice her
self on the funeral pUe of her deceased husband ; and many other
equaUy barbarous customs of this people, which would be to you
objects of great interest." We joined in the hope, however, that
I should soon return to India, and unda: more auspicious circum
stances. We were soon in the presence of my new commander : he was
a short thin man, with a sallow complexion, and an austere brow,
whidi, however, relaxed on his seeing the honest visage of good
Captain Lambert ; then the great man was so very poUte, that I
could hardly persuade myself it was the person to whom I iad
just been introduced; but I had already seen enough of the
world to know how necessary it is to distrust appearances : it was
at length agreed that I should be his purser, keep his books, and
perform whatever else might be required of me as an amanuensis;
and that in return for these services, I should mess at Ms table,
and have the convenience of a cabin. We then parted, with an
understanding that I was to proceed down the river to join the
ship on the following day ; and the few remaining hours wMch
were left at my disposal were employed in preparations for my
departure. The next day Lambert and Tassit accompanied me
to the boat ; our parting was marked on both sides with every
demonstration of sincere good-wUl and true friendship; and
without thinking ,of tMs scene, never can I read Shakspeare's
picturesque descripticm of the parting of Antonio and his
friend :--

¦ His eye being big with tears,

Turning his face, he put his hand behind him,
And, with affection wondrous sensible,
He wrung Bassanio's hand, and so they parted,"
On my reaching the sMp, I was received by the first officer,
and conducted to my cabin. On the foUowing day the captain
D 4 joined

40
joined us, and we weighed anchor, and bade fareweU to the shores
of Bengal. The character of my new commander was naturally,
and almost necessarily, the first object of my attention. How
diff"erent from that of my friend Lambert ! The one was open,
hospitable, generous, and friendly ; the other proud, morose, pas
sionate, and deceitful. But, as I went on board determined to
endeavour to please, I had a satisfaction which few on board ex
perienced — that of not displeasing. My cMef effort to keep the
great man in good humour with me, consisted in a never-ceasing
appUcation to his private account books and papers ; but, what
was more an object of particularity with him, was the manner of
my performing the duties of the table, where I sat at the head of
no less than .thirty persons, including passengers, ladies as weU as
gentlemen, Dutch prisoners of war, the first and second officers,
and the doctor. These duties I found not easy, under an equi
noctial sun, amid caUs for fresh supply, and with no better in
strument than a blunt carving-knife. Even under these circum
stances, the slightest symptom of petulance would not have re
ceived indulgence. Had I been older, I should have found my
task easier ; but I had seen scarcely fifteen summers, although I
might have passed for twenty-two, Thii part of my duty, in
general the most annoying, once in a storm, off" the Cape of Good
Hope, proved the source of serio-comical amusement. One day
at dinner, in a lurch of the ship, so heavy that not a soul on board
expected she would ever right again, the table (though lashed
firmly to the deck), groaning with sea-pies;, lobscous*, tureens,
dishes and plates, suddenly gave way, throwing with a crash,
the whole company towards me, who was seated to leeward. I
had just time, and barely, to pop my head under the table, other
wise I should have suff"ered the pain either of half-strangulation,
by the edge of the table catcMng my neck, or of being jammed
against the ship's side, by the weight both of table and passengers.
I have never yet been a voyage without seeing something new
and eminently grand in the works either of nature or of art. Of
the objects worthy of attention in tMs voyage, three made a last
ing impressipn on my mind ; the first was, the tremendous sea
roUing off the Cape of Good Hope, in one of the most direful
Storms perhaps ever known. The sea off" the Cape is proverbial foF
¦< A kind of Irish stew, held In great estimation by sailors.

41
for the terrific height to which it runs ; even to mariners it proves
appalling, and to many voyagers fatal ; in might, awfiil gran
deur, and in fury, it surpasses all the seas on the face of the globe.
The storm came on with a gentle zephyr off" the land, wMch in
creased to a horrid roar of whirlwind, accompanied with continual
flashes of Uglitning, vivid balls of fire darting around the vessel,
and bursts of tremendous thunder: it continued during a
whole week. The nights were horrible; the hoarse cry of
the saUors' voices could scarcely be heard amidst the deafening
roar of the foaming bUlow, and the howling of the wind in
terrifically violent intermitting gusts through the rigging. The
sea, as seen by the flashes of Ughtning, appeared eager to
swaUow us up in destruction. At the dawn of day, what
a subject for a poet ! what a field for a masterly painter !
But no artist, however masterly, could do justice to a scene so
awfhl ; nor pencil, nor language, convey to the mind any the re
motest idea of its mighty grandeur. Truly does the Psalmist
say — " They that go down to the sea in ships, and occupy
their business in great waters ; these men isee the works of the
Lord, and his wonders in the deep," The sea, terrific and
dark as the clouds which covered it, roUed slowly onward, as if
sure of destroying its victim ; and when the threatening biUow
reached us, destruction seemed inevitable. But no ! the bark
sinks not— she is hurled up to the heavens on its bosom, and the
spectator sees beneath him a frightful and yawning gulf, into
wMch he again sinks to be again borne upward !
This was the grandeur of nature. The second was the gran
deur of art, as exhibited in His Majesty's frigate the Loire, Cap
tain Brown, under whose convoy we were saUing. In the At
lantic Ocean, one morning early, the Loire saUed dose alongside
of us. The breeze was scarcely strong enough to ripple the wa
ters, and emitted a refreshing fragrance ; the frigate, as if con-
sdous of her superiority and imposing beauty, as she gUded
through her native element, saUed majesticaUy side by side with
us, a martial band on board her striking up in the best style : not
one of us but felt a glow of exultation on beholding so fair a
sample of England's pride ; not pne but felt the love of country
strong within him. But not a whisper could be heard — a death-
Uke stillness, interrupted only by the music, and the sigMng of
the

42
the breeze, reigned around, whUe the minds and eyes of aU were
busUy employed on the unrivalled scene before them. Suddenly
a signal from another ship of the fleet, for a strange sail, pro
duced an instantaneous change of scene ; swift as thought the
Loire was crowded " low and aloft" with. saU ; in an instant she
bore away from us, and in less than an hour was a mere speck on
the horizon, in hot pursuit of the stranger. By one she reap
peared, overtook us, fired a gun to leeward, and made signal—
" War with America !"
The third, was the glorious spectacle of the setting sun. For
ten evenings together, during a period of from twenty to thirty
minutes after the fiery orb had vdthdrawn, the horizon presented
such a rich variety of fantastic forms, and matchless colours, of
azure gold, and spangles, vying, as it were, to surpass each othez
in deUcacy and splendour — the whole too reflected upon the rip-
pUng ocean in the west — as to produce an effect beyond descrip
tion magnificent and deUghtful, and which inspired aU of us ivith
admiration.— "^ How grand !" aU exclaimed ; " and," thought I,
" how worthy of the great Creator, who has given to the objects
of nature the most agreeable forms and accessories, as weU as the
most important uses !"
At the end of a few weeks I once more trod the land of my
nativity : we arrived in the Downs towards evening, got under
weigh early on the next morning, and, with the assistance of a
good sea-breeze, reached Gravesend on the evening of the same day.
FuUy sensible of the importance of conciliating my uncle's esteem,
and under considerable anxiety, I bade adieu to aU on board, and
reached his counting-house, in London, at ten on the foUowing
morning. I was there informed that he was at his country seat,
and would not return to town untU the morrow. I therefwe
went to my father's, who had heard that I had left my sMp, but
as to what became of me he had no means of forming an idea.
It was about five in the evening of a deUghtful May-day, when
I reached the lane which led down to his farm :

-What singular emotions fill

Their bosoms who have been induced to roam I
¦With flattering doubts, if aU be well or ill—
With love for many, and with fears for some ;
All feelings which o'erleap tlie years long lost,
And bring our hearts back to their starting post."

In

43
In a field at the end of the lane, a girl, nursing a Uttle cluld,
which afterwards proved to be my only sister, turned round to
gaze on me ; while I, dressed in a blue jacket, with nankeen
trowsers, and carrying under my arm a bundle, contaimng four
pieces of Bengal bandannoes (two intended for my uncle Barron,
and two for my father), walked on without interruption. The
weU-known gate of the farm-yard opened at my touch — a solemn
stillness reigned around, not interrupted even by faithful Bob, the
house-dog, whose large head, resting on his fore paws, in his ken
nel, seemed to recognize me as his master's friend. I lifted the
door-latch, and without ceremony walked into the parlour, where
sat my father and mother at tea. My father, who did not know
me, in consequence of the alteration which two years had made
in my appearance, rose to inquire my business ; but my mother,
pale and in a trembUng voice, exclaimed—" It is he ! — ^it is my
son !" and hurrying across the room, I was in a moment locked in
those arms which I then wished I had never left.
Qui Ions and answers foUowed each other so fast, it was a
long time before I could coUect any tMng connected with my
uncle's feeUngs towards me ; at last I understood that my inveterate
enemy, the second officer, had traduced my character by every
possible mode, had misrepresented facts, and given to the foUies
or salUes of youth, the colour of determined vidousness,— " In
short," said my father, " he has succeeded in prejudicing your
uncle so much against you, that he is determined never to see you
more ; indeed," he continued, with one hand placed in his bosom,
and a sigh which he tried in vain to suppress, " your uncle and
myself have unfi)rtunately had a few misunderstandings of late ;
and I fear we shaU soon be obUged to quit the farm : but for you
I feel more than for myself; should he discard you, you wUl be
destitute — I can give you nothing but my blessing ; you must
therefore go to him, Naufragus, to-morrow ; give Mm the ban
dannoes, since you bought them for him, and ask his forgiveness
for the past ; in the mean time, we wUl not let imaginary iUs
cloud the happiness of our present meeting. Come, Kate," speak
ing to my mother, " let's have a bowl of punch ; and Naufragus
shaU relate aU that has hs^pened to Mm," Then turning to me
— " As for your mother, she has not had a dry eye since she
heard that your ship had come home withput you ; and many an
hour

44
hour of anxiety have. I had, I assure you." In spite of fate, mirth
and hUarity crowned our board, for that evening, and not a single
sigh could find admittance witMn, although aU was very far from
being weU without.
The next morning my father cheered up my spirits by every
means in his power, and when, with the bandannoes under my
arm, I bade Mm—" Good day," he said—" Now, Naufragus, you
are going to seek forgiveness for a fault ; bear that in mind, and,
if possible, don't come away without it : God bless you ! and pros
per your undertaking,"
At eleven o'clock I reached my uncle's counting-house, and be
held him standing at the further end of it, with his back to the
fire ; as soon as he recognized me, which he did almost as soon as
I entered it, he turned instantly aside, and left the office, first
commanding me, in a severe tone, to — " Begone ! and never pre
sume to approach his presence more." Go I did — at heart punidi-
ed more by the severity of his manner, than by the abandonment
itself, serious as I knew it would prove to me in its consequences.
In vain did I subsequently endeavour to soften Ms resentment, by
laying before him, in writing, the true state of things; he was
implacable — my letters were burned ; and from that period to this
I have never known the benefit even of his good mord, much less
of his assistance.
As for the bandannoes, I gave them to my father, conjuring
him not to be low-spirited, and saying, that I should perhaps do
better in the Indies, with the strangers' fostering aid, than at
home, under the cold hand of rdations. I added — " Fret not for
me, my dear father : the wUl of Providence is irrevocable,' and
for the few days we have to Uve, we must conform to it. AU
may yet be for our good, however crueUy appearances may frown
upon us."
In consequence of the excessive severity of punishment with
which parents, or natural protectors, visit the errors of youth, how
many are lost to their famUies for ever ; their fair prospects
bUghted, and those promising talents nipped in the bud, wMch
might otherwise have proved honourable to themsdves, and be
neficial alike to their countryand to mankind ! And herel beg
the reader's indulgence, whUe I digress a Uttie from my narrative,
ill order to off"er a few considerations on the hardship of my indi
vidual

45
vidual case. It is not for me to sit in judgment on my own Cdn-
duct ; but even granting I committed faults deserving of punish
ment, StUl they were the faults of a young, inexperienced boy,
only fourteen years old. It wdll, I think, be admitted that a more
cruel punishment, one more calculated to condemn me, for life, to
poverty, and to an abject dependence on strangers for my bread,
could not have been inflicted ; and I leave the reader to judge
whether my punishment was proportionate to my offence. Desti
tute, friendless, exposed to all the temptations of a seductive me
tropolis like London, and surrounded (as I afterwards was) by
chUUng poverty and despair, had I sought refuge in the grave, or
in. the haunts of infamy and vice— had I even breathed my last
on a scaffold, it would have been no more than could naturaUy
have been expected. That this has not been the case, I have cer
tainly not to thank my uncle Barron. It may perhaps be thought
that he was not hound to do any thing at aU for me ; that
indeed there are few uncles who would have done so much ; and
that he was perfectly at liberty to withdraw his protection with
out subjecting himself to the imputation of injustice ; but when
it is considered, that he had known the faraUy in happier days,
when they rode in their carriages, and were respected for their
virtues as weU as for their riches ; that the exercise of his patron
age was, from the almost unUmited extent of his interest, as weU
as of Ms purse, no serious object to him; and that he had, nlore-
over, received, when he most needed it, a dowry of five thousand
pounds with his wife, the case wUl appear, in the view of any
unprejudiced person, widely different.
In justice, however, to one who has treated me so cruelly, I can
not suppress the fact, that to almost every other branch of the fa
mUy, he has proved himself a benefactor, and especially to two of
my junior brothers, whom he has sent to India as cadets; so that,
however Uttle I may personaUy have to thank him for, T can
never harbour in my breast a less favourable feeling towards him
than a sincere desire for his future welfare.
My first consideration was, how to procure a Ucence to proceed
again to India. I had an aunt, who had frequently seen, at the
table of her mother, that honourable gentleman, Mr. IngUs, a di
rector of the Honourable East India Company; to him she appUed
for " Free Mariners' Indentures" for me, and obtained them : but
I had

46
I had StUl to overcome a difficulty before I received them; and
that arose from the circumstance of my having deserted my ship :
the highly favourable and flattering testimony, however, borne by
the captain, in a written certificate, as to my general conduct, and to
the rectitude of my moral character, overcame this difficulty : and
after taking a fareweU of my parents, I saUed for India, but under
the melancholy conviction that a storm, threatening destruction to
my famUy and their little aU, was ready to burst over their heads ;
and 'without having any substantial grounds to hope that I should
ever again see either them, or my native land. To those who have
never seen their " native land receding through the growing wa
ters," on taking a long, and perhaps eternal fareweU of it, I cannot
but recommend the perusal of the foUowing lines :—
" I can't but say it is an awkward sight.
To see one's native land receding through
The growing waters; it unmans one quite.
Especially when life is rather new :
I recollect Great Britain's coasts look white.
But almost every other country's blue ;
'When gazing on them, mystified by distance,
We enter on our nautical existence."
I was now bound to the island of Ceylon, which was weU known
to the ancients, and is supposed to be the Taprobana of Ptolemy.
It is famous for its rich pearl fishery * — the abundance of its gems
and precious stones — ^its rich beds of cassia, and dnnamon trees,
and for the grandeur, beauty, and variety of nature displayed in
its scenery ; which very possibly may have given rise to the tra
dition so prevalent to this day among the natives, that it is the
spot where the Garden of Eden originaUy stood. The narrow
channel that separates it from the peninsula, bears the name of
"Adam's Bridge;" and on the summit of a mountain, caUed
" Adam's Peak," they even pretend to shew the print of Adam's
foot.
On
• The pearl fishery begins on the north-west shore, about the middle of Febru
ary, and continues about two months. The villageof Condatchy is then crowded
with visitors of different countries, colours, casts, and occupations, who erect tents
and huts, bazars and sliops ; whUe the sea presents the enlivening scene of boats
hastemng to the banks, or returning with the expected ridies. The divers are
chiefly Christians or Musulmamis, who descend five or ten fathoms, and remain
underwater about two minutes, each bringing up an hundred oysters or more
^,r.w 7^^n ' »'fc"'l'l-'=°l™>'='i pearl, is most esteemed by the natives,
but that of a duU grey, or blackish hue, is most valuable.

47
On our arrival at Columbo *, the chief towm of the EngUsh
possessions on the island, we found a country sMp t, commanded by
a Captain Ross, detained in port for want of an officer. A more
fortunate opportunity could not possibly have presented itself: my
proffered services were accepted with avidity, on a salary of dghty
rupees, or ten pounds a month, with the use of the captain's table ;
and I left the Indiaman with the good wishes of the captain, offi
cers, and aU the crew. This aUowance (as my mere personal
expences were but trifling) soon put me in a condition to save a
Uttle : our vessel was a coasting trader of Malabar, and from con
stant communication with the natives of Goa, Cannanore, Man-
galore, TiUichery, Cochin, QuUon, and Anjengo, I at length
ventured bo turn my Uttle savings to some account, by trading, at
first in a smaU way, buying on commission, and seUing at a profit
of frequently more than seventy-five or one hundred per cent.
This encouragement induced me to enlarge my system of traffic ;
and as we made quick trips to Bombay, and from port to port, I
found myself, to my infimte joy, at the end of eighteen months,
possessed of nearly five thousand six hundred rupees (seven hundred
pounds). My captain was equally successful on a larger scale.
The vessel was prinoipaUy his own ; but being too small for the
increasing commerce on the coast, he resolved to seU her, build a
large one at Cochin, and proceed from Ceylon to the Mauritius
with a profitable cargo of buffaloes and cocoa-nut oil. As I loved
my captain as a brother, I had to lament that his quitting India for
the Mauritius would compel me, in justice to my own interests,
to leave Mm ; but it gave me pleasure to .be able to afford him a
proof of my regard, by a ready compUance with his wish, that I
would not do so untU the day of his departure from Ceylon,
T, WMle my cs^tain's ship was building, I availed myself of
the short time, then at my disposal, to visit a civUian at Cali
cut, whose family was intimate with my uncle, the captain, and
who had been very attentive to me at Ms table in Bombay, Eu
ropean society, at the British settlements on the Malabar coast, is
so
• Columbo is a handsome town, and well fortified; the governor's house,
which consists but of one floor, is elegant The oUmate is less sultry than that
of Hindostan, being exposed on all sides to sea-breezes,
-f- A vessel commanded by a European, bat manned by natives, and trading in
the Indian Seas. Country vessels, of a large size, make a voyage to England oc
casionally.

48
so monotonous, that a description of the state of it at one, may serve
for a description of its state in the rest.
The English at CaUcut reside in bungalows *, of a capacious
size, and wellbuUt : sodety here more resembles the unanimity of
a famUy, than any thing else, the only residents being the
civU, mUitary, and naval officers of the Company ; and as they
are aU, in point of respectability, upon an equial footing, few or
no discords arise among them. On my reaching CaUcut, I found
that my friend was on a ¦visit at Bombay, and Mr, Price, then
magistrate there, invited me to partake of the hospitaUties of his
house and table, untU my friend's return. In the daytime, the
members of our Uttle society usuaUy repaireid to the habitation pf
Mr. W****n, at present secretary to the Bombay government. In
one room a few EngUsh ladies would charm the votaries of music
with their performance on the harp and piano, the gentlemen ac
companying them on the flute, or bass viol ; wMle in an adjoining
apartment, bUUards were the amusement : in another room were
newspapers and other periodical works, recently brought from
Europe, with pamphlets, &c. foi; the Uterati ; and ¦wide verandahs
afforded a cheerful promenade. After all, the best treat was per
haps the rich vein of Mr, W*'***n's humour ; he possesses, besides
those peculiar powers which are essential to the entertainment of
a large company, a resplendent genius and a ready wit, and his
guests are secure of a frank, open-hearted, generous welconie.
In the evenings, I was favoured with the loan of a fine Arabian
horse ; and a baU frequently concluded the day's entertainment.
Thus agreeably employed, I was sorry when a letter from my
captain invited me to attend the launch of his sMp, which was to
take place immediately-; and especiaUy sorry, as my friend had
not returned from Bombay, Of Mr. W****n I took an affection
ate leave, as also of the ladies and gentlemen of the settlement,
but particularly of Mr. Price, Uttle tMnking how soon he would
be lost to Ms friends : a fortnight after I left him, a snaket, wMch
had crept into his bed, bit him, and he survived but a few hours. I em-
• A bungalow is a bmldmg peculiar to India. It contains four or six spacittUs
rooms, all on one floor, with back and front verandahs : thereof is thatched ; and
its external appearance is not unlike that of a large bam in England. It is built
of brick, or "pucka," as the native term is — sometimes of bamboos and matting
alone ; and its price is about fifteen hundred rupees. '
+ These noxious reptiles throughout India prove a constant source of tenor
and annoyance to the inhabitants, and their bite frequently produces fatal conse
quences. For furtlier information on this subject, vide Index—" Serpents."

49
I embarked in a large canoe, which, in three days and nights,
bore me in safety to CocMn, where my captain welcomed me witJi
open arms.
CocMn belongs to the Dutch ; it stands on the northern point
of a long tongue of land, nearly insulated, and bounded on the
east by a creek of the sea, which receives several streams. The
entrance to its harbour is obstructed by a dangerous bar. It was
formerly a place of considerable eminence, but of late years has
faUen to decay.- Little is done there at present, except in
ship-buUding, . to which purpose it is admirably adapted, from the
. feciUty which it affords of procuring an abundant supply of good
Malabar teak timber^ masts, and spars ; the copper sheets, naUs,
and iron-ware, are imported from Bombay.
What most attracts the notice of a stranger is, the enormous
size of the legs of the natives, from which, circumstance, legs of
a disproportionate size are, in India, called " Cochin legs:" hun
dreds of poor wretches are sepn here vdth legs swollen to so enor
mous a size, as more to resemble those of an elephant, than any
thing human. The disease of which they are indicative, /and
lyhich is attributed, but improperly, to the impurity, of the water,
has never been known to affect Europeans.
Our vessel was launched with due eclat, and named the
Zephyr. We were honoured with the presence of the British
Resident, Mr. Money, who, with the other civilians, the Bri
tish officers, and the "Beauty" of the settlement, afterwards
partook pf a cold collation with us. . The ladies of Cochin are
fair and fascinating ; some of them extremely handsome ; and
most of them play the guitar with great taste and pathos ; they
are fond of the English ;, and on the occasion of a wedding, the
settlement is enlivened by dancing and re'veliy for a week together.
At this period (1813) there was at Cochin a finale maniac,
remarkable for personal beauty and symmetry of form, whaj fre-
.quently contrived to elude the vigUance of her keepers, and fly
into the woods, where she would disrobe herself, and roam about
in a state of complete nudity. She was so wary as seldom to al
low herself to be caught, and towards evening, might be seen
returning to her haunts with the fleetness of a deer. , Occasion
ally she would venture near sthe outskirts of the town, adorned
^antasticaiUy with flowets. ¦ When asked who fed her, ,she
E would

50
would reply-" The snakes and lizards of the forest ;" and, in
general, her answers were incoherent and misplaced. She was
kidnapped, at an eariy age, from her parents at Goa, and sold to
slavery, wMch misfortune was supposed to have been the cause
of her malady. Unfortunate maid ! let us hope that an eter
nity of happiness awaits thee in a better world, to compensate
thy wretchedness in this !
On our ship being rigged, and ready for sea, we set saU for
Ceylon, and in a few days, came to an anchor in a smaU bay to
the east of Point de GaUe, caUed BeUgaum, where we meant to
harbour untU the cargo of buUocks should be procured:— It was a
-wild and breaker-beaten coast,

With clifia above, and a broad sandy shore ;
Guarded by shoals and rocks, as by a host.
With here and there a creek, whose aspect wore
A better welcome to the tempest toss'd ;
And rardy ceas'd the haughty billows' roar.
Save on the deadJong summer days, which, make
The outstretch'd ocean glitter like a lake."
On the summit of a mountain overlooking the bay, stood a
vacant bungalow, of which, with the permission of the owner,
who was at GaUe, we took possession. An officer, who was to
reUeve me, having joined us, I here enjoyed, for tMee months,
the pleasure of my esteemed captain's sodety, together witJi that
of Captain Symes, a mUitary officer, who was to take his passage to
the Mauritius in the Zephyr. Every morning, on turning my
waking eyes on the beams and rafters of our bungalow, I saw
serpents, of a large size, creeping and ¦winding over and about
them. At first I was. horror-struck at the sight ; but after a time
they had ceased to terrify me, and at length became even familiar
to the eye ; so that when I awoke, I used to look for them as objects
of course, and learnt to distinguish. my visitants one from another,
both by the diversity of their speckles, black and green, and by their
size ; they twined round and round the rafters and beams, but I
never knew one of them to faU upon or molest me. Here also, as
at Prince of Wales' Island, the trees and bushes were iUumined
by swarms of fire-ffies, which presented, on a dark night, the
grandest sight imaginable. It was my custom to stroU with my
friends through the paddy-fields in the interior, and admire the
verdure of the country, and the majesty of the sUent forest ; and
often

51
often has the black scorpion, two or three inches' In length, 'turn
ed towards us his deadly sting; — and the wild elephant, the buf
falo, or sanguinary tiger, encroach on our path; and here the
boa, and otlier enormous serpents, fatal aUke to man and beast,
might be Seen coiled beneath the bushes, watching eagerly for
their prey.
In the afternoon, after the table-cloth had been removed, it
Was my deUght to stroU among the vUlages alone, and observe the
manners and customs of the people. One evening, a Cingalese
priest, as I passed Ms humble habitation, buUt of bamboos, and
covered -vnth mats, encouraged me, ¦ by signs, to enter it. I rea
dily compUed, and observed that every thing in the interior of
the cot bore the marks of great simplicity and neatness. His wife
and daughter, a pretty Indian girl appeirently about fourteen,
were busied on a piece of cotton twist ; and in one comer of the
room were two slave-girls spinning. WhUe the old man was
giving me a draught of cocoa-nut itiilk, I could not but reverence
his silvery hairs, which, with his staff, and long patriarchal
beard, gave him the appearance of a " man of God." Surround
ing objects too disposed me to devotional feeling, and more than
once I breathed a wish that, however different might be the tenets
of his faith from mine *, we should both at last meet in the eternal
mansions of rest. I tOok leave of Mm with every demonstration
of respect, regretting that our ignorance of each other's language
prevented our conTersing,
Often have I watched the Indian, seated at the door of his hut
i — approached him — offered Mm money ; he would receive it, but
with a vacant stare, and without emotion — ^no soul seemed to
animate him ; he appeared wrapt in apathy, intent alone on the
indulgence of indolence and ease. The women, on the contrary,
are vivadous, and particularly weU made; their walk is digmfied
and graceful, their hair is long and glossy, their eyes large, black,
and sparkling, and thdr featiires handsome,
A few Hays previous to the Zephyr's departure, two clrcum-
B 2 stances
• The religion of Ceylon is the ancient worship of Boodh, who is reported to
have been IJorn there about one thousand years before the birth of Christ His
image appears With short aud crisped hair, because it is fabled that that effect
was actuaUy produced by a golden sword with which he cut it The Cingalese
are grossly superstitious, believing in sorcery, witches, &c invoking supernatural
agency, and using spells and enchantments.

52
stances occurred, which I relate for the purpose of exhibiting, by
contrast, the blessings enjoyed by those who Uve in a country not
subject to simUar disasters.
About a mUe from our bungalow was a smaU rivulet, over
which the trunk of a tree had been placed fi3r the convenience of
foot-passengers ; this rivulet had been crossed by our captain at
four o'clock in the evening, and at half-past five the villagers were
aroused by loud and piercing shrieks issuing from the spot : they
quickly repaired to it, but too late — a tiger had seized a Uttle
girl, and had succeeded in escaping with her into the woods ; her
own brother, a boy about nine years of age, bdng an eye-witness
of his sister's tragical end.
On another evening, loud voices were heard to proceed from
the viUage, and torches seen moving about in great numbers ;
we repaired to the spot immediately, and found the cause
of alarm to be a large serpent, which had been captured by the
viUagers in the act of seizing a young jackal, wMch the monster
could neither swallow nor disgorge ; 'writhing in agony (tiiegackal
at the same time rending the air with cries), at last it feU under
the swords of its captors, The serpent's body was of the tMckness
of that of an infant a few months old : its length seventeen feet.
The jackal died immediately on being released from its jaws.
On the morning on wMch the Zephyr sailed, I repaired on^Mard
to assist in getting her under weigh, and it was not tiU the ap
pearance of the shores in distance had warned me to return, that
I bade my friends fareweU, and made for the land in a canoe ; a
palanquin and bearers, previously engaged, were in readiness to
convey me to Point de GaUe. The journey was a delightful
one ; the country, in every direction, presented to view scenes
of nature untamed by art, save here and there a few paddy-
fields, and some straggUng huts. Forest and glen — ^hiU and
dale — ^rivulet and torrent — the shady cocoa-tree, the palm, the
taUpot-tree, and stately tamarind — together with the gaudy
pluinage of the feathered tribe — form a combination weU cal
culated to affect the heart, and to raise the mind to an enviable
state of admiration and delight. My pleasure, however, was
pot unmixed with apprehension, that some unceremcmious tiger,
or boa/ would pounce upon us, and in that case my chance of

53
of escape would have been but small ; for in, every situatiott
of danger, such as. I am supposing, the bearers invariably throw
down their palanquin and take to their heels, leaving its in--
mate to shift, for himself. It is remarkable, however, that in
India a tiger wiU never Carry off a European when he, can get
hold of a native.
' No sooner had I arrived at Point de GaUe, than I embarked
for Calcutta, in a brig just on the eve of saUing. The captain
was an enterprising young officer, who, whUe a mere infant, was
Conveyed from his native land (the island pf Jersey), by Ms
father, and had acquired the habits and appearance of an Asiatic ;
he spoke Cingalese, and several other oriental languages, •with
the fluency of a native. We saUed round the north-east side
6f CeyloUj occasionaUy standing close in shore, to the deUght of
all on board, and in -four days came to an anchor at Trincomalee*
Here we found the British garrison in high spirits, in consequence
of ' WeUiUgton's successes, and of the entrance ijpf the alUes into
Paris, the inteUigence of wMch had reached them but a day or
two before. They Were, however, suffering under the pestUential
effects of the climate, which had shewn themseltes in an alarming
manner, and had become the immediate causes of frightful morta-
Hty' among the British officers and men in garrison*
'' After a pleasant passage of six weeks, I once more trod the
streets of Calcutta ; but, alas ! what changes may a few " little
months" produce ! and how frequently, on returning to a fixed
abode, after a short absence, is tMs truth fataUy impressed upon
us ! I found my esteemed friend and patron. Captain Lam
bert; numbered with, the numberless dead; and Tassit had left
Calcutta, with Ms lovely bride, and one boy, the fruit of their
union, to superintend an indigo factory, at some station up the'
country, but where I could not learn. Thus was I deprived of
two friends, who, a few months before, had proved themselves the
props of my existence, and on whom rested the realization of my
future prospects. Let me, however, indulge the hope, that all en
deared ties, connexions, and virtuous friendships, formed on earthy
and on earth divided, may be renewedr and matured " in another
and a bettep worM.'' >
I was now comparatively rich, and rented a small house in
B 3 " Jaun'$

54
" Jaun's Bazar," at four gold mohurs* (£8) per month, and.
took Tassit's favourite sircar, Moodoosooden Chetarjee, into my
service. For some time I was divided in opinion as to whe-
ther I should proceed to my old markets, Lingin and Minto, as
an officer, and wait patiently until further successes in trade had
increased my capital, or at once purchase a brig, and command
her. I was at least a week in considering tMs matter, sometimes
with my Jersey friend. Captain Thomson — sometimes alone, over
a refresMng tumbler of " Brandy pawnyA," but most frequently
when enjoying the fragrant sweets of the hookahj, to the vivi
fying charms of wMch I fancied myself indebted, if not for the
best of my ideas, at least for the abundance of them. At length
I decided on the purchase of a brig, and told Moodoosooden Che
tarjee to look out for one, the price of which was not to exceed
four thousand rupees §, or five hundred pounds.
Moodoosooden Chetarjee was, as I before said, a sedate-looking
youth ; Ms gait and manner had even an air of sanctity, much
-heightened by Ms dress, a garment of fine linen folded loosely
over him, and hanging down to his sandaled feet, his turban
being of rich musUn. On Ms entrance he would make Ms salam
by raising his hands, in a graceful curve, to his forehead, touch
ing it three times. — " WeU, Moodoosooden," I would exclaim,
" what news this morning ?" — [^With emphasis.] — " AU the best
news, my lord !" — " What is it, Moodoosooden ?" — " Nothing, my
• Gold mohur, a gold coin, not always of the same value, but in general about
fifteen or sixteen sicca rupees.
"t" Brandy and water.
:j: The cost of a hookah coiuplete is at least two hundred rupees (.£23). The
tobacco is first cleaned, then cut up, and mashed with plantain, or other fruits,
into a cake ; this, scented ivith musk, otto of roses, or other perfumes, is so be
witching to the smell, as almost to tempt the palate. I have heard that girls in
England sometimes nibble Windsor soap, and to them this delicious compound
would be a treat. The hookah-stand, usually of cut glass, is nearly fiiU of jiure
water, through which the tobacco is drawn ; it then enters a snake, or tube, from
twelve to fifteen feet long, the end of which, tipped with a mouth-piece, is ho
noured by b^ng received into th^ " white man's" mouth, who, to sit with the
required dignity, must stretch out his legs as far as he well can, over, and if pos
sible, right across the table. The mouUi-piece is about five inches in lengtli.
If belonging to a native of rank, or wealthy merchant, it is extremely costly,
being of gold, set witli diamonds and other precious stones. The price of. a
hookah of tliis kind, with the snake and its accompaniments on a corresponding
scale of magnificence, is known often to exceed a lack of rupees (£12,500).
§ The rupee is of silver, and varies in value according to tlie part of India in
which it is coined. Its general value is two shilUngs and sixpence.

55
my lord!" This odd reply at first gave disappointment to inspired
hopes ; and it was not untU I got used to Moodoosooden's manner,
that I could suppress the curiosity which his mode of answering
was calculated to exdte. In general, indeed, as may weU be
imagined, the natives puzzle Europeans, fresh from their native
soU. Once, for instance, on a free trader's arrival off Diamond
Harbour, from Europe, a baboo * having come on board, with
his attendants, to make his salam to the commander, was ad
dressed with.^-^" WeU, Ramcunny, Qall flocking round him^
what news in Calcutta?" — " Oh, bad, very bad news, my
lord !"—« What's that? let's have it."— " Oh, Colonel Earbis,
master, kiU one crore t black, and plenty white man, every
day," to the consternation of aU. — "^ Indeed !" said the pilot ;
" that must have happened then, since I've come down." AU
were pretty weU puzzled, in endeavouring to ascertain who this"
desperate feUow — " Colonel Forbis," could be; he was at length
discovered to be a personificatioii oi the cholera moi-bus, which
had just' then made its appearance, and was raging with fatal
violence. On another occasion, an EngUsh gentlenian, -who was going
on a visit for a few days to a friend at Hooghly, left his bungalow
at Aleppe, in the charge of Ms sircar, with strict directions to
write, should any thing happen. A day or two had scarcely
elapsed ere a letter came from blackee, who probably wrote from
the dictionary, indited verbatim as foUows :-—
" My dear friend — We aU wait you : come tMs day — the shut
ters got quite abroad, and a nulUty thereabouts; last night' they
had very great palpitation— Come directly. From your loving
friend and servant, Ramgunny Buttbrjba."
On the receipt of this important epistle, the gentleman re-
E 4 paired
• The baboos of Calcutta are a very useful class of persons ; their business is
to dispose of the inve^ttnents of European traders, to make purchases f6r them
in the bazar, and, in short, to provide all their necessaries. They indeed, b^
their superior skill in the art of over-reaching, levy a duty on their employer
beyond what he expected to be called lipon to pay ; but if tTky cheat him', they
taki care that no one else shall. The babdos of thelo^er description (or sircars),
with the view of getting into their pbwer any young Eurdpean, fresh from EuJ^
rope, readily come forward with advances of cash ; in which case they seldom fail
to realize a handsome interest on their money, charging an enormous profit oi
seventy-five or a hundred per cent, on every article fuinishfid.
+ One hundred lacks of rupees.

56
paired to Aleppe, and found that the shutters of his bungalow-
had indeed had a " very great palpitation," for a hurricane had
blown them completely off the hinges ; and moreover, they had
gone " quite abroad," or, in other words, were blown to the dis
tance of twenty or thirty yards from the house. As for the
" nuUity thereabouts," he interpreted that to refer to the bare
appearance of the waUs,
One evening, Moodoosooden entered, with a bearer * behind
him, carrying a superb brass-mounted mahogany writing-desk,
and requested my acceptance of it. Having presented it, he said
he had succeeded in selecting a brig just then for sale, which he
thought would suit me, — " She was,'' he added, " registered at
one hundred and twenty-five tons, CMttagong buUt ; her price
four thousand rupees (five hundred pounds), and was then lying
in the river Hooghly, I have besides, my lord," resumed Moodoo
sooden, " engaged a rich freight for you for Madras, Pondicherry,
and Ceylon, the produce of wMch," he added, " wUl more than
defray the cost and outfit of the vessel and crew." — " WeU, Moo
doosooden, this is good news ; to-morrow mormng I wiU go with
you to see the vessel." — " But that," Moodoosooden rejoined, " is
not all ; I have secured you a good syrang t and tyndal :j:  "
" Stay, Moodoosooden," I repUed ; " first, let us purchase the
vessel, then secure the crew," To the propriety of this Moo
doosooden assented, observing — " He was sure I should be a very
rich man, for my fingers were unusuaUy long."
Having engaged an experienced surveyor to accompany me, we
repaired together on board the brig, and Moodoosooden joined
us at gun-fire || the following morning. The vessd, on exami
nation, being found well calculated, in every respect, for an
Eastern trader, an attorney was engaged to inspect the titie-
deeds, and draw the deed of sale. Having paid the purchase-
money, I engaged my freight, and commenced receiving cargo
the same week, with all the energy and spirit which the no
velty of the undertaking could inspire me with. Night and day
aU on board was a scene of bustle and activity ; we were taking
in baUast, laying mats round the sides, and at the bottom of the
hold ; receiving rice, wheat, and bale goods, and stowing them
away.
• A palanquin-bearer, or menial. f Boatswain. $ His mate.
II i. e. at day-light»

.57
away. ContinuaUy were we surrounded by paunchways *, until
the brig was laden up to the very beams, and could receive no
more. The freight paid at Calcutta cleared the cost and outfit of
the vessel, as weU as four months' advance to the crew, which
consisted of two Portuguese secunnies +, one syrang, who was a
mussulmaun, two tyndals (Mahomedans), and sixteen lascars J, of
different casts. An European officer would, I considered, entaU
on me an expence beyond what my means were Ukely to afford,
and on that account I decUned receiving one ; I was therefore the
only European on board. My next object was to get the vessel
insured: I found that, as she had only one deck, she could not
be insured " free of averag^;" but " against risk" only ; conse
quently, if she should be totally lost, I should recover, but not in
the case of damage. I tried to reverse this usage, and to get her
insured " free of average," but in vain : it was impossible under
any premium. Nothing discouraged, I suppUed myself -with a
good chronometer, (a quadrant I had), a chart of the Indian
Ocean, Horsburgh's Directory, with a compass or two ; and thus
equipped, I obtained my port-clearance, and received on board
my pUot, AU being now ready for sea, Moodoosooden Che
tarjee, whose exertions on tMs occasion merited my warmest
praise, received, with apparent satisfaction, a present of one
hundred rupees, and accompanied me to the ghaut (or landing-
place), invoMng the blessings of the Prophet on my head, and
praying that he would make me very rich.
Before I proceed in my narrative, I cannot avoid remarking
how lamentable it is, that one can hardly move a step on fair In
dia's shore, 'without having the feeUngs outraged, or the eye of
fended, by the savage exhibition of her barbarous superstitions
and customs. Thus, when we reached the ghaut, we found
a miserable, shriveUed old woman, whose natural Ufe was appa
rently near Its clos'e, lying at low- water mark, with her feet to
wards the river, looking mournfully and in despair around her,
and waiting only for the rise of tide to cover her from the world
for «ver. Her mouth and nostrils were nearly stuffed with mud ;
and, incredible as it may appear, it was by her own chUdren tliat
she was left in that condition, and doomed to that fate. Having placed
• Boats for the.conveyance of cargo,
\ Quarter-masters. $ Sailors.

58
placed her there, they Went away, leaving a domestic of. the fa- •
mily to watch, and to prevent any one from interfering with her.
I asked Moodoosooden the reason of this, and if her fate could not
be prevented ? — " She might," I added, " yet recover, if carried
home, and proper attention were paid her ; or, if not, it would be
an act of mercy to let the poor old creature die peaceably in her
bed." — " It is, my lord," repUed Moodoosooden, " the custom : if
it is not her fate thus to die, she wUl get up and return home ;
but if she cannot do that, her time is come, and nothing can
protract it. The waters of the Hooghly," he added, " wUl pu
rify her spirit, and fit her to enter Paradise : hundreds die thus
every day." — " Why do not the poUce look to it, Moodoosoo
den ?" — " The poUCe," he rejoined, " do not interfere with mat
ters of our reUgion." It was only the same morning, when, being
at a different ghaut, and seeing a crowd of natives, who were
forming a circle, and making a loud noise, to the sound of the
tum-tum, I ventured to look in, and observe what was going for
ward. In the midst of the cirde was a middle-aged female, who,
having been wrought to a pitch of extraordinary excitement, prob
ably by drugs, was wringing her hands and dancing in a wUd
frantic manner : at her feet was placed a cistern of red-hot char
coal, before wMch she first lay prostrate, and in the height of her
frenzy, tMee times, for two or three seconds at a time, pressed her
face closely on the fire, to the deUght and admiration of the sur
rounding crowd, testified by the clapping of hands, and by discor
dant shouts and yells. She was taken up in a sensdess state, and
conveyed home in a palanquin, I could just see enough of her
face to feel regret that my curiosity had prompted me to look at it
at aU.
I must not omit to mention a drcumstance which, for its sin
gularity, obtained great notoriety at the time in Calcutta. A
sick Hindoo youth, deprived of the use of his limbs, was left at
the verge of the banks of the river HoogMy, at low water, ap
parently doomed to inevitable destruction. The ¦waters rose — co
vered Ms feet — approached Ms neck — ^Ms cMn — Ms mouth — when,
at that moment, a lieu tenant of one of the Company's cruizers, who
¦was an eye-witness from his ship, which lay dose in shore, of the
youth's perUous situation, and was actuated by the best of feelings
for a feUow-creature in imminent peril, manned his boat with a
chosen

59
chosen few' of Europeans, rescued the youth from -a barbarous
death, in spite of a formidable host of natives, collected with-
missUes and other weapons to oppose him, and conveyed Mm on
board his ship. Under proper treatment the youth recovered, and
lived to reward his benefactor, by proving to Mm a faithful and
dUigent servant.
To proceed with my narrative. I was now to saU as captain
and owner, and was perhaps the youngest commander that ever
conducted a vessel out of the pprt of Calcutta, not having then
attained my eighteenth year. My other disadvantages were by
no means sUght : I had the command of foreigners, vtith whose
language I was but imperfectly acquainted, and who, vdth one
exception, knew absolutely nothing of mine. My knowledge,
however, of BengaUee was sufficient to enable me to issue the ne
cessary orders without difficulty, and the helmsman I commanded
in Portuguese.
Arrived off the Sand-heads, the pUot bade me fareweU, gallant
ly refusing the customary present of fifty rupees {£6 : 5s.), re
marking — " You are but beginning the world, and wUl require
them yourself;" an instance of disinterestedness MgMy honour
able to Mm, and gratifying to my feelings, but such as could
scarcely have been expected, even in one of a race of men prover-
biaUy generous.
The weight of responsibUity attached to the command of a ship
at sea, is extremely heavy ; — ^indeed, so oppressive to the mind, aS
scarcely to be conceived by those who have not felt it. The va
luable cargo, and stUl more valuable Uves under my care, were
constantly, as it were, before my mind's eye, and kept me un
ceasingly on the watch for nights together, when aU on board*,
except the Portuguese at the helm, were buried in quiet and pro
found slumber ; when —
" E'en the stars did wink, as 'twere, with overwatching,"
then would I, and I alone, feel deprived of the power to sleep, and
pace the deck, sM'ouded in anxiety and care.
To anxiety and care, however, I had one antidote, having pro
vided
• It may be necessary here to observe, that in the steady breezes of the trade-
winds and monsoons, a vessel frequently saUs for days together, without the ne
cessity of either a rope or sail being moved, no person's services being in requisi
tion but those of the helmsman, and of the officer in command.

60
viiei. myself with my favourite authors, MUton, Shakspeare,
Goldsmith, Addison, Sterne, and Thomson ; together with the
novels of Fielding and SmoUett. It has often struck me, that a
concurrence of circumstances more favourable to reading,' caUnot
weU take place, than that in which a person finds himself, ivhen
seated to leeward, on board a ship saiUng in the Indian Ocean,
about the close of day, with the wind a Uttle before the beam, the
breeze refreshing the spirits, and the foam-crowned surge rushing
by. Such a combination soothes the mind, tends to reUeve care,
and to charm the soul into a beUef of happiness possessed j then
does thought overleap its earthly boundary, and antidpate a future
state of existence. TMs then was my relaxation in the evening,
untU nature withdrew her Ught, After an interval I watched
with deUght, either the waves, as they assumed a sUvery bright
ness from the rising moon, or the planets and stars, now grown
famiUar to me, as they rose and set. The benefits of sdence Uke-
wise engaged my thoughts ; and, in the actual and immediate en
joyment of the use of the needle, the cMonometer, the quadrant,
and the invention of logarithms, which enabled me to shape my
course tMough the deep waters, I felt intensely grateful for them.
In saiUng along the coast of Coromandel, from the northward,
the only reUef afforded to the eye from the barren appearance of
its sandy beach, and the dreary aspect of its inhospitable shore,
with the exception of now and then a pagoda*, rearing its tower
ing head, is the view of the towns of Ganjam, Vizagapatam, and
MasuUpatam. The latter is celebrated for the exceUence of its
snuff; and at Vizagapatam are manufactured very neat and inge
nious ivory work-boxes, mounted with ebony, and inlaid with
sandal wood ; they are sold for ten or fifteen pagodas + each ; and
are usuaUy bought up as presents for Europe. To the north of
Madras, off PuUcat, there is a dangerous shoal, caUed PuUcat-
shoal ; it projects out to sea for some mUes, and I was particular
ly careful to give this fatal spot a wide birth : we passed it in
the night, and on the morning of the following day, the flag-staff
of Fort St. George, and the sMps at anchor in Madras roads, ap
peared in sight. At two o'clock I came to an anchor in eight fa
thoms:
• A place of worship of the Hindoos.
t A star pagoda is a gold coin of the value of three and a-half Rs. or about
eight shillings English money.

61
tboms water ; and a boat, cpming off, I went on shore, to makd
:tlie necessary arrangements to disembark my freight, leaving my
vessel in charge of an active and inteUigent Portuguese secunnie,
¦yvhp spoke a Uttle EngUsh, and was a clever seaman.
, Ihe difficulty and, not unfrequently, the danger of landing at
Madras are great, from the tremendous surf, which, gathering
strength, as it approaches the beach, breaks, at the distance of a
mUe, and in boisterous weather, even a mUe and a half, from the
shpre. Bpats pf .a particular construction, called masoolah-boats,
are made expressly for this service ; the parts connecting the sides
an,d bottom of wMch are sewed together with coir* yam, not a
naU being used. They are thus well adapted to their purpose,
yielding to the violent shocks wMch they receive, both at sea and
on touching ground. , They are each about fifteen feet long, and
seven wide, and manned by six Indians and a steersman. No
sooner were we in the midst of the surf, than on looking beMnd,
I saw a tremendous sea advancing, rising to a height which as
tonished me, and gainipg , strength every moment : before us
appearances were equaUy threatening. We were soon overtaken
by ,the, wave, behind, which lifted us up, on its bosom to an im
mense height, roaring and sending us pnward with the swiftness
,, of lightning; the Indians jabbering aU the whUe, as if they were
alaimed— r-'^ Yeal-hee, yeaUhee ! yeal-hee, yeal-hee ! +" TMs
scene, terrific as it ,was, proved to the steersman but the scene of
his " vocation ;" and he did not forget the reward in prospect,
but asked for a box, or present. This was perhaps his poUcy ;
he.thp^ghtr that at such a moment, I could not refuse Mm.
.Another tremendous sea foUowed, Ufting us up stUl higher, and
impeUing us forward with great velocity, untU the forepart of the
boat took the ground; she then swiftly wheeled, round on, her
beam-ends. Then it is that the danger is most imminent, for the
next sea almost > instantly striking the side, pf the boat, per-
Jiaps upsets it, wh^ it, not unfrequently happens that one or
^wo lives are Jpst. In our case, the boat, when struck, turned
very nearly over ; tiut Ifeing, though a young man, an old saUor,
I held
.,,:,„1 • Cou-, so called, is the husk of the cocoa-nut, which being cleaned, leaves
nothing but fibres, that are made into rope, which is used as that of hemp, and
in th« dry' season is little inferior. .
"l" Wyrds of encoiuagcment, similar toour " hurrah •" • '

62
I held on by the weather-gunwale, untU successive seas threw
her " high and dry" on the beach. Palanquins without number
were ready to receive me, and stepping into one, I was in a few
minutes at the Navy Hotel.
Madras, as seen from the sea, has an imposing, shewy appear
ance ; presenting a continued Une of superb buildings, with a
peristyle of many columns in front of the verandahs along the
beach. In the rear of these buUdings stands the " Black Town,"
so caUed from its being the residence of the native population.
The noble appearance of the houses fronting the beach is height
ened by a composition, made from sea-sheUs, and called chunam,
vwth which they are plastered. It is very durable, and when
kept clean and entire, rivals Parian marble itself, and gives to
the colonades, and indeed to any buUding to wMch it is appUed, a
lustre which, reflected by the sun's rays, produces an effect
splendid in the extreme. As to Black Town, it is nothing
more than a mass of mean houses and huts, jumbled to
gether with " most admired disorder :" an earthquake could
scarcely produce more chaotic conftision. The Grovemment House
is a handsome edifice, but not imposing in appearance ; nor wUl
it bear a comparison with the Government House of Calcutta, It
is situated about a mUe and a half to the southward of Fort St.
George. The governor, the mUitary officers, civilians, and merchants,
reside in garden-houses, at a convement distance from Black
Town, whither they usuaUy resort in the daytime, for the trans
action of pubUc or private business. There the merchants have
their offices, and there, in large rooms buUt for the purpose, the
shopkeepers display to the best advantage their goods, both Eu
ropean and oriental. After the business of the day is terminated,
usuaUy about three o'dock, the merchants return to their gardens,
dress, and before dinner take a ride on the carriage-roads, of wMch
the principal, called Mount-road, is the most frequented. The
garden-houses of Madras, with their accompaniments, are, in
point of elegance, taste, and rural beauty, nearly as captivating
as Garden Reach, near Calcutta,
Having been furnished by my agents in Calcutta with letters
of introduction to Slessrs, Arbuthnot, De Monte, & Co. of Ma
dras, I was favoured by these gentlemen with invitations to dinner at

63
at their garden-houses, where every tMng around me bore the
marks of luxurious splendour and rare magnificence. My ex
perience here proved to me that nothing can exceed the gaiety of
Madras society. The fortress is separated from the town by an
esplanade outside the gates : it stands on the sea shore, and pre
sents six fronts towards the land. Its depots of arms are spacious ;
and, with a good garrison, it is considered capable of holding out
for a length of time against any army that could be brought
against it. The accommodations for the mUitary officers and sol
diers doing duty in Fort St. George are of a very superior des
cription. The business of entering my vessel at the custom-house, and
making preparations for landing my freight, being settled, I re
turned to the hotel. No sooner was I seated in a sf)adous room,
affording a pleasant prospect of Fort St. George, and of the espla
nade in front, than a bevy of dubashes * surrounded me, each
eager that his services should be accepted. At the recommenda
tion of the master of the hotel, I selected one, named Koondar
Gruar ; iie was a tall stately personage, intensely black ; through
his nose he wore a large gold ring; and his fingers were
covered with massy rings of the same precious metal, some of them
set with topazes, pearls, and emeralds. Of his mustachios, which
were enormously large, he seemed not a Uttle vain, for he was
continuaUy smoothing them upwards with his fore-finger and
thumb. He commented, in glowing terms, on the luxury of
having the fingers jointed, the ears cleaned, and the naUs paired,
before dinner ; and recommended me to undergo these operations,
aUeging that it was the custom, and very refreshing. Before I
could well make a reply, an active Uttle personage, also with a
ring tMough his nose, began to puU my fingers, and made eadi of
them crack to pretty quick time, and not without pain ; he then,
without ceremony, laid hold of my head with his two hands,
turned it round, introduced a small instrument into my ear, and
cleaned it out, almost before I was aware vvhat he was about ; to
the other, he did the same : when he had finished, he placed his
thumb inside the ear, and on withdrawing it, contrived, by some
manoeuvre, to produce a noise not unlike the report of a pop-gun,
and nearly as loud. 1?hen, taMng my cheeks between his two
,, !. ... hands,
• Similar to the baboos of Bengal.

64
liands, he suddenly twisted my neck over my right shouMerj' and
with such quickness and violence, that I almost imagined a dislo
cation to have been produced. I had Uttle time, however, to
consider, for the indefatigable operator twirled it round again,
just as expeditiously, on the other side ; I was about to testify my
dislike to these operations, when, with a sudden jerk, he restored
my head to its natural position ; and whUe I was doubting whe
ther it was safe or not, he made a very low bow, holding out his
hand for a box (or present), Koondar Gruar and his attendants,
all the whUe, standing by and looking on with great gravity, I
told Koondar Gruar to give him five fanams*, but, skilful as he
was, resolved never again to put myself under Ms hands.
Another operator then made Ms appearance, having in one
hand, an instrument for paring my naUs, and in the other, a pair
of enormous tweezers ; but I immediately arrested his progress,
by teUing Koondar Gruar " it was my intention to take > that
trouble upon myself;" and added, " send aU these attendants
away — I want nobody at present but yourself." On tMs, 1h^
were aU, with an important show of bustle on the part of my
dubash, turned out of the room. Soon, however, they returned,
sHly, one by one, untU the room. In a few minutes, was as fuU as
ever. WhUe I was asking Koondar Gruar if he could procure
me any freight for Pondicherry and Ceylon, in came . a man,
bearing on Ms shoulders no less a personage than the celebrated
" Dumnakurk," Siiwaii, standing hardly twenty-three inches Mgh,
but having a head as large as that of a grown up person. It ap
peared that he had many years before made a voyage to England,
under the care of the captain of an Indiaman, who reaped a ridi
harvest by the exhibition of him ; but whether Dumnakurk him
self profited by the trip, I did not ascertain. On his return to
his native country, the arrows of Cupid made great havock in the
breast of the Uttle hero, who married the object of his affections,
and in 1814, was the father of seventeen chUdren, aU of them
grown up to perfect manhood. He danced before me with infinite
glee and good humour, holding out Ms Uttle hand, or rather fin,
singing — " Dumnakurk, Dumnakurk, give little Dumnakurk," untU,
beckoning Koondar Gruar, I told him to give Dumnakurk twenty
fanaras. Scarcely had Dumnakurk mounted on the back of (as I
understood)
* Fanam, a silver coin, worth about twopence halfpenny.

65
Understood) one of his sons, disappeared, than a juggler squatted
himself down before me, and, •without waiting for a ^signal to be
gin, first introduced into his mouth a sword, the blade of which
was about twenty Inches in length, and one broad, aUd thence up
to the very Mlt into his stomach ; then drawing it out suddenly,
threw it down at my feet. Of this, and of other feats of leger
demain, sUch as spitting fire, balancing by means of the mouth,
throwing balls, &c, those who have seen the celebrated "Ramo
Samee" in England, may form an idea ; but this juggler by far
surpassed Ramo Samee in Ms concluding feat ; for he actually
forced upwards, with apparent pain, and held in his two hands,
at the distance of seven inches from his mouth, a gut, which after
the lapse of a second or two, he replaced. I stood within two
fe^t of him at the time, and was convinced that no deception
could be resorted to. In this conviction I was afterwards con-
fijfmed> by the testimony of many of my own couAtrymeh, old
sojourners in India, who assured Uie it was a feat which had be
come very common with' jugglers, biit which was discredited
by medical men in Engla'nd, and even in Indid, until, of late.
Ocular demonstration compeUed the latter to admit as a fact, what
had before ' appeared to them altogether impracticable, and un
worthy of belief. This exquisite treat, however meritorious it
might appear in the eyes of the surrounding natives, produced a
qualmish sensation on my stomach ; So telUng Koondar Gruar to
give the juggler five fanafiis, I dismissed him, once more order
ing the room to be cleared. My order was apparently obeyed
with alacrity, and I was about to congratulate myself on having
got rid of these officious visitants, when, on looking round, I savv
one man stUl remaining, and (as he supposed) artfully concealed
behind a screen. On inquiring his business, he produced from
beneath Ms vest a smaU box, in ¦which was a black scorpion of
an enormous size ; he next called my attention to a stone of dbout
the size and shape of a kidney beah, eulogizing its ¦virtue, as
capable of extracting the deadly venom of the reptUe's sttrig ;
and to convince me Of the truth of his assertion, permitted the
scwpion to sting his^ fore finger, which bled profusely, and imme
diately swelled. The Stone, on being applied to the wound, stuck
on for the space of a minute, and then fell off, exhibiting a green
Inark about the spot which had been in contact with the wound,
F and

66
and leaving the finger apparently healed : him I dismissed with-
a present of tMee fanams. A gentle knocking at the door now
drew my attention to a new intrusion. A man, ¦vdth a basket
full of " dancing sei-pents," of a large and rare kind, sought ad
mittance : but ray patience being exhausted, I positively forbad
Ms entrance, telUng Koondar Gruar that I came to his country
not in pursuit of curiosities or pleasure, but on business. " Ah,
master," he repUed, " I know you wMte man aU got clever
head : no think pleasure, think more Mgh !"
All the freight I had on board for Madras was soon landed^;
and I was happy when Koondar Gruar assured me he could pro
cure plenty for Pondicherry. I was aware that a fortune was to
be made, if at all, by extraordinary exertion and activity, and by
these alone. Day after day, therefore, myself, my dubash, and
my crew, were indefatigably engaged in landing and sMpping
cargo ; and during my stay at Madras, but few hours were de
voted to the indulgence of ease, or of other pleasure than duty.
The means wMch I possessed of enjoying many happy hours, were
ample, from the circumstance of my having become acquainted
with some of my feUow-countrymen, whose friendship and agree
able society have, to this day, left an indeUble impression on my
heart. Our acquaintance began thus : — in the hotel was a bUUard-
table, at which, on my entering the room, I found two gentlemen
busUy engaged, — the one, a distinguished German merchant, named
Endtfield, just arrived from Padang, on the West Coast of Su
matra, and who was then on his way to Bengal, to conduct two
of his daughters home from boarding-school ; and the other, a
Captain Harcourt, commanding a brig. A young Ueutenant of
the army, named Bowers, and two lieutenants of the navy, whom
I afterwards found to be brothers, were standing round the table,
taking great interest in the game. EngUshmen, in a foreign
country, need no better introduction to each other, than that of
moving in the same sphere of society ; so that we all soon became
acquainted : bottled ale (esteemed a great luxury in the East)
circulated with ra.pldlty, and an acquaintance In England, of
twenty years standing, could scarcdy have made us better friends.
Endtfield was a man of about forty-five years of age, apparentiy
of a serious turn of mind, and of deep reflection, of wMch quaU-
ties, indeed, his countenance bore indications. He was fond of
conversing

67
conversing on matters of religion ; and possessed, to aU appear
ances, a warm heart and amiable feeUngs. BowerS and Harcourt,
on the contrary, were young and gay, and fuU of spirits, each pos
sessing a ready and agreeable wit : the two saUors, whose names
were John and Richard Burjen, were dashing lieutenants, fresh
from ship-board, and ready for any enterprise whatever, whether
offering a chance of fun, or of danger : the elder brother however
exhibited on his brow the evidences of a cast of reflection, which
occasionally interfering with the display of Ms naturaUy convivial
disposition, would reUeve itself with a sigh. With these friends
I enjoyed, whenever the duties of my vessel afforded me an oppor
tunity, some happy and delightful hours. I esteemed them aU,
but especially the two brothers : there was a sympathy of soul
among us, on all subjects connected with thought and sentiment.
Often would we walk together, arm in arm, on the sandy beach of
Malabar, whUe the silvery moon lit our footsteps — the balmy
sweets of a verdant country, wafted in odoriferous and gentle gales,
enchanted our senses; — and the hoUow roarings of the surge height
ened the pleasing grandeur of the scene, and inspired in our breasts
a sensation pleasingly awful and sublime. Then would we talk
of our native land — of those most dear to us in it ; and stUl add
another hope to thousands, that a time would come when we
should there aU meet happily once again. The expanse of ocean
— the blue arched firmament, cloudless and adorned with stars and
brilliant constellations— the surrounding country, teeming with
objects new to us, and the race who inherit it, would also be our
themes, until our thoughts rose to the munificent Creator of the
whole ! — the Incomprehensible ! expression then faUed, and we
would conclude our walk, absorbed in profound and sUent ad
miration. Thrice happy hours ! never to be obUterated from my
memory : the recoUection of them, even to this day, affords me
reUef whenever I am sad !
These gentlemen and myself having received from a Portuguese
merchant, of the name of Rutter, invitations to Ms garden-house,
situated about four or five mUes from Madras, it was- agreed, that
with him we should take a farewell dinner, previously to my de
parture. To this exceUent man I had deUvered some freight from
Calcutta, and he was good enough to shew me every possible atten
tion during my stay at Madrap. On the evening agreed upon, we
r 2 engaged

68
engaged three gigs to be in readiness for us by five o'clock ; and in
about half an Hour, we started; but our journey thither and back
was replete with disasters. In the first place, Mr, Endtfield, who
drove Captain Harcourt, could not make his horse proceed a single
step ; the appUcation of the whip only caused the obstinate animal
to retrograde. A fresh horse was procured, which evinced as eager a
desire to run away, as the other had shown an inclination not to go at
aU, These difficulties were scarcdy surmounted, when Bowers had
the mortification to discover, that his dress regimental coat (which,
by the way, was a new one) was soiled nearly aU over with lamp
black, with which the inside of the gig was very liberaUy daubed :
and almost at the same time, the gig in wMch the two Ueutenants
were going at a pretty quick rate, or, as they termed it, " before
the wind *," suddenly stopped, the eldest bawUng out — " A-hoy
there! — I've sprung a leak, d'ye see;" and true enough, one of the
springs had given way, and thrown the body of the gig into a
transverse position : they however gaUoped on, saying — " Never
mind! its only a lurch to leeward, that's aU !" to the surprise of
the passers-by, who epjoyed the accident, beUeving it to be an in
tentional freak of the two saUors,
Mr, Rutter welcomed us with great cordiaUty, and conducted
us into the hall — a noble room, the floor of which was inlaid ¦with
marble. Folding doors were now opened, and under a scarlet vel
vet canopy, richly embroidered with gold, sat two lovely daughters
of our host. The eldest was an oriental beauty, and received us
gracefully, whUe a pair of large black eyes sparkled a welcome.
The youngest was equally handsome — ^in the judgment of the
youngest saUor, more so ; at aU events, the syren succeeded in
implanting in his breast a " first-sight love," wMch, I have heard
him say, "he never could entirely forget," Other folding doors
were next thrown open, and a table sumptuously laid invited us
to be seated. The soup was muUigatawny, a favourite dish at
Madras, whose inhabitants have the reputation of exceUing in the
making of it : it is a rich curry soup, highly seasoned, and very
deUcious. Ham and turkey, rice, and curries of aU sorts, pasties,
and abundance of champagne and claret, were the fare. After
dinner
• "This phrase, as appUed to land-travelling, is in a fair way of becoming ap
propriate : I allude to the recent invention of propelling carriages through »
tunnel by means of atmospheric pressure.

69
dinner we retired to an adjoining apartment, where the young la
dies favoured us with dulcet strains from the piano, in a style
reflecting much credit on their taste and execution. An uncere
monious dance in the haU concluded the entertainment ; and at
four in the morning, we mounted our vehicles in high glee, under
a favourable impression of the hospitality of our kind host and Ms
two charming daughters. In me, however, high spirits were suc
ceeded by busy thought on the happy moments which had sped ;
and whether it was reflection or champagne, or both, that made
me over-wise, I adopted the conviction that the stump of a tree
was a shadow, and this notable " error in judgment" hurled my
self and Bowers in an instant to the opposite, side of the road, and
there left us sprawUng. In a Uttle time, with the assistance of
our fellow-traveUers, who were laughing and joking all the while,
We were ready to start afresh, fortunately without having receiv
ed any injury. • ¦ ,,
The following day, every thing being ready for sea, Koondar
Gruar attended me to make Ms farewell salam. On my taking
leave of Endtfield, he shook me cordially by the hand, desiring me,
if ever I needed Ms assistance," to write to-him at Padang, and to
be assured that I should not find myself neglected. Bowers, Har
court, and the two brothers, accompanied me to the beach ; and
with exchanged expressions of hope that we should meet again in
some quarter of the globe or other, I crossed the formidable surf,
reached my vessel, and set sail for Pondicherry the same evening.
The north-east monsoon wafted us pleasantly to the southward.
The next day, a remarkable tuft of trees, celebrated as a landmark,
apprised us that we were approaching Pondicherry, We stood
under easy saU during the night, and on the foUovnng morning
came to an anchor in Pondicherry Roads.
Pondicherry was at that period in the possession of the Eng
Ush ; but it has since been restored to the French : it is a smaU
town, whither the EngUsh miUtary officers,- and civUians,- occasion
ally resort for the benefit of a change, of air, and for relaxation
• from their several duties. No place in India has stronger attrac
tions for ¦visitors than Pondicherry, A company of Frenbh ama
teur musicians regaled the inhabitants with music on the Espla
nade, in the open air, from eight to ten, usually on moonlight
nights. Private concerts, masquerades, dances, and card-parties,
f 3 , collected

70
coUected together the votaries of pleasure, that is, with few ex
ceptions, aU the inhabitants of this charming settlement ; but
what, more than any thing else, attracts the notice and admiration
of strangers, is, the transcendent beauty of the female portion of
those of the European inhabitants who are descendants of French
famUies. Their complexion is a happy combination of the Uly
and the rose ; the graceful ease and unaffected freedom of thdr
manners in the drawing-room, are as captivating as theit move
ments at the baU ; and the elegant simpUdty and neatness of
their dress, exMbit a chasteness of taste peculiar to themselves.
More EngUsh have chosen partners for Ufe from among the
ladies of Pondicherry, than from those of any other settlement
of the same extent in India ; and every match, at least on the
part of the gentleman, is truly a " love-match ;" for the girls
have no treasure but their charms.
The cargo I had on board was consigned to a celebrated miU
tary officer, who had been one of the first to mount the breach at
the storming of Seringapatam, and had there received a severe
w^ound. In Ms declimng years, he retired from the toils of his
profession to Pondicherry; and in the endearments of Ms lovely
partner, sought that repose and happiness to wMch, in early Ufi^
the duties and dangers of his profession had made him a stran
ger. He now concerned himself with Uttie else than mercantile
pursuits on a smaU scale, and with those, more 'with the view of
employing his active and comprehensive mind, than with that
of profit. To him the old and young would repair, to seek the
benefit of Ms counsel in time of doubt or trouble ; and at his
house I found a happy home during my stay at Pondicheny.
There, the beauty and fasMon of the settlement assembled twice
or thrice a-week, either at a dance, a card-party, or a supper ;
and there it was I beheld the lovely girl, the rumour of whose
charms had already resounded from one end of the peninsula of
India to another*- Though descended from poor parents, her
hand, I was informed, had been sought in vain by collectorsy
colonels, and even generals : her obdurate heart either could not,
or would not, receive the soft impression, and she remained
single, making fresh conquests almost daily. At this period she
was just eighteen, with a form combimng symmetry with aU the
other
• Mademoiselle M""y.

71
trther graces which are desirable in woman : her complexion was
like the Uly, deUcately fair, and with the Uly would have borne
comparison ; whUe the rose bloomed on her cheek. Her hair,
black and glossy; curled in aU the sportive luxuriance of excel-
Ung nature, over her finely-turned neck and shoulders ; her ex
panded forehead, sUken eydashes, arched eyebrows, and coral
lips, were -perfection ; but her eyes ! who shaU describe them ?
the soUl itself spoke through them ; and her angelic countenance,
animated, open, and free from the least taint of pride or afiec-
tation, would have persuaded one that she could love, and that
in this respect report beUed her. The danger of holding converse
with charms like hers, soon became apparent ; yet the attempt
¦was often made to impress her heart with that feeling which she
seemed so eminently formed by nature to inspire in the breasts of
others ; but she was found to be cold and -unsusceptible, and the
lover sighing, fled her presence. Yet was she not a coquet ; she
never aimed at conquest. Often, as 1 gazed, delighted, on her
beautiful features, did I express to her a hope, that she would
make some one of her numerous admirers happy; and to strengthen
my plea, frequently placed before her the foUo'wing Unes, the
meaning of which her progress in the EngUsh language enabled
her perfectly to comprehend : —

Nay, lady,

Thou'lt be the cruellest she alive.
To lead aU these graces to the grave,
And leave the world no copy."
By the latest accounts from India, I am informed that she still
adheres to her preference of ceUbacy to the married life.
Under the roof of my worthy host I also saw the lovely Made
moiselle L******h : she was then in deep mental distress ; and
it is in that state that beauty frequently assumes her loveUest
features. An English Ueutenant of dragoons, in person elegant,
and of superior manners, addressed her with all the ardour of a
respectful and sincere love : she loved him in return, and, a stran
ger to deceit, ingenuously told him so, Uttle suspecting that a
heart devoid of every principle of honour — a soul enamoured of
depravity, could lie concealed under the mask of so fair an exte
rior. The wedding-day was fixed ; the unsuspecting girl, sur
rounded by doting parents and beloved friends, was haUed, in
every circle, with congratulations and blessings: how happy
F 4 then

72
then was her young and inexperienced heart! Jbut, alas! hoisr
goon was she doomed to taste the bitter cup of wo, withheld frop
her only by the intervening lapse of a few fleeting hours ! Her
lover, unaccustomed to control his -violent and impetuous pa?--
sipnSj marked her as his own, from the moment when he first
saw her, and determined to possess her, even at the price of mar
riage, and of her ruin ; he weU knew Ms debts were overwhelm
ing, and his creditors importunate — ^he knew that the inevitable,,
consequence of Ms marriage would be, to be dragged from the
bridal bed, to a gaol ; and that the charms of Ms victim were her
only portion : stiU did he persevere, and had the art to conceal
from her poor and aged parents, not only the darling propensities ,
of his soul — gaming, extravagance, and debauchery, but also
the actual state of his circumstances, and the hopelessness of his
prospects. The storm at length burst, and, as if in pity to the
'victim, spared her the greater evil — on the very morning of the
intended nuptials, he was arrested, and his real character exposed
by Ms creditors. Covered with confusion, obloquy, and shame,
he was thrown into prison, and there left to brood over the con
sequences of Ms criminaUty and cruelty.
By the prompt assistance which I received from my friendly
host, who, through Ms influence with the master-attendant, pro
cured me an extra supply of cargo-boats, I was soon enabled to
effect my lading ; but not satisfied with this, he generously took
a warmer interest in my affairs, and I thus succeeded in securing a
rich freight from Columbo (whither I was next bound) to the
Mauritius ; and on my return, another from Tappanooly, on the
west coast of Sumatra, for Bengal. These advantages were great,
and could not have been obtained without the intervention of so
distinguished and respected an individual as my friend.
It was one Sunday morning, and the hour eleven, when in
England the church-beUs are summoning to pubUc worship, that
on my way to the house of a French merchant, for the purpose
of settling about the freight, we caUed on the honourable Mrs.
T  , the widow of a French officer, and made our bow to a
large party engaged at cards — a custom usual with the French
pn Sundays, I had not much time to reflect on the scene before
me, when a very sweet girl, the eldest daughter of the hostess,
approached me, and with that solicitude for the comfort and
convenience of visitors, for \vhich the fair of PondicheiTy are
distinguished.

73
distinguished, seated herself by my side, dose to a small table
apart from the rest of the company. Her auburn hair hung in
ringlets over her fair bosom, and a pair of soft blue eyes, expressive
of a desire to please, effected their object completely ; so that in
three minutes we became as weU acquainted and familiar as if
we had been intimate for as many years. Her pronunciation of
the EngUsh language was imperfect; but with great good-na
ture, spreading the cards before us, she said — " Now look at
me.'' — " Oh, that I certainly will !" — " I do mean [[laughing]
you must not any more look at de cards." — " No: I wUl, with
your permission, look at you in preference." — " Very weU — as
you' please. Now tink of one card." — " I have." — " But you
must not tell me what you tink ontill I ask," — " Oh no." —
" WeU den, I must tink of one also.'' After considering, she
shuffled the cards — " Now," she resumed, " You must tell
me de card you tink of." — " The queen of hearts." — " De queen
of hearts .' how strange! de very card dat I did tink of too!"
What there was in the mention of" queen of hearts" to bring
into her beauteous neck and cheeks the vermilion which " spread
Uke a mantle o'er her," those who are better versed than myself
in. the secret impulses of the heart, may possibly form an idea:
I was that instant summoned to depart, which I did reluctantly,
never having before, in so short a space of time, been a party to
a friendship so apparentiy mutual. I pressed her delicate hand
at parting, and could no more dispel a sudden tremor of deUght
wMch then came over me, than I could control the course of the
planets ; and to tMs day the " queen of hearts" never fails to
whisper to my memory the charms of the lovely Miss T  .
No sooner was I ushered, by my friend, into the presence of
the merchant, than he exclaimed — " Ah, be Ga ! what have we
got here? dis be one vary young capitain indeed!" Having
seated ourselves at a table, on which were pen, ink, and paper,
he satisfied himsdf on certain necessary particulars, and drew
out agreements respecting freight, which were mutuaUy signed
and sealed. In a few days afterwards I set saU for Columbo,
parting from my friend with deep regret ; and not without waft-
ingi in many a sigh, an adieu to the fair inhabitants — a tribute,
I may add, exacted from the breast of every EngUshman on
leaving Pondicherry. So

74
So far my career, as captain and owner, had "been both successful;
and replete -s^ith fair promises ; even the winds seemed to encou
rage my hopes. Unmolested by a shower of rain, or by a cloud In
the heavens, we saUed nearly round the spicy island of Ceylon^ de
lighted at the variegated aspect of its shores. Off Trincomalay,
Beligaum, and Point de GraUe, a canoe, laden with the plaintain, the
melon, the pine-apple, the quince, the luscious jack, the mango, the
sweet date, and green cocoa, would be frequently seen approach
ing ; and having reached us, it emptied its freight on our deck.
At length, w^e came within sight of Columbo, It was just about
the setting of the sun when the flag-staff appeared in sight, A
dangerous rock, caUed the " Drunken Sailor," threatening us,
in a hollow voice, with destruction among its breakers, was abotlt
a mile to leeward of us. From the land came a gentle sweU, and
a Ught air, which but just set the calm bosom of the gUttering
sea in motion, whUe the refreshing fragrance around, luUed the
mind into a state of luxurious ease and enjoyment. We came to
an anchor in the roadstead precisely at eight o'clock, and after
squaring the yards, and setting the watch, retired to rest.
At Columbo, my extreme youth, together with the circum
stances of my having a command, and being owner, not only at
tracted attention, but procured me many friends, the benefit of
whose assistance and advice, affording me greater facUities than I
could otherwise have had in the landing and shipping of cargo, I
enjoyed to a considerable extent. The cargo I now recdved on
hoard was cocoa-nut oU, for the Isle of France; and in three
weeks I was ready for sea, I set saU, in the hdght of the spirit of
enterprise, calculating my gains daUy ; and, in the midst of my sub-
Sequent successes, I all but flattered myself that I had gained pos
session of the philosopher's stone. On the lowest estimate which I
could correctly make, I calculated that, on my return to Calcutta,
which I conduded would be in about six months from this period,
I should be worth six thousand pounds, which would justify mem
the ambition of aspiring to the command of a large sMp. Thus,
from day to day, was my head incessantly at work, and my atten
tion divided betw.een the present responsibiUty and the fortune in
prospect. " Castle-building" indeed was a science which I studied
indefatigably ; and; imagining that I saw the end from the begm-
ning, I at once wrote to my father, requesting him to send my bro ther

75
thex John, tp India, engaging to ensure him the opportunity of
making, witt the aid of industry and prudence, a rapid fortune. I
had afterwards reason to regret my precipitancy ; but it was a
matter of consolation to me, that the measure had its source, alone
in brotherly love and good intention.
Hitherto my navigatien had been either in si^t ef land, or
within a few mUps of it ; now I was to bid fareweU to the coast,
and explore the wide waters of the Indian Ocean. Our approach
to the equinoctial, whose gales not unfrequentiy devote the ma
riner and his bark to the unfathomable deep, was marked by the
usual circumstances ;-r-an occasional shower; — shoals of flying-
fishes, which ever and anon met, on our deck, that fate with
whiph some natural enemy had threatened them in another shape ; —
albipores, darting onward under each .quarter ; and the dolphin,
wMch, having for a short time sported glibly by our side,
seized the deadly bait, and being dragged on board, and sus
pended on a shroud, would in its agony, exhibit its matchless
varying hues: the voracious shark too, turning on Ms back,
would seize the piece pf tempting flesh, and pursue his way until
the gaUing iron arrested his progress ; — he tries to fly, and tor
tured witlj pain and ragp, covers the sea with foam ; but the
attempt is vain ; in a short time his huge, unseemly carcase lies
extended on our deck — ^in vain Ms powerful tail lashes it — ^in vain
he opens jvide his enormous jaws, Uned with quadruple-rows of
piercing tpeth, which he gnashes in agony; the wary seaman,
hatchet in hand, and with muscular arm, after repeated blows,
severs the Ijead from the body, and leaves it, in its gore, on the

Feeling the weight of the responsibiUty attached to my
command less severely at sea than when saiUng along the
Corpmaudel Coast, I was the more disposed, during my leisure
hours, to indulge in my favourite pursuit of reading. The
German flute was another source of amusement. My table being
amply, supplied with mutton and poultry, hams, 'vyines, and
liqueurs, how often wpuld I inwardly rejoice, when I cpmpared
my own successes, and happy state, witli^the condition of others I
nay, I almost imagined that the loud complaints of poverty and
misfortune were the outcry of the idle and dissolute alone ; and
camp to the conclusion, that no art could be more easUy acquired
than that of .becoming rich. Once

76
Once every month, on the first night of the new moon, the
lascars, conformably to their custom, approached me, one by one,
to make their obeisance, invoking, at the same time, the protec
tion of the prophet Mahommed for the next month, and thanking
him for the blessings of the last. During the evenings, the Por
tuguese would, oft, in the waist, beguUe the hours with a song,
and cheering chorus, wMle the lascars pursued their several avo-
cations by themselves. Few ships' companies were happier than
mine — few commanders more wUUngly obeyed.
Six weeks after our departure from Ceylon, we made the lati
tude of the Isle of France, being, according to my calculation
distant from it about one hundred and twenty mUes, due EaM.
In two days and nights we ran down not less than three hundred
and fifty mUes, of longitude, but without seeing land. After ,a
time, one of the secunnies announced " Land in sight !" but^^on
going aloft, I found the supposed land to be but a cloudy
which, in a few minutes, disappeared altogether. About two
p. m^ however, I saw, as I thought, land from the deck, hearing
the shape of three black, sloping hUlocks ; but this too proved' a
deception, and, Uke the former, vanished from our sight, first
altering its shape, and assuming the appearance of a castle, then
that of a black mountain : during the night my anxiety, was
considerable. With a favourable breeze, we stood on, under
easy saU, until half-past four a. m. when our hopes were revived
by the appearance, at dawn of day (five o'clock), of something
which, from the deck indeed, was hardly to be distinguished from
a doud, so much did it resemble one, but wMch I was, on going
aloft, convinced, from the distinctness of its form rising from
the glittering sea, was not the shadow, but the substance. By
ten o'clock we reached the north-east point of land, and saUed
dose in shore, in order to reach Port Louis. The blue water
near the shore was so remarkably clear, that we could plainly
perceive the bottom, at the depth of fifteen fathoms, or ninety
feet, to appearance not more than four ; thus were the secrets of
the deep unfolded to our admiring view ; — large beds, or rather
forests of coral, red and white, the grotesque branches of which
extended for mUes, and among them, fishes unknown in Europe,
and of various sizes and hues, swimming in sportive gambols.
We were now saUing round perhaps the sweetest island that
rears its head above the waters of the globe. The fragrance, wafted

77
wafted in soft breezes from the land, was deUghtful : here and
there, a cottage near the sea beach, greeted our sight, adorning a
fairy scene, in which a luxuriant verdure, and trees of great size
and beauty, were conspicuous : not a canoe, nor a human being,
could We see ; aU was stiU, and silent as the tomb. It was a
scene of such beauty and repose, as almPst to persuade me that I
was favoured with an unearthly vision.
At two o'clock the town of Port Louis appeared in sight ;
and shortly after a pUot came on board, who brought us to an
anchor in tlie inner harbour. At four, I reached the " Hotel
Anglais," not without congratulating myself on having, without
the assistance of European skUl, navigated my bark thou
sands of mUes, and brought her safe into port. I lost no time
in making preparations for the landing of my freight, wMch, in
a few 'days,' I commenced under the encouraging and cheering
prospect of a speedy termination.
Port Louis, the capital, is a pleasant, clean town, situated
partly on a plain;, partly on the declivity of a mountain, caUed Le
Poucej which towers in its rear, and above vfrhich rises the lofty
peak of " Peter Botre," two thousand five hundred feet above the
level of the sea. The Government-house faces the landing-place.
It is, however, the beauty of the country which forms the prin-
dpal charm : if the shores of the Isle of France, as seen from the
deck of a vessel, are inviting, how enchanting and lovely is its
interior scenery ! The rural Arcadian cottages of the planters,
the neat huts of the slaives, the rich verdure, the hUls, dales,
rivuletsy mountains, and glens, ornamented by stately trees, the
tamarind, the mango, the cocoa, and others, combined too in a
manner pecuUarly diversified, wUd, and luxuriant, inspire the
stranger with wonder, rapture, and deUght, In tMs paradise,
even the slave appears to forget his real condition. Often as he
proceeded to his daUy labour, have I heard him carol his song
of content and happiness*. Dear country! where were spent some
" In maJmjg this remark, the author does not mean to convey the remotest
idea of the general condition of the slave ; that condition is not better than that
of the slave of any other country, Htis happiness, even when at leisure to con
template the rural scenery of this delightful island, is but apparent, and on the
surface. Of the immediate effects, and the tendency of slayery, even under, it»
best, that is, its most deceptive aspect, the author's opinion remains unchanged.
See Index—" Slaverif.'"

78
some of the happiest of my youthful days, which fled, ' too soon
away. Behind Port Louis is a wide plain, caUed the " Champ de
Mars;" there the band of the EngUsh regiment played every
Sunday evening, for three or four hours ; and there, hundreds
of girls, in nature's most aUuring charm, " dazzUng Beauty, at
tended by her Graces," were seen in the enjoyment of conscious
happiness, gay, yet preserving an amiable decorum of manner,
which, though heightening their attractions, was, in fact, not the
weakest of their safeguards The island indeed is the Island of
Calypso ; and should another Telemachus be wrecked on its shores,
his Mentor, though he might, and probably would, have to
regret his entanglement in the snares of love, would have no
cause to fear his falling a prey to 'vice. But though the island of
love, it is the island of misfortune. Subsequently to the author's
arrival in 181-i, Port Louis lost two-thirds of its houses by fire:
and recently (1824), a severe hurricane caused serious damage
to the crops, and ruined many of the inhabitants : but if any
thing be wanting to entitle it to these distinctions, the pathetic
history of Paul and Virginia wUl supply the defect ; and although
from the circumstance of its being generaUy known, the reader
may think that a mere reference to it would have been sufficient,
I cannot resist the temptation to sketch a brief outline of it, trust
ing for his indulgence to its authenticity and interesting nature.
Monsieur de la Tour, a native of Normandy, arrived on the
island in 1726, bringing with Mm a young and beautiful ^ife,
whom he had married without fortune, and in opposition to the
¦wiU of her relations. A short time after his arrival, he em
barked for Madagascar, to purchase a few slaves, leaving Ms wife
to await his return, and there feU a victim to the pestilential
fever. No sooner did the inteUigence of his decease reach the
Isle of France, than his effects were seized (probably for debt),
and Ms widow, who was pregnant, found herself left destitute in
a strange country, with no other eartMy support than one female
negro slave, named Mary. From affection to the memory of her
husband, whom she dearly loved, she was unwilling to accept
protection from a second; she therefore resolved to cultivate a
Uttle spot of ground with the assistance of her slave, and thus
procure for both the means of subsistence. Misfortune having armed

79
armed her with courage, she traversed tracks the most remote
and desolate, dreary and unknown. A ^ot was at last fixed
upon, the immediate neighbourhood of which had been already
inhabited a year by a young female, named Margaret, who, when
surprised by the strangers, was suckling her infant, Margaret
was a native of Brittany, and had been seduced by a gentleman,
who, adding inhumanity and injustice to seduction, refused to
provide for the cMld of which he was the father. She therefore
determined to leave her native village, and seek an asylum for
herself, her chUd, and a faithful slave, named Domingo, in some
distant land, in which she hoped to remain concealed from the
observation of mankind, or one in which, if inhabited, the loss
of her only portion, her reputation, would be unknown.
Madame de la Tour and Margaret, thrown together under such
circumstances, naturally formed an attachment to each other,
which ultimately ripened Into the most tender and permanent
friendship. This mutual bond was soon rendered stronger by the
circumstance of Madame de la Tour's giving birth to a girl, whom
she named Virginia, Margaret's boy, but a twelvemonth older,
being named Paul.
The fondness of the two chUdren for each other was remarkable,
even in their infancy, and is thus described by St. Pierre. — " No
thing could exceed the attachment which these infants already
displayed for each other. If Paul complained, his mother pointed
to Virginia ; and at the sight of her, he smUed, and was appeased.
If any accident befel Virginia, the cries of Paul gave notice of
the disaster, and then Virginia would suppress her complaints,
finding that Paul was unhappy. When I came hither, I usuaUy
found them quite naked, which is the custom of this country, tot
tering in their walk, and holding each other by the hands, and
under the arms, as we represent the consteUation of the Twins.
At night, these infants often refused to be separated, and were
found lying in the same cradle, their cheeks, their bosoms, pressed
close together, their hands thrown round each other's necks, and
sleeping, locked in one another's arms."
In this state of humble seclusion did Madame de la Tour and
Margaret lead their lives. Rice and fruit, spread on plantain leaves
on the floor of their hut, formed their homely repast ; and their
chief deUght consisted in their love for Paul and Virginia, in
contemplating

80
contemplating their innocence and beauty, and in daUy digj
coveries of new graces. With the exception of an aged neigh-
hour (the original narrator of the tale), this Uttle famUy had, fqr
years, no intercourse with any human being whatever, A large
dog, named FideUe, and a goat, formed the only addition to thdr
estabUshment, The loves of Paul and Virginia increased with their years ;
they each seem to have been endowed with extraordinary, qua;-
Uties, mental as weU as personal : — "Virginia was gentle, modest,
and confiding as Eve ; and Paul, Uke Adam, united the figure of
manhood with the simpUdty of a chUd." Scarcely had Vir
ginia attained the age of fourteen, when this peaceful and happy
society was surprised by a visit from no less a personage thaa
Monsieur de la Bourdonnais, the governor of the Islandy who was
the bearer of letters and costly presents to Madame de la Tour,
froim an aunt of hers at Paris, a lady of quaUty and imm^isdy
rich. She had deputed the governor to cause Virginia to be
immediatdy sent to her at Paris, for education, alleging: ife to
be her intention to make her heiress to aU her wealthwT' It
was 'with extreme difficulty that Monsieur de la Bourdonnais
could persuade either Madame de la Tour or Virginia; even, t©
listen to entreaty; and it was not untU after frequent inter*
views had taken place, and urgent remonstrances been resorted
to, that he could obtain a hearing. At length, Madame' de
la Tour, with the view of benefiting her cMld, as well, as firom
the fear of offending her aunt, succeeded in persuading' Vir-'
ginia to proceed to Paris, with an understanding, however, that
if so disposed, she should return immediately. AU Virginia's
care, previous to her departure, -was directed to the one
object of soothing her beloved Paul, whose heart was nearly
broken at the prospect of their separation : she solemnly promised
him to return, and be his ; swore fideUty to Mm, and received
his picture, pladng it in her bosom ; and declaring, with a flood of
tears, that death alone should part them, slie embarked.
After a lapse of dghteen months, Paul recdved from his Vn-
ginia a letter, overflowing with tenderness and fond vows of at
tachment, but evidently written under painful feelings, augmented
by an anxiety to suppress them ; aU that could be gleaned was^
that her relation was unkind, reproacMng her because she ooxM not

81
not readand write — *ithhaving had the education of a servant;—
and that she had formed a determination to return as soon as
pos,£blie. , '
' At the expiration of a few months from this period, arrived
another letter written in the offing, on board a sMp named the
Saint Geran, and announcing her actual arrival. TMs inteiU-
gence was received by the whole famUy with deUght, but by Paul,
with a burst of extatic joy :— .What follows is an extract from the
work itself.
" It was," says the narrator, " about ten at night, and I was
going to extinguish my lamp, when I perceived, through'the paU-
sades of my hut, a light in the woods. I arose, and had just
dressed myself, when Paul, half wUd and panting for breath,
sprung on myneok; crying, 'Cbme along, come aloUg, Virgima
is arrived ! Let us go to the port : • the vessel vvUl anchor at break
of day.' • : .
' " We instantly set off. As we were traversing the Woods of
the Sloping Mountain, and were already on the- road wMch.l6ads
from the Shaddock Grove to the 'port, I heard some one walking
behind us. When the person, who was a negro, and who advanced
with hasty steps, had reached us;'! inquired whence he came, and
whither he was going with such e^edition. He answered, ' I
came from that part of the island caUed Golden Dust, and am sent
to the; port, toi inform the gpvernor that a ship from France had
anchored upon the island of Amber ; and fires guns of distress^
for the sea is very I stormy.' Having said this, the man left us;
and pursued his journey,
f.Let us go,' said I to Paul, ' towards that part of the island, and
meetVirgima; it is only three leagues " from hence. Accordingly
we bent- our course thither. The heat was suffocating. The
moon had risen, and was encompassed by three large black circles.
A dismal darkness shrouded the sky ; but the frequent flashes of
lightning discovered' -long tchains of thick clouds, gloomy, low
hung, and heaped together over the niiddle of the island, after
having rdled with great rapidity from the ocean,- although we
felt not a breath of 'wdnd upon the land. ' As- we walked 'along,
we thought we heard peals of thunder ; but after listening more
attentively, we found they- were the sounds of distant cannon,'re-
peated'by the echoes. ¦ Those sounds, jeinfed-^to the' tempestuous
? <t G aspect

82
aspect of the heavens, made me shudder. I- had Uttle doubt that
they were signals of distress from a ship in danger. In half an
hour the firing ceased, and I felt the gUence more appalUng than
the dismal sounds which had preceded.
" We hastened on without uttering a -word, or daring to com
municate our mutual apprehensions. At midnight, we arrived
on the sea shore at that part of the Island. The bUlows broke
against the beach with a horrible noise, covering the rocks and the
strand with their foam, of a dazzUng whiteness, and blended with
q)arks of fire. By the phosphoric gleams, we distinguished, not
withstanding the darkness, the canoes of the fishermen, which
they had drawn far upon the sand,
" Near the shore, at the entrance of a wood, we saw a fire,
round which several of the inhabitants were assembled, TMther
we repaired, in order to repose ourselves tiU mormng. One of
the circle related, that in the afternoon he had seen a vessel driven
towards the island by the currents ; that the night had Mdden
it from his view; and that two hours after sunset he heard the
firing of guns in distress, but that the sea was so tempestuous,
that no boat could venture out : that a short time after, he thought
he perceived the glimmering of the watch-lights on board the ves
sel, which, he feared, by its having approached so near the coast,
had steered between the main land and the little island of Amber,
mistaking it for the point of Endeavour,nearwhich vessels pass inor-
dertogain PortLouis, If this was the case, which, however, hecould
not affirm, the ship, he apprehended, was in great danger. Another
islander then informed us, that he had frequently crossed the
channd which separates the isle of Amber from die coast, and
which he had sounded ; that the anchorage was good, and that
the ship would there be in as great security as if it were in har
bour. A third islander dedared it was impossible for the ship to
enter that channel, which was scarcdy navigable for a boat. He
asserted, that he had seen the vessd at anchor beyond the isle of
Amber, so that if the wind arose in the morning, it could dther
put to sea, or gain the harbour. Different opinions were stated
upon tMs subject, which, while those Indolent Creoles calmly dis
cussed, Paul and I observed a profound sUence, We remaMed on
this spot tUl bredk of day, when the weather was too hazy to per-
nut of our distinguishing any object at sea, which was cpvered with

with fogi All that we could descry was a dark spot, which they
told us was the Isle of Amber, at a distance of a quarter of a league
from the coast. We could only discern, on this gloomy day, the
point of the beach where we stood, and the peaks of some moun
tains in the interior of the island, rising occasionaUy from amidst
the clouds which hung around them.
"At seven in the morning We heard the beat of drums in the
woods ; and soon after, the governor. Monsieur de la Bourdonnais^
arrived on horseback, foUowed by a detachment of soldiers armed
with muskets, and a great number of islanders and blacks. He
ranged his soldiers upon the beach, and ordered them to make a
general discharge, which was no sooner done, than we perceived
a gUmmering light upon the water, which was instantly succeeded
by the sound of a gun. We judged that the ship was at no great
distance^ and ran towards that part where we had seen the Ught.
We now discerned, through the fog, the bulk and tackUng of a
large vessel ; and, notwithstanding the noise of the waves, we
were near enough to hear the wMstle of the boatswain at the helm,
andthe shouts of the mariners. As soon as the Saint Geran per
ceived that we were near enough to give her succour; she con
tinued to fire guns regularly at the interval of three minutes.
Monsieur de la Bourdonnais caused great fires to be Ughted at cer
tain distances upon the strand, and sent to aU the inhabitants of
that neighbourhood, in search of provisions, planks, cables, and
empty barrels. A crowd of people soon arrived, accompanied by
their negroes, loaded with pro'visions and rigging. One of the
most aged of the planters approacMng the governor, said to him,
' We have heard aU night hoarse noises in the mountain, and in
the forests : the leaves of the trees are shaken, although there is
no wind ; the sea-birds seek refuge upon the land : it is certain
that all those signs announce a hurricane.' — ' WeU, my friends,'
answered the governor, ' we are prepared for it ; and no doubt
the vessel also,'
" Every thing, indeed, presaged the near approach of the hur
ricane. The centre of the clouds in the zenith was of a dismal
black, whUe their skirts were fringed with a copper hue. The air
resounded vnth the cries of the frigate-bird, the cur-water, and a
multitude of other sea-birds, which, notwithstanding the obscurity
g2 of

84
of the atmosphere, hastened from aU points of the horizon to seek
for shelter in the island,
" Towards nine in the morning, we heard on the side of the
ocean the most terrific noise, as if torrents of water, mingled with
thunder, were rolUng down the steeps of the mountains. A general
cry was heard of ' There is the hurricane !' and in one moment a
frightful whirlwind scattered the fog which had covered the Isle
of Amber and its channel. The Saint Geran then presented itself
to our view : her gaUery was crowded with people, her yards and
main-top-mast laid upon the deck, her flag shivered, with four
cables at her head, and one by which she was held at the stern.
She had anchored bet.ween the Isle of Amber and the main land,
within that chain of breakers wMch encircles the island, and wMch
bar she had passed over in a place where no vessel had ever been
before. She presented her head to the waves wMch roUed from
the open sea ; and as each bUlow rushed into the straits, the sUp
heaved, so that her keel was in air, and at the same moment her
stem, plunging into the water, disappeared altogether, as if it were
swaUowed up by the surges. In this position, driven by the Avinds
and waves towards the shore, it was equaUy impossible for her to
return by the passage through which she had made her way ; or
by cutting her cables, to throw herself upon the beach, from wMch
she was separated by sand banks, mingled with breakers. Every
bUlow which broke upon the coast, advanced roaring to the bottom
of the bay, and tMew planks to the distance of fifty feet upon the
land; then, rushing back, laid bare its sandy bed, from wMch it
rolled immense stones, with a hoarse dismal noise. The sea,
swelled by the violence of the wind, rose higher every moment :
and the channel between this island and the Isle of Amber was
but one vast sheet of white foam, with yawning pits of black deep
biUows. The foam boiling in the gulph was more than six feet
high ; and the winds wMch swept its surface, bore it over the
steep coast more than half a league upon the land. Those innu
merable white flakes, driven horizontaUy as far as the foot of the
mountain, appeared like snow issuing from the ocean, which was
now confounded with the sky. Thick clouds of a horrible form,
swept along the zenith with the swiftness of birds, whUe others
appeared motionless as rocks. No spot of azure could be discerned

85
in the 'firmament ; oidy a pale yellow gleam displayed the objects
of earth, sea, and skies.
" From the violent efforts of the ship, what we dreaded hap
pened." The cables at the head of the vessel wete torn away ; it
was then held by one anchor only, and was instantly dashed upon
the rocks, at the distance of half a cable's length from the shore.
A general cry of horror issued from the spectators : Paul rushed
towards the sea, when seizing him by the arm, I exclaimed,
' Would you perish ?' — ' Let ' me go to save her,' cried he, ' or I
die!' Seeing that despair deprived him of reason, Domingo and I,
in order to preserve him, fastened a long cord round Ms waist, and
seized hold of each end. Paul then precipitated himsdf towards
the ship, now swimming and now walking upon the breakers.
Sometimes he had the hope of reaching the vessel, 'which the sea
in its irregular movements had left almost dry, so that you could
have made its circuit on foot ; but suddenly the waves advancing
with new fury, shrouded it beneath the mountains of water, which
then Ufted it upright upon its keel. The bUlows at ' the same
moment threw the unfortunate Paul far upon the beach, his legs
bathed in blood, his bosom wounded; and himself half dead. The
moment he had recovered his senses, he arose and returned witji
new ardour towards the vessel, the parts of which now yawned
asunder, from the violent strokes of the bUlows, The crew then,
despairing of their safety, threw themselves in crowds into the sea,
upon yards, planks, hencoops, tables, and barrels. At tMs mo
ment we beheld an object fit to excite eternal sympathy ; a young
lady, in the gaUery of the stem of the Saint Geran, stretching out
her arms towards him who made so many efforts to join her : — It
was Virginia ! she had discovered her lover by his intrepidity.
The sight of this amiable young woman, exposed to such horrible
danger, filled us with unutterable despau-. As for Virginia, with
a firm and dignified mien, she waved her hand, as if bidding us an
eternal fareweU. AU ¦ the saUors had flung themselves into the
sea, 'fexcept one, who stUl remaned upon the deck, and who was
naked, and strong as Hercules. This man approached Virginia
with respect, and kneeUng at her feet, attempted to force her to
throw off her clothes ; but she repulsed him with modesty, and
turned away her head. Then was heard redoubled cries from the
spectators, ' Save her ! Do not leave her !' But at that moment a
G 3 mountain

86
mountain biUow, of enormous magnitude, eiigulfed itself betweeir
the Isle of Amber and the coast, and menaced the shattered vessel,
towards wMch it roUed, beUowing, vdth its black sides and foam
ing head. At tMs terrible sight the saUor flung himself into the
sea ; and Virginia, seeing death inevitable, placed one hand upon
her clothes, the other on her heart, and Ufting up her lovely eyes,
seemed an angel prepared to take her fUght to heaven.
" Oh, day of horror ! Alas, every tMng was swaUowed up by
the relentless bUlows. The surge tMew some of the spectators
far upon the beach, whom an impulse of humamty prompted to
advance towards Virginia, and also the saUor who had endeavour
ed to save her life. TMs man, who had escaped from almost cer
tain death, kneeUng on the sand, exclaimed — ' Oh, my God ! thou
hast saved my life, but I would have given it wilUngly for that
poor young woman.'
" Domingo and myself drew Paul senseless to the shore, the
blood flo'wing from his mouth and ears. The governor put him
into the hands of a surgeon, wMle we sought along the beach for
the corpse of Virgima. But the 'wind having suddenly changed,
wMch frequently happens during hurricanes, our search was
vain ; and we lamented that we could not even pay this unfortu
nate young woman the last sad sepulchral duties.
"¦ In the mean time, Paul, who began to recover Ms senses, was
taken to a house in the neighbourhood, tUl he was able to be re
moved to Ms own habitation. Thither I bent my way 'with Do
mingo, and undertook the sad task of preparing Virgima's mo
ther and her friend for the melancholy event which had happen-
.ed. When we reached the entrance of the vaUey of the river of
Fan-Palms, some negroes informed us that the sea had tMown
many pieces of the wreck into the opposite bay. We descended
towards it, and one of the first objects wMch struck my sight
upon the beach, was the corpse of Virginia. The body was half
covered with sand, and in the attitude in wMch we had seen her
perish. Her features were not changed, her eyes were dosed,
her countenance was stiU serene ; but the pale violets of death
were blended on her cheek with the blush of virgin modesty; one
of her hands was placed upon her dothes, and the other, wMch
she held on her heart, was fast closed, and so stiffened, that it
was with difficulty I took from its grasp a small box. How great was

87
was my emotion when I saw it contained the picture of Paul,
which she had promised him never to paj?t with whUe she Uved !
At the sight of this last mark of the fidelity and tenderness of the
unfortunate girl, I w«pt bitterly. As for Domingo, he beat
his breast, and pierced the air with his. cries. We carried the
body of Virgiuia to a fisher's hut, and gave it in charge to some
poor Malabar women, who carefuUy washed away the sand.
" WhUe they were employed in this melancholy office, we as
cended, with trembling steps, to the plantation. We found Ma
dame; de la -Tour and Margaret at prayer, wMle waiting for
tidings from the ship. As soon as Madame de la Tour saw me
coming, she eagerly cried-r-' Where is my chUd, my dear cMld ?'
— My silence and my tears apprized her of her misfortune. She
was seized with convulsive stiflings, with agonizing pains, and her
voice was only heard in groans. Margaret cried—' Where is my
son ?. I do not see my son !' and fainted. We ran to her assist
ance ; in a short time she recovered ; and being assured that her
son was safe, she thought of succouring her friend, who had long
.sucpessive faintings. Madame de la Tour passed the night in
sufferings so exquisite, that I became convinced there was no sor
row Uke a mother's sorrow.
" Monsieur de la Bourdonnais sent to apprise me secretly, that
the corpse of Virginia had been borne to the town by his order,
from whence it was to be transferred to the church of the Shad
dock Grove. I hastened to Port Louis, and found a multitude
assembled fiiom all parts, as if the island had lost its fairest orna
ment. The vessels in the harbour had their yards crossed, their
flags hoisted, and fired guns at intervals. The grenadiers led the
funeral procession, with their muskets reversed, their drums muf
fled, and sending forth slow dismal sounds. Eight young ladies,
dressed in white, and bearing palms in their hands, supported the
pall of their amiable companion, wMch was strewed with flowers.
They were foUowed by a band of chUdren, chaunting hymns,
and by the governor, Ms fidd-officers, aU the principal inhabi
tants of the island, and an immense crowd of people.
" This funeral solemnity had been ordered by the administra
tion of the country, wh,o were desirous of rendering honours to
the virtue of Virginia. Companies of young girls ran from the
neighbouring plantations to touch the coffin, with their scarfs,
G 4 chaplets.

88
chaplets, and crowns of flowers — mothers asked of Heaven a chUd
like Virginia — Clovers, a heart as faithful — the poor, as tender a
friend — and the slaves, as kind a mistress.
" She was interred near the church of the Shaddock Grove,
upon the western side, at the foot of a copse of bamboos, where,
in coming from mass with her mother and Margaret, she loved to
repose herself, seated by him whom she caUed her brother.
" Paul roamed about the island, attended by faithful Domingo,
and his dog Fidele, in a state of frantic melancholy, and died
two months after the death of Virginia, whose name dwelt
upon his Ups, even in his expiring moments. Eight days after
the death of her son, Margaret saw her last hour approach, with
that serenity which virtue only can fed. She bade Madame de
la Tour the most tender fareweU — • In the hope,' she said, • of a
sweet and eternal re-union. Death is the most precious good,'
added she, ' and we ought to desire it. If Ufe be a pumshment,
we should wish for its termination ; if it be a trial, we should be
thankful that it is short.'
" The governor took care of Domingo and Mary, who were no
longer able to labour, and who survived their mistresses but a
short time. As for poor Fidele, he pined to death at the period
he lost his master.
" Madame de la Tour endeavoured to comfort Paul and Mar
garet tiU the last moment, as if she herself had no agonic to
bear. When they were no more, she used to talk of them as
of beloved friends, from whom she was not distant. She survived
them but one month,
" The voice of the people, which is often sUent with regard to
those monuments reared to flatter the pride of kings, has given
to some parts of this island, names wMch wiU immortalize the loss
of Virginia. Near the Isle of Amber, in the midst of sand
banks, is a spot caUed the ' Pass of Saint Geran,' from the name
of the vessd which there perished. The extremity of that point
of land, which is three leagues distant, and half covered by the
waves, and which the Saint Geran could not double, on the
night preceding the hurricane, is caUed the ' Cape of Misfor
tune ;' and where Virginia was found buried in the sand, the ' Bay
of the Tomb.'
" The body of Paul was placed by the side of his Virginia, at
the

89
file foot of the same shrubs. At the bottom of the Bay of the
Tomb, two mounds are raised to their memory ; and of the
strangers who land on the island, few there are who omit to visit
them : On that haUowed spot the remains of their mothers
and faithful servants are also laid,"
The glowing description thus given by St. Pierre, of the loves
and misfortunes of these patterns of truth, cannot faU to touch
a heart of sensibiUty ; but how much is the interest increased
by wandering among the very scenes wMch witnessed them!
How often did I deplore the fate of these lovers, and heave the
sight of sympathy in the Shaddock Grove, and the VaUey of Bam
boos ! Unfortunate pair ! how oft would I cUmb the mountain
caUed the " Height of Discovery," and think of you ! how often
roam on the sea-beach, and cast my eyes to the fatal pass of St.
Geran and the Isle of Amber ! but when I trod the very spot where,
clasped in each others' arms, they' lie, faithful even in death,
what a train of melancholy feelings and tender emotions was
inspired in my breast ! and how sensibly did my heart echo the
words of St. Pierre, that " if those pure spirits stUl take an in
terest in what passes upon earth, they surely love to wander be
neath the roofs of these dweUings, which are inhabited by indus
trious virtue, to console the poor who complain of their destiny —
to cherish in the hearts of lovers the sacred flame of fidelity — to
inspire a taste- for the blessings of nature, the love of labour,
and the dread of riches."
In this island, reside two old men, who have long had the re
putation of possessing the pecuUar power of discerning objects
at an immense distance— a power which is supposed to receive
assistance from the refractive property of the atmosphere ; but
they wiU not reveal the secret without a considerable compensa
tion. — " It arises not from mirage, which produces the fata
morgana, and other iUusions, because these phenomena are sup
posed to be only represented when the clouds are peculiarly com
posed; but the nephologi (if such they may be caUed) of this is
land are said to be equaUy favoured, whether the welkin be over
spread or perfectly cloudless." One of these persons is said to
have reported the approach of the English expedition, four days
before it was seen by the rest of the inhabitants ; andvery re
cently one of the old men announced that a ship with four masts

90
was approacMng the island : in five days after, two brigs arrived,
one towing the other, which was in distress. The images of these
objects, as discerned in the clouds, and which, it is said, are in..
verted, presented the appearance of a ship with four masts.
It was one Sunday morning, when the sea, gUttering Uke a
lake of pure gold, calm and unruffled, and bearing on her pure
bosom the different barks lying at anchor in the . harbour, with
their ensigns hoisted in honour of the day*, that I left my hotel,
and stroUed leisurely towards the church of Port Louis, wMch
rears its simple tower within a hundred paces of the Champ de
Mars. My mind was occupied in comparing my native country
with that in which I then was, as to scenery, culture, customs,
and mhabitants ; and extending my speculation to other countries,
in order to discover any grounds of preference which might exist, I
perceived how difficult it was to award a preference of any one
country to another. How admirably, I thought, has Nature weighed
in her scale the wants and conditions of aU — in one country, com
pensating barrenness of soU, with the gift of spirit and enterprise in
the hearts and habits of its people ; in another, indulgently bestowing
on the inhabitants rendered by climate effeminate and weak, both
in mind and body, aU the necessaries and even luxuries of life,
¦without, on their part, any trouble, except that of stretching
forth their hands to receive them ! This reflection naturaUy led to
the inference, tliat the love of one's country, as an excluave feel
ing, though it has been long considered to be a sublime implanta
tion by nature, in the breast of every mortal under heaven, is a pas
sion unworthy to be cherished by a citizen of the world ; and, as
suming to myself that character, I conduded that man is as happy in
Hindoostan, as in England — in Iceland, as in Ceylon ; but, in the
next moment, forgetting my theory, I vrished to be gifted with the
power of selection, in order that I might fix upon the enchanting isle
in which I then sojourned, as the place of my permanent abode.
From tMs reverie I was aroused by the tones of the church-
beU, whose call I obeyed by entering the house of prayer, already
occupied by hundreds of weU-dressed persons, of both sexes and aU
ages, including negro slaves. The sound of the beU now ceased, and
the ritual of the Roman CathoUc service was commenced by the
priests, and Interspersed with hymns chaunted by numerous cho
risters,
• It is usual for ships ui port, to have tlie ensign hoisted on Sunday, from the
hour of eight A. M. im<il'simset.

91
risters, to the strains of a richly-toned organ. So many persons,
of different nations, colours, and distinctions, assembled to ren
der thanks to the great Giver of all Good, was a spectacle
which impressed me with a sense of the sublimity of pubUc
devotion — that great and glorious pri'vilege, the exercise of
which administers comfort to the hearts of the afflicted, and hap
piness to aU :— here the master and his slave, the king and the
peasant, are reduced to an equaUty, and become the members of
One famUy, whose head is " no jespecter of persons." Magmfi-
cent pictures of the crucifixion, the Virgin Mary, and the apos
tles, decorated' the waUs of the building. At the conclusion of
the service, a young unmarried lady, of distinguished famUy,
who had been selected for amiable character, as weU as exqui
site beauty (qualities very easily found in the Isle of France,
and therefore as principles of selection by no means easy to
apply), came forward, unveUed, and attired in pure white, and
was conducted by her father through the church, for the pur
pose of receiving for the poor the donations of the charitable.
She carried a superb basin of solid gold, into which poured
abundant largesses from all classes ; even the Caffre slave gave his
sous : many gold coins were presented by the affluent, and piastres,
or dollars, without number.
As I retraced my steps, reflecting on the scene I had just wit
nessed, I observed a young lady proceeding apparently on her way
home, and followed by an elderly female, and two slaves. She
wore a dress of white satin, with shoes of the same material ; and,
as is the custom with the ladies of the island, had her head covered
with nothing but a white veil, just thin enough to admit her fea
tures to view, her glossy black hair flovdng in ringlets down the
left cheek. In vain I endeavoured to attract her notice, and ob
tain a glance from her ; her eyes were rivetted on the ground be
fore her ; but there was a certain charm in the chaste dignity of
her slow and measured step, which spoke in dumb eloquence to my
feeUngs.-—" Lovely creature !" I whispered to myself, " native of
these bewitching shores, doubtless you are as virtuous as you seem;
and if so, how happy must be the man whose fate it may be to call
you his own ! May you be as happy as you seem formed by Na
ture to make others !"
I reached the hotel, sighing for the fair stranger, yet determined to

92
to expel from my mind thoughts which made an inroad on my
peace, without offering the least probabUity of relief. At the same
hotel, an American captain, two Swedes, and a Frenchman, had
put up ; and every day, at the hour of two, we aU dined together
in a splendid hall, from the centre of the ceUing of wMch, a superb
lustre was suspended. Our fare consisted of soups, turkeys, geese,
fricassees, jellies, marmalades, preserves, and pasties, with French
wines of the best quaUty ; noyeau, other Uqueurs, and coffee. At
breakfast, coffee, and a bottle of exceUent claret, were the substitutes
for tea, wMch was out of use. For aU these necessaries and luxuries,
the charge was but four piastres per day ; and whatever
opinion I may subsequently have entertained of the pre-eminence
of EngUsh over foreign fare, I was then, and stUl am, tho-
rougUy convinced, that good Uving is not confined to England
alone. Among other French merchants to whom part of my freight
was consigned, was a Monsieur Barais. This kind gentieman
pressed me to make his house my home during my sojourn at Port
Louis ; and though I decUned availing myself of his hospitable
offer, he insisted on my spending my evemngs -with his fanulyj
whenever I felt disposed to do so. He had a wife and one daugh
ter, both of whom, with Mmself, understood English, and ^ke
it with tolerable efficiency. TMs was one great inducement with
me to prefer the society of this amiable famUy to that of others,
equaUy importunate in their professions of friendship and esteem,
my knowledge of the French language being but limited and im
perfect. At Monsieur Barais's, many young ladies would congregate,
two or three evenings in the week, to form parties and plans of
excursion into the woods and wilds of the interior. On these oc
casions, both of plan and of execution, I frequently made one of
the happy party. A Cafire slave foUowed us with a hamper, con
taining refreshments. Arrived in the centire of the wood in the
interior, we would repose on a verdant and mossy knoU, and ob
serve the habits and ricMy variegated plumage of the feathered
tribe, whose presence enhanced the beauties of the wUd, enchant
ing scenery which greeted our sight in every direction. No gun
would we carry to disturb the inmates of this terrestrial paradise,
and carry death throughout its pea eeful shades, nor fisMiig-Une, « nor

93
nor hook. Our demeanour to each other was actuated by kind,
reposing confidence, brotherly and sisterly friendship; our looks
and language were those of the heart — simple, pure, and unaffect
ed. We returned to Port Louis delighted and refreshed, with one
regret alone — that our excursion was at an end. ,
It was at one of these parties at Monsieur Barais's, when all were
as usual in the enjoyment of innocent gaiety and social mirth, that
as I gazed on the happy group, I beheld among them the unknown
female who had so strongly attracted my attention on the Sunday
before, and whose image had, in spite of my resolves, haunted my
youthfulv imagination ever since. My surprise and deUght were
unbounded, and I expressed, in terms of enthusiasm to Monsieur
Barais, the admiration I felt for her, and with eagerness desired
to be informed who she was. " The young lady you so much ad
mire," repUed Monsieur Barais, " has not yet attained her thir
teenth year, although in appearance she is as far advanced as Eu
ropeans are at twenty-two. Her father. Monsieur Dussere, was
one of the richest merchants on the island : he had indeed attained
the height of prosperity, when (as is not unfrequently the case)
his good fortune deserted him. . The first severe shock was felt in
the loss of a large ship from Bengal, which, with her rich cargo,
was entirely his own. She was wrecked on the island, witMn his
sight ; every soul perished, and not a remnant of his property was
saved. He afterwards speculated largely in rice, imported from
Bengal; and in this undertaking lost the enormous sum
of sixty thousand doUars : coUecting then the stUl considerable re
mains of his once princely fortune, he deposited nearly the whole
of his effects in a banking-house of the first eminence on the island,
which, strange to say, broke three months afterwards. StiU some
Uttle sources of wealth remained, to coUect which, he was Induced
to go to Madagascar in person, with the intention of afterwards pro
ceeding vdth his wife and chUdren to Paris, thereto Uveinretirement
for the remainder of his days. But fate ordained otherwise: he
feU a victim to poison, administered by a female slave at Madagas
car, in revenge of some real or supposed grievance. The wreck
of his fortune was then coUected by his friends, and restored to his
•widow. It fortunately proved sufficient to support herself and
five children — one boy, and four girls, including the on^ you see
before you. Her CMistian name is Louisa Mariana ; but by her
friends

94
friends she is caUed Virginia, because she loves it best. When but
an infant of three years old, she was kidnapped by a dealer in
slaves, ahd Concealed, during some weeks, in the interior, when
she was rescued by a slave from Port Louis, who, passing acciden-
taUy through -the country, saw her eating a mango, and instantly
i-ecognised her by a remarkable spot on her left eyebrow. For this
service the slave received his liberty, through the influence of Mon
sieur DusSere, besides a reward of one thousand piastres, wMch
had been offered in the Gazette for her recovery, — But for that
drcumstance," added Monsieur Barais, " she would be a slave at
the present day,"
From this recital of her history, as -iraarkable as brief, I felt
more deeply interested than before; and I could not resist the in
clination I felt to request of Monsieur Barais the favour to con
duct me, on the foUowing day, to the dweUing of Madame
Dussere; which he kindly promised to do. I was rejoiced at
his compliance ; and seeing Virginia observe, vdth more than ordi
nary attention, some engravings wMch hung in the room, I re
solved to take with me on the morrow a coUection of prints
which I had on board, and which I concluded would, in some
measure, relieve any embarrassment I might feel in consequence
of my want of profidency in the French language. To this mea
sure I was the more inclined, as she could neither pronounce nor
understand one word of English, scarcely ever in her life ha-ving
even heard it spoken.
In the morning Monsieur Barais was true to Ms word. On
the road he cautioned me to have a care, and not to become en
amoured of her — " For,'' added he, " Virginia is a favourite  ^has
many suitors, and is, doubtless, engaged," I assured him that,
much as I admired her, I had no other hope or object than the oc
casional enjoyment of her company, during the few remaimng
days of my stay at Port Louis — " If you have," said he, " it wUl
be wise in you to dispel the one and forego the other ; for, recol
lect, if the attachment were even reciprocal, she could not leave
her mother and sisters, who all dote on her  nor less does she
dote on them; it would only prove a source of torment to you.
Now, captain," he continued, " having cautioned you, I have
done,"— -I had scarcely expressed my thanks for Ms friendly hint,
when a young Englishman, who was supercargo of a ship, which
arrived

95
arrived but a few days before from Europe, engaged Monaeup
Barais's attention ; his name was Smith, and accepting the prof
fered arm of Monsieur Barais, he proceeded with us. In a few
minutes we reached a neat cottage, in a wide street in Port
Louis, caUed the " Rue de Paris," and were conducted by three
slaves into a capacious hall, the floor of which, from being kept
constantly poUshed, was like a looHng-glass, and as sUppery as
ice. Chairs, tables, and a sideboard, aU highly poUshed, two
s6fas, with a pair of pier glasses, apparently of French manufac
ture, comprised its only furniture ; but they were arranged with
such a regard to effect, as redounded much to the credit of the
fair occupants' taste. Madame Dussere, followed by Virginia,
soon made her appearance, and apologised to Monsieur Barais
for the absence of the rest of her family, aU of whom were in
the country.
Having paid our respects, I approached Virginia, and presented
the pictures I had brought for her acceptance, which action was
accompanied with all the expression I was master of. She ac
cepted them, with a sweetness of manner which delighted me,
and equaUy impressed my countryman with admiration of her.
Among the prints, some from the " Belle Assemblee" seemed to
rivet her particular attention ; my assiduity was therefore on the
wing to point out the most engaging, and seating myself on one side
of her, on the sofa, Mr. Smith being on the other, and Monsieur
Barais engaged in conversation with the old lady, I endeavoured,
by every means in my power, which were chiefly pantomimic, to
make myself understood ; but, strange to say, I could not call to
my recoUection the word " joli," although I had frequent occa
sion to make use of it, and it was perfectly famiUar to me ; I
was therefore obliged to substitute " bon :'' thus, pointing to the
picture presented, I said, in a soft, under-tone, fearful of dis
pleasing — " C'est bon, mademoiselle ;" but my feUow-country-
man, perhaps thinking it a Uttle unfair that I should monopolize
this delectable " bon," and, doubtless, wishing to testify his own
desire to please, exclaimed, as I presented a new object to her
view — " Bong ! madamzel," with a John-Bull accent, and in a
tone so vulgar and so loud, that it feU Uke a thunder-clap upon our
ears. I, however, perseifiBred, not without some dread of my
rival's overpowering " bong !" which came with a regularity
comparable

96
comparable only tp that of the report of a saluting eightefen-
pounder. As for myself, never did mortal feel language to be
more necessary, or the privation of it more cruel. But
umversal love has a universal language ; and, at length, I was
deUghted to perceive (or I greatly flattered mysdf) from a cer
tain expression in the eye, and from her manner, a preference in
my favour : from that moment " bong" feU perfectly" harhi-
less, and caused me no more uneasiness.
Our stay, on the first day, was rather abridged, so that, bh
our departure, I requested, through Monsieur Barais, permission
to pay my respects the next morning, which was readUy granted.
My countryman and myself shook hands heartily at part
ing, and he sailed in a few days afterwards for Bengal. Mon
sieur Barais once more cautioned me to " Beware !"
I now began to study French, with a restless, indefatigable
energy, but attending to the affairs of my vessel with the
same activity as before. I, however, found leisure to visit
Madame Dussere's every day, and soon made sufficient progress
in the language to be pretty weU understood by her, as also to be
able to comprehend my young tutor, though with some Uttie
difficulty. It was theh I felt the exquisite truth of the foUowing
Unes: — ' -
" 'Tis pleasing to be school'd in a strange tongue
By female lips and eyes — that is, I mean.
When both the teacher and the taught are young.
As was the case at least where I have been ;
They smile so when one's right ; and when one's wrong.
They smile still more, and then there intervene
Pressure of hands," &c.
It may be well supposed, that the advice of Monsieur Barais
was soon and entirely forgotten ; I daUy drank large intoxicating
draughts of love and happiness, wMch, however, as the period
of my departure approached, were converted into a " source of
torment" indeed. In vain I urged Vu-ginia to be mine; she
said, that to leave her famUy, friends, and country, at her ten
der age*, was impossible; and indeed the shore of her native island
• The females of this country are considered marriageable at thirteen, and
even at twelve years of age. It is the same in most tropic^ cUmates. They ^0
not, in appearance, wear their old age so weU as Europeans, altliough they fre
quently attain the age of ninety, or even a hundred years.

97
island appeared even to me an almost insurmountable barrier to
the accompUshment of my wishes; yet, finding myself daUy
growing more wretched, and dreading to leave the Island without
her, I redoubled my entreaties, but stUl in vain. On the even-
ipg preceding my departure, I bent my faltering steps to Madame
Dussere's, for the purpose of taking my eternal fareweU. At
_t}^is interview, Virginia^ approaching me with great tenderness,
her eyes beaming sensibility, and full of tears, said, as weU as
she could by means of the Uttle English I had taught her, sup
posing I could understand her better than if she spoke French^
'(„ I have determined to leave "all for your sake, never to leave
you, an,d to go with you aU over the world !" At this totaUy
unexpected change in her determination, my deUght was com
plete, and so continued, until another obstacle presented itself,
'VS'Mch would, I feared, again alter her resolutioii : her mother
and sisters, with tears and loud lamentations, were kneeUng at
lier feet, and imploring her not to leave them. It was a scene
of heart-rending misery. — " Can I," I whispered to myself, as I
gaz^ on the group before me, " consent to make this amiable fa
mily wretched ? wUl it no,l: be virtue — nay, even justice, to re
sign even the object of my most tender affection, if she cannot be
gained but at the expence of the happiness of a whole family ? It
shall be so : I wiU leave Virginia, and urge her no more," Vir
ginia, however, continued as determined to go, as at first she was
reluctant. In this state-of things. Monsieur Barais was sent for :
He came. They adjured him to endeavour, by all the means in
his power, to alter Virginia's intention ; but she vi^as immovable.
Monsieur Barais then, turning to me, said — " Ah, young man,
had you but adhered to my advice, this scene would never have
taken plape !" My feeUngs stopped my utterance ; I could make
no other reply than a slight inclination of the head. At length,
finding all their measures, entreaties, and persuasives, unavailing,
they yielded to necessity, dried their tears, embraced, and Mssed
each other, invoking blessings on the head of Virginia, and sup
plicating me to be faithful and kind to her, — " Here, sir," said
Monsieur Barais, interpreting the mother's words, " here is Vir
ginia ; take her — she shaU be yours ; her mother never yet con
trolled her incUnation, nor will she control it now," I replied
in terms as appropriate as the agitation of my mind would permit ;
H and

98
and the next moming she was made mine, by the Roman Catholic
form of marriage, in the church at Port Louis.
Immediately after the ceremony, I repaired on board, to su
perintend the fitting up of my cabin, I had it matted, and deco
rated in a superior manner, with pictures — a handsome pier glass —
and ornamental furniture ; in short, with every convenience, and
indeed luxury, which it is possible to possess on sMp-board,
WMle my orders were being obeyed, I cast my eyes towards the
enchanting island, and sighed at the prospect of leaving it, even
accompanied by Virginia ; but to have left it without her — the
idea was insupportable ! Every requisite preparation being
finished, and my vessel ready for sea, I returned on shore, tot the
purpose of conducting my bride on board, and to weigh anchor
immediately. On landing, the first object wMch attracted my
notice was the person of the Jersey youth. Captain Thomson,
with whom I had taken my passage from Ceylon to Bengal, I
approached him with the famiUarity o£ an old friend, and said —
" TeU me, my dear Thomson, to what good or Ul fortune I am
to attribute the pleasure of this interview ?" — He repUed with
congemal warmth, expressive of the pleasure he felt in seeing me,
but 'with an averted brow, and a sigh, which came from the very
" heart's core." From these indications, I judged he had met
with one of those misfortunes which are incidental to his profes
sion ; nor was I mistaken in my conjecture : he had been burnt
out of his ship at sea, during the voyage immediately following
that wMch we took together, and thus lost every thing he pos
sessed in the world. He however succeeded in obtaining ano
ther command, and then married. He next saUed for the (Jape
of Good Hope, and, on his passage, was wrecked on the island
of Madagascar, where Mmself, and aU his crew, were seized by
the natives, and sold to slavery among different cMefs of their
tribe. It was Ms good fortune to be redeemed, through the in
fluence of a celebrated prince of that country, named Radama,
restored to Uberty, and deUvered over to the English authorities,
who sent him to Port Louis.. — " And what do you now intend to
do ?" I asked — " Do ! any thing for you, if you wiU but take
me round with you to Bengal." — " WeU then," I repUed, " I
sympathize with your misfortunes ; the Uberal treatment I re
ceived from you when we sailed together has Hot escaped my re
collection ;

99
collection ; and if you think the situation of chief officer ivith me
for the voyage to Bengal worth your acceptance, here it is for
you, ¦with any advance of pay you may require ; I saU in two
hours hence." The youth of misfortune felt rejoiced at tMs un
expected change of circumstances, and declared it had more the
appearance of romance than reality. — " Henceforth," said he,
: " let us never despair, even in the depths of adversity ; for the
wretched to-day may be happy to-morrow." He took charge the
same hour, declining to receive more than twenty piastres in ad-
¦ vance, as I had told him that my wardrobe would afford every
thing necessary for himself, without any inconvenience to me. I
was afterwards surprised to find that, in having acted the part
of a friend to a deserving youth, I was directly benefiting my
self ; for my insurance from the Isle of France would have been
" invaUd, if I had not carried a European officer, '
The hour of departure now came. I repaired, with Monsieur
Barais, to Madame Dussere's, and was there witness to a scene
of distress, which I had: not prepared myself tO' expect, 'and one
not inferior in interest to that froirt which I had but just escaped :
ia.group of young ladies, residing in the settlement; were kneel -
1 ing round Virginia, bewailing, with her mother and family, her
approaching departure, in terms of piteous and heart-rending
sympathy : The poor girl was in tears, and distressed beyond the
. power of utterance. Her eldest sister's husband. Monsieur Du-
i hois, who had come to Port Louis, from his residence in the
¦country, to bid her fareweU, and Monsieur Barais, were admi
nistering consolation to the old lady and the three sisters. Two
; palanquins were at the door; one for Virginia and her elder sis
ter, the other for the two youngest ; a third was sent for, to con
vey her juvenUe friends, to part with whom, entwined as they
were, and had been from her infancy, round her heart in love's
strongest bonds, was as painful a task as to tear herself from her
own famUy. At last I drew her, with gentleness, from the
embraces of her mother, and • conducted her into the palanquin,
which was foUowed by the two others, myself, Messieurs Dubois
' and Barais, walking by her side. We proceeded towards my
boat; which was waiting for us at the landing-place ; crowds of
Caffres, and poor inhabitants of the island, the-aged and infirm,
who knew her father in his happiest days," lined the stairs, to bid
H 2 her

100
her adieu ; andwhen she was seated in the boat, wMch shoved off
instantly, handkerchiefs and hands waved thousands of kind wishes
untU we reached the vessel's side. A chair, Uned ¦with the British
ensign, and fastened by a rope rove tMough a block on the main
yard-arm, then received her; she was quickly hoisted on our deck,
and I conducted her to our cabin. We then weighed and stood
out to sea, and by three o'clock p. m., the island bore its former
resemblance to a cloud. As evemng approached, I took my last
farewell of an island wMch had been the scene of the most inte
resting and important circumstances of my Ufe. As for Virginia,
she was overwhelmed with grief, and could not quit the cabin,
either to sigh or look a fareweU.
I was now bound to Tappanooly, on the west coast of Sumatra.
We were again favoured with fair and gentle gales : Thomson
was a social friend, as weU as a clever seaman, and reUeved my
mind of a great share of the responsibUity. By degrees Virginia
recovered her spirits, and in the course of tMee weeks resumed her
wonted gaiety and cheerfuMess. There had been wanting but
tMs to complete my happiness. On some fine evening, wMle we
were seated on deck, sailing pleasantly over the blue waters, and
shaded from the sun's rays by an awning, she would amuse us with
a song, or with entertaining anecdotes connected vdth her fanuly
and her fair island — for these were her favourite themes ; and when
she descanted on them, her eyes and features would become ani
mated in a very remarkable manner. She would relate her ad
ventures too; but what pleased me most was her account of the
EngUsh invasion, which was to the following purport : — .
" It was," she said, " a usual tMng before the invasion, to hear
of one or two EngUsh cruisers lying in wait off our island to pick
up merchantmen or privateers : our frigates then went in pursuit.
Sometimes we could distinctly hear the firing at sea, as of sMps
engaging ; and on the occasion of a victory, the captured enemy
would be brought into our port, amid general rejoicing; and on
any great occasion, an Ulumination would take place. I had heard
the EngUsh much talked of, but as I resided more generaUy in the
country, than at Port Louis, I never had an opportumty of seeing
one of your countrymen before the invasion. I was informed that
the EngUsh were white men, spoke a different language, and na
turaUy deUghted in scenes of war and bloodshed ; for which reason they

101
they wore coats of the colonic of blood — that they were averse
to women, and domestic pursuits; — and that in their own country
they would lead their wives, wheii become tired of them, with a
rope round the neck, to the bazar and there sell them. In short,"
she continued, " I was led to beUeve them complete savages, and
experienced an involuntary shudder at the mention of an EngUsh
man, as of a tiger or other wUd beast.
" Some months after the pubUc rejoicings in Port Louis, m
consequence of three large EngUsh ships (possibly East Indiamen)
having been taken, and brought in, I was at the country-house of
my eldest sister's husband. Monsieur Dubois, a pleasant cottage,
situated in the Bay of the Tomb ; the sea was in front, a thick
wood extended on the right as far as the eye could reach ; and on
Our left, in picturesque beauty, was a landscape of MU and dale,
through which a narrow stream meandered. One evening, just
after sunset, the full moon shining with great brilUancy, and the
repose of nature being uninterrupted except by the noise of the
distant breakers, when my sister Marie and myself were sitting in
the garden with Monsieur Dubois, who was enjoying the refresh
ing cooMess of the sea-breeze over his cigar and wine, we were
slPcosted by one of the elders of the island, who, having placed
himself by Monsieur Dubois, said — ' The English are certainly
fitting out an expedition to take possession of this island ; they are
expected here every day.' — ' Do you think,' replied Monsieur
Dubois, ' we are strong enough to repel the invaders?' — ' I fear
not,' said the elder ; ' the English are a powerful enemy ,~- what
ever they undertake, they usually accomplish, by means of an over
whelming force.' — ' But,' replied Monsieur Dubois, ' our governor
will resort to extremities ; it is certain, if he loses the island, he
wUl have great cause to dread the resentment of Buonaparte, and
he knoWs it ; so that we may expect warm work here before long.'
Then it was that I first became alarmed. At that moment, another
friend, from Port Luis, joined us. — ' Have you heard the news?'
he said, and, without waiting for a reply, proceeded to inform us,
that ' Every male upon the island was to be held in requisition for
miUtary service ; the English,' added he, ' are on their way hi
ther tti invade us.' At this dire intelligence, Madame Dubois and
myself beWailfed our sad fates, wringing our hands, and shedding
tears. My sister said — ' What, alas ! wIU become of us and our
H 3 Uttle

102
Uttle ones? the' EngUsh wiU murder our poor innocents !'.i— 'No!
they shaU not,' said my sister's eldest boy, but six years of age,
' for we will beat them off— wUl we not, father ?' — ' YeS, my brave
boy !' «
" The next day, every male on the island capable of carrying
arms, was enlisted ; the drum and fife were now continuaUy pky-
ing in Port Louis, where, but a few days before, nothing was to
be heard but the voice of social happiness and jocund mirth. Bat
teries were erected ; large cannon, moved from Port Louis, for the
purpose of being placed in different parts of the island, proda«ied,
as they were dragged through the streets, a hoUow sounding noise,
of terrific portent, which, when I call it to recoUection, makes nie
shudder, even at this day. NotMng but warfare and deeds of
arms, were talked of; and many of our youth would boast how
many of the invaders would faU by their hand.
" In the mean time, I was busily employed with my beloved
famUy and juvehUe friends in selecting a place of security, where
we could bury in the earth, our jeWels, and gold and sUver orna
ments; for we heard that if the EngUsh took the place, our houses
would be burned, and' oiir property either destroyed or taken from
us. Accordingly we repaired to a thicket, about two mUes from
Port Louis, selected a spot unfrequented except by ourselves on
gala days; and there, ¦with tihe greatest secrecy, prepared, as the
depository of our treasure, a large hole, of about the depth of two
feet ; and having covered it neatly vdth turf, we returned home.
" One night an alarum of cannon was heard ; shortly afterwards,
another ; and at the interval of a few minntes, a third ; then a
fourth ; so that in a Uttle time. Port Louis was a scene of incon
ceivable bustle, and every male either under arms, or on the alert.
It proved, however, a false alarm, having been caused by the sud
den appearance of two of our own frigates in the offing, the cap
tain of one of which had confirmed the rumour so prevalent among
¦ us — that the EngUshwere coming.
" Thus one entire month passed away, every hour of wMch
found' us in a state of dreadful anxiety, suspense, and terror. At
length, the EngUsh not maMng their appearance, we relapsed into
a state of security, and began to think they would not come at aU.
One evening, as two of my sisters and myself were seated by our
mother, chatting together gaUy, we agreed to go the foUowing morning

103
moming to the Bay of the Tomb, on a visit to Madame Dubois i
accordingly, we rose at four, our usual hour, and commenced our
journey, delighted with the songs pf the birds which caroUed on
the trees, and our spirits exhUaratedby the mormng air, and by the
expectation of seeing our friends. We had not proceeded above a
mile, before Antoinette, my elder sister, turning to me suddenly,
exclaimed, 'Look! jthe red flag waves on yonder mount, Virginia !
and Barais told me, that when the English were in sight, we should
see it there; it is called the; English flag.^ — 'O no!' I repUed,
•i this is only your idle fear; beUeve me, Antpinette, there cannot be
any danger, or we should have heard the alarum cannons fire in
the mght ; so let us proceed.' A,bout hal^ a mile further we had
to turn the comer of a thicket; ,3nd our astonishment and terror
were extreme,, when we bfiheld extended bjefore us, a Une of French
foot soldiers, and some artiUery-men, draiying cannons after them
;with great rapidity. Shortly after, a troop p^ horse gaUoped by
us; they were commanded by the governor himself,. — 'Retire,
young ladies, immediately to your hpm.es,' be said;, 'you cannot
continue your way on this road j tlie EngUsh are in sight, and aU
communication with the country is cut off.' — '' Pray permit us. Sir,
to proceed only "as far as the, Bay of the Tomh, ii> order to con
duct our dear sister Marie back with us to Port Louis, or what
wUlibecome of her ?'— r'l cannot listen to you,' he replied.. — 'Re
turn directly !' said one of his officers in attendance, ' or you may
lose, your lives !' Our alarm for , our beloved sister was greater
than for ourselves ; it was therefore with reluctance, and in deep
,:afilietion, that we retraced our steps,, now with tears be waUing
her fate, which we supposed inevitable,, now expressing our won-
.dfflc how our poor mother wopld support the shock. In a few
-minutes a French artiUery soldier, carrying a letter in his hand,
advanced towards us in haste, and seemed to be going to join the
governor. We arrested his progress — ' Pray teU us, good man, are
the English indeed come?' — 'They are.' — 'Where then wiUthey
first land ?' — ' It is supposed at the Bay of the Tomb : but I am in
. iaste — if you ascend yonder mountain, you wiU see them.' He
then left us, and we climbed the mount. As we approached its
summit, we saw the sea covered with innumerable large sMps,
some at) anchor, some saiUng about, others coming in; and further
joSi a host of them under a press of sail, attempting to overtake those
H 4 in

104
in advance. How then did our hearts faU us ! Alas! we exclaimed,
what shall we do ? Whither shall we fly ? — and then sat down
and wept.
" Just below us, on the road which led to the spot where the
ffOvemor was, a detachment of foot soldiers was marching merrily:
to a band of music, all apparently in good spirits, laughing and
joking with one another. Some female Caffre slaves then ap
proached and told us, not to be afraid, but to go home, as they had
heard that all the women were ordered to remain within doors.
We accordingly returned to our mother, who in our absence having
heard that the EngUsh had landed at the Bay of the Tomb, was
in dreadful suspense as to the fate of Marie, and refused to be
comforted. Our juvenUe friends now all flocked around us, and
we closely grouped ourselves together, dismay depicted on our
countenances, and despair in possession of our hearts : not a word
of consolation had we to offer one to another.
" Business was suspended ; the shops were shut ; and not a
grain of rice, or a morsel of provision of any Mnd, could be pro
cured. We had in the house nothing but a Uttle dry rice, and
that was soon consumed among so many. As evening approached,
we sent out one of our female slaves to try to procure sometMng.
She returned in about an hour, declaring to our great mortifica
tion, that nothing whatever was to be obtained in Port Louis,
nor a person to be seen, except nov7 and then an officer, or mes
senger on horseback, galloping to, or from, the country. At seven
o'clock, it being a moonUght night, we ventured out, and unper-
ceived, contrived to conceal our Uttie treasures in the place which
we had prepared for them.
" Never," she continued, "shaU I forget that dismal mght, when
the horrors of the surrounding stillness impressed our already faint
ing hearts with additional dread. Our imaginations presented to
us, with a vividness which almost realized the scene, the EngUsh
bursting in upon and klUing us. Gathering clouds ecUpsing the
moon's light, now produced total darkness, when a faU of heavy
rain took place, which continued during the greater part of the
night. At intervals, the noise of distant cannon would be heard,
affording us the only circumstance which we could seize upon, in
order to divert our attention ; and to the sound of the cannon, suc
ceeded a silence scarcely less horrible. What were our feeUngs for

105
for our friends and rdations, who might perhaps be at that very
moment weltering in their blood ! such reflections made us cUng
more closely together ; and, seated on the floor, our arms entwined
round one another, we looked in vain for reUef either from witMn
or from without. *
" It was not until the hour of four on the foUowing moming,
that we could close our eyeUds ; we then enjoyed the luxury of
repo.se utttU the sun had risen, but v/ere then disturbed by the
sound of horsemen galloping through the street. The only object,
however, wMch we could distinguish, as we peeped through an
aperture of our casement, was a French dragoon officer, gaUoping
by, and at the same time vociferating, ' Fermes vos partes.' In
about an hour he disappeared, and we then once more ventured to
send out our slave with money to try to get us some pro-visions.
Three minutes had scarcely elapsed when she returned with terror
depicted on her countenance, and in a voice of deep and pitiful
distress, said to my mother, ' Ah, Madame ! what shaU we do ?
The English are coming this way ; they are close to us ; whither
shall we fly !' At this intelUgence we aU turned pale, and
questioned her as to whether she saw them, ' Go,' she replied;
' on the petit mountain, and you wUl see them plainly,' It was then
proposed to venture on the mountain (not further from us than
the distance of a stone's throw), in order to ascertain the real ex
tent of our danger ; and having thrown our shawls loosely over
our shoulders, we reached the summit in a few minutes. Then
it was that we flrst beheld the EngUsh soldiers : they were at
about the distance of two miles to our right ; in number innume
rable ; and all clad in scarlet, their arms and accoutrements glitter
ing -with a glaring brightness in the sun's rays. The dreadful
spectacle soon terrified us back to our homes ; ahd when there,
our terror was increased by the continued roar of cannons and
musketry. This appaUing noise increased as the day advanced ;
and hence we naturaUy conduded that the English were on their
advance to Port Louis, The dragoon officer now again madehis appear
ance, and, as before, vociferated as he gaUoped through the street,
' Fermes vos partes !' — ' Fermes vos portes !' In this state ¦we
continued untU five o'clock in the evening, when suddenly a great
number of French soldiers, as well as of naval and miUtary officers,
were seen to return in straggUng parties ; and we then received the

,106
the inteUigence that the govemor had capitulated. Many of the
French were observed to tear the insignia of their miUtary orders
from their persons — their epaulettes, side-arms, and even coats, apd
to throw them indignantly into the middle of the street. One was
heard to exclaim, 'Thus, vain trinket, do I trample thee under foo|?-r-
thee, which now but reminds me of my dishonour! This sweet
island, with aU its fair inhabitants, and aUuring charms, is purs
no longer ! We leave you aU, Uke fair and blooming Ulies, to he
plucked by the hands of our enemies ; whUe we depart for ever,
and seek perhaps in vain for happiness, in other and distant dimes.
In the mean whUe, all were making eager enquiries after their re
spective relations ; and while some had to deplore the loss of thpse
most dear to them, others were rejpiced at the return of friends
whom they scarcely Cixpected to see ag3-in. i
" The shops and bazar in Port Louis were now opened, but
every countenance was marked with anguish, and a chilling di4r
ness reigned abroad, wMch was in perfect unison with the ^%at
calamity with wMch the island had been visited. WMle we were
busied in anxious inquiries after my sister Marie, and concerting
measures to open a communication with her, by means of our
slave, she, to our infinite joy, suddenly made her appearance
with her chUdren, but in a state of. deplorable exhaustion and
distress. The English, she informed us, had deposited the dying
and the wounded in her house, and even requested, but in re
spectful terms, that she, would afford to the sufferers her personal
assistance ; but the shock given to her feeUngs by the sight of the
-surrounding horrors was so great, as to deprive her of her sens^
for a time ; and she had only that morning recovered them, and
gained sufficient strength of body, and presence of mind, to make
her escape with her chUdren, and to venture, unprotected, to Port
Louis. As for Monsieur Dubois, her husband, he was ¦with the
army, and for his safety she was very apprehensive, and, indeed,
in a state of dreadful anxiety. — ' Alas !' she would say, ' if Dubois
is kUled, what wiU become of my poor Uttie ones — to whom can
they look for support ?' We mingled our tears with hers, and
vied with each other in affording her and, her little ones every
consolation and assistance wMch their condition required. As
soon as her slowly-returning strength -would permit her to hqld
converse, we put to her numereus questions, espedaUy as to the
conduct

107
conduct of the EngUsh : how great was pur surprise to hear her
g^yi^_f That the EngUsh officers, so far from being the uncouth
raiJe of savage barbarians which they had been represented to be,
carried themselves towards her with the most tender and respectful
behaviour ; and that, considering they were enemies, she was
much pleased' with -them, finding aU of them extremely gaUant,
and some of them very handsome men.'
" We still remamed in-doors, in a state of alarm, as we under
stood that the EngUsh were to enter Port Louis the foUowing
momiflg. WhUe we were conversing together in a group on the
floor, as is the custom in my country, and passing our opinions
on the great events which had just transpired, who should enter
oUr circle but Monsieur Dubois ! Marie, already too weak, was
unable to bear the shock which this unexpected pleasure occa
sioned, and, faUing senseless, she was in a moment folded in his
arms ; whUe he — the big tears rolling down his cheeks, exclaimed
— "Thank Hea^Ven ! I clasp thee; my wife, and you, my little
ones, to my heart, — once more !"
" Early the next morning, it was reported, that the English
Were on their march into the town of Port Louis. ¦ Upon this
we secured our house, as weU as we could; by belts and bars, fear
ing they would try to force an entrance ; but in this conclusion
¦w'e were most agreeably mistaken. Through a crevice in our
casement, we could plainly see all, without being perceived. At
six o'clock the wounded, both EngUsh . and French, appeared,
some carried in hammocks, others on boards ; their number was
considerable ; and so pale and ghastly did the poor creatures look,
that we aU pitied them. This scene brought before our minds
the sufferings- of poor Marie, in being compelled to witness the
agonies of the dying and bleeding objects vdth which her house
at the Bay was literally crammed. After the wounded, foUowed
the En^sh soldiers, led by their officers, music playing, and
coloiirs flying; and So orderly was their march, that our fears
were in a great' degree aUayed. The march into the town conti
nued; excepting some very short intervals, during the whole of
the day, and the greater part of the night. The next day the
^poys a^trived, dad also in scarlet, and so numerous, that a con
siderable time elapsed before they had all passed. At length they
reached -the barracks, when order was once more restored in our
Uttie

108
Uttle sodety ; the shpps were ppened — trade resumed its several
avocations — and society its wonted gaiety; no longer were fears
entertained of the English ; nor indeed did we scarcely ever see
an EngUsh soldier, unless when, on a Sunday evening, enjoying
the music on the Champ de Mars. After a considerable period
of time had been wasted, almost inevitably, in natural jealousies,
and in frequent broils between the English and the French, the
conduct of our conquerors was such as to win the confidence and
esteem of the inhabitants in general ; but as for me, such is the
effect of habit, that, untU I saw you, I continued to entertain
an inconceivable dread of your countrymen. We at length ven
tured to remove our Uttle treasures from their hiding-place, and
found them in as good preservation as when we buried them."
Virginia and I had a favourable voyage to Tappanooly, enjoy
ing together every external comfort — society, music, golden pros
pects, and especiaUy young love. The objects wMch pleased
her most were, the voracious shark in his entanglement* — the
varying and iridescent hues of the dying dolphin — the shoals
of bonetas and albicores, wMch, in countless numbers, bounded
swiftly by; — the flying-fish — and the luminous appearance of the
sea at night : aU these were to her new objects of surprise, and
her enjoyment was mine : — we were, indeed, happy !
In about seven weeks from our departure, we approached the
west coast of the island of Sumatra ; and when near to Tappa
nooly, rounded a smaU island, of a conical form, wMch rears its
head about nine hundred feet above the surface of the sea ; it is
caUed " Munsular." The trees on it are decorated with leaves
of an extremely small size and deUcate texture, and disposed
with admirable uniformity. As we approached tMs island from
the southward, and saUed round its north-eastern extremity, a
magmficent waterfall, the noise of which had caught our atten tion
• The shark is invariably attended by a remarkable fish, called the " pilot-fish,^'
Two or three of this species precede his course, at the distance of a few feet, and
one or two swim on each side of him. The vulgar opinion is, that they supply
the deficiency of smell in the shark, and cater his food for him ; in return for,
which services, they are received into his jaws as a place of refuge on the approach
of danger. When the shark is caught, I have seen the pilot-fishes swim about,
seemingly in great distress, until he is hauled up, when they disappear. They
ai;e each from eight to twelve inches in length, marked with transverse str^^s^ ^qf ,
blue and a yellowish brown ; and from the deck of a ship their appearance is ex
tremely beautiful.

109
tion when we were seme nules distant from it, suddenly burst
upon pur view. It takes its source at the mountain-summit of
the island ; it was at this time about twenty-seven feet in width,
and rushed downwards to the sea, with a velocity and grandeur
which so entranced us in enthusiastic admiration, as to prevent the
expression of it. Its roar, as we approached nearer, became
louder, and resembled continued, reports from large cannon, re
minding us of the truth of a remark by no means new, that
the mighty scenes of nature, cause to appear insignificant and fee
ble, not only the highest productions of the human mind, but
the mind itself, unable as it is to comprehend those scenes.
Here, as in the neighbourhood of the Isle of France, the trans
parent clearness of the sea enabled us to distinguish, with ama
zing faciUty, the bottom, at the depth of thirty or forty feet, with
its beds of coral, to a considerable extent, and the fishes sporting
among them ; but, on. the whole, we were not now presented
with so transcendently grand a spectacle as on the former oc
casion. Tappanooly next opened to our view ; it is a smaU island, about
two mUes distant from the main land ; upon it is stationed an
English resident, whose bungalow, out-houses, stpre-houses, the
property of the East India Company, and a small Malay vUlage,
situated at its northern extremity, constitute the whole materia
of the island. Between it and the main land, is formed one of
the finest harbours in the world, said to be capable of contaimng
one hundred and fifty saU of the Une, In this harbour, about
a quarter of a mile distant from Tappanooly, we came safe to
anchor at tMee o'clock in the evening. The aspect of the main
land is mountainous and woody, wUd, and picturesque.
The natives of the island of Sumatra are Malays ; and the in
habitants of its west coast are considered to be less treacherous
and ferocious than those of Acheen, the Moluccas. Batavia, and
other eastern settlements. Their complexion is actuaUy yeUow,
being destitute of the red tinge which, with the yeUow, consti
tutes the tawny or copper colour ; their naUs are dyed red : they
ate ^enersiUy short in stature, seldom exceeding five feet eight,
'w;^thi;nbses rather flat, ears extended, cheek bones high, mouth
wide, and hair long and flowing. "What most strikes the attea-
tibn of strangerls, when considering their persons, is the admirable formation

110
ormation of their legs, which, 'heing left naked, are shown to
great advantage. The Malay dress consists of a vest; a robfc;.a
mantie, a girdle (in which is fixed the crease, or dagger), and
short drawers, A fine cloth is worn round the head. The chief
pride of Malayan dress, is the crease ; the poorest vassal wears
it ; and that of a pangaran, or cMef, is very expensive, the dieath
and handle being finely carved, and richly fiUagreed with gdld.
The Malays are fond of imitating the EngUsh uMform ; and are
often seen to wear the English cocked hat, and red or blue miU
tary jacket, with pantaloons and boots. If seriously offended,
they are sanguinary, cruel, and unforgiving; and nothing Ijut
revenge, wiU satisfy them ; but if weU treated, they are found; to
be docUe, faithful, and attached domestics, and courageous foUow-
ers. They have a gravity in their general demeanour, mid<& dig
nity in their step and gait; which are very imposing and remark
able : they are indolent to excess, and it is difficult to persuade
them to work for money, preferring, as they all do, poverty with
independence, to splendour 'with servitude ; they have few wants,
and those few, bountiful nature satisfies with Uttle or no labour
on their part. As to their reUgion, it appears, from what I could
glean from those of the best informed among them, whom I had
an opportumty of conversing with, that some of them beUeve in
a Creator, and in a future state of reward and punishment; but
they have many absurd ideas on the subject of the power of in
visible spirits over their persons, fates, and actions; and -.the
rest of their faith is a mass of paganism, superstition, and idolatry.
Some of them possess great courage ; and I know several instances
of even true heroism. One I wUl adduce, being acquainted with
the parties ; but it would be too much to infer, that every Malay
would act vdth equal magnanimity in the same circumstances.
A few years ago, an English officer, who was on a visit to a
friend at Padang, a settlement a few nules to the southward, then
in the possession of the EngUsh, but since deUvered over to the
Dutch, frequently observed a young and lovely Malay girl, re
markable for fairness of complexion, and exquisite. beaUty, pass
the bungalow he resided in. He felt a violent 'passion for her,
and by bribing a- third person, at length succeeded in ¦c6mmUni-
cating his sufferings to her. Tlirough the same channel, he
learnt, that she was married to a Malay, with whom sheiUved on
good

Ill
good terms. Still he could not desist from indulging the hope
of one day gratifying his infatuated passion, and expended large
sums in -endeavouring to undermine her virtue; but she rejected
' 'his addresses with becoming fortitude. Her resistance, unfortu
nately, only served to add fuel to his flame ; and driven, at last,
to desperation, he determined to resort to any measures, however
dishonourable or dangerous, rather than lose his prize. There
'was a Malay, of apparent respectabUity, whose house the officer
was in the habit of frequenting : to him the seducer, in confi
dence, imparted the secret which had so long agitated and op
pressed his bosom ; and he was overjoyed to hear the Malay pro-
ihise to insure him the possession of the girl, in consideration of
receiving a certain sum of money. The proposal was accepted
'with'avidity ; and he was to call at the same hour on the foUow-
¦ ling day : he did so, and soon found Mmself in a room alone with
the object of Ms passion, who was, or pretended to be, terrified at
'¦' the sight of him, and attempted to escape, but in vain. ¦ He ac-
compUshed his purpose by force, and afterwards remained with
hir some days, in the Malay's house, using his utmost endeavours
' to sooth and console, by every means in his power, his much-
injured • victim, who,' captivated by his winning and agreeable
manners, and by the costly presents he lavished upon her, became
"At the end of that period, not only recondled to her ravisher, but
1 devotedly attached to Mm; Thus successful, he took a bungalow,
I' or cottage, and made his favourite the mistress of it.
In the mean time, the unfortunate husband, finding that his
wife did not return to her home on the evening of the day on
wMch she left it, made diUgent search and inquiry after her ;
but such was the secrecy with which the whole affair was con
ducted, that he could make no discovery ; and concluded that she
had either destroyed herself, or been kidnapped for the purpose of
being sold to slavery. Being fond of her to distraction, it was
some time before the poor wretch could hold up Ms head ; and it
was not untU a period of six weeks had elapsed, that he heard she
was Uving openly with an English officer ; the infatuation of
, the parties had probably rendered them carelessly secure: Ms as-
 tonifihmrait was then as great, as were his confUcting feelings of
"jealousy and revenge,, insuJ)portable. The EngUshman being
¦ rich/ respectable in rank, elegant and prepossessing, both in man-

112
ners and in person, of social disposition, and indeed, notvdtjistand-
ing this sad faUing off in Ms conduct, occasioned by a whirlwind
of passion, a man of amiable feelings, had a host of visitors con
tinually at his dweUing. One evening, as he was enjoying thgir
society, enUvened by the circulating glass, intimation was brqught
him, by one of his attendants, that a Malay sought admission,
" Who is be ?" was the question, " One who bears a message
from another." He repaired to Ms verandah, and there saw an
aged Malay, who was a perfect stranger to him. The stranger
bowed respectfully, and, in a firm tone, addressed him to the fol-
lovdng purport : — " Young man, I come from my son, to teU you
that he knows you possess Ms wife ; he insists upon your restoring
her to him before this time to-morrow ; otherwise you ¦will as
surely be a corpse, as that you now breathe and Uve," The latter
part of this harangue was deUvered ¦with considerable ener^
and animation; the old man indeed, was even seen to shed
tears ; and having ended, disappeared Instantly, without waitmg
a reply. The Englishman was paralysed at this sudden and un
expected denunciation; Ms countenance betrayed the emotions of
Ms heart to his friends, who soon divined the cause; and, in thp
absence of the girl, strongly advised him to escape with her in„a
sMp, then on the very eve of saiUng for Batavia ; but he spumed
the suggestion, conceiving that tp yield to it would be cowardice,
and passing the bottle, determined to bury care in wine. The
party did not separate untU a late hour, and promised to m^d on
the following day, to keep their friend in countenance, to cheer up
his spirits, and to defend Mm, if necessary. After securing his
chamber, with more than ordinary precaution, and placing a
brace of loaded pistols, and a crease, under his pillow, he retired
to rest, of course refraining from imparting to the fair partner of
his bed, the fearful threat of the stranger; but his uneasiness
could not escape her observation, and she employed the most win
ning persuasives in order to prevaU upon him to reveal to her its
cause. The next morning, a Malay servant of Ms, whose Ufe he had
been instrumental, through Providence, in preserving, by procuring
him medical aid, and affording him personal assistance under a
raging fever, which ended in a delirium from which he had but
recently recovered, gently tapped at his chamber dopr, intimating a wish

113
4 wish tO'Speak'to his master. The officer, suspecting treacliery,
went' out iiitb the verandah armed, when his servant told him,
after repeated injunctions to secrecy, the breach of which, he said,
would be his inevitable destruction, that there was a design on
fbbt to murder Mm that night, unless the girl were sent home in
the course of the day. The officer considering his servant's intima
tion as confirmatory of that of the old Malay, consulted with his
friends, who thought it most prudent to communicate the whole
affair to the EngUsh Resident, in order to obtain his advice, and, if
pPssible, his assistance in their attempt tP secure the person of the
assassin. The resident, on hearing the tale, immediately dispatched
officers for his apprehension, but he was nowhere to be found.
That evening, Uke the preceding, was passed by the officer in the
sodety of a numerous party of friends, when, about the hour often,
information was brought that a man, whose person it was impos
sible to distinguish in consequence of the darkness of the night,
had been seen to prowl about the premises, and on finding himself
discovered, had quickly made his escape. At twelve o'clock the
company broke up, and he retired to his chaimber*, having satisfied
Mmself that no stranger was in the room ; and after taking, as
before, extraordinary precautions to secure himself from the pos-
sibUity of intrusion in the night, and, as before, placing his
weapons under his piUow, he went to rest, and soon feU into a
profound sleep, folded in the arms Pf his beauteous pdrtner, whose
bosom was his pUlow. He had slept about three hours, when,
on a sudden, he felt his bosom roughly presSed, and his shoulder
violently shaken. He awoke, and was horror-struck to behold
standing over him, a Malay, bearing in each hand a naked crease ;
— it was the injured husband. There is something in the very
nature of guUt, which unnerves the strongest arm, and saps the
resolution of the stoutest heart, — and these were the effects pro
duced upon the Englishman : in his confusion, he forgot the
pistols beneath his pillow ; and before he could collect his scattered
senses, the Malay, presenting the point of one crease to his
bosom, while he held out the handle of another for Ms accept
ance, said — " Friendt, arise ! take this, defend yoursdf quickly :
I you,
• It is usual, in almost every part pf Asia, to keep a lamp burning in the
chamber during the night.
.f The mode of salutation in use among these people, on the occasion of a
hostile message, or on the onset of a contest, which is likely to end fatally to one
or both of the parties.

114
you, or I, must now die !"— and at that instant, made a desperate
lunge, which was quickly parried by the EngUshman, the, point
of whose crease entered the fleshy part of his opponent's side.^
Quick as thought, a succession of lunges, or rather of transverse cvits
(such as are usuaUy made with the crease), foUowed. The Eng
Ushman, though an entire novice in the use of tiie weapon, i/l'hile.,
his opponent was a skUful adept in it, continued to parry his aims
almost" by miracle. During the contest, the girl succeeded in
making her escape through a hole wMch her husband, to effect ^
his entrance, had cut in the matting forming the sides of the
bungalow : it is supposed that she fled into the interior, for she
was never aftervsrards seen or heard of at Padang. At length,
both being covered with wounds, and weak from the loss of blood,
every cut, though made at random, took effect. The Englishman,
now summoning all his energies, and in the hope of terminating
the contest in his own favour, aimed a deadly blow at his adver^
sary, who, in attempting to parry it, staggered, and, for a mo
ment, threw himself off Ms guard. Of that moment the English
man availed himself, and struck his crease into the Malay's shoul
der, laying him prostrate at his feet, apparently dead, expecting
every instant, from loss of blood, to be stretched side by side ,
with his antagonist ; he then tottered towards the door to arouse
his servants, who, being all wrapt in sound sleep in the verandah,
were unconsdous of the scene which was passing in their master's ,
chamber, when just as he was in the act of Ufting the latch, the
Malay, having recovered strength, leaped up -with the fleetness of
a roe, and ran him through the back. He feU ; and having briefly
related to his friends the particulars of the fight, he expired at
eight o'clock, expressing, with his last breath, uneasiness for the
girl, whose fate ivas uncertain ; — commending the generosity and
courage of his opponent, and leaving strict injunctions that ha ,
should be no further molested. The Malay, however, gave Mm
self up to justice, was tried, found guUty of murder, and executed..
The Malay women are fair, and some of them handsome, pps-
sessing expressive dark eyes, eyebrows as regular as if penciUed,
and small feet, wliich are esteemed a great beauty. From their
known addlctlveness to jealousy, however, under the dominion of
which fatal passion they commonly resort to poison, to satiate.
their thirst of vengeance, Europeans, in general, consider 'it
rather

115
*at1iet li'aiza'rdous to associate, with them. I have heard Englisli'-
men, who have spent the greater portion of their existence among
these people, declare, that it is almost impossible to dissolve a con
nexion^ once formed with a Malay female, and live, unless thfe
dissolution be effected either by flight or by artifice. The females
of Acheen, and of Java especially, are renowned for their expert^
ness in the art of preparing poisons ; and pride themselves in it :
they can seal the doom of their victim prospectively, almost to an
houjf, even aUowing a period of some months to intervene. Not
only so, but when the demoniacal spirit of revenge actuate^ them,
they wUl spare the life of the object of their hatred, or jealousy,
for the very purpose of making it wretched by protracted torment :
they can even, (and this practice is too often resprted to,) deprive
him of the powers of manhood, t one day saw passing along
the streets of Tappanooly, a Malay female, nearly as fair as
a European, of exquisite form, of extremely delicate and sensitive
exterior, and with the air and gait of a woman of education apd
acquirement : she wore a vest of cotton, 'which reached from her waist
nearly down to her ancles ; over this , was thrown a robe of tjaffeta,
covering her person from the shoulders to the feet, and fastened to
the lieck by buttons of gold. I observed tp a European standing by
me, that she was, to appearance, a divinity.—" Would," said he,
"she were as rich In humanity and virtue, as, in, personal charms ;
but, on the contrary, she possesses the passions of a satyr, totaUy
ungovernable. Already has she buried, within the last threff
years, no less than four young husbands, two of them Eurppeans,
and it is pretty weU understood how she contrived to rid herself
of them. In short, it is evident to all, that they, were poisoned:
but, such is the subtle nature of her art, that it is impossible to
bring the proof home to her, with power sufficient to convict her,.
She is now perhaps in pursuit of. a fifth; but I think her success^
doubtfiil; for although she possesses beauty enough to attract
admiration, she is too notoriously dangerous tp be , trusted,"- It
would, however, be obviously unjust, so to generalize, as to brandy
I 2 . ,1, the.
••It may not be improper to observ^, that a connexion with a femEdein^th^
Eastern Archipelago, where the hiarriage tie is dispensed witll, is viewed "with
indulgence, jij, consequence of the state <jf society, and of the scarcity of fera.iJes
of resnectability, education, and acquirements.

116
the whole race with such a stigUia ; and every lover of the sex
wiU naturaUy consider this instance as a lamentable exceptiofli" -
Np sooner had I brought my ship to anchor off Tappaiiobly,
than I reipaired to the dweUing of Mr. Prince, the resident," a
gentleman as much and as deservedly esteemed for the amiable
simplicity and engaging mUdness of Ms manners, as he is distin
guished for the able and indefatigable discharge of his pubUe dutifes.
I produced a letter addressed to this gentleman by my Pondicherry
agents, requesting his information and assistance in the deUveiy'of
a cargo of pepper, which 'w'as consigned to me by a French mer
chant of Pondicherry, and was expected to have already arrived at
Tappanooly ; but he told me that he was totaUy ignorant of any
such consignUient having arrived on the island, or indeed of any
being on its way ; and that owing to the great scarcity of pepper
on the Coast just then, it was almost impossible to procure any.
This was a severe disappointment to me; but it was amply com
pensated by the drcumstance of a cargo of soft sugar, wMch had
been recently left on the island by a sMp, unable, from havfeg
sprung aleak at sea, to proceed on her voyage, bdng now for im
mediate sale. From recent accounts-current, received from Ben
gal, it appeared that the price of sugar at that place had risen, and
Was then extremely high ; so that comparing the prime cost of the
sugar at Tappanooly, with the Bengal price, I conduded that the pur
chase of it would be a speculation calculated to. afford a more than
reasonable profit, that is, according to an estimation by no means san
guine, one hundred and twenty per cent, at least. The circumstance
also of my having on board the total proceeds of my various freights
since I left Bengal, amounting in specie to eleven thousand three
hundred and twenty dollars, and the loss wMch I should incur by
SaiUng in ballast, acted as additional inducements to vest the whole
of my funds in the purchase of the sugar on my own account.
This turn -of fortune's wheel in my favour, threw me for a time
into a transport of joy. Hard did we labour to get our vessel ready
for sea ¦with aU possible expedition. In the short space of onedayand
night, the brig was hove down, her copper repaired, her sides fresh
dammered*, and she was made altogether perfectly waters-tight. I
then immediately commenced taking in cargo, with aU the energy which
• Dammer is a kind of vegetable pitcK.

117
which the mind of a man furnished with the noblest stimuU tp exer
tion — rthe d^ssire of increasing the happiness of an affectionate and
confiding T'ife, and, at the same time, of possessing riches, indepen
dence, ;and power, as the means of enjpyment and of doing good. Is
capable qf exercising.^ WhUe I was husied in superintending the
weighing ,^)f a portion of the cargo on shore, Thomson was repeiy-
ing on board the portion already weighed, and stowing it away.
, With respect to Virginia, her time was agreeably employed in mak
ing Uttle excursions about the island, attended by Malay girls, her
attention being much engaged in notidng its natural productions,
most of which were entirely new to her, or in observing the man
ners and habits of the natives ; and her remarks on all that she had
both heard and seen, were delightfully refreshing tp me after, the
fatigues of the day. A beautiful, kid had been presented to hpr by
a pangaran, or chief, then on a visit to the Resident ; and often,
when she was seated with it by her side, hplding the playful little
ammal by a ribband, tied to its neck, did I think of, Sterne's Maria,
and rejoice that it was not Maria I savv before me. In the space
of five days I was once more ready fpj', sea,, , the cargo now my own,
as well as the sMp, in which "frail bark" I hsfd ventured, — ^my all.
On the moming previous to our departure, we were concerned
to find that our boat, the only one we had possessed, had disap
peared during the pight : having been fastened by a rope , to
the stern, we concluded it mnst have been stolen. We were the
more chagrined at this,, because there was no possibility of procur
ing another at Tappanooly ; and to saU without one, was at lea?t a
hazardous undertaking- After bidding fareweU to Mr. Prince,
who kindly loaded us with presents of fruit, we set sail for Hin
doostan,. with a pleasant breeze in our favouf. We had not however
proceeded far, scarcely indeed having cleared the land, before the
wind began to faU off ; and a atrpng, current setting against us,
we came, as we supposed, to an anchor for the night, .ahoutrtwo
miles distantfrom the shpre, which was l^ned with a formidable nest
of breakers; afld,atfter paying out eight fathoms of icahle, squaring
ithe yards, aiid§ettii(g the watch, we retired ,tpr,e:?t,,^p^cdy.h^d
'(the:'myuight hour, passed, ,aU on board being asleep, eKceflt.iyhfflm-
spn, who ha'^-; j.ust , reUeyed one of the secunnies on the, vifatjph,
when I was awoke by the voice of the former bawling down the
companion— " Captain Naufragvis ! Captain Naufragus! we're
1 3 out

118
out at sea, sir !"—-" Indeed ! how can that be ?" Triie, howeydr;
it proved. Not a vestige of land did the moon gratify our
gazing eye^ withal, and we concluded that our cable must haye
been cut by the rocky bottom. I deeply lamented losing my an
chor, so soon after my boat, and directed the lascars to haul in
the slack of the cable ; they did so ; but instead of the cable's
end making its appearance, a check was felt, which prevented
their getting any more in. The serang then went over the bows
to ascertain the cause, and discovered the anchor suspended by the
bupy-rope ; it had got entangled in the fore-chains, without
having reached thp bottom at aU ; consequently, whUe supposing
ourselves to be safe at anchor, we were, in fact, at the mercy of
the winds ; but fortunate it was for us the wind was not from
the sea, as in that case we must of course have been blo'ivn on tfee
rocks : as it was, I was deUghted at recovering my anchor, and
finding the whole,, property safe, as also our Uves. By the next
morning, we regained our situation on the coast, but the wLudstiU
faUed us, and , continued to fail for a whole week, so that we
made but Jittle way. At length a breeze sprang up, which waft^
ed us onwards, sixty or seventy miles, and died away again, lea,ving
us once more^becalmed ; and I began to suspect that, so far as the
elements were concerned, my good fortune had deserted me. On
the morning of the tenth day from our departure, I was again
awakened by Thomson. — " Captain Naufragus !" — " HuUoa !" —
" Here is our boat ; she is come back, and is just beneath our
bpws."-^" The deuce she is !" and true enough, there she lay,
within ten yards ahead, as if expecting and waiting for us ; but
pf her six oars, four were missing : glad enough, however, were
we tP see our old acquaintance, and she was soon hoisted up tp
her birth at the stern.
It was my custpm, when we were coasting during the night,
to station, one lascar on each bow, and one on each gang\vay, for
the purpose of keeping a good look-out. To keep their attention
constantly, awake, it, was necessary for the officer of the watch
(either Themson or myself), to pass a ¦(vatch-word every half-
hour, wMch was — " Coup daek-ougecl !" or, " Look out far.'
ward ,'" This was immediately answered by the lascar af. one gang
way, — passed round forward, and concluded at the opposite, one.
It was amusing to hear tiie different voices, with the droll,
upgonorous tones of these singular seamen. One night, how ever,

ever, when, in the absertCe of the mooh,' the stars ivereheautl-
ftfUy conspicuous in the vast expanse ab'o've^ — the sea quite calm,
with ^'surface almost as unruffled as that of a mirror, and no
thing to-be seen but the fitful gUttering of fishes' fins, reflecting
tlie'^tatUght — altogether forrning a deUghtful scene for medita
tion, bUt'bne which, heightened as its effect was by the hour,
and the reigning stUlness, was 'iapt to lull the seiises, and seal
tVe eyes in slumber, and of which indeed I myself began to feel
thy influence,— when, in fact, we were " a' imddih'," I recol
lected myself, and having shaken off my own Slumbers, I, with
the intention of arousing the lascars from theirs, bawled but,
'Uath Stentorian lungs — " Coup daek-ougeel !" — " Coup daek-tegh!"
ivks the reply, loilg drawn out; another — " Coup daek-tegh .'"
(still slower) ; but the third lascar, (poor wretch !) drawling oiit,
in a tone of voice hardly audible — " Coup da-ek-tegh .'" in an in
stant, — fell into the sea ! In vain was the alarm given, and the
bokt lowered : he sunk into his final sleep, his bed, the ocean,
• ' A rising breeze soon wafted us beyond Sumatra's shores, to a
more northern latitude; it was the south-east trade- wind, carry
ing us nearly within the influence of the south-west monsoon;
but we were not favoured with such propitious gales as formerly!.
S'tfll our spirits being in the true vein for enjoyment. We ex
pressed a hope, which ThPmsom heartUy participated, that we
fflight never be less happy than we then were! This hope was
Scarcely born. When the sun setting vdth more than usual bril
liancy, and leaving its path marked with streaks of gold, a bird
hovered over our heads, and suddenly aUghted on our taffrail :
it was one of " Mother Gary's chickens," which by mariners are'
Considered as harbingers of Ul, and gerieraUy, of a furious storm..
At a warning of this kind I did not then feel disposed to take
alarm ; but there were other warnings' not to be Slighted— the
horizon to the east presented the extraordinary appearance of a
black cloud in the shape of a bow, with its 6onvex towards
the ^ea, arid which kept its singular shape and position' un
changed, untU nightfaU. For the period' too of twenty minutes
after the setting of the sun, the clouds to the riortli-West conti
nued of the colour of blood : but that which most attracted our
observation was, to us, a remarkable phenomenou-^th'e sea im
mediately around Us, and' as far as -the eye could discern by the
¦'''-¦ I 4 Ught

120
light of the moon, appeared, for about forty minutes,, of a per
fectly mUk white. We were visited by two more cMekens of
Mother Cary, both of which sought refuge, with our first visitor,
on the mainmast. We sounded, but found no bottom at a hundred
fathoms : a bucket of the water was then drawn up, the surfecer
of which was apparentiy covered with innumerable ^arks of fire
— an effect said to be caused by the animalculae which abound in
sea-water : it is at all times common, but the sparks are not in
general so numerous, nor of such magnitude as were those wMdi
then presented themselves. The hand too, being dipped in the
water, and immediately 'withdrawn, thousands of them would
seem to adhere to it, A .dismal hoUow breeze, which, as the
night drew on, howled through our rigging, and infused into us
all, a sombre, melancholy feeUng, increased by gathering clouds,
and the altogether portentous state of the atmosphere and d&.
ments, ushered in the first watch, wMch was to be kept by
Thomson, About eight o'dpck, loud claps of thunder, each in kind resem
bling a screech, or the blast of a trumpet, rather than the rum
bling sound of thunder in Europe, burst over our heads, and were
succeeded by vivid flashes of forked Ughtning, We now made
every necessary preparation for a storm, by striking the top
gallant-masts, with their yards, dose reefing the topsails and
foresaU, bending the storm-staysaU, and battemng down the
main hatch, over which two tarpauUns were nailed, for the
better preservation of the cargo. We observed innumerable
shoals of fishes, the motions of wMch appeared to be more than
usuaUy vivid and redundant.
At twelve o'dock, on my taking charge of the deck, the scene
bore a character widely different from that which it presented
but three hours before. We now saUed under dose-reefed msdn-
topsaU, and foresaU. The sea ran Mgh ; our bark laboured hard,
and pitched desperately, and the waves lashed her sides with
fury, and were evidently increasing in force and size. Over head'
nothing was to be seen but huge txavdUng clouds, caUed by
saUors the "scud/' wMch hurried onwards with tiie , fleetness of
the eagle in her flight. New and then the moon, then in her
second quarter^ would shew her disc for an instant, but be quickly
obscured ; ' or a star of " paly" light, peep out, and also disappear. The

121
Tlie wdi. was sounded, but the vessel did not yet ma\e more
water than what might be expected in such a sea; we howevet
kept lie pumps going, at intervals, in order to prevent the cargo
from sustaining damage. The wind now increased, and the
waves rose higher: about two o'clock a.m. the weather main-
tqps&il-sheet gave Way ; the saH then spUt to ribbons, and before
we could due it up, was completely blown away from the bolt-
rope. Tlie foresail was then furled, not without great difficulty,
and imminent hazard ' to the Seamen, the storm staysaU alone
wilihstanding the mighty wind, which seemed to gain strength
every half-hOur ; while the sea, in frightful sublimity, towered
to an incredible height, frequently making a complete breach over
our deck.^
At four a. m. I was reUeved by Thomson, who at dayUght
apprized me that the maintopmast was sprung, and that the gale
was increasing. Scarcely had I gone on deck, when a tremen
dous sea struck us a little " abaft the beam," carrying every tMng
brfore it, and washing overboard hencoops, cables, water-casks,
and indeed every moveable article on the deck. Thomson, almost
by miracle, escaped being lost ; but ha-dng, in common with the
lascars, taken the precaution to lash a rope round his waist, we
were able, by its means, to extricate him from danger'; at the
same time the vessel made an appaUihg lurch, lying dowU on her
beam-ends, in which position she remained for the space of two
minutes, when the maintopmast, foUowed by the foretopmast,
went by the board, with a dreadful crash ; she then righted ; and
we Were aU immediately engaged in going aloft, and with hat
chets cutting away the wreck, each of us beiUg lashed with a
rope round the waist : ropes were also fastened across the deck,
in paraUel Unes, to hold on by ; for such Was the dolence of the
vessel's motion, that without such assistance it would have been
impossible to stand. As for iny Virginia, she was in her cot,
hearing aU that was going forward on deck,— sensible of her
danger, and a prey to the apprehension of meeting a death simUar
to that of her prototype, and equaUy dreadful.
A drizzling shower now came on, and having continued for
some time, was at length succeeded by heavy rain, which
having been converted into sleet, was carried in flakes swiftly along

122
along the tops of the towering mountains of sea ; whUe"
the cold sensibly affected the already exhausted lascars, at once
disinclining them from exertion, and incapacitating them from
making any ; some of them even sat down, Uke inanimate sta
tues, with a fixed stare, and a deathUke hue upon their counte
nances : the most afflicting drcumstance was, their being desti
tute of warm clothing, wMch they had neglected to provide
themselves with, as they ought to have done, out of the four
months' advance they received in Calcutta. All that I could'
spare was given to Thomson ; but unable to endure the sight of
their misery, I distributed among them many articles wMch I
cpuld Ul spare, — sheets, shirts, and blankets ; except one of the
latter, which I had reserved as a provision against any- further'
extreme of suffering which might yet await us. There was one
poor lascar, a simple inoffensive youth, about nineteen, who was
an object of the liveliest commisseration : he was nearly naked,
and in that state had been contmuaUy drenched by the sea smd
rain, during the whole of the day and night ; he was holding
Ms hands up to heaven in a suppUKiting attitude, and shaking in
an agueish fit ; the tears feU in torrents down Ms cheeks, wMle
he uttered his plaints in loud and piercing lamentations: unable,
at last, to witness his misery any longer, I rushed down to my
cabin — " Can you, Virginia, spare me this blanket, without'
feeUng the cold too much yourself f — ^it is, to save the Ufe of a
fellow-creature." — " Yes, take it ; but stay vdth me, or,' under
the horrors I feel, I shaU die in this cabin, and alone. I know
we must perish, and why not die together?" I entreated her to
support herself with all the fortitude she could collect, urged the
impossibUity of my keeping her company, as every moment caUed
for my assistance; and assuring her there was no real danger, I
hurried on deck with the blanket, and wrapped the poor wretch
in its folds, I thought he would have worshipped me ! His joy
and gratitude were unutterable, hut not greater than the over
flowing gladness of my own heart in having reUeved him ; and
fully convinced I am, that no pleasure on earth is comparable to
that of ^oing good, nor any reward greater than a self-approdng
conscience. Every moment I could seize, I hurried into the-
cabin; and indeed, it required my utmost exertion to support
Virginia

123
Virginia under' the surrounding terrors ; she seemed to be in a
state of stupefaction, and was almost fainting in despondency.
The wind now blew a complete hurricane ; our vessel strained
and pitched dreadfuUy, so that, from the violence of its motion,-
the oldest saUors on hoard were . sea-sick, and, from incessant la
bour, and exposure to the weather, in so weak a condition, that it
was with the utmost difficulty we could get them to do their
duty ; some prayed, — others stretched themselves resignedly along
the deck, and there fell asleep, or rather into a stupor, from which
it was impossible to arouse them; they seemed to be indifferent
to every thing, even to their owm preservation ; and of all the
crew, there remained but the three secunnies, Thomson, and
myself, with one or two stout lascars, to work the vessel.
During the latter part of this trying period, we had nothing to
serve out to the crew but flour and water; the rice, biscuit, and
salt provisions, wMch we had reserved, being consumed, and the
rest being in the ship's hold, whence it was impossible to get it,
without opening the main hatches, and that would have been cer
tain destruction. Even the flour and water, however, were use
ful,:, having kneeded them into dough, which Thpmsbn, who had
struck a light, not without great difficulty, in consequence of the
tinder having' got wet, contrived to warm, in a kedgeree, or
earthem pot, sufficiently to make it palatable; this, with a little
rum, wMch fortunately remained in our cabin, was offered to as
many of the crew as were in a condition to partake of it ; and
EngUsh, Mahommedans, Portuguese, Malabars, and Mussulmans,
aU ate together, and swallowed the vivifying liquid in perfect
harmony. The followers of the Prophet were afterwards re
minded of their transgression ; and their answer was, that Ma
hommed, when he framed his prohibition against the use of ardent
spilrits, did not contemplate the possibUity of his votaries being
placed in such a condition as that in which tliey had been.
The hurricane continued with unabated fury for the space of three
days and nights ; on the evening of the fourth day, it was, apparent
ly, at its ; height, and about midnight a sea striking our boat, dashed
it to atoms, blowing, it away from its lashings, and leaving but a
part of its skeleton, which we instantly cut away. The lascars
had now become still more drowsy and desponding ; fortunately,
however, Uttle remained for them to do, as our storm staysail was the

124
die only sail we had bent ever rince the loss of ourtwo topmasts,
and that was blown away during the night; our main andtfiwe
yards were lowered on deck, and there was nothing left standing
except the two masts, wMch trembled like reeds, and everyimi-
nnte threatened to go by the board. The weU was sounded eveiy
ten minutes, and rejoiced were we to find our- bark did not make
any water. Not having had a sight of the sun since the com
mencement of the gale, it was impossible for us to keep our redt-
oning ; but as we had been driven at the mercy of the wind,
blowing from the south-east, and of the sea, running, north-west,
and had therefore been scudding before both, at the rapid rate of
seven pr eight mUes an hour, for the last- four days, we conjec
tured that we could not be far to the eastward of the Coromandd
coast, and perhaps to the northward of Madras.
It was about four o'dock, on the fifth moming of the hurricane,
that I ventured into my cabin, to repose myself on my cot until
daylight, more with the persuasion that my presence would in
spire Virginia with fresh hopes, and, in consequence, better spirits,
than that the storm had in the least abated, or that the peril had
become less imminent. At six, Thomson, whom I had left in
charge of the deck, aroused me by bawling, in a voice necessarily
raised to the Mghest pitch, to make itself heard amidst the howl
ing, or rather screaming of the elements — " Naufragus !" I in
stantly jumped up, without waiting any specific communicatiim,
and, on reaching the deck, found the pumps at work, and was in
formed that we had five feet water in the hold, and that the wa
ter was gaining upon us fast, notvdthstanding the pumps had
been kept constantly going. — " WeU," said Thomson, in a low
tone, not to be heard by the crew, " we'U do our best, Jis long .as
she floats, but that cannot now be much longer — ^it's all over vdth
ns, depend upon it !" There was no time for argument : (be
pumps were now the cMef object of our attention ; and Thomson
and myself, with the secunnies, plied them incessantiy, until we
were ready to drop down with fatigue. As for the lascar^ they
StUl remained lying about the deck, in a state bordering on insen
sibility ; when, at length, being no longer able to pump, without
a relief, we were obliged, as our only means of preservation, to
have recourse to coercive racasutes, however painful to our feel
ings, in order to compel the lascars to assist at-the pumps. After
beating

125
JjeafiHg: many of them severely with a repe's end, and thus re
storing them, as it were,- to life, we mustered a reUef. -
,. In a short ,time we found that the water brought up by the
pmmps bore a brownish colour, and, on tasting it, that it was
sweet; so that. it was evident we were pumping up the sugar,
¦vfrhich, being contained;in baskets,, was but Ul protected against
water. Such is the fondness for life, that on the appearance of
any sudden or immediate cause of dissolution, any copsideratipn
unconnected with the paramount one of preservation, is set at
songht; thus, although I was sensihle that my valuable cargo
was momentarily diminishing, and my property wasting away, I
.then felt no disposition to regret my loss, the powers of my mind,
and.the affections of my heart, being aU engaged on higher ob
jects. Those lascars who could at aU be brought to the pumps, were
in so ¦wretched and debUitated a state, as to require constant re-
Uefs, For one day and two nights, except a fev;^ short intervals,
Thomson and myself, with the secunnies, were at the pumps : a'
the end of that ^ time, our hands were blistered to such a degree,
that the .skin having peeled off, the raw flesh appeared; our arms,
tMgbs,-and legs, were so dreadfuUy sweUed, and our loins in such
tormenting pain, as to make it impossible for us to continue the
exertion, without suffering extreme agony ; and nothing but the
mdancholy con^dction that we must continue our labour, or
perish, could possibly have sustained us under such hardships-
hardships, however, which we had the heartfelt satisfaction to
find, were so far from being useless, that on perusing the sound
ing-rod, when puUed up from the wdl (which we did under feel
ings pf extreme anxiety and eagerness), we were convinced that
the water did not gain upon us. Our spirits, however, received
no encouragement from the appearance of the elements; the
douds were ilaok and frowmng, and aU arovmd stiU bore a threat
ening appearance, the hurricane indeed having rather increased
than inthe sUghtest degree abated.
The circumstance of our having on board so perishable and
light a cargo as soft sugar, it is remarkable, was the very means
of our preservation. Had it consisted of almost any other article,
either of pepper or of dead weight, we must inevitably have pe
rished. To have throwi), overboard any heavy cargo, would, from the

126
the constant and heavy breaches which the sea made over Hs,-have
been impossible. Neither could the masts have been cut away
for the purpose of lightening the vessel, in consequence of the
imbecUe condition of the crew ; a recourse to so hazardous a mea
sure would, under our circumstances, most Ukely have proved the
cause of our destruction. As it was, from constant pumping for
three days, we found our vessel as Ught and buoyant as a cork,
and, with the exception of the baskets in which the sugar had
been stowed, as empty as when I first purchased her.
Night approached, bringing vdth it additional horrors. The
secunnies, who had hitherto borne their hardships with admi
rable fortitude, now began to droop, and to express a violent in
clination for more rum, although as much had been g^ven them
as they could possibly bear ; indeed, rum, with dough, half-
baked, had formed their only sustenance during the whole period
of oUr sufferings. As for the pumps, we were now so lightened/
they did not require to be worked at aU ; but the greatest dread
we laboured under was from the dangerous condition of the main
and fore masts, that tottered to and fro, threatening to go by the
board every minute. Before the hour of sunset, a large bird,
called the albatross, with wings the length of four to five feet each,
skimmed along the surface of the waves, close to and around- us:
this inspired the crew with hopes, as they supposed it to be a
good omen. It remained hovering near our unfortunate wreck
for some minutes, untU it aUghted on the waves, where it' was
seen riding perfectly at ease, and with the majesty of a fine large '
swan, now on the summit of a tremendous mountain of waters,
and now in the ravines of a wide and deep abyss. At length
darkness once more encompassed us around, and seemed to shut us"
out from even a ray of hope ; the desponding few, whose senses
were StiU left them, apparently felt with more acuteness than be
fore, the desperation and horrors of their condition. At the hour
of eight p. m. however, the wind suddenly changed, from south-
oast to south-west, and soon appeared to be dying away. At this
happy circumstance, whereby a prospect of deUverance from tiie
very depths' of despair, was opened to us, the feeUngs manifested
by the crew were as singular as they wete various ; some shouted
for joy — some cried — others muttered prayers — ^wliUe a few were.
still despondent, presenting wild and savage-looking features, and
seeming

127
seeming. to regret that „the billows had not swallowed them up.. ^
Virginia had been in a state of comparative inanimation for the-
last,tvEp days and nights, caused by her extreme terror, and the
excessive motion of the vessel ; she was, notwithstanding, suffi-
cien|tly: sensible to be attentive to, and conscious pf, what was
gping fprvira?^^ on deck ; and from my earnest assurances that the
gale was abating, together with the knowledge she possesspd of
thp Mahomedan and Portuguese languages, she soon fpynd Pur.
prospects were changing for the better. She then, for the first
time, since the commencement of the hurricane, partook of a
little of the baked dough, with a smaU quantity of port wine, that
fortunately remained in our cabin store-room, and which soon
brought on a sound sleep.
Every half-hour the gale became less violent, and the sea more
tranquU ; until, at four in the morning, we were all thoroughly
satisfied pf its termination. At daylight it blew only what the
sapors call a " stiff breeze," with a sea that at any othejrtime we
should have thpught a tremendous one ; but, compared with what
we Jiad recently experienced, it appeared tranquil. The rain, that
had. continued withPUt intermission for three days and nights,
nov\r ceased ; tjie sun, on its rising, cheered us with a sight of
its rays, which we had not beheld -for six days; the sea no
longer made breaches over our deck ; in shprt, the aspect pf ,
every thing around us appeared so completely transfprmed, as to
resemble anoth.er state pf existence. Nature reassumed her beauty ,
and her sraUe»p-the heavens their splendour— the sea its heaven
ly blue, having subsided into gentle undulations, so that now aU
around us again bore a cheering aspect of tranquUlity and beauty,
excepting only our shattered bark, and on the countenances of
the living objects who were to he seen on its deck ; — these indeed,
presented a scene which, to a person unused to a sea life and.
storms, would be one of horror and confusion, almost appalUng —
a scene, of which the mind of such a person would be scarcely able
to form any accurate idea. The features of aU onboard, displayed a,.
hagsardand savage .fejirc^city; — long un^ayen, beards, ey^s sunk deep
in j:heir sockets, and d^m through weakness, , and the effe^cts of lopg-
cpntinued despair ; — hollow cheeks, tremjbling Umbg, bodiesbent,
almost double, through fatigue, cpld, and hunger- .JTiis is a
faitjhful picture of the miserable wretches who crawled, upon our,
deck

128
deck to open the main hatches when the storm had subsided, and
who then fell upon the dried salt fish and biscuits, with the vo-
radous appetites of cannibals, gorging their food in a manner dis
gusting to behold. MeanwhUe, scarcely a word was heard to
interrupt the repast; the big tear, — the convulsive gasp,'—
pleaded momentarily in dumb utterance, from heart to heart, the
sympathy which each had in those dreadful sufferings his feUbvvs
had undergone. Before Thomson and mysdf touched a particle
of the repast, then so great a treat to us, we repaired vdth some,
already cooked, to Virginia; but finding her stiU asleep, we
thought it ad'visable not yet to disturb her.
S^ an observation made when the sun was at the meridian, we
found ourselves to be in latitude sixteen degrees thirtj'-five mi
nutes north, and our longitude, by chronometer, gave us a few
degrees to the eastward of the Coromandel Coast. I then stood
on to the northward, under a gentle south-west breeze; with
nothing set but our courses, my object being to fall in ¦with the
track of ships bound to Calcutta, in order to obtain assistance.
In the mean time, we were actively engaged in clearing away
the wreck of our masts and rigging, which had been destroyed
by the storm, and in strengthening our main and foremasts, by
taughtening the rigging, and setting up preventer-stayS. On
examining the ship's hold, we found that the cargo of sugar
which we had received at Tappanooly, and stowed so close, and
so high, as to touch our very beams, had been dissolved by the •wa
ter which had made its way into the sMp during the storm, arid
that it had sunk to within tMee feet of the vessel's bottom ! even
that space appeared to be fiUed chiefly by empty baskets only.
On the morning of the fourth day from the discontinuance of
the gale; a saU was discovered, at the distance of six or seven
miles to windward, standing on the same course as ourselves.
We immediately hoisted the EngUsh ensign at the foremast head,
with the union downwards, which is a signal of distress. The
stranger no sooner observed it, than she bore down towards us,
and the captiain came on board. She proved to be the Mairy,
Captain Freeman, last from Madras, bound to Calcutta; from
whom we learnt that a large ship, called the ComwalUs, from
Bengal, bound to China, had been dismasted in the same gale,
and was obliged to put back into Trincomalay, to undergo repair; and

129
and that, fortunately, the storm had not raged with equal vio
lence in Madras Roads, nor along any part of the Coromandel
Coast. Captaia Freeman immediately sent off his boat, with a
note to Ms chief officer, who speedUy returned it with a supply
of lascars, rigging, masts, sails, and spars. With the assistance
of these, we were soon able to get up jury topmasts and yard§,
and to set the sails. But what proved particularly acceptable,
was a supply of fr,uit and preserves. These were esteemed by
Virginia, who, by this time, had recovered her strength and spi
rits, as a ddidous treat ; but she more than once assured me, she
never would venture to sea again. In five days a pUot schopner
hove in sight, and a clever, inteUigent young man, named Tvds-
den, tppk charge of us. We saUed up the river Hooghly with a
propitious breeze, and, withput further perU, came to anchor in
a few days, off the town of Calcutta, in so crippled and disabled
a condition, as to attract the observation of aU the crews in the
surrounding ^hipping.
A,t first, I conceived the possibility of repairing my vessel ; but
I found the expence attending it would be as great, from the
wretched condition she was in, as the purchase of a new one ; I
was therefore compeUed, by necessity, to sell her. From the
underwriters I could not recover a single rupee ; and my favourite
bark, that had borne me so many months, unhurt, on the wide
ocean — that had weathered out as severe a hurricane, perhaps, as
ever was felt at sea, and brought me back with safety, though
not \dthout loss, to Calcutta, I was compelled to send, together
with my cargo, to the hammer. They both together, did not
fetch me more than the sum of three thousand two hundred ru
pees, or four hundred pounds. This wretched pittance was barely
sufficient to discharge the wages of my crew ; after doing which,
I found myself not possessed of more than nine hundred and sixty
rupees, or a hundred and twenty pounds, in the world, so severe
a reverse qf fortune did I experience in so short a space of time :
yet that reverse, — the loss of my cargo of sugar, was the very
means of preserving my existence, and that of my crew ! a re
markable feature of my calamity, which Is, perhaps, almost with
out a parallel i,n the annals of adventure. I did ,not feel the se
verity of my loss of property so acutely in the midst of the hurri-
cane,_ when it raged about me with its greatest fury, and
K all

130
all our Uves were in immediate jeopardy, as I did afterwards,
on my return to Calcutta : there I reflected on my destitute con
dition vdth feelings of the liveUest regret, and almost of despaii'.
Such is the weakness of human nature, that instead of my enter
taining a feeling of gratitude for my miraculous preservation, my
heart repined, and I even reproached that deUverance itself, which
had restored me to land, safe, and in health, but impoverished-
So Uttle true phUosophy has man, and so little sincere resignation
to the Divine wiU in all things ! Of this pMlosophy there is, alas!
much in theory, but Uttle in practice : it is a great deal talked of,
but rarely found.
Soon after my arrival, I had selected two rooms in the Calcutta
Hotel, as a temporary place of residence. One moming, Moo
doosooden Chetarjee made his appearance, with a sorrowful coun
tenance, lamenting and condoUng with me in feeUng language
on my arrival under such untoward circumstances. The first
question I asked of Mm was, if he knew what had become of his
old master, my friend Tassit. — " Ah, my lord ! my best friaid,
Tassit, never was better man— Gowe dead, my lord !" The drol
lery of Moodoosooden's deUvery, I was no stranger to, and received
the announcement of my old and familiar friend's death, with
feeUngs of bitter regret, — " Where," I asked, " is his 'widow and
chUd ?" — " At Lucknow, my lord," — " WeU, weU, Moodoosoo
den, we must bear all Uls with fortitude during our lifetime.
Come, come, take a chair — be seated : are his -widow and child
provided for ?" — " Very weU, my lord," — " Thanks to a kind
Providence for that ! Now, Moodoosooden, how fares the widow
of my old commander, Lambert ?" — " Five months, my lord. Gone
dead." And in answer to simUar inquiries, I found that many
other acquaintances had foUowed the same path, and all In the
short period of my absence from Calcutta, wMch did not exceed
fourteen months, I therefore began to consult with Moodoosoo
den, what was to be done : In an instant, however, a conviction
flashed across my mind, of the faUacy of words considering the
peculiarity of my case and circumstances, which- rendered any
suggestion of his, or exertion of my own, to recover my rmned
fortune, inevitably abortive, unless I could be aided by the power
ful arm of some friend, possessed of funds, or in some other way
recdve

131
receive effectual aid. Having ordered Moodoosooden to retire,
and not to caU again untU sent for, I locked myself in my cham
ber, to reflect on my case with studious appUcation of mind, with
a dew to determine the best possible course for me to pursue.
One effect of my late adventures at sea had been, an almost total
loss of hearing : I considered therefore, and with serious concern,
that by this misfortune, a formidable barrier was raised to my
ever foUowing the sea again, professionaUy. The first sensation
of this calamity was fdt on board the East Indiaman where I
received such barbarous treatment from my inveterate enemy, the
second officer; and it was doubtless caused, originaUy, by the
pivations and hardships which I had then the misfortune to en
dure, being at a very tender age exposed without mercy to aU
weathers. Since that period the defect had increased, by sUght,
and almost imperceptible degrees; untU, after the storm, it assumed
so alarming a feature, as though not to debar me from the enjoy
ment of Ufe, or the society of a. friend, yet to prevent my ever
being received as an officer on board of any ship : this Une of
serdce was therefore shut against me. Another obstacle, equaUy
formidable in the way of my future prospects and successes, had
intervened. During my absence from Calcutta, the free trade
had been thrown open ; and the usages and advantages of the
country service had assumed an entirely new feature. The ser
vices of Europeans were no longer in demand, on account of
their scarcity, as they had formerly been ; for although an edict
from the Court of Directors of the Honourable East India
Company prohibited Europeans from remaining in the country
without a licence, yet as many as could gain employment (and
that was not a few) did accept it, without incurring the smaUest
risk of being sent home, or in any way interfered with, so
long as thej' remained quiet and unobtrusive members of society,
or forbore to bring themsdves prominently to the notice of the
local authorities.
Among other changes produced by the free trade, was a sud
den and remarkable fall in the rate of freight to Europe. This
faU was from £24, £26, and £30 a ton, to £l9, £l6, £l2, and
£7 ; at the latter of which rates it remained stationary. The
pay of the colnmanders and officers of country ships was neces,-
sarUy lowered ; and India, ui which a European could but a few
K 2 months

132
months previous have found twenty places ready for Ms accep
tance, and in which his proffered services would be eagerly sought
for by numbers, and always on terms of liberal emolument, was
now so overrun with adventurers, as to render it a matter of ex
treme difficulty, if not utterly impossible, for him to obtain
any kind of employment, unless aided by funds of his own, or
the powerful arm of an overwhelming interest.
^ was not, however, to be easily cast down : I appUed for em
ployment among the wealthy connexions and respectable friends
my commercial dealings had introduced me to, with persevering
energy ; for I had always found, that whenever my circumstances
and prospects were reduced to the lowest possible ebb, even to a
state Uttle short of desperation, my spirits invariably rose in pro
portion. My object was now to obtain employment, either in
the civil or mercantUe line, or in the cultivation of indigo ; but,
on my trying the soUdity of the professions of friendship which
had been lavished on me by many very opulent friends, — one be
gan to enumerate the great difficulty then felt of procuring em
ployment in any way ; another promised to try what he could
do ; a third told me to look in at such and such an hour, the lat
ter end of the week ; and when I did so, said, nothing could be
had : a fourth assured me, with a sigh, that he was reaUy veiy
sorry that he could not meet my wishes ; but that, if he could,
he would with pleasure have done so : a fifth advised me to apply
to a friend of his ; and a sixth said — " Ah ! — had I but known it
three days ago, I could have given you the exceUent situation of
an examiner In the office of the Sudder Dewanny Adawlut ; but
that is now given away :'' a seventh declared, that from the expe
rience and knowledge of the world which I ijossessed, I should
never want employment, telUng me to caU again ; which I did
daily, during nearly a whole month, but with no better success
on the last day, than on the first ; until one moming my mortifi
cation was extreme, at finding that he had suddenly departed for
the upper provinces, but precisely where, I could not ascertain-
For me long to have remained in this state of indecision and
inactivity, relying on the performance of empty promises, and
professions of friendship, would have been madness ; I therefore
at once formed my determination J — which was, that I would by
letter immediately remind my friend Endtfield of a request
* which

133
¦w^hidi he had formerly made, tiiat I should seek his .ild and
assistance whenever I needed it ; and to state my object to be
immediate employment. In the mean time, I purposed to seek a
reclusive habitation in the interior of the country, both from the
very important consideration of economy, and from the secret
wish ^yhich I entertained, of associating myself freely, and with
out restraint, among the natives, that I might observe their man
ners, customs, and usages. There was also a probabUity of my
gaining, by this means, employment in the indigo Une.
My first step in furtherance of the execution of my plan, was
to turn every thing which I could coUect into money, by disposing
of all superfluous articles I possessed. That done, and being
very nearly on the eve of departure, I was surprised one
evening, at the sudden appearance of my brother John ! He had
just arrived from England, fraught with the golden expectations
with which my example and invitation inspired him, and which
his youthful imagination had not faUed to contemplate in terms
,of enthusiastic fondness and delight. These cherished fancies,
however, were doomed to meet a cruel and sudden check : the
pilot who boarded the ship in which he arrived, at the Sand-
heads, was weU acquainted with my name, and equaUy so with my
misfortunes ; they had indeed gained singular notoriety in Cal
cutta at the time, from their severity and extent ; and the first
. intelligence my brother received of me was, that of my having
met with ruinous, and, apparently, irreparable losses ; — and of my
then being out of employment. This was a sad blow to the poor
youth, and threw Mm Into a fit of deep despondency, as well
from commiseration of my misfortunes, as from the fatal blow
which it gave to aU the youthful and aspiring visions hfe had
himself formed.
A meeting between two young and fond brothers, in India,
¦ under such, or indeed under almost any circumstances, can be
but imperfectly conceived, by those who know it not from ex
perience. Every fibre of the heart is ready to burst with the
unutterable joy of brotherly love — our father — our mother — the
" dear land of our nativity, all occur to the mind at the same
Instant ; whUst the mutual recognition of parental resemblance,
with that of other branches of our family, fill the breast, as we
gaze upon each other, with rapture. Thus it was with us : — we
K 3 wept

134
wept and laughed, and wept and laughed again ; in constant al
ternations of feeling,— -talked all night, — nor was it until late in
the moming, when nature overpowered us, and our eyeUds were
weighed down with fatigue, that we retired to rest.
If any of the short-lived enjoyments of tMs Ufe possess a su
perior title to our preference, or approximate nearer to the bUss
of those pure spirits who inhabit celestial worlds, it must be the
delights which arise in the spring of Ufe, from fiUal and fraternal
love. Absent or present, this exquisite touch of nature stUl
holds dominion over us. My infantine days were doomed to be
passed away, unblessed with the parent's smfle, or a brother's
love :— -the few hours I was allowed to be with these dear rela
tives, though replete with joys, were too transient to enable me
to cull the permanent sweets of my dose affinity to either; — ^but
when I had grown up, and after experiencing sufferings such as
I have described, found myself folding in my arms a brother,
upon the far-distant shores of Hindostan, I felt, for the first
time in my life, the exquiate deUght of brotherly love, and I
was happy !
By my brother I was made acquainted with many inportant
changes that had ensued in our famUy during my absence. My
father having quitted his farm, had retired into Wales : — ^my che
rished and respected friend, Mr, Neunborough, had entered again
into the matrimonial state, with, I understood, a lady of distinc
tion, — represented to be very amiable. The gratification I derived
from this inteUigence was great, from a conviction that the stq)
was conducive, if not necessary, to the happiness and perfect en
joyment of that exceUent gentleman's decUning years, for he was
one, on whom —
 " Every god did seem to set his seal,
To give the world assurance of a man."
Richly then he deserved to be happy ; and it deUghted me to hear
he was so.
Providence, in its benevolence, — " tempers the wind to the
shorn lamb ;" and no sooner did my youthful brother find him
self at liberty to accept employment, ihan a gentleman, who came
passenger in the same ship with him from Europe, procured him
an appointment in the Honourable Company's marine, on board
one of the surveying ships, then under the command of the late
Mghly-

135
: highly-talented and enterprising officer. Captain Court. In a
few days he saUed on a survey, to the coast of Pegu ; and we
parted with mutual benedictions, and not without tears of regret
,on both sides.
Bidding adieu to Calcutta, and all my friends, among others
were Moodoosooden Chetarjee, and Thomson, who stUl remained
out of employ, I hired two sets of palanqnin-bearers, first having
-dispatched a long letter to my friend Endtfield, and commenced
my journey towards Barrackpore, ¦vdth Virginia, who was by my
side in a separate palanquin. The road is a straight one for six
teen mUes, of an impbsing width, level as the surface of the sea
in a dead calm, and shaded on either side with rows of trees,
planted at the distance of twelve or fifteen feet from each other,
without intermission the whole way. Barrackpore, since fataUy
celebrated on account of the recent mutiny of the sepoys, is
situated on the eastern side bf the river Hooghly. The Governop-
¦ General has a superb seat there, where he usuaUy recreates from
the toU and bustle attending tiie performance of the duties of hfe
station at the presidency. The grounds around this retreat are laid
out with infinite taste, in imitation of our parks in England, and
produce a splendid effect on the eye, especially immediately after
entering the gates. This park also contains a menagerie of wUd
beasts, birds, and quadrupeds, of oriental growth, including in it
all that is rare and curious : the whole is thrown open to the in
spection of European ¦dsltors. The military cantonments are in
a healthy situation ; and the officers' seats, or bungalows, which
are separated at convenient distances from each other, present an
idea of comfort to the mind, rarely associated with the tastes and
-prejudices of EngUshmen out of their own country. There is
an exceUent parade, commanding a view of the river Hooghly,
and where the sepoys may be seen to exercise in the mornings,
about sunrise. On the whole, it is a pleasant, airy situation,
and an enviable residence for an European, who wishes to enjoy
the novel luxury attending a country residence in India.
Hadng procured boats, we crossed the Hooghly, and landed at
a Danish settlement, opposite Barrackpore, named Serampore,
a smaU, but neat and clean town ; the air of which is considered
to be far more salubrious than that of Calcutta; in consequence
of which invaUdg resort thither for the benefit of their health.
K 4 The

136
The musquitoes are there not so numerous as at Calcutta : I shaU
not soon forget the luxury which I enjoyed in consequence of the
absence of these tormenting insects. A line of genteel houses
extends in front of the river, a few yards to the rear of its banks,
where, after the fiery sun has set, a most agreeable promenade
may be enjoyed in perfection. It is then, that the golden azure
sky, — so richly tinged, — andpecuUar alone to the gorgeous east, casts
a ray of dazzUng splendour aU around ; — which, with the sUent
vdndings of the mighty Hooghly ; — the aUuring prospect on the
opposite side of the river, of Barrackpore, with the governor's seat
and grounds ; — and the variously-formed native boats, of aU sizes,
which are seen constantly saUing up and down the river, present
to the eye of a European, a motley and curiously-combined mass
of subjects for speculation, and a delightful source of entertain
ment to the mind, rarely to be met with to such perfection in
every quarter of this — " nether world," of ours.
We found house-rent and prodsions nearly fifty per cent, cheaper
at Serampore than Calcutta ; but as we were told we should find
every thing cheaper stUl, the farther we advanced np the country,
we resolved to proceed on our journey, after a sojourn of about
three days in a commodious hotel, kept by a Frenchman, named
Monsieur Darlow. This singular character was so very irascible,
as to be continuaUy fighting, chiefly with EngUshmen. In one of
Ms contests, which were usuaUy pugiUstic, he had the Ul luck to
lose his right eye, and in another, the whole of his front teeth ; but
StUl he remained as untameable as the hyiena; and seldom did he
leave Ms bUliard-room when any EngUsh officers were there,
• without having to endure the inconvenience of a temporary loss of
his other eye. On these occasions he was not idle in his execra
tions of the " diable Anglais !" in which he indulged untU his
recovery was complete, when he would content himsdf by seidng
the first opportunity of having another set-to, and, in aU probabi-
Uty, a fresh beating. His disputes usuaUy arose from espousing
the cause of Napoleon, of whom he was an ardent admirer. To
me, however, he was remarkably assiduous, from the circumstance
of my having a Frendi lady for my wife ; but not unfrequentiy
would I find him beginning on his weak point — politics, and then
Napoleon ; and when he did so, as I knew his real temperament
so weU from report, I did not feel at aU disposed to argue the
matter.

137
matter. When he found I did not dispute, or contradict Ms rhap
sodies, he was in an extacy of joy ; and hugging me in Ms arms
with aU the fervour of a polar bear, declared — " I was, be Gar, de
best Anglais dat he ever before see — a very proper Anglais ! and
dat he would give me is leetel finger," holding it up at the same
time, " vit aU de pleasure in de vorld !" TeUing Mm I did not
require such abundant proofs of his regard as that which he pro
posed, but would prefer a bottle of his claret, he immediately ran
down stairs, soon returning with one under each arm, and one in
' each hand ; the contents of which always proved so delicious, that
I have sat enjoying myself very contentedly, while he began upon
the achievements of Napoleon, the whole of which he used to re
hearse from the beginning of his career, to the end, speaking very
loud, in broken EngUsh, and with a volubUity that produced an effect
extremely ludicrous. To all his discourse I Ustened attentively,
nodding occasionaUy a sort of affirmation, and with as much pati
ence as if I had been in the hands of my hairdresser. At last,
however, his wife supposing, from the noise he made, and guessing
also from the subject of Ms dialogue; that he was going to fight,
gently tapped at the door, and in a shrill tone of voice called
- out. Monsieur D. ! These meUifluous tones no sooner sa
luted the sensitive ear of Monsieur, than he started, paused,
and turmng suddenly pale, rose up ; and after apologidng for
Ms abrupt departure, at the same time reminding me of the
precise situation in which he left Napoleon, he glided quickly
down stairs. I afterwards understood that he actually lived in
constant terror of tMs lady (his wife), a little deUcate Hindoo
girl, and the only person in Serampore who could manage him. I
was not sorry for having got rid of my troublesome companion ;
but reserving what remained of the wine for another occasion, I
retired to rest.
At the end of three days I hired a paunchway, or boat, and pre
pared to proceed on our journey. The foUowing morning we rose
at seven, and after breakfast. Monsieur, with his better half, con
ducted us to the landing steps, and we bade adieu to Serampore,
saiUng up the river with a cheerful breeze in our favour, and a
flood tide. No seats, or houses, are seen for many miles to diver
sify the flat, monotonous scenery, on the shores of the Hooghly;
nor is the eye relieved by a single novelty, or attraction of any
kind.

138
kind, unless I except the numerous budgerows, and paunchways,
passing up and down the river, and the large cargo boats, ladai
wdth sUk, cotton,- saltpetre, and various other articles, wMch are
on their way to Calcutta, from the upper provinces : or, the peU-
cans, the eagles, the vultures, the dogs, and the svdne, wMch were
to be seen devouring contentedly together, the dead.body of a na
tive, left on the river's banks by the retreating tide. It may not
perhaps be deemed superfluous to recur to a fact wMch has already
been adverted to in the early pages of this book, viz. that when
the soul of a Hindoo, of a certain cast, quits the body, and fre
quently even before that moment has arrived, he is consigned to the
. Hooghly, by being placed on the river's banks bdow Mgh-water
mark : there the victim of superstition is abandoned ; and as the
tide rises, being unable to remove himself, is drowned. Hence it
foUows that on the surface of this river, numbers of putrid carcases
. are always to be seen floating about, the ebb-tide constantly leav
ing some of them on Its muddy banks, where they are soon de
voured. This spectacle brought to my mind the foUowing scrip
tural sentence : — " Wheresoever the carcase is, there wiU the ea^s
be gathered together." Such is the Uteralfact on the shores of the
HoogMy ; but the sight, from its frequent occurrence, grows fami
Uar, and creates but Uttle disgust ; nor does it even excite much
notice ; so very great is the tendency of habit to familiarize botii
the eye and the mind to things wMch are in themselves most revolt
ing. About twelve o'clock we reached the French settlement
named Chandernagore.
Chandernagore is a smaU town, inferior in size and external
appearance to Serampore, and does not possess the gaiety and life
which are to be found in that settlement. There is however a
pleasant promenade on the banks of the river ; and it possesses one
great recommendation, which is, that house-rent and provisions,
viz, fish, rice, fruit, bread, and vegetables, are extremdy cheap.
Upon the whole, it is a very desirable country retreat for a Eu
ropean. On the following moming I went in quest of a house,
and after no little trouble, met with a deUghtful Indian cottage,
containing two halls, two bed-rooms, back and front verandahs,
cook-house, out-houses, and a large garden, in which were no
less than ten peach and nectarine trees, a pummalo tree, twelve
plaintain, and several other trees, all in full bearing. This cottage was

139
was shaded from public view by a stately tree, having a pecu
liarly luxurious and rich foUage, caUed the areca-palm : my sur
prise was great to find, that the rent demanded of me, including
every charge, did not exceed eight mpees per month, or twelve
pounds per annum. So well did this cottage appear adapted to
my taste and purpose, that I requested the landlord (who was a
native of Ireland, and a pensioned branch-pUot) to keep it vacant
for me a feW days : — indeed, it had occurred to my mind, that a
more desirable abode, and even a cheaper one, might stiU be pro
cured higher up the country : we again, therefore, embarked in
our paunchway, and in a few hours afterwards arrived at Chin
surah, a settlement which once belonged to the Dutch.
Chinsurah appeared less attractive even than Chandernagore ;
the English Resident'shouse, with its gardens, being the only edifice
worth notice. There is, indeed, a princely mansion to the south
of the town, which was buUt by a French general, at an expence,
as is reported, of a lac* of mpees ; and no sooner was it completed,
than he died. From the exorbitantly high rent demanded for it,
no tenant could be found ; and it remained empty, until an Eng
Ushman offered eighty rupees a-month, or one hundred and twen
ty pounds a-year, which was immediately accepted. The great
haU is, it is said, no less than one hundred and twenty feet by
fifty feet, and the ceUing, which is magnificently carved, is pro-
portionably high. The other houses in Chinsurah are usually of
one floor, with a parapet on the top, where the inhabitants may
enjoy a walk in the cool of the evening. As at Cochin, so here,
blinds made of cane formed a substitute for Venetians, which, be
ing secured by iron bars, against the encroachments of thieves,
gave the place a dull and gloomy appearance. Hordes pf wUd
monkeys, of a large size, were to be seen jumping in company
with one another from house to house, receiving whatever was
given to them ; and the inhabitants, who considered their appear
ance as a sure sign of good luck, suppUed them plentifully with
rice and sweetmeats. Neither house-rent nor provisions appeared
cheaper at this place than at Chandernagore,
In the evening of the day on which I arrived at Chinsurah, I
was strolUng along the outskirts of the town, when I was Sud
denly arrested by a loud shout, as of several voices, proceeding
from an adjoining temple : this was succeeded by the clashing ef
many
' Lac — one hundred thousand.

140
many cymbals. Curiosity very naturaUy impelled my footsteps
towards the place from which these noises proceeded : I even ven
tured inside of the building, or temple, where I beheld a mass of
natives, who were, with the exception of a piece of rag fastened
round their loins, in a state of complete nudity, standing ia a
curved line, with each a pair of cymbals in his hands : these they
clashed together,in exact triple second-time; andin the intermediate
space of three or four minutes, one of them advanced a few paces,
and Ufting his arm, pointed to the heavens, when they all
uttered a loud and piercing roar, or rather yeU, untU the dashing
of the cymbals was resumed, which rendered it impossible to dis
cern any other sounds, A dark and fiend-like appearance marked
the persons present, and a fearful gloom seemed to pervade the
place into which I had incautiously entered, producing a sensa
tion on my mind I scarcely knew how to characterize. It was
awful in the extreme: — the gloom of the spadous apartment,
heightened considerably by the dbrations of sound proceeding
from the shouts of the natives, and the intermitting jarring of so
many cymbals, — its sombre aspect, — and the periodical display of
that which, to the mind of a European bystander, carries no idea
but that of a senseless manifestation of uncontroUed passion,
made it appear a fit receptacle for the idolatrous worshippers of
gods of stone and wood, I afterwards understood that I had
been in the society of some of the sect, or followers, of Vishnu * ;
and that they were then offering their devotions to an ape, under
the name of Hanuman, The Abbe Dubois, speaking of the origin
of this singular mode of worship, says — " The motive which in
duced the early idolaters of India to make the ape one of their
principal didnltles, was, in all probabUity, founded on the stri
king resemblance which they remarked between that animal and
man, in exterior appearance and physical relations, Tliey con-
, sidered it as holding the first rank in the order of brutes, and
consequently as the king of animals ; and, after deifying It,
they chose to perpetuate its honours, by Inventing the infinite
coUection of fables with which their books are fiUed, It was
with an army of apes that their great hero, Rama, conquered
Lanka, or Ceylon ; and the achievements of this host of Satyrs,
under the command of the great ape Hanuman, occupies the
greater part of the Ramayana, the most celebrated of their his-
toriciil
* Vide note, page 117.

141
torical works. The worship of this leader extends over aU the
territory of India, and especiaUy amongst the followers of Vishnu ;
but the sect of Siva does not admit of his claim,"
I quitted the place, deeply impressed with the singular scene
which I had witnessed ; — ^human beings worshipping a brute ! At
first I felt disposed to execrate ; — then, rather to pity them ; and
on stUl deeper reflection, I could not but inwardly exclaim-—
" Alas ! how can I justly declaim against these people, or thdr
mode of worsMp ? They, Uke me, beUeve that they are right :
they act as I do, under the influence of education, ot in obedience
to precept. Like me, these heathens are the creatures of a day :
the scythe of Time wUl soon cut them down ; but they ¦wiU be
succeeded by others, who wUl tread in their footsteps, having no
better rule. They all, like myself, possess affections, and powers
of mind, capable of a better direction, and a higher aim. Far be
it from me therefore to condemn them : let me rather hope, that
the time wUl come, when the sublime tenets of the Christian
doctrine will dispel their ignorance : — may the day be not far dis
tant, when they wUl receive these blessings, by the aU-potent and
aU-benevolent agency of my native land, destined, as it seems
to be, the instmment of diffusing truth over the face of the globe,
and of enlightening all who need instruction !"
Leaving Chinsurah, I returned to Chandernagore, and took
possession of the cottage which had been kept vacant for me by
its owner, as by far the most desirable spot I had met with. The
simplest and most essential articles, of furniture, — such as matting,
chairs, tables, and a bedstead, alone formed the ornamental re
commendations of its Interior. Rice and curry, fish and poultry
(the price of a fine fowl not exceeding fourpence), bread, with
excellent butter, and vegetables, constituted our only food ; and
cocoa-nut milk, toddy, lemonade, and sherbet, our chief beverage.
Virginia's favourite kid having died on board our brig during the
storm, we purchased a goat, that supplied us with mUk: the
whole of our expenditure did not exceed twenty-six pounds a-year.
In this retreat we led the lives of hermits ; our wants never
reached beyond our compound ; nor would our thoughts wander
to the world, unless when I was looking forward to a letter from
Endtfield ; — or when Virginia would heave a sigh, in recoUection
of her happy, native island ; — a sigh, however, which was soon
dIspeUed, and succeeded by content and happiness. In this re
tirement

142
tirement I became the father of a lovely girl, my fir&t-bom chUd,
which Uved only to that age when the dawning perceptions, and
endearing smiles of the infant, gave it a powerful claim on a pa
rent's affections, and then died. TMs was a sad blow to us both ;
but to Virginia it well-nigh proved an overwhelming sorrow. This
infant lies in the burying-ground of Chandernagore : no tomb.^
stone records its nariie ; — nor is it wanted ; it is registered in the
fond recollections of a parent's heart. It was one evening,
about six months after this melancholy event, when I strolled
with Virginia through the suburbs of the town, that I found the
votaries of the sanguinary deity, Maria-ama, celebrating the
Doorga Poorga festival : — on this occasion thousands of natives
were assembled ; and many were the devotees who were on that
evening whirled round and round in the air, suspended by a hook;'
passed .through the ligatures of the back : loud were the roars of
rapturous plaudits, and deafening was the noise wMch surrounded
us : the burying-ground was dose by the scene of this supersti
tion. Virgima led me on, unawares, uritU I found myself in the
midst of it. By her desire I conducted her to the spot where the-
beloved infant, which had once constituted the cMef source of
our mutual watchfulness and joy, lay dead. Virginia had often
won my admiration by the exquisite sensibUity of her maternal
tenderness ; but never did she appear so estimable in my eyes, as
when she gently uplifted her veU with her right hand, as high
as her forehead, and shading her brows, in sUence moistened the
infant's grave with her tears. — Leading her at length with a
gentle forpe away, we bent our steps towards home.
Not long after this, on one of those evenings when the intense
heat rendered the shady part of my verandah an enviable spot, an
elderly native appeared before my gate, attired in a muslin vest,
girt with a sash, a turban, and sandals. His beard, which ¦with
Ms mustachios, were grey, rested on Ms bosom. The colour of
his face was a dark brown, nearly approaching to black, and
marked from the forehead to the right side of the upper lip, with-
altemate streaks of a dead white colour, as if the natural skin
had peeled off, and left the flesh bare. He rested on a sUver-
headed cane, apparently tMough weakness ; and cast his weary
eyes towards me, whUe I sat in the verandah, as if importunirig
permission to rest himself within my gates, I advanced towards
Mm ; and no sooner did he observe me approach, than he raised his

148
his hands to his forehead in homage to me, TMs is the oriental
style of salutation. I emiducted hjm to the verandah, and offered
him a chair,, the use of which he accepted with gratitude. Being
well aware it was contrary to the custom of the Hindoos to par
take of any refreshment prepared by other hands than those of
natives of their own persuasion, I explained to him, that my rea
son for not pladng any thing before Mm, arose from the condc-
tion that he could not partake of it consistently with the customs
of Ms religion. He replied, with an expression of great satisfac
tion—." That customs are inviolable, and must not be broken ;
but that he was as well pleased with my explanation, as he could
possibly be vdth the most deUcious repast in the world," I was
agreeably surprised to find he could speak EngUsh with singular
fluency.,. — " Pray, my good man," said I, " of what Cast* are you ?"
— " I, Sahib, am a Brahman." — " Your name ?" — " Kishen
Doss, Sahib." — " You seem much fatigued ; the natives of this
country seldom venture out in the heat of the sun, such a sultry
day as this ; and whUe I feel surprised at seeing a respectable
man like you exposing himself to its scorching rays, I feel plea
sure in the opportunity of affording you a shelter from its effects."
— -'f Ah, Sahib J" shaking his head despondingly, " you little
know my trouble : you English are fuU of wisdom ; you show it
to great advantage in hadng but ; one wife, which is as much as
any man can command. Now, I.have got two wives ; one old,
and one young; but my cross old wife gets very jealous, and then
they both fight. I think it better to endure the hot sun, that
is sUent, than the squalls of my two wives ; so I come away," — ¦
" Do you then live near me ?" — f Yes, SaMb, very near."-—
" And so I presume, your two wives are now settUng their diffe
rences together, by themselves ?" — " True, Sahib, and I hope, on
ray return, to find my house once more in'peace,"
I consoled the .poor Brahman under his misfortune, by telling
him,, that every man must drink his portion of vexation in this
world  " Yes, but," he added, " this cross old wife Is so jea
lous, that my once peaceful dwelUng, where nothing but the
chirrup
* The word cast is a Portuguese term, which has been adopted by Europeans in
general to ^eriote the different classes or tribes into wliich the people of India are
divided. The most ancient partition is that which arranges them m four princi
pal tribes : , the first and naost distinguished of all is that of the Brahmans— th^
second'is that of the Hajas— the third the Vaisya, or merchants— aaA the last that
of Si«fraj,or cultivators.

144
chirrup of the lizards on the wall was wont to be heard, is liow
a continual scene of strife and uproar !" — " That, Kishen Doss,
is a natural result from having two wives. Women wUl complain,
if grieved; arid God, who has gifted the Uon with generosity-r-
the tiger, with treachery— -the fox, with cunning — the dog,, with
watchfulness — and man, with a portion of each pf these quaUties
combined in him, has also in his secret wisdom so ordained^-that
your old wife should be naturaUy jealous of the young one."—
" True, SaMb, true ; but (very gravely) do you suppose it is in
my nature to bear it ?"
In answer to this unlooked-for query, I observed, " that man
was seldom afflicted beyond what he was able to bear ; and I was
led to conclude, fi'om that constant and habitual mildiffiss; of man
ner, and gravity of deportment, for which the Brahmans wereso
remarkable, that they were better able to command their pasaans
than any other race of men in India ; but of that he certainly must
be the best judge.''
Much pleased did he seem with tMs compUment to the Brah
mans ; it opened as it were the floodgates of his soul ; and that
reserve wMch had hitherto concealed his thoughts and mind, and
shaded them, as it were, entirely from human conception, ¦was
now dispeUed : he afterwards conversed with wonderful freedom,
and great good-nature ; and on my assuring him that the ntmost
my ambition aspired to, was to form an intimate acquaintance
with, and just conception of, the manners, customs, and opituans
of the natives, but more especiaUy those of his own cast, he
promised to caU upon me frequently, and give me every informa
tion I wished to possess ; ending his friendly professions, and;, at
the same time, rising to depart, with saying, in a manner re
markably emphatic — " This cross old wife .'" and smUing at the
same time with a pair of cunning eyes, as if he was, seemingly,
just then thinking of the young one, — ^he retired.
. It is here proper to observe, that although polygamy is actually
disallowed by Brahman jurisprudence, there are many Uistances
of it among the great, as weU as among the middling dasses of
that cast, and e-yen among the poor ; but it is considered to be
an abuse, and in open violation of the customs of the Hindoos;
among whom marriage has-been always confined to two,
An exception; and the only one, it appears, which occurs
to this rule, is, in the event of a man's first wife, a'ft'Sr* long
coltabitiMeia>

145
cohabitation, "being pronounced barren; a second may then be
lawiuUy espoused.
* Marriage being considered by the Brahman, or Hindoo, the
greatest and most essential of all circumstances, is conducted with
considerable pomp and solemnity. The girls are not older than
seven, eight, pr ten years ; and the cheice pf their fiiture hus
bands devolves entirely upon their parents. As soon as that im
portant point is determined, and preUminaries of riiarriage are
entered into, the usual ceremonies begin ; a particular de
scription of wMch would occupy many pages, and prove,
perhaps, after aU, tedious and umnteresting ; but for the satis
faction of the curious EngUsh reader who may 'wish to per
use a minute description of them, they wUl find it contained in
.tiie Abbe Dubois' " People of India," which is considered the
most faithful account extant of these singular people. At the
conclusion of the ceremonies of the marriage, which last five
days, a prpcessicn is made through the streets of the city, or vU
lage.,- It commonly takes place in the night, by the light of
torches and fire-works. The new-married pair are seated in one
palanquin, with their faces towards each other. They are both
.gaudily dressed out ; but the bride, in particular, is generally
covered with jewels and precious stones, partly the gifts of
her -father and father-in-law, but the greater part borrowed, or
hired for the occasion. The procession moves slowly, while the
relations and friends of the bride and bridegroom come out of
their houses as it passes, the women haiUng the neW-married
couple, and the men bringing with them presents of silver, fruits,
sugar, and betel.* Those who receive such presents are obUged,
under the like circumstances, to repay them in their turn. These
marriage processions, though in a style so extremely remote from
ours, are sometimes on a scale of ' magnificence and splendour be
yond conception, ' and must be seen to be duly appredated.
This ceremonyTseing over, the young spouse is taken back to her
father's house, which continues to be her principal abode untU she
has grpwn up intp a state fit to discharge all the duties of matri
mony. When -this epodi arrives, which is caUed, marriage com-
I, ' plete,
* Betel. Nut  called sopary — grows on a tree similar to the cocoa-nut ; it b
larger fliap the nutipeg, of a round, or rather flatted form : the natives of India
cut it small, and mix it with fin'c^ chunam ; it is then rolled in the betel leaf,
iiid eaten. 'When a person presents it to another, it is the same as giving an
assnrsnce of proteotion while in his company.

146
plete. It becomes a new occasion for joy and feasting; and the
greater part of the ceremonies attending the marriage are now
repeated ; on the concMsion of which she' is conducted with great
pomp to the house of her father-in-law, where she becomes accus
tomed to the sodety of her husband. Thus it wUl be seen, that
according to European notions, no union of hearts, or sentiment,
can be expected to attend the married state in India ; nor indeed'
does the Hindoo give to such consideration a moment's re
flection : the object for wMch he marries is not to gain an intel
lectual companion, to enable Mm the better to encounter the ills,
and travel tMough the thomy footpaths bf tMs' life, but to get
a slave, who may bear chUdren, and be subserdent to the wUl of
her lord.
In a few days, Eishen Doss caUed on me again ; after which
he made hi^ visits more frequent, untU, at length, he came regu
larly three or four times a-week. Never did I feel myself better
pleased with the society of any one, than of Kishen Doss. He
had been, it appeared, a moonshee in the service of the honour-.
able Company, and then enjoyed a Uberal pension from them. The
grand aim of my discourse was directed, to eUdt his real opinion
of the Deity, as weU as that of the enUghtened portion of his
countrymen. The Abbe Dubois says — " The Vanaprastha Brahmans, or As-
cetics, being bound, by their rules, to devote a large portion of
their leisure every day to the contemplation of Para-Brahma
(Supreme Being), it is not surprising that they should have ac
quired some tolerably pure notions of the Divinity ; unless, in
deed, we are to suppose they derived therii by direct tradition
from the early patriarchs, from whom they were not extremely
remote. It is only by the latter way that they can have mounted
up to MelcMsedeck, to Job, to Abraham, and many other cde-
brated personages who were near the era of the flood. ' God,'
to use the words of the phUosophers of India, ' is an immaterial
Bdng, pure, and unmixed, without quaUties, form, or division,
the Lord and master of all things. He extends' over allj sees
all, knows all, directs aU; without beginning, and witjiout
end. Power, strength, and gladness dweU in Him." On my
first perusing the above lines in the Abbe Dubois' Work, niy
surprise may be well conceived, as they called to my recoUection . ,.u-'.the.

147
the precise expressions, almost word for word, made use of hy
Kishen Doss, in elucidation of his opinion bf the Deity.
" If the Brahmans then," I asked, " entertain such subUme'
notions of God as those that have just escaped your Ups, how ia
it they worship idols. instead of Him? why desert the true God,
to worship Brahma,— Vishnu, — Siva,— with an infinitfe number of
others * ; the foUowers of each idol not only worshipping stocks
and stones, but what is equally degrading to humanity, brutes
and reptUes ?—

-Oh, that men

(Canst thou beUeve it P) should so stupid grow,
As to forsake the living God, and fall
To worship their own work in wood and stone !'*
Kishen Doss shook Ms head at thiis,— said— " That none could
prove acceptable to the Para-Brahma, or the Supreme Being, but
the virtuous; arid that the followers of Brahma, Vishnu, or
Siva, only endeavoured to approach him through them. You,"
he continued, " are a Christian, I am a Brahman ; we both wor
ship God differently, in form and in language ; our colour and
habits are different, so is our cpuntry : we travel tpwards Jieaven,
as do other casts who differ from us, a different road ; but at
the last, we shall aU meet at the same end. There are wicked
men every where, as weU as ignorant men ; superstition abounds
every where ; every where there are beUevers and disbelievers of
a God ! What country is without good and evil ? None. But
every good Brahman, whatever may be his mode of worship,
thinks, of the Supreme Being as I have told you."
Notwithstanding the manner in which Kishen Doss endea
voured to gloss over the barefaced idolatry of the Hindoos; such
was' the impression my mind had received, frbm the numerous
opportunities I had of witnessing the idolatrous worship practised
by these people, and so glaringly absurd did their gross supersti-
1. 2 tions,
" There is scarcely an object in nature, animate or inanimate, which the
Hindoos do not -worship ; but -they acknowledge three principal gods, whom
they 'specially venerate, under the names of Brahma, 'Vishnu, and Siva. When
worshipped in union, they form what is called the Trimurti ; and they are se
parately aflored wititi, peculiar rites. These three have given birth to innume-
ralJle otliers ; and the Hindoos liave gone fat beyond aU other idolatrous nations
in' the r(umber of divinities they have formed,' as they reckon no less than thirty.'
'HaBi'.lcoti^ oi gods, each koti beiiig equal to ten millions; so tliat the whole
number amounts to three hvmdred and thirty millions !

148
tions, and chUdish creduUty, appear to me, the evils pf which had
tainted even the manners and custems of their private life, that I
could not but coincide precisely with the author above quoted,
who, after speaking of the lofty terms in which the Hindoo
'writings describe the Para-Brama, or Supreme Being, says—
" But it is painful to see these subUme attributes unwortMly pro
faned, by prostituting them to the false gods of the country ; and
blending them with inn-umerable other attributes, as ridicubus
and absurd as the fables to which they are attached."
Being sensible of the antipathy of the Brahmans to discuss any
religious doctrines foreign to their own pecuUar faith, and espe
cially the tenets of Christianity, I forbore to urge the matter too
far with Kishen Doss, particularly as I well knew that any thing
said in favour of Christianity, however obdous its trnth, and
however that truth might, for the moment, convince him, he would
not admit it, nor allow it to have a permanent effect on his mind.
In short, as the Abbe Dubois justly observes — " The mirades of
the Christian religion, however extraordinary they must appear to
a common understanding, are by no means so to the Hindoos:
upon them they have no effect. The exploits of Joshua and ..of
his ,army, and the prodigies they effected by the interposition of
God, in the. conquest of the land of Canaan, seem to them un
worthy of notice, when compared with the achievement of their
own Rama, and the miracles wMch attended his progress. The
mighty. strength of Samson dvdndles into nothing, when opposed
to the overwhelming energy of Bali, of Ravana *, and the giants.
The resurrection of Lazarus itself is, in their eyes, an ordinary event,
of which they see frequent examples in the Vishnu ceremomes.''
From my general observation and experience, as well as from
what fell from Kishen Doss, I am persuaded that , the , haUts
imbibed by these people from their infancy, — their veneration for
andent customs and usages, — but especiaUy the veneration and
sanctity in which the flesh of tlie cow is held among them, (wMch
animal indeed, they deify, and worship), adheres to them so firmly,
and acts upon them so powerfuUy, as to, render any attempt at
innovation odious, if not hazardous ; 'which conduces me that the
" According to Hindoo Mythology—" The Giant Ravana, who ravished the
wife of Rama, or Vishnu (personating that prince), had ten heads, Tlie.pa)ace
that he possessed in the island of Ceylon, of which' he was king, was so pro-
digiotisly lofty, that the sun passed every day at noon under one of th&arches'.*''

149
the triumph of "Christianity in those regions, wUl be a work of
considerable time. Little progress has it yet made in India,
whatever may have been said or printed in England : but even
that Uttle may prove of eminent future good. It is consolatory,
however, to those who labour in the good Work, and to aU Chris
tians, to know, that God's 'wUl must assuredly be done — that no
obstacle can prevaU against it.
By some Europeans, the Brahmans are supposed to possess, in
a considerable - degree, the art of divination, or fortune-telling,
from inspection of the features of the face, or Unes on the palms
of the hands, " That power," said Kishen Doss, " is known but
to God alone. There are certain wise men skiUed in astrology;
whom we refer to on the occasion of a marriage, or any importarit
undertaking, for the purpose 6f selecting a propitious day ; iand
to determine which, reference is made by them to certain signs of
the Zodiac ; or, there are certain omens that are considered un-
propitious'; such, for instance, as a serpent, -a cat, or a fox, to cross
bur footpath, on the outset of a pUgrimage : we then ihimediately
retUrri, and defer the journey for a future day. The infaUibility of
these signs, as well as the power of divination, said to be possess
ed by Brahmans, is fully believed- by nly people ; but," said
he, " God alorie can know our future fortunes; and asto the pro
fessed povver of astrologers, as weU as the omens of evil, both
owe their credibiUty to darkness and superstition. What is
man, SaMb ? He is a poor creature ; — wise, in his own conceit ;
but, after aU, his mind cannot soar beyond its incarcerated mould
of clay, which grovels on the earth, until ordained to min
gle with it: it cannot explore the secrets of space, nor of futurity.
Seme men there are, who profess to know the mystery of deci
phering certain Unes on the skull, and to be able thereby to read '
the fate that attended Its animated state of existence on earth :
it is an art that the wisest of my race believe in: but of this I
wUl teU ^ou more to-morrow ; the sun is set, — the stars begin to
t^winkle, — and the cool evening's air invites me." He then retired :
I was anxious to know how his " cross old wife" and the " young
one" sigreed; but bdng weU aware the European custom of ask
ing after one another's wives, is considered by the Brahmans the -
height of impertinence, I was restrained from doing so. -
Before. I proceed, I must first observe, what may appear per
haps to-some of my readers almost; needless, that, the natural teu-t
I. 3 dency

150
dency of idolatry is to cormpt all things by absurd and ridiculous
fableg. Innumerable are the fables of the Hindoos, each surpass
ing the preceding in impossibiUty ; and the more absurd to human
imagination they appear, the more readUy are they received as
truth ; indeed, the bent of the ima^nation of the people of India
is such, that they can in nowise be excited, but by what is super
natural or monstrous. The foUowing subject therefore wiU per
haps appear to some readers unworthy of any attention : but-as
there are also many to whom nothing is without interest that be
longs to the manners and dispositions of an andent people, it is
with the idea that an account of some of the genuine tales in
vogue among them, wUl prove acceptable, that I trangress a Uttle
on this subject, by giving insertion to the foUowing ; and the more
so, as the vaUdity of the art referred to by Kishen Doss, ridicu
lous as it may seem in the judgment of Europeans, obtains impU-
cit credit among many of the Hindoos,
The foUovdng moming he came, with a smUe beaming tMough
his cunning eyes ; and seating himself, rested one hand on his
cane, and vdth the other he drew from beneath his vest a human
skuU. There is a j*cuUar sensation invariably produced on my
mind at the sight of a skuU : it is ndther altogether pleasing, nor
is it painful ; but a mixture of both, wMch absorbs the eye and mind
in deep attention to the object. The Brahman drew his chair
close to mine, and placed the skuU on the table, first requesting
me, 'with great poUteness, not to touch it, probably from a dread
he entertained, that my touch might be the means of contamina
ting the part which his pure fingers were about to explore. He
then, with the fore finger of his right hand, directed me to ob
serve minutely certain zig-zag Unes, that formed the front of the
coronal suture, and wMch appeared to bear some trifling resemblance
to the Hindoo character, more particularly to that of the Ta-
mul. " Do you," said he, " see these lines ?"— ." Yes." — " They
are those aUuded to in my discourse of yesterday. Many learned
phUosophers of my cast, pretend to possess the power of decipher
ing these characters, which power they aUege to have derived frmn
the immediate gift of Didne Revelation : the knowledge of tMs
mysterious art, however, is confined to a chosen few : — I once,"
continued IJjshen Doss, '< conversed with a Brahman, who pco-
fijssed the knowledge of it, and who told me the following tale, as
relating to himsdf ; — , ,; ,

151

THB TALE OP THE SKUtt.
It was frequently the, custpm with me, he said, to roam
abpvit the desaift places contiguous to my native village, and to
amuse myself by perusing the destinies of every skuU that might
Ije exposed tp my view on the earth's surface; some;of which were
mer^ or less curious, as having suffered unparaUeled hardships ip.
the world, from penury or disease; whUe others had passed their
fleeting existence, without comparatively a sigh, or single cause
to weep ; some again from the pinnacle of power and riches, were
suddenly hurled headlong ^ntp paradise, or heU, by viplentj means ;
and few there were withput spme remarkable feature, that tended
, either to awaken reflection, or to feed my, insatiable thirst for
curiosity, that gained .a wonderful ascendency over me, from the
pjrst moment I became skilled, in the art*, Three- weeks had once
elapsed, and no skull could I nieet with: my impatience had just
begun tp vent itself in angry Imprecations, when, lo ! I beheld one
just before me : it was one evening in S^tember, on my return
home jfrom attending the festival of; Gaijri*. I, instantly ran
tovrards it, and pervised the Unes pf destiny with avidity; but my
jastonishment was great to read as foUows : — ." Thy, days on earth
wUl be fuU of travaU and sore vexation ; a great wanderer wUt
thou be; but nobody wUl care where thou goest. At thy death
thy soul wiU enter Satyaloka, or the World of Truth,, which is
the paradise of Rrahma, and is watered by the pure streams of the
Ganges. Tliere wilt thou remain In bUss for three thousand
years, when thou wUt again revisit the earth, in a form of a cowt.
L 4 , Thy
• A festival held in honour of one of the three principal divinities of the Hin
doos, named Siva Gauri, being one of the appellations of Parvati, the wife of Siva.
"I- "The system of the metempsychosis, or transmigraUon of souls, was known
ahd received by the Hindoos from the earliest ages. It is from them tliat Pytha
goras, wheu in India, is supposed to have derived his celebrated- doctrine ; al
though on his returri to Greece he taught it as his own. Certain it is, that ,the
books of the Hindoos (which appear to be more ancient than the age of Pythagoras)
are filled -with exhibitions of this absurd doctrine, called by them Purwa Jaurrta ;
and treat of it as a system coeval with their most ancient institutions,- civil and
religious, and established beyond all controversy. It seems to h^ve.had m origin
in an intention to justify the administotion of Providence in fli^pensing rewards
and j^unishments, and, in general, to correct the obvious irregularities, which re
sult from the triumph of vice, and the fall of virtue. The opiirioh of the Hindoos
is, with respect to th^,w^c^ed man who has prospered on earth, ^e gods have^e-
creed, that after the present life, his soul shall become fhe.tenant of the body of a
pariah, of some voracious animal, or a creeping insecF; moreover, fhattobeborn,
'"-<-¦¦ blind.

152
Thy bones (meaning the skuU) wUl go where no pther bohes
ever went before ; after a time they wiU ride on the wings of-the
wind ; but where they wiU aUght, the Fates themselves know not."
Once satisfied, he continued, I would cast the Ufeless bone away ;
but such was the singularity of these lines, that I pondered over
the skuU, which I held in my hand, for hours, endeavouring, in
vain, to reconcUe the prediction to my understanding. At last I '
determined to take it home; under the persuasion that by keeping
it secure from the possibiUty of molestation, I should be able to
divine in process of time, the real meaning of the latter part of
the prediction, that the skuU should "ride on the wings of the ^vind,
and alight where the Fates themselves knew not." On ray way
home, I plucked some of the broad leaves of a cocoa-nut tree, and
wrapping it up very carefuUy in them, I fastened it with^ coir
cord. My chief anxiety now was, to select a place where it Could
remain secure from the prying eyes of my wife. At last I re
solved to enclose it in a bag, and suspend it on a hook that was
fastened in the centre of the ceUing in my great haU, the sanctity of
which place, no one, not even my wife, ever dared to invade. ' In
the evening I carried my design into execution ; and I gazed on
the bag containing the skuU as it was suspended to the centre of
my ceUing, with delight; and secretly resolved in my own mind
it should not be removed, at least, until the mysterious prediction
relating to it was unraveUed. For seven years did it remain in
this secure state ; at the end of which period I determined to un
dertake a pUgrimage to Kasi (Benares). Predous to my depar
ture, I assembled my 'wife and famUy, and told them that my ab
sence would occupy a period of six months, and cautioned them
to beware not to enter the great haU during the period of my pU
grimage, nor aUow a human being to do so, on any account what
ever. To this injunction they all bowed impUcit obedience ; and
I left my native place for Kasi, amidst the loud waUings and
lamentations of my wife and family. At the end of six months I
returned.
blind, or crooked, is an indication of a liffe misspent in a preceding state of ex
istence ; and that, on the contrary, to be born beautiful, rich, powerful, B Btah-^ -
pnan, or even a cow, is an equally clear proof of his having, when in that state,
passed a pure and virtuous life. It is not untU after repeated new births, joined
to the practice of virtue and repentance, until the soul has been Jnirified, and has
corrected its slightest bias towards terrestrial objects, that it re-unites for ever with
the divine Para-Brahma, or Supreme Being, Such continues to be^ the belief oi
the Jlindooj, and, Ss it appears, of the generality of Asiatics at tliis day.

153
i»t)}(iied-^' It was at the hour- of four in the evening I entered
my ,^te5^. a dhurwan* on seeing me uttered a loud shout, and
announced the joyful' tidings of my arri'val: my-^vdfe, who was
the ffirst to approach me, feU at my feet, and embraced them. I
entered, the great haU immediately; but what was. my astonish
ment to heboid that the bag, and its contents, had disappeared,
and;^bthing remained to, greet my anxious view but the bare hopk !
"i Woman !" I said, turning to my wife, " teU me, on the pain of
instE^nt death,'' as I, seized her by the throat, " who — ^who has
ii^y^deditMs sanctuary in my. absence ? What has- become of the
bag, iwith its, contents, that I gave thee such strict charge to pre-
sery©;? : . TeU me, I say, trembUng wretch !" shaking her, for my
injdjgnation knew no bounds. /My wife, .kneeUng at my feet,
suppUcated, in tears and with upUfted hands, my forgiveness, for
her commission of the worst of crimes — disobedience to her hus
band's cstrnwands.— ¦" I could not," she^said, 'f suppress thecuriosity
I fplt to discover what the bag contained. The second week after
your departure, I had a ladder fixed to the CeiUng, and on ascend
ing it, L opened the bag, and eagerly examined its-contents : my
horror on seeing a human skuU was extreme ; but my curiosity
was no sooner appeased on this point, than I felt a burning desire
tOjknow the reason of its being placed there. For a long time my
mind was in a state of turbulence i and anxiety- to divine this re
maining mystery, as weU in doubt whether I should replace it, or
keep it by me, and candidly confess my weakness to you on your
return. At length I consulted a learned gurut. pf our vUlage, as
to the meamng of the skuU being suspended to the ceUing, also
wifch regard to its ultimate disposal. He assured me that it was
the skuU of a fiend, which, in its animate state, had wandered over
the. earth in human form;— that unless it was instantly destroyed,
and every particle of it ground; even to powder, you would be
afflicted with sore calamity, and never return home. I paid the
guru six rupees, and ground the odious skuU instantly, to powder,
and it being a stormy day, I cast it from the top of our house into
the air, that not a, partide of it might poUute our compound.
Now,''added she, " J. have confessed aU I know ; nobody is in fault
but myself ; and attribute it, I pray, to my sex's weakness, or my
love for you, aftdforgive me !" Casting her from me, and command-
, .\ . ..' uy . . ..- ing,
• A door keeper. ', -f- A Hindoo priest, '.."-¦ '.

154
ing her to leave my presence, I reflected in silence, and not-with-
out wonder, on the thorough fulfilment of the latter part of the
prediction ; — on the singularity of events, that sometimes prove in
strumental in carrying the decrees of fate into executiori ; — and how
totaUy impossible, as weU as vain it is, in man, to attempt to re
verse them,
Kishen Doss ended. I thanked him for his tale ; but exprds-
sed my astonishment that the sense of man could be so debased;,
as to give credence to the real existence of any such art ; but on
further conversation, it appeared that the Brahmans, whb pro
fessed the practice of it, were in the habit of seUing it to those
who were dupes enpugh to pay handsomely to be initiated, as they
supposed, into its mysteries. This circumstance, among many
others, which did not escape my notice, impressed me 'with the
justice of observations contained in the pages of many eminent
writers on India, — that if half the superstitious fables and idolatrous
customs prevalent in the East, were traced to their proper soufce,
they would appear to be set on foot, and nurtured by the self-
interest and gratification of crafty Brahmans, and gums or priests
of the country.
Kishen Doss was passionately fond of listening to European
anecdotes ; and to indulge him, I would relate a variety : but I
found none pleased Mm so wdl as those decked out in the Eastern
style of the marveUous, or calculated to excite sudden astonish
ment, surprise, er laughter ; no matter ho W improbable the inddents,
fiction being frequently so familiarized to the mind of an Asiatic, as to
be received with as great pleasure as truth. ' He in his turn would
fevour me with a rdation of Eastern tales, two of which I 'wUl in
sert, as weU for the entertainment of my readers, as to offer a
characteristical specimen of the general taste that pervades them
all. The first, wMch he represented as a maritime tale in vogue
among Mahommedans and Asiatic-Portuguese, -was entitied as fol
lows :— THE TALE OF THE SAILOR OF ALL-WORK *.
A captain of a ship lying in Muscat Roads, was in a great hurry
to procure saUors, in order to proceed to sea immediately. As he
* The literal expression made use of by Kishen Doss, was the sailor of
'^ handy-work :'' but the better to accommodate tlie title to the English reader,
I have altered it to the sailor of " All-wox^."

155
he offered a liberal bounty, .plenty of Mahommedans came
on board to offer their serdces.— " WeU," said the captain
t,o one pf them, " what pay do you want, my man ?"— -" Six
rupees a-mpnth, SaMb."—" Very weU; pass on. — And you?"
^akiug to another,—" Five rupees. Sahib."---" Good again ;
pass on.— And you ?" to a third.-.—" Four mpees, Sahib.'n— " Pass
on-T-rAnd, my man," speaking to a careful-looking Mahpmme-
dan, who advanced, wrapped in an enormous woollen great-coat,
'i^,hp)y much dp you want ?"— " Twenty^tMee rupees per month,
S^hib.''— -" Light of my ^es !" said the captain, " tv? enty-three
mp^es a-month! what for?" — »" What for. Sahib!" repUed the
U^iin ; " because— I'm a sailor of aU-work,"— '^ A gaUor of all-
work ! By the ppwer of Mahommed ! what's that ?".,—" Oh I" re
plied the man, with a pecuUar archness, that conveyed more .to
the mind of the captain than ten thousand words, " you'U see !"
— " WeU, pass on, , saUor of all-work !" His crew being
shprtly after completed, he proceeded to sea.
Scarpely had ttey deared the- l^nd, and. pursued their course
thrpflS^ the dqep waters, vyhen a dreadful storm arose, in the
midst of which every saUor on board was actively engaged in ne
cessary duty, — ^but the saUer pf aU-wprk ; who cpuld npt be pre-
vaUed upon to go aloft, or indeed, do any thing but eat and
drink,. wMch he did very heartUy. At length, by, the assistance
of severe blows 'with a rope's,.iend, he was forced, greatly against
his wiU, to go alpft. Night came on, and with it, aU the hor
rors pf the storm, 'when the sailor of aU-work, not at aU relish
ing , his situation, cast his enormous woollen great-coat into the
sea, and slid down, unperceiyed, by one of the back-stays.
Having reached the deck, he crawled into the captain's store
room, where he lay concealed, and in perfect, ease ; abundance of
Shiraz vvine, dates, biscuit, butter, and, in short, every dainty,
awaitipg Ids touch, with aU of which indeed he made himsdf
sociably free, untU he feU into a sound sleep.
The moment the saUors saw the enormous wooUen coat fall
into the sea, they one and aU, supposing it to be their shipmate,
bawled out to the captain on deck — " The sailor of qU-work's
fell overtoard !" and after the lapse of a few days, during wMch
time the sailors were frequently occupied in scanning the cha
racter

156
racter of their eccentric shipmate, and lamenting his untimely
end, he was totaUy forgotteih
In a few weeks the ship arrived in sight of Bombay, Thiy'
were saiUng with a fair breeze for the harbour, when, all at
once, a voice was heard to cry for, help ! but nobody could teU
from whence it came. Search was made around the ship, and in
every direction, but in vain ; still the voice continued it^ cry\
louder and louder, untU it rivetted the attention of the whole
crew. One of the saUors said, he thought it proceeded from the
stern. Thither they aU ran, headed by their captam : but great
was their astonishment, on casting their eyes towards the mdder,'
to behold, the sailor of aU-work ! who was observed swimming
with one hand, holding on by the rudder chains with the other,
and pufiiing, blowing, spouting, and flouncing about, as if drown
ing — " Oh, you unfeeUng monsters !" he exclaimed, in a half-
choked, and apparently exhausted utterance — "oh, 3'ou demons!
here — here — have — I been — swimming after — the sMp — aU-^the
way — oh ! from Muscat ! and you wont — pick — me up ! Oh,
you — ^wretches! — Help! captain, help!" The crew, by the' di-'
rection of the captain, speedUy got a rope, and puUed him up
like a big fish, marvelling greatly, — ^making -much of him, — arid
assuring him (which was very true) that they never heard Mm
cry out before, and wondering at his amadng prowess, in swim
ming so far as he had done : As for the captain, he determined
not to part with Mm.
The ship had not been many days at anchbr in the harbour of
Bombay, when a Parsee merchant, who dined with the captain,
boasted of his singular expertness at every branch of skUl which
formed the topic of discourse. Among other extraordinary freaks
his predilection for boasting led him to declare himself a
thorough adept in, was that of swimming and diving ; in short, '
he declared that he could swim, or remain under water, longer
than any other man in Asia, — " That," said the captain, " I
must be allowed to dispute with you, being ready to back a saUor
of mine against any man in the universe at diving or swimming ;
in fact,'' said the captain, " he swam after me very nearly aU the
way from Muscat!" — "You!" said the Parsee merchant, in ari
impassioned tone,' and gesture of defiance — " you doubt iriy"
word ! I'U dive with you for fifty thousand rupees, or with any"
saUor

157
sailor you can produce, or with any man oneartii !"->—" That is
a sum," said the captain, " I am top poor to stake upon a ven
ture; but >f you choose to make it ten thousand rupees, I am,
ready to. advance the stakes, if you are.".--" Agreed !" rejoined
thf , merchant. Umpires were then appointed, agreements drawn
out. ^^d. the morning of that day, fortnight, was fixed upon for
.The projected wager hadng formed the chief topic of conver-
^tmn ijii the towii-of Bombay, a vast concourse of people assem-
ble^d^rp^, all quarters eiarly on the morning appointed, to witness
thg|,feat.. Some predicted, that the love of conquest, or desire
q^ssan, would certainly, prove the destruction of one of the parties:
o&eifs ag^in, thought the Parsee would win; ,'whUe the majority
we^e^.tjf opinion that a shark v»;ould, most probably, get hold of
bi^fhjof them,.
; Precisely at the hour pf seven, the parsee mb.^pliaiit made his ap
pearance, and was instantanepusly haUed with deafening acclama
tions frpm the surrpunding multitjude. , He wore a rich turban,
fringed 'with gold. Over Ms shoulders, a fold of plain calico, border-^
^d with sUver lace, partlyconcea|.,ed,a superb diving suit, which had
heen dipped in a magiqian's caldron, pontaimng a niysterious
Uquid, jpalculated to render the wearer pf it, "invincible in war,
and victorious in contest." This, precious suit was decked with a
profusipJC^ .pf diamonds, and massy, clasps of, pearl and gold, of so
rare a workmansMp, as to amaze and deUght the eye of every be-
hplder. TMee vassals, following Mm, bore the amount of his
stakes, ten thpusand rupees; and deliyered the sum ever to the
umpires, who. were natives of Bombay, of high rank, and were
seated under, a. splendid canopy, made of sandal wood, erected ex
pressly for the occasion. In a few minutes, thei captain was seen
to advance, who Ulvewise deUvered over the amount of his stakes
to the umpires. All now were waiting with impatience for the
ssiUor of all-woi:k. , At last, a universal shput annpunced his
appearance, at the summit of a smaU hUlock he had to surmount,
ere h^ reaphgd ^tj^^,e beach, 'J'hese plaudits, however, soon gave
Vfay to emotions of another kind — intense curiosity; for he was,
o|j|ei:yed pulling after him, to the astonishmentof all, and with in-
dgfi^tigable eai^estness, a large bag, containing apparently some
h?py ,^ubstance. Every eye was, fixed uponiiim, untU he rgach-
- -'"¦ '' :¦- " ¦ ' " ' ''eH

158
ed the beach, when he threw the bag at the umpires feet,'
— " What is this ?" said the Parsee merchant. " What is it ?"
said the saUor of all-work, with a surly look: "rice." — "Rice!"
said the astonished merchant — " What for ?" — " What for !" re
pUed the sailor of aU-work, with a look of ineffable contempt at
his adversary ; " to eat, certainly !" At this a loud laugh pro
ceeded from every side : the saUor of aU-work however advanced
to the umpires, and after telUng them that he—" engaged to dive
for a wager, it was true, and dive he would ; but that he did not
contemplate the idea of remaining under water without any tiung
to eat :" — he disappeared.
Various were the expressions of astonishment, occasioned by
his determination to remain so long under water as to consume a
bag of rice, gave rise to : but they were not kept long in suspense,
for he again appeared, with a sack of dates, two jars fuU of Shiraz
wine, and some mangoe jeUy. — " Now,'' said he, " I shaU soon
be ready for you !" and again disappeared. In his absence, the
Parsee merchant wished much to be aUowed to scrutinize the con
tents of the hag, but was not permitted by the umpires. Loud
and repeated plaudits now announced the re-appearance of the
sailor of all- work : but, once more, the multitude were doomed
to suspend their greetings, to gazei in silent astomshment, not un
mixed with the UveUest curiosity, at the saUor of aU-work, who
was observed to advance before sis lusty feUows, bearing on their
shoulders an enormous anchor and cable. After the various ex
pressions of surprise occasioned by this unaccountable appearance
had subsided, the umpires themselves could not restrain their In-
quisltiveness, who, with the captain, and the astonished Parsee
merchant, flocked round the sailor of aU-work, surrounded by an
amadng concourse pf people, aU anxious to ascertain the intent of
these ominous preparations; but particularly of the anchor and
cable, " As for my provisions," said the saUor of aU-work, " I
have abeady told you for what purpose they are intended : the
anchor and cable,'' turning to the merchant, " is to bring us safe
to anchor at the bottom ; and to keep us comfortable there, untU
our stock of provisions are consumed," — " What !" said the Parsee
merchant, who by this time was half crazy with apprehensiori and
surprise—" what ! come to an anchor at the bottom ! and eat
and drink there ! By the povver of Mahommed ! not I !— Now, now.

159
now, do I perceive your design, caitiff! Thou art a magician ;
if not, the devU himself ; 'and wantest to'^ sacrifice riie at the bottom
of the Ocean ; but thanks to Mahpmnied ! I am preserved from. thy
clutches, and the fury of the fiends :" So;:saying,he advanced a
few steps, in order to appeal to the umpires : but the surrounding
populace deeming Ms intention as a mere evasion, or, at the best,
a pretext to avoid the trial of skUl they had all assembled toi
witness, hailed him with deafening yells and hbotings, and were
just ' as Uberal in, their applause on the SaUor of aU-work ; mvH.-
titudes ringing the air vdth shouts of — " Well done; the saUor of
aU-work !" MeanwhUe, the merchant, who was, and not 'with
out reason, apprehensive for his own safety, contrived to make.
his escape, atnidSt the dire confusion and uproar that surrounded
him. This w'as no sooner ascertained, than the saUor of aU-work
was again haUed with umversal acclaUiation ; and the stakes, by
the edict of the umpires, were deUveredintothe captain's hands,
as justly forfeited; who, in gratitude to fchfr sailor of aU-work,
increased Ms, pay from twenty-five, to fifty rupees a-month. Nor
did Ms bounty, end here: on his' arrival in Persia, he presented
him with a cbttage, situated in the suburbs of the famed city of
Teheran, which was the native viUage of the saUor of all-work.
It is' said he Uves there to this day, — exciting the wonder and
admiration of the curious, who flock round his dweUing in
breathless anxiety to gain a sight of hirri, and listen, with addity^
to his description of the mysteries he observed in the inscrutable
depths, and his marveUous exploits, therein,

So much for' the "SaUor of All- work," We now come io the
second tale; which is one of the many held in general estimation
by the Hindoos. It attracted my peculitir notice, from the cir
cumstance of 'my hearing being impaired ; and I may not perhaps
erroneously conclude, that this consideration induced Kishen Doss,
as vydl as other "wise men of the East," to introduce the tale
with greater frequency than others to my especial observance;
I was agreeably surprised, as ivell as pleased, therefore, to read the
tale (although vvith cpnsiderable variatibns,) in the Abbe Dubois'
" People of India." He relates it as follows, and as I cannot hope
to give a better version, I shall insert it in his own styiev
' '  " ' . TALE

100
TALE OP THE POUR DEAF INDIAirg. ' ¦
A deaf shepherd was one day tending his flock, near .Bis o\yri
vUlage; and though it was almost noon,' Ms wife had j^pjj.ypt
brought him his breakfast. He was afraid .to leave hjs shgep^
go iri guest of it, lest some acddent should befall them. But ^
hunger could not be appeased; and upon looking, round, ;,Jj9
spied a. Talaiyari, or vUlage hind, who had come to cut grass.fef
his cow, near a neighbouring spring. He went to .pdl. hipj»
though very reluctantly, because he knew that,, though those ser
vants of the viUage are set as watchmen to prevent theft, yet tj^
are great thieves themselves. He haUed Mm, however, and re
quested him just to give an eye to his flock, fpr the short time .M
should be absent, and that he would not forget him when Tip
returned from breakfast ; but the man was as deaf as MmsdA
and mistaking his intentions, he angrUy asked the shepherd— s
" What right have you to take this grass, wMch I have had'^g
trouble to cut ? Go about thy business, and let me alone !" .Tfie
deaf shepherd observed the repulsive gesture of the Mnd, wMch
he took for a signal of acquiescence in Ms request, and thOTefprej
briskly ran towards the' viUage, fuUy detertnined to glve-Ms wife
a good lesson for her neglect. But when he approachedj^ nis
house, hersaw her before the door, rolUng in the pains of a dment
cholic, brought on by eating, over night, too great a quantity of
raw green pease. Her sad condition, and tHe necessity he was
under tp provide breakfast for Mmself, detained the shephe^
longer than he wished ; whUe the smaU confidence he had in the
person vdth w-hom he left his sheep, accelerated his return to the
utriiost. Overjoyed to see his flock peaceably feeding near the. spot
where he left them, he counted them over ; and findiriff that"
,' , ¦ , . - .'-^ \ I
there was not'a single sheep missing, " He is an honest feUow,"^
quoth he, " thii Talaiyari, the very jevrel of his race ! I pro
mised him a reward, and he shaU have it." There was a lame
beast in the flock, well enough in other respects, which he hoisted
on Ms" shoulders, and carried to the place where the ^ind was, arid
courteously ofiered him the mutton, saying — " ,Ypu have "falen '
great cai'e of my sheep during ray absence — take ttis one for your,
trouble. ^
! ...... .¦ iu; i;'-i,.i!f:ig J,^-*

161
" I," says ^jde^af Mnd-^^'^ Ibreak your sheep's leg! I'U
be hanged if I went near your flock since you have been gone,
6^ Stirred from the place where I now am." — " Yes,^' said the
Shiepherd, " it is good and fat muttori, and vdU be a treat to you
arid your famUy, or friends." — " Have 1 not told thee," repUed
the Talaiyari, in a rage, " that I never went near thy Sheep ;
and yet thou 'vdlt accUse me of breaking that one's leg. Get
about thy business, or I 'wUl give thee a good beating !" And,
by'hi^'gestureS, he seemed determined to put his threats in exe-
cu'tiori. The astonished shepherd got into a passion also, and
asSUriied 'a postUre of defiance. They were just proceeding to
blows, when a man on horseback came up. To hirii they both
iSlfpealed, to decide the dispute' between them ; and the shepherd,
kyirig hold bf the bridle, requested the" horseman to aUght just
for a moment, and to settle the difieren,Ce between Mm arid the
Beg^'riy- Tdaiyari, — " I have offered him a'presenf of a sheep,"
sajs he, " because I thought he hacl done me a'se'rdee ; and, in
re^uitali he wiU knoclc riie dowri^." Th^^ villager was at tlie same
time preferring his complaint, that the shepherd would accuse
him of hreaking the leg of' his sheep, Wlieri he 'had never teen
near Ms flock ^, -; • . ^ ^
The horseman, to whom they both appealed, happened "to,
be as deaif as they, and did not understand "a word that either, of
them said. But, seeing them both addressing him with vehe
mence, he made a sign to them to Usten to him, and then frankly
told them ^at he confessed the horse he rodp was not' Ms own : .
" It was a stray that I fourid on the road," quoth he, '' and being
at a loss, I mourited Mm for the sake of expedition. If he he
yours, take Mm; if not, pray let me proceed, as I am really in
>'v(>»,-';i' .. ¦ -¦'¦ ¦ ¦ ''¦' - ¦'¦¦ '' . I :'..¦".¦--'¦' .,'
great haste.
', The" shepherd and the ¦village hind, each imagining that the
horseman had decided in favour of the other, became more violent
than ever; both cursing Mm, whom they had taken for their
j\j.dge, ^^nd accusing Mm of partiality, '
At this, crisis, there happened to come up an aged Brahman i
instantly they all crowded round him— shepherd, Talaiyari, .an^,.
horseman ; eact claiming his intei-position, and a decisibn in ,his
lavout. AU spoke together, every one telUng his own tde. But ^
the Brahman had lost his hearing also, — " I know," said he,
M " .you

162
" you want to compel me to return ^ipipe to her (meaning his
wife) ; but do you know her character ? In all the legions pf|the
devils, I defy you to find one that is her equal in wickp^ness.
Since the time I first bought her, she has made me commit more
sin than it wUl be in my power to expiate in thirty generations.
I am going on a pUgrimage to Kasi (Benaras), where I wUl wash
myself from the innumerable crimes I have been led into, from the
hour in which I had the misfortune to make her my wife.. Then
wiU I wear out the rest of my days on alms, in a strange la^d-" .
While they were aU four venting their exclamations, 'without
hearing a word, the horsestealer perceived some people advancing
toward them with great speed. Fearing they might be tlie
owners of the beast, he dismounted, and took to Ms heels. T^e
shepherd, seeing it was growing late, went to look after his floclf,
pouripg out curses, as he trudged, against aU arbitrators, and^bitp
terly complaining, that aU justice had departed from th^ earth-
Then he bethought himself of a snake, that crossed his path in
the mormng, as he came out of the sheepfold, and wMch might
account for the troubles he had that day experienced. The ,talai-
yari returned to his load of grass, and finding the lame sheep there,
he took it on Ms shoulder, to punish the shepherd for the vexation
he had given him : and the aged Brahman pursued his course to a
choultry, that was not far off ; a quiet mght and sound deep
soothed Ms, anger in part — and, early in the moming, several
Brahmans, Ms relations and neighbours, who had traced him out,
persuaded Mm to return home, promising to engage his wife to be
more obedient and less quarrelsome in future.

It wUl readUy be supposed, that I was not insensible of the ad
vantage I derived from the intelligent society of Kishen Doss, His
attention, however, was not confined to mere -words ; he would
frequently favour me on the occasion of a Hindoo marriage vdth
a card of admission to a nautch^ or festival, held in celebration of
it, where it is usual for dancing girls* to exhibit their respectl'v^ , powers
* They are better known to the public by the coarser name of strumpets.
Their profession, indeed, requires of them to be open to the embraces of persons
of all casts 4 and although originaUy they appear to have been intended for the
gratification of the Brahmans only, tliey are now iccustdmfed to extend their fa
vours to aU who solicit them.

163
powers bf attractioh in pubUc, These dandng girls, or, as they
call themselves " deva-dasi," or slaves of the gods, are also em
ployed in thp worship of idols. In their dance they never mix
vdth men ; it is confined entirely to themselves. They are the only
women taught to read, to sing, or to dance ; arid as they are con
sidered immbdest and profligate, it would' be thbught the mark of
an irregular education, if a drtuous woman were found capable of
either reading, singing, or dancing : she herself would be ashamed
to confess it. For this reason the Brahmans are so disgusted with
the European custom of permitting, nay, even of encouraging
their wives, to " caper and amble in pubUc promiscuously vdth
the men."
We had made an appointment to attend a nautch, which was
to take place in the week following, at the especial request of
Kishen' Dbss,' \vho assured us that "the dandng girls were selected
ambng hundreds, for their superior beauty and accompUshments."
It Was about four days prioi: to the evening appointed for the
nautch, that a confused Uoise was heard to proceed, in the even-*
ing, from the direction of the river. Bengalees in numbers were
observed hurrying to and fro; and niy curiosity being excited, I
proceeded in the direction of thp uproar. On readiing the banks
of the river, Ibehdd a splendid budgero'W*,near the landing-place,
in a sinking state. The natives were unloading the baggage and
wines with every expedition, while two " Hindoo-Britons," as
they are designated, or " country borns+," were standing by, ac
tively engaged in superintending, and lending their assistance.
Presuming from tMs circumstance they were the owners, and per-
ceidng they were English, I advanced towards them and tender
ed the use of my cottage, accompanied with an invitation, to re
main with me until their affairs were arranged; which they. ac
cepted with avidity, and abundance o% thanks. It may not be
amiss to remark here, that the rites of hospitaUty are observed to
an extreme, among Eiuropeans in India. In travelUng through
the interior, it is Considered an afiront to pass an indigo factory,
ot the habitation of a European, without caUing in, and sojourn
ing a period of some days; as may prove most convenient to the
, ,i 1 , M 2 traveller.

• A boat somewhat jlike our pleasure-barges : it draws from four .to five feet
water. Some have cabins fourteen feet wide, and proportionably long.
¦f- The offspring of a European by a native woman.

164
trai'eller. Such strength has the love of country over our hearts,
that strangers meet as brothers, and chat as sociably and happily,
as if they were reaUy of one family. But, alas ! this enviable
custom, like the boasted hospitality of England in ancient times,
is gidng way considerably, from the great influx of European ad
venturers; and the habits and manners of the Anglais-Orien
talists have of late years undergone a sensible change.
My guests were soon housed ; and in the course of a few hours
my hitherto secluded cottage was a scene of bustle and festidty ;
the misanthropic habits I had insensibly imbibed from a strict
seclusion from the sodety of my countrymen, were then expeUed^
feeUngs that had so long lain dormant, as to become weU-nigh
extinct, again claimed their ascendancy, as the jovial catch,- — the
toast,^ — and enUvening glass, circulated freely ; and after having
been unused to my mother-tongue for months together, and ac
customed alone to Hindoo accents, if I except the French spoken
by my -wife, I felt such music from the voices of my guests as der
Ughted my heart, and aroused some of those few and short-Uved,
but delectable feeUngs of which man is susceptible during Ms fleet
ing existence on earth.
My guests, I found, were indigo planters, then on thdr return
to their respective factories from an excursion of pleasure to the
far-famed city of Hooghly, distant from Chandernagore but a few
mUes ; and their budgerow having sprung a leak, they were tMovm
by this circumstance under the roof of my humble dweUing.
Liberal were their professions of friendship, and urgent were they
for me to leave my retreat to -visit their respective factories ; one
of them, known by the name of HanditoUah, being situated in-land,
west of Calcutta, about twenty mUes, and of which the eldest
Hindoo-Briton, whom I shaU call Dennison, was the owner.
The other factory, the property of the youngest, whose name
was RIago, was situated in the native viUage of Haughbaul-haut,
distant in-land about thirty mUes west of HanditoUah. I was
averse to leave my retreat : every shrub, every tree, and object
about it, was entwined round our hearts in ties of endearment,
and I thought I should be happy to live there for ever ! But the
thirst of man for novelty Is insatiable ; his eye is never satisfied ;
the sight of new objects in remote and foreign countries^ but add
fuel to his desire to see more ; and with this eager propensity for
novelty.

165
novelty, as weU as with the hope of bdng stUl better acquainted
with. the natives, having an opportunity, as I then should, of wit
nessing their customs and manners in their primitive simpUcity,
unshackled at so great a distance in the interior, by the restraints
wthich the presence -of Europeans impose upon them; and also
with a fdnt hope I indulged of meeting with some advantageous
fidd for employment — I embraced their invitation. After re
maining with me for the space of five days, during which period
we- lived in the enjoyment of uninterrupted cheerfulness and good
humour, they departed for their respective factories; leaving a
consummah with me,, as a guide to conduct us to HanditoUah ;
where it was proposed we should remain about three months, at
the expiration of - which period we were to proceed to Haugbaul-'
haut. In the mean time I dispatched, another letter tp my friend
Endtfield, on the west coast of Sumatra, hadng concluded from
his sUence that mine had miscarried ; as too wdll kuew his dispo
sition and feeUngs of regard, towards me, to harbour in my breast a
doubt of their sincerity ; and having left directions with the dawk,
or post-office peons, to forwardmyletters,, I prepared tp commence
niy journey. , ,- ;
I was not forgetful, however, of my engagement at the nautch,
and at ten o'clock on the appointed evening, I sought admission at
the portico of a large native dweUing, buried in the centre of a fine
garden, surrounded by underwood and shrubberies, about two
mUes from Chandernagore. It was opened by a dhurwan, or
door-keeper ; a Hindoo, bearing a cane, mounted with gold, then
advanced, and ushered me into an immensely large room, crowded
by natives almost to suffocation. There was however a smaU
square, about sixteen feet by twelve feet, raUed off in the centre,
set apart for the dancing girls, as well as for the accommodation
of natives of rank, or favour, and where I was offered in courtesy
to my nation, a chair. The partition was richly carpeted ; costly
lustres were suspended from the roof, and on the sides of the walls
many waU shades, or oblong glass lamps, lit with cocoa-nut oil,
produced a brilliant effect. . At the head of the room, distant ten
or twelve paces from where I sat, was a throne of pure gold; the
canopy, twelve feet in height, rested on four massy pUlars, of the
same predous metal, and of exquisite workmanship, the nobs
bdng curiously fiUagreed. On the front of the throne thp Ho-
¦ '• M 3 nourable

166
nourable Company's arms were emWazoned; and pn the thrpne it
self was seated the bridegrppm, on a scarlet velvet cusMon : he
was a fair Hindoo, apparently about thirty : the bride was not
present. By his side was a box, containing betd, which he chew
ed with great sang-froid, looking on at what was gcdng forward
with apparent indifference ; and if I couM justly divine the in
ward emotions of Ms soul, from the self-complacency depicted in
Ms features, I should pronounce his happiness to originate in the
estentatious display of the finery by which he was surrounded,
and to be increased both by the contemplation of Ms own import
ance, as the dispenser of benefits, however smaU, and by the con
viction that he was the object of the admiration of the numerous
multitude collected to witness the nautch. But hard indeed
would it be, if he could not enjoy Mmself with an outlay of ex-
pence so princely, the greater part of which was lavished for the
entertainment of others ; especiaUy as his pursuits were innocent,
and in accordance with the custom of his country : indeed I could
not but wish Mm from the bottom of my heart, every happiness
he could desire.
As I before said, I was seated in the square : to my left, about
ten paces frpm me, was the tMpne ; and to the right, or rather in
front of me, were two dancing gkls. They were well, nay, elegant
ly made; — their form, was symmetry itself ; — their colour, light
oUve, incUnIng to fair ; their hair, long, black, soft, and sUkyy was
divided in front, and fastened in a large fold on the lower part of
the back of the head, reaching half way down the back ; perfumes,
sweet-scented flowers, and degant attire, entvdned with studied
art, aboutthe hair, indicated luxurious delight. One of them had
a black cirde round the whites of her eyes, and wMch, unaccount
able as it may seem, added, at least in my eye, to her beauty.
Their ears were decorated with smaU rings aU round them, set
with garnets, rubies, and other precious stones ; and at the end
of the ear were golden ear-rings, about foiu: inches in diameter.
On their necks were carcanets, and massy golden necklaces ; on
their arms, golden armlets ; bangles of sUver and gold on their
wrists, , and sUver bangles on their ancles. Their attire was the
same as is usuaUy worn by Hindoo females, with- the exception
of the substitution pf sUk for cotton, and a pair of broad sUk
trowsers; the whole arranged with strict regard to decency,, the
garments

167
girments being thrown loosely, and in gracefur folds, aroUiffl
thbra,'so as to set- off their shape to the utriiost' advantage ; tlie
feet ¦«^ete left bare. ¦,''
Their dance was a cadenced moveriient, but graceful arid plea
sing; in -which the motion of ^their arms and hands, •with a
certairi expression of feature, indicative of tenderness, sensibility,
arid delight, occupied their chief attention, as they do not dance
aS'in Europe, With rPgulEff' steps. At intervals they would chant,
in a loud screeching tone (any thing but musical)- verses of 'their
songs, 'w'hich, I 'understood, related to soirie circumstance or
othfer of the Uves or amours of their gods:-^
'' • - "Thty Sangf, and 'as they raised their arms above;
Their roUing eyes confessed their soid was— love !
Coiitrary to the representations that had been made to rile,: no
thing lasdviousini their movements did I see, nor any thing to^
ofend the chastest eye ; but such is the soft, seductive, and al-
lariog icharacter of the dance, as to produce in- general aten-'
dency (to, dalUance on every beholder. ' BeMnd them w^ere seated '
cross-legged on the carpet, four Hindoo musicians ; one of them
beat a tum>-tuin, or drum'. His head, shoulder, arms, and evfery
muscle,, were In motion during his perfortriaBce'. - 'Ariofhe* played
a harp, in great favour among the Brahmans; caUed hina; the
¦Wires of metal, the catgut being considered totr impure for Che
fingers of the Hindoos to touch. A third thrumnied a guitar, called
kinnara ; and the fourth kept time by .sounding a kind of musical
beU.' The npiise of the tum-tum, with the discotdant scrapings
of the stringed instruments, and the intermitting screeching; or
shrieks, of the girls — the jinglng of their ornameritSj diversified
with the dance of the syrehs — togethei? with the splendorirof the
room,— ^the throne, — and the sable diversity of huinan Objects com
posing the audience,' forsiied the principal features of my enter-
tainment, with which indeed I Was much gratified, and' did- not
return home untU a late hour.
NothiiigastPnistes'ithe' European mCre than the absurd' and
obstreperouS- ^n and -coafudon produced by' the music of the
UitiftdbS.' -SB feMli2:pie]*Glng; and!' discordant, does it sound to
am European ear, that -the very idt» of order, or any kind of
method, 5i»tiu-ia seem to be^altbgether ttutof the question. .. I can
cosnpare ' thdr raUsic which-accpmpanies the procession of'''*'thdt-
¦''•¦•'' M 4 idols.

168
idols, to nothing better than the sound of a poker struck vio
lently against a brass pan; and that of their nautches, to the
scraping of numerous Ul-toned violins — to the sound of dmi&s ¦
and beUs, trying to do justice to some of the fiend-Uke airs in
" Der Frdschutz ;" and yet Kishen Doss assured me, with great-
gravity, that " the English were wonderfuUy clever, and under
stood every branch of the arts and sdences to perfection, but one,.
and that was — ^music ! of that," he said, " we had not the re- '
motest idea."
Like us, th^ have a gamut of seven notes, and are taught.
music methodicaUy. The gamut, wMch is said to be introduced
into Europe but in modem times, by the Benedictine monkc
Guide Aretino, has been known to the Hindoos from the earUest
ages ; it is to borne in mind, however, that the Hindoos have
never brought any thing to perfection ; and that in sdences, arts,
and manufactories, they have remained stationary at the point
where they were several hundred years ago: their musidans at
that remote period were as skUful as those of the present times ;
and if we compare the Hindoo music, as we now hear it, with
that of Europe as it was two or three thousand years ago, the
former might, and probably would, take precedence over aU
others in a simUar stage of society: — " In those remote ages, the
Druids, and other leaders of popular beUef, in the greater part
of Europe, used in their rites nothing but dismal and horrid
shrieks, and had no instrumental music but what was produced
by clasMng one plate of metal against another — by beating on
a stretched skin.— or raising a duU and droning sound from a hom,
or a rude instrument of twisted bark." And they would pro
bably feel as Uttle gratification at that period from the dulcet
strains of an European band of music of the present day, as do
the Hindoos, whom I have frequently seen gazing 'vdth a stare of
vacant curiosity on our band, but so Uttie deUght did it seem to
afford, that I never knew one of them to remain two miimtes.
As to the ornamental arts, such as painting, .scnlptuie,. and the
like,' they have as Uttie emerged from barbarism as their -muac.
Their painting, particularly, is nothing but mere daubing; set off
with bright colours and extravagant glare. >
To proceed: — A budgerow was now engaged, to convay
myself ~ sind Virginia up a aavi^ble creek, that ran ;»! -consi
derable

169
derablfe distance! west, into ; the interior ; and at the. -t^mimtioH
ofe whitih, was situated, at the distance pf a few mUes, the indigo ;
factory of HanditoUah. On leaving Kishen Boss pro tempore, :>,
Iibade him a cordial fareweU; as I reverenced him fprjhis age, as.
vkbU (as for his judgment, and kind, attention to me. I could not
hut:.!regret, however, as. we parted on the banks of the risw, ;
thaiiithei customs of Ms .jcast forbade our shaking hands.. Such.is ,
the^nature of custpm, or habit, ^and, such power iasdtoyer us,
that when he bade adieu, my heart was in my hand,- ready to-
encircle his within its ;grasp; whUe he, influenced, no doubt, by
sfauMroimpressions of regard, but unused to the" palmy tes_^! of
fiSeoaiship, expressed Ms feelings through, his aged but eloquent
eyes;— ^pressing, at the same time, the head of his cane, or, staff,'
with* the Uke; ces'diaUty as we should our; hands,, had we been
countrymen. I contented myself wifh, expressing my hope, that
^f.the Creator and Preserver of the universe would, protect f us
both, untU we met again.";In this he cordially joined, expressing
himsdfaneariy in the same wordsi)' • ..j. ,> ,
.<¦; i,We,ieftj Chandernagoce at break of day, and saUed, with a fair,
wind, ' up the Hooghly, until we reached the nuUah, or xreek*
We then steered i westward,! the boatmen plying their oars, in
consequence of the wind failing. rAs we advanced, the prospect
became mpre and more interesting: the green crops of paddy and
rice,, with the native husbandmen foUowing their several occupa
tions — ^the spots, of jungle; or forest, scattered here and therp— r
ail ^eating the a^ect of nature's simplest -garb; aided alone by
the industry of man, and unadorned by the .studied art with
which the (jultivated fields of Europe abound, was a gratifying
spectacle; — one that I would not then have reUnquished for any
consideration. The. jackal, in appearance not unlike th& fox,
was frequendy seen prowUng near us, staring, as a dog is some
times observed to do, on-sedngany attractive phject— birds of
gaudy plumage, particularly the paroquet, were in , plenty i as
;also:innumerable bevies of wild duck — the -vulture and hawk,
however, 1 were the mest cpnspicuous, and , very active, conyert-
,'ing A^faiJi firmament into ; a seatipf ,- constant warfere. and deatit.
The face of the coun1arp,was.ift,;tevd;: and I must not omit to
add,.)4h»t the..Tte|t«riQi:^3oioar and ..jefresMng- fragrance of, the
morning air, surpassed :any, thing J bad ever:hefore :Sx$en<S&^-
¦;---,..,, ¦ ' 'At

170
i.At ten o'clock the shaUowness of the nullah prevented bur
further progress, and we landed ; the cooUes carrying oar bag
gage, and the consummah, or butler, of Mr. Dennison, acting
the part of a guide. It was at that season of 'the year caUed the
cold season, in the month of June, when the north-east mon
soon is prevalent ; and on our landing, which was about eleven
in the forenoon, we found the temperature of the air pleasingly'
inUd, but in the mornings and evenings the cold is intense, the
inconvenience of which is the more sensibly felt, from the cir
cumstance of stoves bdng out of use in India. The appearanoe-
of ice is not uncommon ; and the natives, huddling themselves
together into a " pindiing posture," seated on their hams, and
wrapped in a piece of wMte caUco, with nothing but their black
pertinacious noses peeping out, produce a ludicrous effect, as dewed
in contrast vdth the whiteness of their clothing.
We traireUed on foot for six or seven mUes, through a country
as, deUghtful as novel to me. Every step we trod on the plains,
excited interest, from the possibUity of meeting with something
new, either in animal or vegetable nature. In the woods which
we passed through, various objects^ served to heighten the plea--
sure of our journey, such as buffaloes, foxes, flying foxes, and
peacocks, in their wUd state ; but the gay plumage of the fea
thered race, who were observed seeking shelter on the shady
branches of the tamarind, the pabn, and the pummalo trees,
from the sun's rays, that became oppressive as it reached the me
ridian, were by far the most attractive of the surrounding no
velties. It was the first time I had enjoyed what may be termed
a country walk, since I left my native land ; and both Virginia
and myself felt the excursion a delicious treat. By tMee o'dock
we reached the indigo fiictory of HanditoUah.
The dweUing-house attached to the factory was situated at
the extremity of a lane, about the distance of sixty yards from
the high road that leads to Benares. Two enormous palm-trees
reared their stately heads at the entrance ; and on dther side of
the lanC, trees were closely planted, afibrding a pleasant shade.
In this house Mr, Dennison, his friend Riago, and Mrs, Riago,
who had arrived from Calcutta, were in expectation of, and ready
to receive us. If any state of social enjoyment, aided by a
prospect of nature's fairest scenes, together with every personal
convenience

171
cpnvenience to be desired, would bear romparison; out of Europe,
with the like enjoyments in a faraLihouse in envied England, — it
was the indigo, factory of Mr. Dennison. ': Our host was a gene^
rousonei.he had provided abundantly the luxuries rof Europe,
suftbashams, cheeses, ale, and claret, 'with every eastern rarity
to make us happy. Kiago was apparentiy of a dispositian similar
tpiMs friend Dennison ; his .wife, a young and amiable Creole
lady, soon formed an association pf sentiment 'withmine ; .and I
was then of a jtemperament to enjoy the deUghts thus^ aimply
afforded me, te perfection ; but what contributed to my happiness
more than any pther circumstance, was the presence of my- bro
ther John, who had obtained a temporary leave of absence from his
ship, that had arrived but the week before from a. survey.; Ta Mm
also the change was atrpat ; andioft^n would we indulge in the
golden hope of one day returning with a comp^«ncy to our
native land, although neither, of us had 'any feasible; prospect of
ever being able to do so. StiU, however, we'enjayed the present
moments:; .but not .without aUoy-.^th6 though-t of Ahei future,
now sanguine, now depressed, would ever and- anon intrude it
self on our attention. . After remaining with us one week; my
brotherbade us farewellT.^alas! for the last time; — since then I
have not seen him ; and from, certain rumours, it is-fearedihe has
met .with an untundy grave in the river Hooghly.
The dweUing-house contained five rooms on one floor, a hall,
and verandah : and the household of our host consisted of ten
male servants, and five female slaves. In front, was a spacious
tank,. abounding with fish; numerous outhoases, .stables, contain
ing, tMee fine Arabian horses,, and a shed for a large male ele
phant, endrded the back part of the buUding, wMch, with a
pair of fine vats for the manufacture of indigo, comprised the
prindpal objectS:,of the^feoi^- . Our cMef amusement consisted
in shooting and hunting ; wUd ducks and paroquets were aihim-
dant, as were ffying foxes, that resemble when flying a squirrel,
and have winga: like those.of a bat; also, gwardors, or young
aUigators, usually metwith basking in. the sua near the bordajs
of aj.tank, intp wMok they plunge, for safety pn- the. appearance
pf danger.. The flesh of the .gwardor, as weU as that of the
flying fox, is esteemed a.great delicacy.
The impression the. mind receives in the interior of a forest

172
in India, is far different, and I may say, of a mdi'e suMtihe' ten
dency, than that received from a forest in England, inasmuch as
not only the grandeur of Nature, as exhibited in the hdght; cir
cumference, and density of the trees/ is remarkable, but the
intense interest which is the paramount and inseparable feeUng
in the mind of an European, affords in itself a great excitement.
He knows not whether a tiger or capeUa — an' eagle or a vulture
—an alUgator or a buffalo, may the next minute cross his path.
To an European exploring the interior of a forest in Hindoostan,
every object appears to belong to an undiscovered country, where
every inch of ground may send forth sometMng new : but to
the native its interest is lost ; to them nothing is new ; and
they only wonder at the Sensitive curiosity evinced in general ^
Europeans, in regard to objects that appear to them tMngs of
course, and undeserving of notice.
It was in one of our shooting excursions about three in the
afternoon, that we approached a square buUding in a glen,
shaded by tamarind, cocoa, and pepel-trees, and weU-nigh ob
scured from human observation : We were casuaUy attracted to
the spot in the pursuit of a wUd peacock, which had eluded
the range bf our shot for some paces, — when a loud shout, echoing
suddenly through the wood, rivetted our attention. We found it
came from one of the temples of Siva : we looked at the interior ;
in the middle of the yard, or compound, was an altar, on wMch a
bleating ram, reeking with gore, its head nearly severed from
the body, was in the agonies of death. The black agents, who
were the principal actors in this scene, were nearly in a state of
nudity, and being UheraUy sprinkled vdth the blood of their
victim, bore the appearance of fiends in human shape : another
terrific yeU rended the air when the dctim made its last struggle.
— " Ah !" thought I, " this must be some remnant of the sacri
fices of the ancients to the true God ; and these people know not,
or wUl not believe, that the ' great sacrifice' for all, has already
been made." On turning, however, to my friend Dennison for
an explanation, he undeceived me — " They are not," sdd he,
" sacrificing to God, but to the devU, or malevolent fiends, for
the purpose of averting their wrath, and the edl to come," Such
an act of gross fatality as this in the nineteenth century, even in
the glens of Hindoostan, appeared to me. almost i^tcre^ibie, ,v .
,.-„'. '. We

173
We,,diali now see wjhat issaid by the Abbe Dubds on the sub
ject of ,tbis mode pf. worship, and on the fanatics, or worsMppers
Q^^hutas, or fiends, who practise it— " AU.nations of the earth,''.
hprpays,;" cldlized,or barbarous, have acknowledged the exist
ence of certain, evU spirits, whose nature and constant employ
ment it is to injure, men in various ways. Revealed religion alpne,
gives just and rational views of the subject: superstition, on the
other hand, engendpred by fear, and nourished by ignorance, has
conjured up a thousand absurd and ridiculous fables, on a subject
sp, weU suited. People, who have not surmoimted their crude
n^tipns concerning the general dispensation of Providence, when
they fi^id themselves unable to discover the causes ; of the cross
appidepts, however common, which befaU them in the ordinary
course pf nature, cannot help ascribing, them to the agency of in
visible and wicked beings, who deUght in bringing upon men the
various ills and miseries to which th^Y are e^osed. . TJip next
step is, to seek to propitiate the fiend, by prayers, adoration, and
sacrifice. The worship of demons is, uniyersaUy .established, and
prapti^gd among the Hindoos; they, caU them., £7jjito, vi^Mch also-
signifies element, as if , the elements were, in j^ct, npthing else but
wlck,ed spirits personified, frpm whose wrath and fury aU the
disiturb?in,ces of nature arise. In many parts we meet temples,
spcdajly devoted to the worship of vd.c^pd, spirits ; there are dis-
tricts,ialso ,in which it almost exdusiyely ,pr.ed;Pmin,ates, Such is
the long chain of mountdns which extend on the west of the
Mysore, where the greater part of , the inhabitants practise no other
worship but that of the dedl : every house, and each family, has
its own particular Bhuta, who stands for its tutelary god, and to
whom daUy prayers, and propitiatory sacrifices, are offered. In
those parts, the image of the demon is every where seen, repre
sented in a hideous form, and often by a shapeless stone. The
worsMp of the Bhutas, and the manner of conducting it, are ex
plained in the fourth yeda of the Hindoos, called Atharvana-veda."
On our return, we were met by a guru, or priest, mounted on
abullpck, lyhich was decked out with bells, cowries*, and rings
through its npsp; round the neck of the guru, numerous rows
of beads were suspended, peaching as far down as his brgast, and
which
• Cowry, a smaU shellyused in many parts of India as money ; eighty make
<)tie pun, and fifty or sixty puns, one rupee.

174
which he was telling, with his fore firiger and thumb, very
earnestly^ as he passed" us, muttPring to himself at the same time
his mantras, or prayers. His appearance was altogether remark
able, and, in connectiPn with surrounding objects, weU calculated
to leave a lasting impression on the mind.
But what especiaUy attracted my observance, was the singular
appearance of the ma^dans; — as also of the snake-charmers. 'I
shaU first speak of the former. The art of magic is systiematicaUy
taught among the Hindoos, and the Brahmans give it a place iri
the table <yi their sciences : its mysterira are said to be develc^ed
ha several of their books ; but particularly in that of the four
vedas, wMeh bears the name of Atharvana-Veda. In Europe,
the art of magic (so long as a belief in it subsisted) was undet^
stood to mean a compact entered into with evU spirits. In India
however, it is different j the practitioners recdve their lessons from'
the masters of the art, or, as they themselves style them, their
gurus. The ppweris supposed to conMst in drawing down e'vU, in pro
viding antidotes against' vdtdhcraft, which they distribute to those
who choose to consult theffi, such as enchanted beads, roots,
plates ¦ of copper, with extraordinary figures, inexpUcable words'
and characters engraved thereon, and Ukewise amulets, to serve as
taUsmans from incantations of every kind ; secret methods of in-
spiringiove, and of curing, or controlling that passion, are pro
fessed to be understood by the magicians ; also the secret of obtain
ing unbounded wealth, and worldly blessings: but the grand
perfection of the art, is held to consist in the power of communi
cating enchantment to the arms used in war; and it is not un
common for those who have weapons (supposed to be) charmed by
magic; to bid defiance to wounds in battle. The power of "a ma
gician to destroy a besieging army, is another of the supposed
prerogatives of magic ; and it is well known that Tippoo, during
his wars with the EngUsh, assembled the most celebrated magi
cians from distant parts of Asia, for the purpose of destroying the
English army ; but they were obUged to confess, that their incan
tations had no power over Europeans.
The practitioners of the art are said to make use of the bones
of certain animals, such as the elephant, black dog, tiger, black
cat, or bear ; also the bones pf a man born on a Sunday, when it
faUs

175
SaBs on the new moon, and of a woman born on a Friday,' the
foot bones «f an European, of a Mahometan, Pariah, and several
others. They also make use of scorpions. But the most horribliS
phpjacteristic of this pernicious art is, the sacrifice of human vic
tims*, usuaUy young girls, of the age of twdve years; this they
da not. scrapie to do whenever any urgent or particular effects are
required to ^be produced.
vThfi appearance of the magician I saw was quite in unispn with
his calUng; he rode on a Sorry-looMng donkey ; the cap hp wore
was blue, and of a conical shape;, Ms neck and breast were Ute
raUy covered with beads, and his fingers vdth sUver rings. He
was tall and thin, pf a jet-black complexion ; Ms large blaick eyes
appeared ready to start out of their sockets, from the apparent
efiects of stupifying drugs, or intoxicating spirits. Indeed, if
ever human being was calculated, by his appearance, to convey to
the (mind the idea of a fiend, it certainly was this ma^cian.
I first saw Mm in one of my rambles among the precincts of
HanditoUah, when I was attended only by my servant, who un
derstood EngUsh weU. Observing a crowd of natives near the
bazar, I ventured to approach them, which was no. sooner ob
served by the by-standers, than they made way for myself and at
tendant. The magician was holding forth, in a loud and ani
mated strdn, with his fece to the sun, and apparently addressing
it ; but, on seeing my servant, he suddenly changed his position,
and ordered, him to stand in the centre of a ring there was ready
formed in the midst of them, and when there, to throw the cane
he, held in his hand on the ground. He immediately compUed;
but no sooner had he entered the circle, and thrown down Ms
cane, than he exhibited every symptom of terror, and cried aloud
that he was encompassed by a circle of fire, from wMeh it was
impossible
• That human sacrifices have existed among the Hindoos, may be pro'ved
from a -Hindoo book, said to be written under the direction of Siva, entitled the
" galika-Purana," in which are detailed the mode, ceremonies, and advantages
of sacrificing human €ctinis to such gods as delight in them. , The cluef of rthese;
grids are, Bahria, Varna, Dharmaraja, Kali, and Mariama. The sacrifice is
held in this book as a right inherent in princes ; the, object-of the awful rite
bfei^ tp rejider the divinides more placable, and to obtain thrar favourable ;'aid
in battle. Haypily, howeve^, this hprrid practice is now nearly, if npt, entirelyj
abolished, ifiJie vibtims sacrificed m secret by the magicians, in their ceremo
nies,, arfe. excepted. One of the books of the. sacred Veda, called "Athafvana-
Xff^>" ^'"^ teadies the magical art, recognizes this horrible ceremony.

176
iajpossible for him taesoape :-— TMs lasted for die space of two mi
nutes. The magidan then advanced, muttering some nmnteUig^ble
words, and told my servant to pick up his cane. He then appeared
even more terrified than before,; declaring he was in the midst of
water, and should be drowned ; indeed, his indications of terror
were so excessive, that I expected every moment to see him faint,
or lose his senses. The magidan immediately puUed him out of the
ring by the hand, and the astonished crowd separated. As for riiy
servant, he departed hastily away, seemingly very glad to~escape,
foUowed by myself and the magidan, who, it appeared, was well
known to Mr. Dennison.
For some weeks he continued to visit us daUy, exMbiting -unac
countable specimens of his art, wMcfa faUed to make us prose
lytes to the beUef of immediate supernatural agency, but ceis-
tainly afforded a fund of amusement. The Umits of this work
'wiU not admit of a description of them, but for the satisfaction of
such readers as desire further information, I insert the foUowing
extract from- the able author before quoted, with wMch I shaU
conclude the subject.—" But it is from rivals who exercise the
same trade, that the magician has most to dread. These do what
they can to counteract his projects, and to make the effects of Ms
own wicked contrivances faU upon himself, by employing speQg
of StUl greater efii,cacy. This being the case, they beto a mortal
hatred towards each other, or at least pretend to do so. When
they meet, their mutual dislike breaks out into loud defiance, call
ing on those within their reach to decide as judges between them;
and pronounce which of the two is the more skUful. The contest
begins. The problem perhaps is, to Uft a straw fiom the ground;'
or a piece of money, without touching it. Both advance, but they;
stop one another's progress' by flinging enchanted dnders, or by re-"
citing mantras. They both fed at the same instant, an indsible,
but irresistible force, which repulses and drives them back. They
again approach, redoubUng their efforts. The sweat extends in
drops ; blood is discharged from their mouths. One of them, in '
the scramble, gets hold of the piece of money, or the straw, and he'
is clamorously proclaimed the victor.
" Sometimes one of the combatants is 'dblently precipitated
upon the ground by the force of the mantras of his antagonist. Iri
thb state he remains for a long while stretched at his whole length,
breathless.

177
haeaJWeSj and^as he rii^Aesit appear) deprived^jf sensation. At
•lBI^th.he:gets up, and affects to be very Ul for several days.
f^igfJEt wittreadsly be supposedthat: I attribute such disputes and
^eijt,con«equences to a premeditated understanding between the
quacks ; but, through aU India, the people are firmly persuaded
thatltheae processes result from magical secrets known only to the
irjjtistted few, who, by their means, produce such wonderful
«feets; and itj.must he owned, that effects are occasionally pro-
,dttcied(i by them, of .wMch it would not be easy to didne the
CaUSe.'fvj .iv,i.;-!, ;.'. ,'- . ¦ ,."-.. .-
It new remains for me to aUude to the snake-charmer, or ieeper
oftSerpents; but it is necessary first to mention, that of aU noxious
animals found- in India, there, are none that occasion more fre
quent, or more .fatal results, . than serpents. The evUs inflicted
hy.it^fr tiger, thpugh very fri^tful, occur more raiely; and are "less
generally fdt. In: any, one dUage in India,liardly a month passes
iv^thput some person Suffering sudden death from the bite.o£ a ser
pent. Thempst common, and, at the same time, the most venom
ous, ..is what,' in Europe, is generaUy»caUed,the,i;apeffl!,r or
^ppded' snake; but by the Hindoos, Naga. , Jts. bite sometimes
9cca3ons instant death. It i? distinguished by a membrane on
each sl^-Of' the head, iwhichj, in general, ia net perceived ; but
whichj whenever^the animal is irritated, rises up j- and forms a kind
of.h^-dre.s8,( presenting a very beautiful appearance. Unfprtu-
nately this snake is met with every vvhere; and for^, this reaspn, the
I^ndoos offer sacrifice and adoration to it, ahovSall others. The
festival especiaUy consecrated to its worsMp (and wMch is one of
the eighteen annual festivals of the Hindoos), is celebrated ,with
great pomp on the fifth, day of the moon in Deeemh^. The cou-
stant fear of its dreadful bite has. caused it to he considered the
most, sacrpd of animals. Upon the. same prindple, the, Egyptians
pay divine honours to the crpcpcyp.e,--^'f At a place called Subrah-"
manya, ip the west.^jf the.Myscre, there is ar. temple «xpresis^
erected tP serpents, the name of Subrahraanya- being dprjved from
the great serpent Suhraya» ivhich is renowned in Hindoo fable,
and the principal deity honoured at tMs p^oda. When-the, fes
tival comes round*,i'Vast crowds assemble from all -partSj.ta- offer
sacrifices , to their creeping ^^s,ip, thdr sacred dome, , jl^any ser
pents, both .pjf the pap§Jli».aBd .pther. spedes, ;bayf ^en y^B #©*
N residence

178
residence vdtMn it, in holes made fo«r the purpose. They-are
kept, and well fed, by the presiding Brahmans, with mUk, but
ter, and bananas. By the protection they here enjoy, tiey mul
tiply exceedingly, and may be seen swarming from every cranny^
in the temple; and a terrible sacrilege it would be to injure or
molest them !
Early one moming I was. caUed up to 'witness the feats of a
snake-charmer, who had arrived with two baskets, carefuUy co
vered over, and filled with serpents of every kind. Loo^ly hung
on his ancles was a variety of large hoUow brass rings ; they
were cut in two breadthwise, and so constructed; that at each
motion of his foot, t^e two sides striking against each other, pro
duced a shrill noise, resembling the sound of a brass basin ¦when
struck with a hammer. He placed his baskets down, and playing
a pipe, the sounds of wMch were both harsh and pierdag, walked
leisardy round the haU and bedirooms, looking into each credCe,
or aperture, that presented itself in the apartments, vdth unconi-
mon quickness. Suddenly he creeped cautiously towards a cOTner
of one of the rppms, stUl playing his pipe, and with the quickness
of lightning, stretched Ms hand towards a capella we saw peep
ing out, as if Ustening to the music : a squeak, Uke to that
of a rat, announced its capture, and it appeared entwined
round the juggler's arm, ¦whUe its head and fangs were grasped
firmly between his finger and thumb. His thumb indeed was
bloody; but after aj^lying some restorative medidne to the
wound, he placed the serpent in his basket with the others. The
Hindoos confidently beUeve that snakes are charmed by the sound
of the pipe,-.-that there is no deception in the case ; but many
Europeans conclude that it is a rank imposition ; the art condst-
ing in putting a snake previously tamed, and accustomed to
thdr music, into some remote plsfce, and so managing, that
in appearing to go casuaUy in that direction, and beginning
to play, the snake comes forvrard at the accustomed sound:
but at the same time, it must be confessed that" this opinion is
not general; and I have heard many of my countrymen, who
have resided twenty years and upwards aniOng the HindiiPS; ¦ de
clare their conviction that, "in many cases there was no decep
tion whatever." Relative to the subject; I cannot omit quoting
the folloWfeig striking passages ^i9criptUi», Which would Ifeatf; to
the

179
the conclusion, that ^whatever doubts may arise, as to the existence
gf the art in modem times, there is strong reason to sujqiose it
was realise)! in the days of oH::-r" They are as venomous as
the^poiso^ of a serpent ; even like thed^f adder thatstoppeth hejc
ears, which refiiseth to hear the voice of the charmer, charm he
never so wisely." — Psalm IviU. 4. ~" For behold I wiU send ser
pents, cockatrices among ypu, wMch wiU not be charmed."—
Jerem. viu. .I7,.
Predous to this, man's departure, he exhibited, at the particular
request of Mr. Dennison, the power he possessed over the reptUes,
by making them " dance," as he expressed it. He first seated
himself on the ground, in front of the baskets containing the ser
pents, and began to play his pipe. After a few minutes, he
^wly, and ^ith great caution, removed the Uds of the baskets,
when the. serpents, attracted by the music, were observed to creep
out; but they seemed (the capeUas.in particular) more inclined
tOfbe angry, than todanice; and on being stimulated by the jug*
glw, who moved them about with a cane, they lassumed a threat'?
ening. posture. Ilie manlce^ near them, stiU playing, and striking
his feet together at the. same time,;producing a compound of harsh
sounds, wMch seemed to stupify the serpents ;— they appeared giddy;
a_4heir eyes grew dim, — and in the attempt to balance th^selveK,
.g^bited . the. appearance gf dandng. He then covered the
baskets, and having secured them by fastenings, buckled th^a
round his person, and made Ms farewell salam, receidng one
rupee and, a half for Ms pains.
The prindpal source of gratificatiPU derived by the Eurepean
traveUer, on his sojourn in a country village in Hindoostan, is
the diversity of new and attractive obj;ect% wMch are conti
nually .presented to dew in his excursions through the neighbour
ing hamlpts. The truth of this was never perhaps more frijly
developed to , the mind of the traveller, than on the Allowing
occasion. It was abp^t, the hpur pf tvrelve pr one, when we fpund
pursel,ves in the ,^dst)pf a forest, on our return to HanditoUah
fepm shopping. Suddenly there appeared in front of us a bevy pf
elephants, ,ahout fifty in number, bp^es camels and dromedaries ;
they were preceedi^g^ to join some of the Coi^giany's infantry
regiiij.ents, ^ftvipg halted ^ in a plain of the for^- intpE-
»per|e4 .witK lofty threes, theiigher Igaves^of wMc|i were }g^ $^-
n2 " " gular

180
gular extension, and formed a complete shelter from the sun's
rays. Some of the elephants were of an enormous size, apparently
nearly twice as large as such as I have seen exMbited in England,
They appeared perfectly tame, suffering me to approach close to
them, whUe they were occupipd in helping themselves vdth their
trunks to the leaves of trees, furnished by their keepers. The
appearance of so many of these colossal animals, feeding themselves,
and tossing immense boughs in the air with their huge trunks,
was a superb spectacle. Some were on the ground, apparently
dodng — others, busUy engaged in cooUng themselves, by spirting
water through their trunks over their bodies, — in fondling one
another, or beating off the flies with their proboscis, or vdth the
flaps of their ears ; while the natives, seated in the shade, were
eating their homely meal of curry and rice, served up on the
broad leaf of the plantain tree. The bright glare of the atmos
phere; — the wUd grandeur displayed in the surrounding land
scape; — the novel group of men and animals before me, altogether
conveyed to my mind such an enviable sensation of delight, that
I recUned for two hours on the threshold of an Indian hut,
which was in the midst of them : the sun now disappearing in
the west, the traveUers prepared their chattels, roused their beasts,
and mounting them, pursued their journey towards the high
road which leads to Benares ; and in another hour, were out of
sight. After remaimng at HanditoUah for the space of three months,
we commenced our journey towards Mr, Riago's indigo factory,
situated twenty mUes inland, near the native vUlage of Haugbaul-
haut. At the distance of seven mUes from HanditoUah, dwelt a
brother of Mr. Dennison, who kindly favoured us with the loan
of his elephant, wMch was sufficient, with the one we had, to
convey our party in the foUowing order : — Mr. Dennison on
horseback ; ' Riago and his wife on one elephant, and Virginia
and myself on the other. Early in the moming we climbed a
ladder placed on the side of the elephant (who was made to crouch
on its knees vdth the utmost mildness, whenever we mounted or
dismounted), and soon found ourselves seated m a kind of
double chair, or " howdah," firmly fastened on the animal's
back. The native who conducted us was seated astride on tlie
neck, armed with a sharp-pointed rod of steel, with ^*Mch be
guided

181
guided the beast, by Striking the sharp end into the crown, or sides
of the head, according to the direction in wMch he wished Mm to
proceed. The head was completely scarified, from the severity
of tMs infliction ; but the animal did not appear to suffer so much
pain as the-spectator would be led to imagine, from the appearance
of the wounds. The ladder by which we ascended was afterwards
suspended from the crupper. We journeyed on through a flat but
delightful country ; the animated prospect of the landscape around
us receidng its richest hue from the early green blades of paddy,
rice, indigo, and waving stalks of the sugar-cane, whisirwere scat
tered in patches, amid forests, coppices, and rivulets. Of aU con
veyances, that of the elephant is most disagreeable and uneasy ;
for the animal does not, Uke other quadrapeds, advance together
a near leg and off leg, but the two legs pf one side. So intoler
able indeed did the jolting prove, as nearly to deprive us of
breath; and glad. I was, after having made six.oi seven nules pro
gress, to halt at a village, and descend the ladder, to enjoy the
luxury of a few minutes respite. On these occasions it was
my delight to purchase some cpcoarnuts for the elephant, who
would extend his proboscis, and receive them; from me with
every token of gratitude which he was capable of devising : he
introduced them into his jaws, and cracked them one by one,
for the sake of the milk, of which he seemed immoderately fond.
When he had emptied them all, he would resort to every species
jof entreaty, in dumb eloquence, to obtain more ;— r^xtending his
proboscis towards me, and eyeing me with a significant and ten
der persuasiveness, so irresistible, that I indulged him with a
simUar treat at every vUlage where we halted. This elephant
travdled at the rate, of five miles an hour ; but in cats of fUglit
or pursuit, the progress of these animals is remarkably quick,
considering their enormous bulk ; so S'wift indeed, as to rpn.der
it extremely arduous for, .Indians even, who are exceedingly good
runrtei's, either to:overtake them, or to, escape iromtthemj in
an open field. For i the .first twenty miles we traveUed on the
•Mgh road: we thea, directed our course to the south, over-^i
ble&ktaaot of land, where traces of the haunts of the fox and
jackaU were alone perceptible. After travelling a few mUes,
a verdant countiy of hiU and dale, intersected with rivuleig,
J? S opened

182
opened to our view. OUr elephant evinced uncommon caution
and sagacity in crossing these rivulets : it was therrfot© not nn-
tU we approached a wide river, the banks of which were steep
and sUppery, that I became apprehensive for our safetj^'. The
" howdah," in wMch we were seated, I knew was weU se
cured ; but I was fearful the ponderous beast would roU over,
in descending the alarmingly steep banks, and crush us to death.
He approached the bank, and made a halt, surveying it, Uke a
consummate general who knew perfectly well what he was
about : he then cautiously advanced, placing his right foot, and
probosds, on the decUvity of the bank, to try its firmness, —
then the other foot, and descended slowly and with rematkable
caution, untU he reached the water, wMch he waded through
with infimte good-humour and fiiskiness, as evinced by the
cheerful motion of his proboscis. In the middle d£ the river the
'Water became so deep as nearly to cover Ms back; and so con
tinued untU he aj^roached the opposite side, the difficulty at
tending the ascent of which, he eadly surmounted, evincing the
same caution and sagadty as before, wMle we were obKged to
hold on, arid balance ourselves 'with great care and attention.
At length we approached the viUage of Haughbaul-haut, wMch
presented to view a coUection of native dwellings, some of
wMch indeed were of pucka, or brick, but the generaUty of
earth, and thatched with stiaw. The inside of every house
was divided into very dark chambers, the use of -windows being
unknown to the Hindoos. At two o'clock, having reached the
end of our journey, we halted at a miserable bungalow, situated
in the centre of a bleak common, two nules distant from the
vUlage ; and having dismounted, found the interior of our new
habitation as gloomy as its exterior. It contained a haU, bed
room, and 'verandah on a floor, supported by crazy posts and
beams, raised ten feet from the ground, the only access to it
being by means of a ladder, so placed as to face the entrance to
the haU, where a door ought to have been; but wMch had
long since been blown away. The bedroom door had shared the
same fate. The roof, wMch was a thatched one, we soon found
was not weather-proof; for, tP Pur chagrin, a storm of wind
»nd hail came on with such violence, as tp ^lake the wretched dweUing

dweUing to'ils fettndaiji^n,,w^,we, huddyHng^tpge^hOT in tl^^co^-
ners of tbe,h»ll,_eii|ea^gpured, b^it in vain, to s^void the ^ry pf.,thB
dements-,. This unpleasant termina);ipn^tpan unplea?aiit journ.^
did notifl,theileast,disfipm0»seour disppsition tg- enjoy ourselves :
a hamper, contaiining a,roiigd af hpef, and other good cheer, Was,
we were aware, amfipg;Our " train pf moveables,;" we knew.ljop,
1 that: better acceipisiodajfeisn .^uld, not be procured within fifteen
iBJles;:, and whUe we were considering these matters; the weather
oteared up- We soon changed our clc^h^, and seating pi^rseLvps
round.a table, spread; wj^ excellent cheer, spent, the remainder
of the reHemrig. in gaod humour and hilarity.
, . I It wa^ howcKer a matter of no sEjal^ difficulty to discpver
means to accommodate ourselves for the night. It is trup^ there
were three bedsteads, ,wist good beds, ]m% oidy two rooms a;id. a
..Ltuerandah. To add to the difficulty, IVIrs. ?.iago had the mi^or-
•tune to Ipse twp lovely cMldren, in t^sjsame bungalpw. ^he
was. a great enthusiast, perhaps rathpr supprstitipus ; certain lapw-
everiit is, thatahe. attributed the dp%^h of her b§bes (who, died
suddenly, amd nearly a^ the same time) tp ^h^:^%!i^ 9^ ^^'^^>
arising, from the nocturnal appearance of svsppijiatural visitants.
Of this conviction she faUed not tp inform my, wife, accompanying
her arguments vdth impressive energy, — sand, stating v^ous in
stances in corroboratioa of her cfBivjction, wMph 'very soon occa-
csionsd closer debates on. the, subject; and .^t, length concluded
with the two ladies becoming equally terrified. In this state of
things, the females felt a disincUnation tp bp separated; and it
was at length arranged that they should sleep together in thebed-
room ; — DennisoB. in the. haU, — and Riago and: myself ip the ve
randah, which, faced the north, and which, hut for tljg rooj^ wQuld
have been entirely exposed to the air, the sides ^eipg ppei^. I
must here, foE reasons which I shall kerpaftp^. mention, beg the.
reader's attention to the juredsg situaifelon of the ver^dah, and of
our bed in ki The wrandah was -.jkbput fifteen fget long, and
rix .wide. Our bed was, fixed near the walJ, and httwee^ the
doors of the two rooms >5-tbe entrance to the h^dl being at the
head of the bed,, and that to tine be.droomi at tfee' fop^. The Mr
deri. by which we descended to the ground, ten feet beneath us,
faced the entrance to thehaU, and >)vithin six feet, of the head
til oi^r bed. I have been thus mmute in describing the relative
N 4 situation

184
situation of the apartments, because I shaU presently have occa«
gion to revert to it, in connexion with a circumstance, at once
extraordinary and unaccountable. '
In addition to the amusement of shooting, our leisure was
diversified by hunting the tiger and wUd boar. The former
was less frequently to be found than the latter, only two -tigers
hadng been taken during our stay of three months, wMle five
boars were kUled, and one escaped. The danger of the tiger-
hunt is not so imminent as may be imagined. The first tiger '¦
we hunted lay concealed, we were informed, in a sugar-cane
field five mUes distant from us; and the moment this inteUigence
was received, the elephants were ordered to be accoutred, and
we started off -with aU possible haste ; Dennison, who was an
experienced practitioner in the hunt, being mounted on his own
elephant; wMch had been trained to stand fire ; wMle Riago and
myself rode that wMch had conveyed myself and Virginia
from HanditoUah : inside of the howdah were three muskets
loaded with baU, a brace of pistols, and two spears. As we pro
ceeded on our march, we enjoyed the novel and gratif}'ing spec
tacle of hundreds of natives leadng their respective huts, and
runmng with considerable swiftness to join our party ; most of
them carried spears, and they aU seemed to enter into the
spirit of the sport, with as much glee as the peasantry of
England are observed to manifest in a fox-chase. There was not
a single dog in our train ; and this may appear singular to those
who have read so much of the boasted utiUty of the Indian dogs
in the tiger-hunt. That a superior breed of hounds, bred ex
pressly for the purpose, may exist in the upper produces, I am
not prepared to deny ; but in the towns and xiUages of the
southern produces of Hindoostan, the only dogs to be met with
are a set of useless curs, caUed "Pariahs*." English hounds, on
their first arrival In the country, are known to fetch at the auc
tion-rooms in Calcutta, from eight hundred to twelve hundred
Sicca rupees (from £\Q0 to ,£l50); but even these lose their
pristine quaUties in a few months, and become comparativdy
enervated and useless. The same tendency to degenerate, is
visible
• " Pariah," ia a general tenu of degradation ; any thing bad, despicable,
or worthless, Is termed a Pariah. It is even applied to a low cast of Hin-
&om.

185
vUiblfi in every descrlptk)n of English cattle, .4)articUlarly the
caw. which indeed, after a short .regidence in the countiy,,. will
not yield any mUk.
,The concourse of a great multitude of natives near a sugar
cane field, at a short, distance in our front, and the drcumstance
of some youths being obs^ved to cUmb the adjacent cocoa-nut
trees, inthnated our near approach to the spot where the tiger
was. .. Noisooner dJd the dephants get scent of the animaMwMch
they didat a gr6at distance, their senses being extremely acute),
than the one we rode exhibited every symptom of uneasiness, snort.
ing,hellowing, standing stUl, and endeavouring to retrace his steps :
Deuiaison's, on the contrary, marched boldly forward, tvdrUng
his trunk in the air, and seemingly sensible of what was going
on;— while we were busied in preparing the fire-ai-ms, and en
couraging the driver to accelerate our progress, as we were^t a
considerable distance in the rear of . Dennison. i On, jeaching
the spot, we found that the, tiger had secreted himself , in the
midst of thesugar-cane field, and that it was only from one par
ticular spot that we could espy Mm. Frpm this spot we thought
he was within range of our ball,: he was stretched in a couchant
posture, and we approached as near as we could, to take effective
aim„having agreed, at a preconcerted signal, to fire together. Tl^e
signal was given : we fired-^ — a deadstiUness ensued— and we were
in the act of reloading, when a loud and terrific roar announced tp-
us the certainty of the tiger having been wounded. Dennison's
elephant then hdd his trunk erect, as well to preserve it, as tp
prepare for attack. It was singular to observe the coolness and
self-possession manifested by the ponderous beast during the fire,
and afterwards;, but .this was not the case with ours — no sooner
did the report of our muskets strike upon his ear, than he ednced
a determination to retreat ; and the deep and hollow roar sent
forth by the tiger after we had fired, caused our elephantto tremble
exceedingly, and to scamper away from the scene of action
amadngly fast, rending the air with a loud and shrill cry, Uke
that of a trumpet. The rapid and awkward motion of the ani-
md, placed my companion and 'myself in imminent peril; and it
waswit^ the utmost difiiculty that we could keep our seats; we
were jolted about, and against each other, with considerable
. , . force:

186
force; and- more thaw once were weH-ndgfe ejected out oC-tls
howdah upon the elephant's back. It was- not until he had con
veyed us a distance of two mUes, that his progress could, be ar
rested suffidently to admit o£ our-looking badt on our party, which
we no sooner did, than we observed Dennison and the natives ifi
pursuit of the tiger, who had fled from Ms retreat, afnd was ob
served to be pursuing Ms course over a plain, and making fbr a
tMck jungle, or wood, at the distance of a mile and a half in his
front. The appearance of the animal, as he looked back on his
pursuers, lashing his sides with his taU, aad- ^libiting excessive
^Ecitement, was beautiful in the extr^ne, and made us dsnUy
vexed at our exclusion from the pleasure of the sport. In vain
we exhorted our guide to urge the cowardly ammal hack :
turn he certainly did, and, by the intensity of Ms gaze, seem
ed to take as much interest in the spectacle, as ourselves; but not
a step would he move tovcards the scene of action. Sedng
this, and finding it difficult to restrain our ardour, we dis
mounted, and ran on foot, eadi armed with a musket; nntU we
reached the psarty, who had formed themselves round a shed in the
jungle, in a dark corner of which the tiger lay-. On our arri
val, Dennison directed Ms guide to make the elephant crouch, and
to fix the ladder for us to mount ; and -we soon found ourselves
securely placed with him in his howdah, which was large enough
to accommodate us with perfect convenience.
Various ineffectual attempts were then made to rouse the tiger
from his retreat ; the natives, from the tops of trees, keeping up
a constant fire in bis rear, and our elephant bdng stationed in
his front, to cut off his retreat, whUe a terrific howl occasionaUy
intimated his reception of some gaUing wound. Immediatdy
after one of these piercing howls, the animal's rage seemed' to
be roused to desperation ; roaring dreadfuUy; his- eyes flashing
fire, and his claws extended, he bounded within ten feet of our
elephant, who kept Ms trunk erect, and in this posture the two
animals gazed open-mouthed at each other, fbr the space of a
minute, each watching the movement of the other with the
utmost attention. At thb juncture we fired; the elephant at
the same instant darting forwaad, aimed a desperate blow with
his trunk at the tiger, who was just in- the act of springing
at us, and feUed him to the earth ; our aUy then, with sin
gular

187
gular diextefitjr, and in a space of time scarcely cre£ble, lifted
him up, and crushed Mm under foot, fordng Us entrails
through the wounds : the natives now advanced, and plunged
innumerable spears down the beast's throat, and through Ms body.
The appaUing roars and heart-rending cries of the animal were
such, as to exdte our pity, notvdthstanding Mb natural ferocity,
and enmity to man. In a few minutes he lay motionless, the
.natives glutting their fufy by plunging spears through and tMough
Ms body long after he was dead, and at the same time, uttering,
with a savageness scarcely human, loud groans and yells; as for
ourselves, we were content with cutting a lock off his whiskers,
by way of trophy : we then returned home. And here I cannot
withhold the expression of my admiration at the instirictive caution
wMch the elephant ednced in the preservation of his trunk ; at
the singular dexterity, precision, and inducible power of his at
tack ; and at the consummate coolness, sagadty; courage, and self-
possession displayed by him thioughout. Every individual of
the species is nature's wonder ! the ease with wMch he proddes
for all his wants,, by means of that most surprising and useful
member, his probosds, assisted by his forefeet, is very remarkable :
but, that in wMch he far surpasses every animal, the dog per
haps excepted, is his wonderful instinct, which it is difficult to
distinguish, in many instances, from reason. Yet how patient
and dodle! how subservient and attached he is to man!
He is even taught to gambol, or, as it is styled, to " dance,"
and is often seen to do so at an Hindoo fair. So careful is he of
human life on those occasions, and so tender towards Uttle chU
dren, that he wUl avoid treading on them in a crowd, 'with asto
nishing care and dexterity. His ire is seldom roused without great
provocation. The 'withholding of Ms food is known to produce that
effect : when once roused, he is terrible, and his anger is sometimes
attended with fatal effects. He is, however, soon appeased, and is
frequently observed to shew signs of contritiim. By some writers
he is represented as maUcious, spiteful, dndictive, and eruel.
This I have heard disputed ; although his keen sensibiUty of bad
treatment, is admitted. He is susceptible of affectionate emo
tions; he is fre({uently seen to cry, and has been known tvlay
down Ms life for Ms keeper.
Our second tigei hunt was only dissimilar to thp first in the cir-
'cumstanoe

188
eumstance of the animal having eluded our pursuit untU night-faU,
which compelled us to leave the field. The foUo'wing morning
we resumed the hunt, and traced the tiger by the marks of his
feet to a thick jungle, five nules to the south, where he was taken
and killed nearly in the same manner with the first.
Hunting the wUd boar is attended with condderably more peril
than the tiger hunt ; the boar is hunted on horseback : so fietce
is this creature, that it is frequently known to charge the hunts
men, and to rip open the horses' chests, and vdth determined fero
city, kUUng, or incurably wounding, aU who oppose Mm.
Dennison, in one of these charges, had his boot ripped up from the
ancle to the knee, as neatly as if it had been cut by a penknife ;
and, had he been a few inches nearer the ammal, would
have received serious injury. His tusks, which are sharp, and
pointed at the end, are his weapons of attack: in his endea
vours to elude pursuit, he often evinces considerable sagadty;
he runs with the fleetness of a horse at full gaUop ; and it is re
markable, that in the pursuit, or charge of any object, he nevCT
deviates from the straight Une : I once saw a native who was sud
denly surprised by the boar, lift up his leg very adroitly, and escape
unhurt ; the boar passing under it, 'without stopping or turmng,
and pursuing Ms way to attack another. On the whole, the wUd
boar hunt is fuU of excitement and interest, and, next to the tiger
hunt, is accounted the most agreeable of Indian field sports.
The reader ere this, may possibly have come to the conclusion
I was one of those happy sons of earth, who by experience know
the value of disinterested friendship ; and Indeed up to this period
I thought myself in possession of the treasure : but, alas ! disin
terested friendsMp is rarely to be met with. Mr. Dennison was
a character, of whom my youth and unsuspicious nature had
formed but a very erroneous conception. Generous he certainly was,
and convivial ; but his passions were ungovernable, and he thought
nothing treacherous or cruel wMch afforded Mm the means of grati
fying them. Possessed of power and riches, he would abuse the
one and lavish the other in the attainment of any favourite ob
ject, however unhaUowed ; and if that object happened to be a
beautiful woman, the necessity of sacrificing a feUow-creature,
her natural protector, was no obstade in his way. A drcumstance
that took place, twelve months previous to the commencement of
our

189
our intimacy, may perhaps give the reader a better insight into
his character, than any comments of mine.
The marriage-procession of a poor but respectable Brah-
m.an, wMch was intended to celebrate the consummation*,
was to pass through a -viUage near HanditoUah. The distin
guished beauty of the bride had become known iu the adjoining
tpwns and villages, and, at the appointed day, thousands of natives,
attract|ed by this drcumstance, assembled to witness the procession :
among them was Dennison, mounted on an elegant and valuable
hiinter, named Tippoo. He joined the procession, which was
fpjloy^pd ^y ^ vast concourse of people ; but no sooner did he be
hold the resplendent beauty of the bride, than his heart was
fired (to use Ms own expression) with an irresistible impulse to
gdn immediate possession of her. He guided his horse close to
the- palanquin in which the beautiful girl, ornamented with
a profusion of precious stones, and golden trinkets, many of them
borrowed for the occasion, wa? seated ; and seidng her with the
quickness of Ughtmng round the waist, and placing her before
him, he plunged, his spurs violently into the sides of Ms steed, and
was put of sight almost before the astonished crowd were sen
sible of their loss. Pursuit was instantly made, but in vain ; he
fled with his victim to Calcutta, and, concealed there, enjoyed the
fruit of which he had so forcibly got possession. The evU did not
however end here : the people assembled in multitudes round his
house, and if Ms mother, who was very rich, and devotedly at
tached to her son, had not appeased the wrath of the people,
by paying some thousands of rupees, he would have fallen a dc
tim, ! either to their vengeance, or to the laws of the country. As
the Sabine women soon became recondled to their Roman ravishers,
so this lovely girl, after the lapse of a few weeks, became devotedly
attached to Dennison.
With respect to Riago, he had aU the passions of Dennison,
but wanted equal wealth to carry Ms designs into execution :
hp had, however, identified his interests with those of his friend,
and I, verUy believe, would have wiUingly joined Mm, to use the
language of lago, in—
" What bloody work soe'er."
One day, Dennison and myself were taking a walk, and, as
we approached- a large tank, or pond, which was shaded with
thick
• Vide page 145 and 146.

190
thick jungle, and ornamented by a number of w'M peacodcs,
who screamed their harsh notes, and took to the wing, as we'
appeared, he said to me — " Naufragus, I have for some days
past been thinking of a scheme, wMch vrill, if I mistake not, afford
you, and indeed aU tMee of us, a fair prospect of mAing
a speedy fortune : it is this : — I intend to set up a charcoal ma
nufactory, in a glen of the interior, bordering on a river com-
mumcating with the Hooghly. The interest I have 'with the
mint-master, and ship-owners in Calcutta, wiU enable me to
insure a contract for its sale, which wUl yield a profit of seven
or eight thousand per cent. I have, you must be sensible, Nau
fragus, a friendship for you, as also for Virginia; and wiU
readUy admit you, as a third partner, in the concern. You and
Riago, therefore, can go next week, and choose an eligible s^t to
buUd a bungalow upon for our accommodation ; whUe I remain
here, to protect the females." The plan appeared to me so good,
and its execution so easy, that I was overjoyed at the idea; and on
our walk home, we continued calculating the profits, untU imagi
nation had placed princely fortunes in our hands. The foUowing
day, we agreed to hunt the boar. On returning home, my mind
fiUed with pleasing anticipations, my astonishment was extreme
to find my 'wife in deep affliction. No sooner was I by her side,
than she led me to the adjoimng room, and spoke to tiie foUow
ing effect. — " Rejoiced am I to see you aUve, Naufragus !— J
weep, tMough fear of your safety — ^nothing more; but if your
regard for me is really sincere, prove it, by complying with my
request. Leave tMs horrid place immediately, and return to
Chandernagore. BeUeve me, we are not safe here; we are
an the brink of destruction, and in the hands, I have reason to
think, of murderers !" — " How so ?" — " That, I vdU tdl you
hereafter," said she ; " first set my heart at rest — give me your
promise to return to-morrow." — " You are unreasonable," I re
pUed ; " this is some sUly whim of yours. Is it because you see
me happy among cheerfiil and hospitable friends, that you wish
me to return ? Do you grudge me the few hours of sociid en
joyment, almost the first that chance has thrown in our way,
since our marriage ? or, would you blast the golden harvest that
awaits us ? But you know not what is in coiiteu^latioa :
we are going far into the interior, where there is a promiaiag fidd

191
field for -the ^xendse of industry, and abuiidance ai wealth to re
ward it,-~wealth which wiU afford us the means of passing the
sumnier of our existence hftppUy tegether, dther in your native
land, or in Europe."
'f Your happiness and welfwe are mine, Naufragus ; can I da
otherwise -than desire both, as they are both interwoven with Tay
own ,'' Do not suppose tMs, nor disregard my counsel : at least,
hear njy reasons. This moming, previous to Mr. Dennison's walk
with you,, I overheard a conversation between Mm and Riago. It
almost petrified me. Dennison said he would get you out of the
way, and possess me, if he perished in the attempt; and the
'viUain- Riago encouraged him to do so !" TMs intelUgence sur-
psised me ; but with the view to pacify her, I repUed, that
I thought 'She might be mistaken, but that I certainly would con-
siderK We dined as usual at five. My thoughts busied on various
subjects, I spoke but little; while Dennison and Riagowere in deep
discourse by themselves. After tea, however, we conversed on
the gqlden prospects before us, untU ten, wJben the ladies retired
to bed, leaving me. and my two companions together. In a few
minutes, I too retired; and on reaching the verandah, observed
that the fuU moon had risen, and was shining with abriUiancy so
luminous, that by its aid I could, with perfect convenience, have
read the smallest print. I threw myself on the bed, and was in
the -act of commending myself to the care and. protection of that
Providence which had never yet forsaken me, when, as I knelt,
with my face to the east, I beheld a figure approacMng, which I
naturaUy concluded to be no other than my bed-fellow, Riago.
Why I was averse to being seen in the posture ef prayer, 1 leave
others better versed in human nature than myself to determine.;
certain it is, I no sooner observed the figure, than I crouched
down, graduaUy, untU I lay on my back, in the hope of hadng
escaped observation, and in momentary expectation of Riago's
appearance. QThe figureapproached : stiU supposing it to be Riago,
I did -not then Ippk at it attentively, but Ufted the curtains,
which were ef wMte gauze, so fine as scarcely to be perceptible,
for RiagO'to come in. The figure paused for the space of about
a secdndj^nd, to my ustoni^ment, proceeded onward towards the
termination o£ the verandah, whence there was no outlet. Ama-

192
zed, I npw Ipoked stedfastly at it, when, for a moment or two. It
appeared tp be statienary, at the distance of about six paces from
me, presenting the appearance of a person not unUke in stature to
Riago, but so pecuUarly enveloped in, apparentiy, the folds of a
light-coloured mantle, as to render it impossible for me to distin
guish its features : it immediately disappeared, or, rather, vanished
from my fixed gaze. My agitation was excessive ; I instantly
bounded off the bed, and entered the hall, where I found Denni
son and Riago, still conversing, as when I left them. No sooner
did I commumcate what I had observed, than they both evinced
evident signs of perturbation, and we aU tMee walked Into the
verandah. The ladles, who had overheard our discourse, speedUy
attired themselves, and came into the haU, where we aU sat up
during the night, rivetted to our seats by an inconceivable dread,
against which neither the iron nerves of Dennison nor of Riago
were proof.
The question wMch naturaUy arises is, what could this pheno
menon be ? The answer, I cannot pretend to furnish ; but, con
tent with having stated the fact, I leave the reader to form his
own conclusions on the subject, only observing, as far as regards
myself, that I have never been either credulous or superstitious.
That I actuaUy saw the figure, is certain : it is equaUy certain,
that I saw it vanish ; neither deception from without, nor imagi
nation working within, could have produced the effect*. No hu
man being, except ourselves, was then at the bungalow, nor for
many
• This at least IS my own impression ; but a friend of mine, who is rather seep-
tlcal on the "subject of ghosts and apparitions, as utterly irreconcilable with the
theory of vision, which, from the facts upon which it is bmlt, teaches that it is
from material objects alone tliat rays can be reflected ; and that it is those rays only
which impinge upon the retina that can produce vision, and thinks that the his
tory of the unagination would supply many instances superior to this of the fower
of that faculty. He does not, however, assert, that no spirit was ever made visi
ble to the human eye, thinking that every person who believes the Scriptures
must admit that fact ; but is of opinion, that, in every instance recorded there,
the effect was produced by miracle. But he adds— resort to miracle will solve any
difficulty : and, with reference to this particular instance, asks, what good the appa
rition performed ? He ssyi, it did not warn, either by Speech or by action, and
thinks, that the object of its visit was left very obscure, and that my inference is
necessarily drawn at random. He further asks— if that inference be correct, why,
instead of appearing to me, it did not appear to Dennison and &ia§o,rwho mi^ljt
not have beUeved my story, but must have believed tH« evid&e'of their'bwn
senses ?

19S
manj?. weeks had been there. Had the- personage been human,
vve must have detected him. In mentioning this curious fact, and
ascribing it to supernatural agency, I am fully sensible of the ha
zard of ifidicule, which, in the present state of pubUc opinion, I
am iricurring. But although I do not lay claim to the praise
Which Doctor Johnson yields to an author for his " magnanimity"
in relating " a fact, however strange, if he Mmself beUeves it," I
am acting on the principle that every man should possess, at least
that. moral courage which simply takes Its stand on a fact, without
either drawing from it any general inference, or placing it in
direct oppPsition tP the speculative opinion of another*.
The immediate consequence of this adventure, was' to hasten
our departure. On the foUovdrig day, we reached HanditoUah in
safety ; but the difficulties which I had to encounter, in order to
avoid the snares laid by Dennison, to deter us from proceeding to
Chandernagore, were numerous, and weU nigh amounted to posi
tive fdrce. Frivolous excuses and pretences were resorted to, and
he* even caU'ed td Ms assistance some professors of the black art*
On one occasion we discovered the magician in our bed-room, mut
tering his mantras over the head of our bed; at another time we
found, - under its foot, a small earthernware cistern, containing
sundry magical spells. StiU, however, Dennison continued to avow
the most exalted friendship for me. At length, finding it imprac
ticable to leave him with his own consent, and being unwUUng
to incur the consequences of his ungovernable paSsionjs, we secret
ly hired boats, and effected our escape, having left two notes, —
one for him, the other for Riago, to apprize them of the motives
which had, actuated us» : After a voyage of thirty-six hours, we
O reached
• I afterwards conversed with Kishen Doss, on the subject pf this, unaccount
able appearance. He informed, me, that he was led to understand, from m^y
intelligent persons of his Cast, that the fact of apparitions having, in formei!
times, made their appearance, was undisputed,; that such appearances, indeed,
were theii frequent ; but th^t, of late years, and especially since Europeans had
settleil mthe country, such phenomena were unknown, at least within their do-
nunioris'f ,~ for that, in the dark and unfrequehted parts of the interior,' beyond
the limits of European sway, they were still-not uncommon.--" .But of this," he
added, " 1 ,knpw. nothing j I do not speak from experience ; I merely give the
received opinion on the subject. As for the lo^ and ignorant, they believe any
thing,, however absurd, relative to supernatural agency."
+ My sceptical friend says—" Anfl no. wonder ; these oriental spirits vanish
before the light of European pljilosophyJ"

194
reached our favourite cottage, at Chandernagore, in safety, happy
to find ourselves once more under its humble roof, and grateful to
Proddence for protecting us amidst the perils which we had Pn-
countered since our absence from it.
In addition to the society of my respected friend, the Brahman,
Kishen Doss, who continued his visits as regularly as formerly, I
now enjoyed that of my facetious Madras acquaintance, Captdn
Harcourt. We casuaUy met as we were enjoying the luxury of
an evening's walk on the banks of the Hooghly. I found he had
married a young Portuguese lady, and intended to spend the
remainder of his days at Chandrahagore. He introduced me to a
friend of his, an amiable youth, named Keys, who had also been
stricken with the arrows of Cupid, and Uved 'with the object of
Ms affections, a fine Hindoo girl, in a retired cottage, a mUe to
the westward. In ,the sodety of these friends, many a deUghtfol
hour was passed ; and there was a similarity in our tastes and
dispositions which daUy strengthened the bonds of our affection.
One evening, as I was walking with them, Virginia being busied
in preparing tea, a person in a palanquin, attended by a nume
rous train of armed servants, passed me — It was Dennison. In
my bosom rancour had never taken root ; and conceiving that we
had now nothing to fear, either from his wUes or his power, I
asked him to accompany us home, and take some refreshment.
He was evidently anxious to decline, but yielded to solicitation,
and returned. On reaching home, I found Virginia seated in
the verandah, and closely attended by three female domestics of
our cottage. Chairs were handed, and we sat down, when Vir
ginia beckoned to me as she retired to an adjoining apartment.
— " WiU you," said she, as soon as we were out of hearing,
" promise me faithfully not to notice what I am about to relate .''"
— " Yes, certainly." — " FdthfuUy promise }" — " Yes," — " Then,"
said she, " scarcely had you left me, when I was surprised, as I
was seated in the verandah, by the abrupt entrance of Dennison,
attended by six armed men, three of whom, with their swords
drawn, ranged themselves on each side of me. Having seated
himself in a chair by my side, he told me he had come to take me
away, as he could not possibly exist without me, and expressed a
hope that I would not make it necessary for him to use many en
treaties, as time was precious.—-' Your husband,' said he, ' is poor ;
I am

195
I am rich, and both able and wUUng to settle a fortune upoii
you: I wUl be constant to you alone for ever, and love you most
tenderly; therefore permit me to hand you into my palanquin.
Do not mind your wardrobe — ^you wUl find one in readiness for
yoU at Calcutta, Nay, do not hesitate, but,' (taking hold of my
arm, ' and encircUng my waist at the same time) ' come with me,'
At this instantj the armed men gathered round, and my terror
Was so intense, that had not the idea of your being momentarily
expected, supported me, I should have sunk sensdess to the earth.
With the dew of gaining time, I resorted to stratagem, and re
quested he would grant me a few moments to consider; to this
he assented, on the condition that in iive minntes I should be pre
pared to give him my dedsion, and at once promise not to re
veal what had jiasSed; In the mean time,' he would go/ he said,
and prepare the boat for me; and anticipating a dedsion in his
favour, cautioned me to be ready in five minutes, and departed."
I heard no more. My indignatipn was np longer under con
trol, my promise was forgotten, and, regardless of conseqi^ences, I
rushed into the verandah, with a determination to wreak my
vengeance upon the viUain on the spbt.- But 'my astonishnient
and disapppintment were extreme, to find his cliair empty, and
Harcourt and Keys vainly speculating as to the cause of his abrupt
departure. He had, donbtkss, antidpated thfr purport of our
conference : guilt had disarmed him of courage ; and for once in
his life, Dennison was disappointed of his prey.
Habit had so famiUarized rae mth the comforts of my cottage,
and the society of my friends, that it would perhaps have been
wdl' for me, if I had never left the confines of this sweet and se-
duded habitation. I was content, nay happy ; until I found my
finances were diminishing to so low an ebb, as would soon com
pel me to leave my favourite seclusion, to seek employment in.4he
world.' ' From my heart would I lament the necessity, in bitter
terms'. — '' Ah," thought I, " had I but a paltry thirty pounds
a-yearifOr Ufe, my unambitious soul wPuld rest satisfied; and T
should ;be the happiest of men :- the years of man ate but few —
Oh that I could remain those few years where I am, until the
earth should cover this restless frame ! Here we should know- few
cares, and fewer wants — here we should be at le-ast a!s ha'ppy As
wc have been, and now are, and remain conipdratively free from
o 2 the

196
the temptations and misery attending us in active life — here we
enjoy every rational luxury of human existence, and at little or na
expense ; our wIU is uncontroUed : we have health, and youth,
our garden, and our books, especiaUy the Bible, to caU our reflec
tion to the past, the present, and the future state of man. But
the more I reflect, the more I lament the ImpossibiUty of ending
my existence in these peaceful and happy shades." At length, I
considered that man is sentenced to labour for Ms bread, and not
bom to a state of inactivity and idleness; that whatever, is, is best,
and that a cheerful resignation to the Divine WUl is, after all,
the truest practical phUosophy. ,
As my funds diminished, my anxiety and restlessness increased
in proportion. In many Instances, I have remarked on the sin
gular aid I have received from some unexpected quarter, when
human, assistance has been comparatively hopeless ; and I have
now to record another. As I was one day brooding over my cir
cumstances, in a state bordering on despair, a letter was put into
my hands: It was an invitation from Endtfield to proceed imme
diately to the west coast of Sumatra, where he had succeeded, he
said, in procuring me an eUgible appointment under Government,
and at the same time, expressing Ms surprise that the receipt of
Ms former letters had not been acknowledged. (They had ed-
dently miscarried.) At this inteUigence, I was agitated by con
flicting feeUngs — joy and sorrow, hope and gloom. If I pro
ceeded thither, I should, I found, be obUged to sacrifice aU that
was dear to me, by leaving Virginia beMnd, and by dispoing of
many articles I possessed, more cherished indeed for memory's sake
than for their intrinsic value. The latter therefore I did not so
much mind ; but to part with her, from whom I had not been
separated since our union, was almost more than I could endure.
As no vessel was on the point of saUing to the west coast, I
was compelled to take my passage in a sMp bound to Batavia,
where opportunities of proceeding to Padang, Mr, Endtfield's resi
dence, or to Bencoolen, I was informed, occurred frequentiy. The
day on which the vessel was to saU, at length arrived: we bade
adieu to our cottage, not without many tears : Kishen Doss, Har
court, and Keys, accompanied us to the boat, and we waved our
handkerchiefs until the winding of the Hooghly concealed them
from our view. Leaving Virginia under the care of an elderly lady.

197
lady, who kept a seminary in Calcutta, I sailed for Batavia in
search of adventures, beginning, as it were, the world anew,
with but thirty dollars in my pocket, the entire remnant of my
former fortune. Here it wUl not, I am persuaded, be deemed by
the reader improper, if I digress a little from my narrative, in
order to say a few words relative to the Hindoos, on the occasion
of my leaving their shores, after a sojourn there of so many of my
youthful days.
The colour of the Hindoos is tawny, lighter or darker accord
ing to the degree in which they are exposed to the sun. Painters,
and other artists Whose profession admits of their working in the
shade, are of a Ught copper hue, while palanquin-bearers, boat
men, coolies (porters), or agriculturists, are nearly as black as
Caffres ; but this is the only point of comparison : the hair of the
Hindoo is long and glossy, and his features are as well proportion
ed as those of the European, only smaller and thinner. The dress
of the Hindoo is simple in the extreme, being nothing more
than a turban, and a single piece of cloth, uncut, about three yards
long and one in width, which Is wrapped round the loins, one end
passing betxiveen the thighs and fastened behind, and the other,
cast into folds, hanging negligently, but not ungracefully, in front.
Bathing, therefore, which the rites of purity require to be per
formed more than once a-day, causes but little trouble to the
wearer of such a garment. The Hindoo frequently wears golden
ear-rings of various sizes, and slippers, which, in addressing or sa
luting a superior, he casts off; indeed, to pass the threshold of a
habitation, even his own, with slippers on, or with any article of
leather about the person, would be considered on all hands an
enormous impropriety. In conversation, the Hindoos are fond of
hyperbole, and fulsome adulation, frequently lauding one another,
very gravely, face to face, far above their gods ; but they are ex
tremely patient and poUte, scrupulously mindful not to contradict
each other, nor so much as even to open their mouths by way of
interruption ; nay, to smUe, to cough, or sneeze, whUe another is
speaking, is deemed a high dereUction of good manners. Their
opinion of Europeans is, I believe, far more favourable than it
formerly was; but notwithstanding, the advances we may have of
late made in their good opinion, there are yet many and insuper
able obstacles to entire confidence, wliich cannot so easily be over-
o 3 come ;

198
come; and untU overcome, they must look upon us, in most re
spects, with feeUngs of abhorrence and disgust. In the first place,
they never can be brought to allow that Europeans are 'their supe
riors in the sdences and arts; and discoveries, or inventions not
their own; they consider can ndther be good nor useful.'^ So ge
neral is tMs prejudice, that even those of them who speak' the
EngUsh tongue with fluency, are rarely seen with European books
of science in their hands, because they cannot comprehend how
any work can contain an atom of information which Is not to he
found in books of their own. They do, however, confess our supe
riority in some respects: in particular, they admire the humamty
with wMch we carry on war — the moderation and impartijflity
with which we govern ; and acknowledge our good quaUties of
benevolence ahd UheraUty : but among the virtues, they are quick
in detecting the countervaiUng vices, so as to lose sight of these
favourable impressions, and, on the whole, to view us in no other
Ught than as a barbarous nation. They feel hideous disgust and
horror on witnessing a European feeding on the flesh of a cow,
the slaughter of one being considered by them more appalling than
murder even, and to eat it, more detestable than feeding on a
human carcass. Then again, they who imagine: they have, con
tracted a stain, if but the shadow of a Pariah passes ath.wart them,
and must immediately wash themselves — see Europeans admit
him into their domestic serdce, and even keep women of that
vile tribe as servants, or in a more degraded capacity. The ¦wife
of the respectable Hindoo dares not sit down in Ms presence ; nor
has he ever known, or imagined, that persons of the female sex,
with the exception of common prostitutes, can " amble and caper."
What then must he think, when he beholds European women
laugh, play, and toy, shamelessly with the men, and even join
them, without blushing, in the dance ? He too, who would be
consigned to the most degrading punishment for a sin^e act of
intemperance— ^who has been taught to view it as the most infa
mous of vices, and the most debasing' to human nature, frequently
sees Europeans in ft' shameless state of intoxication, some of whom
indeed appear to consider drunkenness as a gallant feat. The
dress also of Europeans is revolting to them ; it is in thdr qres
monstrous and disgusting, particularly boots and gloves, leather,
and the skins of animals, being considered l^ them of so impure
a nature.

199
a.aature, that they must wash after touching them; nor do they
understand how Eurc^eans can wear, or even handle, the skin of
a beast. These prejudices may be natural ; but however heartUy
they may abhor or deride us in secret, they have always the cun
ning and address to make themselves appear, in the eyes of the
European, as entertaining far different feelings. It would per
haps be Uliberal, if not unjust, not to take for granted the sin
cerity of their professions sometimes; and to speak individuaUy, I
have much more to say in their praise, than to their prejudice.
Many of them) I can safely affirm, possess highly sensitive feelings ;
and I shaU never forget the expression of benevolence which beam
ed in the features of Kishen DosS, on my telling him that I had a
father, a mother, brothers, and sisters ; but that, from my infancy
upwards, I had been a stranger to them, and to the tender ties
and endearments of a home;: — the expression of his eye was indeed
beautiful t it beamed benevolence and sensibUity, and his counte
nance altogether bespoke the feelings of a good'and amiable heart ;
but, independently of Kishen Doss, I never faUed to receive from
Hindoos of respectabUity, that courteous, delicate attention, wMch
is so gratifying to the feeUngs of a stranger in a foreign land, and
which, as experienced by me in India, did, and ever wUl, impress
me sttongly in favour of the people.
The colour of the Hindoo woUien, Uke that of the men, varies
from the same cause, sUch as are not exposed to the sun being
extremely fair. They have long, beautiful, glossy hair, in general
smaU but pretty features, remarkably fine eyes, with regular teeth,
and deUcate voluptuous Ups. In stature they are small, but thdr
Umbs are extremely weU proportioned, and their walk dignified,
an erect mien, with a measured graceful step, apparently pro
ceeding from something inherent in their nature, and seldom
faiUng to impress the beholder with admiration and respect.
Their dress too, Uke that of the men, is of an entire piece ; it is
about nine or ten yards in length, and a yard broad. The Brah
man women wrap the end round the body two or three times,
forming a tight petticoat, faUing in front as low as the feet, while
women of other Casts fasten the web differently, another part of
the doth passing over the head, shoulders, and breast. By many
authors they are represented in a point of view different from that
in which the Abbe Dubois speaks of them. He says — " The Hin-
o 4 doo

200
doo women are naturaUy chaste. In this respect ' they are uit-
doubtedly of a very different character from what is attributed
to them by some authors, who have but imperfectly observed their-'
dispositions, and who have, no doubt, been deceived by the disso
luteness of some females of the nation, who connect themselves
with Europeans, or of the stUl greater number who foUow the
armies. From these particular instances, they have ventured to
brand them in general with the odious imputation of unchastity. ¦
I beUeve this opinion to be erroneous, and I am confident that
any person who shaU inquire closely, and with impartiality, mto
their habitual conduct, as I have done, wUl jdn me in revering
their virtue. I am unable to decide, whether their continence
proceeds from the education they receive, the spirit of reserve
which is instilled into them from their early years, the seclusion
from the males, which their customs impose invariably, '^ or from
the influence of climate and food. But, whatever may be the
true cause, certain it is that they have not that natural propensity
to transgress the rules of honour wMch the sex is remarked for
in some other countries.''
Connected with the subject of Hindoo women, is (unfortunate
ly) the revolting custom stUl prevalent among them, of aUowing
a widow to be burned aUve with the corpse of her husband,:
or, as it is dedgnated — " Becoming a Suttee.''' Of late years the
Company's government, vdth a view to abolish the practice alto
gether, have exerted their authority, by interposing as many re^
strictions* and difficulties in the way of its performance, as they:
consider
* These restrictions include a positive prohibition in every case where the Suttee
is under age, in a state of intoxication, or of pregnancy, or is desirous of retract
ing. If the widow has an infant or infants, she is required to find securities for
their support. The funeral pile must be constructed of grass, and so framed as
to afford to the female, who may not have resolution to go through the sacrifice,
every facility of escape ; the British authorities afford to every one thus circum
stanced not only their aid and protection, but a life provision also, since the
¦wretched object is ever after excluded from die sodety of her friends, and made
an outcast. These restrictions are enforced in the territories subject to, the British
authorities, so far as it is found practicable to enforce them. The papers which
have been made public relative to Suttees, contain accounts of some cases, which
are in complete violation of them, which fact proves how difficult it is to restrain
;in immense population under the influence of strong superstition. The perusal of

201'
consider justifiable, consistently with their impartial views of"
poUcy, and with the pledge by which they are bound not to in- '
terfere directly with the reUgious prejudices of the natives. If
they have not entirely succeeded, it is to the strength of those'
prejudices that the failure is mainly to be attributed. During
the short period of nine months, I vdtnessed no less than three
of these horrible sacrifices, all of them hadng taken place within
a few mUes of Chandernagore. A description of one wUi give
the. reader an accurate idea of them aU : but it may be proper
first- to inquire into the origin of tMs horrible rite, and into the mo
tives which influence the deluded dctiras in the performance of it.
Some authors have pronounced it to proceed from a dread on
the part of the husband, that the discontented ¦wife would seek
occasion to procure his death; but this insinuation is now found
tp .be misplaced. Nor is the act to be ascribed to affection, (al
though it invariably forms the ostensible pretext), but, on the
one hand, to the miserable condition of the widow hersel:^who
is doomed to a state of ceUbacy, and wretched dependence and
constraint during the remainder of her Ufe ; and to vanity in
spiring her with the hope of renown ; and, on the other, to the
soUcitations of relations, who weU know that so splendid a death
wiU redound to the everlasting honour of the family.
By becoming a Suttee, a woman is canonized after death;
and vows are paid to her. After the fire has consumed the body,
the remnants of the bones are coUected, and a pyramid or mo
nument is erected over the spot, to transmit to posterity the me
mory of so Ulustrious a victim of conjugal attachment ; and, in
deed, when the ceremony is over, the woman who has submitted
to this glorious death, is considered in the light of a deity. Crowds
of votaries daUy visit her shrine, imploring her protection, and
praying for deUverance from " the Uls of life." When once a
woman has declared gravely and deliberately, that she is desirous
to be consumed alive by the side of the dead body of her husband,
she . cannot retract. Here revocation would be disregarded ; it
being a prevaiUng superstition throughout aU India, that if a
-woman, after hadng taken her resolution, refiise tp fulfil it, the
1 , ; ., , whole

of these papers, while it affords important instruction, must be distresshig to ihe
feelings of every benevolent mind.

202
Whole country in which she lives would be dsited by some
dreadful calamity. The Brahmans invariably preside, and are
very active at the ceremony; but the Brahman women have long
since discontinued the practice of Suttee, the females of Bsgahs,
and of the lower castes, being usuaUy the victims.
It was about noon, on a sultry day, when curiosity prompted
me to foUow a vast concourse of Hindoos, who were taking a
westerly direction. I soon found that the object of attraction
was a Suttee, and although I had before witnessed two exMbi-
tions of the kind, I determined to proceed. On reacMng the
spot, I observed that the preparations were nearly coniplete. The
pUe was raised five feet above the ground, into wMch some bam
boo sticks had been driven, for the purpose of supporting the
layers of diy firewood, and other combustibles, such as straw,
rosin, ghee or butter, and pitcM On the pile lay stretched the
corpse of the deceased Hindoo, dressed as when he was aUve, and
covered, with a piece of white ceiUco. The crowd was immense ;
but in compliment to my nation, the chokedars * obligingly
cleared a passage for me, and I had a distinct view of the whole
ceremony. The dctim was in a palanquin, on the opposite side
of the pUe, supported by her friends ; her relations, who were
armed with muskets, sabres, and other weapons, guarded the
pUe; and numerous men, bearing tum-tums, and other noisy
instruments, were standing round. Even thus early, the im-
.pression on my mind, as .1 stood among the abettors of tMs re
volting ceremony, was awful in the extreme. The dctim being
apprized, by a guru or priest, that it was time to begin tie
rites, numbers of Brahmans, with Ughted torches in their hands,
and earthen pots of oU and jghee, took their stations round the
pUe, while others recited mantra?, or prayers, in a loud voice,
and consecrated the pUe, by sprinkUng it 'with pure water. The
crowd having given way, my expectation of seeing the victim,
whom I observed to be advancing with a slow, but firm step,
supported by some Brahmans and her friends, in the direction of
the spot in which I was standing, was now at its height. She
was of the age of about forty-five, a well-made woman, and ra
ther handsome ; her neck, fingers, arms, and legs, were loaded with
» A chokedar is a constable, or watchman.

203
with a- profusion of ornaments, cMefly of gold, and her whdle
attire was as gay as if the occasion were festive ; and so, indeed,
in her estimation, it appeared to be; 'her countenance was in
keeping with hpr general appearance, pleasing, and even cheer
ful ; nor did it express other trait of concern than a 'paleness, and
a-^^t quiV^ering of the under Up. As she approached the pile,
the spectators, particularly the women, went up to her, to wish
her joy,- and implore" a blessing from her before her departure to
the mansions of Paradise* To all shemadeanswerSjand to some
she gave rice ; such as were not near enough to receive any from
her, caught, with eagerness, the grains which she scattered
around; 'and in the air,- and which seemed to be prized as a relic.
All this time there -w'as a buzz of adoration from the infatuated
multitude, who beheld her with a degree of awe inspired by the
beUef that she was a divinity, and some even prostrated them
selves at her feet. Thre'e times she walked round the pUe, scat
tering rice around and above her, the Brahmans uttering their
manta?as, and the people adoring her. Every thing being now
ready, she took a fareWeU of her nearest relations, distributing
among them her ornaments. She then mounted the pUe with
astonisMhg coolness, seated herself next the corpse, which she
ferventiy embraced vdth both her arms, put some rice in its
mouth, and for the last time, scattered some among the spectai-
tprs. She was then bound to the dead body with two easy ban
dages, and a> quantity' of straw, rosin, butter, and oU, was strewed
over her and the corpse. A Ughted torch was then handed to her,
wMch she held in one hand, whUe with the other she emptied a
pot of oU' over her head ; this done, she threw the torch on the
-pile.' In an instant the pUfe was sfet on fire in ten or twelve dif
ferent places, and the flames rose with a rapidity and intensity ctf
heat (the Brahmans continuaUy pouring on oU and butter), wMch
must have consumed the victim almost; immediately ; indeed she
was noti seen to move a limb after shehad Md herself dovim.
The noise of the tum-tums, the Shrieks of the women, andthe
shouts of, the spectators, ¦ were such as to def J' description, and
even exceed conception; so that, had her resolution faUed, her
loudest cries for succour would have been unavailing. The flames
towered into the atmosphere, tP an immense height, and in a few
minutes

204
minutes not a vestige of fire remained — not even embers ; ashes,
dust, and a column of smoke, were the only indications of the rite
which had been performed. Such was the end of a woman, who,
instead of Udng to serve and adorn sodety, thus became the dctim
of a cruel and barbarous superstition.
The ceremony of suttee varies in different districts, but
throughout the east is fundamentaUy the same. But India is not
the only country in which this abominable rite has prevaUed,
Ancient authors speak of it as not unknown, in early times, in
other parts of the globe, Herodotus, in particular, speaking of
the Crestonseans, asserts, that the women disputed with each
other the honour of dying with their husbands. The Hindoos,
however, seem to be the only people who have continued the
practice up to this day. But in recording the superstitions of the
Hindoos, or those of any other nation, we must do so rather " in
sorrow than in anger." Such, and perhaps stUl more degrading,
were the superstitions of our ancestors ; and in such should we
ourselves be sunk, but for the undeserved gift of Revelation,
imparted to us by the Father of Light, for the purpose of rescu
ing us from the tMck darkness in which our forefathers wan
dered : thanks then be to Him for that inestimable blessing !
To proceed in my narrative : — Wafted by a gentle north-east
breeze, we crossed the equator five weeks after leaving Hindoo
stan, and in a few days afterwards, entered the Strdts of Sunda,
steering due east. NotMng in nature can surpass the beauty of
these straits ; they are studded with myriads of small islands, of
an oval shape, which greet the eye of the voyager in every direc
tion, and produce a diversity of scenic effect, MgMy interesting.
In exploring these regions, the excitement which the mind re
ceives from novelty alone, affords in itself no ordinary gratifica
tion ; and never, in the Straits of Sunda, does the voyager feel
the pain of disappointed expectation. The sea, bounded to the
north by the Sumatra shore, and to the south by Java, seldom
rises higher than a gentle curl ; and our bark saUed along, wafted
by odoriferous gales, amid the surrounding beauty, considerably
heightened by the reflection around from the effulgence of the at
mosphere, untU the ships at anchor in Batada roads appeared in
sight. Malays then came off in canoes, vvith parrels,' Java spar
rows.

205
rows, fruit, and curiously ivrought mats, for sale. I felt a
desire to purchase one of the mats, of a fine and curious texture,
but considering that my thirty dollars would be materiaUy dimi
nished thereby, I prudently resolved not to part with a single
stiver. After we came to an anchor, the captain obligingly fa
voured me with his boat, and I soon .reached the entrance of a
river, on the banks of wMch, at the distance of two mUes,
stands the princely and luxuriant city of Batavia.
Batavia, which is the capital of Java, and of the Dutch posses
sions in the East Indies, affords a striking specimen of Asiatic
opulence and luxury. But it is perhaps the most unhealthy place
in the universe, and is proclaimed, and not without justice, the
" grave of Europeans." A fpver carries off a whole family in the
morning, and they are buried in one grave in the evening. The
Dutch, ever addicted to canal^ have formed several in this city,
as in Batavia in Europe, and it is to this cause that the un
healthy state of the town is mainly attributed : — the stagnant state
of these, and of the adjacent marshy ground and pools, with which
the country abounds, — the 'noxious vapours ushered in by the
moming sea breezes — together with inattention to cleanliness
on the part of the inhabitants — aU, doubtless, contribute to the
fatal pestilence continuaUy raging there. Europeans consider the
segar an exceUent preservative, and they eat and drink freely,
heedless of danger. The merchants reside in country seats, a few
miles from Batada, where the air is considered to be as pure and
healthy as in Europe, the city itself being the fatal seat of pesti
lence. The country seats are superb, the gardens being tastefully
laid out, and ornamented with sculpture, while the interior of
almost every house displays costly lustres and mirrors, correspond
ing with the general magmficence. The roads are upon a scale of
grandeur which astonishes the European fresh from his native soil.
The market abounds with good fish, fowl, vegetables, and plenty
of fruit. The dty of Batavia was taken by the British forces in
the, late war, but afterwards ceded to the Dutch, in conformity
to the treaty of peace ; but the Javanese are decidedly Immical to
the Dutch svvay, as are, indeed, the Malay people generally
throughout India, which drcumstance frequently involves the go
vernment in turbulent and expensive broils. The Chinese inha
bitants

206
bitants are so numerous as to constitute, it is said, nearly one-'
third of the population*- In the whole, Batavia is a most superb
city — a secondary Bagdat.
On entering the river, a Javanese on horseback, ¦\vho was wait
ing for us on its bank, threw us a rope, wMch being fastened to
the bow of our boat, he trotted off, towing tis along at a rapid
rate, untU we reached the dty. I then landed, fdUovved by a
lascar, carrying my trunk, my thirty doUars being wrapped care
fuUy in paper, and placed with extraordinary precaution in my
pocket. The first human beings I beheld were European soldiers,
and their appearance instantly warned me of the unhealthiness
of the spot I had landed in. They looked more like skeletbns
than men : — each the " grim tyrant" personified ; — and on the
dsage they bore a pale yellow tinge, which, together with the
" lack-lustre eye " sunk deep in the socket, gave them tfn 'ap*
pearance, absolutely appalUng : I involuntarily shuddered at the
sight of them, reflecting on the probabiUty of my soon being in
the same state. To these crawUng emblems of death, however,
I advanced, and requested to know the direction to a tavern.
The vacant stare — the shrug of the shoulders — brought to mind
the singular predicament which Goldsmith must have found him
self on Ms arrival in HoUand to teach the natives English; on
discovering that he musffirst learn to speak Dutch. I proceeded
forward, when three other shades of men appeared in advance :
those also I addressed, but stiU no answer could I obtain, whUe
the reigmng stiUness of the city impressed me with a moumfiil
sensation, discouraging to my hopes, and foreboding, f thought, a
gloomy sojourn in the place.
Onward, however, I advanced, until at length I beheld before
me, to my Infinite delight, a sign, " The Dutchman's head," sus
pended in front of a splendid hotel ; thither I bent my steps,
and found the landlord seated in front of the house, and he
invited me, (to my agreeable surprise in broken English), to
" volk

• In 1740, twenty thousand Chinese were barbarbusly massacred by the
Dutch, without the smallest offence ha\ing ever been proved against them- The
massacre was too unprovoked and detestable to be defended, even by the Nether
lands government, who, when the governor arrived hi Europe, sent him back,
to be tried in Batavia ; but he has never been heard of since.

207
" volk in." My primary object was to agree for my boM:d ; this
was soon settled, at the rate of three dollars per day— a sunlj
however, which placed my little stock of cash in jeopardy of soon
disappearing altogether. Hadng placed my trunk in a bed
room aUotted to me, and discharged the lascar who carried it, I
stroUed into the bUUard-room; the dining-room, and coffee-room,
aU of them on a scale of splendid magnificence; and fuU of Dutch
men, one EngUshman only, besides myself, being in the hotel,
and he, I understood, labouring under a derangement of inteUect.
Observing a number of Dutchmen standing in an ante-room, wait
ing for the welcome announcement of " dinner," I bent my steps
thither, in the hope of meeting vdth one who could speak EngUsh ;
nor was I disappointed — a middle-aged mUitary officer accosted me,
and in broken EngUsh, inquired as to the then state of Europe,
— then spoke of Buonaparte,--and informed me that he Mmself
had fought and bled on the field of " Vaterloo ;'' speaking of which,
he observed — " De Duke of VeUington's army was all in confu
sion : de Duke vas aU in de wrong ! and he vould lose de battle,
if von vary clever Hollander had not come in de vay, and told
him vat to do: if it vas not for dis man — dis vary clever man,'
Vanderbenkolderstein, de Duke of VeUington would have lost
every ting in de vorld !" At that instant dinner was announced,
and I bent my steps towards the dining-room, marvelUng greatly
at the profound wisdom of the said Vanderbenholder stein, but
still more that I had never before heard mention even of his name.
I was naturally anxious to be seated next my countryman, de
ranged as he was, and watched my opportunity. I fortunately
succeeded, and found that he was a surgeon in the army ; his
discourse was so rational, and his manners so mild, gentlemanly,
and well-bred, that I seriously doubted the fact of his being
deranged ; indeed, during dinner-time the only instance of sin
gularity I observed in his conduct was, that everj' now and then
he would slyly pinch the arm of tlie Dutchman, who was seated
on his left-hand, and then burst out into a dolent roar of laugh
ter. Mynheer, however, took it aU in good part, weU knowing
the malady his tormentor was afflicted with. The dinner consisted
of an abundant supply of fish, poultry, 'wines, and Uqueurs;
and the cloth being removed, a song was called for, ^nd the re
quest

208
quest was instantly complied .with- by one of the party^ tfU join*
ing vociferously, but with admirable uniformity, in the chorus.
Shortly after, a Malay girl attired in the costume of' the country,
and of course bare-legged, entered the room with a- gUitar, and
seating herself next to me, played and sang, in a soft, melodious
strain, several favourite Malay airs. So enchanting was the me
lody, that we sat listening attentively for some time, and it was
not untU a late hour that we retired to rest.
On the foUowing morning I was anxious to proceed to the resi
dence of the captain of an English ship, then on the eve of de
parture for Padang, for the purpose of obtaining a passage ; but
my chagrin was extreme to find, that the Mre of a carriage was in-
dispensible, it being a positive stigma for a European to be seen
walking in the streets of Batada. Although I could not but
grieve atr an expensive sacrifice to tyrant custom, I was compelled
to yield to necessity ; and a carriage being sent for, the hire of
which was four doUars, I rode towards the captain's residence,
condemning, most heartily, a custom so absurd in itself and; in
my case, so productive of edl.
I found the captain at home ; he was in his dressing-gowft,
and eating radishes, with wMch he suppUed himself from a side
board. Having invited me to breakfast, he swaUowed some
coffee, and handed me some fruit, cold beef, ham, tongue, and
water-cresses (gaping and yawning -wide aU the time). Hadng
thus employed Mmself for nearly half-an-hour, he apologized
for his absence for a moment, and retired ; he soon re-entered
the room, sprucely dressed, and foUowed by attendants with, —
breakfast-tMngs ! It was a maxim with me abroad never to
appear surprised at any thing, but to take whatever oddities
I might meet with in my tiavds, as things of course : so down
we sat to a regular breakfast of, — eggs, toast, coffee, tea,
ham, beef, radishes, water-cresses, and fruit, — consisting of
mangoes, plantains, bananas, the jack-fruit, and mangosteens* ;
but

* The mangosteen is considered, and with justice, the most ;delicious fruit
in the world ; it is enclosed in a shell, is white, and round, ani abounds with
rich, sweet, and highly-flavoured juice. The mango is larger, of « yellow colour,
and has a flat oval stone in the middle : it is also delicious, though in my
opinion inferior to tlie mangosteen. The jack-fruit, pumaloes, bananas, and
plantains, are likewise pleasuig and refreshing to the palate.

209
but I confess. I could with diflSiculty withhold the expression of
my surprise, when two smoking dishes, one of boUed rice, the
other of fried fish, borne by two lascars. Were placed upon the
table! . After aU, the best thing I procured by- this invitation
M«as a promise, by the captain, of a free passage in his sMp to Pa-
da4«g, which ¦was to sail in a few days. I then returned to the
tavern; and on entering the dining-room, found the doctor in
warm dispute on a political point, with a Uttle Dutchman, who
mdntained Ms argument stoutly, and in a tone of haughty inso
lence, which roused the doctor's choler to such a degree, that he
feirly saluted the Dutchman's seat of " honoUr" with three tre
mendous kicks. An immediate " set-to" was the consequence, in
the presence of , twenty Dutchmen who were seated round the
room, and ^ho certainly witnessed the ludicrous scene with in
flexible gravity. By some means the Dutchman succeeded in
getting the doctor down, and in that state, " peppered" away
at his face, to an astounding shout of — " Bravo !" from all the
Dutchmen in the room. This sample of foul play, . however,
caUing upon me, as I considered, to interfere in behalf of my
countryman, I advanced, a'mid a perfect stiUnpss, and grasping
¦the doctor round the wfiisl^ Ufted him on Ms, legs. The action
now recommenced ; but in tMs round, the doctor contrived to get
the head of his antagonist beneath Ms left arm, and to keep it
there, as tight as if it were in a blacksmith's vice, belabouring it
vdth determmed ferocity with his right fist, until Mynheer, blub
bering like a great girl, and his face streaming with. blood, ex
tricated himself, . and ran fairly out of the room. I was secretly
rejdced at this result of the battle, while the Dutchmen ^were
equaUy chagrined, and vented their petulance and vexation by
vociferating — " Vive Napoleon ,'" The doctor, however, calmly
seated Mmself in the verandah, and thus the mighty affiiir ended.
It was usual with me to stroll about the town after sunset, to
enjoy the luxury, of a walk. On pne pf these pccasions, my
attentipn was attracted by an amphitheatre, in the front of which
a crowd of natives had assembled, to witness the performance of
some Chinese votaries of Thespis, who played their parts with
singular adroitness in the open air. The dialogue of );he piece,
which was in Chinese, and. had evidently a comic tenderaey, was
? supported

210
supported by two men and two females, but the countenances of
the multitude disdained to ednce a single symptom of merriment,
untU some gross show of indecency was resorted to in the action
of the performers : this was frequently done, and never faUed to
raise a simultaneous grin of applause. Leaving tMs extraordinary
scene, I walked leisurely homeward, calculating the state of my
dollars to a nicety, when a Malay, stealing secretiy behind me,
under cover of the night, seized my hat, and decamped, with
the fleetness of a roe ; I instantly gave chace, but in vain. This
loss was a severe one, and proved weU-nigh irreparable ; the price
of a beaver hat being no less than twenty doUars : I was therefore
reluctantly compeUed to purchase, as a substitute for my fine
beaver, a mean, black chip hat, the price of even that bdng
ten doUars. This incident prevented my taking any more noc
turnal rambles at, Batada. In a few days I set saU, and arrived
in a fortnight at Padang, with but one dollar in the world.
Padang is situated at the distance of a mUe aud a half up a
river, na'vigable only by boats, and is a picturesque Malay viUage :
some of the houses are constructed of wood, others of bamboos and
mats. The most- remarkable feature in this Uttle settlement (now
in the possession of the Dutch), is its romantic scenery, moun-,
tains, hUls, islands, and waterfaUs, ¦wMch indeed afford its chief
and most interesting recommendation. The articles of importa
tion are, piece goods, chintzes, palampores, wheat, and Euro
pean luxuries, such as vdne, beer, hams, and cheeses : gold-dust
and pepper constitute the returns, I instantly repaired to Endt
field's, by whom I was no sooner observed, than he conduced
me I was recognised, by embracing me with the fervour of a
parent — p" Indeed, Naufragus," said he, " I am heartUy gkd
to see you ! — we had aU given you up, aoncluding you were
either already provided for, or by this time an inhabitant
of another planet : here — this is my wife — ^my daughter — my
son," In short, the good man's reception was that of a father ;
which convinced me of the worth of a truly reUgious heart, how
ever the world may deride or despise it, .After tea we sat toge
ther in a magnificent verandah, when, at the particular request
of Endtfield, I related all that had befaUen me since our separa-
tipn ; but not without continued interruptions of—" Bless me !"
— " Dear

211
' — "¦ Dear me !" — Indeed ^ — -" My gracious !" and at the con
clusion, he said-i-" In good truth, Naufragus, you have under
gone extraordinary trials for your age. Bless me ! you seem to
be the tennis-baU of fortune. Let me see, let me see, now,
what's best to be done, I have succeeded, but with no small
difficulty, in keeping the appointment at Bencoolen, vacant, at
least I have reason to hope so: thither you must immediately
repair. Make not yourself uneasy, Naufragus; Fortune may
yet smile upon you. You are stiU young; so is your wife;
and if her affection for you is sincere, she wUl wait patiently
untU you are able to send for her. Bless me ! when I was
married, I was younger than you are ; — only a wedding-dinner
the richer, which was a piece of roast beef — but even that
pittance. Fortune (the jade!) denied me; for when my back
Was turned,— before even we had tasted the meat, my house-dog
fairly decamped vdth the whole- of it ! Now, you see, I'm rich:
wdl then, cheer up, Naufragus—' Nil desperandtim,' and all
may yet be weU \" I was about to reply, when a cold aguish
fit, set my teeth chattering. I found, too soon, it was the Ba
tavia fever, the latent cause of virhich I had unconsdously brought
with me from that pestilential place, and which had now broken out
upon me. Endtfield instantly hired a bungalow, and procured me
every requisite assistance ; but for the space of six 'Weeks, I was
totally unconscious of surrounding objects. The only sensation
I was susceptible of, was, that of burning with thirst, and being
stretched on a mossy bank beneath a waterfall, gaping wide to
catch a drop to cool my parched tongue, — but the tormenting
liquid rolUng down, turned aside, and still deceived me. My
constitution got the better of the disease, and the ^ first day
I was able to walk, I attempted to reach the habitation of
my friend Endtfield ; but, on my way, a Malay horseman at
full speed, knocked me down, and gaUoping over ifne, continued
his course. The natives flocked round, and assisted me with the
feelings of true Samaritans ; but so great was the injury I had
sustained, that it was not until the expiration of another month;
that I could again venture abroad, when my appearance exactly
, resembled that of the Europeans I had first seen on landing at
Batavia, Endtfield having procured me a passage to Bencoolen,
p2 and

212
and favoured me with letters, I embarked, deeply affected at
the recollection of his kindness ; — at a time when suffering under
the affliction of sickness, and in a foreign land, the heart is per
haps most susceptible of kind and good offices.
Bencoolen being distant only two hundred and forty mUes from
the equator, is sultry almost beyond endurance ; and is subject to
severe earthquakes. At the period of my arrival (1815), it was
the seat of the Company's government on the west coast of Su
matra ; but it has since been ceded to the Netherlands govern
ment. The fortress called " Fort Marlborough,'' is considered one
of great strength ; it commands the only good landing-place in the
settlement, the whole Une of the coast being protected by a tre
mendous surf. The sun has such power in this settlement, that a
piece of raw meat placed on a cannon at mid-day, would be tho
roughly broUed in a_few minutes. The town is not large; but
the houses of the European inhabitants are compact, cleanly, and
comfortable. The surrounding country is as romantic and pic
turesque as any perhaps in the world ; and on the sea beach in
the evemng a most luxurious walk may be enjoyed, sun-set pre
senting, in fine weather, a spectacle of great splendour. The
nutmeg plantations also afford a deUghtful prospect, the number
of the trees in different plantations, varying from five thousand to
fifteen thousand : they are planted in paraUel rows, at a distance
of thirteen feet asunder. The outer covering of the nutmeg is of
about the size of a peach, and bears an appearance very much re
sembling that fruit. When the nutmeg ripens, it cracks on one
side, the aperture graduaUy widening, untU the nutmeg is to be
seen in the centre o£ its coating, entwined with fresh mace of a red
colour. It is altogether an object pleasing to the eye, and re
fresMng to the smell ; and from its value well deserves care and
attention. Here I had the pleasure of getting acquainted with a
gentleman, whom I must designate as one of the ornaments of the
settlement, .and indeed of human nature : I mean tlie benevolent
'JWUliam Basket, Esq. Having resided in the settlement in the
capacity of a merchant, nearly thirty years, he had not only
acquired wealth, but had so gained the confidence and affections of
the natives, that in case of any dispute, they would flock from
distant parts of the iuteripr to him, for judgment, and invariably abide

213
abide by his decision. The exercise^ of his benevolence was not,
however, confined to the natives; his table was always at the
service of his European brethren, poor, as well as rich; and
his heart and purse were open to the needy and destitute, who
often found shelter under Ms roof. He was remarkable for
equanimity bf temper, and MS name was alwayS associated vdth
virtue. To this worthy man I was recommended by Endtfield,
and was freely indted to partake of the hospitalities of his house
ahd table. The introductory letters which I had received from
Endtfield were forwarded to Government, and in a few dayS I
received an appointment. I now cherished the hope of being
settled for Ufe, and looked forward with transport to the period
when I should be able to send for Virginia, to partake of my
good fortune. A rumour about this time obtained that we
were shortly to have a new governor^ in the person of that highly
talented ahd popular indiddual — the late Honourable Sir- Thomas
Stamford Raffles. From this rumour emanated various specula
tions as to projected alterations in the administration of the settle
ment ; but that the appointment would lead to increase of busi
ness, and consequentiy of emoluments, no doubt whatever was
entertained. Three years and upwards had I held an agreeable employment
in this settlement, and had nearly acquired a suffidency to enable
me to send to Calcutta for my young wife, who had ednced
admirable constancy in her correspondence, when, on the twenty-
secoUd March, 1818, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles did actuaUy
arrive and take charge of the government. So far, however, were
my sanguine expectations from being realized, that myself,
and many others, were doomed to suffer the pain of actual, and,
as we considered, unmerited dismission, in consequence of the
introduction into the settlement of an entirely new and eco-
Tioriical system of administration. The persons who were most
immediately interested in this change, assembled at Basket's,
looking to him as to a common father, all with gloomy counte
nances, and many with empty purses.
This event furnished me with new eddence of the uncertainty
of evSrJr' thing under the sun — " Ah !" thought I, " without
doubt, I am doomed to endure a Ufe pf trial, vexation, and dis-
p 3 appointment :

214
appointment i I am stiU to be tantalized with hopes, but to feel
the torture of their defeat ; nor can I ever expect to he at rest
on earth, or to attain my wishes." The good man. Basket,
however, observed my uneasiness, and accosted me in terms of
encouragement: — " This, I aUow," said he, " is a sad event,
Naufragus ; but Government wiU, I suppose, provide for you ;
if not here, in Calcutta, or perhaps in Europe ; so keep up your
spirits ; rely upon it. Government wiU not discard you. Ap
ply for a certificate of your serdces, your conduct, and the cause
of your dismission ; and if you prefer your claims, dther in Bengal
or in England, they wUl doubtless be attended to.'' Thanking
him from my heart, I complied with his addce. A MgMy flatter
ing certificate was immediately granted : and I prepared to embark
for Calcutta, in a ship then on the eve of departure, ¦with a view
to prefer my claims to the Bengal government,
I cannot, however, quit Bencoolen, without saying a few
words regarding the new system of administration introduced by
Sir T, S, Raffles, In suddenly dispensing with the serdces of
so many persons, who were unable to procure immediate em
ployment, he threw a burden upon the settlement, and caused
much personal suffering : but with reference to the latter effect,
it may fairly be presumed that he did violence to his own benevo
lent feeUngs ; for, by aU accounts, a more susceptible or tender
heart than his, never beat in the breast of man ; and, on the
whole, he no doubt acted for the pubUc good, considering the
measure as one, at least, of expediency : he might even have had in
prospect that wMch has since taken place — the total abandon
ment of the settlement ; and if so, the actual necessity of the
measure must, to Mm, have been apparent. Be that, however, as
it may, it Is certain, and must be acknowledged, that his general
administration had for its chief object the interests of the East
India Company, in connexion with the moral improvement of
the people, and the prosperity of the colony. Among those mea
sures of Sir T, S. Raffles which merit to be recorded, are the esta
bUshment of native schools — the encouragement of the cultivation
of grain — and the institution of a court caUed the " Pangaran's
Court," at the head of which he presided in person, coiijointly
with the native chiefs, distributing justice fairly and impartially among

215
among all ranks of the people. He abolished cock-fighting,
which was before publicly sanctioned ; and, above all, he set on
foot active measures with the view to prevent the infamous traf
fic, in slaves, not only at Bencoolen,, but in every island and
5pot in the Eastern Archipelago; and at Bencoolen, he Mmself
made the experiment of emandpation. For a detaUed and very
satisfactory account of those measures, as well as for a fuU,
Mghly-interesting and correct retrospect of his administration
and general character, the reader is referred to a memoir of
him; which has appeared in the annual volume of Biography,
published by Longman and Co. on the first of January, 1827. I
cannot here refrain from offering a few brief observations pn
slavery, digressing from my narrative fpr the last time.
In the performance of my official duties, I had to superintend
the landing of the Company's stores, when numerous opportu
nities were afforded me of forming a just conception of the na
ture of slavery, as weU as of, witnessing the condition of the
Company's slaves, who were employed in this task, their number
amounting to upwards of two hundred. My experience confirms
the conclusions of aU legitimate reasoning on the subject ; — that
the state of slavery is a radical evU, inasmuch as it tends to de
base the human mind, and to even place it on a level with the
lower instincts of the brute. Of the treatment of the slaves of
this colony, I need only observe (what perhaps is too evident),
that cruelty, is the characteristic of aU barbarous or uncivilized
people armed with authority. But, for the sake of argument,
even granting , the slave to be well fed, wdl clothed, and well
treated — stiU, as it respects the mind, the evU is equaUy degra
ding, and its tendency to engender vice, remains as powerful as
ever. This truth was never perhaps more completely Ulustrated
than in the Company's slaves : they were as well treated as free
men : but many of them so debased, and stupid, as to reject the
boon of freedom offered them by Sir T, S. Raffles ; and all so
vicious, that murder, theft, promiscuous intercourse, intoxication,
and every disgusting feature of vice arid immorality, appeared
among them.
; On departing from Bencoolen, I wrote an affectionate farewell
letter to Mr. Endtfield ; nor could I leave Basket and other
p -i esteemed

216
esteemed friends, without feeUng deep and painful regret. Those
delightful and romantic bowers too, which my soul was, as it
were, enamoured of — the sea beach — the roaring of the fretful
surge, become so fimUiar to me, as tP be music to my ear —
every tree and hut, with which there was some lagreeable asso
ciation in my memory — the glens and plains — the hiUs and
grottoes, which I had traversed, musing on my past years and
future destiny — these, aU these, I was to leave for ever, instead
of passing the remainder of my days amortg them, with the wife
of my youth, in peace and happiness, as my heart had fondly
flattered itself. Indeed, had I not recdved the consolation
of knowing that I was going to meet her whom I valued
more than life, I should have been absolutely wretched. " As it
was, I was borne away from Sumatra's shore, only rich in my
certificate, and a few hundred dollars which I had saved. So
used was I to disappointment, that on my passage I gherished the
most gloomy apprehensions, which, however, were occasionaUy
relieved by the conviction, that if by any chance they should be
falsified, the more welcome would be my good fortune. Virginia
was anxiously awaiting my arrival ; and we met after an absence
of three years, with - less alteration in appearance on her part
than on mine, the Batavia fever hadng left its traces on my
countenance— cfrtainly without any in our affections.
If I was afflicted with more than ordmary trials, I was gifted
by nature with a more than ordinary share of perseverance ; so
that the more discouraging the prospects, — the greater the difficulty,
the greater energy would I exert in my endeavours to surmount
it. Immediately therefore on arridng at Calcutta, I laid my case
in writing before the then governor-general, the late Marquis
of Hastings. To my indescribable joy, I received in reply an offi
cial communication to the effect^'" That Mr. Secretary A— —
was directed to provide for Naufragus, on the first opportunity that
might offer." Three months did my patience feed on the hope
with which this high-sounding communication inspired me. At
the end of that time, not having heard any thing further, I re
solved to wait on Mr, Secretary A  , On entering his room,
he immediately rose, and poUtdy offered me a chair ; nay, to such
a delicate extent was his poUteness carried, that I began to doubt
whether

217
whether I^ was really soliciting a favour, or had to confer one.
" No opportunity had as yet" he said, " offered; but he beUeved
Mr, S  had a vacancy ;" and being favoured by Mr. A-r. —
¦with a letter, I was soon in the presence of Mr. S  , whom I
fpijknd suffering under a tormenting, gout. Desiring me to be
seated, he read the .letter, and having, finished, he .exclaimedT~
" Ah, what pity ! 4his place, young man, was fiUed up but yes-
tprday evening— hpw unlucky ! had, you but caUed yesterday, you
might have had it. But stay'^— I think — no! however, here,"
writing, and folding a npte, " are a few lines tp my friend Mr.
Secretsuy M  ; I think he has a vacancy." Cerdially thanking
him, I waited on Mr. Secretary M.r — -, who, hadng read the
note, smUed so good-naturedly, that I said to myself — f' Ah, I am
sure of something now !" and venturpd- to express a hope that he
could find occasion for my services. He said, stUl smiUng — " Oh,
nothing more easy ! ,Give~m.y compliments to Mr. Ochme of the
general department, and [^smUing] . ask, him if he cannot make'
rooip for you," A'way I flew, like a bird with a joyful peck-piece
in its biU for a fpnd mate, to Mr. Ochme. ".Oh," said he, "Mr.
M— — must be dreaming ! we have more here than we require,
and, at least, five hundred names on our list !" With this as
tounding intimation, I returned to Mr. Secretary M  , " In
deed !" sdd he ; '1 weU, [^smUing] I am sor — ry— rfor — ^it ! but I
think my friend L  may have a sly corner vacant for you ;
you shall have a letter to him." So saying, he gave me the letter,
while I overwhelmed him with thanks ; and thanks, although I
never found them very prolific of good, are at least innocent of
harm. Mr. Secretary L  told me that he was exceedingly
sorry ; but to give me hopes, would he hut deceiving me—" In
deed," said he, "I am very sorry !", and, such was the apparent
sincerity of tone and manner with which his sorrowful expressions
were accompanied, that I actuaUy began to feel as much uneasiness
for him, as for myself j and, on my return home, could not but
feel most seriously, how: poignant his sorrow must have been ! I
had scarcely time to reflect on the probable consequences of my
iU-success, when a letter from my father came to hand, announ
cing that my uncle Barron had heard of my severe losses, and had
written to some opulent merchants in India to promote my in
terest.

218
terest. This intelligence I at first thought too good to be rea
lized ; but the tendency of the human mind to beUeve what it
wishes to be true, superseded all reasoning on the subject ; and
the news, improbable as it was, acting upon a sanguine tempera
ment, served to raise my hopes to the highest pitch of excitement.
A day or two had elapsed since this period, when, to my infinite
joy, a note was brought me, from the opulent firm of Messrs.
Fairlie, Fergusson and Co. politely intimating a wish to see me
Immediately, if possible. I flew to their office aU anxiety and
expectation, and introduced myself to Mr. Fergusson, who
received me with a cordiaUty wMch would have set at rest
the fears of the most timid. — •' Without doubt," thought I, " my
uncle has relented ; and I am now to enjoy the fruit of his bene
volence." — " Well, Naufragus," said Mr. Fergusson, " I am in
formed that fortune has been unkind to you of late." — " Very
true ! indeed, sir, very true !" (every moment anxiously expecting
the announcement of my uncle's name) — " That's pity ! I have — "
(" Yes ?") " a little hill outstanding against you, as owner of
your brig — ^it's only sixty rupees, and you can let us have it
as soon as convenient, if you please." — " Ah !" thought I, with a
deep sigh, " I wUl never more venture to hope for fortune's
favours. — Good day ! Mr. Fergusson, I certainly wiU settle it as
soon as I am able," and returned home more grieved and disap
pointed at heart, than J think I had ever before been.
My finances again faUIng me, I now became disgusted with
India, and resolved to leave it for ever ! — that country which,
hadng held out to me the expectation of prosperity, had aUured my
youthful fancy with fond hopes, but to deceive them. With the
view of effecting tMs object, I commenced an undertaking which
cost me nothing, but labour. I was now to tread a new, and, as
I feared, a dangerous path, that of an author ; — and in three
weeks offered to the pubUc my first publication, "a smaU work on
the poUtical events of the times. It had, however, so favourable
a reception, as to defray the expense of our passage to the Isle of
France, on our way to England, whither it was my intention to
proceed, in the hope of being able, with the aid of the good Mr.
Neunborough's influence, to get my case successfuUy represent
ed in the proper quarter. Arrived

219
Arrived at the Isle of Prance, the blissful scenes of my youth
ful days once more greeted my view, and revived my drooping,
disappdnted Spirit : we sat under the same bower wMch had
sheltered us many years before. The assiduous attentions and
cheerful conversation of Virginia's friends, especiaUy of Mesdeurs
Bards and Dubois, delighted us as they were wont to do :^— long
after the sun had set, and while the moon hung bright and daz
zUng in the blue expanse, would we sit, as before, on some ro
mantic point of land, and watch the sUvery waves. Parties of
pleasure into the interior were again formed ; and in short, the
joys of early youth were renewed — but came not, as formerly, un
alloyed with pain ; — corroding care and anxiety somewhat marred
our joys. Without friends or influence sufficient to procure me
employment, I found it useless to entertain the hope of it in In
dia : I saw the flower of my youth dying unprofitably away ; — I
knew the hour was to come (and It did come) which was again to
separate me from Virginia. Leadng her with her mother and
.sisters, I set saU for my native land, after an absence of ten years,
unh^py and alone, and -with but twenty-dght doUars in my
pocket, instJead of the handsome competency which my youthful
imagination had aspired to return with.
¦ On our voyage home. We anchored at St. Helena for water.
Napoleon was aUve and weU ; the situation of his house at Long-
wood, as vve viewed it from the summit of a craggy rock, over
hanging a yawning precipice, was romantic, but glPomy ; the
waves of the ocean were seen from the immense height we had
attained, rolling their frothy curls, in long and uniform rows ; the
wind, in intermitting gusts, whistled round us, wMle at intervals
its sighs' seemed to respond to the feeUngs of the extraordinary
exUe whose dwelling was before us. Of his person we in vain
endeavoured to obtain a gUmpse.
At the end of two months from my departure from St. Helena,
I landed in England. The different impressions which, after an
absence of a few short years, the same objects make on the mind,
are worthy of remark. England now appeared to me a country
different from that which, from uncertain recollection, I had
formed of it. The very faces of her sons and daughters seemed
to have changed, and her shores to have assumed another aspect ;
her

220
her coins too, presented a new appearance ; and I was compdled
to ask which was the half-crown, — the sMUing, or the sixpence.
It was not, however, either the country or the people that had
altered, — the change was in myself. From my lengthened so
journ abroad, I had imbibed fordgn notions, and was now dew
ing my native country with the curious eye and eager gaze of a
foreigner ; nor did I, as I walked the streets, escape observation ;
my dress of India wooUens, and my gait, were those of a foreigner,
and my skin was tanned completely brown. Long was it before'
surrounding objects became famUiar to me, and before I recon-
cUed myself to the change.
On my arriving in London, I repaired to the residence of a bro
ther of my father's, of whom I learnt that my parents were stUl
in Wales, and that, of the younger branches, some were grovyn
up and married, others dead, and that aU who were Uving were
so scattered in various directions, as to place me in the situation of
a stranger in my own land. One intimation, however, and I be
lieve one only, afforded me deUght, — and that was, that the good
Mr. Neunborough was then in town, and to be seen at the Old
Hummums,'Covent Garden. I immediately repaired thither, but
not meeting with him, left for Mm a memorial, wMch I had
drawn up on my passage home, embracing the peculiarities attend
ing the past events of my Ufe, together with an urgent request
tha't he would exert his influence to get my case efficiently repre
sented in the proper quarter ; and adding, that I would caU in a
week. At the end of that time I was shewn into his room. An
interdew with the friend and fostering patron of our youthful
years, after a long absence, is attended with a moral feeling
which is, beyond aU power of description, affecting : it calls to
mind a thousand tender recollections ; but though, in my expe
rience, this pleasure was not wanting, the contrast which my
mind could not but institute between the deUghtful hours I had
spent with him in my youth, and the heavy hours of my present
difficulties, together with the foreboding prospects of the future, was
painful in the extreme. But what, alas ! pained me stiU more,
was the change which was visible in the person of the man him
self : he who had been manly, handsome, robust, and gay, — he
whom I had left in his prime — was now, thin and wan ; — that eye,
which

221
which could before express every emption of the heart, had Ipst
the lustre for which it had been remarkable; and that countenance
which had beamed benevolence, a great portion of -its expression :
yet was his mind as vigorous, vivid, and comprehensive as ever.—
'C-Gome hjther, Naufragus ; sit down by my side." — "Ah, Sir, I
have encountered many troubles since I left your hapj^ roof !" —
" So I find, Naufragus; my eyesight is too bad to admit of. my,
reading your memorial, yet am I acquainted with its contents. I
will bring your case before the notice of the proper authorities
immediately, and I anticipate success, I can assure you. I wUl
also introduce you to Sir WiUiam C  e. It is a pity your un
cle discarded you at so early an age, for so childish an offence
too : — -hut all inay yet be for the best."
The nervous energy of his delivery, his weU-known voice and
manner, went directly to my heart, which, with its feeUngs, asso
ciated the recollection of the scenes of youth. I thought of all the
circumstantial^ of Ms mansion — my happy home — the dining-
room— the famUy picturesr— ithe study-r— and the tea-room, the
walls of wMch were decorated with two of iis favourite pictures,
Ulustrative of Shakespearerrrthe; subject of one, the smothering of
the young princes in the tower-V-of the other, the ravings of King
Lear., When all these recurred to my mind, which the same
instant caught the recoUection of the features of his late wife,
whom I could fancy I then saw before me, I could with difficulty
restrain my feelings  " Ah, Sir !" I exclaimed, " your late ex
cellent lady, now in the mansions of rest, was indeed an angel, if
ever there was one on earth, deservedly beloved by all who knew
her: how kind she was to me!" — " Yes, Naufragus; but you
saw Comparatively little of her. Had you been with us oftener,
you would have had reason to love her stiU more : but, let me
teU you, you would be equally impressed in favour of my pre
sent wife, if you knew her, or you would be different from all
other persons. As for me, God has been pleased to make me
happy in this worW ; but my earthly career is nearly terminated ;
and, whenever he shall please to summon me away, he wiU, I
trust, find me ready."
Thus would this exceUent man apostrpphize, and, at the same
time, console me by his friendly manner.—" I am anxious," he
said, " to get you reinstated in your employment, especially be
cause

222
cause you must feel your separation from your young wife a
double calamity. I wiU do what I can, Naufragus. Next Wed
nesday the question wUl be brought forward, and you may caU
upon me on Thursday moming."
I did so, but I was doomed to endure another disappointment.
— " It was," said the good man, " a matter of impossibUity : my
interest is now, I find, on the wane, Naufragus ; I have tried,
but cannot succeed for you. Let me, however, conjure you to
persevere; — be steady, — honest, — industrious, — and conscien
tious ; and Proddence wUl, one day, crown your virtue with
its reward." Giving me a handful of bank-notes, which I in vain
attempted to excuse myself from accepting, he bade me fareweU
for the last time ; — in two years afterwards he was an inhabitant
of another world.
I had now to endure the. greatest trials of my existence, the
redtal of which would fiU. another volume. The reader, may
form . some conception of them, by recalUng to his reeoUectioir
the less fortunate days of Peregrine Pickle, of Tom Jones,
or of the worthy Vicar of Wakefield's eldest son, George. Af
ter aUowing me to undergo an ordeal of two years' further ex
perience of the " world," it pleased the same Proddence who
had supported me in the wUds of Pulo-Penang, in storms at sea,
in the glens of Hindoostan, among the pestilential airs of Batavia,
and amid the temptations attending an association with the
^' world" in society, to fix me, at last, unaided in any way by a
single relation, — in pokt, where I fuUy trust the remaining days
of my earthly career will be passed in peace, and in gratitude to
Him who has provided a place of " rest, for the sole of my foot,''
and to those friends who have been the instruments in His hands
of fulfiUing his pleasure. Satisfied with the experience I have
gained, I feel no wish to see more — of the " world !"

THE

223

THE CONCLUSION.

It was not untU a period of five years had elapsed since-my ar
rival in England, that my circumstances would admit of my en-
tesing'into engagements for the passage of Virgima to this coun
try, which could not indeed be effected under much less a sum
than one hundred pounds. At length, however, the desired ar
rangement was made, and she arrived at Gravesend on the fourth
of January, 1825. Her impression, on first seeing London, feU
far short of the expectations she had been led to entertain of it.
London; she concluded, was like Calcutta — a city of palaces :
how great then was her surprise to see the dull unembeUished i
appearance of theJhouses, which, with the hurried step and gloomy
looks of the passengers, made her think it the most dismal place
she had ever yet seen, especially as she was then a stranger to
English comforts ! She also expressed, her astonishment at the
apparent want of gallantry in the men, from the elbows of seve
ral of whom she had received, when walking the streets, evi
dent testimonies of their being in a hurry. Objects of charity
too were what she was entirely unprepared to see ; the idea of
" white beggars" npver hadng once entered her imagination :
to aU who implored her assistance would she afford reUef, un
tU, having frequently found my door beset by beggars, I was
compelled to put some restraint upon the fulfilment of her
amiable intentions. The London cries Ukewise appeared singu
lar to her : as her power of mimicry was always exceedingly
good, she used to imitate them, in order that I might explain
the meaning of them to her; — but I was sometimes puzzled.
One of the first was, as she styled it — " Weep! weep!" and
one which I could hardly explain, as she knew neither the use of
a chimney, nor the meaning of the word. The watchman'-s
grunt — the fish-vender's call, and many other " concords of sweet
sounds," which I understood not myself, required explanation.
The first appearance of snow and ice — the dresses of countrymen
In smock-frocks, whom she designated by " the big men in petti
coats," also surprised her : but what more than any thing else,
the walk of the EngUsh ladies*, who, she remarked, took
such
¦ • The promenade pace of the oriental ladies, is that of a light and languid
lounge ; the nature of the climate not admitting of a quick movement.

224
such mighty Ipng strides, and were sp rapid withal, that
they appeared Uke dragoons going to a fair. Custom having
now recondled her to all these tMngs, she seldom vents
an expression of surprise, unless perhaps on witnessing a
chaise drawn by dogs, or the ^cats watching at the nd^bour-
ing doors, precisely at the hour when the meat-man goes Ms
round. My parents, who are at present in Wales, have the prospect of
attaining a good old age ; and I of enjoying their society, wMch
pleasure was denied me in my youth, when indeed I most needed
it, but could not so weU have appreciated its value. My uncle
Barron I have not seen since his abandonment of me ; but I hear
that he stUl Uves to enjoy his almost boundless wealth, although
at an advanced age. As for my exceUent friends. Lieutenants J.
and R. Burjen, in whose society I had at Madras enjoyed many a
happy and condvial hour, I in vain endeavoured, on my arrival in
England, to discover the place of thdr residence, and had, of neces
sity, abandoned it as hopeless. One evemng, however, as I was seat
ed in the pit of Old Drury, marking with intense interest the rapid
transitions in the countenance of our immitable Roscius, Kean, in
his persomfication of the mercenary Sir GUes, a noise in the gal
lery had caused me to turn my eyes from the stage ; when, on
again turning round, whose should they encounter but those of
Lieutenants J. and R, Burjen, who having also been attracted by
the noise, were stiU looking towards the gallery, A more hap
py, or unlooked-fot recognition, never perhaps ensued among
friends ; and the circumstance of their having a young lady un
der their protection, alone prevented our going home together,
late as it was, to " see the moming in,'' Since this fortunate but
singular event, we occasionaUy enjoy each other's sodety at an
EngUsh fireside, where we talk over our past adventures In the
East, As for Bowers, he is stUl in India, seeking " the bubble
reputation even in the cannon's mouth." Harcourt feU a victim to
the unhealthiness of the dimate of Bengal*, and Ues buried in the
churchyard of Chandernagore. Keys stiU resides at that settiement, and
• The climate of Bengal cannot be said to agree with the European constitu
tion. It is observed, that persons of cold and spare temperament enjoy their
health better than the robust and powerful, who soon fall a prey either to flux,
dysentery, or fever.

225
and is Ukely to remain there to the end of his days. Endtfield and
Basket continue to live in the enjoyment of that happiness which
their virtues both entitle and quaUfy them to enjoy ; and Moodoo
sooden Chetarjee, and Thompson, are stUl in Calcutta, doing re
markably well.
It may now be a natural question with some of my readers,
what was the paramount impression which my mind received, on
\dtnessing the various scenes and objects which presented them
selves in the course of my travels and adventures ; — what is the
precise nature of the impression retained on my mind at the pre
sent day ? or, in other words, what has been the result of my ex-
peri6nce ? In answer to the first question, I reply without hesi
tation, that a feeUng of indescribable admiration was the chief
sentiment of my mind, on witnessing the awful sublimity, as weU
as the endless variety, of Nature's works, whether animate or in
animate; and that the natural tendency of that admiration, to
dispose the mind to devotional feeUng towards Him who created,
and governs aU, produced on me its due effect. Secondly, that
this feeling is impressed on my mind with a vividness and force
never to be obliterated ; and consequently, if I pronounce that
to be the beneficial result of my experience, it may not appear,
in the view of many of my readers,— one of small price : but,
independently of all this, I have been led to trace, and gratefully
to acknowledge, the protection of an all-wise and beneficent Pro
vidence, That the same fostering hand may continue to extend
to aU its creatures the power of enjoyment in prosperity, and its
timely aid In extremity, and that all may be thankful for the boon.
Is the fervent hope and farewell of — NaupkaguS !

FINIS.

Q.

J. Darling, Printer, Leadenball-Strefit, l-ondon.

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