The books hitherto published on India have been in general, from their bulk, confined to persons arrived at a more advanced period of life; and the Editor of the present volume hopes in some measure to familiarise the subject by bringing it down nearer the comprehension of the youthful reader. This work is intended to describe Indian manners in an interesting way, and will in some measure, it is hoped, supply a portion of the want that has long existed in our literature in this respect. To render the subject more attractive, Mr. Acland was careful to introduce anecdotes and short narratives throughout, which are calculated to amuse, while instruction is at the same time conveyed.
One distinguishing feature may be observed in the whole—viz. a fervent spirit of devotion, which breathes through every page of the original manuscript. Such passages the Editor has thought it better to omit, as the advice from a father to his children, clothed in the simple language he considered it best to employ, though beautiful and touching in itself, would scarcely appear interesting to the general reader. For this reason the substance of his counsel has been compressed into the present brief Preface.
He impresses upon his children the necessity of living ever in brotherly love, of sustaining and comforting one another, and of seeking the Divine aid in every emergency of life, whether great or small. He shows them how, by trusting implicitly in God and acting according to His commandments, they will attain a peace of mind above all the happiness which an indulgence in the pleasures of this life can bestow. He explains to them, in the gentlest terms, how necessary it is for their welfare here and hereafter that they should act ever in accordance with the expressed wishes of the Almighty; and that they must never cease to remember that He moves about them everywhere, and sees their every action, hears each passionate word, beholds each unbecoming gesture, and will reward or punish according as they indulge in or abstain from evil. In several beautiful passages he portrays the unceasing watchfulness of the Almighty in providing for our daily wants, in supplying us with every necessary of life; and inquires, with truth, Ought not every little heart to be daily grateful to Him, without whose will the sun cannot shine, or rise, or set; without whose will the refreshing showers could not force and raise up around us the beautiful and necessary things of life? Then he inquires, How can we better show our gratitude for these blessings than by acting in accordance with the wishes of Him who is the cause of so much good?
These words were spoken by a father to his own children; but I would ask those of my young friends into whose hands this little volume may fall, does it not equally touch them? Do they not feel the truth of these sentences? Coming over the many thousand miles which stretch between India and this country, these letters were cherished the more by the three little children to whom they were addressed; and now that the hand is cold which traced the lines, how much more will they be prized!
Whatever may be the fate of the volume with the public, to those whom it more intimately concerns it will be a lasting remembrance of their father, and of the melancholy circumstances connected with his early death. For their sake, the Editor trusts that the present work may meet with at least a moderate share of success; and that, in the endeavour to render more familiar to the youthful mind the names and habits of some of the inhabitants of India, he may not altogether fail.
London, Sept. 1847.
CONTENTS.
| Page | |
| [Madras, June, 1842.] | |
| Departure from England in March—Tremendous storm off Ushant—Ship becalmed at the equator—Great heat—Danger of sleeping in moonlight in hot climates—Storm off the Cape—Great speed of the vessel—Thunderstorm at the equator—Arrival at Madras—The mungoose; its usefulness in houses—Mother-of-pearl—Contrivances for abating the heat—Fakirs—Curious disease—Salutation of Europeans by natives—Employment of time | 1 |
| [July 1.] | |
| Native wedding—Visit to the Newab—Jugglers | 6 |
| [Calcutta, July 15.] | |
| Voyage up the Hoogly—Waterspout—The bishop's palace—Appointment to the province of Assam—Great number of tigers at Calcutta—Mode of voyaging—Language of natives—Number of servants necessary | 7 |
| [August 6.] | |
| Change of appointment from Assam to Cuttack—Dangers of travelling—Mode of living—"Bore" in the Hoogly | 9 |
| [Midnapore, September 12.] | |
| Leave Calcutta—Accident on the Hoogly—Dâk-travelling—State of the road—Arrival at Midnapore—A bungalow—Trees and plants—Mode of providing animal food—Destructiveness of ants—Snakes—Monkeys—Encounter with a buffalo—Soil, climate, and productions of Midnapore—Expenses of living—List of servants | 10 |
| [September 15.] | |
| "Poujah of tools:" a rustic festival | 17 |
| [October 9.] | |
| Thunderstorms—Mode of taking birds—Costume—Coins—Insects—Dinner-parties—Language—Strictness of caste regulations among servants—Employment of women—Disposal of the body after death—Dustoorie—The white ant | 17 |
| [November 11.] | |
| Antics of the monkey—Parrots—Fierceness of the hyæna—Small grey squirrel—Narrow escape from a cobra—Its bite seldom cured—Vegetable productions—Usefulness of the bamboo—Dishonesty of servants | 21 |
| [November 12.] | |
| Earthquake—Population of India—Religions—Money—Designations of Europeans by natives—Mode of life | 26 |
| [December 13.] | |
| Hiring of hackeries—Importunacy of natives—Encounter with a bear—Goats | 29 |
| [December 14.] | |
| Birds'-nests—Cost of dress—Weather—Temperature | 31 |
| [December 16.] | |
| Anonymous reptile—Destruction of serpents by the mungoose | 32 |
| [Balasore, Orissa, December 30.] | |
| Balasore—Volcanic hills—Hill of the large white ant—Human skulls—Beautiful plumage of birds | 32 |
| [January 2, 1843.] | |
| Legend of the origin of the hills at Balasore—Immense number of ants'-nests; their mode of building—Great abundance of these insects | 34 |
| [January 3.] | |
| Journey from Midnapore—Mode of travelling—Danton—Jelasore—The fort—Ancient inscription—India-rubber tree—Attack by a tiger—A hungry bear—Paucity of furniture—Palanquin-bearers' songs—Fuel—False alarm—Jackals and crows the scavengers of the country | 36 |
| [Cuttack, February 2.] | |
| Journey from Balasore—Barripore—Gratuities to bearers—Fruit-trees—Alligators—Mortality of Juggernat'h pilgrims—Sleeping arrangements—The Mohurrun—Position of Cuttack—Sea-breezes—Mode of irrigation—Ancient fort—Origin of the Mohurrun—Furious winds | 43 |
| [February 13.] | |
| Proposed new village—Depredations of tigers—Gold-dust | 50 |
| [March 4.] | |
| Excursion to Chogga—Sporting—Human skeleton—Wild bull—The village—Converts—Mode of starting the game—Assembly of native Christians—"Inquirers"—Conversation on religion—Baptism—Degradation and loss of caste on embracing Christianity—Return to Cuttack—Comet—Remarkable weather | 50 |
| [April 13.] | |
| Narrow escape from a snake—Hindu festival—Chena poojah, or swinging festival—Elephant-riding—Sporting | 60 |
| [April 15.] | |
| Domestic arrangements—Furniture—Old Cuttack—Degeneracy of modern Indians | 64 |
| [April 17.] | |
| Chena poojah—Self-torture of devotees—Cotton-tree | 67 |
| [Juggernat'h, May.] | |
| Pooree—Pleasant temperature—The temple—Danger from sharks in bathing | 68 |
| [Cuttack, August 7.] | |
| Mofussil society—Morning visits—Costume—Dinner-parties | 69 |
| [August 29.] | |
| Ourang-outang—Monkeys—Bachelor's party—The Commissioner—Tiger-story—Power of the human eye over the lower animals—Bats—Plan to improve society—A "good gardener"—Cruel treatment of servants by Europeans—Milder punishment adopted by the author | 73 |
| [October 12.] | |
| Return from Midnapore—Heavy rain—Description of a palanquin | 84 |
| [November 8.] | |
| Bengal tiger—Mode of hunting the boar—Anecdotes of tigers—Poison of the cobra—Chanderpore—Sea-scorpions—Relief-fund | 86 |
| [Barripore, November 28.] | |
| Solitude—Power of Europeans over natives—Their social relations—Rapid progress of disease | 89 |
| [Cuttack, December 10.] | |
| Elephant-hunting—Juggernat'h festival—Its support by Government—Pilgrims—Mode of expression in the East—A grateful servant—Number and names of servants—Their generally unkind treatment—Gratitude and honesty of natives: instances—Rajah Bheere Singh—His testimony to personal security in the Company's territory—An unexpected meeting | 92 |
| [December 25.] | |
| Choudwar—Sporting—Hyæna chase—Pariah-dog | 99 |
| [January 2, 1844.] | |
| Military sportsmen—A false alarm—Moral—Costume regulations of Hindus—Mode of evasion | 102 |
| [Barripore, January 5.] | |
| Mirage at Pooree | 103 |
| [Guzzeepuddee, January 12.] | |
| Journey from Balasore—Scenery—A water-race—Encampment—A nocturnal visitor | 105 |
| [Barripore, January 16.] | |
| Excursion to the Neilghur hills—Change of temperature and scenery—Skeleton of a boa constrictor | 109 |
| [Midnapore, February 1.] | |
| Excursion to Bhohoneswar and Cundeegurree—Temples—Inscriptions—Attack of inflammation of the liver | 111 |
| [February 15.] | |
| Second visit to the Neilghur hills—A beyraghee and his enclosure—Encampment at Bengwharrie—Hunnamun monkeys—Game—Peafowl shooting—Bhohoneswar: its temples—Magnificence of the principal temple—Cundeegurree—Inscriptions—Caves—Devotees—Palace of the ancient Rajahs—Statue: considerations suggested by its costume—Anecdote of an elephant | 112 |
| [Pooree, May 26.] | |
| A thunderstorm—Peculiarly fearful at Pooree | 122 |
| [May 29.] | |
| Temperature at Pooree and at Cuttack—Modes of conveyance—Ponies—Arrangements for sleeping in comfort—The Rajah of Neilghur—His interview with the Commissioner—Costume and appointments—Elephants—Hunting-party—Arrival at Neilghur—Adventure with a boar—Uncivil treatment of Rajahs | 122 |
| [Cuttack, July 4.] | |
| Salt-monopoly—Unjust treatment of the manufacturers—Juggernat'h—Religion of the Brahmins—The idol—The procession—Immense number of pilgrims—Numerous deaths—Evil omen | 131 |
| [August 10.] | |
| Brindabund monkeys—Indian marriages—Frequent results—Peacocks | 136 |
| [September 14.] | |
| Plague of insects—A night's rest—The bath | 138 |
| [October 13.] | |
| Government doctors—Monkeys—Goats—Electric phenomenon | 139 |
| [November 14.] | |
| Rapid vegetation—Early maturity and decay of natives—Necessity for employment of the mind—Mode of passing time—Flower and kitchen gardens—An armadillo—A whale on shore | 141 |
| [Khoutah, December 16.] | |
| Antiquity of Indian religions—Manner of disposal of the dead | 144 |
| [Jenkia, January 4, 1845.] | |
| Mr. G., the collector and magistrate of Pooree—Departure for Khoordagurree—Regularity of seasons | 145 |
| [Tanghi, January 5.] | |
| Manner of travelling—Soonercollee—Splendid scenery—Chelka Lake—Islands—Water-fowl—Flamingo | 146 |
| [Midnapore, February 14.] | |
| Sporting on the banks of the Chelka Lake—Chase by a bear | 150 |
| [Cuttack, April 2.] | |
| Travelling—Hunting antelopes—Snaring game—The sportsmen chased by pigs | 152 |
| [Pooree, April 26.] | |
| Fatal illness of author | 155 |
| [May 8.] | |
| Abrupt conclusion | 155 |