OUR ENCAMPMENT IN NISHAT BAGH.
WITH
THE CONNAUGHT RANGERS
IN
QUARTERS, CAMP, AND ON LEAVE.
BY
GENERAL E. H. MAXWELL, C.B.,
AUTHOR OF “GRIFFIN AHOY!”
LONDON:
HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS,
13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.
1883.
All Rights reserved.
CONTENTS.
| CHAPTER I. | |
|---|---|
| THE CONNAUGHT RANGERS. | |
| My first Experiences in the Regiment—Toby White—The CastleGuard—Changes in Ireland—Donnybrook Fair—Half-a-crown’sworth of Fighting—Ordered to Malta—Affairs inSyria—Irishmen and Scotchmen—Transports—A Cruel Joke—Amusementsat Malta—Cruise to Candia and Greece—Anold Colonel’s opinion of Rome and its Ruins—Dépôt atPaisley—Firing a Salute at Dumbarton Castle—March fromStirling to Aberdeen—Illustrious Tom and the Blotting-books—Reminiscences | [3] |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| IN THE WEST INDIES. | |
| Tralee—A Venturesome Feat—Old Pate—An Irish Cornet—PaddyOysters—Ordered to Barbadoes—Grenada—CaptainAstley’s Creole—St. George’s—Land-crab Catching—Turtle-turning—AJigger Toe—Recollections of Trinidad—Halifax,Nova Scotia—Burning of the Barracks—Lobster-spearing—Presentof a Bear—Smuggling Bruin on Board—Our Pet inthe Zoo | [23] |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| ENGLAND AND THE CONTINENT. | |
| Return to England—Paris—English and French Officers—Unvéritable Rosbif—Plum Poudin—Touching Courtesy—Isleof Wight—Parkhurst Barracks—Election at Cowes—A TipsyDriver—Camp at Chobham—Visitors to the Camp—TheRev. Dr. Cumming—In the Manufacturing Districts—Orderedto the East—Generous Conduct of the Cunards—WarDitties—Scutari—A Wrestling Match—A Good Story—AFairy Scene—The Sultan’s Wife | [45] |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| IN TURKEY AND THE CRIMEA. | |
| Enchanting Scene—Loss of Baggage-horses—Sir George Brown’sOrder—Identification of Lost Horses—Dealings with thePeasantry—Foraging—Cholera in Bulgaria—DisagreeableMistake—Dr. Shegog—Devotion to his Work and SuddenDeath—Death of an Officer—Embarkation at Varna—TheBlack Sea Fleet—Kind Soldiers—Our first Scare in theCrimea—Kindness of Lord Raglan—An Outlying Picquet—Storyof a Connaught Ranger—Capture of Balaclava—ASerious Mistake | [65] |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| THE PUNJAUB. | |
| Sent Tumbling into a Ditch—Sir Houston Stewart—Ordered toEngland—Fearful Accident on H.M.S. Belleisle—Lisbon—Cholera—AMagnificent Regiment—The Ulysses—A ScotchCaptain—A Long Farewell to England—Cape Pigeons—TheAlbatross—Arrival in India—Perplexing News—OurPosition in India—Servants—Ordered to the Punjaub—Agra—Installationof the Star of India—Showers of Meteors—Durbar | [85] |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| DELHI. | |
| By Train to Delhi—The Railway Station in 1866—Bridge ofBoats—Palace of Delhi—The Jumna—Musjid—Reminiscencesof Delhi—Valuable Copy of the Koran—Autobiographyof Sultan Baber—Mausoleum of Sufter Jung—Marchin Cold Weather—Luxurious Tents—Soldiers’ Wivesin India—Kurnal—Government Stud—Christmas in India—Umballah—TremendousStorm—Umritsur—March into Rawul Pindee | [103] |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| THE AMEER OF CABUL. | |
| Rawul Pindee—Expedition to Cashmere—Indian Heat—Visit ofthe Ameer of Cabul—Lady in a Riding-habit—Death ofBishop Milman—Absurd Statement—Peshawur—Chokedars—Nowshera—Horse-dealers—M’Kay—WildScene—March to Cashmere—Murree—Faithless Coolies—Daywal—Terrorsof my Bearer | [123] |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| CASHMERE. | |
| March to Kohalla—Crossing the Jhellum—Accident to a Boat—Ascentof the Dunna Pass—Barradurries, or Refuges—Tombof a Young Cavalry Officer—Sudden Storm—Chikar—TheDoctor—An Early Start—Wonderful Tomasha Walla—Backsheesh—ThePeople of Cashmere—Heavy Taxation—Treaty | [145] |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| THE VALE OF CASHMERE. | |
| Medical Science in Cashmere—Long and Fatiguing March—Chikoti—Fort of Oree—Faqueers—Bridge of Ropes—AnOld Friend—Playful Monkeys—Temple of Bhumniar—PrimitiveFishing—Barramula Pass—The Happy Valley at last—Formationof the Vale of Cashmere—Change in Mode ofTravelling—Dongahs—Herons—The Walloor Lake—Fort ofSrinagur—Pug and the Afghan Warrior—The Murderer of Lord Mayo | [165] |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| THE MAHARAJAH. | |
| Chowni—Srinagur—Wooden Bathing-houses—Baboo MohasChander—Our Future Domicile—‘Me come Up’—OurShikarrah—Summud Shah, the Shawl-merchant—AncientTemples—The Manufacture of Cashmere Shawls—Dinnerwith the Maharajah—A Nautch—The Maharajah’s ‘Hookem’—LordMayo’s Fête at Agra—Uninvited Guests—Rising ofthe Lake—The Poplar Avenue—The Pariah Dog—Cause ofthe Flood | [187] |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| VALLEY OF THE SCIND. | |
| Journey to the Nishat Bagh—Floating Gardens—Superfine Joe—Isleof Chenars—Inscription—Nightingales—Sudden Storm—Sunbul—AnIrishman’s Dinner—The Guardian of theLake—Ganderbul—Noonur—Engagement of a Shikarree—AnIrishman losing his ‘Presence of Mind’—A Holy Man—Crossinga Rickety Bridge—Valley of the Scind—Bears | [207] |
| CHAPTER XII. | |
| THE RESIDENT OF CASHMERE. | |
| Gond—Officer of the Connaught Rangers—A State Prisoner—Our Gascon Captain—Silvertail—M’Kay on Eastern MountainScenery—The Walloor Lake—Palhallan—Our Chokedar—Takenfor Wandering Jugglers—Vale of Gulmurg—OurCamping-ground—A Favourite Excursion—Hospitality ofthe Resident of Cashmere—Polly the Pug—Calling the Mareshome—Hindoos and Animal Suffering—Effects of Campaigningon Servants | [227] |
| CHAPTER XIII. | |
| TRAVELLING IN CASHMERE. | |
| Visit to Islamabad—Avantipore—Kunbul—Pitching our Camp—TravellingCamp Fashion—Palace of Sirkari Bagh—AnutNag, the Sacred Spring—Shawl Manufactory—Visit to theGarden at Atchibul—Irish Acuteness—Pleasure-garden—Picnicin the Ruins of Martund—Sacred Spring of the Bowun—APundit eager for Backsheesh—Expedition to the Lolab—Reviewof the Maharajah’s Troops | [249] |
| CHAPTER XIV. | |
| FAREWELL TO CASHMERE. | |
| Last Wanderings in Cashmere—Lalpari—Return to Murree—AMurree Cart—Return to Military Life—Fever in the Regiment—Deathof M’Kay—Ordered to Agra—Intelligence ofElephants—Goats—Regimental Pets—A Drunken old Goat—HuntingRebels—The Value of a Flogging—SapientJackdaws—Painful Tidings—Brigadier Nicholson—EnglishStores—Lahore—Flight of Locusts—Flocks of Geese | [271] |
| CHAPTER XV. | |
| THE HIMALAYAS. | |
| Agra—Letter-writers in Bazaar—A Dilemma—The Rajah ofUlwar—The Taj-Mahal—Deserted City of Palaces—FuttehporeSekri—Railway Travelling—The Sewallic Range—TheHimalayas—The Snowy Range—Dehra—The TrainingSeason—Cholera—Proclaiming Banns of Marriage—Presagesof a Storm | [291] |
| CHAPTER XVI. | |
| OUR FINAL JOURNEY. | |
| Indian Hospitality—Reminiscences of Hindostan—My Bearer—ASpinster in a Dilemma—Deollalee—Our Final Journey—Bombay—Voyagein the Jumna—Escape of a Minar—Lossof a Parrot—Return to England—Escapade of a YoungOfficer—Anecdote | [313] |