17th.—We quitted Cawnpore, and commenced our voyage down the Ganges.
18th.—The low sandbanks in the river swarm with crocodiles; ten are basking on a bank to the left of our boat, and five or six are just ahead. The sāhib has fired at them several times, but they are beyond the reach of pistol shot. They are timid animals; as soon as you approach them they dive down into the river. We have only seen the long-nosed crocodiles, none of the snub-nosed alligators. What a monster there is very near us, and such a winsome wee one by its side! I want a baby crocodile very much for my cabinet.
At Sheorajpore our friends tried to tempt us to remain with them, showing us a nil-gā’ī, a wild boar, hares, black partridges, and the common grey partridges, that they had shot; and offering us an elephant to enable us to join the sportsmen the next day.
How much I enjoy the quietude of floating down the river, and admiring the picturesque ghāts and temples on its banks! This is the country of the picturesque, and the banks of the river in parts are beautiful.
On the morning of our quitting Lucnow, my aide-de-camp, the young Bhopaul chieftain, was made quite happy by being allowed to make his salām to his Majesty, who gave him a dress of honour.
I can write no more; the sāhib’s vessel has lugāoed, that is, has made fast to the bank; I must go out shooting with him, and mark the game.
19th.—We slept off Nobusta; the wind was very high, it blew a gale, but the high bank afforded us protection. Our boats are large, flat-bottomed, shallow, and broad country boats, on each of which a great house is built of bamboo and mats, and the roof is thatched. The interior is fitted up with coloured chintz, like that used for tents. Such unwieldy vessels are very likely to be upset in a storm. The great patailā, which contains the cows, &c., has given us much trouble; she has been aground several times, being, from her height and bulk, almost unmanageable in a strong wind.
It is very cold, the rain is falling fast; all the servants and the crew look so deplorable, and keep their shoulders to their ears. The horses on their march will be exposed to it; they are merely sheltered by a tree at night,—a cold berth for animals accustomed to warm stables.
20th.—This has been a day of rain and contrary wind; we have made but little way, and being unable to reach Mirzapore, have lugāoed off a sandbank.
21st.—We breakfasted at Mirzapore, and reached Kurrah at night, where we moored our little fleet under an old fort built by Aurunzebe. No sooner had we made fast, than a heavy storm came on, accompanied by thunder and lightning, hail and rain; the latter was so heavy, it soaked through the thatch of the bamboo houses on the boats, and rendered us very uncomfortable. The large patailā was missing, but came in the next day with her cargo of cows and sheep; from her height she must have been in danger, as she had not gained the land when the storm came on.