[5]. Hyatt Saib was the rightful successor, but Tippoo proved the more powerful. A curious and tragic circumstance took place on his first visit to his father’s mausoleum: in his going through the Gangam gate, a bullock’s head on one side, and a man’s head on the other, were lopped off at one time. The real meaning of this ceremony we never could learn.
[6]. A Mr. William Drake, midshipman of the Hannibal, for striking one of the slaves that had struck him, was led to the front of one of the battalions, and there had his hands and feet tied together; this done, they forced his knees between his arms, and then pushed a pole under his hams. In addition to this, three stout men flogged him as long as they had strength. What must have been our feelings at this time? He survived it; and we were surprised, for his body was as black as a coal.
[7]. One Smith, a deserter from the Company’s service, was sent for one morning, to read what was written on the bottoms of four pewter plates or dishes; but not pleasing the killadare in deciphering the words, he was sent away, and another, who could read better, ordered to be brought to the durbar, or place of justice. I was selected; and approaching with fear, I made my salam with as much reverence as I could to one of the greatest men in his kingdom. He ordered the buxer, or paymaster, to give me one of the dishes. It was very legible, and I read it to his satisfaction, interpreted by a youth who was taken with the general; the other three were put into my hands successively, and I read them all. The purport was, that he knew he was poisoned, and by order of Tippoo; that his time was short; that he must submit to his fate; that he had borrowed 330,000 rupees from the Malabar Christians, for the support of his army, since he left Bombay; closing with a sincere request, that those who read what was written, (or engraven rather, for it appeared to have been done with a fork or a nail,) and should be so fortunate as to reach any of the presidencies, should make it known to the governor and council, when they would be amply rewarded.—When the passage relative to the money was first mentioned, the killadare appeared quite sanguine, under an idea that it was attainable; but when he understood the meaning of it, he, with the most sovereign contempt, and in the most indignant manner, cried, “Ah! Baunchut!” the meaning of which I cannot, with decency, explain; those who know the Moorish language will understand it. One of the general’s servants suffered with him. The other, George Madan, was with us some years after; he was not removed till the general was taken away by night: where he was buried, we never could learn, but, no doubt, in some dirty hole.
[8]. No doubt, many of them survived the downfall of Tippoo, and I should have been proud to hear that the Company had done something for those brave unfortunate men, and particularly so, as all their miseries originated from an English general.—The prison from whence the Malabar Christians were brought to have their noses and ears cut off, for refusing their daughters when Tippoo demanded them for his seraglio, was a horrid dismal hole, which we named the Bull, as there was an image considerably larger than life, of that animal, on the building, which was originally designed for an Hindoo place of worship, but by Tippoo converted into a dungeon. This prison we frequently passed, and expected, sooner or later, to occupy some part of it. Very few who were so unfortunate as to be confined here, escaped with less punishment than the loss of their nose and ears. The chumbars, by whom this operation was performed, are held in abhorrence by the Mohammedans, and, on that account, they were consigned to this office; and such was their brutality, that they frequently cut (or sawed, rather) the upper lip off with the nose, leaving the poor unfortunate wretch a pitiable object, to spin out a most miserable existence, being always sent to Tippoo’s arsenals, to hard labour on a scanty allowance.
[9]. Many of the Hindostan women come to maturity very early: they are frequently mothers at twelve years old, nor is it an uncommon case to find them pregnant much younger; but as they reach womanhood much sooner than the females of Europe, so also they decline at a much earlier period, and lose all their charms when a beauty of the western world is in the zenith of her power. The bloom of youth vanishes soon after twenty; and at thirty, age begins to make its visible ravages; and the fresh, plump, and lively dame, degenerates into a flabby, dull, and unpleasing matron.
[10]. On the margin of this river the Bramins burn their dead; it was infested by numbers of alligators when I left it, though there were none when I first went to it: they are not formidable, being remarkably timid. I and others have frequently amused ourselves by throwing stones at them.
[11]. Uncouth stupendous buildings, the grand residence of their Swarmy, or deity.
[12]. These monuments were ornamented by an engraver and sculptor, whose name was Elliott, an Englishman, and a deserter from Bombay; what became of him I never heard, but suppose he shared the fate of the rest.
[13]. In mentioning these beasts, I beg leave to make a few remarks on the prevailing opinion respecting lions and tigers. In England we have generally been taught to consider the lion as the king of the forest; but to convince me of this, would be a difficult task, as I have frequently been an eye-witness of the strength, fierceness, and agility of the tiger; to which the lion, in these qualities, is much inferior. Of these animals, my reader will be pleased not to draw any conclusions from what he may have seen of exhibitions in Europe, as they bear no more proportion to lions and tigers, in their natural state, than a stout puppy does to a full-grown dog. In short, it is my humble opinion, that the tigers of India are stronger, more active, and much fiercer, than the lions of Africa, and in every respect their superior, with the exception of generosity, of which quality the tiger is quite destitute. It is this only that gives the lion the advantage.
[14]. A most destructive weapon, the length about sixteen inches, sharp and taper at the extremity, but four inches diameter towards the handle.