October 16.—We crossed the river Tamboothera in what may be with justice termed basket boats. These boats were made by strong twigs interwoven with each other, and covered externally with buffalo hides. They were of a circular form, and managed by short flat paddles, and without any helm; each boat containing 12 or 14 men with their firelocks and knapsacks. Our baggage and bandies were also carried over in them, but the cattle of every kind were obliged to swim. It was truly amusing to see the elephants and bullocks get across, for the elephants being driven to the side of the river, entered and swam over, holding up their trunks all the while for the sake of air; but there was one of them that would not take the water in spite of all the efforts the keepers could use, and at last they compelled him, by bringing out two lusty ones of his kindred tribe, who, at the command of their drivers, fairly pushed him into the water by main force with their heads. The bullocks were led two and two by their driver, who went before them lying upon a plank previously tied to his body, holding a rope which was fastened at each end to the horns of his cattle; one man thereby moving himself and leading his bullocks by the motion of his feet. We were two days in getting ourselves, with the baggage and cattle, across this river, and we pitched upon the right bank for one night.
October 19.—We reached the left bank of the Kistna. This river is larger than the former, and the same boats were carried from the Tamboothera by three coolies, or labourers, to each boat, and we crossed in the manner formerly described. Upon this camp ground, I got (what is called in English) a live grass in the fleshy part of my leg. This grass has much the resemblance of a bear or barley awn, and is furnished with a small barb at the one end, like that of a fish hook; and when it once enters the flesh, there is hardly a possibility of extracting it. It takes its name from the motion it exhibits when laid upon the hand, because it is twisted, and when pulled from the stalk the twist goes out and produces a motion like a hard twisted cord. I have heard many strange stories about this live grass, as of its entering at the one side of the foot or leg, and working its way to the other, and in consequence of its poisonous qualities that many have died thereby. But I shall not affirm these things for truth, as I never saw any such fatal effects produced by it; but this I know, that all I received from the doctor did not cure it; and the wound in the course of a week became quite black, and was attended with a considerable degree of pain, which was probably much aggravated by our severe marches. But when we arrived at Hydrabad, and I was seized with the jungle fever, the leg was totally neglected, I may say, and when I recovered from this disorder, we were quite surprised to find the wound healed. For this I had great reason to be thankful, as I have known instances of death being indirectly produced by still more trifling causes. Some of our men, for example, may be said to have died of the bite of a mosquito, for the bite of that little insect occasioned a grievous itch, and the part being constantly scratched, soon festered and mortified, so that it was necessary to cut off the leg, after which the poor men fevered and died.
I would remark, by the way, that there are a great number of annoyances to the poor soldier in this country, exclusive of hard marching, bad provisions, wet camp ground, and the many bodily afflictions arising from the climate: because upon the march, they are liable to get bitten by serpents, or stung with scorpions and centipedes. And in all the barracks in the country that I have seen, or heard of, they are infested with bugs, in such a degree as often compels the men to take to the barrack square, and to sleep under the canopy of heaven, by which means, while seeking to avoid one evil, they expose themselves to a worse, for the heavy dews during night are almost sure to bring on the flux, the most fatal of all the disorders of this country.
October 23.—Upon this march one of our sepoys was bitten by a green snake. This poor man suffered the most agonizing pain which I suppose is possible for a mortal to endure, but his sufferings were soon terminated in this world, for he expired in a few hours. The green snake is thought to be the most dangerous of all the serpent tribe in this country. I have never known nor ever heard of a person recovering that had been bitten. It takes its name from its green colour, and it generally frequents fertile places, where it is not easily perceived, which makes it still more dangerous. It will not, however, attack any person unless he treads upon it, or approaches very near its young. It is about the length and thickness of a coachman's whip. The influence which the Great Enlivener of animal and vegetable life exercises upon this animal is most remarkable, for while it is exposed to the sun's rays, it seems almost impossible to deprive it totally of life. I had this information from a very intelligent native, who also showed me one that he had been endeavouring to kill, but to no purpose; for after he had bruised the head to pieces, it was still in motion when I saw it, at which time the sun was a little past his meridian, but this glorious luminary had not finished his daily course many minutes when all signs of life and motion completely vanished.
Many of the serpent tribe here are perfectly harmless to man, and may even be tamed so as to act the part of a cat in destroying vermin. The tanks, or ponds, are full of water snakes, which, when bathing, we often amused ourselves with endeavouring to catch, and never received the least injury from any of them. There is a land snake, however, called the Hooded, or spectacle snake, (from the appearance of a pair of spectacles on the back part of the head,) the bite of which is very deadly, but even of these I have seen great numbers tamed, and carried about in baskets through the barracks, by the natives, for a kind of livelihood. No sooner was the basket uncovered, and the owner commenced playing on his simple instrument, than it raised its head and moved it about with all the gestures of a coxcomb possessed of a new suit of clothes and a silver-headed cane; but when the charmer desisted from his playing, the snake generally made a dart at him, which he studiously avoided, and pretended to be very much afraid of, but this was just a pretence for making us wonder, for it could do no harm, being previously deprived of the sting, or rather the bag of poison, which lies within its mouth.
Although serpents generally love music, yet here, as in most other cases, there are exceptions to the general rule; for I am told there is one species, which, instead of being allured by the charms of music, testifies a very remarkable aversion to it; and we need not wonder at this peculiarity, for we know that, generally speaking, all the human species, whether civilized or savage, are fond of music: but we know also that there are many individuals to whom it is rather an annoyance than a pleasure. The serpent I have alluded to is probably the species which the Psalmist had in his eye, when he compared wicked men to it, in respect of their dislike and antipathy to divine truth. It has been said, indeed, that there is a serpent, or adder, to which the Psalmist's comparison literally applies; that it actually covers one ear with its tail, and applies the other close upon the ground, to prevent itself being overcome with the charms of music, so as to run the hazard of being taken and killed. We know certainly, both from Scripture and observation, that the serpent is subtile above all beasts of the field, but this surely is a piece of cunning which is beyond its nature. It is surely much more rational to think that the Psalmist refers entirely to the utter dislike of the charmer and his music, which this serpent is characterized by; and, moreover, we have the words "stoppeth his ears," in Isaiah xxxiii. 15, employed to express the utmost disregard and abhorrence.
CHAPTER VII.
November 3.—We marched past Hydrabad, the capital of the prince of Nizam's dominions, and pitched our camp at Secundrabad, which is six miles distant, where there are barracks for European troops, which at this time were occupied by his Majesty's 33d regiment. The country being now tolerably quiet, a general order came for our regiment to take the duty of Secundrabad, and the other regiments were appointed also to different stations: so the 33d marched out to our camp ground, and we took possession of their barracks, after a march of three months, halting days included. But though our march was now over, its sad effects were not over; for a great proportion of our men were seized with what is called the jungle fever. This fever some say is occasioned by an unwholesome moisture exhaled by the sun out of the jungles or bushes through which we had marched; others, that it is totally owing to the excessive fatigues, and want of proper nourishment, to which the soldiers were exposed in this country; but as I am no student of physic, I cannot say what the real causes were, but this I know from experience, that its effects were very deplorable; for I also was seized with it at this time, and was despaired of by the doctor. It is attended with great pain in the head and excessive vomiting, insomuch that a person looking upon one labouring under this disorder would be apt to think he could not live many minutes. My wife had a great deal of fatigue with me while ill of this fever, which lasted about a fortnight; but, by the blessing of God on the use of means, and particularly by the singular care and attention of this most valuable partner in all my troubles, I recovered. Had I been sent to the hospital, and received no better attendance than it was possible for the men to obtain there, I would in all probability have shared their fate.
While we lay here, some of our men were bitten by a mad dog, two of whom died shortly after; but the doctors took rather a strange method with the third. A corporal was ordered to attend him from morning to night, and to carry him out to the fields and villages to amuse his mind, and to give him as much liquor as would keep him always in a kind of intoxicated state. Now, whether it was the effect of the liquor in preventing his mind from dwelling upon his dangerous situation, or whether the operation of the liquor destroyed the effect of the bite, or (what is as likely perhaps) that the poison had not been sufficiently strong in his body to produce fatal consequences, I will not attempt to determine; but I know he got perfectly well, and returned to his duty, and I never heard of him afterwards having any symptoms of hydrophobia.
The provisions here were much better than in any place where we had yet been stationed; but there was sad work with liquor,—there being a village not far distant where was to be had abundance of paria arrack[5], which the soldiers mixed with the juice of the toddy tree. This composition had most terrible effects on our men; it made them almost, if not altogether, mad. The village being at some distance from the barracks, the liquor had time to operate, and they came home like men out of the tombs. The consequence was, that we were flogging daily. Our drum-major dying here, the duty of counting the lashes devolved on me—and a disagreeable duty truly it was. This may appear a severe method of discipline, but it is absolutely necessary for keeping good order in the army.