Edinburgh,
April 17, 1823.
CONTENTS.
| Page | |
| CHAPTER I. | |
| The Author's Birth and Education—Sent to Edinburgh—Engagedto a Tobacco-Spinner—Hired by Mrs. C.—Her ExcellentCharacter—Death—Goes to Mr. B.—Hardships there fromHunger—Buys a fife, and becomes devoted to Music—Put to theWeaving—Scanty Fare and small Wages—Curious incident—Goesto Peebles—Enlists in the Army of Reserve—Is sent to Ireland. | [1] |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| Arrival at Belfast, Athlone, Dublin—His Musical Enthusiasm—Alarms of Conscience—Enlists into the Regulars—VisitsScotland—Courtship—Melancholy Result of it—Goes to England—Arrives at Portsmouth—Dismal scene of Drawing Lots for theWives—Mrs. Allan permitted to accompany her Husband, throughthe Author's influence with the Colonel. | [21] |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| Embarks at Portsmouth—Death of William Troup of a BrokenHeart—Tremendous Storm—Ceremony at Crossing the Equinoctial—Loses his Watch—Cape of Good Hope—Sufferings from want ofWater. | [39] |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| Arrival at Prince of Wales's Island—Attacked by Dysentery—Hisdeep Convictions in the Hospital—Is visited by Alexander Chevis,a Pious Soldier—Their profitable Intercourse—Colonel Stewart'skindness—Sent to Madras. | [50] |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| Description of Madras—The Thieving Bazaar—Wallajahbad—TerribleMortality—Death of his friend Allan—Marries his Widow—HerCharacter—Exploit of the Grenadier Company—Effects of Heat—Expedient for Relief of checked Perspiration—Prayers read bythe Adjutant—Colonel Stewart's return to Europe—Colonel Conran'sCharacter—His Kindness—Mutiny of the Company's Troops—Mrs. B'sFortitude. | [73] |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| March against the Rebels—Tigers—Wild Boars—Gutta—Numberand Description of the Forces—Hardships of the March—Activity and Usefulness of Mrs. B.—Illustrations ofScripture—The Shadow of a Great Rock—New Wine in OldBottles—New Cloth sewed to Old Cloth—Glass of theEast—Submission of the Rebels—Basket Boats—Elephantscrossing Rivers—Effects of Live Grass—Anecdotes ofSerpents—Their Love of Music. | [94] |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| Hydrabad—Effects of Mad Dogs—Mischiefs of Liquor—AffectingDeath of Wilkins—His remarkable love of the Bible—Account ofSerjeant Gray—The Author's Happiness on finding Doddridge'sRise and Progress. | [118] |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| Marches to Masulipatam—Finds Alex. Chevis in the Hospital—His Dying Address and Death—Wickedness of the Regiment—Courtney Shoots two Men with one Ball—His Hardened Character—A Singular Incident—Suicide of a Nabob—IncreasingProfligacy of the Army—Causes thereof—No Sabbath beyond theLine—History of J. F.—His Aversion to Swearing—MelancholyChange in his Character—His awful Death—Account of W. H.—His Friendship with the Author—Their pleasant and profitableIntercourse—Corrupted by his Comrades—His Illness—Laststriking Words and Death. | [131] |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| Leave Masulipatam—Anecdotes of the Elephant—Its Revenge ofan Injury on a Serjeant—The Author's Hardships and Illness—Hurricane—Mrs. B. stands Godmother to Serjeant Lee's Child—Account of Mrs. Lee—Her Death—The Child taken Home byMrs. B.—Remarkable Cases of Hydrophobia. | [163] |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| Leave Trichinopoly—Bangalore—Melancholy Death of Mrs. Brown—Another Orphan taken charge of—Affecting account of—Leaves the Regiment—Summary of Casualties—Happiness in the Prospectof revisiting Scotland—Friends left in India—Account of Mrs.Copwick—Her Marriage and unhappy Condition—Promising Piety—Doddridge's Rise and Progress presented to her—Punamalee—Paddy L—discharged—Drowns Himself—Death of Mrs. Gray—Letter from the Serjeant—From Mrs. Copwick—Her Wicked Husband'sDeath, and her own Comfortable Settlement—The Author bidsdieu to India. | [180] |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| Description of the Country—Mode of watering the Rice Fields—Compared with the Scripture account of the Land of Egypt—Manners and Customs—Dress—Food—Visits—Dancing Girls—Modeof Drinking—Houses—Marriage Ceremonies—Burning Widows—Religion—Brahmins—Other Castes—Temples—Fakirs—OrdealTrials—Abstract from the Vedas. | [202] |
| CHAPTER XII. | |
| The Author Embarks for Europe—Kindness of the Captain to thetwo Orphans—Sabbath Profanation, by his Scotch Comradesparticularly—Storm—Specimens of the Conversation on Board—Good-Friday strictly observed—St. Helena—Extreme Distresson Board from want of Tobacco—Death of a Soldier—Behaviourof his Comrades—Buried ashore—Effects of this—Attemptagainst the Author's Life—Account of the Shark—Arrival atLondon. | [235] |
| CHAPTER XIII. | |
| The Author's first Sabbath in London—His longing desiresafter the Public Ordinances satisfied—Arrival in Scotland—Disposal of the two Orphans with their Grandfathers—Oneof them returns to the Author at Peebles—Receives a letterfrom Colonel Stewart, who procures a situation for him ina Militia Regiment—Greenock—Comes to Edinburgh—Dr. B.'sKindness—Conclusion. | [278] |
NARRATIVE.
CHAPTER I.
I was born of poor but respectable parents, in the town of Peebles, county of Tweeddale, upon the 3d day of April, 1784. Under their nursing care I remained until I was four years of age, when I was sent to my grandfather in Darnick, from whom I received any little education I ever got. Being then too young for school, my grandmother was very attentive in giving me instruction as I was able to bear it; and before I was five years of age, when I was sent to school, I could repeat various psalms, hymns, and passages of Scripture. She employed herself frequently in spinning on the lint wheel, at which time I used to sit at her side, learning verses which she would rehearse to me. I was placed here somewhat like Timothy with his grandmother Lois; for from what I myself recollect, and especially from the testimony of some pious Christians yet living, she was a very eminent character. She laboured much to give me a high veneration for the Supreme Being, in so much that, when I could read a little, I was struck with a kind of reverential dread at the words Lord or God, when I saw them in the Bible; but I could form no kind of notion what this Great Being could be. As I grew older, my wonder was so far gratified by my worthy instructor telling me that God was a spirit, and invisible, and that I could not speak, act, or even think, but he was acquainted with it all; and that he saw me at all times and in all places: but this I thought could hardly be true, as I imagined God could certainly not see me in the dark.
My grandfather being a very healthy and pious man, no weather would prevent him attending the church at Melrose, which was about a mile distant; but my grandmother being older, and not so robust in her constitution, was often detained at home in stormy weather, or during the winter season; but, though absent in body from the ordinances, she was present in spirit; and it is to be desired that all Christians would improve their time when necessarily detained at home from church as she did; for it was her custom to make family worship, I only being present, during the time of divine service; and it was the greatest possible wonder to me what pleasure she could have in it when my grandfather was absent, and I could take no active part in it, except making an attempt to follow the psalm as she was singing it. It was certainly however a great pleasure to her, though a real weariness to me; but although I could not then see what advantage I could receive from her praying to God to make me an object of his special care, she saw it; and I trust I have reaped much benefit from her prayers. Nor did she lose all the minister's labours, for there were two or three pious neighbours who used to meet upon the Sabbath evening, and talk over the substance of what they had heard, their "speech being with grace, seasoned with salt." My grandfather being a man of superior mental endowments, and having an excellent memory, I was quite astonished how they, and especially he, could remember so much, when, with all my attention, I could scarcely bring home one sentence of what had been preached. I was, however, very careful to learn my task, which was a psalm, or a part of one, and a few questions out of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism; and when I got through that book, I used to answer the whole questions on two Sabbath evenings, to keep them on my memory. In short, I remained under this friendly roof, having the great benefit of precept and example, attending school regularly, until I was eight years of age.
I was then, I may say, sent upon the wide world, in which I have ever since been a wanderer; for, when I came to Edinburgh, where my father and mother then lived, I went to a Mr. ——, in the capacity of a tobacco spinner's boy, where I had of course to mix with many of those I would have chosen to avoid; but, being attentive to my work, my master soon began to take notice of me, and was wont to give me a penny more upon Saturday night than the rest, but this without their knowledge; and his kindness made me if any thing more diligent. I found myself more comfortable here than at first I expected, and I continued in this way until I was ten years of age, when I was hired to a Mrs. C. to wait at the table, run messages, &c. for which I received my meat, clothes, and one pound ten shillings in the half-year.