A wash-hand bason, ewer, and chamber utensil, will be required: these, at least the first and last, should be of pewter: the ewer should be in the form of a bottle, both on account of the convenience it offers in handling it, and because water is less liable to be spilled from its mouth; a common quart bottle is no bad substitute. About a pound of good tea, and five or six pounds of double-refined sugar, may be provided: in case of indisposition they may be resorted to, without troubling the captain’s servants beyond the requisition of some hot water.
Persons fond of shooting, would do well to take with them one or more good double-barrelled guns, with spare locks, a good supply of flints, and all the necessary implements for cleaning, &c. in a very solid wainscot case, firmly clamped with brass at the corners, lid, and bottom. Shot is to be had in Calcutta, as is gun-powder, of the first quality. A good pointer dog will be found highly valuable; preferable to a bitch, which rarely lives in that climate after her first, or, at most, her second litter; besides, it is common for the captain and officers to expect whatever pups are born on board: on the other hand, a male pointer, of established breed and reputation, must be eagerly sought by all sportsmen, who will cheerfully give a portion of its progeny to the owner.
With respect to military persons, whose apparel and accoutrements cannot be ascertained previous to quitting England, they should confine their attention to laying in those materials which cannot fail of becoming useful on their arrival: thus, an officer of infantry ought to purchase a few yards of the best super-superfine scarlet broad cloth, or kerseymere, for making up his regimentals; an officer of artillery or of engineers, blue, &c. The whole establishment not being exactly uniform in particular points, such as the colors of the facings, the patterns of the swords, &c. nothing can be done, with propriety, in those instances: this, however, is the less important, because every cadet is, on arriving in the country, sent to join a corps composed of gentlemen under similar circumstances, about sixteen miles from Calcutta, in which he must serve for two years, or until judged qualified to do duty with the regiment to which he may stand appointed as an ensign.
Every thing in the cutlery line should be taken from England; the most essential are as follow. Two good razors, in a case, with a small strop, a small looking glass, two or three pairs of scissors, of sorts; two or three good penknives, a riding knife, with fleam and picker, a pair of good carvers, a dozen of table knives and forks, ditto of dessert, all plain bone or ivory handles; a pocket case of apparatus for scaling the teeth; mathematical instruments may be included under this article, as may black-lead pencils of the first quality, with colors, hair pencils, and drawing and writing papers; all of which are extremely dear in India, and, according to the usual modes of shipping, rarely arrive in good condition.
A good gold watch, with light chain and seals, together with some spare glasses fitted, will be indispensable. A small telescope, that may be easily carried in the pocket, will prove amusing on many occasions, and, to a military man, must ever be ranked among absolute necessaries. In regard to plate, very little is wanted for a single gentleman. Six table spoons, twelve tea spoons, a soup spoon, a marrow spoon, and four salt spoons, will be found as much as usually can be required; as will be better understood when I come to describe the manner of living among Europeans.
The very limited space allowed for the baggage of each passenger, renders it indispensably necessary that every article should be packed close. Many consider a large sea-chest to be useful; but, in my opinion, it is the worst receptacle that could be devised; especially as it becomes useless on arrival in India. I should strongly recommend four boxes, well covered with leather, and clamped with brass, measuring about 26 or 28 inches in length, 18 in breadth, and 18 in depth. Each should have within a lifter, so that half its contents may be taken out at pleasure, the lower tier remaining undisturbed. The contents of each part to be noted on a piece of stiff paper, which should be pasted within the lid: a copy to be written in a memorandum book, so that the contents of the several boxes (which should be numbered and lettered with the proprietor’s initials, thus, A.B.
—
1 A.B.
—
2 A.B.
—
3 A.B.
—
4) may be known without opening them. Only one of these need ever be in use at a time; the rest being sent down into the after-hold; which usually is opened once or twice weekly, on stated days, for the convenience of those who may wish to have access to their packages.
I have derived very considerable convenience from sorting all my linen into sets: for instance, a shirt, an undershirt, (commonly called a banian,) a pair of stockings, two neck handkerchiefs, and a pocket ditto: these I rolled up as tight as could be effected by manual force, and surrounded with a towel, which, being pinned, kept all fast and clean. In this form my linen could be packed in a very small space. Foul linen should always be put up in the same manner. One box, containing articles in reserve, should be exempted from such as might be occasionally wanted: it should be allotted to hats, silk stockings, best coats, linen, waistcoats, &c. Each will occupy about five cubic feet; therefore, the whole may be comprised in half a ton measurement.
I should observe, that blankets, &c. not in use, may be put under the mattress; and, that, if a standing bed-place is in question, about four yards of coarse woollen, such as serge, perpet, shalloon, or baize, may be taken on board, wherewith to make a set of curtains; which, in some situations, such as the steerage, will be found not only comfortable, but absolutely necessary. Those who have been on board any coasting vessel, fitted up for the accommodation of passengers, will instantly accord with this piece of advice, and comprehend how desirable it is that every box, &c. beyond that in immediate use, should be consigned to the after-hold. If more than four trunks should be deemed necessary, they may generally be had ready made at most of the manufacturers. The size described ought not to be exceeded, on account of the facility with which such may be suspended in slings made of canvas, and be carried on bullocks, one trunk on each side. Too much cannot be said on this point; since the degree of compactness an officer is able to attain, will generally determine the quantity he may be able to carry, and insure its early, as well as its safe, arrival.
Those who are not in the Company’s service, are left to make the best bargain they can with the commanders of the Indiamen, and to select such ships for their conveyance as may best suit their views in regard to destination and time of sailing. The Company, some years ago, issued their orders, that only certain stated sums were to be taken by the commanders of ships in their employ, according to the rank of passengers respectively.—A reference to the Directory will shew what were prescribed, any trespass on which was declared tantamount to an ipso facto dismissal from the service. The regulations formerly included only as far as majors, under the supposition that all above that rank would indulge in the hire of cabins; for which they must, of course, pay extra. The specified sums were what the Company paid on all occasions where the passage-money was receivable from their own treasury.
However just and benevolent the intention of the Company evidently was; since it served to protect their servants from impositions which had, on many occasions, been ruinous to individuals in low circumstances, and, in some instances, caused them to apply to the Court of Directors for loans, to enable their returning to India; still, it cannot be denied, that the stipulated rates are by no means adequate compensation for the very heavy expence a commander incurs, when laying in stock for a voyage generally estimated at six months duration. Whatever may be paid by individuals of the several classes respectively, each invariably expects to be received with the same cordiality, and to partake, without distinction, of whatever the stores may afford.