Let me recommend my mode of correcting this evil; under which I was so often, and so grievously, a sufferer, that, at length, a radical cure became indispensable. I made a point of lagging behind sometimes, or perhaps of riding back, and of stopping my camels, &c., to see what, besides my own property, might be on their backs. It is inconceivable what bundles of cloaths, pots, and pans, were burthened: nay, even perroquets sometimes formed a part of the group. In the first instance, I gave fair warning, that whatever was found thus clandestinely laden, should be destroyed: after that, I spared nothing; but caused all the brass vessels to be beat up with a tent-mallet, and the rest of the luggage to be burnt. The consequence was such as might be expected; my baggage was always up in excellent time, and my cattle were no more chafed, and galled, by excessive burthens.
I anticipate the observation, that, ‘the drivers were to blame.’ True, but few of them have the resolution to withstand solicitation, or, perhaps, a small douceur, in some shape or other; and as to discharging them, it is not always practicable, the greatest fear being that they should discharge themselves. Elephants and camels must not be put into the hands of novices: neither will they always submit to be ruled by strangers.
As I have just said, the bearers are almost always principally concerned in these instances; the reason for which is, that every other servant has usually some family, or goes share in some tattoo, (poney,) which conveys his luggage: not that they would be a whit more scrupulous, were it not for the fear of discovery; to which they would be peculiarly liable. On the other hand, the Bearer, being perhaps merely a temporary servant; and, if I may so term it, an alien in the camp, has no such means of disposing of his luggage, as falls to the lot of the regular servants: besides, all this tribe are either most penurious, or most dissipated. They either hoard every cowrie; or run in debt, and then, to avoid payment—run away.
The immediate business of a head-bearer is to prepare for his master’s dressing; seeing that the linen is all properly in order, boots and shoes cleaned, coat, &c. brushed, side-arms, &c. bright; also that the palanquin is clean, and free from defect; that the water used for drinking be purified; that the kettle is put on in due time: in general, the inferior bearers clean the furniture, and carry the chowry, (or whisk,) and swing a kind of punkah, (or fan,) made either from a large palm leaf, or with split bamboo, and printed cotton; of which pieces are to be had stamped expressly for that purpose; they are swung backwards and forwards to cool a room: the butt of the punkah-stick resting on the ground. A punkah is, by some, used instead of a chattah, (or umbrella); but it is very inferior as a defence against either sun, wind, or rain. The natives in some parts, especially to the northward, use these punkahs very generally; but, of late, they seem to have rather changed in favor of the chattah, great numbers of which are now conveyed, as an article of merchandize, from the lower provinces to Benares, Lucknow, &c.
The dress of the cahar, by which I mean the up-country bearers, usually consists of a colored turban, blue being, if anything, the prevailing color; the head-bearer generally has a short coortah, not unlike that of the mosaulchy, and, as well as all the inferiors, wears a doty, in the usual manner: though some few wear a kind of petticoat-trowser, not unlike the Highland kelt. Cummer-bunds are also in general use; though, with few exceptions, of a very coarse quality. Many gentlemen present their bearers, hirkarahs, peons, syces, khedmutgars, and mosaulchies, annually, with a set of turbans and cummer-bunds, all of the same color; so that the whole appear, to a certain extent, in livery. In this indulgence many of the natives take great pride: on the whole, indeed, they are as vain as our beau-footmen; and, like them, can assume wondrous airs, when they have to deal with the servant of a person inferior in rank to their own master.
While speaking of bearers, I shall describe the various kinds of palanquins in use; observing, that the greatest improvements, which perhaps ever took place in any vehicle, have been brought forward in the construction of this sine quâ non of Indian luxury. In order to preserve due order, I shall commence with a description of the naulkeen, or naulkee, it being the first in rank among the contrivances of this description.
This immense carriage is only used by crowned heads, and may be compared to a portable throne, on which the prince sits with his feet crossed, and tucked up under his hams, (the usual sitting position of Asiatics,) having at his back an immense pillow, and under him a suitable bedding, both sumptuously ornamented; besides these, many smaller pillows lie scattered about, to be applied as may be found agreeable. The frame of the naulkeen may be about five feet long by four broad, well secured at the corners, and taped at the bottom in a very close manner, both lengthwise and breadthwise, so as to leave no interstices. The sides are raised with richly carved wood-work, generally gilded in a very shewy style. The naulkeen is carried, like a litter, by eight men, who support two poles, one running under each side-bar, and projecting before and behind; two bearers being at each extremity, the same as in a palanquin. This vehicle, though it appears extremely ponderous, is said, by the bearers, to be far lighter than one of those Mahannah-palanquins I am about to describe: no doubt but eight men must feel less pressure, individually, from such a weight, supposing it to be equal to that of the mahannah, which is, to say the truth, a very heavy, though a very comfortable, machine.
The dooly, or covered litter, was certainly the parent of all the palanquin kind; it is yet in very common use among the less opulent classes, and especially employed for the conveyance of women; in our armies this little vehicle affords excellent means, of transporting sick and wounded men, either to the hospitals, or on a march. Its usual construction is extremely simple; consisting of a small carpoy, or bedstead, perhaps five feet by two and a half; having four stump feet, about nine or ten inches from the ground, into which the sides, and end pieces, are tenoned. A very slight frame of bamboo work, equal in size to the frame of the litter, is placed over it horizontally; serving as a roof for the support of a double cover, (generally of red karwah, or of blue, or white calico,) which lies over the roof, and falls all around; so as to enclose the whole space between the roof and the bedstead. There is seldom any bedding but what is provided by the party carried in the dooly; unless it be one appertaining to some family, thereby it is frequently used: in such case, the interior is made very comfortable, and the cover ornamented with borders, fringes, &c. This last kind, being almost exclusively appropriated to the zenanah, is on a very small scale; rarely exceeding three feet, by little more than two: of such, thousands are to be hired at Calcutta, and most of the provincial towns. They carry very easy; often, indeed, having only two bearers under the bamboo, with one carrying a bangy, or a bundle, who relieves the others occasionally; but, for the most part, four bearers are employed. The closeness of the interior, added to the very trifling elevation, (whereby the dust cannot fail to be offensive,) and the very insufficient guard against rain, combine to render this vehicle by no means pre-eminent for comfort; especially to delicate females.
It should seem that, in the course of time, an improvement was made in the construction of litters, by giving the bamboo, or pole, a considerable arch in that part which went over the interior. Thus the frame was raised considerably; while the rider was enabled to sit upright, rather more conveniently than when the bamboo was straight: this, however, could only be done towards the centre; the legs being crossed under the hams, according to the usual sitting position of the natives. To them, such a posture, being confirmed by long habit, in use from their infancy, is a relaxation; whereas, to a person not so accustomed, nothing can be more irksome and fatiguing. Gradually, the sides of the vehicle were ornamented, and changed from the simple parallelogram to an oblongated hexagon; which is now very common: the bamboo was also yet more arched, and its anterior projection carried out in an upward curve to the length of full twelve feet or more: it was also covered with broad-cloth throughout; that part above the seat being ornamented with silk fringes, and the fore-end furnished with a brass ornament; either a tiger’s, or an alligator’s head, or perhaps some imaginary non-descript, placed at the end of a brass ferule, enclosing the bamboo for half a yard at least.
Still there was abundant room for amelioration; but the natives could brook no encroachment on the publicity thus given to their persons, while seated in a vehicle, which, owing to the weight being nearly on a level with the bearers’ shoulders, (a great portion, namely, the head and shoulders, being far above it) added to the awkward arch above, which operated as a lever, was peculiarly unsteady; ever threatening to upset with the least inattention to equipoise. The danger of adding to the superincumbent weight, of which the mischief was sensibly felt, caused a slight reduction of the lever, by lengthening the suspending laths a few inches, so as to lower the centre of gravity. But, by way of recompence, perhaps, for the supposed degradation, a rich covering of broad-cloth was thrown over the arch; having in it several bamboo-laths running at right angles with the bamboo; and forming a canopy, corresponding in form with the curve, about four and a half feet in width; of which the corners were tied down to those of the palanquin frame, and the edges were trimmed with an open quadrated, or reticulated fringe, full six inches in depth.