Few of the natives have tatties applied to their doors, or windows; though by no means insensible to the gratification they afford; but penury, or, to say the least, close and parsimonious economy, prompt to the denial of such a comfort; a comfort without which any constitution, not inured to the climate, would speedily give way. It is really curious to observe what may be effected by habit! When we understand how fatally the sun’s rays act upon our European frames, even while under the shade of a thick painted umbrella, and although our diet may be nearly similar to that of the most abstemious Hindu, it certainly must appear wonderful, that children, of whatever age, whose rapid circulation, and sable color, should, according to the estimates we form of temperament, be highly unfavorable to such exposure, run about at all seasons, bare-headed, and perfectly nude; seeming to set the sun, the wind, and the rain, alike at defiance. We see the same individuals making long journies, in the most torrid seasons, under nearly similar circumstances; nay, they even carry bangies, containing, on an average, full a maund, (82lb. avoirdupoise,) sixteen, eighteen, twenty miles, or even more, under such an oppressive heat as would kill an European outright; and this, too, for a few pence. If, in considering this point, we urge the benefits of extreme temperance, we urge that which often does not exist; since many, who practise the above, may be ranked among the most arduous votaries of Bacchus, devouring fish, flesh, and fowl, highly spiced, whenever their purses, or the bounty of others, may afford them so welcome a regale. When we see the several shop-keepers, in every city and town, serving their customers, or, in their absence, smoking like Vesuvius, in their little boutiques, exposed to the glare, and to the burning winds; when we see these persons, with parched skins, and their eyes violently irritated, and clogged, by the clouds of dust which range along the streets, and which, occasionally taking a whirl, nearly suffocate all within their reach; we may then fairly admire the force of habit, and congratulate ourselves on the blessings of a more temperate climate!
In the same situations, we see two classes of persons, both natives of the soil, acting in diametric opposition to each other; and exhibiting that powerful resistance capable of being made by long residence, or rather by aboriginal habitude, against that which never fails to consign our countrymen to the grave. The former class confine themselves, as much as their avocations may permit, within gloomy, but cool, chambers; living most abstemiously, yet, at certain times, exposing themselves in the most unequivocal manner to the severest heats: the other, perfectly inattentive to the dictates of prudence, yet performing what we may fairly term wonders, in opposition to their destructive locality. When the English first visited India, they adopted a mode of building by no means consistent with common sense, and displaying a total ignorance of the most simple of nature’s laws. We accordingly find, that all the old buildings, such as may lay claim to a duration of from forty to sixty years, were, like the celebrated Black-Hole, constructed more like ovens, than like the habitations of enlightened beings. The doors were very small, the windows still less, in proportion, while the roofs were carried up many feet above both. Those roofs were in themselves calculated to retain heat to an extreme, being built of solid tarras, at least a foot thick, lying horizontally upon immense timbers, chiefly of teak, or of saul wood. Again, when they built bungalows, (i.e. thatched houses,) of one (ground) floor only, the utmost care was taken to close up all the intervals between the thatch, and the walls, on which it rested; so as to exclude the external air, as well as the dust: a practice religiously observed even to the present date. The obvious consequence of this latter construction is, that, whatever air is retained between the thatch, (which, in the course of the day, becomes very, very warm,) and the upper lines of the windows must be highly rarefied.
Thus, we invariably observe, that, towards sun-set, when the inhabitants quit the inner hall, &c., either to sit out on chabootahs, (i.e. large terraces,) raised perhaps a foot or two from the level of the area, and abundantly watered for the occasion; or when they remove to the windward veranda (or balcony); on either of these occasions, the interior becomes intolerably hot, on account of the rarefied air being drawn down by that current inevitably attendant upon the removal of all the tatties; and, by the throwing open of all the doors and windows.
In a preceding page, I have shewn, that the French generally acted upon more philosophical principles; they making their doors and windows remarkably high: but, there yet remains a very important improvement to be made; namely, the introduction of tin ventilators, to be inserted near the summits of the thatches. It is a fact, that, during many months in the year, the houses built by most Europeans, and especially their bungalows, are so extremely heated, as to render it absolutely impossible to sleep in their interior, without the intervention of some artificial means for keeping the air around the bed at a proper temperature.
However faulty the first European builders in India might have been, the moderns have by no means made such improvements as we should suppose experience would have led them to adopt. Whether from economy, or from more attention to exterior, than to comfort, scarce a house is now built with such spacious, lofty, and substantial verandas, as are to be seen on the south side of almost every old mansion. Some of these antiquated edifices had verandas on several sides, and a few might be quoted having them all around; as seen in the officers’ quarters at Berhampore, and Dinapore. It can scarcely be doubted, that such verandas are, in every respect, admirably suited to the climate; since they prevent the sun from striking on the main wall; which, in exposed situations, have been known to give from 8° to 10° difference on the thermometer; under circumstances in every other respect similar.
It is peculiar, that, until within the last twenty-five years, the ground floors, that is, the whole of the basements, of those fine large houses to be seen in all quarters of Calcutta, and in various parts of the interior, were consigned to the reception of palanquins, gigs, water-stores, or to be wine-godowns, (or cellars,) butler-connahs, (or pantries,) and even, in some instances, stables! In those days, the whole of the family resided in, and confined themselves to, the first floor; which was then the summit of the habitation: leaving to their luggage, cattle, and menials, that part which has lately been discovered to be, in every respect, most suitable to the accommodation of the European population. In houses of agency, &c., we now see the basement converted partly into offices, and but rarely any portion of it appropriated as above described; while, the generality of new houses are built upon a scale such as favors this salutary change, by giving sufficient height to the lower apartments; thereby adapting them to every purpose, and occasioning a considerable reduction of the ground plan, in consequence of the accommodations thus gained.
The practice of building houses without verandas, certainly cannot be approved; whereas, the old mode of building them on pillars, was highly ornamental, and, at some seasons, not less appropriate: but, the great art of keeping a house cool during the prevalence of the hot-winds, rests entirely on shutting them out, except at some few apertures supplied with tatties; which, being kept constantly moist, or, indeed, dripping wet, produce such an immense evaporation, as to cool the interior completely: of course, a suitable draught must be preserved, by opening some window, &c. on the lee-side. This is commonly effected by means of Venetians; which allow the air to pass, but debar the access of glare. Without adverting to the expence, it should seem that a close-veranda is by far preferable to an open one; and, were it not for the immense additional charges, we can hardly doubt that the European inhabitants of Calcutta would, in imitation of the generality of bungalow-residents, have their apartments surrounded by a veranda, of full fourteen feet in width; with apertures, of a good size, in the exterior wall, corresponding with those of the interior. This arrangement renders the generality of bungalows remarkably pleasant; but, it must be noticed, that there is a very wide difference in the expence incurred in rendering them so: their roofs being of thatch, and their walls of sun-burnt bricks, plastered with mud and chaff, offer a great contrast in the out-lay, both as relating to the labor, and to the materials, in a house constructed of burnt bricks, and good lime, whose roof is of masonry, and in which timbers of great price are every where used. Accordingly, we find, that, in almost every part of India, an excellent bungalow may be built for about five thousand rupees, completely fitted with glass doors, and windows, and with all the necessary out-offices duly tiled, or thatched, according to their purposes; while, a house suited to the accommodation of the same family, in Calcutta, could not be finished for less than ten times that sum.
The bricks form a very, very small portion of the disbursements incident to building in India: so cheap, indeed, are they, that most of the made-roads about Calcutta, and in other parts, are formed by laying broken, or even whole, bricks regularly; giving the centre two or three layers, gradually tapered off to the sides, and then covering them with a coat of rubbish, or, which is far better, coarse sand. Such roads are extremely firm, and far more durable, than those we make with gravel, flint, lime-stone, &c. But great allowance must be made for the heavy machines used among us, and carrying such tremendous burthens; whereas, an Indian hackery can rarely weigh five cwt., nor can its load be averaged at more than fifteen cwt., being altogether only a ton. We well know, that our common narrow-wheeled waggons weigh from fifteen to twenty-five cwt.; and, that, except where weigh-bridges limit their burthens, it is by no means uncommon to see them carrying from two and a half, up to four, tons. Three chaldron of coals will be found to average about seventy cwt.; yet, are often drawn by three horses through the streets of London.
The lime used in Calcutta, is brought down from the Morungs, and their vicinity, in large boats, being previously slaked; though it is sometimes imported in its quick state, or as nearly so as accident may permit. It may readily be concluded, that, after a passage of from three to four hundred miles, this article is rather deteriorated; especially as the voyage can rarely be effected under three weeks or a month. The prices of this kind of lime, made from a very firm stone, called gutty, abundant in some parts, vary much according to the season, and to the demand: it has been sold as low as six or seven rupees per hundred maunds, but, at other times, has reached to twenty and twenty-five.
At Madras, and indeed all along the coast of Coromandel, as well as on some parts of the Malabar border, an excellent kind of lime is made from sea shells. This nearly equals what is made in Italy, from the refuse of marble, and receives an extraordinary fine surface, competiting even with that of polished glass; at the same time that it is incomparably firm, and durable. When laid upon a wall, which is done only by way of a finish, it is carefully freed from grit, and kept working, and rubbing, until nearly dry; thereby to prevent the surface from cracking, as it would be subject to do, when acted upon by the hot air at mid-day: when nearly dry, it is rubbed with coarse calico cloths, until it receives a beautiful lustre, which causes it to appear semi-diaphanous. A few houses at Calcutta have been finished with this kind of lime, conveyed from Madras by shipping; but the expence, being very considerable, has occasioned the common Morung lime to be generally employed, both for cement, and for white-washing.