Year: 1859




LIFE IN INDIA


The best way of utilising time is to travel at
night, for the gharry affords comfortable bed
and so you leave Lucknow at II at night and
awake just in time to the broad plains of Dude
great sea of green corn, with billows of forest
trees tossing up their heads in the midst lighted up
by TIE morning sum- and to note the white ridge in
front of you. which is whitening and heating under
its rays before the gharry, leaving the smooth
road and peaceful deeps of wheat fields launches
out on the rugged sandy waves which still show
the heavings OF the fallen Ganges before it subsidies
into the broad river spanned by the bridge of boats
In front. 1t is O'Clock, and in half an hour we
shall be in Cawnpore, the red-tiled bungalows and
minarets and cupolas OF which rise for miles away
along the bank of the river interspersed amid trees
and gardens.


Along the fifty odd miles of road you might be
aware even in your sleep that there was constant
movement last night-carts in long strings, and
fleets of camels in single file "linked' grumblings
"lOng drawn out" like mutinous line-ofbattle
ships, and the heavy tread of infantry Carts of the
Government, of COmmiSsariat of private firms of
bazaar people, ordinary trafficmongers travel to
and fro lncessantlv, drawn bv laborous oxen and
under every tope flare the watch fires of the drivers
who, nomad like, travel with all their belongings
and cry a halt when and wherever they please
The camels on the same business as the oxen or
belong to wild-looking, fair compexioned black
haired, whte-toothed, brawny Punabees clad in
dirty linen and sheepskin, who travel all over In
da at this to dispose of and find freiohts for
their ships of the desert


The infantry are the Belooch battalion, now on
their way home, patrol of the military police.
and at intervals along the road YOU will see the
hghts burning In the thannahs, or police stations
ana the horses sadded, with the lances of the
Sowars stuck in the ground beside them and shin
ing by the iickering of thannah fires As the sun
rises you might well think, accustomed to a wear tf
such war as we have had, that "Pandv" was still
allve for all over the green fields are white turbans
in swarms: but they worn by humble apricultu-
rlsts; men, women, and children all clad in white,
are busy in the fields. As we approach the BRIDGE
OF boats, having Jolted and rumbled over long
stripe OF sand, with small cases of vegetation which
is covered by the river the full a small tete de
poht, an earthen redoubt and ditch, above the ram
part OF which moves to and fro the CLEAN of an
English bayonet, comes in sight


The bridge is so narrow that two carriages can
not pass abreast and there is consequently a good
deal of competition between vehicles on the oppo-
site sides as to which shall get fairly on the road
way first, so that the rush down the bank to the
bridge is violent enough The muddy yellow
stream-more yellow than the Tiber itself-fows
with violence under the boats and keeps the cables
well taut. 1t bears its creamng surface all sorts
OF nastlness but the Hindoos have it that nothing
can pollute the holy waters of Gunga and it is a
comfortable creed for those who drink it. and nre-
fer faith to sense. By the margin, close to the
bridge, there is dhoby washing clothes. and
within two or three yards Of him there is living the
bloated white yellow and purple -streaked corpse
OF a native woman, which are seated feastinp
dalntily batch of carriOn crows and filthy vuI-
ture; and he washes away unconcernedly, and
would do so probably if it were the BODY of his
mother.


To Judge by the vultures, and ravens. and kites
there Is more than centre of attraction swirl
ing about in the eddes of the river, or caupht by
the cables OF the bridge. Beyond the dhobv, in
cleaner water by comparison, a bevv of elephants
are enjoying their morning bath. And thev do en-
joy,it indeed! See how they roll away like so many
porpOises right under the food and leave the n a.
houts, shouting and cropping with their feet for the
unstable black islands which after short time rise
above the sur face Look at the great Jets they
blow up over their backs and listen to the deer
breath of pleasure the shrill flourish delight
with which they lie down on the sand while their
attendants knead them all over. These great crea
lures are so sagaclOus sensitive to kindness that
even in their wild state cannot feel anv sympathy
for those whn delight in killing them and calling il
! sport But these elephants, fond as | am of them
are, 1t must be admitted dangerous playmates.
In our camp there were no less than nine 'skoO
! MES" NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. which killed their
mahouts, or other attendants. One huge criminal.
with speckled forehead and proboscis, is guilty
| OF the murder of no less than three unfortunate
| natives The magnificent wild monster which he-
! longed to Sir Hugh Wheeler, was carried off by
the Mana, and was delivered up to us bv the Raiar
| of Furruckabad, died few DAYS ago immediately
after carrying some officers to church. He was q
| fine courageous creature, and his trunk and fore
head bore marks of the claws of more than one
| tiger which had charged him and then been
trampled to pulp by his ponderous feet His
"weakness" was fine French rolls, which he
| swallowed as an alderman would take COckle',
pills. and the twinkle of his eve as he
gnlped the loaf down, and gave a gentle SIGH
out of his proboscis, proclaimed the Sybarite
| used to take great delectation in observing the
creatures at the bath in the river which flows by
our camp. They came down in files, trumpetino
gaily in anticipation Of the treat and houndereC
into the waters Of the Goomtee, like so many portl,
Bruxelers enjoying the pea-soup sea of Ostend
Each takes long deep drink putting his proboci
into the water. and then discharging the content
of it, when filed by suction, into his cavernou
NAV. Having thus filled up a wrinkle or two il
his side, he deposits himself bodily in the stream
so that side lies out of the water and the tip
his probocis is kept above the surface for the air
On this exposed island the mahouts labor diligent
! ly, washing the beast and rubbing him with har
brushes, cleaning his ears, kneading and shampoo
ing him, while the pachyderm emits little squeak
| of satisfaction. When side is DONE the ele
phant turns on the other, and he is very angry in
deed if he does not get his full share of manipula
! ton.