Ten Years in India: or, the life of a Young Officer

Introduction

. India ! India ! India ! is now all the vogue. The far East is the general theme of conversation and consideration. That land of the sun, with her swarthy millions, now occupies the attention of our own country, and attracts the eyes of the whole civilized world. Year after year witnesses the sons of Britain land on its burning shores, to join the ranks and follow the banners of her gallant armies, and many a tear of parting sorrow is shed, as some member quits the bosom of his family, the much loved and cherished home of his childhood, and parts from all that is most dear to him on this earth. Many and various are the circumstances under which the sons of our best and wealthiest families leave England to enter the Indian Army, and lucky,

INTRODUCTION.

. indeed, is the youth who can now-a-days secure an appointment from the Court of Directors, which obtains for him a commission in so honourable a profession, and a consequent provision for life. The wretched widow, whose husband, probably, breathed his last on the bloody field of battle, in the performance of his duty, or who was carried off by that dreadful scourge— the cholera, — sends forth her only son to follow the glorious career of his father, and pours forth her parting benediction as he tears himself from her fond embrace. The wealthy citizen, fortunate in the acquaintance of a Director, prepares the Cadet for a military appoint ment, and embarks him for one of the Presidencies. The nobleman, also, turns his haughty eye to wards the East, and deigns to enlist his youngest into the ranks of an army, which once he had looked upon with disdain, but which he now con siders as worthy of receiving a member of his family.

Thus the East has become the stage upon which the children of the most respectable, and the most ancient families of our native land perform a pro minent part in the histrionic page of Queen Vic toria's reign ; and, as it is now a common topic in the ranks of respectable society, all books and periodicals connected with that most interesting

INTRODUCTION.

. V country are eagerly sought for and perused, and everybody is becoming conversant with the affairs of that portion of the world, of the very locality of which he was formerly so ignorant. The communication by the overland route has opened a highway, by means of which there is a frequency of intercourse between the two countries, enabling the natives of India to visit the land to which they are subject, and giving free scope to that spirit of enterprise so peculiar to the English, to journey eastward in quest of a livelihood, so diffi cult to be obtained in their own country. Recent occurrences, partly adding lustre to the arms of our country, and partly deteriorating therefrom, have combined to render our interest in India greater than heretofore. The drawbacks of the latter have been duly discussed, and are well known to the whole world ; but, while such are to be deeply lamented, they must be buried in the oblivion of sorrow, leaving the former to shine forth, as they ever will do, in all the blaze and splendour of Britain's proudest achievements.

The Bengal and Bombay Presidencies are those on which the attention of Europe has been fixed, as playing the most distinguished part in the tra gical drama which has been lately enacted, whilst the sister Presidency of Madras has apparently VI

INTRODUCTION.

. sunk into insignificance, and been termed, by the would-be-witty, the benighted Presidency (whether justly so or not, is another thing). But the Madras troops have themselves performed no ignoble part. Witness the China campaign, and their doings in the southern Mahratta country. There they did their duty, as they have ever done, and as they will ever do, whenever their colours are unfurled before the breeze, to the roll of the drum, or the blast of the trumpet, which calls them before their country's enemy. The Madras Army has been, as it were, resting and looking on at the deeds enacted in the north west; burning with a desire to join their more for tunate comrades in arms, in the glories of the field, and hoping that they may still be called upon to take their share. They have already conquered, and are ready to conquer again and again.

Give them the opportunity, and they are second to none in the deadly charge, the skirmish, or the escalade ; and it is because these brave troops have been left in the back ground, that the other two armies have been brought conspicuously before the world, that the former glorious deeds of the benighted are thrown into the shade, as of secondary consider ation, leaving our good folks at home to imagine that we are a mere civil police, kept up more for

INTRODUCTION.

. VII the purposes of gathering the revenue, and of holding the peasantry of the country in check, than for actual service. But no ! such is not the case. Military ardour and heroic chivalry are at the present period as bright in the breasts of our noble Sipahees as they were wont to be in the days of Clive and our other heroes. There is no Army in the whole of Europe in which military discipline is better maintained. There are no troops better clad and appointed ; there are no soldiers more faithful, more brave, or more strongly attached to their colours and officers, than are those of the Madras Army. I have the honour to belong to this Army, and I am proud of it ! I have served in the ranks of one of its regiments, and have had opportunities of judging and appreciating the characters of the men who compose our soldiery ; and I can safely say, that a more manly set of fellows I never could desire to command.

The grand secret is, to treat them as men should be treated, and a more tractable race of beings I would never wish to see. But of this I will make mention hereafter, begging the reader to follow me in my reminiscences of a service with these said Madrassees of upwards of

INTRODUCTION.

. ten years from the date of my first entry to that of my return home on furlough. But reader, mine has not been a service of hard-fought battles ; of lengthened sieges ; or of dangers dire by flood and field. Alas, no ! The star of my fortune has not shone either in the one or in the other. I have had no such good luck. It has been my misfortune, and not my fault; though the day may come, when we may smell powder in real earnest, hear bullets whizzing about, and very likely have a taste of one of them. All I can say is, that I heartily envy my brethren in arms who have partaken of such pleasures, and hope when my turn comes I shall have enough to make up for lost time. My object in publishing the present Work is, to be useful to my fellow soldiers — if I can; and more particularly to such of them as may hereafter wend their way to^ those sunny climes in which their lot may be cast.

If what I may have said shall tend in any measure to the benefit of my comrades (who are to be), or to their amusement, I shall consider myself well rewarded for detailing the circumstances that took place during the period of my sojourn in India; of recounting my several adventures, and of setting forth such of them as

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. IX may stand for example or advice to my younger readers, those aspirants to military glory who are yet in the embryo of scholastic studies or of Ad discombe tuition. This book is intended to instruct, advise and amuse ; and I trust it may be found useful to young officers of every branch of the service, be they in her Majesty's or in the Honourable Company's army. People go out to Madras, as well as to Cal cutta and Bombay ; and, although the scenes and occurrences about to be narrated lie in the former, and the humble author of these pages is in every sense of the word a Mull, (that is, a Madrassee,) he sees no reason why he should not attempt to make himself useful to the Qui Hais and Ducks as well as to those of his own immediate Presidency. With these preliminary remarks, made with a view to introduce the subject of these pages, and with an apology on my part for having so long detained my reader on the threshold of my narra tive, I will at once make a commencement, trusting that the intention which inspires my feeble efforts will be appreciated ; that my failings will be treated with an indulgent forbearance ; and that my errors, whatever they may be, will receive forgiveness, the more particularly so when I here declare that it is X

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. principally from the stores of that strong and faithful ally — my memory — that I am about to supply the substance contained in the following chapters, which I now proceed to place before those who may favour them with a perusal. THE AUTHOR. CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

Chapter I

Embarkation — Chum and his Character — Disadvantages of Partnership Cabins — Crossing the Line — Suspected Pirate — Courts- Martial — Nautical Tragedy of the lost Seaman — Second Seaman's Birthday Escape — Shipboard Occupations — Pursuance of Studies — Keeping Journal — Shooting off the Cape — Offensive Operations of Bird Stuffing — Advice respecting unpacking Guns and Accoutrements — Young Cavalry Officer transformed into a "Spread Eagle" — Mistakes of Griffins — ■ Their consequent Losses — Boat Excursion from the Ship — Dangerous Leakage — Attendant Sharks — Providential Escape 1 — 19

Chapter II

Coast of Madras — Crowd of Native Boats — Danger of the tempting Fruit offered for Sale — Natives attack the Griffins — Recommendation of their own Services — Dishonesty of Native Servants — Zeal and Fraud — Sergeant Escort — Passage over Madras Surf — Imposition of- Boatmen — Catamaran Junk — Fate of the old Soldier — Mode of Landing — Crowd of Com- CONTENTS. petitors dispersed by means of a Cane— Author reports himself — Arrival at Cadet's Quarters— Meeting with Addiscombe Friends — Extortionate and ill-conducted Mess — Changing Money— New Residence— Facetious Letter of Introduction- Value of Letters of Introduction to the "Big Wigs" — Pur chase of Camp Requisites— Of Pony and Riding Gear- Advice to Griffins respecting similar Bargains . . . 20—42

Chapter III

Author's Regiment— Introductions and Friendly Receptions — Invitation to Bungalow — Donning Uniform — First Parade and Drill — Duty and Advantage of complying with Military Regulations — Palaveram — Moonshee — Regimental Examination — Promotion — Force of Example — Lapse of Military Duty and Reprimand — Danger of Exercise in the Sun — Intractable Pony — Bird Shooting — Advice to Griffins — A Pic-nic and its Delights — Waste of Power and Shot — Jackall Baiting — Accidental Shot in the Face — Griffinish Tricks — Importance of acquiring the Language — Achba — The Mess — Its Advantages and Disadvantages — Dissipation 43 — 76

Chapter IV

Brigadier's Surveillance — Reprisal — Wine and its Consequences — First and last Excess— A painful Lesson— Noble Character of Native Troops — English Officer saved by the Gallantry of Native Sepoy — Rewarded with Gold Medal and Promotion — Gratitude of rescued Officer — Jealousy and Party- Spirit— Injudicious Treatment of Native Troops— Severity ill-judged — Warning Anecdotes — Christmas Waits — Gratuitous Insults from English Officers to the Sepoys — Native Commissioned Officers 77 CONTENTS. XIII

Chapter V

Christmas Morning — Shooting Excursions — Catching Thieves — Remarks on Religious Duties generally in the Army— Articles of War — Scandals to Christian Professions — Bad Character of Native Converts — Influence of Example — The General commanding the Division — His Eccentricities — His Horses- Anecdote— Rival Hobbies — Jockeyism — Balked osa Horse 96—116

Chapter VI

Annual Inspection — Brigade at Target Practice— Tragical Occurrence on the Field — Death of Brigadier — Frenzy of the Havildar — Fatal Influence of Opium — Deportment of the Murderer — Affecting Interview — Court Martial — Sentence announced to the Condemned — Interview with his aged Father — Care of last Toilette — Demeanour — Execution — Concluding Remarks 117—155

Chapter VII

Removal to Madras— Comfortless Quarters— Agreeable Change of Residence — Vepery Shrimps— The Duties at the Presidency — Officers' Servants— Expert Robberies— Madras not a desirable Station— Amusements— Auctions— Advice respecting Camp Equipage and Bargains— Head Boys — Madras Society— Pride, Prejudice and Precedence 156 — 172

Chapter VIII

Coorg War — Military Proceedings — General Conspiracy— Life and death Struggle between an Irishman and Coorgite — Disasters of the Campaign— Native Bravery and immediate Promotion — CONTENTS. XIV Flight of the Bearers of Sick and Wounded, and their Massacre hy the Coorgites— The two sick Griffin Ensigns— Rifle Com pany of Author's Regiment make extreme exertion to win the Post of Danger— Surrender of Muddekary— Rajah taken Prisoner — Prize Money — Anticipatory Sales — A Griffin's Love and its concomitant Evils— A Warning against similar Folly 173-197

Chapter IX

Vepery Baits— Habits of the Wealthy Half-Castes— Catching Eligibles — School Ball and Matrimonial Consequences — Repentance — Impropriety of Young Officers being kept at the Presidency — Money-Lenders — Dress — Club-house — Discipline — Death of the old General — Funeral Honours and Melancholy Consequences — The Soldier's Farewell Shot — Ludicrous Incident — Nabob of Madras — His annual Visit to his Father's Tomb — Retinue and Ceremonies — Heterogeneous Crowd — Mistaking the Nabob's Barber for the Nabob — Ruinous Nature of Madras Dust — Expensive Consequences . 198—218

Chapter X

A strange Circumstance disclosing strange Proceedings — An Arrest — A Woman's Friendship tested — A Disguise— An Escape — Pursuit — Dramatic Capture— Culprit brought back a Prisoner — Confinement in the Guard — Subsequent Events Sentence of Transportation — Secrets revealed — Government Alertness— General Reform — A Fancy Ball and something funny — Masquerade Jokes — Foppery — Officers prohibited from wearing Combs by Commander-in-Chief— Impurity of Water— Aquatic Amusements 219—242 CONTENTS. XV

Chapter XI

Posting of Officers to their Regiments — Delay and its Consequences — Disadvantages of Griffins travelling alone — Exhausted Finances — Raising the Wind — A Farewell to old Friends — Embarkation — Abominations of the Vessel — Fellow Passengers— New Sights and strange Faces — Courage and good Resolutions — Glimpses of Ceylon — Beauty of Coast Scenery — Unhealthy Station of Quilon — Allepir — The Doctor's Visit — Anecdote — Twelve Days at Cochin — Colony of Jews — Diseases of the Country — The Griffin and the Breadfruit — Arrival and Landing at Mangalore 243—266

Chapter XII

Mangalore as a Station for Troops — Taking a House — Military Duties — Field Sports — The Adjutant and his Menagerie — A pet Bruin — Cricket — Sepoy's gallant Rescue of the Adjutant — Rewarded by Promotion — Bathing — Unanimity between Officers and Men— Merits of the Sepoy Troops— Necessity of a mutual good Understanding— Our new Commandant — The angry Colonel — Execution for Murder .... 267 — 284

Chapter XIII

A new Arrival — Bruin's nocturnal Visit to the Skipper and its Consequences— His untimely Death— Suicide of an Indian Lover — The fatal Act reciprocated — Aquatic Amusements — Regatta— Ensigns sometimes fall Sick- — Necessity of prompt Attention to Indisposition — Imprudence, not Climate, chief Cause of Fatality — Shooting Days— Careless and Fatal Shots — A Claret Drinker in the Shape of a Moonshee — Observations on the Subject of Drinking among the Natives generally— Pilferers of Spirits detected by a Ruse— Evil of Example . . 285—310 CONTENTS.

Chapter XIV

Arrival of Marching Orders- Moving by Wings— Disposal of Household Property— Ruinous Effect of too large a Kit — Disadvantages of such Folly — Difficulty of procuring Carriage — Bargain-making Parsee — A Sub's Furniture— Camp Followers—An Earnest of the Monsoon — Miseries of a wet March — Care of Tents— Number of Persons and Retainers — Proceeding by Water — Brahmin's Ablutions — Devotions and Immersion — Curry Supper — First Night spent in Camp— Bustle of Arrival— Comforts and Company 311 — 326

Chapter XV

Description of a Line of March— Scene of varied Animation — Novel Species of Duck-Stealing— Recruit and Pension Boys — Sick Doolies — Griffinish Blunders — Green Pigeons — Hardships of Officers' Wives on a Line of March— Native Abuse — Travelling Troubles— Prescription for Intoxication— Loss and Recovery of Camp Equipage— Horse-shoeing— Pilferings of the Horsekeepers— Requisite Care of Horse— Grasscutters at Numdah— The Bessely Ghaut— Perils in crossing a Ford Escape from an Alligator . . 327

Chapter I

Embarkation — Chum and his Character — Disadvantages of Partnership Cabins — Crossing the Line — Suspected Pirate — Courts-Martial — Nautical Tragedy of the lost Seaman — Second Seaman's Birthday Escape — Shipboard Occupations — Pursuance of Studies — Keeping Journal — Shooting off the Cape — Offensive Operations of Bird Stuffing — Advice respecting unpacking Guns and Accoutrements — Young Cavalry Officer transformed into a " Spread Eagle" — Mistakes of Griffins — Their consequent Losses — Boat Excursion from the Ship — Dangerous Leakage — Attendant Sharks — Providential Escape. — ♦— It was early in the year 1833, that, bidding farewell to England, I shook hands with my two brothers, — piped my eye a little, and, with ten shillings in my pocket, embarked at the Tower VOL. I. B Stairs on board a steam-boat going to Gravesend, where lay the ship which was destined to convey my precious little body to India.

I say " little body," for I was a very little fellow indeed ; so little, that I was never expected to be bigger; so little, that people looked on me with wonder and surprise, and some exclaimed, " Is that child going to be an officer?" so little, that my guardians would not trust me with any larger sum of money than the ten shillings alluded to, but gave ten pounds instead to the skipper to take care of for me ! I was indeed little, but who cared ? I did not. I must be little, thought I, before I am big, and there was every chance of my growing ; so, I snapped my fingers at them all, and thought my self of some consequence, notwithstanding my smallness. I joined the ship; her name was the W H , 1000 tons burthen, belonging to the East India Company, or rather one of their " chartered vessels," commanded by the gallant Captain T S , a good fellow in his way, — most extraor dinary in a propensity for anything connected with fox hounds, and a bit of a wag, — fond of jolly companions, though a perfect gentleman nevertheless, and moreover in every way prepared to be kind and friendly to me.

My friends had secured me an excellent cabin in the poop of the ship, and I had with me, as companion, a young writer fresh from Haileybury, who thought of nothing morning, noon and night, but hunting, riding, shooting and dissipation ; and who considered it very manly and very fine to swear and curse, and to go to bed in a state of inebriety. Such being the individual I had for my "chum," the reader may imagine that I was not particularly comfortable ; indeed, it was quite the contrary. I never was so miserable in all my life, and longed for the voyage to terminate (though it had not yet commenced), when I should be rid of my noisy friend, and be once more independent. And here let me give a little advice in writing, which I have ever given verbatim to many young people whom I have met since my return to Eng land.

Never take a cabin in partnership with another, not even if he be an intimate friend ; for there is no knowing the misery and discomfort you entail upon yourself by having such a com panion. Supposing the individual selected turns out to be what I found my friend was, you are bound to him for a dreary four months, and obliged to put up with everything that is disagreeable for that period; and, if perchance you remonstrate with him, or take upon yourself to check him, the probabilities are that a quarrel ensues, and you cannot tell how it will end. b2 There is nothing like independence, even on board ship. If you have a cabin to yourself, you are the master of your own room; nobody can enter therein except by your own invitation. You do as you like ; you have your privacy at your own disposal ; you can read, write, or sleep ; and what is far better, you have no interruption in your devotions, which are of such importance to us in every situation in life, but to which, I fear, very few young men give much time, or thought.

Often and often have I been intruded upon when I would have wished to be alone. I suffered severely from sea sickness, so much so that for the greater part of the voyage, and more particularly in very rough cold weather, I was confined to my cot. During this dreadful sickness, my fellow traveller would enter, — bring company into the cabin, — play at cards and make such a noise, that I was in no very enviable situa tion. Speaking to them was out of the question. I was only laughed at, and the din and shouting were worse than before. I look back to those four months on board the W H with feelings of horror, nor would I undergo a similar ordeal for worlds ! I therefore recommend any of my readers, who may be going or sending a son to India, to secure a private cabin to themselves; the advantages and comforts are too numerous for me to detail, and the contrary are evident from what I have stated in regard to myself.

It may so happen that in sharing a cabin with another, the companion turns out to be an agree able one ; still, notwithstanding his being all that could be desired, there are many objections to be brought against the arrangement; and I would rather pay an extra twenty or thirty pounds, and give my son a cabin to himself, than put him with another, who may turn out a brute, and thereby render the voyage one of misery and discomfort. I remember one night; there was a jollification in the cuddy ; my friend had taken a great quan tity of wine, and became very much intoxicated. He came to the cabin, and turned into my bed whilst I was on the poop. He was sick, of course, and made my sleeping things in such a condition, that I was obliged to give them away to the sailors, for I could never use them again myself.

I cannot bear to think of the horrors of that night. Young and inexperienced as I was, I could not help feeling disgusted. We had recruits on board, eighty in number, commanded by a Bengal subaltern, rather an aged one, too, — nothing very particularly bright, and a sorry specimen of one of that Presidency. The other passengers were king's officers (though I ought now to say " queen's" instead of " king's), all huddled together in the large stern cabin down below, where they had it all their own way ; but as the regions in which they vegetated were too hot for them, and otherwise uncomfortable when the stern ports and dead lights were closed during the rough weather, they used to come up into our cabin, and a precious disturbance they used to make, too ! They were, however, a jolly set of care-for-no thing young fellows, and proved themselves every thing that was amusing and agreeable to those who could bear them ; but sea sickness, and other evils combined, rendered their society neither de sirable nor pleasant to me.

We were detained three weeks at Spithead in consequence of contrary winds. A very large fleet of ships lay there, amongst them line of battles and several of our thundering East Indiamen, which vessels, being manned and armed as men of-war, gave them more that appearance than of ships for carrying tea, cotton and other cargoes. Indeed the French Admiral Villeneuve, then in the Downs with a part of our Channel fleet, sent to in quire whether our Indiamen (some of them painted like seventy-fours) were more of the British navy. Many of my older readers will, I doubt not, remember those noble vessels, and their gallant deeds during the last war, when attacked by the famous French frigates which scoured the Indian seas, — how our fleet of Indiamen beat off the French squadron, — how the old Warren Hastings encountered the dreaded Piedmontaise, and other similar occurrences well known in naval history.

When at length we did get away, we had a narrow escape of running foul of the Thames, a 1400 ton ship, caused by the obstinate stupidity of the pilot; and, had it not been for the timely inter ference of the captain, who immediately took com mand, we should most certainly have bumped against her, and the damage would have been con siderable. It came on to blow when passing the Needles ; there was a seventy-four, the old S ■, g°ing out with us, and " reef topsails" was the order. Through some clumsiness or oversight the gallant S s' lowered their topsails without letting go the top-gallant sheets ; the consequence was that they all snapped like whipcord, and the sails fluttered in the breeze, making a noise like thunder. This accident delayed her, whilst the Indiamen reefed, hoisted, and sheeted home ; and one of them, the Herefordshire, bending beautifully to the squall, sailed round the seventy-four, then at a stand-still from being hampered by the occurrence I have just described.

I remember well this vessel (the Indiaman, I mean) shipping her crew. Her captain (Sh , I think was his name) heard of the arrival and paying off of a frigate (the Br n) at Spithead, so would not take in any men; while the other India ships were doing so. He hired some fellows to work the vessel down the river round to Ports mouth, and wrote to secure as many of the Br n's as were willing to sail with him. This succeeded ; he manned her beautifully, and the consequences were that his crew were as handy as possible, while the other vessels, which had shipped at the Docks and elsewhere, had on board a parcel of fellows to whom it was necessary to teach everything con nected with their duty. A boat full of the Br n's came alongside of us, wishing to be taken, but the captain told them with reluctance that he was full, while some of those already on board, putting their heads out of the ports between deck, abused them like pick-pockets, and told them to go somewhere, — to what place I will not mention.

Thus the Herefordshire, being so well manned, beat us all on the occasion I have just stated ; and, as they sailed close by us we could hear the gallant fellows " splice the main brace," their skipper having given them a treat for their smartness in beating a seventy-four in reefing top sails. But I will not trouble the reader with a lengthened account of a voyage to India. We had dreadful weather in the Bay of Biscay, and I was as sick as possible, could not eat, drink, or even get out of my bed, notwithstanding that I made several ineffectual attempts to do so ; the captain was very kind to me, tried various methods to cure me, but all was to no purpose. I really thought I should have died. In this state I continued until we nearly reached the Line, where the weather was fine, and I con trived to crawl upon deck, but so emaciated and reduced that my fellow passengers scarcely knew me.

In crossing the Line, the usual ceremonies of shaving and ducking were gone through. I was exempted from the dirty ordeal, in consequence of having crossed before on my way to England as a child ; though I paid Neptune five shillings by way of a fee. The rest of the passengers enjoyed the fun, and none more so than my noisy companion, who entered into the thing with boyish delight. The recruits were all drawn up on the poop, to be kept out of the way, in order to avoid any disturbance between them and the crew. We had our pirate also, for there was a queer looking vessel hovering about us for several days : she ranged close up to us one evening, and the captain told her that if she did not sheer off he would run her down, which could very easily have been done : this threat had the desired effect, and by the next morning she was nowhere to be seen.

Our voyage was a dull, uninteresting one. There were courts martial innumerable amongst tbe reb5 cruits, several floggings, and one death. Off* the Cape we had very severe weather. I shall never forget one night ; I happened to be on the poop, sitting against one of the hen-coops, muffled up in my cloak. The ship was on her course, and the wind blowingvery smartly, while the sea was run ningmast-head high. Suddenly we heard a crash, and a report above head, and found that one of our sails had given way. The night was dark, and the ship pitched and rolled tremendously. Hands were sent aloft to secure the sail and stow it on the top ; during this operation one of the topmen, a fine lad, unfortunately fell overboard. I saw the poor fellow fall into the water, and as I was seated on the tafferel I could observe him swimming nobly through the waves ; he called out most lustily to " lower away the boat."