The Stranger in India: or, Three years in Calcutta

Preface

. Never did any other parent country than Great Britain possess a colony so magnificent as Hin dostan ; and never were the inhabitants of any parent country either more generally ignorant of the actual state of its colony — more ignorant of its resources — or more ignorant of the manners and customs of its population. I have found this want of information so usual, and have been so much at a loss for a book to which to refer those who desire to know more of India as it is, that I have been induced to put to gether the following pages, containing information obtained by me during a three years' residence in Calcutta, hoping that they may serve for the pur pose desired— may aid in supplying that informa tion which is now so greatly required.

PREFACE.

. I have endeavoured to represent every object and every person with a just attention to lights and shadows, striving, in all cases, to avoid impart ing an undue intensity to either. I have done this not merely in accordance with the professional rule, that " they who seek for equity must do equity,'" but because I would place a faithful picture of India before the public, and especiallv before such persons as are about to journey thither, and before those who covet a knowledge of the land where some of their household may be sojourning. Of the Mussulmauns of India I have said but little; for circumstances brought me most inti mately in contact with the Hindoos of its native inhabitants; and I have refrained from all particulars relative to which I had not succeeded in obtaining the best guarantees that they are truth.

G. W. J. WlNCHESTEK, May 1st, 1813. CONTENTS or THE FIRST VOLUME. INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. PREPARATIONS FOR THE VOVAOE. s'hoice of a Ship — Captain — Time of Sailing — Selection of Cabin — Placing of Furniture — Purchase of Outfit — Charges — Servant to be preferred — Amusements on Board — Books, &c. — Lashing of Furniture — Cock-roaches — Arrangement of Clothes — Light in Cabin, &c. . . . Page I

Chapter II. First

I3IPRESSI0NS AND F.XPERIENCES. Arrival at the Sandheads — The Pilots and their Brigs — First Sight of India — Saugor — Its Unhealthiness — Natives — Dingby- Wallahs — Curry — the River Hooghly — Garden- Reach — Confusion on the Steamer's Arrival — Notice of Approach — Expense at Hotels — Choice of Residence — Native Servants — Khansamah — Dhirsee — Khitmutgar — Sirdar — Peon — Bearers — Dirwan — Meter and Metranee — Cook — Syce — Carriages and Horses . . . .21 CONTENTS.

Chapter III. The Town

Things worth Seeing — The Mint — Job Charnock's Monument —The Black Hole— The Process of Coining—The Metcalfe Hall — The Public Library — The Botanic Garden — The Banian Tree — Upas Tree — Amherstia, and other Plants — Sweet Lemon — Orange — Loquat — Plaintain — Pine Apple — Guava — Custard Apples — Mangoe — Rose Apples — Lichee — Avigato Pear — Commercial Products of the Botanic Garden— Assam Tea, its Discovery, &c. — Assam Tea Company — Dr. Wallich — The Town Hall— The Supreme Court — Tbe Chief Justices — Sir E. Ryan — Mr. Pearson, the late Advocate-general — Oaths in the Supreme Court — Native Perjurers — Supreme Court Library — Government House — The Streets— Europeans seldom seen — The Money-changers — Native Bazaars — Diminished Mortality — Drainage — Scavengers — Braminny Hawks — Crows — Adjutants — Jackalls — The Roads . . .49

Chapter IV. The Seasons The Festivals

The cold, hot, rainy, and steamy Seasons — January : its Phenomena, &c. — Sarastee Poojah — February-, its Characteristics — Peculiar Cold — Monthly Comparative Mortality — Seebo Rattree — Shiva — March : the S W. Monsoon — tbe Mohurrum — the Hooly Festival— Khrishna — April : Kalidas, the Indian Shakspeare— Churruck Poojah — Selftorturers — Hindoo New Year— Brahmins and Sooduis — May: the Tupsee-mutchee — Mangosteen — Three Hindoo Festivals — June: the Rains — Jarai-Sasti — Chanjattra — July: Steamy Weather — Ruth-jattra — Juggernath — Euro- CONTENTS. VII peans at tbe Festivals — August: Joolun Jattra — Jourmous tomi — September: the Floods — Anantabrata— Arandhan October: Ale Consumed — N. E. Moonsoon — Doorgah Poojah — Kullee Poojah — November: the Fogs — Hindoo Sacrifices — December, &c. 103

Chapter V. The English The Anglo Indians

English Extravagance — Morning's Ride — Breakfast— Box- Wallahs — Shopping— Tiffin — Afternoon Nap — Evening Drive — Dinner — Balls — Eccentricities — Dressing for Church — Dog-keeping — Attendance at Poojahs — Holidays — Separation from Children — " Going Home" — Dorjeling Burialgrounds — Bonaparte's Grave — Removal of his Remains — Anglo-Indians — Curious Nomenclature — Love of the Bombastical 157

Chapter VI. Native Character And Manners

Causes of Erroneous Judgments — Native Character fundamentally good— Dwarkanath Tagore — Multyloll Seal— Major Sleeman — Instances of Liberality — Planting — Peijury — Tyranny of Upper Classes — Rajah Rajnarain Roy — Native School of Painting — Love of Gaudy Colours — Dwarkanath Tagore's Party — Nautch- Girls — Music of the Hindoos — Hindostanee Song — Cooking Food — Native Presents — Magnificent Jewellery, &c. — Matchlocks — Thugs — Major Sleeman — Marriage Customs — Ghataks — Wedding Visits, Presents, &c. — Native Parties and Feasts — Fetching Home the Bride — Precedence Contentions — Zenana — The Second CONTENTS. VIII Marriage — Birth of a Child — Treatment of the Mother — Sickness — Clamorous Beggars — Treatment of Animals — Barbers . . . . . . J 85