Pen and pencil sketches, being the journal of a tour in India ... The second edition

Front matter

PEN AND PENCIL SKETCHES IN INDIA. Pen and Pencil Sketches in India. JOURNAL OP A TOUR IN INDIA. Br GEN. GODFREY CHARLES MUNDY, GOVERNOR OF JERSEY, AND AUTHOR OF 'OUR ANTIPODE..' THIRD EDITION. WITH MANY ILLUSTRATIONS. LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. 1858. The right of Translation is reserved. LONDON : .PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET, AND CHARING CROSS. TO GENERAL LORD VISCOUNT COMBERMERE, TTNDEB WHOSE AUSPICES, AND I_T WHOSE SOCIETY, THE FOLLOWING TOUR WAS PERFORMED, Cbis lournal IS INSCRIBED AS A SMALL TRIBUTE OF RESPECT AND GRATITUDE, BY THE AUTHOR.

Preface

. A British Sage has pronounced that " every man, who will take the trouble of describing in simple language the scenes of which he has been a spectator, can afford an instructive and amusing narrative." No such public spirited motive, however, influenced the pen or pencil of the writer of the following pages. On the contrary, the manuscript journal and portfolio, from which these slight and unpretending ' Sketches of a Tour ' have been well-nigh verbatim and lineatim extracted, were most selfishly and unambitiously scribbled for his own amusement, and (undutiful confession!) as a sort of promised sop held out to allay epistolary expectations at home : and it was not untd a year after his return to England, that, prompted by the encouragement of perhaps partial friends, and finally rendered desperate hy what may almost be said to have amounted to a paternal mandate, he found himself — correcting the proofs.

He has simply described scenes and characters as they appeared, incidents as they occurred, and anecdotes as they were related to him. The number of engravings being necessarily restricted, he has for the most part

PREFACE.

. selected those bearing on Indian sporting, as presenting more of novelty to the English eye than the more hack neyed subjects of landscape. Should the reader then be disposed, in some idle hour, to accompany the author in his flying tour through India, he is hereby promised, if not " Good Entertain ment," at least " Exj.editious Travelling ;" — and though he fail to be satisfied with his vehicle, he may see enough of an interesting country to induce a wish for a second journey — under the guidance of a more able conducteur. GLOSSARY. Anna, a coin ; the 16th part of a rupee. Ankoos, goad to drive the elephant. Bungalow, thatched house. Bhause, short-winded hawk. Bheiree, long-winged ditto. Begum, Mahomedan princess. Bunneer, shopkeeper. Bowlee, a well. Bagheecha, fruit garden. Bund, embankment.

Burkindass, armed attendant. Burra Sahib, great man ; chief. Buckshees, a gift. Bhistey, water carrier. Budjerow, decked passage boat. Beauliah, small decked boat. Chobdar, mace bearer. Cummerbund, waist cloth. Cheraug, small Indian lamp. Choor ! Choor ! stop thief ! Chokee, police station. Chuprassee, upper servant. Charpoy, low bed, or stretcher. Chupatties, unleavened cakes. Chowrie, fly-flapper formed of the tail of a Thibet cow, and only used by persons of high rank. Chick, thin curtain made of thread and strips of bamboo. Chout, one-fourth of the revenue claimed by conquerors of the soil. Chunam, cement made of shells. Coolie, man of low caste. Dak, travelling post in palankeen. Dak Hurkarah, post messenger. Dew anee Khas, hall of audience. Durhar, Indian levee or council. Dekkanee, belonging to the Deccan, a province of India.

Dhallee, basket of garden stuff. Fakir, holy mendicant. Florikan, bird of the bustard tribe. Guddee, Hindoo throne. Gongwalas, villagers. Gurrah, earthenware vessel. Gram, species of vetch. Ghoont, mountain pony. Goru, teacher, or priest. Guzzul or Gazele, an erotic ode. Hackery, cart. Houdah, Anglice — elephant's castle. Haremzadeh, savage — literally Filho da Puta. Hakim, physician. Hurkarah, messenger. Hookam, order or command. Hafiz, the Horace of the Persians. Jheel, lake. Jemadar, sepoy sergeant ; upper servant. Jhool, elephant's housings. Jaghire, territory. Jampaun, mountain sedan-chair. J at, race or tribe. GLOSSARY. X Jehanum, Pluto's realm. Kookaree, knife worn by the Nepaulese. Khodabund ! Maraj ! titles of respect. Khanaut, wall of a tent. Kuskus, a fragrant grass. Khansamah, butler.

Khalamuts, bards. Kutwaal, police officer. Kucker, barking deer. Keemcab, brocade. Kitmutgar, table attendant. Killar, a fortress. Kurwar, coarse cloth. Khilaut, dress of honour. Kutcherrie, court of justice. Lai Purdah, great red curtain. Lai Sherab, Claret. Mahout, elephant's driver. Musnud, Mussulman throne. Mut, temple. Michaun, platform of bamboo. Mussalgee, torch-bearer. Minar, Anglice, minaret. Musjed, Anglice, mosque ; Mahomedan place of worship. Maungee, boatswain. Mooluck, kingdom. Mussuck, sheep-skin water-bag. Nullah, brook, or small river. Nautch, Indian dance. Nautch Log, dancers. Nuzzar, an offering, or gift of homage. Nusseeb, fate. Paun, betel-nut. Paundan, vessel holding paun. Patarras, a pair of boxes slung on a bamboo. Pal, servant's tent. Pariah, in this sense, a wild dog.

Purdah, curtain. Punkah, large fan hung from the ceiling. Puharrees, mountaineers. Pillau, Khawaub, Eastern dishes, almost as well known as curry. Qui-hi, or Koee-hui, "Who 's there? or, Who waits? — a summons for servants in Bengal, and applied as a sobriquet to the Anglo-Bengalese. Ram-Ram ! Hindoo salutation. Routee, sleeping tent. _ Sirdar-bearer, head bearer. Shuter-suwar, camel courier. Shikkaree, native hunter. Seikh, Hindoo sect. Shemianah, canopied entrance. Serwans, camel drivers. Syces, Indian grooms. Suwarree, a cavalcade. Suwar, horseman or trooper. Serai, public building for the reception of caravans or travellers. Sahib, a gentleman ; sir. Sunderbunds, forest tract in the Delta of the Ganges. Suppoose, chimney of the hookah. Sircar, a native writer. Schroff, banker. Tom-tom, Indian drum.

Tattee, screen of grass placed in a window, and cooled by water. Toofaun, hurricane. Tope, a grove. Tumasha, grand display. Vina, species of guitar. Vakeel, ambassador. Videri, a dark-coloured compound metal. Zenana, seraglio. CONTENTS

Chapter I

Palankeen -travelling — Rogonathpore — Hazarebaug — Sortie of tigers — Journey resumed — Benares — Allahabad — Hermitage of a Fakir — Hautgong — Cawnpore — Ouah — An Anglo-Indian camp — Kkamutgunge — Young Prince of Lucknow — Exchange of presents — Noelgunge — Futtygunge — the King of Oude — Lucknow — Entry into Lucknow — Breakfast with the King — Dil Koosha — Constantia — Lucknowee field-sports — Mussulman manners — The Imaun-Baree — Royal feast — Fireworks — British Resident's country-seat — Wild-beast fights — The King's conjuror — Leave Lucknow — Naubutgunge — Nannemow — Merun-ke-Serai — Ruins of Kanoge — Futtyghur — Antelope-hunt Page 1 — 25

Chapter II

Tomb of Etameid Doulah — The Taj-Mahal — Infatuation of a Fakir — Fort of Agra — Secundra — Futtypore Sicree — Acbar's audience-chamber — Faithfull's Redoubt — Interview with the Rajah — Bhurtpore — Indian dramatic exhibition — Antelope snaring — Muttra — George Thomas — Allyghur — Belaspore — A day's sporting — Putpergunge — Delhi : the Jumna Musjed — Musjed of Rushin al Doulat — Visit to the Mogul — The Dewanee Khas — Interview with the Great Mogul — Visit to Rajah Kullian Sing — The Hindoo and the Mussulman — Bulwant Sing — The Nautch — Koutub Minar — Tomb of Humaion — Breakfast among tombs — Koutub Sahib — Mirza-Selim — Gigantic observatory — Native horses — Extraordinary leap — Shumshah Deene — Alfina — Paniput — Kurnal — Shamlee — Sirdhana — Meerut — Daranugger — News of a tiger — Sketch of Sancho — Tiger-hunting 25 — 57

Chapter III

Nujeebabad — The Dhag - tree — Tiger - hunt — Asofghur — The Ganges — Hurdwar — A north-wester — Booreah — The Seikhs — Bussee — Indian pilgrims — Ruins of Sirhind — Rajah of Patialah — Arms of the Seikhs — CONTENTS. Dancing girls — Visit the Rajah — Seikh war quoits — Loudiana — Runjeet Singh — Embassy from Runjeet Singh — The kite-dance — Retrograde march — Rajpoorah — Umballah — Mustaphabad — A family group — Booreah — Hurdwar fair — Bathing in the Ganges — Indian robber Mode of bargaining — Native hunters Page 57 84

Chapter IV

Valley of Deyra — Tiger-hunting — Deyra Doon — Mr. Shore — Llandowr — Missouree — Kalunga — Peleon — Synspore — Futtypore — Raj Ghaut — Kearda Doon — Wild elephants — Nahun — Jytuck — Rajah of Nahun — Nahun to Bernetti — Suran — Mountain matrimony — March towards Subbatoo — Boor's Peak — Subbatoo — Sahree — ■ Simla — The Chota Bursat — Embassy from Runjeet Singh 84 — 1 22

Chapter V

Khotghur — Fargoo — Parellee — Tour in the Surmour mountains — Khote-kie — ■ Koopa mountain — Jubul — Deora — Saree — Rooroo — Mountain tour — Chergong — Dogolee — Roole — Birch region — The Shattoul Pass — Retreat from the pass — Krassoo — ■ Kushaine — Khotghur — Nackandeh — Mutteanah — Simla — Subbatoo — Bahr 122— 152

Chapter VI

Plains of Hindostan — Munny-Majra — Syphabad — Patialah — Seikh principalities — Pewur — Khytul — ■ Seikh states — Jheend — Narnound — Canal of Feroze Shah — ■ Hansi — Skinner's horse — Head-quarters camp — March towards Delhi — ■ Mohim — Mundeena — Rhotuk — Seeta- Ram-ka-Serai — Delhi — The Chandee Chowk — The Mogul — March towards Meerut — Boor-Barore — The Begum Sumroo — March towards Moradabad — Ghurmuktesur, on the Ganges 152 — 183

Chapter VII

Rohilcund — Amroah — Moradabad — Passage of the Ram-Gunga — Rampore — Futtygunge — Bareilly — Dougan's Horse — Burra-Muttana — Jellahabad — Falconry — Left bank of Ganges — Futtyghur — The Hakim Mendes — Sixth Local Horse — Anecdotes of the battle of Setabuldree . . 183 — CONTENTS. XIII

Chapter VIII

The Dooab — Falconry — Etawar — Budeapore — Scindia's territories Tbe Mahrattas — Bhind — Gohud — Gwalior — Scindia's camp — A sportinc digression — Hog-hunting — The Tent Club — An anecdote — Martial games — A Mahratta feast — Mahratta entertainments — Antree Page 201—233

Chapter IX

Bundelcund ■ — Dutteah — Amaba — Jhansi — Burwah-Sauger — Ourcha Paharee Banka — Kaitah — Chirkari — Banda — Zoolficar Ali — An hour's sport — Kallinger — British siege of Kallinger — Shere Khan's siege — Last day in camp — Dak journey — Allahabad — Embark on the Gan<_s — Voyage down the Ganges — The budgerow — Mirzapore — Chunar — Benares — Sporting intelligence — ■ Gazypore — Buxar — Dinapore — Deega Farm — Bankipore — Patna — Monghir — Seeta's Well — Janguira — Bogli - pore — Colgong — Sicrigully — Rajemal — Suja's palace — Bogwangola — — River Pubna — Dullaserry river — Borigunga river — Dacca — Ruins of Dacca — Nawaub Shums-Ood-Doulah — A day's sport .. .. 233 — 279

Chapter X

The voyage continued — The Burrampooter — Voyage towards Calcutta — Re-enter the Ganges — Quit the Ganges — A north-wester — Lal-Chiltee-ka- Bazaar — Delta of the Ganges — Ballisore river — Enter the Sunderbunds — Culna — The Cherruck Poojah — Scenery of the Sunderbunds — A sporting stroll — Calcutta — Leave Calcutta — Budge-Budge — Kedgeree — Sauger isle — Sea voyage to Pooree — Bay of Bengal — Return to Calcutta — Fresh departure for Pooree — Roop-Narain river — Tumlook — Midnapore — Dak journey — Dantoon — Balasore — Barrepore — Cuttack — Night journey 279 — 297

Chapter XI

Pooree-Juggernauth — Fakirs — Sands of Pooree — Temples of Pooree — Surf boats — Pastimes — Luxuries — Sports — A tiger-trap — Temple of Juggernauth — Pilgrims — Religious ceremony — The Rath-Jattra — The pilgrim tax — The Suttee — Hindoo funeral rites — Nocturnal bathing — Trip to the Black Pagoda — Sing Durwasu, or Lion Gate — The ante-chamber — The Black Pagoda, or Temple of the Sun — Its origin — Return to Pooree — ■ Journey to Calcutta — Cuttack — The Oorias — Fort of Barabati — Gymnastics — Black penitents — The Rath-Jattra — Garden Reach — A day in Calcutta — Arrival of the Pallas 297—330 CONTENTS. XIV