Notes of an Overland Journey through France and Egypt to Bombay ... With a memoir

Chapter I. London To Paris

Departure from London — A French Steam-vessel — Unfavourable Weather — Arrival at Havre — Difficulties at the Custom-house — Description of Havre — Embarkation on the Steamer for Rouen — Appearance of the Country — Inclemency of the Weather — Arrival at Rouen — Description of Rouen — Departure by the Boat for Paris — Scenes and Traditions on the Banks of the Seine — Journey by the Railroad to Paris — The Douaniers — Observations on the Journey up the Seine Page 1 «2 CONTENTS.

Chapter II. Paris To Marseilles

Description of Paris — Departure by the Diligence — The Country — The Vineyards — Hotels and fare — Arrival at Lyons — Description of the City — Departure in the Steam-boat for Aries — Descent of the Rhone — Beauty and Variety of the Scenery- Confusion on disembarking at Beaucaire — A Passenger Drowned — Arrival at Aries — Description of the Town — Embarkation in the Steamer for Marseilles — Entrance into the Mediterranean — Picturesque Approach to Marseilles — Arrival in the Harbour — Description of Marseilles — Observations upon the Journey through France by Ladies Page 29

Chapter III. Marseilles To Alexandria

Vexations at the Custom-house — Embarkation on the Malta Steamer — Difficulties of exit from the Harbour — Storm — Disagreeable Motion of the Steam-vessel — Passengers — Arrival at Malta — Description of the City — Vehicles — Dress of the Maltese Women — State of Society — Church of St. John — The Palace — The Cemetery of the Capuchin Convent — Intolerance of the Roman Catholic Priesthood — Shops, Cafes, and Hotels — Manufactures and Products of Malta — Heat of the Island — Embarkation on board an English Government Steamer — Passengers — A young Egyptian — Arrival at Alexandria — Turkish and Egyptian Fleets — Aspect of the City from the Sea — Landing Page CONTENTS. V

Chapter IV. Alexandria To Boulak

Description of Alexandria — Hotels — Houses — Streets — Frank Shops — Cafes — Equipages— Arrangements for the Journey to Suez — Pompey's Pillar — Turkish and Arab Burial-grounds — Preparations for the Journey to Cairo — Embarkation on the Canal — Bad accommodation in the Boat — Banks of the Canal — Varieties of Costume in Egypt — Collision during the night — Atfee — Its wretched appearance — The Pasha — Exchange of Boats — Disappointment at the Nile — Scarcity of Trees — Manners of the Boatmen — Aspect of the Villages — The Marquess of Waterford — The Mughreebee Magician — First sight of the Pyramids — Arrival at Boulak, the Port of Cairo Page 77

Chapter V. Cairo

Arrival at Boulak — Description [of the place — Moolid, or Religious Fair — Surprise of the People — The Hotel at Cairo — Description of the City — The Citadel — View from thence — The City — The Shops — The Streets — The interior of the Pasha's Palace — Pictures — Furniture — Military Band — Affray between a Man and Woman — Indifference of the Police to Street Broils — Natives beaten by Englishmen — Visit to an English Antiquary — By-ways of the City — Interior of the Houses— Nubian Slave-market — Gypsies — Preparations for Departure to Suez — Mode of driving in the Streets of Cairo — Leave the City — The Changes in travelling in Egypt— Attractions of Cairo Page 105 b VI CONTENTS.

Chapter VI. The Desert

Equipage for crossing the Desert — Donkey-chairs — Sense of calmness and tranquillity on entering the Desert — Nothing dismal in its aspect — The Travellers' Bungalow — Inconvenient construction of these buildings — Kafila of the Governor of Jiddah and his Lady — Their Equipage — Bedouins — Impositions practised on Travellers — Desert Travelling not disagreeable — Report of the sailing of the Steamer — Frequency of false reports — Ease with which an infant of the party bore the journey — A wheeled carriage crossing the Desert — Parties of Passengers from Suez encountered — One of Mr. Hill's tilted Caravans — Difficulty of procuring water at the Travellers' Bungalow — A night in the Desert — Magnificent sunrise — First sight of the Red Sea and the Town of Suez — Miserable appearance of the latter — Engagement of a Passage to Bombay Page 136

Chapter VII. Suez To Aden

Travellers assembling at Suez — Remarks on the Pasha's Government — Embarkation on the Steamer — Miserable accommodation in the Berenice, and awkwardness of the attendants — Government Ships not adapted to carry Passengers — Cause of the miserable state of the Red Sea Steamers — Shores of the Red Sea — Arrival at Mocha — Its appearance from the Sea — Arrival at Aden — Its wild and rocky appearance on landing — Cape Aden — The Town — Singular appearance of the Houses — CONTENTS. VII The Garrison expecting an attack by the Arabs — Discontent of the Servants of Europeans at Aden — Complaints by Anglo- Indians against Servants — Causes — Little to interest Europeans in Aden Page 163

Chapter VIII. Aden

Commanding situation of Aden — Its importance in former times — But few remains of its grandeur — Its facilities as a retreat for the piratical hordes of the Desert — The loss of its trade followed by reduction of the population — Speculations as to the probability of ultimately resisting the Arabs — Exaggerated notions entertained by the Shiekhs of the wealth of the British — Aden a free Port would be the Queen of the adjacent Seas — Its advantages over Mocha — The Inhabitants of Aden — The Jews — The Banians — The Soomalees — The Arabs — Hopes of the prosperity of Aden — Goods in request there — Exports — Re-embarkation on the Steamer — Want of attention — Makallah — Description of the place — Its products — The Gazelle — Traveller in Abyssinia — Adventurous English Travellers — Attractions of the Arab Use — Arrival at Bombay Page 184

Chapter IX. Bombay

Contrast between landing at Bombay and at Calcutta — First feelings those of disappointment — Aspect of the place improves — CONTENTS. Scenery of the Island magnificent, abounding with fine Landscapes — Luxuriance and elegance of the Palms — Profusion and contrast of the Trees— Multitude of large Houses in Gardens — Squalid, dirty appearance of the Native Crowd— Costume of the Natives — Inferior to the Costume of Bengal — Countenances not so handsome — The Drive to the Fort — The Burrah Bazaar — Parsee Houses — •' God-shops " of the Jains — General use of Chairs amongst the Natives — Interior of the Native Houses — The Sailors' Home — The Native Town — Improvements — The Streets animated and picturesque — Number of Vehicles — The Native Females — The Parsee Women — The Esplanade Tents and Bungalows — The Fort — The China Bazaar — A Native School — Visit to a Parsee Warehouse — Real ornamental China ware — Apprehension of Fire in the Fort — Houses fired by Rats — Illumination of Native Houses — Discordant noise of Native Magic — The great variety of Religions in Bombay productive of lamp-lighting and drumming Page 213

Chapter X

BOMBAY— (Continued) . Bombay the rising Presidency— Probability of its becoming the Seat of Government — The Anglo-Indian Society of Bombay Style of Living — The Gardens inferior to those of Bengal Interiors of the Houses more embellished — Absence of Glass-windows an evil— The Bungalows — The Encamping-ground Facility and despatch of a change of residence— Visit to a tent entertainment — Inconveniences attending a residence in tents — Want of Hotels and Boarding-houses— Deficiency of public Amusements in Bombay — Lectures and Conversaziones suggested, as means of bringing the native community into more frequent intercourse with Europeans— English spoken by the CONTENTS. IX superior classes of Natives — Natives form a very large portion of the wealth and intelligence of Bombay — Nothing approaching the idea of a City to be seen — The climate more salubrious than that of Bengal— Wind blows hot and cold at the same time — Convenience a stranger finds in so many domestic servants speaking English — Their peculiar mode of speaking it — Dress of servants — Their wages — The Cooks— Improved by Lord Clare — Appointments of the tables — The Ramoosee Watchmen — Their vociferations during the night — Fidelity of the Natives — Controversy concerning their disregard of truth Page 211

Chapter XI

BOMBAY— (Continued). Residences for the Governor — Parell — Its Gardens — Profusion of Roses — Receptions at Government-house — The evening-parties — The grounds and gardens of Parell inferior to those at Barrackpore — The Duke of Wellington partial to Parell — Anecdotes of his Grace in India — Sir James Mackintosh — His forgetfulness of India — The Horticultural Society — Malabar Point, a retreat in the hot weather— The Sea-view beautiful — The nuisance of fish — Serious effects at Bombay of the stoppage of the trade with China — Ill-condition of the poorer classes of Natives — Frequency of Fires — Houses of the Parsees — Parsee Women — Masculine air of the other Native Females of the lower orders who appear in public — Bangle-shops — Liqueur-shops — Drunkenness amongst Natives not uncommon here, from the temptations held out — The Sailors' Home — Arabs, Greeks, Chinamen — The latter few and shabby — Portuguese Padres — Superiority of the Native Town of Bombay over that of Calcutta— Statue of Lord Cornwallis— Bullock-carriages — High price and inferiority of horses in Bombay — Hay-stacks — Novel mode of stacking Page CONTENTS. X

Chapter XII. Bomb

AY— (Continued) . The Climate of Bombay treacherous in the cold season — The land-wind injurious to health — The Air freely admitted into Rooms — The Climate of the Red Sea not injurious to Silk dresses — Advice to lady-passengers on the subject of dress— The Shops of Bombay badly provided — Speculations on the site of the City, should the seat of Government be removed hither — The Esplanade — Exercise of Sailors on Shore and on Ship-board — Mockfight — Departure of Sir Henry Fane— Visit to a fair in Mahim Wood— Prophecy — Shrine of Mugdooree Sahib — Description of the Fair— Visit to the mansion of a Moonshee — His Family — Crowds of Vehicles returning from the Fair — Tanks — Festival of the Duwallee — Visit to a Parsee — Singular ceremony — The Women of India impede the advance of improvement — They oppose every departure from established rules — Effect of Education in Bombay yet superficial — Cause of the backwardness of Native Education Page x: MEMOIR.

Experience has, especially of late years, amply refuted the barbarous error, which attributes to Nature a niggardliness towards the minds of that sex to which she has been most prodigal of per sonal gifts; the highest walks of science and literature in this country have been graced by female authors, and, perhaps, the purity and refinement which pervade our works of imagi nation, compared with those of former days, may not unjustly be traced to the larger share which feminine pens now have in the production of these works. It would appear to countenance the heretical notion just condemned, to assume that a robust organization is essential to the proper development and exercise of the powers of the understanding ; but it is certain that, in several MEMOIR. instances, individuals, who have exhibited the most striking examples of female pre-eminence, have not reached the full maturity of their in tellectual growth, but have been lost to the world in a premature grave : to the names of Felicia Hemans and Lætitia E. Landon, besides others, is now added that of Emma Roberts, who, although in respect of poetical genius she can not be placed upon a level with the two writers just named, yet in the vigour of her faculties, and in the variety of her talents, is worthy of being associated with them as another evidence against the asserted mental inequality of the sexes.

Miss Roberts belonged to a Welsh family of great respectability. Her grandfather, who was a gentleman of good property, and served the office of High Sheriff for Denbighshire, North Wales, possessed the fine estate of Kenmell Park in that county, which was disposed of after his death to Colonel Hughes, the present Lord Dinorben, whose seat it continues to be. He had three sons, all of whom entered a military life, which seems to have had peculiar attractions to this gallant family. The eldest, the late General Thomas Roberts, raised a regiment, MEMOIR. XIII which became the 111th, and it is said he frequently officiated as Gold Stick in Waiting to George the Third. A son of General Roberts was aide-de-camp to Sir Arthur Wellesley in Portugal, was taken prisoner by the French, and detained during the war: he afterwards rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel.

The second son, Colonel David Roberts, of the 51st regiment, distinguished himself in the Peninsular war, having, on the 7th January, 1809, during Sir John Moore's retreat, near the heights of Lugo, headed a party which repulsed the French Light Brigade, on which occasion his cloak was riddled with bullets, two of which passed through his right hand, which was amputated. He was then a major, but afterwards commanded the regiment, in Lord Dalhousie's brigade, and subsequently in Flanders, and was so seriously and repeatedly wounded, that his pensions for wounds amounted to £500 a year. Colonel Roberts was an author, and wrote, amongst other things, the comic military sketch called Johnny Newcome. The young est son, William (the father of Miss Roberts), in the course of his travels on the continent, in early life, formed some intimacies at the Court of MEMOIR.

St. Petersburgh (to which he was introduced by the British Ambassador), and eventually entered the Russian service ; he was made aide-de-camp to General Lloyd, his countryman, and served with great distinction in several campaigns against the Turks. He afterwards entered the British army, but had not attained a higher rank than that of captain (with the paymastership of his regiment), when he died, leaving a widow, a son (who died a lieutenant in the army), and two daughters. Emma, the youngest daughter of Captain Ro berts, was born about the year 1794. After the death of her father, she resided with her mother, a lady of some literary pretensions, at Bath. Though possessed of a very attractive person, though of a lively disposition, and peculiarly fitted to shine in the gayest circles of social life, her thirst for letters was unquenchable, and the extent of her reading proves that her early years must have been years of application.

Her first literary work was in the grave depart ment of history, — Memoirs of the Rival Houses of York and Lancaster, or the White and Red Roses, which was published in two volumes, 1827. In the preparation of this work, Miss Roberts MEMOIR. XV prosecuted her researches into the historical records at the Museum with so much diligence and perseverance, as to attract the notice of the officers of that institution, who rendered her much assistance. This work did not take hold of public attention; the narrative is perspicuously and pleasingly written, but it throws no additional light upon the events of the time. It is not unusual for young writers, in their first essay, to mistake the bent of their powers. On the death of her mother and the marriage of her sister to an officer of the Bengal army (Cap tain R. A. M'Naghten), MissRoberts accompanied Mrs. M'Naghten and her husband to India, in February 1828, taking her passage in the Sir David Scott, to Bengal.

From Calcutta she proceeded with them to the Upper Provinces, where she spent the years 1829 and 1830, between the stations of Agra, Cawnpore, and Etawah. Her active and inquisitive mind was constantly employed in noting the new and extraordinary scenes around her, the physical aspect of the country, the peculiar traits of its population, and the manners of both natives and Anglo-Indians : the strong and faithful impressions theymade never faded from a memory remark- MEMOIR. ably retentive. It is to these favourable opportu nities of diversified observation, in her journeys by land and water, along the majestic Ganges, or by the dawk conveyance in a palanquin, and in her residence for so long a period away from the metropolis of British India, which exhibits but a mongrel kind of Eastern society, that the English public owe those admirable pictures of Indian scenery and manners, which have conquered, or contributed to conquer, its habitual distaste for such topics.

Whilst at Cawnpore, Miss Roberts committed to the press a little volume of poetry, entitled Oriental Scenes, which she dedicated to her friend Miss Landon, then rising into eminence under the well known designation of L. E. L. This volume, which she republished in England, in 1832, con tains some very pleasing specimens of glowing description, graceful imagery, and well-turned expression, which show that her powers required only cultivation to have secured to her a respectable rank among modern poets. Mrs. M'Naghten died in 1831, and about this time (either soon after or shortly before the death of her sister), she exchanged provincial scenes MEMOIR. XVII and society for the more cheerful atmosphere of Calcutta, where a new world of observation and of employment opened to her. The sketches she has given of the City of Palaces, and of its inhabi tants, prove how accurately she had seized their characteristic features.

Here her pen was called into incessant activity ; besides various contribu tions to Annuals and other ephemeral works, Miss Roberts undertook the formidable task (doubly formidable in such a climate) of editing a news paper, and the Oriental Observer, whilst under her direction, was enriched by some valuable ar ticles written by herself, indicating the versatility of her talents, the extent of her resources, and the large area of knowledge over which her active mind had ranged. This severe over-employment, however, entailed the inevitable penalty, loss of health, and in 1832, being now bound by no powerful tie to India, and looking forward, perhaps, with innocent ambition, to a less confined theatre for the display of her talents and acquisitions, she quitted the coun try, and returned to England, the voyage com pletely repairing the injury which the climate of India had wrought upon her constitution.

The MEMOIR. reputation she had acquired preceded her to this country, where she had many literary acquaint ances, some of whom had reached a high station in public esteem ; and her entrance into the best literary circles of the metropolis was thereby facili tated ; but the position which she was entitled to claim was spontaneously conceded to talents such as hers, set offby engaging and unaffected manners, warmth and benevolence of heart, equanimity and serenity of temper. The fruits of her observations in the East were given to the world in several series of admirable papers, published in the Asiatic Journal* a periodical work to which she contributed with indefa tigable zeal and success, from shortly after her return to England until her death. A selection of those papers was published, in three volumes, in 1 835, under the title of Scenes and Characteris tics of Hindostan, which has had a large circula tion, and (a very unusual circumstance attending works on Indian subjects) soon reached a second edition.

This work established Miss Roberts's reputation as a writer of unrivalled excellence in this province, which demands a union of quick and * The first appeared in the Journal for December, 1832. MEMOIR. XIX acute discernment with the faculty of vivid and graphic delineation. Of the many attempts which have been made in this country to furnish popular draughts of Indian " Scenes and Characteristics," that of Miss Roberts is the only one which has perfectly succeeded. Her pen now came into extensive requisition, and the miscellaneous information with which she had stored her mind enabled her, with the aid of great fluency of composition and unremitted industry, to perform a quantity and a variety of literary labour, astonishing to her friends, when they considered that Miss Roberts did not seclude herself from society, but mixed in parties, where her conversational talents rendered her highly acceptable, and carried on, besides, a very exten sive correspondence.

History, biography, poetry, tales, local descriptions, foreign correspondence, didactic essays, even the culinary art, by turns em ployed her versatile powers. Most of these com positions were occasional pieces, furnished to periodical works ; to some she attached her name, and a few were separately published. Amongst the latter is a very pleasing biographical sketch XX MEMOIR. of Mrs. Maclean (formerly Miss Landon), one of her oldest and dearest friends. It was now seven years since she had quitted British India, during which period important events had occurred, which wrought material changes in its political and social aspects. The extinction of the East-India Company's commercial privileges had imparted a new tone to its government, given a freer scope to the principle of innovation, and poured a fresh European infusion into its Anglo-Indian society ; steam navigation and an overland communication be tween England and her Eastern empire were bringing into operation new elements of mutation, and the domestic historian of India (as Miss Roberts may be appropriately termed) felt a natural curiosity to observe the progress of these changes, and to compare the British India of 1830 with that of 1840.

With a view of enlarging the sphere of her knowledge of the country, and of deriving every practicable advantage from a twelve-months' visit, she determined to examine India on its Western side, and (contrary to the urgent advice of many of her friends) to encounter MEMOIR. XXI the inconveniences of performing the journey over land, through France and Egypt. Previous to her departure, she entered into an arrangement with the Asiatic Journal (the depository of most of her papers on Indian subjects) to transmit, on her way, a series of papers for publication in that work, descriptive of the objects and incidents met with in the overland route, and of the " rising presidency," as she termed Bombay. By a singular coincidence, the last paper of this series was published in the very number of the Asiatic Jour nal* which announced her death.

These papers, which are now before the reader, carry on the biography of Miss Roberts almost to the end of her life. She quitted England in September, 1839, and, having suffered few annoyances on the journey, except a fever which attacked her in the Gulf, arrived in Bombay in November, where she experienced the most cordial reception from all classes, including the Governor and the most respectable of the native community. Miss Roberts was known to Sir James Carnac, and in * For December, 1810, MEMOIR. his Excellency's family she became a guest for some time, quitting his hospitable mansion only to meet with a similar cordiality of welcome from other friends, at the presidency and in the interior. Her residence at Parell has enabled her to draw, with her accustomed felicity, in one of the papers published in this volume, a lively sketch of the domestic scenes and public receptions, as well as the local scenery, at this delightful place.

It appears from her letters that Miss Roberts medi tated a tour into Cutch or Guzerat, which probably was prevented by her subsequent illness. " It is my intention," she wrote from Parell, December 30th, 1839, "to go into the provinces, as I have received numerous invitations ; I am at present divided between Guzerat and Cutch : by going to the latter, I might have an opportunity of see ing Scinde, the new Resident, Captain Outram, being anxious that I should visit it." She adds : " I have received much attention from the native gentlemen belonging to this presidency, and have, indeed, every reason to be pleased with my recep tion." She had projected a statistical work on this part of India, and in her private letters she speaks with grateful enthusiasm of the liberality MEMOIR. XXIII with which the government records were opened to her, and of the alacrity with which Europeans and natives forwarded her views and inquiries.

In a letter dated in February, 1840, she says : " I am very diligently employed in collecting materials for my work; I am pleased with the result of my labours, and think I shall be able to put a very valuable book upon Bombay before the public. I hope to go in a short time to Mahableshwar, and thence to Sattara, Beejapore, &c." Her literary aid was invoked by the conductors of periodical works at Bombay, to which she furnished some amusing pictures of home-scenes, drawn with the same spirit and truth as her Indian sketches. She likewise undertook the editorship of a new weekly paper, the Bombay United Service Gazette, and with the benevolence which formed so bright a feature in her character, she engaged with zeal in a scheme for rescuing the native women, who (as her observation led her to believe) impede the progress of improvement, from the indolence in which they are educated, by devising employments for them suited to their taste and capacity.

The concluding chapter of this volume contains some very sound and salutary reflections upon native education. MEMOIR. Perhaps too close and unremitting application, in a climate which demands moderation in all pursuits that tax the powers of either mind or body, produced or aggravated a disease of the sto mach, with which this lady was seriously attacked when on a visit to Colonel Ovans, the Resi dent at Sattara. Some indication of disordered health manifested itself whilst she was in the Hills. Writing from thence in April, and advert ing to some incident which caused her vexation, she observed : " My health is failing me, and I can scarcely bear any increased subject of anxiety." She experienced in the family of Colo nel Ovans all the attention and sympathy which the kindest hospitality could suggest; but her disorder increasing, she removed, in the hope of alleviating it by change of air, to Poona, and arrived at the house of her friend, Colonel Campbell, in that city, on the 16th of Septem ber.

She expired unexpectedly on the following morning. Her remains are deposited near those of one of her own sex, who was also distin guished for her literary talents, Miss Jewsbury. The death of Miss Roberts excited universal sorrow amongst all classes, European and na tive, at Bombay, as well as at the other presi- MEMOIR. XXV dencies, especially Calcutta, where the most cordial and flattering tributes to her memory appeared in the public journals. She had nearly completed her inquiries, and accomplished all the objects for which she had revisited the treacherous clime of India, and one of her latest letters to the writer of this Memoir expressed a cheerful anticipation of her speedy return to England ! " I positively leave India next October, and am now looking joyfully to my return." The person and manners of Miss Roberts were extremely prepossessing.

In early life, she was handsome; and although latterly her figure had attained some degree of fulness, it had lost none of its ease and grace, whilst her pleasing features, marked by no lines of painful though^ were open and expressive, beaming with animation and good humour. She had not the slightest tinge of pedantry in her manner and deportment, which were natural and affable, so that a stranger never felt otherwise than at ease in her soci ety. It was not her ambition to make a display of mental superiority, which inspires the other sex with any feelings but those of admiration — which is, indeed, tacitly resented as a species of tyranny, and frequently assigned as the ground MEMOIR. of a certain prejudice against literary ladies. " It may safely be said," observes a friend of her's at Calcutta, " that, although devoted to literature as Miss Roberts was, yet in her conversation and demeanour she evinced less of what is known as ' blue' than any of her contemporaries, excepting Miss Landon."

Another Calcutta acquaintance says : " Though her mind was deeply interested in subjects connected with literature, her attention was by no means absorbed by them, and she mixed cordially and freely in society without the least disposition to despise persons of less intellectual elevation. She had a true relish of all the little pleasures that promiscuous society affords, and did not underrate those talents which are better fitted for the drawing-room than the study." Her warmth of heart and kindness of disposition, which co-operated with her good sense in thus removing all disagreeable points from her external character, made her the sincerest of friends, and ever ready to engage in any work of charity or benevolence. It would be affectation to attempt in this slight Memoir to elaborate a picture of the intellectual character of Miss Roberts, cut off, as she has been > before that character had been fully developed.

Th e MEMOIR. XXVII works, upon which her reputation as a writer prin cipally rests, are not, perhaps, of a quality which calls for any commanding powers of mind. Her business was with the surfaces of things ; her skill consisted in a species of photography, presenting perfect sac-similes of objects, animate and inani mate, in their natural forms and hues. Deep inves tigations, profound reflections, and laboured and learned disquisitions, would have defeated the very object of her lively sketches, which was to make them, not only faithful and exact, but popular. Of her success in this design, the following testi mony from a competent authority, the Calcutta Literary Gazette, is distinct and decisive ; and with this extract we may fitly close our melan choly office : " Nothing can be more minute and faithful than her pictures of external life and manners.