Travels in India a hundred years ago; with a visit to the United States. Being notes and reminiscences by Thomas Twining ... preserved by his son T. Twining of Twickenham, and edited by ... W. H. G. Twining. With portrait and map

Front matter

f TRAVELS IN INDIA A HUNDRED YEARS AGO 'Y/r/l/lf/l 'Y/'-r in ,1,1 '//'' - /'"'/ TRAVELS IN INDIA A HUNDRED YEARS AGO WITH A VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES BEING NOTES AND REMINISCENCES BY THOMAS TWINING A CIVIL SERVANT OF THE HONOURABLE EAST INDIA COMPANY PRESERVED BY HIS SON THOMAS TWINING OF TWICKENHAM AND EDITED EY THE REV. WILLIAM H. G. TWINING vicar of st. Stephen's, Westminster WITH PORTRAIT AND MAP LONDON JAMES R. OSGOOD, M^ILVAINE & CO. 45 ALBEMARLE STREET 1893 All rights reserved CONTENTS

Part I

My Voyage to India The departure from England in 1792 — The Ponsborne — Life on board — The Bay of Biscay — The Canaries — St. Jago — Crossing the Equator — King Neptune — Trinidad — The Cape — Ceylon — 30th July, First sight of India — Pondicherry — Madras — Visits to George Parry, Thomas Oakes, Dr. Anderson, and Colonel Close — Account of the surrender of Tippoo — Fort St. George — Visit to the young princes — Departure from Madras, 8th August — Arrival at the Ganges ........ Pages 1-79 NOTES 79 1. Lord Cornwallis 2. Death op Colonel Skelly . 3. Death of Sir William Jones 80 so

Part II

From Santipore to Dehli Santipore— Arrival of Sir Robert Abercromby— Colonel Auehmuty— Colonel Scott— Colonel Palmer— Colonel Murray— Colonel Dyer— Major Hall— Dr. Laird — Nuddea— Plassey — An account of the victory at Plassey — Cossimbazar— Berhampore— Moorshedabad— Sooty Nullah— The Ganges— Raj mehal and its ruins— The Coosy— Gour— Terriagully— Colgong— Boglipore— Sultangunge— The fortress of Monghir— Seetacoon— General Briscoe— Patna— Dinapore— The Soane— Mr. Brooke at Arrah— The Customs House TRAVELS IN INDIA A HUNDRED YEARS AGO VI at Gogra— Mr. Revel— The fort of Buxar— Colonel Fullerton— The Caram nassa — Cheynpore — The Eenares district — Ghazypore— Chunar— Mirzapore — Allajiabad— The Mausoleum of the Sultan Kosvoo— Antiquities— Adventure at Allahabad— Dalmow— The Nabob of Oude— The Nabob's Court—Cawn pore—The defeat of the Eohillahs— The arrival of the Padre Juvenal— The adventure with the Mewatties— Arrival at Agra— Taje-Mehal— The Sarco phagi of the Emperor Shah Jehan— The tomb of Acbar— Futtipore— The tomb of Selim— Letter from the Padre Juvenal— Visit to the Governor of Agra— Letter from the Padre— The Roman Catholic Mission— The march— Muttra— The 300 monkeys— The approach to Dehli— Arrival at Dehli after a journey of four months and ten days . . . Pages 82-222

Part III

Dehli, and Return to Santipore Dehli, 29th November 1794 — The visit of Sind Razy Khan — Visit to the Governor of Dehli — Visit to the Jumma Musjid — 2nd December, Visit to the Emperor — Notes on the history — Visit to the Kotsea Bugh and palaces — Various excursions — Presentation of a seal by the Emperor — Notes on the Great Mogol — Mirza Jewan — Begum Sumroo — 7th December, Return from Dehli — Surrajepore — The forest of Secundra — The desert — The town of Secundra — The adventure with the banditti — The seraglio — Bulunsheer — Hatimabad — Visit to General De Boigne at Coel — Letter to Mr. Longcroft from General De Boigne — Visit to Mr. Longcroft at Jellowllee — The Pindarries — Dandarahgunge — Futtighur — Departure for Lucnow — Colonel Martin — The English — Visit to the Nabob's palace — Departure from Lucnow — Fyzabad — Deriabad — Begumgunge — Jelloud — Tandah — Jelalpore — Shahzadpore — Jionpore — Benares — Chunar — Lieutenant Herring — Mr. Hastings — Arrival at Santipore after an absence of seven and a half months . . Pages 223-346

Part IV

America Departure from Santipore — The voyage — The Cape — The Equator — The Gulf Stream — Delaware Bay — Arrival at Philadelphia — The Congress House Mr. Adams — Dr. Priestley — The Senate — Peter Porcupine — Derby — Chester — Chichester — Wilmington — The Brandywine — The Susquehannah Harford Bush — Baltimore — Mr. Law — Gouging — The St. George's Society Washington — Georgetown — Baltimore — M. Volney — Interview with General Washington — Newark, New York, Philadelphia — Notes on the United States — The voyage to England — Twickenham . . Pages 347-449 CONTENTS VII

Part V

Detached Narratives PAGES 1. Second Voyage to India ...... 450 2. Arrival in India ... ... 454 3. Sir William Jones ....... 455 4. The Science and Religion of the Hindoos . . 457 5. The Hindoo Widow ....... 463 6. The Seasons in Bengal ...... 468 7. Snakes ........ 470 8. Alligators ........ 475 9. Buffaloes ........ 477 10. The Bengal Tiger ....... 478 11. Hunting Dangers ....... 480 12. Visit to Lord Wellesley in Camp .... 482 13. Statistics of Behar : City of Sasseram .... 492 14. Visit to the Mausoleum of the Emperor Shere Shah, and Leading Events of his Life ..... 495 15. Tour in my District ...... 498 16. Visit to the Fort of Rotas ..... 510 17. Drought in Behar ....... 513 18. Princess of Arwul ....... 518 19. Last Day in Calcutta ...... 522 Appendix .........

Introduction

Public attention has been much attracted by the satisfactory development of native prosperity since India has become an integral part of the British Empire, and considerable interest naturally attaches to a faithful account of things as they were in India a century ago. Such an account is supplied by the present " Notes and Reminiscences " of Thomas Twining (son of Richard Twining of the Strand, London), who, born in 1776 and educated at Rugby, went out to India in 1792, to take a position in the service of the East India Company. A peculiar practical value belonging to these Memoirs was described as follows, in a discourse delivered by the author to the members of the Weymouth Young Men's Institute in 1838 : — Gentlemen, I trust you are assured that in presenting myself before you this evening, I am actuated by no presumptuous preten sions, but solely by an earnest desire to contribute to your amusement.

Having visited countries unknown, I presume, to you, I may have picked up a few plants — I dare not call them flowers — not in your collection, and truly glad should I be if any of these exotics should be deemed worthy of your acceptance, in return for the numerous and far more valuable specimens which my family and I have received from you during our attendance at your meetings. But although I aim at nothing further than an endeavour to amuse you during our brief hour, with a few rapid sketches, for such they must necessarily be, of scenes in India, beginning as a natural introduction with a short account of a voyage to that X country, still it would be peculiarly gratifying to me if this simple relation should produce any moral effect, or offer any useful practical example to any young member of our society who may be destined, as I was, to leave his home at an early period of life, and make his way in a far distant land.

Should there, my young friends, be such an one amongst you, I would beg leave to enjoin on him, in the first place, to prepare himself for his new career by unwearied diligence, and having done so, to go forth with a good heart and with confidence in himself, but with more confidence in that Providence to which no country is remote, and under whose eye he will equally be in all his wanderings. I would exhort him not to be dismayed because he may be friendless in the country to which he is going, nor disheartened because he may, perchance, be not only very young, but weak and sickly. I was all these : for I was a boy of sixteen, the most weak and delicate of my father's family, when, having to make my own way in life, I chose a path far off, after a full and candid exposition of the dangers and difficulties with which it was beset.

My feelings and views at that time may cheer others as they did me. I find them thus expressed amongst my early papers : " The idea of being entrusted to myself so young, and of visiting regions where no one of my family or name had* ever been, flattered my feelings, and elevated rather than depressed my spirits. I felt an assurance that, if it pleased God to grant me health, I should be successful and return with honour and fortune — with honour at least: — to my native country and friends." Now of all my companions in the ship, and there were many destined to different parts of India, I who was the youngest and weakest, who was pitied by some, and almost scoffed at by others, on account of my extreme delicacy, was, I believe, the most successful, so true it is that the race is not always to the most swift, nor the battle to the most strong.

Accustomed from my earliest years to great simplicity, I sought honourable distinction rather than wealth, and before I finally saw the white cliffs of my native land (not far from your beautiful Bay of Weymouth) I had held many high offices. I had been entrusted with the reform of an extensive department of the public administration, had been appointed judge of a great district, had held the charge of a countrv containing more than ten thousand towns and villages and more than two millions of people, and had been received by the Great

INTRODUCTION.

XI Mogol on his throne in the old world, and by General Washington in the new. I mention these things to show what a young man who goes forth in the world may do, or what may be done by common resolution and perseverance. But there is one other important circumstance from which I received the greatest advantage, and which claims the particular attention of every young man destined to visit a foreign country. I allude to the acquisition of the language of that country. My parents found out in an obscure court in Fleet Street, in London, a poor Welshman, from whom I learned, not Welsh, but the sounds of the letters of the Persian alphabet, and with this initiation, and no more, and with only a dictionary and grammar, I was able, by assiduous study during the voyage, to make such progress in the Persian language as to excite some surprise amongst the natives when I landed in India, and to procure me the encomiums and attentions of the great oriental scholar, Sir William Jones.

I communicate these particulars to my young friends, with two views : Firstly, to show them what may be done by self -instruction, even in a short time and under unfavourable circumstances, and with a hard language having no affinity with our own. Secondly, to show the importance of knowing the language of the country which is to be the theatre of our exertions. And here I will venture to assure you, without fear of contradiction, that six months of self-application before entering a new country, and the same time afterwards, will be sufficient, I will not say to make you masters of the language, for that is quite another thing, not obtainable without many years of study, but to give you all the knowledge that will be essential, all that you will require for your convenience, for your enjoyment of literary and social intercourse, and for every purpose of business.

Whereas, without this knowledge you can do nothing ; your capacity, however good it may be, will be totally unproductive ; you will be as a person deaf and dumb, for you will hear without understanding and speak without being understood. The country before you will be a mere pantomime ; you will see only, so to say, with your eyes — that is, without that mental vision through which alone real instruction and intellectual delight flow in upon the mind. The language of the country will at once relieve you from this helpless, humiliating condition. It is the talisman which discovers to the traveller the treasures he seeks, and without which a stranger in a foreign land can never arrive at fortune or distinction. Placed in different parts of the East, I had to learn three different languages, but I acquired them without difficulty; for learning facilitates learning in all things, and this is particularly the case with languages.

Therefore be not discouraged. I must observe, in passing, that a young man, whether destined to stay at home or to go abroad, knows too little who knows only his natural tongue, who cannot open a book written in any other, nor without embarrassment set his foot beyond the channel which confines our narrow space — this island of ours — and separates it from the rest of the world.

Part I My Voyage To India

It was in the month of April 1792, in the Easter week of that year, that I embarked on board a ship in the Downs for India. I had recently completed my sixteenth year. I was to have left England a year sooner, but in consideration of my youth, and perhaps of the delicacy of my constitution at that period, my departure was deferred by permission of the East India Company, to whose service I had been appointed,1 for another twelvemonth. On Sunday, the 1st April, I took leave of my relations, all assembled together for that purpose, at the old family house in the Strand — No. 216 — where my uncle John then resided, but my good father and uncle and an old servant of the former2 accompanied me to Deal, where I was to meet the ship. We left the Strand door, to which all my friends followed me, about one o'clock, in a post chaise, and slept the night at some town on the road — I believe either Sittingham or Canterbury — and reached Deal the next morning, just in time to witness the arrival of the Ponsborne — the name of the ship in which my passage had been taken.

I thought her a fine -looking vessel as she sailed into the Downs. Some painful emotion I felt on seeing for the first time 1 By Thomas Parry, Esq., East India Director. 2 Joseph Eusden, my father's butler. B the ship on which I was to embark was relieved by the grand appearance she made as she approached under full sail. My baggage was already on board, having been shipped in the river. It filled many trunks of various sizes, for my kind father and mother had been most liberal in providing me with everything that could contribute to the comfort of my long voyage. I had many dozens of shirts, all of calico, this being said to be better suited than linen to a hot climate. Such things as I should not want till my arrival in India were made very large, the captain saying I should grow very much during the passage.

My stock did not consist of an abundance of necessary articles alone. All my family, feeling and manifesting the kindest interest in my adventure, each presented me with some keepsake to recall the donor to my remembrance in the distant land for which I was about to sail ; and many of these gifts, after having accompanied me through all my wanderings, in which they never failed to serve the purpose for which they were given me, are still in my possession, and objects of my regard, reminding me of many scenes in which they have been my companions, as well as of the early kindness of my friends. My uncle John, in addition to many other instances of liberality, generously paid my passage money, amounting to £100. This sum entitled me to a place at the Captain's table ; for there was another table for passengers, at which the third mate, or officer, of the ship presided, and indeed provided at his expense, where the charge was con siderably less.

Great was my regret at parting from such kind and generous friends. But this was the only pain I felt. My destination was perfectly agreeable to me. It was, I should rather say, my own choice upon a full and candid exposition to me of all circumstances attending it, — the length of the voyage, the heat of the climate, the many years I should in all probability be absent, etc. etc. I well recollect the winter's evening at Isleworth (I was then just fourteen years of age) when my father, after tea in the parlour, having lighted his wax taper as usual to return to his study, singled me out from the family circle and asked me to go with him. I could not account for this unusual invitation. Though my father was inwardly the kindest of men, there was a solemn gravity in his manner that almost inspired uneasiness in such a moment as the present.

I followed him in thoughtful mood, vainly endeavouring to conjecture the object of this mysterious proceeding. Arrived at the study, and seated in his arm-chair by the fireside, he addressed me in these words : " Thomas, should you like to go abroad ? " This termination of a solemnity which seemed far from promising so agreeable a conclusion was very pleasing to me, for by abroad I thought that a journey to France or some other part of the continent was meant, and readily expressed my satisfaction. When my father, perceiving probably my misapprehension, explained his allusion and designated India as my destination, I was much surprised. I had, however, no desire to retract my assent. On the contrary, I expressed my ready and sincere acceptance of the proposal ; nor did I feel any inclination to recall this after the more deliberate consideration which my father desired me to give to so important a communication.

The idea of being trusted to myself so young, and of visiting regions where no one of my family or name had ever been, flattered my feelings and elevated rather than depressed my spirits. I felt an assurance, that if it pleased God to grant me health, I should be successful and return with honour and fortune — with honour at least — to my native country and friends. The ship, which was an East Indiaman — that is, a ship engaged and freighted by the East India Company, who alone had the right of trading with India — remained two days in the Downs to complete her stores and receive her despatches from the India House. The first night after her arrival the wind blew so hard that she and another Indiaman, the Contractor, were in great danger of being wrecked upon the Goodwin Sands. The Contractor, which lay to windward of the Ponsborne, drove, and seeming likely to fall on board the Ponsborne, her captain called out to Captain Thomas, who commanded the latter ship, to cut his cable.

" Cut my cable, sir ! " replied Captain Thomas, marking, at the same time, his offence at such a suggestion by the addition of very strong language ; " cut my cable ! " Indeed, had he adopted that measure, his ship would inevitably have gone to leeward upon the sands. But Captain Thomas was not a man to take counsel, especially bad counsel, from another captain. He skilfully avoided the danger which threatened him by quickly veering away his cable, thus letting the other ship pass ahead. Still, as the cables of the two ships crossed and chafed, and thus might cut each other, the position of both was very critical during the night. Fortunately the gale abated in the morning, and the ships got clear of each other ; but Captain Thomas never reverted to this occurrence without repeating with displeasure the offensive words, " Cut your cable."

Early in the morning of the third day the fatal blue peter, a small square blue flag at the foretop-mast head, was observed by the pilots upon the beach, through their glasses. This was the signal which announced to the passengers, and to all others on shore belonging to the ship, that the moment for parting was come. All was now anxiety and bustle; officers, passengers, and their friends were seen hurrying to the shore. I collected my things together, took a hasty breakfast in our upstairs room, which looked upon the sea, and then descended to the beach with my father and uncle. The waves, still agitated by the last storm, beat against the shore with violence. Few moments of my life have made a deeper impression on my mind than these, in which I now stood on the shore of my native country with the wide world before me.

My heart was full as I embraced my father and uncle for the last time. Under a painful contention of resolution and grief, I climbed, with the assistance of the seamen, over the side of the boat lying on the steep shingly beach, when the united efforts of the boatmen and the people about immediately propelled it forwards into the sea, the good Joseph, with whom I had been on very friendly terms from the day of his entering my father's house, lending on this occasion an unwilling hand. As soon as the head of the boat reached the water the boatmen, at first hanging at her sides, quickly raised themselves and got over them, and then seizing their oars pulled into deep water before the returning wave threw us again on the shore. We had, however, a rough and tossing row to the ship. As we approached this, its size and noble appearance and steadiness on the water struck me with surprise.

I had never been on board a ship nor seen one so near. We rowed under the stern to the larboard and leeward side, from which a rope was thrown to us. Two other ropes hung down the ship's side nearly opposite the mainmast. I took firmly hold of these, one in each hand, and when the boat was on the top of a high wave, mounted hastily upon a sort of ladder made by pieces of wood nailed horizontally to the planks of the ship between the two ropes. Having made a bow to the Captain and officers, whom I found upon the quarterdeck, or part between the main and mizzen - masts, and glanced my eye, for a moment, upon the ship from head to stern, I inquired where my cabin was, when I was conducted down a ladder to it, on the lower or gundeck, not far from the stern, on the larboard side. Here, the port being shut, there was scarcely light enough for me to survey my new apartment.

I soon found, also, that the ship had considerably more motion than was apparent from the boat, and that the relief which I felt in coming on board was of very short duration. For I was soon scarcely able to stand without laying hold of some fixed object. I also became exceedingly oppressed by a close suffocating air, and by a sickening offensive smell, to which I know nothing comparable, and can only designate it by its usual appellation on board — the smell of the ship. My head and stomach soon began to yield to this irresistible combination. I could hardly help returning to the deck to breathe a little pure air. It was necessary, however, that I should go to work below, and place my things in order before the ship should get under weigh, when I should doubtless become more unwell and helpless.

I therefore made an effort, and looked about me as well as I could, and inquiring what berths, or bedplaces, were already engaged, I chose the one which I thought the best of those not yet taken. I next had my principal trunk tied or lashed down to the deck, close to the side of the ship and directly opposite my sleeping place. I made such further distribution of my things as the pitching of the ship and my giddiness would permit. There being, in all, seven passengers in this small cabin, six of the berths were arranged in two lines against the bulkhead or partition which formed the side of the room, and ran parallel to the ship's side, at the distance of about six feet — this being the cabin's width. The seventh bed occupied the further end of the cabin towards the stern, and had a small window above it, for the sake of giving light to a passage ; from which it received, in return, most offensive smells.

It was, on this account, the worst berth of the whole set, though at first view it appeared to be the best, from being detached from the others and having no other above or below it. After some consideration I fixed upon the first in the upper tier on entering the cabin, No. 1. I was rather doubtful whether to take this or the one under it, No. 2. But I con sidered that the occupier of the lower bedplace was subject to the inconvenience of having his neighbour in the upper story pass before him every night and morning, and perhaps of having a foot upon his bed or pillow in rolling weather. Besides, the upper range had the convenience of lockers, small recesses by the side of the bed between the beams of the deck. These were evidently of considerable advantage, being capable of holding many small things which it might be convenient to have at hand.

I observed also that the port was nearly opposite my bed, as well as a smaller aperture, about nine inches square, called a scuttle. Its use was to admit air and light in bad weather, when the port might be shut. Being near the door also, I had the chance of a little fresh air down the companion, or opening in the upper deck, not far from the door. Upon the whole, notwithstanding my inexperience and the wretched sensations which oppressed me whilst I remained below, I flattered myself that I had chosen the best berth which this confined and crowded room afforded ; for it appeared to me that the space allotted to seven persons was very limited, especially when the sum paid for it was considered. But I had, from my early days, been accustomed to much simplicity, and even to some degree of deprivation and hardship — the common lot of schoolboys at that period — and was fully prepared to encounter the inconveniences from which no path of life is exempt.

I had anticipated no satisfaction from the ship or the voyage ; on the contrary, much annoyance and suffering. I did not therefore feel disappointed or discouraged at the little appearance of quiet and comfort which my first visit to my cabin discovered to me. I did not join in the loud and general complaint of the other passengers, as they, one after another, groped their way through the dark to make their survey and choice as I had done ; and I have had less reason to complain since, for of the seven inmates thus crowded together, through the hot climate of the tropics and the rough seas of the Cape of Good Hope, when, the port and scuttle being both closed for many successive days and nights, we had no fresh air nor a ray of light, — of this number, as well as of many other passengers who occupied different parts of the ship, I, who was the youngest and considered the least robust of all, am the only one who lived to return to England ; an instance, amongst many others contained in these pages, of the protection which I have received from Divine Providence throughout the long and varied courses of my life.

Having finished my arrangements, I regained the ladder and went upon deck. The ship being now ready for sea, and the wind sufficiently fair, the. sails were lowered, the capstan, round which the cable winds, manned, and the anchor slowly heaved to the cheering sounds of the boatswain's whistle. For I observed that the shrill notes of this little instrument, which the boatswain wore about his neck, both animated the men in their laborious task and regulated their motion; some sounds accelerating, some retarding, their circular march, others making them stop instantly. To me there was something impressive in this operation. It was the first step in our long voyage. I was struck with the reflection that this anchor, till now the ship's main security, and which had just contributed so essen tially to save her from destruction, would probably be useless till we reached India.

But serious as the present moment was to me, to the crew I perceived it was one of exultation and joy. With the exception of some passenger (though I observed no one), who probably felt as I did, hilarity, good humour, and confidence seemed to pervade the ship. I understood, however, that the superstitious impressions of seamen were particularly observable on such occasions as the present. They do not like to sail on a Friday, while they consider Sunday as propitious. I saw nothing reprehensible nor displeasing in these notions, and thought that a prudent captain, though not influenced by them himself, would rather endeavour to turn them to account, by inspiring satisfaction and confidence amongst his crew, than to oppose them. The anchor being up and secured to the bow, we began our course down Channel, soon losing sight of Deal, passing the south foreland, Dover, and Beachy Head, a high projecting cliff on the coast of Sussex, on which I recollected having once stood.