Thirty-eight years in India : from Juganath to the Himalaya Mountains

Front matter

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Contents

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CHAPTEE I.

How I OBTAINED MY InDIAN WeITEESHIP . . .1

Chapter I

How I oMained my Indian Writership. — Sudden change of Career. Interview with Director of the East India Company. — Examination.— Caricatures in lieu of Algebra. — Passage taken in the " Victory. " — Captain Earquharson. — Trip by Coach to Portsmouth with my brother Frederick Tayler. — Grlimpse of my future Wife, then Miss Palmer. — My Brother's Prediction. — Love at First Sight. — My Brother's imaginary Sketch of my Eeturn to England. — ^Prophecy how fulfilled.

That " Great events from little causes spring" is a fact wHcli doubtless had presented itself to many bewildered mortals long before the elopement of Helen brought destruction upon Troy, but that a mere accident, totally unexpected, and which could I. 1 ii THIETY-EIGHT YEARS TN INDIA.

never have entered into the calculations of the person principally affected, should, in a minute of time, entirely and radically change the whole course of his future life, is not a very usual, and may fairly be termed a strange occurrence.

But this is precisely and literally what happened to me at the eventful period of my life, when just passing from legal " infancy " to practical manhood.

" There's a divinity which shapes our ends, Eough-hew them how we will."

In the spring of 1829 I was staying in the house of a friend in Devonshire who held a writership, and expected to go very shortly to India. His father was bed-ridden through protracted and hopeless disease. His mother and sisters were in the house. One morning, after breakfast, my friend came into the room where I was sitting, and told me his father had just died ; that he had left him £800 a-year, and he therefore intended to remain in England; adding, *' I have no idea of going to that abominable country, to be devoured by mosquitos and killed by cholera." Then, suddenly, and evidently on the spur of the moment, turning to me, he said, " By-the-bye, would you like to have my appointment?" Seeing that I treated the offer as a joke, he added, " I really mean it, and am sure it could be managed. I will fetch my mother." He then left the room, and in a few minutes returned with his good mother, who confirmed what he said ; but added, that if I wished to accept the appointment I must make up my mind at once, as she considered it a point of honour to inform

SUDDEN OHANGH IN MY CAKEEE. 3

the Director who had given it, -without delay of her son's decision. Here was an anxious and bewildering moment ! Never had I dreamed of leaving England. I had been educated at the Charterhouse ; had kept my first term at Ohristchurch ; looked forward to academical honours ; and my dear mother had made up her mind that I was to become Lord High Chancellor, or Archbishop of Canterbury, at least I Far away from her, from all my relations and friends, with little real knowledge of what an Indian career offered or contained, with a few minutes only for reflection or argument, I had to decide a question which affected my whole future life and prospects. It was a crisis ; but there was a certain fascination in the novelty presented. Speaking as a Mahomedan, I should say my "kismut," or destiny, impelled me; speaking as a Christian, I say that Grod guided me. I gave my consent, the bargain was closed, and the kind old lady wrote her letter.

Thus did the fortuitous caprice of one unstable, though kindly individual, instantaneously upset the premeditated plans and deliberate calculations of his feUow-mortal, carrying with it a chain of unlooked-for results, and bringing home to my mind what we are too apt to forget, that we are biit poor and helpless creatures, whose lives are in higher hands than our own.

Often have I amused myself with the reflection that, but for this, which most would call, accident ; had I not been in that house at that particular moment ; had not my volatile friend been imbued with horror at the idea of mosquitos and cholera, and had not the

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appointment been lield by the mother on conditions whicli enabled her to transfer it, I should never hare seen India; never have met the wife with whom I have passed more than fifty years of uninterrupted happiness; the forty grand-children whom I now possess would never have seen the light, and Patna would not have been endangered by my " violent and unwise proceedings " in the Mutiny of 1857.

"When the Director's assent was received, I started for London. It was one of those years in which extra writers were required, and twenty appointments were given to candidates who had not been to the preparatory college at Hayleybury, but who were prepared to pass the required examination.

Henry Torrens, J. Crawford, Pierce Taylor, Thomas Pycroft, and many other well-known civilians were among those who thus obtained their writerships.

Directly I reached London I called, as in duty bound, on Mr. Huddlestone, the director who had consented to transfer the appointment — a kind old gentleman, who gave me excellent counsel, and, above all othe¥ things, advised me to eat as much rice as possible when I reached India.

The next step was the examination, and, as this ordeal was accompanied by rather an amusing incident, I will briefly describe it.

The ceremony took place at the old "India House," in Leadenhall Street.

Two examiners, an Oxonian and a Cantab, were deputed for the occasion ; there was a test-paper distributed, but the examinees were allowed to send

BXAMINATIOK" AT THE INDIA HOUSE. 6

in a list of extra books in wliich they were willing, for distinction's sake, to be examined.

Having reacbed a somewbat advanced stage in Grreek and Latin, my list of Classics was alarming, and it was hinted that, to some extent, I was humbugging the examiners. The consequence was, that I was subjected to an extra ordeal, to prove the reality of my professed acquirements. This was, perhaps, fortunate, as the result, being favourable, helped to save me from a dilemma.

In the test list was a paper in algebra, Now I had been educated at the Charterhouse, and had never learned either mathematics or algebra, and some thought that on this account I might be spun. There was no help for it, however — algebra could not be learned in a day — so, when the paper came before me, I wrote, with many misgivings, on a separate piece, "I have never learned algebra;" then, underneath, I drew some absurd caricatures, and left the papers all together.

Shortly afterwards we retired to a sideboard in the room to eat some sandwiches, and while there, I saw one of the examiners approach my table ; it was a nervous moment ; he raised my paper and read the fatal words ; but immediately afterwards he took up my artistic performances, then quietly beckoned his fellow examiner, and, to my great delight, I saw them both in fits of laughter !

To this auspicious interlude of the comic, combined with my successful examination in the Classics, I attribute the happy issue. Not only was I not plucked, but passed second on the list, the first place being taken by Mr. (now Sir Thomas) Pycroft, who, like a •' good boy," did know algebra, and who was up in all the subjects.

It is a curious fact that, while caricature helped me out of a difficulty on this occasion, in subsequent years, as will be shown hereafter, it led, during another examination, to a serious disaster.

" All is well that ends well," however. The examination auspiciously passed, outfit procured, and the pain of farewell from many loved ones gone through, I set out for my long voyage to the east, with new hopes and new aspirations, a very scanty and imperfect knowledge of what was before me, but a sensation of pleasurable excitement, caused by the very ambiguity and haziness of my condition.

In those bygone days of which I am writing, the snort of the iron horse had only just been heard in the broad realms of Neptune ; and our voyage was, therefore, to be made in one of the old East India ships.

That selected was the "Victory," a well-known first-class vessel, commanded by a very popular man, Captain Charles Farquharson, and was to sail from Portsmouth. To Portsmouth, therefore, I and my dearest brother Frederick, well-known as, for many years, the President of the old "Water-colour Society, (the last survivor, now, of my eight brothers) travelled, not in the rapid rail-carriage, but in the old fashioned though comfortable stage coach.

Next morning the passengers all set off to the "Victory," which was lying at anchor at the usual distance from the pier ; one large party went together

EMBARKATION AT POETSMOUTH. 7

in a yacht ; others in smaller vessels ; my brother and I chose a boat and went together, rowed by a rough old sailor, who amused us, as far as we could be amused, by his quaint remarks.

We went together on board, and as we stepped up the ladder we caught sight of a party of ladies and gentlemen, among whom was Miss C. Palmer, now my wife, and joint proprietor of the forty grandchildren.

After looking at her, my brother suddenly turned to me and said, " William, you're done for " — little, perhaps, really imagining how soon and how surely his anticipations would be fulfilled.

The sentence was curiously prophetic, and received additional strength from the fact that many others, having heard that a remarkably pretty girl was to be a fellow-passenger, and knowing that I was not inaccessible to beauty, had, some in joke, some in earnest, uttered the same prediction.

Of my feelings at parting with my beloved brother I wiU not venture to speak, but will here give an extract from a letter received from him many months afterwards, which will give the reader an idea of our last moments, and will shew that his prophecy, uttered as we stepped on board, had become a reality sooner than even he expected.

Mt Dearest "William,

To attempt in a few lines to say a thousandth part of my say is totally impossible ; most difficult is it to know where to begin. But for this feeling, which has unconsciously had its weight with me, you would, long ere this, have heard from me. I often look back with a kind of melancholy pleasure to the moment of our parting.

The tragic was so strangely mixed with the ridiculous, for, in leaving the stern of the ship, one of the last things that caught my eye was Mrs. F., whipping one of her children in a most business-like manner, ia I suppose, the captain's cabin! The sailor who gave you a receipt for the prevention of sea-sickness, seeing me not a little eggy, observed, " I suppose you two be

brother's ben't ye ? Well, d n my eyes, I parted from my

brother just as it might be with you, and I blubbered like a twoyear old, d n my eyes."

Tou may easUy thiak that Portsmouth, when I returned to it, was not the most agreeable place in the world. I made a resolution to leave it immediately on foot, as no coach was to be had till the evening. Had it not been for my luggage I should have done so ; as it was, being unable to bear the sun, I strolled along the beach, and made use of the glasses of the Preventive Service men to catch a last glimpse of the " Victory." She was soon, however, out of sight, and I wandered, I hardly knew where, till, feelmg sleepy, I laid down on the beach, and was awakened by the waves coming phizzing up my legs.

All this seems but a day or two ago, and now, to fancy you are married, which I conclude you are by this time.

I have no distinct recollection of your ca/ra, but it is enough for me that she is the " Goddess of your idolatry," to make me feel already the affection of a brother towards her ; and the countenance of the miniature you have sent is expressive of everything delightful, rather more of the suaviter than the fortiter, which ia a woman is perfection.

And now, my dearest William, I must conclude. I am sure you are well aware of the sincerity and warmth of my affection, so I shall say no more on that score, neither shall I be didactic or descriptive on the delight that your letters will afford me at all times. But I will say that the greatest pleasure that I look forward to is your settled return to this country, rich and happy, with your better half hanging upon your arm, ayahs of sorts, &c. ; but, stay, I think I could depict it better in pencil

VNf

Since writing the above I have seen Eepton (who sends you this letter), and heard several little incidents of yourself and your beloved — highly interesting.

He describes you with an enormous pair of whiskers, eating buns, and sketching caricatures at Poorah, or some such outlandish name. Your Charlotte, he says, is infinitely prettier than the miniature, the belle of Calcutta, and altogether a charming person.

And now, my dearest William, do he economical, and take care of yourself, or, rather, suffer your wife to take care of you, and in a few short years you will be able to return to us all, as my sketch describes.

God bless you ever. (Signed) Tour very affectionate brother,

r. Taylek.

Thirty-eight years had elapsed after this letter was written, ere my brother's anticipations were fulfilled.

In 1867, however, I did return, with my wife, metaphorically at least, " hanging on my arm," though neither of us were exactly in the costume which his artistic imagination depicted.

But, alas ! we arrived, not to find a large family group, as represented, with my beloved mother at its head to greet us — as the youngest of seventeen children, I could not hope for this — but, at least, I found my dear brother, the writer of the letter, alive and in the zenith of his fame, while the imaginary children of the picture were not unworthily represented by our children's children !

And I came after a long and faithful service in India, not to repose on my laurels, or reap the reward of anxious labour, but to do battle against misrepresentation and slander, to struggle in the sacred cause of truth against injustice and wrong, to contend against Principalities and Powers, and ask in the presence of God and man for justice.

How far my struggle has been successful will be Been before this work is concluded.