The narrative of a commuted pensioner

Front matter

t LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. J iez

I? UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.*!

H

Letter I

The mutual regard which so long subsisted betwixt your father and myself, not to speak of what I have for you personally, would render it no easy task to refuse any request made by you. Your wish, therefore, to have a narrative of my life, although it may recal some painful recollections, I will with pleasure gratify. Prepare, then, to hear of battles, storms, sieges, hair breadth 'scapes, and all the vicissitudes of a soldier's life. You will likewise, in the course of the narrative, have an account of the nature of the climates of the different foreign countries I have visited; with the dispositions of their inhabitants, their manners, customs and religious ceremonies.

My father, you may perhaps recollect, had, in his younger days, served his Majesty on board a man-ofwar, and had been created a warrant officer. After leaving the service, he returned to his native town of C. in the north of Scotland. This town stands on a peninsula, having a very large basin in front capable of containing the whole of the British Navy. The entrance to this basin is about two miles in width. The place is justly called Portus Solutis, or Harbour of Safety. The town contains nearly two thousand inhabitants and its chief trade consists in the manufacture of sack cloth, of which there is a factory in the place, employing about two hundred of both sexes of the population. There is also a salmon fishery, the produce of which is sent to the London market and turns to good account. Pork too, is shipped to London in considerable quantities. The original town lay more towards the entrance of the basin, than the present town, and, as I was informed, never contained more than from three to four hundred people, chiefly fishermen. It was destroyed in consequence of the German ocean forcing its way over a piece of ground which lay low to the water's edge, and, there being no bulworks to protect the place, in one night it was overwhelmed, with a few of its inhabitants ; the rest made their way up the country, without being able to save any part of their property.

In this town I was born and brought up. I received the education usually given to those of my rank in life in Scotland, although I profited little by it On leaving school, I was apprenticed out to a trade. When the term of my servitude had expired, I resolved to visit the metropolis of Scotland, expecting to find there more encouragement in my trade than I had got in my native place. I therefore set out on my journey to Edinburgh, where I arrived in safety, and, obtaining employment at my business, remained there a considerable time.

In the late long and sanguinary war, which convulsed Europe to its very centre, when England alone stood in the breach, it became necessary to make great exertions to oppose the then Ruler of France, and to prevent his threatened invasion of the country. All men were therefore, called upon to serve their country in some shape or other, and seeing that I must become a soldier, either in a regular regiment or the National Militia; of two evils, I thought to choose the least, and therefore enlisted in the Edinburgh Militia. After remaining in that corps for about three years and six months I found, that instead of having chosen the least, I had chosen the greatest evil, I resolved to volunteer into a regiment of the line. An opportunity soon occured while we were stationed at Dunbar, when thirty of our regiment, including myself, volunteered into the 78th Highlanders. Previous to volunteering I waited on General M'Kenzie, Col. of the 78th, who had known me before I enlisted. He told me, that if ] entered his regiment, and my conduct had been all along good in the Edinburgh Militia, he would make me a Serjeant.

Shortly after we had volunteered, we were ordered to join the depot of the regiment, which was then stationed at Perth. Here we found two hundred other volunteers from the different Scotch Militia regiments. We were placed under the command of

Major Stewart and formed into four companies. I was appointed pay serjeant to the fourth division. The 78th was at this time serving in India, and thither we expected to be sent, so soon as we were properly organised. Accordingly on the 10th of Nov. 1807, we received orders to proceed to the Isle of Wight, thence to embark to join our regiment. After remaining some time at Park House Barracks, the order, for the embarkation of our division on board the Elphinstone and Winchelsea Indiamen, arrived ; and, on Christmas day, of the above year, we were all on board our respective vessels. I embarked in the Elphinstone, Capt, James Craigie, Commander. She was a strong built vessel, carrying heavy cannon, I believe thirty-two pounders, on the gun deck. The crew consisted of English, Scotch, Irish, Dutch, French, and Lascars or Indian sailors. The passengers belonged to the 47th, 56th and 78th regiments, in all and of all kinds, about one thousand souls. Yours, &c. The Commuted Pensioner,

Letter II

All being now in readiness, the signal for sailing was hoisted by the commodore, and away, the whole fleet went, before a favoring gale. A few days sailing brought us into the Bay of Biscay, when for three days and four nights we endured all the horrors of a storm. The lightnings flashed — the thunders roared — the winds blew— the rain descended in torrents — and the seas raged around us, rendering- it a scene not soon to be erased from the memory. I will not, however, attempt to give you a description of it. There is, I believe, little variety in storms at sea : and you are, I have no doubt already familiar with such a scene, either in its reality, or from the description of some abler pen than mine.

On the fourth evening the storm abated its violence, although the sea still continued much agitated. Next morning we had cleared the Bay; and on the 11th January, ten days after loosing sight of Great Britain, we arrived at the island of Madeira, where we remained four days. The signal for sailing being once more hoisted at the admiral's maintop, the fleet again set sail, and soon left the island of Madeira behind. We saw the flying fish in great numbers pursued by the dolphins. We caught a few of these strange creatures and the sailors eat them. There was now a dead calm. Not a breath of wind to cool the air, which was excessively hot. The sharks were day and night prowling around us, wishing for something to fill their hideous mouths. A lady, who was looking over one of the cabin windows, overbalanced herself and fell among these terrible creatures- — a boat was instantly lowered and she was snatched from a horrible death. Another accident occured that same evening ; a soldier, belonging to the 47th regiment, was looking over the ship's side with a child about two years old in his arms, the infant being of a lively turn, sprang from his fathers arms and overboard he went. Another soldier seeing the accident sprang into the sea and seized the child whom he kept afloat until a boat, which had been lowered, reached them, when both were saved.

We had got as far as the latitude of the Cape of Good Hope, when we were again overtaken by a storm, which lasted during a day and a night, we sustained no damage other than the loss of a few topsails. Here a part of our fleet left us, bound for different stations. Having run a long way to the south in expectation of the trade winds, we began to feel it cold — and we had a good deal of snow for a week or so, After cruising some time in a southern latitude, we had the good fortune to get what we wanted. The ship's course was then altered, and in less than a week we got again into the warm latitudes, with a steady wind blowing on our quarter. After a passage of three months and seventeen days we cast anchor at Bombay. Boats having been procured to land the troops before ten o'clock that day, the whole were once more placed on terra firma. Thousands of the natives came to offer their services in carrying our knapsacks and other baggage, a request which a few of us were foolish enough to comply with. We gave them our knapsacks to carry to the place of our en~ campmentj but no sooner had they got them than they disappeared, which deprived us of all we at that time possessed. These natives, to us Europeans, presented a strange and stricking appearance. — They were all naked, except a turban which they wore upon their heads, and a handkerchief tied round their waists. These were Hindoos, of whom I will have occasion to speak more particularly hereafter. The party which belonged to the 47th, marched off to join the regiment, which lay at a place called Old Woman's Island, in the neighbourhood of Bombay. The men belonging to the 56th and those of the 78th were ordered to encamp at a little distance from the city. For a month we lay on the bare ground with a knapsack for a pillow, and without any covering except the canvass tent; having very foolishly given our beds and bedding to a petty officer on board the vessel we sailed in, upon his representation that they would be of no further use to us, as Government would supply us with articles better suited to the climate of the country. Yours, &c.

Letter III

The morning after we encamped, my comrade and I went out to walk and to take a view of the country. In the course of our walk we came to an encampment where a Sepoy regiment lay. In passing a large tent, which was partly open in front, we looked in and saw one of those gods that the Hindoos call a Samea, standing upon a pedestal, I went in and, without any thought, gave it a kick with my foot which made it roll on the ground. Two of the Bramins, who were at the backside of the tent and whom we had not perceived when we entered, immediately rose up, crying murgee, rnurgee^ which signifies murder, seizing us both by the collar, but in a second we laid them alongside their god, and made our retreat. They followed us, but to no purpose; for having got among the tents of our own party we were safe enough. The Bramins, finding that they could not discover us, went to the Governor of Bombay and informed him of the sac- \ rilege that two of the newly arrived Europeans had committed, by knocking down their Samea. That evening the Governor issued orders "that whoever should molest or offend any of the castes in or about Bombay, if discovered, should be severely punished."

The following morning my comrade and I went, before the sun rose, to enjoy the cool breeze by the sea side. When we arrived at the beach, we were greatly astonished to see more than a thousand human forms, all in white, kneeling upon the sand. Upon the first appearance of the sun, which now began to peep over the mountain tops, the whole mass of kneeling people spread forth their hands, as if to welcome his approach. They then arose, went to the water' s-brink and threw in handfuls of rice, flour, and pieces of coin, I now perceived that these people were Fire Worshippers, performing their devotions to their deity. I shall here, before proceeding farther with my narrative, give you a brief account of these people, with their religious ceremonies, and their sentiments concerning God. They are called Guebers or Fire Worshippers, from the sun being the principal object of their adoration. They believe that God, whom they call Oramazis, is the first of incorruptible things, eternal, unbegotten, and that he is no compound of parts — there is nothing equal to him nor like him — he is the Author of all good, and he is entirely disinterested — he is the most excellent of all excellent beings, and the most intelligent of all intelligent natures — the father of equity, and the parent of all good laws — self-instructed, self-sufficient, without beginning or end — -that he existed before the material sun, which is emblematical of its Creator — that he existed from all eternity in an adorable solitude, without any companion or rival, and that he is as to visible things, most like light. One of their prayers is as follows : " O thou glorious and unsearchable Being, Lord of divine essence and attributes, the Lord of abundance and the God of life* It is thou who didst create the intellect and all that is necessary in the mind of thy creatures. It is thou who didst form the body and the soul. It is thou only who truly livest, for thou art the Lofd of life, the only God in the whole world. It is thou who didst make the revolving heavens arid the fixed earth. It is thou who didst beautify heaven with the embroidery of the stars and raised the orbs with nine stories. Thou didst plant the earth with the human race and illuminate it by the sun and moon. Thou didst make the world of substances and accidents; but man was thy chief care. Let us turn to rectitude and holiness, for there is nothing else in the regions of the blessed. On thee we depend for all the comforts we enjoy. Continue while it is thf good pleasure to bestow them on thy children. " Whether they offer up any sacrifices or not at the present time I do not know, but in former years they did so. Yours, &c. •

Letter IV

In the conclusion of my last letter I informed you that the Fire Worshippers were formerly in the habit of offering up sacrifices to their deity. In offering up these sacrifices, they neither used libations nor music nor hallowed bread nor erected altars. The person who intended to offer the sacrifice, which w T as a sheep, led the victim to an eminence, into a clean place and,

II

wearing a wreath of myrtle about his Tiara, invoked the god to whom he intended to sacrifice the offered victim. When the priest had cut it into small pieces, each one present took a share, saying, at the same time, that Oramizis desires nothing but the soul of the victim. In the whole course of my travels I have never met with any people so cleanly in their apparek Their turbans of many folds are pure as snow. Their upper garment is nearly as fine as their turbans. Trowsers worn very wide, drawn together round the waist by a silk cord ; and they generally wear a sash of red silk round their loins. They are in general, a tall and slender people, very discreet, but uncommonly superstitious about fire and water. They will not allow you to take any of their fire away, nor even to light your pipe at it. If you should be under the necessity of asking them for a drink of water, they will give it to you, provided you allow them to pour it down your throat. They allow no stranger to touch their cooking utensils, and if any one happens so to do, they immediately destroy the articles thus contaminated, and the offender is obliged to pay the value. This I experienced in my own person ; as I happened, one day, to take up a copper pitcher to take a drink, when the owner immediately destroyed it, and I was obliged to pay three rupees as its value* If a fire happens in any of their bungalows or houses (which is no uncommon circumstance), the inmates make no endeavour to secure their safety; saying that their ofod has come for them. While w T e were encamped in the neighbourhood of Bombay, a fire occurred at a place called Dongaree, within a mile and a half of that city, and I, along with many other soldiers, went to aid in extinguishing it. The Fire Worshippers, or Persies, as they are sometimes called, were, on this occassion, compelled to quit their bungalows, the soldiers dragging out both men, women, and children, from the flaming houses. Yours, &c. The Commuted Pensioner,

Letter V

After remaining about two months in the neighbourhood of Bombay, we were ordered to embark on board country boats and proceed to a place called Tannah. Near to that village was a strong fort, which being empty, we took possession of. Here we received our arms and accoutrements and commenced drilling and mounting guard. The rainy season had now commenced. The soldiers were attacked with dysentery which cut off nearly twenty men. I did not escape the malady, but suffered much for seven days. On the eighth day I felt an excessive desire for something to eat, and I got the cook, who was a native, to make me a plum pudding, and procure for me a bottle of port wine from the subconductor. I then eat my pudding, and drank about an English pint of the wine, and in about a quarter of an hour after, I fell into a sound sleep, and did not awake until next morning, when I felt much refreshed, and the complaint had almost entirely subsided. When the doctor came to the hospital to visit the sick, which was generally about eight o'clock in the morning, he was much surprised to find me recovering, as when he had left me the preceding evening, he did not expect that I would get better. Every day I continued to improve in my health and in a month after I was able to do duty. I then informed him what I had done, and its consequent effects.

The fort in which we were stationed, seemed evidently to have belonged to the Hindoos previous to its occupation by the British, for within the first gate there is placed a large image, about ten feet high, without either legs or arms. The head was round like a cannon shot, with one eye in the forehead. This statue or image was all besmeared with red paint. At the bottom of this huge god of the Hindoos was a trough, which would contain about five gallons. It was kept constantly full of cocoa nut oil. Every morning the devotees of this strange looking idol came, anointed their foreheads, arms and breasts with the red paint, then fell down before it and kissed the ground seven times. They then presented their offerings of cocoa nuts, rice, and small pieces of coin which they call pici. I was much shocked at their superstitious ceremonies, and would most certainly have knocked the idol to pieces, had not a sentry been placed upon it, with orders not to allow any one to molest the worshippers, or to touch the image. Yours, &c.

The Commuted Pensioner.

Letter VI

Being always of an inquisitive disposition, I was in the habit, wherever we were stationed, of collecting all the information possible relative to the manners, customs, and religion of the natives. I have, in consequence, become possessed of many particulars regarding the Hindoos, and these I shall now detail to you ; but, as they were acquired from various individuals, at different times, in desultory conversations, I may, perhaps, not be able to do it, in so clear and distinct a manner as might be wished; yet, I trust sufficiently, so as to give you a tolerable idea of these people.

The religion of the Hindoos is Pagan. Their sacred books, they say, were sent by God to one of their prophets called Brama. In one of these books, which is called the Vidam, it is written, that " one supreme God is the author and governor of the universe ; and it is he alone who rules the world and all that is therein — it is he alone who rules the eight hundred and forty thousand kinds of living' creatures; but because of his various appearances and properties, he has different names. He is called Biruuma, because he creates ; Wischimu because he protects ; and Ischuren^ because he destroys. This supreme being, they say, is invisible, incomprehensible, immutable, without figure or outward form. No man can comprehend him — his essence fills all things and every thing that is, proceeds from him. All power, all wisdom, all knowledge, all holiness and all truth dwell in him. He is infinitely good, just and merciful. It is he alone who created all things, and who preserves all things, and who delights to dwell in the hearts of all good men, that at last he may conduct them to eternal happiness. Man must resemble the great God; — his good actions in life must outweigh his bad ones; — he must fit himself for eternal happiness in this world, and if he neglect to do so, his soul must go through a number of transmigrations, to purify and refine it. God never punishes but to cure. He is the lover of the souls of men, and they never will be eternally lost. God, as the protector and deliverer, is said by the Bramins, to have already been nine times in this lower world, delivering men from destruction and restoring them to a state of purity. At certain periods they sacrifice a sheep, and at the time of doing so, they repeat, with a loud voice, these words, " When shall the Saviour be born? When shall the Redeemer appear?" The Bramins also say, " that before sin had entered the habitation of man, myrrh, honey and wine flowed from the fountains; but when man made a bad use of these blessings, God deprived them of them, and they were sentenced to work and labour here for ever after." When a Hindoo dies, his living wife is burned upon the same pile with the dead husband. I asked one of my informants why this was done? His only answer was, "that it had been the custom for many generations to do so, and that it was voluntary on the woman's part." I replied, that it was only nominally a voluntary act on the woman's part, and I was certain that in many instances, it was submitted to with very great reluctance, and- that it was a custom that ought to be immediately abolished. He said, that for his own part, he would have no objections, for his religion taught him not take away life, except in self-defence.

The Hindoos, although they believe in one supreme God, have also a belief in inferior deities. Their belief is, that the Supreme Being appoints these inferior or tutelar deities to the charge of cities, towns and villages, for their protection or destruction, as his will may be, and that without his permission they can exercise no power whatever.

The Hindoos have a very singular mode of trying any of their caste who is accused of theft. The accuser and the accused are brought before an image by a Bramin. From each party he gets a bettle nut, both of which he fixes on the face of the image; and if the nut of the accused falls first, guilty or not guilty, he is taken away to be punished.

In one of my conversations with a Bramin on the subject of religion, I advised him to turn Christian, and began to explain some of the Christian tenets. " All this is very good," he replied, "and your religion may be good, so is ours — our fathers received their religion from their fathers as did yours — our fathers loved their children, and certainly would not deceive them by giving them a religion they did not believe to be the true one." The Mussulman, the Persie and the Christian have the same proof. Whilst we were conversing, a drunken soldier came reeling against us, and caught the old priest by the beard. I laid hold of the fellow, and dragged him away, and got him put into confinement. The next time I saw the Bramin, he asked me if the man who had seized him by the beard were a Christian? I answered that he was. " Go," said he, "and see if any Hindoo gets drunk, or abuses any of you Christians." This completely closed my mouth, and I made no farther attempts at converting him.

The Hindoos are a very cleanly people. Like the Jews, they have an abhorrence of swine's flesh, and you cannot insult a Hindoo more, than by offering him a piece of pork, or to touch him with it. Should any of them have inadvertently touched any part of the animal, they consider themselves defiled and unclean, until such time as they are absolved by a Bramin. This these priests are always very ready to do, provided the unfortunate fellow's purse is heavy enough; but if he has not the means to satisfy the Bramin's demands, he is certain to have a severe punishment to undergo in the shape of penance. I shall here mention a few of these penances. One of them is as follows : — The defiled person is not allowed, for the space of a month, to lie down or even to sit; he must take his sleep in the best way he can standing, not being allowed to lean against anything for support. Another, is to have the one arm raised above the head; and to keep it in that position for a length of time, and the consequence is, that frequently their arms become unfit for use, as it gets completely benumbed and powerless. Another, and apparently the most severe, is having a hook passed through one of their ribs, and then hung up a few feet from a fire, whilst the officiating Bramin throws into it some powders which casts out a rather agreeable scent. In this position the unhappy w r retch must remain, until the Bramin pronounces him purified from his uncleanness. It frequently happens, however, that the defiled person will neither part with his money, nor suffer penance. He then loses caste, as it is termed, — that is, he is thrown out of his tribe, and none of his relations or acquaintances are allowed to speak to him. They are called Pears or bad men. These Pears, or Hindoos who have lost caste, are very numerous in India. They are chiefly employed as cooks, washermen, watermen, and in all kinds of drudgery required by the Europeans. Except in dress, they conform to all the customs of the Europeans, and they are not slow in adopting their vices. In fact, they get so debased, that for the sake of money, they will become accessary to the prostitution of their own daughters. They drink like fish, and that of the worst sorts of arrack, new from the still, which would very shortly kill a European if he were to indulge himself in the use of it, but seems to have no effect upon them. There is another liquor which they use. It is got by tapping the top branches of the cocoa nut tree. This they call tady, and is very agreeable and safe to drink, provided it is used early in the morning or after sunset. It soon, however, ferments and then it becomes extremely hurtful to a European constitution. Yours, &c. The Commuted Pensioner.

Letter VII

I have, in my last letter, given you all the information in my power regarding the Hindoos; and it may not be amiss, before proceeding with my narrative, to mention a few particulars about the opinions and customs of the professors of the Mahometan religion, w T ho are very numerous in India.

They believe in our God, whom they call Alia, and that Mahomet is his prophet — that Moses had an existence and was sent from God to teach mankind the way to paradise — that Alia sent Jesus Christ to teach mankind; and that the Jews, his countrymen, crucified him; and lastly, that he sent Mahomet, being the last and greatest of his prophets. They likewise believe that prayer, with fasting, conducts mankind half way to the palace of Alia — and that those who persevere in prayer are truly in quest of God, and shall be hereafter united to him. They pray five times a day. They must not, however, ask for riches or honours, but petition Alia for purity of mind that they may seek nothing but him. They are taught, that should it please Alia to send affliction, they must not spurn at the visitation ; as those whom Alia afflicts, he loves when they receive it with resignation. The true mark of a good man, they say, is to be possessed of a tender heart, to have a hatred of the world, and a distrust of self. Many of these Mahometans or Mussulmans go a pilgrimage to Mecca, the city of their prophet, and have in consequence great reputation for sanctity amongst their brethren. They do not allow the adoration of images, statues, or similitudes of divine things. A great number of them are merchants, and, as far as my experience goes, and I had a good many transactions with them, they are very fair in their dealings. Their dress consists of a turban, generally white as snow, but sometimes green or blue; a large white gown, down to their heels, with wide trowsers, and a sash, generally of silk, tied round their waist. They are a steady and sober people, but very proud, and are seldom seen to laugh. They are in general strongly built, and possess considerable physical strength. They are in most respects superior to the Hindoos. In my next letter I shall proceed with my narrative. In the meantime. Yours, &c.