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AD  ORIENTEM. 


AD    ORIENTEM. 


BY 

A.   D.   FREDERICKSON,   F.R.G.S. 


With  INiisf  rat  ions  from  the  Author^  s  Sketch-hook. 


London : 
W.    H.    ALLEN   &   CO.,    13,   Watebloo   Place. 

1889. 


INTRODUCTION. 


^' Mais  comment  done,  Monsieur,  vous  voudriez 
quitter  V Europe  dans  un  moment  tellement  critique, 
ah,  c'est  incroyahle  I  "  lliese  icords  were  addressed 
to  me  in  the  sedan  de  lectui^e  of  the  elegant  hotel 
*'  Beau  Rivage,''  at  Oucliy.  hy  a  Sjxmish  lady  of 
French  extraction,  icho  had,  on  the  previous  evening, 
succeeded  in  opening  my  jmrse-strings  for  the  benefit 
of  the  ivounded  during  the  Franco-German  ivar, 
ivhich  icas  then  at  its  height.  I  had  hut  just 
returned  from  Strasshurg,  having  ivitnessed  the  last 
days  of  the  siege  and  the  entry  of  the  Prussian  troops 
into  that  fine  old  fortress,  built  nearly  200  years  ago, 
and  recently  so  gallantly  defended  by  the  French. 
After  this  great  event  few  had  any  doubt  as  to  the 
jjrobahle  issue  of  the  war,  still  it  was  but  natural  that 
natives  of  France,  of  ivhom  a  great  many  belonging 
to  die  upper  ten  thousand  had  taken  refuge  in 
.Switzerland,  and  not  a  few  of  them  at  the  very  hotel 


VI  INTRODUCTION. 

/  was  staying  at,  should  feel  surprised  that  any  one 
at  that  siqjreme  moment  could  even  give  thought  to, 
much  less  plan,  a  journey  to  the  far  East,  lohere  no- 
intelligence  of  the  great  events  of  the  future  might 
reach  him.  Feeling  tolerably  free^  however,  of  that 
craving  for  the  latest  telegraphic  news  from  the  seat 
of  war,  and  tired  of  the  monotonous  life  I  ivas  lead- 
ing, although  graciously  admitted  to  the  society  of 
those  polished  French,  a  few  Russian  notables,  as  far 
as  their  high-sounding  titles  ivent,  and  tivo  or  three 
agreeable  English  families,  I  had  decided  upon 
spending  the  tvinter  in  those  Eastern  countries  whose 
shores  are  washed  by  the  Indian  and  the  Pacific- 
Ocean. 

Having,  in  the  meantime,  p>rovided  myself  ivith  the 
necessary  funds  and  letters  of  introduction,  I  ivas 
soon  ready  to  start,  determined,  beforehand,  to  get  as 
much  pleasure,  and  gain  as  much  information,  as 
j)Ossible,  during  a  t?ip  ivhich  vjas  to  cap  all  my  pre- 
vious travels  of  many  years  past,  during  ivhich  I  had 
canvassed,  to  my  heart's  content,  the  whole  of  Europe, 
and  the  various  countries  abutting  on  the  Mediter- 
ranean. 

However,  before  setting  out  on  my  self-imposed 
task  of  committing  my  experience  to  paper,  I  think  it 
necessary  to  state  that,  although  most  of  the  subjects 


INTRODUCTION.  Vll 


atid  Incidents  hereafter  described  are  taken  from  my 
diary  of  travels  in  1870-71,  they  hare  been  consider- 
ably supplemented  by  information  and  impressions 
received  during  a  second  jouimey  made  betiveen  1876- 
7S;  this  has  been  more  especially  the  case  ivith  regard 
to  Southern  India.  Without  this  ex'jjlanation,  it 
might  appear  that  1 1  tad  been  guilty  of  anachron- 
is7n.s  in  divers  places.  With  the  exceptiira  of  two 
or  three  fac-sitniles  of  photographs,  the  illustra- 
tions are  from  my  oimi  drawings ;  originally  it 
was  my  intention  to  add  a  number  of  views  of 
Eastern  landscape  and  religious  monuments,  which 
I  was  obliged,  to  ahandon  on  account  of  the  expense^ 
which  would  have  materially  enhanced  the  price  of 
this  volume.  On  the  other  hand,  the  scenery  of  the 
East  has  of  late  years  been  so  frec£iiently  brought 
before  the  public  in  the  stiape  of  admirable  ivater- 
coloiir  sketcJies  {one  of  the  most  compilete  collections 
being  that  exhihited  by  Miss  Marianne  North,  a  few 
years  ago  in  Conduit  Street),  that  I  feel  less  reluc- 
tant in  the  omission  on  the  present  occasion. 

A.  D.  F. 

St.  Hubert's,  Beckenham,  Kent 


EREATA. 

age  34,  Line  10,  for  Davidian, 

read  Dravidi 

,,      54       , 

,      25     , 

,     Persia 

, ,      Persea. 

„      78      , 

2 

,     Dalira 

,,      Dehra. 

„      79      , 

,      12     , 

,     as 

, ,      though. 

,,      95       , 

,      17    , 

,     stories 

,,      storeys. 

,,    142       , 

,       7    , 

,     Mohwa 

,,      Mahwa 

,,     145       , 

,  6  &  7  , 

,     bud 

,,      buel. 

,,     158       , 

4     , 

,     her 

,,      its. 

CONTENTS. 


Chapter  I.  page 

The  Adelsberg  Grotto — Villa  Mii-amar  at  Trieste — Caesar's 

Camp  at  Eamleh — The  Eed  Sea — The  Tanks  of  Aden       1 

Chapter  II. 

Bombay  —  Isle  of  Elephanta  —  Hinduism  —  Parsee 
Marriage — Temple  of  Karlee —  Ellora,  the  Great 
Kylas  —  Jubbulpore  —  Thug-geeism  —  The  Marble 
Hills — Allahabad — Cawnpore...  ...  ...  ...     13 

Chapter  III. 

Lucknow  —  Mahomedanism  —  Agra  —  The  Taj  and  the 
Pearl  Mosque — Akbar's  Test  of  Religion — Futtahpore 
Sikree  —  Delhi  —  Indraput  —  Amritzar  —  Lahore — 
Buddhist  Rehgion  and  Architecture    ...         ...         ...     47 

Chapter  IV. 

Mussoorie  and  the  Himalaya — Benares — Hindu  Polytheism 
and   Institution    of    Caste  —  Calcutta  —  Madras — 
Conjeveram,   Temples   of  the   Chalukyas   Dynasty  - 
Pondicherry       ...  ...  ...  ...         ...         ...     77' 


X  CONTENTS. 

Chapter    Y.  page 

J3angalore  —  The  Neilglierries — The  State  of  Mysore — 
Hassan  —  Belur — Life  on  a  Coffee  Plantation — 
Flora  and  Fauna — The  Sukali  Gripsy  Tribe — Native 
Sacrifice  —  Coffee  Harvest  —  The  Biindh-Gliaut — 
Mangalore  —  Jain  Temple  —  British  Administration 
in  India...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  106 

Chapter  VI. 

Ceylon  and  the  Singhalees — Mountain  Route  to  Kandy — 
Botanical  Card  en  at  Peradeniya — Dalada  Temple — 
Buddhism — Visit  to  Newere-Ellia,  the  Sanatorium — 
Damboul,  Pollanarua,  and  Anarajapore,  Ancient 
Capitals  of  Ceylon  —  The  Thuparame  —  Qalle  — 
Precious  Stones  and  Pearls  of  Ceylon  ...  ...  162 

Chapter  VII. 

Strait  Settlements  —  Penang  —  Singapore  —  Bintang  and 
Batani  —  Banca — Leaf  and  Stick  Insects — Sumatra 
Coast — Floating  Islands  ...  ...  ...  ...  194 

Chapter   VIII. 

LJatavia  —  Governor-Ceneral's  Reception  —  Buitenzorg — 
Botanical  Garden  —  Ethnological  and  Geological 
Museums — Java  Fruit — Visit  to  Raden  Saleh,  Native 
Artist  —  Batoe-Toules,  Site  of  Old  Town  —  Fetish 
Monument — Court  of  Justice...  ...  ...  ...   205 

Chapter   IX, 

Samarang — Soerakarta — Emperor  Susuhunan  IX.  and 
his  Court  —  Djokjokarta — Sultan  Hamangkoe  VI. — 
Chateau  d'Eau — Tombs  at  Mataram — Temple  Boro- 


CONTENTS.  XI 

PAGE 

Bodo —  Pro\'ince  of  Kadoe  —  Magellang  —  Fortress 
Ambarrawa  —  Oenarang  —  Forced  Labour  —  Dutch 
Government  Policy       ...         ...  ...         ...         ...  2-30 

Chapter   X. 

Xing  of  Siam — Joliore  and  the  Maharajah's  Plantations — 
China — Hong-Kong  and  the  Peak — Chinese  Repast — • 
Canton  —  A  Chinese  Family — Exposing  Infants — 
Hospitals  for  the  Sick  and  the  Dead — Confucianism, 
Buddhism,  and  Taouism — Temples — Life  on  Land 
and  on  Water — Voyage  to  Japan        ...  ...         ...  271 

Chapter  XL 

Japan — Yokohama — Catastrophe  of  1863 — Yeddo — Tea- 
houses, Tscha-jas,  andDjoro-jas — Tombs  and  Temples 
of  Sheba — Oki-chibaya — Japanese  Art,  China,  Bronze, 
Lacquer-ware,  Ivory-carving,  and  Silks — Hara-kiru — 
Yokoska,  the  Arsenal — Hot  Springs  of  Myanooshta — 
Lake  of  Hakoni — Kanasawa     ...         ...  307 

Chapter    XII. 

Pacific  Yoyage  —  San  Francisco — Grrove  of  Mammoth 
Trees — Yosemite  Valley — GTold  Mines  in  the  Sierra 
Nevada  —  Blue  Grrotto  —  Salt  Lake  City — Rocky 
Mountains  —  Chicago  —  Niagara  Falls  —  The  St. 
Lawrence — Lake  Champlain — New  York    ...  ...     3o6 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTEATIONS. 


PLATE  ^             I       I           f      ^^^^ 

I.     Somali  boys  at  Aden    7^^'.'.,: /.Ur,....     11 

II.     The  Kylas  at  Ellora  : 34 

III.     Old  Thug  at  Jubbuli^ore  Reformatory 39 

I Y.     Kaita  and  Kamarak  fruit   54 

V.     Conjevcram    102 

Push-push  106 

VI.     Irrigation  elevator    109 

Mysore  Transit  cart 116 

VII.     Hassan    121 

VIII.     Bastard  teak,  Flower  of 126 

IX.     Dhaktree,  Flower  of 126 

X.     Moordhilla  tree,  Flower  of 126 

XI.     Indian  coral  tree.  Flower  of  126 

XII.     Pagoda  tree,  Flower  of    126 

XIII.  Silk-cotton  tree.  Flower  of 127 

XIV.  Mango  and  Custard-apple  fruit 127 

XV.     Bamboo  and  Screw-pine 129" 

XVI.     Canarese  coolies    136 

XVII.     Bati-buel  creeper  145 

XVIII.     Singhalese  Dhobi      167 

XIX.     RambodaFall    180 

XX.     Rambutan  and  Jamboo  fruit  189' 

Paddy -reaper 218 

XXI.     Mangosteen  and  Longan  fruit    219 

XXII.     Pomaloe  and  Lychee  fruit  220 

XXIII.     Javanese  Lady  travelling    252 

"Wild  man  of  Johore 276' 

XXIV.     Betto  and  Tea  Girl  316 

XXV.     Japanese  voucher 345 

XXVI.     Myanooshta    34a 


CHAPTER    I. 

The  Adklsberg  (trotto — Vill.v  Mira:viar  at  Triest — C,i:sAR*s   Camp 
AT  Ramleh — The  IIed  Sea — The  Taxks  of  Aben. 

It  thus  happened,  as  explauied  in  the  Introduction, 
that  in  the  autumn  of  1870  I  bade  good-bye  to  the 
Lake  of  Geneva,  travelhng  by  way  of  Turin  to  Triest, 
and  stopping  en  route  at  Adelsberg,  situated  amongst 
the  wild  mountains  of  lUyria,  in  order  to  visit  its 
splendid  caves,  or  rather  group  of  grottos,  about  a 
mile  from  the  railway  station.  They  are  the  largest 
known  in  Europe,  if  not  in  the  world,  probably  ex- 
tending a  very  great  distance  into  the  mountain, 
five    miles    only   having    so   far  been    explored,    and 


/' 


2  THE    ADELSBERG     GROTTO. 

containing  some  remarkable  stalactites  and  stalac- 
mites,  assuming  curious  and  fantastic  shapes.  The 
so-called  "  curtain,"  a  white  and  maize-tinted  semi- 
transparent  screen,  as  of  Algerian  marble,  and 
resembling  a  piece  of  drapery,  is  probably  the  most 
beautiful  specimen  amongst  them  ;  also  a  grand 
effect  is  produced  by  the  "  Poik,"  or  "  Unz,"  a 
streamlet  rapidly  and  noisily  rushing  through  one 
arm  of  the  cave,  and  forming  a  lake  in  its  progress. 
There  is  a  pretty  glimpse  from  the  narrow  bridge 
which  spans  the  boiling  w^aters  below,  surrounded  by 
almost  utter  darkness,  relieved  only  by  the  reflection 
of  lights  placed  in  suitable  positions  along  the  entire 
length  of  the  cave.  In  other  parts  it  requires  little 
imagination  to  recognize  domes  and  pillars ;  nay,  ani 
entire  cathedral,  fully  furnished  with  altar,  pulpit,, 
and  aisles  ;  elsewhere,  an  enormous  hall,  capable  of 
holding  a  couple  of  thousand  persons,  on  festive 
occasions  used  as  a  dancing  saloon ;  farther  on,, 
again,  tall  banyan  trees,  with  roots  and  branches,  in 
mid-air,  shapes  of  wild  animals,  &c.  ;  the  stalactites 
varying  in  height  from  ten  to  a  hundred  feet,  and 
in  colour  from  white  to  brown  in  delicate  tints  of 
pink,  pale-blue,  and  pearl-grey. 

Having  spent  three  hours  in  examining  the  grotto, 
T   returned,  tolerably   tired,  to   the   little   inn,   "  Die 


CASTLE    MIRAMAR.  3 

Uno-arische  Krone,"  under  a  drizzlinof  rain,  which 
somewhat  damped  my  usual  good  spirits,  but  I 
soon  recovered  on  finding  myself  discussing  a  very 
homely  meal,  seasoned  by  a  keen  appetite,  and  an 
hour  later  the  Vienna  train  laboured  into  the  station, 
and  carried  me  off  to  Triest,  whence,  on  the  follow- 
ing morning,  I  intended  to  start  for  Egypt.  I  had 
time,  however,  to  pay  an  early  visit  to  "  Miramar,'^ 
the  pretty  marine  residence  of  Maximilian,  the  late 
Emperor  of  Mexico.  It  is  a  charming  abode,  built 
in  the  Italian  villa  style,  and  surrounded  by  a 
tastefully  laid -out  garden.  The  house,  from  which 
there  are  fine  sea  and  coast  views,  is  fiUed  with 
objects  of  art  from  the  different  countries  the  pro- 
prietor had  visited,  whilst  Admiral  in  the  Austro- 
Hungarian  service,  and  amongst  them  there  is  a  fine 
collection  from  Japan. 

The  Austrian  Lloyd's  steamer,  "  Diana,"  with  very 
pleasant  company  on  board,  amongst  them  the  late 
Madame  Miihlbach,  a  well-known  German  authoress, 
who  afterwards  published  her  experience  of  a  visit  to 
the  land  of  the  Pharaohs,  landed  us  at  Alexandria  on 
the  fifth  day,  amongst  the  usual  crowd  of  Egyptians,. 
Maltese,  and  Greeks,  each  offering  his  services  in  his 
own  tongue,  creating  quite  a  Babel.  The  weather 
was    magnificent,   the    air    balmy   as    only   known    in 

B  2 


4  Cesar's  cami*. 

eastern  countries  ;  and  soon  finding  myself  amongst  a 
host  of  old  acquaintances,  for  I  had  spent  many  a 
pleasant  winter  in  Egypt,  ransacking  every  cornei-  of 
it  from  the  sea  to  the  second  Nile  cataract,  I  found 
shelter  during  the  few  days  I  intended  to  rest  here  in 
the  pretty  suburban  villa  at  E,amleh  belonging  to  an 
English  friend  whose  hospitality  is  well  known  to  his 
countrymen ;  and  as  this  was  but  a  short  distance 
from  the  site  of  Caesar's  camp,  a  spot  of  great  archaeo- 
logical interest,  I  did  not  neglect  riding  over  and 
giving  it,  as  was  soon  too  evident,  a  parting  look  ;  for 
alas  !  there  was  hardly  anything  remaining  to  mark 
the  spot,  barely  one  stone  left  upon  another.  But 
man  is  doomed  to  disappointment,  and  on  this  occasion 
mine  was  no  greater  than  on  visiting  the  ruins  of 
Carthage  a  few  years  later.  Where,  years  ago,  I  used 
to  sit  and  cogitate  amongst  the  debris  of  the  old  walls, 
now  a  huge  unsightly  palace  had  sprung  into  exist- 
ence, encroaching  upon  the  eastern  boundary  of  the 
camp.  In  those  days  sufficient  masses  of  masonry  had 
still  remained  to  give  a  fairly  correct  idea  of  what  it 
must  have  been  nineteen  centuries  ago,  in  the  time  of 
the  Romans,  when  its  walls  enclosed  a  space  of  nearly 
twelve  acres,  those  facing  north  and  south  measuring 
730  feet,  and  those  east  and  west  665  feet  each,  thus 
forming  almost  a  square,  each  facade  possessing  eight 


C^SARS   CAMP.  5 

roiiucl  towers,  excepting  the  one  in  the  south-west 
corner,  which  was  square  and  of  larger  dimensions. 
The  principal  entrance-gate  was  in  the  middle  of  the 
western  face,  therefore  nearest  to  the  old  town  of 
Alexandria.  The  walls  varied  in  thickness  from  twelve 
to  fifteen  feet,  and  appear  to  have  been  about  thirty 
feet  high.  The  old  bits  of  masoniy  had  for  a  long  time 
resisted  all  attempts  on  the  part  of  the  natives  to 
break  them  up  by  ordinary  appliances  ;  indeed,  blasting 
they  soon  found  to  be  the  only  means  of  carrying  out 
their  work  of  destruction  for  the  purpose  of  utilizing 
the  material  to  build  foundations  in  execution  of  the 
Khedive's  latest  whim.  There  are  indications  that  an 
exit  had  also  existed  on  the  northern  side,  facing  the 
sea,  jjrobably  for  the  purpose  of  landing  and  embarking 
troops.  Within  its  walls  the  camp  had  been  provided 
with  wells  and  baths,  a  large  square  cistern  built  of 
tufa  down  to  a  depth  of  thirty-five  feet,  and  a  fine 
mosaic,  strange  enough,  still  in  existence,  representing 
Bacchus,  with  grapes  in  the  centre,  and  surrounded  by 
arabesques  of  handsome  designs.  This  marks  the  spot 
of  the  prsetorium,  or  the  imperial  residence.  The 
material,  of  which  walls  and  towers  had  been  con- 
structed, consisted  of  stones  and  pieces  of  marble  of 
no  uniform  size,  set  in  cement  of  that  pinkish  colour 
one  notices  in  all  Roman  masonry,  with  double  hori- 


6  ARAB    BOYS    AT    PLAY. 

2;ontal  lines,  about  seven  feet  apart,  of  red  bricks,  nine 
and  a  half  inches  square  and  two  inches  thick  each. 
These  and  the  cement  are  of  such  excellent  M^orkman- 
ship  that  nothing  seems  to  sever  them. 

Imagine  the  noise  and  bustle  in  this  enormous 
enclosure,  when  occupied  Ijy  a  Roman  army,  con- 
sisting of  thousands  of  citizen  and  auxiliary  troops, 
Greeks,  Ligurians  and  Nubians,  with  their  entire 
war  material,  undergoing  drill  to  the  sound  of  flute 
and  drum,  mounting  guard  and  manufacturing  arms, 
although  we  must  not  forget  that  the  Roman  disci- 
pline was  exemplary.  Now  the  Zagreet,  the  pierc- 
ing cry  of  the  Egyptian  women,  expressing  joy  or 
sorrow,  is  the  only  sound  that  sometimes  thrills  the 
air  of  this  classical  ground. 

On  leaving  the  camp,  or  rather  the  spot  where 
it  had  once  existed,  I  heard  a  great  din  of  voices 
in  the  minor  key  rapidly  approaching,  and  in  my 
haste  to  see  what  was  going  on,  I  nearly  upset  the 
paraphernalia  of  an  artist  engaged  in  committing 
to  paper  the  antics  of  a  most  comical  group.  Great 
was  my  joy,  by  the  hj,  when  I  recognized  in  him 
the  genial  Mr.  Tetar  van  Elven,  the  well  known 
painter  of  Oriental  subjects.  Here  was  a  jolly  tar, 
more  than  half  seas  over,  astride  on  a  diminutive 
donkey,   holding  on   with    all    his    might,   the   animal 


THROUGH    EGYPT.  7 

scampering  along  at  a  great  pace,  and  kicking  at 
every  obstacle ;  on  he  came,  surrounded  by  a  dozen 
little  urchins  teazing  the  poor  brute  with  thorny 
twigs,  and  yelling  at  the  top  of  their  voices.  Arab 
fashion,  they  had  little  to  boast  of  in  the  shape  of 
clothing,  a  rag  of  red  here,  and  a  strip  of  blue  there, 
completed  their  toilet,  Avhilst  Jack's  head  was  tied 
up  in  a  bright  crimson  handkerchief,  and  the 
remainder  of  his  attire  hung  about  him  in  quite 
artistical  disorder,  the  entire  group  presenting  a 
most  ludicrous  picture,  <ms  good  as  one  of  Rubens' 
Bacchanalia. 

This  little  diversion  will  suffice  as  far  as  my  tour 
through  Egypt  is  concerned,  since  much  has  been 
written  on  the  subject  by  travellers,  historians,  and 
others  ;  and  were  I  to  give  way  to  inclination,  I 
might  go  on  writing  chapter  after  chapter,  in  the 
■endeavour  to  throw  a  new  light  upon  many  things 
which  have  cropped  up  in  my  mind  in  the  course  of 
careful  researches  within  the  preceding  decade  of 
years. 

The  railway  journey  between  Alexandria  and  Suez 
never  is  a  pleasant  one,  owing  to  the  dust,  heat,  and 
general  discomforts ;  on  this  occasion,  at  all  events, 
the  travellers  bound  for  India  were  glad  to  get  on 
board  the  "  Mooltan,"  then  one  of  the  largest  steamers 


8  THK    RED   SEA. 

belonging  to  the  P.  and  O.  line,  and  we  soon  found 
ourselves  floating  down  the  Gulf  of  Suez,  passing  on 
our  right  the  Ataka  mountain,  clothed  in  the  soft 
light  of  a  rising  sun.  By  the  following  day  we  had 
entered  the  Red  Sea,  and  in  the  afternoon  sighted 
the  "  Two  Brothers,"  small  rocky  islands.  The  heat 
now  increased  perceptibly,  and,  as  usual  at  starting^ 
time  hung  heavily  upon  us,  but  the  frigid  exterior 
of  my  fellow  passengers  soon  thawed,  one  after  the 
other  trying  to  make  himself  agreeable,  which  gener- 
ally ends  in  kindly  companionship  for  the  rest  of  the 
voyage. 

A  Dutch  courtship  between  a  young  naval  officer 
and  the  daughter  of  an  Admiral  on  their  way 
to  Batavia  created  much  merriment  amongst  even 
the  most  sober  of  us,  being  little  accustomed  in  our 
colder  climate  to  the  exhibition  of  affection  and  of  love 
tokens  under  the  public  eye,  still  we  thought  it  a 
charming  way  of  enjoying  the  long  hours  at  sea,  and 
should  have  had  no  objection  to  being  similarly  en- 
gaged. One  fine  evening,  however,  their  amusement 
very  nearly  came  to  an  untimely  termination.  Stand- 
ing on  the  stage  of  the  gangway-ladder,  the  young- 
couple  were  leaning  against  its  outer  railing,  when 
suddenly  the  lady,  intently  listening  to  the  sweet  voice 
of  her  devoted  swain,  slipped  with  both  her  feet  into- 


HEAT    IN    THE    RED    SEA.  9" 

the  vacant  space  beyond,  and  in  another  instant  would 
have  found  her  gi-ave  in  the  deep  sea,  had  not  her 
companion  been  at  hand  to  snatch  her  fi'om  her 
apparent  doom,  not,  however,  witliout  some  danger  tO' 
himself.  The  reader  may  be  sui-e  that  this  spot,  at  all 
times  unsafe,  was  eschewed  ever  after ;  and  we  could 
notice  an  additional  amount  of  tenderness  between 
the  two,  in  fact  so  important  an  adventure  furnished 
us  with  a  theme  of  conversation  for  some  time  to 
come. 

The  heat  now  kept  increasing,  thermometer  85°  in  the 
shade,  the  punkahs  going  all  day,  at  first  with  languor,, 
until  strong  reprimands,  if  not  occasional  kicks,  made 
the  poor  boys,  dressed  in  a  white  habit  and  party- 
coloured  turban,  pull  them  more  vigorously.  Lemonade 
and  soda  water  were  in  constant  request,  whilst 
smoking  was  seldom  agreeable  until  the  cool  of  the 
evening,  after  the  sun  had  set,  with  its  magnificent 
display  of  golden  and  crimson  reflections.  The  nimble- 
footed  lascars  seemed  at  this  period  of  our  voyage  the 
only  active  beings  on  board,  all  others  crawled  along, 
taking  care  to  keep  under  the  double  awning  ;  the 
former  are  excellent  fair-weathei'  sailors,  but  I  have 
frequently  been  told  that  they  are  great  cowards  in  a 
gale  of  wind.  Woe  to  the  poor  passengers  if  the  ship 
meet  with  a  storm   in   tlie   Red  Sea  ;  all  ports  are  at 


10  MOKHA     AND    PERIM. 

once  closed,  iind  the  atmosphere  below  becomes  stifling, 
whilst  slee})ino-  on  deck  is  not  always  safe  when  the 
vessel  is  tossino-  or  rolling  heavily,  and  the  waves 
breaking  over  lier  deck.  On  one  such  night,  at  about 
one  in  the  morning,  a  perfect  panic  was  created 
amongst  the  passengers  1)}^  the  sudden  stopping  of  the 
engine  ;  fig\n-es  rushed  upstairs  in  a  frantic  manner, 
and  in  the  most  irregular  guises,  but  fortunately  the 
alarm  Avas  a  false  one,  for  the  Captain's  order  to 
"  sound  "  was  the  sole  reason,  which,  in  a  heavy  sea, 
cannot  l^e  done  with  accuracy  whilst  steaming  along 
at  a  great  speed,  "  All  right  "  soon  reassured  us,  and 
the  next  command,  "  Go  ahead,"  found  most  of  us 
already  in  our  berth,  or  on  the  table  in  the  large 
saloon,  as  the  case  might  be. 

On  the  fifth  day  after  leaving  Suez  we  first  passed 
Mokha,  a  small  fortified  seaport  on  the  Arabian  coast, 
surrounded  by  a  hot  sandy  waste  ;  it  is  hence  that  the 
famous  coffee  bean  is  exported.  Soon  after  Perim,  in 
the  Straits  of  Bab-el -Mandeb,  appeared  in  sight.  The 
latter  island  is  bare,  only  three  and  a  half  miles  by  two 
and  a  half  in  extent,  but  holding  a  commanding  position 
at  the  entrance  of  the  Red  Sea,  and  has  a  fort  on  its 
summit,  garrisoned  by  some  seventy  native  soldiers, 
and  a  few  English  officers,  who  must  lead  a  most 
miserable  existence  in  that  lonely  spot. 


ADEN.  11 

Aden  we  reached  on  the  followine:  mornmir,  a 
strant^e  rocky  place  with  its  fortifications,  cantonments 
and  churches,  terraced  water  reservoirs  of  enormous 
size  excavated  in  a  sort  of  gorge,  sombre  looking  hills 
rising  on  either  side,  and,  skirting  the  tanks,  a  plea- 
sant bit  of  garden  producing  ]awn,  shrubs  and  flowers, 
■quite  a  rarity  at  Aden,  whilst  granite  steps  make  the 
ascent  tolerably  easy.  Here  I  met  an  old  Italian 
friend  on  his  way  to  Bombay,  and  eventually  bound 
for  the  Punjab,  where  he  possessed  a  silk  factory.  He 
persuaded  me  to  leave  the  "  Mooltan,"  which  was 
bound  for  Madras,  and  to  exchange  my  ticket  for  one 
by  the  "  Ellora,"  he  was  travelling  by,  which  suited  me 
just  as  well,  as  I  had  made  no  plans  whatever,  and  I 
was  glad  to  have  so  pleasant  a  companion.  The  P. 
and  O.  Agent  made  no  difficulty,  and  my  traps  were 
soon  transferred  to  the  smaller  but  equally  comfortable 
.steamer.  When  her  coaling  had  been  completed,  a 
number  of  naked  black  Somali  boys  (Plate  I.)  suddenly 
appeared  in  the  water,  looking  like  little  demons  with 
their  curly  heads  besmeared  with  henna,  diving  for 
coppei's  which  the  passengers  threw  into  the  sea.  At 
last  we  started  afresh,  this  time  taking  a  north-easterly 
course  and  gradually  escajjing  the  extreme  heat  of  the 
Red  Sea.  My  friend's  fund  of  conversation  was  in- 
exhaustible, and  it  recalled  many  a  pleasant   remini- 


12  ADEN    TO    BOMBAY. 

scence  of  our  sojourn  in  Rome  and  Naples  during- 
the  previous  winter. 

The  general  company  on  board  soon  formed  into 
cliques,  one  of  which  distinguished  itself  by  its  hearty 
laughter  and  general  jolliness.  An  Irish  actress,  bound 
for  Calcutta,  formed  the  central  figure,  surrounded  by 
half  a  dozen  young  officers,  who,  however,  had  soon  to 
give  way  to  a  somewhat  eccentric  colonel,  likewise  a 
child  of  Erin,  who  managed  to  absorb  the  lady's  atten- 
tion entirely  long  before  we  reached  our  destination, 
which  happened  on  the  eighth  day  after  leaving  Aden. 

We  approached  the  roadstead  of  Bombay  in  the 
evening,  and  here  we  had  to  anchor  amongst  the 
numerous  Islands,  as  it  was  too  late  to  land,  but  letters 
and  newspapers  having  been  sent  on  board,  there  was 
little  excuse  for  grumbling.  The  latter  published  the 
total  defeat  of  the  Loire  army  by  the  Germans,  and 
the  proclamation  of  the  King  of  Prussia  adopting- 
the  title  of  German  Emperor.  The  war  was  thus 
practically  at  an  end,  although  one  of  the  bitterest 
episodes  for  the  French  had  still  to  be  experienced, 
namely,  the  civil  strife  created  in  Paris  by  the  Com- 
mune. 


CHAPTER    II. 

Bombay — Isle  of  Elei'hanta — -Hinduism — 1'arski;  marriage — Temple 

OF     KaRLEE ElLORA,     the      GRKAT      KyLAS JuBBtJLPORE ThUG- 

GEFisM — The  Marble  Hills — Allahabad — Cawnpore. 

Breakfast  was  over,  and  a  number  of  Parsee  commis- 
sioners, in  high  conical  hats  and  clad  in  white  frock 
coat  and  trousers,  endeavoured  to  induce  the  pas- 
sengers to  accept  their  recommendation  of  certain 
hotels.  They  seemed,  however,  to  meet  with  little 
success,  as  most  of  us  had  made  our  choice  beforehand, 
and  taking  a  rapid  survey  of  the  coast  pleasantly  un- 
dulating, and  studded  with  tall  palm  trees,  we  passed 
the  Custom's  barrier — not  a  very  serious  business  at 


14  FIRST    VIEW    OF    INDIA. 

Bombay,  and  then  drove  to  the  Byculla  Hotel,  about 
a  mile  from  the  shore.  A  large  pile  of  buildings, 
composed  on  the  ground  floor  of  one  enormous  I'oom,  a 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  by  fifty,  divided  by  screens  into 
reading,  dining,  and  smoking  saloons,  and  under  a 
separate  roof  were  the  bed-rooms,  with  partitions 
reaching  only  half  way  to  the  ceiling ;  which  makes 
them  cool  certainly,  but  not  otherwise  convenient, 
especially  if  you  wish  to  hold  private  conversation 
with  a  friend ;  but  in  hot  climates  people,  as  a  rule, 
do  not  prolong  their  stay  in  the  bed-room  beyond 
the  time  necessary  for  their  toilet. 

So  this  is  India,  the  fairyland  of  the  East  !  Well, 
if  a  fair  specimen,  I  think  people  might  as  well  stay 
at  home,  for  there  is  little  difierence  between  this  and 
any  other  large  mercantile  town  in  Europe,  with  the 
exception  of  the  motley  group  of  turbaned  humanity 
moving  about  languidly  under  a  hot  sun.  This  is 
probably  every  traveller's  first  thought.  Gradually, 
however,  we  become  sensible  of  certain  impressions 
produced  by  climate,  luxurious  ease,  and  one's  bun- 
galow existence,  which  combine  to  change  our  ojjinion. 
Also  the  study  of  the  native  character  is  not  without 
interest,  since  it  opens  the  recesses  of  many  a  little 
nook  and  corner  in  our  brain,  filled  with  notes  his- 
torical,   social,   and    scientific,  which   may  have  been 


ISLE    OF    ELEPHANT  A.  15 

shelved  there  for  years  and  ahnost  fbrg-otteii,  to  be 
brought  to  light  again  and  added  to  by  the  liberal  use 
of  one's  eyes  and  ears. 

Here  we  meet  with  crowds  of  jjeople  from  all  parts- 
of  the  world,  each  wearing  his  national  dress,  from  the 
fair  Chinaman  and  his  pig-tail  to  the  swarthy  African 
and  his  ivory  teeth,  from  the  tall  Afghan  of  Jewish 
type  and  high-bridged  nose  to  the  short  small- 
featured  Malay.  Even  amongst  tlie  Indians  proper, 
say  those  of  Hindustan  and  the  Deccan,  what  a 
variety  of  race  !  The  distinction  is  almost  more  per- 
ceptible in  their  head-dress  than  in  any  other  pecu- 
liarity. After  a  time  one  learns  to  determine  a  man's 
nationality  by  the  shape  and  often  even  by  the  colour 
of  his  turban.  In  other  respects  all  men  dress  more 
or  less  in  white,  coat  or  jacket,  in  folds  or  loincloth. 

Of  great  buildings,  religious  or  secular,  there  are 
none  at  Bombay  of  any  pretensions,  but  for  signs  of 
old  days  long  gone  by,  it  possesses  one  of  the  best 
specimens  of  Brahminical  rock  temples  in  India, 
namely,  the  now  almost  neglected  caves  on  the  Isle  of 
Elephanta,  the  "  Gharipoor "  of  the  natives,  about 
live  miles  east  of  Bombay.  We  rowed  across  one 
morning,  and  the  water  being  very  shallow  we  liad  to 
be  carried  ashore   by  a  couple  of   dark   Hindus,   and, 


16  ("URIOSITTES    rX    SCULPTURE. 

after  ascending  a  fliglit  of  two  hundred  steps  cut  out 
of  the  rock,  we  reached  the  platform.  Here  a  Rajah 
had  encamped  under  a  large  crimson  tent,  having 
made  the  pilgrimage  of  sevei-al  hundred  miles  in  the 
hope  of  thereby  saving  his  soul  from  reappearing  after 
•death  in  the  body  of  an  unclean  animal.  From  this 
spot  I  had  a  splendid  view  upon  the  bay  and  the  coast 
line,  but  the  broiling  sun  soon  drove  me  to  seek  shelter 
within  the  caves,  cut  out  of  the  living  rock.  They 
.are  elaborately  sculptured  at  the  cost  of  an  incredible 
amount  of  manual  labour,  and  consist  of  several 
chambers,  the  largest  of  which  is  about  130  feet 
square,  and  eighteen  feet  high,  supported  by  twenty- 
five  (now  partly  broken)  columns.  There  is  a  curious 
representation  of  the  Hindu  Trinity  in  the  centre,  a 
large  bust  of  the  three-formed  God  as  Creator,  Pre- 
server and  Destroyer.  On  each  side  of  this  hall 
there  is  another  compartment,  the  walls  of  which  are 
covered  with  a  variety  of  many  -  armed  figures  or 
deities  and  their  attributes,  frequently  in  the  form  of 
monsters,  whilst  at  the  upper  end  of  one  of  the 
inner  walls  there  is,  by  way  of  contrast,  a  i-ather 
skilful  and  elegantly  designed  piece  of  sculpture  in  the 
shape  of  two  cherub  heads  a  la  Raphael,  and  on  the 
ceiling  that  of  two  figures  apparently  floating  in  the 
.air,   not    unlike,   in  idea,   Thorwaldsen's   "  Night  and 


BRAHMANISM.  17 

Day  "  in  the  museum,  bearing  his  name  at  Copenha- 
gen,— Strange  but  true  I  There  are  also  two  smaller 
caves  similarly  ornamented,  and  one  of  them  contain- 
ing a  gigantic  Lingam,  or  symbol  of  Mahadeva,  the 
fructifying  deity.  A  representation  of  the  "Lingam" 
as  well  as  that  of  his  sister  "  Yoni "  one  frequently 
meets  with  all  over  India,  more  especially  in  the 
villages  of  the  Deccan,  where  superstition  carries  people 
into  all  sorts  of  excesses.  A  curious  instance  of  a 
small  stone  Lingam  set  in  the  Yoni  is  recorded  by  Dr. 
Bellew  in  his  "  Kashmir  and  Kashgar."  He  saw  it, 
anointed  with  oil  and  garlanded  with  flowers,  on  the 
altar  of  an  old  Hindu  temple  at  Uri,  not  far  from 
Srinagar. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  there  is  no  trace  by  which 
to  determine  the  exact  period  at  which  this  enormous 
work — the  Temple  of  Elephanta — has  been  executed, 
but  no  doubt  it  is  a  faithful  representation  of  Hindu 
mythology,  as  it  exists  to  this  day.  Sir  George  Bird- 
wood's  "  Industrial  Art  of  India "  names  the  eighth 
century  ;  but  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  it  dates  from 
the  earlier  persecutions  of  Brahmanism  by  the  Budd- 
hists, which  the  character  of  its  sculpture,  as  compared 
with  that  of  the  Kylas,  described  hereafter,  seems  to 
confirm. 

The    Brahminical    reliofion    receives    its    name    from 


18  HINDU    PILGRIMAGES. 

Brahm,     the    great     god     of     the     Veda    or     sacred 
book,     whose     attributes     are     distributed     amongst 
three  other  deities,   appearing    either   as   the    Indian 
Triad  (Trununti),  or  each  separately,  namely,  Brahma, 
the   Creator,   represented  as  a  golden  coloured  figure 
with  four   heads    and   four   arms  ;    secondly,   Vishnu, 
the    Preserver,    black    or    blue,   with   four   arms,    and 
a    club    to    punish    the    wicked  ;    he    again   has   ten 
incarnations,  nine  of  which  have  already  taken  place, 
and    by   which    the    great    ends    of    providence    are 
brought  about ;  and  thirdly,  Seva,  the  Destroyer,  with 
four  or  five  heads,  sometimes   with   only  one  head— in 
that  case  furnished  with  three   eyes.     The  latter  also 
appears  under  the  title  of  Mahadeva,  the  Great  God, 
and  is  then  adored  as  the  author  of  all  life.     There 
are    besides    innumerable   minor  deities.     The   Hindu 
worship   of  the    present    day    consists   mainly    of  pil- 
grimages to  sacred  shrines  and   sacrifices.     They  are 
sources  of  a  large   income  to  the  temples,  and  in  some 
of  the  smaller   Native  States  the  Rajah  himself  does 
not    unfrequently    take    advantage    of    his    subjects' 
superstition    for    the    purpose    of  increasing  his  own 
revenue  ;  he  of  Sandur,  a  petty  Rajput,  is  the  latest 
example  ;    his    entire    receipts   from   ordinary  sources 
do  not  exceed  forty  thousand  rupees,  which  he  sup- 
plements  by  charging  pilgrims,  on  the  occasion  of  a 


BOMBAY    .SI(4HTS.  19 

great  triennial  festival,  a  couple  of  rupees  for  admit- 
tance to  a  temple,  situated  within  his  rocky  stronghold, 
and  to  have  a  glimpse  of  the  idol  "  Koomarswamy," 
one  of  the  sons  of  Shiva  and  Parbatti,  who,  according 
to    the    Hindu    legend,   on   learning  that    the  bride, 
selected    for  him  by  his  mother,  was  as  beautiful  as 
Parbatti    herself,  refused    to  marry  her,  as  he  would 
imagine  having  married  his  own  mother,  upon  which 
his    disobedience   was    punished  by  his  father's  blood 
and  his  mother's    milk    oozing  from  the  pores  of  his 
body,  and,  making  his  escape,  he  eventually  reached 
the    rocks  of  Sandur,    where    he    became  a  statue  of 
stone,  which  marks  the  spot  of  the  temple  dedicated 
to  Koomarswamy. 

The  system  of  caste  and  other  religious  customs, 
which  I  shall  have  another  opportunity  of  explaining, 
are  very  strictly  observed  by  all  Brahmins.  Of 
temples  the  latter  had  none  until  the  Vedic  rehgion 
was  corrupted  by  the  Turanian  and  Dravidian 
converts. 


The  streets  of  Bombay  have  much  the  same  appear- 
ance as  those  in  the  Levant ;  they  usually  have  a 
shop  below  and  a  verandah  on  the  first  floor,  with 
fiat    roofs    above,    and  in  the   country  they  are   sur- 

c  2 


20  PERAMBULATION    IN    BOMBAY. 

rounded  by  gardens  bursting  with  luxuriant  vegeta- 
tion, amongst  which  acacias,  palms,  plantains,  and 
mango  trees  are  common.  The  noise  is  very  great, 
and  begins  at  an  early  hour  in  the  morning  ;  by  five 
o'clock  one's  slumbers  generally  begin  to  be  disturbed  ; 
but  as  the  air  is  cool  during  the  night,  one  seldom 
rises  before  six  or  seven,  when  the  barber  and  a  cup 
of  tea  make  their  appearance,  and  a  plunge  into  the 
cold  bath  is  by  no  means  the  least  important  part 
of  one's  toilet, — awkward  if  the  boy  has  omitted  tO' 
bring  you  towels,  as  once  happened  to  me,  and  I  had 
to  rush  back  dripping  wet  through  a  long  passage  in 
very  scanty  attire.  By  the  by,  all  servants  m 
India  are  called  "  boy,"  although  they  may  be  as  old 
as  Methuselah. 

After  breakfast  a  buggie  is  hailed,  and,  if  lucky 
in  the  choice  of  a  horse,  there  is  much  enjoyment 
derived  from  an  early  drive,  spinning  along  at  the  rate 
of  eight  or  ten  miles  an  hour  on  a  fine  broad  road, 
dotted  here  and  there  with  the  unwieldy  mansions  of 
some  rich  Parsee  merchant,  towards  Malabar  hill, 
where  many  of  the  English  families  reside,  luxuriating 
in  a  steady  sea  breeze.  Men  of  business  generally 
dispose  of  their  limbs,  when  only  going  from  one 
oriice  to  another,  by  creeping  into  a  palanquin,  com- 
monly  called  palki,  wliich    reminds   one   very   forcibly 


THE    BYCULLA    CLUB.  21 

of  the  narrow  abode  allotted  to  us  on  our  last 
journey.  The  natives  are  often  seen  driving  in 
small  carts  with  an  awning,  drawn  by  two  lilliputian 
■oxen. 

The  mercantile  nabobs  of  this  city  live  in  great  style, 
a  yacht  and  a  villa  at  Matheran,  the  hill  sanitarium  of 
Bombay,  amidst  lovely  scenery,  are  considered  almost 
indispensable,  and  during  the  cooler  season  an  after- 
noon drive  on  the  esplanade,  enlivened  by  a  military 
band,  is  quite  de  rigeur,  but  I  doubt  much  whether 
many  people  would  continue  the  custom  if  there  were 
.anything  else  for  them  to  do. 

To  a  stranger  the  bright  costumes  worn  by  the 
natives  belonging  to  different  States,  nay,  even  the 
peculiar  dress  of  an  Indian  policeman,  in  his  blue 
•coat,  white  trousers,  and  bright  yellow  turban,  cat- 
•of-nine-tails  in  hand,  often  flourished  about  the  ears 
•of  those  who  interrupt  his  progress,  even  these,  I 
say,  may  interest  at  first,  but  the  novelty  soon  wears 
off.  To  be  sure,  there  is  the  Byculla  Club,  of  lofty 
dimensions  and  elegant  design,  where,  by  the  way, 
ice  and  champagne  cup  seemed  in  great  request ;  but 
unless  one  is  fortunate  enough  in  having  acquaint- 
ances amongst  the  members,  one  soon  tires  of  the 
pile  of  newspapers,  and  on  looking  round,  one  gener- 
ally perceives  that  nearly  every  one  is  nodding  under 


22  TOWER    OF    SILENCE. 

the  influence    of  a    hot    temperature,   or    brandy  and 
soda,  as  the  case  may  be. 

Sightseers,  of  course,  go  and  stare  at  the  Dokhma, 
or  Tower  of  Silence,  where  the  Parsees  deposit  their 
dead  on  a  sort  of  gridiron,  suspended  in  mid-air,  over 
which  hover  a  number  of  vultures  ready  to  make  a 
sudden  descent  upon  every  new  arrival.  There  are 
many  unpleasant  tales  related  of  the  habits  of  these 
voracious  brutes,  too  disgusting  to  be  committed  to 
paper,  and  I  will  merely  add  that  it  is  perfectly  true 
that  the  victim's  eye  is  always  the  first  object  of 
attack,  which  causes  much  fighting  amongst  them. 
As  a  counterpart,  I  may  as  well  state  at  once  that 
the  Hindus  show  the  greatest  respect  for  their  dead. 
They  reverently  carry  them  on  a  bier,  covered  with 
flowers,  excepting  the  face,  and  place  them  on  a 
funeral  pile  for  cremation,  generally  near  the  water's 
edge,  the  latter  receiving  the  ashes.  The  height  of 
the  pile,  as  well  as  the  quantity  of  the  wood  supplied, 
depends  upon  the  position  and  the  caste  of  the 
deceased.  Sandalwood  is  in  much  request  for  this 
purpose,  although  only  used  by  the  rich. 

The  Parsees,  who  are  very  numerous  at  Bombay^ 
look  down  upon  the  Hindus  as  idolaters.  They  pride 
themselves  upon  the  antiquity  and  purity  of  their 
own   rehgion,   and  ascribe  the  Zend  Avesta  (Zend — 


PARSES    WEDDING.  23 

commentary,  and  Avesta — original  or  sacred  text)  to 
Zoroaster,  the  spiritual  head  of  the  ancient  Persians. 
His  doctrine  is  founded  on  the  worship  of  the  Sun 
— "Fire,"  its  emblems  on  earth — as  representing  the 
creative  and  preserving  elements,  the  source  of  all 
organic  life.  The  earliest  fragments  of  the  Avesta, 
the  five  Gathas,  his  followers  believe  to  have  been 
composed  fifteen  hundred  years  B.C.,  and  the  whole 
collected  about  a  thousand  years  later,  thus  accord- 
ing closely  with  Buddha's  appearance  in  India  (as 
also  with  a  great  historical  event,  the  capture  of 
Babylon  by  Cyrus,  B.C.  538,  which  foreshadowed  the 
period  of  the  most  glorious  dynasty  in  Persian 
history,  and  which  came  to  an  end  when  two  cen- 
turies later  Alexander  the  Great  conquered  Persia). 

One  afternoon  I  was  asked  to  witness  the  curious 
ceremony  of  a  Parsee  wedding,  and  a  very  grand  and 
costly  afiair  it  was  to  be.  On  reaching  the  quarter 
inhabited  by  these  so-called  "  Fire  worshipj)ers,"  I 
found  the  entire  street  lined  with  men  and  women 
in  their  festive  attire,  the  former  in  white,  and 
the  latter  in  gay-coloured  silks,  and  covered  with 
jewellery.  The  inside  of  the  parental  house,  the 
bridegroom's  father's,  where  the  company  assembled, 
was  crowded  to  excess  with  relations  and  friends  of 
the   betrothed    couple  ;    and  here  were  exhibited  the 


24  PARSEE    WEDDING. 

presents,  which  continued  to  arrive  on  trays.  They 
consisted  much  of*  the  same  kind  of  things  given  at 
home  on  similar  occasions,  more  however  of  a  useful 
than  merely  ornamental  kind,  from  a  mattress  down  to 
a  pair  of  patent  leather  shoes,  varied  by  a  large  display 
of  flowers,  fruit,  and  confectionery.  A  band  of  music 
generally  headed  each  fresh  arrival  of  gifts,  which 
Madame  la  onere  received  at  the  entrance,  uttering 
some  appropriate  sentence,  whilst  sprinkling  rose  water 
and  throwing  rice  over  them.  All  this  time  flowers, 
condiments,  and  pawn — the  latter  consisting  of  bits  of 
areca  nut  mixed  with  a  little  quicklime  and  enclosed 
in  a  leaf  of  the  betel  pepper  (Chavica  hetel)  ingeni- 
ously tied  together,  which,  when  chewed,  stains  the 
lips  and  saliva  a  deep  red  colour, — were  handed  round 
amongst  the  company  inside  the  house  as  well  as  in 
the  street,  whilst  some  elegant  silver  flasks  in  filigree, 
containing  rose  water,  were  passing  from  hand  to  hand, 
or  more  correctly  from  nose  to  nose,  up  and  down  the 
row.  All  the  company  being  now  assembled,  they 
started  in  procession  for  the  bride's  house,  headed  by 
the  priests  in  long  white  robes  ;  first  followed  the  men, 
and  then  the  women  and  children.  Here  carpets  were 
spread,  and  chairs  placed  in  the  centre  for  bride  and 
bridegroom  to  sit  face  to  face,  the  women  gathering 
around  them  muttering  all  the  time.      During  the  early 


PARSEE    WEDDING.  25 

})art  of  the  ceremony,  a  white  sheet  is  held  up  between 
the  couple,  which  effectually  prevents  their  seeing  each 
other's  face ;  their  wrists  and  ankles  are  then  loosely 
tied  together,  and  a  white  band  or  sash  passed  round 
their  waist.  This  done,  a  large  ball  of  the  mystic 
thread  is  produced,  which  is  wound  round  and  round 
the  happy  couple,  thus  irrevocably  completing  their 
union.  At  this  moment  the  two  priests,  who  have 
been  holding  up  the  sheet  whilst  repeating  passages 
from  the  sacred  book,  drop  the  former,  and  man  and 
wife  are  permitted  to  look  upon  each  other's  heat- 
stained  features ;  but  as  if  that  indulgence  were  too 
precious  a  privilege  to  continue,  they  are  now  placed 
next  to  each  other,  the  priest  facing  them,  uttering 
prayers  or  incantations  as  before.  During  this  part  of 
the  proceedings  rice  is  thrown  over  the  heads  of  the 
pair,  which  is  eagerly  scrambled  for  by  the  old  women 
as  foreboding  luck.  Incense  is  all  this  time  burning 
from  a  silver  urn.  For  three  nights  this  ceremony  is 
repeated,  at  the  end  of  which  man  and  wife  retire  to 
their  own  liearth.  A  long  wearisome  business  for  the 
■company,  but  how  much  more  so  for  these  two  young- 
people  !  Of  course  a  good  deal  of  feasting  goes  on  at  certain 
intervals,  but  even  this  is  of  a  very  sober  kind,  nothing 
stronger  than  sherbet  or  lemonade  being  allowed  to  a 
Parsee    by    his   religion.     Apropos   of  the  custom    of 


26  ASCENT   OF    THE    BHORE    GHAUT. 

"  pawn  "  chewing,  so  common  with  the  people  of  India, 
it  may  interest  some  of  my  readers  to  know  that  a 
similar  habit  exists  amongst  their  antipodes,  the 
Bolivians  and  the  Argentines,  but  they  use  the  dried 
"  coca  "  leaf  [Erythroxydon,  a  shrub)  for  that  purpose, 
with  a  little  finely  powdered  unslaked  lime,  and  they 
sometimes  drink  an  infusion  of  the  leaf,  which  is  said 
to  possess  wonderful  sustaining  powers,  and  is  used  as  a 
narcotic  and  stimulant.  American  Indians  on  long 
foot  journeys  generally  carry  a  little  bundle  of  coca 
leaves  to  chew  en  route.  If  taken  too  much,  however,, 
the  effect  is  very  enervating,  resembling  that  of  opium. 
Recently  the  "  coca  "  plant  has  been  introduced  in  Mala- 
bar, where  it  thrives  admirably,  and  is  easily  propa- 
gated from  seed.  The  value  of  its  fermented  and 
kiln-dried  leaves  is  ten  shillings  per  pound  in  the 
London  market. 


One  of  the  pleasantest  and  most  interesting  excur- 
sions from  Bombay  is  that  to  the  old  cave-temple  of 
Karlee,  situated  some  four  miles  beyond  Lanowlee,  a 
railway  station  half  way  to  Poonah.  The  guide  book 
recommends  starting  by  the  midday  mail  train,  and  on 
passing  Khandalla  to  drop  a  civil  note  for  the  station 
master,  asking  him  to  send  up  ponies  to  Lanowlee  by 


TEMPLE    OF    KARLEE.  27 

five  o'clock  next  morning-,  and  no  doubt  this  is 
the  best  way  of  getting  on  without  losing  much 
time. 

The  ascent  of  the  Bhore  ghaut  is  necessarily  slow  ; 
it  consists  of  a  succession  of  steep  hills  mostly  covered 
with  splendid  forests  and  intersected  by  deep  gorges 
filled  with  thick  junge — a  very  hot-bed  of  tigers.  We 
dined  and  passed  the  night  at  the  station,  and  early 
next  morning,  our  horses  having  duly  arrived,  we  rode 
three  miles  along  the  Poonah  road,  and  about  a  mile 
across  country  to  Karlee  hill,  through  very  beautiful 
wild  scenery. 

The  entrance  to  the  temple,  likewise  cut  into  the 
rock,  although  very  inferior  to  that  of  Elephanta,  has 
a  circular  arch,  and  is  roughly  sculptured,  representing 
the  usual  Hindu  deities ;  to  the  right  are  two  small 
chambers  kept  perfectly  dark,  excepting  an  illuminated 
coarse  mask  at  the  fm-thest  end  with  red  cheeks  and 
protruding  tongue,  sufficiently  grotesque  and  frightful 
to  send  children  away  howling.  The  central  hall, 
however,  has  retained  much  of  its  original  character  ; 
for  this,  like  so  many  others  of  the  innumerable  cave 
temples  of  India — about  a  thousand  have  been  dis- 
covered, of  which  nine-tenths  in  the  Bombay  pre- 
sidency, 75  per  cent,  of  the  whole  constructed  by 
Buddhists,  20  per  cent,  by  the  Brahmans,  and  5  per  cent. 


28  fakir's  superstition. 

by  the  lains — owes  its  existence  to  the  followers  of 
Buddha,  hence  the  curious  umbrella-shaped  baldachin 
or  "chhatra"  in  tlie  centre,  made  of  teak  wood,  and 
noM^  black  with  dust  and  dirt,  which  crowns  the 
*'  dagoba  "  or  shrine,  once  containing  a  relic  of  their 
saint.  A  kind  of  wooden  gallery,  painted  red  and 
yellow,  still  exists,  and  along  the  wall  there  is  a  row 
of  about  a  score  of  elephants,  couchcmts,  with  figures 
upon  them  in  perfectly  impossible  positions,  all  cut  out 
of  the  solid  rock  ;  and  the  ceiling,  although  vaulted, 
is  accommodated  with  deep  narrow  rafters  about  a  foot 
apart.  This  cave  of  Karlee  bears  traces  of  a  very 
early  period  ;  it  was  probably  excavated  within  one 
or  two  centuries  before  Christ. 

There  were  several  zealous  people  about,  and  one 
fakir  stood  in  a  recess  with  one  arm  stretched  out 
above  his  head,  which  uncomfortable  position,  an  old 
woman  informed  me,  he  never  relaxes.  He  was  covered 
with  ashes  from  head  to  foot,  and  appeared  barely 
decent  in  his  all  but  nude  state.  Poor  misguided 
creature,  "  In  hope  to  merit  heaven  by  making  earth 
^  hell  ! "  These  self-created  saints  and  mendicants  are 
the  curse  of  India ;  they  carry  disaffection  all  over  the 
country,  and  keep  alive  amongst  the  ignorant  class  an 
amount  of  superstition  hardly  credible. 

There   are   here   a  few  other  small  caves  of  a  very 


PARSEE   THEATRE.  2^ 

rough  description,  belonging  to  the  Bucklhist  period, 
which  I  did  not  visit  ;  and  on  the  following  morning 
I  returned  to  Bombay  by  the  same  route  I  had  come. 

When  at  Lanowlee  I  made  my  first  acquaintance  with 
a  live  tiger,  who  had  infested  the  station  for  some  days 
past,  carrying  off,  fortunately,  nothing  bigger  than 
poultry.  In  the  evening  I  was  standing  against  the 
wall  of  the  building,  lighting  a  cigarette,  when  sud- 
denly, within  a  dozen  yards,  my  eyes  became  fixed  by 
two  bright  spots  like  fire  ;  it  so  startled  me  that  I  lost 
all  power  of  motion,  unable  even  to  remove  my  eyes, 
although  I  was  quite  aware  that  in  another  instant 
the  tiger  might  attack  me,  for  that  they  were  his  eyes 
there  was  no  doubt  on  my  mind.  Luck,  however, 
would  have  it  that  at  that  very  moment  my  boy 
appeared  round  the  corner  to  announce  dinner,  when 
seeing  what  was  up,  he  got  hold  of  my  arm  and  pulled 
me  forcibly  round  the  corner  and  into  the  house.  It 
was  small  satisfaction  to  me  being  told  afterwards  that 
the  brute  was  a  man-eater,  and  must  have  felt  greatly 
disappointed  at  the  loss  of  his  supper. 

Before  leaving  Bombay  I  one  evening  joined  a  party 
of  club  members  to  a  Parsee  theatre,  to  witness  the 
performance  of  a  favourite  piece  entitled  "  Kustan  the 
Brave,"  one  of  the  legendery  heroes  of  the  early  Persians, 
whose  fame  forms  the  subject  of  much  of  their  poetry. 


30  ROUTE    TO    ELLORA. 

The  entire  piece  was  recited  in  metrical  verse  of 
strongly  accentuated  rhythm.  I  never  listened  to 
anything  more  monotonous,  especially  not  understand- 
ing the  language,  for  holding  the  translation  in  my 
hand  was  but  a  poor  substitute.  All  the  actors  wore 
masks,  or  had  their  dark  faces  painted  ghastly  white, 
not  unlike  the  clowns  in  our  pantomime.  The  horses 
brought  on  the  stage  in  gaudy  tinsel  trappings  seemed 
to  create  a  great  deal  more  amusement  amongst  the 
audience  than  all  the  niceties  and  beauty  of  Persian 
verse. 

It  was  a  fearfully  hot  day  on  which  I  started,  soon  after 
noon,  from  the  Byculla  station  for  Ellora — I  had  better 
confess  it  at  once — to  see  more  rehgious  monuments, 
bearing,  however,  quite  a  different  character  to  those 
I  have  already  described,  for  these  at  Ellora  are  rock-cut 
temples,  hewn  out  of  the  side  of  the  hill,  and  completely 
severed  from  their  mother  earth,  excepting  at  their 
base,  being  in  fact  enormous  monoliths,  whilst  those  of 
Elephanta  and  Karlee  are  essentially  cave  temples 
•cut  into  the  hill.  But  I'll  begin  by  stating  how  I  got 
to  my  destination. 

Some  nine  hours'  rail  brought  me  to  Nandgaum 
station,  where  I  passed  part  of  the  night  at  the  d4k 
bungalow,    or    travellers'    rest-house,   erected   by   the 


ROUTE    TO    ELLORA.  31 

Oovernraent ;  and  having  taken  the  precaution  of 
engaging  a  servant  before  leaving  Bombay  to  accom- 
pany me  as  far  as  Calcutta,  I  managed  to  make  myself 
tolerably  comfortable  wherever  I  went.  An  Indian 
*'  boy "  is  an  excellent  institution  ;  he  sees  to  every- 
thing, and  is  generally  a  good  cook  into  the  bargain. 
I  could  never  iniderstand  where  he  got  the  necessary 
•culinary  utensils  or  bed  and  table  Imen  from,  since  a 
<}ane-bottomed  bedstead,  a  table,  a  couple  of  chairs, 
and  a  tub  is  all  the  furniture  the  bungalow  provides, 
and  often  not  even  that ;  still  by  the  time  I  had  had  my 
bath  and  changed  my  clothes,  he  was  always  prepared 
to  serve  up  something  hot  to  refresh  the  inner  man, 
generally  placed  appetisingly  on  a  clean  cloth. 

Soon  after  midnight  I  started  again  on  a  very 
tedious  journey,  this  time  on  a  mail  tonga,  a  sort  of 
rickety  gig  on  rusty  springs,  jolting  along  a  fair  road 
in  the  direction  of  Aurungabad  at  the  rate  of  fully 
eight  miles  an  hour,  when  the  ground  was  level. 
We  passed  the  villages  Taroda  and  Deogaon,  both 
having  a  neglected  appearance  ;  but  at  the  latter  I 
managed  to  get  a  cup  of  coffee,  which  was  most  wel- 
come, as  the  night  was  very  cool.  At  last  we  turned 
aside  for  Ellora,  after  having  exchanged  the  tonga, 
which  continued  its  route  along  the  high  road,  for  a 
common  springless  cart  on  two  wheels,  covered  with 


32  THE    ELLORA    TEMPLES. 

matting.  Here  the  road,  passing  through  a  wild 
country,  became  execrable,  and  I  leached  my  destina- 
tion in  a  miserable  plight, — my  back  felt  broken,  and 
every  bone  in  my  body  seemed  to  ache.  How  the 
"  boy  "  had  managed  to  keep  up  with  the  conveyance,, 
partly  running,  partly  hanging  on  somehow,  and  that 
for  upwards  of  seventy  miles,  was  a  riddle  to  me,  for 
there  he  was,  as  fresh  as  evei',  ready  to  pull  me  out 
of  the  cart.  I  took  up  my  quarters  at  the  small 
bungalow,  had  an  excellent  breakfast — curry  of  course, 
although  I  should  be  sorry  to  guess  its  ingredients — 
and  spying  an  Indian  long-chair  under  the  verandah, 
I  ensconced  myself  comfortably  in  it,  and  enjoyed  a 
long  siesta,  until  the  heat  had  somewhat  abated.  I 
then  bestrode  an  active  little  Mahratta  pony,  and 
made  my  way  to  the  temples,  about  a  mile  from  the 
village. 


The  Ellora  temples,  with  the  exception  of  the 
Visarakarma,  a  Buddhist  chaitya,  or  assembly  hall,  of 
the  fourth  to  sixth  century,  and  the  Indra  cave,  a 
Jaina  construction  of  the  eighth  century,  are  of  Brah- 
minical  construction,  belonging  to  the  most  brilliant 
epoch  of  Hindu  art,  and  exceed  in  magnificence  any- 
thing to  be  seen  elsewhere  in  India  ;    they  are  very 


HINDU    ARCHITECTURE.  33 

numerous,  and  some  twelve  or  fifteen  of  them  may 
be  called  large  ones.  Recent  investigations  have 
proved  that  tlie  Indian  religious  monuments  are  of 
a  much  later  period  than  they  formerly  appeared,  and 
those  of  Ellora  are  distinctly  of  a  subsequent  date  to 
those  I  have  already  described,  showing  a  much 
richer  and  more  advanced  type  of  architecture. 
Messrs.  Fergusson  and  Burgess,  in  their  recent 
publication,  "  The  Cave  Temples  of  India,"  fix  the 
beginning  of  the  eighth  century  of  our  era  as  the 
period  at  which  the  largest  of  the  group  has  been 
constructed,  whilst  Dr.  Liibke,  of  Stuttgart,  in 
matters  relating  to  sculpture  generally,  not  a  mean 
authority,  hints  at  the  thirteenth  century,  which,  how- 
ever, does  not  appear  to  be  borne  out  by  historical 
facts.  In  fantastical  wildness,  the  Brahminical  temples, 
no  doubt,  surpass  the  Buddhist  shrines,  yet,  as  regards 
a  sound,  well  digested  style,  and  rich  artistic  decora- 
tion, we  shall  see  that  in  Ceylon  and  in  Java — and 
even  in  India,  as  recent  excavations  show — there  are 
some  splendid  specimens  belonging  to  the  latter. 
On  the  other  hand  a  number  of  fine  works  of  Hindu 
art  have  been  produced  in  India  until  late  in  the 
seventeenth  century ;  long  after  Buddhism  had 
ceased  to  exist  there. 

But    to   return    to   the    picture   now    before    us    at 

D 


34  THE    KYLAS. 

Elloi'a.  Imagine  vast  buildings,  many  two  or  three 
stories  high,  hewn  and  excavated,  as  ah'eady  stated, 
out  of  the  soHd  granite-like  I'ock,  complete  not  only 
in  their  exterior,  but  also  in  their  interior  arrange- 
ment. The  process  of  executing  these  tremendous 
works  has  been  explained  by  sinking  a  wide,  deep 
trench  all  round  the  mass  which  is  afterwards  to  be 
shaped  into  a  temple.  The  "  Kylas,"  or  "  Kailasa  " 
(Plate  II.),  the  most  beautiful  of  these  monuments,  is 
f*-^  in  the  Davidian  {i.e.  non- Aryan)  style  of  Hindu  architec- 
ture, and  is  its  most  perfect  specimen  extant.  The 
other  form  is  the  Chalukian,  which  took  its  existence 
under  the  dynasty  bearing  that  name  as  early  as 
the  third  century  A.c,  although  little  known  as 
builders  until  the  eighth  to  the  twelfth  century,  and 
of  these  we  shall  find  examples  when  we  reach 
Conjeveram,  in  the  Madras  Presidency ;  in  their 
arrangement  they  are  all  more  or  less  copies  of  the 
Buddhist  Vihara. 

The  approach  to  the  "  Kylas "  is  through  a  lofty 
portico,  elaborately  carved,  like  the  rest  of  this  stu- 
pendous pile.  Through  it  one  enters  a  large  hall  or 
antechamber,  140  feet  by  90,  filled  with  rows  of 
pillars  of  true  Indian  design,  and  its  walls  covered 
with  representations  of  the  Hindu  deities  in  relief. 
They  are  one    mass  of  sculpture.       Then    through  a 


< 


si 


#^ 


CAVE  TEMPLES  AT  ELLORA.  35 

colonnade  of  considerable  length  we  pass  into  a  court, 
250  feet  by  150,  containing  in  the  centre  the  sacred 
temple,  or  "  Vimana,"  surrounded  by  columns  and 
figures  of  Gods  in  human  and  animal  forms  of  colossal 
dimensions.  This  temple  consists  of  an  oblong  mass 
of  black  granite  richly  carved,  one  hundred  feet  long 
and  half  as  broad,  by  seventeen  feet  high,  held  aloft 
by  four  rows  of  pillars  resting  upon  a  deep  tablature, 
which  again  is  supported  by  a  number  of  enormous 
elephants  ;  the  entire  edifice  forming  a  pyramid  nearly 
a  hundred  feet  high,  and  of  a  most  striking  and  mag- 
nificent character. 

There  are  other  temples,  some  of  similar  construc- 
tion, though  very  much  smaller,  besides  some  cave 
chambers,  more  or  less  ornamented  by  sculpture.  Of 
course,  they  have  all  been  much  injured  by  the  lapse 
of  time,  and  are  now  little  more  than  ruins ;  still  there 
is  no  difiiculty  in  recognizing  their  general  plan  and 
many  details,  filling  up  in  one's  own  mind  such  gaps 
as  may  here  and  there  occur. 

Before  leaving  the  subject  I  cannot  resist  making 
one  or  two  remarks  on  the  artistic  value  of  these  rock 
temples,  which  have  been  produced  by  so  much  patient 
and  prolonged  labour,  combined  with  a  most  marvel- 
lous skill.     Taking  the  Kylas  for  our  model,  through- 

D  2 


36  INDIAN    ART. 

out  the  entire  edifice  there  runs,  distinctly  traceable, 
a  vein  of  aesthetic  thought  of  very  high  order,  by 
which  it  might  be  said  to  approach  high  art  more 
closely  than  any  other  monument  in  India,  if  only  one 
could  strip  it  of  those  monstrous  representations  of 
the  Hindu  gods  and  their  acolytes  which  disfigure 
its  walls  throughout.  It  seems  difficult  to  reconcile 
the  latter  with  tlie  proposition  so  frequently  advo- 
cated by  men  of  no  mean  authority  in  such  matters, 
that  nowhere  in  India  "  figure  "  sculpture  shows  indica- 
tions of  an  independently  developed  art,  but  can  be 
traced  to  Greek  origin  after  Alexander's  invasion  of 
the  Punjab.  As  to  the  architecture,  the  proportions 
and  forms  of  columns,  obelisks,  &c.,  are,  at  first  sight, 
apt  to  give  a  shock  to  one's  preconceived  ideas  of 
beauty,  since  we  are  prone  to  compare  them  in  our 
mind  either  with  the  pure  and  perfect  style  of  Greece, 
or  the  overwhelmingly  grand  designs  of  Ancient 
Egypt,  whose  rock-cut  temple  of  Ipsamboul  is  cer- 
tainly the  most  beautiful  of  its  kind.  But  on  looking 
at  Indian  objects  of  art,  in  order  to  appreciate  them 
at  their  true  value,  we  ought  to  do  so  free  of 
all  bias.  Seldom  have  I  seen  anything  more 
beautiful  than  the  Kylas,  taking  it  as  a  whole,  of 
purely  Indian  origin  ;  and  it  was  with  a  heavy  heart 
that  I  returned  on  the  next  morning  to  take  a  last 


CAVES    OF   A  J  ANT  A.  37 

look    at    it    before    starting    on    my    return    trip    to 
Naudgaum. 

It  had  been  my  intention  to  visit  Ajanta,  but  owing 
to  heavy  rains,  the  road  in  that  direction  had  become 
impassable.     Its  temples,  some  thirty  in  number,  are 
very   celebrated.       They   are   cave-chambers,    highly 
ornamented,  and  many  of  them  covered   with  paint- 
ings, the  most  important  of  these,   according  to  Mr. 
James    Ferguson,   appertaining  to  the  middle  of  the 
seventh    century.       As    regards   some    of  the   cruder 
specimens,  Babu  Rajendralala  Mitra,  a  learned  native, 
and  author  of  the  recently  published  "  Indo- Aryan,"  on 
the  evidence  of  inscriptions  he  discovered,  places  their 
antiquity  as  early  as  the  first  century  of  the  Christian 
era,  and  the  entire  group  as  belonging  to  the  Budd- 
hist,   the    Brahminical,    and   the    Iain   professions   of 
religious   belief       At  first,    cave-temples    were   little 
more  than  copies  of  original  types  in   wood ;    figure 
sculpture,   which    long   preceded    painting,  was    then 
their  only  embellishment. 

The  best  route  to  visit  these  caves,  as  described  to 
me  by  a  friend  who  knew  it  well,  is  as  follows  :  Pro- 
ceed for  about  a  mile  beyond  the  EUora  temples  up 
the  ghaut  to  Boza,  where  there  is  the  simple  tomb, 
without  dome  or  canopy,  of  Aurungezebe,  the  most 


38  ROUTE   TO   JUBBULPORE. 

powerful  of  the  great  Moguls,  who  died  in  1707,  also 
those  of  several  Mahomedan  saints,  one  of  the 
latter's  tombs  having  been  converted  into  a  dak  bun- 
galow. From  Roza  a  steep  ghaut  descends  to  Dou- 
lutabad,  a  famous  fortress,  consisting  of  a  vast  conical 
shaped  rock,  scarped  all  round  to  a  comj)lete  perpen- 
dicular for  a  height  of  120  feet  from  the  base,  and 
only  accessible  from  below  by  an  opening  through  the 
solid  granite.  Thence  to  Aurungabad,  a  once  im- 
portant city,  now  in  ruins.  Here  is  the  celebrated 
tomb  of  Rabia  Durani,  the  daughter  of  Aurungezebe, 
built  in  imitation  of  the  Taj  Mahal  at  Agra.  From 
here  the  road  takes  a  northerly  direction,  and  passes 
through  the  towns  of  Phulmari  and  Selhod,  down  the 
ghaut  to  Ferdapur,  which  is  only  a  few  miles  from 
Ajanta ;  thence,  after  a  visit  to  the  caves,  to  the 
Pachora  station,  on  the  Great  Indian  Peninsular 
Railway.  This  bit  of  information  may  be  of  interest 
to  intending  visitors. 

The  distance  between  Naudgaum  and  Jubbulpore, 
440  miles,  we  accomplished  in  twenty  hours,  luxurious 
travelling  after  my  late  tonga  experience.  We  passed 
through  some  fine  scenery,  crossed  the  Nerbudda  and 
over  a  dense  jungle,  where  only  a  few  days  ago  a 
gentleman  had  been  very  badly  mawled  by  a  tiger,  and 
was  said  to   be   dying  from  his  wounds.     At  last  we 


PLATE  lU. 


,^^ 


.•s*^.--'* 


9  *©; 


FP, 


't^ 


^.N  ^"^ 


^y..- 


['.iV^/.-''^^ 


ERKTTE1.L.  91,KUPERT  = 


LD     THUG     AT      JUBBULPORE, 


THUGGEEISM.  39 

reached  our  destination,  and  Kellner's  handsome  hotel 
opened  its  hospitable  gates ;  here  I  enjoyed  a  few  days 
repose. 

My  first  visit  was  to  the  School  of  Industry,  at  the 
time  a  Thug  establishment,  or  reformatory  for  the 
approvers,  and  the  children,  of  certain  convicted 
assassins,  belonging  to  a  hereditary  sect  of  fanatics, 
now  happily  extinct,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  indi- 
viduals still  within  its  prison  walls.  One  or  two  old 
men  were  pointed  out  to  me,  in  whose  features  it  was 
not  difficult  to  recognize  their  savage  cut-throat  cha- 
racter.    (Plate  III.) 

A  few  lines  on  the  subject  of  Thuggeeism  may  in- 
terest some  of  my  readers,  and  I  promise  to  be  as  brief 
as  possible. 

At  first,  perhaps  a  century  ago,  for  there  is  no 
authentic  record  as  to  its  first  appearance,  Hindus  only 
were  of  this  dread  fraternity,  whose  emblem,  a  pick- 
axe, used  to  accompany  them  upon  their  expeditions. 
They  were  worshippers  of  the  goddess  Kali,  wife  of 
Seva,  representing  the  destroying  element,  whose 
favour  her  devotees  propitiated  by  human  sacrifice. 
Later  the  no  less  superstitious  Moslem,  tempted  by  the 
prospect  of  rich  plunder,  took  uj)  the  trade,  and  fre- 
quently even  joined  bands  organized  by  those  of  the 


40  THUGGEEISM. 

older  faith,  possibly  satisfying  his  conscience  by  some 
cunning"  interpretation  of  his  favourite  doctrine  on 
Fate,  or  "  Kismet." 

Thugs,  however,  be  it  stated,  never  attacked  Euro- 
peans, from  fear  of  detection.  Sometimes  the  crime  was 
committed  by  one,  but  usually  they  banded  together 
in  gangs ;  and  as  the  favourable  moment  depended 
upon  good  or  evil  omens,  such  as  the  flight  of  a  bird, 
or  other  equally  trivial  incidents,  many  ingenious  de- 
vices, and  frequently  disguises,  had  to  be  adopted  to 
entrap  their  victim.  A  suitable  spot  having  been 
selected,  the  latter,  under  some  pretence  or  other,  was 
wheedled  into  taking  the  chosen  direction,  w^hen  little 
time  was  lost  in  despatching  him  into  unknown 
regions.  The  modus  operandi  was  that  of  the  Thug- 
seizing  his  dupe  from  behind  by  slipjDing  a  knotted 
handkerchief  round  his  neck,  at  the  same  time  throw- 
ing him  on  his  face,  and  garotting  him  in  the  most 
approved  fashion,  when,  as  soon  as  life  was  extinct, 
the  body  was  rifled  and  secretly  buried  in  the  jungle.* 

Previous  to  1831  Thuggeeism  flourished  undisturbed  ; 
nay,  is  said  to  have  been  even  countenanced  by  more 

*  "  Thuggee,"  in  Hindi,  means  "  deceiver."  In  Thug  parlance  the 
"inveigler"  was  called  "  Sotha;"  the  "  strangler,"  "  Chuttote  ;  "  the 
"  victim,"  "  bunij ;  "  the  "  handkerchief,  "  "  roomal ;  "  the  "  pickaxe," 
"  nishan." — Col.  Meadows  Taylor's  "  Seeta." 


DACOITISM.  41 

than  one  impecunious  Rajah,  who,  under  the  cloak  of 
devotion  to  Kali,  did  not  disdain  to  share  the  spoil,  or 
accept  tribute  from  its  chiefs,  in  exchange  for  protec- 
tion and  permission  to  live  in  the  territory.  Since 
then,  however,  thanks,  in  the  first  place,  to  Lord  Ben- 
tinck's  energetic  measures,  the  British  authorities  have 
successfully  battled  with  that  as  with  other  crimes. 
An  interesting  chapter  on  the  subject  will  be  found 
in  Col.  Sleeman's  "  Bambles  and  Becollections  of  an 
Indian  Oificial." 

I  may  here  mention  another  plague  of  the  period, 
although  quite  unconnected  with  Jubbulpore,  and 
probably  an  offspring  of  the  ferocious  Pindharees — 
small  armies  of  robbers,  who  infested  every  part  oi 
the  Deccan  until  1818,  when  Sir  John  Malcolm  put 
them  down — namely,  the  Dacoit,  or  freebooter,  who 
carried  on  depredations  on  a  large  scale  ;  he  like- 
wise had  his  association,  and  its  members  were 
followers  of  Doorga,  the  protecting  deity  of  thieves. 
Their  habits  during  the  day  were  mostly  those  of 
agriculturists,  devoting  the  night  to  plunder  some 
wealthy  dealer  or  money-lender,  generally  under  the 
guidance  of  a  professional  leader.  An  expedition 
seldom  counted  less  than  two  or  three  scores  of  men, 
who,  having  reached  the  appointed  village,  soon 
completed  their  work,  and  decamped  as  mysteriously 


42  JUBBULPORE. 

as  they  had  come.  Murder,  however,  was  not  part 
of  their  programme,  and  they  had  no  connection 
whatever  with  Thuggists  ;  in  fact,  the  two  factions 
hated  each  other  most  cordially.  Dacoitism  is  not 
quite  extinct,  and  raids  are  sometimes  heard  of  even 
in  the  i3resent  days  of  high-pressure  civilization. 

To  return  for  a  moment  to  the  School  of  Industry, 
I  found  its  inmates  occupied  in  the  manufacturing  of 
carpets,  as  well  as  towels,  shoes,  and  specially  tents. 
The  latter  are  known  far  and  wide  ;  they  are  used  by 
all  the  army,  and  beautiful  specimens  in  colours  are  pro- 
duced for  State  occasions.  The  place  is  well  worth 
a  visit,  if  only  to  watch  the  weaving  of  rugs  and 
carpets,  done  entirely  by  hand.  Their  old  native 
patterns  are  deservedly  prized,  as  well  as  the  com- 
bination of  colours,  all  harsh  contrasts  being  avoided. 
Excepting  at  Vellore,  I  don't  think  there  are  finer 
specimens  produced  in  India. 

The  town  of  Jubbulpore,  although  not  large,  is 
rather  pretty  ;  it  has  a  handsome  bazaar,  consisting  of 
numerous  arcades,  supported  by  columns,  where  there 
must  have  been  many  hundreds  of  people  engaged 
in  buying  and  selling  every  description  of  provision^ 
and  small  shops  well  stocked  with  silver  ornaments, 
bangles,  bracelets,  ear,  nose,  and  ankle  rings — these 
are    much    coveted    all    over    India.       Most    of    the 


ARAB    STORY-TELLER.  43 

native  houses  here  of  the  better  class  have  a 
verandah  below,  often  constructed  of  blackwood 
tastefully  carved.  There  are  also  a  number  of 
Hindu  temples  and  Mahomedan  mosques,  with  gilt 
domes  and  slender  minarets  to  call  the  faithful  to 
prayer. 

Owing  to  the  cooler  climate,  the  town  standing 
nearly  two  thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea, 
the  natives  here  wear  more  clothing  than  they  do 
in  the  plain,  and  those  in  Government  situations 
adopt  a  very  becoming  fashion  of  winding  their 
snow-white  muslin  cloth  in  graceful  folds  round  the 
lower  part  of  the  body,  often  touching  the  heel, 
a  white  jacket  and  a  small  embroidered  skull  cap 
completing  their  costume.  Nearly  all  the  women 
I  saw  here  were  ugly,  and  wrapped  up  in  endless 
muslin,  or  other  coloured  material.  Adjoining  the 
south  side  of  the  city  there  is  a  very  large  tank, 
around  which,  during  the  cool  hours  of  the  evening, 
,gaily-dressed  natives  squat  in  groups,  either  talking 
and  gesticulating  violently,  or  else  listening  to  a  pro- 
fessional raconteur.  It  is  amusing  to  watch  the  people 
attentively  taking  in  every  word,  and  in  the  end 
readily  rewarding  their  benefactor  with  a  few  coppers. 
This  custom  of  relating  wonderful  stories  Is  pre- 
valent   all    over    the    East,    and    especially    amongst 


44  AGRICULTURE,    FRUIT,    ETC. 

the  Arabs,  wlio  never  tire  of  hearing  those  of  the 
celebrated  "  Arabian  Niofhts." 

Ten  to  twelve  miles  from  Jubbulpore  there  are  two 
conical  hills  of  white  marble,  about  120  feet  high, 
which,  for  several  centuries  past,  have  furnished 
building  material  for  many  palaces  and  tombs  in 
the  Punjab  and  elsewhere.  These  hills  are  separated 
by  a  gorge  of  two  miles  in  length,  into  which  a  water- 
fall descends,  and  are  seen  to  great  advantage  from 
the  opposite  side  of  the  broad  sheet  or  lake  formed 
by  the  Nerbudda,  since  the  reflection  on  the  water 
materially  heightens  the  general  eflect  of  this  pretty 
bit  of  scenery.  The  journey,  although  fatiguing,  is 
well  worth  the  exertion. 

Agriculture  flourishes  in  the  Jubbulpore  district, 
owing  to  its  salubrious  climate  ;  the  gardens  contain 
magnificent  flowers,  and  the  hedges  are  gay  with 
crimson  cacti  and  euphorbise,  whilst  orchards  produce 
a  great  variety  of  fruit,  amongst  which  the  guava, 
of  a  delicate  strawberry  flavour,  is  particularly  prized. 
The  labouring  class,  as  in  most  parts  of  India,  here 
carry  everything  on  long  bamboo  poles  balanced  across 
the  shoulder,  frequently  placing  a  baby  or  small  child 
— very  precocious  little  beings,  with  black  hair  and 
piercing  eyes — in  a  basket  at  one  end,  their  goods  at 
the  other. 


CAWNPOHE.  45 

Having  left  Jubbulpore  in  the  evening  by  express 
train,  I  got  to  Allahabad  just  before  sunrise,  which 
was  very  brilliant  by  the  time  I  reached  the  spot, 
about  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  city,  where  the 
Jumna  joins  the  holy  river  Ganges,  and  within  their 
embrace  rises  the  famous  Fort,  holding  a  commanding 
position.  I  need  hardly  add  that  the  old  custom  of 
devotees  drowning  themselves  in  the  sacred  stream  at 
the  great  annual  festival  is  no  more  permitted — in 
fact,  has  ceased  to  exist  since  the  commencement  of 
the  century,  when  the  district  was  finally  ceded  to 
the  British.  The  country  around  is  flat  and  fertile, 
covered  with  the  cotton  plant  as  far  as  the  eye  can 
reach. 

Hence  to  Cawnpore  is  little  more  than  a  hundred 
miles,  and  there  being  three  trains  daily  at  convenient 
intervals,  one  can  always  manage  to  escape  the  hottest 
part  of  the  day.  The  entire  distance,  by  the  way, 
between  Calcutta  and  Lahore,  having  now  reached 
a  spot  about  midway,  is  1,367  miles,  and  that  between 
Calcutta  and  Bombay  1,480  miles,  or  about  as  far  as 
London  is  from  Gibraltar. 

There  hangs  so  sad  a  memory  over  Cawnpore,  an 
indelible  blot,  nay  curse,  upon  the  authors  of  the 
fearful  massacre  of  1857,   that  one  does  not  care  to 


46  GANGES   CANAL. 

loiter  here  beyond  the  time  required  for  a  visit  to 
that  splendid  memorial,  executed  by  Marochetti  in 
snow-white  marble,  and  erected  in  the  centre  of  a 
beautiful  and  well-kept  garden  ;  its  figure,  repre- 
senting the  Angel  of  Peace,  is  enclosed  by  a  very 
handsome  cai'ved  stone  screen.  Those  of  my 
readers  who  wish  to  peruse  the  most  graphic 
account  of  the  thrilling  events  which  this  monument 
recalls,  I  refer  to  Colonel,  then  Captain,  Mowbray 
Thomson's  "  The  Story  of  Cawnpore."  The  gallant 
author  is  one  of  the  only  two  survivors  who  escaped 
by  swimming  for  their  lives. 

Instead  of  continuing  my  route  in  a  westerly 
direction,  I  decided  upon  visiting  Lucknow,  lying 
fifty-three  miles  due  north-east  by  the  Oude  and 
Rohilcund  railway.  After  leaving  Cawnpore,  I  drove 
for  a  short  distance  along  the  noble  Ganges  canal, 
projected  by  Colonel  Colvin,  and  began  during  Lord 
Auckland's  administration,  to  prevent  the  recurrence 
of  such  fearful  famine  as  had  desolated,  in  1837,  the 
Dooab  district,  lying  between  the  Ganges  and  the 
Jumna.  This  canal,  after  many  vicissitudes  and  inter- 
ruptions, was  at  last  completed  in   1854. 


CHAPTER     III. 

LuoKNow — Mahomedanism — Agra — The  Taj  and  the  Pearl  Mosque 
— Akbar's  Test  of  IIeligion — Futtehpore  Sikree — Delhi — 
Indraput  —  Amritzar  —  Lahore  —  Buddhist  Religion  and 
Architecture. 

The  Ganges  is  crossed  by  a  long  pontoon  bridge,  and 
thence  to  Lucknow,  the  handsome  capital  of  Oude, 
which  kingdom  had  been  annexed  in  1855,  took  us 
five  long  hours,  owing  to  the  shaky  condition  of  the 
entire  line.  The  engine  seemed  to  feel  its  way  at 
every  turn  of  the  wheel,  for  fear  of  displacing  the 
rails  or  beino-  tossed  out  of  its  track.  The  heat  and 
dust  were  insufferable  as  we  passed  over  that  dreary 


48  THE  MAHOMED AXS  OF  OUDE. 

plain,  producing  grain  and  cotton  in  j)lenty — the 
latter  crop  liaving  just  l)een  gathered.  We  passed 
endless  sti-ings  of  two-wheeled  oxen  wagons,  creaking 
under  tlieir  heavy  load,  but  their  progress  also  was 
so  slow  that  the  only  moving  thing  a})peared  to  be 
numerous  flights  of  wild  geese,  even  they  scarcely 
stirring  the  air. 

Lucknow,  one  of  the  oldest  cities  in  India,  has  a 
right  to  boast  of  its  picturesque  bazaars,  although 
often  so  narrow  as  to  make  it  difficult  to  escape  the 
sharp  teeth  of  a  camel  as  he  shufiles  along  under  a 
pile  of  vegetables  or  other  equally  necessary  articles 
of  consumption.  Elephants  can  only  pass  through 
the  broader  streets,  of  which  there  is  one  at  least, 
the  Chinka,  or  Chinese  bazaar,  with  a  handsome  gate- 
way at  each  end.  The  natives  here  are  very  clever 
at  moulding  those  pretty  figures  in  clay  representing 
the  different  trades  and  occupations  of  the  lower 
orders. 

The  State  religion  of  Oude  is  Mahomedan,  its 
rulers  having  extirpated  the  Brahmans  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  fourteenth  century,  and  the  sect  is 
that  of  the  Shiites  or  Shiahs,  whose  strength  lies 
in  Persia,  whilst  the  inhabitants  of  Turkey  and  her 
dependencies  are  Sonnites,  the  former  being  the 
partisans   of  Ali    and    his   wife   Fatima,    Mahomed's 


WAHABEEISM.  49 

daughter,  and  the  latter  those  of  the  three  preced- 
ino-  caHphs,  Abii-Beker,  Omar,  and  Othman,  both 
adopting-  the  Kahiia,  oi-  dogma,  "  Mohamed  kebir, 
Allah  akhbar  " — "  Mohamed  is  great,  God  is  gi-eater," 
or,  as  popularly  interpreted,  "  There  is  but  one 
God,  and  Mohamed  is  His  prophet." 

These   two    sects    are   again    subdivided,   the   most 
important    and    energetic    of    which    is    that    of    the 
Wahabees,   founded   towards  the    end   of  the    seven- 
teenth century,   whose  mission   was  to   purify   Maho- 
medanism.     They  are  very  fanatical,  and  their  strong- 
hold   is    in  the  Nejed,   a  central  province   of  Arabia, 
where,   under   the  cloak  of  religion,   they  committed 
great   excesses  and  often  gave  trouble  to  their  sove- 
reign,  the    Sultan    of  Turkey,   until  at   last,  in   1818, 
Ibrahim,  Mahomed-Ali's  eldest  son  and    commander- 
in-chief,   completely  defeated    them    by   land,    whilst, 
in  the  following  year,  a  British  naval  force,  aided  by 
their  ally,   the   Sultan  of  Muscat  and  Zanzibar,   was 
equally   successful    against    the    Wahabee    pirates   of 
Ras-el-Khymah.      Since  that  time  their  dominion  in 
Arabia  has  undergone  many  changes.     Anarchy  at  one 
time  nearly  exhausted  their  strength,  when  the  late 
Emir  of  Nejed — famous,  by  the  by,  for  his  breed  of 
horses — became    their    leader,    and   embued   the    sect 
with  fresh  vitality. 

E 


50  MAHOMEDAN    ARCHlTEtmJRE. 

Waliabeeisiii,  in  its  earlier  days,  spread  to  and 
gradually  extended  over  a  great  part  of  India, 
establishing  its  headquarters  along  the  valley  of  the 
Ganges.  I  shall  have  something  more  to  say  about 
these  fanatics  when  we  reach  Patna.  In  the  mean- 
time let  us  return  to  the  old  town  of  Lucknow. 

Amongst  buildings,  the  royal  palace,  which  abuts 
on  the  river  Goomty,  has  a  very  imposing  exterior ; 
it  encloses  two  large  quadrangles,  displaying  foun 
tains  and  flower  beds.  Its  architecture  is  essentially 
Mahomedan,  by  some  called  Saracenic,  by  others 
Arabian  or  Moorish.  I  prefer  the  first  named  term, 
for  it  was  really  the  new  religion  which  found  ex- 
pression in  this  novel  form,  which,  however,  in  India, 
never  reached  anything  like  the  beautiful  outline  and 
proportion  of  what  we  now  term  the  Moorish  style, 
the  finest  specimen  of  which  still  existing  is  the 
Alhambra  at  Granada.  The  principal  characteristics 
of  this  royal  edifice  are  the  lofty  entrance  gate,  some 
forty  or  fifty  feet  high,  adorned  by  the  Moorish  arch 
and  the  gilded  dome,  with  a  number  of  smaller  ones 
isurmounting  the  entire  structure ;  the  outer  walls 
are  coloured  pale  yellow,  richly  ornamented  with 
panels,  pilasters,  and  friezes  in  stucco. 

Jmambara  is  another  magnificent  palace,  or  rather 
a   group    of  edifices  ;    there  is  an   immense  hall,  one 


cagp:d  wild  beasts.  51 

hundred  and  twenty  feet  by  sixty,  built  of  stone, 
with  its  ceiling  gently  arched  without  any  columns 
or  other  support.  Other  similarly  constructed  palaces 
and  mosques  are  dotted  about  in  the  outskirts  of 
the  town ;  and  within  the  royal  park,  Dil  Koosha, 
or  Heart's  Delight,  a  line  large  garden  with 
kiosques,  water  courses,  and  bridges.  On  entering 
the  enclosure  I  was  greeted  by  the  howling  of  wild 
beasts,  conlined  in  strong  bamboo  cages  ;  they  are  the 
remnant  of  the  last  king's  menagerie.  This  profligate 
potentate  was  in  the  habit  of  whiling  away  his  leisure 
hours  by  witnessing  their  lights  ;  his  court  was 
famous  for  the  latter,  as  also  for  its  nautches  and 
fireworks. 

Near  this  spot  is  the  tomb  of  one  of  the  famous 
Nawabs  of  Oude,  which  presents  a  curious  interior ; 
the  large  hall,  namely,  is  filled  with  countless  chande- 
liers and  candelabrse  of  white  and  coloured  glass.  In 
the  centre  there  is  a  silver  throne,  holding  the  Koran, 
and  all  round  there  are  shrines  of  many-coloured  tinsel. 
The  tall  windows  of  this  building  are  made  of  painted 
glass,  mostly  flowers,  and  the  general  efiect  is  very 
original,  although  not  beautiful. 

There  is  one  other  building  deserving  a  passing 
notice,  and  that  is  the  durbar  hall  or  throne  room  ;  its 
outer  wall  is  dark   crimson,  with  white  stucco  orna- 

E  2 


52  BRITISH    RESIDENCY   AT    LUCKNOW. 

mentation,  and  the  interior,  supported  by  a  number  of 
columns,  is  of  a  similar  ^^ound-tint,  relieved  by  quite 
an  artistic  arrangement  of  glossy  vine  leaves  in  plaster, 
painted  pale  green  and  white  with  pink  veins ;  these 
cover  the  entire  surface  of  the  wall,  producing  a  most 
brilliant  effect  as  they  stand  out  upon  the  deep  red 
wall.  I  cannot  resist  recommending  this  style  to 
decorators,  now  that  they  are  no  more  allowed  to  work 
in  the  same  groove  year  after  year,  but  are  rather 
expected  to  produce  new  effects  on  all  occasions.  From 
the  roof  of  this  building  there  is  a  splendid  view  of 
the  surrounding  country. 

Within  a  handsome  park  stand  the  ruins  of  the 
British  Residency,  so  bravely  defended  during  the 
Mutiny  by  Sir  Henry  Lawrence,  and  after  his 
death  by  Brigadier  Inglis,  until  Generals  Havelock 
and  Outram  came  to  the  relief  of  the  small  garrison, 
consisting  of  no  more  than  160  souls,  they,  the  victori- 
ous army,  being  in  their  turn  besieged  until  Lord  Clyde 
forced  his  way  to  their  rescue.  There  are  four  or  five 
buildings,  one  of  which,  the  banqueting  hall,  made  into' 
an  hospital  during  the  siege,  another  the  house  of  Dr. 
Faegels,  where  Henry  Lawrence  died  after  having  been 
struck  by  a  shell  at  the  Residency.  All  now  are  black 
and  in  ruins  ;  on  one  side  lies  the  cemetery,  where 
those  who  had  died  during  the  siege  were  buried. 


CHRISTMAS    AT    LUCKNOW.  53 

One  morning,  whilst  at  breakfast  at  the  hotel — and 
there  is  not  a  more  comfortable  one  elsewhere  in  India 
— I  was  disturbed  by  the  noise  of  a  funeral  procession 
of  a  young  girl,  who,  shrouded  in  pink  muslin,  was 
carried  on  a  lofty  bier  covered  with  beautiful  flowers, 
and  marshalled  by  a  number  of  camels;  the  one  in 
front  carrying  a  flag-bearer,  the  others  sacks  of  cakes 
and  fruit,  which  the  riders  threw  among  the  crowd. 
Two  elephants  followed  the  bier,  also  some  six  or  eight 
horses,  richly  caparisoned,  led  by  the  bridle,  and  a 
pretty  brown  Cashmere  pony,  the  special  favourite  of 
the  deceased,  a  band  of  musicians,  relatives  throwing 
money  among  the  crowd  of  beggars,  and  a  large  conflux 
of  people  di'essed  in  their  best  and  gayest  colours. 

The  bangalows  of  Europeans  are,  as  usual,  sur- 
rounded by  gardens,  and  divided  from  the  dusty  road 
by  handsome  balustrades  of  Oriental  pattern,  chunamed 
and  with  grey  copings ;  these  line  the  so-called 
"  Strand,"  an  elegant  promenade,  which  winds  along  the 
canal,  presenting  in  the  afternoon  a  very  lively  appear- 
ance, when  crowded  with  ladies  and  gentlemen  on 
horseback  and  ni  tine  carriages,  and  accompanied  by  a 
couple  of  outrunners  in  party-coloured  turban  and 
jackets. 

Christmas  happened  to  fall  upon  one  of  the  days 
during  my  stay  at  the  Impeiial  Hotel,  where  it  was 


54  OUDE    FRUIT. 

celebrated  in  true  old  English  style — roast  beef,  turkey, 
and  plum-pudding,  to  wit,  washed  down  by  very  ex- 
cellent champagne,  sent  round  at  the  expense  of  mine 
host,  who  presided  ;  and  I  need  hardly  say  that  it 
added  materially  to  the  expression  of  good  fellowship 
amongst  us,  and  the  banquet  ended  with  the  usual 
loyal  toasts. 

Lucknow  is  the  prettiest  and  pleasantest  place  in 
Northern  India,  and  its  climate  excellent,  whilst  the 
cost  of  living  is  much  more  moderate  than,  for  in- 
stance, at  Bombay,  where  a  good  bungalow  can  hardly 
be  had  under  250  rupees  per  month,  whilst  here  100 
rupees  is  a  fair  rent.  Provisions  are  plentiful  and  ex- 
ceedingly cheap  ;  beef,  as  good  as  any  in  England, 
costs  less  than  twopence  the  pound.  There  is  also  a 
great  variety  of  fruit  in  the  bazaar,  melon,  guava,  plan- 
tain, prickly  pear,  loquat,  and  two  other  kinds  I  had  not 
seen  before  ;  the  one  is  called  "kyta  "  (Plate  IV.)  by  the 
natives,  not  unlike  a  large  potato  in  appearance,  of 
brownish  colour  and  perfectly  round.  I  ventured  to  put 
my  teeth  into  it,  but  soon  withdrew  them  again,  for  its 
taste  was  most  disagreeable,  reminding  one  of  gritty 
soap.  I  have  since  been  told  that  it  is  the  "  avocado, 
or  alligator's  pear,"  alias  "  midshijjman's  butter " 
fM^  {Persia  gratissima),  described  by  Charles  Kingsley  in 
his  "  At  Last."    He  met  with  it  at  St.  Thomas,  in  the 


PLATE  [V. 


KAMAREK.     (A varrhoa  caramholu.) 

p.  55. 


K  A I T A  .    (Persia,  gratissima  ?) 
p.  54. 


LEAVING    LUCKNOW.  55 

West  Indies,  "  a  large  brown  fruit  to  be  eaten  with 
pepper  and  salt  by  those  who  list !  "  The  other  is  the 
kamarek  {avarrhoa  caramhola),  similar  in  shape  and 
cokmr  to  a  plantain,  pointed  at  both  ends,  but  with 
three  or  four  ridges  lengthways,  the  edges  remaining 
green ;  its  taste  is  acid  and  somewhat  astringent, 
generally  eaten  cooked,  and  much  prized  in  curry 
stufi. 

I  left  Lucknow  very  reluctantly,  and  shall  be  glad  of 
an  opportunity  to  pay  it  another  visit.  I  have 
heard  people  compare  the  place  with  Dresden,  others 
again  with  some  old  Italian  town  placed  within  the 
Regent's  Park,  as  representing  the  native  and  the 
European  portion,  Ijut  neither  give  an  adequate  idea 
of  this  truly  Indian  city. 

After  leaving  Lucknow  for  the  North- Western  pro- 
vinces, I  had  again  to  pass  through  Cawnpore,  and 
this  time  the  weather  was  bitterly  cold,  causing  the 
natives  to  wi-ap  themselves  up  from  head  to  foot  in 
a  large  white  shawl  or  blanket,  like  the  Bedouins  of 
Egypt ;  and  as  they  crept  along  thus  muffled,  they  had 
all  the  appearance  as  if  they  felt  ashamed  to  walk  the 
road,  recalling  the  cruelties  of  Nana  Sahib.  Once 
more  upon  the  rails  of  the  well-managed  East  Indian 
Company,   the    Toondha  Junction  was  duly   reached. 


56  AGRA,    "  TAJ  "    IN    SIGHT. 

after  having  passed  tlirougl)  a  very  uninteresting 
country,  and  a  short  branch  Une  took  nie  to 
Agra. 

The  latter,  now  the  seat  of  Government  of  the 
province,  had  from  1526  to  1058  been  the  capital  of 
the  Mogul  sovereigns,  and  like  Delhi,  which  took  its 
place,  owes  the  creation  of  so  many  unique  palaces  and 
public  buildings  to  the  refined  taste  and  genius  of 
Shah  Jehan. 

Already  before  crossing  the  Jumna  by  a  long  bridge 
of  boats,  since  replaced  by  a  railway  viaduct,  the 
famous  Taj  appears  in  the  distance  on  the  border  of 
that  mighty  river,  and  not  many  travellers  will  long 
delay  a  closer  inspection.  This  wonderful  monument, 
as  everybody  knows,  was  erected  by  Shah  Jehan,  as 
the  tomb  of  his  beautiful  wife  Arjemand  Banu,  also 
called  Mumtaz  Mahal  (Paragon  of  the  Age),  or  Noor 
Jehan  (Light  of  the  World).  To  have  an  idea  of  the 
stupendousness  of  the  task,  we  have  only  to  consider 
that  it  took  twenty-two  years  to  complete  the  work, 
and  that  its  height  to  the  top  of  the  central  dome  is 
250  feet.  The  best  view  one  has  of  the  great  Taj  is 
either  from  the  opposite  shore  or  by  approaching  it 
through  the  garden  avenue,  which  is  lined  with  dark 
and  sombre  looking  cypress  trees,  as  if  intended  to  pre- 
pare the  mind  for  the  proper  appreciation  of  the  tomb 


THE    "TAJ."  57 

of  SO  exalted  a  personage.  A  high  wall  with  a  hand- 
some gateway  on  each  side,  all  of  red  sandstone, 
encloses,  excepting  its  river  fagade,  the  enormous 
square  platform,  upon  which  stand  in  each  corner  an 
exquisitely  tapered  minaret  with  the  Taj  in  the  centre. 
The  form  of  the  latter  is  octagonal,  it  has  four  lofty 
entrances  under  a  Moorish  arch,  facing  each  quarter  of 
the  globe,  and  is  surmounted  by  a  large  Oriental  dome 
in  the  centre,  containing  an  echo  of  marvellous  sweet- 
ness, flanked  by  four  smaller  ones  in  a  line  with  the 
minarets.  The  interior,  relieved  by  recesses  and 
galleries,  contains  the  sarcophagi  of  Shah  Jehan  and 
his  consort,  surrounded  by  a  splendidly  carved  screen, 
rather  resembling  lace  than  marble.  The  material  of 
this  monument,  of  the  platform  with  its  open  work 
gallery,  of  the  minarets,  and  of  the  temple  itself,  nay, 
of  the  entire  Taj  and  all  that  belongs  to  it,  is  of  snow- 
white  marble,  and,  thanks  to  a  Government  grant,  in 
most  perfect  condition.  The  outside,  and  also  the 
inner  tomb,  is  richly  inlaid  with  arabesques  of  precious 
stones  in  Florentine  manner,  and  an  elegant  border, 
consisting  of  verses  from  the  Koran  in  Persian  letters 
of  black  marble,  surrounds  the  entrance  gates.  The 
stones  employed  are  the  cornelian,  which  came  from 
Gujerat  and  Bagdad,  the  jasper  and  heliotrope  from 
.the    Punjab,     turquoises    from     Thibet,    lapis    lazuli 


58  -  THE    PEARL    MOSQUE. 

from    Ceylon,    ji;aniets    from   Gwalior,  amethyst    from 
Persia,    and   a    host    of   the   agate    tribe   from — any 
where. 

The  Taj  was  intended  to  have  a  golden  cupola, 
which  had  actually  been  commenced,  but,  before  being 
finished,  became  broken  by  a  violent  stoi'm,  and  was 
replaced  by  one  of  marble  ;  the  latter  came  from 
Jubbulpore  and  Jeypore.  This  wonderful  piece  of 
Eastern  architecture,  which  in  reality  is  so  beautiful — 
especially  seen  by  moonlight — that  it  seems  impossible 
to  describe  it  impassionately,  is  said  to  have  cost  three- 
quarters  of  a  million  pounds  sterling,  and  one  authority 
gravely  adds  a  million  to  that  enormous  sum  ;  but 
such  was  the  prodigality  of  Shah  Jehan,  that  he 
had  seriously  contemplated  erecting  a  similar  structure 
for  his  own  tomb  on  the  opposite  shore  of  the  Jumna, 
and  to  connect  the  two  by  a  marble  bridge  with  silver 
railings. 

The  same  purity  of  taste  and  richness  of  fancy 
exists  in  the  Motee  Musjid,  or  Pearl  Mosque,  which 
stands  in  the  centre  of  the  Fort,  a  jewel  of  chaste 
architecture.  It  is  likewise  erected  on  a  raised  plat- 
form, but  of  red  sandstone,  and  opens  upon  a  hand- 
some courtyard,  with  a  graceful  minaret  at  each  end. 
The  body  of  the  mosque  is  divided  into  a  central  and  two 
smaller  side  halls,  each  entered  by  a  lofty  arched  portal,. 


THE    LATE   MUTINY.  59 

and  surmounted  by  three  domes;  an  open  gallery  running- 
along  the  entire  front,  consisting  of  a  triple  row  of 
most  exquisitely  proportioned  Moorish  arches.  Every 
part  of  the  edifice  is  of  pure  white  marble,  like  that 
of  the  Taj,  but  instead  of  incrustations  in  coloured 
stone,  the  marble  here  is  delicately  carved  into  elegant 
patterns  and  arabesques  without  the  addition  of  colom-, 
and  the  effect  is  exceedingly  beautiful. 

I  must  now  retrace  my  steps,  and  advance  by  the 
drawbridge,  spanning  a  deep  moat,  which  gives  ad- 
mittance to  the  Fort,  with  its  hiii-h  embrasured  walls  and 
handsome  gateways.  It  was  l:)uilt  by  the  brave  Akbar, 
the  gi^andfather  of  Shah  Jehan,  about  three  hundred 
years  ago,  and  during  the  Mutiny  became  the  refuge 
of  nearly  6,000  Europeans,  who  flocked  to  it  from  all 
parts.  The  tales  I  heard  here  as  to  the  origin  of  that 
disastrous  Mutiny  were  strange  and  contradictory, 
varying  in  degi'ee  between  open  insurrection  and  a 
mere  cartridge  feud  ;  the  latter,  we  now  know,  was 
the  approximate  cause,  the  match  that  fired  the  train  ; 
but  that  the  principal  conspirators  aimed  much  higher 
is  equally  beyond  a  doubt.  "  The  origin  of  the  gi'eat 
Mutiny,"  says  Sir  Kichard  Temple  ("  Men  and  Events 
of  my  Time  in  India  "),  in  quoting  Sir  John  Lawrence, 
his  chiefs  opinion,  "  was  that  the  Sepoys  had  become 
too    numerous    and    powerful     in    proportion    to  the 


60  GATES    OF    SOMNATH. 

European  army It  was  the  sense  of  power  that 

induced  them  to  rebel." 

The  Sepoy,  it  is  w^ell  known,  only  rebels  for  his  pay 
or  his  caste ;  the  former  he  receives  punctually,  but 
the  report,  carefully  disseminated  by  emissaries  of  the 
king  of  Oude,  that  the  cartridges  had  been  greased 
with  the  fat  of  cows  and  pigs,  thus  striking  at  the 
religious  prejudices  of  Hindu  and  Mohamedan  by  one 
blow,  frightened  and  exasperated  him,  in  the  same 
manner  as  at  Vellore,  in  1806,  the  Government  order 
to  change  the  turban  of  the  Sepoys,  which  the  family 
of  Tippoo  took  advantage  of,  and  thereby  caused  the 
fii'st  mutiny. 

Within  the  Fort,  besides  the  Motee  Musjid  already 
described,  there  is  the  modern  Arsenal,  in  which  are  sup- 
posed to  be  preserved  the  celebrated  gates  of  Somnath, 
the  holy  Brahminical  city  of  Goojrat ;  they  are  about 
twelve  feet  high,  and  said  to  be  composed  of  sandal 
wood,  elaborately  carved  and  inlaid.  Another  account, 
however,  and  probably  the  true  one,  is  that  the 
genuine  gates,  which  for  eight  centuries  had  been 
guarding  the  tomb  of  Mahmud  of  Ghazni,  had  been 
restored  to  the  temple  of  Somnath,  whilst  those 
carried  off  by  Gen.  Nott  in  1842,  and  brought  to  Agra, 
were  not  of  sandal  wood  at  all,  but  of  deal,  and  of 
much   latei-  date.     As  I  did   not  see  them,  I  cannot 


AKBARS    PALA.CE.  61 

vouch  for  the  truth  of  either  statement  ;  hut  if  those- 
at  Agi'a  were  the  original  gates,  they  would  hardly 
have  been  consigned  to  a  lumber  room  in  the  Fort^ 
where  nobody  ever  set  eyes  upon  them. 

Akbar's  palace  overlooks  the  Jumna,  and  is  still 
in  tolerable  state  of  preservation.  It  consists  of  a 
number  of  buildings  and  detached  pavilions  in  white 
marble,  and  richly  ornamented  with  carving  and 
mosaics,  reminding  one  somewhat  of  the  Alhambra^ 
the  same  Moorish  arches,  open-work  galleries,  bal- 
conies, and  slender  columns,  fit  only  to  grace  the- 
palaces  of  fairyland.  All  within  breathes  mystery,  and 
many  a  curious  tale  is  told  of  the  famous  "  bath  of 
mirrors,"  the  design  of  which  is  extravagantly  fan- 
tastic ;  walls  and  vaulted  ceilings  of  the  different 
compartments  and  passages,  which  the  baths  consist 
of,  are  completely  covered  with  bits  of  mirror  inter- 
mixed with  bright-coloured  glass,  and  arranged  in  the 
most  intricate  designs,  representing  flowers,  &c.  The 
water  falls  in  a  broad  sheet  into  a  marble  pool  over 
brilliant  lamps,  and  the  fountains  are  so  constructed 
as  to  be  lighted  up  from  within.  Most  of  the 
chambers  and  spacious  halls  are  connected  by  open 
courts  and  gardens  filled  with  fountains  and  the  scent 
from  thousands  of  flowers.  There  is  also  the  throne 
room,  and  a  courtyard  paved   with  squares   of    black 


62  AKBAll    SETTJ.lvS    HELUilUUS,  (QUESTION. 

and  wliite  marble,  upon  which  Akbar  and  bis  fair 
companions  were  wont  to  move  from  square  to 
square,  playing  at  "  pachisi,"  a  game  resembling  back- 
gammon. 

Sucli   are  the  wonders  of   this    Indian    paradise  of 
three     centuries     ago.       This    genius    of   Agra,    this 
greatest  of  Mogul   emperors,  also  was  a  wise   man  in 
his  generation,  and   he  had  a  ready  ^vay  of  settling 
knotty  questions   of   State.      Religion   in  those  days 
Avas  the  apple  of  discord,  as  it  is  to-day,  so  many  new 
sects  having  sprung  up  amongst  both  the  Hindus  and 
the  Mohamedans  ;  and  at  one  time  the  people  became 
.so  importunate  that  it  was  deemed  necessary  to  devise 
means  of  reassuring  them.     Akbar  and  his  minister, 
the  crafy  Rajah  Beer-Bul,  a  Hindu,  were  equal  to  the 
occasion  ;  the  latter  was  despatched  to  call  the  chiefs 
iind  the  head  men  of  the  village  to  a  conference,  when 
he  assured  them  that,  the  matter   being  of  the  very 
gravest  importance,  time  would  be  required  to  satisfy 
all  consciences,  and  that  the  emperor  desired  them  to 
attend  him   in  durbar  on  that  day  six  months,  when 
he  would  be   prepared   to  settle   the  whole  question, 
€!njoining  them  in  the   meantime  to  hold  the  peace, 
which  they  all  promised.  The  appointed  day  at  last  came 
round,  and  from  an   eai'ly  hour  in  the  morning  crowds 
of   people  from   far   and   near,   accompanied  by  their 


AKBAR    THE    WISE    AND    THE    JUST.  63 

leaders,  assembled  on  the  plain,  where  numerous  tents 
of  different  sizes  and  colours  proclaimed  the  spot  the 
emperor  had  chosen  to  receive  the  assembly.  At  the 
back  of  these  there  was  an  enclosure  with  a  large 
pavilion,  the  interior  of  which  no  man  had  been 
allowed  to  obtain  even  a  passing  glimpse  of.  Hither 
Akbar,  his  court,  and  the  people  proceeded,  and 
whilst  the  emperor  seated  himself  on  the  throne,  the 
people  had  time  to  look  round  and  wonder  at  the  scores 
of  columns  they  saw  before  them  ;  each  seemed  to 
have  been  made  of  a  different  description  of  wood, 
stone,  or  metal,  and  iiuich  to  their  surprise,  at  the 
opposite  side  of  the  enclosure,  a  large  number  of  blind 
men  were  stationed.  Presently  the  trusty  minister 
stepped  forward,  and  after  an  eloquent  rehearsal  of  his 
great  master's  high  qualities  and  benevolent  inten- 
tions, he  explained  that  they  would  now  have  an 
opportunity  of  judging  of  his  wisdom  by  the  practical 
answer  to  their  question  as  to  which  was  the  only  true 
religion.  You  have  before  you,  he  continued,  now 
addressing  the  blind  meu,  one  hundred  columns,  each 
one  of  a  different  material.  You,  my  blind  friends, 
are  likewise  one  hundred  in  number,  and  the  Emperor, 
wishing  you  well,  gives  you  permission  to  get  hold  each 
•of  one  of  these  columns,  and  the  one  who  has  hit  upon 
the    golden    column    shall  be  allowed  to  retain  it  as 


64  AKBAR    AND    HTS    MINISTEK. 

his  own  property.  Immediately  there  was  a  gi'eat 
rush,  and  no  Httle  l)ustle  and  shouting  amongst  these 
men.  At  last  each  held  in  his  embrace  a  column ; 
Beer-Bul  now  went  to  one  after  the  other  in  turn, 
telling  him  to  let  go,  but  they  all  refused,  each  insist- 
ing upon  his  being  that  of  gold.  When  the  noise  had 
somewhat  abated,  the  minister  tm^ned  to  the  multi- 
tude, "  Here,  friends,  you  behold  with  your  own  eyes 
the  momentous  answer.  You,  too,  each  of  you,  thinks 
that  his  religion  is  the  precious  pillar  of  State,  but,  be- 
assured,  none  of  you  has  reached  the  goal,  for  per- 
fection does  not  exist  here  on  earth  ;  all  religions  are 
equally  good  if  you  be  but  true  to  their  metal  or 
teachings." 

There  is  little  doubt  but  that  the  people  went  away 
marvelling  at  the  profound  wisdom  of  their  beloved 
Emperor,  who,  by  the  way,  was  well  known  for  his 
latitude  in  religious  matters,  for  had  he  not  married — 
inter  alia — a  Portuguese  lady  who  did  not  relinquish 
her  Catholic  faith  ! 

The  above  story  a  native  related  to  me  in  another 
and  perhaps  more  probable  form,  since  Akbar  delighted 
in  testing  Beer- Bui's  ingenuity.  According  to  it,  the 
Emperor  asked  his  minister,  "  What  is  religion  ?  "  or 
"  Which  is  the  true  religion  ?  "  The  latter  replied  by 
requesting  six  months'  delay  for  meditation,  &c. — the 


FUTTEHPORE   SIKREE.  65 

S£Lrae  finale,  only  that  Akbar,  instead  of  the  people,  is 
learning  a  lesson  from  his  master  in  subtlety. 

With  this  anecdote  I  will  take  leave  of  Agra,  and 
pay  a  short  visit  to  Secundra,  at  a  distance  of  six  or 
eight  miles,  where,  in  the  midst  of  a  neglected  garden, 
rises  to  the  height  of  a  hundred  feet  the  pyramidical 
tomb  of  Akbar,  consisting  of  five  terraces.  Around  each 
runs  an  arched  gallery,  resting  on  slender  pillars,  and 
surmounted  by  rows  of  cupolas.  The  material  is  red 
sandstone,  except  the  upper  story,  which  is  of  white 
marble,  and  the  ornamentation  consists  of  mosaics 
and  carvings,  as  elsewhere.  The  road  between  this 
mausoleum  and  Agra  is  studded  with  tombs  and  ruins 
of  palaces. 

Within  twenty-two  miles  of  Agra,  there  is  another 
very  interesting  place,  namely,  Futtehpore  Sikree,  once 
the  country  residence  of  Akbar,  now  one  mass  of  ruins 
and  neglect,  although  some  of  the  princely  buildings  are 
still  fairly  intact,  telling  the  same  story  of  a  luxurious 
age  long  gone  by.  The  splendour  of  Beer-Bul's 
palace,  and  that  of  the  mosque  and  tomb  of  Shekh 
Selim,  is  almost  greater  than  that  of  anything  yet 
described  ;  but  a  short  sketch  of  the  latter  will  suffice 
to  give  some  idea.  This  tomb,  covered  by  a  canoj^y 
six  feet  high,  is  made  of  mother-of-pearl,  the  floor  of 

F 


66  DELHI. 

jasper,  and  the  walls  of  white  niarl^le  inlaid  with  cor- 
nelian ;  there  are  marble  screens,  about  eight  feet 
square  each,  surrounding  the  same,  wrought  into 
the  most  intricate  open  traceries.  This  is  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  specimens  of  the  kind  in 
India. 

The  population  in  the  agricultural  districts  of  the 
North- Western  provinces  consists  now  of  eight  Hindus 
to  one  Mohamedan  ;  in  the  towns,  both  religions  are 
about  equally  represented.  The  climate  is  far  from 
agreeable,  owing  to  its  extreme  heat  and  cold,  and  the 
country  over  which  I  travelled,  as  far  as  Delhi,  is  one 
level.  I  arrived  there  at  an  early  hour  in  the  morning, 
and  finding  the  only  hotel  engaged,  I  had  no  difficulty 
in  making  myself  comfortable  at  the  Dak  bungalow  for 
the  small  pay  of  one  rupee  per  day. 

Delhi,  the  great  Mogul  city,  is  strongly  fortified,  and 
about  seven  miles  in  circumference;  it  is  surrounded 
by  an  embattled  wall,  with  bastions,  moat,  and  glacis, 
and  has  seven  handsome  gates ;  its  population  is  said 
to  count  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  souls.  The 
streets  are  narrow,  with  one  or  two  exceptions  ;  as,  for 
instance,  the  Chandnee-Chokee,  or  silversmith  street, 
which  extends  from  the  palace  to  the  Delhi  gate,  out- 
side of  which,  in  a  sandy  plain,  is  the  Afghan  Market, 


COSTUMES    AT    DELHI.  67 

a  large  enclosure  occupied  by  the  tall,  and  not  over- 
clean,  denizens  of  the  hilly  region  beyond  the  Kyber 
Pass ;  also  by  their  beasts  of  burden  lying  about 
amongst  heaps  of  sheepskins  and  other  unsavoury 
merchandise,  and  numbers  of  camels,  horses,  and  cattle, 
brought  here  for  sale.  In  the  bazaars  of  Delhi  the 
jewellers  are  said  to  drive  the  best  trade,  and  I  can 
well  understand  it,  having  visited  the  prmcipal  dealers 
in  precious  stones.  Here  is  a  rich  store  to  feed  our 
eyes  upon — rubies,  emeralds,  turquoises,  cats-eyes,  and 
many  others  ;  the  first  two  were  especially  beautiful, 
and  many  Europeans  resort  to  the  shops  to  match  a 
certain  stone. 

The  principal  thoroughfares  are  always  crowded  with 
natives,  who  flock  to  it  from  all  parts  of  India,  and 
nowhere  else  does  one  see  a  greater  variety  of  costume. 
That  of  a  Cashmere  swell  will  give  an  idea  of  its 
luxury.  As  I  was  walking  along,  this  individual, 
bursting  with  pride  and  vanity,  strutted  in  front  of 
me,  accompanied  by  three  followers.  The  former  was 
got  up  in  tight  lavender-coloured  silk  trousers,  an  amber 
coat  with  gold-embroidered  collar,  blue  Cashmere 
shawl  thrown  loosely  over  his  shoulders,  and  an  enor- 
mous turban  composed  of  a  green  shaw^l,  shoes  em- 
broidered in  gold  and  silver  completing  the  attire. 
His   underlings  were  dressed  equally  fantastically  in 

F  2 


68  THE    KOH-I-NOOR. 

scarlet  and  crimson,  braided  with  ^old  and  silver,  and 
all  were  armed  with  swords  and  tidwar. 

Amongst  public  buildings,  the  most  conspicuous  is 
the  Jumma  Musjid,  an  enormous  mosque  erected  by- 
Shah  Jehan  in  1641.  It  stands  at  the  extreme  end  of 
a  large  quadrangular  court,  with  arcades  on  each  side, 
and  is  approached  by  a  flight  of  steps  ;  the  architecture 
is  that  of  other  Mahomedan  structures,  with  large 
entrance  gate,  minarets,  &c.,  and  built  of  red  stone, 
except  the  cupolas,  which  are  of  white  marble.  The 
whole  is  very  impressive  from  its  size,  solidity,  and  rich 
material. 

The  Mogul's  palace,  of  which  only  a  portion  now 
remains,  must  have  been  very  similar  to  that  at  Agra, 
a  cluster  of  towers  and  battlements  still  marking  its 
extent.  The  throne  room,  open,  and  supported  by 
columns  and  arches,  still  exists,  and  the  emperor's  seat 
is  of  white  marble  of  very  simple  design.  Here  stood 
in  former  times  the  famous  Peacock  throne,  of  which 
the  "  Koh-i-noor,"  or  "  Mountain  of  Light,"  was  the 
princijDal  ornament.  The  jewel  had  been  carried  off  in 
1739  by  Nadir  Shah,  the  Persian  conqueror  of  Hin- 
dustan, whose  successor,  Shah  Soojah,  the  exiled 
monarch  of  Cabul,  in  1815  was  forced  to  hand  it  over 
to  Runjeet  Singh,  the  last  Maharajah  of  the  Punjab, 
when  the   former   sought   refuge    with  him  after  his 


INDRAPUT.  69 

escape  from  Cashmere,  and  Runjeet  Singh  bequeathed 
the  gem  m  1839  to  the  shrine  of  Juggernaut  in  Orissa ; 
but  ten  years  later,  on  the  extinction  of  the  Pim- 
jab  kingdom,  it  got  into  the  possession  of  the  British 
Crown.  A  few  private  apartments  and  bath  rooms  of 
white  marble  inlaid,  and  a  small  mosque  of  the  same 
material  is  all  that  now  remains  of  this  noble  royal 
residence. 

An  excellent  college,  and  a  number  of  more  or  less 
elaborate  religious  buildings,  complete  the  list  of  public 
edifices ;  but  I  must  not  omit  a  visit  on  horseback  to 
the  ruins  of  Old  Delhi,  or  "  Indraput "  (Indra,  the  firma- 
ment), a  very  ancient  Hindu  city,  which  covers  an 
inunense  area  on  the  banks  of  the  Jumna.  These 
remains  belong  to  temples,  palaces,  and  tombs — the 
very  image  of  desolation.  Amongst  them  we  come 
upon  an  interesting  rehc  in  the  shape  of  an  unsightly 
tall  black  metal  (edict)  pillar,  or  "  stambhas,"  twenty- 
three  feet,  eight  inches  high,  marking  the  sight  of  an 
old  Patau  palace  erected  in  the  fourth  or  fifth  century. 
The  Patans  are  an  Afghan  race  which  had  to  make 
room  for  the  Mogul  emperors. 

The  Kuttab  minaret  merits  special  mention  amongst 
that  mass  of  granite  and  marble  scattered  every- 
where. It  belonged  to  an  enormous  mosque  built  700 
years    ago    by   the    first    Mohamedan    ruler    of    this 


70  DELHI    WARE. 

province.  The  minaret  rises  by  five  tiers  to  the  height 
of  380  feet.  Three  of  these  are  of  red  sandstone,  most 
beautifully  carved  in  Arabesque  patterns,  and  verses 
from  the  Koran,  and  the  two  upper  ones  of  white 
marble.  Not  far  from  this  spot  there  is  a  very  large 
well  of  great  depth,  into  which  men  and  boys  are 
always  ready  to  dive  for  a  few  annas. 

The  ride  to  town,  some  eight  or  ten  miles,  passed 
through  avenues  of  banyan,  acacia,  mimosa,  and 
mango  trees,  inhabited  by  all  kinds  of  birds,  especially 
parroquets.  Every  now  and  then  one  encounters 
elephants,  camels,  and  other  quadrupeds,  natives  on 
foot  and  in  carriages,  called  ekkas,  a  sort  of  hammer- 
cloth,  blue  or  red,  stuck  upon  two  wheels  and  drawn 
by  oxen. 

As  much  as  I  had  enjoyed  my  stay  at  Delhi,  I  was 
glad  to  get  away  and  have  a  quiet  night,  as  the  jackals 
converted  it  after  dark  into  a  veritable  howling  wil- 
derness. Besides,  Delhi's  share  in  the  late  Mutiny 
has  made  everybody  so  well  acquainted  with  the  place 
that  it  seems  unnecessary  to  go  into  further  details. 
Before  leaving,  however,  I  had  the  usual  levee,  which 
in  India  greets  every  traveller,  namely,  of  trades- 
people, each  praising  his  own  and  abusing  his  neigh- 
bour's wares.  It  is  "Sahib  here"  and  "Sahib  there,"  as 
jewellery,  miniatures  on  ivory,  shawls,  and  a  multitude 


AMRITZAR.  71 

of  other  useless  things  are  brought  to  light,  and  some 
really  very  pretty  articles  amongst  them.  There  is  a 
native  artist  here  who  is  a  capital  hand  at  reproducing 
a  photograph  on  ivory  in  colours,  and  I  have  found 
both  here  and  at  Agra  that  the  natives  have  a  very 
shrewd  idea  of  art,  but  it  requires  cultivation.  The 
Delhi  jewellery  is  celebrated,  not  only  in  India,  but 
all  over  the  world. 

Finding  myself  again  en  route,  I  noticed  little  to 
interest  one  in  the  aspect  of  the  country,  excepting 
the  tremendous  railway  bridge  over  the  Sutlej  just 
after  passing  Loodiana.  It  is  one  mile  in  extent,  and 
rests  upon  no  less  than  fifty-seven  girders.  We  are 
now  in  the  heart  of  the  Sikh  country,  of  which  the 
Punjab  constitutes  the  confines.  Its  origin  dates  from 
the  year  1469,  by  one  Nanak,  whose  design  was  to 
combine  Hinduism  and  Islamism  into  one  harmonious 
brotherhood,  the  teachings  of  which  are  expounded  in 
the  "  Grunth,"  the  Sikh  Scriptures.  It  seems  evident, 
however,  that  the  founder  of  this  new  creed  can  have 
had  but  a  very  superficial  knowledge  of  the  two 
religions,  since  their  first  principles,  those  of  Pantheism 
and  Monotheism,  would  seem  to  any  intelligent 
person  quite  irreconcilable. 

Amritzar,  my  next  halting-place,  is  in  reality   the 


72  LAHORE. 

cradle  of  that  new  community  of  "  soldier-priests,"  and 
the  great  feature  of  the  city  is  the  "  Golden  Temple," 
in  the  sacred  pool  or  reservoir  called  "  Immortality," 
to  which  the  faithful  crowd  morning  and  evening  to 
hear  the  holy  text  chanted,  during  which  performance 
they  throw  money  and  grain  upon  the  circular  plat- 
form, in  the  centre  of  which  the  priest  squats  with  liis 
*'  Grunth."  Runjeet  Singh,  the  last  native  ruler  of  the 
Punjab,  built  this  temple,  in  the  shape  of  an  irregular 
square,  with  gateways,  domes,  and  galleries  ;  its  ex- 
terior laid  over  with  thin  plates  of  gold,  and  its  interior 
painted  in  Oriental  fashion.  The  whole  forms  a  pretty 
object,  and  very  original.  There  is  little  else  to  interest 
one  in  this  town,  which  is  surrounded  by  a  high  wall ; 
its  streets  and  houses  do  not  difier  from  those  I  have 
described  elsewhere,  but  the  city  is  considered  to  be 
wealthy,  from  its  large  trade  with  Cashmere  and 
Thibet ;  indeed,  it  is  the  market,  pa7'  excellence,  for 
shawls  and  silks. 

Barely  thirty  miles  due  west  from  Amritzar,  is 
Lahore,  the  capital  of  the  Punjab,  a  large  military 
station.  There  is  an  old  palace,  also  the  magnificent 
mausoleum  of  Jehangeer,  a  couple  of  miles  from  the 
town,  and  the  large  white  marble  tomb  of  Runjeet 
Singh  ;  also  that  of  Rani  Chunda,  one  of  his  widows,  a 


GREEK    INFLUENCE   ON    INDIAN    ART.  73 

somewhat  eccentric  lady,  of  whom  it  was  told  that, 
when  implored  by  Sikh  deputies  to  aid  them  marching 
on  Calcutta,  she  suddenly  drew  aside  the  purdah,  and 
threw  her  pyjamas  at  them.  Besides,  tliere  is  the 
usual  host  of  mosques,  tombs,  and  temples,  all  worth  a 
visit,  but  their  respective  architecture  in  no  way 
different  from  what  has  been  already  described — I  shall 
let  it  pass.  The  Mohamedans  having  subjugated  the 
Punjab  early  in  the  eleventh  century,  accounts  for  the 
great  number  of  their  religious  monuments,  many  now 
in  ruins. 

Of  modern  institutions,  there  is  a  good  college 
and  a  museum.  The  latter  contains  an  interesting 
collection  of  sculptures  and  architectural  fragments  of 
old  Buddhist  remains  in  the  Peshawur  valley,  which 
are  now  being  moulded  and  photographed  for  the 
British  Museum.  It  has  been  stated  that  much  im- 
portance is  attached  to  them,  owing  to  the  evidence  of 
strong  Greek  influence,  supposed  to  have  come  from 
Bactria  into  Afghanistan,  and  thence  penetrated  into 
Cashmere  and  India.  My  own  opinion,  however,  is  that 
the  Hellenic  influence  upon  Indian  art  has  been  very 
feeble,  and  by  no  means  permanent ;  indeed,  after 
careful  examination  of  existing  ruins,  I  should  say  that 
it  seems  to  have  completely  lost  its  effect  at  a  very 
eai'ly  period,   and   that  in  nearly   every   example   an 


74  BUDDHISM. 

impress  of  independent  Indian  architecture  is  distinctly 
traceable. 

Late  discoveries  have  brought  to  light  remains  of 
Buddhist  dagobas  of  great  antiquity  in  many  parts  of 
India,  and  especially  in  Ceylon,  their  construction 
dating  as  far  back  as  three  or  two  centuries  before  our 
era,  and  showing  that  the  sculpture  of  that  early  age 
had  a  very  marked  character  of  comparative  excel- 
lency, which  the  Brahmins  were  never  able  to  compete 
with  successfully.  I  need  only  mention  two  specimens 
of  the  period  I  speak  of;  namely,  the  tope  or  stuj^a 
of  Bharhut,  about  half-way  between  Jubbulpore  and 
Allahabad,  discovered  by  Major-General  Alexander 
Cunningham  in  1873,  and  the  dagoba,  "  Thuparame," 
of  Anurajapura,  ninety  miles  north  of  Kandy,  recently 
excavated  by  the  Government  of  Ceylon. 

Buddhism  originated  in  India  in  the  sixth  century 
B.C.,  but  did  not  attain  the  height  of  its  influence  until 
three  centuries  later,  and  continued  in  full  power  until 
the  fourth  or  fifth  century  A.D.,  up  to  which  period, 
and  even  later,  pilgrims  came  to  India  as  their  holy 
land  from  all  parts  of  Asia,  especially  from  China. 
Brahminical  persecution,  however,  gradually  drove 
them  from  the  great  cities,  and  large  communities  of 
Buddhists  retired  among  the  hills  of  the  west,  where 
they  constructed  cave  temples,  many  of  which  were 


CLASSICAL    GROUND.  75 

eventually  adapted  to  the  Hindu  worship.  Still  Bud- 
dhism lingered  on  until  the  seventh  century,  when 
Brahminism  took  up  its  old  position  as  the  national 
religion  of  India,  and  between  that  and  the  eleventh 
and  twelfth  century,  the  last  traces  of  the  former  dis- 
appear from  the  Peninsula,  excepting  in  the  diluted 
form  of  Jainism.  Arts,  sciences,  and  literature  reached 
their  highest  development  in  India  during  the  earlier 
and  most  brilliant  epoch  of  Buddhism.  The  latter  is 
now  the  prevailing  religion  in  China,  Burmah,  Siam,  and 
Ceylon,  but  only  in  the  last  named  has  it  retained  its 
former  purity.  In  Thibet,  as  well  as  in  Nepaul,  La- 
maism,  an  unworthy  offspring  of  Buddhism,  exists  in 
full  force,  and  is  the  universal  religion  of  the  people. 

The  Punjab  (Panj — nad,  or  five  rivers)  produces  large 
crops  of  grain — wheat,  barley,  Indian  corn,  and  gram 
{cicer  arietiyium),  also  cotton  and  indigo,  and  the 
range  of  hills  extending  from  the  Indus  to  the 
Hydaspes,  now  called  the  Jelum,  yields  the  famous 
rock-salt  which  is  largely  exported  to  Bengal. 

It  is  within  fifty  miles  of  Lahore  that  we  come 
upon  classical  ground,  where  Alexander  the  Great,  in 
B.C.  327,  had  erected  altars  on  the  banks  of  the 
Hyphasis,  the  modern  Sutlej,  to  commemorate  the 
extent  of  his  conquests.     In  the   same  region,  Lord 


76  CLASSICAL   GROUND. 

Lake,  on  the  24th  December,  1805,  at  the  command 
of  Governor  General  Sir  George  Barlow,  signed  the 
treaty  by  which  Holkar  was  reinstated  in  all  the 
territory  which  had  been  acquired  by  Lord  Wellesley 
dming  the  latter 's  memorable  administration  1797- 
1805,  during  which  period  he  secured  to  the  East 
India  Company  the  government  of  one  half  and  the 
control  over  the  other  half  of  India,  from  Cape 
Comorin  to  the  Sutlej  ;  advantages  subsequently  lost 
by  Lord  Cornwallis's  weak  poUcy,  followed  by  Sir 
George  Barlow  and  Lord  Minto.  Lord  Wellesley 's 
conquests  and  alliances,  however,  were  eventually 
more  than  re-established  by  Lord  Canning,  Earl  of 
Moira,  Governor  General  1813-1822. 

Greek  mythology  has  likewise  been  busy  m  these 
regions  ;  it  was  on  the  banks  of  the  Hydaspes  where 
Nonnus,  in  his  "  Dionysiasa,"  laid  the  fight  between 
Bacchus  and  Deriade,  which  lasted  seven  years. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

MtrSSOORIE     AND     THE     HIMALAYA BenARES HlNDtT     PoLTTHEISM     AND 

Institution  of  Caste — Caxcutta — Madras — Conjeveram,  temples 

OP  THE  ChALUKYAS  DyNASTY PoNDICHERRY. 

The  cold  season  of  the  year  unfortunately  prevented 
my  pursuing  the  much  coveted  journey  to  the  Cash- 
mere valley ;  but  being  bent  upon  obtaining  as  near 
a  view  as  possible  of  the  Himalaya  (Simla,  for  the  same 
reason,  being  out  of  reach),  I  retraced  my  steps  as  far 
as  Umballa,  and  there  made  arrangements  for  a  trip  to 
Mussoorie,  one  of  the  Government  sanataria  of  the  Hill 
States,  with  Landour,  the  military  division,  yet  a 
thousand  feet  above.     It  is  situated  at  the  confines  of 


78  SIWALIK    HILLS. 

the  provinces  of  Sirmore  and  Gurhwal  to  the  north, 
and  the  low  land  called  the  Dahra  Doon  to  the  south, 
where  the  Jumna  rushes  past  in  a  south-easterly  direc- 
tion. The  journey  is  extremely  fatiguing,  for  although 
the  distance  as  the  crow  flies  is  but  seventy  miles,  the 
road,  which  not  only  winds  a  good  deal,  often  in  zigzag 
fashion,  but  is  almost  continually  uphill,  more  than 
doubles  it ;  besides,  the  dak  express,  by  which  I 
travelled  part  of  the  way,  is  by  no  means  a  pleasant 
conveyance.  It  jolted  sorely  over  the  rough  road, 
whilst  but  little  shelter  and  less  comfort  was  to  be  had 
en  route  owing  to  the  inclement  season.  Indeed,  it 
was  the  coldest  month  of  the  year,  and  forcibly  re- 
minded me  of  that  prevailing  in  northern  Europe  about 
the  same  period.  Tremendous  gusts  of  high  wind  at 
every  turn,  frequently  accompanied  by  a  downpour  of 
sleet,  with  a  very  appreciable  daily  fall  of  the  ther- 
mometer ;  to  which  inconveniences  must  be  added 
many  a  mishap  to  the  underfed  ponies  which  had  the 
misfortune  to  fall  under  our  relay. 

About  half  way  we  reached  the  spurs  of  the 
Siwalik  hills,  and  here  my  climb  commenced  in 
earnest,  now  borne  aloft  in  a  palki,  now  on  foot,  and 
by  the  time  I  reached  the  highest  point  a  smart 
frost  added  to  the  feeling  of  loneliness  which  the 
bare  scenery  inspired, — down  again  past  rapid  rivers, 


THE    HIMALAYA    BANGE.  79 

over   slender    bridges   and  through  jungle  and  noble 
forests,  mounting  and    descending    in    turn ;    steeper 
and   steeper   becomes   the    ascent   until    we    reach    a 
height   of  upwards  of    6000    feet.     Here  at  last    we 
came  to  a  full    stop,  and    received    the    welcome    in- 
telligence that  we  had  reached  our  destination.     There 
was   barely    sufficient  daylight  to  see  a  dozen  yards 
ahead,  and  I  was  only  too  glad  to  turn  in,  finding  the 
scanty   accommodation  quite  luxuriant  compared  with 
what  had    hitherto   fallen  to  my  lot  since  I  had  left 
Umballa.     The  night,  however,  was  bitterly  cold,  and, 
Hyperborean  h/^  I  am,  I  had  the  greatest  difficulty  in 
U<rt<^^  keeping  warm,  putting  every  particle  of  clothing  and 
wrappers  I  possessed  under  requisition.     On  the  next 
morning  I  rose  early  ;    but   was  disappointed  in  the 
sunrise  as  a  heavy  mist  hung  all  around ;  this  presently 
began  to    lift,  developing  before  my  eyes  one  of  the 
most    sublime    aspects    of  nature.     At    first,  I  could 
see  little    more    than  the  high  ground  upon  which  I 
was  standing,  with  huts  and  bungalows  built  on  the 
southern  slope  at   considerable    distances    from    each 
other,  often  apparently  hanging    on    to    mere    crags  ; 
but  little  by  little  the  curtain  lifted,  and  range  after 
range  of   rugged  snow-clad  peaks  came  within  sight, 
separated  from  each  other  by  deep  gorges.     From  a 
distance  they  appeared  to  extend  in  parallel  ridges, 


80  THE    HIMALAYA    RANGE. 

which,  however,  is  not  really  the  case,  for  their  spurs 
run  ill  all  directions;  some  seven  or  eight  chains  appear, 
one  overtopping  the  other,  each  getting  fainter,  until 
at  last  haze  and  distance  hide  the  rest.  Their 
apparent  height  is  much  diminished  by  the  great  space 
intervening,  even  between  the  nearest  objects ;  and 
the  comparative  lowness  on  the  horizon  of  the  whole 
stupendous  mass  is  partly  owing  to  the  same  cause, 
as  also  to  there  being  no  dazzling  single  peak  towering 
in  the  air, — at  least  in  this  western  branch  of  the 
Himalaya, — the  entire  range  and  group  consisting,  so  to 
say,  of  a  succession  of  peaks  clad  in  perennial  snow. 
Still  it  is  a  sight  of  unrivalled  grandeur,  and  I  was 
fortunate  indeed  in  having  such  a  clear  day  to  view  it 
all.  The  scenery  may  not  be  so  picturesque,  but 
immeasurably  more  impressive,  nay,  more  awful,  than 
any  in  Switzerland  or  the  Tyrol.  There  are  neither 
lakes  nor  cascades  here,  which  in  beauty  can  be  com- 
pared with  those  of  the  Bernese  Oberland,  or  the 
valley  of  the  Traun;  indeed,  except  in  Cashmere,  there 
are  no  great  river  basins  on  the  Indian  side  of  the 
western  Himalaya,  the  Indus,  the  Sutlej,  and  the 
Sanpo  or  Brahmaputra,  having  their  source  in  the 
Tibetan  or  northern  region  of  the  chain  intersecting  its 
axis  in  their  solitary  course.  The  entire  breadth  of 
these  formidable  mountain  masses  varies  from  nearly  a 


THE    HIMALAYA    RANGE.  81 

hundred  miles  to  almost  double  that  in  their  western 
branch.  Notwithstanding  the  enormous  aggregate 
height  of  the  Himalaya  with  Mount  Everest  {Gauri- 
sankar),  its  highest  peak,  towering  29,000  feet  above 
the  sea  level,  it  is  not  a,t  all  certain  whether  the  Kara- 
koram,  or,  according  to  native  authority,  the  mighty 
Muztakh  range — for  they  look  upon  the  former  merely 
as  a  separate  ridge — reaching  its  greatest,  yet  known, 
elevation,  28,250  feet,  at  K2  (survey  symbol)  recently 
named  "  Godwin  Austen,"  after  its  first  surveyor — 
be  not  the  greater  mass  of  mountains.  Another 
report  has  raised  some  doubt  as  to  whether 
"  Mount  Everest "  be  really  the  highest  pomt  in  the 
Hunalaya.  At  the  June,  1884,  meeting  of  the 
Royal  Geographical  Society,  Mr.  W.  W.  Graham,  who 
explored  that  portion  of  the  chain  in  September,  1883, 
in  the  course  of  a  very  interesting  lecture,  stated  that, 
having  reached  the  lower  summit  of  Kabru,  at  least 
23,700  feet  above  the  sea,  whence  he  had  the  most 
glorious  view,  he  and  his  Swiss  guide,  looking  in  a 
north-westerly  direction  towards  Mount  Everest  (which 
was  less  than  seventy  miles  distant  from  where  they 
stood,  and  perfectly  clear  and  visible),  distinctly 
saw  two  loftier  peaks  some  eighty  to  a  hundred  miles 
further  north,  one  rock,  one  snow,  towering  far  above 
the  second  and  more  distant  range.     It  is  to  be  hoped 

G 


82  MUSSOORIE. 

that  it  will  not  be  long  ere  a  regular  survey  settles 
this  matter.  Little  also  is  as  yet  known  of  the  north- 
eastern face  of  the  Himalaya  or  of  the  river  system 
flowing  into  the  Sanpo,  and  its  onward  course  to  the 
Bay  of  Bengal,  which  has  long  occupied  geographers. 
Nain  Singh,  the  pundit,  when  at  Lhassa,  in  1874,  was 
told  that  the  Sanpo  was  the  Brahmaputra,  whilst  Mr. 
B.  Gordon,  C.E.,  in  a  report,  issued  in  1879,  endeavours 
to  prove,  by  hydrological  researches  principally,  that 
the  Irawadi  in  reality  receives  the  waters  of  the  great 
Tibetan  river  ;  however,  this  latter  view  meets  with  few 
supporters  now.  The  same  uncertainty  so  far  exists  as 
regards  the  mineral  products  of  this  region.  Of  gems 
there  appears  to  be  an  almost  total  absence  ; — but  I 
must  now  return  to  Mussoorie, 

There  is  something  grim,  and  at  the  same  time 
fascinating,  in  this  wild  northern  aspect,  whilst  the 
scenery  in  the  opposite  direction  appears  tame  by  com- 
parison. On  this,  the  southern  side,  the  mountain, 
covered  with  pine  forests,  amongst  which  the  far-famed 
Deodar  {Cedrus  deodai'a),  descends  more  or  less 
suddenly,  though  seldom  in  precipices,  and  covered  with 
vegetation.  The  Mall,  about  a  coss  in  length,  some- 
thing like  the  Scotch  mile  and  a  bittock,  during  the 
season  crowded  with  ladies  and  gentlemen  in  jampauns 
(mountain    sedan    chairs)  or    on    horseback,   was  now 


THE    LEHRA    DOON.  83 

deserted,  but  nature  lost  none  of  its  chai-nis  by  their 
absence. 

Having  made  one  or  two  sketches  from  different 
points,  I  prepared  to  return  on  the  following  day,  when 
I  examined  the  slopes  more  at  my  leisure.  Gradually 
in  the  intervening  valleys,  and  in  sheltered  nooks, 
although  in  the  depth  of  the  cold  season,  vegetation 
became  more  varied,  and  many  old  acquaintances 
turned  up  in  the  way  of  shrubs  and  flowering  plants  ; 
indeed,  as  soon  as  warmer  weather  sets  in,  even  the 
bare  rocks  assume  a  gayer  aspect  by  the  appearance  of 
interloping  grass  patches.  Also  the  Alpine  flora  (so 
strangely  missing,  by  the  by,  in  the  Atlas  range)  is 
strongly  represented  by  primroses,  campanulse,  gen- 
tians, &c.  ;  and  one  of  the  prettiest  objects  here  is  the 
Judas  tree  {Cercis  siliguastrinn) ,  covered  with  rose- 
coloiu'ed  flowers  ;  also  tree-ferns,  and  a  great  variety 
of  rhododendrons,  grace  the  hillside. 

Beyond  and  below  lies  the  vast  expanse  of  open, 
broad  valleys,  which  are  those  of  the  Dehra  Doon, 
whence  this  time  I  took  a  more  easterly  route  to  join 
the  railway  at  Saharunpore,  by  which  I  saved  ten 
miles.  Once  more  I  turned  round  to  gaze  upon  the 
endless  succession  of  hills,  thousands  of  feet  high,  and 
as  many  silvery  streamlets  ;  then,  closing  my  eyes,  I 
soon  took  refuge  in  the  land  of  dreams  and  oblivion. 

G  2 


84  BENAllES. 

After  the  fatigue  of  the  previous  week,  I  was  not 
sorry  to  get  a  long  rest  in  the  comfortable  compart- 
ment of  the  East  Indian  railway,  which  admitted  of  a 
good  stretch  ;  and  after  a  journey  of  nineteen  hours,  I 
reached  Benares,  the  holy  city  of  the  Ganges,  remark- 
able for  the  bigotry  of  its  population,  Hindu,  as  well  as 
Mussulman,  about  one-fifth  belonging  to  the  latter 
faith  in  the  town,  and  only  one-tenth  in  the  country 
districts  ;  for,  although  the  Mohamedans  have  put  an 
end  to  the  supremacy  of  the  old  Brahminical  emperors, 
the  religion  of  Brahma  has  remained  unshaken  in 
India. 

The  position  of  Benares  is  decidedly  the  most 
picturesque  of  any  town  in  India.  The  river  here 
forms  a  curve,  and  from  it  rises  a  town  in  the  form  of 
an  amphitheatre,  approached  by  flights  of  stone  steps, 
called  ghats,  to  a  height  of  thirty  feet  and  more,  running 
along  with  continuous  breaks  for  nearly  three  miles. 
The  buildings  facing  the  river  are  mostly  temples  and 
palaces,  thickly  studded  with  domes  and  minarets, 
gilt  or  gaudily  coloured.  Upon  the  steps  there  are 
erected  shrines  of  every  variety,  filled  with  idols  ;  and 
here  and  there  the  scene  becomes  varied  by  funeral  piles 
where  the  Hindus  burn  their  dead,  and  throw  the 
ashes  into  the  sacred  river.  These  ghats  are  always 
crowded,  especially  in  the  morning,  with  devotees  in 


BENARES.  85 

every  variety  of  costume ;  the  most  conspicuous 
amongst  which  is  the  swaggering  Bengali,  moving 
along  majestically  under  the  shade  of  a  large  crimson 
umbrella,  carried  by  a  servant,  and  generally  accom- 
panied by  a  host  of  followers.  Fakirs  and  mendicants 
there  are  in  great  numbers,  and  men  and  women  of  all 
shades,  taking  a  dip  in  the  purifying  stream,  whilst 
prayers  and  incantations  are  being  pronounced  by  the 
priests.  Others,  having  completed  their  devotion,  sit 
under  a  coloured  awning,  gossiping  and  enjoying  their 
hooka. 

It  is  a  lively  scene  indeed,  and  not  easily  forgotten. 
The  best  view  is  from  the  river,  and  there  are  always 
plenty  of  boats  at  hand  to  have  a  row  up  and  down. 
Of  mosques  and  temples  there  are  hundreds  at  Benares, 
especially  of  the  latter.  They  are  mostly  small,  called 
"  Mut,"  but  there  is  certainly  one  imposing  mosque 
close  to  the  ghats.  It  was  built  by  Aurungzebe,  of 
red  sandstone,  and  from  its  lofty  minaret  there  is  an 
extensive  view  all  round. 

The  Brahmans,  a  very  wealthy  class,  bestow  large 
sums  upon  their  temples ;  and,  as  far  as  I  could  per- 
ceive, their  principal  ceremony  consists  of  the  pouring 
of  the  Ganges'  water  over  the  image  of  their  deity,  and 
decorating  it  with  wreaths  of  white  and  yellow  flowers  ; 
indeed,  this  seems  the  only  form  of  worship  observed. 


86  HINDU    RELIGION. 

and  a  stranger,  visiting  these  curious  places  of  piety, 
does  not  escape  without  a  similar  garland  being  thrown 
over  his  shoulders,  for  which  he  is  expected  to  dive 
into  his  pocket  and  produce  a  rupee,  and  those  who  are 
anxious  for  further  distinction  can  have  their  forehead 
marked  with  the  emblem  of  the  deity,  which  means 
another  rupee.  There  are  also  more  substantial  offer- 
ings made  by  the  believer  in  the  Hindu  Polytheism., 
but  if  the  gods  get  them,  the  Brahmans  take  care  they 
shall  not  keep  them. 

On  looking  at  the  architectural  works  of  India  of 
bygone  days,  they  are  almost  without  exception 
sacred  monuments  ;  religious  ideas,  contorted  as  they 
are,  govern  the  whole  life  of  the  Hindus  in  the  greatest 
as  well  as  in  the  smallest  matters — no  room  for  a  charge 
of  Erastianism  here  ;  according  to  their  extravagant 
superstition,  nothing  is  done  without  some  suj)ernatural 
agency.  The  Hindu  religion  presents  a  very  confused 
idea  of  doctrine,  at  first  (about  the  thirteenth  or 
fourteenth  century,  B.C.).  According  to  the  Veda, 
Brahm  was  God,  all  in  all,  the  personification  of  the 
elements,  the  world's  Creator,  Preserver  and  Destroyer, 
and  the  Hindus  believed  in  the  final  absorption  of 
their  spirit  into  Brahm  ;  so  far,  therefore,  their  religion 
was  clearly  Pantheism  ;  soon,  however,  he  became  the 
invisible  God,  and  his  attributes  were  represented  by 


HINDU    RELIGION.  87 

the  Triad  or  sub-deities,  Brahma,  Vishnu,  and  Seva ; — 
a  similar  system  existed  in  ancient  Egypt,  where,  how- 
ever, every  large  town  had  its  local  Triad  of  Gods, 
at  Memphis,  for  instance,  it  consisted  of  Phthah, 
Sakhet,  and  Tum ;  at  Thebes  of  Ammon-Ra,  Maut, 
and  Chonsu,  &c.  Once  upon  the  high  road  of  poly- 
theism, other  deities  and  so-called  incarnations  were 
soon  added  by  the  Hindu  priests,  and  certain  signs 
invented  to  brand  the  followers  of  each  of  the  gods 
of  their  Trinity.  Those  of  Brahma  have  a  black  line 
drawn  vertically  on  the  forehead  with  a  spot  in  the 
middle  | ;  Vishnuites  three  lines,  the  outer  ones  white, 
and  the  central  red  or  yellow  \  |  /  ;  and  Sevaites  three 
white  horizontal  lines  and  a  black  spot  in  the  centre  z±E- 
Fear  and  Hope  being  the  devotional  element  of  the 
Hindu  religion,  Vishnu,  the  Preserver,  and  Seva,  the 
Destroyer,  are  now  favourite  deities,  the  principal 
temple  of  pilgrimage  of  the  former  being  at  Jugger- 
nauth,  on  the  Orissa  coast,  and  that  of  the  latter  at 
Byjoonath,  in  Behar.  To  Juggernauth  the  pilgrims 
bring  offerings  of  food  and  money,  to  Byjoonath  water 
from  the  Gansfes.  Brahma  has  few  followers  now. 
Mahadeva,  as  Seva  is  usually  called,  has  of  late  years 
increased  his  influence,  and  is  plentifully  bathed,  es- 
pecially by  the  weaker  sex,  who  bring  water  for  the 
purpose  from  holy  springs  in  pretty  little  brass  chatties. 


88  HINDU    *    CASTES. 

(A  similar  cereimmy  existed  in  Greece  in  the  last  half 
of  the  fifth  century,  B.C.,  analogous  in  sentiment  as 
luell  as  solemnity  of  the  sacred  rite,  of  ivJtich  Grote 
relates — Vol.  vi.,  p.  368 — that  "at  Athens,  and  also  at 
Argos,  on  the  festival  of  Plynteria  the  statue  of  the 
goddess  Athene  was  stripped  of  all  its  ornaments,  and 
washed  or  bathed  under  a  mysterious  ceremonial  by 
appointed  priestesses  and  other  women  J' ) 

Transmio^ratlon  of  the  soul  is  one  of  the  tenets  of 
the  Hindus,  as  it  is  that  of  the  Buddhists,  with  a 
different  interpretation,  hovvevei',  as  to  its  ultimate 
fate,  or  rather  absorption,  as  will  be  seen  when  we 
come  to  discuss  Buddhism  in  Chapter  VI.  Another 
custom  of  the  former  is  to  tie  their  garments  on  the 
right  shoulder  like  the  Parsees,  in  opposition  to  the 
Mussulmen. 

The  institution  of  "  caste "  amongst  Hindus  is 
part  of  their  religion,  and  Europeans  residing  in 
India  suffer  much  from  it,  as  it  prevents  the  general 
usefulness  of  an  individual ;  every  man  can  only  follow 
a  certain  trade,  or  do,  touch,  and  eat  a  certain  thing, 
according  to  his  caste,  of  which  there  are  four  prin- 
cipal ones.  Firstly,  the  Brahmins,  or  priestly  class, 
the  highest  and  most  reverenced  of  all ;  secondly,  the 
Kshatriyas,  or  military  ;  thirdly,  the  Vaisyas,  or  hus- 
bandmen and  merchants  ;    and    fourthly,   the    Sudras, 


BENARES    CUSTOMS.  89 

or  artisans  and  labourers.  The  latter  or  lowest  caste 
can  only  be  employed  in  the  meanest  and  most  servile 
duties,  and  is  looked  upon  by  all  others  as  an  out- 
cast ;  he  dare  not  enter  the  hut  of  even  a  Vaisya, 
much  less  eat  vvdth  him.  It  is  this  system  of  caste, 
rather  than  the  effect  of  an  enervating  climate,  which 
necessitates  in  India  a  numerous  staff  of  servants. 
Mr.  Lewis  Kice,  in  his  excellent  "  Gazetteer  of  My- 
sore," published  in  1877,  gives  413  as  the  known 
number  of  castes. 

There  is  a  remarkable  difference  in  the  bearing 
of  a  Hindu  and  that  of  a  Mussulman ;  the  former  is 
commonly  fawning  and  obsequious,  seldom  looking 
you  in  the  face,  but  letting  his  eyes  wander  about, 
whilst  the  latter  is  always  quiet,  calm,  and  self- 
possessed  ;  the  former  is  as  licentious  as  the  latter  is  on 
the  whole  moral  and  sober. 

The  happiest  life  at  Benares  lead  the  cow  and  the 
monkey,  both  sacred  to  the  Brahman  ;  they  fill  street 
and  temple,  and  are  never  interfered  with  ;  they  are 
fed  and  tended,  and  no  one  would  think  of  giving  them 
a  kick,  even  on  the  sly,  to  get  them  to  move  out  of  his 
path. 

The  native  houses  at  Benares  are  mostly  painted 
on  the  outside  in  glaring  colours,  often  designing 
mythological   objects  as  gods,  or  brutes   with    several 


90  INDIAN    NAUTCll. 

heads,  arms,  or  legs ;  and  walking  along  the  narrow 
streets  one  meets  with  unceasing  sounds  of  discordant 
instruments  issuing  from  religious  institutions  and 
Hindu  temples. 

About  two  miles  from  the  town  is  the  little  village 
of  Secrote,  where  the  British  officials  reside,  and  the 
military  cantonment. 

The  bazaars  of  Benares  are  well  worth  a  visit,  for 
it  is  the  great  mart  for  shawls,  silks,  diamonds,  and 
a  particular  kind  of  brass-ware  handsomely  engraved, 
a  kind  of  intaglio,  and  much  superior  to  the  Moorish 
trays  and  nicknacks. 

The  mercantile  and  agricultural  classes  in  this 
province  are  said  to  be  wealthy,  of  which  one  notices 
many  indications  ;  and  sugar,  opium,  and  indigo 
factories  are  numerous. 

Before  leaving  Benares,  it  fell  to  my  lot  to  witness 
a  grand  nautch,  which,  to  my  mind,  did  in  no  respect 
come  up  to  those  I  had  seen  in  Upper  Egypt,  where 
good  features  and  faultless  figures,  picturesque  posing 
and  grouping,  and  harmonious  music,  although  quaint, 
form  an  agreeable  supplement  to  the  actual  dancing  or 
graceful  movements  of  the  body.  The  dancing  syrens 
I  saw  in  India  are  as  a  rule  plain-looking,  and  their 
performance  consists  of  eel-like  sideling,  moving  their 
arms  gently  round  the  head  and  arranging,  displacing 


PATNA THE    WAllABEES.  91 

and  rearranging  their  drapery,  which  is  always  as 
gaudy  as  colour  and  tinsel  will  make  it, — their  ears, 
noses,  arms  and  ankles  are  encumbered  with  rings  and 
glass  jewels.  The  natives  are  very  fond  of  nautches, 
and  pay  the  actors  handsomely  for  the  display  of  their 
art. 

Twenty-five  years  ago  travellers  for  Calcutta  had 
to  make  the  Ganges  their  highway  and  proceed 
thither  by  the  budgerow,  a  clumsy  rowing  boat, 
carrying  sail,  with  a  high  poop -deck.  They  had 
the  opportunity  of  seeing  much  pretty  scenery,  study- 
ing the  character  of  natives  and  doing  a  little  shikar - 
ring  or  sketching  en  roiite  according  to  their  taste 
and  inclination  ;  now  all  the  poetry  of  such  a  journey 
is  lost  by  the  introduction  of  railways,  one  is  hurried 
along  and  lias  little  more  than  a  glimpse  of  the 
country.  We  stopped  an  hour  at  Dinapore,  of  unenvi- 
able notoriety  as  those  will  remember  who  have  followed 
the  events  of  the  mutiny,  and  ten  miles  farther  we 
reached  Patna  with  its  ghats  and  temples,  a  small 
— very  small — edition  of  Benares  without  the  latter's 
life  and  w^ealth.  The  soil  of  this  district  is  fertile, 
rice  and  poppy  grow  in  abundance,  and  a  variety 
of  palm  trees  enliven  the  aspect  of  its  extensive 
plains. 


92  THK    WAHABEES. 

It  was  here,  at  Patna,  in  the  centre  of  the  rich 
province  of  Bahar,  where,  at  the  outbreak  of  the 
mutiny  in  1857,  the  Wahabees,  a  fanatical  sect  of 
Puritan  Mohamedans,  were  the  arch -intriguers,  and 
it  was  fortunate  indeed  for  the  Government,  tliat 
in  Mr.  WilHam  Taylor,  the  Commissioner  of  the 
district,  it  possessed  one  of  its  most  sagacious  and 
energetic  servants.  He,  as  soon  as  he  had  discovered 
the  plot,  without  hesitation  arrested  the  chief  Mulvis 
of  the  sect,  whom  he  placed  under  supervision,  not- 
withstanding the  favour  they  stood  in  with  the 
Lieutenant-Governor  of  Bengal.  They  were  event- 
ually tried,  convicted,  and  sentenced  to  be  hanged, 
but  the  High  Commissioner  commuted  the  sentence 
to  imprisonment  for  life  on  the  Andaman  Islands. 
Here  Ahmed.- Ulla,  one  of  them,  was  under  nominal 
confinement  when  Lord  Mayo  was  assassinated  by  a 
Mohamedan, — and  only  the  year  before,  in  1871,  the 
Chief  Justice  of  Calcutta  had  been  stabbed  by  a 
Wahabee  fanatic  on  the  steps  of  his  own  court ! 
Colonel  Meadows  Taylor,  author  of  the  "  Story  of 
my  Life,"  mentions  an  earlier  case  of  the  murderous 
excesses  of  the  sect  in  Southern  India,  where  in  1833, 
a  horrible  jolot,  said  to  have  been  of  their  contrivance, 
was  discovered  to  kill  all  Europeans  at  Bangalore  and 
sell  the  women  as  slaves. 


CALCUTTA.  9S 

At  an  early  hour  on  a  very  cold  morning  I  found 
myself  crossing  the  Hooghly  in  a  steamer  for  Calcutta, 
speculating  upon  the  comfort  I  should  enjoy  at 
Wilson's  or  Spencer's  large  hotel,  but  alas  I  my 
thoughts  had  been  wasted,  for  both  were  full,  and 
it  was  only  after  an  hour's  search  that  I  secured 
rooms  at  a  lodging  house.  My  first  ca.re  was  to  find 
out  how,  when  and  where  I  should  proceed  on  leaving 
the  Bengal  capital,  the  city  of  palaces  and  whatever 
other  appellation  people  give  it,  since  it  did  not 
take  me  long  to  discover  that  it  was  not  a  place  of 
my  abiding  longer  than  absolutely  necessary. 

I  had  Burmah  in  my  mind,  with  distant  visions  of 
Mandalay  and  Bhamo,  but  friends  dissuaded  me  from 
going  there,  "  nothing  to  be  seen  and  steamers 
uncomfortable,"  and  very  sorry  I  am  to  this  day  that 
I  listened  to  the  croakers,  especially  since  reading 
Lieutenant-General  Fytche's  interesting  account  of  the 
country.  Next  I  thought  of  visiting  the  famous 
"  Black  Pagoda "  and  the  temple  of  Juggernauth 
at  Puri,  good  specimens  of  the  Indo-Aryan  style,  dis- 
tinguished by  its  square  ground-plan  and  curvilinear 
sikra  or  tower  ;  they  are  about  three  hundred  miles 
down  the  coast,  but  here  again  I  was  baffled  "  no 
direct  steam  communication,"  and  on  learning  that 
there  were  similar  pagodas  in  the  Madras  presidency. 


94  CAJ.CUTTA. 

I  secured  a  passage  in  the  French  steamer  "  Meinam  " 
to  start  for  Madras  in  the  course  of  the  following 
week. 

Of  Calcutta  I  have  very  little  to  say — everybody 
lias  heard  of  the  black  hole  of  1756,  and  the  horrible 
sufferings  which  only  few  survived.  The  town  differs 
but  little  from  any  other  of  similar  size  in  Ein^ope  ;  it 
has  its  Viceregal  palace  of  considerable  architectural 
pretensions,  a  park — rather  bare,  and  not  like  an 
English  park — containing  a  number  of  large  tanks,  and 
some  fine  broad  roads  called  the  "  Course,"  where  the 
fashionable  world  take  their  airing  about  sunset,  stared 
at  by  a  fraction  of  the  lower  classes.  Here  is  a  string 
of  elegant  and  well-appointed  carriages,  each  accom- 
panied by  three  or  four  servants  in  Indian  livery, 
white  coat  and  trousers, with  coloured  sash  and  turban; 
there  a  wealthy  Mohamedan  in  a  showy  sort  of 
dressing  gown  and  white  or  green  turban,  luxuriously 
reclining  in  an  old-fashioned  barouche ;  again  a  large 
carriage  crammed  full  of  a  Hindu  family,  the  men  in 
white,  a  shawl  thrown  over  the  shoulder  and  an  em- 
broidered skull  cap  on  their  heads,  giving  them  a  very 
rakish  appearance,  the  women  all  rings  and  tinsel,  but 
their  servants  often  dress  even  more  absurdly.  One 
of  these  carriages  passed  me,  with  a  coachman  seated 
on  a  scarlet  hammercloth,  the  very  counterpart  of  those 


GARDENS    OF    CALCUTTA.  95 

one  still  occasionally  sees  in  Hyde  Park,  decked  out 
in  a  lieavy  blue  cloth  cloak,  with  a  triple  cape  in 
broad  stripes  of  scarlet  and  gold,  and  a  chimney- 
pot hat  sporting  a  cockade.  Presently  there  is  a 
general  move,  and,  lo  and  behold !  the  viceregal 
party  in  a  landau  with  escort,  all  in  scarlet  on  snow 
white  horses,  heave  in  sight ;  there  is  a  great  stir 
amongst  the  carriages  as  well  as  equestrians,  of  whom 
there  is  a  goodly  show,  but  all  unnecessary,  for  off 
they  go  in  another  direction,  a  very  pretty  sight  as 
they  wind  round  to  the  other,  side  and  gradually 
disappear. 

Another  day  I  visited  the  botanical  garden,  which  is 
really  very  pretty ;  in  it  the  flora  of  India  is  well  repre- 
sented, and  there  is  plenty  of  running  water  to  moisten 
the  thirsty  soil ;  also  a  Chinese  pagoda  in  carved  black- 
wood  of  seven  stor!^,  with  the  usual  gilt  ornament  on  A^^^'^y 
the  top,  which  from  a  distance  resembles  a  pope's 
tiara.  Gas  lamps  illuminate  the  garden  after  sunset, 
and  a  military  band  strikes  up,  much  to  the  relief  of 
ayahs  and  children  ;  meanwhile,  the  moon  rises,  and 
those  who  crave  for  food  jog  home  to  enjoy  a  good 
dinner,  much  aided  by  the  flapping  of  a  punkah. 
Indian  cooks,  as  a  rule,  know  how  to  tempt  the 
appetite ;  excepting  only  the  French  artiste,  there  is 
no  better  cook  in  the  world. 


90  PASSAGE    TO    MADRAS. 

Calcutta  is  famous  for  its  fine  gardens  stretching 
for  miles  down  the  Hooghly,  and  mostly  belonging  to 
native  princes ;  the  ex-king  of  Oude's  are  very 
extensive,  also  containing  a  menagerie  ;  those  of 
Scindiah,  Gwalior's  ruler,  were  likewise  very  beautiful, 
and  there  is  some  gossiping  notoriety  attached 
to  the  latter  relating  to  a  little  incident  that  happened 
on  the  eve  of  the  mutiny,  when  a  garden  fete,  to 
which  Scindiah  had  invited  the  Governor- General  and 
all  the  principal  Europeans,  was  opportunely,  or,  as 
many  people  have  it,  providentially,  put  a  stop  to  by  a 
violent  thunderstorm.  Over-sensitive  people  afterwards 
talked  much  of  an  intended  wholesale  murder  of  the 
English  guests,  and  subsequent  proclamation  of 
Scindiah  as  Emperor  of  India,  whilst  the  latter's 
loyalty  to  the  British  Government,  like  that  of  Holkar, 
the  Guikwar,  and  the  Nizam,  has  become  matter 
of  history. 


I  have  frequently  travelled  by  the  French  Messagerie 
boats,  and  cannot  speak  too  highly  of  the  capital 
accommodation  and  excellent  table  they  provide.  The 
"  Meinam "  was  no  exception,  and  her  commandant, 
a  most  pohshed  "  merle  hlanc  "  (white  blackbird),  as 
the   French    slang    terms    an  out-and-out  gentleman. 


MADRAS.  97 

In    Indian    parlance,   by-the-bye,   anything  perfect    is 
called  pncka  ;  one  hears  people  speak  of  pucka  girls, 
as  well  as  a  pucka  horse  or  pucka  cigars.     Tlie  com- 
pany on    board    was   exceedingly    agreeable,    and   the 
time    passed    quickly ;    there    was   a    Col.    H.,    Com- 
missioner   for    the     Suppression    of     Thuggism     and 
Dacoytism,  full  of  tales  relating   to  exploits  of  that 
plundering  cut-throat  fraternity  ;    Col.   E,.,  talking  of 
his  hill  life ;  a   Belgian  Consul-General  and  Madame, 
both    attentive   listeners  ;    a    dapper   little    Irishman, 
making  everyone  laugh  with  his  hyperbolical  sporting 
adventures,  and  many  others,  each  adding  his  mite  to 
the  general  fund  of  conversation,  whilst  the  frolics  of  a 
clever   black   ape,   belonging  to   the   Captain,   further 
helped  to  amuse  the  passengers. 

Early  on  the  fourth  day  we  found  ourselves  in  the 
open  roadstead  of  Madras,  and  the  weather  being 
somewhat  boisterous,  the  landing  in  a  massulah,  a 
large  deep  surf  boat,  was  by  no  means  pleasant ; 
the  latter  are  made  of  planks  stitched  together  with 
leather  thongs  so  as  to  be  light,  and  at  the  same  time 
yielding  when  struck  by  a  sea. 

The  feature  of  Madras  is  its  polygon  fort,-  "  St. 
George,"  built  in  1639  ;  the  natives  reside  in  the  so- 
called  Black- town,  which  also  contains  the  offices  of 
merchants  and  bazaars,  a  few  temples,   tanks,  and  a 

H 


08  MADRAS     IIOSI'ITAI/ITY. 

IjiTge  mosque.  Id  tlie  suburbs  is  a  people's  park  and 
wild  beasts,  here  also  ai-e  the  palatial  residences  of 
tlie  Europeans;  walls,  verandahs  and  pillars  covered 
with  Madras  chunam,  which  ^-ives  them  the  appear- 
ance of  fine  marble.  There  are  excellent  broad  roads 
ill  every  direction,  and  to  judge  from  the  number  of 
elegant  carriages  rolling  along  in  the  afternoon,  one 
would  imagine  that  there  must  be  considerable  wealth 
in  the  place.  There  is  also  a  chib,  one  of  the  best  in 
India,  and  during  the  cool  season  private  theatricals 
are  the  rage.  Here  I  saw  "  Nothing  venture,  nothing 
win"  capitally  performed  by  officers  of  the  17th 
Lancers.  The  races,  likewise,  take  place  there,  and 
all  these  are  matters  to  talk  about.  On  reaching 
Madras  I  had  the  good  luck  to  be  invited  to  stay 
with  a  friend  at  one  of  the  best  appointed  establish- 
ments ;  a  comfortable  West-end  brougham  covered  all 
over  with  white  quilting,  the  very  sight  of  which  made 
one  forget  the  tremendous  heat,  took  me  to  its  desti- 
nation. On  alighting  I  fovmd  the  ample  verandah, 
which  for  blinds  had  chicks  or  tattees,  made  ot 
split  bamboo,  hung  between  the  pillars,  thronged  with 
white  robed  domestics,  some  dusting,  others  pulling 
the  punkahs,  cleaning  the  lamps,  moving  chairs,  etc., 
and  in  one  corner  there  were  a  couple  of  tailors 
squatting  on  the  cool  mosaic  intent  upon  a  shirt  front 


CONJEVERAM.  90 

or  a  ball  dress,  for  all  I  knew  to  tlie  contrary.  At 
dinner  there  was  generally  company,  and  a  recherche 
menu  of  delicacies  ;  in  fact,  during  the  week  I  spent 
with  my  friend  I  undoubtedly  found  myself  in  clover  : 
a  carriage  was  always  at  my  disposal,  and  I  never  had 
occasion  to  feel  hot,  for  whenever  I  moved  from  one 
seat  to  another,  or  from  a  room  to  the  verandah,  at 
once  its  respective  punkah  was  set  in  motion ;  even 
during  the  night  it  continued  its  function,  and  finding 
the  constant  fanning  inconvenient,  I,  with  the  greatest 
difficulty,  stopped  it  by  grasping  it  tight  with  both  my 
hands.  These  punkah  wallahs,  at  night,  frequently 
fall  asleep  during  their  monotonous  occupation,  when 
people  requiring  their  services  wake  them  by  emptying 
a  jug  of  water  over  their  head  through  the  open 
window.  There  is,  however,  one  custom  that  ought 
to  be  abolished,  that  is  the  final  salaming  on  the  pr.rt 
of  all  the  domestics  of  the  establishment,  from  the 
butler  to  the  sweeper,  with  a  view  of  receiving  a  rupee, 
which  no  guest  can  escape  ;  from  the  moment  you  have 
swallowed  your  last  meal  they  waylay  you  at  every 
step  until  you  depart. 

About  fifty  miles  south-west  of  Madras  is  the  pretty 
town  of  Conjeveram,  celebrated  for  its  silk  manufac- 
tories and  temples,  moreover  familiar  to  Anglo-Indians 

H  2 


100  OONJEVERAM. 

as  the  base  of  Lord  Olive's  operations,  during  his 
successful  campaign  against  Arcot  in  1751,  six  years 
before  he  won  the  battle  of  Plassey,  the  two  greatest 
events  in  the  history  of  India  of  tlie  last  century. 
Also  our  fight  at  Conjeveram  in  1780,  against  the 
forces  of  Hyder  Ali,  will  be  remembered  by  those 
versed  in  Indian  history. 

The    country  we    passed   through   is  flat   but    well 
wooded ;    teak,   with  its   large    ragged   leaves,  acacia 
and  mango  trees  there  are  in  abundance,  also  the  tulip 
tree  and  the   portia ;   and   birds    of    every   variety  of 
plumage,    including     the     prettily    marked    florikan 
(Syphrotides   auritus),    so    much    appreciated    by  the 
aourmets  of  Madras.     The  extensive  rice  fields,  swarm- 
nig  with  white  ibis,  and  innumerable  w^omen  weeding, 
clothed  in    bright   red    and  yellow  sarees,  a  kind    of 
tunic,  bangles  on  wrists  and  ankles,  presented  a  very 
lively  scene,  and  one  not  easily  forgotten.     The  men  in 
tnese  country  districts  seldom    encumber    themselves 
much  with  dress,  a  dhotee  or  loin  cloth,  and  turban, 
complete  their  toilet. 

On  reaching  Conjeveram,  my  khidmatgar  or  butler, 
who  had  accompanied  me,  produced  from  the  recesses 
of  his  tifiin  basket  a  most  acceptable  breakfast,  cold 
cnicken  and  other  delicacies,  to  be  washed  down  by 
Liehfrauenmilchy  and  a  No,  1  Trichinopoli  by  way  of  a 


TEMPLES    OF  CONJEVERAM.  101 

digestive,  whilst  he  appeased  his  own  appetite  with  a 
draught  of  cool  water  from  his  lotah.  After  this 
important  operation,  which  took  place  under  the 
friendly  shade  of  a  large  mango  tree,  I  strolled  through 
the  town,  consisting  of  fine  broad  streets  and  neat 
little  houses,  all  decorated  with  yellow  and  white 
stripes,  and  carved  pillars  supporting  the  verandah  ; 
here  the  natives  sat  in  groups  weaving  silk  and  cotton. 
There  were  no  beggars  or  other  disagreeable  sights  so 
common  in  Indian  towns  ;  all  was  clean  and  pleasant 
to  the  eye,  and  the  people  seemed  happy  and  content. 
Of  the  old  town,  which  a  thousand  years  ago  had  been 
the  capital  of  the  once  powerful  kingdom  of  Chola, 
during  its  short  existence  of  150  years,  not  a  vestige 
remains,  excepting  its  religious  monuments.  The  day 
was  oppressively  hot,  and  I  had  to  walk  quite  a  mile 
in  one  direction,  and  twice  that  in  another,  to  the 
celebrated  temples.  They  are  the  largest  I  have  so 
far  seen,  and  no  one  ought  to  leave  the  Presidency 
without  paying  them  a  visit ;  but  strange  enough  I 
have  met  very  few  travellers  who  had  even  heard  of 
their  existence. 

The  first  I  came  to,  dedicated  to  Seva,  was  built 
between  the  tenth  and  twelfth  century,  the  most 
renowned  period  of  the  Chalukyas  dynasty,  which 
latter,   with  its  capital,  KuUianee,  about  forty  miles 


102  TEMl'LE    ARCJHITKCTURK. 

from  Nuldroog,  had  endured,  within  largei-  <)]•  smaller 
boundaries,  since  the  middle  of  the  tln'rd  century, 
when,  about  a.d.  1200,  it  was  succeeded  l)y  rulers  of 
the  Bahmany  dynasty,  noted  for  their  erections  of 
massive  forts,  many  of  which  are  still  existing,  and  it 
was  not  until  1480  that  the  district  came  under  the 
dominion  of  the  kings  of  Beejapoor.  But  we  must 
now  return  to  the  temj^les  we  came  to  see — an  open 
gateway,  consisting  of  four  stone  columns,  supporting 
a  plain  entablature,  stands  some  distance  in  advance 
of  the  strong  wall  which  surrounds  the  whole  group, 
accessible  by  an  enormous  pyramidal  porch  called 
"  Go'pura"  so  well  known  in  connection  with  places  of 
Hindu  worship.  The  latter  has  nine  tiers,  each  of 
them  open  in  the  centre  ;  built  of  granite,  black 
from  age,  and  its  entire  height  must  be  upwards  of  a 
hundred  feet.  The  space  within,  covering  several 
acres  of  ground,  has  on  the  right  some  ordinary  build- 
ings, reserved  for  the  use  of  the  priests,  and  a  college  ; 
beyond  those,  again  surrounded  by  an  inner  wall,  is 
the  temple  itself,  or  "  Vwi&na,''  polygonal  or  star-shaped 
of  really  noble  jDroportions,  surmounted  by  three  of 
those  lofty  towers,  similar  in  size  and  form  to  that 
over  the  entrance,  and  richly  ornamented  throughout. 
The  sides  of  the  steps  leading  up  to  the  temple  are 
carved,  representing  elephants  drawing  a  chariot,  and 


i!f 


SWINGING    FESTIVAL.  103 

tlie  interior  is  approached  by  the  "  Mantapas,"  a  kind  of 
portico,  which  always  covers  and  precedes  the  door 
leading  to  the  cell  ;  besides  there  are  several  pillared 
halls,  called  "  Choultries,''  used  for  various  purposes  ; 
l)ut  the  mysterious  adytum  or  inner  cell  is  kept  in 
utter  darkness,  excepting  a  small  light  faintly  illu- 
minating the  image  of  the  God,  which  seems  ever  so 
far  off,  and  here  no  Christian  is  allowed  to  enter. 
There  is  also  a  very  large  tank  within  the  enclosure, 
steps  leading  down  to  the  water's  edge  and  bathing 
booths  and  shrines  around.  On  the  other  side  a 
platform,  raised  several  feet,  and  supporting  one 
liundred  granite  columns,  covered  with  carvings 
representing  the  exploits  of  their  gods,  and  in  theii* 
midst  rises  a  large  throne  of  the  same  material,  where 
Mahadeva  is  placed  during  the  festival.  In  front  of 
the  temple  there  is  a  tall  gilt  column  for  the  display 
of  manly  fortitude  in  the  service  of  the  deity  ;  here, 
on  the  Churuk  Puja,  or  swinging  festival,  now 
abolished,  fanatics  had  a  hook  passed  through  their 
skin  at  the  small  of  the  back,  and  allowed  themselves 
to  be  swung  round  and  round,  the  i-eal  support,  how- 
ever, being  the  kumarbund  or  waistband  ;  besides 
there  is  quite  a  labyrinth  of  columns  and  pavilions,  and 
on  feast  days  the  scsne  is  said  to  be  very  imposing. 
Of  course  every  temple  has  its  band  of  musicians  and 


1.04  PROCESSION    OF    VISHNU. 

dancing  girls.  In  the  accompanying  sketch  (Plate  V.) 
I  have  endeavoured  to  convey  some  idea  of  this  extra- 
ordinary group,  and  I  only  regret  that  the  space  at  my 
disposal  does  not  admit  of  giving  a  more  complete  view 
of  the  temple-buildings. 

The  other  temple,  to  which  I  was  accompanied  by  a 
score  of  little  Indians  through  an  avenue  of  cocoanut 
palms,  which  somewhat  shaded  me  from  the  broiling 
sun,  is  dedicated  to  Vishnu,  and  varied  but  little  in  its 
construction  from  the  one  just  described,  excepting 
that  it  was  even  larger.  It  so  happened  that  Vishnu 
was  more  complacent  and  held  a  feast  on  the  very  day 
of  my  visit ;  the  street  leading  to  the  entrance  was 
gaily  dressed  in  flags  and  festoons  of  flowers,  and  the 
ponderous  chariot,  on  which  the  god  was  to  take  an 
airing,  stood  ready  in  front  of  the  Vimana,  the  crowd 
shouting  Ram  !  Ram  !  but  I  had  not  time  to  wait  his 
pleasure,  and  was  content  to  witness  the  arrival  of  the 
chief  priest,  an  old  man,  his  forehead  besmeared  with 
ashes,  dressed  in  purple  silk  and  gold,  a  gilt  tiara  on 
his  shaky  head,  and  borne  aloft  in  a  golden  palki,  in 
shape  resembling  a  shell.  He  was  marshalled  by  two 
elephants  gorgeously  caparisoned,  three  small  cows 
with  gilded  horns  mounted  by  men  beating  the  tom- 
tom, by  his  own  horse  led  and  surrounded  by  a  crowd 
of  shouting  natives,   some  carrying  what    looked    like 


PONDICHERRY.  105 

large  cymbals  suspended  from  bamboo  poles,  others 
tall,  bright-coloured  umbrellas  and  banners.  Presently 
another  palankeen,  this  time  of  silver,  made  its  appear- 
ance, bearing  a  bilious-looking  youth,  got  up  like  his 
superior  and  similarly  attended.  It  was  a  curious 
sight,  and  altogether  I  felt  well  satisfied  with  my 
day's  work. 

By  the  time  I  reached  Madras  the  hedges  were 
brilliantly  alive  with  fire  flies,  and  as  I  turned  into  my 
host's  gates  I  heard  the  gong  sound  within,  which 
called  up  visions  of  a  pleasant  repast,  not  at  all  to  be 
despised  after  the  fatigues  of  the  day. 

A  few  days  later  a  friend  of  mine  being  about  to 
start  on  a  short  trip  to  Pondicherry,  persuaded  me  to 
join  him,  and  I  was  glad  of  the  opportunity,  as  the  sea 
voyage  would  be  pleasant  during  the  hot  weather  we 
were  then  enduring,  and  so  we  found  it.  We 
approached  the  shore  of  the  little  French  colony  just 
in  time  to  witness  a  grand  sunset,  throwing  a  peculiar 
crimson  glow  over  the  whole  sky  and  reflecting  the  same 
tint,  instead  of  the  orthodox  golden  light,  all  along  the 
coastline,  studded  with  houses  and  palm  trees.  There 
is  nothing  remarkable  about  the  town  ;  it  is  exceedingly 
clean,  possesses  a  large  church  and  a  fine  Governor's 
residence  and  garden.  I  believe  there  are  only  two  or 
three   carriages   in  the    colony,   and   very   few  horses ; 


106 


PONDICHERRY. 


people  go  about  in  a  Push- Push,  a  soi't  of  lai-ge  peraini)U- 
lator  with  an  awning'.  pi()[)elle(l  from  behind  by  one  or 


two  natives.  The  "  Galle  "  steamer  picked  us  up  on 
the  following  morning,  and  we  had  a  jolly  run  back  to 
Madras,  occupying  nine  hours. 


CHAPTER   V. 

Ban(;alore— The  Neilghekkiks — The  State  of  Mysore — Hassan — 
Beltir — Life  on  a  Coffee-Plantation — Flora  anp  Fauna — 
The  Stjkali  Gipst  Tribe — Natia^e  Sacrifice — Coffee  Harvest 
— The  Bundh  Ghaut — Mangalore — Fain  Temple — British 
Administkation  of  India. 

Anxious  to  see  more  of  Southern  India,  and  hearing 
such  glowing  accounts  of  the  hilly  region  of  Mysore, 
I  determined  to  travel  right  across  by  way  of  Bangalore 
and  down  the  western  Ghaut  to  Mangalore,  whence 
there  is  a  regular  steamboat  communication  with 
C-eylon. 

After   a   comfortable   night's  journey   in   a  sort  ot 
sleeping  car,  Ave  reached  the  Bangalore  railway  station 


108  BANGALORE 

at  an  early  hour,  and  1  di-ove  at  once  to  the  Cubboii 
hotel,  kept  by  Mr.  Brown,  one  of  the  best  hotels  in 
India,  consisting  of  a  group  of  bungalows.  Most 
luxuriantly  housed  and  fed,  and  with  kind  friends  in 
the  town,  I  should  be  ungrateful  indeed  if  I  did  not 
acknowledge  Bangalore  to  be  tlie  Eldorado  of  Southern 
India ;  nay,  I  honestly  think  it  is.  There  are  no 
wonderful  monuments  here,  either  religious  or  secular, 
but  the  European  element  is  strongly  represented,  both 
military  and  civil,  who  vie  with  each  other  in  providing 
amusements  of  every  kind,  and  whose  hospitality  is 
proverbial. 

This,  the  capital  of  Mysore,  is  essentially  a  handsome 
town,  each  resident  living,  Indian  fashion,  in  his  own 
bungalow,  surrounded  by  a  garden  and  compound, 
which  latter  includes  stables  and  outhouses.  The 
natives  have  their  own  quarter,  the  "  Pettah,"  quite 
distinct  and  some  distance  from  the  former  ;  there  a 
lively  trade  is  carried  on  in  all  kinds  of  goods,  but  the 
principal  manufactories  are  those  of  silk  and  cotton 
cloth,  called  sari,  for  the  adornment  of  native  women, 
and  of  carpets,  which,  although  not  equal  to  the  Vellore 
make,  notoriously  the  best  in  India,  are  strong  and 
of  good  pattern.  Beyond  the  Pettah  is  the  old  fort, 
kept  in  tolerable  condition  ;  it  includes  the  arsenal  and 
the  ruins  of  an  old  palace. 


Plate  VI 


IRRIGA  TION    ELE VA  TOR. 
p.  log. 


MODEL  FARM  AT  BANGALORE.  109 

Kaces  and  tournaments,  polo,  archery,  cricket,  lawn 
tennis,  and  golf,  are  only  a  few  of  the  afternoon  entei'- 
tainments,  generally  accompanied  by  the  music  of  a 
military  band,  and  giving  plenty  opportunity  for 
harmless  flirtation  and  hilarity.  Dinner  and  garden 
parties,  as  well  as  balls,  are  likewise  of  frequent 
occurrence,  and  when  the  hot  season  approaches,  those 
who  can  get  away  take  flight  to  the  Neilgherry 
hills. 

Bangalore  sports  a  model  farm,  which  is  irrigated  by 
means  of  an  ingenious  apparatus  (Plate  VT.),  made  of 
bamboo,  the  "shaloof "  of  the  ancient,  as  well  as  modern, 
Egyptians.  I  very  much  fear,  however,  that  this  farm 
is  doomed  to  have  its  useful  career  cut  short  by  the 
present  mania  for  economy.  Here  I  also  saw  a  niost 
primitive  oil  mill,  the  "checkoo,"  consisting  of  a  clumsy 
wooden  mortar  and  a  pestle  driven  by  oxen.  The 
latter  belonged  to  the  famous  Mysore  breed,  the 
"  Amrut  Mahal,"  splendid  large  fawn-coloured  animals. 

A  small  village  separates  the  farm  from  the  "  Lal- 
bagh,"  the  finest  botanical  garden  in  India,  which 
does  full  justice  to  its  manager,  Mr.  Cameron. 

A  long  avenue  of  Portia  trees  (TJiespasia  populona) 
covered  with  handsome  yellow  funnel-shaped  flowers, 
leads  to  its  entrance  gates,  and  within  there  is  a  splendid 


110  LAL-BAGH    AT    BANGALORE. 

show  of  trees,  shrubs,  and  flowering  plants,  ferns  and 
orchids,  and  a  charming  border-edging  of  lilac  Plumbago 
(Statice  armeria)  ;  indeed,  owing  to  its  situation 
within  the  tropics,  combined  with  an  elevation  which 
gives  it  a  temperate  climate,  Mysore  boasts  of  an 
uncommonly  rich  and  varied  flora.  At  a  flower  show 
held  during  my  stay,  there  was  a  splendid  collection 
of  variegated  leaves  of  the  genus  Croton  and  Caladium, 
nnd  fine  specimens  of  the  bright  red  Poinsettia  and 
Amaranthus.  As  foi'  creepers  and  climbers,  I  do  not 
think  even  Ceylon  produces  a  greater  variety:  there 
was  the  lliunhergia  laurifolia,  and  the  Bougainvillea 
spectahilis,  both  purple  ; — the  Acanthus  {hexacentris) 
rosea,  flower  fox-brown,  growing  in  spikes ; — the  pink 
Antigonon; — the  blue  Jack  Beaumontia; — the  Bignonia 
venusta,  a  cluster  of  pale-amber  pendants  ; — the  scarlet 
Pyvoria ; — the  yellow  Bonetia  ; — half-a-dozen  kinds 
of  Passijiora;  and  I  might  add  scores  of  others  of 
equally  great  beauty.  The  Sebestan  plum  (Cordia 
^sehestina),  grows  here  to  great  perfection ;  it  is  a 
handsome  pyramidal  ti"ee,  eight  to  twelve  feet  high, 
producing  bunches  of  opaque-amber  coloured  flowers  ; — 
the  Hibiscus  syriacus,  white  corolla  with  purple  centre ; 
also  the  Alamanda  grandiflora,  sometimes  seen  in 
green-houses  in  England,  a  shrub  with  large  yellow, 
funnel-shaped  flowers  ; — the  Ixora  hutea; — the  elegant 


BUNGALOW.  1 1  I 

Indian  rubber  tree  (Ficus  elastica)  with  its  thick,  glossy 
leaves ; — the  Exile  tree  {Thevetia  neriifolia)  of  the  Caout- 
chouc family,  a  tall  tree  of  bright  pale  green  foliage, 
its  grass-like  leaves  gracefully  hangiDg  down,  h  lafranye 
d'epaulette,  and  full  of  milky  juice  ;  its  yellow  flowers 
of  periwinkle  shape,  and  its  fruit,  smooth  greenish 
balls,  nearly  an  inch  in  diameter — and  hundreds  of 
others.  Mr.  Cameron  kindly  made  up  a  parcel  of  seeds 
for  me,  some  forty  different  creepers,  many  of  which 
are  now  flourishing  in  a  garden  near  Florence. 

No  town  in  India,  not  even  excepting  Lucknow, 
had  pleased  me  as  much  as  Bangalore,  and  being  in 
no  hurry  whatever  to  return  to  Europe  I  decided 
upon  remaining  here  for  the  next  few  months,  and 
taking  a  trip  to  the  Neilgherries  during  the  hot  season, 
in  order  to  see  them  in  all  their  natural  and  social 
charms,  besides  escaping  the  South-westerly  monsoon, 
which  makes  travelling  almost  an  impossibility  in 
the  Mysore  hills,  rivers  and  ghauts  then  becoming 
impassible.  I  found  little  difliculty  in  securing  a  com- 
fortable bungalow,  near  the  Lal-bagh,  at  the  moderate 
rent  of  seventy-five  rupees  per  month,  and  Abdel 
Khader,  of  the  tribe  of  Israel,  and  a  well-known  fur- 
nisher, for  another  twenty-five  rupees  supplied  not  only 
elegant  and  good  furniture,   but  also  every  requisite 


112  THE    NKIL(iHKilI!IKS. 

in  the  shape  of  china,  ghxss,  cutlery,  and  kitchen 
utensils.  Living  at  Bangaloi-e  is  not  expensive,  and 
the  hire  of  a  carriage  and  pair,  including  coachman 
and  groom,  is  only  150  rupees  per  month.  Every 
morning  I  strolled  down  to  the  Botanical  garden, 
which  seemed  to  produce  fresh  flowers  with  a  mar- 
vellous rapidity,  and  it  was  impossible  to  tire  of  those 
shady  avenues  of  palms  and  other  fine  trees,  or  of  the 
pretty  hedges  of  scarlet  hibiscus.  Besides,  there  is 
quite  a  menagerie  of  wild  beasts  in  strong  iron  cages, 
from  a  rhinoceros  and  lion,  down  to  a  little  kingfisher, 
which  I  liked  to  watch  during  feeding  time. 

The  Neilgherries    (Nilgiris,    new    spelling)   or    Blue 
Mountains,  are  now  reached   in  comparative  comfort, 
and  it  is  only  the  latter  portion,  the  climbing  to  the 
summit  of  the  gorge,  which  has  to  be  done  on  a  pony, 
on    foot,  or  in  a  palki.     Although  there  are  nearly  a 
dozen    hotels    at    Uty,    besides    a    great    number    of 
bungalows  nestling  among  tree-covered  terraces,  there 
is  difficulty  in  securing  a  bed  during  the  hot  season, 
unless  ordered  beforehand.     These  hills  are  situated  in 
northern  latitude    11,30°  and  longitude  11°;  they  are 
a  nearly  isolated  granite  group  of  triangular  shape,  with 
its  base,  about  forty  miles  long,  facing  the  Malabar  coast, 
and  of  an  average  breadth  of  fifteen  miles,  connected 


THE    NEILGHERRIES.  113 

with  the  Western  ghauts  by  a  precipitous  ridge.  The 
highest  peak,  Dodabetta,  is  near  the  centre  and  8,640 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea, — the  greatest  elevation 
south  of  the  Himalaya,  and  about  500  feet  higher  than 
the  Pedrotallagalla  of  Ceylon.  Below,  the  mountain 
is  well  wooded,  rhododendron  and  creepers  abound  along 
the  zigzag  route,  and  even  at  the  height  of  7,300  feet, 
where  Utakamand  or  Uty  is  situated,  there  are  splendid 
tall  trees  and  a  rich  vegetation  covers  the  undulating 
ground  ;  here  grass  grows  as  luxuriantly  as  it  does  in 
the  mother  country.  The  climate  is  excellent,  the 
lieat  seldom  exceeding  seventy-five  degrees  in  the 
shade,  and  there  are  glorious  views  all  round.  Conoor 
is  another  sanitary  station  within  easy  reach. 

People  are  very  sociable  at  these  hill  stations,  and 
many  families  do  not  return  to  Bangalore  until  July 
to  prepare  for  the  races  which  take  place  towards  the 
end  of  that  month.  The  latter  are  kept  up  for  four 
or  five  days,  and  they  are  generally  very  good  sport; 
even  the  natives  take  much  interest  in  them,  and  it 
is  amusing  to  watch  their  ingenuity  in  providing 
platforms  and  standing-ground.  A  favourite  position 
of  theirs  is  to  squat  upon  the  rails  of  a  ladder  by 
leaning  two  or  three  against  each  other.  This  is  the 
gay  season  at  Bangalore,  and  there  is  no  lack  of  feast- 
ing and  dancing ;  besides  there  is  a  first-rate  club  to 

I 


114  rilKrAilATION    F01{    JOURNEY    INLAND. 

while  away  time  with   reading-  or  a  game  at  cards  or 
billiards. 

The  preparations  for  a  tour  across  country  to  the 
Malabar  coast  is  a  somewhat  formidable  undertaking 
as  regards  clothing  and  provisions, — the  climate  changes 
with  the  elevation  of  the  country,  and  I  was  told  that 
very  inferior  mutton  and  rice  were  the  only  articles 
of  food  to  be  had  in  the  native  bazaars  of  the  interior ; 
in  the  latter  I  v^as  agreeably  disappointed,  for  I  soon 
found  that  my  kitmagar  managed  to  procure  poultry, 
eggs,  ghee  or  clarified  butter,  milk  and  delicious  fruit 
in  all  but  very  out-of-the-way  places.  I  therefore 
recommend  travellers  in  those  regions  not  to  load 
their  conveyance  with  an  unlimited  supply  of  pro- 
visions, but  confine  themselves  to  groceries  and  a  few 
tins  of  delicacies  to  effect  an  occasional  change  in  their 
diet,  and  perhaps  a  case  of  wine,  although  the  water 
is  excellent  throughout, — cigars  of  course,  some  of  the 
best  brands  of  Trichinopoli,  can  be  had  at  Bangalore 
for  ten  rupees  per  thousand. 

The  only  mode  of  travelling  through  Mysore  is  by 
bullock,  or  transit-cart,  admitting  room  for  one  or  two 
persons,  a  sort  of  elongated  bread-cart,  or  pauper 
hearse  at  home,  painted  canary-yellow ;  on  the  outside 
seat  in  front  sits  your  servant,  generally  surrounded  by 


JOURNEY    TO    MYSORE,  115 

a  number  of  nondescript  packages,  containing  cooking 
utensils,  a  small  supply  of  provisions  to  still  the 
cravings  of  an  empty  stomach  en  route,  and  his  own 
kit.  The  oxen  driver  either  sits  on  the  shaft,  or  else 
runs  alongside,  using  his  whip  freely,  and  applying  any 
number  of  not  very  savoury  epithets  to  the  quadrupeds 
under  his  charge.  This  most  comfortless  and  primi- 
tive conveyance  is  supposed  to  rest  upon  springs — the 
latter,  however,  seldom  last  out  an  entire  jouruey,  but 
have  a  knack  of  snapping  whilst  the  worn-out  traveller 
is  wrapt  in  deep  slumber,  making  him  jump  up 
suddenly,  thus  bringing  his  head  into  contact  with  the 
low  roof,  from  the  sensation  of  which  he  does  not  soon 
recover.  The  interior  is  divided  horizontally  by 
boards,  below  for  the  luggage,  and  above,  covered  w^ith 
a  thin  mattrass,  its  owner  reclines  full  length,  with 
barely  room  for  the  necessary  articles  of  his  toilet  ; 
but  as  he  cannot  easily  turn  round  within,  he  has  to 
slip  out  as  best  he  can,  feet  foremost.  There  are  small 
shiftino-  boards  on  each  side  to  admit  air  and — dust. 
These  transit-carts  have  to  be  ordered  several  days  in 
advance,  as  oxen  have  to  be  laid  on  at  certain  stages, 
about  six  miles  apart ;  and  since  one  travels  during  the 
night  only,  the  progress  within  the  twenty-four  hours 
seldom  exceeds  fifty  miles.  The  hire  for  the  cart  is  three 
rupees  per  day  until  its  return,  and  a  pair  of  bullocks  are 

I  2 


116 


journi:y  to  mysokk. 


charged  at  the  rate  of  three  aimas  per  mile  when  full, 
half  that  when  empty,  oi-  cart  and  oxen  fourpence 
to  sixpence  per  mile.  Not  a  very  extravagant  rate  ! 
Here  is  a  sketch  of  my  elegant  travelling  carriage, 


Having  left  Bangalore  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
I  travelled  with  tolerable  ease  until  ten  the  next 
morning,  when  we  halted  at  Yedoor.  The  Govern- 
ment bungalow  here,  like  those  along  the  whole  line 
of  the  journey,  was  clean,  and  being  provided  with  the 
prescribed  articles  of  furniture  and  a  good  bath-room, 
I  soon  felt  reconciled  to  my  mode  of  travelling,  and 
enjoyed  the  excellent  breakfast  put  before  me  by 
"  George,"  such  was  the  chosen  name  my  factotum 
indulged  in.  In  fact,  the  tea  I  had  brought  from 
Bangalore,     genuine     Neilgherry,     I     thought     much 


REST-HOUSE    EXPERIENCE.  1  1  7 

superior  to  any  ( .^liiiia  I  had  ever  tasted  at  home  ;  and 
as  for  tlie  rice  and  ciiny,  George  was  a  perfect  master 
of  his  art  ;  and  liow  different  good  Indian  curry,  made 
of  fresh  ingredients  and  condiments,  to  the  stale  ready- 
mixed  stuff  you  huy  at  home  in  the  shape  of  paste  or 
powder  !  The  pinions  and  liver  of  a  fowl,  a  vegetable, 
sardines  or  eggs,  nay,  even  toast  cut  up  small,  make 
excellent  material  for  curry. 

The  day  was  excessively  hot,  and  impossible  to  stir- 
beyond  the  verandah,  which  faced  a  dreary,  sandy- 
looking  garden,  in  which  trees  struggled  hard  for  an 
existence  ;  all  that  showed  life  were  a  few  shrubs,  pro- 
ducing a  pretty  butterfly -like  flower  of  deep  orange  to 
l)right  scarlet.  As  soon  as  it  got  tolerably  cool,  I 
renewed  my  journey,  stopping  at  Heerasavi  for  supper. 
Here  the  bungalow  being  occupied  by  two  gentlemen, 
who  showed  little  civility,  I  made  my  stay  as  short  as 
possible,  and  managed  to  reach  Hassan,  an  important 
Mysore  city,  early  next  morning.  In  making  the  above 
remark  I  must,  however,  in  common  justice  state,  that 
as  a  rule  one  meets  with  the  greatest  attention  and 
assistance,  when  required,  from  one's  fellow-travellers  in 
India.  On  a  similar  occasion,  arriving  late  one  evening 
at  the  bungalow,  and  finding  every  room  and  corner  in 
it  occupied  by  ladies,  gentlemen,  and  children,  I  was  at 
once  hospitably  admitted  into  the  midst  of  a  party  just 


118  RKST-HOUSE    EXPERIENCE. 

sitting-  down  to  dinner,  and  1  seldom  sjjent  a  pleasanter 
evening.  Indeed,  one  frequently  meets  exceedingly 
agreeable  peof)le  belonging  to  the  Survey  or  Revenue 
Department,  who  ti'avel  in  their  own  conveyance, 
accompanied  by  a  number  of  carts  laden  with  their 
tents,  baggage,  and  pi'ovisions ;  these  generally  make 
short  marches,  according  to  the  requirements  of  the 
service,  and  having  a  numerous  staff  of  servants,  they 
understand  making  themselves  very  comfortable, 
l)esides  often  enjoying  the  pleasure  of  sport  provided 
for  them  by  planters  of  the  district.  Throughout  this 
account  of  my  journey  in  India,  I  have  abstained  from 
entering  upon  the  subject  of  shikarring,  for  which  there 
is  unlimited  scope,  as  so  many  interesting  volumes 
liave  been  penned  on  the  subject  by  more  competent 
hands,  that  there  is  hardly  I'oom  for  the  adventures  of 
an  ordinary  shot. 

Hitherto  I  had  not  missed  much,  in  point  of  scenery, 
by  travelling  at  night,  as  the  country  between  Banga- 
lore and  Hassan  is  of  a  most  ordinary  character,  and  I 
shall  pause  here  to  make  a  few  necessary  remarks 
respecting-  the  district  I  am  going  to  explore. 

The  natural  division  of  Mysore  is  into  two  separate 
and  distinctly  marked  regions  ;  the  larger  one,  the 
Maidan,  or  open  country,  through  part  of  which  we 
have  hitherto  passed,  consists  of  wide-spreading  plains. 


NATURAL    DF VISION    OF    MYSORE.  119 

filled  with  villages  and  towns,  and  gradually  rising  on 
proceeding  westward.  Their  agricultural  products  are 
ragi,  gram,  millet,  and  cotton  in  the  northern  portion, 
and  sugar-cane  and  rice  in  the  more  irrigated  districts 
of  the  south.  The  second  division  is  called  the  Malnad, 
or  hill-country,  to  the  west,  and  is  covered  with  magni- 
ficent forests,  watered  by  perennial  streams,  and  pre- 
senting very  charming  scenery,  here  and  there  relieved 
by  isolated  massy  rocks,  rearing  their  crests  to  four  or 
five  thousand  feet  above  the  sea  level,  in  many  a 
fantastic  form  and  peak.  The  sheltered  slopes  of 
these  hills  have  been  selected  by  enterprising  men 
for  coffee  plantations,  which  have  of  late  years  con- 
siderably increased  in  number  and  extent,  pro- 
ducing the  finest  quality  of  that  produce,  excepting 
perhaps  Mokha. 

This  magnificent  country  rests  on  the  Western 
ghauts,  communicating  with  the  coast  by  narrow 
passes.  The  aspect  of  the  country,  as  throughout 
India,  undergoes  a  very  material  change  with  the 
seasons.  What  is  dry  and  parched  during  the  months 
of  March,  April,  May,  becomes  green  and  productive 
after  the  monsoon  or  trade  winds,  which  here  commence 
early  in  June,  and  continue  with  occasional  breaks 
until  the  middle  of  September.  The  total  population 
of  Mysore,  according  to   the  census  of  1871,  is  about 


120  POPULATION    OF    MYSORE. 

five  million  souls,  of  wliicli  onl_y  tive  per  cent,  are 
Mohamedans,  and  the  remainder  Hindus.  Of  native 
Christians  there  are  nearly  18,000,  all  but  ten  per  cent. 
Catholics,  who  have  their  agricultural  communities  in 
every  district.  Hassan,  until  recently  one  of  the 
eight  divisions  of  Mysore,  has  as  many  as  2,500 
native  Christians.  The  Roman  Catholic  missionaries, 
I  understood,  allow  converts  to  keep  their  caste,  which 
is  a  liberal  concession  sure  to  be  appreciated  ;  for  with- 
out caste  a  native  becomes  contemptible  in  the  eyes  of 
all,  and  is  expelled  from  intercourse  even  with  members 
of  his  own  family.  Each  of  these  eight  provinces  is 
subdivided  into  eleven  talooks,  possessing  a  court  of 
justice,  each  presided  over  by  a  native,  and  bribery  is 
said  to  be  flourishing  there  to  an  incredible  extent. 
The  language  of  Mysore  is  Canarese,  and  anything  but 
euphonious  ;  according  to  Professor  Max  Milller,  it  is 
one  of  the  Turanian  tongues. 

The  present  Maharajah  is  Chama  Rajendra  Wodeyar 
Bahadar,  born  in  1863  ;  he  is  very  stout,  and  of  pleasant 
countenance,  holds  enlightened  views,  and  is  fond  of 
English  society,  although  a  strict  Hindoo. 

A  railway  connecting  Hassan  and  Chickmagloor  with 
Bangalore  is  now  (1888)  being  pushed  on,  and  likewise 
the  construction  of  a  fine  stone  brid^re,  with  nine  arches 


MYSORE    RAILWAYS.  121 

of  sixty  feet  span,  across  the  Yac^ache  river  at  Belur, 
which  latter,  very  much  needed  indeed,  as  will  pre- 
sently be  seen,  is  to  be  completed  in  1890.  The  Maha- 
rajah's line  between  Bangalore  and  Mysore,  the  capital, 
has  recently  been  bought  up  by  the  Southern  Mahratta 
Railway  Company,  with  a  view  of  continuing  it  as  far 
as  Bellary,  to  connect  it  with  Bombay  direct,  as  well 
as  with  Marmagaon,  by  a  branch  line  westward;  a  very 
important  extension,  since  the  latter  seaport  is  open 
all  the  year  round,  whereas  Mangalore,  Tellicherry, 
Calicut,  &c.,  are  closed  during  the  monsoon.  Railway 
communication  has  been  a  great  boon  to  Mysore  coffee 
planters,  whose  estates — at  a  very  low  ebb  a  few  years 
ago — have  in  consequence  materially  increased  in  value, 
no  doubt  assisted  by  good  crops  and  higher  prices  for 
the  berry  in  the  European  markets. 

Hassan  (Plate  VII.),  to  which  I  must  now  retrace 
my  steps,  is  a  pretty  town,  and  its  inhabitants  may 
well  be  proud  of  its  magnificent  wide  avenues  of 
the  lofty  Flamboyant  [Poiisiana),  clad  in  bright 
scarlet  flowers.  It  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
trees  in  the  East  ;  only  the  Amherstia  nohilis  of 
Burmah  exceeds  it  in  brilliant  effect ;  the  flower 
of  the  latter  is  scarlet  and  gold,  and  grows  to  a 
height  of  forty  feet,  which  the  Flamboyant  often 
exceeds. 


122  HASSAN liKLUI?. 

There  is  the  usual  temple  facing  an  enormous  tank 
and  various  shrines.  Both  European  and  native 
quarters  offer  many  picturesque  subjects  to  brush  and 
pencil. 

Hence  to  Belur  is  uj)  liill  all  the  way,  often  through 
very  fine  forests,  and  two  rivers  to  cross,  which  pre- 
vented our  averaging  more  than  a  mile  and  a  half  per 
hour  during  the  whole  of  that  night  ;  and,  moreover, 
just  as  we  had  got  half  across  the  second  river — the 
Yagache,  which  after  many  windings  becomes  the 
Hemavati,  and  eventually  flows  into  the  Kaveri — for- 
tunately not  far  from  my  destination,  the  cart  stuck 
fast,  the  wheels  had  locked,  and  nothing  would  move 
us  an  inch.  On  sending  to  the  village,  the  kotwala,  or 
headman,  at  once  collected  half  a-dozen  men,  and  came 
down  with  torches.  Great  big  fellows  they  were,  of  a 
splendid  physique.  I  well  remember  one  of  them  pull- 
ing me  out  by  the  legs,  and  carrying  me  bodily  to  the 
dry  shore,  whence  I  had  to  tramp  off  by  torchlight  to 
the  I'est-house,  a  cart  following  with  the  baggage, 
\\4iich  George  suspiciously  watched,  for  he  evidently 
did  not  trust  those  swarthy  fellows.  However,  all 
went  smoothly,  and  I  found  the  kotwala  very  useful. 
He  afterwards  accompanied  me  to  a  somewhat  famous 
temple,  dedicated  to  Vishnu,  and   in   tolerable  repair. 


TEMPLE    AT    BELUR.  123 

It  is  surrounded  by  four  or  five  smaller  ones  and  several 
subordinate  buildings,  all  enclosed  wdthin  the  liif^li  wall 
of  a  court,  about  400  feet  long,  and  possessed  of  two 
tine  gopuras  or  pagoda  shaped  gateways.  The  large 
temple,  the  porch,  and  the  pillars  are  substantially 
built,  but  all  the  other  halls  and  compartments  have 
little  to  boast  of  Some  of  the  stone  carvings  are  very 
beautiful,  especially  the  windows  and  pierced  slabs  of 
the  porch,  twenty-eight  in  number,  each  of  a  different 
pattern  ;  also  the  base  of  the  Vimiina  is  elaborately 
sculptured.  The  middle  of  the  twelfth  century  is  the 
period  assigned  to  its  erection,  although  it  was  only 
finished  two  centuries  later,  after  the  Mohamedan  in- 
vasion of  the  Deccan  in  1310.  Unfortunately,  repeated 
coats  of  whitewash  have  in  modern  times  considerably 
marred  the  beautiful  effect  of  its  details. 

About  ten  miles  from  Belur,  in  a  north-easterly 
direction,  is  Halabid,  the  old  capital  of  the  Rajput 
Ballala  Rajahs  of  Mysore,  which  was  destroyed  during 
the  Mohamedan  conquest,  hence  the  unfinished  state  of 
its  magnificent  temple,  of  which  Sir  George  Bird  wood 
says,  "  had  it  been  completed  it  would  have  been  the 
noblest  example  of  the  Chalukyan  style,"  which  is  also 
that  of  the  Belur  edifice.  This  temple  of  Halabid,  dedi- 
cated to  Seva,  is  raised  five  or  six  feet  on  a  terrace  ; 


124  irALAI'.ll)     TKMPLE. 

on  it  stands  a  frieze  of  2,000  elephants,  following  all 
the  sinuosities  of  tlie  star-like  ground  plan;  above  it 
is  a  frieze  of  lions,  then  a  band  of  exquisite  scroll-work, 
then  a  frieze  of  horsemen,  another  scroll,  and  a  frieze 
representing  the  conquest  of  Sanka  by  Rama.  Then 
two  friezes  of  celestial  l)easts  and  birds,  and  above 
a  cornice  of  scroll-work  bearing  a  rail,  divided  into 
panels,  each  containing  two  figures,  over  which  are 
stone  windows  and  groups  of  gods  of  the  Hindu 
pantheon.  Above  all  would  have  risen,  if  the 
temple  had  been  finished,  the  pyramidal  towers 
pertaining  to  its  architecture. 

After  considerable  delay  I  at  last  succeeded  in 
securing  a  couple  of  common  country  carts  on  two 
wheels,  minus  springs,  and  covered  in  by  matting  ;  into 
one  of  these  I  crept  wliilst  the  other  carried  George 
and  my  luggage.  The  transit  waggon  I  left  to  its 
own  fate  in  the  river,  congratulating  myself  being 
now  safely  en  route  for  Moodgheri,  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  which  I  had  promised  to  pay — what  proved 
to  be  a  protracted — visit  to  a  coffee  planter,  but  we 
had  barely  got  a  mile  beyond  Belur  when  an  accident 
happened  to  my  cart  and  the  oxen  refused  to  advance  ; 
luckily  our  attentive  kotwala  and  his  men,  possibly 
expecting    some    little    mishap,    had    accompanied    us 


ARRIVAf.    AT    FUIKNDS    COFFKE    ESTATE.  125 

for  a  short  distance  and  were  no^^•  bi'ouglit  up  to  our 
assistance  ;  the  cart  was  quickly  repaired  and  a  fresh 
pair  of  cattle  fastened  to  the  pole  in  the  usual  primitive 
fashion  of  this  country.  In  order  to  reach  my  friend's 
estate  I  had  to  quit  the  high  road  after  a  distance 
of  twelve  miles,  where  I  found  horses  and  coolies  waiting 
to  convey  us  the  remaining  live  miles,  which  passed 
through  the  most  beautiful  hill-country,  forests  and 
jungle,  well  watered  by  little  streams,  and  from  time 
to  time  glimpses  of  distant  mountain  ranges. 

Soon  my  friend,  the  "  dhorey,"  or  master  in  Canarese, 
the  only  appellation  by  which  he  was  known  here, 
joined  us  and  on  reaching  the  boundary  of  his  estate, 
a  welcome  cup  of  tea  was  presented  by  one  of  his 
servants  who  had  prepared  it  in  the  jungle.  George 
and  myself  had  consumed  the  last  tin  of  sardines 
under  a  large  tree  of  the  "  ficus "  species,  while  the 
horses  were  being  got  ready,  and  the  ride  up  and 
down  hill  under  a  broiling  sun  had  by  this  time 
created  a  vacuum.  Another  mile  through  the  plan- 
tation landed  me  at  last  at  the  pretty  bungalow 
of  Pore,  called  so  from  a  village  that  had  once 
existed  here. 

Pore  lies  3,300  feet  above  the  sea  level,  enjoying  a 
most  perfect  climate,  not  only  for  the  human  body  but 
also  for  the  cultivation  of  coffee.     And  there  is  such 


12G  KTRST    rMPRESSIONS    OF    IIII>L    COUNTRY. 

a  variety  of  Vjeautifiil  scenery  on  this  fine  estate,  cover- 
ing about  1,500  acres,  that  I  am  not  surprised  to  find 
people  willing  to  spend  their  best  years  in  plantatiori 
life,  although  150  miles  away  from  a  large  town 
whence  a  doctor  might  be  procured. 

Here  we  have  the  old  virgin  forest,  so  dense  with 
jungle,  that  it  is  difficult  and  often  impossible  to 
penetrate.  Trees  100  to  150  feet  high,  covered  with 
magnificent  foliage,  and  many  producing  exquisite 
flowers,  as  the 

Bastard  Teak  (Comhretum) :  Long  scarlet  spikes, 
hanging  down  in  clusters  ;  leaves  large  and 
ragged.     (Plate  VIII.) 
Dhak   tree   or   Palas   Kino   {Butea  frondosa)  :    A 
splendid  sight  w^hen  covered  with  racemes 
of    butterfly -like,     deep     orange -coloured 
flowers.     The  twigs  yield  a  resinous  Lac, 
the  secretion  of  an  insect.     (Plate  IX.) 
Moordilla  [Barringtonia  speciosa)  :    Flowers  con- 
sisting of  nearly  a  hundred  crimson  and 
yellow  stamens.     (Plate  X.) 
Indian  Coral  tree  (Erythrina  ifidica) :  Long  spikes 
of  splendid  scarlet  flowers,  red  seeds  like 
coral.     (Plate  XL) 
Pagoda  tree  (Plumieria  acuminata)  :  A  handsome 
tree,  bearing  bouquets  of  white  lily-shaped 


PLATE    m. 


BASTARD   TEAK.  ^  Combretum..) 

j>.126. 


PLATE  IX. 


DHAK      TREE.       fButea  frondosa.l 

p.  126. 


PLATE    X. 


MOORDHILLA     TREE.    (Barringtonia  specioaa-J 
p.  126. 


PLATE   H. 


INDIAN     CORAL    TREE.    (Krythrlna  iniiica.J 

p.  126. 


PLATE    JK. 


PAGODA      TREE.  (PlumierLa  acumiruita J 

p.  126. 


PLATE    XIII 


JUNGLE       COTTON.    (Bomtax  malabitricuTn.) 
p  127. 


PLATE    XIV. 


MANGO.  (Manrfife?-a.    iicAica.) 
p.  127. 


CUSTARD     APPLE.  (Annua  squamosa.) 
p.  127. 


JTJNGLE    TREES.  127 

flowers  of  fragrant  perfume,  leaves  lance- 
like. It  Is  a  favourite  tree  with  the  Hindus, 
who  use  its  flowers  for  adornino-  their 
temples.     (Plate  XII.) 

Silk  cotton  tree  (Bombax  malaharicum) :  A  most 
imposing  tall  tree,  covered  with  formidable 
thorns  ;  its  handsome  deep  crimson  flowers 
of  the  shape  of  an  open  tulip  appear  before 
its  leaves.     (Plate  XIII.) 

The  Indian  Sterculia  [St&rcidia  fosiida)  :  A  noble 
forest  tree,  dark  purple  flower  of  kidney- 
shape,  and  offensive  odour  when  fading. 
Most  of  the  above  flower  before  they  produce  leaves. 

Amonofst  fruit  trees  there  is  the  delicious 

Mango  [Mangifera  indica)  :  Shape  of  a  large  Marie 
Louise  pear,  in  colour  and  taste  not  unlike 
very  ripe  apricot  with  a  soupcon  of  resin. 
(Plate  XIV.) 

Custard  Apple  (Anona  squamosa)  :  Of  delicate 
vanilla  flavour.     (Plate  XIV.) 

The  Jack  tree  (Artocarpus  integrifolia). 

The  Dorian  (Dorio  zibethinus)  :  This,  as  well  as 
the  Jack,  much  liked  by  the  natives, 
but  generally  shunned  by  Europeans,  owing 
to  their  ofiensive  smell  when  cut  open. 


128  MVSORK    FLORA. 

The  Ali  luiuno,  its  CJauarese  name  :  Fruit  like  a 
large  green  plum,  sticky  inside,  but  of 
agreeable  flavour. 

Also    there    are    many   specimens  of  trees  used   in 
building,  and  for  domestic  purposes,  as  the 
Ebony  [Diospyros  ebenum). 
Teak  {Tektona  grandis). 
Blackwood  (Dalbergia  latifolia). 
Satin  wood  ( Chloroxylon  sivietenia). 
Sandalwood  (Santalum  album). 
Banyan  (Ficus  indica). 

Of  Palm  trees,  the 

Toddy  palm  {Phoenix  sylvestris). 
Cocoa-nut  (Cocos  nucifera). 
Palmyra  [Borassus  Jtabelliformis). 
Date  palm  [Phoenix  dactytifera). 
The  Stemless  Date  [Phoenix  acaulis). 

Others,  whose  seeds  contain  oil,  after  the  extraction 
of  which  the  residue  or  poonac  becomes  a  valuable 
manure  for  the  coffee  gardens,  also  used  as  food  given 
to  milch  cows,  viz.  : — 

The  Indian  beech  [Pongamia  glabra) :  Honge,  Can. 

Gingelli  [Sesamum  indicum)  :  Wo  11  ellu,  Can. 


-■*'ilfe^'j!(t-i' 


^r  V!:i,v  ;^ 


MYSORE    FLORA.  129 

Ram-til,  or  foolish  vl'fl  plant  {Guizotea  oleifera) 

Huch  ellu,  Can. 
Castor  oil  (Ricinus  communis)  :  Haralu,  Can. 
Mahwa,  or  Indian  butter  tree  (Bassia  latifolia). 
Illupie,     Indian     oil     tree     [Bassia     long  if  olio)  : 

Hippa,  Can. 

Of  those  producing-  dye  stuffs  : — 

Gamboge  tree  {Garcinia  pictoria). 

The  Safflower  shrub  [Carthamus  tinctorius). 
Deep  gorges,  here  and  there  opening  out  into  a 
vaUey  with  running  water  and  cascades,  clumps  of  tall 
waving  Bamboos,  of  which  there  are  a  great  many 
different  species  used  for  building  bridges,  making 
furniture,  rope,  and  a  variety  of  other  useful  articles ;  and 
strings  of  Screw-pines  (Pandanus)  (Plate  XV.),  dipping 
their  thirsty  serial  roots  into  the  moist  soil  near  a  rivulet  ; 
the  fruit  of  the  latter  after  being  boiled  and  dried,  forms 
farinaceous  food  for  the  natives.  Again  you  get  into  the 
wood,  running  up  a  hill ;  this  time  there  are  no  trees 
above  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  high,  for  it  is  little  more 
than  a  jungle  now,  the  forest  having,  at  some  former 
period,  been  cut  down  to  make  room  for  cultivation,  and 
since  been  followed  by  a  secondary  growth  of  trees  of  a 
smaller  type.  Such  land  is  called  "  kumri,"  and  many 
coffee  plantations  or  gardens  have  been  made  on  it  and 


130        ASPECT  OF  THE  HILL  COUNTRY. 

worked  successfully,  although,  of  course,  virgin  forest 
soil  is  much  preferred,  and  less  risky.  These  jungles, 
when  not  planted,  have  an  undergrowth  of  the  common 
Bracken  (Pteris  aquilina),  and  generally  patches  of  date 
grass,  used  for  thatching ;  the  latter  grows  to  a  height 
of  three  or  four  feet  and  is  very  strong  ;  its  yellow  fruit, 
of  the  size  of  a  small  cherry,  the  natives  are  fond  of. 
Also  many  useful  trees  and  shrubs  are  found  here, 
as  the 

Emblic  myrabolans  [Phyllantus  officinalis) :  Bearing 

a  little,  semi-transparent,  green  fruit  like  a 

gooseberry  ;  it  is  very  acid,  and  no  native 

curry  is  complete  without  it. 
The  Tamarind  {Tamarindus  indica) :  A  pod,  used 

similarly,  also  preserved  in  sugar. 
The  Indian  laburnum  {Cassia  fistula) :  The  pulp  of 

its  seed  used  medicinally,  and  the  bark  for 

tanning ;  flower,  bright  golden  cluster,  and 

a  great  many  others. 

On  reaching  the  summit  the  view  is  singularly 
beautiful,  first  the  forest-clad  hills,  in  many  places 
precipitously  cut  into  ravines,  beyond,  wide  rich 
undulating  plains  watered  by  silvery  streams,  and  in 
the  distance  a  magnificent  chain  of  mountains,  being- 
part  of  the  Western  Ghauts,  the  most  beautiful  spur 


FAUNA   OF   MYSORE.  131 

of  which  is  the  Babu  Budan  to  the  north,  E.  Long.  75,  37 
to  75,  50,  N.  Lat.  13,  34  to  13,  22,  forming  a  right 
angle,  the  two  arms  taking  a  westerly  and  southerly 
direction,  respectively,  each  about  15  miles  in  length,  and 
its  most  southerly  peak,  the  Mulain-giri,  rising  to  a 
height  of  6,317  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The 
atmosphere  here  being  very  rarified,  one  has  a  clear  view 
of  mountains  nearly  all  round,  Mysore  being  a 
plateau  locked  in  between  the  Eastern  and  Western 
Ghauts. 

Having  given  some  idea  of  the  "flora"  of  Mysore, 
I  will  now  add  a  few  words  on  her  "  fauna."  There 
are  neither  elephants  nor  lions  now  in  this  part  of 
India,  and  even  tigers  and  bisons  are  not  very 
frequent,  but  the  cheeta,  jackal,  and  monkey,  the 
planter's  enemy,  the  latter  having  a  partiality  for  the 
coflee  berry,  are  plentiful,  and  the  sportsman  has  a 
choice  of  game  in  the  spotted  deer,  a  very  pretty, 
sagacious  animal,  the  hog-deer,  and  the  jungle  sheep, 
which  is  delicious  eating ;  it  has  however,  neither  the 
beautiful  horns,  nor  is  it  as  large  as  the  gigantic  wild 
sheep  (Ovis  ^joli)  of  the  Tian  Shan  range  in  central 
Asia,  of  which  an  excellent  description  appears  in 
Lieut.-Col.  Gordon's  "Boof  of  the  World." 

Squirrels   and  rats  are  in  abundance.     Of  reptiles, 

K  2 


132  BIRDS    OF    MYSORE. 

snakes  are  represented  by  the  poisonous  hooded  cobra, 
the  long  green  tank  snake  and  the  common  whip  ; 
besides  frogs,  lizards,  bloodsuckers,  and  tortoises. 

Fishes — there  are  said  to  be  a  good  variety  in  some 
of  the  larger  rivers ;  I  have  seen  none  but  a  few 
perch,  carp,  and  eel.  Amongst  insects,  which  seem 
to  enjoy  special  privileges  in  hot  climates,  one  here 
never  escapes  the  fly,  mosquito,  B  flat,  or  F  sharp,  and 
millions  of  ants,  white,  red,  green,  and  black.  I  have 
frequently  met  with  ant-hills  in  the  jungle  six  to 
ten  feet  high  ;  then  there  are  hornets,  grasshoppers, 
and  beetles ;  of  the  latter  there  is  the  pretty  golden- 
green,  whose  wings  are  much  used  in  the  embroidering 
of  dresses  and  shoes,  also  bees  and  some  fine  butterflies; 
leeches  wherever  you  walk  during  the  wet  season, 
whilst  your  walls  are  alive  with  creeping  abominations, 
scorpions,  spiders,  and  centipedes. 

Amongst  the  birds  inhabiting  these  forests  and 
swamps  are  the  green  parakeet,  the  yellow-breasted 
Thrush,  the  Cookoo,  the  pretty  orange  minivet  or 
mango  bii'd,  as  he  is  here  called,  the  warbler,  and  the 
beautiful  paradise  Flycatcher  (Tchitrea paradisi)  whose 
adult  male  is  a  small  white  bird  with  blue-black  head 
and  crest,  and  two  central  tail  feathers  prolonged 
fifteen  to  twenty  inches  beyond  the  ordinary  tail, 
forming  two  long  silvery  streamers.     This  bird,  which 


DOMESTIC    ANIMALS.  133 

is  also  frequently  met  with  in  the  forests  of  Borneo 
and  Celebes,  is  remarkable  for  its  graceful  and  silent 
movement  in  darting  rapidly  through  the  air  of  some 
sheltered  spot  which  is  his  favourite  resort ;  the  female 
and  the  young  male  are  of  a  light -brown  colour,  and  have 
the  ordinary  tail  without  prolongation. 

The  sportsman  visiting  these  regions  will  be  glad  to 
hear  that  there  are  also  plenty  of  hoopoo,  florikan, 
jungle  fowl,  woodcock  and  snipe. 

Breeds  of  domestic  animals  are  throughout  poor, 
cattle,  buffalo,  and  sheep,  the  latter  selling  at  the  low 
price  of  five  to  seven  shillings  each,  and  so  small  that 
any  able-bodied  man  will  consume  an  entire  sheep  in 
two  or  three  days  with  or  without  the  help  of  his  cook. 
The  horses  used  at  Bangalore  are  mostly  Walers,  from 
Australia,  and  the  quick  little  Pegu  pony,  generally 
cream  coloured  with  black  tail  and  mane  ;  up-country 
the  rough-looking  dark  Mahratta  pony  is  the  favourite, 
being  more  wiry  and  a  good  climber,  as  well  as 
inexpensive  ;  ten  pounds  is  a  fair  price  for  the  latter, 
whilst  a  Pegu  fetches  about  thirty  pounds. 

Let  us  now  return  to  the  bungalow,  which  is  covered 
in  by  a  large  thatched  roof,  gable-fashion,  and  over- 
lapping the  sides  like  a  swiss  chalet,  a  verandah  back 
and  front,  and  half-a-dozen  comfortable  rooms  inside, 


134  BUNGALOW   ADVENTURE. 

all  on  one  floor.  At  the  entrance  stood  the  smiling 
dhorasani,  my  host's  better  half  as  some  people  thought, 
ready  to  do  honours  at  the  head  of  a  well-appointed 
tiffin  table,  an  invitation  I  politely  declined,  however, 
not  wishing  to  spoil  my  dinner,  and  enjoyed  a  good 
rest  instead. 

During  the  very  first  night  I  spent  at  Pore,  I 
experienced  the  disadvantage  of  a  thatched  roof,  for 
rats  came  in  by  the  dozen,  and  seemed  to  make 
themselves  quite  at  home  in  my  room.  At  one  time 
they  had  a  grand  steeple-chase  overhead,  and  one  or 
two  fell  upon  my  mosquito  curtains ;  at  another,  hide 
and  seek  was  evidently  their  game,  whilst  some  more 
hungry  than  their  playful  brethren  began  to  gnaw  at 
my  boots,  which  I  found  in  the  morning  more  or  less 
the  worse  for  their  appetites  and  sharp  teeth.  There 
was  little  sleep  to  be  had  under  such  circumstances, 
but  by  the  first  appearance  of  dawn  my  entertainers 
suddenly  disappeared,  and  I  determined  to  make  up 
for  lost  time  ;  however,  living  in  the  jungle  means 
early  rising,  for  as  soon  as  nature  wakes  there  are 
thousands  of  birds  ready  with  their  morning  song. 
I  well  remember  the  Plaintive  or  Hawk-Cookoo,  one 
of  the  earliest  birds,  who  in  time  became  simply 
detestable  to  me  owing  to  his  peculiar  whining  tune,  con- 
sisting of  the  notes  of  nearly  an  octave  from  treble  to 


CANARESE   COOLIES.  135 

bass ;  or  as  Mr.  V.  Ball  has  it  in  his  "  Jungle  Life," 
the  reiteration  of  its  chromatic  scale  of  seven  or  eight 
notes  uttered  in  a  monotonous  adagio  strain,  then 
suddenly  breaking  off  ready  to  repeat  it  at  short 
intervals.  After  one  has  heard  him  several  times, 
and  always  with  the  same  melancholy  effect,  one  feels 
inclined  to  rush  out  gun  in  hand,  but  our  friend 
probably  retires  cookoo-fashion  into  the  hollow  of  a 
tree,  for  he  can  never  be  caught. 

Presently  a  loud  gong  or  bell  is  sounded  in  the  com- 
pound calling  the  coolies  to  work,  and  now  all  around 
is  alive.  The  cattle  and  sheep  are  let  out  of  the  sheds, 
and  are  drivenoff  to  pasture;  the  dhorasani  from  the  back 
verandah  superintends  the  milking  of  cows ;  the  search 
for  eggs,  which  the  snake  is  supposed  to  be  immode- 
rately fond  of,  but  here  the  latter  has  been  found  to  be 
a  biped  ;  the  feeding  of  the  poultry,  and  giving  an  eye 
to  the  grooming  and  feeding  of  the  horses,  as  the 
natives  are  apt  to  abstract  the  gram  for  their  own 
curry.  In  the  meantime  the  coolies  approach  in  strings 
by  various  routes  from  hill  and  valley,  headed  by  their 
maistry,  whose  business  it  is  to  see  that  none  sham 
sickness  or  run  off.  There  they  are,  men,  women,  and 
children,  mostly  scantily  and  poorly  dressed.  There 
are,  however,  exceptions,  as,  for  instance,  the  so-called 
"  locals,"  who  have  their  permanent  lines,  or  group  of 


136  CANARESE   NAMES. 

huts,  on  the  estate,  and  but  rarely  leave  it.  These 
enjoy  certain  privileges,  and  are  much  more  orderly  and 
provident  in  their  habits.  The  men  wear  the  combley, 
a  brown  cotton  plaid  with  a  dark  border,  gracefully 
slung,  Hindu  fashion,  over  the  right  shoulder  and 
round  the  waist,  fastened  by  a  broad  belt,  often  holding 
a  knife  or  a  small  axe  ;  on  their  head  they  tie  a  bright- 
coloured  handkerchief,  with  one  end  hanging  down 
behind  the  ear.  The  women  dress  in  the  sari,  a  long 
cotton  cloth,  generally  blue,  wound  round  their  figure 
down  to  the  knee  and  over  the  right  shoulder,  one  end 
thrown  over  the  head,  and  generally  they  wear  a  tight- 
fitting  short  bodice  underneath,  leaving  neck  and  arms 
bare.  They  are  very  fond  of  flowers,  especially  the 
marigold,  which  both  men  and  women  like  to  put  in 
their  hair  instead  of  a  handkerchief.     (Plate  XVI.) 

Canarese   names    have    a    pleasant    sound,    as    the 
following,  picked  up  at  hap-hazard,  will  show  : — 

MEN.  WOMEN. 

Poota.  Hoochi. 

Kala.  Kali. 

Chena.  Mari. 

Runga.  Gungi. 

Pudama.  Ningi. 

Byra.  Bori. 

Rama.  Siddi. 


Plate:  XVI. 


^  *  '^cf^^".^ 


CANARESE    COOLIES. 
p.  136. 


SUKALI,    GIPSY   TRIBE.  137 

Nursima.  Mungee. 

Yencata.  Jummini. 

Dava.  Chowli. 

Gunga.  Meetuddi. 

Hosba.  Toolcee. 

These  hills  are  frequently  visited  by  a  certain  gipsy 
tribe,  the  Lambani,  or  Brinjari,  or,  as  they  were  here 
called,  the  Sukali,  whose  head-quarters  are  at  Orissa. 
They  wander  about  in  gangs  under  a  headman,  accom- 
panied by  their  cattle  and  all  their  worldly  possessions. 
They  never  stay  very  long  in  one  place,  but,  I  under- 
stand, they  make  excellent  coolies  on  coffee  plantations. 
In  the  olden  days  of  Indian  warfare,  these  people  used 
to  make  themselves  eminently  serviceable  as  grain- 
carriers,  on  the  backs  of  their  cattle  ;  the  remembrance 
of  which  induced  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  during  the 
Mahrattawar,  and,  again.  Colonel  Coke  and  others  dur- 
ing the  late  Mutiny,  to  employ  them  in  districts  which 
were  either  exhausted,  or  where  sufficient  carriage  was 
not  obtainable,  to  supply  the  bazaars  with  food.  The 
haunts  of  the  Brinjaris,  for  the  purpose  of  pasturing 
their  cattle,  were  pretty  well  known  ;  and,  although 
they  avoided  populated  districts,  the  offer  of  a  good 
round  sum  would  always  secure  their  services.  Colonel 
Meadows  Taylor,  in  his  most  interesting  work,  "  Story 
of  my  Life,"  gives  his  readers  a  little  insight  into  the 


138  SUKALI,    GIPSY    TRIBE. 

darker  side  of  their  doings  previous  to  1847,  when  they 
were  frequently  connected  with  daring  gang-robberies. 
It  appears  they  adopted  the  habit  of  travelhng  con- 
siderable distances,  presumably  as  carriers  of  grain  and 
salt,  their  real  object  being  to  waylay  the  unwary,  and 
it  required  considerable  sagacity,  which  Colonel  Taylor 
possessed  in  a  very  high  degree,  and  which  eventually 
enabled  him  to  put  a  stop  to  their  crimes.  These  gipsies 
are  very  peculiar  people,  and  have  to  be  humoured  a 
good  deal.  They  worship  their  own  deity  of  the  forest, 
"  Baneshankari,"  and  are  guided  by  their  own  laws 
and  customs,  which  they  keep  secret ;  they  also  speak 
their  own  language.  The  women's  dress  is  very  pictu- 
resque, and  totally  difierent  from  that  worn  by  any 
other  class.  It  consists  of  a  tartan  petticoat  and  a 
brownish  shawl  or  mantle,  elaborately  embroidered, 
which  covers  the  head  and  upper  part  of  the  body. 
The  hair  is  worn  in  ringlets  or  plaits,  hanging  down 
each  side  of  the  face,  decorated  with  small  shells,  and 
terminating  in  tassels.  Their  arms  and  ankles  are 
profusely  covered  with  rings  and  trinkets  made  of  bone, 
brass,  and  other  materials.  They  dance  solos,  and  in 
groups,  to  the  accompaniment  of  timbrel  and  castanets, 
and  the  whole  performance,  nay,  the  people  altogether, 
in  appearance,  as  well  as  in  their  odd  habits,  remind 
one  of  the  Zingfari   of  Wallachia  and  the    Gitani  of 


LABOUR  ON  THE  PLANTATIONS.         139 

Spain  ;  and  like  all  of  that  order  they  are  thieves  from 
infancy.  When  employed  on  coffee  plantations  they, 
of  course,  occupy  separate  lines  of  huts,  as  all  others 
do  belonging  to  different  gangs  and  castes. 

Soon  the  daily  work  is  apportioned  to  each  set  of 
coolies,  tools  delivered  into  their  hands,  and  off  they 
file  to  tlie  gardens  under  the  wing  of  their  maistry, 
who  is  responsible  for  the  work  done.  The  latter  does 
not  always  lead  an  enviable  life,  amongst  such  strangely 
assorted  people,  mostly  of  the  lowest  type  and  caste, 
besides  they  have  their  domestic  troubles  too.  Whilst 
I  was  at  Pore  there  was  a  tall,  good-looking  young 
fellow  named  Kamanaik,  who  had  lately  risen  to  the 
distinction  of  headman,  on  the  strength  of  which  he 
had  married  a  pretty  girl,  by  the  payment  of  a  con- 
siderable sum,  probably  thirty  rupees,  to  her  mother. 
After  a  time  the  latter,  a  sordid  old  woman  working 
on  another  estate,  persuaded  her  daughter  to  return  to 
her  on  a  visit,  with  a  view  of  selling  her  again  to  some 
other  man  who  was  offering  a  tempting  number  of 
rupees.  Bamanaik,  becoming  uneasy  about  his  wife's 
long  absence,  begged  leave  of  the  dhoray  to  go  and 
fetch  her  ;  however,  the  poor  fellow  never  returned,  for 
his  mother-in-law  had  managed  to  poison  his  food,  and 
thus  get  rid  of  him. 

When  there  are  large  numbers  of  coolies  employed 


140  VEGETABLES   GROWN    IN   THE   HILLS. 

on  one  estate,  and  the  majority  of  the  hitter  having  at 
least  two  hundred  acres  under  coffee,  requiring  upwards 
of  a  hundred  hands  throughout  the  year,  it  is  often 
puzzhng  to  remember  names,  since  so  many  sound 
ahke  to  the  uninitiated  ;  some  are  called  after  the 
legendary  Hindu  deities,  others  again  seem  to  be 
known  only  by  the  name  of  the  village  they  sprang 
from,  and  as  thus  there  are  frequently  several  under 
the  same  condition  in  one  gang,  they  add  a  distinctive 
adjective,  such  as  Doda  elder,  Chicka  younger,  or  Dodee 
and  Chickee  in  the  case  of  a  female,  etc. 

After  tiffin,  whilst  the  dhoray  was  attending 
to  liis  daily  duties,  I  accompanied  his  wife  to  her 
kitchen-garden,  which  she  seemed  not  a  little  proud  of, 
and  well  she  might  be,  for  I  have  seldom  seen  one 
better  stocked  with  vegetables  ;  there  1  noticed  lettuce, 
beans,  peas,  carrots,  yams,  cabbage,  tomatoes,  brinjal 
or  egg  plant,  sweet  potatoes,  and  even  Indian  corn, 
besides  a  row  of  roselle  shrubs  (Hibiscus  sardariffa), 
the  red  sorrel  of  the  West  Indies,  which  has  a  pretty 
yellow  flower,  deep  purple  in  the  centre,  and  bears  a 
bright  crimson  fruit,  making  a  delicious  preserve  not 
unlike  damson  jam.  During  the  dry  season  this 
garden  is  daily  irrigated  by  narrow  channels  cut 
between  every  row  of  beds,  and  at  the  time  was  under 
the  charge  of  a  very  fanatical,  fat,  jet-black   Hindu, 


PADAMAHS    SACRIFICE.  141 

named  Padamah,  always  clad  in  a  bright  red  turban 
and  little  else,  a  man  who,  from  his  cunning  and  his 
long  residence,  exercised  considerable  influence  over 
the  coolies,  and  being  besides  a  great  glutton,  he 
watched  every  opportunity  to  propitiate  the  gods, 
which  means  having  a  sacrifice  or  tremendous  feast,  if 
possible  at  master's  expense ;  at  one  time  it  is 
sickness,  at  another  evil  signs  or  any  other  trivial 
cause. 

One  early  morning  the  loquacious  Padamah  made 
his  appearance  in  the  compound  wild  with  excitement, 
in  vain  trying  to  make  himself  heard  by  the  dhorasani, 
whilst  the  cattle  were  lowing  and  the  sheep  bleating 
on  leaving  the  sheds ;  the  poor  lady  finding  herself  in 
the  same  dilemma  as  King  Charles  of  old,  during  his. 
progress  through  Kent,  when  a  mayor  of  Kochester, 
just  at  the  commencement  of  an  elaborate  address, 
was  accompanied  by  the  loud  braying  of  an  ass,  only 
that  she  had  not  the  ready  wit  of  his  Majesty,  who- 
exclaimed,  "  One  at  the  time,  gentlemen,  one  at  the 
time."  However,  the  remembrance  of  this  anecdote 
could  not  well  be  expected  to  have  disconcerted  the 
excited  gardener,  who,  eschewing  all  obstacles, 
managed,  by  dint  of  perseverance,  to  make  his  mistress 
at  last  understand  that  an  old  cow  having  died  over 
night,  it  was  certain  the   evil  spirit  had  done  it  in 


142  PUJ  AH — SACRIFICE. 

revenge  of  some  oftence,  and  that  the  latter  must  be 
propitiated  by  the  sacrifice  or  pujah  of  the  dead 
animal,  which,  in  consequence,  was  given  up,  for  had 
it  been  buried,  they  would  have  dug  it  up  and  eaten 
it  all  the  same.  The  ceremony  was  performed  in  the 
evening  on  the  slope  of  a  hill  not  far  off,  under  a  large 
^  Mjjjiwa  tree,  and  in  front  of  a  rough  stone  slab  or  altar, 
about  five  feet  high  by  three  feet  wide,  leaning  against 
its  trunk.  Here  the  big  beast  was  roasted  whole,  the 
blood  sprinkled  upon  the  stone,  the  intestines  ex- 
amined for  good  or  for  evil,  and  incantations  pro- 
nounced. Dancing  and  singing,  and  all  sorts  of 
abominations  while  away  the  time  until  the  feasting 
begins,  and  they  seldom  leave  off  as  long  as  there  is 
anything  to  devour.  If  the  task  is  beyond  their 
power,  they  dry  the  remainder  in  slices  to  eat  at  their 
leisure.  It  afterwards  transpired  through  the  Ayah 
that  the  deity  was  supposed  to  liave  been  offended 
by  the  dhorasani,  in  her  walk  on  the  jDrevious  day, 
having  passed,  or  perhaps  even  touched,  the  stone 
which  their  superstition  had  dubbed  into  an  emblem 
of  the  Godhead.  Stocks  and  stones,  or  a  lump  of  clay, 
and  frequently  trees  smeared  over  with  a  little  red 
paint,  are  converted  into  an  idol  and  reverenced  by 
the  ignorant  Hindu ;  the  natives  generally  adorn 
them  with   little    earthenware   pots    or  chatties,   and 


GARDEN    AT    PORE.  143 

strings  of  white  and  yellow  flowers.  At  a  marriage 
feast  the  bride  walks  three  times  round  this  im- 
provised shrine  in  her  bridal  dress. 

Flower  gardens  are  generally  neglected  in  these 
regions,  as  they  require  much  attention  and  are  sure 
to  suffer  during  the  long  dry  season ;  still  Pore  does 
sport  one  of  modest  dimensions  in  front  of  the 
bungalow,  surrounded  on  three  sides  by  a  hedge  of 
the  evergreen-rose,  enclosing  small  beds  of  pretty 
flowers ;  plenty  of  Zinnias  in  half-a-dozen  colours, 
these  indeed  grow  all  over  the  jungle ;  a  slender 
pink  iris,  the  fuchsia,  geranium,  a  light  blue  con- 
volvulus, as  large  as  a  cheese-plate,  called  the  "morn- 
ing glory  "  and  others,  also  two  magnificent  lime  trees 
{Citrus  acida), — altogether  not  much  to  boast  of,  if 
compared  with  European  gardens.  There  was  also  a 
fine  grove  of  plantains,  consisting  of  a  great  number 
of  young  plants  luxuriating  under  the  shade  of  tall 
trees  overlooking  a  narrow  valley,  whose  slopes  are 
planted  with  coffee,  and  at  the  bottom  with  cardamoms 
of  bright  green,  following  the  winding  of  a  clear  rivulet 
which  springs  at  the  upper  end  from  a  tiny  lake, 
barely  80  yards  in  diameter,  with  a  lofty  Indian  elm- 
tree  {Ulmus  integrifolia)  in  the  centre,  the  tont- 
ensemhle  forming  a  pretty  bit  of  scenery  as  seen 
from  above      Of  plantains   there   are   a   great   many 


144  PROPOSAL    TO    VISIT    KERRI. 

varieties  in  Mysore,  especially  one  kind  I  have  not 
seen  elsewhere;  it  is  very  large,  i)iiik  inside  (Musa 
paradisiaca),  and  has  a  delicious  flavoui-, — there  are 
others  again  that  are  only  fit  for  cooking. 

These  hills  abound  in  picturesque  aspects,  secluded 
spots  crowded  with  ferns,  trees  covered  with  orchids 
and  interlaced  by  creepers  of  every  variety,  hardly 
admitting  a  peep  of  the  blue  sky  overhead,  and  in 
their  midst  a  little  brook  disputing  the  passage ; 
beyond  broad  terraces,  one  above  the  other,  with 
water  trickling  down  in  pearly  threads,  setting  off 
the  fresh  emerald  green  of  a  rich  crop  of  rice  which 
requires  much  care  in  its  irrigation,  for  there  is  not 
a  more  thirsty  plant  in  existence  excepting  the  water- 
lily  and  others  purely  aquatic. 

One  day  the  dhory  proposed  riding  over  to  Kerri, 
so  called  after  the  Canarese  for  a  "  tank "  which 
exists  at  the  extreme  end  of  this,  his  other  estate, 
some  eight  miles  distant.  I  readily  assented,  and  we  set 
off  before  sunrise  next  morning,  both  being  well 
mounted,  he  on  a  Waler  and  I  on  a  stout  Pegu  pony,  but 
never  did  I  experience  so  short  a  distance  occupying- 
so  much  time  on  horseback.  Our  road  or  path  led 
principally  up  and  down  hill,  occasionally  through 
swampy  paddy  fields,  fording  rivers  and  scrambling 
over  thick  jungle.     The  air  was  deliciously  cool   and 


PLATE  XVlf 


B  AT  I  -  B  U  E  L  . 
p  145 


THE    BLT^E    COW.  145 

the  scenery  throughout  unrivalled, — nature  has  cer- 
tainly favoured  this  part  of  India  beyond  any  other 
that  I  have  visited.  We  continually  passed  some  beauti- 
ful flowering  shrubs,  and  the  hedges  were  covered  with 
creepers  whose  Canarese  names  were  all  I  could  learn  ; 
one  was  called  Haggeri  Bh(i,  a  scarlet  pendant  barely  an 
inch  long,  another  Bati  l^^d  (Plate XVII.),  flower  like  that 
of  a  crimson  fuchsia  with  purple  centre  and  a  bright  red 
ovary,  a  most  graceful  plant  growing  to  a  considerable 
size  ;  I  also  noticed  a  small  tree  bearing  white  flowers 
resembling  bouquets  of  white  pinks  of  a  fragrant 
vanilla  perfume,  name  unknown.  We  rode  over 
acres  covered  with  Cape  Jasmine  (Gardenia  Jio7^ida) 
and  then  passing  on  through  a  jungle  with  occasional 
breaks  of  pasture  we  came  upon  a  herd  of  cattle, 
amongst  them  there  was,  what  appeared  to  my  correct 
eye,  a  blue  cow,  and  on  examining  her  closer  I  found 
that  the  optical  effect  was  produced  by  minute  bluish- 
gray  spots  under  the  skin.  I  had  often  heard  of  blue 
cattle  in  India  and  this  solved  the  mystery  to  my 
satisfaction.  In  northern  India,  and  especially  in 
Rajputana.  we  are  told  the  forests  hold  many  wild 
blue  bulls,  there  called  Neilghau,  which,  like  the 
peacock,  are  sacred  animals  ;  all  blue  things  are  deemed 
so  in  honour  of  Krishna,  who  is  always  represented 
of  the  same  colour. 

L 


14G  THE    TOIJDY    PALM. 

The  Kerri  estate,  about  200  acres,  covers  a  hill 
forming  a  large  plateau  on  the  top,  the  old  forest 
having  been  cleared  away  to  make  room  for  planta- 
tions, excepting  a  sufficient  number  of  tall  trees  to 
give  shade  ;  for  in  Mysore,  unlike  Ceylon  and  the 
Wynaad,  coffee  is  invariably  grown  under  shade,  and 
few  are  better  for  that  purpose  than  some  specimens 
of  the  Ficus  genus,  specially  selected  for  their  bushy 
crown,  besides  the  Goney,  the  Busri,  and  the  Howli- 
gay,  the  Canarese  names  by  which  they  are  known 
here  to  planters  and  natives.  The  Toddy  palm,  which 
attams  a  considerable  height,  is  also  frequent  here ; 
these  trees  are  hired  out  to  men  of  a  certain  caste, 
whose  privilege  it  is  to  draw  the  liquid,  by  cutting 
off  the  end  of  the  young  flower  spike  before  it  opens, 
then  fastening  an  earthenware  chatty  to  the  end,  into 
which  the  sap  flows.  The  simple  machinery,  by 
which  the  vessel  is  raised  and  lowered,  consists  of  a 
double  rope  passing  through  a  loop,  ingeniously 
attached  to  the  stem  above,  and  a  stone  tied  to  the 
other  end  keeps  the  chatty  in  its  place ;  when  full 
the  stone  is  removed  and  the  vessel  pulled  down  by 
the  other  rope.  The  toddy,  when  fresh,  has  a  very 
pleasant  taste,  not  unlike  that  of  the  green  cocoa-nut, 
but  it  speedily  ferments  and  becomes  intoxicating ; 
this  is  the  stage  in  which  natives  like  it  best.      When 


JUNGLE    FIRE.  147 

distilled  it  becomes  "  arrack,"  and  by  boiling  a  sugar 
is  obtained,  called  "jaggary." 

After  a  very  uncomfortable  night,  owing  to  the 
want  of  mosquito  curtains,  and  an  early  cup  of  tea 
with  some  delicious  chupatties,  made  of  rice  and  cocoa- 
nut  milk,  we  returned  on  the  following  morning  by  a 
longer  but  easier  route,  across  many  a  field  now  almost 
bare,  as  the  annual  fires  during  the  hot  month  of  May 
liad  burnt  off  every  blade  of  grass.  These  conflagra- 
tions, the  deliberate  act  of  the  natives  to  obtain  a  fresh 
crop  of  herbage  for  the  cattle,  are  a  grand  sight  as  they 
rage  along  at  considerable  speed,  covering  a  large 
^expanse  of  ground,  but  they  are  dangerous  to  cattle, 
.and  it  requires  the  assistance  of  all  hands  to  prevent 
the  fire  approaching  the  bungalow  and  the  coffee 
gardens.  The  coolies  extinguish  or  beat  it  out  with 
long  palm  branches. 

It  is  also  at  this  period  that  the  stillness  of  a  piping 
hot  day  is  frequently  broken  into  by  a  tremendous 
crash  in  the  depth  of  the  forest,  indicating  the  sudden 
ooUapse  of  some  gigantic  tree,  long  decayed  to  the 
core,  breaking  down  in  the  midst  of  the  dense  growth 
around  it.  There  is  something  very  solemn  in  this 
last  outburst  of  nature's  decrees  ;  the  very  air  seems 
suddenly  hushed,  the  birds  stop  their  song,  and  all 

living  things  seem  awed  by  it. 

L  2 


148  HO.Nri-;   mtk   in  'iiii:  iiim.s. 

On  our  arrival  at  Pore  I  found  heaps  of  letters  and 
newspapers,  always  a  most  welcome  sight  in  India,  and 
the  dozen  different  London  journals  sent  by  kind 
friends,  were  food  enough  to  last  me  initil  the 
subsequent  mail  brought  a  fresh  supply.  People  at 
home  have  little  idea  how  much  an  old  papei'  is  valued 
out  there.  During  the  remainder  of  my  stay  in  the 
Mj^sore  hills,  which  now  rapidly  drew  to  a  close, 
visitors  occasionally  turned  up,  although  our  nearest 
neighbour  lived  five  miles  off,  an  exceedingly  kind- 
hearted  widow  lady,  who  managed  her  own  coffee 
estate,  and  who  supplied  me  with  medicine  and  other 
things  when  I  was  down  with  fever,  for  the  latter  few 
can  escape ;  it  is  not  of  a  malignant  character  and  soon 
gives  in  to  a  dose  or  two  of  quinine,  else  there  is  no  pre- 
vailing sickness  here,  and  the  former  only  occurs  after 
the  heavy  rains  Avhen  the  mouldering  leaves  and 
vegetation  create  a  miasma.  The  natives,  at  times, 
suffer  much  from  boils,  but  cholera  is  rare  up 
here. 

Amongst  my  parting  rambles  in  the  neighbourhood 
I  had  a  very  agreeable  trip  to  Mercara,  the  capital  of 
Coorg,  a  considerable  military  station,  which  lies  in  a 
hollow  surrounded  by  hills  ;  here  I  spent  a  few  pleasant 
days  at  the  bungalow  of  a  successful  coffee  planter, 
where   I   was  most  hospitably  entertained,  and  I  was 


MONSOON.  149 

glad  of  the  opportunity  of  seeing  the  method  of  culti- 
vation followed  in  that  province. 

The  monsoon  in  these  hills,  with  rare  exceptions, 
sets  in  about  the  beginning  of  June,  and  the  down- 
pour continues  with  longer  or  shorter  interruptions 
until  the  middle  of  September ;  during  that  time 
seedlings  of  coffee  are  planted  out  from  the  nurseries, 
vacancies  filled  up  and  new  plantations  formed.  That 
operation  completed,  weeding  becomes  the  principal 
work,  requiring  all  the  hands  that  can  be  obtained. 
This  is  a  trying  time  for  the  occupants  of  the 
bungalow,  whose  thatched  roof  then  almost  resembles 
a  sieve  ;  every  available  vessel  is  set  to  catch  the  rain, 
still  pools  of  water  ai-e  unavoidable  throughout  the 
house,  and  fires  become  most  acceptable. 

Crop  time  was  now  at  hand,  and  I  only  delayed  my 
departure  from  Pore  to  witness  the  harvesting  opera- 
tion. Of  course,  the  time  of  the  year  when  coffee 
gardens  look  their  best  is  during  the  few  days,  or 
sometimes  a  week,  in  the  middle  of  March,  when  every 
bud  opens  under  the  influence  of  the  so-called  blossom 
or  mango  showers,  and  when  slopes  and  valleys  become 
all  at  once  covered,  as  it  were,  with  a  thick  layer  of 
snow-flakes,  whilst  the  perfume — a  strong  spice  or 
vanilla  scent — pervades  the  atmosphere  for  miles 
around.      That   is    the  time  par  excellence,    I   say,   to 


150  COFFEE    ri-ANTATI()N, 

visit  a  })laiitiiti()ii  ;  then  the  pkiiiter  is  se^eii  threading 
his  way  from  garden  to  garden,  witli  an  anxious  look, 
mentally  comparing  the  show  before  liim  with  that  of 
previous  years,  and  estimating  its  probable  result, 
provided  a  bad  monsoon  does  not  upset  even  his  most 
cautious  calculation.  Now  in  the  month  of  November 
the  trees  present  a  different  but  also  an  exceedingly 
pretty  aspect,  crowded  as  they  are  witli  little  bunches 
of  red  cherries,  perhaps  a  dozen  in  each,  and  from 
eight  to  twelve  such  bunches  on  eacli  branch,  of  the 
latter  there  may  be  as  many  as  twenty  bearing  on  one 
tree  ;  however,  such  numbers  are  rather  the  exception, 
and  not  to  be  relied  upon,  for  if  a  similar  result  could 
be  obtained  throughout,  an  acre  would  produce 
upwards  of  a  ton  of  clean  coffee,  whilst  in  Mysore 
two  and  a  half  to  three  cwt.  is  considered  a  fair 
average  crop,  although  Ceylon  planters  count  upon 
five  to  seven  cwt.  per  acre ;  but  working  expenses  are 
very  much  heavier  with  them,  labour  having  to  be 
imported  from  the  Malabar  coast. 

During  picking  time  it  is  amusing  to  take  your 
stand  at  the  pulper  and  watch  the  women  bring  in 
baskets  full  of  ripe  fruit,  carefully  eyeing  each  lot 
being  measured,  as  they  get  extra  pay  for  any 
quantity  exceeding  a  bushel,  which  often  causes  dis- 
putes  and   bad   language,   which  the   Canarese  excel 


PREPARATION    OF    COFFEE    CHERRY.  151 

in.  The  pulping  machine  separates  the  coffee  in  its 
parchment  skin  from  the  red  outer  pulp,  which 
latter  is  allowed  to  ferment,  and  in  that  state  forms 
excellent  manure.  The  parchment  berry,  after  being 
thoroughly  washed  in  stone  cisterns,  is  on  the  next 
morning  taken  to  the  barbecue,  a  large  level  piece  of 
ground  near  the  bungalow,  in  order  to  see  it  carefully 
watched,  where  it  is  for  several  days  exposed  to  the 
sun's  rays,  either  upon  the  ground  covered  with 
chunam,  or  upon  long  trays  about  six  feet  wide, 
running  the  whole  length,  and  consisting  of  bamboo 
mats  resting  upon  short  poles  stuck  firmly  into 
the  ground.  When  perfectly  dry  the  parchment 
coffee  is  taken  into  the  store,  and  thence  sent  to  the 
coast,  where  it  is  cured,  that  is,  dried  again  and  peeled 
of  its  parchment  and  silver  skin,  by  which  process 
the  two  half  berries  become  released  and  the  produce 
is  ready  for  shipment  to  the  European  market.  The 
whole  operation  is  very  interesting. 

Within  the  last  decade  a  new  industry,  namely  the 
cultivation  of  Cinchona,  has  met  with  considerable 
success  in  Mysore  and  in  south-western  India 
generally,  results,  however,  varying  somewhat  accord- 
ing to  the  process  adopted  for  obtaining  the  bark, 
which  is  twofold,  by  uprooting  and  by  coppicing.      By 


152  CINCHONA — GOLD. 

the  former,  tlie  tree,  after  luiviii^-  reached  maturity, 
yields  at  once  the  maxinnun  of  bark,  at  least,  one- 
third  more  than  obtainable  by  coppicing  ;  1  )iit  the  trees 
are  sacrificed,  and  the  soil  having-  to  lay  fallow  for 
several  years,  one  crop  is  obtainable  within  not  less 
than  ten  years,  whilst  by  the  other  mode  (the  coppic- 
ing) the  trees  will  grow  another  crop  in  four,  five,  or 
six  years.  The  C.  Calisaya  (yellow  bark,  yielding- 
larger  proportion  of  Cinchona  than  the  C.  Succirubra, 
producing  red  bark),  by  uprooting,  will  give  from  half 
to  two  or  even  three  pounds  of  bark  per  ton,  accord- 
ing to  age.  Another  species,  which  has  also  been 
grown  with  good  results,  is  the  C.  Ledgeriana ;  its 
discoverer  is  Mr.  Ledger  of  Tucuman,  the  central 
province  of  the  Argentine  Republic, — the  Eden  of 
America,  according  to  native  writers.  In  Sikkim, 
Northern  India,  there  is  a  large  government  Cinchona 
factory,  which  will  in  due  time  be  able  to  supply  the 
entire  quantity  of  sulphate  of  Quinine  needed  by  the 
u'overnment  of  India. 

Gold  has  also  of  late  years  been  discovered  in 
Mysore,  notably  in  the  Kolar  district,  where  several 
mines  are  now  being  worked,  returning  large  profits 
to  the  fortunate  shareholders  of  some  of  the  numerous 
companies  started. 


THE    BUNDH    (4HATTT.  153 

1  must  now  bid  adieu  to  Mysore,  and  that  not  with- 
out a  feehng-  of  gratification,  having  had  the  oppor- 
tunity of  seeing'  and  learning  many  things  quite  new 
to  me. 

A  springless  cart,  the  same  kind  I  had  before,  and 
Avhich  is  used  for  conveying  coffee  to  the  coast,  was 
readily  pi'ocured,  and  accompanied  by  the  faithful 
George,  I  was  soon  on  my  way  to  Mangalore,  about 
eighty  miles  distant. 

On  the  first  day  I  got  as  far  as  the  top  of  the 
Western  ghauts,  which  no  one  is  allowed  to  pass, 
either  up  or  down,  during  the  night,  owing  to  its 
dangerous  precipices,  and  very  early  on  the  following 
morning  I  Avalked  down  this  glorious  pass  in  advance 
of  the  cart.  The  Bundli  Ghaut,  such  is  its  name, 
ofi'ers  much  grander  views  than  any  of  the  Swiss 
passes,  not  only  owing  to  the  natural  beauty  of  this 
enormous  mountain  chain  and  its  smiling  valleys 
below,  but  also  to  atmospherical  effects  and  the  rich 
vegetation  of  every  part,  besides,  there  are  the  usual 
waterfalls  and  cascades,  and  thousands  of  pretty 
flowers  and  butterflies. 

On  reaching  the  foot  of  the  Ghaut,  in  the  province 
of  South  Canara,  I  again  got  into  the  cart  and  made 
for  the  nearest  Government-bungalow  some  miles  off; 
there  was  not  a  particle  of  furniture  in  it,  as  it  was 


154  SOUTH    CAXARA — M  A  N(;A  I.ORH. 

intended  for  natives  only,  hut  it  iiad  two  rooms  entirely 
open  to  the  front,  one  containing  a  long  stone  platform 
with  half-a-dozen  holes  in  it  for  cooking  operations. 
I  have,  howevei',  often  slept  in  \vorse  places  than 
this,  and  with  the  help  of  my  mattress,  taken  out 
of  the  cart,  I  passed  an  excellent  night  and  began 
the  next  day's  journey  by  walking  twelve  miles  before 
the  sun  had  risen  too  high  to  mar  my  pleasure.  This 
is  the  land  of  the  cocoanut  palm,  fruit  and  rice  fields, 
it  being  abundantly  watered  by  streams  and  canals. 
Small  properties  are  here  the  rule,  and  the  country 
flourishes  from  the  minute  attention  bestowed  by  each 
proprietor  on  his  own  little  farm.  There  are  fine 
hedges  of  the  Ixora  Cochin- Chvia,  bearing  a  sweet- 
scented  flower  of  a  peculiar  maroon  tint,  which  hither- 
to I  have  not  met  elsewhere ;  also  ginger  and 
turmeric  are  cultivated  in  these  plains. 

On  the  same  eveninof,  after  one  or  two  difficult 
passages  through  rapid  rivers — for  bridges  I  saw  none 
• — I  reached  Bunt  walla  on  the  Mangalore  river,  the 
banks  of  which  are  lich  in  vegetation  and  picturesque  ; 
thence  most  travellers  pi-oceed  to  the  coast  by  boat ; 
but  visions  of  mosquitos,  whose  furious  attacks  on 
inland  navigation  in  the  tropics  I  had  some  acquaint- 
ance with,  decided  me  to  remain  the  night  at  tliis 
place,    having  my  bed  prepared  under  the  table,    as 


THE    JAIN    RELIGION.  155 

the  rain  was  pouring-  tln'oiigh  the  roof  like  a  sieve, 
and  about  noon  next  day  I  found  myself  comfortably 
housed  at  the  Traveller's  Inuigalow  of  Mangalore. 

This  town  has  not  much  to  boast  of  in  point  of 
beauty ;  there  is  a  large  native  quarter  and  a  consider- 
able amount  of  trade,  shipping  as  well  as  inland.  The 
harbour  smells  strongly  of  fish,  which  is  salted  and 
packed  for  export,  whilst  the  dead  fish  and  refuse 
are  sent  hj  cart  to  Mysore  to  serve  as  manure. 
There  is  at  Mangalore  as  elsewhere  a  good  sprinkling- 
of  mosques  and  temples,  the  lattei'  belonging  to  the 
Jain  sect,  mucli  resembling  the  usual  style  of  Hindu 
architecture.  There  are  now  j^robably,  proportionately, 
more  Jains  in  Canara  than  in  any  other  province  of 
India,  excepting  perhaps  Chota  Nagpur.  Their  exact 
origin  is  still  involved  in  obscurity ;  they  seceded 
from  the  Brahmins  at  a  somewhat  later  period  than 
the  Buddhists,  say  about  the  fourth  century  B.C., 
and  they  have  much  in  common  with  the  latter, 
excepting  that  they  admit  into  their  religious  system 
the  worship  of  some  of  the  favourite  Hindu 
divinities  and  also  retain  caste,  to  which  they 
owed  part  of  their  popularity,  whilst  the  followers 
of  Buddha  have  dwindled  down  to  a  very  narrow 
circle,  if  indeed  they  can  be  said  to  exist  at  all  in 
India. 


156  .JAIN    TEMPLE. 

Of  Jain  origin  tlieit'  are  I'enuiiiis  of  many  tine 
temples  still  extant  in  countries  south  of  Dharwar, 
datinof  from  the  beofinning-  of  our  era  to  the  13th 
century,  on  some  of  which  Colonel  Meadows  Taylor, 
twenty-five  years  ago,  when  Deputy  Commissioner 
of  Shorapoor  and  the  Kaichore  Doab,  discovered 
ancient  Canarese  inscriptions ;  the  finest  complete 
specimen,  however,  is  found  at  Gujerat,  of  the  11th 
century.  The  style  of  construction  is  always  twelve- 
pillared,  whilst  that  of  the  Hindus,  when  pure,  is 
astylar ;  it  is  also  noted  for  the  Stambhas,  a  graceful 
column,  often  thirty  to  fifty  feet  high,  foi-merly  used  for 
bearing  emblems,  figures  of  animals  or  statues  elabor- 
ately adorned.  The  four-pillared  pavilion  or  portico  in 
front  of  Hindu  temples  receives  from  the  Jains  a 
fifth  pillar  in  the  centre,  else  there  is  little  difi^^'ei-ence 
between  them.  The  Jain  temple  always  covers  an 
image  placed  in  a  square  cell,  which  receives  its  light 
from  the  doorway  only. 

The  bazaars  of  Mangalore  are  well  supplied  with 
articles  of  native,  as  well  as  foreign,  industry,  amongst 
the  former  the  silver  ornaments  of  Southern  India 
deserve  a  special  notice.  The  "  bidree"  work,  with  its  in- 
cisions filled  up  with  some  black  composition,  resembles 
the  well-known  Byzantine  "niello"  of  the  twelfth  to 
the   fifteenth   century,   and    the  handsome    C^aucasian 


LEAVING    MANGALOHE.  157 

niello-work  of  the  present  day.  Its  process  is  well 
adapted  to  patterns  of  oriental  cliaracter.  Also  the 
embossed  silver  ornaments  of  Tanjore,  on  the  Coi'o- 
inandel  coast,  are  extremely  elegant ;  the  relievo  parts 
generally  representing  subjects  of  Hindu  legendry. 

A  steamer  from  Bombay  being  then  daily  expected 
to  touch  at  Mangalore  on  her  way  to  Colombo,  I 
reluctantly  paid  off  my  servant,  who  in  vain  begged  to 
be  allowed  to  accompany  me,  and  prepared  to  leave 
India  after  a  somewhat  lengthy  but  most  interesting 
sojourn.  Previous  experience  in  many  other  countries 
had  taught  me  the  desirability  of  seeing  India,  not 
only  along  well  established  routes,  but  also  on  less 
trodden  ground,  and  of  conversing  and  mixing  with 
natives,  and  I  readily  availed  myself  of  special  circum- 
stances which  gave  me  the  opportunity  of  carrying  out 
that  resolution  ;  and  whatever  I  have  related  in  these 
pages  is  a  simple  and  faithful  account  of  all  I  have 
witnessed. 

A  few  words  on  the  British  rule  in  India  will 
appropriately  close  this  portion  of  my  journal. 

In  building  up  a  great  edifice  or  Empire,  we  must 
commence  by  laying  down  a  sound  and  solid  founda- 
tion, in  other  words  raise  the  moral  condition  of  the 
people,  and  bring  them  to  such  a  high  state  of  civiliza- 


158  r.iM'iisii    KviA-:  i.\    india. 

tion  that  they  may  eventually  hecoine  the  pillais  of 
that  noble  structure.  This  has  undouhtedly  liitherto 
been  the  ahn  of  the  Imperial  Government,  the  same 
jainciple  has  guided  each  of  mjr  officials  in  his  re- 
spective post,  from  hiii;h  to  low,  and  there  is  now  every 
promise  of  complete  success.  Already  native  judges 
pi-eside  at  some  of  our  courts  in  India,  and  before 
long  we  shall  find  the  same  element  represented 
in  all  branches  of  Govei-nment  and  private  enter- 
prise. 

The  agricultural  progress  of  the  country,  within  the 
last  twenty-five  years, lias  been  enormous,  and  many  able 
writers  having  fully  discussed  and  fairly  threshed  out 
the  subject,  I  do  not  intend  wearying  my  readers  by 
expounding  my  own  views.  As  regards  the  Ryot, 
a  very  important  personage  in  a  purely  agiicultural 
country,  I  feel  fully  convinced  that  the  "  village 
system "  is  the  most  suitable  for  India  at  all  times, 
and  more  especially  so  in  bad  times,  and  when  visited 
l^y  the  curse  of  famine.  The  high  death  rate  during 
the  latter,  which  decimated  Mysore  in  1877,  was  no 
doubt  owing  to  the  neglect  and  total  disorganization 
of  that  system,  which  had  been  handed  down  from 
father  to  son  for  generations  past,  and  which  the  Kyot 
clings  to  with  a  sort  of  religious  eagerness,  feeling  safe 
and  content  under  it. 


BRITISH    KULE    IN    INDIA.  159 

The  sole  object  of  the  Government  is  to  lule  India 
for  the  benefit  of  her  people,  no  selfish  vieAV  of  filling 
her  own  coffers  being  part  of  that  policy ;  trade  and 
agriculture  are  alike  unshackled  by  any  restriction, 
and  whatever  taxes  and  duties  are  imposed  they  are 
solely  employed  to  meet  the  expenditure  of  the  Indian 
Empire,  to  further  education,  and  to  extend  public 
works  in  India. 

The  benefits  of  Christianity  are  placed  at  their  door, 
ready  to  exercise  theh^  civilizing  influence,  but  are  by 
no  means  forced  upon  the  natives  ;  on  the  contrary, 
their  religious  prejudices,  even  when  mere  superstitions, 
are  scrupulously  respected. 

The  people  of  British  India,  however,  are  not  of  that 
docile  and  apathetic  nature  which  characterizes  the 
Javanese,  who  have,  until  recently,  been  ground  down 
by  then'  rulers,  as  we  shall  see  in  a  subsequent  chapter. 
Moreover,  the  vast  extent  of  the  Indian  Empii-e,  and 
the  conglomeration  of  race,  as  well  as  the  presence  of 
powerful  semi-independent  Princes,  require  a  strong 
military  organization,  which  has  become  a  serious 
burden  to  the  country.  The  combined  force  of  British 
soldiers  and  sepoys  in  India  numbers,  in  round  figures, 
two  hundred  thousand  men,  comprising  about  one-third 
of  the  former,  and  two-thirds  of  the  latter  class  ;  which, 
on  the  highest  military  authority,  is  deemed  sufficient. 


160  iniinsii    immj-:  in    india. 

not  only  to  keep  the  peace  within  onr  liorder,  and  to 
hold  in  check  the  larc^e  armies  maintained  by  Rajahs 
of  various  degrees,  but  also  to  defend  a  population  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty-two  million  souls  (according  to 
the  census  taken  in  1881)  from  all  foreign  agression. 
These  native  forces,  although  very  formidable -looking 
on  paper,  as  aggregating  three  hundred  thousand  men, 
do  not,  on  closer  inspection,  pi-esent  elements  for  any 
serious  apprehension  of  danger  ;  for,  however  numerous, 
the  greater  part  are  mere  rabble — ill-clad,  noisy,  and 
badly  armed  ;  nor  do  they  possess  an  ai'tillery  enabling 
them  to  cope  with  European  troops  of  all  arms  ;  moreover 
the  possibility  of  a  successful  insurrection  oi-  mutiny 
has  been  very  much  minimised  by  the  introduction 
of  railways  and  telegraphs  ;  although  too  much 
reliance  must  not  be  placed  upon  these  either,  for 
nothing  is  easier  for  rebels  than  to  teai'  up  the  rails 
and  cut  the  wires  ;  besides,  during  the  hot  season, 
large  numbers  of  European  troops,  and  more  especially 
ofiicers,  occupy  the  military  Sanitaria,  now  so  much 
in  vogue,  at  a  considerable  distance  from  their 
base. 

The  following  gives  the  approximate  strength  of  the 
forces  kept  up  by  Indian  Princes,  compiled  from  state- 
ments which  appeared  in  the  Times  of  2nd  September^ 
1878,  and  29th  July,  1879  :— 


BRITISH    RULE    IN    INDIA.  161 


03 

-*^ 
O 
O 


^      I 


Oodeypoie     21,400 

Jeypore       14,000 

Jiidlipore  9,600 

Other  Eajs    47,500 


92,500 


^    [Gwalior 22,000 

^  J  Baroda 19,500 

^    I  Indore   10,000 

^    I  51,500 

Bundelciind  25,000 

Hyderabad   45,000 

Cashmere 20,000 

Minor  States     71,000 

305,000 

Besides,  independent  Nepaul  has  an  army  of  50,000 
to  100,000  men. 


M 


CHAPTER   VI. 

Crtlon  and  the  Singhalese — Mountain  eotjte  to  Kandy — Botanical 
Garden  at  Peradenita — Dalada  Temple — Buddhisji — Visit  to 
Newere  Ellia,  the  Sanitarium — Damboul,  Pollanartta,  and 
Anurajapore,  Ancient  Capitals  of  Ceylon — The  Thuparame — 
Galle — Precious  Stones  and  Pearls  of  Ceylon. 

On  approaching  the  island  of  Ceylon  at  an  early  hour, 
the  aspect  of  the  coast,  fringed  with  a  deep  border  of 
cocoanut  palms,  and  high  mountains  for  a  background, 
is  exceedingly  beautiful,  and  the  contrast  on  arriving 
in  the  small  port  of  Colombo,  with  its  projecting  walls 
of  the  old  Portuguese  and  Dutch  forts,  is  by  no  means 
a  ])leasing  one.       The  harbour  is  now,  however,  under- 


SHORT    HISTORY    OF   CEYLON.  163 

going  a  great  extension.  The  new  breakwater,  already 
far  advanced  in  construction,  is  to  be  supplemented  by 
jetties  and  warehouses,  calculated  to  make  Colombo  the 
great  calling-port  of  the  East.  Shipping  seemed  to 
be  active  on  my  ari-ival,  and  it  was  difficult  to  find  a 
landing-place,  where  the  custom-house  claims  the  I'ight 
of  inspecting  every  new  arrival's  luggage. 

Ceylon,  like  India,  has  a  history  of  which  we  know 
very  little  as  far  as  i-egards  its  earliest  phases,  which 
are  enveloped  in  mythological  legendry.  According  to 
the  Ramayana,  the  Hindu  epic,  part  of  the  island  was 
conquered  from  Kawana,  the  demon-king  of  Ceylon,  by 
the  hero  Rama,  the  sixth  incarnation  of  Vishnu,  who 
had  sent  his  monkey-general,  Hunnooman,  to  recover 
Seeta,  his  wife.  This  Hunnooman  in  his  expedition 
was  said  to  have  laid  down  Adam's  bridge  across  the 
Paumben  strait,  consisting  of  rocks  and  boulders,  from 
the  mainland  to  the  island,  which  near  the  former  now 
admits  of  a  passage  for  small  crafts  up  to  300  tons. 
There  has  been  a  project,  by  the  way,  for  some  years 
past,  to  widen  the  same  foi-  l)ig  steamers. 

The  first  historical  fact,  however,  we  learn  from  the 
Mahawansa,  an  epic  written  in  the  Pali,  or  sacred 
dialect,  namely,  the  submission  of  Ceylon,  in  B.C.  543, 
to  Hyara,  an  Indian  prince,  who  introduced  the  Hindu 
religion,  and  a  mild  form  of  caste.     After  that  period 

M  2 


164  COLOMBO. 

Buddhism  gradually  crept  in,  and  became  the  domi- 
nant religion  in  B.C.  307.  In  those  early  days  corrupt 
government  had  its  full  sway  in  Ceylon,  as  elsewliere, 
and  eventually,  by  misadministration,  there  were  no 
less  than  seven  kings  governing  the  island,  when  in 
1505  the  Portuguese  landed  ;  who,  after  having  held 
part  of  the  coast  foi-  nearly  150  years,  were  expelled 
by  the  Dutch  in  the  17th  century.  The  lattei-  had  made 
their  first  appearance  in  1601,  and  in  1643  they  forti- 
fied the  coast,  but  in  1796  they,  in  their  turn,  were 
defeated  by  the  British,  who  took  possession  of  all  the 
maritime  provinces,  whilst  in  1814  they  made  an  end 
to  the  misrule  and  cruelty  of  the  native  king  at  Kandy 
by  taking  full  possession  of  the  whole  island. 

After  these  few  words,  by  way  of  introduction,  we 
will  proceed  along  the  pretty  esplanade  to  the  Galle- 
Face  Hotel,  lying  almost  hidden  amongst  the  tall 
cocoanut  palms  by  which  it  is  suri'ounded.  It  consists 
of  several  detached  bungalows,  bai-ely  a  hundred  yards 
from  the  sea,  opening  out  a  very  picturesque  vista. 
Here  every  comfort  is  provided,  and,  moreover,  the 
hotel  is  noted  for  its  very  superior  curry.  Bandhies, 
a  kind  of  four-wheeled  dog-cart,  with  an  awning,  are 
always  in  attendance  to  take  one  to  the  different 
points  of  attraction. 

Colombo  lies  at  the  month  of  the  river  Kalaniganga, 


JOURNEY    TO    KANDY.  165 

is  a.  clean  town,  has  Its  government-house  and  clock- 
tower,  and  the  view  from  its  southern  extremity  is 
worth  a  moment's  pause.  On  the  one  side  is  the 
roaring  ocean,  on  the  other  a  number  of  lakes,  the 
largest  but  a  few  miles  in  circumference,  surrounded 
by  gardens  of  considerable  beauty,  cottages  and  bridges. 
The  European  residents  live  in  handsome  buildings, 
amongst  most  luxuriant  vegetation.  One  day,  en  route 
to  visit  a  friend,  I  was  caught  by,  what  is  very  un- 
usual at  that  time  of  year,  a  tremendous  tropical 
shower,  as  if  the  clouds  were  coming  down  bodily  ; 
•everything  became  drenched  in  a  moment,  and  there 
was  no  escaping  it.  The  rainy  season  here,  as  in  India, 
is  from  the  middle  of  May  until  September  during  the 
south-westerly,  and  in  November  and  December  during 
the  north-easterly  monsoon.  After  a  short  stay,  there 
is  little  to  interest  one  at  Colombo,  and  I  was  longing 
for  a  nearer  view  of  the  mountains  and  their  hidden 
treasures,  a  journey  now  easily  accomplished,  since  a 
railway  has  been  made  to  run  up  as  far  as  Kandy,  a 
wonderful  work  of  engineering. 

Nothing  can  be  compared  with  the  magnificence  of 
the  ever  varying  scenery  foi-  the  entire  distance  of 
seventy-two  miles,  as  we  are  running  over  swamps, 
along  edges  of  precipices,  and  in  zig-zag  fashion  up 
steep  sides  of  mountain  passes,  with  glimpses  of  fertile 


166  TITE    SINGHALESE. 

valleys  below,  watered  by  some  rapid  stream,  and 
forest-clad  peaks  of  various  shapes  overhead.  As  far 
as  the  first  station  the  ascent  had  been  but  slight, 
whilst  passing  through  forests  and  past  endless 
terraces  of  bright  green  paddy  fields,  set  off  most 
effectually  by  the  muddy  colour  of  a  rapid  stream, 
much  swollen  by  that  day's  heavy  rain.  As  the  train 
stopped  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  a  large  bridal 
party,  a  very  noisy  lot,  who  had  occupied  the  next 
compartment,  take  their  departure  ;  they  were  accom- 
panied by  a  wretched  band,  and  dressed  up  in  all 
the  colours  of  the  rainbow,  as  half-castes  generally  are. 

Here  I  also  had  the  opportunity  of  watching  a 
crowd  of  Singhalese  on  their  way  to  some  fair  ;  they 
did  not  seem  a  very  energetic  people,  which  I  after- 
wards heard  confirmed,  with  the  additional  informa- 
tion that  they  are  notorious  liars.  This  air  of  languor 
and  apathy,  especially  amongst  the  men,  may,  how- 
ever, be  deceptive  ;  and  those  who  wish  to  form  a 
correct  judgment  of  these  people  had  better  visit  tlie 
northern  districts,  where  enormous  earth-works  have 
been  thrown  up,  and  uj^wards  of  a  hundred  tanks 
repaired  by  their  voluntary  labour,  aided  by  official 
supervision. 

The  Singhalese  are  mostly  agiiculturists,  and  leave 
ti'ade    to    the    Moors,    who   originally   were   probably 


Plate  XVill. 


1  ^^..  / 


(>. 


:RP3W15*S'!J'i'^'*-i-' — :r^ 


-i.^-^ 


v^v  ^ 


SINGHALESE    DHOBI. 
p.  167. 


POLYANDRISM.  167 

Arabs,  and  are  still  strict  Mohamedans.  The  latter 
speak  Tamul,  in  Avhich  tongue  also  the  Seera,  an 
heroic  poem,  which  they  are  fond  of  reciting",  is 
written,  whilst  the  Singhalese  language  is  of  the  Pali 
dialect.  Sciences  are  much  neglected  by  the  natives  ; 
but  they  are  not  without  artistical  instincts,  as  their 
temples  prove,  as  well  as  many  articles  they  manu- 
facture. In  laces  and  embroidery,  also  in  carving 
blackwood,  ebony  and  tortoise-shell,  they  show  con- 
siderable taste,  as  they  do  also  in  the  display  of  their 
costume.  Both  men  and  women  wear  the  comboy  or 
coloured  cloth,  put  on  petticoat  fashion,  to  which  the 
women  generally  add  a  white  muslin  jacket,  or  they 
throw  one  end  of  the  comboy  over  the  right  shoulder, 
covering  their  bosom,  like  the  women  of  southern 
India.  Both  sexes  confine  their  long  hair  by  a  hand- 
somely worked  comb,  and  wear  earrings  and  bangles, 
but  the  females  do  not  covei-  themselves  all  over  with 
jewellery  as  the  Hindus  do.     (Plate  XVIII.) 

Polyandrism,  although  abolished  some  thirty  years 
ago  by  Sir  Heniy  Warde,  is  said  still  to  exist  in  the 
interior  of  Ceylon,  as  it  is  known  to  do  amongst  the 
Buddhists  of  Ladakh,  the  Nairns  of  Malabar,  the  hill 
tribes  of  the  Himalaya  and  the  Todas,  the  Aborigines 
of  the  Nilgiris,  now  numbering  barely  a  thousand 
souls ;    among   the    latter,   according   to    Mr.    Edwin 


168  Adam's  peak. 

Arnold  ("  India  Revisited,"  p.  300),  female  infanticide, 
which  fifty  years  ago  was  a  common  pi'actice  in  many 
districts  of  India,  has,  it  is  feared,  been  again  resumed. 
Frequently  a  woman  will  marry  three  or  four  ]:)rothers, 
all  living  under  the  same  roof,  thus  saving  the  expense 
of  so  many  separate  establishments. 

We  must  now,  however,  proceed  on  oui'  joui-ney,  the 
contents  of  a  green  cocoanut  and  a  few  excellent  oranges 
having  been  despatched  whilst  waiting  at  the  station. 
Here  the  ascent  commenced,  and  with  the  help  of  two 
engines  continued  foi-  more  than  an  hour.  During 
that  time  we  passed  through  lovely  mountain  scenery ; 
at  first  the  higher  range  appeared  in  the  distance,  in 
the  midst  of  which,  on  our  right,  the  famous  Adam's 
Peak,  the  most  prominent,  although  not  the  highest 
point,  which  latter  is  the  Pedrotallagalla,  8,230  feet, 
besides  two  others  somewhat  lower.  Adam's  peak 
rises  7,420  feet  above  sea-level,  and  on  its  summit  the 
priests  have  erected  a  hut,  where  they  show  the  Sri- 
pada  or  sacred  footstep,  sixty-four  inches  by  thirty 
inches.  Here  pilgrims  assemble  on  special  days  in 
large  numbers.  Adam,  on  leaving  paradise,  is  said 
to  have  touched  the  spot  with  one  foot,  according  to 
others  Buddha  did  so,  during  one  of  his  three  visits  to 
the  island. 

The  mountains  of  Ceylon  appear  as  spurs  or  separate 


UP-HTLL   JOURNEY.  169 

masses  of  I'ock,  and  are  well  wooded  to  the  very  top. 
Here  and  there  one  passes  clustei's  of  thatched 
•cottages  half  hidden  by  the  surrounding  vegetation  ; 
below,  the  eye  rests  upon  a  broad  valley  extending 
far  beyond  the  deep  ravine  cut  pi-ecipitously  into  the 
hill  side.  Presently  there  rises  a  black  granite  wall 
to  a  height  of  several  hundred  feet,  concealing  the 
sun  in  his  downward  course  and  for  a  moment  obscur- 
ing every  other  object.  Here  we  enter  a  tunnel, 
and  on  emerging  fi'om  it  there  opens  out  a  perfect 
fliiry-land,  as  the  train  leaps  from  hill  to  hill  passing 
in  review  the  most  varied  bits  of  scenery.  Trees  of 
•enormous  height  and  girth,  apparently  groaning  under 
the  weight  of  foliage,  often  in  full  blossom  of  white 
and  crimson  or  else  crowded  with  fruit ;  palms  of 
•every  variety,  the  Jack  and  the  Bread-fruit  tree  with 
their  handsome  large  leaves,  held  piisonei's  in  the 
embrace  of  some  enormous  creeper,  and  as  we  pass 
through  a  thick  jungle,  a  mass  of  palmetto  and  fern 
trees  gracefully  bend  theii-  wavy  leaves  to  the  breeze. 
Cascades  and  rivulets  tear  down  the  mountain 
creeks,  every  cone  and  peak  l^ecomes  separated  by 
floating  clouds,  and  below  it  all  is  the  beautiful  valley 
of  Kaduganawa,  receiving  the  last  rays  of  the  setting 
sun.  The  latter  presented  a  sublime  picture  ;  at  first 
the   sky   assumed   the  purest    transparent    blue   with 


170  SUNSET    IN    TIIK    HILLS. 

heavy  silver-fringed  clouds  floating-  about  ;  presently 
these  seemed  to  unite  and  foi-ni  one  sheet  of  biilliant 
silver,  gradually  assuming  rose  and  yellow  tints,  and 
spreading  over  the  entire  sky,  growing  deeper  and 
richer  in  tone  until  the  tiery  orb  has  disappeared^ 
leaving  the  heavens  enveloped  in  bright  crimson  and 
gold,  w^hilst  to  the  east  a  rainbovv^  in  all  its  beauty 
still  lingers  for  a  shoi't  space,  when  gradually  all 
disappears,  and  one  seems  to  awake  as  from  a  dream. 
Such  sights  are  rare  indeed. 

We  have  now  reached  the  elevated  plateau  upon 
which  Kandy  is  situated,  1,678  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea.  The  scenery  becomes  tamer,  the  trees 
less  lofty,  even  the  palms  look  stinted  compared 
with  those  we  have  left  behind,  and  here  and  there 
huge  black  boulders  heave  in  sight.  We  soon  pass 
a  tall  monument  erected  to  the  memory  of  Captain 
Dawson,  who  was  the  surveyor  of  this  magnificent 
mountain-road,  eventually  utilized  for  the  railway^ 
and  who  died  at  Colombo  in  1829.  There  is  a  pretty 
garden  at  the  station  close  by,  gay  with  poinsettise 
and  rose  bushes,  an  extraordinary  contrast  to  the  wild 
scenery  hitherto  passed  through. 

At  last  we  approached  the  old  capital  of  Ceylon, 
four  hours  after  having  quitted  Colombo,  and  a  very 
pretty  town  it  appeared  to  be  as  far  as  it  was  possible 


KANDY,  ANCIENT  CAPITAL  OF  CEYLON.     171 

to  judoi-e  by  the  Ijright  moonlight.  Twihght  does 
not  exist  in  the  tropics,  and  had  it  not  been  for 
Selene  riding  the  heavens,  we  should  have  reached 
our  destination  in  utter  darkness.  At  the  Queen's 
hotel  I  ai'rived  just  in  time  for  dinner  ;  there  were 
many  visitors,  chiefly  planters,  and  in  the  course  of 
the  evening  I  was  able  to  collect  all  the  information 
I  required  for  further  exploration  of  the  island. 

On  the  morning  a  beautiful  sight  presented  itself 
from  my  windows  ;  in  front,  a  very  large  artificial  lake 
surrounded,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  by  mountain 
ranges  of  undulating  outline,  with  huts  and  villas- 
scattered  about  along  the  water's  edge  and  in  the 
recesses  of  the  lower  slope ;  to  the  left  the  native 
town  running  backw^ards,  consisting  almost  entirely 
of  one  long  street,  and  parallel  with  it  on  the 
other  side,  an  excellent  road  lined  with  fruit  trees, 
which  leads  to  the  Botanical  Garden.  Skirting  the 
lake  beyond  the  town  is  a  handsome  drive  encircl- 
ing a  large  grass-plot  ;  here  a  crowd  of  natives  in 
picturesque  costumes  was  already  moving  about ; 
amongst  them  one  or  two  Kandian  chiefs  in  white 
pantaloons,  a  gorgeous  jacket  with  balloon-shaped 
sleeves,  and  a  large  flat  hat  surmounted  by  a  point  of 
curious  shape, — all  waiting  the  sound  of  the  gong 
calling   them    to  the  famous  Dalada  temple,  situated 


172  PERADENIYA,    HOTANIfAL    GARDEN. 

beyond  the  lawn  near  the  margin  of  the  lake.  A 
peculiar  contrast  in  that  crowd  a  number  of  policemen 
produced  in  strictly  metropolitan  garb. 

The  day  was  clear  and  not  too  hot,  which  decided 
me  to  walk  to  the  Botanical  Garden  at  Peradeniya,  now 
under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Henry  Trimen,  the  successor 
of  the  indefatigable  Dr.  Thwaites,  the  author  of  "  Flora 
Zeylanica,"  who  had  for  30  years  been  its  head.  The 
distance  is  four  miles,  just  a  pleasant  walk,  giving  one 
a  good  opportunity  of  seeing  the  country  as  well  as 
the  people.  I  was  considerably  stared  at,  as  Europeans 
in  tropical  climates  invariably  ride  or  diive,  but  1  did 
not  mind  that.  The  I'oad  led  through  a  succession  of 
neat  villages  and  forests,  and  on  reaching  those 
beautiful  ^rardens  the  first  sig-ht  that  streets  the  visitor 
is  a  magnificent  Taliput  palm  {Corypha  umhrceulifera), 
the  king  of  palms,  with  large  umbrella-shaped  leaves  ; 
around  it  were  other  kinds,  as  the  Palmyra  (Borassus 
jiabelliformis),  valuable  ibr  its  timber,  the  Areca 
(Areca  catechu),  for  its  l:)etel  nut  as  a  masticatory. 
The  Travellei-'s  palm  [Ravenala  madagascariensis),  the 
leaves  of  which  are  arranged  like  an  open  fan  ;  it  is 
noted  for  containing,  even  during  the  driest  season,  a 
large  quantity  of  pure  water,  supplying  to  the  traveller 
the  place  of  a  well.  A  knife  is  inserted  into  the  thick 
end  of  the  leaf,  near  the  trunk,  and  a  stream  of  the  clear 


PERADENIYA,    BOTANICAI.    GARDEN.  17^^' 

liquid   at   once  g-ushes  out.      I  tasted  it  and  found  it 
cool  and  perfectly  sweet.      There  also  was  the  Cabbage 
palm    [Ai'eca  oleixicia),    its   young   leaves    used   as    a 
vegetable ;     and    of     course     the     Cocoa-nut      {Cocos 
nucifeva),  which  supplies  all  the  wants  of  the  natives;, 
when  green,  food  and  drink ;   when  ripe  it  yields  oil ; 
its  sap  gives  toddy  and  arrack  ;  the  fibrous  casing  of' 
the  fruit,  when  woven,  makes  ropes,  nets,  and  matting ;: 
the    nut-shells,   drinking    vessels,    spoons,    etc.  ;     the 
plaited   leaves    serve    as    plates    and    dishes,    and  as- 
thatch    for    the  cottage ;    the   dried  flower-stalks   are 
used  as  torches  and  the  large  leaf-stalks  as  garden 
fences  ;  the  trunk  of  the  tree  is  used  for  every  possible 
purpose,  from  knife  handles  to  door  posts;   and,  hol- 
lowed out,  it  forms  a  canoe  or  a  coffin. 

The  garden  is  tastefully  laid  out,  its  beds  bursting 
with  a  display  of  brilliant  flowers  such  as  are  seldom 
seen  together ;  then  there  are  clumps  of  Bamboo, . 
yellow  and  green,  from  half  an  inch  to  twelve  inches. 
in  diameter,  and  splendid  Fern  trees  rising  to  a  heiglit 
of  ten  and  sometimes  even  twenty  feet.  Ebony,. 
Blackwood,  Teak,  and  many  other  useful  trees  ;  some 
producing  handsome  flowers,  as  the  Coral  tree 
{Eurythrina  indica),  already  mentioned  in  the  chaptei' 
on  Southern  India ;  the  Jarool  or  Bloodwood  [Lager- 
strcemia  reginw).  a  magnificent  tree  of  red  wood  much. 


174  DAL  AD  A    TEMPLE. 

used  for  boat-building,  flower  like  a  rose-colour  lilac  ; 
the  Iron  wood  (Mesua  ferrea),  large  tree  with  scarlet 
jshoots,  etc. 

Having  thoroughly  enjoyed  my  visit  I  walked  back 
to  Kandy,  during  the  cooler  part  of  the  afternoon, 
meeting  all  the  beauty  of  the  town  and  a  great 
many  healthy-looking  children,  which  speaks  well  for 
the  climate ;  the  latter  is  said  to  be  excellent,  and  the 
town  tolerably  free  from  fever. 

Soon  after  my  return,  whilst  taking  down  notes,  I 
was  disturbed  by  a  great  noise,  produced  by  the  com- 
bined instrumentality  of  a  tom-tom,  a  flute,  and  a 
drum,  which  came  from  the  direction  of  the  temple, 
calling  the  people  to  their  evening  devotion,  and  a 
friend  offerinpf  to  show  me  the  wonderful  relic  therein 
preserved,  and  which  is  most  jealously  guarded  by  the 
priests,  we  walked  across  to  the  Dalada  Maligawa,  a 
large  octagonal  building,  the  upper  story  of  which 
recedes  to  admit  of  a  gallery,  with  pillars  supporting 
a  conical  roof.  A  solid  square  stone  portico  flanked 
on  each  side  by  handsomely  carved  inner  and  outer 
walls  of  difterent  height,  gives  access  to  both  temple  or 
Dagoba,  and  monastery  or  Vihara.  The  latter  consists 
of  three  or  four  buildings  to  the  back,  surrounded  by 
gardens  and  again  enclosed  by  a  third  and  higher  wall 
■of  sim.ilar  design  as  the  other  two.      The  whole  group 


SACRED  TOOTH  OF  BUDDHA.  175 

presents  some  good  sculptures  and  other  mural  orna- 
mentations. On  entering  the  temple,  priests  in  their 
yellow  robes  and  shaven  heads,  with  much  ceremony, 
admitted  us  to  an  inner  compartment,  where  there  was 
a  handsome  shrine  containing  the  sacred  tooth  of 
Buddha  in  a  silver-gilt  casket  of  the  ordinary  bell 
shape — a  piece  of  ivory  about  two  inches  long,  for  the 
possession  of  which  the  late  king  of  Siam  had  offered  a 
sum  of  money  equal  to  forty  thousand  pounds  sterling, 
but  the  priests  declined,  finding  it  to  their  advantage 
to  keep  the  relic,  and  to  exhibit  it  from  time  to  time 
to  the  faithful,  which  brings  considerable  sums  into 
their  coffer.  The  original  tooth  was  destroyed  by  the 
Portuguese  300  years  ago,  which  is  conveniently 
overlooked  by  the  priesthood.  There  are  also  a  great 
many  silver-gilt  images  of  Buddha  grouped  within  the 
temple,  and  one  of  crystal,  the  most  beautiful  thing  of 
the  kind ;  it  is  enclosed  in  a  casket  of  elegant  work- 
manship about  eighteen  inches  high. 

With  some  difficulty,  and  after  a  donation,  gratefully 
-accepted  by  the  priests,  although  poverty,  as  well  as 
celibacy,  are  strictly  enjoined  upon  them  by  Buddha, 
we  managed  to  get  through  the  throng  which  was  just 
on  the  point  of  filing  off  in  ]:)rocession  around  the 
temple.  Near  it  there  is  one  of  those  peculiar  large 
bell-shaped  tombs  of  a  Kandian  king. 


1 70  BUDDlirSM. 

BuddhiKm  is  now  the  chief  leht^ion  in  Ceylon 
Previous  to  its  introduction  in  tlie  third  century  B.C.,. 
the  aboriginals  of  the  island  worshipped  demons  and 
serpents,  and  even  recently  consecrated  serpents  have- 
been  found  in  some  of  their  tenijjles.  According'  to 
mythological  records,  the  ninth  incarnation  of  the  Hindu 
god  Vishnu  was  a  white  elephant,  which  became 
Buddha,  and  a  tenth  incarnation  is  still  expected  by 
his  followei-s  in  Burmah  and  Siam.  This  is  likewise 
to  be  a  white  elephant,  meaning  a  return  of  Buddha ;; 
hence  the  great  veneration  this  animal  is  held  in  by 
the  people  of  those  countries,  where  he  is  lodged  in  a 
royal  pavilion. 

Historically,   however.    Buddhism    rests    upon    the 
Tripitaka,    or    Three    Baskets — three    collections     of 
writings  transmitted  in  the  Pali  dialect.     The  first  is 
called  Soutras,  or  Discourses  of  Buddha  ;   the  second,. 
Vinaya,  or  Discipline  of  the  Monastic  Orders  ;   and  the 
third,  Dharma,  Beligion  or  Contemplation  for  the  Laity. 
Fi'om   these  we    learn  that  Gotama,  or  Buddha,  was. 
born  at  Patalipatra,  on  the  confines  of  Nepaul,  in  B.C. 
623,   and  died  in  B.C.    543  at   Kusinagara,  in   Oude. 
He  came  into  the  world  to  reform  the  Hindu  religion  ; 
his  mission  was  to  purify  the  people  from  idolatry  and 
caste,  and  to  teach  a  code  of  austere  morality,  a  life  of 
virtue  and  charity.      He  strictly  forbade  the  taking  of 


THE    BUDDHISTS    "NIRVANA."  177 

the  meanest  life,  also  falsehood,  intemperance,  dis- 
honesty, anger,  pride,  and  covetousness  ;  he  preached 
the  doctrine  of  endless  series  of  transmigrations,  or 
eternal  existence  of  matter  alone,  possessing  power  of 
reproduction  without  any  other  agency.  His  disciples, 
therefore,  are  essentially  Atheists,  like  those  of  Con- 
fucius, acknowledging  no  Supreme  Being.  Hence 
the  effigy  of  Buddha  is  regarded  as  a  type  of  earthly 
goodness,  wisdom,  and  beauty,  for  he  himself  was  the 
perfection  of  an  ascetic  ;  he  had  passed  through 
millions  of  existences,  and  had  ultimately  attained  the 
subhme  excellency  of  Nirvana — that  is,  that  state  of 
blissful  unconsciousness,  akin  to  final  cessation  of  exist- 
ence, the  consummation  of  eternal  felicity,  "  a  peace  that 
passes  all  understanding,"  which  is  every  Buddhist's 
aim  and  ambition.  "  Life  will  condense,"  says  a 
learned  Singhalese  priest,  "  by  means  of  death  into  its 
essence." 

Nirvana  therein  difPers  from  the  Hindu  absorption 
of  the  spirit  into  the  supreme  divinity  of  Brahm,  whilst 
the  leading  feature  of  the  third  of  the  chief  religions  of 
the  East,  namely,  Mahomedanism,  is  admission  to  a 
material  paradise. 

"  Till  all  the  sum  of  ended  life — 
The  '  Karma ' — all  that  total  of  a  soul 
Which  is  the  things  it  did,  the  thoughts  it  had, 

N 


178  THE  Buddhist's  "  nirvana 

Grows  pure  and  sinless  ;  either  never  more 

Needing  to  find  a  body  and  a  place, 

Or  so  informing  what  fresh  form  it  takes 

In  new  existence,  that  the  new  toils  prove 

Lighter  and  ligliter  not  to  be  at  all, 

Thus,  '  finishing  tlie  Path,'  free  from  Earth's  cheats  ; 

Until — greater  than  Kings,  than  (iods  more  glad  ! — 

The  aching  craze  to  live  ends,  and  life  glides 

Lifeless  to  nameless  quiet,  nameless  joy, 

Elessed  Nirvana — sinless,  stirless  rest — 

That  change  which  never  changes  !  " 

Froyn  Euavtn  Arnold's  "  fAcjlit  of  Asia."" 

Flower  decoration  enters  very  largely  into  all  the  rites 
of  the  two  older  systems,  Hinduism  and  Buddhism, 
and  idol  worship  has  gradually  crept  into  the  latter 
faith,  which  has  lost  much  of  its  original  purity. 
In  the  northern  districts  of  Ceylon  the  Malabars 
follow  the  Hindu  religion,  and  worship  Seva, 

Those  who  have  studied  the  spread  of  civilization  in 
the  early  times  of  the  world's  history  must  have 
noticed  the  resemblance  of  many  of  Buddha's  precepts 
with  well-known  apophthegms  of  his  coatemporary, 
Solon,  as — 

"  In  all  things  let  reason  be  your  guide  ;  " 
"  Diligently  contemplate  excellent  things;  " 

and  many   others.     It  is  a   curious  coincidence   that 
these  two  great  men  should  have  been  born  within  a 


TRIP    TO    PUSILLAWA.  179 

few  years  of  each  other,  although  thousands  of  miles 
apart ;  the  one  an  ascetic  and  philosopher,  whose 
teachings  rapidly  disseminated  over  the  whole  of  the 
East ;  the  other  a  lawgiver,  exercising  immense 
influence  over,  what  was  then,  the  Western  school. 


At  the  invitation  of  a  gentleman  from  India,  staying 
at  the  same  hotel,  I  joined  him  and  his  son  in  a 
delightful  trip  to  the  hills  extending  in  a  southerly 
direction,  visiting  one  or  two  of  the  largest  coffee 
plantations  on  the  island,  where  we  were  most  hospit- 
ably received.  Our  road  was  almost  continually 
ascending,  the  best  elevation  for  the  cultivation  of 
coffee  being  apparently  3,000  to  4,000  feet,  where  the 
ground  is  covered  with  a  rich  chocolate  brown  loam, 
consisting  of  decomposed  particles  of  rock  from  above, 
blended  with  decayed  vegetable  matter  of  the  forest. 
The  first  plantation  was  commenced  as  recently  as 
1841,  and  since  that  many  fortunes  have  been  made 
here  by  those  who  have  had  ample  funds  at  their 
disposal.  The  only  thing  that  spoils  the  appearance 
of  coffee  estates  in  Ceylon  is  the  number  of  black 
scorched  trunks  which  have  been  left  standing  after 
the  land  had  been  cleared  by  the  axe  and  by  burning. 
At    Pusillawa    we     inspected    two     of     the    largest 

N  2 


180  THE    RAMBODA   FALL. 

establishments  of  the  kind,  and  I  was  surprised  at 
the  superior  mode  of  cultivation  to  that  I  had  wit- 
nessed in  India,  and  yet  producing  a  bean  barely 
equal  to  that  of  the  Wynaad,  and  much  inferior  to 
that  of  Mysore. 

Beinof  anxious  to  visit  Newere  Ellia,  the  sanatorium 
of  Ceylon,  about  a  day's  journey  from  Pusillawa,  I' en- 
gaged a  small  buggy,  leaving  my  friends  to  pursue  their 
own  object,  and  started  afresh  on  the  following  morning. 
After  some  hours'  hard  travelling,  I  gained  the  magni- 
ficent Ramboda  Pass  (Plate  XIX.),  sometimes  spelled 
Pangbodde,  a  narrow  gorge  closed  in  by  precipitous 
masses  of  rock  reaching  many  hundreds  of  feet  into 
the  air,  with  enormous  sheets  of  water  or  cataracts 
tumbling  down  on  either  side  over  crags  and  well-worn 
boulders.  The  mountain  scenery  now  assumed  a  very 
grand  character,  and  the  greater  portion  of  the  route 
being  steep,  I  preferred  walking.  At  last  I  reached 
Newere  Ellia,  completely  tired  out.  Its  position,  6,200 
feet  above  the  sea  level,  is  picturesque,  and  the  air  plea- 
sant during  the  day,  but  cool  at  night.  There  is  every 
accommodation  for  visitors ;  good  hotels  and  comfort- 
able-looking bungalows,  but  owing  to  the  time  of  the 
year  the  place  was  nearly  empty,  and  finding  no 
inducement  to  prolong  my  stay  beyond  a  day, 
I    started    on  my  return  journey  before  sunrise,  and 


PLATE    MX, 


RANGBODDA         FALL. 


PREPARATIONS    FOR   JOURNEY   TO   ANARAJAPORE.     181 

returned  to  Kandy  at  an  excellent  pace,  the  road 
with  few  exceptions  being  down  hill. 

On  my  arrival  I  noticed  a  great  commotion  under 
the  verandah ;  a  native  had  brought  for  sale  an 
armadillo,  which  he  had  caught  in  the  jungle,  and 
there  was  a  lively  competition  going  on  for  its 
acquisition ;  some  gentlemen  wanted  to  buy  the 
animal  to  take  it  away  alive ;  whilst  others  desired 
it  for  the  purpose  of  killing  and  roasting.  The  latter 
succeeded  in  obtaining  it,  and  I  had  my  share  in 
devouring  the  poor  brute,  which  proved  very  good 
eating,  although  he  is  not  always  a  very  clean  feeder. 

The  principal  object  of  my  visit  to  the  interior  of 
Ceylon,  namely,  the  inspection  of  the  Buddhist  remains 
of  Anarajapore,  I  had  left  to  the  last  as  a  bonne  houche; 
also  as  it  was  advisable  to  allow  the  sun  to  counteract 
the  effects  of  recent  heavy  showers ;  the  jungle  in 
those  regions  being  considered  exceedingly  pernicious, 
indeed  I  was  warned  that  a  night  passed  there  was 
almost  certain  to  brmg  on  fever.  When  everything 
was  ready  for  a  start,  and  a  light  bullock  cart  at  the 
door  ready  laden  with  my  traps  and  provisions,  a 
party  happened  to  ari-ive  at  the  hotel  who  had  just 
returned  from  the  very  district  I  was  bound  for, 
and  he  assured  me  that  I  should  find  it  utterly 
impossible    to    get   beyond    a    certain   distance,    the 


182  EXECllAliLE    ROAD. 

roads  beiii^  deej)  with  iiuul  iiiid  the  rivers  impassable. 
This  was  no  small  disappointment,  Init  1  was  not  to 
bo  deterred  l)y  obstaclos  I  had  often  overcome  in 
India,  and  started  on  my  formidable  journey,  merely 
taking  extra  precautions  by  way  of  stout  ro})es  and  a 
few  poles. 

The  difficulties  of  the  road  were  indeed  immense, 
and  on  several  occasions  I  had  to  walk  some  miles, 
often  throui^li  swamps,  to  obtain  assistance  from  the 
nearest  hut  or  village.  The  whole  country  seemed 
to  be  flooded,  and  the  jungle  teemed  with  leeches, 
barely  an  inch  long,  which  continually  crept  up  my 
legs,  causing  incessant  irritation.  Altogether  I  found 
the  obstacles  much  greater  than  I  had  anticipated ;  they, 
in  fact,  hourly  increased  as  I  proceeded,  frequently 
through  dense  forests,  where  seldom  the  human  voice 
was  heard.  Here  also  those  enormous  tree-like  creepers 
(Butea  superha)  frequently  intercepted  my  path. 
The  entire  distance  between  Kandy  and  Anai'ajapore , 
due  north,  is  about  90  miles,  and  there  is  another 
buried  town  "  Pollanarua "  lying  far  to  the  east. 
A  few  rest-houses  are  scattered  about  along  the  route, 
although  at  considerable  distances ;  still  they  offer 
shelter  during  the  night,  if  nothing  else. 

In  the  centre  of  the  island  there  is  a  succession  of 
mountains  for  a  distance  of  about    100  miles  stretch- 


DAifBOUL.  183 

ing  ft'om  Adam's  peak  northward.  3Iy  road,  however, 
ran  alon^  their  base,  thus  avoidmg  much  feitigiie, 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  suffering  very  severely  from 
the  superabundance  of  water. 

By  the  evening  of  the  first  day  I  got  as  feLr  as 
Mjj  tale,  only  sixteen  miles  from  Kandy,  now  reached  by 
railway ;  here  I  passed  the  night,  and  on  the  following 
day  I  managed  somewhat  better  by  making  twenty-nine 
miles,  reaching  Damboul  late  in  the  evening.  Some  eight 
centuries  ago  this  had  been  the  capital  of  the  Singha- 
lese, but  long  before  that  it  had  been  a  very  important 
town,  and  its  famous  cave-temple,  which  is  said  to 
be  nearly  2,000  years  old,  seems  to  prove  as  much. 
The  entrance  to  the  latter  confirms  the  great  skill 
employed  upon  religious  monuments  at  that  early 
period-  Its  porch  is  flanked  by  two  massive  pLUars 
oi'  ixli :.'/■:'.  Done  simplicity  and  of  excellent  proportions, 
and  is  surrounded  by  some  good  carving  in  the  solid 
rock,  representing  figures  of  Buddtia,  with  two  large 
statues,  one  on  each  side  in  a  recess ;  of  these  latter^ 
however,  little  remains.  This  entrance  led  into  the 
temple  where  a  platform  had  once  supported  the 
sitting  figure  of  Buddha.  The  present  Yihara,  or 
monastery,  which  is  attached  to  all  Buddhist  temples, 
is  of  a  much  more  recent  date  and  built  of  brick  ^ 
covered  with  cement. 


184  rOLLANARUA. 

About  forty  miles  due  east  of  Damboul  Is  Pollanarua, 
the  capital  a  couple  of  centuries  prior  to  the  former, 
and  in  order  to  reach  it,  especially  owing  to  the  over- 
flown rivers,  I  had  to  undergo  many  trials  and  great 
fatigue.  Here  are  some  very  remarkable  remains  of 
an  early  civilization,  in  fact  an  entire  town  is  being 
excavated  in  the  depth  of  the  forest.  The  Gal-Vihara 
is  a  rock-hewn  temple  after  the  manner  of  those  of 
Ellora,  indicating  some  good  sculpture,  but  completely 
ruined.  This,  and  another  I  shall  presently  mention, 
were  supposed  to  be  the  only  examples  of  that  style  of 
architecture  in  Ceylon ;  which,  however,  may  be 
doubted,  and  we  shall  probably  hear  of  others  by-and- 
by,  since  the  unearthing  of  several  of  the  old  Singha- 
lese towns  has  been  seriously  taken  in  hand  by  the 
Government.  At  the  Gal-Vihara  there  Is,  leaning 
against  Its  outer  wall,  a  reclining  figure  of  Gautama, 
forty-five  feet  in  length,  similar  to  those  found  In 
Burmah  and  Siam,  also  an  upright  one  of  twenty-three 
feet,  and  a  sitting  Image  sixteen  feet  in  height. 

The  Aglrla-Vihara  at  Pollanarua  is  another  fine 
specimen  of  enormous  size  and  excellent  proportions, 
the  north  side  of  which  still  exists  In  Its  entire  length, 
and  has  all  the  resemblance  of  the  ruins  of  a  splendid 
palace  richly  ornamented  with  pilasters,  recesses,  and 
carvings  of  every  description,  now  covered  with  shrubs 


ANARAJAPOllE.  185 

and   creepers,  giving-    it  a    very  picturesque    appear- 
ance, 

Pollanarua,  being  the  very  hot-bed  of  fever,  I  got 
out  of  it  as  soon  as  possible,  and  my  route  now  lay 
through  forests  and  vast  sandy  plains,  here  and  there 
•dotted  with  low  jungle  and  swamps,  sterile  deserts,  but 
rarely  relieved  by  fertile  valleys  or  tracts  of  patanas, 
•coarse  wiry  grass  affording  pasture  for  cattle,  so  common 
in  most  parts  of  Ceylon. 

Anarajapore  was  the  capital  of  the  Singhalese  kings 
from  B.C.  the  fifth  to  a.d.  the  eighth  century,  and  is 
situated  N.  Lat.  8,  and  E.  Long.  80,  or  very  nearly  so. 
Its  site,  by  the  way,  has  recently  been  selected  for  the 
seat  of  Government  of  the  newly-created  North-Central 
province.  In  the  eighth  century,  owing  to  encroach- 
ments l^y  the  Malabars  into  the  northern  district, 
Pollanarua  became  the  capital,  and  after  that  Damboul, 
as  already  stated  ;  then  between  1266  and  1410  half  a 
dozen  other  towns  took  their  place,  when  Kandy 
was  chosen  as  the  residence  of  the  native  king.  As 
early  as  a.d.  477  the  Singhalese  built  a  fort  of  great 
strength  and  beauty  upon  a  high  rock,  called  "Sihagiri," 
situated  near  the  centre  of  the  island. 

Already  on  the  road  to  Anarajapore,  as  well  as  in 
its  immediate  neighbourhood,  I  noticed  a  great  many 


18G  RUINS   OF   ANARAJAPORE, 

tanks,  some  in  utter  riiln,  others  recently  repaired. 
They  were  mostly  of  enormous  dimensions, — worthy 
monuments  of  Ceylon's  former  greatness  and  civiliza- 
tion,— and  their  number  throughout  the  island,  it  is 
said,  can  be  counted  by  hundreds.  Their  restoration 
by  the  Government  is  now  rapidly  progressing, 

The  ruins  of  Anarajapore  are  perhaps  the  most 
interesting  and  stupendous  of  any  hitherto  excavated, 
and  probably  of  the  same  period  as  those  of  Pollanarua, 
commenced  soon  after  the  permanent  establishment  of 
Buddhism  in  Ceylon,  which  occurred  B.C.  307.  The 
largest  and  finest  dagoba  is  that  called  "  Thuparame," 
which  must  have  been  a  wonderful  structure  before  it 
fell  into  partial  ruin.  Its  circular  platform  of  a  dia- 
meter of  fifty  feet,  and  fourteen  feet  from  the  ground, 
is  reached  by  stone  steps  from  two  opposite  sides,  and 
the  wall  supporting  it  on  the  outside  is  built  of  brick, 
embellished  with  mouldings  and  pilasters.  The  plat- 
form is  paved  with  large  granite  slabs,  upon  which 
there  are  four  concentric  rows  of  graceful  octagonal  stone 
columns,  all  monoliths  of  different  height,  no  doubt 
originally  for  the  purpose  of  supporting  an  umbrella- 
shaped  roof,  forming  part  of  the  bell-tapering  which 
has  always  been  a  prominent  feature  in  the  architec- 
ture of  dagobas,  resembling  the  pagodas  of  Burmah 
and  the  topes  of  Afghanistan.     These  columns,  whose 


THUPARAME    DAGOBA.  187 

height  was  twenty-four  feet  the  inner  row,  twenty- 
two,  nineteen,  and  fourteen,  respectively,  the  other 
three  rows,  had  capitals  decorated  with  grotesque 
figures  in  every  conceivable  position,  excepting  the 
third  row  which  had  eagles  with  outstretched  wings 
instead.  The  proportions  of  the  columns,  as  well  as 
that  of  their  individual  distance  from  the  centre,  in- 
creasing towards  the  outer  ring,  and  the  gap  left 
opposite  the  two  approaches  in  the  same  ratio,  are  very 
perfect,  and  could  not  possibly  have  been  improved 
upon,  even  by  the  Greeks. 

There  are  many  indications  that  the  Thuparame 
dagoba  had  been  richly  decorated  throughout.  All 
the  brick- work  was  originally  covered  with  fine  plaster 
and  ornamented  with  mouldings  and  figures ;  moreover, 
the  whole  of  the  interior,  roof,  pillars,  and  altars  had 
probably  been  elaborately  gilded  and  coloured,  as  is 
pretty  clearly  proved  by  recent  excavations  of  similar 
structures  most  carefully  made  at  Anarajapore  and 
elsewhere.  The  walls  on  each  side  of  the  stairs  had 
been  covered  with  carved  stone,  portions  of  Mdiich  are 
still  extant,  representing  figures  bearing  vases  con- 
taining the  sacred  lotus,  reminding  one  of  the  wall- 
ornamentation  of  those  mag-nificent  monuments  of 
Upper  Egypt  and  Assyria,  in  both  of  which  the  same 
flower  held  such  a  prominent  position.     Raised  portions 


leo  ANAI^AJAi'UKE. 

■of  masonry  in  different  parts  of*  the  platform  indicate 
that  a  well  oi'iginally  existed  between  the  third  row  of 
columns  and  the  outer  one,  with  a  stone  door  at  each 
■entrance.  Likewise  altars  for  the  depositing  of 
■offerings  of  flowers  or  valuables,  dedicated  to  the  use 
of  the  priesthood,  had  existed  at  the  base  of  the  shrine, 
which,  occupying  the  centre,  held  the  jewelled  casket 
■containinof  the  left  collar-bone  of  Buddha. 

There  are  a  great  many  other  remains  at  Anaraja- 
pore,  as,  for  instance,  the  Kuamveli  and  the  Lankrama 
dagoba,  although  smaller,  built  after  the  model  of  the 
Thuparame.  They  are  scattered  in  the  depth  of  the 
forest,  and  most  of  them  completely  ruined,  but  the 
a,bove  description  of  the  most  ancient  of  these  temples 
will  give  an  idea  of  the  style  we  may  expect  to  find 
amongst  the  excavations  still  going  on.  They  are  said 
to  have  recently  brought  to  light  a  great  number  of 
granite  columns,  or  parts  thereof,  forming  a  square  of 
forty  to  each  face,  thus  giving  a  total  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  when  complete;  these  are  supposed  to  have 
formed  the  lower  structure  of  some  wonderful  palace. 

Before  leaving  Anarajapore  I  must  name  a  curiosity 
of  the  place,  what  is  supposed  to  be  the  original  Bo-tree 
or  Peepul  [Ficiis  religiosa),  the  oldest  tree  in  the  world, 
said  to  have  been  planted  in  B.C.  288,  and  tended  ever 


PLATE  IX. 


RAMBUTAN  .    (NepheUdm,   ram butan.J 

p.  189. 


JAMBOO.  OR    MALAY    ROSE    ^PPL^  .  (Jambosa.  vuUjans.) 

p.  297. 


RETURN    TO    KANDY.  189' 

since  by  the  lineal  descendants  of  the  orit,dnal  keeper. 
Great  sanctity  is  of  course  ascribed  to  it  by  the  Bud- 
hists,  and  its  fallen  leaves  are  carried  away  as  treasures 
by  pilgrims  who  would  not  dare  to  touch  the  sacred 
tree  itself,  which  is  now  enclosed  by  a  wall  supporting- 
an  iron  railing,  totally  in  discord  with  the  venerable 
relic. 

My  return  journey  to  Kandy  was  favoured  by 
splendid  weather;  and  a  pretty  feature,  all  along  the 
mountain  slopes,  was  the  rhododendron,  often  reaching 
a  height  of  thirty  to  forty  feet,  and  many  other  beauti- 
ful shrubs  and  trees.  Of  those  bearing  fruit  I  noticed 
the  lime,  the  plantain,  pomegranate,  guava,  and  ram- 
butan  [Nepheliun  rambutdn)  (Plate  XX.),  the  latter, 
one  of  the  most  delicious  fruits,  similar  in  flavour  to 
the  mangosteen  of  Java,  and  in  appearance  like  a 
bunch  of  two  or  three  very  large  hairy  red  gooseberries. 

The  country  is  supposed  to  be  full  of  elephants,  but  it 
did  not  fall  to  my  lot  to  see  a  single  wild  one,  although 
I  passed  many  kraals,  or  traps  on  a  large  scale,  into 
which  they  are  driven  and  afterwards  tamed.  The 
cattle  are  small  and  buffaloes  plentiful;  also  several 
kinds  of  deer  and  antelope  and  the  pretty  little  Indian 
muskdeer,  monkeys  in  abundance,  and  hares,  squirrels, 
and  porcupine.  Magnificent  butterflies  I  met  with  on 
the  mountains,  especially  a  bright  green  species  with 


190  TO    (JALLE. 

swallow  tails,  fully  eight  inches  across  its  outspread 
wings.  The  birds  of  Ceylon  are  mostly  the  same  as 
those  of  Southern  India :  the  roller,  the  golden  oriole, 
the  hoopoo,  the  wild  pea-fowl,  parrakeets,  thrushes,  fly 
catchers,  pheasants,  etc. ;  ibis,  snipe,  and  teal  amongst 
the  rice  fields  and  swamps;  and  occasionally  a  flamingo 
on  the  lakes.  Serpents  are  not  frequent  in  Ceylon,  I  am 
told ;  I  certainly  saw  none ;  but  plenty  of  white  ants, 
most  destructive  creatures.  Of  fishes  there  are  seir,  of 
the  mackerel  family,  and  other  small  fry. 

Kandy  and  Colombo  having  been  reached  in  due 
time,  and  a  few  purchases  of  curiosities  effected  in  both 
places,  I  left  the  latter  town  one  early  morning  for 
Galle  by  coach.  The  road  was  in  excellent  condition, 
and  we  passed,  in  almost  constant  succession,  clean 
picturesque  villages,  cinnamon  gardens  and  cocoanut 
groves  ;  every  now  and  then  we  came  close  upon  the 
sea  which  cooled  the  atmosphere  very  perceptibly. 
The  entire  distance  of  seventy-two  miles  was  accom- 
plished in  ten  hours,  being  occasionally  delayed  by 
unmanageable  horses.  At  Bentolle,  about  half  way, 
we  stopped  an  hour  for  tifiin,  which  consisted  of  a 
variety  of  fish  dishes  and  oysters ;  the  latter,  however, 
were  coarse  and  unwholesome.  The  natives  on  the 
coast  occupy  themselves  solely  with  fishing,  and  catch 


GALLE.  191 

■enormous  quantities,  from  a  shark  to  a  kind  of  white 
bait ;  dried  fish  and  rice  forming-  their  principal  food, 
as  in  all  other  Asiatic  countries  that  have  access  to  the 
coast. 

At  four  p.m.  we  reached  Galle,  and  the  Oriental 
hotel  which  provides  comfortable  accommodation. 
Its  wide  verandah,  neatly  paved  with  many-coloured 
tiles,  I  found  taken  possession  of  by  a  great  number 
of  travellers,  owing  to  the  fresh  arrival  of  two 
P.  and  O.  steamers,  one  from  Europe,  the  other 
from  China,  whilst  natives  were  sneaking  about 
trying  to  pawn  off  bits  of  coloured  glass  for  precious 
stones ;  others  driving  a  hard  bargain  for  combs, 
paper-knives,  porcupine  spines,  and  little  ebony 
elephants ;  also  lace,  embroidery,  and  mats  met  the 
attention  of  lady  purchasers  principally,  and  many 
of  the  articles  offered  for  sale  proved  a  decided 
artistic  taste  on  the  part  of  the  maker.  Although 
most  of  the  rings  one  saw  here  were  worthless,  Ceylon 
produces  a  great  variety  of  very  beautiful  stones, 
which  mostly  find  their  way  to  Europe  to  be  cut, 
and  often  return  again,  in  their  reduced  size  but 
more  marketable  form,  to  Ceylon  and  India,  where 
good  stones  are  highly  appreciated  by  the  wealthy 
class  of  natives. 

Sapphires  and  cats-eyes,  found   in  the  Saffragram 


192  PEARL    FISHERIES. 

district,  are  the  finest  in  the  world  ;  also  tlie  ruby  and 
the  carbuncle,  the  cinnamon  and  the  moon  stone ; 
the  garnet  and  the  amethyst,  are  very  plentiful  in 
the  central  range  of  hills,  in  the  BaduUa  and  Newere 
EUia  districts. 

The  famous  pearl  fisheries  are  in  the  Bay  of  Jaffna^ 
the  extreme  north-west  point  of  Ceylon  ;  they  have 
been  very  unremunerative  for  many  years  past ;  but 
now,  beds  having  been  laid  down  some  years  ago,  the 
Government  expects  better  results  at  an  early  period. 
Prices  at  the  annual  auction  have  of  late  years- 
averaged  about  a  rupee  for  every  hundred  oysters  ;. 
this  shows  what  risk  purchasers  run. 

There  is  an  exceedingly  pretty  drive  from  Galle 
through  forests  of  tropical  growth  to  Wakaila,  a  little 
elevated  plateau,  whence  there  is  an  extensive  view  of 
the  broad  fertile  plain,  watered  by  the  silvery  Gindura, 
stretching  for  many  miles  in  an  easterly  direction, 
and  gradually  fading  away  amongst  the  distant 
miountains.  En  route  I  inspected  a  cinnamon  garden, 
which  also  contained  a  great  many  rambutan  and 
bread  fruit  trees,  also  the  traveller's  palm. 

The  "  Emu "  ss.,  having  arrived  to  take  up 
passengers  for  Singapore,  I  bid  farewell  to  this 
magnificent  island,  and,  entrusting  myself  and  baggage 


TO    SINGAPORE.  193 

to  the  tender  care  of  a  peculiarly  shaped  boat  called 
"  catamaran,"  from  a  distance  resembhng  a  large 
spider, — a  sort  of  long  trough  or  canoe,  furnished  with 
a  heavy  outrigger  resting  upon  the  water  to  prevent 
it  capsizing,  and  quaint  sails,  I  soon  reached  the 
steamer,  and  off  we  started,  passing  in  review  many 
miles  of  the  pretty  coast.  Galle  looks  best  from  the 
sea,  especially  at  sunset. 


o 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Strait  Settlements — Peijanq — Singapore — Bintang  and  Iiatam — 
Banca — Leaf  and  Stick  Insects — Sumatra  Coast — Floating 
Islands. 

Amongst  the  passengers  were  two  bishops,  one  a 
Protestant  on  his  way  to  Austraha,  the  other  a  Roman 
Catholic  bound  for  Batavia.  The  weather  was  tine, 
and  on  the  second  day  we  passed  the  Nicobar  Islands, 
N.  Lat.  7°  8',  E.  Long.  93''  4',  consisting  of  two  larger 
and  a  group  of  smaller  islands.  The  former  are  said  to 
contain  about  6,000  inhabitants,  principally  Malays  of 
rather  piratical  propensities  ;  the  shores  are  fringed 
with  cocoanut  palms  and  plantains. 

On   the   following  day  we  sighted    Sumatra.     The 


THE   SUMATRA   COAST.  195 

atmosphere  became  very  close,  eighty-eight  degs.  in 
the  shade  during  the  greater  part  of  the  day,  and  as 
we  were  passing  the  coast  of  Acheen,  having  sighted 
**  Point  Way,"  the  surface  of  the  sea  to  our  right  pre- 
sented a  very  pecuHar  appearance  in  the  shape  of 
ripples  in  endless  strings,  similar  to  the  rapids  on  the 
Danube,  or  those  of  the  St.  Lawrence  near  the  Thousand 
Islands.  This  phenomenon  here,  the  captain  explained 
to  me,  is  caused  by  opposing  currents ;  it  also  occurs  in 
a  milder  form  in  the  China  sea,  where  sailors  call  it  the 
chow-chow  waters.  The  Sumatra  coast  remained  with- 
in view  until  evening,  and  on  the  following  day  we 
encountered  a  strong  current  against  us,  by  which 
fifteen  miles  were  lost,  and  we  did  not  reach  the  har- 
bour of  Penang  until  seven  p.m. 

This  island,  properly  called  Prince  of  Wales'  Island, 
the  Pulo  Penang  of  the  natives,  meaning  Betel-Nut 
Island,  belonged  to  the  King  of  Quedah,  who  owns  the 
country  on  the  opposite  shore,  or  part  of  the  Malay 
Peninsula.  Its  acquisition  is  connected  with  the 
romantic  marriage  of  a  British  officer,  Captain  Light, 
to  the  daughter  of  the  said  king,  who  made  a 
gift  of  the  island  to  his  son-in-law;  but  in  1786, 
quite  regardless  of  his  previous  promise,  the  above 
potentate  ceded  it  to  the  East  India  Company  for  an 
annual    payment   of  £1,200,  increased    afterwards  to 

o  2 


196  PENANG. 

£2,000  per  annum  by  the  surrender  of  a  strip  on  the 
mainland  of  similar  size,  covering  an  area  of  160 
square  miles,  now  called  the  Wellesley  province,  on 
the  further  condition,  however,  of  Captain  Light's 
service  being  retained  as  superintendent  of  the  new 
colony. 

Georgetown,  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Penang,  is  the 
seat  of  the  present  Government  of  the  Strait  Settle- 
ments, including  Malacca  and  Singapore,  and  is 
defended  by  Fort  Cornwallis.  A  few  miles  from  it  is 
Strawberry  Hill,  the  sanatorium  of  the  island,  situated 
at  an  elevation  of  2,700  feet,  and  from  this  point  there 
is  a  magnificent  view  of  the  lofty  hills  of  Quedah. 
The  island  is  densely  wooded,  and  watered  by  numerous 
small  streams ;  its  principal  inhabitants  are  Malays,  but 
there  are  also  a  large  number  of  Chinese  and  Moors. 
The  latter,  descended  from  the  Arabs,  are  mostly  small 
shopkeepers,  and  both  Malays  and  Moors  are  strict 
Mahomedans. 

The  Chinese  were  that  day  celebrating  their  new 
year,  and  the  town  was  dressed  in  long  red  paper 
placards  and  coloured  lanterns.  Each  house  or  shop 
belonging  to  one  of  their  fraternity  had  its  altar  decor- 
ated with  bronze  figures,  vials  of  various  shapes,  and 
scented   Joss-sticks,  whilst   in   the   street   the  junior 


BAZAARS    AT   PENANG.  197 

members  of  these  long- tailed  Celestials  amused  them- 
selves by  letting  off  squibs  and  crackers  amongst  the 
passers-by.  The  entire  population  of  the  island  seemed 
to  have  flocked  to  the  town, — there  were  crowds  which- 
ever way  one  turned.  A.  quantity  of  fruit  was  exhibi- 
ted for  sale,  oranges,  guavas,  and  the  jamboo,  or  Malay 
rose-apple  [Jamhosa  vulgaris),  (Plate  XX.),  a  delicious 
fruit  of  slightly  acid  taste,  and  in  appearance  like 
a  small  tomato. 

The  Moor  contents  himself  with  a  very  small  square 
space  for  his  shop,  where  he  squats  cross-legged,  dressed 
in  a  sort  of  petticoat,  dark  jacket,  and  a  pot-shaped 
cap,  generally  striped.  Here  he  patiently  waits  for  a 
purchaser ;  but  he  has  not  the  civility  of  his  race  in  the 
Levant,  where  a  customer  is  seldom  allowed  to  go  away 
without  a  cup  of  coffee,  and  often  a  pipe,  having  been 
offered  to  him.  I  entered  a  large  bazaar  kept  by  a 
Chinaman,  whose  Josse,  an  immense  figure  of  Buddha, 
about  twelve  feet  high,  in  sitting  posture,  was  placed 
in  a  recess  upon  a  raised  platform,  a  quantity  of  incense 
burning  all  round ;  here  I  bought  a  few  articles,  amongst 
which  the  well-known  Penang-laAvyer  (Licuala  peltata), 
a  small  palm,  six  to  eight  feet  high,  making  excellent 
walking-sticks,  a  portion  of  the  root  being  left  to  form  a 
handle.  The  Chinaman  in  the  tropics  generally  wears 
white   trousers   and    long  jacket,   his    pig-tail    either 


198  DRIVE    INLAND. 

twisted  round  the  head  or  allowed  to  hang  down,  and 
as  its  length  is  the  owner's  ambition,  often  a  piece  of 
silk  is  added  to  bring  it  down  to  the  heels.  There  is 
little  variety  in  the  costume  of  a  Malay,  who  always 
wears  his  sarong,  generally  of  a  brownish  colour,  wound 
round  his  hips  and  reaching  to  the  knee,  sometimes 
below,  a  tight-fitting  coloured  jacket  to  the  waist,  and 
a  small  turban  made  of  some  dark  material. 

Having  the  better  part  of  the  day  to  dispose  of,  I 
took  a  drive  into  the  country,  passed  many  rice  and 
cotton  fields,  pepper,  cofiee,  and  tobacco  plantations, 
also  groves  of  nutmegs  and  cloves.  The  roadside  was 
dotted  with  native  cottages  and  small  temples,  villas 
and  gardens  belonging  to  Europeans;  and  about  five 
miles  from  the  town  I  came  upon  a  pretty  waterfall, 
after  the  manner  of  the  Giesbach,  as  it  rushes  down  the 
mountain,  once  or  twice  interrupted  in  its  course. 
This  is  rather  a  show  place,  and  there  is  a  delightful 
plunge  bath  surrounded  by  a  screen  of  thick  foliage. 
Here  also  grows  the  Flamboyant,  now  in  full  bloom, 
throwing  every  other  plant  into  the  shade ;  and  butter- 
flies there  were  of  such  beauty  that  collectors  would 
have  little  reason  to  complain. 

When  the  time  allowed  us  by  the  captain  to  remain 
on  shore  had  nearly  expired,  we  made  our  way  back  to 
the  ship,  accompanied  by  a  smart  shower  of  tepid  rain, 


SINGAPORE.  199 

passing  a  number  of  Malay  fishing  boats,  with  square 
brown  sails  made  of  cocoanut  fibre. 

On  the  following  day  we  passed  Malacca,  the  shores 
of  the  Peninsula  and  of  Sumatra  remaining  nearly  all 
the  time  within  view,  and  early  on  the  following 
morning  the  Strait  Islands  hove  in  sight,  which  re- 
quired very  careful  navigation,  as  we  passed  through 
narrow  passages  and  inlets,  until  we  weighed  anchor  in 
the  harbour  of  Singapore.  Here  I  had  to  waste  a 
couple  of  hours  in  the  transfer  of  my  luggage,  part  of  it 
to  shore  and  part  on  board  the  Dutch  steamer,  "  Vice- 
Admiral  Fabius,"  bound  within  a  few  days  for 
Batavia. 

The  island  of  Singapore,  including  a  great  number  of 
small  islets,  N.  Lat.  1°  17',  and  E.  Long.  103°  50',  is 
larger  than  Penang  by  about  one  third,  became  a 
British  free-port  in  1819,  and  is  the  entrepot  of  produce 
from  all  parts  of  the  world  for  exchange  and  re-shipment 
to  its  ultimate  destination  ;  besides,  it  has  a  consider- 
able home  trade  in  gambeer,  sago,  cocoanut,  and  nut- 
megs, produced  on  the  island. 

The  popidation,  in  all  barely  a  hundred  thousand 
souls,  consists  principally  of  Chinese  and  Malays, — say, 
about  two-thirds  of  the  former  and  one-third  of  the 
latter  ;    they  all  speak  the  Malay  language,  and  their 


200  MR.  whampoa's  garden. 

villages,  like  those  of  Penaiig,  are  built  upon  piles 
driven  into  the  swamp.  The  climate  is  salubrious,  and 
very  even  throughout  the  year,  favouring  a  rich  and 
beautiful  vegetation,  and  the  entire  island  is  flat,  w^ith 
only  slight  undulations.  The  town  is  large  and  inter- 
sected with  canals  and  bridges,  else  oftering  little 
variety  from  other  places  in  the  tropics. 

Mr.  Whampoa,  a  rich  Chinese  merchant,  has  a  large 
property  in  the  neighbourhood,  its  gardens  laid  out 
after  the  fashion  of  the  country  of  his  birth,  trim 
hedges,  box  and  myrtle  trained  and  clipped  to  shapes 
of  animals,  junks,  etc.,  tiny  watercourses,  and  miniature 
bridges.  A  little  stream,  crowded  with  gold  fish,  was 
made  to  pass  under  the  central  portion  of  his  mansion, 
which  formed  an  open  gallery,  and  was  supported  by  a 
lofty  bridge,  admitting  of  a  boat  passing  underneath. 
A  little  farther  on  the  water  collected  in  a  pond,  or 
rather,  —  begging  Mr.  Whampoa's  pardon,  —  into  a 
diminutive  lake,  full  of  water-lilies,  the  most  beautiful 
of  them  the  Victoria  regia;  its  flowers,  when  expanded, 
are  a  foot  and  more  across,  and  its  round  salver-shaped 
leaves  vary  from  four  to  six  feet  in  diameter  with 
a  raised  rim  of  two  or  three  inches.  The  "piggery," 
however,  is  quite  the  feature  of  the  establishment,  and 
one  the  owner  is  not  a  little  proud  of  There  are  some 
enormous  beasts, — I  measured  one  fully  seven  feet  from 


"vice-admiral  fabius,"  s.s.  201 

snout  to  tail, — tremendously  fat,  and  the  place  they 
were  kept  in  was  wonderfully  clean  and  neat  in  all  its 
arrangements. 

The  other  sights  of  Singapore,  such  as  they  might 
be,  I  left  until  after  my  return  from  the  Malay  Islands, 
whither  I  was  now  bound  by  the  little  Dutchman, 
**  Vice- Admiral  Fabius,"  of  only  300  tons,  like  her  name- 
sake of  old,  progressing  at  a  truly  Fabian  pace.  A 
wretched  boat  in  every  way,  as  regards  speed,  comfort, 
as  well  as  feeding.  This  I  believe  was  intended  to 
be  her  last  voyage,  and  fine  new  steamers  were  in 
future  to  meet  the  requirements  of  an  increasing  traffic, 
which  may  benefit  me  later  on. 

We  now  passed  a  number  of  small  islands,  and 
through  the  narrow  strait  dividing  Bin  tang  and 
Batam,  we  came  to  anchor  in  the  roadstead  of  Bhio, 
after  which  the  passage  is  named.  The  same  splendid 
vegetation,  quite  a  belt  of  lofty  trees,  palms,  and 
ferns,  with  little  villages  built  on  stilts,  in  some 
secluded  inlet  of  the  coast.  A  few  hours  being 
required  here  to  discharge  some  merchandise,  I  went 
on  shore.  There  were  about  a  dozen  European 
bungalows,  and  a  fort  commanding  the  strait.  These 
islands  belong  to  the  Sultan  of  Linga,  whose  viceroy 
resides  on  the  opposite  shore. 

On  the  following  morning  we  crossed  the  Equator, 


202  STRAIT   OF   BANCA. 

without  any  of  the  old  customs  of  rum  and  feathering- 
being  kept  up.     The  heat  was  intense. 

Minto,  the  princij^al  port  of  the  large  island  of 
Banca,  the  great  tin  emporium  and  Holland's  mine, 
in  every  sense  of  the  word,  was  our  next  destination, 
where  goods  had  to  be  exchanged.  I  landed,  to  enjoy 
a  stretch  in  the  cool  shade  of  the  forest,  and  here  I 
saw  those  wonderful  insects  belonging  to  the  order 
Orthoptera  cursoria,  the  Walking-leaf  [Phyllium) 
and  the  Walking-stick  (Phasma),  the  most  perfect 
representation,  when  in  repose,  of  leaves  like  those 
of  the  jasmin,  and  of  bits  of  dry  branchlets  a  few 
inches  long.  They  are  very  curious,  and  I  collected 
a  few  specimens,  along  with  their  natural  food,  to 
take  with  me,  but  they  did  not  live  beyond  a  few 
days.  They  are  very  slow  in  their  movements, 
especially  at  starting,  as  if  it  took  them  a  little  time 
to  recover  from  their  trance  or  stupor. 

After  a  few  hours,  delay  we  passed  through  the 
narrow  strait  between  Banca  and  the  fever-stricken 
coast  of  Sumatra.  The  climate  on  the  latter  is  said 
to  be  deadly  to  both  Europeans  and  natives. 
Frequent  attempts  have  been  made  to  clear  its  forests 
and  jungles,  but  the  hand  of  death  has  invariably 
put  a  stop  to  it.  Its  tall  trees,  100  to  150  feet  high, 
which  one  sees  so  distinctly  in  passing  through  the 


CAMPHOR-TREE    AT    SUMATRA.  203 

strait,  are  the  Hard-camphor  [Dnjohalanops  aroma- 
tica) ;  they  are  said  to  grow  only  here  and  in  Borneo. 
The  camphor  is  obtained  by  cutting  down  the  tree 
and  dividing  the  wood  into  small  pieces,  in  the 
division  or  natural  cavities  of  which  it  is  found  in 
crystalline  masses.  This  tree  is  of  quite  a  different 
order  to  that  of  the  Camphor-laurel  (Camphora  offici- 
narum)  which  grows  in  China,  Japan,  and  also  in 
India.  The  latter  likewise  grows  to  a  great  height  ; 
but,  in  order  to  obtain  the  camphor,  it  is  necessary 
that  stem  and  branches  be  chopped  into  fragments 
and  undergo  some  chemical  process. 

At  one  time  we  steamed  so  close  to  the  coast  of 
Sumatra  that  we  could  distinctly  see  a  little  village, 
consisting  of  wooden  houses,  ornamented  with  carving 
and  very  picturesque  high-pitched  gables,  either  at 
one  end  only,  or  at  both,  the  roof  considerably 
dropping  towards  the  middle,  also  smaller  houses  of 
similar  construction,  built  entirely  of  bamboo.  This 
was  in  a  more  southerly  part  of  the  island,  which 
was  neither  so  densely  wooded  nor  so  unhealthy  as 
where  the  Hard-camphor-tree  grows. 

The  pace  of  the  "  Vice- Admiral  Fabius "  had 
gradually  become  a  crawl,  and  although  only  540 
geographical  miles  from  Singapore,  it  was  not  until 
daybreak  of  the  fourth  day,  or  at  an  average  rate  of 


204  FLOATING    ISLANDS. 

six  knots  an  hour,  that  we  approached  the  coast  of 
Java,  greeted  by  the  appeai-ance  of  floating  islands, 
which  became  more  frequent  as  we  reached  the  road- 
stead of  Batavia.  These  were  large  masses  of  soil 
covered  with  upright  trees,  ferns  and  grass,  which 
annually,  by  the  rapid  descent  of  large  volumes  of 
water,  become  detached  in  the  interior  of  the  island, 
and  are  swept  down  by  the  current  of  the  river 
Jaccatra  into  the  sea,  where  they  float  along  until 
they  come  into  contact  with  the  shore  of  some 
neighbouring  island ;  there  they  attach  themselves, 
and  by  these  means  many  of  the  latter  slowly  change 
their  outline.  Thus,  by  the  whim  of  nature,  the  very 
charming  phenomenon  of  these  floating  islands  is 
produced  ;  which,  however,  occurs  only  at  certain 
periods,  and  after  an  unusually  heavy  downpour, 
say  towards  the  end  of  the  monsoon,  which  in  Java 
lasts  from  November  until  March. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

Batatia —  Governor-General* 8  Reception  —  Buitenzobg  —  Botanical 
Gardens — Ethnological  and  Geological  Museums — Java  Fruit 
— Visit  to  Raden  Saleh,  Native  Artist — Batoe-Toulis,  Site 
of  Old  Town — Fetish  Monument — Court  of  Justice. 

On  reaching  the  roadstead  of  Batavia,  we  anchored 
some  two  or  three  miles  from  the  town,  and  a  single 
boat  made  its  appearance  to  take  passengers  and 
luggage  ashore,  where  the  vexatious  process  of  examin- 
ing the  latter  at  the  custom  house  proceeded  with  admir- 
able punctiliousness,  after  which,  and  the  inspection  of 
passports,  I  was  allowed  to  proceed  on  my  way  by  a  small 
open  conveyance,  the  baggage  being  separately  con- 


206  ARRIVAL    AT    BATAVIA. 

veyed  to  the  hotel.  It  was  a  long  drive  and  a  hungry 
one,  since  no  breakfast  had  been  provided  on  board 
before  starting.  The  first  portion  of  the  road  led 
through  the  mercantile  and  crowded  native  quarter, 
thence  through  wide  shady  avenues  to  the  European 
town,  consisting  of  handsome  villas  almost  concealed  by 
a  rich  vegetation,  until  I  reached  the  Nederlanden  Hotel, 
which  enjoys  the  prestige  of  being  the  best ;  but,  finding 
it  full,  I  proceeded  to  the  Hotel  de  la  Marine.  Here  the 
accommodation  was  good,  a  handsome  circular  structure 
facing  the  road,  surrounded  by  the  indispensable 
verandah,  which  was  supported  by  columns  of  appar- 
ently snow-white  marble,  in  reality  chenamed,  and 
large  public  rooms  within.  At  the  back,  at  right 
angle  with  the  road,  there  were  two  long  rows  of 
buildings  with  numerous  doors,  each  giving  admittance 
to  a  front  and  back  sitting  and  bedroom,  a  colonnade 
running  along  the  whole  length,  and  between  them  a 
garden  resplendent  with  gay  flowers.  Au  fond  were 
several  magnificent  baths ;  these  were  in  constant 
requisition  during  the  early  part  of  the  day,  and  again 
between  the  siesta  (which  is  quite  an  institution  in 
Batavia)  and  the  dinner  hour.  When  going  to  bed  I 
was  very  much  puzzled  what  to  do  with  a  long  narrow 
bolster,  made  of  fine  bamboo  fibre,  and  covered  with  a 
white  slip,  which  I    found   lying  lengthways  on    the 


HOTEL   DE    LA    MARINE.  207 

mattress.  Upon  making  enquiry  as  to  its  use,  I  was 
told  that  people  place  it  between  their  legs  to  keep 
them  cool,  and  it  certainly  has  that  effect.  I  after- 
wards found  this  curious  habit  universally  adopted  in 
Java.  Still,  the  nights  being  hot,  and  the  perpetual 
singing  of  the  mosquitoes,  in  their  vain  attempt  to 
penetrate  the  net  curtain,  disturbing  one's  slumber, 
induces  people  to  rise  early ;  and  between  five  and 
six  o'clock  every  door  is  thrown  wide  open,  a  large 
lounging  chair  placed  under  the  verandah,  and  the 
occupant  in  a  very  light  wrapper  proceeds  to  the  bath, 
which  offers  every  variety  of  application.  Many  very 
curious  costumes  does  one  behold  on  this  occasion, 
especially  amongst  the  gentler  sex  ;  however,  it  would 
not  be  polite  to  criticize  what  was  not  intended  for  the 
public  eye. 

Thus  refreshed,  each  seeks  comfort  in  his  easy-chair, 
and  there  discusses  a  cup  of  tea  or  coffee  and  a  rusk, 
handed  by  one  of  the  numerous  attendants,  all  dressed 
in  white  with. a  red  sash.  Soon  a  sort  of  Freemasonry 
is  established  with  one's  neighbour,  and  after  having 
been  at  the  hotel  for  a  few  days  you  know  pretty  well 
every  one  residing  under  the  same  colonnade,  and  fre- 
quently his  whole  history  to  boot,  entrusted  to  you  in 
the  strictest  confidence.  You  thus  learn  that,  excepting 
a  few  ships'  captains,  they  are  nearly  all  merchants 


208  MALAY    CUISINE    (hABIs). 

from  neighbouring  islands,  or  from  the  eastern  towns  of 
Java,  each  trying  to  steal  a  march  upon  the  other  in 
the  disposal  of  some  produce,  or  in  the  purchase  of 
a  certain  European  commodity.  A  promenade  along 
the  entire  length  of  the  verandah  is  generally  iheji7iale 
of  the  morning  out-of-door  appearance ;  a  careful  toilet 
follows,  mostly  consisting  of  white  linen  in  both  sexes, 
and  at  noon  the  booming  of  a  gong  announces  the 
breakfast  hour,  which  is  generally  welcomed  by  a  full 
muster,  both  of  strangers  and  hahitues  attended  by  the 
crowd  of  copper-coloured  Malays,  who  make  excellent 
servants.  The  conversation,  at  first  brisk,  soon  slackens 
under  the  influence  of  a  continuous  handing-round  of 
dishes  at  very  short  intervals.  The  same  routine  is 
followed  at  morning  and  evening  meals,  consisting 
principally  of  a  kind  of  curry,  which,  however,  allows 
of  great  variations.  It  begins  with  rice  being  served, 
of  which  every  one  takes  almost  as  much  as  the  plate 
will  hold,  then  follows  a  soupy  curry,  which  is  mixed 
up  with  the  rice,  and  to  it  is  added  a  little  of  every 
dish  handed  round,  whilst  you  keep  eating  during  the 
interval  smoked  and  cooked  meat,  fowl,  sausage,  pickles 
and  condiments,  fish  and  omelet,  and  I  don't  know 
what  not.  A  favourite  ingredient  is  a  little  red  fish,  a 
species  of  Engraidis,  which  comes  from  Macassar ;  it  is 
no  larger  than  white-bait,  and  is  salted  like  anchovies. 


B  ATA  VIA    BAZAARS.  209 

It  requires  a  healthy  appetite  to  go  through  this  course 
without  flinching,  especially  as  a  roast,  pudding, 
and  cheese  follow  the  curry.  The  meriu  of  these  re- 
pasts, although  simple  enough,  is  so  very  peculiar  that 
I  could  not  resist  giving  it  in  detail.  A  cup  of  coffee 
follows,  and  a  good  Manilla,  with  the  cry  of  "  api, 
cassi-api," — a  light,  bring  a  light, — all  round  the  table, 
the  boy  is  quickly  at  your  side  presenting  a  long  match 
prepared  of  sandal-wood,  and  throwing  off  a  delicious 
aroma.  After  the  exertion  of  a  smoke  the  siesta  be- 
comes inevitable,  and  perfect  silence  reigns  for  the  next 
two  or  three  hours ;  by  that  time  the  atmosphere 
has  become  somewhat  cooler,  and  a  drive  is  ventured 
upon.  Those  who  have  business  to  attend  to  drive 
in  the  direction  of  the  port ;  others,  like  myself,  wend 
their  steps  to  the  native  bazaars,  mostly  kept  by 
Chinamen.  They  are  on  a  modest  scale,  and  nothing 
very  remarkable  for  sale  either  in  goods  or  live  stock. 
Of  the  latter,  some  shops  are  filled  with  bird-cages, 
others  with  monkeys,  cats,  and  dogs.  I  inspected 
silk  goods,  embroidery,  and  slippers,  and  bought  a 
few  specimens,  also  a  very  handsome  embroidered  hand- 
kerchief made  of  pine-apple  fibre,  say  from  the  leaves, 
resembling  the  finest  cambric.  Here,  as  elsewhere  in 
the  East,  a  good  deal  of  haggling  is  necessary  before 
one  strikes  a  bargain.     Also   large  flat  rice  ladles  of 

P 


210  FASHIONAnLK    DRIVE. 

rhinoceros  horn  are  rather  a  curiosity,  and  they 
are  much  more  practical  than  ordinary  silver 
spoons. 

Aftei-  my  return  to  tlie  hotel,  T  donned  my  black 
coat  and  hat  to  meet  the  fashionable  world  taking  a 
drive  along  those  splendid  avenues, — the  Kyswyk,  with 
the  Governor-General's  palace,  and  the  Harmonie,  a 
large  club,  the  Waterloo-plein  and  the  Konings-plein. 
Often  a  band  plays  here  for  an  hour,  but  the  whole 
thing  is  very  tame, — after  a  few  turns  you  may  call  on 
your  friends  unless  you  are  sufficiently  intimate  to  do 
so  in  the  morning,  en  mi-toilette.  The  dinner  hour  is 
usually  seven  o'clock,  and  the  evening  is  whiled  away 
with  conversation,  a  cigar,  and  a  newspaper. 

The  beauty  of  Java's  tropical  vegetation  is  proverbial, 
and  Batavia  makes  no  exception.  There  are  magni- 
ficent bits  of  scenery  at  Parapattan,  Greenoeng,  and 
Tiebault,  river  and  canal  banks  displaying  the  charms 
of  the  graceful  bamboo  and  the  stately  palm, — every- 
thing is  smiling  ;  but  the  climate,  although  much  has 
been  done  to  improve  it  by  way  of  drainage,  is  fatal  to 
all  who  exceed  the  strictest  rule  of  diet  and  sobriety, 
or  who  visit  the  marshy  coast  in  search  of  sport. 
Cholera  and  malaria  are  the  ofreat  enemies  of  the 
northern  coast  of  the  island  ;  whilst  inland,  at  the 
elevation  of  a  few  thousand  feet  the  climate,  during 


THE    CEMETERY.  211 

the  greater  part  of  the  year,  Is  simply  perfection.  One 
bright  morning  I  went  to  the  cemetery,  a  large  dreary 
place,  which,  although  at  the  time  of  my  visit  had  been 
only  twenty  years  in  use,  was  already  crowded  to 
excess,  and  I  must  confess  I  thought  its  position  by  far 
too  near  to  the  best  part  of  the  town.  My  object  was  to 
trace  the  grave  of  one,  who  had  been  buried  there  at  the 
very  commencement  of  its  construction,  as  the  number 
thirty- three  on  the  register  proved,  but  there  was  not 
a  vestige  of  it  left.  The  very  stone  slab  that  had 
covered  it  had  crumbled  to  pieces,  and  a  damp  and 
clammy  atmosphere  pervaded  the  whole  place,  which  is 
laid  out  in  avenues.  I  was  struck  by  the  number  of 
newly-made  open  graves,  and  the  significant  answer 
was  "  they  may  all  be  filled  by  this  time  to-morrow  ;  " 
which  gives  a  painful  idea  of  the  great  and  sudden 
mortality.  Graves  have  always  to  be  kept  in  readi- 
ness. 

My  contemplated  journey  into  the  interior  of  Java, 
requiring  the  permission  and  assistance  of  the  Govern- 
ment, made  it  necessary  for  me  to  call  at  the  palace  in 
order  to  deliver  my  letter  of  introduction  ;  this,  how- 
ever, was  by  no  means  so  simple  a  matter  as  it  appeared 
to  me.  I  was  admitted  into  the  bureau  of  the  secretary, 
in  whom  I  soon  discovered  a  great  adept  in  the  art  of 

P  2 


212  THE   governor's    RECEPTION, 

circumlocution.  At  first  he  held  that  the  letter  would 
have  to  be  forwarded,  accompanied  by  a  statement 
naming-  the  object  of  my  visit.  This  I  overruled  by 
pleading  want  of  time;  at  last,  little  by  little,  con- 
cessions having  been  made  on  both  sides,  and  after  a 
lengthy  consultation  with  his  chief,  the  secretary 
informed  me  that  I  might  present  myself  at  the  general 
reception  His  Excellency  was  going  to  hold  at  an  early 
hour  on  the  following  morning,  when  an  audience  would 
be  granted,  provided  I  presented  myself  either  in 
uniform  or  in  full  dress  ;  neither  of  which  I  was 
prepared  to  do,  having  left  my  heavy  luggage  at 
Singapore  containing  all  that  might  be  useful  in  the 
present  emergency,  and  never  dreaming  that  a  dress- 
suit  could  be  required  in  my  rambles  here.  It  required 
a  fresh  conference  to  settle  that  point,  and  at  last  I 
carried  the  day  by  promising  to  be  attired  in  the  best 
clothes  my  present  wardrobe  afforded  in  order  that 
His  Excellency's  dignity  might  not  suffer  by  so  serious 
an  indecorum  on  my  part. 

At  9.30  a.m.  I  proceeded  in  state,  this  time  to  the 
principal  entrance  of  the  palace,  the  verandah  of  which 
I  found  already  filled  with  gentlemen  in  sable  tail- 
coats and  white  cravat,  with  a  sprinkling  of  military 
and  naval  uniforms.  Tea  was  handed  round,  and  about 
half  an  hour  having  elapsed,  servants  in  scarlet  livery 


BATAVIA    MUSEUM.  213 

announced  the  arrival  of  His  Dutch  Majesty's  repre- 
sentative. The  latter,  in  whom  I  had  expected  to 
behold  a  formidable  and  punctilious  gentleman  of  the 
old  school,  stood  barely  five  feet  in  his  shoes,  and 
appeared  very  affable  and  obliging,  for  when  my  turn 
came,  everybody  being  ushered  into  his  presence 
according  to  strict  rule  of  etiquette,  and  mv  object 
explained,  he  at  once  promised  to  send  me  a  circular- 
letter  addressed  to  the  "  Residents "  of  the  different 
provinces,  instructing  them  to  provide  me  with  horses 
and  do  all  in  their  power  to  enable  me  to  visit  the 
interior  with  comfort.  He  also  invited  me  to  spend  a 
few  days  with  him  at  his  palace  at  Buitenzorg  after  my 
return  from  the  East,  and  altogether  we  parted  excel- 
ent  friends.  I  much  regretted  afterwards  that  want 
of  time  and  bad  weather  compelled  me  to  leave  Java 
without  paying  the  intended  visit. 

Batavia  has  a  fine  museum,  where  I  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  becoming  acquainted  with  the  produce  of 
every  important  island  in  the  Archipelago.  It  also  con- 
tained life-like  representations  of  the  different  tribes 
inhabiting  the  same,  of  their  dwellings,  by  small  models 
executed  in  bamboo,  as  well  as  their  handicrafts,  curious 
specimens  of  native  manufacture,  arms,  musical  instru- 
ments, etc., — altogether  a  most  complete  and  interesting 


214  ROAD    TO    BUITENZORG. 

collection.  In  the  zoological  garden  there  were  some 
handsome  birds  :  the  kroonvogel  of  the  size  of  a  large 
fowl,  of  delicate  slate  colour,  with  brownish  wings,  a  very 
full  feathery  tuft  on  his  head,  and  a  bright  red  eye ;  the 
splendid  bird  of  Paradise  from  the  Moluccas  ;  the  gold 
and  silver  pheasant,  and  the  black  cockatoo  belonging 
to  this  island  ;  the  blue  Australian  pheasant,  and  the 
large  blue  emu.  An  exceedingly  pretty  animal, 
belonging  to  Java  and  the  Malay  islands,  is  the  dwarf 
or  musk  deer  {kanchill,  the  Dutch  call  it),  no  more 
than  eight  to  ten  inches  high  and  fifteen  inches  long, 
the  most  perfect  and  well-proportioned  little  animal 
imaginable,  very  active  and  easily  tamed. 

Foreseeing  that  I  might  possibly  miss  seeing  Buiten- 
zorg,  the  sanatorium  of  the  Batavians,  if  I  delayed  the 
trip  until  my  return,  I  arranged  to  go  there  at  once, 
and  secured  a  seat  in  the  coach  that  was  to  start  on 
the  following  morning.  It  was  a  cumbersome  machine, 
which  had  probably  some  fifty  or  a  hundred  years  ago 
plied  between  Amsterdam  and  Rotterdam, — four,  and 
at  times  six,  ponies  were  put  under  requisition  to  pull 
us  along,  which  they  did  at  a  fair  pace,  a  couple  of 
boys  running  alongside  encouraging  the  poor  animals 
by  whip  and  tongue.  We  passed  through  the  pretty 
faubourg  of  Cramat,  with  its  elegant  villas,  and  past 


BUITENZORG.  215 

magnificent  woods  and  gardens,  along  an  excellent  but 
hilly  road,  until  we  reached  the  plateau  upon  which 
Buitenzorg  is  built,  883  feet  above  the  sea-level,  and 
forty  miles  from  Batavia.  Now  a  railway  connects  the 
two  towns,  with  further  extension  in  prospect. 

Nature  has  done  much  for  this  island,  justifying  the 
appellation  of  "  Queen  of  the  Eastern  Archipelago," 
which  many  travellers  have  given  it.  It  is  the  spot 
above  all  others  that  fully  merits  the  admiration  of 
lovers  of  natural  beauty,  whichever  direction  the  eye 
may  take.  French  authors  have  compared  Buitenzorg 
with  Versailles,  but  I  cannot  see  the  slightest  resem- 
blance, unless  it  be  that  both  possess  a  stately  palace, 
though  differing  totally  in  their  respective  construction 
and  surroundings.  Art  did  everything  for  the  favourite 
residence  of  the  Grand  Monarque,  whilst  nature  has 
imbued  Buitenzorg  with  all  her  charms.  The  ex- 
tensive and  really  handsome  palace  at  the  latter  place, 
where  the  Governor-General  seeks  repose  during  the 
more  unhealthy  part  of  the  year,  stands  in  a  park  of 
magnificent  banyan  trees  (Fimis  mcZi'ca),  whose  numerous 
roots,  descending  from  the  branches,  gradually  form  quite 
a  network  around  the  parent  tree,  which  is  a  favourite 
resort  of  the  monkeys  continually  met  with,  sitting 
high  aloft  or  swinging  themselves  from  branch  to 
branch,  and  keeping  up  a  perpetual  chattering. 


216  JAVA    VEGETATION. 

The  famous  botanical  garden,  which  lias  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  the  finest  in  the  world,  is  in  close 
proximity  to  the  park.  Here  acres  of  land  are  laid  out 
apportioned  to  the  different  groups  of  plants  and  trees. 
A  large  space  is  occupied  by  palms  of  every  kind,  from 
the  majestic  taliput  to  the  common  date,  also  the 
pretty  fern  tree  {Alsophila  latehrosa)  is  seen  here  in  its 
full  development.  Entire  avenues  are  formed  of 
poisonous  trees,  a  single  fruit  of  which  or  the  chewing 
of  a  leaf  would  speedily  despatch  a  man  into  the  other 
world.  Orchids  and  pitcher- plants  [Nepenthes)  of 
almost  incredible  beauty,  not  to  be  surpassed  even  in 
the  West  Indies,  where  the  swampy  ground  and  hot 
damp  climate  particularly  favours  their  gro"v\^h. 
Creepers,  water  plants, — an  enormous  Victoria  regia, 
completely  putting  Mr.  Whampoa's  specimen  at  Singa- 
pore into  the  shade,  —  and  every  variety  of  plant 
enjoying  the  privilege  of  Latin  denomination. 
Amongst  this  tropical  vegetation  I  noticed  a  perfect 
menagerie  of  leaf  insects,  which,  unless  already  known 
to  the  visitor,  he  would  hardly  detect  at  a  glance,  so 
like  are  they  to  the  actual  leaves  amongst  which  they 
house  ;  the  very  network  of  veins,  and  frequently  the 
very  spots  of  partial  decay,  are  here  reproduced  to  a 
nicety.  Whilst  walking  along  the  main  alley  of 
gigantic  rasimalas  (Liquidamhar  estingaria),  I  made 


JAVA    MINERALS.  217 

the  acquaintance  of  a  handsonrie  jet-black  cobra,  about 
six  feet  long  and  a  couple  of  inches  in  diameter,  said  to 
be  poisonous. 

Buitenzorg,  thanks  to  the  indefatigable  exertions  of 
Mr.  Murschenbrock,  who  holds  the  high  position  of 
judge  and  controller,  and  to  whom  it  had  been  my 
good  fortune  to  be  introduced,  possesses  a  most  excel- 
lent geological  museum,  containing  samples  of  gold  and 
coal  from  Java,  diamonds  from  Borneo,  copper  and  coal 
from  Sumatra,  silver  from  Timor,  etc.  Sumatra  is 
particularly  rich  in  coal,  but  so  far  the  Government 
had  not  granted  permission  to  work  it ;  there  are  seams 
twenty  feet  in  depth,  whilst  those  of  Java  seldom 
exceed  six  to  eight  feet.  All  these  islands  produce 
innumerable  varieties  of  timber  ;  Mr.  Murschenbrock 
told  me  that  he  had  sent  to  the  last  exhibition  at 
Batavia  no  less  than  800  specimens  from  Banca  alone. 

The  country  around  Buitenzorg  is  simply  magnifi- 
cent, and  the  prettiest  view  is  probably  that  from  the 
verandah  of  the  Hotel  "Belle  Vue."  A  thickly- wooded 
and  well-watered  valley  below,  with  high  mountains  for  a 
background,  rising  to  a  height  of  4,000  to  5,000  feet,  and 
clothed  in  verdure  to  the  very  top.  To  the  east  there  is  a 
succession  of  terraces  whose  bright  green  indicates  the 
cultivation  of  rice,  and  under  your  eye  winds  a  limpid 
stream,  spanned  here  and   there   by   slender   bamboo 


218 


PADDY-REAPER. 


brido-es.  A  striking;'  feature  in  the  Java  landscape  is 
the  enormous  height  which  pahns  and  other  trees 
attain,  leaving  those  of  India  far  behind  in  that 
respect. 

In  the  cool  of  the  evening  it  is  pleasant  walking 
amongst  the  fields  and  watching  the  natives  getting  in 
their  crops.  They  cut  the  paddy  by  means  of  a 
peculiar  little  implement,  consisting  of  a  semi-circular 
blade  about  three  inches  in  length,  securely  fixed 
cross-ways  upon  a  piece  of  bamboo  no  more  than  three 
and  a  half  inches  long,  which  latter  the  reaper  grasps 
in  some  ingenious  way,  allowing  the  knife  to  project 
between  his  fingei'S,  and  with  this  he  manages  to  get 
through  his  work  in  an  incredibly  quick  time.  The 
following  sketch  will  give  a  fair  idea  of  the  paddy,, 
or  rice-reaper  : 


PLATE    XXI. 


MANGOSTEEN.      (Ga.rcin.ia.  ma-rhgostarva..) 
p.   219. 


L  C  N  G  A  N  .  (NepheUiLTn.  longan.) 
p  220. 


JAVA    FRUIT.  219 

Gardens  abound  in  the  neighbourhood,  and  fruit  trees 
are  plentiful :  it  is  the  home  of  the 

Mangosteen  [Garciyiia  mangostana) — (Plate XXL): 
without  exception  the  most  delicious  fruit  I 
ever  tasted;  its  rind,  when  ripe,  is  of  a  red- 
dish brown,  similar  to  a  small  pomegranate, 
and  its  flesh  underneath  a  dark  crimson  pulp, 
but  the  edible  portion,  in  the  shape  of  a 
peeled  Mandarine  orange,  resembles  more 
a  compact  mass  of  snow  than  anything  else ; 
with  soft  kernels  of  an  elongated  shape, 
others  without.  The  flavour  of  this  fruit  is 
not  easily  described :  it  is  something  of  the 
pine-apple,  orange,  and  vanilla,  exceedingly 
delicate  and  very  juicy,  but  it  must  be 
eaten  as  soon  as  it  is  ripe.  The  rambutan, 
already  mentioned  in  Ceylon,  has  a  some- 
what similar  flavour. 

The  Loquat  [Eriohotrya  japonica). 

The  Guava  [Psidium  pijriferum). 

The  Pomegranate  (Punica  granatum). 

The  Fig  [Ficus  carica). 

The  Breadfruit  [Artocarpus  incisa). 

The  Custard  apple  [Anona  squamosa) :  filled  with 
a  delicious  cream-coloured  vanilla  pulp. 

The  Pine-apple  (Bromelia   ananas). 


220  .lAVA    FRUIT. 

The    Orange   {Citrus    durantium). 

The  Papaw  (Carica  papaya)  :  whose  fruit  re- 
sembles the  shaddock;  its  large  fig-shaped 
leaves  are  used  l^y  the  natives  instead  of 
soap  to  wash  linen,  and  the  juice  of  the 
fruit  possesses  the  curious  ]:)roperty,  when 
boiled  with  tough  meat,  of  rendering  it 
tender ;  its  taste  is  sweetish  sour,  rather 
insipid,  and  somewhat  turpentiny. 

The  Pomaloe  or  forbidden  fruit  {Citrus  paradisi) 
(Plate  XXII.):  of  a  pink  pulp  and  very 
thick  rind. 

The  Longan,  here  called  Duku  {Nephelium  longan) 

(Plate  XXI.) :  like  a  brown  ball  barely  an 

inch    in    diameter,  of  agreeable  although 

sometimes  slightly  resinous  flavour. 

Besides    these    there    are    nearly   all   the   fruits    of 

Southern  India  and  Ceylon. 

In  passing  gardens  containing  such  an  abundance 
and  variety  of  fruit  I  fear  I  cast  many  a  jealous  glance 
at  the  latter,  and  would  gladly  have  paid  the  forfeit 
enforced  many  years  ago  in  the  environs  of  Herat,  had 
I  only  been  invited  to  help  myself  Mr.  Arthur 
Conolly,  who  visited  that  country  in  1831,  in  giving 
an  account  of  the  beauty  and  richness  of  that  part  of 


PLATE    IXH 


LY  C  H  E  E  .  (NepheUurrv  litchl.) 
p.  286 


P  O  M  A  LO  E  .   (Citrus  jiaTnditi.) 
p  220. 


RADEN    SALEH,    THE    ARTIST.  221 

Afghanistan,  extols  its  fruits  as  the  rarest  and  most 
delicious  in  flavour,  they  being,  moreover,  so  plentiful 
that  people  were  allowed  to  enter  the  gardens  and 
pluck  and  eat  them.  Each  visitor  was  weighed  as  he 
entered  and  again  as  he  returned,  and  paid  at  a  fixed 
rate  the  difference  in  weight.  This  seems  a  more 
equitable  process  than  that  adopted  now  in  many  parts 
of  Switzerland,  where,  during  the  grape  season,  people 
are  allowed  to  have  their  fill  at  one  uniform  rate, 
generally  half  a  franc.  If  a  similar  arrangement  were 
universally  adopted,  fruit  stalls  would  soon  be  com- 
pelled to  close  their  establishments  for  want  of  cus- 
tomers. 

Taking  an  early  drive  one  beautiful  morning,  I 
reached  a  spot  where  there  was  a  delicious  clear  pond 
under  the  friendly  shade  of  an  enormous  fig-tree — a 
temptation  to  bathe  which  I  could  not  resist,  and 
thus  refreshed,  I  proceeded  to  a  neighbouring  village 
to  deliver  an  introduction  to  Prince  Raden  Saleh,  a 
native  artist  of  some  repute,  who  had  passed  many 
years  in  Europe.  His  friend  and  patron  was  the 
reigning  Prince  of  Coburg  Gotha.  Subsequently 
Raden  Saleh  was  received  at  most  of  the  European 
courts.  He  still  prided  himself  upon  his  success  in 
the  highest  society,  and  would  have  liked  you  to  believe 
that  an  English  Miss  actually  poisoned  herself  out  of 


222  PRINCE    RADEN    SALEIl's    WIFE. 

desperate  love  for  liiin.  He  had  also  served  Eugene 
Sue  as  a  type  in  bis  "  Mysteres  de  Paris,"  and  was 
altogether  a  character.  His  residence  had  been  built 
in  the  Javanese  style,  with  large  open  halls ;  and, 
although  by  no  means  any  longer  adolescent,  he  had 
lately  married  a  very  young  lady  of  prepossessing 
appearance,  the  daughter  of  the  Sultan  of  Djokjokarta, 
or,  at  all  events,  one  born  within  the  latter's  harem. 
He  seemed  very  proud  of  his  acquisition  ;  treated 
her  d  Vorientcde,  more  like  a  toy  than  a  reasonable 
being,  and  covered  her  with  beautiful  jewellery. 
Madame  was  dressed  according  to  native  fashion, — the 
sarong  and  a  loose  jacket  of  pink  and  pale  blue  silk, — 
and  was  allowed  to  appear  in  public,  that  is  to  say,  in 
her  husband's  presence,  for  he  was  said  to  be  exceed- 
ingly jealous.  Prince  Kaden  Saleh  presented  a  some- 
what peculiar  appearance  for  a  man  of  his  years. 
His  complexion  was  copper-colour,  good  features,  and 
jet-black  hair,  presumably  his  own,  pasted  on  his 
forehead  in  festoons ;  he  wore  close-fitting  white 
pantaloons,  and  a  blue  cloth  jacket,  tightly  laced 
round  the  waist,  with  gold  buttons,  and  a  decoration 
on  his  breast.  He  introduced  me  to  his  wife,  who 
had  a  pleasant  smile,  and  then  showed  me  his  studio, 
the  easel  bearing  an  enormous  canvas  in  oil,  repre- 
senting  a   moor   on  horseback    attacked    by    a   lion. 


MALAY    BUFFALOES.  223 

The  picture  was  nearly  finished,  and  promised  well. 
It  was  intended  as  a  present  to  the  Emperor  of 
Russia,  whom  he  seemed  to  admire  immensely. 
(Raden  Saleh  died  since,  in  1880). 

After  some  slight  refreshment  I  took  leave,  con- 
tinuing my  drive  to  return  by  another  route.  Here 
I  came  upon  a  herd  of  flesh-coloured  buffaloes  carrying 
sacks  of  produce  upon  their  backs  ;  they  were  curious- 
looking  animals,  almost  hairless,  with  large  horns ; 
they  are  very  strong  and  valuable  beasts  to  the  husband- 
man.    I  afterwards  met  with  them  all  over  the  island. 

Of  wild  animals  there  are  the  tiger  and  the  rhino- 
ceros, causing  the  sacrifice  of  many  lives.  Death 
amongst  the  natives  by  these,  and  the  bites  of 
poisonous  snakes,  are  computed  to  happen  in  Java 
at  the  rate  of  one  per  diem.  They  abound  especially 
in  the  southern  districts,  which  are  uncultivated, 
indeed,  more  than  one-half  of  the  island  is  in  that 
pristine  state  to  this  day,  including  a  great  many 
volcanoes,  whose  number  is  variably  given  as  thirty- 
six  to  forty-six,  of  which  about  a  dozen  are  still  active. 

Earthquakes  are  of  frequent  occurrence,  averaging 
about  once  a  week  ;  the  interior  being  most,  and  the 
north  coast  least,  subject  to  these  visitations. 

At  its  western  extremity,  in  the  Straits  of  Sunda, 


224  EAllTIlyUAKE    OF    KRAKATAU. 

and  about  twenty-six  miles  from  Anjer,  was  the  unin- 
habited island  of  Krakatau,  only  five  miles  in  len^h 
and  three  in  breadth,  culminating  in  a  peak  rising 
2,750  feet  above  the  sea,  which,  in  the  month  of 
August,  1883,  was  visited  by  a  stupendous  volcanic 
eruption,  creating  impenetrable  darkness  for  hundreds 
of  square  miles  around,  and,  in  its  effects,  reducing  the 
island  to  a  fraction  of  its  original  size.  It  is  curious  to 
note  the  flow  of  pumice-stone  thus  released :  its  progress 
during  the  first  five  months  after  the  occurrence  must 
have  been  slow,  for  in  January,  1 884, the  "  Marlborough" 
ss.  passed  through  a  flux  of  the  debris  320  miles  N.E. 
of  Krakatau  on  her  way  to  Soerabaya  ;  after  that  a 
strong  easterly  current  seems  to  have  wafted  it  across 
towards  the  African  coast,  where  it  positively  littered 
the  beach  in  many  places  between  Zanzibar  and  Natal, 
as  witnessed  by  Sir  John  Kirk  in  the  month  of  June, 
and  by  Captain  Reeves,  of  the  barque  "  Umvoti,"  in 
September,  1884,  having  thus  drifted  a  distance  of 
about  4,500  miles  in  thirteen  months ;  numerous 
records  also  prove  that  the  disturbance  caused  by  the 
velocity  of  the  waves  in  consequence  of  the  eruption 
even  reached  the  coasts  of  France  and  England. 

Java,  lying  between  S.  Lat.  5°  52'  and  8°  46',  and  E. 
Long,  105°  10'  and  114°,  35',  is  exceedingly  hilly,  the 


THE   MAGAMENDONG.  225 

entire  group  of  mountains  reachino-  an  elevation  of  from 
four  to  12,000  feet,  mostly  covered  with  luxuriant 
foliage  to  the  summit.  The  population  of  the  island 
is  18,000,000,  consisting  principally  of  Malays, 
excepting  in  the  mid-eastern  portions  where  the  old 
Javanese  race  is  still  predominant ;  the  latter  have  a 
somewhat  longer  face  and  a  bronzed  skin,  better 
features,  not  unlike  the  people  of  Australasian  descent, 
and  slender  hands;  whilst  the  Malay  has  a  round, 
rather  flat  face  of  copper  colour,  is  small,  of  a  stouter 
build,  and  large  extremities.  Both  embraced  Mahome- 
danism  in  1475;  since  that  time  Buddhism  has  existed, 
but  only  in  a  few  districts.  Besides  these  there  are  a 
great  many  Chinamen  in  Java  carrying  on  the  trade 
from  the  coast  into  the  interior  as  pedlars,  some  on  a 
large  scale. 

There  is  an  interesting  spot  called  Batoe-Toulis, 
about  ten  miles,  in  a  southerly  direction,  from 
Buitenzorg,  to  which  Mr.  Murschenbrock  drove  me 
one  fine  morning-,  whence  we  obtained  a  good  view  of 
the  Magamendong,  the  most  prominent  peak  visible, 
situated  in  the  rich  province  of  Preanger,  and  4,780 
feet  high.  We  here  stood  upon  the  site  of  a  large 
inland  city  which  had  long  ceased  to  exist,  and  it  was 
marked  by  a  monument  of  great  historical  interest. 
This    famous    stone,  about   four   feet   high,  bears    an 

Q 


220  RELIGIONS    OF   JAVA. 

inscription  in  some  unknown  tongue,  of  wliicli,  however, 
sufficient  has  been  deciphered  to  prove  that  it  refers  to 
the  foundation  of  the  old  town.  Not  far  from  this 
place  Mr.  M.  pointed  out  the  quasi-Driiidical  remains 
of  an  open-air  altar,  consisting  of  a  large  stone  slab, 
raised  ,a  few  feet  above  the  ground,  and  roughly 
sculptured  with  designs  now  hardly  discernible,  also 
some  ill-shapen  stone  figures,  apparently  of  fetish 
origin,  and  a  few  earthenware  vessels.  The  forest,  in 
which  these  relics  were  discovered,  is  supposed  to  have 
been  sacred,  forming  part  of  that  superstition.  There 
is  much  resemblance  in  the  above  monument  with  those 
already  described,  as  existing  in  the  forest  districts  of 
Southern  India,  appertaining  to  a  rude  form  of  Hindu 
worship,  apparently  pointing  at  a  link  in  the  gradual 
adaptation  of  one  religious  system  into  another.  In 
the  northern  portion  of  Java  the  Brahmans  held  sway 
in  the  earlier  centuries  of  our  era,  long  before  Buddhism 
completely  superseded  them  between  the  tenth  and 
twelfth  century,  but  it  is  a  mute  question  whether  the 
inhabitants  of  those  wild  regions  in  the  interior  had 
ever  come  within  the  influence  of  Brahminical  teaching, 
in  fact  absolute  heathenism  is  said  to  exist  there  even 
now  to  an  unknown  extent.  Amongst  the  lower  orders 
Hinduism  has  always  been  strangely  mixed  up  with 
fetish   superstition,   ascribing  magical  power  to  carved 


CHINAMEN    IN    JAVA.  227 

stones  01"  figures,  and  this  often  makes  it  difficult  to 
arrive  at  a  true  decision  as  to  the  religious  bias  of 
monuments  of  an  early  age.  In  Mysore,  however,  the 
existence  of  caste  and  many  other  purely  Hindu 
customs  settle  the  point  beyond  a  doubt ;  it  is  different 
in  Java  where  the  religion  of  Brahma  has  entirely 
disappeared,  excepting,  perhaps,  in  a  few  isolated  cases 
amongst  emigrants  from  India,  in  which  the  old  rules 
have  long  relapsed  into  comparative  apathy,  and 
nothing  remains  but  a  few  rites  of  minor  importance. 

Mr,  M.  informed  me  that  the  Chinamen  to  this  day 
perform  then-  devotions  at  the  altar  we  had  been 
examining ;  now  they  are  doubtless  Buddhists,  for 
although  there  are  two  other  religions  practised 
in  China,  the  Confucian  and  the  Taouist,  Fetishism 
is  unknown  there,  and  the  class  of  people  from 
which  these  pedlars  in  foreign  lands  spring  do 
not  profess  either  of  the  other  philosophical  creeds, 
hence  the  only  conclusion  one  can  come  to  is  that,  in 
their  gross  ignorance,  the  Chinamen  confound  those 
rather  obese  figures  with  others  seen  in  their  own 
temples  in  China,  representative  or  emblematic  of 
Buddha. 

Previous  to  my  return  to  Batavia,  I  had  the  oppor- 
tunity of  witnessing  the  proceedings   in  the   Court   of 

Q  2 


228  COURT  OF   JURTTOR. 

Justice,  held  in  an  open  building,  called  Pendoppo,  a 
large  roof  supported  l)y  pillars,  erected  upon  a  plat- 
form a  few  feet  above  the  ground.  It  had  fine  rice- 
straw  hangings  all  round  to  shut  out  rain  or  sun  from 
any  part  of  it.  The  European  judge  presided  at  a 
table  cpvered  with  documents  and  law  books  as  else- 
where, to  his  right  and  left  native  dignitaries  were  seated 
to  watch  the  proceedings,  and  assist  in  propounding 
knotty  questions  according  to  Mahomedan  law,  whilst 
the  prisoners  squatted  upon  the  steps  in  front.  I  was 
much  interested  in  the  proceedings,  which,  however,  being 
carried  on  mostly  in  Malay,  and  translated  to  me  into 
French,  lost  much  of  their  importance  by  this  process. 
I  was,  however,  struck  by  the  ready  and  even  justice 
meted  out  with  due  regard  to  native  habits  and  pre- 
judices, and  the  punishments,  in  case  of  conviction,  were 
far  from  excessive. 

Having  seen  enough  of  Buitenzorg  to  leave  a  very 
pleasant  impression  upon  my  mind,  I  returned  to 
Batavia  for  a  night  only,  which,  however,  seemed  to 
me  the  longest  I  had  ever  spent,  owing  to  fearful  suffer- 
ings from  prickly  heat,  by  the  Dutch  in  their  euphonic 
language  called  "  7"Ooi/e  hund"  (red  dog),  which  here 
takes  the  form  of  red  blotches,  as  large  as  a  hand,  quite 
unlike  the  spotty  appearance  of  the  same  disorder  so 
frequent  in  the  Levant  and  in  India. 


VOYAGE    TO    SAMARANG.  229 

At  the  last  moment,  in  consequence  of  heavy  rains,  I 
was  advised  to  renounce  my  intention  of  travelUng 
overland  to  some  of  the  native  states  I  meant  to  visit, 
as  in  all  probability  the  roads  would  be  knee-deep,  and 
the  rivers  unfordable,  and  as  a  steamer  was  to  start 
on  the  following  morning  for  Samarang,  I  was  not  long 
in  making  up  my  mind,  and  prepared  to  go  by  her. 
The  "Koningin  Sophia"  a  fine  new  boat  of  a  thousand 
tons,  specially  built  and  well-adapted  for  the  tropics, 
started  at  eight  a.m.  There  were  not  many  passengers ; 
and  although  we  encountered  several  tremendous  gusts 
of  wind  accompanied  by  heavy  rain,  the  voyage  was  a 
very  pleasant  one.  Even  their  extraordinary  rice  messes 
I  began  to  appreciate,  but  T  confess  the  Dutch  people 
astonished  me  with  their  appetites. 

At  Cheribon  and  at  Tagal,  whence  we  had  a  fine 
view  of  the  Slamat  volcano,  10,500  feet  high,  we 
stopped  for  a  few  hours  to  land  and  embark  cargo. 
This  part  of  the  coast,  however,  being  very  unhealthy, 
I  did  not  leave  the  ship,  and  late  in  the  afternoon  of 
the  following  day  we  reached  the  open  and  dangerous 
roadstead  of  Samarang.  The  landing,  by  means  of  a 
small  steam  tender,  up  a  muddy  estuary  was  with 
difficulty,  but  at  last  successfully  accomplished,  and 
the  "  Heerenlogemente  "  condescended  to  house  me  for 
the  night. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

BaMARANG SOEIIAKAKTA EmPEHOR    SuStJHTTNAN  IX.   AND    HIS  CoURT  — 

Djokjokarta — SiTLTAN  Hajiakgkoe  YI.- — Chateatj  d'Eau— Tombs 
AT  IMataram — Tkmple  Boro-bodo — Province  of  Kadoe — Magel- 
LANG  —  Fortress  Ambarrawa — Oenarakg —  Forced  Labour  — 
Dutch  Government  Policy. 

No  word  can  express  the  damp  appearance  of 
Sarnarang,  and  its  only  redeeming  point  is  a  splendid 
broad  avenue  of  tamarind  trees,  the  "  Heerenstraat," 
nearly  two  miles  long,  and  leading  to  the  Resident's 
house  at  Bodjong.  Along  this  route  the  Europeans 
reside  in  large  white-washed  houses.  They  attend 
the  evening  drive  in  considerable  numbers,  and,  when 


SAMARANG.  231 

the  sun  is  low,  and  the  aveniie  shady,  they  mostly 
dispense  with  their  head  covering.  Even  the 
coachman  lowers  his  glaced  bowl-shaped  topi  and  lets 
it  waddle  round  his  neck,  whilst  the  attendant  out- 
runners seldom  encumber  themselves  with  any  part 
of  attire  that  can  be  dispensed  with.  Some  of  the 
would-be  aristocrats  make  their  coachman  pile  an 
immense  shiny  chimney-joot  hat,  with  silver  band  on 
the  top  of  a  brown  handkerchief,  folded  turban  fashion. 
The  genuine  Javanees  wear  a  very  extraordinary  sort 
of  high  cap  with  broad  brim,  but  entirely  open  behind, 
to  admit  their  chignon,  or  knot,  in  which  they  tie  their 
hair, — both  men  and  women  alike.  In  the  evening 
I  was  invited  to  witness  the  performance  of  Chinese 
dancing  girls  ;  they  were  quite  young,  and  grotesquely 
dressed,  at  the  commencement  wearing  masks,  which 
they  soon  put  aside  on  account  of  the  heat ;  they 
moved,  or  rather  contorted  their  bodies  in  not  very 
elegant  manner,  without  stirring  from  the  spot,  and 
were  accompanied  by  quite  a  regiment  of  gongs. 
The  whole  thing  was  far  from  lively.  At  Batavia  I 
had  seen  Malay  children  dance,  an  infinitely  prettier 
sight. 

The  Chinese  quarter  at  Samarang  is  worth  a  visit, 
owing  to  its  beautiful  gardens  sloping  down  to  the 
water's  edge,  and  the  quaint   pavilions,  supported  by 


232  RAIL   TO   SOERAKARTA. 

four  posts,  an  open  gallery  above,  and  a  pretty  roof 
generally  ending  in  a  carved  dragon.  The  neatness 
of  tlieir  houses  is  also  conspicuous,  as  the  concave 
outline  of  the  pitched  roof  is  usually  ornamented  with 
a  border  of  coloured  tiles. 

Samarang  has  a  large  trade,  it  being  the  port  of 
tlie  principal  agricultural  provinces  of  the  island, 
notably  of  the  "  Kadoe,"  the  beauty  and  fertility  of 
which,  and  other  favourite  districts,  is  apt  to  create 
a  not  very  unnatural  regret  that  the  island,  after 
having  been  subject  to  British  rule  for  the  space  of 
five  years,  from  1811  to  1816,  under  the  able  Gover- 
nor, Sir  Stamford  Raffles,  had  to  be  restored  to  the 
Dutch,  to  whose  energy,  in  a  great  measure,  no  doubt, 
Java  owes  her  m.aterial  prosperity. 

There  is  a  short  railway  of  barely  fifty  miles  run- 
ning between  Samarang  and  Soerakarta,  but,  owing 
to  its  gradual  ascent,  four  hours  are  consumed  in 
reaching  the  latter.  The  country  through  which  we 
passed  by  this  route  is  fertile  throughout,  and  the 
scenery,  especially  where  we  approached  the  hilly 
region,  became  very  picturesque.  Tlie  rice  fields  and 
acaciae  near  the  coast  soon  made  room  for  the  cocoa- 
nut,  the  palmyra,  and  the  areca  palms,  the  tulip  tree 
{Liriode7idron  tulipifera)  covered  with  flowers ;  also 
the  dragon  tree  [Draccena  draco),  some  with  straight 


VILLAGES    OF    THE    INTERIOR.  233 

stems,  others  with  their  fantastical  ramifications, 
were  visible  in  one  or  two  spots  ;  and,  whilst  passing 
slowly  through  a  teak  forest  I  noticed  a  great  variety 
of  orchids,  mostly  much  larger  than  I  had  seen  else- 
where, and  a  fine  purple  pitcher  plant.  After  having 
reached  an  elevation  of  about  1,000  feet  the  country 
again  became  more  open,  and  an  excellent  system  of 
irrigation  favoured  the  cultivation  of  rice,  even  here. 
Villages  sprang  up  in  every  direction ;  the  houses 
built  entirely  of  bamboo,  not  being  so  liable  to  injury 
by  earthquakes  as  stone  houses  are  ;  moreover,  the 
former  material  grows  in  such  abundance  that  it  is 
used  in  every  possible  way.  Every  paddy  field  has 
its  little  bamboo  watch -kennel,  similar  in  construction 
to  those  the  fishermen  ei'ect  on  the  shores  of  the 
Bosphorus  ;  it  is  raised  on  four  posts,  some  six  or 
eight  feet  from  the  ground,  and  covered  with  dried 
palm  leaves ;  generally  a  little  urchin  is  seen  in  it 
pulling  strings,  with  dry  leaves  knotted  into  them  at 
certain  distances,  which  cross  and  recross  the  field 
in  every  direction,  and  by  their  motion  prevent  the 
legions  of  sparrows  and  white  ibises  from  picking  the 
ripe  ear. 

Natives  of  every  degree  joined  the  train,  at  the  different 
stations,  many  holding  an  official  position  as  the  large 
umbrella,  carried  bv  their  attendant,  indicated.     This 


234  SOEHAKAirPA. 

unwieldy  badg^e  of  oHice  is  about  six  feet  long,  gener- 
ally made  of  very  gaudy  material,  and  moi-e  or  less 
gilded  according  to  the  owner's  rank.  Another  servant 
generally  carried  a  heavy  box,  from  which  I  concluded 
that  they  were  tax  gatherers ;  others  again  bundles, 
containing  master's  best  clothes  and  toilet, — natives, 
as  a  rule,  indulge  in  a  greater  number  of  servants  than 
Europeans  do. 

On  my  arrival  at  Soerakarta,  the  capital  of  the  little 

native  state  of  Solo,  I  learned  that  the  Emperor  was 

going  to  hold  a  grand  reception  within  a  few  days  on 

the  occasion  of  the  Javanese  feast,  "  Garebeg  Besar," 

coinciding    with    the    Mahomedan    new    year,    which 

accounted  for  the   crowded   train,  as  it  is  the  custom 

that  His  Majesty's  subjects  come  from  all  parts  with 

presents  of  produce  and  money.     This  was  a  splendid 

opportunity  to   witness    a    ceremony    I    had   so    much 

heard  of.      I  therefore  called  at  once  on  the  Resident, 

to   whom   I   delivered  the    Governor-General's   letter. 

This   dignitary  was  a  very  tall  and  bulky  gentleman 

living  in  considerable  state  :  he  not  only  invited  me  to 

take  part  at  the  Emperor's  levee,  at  which  he  proposed 

to  present  me,  but  also  to  a  grand  dejeuner  to  be  given 

afterwards    at    the    Residency    to    all    the    notables, 

European   as    well  as  native.     This   latter  I,  however, 

little  cared  about ;  and,  as  I  wished  to  retain  my  inde- 


THE    EMPEROR    OF    SOLO.  235 

pendence  on  that  day  to  see  all  that  might  be  of 
interest,  I  politely  declined  the  banquet,  which,  1  after- 
wards heard,  had  been  a  veiy  formal  and  prosy  affair, 
winding  up  with  the  usual  loyal  toasts. 

Besides  the  Emperor,  the  nominal  Sovereign  of  the 
district,  there  is  another  native  prince,  residing  in  the 
capital,  Mangkou  Negoro,  a  rich  and  more  enlightened 
man,  who  affects  European  manners,  dress,  and  con- 
versation. He  acts  as  a  counterpoise  or  spy  upon  the 
quasi-ruler  of  this  diminutive  empire,  whose  entire 
population  is  barely  400,000  souls,  10,000  of  which  are 
said  to  be  in  the  latter's  direct  service  within  the  walls 
of  the  Kraton,  enclosing  park  and  palace.  There  is 
also  a  Dutch  fort  in  its  immediate  neighbourhood  com- 
manding the  town.  The  province  owes  its  fertility  to 
the  river  Solo  and  its  numerous  affluents  ;  the  former 
reaches  the  sea  in  the  Strait  of  Soerabaya,  whicli 
separates  Java  from  the  island  of  Madura.  The  natives 
are  very  docile,  and  give  little  trouble  to  Prince  or 
Resident ;  they  dress  in  sarong  and  blouse,  men  and 
women  alike,  indigo  being  principally  used  for  dyeing 
common  material. 

I  visited  the  park,  which  has  little  to  boast  of  There 
was  a  strong  bamboo  cage  in  whicli  His  Majesty  keeps 
his  tigers,  nine  in  number,  which,  on  state  occasions, 
are  one  by  one  transferred  into  a  large  arena  to  fight 


236  TllK    KKAT()>'. 

the  rhinoceros.  A  disgusting'  siglit  was  the  feeding, 
when  dead  dogs  were  thrown  to  them  from  above,  which 
they  all  tore  at,  making  a  fearful  noise.  All  the  coun- 
try roinid  is  scoured  for  dogs  to  satisfy  the  tiger's  raven- 
ing appetite,  and  a  small  coin  or  a  little  rice  is  given  in 
exchange,— it  is  astonishing  that  the  canine  breed  does 
not  die  out  under  these  circumstances.  Here  T  also 
saw  the  Emperor's  mosque,  a  very  poor  building,  con- 
structed of  wood  and  plaster,  and  ornamented  with 
mirrors  and  roughly-painted  pillars. 

On  the  day  of  tlie  feast  from  an  early  hoiu-  the 
principal  street  leading  to  the  Kraton,  which  is 
sui'rounded  by  high  walls,  with  several  gates  and 
minarets,  was  alive  with  natives  in  gay  holiday  cos- 
tume, and  many  a  long  procession  entered  the  enclos- 
ure, headed  by  a  band  of  music.  The  latter  consisted 
of  brass  gongs  of  different  sizes  strung  to  a  long  bamboo 
pole  which  is  carried  on  the  shoulders  of  two  men  ;  the 
sound  of  these  instruments,  when  beaten  by  an  adept, 
is  very  sweet  and  melodious,  something  between  that 
of  a  glass  harmonica  and  the  bells  at  our  New  Year 
wakes,  especially  when  heard  from  a  little  distance, 
and  on  its  gradual  approach.  The  coloured  official 
umbrella  accompanied  most  of  these  processions,  whilst 
some  of  the  members  of  the  Imperial  family  entered  the 


THE    DUTCH    RESIDENT.  237 

gates  in  a  carriage,  and  four  of  these  were  each  followed 
by  a  picket  of  lancers,  their  occupants  glittering  with 
diamonds. 

I  must  now,  however,  make  for  the  Eesidency,  the 
appointed  hour  of  ten  o'clock  being  at  hand,  here  the 
same  difficulty  unexpectedly  presented  itself  as  had 
already  occurred  at  Batavia.  All  the  gentlemen,  who 
were  thus  assembled,  were  decked  out  in  strict  evenincf 
costume,  and  I  was  expected  to  appear  in  the  same. 
Here,  however,  the  Besident  kindly  came  to  my  rescue, 
and  made  me  put  on  an  old  suit  of  his,  which  might 
easily  have  held  a  pair  of  my  taille.  I  felt  that  every- 
body must  laugh  at  the  ridiculous  figure  I  cut,  which 
was  by  no  means  a  pleasant  idea ;  however,  there  was 
nothing  for  it  but  to  put  a  bold  face  on  it  and  join  the 
formidable  procession  of  officers  and  Dutch  residents. 
The  great  man  himself,  who  in  fact  rules  the  Emperor 
completely,  drove  to  the  palace  in  state.  Just  before 
starting,  an  escort  arrived,  headed  by  the  Court 
Minister  in  a  carriage,  from  which  he  had  to  alight 
at  the  outer  gate,  although  Europeans  drove  up  to  the 
verandah  steps.  Such  is  the  humiliating  etiquette 
imposed  upon  natives  by  the  Dutch  Government. 
Equally  strict  is  that  within  the  precincts  of  the 
Kraton,  which,  not  even  the  dalem,  or  reception  hall, 
the   minister    or    any    other    native,    excepting    the 


238  TIT  I',    RMI'imoRS    PALACE. 

numerous  princes  of  the  royal  blood,  is  allowed  to  enter 
unless  naked  to  the  waist,  sarong  and  turban  forming 
their  entire  apparel. 

As  a  native  durbar  in  the  lieart  of  Java  is  one  of 
the  most  curious  ceremonies  one  can  possibly  behold  in 
this  our  nineteenth  century,  I  cannot  resist  giving  a 
detailed  account  of  it ;  for  beyond  the  presence  of  the 
European  element,  T  don't  suppose  that  anything  has 
been  changed  in  the  whole  business  for  the  last  500 
years,  or  even  longer. 

After  passing  the  outer  gate  of  the  Imperial  resi- 
dence, we  were  marched  through  no  less  than  five  court- 
yards, separated  from  each  other  by  walls  covered  with 
creepers,  and  containing  gardens,  one-storied  buildings, 
and  colonnades.  The  broad  path  we  were  threading 
was  lined  by  Dutch  and  native  soldiers,  until  at  last  we 
reached  the  pleasure  ground  surrounding  the  palace,  an 
extensive  pile  of  buildings  open  to  the  front,  and  giving 
admittance  to  a  large  square  verandah,  now  used  as  the 
durbar  hall,  its  roof  supported  by  gilded  and  coloured 
pillars.  Here  a  wonderful  sight  presented  itself,  not 
exceeded  even  by  the  most  extravagant  scenes  in  the 
fairy  land  of  our  nursery  tales  :  an  immense  garden 
filled  with  all  the  richness  of  tropical  vegetation,  mag- 
nificent palms,  plantains,  and  fern  trees,  flowers  of 
every  hue  and  fantastically  festooned    creepers,   and 


SUSUHUNAN   IX.  239 

amidst  it  all  were  groups  of  women  and  children,  got 
up  in  all  the  colours  of  the  rainbow,  as  far  as  the  little 
clothing,  they  cover  themselves  with,  admits  of  They 
were  admirably  posed,  and  so  were  the  Imperial  body- 
guards and  warriors  in  little  knots,  dressed  in  ancient 
costume,  and  carrying  bows  and  arrows.  Their  arms 
and  breasts  were  stained  with  saffron,  and  a  short 
sarong,  striped  brown  and  yellow,  reaching  to  the  knee ; 
but,  instead  of  hanging  straight  down  petticoat-fashion, 
here  it  fell  round  the  loins  in  graceful  folds,  one  end 
of  it  made  to  hang  down  in  front  closely  plaited  and 
almost  touching  the  ground.  A  broad  coloured  belt 
confined  the  sarong  in  the  waist,  and  a  head-dress 
consisting  of  a  brown  handkerchief  tied  at  the  back  in 
an  enormous  stiff  bow  of  triangular  shape, — rather  like 
that  worn  by  the  Vierlander  Madchen,  selling  violets 
in  the  streets  of  Hamburg, — enhanced  the  droll  effect 
of  their  attire,  whilst  banners  and  flags  added  their 
quota  to  the  mass  of  brilliant  colour.  To  complete  the 
picture  we  must  imagine  the  sweet  strains  of  music 
performed  by  invisible  artists,  hidden  in  different  parts 
of  the  garden,  and  above  all  the  cloudless  sky  and 
bright  sunshine  lighting  up  the  scene. 

The  Emperor  (Paku  Saidin  Panatogomo)  Susuhunan 
IX.,  a  rigid,  well-proportioned  man  of  thirty- three, 
looking  quite  his  age,  who  hardly  moved  a  muscle  of 


240  ROYAL    COSTUME. 

liis  face  (luriiii^-  tlie  wliole  of  the  reception,  exceptiniif 
those  of  lus  heavy-painted  eyebrows,  by  a  movement  of 
which  lie  appeared  to  give  his  assent  wlien  appHed  to, 
advanced  from  the  interior  of  the  palace,  which  seemed 
of  great  depth,  the  inner  portion  of  which  was 
partitioned  oif  by  an  enormous  screen,  or  purdah. 
Behind  this  the  women  of  his  harem  were  seen  moving 
about,  trying  to  get  a  glimpse  of  what  was  going  on 
beyond.  His  Majesty  took  his  seat  in  the  middle  of 
the  open  hall,  where  two  arm-chairs  had  been  placed  on 
a  raised  dais,  one  for  him  and  the  other  for  the  Dutch 
Resident;  and  after  the  presentation  of  the  Europeans, 
the  latter  took  their  seats  on  chairs  placed  in  a  semi- 
circle to  the  right  and  left  of  the  central  group.  The 
Emperor,  who,  by  the  way,  is  an  inveterate  opium 
smoker  (and  he  quite  looks  it),  was  clad  in  a  magnificent 
gold  embroidered  sarong  reaching  to  his  heels,  a  dark 
blue  silk  jacket  braided  with  gold  lace,  three  stars 
pinned  to  his  breast,  and  a  pale  blue  semi-trans- 
parent head-covering  of  sugar-loaf  shape,  with  the 
point  cut  off  the  upper  half:  the  latter  had  all 
the  appearance  of  being  made  of  blue  silk  or 
paper,  steeped  in  oil  and  stiffened,  or  else  of  gold- 
beaters' skin,  on  a  blue  foundation,  to  ensure  light- 
ness. Immediately  on  his  right  kneeled  a  handsome 
young  woman,  with  a  most  beautifully  shaped   arm. 


THE    emperor's    RECEPTION.  241 

liolding  up  a  golden  vessel,  similar  to  the  Indian  lota  ; 
in  the  other  hand  she  held  a  silver  "  sirih  "  box,  both 
used  in  connection  with  betel  chewino-,  one  of  her 
lord's  weaknesses  ;  and  two  or  three  dwarfs  and  jesters 
squatted  down  at  the  foot  of  a  column.  Facing  the 
Emperor  crouched  the  princes  of  the  royal  blood,  some 
thirty  to  forty  in  number,  with  eyes  downcast  and  hands 
joined  as  if  in  prayer,  sitting  upon  their  heels  with 
the  knee  barely  touching  the  ground.  These  wore  the 
same  blue  topi,  a  purple  velvet  jacket,  and  a  short 
sarong  to  the  knee,  diamond  earrings,  and  a  bouquet  of 
brilliants  fastened  by  a  large  comb  to  the  knot  of  the 
back  hair.  The  Emperor  likewise  indulged  in  a  liberal 
display  of  jewels  all  over  his  person  ;  and  in  his  sash, 
he  carried,  as  also  did  the  princes,  the  kriss,  a  short 
sword,  and  a  dagger,  both  weapons  richly  ornamented. 
Besides,  some  hundreds  of  chiefs  and  nobles  crowded  the 
hall,  who  saluted  his  Majesty  by  joining  their  hands, 
with  fingers  outstretched,  and  drawing  them  slowly 
down  from  the  forehead  until  the  thumbs  touched 
the  tip  of  the  nose,  and  then  gently  withdrew 
them.  Presently  pawn  was  handed  round,  and  the 
ladies, — seventy-eight,  as  far  as  I  could  count, — from 
cafe-au-lait  to  bronze  complexion,  some  very  handsome, 
others  old  and  ugly,  were  admitted  to  the  hall  in  front 
of  the  screen,  where  they  squatted   down  very  con- 

R 


242  TEERENTATTOX    OF    GIFTS. 

tentedly  on  fine  straw  matting,  a  sarong  forming  tlicir 
sole  attire,  excepting  a  profusion  of  diamonds  and  other 
precious  stones. 

Upon  a  sign  from  the  Emperor  the  whole  company- 
rose,  and  filed  off  in  procession  to  the  Pondopo,  or  Hall 
of  Justice,  headed  by  the  women,  carrying  banners  a,nd 
swords  of  state,  and  the  princes ;    then  followed   his 
Majesty,  hand  in  hand  with  the  Dutch  Resident,  who 
by  his  bulk  quite  overshadowed  the  former;  and,  lastly, 
the  European  visitors  and  the  noble  crew  of  natives.  We 
thus  marched,  to  the  tune  of  a  Dutch  regimental  band 
through  lines  of  soldiers  in  the  unique  uniform  already 
described,  into  the  third  court,  and  up  the  steps  of  a 
large,  open  building.     Here  everybody  was  accommo- 
dated as  before  ;    and  now  the  natives  came  forward, 
one  by  one,  to  the  foot  of  the  steps,  presenting  their 
offerings,  which  they  did  kneeling  and  in  most  humble 
attitudes  :    these  consisted  of  fruit,  cakes,  and  sweet- 
meats, on  enormous  trays,  and  piles  of  rice  and  other 
produce  of  the  soil,  carried  upon  mats  slung  between 
two    long   bamboos ;    they   seemed    perfect   cart-loads, 
which,  having  been  graciously  accepted  as  indicated  by 
his  Majesty's  almost  imperceptibly  raising  his  eyebrows, 
filed  off  to  the  royal  store-house.     This  took  up  con- 
siderable time,  and  after  the  novelty  had  worn  off  it 
became  a  rather  tedious  business  ;  still,  the  effect  was 


NATIVE    WARRIORS.  243 

exceedingly  original,  and  almost  theatrical.  Liberal 
money  gifts,  I  was  told,  had  been  received  during  the 
earlier  hours  at  the  private  palace.  The  last  mountain 
of  rice  having  disappeared,  pawn,  wine,  and  cake  were 
ha.nded  round,  and  the  following  loyal  toasts  proposed, 
and  duly  responded  to  by  a  salute  from  the  guns  :  to  the 
Emperor  of  Solo,  the  King  of  Holland,  the  son  and  heir 
of  the  former,  a  sallow-faced  little  fellow  five  years  of 
age,  who  was  here  presented  ;  the  Dutch  Royal  family, 
and  to  the  Sultan  of  Djokjokarta.  Now  sounds  of 
strange  music  reached  our  ears  from  all  sides,  and  the 
native  troops  were  drawn  up  firing  volley  after  volley, 
finishing  up  by  a  tremendous  cannonade  in  an  outer 
court,  not  to  shock  his  Majesty's  nerves,  which  ill- 
natured  people  declare  to  be  very  weak  in  consequence 
of  his  various  excesses.  Then  the  warriors,  a  body  of 
fine,  tall,  well-made  soldiers,  marched  past  in  parade 
step,  a  very  peculiar  sort  of  dancing -master  style, 
swinging  the  leg  forward  very  slowly,  and  drawing  it 
back  by  a  measured  movement,  during  which  the  foot 
is  raised  almost  above  the  calf  of  the  other  leg.  The 
whole  performance  appeared  quite  in  keeping  with  their 
extraordinary  costume,  and  would,  I  feel  convinced, 
meet  with  great  success  if  adopted  in  some  of  our 
favourite  Christmas  pantomimes.  Parade  over,  the 
procession  was  formed  as  before,  and  we  returned  to 

R  2 


244  "  THE    (JAMALA.\(;." 

the  palace,  from  wliicli,  this  time,  liowever,  the  general 
public  was  excluded.  Here  tea  was  handed  round  to 
the  Europeans, — an  attention  on  the  part  of  the  Resi- 
dent, I  was  informed, — and  after  a  bow  to  the  Emperor 
we  all  withdrew. 

1  trust  that  I  have  not  spun  too  long  a  yarn  on  so 
unimportant  a  subject  as  that  of  a  native  Court,  but 
what  has  tempted  me  to  note  down  every  detail  is  that 
the  few  remnants  of  mediaeval  customs  and  ceremonies 
still  existing  are  rapidly  disappearing  altogether, 
whilst,  as  long  as  they  last,  they  bear  an  interest  beyond 
their  tinsel  pageantry. 

In  the  evening  I  attended  a  native  concert  at  the 
Residency  ;  the  orchestra  or  "gamalang,"  consisted  of 
instruments  of  various  kinds  and  shapes,  the  principal 
feature  is  the  kettle-drum,  of  which  fourteen,  say  seven 
in  each  row,  are  let  into  a  bamboo  frame,  and  of  these 
there  were  four,  also  ordinary  large  drums  and  gongs,-^ 
for  noise  is  essential  at  these  entertainments,— timbrels, 
flutes, and  various  stringed  instruments.  Their  music  is 
either  wild  or  plaintive,  and  on  the  whole  harmonious; 
a  little  of  it  is  very  pleasant,  and  the  grouping  of  the 
orchestra  is  not  the  least  agreeable  part  of  it. 

On  the  following  day,  thanks  to  the  instructions 
from  headquarters  at  Batavia,  a  carriage  and  four 
horses,  or  rather  ponies,  appeared  at  the  appointed  time 


SARONG-MAKING.  245 

in  front  of  the  hotel  to  convey  me  to  Djokjokarta,  a 
distance  of  forty  miles,  and  the  road  in  some  places 
being  very  steep,  a  pair  of  oxen  were  added  when  i-e- 
quired.  The  scenery  I  passed  through  was  much  the 
same  as  that  before  reaching  Soerakarta.  At  Klaten, 
about  half  way,  I  had  tiffin,  and  inspected  the  making 
of  sarong  cloth,  called  "  battikken,"  for  which  the  place 
is  famous.  When  the  cloth  is  ready  and  the  pattern 
drawn  on  it  with  Indian  ink  or  indigo,  the  mouth-piece 
of  a  little  instrument  resembling  a  short  cutty-pipe,  its 
handle  of  bamboo,  and  its  bowl  of  copper,  fitted  on  one 
side  with  a  fine  sharp-pointed  tube,  is  carefully  made  to 
follow  the  design  with  the  melted  wax  contained 
in  the  little  pot  ;  and  when  the  entire  piece  is 
finished,  it  is  put  in  the  vat  holding  the  dye  for 
the  ground  colour,  generally  brown,  thus  leaving  the 
pattern  yellow,  as  the  wax  does  not  take  the  colour, 
but  gives  the  material  a  glossy  and  silky  appearance. 
I  have  also  seen  some  very  handsome  sarongs,  in 
different  shades.  This  process,  of  course,  needs  repe- 
tition, according  to  the  number  of  colours  required. 
Cotton  is  the  material  generally  used  for  these  articles, 
but  silks  are  dyed  in  the  same  way. 

In  working  metals  the  Javanese  are  very  clever, 
and  they  show  great  skill  in  the  production  of  the 
well-known   kriss,   which    every   man,   and    often    boy 


24  G  DJOKJOKARTA. 

and  even  woman,  carries.  Many  of  these  krisses, 
from  tlieir  antiquity,  are  much  appreciated,  and  often 
fetch  very  high  prices.  The  sheath  is  generally 
covered  with  rhinoceros  hide,  which  is  likewise  made 
at  Klaten.  I  was  also  shown  some  curious  weapons 
and  utensils  for  various  ])ur]^oses. 

The  latter  portion  of  the  journey  was  mostly  down- 
hill, Djokjokarta  standing  only  .360  feet  above  the 
sea-level,  and  we  reached  that  town  about  sunset, 
where  I  had  some  difficulty  in  finding  the  small  hotel, 
which  had  not  even  a  supper  to  offer.  The  capital  of 
Djokjo,  on  the  banks  of  the  Oepac,  and  near  the  base 
of  the  Merapi, — a  volcano  rising  abruptly  to  a  height 
of  8.500  feet, — has  its  fort,  now  occupied  by  Dutch 
troo})S,  and  its  Kraton,  the  residence  of  Sultan 
(Hamangkoe  Bouvono  Seriopati  Ingalogo  Ngaodoer 
Rachman  Saidin  Panatogomo)  Kalifatolah  VI.  The 
entile  arrangement  of  the  palace  is  much  the  same 
as  that  at  Soerakarta,  only  on  a  larger  scale,  and  the 
buildings  more  substantial,  consisting  of  the  usual 
coui'ts,  halls,  and  colonnades,  as  well  as  mosques,  and 
even  the  menagerie  of  wild  beasts,  without  which 
these,  but  half-civilized,  rulers  can  apparently  not 
exist.  They  revel  in  cruelty  ;  and  if  they  are 
restrained  from  exercising  that  passion  upon  their 
subjects  they  accept  the  alternative  of  ferocious  beasts. 


SULTAN   OF    DJOKJO.  247 

The  Sultan,  short  and  stout,  and  evidently  a  hon- 
vivant,  was  attired  much  in  the  same  fashion  as  his 
neighbour,  with  the  addition  of  a  peculiar  ornament 
attached  to  his  ears  in  the  shape  of  a  rosette,  sur- 
mounted by  a  leaf  pointing  upwards,  and  incrusted 
with  diamonds,  strongly  resembling  ass's  ears, 
meaning  no  disrespect  to  His  Majesty,  who  is  rather 
intelligent  than  otherwise.  The  Dutch  Resident, 
who  had  held  his  post  for  many  years,  took  me  over 
the  ruins  of  an  old  fortified  palace,  commenced  by 
the  first,  and  finished  during  the  reign  of  the  second 
Sultan  of  Djokjo.  It  was  called  Chateau  d'Eau,  or 
its  synonym  in  the  Javanese  tongue,  and  its  last 
occupier  was  the  present  ruler's  grandfather  :  it 
consists  of  a  mass  of  solid  masonry  surrounded  by  a 
broad  moat,  now  dry,  bearing  the  appearance  of  an 
extensive  fort,  with  several  inner  lines  of  defence 
made  accessible  by  tunnels.  There  were  also  double 
roofed  gateways,  built  of  brick  and  covered  with 
cement,  connected  by  long  winding  avenues  of  splen- 
did trees.  The  immense  extent  of  these  ruins, 
embodying  pavilions  and  galleries,  now  covered  with 
vegetation,  from  moss  and  ferns  to  large  trees  which 
had  taken  root  in  the  crevices,  had  an  exceedingly 
pleasing  and  picturesque  effect.  It  was  here  that 
the  then  Sultan   defied  the  Dutch   army  from    1825 


248  TOMBS   OF    MAT  ARAM. 

to  1830,  the  lattei"  consisting'  of  15,000  men,  half 
native,  lialf  European  troops,  and  peace  was  only 
established  by  the  Government  paying  to  the  Sultan 
a  sum  equal  to  two  millions  sterling  in  consideration 
of  his  receiving  a  Dutch  Resident  within  his  capital, 
who  thenceforth  became  the  real  Governor  of  the 
province.  Here,  as  at  Solo,  an  independent  prince  is 
recognized  to  keep  the  Sultan  in  check,  who  has  since 
been  simply  a  vassal  of  Holland. 

I  also  visited  the  tombs  of  the  Sultans  at  Mataram, 
the  oldest  of  which  dates  back  about  300  years.  In 
the  centre  of  the  enclosure  is  a  large  fish-pond,  in 
which  is  kept  the  sacred  turtle,  forty  inches  in  diameter, 
also  a  number  of  large  gold  and  silver  fishes.  'Ihe 
building,  containing  the  remains  of  so  many  poten- 
tates, consists  of  low  walls,  supporting  a  high-pitched 
tile  roof  nearly  touching  the  ground  at  either  side, 
and  within  are  the  simple  tombs,  constructed  of 
stone,  under  a  wooden  form,  over  which  a  white  cloth 
is  suspended,  giving  them  the  appearance  of  rows  of 
hospital  beds.  Surrounding  this  Pashalic  burial-shed 
is  the  general  cemetery  of  the  faithful  subjects,  for 
Mahomedanism  is  the  professed  creed  here  as  else- 
where in  Java, — in  reality,  the  natives  of  these 
southern  districts  can  hardly  be  said  to  have  any 
definite   religion,  and   their  existence   is  simply  ruled 


EARTHQUAKES.  249 

by  habit  and  by  superstition.  There  are  some  four 
or  five  divisions  within  the  grounds,  each  having  a 
sort  of  carved  stone  hchgate  in  the  centre,  in  the  shape 
of  a  hve-roofed  pagoda;  it  is  a  curious  place  altogether, 
and  admirably  kept.  On  our  return  drive  to  tlie 
town,  we  passed  a  splendid  banyan  tree,  said  to  be 
the  largest  known,  it  certainly  appeared  of  enormous 
dimensions.  The  Resident  now  drove  me  to  his  own 
house,  where  he  entertained  me  at  tiffin,  and  aftei'- 
wards  showed  me  the  effect  of  the  memorable  earth- 
quake of  June,  L867,  which  had  caused  the  death 
of  many  hundreds  of  natives  and  destroyed  the 
greater  portion  of  Djokjokarta,  amongst  which  was 
the  Dutch  residency,  a  perfect  palace,  constructed  of 
stone  and  marble,  from  which  the  Resident  and  his 
family  only  just  escaped  with  their  lives.  As  the 
disaster  happened  during  the  night  when  all  the 
doors  were  closed,  and  great  difficulty  was  experienced 
in  getting  them  open  whilst  the  shock,  which  was  of 
unusual  duration,  lasted,  had  not  assistance  come 
from  without,  all  the  inmates  must  have  been  buried 
under  the  ruins,  which  soon  covered  the  wdiole 
space.  It  was  a  lesson  to  construct  houses  in  tropical 
Java  of  a  more  giving  material.  The  new  building 
consists  of  a  framework  of  bamboo  and  other  supjile 
timber.      Here  I  was  shown  a  fine  collection  of  antique 


250  PROVIN(^E    OF    KADOE. 

Javanese  spears  and  lances,  collected  \)y  tlie  Resident 
during  his  long  term  of  office. 

The  Javanese,  like  the  Chinese,  are  very  fond  of 
kite-flying,  I  saw  some  beautiful  specimens,  repre- 
senting birds,  as  large  as  six  feet  by  three  feet,  very 
cleverly  made  of  split  bamboo  and  coloured  silk  or 
cotton  ;  it  was  quite  a  sight  to  see  these  monsters 
rise  hiofh  into  the  air. 

Djokjokarta  lies  within  fifteen  miles  of  the  south 
coast  of  Java,  in  the  same  longitude  as  Samarang,  on 
its  northern  shore  ;  and,  having  reached  the  former  by 
an  easterly  semi-circular  route.  I  now  proposed  return- 
ing in  the  opposite  direction,  so  as  to  enable  me  to  make 
a  wide  circle,  and  by  that  means  see  a  large  extent  of 
the  most  fertile  districts  of  the  island ;  moreover,  the 
famous  Buddhist  ruins,  which  I  had  come  to  visit,  lying 
on  that  route,  not  many  miles  east  of  Magellang,  the 
capital  of  the  province  of  Kadoe. 

I  made  an  early  stai't  in  a  small  comfortahle char-a-banc 
with  an  awning  and  six  horses,  the  road  not  only  being 
hilly  but  also  in  deplorable  condition,  owing  to  heavy- 
showers.  The  morninof  was  fine,  but  towards  noon  the 
rain  came  down  in  torrents,  and  continued  to  do  so, 
with  occasional  breaks,  when  the  sunshine  revealed 
views    of   exceeding    beauty.     The    Kadoe    has    been 


THE    UPAS-TREE.  251 

deservedly  called  the  garden  of  Java  ;  it  is  but  a  small 
province,  but  densely  populated,  and  although  several 
thousands  of  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  is  really 
situated  in  a  hollow,  as  its  name  signifies, — a  large 
basin,  formed  by  lofty  mountains  and  volcanoes,  at  times 
reaching  a  height  of  8,000  to  11,000  feet,  and  teaming 
with  virgin  forests.  Its  extraordinary  fertility  is 
proved  by  the  utter  absence  of  uncultivated  ground  ; 
plantations  of  coffee,  vanilla,  cinchona,  and  tobacco  on 
the  higher  ground  vie  with  those  of  sugar,  rice,  pepper, 
cotton,  and  indigo  on  the  lower  and  irrigated  districts ; 
besides  the  mountains  produce  much  valuable  timber 
and  sulphur,  and  even  a  Ijeautiful  marble  which  is 
celebrated  all  over  the  island. 

P'ew  plants  in  Java  being  deciduous,  the  aspect  of  the 
country  is  a  smiling  one  throughout  the  year.  There 
are  seen  in  conjunction  with  the  plantations  of  produce, 
palms,  bamboos,  and  the  deadly  upas  tree  [Antiaris 
texicaria)  in  the  low  land,  succeeded  by  fig  species  and 
th»'  lofty  rasimalas,  prominent  to  the  eye  by  their 
in^nense^^hite  trunks;  then  on  a  higher  range  still, oaks 
and  laurels  ;  and  beyond  6,000  feet  to  the  summit, 
heath,  pines,  etc.  As  regards  the  poisonous  property 
of  t  he  upas  tree,  authorities  seem  to  differ.  Mr.  King- 
ston, in  his  "  Australian  Abroad,"  gives  an  account  of 
a  specimen  he  met  with  at  the  foot  of  the  volcanic 


252  ,IAVANP]8E    VILLAGES. 

Merapi.  "  Tlie  tree,"  he  says,  *'  had  nothhig  deadly 
about  it,  but  the  earth  in  that  depressed  part  emitted 
fumes  of  carbonic  acid  gas,  that  hovered  over  the 
ground  for  about  three  feet  upwards,  suffocating  those 
who  might  He  down  on  the  earth  thei'e." 

The  kampongs,  or  villages,  throughout  the  whole 
route  gave  evidence  of  a  thriving  population ;  tlie 
bamboo  cottages  were  neat  and  clean,  each  invariably 
surrounded  by  a  little  garden  full  of  plantains  and 
other  fruit  trees,  and  protected  from  the  road  by  a 
screen  of  split  bamboo  upon  a  low  stone  wall.  The  native 
women  of  the  better  class,  when  going  any  distance, 
move  about  in  a  small  bamboo  palki  or  a  hammock, 
suspended  from  a  long  pole,  and  carried  by  two  coolies 
(Plate  XXIIL).  Men  and  women  dress  much  in  the  same 
fashion,  hence  the  anecdote  of  a  Dutch  colonel,  during 
one  of  his  raids  against  the  natives  :  having  attacked  a 
detachment  of  Javanese  Amazons,  who  defended  them- 
selves bravely  with  sticks  and  whatever  they  could  lay 
hold  of  for  the  purpose,  until  the  mistake  was  cleai'ed 
up,  when  a  general  stampede  ensued. 

The  country  swarms  with  a  species  of  swallow,  whose 
nest,  built  into  the  rock  of  the  mountain,  is  much  prized 
by  the  epicure  of  the  Celestial  Empire. 

Long  avenues  of  banyan  and  other  fine  trees  now 
brought  us  to  a  broad  river,  having  more  the  appearance 


I 

■«?;         ft 


BORO-BODO    TEMPLE.  253 

of  a  lake,  and  covered  with  innumerable  large  water- 
lilies  ;  here  I  left  the  carriage,  and  was  piloted  across 
in  a  crazy  sort  of  boat,  and  thence,  after  half  an  hour's 
walk  knee-deep  in  mud,  I  reached  the  ruins  of  Moen- 
doel  and  Mongloot.  They  are  not  large,  of  the 
ordinary  pyramid  shape,  much  carved  but  sadly 
injured,  and  ornamented  with  statues,  of  which,  how- 
ever, not  one  is  now  recognizable.  A  tall  fig-ti"ee 
had  forced  itself  throuo'h  the  stone  rio-ht  into  the 
heart  of  the  Mongloot  temple. 

Some  distance  farther,  upon  the  crest  of  a  hill,  is  the 
far-famed  temple  of  Boro-Bodo,  properly  Bura-Buddha  or 
Great  Buddha,  which,  according  to  a  popular  legend,  was 
erected  within  three  days  by  one  hundred  thousand 
men,  each  putting  his  stone,  duly  sculptured  and 
prepared  according  to  plan  and  design,  in  its  appointed 
place. 

On  reaching  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  passing  a  neat 
bungalow  where  the  guardian  is  quartered,  and  at  the 
extreme  end  of  a  fine  avenue,  fifty  feet  wide,  flanked 
on  either  side  by  a  row  of  dog  sphinxes,  this  stupen- 
dous work  rises  to  a  height  of  120  feet  or  more, 
and  it  would  seem  almost  impossible  to  convey  a 
true  impression  of  this  wonderful  relic  without  having 
seen  it.     The  form  of  the  temple  is  that  of  a  square 


254  BORO-BODO ITS    CONSTRUCTION. 

pyramid,  eixoXi  facadt'  iiieasuring  nearly  400  feet  at  the 
base,  and  the  approach  is  by  four  sets  of  stairs  in  the 
angles,  of  150  steps  each,  one  above  the  other.  The 
entire  pyramid  consists  of  nine  terraces, — a  favourite 
number  amongst  Buddhists  as  the  multiple  of  the  figure 
three,  emblematic  of  the  Tripitaka  or  three  collections 
of  Buddha's  Writ.  The  five  lower  tiers,  twelve  to 
eight  feet  high  respectively,  have  a  gallery  all 
round,  with  screens  and  gateways,  giving  access  to 
the  cells,  each  of  which, — and  there  are  altogether 
nearly  500,- — possessed  a  figure  of  Buddha  in  the 
centre,  life-size  and  seated  cross-legged ;  all  tliose 
imaoes  still  in  existence  are  characteristic  of  that 
dreamy,  contemplative  mood,  bearing  the  mark  of 
Asiatic  apathy.  Each  of  the  cells  was  roofed  over  by 
a  dome  ;  few  of  the  latter  now,  however,  remain 
uninjured ;  this  part  forms  the  ancient  monaster}'  or 
vihara,  at  one  time  occupied  by  the  monks  in  tl.eir 
yellow  garbs.  The  four  upper-stories  had  neither 
gallery  nor  cells,  but  numerous  cupolas,  corresponding 
with  the  domes  below.  The  apex,  whence  there  is  a 
magnificent  view  of  the  surrounding  country,  is 
occupied  by  a  large  circular  compartment  containing 
the  shrine,  sunk  ten  feet  deep  into  the  pyramid,  which 
was  originally  covered  over  hj  the  customary  bell- 
shaped  tope.      This   shrine  at  one  time  contained  the 


BORO-BODO — IT.S    SCULPTURES.  255 

sacred  relic,  generally  a  bone  of  Buddha  ;  besides, 
there  had  been  an  enormous  statue  of  the  latter. 
Now  the  space  is  empty,  and  the  whole  of  the  upper 
stories  are  very  much  ruined.  Strange  enough  there 
is  no  interior  to  the  temple  beyond  the  cells  already 
named,  and  the  dagoba  in  the  centre. 

The  material  used  in  the  construction  of  this 
enormous  edifice,  is  granite  in  large  blocks,  fitted 
together  a23parently  without  cement ;  and  the  entire 
structure,  every  stone  in  it,  is  covered  with  sculpture. 
The  dimensions  throughout,  the  height  of  the  different 
stories,  the  width  of  the  galleries,  the  pitch  of  every 
cupola,  nay,  the  size  of  all  the  ornamentations,  are  in 
the  most  perfect  proportion  to  the  whole  edifice. 

The  sculptures  represent  the  creation  of  man, 
marriage  and  death,  also  scenes  from  the  life  of 
Buddha,  elephant  and  rhinoceros  hunts,  battles  and 
sea  fights,  agriculture  and  various  arts  ;  and  although 
time  and  climatical  influences  have  done  much  to 
injure  the  carvings,  there  is  sufiicient  evidence  to 
show  what  great  skill  has  been  exercised  in  producing 
them  :  they  are  proof  of  the  high  state  of  civilization 
and  artistic  feeling  of  that  early  time. 

The  Dutch  Government,  a  few  years  ago,  published  a 
most  exhaustive  account  of  the  temple  of  Boro-Bodo,  a 
copy   of    which    has    been    presented    to    the    Boyal 


25G  r.oito-i'.oDo     I'i's  AC!-:. 

GeogTa})liic;il  Society.  Tlie  work  is  entitled  "  Boi'o- 
Boedoer,  up  het  Eiland  Java,  door  E.  Leemans. 
Leiden,"  consisting  of  666  pages  and  393  cartoons, 
thirty  inches  by  eighteen,  giving  sections  and  ac- 
curate measurements,  as  well  as  representations  of 
every  bit  of  carving  extant. 

Accounts  vary  as  to  the  exact  age  of  this  magnifi- 
cent ruin,  the  8th,  the  10th,  up  to  the  14tli  cen- 
tury, have  been  variously  assigned  as  the  period  of 
its  erection.  Ti'ust worthy  authority,  however,  places  it 
between  the  11th  to  13th,  probably  the  12th  century, 
during  which  Buddhism  had  reached  its  pinnacle  of 
glory  in  Java,  after  the  expulsion  of  Hinduism  and 
before  its  gradual  decay  and  eventual  supersession 
by  Mahomedanism  in  the  15th  century. 

After  a  careful  inspection  of  tliis  wonderful  monu- 
ment of  former  civilization,  I  could  not  but  be  struck 
with  the  degenerated  condition  of  the  Java  race  of 
to-day  compared  with  that  of  six  or  eight  centuries 
ago.  The  people  seem  to  have  lost  their  arts  com- 
pletely, and  to  have  returned  to  a  state  of  comparative 
infancy  ;  nor  do  they  seem  to  care  for  their  religion  ; 
in  the  interior  one  but  seldom  beholds  a  mosque,  and 
rarely  even  in  the  towns  on  the  coast.  Of  schools, 
they  are  but  few  and  far  between,   and  proselytizing 


MAGELLANG.  257 

of  the  natives  is,  or  anyhow  was,  strictly  prohibited 
ten  years  ago. 

It  may  here  be  interesting  to  compare  the  dimen- 
sions of  Boro-Bodo  with  those  of  the  Pyramid  of 
Gizeh  :  the  latter  is  756  feet  long  each  face,  against 
400  feet;  and  4  80  feet  high,  against  120  feet  of  the 
former.  We  may  well  ask,  what  record  of  civilization 
in  modern  times,  to  say  nothing  of  monuments  of  such 
vast  dimensions,  do  late  generations  leave  after  two 
or  three  hundred  years'  occupation  of  the  island  ? 
Alas  !  they  are  soon  summed  up,  two  words  suffice  to 
give  the  result, — "  sugar  and  coffee." 

I  had  been  fortunate  in  the  weather  clearing  up 
whilst  visiting  this  interesting  spot ;  but,  soon  after 
leaving  it,  the  sun  took  his  final  departure  for  the  day, 
and,  for  fear  of  being  benighted,  and  also  to  throw  off 
the  chill  which  I  felt  creeping  over  me,  my  clothes 
being  nearly  saturated,  I  trotted  off  as  fast  as  the 
deep  mud  would  let  me  to  reach  the  carriage  Ijelow ; 
still,  owing  to  the  wretched  condition  of  the  road,  and 
its  hilly  nature,  requiring  frequent  relays  of  oxen,  it 
was  eight  o'clock  before  I  arrived  at  Magellang, 
thirty-five  miles  north  of  Djokjokarta,  and  about  the 
same  distance  south  of  Samarang.  One  can  hardly 
imagine  a  prettier  place  than  this,  celebrated  for  its 

s 


258  AMBARRAWA. 

splendid  fruit  and  poultry.  Here  1  saw  a  perfectly 
white  cock  without  a  black  spot,  standing  three  feet 
high,  fi-om  comb  to  spur, — a  magnificent  bird,  ])ut  no 
money  I  could  offer  would  induce  the  owner  to  part 
with  him. 

The  country  around  is  undulating  and  well  wooded, 
more  like  an  English  park  than  a  tropical  landscape, 
and  a  pleasant  feature  in  this  part  of  the  island  is  the 
frequency  of  turf  avenues  lined  with  the  graceful 
bamboo.  Magellang  has  a  population  of  34,000 
natives,  lies  1,400  feet  above  sea  level,  and  is  con- 
sidered one  of  the  healthiest  towns  of  Java,  although 
rain  is  said  to  fall  here  nearly  every  day  of  the  year. 
An  exceedingly  clean  and  comfortalile  hotel  readily 
recompensed  me  for  the  tremendous  wetting  I  had 
received,  and  whatever  symptoms  of  fever  there  were 
on  my  arrival,  they  soon  gave  way  to  prompt 
treatment  under  my  host's  judicious  advice.  I  never 
slept  sounder,  and  woke  next  morning  quite  ready 
to  continue  my  journey.  At  noon  I  started  for 
Ambarrawa,  a  large  fortress  built  in  1831,  and 
occupied  by  3,000  soldiers  of  every  complexion, — the 
fair  Dutchman,  the  bronze  Malay,  the  black  African, 
and  any  number  of  nondescripts, — all  fighting  against 
the  effect  of  a  fever-stricken  locality,  surrounded  as  it 
is   by  marshes,  which    also   gradually  undermine  the 


ERECTION    OF    FORTIFICATIONS.  259 

foundation  of  the  barracks.  The  walls  of  the  latter 
not  only  look  green  from  damp,  but  are  also  very 
much  cracked,  and  I'un  the  risk  of  some  day  tumbling 
to  pieces  during  an  earthquake.  From  this  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  soldiers  here  do  not  lead  altogether  a 
paradisaical  life.  Those  of  my  readers  who  have  been 
to  Jamaica  may  remember  Fort  Augusta,  also  built 
on  a  swamp,  where  the  British  Government  lost 
regiment  after  regiment,  nay,  whole  battalions,  and 
would  probably  have  continued  its  occupation,  like 
the  Dutch  at  Ambarrawa,  had  not  the  home  authori- 
ties taken  it  into  their  wise  heads  to  send  out  a 
squadron  of  hussars  to  supplement  the  garrison, 
although  there  was  barely  tethering  ground  for  theii- 
horses,  which  died  as  fast  as  the  men  did ;  and  it  was 
only  the  costliness  of  the  quadrupeds  that  induced 
the  Government  at  last  to  abandon  the  station  and 
to  send  the  troops  to  the  hills,  where  they  are  more 
likely  to  die  of  ennui  than  of  fever,  at  least,  so  the 
story  goes.  However,  to  return  to  Ambarrawa,  the 
expense  of  erecting  its  fortifications,  and  the  loss  of 
life  during  that  period,  is  said  to  have  been  enormous. 
As  soon  as  a  j^ile  was  driven  into  the  ground  it  dis- 
appeared in  the  bog,  and  a  man  I  met  on  the  spot 
gravely  suggested,  in  a  tone  as  if  he  meant  it,  that 
the    difficulties    had     eventually  only    been    overcome 

s  2 


260  KADOE    PROVINCE. 

by  the  mass  of  dead  bodies  consolidating  the  marshy 
nature  of  the  ground  !  His  graphic,  although 
perhaps  not  very  delicate,  remark,  had  probably  more 
reference  to  another  much  larger  fortress  commenced 
in  1857  at  Ban-jou-Birou,  a  position  even  more 
unhealthy  than  that  of  Ambarrawa,  The  former  was 
completely  destroyed  in  July,  1865,  by  the  eruption 
of  the  volcano  "  Merbabou,"  which  killed  the  greater 
portion  of  its  garrison. 

Ambarrawa,  notwithstanding  its  bad  repute,  has 
within  easy  reach  a  pleasant,  cool  village  with  a  few 
European  houses  scattered  about  ;  thence,  as  far  as 
Oenarang,  the  sanatorium  of  Samarang,  2,000  feet 
above  the  sea,  the  cultivation  consists  principally  of 
rice  in  the  valley,  coffee  on  the  hills,  and  fruit 
everywhere.  Here  I  passed  the  night,  and  on  the 
following  morning  I  took  leave  of  the  Kadoe,  the 
gem  of  Java,  unrivalled  for  the  productiveness  of  its 
soil,  the  beauty  of  its  scenery,  and  the  finest  Buddhist 
ruin  in  the  world  ; — the  very  cattle  and  ponies  in  this 
favoured  region  are  larger  and  better  shaped  than  any  in 
Java.  As  regards  the  latter,  by-the-bye,  some  of  tlie 
Moluccas  produce  the  strongest  and  prettiest  I  have 
seen  anywhere.  The  Resident  at  Djokjokarta  had  a 
pair  of  fawn-coloured  ponies  with  a  black  strijje  down 
the  entire  length  of  the  spine,  and  black  mane  and 


SAMARANG.  261 

tail,  of  excellent  breed,  and  more  like  a  thorough- 
bred Pegu,  but  nearly  fourteen  hands  high  ;  these 
came  from  Timor. 

Two  hours  more  took  me  to  Samarang,  along  a  plea- 
sant road,  up  and  down  hill.  This  time  the  "Pavilion" 
accommodated  me,  a  great  improvement  upon  the 
hotel  I  stayed  at  before,  and  a  few  days  later  the 
"  Koningin  Sophia  "  took  me  on  to  Batavia,  Here  I 
stayed  but  two  days,  the  i-ain  pouring  down  incessantly 
in  such  torrents  that  I  had  to  keep  within  doors,  or  at 
least  under  the  verandah  of  the  hotel,  which  gave  me 
ample  time  to  cogitate  upon  what  I  had  seen ;  for  it 
must  always  be  an  interesting  episode  that  a  nation 
like  the  Dutch,  with  a  population  of  barely  4,000,000 
souls,  should  be  able,  with  comparatively  insignifi- 
cant forces,  to  maintain  beyond  the  Equator  in  most 
absolute  dependency  a  large  empire  containing  up- 
wards of  14,000,000  inhabitants.  I  will  here 
briefly  relate  the  policy  hitherto  pursued  by  the 
Government  in  ruling^  the  finest  colonv  in  the 
world. 

Java  is  divided  into  twenty- two  provinces,  two  of 
which.  Solo  and  Djokjo  are,  as  we  have  seen,  under  the 
nominal  rule  of  Emperor  and  Sultan;  in  these  the 
old  feudal  rights  of  twenty  years  holding,  rent  being 


262  PRODUCE   TAX. 

paid  ill  kind,  generally  amounting  to  one  fifth  of  the 
produce  and  one  day's  labour  out  of  five,  were  not 
interfered  with  ;  and  the  Prince  being  allowed  l)ut  a 
limited  number  of  soldiers  as  a  body-guard,  and  shorn 
of  all  real  power,  which  is  vested  in  the  Dutch 
Resident,  received  not  only  a  certain  annual  grant,  but 
even,  as  a  further  incitement,  some  allowance  on  all 
the  crops  produced  within  his  district,  the  whole 
of  which,  by  treaty,  had  to  be  sold  and  delivered  to 
the  Dutch  Government  at  prices  fixed  by  the  latter. 
This,  prior  to  1824,  had  been  about  one-tenth  only  of 
the  value  of  such  produce  in  the  Amsterdam  market. 
Thence,  until  1833,  continued  warfare  reduced  these 
provinces  to  a  very  low  ebb,  and  little  else  but  rice  was 
grown  during  the  interval ;  after  that  a  more  liberal 
scale  of  prices  was  estalDlished,  and  hence  the  old 
system  seems  to  have  worked  harmoniously  to  the 
satisfaction  of   all  parties  concerned. 

In  order  to  remedy  the  annual  deficit,  which  had 
become  chronic,  and  to  enable  the  Government  to 
liquidate  the  heavy  debt  incurred  during  the  period  of 
strife  and  trouble,  it  became  necessary  to  adopt  strong 
measures,  and  it  was  thus  that  forced  labour  was  intro- 
duced in  1830  all  over  the  island,  excepting  the  two 
so-called  protected  provinces.  Solo  and  Djokjo  ;  and 
henceforth  the  producing  power  of  the  colony  became 


JAVA    LABOUR    LAW.  2G3 

only  limited  by  the  amount  of  available  labour,  which 
accounts  for  more  than  one-half  of  the  island  being  still 
uncultivated. 

At  first  sight  it  may  seem  inexplicable  that  an  entire 
people  should  have  quietly  submitted  to  labour  year 
after  year  for  the  sole  benefit  of  their  great  task- 
master, nay,  have  done  so  even  cheerfully,  and  in  all 
their  relations  showing  the  greatest  respect  for  the 
foreign  conqueror.  Two  reasons  exist  for  this  apparent 
phenomenon.  In  the  first  place,  the  character  of  the 
native  is  naturally  docileandsubmissive;  the  repeated  in- 
vasions of  his  country,  first  by  the  Hindus,  then  by  the 
Buddhists,  and  lastly  by  the  Mahomedans,  had  tried 
him  severely,  and  had  had  the  effect  of  gi-adually,  but 
completely  subduing,  if  not  extinguishing,  every  spark 
of  energy  in  him,  and  no  wonder  he  values  the  peace- 
ful existence  his  last  conquerors  guarantee  to  him. 
He  is  now  no  more  harassed  by  religious  persecutions  ; 
is  not  made  to  fight  against  his  inclination ;  and  in 
return  for  his  labour  he  enjoys  the  comforts  of  a  neat 
bamboo  cottage,  earns  as  much  rice  as  he  can  eat,  and 
sufficient  money  to  buy  a  new  sarong.  And,  secondly,  a 
veryimportant  factor  is  the  manner  in  which  the  Govern- 
ment carried  out  these  new  measures  for  the  gradual  de- 
velopment of  unlimited  resources,  such  as  the  rich  soil  of 
Java  pre-eminently  possesses,  namely,  by  availing  itself 


264  TENURE   OF    LAND    IN    JAVA. 

of  the  existence  of  native  princes,  nobles,  and  priests, 
to  whom  the  people  clini;-  with  rare  devotion,  much 
after  the  fashion  of  the  Asiatic  Hyksos  of  old,  the 
shepherd  kings  of  E<j;'y})t.  who  some  4,000  years  ago 
governed  the  latter  country  through  the  intervention 
of  the  native  princes. 

To  each  province,  containing  000,000  to  800,000 
souls,  a  European  Resident  is  appointed,  who  sways 
the  entire  military  as  well  as  civil  ])ower,  and  in  the 
same  town  a  native  official  called  the  ''  Reofent,"  invai'i- 
ably  of  princely  descent,  holds  his  court  with  ;dl 
Asiatic  splendour  to  overawe  the  population.  The  two 
always  live  in  perfect  hai-mony  ;  indeed,  policy  requires 
that  the  real  Governor  shows  ureat  deference  to  the 
copper-coloured  prince,  which  he  can  well  afford  to  do, 
for  both  know  that  a  complaint  on  the  part  of  the 
Resident  would  speedily  result  in  a  Government  decree 
deposing  the  Regent,  and  appointing  a  rival  to  the 
vacant  post,  the  latter  being  always  kept  in  petto,  as  seen 
at  both  the  native  courts  I  have  been  describing ;  besides, 
owing  to  the  system  of  polygamy,  there  is  little  fear  of 
the  princely  blood  dying  out.  In  the  provincial  Court 
of  Justice  it  is  the  Regent  who  generally  presides, 
surrounded  by  some  of  the  principal  natives,  and 
advised  liy  the  moUah,  or  priest ;  but  previous  to  the 
opening  of  the   Coui-t  the  Dutch  Resident's  pleasure 


OLD    SYSTEM    OF    CORVEE.  265 

has  been  consulted,  and  thei-e  is  little  douljt  that  the 
case  will  be  decided  accordino-  to  his  direction. 

It  is  the  same  when  new  roads  have  to  l)e  laid  out, 
or  fresh  plantations  to  be  opened  ;  all  important  l)usi- 
ness  has  been  decided  at  headquarters  long  before  the 
matter  is  respectfully  submitted  to  the  Regent.  The 
only  official  the  natives  are  allowed  to  elect  is  the 
village  chief,  whose  mission  it  is  to  distribute  work 
amongst  the  families,  to  see  that  it  is  properly  exe- 
cuted, and  eventually  to  estimate  the  produce.  It  is 
a  wise  policy  on  the  part  of  the  Government  to  have 
men  appointed  to  this  office  who  have  the  full  con- 
fidence of  the  people,  and  who  are  ostensibly  responsible 
to  the  Regent  himself  The  system  has  worked 
admirably,  but  naturally  excluded  all  chance  of  Euro- 
pean colonization  ;  moreover,  until  recently  the  Dutch 
Government  declined  to  part  with  land  at  any  price, 
which  under  the  system  of  cort'ee  assured  such  splendid 
results.  The  only  plantations  owned  by  Europeans, 
until  some  ten  years  ago,  were  those  acquired  during 
the  short  period  of  British  occupation  of  the  island. 

By  this  system  of  forced  labour,  cheerfully  performed, 
and  of  governing  the  masses  through  their  own  other- 
wise powerless  princes,  the  entire  State  expenditure  is 
comparatively  small,  and  the  whole  routine  of  govern- 
ment exceedingly  simple.     The   Governor- General  at 


266  JAVA    PRODUCE. 

Batavia  is  King,  and  the  European  Residents  are  his 
generals,  aided  by  a  limited  number  of  subordinates,  and 
supported  by  a  handful  of  soldiers  in  each  province. 
The  standing  army,  consisting  of  only  25,000  to  27,000 
men, — about  11,000  Europeans,  remainder  natives, 
excepting  perhaps  1,000  Africans, — counted  some  years 
ago  but  two  generals,  six  colonels,  and  a  certain 
number  of  captains,  who  are  often  in  charge  of  an 
expedition  ;  thus  economy  is  carried  into  every  branch 
of  the  service. 

The  details  of  the  labour-law  promulgated  in  1830 
were  these  : — Every  family  in  the  mountain  districts 
had  to  cultivate  a  small  coffee  plantation  of  600  trees,, 
which  would  cover  half  an  acre  of  land,  along  with  a 
nursery  to  supply  vacancies ;  this  was  subject  tO' 
Government  inspection,  and  in  due  time  the  latter 
took  possession  of  the  crop,  paying  the  cultivator  at  a 
fixed  rate,  which  in  those  days  w^as  equal  to  about 
twenty  shillings  per  picul  of  132  lbs.,  the  same  picul 
then  being  worth  in  Holland  about  three  times  as 
much,  leaving,  of  course,  an  immense  profit,  considering 
that  at  least  250,000  acres  (or  300,000,000  trees)  were 
under  coffee,  producing  nearly  70,000  tons,  or  five  and 
a  half  hundredweights  per  acre.  The  Government 
thus  bought  for  £1,190,000  what  it  sold  for  £3,400,000, 
sul^ject  to  fi^eight  and  charges,  which,  making  a  liberal 


JAVA    REVENUE.  267 

allowance  for  the  latter,  would  still  leave  a  clear  profit 
of  a  million  and  a  half  pounds  sterling, 

A  similar  system  was  carried  out  in  the  plains  with 
regard  to  sugar-cane.  The  natives  had  to  cultivate  a 
certain  quantity  of  cane,  for  which  the  manufacturer 
paid  them  according  to  a  tariff  fixed  l)y  the  Govern- 
ment. The  latter  did  not  actually  extract  the  sugar, 
but  left  this  to  an  engineer  or  tenant-at-will,  to  whom 
it  advanced,  say,  ten  to  fifteen  thousand  pounds  for 
twelve  years,  without  interest,  and  who  took  the  whole 
management  and  responsibility  of  planting  and  refining, 
the  Government  receiving  two-thirds  of  the  refined  sugar 
at  a  minimum  price,  leaving  one-third  to  the  refiner, 
which  he  might  dispose  of  at  his  pleasure,  to  indemnify 
himself  for  all  risk  and  expense  incurred.  The  latter,  in 
order  to  make  it  a  profitable  enterprise,  had  to  set  to 
work  on  a  large  scale.  To  the  peasant,  who  w^as  forced 
to  work  for  him,  he  paid  at  tlie  rate  of  five  shillings 
per  picul  of  sugar,  two-thirds  of  which  he  had  to 
deliver  to  the  Government  for  about  ten  shillings  per 
picul,  then  w^orth  in  Holland  four  to  five  times  as 
much,  subject  to  freight  and  charges.  The  quantity 
of  land  under  suo-ar-cane  was  about  the  same  as 
that  under  coffee,  requiring  the  labour  of  200,000 
families,  and  supplying  ninety-seven  factories,  planted 
in  their   midst,  which  produced    about    136,000   tons 


268  .JAVA    REVENUE. 

of  refined  sugar,  or  nearly  eleven  hundredweights  per 
acre. 

The  above  fii^ures  1  obtained  from  reliable  sources  in 
the  early  part  of  1871  ;  since  that  period  there  has 
been  a  notable  increase  in  the  yield  of  crops  generally. 

At  the  time  of  its  introduction  there  was  nothing 
new  in  the  system  described  above ;  it  has  fre- 
quently served  the  purpose  of  developing  the  resources 
of  new  or  neglected  countries.  About  tlie  same  period 
the  Egyptian  Government,  under  Mehemet  Ali,  like- 
wise had  the  exclusive  right  of  buying  agricultural 
products  for  exportation  at  fixed  prices ;  his  object, 
however,  beinaf  less  the  material  and  moral  welfare  of 
the  population  as  to  obtain  means  for  enabling  him 
to  cope  successfully  with  his  Sovereign,  the  Sultan. 

At  present,  I  am  told,  cofiee  is  the  only  monopoly  of 
the  I)utch  Government;  the  cultivation  of  sugar  and 
all  other  produce  being  free  to  Europeans  as  well  as 
natives,  subject,  of  course,  to  the  State  tax,  and  a 
Bill  is  now  being  prepared  to  abolish  forced  labour 
throughout  Java. 

Other  sources  of  revenue  are  the  tin  mines,  the 
opium  licences,  and  the  customs'  duties.  The 
enormous  growth  in  the  receipts  since  1833,  resulting 
from  the  introduction  of  forced  labour,  have  not  only 
enabled  the    Govei-nment  to   pay  off  the  heavy  debt 


JAVA    CULTIVATION.  269 

previously  incurred  and  to  meet  all  current  expenses 
of  the  colony,  but  also  to  leave  a  large  annual  net 
surplus,  which  at  one  time  amounted  to  nearly  four 
millions  sterling, — anyhow,  has  averaged  from  1833  to 
1866  at  the  rate  of  upwards  of  two  millions  per  annum. 
Within  the  last  two  years,  however,  partial  failure  of 
crops  and  low  prices  of  produce,  have  considerably 
altered  this  financial  aspect,  but  now  there  seems  every 
prospect  of  an  early  return  of  more  prosperous  times. 

The  reverse  side,  however,  of  this  flattering  result, 
is  the  demoralizino-  effect  which  forced  labour,  removed 
from  absolute  slavery  only  by  name,  and  now  happily 
doomed  to  die  out,  must  have  had  upon  the  entire 
population,  degrading  to  both  master  and  peasant. 
Moreover,  it  is  not  at  all  certain  whether  free  labour 
would  not  have  led  to  the  same  or  perhaps  even 
better  results ;  for  experience  has  shown  that  the  culti- 
vation of  three  other  products,  indigo,  tea,  and  tobacco, 
which  had  originally  been  organized  under  the  same 
system  as*  coffee  and  sugar,  and  had  been  abandoned 
as  unprofitable  to  both  the  State  and  the  peasant,  have 
actually  been  greatly  developed  since  and  become 
singularly  prosperous.  The  peasant  being  no  more 
forced  to  work  these  plantations  in  certain  appointed 
localities,  and  being  to  a  certain  extent  owner  of  the 
crop   he    raises,    can  now  choose  a  suitable  sj)ot  and 


270  JAVA    CULTIVATION. 

cultivate  whichever  pixxhice  promises  the  most  profit- 
able result.  Another  proof  of  satisfactory  planting  by 
free  labour  is  that,  in  the  province  of  Preang-er,  in 
which  many  of  the  settlers  fi'om  the  time  of  the  British 
occupation  hold  land  and  work  it  in  their  own  way, 
most  splendid  results  have  likewise  been  obtained,  the 
yield  of  coffee  having  inci'eased  there  eight-fold  between 
1830  and  1857. 


CHAPTER  X. 

King  of  8iam — Johore  and  the  Maharajah's  Plantations — China 
— Hong-Kong  and  the  Peak — Chinese  Repast — Canton — A 
Chinese  Family — Exposing  Ineants — Hospitals  for  the  Sick 
AND  THE  Dead — Confucianism,  Buddhism,  and  Taouism  — 
Temples — Life  on  Land  and  on  Water — Voyage  to  Japan. 

The  steamer  which  had  brought  me  from  Samarang 
now  took  me  back  to  Singapore,  where  I  arrived  just 
in  time  to  witness  the  official  landing  and  reception 
given  to  the  young  King  of  Siam,  who  had  arrived 
here  in  his  steam  yacht.  A  good  deal  of  fuss  was 
made  about  him  :  the  usual  scarlet  cloth  on  landing, 
the  whole  garrison  turned  out  to  present  arms,  officers 


272  KING    OF    SI  AM. 

and  civilians  en  </rande  tenae,  etc.  The  motley  crowd 
in  the  streets  was  dense,  and  all  the  balconies  were 
filled  with  well-dressed  people;  flags  were  fivini,''  in 
every  direction,  and  the  excitement  was  at  its  heit(ht, 
when  His  Majesty,  accompanied  Ijy  his  uncle  and  his 
younger  brother,  supported  by  a  swarm  of  noble 
followers,  made  their  appearance  in  small  boats.  The 
King,  then  a  sallow-complexioned  youth  of  eighteen  with 
intelligent  features  and  of  soldierly  appearance,  was 
dressed  in  a  short  military  coat  of  dark  grey  silk  and 
a  good  deal  of  gold  lace  ;  his  legs  were  enveloped  from 
waist  to  knee  in  folds  of  similar  material ;  he  wore 
white  silk  stockings  and  shoes  with  silver  buckles,  a 
jewelled  sword  at  his  side,  and  a  Prussian  helmet  on  his 
head.  It  seemed  a  pity,  though,  that  the  royal  state 
requires  his  teeth  to  be  blackened,  for  it  is  by  no  means 
ornamental.  King  Khoulaloukoru  was  conducted  to 
the  improvised  reception-hall,  where  he  received 
addresses,  standing  under  a  throne  of  crimson  velvet. 
A  curious  group  here  was  that  of  Chinamen,  headed  by 
a  mandarin  in  his  long  embroidered  robe,  felt  shoes, 
and  bell-shaped  hat.  In  the  evening  there  was 
a  banquet  given  to  His  Majesty,  which  ended  with 
toasts,  as  usual;  and  on  the  next  day  he  took  his 
departure. 

Anxious  to  see  something  of  the  country  beyond  the 


MAHARAJAH    OF   JOHORK.  273 

Salat  Tabrao,  a  deep  strait  dividing  the  island  of  Singa- 
pore from  the  Malay  Peninsula,  I  had  arranged  to  be 
presented  to  the  Maharajah  of  Johore,  whose  terri- 
tory lies  on  the  mainland,  although  he  generally  resides 
on  the  island,  where  I  called  upon  him,  and  found  him 
an  exceedingly  gentlemanly  and  enlightened  man  who 
has  visited  Europe  and  speaks  English.  He  at  once 
offered  to  make  the  necessary  arrangement  to  facilitate 
my  journey,  and  for  my  reception  at  his  country  resi- 
dence. The  next  day  being  fine,  I  started  early, 
crossing  the  strait,  about  forty  miles  long  and 
a  quarter  to  two  miles  wide,  in  a  narrow  part,  and 
finding  a  carriage  waiting  on  the  opposite  shore,  I  had 
a  delightful  drive  of  a  couple  of  hours.  The  scenery 
throughout  resembled  very  much  that  of  Penang;  the 
forests  here  were,  perhaps,  even  denser,  palms  and  teak 
with  thick  underwood,  which  latter  accounts  for  the 
great  abundance  of  tigers ;  they  frequently  swim  across 
the  strait  and  carry  ofi"  natives,  even  from  the  outskirts 
of  Singapore. 

On  my  arrival  at  the  Maharajah's  palace  I  found  a 
very  recherche  tiffin  laid  out  in  an  open  hall,  to  which 
I  did  ample  justice  ;  nor  was  there  any  lack  of  iced 
champagne  or  delicious  fruit.  Amongst  the  latter  a 
mango  of  greater  size  and  more  delicate  flavour  than 
any  I  had  tasted  elsewhere  ;    its  consumption  should, 

T 


274  JOHORE    PRODUCE. 

however,  take  place  in  private,  or,  better  still,  in  the 
bath,  as  a  noble  French  traveller  suggested,  for  its 
juicy  flesh  obstinately  adheres  to  both  peel  and  stone, 
the  latter  nearly  half  the  size  of  the  entire  fruit.  His 
Highness's  carriage  then  came  round  and  took  me  to 
some  of  his  plantations,  from  which  he  derives  a  very 
large  revenue.     The  first  we  came  to  was  one  of 

Black  Pepper  [Piper  nigrum)  :  a  large  shrub  with 
ovate  leaves,  the  fruit  growing  on  a  spike  ; 
a  stick  is  required  to  support  the  slender 
stem,  which  gives  to  a  pepper-garden  some- 
what the  appearance  of  a  vineyard.  It 
must  be  remembered  that  this  is  a  very 
different  plant  to  the  elegant  pepper-tree 
we  admire  so  much  in  the  wide  avenues  at 
Athens,  whose  berry  is  similar,  but  its 
leaves  are  pinnate  as  those  of  the  mimosa. 
Next  we  visited  acres  of 
Gambeer  (Uncaria  cjamhir)  :  a  climbing  shrub 
with  oblong  leaves.  The  latter,  l^y  under- 
going a  process  of  boiling  or  infusing  in 
water,  produces  the  colouring  matter, 
which  is  its  principal  value  ;  the  leaves 
are  also  used  by  the  Malays  for  chewing 
with  betel,  then  called  pawn.  Thence  to  a 
Gamboge  plantation  [Garcinia  morella) :  its  fruit 


JOHORE    (CULTIVATION.  275 

a  pulpy  drupe  two  inches  in  diameter,  of 
pleasant  taste.  The  gum  obtained  from 
incisions  in  the  stem  is  used  for  dyeing  and 
also  for  medicine.     Fields  of 

Sugar-cane  (Saccharum  officinarum)  followed, 
and  large  gardens  of 

Tapioca  or  Cassava  [Manihot  utilissima) :  a  slender 
tree,  about  six  feet  high,  leaves  like  those 
of  the  bamboo,  seven-parted,  and  a  cluster 
of  turnip-like  roots,  which,  after  being 
heated  and  pounded,  become  fit  for  culinary 
purposes. 

The  Sago  Palm  [Sagus  loevis)  is  likewise  much 
cultivated  in  the  Peninsula,  in  appearance 
like  a  stunted  date  palm,  and  the  sago  is 
produced  from  the  pith  of  the  stem. 

Tha  Nutmeg  (My 7'istica  7noschata):  fruit  golden- 
yellow,  its  kernel  is  the  nutmeg  of  commerce. 

Gutta-percha  (Isonanch'a  yutta) :  a  handsome  tree 
with  long  narrow    leaves ;    it   has  become 
very  scarce  owing  to  indiscriminate  cutting- 
down  by  the  natives. 
The  Maharajahof  Johore  is  a  most  enterprising  prince : 
besides  cultivating  the  soil,  he  owns  some  very  large 
steam    saw-mills    producing    timber    for    shipbuilding, 
principally  from  his  immense  teak  forests.      He  also  has 

T  2 


276 


WILD    MAN    OF    THE    .JUNGLK. 


an  opium  factory,  the  article  is  brought  from  Calcutta 
in  large  balls,  and  is  here  finally  prepared  for  use  by 
l)oiling.  The  Burmese,  as  also  the  Malays,  are  much 
addicted  to  smoking  the  drug.  I  went  to  see  one  of 
their  opium  haunts,  crowded  with  men  of  the  lowest 
class,  the  sight  of  which  was  too  disgusting  to  tempt 
me  to  describe  it. 

A  curious  specimeii  of  hairy  humanity,  not  unlike 
Darwin's  ideal  "  Origin  of  Species  "  was  at  the  time  of 
my  visit  being  conveyed  to  the  coast  for  shipment  to 
some  society  at  Calcutta.  This  is  the  individual  as 
he  appeared, — 

\ 


SINGAPORE    HOTEL.  277 

He  had  been  found  in  a  wild  state  in  the  deep  forest  of 
Johore,  where  he  had  existed  upon  fruit  and  roots,  and 
pi'esumably  had  never  seen  a  human  soul.  I  have  no 
doubt  that  in  Barnum's  possession  this  man  would  have 
turned  out  a  mine  of  gold,  although  not  a  pleasant 
subject  to  look  upon,  rather  like  some  of  those  hideous 
Santos  one  meets  with  in  the  Nubian  desert. 

All  the  plantations  were  SM^arming  with  birds  of 
various  colours,  especially  the  pretty  Singapore  spar- 
row, and  in  a  village  1  espied  some  fine  Manilla  ducks, 
with  enormous  red  combs,  also  numbers  of  Cochin- 
( 'hina  fowls.  On  my  return  to  the  palace  after  a  most 
delightful  drive,  the  steward  of  the  Maharajah  presented 
me,  in  the  latter's  name,  with  a  roll  of  silk,  of  tartan 
pattern,  which  had  been  woven  by  the  ladies  of  his 
harem  from  cocoons  produced  on  his  estate.  After  a 
polite  speech  in  return  I  took  my  departure,  and 
reached  the  hotel  at  Singapore  as  the  gong  was 
announcing  dinner.  Here,  on  taking  my  seat,  I  was 
much  pleased  to  find  the  amiable  captain  of  the 
"  Emu,"  which  had  six  weeks  before  brought  me  fronj 
Galle,  occupying  a  chair  next  to  me.  We  now 
exchanged  our  experiences  since  we  had  parted. 
I  listened  to  some  of  his  amusing  accounts  of  the 
eccentricities  of  various  passengers,  and  made  him  laugh 
in  return  by  telling  him  of  the  quaint  incidents  of  the 


278  OFF    FOR    CHINA. 

Emperor  of  Solo's  reception  ;  nay,  he  was  not  satisfied 
until  1  promised  to  sliow  him  the  graceful  step  of  His 
Majesty's  wari-iors.  I  had  now  only  one  day  more  at 
Singapore,  which,  being  wet,  I  passed  in  a  dolce  for 
miente  state,  lounging  under  the  verandah,  where  my 
meditations  were  now  and  then  disturbed  by  Chinese 
pedlai's,  who  here  as  elsewhere  carry  tlieii"  wares  on  a 
bamboo,  and  often  let  themselves  be  transported  in  a 
chair  by  a  couple  of  coolies.  In  this  way  I  picked  up 
some  fine  canes,  cuttings  off  the 

Kattan  { Calamus  rotang) :  a  slender  tree  that  often 
grows  to  a  height  of  150  to  200  feet, 
although  barely  an  inch  in  diameter,  with 
a  small  crown  of  feathery  leaves  ;  also  of  a 
Malacca  cane  [Calmntis  scipionum) :  likewise  a 
genus  of  palm,  once  in  great  request  as 
sticks  carried  by  livery  servants  behind 
the  carriage  ;  they,  when  cut  and  dried, 
are  a  beautiful  chestnut  colour. 

The  steamer  "  Beliar,"  her  hold  filled  with  opium  for 
China,  which  during  the  first  few  days  of  our  voyage 
made  everybody  on  board  very  sleepy,  took  me  on  to 
Hong-Kong.  She  was  not  a  fast  boat,  but  there  l)eing 
some  pleasant  passengers  we  got  on  well  enough, — a 
Hamburg  gentleman  and  his  frau,  tremendous  talkers, 


ARRIVAL    AT    HONG-KONG.  279 

and  a  clever  American  widow  lady  belonging  to  Macao, 
— of  all  the  wretched  places  in  the  world  the  worst,- — 
assisted  by  a  very  agreeable  captain,  kept  us  pretty 
well  alive.  The  season  of  the  year,  having  started  on  the 
the  16th  March,  being  in  favour  of  a  quick  voyage,  the 
"Behar"  took  the  ordinary  north-easterly  course,  else,  to 
avoid  the  monsoon  as  much  as  possible,  ships  run  along 
the  northern  coast  of  Borneo  and  Palawan,  which  is  called 
the  "  Palawan  passage."  On  the  fifth  day,  however, 
we  encountered  a  strong  head- wind,  which  within  the 
next  twenty-four  hours  developed  into  a  smart  gale, 
admitting  of  very  little  progress  ;  this  lasted  until  we 
sighted  Hong-Kong  late  on  the  evening  of  the  eighth 
day,  having  during  that  day  jDassed  innumerable  junks 
deeply  laden,  and  many  islands.  Our  average  run 
since  starting  from  Singapore  had  thus  been  barely 
eight  knots  an  hour  over  a  distance  of  1,543  miles. 

Owing  to  a  slight  collision  with  a  sailing  ship,  which 
broke  our  main  yard,  we  approached  our  anchorage  too 
late  to  enable  passengers  to  land  that  evening,  and  on 
reaching  the  deck  on  the  following  morning,  we  were 
rewarded  by  a  magnificent  panoramic  view  :  on  one 
side,  the  coast  of  China  and  numerous  islands;  on  the 
other,  Hong-Kong  rising  abruptly  from  the  water's 
edge  in  the  form  of  an  extensive  amphitheatre,  with 
Victoria  peak,  1,825  feet  high,  for  a   background,  and 


280  TOWN    OF    HONG-KONG. 

the  port  filled  with  shipping  from  a  huge  mail  steamer 
to  a  small  junk.  T  landed  at  an  early  hour,  and  soon 
found  myself  settling  down  to  a  delicious  breakfast  at 
the  "Hong-Kong"  Hotel,  delighted  to  find  myself  on 
terra  jirina  after  so  disagreeable  a  passage.  There  was 
a  great  turmoil  in  the  street,  which  made  me  think  I 
had  dropped  upon  another  Chinese  festival,  l^ut  I  was 
told  such  was  the  normal  condition  of  this  small  colony, 
which  is  entirely  supported  by  trade.  The  native 
element  is  strongly  represented  and  very  turbulent,  for 
every  malefactor  from  the  mainland  tries  to  make  his 
escape  to  Hong-Kong  as  a  harbour  of  refuge,  hence  the 
enormous  amount  of  crime  committed  on  the  island. 
Everybody  remembers  the  atrocious  attempt  of  a  baker, 
years  ago,  to  poison  the  entire  colony,  and  many  other 
acts  of  violence.  During  my  visit  an  Englishman  was 
waylaid  one  day  by  some  native  ruffian  whilst  ascending 
the  Peak,  robbed  of  his  purse  and  gold  watch,  and 
thrown  down  the  precipice,  where  he  was  found  dead 
on  the  following  day.  There  are  some  120,000  Chinese 
25,000  Malays,  and  about  2,000  European  resi- 
dents. 

Walking  being  considered  derogatory  in  eastern 
countries,  a  number  of  very  comfortable  bamboo  chairs 
on  long  poles  take  the  place  of  cabs  in  the  principal 
streets,  carried  by  two,  and  sometimes  by  four.  Celestials 


CHINESE    REPAST.  281 

with  long  pig- tails  hanging  down  to  the  calf  of  the  leg. 
A  strange  sight  in  China  is  the  European  missionary, 
who  not  only  adopts  the  native  costume,  but  also  the 
partial  tonsure,  and  even  the  pig-tail, — a  silken  one, — 
which  enables  him  to  travel  throughout  China  un- 
molested. There  are  a  few  handsome  streets,  a  large 
Government  house,  a  club,  etc.  ;  and  from  all  appear- 
ance the  residents  quite  understand  how  to  make  them- 
selves comfortable  at  Hong-Kong,  which  has  been  under 
British  rule  since  1842.  There  is,  however,  little  to 
attract  the  traveller  ;  the  only  point  of  interest  is  the 
Peak,  where  I  spent  a  night  at  a  bungalow  erected  by 
the  Government  as  a  sanatorium.  Here,  the  view  at 
sunrise  was  very  beautiful  upon  the  island-studded  sea ; 
and  below,  on  the  opposite  side  to  the  town,  there 
stands  a  castle  amongst  barren  rocks  of  curious  shapes, 
which  belongs  to  a  private  gentleman,  who  generally 
offers  the  use  of  it  to  newly-married  couples  to  spend 
their  honeymoon ;  and  no  more  suitable  spot  could 
well  be  devised  for  a  quiet  retreat,  surrounded,  as  it  is, 
by  a  sort  of  dreamy  picturesque  scenery. 

One  evening  I  was  invited  to  partake  of  a  genuine 
Chinese  dinner  at  the  famous  restaurant  Hang-Fa- 
Loh-Chung,  which  I  greatly  enjoyed  on  account  of  its 
quaintness,  independent  of  the  good  company  I  found 
myself  in.      It  was  a  large  establishment,  containing  a 


282  CHINESE    MENU. 

great  number  of*  .small  compartments  filled  witli  occu- 
pants of  every  class,  and  attended  by  a  swarm  of  long- 
tailed,  blue-robed  waiters  and  native  musicians,  who 
played  on  curious  one-stringed  instruments, accompanied 
by  tambourine  and  now  and  then  by  a  song  in  tones  of 
nasal  development.  The  table  was  crowded  with  little 
porcelain  plates,  no  larger  than  saucers,  and  ivory  chop- 
sticks, which  I  at  first  found  very  difficult  to  handle, 
and  requested  that  a  knife  and  fork  might  be  brought, 
which  raised  strong  opposition  on  the  part  of  my  enter- 
tainers, who  insisted  that  the  character  of  the 
establishment  ought  not  to  be  prejudiced  Ijy  such  a 
revolutionary  innovation  :  and  as  most  of  the  dishes 
produced  did  not  tempt  me  to  go  beyond  tasting,  I 
soon .  got  reconciled  to  the  limited  use  these  small 
instruments  of  torture  were  called  upon  to  perform. 
The  tnenu  was  an  extraordinary  mixture  of  ingredients, 
sweet,  salt,  sour,  and  spicy.       It  consisted  of: 

BIRD'S    NEST   SOUP. 

SHARK'S   FINS. 

RAGOUT   OF   YOUNG    PUPS,  with  Lotus  Seed. 

FISH    ROE,   hi  brown  sugar. 
BLACK    PUDDING,  of  Duck's  Brain  and  Blood. 


CHINESE    DELICACIES.  283 

STAR- FISH. 

EAT'S    TAILS,  fried. 

COMPOT   OF   STUEG EON'S   GILLS. 

SEA-SLUGS,  with  spices. 

The  Chinese  pay  extravagant  prices  for  bird's  nests  ; 
to  my  taste  the  soup  had  an  agreeable  flavour  of 
weak  chicken-broth.  The  Sea-slugs,  also  called  Sea- 
cucumbers,  are  the  French  heches  de  mer  {Ilolothunce), 
sometimes  a  foot  long.  For  food  they  are  boiled 
until  soft,  then  dried  in  the  sun,  and  served  disguised 
by  an  enormous  quantity  of  aromatics  of  all  sorts. 
Amonofst  the  fruit,   I  thouirht  the 

Lychee    (Nephdium  litchi)     (Plate  XXII.)     very 

pleasant  in  its  dried  state  ;    it  is  enclosed 

in  a  thin  brown  shell,  and  has  the  appeai-- 

ance    of  a    largfe    raisin   of    a    sweet    sub- 

acid  flavour ;  eaten  fresh  it  is  very  luscious. 

Warm  sam-chow,   distilled  from  rice,  and  some  other 

similar  concoction  of  a  rose  colour,  where  handed  round 

during  the   meal    in    little    porcelain  cups,  and,  after 

dinner,  tea  and  cigars.     I  am  glad  to  have  steadfastly 

gone  through   this    delectable    menu    as   a    matter    of 

curiosity,  but  should  not  care  to  repeat  the  operation. 


*^S4  CITY  OF  (;anton. 

One  hundred  miles  separate  Hong-Kong  from 
(/anton,  which  fbi-ined  a  pleasant  day's  voyage  on 
board  the  American  steamer,  "  Kiu-Kiang."  Withhi 
three  or  four  houis  from  starting,  we  passed  the  old 
escarped  walls  of  Macao,  now  half  in  ruins,  wliich 
crown  the  surrouncHng  hills, — rather  a  pretty  bit  of 
scenery.  Hence  we  started  up  the  inlet  giving  access 
to  the  broad  Pei-Kyang  river.  Both  shores  are  flat ;  noi- 
has  the  Whampoa  harbour,  higher  up,  where  ships  are 
obliged  to  anchor,  on  account  of  the  shallowness  of  the 
river,  any  attraction  to  boast  of.  But  as  we  ap- 
proached the  town  of  Canton  in  a  clumsy  boat,  the 
Chu-Kyang,  or  Pearl  river,  became  alive  with  shipping; 
its  entire  breadth  was  crammed  with  junks  and  large 
covered  boats,  painted  in  bright  colours,  and  mostly 
rowed  by  women.  Already  here  one  gets  a  tolerable 
idea  of  the  denseness  of  the  population  of  Canton, 
vaguely  given  as  a  million  souls.  The  river  has  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  floating  town,  and  on  landing  and  passing 
through  the  Chinese  quarter  one  felt  alm.ost  suffocated 
by  the  crowd. 

The  Europeans  reside  and  have  their  store-houses, 
by  the  Chinese  called  hongs,  at  Sha-Min,  outside  the 
city  wall,  whei-e  my  letters  of  introduction  secured  me 
a  very  kind  reception. 

The   city,    divided    by  a   wall    and    gates    into   the 


SHA-MTN.  285 

Northern,  or  Tartar,  and  the  Southern,  or  Chinese, 
town,  is  surrounded  by  fortifications  and  a  dry  ditcli. 
left  in  a  most  filthy  condition  by  the  receding  tide. 
Hills  enclose  Canton  on  three  sides,  the  river  lining  the 
fourth,  and  one  vast  burial-ground  covei's  the  slopes  of 
the  former,  the  graves  mostly  occupying  a  large  semi- 
circle cut  into  the  hill,  and  filled  with  rude  stone  monu- 
ments. The  town  itself,  as  seen  from  Fort  Alfred,  has  a 
flat  appearance,  most  of  the  houses  are  two-storeyed  anrl 
covered  with  tile  roofs,  with  a  few  pagodas  and  watch- 
towers,  whence  alarm  is  ofiven  in  case  of  fire.  On  everv 
roof  a  certain  supply  of  water  is  kept  in  large  buckets, 
owing  to  the  frequency  of  conflagration  and  the  difli- 
culty  of  procuring  water,  unless  the  tide  happens  to  be 
rising ;  for  otherwise  the  canals  are  dry. 

Honam,  a  suburb,  famous  for  a  very  large  Buddhist 
temple,  covering  seven  acres,  and  maintaining  a 
number  of  sacred  pigs  of  enormous  size,  lies  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river, 

Sha-Min  consists  of  a  piece  of  land  ceded  by  the 
Chinese  in  1861  to  the  Allies  for  325,000  dols.,  the  French 
retaining  one  fifth,  upon  which, however, they  have  never 
built  ;  and  at  the  time  of  my  visit  an  American  circus 
had  been  erected  there,  much  to  the  annoyance  of  the 
British  community,  as  it  brought  all  the  roughs  of 
Canton  to  the  European  settlement.      The  other  four- 


'28G  CHINESE    MEN    ANJ)    WOMEN. 

fifths  are  occupied  by  the  Eiighsh  residents,  their 
Church,  cricket-ground,  and  race-course.  During  my 
short  stay  in  this  Httle  colony,  I  had  the  opportunity 
of  eyeing  an  entire  Chinese  family,  who  had  come  to 
gratify  their  curiosity,  having  pi-eviously  obtained  my 
host's  permission  to  look  over  the  house.  There  was 
John  Chinaman,  a  rich  merchant  of  parchment  com- 
plexion, black  lanky  hair,  with  a  tail  down  to  his  feet, 
thin,  long  moustache,  and  oblique  eyes,  accompanied 
by  his  five  wives  and  quite  a  brood  of  little  Celestials, 
all  dressed  up  for  the  occasion  in  their  very  best,— the 
ladies  in  upper  and  under-dress  of  rich  figured  silks, 
an  elaborate  frisure,  and  highly  rouged,  their  feet 
ensconced  in  little  shoes  of  barely  six  inches,  beauti- 
fully embroidered,  and  thick  felt  soles.  The  cramped 
position, — the  whole  of  the  toes  being  tucked  under, — 
prevents  them  walking  like  other  human  beings,  and 
every  lady  therefore  requires  a  servant  to  support  her. 
The  children  looked  very  funny,  wrapped  up  in  silkeji 
gowns,  and  with  their  shaven  crown,  just  a  few  jet- 
black  hairs  being  left  over  each  ear.  They  all  seemed 
to  enjoy  their  inspection  from  roof  to  cellar,  and  had 
no  end  of  questions  to  ask  as  to  the  uses  of  articles  they 
had  never  seen  before.  The  better  class  are  very  fond 
of  their  children,  and  it  seems  sti-ange  that  they  should 
countenance  in  their  midst,  amongst  the  lower  orders. 


THE    FRENCH    MISSION.  287 

the  horrible  vice  of  exposing  and  abandoning  their 
offspring,  which  is  carried  out  to  an  alarming  extent. 
The  females  in  China  are  considered  of  little  value  ; 
hence,  only  one-tenth  of  the  children  picked  up  along 
the  city  wall  by  the  French  Catholic  Mission  belong  to 
the  male  sex.  That  admirable  institution,  headed  by 
a  bishop  who  is  paid  the  munificent  sum  of  1,200 
francs  per  annum  (!)  consists  of  two  orphanages, — one 
for  boys,  brought  up,  taught,  and  started  in  life  by  the 
priests  ;  the  other  for  girls  and  infants,  in  charge  of 
four  French  and  fifteen  Chinese  (converted)  sisters  of 
charity.  The  cost  of  each  establishment  is  only  £600 
a  year. 

The  Mission  has  been  erected  on  the  very  spot 
where  the  cruel  Governor  Yeh,  who  was  captured  in 
1857,  after  the  storming  of  Canton  by  the  Allies,  used 
to  hold  his  court,  the  land  having  been  granted  for  the 
purpose  by  the  Government,  and  a  large  cathedral  has 
since  been  built  upon  it.  To  convey  an  idea  of  the  ex- 
tent to  which  infanticide  is  carried  on,  I  need  only 
mention  that  on  an  average  the  Mission  picks  up  be- 
tween 4,000  and  5,000  babies  annually,  many  of  them 
found  dead,  others  in  a  dying  condition  from  neglect 
and  exposure.  Such  inhuman  cruelty  seems  hardly 
credible,  especially  in  a  people  who  treat  their  dead 
relations  with  the  most  tender  veneration.    The  bishop 


288  HOSPITALS    Foil    SICK     AND    DEAD. 

also  personally  visits  the  thirty-six  schools  established 
within  the  province,  where  some  400  children  are  tau<,'-ht, 
with  five  orphanag^es  of  al)out  100  children  each,  the 
entire  cost  of  which  amounts  to  barely  £450,  and  all 
this,  1  was  told,  is  not  tlie  twentieth  part  of  the  good 
work  done  by  the  French  Mission  all  over  China  at  a 
very  small  cost.  One  cannot  speak  too  highly  of  their 
labour  of  pure  Christian  love,  both  in  China  and  in 
India.  In  the  latter  country  I  have  seen  them  at 
work  during  the  late  famine,  when  they  likewise 
established  orphanages  in  certain  centres  and  woi-ked 
with  an  iron  will  which  saved  thousands  of  lives. 

There  is  an  enormous  amount  of  mendicity  and 
leprosy  at  Canton,  and  local  institutions  are  quite 
inadequate  to  cope  with  the  evil.  There  is  a  large 
hospital,  a  most  wretched  place,  with  room  for  about 
a  thousand  old  men  oi-  patients.  Here  each  inmate 
sleeps  under  the  shadow  of  his  own  oj)en  coffin,  which 
he  may  fill  on  the  morrow;  but  Chinamen  contemplate 
death  with  the  most  wonderful  stoicism,  and  it  is  a 
common  habit  with  them  to  provide  a  coffin,  for  the 
rich  made  of  camphoi-  or  cedar- wood,  during  their  life- 
time. 

Another  kind  of  hospital  exists  for  the  dead,  con- 
sisting of  several  narrow  alleys  with  small  chambers, 
where  for  twelve    shillings   a    month  a  coffin  can  be 


CANTON    PRISON.  289 

deposited  until  a  suitable  burial-ground  has  been  pre- 
pared outside  the  city  walls,  or  until  the  necessary 
funds  for  its  removal  have  been  obtained.  Each  of 
these  rooms  contains  a  rude  altar,  on  which  flowers 
and  burning-  incense  are  placed,  and  sometimes  an 
image  of  Buddha,  where  the  relations  of  the  deceased 
come  to  pray.  It  is  difficult  to  believe  that  these  are 
the  same  people  who  so  cruelly  punish  and  torture 
their  prisoners  for  the  slightest  offence,  and  amongst 
whom  infanticide  is  no  crime. 

The  prison  of  Canton  is  a  forbidding  sight, — mere 
kennels  and  bamboo  cages  for  cells,  filthy  beyond  de- 
scription, and  the  prisoners  laden  with  heavy  chains 
and  a  long  iron  pole  attached  to  the  latter,  the  very 
weight  of  which  prevents  their  moving  about  beyond 
a  crawl.  The  torture-chamber  contains  a  collection 
of  instruments  none  but  a  most  refined  cruelty  could 
have  invented.  Just  outside  the  prison  gates  there 
are  gambling  hells  which  these  wretches  frequent,  and 
where  many  a  dark  crime  is  said  to  be  committed. 
Whilst  the  poor  are  tortured  to  extract  truth  or  con- 
fession, the  rich  man  is  admitted  to  the  oath  by 
decapitating  a  cock  as  a  symbol, — "  May  my  head  be 
cut  off"  like  that  of  a  cock  if  I  perjure." 

A  pleasanter  visit  is  that  to  the  examination  hall, 
composed  of  a  long  gallery  with  rows  of  cells  on  either 

u 


290  EXAMINATION    HALL. 

side,  each  cell  only  large  eiiougli  to  hold  a  small  table 
and  a  form  for  one  student.  There  are  said  to  be 
10,000  such  compartments,  indeed  I  counted  9,730, 
where  candidates  meet  every  three  years.  Here  they 
are  kej)t  for  eight  hours  daily,  three  days  in  succession, 
answering-  in  writing  the  various  questions  laid  Ijefore 
tliem,  mostly  appertaining  to  the  ancient  literature  of 
the  country.  Elegant  caligraphy,  however,  is  by  no 
means  overlooked  at  these  exhibitions.  There  are  other 
halls  connected  with  this  institution,  such  as  a  judge's 
room,  and  where  degrees  are  conferred  upon  students, 
those  of  bachelor,  licentiate,  and  doctor.  A  fourth  de- 
gree, that  of  the  "Ten  Thousand,"  or  Chwang-Youen, 
can  only  be  competed  for  at  Pekin  ;  that  examination 
lasts  nine  days,  and  is  divided  into  three  parts  or 
"  goes,"  and  such  is  the  ambition  amongst  the 
students  to  obtain  this  award,  by  which  they  may 
rise  to  the  highest  dignities  of  the  State,  that  they 
come  up  time  after  time,  often  until  they  grow  old. 

Very  few  words  will  suffice  to  give  an  idea  of  the 
temples  of  Canton,  many  of  which  are  used  for  State 
purposes,  and  to  lodge  foreign  ambassadoi's.  The 
Chinese,  upon  whom^  worship  sits  very  lightly,  content 
themselves  to  leave  the  performance  of  it  almost 
entirely  in  the  hands  of  their  priests,  for  although 
every  house  has  its  Joss,  or  little  altar,  carefully  tended 


RELIGIOUS    SYSTEMS   IN    CHINA.  291 

with  flowers  and  incense,  this  is  really  intended  to  pro- 
pitiate the  evil  spirit  in  favour  of  their  departed 
ancestors. 

The  three  religious  systems  In  China  are  Confucian- 
ism, Buddhism,  and  Taouism.  The  first  of  these  is 
the  creed  of  the  educated  classes.  Confucius  was  the 
author  or  compiler  of  the  earliest  work  on  China, 
called  "  Yu-kung,"  originally  consisting  of  one  hundred 
parts,  of  which  fifty-eight  have,  after  passing  through 
many  vicissitudes,  been  restored,  embracing  the 
period  from  B.C.  2,357  to  B.C.  720,  historically  as  well 
as  geographically.  This  extraordinary  man  was  born 
in  B.C.  550.  He  taught  a  philosophy,  the  basis  of 
all  social  and  political  life,  an  utter  absence  of  a 
personal  God,  In  short  Atheism,  and  in  his  time  no 
Images  were  allowed.  His  followers,  the  Siodoslns, 
may  therefore  be  termed  Freethinkers,  who  disdain 
every  kind  of  pious  practice,  holding  that  true  religion 
consists  in  the  perfect  harmony  of  acts  with  the 
precepts  of  sound  reason.  At  a  later  period  they  put 
up  tablets  bearing  their  founder's  name.  In  front  of 
which  they  burned  incense  and  offered  sacrifices  of  oxen 
and  sheep  ;  their  temples  then  had  mostly  a  funereal 
appearance  ;  gradually,  however,  many  other  abuses 
crept  in,  amongst  which  the  addition  of  hundreds  of 

u  2 


292  BUDDHISM    AND   TAOUISM. 

monstrous  figures,  wliicli  now  often  disfigure  their 
simple  edifices. 

The  second  creed,  and  pei'haps  the  most  popular 
amongst  the  mass  of  the  people, — Buddhism, — was 
introduced  from  India  in  B.C.  217,  and  150  years 
later  occupied  the  position  of  third  state  religion  in 
China,  when,  however,  it  also  soon  lost  its  original 
purity,  nor  were  the  priests  allowed  to  monopolize 
education  as  they  do  in  Burmah  and  Siam.  For  the 
style  of  their  temples  they  have  adopted  the  Chinese 
pagoda  of  many  storeys,  which  they  crowd  with  images 
of  Buddha.  The  priests  wear  the  loose  yellow  garb,  as 
in  Ceylon  and  elsewhere  ;  but  their  form  of  worship 
differs  in  many  respects  from  that  of  their  co-religion- 
ists in  Tibet  and  Ladakh,  who  belong  to  the  Lama 
sect,  famous  for  their  prayer  wheels  and  red  robes. 

Lao-tse,  the  founder  of  Taouism,  was  born  in  B.C. 
604.  Originally  it  was  a  simple  faith  adapted  to  the 
condition  of  the  people  at  that  early  time ;  it  has, 
however,  since  degenerated  into  a  sort  of  mystic 
worship,  or  more  correctly,  into  a  priestly  jugglery. 
The  priests  are  ignorant,  and  practise  spells  and 
incantations,  stars  and  sj)irits  now  holding  a  promin- 
ent position  in  their  worship.  They  wear  slate- 
coloured  gowns,  and  live  with  their  families  in  the 
temple.      Taouists    burn    their   dead,    and    place    the 


CANTON    BAZAAE,  293 

ashes  in  eight  urns,  each  of  tliese  being  put  into  a 
separate  compartment,  one  above  the  other,  an  altar 
occupying  the  first  storey,  which,  according  to  native 
authority,  is  the  origin  of  the  nine-roofed  pagoda. 

A  walk  through  the  streets  of  Canton  presents 
many  objects  of  interest.  At  first  I  tried  to  get  on 
in  a  chair,  which  I  soon  abandoned,  on  account  of  the 
narrowness  of  the  passages  and  constant  obstructions, 
and  took  to  my  feet.  For  my  ciceroni  I  had  the 
good  luck  to  enlist  an  Englishman,  who  had  for  many 
years  been  employed  as  collector  of  customs.  He 
first  took  me  to  some  of  the  princijaal  shops ; — to 
Ho-ah-ching,  famous  for  his  ivory  carvings,  but  most 
of  them  modern, — in  fact,  old  ivory,  like  old  porcelain, 
fetches  a  m^uch  higher  price  in  China  than  it  does  in 
Europe :  thence  to  Leen-ching,  the  best  jeweller ; 
here  I  especially  admired  some  of  the  jjretty  things 
in  jade  stone,  of  green  and  milky-white,  the  former 
is  used  for  small  ornaments,  as  earrings,  which  every 
Chinawoman  wears,  mostly  of  a  circular  shape  set  in 
gold,  whilst  the  latter  is  made  into  a  variety  of 
objects,  from  a  tea-pot  and  fancy  screens  elaborately 
carved  down  to  a  dice.  Large  objects  are  rare  and 
expensive.  Jade  possesses  the  virtue  of  an  extraordin- 
ary   toughness,    comparatively   easy    to    work    when 


294  ART    IN    CHINA. 

freshly  extracted  fi'oni  the  stratiiin  ;  it  hardens  just 
sufficiently  to  do  the  cutting,  yet  retains  an  edge. 
The  celebrated  quarries  of  Kuen-lun  are  in  the 
Caracash  valley  of  Eastern  Turkestan,  Ijut  true  jade 
is  also  found  in  the  Caucasus  and  the  Ural  mountains. 
The  largest  porcelain  shop  is  that  of  U-shing ;  there 
were  some  beautiful  large  vases  and  bowls,  very  dear, 
but  not  a  piece  of  genuine  old  ware.  Chy-loong  is 
the  principal  fruit  jDreserver  ;  here  I  tasted  a  great 
many  varieties, — ginger,  lychees,  very  small  limes, 
etc.  Hundreds  of  tin  boxes  I  saw  beino-  filled  with 
jars  for  export,  and,  from  the  prices  asked,  I  expect 
that  one  buys  these  things  for  less  money  at  Fortnum 
and  Mason's.  My  last  visit  was  to  a  picture  dealer, 
and  after  looking  into  every  drawer  of  his  shop,  and 
selecting  a  few  specimens  to  take  home,  I  have  come 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  art  of  painting  in  China  is 
quite  in  its  infancy.  They  produce  good  results,  as 
far  as  mere  colouring  is  concerned,  but  they  are  sadly 
deficient  in  drawing,  and  especially  of  fore-shortening 
they  seem  to  have  no  idea.  Their  landscapes  and 
figures  are  without  life ;  birds  and  flowers  only  are  at 
all  true  to  nature,  and  those  painted  on  the  so-called 
rice  paper  are  exceedingly  pretty,  owing  to  the 
material  partly,  but  also  to  the  brilliancy  of  colour. 
The  name  of  the  former,  however,  is  a  misnomer,  the 


SILKS    AND    PERFUMERY.  295 

paper  is  not  made  from  rice,  but  from  the  jiith  of  a 
tree,  the  Fatsia papyrifera,  which  grows  about  twenty 
feet  high,  and  which  also  furnishes  material  for  toys 
and  flower  making.  Silk  and  perfumery  shoj)S  are 
plentiful,  and  I  was  struck  by  the  neatness  of  the 
dwellings  of  the  well-to-do  Chinese,  they  are  so  much 
superior  to  those  of  the  Hindoos  and  Mahomedans  in 
India,  and  use  tables  and  chairs,  whilst  the  latter 
invariably  squat  on  a  mat.  In  the  shops  of  Canton 
the  natives  speak  a  peculiar  jargon  or  pigeon  English  : 
on  the  outside,  long  narrow  signboards,  lacquered 
bright  red,  are  suspended  vertically  from  the  roof 
to  the  ground,  covered  with  an  enumeration  of  the 
wares  for  sale  within, — they  give  quite  a  picturesque 
appearance  to  the  streets. 

On  leaving  the  bazaar  quarter  the  first  temple  we 
encountered  was  that  of  the  "  Five  hundred  Genie," 
which  is  filled  with  gilt  figures,  life  size,  in  sitting  posture, 
many  of  them  making  most  grotesque  grimaces.  A  large 
monastery  is  attached  to  this  temple,  and  its  priests 
live  upon  the  offerings  of  the  devotees,  consisting 
mostly  of  pork.  Hence  we  passed  through  the  gate 
into  the  old  Tartar  town,  which  has  a  dirty  and 
deserted  appearance  ;  here  is  the  temple  of  the  "  Five 
Spirits," — North,  East,  Centre,  South,  and  West, — a 


296  CANTON    PAGODAS. 

plain  building,  but  belonging  to  it  is  a  small  kiosk,  con- 
taining a  giant  1)(;11  200  years  old,  wlilcli  liad  already 
cracked  twice,  and  according  to  an  old  superstition  the 
third  injury  would  prove  the  capture  of  the  city,  which 
actually  happened  in  1857,  when  it  was  hit  by  a  shell 
from  the  Allies,  who  held  and  garrisoned  Canton  for 
four  years,  until  Lord  Elgin's  famous  treaty  of  Pekin. 

We  thence  passed  on  to  the  "  Five-storeyed  Pagoda  " 
near  Fort  Alfred  ;  its  interior  is  empty,  and  the  only 
interest  attaching  to  it  is  its  proximity  to  the  breach  in 
the  city  wall  made  by  the  Allies  on  the  occasion  just 
referred  to  ;  its  approach  is  guarded  by  two  large  dogs 
of  red  sandstone.  A  fine  biof  tree  in  its  immediate 
neighbourhood,  covered  with  scarlet  flowers,  although 
without  a  single  leaf,  tempted  us  to  spread  our  frugal 
tiffin  under  its  shade,  a  black  marble  tablet  doing 
duty  for  a  table.  It  was  a  charming  spot,  whence  we 
could  see  most  of  the  twelve  forts  surrounding  the 
town.  On  re-entering  the  latter  we  had  to  pass  through 
endless  bazaars  to  reach  the  governor's  "  Yaman,"  or 
official  residence,  wdiich  stands  in  a  lai-ge  courtyard, 
dotted  all  over  with  quaint  figures  made  of  painted 
wood.  Similar  extravagant  designs  adorn,  or  rather 
deface,  the  gates  and  inner  screens  ;  the  building  itself 
is  only  two  storeys  high,  containing  a  reception-hall 
decorated  in  wretched  style,  with  its  usual  Joss  and  a 


WATER-CLOCK    TOWER.  297 

quantity  of  curiously-shaped  bronzes ;  here  we  were 
very  suspiciously  eyed  by  tlie  officials,  and  my  guide 
recommended  us  to  beat  a  I'etreat. 

A  few  streets  oflP,  the  latter  showed  me  the  old  water- 
clock  tower,  where  by  a  simple  contrivance  water  is  made 
to  trickle  down  from  a  height  of  about  twenty  feet, 
through  small  apertures  of  half  a  dozen  buckets  placed 
one  above  the  other  into  a  cask  below,  which  latter  is 
provided  with  a  floating  measure  introduced  in  a  vertical 
position  like  a  foot  rule,  by  which  the  gentle  flow  is  regu- 
lated, dividing  the  day  into  twenty-four  hours,  the  hour 
into  minutes,  and  so  on,  each  bucket  having  its  own 
duty  to  perform.  The  same  system  has  been  in  exist- 
ence in  China  for  centuries,  or,  as  the  guardian  of  the 
place  gravely  informed  me,  from  the  commencement  of 
her  historical  period,  which  is  variably  given  as  between 
the  23rd  and  30th  century,  B.C.  ;  but  we  are  not  bound 
to  believe  everything  a  Celestial  tells  us,  for  there  is  no 
better  dissembler  or  liar  in  existence.  Chinamen  will 
rarely  admit  that  modern  institutions  can  possibly  be 
an  improvement  upon  those  of  their  ancestors, — they 
are  the  most  conservative  people  in  the  world,  and  they 
greatly  relish  telling  foreigners  not  only  about  the 
good  old  time,  as  our  grandmothers  are  wont  to  do, 
but  about  a  time  that  preceded  the  very  existence  of 
European  nations.     I  wonder  what  they  would  say  if 


298  THE    GREAT    WALL    OF    CHINA. 

told  tliat  the  Egyptians  possess  historical   records  in 
stone  of  an  epoch  some  2,000  years  earlier  than  any  of 
their  own,  that  is  setting  aside  or  treating  as  legendary 
the  Chinese  idea  designating  a  period  of  129,600  years 
since  the  bet>-inninof  of  their  rule  on  earth. 

Veryfruitful  subjects  of  conversation  with  the  Chinese 
are  also  the  "  Great  Wall,"  which  every  English  school- 
boy has  heard  about,  built,  according  to  native  authority, 
2,100  years  ago,  and  running  for  1,250  miles  along  the 
northern  boundary  of  China ;  and  the  "  Grand  Canal," 
650  miles  long, between  Tsin-tsin, north, and  Hang-chow, 
south,  finished  in  the  latter  part  of  the  13th  century  of 
our  era.  These  were,  no  doubt,  wonderful  works ;  but  as 
to  the  former,  late  explorations  have  brought  to  light 
the  fact  that  in  reality  nothing  remains  of  the  original 
wall.  The  ruins  now  existing,  in  many  places  little 
more  than  a  heap  of  rubbish,  are  quite  unconnected 
with  it,  they  belong,  according  to  Dr.  Von  MoUendorf  s 
monograph  on  the  subject,  printed  in  1881,  to  a  wall, 
or  rather  parallel  walls,  erected  by  the  Ming  Dynasty 
between  the  14th  and  17th,  probably  during  the  15th 
and  16th  century.  They  consist  of  four  diflPerent  styles 
from  east  to  west ;  the  former  of  the  most  recent,  and 
the  latter  of  the  most  primitive  form.  Beginning  at 
their   eastern    extremity,  the  first  section   is  built  of 


THE    GRAND    CANAL.  299 

large  burnt  bricks,  nineteen  to  twenty-five  feet  high,  on 
a  base  of  granite  blocks,  nineteen  feet  wide,  the  interval 
filled  up  with  clay,  stones,  and  broken  bricks,  with 
quadrangular  turrets  at  irregular  distances  ;  the 
second  is  lower  a,nd  narrower,  l^uilt  of  granite,  and 
towers  at  intervals  ;  the  third  consists  of  heaped-up 
stone  blocks  and  occasional  watch-towers ;  and  the 
fourth  of  clay  walls,  twelve  to  fifteen  feet  high,  and 
towers. 

The  canal  has  also  fallen  into  a  very  dilapidated 
condition,  having  become  almost  useless  owing  to  the 
change  effected  in  the  bed  of  the  Hoang-ho,  or  Yellow 
River,  which  is  at  present  flowing  along  its  natural 
course.  A  propos  of  this  stream  and  the  Yellow  Sea^ 
Whang-hai,  both  receiving  their  names  from  the 
yellowish  soil  carried  down  by  the  former,  there  is  a 
very  interesting  chapter  in  Baron  F.  von  Eichthofen's 
recent  great  work  on  China,  explaining  the  extra- 
ordinary formation  of  what  he  terms  "loess"  along  the 
Hoang-ho.  These  are  strata,  consisting  of  friable  dark 
yellow  earth  deposited,  from  time  immemorial,  by  that 
river,  which  has  been  subjected  to  periodical  changes  of 
its  1)ed  ;  but  the  curious  part  of  it  is  that  they  often 
assume  a  height  not  only  of  hundreds,  but  actually  of 
thousands  of  feet,  which  seems  to  show  that  there 
must  have  been  other  agencies  at  work  to  aid  these 


300  THE    "  LOESS  "   FORMATION. 

enormous  accumulations.  These  liilly  ranges,  or  "loess," 
which,  from  a  distance,  closely  resemble  the  u})per  por- 
tion of  the  extraordinary  table-topped  mountains, 
Kukenam  and  Roraima  of  the  Merume  range  in  the 
interior  of  British  Guiana,  have  no  horizontal  sub- 
division, but  are  intersected  vertically  by  precipitous 
winding  clefts  forming  terraces  on  either  side,  which 
the  inhabitants  utilize  for  the  construction  of  their 
dwellings,  invisible  to  the  ordinary  traveller  above ; 
moreover,  these  narrow  defiles  furnish  them  with  hollow 
subways  of  a  most  intricate  kind,  and  exceedingly 
useful  during  disturbed  times. 

I  must  now  continue  my  route  to  the  "City  Temple," 
one  of  the  largest,  and  fitted  up  like  the  others  with 
squinting  gilt  figures.  This  place  of  Taouist  worship 
was  principally  frequented  by  women,  who,  on  the  pave- 
ment, marked  out  in  certain  mystic  lines,  threw  their 
horoscope  by  means  of  two  pieces  of  wood,  cocoanut  or 
Joss-sticks,  according  to  some  magic  rule  ;  whilst  the 
approach  to  the  altar  was  crowded  by  charm  writers 
and  fortune-tellers. 

There  are  besides  a  great  many  other  temples  and 
Joss  houses,  mostly  gloomy-looking  places.  In  one  of 
them  the  lower  orders  were  in  the  habit  of  presenting 
a  sacrifice  to  a  serpent,  which  used  to  creep  lazily  upon 


TREES    IN   CHINA.  301 

the  altar  stone  to  devour  the  frog  or  rat  thrown  to  him. 
In  the  East,  adoration,  from  a  sentiment  of  fear,  is 
almost  universally  reserved  for  the  evil  spirit,  the  god 
of  destruction,  or  his  emblem. 

Here  my  perambulations  came  to  an  end,  and  beyond 
a  short  stoppage  from  time  to  time  to  let  the  train  of 
a  mandarin  pass  in  his  commodious  chair,  carried  on  the 
shoulders  of  four  liveried  bearers,  and  surrounded  by  a 
cortege  of  several  scores  of  officials  and  officers,  I  at  last 
reached  Sha-Min  completely  tired  out. 

On  the  following  day  an  excursion  along  the  river 
was  proposed,  say  within  a  safe  distance  of  Canton,  to 
see  something  of  the  country  and  obtain  a  little  fresh 
air,  which  seemed  a  rare  article  in  the  town.     Low  hills 
succeeded  each  other  wherever  the  eye  could  reach ; 
and  the  proximity  in  which  villages  appeared  is  proof 
of  a  thick  population.      Here  women  seemed  to  do  all 
the  agricultural  labour.     Tea  and  rice  plantations  there 
were  on  every  side,  and  amongst  the  trees  and  plants 
I  noticed  many  kinds  peculiar  to  China,  as 
The  Tallow  tree  (Stillingia  sebifera), 
The  Varnish  tree  [Dryandra  cordata), 
The  Camphor  tree  (Laurus  camphora), 
The  Chinese  Pine  [Pinus  sinensis), 
The  Chinese  Banyan  [Ficus   nitida) ; 


302  CHINESE    VEGETATION. 

besides  Cypress,  Cocoanut,  Bamboo,  Mulberry,  Cape 
Jasmin,  and  otliei'S. 

I  was  told  of*  tobacco  and  white  poppy  growing  here, 
but  did  not  see  any  ;  the  latter  is  largely  cultivated  in 
the  north  of  China,  although  such  is  nominally  against 
the  law,  ^\dlich  is  curious  since  the  Government  taxes  the 
growth  of  poppy.  At  Canton,  the  opium  trade  is  very 
flourishing,  a  chest  selling  for  five  or  six  hundred 
dollars,  one  half  of  which  represents  the  duty  received 
hj  the  British  Government ;  besides  this  the  Emperor 
of  China  levys  a  very  heavy  import  duty,  hence  a  great 
quantity  is  smuggled  into  the  interior. 

The  greater  portion  of  China,  and  especially  the 
northern  provinces,  by  all  accounts  have  a  very  naked 
appearance,  few  trees  and  no  gardens  or  meadows, 
which  cannot  be  said  of  the  vicinity  of  Canton.  Here 
the  landscape  is  rather  a  smiling  one,  and  every  village 
rears  silkworms,  also  artificial  duck-l^reeding  is  carried 
on  to  a  great  extent.  Cattle  do  all  the  ploughing  and 
transport,  but  strange  enough  the  Chinese  do  not  use 
their  milk. 

A  visit  to  one  of  the  great  tea  stores  Is  not  uninte- 
resting, especially  when  the  trade  is  in  full  swing,  to 
see  the  enormous  quantities  arriving  from  the  interior, 
and  the  expedition  with  which  they  are  shipped  for 
Europe  and  America.     The   ordinary  package   Is  the 


TEA    STORES    AT    CANTON.  303 

•chest,  such  as  has  been  known  in  England  since  its 
introdnction  in  1667.  But  tea  prepared  for  overland 
transport  to  Russia  and  the  interior  of  Asia,  is  gener- 
ally packed  in  cakes  of  the  most  convenient  size  for 
transport.  The  inferior  qualities,  sent  to  Tibet,  are 
compressed  into  cakes  four  feet  long  by  one  foot 
broad  and  four  inches  thick,  these  are  piled  one  on  the 
top  of  the  other,  as  many  as  a  coolie  can  carry  on  his 
back.  The  Tibetan  drinks  his  tea  with  a  lump  of 
butter  in  it  ;  that  and  oatmeal  porridge  forms  his 
principal,  if  not  his  only  food. 

In  the  evening  a  row  on  the  river,  edging  in  and  out 
amongst  the  innumerable  boats,  is  very  amusing;  these 
are  the  so-called  flower-boats,  where  Chinese  delig-ht 
in  spending  their  evenings,  and  nights  too;  hundreds 
if  not  thousands,  indeed,  live  on  the  river,  o-oins"  on 
shore  in  the  morning  to  follow  their  daily  occupation, 
and  returning  in  the  evening.  Tbese  boats  generally 
have  musicians,  often  only  a  blind  piper,  and  female 
entertainers  on  boai'd,  who  with  singing  and  dancing 
while  away  the  time  of  the  men  when  they  have 
gorged  themselves  with  food  of  a  very  mixed  nature, 
after  which  they  recline  on  mats  to  enjoy  the  inhaling  of 
opium.  It  is  a  most  extraordinary  sight  skipping  from 
one  boat  to  another  and  watching  tlieir  doings.  All 
the  payments  that  seemed  to  be  made  here  for  food 


304  CANTON  FLO  AVER  BOATS. 

and  smoke  were  in  copper  "  tchens,"  or  "cash"  of  the  value 
of  one  twelfth  of  a  penny  each,  which  certainly  indicated 
veiy  moderate  charges.  On  one  occasion  I  had  to  pay 
some  small  sum  in  a  slioj:)  at  Canton,  and  handed  a  dollar 
for  change,  when  to  my  surprise  John  Chinaman  pulled 
out  a  pair  of  pincers,  broke  off  a  few  chips,  carefully 
weighed  them,  and  returned  the  remainder  to  me 
neatly  wrapped  up  in  paper.  This  is  their  usual  mode  of 
dealing  with  foreign  coins,  having  none  of  their  own  in 
either  gold  or  silver,  although  they  keep  their  accounts 
in  taels,  equal  to  about  live  shillings  and  sixpence  each. 

Another  curious  institution,  worthy  of  a  paternal 
Government,  is  that  of  an  immense  pawn-shop,  estab- 
lished in  a  tall  pagoda  of  many  storeys,  where  every 
article  deposited  is  placed  on  its  j^roper  shelf,  enclosed 
in  paper,  on  which  a  few  words  are  written  for  easy 
identification. 

Having  seen  pretty  well  all  that  was  worth  seeing 
at  Canton,  and  having  passed  under  review  a  fair 
sprinkling  of  Chinamen,  to  serve  me  as  types  of  the 
400  to  450  million  Celestials,  said  to  exist  in  that  vast 
empire,  whose  people  are  justly  described  as  united  in 
language,  in  customs,  in  sympathies,  and  in  supersti- 
tions, absolutely  and  perfectly  contented  with  their 
present  civilization  as  no  other  country  is,  I  took  my 
departure  for  Hong-Kong.      Soon  after  starting,  and 


FLOWER    PAGODA.  305 

some  distance  from  the  river,  I  passed  the  Flower 
pagoda,  the  only  object  of  interest  before  reaching  the 
sea.  It  consists  of  the  usual  nine-storeyed  tower, 
octagonal,  and  tapering  to  a  height  of  170  feet,  ending 
in  a  pointed  roof ;  it  has  a  large  opening  on  every  tier 
and  face,  making  a  total  of  seventy- two  kinds  of  door- 
ways. The  entire  pagoda  is  overgrown  with  creepers, 
ferns,  and  even  small  trees,  forming  a  most  picturesque 
object  against  the  blue  sky. 

On  the  day  after  my  arrival  at  Hong-Kong,  I  found 
the  French  steamer,  "Volga,"  ready  to  receive  pas- 
sengers for  Japan,  so  I  bade  farewell  to  China  and 
embarked  in  the  afternoon  of  a  magnificent  day. 
There  were  few  fellow-travellers,  but  About's  Le 
Fellah  falling  into  my  hands,  I  enjoyed  a  few  days' 
pleasant  reading, — it  is  a  clever  book,  and  his  descrip- 
tions are  very  graphic.  Of  the  Delta  of  Egypt  he 
speaks  as  "  Un  eventail  ferme  i^ar  un  houton  de 
diamant  qui  sappele  le  Caire," — rather  a  happy 
illustration. 

On  the  second  day  we  passed  through  the  Straits  of 
Formosa;  and  on  the  third,  somewhat  to  the  north  of 
Foo-Chow,  the  steamer  left  the  coast  to  run  across  to 
Japan.  Here  the  Pacific,  when  half  way  to  our 
destination,    sadly    belied    its    name  :    the   Loo-choo 

X 


306  STRAITS    OF    FORMOSA. 

Islands  we  passed  in  a  gale  on  the  following  day,  and 
on  the  fifth  and  sixth  day  the  islands  of  Kiiisiu  and 
Sikokf  were  distanced  respectively ;  after  that  we 
steamed  along  the  southern  coast  of  Nipon,  until,  on 
the  morning  of  the  seventh  day,  we  reached  the  Gulf 
of  Yeddo. 

A  more  picturesque  route  is  that  through  the  Inland 
Sea,  or  Suwo-nada,  which  the  Shanghai  steamer  takes, 
— say,  by  Nagasaki,  and  thence  through  the  narrow 
channel  between  the  islands  of  Kiusiu  and  Sikokf,  and 
that  of  Nipon.  These  three  and  Yesso,  to  the  north, 
with  numerous  small  islands,  constituting  the  empire 
of  Japan,  occupy  an  area  more  than  twice  that  of  Great 
Britain  ; — geologically,  according  to  Dr.  Edmund 
Naumann,  they  are  no  other  than  the  most  elevated 
portion  of  an  enormous  chain  of  mountains  rising  from 
the  Ocean  bed,  no  less  than  27,428  feet,  to  the  surface 
of  the  sea. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Japan — Yokohama — Catastuophe    of     18G3  —  Yeddo — Tea    Houses 

TCHA-JAS    AND     DjOKO-JAS ToJIBS    AND    TeMPLES    OK     ShEBA OkI- 

CHiBA^A — ^ Japanese  Ari,  I'oRCELAiN,  Bronze,  Lacquer  Ware,  Ivory 
Carving,  and  Silks — IIara-kiru — Yokoska,  the  Arsenal — Hot 
Springs  op  Mtanooshta — Lake  of  Hakoni — Kanasawa. 

The  Japanese,  like  their  neighbours  the  Chinese,  claim 
an  immense  antiquity  for  their  country,  but  the  au- 
thentic history  of  the  kingdom  commences  with  the  year 
B.C.  660  under  the  first  Mikado.  Their  ancient  creed 
is  Sintuism,  at  the  present  day  counting  probably  no 
more  than  100,000  adherents  out  of  a  population  of 
thirty-five   millions.     This  religion  exists  in  no  other 

X  2 


M08  CONFUCIANISM    l\    JAPAN. 

couiitiy,  its  chief  deity  is  tln^  Sun-Goddess,  worshipped 
tlirough  the  Kami,  or  inferior  divinities,  counted  by 
hundreds  and  even  thousands,  at  tlie  head  of  wliich 
they  place  the  reigning-  Mikado.  Their  temple,  or 
mias,  the  Japanese  surround  with  groves  and  tombs  ; 
they  do  not  profess  to  worship  idols,  althougli  the 
interior  often  abounds  witli  ininges  of  sacred  and 
celebrated  men;  tlie  ])rinci])al  ornament  is  the  "  Gohei," 
a  circular  steel  mirror,  the  syml:)ol  of  truth,  placed 
often  in  a  box  or  bag  on  a  kind  of  altar,  also  strips  of 
white  paper  with  tlie  names  of  varioTis  divinities 
wi'itten  upon, — these  are  relics  of  Ise,  the  holy  temple, 
situated  some  200  miles  south-west  of  Tokio. 

Confucianism  is  here,  as  in  China,  confined  to  the 
higher  classes,  but  Buddhism,  which  was  introduced 
into  Japan  from  India  and  the  Corea  as  early  as  A.D. 
69,  has  since  the  6th  century  of  the  Christian  era 
become  the  principal  religion,  although  it  had  made 
very  little  progress  previous  to  it.  The  two  creeds  of 
the  Sintists  and  Buddhists  are  now,  however,  so  much 
mixed  up  together  that  there  is  no  very  perceptible 
difference  either  in  the  appearance  of  their  temples  or 
their  form  of  worship.  In  reality  it  is  difficult  to  say 
whether  the  Japanese  have  any  well-defined  religion; 
especially  the  ujDper  classes  are  mostly  sceptics,  whilst 
pilgrimages  to  certain  temples  seem  to  be  the  almost 


SANSCRIT    MSS.    DISCOVERED    IN   JAPAX.  309 

only  outwaid  .sIioav  of  devotion.  There  is,  as  1  have 
shown  before,  a  threat  similaiity  amongst  all  these  early 
religions,— the  Hindus,  the  Buddhists,  nay,  even  that  of 
the  Roman  Pantheism,  with  its  Jupiter,  Minerva,  and 
Juno,  had  a  representation  of  the  Trinity,  which  we 
shall  also  find  in  some  of  the  Japanese  temples.  Again 
at  Loo-choo,  a  dependency  of  Japan,  lately  incorporated 
witli  the  latter  empire,  one  frequently  meets  wdth 
broken  lingams,  although  not  generally  venerated  by 
the  Japanese  ;  and,  being  a  feature  of  Hindu  worship, 
it  was  probably  received  from  Java  or  India. 

Quite  recently  a  very  important  discovery  has  been 
made  by  the  aid  of  a  learned  Buddhist  priest,  throwing 
a  new  light  upon  some  of  the  teachings  of  that  body, 
and  favouring  the  view  long  entei'tained  that  many  of 
the  Sanscrit  MSS.,  which  had  been  carried  off  from 
India  to  China,  must  still  be  in  existence  in  its  temples 
and  monasteries.  Seai-cli  had  been  made  in  the  latter 
country,  Imt  none  were  found,  .although  translations 
from  Sanscrit  into  Chinese  did  exist.  Strange  enough  a 
Japanese  priest,  some  time  ago,  sent  to  Professor  Max 
Midler  a  book  containin":  one  of  the  sacred  texts  of 
Buddhism  in  the  original  Sanscrit,  hitherto  unknown,  a 
Sutra,  containing  a  description  of  the  Buddhist  Paradise, 
which  with  the  northern  Buddhists  took  the  place  of 
Buddha's  Nirvdna.     New  treasui-es.  it  is  hoped,  Avill  be 


3  10      PORTUGUESE,    DUTCFl,    AND    ENGLISH    IN    JAPAN. 

tbrthconiing  from  the  same  source,  which  may  lead  to 
the  restoration  of  a  pure  and  simple  faith,  as  taught  by 
Buddha  himself,  by  means  of  translations  into  Japanese, 
direct  from  Sanscrit  and  Pali. 

Japan  had  been  a  sealed  countiy  until  154.3.  when 
the  Portuguese  landed  on  the  coast  and  were  per- 
mitted to  ojDen  a  factory  at  Decima,  a  small  island  in 
the  hai'bour  of  Nagasaki.  They  wei-e  the  first  pioneers 
of  European  trade  in  the  East,  and  introduced  Chris- 
tianity through  the  famous  Jesuit,  Fi-ancis  Xavier. 
They  were,  however,  finallv  expelled  in  1637,  in 
consequence  of  their  own  greed,  intolerance,  and 
perpetual  quarrels  amongst  theii-  different  orders,  and 
Christianity  again  became  a  dead  lettei"  in  Japan. 
In  the  meantime  the  Dutch  had  landed  on  the  same 
coast  in  1608,  and,  according  to  Captain  Pei'ry's 
account,  in  1639  lent  their  assistance  to- the  wholesale 
murder  of  the  Japanese  Christians,  or  more  likely, 
from  sheei"  impotency,  acquiesced  in  the  inevitable  by 
their  silence,  which  resulted  in  their  being  allowed  to 
occupy  Decima,  in  their  tui-n,  for  purposes  of  trade 
only ;  here  they  were  ti*eated  more  like  prisoners, 
and  not  permitted  to  move  beyond  the  narrow  limits 
allotted  to  them.  The  only  other  European  power 
that  had  landed   in  Japan   in   those  early  days   were 


ANCIENT   JAPAN.  311 

the  English,  under  Captain  Soris,  of  the  "  Clove,"  in 
1613,  at  Firando  ;  but  they  soon  left  again,  and  did 
not  return  until  much  later.  It  was  the  news  of  the 
treaty  with  the  court  of  Pekin,  in  1858,  extorted  ])y 
Lord  Elgin  at  the  cannon's  mouth,  which,  after  all 
arguments  had  hitherto  failed,  had  the  effect  of 
bringing  the  Tycoon  and  the  Damios  to  their  senses  ; 
and,  at  last,  after  a  great  many  difficulties  had  been 
raised  and  patiently  combated  by  Sir  Rutherford 
Alcock,  a  treaty  was  signed,  by  which  Yokohama  was 
assigned  to  foreigners  foi-  the  purposes  of  trade,  and 
no  country  in  the  world  has  ever  made  such  rapid 
strides  in  civilization  as  Japan  since  that  memorable 
date. 

Considering  the  strictly  exclusive  policy  pursued 
by  the  Japanese  Government  up  to  that  time,  admit- 
ting no  foreigners  to  their  shore,  the  peculiar  con- 
stitution of  their  State  machinery,  and  the  cruel 
laws  by  which  the  people  were  tortured  and  executed 
for  trivial  offences,  it  is  surprising  how  everything 
has  undergone  so  complete  a  change  within  a  lapse 
of  ten  to  twenty  years  : — the  very  form  of  govern- 
ment of  this  day  bears  no  resemblance  to  that  befoi-e 
1858.  The  Mikado,  now  not  only  the  sole,  visible, 
and  most  active  and  sagacious  ruler  of  Japan,  was 
then  the  sad  and  wretched  nominal  king  residing  at 


312  MODIQRN    JAl'AN. 

Miaco,   or    Kioto,    its    native     naiue,  situated    in    the 

centre  of  Nipon,  which  he  never  left,  liis  person   heirii^ 

supposed  too  saci'ed  to  l)e  exposed  to  the  })u})]ic  ^aze 

beyond  the  precmcts   of  liis  palace    walls.      The  true 

sovereign  was    the   Tyc^x'"?   invested    by  the   Mikado 

as  his  generalissimo  or  alter  eyo.      He  and  tlie  Daniios, 

the     independent     princes,     had     their    residence    at 

Yeddo.      All  these  di militaries    have,   within    the  last 

twenty  years,  been  swept  away  by  revolution,  and  now 

the  Mikado  reigns  supreme   at  the  castle  of  Yeddo, 

frequently  making  long  journeys  into  the  interior,  to 

learn   with   his  own  eyes  and  ears  the  wants    of   his 

subjects,    and    is    suppoi'ted    by  I'esponsible    ministers 

carrying   out    the    enlightened  views  of  their    Royal 

master.      The    change    within    a    comparatively    short 

time  has  thus  been  tremendous,  not  only  politically, 

but  also  socially.     Who  would  have  been  so  bold  as  to 

predict    a    dozen   years    ago,  that  the  Mikado  would 

actually  attend    a  banquet,    given    in  the   autumn  of 

1879    l)y  three    Japanese    scientific    societies,    to    the 

Swedish    explorer    of    the    North-east    Passage,    nay, 

that   he  would   personally  toast    Professor  Nordensk- 

jold,     complimenting    him     Tipon     his    success  ?      The 

entire  country   has,   in   fact,   become  Europeanized  in 

every  way ;    and,   I   am    sorry  to  say,  the  people  in 

the  principal    ports    have    even  abandoned  their  pic- 


YOKOHAMA.  313 

turesqiie  costume,  and  now  sluike  liaiuLs  in  black  hat 
and  coat,  sometimes  cutting  a  very  comical  figin-e  in 
the  attempt  to  look  "  the  thing-."  However,  as  my 
visit  to  Japan  took  place  in  the  spring,  1871,  I  shall 
be  able  to  represent  it  still  in  all  its  pristine  })ic- 
turesqueness,  although  moi-ally  a  great  change  had 
already  manifested  itself, —  minus  Tycoon  and  the 
Damios  without  power,  having  sulkily  retired  to 
their  ])aternal  acres,  thus  ridding  society  of  those 
cut-throats,  the  Samourai,  their  two  -  sworded 
retainers,  who  had  in  |)i-evious  years  connnitted 
many  a  bloody  deed  u[)on  inioffending  Europeans. 
The  luxurious  residences  of  these  princes  and  nobles 
were  at  this  period  being  broken  up,  and  the  treasures 
therein  collected, — valuables  of  every  description, — 
enabled  me  to  acquii-e  many  a  superb  specimen  of 
Japanese  art,  and  manufacture  in  metal,  ivory,  and 
lacquei-,  that  were  not  to  l^e  l)ought  in  ordinaiy  times. 

We  must  now  return  to  the  pretty  bay  of  Yeddo, 
and  oin-  landing  one  cold  morning  on  the  quay  of 
Yokohama.  There  being  no  hotel  in  the  town  I  was 
recommended  to  put  up  at  the  club,  a  tolerably  com- 
fortable establishment ;  and  after  Ijreakfast  I  sti'olled 
forth  to  deliver  one  oi'  two  letters  of  introduction, 
which  led  to  my  accepting  the  liospitality  of  the  leading 


314  COIN    OF   JAPAN. 

niercliiiiit  lio^re,  and  I  cai.iiot  ex])i-esK  niy  o-j-alitLule  in 
terms  stroni''  enoiiirli  f'oi-  all  tlie  kbidiiess  and  attention 
showered  upon  me  during  a  somewhat  prolorjged  stay, 
which  enabled  me  to  obtain  a  fair  insight  into  Japanese 
life  and  character. 

Yokohama,  being  a  brand-ne^\'  place,  built  in  large 
blocks  of  rectangular  shape,  and  wide  streets,  resembles 
an  American  city  :  it  is  divided  into  different  quarters, 
one  occupied  by  Europeans,  another  by  bazaars,  tea- 
liouses,  etc.  The  natives  appeared  wonderfully  quiet 
and  well  behaved,  the  only  noise  that  caught  my  ear 
during  the  first  day  I  spent  in  Japan  was  a  British  salute 
fired  from  the  Admiral's  flag-ship,  announcing  the 
return  of  Her  Majesty's  Ambassador  from  Osaka,  where 
he  had  been  present  at  the  opening  ceremony  of  the 
Mint.  The  new  money  to  be  coined  is  the  dollar  and 
cents,  in  lieu  of  the  pretty,  oval,  gold  cohmi.g  and  the 
oblong,  silver  itzehve  ;  their  copper  coin  is  round,  with  a 
square  hole  in  the  middle  to  string  them  together. 
They  likewise  have  a  pasteboard  kind  of  paper-money, 
tied  in  bundles,  which  ai'e  rather  bulky  to  carry  about. 
During  my  visit  the  latter  formed  almost  the  sole  medium 
of  exchange,  excepting  copper;  and  to  avoid  the  incon- 
venience of  filling  your  pocket  with  large  parcels  of 
parchment,  the  habit  of  passing  chits  upon  a  bank  or  a 
mercantile    house  had   been  introduced   at   Yokohama 


JAPANESE    COSTUMES.  315 

from  China,  tlie  latter  conntry  possessing  neither  coin, 
excepting  copper  crt.s//,  nor  paper-money.  The  new 
dollar  has  prohably  changed  all  this,  and  the  decimal 
system  is  now  prevailing,  not  only  in  money,  but  also 
in  weight  and  measure,  whicli  materially  facilitates 
dealings.  Strange,  indeed,  that  England  should  at  this 
day  be  still  Avithout  a  decimal  system  I 

The  people  of  Japan  strike  one  at  first  as  a  quaint 
creation  ;  they  are  small,  have  regular  features,  eyes 
slightly  oblique,  and  their  women  are  pretty  until  they 
marry,  when  they  shave  off  their  eye-brows  and  blacken 
their  teeth, — a  hideous  custom,  which,  however,  is  not 
likely  to  continue  long,  since  they  have  so  readily 
adapted  themselves  to  European  manners  of  late  years. 
The  women  are  of  a  cheerful  disposition,  and  do  not 
distort  their  feet  as  their  neighbours,  the  Chinese,  do. 
The  men  are  punctilious  and  polite  ;  both  sexes  have 
small  hands  and  feet,  are  sober,  docile,  and  industrious  ; 
they  dress  well,  and  with  taste,  silk  entering  largely 
into  the  articles  of  their  wardroV)e.  The  women  wear 
a  long  loose  jacket  over  a  close-fitting  under-robe, 
which  latter  is  gathered  in  at  the  waist  by  a  hand- 
some broad  silk  sash  with  an  enormous  bow  behind. 
The  men  of  the  lower  orders  dress  in  a  kind 
of  blouse  of  dark  colour,  tied  below  the  hip,  and  tight 
trousers  ;  those  of  the   upper  classes  M^ear  silk  gowns 


316  BLACK -KYKI)    SUSAN. 

down  to  the  heel.  Indoors,  the  Japanese  seldom  enciim- 
her  tlieir  feet  with  any  covering,  but  in  the  sti-eet  they 
have  oji  short  socks,  the  big  toe  being  separated  to  fit  into 
the  sandal  loops,  whilst  the  women  waddle  along  oil 
wooden  clogs.  Coolies  mostly  disyjense  with  clotliing 
altogether,  excepting  a,  narrow  strip  of  loin  cloth,  whilst 
the  betto,  or  groom,  and  the  cliair-bearers  are  mostly 
tattooed  red  and  blue,  from  the  neck  to  the  knee,  m 
grotesque  designs,  representing  dragons  and  flowers. 
(Plate  XXIV.). 

Towards  evenino-  the  streets  were  crowded  with 
})eople  of  every  degree,  and  many  made  for  the  gardens, 
resplendent  with  camellias,  the  wild  cherry,  and  roses. 
Having  tluis  spent  a  few  days  lounging  about  and 
taking  a  general  survey  of  the  place  and  its  people, 
I,  one  fine  afternoon,  took  my  departure  for  Yeddo,  on 
horseback,  along  a  very  good  i-oad  enlivened  by  many 
villages,  shops,  and  tea-houses.  The  entire  distance 
occupying  barely  five  hours,  I  reached  my  destination 
before  dark,  having  had  a  delicious  cup  of  tea  at 
Kanagawa,  the  half-way  house  kept  by  an  old  \^'oman 
and  her  daughter, — a  pi'etty  girl,  well  known  to  all 
English  travellei's  under  the  souhriquet  of"  black-eyed- 
Susan;"  by  Frenchmen  christened  '7a  helle  Espagnole.'' 
It  was  she  who,  in  1863,  so  kindly  protected  poor 
Lennox     Richardson,     mortally     wounded    by    Prince 


Plate:  XXIV 


BETTO    AND    TEA-GIRL. 
p.  316. 


prtncp:  satsuma.  317 

Satsunia's  retainers.  The  history  of  tin's  catastrophe 
may  not  be  generally  known  ;  1  will  therefore  give  a 
short  acconnt  of  it,  tlie  nioi'e  so  as  it  gives  a  tolerable 
idea  of  Japanese  political  life  in  those  days. 

Prince  Satsuma,  one  of  the  most  powerful  Damios 
who  had  always  opposed  the  Tycoon  in  liis  foi'eign 
policy,  and  especially  the  treaty  which  admitted  Eni'o- 
peans  into  Japan,  was  on  the  point  of  quitting  the 
capital  after  his  enforced  residence  there  for  the  estab- 
lished purpose  of  doing  homage  to  his  sovereign,  which 
had  always  been  a  source  of  considerable  irritation  to  liim ; 
and,  on  the  present  occasion,  with  a  view  of  annoying 
and  humbling  the  latter  by  preparing  a  grand  spectacle 
for  the  inhabitants  of  Yeddo,  the  proud  Prince  had  made 
great  preparations  to  leave  for  his  ancestrtil  domains, 
instead  of  by  the  ordinary  and  prescribed  land  route, 
by  sea,  on  board  a  steam  frigate  he  had  purchased  at 
Yokohama.  This  could  not  be  tolerated  by  the  Tycoon, 
and  within  twenty-four  hours  of  his  intended  departure 
the  Prince  received  orders  to  follow  the  old  custom,  and 
return  by  the  Tokaido,  the  imperial  highway,  which  runs 
in  direct  line  from  Yeddo  to  Nagasaki.  The  latter  was 
forced  to  comply,  smarting  under  the  rebuke,  which 
was  no  less  felt  by  the  whole  of  his  train,  consisting  of 
700  retainers,  soldiers,  and  officers.     Somewhere  near 


318  YEDDO. 

the  above-named  tea-house,  this  formidable  cortege,  the 
Damio  himself  reposing  in  a  gorgeous  norimon,  a  sort 
of  receptacle  bearing  the  appearance  of  a  miniature 
liouse,  carried  by  four  men  clad  in  liis  lordship's  colours 
and  slu-rounded  by  his  officers,  encountered  a  small 
calvacade  consisting  of  two  ladies,  accompanied  by  Mi-, 
Richardson  and  a  friend  of  his,  who,  it  was  said,  on  the 
Prince's  approach  did  not  move  off  the  road  to  let  his 
train  pass,  as  was  customary,  upon  which  the  latter's 
retainers,  glad  of  the  opportunity  of  involving  the 
Tycoon  with  the  foreign  Ministers,  fell  upon  the  un- 
suspicious Europeans  and  mortally  wounded  Mr. 
Kichardson,  the  others  escaping  by  riding  for  their 
lives.  He,  poor  fellow,  managed  to  drag  himself  as  far 
as  the  tea-house,  where  "  Black-eyed  Susan,"  who  had 
often  seen  him  pass  that  way,  assuaged  his  fever-thirst 
with  a  cup  of  cold  water,  and  endeavoured  to  dress  his 
wounds,  when  some  of  the  Prince's  bloodhounds  re- 
turned, dragged  him  away,  finished  him  with  their 
swords,  and  threw  his  body  into  a  ditch,  where  the 
generous  girl  soon  afterwards  followed  and  pulled  the 
corpse  into  her  mother's  house, — here  it  was  found  as 
soon  as  the  alarm  had  reached  Yokohama. 

Yeddo,  the   Tokio  of  the  Japanese,  is  an  immense 
town,    clean    and    well    laid    out,    containing    about 


THE    DAMIOS.  319 

1,700,000  inliabitants.  In  its  centre  stands  the  Siro, 
or  castle,  the  former  residence  of  the  Tycoon  and  some 
twenty  of  the  principal  Damios,  who  formed  the 
Great  Council  of  State ;  each  palace  is  surrounded  by 
a  wall  of  imposing  dimensions,  and  the  entire  citadel  is 
raised  about  eighty  feet  above  the  city,  and  encircled  by 
a  moat.  There  is  much  simplicity  in  these  buildings, 
both  in  their  exterior  as  in  their  interior  arrangement. 
Some  of  the  sculptures  which  decorate  doorways  and 
pillars  are  artistically  and  carefully  executed ;  and  the 
mats  with  which  the  whole  of  the  interiors  are  covered, 
caught  my  eye  as  being  unusually  fine  and  handsome. 
The  massive  wooden  outer  gates  of  each  of  these 
princely  Yamascas, — consisting  of  pai'k,  palace,  and  out- 
houses, large  enough  to  house  a  i-etinue  of  hundreds, 
and  even  thousands  of  soldiers, — have  for  sole  ornament 
the  large  bronze  coat-of-arms  of  their  owner,  which  de- 
sign also  each  retainer  wears  woven  into  his  dark 
uniform  with  coloured  facings.  The  quarter  surround- 
ing this  strong  fort  is  called  Soto-Siro,  and  is  inhabited 
in  the  first  place  by  a  crowd  of  Damios,  who,  under  the 
old  reyirne  had  to  spend  six  months  in  every  year 
at  the  capital,  leaving  their  wives  and  female  relations, 
and  often  their  heir,  behind  as  hostages  for  their  good 
behaviour  during  the  remaining  six  months,  whilst  they 
returned  to   their   distant  estates.      Now  nearly    the 


320  TIIK    KSCORT. 

wliole  of  these  establishniei)t,s  have  disappeared,  and 
tlie  princes,  having  been  shoiii  of  all  their  former 
power,  even  to  the  abandonment  of  their  soldiery,  have 
retired  to  the  position  of  landed  proprietors,  in  v^hich, 
owing  to  theii-  wealth,  they  now  add  greatly  to  the 
material  increase  of  the  agricultural  resources  of  Japan. 
In  the  second  place,  and  occupying  a  much  smaller 
space  than  the  former  used  to  do,  is  the  city  where  the 
principal  merchants  reside.  Each  block  of  houses,  the 
streets  being  built  at  right  angles,  is  secured  by  a 
strong  gateway  closed  at  night  and  always  guarded, 
and  between  the  yamascas  and  the  city  are  several 
temples,  notably  the  "  Mondseki,"  the  largest  Buddhist 
monument,  or  tcra ;  and  "  Sanno,"  the  principal 
mias,  dedicated  to  Sintuism.  The  third  division  of 
Yeddo,  and  by  far  the  largest,  is  called  Midsi,  which  is 
the  lower  quarter  of  the  town.  This  also  contains  the 
yosiwara,  of  which  hereafter ;  a  great  theatre,  Oki- 
Chipaya,  and  many  religious  edifices  and  tombs;  amongst 
the  latter  that  of  the  Tycoons,  within  a  beautiful  park, 
and  surrounded  by  thirty-eight  temples ;  and  beyond, 
stretching  westward,  is  the  notorious  suburb  Sinagova, 
one  of  the  worst  quarters,  through  which  it  is  not  safe 
for  Europeans  to  pass  without  a  strong  escort ;  indeed, 
even  in  1871  the  latter  was  necessary  throughout  Yeddo, 
at   least,    the    Japanese    Government    insisted    upon 


TEA-HOUSES    OF    JAPAN.  321 


foreigners  adopting  this  precautionary  measure ;  whether 
still  part  of  their  now  happily  exploded  spy  system,  or 
really  in  consequence  of  numerous  attempts  at  assassina- 
tion, I  could  not  satisfactorily  ascertain,  for  everything 
seemed  quiet  enough,  and  the  people  showed  the 
greatest  respect  for  Europeans. 


The  hotel,  at  which  I  had  been  recommended  to  stop, 
was  kept  by  a  black  American,  who  not  only  made 
me  very  comfortable,  but  also  acted  as  guide  during 
my  stay  in  the  capital.  The  house  was  roomy  and  well 
situated  near  the  Hammagotin,  a  garden  belonging  to 
an  imperial  summer  palace,  and  not  far  from  the  bay. 
Here  also  is  the  college  where  young  Japan  is  taught 
European  languages  and  modern  science.  The  Mikado 
himself,  then  thirteen  years  old,  was  said  to  be  learning 
German. 

Amongst  the  peculiar  institutions  of  Japan  are  the 
tea-houses.  Of  these,  however,  there  are  two  kinds, 
which  must  not  be  confounded ;  the  one,  called  tscha- 
jas,  takes  the  place  of  a  French  cafe,  and  is  to  be  found 
at  intervals  along  the  high  road,  furnishing  refresh- 
ment and  repose  to  travellers.  The  other,  the  djoro- 
Jas,  is  a  place  where  amusement  is  provided  for  men  in 
the  shape  of  dancing,  music,  feasting,  etc.  These 
establishments,  confined  to  a  separate  quarter  of  the 

Y 


322  THE    DJORO-.IAS. 

town  called  yosiivara,  are  under  Government  control, 
and  many  of  them,  especially  those  frequented  by  the 
nobles,  are  on  a  very  large  scale,  generally  built  in  the 
form  of  a  quadrangle,  consisting  of  vast  halls  and 
stages  for  musical  and  theatrical  performances, 
generally  a  garden  in  the  centre  with  its  miniature 
canals,  bridges,  and  undulations,  and  elegant  little 
kiosks  for  a  tete-a-t^te  repast.  The  remainder  of  the 
building  is  divided  by  screens  into  tiny  compartments, 
neatly  matted  and  lacquered,  where  one  can  have  a 
peep  at  the  young  ladies  at  their  toilet,  which  in  Japan 
occupies  much  of  their  time  ;  their  coiffure  alone,  con- 
sisting of  a  large  chignon  into  which  a  number  of  orna- 
mented pins  and  combs  are  introduced,  is  an  elaborate 
affaire,  let  alone  eyes  and  eyebrows,  heightening  their 
complexion  by  rouge,  cosmetics,  and  many  other  little 
touches  which  men  have  no  business  to  inquire  into. 
The  curious  part  of  these  establishments,  from  which 
the  "  social  evil  "  is  by  no  means  excluded,  is  that  they 
also  contain  a  number  of  little  girls,  mere  children,  who 
here  receive  an  elementary  education.  They  are  those 
of  indigent  people,  who  are  in  this  way  provided  for,  the 
parents,  as  a  rule,  actually  receiving  money  on  signing 
a  contract  transferring  their  offspring  to  their  new 
home  for  a  certain  number  of  years,  and  more  extra- 
ordinary  still,  it  frequently  happens  that  respectable 


BRIDGE    OF    ADS6mA.  323 

men,  and  of  good  repute,  marry  an  inmate  of  the 
djoro-jas.  There  is  a  pecuHar  mixture  of  innocence 
and  hcence  in  the  Japanese  female  character,  which 
cannot  but  strike  an  European.  Another  instance 
is  the  habit  of  both  sexes  not  only  bathing  in  the  same 
room,  although  probably  divided  by  a  slender  rope,  but 
even  with  open  gate,  the  mei-ry  laugh  of  the  bathers 
often  gathering  quite  a  little  crowd  round  the  entrance, 
— still  one  never  witnesses  any  indecorum. 

Any  one  wishing  to  take  an  inventory  of  the  different 
classes  of  the  people,  their  costumes  and  modes  of  per- 
ambulation, need  only  take  his  stand  for  half  an  hour 
on  the  great  bridge  of  Adsuma,  which  spans  the  river 
Okava,  one  of  the  most  crowded  thoroughfares  in 
Yeddo.  Here  a  magnificent  panorama  presents  itself. 
Turning  your  back  upon  the  Bay,  to  the  west  you 
have  on  a  clear  day  a  good  view  of  Fusi-yama,  rising  in 
a  depressed  conical  shape  to  a  height  of  14,170  feet, — 
a  very  beautiful  object.  Around  you  lies  the  vast 
mercantile  quarter  of  the  town,  almost  at  your  feet, 
since  the  bridge  upon  which  you  stand,  like  all  similar 
constructions  in  Japan,  makes  a  tremendous  curve, 
supported  by  wooden  piers  sunk  into  the  river-bed, 
thus  raisinof  the  centre  above  the  level  of  the  roofs 
of  the  houses  ;  those  of  the  latter  immediately  within 
view  are  mostly  one-storeyed  warehouses,  and  rows  of 

Y  2 


324  LIFK    ON    THE    BRIDGE. 

shops  bearing  the  appearance  of  large  bathing-machines 
The  town  is  liere  intersected  by  canals  and  bridges ; 
and  beyond,  the  ground  undulates,  covered  witli 
verdure,  where  the  richer  classes  have  their  residences 
surrounded  by  woods  and  gardens.  Having  com- 
pleted this  general  survey,  let  us  now  watch  the  traffic 
on  the  bridge.  Opposite  to  me  a  juggler  has  placed  his 
table  covered  to  the  ground  with  a  crimson  cloth, 
behind  which  he  plies  his  trade  wdth  many  a  jest  to 
a  few  old  women  and  one  or  two  grinning  youngsters, 
for  it  is  early  yet,  and  the  Yeddo  School  Board  is 
evidently  quite  as  exacting  as  similar  institutions 
at  home.  Presently  I  am  rudely  pushed  aside  by 
a  couple  of  porters  pulling  with  all  their  might  at  a 
two-wheeled  cart  laden  with  cases  and  packages,  no  one 
much  larger  than  a  bonnet-box,  most  ingeniously  piled 
up,  and  pushed  from  behind  by  another  fellow,  reversing 
the  action  as  they  descend  on  the  other  side  of  the 
bridge.  The  wdieels  of  this  simple  machine  are  of  a 
most  ponderous  description,  and  people  are  wise  in 
giving  it  a  wide  berth.  The  men  and  women  passing 
up  and  down  in  a  continual  stream,  seem  to  be  in 
no  hurry  ;  some  dressed  in  rich  silks,  others  barely 
having  any  covering  ;  porters  carrying  articles  of  food 
balanced  from  their  shoulders  on  bamboo  sticks  ;  two 
men  in  blouses,  evidently  overweighted  by  an  enormous 


OLD    BRIDGE    DOOMED.  325 

fish  carried  between  them, — a  shark  apparently.  Pre- 
sently there  advances  a  wheelbarrow  bearing  a  young 
woman,  preventing  her  charms  being  injured  by 
holding  up  a  large  paper  umbrella, —  horses  are  not 
used  in  Japan  for  drawing  vehicles,  hence  men  perform 
that  task.  Some  of  these  conveyances  are  more 
elaborate  than  others,  and  take  various  shapes  ; 
then  there  is  the  norunon  of  the  nobles  and  the  kango 
of  the  gentiles, — the  latter  made  of  bamboo,  barely 
large  enough  to  hold  a  grown-up  person,  even  in  the 
position  of  his  knees  touching  the  chin ;  whilst  the 
former,  already  likened  to  a  toy-house,  about  four  feet 
square,  is  handsomely  lacquered  and  gilded,  and 
provided  with  cushions  and  rich  silk  curtains  ;  both 
are  carried  suspended  from  a  strong  pole.  Here  comes 
a  man  with  an  enormous  mask  representing  a  dragon's 
head, — a  favourite  design, — and  distributing  printed 
papers  announcing  the  arrival  of  a  quack,  whose  mar- 
vellous filters  promise  instant  relief  to  the  heart-sick 
as  well  as  to  the  leper  ;  behind  him  hobbles  a  matron, 
with  her  two  Ijlooming  charges  on  high  wooden  clogs, 
trying  to  catch  one  of  these  papers  as  they  are  flying 
about ;  there  creeps  a  priest  with  shaven  crown 
enveloped  in  dirty  folds,  which  make  it  diflicult  to 
discover  whether  yellow  or  grey,  Buddhist  or  Sintist; 
and  many  other   curious  sights,  doomed  to  disappear 


r?-26  THE    LONTNS. 

sooner  or  later  as  tlie  Japanese  continue  in  tlieir 
course  of  P^nropeanizino-,  which  seems  to  attack  all 
their  quaint  old  customs ;  noi-  will  it  sur])rise  me 
to  see  tliis  picturesque  bridg-e  itself  make  room  for 
some  ugly  iron  structure,  to  be  crossed  by  carriages 
and  footmen. 

{Since  the  above  was  written,  "  Unbeaten  Tracks  in 
Japan,''  published  in  1880,  by  Miss  Isabella  Bird, 
informs  us  that  the  "  Adsuma  "  of  to-day  is  a  handsome 
stone  bridge,  so  I  must  apologize  for  the  insinuation . 
The  authoress  did  actually  see  it  crossed  by  the  Minister 
of  Marine  in  his  English  brougham  and  pair.  Another 
innovation  Miss  Bird  describes  is  the  "  kuruma,"  a  kind 
of  bath-chair,  noiv  universally  used  by  natives  as  ivell  as 
Europeans ;  it  is  on  two  ivheels,  and  draum  by  one,  two, 
or  three  men  or  boys,  and  might  ivell  be  called  a  pull- 
pull  in  contradistinction  of  the  push-push  at  Pondi- 
cherry.) 

On  descending  into  the  street,  I  fairly  ran  against  a 
man,  respectably  dressed,  wearing  a  deep  fibre  hat 
coming  down  to  his  chin,  thus  completely  concealing 
his  features  ;  it  had  two  small  holes  to  see  through, 
and  bore  the  appearance  of  a  bee-hive.  This  indi- 
vidual, I  ascertained,  was  a  noble  degraded  by  his 
Government  :  there  are  a  great  many  of  this  class, 
belonging  to  the  fraternity  of  "  Lonins,"  or  adventurers, 


TOMBS    OF    THE    TYCOONS.  327 

the  most  dangerous  cut-throats  and  hipj-hway-rohbers 
in  Japan.  At  that  moment  the  mounted  escort,  con- 
sisting of  three  Yakonins, — two-sworded  officers, — and 
our  bettos,  of  tattooed  celebrity,  joined  us  with  the 
chairs,  and  we  marched  off  through  endless  bazaars  to 
Sheba,  the  tombs  and  temples  erected  to  the  memory 
of  seven  Tycoons. 

These  granite  tombs  stand  upon  a  pedestal,  within 
an  enclosure  of  handsome  lacquer  walls  and  heavy 
bronze  gates,  approached  by  two  or  three  wide  steps  ; 
those  of  the  wives  of  the  Tycoons  are  of  a  similar  con- 
struction, but  more  simple.  On  entering  the  court- 
yard, the  temples  being  nearly  hidden  from  view  by 
the  thick  foliage  of  pines  and  cypresses,  I  passed  the 
usual  bell-shaped  pagoda,  and  continuing  my  walk 
along  the  avenue  and  amongst  flowering  shrubs,  I 
presently  came  to  a  sort  of  ornamental  gallows,  the 
sacred  gateway,  or  Torii,  which  marks  the  precincts  of 
every  Japanese  temple  ;  and  a  dozen  more  steps  brought 
me  face  to  face  with  a  detached  portico  leading  to  the 
temples,  the  largest  of  which,  situated  to  the  extreme 
left,  is  180  years  old,  guarded  by  two  enormous  stone 
dragon-dogs.  This  edifice  is  double  in  its  construction. 
The  inner  temple  is  reached  by  wooden  steps,  lacquered 
black,  resembling  marble  to  a  nicety  ;  its  roof  is  sup- 


328  THE    BUDDHTRT    PRTERTITOOD. 

ported  by  pillars,  united,  to  the  heiglit  of  four  or  five 
feet,  by  curiously  carved  screens ;  these  latter  are  further 
ornamented  with  stucco  in  fantastic  patterns  of  red, 
green,  blue,  and  yellow  lacquer,  highly  glazed.  The 
upper  portion,  being  thus  open  to  the  roof,  offers  a  fine 
vista  upon  the  surrounding  country.  The  altar  in  the 
centre  supports  a  figure  of  Buddha,  surrounded  hy  a 
confused  mass  of  objects  in  the  shape  of  bronze  vases 
and  eccentric  figures ;  amongst  the  latter  a  pair  of 
excellent  candelabra  ten  feet  high,  each  representing  a 
stork  or  crane,  with  a  lotus  flower  in  its  beak,  and 
standing  upon  a  large  turtle  ;  also  a  great  variety  of 
small  vessels  and  long  silk  pendants  of  bright  tints  ; 
then  there  were  some  lacquer  stands  holding  bows  and 
arrows,  whilst  coloured  paper-lamps  hang  all  round. 
Strange  enough,  amongst  the  images  there  were 
several  having  blue  and  green  faces,  apparently  in 
imitation  of  the  Hindu  gods  ;  and  at  the  back  of  the 
altar  there  was  the  picture  of  a  Trinity,  three  figures, 
with  a  halo  encircling  their  heads,  forcibly  reminding 
one  of  similar  early  representations  in  the  Roman 
Church.  The  priests,  or  bonzes,  in  attendance  at  this 
temple,  were  dressed  more  gaudily  than  is  their  habit 
elsewhere  ;  the  simple  robe  here  gave  way  to  a  silken 
gown  and  sort  of  chasuble  over  it,  closely  resembling 
the   Catholic  vestments  used  during   Mass,    and  their 


TEMPLES    OF    YEDDO.  329 

heads  were  shaven.  Along  the  entire  front  of  the 
temple  there  was  a  double  row  of  stone  pillars,  six  feet 
high,  siu'mounted  by  a  capital,  something  like  a  large 
hall-lamp  in  shape  ;  these  had  been  erected  in  pairs  by 
the  Damios  as  marks  of  respect  for  the  Tycoon,  in 
whose  memory  the  temple  had  been  raised  ;  and  a 
similar  group,  but  of  bronze,  was  at  the  base  of  the 
steps  leading  to  the  tomb  itself,  j^l^ced  there  by 
Princes  of  the  highest  grade. 

The  other  temples  were  very  similar  in  arrangement, 
althouofh  not  so  lar^-e;  most  of  them  contained 
numerous  little  stands,  or  stools,  arranged  alongside 
the  screens,  holding  boxes  of  peculiar  shape,  which 
contained  rolls  of  manuscripts  expounding  the  titles, 
deeds,  and  pedigree  of  the  deceased;  and  at  the  back  of 
one  of  the  handsomest  temples,  belonging  to  the  tomb 
of  the  Sixth  Tycoon,  golden  gates  opened  upon  steps 
leadino;  to  a  kind  of  sanctuarv  furnished  with  altars, 
which  were  groaning  undei-  a  weight  of  offerings  in 
bronzes,  rolls  of  magnificent  silks,  also  fruit  and  sweet- 
meats which  the  priests  deliglit  in. 

Temples  are  plentiful  in  Japan,  and  many  are  filled 
with  thousands  oi  cx-roto  ofierings,  suspended  from  the 
walls ;  legs,  arms,  hair,  pictures  representing  ship- 
wrecks and  other  dangers,  much  like  those  exposed  in 
the  rural  churches  in  the  Tyrol  and  elsewhere.       Not 


ri30  ASAXA   TEMPLE. 

one,  however,  of  the  numerous  temples  equals  those  of 
Sheba  in  elegance  or  picturesque  aspect,  besides,  a 
decided  air  of  sacredness  pervades  the  latter,  which  is 
totally  wanting  elsewhere.  The  natives  think  a  great 
deal  of  the  Quannon,  known  to  Europeans  under  the 
name  of  Asaxa,  which  is  much  frequented  by  pilgrims. 
It  is  built  within  the  enclosures  of  a  large  park, 
containing  also  tea-houses, — tscha-jas,  be  it  well 
understood, — and  booths,  where  toys,  Chinese  crackers, 
and  a  variety  of  chea^)  articles  and  food  can  be  bought, 
conveying  to  one's  mind  the  idea  of  a  country  fair; 
moreover,  there  are  mountebanks  with  shrill  voices, 
and  the  usual  crowd  of  beggars.  The  square  temple, 
which  is  said  to  have  existed  more  than  300 
years,  is  at  the  end  of  the  paved  avenue,  and  raised 
fifteen  to  twenty  feet  from  the  ground  ;  its  heavy 
wooden  doors  ai'e  overlaid  with  copper,  and  three 
enormous  paper  lanterns  hang  over  the  entrance,  but 
there  is  nothing  in  the  inside  deserving  special  notice  : 
it  is  filled  with  a  host  of  images,  all  more  or  less 
repugnant  in  expression.  A  stable  is  attached  to  this 
buildinof,  containino-  two  white  horses,  or  rather  cream- 
coloured  ponies,  supposed  to  continue  the  breed  of  an 
old  sacred  race  which  never  produced  a  black  hair  in 
any  of  its  progeny  ;  this  my  guide,  however,  showed 
me  to  be  a  myth,  for  he  slily  pointed  out  a  mark  along 


BAY    OF    YEDDO.  331 

the  upper  ridge  of  the  neck  which  distinctly  proved 
that  the  mane  had  been  dyed. 

The  best  view  of  the  Bay  of  Yeddo  and  the  country 
around  is  from  a  plateau  called  Taigoyama,  which  one 
reaches  after  the  laborious  ascent  of  107  granite  steps. 
Here  there  are  several  rest-houses  of  simple  con- 
struction, and,  nolens  volens,  you  soon  find  yourself 
sipping  a  cup  of  highly-flavoured  tea,  handed  by  some 
pretty  damsel,  at  the  same  time  curtseying  almost  to 
the  ground,  — the  Japanese  are  very  ceremonious,  and 
never  fail  in  offering  a  most  respectful  salute.  The 
Grecian  bend,  so  well  known  in  England  some  years 
ago,  is  their  usual  mode  of  bowing  to  each  other, 
where  we  should  probably  pass  on  with  a  nod. 
Frequently  a  small  cup,  containing  hot  water,  and  a 
few  cherry  blossoms  in  it,  is  presented  along  with  the 
tea.  Its  scent  is  very  pleasant,  but  I  cannot  say  that 
r  admired  the  flavour  of  this  infusion,  which  requires 
the  palate  of  a  native  to  appreciate.  I,  how^ever, 
thoroughly  enjoyed  the  distant  landscape  surrounding 
this  elevated  spot ;  fbi-  the  town  at  your  feet  offers 
no  charms  to  the  searching  eye  ;— an  enormous  mass 
of  brown  roofs,  the  thickly-cemented  ridges  giving 
them  rather  a  greyish  appearance,  amongst  which  the 
lofty  Yeddo  Hotel  stands  out  conspicuously  ;  but  the 


332  JAPANESE    LANGUAGE. 

eiionnous  size  of  tlie  town  may  be  judged  from  the  fact 
that  one  of  its  principal  streets  is  said  to  be  nine  miles 
long. 

Easter  season  came  round  during  my  stay  at  the 
capital,  and  at  the  hotel  there  was  no  lack  of  cross 
buns,  oysters,  whitebait,  and  all  sorts  of  delicacies  ; 
whilst  the  day  passed  in  exchanging  calls  with  the  few 
European  residents  at  the  Foreign  Legations.  Also 
two  or  three  Japanese  officials  made  their  appearance 
for  no  special  reasons,  so  far  as  I  could  ascertain,— 
probably  as  part  of  their  spy  system, — but  as  the  con- 
versation had  to  be  carried  on  through  interpretei'S, 
it  was  a  lame  affair,  enlivened  only  by  the  sipping  of 
sundry  small  cups  of  tea,  and  the  inhaling  of  fumes 
from  a  very  diminutive  pipe.  I  was  much  charmed 
with  the  melodious  sound  of  tlieir  language,  and  most 
of  the  words  ending  in  a  vowel,  it  rather  reminds  one 
of  Italian.  I  learnt  two  words  on  that  Easter-day, 
which  have  often  helped  me  out  of  a  difficulty 
during  the  remainder  of  my  stay.  They  were  :  Arimass, 
an  affirmative,  standing  for  yes,  I  have,  I  am,  I  will, 
I  want,  etc.  ;  Arimdss-imj,  a  negative,  no,  I  won't,  and 
so  on.  Never  did  I  ac(|uire  two  more  acconunodating 
forms  of  speech. 

The  enormous  theatre,  Oki-Chibaya,  I  visited  on  the 


OKI-CHIBAYA    THEATRE.  333 

following  day,  accompanied  by  the  mayor  of  Yeddo, 
who  had  insisted  upon  doing  the  civil  on  this  occasion 
in  person.  It  is  situated  in  the  Midsi  quarter  of  the 
town  ;  the  building,  of  a  circular  form,  is  very  lightly 
constructed,  entirely  of  wood,  and  is  said  to  hold  six  to 
eight  thousand  spectators  when  full,  and  the  most 
graphic  description  I  can  hit  upon  is  by  comparing  its 
interior  arrangement  with  the  Leicester  sheep-market 
on  a  fair-day.  The  whole  of  that  vast  parterre  is 
divided  into  pens,  and  by  metamorphosing  the  sheep 
into  human  fio-ures  clothed  in  dark  blue  and  brown 
jackets,  the  picture  is  complete.  Here  they  squat, 
hour  after  hour,  some  the  entire  day, —  Japanese 
theatres  perform  from  ten  a.m.  until  six  p.m., — having 
brought  their  frugal  meal  with  them,  and  listen  with 
perfect  good  humour  to  the  continual  repetition  of  low 
jokes  and  love  intrigues.  A  gallery  runs  i-ound  the 
inner  space,  some  eight  or  ten  feet  above  the  ground  ; 
and  here  the  aristocracy  is  installed,  paying  an  entrance 
fee  of  quarter  of  a  dollar.  On  our  arrival,  the  curtain, 
representing  a  large  fish  on  pale  blue  ground,  intended, 
I  suppose,  to  reproduce  its  natural  element,  was  just 
rising,  and  presented  the  stage,  ornamented  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  suit  exteriors  and  interiors  alike,  and  in 
the  centre  there  was  a  circular  platform  or  turn-table, 
probably  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  in  diameter,  divided  into 


334  THE   JAPANESE    STAGE. 

lialves  by  a  lii^^h  screen,  and  nioviji^  on  a  pivot.  All  the 
acting  took  place  on  tliis  minor  stage,  and  whenever  it 
became  necessary  to  shift  the  place  of  action,  instead 
of  all  the  elaborate  changing  of  side-scenes  and  furni- 
ture, a  turn  was  given  to  the  platform,  and  what  liad 
been  at  the  l)ack  before  now  presented  a  new^  face 
with  actors  in  their  places, —  a  very  ingenious  piece  of 
machinery. 

In  the  evening  I  sauntered  in  the  streets,  always 
escorted,  to  witness  the  lantern-feast,  which  is  an 
exceedingly  pretty  sight ;  thousands  of  variegated 
coloured  lamps  throwing  their  dim  light  upon  a  dense, 
slowly-moving  crowd,  bent  upon  the  fulness  of  enjoy- 
ment the  hour  brought  forth. 

The  contents  of  bazaars  and  factories  require  a 
special  notice,  as  few  nations  display  such  artistic 
taste  in  all  their  productions  as  the  Japanese ;  those 
in  porcelain  especially  are  of  the  most  beautiful  kind 
as  regards  material,  model,  and  decoration.  The 
famous  egg-shell  and  the  Satzuma  crackle-ware  are 
now  well  known  in  England,  but  there  are  other 
manufactories  at  Osaka,  the  palatial  Venice  of  Japan, 
and  at  Kioto,  the  Mikado's  capital,  producing  cups, 
jars,  and  vases  of  exquisite  beauty,  which  very  rarely 
find    their  way  out  of  the   country,  where    they    are 


METAL- WORK.  335 

highly  prized ;  besides,  there  is  the  Kagawa  china  in 
brick-dust  colour,  and  the  Mono-saki,  made  at  Okasaki, 
half  way  between  Yeddo  and  Osaka.  Of  the  designs, 
those  representing  flowers  and  insects  are  undoubtedly 
the  most  beautiful,  true  to  nature  in  drawing  as  well 
as  colour. 

Equally  excellent  are  the  works  in  bronze  and  other 
metals.  I  have  seen  some  swords-hilts  and  damascened 
blades  which  are  not  exceeded  in  beauty  anywhere, — 
their  curious  little  tobacco-pouch  clasps  are  another 
speciality ;  however  simple  the  design,  a  leaf  with  a 
fly  upon  it  or  a  peacock's  feather,  it  is  perfect  of  its 
kind.  The  large  bronze  vases,  now  rarely  made  on 
account  of  their  costliness,  show  what  matchless  eflects 
can  be  obtained  by  embossing  and  inlaying  with  other 
metals,  notably  silver  and  gold,— some  of  the  Japanese 
repousse  and  chasing  would  have  done  credit  to  a 
Cellini.  At  the  sale  of  a  Damio's  eflects  I  picked  up  a 
pair  of  vases,  sixteen  inches  high,  showing  most  skilful 
manipulation  by  every  process  metal- work  is  capable 
of;  the  people,  however,  know  so  well  the  value  of 
these  articles,  that  it  was  only  by  strategy  I  succeeded 
in  acquiring  them  even  at  a  fancy  price,  for  they, 
like  the  Chinese,  avoid  letting  foreigners  even  see 
their  finest  works  in  metal  or  china,  for  fear  they  are 
carried  out  of  the  country.     In  cloisonne  the  Japanese 


330  lacquf:r-work. 

are  unrivalled,  and  some  of  the  old  articles,  their 
pervading  colour  being  peacock -l)lue,  are  readily  paid 
for  by  their  weight  in  silver.  In  enamel  I  have  like- 
wise seen  some  very  artistic  ornaments,  but  mostly  in 
sombre  colours. 

Lacquer-work  is  an  ai't  originating  in  Japan.  The 
gold  varnish  of  bygone  days  is  seldom  seen  now,  and 
exceedingly  dear,  but  even  late  productions  are 
sometimes  very  handsome,  although  they  ought  hardly 
to  be  named  in  the  same  breath.  The  red  lacquer,  so 
profusely  used  in  the  decoration  of  the  temples,  merits 
great  praise  ;  in  large  masses,  tliis  and  the  black  can 
not  be  distinguished  from  marble  in  appearance. 
Smaller  articles  are  frequently  inlaid  with  mother-of- 
pearl,  coral,  ivory,  and  precious  stones  of  a  secondary 
order,  and  are  very  effective.  The  principal  ingredients 
of  lacquer  or  varnish  are  the  gum  from  the  Rus  vernix, 
minutely  pulverized  charcoal,  and  sometimes  leaf-gold 
ground  very  fine.  If  the  grain  of  the  wood  is  to  be 
concealed,  they  j)lace  beneath  the  varnish  a  dark 
ground,  composed  partly  of  the  fine  sludge  caught  in 
the  trough  under  the  grindstone. 

Carving  in  ivory  is  also  a  great  accomplishment  of 
the  Japanese,  their  quaintly  picturesque  groups  of 
beggars  and  romping  children  are  splendid  specimens, 
and  so  are  the  beautiful  little   cabinets,  mostly  carved 


JAPANESE    ART.  337 

with  gilded  designs.  Even  the  Munich  Museum, 
which  justly  prides  itself  upon  the  famous  collection  of 
figures  in  ivoiy,  produced  in  the  last  century  by  Simon 
Troger,  can  show  nothing  to  equal  some  of  the  old 
Japanese  carvings  in  character  and  execution. 

The  silks  of  Japan  are  well  known  and  appreciated, 
although  the  Chinese  perhaps  surpass  them  in  this 
industry  ;  but  in  embroidery  on  silk,  often  grotesque 
designs,  Yeddo  stands  very  high. 

Japanese  conception  of  art  is  so  unique  that  it 
requires  long  study  fully  to  appreciate  their  works  ; 
the  designs,  whether  engraved  or  drawn,  on  silk  or 
paper,  are  always  attractive,  although  they  set  to  work 
on  quite  a  different  principle  to  what  our  eyes  are 
accustomed  to  in  Western  Europe.  They  scout  perfect 
and  pedantic  symmetry,  and  rather  delight  in  artistic 
eccentricities.  One  of  their  favourite  maxims  of 
decorating  lacquer-ware,  for  instance,  is  to  set  the  two 
ends  of  a  design  play  at  hide  and  seek,  by  making  it 
turn  a  corner ;  again,  if  two  handles  are  required,  as  in 
the  case  of  the  bronze  vase  already  described,  the 
pattern  being  a  dragon,  one  is  adjusted  head  upper- 
most, the  other  the  reverse.  In  their  pretty  paintings 
on  silk  we  must  not  look  for  perspective;  in  all  other 
respects  the  designs  are  most  life-Hke ;  even  their  large 
figures  to  cover   screens  are  correct   in   outline,  but 

z 


338  MUSICAL    INSTRUMENTS. 

almost  invariably  inclined  to  be  odd  or  ludicrous, — not 
being  hampered  by  any  preconceived  rules,  they  give 
full  scope  to  their  mood  in  all  their  productions. 
Another  of  their  peculiar  traits  of  character  is  their 
liking  for  curves  and  tortuous  lines  in  form  as 
well  as  design ;  they  suit  their  humour,  and  the 
Japanese  artist  understands  to  twist  them  cunningly 
into  a  multitude  of  devices  in  a  manner  quite  new  to 
us.  They  sometimes  attempt  landscapes ;  here  they 
fail  however,  their  ideas  of  perspective  being  too 
limited,  which,  in  fact,  requires  technical  study.  It  is 
diiFerent,  however,  where  the  subject  is  simply  a 
matter  of  correct  feeling  or  instinct,  which  never  mis- 
leads them,  and  there  is  always  harmony  of  colour  and 
extraordinary  finish. 

I  have  been  told  that  the  people  of  Japan  are 
musical ;  they  certainly  are  fond  of  music,  but  their 
performances  on  the  sam-sin,  a  small  three-stringed 
guitar,  the  koto,  or  mandoline,  and  the  flageolet,  blown 
into  from  the  end,  seemed  to  me  of  a  very  elementary 
character.  No,  as  for  vocal  as  well  as  instrumental 
achievements,  I  must  pass  the  palm  into  other 
hands. 

My  stay  at  Yeddo,  like  all  good  things,  at  last  came 
to  an  end ;  not,  however,  without  my  having  taken 


RIVERS   AND   CANALS.  339 

another  parting  look  at  the  place, — this  time  by  boat. 
Accompanied  by  my  dusky  host,  but  minus  the  armed 
Yakonins,  we  sailed  in  and  out  through  the  intricate 
passages  of  river  and  canals,  spanned  by  innumerable 
bridges,  mostly  of  very  light  construction ;  and  what 
astonished  me  most  were  the  lively  scenes  I  encountered 
on  the  water,  possibly  owing  to  the  absence  of  spy  and 
soldier.  Here  we  passed  hundreds  of  boats  with  laugh- 
ing crews,  as  often  rowed  by  the  weaker  sex  as  by  men  ; 
and  tea-houses  there  were  in  plenty  along  the  banks. 
These  disappeared  as  we  approached  the  inner  city, 
and  soon  we  passed  long  lines  of  walls  with  imposing 
gateways  appertaining  to  Dainios'  residences,  descend- 
ing to  the  river's  edge  by  broad  flights  of  stone  steps, — 
many  of  these  had  at  some  time  or  other  been  the 
theatre  of  dark  and  adventurous  deeds.  Many  a 
prince  within  these  gates  had,  in  times  gone  by,  felt 
himself  compelled  to  perform  hara-kiru,  or  disem- 
bowelling, to  save  his  honour  and  that  of  his  family, — 
a  curious  custom,  now  rarely,  if  ever,  practised.  The 
victim  on  that  grave  occasion  generally  gave  a  feast, 
assembling  all  his  relations  and  friends  around  him, 
and  after  the  repast  they  would  adjourn  to  the  hall,  or 
principal  room,  where  he  would  explain  the  circum- 
stances that  led  him  to  the  step,  handing  over  his 
testament,   and    taking   leave    of    all    present.       The 

z  2 


340  HARA-KIRU. 

matting  was  then  removed,  and  the  suicide  proceeded 
to  rip  open  his  abdomen  with  a  short  sword  ;  frequently 
a  trusty  retainer  would  stand  behind  him  with  another 
naked  sword  to  decapitate  him  at  the  same  moment. 
This  was  done  especially  where  the  Government 
required  his  death  for  treason,  or  other  deadly  offence, 
in  which  case  proof  was  required,  and  the  head  was 
afterwards  exposed  on  a  pole  in  some  conspicuous  place 
on  the  citadel ;  but,  I  was  told,  that  the  same  custom 
prevailed  where  the  performance  of  hara-kiru  became 
obligatory  to  avenge  dishonour  from  j^rivate  cause. 
Here  decapitation  was  resorted  to  from  motives  of  hu- 
manity ;  in  fact,  the  actual  disembowelling  was  more  a 
matter  of  form,  at  least,  so  my  interpreter  explained 
to  me. 

I  returned  to  Yokohama  by  a  native  steamer,  on 
board  of  which  there  were  a  great  many  passengers  ; 
amongst  them  a  young  Japanese  Prince,  with  a  large 
suite,  and  the  sea  being  boisterous,  these  gentlemen 
unintentionally  behaved  in  a  very  undignified  manner. 
We  passed  a  number  of  junks  carrying  peculiar  square 
sails,  consisting  of  four  to  six  strips  of  canvas  joined 
together  by  open  lacing  to  break  the  force  of  the  wind 
in  case  of  a  sudden  squall,  the  outer  strips  being  mostly 
yellow  or  black.  The  steamer  was  comfortable,  but 
not  fast,  for  it  took  us  five  hours  to  reach  our 
destination 


THE    ARSENAL.  341 

After  landing,  I  took  the  opportunity  of  inspecting 
tlie  dock  and  the  marine  arsenal  "  Yokoska,"  built  by  the 
French  for  the  Japanese  Government  at  the  cost  of 
two  and  a  half  millions  of  dollars,  and  covering  forty- 
one  acres — twenty-seven  occupied  by  the  harbour,  and 
fourteen  by  the  dry  dock,  workshops,  factories,  found- 
ries, slips,  forges,  and  furnaces.  The  whole  of  the 
works  are  on  a  magnificent  scale,  and  reflect  great 
credit  upon  the  enterprising  engineers.  Unfortunately, 
the  pleasure  I  had  anticipated  of  making  a  more  minute 
survey  was  somewhat  marred  by  a  heavy  downpour  of 
rain,  which,  however,  did  not  prevent  my  being  highly 
amused  with  the  new  aspect  under  which  the  Japanese 
now  appeared.  Those  belonging  to  the  better  classes 
were  threading  their  way  on  wooden  clogs,  three  to 
four  inches  high,  under  the  shelter  of  an  immense  flat 
umbrella,  made  of  white  paper ;  the  latter,  manufactured 
of  the  bark  of  the  mulberry  tree  (Mortis  papyrifera), 
say  of  the  young  shoots,  is  a  most  useful  article 
impervious  to  wet,  its  tissue  being  soft  and  at  the 
same  time  tough.  Cut  into  squares  it  is  used  as  pocket- 
handkerchiefs, — ladies  always  carrying  a  few  in  their 
wide  sleeves,  and  flinging  them  away  as  soon  as 
they  have  served  their  purpose, — as  napkins  and  towels, 
and  especially  as  window-panes  instead  of  glass.  For 
this  purpose,  the  outer  wall  of  a  house  consists  of  a 


342  BUILDINGS   OF   JAPAN. 

framework  of  pine,  subdivided  into  small  squares,  the 
ordinary  size  of  a  glass  pane,  which  are  covered  with  this 
paper.  At  night,  the  entire  building  is  surrounded 
by  wooden  shutters  which  are  carefully  locked,  being 
considered  all  the  protection  needed  against  marauders 
and  housebreakers.  Bettos  and  coolies,  whose  pace  is 
too  rapid  for  the  paraphernalia  of  clogs  and  umbrellas, 
cover  their  semi-nakedness  with  a  cloak  and  hat  made 
of  rushes,  which  gives  them  a  quaint  appearance. 

On  my  return  to  the  hospitable  quarters  I  had  occu- 
pied before  my  Yeddo  visit,  my  first  care  was  to  inquire 
about  a  steamer  for  San  Francisco,  and  learning  that 
there  would  be  no  departure  for  about  a  fortnight  I  at 
once  made  arrangements  to  visit  the  hot  springs  of 
Myanooshta  and  the  lake  of  Hakoni,  in  order  to  obtain  a 
fair  idea  of  the  interior  of  the  country.  With  some 
difficulty  I  succeeded  in  obtaining  the  loan  of  one  of 
the  very  few  carriages  belonging  to  Europeans  at 
Yokohama,  a  kind  of  waggonette,  drawn  by  a  pair  of 
small  horses  ;  my  interpreter  accompanied  me,  and  I 
was  followed  by  two  mounted  guards. 

Our  route  lay  along  the  Tokaido  in  a  westerly  direc- 
tion, and  presented  few  new  features, — the  usual 
succession  of  hamlets  and  villages  ;  the  ground  un- 
dulating, and  here  and  there  well  wooded.  I  saw  some 
splendid  specimens  of 


FLORA   OF   JAPAN.  343 

Pine  (Cryptomeria  japonica),  with  deep  pending 

branches  ; 
Cedars  and  Oaks  growing  to  an  enormous  size. 
Cypress',  Beeches,   and  Elms  were    hkewise  fre- 
quent. 
Then  there  was  the 

Lacquer  tree  (BJius  vernicifera),  and  the 
Vegetable-wax    tree    (Rhus   siiccedanea),   whose 
produce  is  almost  as  white  as  bees-wax. 
Every  plot  of  soil  is  utilized,  and  cotton,  tobacco, 
tea,   rice,   and  grain  of  every  description  seem  to  be 
grown    in    profusion.       We    also    passed    many   acres 
entirely  laid  out  in  vegetables.   Amongst  the  latter  the 
DolicJios-soja  bean,  which  by  boiling  and  fermenta- 
tion gives  the  Soy  we  receive  from  Japan. 
A  pretty  garden  invariably  surrounds  the  cottage, 
filled  with  beautiful  flowers,  such  as  the 

Camellia  (C.  japonica),  crimson  and  white; 
Wistaria  ( W.  sinensis),  trailing  its  lengthy  stem 
crowded  with  magnificent  thyrses  of  pale 
blue; 
Hydrangea  (H.  liortensis),  in  clusters  of  pink  and 

lilac ; 
Pyrus  ( C(/donia  japonica),  a  bright  scarlet  ; 
Azalea  {A.  inclica),  white  and  red ; 
and  a  great  variety    of    small    Maple    trees  :    few   of 


844  JAPANESE    SCENERY. 

the  above,  however,  make  as  fine  a  show  in  this,  their 
native  country,  as  they  do  in  our  greenhouses  in  Eng- 
land, nor  have  the  majority  of  Japanese  flowers  much 
scent  On  the  other  hand,  I  cannot  endorse  the  state- 
ment made  in  print  by  one  of  the  earhest  explorers  of 
this  interesting  country,  that  flowers  have  no  scent, 
birds  no  song,  fruit  and  vegetables  no  flavour,  for  I 
have  heard  forests  re-echo  with  the  sweet  sounds  of 
singing  birds,  and  can  equally  disprove  the  other  asser- 
tions. The  rose  smells  the  momeiit  you  enter  the 
garden ;  the  soy-bean  tell  its  own  tale  by  its  sauce ;  and 
I  might  name  scores  of  instances  without  overtaxing 
my  memory. 

The  great  charm  of  Japanese  scenery,  in  that  respect 
resembling  Java,  is  that  there  are  few  deciduous  plants, 
nearly  all  are  evergreens.  The  people  we  passed  along 
the  road  appeared  cheerful  and  respectful.  Children 
seemed  to  abound,  and  their  greatest  amusement  spin- 
ning tops  and  flying  kites,  whilst  their  elders  were 
occupied  in  the  field  ;  they  are  essentially  an  agricul- 
tural nation.  On  reaching  Fouzisawa  about  noon,  we 
got  down  to  have  tifiin  at  a  picturesque  little  inn,  and 
here  we  were  regaled  with  rice,  eggs,  salt  fish,  and  a 
new  dish,  which  proved  to  be  bamboo-root,  sliced  and 
stewed  tender, — not  a  bad  repast  when  one  is  raven- 
ous ;  the  latter  also  makes  an  excellent  pickle.     Tea 


sani-cri 
small  Ml IV 

-t  tlirci 


( 


''  '-ice  dist"''    ' 
.;.  .  .    iueal  for  ...  , 
Ve  then  started  a,ii 
irrived 


perfect  piev 

engaged  to  can  \   'ro- 

^ciiro^^  proportions  of  tiie  soi-disant  paiki 

did  not^!l*PiipyWiincy  '  '    very  little  inter.n.ip- 

I >   T  •  V ;  . ! ,,      /!  cnpying  three  hours, 


vue  noise  oi 


^^1^  lis  ■  -M    ■■  '''''^'  ^'^  thej|ie^^^^|£'h^J^fr( 


ilien  followed  its* 
by  magniiif 
i  ig  than 


in- 

ont  of 

3d 

1^.  '.-^s.  fW'^  in   nuVri;  id 

lleyl^njuled 

n- 

d. 


KiiL  of 


•V^  ,    WtA  bil^Ui'jhed 


84 


^^tiC4>ey^.  Jji^. 


SLtuw 
.mV. 


) 


^v 


■tJlo    .-L';i'\\7_.    iiwvvf  t   its   1!!j«_ 

native  country,  u-  l..^  %  do  iii  •'' 

lan4,  "***f^'    "  ^^^    niajority  ol  , 

scent      ijSQs;^ -^^ ^""^ '  ^  canr.ot  endorse  tli« 

ment  ^.^,1^^  ,^^^     >rr%ft]je  earliest  exploix 

this  inrerestiiig  co  "^  ^  ^  -  - 


birds  no  song,  fru^ 
lia  'd  fort 

singii  : 
tio 


flowers  have,  no  ^cr*r 
lies    ^ 

ounde 


!  equtillv  disprove.the  other  asser 

J:IX     t: 


gai 
I  1 
my  ii 
Th< 
resemojiiiu  ,:uv;i 

nearly  all  are  evergreens.     The  people  we  y^v^-x  .:;^ig 
the  road  ^"^^^^^^^N^l  find  respectfi?^ 
seemed  k.  1  ^^^^jpjj^^^reatest.amus.. 
ning  top^and  iiy'ng  kit^,  whilst  their  ei 
occupiejj^n  th^  field;  they  are  essentially .  an  agricin 
tural  nati  l  reacliing  Fouzis^va  nho'if  noon,  we 

got  down  to  have  tiffin  at  a  Pectin  ^VV  «t  ,  and 

here  we  were  I'egaled  with  rice.  €%         ^»^        'id  a 
ne\' 


jP^lI^ 


stewe:!  y   / 
ous 


/O/^^rHe^ 


OUDAWARA.  345 

and  warm  saki, — a  concoction  of  rice  distilled  like  the 
sam-chow  of  China,  completed  our  meal  for  which  a  very 
small  sum  was  charged.  We  then  started  afresh,  and 
at  three  in  the  afternoon  anived  at  the  pretty  village 
of  Oudawara  ;  here  we  had  to  abandon  the  carriage  and 
continue  our  route  in  kaengos.  These  were  procured, 
two  of  them,  for  the  munificent  hire  of  three  dollars,  in- 
cluding bearers  ;  in  exchange  I  received  a  receipt  in 
Japanese,  a  perfect  piece  of  caligraphy  (Plate  XXV.)  ; 
also  porters  were  engaged  to  carry  our  traps  and  pro- 
visions. The  narrow  proportions  of  the  soi-disant  palki 
did  not  take  my  fancy,  and  with  very  little  interrup- 
tion I  walked  the  whole  way,  occupying  three  hours, 
and  immensely  enjoyed  the  marvellous  scenery  we 
passed  through. 

On  leaving  the  village  the  noise  of  roaring  waves  in- 
timated our  proximity  to  the  sea,  and  right  in  front  of 
us  a  very  broad  river  barred  the  way  ;  this  we  crossed 
by  a  succession  of  small  bridges,  five  in  number,  and 
then  followed  its  bank  along  a  narrow  valley  bounded 
by  magnificent  mountain  scenery,  wilder  and  more  im- 
posing than  any  I  can  remember,  even  in  Switzerland. 
After  half  an  hour's  trudging,  all  the  while  gazing 
around  in  sheer  amazement,  and  regretting  the  want  of 
time  to  commit  my  impressions  to  paper,  we  branched 
off  to  the  right  into  a  deep  gorge,  down  which  came 


346  MOUNTAIN    TRAVELLING. 

rushing  a  noisy  stream,  foaming  furiously  as  it  bounded 
onward,  and  laying  bare  in  its  descent  huge  masses  of 
black  rock,  some  of  them  standing  out  in  quite  extra- 
ordinary shapes,  giving  occasion  to  all  sorts  of  fabulous 
tales  amongst  the  superstitious  natives.  Their  origin, 
however,  is  simply  that  of  resisted  decomposition, 
whilst  the  once  surrounding  mass  had  gradually  dis- 
appeared under  aquatic  and  atmospheric  influences. 

The  ascent  here  was  very  difficult,  and  caused  many 
a  slip  over  the  treacherous  moss-grown  masses  of  ill- 
shapen  stones  ;  presently  the  gorge  became  narrower 
and  the  path  steeper,  until  we  reached  a  plateau,  about 
half-way  to  the  top,  upon  which  we  found  a  most  charm- 
ing little  hamlet,  half  hidden  amongst  a  host  of  pines- 
and  cedars,  its  peaceful  appearance  contrasting  strangely 
with  the  wild  scenes  just  left  behind.  This  place  was 
called  Puonosawa,  and  had  its  tea-house  as  well  as  a 
bazaar  of  small  articles,  bowls,  boxes,  etc.,  in  lacquer- 
ware,  made  by  the  people  of  these  mountain  districts, 
and  amongst  which  I  selected  a  quantity  of  very  pretty 
things  to  pick  up  on  my  return  journey.  After  a  short 
rest  we  continued  our  toil  along  a  somewhat  more  easy 
route,  and  as  we  reached  the  height  above,  the  scenery 
quite  changed.  In  the  distance  towered  the  fuming 
head  of  Fusi-Yama,  and  all  around  there  were  hills- 
and  plains  alternately  clothed  in  the  gorgeous  colours- 


MYANOOSHTA.  347 

of  a  golden  sunset.  We  passed  through  several  clean 
villages, — picturesque  they  all  are  in  Japan, — where  we 
had  birds  and  large  game  offered  ;  at  one  place  a  wild 
boar  was  just  being  cut  up,  and  I  was  invited  to  choose 
the  part  I  liked  best ;  however,  darkness  was  fast 
approaching,  and  I  had  to  decline  and  hasten  on, 
tempting  as  the  offer  was.  Pheasants  also  seemed  to  be 
plentiful  here,  I  saw  a  very  handsome  specimen  with  a 
tail  fully  three  feet  long. 

We  only  just  managed  to  reach  Myanooshta  before 
complete  darkness  would  have  made  it  difficult  to  keep 
to  our  path,  which  frequently  ran  along  steep  mountain 
slopes.  We  took  up  our  quarters  at  a  capacious  Cung- 
gua,  or  licensed  inn,  and  the  room  I  was  shown  into 
was  neatly  matted,  no  other  furniture  being  required 
by  Japanese  travellers ;  but  my  interpreter  soon  managed 
to  unearth  a  stool  or  two  and  a  low  table,  and  before  I 
had  time  to  open  my  traps  a  pleasant-looking  girl 
entered,  and  handed  me  a  cup  of  tea  and  some  delicious 
small  cakes  upon  a  fresh  leaf  in  lieu  of  a  platter. 
Another  damsel  presented  me  with  a  full-blown 
camellia,  and  proceeded  to  pull  off  my  boots,  which  had 
to  give  way  to  slippers  on  account  of  the  fine  rice  straw 
matting ;  and,  feeling  tolerably  fatigued,  I  desired  that 
my  bed  should  be  prepared.       A  large  mattress  was 


348  BATHS   AT    MYANOOSHTA, 

speedily  at  hand,  and  spread  upon  the  floor,  covered 
with  snow-white  sheets,  and  a  curious-looking  tall 
paper  lantern  placed  at  the  head.  This  completed  the 
arrangement  for  the  night,  and  I  soon  fell  into  a  sound 
sleep.  But  before  long  I  was  disturbed  by  a  gnawing 
noise  :  a  rat  was  stealing  the  candle  I  had  foolishly 
extinguished  instead  of  letting  it  burn  out,  and  there 
was  nothing  for  it  but  to  wait  patiently  until  the 
animal  had  completed  its  repast,  having  no  match  to 
re-light  the  candle.  On  opening  the  sliding  screens  in 
the  early  morning,  I  was  delighted  with  the  beautiful 
view  from  my  verandah,  which  overhung  a  garden  laid 
out  in  the  usual  fashion  (Plate  XXVI.), — miniature 
canals,  bridges,  kiosks,  a  fish-pond  in  the  centre 
well  stocked  with  trout  and  gold-fish ;  a  mill 
leaning  against  the  wall,  and  beyond,  woods  and 
hills  covered  with  ripe  gi^ain  as  far  as  the  eye 
could  reach,  while  a  mass  of  wild  camellise  and 
golden  and  crimson  azaleae  spread  over  the  nearest 
slopes  adjoining  the  garden,  thus  completing  a  most 
(^harming  picture.  Along  the  corridor  and  down  a  few 
steps  took  me  to  the  baths,  partitioned  ofi"  into  com- 
partments of  about  six  feet  square,  which  were  just 
being  refilled  direct  from  the  hot  spring.  I  soon 
jumped  into  one  of  these,  which  all  but  scalded  me, 
and  before  I  had  finished  my  dip,  several  native  gentle- 


H 
< 


<    ^ 
I-    fri 

O 


VILLAGE    JOINER.  349 

men  made  their  appearance,  and  followed  my  example 
without  any  further  to-do.  Also  one  or  two  ladies 
arrived,  took  off  their  garments,  and  hoisted  themselves 
into  the  next  enclosure,  chatting  and  laughing  all  the 
time  quite  unconcernedly. 

The  bath  had  given  me  a  prodigious  appetite,  and  I 
did  full  justice  to  the  breakfast  put  before  me  in  a 
most  appetizing  manner.  I  well  remember  the  delicious 
flavour  of  the  trout,  quite  equal  to  that  of  the  Traun 
stream  ;  nor  are  there  many  such  views  to  season  the 
enjoyment  of  the  hour  as  those  from  my  verandah  at 
Myanooshta,  and  from  the  terrace  of  Bauer's  Hotel, 
at  Ischl,  although  quite  different  one  from  the  other, 
still  each  unrivalled  of  its  kind. 

Unfortunately,  about  noon  it  began  to  rain,  and 
I  had  to  content  myself  spending  the  day  indoors, 
writing  and  sketching,  filling  in  a  bit  of  colour  when- 
ever there  was  a  short  interval  of  sunshine.  In  the 
afternoon  a  very  clever  village  joiner  dropped  in  to 
exhibit  specimens  of  his  art,  and  I  was  very  much 
pleased  with  a  quaintly -shaped  table,  fitted  with 
numerous  little  drawers  and  silver  handles,  besides  a 
movable  reading-desk,  the  whole  being  covered  with 
small  pieces  of  veneering  of  various  kinds  of  wood, 
every  piece  differing  in  form  and  grain  from  its  neigh- 
bour.     I  made  a  cautious  bid  for  this  pretty  bit  of 


350  LAKE   OF   HAKONI. 

furniture,  which,  to  my  surprise,  was  readily  accepted, 
.and  I  have  had  no  reason  to  regret  my  bargain  since, 
for  the  table  meets  with  much  admiration.  On  the 
whole,  excepting  at  Yokohama,  where  Europeans  have 
taught  the  natives  greed,  I  found  the  Japanese  very 
fair-dealing  people,  and  nothing  pleased  them  so  much 
as  to  have  their  productions  appreciated. 

There  were  several  nobles  and  people  of  the  better 
<jlass  with  their  families  staying  at  this  house,  who 
one  after  the  other  asked  permission  to  pay  me  a  visit, 
probably  never  before  having  set  eyes  upon  Europeans, 
and  it  was  amusing  to  see  them  examining  and  handling 
every  article  lying  about ;  they  very  politely  begged  to 
be  shown  the  contents  of  my  portmanteau,  and  I 
noticed  many  a  smile  over  the  different  items  of  my 
toilet,  some  of  which  seemed  to  puzzle  them  very 
much. 

The  next  day  promising  to  be  fine,  I  started  early 
on  a  pedestrian  expedition  to  the  famous  lake  of 
Hakoni,  situated  at  a  distance  of  fully  six  miles, 
mostly  up-hill,  in  the  direction  of  Fusi-Yama.  At 
first  the  path  was  narrow,  winding  up  the  side  of  a 
bare  mountain  until  we  joined  the  Tokaido, — the  broad 
military  road,  paved  throughout  with  large  pieces  of 
granite,  rather    trying  to  one's  feet ;  here  we  passed 


VILLAGE    OF    HATTA.  351 

several  groups  of  soldiers  returning  to  their  duty  in 
the  capital,  and  what  struck  me  as  strange  was  that 
their   muskets,  swords,  and  accoutrements  were  being 
carried  by  coolies.     We  now  began  to   descend,    and 
soon  approached   a   fine  large    sheet  of  water   which 
proved  to   be  the  principal  lake,  there  being  smaller 
ones  on  either  side.     They   were  completely  enclosed 
by  hills,  and  the  remains  of  an   old  temple,  with  an 
enormous  bronze  figure  of  Buddha,  stood  at  the  very 
edge  of  the  water  ;  an  avenue  of  cypress  and  cedar  trees 
fringing  the  southern  side  of  the  larger  lake  until  it 
reached  the  village   of  Hatta,   a  pretty  spot   at   the 
foot  of  a  hill,  celebrated  for   its   hot   sulphur-spring. 
Here  more   tea-houses   and    more   bathing   establish- 
ments, and  joyous  laughter  ringing  through    the    air 
from   all   quarters.       I    was   told    that   this   was   the 
fashionable  season,  and  that  the  place    was    honoured 
with  the  presence  of  princes,  as  well  as   less  exalted 
visitors,    who   come  here  from  far  and  near.     I  had 
some  difficulty  in  obtaining  access  to  one  of  the  best 
tea-houses,    the    proprietor    being    afraid    of    giving 
umbrage  to  her  ordinary  clients  by  admitting  a  bar- 
barian ;  however,  my  interpreter  soon  overruled   her 
objection,  and,  once  admitted,  every  one  treated  me 
with  the  greatest  civility,  and  I  spent  several  hours 
lounging  full  length  on  the  matted  verandah  of  my 


352  FAREWELL   OF    THE   PEOPLE. 

room,  thoroughly  enjoying  the  beautiful  scenery  before 
me.  I  returned  to  Myanooshta  in  the  cool  of  the 
evening,  and  the  only  remarkable  incident  that  night 
was  a  concert  of  cats: — it  is  a  curious  fact,  by-the-by, 
that  these  animals  are  born  in  Japan  without,  or  at  all 
events,  with  only  rudimentary  tails,  like  those  of 
Manx. 

After  a  few  days  spent  most  pleasantly  in  these  hills, 
I  took  my  leave  one  splendid  sunrise,  many  of  the 
villagers  accompanying  me  for  a  short  distance,  and 
some  of  them  forcing  small  presents  upon  me  in  the 
shape  of  pretty  wooden  boxes  and  toys.  There  was  a 
great  deal  of  bowing  and  shouting,  especially  on  the 
part  of  the  women,  whilst  the  men  insisted  upon 
carrying  some  of  my  baggage  ;  altogether  it  was  like 
parting  from  old  friends.  At  last  I  turned  the  angle  of 
the  hill,  and  a  dead  silence  followed  the  previous 
ovation ;  certainly  no  one  can  gainsay  that  the 
Japanese  are  a  tender-hearted  people.  Frequent 
showers  of  rain  somewhat  interfered  with  the  pleasure 
of  the  return  journey,  and  I  was  not  sorry  to  reach 
Yokohama  before  night  closed  in. 

Another  interesting  trip  is  that  to  Kanasawa,  a  busy 
fishing  village,  about  ten  miles  from  Yokohama,  in  a 
southerly  direction  ;    and  thence  five  miles  farther  to 


KANASAWA.  353 

Kamakoura,  the  ancient  capital  of  Japan,  to  a  great 
extent  destroyed,  in  the  twelfth  century,  during  the 
civil  wars.  There  is  a  very  fine  temple  here,  situated 
within  the  enclosure  of  a  handsome  park ;  and  I  must 
not  omit  to  mention  a  famous  stone  monument  sup- 
ported by  an  old  tree.  It  stands  three  feet  high,  and 
is  called  Omanko-Sama ;  upon  its  surface  a  yoni  is 
roughly  sculptured,  and  women  make  long  pilgrimages 
to  visit  the  sacred  symbol.  The  tree  itself  is  covered 
with  ex-voto  offerings.  How  this  remnant  of  Hindu 
worship  got  here  I  was  unable  to  ascertain  ;  it  is  the 
only  one  I  have  heard  of  in  Japan-proper. 

To  Daibouts,  another  famous  temple  containing  an 
enormous  bronze  statue  of  Buddha,  fifty  feet  high,  is 
one  mile  off.  The  whole  of  this  trip  is  best  made  on 
horseback,  and  the  return  journey  along  the  bay  of 
Missisippi  to  the  island  of  Inosima  is  very  pretty ;  the 
latter,  about  four  miles  distant  in  a  south-westerly 
direction,  is  considered  sacred  ground,  inhabited  in 
olden  times  by  the  good  genii  ;  there  is  also  a  grotto 
here  worth  visiting,  half  a  mile  long.  The  entire  trip 
can  comfortably  be  made  in  two  days,  stopping  the 
night  at  Kamakoura,  where  there  is  a  capital  tea- 
liouse. 

There  are  other  fine  rides  within  easy  reach  of 
Yokohama,  as  that    to    the    English   racecourse,   and 

AA 


354  FIRE    AT    YOKOHAMA. 

another  along  the  Yeddo  bay  through  fertile  green 
valleys  and  over  some  pretty  hillocks  covered  with  the 
wild  camellia,  violets,  and  the  sarsaparilla  {Smilax 
officinalis),  a  twining  shrub  with  bright  crimson 
flowers. 

During  the  few  remaining  days  of  my  stay  in  Japan 
a  fire,  not  at  all  an  unusual  occurrence,  took  place  in 
one  of  the  most  populated  parts  of  the  town,  and  it  was 
amusing  to  watch  the  primitive  mode  adopted  by  the 
people  to  extinguish  it,  which  in  truth  seldom  happens 
until  an  entire  block  is  burnt  out.  Here  their  super- 
stitious childishness  shows  itself.  They  climb  upon 
the  roofs  of  adjacent  houses  with  large  paper  globes 
stuck  upon  poles  and  covered  with  coloured  designs  of 
dragons  and  the  emblems  of  a  protecting  deity,  in  order 
to  propitiate  the  latter.  Also  silver  balls  and  paper 
charms  were  thrown  upon  the  roofs  for  the  same  pur- 
pose. 

On  my  last  visit  to  the  bazaars  I  managed  to  pick  up 
a  few  genuine  curiosities  in  the  hands  of  a  dealer,  who 
had  just  returned  from  the  capital  with  the  spoils  of  a 
Damio's  collection.  One  was  a  life-size  white  pigeon 
covered  with  minute  bits  of  marble  admirably  imitat- 
ing its  plumage.  This  sacred  symbol  of  purity  had  a 
history  of  its  own,  too  long  to  relate  here  ;  suffice  it  to 


BAZAARS.  355 

say  that  it  had  been  the  chief  ornament  on  the  altar  of 
a  Japanese  temple  for  upwards  of  two  centuries. 
Another  real  curio  was  a  very  skilful  representation  of 
the  fanciful  mermaid,  which  some  fifty  years  ago 
created  an  inexhaustible  source  of  gossip  to  penny-a- 
liners  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic.  I  think  it  was  in 
1822  when  Mr.  Barnum  exhibited  the  first  specimen  in 
America,  which  can  still  be  seen  at  his  museum  at 
New  York. 

It  would  be  of  little  or  no  interest  to  enter  upon 
political  subjects,  either  external  or  internal,  as  exist- 
ing at  the  period  of  my  visit  to  Japan,  since  every- 
thing was  then  (in  1871)  in  a  state  of  transition. 
The  old  feudal  and  spy  system  was  tottering  on  its 
last  leg,  and  now  there  is  not  a  single  institution  in  the 
country  that  has  not  felt  the  rapid  march  of  progress, 
which,  indeed,  has  been  marvellous  and  not  without 
effect,  even  upon  the  hitherto  exclusive  system  of 
government  of  the  Celestial  Empire  at  Pekin. 


AA  2 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Pacific  Voyage — San  Francisco — Grove  of  Mammoth  Trees — 
YosEMiTE  Valley — Gold  Mines  in  the  Sierra  Nevada — 
Blue  Grotto — Salt  Lake  City — TIocky  Mottntains — Chicago — 
Niagara  Falls — The  St.  Lawrence — Lake  Champlain — New 
York. 

The  "  Great  Republic,"  an  American  steamer  with 
enormous  beam  engines  swinging  their  mighty  arms  in 
mid-air,  was  the  name  of  my  ocean  home  for  the  next 
three  weeks.  She  was  crowded  with  passengers,  carry- 
ing seventy-five  first-class  and  1,200  Chinese  in  the 
steerage.  There  was  every  possible  accommodation  for 
so  long  a  voyage,  all  the  cabins  and  saloons  were  on 


THE   PACIFIC.  357 

the  poop -deck  ;  also  an  elegant  reading  and  good 
smoking-room  ;  and,  what  was  better  still,  a  well- 
assorted  library,  which  proved  a  great  boon.  By  dint 
of  patience  and  gentle  persuasion,  I  made  it  clear  to 
the  purser,  a  tall  muscular  man  of  the  negro  type,  that 
it  would  be  to  his  advantage  to  let  me  have  the  only 
vacant  cabin,  which  happened  to  be  in  the  best  part 
of  the  ship,  and  is  always  kept  open  to  the  last  in  the 
event  of  some  high  official  turning  up.  I  thus  secured 
most  royal  accommodation  all  to  myself,  no  small 
favour,  as  those  know  who  have  experienced  being 
cooped  up  for  weeks  with  one  or  two  fellow-travellers, 
generally  utter  strangers,  within  a  space  of  six  feet 
square.  Amongst  so  many  passengers,  it  was  natural 
that  one  should  meet  with  some  pleasant  companions, 
which,  in  my  case,  added  much  to  make  the  voyage 
one  of  happy  memory.  The  '*  Great  Republic"  seemed 
a  perfect  sea-monster,  as  her  measurement,  4,800 
tons,  moreover  attested  ;  she  had  800  nominal  horse- 
power, which,  I  understood,  could  be  worked  up  to 
2,500  horse-power  actual.  The  engines,  as  stated,  were 
upon  deck,  and  worked  by  walking  beam  of  twelve-inch 
stroke,  making  eight  to  twelve  revolutions  per  minute, 
and  her  consumption  of  coal  was  said  to  be  forty-live 
tons  daily.  The  upper  deck,  being  carried  over  the  entire 
length  of  the  ship,  afforded  splendid  accommodation 


358  PORTUGUESE    "  MEN    OF    WAR. 

for  taking  exercise,  so  essential  on  board  a  ship  ;  and 
although  our  pace  was  not  very  rapid,  we  got  on 
steadily  at  the  rate  of  nine  miles  an  hour,  without 
seeing  land  or  sail  during  the  entire  journey.  The 
weather  favoured  us  throughout ;  besides,  the  cuisine 
being  good,  and  the  champagne  to  my  taste, — the  latter 
I  had  procured  from  a  thorough  connoisseur  at  Yoko- 
hama,— added  considerably  to  the  enjoyment  of  one  of 
the  finest  voyages  I  have  ever  .made,  and  any  stray 
hour  of  weariness  promptly  gave  way  to  the  strong 
interest  created  by  Motley's  or  Prescott's  excellent 
works. 

Nothing  worth  recording  happened  during  our 
passage,  excepting  perhaps  the  novelty  of  having  a 
double  edition  of  the  first  of  May,  on  which  day  we 
passed  the  ante-meridian.  It  created  much  wonder 
and  amusement  to  many  on  board,  who  had  never 
contemplated  the  possibility  of  such  an  occurrence, 
when  on  the  following  day,  for  the  purpose  of  readjust- 
mg  the  calendar,  the  slate  journal  again  was  headed 
"May  1st."  We  had  a  strong  head -wind  that  day,  and 
the  ship  was  actually  pitching,  an  unusual  sensation  in 
the  Pacific.  We  now  passed  shoals  of  dark  blue 
molluscs,  commonly  called  "  Portuguese  Men-of-war." 
They  are  very  pretty  animals  of  flat  oblong  shape,  an 
inch  and  a  half  long,   indigo  blue,  almost  transparent, 


SAN    FRANCISCO.  359 

with  brownish  rays  towards  the  centre,  and  a  semi- 
circular sail  set  lengthways  upon  them  at  right  angles. 
Also  quantities  of  mossy-looking  masses  floated  past, 
which  were  supposed  to  be  whale  spawn. 

The  total  distance  from  Yokohama  to  San  Francisco, 
according  to  the  ship's  log-book,  was  4,763  miles.  The 
approach  of  the  latter  harbour,  winding  our  way 
between  some  hilly  islands,  was  pleasant  to  the  eye 
after  the  monotony  of  so  much  sea,  and  nothing  but 
sea,  for  twenty-two  days. 

America  and  Canada  have  been  so  often  discussed 
in  print  that  it  would  be  no  easy  matter  to  interest  my 
readers  in  anything  I  can  say  about  them ;  I  shall, 
therefore,  content  myself,  relating  briefly  what  route  I 
took  and  what  I  did  see. 

San  Francisco,  or  Frisco,  as  one  often  hears  it  called, 
and  its  leviathan  hotels,  is  not  a  pleasant  place  for 
people  who  wish  for  quiet  and  rest,  everything  there 
is  over-boiling  activity  and  noise.  The  town  covers 
several  low  hills,  and  is  straggling  and  dusty  ;  the 
houses  are  mostly  built  of  wood  with  mud-brown 
plaster  facings.  In  the  streets  it  is  a  common  occurrence 
to  meet  an  entire  house  in  the  act  of  chanofinof  its 
locality,  on  wooden  rollers,  whilst  the  ordinary  occu- 
pation of  cooking,  washing,  etc.,  is  going  on  inside  as 


360  CALIFORNIAN     WINE. 

if  stationary.  Of  course,  there  is  here,  as  in  every 
American  city,  an  enormous  skating-rink,  where  I  saw 
hundreds  of  people  throwing;'  al)out  their  nether  limbs, 
— never  pronounce  legs  in  this  land  of  promise  ! — in  the 
wildest  fashion,  many  being  attired  in  fancy  dress  ;  the 
entrance  fee  to  this  establishment  was  a  bit,  or  twelve 
and  a  half  cents, — everything  goes  by  bits  and  dollars 
in  the  gold  city.  The  Grand  Hotel,  like  its  companions, 
the  Occidental,  the  Cosmopolitan,  and  Lick  House,  were 
on  a  scale  hardly  ever  seen  in  Europe  ;  there  was  every 
possible  comfort  provided  ;  the  meals  were  excellent, 
and  all  for  three  dollars  per  day,  exclusive  of  wine, 
which  was  dear,  Americans  drinking  water,  tea,  or 
coffee,  during  meals,  generally  iced,  although  after 
dinner,  which  they  get  through  in  incredibly  short 
space  of  time,  they  are  in  the  habit  of  retiring 
to  the  bar  to  "  liquor  up."  The  Californian  wines  are 
rapidly  improving  in  flavour  as  the  art  of  vine  culture 
and  vintage  becomes  better  understood,  and  I  tasted 
some  good  sparkling  wine  of  home  growth.  Fruit, 
especially  strawberries,  were  excellent  and  plentiful. 

A  few  days'  stay  at  San  Francisco  sufficed  to  persuade 
me  that  my  time  might  be  pleasanter  occupied  else- 
where, and  I  took  an  early  departure  for  the  famous 
Yosemite  valley. 


MARIPOSA.  361 

At  Modesta  I  had  to  pass  the  night  with  no  less 
than  seven  travelh'ng  companions  sleeping  in  the  same 
room,  performing  the  morning  ablutions  tt  la  Calif ornie 
m  the  open.  Here  we  left  the  railway  and  continued 
our  route  by  carriage  as  far  as  Mariposa,  a  long  weary 
drive  of  thirteen  hours,  during  which  we  passed  a 
number  of  Chinamen  with  their  "cradles,"  washing  gold 
in  the  creeks  of  ancient  watercourses.  I  watched  one 
man  for  nearly  an  hour,  whilst  taking  my  frugal  tiffin 
on  the  road  side,  he  working  patiently  amongst  some 
broken  and  partly  rotten  rock,  and  I  saw  liim  collect 
about  a  dollar's  worth  of  gold-dust  during  that  interval. 
On  the  following  morning  I  left  Mariposa  at  seven  a.m.  by 
dog-cart,  the  road  being  heavy,  and  reached  Clarke's 
Hotel  about  two  p.m.,  to  walk  thence  through  a  magni- 
ficent virgin  forest  to  the  home  of  the  celebrated  group 
of  Wellmgtonioi  or  Mammoth  trees  {Sequoia  gigantea). 
There  was  quite  a  grove  of  them,  some  of  enormous 
size ;  they  averaged  150  to  200  feet  in  height,  but  one 
or  two  must  have  been  between  300  and  350  feet,  to  a 
diameter  of  twenty  to  thirty  feet.  They  certainly  are 
splendid  trees,  and  well  worth  the  journey  ;  they  run 
up  perfectly  straight  with  a  full  pyramidal-shaped 
crown  of  evergreen,  and  the  soft  bark,  of  a  pale 
cinnamon  brown,  is  often  two  to  three  feet  thick,  not 
unlike  the  fibre   of  cocoanut  husk,   only  much  finei*. 


'AG2  MAMMOTH    TREES. 

One  of  these  trees,  of  nearly  200  feet,  was  lying 
prostrate,  and  others  had  been  hollowed  out  by  the 
Indians  to  give  them  shelter.  The  largest,  the  people 
called  "  Grizzly  Giant,"  after  its  namesake  the  grizzly 
bear,  which  frequents  these  wild  regions,  and  which  is 
a  dangerous  customer  to  meet.  The  age  of  the 
WelJingtonia,  like  that  of  its  brother  in  size,  the  Locust 
tree  of  Trinidad,  which  is  known  to  have  obtained  the 
respectable  circumference  of  eighty-four  feet  at  the 
base,  and  192  feet  in  height,  is  counted  by  hundreds, 
and  according  to  some  venturous  writers,  by  thousands 
of  years,  reports  varying  between  two  and  four  thousand. 
I  was  under  the  impression  that  these  Mariposa 
Wellingtonice  were  the  tallest  specimens  known,  but  on 
reading  Froude's  "Oceana,"  I  find  that  similar  giant  trees 
exist  at  Fernshaw,  some  seventy  miles  from  Melbourne, 
in  a  mountain  glen  near  the  rise  of  the  Yarra  river, 
ofrowinef  to  a  heiofht  of  350  to  400  feet,  one  even 
measuring  460  feet,  and  forty-five  feet  in  circumference. 
During  my  walk  back,  I  fell  in  with  quantities  of  the 
pretty  snow  plant  (Sarcodes  sanguinea),  resembling  a 
double  hyacinth  of  vivid  scai'let,  without  leaves  and 
short  stalk,  peeping  out  of  the  emerald  green  under- 
cfrowth. 

From  Mariposa  to  the  Yosemite  Valley  the  road  ran 
through  very  beautiful  country,  and  the  greater  portion 


THE    "  PEMMICAN."  363 

being  up-hill,  at  times  very  steep,  I  made  the  trip 
partly  on  horseback  and  partly  on  foot  ;  and  after  four 
or  five  hours'  hard  travelling,  we  had  evidently  attained 
a  very  considerable  height,  for  here  we  met  with  some 
large  patches  of  snow,  which  made  it  difficult  to  follow 
the  Indian  trail,  in  fact,  more  than  once  we  had  to 
retrace  our  steps.  By  the  time  we  had  reached  the 
top  of  the  mountain  ridge,  at  an  altitude  of  7,500  feet, 
I  felt  very  much  exhausted,  and  was  glad  to  find 
shelter  in  a  wretched  wooden  cabin,  inhabited  by  a 
professional  hunter  of  the  name  of  Perigault,  who  was 
very  profuse  in  relating  some  wonderful  exploits  of  his 
in  the  Sierra  Nevada.  The  only  provision  procurable 
consisted  of  some  strips  of  dried  bison,  which  an  old 
hag  fried,  and  served  along  with  a  black  bottle  con- 
taining some  awful  concoction  of  spirits.  I  was  too 
tired  and  hungry  to  inquire  into  the  origin  of  either 
meat  or  drink.  Still,  I  felt  I  had  never  tasted  any- 
thing so  vile.  There  is  another  mode  of  preserving  the 
flesh  of  bison  the  Indians  are  very  fond  of,  namely, 
having  dried  it  in  the  sun  till  it  becomes  black  and  hard, 
it  is  pounded  with  the  fat  of  the  animal,  and  converted 
into  Pemmican,  a  nourishing  food,  which  will  keep  for 
years.  After  half  an  hour's  rest  I  continued  my  ride, 
leaving  the  Glacier  point  a  thousand  feet  above,  and 
rapidly    descended    into    the    valley.       The    scenery 


364  YOSEMLTE    VALLEY. 

around  was  very  wild  until  we  reached  Inspiration 
Point,  whence  there  is  a  glorious  view  upon  the 
surrounding  scenery  :  glaciers  and  snow-capped  moun- 
tains above  ;  in  front,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  hills 
and  valleys  alternately,  c(^vered  with  fresh  spring 
verdure,  and  here  and  there  a  patch  of  dark  forest ; 
immediately  below,  granite  precipices  of  almost  invisible 
depth,  intersected  by  a  multitude  of  cascades,  leaping 
over  enormous  boulders.  Such  is  the  aspect  from 
above. 

Half  an  hour's  canter  along  a  gentle  slope,  covered 
with  maiden  turf,  brought  me  to  the  entrance  of 
the  Yosemite  Valley, — one  of  the  prettiest  freaks  of 
nature  imaginable,  and  quite  milike  anything  to  be 
seen  in  the  whole  world. 

The  entire  length  of  the  valley  is  barely  eight  miles, 
its  breadth  nowhere  exceeding  two  miles,  and,  except- 
ing the  one  narrow  entrance  from  the  plain  above,  it  is 
entirely  enclosed  by  walls  of  rock,  their  marble-like 
crowns  toweriiig  majestically  into  the  air,  taking 
various  fantastic  shapes.  Although  but  a  narrow  strip, 
Yosemite  is  well  wooded  and  watered ;  the  rapid 
Merced,  a  tributary  of  the  San  Joaquin,  winds  in  zig-zag 
fashion  along  its  entire  length,  receiving  no  lack  of 
supply  from    the    numerous  waterfalls   bearing  divers 


THE    MIRROR   LAKE.  365 

names.  There  is  the  Bridal  Veil,  630  feet,  not  unlike 
the  Switzer  Staubbach  ;  the  Grizzly  Bear,  of  2,600 
feet,  broken  into  three  separate  cascades  of  1,600,  600, 
and  400  feet ;  whilst  the  Vernal  and  the  Nevada,  one 
above  the  other,  are  tumbling  down  from  a  height  of 
1,000  feet.  There  was  a  steep  ladder  attached  to 
the  rock,  close  to  the  latter  falls,  to  enable  travellers  to 
view  them  from  above,  and  as  I  was  ascending  the  same 
through  a  cloud  of  spray  to  reach  the  granite  basin,  into 
which  dropped  the  upper  cascade,  and  whence  the  other 
took  its  final  leap,  a  splendid  rainbow  was  stretching 
right  across  this  foaming  mass,  completing  a  picture  of 
amazing  beauty. 

From  the  foot  of  the  waterfall  I  walked  to  a  small 
lake  of  peculiar  dark-green  appearance,  only  150  feet 
in  diameter,  and  after  climbing  over  a  chaotic  mass  of 
enormous  black  boulders,  owing  their  presence  appar- 
ently to  volcanic  action,  I  suddenly  emerged  upon  the 
beautiful  Mirror  lake,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  across, 
so  clear  that  every  detail  of  the  surrounding  rocks  was 
therein  reflected.  There  were  the  Two  Domes  raising 
their  hoary  heads  3,500  and  4,700  feet  respectively,  and 
beyond,  the  Clouds'  Rest,  the  highest  peak,  towering 
nearly  6,000  feet  into  the  clear  sky.  The  sun  was 
just  setting  on  the  upper  portion  of  these  lofty  cliffs, 
and   its   effect    on    the    water  was  indescribably  pic- 


366  IITVKR    "  MERCED." 

turesque ;  but  as  there  are  no  roses  without  thorns,  so 
here  swarms  of  large  black  mostjuitoes  marred  the 
pleasure  ot*  perfect  i-epose  which  the  surroundings 
otherwise  favoured.  Some  of  the  other  eminences  gird- 
ing the  valley  are  the  El  Capitano,  3,300  feet,  Cathedral 
Rocks,  2,600  feet.  The  Brothers,  3,800  feet,  and  many 
of  less  altitute,  thickly  covered  below  with  species  of 
pine,  oak,  and  birch. 

At  Mr.  Black's  Hotel,  situated  within  a  hundred 
yards  of  the  Merced,  whose  waters  of  melted  snow 
furnished  me  with  a  delicious  bath,  the  accommodation 
was  of  primitive  simplicity,  and  tbe  visitors  now  daily 
increasing  in  numbers,  all  sorts  of  shifts  had  to  be 
devised  to  house  them.  On  the  day  I  left  there  were 
no  less  than  sixty-four  strangers,  and  amongst  them 
several  ladies,  in  true  bloomer  costume,  sitting  their 
horses  astride,  in  imitation  of  the  stronger  sex.  During 
my  rambles  I  met  with  a  great  many  quails  hugging 
the  ground,  like  their  Egyptian  cousins,  and  as  easily 
caught,  to  furnish  the  breakfast-table. 

It  seems  strange  that  this  valley  should  have  been 
a  sealed  book  to  the  Americans  until  about  thirty  years 
ago,  when, — so  the  story  goes, — an  Indian  chief  be- 
trayed his  tribe,  whose  home  and  place  of  concealment 
it  had  hitherto  been,  on  being  threatened  with  caj^ital 
punishment  for  depredations  they  had  committed  upon 


MOUNTAIN    TRAIL.  367 

unoffending  travellers  ;  upon  which  the  entire  tribe  is 
said  to  have  been  exterminated  by  the  Americans. 

On  quittino-  Yosemite  I  entered  upon  a  most  tedious, 
and  at  times  dangerous,  journey  into  the  Sierra  Nevada 
to  visit  one  or  two  of  the  larger  gold  mines  of  the  dis- 
trict. Having  been  told  that  I  should  find  nothing 
better  than  a  mountain  trail  to  guide  me,  I  had  taken 
the  precaution  of  hiring  a  sure-footed  pony,  which  at 
first  carried  me  with  tolerable  ease,  although  there  was 
hardly  space  enough  for  his  feet,  but  when  we  got  to  a 
nasty  precipice  the  poor  animal  suddenly  stopped  and 
began  to  show  signs  of  distress.  Once  in  the  saddle,  how- 
ever, there  was  no  possibility  of  dismounting,  and  it 
took  several  minutes  coaxing,  which  seemed  hours 
to  me,  before  I  could  get  him  to  move  on.  I  had  done 
well  in  trusting  to  my  nunble-footed  quadruped,  for  it  is 
much  more  difficult  to  lead  a  horse  under  such  circum- 
stances, as  he  invariably  takes  to  backing,  unless  the 
rider's  heel  is  at  hand  to  keep  him  steady.  Late  in 
the  afternoon  we  reached  the  first  habitation  seen  that 
day,  a  wretched  wooden  hovel,  at  the  foot  of  a  bridge, 
in  a  wild,  picturesque  spot.  Mrs.  M'Cann,  an  old  Irish 
woman,  not  over  clean,  bade  us  welcome,  and  did  her 
best  to  provide  us  with  shelter  until  the  following 
morning.     Her  beds  were  good,  and  the  sunple  food, 


368  THE  m'canns. 

consisting  of  fried  bacon  and  a  very  homely  apple-tart, 
might  have  been  worse.  I  can  hear  the  harsh  voice  of 
the  garrulous  old  crone  even  now.  She  kept  up  a  ramb- 
ling sort  of  conversation,  well  garnished  with  pungent 
epithets,  telling  me  all  about  her  bereavement,  for  she 
was  a  widow,  and  her  subsequent  troubles,  and  how 
the  English  came  to  be  the  cause  of  the  family's  mis- 
fortunes. The  M'Canns,  she  said,  had  belonged  to  one 
of  the  oldest  families  in  Ireland,  and  the  grandfather 
of  the  lamented  Pat,  her  husband,  had  been  a  grand 
gentleman,  holding  some  mighty  post  in  Leinster 
during  the  Irish  troubles  towards  the  end  of  the  last 

century,  and  those  d English  had  hanged  him  for 

being  a  patriot,  whereupon  his  family,  along  with  many 
others,  had  been  shipped  off  to  'Merica  to  find  bread 
wherever  they  could.  Her  tale  was  so  minute  and  cir- 
cumstantial that  I  became  interested  in  it,  and  on  my 
return  I  felt  tempted  to  test  its  truth.  Strange 
enough,  in  an  old  Irish  record  I  found,  what  I  have 
since  seen  confirmed  in  Walpole's  "  Ireland,"  that  in 
1798,  under  Cornwallis,  as  Viceroy,  a  person  of  the 
name  of  M'Cami, — amongst  some  forty  others  who  had 
been  excluded  from  the  benefits  of  the  Amnesty  BiU, — 
belonging  to  the  "  United  Irishmen "  League,  and 
secretary  to  the  Provisional  Committee  of  the  County 
of   Leincester,  or    Leinster,  was   tried  as  a  rebel  and 


GOLD    MINES.  369 

a  traitor,  convicted,  and  hung  on  the  19th  July  ! 
What  curious  individuals  one  does  sometimes  meet 
far  away  from  home  I 

There  were  two  mines  within  easy  reach,  the  one 
breaking  up  from  forty  to  fifty  tons  of  quartz  daily, 
the  other  only  seven  to  eight ;  each  ton,  I  understood 
the  owner  to  say,  yielding  about  three  ounces  of  gold, 
or  in  the  proportion  of  one  in  ten  thousand,  which,  in 
California  is  considered  a  good  return.  The  depth  at 
which  these  mines  were  worked  was  600  to  a 
1,000  feet,  but  the  number  of  men  employed  below 
was  inconsiderable, — I  think  sixteen  in  the  smaller 
works  ;  labour  is  dear,  fifty  to  sixty  dollars  a  month 
besides  board.  A  common,  slatternly  servant  girl  I 
noticed  at  the  manager's  cottage  got  thirty  dollars 
monthly  wages.  Since  my  return  I  have  heard  that 
both  these  mines  have  been  sold  to  companies  for  very 
large  sums  of  money. 

After  a  good  deal  of  discomfort  during  my  mountain 
journey  which  had  occupied  several  days,  I  was  glad  to 
get  into  more  open  country.  Bower's  Estate  was  my 
next  halting  place  ;  it  belonged  to  a  Frenchman  who 
had  been  a  settler  in  these  regions  for  many  years,  and 
who  undoubtedly  swears  by  California  ;  he  has  a  large 
family  around  him,  and  farms  thousands  of  acres  re- 
quiring very  little  help,  excepting  during  harvest-time, 

BB 


370  bower's  estate. 

when  the  miners  come  down  to  the  valley  to  recruit 
their  health  by  following  agricultural  pursuits  for  a 
short  time.  Large  herds  of  cattle  are  kept  on  these 
rich  plains  ;  and  besides  grain,  vegetables  and  a  great 
deal  of  fruit  are  cultivated  here.  The  country  wine 
and  cider  are  not  at  all  bad  tipple,  and  the  strawberries 
and  cream  were  simply  delicious.  Near  the  farmhouse 
there  is  a  very  beautiful  grotto,  to  which  we  had  to 
descend  through  a  narrow,  dark  passage,  and  on 
reaching  the  bottom  I  was  surprised  to  find  it  closely 
resembling  Capri,  only  the  cave  is  loftier.  There  is  the 
same  sheet  of  water, — sweet  here, — that  splendid  blue 
light  upon  the  subterranean  lake,  and  penetrating  into 
every  crevice  ;  a  little  boat  is  at  hand,  as  at  Capri, 
and  you  take  a  gentle  row,  fancying  yourself  in  Fairy- 
land. The  chromatic  effect  in  Bower's  grotto  must 
have  been  produced  artificially,  whilst  that  of  its  pro- 
totype in  the  blue  Mediterranean  is  simply  the  re- 
flection of  the  bright  Italian  sky  through  a  small 
aperture  in  the  rocks  above. 

Hence  I  continued  my  route  by  Coulterville  as 
far  as  Modesta,  in  a  carriage  and  four  horses,  along  a 
wretched,  dusty  road,  arriving  at  the  latter  station 
terribly  shaken.  It  had  taken  us  nine  long  hours 
to  accomplish  the  distance  of  forty-five  miles,  although 
mostly  down  hill.      The  rails  took  me    on   the  same 


SACRAMENTO.  371 

evening  to  Sacramento,  where,  at  the  "  Golden  Eagle," 
I  was  indeed  glad  to  get  into  a  comfortable  bed,  and  on 
the  following  morning  I  found  myself  flying  along  in 
the  Silver  Palace  car  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railway  to 
Ogden.  These  luxurious  carriages  are  a  great  institu- 
tion, especially  on  long  distances,  and  I  availed  my- 
self of  the  Silver,  and  its  twin  the  Pulman,  car  as  far  as 
Chicago,  a  distance  of  2,200  miles,  in  consideration  of 
an  extra  payment  of  sixteen  dollars,  or  one-third  of 
a  penny  per  mile, — an  extravagance  I  had  no  reason 
to  regret. 

After  leaving  Sacramento,  the  first  100  miles  were 
one  continual  ascent,  the  engine,  and  at  times  a 
pair  of  them,  groaning  under  the  pressure  put  upon 
the  boiler.  Here  we  reached  the  top  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada,  at  an  elevation  of  7,042  feet  above  the  tide,  as 
the  Americans  term  it,  after  having  passed  through 
some  magnificent  wild  scenery,  pine  forest,  and  canons, 
or  gorges,  of  dark,  mysterious  depth  ;  we  also 
encountered  a  great  deal  of  snow,  which  in  exposed 
situations  required  wooden  sheds,  often  for  miles,  to 
keep  the  rails  clear.  Between  the  two  mighty  chains, 
the  Sierra  Nevada  and  the  Rocky  Mountains,  we 
never  descended  more  than  3,000  feet,  and  early 
next  morning  we  passed  "  Sink  Humboldt,"  a  small 
lake  formed  by  a  river,  likewise  bearing  the  name  of 

BB   2 


372  SALT    LAKE    CITY. 

the  illustrious  author  of  "  Cosmos."  Here  several 
Red  Indians,  men  and  women  of  the  Snake  tribe,  with 
coarse,  broad  features  painted  red,  and  long  black 
hair,  begged  to  be  taken  up,  as  they  had  reason  to  fear 
an  attack  from  the  murderous  Apaches,  who  inhabit 
the  country  to  the  north  and  east  of  this.  They  soon 
formed  picturesque  groups  on  the  coal  tender  and  on 
the  steps  of  the  cars,  and  off  we  went  agam,  depositing 
our  supercargo  at  the  next  station.  A  couple  of 
hundred  miles  farther  the  northern  point  of  Salt  Lake 
came  in  view, — a  pleasant  diversion  after  the  bare 
mountain  scenery  of  the  last  two  days, — and  skirting 
its  north-eastern  shore  until  we  reached  Ogden,  we 
thence  branched  off  through  a  fertile  valley,  with  here 
and  there  large  patches  of  borage  and  wormwood,  to  the 
Mormon  city,  whose  despotic  patriarch,  Brigham  Young, 
(since  dead)  styled  himself  President  of  the  twelve 
apostles  of  the  latter-day  saints. 

Salt  Lake  City  is  a  rambling  sort  of  place,  oifering  no 
attraction  to  strangers.  There  is  the  tabernacle,  an 
ugly,  ill  shapen,  oval  building ;  also  the  foundation  of  a 
large,  more  pretentious- looking  temple,  which  is  not 
likely  to  be  ever  completed  ;  wretched  shops  and  very 
few  villas  of  a  better  class,  belonging  principally  to 
Y^oung  and  his  seventeen  wives  to  many  of  whom  he 


THE   MORMONS.  373 

is  said  to  be  spiritually  married,  whatever  that  may 
mean.  Having  been  told  that  the  head  of  the 
Mormon  establishment  expects  new  arrivals  to  call 
upon  him,  I  did  so,  and  found  him  no  better  and  no 
worse  than  any  other  dull  old  man  without  education. 
The  same  cap  will  fit  Mr.  Smith,  Young's  principal 
councillor,  who,  by-the-by,  indulged  in  a  flaxen  wig. 
Many  a  dark  story  is  told  about  the  doings  of  the 
Saint,  who  has  since  gone  to  his  last  rest ;  and  it  is  quite 
evident  that  in  his  younger  days  he  must  have  been 
an  extremely  'cute  party,  quite  innocent  of  the  scruples 
of  ordinary  mortals.  Since  my  visit  the  so-called 
"  Edmund-bill "  has  effectually  put  a  stop  to  polygamy; 
and  since  the  beo-innino-  of  1883  no  citizen  of  the 
United  States,  whether  Mormon  or  otherwise,  is 
allowed  to  have  more  than  one  wife,  under  threat  of 
penalties  ]3y  fines  and  imprisonment,  deprivation  of 
public  oflice  and  right  of  vote  at  elections. 

The  streets  of  this  modern  town  are  broad  and 
dusty,  and  I  had  considerable  difficulty  in  finding  a 
place  where  I  might  get  a  bath,  the  only  one  existing 
was  neither  large  nor  over  clean  ;  the  hotel  also  was 
very  indifferent,  and  did  not  look  sufficiently  inviting 
to  make  me  prolong  my  stay. 

The  valley  has  pasture  for  any  number  of  cattle, 
which  are  frequently  found  tramping  between  the  rails  ; 


374  ROCKY   MOUNTAINS. 

and  to  prevent  serious  accidents  the  engine  of  the  train 
is  fitted  in  front  with  large  fans  to  remove  obstacles  on 
the  line  ;  besides,  during  the  whole  time  the  train  is  in 
motion,  an  unearthly  sound,  something  like  very  loud 
lowing,  proceeds  from  the  whistle  to  frighten  away 
cattle. 

After  leaving  Ogden,  the  Union  Pacific  train  recom 
menced  its  ascent  to  cross  the  Rocky  Mountains, — a 
range  of  peculiar  formation,  often  stretching  for  miles 
in  horizontal  layers  of  bare  rock,  one  above  the  other, 
— and  towards  the  evening  we  passed  over  an  enor- 
mous viaduct  spanning  the  Green  river,  which,  running 
at  right  angles  with  the  railway,  the  two  form  the 
boundaries  of  four  States, — Utah  and  Colorado  to  the 
south,  and  Idaho  and  Wyoming  to  the  north.  The 
scenery  from  the  bridge  was  exceedingly  pretty, — the 
distant  heights  clothed  in  perpetual  snow,  a  haze  of 
pink  and  purple  reflecting  the  sunset,  and  deep  blue  at 
the  base,  with  many  clear  streams  intersecting  the 
intervening  plains.  These  latter  are  the  home  of  the 
antelope  and  the  cinnamon  bear,  whose  skin  the 
Indians  offer  for  sale  at  the  different  halting  places. 

The  summit,  8,242  feet  above  sea-level,  we  reached  at 
Sherman  station.  Within  an  hour  more  we  had  de- 
scended 2,200  feet,  when  we  arrived  at  Cheyenne,  an 
important  emigrant  station.    Thence  we  continued  our 


IOWA   AND   ILLINOIS.  375 

downward  course  until  we  touched  the  great  thirsty 
prairie,  with  its  withered  clump-grass  struggling  for  an 
existence.  Here  the  dust  became  insufferable,  until  at 
last  we  got  to  the  rich  and  fertile  plains  of  Nebraska, 
where  we  passed  many  emigrant  parties  wending  their 
weary  steps  westward  ;  at  night  these  form  an  encamp- 
ment by  placing  horses  and  cattle  around  their  wagons, 
—a  proof  that  there  are  no  wild  beasts  in  the  district. 
At  Omaha  we  crossed  the  Missouri,  and  on  its  bank 
a  pretty  red-brick  villa,  situated  within  the  inclosures 
of  a  park,  was  pointed  out  to  me  as  the  home  of  Mr. 
Francis  Train,  who,  some  years  previously,  had  made  the 
round  of  the  globe  within  eighty  days.  Thence  through 
the  great  granaries,  Iowa  and  Illinois,  passing  the 
mighty  Mississippi  between  Davenport  and  Rock  Island, 
— both  large  manufacturing  towns, — and  on  to  Chicago, 
through  a  magnificent  country  resembling  a  succession 
of  vast  English  parks. 

One  sultry  afternoon  I  ascended  the  fine  flight  of 
steps  of  Sherman's  Hotel,  since  burnt  down  and 
no  doubt  rebuilt,  a  grand  place,  doing  honour  to  this 
opulent  neopolis.  Those  who  have  visited  the  house 
will  agree  that  there  was  nothing  to  grumble  about 
excepting  the  bill,  which  was  double  that  of  the 
"  Grand  "  at  San  Francisco.  The  town  is  well  built, 
and  pleasantly  situated  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Michigan  ; 


376  INDIANA   AND    OHIO. 

but  after  having  seen  it,  there  seems  no  reason  why 
one  should  not  speed  on  to  reach  the  Niagara  falls  and 
Canada  before  the  summer  might  get  too  hot. 

I  here  left  the  great  through -line,  which  crosses  the 
United  States  from  tlie  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  a 
distance  of  3,000  miles,  which  was  commenced  early 
in  1863,  and  completed  on  the  10th  of  May, 
1869. 

As  far  as  Detroit  we  passed  through  the  northern 
portion  of  Indiana,  the  garden  of  the  American  States, 
and  Ohio,  full  of  interest  to  archaeologists  on  account 
of  the  numerous  mounds  or  tumuli  discovered  near 
Newark,  from  which  agricultural  and  other  implements 
of  a  siliceous  material,  or  horn-stone,  have  lately  been 
excavated ;  also  piles  of  chippings,  marking  the  spot 
where  these  tools  had  been  fabricated.  Some  few 
articles  were  made  of  porphyry  brought  from  a  distance ; 
others,  knives,  chisels,  and  personal  ornaments  of  the 
native  copper  of  Lake  Superior.  The  people  who 
inhabited  these  regions  in  olden  times,  so  superior  to 
the  Indians  in  civilization,  are  now  generally  conceded 
to  have  been  the  ancestors  of  the  ancient  Peruvians 
and  Mexicans. 

At  Detroit  we  crossed  the  straits  between  lakes 
Huron  and  Erie  in  a  steamer,  and  thence  by  rail  to  the 
famous  Falls  through  very  pretty  country  ;  on  passing 


NIAGARA   FALLS,  377 

the  grand  suspension  bridge  we  were  rewarded  by  a 
distant  view  of  the  Niagara. 

There  can  be  but  one  voice  as  to  the  magnificence  of 
that  enormous  sheet  of  water,  which,  surrounded  by 
splendid  scenery,  suddenly  takes  its  final  leap  over  a 
bank  of  rocks  in  horse-shoe  shape,  displaying  the  most 
magnificent  colonics,  from  azure  blue  to  a  transparent 
emerald  green,  and  rebounding  below  in  clouds  of  froth 
and  spray, — it  is  a  glorious  spectacle  !  The  principal 
fall  is  on  the  Canadian  side,  and  about  900  feet 
in  breadth  and  165  feet  deep  ;  the  other,  be- 
longing to  America,  is  half  as  wide  ;  but  the  rapids 
above,  divided  by  Goat  Island  and  other  bits  of 
wooded  isles,  add  much  to  its  beauty ;  and  the 
pictm^esqueness  of  the  scene  is  further  enhanced  by 
slender  bridges  and  other  artificial  means,  at  least 
many  people  seem  to  think  so  ;  I  confess  I  prefer  Nature 
unadorned.  From  the  gallery  running  below  the  fall 
one  probably  gains  the  best  idea  of  the  enormous 
volume  of  water.  There  are  other  spots  and  show 
places,  such  as  "  The  Cave  of  the  Winds  "  and  "  Pros- 
pect Point,"  whence  a  good  view  can  be  obtained, 
that  is,  after  a  dive  into  your  pocket  for  half  or  quarter 
of  the  mighty  dollar. 

The    remainder  of  my  journey,  until  I   eventually 


378  THE   ST.    LAWRENCE. 

reached  New  York,  was  of  much  interest  to  me,  owing^ 
to  the  great  variety  of  fine  scenery.  After  leaving 
Niagara  by  rail,  we  ran  through  a  ravine,  and  at 
Lewiston  took  the  boat  for  Montreal,  making  a  short 
stay  at  Toronto  on  Lake  Ontario.  At  Kingston  we 
entered  the  St.  Lawrence,  a  fine  majestic  river,  with 
its  "  Thousand  Islands," — in  reality  their  number  is 
nearer  1,800,  most  of  them  very  tiny  ;  they  and  the 
"  rapids,"  which  interrupt  the  steady  flow  of  the 
stream,  in  some  places  assuming  serious  obstacles  to  its 
navigation,  added  much  to  make  the  journey  most 
enjoyable.  Our'  progress  down  these  foaming  rapids 
was  very  fast,  about  twenty  miles  an  hour,  and  the  fall 
within  a  mile  is  computed  at  fifteen  feet. 

Montreal  was  reached  in  due  time,  the  handsome 
town  and  public  buildings  explored,  the  rink  and  the 
Royal  theatre  visited,  "  The  Lively  Indian  "  being  the 
title  of  a  sparkling  comedy  performed  at  the  latter  ; 
and  within  a  few  more  days  I  continued  my  route, 
crossing  the  St.  Lawrence  by  the  tubular  bridge,  and  as 
far  as  Rochepoint  by  rail.  Here,  on  reaching  Lake 
Champlain,  I  took  my  passage  on  board  the  "  Adiron- 
dak,"  and  spent  a  most  agreeable  twelve  hours  in 
watching  the  beautiful  scenery.  The  lake  being 
narrow,  both  shores  were  nearly  always  within  view. 


STATE   OF    NEW    YORK.  379 

sloping  down  in  wooded  and  park-like  undulations. 
On  landing  at  Whitehall,  I  took  the  train  to  Saratoga, 
the  Harrogate  of  days  gone  by,  where  I  spent  a  few 
days  very  pleasantly;  it  is  a  lively  spot,  with 
its  park  and  springs,  and  its  fashionable  company. 
Thence  the  rail  carried  me  to  Albany,  where  I  trans- 
ferred myself  and  bag  to  the  deck  of  the  "Vibbard,"  to 
descend  the  Hudson,  all  my  heavy  traps  having  been 
sent  on  direct  from  San  Francisco  to  New  York  ;  and 
here  I  may  add  my  mite  to  the  general  admiration  of 
the  American  system  of  booking  and  transferring 
luggage.  Within  a  couple  of  hours  we  passed  Athens, 
— the  people  of  the  State  of  New  York  have  a  liking  for 
classical  names :  they  have  their  Rome,  Syracuse, 
Utica,  Carthage,  etc.  An  hour  later  Catskill,  with  Pros- 
pect House,  occupying  a  splendid  position  on  the  brow 
of  a  hill,  which  is  a  favourite  summer  resort  of  the  New 
Yorkers ;  and  along  the  banks  of  the  river  I  noticed  a 
number  of  enormous  ice-houses,  built  of  wood,  with 
gangways  running  up  to  the  roof  to  admit  the  blocks 
of  ice  raised  by  elevators.  Newburgh,  and  after  that, 
West  Point,  the  great  military  college,  we  caught  a 
glimpse  of,  and  at  six  p.m.  we  reached  the  American 
emporium  of  commerce,  where  I  was  fortunate  in 
finding  a  vacant  room  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel. 
New  York  reminded  me  of  Liverpool    on  a  larger 


380  HOME    AGAIN. 

scale;  the  Broadway,  of  Oxford  Street;  and  the  Central 
Park,  with  its  hedges,  lakes,  and  zoological  garden  (then 
in  prospect),  of  similar  institutions  elsewhere.  A 
curiosity  here  is  a  woman's  church,  conducted  entirely 
by  the  fair  sex,  whose  object  is  to  embody  religion  instead 
of  theology,  to  put  an  end  to  war,  and  to  unite  all  man- 
kind under  the  divine  law  of  love,  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbour  as  thyself"  The  Spiritualists  of  New  York 
likewise  have  their  temple  ;  and  no  doubt  many  other 
specialities  exist  there  which  we  have  no  desire  to 
find  reproduced  in  the  older  country. 

After  a  short  stay  I  returned  to  England  by  the 
*'  Java,"  one  of  Cunard's  fastest  steamers,  and  enjoyed 
rest  and  quiet,  which  was  very  welcome  after  a  journey 
of  some  26,000  miles. 


lA 


to  FtwepoxjB  380 


90 


130     .^"^^ 


t-^ 


B 


-"  ^"''»    IS  '  A    i  -tall 


M^^r?: 


381 


INDEX. 

PAGE 

PAGE 

Adam's  Peak 

...  1G8 

Bintang,  Isle  of 201 

Adelsberg  Grotto... 

...     1 

Bombay     13,30 

Aden          

...    11 

Boro-Bodo             ...         ...  253 

Agra 

56-62 

Bower's  Grotto      ...         ...  370 

Ajanta  Temples  ... 

...     .37 

Brahmans,  The     85 

A  kbar,      Anecdote 

of, 

Brahmaputra         ...          ...     82 

and  Beer-Bull   . . . 

...     62 

Brinjari      ...          ...          ...   137 

Akbar,  Palace  of  ... 

...     61 

British  Rule  in  India       ...  157 

„     Tomb  of 

...     65 

Buddhist  Architecture 

Allahabad ... 

...     45 

73,  186,  253 

Ambarrawa 

...  258 

„     Religion,  74, 176,  292, 309 

Amritzar    ... 

...     72 

Buitenzorg             ...          ...  214 

Anarajapore 

...   185 

Bundh,  Ghaut       153 

Armadillo ... 

...   181 

Byjoonath...          ...          ...     87 

Art,  Ceylon 

167,  191 

„    China 

...  293 

Caisar's  Camp        ...          ...       4 

„    India            36, 

70,  90,  156 

Calcutta 93-6 

„    Japan 

334-338 

Canal,  Grand,  of  China     . . .  299 

„    Java  ... 

...  245 

Canton       284-304 

„      Flower  Boats  of    ...  303 

Babu-Budan 

...  131 

,,     Flower  Pagoda  of .. .  305 

Banca 

...  202 

Caste           _    ...     88 

Bangalore  ... 

108-12 

Cathohc  Mission  in  China      287 

Ban- j  ou-Birou 

...  260 

Ca^\Tipore  ...          ...          ...     45 

Batam,  Isle  of 

...  201 

Ceylon,  History  of           ...  163 

Batou-Toiilis 

...  225 

Chalukyas  Style  of  Archi- 

Batavia 

205-28 

tecture   ...          ...          ...101 

Belur 

...  122 

Champlin,  Lake 378 

Benares 

84-90 

Chicago      ...          ...          ...  375 

Bharbut     ... 

...     74 

Chinese  Family 286 

Bhore,  Ghaut 

...     27 

„      Repast       ...         ...  281 

382 


INDEX. 


Coffee  Culture  in  Ceylon 
India 


Java 


Colombo    ... 

Confucianism 

Conjeveram 

Conoor 

Cookoo,  Plaintive, 

Coolies 


PAGE 
179 

...  149 
,..  2GG 
,..  1(34 
,..  291 
...  99 
...  113 
...  134 
...  135 


Dacoitism  ...  ...  ...     41 

Dalada  Maligawa  Temple     174 

Daraboul 183 

Damios,  The,  of  Japan  312,  317 
Dehi-a  Doon  ...  ...     83 

Delhi  66-71 

Dinapore    ...  ...  ...      91 

Djokjo,  Sultan  of 246 

Djokjo-karta  ...         246-50 

„  „     Chateau  d'Eau  247 

„     Tombs  ...  248 

Dodabetta  Peak    ...  ...  113 

Dokhma  of  the  Parsees  ...  22 
Dravidian  Style  of  Ai'chitec- 

ture        ...  ...  ...     34 

Dutch  Policy  in  Java        262-70 


Earthquakes 
Elephanta  Island 
Ellora  Temples 
Everest,  Mount 

Fakirs 

Fauna  of  Ceylon 
,,         India 
,,         Java 
Fetish  AVorship 
Floating  Islands 
Flora  of  California 
„       Ceylon     .. 


224,  249 
15 
32 
81 

28 
189 
131 
223 
226 
204 
361 
172,  189 


214 


PACK 

Flora  of  China      301 

„       India   44,  54,  83,  109, 

121,  126,  130,  140,  145 

„       Japan       ...         ...  343 

„       Java  210,  219,220,  232 
„       The    Straits    274,  278 

Florikan 100 

Flycatcher,  Paradise         ...   132 
Formosa  Straits    ...  ...  305 

Fusi-yama...         ...         ...  323 

Futtehpore-Sikree  ...     65 


G-amalang ... 
G-alle,  Point  de     . . . 
Gripsies,  Brinjari  ... 
Colden  Temple     . . . 
Grunth,  The 

Halabid,  Temple  of 
Hakoni,  Lake 
Hara-kiru... 
Hassan 
Himalaya  ... 
Hindu  Architecture 

,,     Caste 

„     Cremation 

„     Religion 

,,     Sacrifice 
Hong-Kong 
Hudson  River 
Hyphasis  ... 


Indraput    ... 
Inland  Sea  of  Japan 


...  244 
...  122 
...  137 
...  72 
...  71 

...  123 

...  350 
...  339 
...  121 
...  80 
32-5, 101-4 
....  88 
...  22 
17,  85-9 
...  142 
279-83 
...  379 
...  75 

...  69 
...  306 


Jainism 
Japan,  History  of 
,,       Mikado  of 
Java,  Religious 
Javanese  Concert 


..75,155,156 
..      307,  310 

311 

226 

244 


INDEX. 


383 


PAGE 

PAGE 

Johore,  Maharajah  of 

...  273 

Massulah  Boat 

97 

„       Plantations 

...  274 

Matale       

183 

Jubbulpore 

39-44 

Mataram  Tombs  ... 

248 

Juggernauth 

...     93 

Matheran  Hills     ... 

21 

Jumma-Musjid 

...     68 

Merapi  Volcano    ... 

246 

Mercara     ... 

148 

Kadoe,   Province   of,  Java 

Minerals  in  Malay  Islands 

217 

2r 

32,  250 

Minto,  Port           

202 

Kaduganawa,  Ceylon 

...  169 

Moendoel  Ruins  ... 

253 

Kanagawa,  Japan 

...  316 

Mokha       

10 

Kanasawa,  Japan 

..  352 

Mongloot  Ruins  ... 

253 

Kandy 

170-5 

Mulain-giri  Peak 

131 

Karlee  Temple     ... 

..     26 

Mussoorie 

82 

Kaveri  River 

..  122 

Myanooshta  Springs 

347 

Koh-i-noor 

..     68 

Mysore 

118 

Kotwal,  The 

..  122 

„       Hill  Life  in        124-52 

Krakatau  ... 

..  224 

„       Maharajah  of 

120 

Kuttab  Minaret    ... 

..     69 

Kylas  Temple 

..     34 

Nautch,  Indian     ... 

90 

Neilghau  Cattle 

145 

Lahore 

..     72 

Neilgherry  Hills 

112 

Lamaism  ... 

..     75 

Newere  Ellia 

180 

Lingam  Worship  ... 

L7,  309 

New  York 

379 

Loess  Formation  in  Chin 

a    299 

Niagara  Falls 

377 

Lonins  of  Japan  . . . 

..  326 

Nicobar  Islands    ... 

194 

Loo-choo  Islands  ... 

..  309 

Nirvana     ... 

177 

Lucknow  ... 

47-55 

Ootacamund 

113 

Macao 

..  284 

Orthoptera  Cursoria 

202 

Madras 

97-9 

Magamendong  Peak 

..  225 

Pacific,  The           

356 

Magellmg 

..  257 

Palawan  Passage 

279 

Mahomedan  Architecture 

48 

Parsee,  Exposing  the  Dead 

22 

„           Funeral 

..     53 

,,       Marriage 

23 

„           Sects 

..     49 

,,       Religion 

22 

Malacca     

..  199 

, ,       Theatrical  Perform- 

Mangalore 

..  155 

ance     ... 

29 

Marble  Hills  near  Jubbu 

l1- 

Patau  Race,  The 

69 

pore 

..     44 

Patna 

91 

Mariposa  Mammoth  Tree 

s    361 

Pawn  CheAving     ... 

24 

384 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Pearl  Fishing       102 

Pearl  Moscjue,  Agra         ...  58 

Pedrotallagalla  Peak        ...  168 

Pei-Kyang  lliver              ...  284 

Penang      196 

Peradeniya            ...          ...  172 

Pollanarua             ...          ...  184 

Polyandrism          ...          ...  167 

Pondicherry          ...          ...  105 

Puri           93 

Eaden-Saleh,  Prince        ...  221 

Eamboda  Pass      ...         ...  180 

Ehio  Strait            201 

Eocky Mountains             ...  374 

Sacramento           ...         ...  371 

Saharunpore          ...          ...  83 

St.  Lawrence        ...         ...  378 

Salat  Tabrao,  Strait  of     ...  273 

Salt  Lake  City     372 

Samarang              ...          ...  230 

Samourai               ...          ...  313 

San  Francisco       ...          ...  359 

Sanpo  Eiver          ...          ...  82 

Saratoga  ...          ...         ...  379 

Secrote       90 

Siam,  King  of      ...          ...  271 

Sierra  Nevada       ...          ...  367 

Sikhs,  The            71 

Singapore  ...        199,271 

Singhalese,  The    ...          ...  166 

Sintuism    ...          ...          ...  307 

Siwalik  Hills        78 

Slamat  Volcano    ...         ...  229 


PAGE 

Soerakarta  . . .         234-44 

Soerakarta  Native  Durbar     238 
Solo,  Emperor  of  ...  ...  239 

Sugar  Culture  in  Java  . . .  267 
Sumatra 194,202 

Taouism 292 

Taj,  The 56 

Tea  Houses  in  Japan       ...  321 

Tea  Stores  in  Canton       . . .  302 

Thuggeeism          ...          ...  39 

Thuparame,  Temple         ...  186 

Tokaido  Road,  Japan       ...  317 

Two  Brothers,  Islands     ...  8 

Tycoon  of  Japan               . . .  312 

Umballa  7^ 

Yictoria  Peak,  Hong-Kong  279 

Wahabees  ...  49,50.92 
Wakaila  Valley,  Ceylon  ...  192 
Wall,  Great,  of  China  ...  298 
Whampao  Harbour  ...  284 

Yagache  River      ...  ...  122 

Yakonins  of  Japan  . . .  327 

Yamascas  ...  ...  319 

Yeddo       ...  _      ...         318-40 

„      Oki-Chibaya  Theatre  332 

,,      Temples  and  Tombs    327 

Yokohama  ...  ...     314 

Yokoska  Harbour  . . .  341 

Yoni  Worship  ...  17,333 
Yosemite  Valley  ...  ...  364 


385 


INDEX    TO    FLORA. 


Alamonda  graudijlom 
Aiiiarauf/zus  tricolor 
Amherstia  nobilis  ... 
Azalea  indica 


PAGE 

,  110 
110 
121 

,  343 


Bamboo,  Bambiisa  129,  173 

Banyan,  Ficits  indica      128,  215 

,,  Chinese,  Ficus  nit  id  a  301 
Bastard  Teak,  Comhretum  126 
Beech,    Indian,  Pongamia 

qlahra 128 

Betel-leaf-pepper,     Charica 

betel        24 

Blackwood,   Dalhergia   lati- 

folia       128,173 

Bo-tree,  Ficu8  religiosa  ...  188 
bracken,  Pteris  aquilina  ...  130 
Busri,  Can.  ...  ...   146 

Caladiuin   ...  ...  ...   110 

Camellia  japon ica  ...  ...   343 

Camphor,  hard,  Drijoha- 
lanops  aromatica  ...  203 

Camphor,  laurel,  Laurus 
camphora  . . .  301 

Cardomom,  Elettaria  carda- 
momum  ...         ...     143 

Castor  oil,  Rieinus  com- 
munis ...         ...         ...     129 

Cinchona,  C.  Calisaya,  and 
others     ...         ...         ...  152 


PAGE 

Cinnamon,  C.  zeilaiiicmn  ..  J  92 
Cloves,     Ca)\//op//f/llii-s    uro- 

maticus  ...          ...          . . .  ] 98 

Coca,  Erythroxylon            ...  26 

CoSee,  Cqffea  arabica        ...  149 
Convolvulus,      hedge,      C. 

Si/ I  cat  ica             ...          ...  143 

Coral  tree,  En/tJirina  indica 

126,  173 
Creepers      and      Climbers, 

Antigonum     ...          ...  110 

Acaiitl/if.s  hf'xacciifris...  110 

Bati-buel,  Can.          ...  140 

Bignonia  renusta        ...  110 

Bonetia           110 

Bougainvillea  spcctabilis  110 

Haggeri-buel,  Can.  ...  140 

Jack  Beau //ionfia        ...  110 

Passifora        110 

Pi/voria           ...          ...  110 

Thunbergia  lauri/olia...  110 
Creeper,     tree-like,     Butea 

superba  ...          ...          ...  182 

Croton        110 

Deodar,  Ccdrus  deodora    ...  82 

Dhak  tree,  Butea  frondosa  126 
Dragon      tree,      Dracaena 

draco      232 

Ebony,     Diospyros    ebenioii 

128,  173 

CO 


386 


INDEX    TO   FLORA. 


PAGE 

Elm,  Indian,  Uhnus  iii- 
tcprifoUa  ...  ...   143 

Emblic  myrabolans,  Phi/I- 
lantus  q/ficiiialis  ...  ...   130 

Exile  tree.  The  vet  ia  neriifoUa  111 

Fern  tree,  Ahophila  ht fi- 
brosa    ...         ...         173,216 

Flamboyant,  Pousiana      ...   121 
Fruit,  Ali-hanno,  Can.     ...   128 
Breadfruit,  Artocar- 

puH  incisa  ...  219 

Custard-apple,  ^>/owa 

squamosa  127,  219 

Dorian,  Dorio   z/'bc- 

tJiinus     ...  ...   127 

Fig,  Ficus  raricn   ...  219 
G[uavsx,Ps///iK})i////i-i- 

fenim      ...       ^4,219 
Jack-fruit,   Arfocar- 

pidi  inferjrifoUa  ...   127 
Jamboo,        Jamhosa 

f  a  I  (jar  is  ...   197 

Kaita,  Persca  gratis- 
ima        ...         ...      54 

Kamarek,  A  ra  i  •>  -It  oa 

caravihola  ...     55 

Lime,  Citrus  acida      143 
Longan,    JV/'p/ie/iinn 

lonrput.     ...  ...  220 

Loquat,     Eriohotrija 

japonim  ...         ...  219 

Lychee,    N(pheUnni 

Utclii       283 

Mango,      Manyifera 

indica      ...  ...   127 

Mangosteen,   Garci- 

nia  mangostana  ...  219 
Orange,   Citrus  aur- 

aiitium    ...         ...  220 


PAGE 

Fruit,  Papaw,  Carica  papai/a  220 
Pine-apple,  Bromelia 

ananas    ...         ...  219 

Plantain,  Musapara- 

disiaca     ...         ...  143 

Pomaloe,  Citruspara- 

disi         220 

Pomegranate,  Punica 

rjranatum  ...  219 

Pambutan,     NejyJie- 

liuni  ramhufdn  ...  189 
Poselle,  Hibiscus  san- 

dariffa     140 

Grambeer,    Uncaria    rjambir  274 
Gramboge,   Garcinia  morella 

129,  274 
Gingelli,  Scsamum  indicum    128 
Gringer,  Zingiber  officinale       154 
G-oney,  Can.  ...  ...  146 

Grutta-pereha,        Isonandra 
gutta      275 

Hibiscus  indicus     ...  ...   112 

,,       Sijriacus  ...   110 

Howligay,  Can.  ...   146 

Hgdrangea  hortensis  ...  343 

Illupie,  Bassia  Jongifolia   . . .   129 
India-rubber,    Ficus      elas- 

tica^         Ill 

Iris,  pink,  Iris  sisyrkynehium  143 
Iron  wood,  Mesua  ferrea    ...  174 
Ixora  butea  ...  ...   110 

Ixora  Cochin-China  ...   154 

Jarool,    Lagerstroemia    re- 

gince        173 

Jasmin,      Cape,     Gardenia 
I       iiorida 145 


INDEX   TO   FLORA. 


387 


PAGE 

Judas  tree,  Cercis  siliquas- 
trum       83 

Laburnum,  Indian,  Cassia 
fistula 130 

Lacquer  tree,  i2/«<s  vernici- 
fera        336,  343 

M-ohviO,,  Bassia  hitifolia  ...  129 
Malacca     Cane,      Calamus 

scqnonum  ...         ...  278 

Marigold,  Calendula  suffru- 

ticosa      ...         ...         ...  136 

Moordilla,         Barringtonia 

speciosa  ...         ...  126 

Mulberry,    Moms    ^mpi/ri- 

fern        341 

Nutmeg,  Mi/ristica  moschata 

198,  275 

Orchidce     ...         ...         ...  216 

Pagoda  tree,  Plumieria  acu- 
minata   ...         ...         ...  126 

Palms,  Arcca  catechu        ...   172 
Cabbage,  Areca  ole- 

racea       ...  ...   173 

Cocoa-nut,         Cocos 

nucifcra  ...  128,  173 
Date,  Phwn  ix  dactijti- 

fera         128 

Palmyra,      Borassus 

flabelUformis  126,  172 
Sago,  Sar/us  loevis  275 
Stemless  Date,  P/m- 

nix  acauJis  . . .  128 

Taliput,Co;'?//;/^(7  um- 

hracnlifera  ...   172 

Toddy,  Phoenix    syl- 

restris    ...       128,  146 


PAGE 

Palms,  Travellers,      Raven- 
ala     madarjascari- 
ensis        ...  ...   172 

Penang  Lawyer,  Licualapel- 

tata         197 

Pepper,  black.  Piper  nigrum  21  A: 
Pine,  Chinese,  Pinus  sinensis  301 
„     Japanese,  Cnjptomeria 
japonica  ...  ...  343 

Pitcher  plants.  Nepenthes  216 
Plumbago,  Statice  armeria    110 

Poinsetfia  110 

Portia,  Thespasia  populnea  109 
Pyrus,  Cydonia  japonica   ...  343 

Ram-til,  Guizotea  oleifera  129 
Pasimala,           Liquidamhar 

astingaria  ...  ...  216 

Pattan,  Calamus  rotang  ...  278 
Rose,  evergreen,  Posa  sem- 

jjcrvirens  ...  ...  143 

Roselle,  Hibiscus  sardariffa  140 

Safflower,   Cavthanms  tine- 

torius      ...         ...         ...   129 

Sandal-wood,  Sanfalum 

album     ...  ..         ...  128 

Sarsaparilla,  Smilax  ojficin- 

alix         ...  ...  ...  354 

Satin-wood,         Chloroxylon 

swietenia  ...  ...   128 

^cr&vf  Vine,  Panda n us  ...  129 
Sebestan      Plum,       Cordia 

sebestina ...  ...  ...   110 

Silk-cotton     tree,     Bombax 

malabaricum       ...  ...   127 

Snow   j)lant,  Sarcodes   sa)i- 

guinea     ...         ...         ...  362 

Soy-bean,  Dolichos-soja  . . .  343 
Sterculia  fcetida      ...  ...   127 

CC   2 


388 


INDEX   TO   FLORA. 


PAGE 

Sugar-cane,  Sacchanim  offi- 
cinaruin ...  275 

Tallow        tree,       StiUhigia 
scbifcra  ...  ...  ...   301 

Tamarind,    T<()i)(tniidHs   iii- 

(Uca         130 

Tapioca,  Mmiihot  ntilissinm    270 
Teak,  Trctona  (jrandin    128,  173 
Tulip      tree,     Liriodetidron 
tnUp'ifo'a  ...  ...  232 


PAGE 

Varnish  tree,  Dyandra  cor- 
datn        301 

Vegetable-wax  tree,  Rhus 
Hucccdanea  ...         ...  343 


Water-lily,  Victoria  rcgia  216 
Wellingtonia,    Sequoia    gi- 

<ia)itea,    ...  ...  ...  361 

Widaria  sinensis    ...  ...  343 


XJi^SLS,  tree,  Ant/a ris  foxicaria  251       Ziiniia 


143 


Henderson,  Rait,  &  Spalding,  General  Printers,  3  and  5,  Marylebone  Lane,  London,  W. 


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