Mary Roxburgh, daughter of Dr William Roxburgh, superintendent of the Calcutta Botanical Garden, must indeed have been beautiful: she was the great-great-great grandmother of the actress Helena Bonham Carter.
As Eleanor continues:
Early in October, we accompanied Capt. B— B—, by
invitation to the botanic garden where we dined with a very agreeable party, and
spent a pleasant day. The doctor’s daughter, Miss [Mary Roxburgh], was an accomplished
beautiful girl, lately arrived from England, who afterwards married Mr. [Henry
Stone], a civilian. We also met Dr. G—, who proposed sending some children home
with us.
In our walks through the gardens, the wonderful
banyan-tree most attracted my notice, whose pendent branches had taken root in
several places, and supported the immense weight of the spreading canopy above.
If I were botanist enough, I should attempt to describe many other plants, but
my treacherous memory could not retain one-hundredth part of those the doctor
was so kind as to point out. In the evening we crossed over from the gardens
and came up by land. The ride through Fort William is beautiful; had it not
been for the number of cannon and troops I should have thought it was some
gentleman’s enclosure; every thing appeared in excellent order, and deer and
sheep were grazing on the banks and trenches.
We were told that Lord Mornington intended to have a
superb palace built to the south of the city, facing the fort, which no doubt,
when finished, will be a great ornament to Calcutta. St. John’s church is an
elegant light building, and well adapted to the climate.
We had often been invited to visit the school at
Kidderpore. It is an institution for the natural daughters of officers of the
army, who are unable to maintain them. By allowing a small sum from their
monthly pay, they may have them placed in the school, where they are clothed
and well educated; they are allowed to remain there as long as their friends
think proper. We were much gratified with the regularity and order observed.
Mr. [Richard Thomas Burney], the head-master, is a most worthy man, and, as
well as the mistress, is much respected. It happened to be the dancing evening,
when the children are allowed to stand up with gentlemen invited by the
school-mistress. During this time tea was served to the visitors, who generally
retired at an early hour in the evening. The scholars are young ladies of
colour, but many of them form very good connexions, in spike of the endeavours
of the present governor-general to prevent marriage between them and young men
in the service.
Although it is said that this city contains upwards
of half a million of inhabitants, I question if one twentieth part of that
number occupy brick dwellings. So little serves the natives for shelter, that a
few rupees are sufficient to purchase materials to erect a house for a large
family; these huts, however, composed of mats and grass sticks, occasion much
misery in the fires, which are but too frequent here. During our stay a fire
happened, which in a few hours deprived upwards of ten thousand poor creatures
of shelter, and several of life. It is said that this suffering if often
purposely inflicted by wretches who deal in the materials. About a week after
the fire, we drove past the place, and were surprised to find the ground nearly
covered with new huts. The wants of these people, particularly the Hindoos, are
few. A piece of cloth loosely thrown over the body, and another rolled round
the head as a turban, constitutes their wardrobe. Their food consists of rice
and vegetables, which they make into curries: this simple fare, with water, is
all the luxury they require.
I had an opportunity of witnessing that deplorable
fanaticism for which they are so celebrated. This was the time of their grand
festival, for regaining their castes, and other ceremonies. I was surprised by
the Sircar one day asking me to allow the Materanny (the woman who swept the
house) to regain her caste. I told him I had no objection, and that she might
perform any ceremonies she pleased, provided her place was supplied. Three days
after this, the woman presented herself, having cords passed through the flesh
covering the ribs. There were a number of frantic looking men before and
behind, some of whom held the cords while she danced backwards and forwards,
drawing them through the wounded part at every movement, at the same time
laughing and singing to the noise of their uncouth music. I was so much
disgusted by the exhibition that I dismissed her.
This however was nothing
compared to the ceremony of swinging, which I afterwards saw at a place called
the “Bita Connah.” This is a wide road, in which three posts were placed at
angles across the top, where they met a long beam, which rested upon a pivot;
this could be swung round at pleasure, by means of ropes managed by those
below. To the extreme ends of the pole, or beam, were affixed by ropes several
iron hooks, which were thrust into the naked back under the shoulders of the
devotee, who is then raised into the air and swung round many times; in the
meanwhile he throws down flowers, and other things to the gazing and admiring
multitude, with the greatest apparent indifference. This was performed by many
men and women while we remained. We returned home, disgusted and distressed at
the superstition and ignorance of these poor people; the streets were crowded
with them, and wherever we turned our eyes, some spectacle of fanaticism
presented itself. Some having cords passed in through their sides, in the way I
have described, others had a long iron spit through the tongue, left to remain
there for a certain time by way of expiation; but I shall not attempt a
description of all the acts prompted by this atrocious enthusiasm. The horrid
noise of their tom-toms, and other barbarous instruments playing before the
different processions and idols in the streets, made it a great relief to our
party to get out of the crowd and retire home.
We had invitations to several “nautches,” or grand entertainments
given by Rajahs and rich natives, in honor of their idols. We attended one of
these, which fully satisfied our curiosity. I think the name of the chief who
entertained his friends at this nautch was Rajah Nup Kessein. When we entered
his house, we were struck by the blaze of light and the number of guards,
&c. in attendance. In the principal hall the first objects that attracted
our notice were their three deities, Bramah, Vishnu, and Sheevah; they were
large gilded wooden figures, most frightfully formed. We were told these these
people admit no converts to their idolatrous worship, for none but those born
Hindoos, and strictly adhering to their laws and ceremonies, will be retained
amongst them; the slightest deviation is sufficient to render them outcasts.
We were received with politeness by the Rajah and
sprinkled with rose water. After we were seated sweetmeats were handed round,
and the dancing and singing girls began their performance; but the whole
exhibition appeared to us most stupid and inanimate. The tricks of jugglers,
sword eaters, &c. formed part of the evening’s entertainment. We left this
scene at 10 o’clock, and were all very glad to return home.
No comments:
Post a Comment