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1851-1852. DUBLIN TO WUZZEERABAD
ioth Foot—International
Exhibition—Sail for India—Incidents—Battened downChinsurah again—S
underbunds—Purbootpore--Kurumnassa—Incidents of the river trip—By Grand
Trunk Road—hospitable Brahmins—Louis Napoleon - Deobund - Saharunpore—
Jugadree—Uznballah—Noormahal - Loodianah - Ferozeshah—Ferozepore—Lahore---Googeranwallah—Arrive
at regimental head. quarters.
AMONG regiments stationed
throughout the Punjab, then but recently annexed, was the 10th Foot, to
which, by exchange,'I was now appointed. Towards that province I
accordingly started without delay. Arrived in London, we visited the
great novelty of that day, the palace of glass situated in Hyde Park, in
which was held the International Exhibition, progenitor of a long series
as it was destined to be. No time was lost in completing arrangements
for the coming sea voyage in so far as restricted pecuniary means
permitted. Early in June we embarked on board the Lord George Ben/luck,
I in charge of troops; some hours thereafter the ship was under sail and
away.
Among the incidents of
our voyage these were recorded at the time of their occurrence; namely,
some of our crew drunk and insubordinate, others impertinent; recruits
undisciplined; junior officers unacquainted with duties required of
them. In a quarrel between soldier and sailor the knife was used,
fortunately without fatal result. The death-roll included one child, a
soldier who in delirium tremens jumped overboard, another who
accidentally fell into the sea during a squall at night,— his
death-scream, as he fell, most painful to hear.
Far away in southern
latitudes we experienced a hurricane such as occur from time to time in
those regions. Ten days and nights it continued to rage; hatchways
battened down; men, women, and children confined 'tween decks, deprived
to a great degree of light rand air, their food and drink handed to and
passed from each to other as best could be under the circumstances;
decks washed from stem to stern by heavy seas, the ship running before
the wind; sky so thick that "sights" were impracticable, and so our
exact position left conjectural for the time being. This, added to
experiences already mentioned, was the kind of initiation into the
rougher side of military life to which my wife was subjected; she
herself in delicate health, our infant son severely ill, his "nurse" a
young untrained woman, the wife of a recruit.
The sea voyage ended, our
detachment was conveyed by steam-boat and flats to Chinsurah, as on a
former occasion when transit was by means of country boats. Within a few
days after arrival there, cholera attacked our young recruits, many of
whom, as also the wives of some among them, fell victims. The sudden
death of our child's nurse was the first shock and trying experience his
mother had to face in India.
Starting on November 1,
again by steamer and flats, our route was by the Sunderbunds to reach
the main stream of the Ganges. A week previous that region was swept
over by storm wave and hurricane, by which several ships, among them the
steamer Powerful were wrecked. Two days were occupied in passing along
the narrow creeks that intersect the partially submerged forest tract, a
thousand miles in superficial extent, to which the name of Sunderbunds
is given. At the end of that time we are in the Ganges.
Time passed without
special incident. Arrived at Purbootpore, a village on the left bank of
the river, the place was interesting only as being the locality where,
on August 11, 1852, the Moolraj of Mooltan died, and was burned in
accordance with Hindoo rites. He it was who instigated, in April, 1848,
the murder of Vans Agnew and Anderson, and headed the revolt which led
to the siege and capture of that fortress by British forces, and proved
to be the first act in the second Sikh war of that year. The Moolraj was
for upwards of two years detained as a political prisoner at Calcutta;
his health having given way, Government sanctioned his transfer to
Allahabad, and while on his way thither death overtook him.
Not far from Buxar we
passed the point of junction between the river Kurumnassa and the
Ganges. The former stream is by good Hindoos held accursed, so that to
touch its water is to them pollution. This reputation, however, would
seem to be of modern date,—namely, October 23, 1764, when the forces of
Mir Cossim were defeated by those under Major Munro; pursued by them to
that river, in which many of them perished. It was a similar occurrence
in 1826 on the part of the Ashantees at Acromant that gave to that place
in Guinea the name of "accursed," by which it was known during my period
of service there.
In some respects our
river voyage was pleasant; the cool dry air, the incidents of each day
including walks on shore, the peculiarities of village life along the
banks, the "fleets" and single craft we met, became, in turn, sources of
interest to us. As this the dry season advanced, the size of the once
mighty stream diminished, shoals became numerous, boats ran aground,
delay and other inconvenience the consequences. On one such occasion
several recruits from the particular boat concerned, started away
clandestinely in the shallow water to indulge in the luxury of a river
bath. Suddenly a scream was heard; two of their number disappeared;
whether engulphed in a quicksand, or carried away by a crocodile, no one
could tell.
Our river journey ended
at Allahabad. Thence our progress was to be by march along the Grand
Trunk Road. A short halt was permitted to enable officers to purchase
such camp equipment and stores as pecuniary means were equal to. Early
in December we marched out of the—to me—familiar place. Nine days
thereafter, arrived at Cawnpore, the terrible story in connection with
which was in the not distant future. Here my wife had her first
experience of one of those violent whirlwind storms whose distinctive
name is taken from the locality; her surprise great on seeing some
tents, articles of clothing, etc., drawn up and disappearing in the
meteor.
At Kullianpore I found my
way into the enclosure of a Hindoo temple. Great was my surprise at the
offer of hospitality by the priests connected with it, they being in the
act of partaking of a meal as I entered, the particular dish called "phillouree."
Of it accordingly I partook; but the incident seemed to indicate that
then at least my hosts entertained no religious horror against the
European.
Arrived at Meerut, the
Overland Express brought news that Louis Napoleon having the army on his
side has carried all before him, dissolved the ministry and courts of
law; has thrown himself on the people, and intimated his readiness to be
designated by any title they may decide upon giving him." The next act
in the drama so announced was soon to come.
Deobund was soon reached.
There took place, in 1827, the last suttee permitted under public
sanction. Since that date the practice has been officially suppressed,
though it has been stated that isolated instances have clandestinely
occurred. On the former suttee ground stood in its centre a temple; a
series of small minarets of peculiar device indicate spots on which
immolation of widows had taken place. The priests readily admitted us to
the threshold of the shrine, but, unlike their brethren already
mentioned, offered no food. In the neighbouring grove, numerous
baboons—representatives of Humayon, the monkey god—chattered and made
grimaces at us.
At Saharunpore a visit
was paid to the Botanic Gardens. The excellence of their arrangement and
management seemed to merit the eulogies bestowed upon them, a centre as
they are from which plants are distributed throughout India, and to
various European countries. The process of acclimatization was
particularly interesting; so also was the care with which plants of
temperate climates were being arranged and packed for dispatch to hill
sanatoria in the Himalayas, there to remain throughout the coming hot
season. It was a somewhat strange thing to see a daisy being thus
nursed.
At Jugadree the
detachment, its stores and equipment, crossed the Jumna, there so
divided by shoals and islands as in effect to be four different rivers.
Across the first the men waded at an hour so early that dawn had not
appeared; the second and third were passed by means of bridges of boats
such as are common on Indian rivers; over the fourth a bridge had been
erected, so elegant in construction as to claim general admiration.
Through its arches rushed currents of sparkling water, in the eddies and
shallower parts of which were seen fish rising to flies; along the banks
grew willow, acacia, and wild fig trees, the adjoining fields rich with
well-irrigated crops of wheat. In the far distance rose above the haze
of morning the snowy peaks of Himalayah.
Arrived at Umballah,
headquarters of the Sirhind Division, a short halt was made, according
to the custom of the time, for the double purpose of repairing equipage
and exchanging draught animals where necessary. According also to the
custom of the time, some of our number were invited to partake of
friendly hospitality by officers stationed there.
Continuing, northward
from Umballah were seen ruined remains of pillars raised by order of
Jehangir to mark the halting places of Noor Jehan, otherwise Noor Mahal,
on her journey from Delhi to Lahore. Those remains seemed to occur at
intervals of six to eight miles, representing the length of each daily
journey of that Chere Reine.
Loodianah had an interest
in that, during a severe cyclone some years previous, portions of
barracks occupied by the 50th Regiment were blown down, several men
being killed in the catastrophe, besides many injured. In the first
Punjab war the Sikhs made a rush upon the station, set fire to and
destroyed various bungalows and other buildings within it. Further
depredations by them were checked by their defeat at AliwaI by Sir Harry
Smith.
Arrived at Kool, the
position occupied by the army of Tej Singh preparatory to the battle at
Ferozeshah, we mounted elephants and so rode to the field of that
disastrous victory of December 21 and 22, 1845. Our ride for five miles
was across open flat country, covered here and there by acacia bushes,
occasional patches of cultivation occurring as we proceeded, the crops
consisting of wheat and grain (dolichos). The village of Ferozeshah,
half concealed by groves, had yet some remains of entrenchments and
batteries, behind and on which the Sikh guns were placed. Along the
ground for a considerable distance in front of that position lay
scattered and bleached by six years' exposure bones of gallant men,
chiefly of the 62nd Regiment, for here it was that so many of them were
swept away on the first of those eventful days. Of our small party there
was one who had shared the risks and "glory" of that battle, and now
pointed out the several positions occupied by the opposing forces.
Ferozepore, for many
years the frontier station, ceased to be so when, after the battle of
Sobraon, British occupation of the Punjab took place. At one time a
sandy plain, it had become beautified by ornamental trees and shrubs,
and in other respects somewhat attractive in appearance.
Crossing in its near
proximity the Sutlej—Hesudrus of the time of Alexander—we were within
the territory of the Punjab—Panch-ab, or "Five Rivers." Five more
marches and we encamped close to Lahore, capital city of that province;
our camp pitched on ground where in former times had stood cantonments
of troops in pay of Runjeet Singh. In near vicinity stood houses of
British officials, some tombs and mosques, one of the latter transformed
into an English church.
Arrived on the right bank
of the Ravee (Hydraotis), our camp occupied ground close to the tomb of
Jehangir, and not far from that of his empress Noor Jehan, "Light of the
World," whose romantic history interested some of our number, if not
all. Thence to Goojeranwallah, birthplace of Runjeet, "Lion of the
Punjab," and anciently the Buddhistic capital of the province. In recent
times the camp ground has obtained unpleasant notoriety, it being so
infected with poisonous snakes that a new site for that purpose has been
selected.
Ten months' travel by sea
and land, I joined the regiment into which, hoping thereby to advance my
own prospects and position, it had cost me so much in means and personal
trouble to exchange. Having done so, the occasion seemed opportune to
take stock, as it were, of that position. At the date in question
regimental appointments in India had their market value, according to
their several kinds, and the period still unrun of service in that
country. That of my own position was reckoned at £100 for each year so
before us; thus my exchange cost six and a half times that amount, in
addition to which the cost of passage, added to other unavoidable
expenses, placed me on the debit side to the extent of £1,180, all of
which, having had to be "raised" as best I could, was an incubus to be
got rid of with the least practicable delay. [Although anticipating the
order of this narrative, the fact may be stated in this place that, by
the aid of my dear wife and her patient submission to curtailment of
luxuries and even necessities, pecuniary obligations were cleared off
within eighteen months. As we shall see, troubles of other kinds arrived
against which it became most difficult to bear up.] |
