'Up the Country': Letters Written to Her Sister from the Upper Provinces of IndiaEden, Emily
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'Up the Country': Letters Written to Her Sister from the Upper Provinces of India
Eden, Emily
Eden, Emily, 1797-1869 -- Correspondence; India -- Description and travel
The wind is so high, it blew us on another bank to-day, and upset all
the furniture. It was just like being at sea, and the river is so full
of sand-banks, we have anchored till the wind goes down. I wish it would
only mind what it is about, for it is uncommonly cool and pleasant, if
it would only be a thought less violent.
Friday, Feb. 21.
Nothing of the other steamer. The 'Duke of Buccleuch' has been lost off
the sand-banks, the passengers all saved, but I expect my box of
clothes, which was to come this month, was in her. She has generally
brought boxes for us. We were aground again for three hours to-day, and
the Hindus all went on shore to cook their dinners; but the wind was so
high they could not make the fire burn, and the captain called them back
just as their dinners were half-cooked. It makes them wretched, poor
people! A Hindu will only cook once in twenty-four hours, and then, if
any accident happens, if a dog, or a Christian touches their food, or
even passes too near it, they throw it all away and go without. Our
Hindus would not try to cook again to-night when we came to anchor, and
they may not eat in a boat.
Saturday, Feb. 22.
We stopped at Monghyr to-day for coals. We found plenty of letters
there. G. says it will be quite necessary for W. O. to go to China; but
there will be nothing for the troops to do, so that he may return in
four months, and will just escape the hot season. My poor box _is_ at
the bottom of the sea. Cockerell and Co. have signified as much to G.,
and they think there was also a box for F. I particularly grudge the
gown Lady G. worked for me. I was wishing to see it so much. It is an
inconvenient loss, for if we arrive on Saturday, as we expect, I shall
have no bonnet to go to church in on Sunday, and I have been embittering
my loss by reading over M. E.'s list of pretty things. However, if one
is to have a loss, a box of clothes is the most reparable, and I must
try to fit myself out at Calcutta for the rest of the time we are in
India. This shipwreck will be my 'Caleb Balderstone's' great fire; much
shabbiness may be excused thereby. The second steamer came in just as we
left Monghyr, but not in time for us to speak to any of them.
Wednesday, Feb. 26.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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