'Up the Country': Letters Written to Her Sister from the Upper Provinces of India — John Shaqi
'Up the Country': Letters Written to Her Sister from the Upper Provinces of IndiaEden, Emily
History
'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
Yesterday we made an expedition to Mirzapore, the great carpet
manufactory. We left the camp at a quarter before six, by torchlight,
and went nine miles across the country to Mirzapore, leaving the camp to
pursue its own straight road. We found the usual assortment of
magistrates, judges, collectors, &c. &c., with boats, carriages, and
tonjauns: crossed the river; landed G., who went off to see the jail
and manufactories. We stuck to the boat to draw a most beautiful ghaut,
a mass of temples and carving. When that was done, we went to see the
house of a rich native, every inch of which is painted in arabesques,
all done by native artists, and very curious. Then we saw the town, and
then went to the house of Mr. K., the magistrate, where there was all
the society of the place--thirty gentlemen and one lady--and we got some
breakfast at ten, when we were on the point of perishing. The excellent
Mr. K., like an upright judge as he is, had made out a dressing-room
with two sofas and books, and every comfort, for F. and me. Major L. was
at luncheon: he is the man who has taken most of the Thugs, and he told
me such horrid stories of them. The temple at which they dedicate
themselves to the goddess of destruction is in this town. The Thugs
offer human sacrifices there whenever they can procure them. We left
Mirzapore at four, and overtook our camp at six. It looked pretty by
torchlight. We moved on another ten miles this morning, but, where we
are, I cannot precisely tell you. I think it sounds like Gugga Gange; at
all events, that is as good as the real word.
CHAPTER VI.
Camp near Allahabad, Nov. 30, 1837.
I sent off one journal to you two days ago from a place that, it since
appears, was called Bheekee. Yesterday we started at half-past five, as
it was a twelve miles' march, and the troops complain if they do not
get in before the sun grows hot, so we had half an hour's drive in the
dark, and F. rode the last half of the way. I came on in the carriage,
as I did not feel well, and one is sick and chilly naturally before
breakfast. Not but that I like these morning marches; the weather is so
English, and feels so wholesome when one is well. The worst part of a
march is the necessity of everybody, sick or well, dead or dying,
pushing on with the others. Luckily there is every possible arrangement
made for it. There are beds on poles for sick servants and palanquins
for us, which are nothing but beds in boxes. I have lent mine to Mrs. C.
G. and I went on an elephant through rather a pretty little village in
the evening, and he was less bored than usual, but I never saw him hate
anything so much as he does this camp life. I have long named my tent
'Misery Hall.' F. said it was very odd, as everybody observed her tent
was like a fairy palace.
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