'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
We expect to be at Monghir to-morrow morning, whence I can send this. We
passed through some pretty scenery yesterday; but it is all over now, I
am afraid, and we shall see nothing but flat plains till we arrive at
Simla.
CHAPTER II.
The Ganges, Saturday, Nov. 4, 1837.
I sent off my Journal to you the day before yesterday from Monghir. We
arrived there early on Thursday morning, and G. found there were so many
people there whom he ought to see, and we saw so many objects that were
tempting to sketch, that he agreed to remain there all day. All the
English residents, _six_ in number (and that is what they call a large
station), came on board immediately, and amongst them Mr. D., Lord S.'s
son. I thought he had been married a month ago, but it appears he
prefers being married in a regular clerical fashion, and is waiting for
the bishop, who is travelling about marrying and confirming and
christening, and who is to be at Monghir in ten days.
We landed at half-past three, in a covered boat, with umbrellas, &c.,
and went straight to a tent, where the Resident had collected all the
Monghir manufactures for our inspection; but it is impossible to buy
anything, as what is to become of it in camp? Otherwise, the inlaid
tables and boxes were tempting, and there was the prettiest dolls'
furniture possible, tables, and cane-chairs, and sofas, and footstools,
of such curious workmanship. The vehicles of the place, amounting to
four _buggies_ (that is a foolish term for a cabriolet, but as it is the
only vehicle in use in India, and as buggy is the only name for said
vehicle, I give it) and a bullock cart, were assembled for our use.
We drove off to Seetakund, where there is a hot spring--a thing I never
believed in; I thought the water might be a little warm, just the chill
taken off, but it was impossible to keep one's finger in this even for a
moment, and it was the most beautiful, clear-looking basin of water, so
blue and bright. The drive there was a real refreshment; it is the first
time for two years I have felt the carriage going _up hill_ at all, and
this was not a simple slope, but a good regular hill. Then we came to
some genuine rocks--great bleak, grey stones, with weeds growing between
them, and purple hills in the distance. I felt better directly.
We all sketched away, and did not come back till it was dusk.
Altogether, it was a nice scrambling, homelike expedition, if I had not
come back with such a bad headache. But, though I did, I liked Monghir,
and respect J. for having organised such a good day.
Patna, Sunday, Nov. 5.
Here we are, in such a comfortable house, I never saw the like, and very
cool and pleasant it is.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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