88

THE RIVER HOOGHLY.

CHAPTER XLIII.

Voyage to Calcutta-Enter the River Hooghly-Approach to the City -The Rev. James Hill-Visiting various Places-Archdeacon Corrie -Female Orphan School-The Black Town-Fort William-Museum of the Asiatic Society-Town Hall-Visit to the Episcopal Clergy-The Palanquin-Ramohun Roy-Intensity of the Heat-Bishop's College-Botanical Garden-Banyan-trees-Visit to Serampore -Dr. Carey and his Colleagues-A Temple of Juggernaut-Mahommedan Mosque-Baptist College--Return to Calcutta--Bridal Pageant-Bullocks--Mr. Trawin, at Kidderpore-Dancing Serpents -Docility and Sagacity of Elephants-Kalee Ghaut-Swinging-machinę.

March 11. HAVING, by invitation, visited the governor, who was not at home on our first landing, but who now received us with great kindness, we prepared to sail for Calcutta, by the Danish brig Pearl, captain Bendichson, burthen three hundred tons. This afternoon we embarked accordingly, after taking leave of our esteemed missionary friends, and other respectable residents who have shown us many civilities.

April 15. Our log-book records nothing remarkable since we left Pinang on the 12th ult. We have, indeed, suffered a little from heat and scarcity of water, but on the whole have been graciously brought on our way through squalls, and calms, and favorable gales. We are now entering the river Hooghly, a branch of the Ganges. The channel is about five miles wide, the land on either side very flat, with many stunted trees, of variegated foliage, among which the fan-palm rises with superior grace, though to no considerable height. The population must be very dense; innumerable native dwellings appear on every hand, principally in villagegroups, and under clumps of trees, for the benefit of the shade. Small herds of buffaloes are seen grazing on the banks of the river, and a few land-birds have visited the rigging of our vessel.

April 16. We left behind us the mouths of several fine streams, which flow into the main river from the westward; and safely crossed the dangerous sands called the James and Mary, from the name of a ship formerly cast away there. The Hooghly, now become a narrower, is yet a noble river, about half a mile broad; the level country on its banks as

APPROACH TO CALCUTTA.

89

suming a richer vegetable hue, while the multitude and proximity of hamlets and small towns perceptibly increase as we advance inland. The villas of European residents also begin to appear, and add a new feature of elegance to Indian landscape. As we were sailing in view of the government botanical garden, a spectacle truly Hindoo, for the first time, caught our attention;—a human carcass floating down the current, with ravenous vultures standing upon it, and tearing the flesh from the bones, which were already half stripped, the ribs on one side being completely bare, and seen above the water. Other dead bodies we observed lying on the beach, all in charge of the vultures, hawks, and adjutantcranes, who were eagerly preying upon them.

Now the far-famed city of Calcutta burst upon our sight with imposing grandeur, from its vast extent and the magnificent style of its buildings, though situated upon a plain so flat, that those only along the banks of the river can be seen. On the right is a spacious dock-yard, with several large ships upon the stocks in it, where, though it is the Lord's day, all hands are at work—as if the proprietor were not a Christian, and the world of business must no more stand still, than the earth in its orbit, on the Sabbath. A little above stands the vast and formidable fortress, Fort William, though very low, according to our notions, for such defence. From within rises the observatory, a column-like structure, of great elevation; near which appears a new church, of florid Gothic architecture, not quite finished. Further on we were shown the government-house, with its goodly dome, and many other sumptuous buildings, all of brick, but handsomely stuccoed. The harbor seemed crowded with ships, among which were two steam-vessels from England. Having come to anchor, we were glad to land, and hasten to the house of our friend, the Rev. James Hill, of Union Chapel, which we had some difficulty to find, amidst such a labyrinth of masonry as we had entered into. We were carried through the streets in palanquins, with four bearers to each. Well may Calcutta be called a city of palaces. Mr. Hill and his excellent wife received us with Christian affection, for His sake, whose we are, and whom we wish to serve, and for the sake of that great and good Society, which we, however unworthily, represent. We had the happiness to attend public worship in the evening, at Mr. Hill's chapel, where he preached to a respectable

90

APPEARANCE OF THE CITY.

congregation of about two hundred persons, the largest that we have seen for a long time.

April 17. Few cities in the world will strike an untravelled stranger from England, on his first arrival, with more astonishment than Calcutta. Wide streets, reaching for miles; numberless mansions, of the most superb architecture, in general standing apart at short distances-all with flat roofs and parapets; the singular physiognomy, costume, and manners of its Oriental population; the pomp and variety of equipages, native and foreign, in the streets; the number, rank, and character of European residents,―civil, military, and commercial; these, with the inseparable ideas of multitude and immensity, associated with every thing that he sees or hears of in connection with society and its pursuits here, will, for a time, overwhelm and bewilder him. Perhaps, however, nothing will strike him as more singular, in the midst of a populous city, than to hear, when he awakes in the morning, the cawing of innumerable rooks, and the chattering of jackdaws, with which the air resounds, like the perpetual murmur of waves

"Over some wide-water'd shore."

Nor, when he walks the streets, will he be less surprised to observe the tameness of these birds, hopping to and fro, and picking up what they like, under the feet of passengers; while vultures and kites, with keener eyes, and from higher stations, are looking out for carrion-prey, on which, when they find it, they alight at once, flap their wings, and rend it in open day, on the spot where it has fallen. Above all, the beauty and majesty of the adjutant-cranes (fowls of gigantic şize, perched upon palace-roofs, where they rather resemble ornamental sculptures than living birds) will seem to delude his senses into a persuasion that he has been transported into the world of dreams or enchantment, where a new order of nature exists. But here, as every where else, wonder is a brief and transient emotion, and all these strangenesses will soon resolve themselves into common-places. In fact, the impunity which birds of prey enjoy is a necessary provision for the health and comfort of human society, in a climate and a place where life and death are so frequently in contact, that unless the perishing remains of mortality were buried out of sight as quickly as possible, existence would be intolerable, and the plague perpetual. A heavy fine, therefore, is im

posed on persons who wantonly destroy these feathered scavengers and undertakers.

April 18. We called upon archdeacon Corrie, by whom, as the friend of all who love the Lord Jesus, we were most kindly welcomed. As we were approaching his house, we were informed of the sudden death of the bishop of Calcutta, the excellent and exemplary Dr. Heber, a few days ago, at Trichinopoly. All classes of people here-to whom his worth was known, and by whom the highest expectations of future benefit to India, from his evangelical labors, had been entertained-deeply lament his early removal. But the great Head of the Church, whether He sends out his messengers before his face to prepare his way, or removes them in the outset of their ministry, best knows what is best, both for them and for his service; and when, in the last day, He shall be glorified in his saints, it will be acknowledged that" He hath done all things well."

We afterwards visited the female orphan school, a handsome establishment supported by government, for the benefit of orphan children of Europeans only, of whom there are at present eighty-two on the foundation. The master, the Rev. Mr. Schmidt, a faithful Lutheran minister, with his pious wife, conduct it on decidedly Christian principles, bringing up the children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The girls are maintained here till they are either married, or eligible situations have been provided for them. Ten are instructed in the Bengalee and Hindoostanee languages, that they may be qualified to become agents in that " new thing in the earth,"-the education of native females in India. Several who have gone out are already thus beneficently employed as teachers in schools.

To-day, while we have been carried about in palanquins, from one place of call to another, the air felt as though it came upon our faces from the mouth of a furnace; and the bearers, accustomed as they are to tropical heat, were in very ill humor, their feet being scorched by the very ground on which the sun shone; so that, when they could, they took refuge by the road-sides, where they might walk for a few paces in the shade upon the grass. In the evening we explored that part of Calcutta which is called the Black Town, being principally tenanted by natives of this country. With the excep tion of one stately mansion, occupied by some wealthy persons of rank, the dwellings in general are poor hovels, and, though

built of bricks, are for the most part miserably out of repair. We passed many Hindoo temples; some of them handsome edifices, and one very extensive, but in utter dilapidation. Mile after mile are ranges of shops, where all kinds of wares are exposed to sale; while, in many of them, useful articles —and in others' superfluous ones, but much in demand—are manufactured; such as gods, and trumpery ornaments to adorn the idol temples, and deck the persons of the worshippers, on festival occasions. Shows were exhibiting in various places, with images, puerile, monstrous, or abominable, on the outside, to attract attention; while drums were beaten, and bawling invitations given to the idle and the profligate. One fellow was haranguing crowds of strangers, all careless of a corpse, which lay in the street hard by, covered with a cloth. The body seemed to have been recently run over by one of the numerous carriages, which are driven in all directions, and without mercy, along the most public thoroughfares. On our route we passed two Fakirs, or holy beggars, to one of whom a man was presenting a flower. They were young fellows, with long hair and beards; and, though ugly enough by nature to personate any reasonable scarecrow, they had daubed their black bodies with a light-colored clay, which gave them the appearance of having been badly white-washed. Besides this disguise, neither of them had any covering, except a rag round the waist. They were lounging by the road-side to attract the veneration and pity of passengers.

April 19. To the Rev. Mr. Crawfurd, a pious clergyman, and to several other respectable persons, we delivered letters of introduction. By all these we were kindly received. In the evening we rode to Fort William, on the south side of the city, which is probably one of the most impregnable artificial strong-holds in the world. It is of great extent, and constructed on the most scientific principles of defence, where no natural advantages could be pressed into use the ground being very little elevated above the dead level of the adjacent country. It is surrounded with deep fosses, and presents an appalling front of resistance for any enemy to assail. Within are barracks, for the garrison, and an observatory, which is a narrow circular tower, a hundred feet in height. From this magazine of terror and annoyance we went to an armory of another kind, the weapons of which are not carnal, yet mighty to the pulling down of strong-holds-the Bible Society's depository, which contains a large store of copies of versions